Trade Rumors: Jones, Smith, Bulls, Kings, Cavs, Sharpe
The Bulls have been receiving interest in point guard Tre Jones and forward/center Jalen Smith over the past few weeks, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. While Jones seems to be available, Poe suggests the Bulls are unlikely to trade Smith unless they get an appealing offer.
Both Jones and Smith have guaranteed contracts for next season. Jones’ deal also features a $8MM team option for 2027/28.
According to Poe, any of Chicago’s players on expiring contracts could be on the move prior to the deadline if the Bulls receive a “reasonable return.” The Bulls already showed a willingness to take on unwanted salary when they agreed to acquire Dario Saric for a pair of second-round picks (they’re waiving Jevon Carter to make roster space).
However, that doesn’t mean the Bulls are going to make trades just for the sake of it, particularly for a player like Coby White, multiple sources tell Poe.
Most of the players on Chicago’s roster are in their mid-20s and have been in the league for several years. Head coach Billy Donovan says the team is focused on acquiring more young talent.
“We have to keep building out with younger people,” Donovan said, per Poe. “I don’t think there’s any question about that from a roster standpoint. … If you’re just talking about the guys that are here that are going to be under contract, they’re going to need more. So however those conversations take place, whether it’s in July or whether it’s at the trade deadline, I think the front office is looking to try to build it out as best they can.”
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- The Kings had opportunities to trade Keon Ellis for multiple second-round picks, but they wanted to unload Dennis Schroder‘s contract and value De’Andre Hunter‘s size and length and view him as a better positional fit moving forward, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. As Siegel reported a few days ago, the Lakers also had interest in Hunter, but they were leery of taking on the $24.9MM he’s owed next season without receiving draft compensation in return, so they backed out of conversations with the Cavaliers.
- According to Siegel, the Kings are viewed as the “biggest sellers” at the deadline, and they have been making trade calls involving Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk. Of the three players, Sacramento is most motivated to move Monk, Siegel adds (via Twitter). A “few” teams — most notably the Raptors — have some interest in Sabonis, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for DeRozan or Monk, per Siegel.
- The Cavaliers continue to dangle Lonzo Ball in trade talks, according to Siegel (Twitter link). The veteran guard has had a disappointing first season in Cleveland and earns $10MM this season, with a $10MM team option for ’26/27.
- As Siegel observes, if the Cavaliers decide to retain Ellis long term (he will be extension-eligible on Feb. 9), that could have an impact on the futures of Sam Merrill and Max Strus. While I’m skeptical the Cavs would move Merrill given how well he’s played this season when healthy, Strus has yet to play in ’25/26 due offseason foot surgery and ’26/27 is the final year of his contract. Siegel suggests those sorts of conversations would likely wait until the summer and may depend on what happens with Ellis.
- The Nets appear to be reluctant to trade Day’Ron Sharpe, but the backup center has drawn interest from the Lakers, Raptors, Celtics and Pacers, Siegel reports.
Trade Rumors: Ellis, Hunter, Ball, Bucks, Sochan, Deadline
In addition to the Cavaliers, the Lakers, Pacers, Spurs and Celtics are among the many suitors for Kings guard Keon Ellis, sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). The Timberwolves and Knicks have also been mentioned as teams interested in Ellis.
The 26-year-old is an intriguing trade candidate because his $2.3MM expiring contract makes him an attainable piece for just about any NBA team. If he’s dealt, Ellis’ Bird rights would travel with him and he’d become extension-eligible on February 9, just a few days after the trade deadline.
Cleveland has seemed to be in the best position to acquire Ellis over the past 48 hours, Fischer reports (via Twitter), but other teams are still in the mix as well.
According to Stein and Fischer, while the Kings are reluctant to take on long-term money in trades, they’re believed to be open to that possibility if Malik Monk is included the deal. Sacramento has also brought up including DeMar DeRozan in trades involving Ellis.
Here are several more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Although the Lakers have been mentioned multiple times as a potential suitor for De’Andre Hunter, Stein and Fischer hear Los Angeles’ interest in the Cavaliers forward has been “repeatedly overstated.” As Stein and Fischer explain, Hunter’s $24.9MM salary for next season would inhibit the Lakers’ offseason flexibility, which they prefer to maintain.
