Javonte Green Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavaliers, Hawks Have Discussed Hunter, LeVert

February 5th, 2025 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have expressed interest in Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, multiple sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link), confirming a report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. According to Fedor, the Cavs’ talks with Atlanta have centered around swingman Caris LeVert.

Due to the difference between Hunter’s current cap hit ($21.7MM) and LeVert’s ($16.6MM), Cleveland would have to send out at least one more player in any deal involving the Hawks forward to avoid surpassing the first tax apron, according to Fedor, who suggests that rookie Jaylon Tyson ($3.3MM) would be one possibility. Atlanta may also seek draft assets — Cleveland controls its 2031 first-round pick, along with a few second-rounders.

According to Fedor, the Cavaliers have had Hunter on their radar for years, dating back to the 2019 draft when he went fourth overall to Atlanta, one pick ahead of Cleveland at No. 5. Sources tell Cleveland.com that the Cavs have done “extensive” homework on the 27-year-old, frequently inquiring over the years about his availability and what it would take to acquire him.

Hunter is having the best year of his career in 2024/25, averaging 18.9 points per game on .459/.386/.858 shooting through 36 outings (28.5 MPG). He’s also the sort of long, athletic wing that the Cavaliers have long been seeking and is close friends with guard Ty Jerome dating back to their days at the University of Virginia, Fedor notes, so Cleveland would be confident about his fit.

As Fedor reports, the Cavs have also checked in on several other possible trade candidates, such as Cameron Johnson (Nets), Jerami Grant (Trail Blazers), Javonte Green (Pelicans), Cody Martin (Hornets), Chris Boucher (Raptors), Julian Champagnie (Spurs), Obi Toppin (Pacers), and Royce O’Neale (Suns). However, the front office is wary about messing with the chemistry of a team that sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 40-10 record.

Cavs players and head coach Kenny Atkinson discussed that aspect of the trade deadline on Tuesday, per Fedor.

“You have to listen,” Atkinson said. “You’d be really not smart if you didn’t listen and talk about how you can get better. It’s the business we’re in. We’re really good, obviously, but it could always be something out there that gets us to the next level. My one thing to [president of basketball operations] Koby [Altman] is we have great chemistry right now and a great culture, great locker room culture. That’s super important to me. If it is a trade, if it is a buyout, it’s got to be the right fit.”

“If you take away somebody, especially somebody in the locker room, a locker room presence, it’s gonna disrupt it,” center Jarrett Allen said. “At the end of the day, we’re all close to each other. But as you know, that’s how things go.”

Both Allen and Donovan Mitchell said on Tuesday that they believe the Cavaliers have enough to be a title contender. Still, the front office is keeping an eye out for ways to make upgrades. Sources tell Fedor that Cleveland is also considering the idea of making a small trade or two around the margins, with another big man among the possibilities the club is weighing.

If the Cavs don’t make a move at the trade deadline, they’ll likely take a look at the buyout market, according to Fedor, who points to Lonzo Ball as a player to watch, though a Tuesday report suggested the Bulls won’t be eager to buy out Ball if they hang onto him through the deadline. Torrey Craig, who was waived by Chicago earlier this week, is another player to monitor, Fedor adds.

Pelicans Rumors: Ingram, Hawks, Tax, Theis, Green, Robinson-Earl, Boston

February 4th, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks are among the teams who’ve called the Pelicans to gauge the price tag on forward Brandon Ingram, league sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Atlanta’s interest in Ingram was previously reported by The Stein Line.

Ingram, who has a 15 percent trade kicker unless he chooses to waive it, will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Ingram has been out since Dec. 7 due to a left ankle sprain and there’s still no timetable for his return.

In talks between the Hawks and Pelicans, Scotto hears New Orleans would be reluctant to take back future salary, including the contract of Bogdan Bogdanovic, who’s owed $16MM for the 2025/26 season and has a team option worth $16MM for the 2026/27 season.

