Kings Rumors: Ellis, Poeltl, Kuminga, DeRozan, LaVine
A “ton” of teams have called the Kings to inquire about Keon Ellis, according to James Ham of Locked On Kings (YouTube link), who identifies the Timberwolves, Pacers, Celtics, and Knicks as a few of the clubs his sources suggest are worth monitoring as suitors for the fourth-year guard.
“From what I have heard, (they) have all called on Keon Ellis,” Ham said.
Ellis is an intriguing trade candidate because his $2.3MM expiring contract makes him an attainable piece for just about any NBA team, including clubs like Minnesota, Boston, and New York, who are operating above the first tax apron. If he’s dealt, Ellis’ Bird rights would travel with him and he’d become extension-eligible on February 9, just a few days after the trade deadline.
One weekend report suggested Ellis is among the players most likely to be moved at the deadline, with the Kings said to be seeking a late first-round pick.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Discussing the possibility of the Raptors making a play for center Domantas Sabonis, Ham said the Kings have “zero interest” in acquiring big man Jakob Poeltl, who has battled back issues this season and is under contract through 2029/30 (YouTube link). “‘We’re not getting into the Jakob Poeltl business’ is what I was told,” Ham said, though he observed that the same source didn’t say anything about the Kings not getting into the “RJ Barrett business.” Barrett was drafted by the Knicks when current Kings general manager Scott Perry was in New York’s front office.
- Responding to speculation that the Raptors would seek Ellis along with Sabonis in a trade with the Kings, Ham says a source told him “unequivocally” that Toronto and Sacramento haven’t discussed Ellis to this point.
- The Kings are no longer willing to include any draft picks in a trade offer Jonathan Kuminga, but they remain interested in the Warriors forward, Ham confirms (YouTube link). “I do know for a fact that the Sacramento Kings have offered, in the past, DeMar DeRozan straight up for Jonathan Kuminga,” Ham said. Golden State would need to include one more player in that hypothetical deal in order to stay below its hard cap, but it doesn’t sound like the Warriors have real interest in DeRozan anyway.
- Zach LaVine would “absolutely love to move on from Sacramento,” according to Ham (YouTube link), though his maximum-salary contract will be a major impediment. Ham suggests there was a “ray of hope” about a potential deal with the Bucks involving Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, but that outcome seems less likely as a result of Milwaukee’s recent struggles and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s latest calf strain.
Rival Teams Believe Bucks Becoming More Willing To Part With Giannis Antetokounmpo
Before Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury Friday night, momentum had been building toward a potential trade of the Bucks star before the February 5 deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required).
Antetokounmpo said two weeks ago that requesting a trade is “not in my nature,” and team officials have indicated that they plan to approach the deadline as buyers in hopes of upgrading their roster. However, Fischer states that the Bucks’ poor performance since then has led to “whispers circulating throughout the league” that an Antetokounmpo deal was becoming m0re realistic.
Milwaukee has dropped five of its last six and is currently two-and-a-half games away from the final play-in spot at 18-26. After falling Wednesday to Oklahoma City, Antetokounmpo said his team was playing “selfish” basketball, and ESPN’s Shams Charania stated during a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that Giannis’ frustration level is at “an all-time high.”
Those comments have echoed throughout the league, according to Fischer, who hears from rival team officials and a few well-placed sources that speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo is the number one topic as the deadline approaches, far ahead of potential trades involving Ja Morant, Anthony Davis or Michael Porter Jr.
The impact of Antetokounmpo’s injury, which could sideline him for four-to-six weeks, was still being assessed at mid-day Saturday, Fischer adds. It’s not certain if his absence will lessen the offers Milwaukee gets heading into the deadline or if teams will be willing to strike now in hopes that he’ll be fully recovered after the All-Star break.
Regardless, Fischer cites a growing consensus that the Bucks and their best player are headed toward parting ways, with one source telling him, “This is shaping up to be a draft-day kind of thing.”
In the wake of the injury, Fischer expects Milwaukee to abandon its stated plan of aggressively trying to add talent on the trade market. League sources tell Fischer that the Bucks weren’t making much headway with deals centered around Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, especially with few draft assets to offer. He notes that Porter, Zach LaVine, De’Andre Hunter, Jerami Grant and Miles Bridges are among the players who have been reported as possible trade targets.
