McKinnie Assigned To 905
- The Raptors assigned Alfonzo McKinnie to their G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, in advance of today’s game against the Wisconsin Herd, the G League affiliate announced in a press release. McKinnie has averaged 1.3 points per game in 10 contests with the Raptors so far this season.
Dwane Casey Has Earned Respect Around The League
- Dwane Casey sometimes gets overlooked in discussions about the NBA’s best coaches, but he has a strong reputation around the league, notes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Casey has the Raptors in second place in the East and is one win away from being named head coach of the team captained by LeBron James in the All-Star Game. “They’ve been building this for a long time, since he won a championship in Dallas and he became the head coach here,” Kevin Durant said recently. “He changed the culture and they play extremely hard. He’s a great coach. I’m glad he’s still here. I’m glad he’s still pushing. They’re one of the best teams in the league.”
Five Potential Buyers Without 2018 First-Round Picks
As the February 8 trade deadline approaches, many potential sellers around the NBA will be looking to get their hands on 2018 draft picks. Those picks are the simplest way for contending teams to upgrade their rosters without sacrificing a key rotation player or two of their own, and they’re coveted by rebuilding clubs looking to stockpile assets or add cheap young talent.
A year ago, six first-round picks were moved in trades within the last two weeks before the trade deadline. One of those picks was heavily protected and ultimately turned into two second-rounders, but the others resulted in players like Zach Collins, Harry Giles, Jarrett Allen, and Tony Bradley in the 2017 draft.
Although ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link) hears that that some league-wide reluctance to deal first-round picks for a quick fix, I expect to see at least one or two first-rounders change hands again this season. However, several contending teams have already moved their 2018 first-rounders.
The Ted Stepien rule also prevents those clubs from trading their 2019 first-round picks, which means that a 2020 selection is the earliest first-rounder they could dangle in trade talks. A pick that far down the road still has value, but it may not appeal to some sellers looking to accelerate their rebuilds or add talent for next year.
Here’s a look at five contending teams without 2018 first-round picks, with a breakdown of how the absence of a first-rounder could impact potential plans of a roster upgrade at the deadline:
Houston Rockets
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Los Angeles Clippers (top-3 protected) in deal for Chris Paul. The Clippers subsequently traded the pick to the Hawks.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2020. Since there are protections on their traded 2018 first-rounder, the Rockets could only trade their 2020 pick conditionally. However, a team acquiring that 2020 pick could be confident that it won’t be delayed, since the 2018 pick will definitely change hands this year.
- Potential impact: The Rockets look like a fairly well-rounded squad already, so the team may simply look to make an upgrade or two around the edges of its roster at the deadline. If that’s the case, no longer being able to put that 2018 first-round on the table shouldn’t be a problem.
Miami Heat
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Phoenix Suns (top-7 protected) in deal for Goran Dragic.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2023. In addition to their 2021 pick, the Heat also sent their 2021 first-rounder to Phoenix in the Dragic trade, essentially tying up their first-round picks for the next several years.
- Potential impact: The Heat haven’t been the subject of any major trade rumors, though they’ll always keep an eye out for potential stars to target. If they make an unexpected splash at this year’s deadline, they’ll probably have to use players like Hassan Whiteside and/or Justise Winslow as their key trade chips, rather than draft picks.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Phoenix Suns (top-10 protected and 17-30 protected) in deal for Eric Bledsoe.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2020. The unusual protections on the pick sent to the Suns mean that it may not change hands until as late as 2021, so the Bucks would only be able to trade their 2020 pick conditionally. Any team acquiring that 2020 first-round pick would have to be prepared for the possibility that it could end up becoming a 2022 or 2023 first-rounder instead.
- Potential impact: The Bucks are reportedly in the market for an impact center such as DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers, but their inflexibility with future first-round picks figures to complicate that hunt. In lieu of a first-rounder, Milwaukee could offer someone like Malcolm Brogdon or Jabari Parker.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Utah Jazz (top-14 protected) in deal for Enes Kanter. The Jazz subsequently traded the pick to the Timberwolves.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2022. The Thunder have also traded away their 2020 first-rounder, which is top-20 protected, so their ’22 pick can only be moved conditionally. That leaves the club with essentially no first-round assets for now.
