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Woj’s Latest: Bogdanovic, KCP, Butler, Sixers

February 22nd, 2017 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings still had four days to go before the 2017 trade deadline when they agreed to send DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans, but the team rushed to finalize the trade so that owner Vivek Ranadive wouldn’t change his mind about wanting to move the star center, Adrian Wojnarowski says in a podcast for The Vertical.

Both Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks were somewhat critical of the Kings, pointing out that the team should have been able to find a way to move Matt Barnes in the process of trading Cousins, rather than releasing him and eating his $6.4MM+ guaranteed salary for 2017/18. Wojnarowski also said that multiple free agents in recent years have used the Kings for leverage or turned down more money from Sacramento sign elsewhere, suggesting that the club needs to make good decisions and improve its reputation going forward.

The Vertical’s team, including Wojnarowski, Marks, and Chris Mannix, tackled many more topics within that podcast and a live chat with fans on Facebook, so let’s dive in and round up some of the highlights…

The Wizards don’t want to trade a first-round pick for a rental player, but the team does have “significant interest” in Nets sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. Wojnarowski also adds the Kings to the list of teams with real interest in Bogdanovic.
Although the Pistons “love” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, they’re hesitant about giving him a maximum salary contract in the offseason, so they have been open to listening to inquiries on him to gauge his value, says Wojnarowski. While Stan Van Gundy did say last month that no one on the roster is untouchable, a KCP deal seems like a long shot.
If the Bulls are going to consider moving Jimmy Butler, they’ll need to blown away by an offer, per Wojnarowski. Mannix adds that the Celtics believe Jaylen Brown has star potential and would be very reluctant to include him in an offer for Butler.
In recent weeks, the Sixers have shifted their focus from trading Nerlens Noel to trading Jahlil Okafor, but if the team doesn’t find a deal it likes for Okafor, Noel remains a trade candidate, says Wojnarowski. Although the Bulls have had “pretty consistent interest” in Okafor, Philadelphia continues to value him like a former third overall pick, and teams around the league are less bullish on his value, according to Woj.
The Rockets, Thunder, and Hawks are among the teams on the lookout for help. Mannix says Houston remains in the market for a frontcourt piece, while Wojnarowski says the Thunder are still seeking a wing scorer. Woj also notes that Atlanta is focused on building around Paul Millsap, despite the fact that he can opt out this summer.
The market for Nets center Brook Lopez is “really limited,” since the market is somewhat over-saturated with that type of player, says Wojnarowski.
The Clippers are reluctant to give up any more draft picks, particularly for rental players, so they’re a candidate to dive into the buyout market after the deadline, according to Wojnarowski, who adds that the club has had some interest in Wilson Chandler and Nikola Mirotic.
According to Wojnarowski, the Trail Blazers remain committed to Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum as core pieces, and are taking the long view on their roster rather than pushing for a playoff spot this season.

Knicks Rumors: Rose, Carmelo, O’Quinn, Jennings

February 22nd, 2017 at 7:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have been actively exploring potential Derrick Rose trades with the deadline nearing, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (podcast link). As Wojnarowski notes, the club’s approach to Rose suggests there isn’t a ton of interest in re-signing him this summer.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, some members of the Knicks organization are “wary” of taking on any long-term salary back in a deal for Rose, since the team could free up more than $21MM for 2017/18 by keeping the point guard’s expiring contract on the books.

As the Knicks mull what to do with Rose, here are a few more notes on the team from Wojnarowski and Begley:

Rival executives around the NBA believed – as of Tuesday evening – that the Clippers and Celtics haven’t entirely closed the door on a Carmelo Anthony trade, writes Begley. Still, according to Wojnarowski, the Knicks have been underwhelmed by what teams are willing to give up for Anthony, reducing their motivation to move him.
Per Wojnarowski, it’s possible that the Knicks hang onto Anthony through the deadline, then try to reopen trade scenarios around the 2017 draft. Begley reports that some people within the Clippers organization think that the All-Star forward would be open to waiving his no-trade clause and approving a move to Los Angeles in the summer.
Even if the Knicks don’t move any marquee veterans, a deal this week is possible. According to Begley, teams have asked about guys like Kyle O’Quinn and Brandon Jennings in recent days.

Coaching Role Impacts Doc Rivers' Personnel Decisions

February 21st, 2017 at 4:54pm CST by Austin Kent

Doubling up as the head coach of the Clippers and managing team personnel isn’t easy and some believe that it has limited Doc Rivers‘ ability to make significant trades. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes that Rivers has considered deals in the past but ultimately scrapped them because of an unwillingness to part with talent that he likes to have when he’s coaching from the sidelines.

