Alec Burks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Wolves, Graham, Suns, VanVleet, Rockets

February 6th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves‘ front office has been scouring the trade market in the hopes of addressing a couple areas of concern on the bench and better positioning the team for a deep postseason run, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. According to Krawczynski, Minnesota would like to bolster its second unit by adding another ball-handler and/or a scorer or shooter.

Krawczynski confirms a number of previously reported point guard targets for the Wolves, including Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, while also naming Dennis Schröder and Kyle Lowry as a couple more players of interest. Lowry would have to be a buyout target, since Minnesota isn’t in position to match his $29.7MM salary on the trade market.

If the Wolves focus on a scorer rather than a point guard, Alec Burks and Bones Hyland are among the players who could be fits, Krawczynski writes.

Krawczynski doesn’t expect Minnesota to move Kyle Anderson, referring to him as a key part of the team’s defense and an important voice in the locker room. That’s notable, since hanging onto Anderson and their other five highest-paid players (Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid) would leave the Wolves with no trade chips earning more than $5MM, limiting their ability to salary-match for players earning much beyond the mid-level.

Here are a few more notes and rumors from around the Western Conference:

Veteran point guard Devonte’ Graham hasn’t griped about not having a role with the Spurs this season and has enjoyed being in San Antonio, but he acknowledged that he wouldn’t be opposed to a trade if it gives him an opportunity to play more, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “I mean, yeah,” Graham said. “Everybody wants to play.”
Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic previews the trade deadline for the Suns, noting that a potential package of Nassir Little and second-round picks hasn’t generated a ton of interest among prospective trade partners.
The Rockets will be without starting point guard Fred VanVleet on Tuesday in Indiana, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who says VanVleet has been ruled out due to a left adductor strain. That injury often requires a multi-game absence, but Houston hasn’t issued an update on the guard’s status beyond Tuesday.
Rockets center Jock Landale and forward Jae’Sean Tate are trying to tune out the trade rumors surrounding them as Thursday’s deadline nears, Feigen writes in another story for The Chronicle. “Whether they choose to trade me or keep me is completely up to them. I signed here to play for (head coach) Ime (Udoka),” Landale said. “I signed here to help the Rockets to get back to their winning ways. It’s not a decision that’s in my power or my control. We’ll see what happens.”

Scotto’s Latest: Jones, Wright, Hayes, Grizzlies, Okoro, More

February 5th, 2024 at 1:54pm CST by Rory Maher

He may not be a splashy name, but veteran point guard Tyus Jones is drawing interest from a variety of teams on the trade market, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Lakers and Timberwolves have previously been linked to Jones, which Scotto confirms. However, he also adds three new possible suitors to the list: the Magic, Spurs and Nets.

As Scotto previously reported, the Wizards want a first-round pick back for Jones, preferably one beyond the 2024 draft, with a chance at being a top-20 selection. However, rival executives are reportedly confident that Washington will ultimately accept multiple second-rounders for the 27-year-old, who likely wouldn’t be a starter in certain situations and is on an expiring $14MM contract.

Jones has been the NBA’s assist-to-turnover leader for several years running and is posting career highs in several categories as a full-time starter for the first time in his NBA career, averaging 12.2 PPG, 6.3 APG (against 0.9 TOV), 2.8 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .491/.392/.758 shooting in 49 games (28.5 MPG). He has limitations too of course, namely size (he’s listed at 6’1″, 196 lbs.), which limits his defensive versatility.

It’s worth noting that San Antonio currently deploys Jones’ younger brother, Tre Jones, as its starting point guard, though the Spurs are reportedly on the lookout for a long-term fixture at the position, viewing Tre as more of a strong backup.

The Magic seem like an odd fit for Jones, since they have Markelle Fultz (another impending free agent), Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black as backcourt players who can initiate offense, though those duties are frequently handled by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Jones would obviously help on the turnovers front, but he’s small as opposed to rangy and athletic, which is the mold of the rest of Orlando’s roster, and he isn’t a high-volume long-range shooter (3.7 three-point attempts per game), which is a team weakness.