- Potential impact: The Thunder would benefit from a deal like the one the Wizards made at the deadline last season for Bojan Bogdanovic — adding a productive sixth or seventh man in exchange for a first-round pick and a bad contract (like Kyle Singler‘s) would make the club’s roster more dangerous and well-rounded. Without a first-rounder to dangle in trade talks though, it’s harder to see OKC’s path to that sort of upgrade.
Toronto Raptors
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Brooklyn Nets (top-14 protected) in DeMarre Carroll salary dump.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2020. Technically, the pick sent to Brooklyn is protected, so the 2020 pick would need to be moved conditionally. But that 2018 first-rounder will change hands this year, so a team acquiring Toronto’s 2020 pick would know it wouldn’t be delayed.
- Potential impact: A year ago, the Raptors were more than willing to part with draft picks at the deadline, sending a first-rounder to Orlando for Serge Ibaka and a pair of second-rounders to Phoenix for P.J. Tucker. With no 2018 selections in their arsenal, the Raps aren’t as well-equipped to address a need this time around, which makes them less likely to complete a deal.
Raptors May Not Address Problems Through Trades
- The Raptors have a legitimate chance to land the top seed in the East, but they still have problems that might not be fixable before the trade deadline, according to Michael Grange of SportsNet. Toronto ranks 26th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage, Norman Powell has nearly fallen out of the rotation and the offense relies on DeMar DeRozan as much as ever. An extra shooter or two would help, but Grange expects the team to focus on the players already on the roster rather than go after a short-term addition.
Seven Atlantic Trade Candidates To Watch
The NBA trade deadline is just two and a half weeks away, and there’s no shortage of players around the league who could change teams. With that in mind, we’re taking a closer look at some of those top trade candidates, breaking them down by division.
While our focus will be primarily on teams expected to be sellers at the deadline, our lists may also include some players on contenders who could be used as trade chips when those teams look to make upgrades.
So far, we’ve covered the Southeast and Southwest. We’re examining the Atlantic Division today, so let’s dive in and identify seven players who could be on the move on or before February 8…
Courtney Lee, G/F (Knicks): Lee’s cap hit for this season is $11.75MM, and it will jump to $12MM+ for the following two seasons. That’s not great, especially since he’s already 32 years old, but there are many players with similar skill sets around the NBA who cost more. And many of those more expensive players aren’t knocking down shots as effectively as Lee is — his 13.6 PPG and .434 3PT% are career bests, and he has been the league’s best free throw shooter (.965 FT%). If the Knicks‘ recent slide continues and the club falls further out of the playoff picture in the East, Lee looks like a prime trade candidate — expensive enough that clearing his contract from the books would help the Knicks in the long term, but affordable and productive enough that he’d draw interest from contenders.- Willy Hernangomez, C (Knicks): After a promising rookie campaign in 2016/17, Hernangomez has been turned into a benchwarmer this season due to New York’s logjam at center. While the Carmelo Anthony trade has turned out well for the Knicks as a team, the arrival of Enes Kanter in that deal has reduced Hernangomez’s role significantly, and the second-year big man would likely welcome a deal if it means he’ll see more minutes. The Knicks have reportedly received some calls on Hernangomez, but the former second-rounder is still just 23 years old and is on a very team-friendly deal. In other words, Steve Mills and Scott Perry aren’t just going to give him away.
- Kyle O’Quinn, C (Knicks): Rather than moving Hernangomez, the Knicks would probably like to find a taker for O’Quinn, who is a little older (28 in March) and a little more expensive ($4.09MM cap hit). O’Quinn doesn’t have Hernangomez’s upside, but the veteran center is posting career highs in several categories, including PPG (6.9), RPG (5.8), and FG% (.596). His $4.26MM player option for 2018/19 won’t appeal to clubs looking to keep their books as clean as possible next season, but it may not be a deal-breaker for some potential suitors. O’Quinn isn’t the answer for a team seeking an impact player in the middle, but he could be a decent investment for a team that just needs a little more depth up front.