Teams are also reluctant to help the Bucks improve when they might benefit from an eventual Antetokounmpo trade, Fischer adds. Among those teams is Portland, which owns draft picks from Milwaukee in 2028, 2029 and 2030 that could be useful in helping to facilitate a deal sending Antetokounmpo to another team. Fischer states that the Trail Blazers have long been fans of Mikal Bridges and could be incentivized to help the Knicks land Antetokounmpo if they’re able to get Bridges in return.
Bucks Rumors: Giannis, Morant, Rollins, Monk, Ellis, Portis, More
Thursday’s loss to San Antonio marked the halfway point of the Bucks‘ season, and the team’s 17-24 record is its worst first-half mark since 2015/16, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
Although Nehm describes Milwaukee as looking “lost,” the front office has held firm on its stance that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere this season and that it wants to add an impact player alongside the two-time MVP, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.
“We always manage to pull something off,” a team source told Collier.
Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is one potential target the Bucks have been linked to as of late. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Memphis has sought guard Ryan Rollins and Milwaukee’s lone tradable first-round pick (in either 2031 or 2032) in discussions with Milwaukee about Morant.
However, the Bucks have been “wary” about including that first-round pick in any trade talks to date, per Collier, who hears from rival executives that that first-rounder would likely only be on the table for a “star.” Morant, who has made two All-Star teams, certainly fit that bill at one point but may no longer be viewed that way, as he has battled injuries and seen his production decline in recent years.
As Collier writes, the Wizards’ deal for Trae Young might be instructive when considering the sort of trade that makes the most sense for the Bucks. Washington gave up no draft picks and a significant expiring contract as part of the package for Young, with the Hawks looking to get off the hook for his $49MM player option in 2026/27.
Milwaukee is in a good position to make a similar move for a player on a non-expiring deal, says Collier, noting that Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, and Jerami Grant are a few of the trade candidates with multiyear contracts who have been linked to the team. Collier also cites Heat forward Andrew Wiggins and Hornets Miles Bridges as a couple more examples.
The Bucks have had exploratory discussions with the Kings about a deal that would send Bobby Portis and a minimum-salary player to Sacramento in exchange for Monk and Keon Ellis, league sources tell Scotto. A trade for a higher-salary player such as Morant or LaVine would require Milwaukee to sacrifice more rotation pieces for matching purposes, but the team has considered that possibility, gauging the market for forward Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM cap hit) as well as Portis ($13.4MM), Scotto writes.
As Collier observes, the Bucks would be more equipped to make a significant splash during the 2026 offeason, when they’ll have up to three first-round picks available to trade (2026, 2031, and 2033). But the club – which has a +7.7 net rating with Antetokounmpo on the floor in 2025/26 – hasn’t given up on this season, even if some rival executives aren’t convinced Milwaukee should continue with its win-now approach.
“At some point, you’re just digging deeper and deeper,” an Eastern Conference exec told ESPN. “There might not be light at the end of the tunnel. It might just be a hole.”
Central Notes: Giannis, Jenkins, Pistons, J. Walker
Milwaukee fans booed the Bucks during Tuesday’s blowout loss against Minnesota, and Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the same reaction to the home crowd, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. After scoring a basket and getting knocked to the court on a foul early in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo did a two-thumbs-down gesture and booed the fans while sitting under the basket.
Antetokounmpo has used the same gesture to respond to jeering crowds on the road, and he explained, “Whenever I get booed, I boo back,” regardless of where he’s playing.
“I play basketball for my teammates,” he said. “I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don’t believe in me, I don’t tend to be with them. I tend to do what I’m here to do, what I’m good at. … It won’t change home or away. But yeah, I’ve never been a part of something like that before and I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
“I’m not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don’t play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we’re not where we’re supposed to be. I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on (a) basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years. And I’m basically the all-time leader in everything.”
Although it may be an isolated incident, Antetokounmpo’s reaction has to be disturbing for a front office that has been going out of its way to keep its star player happy. The Bucks are viewed as buyers heading into the trade deadline in hopes of upgrading their roster to make a postseason run, but Tuesday’s loss dropped them to 17-23 and left them 1.5 games out of the final play-in spot.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins is limited to 50 games on his two-way contract, and Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press points out in a subscriber-only mailbag column that he’s likely to reach that limit on February 5, which is also the day of the trade deadline. There’s a good chance Detroit will open up a roster spot and give a standard contract to Jenkins, who has emerged as a rotation player in his second NBA season, with Sankofa speculating that it’s likely to be a one- or two-year deal.
