Domantas Sabonis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Trade Rumors: Smart, Hawks, Collins, Siakam, Sabonis, More

January 27th, 2022 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to sending Cam Reddish to New York, the Hawks discussed the framework of a trade with the Celtics that would’ve sent Reddish and Kevin Huerter to Boston in a deal for Marcus Smart, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Huerter is one of 11 players affected this season by the poison pill provision, complicating salary-matching in any trade involving him, but the deal described by Fischer theoretically would’ve worked for both sides if Atlanta had included another minimum-salary player (likely Solomon Hill).

Smart ultimately stayed put, and Fischer says it would take “significant value” for the Celtics to move him in another deal in the next two weeks. According to Fischer, there’s a sense around the league that the Celtics will be better in the second half than they were in the first half, as long as they’re healthier and first-year head coach Ime Udoka gets more comfortable.

Here a few more trade notes and rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

One team contacted by the Hawks told Bleacher Report that Atlanta wanted a “valuable” first-round pick and a starting-caliber player in exchange for John Collins. Other teams think the Hawks could get even more than that for Collins, says Fischer.
According to Fischer, the Raptors and Pacers at least briefly discussed a trade involving Domantas Sabonis and Pascal Siakam, but those talks stalled. The concept makes some sense in theory, since it would allow Myles Turner to be the lone center in Indiana, and Toronto has long been in the market for a five.
Since Brook Lopez‘s recovery timeline remains up in the air, the Bucks are “poking around” the market for a center, with Suns big man Jalen Smith mentioned as a possible target, per Fischer. Semi Ojeleye is considered to be available and Milwaukee has received inquiries about Pat Connaughton and Donte DiVincenzo, Fischer adds.
A handful of teams have expressed some interest in Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman, including the Spurs, Hornets, Mavericks, and Bucks, writes Fischer.

Western Trade Rumors: Kings, Pelicans, D. White, Mavs, More

January 27th, 2022 at 9:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are still expected to make some sort of major move ahead of this year’s trade deadline in an effort to strengthen their roster for a postseason push, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Sacramento has expressed interest in both Pacers centers, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, but Fischer hears that Indiana’s asking price has been much higher than what teams are willing to give up for either player.

According to Fischer, who says the Pelicans also have interest in Sabonis, Turner is still the more likely trade candidate of the two Indiana centers, but only if the Pacers are willing to drop their asking price a little, since teams are concerned about Turner’s injury recovery timeline and his ability to help a team this season. If the price remains high, Turner may stay in Indiana until the offseason.

One team to watch on the Turner front is the Trail Blazers, who gained some momentum in discussions with the Pacers prior to the big man’s injury, according to Fischer. If Portland is focused more on next season than this season, acquiring Turner would make some sense, but the Blazers still hold a play-in spot in the West, so they probably aren’t prepared to just throw in the towel.

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

Kings center Tristan Thompson is considered to be available in exchange for a second-round pick, says Fischer. I’m a little skeptical that Sacramento will be able to get positive value for Thompson by himself.
The Spurs received a call from the Hawks about guard Derrick White, Fischer reports. It doesn’t sound like those discussions gained any traction, but Fischer points out that San Antonio has been viewed since 2020 as a potential suitor for Atlanta big man John Collins.
As previously relayed, rival executives think the Mavericks may trade one of Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith by February 10. Both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer, so there will be nothing stopping them from signing elsewhere, and if the Mavs do re-sign both, they’ll likely be taxpayers. However, Dallas has expressed confidence in its ability to re-sign both players, according to Fischer, who adds that there’s a belief Finney-Smith will seek $15MM annually on his next deal.
The Thunder‘s asking price in any trade for forward Kenrich Williams is believed to be a first-round pick, per Fischer.

Wizards Notes: Beal, Kuzma, Collapse, Sabonis

January 26th, 2022 at 9:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Wizards blew a 35-point lead against the Clippers on Tuesday, suffering a humiliating 116-115 defeat, raising questions about Washington’s direction, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Wizards guard Bradley Beal said it should’ve been an easy win, but that’s not how the game transpired.

“It just should have been a game where starters get their rest, plain and simple, right?” Beal said afterward. “That’s what type of game it should have been, and we didn’t. And Coach (Wes Unseld) kept saying, ‘Stay locked in. Stay locked in. Keep pushing.’ But for whatever reason, we relax, like we can just flip on a switch and be great.”

Beal should be held culpable too, Robbins writes. He was on the court for the majority of the fourth quarter in which the Wizards were outscored 40-22, and only half-heartedly attempted to foul Justise Winslow, a poor free throw shooter, who Unseld had instructed the team to foul in the closing seconds. Making matters worse, Beal proceeded to commit a cardinal basketball sin by weakly fouling Luke Kennard on a three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left while Washington was clinging to a 115-112 lead. Kennard made the three and sank the free throw, clinching the victory for the Clips.

