Marco Belinelli Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hawks Set Asking Price On Belinelli, Ilyasova

January 11th, 2018 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks are looking to acquire a high second-round pick in exchange for either guard Marco Belinelli or forward Ersan Ilyasova, league sources tell Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that Belinellii and Ilyasova are among the Hawks veterans who are expendable as the team looks to stockpile more draft picks and young players.

While the Hawks are well out of the playoff race in the East, both Belinelli and Ilyasova have been their usual productive selves this season. Belinelli has matched his career high in scoring with 11.8 PPG so far, converting 38.6% of his three-point attempts. Ilyasova has also been effective from long-range, posting a .400 3PT% to go along with 11.2 PPG.

Neither player has an exorbitant salary, making them attractive trade pieces for contenders in need of another rotation piece. However, both veterans would likely be rentals for any team acquiring them — Belinelli is on a $6.6MM expiring contract, while Ilyasova is earning $6MM before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in July.

Scotto likens the Hawks’ situation to the Suns shopping P.J. Tucker at last season’s deadline. Tucker, who was in the final year of his contract, was sent to a contender in Toronto, with the Raptors surrendering a pair of second-round picks for him. Like last year’s Suns, who acquired Jared Sullinger‘s expiring salary in that Tucker deal, the Hawks wouldn’t want to take back any undesirable multiyear contracts.

Of course, if Atlanta wants to land a high second-round pick for Belinelli or Ilyasova, working something out with a playoff team may be tricky. For instance, would-be contenders like the Timberwolves and Thunder hold their own second-rounders, but those picks figure to fall in the 50s, or at least the late-40s. The Sixers, who hold multiple 2018 second-round picks, including the Nets’ selection, are among the clubs that might make more sense as potential trade partners for Atlanta, given the Hawks’ asking price.

Woj’s Latest: Pistons, Fournier, Lakers, Hawks

January 8th, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Shooting guards and small forwards are in high demand as the trade deadline approaches, and there simply aren’t that many quality wings expected to be available, Adrian Wojnarowski writes in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Wojnarowski details, the Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are just a few of the many teams looking for upgrades on the wing.

DeMarre Carroll (Nets), Alec Burks (Jazz), Kent Bazemore (Hawks), and Evan Fournier (Magic) are among the veterans attracting some interest on the trade market, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that the Pistons pursued a deal for Fournier. Such a trade would be hard to pull off without including Reggie Jackson‘s contract, so nothing’s imminent at this point, but the Pistons continue to be aggressive on the trade market, a reflection of Stan Van Gundy‘s desire to win now, says Wojnarowski.

As for the Pelicans, they also remain active in trade talks despite their limited assets, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have negative value and won’t be movable without New Orleans attaching a draft pick or two. If the Pelicans can’t trade for a wing, they’ll have to count on getting Solomon Hill back healthy for the home stretch of the season.

Here’s more from Woj:

The Lakers have “made it clear” that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are available in trades, reports Wojnarowski. The club had been planning on waiting until after the season to try to move Clarkson, but there may be a mutual desire to get something done on that front sooner rather than later.
Bazemore, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli are expendable in Atlanta, where the Hawks are focused on unloading veterans and stockpiling more young players and draft picks, per Wojnarowski.
The Bulls still plan to trade Nikola Mirotic after January 15, assuming he OK’s a deal. According to Wojnarowski, Mirotic is somewhat intrigued by the Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder, who has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
It’s possible their outlooks could change by the trade deadline, but the Thunder and Pelicans currently have no plans to trade Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins, respectively. Both players can become unrestricted free agents this July.
We passed along more rumors from Woj in full stories earlier today, providing the latest on DeAndre Jordan and examining the Grizzlies‘ asking price for Tyreke Evans.

Northwest Notes: Anthony, Bjelica, Hill

December 15th, 2017 at 5:32pm CST by Austin Kent

It’s been an emotional week for the Thunder and that’s only going to continue through the weekend as Carmelo Anthony makes his return to New York for a battle with the Knicks. As Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports writes, the week could help give the new-look Oklahoma City squad much-needed closure.

“We can focus on what’s ahead of us. We can focus on being [the] Thunder. It’s no more Pacers. It’s no more Knicks,” Anthony’s newest superstar teammate Paul George said, having narrowly defeated his own former squad in his first game back in Indiana on Wednesday. “We can focus on what we have to do, to get better as a team and get better as Thunder players. That story, that chapter, and that book is over with.”

One difference between Anthony’s exit and George’s exit is that there was somewhat of an understanding between all parties that his tenure in the Big Apple had run its course. George’s hasty departure, the trade request that triggered his deal to the Thunder, left plenty of Pacers fans betrayed.

