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Pacers Notes: Holiday, McConnell, Turner, Warren

January 10th, 2020 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

More than one rival executive believes the Pacers will be open to trading either Aaron Holiday or T.J. McConnell before this year’s deadline, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

For now, both Holiday and McConnell are regular parts of the club’s rotation, combining for a total of 42.8 minutes per game. However, once Victor Oladipo returns to the lineup later this month, that extra backcourt depth may be a luxury the Pacers can afford to give up if they get an offer they like, Pincus suggests.

Both Holiday and McConnell are on team-friendly contracts. Holiday is making $2.24MM in the second year of his rookie deal and won’t be eligible for restricted free agency until 2022, while McConnell is earning $3.5MM and has an identical non-guaranteed cap hit for next season. Holiday’s age (23) makes him a more valuable asset than the 27-year-old McConnell, so if the Pacers do consider moving one of those two guards, the price would be higher for Holiday.

Here’s more on the Pacers:

The Pacers have played well with both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner on the court this season, recording a +6.4 net rating, and sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe that Indiana continues to turn away teams that inquire on Turner.
Still, Lowe points out that Turner averages just nine shots per 36 minutes alongside Sabonis, compared to 16 per 36 minutes when Sabonis sits. Now that the team “belongs” to Malcolm Brogdon, Sabonis, and Oladipo, Lowe questions whether Turner will be content going forward with his part-time role, and suggests that every team in need of a big man should keep an eye on the situation in Indiana.
The NBA has fined Pacers wing T.J. Warren $25K and Heat swingman Jimmy Butler $35K for their altercation during Wednesday’s game, the league announced in a press release. Butler received the higher penalty in part for “escalating the incident on social media” after the game, the NBA said in its statement.

Central Notes: Doumbouya, WCJ, Turner, Love

January 8th, 2020 at 11:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rookie Sekou Doumbouya is working to prove he can be a reliable player for the Pistons and the team is giving him that opportunity.

“What do they say in the Baptist church when you get baptized? ‘Hallelujah.’” Casey said (via Rod Beard of The Detroit News). “OK, so go ahead, put him in the water. He’s in the water and he’s getting baptized with three of the top players in our league, Draymond [Green] and Kawhi [Leonard], and [LeBron] James, so he’s seeing the best he’s going to see right now.”

The No. 15 overall pick has taken on the responsibility of guarding the opposition’s best player on many occasions this season. With Blake Griffin sidelined for the foreseeable future, Doumbouya will have more opportunities to grow.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Wendell Carter Jr. is dealing with an ankle injury and while the big man believes it’s just a sprain, he’ll undergo an MRI on Thursday, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports relays on Twitter. Carter was originally scheduled to have the MRI on Tuesday but it’ll wait until the Bulls return home from their road trip.
J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star details how Pacers big man Myles Turner has turned his season around. Turning off social media has been a major plus for Turner. “For someone in my position, it can be toxic at times. You start hearing stuff, hearing your name pop up in certain places. You can’t pay it any mind. You got to be comfortable in your own skin,” he said.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) doesn’t believe Kevin Love‘s relationship with GM Koby Altman is all that great. The two recently had a heated exchange and Love has acknowledged that his behavior was childlike, though he insists he and Altman are on good terms and says their supposed altercation was overblown.

Trade Rumors: Iguodala, Clippers, Suns, Pacers

January 2nd, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve heard all season long, the Grizzlies remain confident that they can trade Andre Iguodala and won’t need to buy him out of his contract, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

“We will trade him, period,” A Grizzlies executive told Pincus. “We’ve gone far enough into the structure of deals with more than one team to say that [confidently].”

Marc Stein of The New York Times reported last month that Dallas isn’t expected to pursue Iguodala, but multiple executives still view the Mavericks as the best potential trade partner for Memphis, according to Pincus. One Western Conference executive speculated that the leak to Stein was “posturing,” suggesting that the Mavs and Grizzlies may be haggling over the Warriors’ 2020 second-rounder that Dallas holds.