After a 10-3 start to the season, the Wizards have gone 13-22 since, now holding a 23-25 record, 10th in the East. Forward Kyle Kuzma thinks “somethin’ got to change.” After the game, Kuzma was asked whether he agreed with Unseld that the team stopped competing after building the large lead, per Robbins.

“Everybody stopped,” Kuzma said. “It felt like defensively we didn’t do anything. We’ve got to do a better job of reading the room from the bench as well. It’s a team loss. Everybody lost tonight.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Beal recently joined Adrian Wojnarowski’s “The Woj Pod” on ESPN (hat tip to RealGM). Beal knows the Wizards need to improve to be competitive long-term, but he likes being the centerpiece of the franchise. “Honestly, realizing that a franchise is willing to build around you. It’s not always like that everywhere. Like, if I go somewhere else, they’re just not going to build around you. They’ll build around what they have,” Beal said. “There’s nothing absolutely nothing wrong with that, but if I have the chance to create my own legacy and make it work here with the team that drafted me, then why not give it a shot? It it works, it works, If it doesn’t, I can say ‘At least I tried.’ That’s just who I am. That’s my blessing and curse, my loyalty. We’re transitioning, we’re going in the right direction, but we still have a lot of improvements to make.”
Robbins and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic explore what it might type of trade package it might take for the Wizards to acquire Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis. Pacers owner Herb Simon says he’s disinterested in a full-fledged rebuild, so draft picks might not do the trick — in any case, the 2023 first-rounder Washington owes to Oklahoma City is protected through 2026, so any future first-round pick the team offers would have to be conditional. Kravitz says if he were Indiana’s GM, he’d want Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and Corey Kispert, Washington’s three most recent first-round picks, in exchange for Sabonis.
Keep track of all of the latest notes and rumors from Washington on our Wizards team page.

Domantas Sabonis To Return This Weekend?

January 26th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis might return from a sprained left ankle this weekend for Indiana. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters, including James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), that “the weekend is potentially in play” for Sabonis, who injured the ankle during Indiana’s win over the Lakers last Wednesday.

As we noted earlier today, Sabonis’ name has been frequently linked in trade rumors over the past couple of months, but it would take a lot to pry him from the Pacers. One reason for that, aside from his strong play, is he’s on a very team-friendly contract, having signed a four-year, $77MM rookie extension in October of 2019. After this season is complete, he’s still under contract for two more years, and will earn $18.5MM next season, followed by $19.4MM in 2023/24 (both seasons include $2.6MM in unlikely incentives, per Spotrac).

The 25-year-old is having another outstanding season for Indiana, putting up 19.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steal per contest on .577/.327/.744 shooting through 44 games (34.9 minutes). Sabonis is also shooting a career-high 63.7% on two-pointers and leads the team in several advanced statistics, including player efficiency rating, true shooting percentage, win shares, box plus/minus, and value over replacement player, per Basketball-Reference.

In addition to Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Myles Turner (currently sidelined with a stress reaction in his left foot), Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb have all been mentioned in trade rumors to varying degrees for the struggling Pacers, currently 17-31, 13th in the East.

Eastern Trade Rumors: Pacers, Sixers, Hawks, Celtics, More

January 26th, 2022 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Domantas Sabonis‘ name has frequently surfaced in trade rumors in the last couple months, one executive who spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said he doesn’t think the Pacers will move Sabonis unless they get a package like the one Orlando got for Nikola Vucevic last season. Chicago gave up two lightly-protected first-round picks and young center Wendell Carter Jr. for Vucevic, and took on Al-Farouq Aminu‘s multiyear contract in the deal.

The price will be significantly lower for other Pacers trade candidates, including Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb, who are both available, according to Scotto. Rival executives tell HoopsHype that Indiana is thought to be seeking a couple second-round picks for Holiday.

Scotto doesn’t specify an asking price for Lamb, but I imagine it will be a challenge for the Pacers to get positive value for the veteran wing — he’s having a down year and is earning more than $10MM.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the Eastern Conference from the latest episode of the HoopsHype Podcast:

When the Sixers and Hawks discussed Ben Simmons, they “briefly kicked around” a trade that would’ve involved Simmons, Tobias Harris, John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Danilo Gallinari, according to Scotto. That concept didn’t gain any traction though, as Atlanta has no interest in Harris.
Scotto has heard the Celtics did due diligence on Rockets center Daniel Theis, but says a reunion with the big man is less likely following last week’s Juan Hernangomez trade, since Hernangomez would’ve been the most logical salary-matching piece in any deal involving Theis. Scotto adds that rival executives believe Boston will hang onto Robert Williams, viewing him as part of the team’s current core.
The Hornets, Raptors, and Bulls are among the teams in the market for a center, says Scotto. The position has been an area of concern for Charlotte and Toronto for a while — Chicago has Vucevic, but would be interested in adding a backup.

