More Than 100 NBA Players Become Trade-Eligible
Today is December 15, which means that – by our count – 106 NBA players who signed as free agents this offseason have officially become eligible to be traded.
That list, which can be found right here, features a number of players who absolutely aren’t going anywhere this season, including Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, and Suns guard Chris Paul, among others.
However, it also features several players whose names have already popped up in trade rumors in the months since they were signed, such as Celtics guard Dennis Schröder, Rockets center Daniel Theis, Spurs sharpshooter Bryn Forbes, and Knicks guard Kemba Walker.
Nineteen of the players on the list can’t be traded without their consent, since they have the ability to veto trades this season. Multiple players from the Nets, Nuggets, Pistons, Heat, Bucks, and Suns fall into that group.
Finally, it’s worth noting that there are still many recently-signed players around the NBA who remain ineligible to be dealt. Some will become trade-eligible on January 15, while others have specific dates to watch.
Of course, while December 15 is considered the unofficial start of the NBA’s trade season, we shouldn’t expect a flurry of deals in the coming days. Typically, teams wait until closer to the trade deadline (February 10) to make their moves.
To illustrate this point, let’s take a look back at the last five seasons in which a huge swath of players became trade-eligible on December 15 (we’re throwing out the 2020/21 campaign, since the delayed start to the condensed season meant that the usual Dec. 15 deadline didn’t actually arrive until February).
From the 2015/16 season through the 2019/20 campaign, a total of just three trades were completed between December 15 and the end of the calendar year on December 31. One of those three deals – the Jordan Clarkson trade between the Cavaliers and Jazz on Dec. 23, 2019 – didn’t involve any players whose trade restrictions had recently lifted.
The only two instances in recent years in which teams moved relatively quickly after December 15 to deal newly trade-eligible players occurred in 2015, when the Pelicans sent Ish Smith to the Sixers on Dec. 24, and in 2018, when the Suns sent Trevor Ariza to the Wizards on Dec. 17.
The original three-team version of that Ariza deal memorably fell apart due to a mixup over whether Dillon Brooks or MarShon Brooks was included, which perhaps served as a cautionary tale for front offices, encouraging them not to rush into anything right after Dec. 15.
The league’s recent trade history doesn’t mean we won’t see any trades this month, but if we get more than one or two, it would be an exception to the rule. We should expect more activity in January and February, even as talks start to heat up in December.
Donte DiVincenzo’s Return Delayed As He Enters COVID-19 Protocols
Bucks shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo, who had been set to make his season debut on Wednesday against the Pacers, will be instead sidelined a while longer, having being placed in the NBA’s health and safety coronavirus protocols, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
DiVincenzo has been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in June during Milwaukee’s title run, but had been planning to play in his first game of the 2021/22 NBA season for the Bucks tomorrow.
The 6’4″ guard is the third Bucks player to enter the league’s COVID-19 protocols today, along with All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and reserve wing Wesley Matthews. Despite some early-season adversity caused by several injury absences (including DiVincenzo’s), the Bucks had appeared to right the ship lately, reaching an 18-11 record thus far.
The Bucks added shooting guard Grayson Allen via trade in the offseason to supplement the anticipated early-season absence of DiVincenzo. While Allen received an incentive-laden two-year contract extension worth up to $19.5MM in October, DiVincenzo didn’t reach an agreement on a rookie scale contract extension with the Bucks in time for the regular season deadline and is poised to become a restricted free agent this summer. The longer the team thrives with Allen, the more expendable DiVincenzo could become in the 2022 offseason.
Dwight Howard, Malik Monk In Coronavirus Protocols
Lakers role players Dwight Howard and Malik Monk have joined starting wing Talen Horton-Tucker in the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). Goon adds that none of the triumvirate will be available to play with Los Angeles tomorrow against the Mavericks.
Monk flew with the club to Dallas before recording his positive result, but Howard remained in Los Angeles, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). McMenamin adds that L.A. is currently determining a plan to fly Monk back home safely. The fact that Monk traveled with his teammates in close proximity on a private plane makes this situation certainly worth monitoring.
Howard and Horton-Tucker started in the Lakers’ most recent game, a 106-94 victory over the visiting Magic. Monk has proven to be a helpful offensive contributor off the bench during his first season with the franchise. Should Lakers All-Star big man Anthony Davis miss tomorrow’s game, the Lakers will be at a significant frontcourt disadvantage against the Mavericks. Davis remains day-to-day with a sore left knee that has sidelined him for the team’s last two contests.
The 23-year-old Monk, signed to a veteran’s minimum contract this summer, is averaging 9.7 PPG on .447/.361/.800 shooting splits, along with 2.8 RPG and 2.2 APG across 28 games with the 15-13 Lakers. The 36-year-old Howard, in his third stint with the team, is averaging a more modest 5.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.8 SPG and 0.7 BPG, while shooting .625/.750/.609. Howard’s anomalous three-point shooting conversion rate is the result of an extremely low volume of output, just 0.3 a night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Enters Coronavirus Protocols
All-NBA Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss at least Milwaukee’s next game, against the Pacers on Wednesday night, after entering the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (via Twitter). The Bucks announced the news in their latest injury report.