- Hunter Patterson of The Athletic examines ways the Pistons can use a traded player exception that allows them to take on an additional $14.3MM in salary. He cites Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Spurs center Kelly Olynyk, Hawks wing Luke Kennard, Celtics forward Sam Hauser and Mavericks wing Max Christie as potential targets. If Detroit doesn’t use it in a deal by the deadline, the TPE will remain available through July 7.
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has singled out the play of third-year forward Jarace Walker after each of the last two games, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Walker contributed 11 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench in Monday’s win over Boston. “He’s playing with force,” Carlisle said. “He’s playing with force at both ends. He’s done a lot of good things defensively. He’s rebounding the ball. Stepping into the right shots. As a third-year player, things are going to slow down as you progress in your career. Reads become more obvious. He’s making good decisions.”
Warriors Reportedly Targeting MPJ, Murphy, H. Jones
There have been mixed reports about whether the Nets are open to trading Michael Porter Jr. ahead of the February 5 deadline, and one report said the Pelicans are shutting down trade inquiries on Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, among others. However, those three players currently sit atop the Warriors‘ trade wish list, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
While he doesn’t state it outright, Siegel implies Jonathan Kuminga would be the primary outgoing salary in a deal for Murphy, with Golden State believed to be open to including two first-round picks. Siegel doesn’t include any details on what a potential offer for Jones might look like.
According to Siegel, early indications are the Warriors are reluctant to trade more than one first-rounder for Porter because a deal would include both Kuminga and Moses Moody. Siegel says Golden State is “very open” to moving Moody ahead of the deadline, explaining that front office has been a little disappointed that the 23-year-old hasn’t made more progress in his development.
It’s unclear if Brooklyn would accept such a package — or if the Nets will trade him at all — but Siegel writes that Porter may be the Warriors’ top trade target if they can acquire him for Kuminga, Moody, Buddy Hield and an unspecified first-round pick.
If Golden State is unable to land Porter, Murphy or Jones, Siegel hears the team would likely pivot to other wings and big men on the trade market, listing Naji Marshall, Ayo Dosunmu, Daniel Gafford and Bobby Portis as a few of the players who could be available and wouldn’t cost as much to acquire.
Siegel’s Latest: Sabonis, Raptors, Bucks, Warriors, Nets, White, Lakers
After buying low on Brandon Ingram at last season’s trade deadline, could the Raptors seek out a similar move this February? According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Kings center Domantas Sabonis is one name that has been continually linked to Toronto. The Raptors’ interest in Sabonis was first reported in December by Jake Fischer and has since been corroborated by several other outlets.
Malik Monk is another player who has intrigued Toronto in the past, Siegel writes, noting that Kings general manager Scott Perry drafted current Raptors veterans RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley when he was in New York’s front office. While there’s no indication that the two teams have seriously discussed such a deal involving those four players, Siegel suggests that sort of framework could be worth keeping an eye on.
If Toronto does end up moving Barrett in that sort of bigger move, he’d likely draw interest from several teams besides Sacramento, Siegel writes, given the lack of high-level wing talent on the trade market. The Bucks, for example, expressed interest in Barrett last season, per Siegel.
Here’s more from Siegel’s latest NBA rumor round-up:
- The Warriors have internally discussed many possible center trade targets, including Myles Turner and Bobby Portis of the Bucks, per Siegel. A number of teams around the NBA are curious about Milwaukee’s plans for Portis, Siegel continues, with the Hornets and Suns also considered possible suitors, perhaps in multi-team scenarios.
- Suns guard Jalen Green is among the players the Bucks have inquired on, but Phoenix isn’t interested in moving him at this point, says Siegel. Given that Green has only played two games this season due to hamstring issues, the Suns view him as a sort of trade-deadline addition themselves, Siegel explains.
- Although the Nets are fielding inquiries on players like Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, they aren’t actively looking to move them. In order for Brooklyn to consider a deal involving either player, the starting point for a package would have to be a “true” unprotected first-round pick, Siegel writes.