- Before Giannis Antetokounmpo became the focus of the trade deadline, the Bucks made offers for Hunter centered around Kyle Kuzma and/or Bobby Portis, Stein and Fischer confirm. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported on Friday that Milwaukee had pitched Cleveland on the idea of a Portis/Hunter trade, but the Cavaliers declined. The Warriors also held a level of interest in Hunter, per Stein and Fischer, but that was before the Bucks began listening to offers for Antetokounmpo and now their focus is on the two-time MVP.
- The Wizards have checked in with the Cavaliers about Lonzo Ball and have let teams know they’re willing to be a salary dumping ground if they receive draft compensation in return, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Cleveland is the only team in the NBA over the second tax apron, and Ball — who is shooting just 26.9% from three-point range — is on pseudo-expiring $10MM contract ($10MM team option for next season).
- While this sort of move would be contingent on what happens with other trade constructs, the Bucks have expressed interest in packaging some of their minimum-salary contracts to acquire higher-priced players, including Nets guard Cam Thomas and Mavericks guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Scotto. As Scotto explains, Milwaukee’s goal would be to either take an upside swing (Thomas) or add second-round picks by taking on unwanted money (Russell). Thomas, an unrestricted free agent this summer, holds an implied no-trade clause after signing his qualifying offer last offseason.
- Several teams — including the Suns — have talked to the Spurs about fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan, according to Scotto. Those discussions, which Scotto describes as exploratory, also involved Phoenix center Nick Richards, but the Suns weren’t interested in that swap because it would have pushed them deeper into the luxury tax, which they’d prefer to dip below.
- We’ve only seen one in-season trade to this point. One veteran NBA executive who spoke to Stein and Fischer is optimistic about that number rising significantly in the coming days. “I still think the avalanche is coming,” said the team official.
Cavs Rumors: Giannis, Hunter, Ball, Lakers, Ellis, More
While there have been no indications to this point that the Cavaliers are considering making an offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the possibility can’t be ruled out, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link).
“It’s Giannis,” a rival NBA executive told Fedor. “Nothing more needs to be said.”
As Fedor writes, the Cleveland’s pathway to a potential deal for the Bucks superstar would be very complicated and would require a significant reduction in payroll — as a second-apron team, the Cavaliers can’t currently aggregate salaries for matching purposes and can’t take in more money than they send out. So in that sense, a Giannis trade is a long shot.
On the other hand, sources tell Fedor that the Cavs have been aggressively looking for roster upgrades ahead of the deadline, and they also have one of the top players who could theoretically be dangled in talks for Antetokounmpo — Evan Mobley, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year. On the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also pointed to Mobley as a centerpiece to a potential Cavs offer.
The Cavaliers, who have dealt with several injuries in 2025/26, have underachieved this season and are facing pressure to contend for championships. No individual player they could theoretically acquire would be remotely as impactful as Antetokounmpo, who has finished top four in MVP voting each of the past seven years.
Still, Cleveland is on the upswing, Fedor notes, having won five straight games and seven of the past eight. The front office has also yet to show any desire to make that sort of drastic mid-season overhaul, with blockbuster moves viewed as more likely to occur in the offseason, depending on what happens in the playoffs.
Here are a few more highlights from Fedor’s report:
- Fedor continues to hear De’Andre Hunter and Lonzo Ball are the most likely Cavs to be headed out of Cleveland in the coming days. Confirming reporting from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Fedor says the Cavaliers have discussed a trade framework with the Lakers that would send Hunter to Los Angeles in exchange for Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht. Sources tell Fedor the Lakers have also countered by offering the expiring contracts of Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber. Those talks have involved a third team as well — Fedor doesn’t specify which club it is, but Siegel said it was the Nets.
- Before they reportedly started listening to offers for Giannis, the Bucks explored the possibility of acquiring Hunter using a package built around Bobby Portis. The Cavs declined that proposal, sources tell Fedor.
- Fedor confirms the Cavs are one of many suitors for Kings guard Keon Ellis, noting that Malik Monk could be included as well if Hunter is sent to Sacramento.
- Reiterating a point he previously made, Fedor says the Cavs are eyeing Mavericks forward Naji Marshall. The framework would involve Ball and unspecified draft assets being sent to Dallas, though Fedor points out that Marshall has drawn interest from multiple teams. It’s also unclear if the Cavs would be willing to part with their lone tradable first-round pick (either 2031 or 2032) for a role player, even a quality one like Marshall.
- Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey and Wizards forward Justin Champagnie are among the other players who might interest the Cavs, Fedor writes.