It still could be a hard sell for New Orleans to complete an Ingram deal. The Pelicans have been fielding offers for Ingram since last summer, but there hasn’t been much traction on a potential trade, The Athletic’s William Guillory reports.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Along with gauging interest in Ingram and his $36MM expiring contract, another item on the agenda for the Pelicans is ducking the luxury tax, Scotto adds. League executives anticipate that Daniel Theis ($2.8MM salary this season), Javonte Green ($2.425MM) and/or Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2MM) could be on the move.
Guillory said the franchise also must decide if it is committed to retaining Zion Williamson long-term and whether to obtain assets by trading CJ McCollum to a contender.
Once the trade deadline passes, there’s a strong belief the Pelicans will convert two-way guard Brandon Boston Jr. to a standard contract, according to Scotto. Boston has already appeared in 41 games, including 10 starts, averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23.9 minutes. Two-way players have a 50-game limit before a team must decide whether to offer a standard deal, waive them, or leave them in the G League the rest of the season.

Knicks May Dangle Mitchell Robinson In Trade Talks

January 30th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Earnest Marshall

The Knicks haven’t yet made a move ahead of next week’s trade deadline, but James L. Edwards III of The Athletic suspects that will change. New York is third in the East, just a game back of the No. 2 Celtics. According to Edwards, the Knicks appear to be open to moving Mitchell Robinson via trade.

Trading their long-tenured center would be one way to improve the roster without touching the current rotation. Robinson hasn’t played yet this season while recovering from ankle surgery. He appeared in 31 games with the Knicks last season and has been on the team since being drafted in the second round in 2018.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Wednesday that Robinson, has resumed running and jumping but isn’t yet taking contact, tweets Edwards.

The Knicks want to keep their starting lineup in place but have been exploring the backup center market. Edwards adds that the Knicks won’t attach draft capital to move Robinson since they’re a bit depleted in that respect after acquiring Mikal Bridges.

However, Ian Begley of SNY is skeptical the Knicks to get much in return for Robinson without attaching a sweetener, given his injury history. The Knicks don’t typically trade players at their lowest value, Begley observes, which works against the odds of Robinson being on the move in the next week.

“He’s the perfect player for what they need [behind Towns],” an Eastern Conference exec said to Begley. “Why trade him now?”

Another point against trading Robinson is his familiarity and favorability within the franchise.

Of all the players on New York’s roster, the one viewed as most likely to be moved ahead of the deadline is backup big Jericho Sims, Edwards writes. Adding a wing who makes about the same as Sims could be a move the Knicks explore, with Edwards pointing to Javonte Green of New Orleans as a potential option.

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, France Trip, Pelicans, Green, Mavs

January 21st, 2025 at 9:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama will play two games in his native France this week against the Pacers. It’s an opportunity he doesn’t take lightly, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon writes.

“There are a lot of emotions, seeing familiar people, whether from the club or even from the city,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a bit like two worlds meeting. It’s special, you don’t expect that in a career. It’s a bit my way of making people happy who will never have the opportunity to go to the United States. It’s very important to me.”

The Spurs already had a connection to France with Tony Parker playing most of his career in San Antonio, and Boris Diaw playing four-and-a-half seasons there, The Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds notes.

“We have a long history with France for obvious reasons in many ways. So, it’s just another milestone or opportunity, I think, to probably strengthen that bond or connection,” Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said. “Very cool for Vic. Obviously, he just got done in the Olympics as well.”

The games will be played on Thursday and Saturday.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Pelicans staged their biggest comeback in franchise history, rallying from a 25-point deficit to upend Utah in overtime on Monday night. CJ McCollum led the way with 45 points, including 24 during the fourth quarter and overtime. “Coach (Willie Green) just challenged us to be more disciplined, to be more engaged, to be more aggressive and assertive,” McCollum told Rod Walker of NOLA.com.
Pelicans wing Javonte Green is playing on a one-year, minimum-salary contract and he’s reportedly drawing some interest around the league. Green is averaging 6.0 points in 21.8 minutes per game in 39 appearances, including 15 starts. The veteran swingman doesn’t take a lot of shots, instead he focuses on the underrated aspects of the game. “I’m just trying to go out there and try to win, make winning plays, play as hard as I can, and just be a professional. I want to do the things that got me here,” Green told Grant Afseth of RG.org. “I have to continue doing that.”
The Mavericks offered a lengthy injury report heading into their game against Minnesota on Wednesday, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets. Klay Thompson (left ankle sprain), Dereck Lively (right ankle sprain), Naji Marshall (illness) and Quentin Grimes (back spasms) are listed as questionable. Four other players are listed as out.