- The Mavericks and the Clippers are among the teams with interest in Bulls guard Coby White, sources tell Siegel, who reiterates that the Timberwolves also remain interested and notes that some league insiders have speculated that the Hawks could be a destination for White in the event of a Trae Young trade.
- With higher-level options like Herbert Jones potentially out of reach, players like Bulls forward Isaac Okoro, Kings guard Keon Ellis, and Nets wing Haywood Highsmith are considered more realistic possibilities for a Lakers team seeking defensive help, according to Siegel. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall is another possible trade candidate to add to that group if Dallas commits to becoming a seller.
Bucks Operating As Buyers Heading Into Trade Deadline
Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s windmill dunk that ended Saturday’s win at Chicago delivered the message he intended, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Antetokounmpo nearly sparked a massive fight as he broke an unwritten rule by scoring with the game already out of reach, but he saw a chance to make a statement — to his teammates and the rest of the league — that the Bucks aren’t going to go away quietly.
“I’ve been 13 years in the league,” Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game. “If we keep on losing, brother, probably half of the team is not going to be here. At the end of the day, I just want to be available, be healthy and help my team win. And if (a windmill dunk) is what has to happen for everybody to wake up and understand we’re fighting for our lives and we got to get our hands dirty, so be it.”
The dunk sparked a show of support, as Antetokounmpo’s teammates backed up his actions amid angry exchanges that continued while the teams made their way toward the locker room area. Whether it leads to a prolonged turnaround will depend on a number of factors, including Antetokounmpo’s health for the rest of the season and his continued desire to stay in Milwaukee.
At 13-19, the Bucks are 11th in the East, one-and-a-half games out of a play-in spot. Team sources tell Collier they continue to believe they can upgrade the roster before the February 5 trade deadline and be more competitive in the second half of the season. Collier hears that when the league’s unofficial trade season began two weeks ago, the Bucks’ front office approached it as buyers rather than exploring potential deals to part with Antetokounmpo.
The two-time MVP has been the subject of frequent trade speculation, even as he remains one of the NBA’s elite talents. He has often stated his desire to compete for another title, which may not happen with a Milwaukee team that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2022. Antetokounmpo has tried to quell trade talks, recently stating that he’s “locked in” with the team, and he reiterated that sentiment on Saturday.
“I’m here. I’m here. I’m here,” he said. “Don’t ask me that question. I’m here. It’s disrespectful towards myself and my teammates. I wear that jersey every single day. It’s disrespectful towards the organization, my coaching staff, myself and all the people that work hard for me to come out here and say, ‘I don’t want to be here.’ I’m here. I’m putting on the jersey. And as long as I’m here, I’m going to give everything I have, even in the last second of the game.”
Sources tell Collier that the Bucks have engaged in internal conversations about pursuing Kings guards Zach LaVine and Malik Monk as well as Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant. However, Collier notes that general manager Jon Horst has limited assets to offer on the trade market.
[RELATED: Bucks Keeping Eye On Zach LaVine]
[RELATED: Jerami Grant Among Potential Targets On Bucks’ Radar]
Milwaukee currently has only one tradable first-round pick, either in 2031 or 2032, but Collier states that Horst hasn’t been willing to part with that pick in any trade talks during the past year. League sources don’t expect him to consider moving it at this point unless it means getting a star-level player in return, Collier adds.
Collier notes that the rest of the roster outside of Antetokounmpo doesn’t offer much trade value. Other than Myles Turner, who signed as a free agent during the summer, the largest salaries belong to Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM) and Bobby Portis ($13.5MM), making it challenging to match money in a significant trade. According to Collier, rival executives may be putting other moves on hold until they have some clarity about how long Antetokounmpo will be staying in Milwaukee.
Collier adds that the Bucks’ assets will improve during the offseason, when they project to have tradable picks available in 2026, 2031 and 2033. But waiting until summer to improve the roster could mean wasting another prime season for Antetokounmpo and testing his desire to remain with a franchise that could miss the postseason.
“Right now, our character (as a team) is being tested,” Antetokounmpo said. “Me personally, I don’t want to be the guy worrying about (reports). My legacy is on the line. This is how I feel every single day when I walk in here.”