Here’s more from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:

The Celtics, Kings and Timberwolves are among the teams with interest in Wizards guard Delon Wright, sources tell Scotto. Washington is looking for second-round picks for the veteran guard, who had a previous stint with Sacramento back in 2020/21. Known for his excellent defense, Wright is on an expiring $8.2MM contract.
Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) reported on Sunday that Killian Hayes‘ camp preferred a change of scenery, and sources tell Scotto the Grizzlies are among the teams to show interest in the fourth-year Pistons guard. Hayes has fallen out of Detroit’s rotation of late and could be a restricted free agent if given a qualifying offer this summer. As for players rivals teams are monitoring from Memphis’ side, Scotto hears Xavier Tillman, Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia are all considered potential trade candidates. Tillman will be an unrestricted free agent, while former first-rounders Williams (third year) and LaRavia (second) are still on rookie scale deals.
Forward Danilo Gallinari is another Pistons trade candidate, Scotto adds, with the Lakers checking in on the asking price for the Italian veteran.
Cavaliers wing Isaac Okoro is considered a trade candidate by rival teams, Scotto writes. One GM who spoke to HoopsHype speculated that Okoro could get $14MM annually in free agency this summer — right around the projected mid-level exception for 2024/25. As with Hayes, Okoro will be a restricted free agent if he’s tendered a qualifying offer, otherwise he’d be unrestricted and free to sign with any team. According to Scotto, the Knicks, Hawks, Pacers, Suns and Bucks are all worth watching, as they all have an interest in two-way wings.
In addition to Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Bones Hyland and Wright, the Timberwolves also have interest in Pistons guard Alec Burks, Scotto reports. As Sankofa reported, the Pistons value Burks and “aren’t eager” to part with him. Sankofa suggested it would take a “strong offer” for Detroit to trade the 32-year-old, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. As for players Minnesota might move, rival executives are eyeing Wendell Moore, Shake Milton and Troy Brown, according to Scotto.
The Timberwolves are “hopeful” about their chances of re-signing veteran point guard Mike Conley this summer, Scotto adds. Conley, 36, has started all 45 of his games this year for Minnesota, averaging 10.6 PPG, 6.4 APG, 2.8 RPG and 1.0 SPG while shooting 43.6% from long distance. He’s making $24.4MM in the final year of his deal.
The Celtics continue to look for bench upgrades, with minimum-salary players and draft picks the likely outgoing pieces in a deal, according to Scotto.

Pistons Rumors: Harris, LaVine, Morris, Bogdanovic, Burks

February 5th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Arthur Hill

With Zach LaVine out for the season, Sixers forward Tobias Harris may be the Pistons‘ top trade target, James L. Edwards of The Athletic writes in an overview of the team’s options ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Edwards has stated since December that the Pistons have interest in Harris, who spent time in Detroit early in his career and has connections with members of the front office and coaching staff.

Harris has been a reliable scorer throughout his career and is averaging 17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists this season while shooting 51.2% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range. The 31-year-old can handle either forward spot and would give the Pistons a frontcourt weapon to team with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Edwards cautions that Detroit might not be overly aggressive in pursuing Harris this week because of his upcoming free agent status. The front office may be reluctant to part with a significant asset when it will have plenty of cap room to sign him this summer.

Edwards has more on the Pistons:

Detroit seems to have paused trade talks regarding LaVine, but Edwards isn’t certain that the team was ever very committed to acquiring him. While he reports there were “many discussions” between the Bulls and Pistons in recent weeks, sources in the organization tell Edwards that Detroit would have only gotten serious about such a move if Chicago was willing to attach other assets like draft compensation or another player such as Patrick Williams. Edwards also speculates that the Pistons may have been willing to take on LaVine’s contract if the Bulls would have accepted expiring deals in return, but he’s not certain of that. Chicago was asking for Bojan Bogdanovic and another young player, according to Edwards, who doesn’t believe Detroit would have ever agreed to that price.
League sources tell Edwards that numerous teams have inquired about Monte Morris. He cites the Timberwolves as one of the most interested parties, noting that they tried to deal for the veteran guard when he was still with Washington. Morris recently returned after being sidelined by injuries for the season’s first 43 games, and Edwards suggests that Detroit might prefer to hang onto him.
Edwards hears that rival teams have “strong interest” in Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but the Pistons are leaning toward keeping both players unless the current offers improve.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Wizards, Pistons, Russell, Hawks

January 31st, 2024 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

After recording 10 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists with no turnovers in 18 minutes during Monday’s win vs. Utah, former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons appeared to tweak his left knee due to an awkward landing after blocking Talen Horton-Tucker‘s shot (video link).

