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Trade Rumors: Wiggins, Warriors, Rockets, Ingram, Kings, Jazz

June 28th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

Andrew Wiggins is no longer in the mix for the Canadian national team this summer, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto (Twitter link), who says the Warriors are “playing hardball” with a player they are “looking to move.”

Wiggins was insured and medically cleared by Canada Basketball, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, but it sounds like the Warriors don’t want to risk his health during trade negotiations after he dealt with an ankle issue last season. While Grange says the veteran forward isn’t thrilled about the decision, Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link) refers to it as a mutual one.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Wiggins is one of several Warriors veterans who is considered a potential outgoing piece if Golden State makes a major deal. Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II fall into that category, as does Chris Paul, whose $30MM salary remains non-guaranteed for the time being. The Warriors’ decision on Paul’s non-guaranteed salary is due on Friday, but it’s possible the team will give him a partial guarantee in exchange for pushing back that deadline, says Fischer.

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

While some trade rumors earlier this week linked Kevin Durant to Houston, the Rockets are more interested in pursuing younger trade targets whose timeline matches up better with their core, according to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Amick and Slater name Suns guard Devin Booker, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as some players who would fit that bill for Houston, acknowledging that there’s no indication any of those players will be available this summer.
Exploring potential trade partners for the Pelicans and forward Brandon Ingram, Fischer mentions the Kings, Sixers, Hawks, and Cavaliers as possibilities. However, he says that Atlanta and New Orleans haven’t had substantive discussions since talking about Dejounte Murray in February, while Cleveland remains reluctant to part with any of its four core players, including potential Pels target Jarrett Allen. It’s also unclear how high Ingram ranks on Philadelphia’s list of possible targets, Fischer adds. Sacramento, meanwhile, has been in the market for help on the wing this offseason, though Fischer doesn’t explicitly say the Kings have talked to New Orleans about Ingram.
Although rival teams are expected to continue calling to register interest in Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz‘s goal continues to be extending the veteran forward and acquiring another star to complement him, Fischer writes. Adrian Wojnarowski expressed a similar sentiment during ESPN’s draft broadcast this week. Utah talked to the Hawks about Murray in February and also expressed interest in Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York, says Fischer.

Seeking Second Rounder For Right Price

June 26th, 2024 at 3:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers hold the No. 20 pick in tonight’s draft and currently don’t have another selection. However, they’re actively looking to get involved in Thursday’s second round, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor in a subscriber-only story. Sources tell Fedor that the Cavs have had numerous talks with each team holding a second-round pick to determine the cost of moving into Thursday’s portion of the draft. Cleveland’s own second-rounder is currently owned by the Pacers.

Fischer’s Latest: Draft Rumors, Marshall, Young, Kings, Topic, Knicks, Lowry

June 26th, 2024 at 7:10am CST by Luke Adams

As several of this year’s green room invitees gathered on Tuesday to speak to the media, there was a sense of uncertainty about how Wednesday’s draft will play out, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who says that many prospects don’t have a real sense of where they’ll be picked.

According to Fischer, the Spurs conducted a meeting with Donovan Clingan over Zoom this past weekend and have been linked to the UConn center more in recent days than they were earlier in the pre-draft process. However, many people around the league believe that’s a smokescreen to entice a team like the Trail Blazers or Grizzlies to trade up to No. 4 to draft him.

If the Grizzlies end up trading down from No. 9, the Heat (No. 15) are viewed as a team that may have interest in moving up, Fischer writes, adding that the Cavaliers at No. 20 have also received a number of calls from teams drafting near the end of the first round with interest in trading up.

The Thunder, who hold the No. 12 pick, have more than enough ammunition in future picks to move up from there if they want to, but if they stand pat, Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington is viewed as one possibility for that pick, Fischer reports. Meanwhile, Indiana big man Kel’el Ware has been repeatedly mentioned by league personnel as a candidate to be drafted at No. 19 by the Raptors, Fischer says.

