Latest On Lakers’ Buddy Hield Trade Talks
A weekend report indicated that the Lakers and Kings have discussed a potential trade centered around Buddy Hield, and it sounds like those talks may be gaining some momentum.
After Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Hield scenario is the “most promising” of the possible deals the Lakers are pursuing, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote late last night that L.A. has stepped up its efforts to get something done, adding that the talks have gained “real traction.”
According to O’Connor, the Lakers’ offer to the Kings would include the No. 22 pick in tonight’s draft, along with Montrezl Harrell and either Kyle Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Harrell technically isn’t eligible to be traded at this point, since he has yet to make a decision on his $9.7MM player option for the 2021/22 season. He’d have to pick up that option to be dealt, so he’ll have to consider several factors — if he opts out, he’d get to choose his next team, but he may not be able to match his option salary, whereas if he opts in, he may immediately be dealt to Sacramento or another team.
As O’Connor outlines, the proposed trade makes some sense for both teams. The Lakers could use a sharpshooter and secondary play-maker on the wing, and Hield certainly fits that bill, having knocked down 4.0 three-pointers per game at a 39.1% clip in 2020/21. His contract is pricey, but not especially unfavorable for a shooter of his caliber — he’s owed $62.5MM over the next three years, and his salary declines each season.
As for the Kings, they still have interest in re-signing center Richaun Holmes, but Holmes is believed to be seeking a four-year, $80MM deal, according to James Ham of NBC Sports California. Armed with only the big man’s Early Bird rights, Sacramento will have a very hard time getting anywhere near that asking price without dumping some salary to create cap space. If the Kings expect to lose Holmes, they could view Harrell as a solid alternative to step into that role of a rim-running center.
O’Connor’s report suggests the Kings would likely prefer Kuzma to Caldwell-Pope as the second player in the deal, but either one would fit into Sacramento’s rotation. Caldwell-Pope could play a three-and-D role, while Kuzma would see minutes at the four. The Kings are reportedly exploring trading Marvin Bagley III, which would open up more playing time in the frontcourt for a player like Kuzma.
The Lakers have shopped Kuzma and Caldwell-Pope to many teams around the NBA this month, per a weekend report. According to J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), the Pacers, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Jazz, and Knicks are among the teams that have been offered Kuzma in various trade scenarios.
If the Lakers and Kings want to move forward on a deal involving Hield, we can probably expect an agreement to be reached later today so that Sacramento is the team making the No. 22 pick. In that scenario, the deal may not be made official until the new league year begins next week for cap reasons.
Pelicans’ Jaxson Hayes Arrested In California
8:56pm: Hayes was booked and charged with a felony, Lopez tweets. He was released on $25K bond at approximately 5:30 PT.
4:40pm: Pelicans big man Jaxson Hayes was arrested in the Los Angeles area after an alleged altercation with police, according to a TMZ report.
The incident occurred after police were called early Wednesday to an unspecified home due to a domestic disturbance. Hayes tried to prevent law enforcement from entering the home, according to the TMZ report, and the confrontation became so heated that a Taser was used on Hayes.
Hayes was taken to a hospital to treat minor injuries and an officer also sought medical treatment.
The Pelicans issued a statement, relayed by ESPN’s Andrew Lopez (Twitter link), which read, “We have been made aware of the incident involving Jaxson Hayes. We are working in conjunction with the NBA and Jaxson’s representatives to gather more information and will have no further comment at this time.”
Hayes, the eighth pick in the 2019 draft, appeared in 60 games this past season. He averaged 7.5 PGG and 4.3 RPG and 16.1 MPG.
Ben Simmons “In Step” With Sixers’ Trade Efforts
Ben Simmons and his agent – Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul – are “in step” with the Sixers‘ efforts to trade the 25-year-old to a new team, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Sources tell Wojnarowski that the 76ers continue to canvass the NBA exploring potential trades involving Simmons and have established a “steep” asking price. While a draft-night trade is a possibility, the discussions may continue into the summer, according to Wojnarowski.
It remains unclear which teams will emerge as the most serious suitors for Simmons. A report earlier today indicated that the Heat, Wizards, and Raptors are possibilities. However, a subsequent report threw cold water on the Miami scenario, and Washington is likely only a realistic landing spot if Bradley Beal is going to Philadelphia — so far, there’s no indication Beal wants out of D.C.
Toronto’s interest in Simmons has been reported by multiple outlets, though it’s unclear if there’s a realistic match between the two division rivals.
Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com reported earlier this week that the Sixers proposed a framework that included Kyle Lowry (via sign-and-trade), Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and the fourth overall pick, which Toronto obviously rejected. If that report is accurate and Philadelphia’s asking price remains anywhere near that high, it’s probably safe to assume the Raptors will look elsewhere for roster upgrades.