The Nets swingman subsequently underwent an MRI after experiencing swelling, but it revealed no structural damage, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Simmons is out for Wednesday’s contest against Phoenix with a left knee contusion and is considered day-to-day, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps). Simmons’ agent, Bernard Lee, said there’s hope that it will be a one-game absence, since Brooklyn doesn’t play again until Saturday vs. Philly, giving the 27-year-old more time to recover (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the East:

As has been previously reported, the Wizards are focused on securing first-round draft picks — preferably in drafts beyond 2024 — as they take calls on veterans, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who take a look at the possible return value of nine different players on the roster. League sources tell The Athletic’s duo that the Wizards are looking for two first-rounders for Kyle Kuzma, though the writers have gotten some push back on that from sources within the team, who said the reported asking price is “somewhat overblown.”
While Bojan Bogdanovic has popped up in plenty of trade rumors the past couple years, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic isn’t convinced the Croatian veteran will be moved prior to the February 8 deadline. Edwards hears the Pistons are willing to take calls on Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but they aren’t actively shopping two of their best floor spacers. Edwards also covers other topics in his mailbag, including what he thinks of Detroit making a run at possible targets like Zach LaVine (he argues against it).
In Tuesday’s matchup with the Lakers, Hawks fans taunted D’Angelo Russell with “We don’t want you!” chants, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Russell has been linked to Atlanta as part of L.A.’s interest in Dejounte Murray, who badly outplayed Russell en route to a Hawks win. It has been reported that Atlanta doesn’t have interest in Russell and would want to flip him to a third team in a potential deal.

Central Notes: Duren, Pistons, Haliburton, Mitchell, Mobley

January 29th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Duren had 22 points and 21 rebounds as the Pistons surprised Oklahoma City on Sunday, but he didn’t want anyone to think that’s all he did, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit News. “And six assists,” Duren pointed out as he spoke with reporters after the game. Cade Cunningham was a late scratch as he continues his recovery from a knee strain, so Detroit ran some of its offense through the second-year center.

“Honestly, we were able to get the win and that’s what I’m most happy about, it’s a big-time win,” Duren said. “Especially after yesterday. Just happy about that. 20 and 20 is 20 and 20, but for me I knew it was bound to happen at some time so I wasn’t really that worried about it.”

Duren has been one of the few bright spots for the Pistons, but Sankofa reports that the organization still believes it can salvage something from this season despite a 6-40 record and a historic losing streak. Duren has become much more polished that he was as a rookie, Sankofa adds, displaying better touch and footwork around the basket while being given more leeway to handle the ball and create plays under new coach Monty Williams.

“I just think he’s putting the work in,” Williams said. “I’ve told him if he’s gonna be the guy that we feel like he can be, he’s gotta own that position. Earlier, I thought that he was renting it because he would show flashes of it and then you wouldn’t see it. We just talk about the work that goes into being a solid player, then a good player, then a really good player and then a great player, on and on and on, you have to put in tons of work and just repeat those moves.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

With the trade deadline nearing, James L. Edwards of The Athletic talks with other Athletic writes about potential Pistons deals involving Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. They review proposed trades with the Lakers, Knicks and Thunder.
The Pacers are optimistic that Tyrese Haliburton will be available Tuesday night against Boston after missing 10 of the last 11 games with a left hamstring injury, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell participated in today’s shootaround and is listed as probable to play tonight after undergoing a scare involving a groin injury late in the Milwaukee game, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Evan Mobley also took part in the shootaround amid reports that he’ll be able to return soon following left knee surgery (Twitter link).

