Dorian Finney-Smith Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Rumors: Bridges, Finney-Smith, O’Neale, Murray, Claxton

February 5th, 2024 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets have no interest in rebuilding as Thursday’s trade deadline approaches, which means any rumored deals involving Mikal Bridges are off the table, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto’s sources confirm that Brooklyn’s front office refused to discuss Bridges when the Rockets offered to return some of the draft assets they own from the James Harden deal in 2021.

According to Scotto, the Nets view Bridges as a foundation piece with a team-friendly contract that will pay him $23M next season and $24.9M in 2025-26. With Ben Simmons‘ $40.3M salary coming off the books after next season, Brooklyn officials believe they have a two-year window to add stars around Bridges. That could eventually make him a second or third option instead of the main focus of the offense, Scotto adds.

There’s more from Scotto on the Nets:

Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale are both attracting trade interest, according to Scotto’s sources. Rival teams believe the Nets could acquire a first-round pick and a rotation player in exchange for Finney-Smith, who is under contract for $14.9M next season and has a $15.37M player option for 2025/26. The price for O’Neale, who has a $9.5M expiring contract, is viewed as multiple second-round picks, Scotto adds. Sources tell Scotto that Finney-Smith has attracted “significant interest” from several playoff contenders, including the Mavericks and Lakers, who may have lost Jarred Vanderbilt for the rest of the season. Finney-Smith played for Dallas before being shipped to Brooklyn in last year’s Kyrie Irving deal and he remains a close friend of Luka Doncic, according to Scotto. The Bucks, Thunder, Suns and Kings are other teams to watch for Finney-Smith, Scotto adds, while the Mavericks, Nuggets, Pacers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Suns and Kings have interest in O’Neale.
Scotto suggests the Nets might be open to trading for Dejounte Murray if the Hawks are willing to accept Spencer Dinwiddie and a first-round pick in return. Atlanta is currently asking for two first-rounders in exchange for Murray, and Scotto notes that he has a 15% trade kicker as part of his contract, which will pay him $120.1M over the next four seasons (give or take a few million depending on incentives and that trade bonus).
A few teams have inquired about Nic Claxton, but Scotto says many rival executives believe the Nets will try to re-sign their starting center when he becomes a free agent this offseason.

Woj: Jarred Vanderbilt May Be Out For The Season

February 3rd, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a “significant” injury to his right foot, and the Lakers are concerned that he might not be able to return this season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Countdown (video link).

Team officials are consulting with specialists this weekend to determine the full extent of Vanderbilt’s condition and the best course of action, Wojnarowski adds. Sources tell Woj that Vanderbilt is expected to miss “several weeks” at a minimum.

Wojnarowski also speculates that the report on Vanderbilt will affect the Lakers’ strategy heading into Thursday’s trade deadline. He notes that Vanderbilt is one of the team’s best point-of-attack defenders, along with Gabe Vincent, who has only been available for five games this season.

“This is not a marketplace right now where there are a lot of difference makers available, and the Lakers do not have significant assets to add to this team,” Wojnarowski said. “If you are bringing in a player, how much does he move the needle with a team that very well could be without Vanderbilt now for the rest of the season.”

Wojnarowski points out that general manager Rob Pelinka could be in a better position for a major deal this offseason when he’ll have three future first-round picks that can be traded.

Vanderbilt suffered a non-contact injury to the foot during the first half of Thursday’s game at Boston, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Woike suggests the Nets‘ Dorian Finney-Smith and the Raptors‘ Bruce Brown as versatile forwards that the Lakers might target before the deadline.

Vanderbilt, who played a significant role in last season’s run to the Western Conference Finals, has only appeared in 29 games this season. Bursitis in his left heel kept him off the court until early December, but he has been part of the rotation since returning, averaging 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 20 minutes per night.

Western Trade Rumors: Wolves, Kings, Mavs, Vincent, Suns, Tillman

February 2nd, 2024 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves are exploring the point guard market and considering making a trade for a player who could back up Mike Conley, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

While Fischer suggests that a reunion with Tyus Jones may be an option for Minnesota, he hears from league sources that the team is also eyeing a pair of guards who have connections to president of basketball operations Tim Connelly: Monte Morris of the Pistons and Bones Hyland of the Clippers.