Central Notes: Cavs, Ball, Wade, Vucevic, Walker
Cavaliers wings De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade have generated some interest on the trade market, and opposing teams continue to check in with Cleveland to see whether the club would be open to breaking up its “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
However, according to Fedor, the Cavs’ front office has consistently conveyed that it’s not interest in a significant shake-up and that it believes a healthy version of the current roster is capable of contending in the Eastern Conference.
As a result, Fedor believes any major roster changes are more likely to happen in the offseason, though he can envision Cleveland making a smaller deadline deal, perhaps involving Lonzo Ball. The veteran point guard hasn’t been the impact reserve the Cavs hoped he would be, and his contract – which includes a $10MM team option for 2026/27 – could appeal to a team seeking more cap flexibility this offseason.
One possible target for the Cavs is Naji Marshall, according to Fedor, who says Cleveland is among the teams to express interest in the Mavericks forward. While a deal centered around Ball and Marshall may intrigue the Cavs, Dallas is reportedly seeking at least a first-round pick for the veteran wing, and it’s unclear if Cleveland wants to give up its lone movable first-rounder (either 2031 or 2032) at this time, given the club’s up-and-down performance this season.
We have more from around the Central:
- Describing Dean Wade as “unheralded and overlooked” in a separate story for Cleveland.com (subscription required), Fedor says the veteran forward is one of the Cavaliers‘ best defenders and is a critical connector in some of their most effective lineups. “He’s the ultimate glue guy,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “That’s the cliche everyone uses but it’s true.” Wade is extension-eligible through June 30 and will reach unrestricted free agency if he doesn’t sign a new deal by then.
- Bulls center Nikola Vucevic recognizes that it could be an active trade deadline in Chicago, given that more than half the roster is on expiring contracts. Still, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times relays, Vucevic referred to his teammates as a “great group” and said he’d welcome the opportunity to finish the season with them. “There are a lot of guys that have a chip on their shoulders and want to prove people wrong because we’ve been doubted,” the big man said. “I would like to see what we can do and where we can go this year, but the front office has to make decisions and we all understand that.”
- A big offseason is on tap for Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who will be extension-eligible beginning in July. With that context in mind, it bodes well for the 22-year-old that he’s playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career this January, including setting a new personal high with 26 points in Oklahoma City against the league’s best defense last Friday. “This is an enormous moment for him in his young career,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). “He just showed all the things that he can do out there. From the shooting to the driving to the defense to the rebounding to passing. It was great to see that.”
Central Notes: Porter, Ball, Duren, Mathurin, Potter, Bradley
For the second time in three games, Craig Porter Jr. played an important role for the Cavaliers in a comeback victory, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story. The third-year guard played 23 minutes in Friday’s win over Denver, posting 10 points, five assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block. He finished +6 for the game and now ranks fourth on the team in plus-minus rating.
“He comes in and brings energy,” De’Andre Hunter said. “He’s picking up guys full, he’s getting steals, he’s coming in crashing the glass. He’s doing all the things we need. And he can score too. Definitely a big boost coming off the bench.”
According to Fedor, Porter’s improved play began with a rough 2024/25 season that included numerous DNPs. He spent the summer in the weight room and came to training camp determined to win a spot in the rotation.
“That’s one of my favorite guys. I love playing with Craig,” Jarrett Allen said. “He’s looking for people on the roll. His defensive effort is incredible. I don’t know the exact stat line but felt like he did everything tonight. People sleep on Craig. He gets it done.”
Fedor also points out that Porter’s ascension has come at the expense of Lonzo Ball, who was acquired from Chicago in an offseason trade. The veteran guard remained on the bench Monday and Wednesday, with coach Kenny Atkinson explaining that he wanted to explore different combinations and give Ball a chance to recharge mentally and physically. Ball played 15 minutes on Friday, but only because Dean Wade and Sam Merrill weren’t available.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Pistons center Jalen Duren, who will miss at least a week with a sprained right ankle, tried to play through the pain in Thursday’s loss to Miami, per Hunter Patterson of the Athletic. He checked back into the game late in the third quarter, but wasn’t able to keep going. “(Duren) wanted to give it a go and see how he felt,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “But (he) just didn’t feel that he could do the things that he needed to do.”
- Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin will be held out of Sunday’s game at Orlando with a sprained right thumb, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. He scored just two points in Friday’s loss to San Antonio, shooting just 1-of-6 from the field. Dopirak adds that center Isaiah Jackson remains sidelined with a concussion he suffered on December 22.
