Raptors Among Suitors For Markieff Morris
The Raptors are among the teams interested in trading for Markieff Morris, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears, adding Morris to P.J. Tucker among the Suns whom Toronto is reportedly eyeing (Twitter link). Suns GM Ryan McDonough has said he’d like to make at least one trade before the February 18th deadline, and according to Stein, people around the league view the Suns as a lock to do just that. Morris has been the most prominent trade candidate all season long for Phoenix, but though it’s a matter of when, not if, the Suns will trade him, as rival executives told Stein recently, the Suns are holding out for a strong return amid a slow market for the power forward, Stein wrote.
The Suns made Morris “very available” in December, and that apparently hasn’t changed despite a strong performance from him on Tuesday, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Twitter link). Suns interim coach Earl Watson said Tuesday that Morris will be the focal point of the Suns offense going forward, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, a stark contrast to earlier this season, when former coach Jeff Hornacek benched the former lottery pick and at times removed him from the rotation altogether. That situation reached a head when Morris threw a towel in Hornacek’s direction during a game, resulting in a two-game suspension. Feelings have been prickly surrounding Morris since his offseason trade demand, though he backed away from the demand at the start of training camp.
The Raptors have been starting 35-year-old Luis Scola at power forward, seemingly a signal that the team is in need of an upgrade at the position. Morris is in the first season of a four-year, $32MM extension he signed with Phoenix in 2014, so adding him without sending long-term salary commitments to Phoenix, or to another team in a more complex deal, would add to an already daunting burden for the years ahead. Toronto has nearly $70MM in guaranteed salary on next year’s books, not counting any money for soon-to-be free agent DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are friends of Morris, but a couple of other Raptors don’t speak as highly of him, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Morris engendered public antipathy with his trade demand, his high volume of technical fouls last season, and his legal troubles, which entail felony aggravated assault charges stemming from a January 2015 incident.
Phoenix has reportedly been targeting young players and draft picks lately in exchange for Morris, and the Raptors have recent first-round picks Lucas Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo, as well as an extra first-round pick for both this season and next. The Suns reportedly spoke with the Pelicans and Rockets about Morris trades earlier this season, and the Pistons are also reportedly interested.
What do you think a workable Morris trade between the Raptors and Suns would look like? Leave a comment to share your ideas.
Raptors Interested In P.J. Tucker
The Raptors are among the teams interested in trading for P.J. Tucker, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The small forward is making $5.5MM this season but only $1.5MM of his $5.3MM salary for next season is guaranteed. The Suns were reportedly putting off talks about Tucker as of last month while they waited to gauge their postseason chances, but Phoenix is a long shot for the playoffs at this point, 10 games behind eighth-place Portland.
Stein expects Phoenix will hold out for a “nice pick” in return for Tucker. The Raptors are slated for an extra first-round pick both this year and next. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has indicated that the team plans to unload the surplus of first-rounders at some point, but Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun reported that the Raptors have no intention of giving them up cheaply and aren’t interested in a stopgap player. However, that was before James Johnson underwent an MRI on Tuesday after suffering an ankle injury. Johnson was filling in at small forward for DeMarre Carroll, who remains at least a few weeks away from returning after right knee surgery.
The Suns are dealing with injury concerns of their own, as combo forward T.J. Warren went down with a season-ending injury this week, placing him on the shelf alongside Eric Bledsoe, who was already done for the year. Still, Tucker, who turns 31 in May, doesn’t quite epitomize a youthful building block, and the Suns have incentive to focus on young players and build for the future amid a season in which little has gone right for them.
Toronto’s interest in Tucker dates to at least the summer of 2014, when he was a free agent and re-signed with Phoenix, leading the Raptors to ink Johnson instead, notes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). Tucker was originally a draft pick of the Raptors in 2006, but that was long before Ujiri took charge of the front office.
What do you think the Suns should demand in return for Tucker? Share your thoughts.
And-Ones: Dunleavy, Thomas, Cameras, D-League
Mike Dunleavy Jr., who hasn’t played since undergoing offseason back surgery, could return before the All-Star break, according to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Proclaiming himself “pain free,” Dunleavy said he hopes to practice with Golden State’s D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, during the Bulls‘ road trip this week. “I feel good,” Dunleavy said. “I’m getting real close. I’m going to spend some time down there next week with the D-League team, some practices. Try to get a little more rhythm and repetition because obviously our team is playing too many games. Gotta get that done and then see where we’re at.” The veteran small forward added that he won’t rush to return and will only play when he’s sure his back is ready.