Central Rumors: Bucks, Grant, Kispert, Cavs, White, Duren
The expectation around the NBA is that the Bucks are looking to make an impactful in-season trade in the hopes of upgrading their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner, reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.
According to Siegel, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant – rumored to be a potential Milwaukee target – was the name linked to the Bucks most frequently by executives at the G League Winter Showcase over the weekend, with some sources speculating that Milwaukee could land both Grant and center Robert Williams in a deal with Portland.
While Siegel suggests that the Bucks could package Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and one more smaller contract for those two players, I’m not convinced that sort of deal would meaningfully affect Milwaukee’s outlook. Williams’ availability has been extremely limited due to his extensive injury history, and the Blazers have been better when he’s off the court than when he’s on it this season.
In addition to confirming that Grant and Heat forward Andrew Wiggins are receiving consideration from the Bucks, Siegel identifies Wizards wing Corey Kispert as another player who is on Milwaukee’s radar. Known as a three-point marksman, Kispert is hitting 40.3% of his outside shots this season, though he’s playing a career-low 19.9 minutes per game.
We have more rumors from across the Central Division:
- Many sources who have spoken to Siegel downplayed the idea that the Cavaliers are looking to shake up their roster in a significant way this season. Still, that doesn’t mean the team won’t be active with non-core players prior to the deadline. Siegel singles out forwards De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade as trade candidates to watch, noting that the Rockets had interest in Wade before signing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency this past summer.
- At least six teams around the NBA have inquired on Bulls guard Coby White, Siegel writes, with league executives speculating that the Magic, Hawks, and Cavaliers could be among his suitors. There’s a belief that Orlando wants to add more scoring punch by trading Jonathan Isaac and second-round draft capital, per Siegel, though he adds that the Bulls are optimistic about getting at least one unprotected first-round pick for White. While Chicago could probably extract a 2026 first-rounder from a playoff team for White, I think the team would have a harder time acquiring a future first-rounder with more significant lottery upside in exchange for a player who almost certainly won’t sign an extension prior to reaching unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
- Teams around the NBA are curious to see what Jalen Duren‘s next contract will look like, with the Pistons big man in the midst of a career year ahead of restricted free agency, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). “The Pistons are being overshadowed by OKC and San Antonio, but they’re just as set up to compete for the next five years as anyone,” one assistant general manager told Fischer, who writes that Duren could be headed for $40MM+ per year on his second NBA deal. A five-year, maximum-salary contract for a fifth-year player like Duren next summer projects to be worth over $48MM annually.
Bucks Notes: Giannis, Turner, Green, Roster Competition
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t able to attend media day on Monday and will miss the start of training camp as he deals with a case of COVID-19. However, Antetokounmpo participated in media day from Greece via Zoom, according to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who notes that the two-time MVP reiterated his desire to win another championship and confirmed reporting that he weighed his options outside of Milwaukee during the offseason.
“Guys, every summer there’s truth. To every report. The same thing I’ve been saying my whole career – I want to be on a team that allows me, gives me a chance to win a championship and wants to compete at a high level,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think it’s a disservice to basketball, it’s a disservice just to the game to not want to compete at a high level, to not want your season to end in April.
“So, it’s pretty much the same. It’s not the first time. I had the same thoughts last year, I had the same thoughts two years ago, I had the same thoughts five years ago – yeah, 2020 – so it’s never gonna change. I want to be among the best, I want to compete with the best, and I want to win another championship and that’s it.”
Bucks co-owner and governor Wes Edens had told reporters, including Owczarski, earlier in the day on Monday that he had a “great conversation” with Antetokounmpo in June and that the nine-time All-Star “made it clear that he was very committed to Milwaukee.”
For his part, Giannis said he didn’t recall that discussion, but he stressed that he has faith in his teammates and is hopeful the Bucks can do better this season after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in three straight seasons.
“Hopefully, we can get on the same page and understand what’s at risk right now,” he said. “The last three years we’ve been eliminated in the first round, so there’s not much to talk about. We just gotta put our butts down, put our heads down and stay locked in the whole year long and try to win some games and hopefully get in the playoffs and then don’t get eliminated in the first round. That’s pretty much it. And then we go from there.”