The reigning NBA Finals MVP, Antetokounmpo joins injured fellow Bucks starters Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez on the sidelines ahead of tomorrow’s game, per Agness.Figuratively, of course, since Antetokounmpo will be quarantining in isolation until he records two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart or 10 days have elapsed since he recorded his first positive test result.
Milwaukee role players Wesley Matthews, Semi Ojeleye and DeMarcus Cousins are also listed as unavailable for the Bucks, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Adrian Wojnarowski reveals (Twitter link) that Matthews has also entered the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, and that the Bucks are continuing to test the rest of the team.
Antetokounmpo has enjoyed another stellar 2021/22 season to this point. The 6’11” forward is averaging 27.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 5.8 APG across 26 contests. The team has weathered plenty of injury issues already and still boasts the third-best record in the East with an 18-11 season mark. Should Milwaukee miss Antetokounmpo for the next 10 days, and should Middleton’s knee injury linger, the Bucks could struggle in the short-term.
Antetokounmpo is just the latest All-Star-caliber player to enter the league’s coronavirus protocols this evening, after news broke earlier tonight that Brooklyn guard James Harden would join six other Nets in that team’s COVID-19 protocols. For the Bulls, guard Zach LaVine and probable 2022 All-Star wing DeMar DeRozan are among the 10 Chicago players currently unavailable due to recording positive coronavirus tests. Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, performing well enough to earn his first All-Star berth this season, has been in COVID-19 protocols for nearly a week.
James Harden, Bruce Brown Newest Nets In COVID-19 Protocols
The Nets suddenly have seen seven players enter the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the 24 hours. All-Star guard James Harden and versatile swingman Bruce Brown have joined five other afflicted comrades on the sidelines for Brooklyn, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
It was reported earlier that Nets role players LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson are all in the NBA’s coronavirus protocols.
Brooklyn currently has just reached the league minimum for available players to stave off a cancelation of its scheduled game against the Raptors tonight. In addition to the team’s seven coronavirus-related absences, the Nets are also still missing COVID-19 vaccine holdout Kyrie Irving and injured wing Joe Harris. All-Star forward Kevin Durant had been listed as questionable due to a sore ankle, but he’s set to suit up for the Nets now, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bontemps notes in a separate tweet that both Brown and Harden had been in the Nets’ home arena, the Barclays Center, ahead of the team’s game against Toronto this evening. Brown had apparently even been warming up on the hardwood before he received the bad news.
Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that the Nets will be eligible to sign up to five players via the hardship provision due to this swath of absences. Marks adds that Brooklyn will be dinged approximately an extra $500K in tax penalties for each 10-day signing the team completes.
The league postponed two games this week for the Bulls, who are currently missing as many as 10 players due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Should further spread of the virus among the Brooklyn locker room continue, the league could take similar precautions with the Nets.
Cuban Says Mavs Haven’t Talked To Nets About Irving
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says his club hasn’t had any trade discussions with the Nets about point guard Kyrie Irving, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Cuban is responding to a report from Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who heard from sources that the Mavs are among the teams to have reached out to Brooklyn to inquire about Irving. Begley stated that Kristaps Porzingis‘ name was brought up in those discussions, but added that it’s unclear if the talks progressed beyond the preliminary stage.
Whether or not the Mavs and Nets had a conversation about Irving, it certainly sounds – based on both Begley’s report and Cuban’s dismissal – as if there’s no momentum toward a deal.
Cuban has repeatedly shot down trade rumors involving Porzingis, denying that Dallas has shopped him at all. The Mavs’ owner said last month that he came into the season believing the former Knick had yet to play his best basketball. Porzingis, who has dealt with some minor injury issues in 2021/22, has averaged 19.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in 20 games (29.8 MPG) under new head coach Jason Kidd.
Irving, meanwhile, hasn’t played at all this season due to a vaccine mandate in New York City and the Nets’ decision not to make him a part-time player in road games. If Irving were traded to a team in a city without a similar mandate (essentially anywhere but New York, Golden State, or Toronto), he’d be eligible to play without being vaccinated.
Multiple reports have suggested Brooklyn is willing to listen to inquiries on Kyrie, but a report on Monday indicated there was “renewed optimism” about the possibility of the seven-time All-Star playing for the team this season. It’s unclear if Irving has become more open to being vaccinated or if the Nets may decide to allow him to play in road games.
Kings’ Gentry: “We’ve Got To Find A Way To Right The Ship”
Interim head coach Alvin Gentry indicated that changes are coming after the Kings wrapped up a winless road trip Tuesday night in Toronto, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
Gentry briefly brought stability to Sacramento after taking over when Luke Walton was fired last month, leading the team to a 5-3 record in his first eight games. But the Kings have dropped three in a row since then and Gentry called Tuesday’s effort, in which his team trailed by as many as 31 points, “embarrassing.”
“I’m not real sure what the answer is right now,” Gentry told reporters after the game. “I’ve got a long flight that I can really think about it and look at it and try to figure out what we can do, because obviously what’s going on right now is not the answer, so we’ve got to find a way to right the ship.”
