Bogdan Bogdanovic Plans To Enter Restricted Free Agency
A sign-and-trade deal that would send Kings swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Bucks appears to be dead, at least for now, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
According to Wojnarowski, the Kings and Bucks had hoped to bring Bogdanovic the framework of their sign-and-trade agreement and negotiate his contract with Milwaukee on Friday. Instead, he’ll enter restricted free agency in search of an offer sheet or other sign-and-trade scenarios, per Woj (Twitter link).
Wojnarowski initially reported late on Monday night that the Kings and Bucks had agreed to a deal sending Bogdanovic and Justin James to Milwaukee in exchange for Ersan Ilyasova, D.J. Wilson, and Donte DiVincenzo. However, Sam Amick of The Athetic reported earlier today that the deal was in peril, since Bogdanovic apparently never agreed to it.
As I wrote in our earlier story, it’s hard to believe that the Kings and Bucks wouldn’t have confirmed that Bogdanovic was on board with the move before it was reported. But it was also unusual that a deal involving a free agent contract was being reported four days before free agency actually began. At this point, it’s unclear whether the deal fell apart as a result of a major communication breakdown or if the NBA got involved due to perceived tampering.
Either way, it’s a major setback for the Bucks. They’re still hoping that a Bogdanovic deal can be saved, but it sounds like he’s ready to move onto other options, according to Amick (Twitter link). Milwaukee is still on track to land Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans, but will have to look elsewhere if they want to try to turn a DiVincenzo package into an impact player.
As for the Kings, if they’re not intent on re-signing Bogdanovic themselves or matching an offer sheet, they’ll likely look to negotiate a sign-and-trade with another club.
Warriors’ Plan To Host Fans At 50% Capacity Denied
The Warriors‘ proposal to open Chase Center at 50% capacity for the upcoming season has been rejected by San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, according to Trisha Thadani and Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle.
However, the department displayed a willingness to work with the team to have some fans at home games. A letter sent by Health Officer Tomás Aragón states that the Warriors can accommodate 25% of the arena’s capacity, about 4,500 people, if San Francisco returns to California’s “yellow tier” of COVID-19 case rates.
Golden State’s plan would have been the first of its kind in the country and would have included coronavirus testing for all fans who entered the arena. However, it was met with skepticism as California undergoes its fastest rise in virus cases since the start of the pandemic.
“I cannot approve a plan for live audiences at indoor sporting events at this time,” Aragón wrote in his letter to the team. “Indoor sports with spectators are not currently allowed under the State of California’s COVID-19 restrictions. Moreover, and more importantly, San Francisco is experiencing a rapid and significant surge in COVID-19 cases.”
The Warriors were planning to use PCR testing, rather than antigen testing, explained George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology at UCSF who is advising the team. Golden State was considering sending test kits to season-ticket holders, allowing them to take a sample at home and drop it off at the arena. Rapid-results tests would also have been available outside the Chase Center.
“In the present circumstances, bringing thousands of individuals (and households) together — many of whom would travel from and return to other counties — creates too much risk of widespread transmission in transit and while visiting San Francisco,” Aragón added in the letter. “These risks remain high even with pre-event testing in place given the possibility of false negatives or individuals contracting the virus in the 48 hour-period after they are tested.”
In an email to the Chronicle, Warriors officials stated that they will continue to work with health officials “as we collectively adapt to evolving conditions.”
Rockets To Trade Ariza, No. 16 Pick To Pistons For Future First-Rounder
UPDATE: This trade is being folded into a larger deal between the Rockets and Pistons, as described in a separate story.
The Rockets are trading Trevor Ariza and the No. 16 pick in tonight’s draft to the Pistons in exchange for a future first-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Houston will also receive the Lakers’ 2021 second-round pick from Detroit as part of the swap, sending $4.6MM to the Pistons, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).
Ariza and the No. 16 pick are part of the package Houston will receive from Portland in exchange for Robert Covington. That deal – and this new one – can’t be completed until after the Blazers make the No. 16 pick tonight. Portland will now be making that pick on behalf on the Pistons.