Here’s more on Giannis and the Bucks:
- Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis both expressed excitement about the Bucks’ offseason addition of Myles Turner to the frontcourt. Antetokounmpo referred to it as an “incredible” move that he’s “very excited” about (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic), while Portis said he likes that he, Giannis, and Turner are all around the same age. “We can grow together. We can get better together,” Portis said, per Ben Steele of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required). “Three big men that can do a lot of things with the basketball. A very versatile frontcourt. Those three bigs, you can’t really find three better bigs on another team.”
- Edens told reporters on Monday that getting “younger and more athletic” was a priority this offseason (Twitter link via Nehm), while general manager Jon Horst said he thinks Antetokounmpo is capable of making the club’s supporting cast better — and vice versa. “This team is built to maximize Giannis, but Giannis can actually maximize this team,” Horst said, according to ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “This is a team that is really hungry to earn whatever we get, and they want to deserve to win. And that’s going to be our style of play, that’s going to be playing together, and that’s going to feature the best player in the world, and Giannis and a bunch of guys that fit him really, really well.”
- Horst told reporters, including Steele and Owczarski, that the Bucks have had “a lot of conversations” with A.J. Green and his agent about a possible contract extension. Green is entering the final year of his current contract and would be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn’t sign a new deal before then. “We’d love to have A.J. with us for a long time. We’re able to work on that, and we are working on that,” the Bucks’ GM said. “No one works harder than A.J. High, high character individual. Underrated as an offensive player. Underrated as a defensive player. Another player that I think will have another big jump for us this year.”
- Milwaukee is carrying 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but with Andre Jackson Jr. on a partially guaranteed deal and Amir Coffey in camp on a non-guaranteed contract, Horst doesn’t view the regular season roster as set. “Absolutely not,” he said, per Steele and Owczarski. “… I actually think we have 21 players that deserve a chance to be on an NBA roster, to be on our roster. … We were presented the opportunity as the offseason progressed to add some players that we thought were just too good to be true and really just great opportunities and we’re going to let the guys play it out. I think competition gives us a great opportunity to have a great start to our camp and a great start to our season and these guys are all fully aware of what they’re playing for and what the stakes are and they’re all capable. So truly, kind of best player, best man win mentality. We want to put the best 15, plus three two-ways, that we can on the roster.”
Central Notes: Green, Kell-Abrams, Portis, Giannis
Javonte Green fits right into the Pistons’ identity after establishing a reputation as a hard-nosed defender with versatility, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes.
The Pistons signed Green to a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, filling the 14th spot on the 15-man roster. He’ll compete for minutes at the wing positions and could also be utilized as an undersized power forward. Green is a superior rebounder and shot-blocker for his size.
On the offensive end, Green’s dynamic athleticism stands out, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press notes. He will add another above-the-rim threat that already has a few in the rotation.
Green’s minimum-salary deal would pay him $2,874,436 if he earns the full amount. For now, the contract is partially guaranteed for $925K, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Cavaliers are hiring Eli Kell-Abrams as the head coach of their NBA G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge, Scotto tweets. Kell-Abrams spent the past two seasons as a video coordinator for the Trail Blazers. He has also had stints with the Sixers and Heat organizations.
- While there’s still speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future, Bucks teammate Bobby Portis doubts the superstar will ask the front office for a trade. Portis made his comments during an interview with ESPN Milwaukee (hat tip to Josue Pavon of ClutchPoints). “I talk to Giannis all the time. That’s my teammate,” Portis said. “Giannis bleeds green. That’s all I can say.” Portis also believes Milwaukee is still a true contender in the East, feeling recent postseason flops have been due to injuries. “I mean, what’s wrong with our team? Why can’t we do it this year? The only thing wrong with us is people being hurt,” he said. “We win the championship. 2022 came in and we go down. We lose Game 7 to Boston. 2023, first round, Giannis tries to dunk on K. Love, comes down, hurts his back. We don’t have big fella. 2024, Giannis hurts his leg against the Celtics in the regular season and then, doesn’t play another game. Then, coming back this year, we haven’t been really healthy. I don’t make excuses but that’s just what the tables was for us.” A video link to the interview can be found here.
- The Bulls are reportedly turning down trade inquiries involving Coby White. Get the info here.