“At the end of the day, it’s business to me. But I’d be lying if I said I’m not ecstatic to be going back and playing there,” Anthony, who has averaged 17.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Thunder, said. “Like I said, I got a different feeling with New York. A different relationship, different bond with the city, with the fans, with the people. It’s a little bit special for me.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

While there’s no direct indication that the Hawks are shopping Marco Belinelli, the veteran would be an excellent fit for the Nuggets, Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype writes. Belinelli has connections to Denver’s front office and the 95% free-throw shooter could provide support in one area that the team particularly needs it.
Injured Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica could still be a week or so away from making his return, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. Bjelica has been out with a foot injury since November 22.
The Timberwolves considered signing veteran point guard George Hill over the offseason, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets, but ultimately signed Jeff Teague to man the position.

Southeast Notes: Wall, Belinelli, Heat, Hornets

December 8th, 2017 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Wizards point guard John Wall hasn’t taken the court since November 22, having received platelet-rich plasma and viscosupplementation injections in his left knee a few days after that. While Wall’s return isn’t imminent, it’s getting close, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. A source tells Buckner that Wall could get back in the lineup by the middle of next week.

The Wizards’ initial timeline for Wall projected a two-week recovery, which would have put him on track to return this weekend. However, as that same source tells Buckner, the club’s All-Star point guard needs a little more time to get healthy.

Here’s more from around the Southeast division:

Hawks sharpshooter Marco Belinelli will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2018, and recently told Massimo Lopes Pegna of La Gazzetta dello Sport (English link via Sportando) that his goal is to sign a two- or three-year contract. Belinelli left the door open for a possible return to Europe down the road, but it would be a surprise if he left the NBA anytime soon — he’s still just 31 years old, and his .393 3PT% will appeal to potential suitors.
The Heat entered this season hoping that their 30-11 second-half record last year was more indicative of their true talent level than their 11-30 first half. So far though, they’ve essentially split the difference, with an 11-13 mark. As the club struggles to get above .500, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald explores whether it was a misstep to give lucrative, long-term deals to James Johnson and Dion Waiters.
With Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky both sidelined due to injuries, the Hornets will have to make some adjustments to their frontcourt rotation, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, who identifies Johnny O’Bryant and Mangok Mathiang as two players who could benefit. O’Bryant is in the final year of his minimum-salary deal with Charlotte, while Mathiang is on a two-way contract — he was transferred back to the Hornets today.

Hawks Trade Dwight Howard To Hornets

June 20th, 2017 at 10:50pm CST by Luke Adams

10:50pm: The trade is official, with the Hornets issuing a press release to formally announce it.

“We are excited to add a player of Dwight’s stature to our roster,” Hornets GM Rich Cho said in a statement. “He has been a very talented player, an elite rebounder and rim protector as well as a physical presence since the moment he entered the league. Howard’s best seasons came alongside Coach Steve Clifford and we believe their familiarity will make an immediate impact for the Hornets this upcoming season.”

8:04pm: The Hawks have agreed to a trade that will send Dwight Howard to the Hornets, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link), Charlotte will receive Howard and the No. 31 pick in this year’s draft from Atlanta in exchange for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and the No. 41 pick.

For Howard, who was a perennial All-NBA center earlier in his career, the Hornets will be his fifth team in the last seven years. Having left the Rockets for his hometown Hawks a year ago in free agency, Howard got off to a solid start in Atlanta, but by season’s end, he was frustrated with his diminishing role. For the season, Howard averaged 13.5 PPG and 12.7 RPG in 74 contests (all starts).

Howard’s move to Charlotte will set him up for a reunion with Hornets head coach Steve Clifford. Howard’s most successful and productive NBA seasons came when he was being coached by Clifford — the former assistant coach was on Orlando’s staff from 2007 to 2012, then joined the Lakers during Howard’s lone season in L.A.

Howard is set to earn guaranteed salaries of $23.5MM (2017/18) and $23.82MM (2018/19) over the next two seasons, so once again, the Hornets are showing a willingness to take on significant money. The team did that at the deadline, sending a pair of smaller expiring deals to Milwaukee in exchange for Plumlee.

Now, the Hornets will flip Plumlee and his $12.5MM annual salary, which looks relatively modest compared to Howard’s cap figure. Plumlee’s contract runs through the 2019/20 season, while Belinelli has one year left at $6.61MM. Although Charlotte adds a little money to its books, the team’s flexibility for this summer won’t be affected — the Hornets would have been an over-the-cap team either way.