- Micah Potter made his first start since joining the Pacers, which is a strong sign that his contract will be guaranteed next week, Dopirak adds in a separate story. Potter finished with 16 points and six rebounds and shot 3-of-8 from three-point range. Dopirak notes that Indiana probably doesn’t have the luxury of keeping four centers. Potter and Tony Bradley both have non-guaranteed deals, but Potter is healthy and playing regularly while Bradley is dealing with the effects of a fractured right thumb.
Central Notes: Giannis, Sheppard, Pacers, Potter, Ball, Porter
Given that the Bucks hope to operate as buyers at the trade deadline and make a second-half push into the postseason, teams around the league inquiring about star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are being rebuffed, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirmed during a recent appearance on Sportsnet (Twitter video link).
“I’ve spoken to plenty of GMs that would love to have Giannis and have tried to talk to Bucks GM Jon Horst about acquiring him,” Scotto said. “And quite frankly, he’s not going anywhere, they’ve been telling me. The Bucks have been steadfast that he’s not going anywhere.”
Antetokounmpo reportedly entertained the idea of a change of scenery during the offseason, prompting the Bucks to briefly explore the possibility of a trade with the Knicks, but the two teams gained no traction in those discussions. If Milwaukee keeps losing and Giannis decides he wants to be moved, it will require a “more forceful” request from the two-time MVP, according to Jamal Collier and Shams Charania of ESPN, since the team won’t be looking to proactively deal him.
“The question is who is going to get made uncomfortable,” one league source told ESPN. “There’s a difference between saying it out loud and innuendos. [The Bucks] know Giannis doesn’t want to be the villain.”
We have more from news and notes from around the Central:
- Pacers guard Ben Sheppard missed an 11th consecutive game on Monday due to a left calf strain, but he was upgraded to questionable before being ruled out, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, which suggests his return may be imminent. Indiana has been banged up all season but got Aaron Nesmith back from a knee injury over the weekend and appears on the verge of having Sheppard back in the rotation too.
- The Pacers remain shorthanded in the frontcourt while Isaiah Jackson recovers from a concussion, which is what prompted the team to add free agent center Micah Potter last week. However, as Tony East writes for Circle City Spin, Potter’s stint with the team may be short-lived, since Indiana will have to waive him on or before next Wednesday in order to avoid guaranteeing his full salary.
- Veteran point guard Lonzo Ball was a DNP-CD on Monday as the Cavaliers picked up an impressive win in San Antonio, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “We wanted to look at some different combinations, but also with Zo, I have a big picture thing of just keeping him healthy and fresh,” head coach Kenny Atkinson explained after the game. “It was kind of twofold for tonight. I spoke to him. We need him healthy and available. He has been so far. I want to keep that going. I know we don’t have back-to-backs, but we are playing every other day. At a certain point, I need to find him some games. I talked to him about it, and it just happened to fall on tonight.”
- As Fedor observes, Craig Porter Jr. played well as the Cavaliers‘ backup point guard in place of Ball, registering six rebounds and four assists in 15 minutes in the victory over San Antonio. Cleveland outscored the Spurs by 12 points during Porter’s time on the floor, which matched the team’s margin of victory in the 113-101 decision.
Cavaliers Rumors: Allen, Trade Candidates, Atkinson, J. Bryant
Even after bouncing back with a seven-point win over Charlotte on Monday, the Cavaliers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA to open the 2025/26 campaign, currently holding a 16-14 record after going 64-18 last year. Owner Dan Gilbert is said to be “very unhappy” with the state of affairs in Cleveland, and there’s a rising sense of urgency to turn things around.
Despite the situation looking pretty bleak at the moment, the Cavaliers have reportedly yet to entertain the idea of trading Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, two members of the “core four.”
On Saturday’s Wine and Gold Talk podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said the Cavs appear reluctant to part with Allen for many of the same reasons as Garland — he’s been limited by injuries, is having a down season, and they’d likely get pennies on the dollar if they thought about moving him before the deadline. As with Garland, the Cavs also seem to be higher on Allen than opposing teams, which is another factor that can’t be discounted, per Fedor.
The Pacers, Knicks and Raptors are among the Eastern teams looking for help in the middle, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Cavs would have to be blown away to trade Allen to a conference rival.
“[Allen] has a lot of fans around the NBA, but unless the trade package was just irresistible, it’s hard to see the Cavs being willing to help another team in the East,” one source told Afseth. “Keep that in mind.”
