Nic Claxton

New York Notes: Claxton, Clowney, Anunoby, Hartenstein

Nets center Nic Claxton only attempted three shots in Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee, which was a season low, and the team would be wise to get him more involved before he hits unrestricted free agency this offseason, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required).

I’m open a lot,” Claxton told the Post. “I’ve just got to keep putting myself in the right spots and hope that I get the ball.

According to Lewis, Claxton has been Brooklyn’s most consistent player in 2023/24, and has shown improvement as a play-maker and in the pick-and-roll, with interim head coach Kevin Ollie calling the 24-year-old the team’s “hub.”

He’s a great passer. He’s unselfish,” Ollie said of Claxton. “We run a lot of our backside action with him with the ball, some of our high frequencies of offensive possessions, of our (dribble hand-offs) with him handling it, and then him being able to hand it off to Dennis (Schröder) or Mikal (Bridges), then him rolling behind that and getting some lobs, which has been great.

Him doing those different things has allowed us to play freer basketball. I’m gonna continue to allow him to do that. I allow him to push the ball up the court, take advantages there. I just want him to play unlocked basketball and continue to be our hub. But with freedom comes discipline, too. He has to take care of the ball and continue to do those certain things as well.

However, as Lewis writes, if Claxton’s lack of touches continues, it’s possible he might begin to question his role and future with the Nets. According to Lewis’ sources, Claxton is expected to command $20MM+ annually on the open market this summer.

Here are a few more notes on the league’s two New York-based teams:

  • Rookie big man Noah Clowney had one of the better outings of his young career on Thursday vs. Milwaukee, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds while showcasing an ability to switch across multiple positions on defense, per Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily. The Nets were plus-10 in Clowney’s 14 minutes. He has only appeared in 11 games for an average of 9.1 MPG, having spent most of his rookie campaign in the G League with Long Island. While some fans have been clamoring for Clowney to play power forward instead of center, Kaplan says in the long run the 19-year-old’s overall development is much more important than the position he ends up playing in the future.
  • Knicks forward OG Anunoby was ruled out for his third straight game on Saturday vs. the Nets, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Anunoby is dealing with soreness in his surgically repaired elbow, with the team officially listing him out for right elbow injury management. It’s unclear when the impending free agent will return to action — he played three games last week before the elbow flared up, and while it’s reportedly improving, he continues to be sidelined for now.
  • He isn’t quite the defender Mitchell Robinson is, but Isaiah Hartenstein is a much better passer and he’s done an admirable job filling in as the Knicks‘ starting center, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). Another impending free agent, Hartenstein said he tries to make a positive impact no matter what his role is. “I tell everyone in the NBA you always have to sacrifice,” Hartenstein said. “Before, especially when we had Julius (Randle), we had all those guys, I had a kind of different role. Now I’m playing how I’m used to playing.”

New York Notes: Claxton, Nets, Johnson, Anunoby

Nic Claxton is headed to free agency after the season and Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie wants his center to continue showing growth as an offensive threat. He’s averaging 15.0 points and 3.1 assists in seven games this month, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes.

“I want [Claxton] to be unlocked, I don’t want him to be in a box offensively,” Ollie said. “I want him to do all kinds of things on the court because he’s doing everything on the defensive end for us — blocking shots, rebounding. We need to throw him the ball, but he needs to demand the ball as well. I’m telling our guards, ‘We gotta reward the big fella, because he’s doing a lot of cleaning up for us on the defensive end.’ When he does have two feet in the paint and he’s established, he should be getting the ball.”

We have more on the New York teams:

  • The Nets have dropped three of their four games during their current road trip and Wednesday’s 114-106 loss at Orlando was troubling, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. They trailed by double digits three minutes into the contest and never recovered. They’re now 3.5 games behind Atlanta for the final play-in spot. “The same thing that’s been going on just this last stretch: We didn’t make shots and our energy just wasn’t where it needed to be,” Claxton said. “It’s frustrating, man. It’s not easy. It’s frustrating. Nobody likes losing, like I always say. But we’ve just got to get ready for Indiana (on Saturday).”
  • Cameron Johnson was one of the few bright spots for the Nets on Wednesday, Lewis notes. He returned after missing three games due to an ankle sprain and contributed 13 points, three rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. “We’re going to always look at what’s best for the team,” Ollie said. “I just thought he took care of his minutes, finished the game for us and, you know, that’s what I want him to understand.”
  • Knicks forward OG Anunoby is glad he opted for right elbow surgery, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. In his return on Tuesday, he played 29 minutes and posted 14 points and four rebounds against Philadelphia. “It’s a lot better than it was the month of January,” Anunoby said. “I’m happy. Should get better and better.” Anunoby is expected to decline his $19.9MM contract option for next season in order to become an unrestricted free agent, though a new deal with New York is considered the most likely outcome.