As for the Hawks, Travis Schlenk‘s first major move as Atlanta’s general manager will see the team swap Howard for Plumlee, move down 10 spots in the second round, and add a three-point sharpshooter in Belinelli. The move will create a small amount of extra spending flexibility for the Hawks this summer, though it remains to be seen whether they’ll make a strong effort to re-sign their own free agents like Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr., or if they’ll use that room for other moves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Spurs Notes: Duncan, Ginobili, Gasol, Belinelli

September 28th, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tim Duncan showed up at practice today, but his role with the Spurs remains undefined, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. Newly retired after 18 years with the team, Duncan will be used in some type of coaching or advisory capacity. Head coach Gregg Popovich said the former All-Star will be “coach of whatever he feels like,” but won’t be on the bench during games. It also hasn’t been determined whether Duncan will travel with the team on road trips. GM R.C. Buford said Duncan’s role will define itself as the season wears on, adding that the team “want[s] to let it kind of morph into its own sort of thing.” “I think he’s learning about life after playing,” Buford said. “And he can impact us in so many ways. I think we need to sit back and get a better understanding of how he feels like he wants to fit in, and what works for his family. Then, we’ll figure it out from there. But the gym feels better when he’s in it.”

There’s more news out of San Antonio:

Buford is grateful that Duncan and Manu Ginobili didn’t retire at the same time, relays Tom Orsborne of The San Antonio Express-News. Calling it a “lonely summer” with so much player turnover, Buford was gratified that he was able to convince Ginobili to play one more season with a $14MM contract. “To have had to replace them both at the same time would have been even more impactful than when each one decides to leave as individuals,” Buford said. “I don’t know how you judge that or gauge that other than that we know there is a transition approaching for our organization and it will be better if it’s a more managed transition than if it all happens at the same time.”
A year after joining the Spurs in free agency, LaMarcus Aldridge is the most tenured member of the big-man rotation, notes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Not only did Duncan retire, but Boris Diaw was traded to the Jazz, Boban Marjanovich signed with the Pistons and David West left for the Warriors. Veteran shooting specialist Matt Bonner is working out in New Hampshire and hoping for another chance at the NBA. Taking their place are free agent additions Pau Gasol, David Lee and Dewayne Dedmon. “We were lucky to sign him,” Tony Parker said of Gasol. “Losing Timmy, you can’t replace a guy like that. At least we have Pau and LaMarcus. It’s going to be a great combination.”
Marco Belinelli is on his second team since leaving San Antonio in 2015, but the new Hornet still has fond memories of his time with the Spurs, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “Pop is unbelievable and for sure I can say [there were] so many examples to me: Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker,” Belinelli said. “They so can make you a better basketball player and a better person.”

Southeast Notes: Wall, Bosh, Hornets, Ibaka

September 14th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards aren’t going to push John Wall to be ready for opening night, writes Ben Standig of CSNMidAtlantic.com. The 26-year-old point guard had surgical procedures on both knees during the offseason, and the team is being careful with his recovery. “We’re in no rush,” said new Washington head coach Scott Brooks. “We want to make sure that he’s ready. It’s a process. We still have all of training camp. We’ll see. We’re going to keep working, keep pushing him. The one thing about John. He puts the work in.” Wall has started playing one-on-one, but he still has to make progress before he can handle training camp drills or five-on-five games.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Chris Bosh may be planning to join the Heat in training camp, but veteran teammate Udonis Haslem cautions everyone to be realistic in their expectations, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Bosh has had his last two seasons cut short by blood clots and he hasn’t played competitively since the All-Star break. “Chris’ timetable is just a little bit different than everybody else’s,” Haslem said. “So we have to be mindful. We have to be conscious of the things that are important. And the thing that is most important is that when Chris needs to be ready, that he’s ready.”
Hornets coach Steve Clifford believes the team’s offseason moves have improved the defense more than the offense, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Charlottte lost three key free agents in Jeremy Lin, Al Jefferson and Courtney Lee, but brought in Roy Hibbert, Ramon Sessions and Marco Belinelli. Also, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is expected back after missing nearly all of last season with injuries.
Serge Ibaka may help bring a winning culture to the Magic, writes Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders in a preseason look at Orlando. Ibaka, who was acquired from the Thunder in a June deal involving Victor Oladipo, was part of a very successful team in Oklahoma City and will give the Magic the rim protector they have needed since they lost Dwight Howard. However, many of the Basketball Insiders writers were confused by Orlando’s offseason moves and are concerned that they don’t have enough scorers to be a contender.

And-Ones: Payne, Duke, Belinelli

September 14th, 2016 at 11:46am CST by Eddie Scarito

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is barring NBA teams from scouting his program’s practices this season – except for two pro days scheduled in October, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. NBA executives were extended invitations to the pro days on October 19th and 25th at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the second of which coincides with the opening night of the NBA regular season, Duke informed front offices on Tuesday, Wojnarowski adds. The university currently has two freshmen forwards, Jason Tatum and Harry Giles, who are ranked in DraftExpress’ top five projected players in the 2017 NBA draft, as well as junior guard Grayson Allen, who is ranked in the top 25.