Knicks Notes: Hartenstein, Hart, Anunoby, Brown, Burks, Thibs

January 27th, 2024 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing the Knicks‘ past two games due to left Achilles tendinopathy, center Isaiah Hartenstein will return on Saturday afternoon vs. Miami and is reentering the starting lineup, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Head coach Tom Thibodeau had previously said on Thursday that Hartenstein was doing “a lot better” (Twitter link).

Hartenstein became the Knicks’ starting center last month following Mitchell Robinson‘s ankle injury. The veteran big man has averaged 7.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks in his 17 starts (33.8 MPG). New York has gone 11-6 during that stretch.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Josh Hart, who griped about his role with the Knicks earlier this season, still doesn’t agree with the notion that he’s a power forward and isn’t necessarily thrilled by his career-low 12.1% usage rate. However, he has gotten on board with what the team has asked him to do and embraced his new role, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “Yeah, it took me 40 games. It’s a process,” Hart said. “Obviously it’s not something I thought it was going to be like entering the year. But it’s where we’re at. Now it’s just you got to sacrifice and do some of that.”
In a subscriber-only story for The Post, Bondy takes a deep dive into how OG Anunoby‘s arrival and explains how his impact has gone beyond his defense. Within the same article, Bondy says Raptors guard Bruce Brown and Pistons guard Alec Burks are the two potential trade targets he has heard connected most frequently to the Knicks as of late.
Would it be in the Knicks’ best interest to stand pat at the trade deadline, given how well they’re playing recently? Steve Popper of Newsday considers that question, writing that if the team does make a move on the trade market, a player’s fit will be as important as his skill.
In yet another story for The New York Post, Bondy shines a light on the role that Thibodeau has played in the Knicks’ success this season, pointing out that several key players on the roster are playing the best basketball of their respective careers and arguing that wouldn’t happen “without the touch of a great — and tirelessly focused — coach.”

Pistons Rumors: Core, Murray, LaVine, Bojan, Burks, Morris

January 25th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have already completed one in-season trade and are open to making more deals, but there are a few players on the roster who are considered essentially off-limits in trade discussions, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

According to Edwards, those players are Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, and Jaden Ivey. There’s a belief that Detroit has no interest in moving any of those four youngsters in the immediate future and views them as the club’s “blue-chip pieces,” says Edwards.

While it’s no surprise that Cunningham, Thompson, and Duren in that group, Ivey’s inclusion was perhaps less of a certainty, given that his role has fluctuated under new head coach Monty Williams. However, the former No. 5 overall pick has received a minutes bump in recent weeks and is averaging 17.7 points and 4.8 assists per game in his last 14 appearances (all starts).

Here’s more on the Pistons and their trade deadline plans:

The Hawks initiated talks with the Pistons a few weeks ago about guard Dejounte Murray, according to Edwards, who says Atlanta was interested in Thompson and Ivey, among others. Detroit didn’t have interest in moving forward with those talks, given the Hawks’ asking price, sources tell The Athletic.
The Pistons have also spoken to the Bulls about Zach LaVine, but Chicago “appears to be locked in” on a package that would include Bojan Bogdanovic and one of those four young players Detroit doesn’t want to move, Edwards writes. While the Pistons wouldn’t want to make that sort of deal, they might have interest in LaVine if the Bulls lowered their asking price.
Although the Pistons aren’t actively shopping Bogdanovic or Alec Burks, they appear more open to moving the two veterans than they were a year ago, says Edwards. Bogdanovic has a $19MM partially guaranteed salary for next season, while Burks is on an expiring contract. According to Edwards, Detroit may end up pushing its decision on Bogdanovic to the summer and feels like it has a chance to re-sign Burks. However, neither player is off the table in the next couple weeks — Edwards believes an offer of at least two “really good” second-round picks would be enough for the Pistons to seriously consider moving Burks.
Monte Morris made his season debut for the Pistons on Wednesday and played well, registering seven points, three assists, and three rebounds in 11 minutes. The veteran guard said after the game that he felt good, though he believes he has room to improve (Twitter link via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). League sources tell Edwards that potential suitors have expressed interest in Morris and will want to see how he performs upon returning from injury. It’s not a given that Detroit will trade the guard at the deadline, Edwards notes.