With center Richaun Holmes sidelined by an eye injury, Gentry tried three different starting lineups during the three-game trip, Anderson notes. Gentry said his priority will be “to get a group of guys who are going to compete.”
The Kings held a players-only meeting following the game to discuss issues that have been building up during the losing streak. Players declined to reveal any specifics of the meeting, but Harrison Barnes hinted that it involved unity.
“Right now, we’re not playing together,” he said. “That’s really what it boils down to and, as a group, we’ve discussed it, and that’s really all I’m going to say on that at this point.”
Sacramento is still in decent position in the race for a play-in spot, trailing ninth-place Minnesota by one game and 10th-place Portland by a half-game. However, Anderson points out that the team’s defense has fallen apart, surrendering 10 30-point quarters in the last four games.
De’Aaron Fox, who is one of the franchise cornerstones and is in the first season of a five-year, $163MM max extension, said the Kings need better communication on the court. Critics have started questioning Fox’s ability as a team leader, Anderson adds, but Fox emphasized Tuesday that he’s committed to turning Sacramento into a playoff team.
“I haven’t lost until I got here, so for the first 18 years of life, 19 years of life, every step that I played basketball, I was winning something,” Fox said. “So, I don’t know how you do that, make it to the NBA and now you just don’t care about winning. Everybody talks about, ‘If you get paid, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ Nobody likes to lose regardless of what level you’re on. Whether you’re getting paid or you’re playing for free, nobody likes to lose. … Everybody wants to win.”
Talen Horton-Tucker Placed In Health And Safety Protocols
Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and could miss multiple games, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The team canceled practice today, citing COVID-19 concerns, but still plans to fly to Dallas for Wednesday’s game, according to Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register (Twitter link).
Sources told Dave McMenamin of ESPN that a player tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link), and the Lakers later confirmed that it was Horton-Tucker. Other team members were required to take both a rapid test and a PCR test before gathering for the flight.
The positive test means Horton-Tucker will be out of action for at least 10 days unless he can return consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. L.A. plays five times during that span, with a three-game road trip against the Mavericks, Timberwolves and Bulls, followed by home games with the Suns and Spurs. Horton-Tucker could return for a Christmas Day showdown with the Nets if he clears protocols.
He has moved into a starting role in his third NBA season and has responded by averaging career highs with 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Four Nets Players Enter Health And Safety Protocols
Four Nets players have joined forward Paul Millsap in the health and safety protocols, the team announced this morning. As Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays (via Twitter), LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson have all entered the protocols and have been ruled out for Tuesday’s game vs. Toronto.
We don’t have information yet on whether any or all of the five Nets players in the protocols have tested positive for COVID-19. If they’ve registered a false positive or have been deemed close contacts of someone who tested positive, it’s possible they could be cleared later this week.
However, if they’ve all tested positive for the coronavirus, they’ll be sidelined for at least 10 days or until they can return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. In that scenario, the Nets would be eligible to add multiple extra players via the hardship provision.
The Nets, who are also without Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris, will now find themselves a little shorthanded when they host the Raptors on Tuesday. They should have as many as 10 players available, but there are a few little-used rookies in that group, including David Duke, Kessler Edwards, and Day’Ron Sharpe.
Kevin Durant and James Harden will, of course, be leaned on heavily to carry the scoring load, assuming Durant plays — he’s listed as questionable due to right ankle soreness (Twitter link via Marc Stein).
The Nets aren’t the only New York team currently being affected by the health and safety protocols. The Knicks announced this morning (via Twitter) that rookie guard Quentin Grimes is out for Tuesday’s game vs. Golden State due to the protocols.
Grimes is the third Knick to enter the protocols within the last four days, joining RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin. It’s unfortunate timing for 2021’s No. 25 overall pick, who had his best game as a pro in his first career start on Sunday when he scored 27 points with seven 3-pointers vs. Milwaukee.
Kings Shopping Hield, Bagley But Not Pursuing Sabonis, Turner
The Kings are still shopping a package including Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III in hopes of getting a quality player but are not actively pursuing Pacers’ big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports.
The Kings have not engaged the Pacers in talks for Sabonis or Turner since last week, when a report surfaced that Indiana was open to dealing its top big men, as well as guard Caris LeVert. Sacramento had displayed interest in Sabonis in the past.
It’s somewhat curious that Sacramento wouldn’t target those big men for its guard-heavy roster. Sabonis is a two-time All-Star and the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, though, as Anderson notes, he’s a 31% 3-point shooter and is not considered a strong defender. Turner is the league’s top shot-blocker and would help space the floor with his 3-point shooting.
Kings GM Monte McNair is looking to make a big move and the Sixers’ Ben Simmons could still be a target. The Kings were one of several teams named as having continued interest in the disgruntled Philadelphia star, who has not played this season.
Hield is averaging 15.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG and 2.1 APG. Bagley, who will be a free agent (restricted or unrestricted) next summer, was benched earlier in the season but was moved into the rotation last month. The No. 2 pick of the 2018 draft is averaging 7.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG.