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Trade Rumors: Muhammad, Raptors, Collison, Mavs

February 23rd, 2017 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves are “determined” to move Shabazz Muhammad today and hope to land a draft pick in return, reports TNT’s David Aldridge (via Twitter). One report earlier today suggested that Minnesota might attach Muhammad to Ricky Rubio, but Aldridge is unsure if Muhammad would be included in a potential Rubio/Derrick Rose swap.

Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) has heard that Raptors players would like to see the team acquire Suns forward P.J. Tucker, in the hopes of getting someone capable of defending LeBron James in the postseason.
Darren Collison, who is on an expiring contract, is drawing interest from many teams, but the Kings are holding firm on their asking price of a first-round pick, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. An earlier report identified the Bucks as a potential Collison suitor, but Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) says Milwaukee hasn’t engaged in talks with the Kings.
Now that they’ve found a taker for Andrew Bogut, the Mavericks have shifted their focus to a possible Deron Williams deal, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
The Wizards are exploring the market for a possible deal for a point guard, sources tell Kyler (Twitter link).
The Warriors aren’t active today, and figure to focus on the buyout market if they want to bolster their bench, according to Kyler (Twitter link).

Trade Rumors: KCP, OKC, Afflalo, Knight, Ezeli

February 23rd, 2017 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

While the Pistons have been open to listening to inquiries on anyone, few – if any – players on their roster have received as much interest as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Speaking to reporters, including Rod Beard of The Detroit News, Stan Van Gundy confirmed that KCP’s future has been one of the main topics discussed as of late by the Pistons, who will have to make a big long-term commitment to the shooting guard this summer if they keep him.

“That’s something you have to make decisions about and deal with. I’m not getting into specifics at this point, but that has been a significant part of what we’ve talked about,” Van Gundy said of the RFA-to-be. “He was probably the most urgent decision because of that and the money coming and what it means in terms of the cap and the (luxury) tax. We’ve talked about it internally and we’ve talked about it with (team owner) Tom (Gores). We know exactly what’s coming and we’re making informed decisions.”

Here are several more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Thunder are being aggressive as the trade deadline nears, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who adds Doug McDermott to the list of players on Oklahoma City’s radar. OKC was linked to another Bulls forward – Taj Gibson – earlier today.
League executives believe the Kings will move Arron Afflalo today, says Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee adds (via Twitter) that Afflalo is more likely to be dealt than Ben McLemore, who has impressed some people within the organization lately. Afflalo has been linked to Indiana and Oklahoma City this week.
Brandon Knight wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, but the Suns have set their asking price too high in the past in talks with the Magic, Kings, Sixers, and Bulls, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. As Amick observes, it remains to be seen whether that will change today.
The Trail Blazers continue to try to find a taker for Festus Ezeli‘s contract, per ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Although Bucks general manager John Hammond likes to make trades, league executives say Milwaukee has been “low key” in trade talks this week, according to Jeff Zilgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
The Cavaliers continue to work on deals that could fortify their roster, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team ultimately rely on the buyout market instead, tweets Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.

Deveney’s Latest: Tucker, Favors, Gallinari, Anthony

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:49am CST by Dana Gauruder

P.J. Tucker‘s expiring, affordable contract makes him the player most likely to be dealt before today’s trade deadline, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The Suns are holding out for a first-round pick for the veteran small forward, even if it’s a future first-rounder that they can use down the road as an asset, Deveney continues. The Jazz, Celtics, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Hawks and Bulls have all shown interest in Tucker, giving the Suns hope they can get a first-round pick for him, Deveney adds.