Southwest Notes: Murphy, Green, Sochan, Castle, J. Smith

January 18th, 2025 at 8:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans small forward Trey Murphy has developed into more than just an outside shooting threat during his fourth NBA season, writes Rod Walker of NOLA. Murphy, who is starting regularly while Brandon Ingram is sidelined with an injury, is averaging a career-high 21.5 points per game this season. He has also improved other aspects of his game, posting career-best numbers for rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.

“I probably would have identified him as playing more like a specialist a year ago,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “But I see his game expanding, which I see as a great sign for the Pelicans and (coach) Willie (Green). Trey is a heckuva player. He’s an elite shooter and you can tell the shooting has added confidence in the rest of his game.”

Walker notes that Murphy has scored at least 30 points in two of the last four games. He has also collected 10 rebounds twice, one short of his career high, and saved two games with late defensive plays — a steal against Chicago and a block against Dallas. In addition, he set a franchise record by making 52 straight free throws before that streak ended Friday night.

“The sky’s the limit,” Dejounte Murray said. “It’s all about opportunity in the NBA. He got his opportunity and he’s not playing with it. He’s showing that he works at his game. He’s showing that he’s a confident guy and he’s also showing that he’s down for the challenge and opportunity.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks are among the teams with interest in Pelicans veteran Javonte Green, sources tell Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). Dallas is exploring available wings on the trade market, Afseth adds, and Green is appealing because he can provide help on both ends of the court. A report earlier today said numerous teams are eyeing Green, who could be acquired via the minimum salary exception.
Jeremy Sochan has been ruled out of Sunday’s game at Miami, but the Spurs expect him back on the court soon, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Acting coach Mitch Johnson said Friday that Sochan is “doing great” and is “very close” to returning from a back bruise. Rookie guard Stephon Castle, who replaced Sochan in the starting lineup, is averaging 23 PPG over his last three games. “As a group, we feel confident in the poise that he has and we trust him to go make those plays,” Harrison Barnes said of Castle. “They’re going to put differing matchups on him or whatever, but we him to be aggressive and we need to play offense through him at times.”
Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. has decided against having surgery on his fractured left hand, coach Ime Udoka told reporters before tonight’s game (Twitter link from Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). Udoka adds that letting the injury heal naturally may add a week or so to the recovery process.

Pelicans’ Javonte Green Generating ‘Healthy’ Trade Interest

January 18th, 2025 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans are receiving “healthy” trade interest in veteran wing Javonte Green, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Green, 31, remained available on the free agent market for most of the summer before signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Pelicans in late August to help fill out their standard roster.

While he wasn’t necessarily projected to play a significant role, Green has seen the floor early and often this season for the Pelicans, who have dealt with a serious of injuries to starters and top reserves and have yet to have a fully healthy roster.

In 38 games (14 starts) for New Orleans, Green has averaged 6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 21.7 minutes per night, registering a solid shooting line of .469/.385/.776. The 6’4″ swingman is considered a solid, versatile defender who can match up with bigger wings and forwards.

Green also has trade appeal due to his contract, which can be acquired using the minimum salary exception without requiring a matching salary in return. All 29 other teams – outside of a small group who are operating less than $2.09MM away from their hard cap for the season – would have the ability to trade for Green, including first- and second-apron clubs.

Trading Green and replacing him after the trade deadline with a player on a prorated minimum-salary contract would help the Pelicans slightly reduce their payroll. That’s an important factor to consider, given that New Orleans has never paid the luxury tax and certainly won’t want to do so for the first time this season for a roster that’s currently 11-32. The Pelicans are currently operating about $1.4MM above the tax line.

Celtics Notes: Close Call, Tatum, Porzingis, J. Green

January 13th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics, who were booed by their home fans during Friday’s loss to Sacramento, narrowly avoided a more embarrassing defeat Sunday night, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The 8-32 Pelicans stayed even with the defending champions for a full 48 minutes and only lost when CJ McCollum‘s last-second floater bounced off the rim.

It continued roughly a month of inconsistent play for Boston, which is now 9-7 over its last 16 games, but coach Joe Mazzulla realizes that stretches like this should be expected during a long season.