Wizards, Jazz, Others Interested In P.J. Tucker

February 21st, 2017 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

P.J. Tucker‘s name has been coming up in trade rumors for over a month now, and with less than 48 hours to go until the deadline, the Suns swingman appears to be receiving interest from several potential suitors. Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link) identifies the Raptors, Wizards, Clippers, Hawks, Celtics, and Jazz as teams eyeing Tucker.

Several of those teams have already been linked to Tucker in recent weeks. The Clippers and Hawks were among the teams initially named as suitors in January, along with Chicago, Cleveland, and Minnesota. More recently, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News wrote that the Celtics have “deep interest” in Tucker, and ESPN’s Zach Lowe said that the Raptors were a team to watch.

The inclusion of the Wizards and Jazz in Scotto’s report appears to be new, though both teams are known to be in the market for modest upgrades to their respective rotations. Both Washington and Utah are believed to have interest in Lou Williams, a far more lethal scorer than Tucker, who is known more for his defense.

Tucker is on an affordable contract, earning just $5.3MM this season, but he’ll also become an unrestricted free agent this summer, so it remains to be seen how much value the Suns will be able to extract for a rental player.

Kyler: CP3, Griffin, Redick Considered Likely To Re-Sign

February 21st, 2017 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Chris Paul and the Clippers essentially have a verbal agreement in place for a new contract this summer, sources close to the process tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Although the star point guard is technically eligible for an extension now, he can get a longer-term – and more lucrative – deal by re-signing with the club in July.

A verbal agreement isn’t binding, so things could change between now and July, but Paul has always been viewed as likely to remain in Los Angeles. As Kyler notes, the 31-year-old will be eligible to sign a new five-year contract worth more than $200MM this offseason, so as long as the Clippers are willing to put that offer on the table – and it seems they are – there’s virtually no chance of CP3 changing teams.

Like Paul, teammates Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick are viewed as highly likely to re-sign with the Clippers this summer, per Kyler. The Thunder were mentioned at one point as a potential suitor for Griffin, but OKC has since added a ton of salary to its 2017/18 books, and Kyler suggests that Griffin was never all that interest in returning to Oklahoma, where he played his college ball.

Lowe’s Latest: Clippers, Raptors, Wizards, Suns

February 20th, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Clippers are trying to acquire a small forward without giving up one of their four core players and ESPN’s Zach Lowe reports that Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford aren’t drawing much interest from opposing teams. The franchise called the Wizards trying to bring Otto Porter to Los Angeles, but Washington was disinterested in engaging in trade talks.

A package of Rivers, Crawford, and a “distant” first-rounder won’t be enough to pry Wilson Chandler from the Nuggets, Lowe reports. Denver is seeking a lottery-protected first-round pick and swap rights on another pick for Chandler or Danilo Gallinari. The Nuggets intend to compete for the eighth seed in the Western Conference and they believe they can do it without one of their veteran small forwards.

Here’s more from Lowe’s latest piece:

The Raptors would like to add another rotation player, sources tell Lowe. The Raptors currently have 15 players under contract, but they could waive Jared Sullinger should they need an open roster spot. Lowe adds that any deal that sends out a high-priced veteran is not likely to occur until the offseason.
The Wizards are also eager to add a rotation player. The team has been linked to Lou Williams and it has explored trading a protected first-rounder in exchange for him. Lowe believes that’s too much value for Washington to give up and opines that two second-round picks may be able to get a deal completed.
The Suns are listening to offers on most of their veterans and Lowe writes that P.J. Tucker is the player who is most likely to be traded. The scribe names the Clippers and Raptors as teams to watch.
The Bucks are willing to listen to offers for anyone besides Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Thon Maker and Khris Middleton. Lowe adds that the Wolves have expressed interest in Tony Snell.
Jahlil Okafor was close to being acquired by the Blazers before the team traded for Jusuf Nurkic. Lowe adds that the Sixers did not hold Okafor out of two contests to simply drive up his price.
The two-way contracts for players who play in the NBA as well as the D-League could increase the value of second-round picks going forward, Lowe speculates. The scribe adds that front offices are still examining the new CBA and it could cause some teams to wait until after the season to make major deals.

Celtics, Clippers Discussed Blake Griffin Trade

February 20th, 2017 at 8:40pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Celtics have had discussions with the Clippers regarding Blake Griffin, though a deal remains extremely unlikely, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. If Los Angeles were to send Griffin to Boston, it would require the Celtics to give up Jae Crowder and either Avery Bradley or Marcus Smart in addition to future picks, sources tell Lowe.