As for the Bucks at No. 23, with rumors circulating that they could move Brook Lopez this offseason, rival teams believe they may be targeting a possible center of the future at that spot. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that Dayton’s DaRon Holmes is one player Milwaukee tried to bring in for a workout, but he declined that invitation. However, Fischer confirms – as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported – that Holmes, who has also been linked to the Kings, doesn’t have a promise from the Nuggets.

Here’s more from Fischer:

If the Mavericks are unable to re-sign Derrick Jones and have a hole to fill on the wing, they’re expected to show interest in Pelicans free agent Naji Marshall, sources tell Fischer, who adds that the Pistons are another potential suitor to watch for Marshall.
The Lakers, Pelicans, and Spurs are among the possible destinations that would appeal to Trae Young if the Hawks decide to move him, Fischer says.
While the Kings continue to explore the market for a potential deal involving the No. 13 pick and one or both of Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, they don’t appear to have gained any momentum toward a deal for either Hawks guard (Young or Dejounte Murray), Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, or any other player of that caliber, Fischer writes.
The Magic hired Milenko Topic – Nikola Topic‘s father and a former coach in Serbia and Hungary – to a front office role this past season, per Fischer. That’s a key reason why people around the league believe Orlando at No. 18 is the floor for Nikola in Wednesday’s draft, though he may not make it that far.
After agreeing to acquire Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn, the Knicks might not be done adding former Villanova Wildcats. In a separate Yahoo Sports story on the Bridges deal, Fischer cites sources who say veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has been mentioned as a possible free agent target for New York.

Trade Rumors: Rockets, Smart, George, Warriors, Nets, More

June 25th, 2024 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are a team worth keeping a close eye on this week, according to Marc Stein, who writes in his latest Substack report that the possibility of a trade that sees the No. 3 overall pick sent to the Grizzlies in a package for the No. 9 pick and Marcus Smart has been “mentioned with increasing regularity by various league insiders.” Memphis has been identified as one of the teams that has interest in UConn center Donovan Clingan, and moving up to No. 3 would likely put the Grizzlies in position to draft him.

Of course, if possible, the Rockets would like to use that third overall pick in a deal for a bigger star, so Stein suggests that Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George are a few of the possible targets to watch.

Discussing George’s situation, Stein cites a “growing feeling” around the league that the Clippers forward may end up picking up his player option for 2024/25 and forcing a trade, since Los Angeles still seems unwilling to offer him a contract that’s longer or richer than the one Kawhi Leonard signed in January (three years, $152MM). The Knicks have been mentioned as a possible trade suitor for George, and Stein says it’s probably safe to add the Warriors to that list too.

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

During a pre-draft press conference on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. expressed a reluctance to move any of the team’s young players – Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, or Trayce Jackson-Davis – in a trade, per Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “We really value those guys,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve drafted them. We’ve grown them. They have played really well. We are excited about them. A scenario to move them would take a lot. It’s important for us to be good now and then be good also in the future.” Of course, to acquire a star player like George, Golden State would almost certainly have to surrender at least one player from that group.
As Kendra Andrews of ESPN relays, Dunleavy also briefly addressed Chris Paul‘s situation on Monday, suggesting that the Warriors continue to consider a handful of options, including possibly trading the point guard or waiving him before his $30MM salary for 2024/25 becomes guaranteed on Friday. “We’re looking through everything,” Dunleavy said. “A lot of options are still on the table in terms of keeping Chris. Obviously there’s a scenario where he gets waived … but I’d say everything is open.”
The Nets have conveyed optimism as of late about their ability to trade into the 2024 NBA draft, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Brooklyn is currently the only team in the league without a pick in either round of this year’s draft, but has reportedly been exploring ways to acquire one.
Donovan Mitchell was long viewed as a possible trade candidate leading up to this offseason, but there’s still zero indication that he’ll be made available. According to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), there continues to be plenty of optimism within the Cavaliers‘ organization that Mitchell – who had input on the team’s head coaching search – will sign an extension this summer. Charania suggests such a deal could be worth nearly $209MM over four years, though if Mitchell wants to put himself in position to get the higher maximum salary (35% of the cap instead of 30%) as soon as he gains 10 years of NBA service, he may opt for a shorter-term extension.