Pincus shared a few more trade rumors and tidbits from around the NBA, so let’s round up the highlights…

Aron Baynes is believed to be on the Clippers‘ radar, and Pincus notes that Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently suggested a Baynes/Ivica Zubac swap between the Suns and Clips. It’s unclear if the two sides have actually discussed such a deal or if it would interest either club, but Pincus suggests that Baynes would be a better complement to Montrezl Harrell.
Speaking of Harrell, the Clippers have had internal discussions about his future, but have yet to make any decisions on that front, per Pincus. Harrell will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
If the Suns remain in the playoff hunt, they’re unlikely to trade Baynes. In fact, they may be more inclined to pursue upgrades, perhaps targeting power forwards like Kevin Love (Cavaliers) or Danilo Gallinari (Thunder). Gallinari is believed to be higher on Phoenix’s wish list, says Pinucs. “Not many teams will have cap space next summer. The Suns probably would be able to re-sign Gallinari at a much better price (than Love’s contract),” one Western Conference exec said. “There’s uncertainty, especially if they give up a first-rounder, but the difference in price would make Gallinari the better target.”
While multiple executives believe the Pacers will eventually trade one of either Domantas Sabonis or Myles Turner, the team itself remains content with its “old-school” frontcourt duo, according to Pincus.

Central Notes: Rose, Bulls, Markkanen, Turner

December 31st, 2019 at 10:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

A minutes restriction has helped Derrick Rose stay healthy in his first season with the Pistons, but he believes he would be OK without it, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Rose, who has been on the court for 28 of Detroit’s first 34 games, is limited to about 27 minutes per night. It’s a decision made in conjunction with the medical staff to help preserve the 31-year-old guard, who has a long injury history.

“I feel good, but it’s not up to me with the minutes; it’s up to the coaching staff and the (training) staff to come up with it,” Rose said. “Of course, I want to be out there, but I guess they see something I don’t, and they’re worried about it — just being cautious with me.”

Coach Dwane Casey has been spreading the time out equally, playing Rose for about 6 or 7 minutes each quarter. He has excelled under the limitation, averaging 16.8 points and 5.9 assists per night and shooting nearly 33% on 3-pointers.

“I promise you, I would love to play him more and Derrick would love to play, but he can’t, I mean physically,” Casey said. “We don’t want to put him in that situation, his body in that situation. So according to the game, we have to be creative.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

A challenging January schedule could determine if the Bulls are sellers at the trade deadline, observes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Despite a 13-21 record, Chicago is only 1.5 games out of a playoff spot, but nine games during the month will be against teams with winning records. The Bulls are only 1-12 so far against teams .500 or better. Cowley notes that Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine, who will both be restricted free agents this summer, could be moved if the team falls out of contention, along with Thaddeus Young, who has expressed unhappiness about his playing time.
The Bulls need to find more minutes for Lauri Markkanen, argues K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. With coach Jim Boylen using a 10- and sometimes 11-player rotation, Markkanen is averaging about two minutes per game less than last season.
Pacers center Myles Turner has a new agent, tweets Grant Afseth of Original Turner’s. A league source tells Afseth that Turner signed with Bill Duffy of BDA Sports Management.

Central Notes: Turner, White, Pistons, Dunn

December 22nd, 2019 at 5:34pm CST by JD Shaw

Pacers big man Myles Turner is building confidence through production, with the 23-year-old stepping up in recent contests to help his team win five straight games, Scott Agness of The Athletic writes.

Turner has averaged 11.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game on 44% shooting for the season, with all three metrics regressing from last year.

“He’s getting a little bit more comfortable with playing at the four position on the offensive end of the floor — where he needs to go, where he’s going to get his opportunities and taking those opportunities when it presents itself,” coach Nate McMillan said on Turner’s gradual improvement this season. “It’s not that we’ve done anything different. I think he’s getting a little bit more comfortable with playing alongside of Domas.”

Turner has averaged 13.8 points and 5.8 rebounds over the last five games, making an even bigger impact defensively over that stretch. As the Pacers continue to play without All-Star guard Victor Oladipo, it’s imperative that Turner keeps producing at a high level.

“I think it really stems from my mindset more than anything,” Turner said. “I see myself doing well, I find little ways to get myself going in the game whether it’s blocking shots or scoring, my confidence comes from production.”