Ariza, 35, was a solid contributor for the Blazers last season, averaging 11.0 PPG and 4.8 RPG with a .491/.400/.872 shooting line in 21 games (33.4 MPG) after being acquired in a trade-deadline deal. He opted out of the NBA’s restart this summer in Orlando.
Ariza will make $12.8MM this season, so the Pistons will absorb that money using their cap room, reducing the space they’ll have available in free agency. However, it’s not clear yet whether the entire amount will be guaranteed. Portland will have to be guarantee about $7.1MM to make the deal with Houston work, notes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). If it’s still only partially guaranteed, that would give the Pistons more flexibility.
It remains to be seen if Ariza will be part of Detroit’s plans in 2020/21 — this deal is presumably more about the No. 16 overall pick. New general manager Troy Weaver will now enter tonight’s draft armed with the seventh and 16th selections as he looks to add young talent to the roster.
As for the pick the Pistons are sending out, it will be heavily protected, says James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Edwards, it’ll be top-16 protected for the next four years, starting in 2021, then top-10 protected for two years and top-nine protected for one year. It would become a second-rounder if it still hasn’t changed hands at that point.
The Rockets, meanwhile, will pick up a pair of future draft picks while clearing enough salary from their books for the coming season to use their full mid-level exception, according to Wojnarowski. While there still may be a number of dominoes to fall in Houston, that MLE could give the Rockets enough spending power to sign a free agent who would help convince James Harden and Russell Westbrook the team can contend in the West.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (via Twitter), Houston will also create a trade exception in the deal. It’ll be worth Ariza’s guaranteed amount.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hawks A Strong Contender For Danilo Gallinari
4:44pm: The Hawks remain in the lead for Gallinari and are apparently prepared to tender him a three-year contract, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets.
4:00pm: There’s a growing belief among rival teams that the Hawks will be in “pole position” to land both Gallinari and Rajon Rondo when free agency opens later this week, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Atlanta is reportedly preparing an offer in the range of $15MM over two years for Rondo.
3:20pm: As one of the few teams entering the offseason with significant cap room, the Hawks have been linked to most of the top free agents on the market, and we can add another name to that list. During a live stream on Instagram today, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer suggested that Danilo Gallinari is a serious target for Atlanta in free agency (hat tip to Sportando).
“I’ve heard they’re going after Danilo Gallinari,” O’Connor said of the Hawks (at around the 16:08 mark). “I’ve heard they very well may be signing Gallinari as soon as free agency opens on Friday.”
Gallinari, 32, had a strong season in Oklahoma City in 2019/20, averaging 18.7 PPG and 5.2 RPG on .438/.405/.893 shooting in 62 games (29.6 MPG). If he were to join the Hawks, he’d become one of the team’s go-to scoring threats alongside Trae Young and John Collins, stretching the floor in the frontcourt.
The Hawks are believed to be targeting shooting in free agency, having also been linked to marksmen like Davis Bertans and Joe Harris.
Gallinari spoke last month about potentially prioritizing the chance to win a title over finding the most lucrative contract possible. While Atlanta is a team on the rise and hopes to make the postseason in 2021, joining the Hawks certainly wouldn’t represent the veteran forward’s best chance at a championship. Still, it’d be hard to fault him if he opts for a lucrative long-term deal, since this may be his last, best opportunity to secure a big multiyear payday.
Sixers Trading Al Horford, Draft Picks To Thunder For Danny Green
The Sixers and Thunder have agreed to a trade that will send Al Horford and two draft picks to Oklahoma City and Danny Green to Philadelphia, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
The two picks headed to Oklahoma City are the Sixers’ 2025 first-round pick – which will be “lightly” protected – and the 34th pick in tonight’s draft, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer clarifies (via Twitter) that the ’25 first-rounder will be top-six protected.
According to Woj (Twitter link), Philadelphia will also receive wing Terrance Ferguson in the swap, while OKC will acquire the rights to draft-and-stash prospect Vasilije Micic, a 26-year-old who is considered one of the top point guards in Europe.