“Every season is different, our journey [also]‚” he said. “With that being said, if you take a look at the perspective, there are things that we’re doing well. Most important is winning the game and making the necessary plays even when things aren’t going well. Every season brings on different challenges. Every season brings on different opportunities and the situation we’re in right now, we’ve got to just fight through it.”

New Orleans was more formidable on Sunday than its record would suggest. Zion Williamson was in the lineup for the second time since returning from a hamstring strain, and Trey Murphy was back after a three-game absence with a sprained left ankle. They teamed up with Dejounte Murray for the first time this season, and the three of them ignited the Pelicans’ offense by combining for 72 points.

The night was still a positive one for the Celtics, as Washburn notes that they gained a full game in the standings on top-seeded Cleveland for the first time since November 29.

“Maybe you don’t want to play your best basketball at the beginning of January,” Jayson Tatum said. “We’ve been through this before. We’ve still got a lot of time left to get back to our identity. It’s not supposed to be easy and we’re getting everybody’s best shot. New Orleans played really well. I don’t think they played like that all the time. But it was a good test for us. That’s just how it’s going to be.”

There’s more from Boston:

Tatum had a technical foul rescinded from a January 2 game at Minnesota, Washburn adds in a separate story. After being called for a foul, Tatum reacted with a hand slap, which has gotten him T’d up several times. However, he insisted that he was frustrated with himself rather than the call, and the league agreed.
Injuries have prevented Mazzulla from using his preferred starting five as much as he would like, and he has compared it to a training camp setting as he tries to get Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White on the court at the same time, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Porzingis, who missed the start of the season while recovering from surgery, is optimistic that he’s ready to be a regular fixture in that lineup. “The first game I came back against the Clippers (on Nov. 25), it felt pretty natural,” he said. “Boom, I was right in. But then, again, I’m out, I’m in, I’m out a little bit. Not playing my best basketball, not being as efficient. That adds up a little bit to the team. But now I look forward to having a good, long stretch of being healthy and getting in a good rhythm and us hitting our stride.”
Former Celtic Javonte Green could be a worthwhile trade target before the February 6 deadline, suggests Brian Robb of MassLive. The 31-year-old swingman has been averaging 21.3 minutes per night for the Pelicans, but his playing time might decline now that the team is healthier. He holds an expiring minimum-salary contract and likely won’t have a future in New Orleans. Robb sees him as someone who could provide wing depth for Boston at the price of a second-round pick or two.

Javonte Green Signs With Pelicans

August 22nd, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Earnest Marshall

AUGUST 22: Green’s addition is now official, the Pelicans have announced (Twitter link).

AUGUST 20: The Pelicans are signing free agent Javonte Green, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 6’4″ wing with power forward versatility closed last season with the Bulls.

According to Charania, the deal is for one year. William Guillory of The Athletic adds that it will be a guaranteed minimum-salary contract (Twitter link). Since Green has five years of NBA service, his deal will pay him $2,425,403 while counting for $2,087,519 against the cap.

Green went undrafted in 2015 but caught on with the Celtics ahead of the 2019/20 season. He spent one-and-a-half years with Boston before being traded to the Bulls.

The Radford product was a key part of the 2021/22 Bulls, averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 65 games (45 starts). He wasn’t re-signed by the team after his contract expired in 2023 but he eventually caught back on with the organization last season when he signed a pair of deals with the Bulls to close out the year.

In his nine games last season, Green averaged a career-high 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds. In 195 career games, he holds averages of 5.4 points and 3.1 boards while shooting a .541/.345/.754 line.

Once Green’s deal is official, the Pelicans will have a full 15-man roster of standard contract players, with 13 guaranteed salaries. All three of their two-way spots are also occupied.

With Jonas Valanciunas out of the fold, New Orleans added several bigs to their bench in Yves Missi, Karlo Matkovic and Daniel Theis. While Green doesn’t have the same size as those players, he provides another strong rebounding presence (6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes).

Patrick Williams Signs Five-Year Deal With Bulls

July 6th, 2024 at 2:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 6: The Bulls have officially re-signed Williams, the team confirmed today in a press release.

JUNE 29: Free agent forward Patrick Williams will re-sign with the Bulls for $90MM over five years, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The fifth season will be a player option, tweets Jamal Collier of ESPN.