Deveney touched on a number of other players who could be wearing a different uniform by the end of the day:

Luxury-tax concerns have the Jazz exploring the market for power forward Derrick Favors. Rudy Gobert‘s extension kicks in next season and Utah is hopeful of re-signing Gordon Hayward in the likelihood he opts out of the final year of his current contract this summer. That makes Favors expendable but his nagging knee injury has tempered the market for him.
Danilo Gallinari is drawing more interest on the market than fellow Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler. Denver is seeking a first-rounder for either player but Gallinari’s ability to opt out of his contract after the season makes it more difficult for the Nuggets to get value for him.
Carmelo Anthony is likely to stay put unless Knicks president Phil Jackson can revive talks with the Clippers. Jackson is also trying to deal free agents he signed last summer — Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah — for draft picks.
The Hawks, Hornets and Bucks have shown interest in point guard Darren Collison as the Kings continue their latest rebuild in the wake of the DeMarcus Cousins blockbuster.
The Bulls, Pacers and possibly the Mavericks are still in play as potential suitors for Sixers power forward Jahlil Okafor but Philadelphia is not determined to move him unless it gets the right package.
The Mavericks are hopeful of getting a first-rounder for either Andrew Bogut or Deron Williams but may be willing to settle for a couple of second-rounders.

Kings In Mix For Jahlil Okafor?

February 23rd, 2017 at 1:21am CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest rumor notebook for HoopsHype, Alex Kennedy writes that rival executives believe Sixers big man Jahlil Okafor is much more likely to be moved at the deadline than Nets center Brook Lopez. Kennedy notes that Okafor has received interest from the Kings, while Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer says the Lakers could be in the mix for Okafor. In a non-trade item, Kennedy also adds the Heat to the list of potential suitors for veteran free agent Larry Sanders.

Western Notes: Mavs, Kings, Wolves, Jazz

February 22nd, 2017 at 9:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

We’re less than 17 hours away from the trade deadline. While we wait to see what unfolds, check out some notes and rumors out of the Western Conference:

Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut are rumored to be on the move and the Mavericks held both of them out of practice today, Earl K. Sneed of Fox Sports relays via Twitter. “With the trade deadline tomorrow, you can read a lot into that,” coach Rick Carlisle said.
If the Mavericks make a deal involving Williams or Bogut, it’s likely to occur right before Thursday’s deadline, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. The team is looking for picks in the upcoming draft in exchange for their veterans.
The Kings are likely to move someone in their backcourt, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee tweets. Voisin hears that the Pacers have interest in acquiring Arron Afflalo.
The Jazz have had conversations with other teams regarding a Derrick Favors trade, but a source told Spencer Checketts of 1280 KZNS (Twitter link) that the team doesn’t view any offer as “even close” to being fair.
Wolves executive/coach Tom Thibodeau said the team is still looking at trade possibilities, but as of right now, he doesn’t see any deal that makes sense for the franchise, Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press writes. “If there’s something that makes sense that can make you better, then you take a look at it. If not, I’m happy with the team we have. I like the guys we have. I like the approach we have,” Thibodeau said.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said Chris Paul has been medically cleared to return to the court and he may play as early as Thursday, Andrew Han of ESPN.com relays.

Latest On The Pistons, Drummond, Caldwell-Pope

February 22nd, 2017 at 8:36pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pistons are “welcoming offers” for Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, according to Mark Stein of ESPN.com. It’s likely that Drummond stays with the franchise, as he’s beloved by owner Tom Gores, but the softened stance on the big man opens up the door on a potential trade.

The Blazers had discussions with the Pistons about bringing Drummond to Portland, but those talks ended when Detriot insisted on receiving C.J. McCollum in return, sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Stein notes that the Blazers view McCollum as untouchable.

Stein adds that the Raptors and Pistons have had exploratory conversations on Drummond. Detroit has also engaged in conversations with the Nets. Before DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the Pelicans, the Pistons discussed a deal with the Kings centered around a Cousins-Drummond swap.

Drummond signed a max contract with the team over the summer. Caldwell-Pope will be a restricted after the season and the team is reportedly wary about having to give the shooting guard a sizable deal. Stein notes that the team is looking for at least one first-rounder in exchange for KCP.