Here’s more from around the league:

It’s been less than two months since Cameron Payne underwent surgery on his right foot to repair a Jones fracture and the Thunder guard is on track to be ready for the start of training camp, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes. But despite his solid progress, Payne doesn’t want to rush things and risk a setback, Horne adds. “I’m getting back into things,” Payne said. “I’m shooting, jumping around, running. Everything’s been going great. I hope I’m ready as soon as the first day comes. But I don’t want to rush anything. I want to be perfectly ready. One-hundred percent. It’s really day-by-day, but right now, the things that we’re doing, we’re going at 100%.”
The five players in the Western Conference who will make the biggest impact this season after changing teams, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, are: Harrison Barnes (Mavs), Kevin Durant (Warriors), Chandler Parsons (Grizzlies), Evan Turner (Blazers) and Joe Johnson (Jazz).
Hornets coach Steve Clifford praised the team’s draft day deal to acquire Marco Belinelli from the Kings in exchange for the rights to No. 22 overall pick, Malachi Richardson, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets. The coach noted that a player selected at that draft spot would not have been able to contribute this season, unlike the veteran shooting guard they obtained in the swap, Bonnell relays.

Eastern Notes: Gay, Ellington, Walker, Karasev

August 7th, 2016 at 10:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are among the preferred destinations for Kings small forward Rudy Gay, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Gay, who can opt out of his current deal next summer, denies asking Sacramento to trade him, but he made comments last month that show a clear unhappiness with the direction the team is taking. While it’s understandable why he might prefer Miami, the Heat are low on tradable assets after a flurry of moves this summer. The free agents the team added this summer are not eligible to be traded until December 15th.

There’s more news from the Eastern Conference:

The Heat’s signing of Dion Waiters may push Wayne Ellington to the back of the rotation, Jackson writes in the same story. Ellington had a shot to start at shooting guard before the move, but now may be fighting for playing time in a crowded backcourt with Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson. Ellington could see minutes at small forward if Chris Bosh remains sidelined with health problems and Justise Winslow is needed at power forward.
Kemba Walker is optimistic about the new-look Hornets, but he hated to see Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee and Jeremy Lin leave in free agency, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “But that’s the business: You’re always going to play with some new guys every year,” Walker said. “You think about Big Al, who I wish we could have kept. He helped change this franchise around big time from the day he got here.” Charlotte tried to replace them by adding Ramon Sessions, Marco Belinelli and Roy Hibbert.
Sergey Karasev will play in Russia next season, but he hasn’t ruled out the NBA, according to Eurohoops. Karasev, who spent the past two seasons with the Nets, says first he hopes to prove that he can lead a team. “Ι want to be one of the key persons in a team, not just go in for 10 minutes,” he said. “I hope that Zenit [in St. Petersburg] will be successful in VTB League and then it will be possible for me to go back to the NBA.”

Eastern Rumors: Hawks, Millsap, Wade, Jennings

July 7th, 2016 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

In an interesting piece on the Hawks, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com explains that Atlanta’s original offseason plan was to re-sign Al Horford to pair him with Dwight Howard, and to move Paul Millsap in exchange for young players and/or draft assets. That plan ultimately fell apart, but before it did, the Hawks spoke to the Nuggets, Suns, Raptors, and Rockets about a Millsap deal, according to Lowe, who adds that Denver had been ready to move a “players-and-picks package” led by Kenneth Faried.

Before the Hawks could move Millsap though, the team needed to be sure it could re-sign Horford, and when the longtime Hawk chose the Celtics instead, Atlanta decided to hang onto Millsap. Per Lowe, there was some debate about how much the Hawks offered and how much Horford demanded, but the gap between the two sides may have only been about $5MM in total.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Hornets general manager Rich Cho confirmed that his team, which officially acquired Marco Belinelli in a trade today, tried to sign the Italian sharpshooter in free agency a year ago (Twitter link via Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer).
During Dwyane Wade‘s free agency saga, Heat president Pat Riley never called Wade directly, per Ethan Skolnick of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel notes (via Twitter), Riley and Wade had a meeting after last season ended, but it was owner Micky Arison who was in touch with the former Finals MVP during this past week’s negotiations.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Brandon Jennings was seeking a one-year contract from the Knicks in the hopes of proving himself and boosting his stock for 2017’s free agent period. New York, which wanted to maintain cap room for ’17, was happy to oblige.
Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders spoke to Courtney Lee about the veteran shooting guard’s decision to sign with the Knicks, and being recruited by Joakim Noah.