Griffin will be a free agent after the season and Boston would likely need official permission to speak with the power forward before making an official offer to Los Angeles. The team would want to gauge Griffin’s interest in re-signing in Boston and Lowe notes that Minnesota allowed Cleveland to have similar conversations with Kevin Love before he was acquired by the Cavs.

Griffin isn’t the only star that the Celtics have interest in bringing aboard. Lowe adds that the team has “zeroed in” on Jimmy Butler and Paul George, though both appear unlikely to be traded. Lowe hears that the Pacers are turning away trade inquiries on George and it was reported earlier today that the Bulls are leaning toward keeping the 3-time All-Star. Lowe writes that the Celtics would need to include Brooklyn’s 2017 pick in an offer to entice the Bulls and Chicago could even demand both of the Nets’ picks in exchange for Butler.

Odds Heavily Against Carmelo Anthony Trade

February 20th, 2017 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

The odds of the Knicks completing a trade this week involving Carmelo Anthony are very slim, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. Anthony has said he prefers to remain with the Knicks through Thursday’s trade deadline, and that remains the most likely outcome.

Anthony, one of three players in the NBA with a formal no-trade clause in his contract, has been vocal about his preference to stick with New York. There are believed to be a small handful of teams, including the Cavaliers and Clippers, that Anthony might approve — Berman notes that Los Angeles is Carmelo’s preferred destination in a trade, and a weekend report indicated that the Cavs haven’t entirely closed the door on a possible deal. However, according to Berman, the Knicks haven’t discussed any trade scenarios with those teams that are attractive enough to make them ask their star forward to waive his no-trade clause.

Anthony, who participated in All-Star weekend after being named to the Eastern Conference team as a replacement for Kevin Love, was happy that trade rumors involving him appeared to be dying down and weren’t a constant topic of conversation in New Orleans.

“Leave it like that,” Anthony said, according to Berman. “Things I’m dealing with, it’s good not to hear me in the media like that. This weekend was more about focusing on this weekend, having fun and getting away from that for a couple of days. I was in the moment just focusing on being here.”

Assuming Anthony finishes the season with the Knicks, he’ll head into the summer with two years remaining on his contract with the club. The final year is an early termination option, so he’ll have the chance to opt out and become a free agent in 2018.

Woj: Butler Trade To The Celtics Still Possible

February 18th, 2017 at 10:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

A potential trade sending Jimmy Butler from the Bulls to the Celtics will loom over deadline week, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link).

In a video interview, Wojnarowski says the teams have discussed a deal involving Butler, but talks haven’t progressed very far. He adds that Chicago officials have to to fully commit to the rebuilding process before they would be willing to give up Butler.

Wojnarowski says the trade would involve one of the Nets’ first-rounders — but probably not both — that Boston owns in the next two drafts. If the Bulls get this year’s pick, Wojnarowski states they can find a replacement for Derrick Rose, who was traded to the Knicks last summer. Washington’s Markelle Fultz and UCLA’s Lonzo Ball are point guards mentioned as likely choices at the top of the draft.

Teaming Butler with Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford would give the Celtics enough firepower to challenge Cleveland for supremacy in the East, Wojnarowski states, not just this season but for years to come.

Other highlights from the interview:

The Clippers and Thunder are both potential landing spots for Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler. However, both teams are low on draft picks and may not have the assets that Denver would want in return.
The Thunder were trying to acquire Kings forward Rudy Gay before a season-ending Achilles injury.
The Wizards would like to add another wing player to their bench, with the Lakers‘ Lou Williams and the Nets‘ Bojan Bogdanovic as possibilities. Wojnarowski says Washington is willing to part with a draft pick to get veteran help.
The Suns have been shopping P.J. Tucker, Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight, hoping to get picks or young players in return.
Chandler is one of several centers on the market, along with the Sixers‘ Jahlil Okafor, the Mavericks‘ Andrew Bogut, the Bucks‘ Greg Monroe and the Nets‘ Brook Lopez. However, there is limited interest in back-to-the basket centers. Wojnarowski speculates that one or two of them may be traded this week, but cautions that there aren’t enough buyers for all of them to be moved.
Unless something changes, Carmelo Anthony will remain with the Knicks. New York management hasn’t presented him with any deals that would tempt him to waive his no-trade clause. Most of the teams that were interested in dealing for Anthony are now “looking in other directions,” but Wojnarowski thinks the Clippers might revisit their attempt to land Anthony this summer.

Trade Deadline Outlook: Pacific Division

February 18th, 2017 at 7:59pm CST by Luke Adams

In the days leading up to the February 23 trade deadline, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. We’ll be identifying each team as a buyer, seller, or something in between, and discussing which teams and players are most likely to be involved in deals this month. We’ve already covered the Atlantic, Northwest, and Southeast. Today, we’re examining the Pacific.