There’s more tonight from around the world of basketball:
- Tyrus Thomas, the No. 4 pick in the 2006 draft, has found peace while playing in Germany’s Bundesliga league, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Thomas has barely played in the NBA since Charlotte used the amnesty clause to unload his contract in 2013. He signed a 10-day deal with the Grizzlies last year, appearing in two games, and spent much of the season in the D-League. “My career didn’t end the way I wanted,” Thomas said. “But I’m not trying to make up for anything. I’m grateful with the way my career played out because I don’t think I would be the man that I am now if I wouldn’t have had the hardships that I had.”
- The NBA has isued an immediate ban on midcourt sideline television cameras, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The move was prompted by a minor injury to referee Scott Wall, who tripped over a cameraman during a January 21st game in Denver. LeBron James was involved in a similar incident during last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
- The Rockets have assigned K.J. McDaniels and Donatas Motiejunas to their D-League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, the team tweeted today. Both Motiejunas and the NBPA had to sign off on the move because he is a fourth-year veteran.
- The Raptors recalled Anthony Bennett and Bruno Caboclo from their D-League affiliate this evening, the team tweeted.
Atlantic Notes: DeRozan, Saric, Williams
DeMar DeRozan has been trying to silence his doubters since entering the NBA as the No. 9 overall pick in 2009, and the Raptors shooting guard readily admits to being motivated by any negativity he comes across, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca writes. “Man, there’s been so much stuff, honestly,” DeRozan told Lewenberg. “I could write a book [with] how much stuff was said. ‘He’ll just be an average player, he’ll never…’. There’s so many things you could start [with]. It’s crazy. But you can’t look at it and get sad or cry about it, you’ve got to use that as motivation. At the end of the day, the same people who probably said this, or whatever it was, you feel better knowing they’re eating their words. And that’s what it’s all about. You can’t get mad. I understand. I take all that frustration out when I’m working out in the summer, try to come back and prove everybody wrong.” DeRozan was recently added to the Eastern Conference’s 2016 NBA All-Star squad as a reserve.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- In his latest mailbag, Philadelphia magazine’s Derek Bodner opines that Sixers draft-and-stash prospect Dario Saric should make an immediate impact on the court if he indeed joins the NBA next season. Bodner pegs Saric’s role as the team’s sixth man and his creativity on offense is something the roster sorely needs. Saric has indicated that he intends to join Philadelphia for the 2016/17 campaign.
- Former Nets point guard Deron Williams is surprised at how quickly things turned south for the franchise after his departure, Andy Vasquez of The Record relays. “I figured they’d be a lot better,” Williams said regarding the Nets. “But I know they’ve struggled with some injuries and things like that that have definitely hurt them, and the coaching change and [former GM] Billy [King] getting let go, so there’s a lot of things going on over there right now.”
- Williams also noted that he didn’t expect the Nets would fire coach Lionel Hollins when they did, Vasquez adds. “I was a little surprised,” Williams said, “because Lionel’s only been there a year and a half. I thought he’d get a little bit more of a chance, but that’s the nature of this business. You see how things are going around the league, not just there. You look at — David Blatt got fired and he was supposed to be coaching the All-Star game, so it’s just the nature of this business.”
And-Ones: Snyder, Wiggins, Parsons
Jazz coach Quin Snyder isn’t focused on trade talk regarding his team and is instead concentrating on winning games, Jody Genessy of The Deseret Times relays (Twitter links). “I really like our group so much, so it’s easy for me to stay focused on the present,” Snyder told Genessy. The coach also noted that he’s “not in that world” where trade talk occurs, Genessy adds. “I’m more concerned about the guys we have,” the coach relayed. Utah has been “poking around” the trade market for a point guard recently, according to a recent report by Zach Lowe of ESPN.com.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Wolves camp cut Nick Wiggins, who is the older brother of Andrew Wiggins, has signed with the Canterbury Rams of Australia’s National Basketball League for the remainder of the season, the team has announced (h/t to Sportando). Wiggins had been playing for the Raptors‘ D-League affiliate and averaged 4.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10 appearances before the team waived him about a month ago.
- Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons can opt out of his current deal at the end of the season and become an unrestricted free agent, a move that Parsons is likely to make. Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link) predicts that Parsons will end up re-signing with Dallas on a four-year, approximately $80MM deal. The value of Parsons’ player option for 2016/17 is $16.023MM.