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Outlaw, Caporn, Heat, Jovic

June 24th, 2024 at 10:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Not only did the Hornets have a head coaching change, the entire staff has been overhauled, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer reports.

As previously noted here, Lamar Skeeter, Chris Jent and Josh Longstaff have been hired away from other organizations to head up Charles Lee‘s staff with the Hornets. They’ll be joined by Ryan Frazier, Zach Peterson, Matt Hill and Blaine Mueller, according to Boone. The training staff is also undergoing changes, as the Hornets have decided to part ways with longtime director of health care and sports performance Joe Sharpe.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

In more coaching news, J.J. Outlaw, who spent the last three seasons as a Cavaliers assistant coach, and Adam Caporn, who spent the last two seasons as a Nets assistant, are strong candidates to join Brian Keefe‘s Wizards staff, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets.
The Heat own the No. 15 pick in the draft and The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang takes a deep dive into the prospects that might be available at that spot. The list is comprehensive, omitting only those prospects who seems likely to go in the top 10.
If finding another shooter is a priority, Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, Duke guard Jared McCain, Colorado’s Tristan de Silva and the University of Miami’s Kyshawn George are potential targets with the Heat‘s first-rounder, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
In a separate draft-related piece, Winderman notes that virtually every position on the Heat roster could use a boost, with only shooting guard currently having enough quality depth.
Nikola Jovic suffered a postseason left ankle sprain and he’s still in recovery mode, which makes the Heat forward’s status for Serbia’s pre-Olympic matchups uncertain. “I’m doing great,” he told Mozzartsport, as relayed by BasketNews. “The injury I got is getting better, the swelling is almost gone. But we’ll wait a few more days for the control scan and after that we’ll see how things are. Honestly, I’m not 100% sure that I’ll play, but I really believe in it.

Scotto’s Latest: Hartenstein, Knicks, Kuminga, Holmes, Missi, Lakers, More

June 24th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Because they only hold his Early Bird rights, the Knicks are limited to a four-year offer worth approximately $72.5MM for Isaiah Hartenstein, and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears from league sources that New York is expected to put that full offer on the table for the free agent center.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously reported that the Knicks are considering other options at center, including Goga Bitadze, in the event that they’re unable to retain Hartenstein. Scotto confirms as much, writing that free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas and potential trade target Nick Richards of the Hornets are among the other fives on New York’s radar. There’s also an “outside chance,” sources tell Scotto, that the Knicks would consider pursuing Andre Drummond if they can’t bring back Hartenstein.

Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s aggregate mock draft at HoopsHype, which features many other items of interest that we passed along earlier in the day:

Jonathan Kuminga, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is expected to remain with the Warriors for the foreseeable future unless the team has an opportunity to acquire an All-NBA caliber player, writes Scotto.
While there have been rumors that Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II received a draft promise from the Nuggets, Scotto hears that there’s no truth to that chatter, adding that multiple executives believe Holmes will be drafted before Denver picks at No. 28.
Baylor center Yves Missi is among the prospects who have worked out for the Lakers and is someone to keep an eye on at No. 17, Scotto writes.
Scotto’s aggregate mock draft has KJ Simpson coming off the board at No. 49, but he says the Colorado guard is a potential target to watch for the Timberwolves earlier in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 27th and 37th overall picks.
Kyshawn George has some fans within the Cavaliers‘ organization, according to Scotto, who suggests that the Miami guard could be “an upside pick for the future” at No. 20.
Brendan Sabean, who most recently served as the assistant general manager of the Austin Spurs, is expected to be hired as the GM of Phoenix’s new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, league sources tell Scotto.

Central Rumors: LaVine, Bulls, Pistons, Cade, Bucks, Cavs, More

June 24th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls continue to seek a deal involving Zach LaVine, but last week’s four-year, $78MM contract agreement between the Kings and Malik Monk may have removed a prime suitor from the picture, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says some rival executives believe retaining Monk will take Sacramento out of talks for LaVine. As Scotto has previously reported, Kings wing Kevin Huerter has fans within Chicago’s front office, so if the two teams did explore a trade involving LaVine, it seems safe to assume Huerter would be involved.