Here’s more out of the Central:

Bulls guard Coby White has maintained a solid amount of confidence in his shot this season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. White, who’s in his rookie season, emphasized the importance of remaining confident despite going through some tough stretches. “The coaching staff believes in me. So do my teammates. They tell me to keep shooting,” White said. “I’m a rookie. I’m only 19. I don’t use that as an excuse. But they always believe me. You’re going to go through slumps. It’s basketball. It’s how you react to it.”
Rod Beard of The Detroit News examines the likely roster changes for the Pistons, who’ve struggled through the season’s first 30 games. Detroit currently owns the 11th best record in the East at 11-19, losing the past four games.
Kris Dunn has made a strong impact as a starter with the Bulls, Johnson writes in a different story for NBC Sports Chicago. The Bulls have a 6-6 record since Dunn replaced Chandler Hutchison in the starting lineup, with Dunn recording nine points, four assists and four steals in a win over Detroit on Saturday. “He’s a freaking dawg,” teammate Zach LaVine said of Dunn. “He’s not scared of nothing. He’s going to talk his stuff. He’s one of the best defenders out there. He takes that challenge. He brings an energy and toughness to the team. He’ll even talk to me if I’m doing something wrong. He’ll pick me up and get me going. I love everything that he does.”

Trade Rumors: Nuggets, Thunder, Turner, More

December 17th, 2019 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

Within his early breakdown of the 2019/20 trade market, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today notes that the Nuggets may make young role players like Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez available, especially if they can include them in a package that nets them an impact player.

Zillgitt also wonders if Thunder point guard Chris Paul would consider waiving his 2021/22 player option, since eliminating that final year from his contract would make him a far more appealing trade chip to teams looking to retain long-term flexibility. Of course, waiving that option would cost Paul a guaranteed $44MM salary for ’21/22, and there’s no guarantee he’d recoup more than a fraction of that amount on a new deal. So that scenario looks like a bit of a long shot for now.

Here are a few more stories focusing on the NBA’s in-season trade market:

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report spoke to a handful of current and former NBA executives to evaluate teams’ needs and players’ value in advance of the February trade deadline. One former general manager thinks it may take more time for teams to become sellers, since sub-.500 teams hold playoff spots in each conference. “I don’t think any of these teams [outside of the top eight] are scared,” the former GM said. “It’s going to take longer for teams to lose confidence that they have a chance to fight for eighth. … We’ll see more separation [in the standings] closer to February.”
According to Pincus, several executives believe the Pacers will eventually seriously consider trading Myles Turner, since he’s not considered a great long-term fit alongside Domantas Sabonis. Turner was viewed as the more valuable asset last season, but Sabonis has been better so far this year.
Sean Deveney of Heavy.com identifies several newly trade-eligible players who are worth keeping an eye on as February’s deadline nears, including Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell, Bulls forward Thaddeus Young, and several Knicks veterans. We singled out many of the same trade candidates on Monday in our own look at players whose trade restrictions lifted on December 15.
John Hollinger of The Athletic explores five questions that could shape this season’s trade deadline, such as just how serious the Nuggets and Mavericks are about their short-term chances to contend.

Pacers Notes: Oladipo, Brogdon, Moore

December 12th, 2019 at 7:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pacers are playing well, but they certainly would love to have Victor Oladipo back on the court. According to head coach Nate McMillan, the former All-Star isn’t close to a return.

“Vic is still rehabbing,” McMillan said, as J. Michael of the Indy Star relays on Twitter. “He’s working hard and I think he’s certainly getting better, getting closer. But he’s still a ways away. The more time he spends rehabbing the closer he gets. But I don’t see him come back anytime in the near future”

Here’s more from Indiana:

Oladipo’s eventual return will have a major impact on the team’s lineup, Mark Monteith of NBA.com writes. While the guard rotation will certainly shift, the big man rotation may also face changes, as McMillan could opt to play even fewer minutes with both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner in favor of even more small-ball lineups.
First-year Pacer Malcolm Brogdon knows his role will be reduced upon Oladipo’s return, as Monteith relays in the same piece. “Once Vic gets back, I’m going to take less shots, everybody is going to have to take less shots, because Vic is a force on offense; he’s going to be our best scorer,” Brogdon said. “You have to understand that and adjust appropriately.”
Indiana’s G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, have acquired Ben Moore, Scott Agness of The Athletic tweets. Moore previously had a stint with the Pacers back in the 2017/18 season.