For the Sixers, the move represents a way to get off the most cumbersome prospect on the team’s books. While Horford (owed $27.5MM in 2020/21) would only have been Philadelphia’s fourth highest-paid player, the other three – Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Tobias Harris – all have clear roles on the team going forward, whereas Horford wasn’t a great fit during his first year as a Sixer.
The 76ers will replace Horford will Green, a three-and-D wing who adds some much-needed outside shooting to their lineup. Although Green struggled for the Lakers late in the postseason, he was a solid starter throughout the regular season, averaging 8.0 PPG with a .367 3PT% in 68 games (24.8 MPG). He has won championships in each of the last two seasons, having been a major part of Toronto’s rotation in 2018/19.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN details (via Twitter), the Sixers’ financial savings as a result of the deal should be substantial. Marks estimates it’ll save the team $18MM in tax penalties in 2020/21, as well as $7.7MM in salary. There will also be $42MM in long-term savings, with Green on a $15MM expiring contract and Horford still owed guaranteed money in ’21/22 and ’22/23.
The Thunder, who are acquiring Green in a not-yet-finalized deal with the Lakers, will either fold this deal into that one, making it a three-teamer, or renounce their free agents and use cap room to take on Horford, as Marks notes (via Twitter). If Oklahoma City takes the latter route, it would presumably close the door on the possibility of a Danilo Gallinari sign-and-trade scenario.
The Thunder now hold four picks in tonight’s draft — Nos. 25, 28, 34, and 53. And, of course, the 2025 pick is the latest in a long line of future first-rounders acquired by GM Sam Presti, who continues to stockpile assets for the franchise’s rebuild.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bucks’ Sign-And-Trade For Bogdanovic In Peril
The agreement between the Bucks and Kings that would send Bogdan Bogdanovic to Milwaukee in a sign-and-trade is in peril, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who reports that there was never an agreement from Bogdanovic to join the Bucks.
That element of the deal has become a major issue, according to Amick, who hears from a high-ranking team official that it’s not clear whether the move will be completed when free agency opens. The deal, which was reported late on Monday night, would send Bogdanovic and Justin James to the Bucks in exchange for Ersan Ilyasova, D.J. Wilson, and Donte DiVincenzo.
It’s hard to know what to make of this update. As I pointed out on Monday night when the story broke, it’s very unusual for a deal that involves a free agent changing teams to be reported several days before free agency actually begins. The NBA’s tampering rules would technically prohibit the Bucks from having any contact with Bogdanovic before Friday, so on one hand, a miscommunication wouldn’t be a major surprise.
On the other hand, it’s very unlikely that the Bucks and Kings would have agreed to a deal involving five players and overlooked the fact that Bogdanovic wasn’t fully on board with it. If Bogdanovic never agreed, it’s also odd that there wasn’t any real pushback on Monday’s reporting until now.
As Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report observes (via Twitter), it sounds like either someone “badly” messed up or the Kings and Bucks took heat from the NBA for leaking a deal involving a free agent well before the start of free agency and are now trying to walk it back.
Needless to say, we’ll be keeping a close eye on this situation this week to see if the Bucks, Kings, and Bogdanovic eventually work something out or if it falls apart entirely.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dorell Wright Announces Retirement From Basketball
In a new Instagram post today, 11-year veteran NBA forward Dorell Wright appears to have officially announced his retirement from basketball, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
“Reflecting on my 16 year career, something I’ve been doing more than half my life, I walk away from the game of basketball with a huge smile on my face and with the feeling of completion,” Wright wrote in part. “The game blessed me with the ability to support my family and friends, to give back to my community and to use my voice & expertise for the next generations to come.”
Drafted by the Heat in 2004 with the No. 19 selection out of high school, Wright played for six seasons in Miami. He won a title with the team in 2006, though he was not a part of the club’s regular rotation at that point.
Wright also logged stops with the Warriors, Sixers, and Trail Blazers. Wright’s final NBA game was an April 2016 playoff appearance for the Heat, during a blowout first-round game against the Hornets. He played two preseason games for the Clippers ahead of the 2016/17 season, before ultimately being waived by Los Angeles.