Both Morris and Hyland played for Connelly’s teams in Denver before he left for the Wolves, and both players are considered potential trade candidates. Morris is on an expiring contract on a lottery-bound team, while Hyland has fallen out of the regular rotation in Los Angeles.

Here are a few more Western Conference rumors from Fischer:

Fischer, like Marc Stein, hears that the Kings have interest in Kyle Kuzma. However, outside of the Wizards forward, Sacramento hasn’t really been actively pursuing other targets that would require the team to part with Harrison Barnes, so Barnes could remain with the Kings through the trade deadline, Fischer says. Conversely, the Mavericks – who have also been connected to Kuzma – are known to have interest in several other forwards, including Dorian Finney-Smith and Andrew Wiggins.
Although D’Angelo Russell has been cited more frequently as a trade candidate, the Lakers are also including Gabe Vincent in various trade talks, sources tell Fischer. Vincent hasn’t been healthy this season and is under contract for one more year than Russell is, so his value will be limited, but his lower cap hit ($10.5MM) may make him a better fit in certain scenarios than D-Lo ($17.3MM).
The Suns continue to be the team linked most frequently by league personnel to Hornets forward Miles Bridges, Fischer writes, noting that both Bridges and Suns owner Mat Ishbia are former Michigan State Spartans.
Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman has generated “a wealth of interest” from playoff contenders, according to Fischer. Tillman will reach unrestricted free agency this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

Nets Rumors: Bridges, Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, O’Neale, D-Lo, Simmons

January 31st, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

After getting off to 13-10 start this season, the Nets lost 17 of their next 21 games. Even after back-to-back wins on Saturday and Monday, they now own an underwhelming 19-27 record, which isn’t good enough for a play-in spot. However, Brooklyn’s front office isn’t any more willing to listen to inquiries on forward Mikal Bridges than it was earlier this season, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Rockets recently expressed interest in Bridges and conveyed a willingness to offer back several of the Nets’ own draft assets that they gave up for James Harden, league sources tell Scotto. However, talks didn’t move forward because Brooklyn wasn’t willing to entertain the idea of moving the 27-year-old.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) confirmed a few days ago that Bridges is still viewed as “essentially untouchable” and suggested that even if Houston was willing to return all of Brooklyn’s draft assets, the Nets wouldn’t consider it. The Rockets still control the Nets’ unprotected first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, along with the right to swap first-rounders with Brooklyn in 2025 and 2027.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Point guard Spencer Dinwiddie appears increasingly unlikely to remain in Brooklyn beyond this season, according to Scotto. That doesn’t necessarily mean Dinwiddie will be moved by next Thursday though, since the Nets could also try to do a sign-and-trade with him this offseason, like they did back in 2021 when he left Brooklyn for Washington.
Rival executives who have spoken to HoopsHype believe the Nets could potentially extract a first-round pick and a rotation player in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and multiple second-round picks for Royce O’Neale, says Scotto.
While Dejounte Murray is still the Lakers‘ top trade target, Los Angeles continues to have interest in a handful of Nets players, including Finney-Smith, O’Neale, and Dinwiddie, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back (Twitter video link).
Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link) identified Dinwiddie as the most likely Net to be traded by the deadline and noted that Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has been “floated” as a possibility for Brooklyn. I imagine the Lakers would only be interested in a Dinwiddie/Russell swap if they could acquire a wing like Finney-Smith or O’Neale in the same deal by sending the Nets another asset or two.
Before making any deadline moves, the Nets are hoping to evaluate how their rotation looks with Ben Simmons back in the fold, Scotto observes. The former No. 1 overall pick was in high spirits after having a big game in his return on Monday, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “It’s amazing because this is probably one of the best teams in terms of just friendships I’ve been a part of. Everyone gets along, we don’t have egos or anything like that on the team, and guys want to win and compete,” Simmons said. “So for me to be able to be in an environment like this is amazing. I get to come to work with a bunch of friends that want to get better and compete. So, I’m happy.”

Nets Notes: Simmons, Walker, Finney-Smith, Sharpe

January 30th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ben Simmons‘ return to action could not have gone much better. He nearly posted a triple-double despite playing just 18 minutes in the Nets‘ rout of Utah on Monday.

Simmons had 10 points, a game-high 11 assists and eight rebounds after missing 38 straight games with a nerve impingement in his back.