If the Pistons hold onto Caldwell-Pope and re-sign him to a max deal in the offseason, they would be near the luxury tax line. That’s not an attractive position to be in for a team that sits below .500. However, coach/executive Stan Van Gundy tells Vince Ellis of the Detriot Free Press that ownership has not issued any mandate to shed salary this season.

Pacers Rumors: George, Afflalo, Crabbe, Davis

February 22nd, 2017 at 2:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The latest Woj Bomb from Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical is a report suggesting that the Pacers are gauging the trade market for Paul George. Wojnarowski’s story hardly guarantees that George will be on the move in the next 24 hours, but after we heard for most of the season that the Pacers wouldn’t even consider a trade, it now appears that the team is a little more open to the possibility.

With that in mind, here are a few of the latest Pacers-related notes and rumors:

George met with Pacers owner Herb Simon in recent days and said he’d love to remain with the Pacers for the long term, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. However, that stance came with a caveat, says Amick — Indiana needs to be capable of contending for a title if George is going to stay. As Amick explains, that’s why the Pacers need to decide very soon whether to be aggressive in fortifying the roster around George or whether to move him and rebuild.
The Lakers are considered a potential landing spot for George in free agency in 2018, but Amick writes that L.A. may not want to wait that long. New president of basketball operations Magic Johnson is already in the process of trying to land the Pacers forward, per Amick.
Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net confirms (via Twitter) that Magic Johnson plans to call the Pacers about George before the deadline, and the two heads of basketball operations in Indiana and Los Angeles already know one another pretty well. In the view of Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star (via Twitter), the fact that new George rumors have surfaced shortly after Johnson’s hiring in L.A. is “not a coincidence.”
Despite the Lakers‘ interest in George, Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times and Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter links) downplay the likelihood of the team going all-in for him at this point.
If the Pacers don’t move George and look to upgrade their roster, there are a number of options in play for the club. Amick identifies Jahlil Okafor, Arron Afflalo, Allen Crabbe, and Ed Davis as players that Larry Bird has inquired on as the deadline nears. We heard about Indiana’s Okafor talks on Tuesday.

Trade Rumors: Knicks, C. Lee, Raptors, Collison

February 22nd, 2017 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

As of this afternoon, Carmelo Anthony still hasn’t been approached by Knicks management about any trade scenarios, and reiterated that he expects to remain in New York through the deadline, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. However, even if Anthony stays put, the Knicks could look to move a veteran player or two. Derrick Rose‘s name has surfaced in several rumors this week, and Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders makes a case for why New York should send him to the Timberwolves for Ricky Rubio. Elsewhere at Basketball Insiders, Steve Kyler reports that veteran guard Courtney Lee is believed to be available.

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

The Raptors remain in the market for a big small forward or a wing who can shoot, sources tell Josh Lewenberg of TSN 1050 (Twitter link). Lewenberg suggests that Toronto could dangle Jared Sullinger‘s expiring contract, a point guard, and a draft pick as the team searches for a deal.
In the wake of the DeMarcus Cousins trade, Kings point guard Darren Collison told reporters that he has spoken to Vlade Divac and the Sacramento GM said there are no plans to trade Collison (video link via ABC10). Given how Divac and the Kings dealt with Cousins, it’s probably fair to take those assurances with a grain of salt.
Speaking of that Cousins deal, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post provides some additional details on the first-round pick sent to the Kings in the swap. According to Bontemps (Twitter link), if the Pelicans keep the top-three protected pick in 2017, it will become protected only for the No. 1 overall pick in 2018.

DeMarcus Cousins Talks Trade, Kings, Davis

February 22nd, 2017 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

In his introductory press conference today, new Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins told reporters that he still hasn’t spoken to anyone from the Kings since the trade sending him to New Orleans was made (Twitter link). According to Cousins, Sacramento general manager Vlade Divac attempted to call Cousins after the deal was finalized, but Cousins said “it’s done” (Twitter link via Justin Verrier of ESPN.com).