In other Bulls news, Chicago is interested in re-signing center Andre Drummond, league sources tell Scotto. The big man will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the past two seasons backing up Nikola Vucevic.

Scotto also states that – prior to last week’s Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey swap – there was a belief around the league that the Bulls and Thunder would consider a possible sign-and-trade deal involving Patrick Williams. It’s unclear if that idea is off the table now or if the two clubs will look into making a second offseason trade.

Finally, Scotto reports that before they struck deals to add Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig to Billy Donovan‘s coaching staff, the Bulls also reached out and talked to former head coaches Nate McMillan and Dwane Casey.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the Central:

The Pistons – along with the Magic – were expected to be in the mix for Monk before he reached an agreement to return to Sacramento, according to Scotto, who says Detroit will continue to explore the trade and free agent markets for shooting help this offseason.
Elsewhere on the Pistons front, Scotto writes that a number of executives around the NBA believe Detroit will come to terms on a maximum-salary rookie scale extension for former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.
The Bucks, still very much in win-now mode, are open to the idea of trading the No. 23 pick in the draft, league sources tell Scotto. Executives with rival teams also get the sense that Milwaukee would be willing to move Bobby Portis and/or Pat Connaughton in order to upgrade the roster, though Scotto notes that both players have come up in trade talks in the past and nothing has come of it to this point.
James Borrego was considered the frontrunner for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job last week before the front office met with team owner Dan Gilbert, per Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. After that meeting between management and Gilbert, Kenny Atkinson‘s candidacy “gained considerable momentum,” The Athletic’s trio adds. Assistant coaches Jordan Ott and Trevor Hendry, who worked with Atkinson in Brooklyn, are viewed as potential additions to his new staff in Cleveland, notes Scotto.

Stein’s Latest: Caldwell-Pope, Sixers, Westbrook, Paul, Clippers, Lakers

June 23rd, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Current Nuggets shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be among the top potential free agents this summer if he declines his $15.4MM player option for 2024/25. A three-and-D swingman still in his prime at age 31, Caldwell-Pope has been a starter on a pair of title teams this decade, with the 2020 Lakers and the 2023 Nuggets.

A pair of Eastern Conference contenders with major projected cap space have interest in the 6’5″ wing, according to Marc Stein (Substack link), who hears from sources that the Magic and Sixers are considering pursuing Caldwell-Pope.

Across 76 contests last season, the former Georgia standout averaged 10.1 points on .460/.406/.894 shooting splits, along with 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.

Here’s more from Stein’s most recent NBA intel:

Should the Sixers be unable to add a top potential free agent like Paul George, OG Anunoby or Caldwell-Pope, Stein notes that Philadelphia could opt to trade for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram or Heat wing Jimmy Butler, the latter a former Sixer. Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, who could reach free agency should he not agree to an extension by June 30, is also an option, Stein adds.
Former MVP Russell Westbrook, now a bench guard for the Clippers, has a $4MM player option for 2024/25, but that may not stop L.A. from considering an upgrade at the position. The team has been linked to veterans Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry, both of whom are significantly better shooters and also more comfortable playing off the ball.
Stein hears that Paul would also draw interest from the Lakers if he reaches free agency, though the team’s interest in him may not be unanimous within the organization.
As far as the league’s two head coaching vacancies go, Stein reports that the Cavaliers are expected to make a decision soon, while the Pistons may wait until at least July to select their Monty Williams replacement. That would take Detroit through the draft this week and the start of free agency next weekend without a head coach.

Stein’s Latest: Hardaway, LaVine, Lakers, Cavs, Pistons, Spurs

June 22nd, 2024 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks forward Tim Hardaway Jr. is a prime trade candidate to watch, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack article that Dallas is more likely than ever to find a deal this offseason involving Hardaway, who has been on the trade block during previous transaction windows. He’s entering the final season of his four-year contract and his cap hit is declining to $16.2MM, which should make him a little easier to move than he has been in the past.