Buyers:

As the odds-on favorite to win the 2017 NBA championship, the Warriors (47-9) are undoubtedly buyers rather than sellers, but the team may not be overly active within the next few days. Adding another reliable guard or rim protector would provide the roster with a little additional depth as the playoffs approach, but Golden State doesn’t have any glaring holes that need to be filled, and the team isn’t brimming with expendable trade assets. With huge max deals for Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant looming, the Warriors may need to rely on young, inexpensive players like Patrick McCaw, Kevon Looney, and Damian Jones to assume regular rotation roles in future seasons, so it makes sense to hang onto them rather than to dangle them in search of a minor upgrade.

The Clippers (35-21) will likely look a little harder for an upgrade than the Warriors, but like Golden State, their trade assets are limited. A 2021 pick is the earliest first-rounder Los Angeles could move, and as the Carmelo Anthony rumors proved, adding an impact player would probably require giving up one or more rotation players out of a group that includes Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford, and J.J. Redick. If the Clippers were willing to make Blake Griffin available and really reshape their roster, things could get interesting, but there’s no indication that’s on the table at all. If L.A. makes a move, it’s far more likely be a small one.

Sellers:

The Lakers (19-39) have a huge incentive to sell their productive veterans to ensure a bottom-three finish this season, since they’ll give up their 2017 first-rounder to the Sixers if it doesn’t fall in the top three. The outcome for that pick will have further ramifications as well — if the Lakers lose their 2017 first-rounder, they’ll owe their 2019 first-rounder to Orlando. If they keep their 2017 pick, they’ll send a pair of second-round picks to the Magic instead.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, their list of “productive veterans” isn’t long. Lou Williams, the team’s leading scorer, is the most obvious trade candidate on the roster, and Nick Young could draw interest. But newly-signed vets like Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov don’t have much value. The Lakers will also have to figure out how newly-hired advisor Magic Johnson fits into the front office as he continues to talk about wanting to “call the shots” on the club’s roster moves.

Somewhere in between:

Despite being nine games below .500, the Kings (24-33) currently hold the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference, leading the way among the clubs threatening to knock Denver out of the No. 8 seed. Team ownership would love to get into the postseason, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sacramento try to fortify its roster with a veteran piece or two at the deadline. On the other hand, with Rudy Gay out for the season and DeMarcus Cousins already a good bet to sign an extension with the team (given the money he’d lose by heading elsewhere), it’s possible the Kings won’t be quite as motivated to land short-term pieces as they otherwise might have been.

As for the Suns (18-39), they’re currently dead last in the West, and even though the group of teams competing for the No. 8 seed is weak, that shouldn’t inspire Phoenix to buy. Nonetheless, the team reportedly remains on the lookout for a deal in which it could package a handful of assets for a star player, having contacted the Kings about Cousins earlier in the year. Cousins is unavailable, but if there any other stars land on the trade block, Phoenix is a club to watch — the Suns are eager to make a splash.

Team most likely to make a move:

My vote here is for the Kings. Trailing the Nuggets for a playoff spot by just a game and a half, Sacramento has reason to believe that an extra piece could make the difference. The team currently doesn’t have enough minutes to go around for all of its young players, and likely wouldn’t be opposed to parting with at least one of them in a deal. And if the Kings don’t mind shaking up their rotation a little, veterans like Darren Collison, Arron Afflalo, and Kosta Koufos would make decent trade chips.

Player(s) most likely to be moved:

There’s little reason for the Suns not to take the best offer they can get for P.J. Tucker, who will be a free agent this summer and could help a contender in need of a wing defender. The Lakers and Lou Williams fall into this category as well, though Williams remains under contract for one more year at an affordable salary ($7MM). If the Lakers don’t move him now, they could still do so in the summer, or at next year’s deadline. I’ll give the edge to Tucker as the one more likely to be moved, given Williams’ contract situation and the changes afoot in L.A.’s front office.

Under-the-radar trade candidate(s):

A report in November suggested that the Kings were open to moving Willie Cauley-Stein, but team sources downplayed that idea and his name hasn’t really surfaced in trade rumors since then. Still, even though he has received more consistent minutes lately, Cauley-Stein hasn’t been a regular part of Dave Joerger‘s rotation for much of the year, playing just 13.0 MPG overall (compared to 21.4 MPG in his rookie season). The sixth overall pick still has plenty of promise and should have a fair amount of trade value, so perhaps the Kings will consider moving him in a deal for someone whom Joerger’s coaching staff would view as more reliable.

What do you think is in store for the Pacific teams over the next five days? Which teams are most likely to make a deal? Which players will be on the move?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.