Suns, Clippers, Bucks Remain Active In Trade Market
Most teams made their final roster decisions yesterday, but a few are hoping to swing last-minute trades before Monday’s deadline, tweets Keith Smith of Real GM.
The Suns don’t want to start the season without a veteran point guard and are continuing to make calls around the league in hopes of finding one. They haven’t gotten close to a deal yet, Smith notes, possibly because of their reluctance to surrender a first-round pick.
Phoenix was reportedly talking to the Clippers about Patrick Beverley over the summer, but was only willing to offer second-rounders, while L.A. was holding out for a first. The Suns’ pursuit of point guard help has been complicated by this week’s decision to fire GM Ryan McDonough.
The Clippers and Bucks are also making last-minute trade calls, Smith adds. Both teams remain above the 15-man roster limit and are hoping to trade their excess players rather than cutting them.
L.A. has 15 players with guaranteed contracts, along with Beverley, who has a non-guaranteed $5MM deal, and Tyrone Wallace, who has a partial guarantee for $300K. They are both considered likely to make the roster, but that means getting rid of guaranteed money elsewhere. The Clippers were hoping to resolve the issue in a Jimmy Butler deal, but there’s little chance of that happening before Monday’s deadline.
Milwaukee has reportedly decided to give its final roster spot to big man Christian Wood, which likely means Tim Frazier is expendable. The Bucks waived both Shabazz Muhammad and Tyler Zeller this week, but remain one player above the limit.
Wood To Get Bucks’ Final Roster Spot?
The Bucks will keep Christian Wood on the roster after a strong preseason performance, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Wood was believed to be competing with Tim Frazier for the final spot, but a source tells Spears that the team has made its choice.
The 23-year-old power forward/center signed with Milwaukee shortly before the start of training camp last month. If he does make the roster, the Bucks would be Wood’s third team in three years after playing 17 games for the Sixers in 2016/17 and 13 games with the Hornets last season. Wood has also spent significant time in the G League over the last three years, playing in Delaware and Greensboro.
Wood has a two-year, non-guaranteed contract that will pay him $1,512,601 this season and $1,645,357 in 2019/20 if he remains on the Bucks’ roster.
Milwaukee cleared the path for Wood with a couple of high-profile cuts this week. The team waived Shabazz Muhammad on Thursday, then parted ways with Tyler Zeller earlier today.
Bucks Waive Tyler Zeller
The Bucks have waived veteran center Tyler Zeller, according to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). The move leaves Milwaukee one cut shy of reaching the regular season roster limit.
Zeller, the 27th overall pick in the 2012 draft, began his career with two years in Cleveland before spending three seasons in Boston. In 2017/18, he appeared in 66 games for the Nets and Bucks, recording overall averages of 6.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 16.8 minutes per contest.
The contract Zeller signed in the summer of 2017 was a two-year deal, but the second year was non-guaranteed, so his hold on a roster spot in Milwaukee was always precarious. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers on Monday.
With one more cut still to come, Tim Frazier and Christian Wood appear to be vying for the Bucks’ final roster spot.
Bucks Waive Shabazz Muhammad
The Bucks have waived veteran swingman Shabazz Muhammad, according to an announcement from the club (Twitter link). The move reduces Milwaukee’s roster count to 19 players, with two more cuts required to reach the regular season roster limit.
Muhammad, who will turn 26 next month, finished last season with Milwaukee after being bought out by the Timberwolves. The former first-round pick looked good in limited action with the Bucks in 11 regular season contests, pouring in 8.5 PPG on .552/.375/.895 shooting in just 10.6 minutes per game. However, he didn’t play much in the postseason and didn’t receive any guaranteed money when the club re-signed him this summer.
With Muhammad no longer in the mix for Milwaukee’s 15th roster spot, the battle for that slot appears to be down to Tyler Zeller, Tim Frazier, and Christian Wood. If they want to carry more than one of those players to start the regular season, the Bucks would need to waive or trade one of their 14 players with a fully guaranteed salary.
Muhammad will become an unrestricted free agent if he goes unclaimed on waivers on Saturday.
2018/19 Over/Unders: Central Division
The 2018/19 NBA regular season will get underway in just five days, which means it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from Bovada and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, to have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
Having started with the Atlantic and Southwest divisions this week, we’re moving onto the Central today…
Indiana Pacers
- 2017/18 record: 48-34
- Over/under for 2018/19: 47.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Pacers win in 2018/19?
-
Over 47.5 62% (255)
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Under 47.5 38% (156)
Total votes: 411
(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll)
Milwaukee Bucks
- 2017/18 record: 44-38
- Over/under for 2018/19: 47.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Ersan Ilyasova, Brook Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton
- Lost: Jabari Parker, Jason Terry, Brandon Jennings
How many games will the Bucks win in 2018/19?