“Once he said he was ready to go, I had no qualms that he was going to be able to push the pace for us and get back to the high-energy, high-octane pace that he’s played with this group,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn told the New York Post’s Brian Lewis and other media members. “You see how he just impacts other people. He makes other dudes better, and he likes doing that.”

We have more on the Nets:

Lonnie Walker is on his third team in the past three seasons. He’s on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal and is hoping for more security in his next contract, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype shares in a video tweet. “I’m on a minimum, so I carry that weight on my shoulders as far as finding a home, playing the right way, and continuing to get better,” Walker said. “Right now, I’m locked in trying to find that forever home.” The Nets swingman is averaging 11.8 points in 28 appearances this season.
Forward Dorian Finney-Smith missed Monday’s game with a sprained left ankle and also won’t play Wednesday against the Suns, Lewis tweets. Finney-Smith has been the subject of numerous trade rumors in recent weeks.
Simmons is listed as probable for Wednesday’s game due to a left knee contusion, Lewis add in another tweet. Backup center Day’Ron Sharpe remains sidelined due to a hyperextended left knee.

Pacific Notes: Suns Rumors, Caruso, Clippers, Powell, Barnes

January 27th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at some of the potential trade targets who have recently been linked to the Suns, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports reports that a source close to the situation has described Phoenix as “very confident” about its ability to make a competitive offer for Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Bourguet adds that Charlotte center Nick Richards is also a target, but that the team would likely only be able to acquire one Hornet or the other due to salary-matching considerations.

Bourguet also confirms that Nets forward Royce O’Neale is a legitimate target for the Suns, observing that O’Neale is more attainable than Dorian Finney-Smith due to his expiring contract and smaller cap hit.

The Suns would almost certainly need to use Nassir Little ($6.25MM) as their primary outgoing salary piece in any trade and would need to get to within 10% of the incoming salary, so acquiring a player who is earning much more than O’Neale ($9.5MM) would be tricky. Phoenix would presumably need to add one or two minimum-salary players and multiple second-round picks to its package for either Bridges or O’Neale.

The buyout market could also prove fruitful for the Suns, Bourguet writes, even though they’ll be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM. P.J. Tucker would have interest in Phoenix if he’s bought out, according to Bourguet, who says the team has also been in touch with center Bismack Biyombo, a current free agent.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Veteran guard Alex Caruso, who left the Lakers for the Bulls as a free agent in 2021, tells Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports that he still sometimes thinks about how things would have played out if he had remained in Los Angeles. “Yeah, definitely,” Caruso said. “Just because of how well I played with them when I was here. I know how I supported them. And I’ve gotten better. I was expecting myself to get better. It’s actually what had to move me on. I kept getting better and eventually I was at a point where I couldn’t stay here. I definitely have always thought about it because those guys (LeBron James and Anthony Davis) are my brothers. We’ve been through a lot together. Always good seeing them. Every now and then you think about what could’ve been.”
Rival coaches and executives are praising Clippers head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for the way his gamble on James Harden has paid off so far, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I didn’t think it would work out,” one exec said. “A lot of people didn’t think it would work out. But he had it right. Russell (Westbrook) is playing within himself. Harden is sharing the ball. They have great chemistry right now.”
In a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Clippers wing Norman Powell spoke about his impressions of Harden and Westbrook as teammates, the role that coach Tyronn Lue has played in the team’s success, and how these Clippers compare to the 2019 champion Raptors, among other topics.
Viewed as a probable outgoing piece if the Kings make a major deadline trade, Harrison Barnes has been on a heater this week, scoring 32 points on Monday and a career-high 39 on Thursday, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes.

Pacific Notes: Kings Rumors, Suns, LeBron, Davis

January 25th, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Kings have expressed trade interest in Nets forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, who made his comments during The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross (hat tip to HoopsHype). Amick said the Kings are a bad defensive team looking to get better, and those two in particular could help.

Finney-Smith and O’Neale are both valued assets leaguewide and Sacramento’s interest is the latest in a series of rumors surrounding Brooklyn’s pieces. The two players — along with Spencer Dinwiddie, who’s also involved in trade rumors — are the oldest on the Nets’ roster, and win-now teams seem to be targeting them for their veteran presence and two-way versatility.

Finney-Smith, making about $13.4MM this year, is averaging 8.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc. He’s under contract through at least 2024/25, and has a player option for the following season. O’Neale is making $9.5MM this year and is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. He’s averaging 7.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists this year.