- DeMarre Carroll, F (Nets): Carroll’s contract was viewed as so toxic during the 2017 offseason that the Raptors had to accept Justin Hamilton‘s unwanted contract and attach a first-round pick and a second-round pick to get the Nets to take it on. With just a year and a half now left on Carroll’s deal, it looks a little more palatable these days, especially since the veteran forward has been more effective in Brooklyn than he ever was in Toronto. Carroll is averaging career bests in PPG (13.0) and RPG (6.8), and while his shooting line (.409/.346/.773) still probably isn’t as high as the Nets would like, the 31-year-old has been a solid rotation player this season. His cap hit ($14.8MM) may make it difficult to deal him unless the Nets take back another undesirable contract, but Carroll’s trade value isn’t nearly as negative as it was just six months ago.
- Amir Johnson, F/C (Sixers): The Sixers‘ unusual 2017 free agent strategy saw the team overpay a pair of veterans to avoid having to commit to them for more than one year. The 76ers are getting what they hoped for from sharpshooter J.J. Redick, who is once again knocking down more than 40% of his three-point attempts, but Johnson has been somewhat underwhelming. With multiple options ahead of him at both power forward and center, Johnson is scraping out minutes where he can, but his 15.5 minutes per game are the least he has played since 2008/09. While Philadelphia presumably values Johnson’s veteran leadership in the locker room, his $11MM expiring contract would make sense as a trade chip if the club looks to make a move at the deadline.
- Jonas Valanciunas, C (Raptors): Valanciunas’ situation is similar to the one Ryan Anderson finds himself in for the Rockets, which we discussed last week. Both players are on lucrative contracts despite being unplayable against certain lineups — they were also both frequently mentioned in offseason trade rumors as their teams explored upgrades. As we noted when we discussed Anderson, once he stayed put through the offseason, he became less likely to be moved during the season. That’s also the case for Valanciunas, who continues to start for the Raptors despite averaging a career-low 21.0 MPG. If Toronto makes a deadline splash, Valanciunas looks like the most logical outgoing piece, but I’m not counting on that splash.
- The Celtics’ $8.4MM disabled player exception: It’s almost certainly cheating to include the Celtics‘ DPE here in place of a player, but the fact is that if Boston makes a deal, it seems more likely to involve this exception than any one player. Only three Celtics players – Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Gordon Hayward – are earning more than the $8.4MM this disabled player exception is worth, and those three players are extremely unlikely to be moved at the deadline. The Celtics also still have nearly $10MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line, meaning the team can afford to use its DPE to take on a player without sending out any salary in return. The fact that the DPE can only be used on a player with an expiring contract limits Boston’s options somewhat, but the team would still probably rather use the exception than surrender a rotation player or two in a trade.
Here are a few more potential Atlantic trade candidates to monitor:
- Spencer Dinwiddie, PG (Nets): Dinwiddie has been a revelation for the Nets and he’s on a minimum salary contract through 2018/19. The club could sell high on him, with D’Angelo Russell penciled in as the point guard of the future, but I’d still be somewhat surprised to see him moved.
- Joe Harris, F (Nets): Another sell-high candidate for Brooklyn, Harris has made 38.7% of his three-point attempts with the Nets and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Joakim Noah, C (Knicks): The Knicks would certainly rather move Noah than either of the two centers listed above, but his contract will make it virtually impossible.
- Jerryd Bayless, G (Sixers): While Bayless has been a solid rotation piece for the Sixers, getting his $8.58MM salary for 2018/19 off the books might be a smart long-term play.
- Lucas Nogueira, C (Raptors): Nogueira has fallen behind Jakob Poeltl on the Raptors‘ depth chart and will be a restricted free agent this summer. If another team wants to roll the dice on him, he could probably be had.
- Bruno Caboclo, F (Raptors): The same goes for Caboclo, a former first-round pick and a 2018 RFA-to-be who hasn’t developed like the Raptors hoped.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Raptors Unlikely To Make Deadline Trade
Despite the rough stretch, the Celtics still have the best record in their conference at 34-13, two games ahead of the Raptors.
- The Raptors have Kyle Lowry back on track and with the team still in prime position in the East, it’s unlikely the team makes a deadline trade, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes.