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Over 47.5 74% (339)
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Under 47.5 26% (121)
Total votes: 460
(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll)
Detroit Pistons
- 2017/18 record: 39-43
- Over/under for 2018/19: 38.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Pistons win in 2018/19?
-
Over 38.5 56% (226)
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Under 38.5 44% (175)
Total votes: 401
(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll)
Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2017/18 record: 50-32
- Over/under for 2018/19: 30.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: David Nwaba, Channing Frye, Collin Sexton, Sam Dekker
- Lost: LeBron James, Jeff Green, Jose Calderon, Okaro White
How many games will the Cavaliers win in 2018/19?
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Over 30.5 55% (235)
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Under 30.5 45% (189)
Total votes: 424
(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Cavaliers poll)
Chicago Bulls
- 2017/18 record: 27-55
- Over/under for 2018/19: 29.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Bulls win in 2018/19?
-
Over 29.5 62% (275)
-
Under 29.5 38% (170)
Total votes: 445
(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll)
Previous voting results:
- Boston Celtics (59.5 wins): Over (53.63%)
- Toronto Raptors (55.5 wins): Over (56.95%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Under (51.19%)
- Brooklyn Nets (31.5 wins): Under (56.04%)
- New York Knicks (28.5 wins): Under (54.13%)
- Houston Rockets (56.5 wins): Over (69.33%)
- New Orleans Pelicans (45.5 wins): Under (53.4%)
- San Antonio Spurs (44.5 wins): Under (60%)
- Dallas Mavericks (34.5 wins): Over (55.16%)
- Memphis Grizzlies (34.5 wins): Under (60.87%)
Promising Early Returns On Brook Lopez's Fit In Milwaukee
- Early returns for Brook Lopez‘s fit with the Bucks have been promising, as Jim Hoehn points out for The Associated Press. Lopez will provide a vast majority of his value on the perimeter as a floor-spacer to draw defenders away from the paint as Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to attack the rim. With the Bucks also adding Ersan Ilyasova and coach Mike Budenholzer, they are also looking to modernize their offense and become a true contender in the conference.
Wolves, Clippers Continue To Discuss Jimmy Butler
While the Heat have long looked like the favorites in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, Miami isn’t the only team talking to the Timberwolves. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the Wolves and Clippers have had ongoing discussions about a Butler trade.
[RELATED: Wolves tell teams to improve offers for Butler]
The Timberwolves have asked for multiple players and picks in conversations with the Clippers, and would prefer to land Tobias Harris in any Butler deal, sources tell Haynes. Minnesota’s asking price has thus far been deemed too high for the Clippers, who don’t plan to trade Harris, Haynes adds.
Some details in Haynes’ report echo what we’ve heard in previous stories about the Timberwolves’ trade discussions — the Yahoo Sports scribe suggests that the Wolves’ front office “hasn’t fully engaged” the Clippers’ pitches. Other reports on Butler have conveyed similar sentiments on Minnesota’s apparent unwillingness to actively engage potential trade partners.
As Haynes writes, there’s a belief that Tom Thibodeau is still holding out hope that he can convince Butler to report to the team and rescind his trade request, despite Thibodeau’s public insistence that the Wolves are working on making a deal. Minnesota’s head coach and president of basketball operations told reporters today that trade talks are “ongoing,” as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press relays.
The Clippers were initially named as one of the teams on Butler’s short list of preferred destinations. The team will clear a significant amount of salary from its books at the end of the 2018/19 season, and could have room for a second maximum-salary free agent even it acquires Butler.
In other Butler news, Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) hears from a league source that the Bucks haven’t had any “substantive” talks with Minnesota about Butler. No players were put on the table and there’s no ongoing dialogue between the two sides at the moment, Velazquez adds. Milwaukee had been named as a potential dark horse Butler suitor early in the process.
Cavaliers Notes: Love, Nance, Frye, Playoff Race
Kevin Love, the only remaining member of the Cavaliers’ former Big Three, met with GM Koby Altman in June after the team was swept in the NBA Finals, writes Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. Love said he made it clear that he wanted to stay in Cleveland no matter what else happened to the organization.
“We went over every scenario,” he said. “The first was if [LeBron James] came back and we compete for a championship. Then it was trying to build with the young guys that we have.”