- Joe Johnson has looked like a rejuvenated player under Nets interim coach Tony Brown, Brian Lewis of The New York Post notes. “I enjoy the game of basketball, period,” Johnson said. “In the heat of the battle, in the game, we have our frustrations in the moment; but I enjoy playing. I love the game. I hate to lose, but unfortunately we’re in a tough situation. We’ve got to play, and make do with what we’ve got. If we put it all out there on the line, we can live with the results.’’
Atlantic Notes: Jackson, Fredette, McConnell
The Knicks will have to struggle to make it into the playoffs this season, but the league has come to view the franchise as one in the midst of a sturdy rebuild rather than one undergoing a messy collapse, writes Harvey Araton of The New York Times in his look at the current state of the team under executive Phil Jackson. The Times scribe points to the selection of Kristaps Porzingis in the 2015 NBA Draft as a watershed moment for the team, with the fanbase now viewing the rookie as the team’s potential savior rather than the aging Carmelo Anthony. Also counting as successes for Jackson are the offseason additions of Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams and Robin Lopez, who is a better fit for the team than original target Greg Monroe would have been, Araton adds.
Here’s more from out of the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks‘ reported signing of Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a 10-day deal instead of Jimmer Fredette, who plays for New York’s D-League affiliate, surprised some since the team had been evaluating the shooting guard for a potential roster spot, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. New York wasn’t enamored with Fredette’s defense, something that Antetokounmpo excels at, Berman adds. The Knicks also considered signing Tony Wroten, but preferred Antetokounmpo’s familiarity with the triangle offense instead, the Post scribe notes.
- This season’s version of the Raptors are superior to last season’s thanks to the improved bench, tougher team defense and the improved chemistry and roster cohesion, Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun writes. “I think it’s guys playing more years with each other, understanding what we want to do and more people buying into their roles,” is how James Johnson described the difference in this season’s team.
- Point guard T.J. McConnell has carved out a role for himself on the Sixers thanks to his toughness and unselfish play, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com writes. “I think he’s been pretty good from the get-go,” coach Brett Brown said of McConnell. “I feel like he’s starting to understand the rhythm of the game, the tempo of the game, who needs the ball, what plays should be called, defensive rotations, on-ball pick-and roll-defense. … He’s constantly in pick-and-rolls. He’s developed in a big way there.“
2016 NBA All-Star Game Reserves Announced
The NBA has officially announced the reserves for the 2016 All-Star game, which will be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Sunday, February 14th. The names of the reserves were first reported by Carron J. Phillips of The News Journal and confirmed by Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution (All four Twitter links). The starters for both conferences were announced last week, with Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard voted to tip off the exhibition in the West and LeBron James, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Kyle Lowry slated to represent the East.
While the starters are selected by the fans, reserves are chosen by the coaches in each conference, though they are not permitted to vote for players on their own team. Listed below are the reserves for the 2016 NBA All-Star game for each conference:
Eastern Conference
- Chris Bosh (F) — Heat
- Jimmy Butler (G/F) — Bulls
- DeMar DeRozan (G) — Raptors
- Andre Drummond (C) — Pistons
- Paul Millsap (F) — Hawks
- Isaiah Thomas (G) — Celtics
- John Wall (G) — Wizards
Western Conference
- LaMarcus Aldridge (F) — Spurs
- DeMarcus Cousins (C) — Kings
- Anthony Davis (F) — Pelicans
- Draymond Green (F) — Warriors
- James Harden (G) — Rockets
- Chris Paul (G) — Clippers
- Klay Thompson (G) — Warriors
Who was the biggest surprise among the All-Star reserves announced tonight? Share your thoughts with a comment.
And-Ones: Raptors, Holiday, Middleton, Asik, Draft
Attracting a major free agent to Toronto comes down to the team’s success on the court, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri believes, and Toronto is holding up its end of the bargain so far this year, as Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com examines. The Raptors are in second place in the Eastern Conference, thanks in part to a lineup of Kyle Lowry, Patrick Patterson, offseason signees Cory Joseph and Bismack Biyombo, and the recently extended Terrence Ross that outscores opponents by a whopping 32.6 points per 100 possessions, Arnovitz notes.
“It’s simple: Win,” Ujiri said. “If you have a good culture, you can attract free agents. We have a very unique opportunity here.”