Nets Notes: Bridges, Thomas, Claxton, Johnson

Cam Thomas returned from an ankle sprain for the last two Nets games and it’s had a positive effect on their top player, Mikal Bridges, according to The New York Post’s Brian Lewis.

Thomas had 29 points and five assists in a win over Cleveland on Sunday, while Bridges had his best offensive output in five games, supplying 25 points and five assists. Bridges shot 9-for-14 from the field.

“It was good for Mikal, too, to see some shots go in, and coming off the curl, playing off [Thomas], just taking the pressure off himself and stepping up,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “He puts so much work in, so I know those seeds that he’s planted are going to bloom and blossom at some point.”

We have more on the Nets:

  • Speaking of Thomas, the team is looking for him to be a more well-rounded player instead of just being known as a scorer, Lewis writes. He showed signs of that against the Cavaliers. “Yeah, we challenged him about the EGBs [energy-generating behaviors]. He had seven rebounds, five assists. So it wasn’t all his scoring,” Ollie said. “He was contributing in other ways, and that’s great to see. I want him to keep that up. We’re gonna keep challenging him. We want him to be a masterpiece on the offensive end and a masterpiece on a defensive end. And he can do it. But we’ve got to keep challenging [him].”
  • Thomas is extension-eligible this offseason and it’ll be tough to attach a dollar figure to him due to his reputation as a one-dimensional player, Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com opines. Meanwhile, unrestricted free agent Nic Claxton will be one of the top players on the market. Claxton is the team’s defensive stalwart but his inconsistent performances sometimes lead to bad losses, Kaplan writes.
  • Forward Cameron Johnson has been upgraded to probable for the team’s road game against the Magic on Wednesday, Lewis tweets. Johnson has missed the last three games.

New York Notes: Hart, DiVincenzo, Simmons, Claxton

With so many regulars missing due to injuries, the Knicks have been leaning heavily on forward Josh Hart, who has played at least 40 minutes in six of the team’s past seven games, including 47:10 in Thursday’s loss to Golden State. After admitting earlier in the season that his Team USA stint last summer might be catching up with him, Hart has welcomed the extra playing time and shown no signs of hitting a wall, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post.

“At the end of the day as a competitor I want to play,” Hart said following Thursday’s game. “If I went out, especially if we were making a run and I got (taken) out, I’m mad. You know what I mean? I want to play as much as I can.”

Head coach Tom Thibodeau told Botte and other reporters that he’s “always talking” to Hart about his workload and that he’s pleased with how the 28-year-old has responded to his increased role.

“He’s handled it well,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously, we’re shorthanded right now so that’s what’s required. But (he had) 18 rebounds, seven assists (on Thursday). And he’s a great defender, so we need him right now.”

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

  • While Donte DiVincenzo is a long shot to suit up for Italy in this year’s Olympics, the Knicks wing said in a conversation with Simone Sandri of Gazzetta Dello Sport that he hopes to represent the national team in the years to come, even if he can’t get his Italian passport in time for Paris this summer.
  • Fred Katz of The Athletic examines a few areas of concern for the Knicks, including the offensive production from the first unit and all the teams that are right on their heels in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
  • Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons missed a third consecutive game on Saturday due to left leg soreness, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. Simmons has been limited to 15 appearances in 2023/24, including just 10 since playing the first five games of the season.
  • The Nets only have a couple more months to experiment with the way they use Nic Claxton before they’ll have to pay up to retain him in free agency, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). As Lewis details, Claxton and Simmons have remained altogether incompatible in their minutes sharing the court, and while Simmons was a major part of Brooklyn’s game plan entering this season, Claxton now looks like the player who will be a bigger part of the franchise’s plans going forward.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Claxton, Zeller, Luka, Washington

The Nets‘ trip to Memphis earlier this week wasn’t exactly a homecoming for Nic Claxton, but it gave him an opportunity to see some familiar faces, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who notes that Claxton played AAU ball in his native South Carolina with Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Morant’s close friend Davonte Pack.