2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Toronto Raptors
Last summer, the Raptors made the decision to commit to the core that powered them to four consecutive playoff berths. As a result, the organization is somewhat financially handcuffed for the foreseeable future.
Given such financial constraints – the team already has $126MM on its books for 2018/19 – Toronto will need continue to rely heavily on the starters that the roster has been built around.
That said, a conscious decision to speed up the game has helped the team show signs of growth in other areas, and in addition to an impressive starting five, the Raps suddenly boast one of the more intriguing second units in the league.
While many of Toronto’s key rotation players are under team control through 2018/19 and beyond, not all of them are, and retaining each and every one of them may prove difficult.
Fred VanVleet, PG, 24 (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $1.8MM deal in 2016
The undrafted guard out of Wichita State has proved to be one of the driving factors behind Toronto’s impressive second unit. His ability to handle the offense and knock down threes has helped facilitate the Raps’ transition from an iso-heavy squad to one that swings the ball and gets everybody involved. While VanVleet may have been the team’s No. 3 point guard to start the season, early returns from 2017/18 show that there is plenty of room in the rotation for both VanVleet and Delon Wright. For tax reasons, don’t expect the Raps to break the bank for the restricted free agent, but it’s a safe bet that the sharpshooter will land a bigger deal than his first NBA contract. Even if that doesn’t happen in Toronto.
Bruno Caboclo, SF, 22 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $7MM deal in 2014
Toronto’s famously raw project hasn’t quite shown the growth that members of the team’s front office hoped they’d see when they inexplicably drafted him with their 2014 first-round pick. Caboclo remains as tantalizing a physical prospect as any, but hasn’t even reached a point where he can thrive in the G League on a consistent basis. There may still be some glimmer of promise in the 22-year-old out of Brazil, but again, the Raps may not want to venture further into luxury tax territory to chase it.
Lucas Nogueira, C, 25 (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $8.5MM deal in 2014
While he may have a ceiling as a high-energy reserve, Nogueira’s length and athleticism can be a plus for team’s looking to add cheap frontcourt depth. Nogueira will be a restricted free agent in the summer and could well find a team interested in taking a flyer on him. In that scenario, it won’t be hard for opposing teams to outbid the Raptors, especially considering that they’ve had success with Jakob Poeltl serving as the team’s primary backup big.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Nets, DeRozan, Burke, Knicks
Markelle Fultz has missed almost 40 games this season as he’s battled a phantom shoulder injury that has taken away his ability to shoot the ball. While Fultz is practicing with the team, he is still a long way from making a return and the situation has head coach Brett Brown confused, per ESPN.
Fultz shot 50% from the field in his lone college season; he impressed the Sixers so much that the team traded up to draft him first overall in last year’s draft. However, a muscular imbalance in the shoulder hampered Fultz’s shot so much that he did not even attempt a three-point shot while healthy. Brown said he has “never experienced anything like this” but that Philadelphia is dedicated to helping Fultz find his stroke.
“It’s reclaiming the shot that he used to have,” Brown said. “The timeline of when that happens, none of us know. But I feel like there is discomfort in his shoulder and it does affect his shot.”
In four games this season, Fultz averaged 6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.8 APG while shooting 33% from the field.
Check out other Atlantic Division notes below:
- Jahlil Okafor and D’Angelo Russell, two of the first three overall picks in the 2015 NBA Draft, are with the Nets organization now and general manager Sean Marks is impressed with their maturity. As Net Income at NetsDaily writes, Marks spoke to WFAN recently gave a glowing review of the organization and how it has helped its young players get acclimated.
- Raptors star DeMar DeRozan was fined $15,000 for public criticism of the league’s officiating, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
- Trey Burke played just eight minutes of the Knicks‘ win over the Nets on Monday but his impact was noticeable, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Burke lit up the G League with the Knicks’ affiliate and showed glimpses of the player who was the ninth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
- In a separate story, Berman of the New York Post examines the Knicks‘ potential strategy as the trade deadline nears. At 20-24, the Knicks are currently three games out of the eighth playoff spot. A strong run could put the team in playoff position but head coach Jeff Hornacek has repeatedly stated the developing the young players comes before worrying about the playoffs. Berman notes that if the Knicks sell, their main priority will be clearing up the logjam at center that features four capable players (Enes Kanter, Kyle O’Quinn, Willy Hernangomez, and Joakim Noah).