Love also wanted assurances that the Cavs wouldn’t tank and he wouldn’t be traded. The meeting helped convince him to accept a four-year, $120MM extension and a new role as the number one star on a team that has made four straight Finals appearances.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge,” Love said. “It’s definitely going to be a growth year for us. We feel like if we’re in shape, if we play physical, if we shoot the ball well, we’re going to give ourselves a chance.”
There’s more today from Cleveland:
- Coach Tyronn Lue‘s plan to pick a starting center based on each night’s matchup is a hit with Larry Nance Jr., relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Lue plans to start Nance against smaller, quicker opponents and use Tristan Thompson against larger, more physical centers. “Having him start one night and I start the next, not having a definitive, ‘You’re a bench guy and you’re a starter,’ I think is going to be great for our team chemistry,” Nance said, “and I think we’re both deserving of the position. I think it’s a great idea.”
- Lue has responded to the loss of James by installing an up-tempo offense, and so far the players are enjoying it, Fedor adds in a separate story. Veteran forward Channing Frye explained that the whole team is now approaching the game the way the reserves always did. “True basketball people are going to like the fact that we’re using the corner, we’re using the elbow, we’re using the top of the key,” he said. “It’s not just a lot of one-on-one stuff, it’s a lot of good actions, it’s reads and it’s going to be fun.”
- Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer believes James’ departure has changed the focus of the Eastern Conference playoff race, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. “I think Boston, Philly, Toronto, Indiana, Miami, Washington — you just keep on going down, Detroit — everybody feels like they have a chance,” he said. “Maybe more so because LeBron is in the West now.”
NBA GMs Weigh In On 2018/19 Season
NBA.com has completed its annual survey of NBA general managers, with John Schuhmann of NBA.com asking each of the league’s 30 GMs to answer an array of questions about the league’s top teams, players, and coaches. Unsurprisingly, the Warriors are once again viewed by the NBA’s general managers as the overwhelming favorites to be the last team standing, with 26 of 30 GMs (87%) picking Golden State to win the NBA championship for the fourth time in five years.
While there are many responses in the GM survey worth checking out, we’ll focus on rounding up some of the more noteworthy ones related to rosters and player movement. Let’s dive in…
- LeBron James (30%) and Kevin Durant (27%) are viewed as the frontrunners for the 2018/19 MVP award, but two younger players led the voting for the player GMs would most want to build a franchise around starting today. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (30%) and Pelicans big man Anthony Davis (23%) led the way in that category. Interestingly, Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t receive a single vote this year after leading the way with 29% of the vote in 2017.
- The Lakers‘ signing of James helped them earn 70% of the vote for the team that made the best overall moves this offseason. The Raptors, buoyed by their acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, finished second at 20%.
- A ton of different signings and trade acquisitions received votes for the most underrated addition of the summer, with the Pacers‘ signing of Tyreke Evans barely leading the way with four votes. The Spurs‘ trade for DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls‘ signing of Jabari Parker, the Pelicans‘ addition of Julius Randle, and the Thunder‘s acquisition of Dennis Schroder received three votes apiece.
- DeMarcus Cousins‘ decision to join the Warriors (35%) was considered the most surprising move of the offseason, followed by the Spurs/Raptors blockbuster trade (29%) and Paul George remaining with the Thunder (19%).
- While Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is the strong frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, GMs expect Suns center Deandre Ayton and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to be the best players five years from now. Meanwhile, the Clippers‘ selection of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 11 was viewed by the most GMs as the steal of the draft.
- The Sixers (47%) and Celtics (33%) dominated voting for the teams with the most promising young cores.
Jabari Parker Talks About His Departure From Milwaukee
Jabari Parker was never given a clear explanation from the Bucks on why they were willing to rescind their qualifying offer and let him sign elsewhere, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. The former No. 2 overall pick signed with the Bulls during the offseason and isn’t looking for answers from his former squad.
“I don’t think it’s my responsibility to create all type of different scenarios in my head,’’ Parker said. “I just take it for what it is, eliminates my confusion, and I just move on, just because it’s not as important right now.’’
Parker added that he enjoyed his time in Milwaukee but is “bitter” about how it ended.
“I wasn’t planning on leaving so soon, especially like being there four years,’’ Parker said. “I love that group and all the training staff, medical staff. It just made it home. Every moment that I had, really involved in the community, was always out. But they went in a different direction, which I understand. … things happen. It’s the business.’’
Parker’s new deal is worth $40MM over two years, though the Bulls hold an option on year two. The Chicago native has impressed his new club so far this preseason, starting in place of Lauri Markkanen, who will be sidelined for up to two months with an elbow injury.
“He’s picking things up and he’s learning two positions, which isn’t easy to do when you’re in a new system.,” Hoiberg said. “He’s got a lot left in the tank, absolutely.’’