Trade Rumors: R. Williams, Knicks, Lakers, Hawks, Wizards

January 23rd, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers center Robert Williams won’t play again this season after undergoing knee surgery in November, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s off the table in trade talks. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT suggested during the latest episode of the #thisleague UNCUT podcast that Williams is a trade candidate to watch.

“There are some teams that are pondering making a move for Robert Williams,” Haynes said (hat tip to Blazer’s Edge). “Now, I know Robert Williams is out for the season, had another surgery on his right knee. But teams feel like he would be somebody they could get on the cheap right now and allow him to continue recovering, continue rehabbing in hopes that next season he can blossom back into the Robert Williams that we’ve seen when he was playing at a high level with the Boston Celtics.”

Williams was one of the players acquired by Portland in October’s Jrue Holiday deal with the Celtics. While he has shown some promise in his first few years in the NBA, is still just 26 years old, and is on a multiyear contract, there was a sense that the Blazers could be willing to flip the big man to a new team, given that they already have their center of the future in Deandre Ayton. Haynes confirms that’s the case.

“The Blazers will be very open (to moving Williams),” Haynes said. “That’s not up for debate. They’ll be very open. If they feel like they can get the right deal in place, they’re open. The Blazers, they’re in a youth movement right now, so they have nothing but time on their side. Some players don’t fit the development arc of most of the youth they have on that team. Robert Williams is somebody who is definitely available, given the right price.”

While Haynes didn’t specify exactly which teams are potential suitors for Williams, he noted that Ime Udoka is “very fond” of the big man after coaching him in Boston and speculated that the Rockets could have interest.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Discussing the Knicks‘ approach to the trade deadline on the Katz and Shoot podcast, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon is the player he has heard most frequently linked to New York (Twitter video link). Fred Katz of The Athletic cited Pistons guard Alec Burks as another player the Knicks had their eye on and confirmed the team has looked into Dejounte Murray, but isn’t sure whether that interest in the Hawks guard is serious or just a matter of the Knicks doing their due diligence.
Murray, Bruce Brown, Terry Rozier, and Tyus Jones are potential Lakers trade targets to keep an eye on, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link). The team’s interest in all four guards has been previously reported.
Charania also confirms a previous report about the Lakers and Hawks discussing Murray, adding that a pick swap was part of those negotiations. The talks stalled due to Atlanta’s desire to reroute D’Angelo Russell to a third team, but Charania expects the two teams to resume those discussions before the trade deadline.
Only one Wizards player is truly off-limits in trade talks at this season’s deadline, according to Charania (Twitter video link): 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly. Washington would be open to inquiries on anyone else on the roster.

Pistons Notes: Muscala, Thompson, Ivey, Cap Room

January 22nd, 2024 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons got a strong performance from their new-look bench in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Alec Burks scored 33 points and teamed with newly acquired Mike Muscala to hit 11-of-18 shots from beyond the arc as Detroit’s reserves put up 85 points, the most of any team this season. Muscala has noticed a commitment to effort from his new teammates since being acquired in a trade last week.

“Guys play really hard here, and it’s an honor to be a part of that,” he said. “It was a good game today, we just couldn’t get it done, especially on defense. We get a chance to play them again on Monday, and obviously they’re a great team. They have a lot of weapons on offense, but I thought we battled hard today.”

Rookie forward Ausar Thompson, who started for much of the first half of the season, has also become an important part of the bench unit, and Sankofa notes that his rebounding and ability to attack the basket make him an effective complement to Muscala. Coach Monty Williams seems confident in his current bench group.

“Ausar coming off the bench and knocking down shots was huge for his confidence and huge for the development of our young group,” Williams said. “Having (Danilo) Gallinari and Mike out there, they’re seamlessly fitting in and figuring out how we play. Burks has been phenomenal. His ability to score the ball, his ability to communicate and help the young guys on the floor have helped us a ton. You don’t typically get that kind of bench production, but with the vets we have coming off the bench, it certainly helps us.”