Stein suggests that finding a deal involving Hardaway is a “key element” of the Mavs’ plans to re-sign Derrick Jones. The implication there is that moving off of Hardaway’s contract could free up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception for Jones, allowing Dallas to sign him for up to $12.9MM instead of up to $5.2MM (the amount of the taxpayer MLE).

It’s unclear if that means the Mavs will look to offload Hardaway without taking back any salary in return, or if they hope to take back a lesser-paid player in any deal.

Here’s more from Stein’s latest round-up of rumors from across the NBA:

While the Jazz and Sixers have both been linked to Zach LaVine as of late, Stein hears from league sources that Philadelphia has minimal interest in the Bulls guard and says he’s been “advised to dismiss” Utah’s reported interest as well.
The Lakers hope to hire two former head coaches as assistants on J.J. Redick‘s staff. Scott Brooks has been reported as one Lakers target, and Stein suggests James Borrego might be another, though he says the Pelicans are determined to keep Borrego on Willie Green‘s staff if he doesn’t get a head coaching job. The Celtics are likewise hoping to fend off interest from the Lakers and any other rivals for assistant Sam Cassell, with Charles Lee and Jeff Van Gundy having already been hired for new jobs this spring.
Speaking of Borrego, both he and Kenny Atkinson continue to be top candidates for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching vacancy, which Stein expects to be filled soon. Depending on who gets that job, either Borrego or Atkinson (or both, if Cleveland chooses another candidate, such as Micah Nori) are expected to be in the mix for the Pistons‘ head coaching position, according to Stein, who adds that Detroit’s search could extend into July.
According to Stein, rumblings about the possibility of the Spurs making a trade with the Hawks to move up from No. 4 to No. 1 haven’t gone away. The wording of this item from Stein makes it sound as if Alexandre Sarr might be the target in that scenario, but that seems unlikely, given that Sarr doesn’t look like a great fit next to the French big man already on San Antonio’s roster (Victor Wembanyama).

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Atkinson, Bulls, Sixers, Knicks, Hawks

June 21st, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Luke Adams

After previously reporting that James Borrego was viewed as the frontrunner for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job, Marc Stein says (via Twitter) he heard multiple times on Friday that Kenny Atkinson‘s candidacy for the job is “gaining steam.”

Atkinson was identified early in the Cavs’ search process as the potential frontrunner, but multiple reporters – including Stein and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com – have said in recent weeks that Borrego appeared to have the edge. Those two former head coaches have been linked to the job most frequently and it certainly seems like one of them will end up being hired, but that’s not a lock. According to Stein, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori also remains in the mix for Cleveland.

If the Cavaliers wrap up their search and make a decision soon, it will have an impact on their division rivals in Detroit. Both Borrego and Nori are expected to interview for the Pistons‘ head coaching vacancy.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

The Bulls‘ acquisition of Josh Giddey signals that the team isn’t sold on the idea of a Lonzo Ball comeback, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, who adds that director of player development and shooting coach Peter Patton has an “important project on his hands” in Chicago’s new lead guard, a career 31.0% three-point shooter. In his own look at the trade, Jon Greenberg of The Athletic contends that it’s “inexcusable” for the Bulls to make this kind of deal without acquiring any draft picks.
USC guard Isaiah Collier visited the Sixers this week for a pre-draft workout, a source tells Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Once considered a possible top pick in this year’s draft, Collier has slipped to No. 23 on ESPN’s big board, so he could be available for Philadelphia at No. 16.
Yongxi Cui (China), David Jones (Memphis), Spencer Jones (Stanford), Ajay Mitchell (UCSB), and Antonio Reeves (Kentucky) were among the players to work out for the Knicks on Friday, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy adds (via Twitter) that Arizona’s Keshad Johnson worked out for New York earlier this month.
The Hawks are hiring Ben Peterson away from the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and will make him their VP of player health and performance, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Pelissero’s report on Peterson, who was said to be “well-regarded” in San Francisco, has been confirmed by Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link).