“Playing that last year of AAU with (Morant) and seeing where he is now with his career and everything he has achieved so early, it’s definitely good to see,” Claxton said. “… I didn’t see him being the player that he is now with the athleticism. He was always talented, skilled, could always really pass the ball. When he got that athleticism, he just started to take off.”

As Cole notes, Claxton – who has worn Morant’s signature shoe this season – will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Grizzlies will be in the market for help at center after trading away Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman. A deal with Claxton may be a long shot, given that Memphis will be well over the salary cap and won’t be in position to offer the young center the type of lucrative deal the Nets can.

Still, Claxton didn’t close the door on the idea – replying, “We’ll see” when asked about the possibility – and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. didn’t sound opposed to it either, Cole writes.

“He’s good for that team,” Jackson said of Brooklyn’s starting center. “He’s doing his thing. Who knows, man. I can play alongside a lot of different types of players. Credit to what he’s doing over there.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

  • After beginning the 2022/23 season without an NBA home, Cody Zeller wasn’t sure if his days in the league were coming to an end. However, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays, Zeller got another shot last February with Miami, which led to a new deal with the Pelicans this past offseason. The veteran big man is happy to be serving as a veteran leader in New Orleans and grateful to still be in the NBA. “I had already had a good career (before joining the Heat last season),” Zeller said. “That gave me a different perspective that each additional game that I play or contract that I get or extra year that I get is icing on the cake. If I can be a good veteran guy even if I’m not playing, I’m totally happy with that, totally cool with that.”
  • Cautioning Mavericks fans not to take Luka Doncic‘s ongoing greatness for granted, Tim Cato of The Athletic explores the star guard’s case for this season’s MVP award.
  • Coming off a 23-point game on Wednesday in Toronto – his best performance since joining the Mavericks last month – P.J. Washington is making a case to be Dallas’ third option on offense behind Doncic and Kyrie Irving, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “We would like to be consistent with a third,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “Yes, that would make coaching or being a teammate a little bit easier, knowing who’s going to be there on a consistent basis. And I think P.J. is starting to trend that way.” Kidd added that he believes Washington is “up for the challenge” of being more of an offensive play-maker.

Nets Notes: Struggles, Johnson, Bridges, Koch Family

In their first game under interim head coach Kevin Ollie on Thursday in Toronto, the Nets had yet another listless performance, losing by 28 points to the Raptors, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ollie replaced Jacque Vaughn, who was fired in part due to the team’s lack of energy and effort, with Brooklyn just 8-24 over its past 32 games.

Ollie made playing with energy and hustle a priority in his first practice on Tuesday, but the Nets repeatedly failed to get back in transition in the blowout loss, Lewis notes, losing the fast-break points battle 46-10.

We didn’t make shots, but their effort, their energy, loose balls, offensive rebounds, beat us in probably every area,” said Ollie. “And giving up 46 fast-break points and not being able to stop them and limit them in half-court situations was a killer for us.”

Here are a few more notes out of Brooklyn:

  • Ollie made a change to the starting lineup on Thursday, moving fifth-year forward Cameron Johnson to the bench, Lewis writes in another story. The starting five consisted of Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith and Nic Claxton. It was only the second time Johnson has come off the bench this season, with the first coming just before the All-Star break in his first game back from an adductor injury. The 27-year-old, who re-signed with the Nets on a lucrative long-term contract last summer, finished with six points on 1-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes.
  • Appearing on the podcast (Roommates Show) of his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, who now play for the Knicks, Nets wing Mikal Bridges compared the two teams’ situations unprompted, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link), who wonders if Bridges would ever consider asking out of Brooklyn. “I know people might want to think about different situations and teams,” Bridges said. “Obviously, I’ve got my boys over there in New York, so everybody goes with that. ….” Bridges went on to say he wanted to keep playing for the Nets, despite their struggles. Bondy acknowledges that “it’s entirely plausible — and understandable — if the Nets simply refuse to trade their best player across the river,” but argues that if it was a possibility for New York, it’d be an idea worth pursuing.
  • Billionaire Julia Koch is negotiating to buy a minority stake in the Nets, per Lewis and Josh Kosman of The New York Post. Koch’s son David Koch Jr. would also be involved. The stake could be as high as 15%, from majority owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai. According to The Post, Julia has an estimated net worth of $60-65 billion, which would make her the second-wealthiest woman in the world and only trailing Clippers owner Steve Ballmer in the NBA.