Meanwhile, as Jeff Garcia of News 4 San Antonio relays, Kevin O’Connor said on The Ringer’s The Mismatch podcast that the Sixers are rumored to have asked the Spurs for four first-round picks, three pick swaps, and a young player in exchange for Simmons.
O’Connor added that he doesn’t expect Simmons to be moved unless Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey drastically lowers his asking price or a player like Beal or Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard becomes available and Philadelphia uses Simmons as the centerpiece of an offer.
Mavs, Lakers, Pelicans Have Interest In Landry Shamet
The Mavericks, Lakers, and Pelicans are among the teams with interest in Nets shooting guard Landry Shamet, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
An earlier report indicated that Brooklyn has been willing to discuss Shamet in trade talks. Begley confirms as much, writing that several teams have been in touch with the Nets about a possible Shamet trade. Most of those scenarios would involve Brooklyn receiving a first-round pick, Begley adds.
Shamet, 24, averaged 9.3 PPG on .408/.387/.846 shooting in 61 games (23.0 MPG) for the Nets in 2020/21. He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and would reach restricted free agency in 2022 if he’s not extended, so if Brooklyn isn’t prepared to give him a raise, it makes sense that the team would gauge his value on the trade market. If he’s traded, he’d be joining his fourth team in four seasons.
The Mavs don’t have a first-round selection in 2021, but both the Pelicans (No. 17) and Lakers (No. 22) pick ahead of the Nets (No. 27) and could be in the market for low-cost veteran help on the wing. Begley notes that the Knicks, who hold the 19th and 21st overall picks, have had interest in Shamet in the past.
The Nets have also discussed DeAndre Jordan with potential trade partners, according to Begley, who hears from sources that one of those conversations was about a possible three-team deal.
Jordan, who has two years and $19.7MM left on his contract, probably doesn’t have positive trade value, so Brooklyn could use Shamet or the No. 27 pick as a sweetener to try to move his salary. However, it’s not clear if any of the talks involving Jordan have gained any traction, says Begley.
D’Antoni Stepping Away From Role With Nets, Not Retiring
Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni is stepping away from his full-time role as a member of Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Wojnarowski’s use of the term “full-time” leaves the door open to the possibility that D’Antoni will still act as a consultant for Brooklyn or another team on a part-time basis. It’s unclear whether or not that’s in the cards, but Woj says that D’Antoni isn’t retiring and is expected to pursue NBA head coaching jobs again in the future.
D’Antoni sought a head coaching position this offseason and was a finalist for the Trail Blazers’ job, which eventually went to Chauncey Billups. A report in early June suggested D’Antoni had also received interest from Boston and Orlando, though there was no indication he was a serious contender for either job.
D’Antoni, whose most recent head coaching gig was with the Rockets up until 2020, has coached five different NBA teams and ranks 21st on the league’s all-time list with 672 regular season wins. However, at age 70, he may be running out of time to get another shot. Only two head coaches in NBA history – including current Spurs coach Gregg Popovich – have remained on the sidelines into their 70s, according to HoopsHype.
Jazz Considered Likely To Re-Sign Mike Conley
Free agent point guard Mike Conley is likely to return to the Jazz, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, though Jones cautions that the price tag “won’t be cheap.”
The report comes on the heels of a pair of similar stories from Tuesday. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote that league executives believe Conley is most likely to remain in Utah, while Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said there’s a “strong belief” around the league that the Jazz will be able to shed some salary and make Conley a substantial offer.
The Mavericks have been cited repeatedly as one team expected to show interest in Conley, but their focus is said to be more on Kyle Lowry, which perhaps reflects their belief that Lowry will be more attainable.
As we outlined in our preview of Utah’s offseason, the team is already on the hook for nearly $130MM in guaranteed salary for nine players. Even if Conley is willing to take a pay cut after earning $34.5MM last season, a reasonable deal for him (perhaps in the neighborhood of $20MM+ per year) would push the Jazz way into luxury tax territory.
Virtually all of Utah’s biggest contracts belong to productive rotation players, so if the club wants to trim salary, it may come at the cost of a regular contributor. The Jazz have reportedly explored trades involving Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Derrick Favors.
Multiple reports have suggested the team could end up attaching this year’s No. 30 pick to Favors in a cost-cutting deal. Since Favors’ contract (two years, $20MM) isn’t especially unwieldy, it’s possible Utah could get a less expensive rotation player back in such a deal, though that’s just my speculation.
Here are a few more notes on the Jazz:
- Sources tell Jones that the Jazz remain high on second-year shooting guard Elijah Hughes and believe he could play his way into the team’s 2021/22 rotation. The team likes what he brings to the table offensively and will be looking for him to show defensive improvement in Summer League play, per Jones.
- Miles McBride, Ayo Dosunmu, and Nah’Shon Hyland are among the guards the Jazz like as possible targets if they keep the No. 30 pick, says Jones.