Since the conclusion of his tenure with the league, the 34-year-old Wright has played for various clubs throughout China and Europe.
Wright holds career NBA averages of 8.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 1.5 APG. He shot 36.5% from long range and 80.6% from the free throw line.
Magic Trade No. 45 Pick To Bucks
The Magic have traded their No. 45 pick in today’s draft to the Bucks in exchange for two future second-rounders, the team’s official PR account tweets.
One of the second-rounders headed to Orlando is a Pacers pick and will be conveyed in either 2022, 2023, or 2024. The other is the Bucks’ second-round pick in 2026. Should MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo opt to depart Milwaukee next summer, that pick could end up landing fairly high in the second round.
The Pacers owe their 2021 second-round pick to the Nets, but it has 45-60 protection in both ’21 and ’22, meaning it may not change hands until it becomes unprotected in 2023. The Magic will get a Pacers second-rounder one year after the Nets get theirs.
The Bucks appear to be interested in adding second-round picks this year because, due to a CBA quirk, those picks will only count for $898K against both the luxury tax and hard cap if they sign for the minimum. Undrafted rookie free agents, meanwhile, would count for $898K against the cap but about $1.62MM against the luxury tax.
These small savings are imperative for Milwaukee since the Bucks will lack much wiggle room after their Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic trades are finalized and will likely surpass the luxury tax line, approaching their hard cap.
The Magic also hold the No. 15 selection in today’s draft, while the Bucks also have the No. 60 pick. There are conflicting reports on whether or not Milwaukee will also receive the No. 42 pick from New Orleans in the Holiday deal, which is not yet official.
Luke Adams contributed to this report.
Grizzlies Extend QO To Melton, Making Him RFA
The Grizzlies have opted to extend a qualifying offer to backup point guard De’Anthony Melton ahead of his third season, making him a restricted free agent, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and USA Today Sports (Twitter link).
Melton’s qualifying offer is worth $1,820,564. The Rockets drafted Melton with the No. 46 pick in the 2018 draft, but traded him to the Suns for his rookie season. The 22-year-old guard out of USC played 60 games, including eight starts, during his first year with Memphis in 2019/20. He averaged 7.6 PPG, 3.7 APG, and 2.9 APG across 19.5 MPG.
With Melton now a restricted free agent, the Grizzlies have the right to match any offer sheet the 6’2″ guard signs during the coming offseason.
Onyeka Okongwu Dealing With Broken Toe
11:00am: Okongwu’s injury is a broken left big toe, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. It will require about one to three weeks of additional rest, but isn’t expected to affect his availability for the start of the regular season.
Sources from multiple teams tell ESPN that their doctors have known about the injury for some team and have reviewed medical documentation. They don’t expect it to be a long-term issue and don’t expect Okongwu’s draft stock to be significantly impacted, Givony writes.
8:48am: USC big man Onyeka Okongwu, viewed as a probable top-10 pick in this year’s draft, has an injured foot, according to former Suns GM Ryan McDonough (Twitter link). Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, confirming the report, tweets that the injury could cost Okongwu training camp and possibly the start of the regular season.
McDonough says teams are “scrambling” to get full medical info on Okongwu to determine the severity of the foot injury. Bonnell, meanwhile, suggests that the issue may impact where the young center is selected in tonight’s draft, though probably not by a lot.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had previously alluded to a medical-related issue affecting Okongwu.
It will be interesting to see how substantially Okongwu’s stock is impacted by news of his foot issue. That sort of injury is worrisome for a big man and is probably a major reason why a report this morning suggested Okongwu is no longer seriously receiving consideration for the Hornets at No. 3.
However, if the injury isn’t considered serious, it could be an opportunity for a team that likes Okongwu to select him at a spot where he wasn’t otherwise expected to be available. The Wizards, for instance, have been frequently linked to Okongwu at No. 9, and this news seems likely to increase the odds he’ll still be on the board at that spot.