Atlantic Notes: Ollie, Thomas, Beverley, Lowry, Raptors

Kevin Ollie will offer some strategic changes when he makes his debut as head coach of the Nets tonight in Toronto, but he’s focused mainly on bringing a new attitude to the team, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ollie, who came to Brooklyn as an assistant at the start of the season, was promoted to the job on an interim basis after Jacque Vaughn was fired Monday.

“The biggest thing is playing for each other and making the right plays,” Ollie said. “Not being selfish, getting the ball to the guys that we need to get the ball to in their right spots where they can be very successful. Just playing the right way, and we need to do that more consistently. So that’s not a scheme change or anything, that’s just playing better basketball, doing simple better.”

Ollie is expected to emphasize better spacing on offense, Lewis adds. That has been a problem, especially in the limited time that Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton have been on the court together. Lewis notes that Brooklyn is minus-34 and is shooting just 42.6% as a team in the duo’s 69 total minutes this season.

“You have to be able to space, you have to be able to cut, you have to be able to play together. We have to get out and rebound and get stops so they can play with pace and play in transition offense,” Ollie said. “So all those things count. But when it gets bogged down in a half-court situation, we haven’t had that situation where one’s up, one’s down and how they play off each other is crucial. So that’s why it’s so good for practice time.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • With Ollie in charge of the Nets, Cam Thomas should get a fresh chance to prove that he’s worthy of a starting role, Lewis states in a separate story. The explosive guard is averaging 21.2 PPG, but Vaughn often limited his playing time due to concerns about defense and energy. Thomas thought the report of a coaching change was a prank when he read about it on the internet, and he didn’t believe the story until general manager Sean Marks confirmed it. “We didn’t get enough wins. … And [we were] dropping some games, not playing as hard,” Thomas said. “It’s on both parties, coaches, players, front office, everybody. Got to look at yourself in the mirror; so that’s just what we got to do.”
  • Patrick Beverley has been taking shots at his former team on his podcast since being traded to Milwaukee, but the Sixers are choosing to ignore them, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Coach Nick Nurse and Kyle Lowry, who’s taking over Beverley’s role in Philadelphia, have been among the targets. “I’m not a podcast watcher, but he’s a friend of mine and that’s his competitive nature,” Lowry said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play against him, as always.”
  • Eric Koreen of The Athletic looks at late-season storylines to watch for the Raptors, including whether tanking will be an option, the roles for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and which players will show that they should be re-signed this summer.

Nets Notes: Vaughn, Ollie, Marks, Bridges, Budenholzer

Speaking on Tuesday to reporters, including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Nets general manager Sean Marks said there wasn’t a single event or game that made the team decide to fire head coach Jacque Vaughn. While some Brooklyn players expressed frustration following a December 27 loss in which the team sat several regulars, as well as after last Wednesday’s 50-point blowout loss in Boston, Marks pointed to a general lack of energy and effort when asked for specifics on what went into the decision to dismiss Vaughn.

“It’s about the level of compete,” Marks said. “We’re not going to be the most talented team in the league. I’m not an idiot. I totally understand that. But at the same time, this is a talented group of young men out there. And my expectations, and I think their expectations, should be to hold each other accountable to do the little things. The effort plays, the loose balls, the contested shots and so forth, diving on the floor.

“These are things that should be expected when you’re in a place that we’re at right now, where we’re clawing and grappling for every single thing we can. That’s what I would hope to see over these next 28 games, and that’s probably, to be quite frank, some things I haven’t seen. The level of effort and the level of compete has not always been there.”

New interim head coach Kevin Ollie made that lack of energy and hustle a focus in his first practice with the club on Tuesday, as Bontemps details. Ollie pointed out that the Nets don’t recover enough loose balls or draw enough charges, referring to the team’s poor numbers in those categories as “losing basketball.”

“I got something called EGBs, which is energy generating behaviors, and it’s 17 behaviors of those things. And we went through the list extensively today,” Ollie said on Tuesday. “(They) have nothing to do with talent but everything to do with heart and will. And I think that’s what it comes down to.