There’s more from Detroit:

Jaden Ivey has excelled over the past two weeks with Cade Cunningham sidelined by a left knee strain, and he’ll continue to have a role in running the offense once Cunningham returns, Sankofa adds. “It’s good to see him not just score the ball. Like I said he’s defending, attacking the basket, knocking down open shots,” Williams said. “I think it’s going to be a good complement with those two playing together within the system.”
The Pistons could have $60MM in cap room this summer, and James L. Edwards III and John Hollinger of The Athletic look at how they might spend it, agreeing that it’s likely to be more useful in trading for big salaries rather than signing free agents. Hollinger speculates that the Pistons might have interest in Andrew Wiggins if the Warriors can’t move him before the trade deadline, although he’s a gamble with three years and $85MM left on his contract. Hollinger mentions a few other potential targets with long-term deals, including the Nuggets‘ Zeke Nnaji, the Suns‘ Nassir Little and the Kings‘ Davion Mitchell.
The NBA has moved the starting time of the Pistons’ January 28 contest against the Thunder so it doesn’t conflict with the Detroit Lions’ playoff game on that Sunday, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Stein’s Latest: Raptors, Siakam Trade, Brown, Knicks Targets, More

January 18th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Raptors don’t regret not moving Fred VanVleet last trade deadline before he departed that summer in free agency, Marc Stein details in his latest Substack post. Raptors president Masai Ujiri conveyed a similar sentiment earlier on Thursday. As Stein writes, the offers for VanVleet were lackluster and Toronto brass preferred to give the core of Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and VanVleet one more shot at it, adding Jakob Poeltl to the equation.

Stein suggests that the Raptors could have traded VanVleet to the Clippers last year in exchange for Luke Kennard and modest draft capital, but instead opted to run it back with their team. However, VanVleet leaving Toronto in the offseason for Houston had an impact on their willingness to trade Siakam and Anunoby this season, according to Stein.

Though there’s an outside perception the Raptors could have gotten more for Siakam had they traded him earlier, Toronto is pleased with the package it received from the Pacers, according to Stein. As Stein explains, the Hawks offered De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and a first-round pick over the summer, but the Raptors feel Indiana’s offer was better, even without Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, Andrew Nembhard or Jalen Smith, all of whom Toronto coveted. I recommend checking out the article in full if you are subscribed to Stein’s Substack page.

There are more notes from Marc Stein:

There’s a growing belief leaguewide that the Raptors will move recently acquired Bruce Brown in another trade. The Knicks have Evan Fournier‘s $18.9MM salary to help match Brown’s $22MM, Stein observes. An earlier report Thursday indicated Quentin Grimes ($2.4MM in 2023/24) was on the trade block, so perhaps the Knicks kick the tires on packaging Fournier and Grimes together for Brown. We wrote more on New York’s interest in Brown here. The Nuggets would undoubtedly be interested in Brown after he helped lift the franchise to their first NBA title in 2022/23, but they lack feasible ways of acquiring him, Stein adds.
Stein expresses skepticism that Brown is the type of scoring guard New York wants to bring in after moving away from Immanuel Quickley. The Knicks have “a level of interest” in Utah’s Jordan Clarkson, Charlotte’s Terry Rozier, Detroit’s Alec Burks and Portland’s Malcolm Brogdon, he adds.
Rival teams hold the belief that Siakam is a “lock” to re-sign with the Pacers after his current contract expires this summer, Stein writes. The Pacers can only offer Siakam a two-year, $81.5MM extension during the season, but they acquired his Bird rights in the trade, which was a motivating factor in getting him now. Acquiring Siakam’s Bird rights allows the Pacers to go over the salary cap to keep him giving them increased flexibility this summer.
After Siakam was traded, attention on the trade market turned to the Hawks‘ Dejounte Murray, according to Stein, who says the going price for Murray starts at two first-round picks. We took a look earlier today at Murray’s market.