As Cousins explained to the media today, the hardest part about being traded was the “dishonesty” with which the Kings operated (Twitter link via Verrier). Sacramento had vowed multiple times, both publicly and privately, that Cousins wouldn’t be going anywhere this season, and it’s rare for a team to make that sort of promise to a player, then do an abrupt about-face.

Still, Cousins said today that he’s “all-in” on the Pelicans, though he wouldn’t yet comment on the possibility of signing an extension with the team (Twitter link via Ben Golliver of SI.com). Cousins is technically eligible to sign an extension now, though he could get more years and dollars beginning in July, when the new CBA goes into effect. Of course, by changing teams, he’ll miss out on an opportunity to sign a designated veteran extension with Sacramento, reducing his maximum possible earnings by about $30MM.

Cousins, who referred to himself and Anthony Davis as a “fire and ice” combination, said that he tried to sell the former No. 1 overall pick on Sacramento earlier this month when the Kings played the Pelicans (Twitter link via Golliver). Davis returned the favor, sending a text that said “I really want you to come to New Orleans” before the two teams agreed to a trade on Sunday night, Cousins confirmed today (Twitter link).

Woj’s Latest: Bogdanovic, KCP, Butler, Sixers

February 22nd, 2017 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings still had four days to go before the 2017 trade deadline when they agreed to send DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans, but the team rushed to finalize the trade so that owner Vivek Ranadive wouldn’t change his mind about wanting to move the star center, Adrian Wojnarowski says in a podcast for The Vertical.

Both Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks were somewhat critical of the Kings, pointing out that the team should have been able to find a way to move Matt Barnes in the process of trading Cousins, rather than releasing him and eating his $6.4MM+ guaranteed salary for 2017/18. Wojnarowski also said that multiple free agents in recent years have used the Kings for leverage or turned down more money from Sacramento sign elsewhere, suggesting that the club needs to make good decisions and improve its reputation going forward.

The Vertical’s team, including Wojnarowski, Marks, and Chris Mannix, tackled many more topics within that podcast and a live chat with fans on Facebook, so let’s dive in and round up some of the highlights…

The Wizards don’t want to trade a first-round pick for a rental player, but the team does have “significant interest” in Nets sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. Wojnarowski also adds the Kings to the list of teams with real interest in Bogdanovic.
Although the Pistons “love” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, they’re hesitant about giving him a maximum salary contract in the offseason, so they have been open to listening to inquiries on him to gauge his value, says Wojnarowski. While Stan Van Gundy did say last month that no one on the roster is untouchable, a KCP deal seems like a long shot.
If the Bulls are going to consider moving Jimmy Butler, they’ll need to blown away by an offer, per Wojnarowski. Mannix adds that the Celtics believe Jaylen Brown has star potential and would be very reluctant to include him in an offer for Butler.
In recent weeks, the Sixers have shifted their focus from trading Nerlens Noel to trading Jahlil Okafor, but if the team doesn’t find a deal it likes for Okafor, Noel remains a trade candidate, says Wojnarowski. Although the Bulls have had “pretty consistent interest” in Okafor, Philadelphia continues to value him like a former third overall pick, and teams around the league are less bullish on his value, according to Woj.
The Rockets, Thunder, and Hawks are among the teams on the lookout for help. Mannix says Houston remains in the market for a frontcourt piece, while Wojnarowski says the Thunder are still seeking a wing scorer. Woj also notes that Atlanta is focused on building around Paul Millsap, despite the fact that he can opt out this summer.
The market for Nets center Brook Lopez is “really limited,” since the market is somewhat over-saturated with that type of player, says Wojnarowski.
The Clippers are reluctant to give up any more draft picks, particularly for rental players, so they’re a candidate to dive into the buyout market after the deadline, according to Wojnarowski, who adds that the club has had some interest in Wilson Chandler and Nikola Mirotic.
According to Wojnarowski, the Trail Blazers remain committed to Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum as core pieces, and are taking the long view on their roster rather than pushing for a playoff spot this season.