Latest On Ben Simmons

January 24th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers continue to discuss possible Ben Simmons trades with potential suitors, but sources with direct knowledge of the team’s thinking – and sources from rival clubs – believe Philadelphia still prefers to hang onto Simmons until the offseason in order to pursue James Harden or another star player, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Kings and Hawks are among the teams that have been most engaged with the 76ers as of late, with the Hornets also inquiring on Simmons, per The Athletic’s report. Philadelphia has asked Sacramento for a package that includes Tyrese Haliburton and multiple first-round picks, and wants John Collins and multiple first-rounders from Atlanta, according to Charania and Amick, who hear that the Sixers would also want the Hawks to take on Tobias Harris‘ pricey contract.

None of those scenarios have generated serious traction, and team officials in Sacramento and Atlanta are skeptical that the Sixers will lower their asking price for Simmons much – if at all – by the February 10 trade deadline, according to The Athletic’s duo.

Sources tell Charania and Amick that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has the full support of ownership to extend the Simmons sweepstakes into the offseason. Although Philadelphia obviously doesn’t want to waste an MVP-caliber season from Joel Embiid, the club is more concerned about not squandering its top trade chip in Simmons by settling for one of the offers currently on the table. There’s a belief those offers will still be available in the summer, and there could be better options for Philadelphia at that point, Charania and Amick say.

“There’s no sense of panic (to do a deal before the deadline),” a source with knowledge of the Sixers’ thinking told The Athletic.

Here’s more on the Simmons situation:

The Sixers have explored deals that would be centered around players like Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, but felt those players weren’t “championship-altering, perfect fits” for their roster, according to Charania and Amick.
When the Rockets traded Harden to the Nets a year ago, the Sixers were a serious contender for the star guard, having offered Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, and two first-round picks, per The Athletic. During the Rockets’ decision-making process, owner Tilman Fertitta asked Harden whether he preferred to go to Brooklyn or Philadelphia, and Harden chose Brooklyn. It’s unclear if Houston would’ve taken the Sixers’ deal if Harden preferred Philadelphia, according to Charania and Amick, who hear from sources that the Rockets liked the Nets’ proposal more.
Although Harden chose Brooklyn over Philadelphia last year, sources tell The Athletic that Morey is optimistic about his chances of landing the former MVP in the offseason and believes Harden views the Sixers’ situation “in a positive light.” Philadelphia’s cap situation would make an offseason sign-and-trade acquisition of Harden challenging (even if the Nets were interested in Simmons), but not impossible.

Injury Notes: Sabonis, Ingram, Doncic, Williams

January 21st, 2022 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Thursday that the team doesn’t have a “definitive” timeline for Domantas Sabonis‘ return from a left ankle sprain, but told reporters the All-Star big man will likely miss “at least a few games” (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN).

As we observed on Thursday, it’s bad luck for the Pacers that two of their top trade candidates – centers Sabonis and Myles Turner – are battling injuries with the February 10 deadline around the corner. However, Sabonis’ injury in particular seems unlikely to be a long-term concern. There’s still a good chance Indiana hangs onto Sabonis, but any trade offers the team gets shouldn’t be negatively impacted by what appears to be a minor ailment.

Here are a few more health-related updates from around the NBA:

The Pelicans held Brandon Ingram out of the fourth quarter of their Thursday win over New York due to a sprained right ankle, says Andrew Lopez of ESPN. There are currently no plans to have the forward an undergo an MRI, but the team will evaluate the injury further before determining how much time – if any – he’ll have to miss. New Orleans doesn’t play again until Monday, so Ingram’s ankle will have a few days to heal.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic landed on his back after a drive to the basket during Thursday’s game against Phoenix and admitted after the game that his neck was “pretty sore” following the hard fall, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. However, Doncic expressed optimism that he’d be “OK in a couple days” and won’t miss any time.
Thunder forward Kenrich Williams is no longer on the team’s injury report, an indication that he has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols. A regular rotation player for Oklahoma City, Williams could draw trade interest from playoff teams in the next few weeks as a lower-cost three-and-D option.

Domantas Sabonis Sprains Left Ankle

January 20th, 2022 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis suffered a left ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of the team’s win over the Lakers on Wednesday when he landed on Russell Westbrook‘s foot while going after a rebound.

Despite being in obvious pain, Sabonis stayed in the game and helped Indiana secure the victory. That doesn’t mean his ankle injury is minor, however. As James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star writes, head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game that the sprain is “probably going to be significant.” At the very least, the Pacers will likely hold the All-Star center out of the second game of a back-to-back set on Thursday in Golden State, though no decisions have been announced yet.