Eastern Rumors: Magic, Mirotic, Parker, Simmons
The Magic will likely be in firesale mode approaching the trade deadline, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. Rival executives expect Orlando, which has sunk to the bottom of the conference standings, to shop guards Evan Fournier and Elfrid Payton and swingman Mario Hezonja, Stein adds. Fournier is signed through the 2020/21 season at $17MM annually. Payton can become a restricted free agent in the summer, while Hezonja will be an unrestricted free agent after the team declined to pick up his fourth-year option in October.
In other items regarding the Eastern Conference:
- Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic is now eligible to be dealt and admitted to reporters, including ESPN’s Nick Friedell, that he’s motivated by the trade chatter. He signed a two-year, $27MM contract in September that includes a team option for next season. That made him ineligible to be moved until mid-January. “This is kind of some motivation for me,” he said. “I know it sounds weird. But people are talking, ‘OK, Niko be gone’ and ‘Bye bye, Niko’ or whatever. But for me, it’s OK, just do what you’ve got to do. Play well and try to do your best until the last day and not be distracted.”
- Bucks forward Jabari Parker believes he’ll make his season debut before the All-Star break, he told Scott Grodsky of CBS 58 in Milwaukee. Parker tore his ACL in February, his second major knee injury since entering the league. Parker, who was assigned to the Bucks’ G League affiliate on Monday to continue his rehab, is targeting “the first two weeks before the All-Star game. It’s probably in that area.”
- Sixers rookie Ben Simmons vows he won’t back down from a challenge, according to an Associated Press report. Simmons and the Raptors’ Kyle Lowry were ejected during the closing seconds on Monday after an altercation. Simmons believes that veteran opponents are trying to intimidate him. “I don’t know if they’re trying to test me or see how I am on the court, but I won’t play around,” he said.
Nikola Mirotic, 15 Others Become Trade-Eligible
Today is January 15, which means that trade restrictions have lifted for most of the rest of the NBA’s 2017 offseason signees. While the majority of those ’17 free agents became trade-eligible on December 15, there was a small subset of free agent signees whose trade ineligibility lasted for another month.
The 16 players whose trade restrictions lift today meet a specific set of criteria: Not only did they re-sign with their previous teams this offseason, but they received raises of at least 20%, their salaries are worth more than the minimum, and their teams were over the cap, using Bird or Early Bird rights to sign them.
The most notable name in this group is Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic. He’s not the best player on the list — Blake Griffin and Kyle Lowry would be among those vying for that honor. But Mirotic is the most likely player to be dealt out of the 16 guys becoming trade-eligible today. He has been linked to a handful of teams already, including the Jazz, Pistons, and Trail Blazers.
Here are the 16 players becoming trade-eligible today:
- Cristiano Felicio (Bulls)
- JaMychal Green (Grizzlies)
- Blake Griffin (Clippers)
- Jrue Holiday (Pelicans)
- Serge Ibaka (Raptors)
- Andre Iguodala (Warriors)
- Joe Ingles (Jazz)
- Kyle Korver (Cavaliers)
- Shaun Livingston (Warriors)
- Kyle Lowry (Raptors)
- Patty Mills (Spurs)
- Nikola Mirotic (Bulls)
- Note: Any trade involving Mirotic requires his approval.
- Mason Plumlee (Nuggets)
- Otto Porter (Wizards)
- Note: Any trade involving Porter requires his approval.
- Andre Roberson (Thunder)
- Tony Snell (Bucks)
With three and a half weeks left until this season’s February 8 trade deadline, nearly all of the NBA’s players are now eligible to be dealt. The only players still ineligible to be moved are those who signed free agent contracts later than October 15, plus certain players who signed contract extensions in the offseason.
Hawks guard Isaiah Taylor (January 17), Nuggets forward Richard Jefferson (January 19), and Pelicans guard Jameer Nelson (January 22) are now the only remaining players who will become trade-eligible between today and February 8. For the full list of players who won’t become trade-eligible before this year’s deadline, click here.