It’s unclear what Brooklyn would covet from Sacramento’s side in a potential trade. Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell are among players who could help fill out a trade from a salary standpoint.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Huerter, Mitchell and Harrison Barnes have been mentioned in possible trade packages for weeks now, and The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson writes that it could be weighing on a Kings team that recently went on a season-long four-game losing streak. “Everybody’s human, so everybody feels it in some way shape or form,” head coach Mike Brown said. “You can talk about it as much as you want or as little as you want, but at the end of the day rumors and speculation are rampant as the trade deadlines nears every year for every team. It’s part of our business. You’ve just got to deal with it and keep moving forward as best you can.”
Given how the team’s payroll is structured, the Suns don’t have many contracts that would be useful for salary-matching. The three maximum-salary stars aren’t going anywhere, and the team values Jusuf Nurkic ($16.9MM) and Grayson Allen ($8.9MM), per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, which leaves Nassir Little ($6.3MM) as potentially the biggest available salary on the books. Bourguet sifts through 30 trade scenarios, sorting them based on their likelihood.
Lakers superstars LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (Achilles) were both listed as questionable ahead of Thursday’s game against the Bulls (Twitter link via Los Angeles Times’ Brad Turner). However, both were upgraded to available ahead of the game and started (Twitter link). James didn’t play the previous contest against the Clippers, but Davis hasn’t missed a game since Dec. 15.

Scotto’s Latest: Lakers, Murray, Russell, Hachimura, Brown, More

January 25th, 2024 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Dejounte Murray is the Lakers‘ top target as they search for a point guard before the trade deadline, but they’ll likely need to find a third team to get a deal done, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says in a discussion about the team with Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

L.A. has discussed a deal with the Hawks involving D’Angelo Russell, rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino and the team’s next available first-round pick in 2029, according to Scotto. However, Russell has an $18.7MM player option for next season, and Atlanta doesn’t want to take back any salary beyond this year, plus there are questions about Russell’s fit alongside Trae Young.

There’s no obvious third team to make a deal work, Scotto adds. He points to the Hornets as an organization that’s willing to take unwanted contracts in return for draft assets, but notes that Russell is also an awkward fit with LaMelo Ball. The Lakers wouldn’t have another first-rounder to offer Charlotte since their 2029 pick would be going to the Hawks in the proposed deal.

Scotto mentions the Nets as a potential landing spot for Russell with Spencer Dinwiddie heading to Atlanta or L.A., but he’s skeptical of Brooklyn’s desire to add Russell. He sees the Wizards as a better option, with Tyus Jones possibly moving, but notes that a fourth team might be necessary to provide enough draft picks to make a deal work.

Buha also hears that Murray is the Lakers’ top priority, but warns that the market is constantly changing, citing this week’s trade of Terry Rozier to Miami as an example. He suggests that might increase the price for Murray and wonders if the Sixers or another team with more assets than L.A. will enter the bidding. Buha proposes that the Lakers might try to get Brooklyn involved in a Murray trade and add another asset such as Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale.

There’s more on the Lakers’ trade market from Scotto and Buha:

L.A. would like to move Gabe Vincent, who’s recovering from knee surgery and still has two years left on his contract, but he currently has negative value around the league, Scotto and Buha agree. Buha points to Rui Hachimura as another player who might be involved in trade discussions, but says the Lakers would create a hole in their frontcourt by parting with him.
A rumored deal of Russell and Hachimura to the Bulls for Zach LaVine seems to be dead at this point, according to Scotto. Buha adds that L.A. always had more interest in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso than LaVine, but has been reluctant to part with Austin Reaves to acquire them.
Executives around the league tell Scotto that it would likely take at least a first-round pick to get Malcolm Brogdon from the Trail Blazers. He also reiterates that the Cavaliers are informing teams they’re not interested in trading Donovan Mitchell.
Buha notes that the Lakers had interest in Bruce Brown dating back to last offseason, but it may take a third team to get involved if the Raptors don’t want Russell. He sees a Brown-Hachimura trade as a more realistic option, depending on what else L.A. would have to give up.

Lakers Exploring Trades For Murray, Numerous Other Players

January 23rd, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are exploring a number of avenues on the trade market with the Hawks’ Dejounte Murray arguably the biggest name on the wish list, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.