“He was not gonna come out of this game,” Carlisle said after the victory, per Boyd. “He was determined to help will us to the win along with Caris (LeVert) and the guys who were out there. … The 3-point shot that Sabonis hit on the bad ankle (to put the Pacers up by eight with 2:28 left) was one of the big shots of the year and just a guy that was completely determined to pull us through this thing.”

LeVert, Sabonis, and Myles Turner have been mentioned most frequently in recent weeks as possible trade candidates for the Pacers. With the February 10 deadline just three weeks away, Sabonis and Turner – who has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot – are both banged up. Those injuries could complicate Indiana’s trade discussions, though Sabonis’ ankle sprain seems unlikely to be a long-term concern.

If Sabonis does miss time, young centers Goga Bitadze and Isaiah Jackson could be in line for increased roles.

Kings Tell De’Aaron Fox They Don’t Want To Trade Him

January 19th, 2022 at 4:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have informed De’Aaron Fox and agent Chris Gaston that they don’t want to trade the 24-year-old guard, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Fox’s name has surfaced more frequently in trade rumors as of late, including earlier today. However, sources tell Charania that the Kings’ current mindset is that they want to keep both Fox and second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton and build the team around them. Sacramento has conveyed that stance to potential trade partners and to Fox and his reps, says Charania.

Multiple reports this week stated that the Kings have expressed interest in Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, with one report suggesting Fox had been brought up in those discussions. Charania says a deal centered around Sabonis and Fox won’t happen.

The Kings are also believed to be very much in the hunt for Ben Simmons, though Sam Amick of The Athletic – who previously reported that Sacramento was open to the idea of acquiring Tobias Harris along with Simmons – now hears from a source that the team doesn’t have interest in that scenario (Twitter link). Amick says the Kings still see a pathway to landing Simmons, but it’s hard to imagine how they’ll construct an offer that meets the Sixers‘ asking price without including either Fox or Haliburton.

Fox and Haliburton were reported last summer to be off-limits, but that changed earlier this month, as Amick reported that no Kings players were considered untouchable. While that report – and others – stated that Sacramento’s preference would be to build around Fox and Haliburton, there had been a sense that the team was becoming more open to doing something drastic and perhaps breaking up its backcourt.

Based on Charania’s report, it sounds like the Kings are once again leaning toward making Fox and Haliburton untouchable. It’s possible they arrived at their latest position as a result of being underwhelmed by how the two guards were being valued on the trade market — it’s also possible this is posturing and Sacramento will reverse its stance again within the next three weeks.

For now though, it appears that any major move made by the Kings will involve some combination of Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III, and others on the roster rather than Fox or Haliburton.

Kings Eyeing Domantas Sabonis, Discussing De’Aaron Fox

January 19th, 2022 at 7:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are interested in Domantas Sabonis and have recently ramped up their pursuit of the Pacers big man, a league source tells Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

According to Anderson, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, who was considered off-limits when the team talked to the Sixers in the summer about Ben Simmons, has now been included in separate trade discussions involving Sabonis and Simmons.

Sam Amick of The Athletic, who reported earlier in the month that the Kings no longer view Fox as untouchable, stated during a radio appearance on Sports 1140 KHTK (hat tip to HoopsHype) that the team is eyeing both Sabonis and Simmons, and suggested that he wouldn’t be surprised if Sacramento makes a “big-time” trade in the coming days or weeks.

“There is a fair amount of pressure for this roster to look pretty different after the deadline,” Amick said.

Multiple reports, dating back to early December, have indicated that the Pacers are open to the idea of trading one of Sabonis or Myles Turner, but wouldn’t move both players. Turner had long been considered the most likely trade candidate of the two, but his left foot injury may diminish his value leading up to the deadline, opening the door for a Sabonis deal.

The Pacers would want an All-Star caliber player in return for Sabonis, according to Anderson, who hears that the team has received offers meeting that criteria. Fox hasn’t made an All-Star team, but Anderson suggests an offer that includes the 24-year-old and at least one draft pick could pique Indiana’s interest.

As for the Simmons scenario, Amick said this week on The Athletic NBA Show that he believes the Kings are “actually pondering” the idea of acquiring both Simmons and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia (hat tip to HoopsHype).

The 76ers have reportedly explored the idea of attaching Harris to a Simmons trade, which is viewed as complicated due to the duo’s $69MM cap hit in 2021/22, as well as the $190MM+ they’re owed beyond this season. However, Amick suggests that scenario isn’t off the table for Sacramento. Marc Stein also recently reported that there’s a sense around the league the Kings could be convinced to take on Harris’ oversized contract in a Simmons deal.

In addition to Fox, players like Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, Tristan Thompson, and – to a lesser extent – Harrison Barnes have been cited as potential trade candidates for Sacramento. Presumably, if the Kings were to make a play for Sabonis, they’d also be open to discussing current starting center Richaun Holmes.