Here are a few more rumors regarding the Cavaliers:
- On the same podcast, Fedor identified De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade as a handful of players on mid-sized salaries who could potentially be traded in the coming weeks if Cleveland’s front office decides against a more drastic overhaul. The issue, Fedor continued, is that Strus has yet to play a game as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, and Hunter, Ball and Wade are all struggling in 2025/26. Fedor pointed out that Ball ($10MM team option for ’26/27) and Wade ($6MM expiring contract) could be easier to move than Hunter and Strus, as the latter two make more money and have guaranteed deals next season.
- Afseth hears from sources that Wade, who has spent his entire seven-year career in Cleveland, is a name to watch in the coming weeks. The 29-year-old is known as a solid defender and decent three-point shooter (36.0% for his career), but he’s converting just 29.0% of his outside looks through 27 games in ’25/26, which is by far the worst mark of his career.
- Marc Stein reported on Sunday that Kenny Atkinson could be on the hot seat in the coming weeks unless the Cavs start winning again despite being named Coach of the Year last season. According to Afseth, there have been “internal questions about Atkinson’s leadership,” and if the Cavs do decide to dismiss him, Donovan Mitchell is said to favor Johnnie Bryant taking over as interim coach. Bryant, who is known to have a close relationship with Mitchell, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job over the summer — that position went to his former colleague Jordan Ott.
Central Notes: Garland, Ball, White, Furphy, Siakam
The Cavaliers will be without a handful of players for Monday’s matchup against the Pacers. Darius Garland (toe injury management) and Lonzo Ball (illness) have been added to the list of players who won’t be available. Larry Nance Jr., Max Strus, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill had already been listed as out of action due to various ailments.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Coby White, who has already missed a chunk of the Bulls season due to a right calf strain, is listed as doubtful with left calf tightness and congestion for tonight’s game against the Magic, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network tweets. White has played five games, averaging 24.2 points and 6.2 assists per contest. Noa Essengue, Jalen Smith and Isaac Okoro are listed as out, with Zach Collins – who has yet to make his season debut – considered doubtful.
- Pacers forward Johnny Furphy, who suffered a left ankle sprain in early November, was assigned to the G League’s Noblesville Boom over the weekend and then recalled, the team’s PR department tweets. The 2024 second round selection has appeared in three games this season after coming off the bench in 50 regular season games during his rookie campaign. He appears to be nearing a return after practicing with the Boom.
- With Tyrese Haliburton out for the season, Pascal Siakam is now the No. 1 option for the Pacers. He’s put together back-to-back 24-point outings as the team doubled its win total with victories over the Wizards and Bulls this weekend. Indiana got off to a woeful 2-16 start after making the NBA Finals last season. “You can’t take it for granted,” Siakam told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Every single night you go out there, and when you’re used to winning you take it for granted. I think every day we go out there, every single possession that we win, every single run that we have, every single win, we gotta take it and enjoy it and know — which is the most important — know what it took for us to get to that. We’re tired of losing. We can’t keep losing. That has to be our mindset. We have to give everything for that.”
Central Notes: Giannis, Pacers, Ball, Porter, Essengue
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Wednesday’s game vs. Charlotte due to what the team referred to as patellar tendinopathy affecting his left knee. However, speaking to reporters prior to the game, head coach Doc Rivers suggested that Antetokounmpo’s absence was more about managing his workload during a tough part of the schedule rather than an injury the team is seriously concerned about.
“What are we, five games in seven days?” Rivers said (Twitter links via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). “It’s just a lot. And we looked at this before it all started, this was the game, if we were going to sit him, just because it was right in the middle and it gives him four days off.
“This one was a little rough because we weren’t sure. I know I wanted him to (sit). I asked him before (shootaround), trying to talk him into not playing, which is rare for me to do. But it just felt like health-wise, this is the right decision.”
Antetokounmpo is off to an excellent start this fall, averaging 33.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 32.9 minutes per game through his first 10 outings. Wednesday’s contest was the second he has missed this season, and while Milwaukee picked up a victory without its star forward vs. Golden State on October 30, the team dropped last night’s game in Charlotte, falling to 7-5 on the season.
We have more from around the Central:
- The Pacers had some players back from injuries on Tuesday, including point guard T.J. McConnell making his season debut. However, the club gave up a season-high 152 points in a blowout loss to Utah, prompting McConnell to refer to the defensive effort as “pitiful,” per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). “We just have to be better in terms of fight, in terms of pride,” McConnell said. “That’s really not gonna get it done.” The defending Eastern Conference champions are now 1-10 to open the season.