- If Utah trades the No. 30 pick and remains in the draft, moving up is unlikely, but a move down is a possibility, according to Jones, who says there are multiple players the team likes in the second round. One potential second-round target would be Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp, Jones adds.
NBA To Carry Over Most Of New Two-Way Rules To 2021/22
JULY 27: The NBA has issued a press release confirming the new two-way rules detailed below and announcing that a player on a two-way contract will be capped at 50 games on his team’s active list next season.
JULY 16: The NBA and the NBPA have agreed to carry over many of this season’s adjusted rules for two-way players to the 2021/22 season, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
The league loosened the restrictions on how much time two-way players were permitted to spend in the NBA during the 2020/21 campaign and scrapped the typical midseason deadline for two-way signings. As Marks explains (via Twitter), the following adjustments will apply in 2021/22:
- There will be no in-season deadline to sign a player to a two-way contract.
- The salary for a two-way player will be half of the rookie minimum. Currently, the rookie minimum projects to be $925,258, in which case the two-way salary would be $462,629.
- Two-way players won’t face the usual 45-day NBA limit. However, there will be a cap on how many games they can spend on a team’s active list.
One notable change from this past season will be discontinued next year, according to Marks: A player on a two-way contract won’t be eligible to play in the postseason.
This year, players on two-way contracts were permitted to be active in the playoffs, but in 2021/22, if a team wants its two-way player to be available in the postseason, he’ll have to be converted to a standard deal before the end of the regular season.
Play-In Tournament Will Return Next Season
JULY 27: The NBA’s Board of Governors has approved the play-in tournament for 2021/22, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Charania the format will remains the same and it’s scheduled to take place from April 12-15.
JULY 16: The NBA has reached an agreement with the players union to bring back the play-in tournament for 2021/22, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. A formal vote from the league’s Board of Governors is expected soon.
Commissioner Adam Silver has long been a proponent of the format, which was introduced in 2020 after the restart in Orlando. The Trail Blazers defeated the Grizzlies in the first play-in game, while the Eastern Conference race wasn’t close enough for the play-in provision to kick in.
The play-in tournament was launched in full and revamped for the 2020/21 season, with the No. 7 team in each conference facing No. 8, while the ninth and 10th teams squared off. The winner of the 7/8 matchup automatically earned a playoff spot, while the loser faced the winner of the other game for the final opening.
In the East this year, the Celtics defeated the Wizards and the Pacers topped the Hornets, with Washington earning the eighth seed by beating Indiana. In the West, the Lakers beat the Warriors and the Grizzlies knocked off the Spurs. Memphis beat Golden State to earn its way into the postseason.
Hawks’ Kris Dunn To Exercise Player Option
Kris Dunn is opting into his contract for next season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who hears from sources that the Hawks guard will pick up his 2021/22 option, worth just over $5MM.
The Hawks signed Dunn last offseason, envisioning him as a player who could share the backcourt with Trae Young and provide stout perimeter defense. However, injury woes derailed Dunn’s first year in Atlanta, as he was sidelined for most of the season while he recovered from ankle surgery.
Dunn made his Hawks debut in late April and ultimately appeared in just four regular season games and five playoff games, primarily in garbage time. In 2019/20, as a Bull, Dunn averaged 7.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 2.0 SPG in 51 contests (24.9 MPG).
Although Dunn is now under contract with the Hawks for next season, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be on the club’s opening-night roster in the fall. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link) suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Dunn and his expiring $5MM contract traded during the offseason.
With Dunn’s decision in, we’re still awaiting word on six more player option decisions around the NBA, as our tracker shows.
Bucks’ Bryn Forbes Opting Out Of Contract
Bucks guard Bryn Forbes won’t pick up the player option on the second year of his contract, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As a result, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
The decision had been expected, since Forbes’ 2021/22 salary would have been a modest $2.45MM if he had exercised the option. Coming off a season in which he played regular minutes for the NBA champions, the 28-year-old presumably feels confident about earning a higher salary – and perhaps a multiyear deal – on the open market.
Forbes, who signed with Milwaukee after four seasons in San Antonio, averaged 10.0 points per game in 70 contests (19.3 MPG) in 2020/21, recording an impressive shooting line of .473/.452/.770. His 45.2% mark on shots from beyond the arc ranked fourth in the NBA among qualified players.
Forbes’ decision to opt out doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t negotiate a new deal with the Bucks. However, the club’s ability to offer him a raise will be limited, since he’ll only have Non-Bird rights. Unless they dip into their mid-level exception to re-sign him, the Bucks would only be able to offer Forbes a starting salary worth about $2.8MM.
Milwaukee will be in a similar bind with Bobby Portis if he opts out of his contract. Portis has a $3.8MM player option that he’s considered likely to turn down.