Murray would give the club some much-needed playmaking and speed out of the backcourt. The fact that Murray is making $18.2MM this season before his four-year, $114MM extension kicks in could provide an additional bonus. The Lakers could engineer a two-for-one swap and shave some money off their luxury tax bill in the process.

However, the Lakers continue to resist including Austin Reaves in a potential deal. The Hawks recently inquired about Reaves, according to McMenamin’s sources, who speculates that the Lakers would have to give up some combination of Rui Hachimura, a future first-round pick, Reaves or other young players to land Murray.

The Lakers don’t plan to pivot to the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, per McMenamin, due to his hefty contract, injury issues and declining production. They could aim lower and pick up some bench pieces instead.

They’d like to add a quality backup guard with Gabe Vincent sidelined by a knee injury. The Jazz’s Collin Sexton and Wizards’ Tyus Jones have been discussed internally as potential targets. They also have the Raptors’ Dennis Schröder and Bruce Brown on their radar.

Schröder, who started 50 games for the Lakers last season, has seen his role diminish with the acquisition of Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. Brown, a defensive ace who was instrumental in Denver’s championship run, was acquired by Toronto in the Pascal Siakam deal.

Brown was the Lakers’ top target with their mid-level exception last summer, according to McMenamin, but Indiana blew them out of the water with a two-year, $45MM offer.

The Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith and Bulls’ Andre Drummond are two other players the Lakers are considering to fill key postseason roles. Finney-Smith could guard elite wings, while Drummond would give them more size to combat an opponent such as Denver. They’re not particularly interested in the Hornets’ Miles Bridges, a potential alternative to Finney-Smith, because they wouldn’t hold his Bird Rights and Bridges would likely sign a more lucrative contract elsewhere in the summer.

If the Lakers choose not to make a trade or do only minor tinkering before the deadline, they could have more flexibility to acquire another star in the offseason such as the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell or Hawks’ Trae Young, McMenamin writes.

On the day of the draft, the Lakers pool of available first-rounders would grow to their picks in 2029, 2031 and either this year or 2025, depending on whether New Orleans chooses to use the pick L.A. owes it this June or the following summer.

The Lakers have discussed internally the possibility of packaging those three picks, along with players they already have on their books, to pursue that type of blockbuster, says McMenamin.

Trade Rumors: Rockets, Lakers, Brown, LaVine, Finney-Smith

January 20th, 2024 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets know they’re not close enough to championship contention to aggressively push at this season’s trade deadline for marginal upgrades to their rotation, but they’re still unlikely to stand pat, says Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

Among the Rockets’ potential needs are a rim-protecting center who could be a lob threat on offense, another play-maker, and a wing shooter, Feigen writes. However, as he considers possible deals, general manager Rafael Stone will have to weigh whether a new addition might take away minutes from players whom Houston would like to see get regular playing time in the second half.

As one person with knowledge of the club’s thinking tells Feigen, the Rockets are still at a stage where they’re more likely to seek “good value” trades rather than targeting a specific position or need.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Bruce Brown has long been a player of interest for the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who said on Friday’s episode of NBA Countdown that if Indiana hadn’t blown away the competition by offering a $22MM starting salary in free agency, there’s a “very good chance” the veteran guard would’ve signed with Los Angeles for their mid-level exception (YouTube link). Wojnarowski added that the Lakers continued to express interest in Brown while he was a Pacer and figure to be in contact with the Raptors, who will have no shortage of suitors for the 27-year-old.
Even before his latest injury, no trade market had materialized for Zach LaVine, says K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. While it’s possible that could change before the February 8 deadline, Johnson suggests that teams have yet to seriously engage with the Bulls on LaVine, who is expected to be out for at least a week or two.
Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith is the second-oldest player on Brooklyn’s roster and might be a better fit with a contender than with his current team, which holds a 17-24 record. That has made him a popular subject of trade rumors leading up to next month’s deadline, but he’s tuning out that speculation, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “It always gets weird around this time in the NBA,” Finney-Smith said prior to Friday’s win. “Just can’t focus on the outside noise. That’s part of it. There’s nothing you can do about it. We’ve all got social media, so you’re going to hear it. It ain’t real. It’s a whole bunch of chit-chatter until something officially happens. I’m a Brooklyn Net, and I want to win. That’s all that matters.”