See more on the Raptors amid the latest from around the NBA:
- Jrue Holiday has shown flashes of his peak form, and that’s perhaps partly because the Pelicans restricted his minutes earlier in the season as he recovered from a stress reaction in his right leg, writes Brett Dawson of The New Orleans Advocate. Would-be trade suitors have been “petrified” about Holiday’s leg issues, though the Pelicans are reluctant to deal him, as Zach Lowe of ESPN.com wrote this week. “I think it helped me mentally, for one, preparing mentally to feel good,” Holiday said of the minutes restriction, since lifted. “Not to second-guess myself if I’m making a cut or doing a move, especially when it comes to the point where I’m playing back-to-back and playing a lot of minutes. And physically, I do feel really good right now.”
- The five-year, $70MM deal that Bucks leading scorer Khris Middleton signed this past offseason is the NBA’s most trade-able contract, opines Keith Smith of RealGM, while Pelicans center Omer Asik‘s five-year pact worth nearly $53MM, also signed this past summer, is the league’s least trade-able deal, Smith writes in a follow-up piece.
- LSU combo forward Ben Simmons unsurprisingly tops the latest draft rankings from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, with Duke small forward Brandon Ingram second and Providence point guard Kris Dunn third.
- Raptors D-League power forward Ronald Roberts, who’s averaging 18.4 points in 34.4 minutes per game, tops the latest D-League prospect rankings.
And-Ones: Gasol, Mirotic, Bazemore
The latest indications coming out of Chicago are that the Bulls want to re-sign Pau Gasol this offseason rather than deal him prior to the trade deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. The Bulls have reportedly gauged the trade market for Gasol in discussions that have more often centered on Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Gasol possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17 and has said that he’s leaning toward opting out of his contract this summer. However, he did add that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season.
Here’s the latest from around the NBA:
- Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic was diagnosed with an acute appendicitis and underwent surgery earlier today, the team announced. The power forward is expected to be out until after the All-Star break.
- Hawks shooting guard Kent Bazemore is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Nuggets are one potential destination, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. Denver coach Michael Malone is familiar with Bazemore from their time spent together with the Warriors when Malone was an assistant, Dempsey notes. “I’m very proud of him,” Malone said of Bazemore. “He was a guy that when he was with us in Golden State, worked hard. Before practice, after practice, barely got a chance to play the year I was there but never dropped his head. He’s got a great work ethic and I think a great story for a lot of these young kids that want to come in the NBA — keep on working, get better.”
- The Raptors have recalled Lucas Nogueira and Norman Powell from their D-League affiliate and have assigned Anthony Bennett and Bruno Caboclo to the Raptors 905, the team announced (Twitter links).
- The Hawks have assigned center Edy Tavares to the D-League, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution relays (via Twitter). The big man will be assigned to the Austin Spurs since Atlanta does not possess its own affiliate. Tavares has been assigned to the Spurs‘ affiliate five times this season and the Cavs‘ once.
Atlantic Notes: Bradley, Wright, Nurse
Celtics shooting guard Avery Bradley says switching agents from Mitchell Butler of the Vanguard Sports Group and Dan Fegan of Relativity Sports to Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports was a “private matter,” adding that it wasn’t about trying to improve his brand or add endorsements, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe writes. “At the time I just felt like it was best for me,” Bradley told Washburn. “I play because God blessed me to play this game and that’s what I enjoy doing. Hopefully I can continue to keep playing at this high level and hopefully I can continue to be a better basketball player.”
The 25-year-old also told Washburn that he’s trying to lead the team’s younger players by setting the right example and hopes that they are taking notice. “It’s a blessing to be here and part of an organization like this. I just try to come in every single day and be professional and work as hard as I can,” Bradley said. “I feel like you can’t replace that. I try to let everyone know we’re all a team together from the strength and conditioning [coach] to trainer, I try to respect everybody. When I do little things like that it helps them see the importance of a team. Not just the players, but everybody.”
Here’s more regarding the Atlantic Division:
- The two players on the Nets who can benefit the most by the addition of shooting coach David Nurse are Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Markel Brown, opines Reed Wallach of NetsDaily. Other players whose outside shooting Brooklyn hopes the addition of Nurse will improve in the future are Chris McCullough, Sergey Karasev and draft-and-stash prospect Juan Pablo Vaulet, Wallach adds.
- The Raptors have recalled combo guard Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. In 12 games for the Raptors 905 this season Wright is averaging 18.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists while connecting on 52.7% of his field goal attempts.