Celtics Not Expected To Trade Grizzlies’ Pick For Big Man Help

November 19th, 2019 at 8:21pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Celtics‘ 11-2 start has catapulted them into contender status in the Eastern Conference with Kemba Walker‘s arrival rejuvenating the club. Boston still has a weakness in its interior, having rotated through starting big men, and the club has a major trade chip that could help land a major piece to man the center position, as Sean Deveney of Heavy.com writes.

As a result of the 2015 Jeff Green trade, the Celtics own a future Grizzlies first-round pick. The protections on the pick have kept it from conveying over the past couple years and it’s only top-six protected for the 2020 draft before potentially becoming unprotected in 2021.

However, some around the league don’t see the Celtics using this pick to acquire a bigger piece unless it’s for the right player.

“It’s a high-value pick no matter what happens, it is a lottery pick,” one rival GM tells Deveney “They’d be willing to trade the other pick they have (from the Bucks), but it wouldn’t make sense to move the Memphis pick. If it’s Anthony Davis then, OK, you change your plans. But there’s not really anyone on the market who is going to get them to move that.”

Deveney mentions Myles Turner among the candidates that Boston could be interested in, but hears that the Pacers are unlikely to trade the big man to an Eastern Conference rival — or at all. Deveney also names LaMarcus Aldridge as a possibility but that would likely require the Celtics to send Gordon Hayward to San Antonio, which is something Boston is reluctant to do.

Boston also owns Milwaukee’s 2020 selection, which figures to be among the last five picks or so in the first round. Packaging that pick along with salary to acquire a center seems much more likely.

Charania’s Latest: Gordon, Baynes, Turner, Wiseman

November 15th, 2019 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Multiple teams are monitoring Magic forward Aaron Gordon and would have interest if he becomes available, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. However, according to Charania, Orlando has shown no interest in trading Gordon.

The fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Gordon has flashed tantalizing potential as a two-way impact player and is still just 24 years old. He’s also on a team-friendly contract, which is worth $19.86MM this season and declines all the way to $16.41MM in 2021/22. As such, it makes sense that he’d generate interest around the league and that the Magic wouldn’t want to move on from him, despite the fact that he hasn’t necessarily put it all together yet.

Here’s more from Charania:

Some potential contenders – such as the Lakers – were hoping that the Suns viewed Aron Baynes as a salary dump when they acquired him on draft night and would eventually buy him out, Charania writes. Instead, the veteran center has emerged as a key part of Phoenix’s lineup. Baynes is on an expiring contract and one team executive believes the big man is “positioning himself for well over $10MM per year,” as Charania relays.
Pacers center Myles Turner, who was listed as “week-to-week” after suffering a sprained ankle on October 30, hopes to return on Saturday when Indiana hosts Milwaukee, per Charania.
Even if top 2020 draft prospect James Wiseman is ruled ineligible for the entire NCAA season, scouts and executives don’t expect it to affect his draft stock. “Will him sitting the year impact him a spot or two? Maybe,” one high-ranking team official said to Charania. “But it isn’t impacting his financial base. He is known as a talent.” A season-long ban is unlikely though. One source tells Charania that Wiseman and Memphis are hoping for a suspension in the range of three-to-six games after he dropped his lawsuit against the NCAA this week.

Pacers’ Turner, Sumner Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks

October 31st, 2019 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers will be without starting center Myles Turner and rotation guard Edmond Sumner for the foreseeable future due to injuries, the team announced today in a press release.

According to the Pacers, Turner has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle, which he suffered in the first quarter of Wednesday’s win over the Nets. He is being listed as “week-to-week” as opposed to day-to-day. Scott Agness of The Athletic (Twitter link) hears from a league source that Indiana expects Turner to be sidelined for at least two weeks.

As for Sumner, the third-year guard has a non-displaced fracture of the third metacarpal in his right hand, per the team. While he won’t require surgery, the 23-year-old will miss at least three weeks before being re-evaluated.

Turner, the lone Pacers starter who was also part of last season’s starting five, had been leaned on heavily to start the year, having logged at least 38 minutes in each of the club’s first three games. Meanwhile, Sumner had taken on an increased role in the backcourt with Victor Oladipo on the shelf, averaging 22.3 minutes per contest and starting two games before he went down.

With those two players out, Aaron Holiday is the top candidate to pick up more minutes in the backcourt, while Domantas Sabonis will take on a bigger role up front. T.J. Leaf and first-round pick Goga Bitadze could also see more regular minutes during Turner’s absence.