- With Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell among the Cavaliers‘ regulars inactive on Wednesday in Miami, Lonzo Ball earned his second start of the season and reserve guard Craig Porter Jr. played a season-high 32 minutes. Fred Katz of The Athletic looks at how Ball is fitting in with the Cavs so far this season, while Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required) covers Porter’s “heroic” night — the third-year guard had 19 points and nine assists, with a game-high +21 on/off court mark, in the victory over the Heat.
- Bulls rookie forward Noa Essengue had a big G League debut on Tuesday, scoring 28 points in 29 minutes for the Windy City Bulls, according to Julie Poe of The Chicago Tribune, who shares five takeaways from Essengue’s performance. However, Essengue remains an odd man out in Chicago’s frontcourt rotation, so this won’t change the team’s development plan for him, says Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I think sometimes you can get preoccupied with the scoring aspect of it,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I know he had a big night offensively, but if he’s getting out in transition, getting to the backboard, slashing, cuts, that’s great. I think we all know the shooting part of it needs to continue to develop, his body needs to continue to develop, but can he get things into the game we’re going to need him to?”
Central Notes: Turner, Ball, Mathurin, Sarama, Russell
The Bucks got their first glimpse of the Giannis Antetokounmpo–Myles Turner pairing on Sunday, and what they saw in just over five minutes should excite them, says Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Despite Antetokounmpo’s somewhat pedestrian box score numbers, his presence opened up the floor for the team’s shooters, Nehm writes. Most importantly, Turner’s instincts, not only as a spacer but also as a cutter, worked perfectly alongside Antetokounmpo’s scoring gravity, creating wide-open looks for the Bucks’ guards.
“The most important thing about him is that he sacrifices,” Antetokounmpo said. “At times, he knows that he’s not going to get the ball and he’s going to create the open shot for his teammate.”
While the on-court stint may have been over quickly, Nehm feels it’s indicative of why pursuing Turner was the right choice for a team featuring Antetokounmpo. So far, the Bucks’ star seems to agree.
“It’s fun playing with him. Makes the game easier for me,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think I’ll try to make the game easier for him. When I draw a lot of attention, I think he’s gonna be able to create a lot of open shots … So he just makes the game easier not just for me, for the whole team.”
We have more notes from around the Central Division:
- Speaking of proving the value of an offseason pursuit, Lonzo Ball showed during Tuesday’s preseason game against the Pistons why the Cavaliers targeted him in trade talks this summer, writes Chris Fedor for Cleveland.com. Ball did a bit of everything in his 20 minutes, with nine points, nine assists, four rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Coach Kenny Atkinson said that was exactly what he was envisioning Ball’s role to be. “He hasn’t disappointed,” Atkinson said. “Everything that we thought we were getting, we’re getting. He’s just got a great, great feel. I’m excited to coach any NBA player, but this is a guy I’ve watched for a long time. He’s kind of the ultimate system fit.” It appears the only questions surrounding Ball’s tenure in Cleveland will be related to health, not skill set.
- Bennedict Mathurin is expected to command a significant role for the Pacers this season with Tyrese Haliburton recovering from an Achilles tear. In Monday’s preseason matchup against the Spurs, he showed that he could not only create his own shot, but also play within the flow of the offense, writes Dustin Dopirak for the Indianapolis Star. Mathurin ended the game with 31 points on 11-of-12 shooting. On the less encouraging side of things, the Pacers’ four centers, Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley, scored three total points on 0-of-10 shooting. With the departure of Turner, figuring out how to survive the center rotation will be crucial for the Pacers to stay competitive.
- Alex Sarama, who spent the last year and a half as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, has been announced as the first head coach for the newly-christened Portland Fire WNBA team, writes Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports. Sarama worked with Fire general manager Vanja Cernivec during their time with the London Lions in the British Basketball League, serving as the Lions’ director of methodology.
- Walker Russell Jr. has played for the Pistons, as did his father, Walter Russell Sr. He now returns to the organization as an assistant coach for its G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, writes Omar Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. The Russells remain the only father-son duo to ever both play for the Pistons, and Sankofa adds that both father and son started and ended their playing career in Detroit. Russell Jr. is eager for the opportunity. “This right here is the best feeling I ever had, coming home,” he said. “I get to grind player development, I get to grind with the guys and tell my story, the good and the bad. The bad is what I really, really like to harp on because everybody talks about the good in this business. Nobody really talks about how you stay in this business.“