“Remember, I played 15 years professionally, 13 years in this league, and never once (had) a coach call a play for me. I had to get it with grit. I had to get it with determination. I had to get it with a mindset that we’re going to get better each and every day. That’s how I coach, that’s what I’m going to demand. I want them to demand that from me, and that’s from day one.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

  • Marks is under contract beyond this season, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv, and the veteran Nets executive has a close relationship with team owner Joe Tsai. Marks told reporters on Tuesday that he has been given no indication Tsai won’t keep him around to run the team’s latest head coaching search this spring. “Joe and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said, per Bontemps. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.”
  • Still, Marks’ future with the Nets has been a subject of speculation around the NBA, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said on the HoopsHype podcast with Brian Lewis of The New York Post. According to Scotto, in the event that Marks remains in Brooklyn, one possibility floated in league circles is a scenario in which the Nets promote assistant general manager Jeff Peterson to GM and give him more day-to-day responsibilities while Marks stays above him in the front office hierarchy.
  • Scotto and Lewis discussed many more Nets-related topics in the HoopsHype podcast, including the futures of players like Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas, and Ben Simmons in Brooklyn, Scotto also said there were rumblings that certain players – including Mikal Bridges and former Net Spencer Dinwiddie – weren’t thrilled by the fact that Vaughn’s offensive game plan focused so heavily on Simmons, who hasn’t been healthy for most of his time in Brooklyn.
  • Bridges said on Tuesday that he wants to remain in Brooklyn long-term, per Dan Martin of The New York Post. “I’m here now and want to stay here,” Bridges said. “And I’m going to keep grinding and getting to wherever we’ve got to get to win, and that’s why I’m here for.” The Nets turned away trade inquiries this season on Bridges and their goal is to ultimately acquire a star or two to play alongside him, per Scotto.
  • In a pair of stories for The New York Post, Mike Vaccaro wonders what it will take for the Nets to move on from Marks, while Zach Braziller identifies several potential candidates for Brooklyn’s permanent head coaching job. That list begins with Mike Budenholzer, whose name is “at the tip of everyone’s tongue” in discussing possible candidates, according to Scotto.

Trade Rumors: Olynyk, Fontecchio, Celtics, Suns, Sixers, Lakers, More

The Jazz likely won’t be buyers at the trade deadline, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic, but the team could very well be active, with Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Clarkson, and Simone Fontecchio among the top candidates to be dealt.

Jones classifies Clarkson as the least likely player in that trio to be on the move by Thursday’s trade deadline, writing that Olynyk has generated widespread interest among playoff contenders due to his expiring contract and offensive versatility. As for Fontecchio, the forward has generated serious interest from the Celtics and Suns, Jones reports. Those two clubs have limited salary-matching pieces, so Fontecchio’s $3MM cap hit makes him an ideal target.

According to Brian Robb of MassLive.com, the Celtics actually have interest in multiple Jazz players. Robb confirms Fontecchio is a target and suggests the club is eyeing Olynyk and Kris Dunn as well. Olynyk is likely a long shot due to his $12.2MM cap hit, which would be impossible for Boston to match without packaging several players; Dunn’s $2.6MM salary represents a better fit.

Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) is hearing from sources that it would be surprising if the Celtics don’t make a deadline deal. However, it’s most likely to be a relatively minor move for a player who would essentially provide injury insurance, Himmelsbach says.

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

  • Despite the fact that they’ll be without Joel Embiid for at least a month or two as he recovers from knee surgery, the Sixers continue to operate as buyers in advance of the trade deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski said during a Tuesday appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). Philadelphia is exploring the market for centers, per Wojnarowski, hoping to find a big man who can fill in for Embiid and help the team maintain its hold on a playoff spot in the East.
  • Sam Amick of The Athletic takes a look at the Lakers‘ ongoing pursuit of guard Dejounte Murray, confirming previous reports stating that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has advocated for the team to hang onto the former All-Star and that an agreement may ultimately hinge on Atlanta’s ability to flip D’Angelo Russell to a third team.
  • Within that same Athletic story, Amick says a high-ranking Lakers official “scoffed” at the idea that the club would ever consider trading LeBron James and cites team sources who say the franchise would “strongly prefer” for LeBron to ultimately retire as a Laker. With that in mind, Los Angeles’ desire to keep James happy is a factor to consider as the club weighs potential moves at the trade deadline, Amick notes.
  • Although Nic Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, the Nets would have to be blown away by an offer to consider moving him at this week’s deadline, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Sources tell Begley that Brooklyn wants Claxton on its roster going forward and will be aggressive about trying to re-sign him in the offseason.

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

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.