Williams, 22, was expected to be a cornerstone of the franchise when Chicago selected him with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft. He hasn’t lived up to that billing due to injuries and inconsistent play, but executive Arturas Karnisovas decided to make keeping him a priority as part of his effort to build a younger and more athletic roster.

Williams received a $12.97MM qualifying offer this week, making him a restricted free agent. That means the Bulls could have matched any offer he received, but they opted to bypass that possibility by negotiating a new deal before free agency begins Sunday evening.

A stress reaction in Williams’ left foot cut short his season and forced him to undergo surgery in February. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 43 games, but he wasn’t able to play after January 25.

A report this week indicated that the Bulls were optimistic about their chances of working out a new contract with Williams. The Thunder were believed to be among the teams that had interest in pursuing him.

Williams will get a healthy raise after earning $9.8MM this season in the final year of his rookie contract. When he and the Bulls discussed a possible rookie scale extension last fall, the forward turned down a four-year, $64MM offer and was believed to be seeking something closer to De’Andre Hunter‘s contract (four years, $90MM), per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. This new deal represents a compromise for the two sides.

Central Notes: Green, Bulls, Ball, Mitchell, Bucks, Flynn

April 6th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Rory Maher

In his first game after signing a rest-of-season contract that made him eligible for the postseason, Bulls swingman Javonte Green had the best performance of his career in Friday’s victory against the Knicks, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

The 30-year-old finished with careers highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 10-of-14 from the floor while contributing a pair of steals and a block in 33 minutes.

“He’s one of those guys you want to have on your team,” DeMar DeRozan said of Green. “For him to bounce back in a tough year for him just trying to get back healthy and for him to be doing what he’s been doing since he came back is amazing. We all know what to expect from Woo. Every time he goes out there, he plays like he’s 6-9 and he does anything and whatever for the team. … He’s one of a kind. I’m glad to have him back.”

While Green provided a much-needed boost and a feel-good story, the win was marred due to ankle injuries to Coby White and Alex Caruso, who both left the game and were unable to return, Johnson adds. The two starters were able to walk on their own after the game and seemed to be in “good spirits,” though head coach Billy Donovan said the team would have to await further testing to learn the extent of the injuries.

Here’s more from the Central:

Appearing on 670 The Score (YouTube link), LaVar Ball — the father of injured Bulls guard Lonzo Ball — projected his son could start playing 5-on-5 with full contact in August or September, as Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago relays. “I’m thinking at least four or five months. Four or five months where he can really get dialed and do what he do,” LaVar said. That projection aligns with what Donovan said about Lonzo’s recovery last month, Taylor notes. Ball, who hasn’t played since January 2022, has undergone three knee surgeries over the past two-plus years, but the team is cautiously optimistic he could return next season.
If the Cavaliers fail to make a deep playoff run and Donovan Mitchell declines a contract extension, would they entertain the possibility of trading him this summer? Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores that topic, listing five potential landing spots for the All-Star guard if Cleveland goes that route.
The Bucks were expected to be a title contender, and they’re still (barely) clinging to the No. 2 seed in the East. However, they’ve been playing their worst basketball of the season at the absolute worst time, dropping five of their past six games, including three straight to Washington, Memphis and Toronto — three teams at the bottom of the standings — with only five regular season games remaining, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. After Friday’s loss to the Raptors, who had dropped 15 straight games, Bucks players said they’re not panicking, but they’re frustrated, as is their head coach. “The last three were against three bad teams. To me, that’s inexcusable. For all of us,” said Doc Rivers, who is now just 15-16 with Milwaukee since taking over mid-season. “As I told them, this is on me. I gotta figure out what we gotta do to play at a higher pace.”
Pistons guard Malachi Flynn has averaged 5.4 points on .386/.337/.749 shooting in 208 career regular season games (14.2 MPG). He had one of the most unexpected 50-point games in NBA history on Wednesday, shooting 18-of-25 from the floor while being plus-14 in 34 minutes in an eight-point loss to Atlanta. In Friday’s loss to Memphis, the former 29th overall pick fell back to Earth, notes John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link), going 0-of-12 from the field and scoring three points (all at the free throw line) while being minus-13 in 23 minutes. If Detroit issues him a qualifying offer, Flynn will be a restricted free agent this summer; otherwise, he’ll be unrestricted.