We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
With the injury to DeMarcus Cousins, would the Pelicans be in the market for Nikola Mirotic? — Drew Keys
Mirotic wants to go to a contender, which the Pelicans are, and the Bulls want a first-rounder in return, which the Pelicans have, so a deal is certainly possible. He’s averaging 17.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game — not “Boogie” levels of course, but it’s probably as good as New Orleans is going to find at a reasonable cost. Mirotic is making $12.5MM this season, with a team option for the same amount next year. That option doesn’t have to be exercised until June 29, so the Pelicans should have a much clearer picture of Cousins’ recovery status by then. New Orleans still plans to be a buyer at the deadline and Mirotic would figure to be on their radar. The main concern is that a team outside the playoff picture like Utah can offer the Bulls a better draft pick.
What is keeping teams like Detroit, Denver, Indiana or New Orleans from trading their first-rounder for Tyreke Evans? — Chad B.
Most deadline deals don’t get done until the last minute because teams are waiting to see if the offers improve. The Grizzlies are almost certain to trade Evans, who has been a huge bargain this year at $3.29MM, especially after the news that Mike Conley will miss the rest of the season, eliminating any hope of the playoffs. Memphis is already over the cap for next season and doesn’t have Bird rights on Evans. The mid-level exception is available, but Evans is sure to get better offers on the open market. All four teams you mention would be excellent fits for Evans, although New Orleans will be concentrating on front-line help after losing Cousins. Keep an eye on the Wizards, Celtics and Sixers as well, as they all could use a scoring boost off the bench. The question is whether anyone will give up a first-rounder for a player who could be a half-season rental. Memphis could have a lot of offers to sort through over the next 11 days.
Do you think Aaron Gordon could be the guy the Celtics need right now? They could absorb his contract via the Disabled Player Exception. — Nicolas Galipeau
The Celtics would love to add Gordon, but the Magic aren’t eager to part with him. Gordon will become a restricted free agent in July after failing to reach an agreement on an extension, but don’t assume the Magic are done with him. He has taken a major step forward this season, averaging 18.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per night, and Orlando will likely match any offer he gets in free agency. The Celtics have a March 10 deadline to use the $8.4MM DPE, and their best options probably aren’t available yet. Look for Boston to be active after the trade deadline when buyout season begins.
Well yes the Celtics CAN use their DPE in a trade — it can only be used for a player on an expiring contract (though Gordon fits that bill).
Pelicans shouldn’t trade their first round pick. Doing so has forced them to constantly look to free agency to fill a hole. Mirotic isn’t the magical piece that pushes them to the top of the Western Conference so he’s not worth a first round pick for them.
Same with Tyreke Evans and those four teams. Those four teams are likely to be picking just outside the lottery, so it doesn’t make sense for them to move a mid round first for an upgrade that won’t be doing enough to push them to the top of their conference. Detroit has spacing issues (which Evans won’t be able to address) and the Pelicans probably don’t want Evans after his injury-filled time there previously. Indiana is surprising people this year, but they can’t afford to trade a first round pick (when they are trying to rebuild) for a first round exit. Denver doesn’t have a spot for Evans without blocking one of their guys. Maybe he slides in at a point guard-type of role but again, he’s not going to do enough on his own to push the Nuggets to the top of the Western Conference. Evans makes more sense for a team already near the top of their conference and believes they are one piece away or just looking to bolster their depth. Washington and OKC make more sense to me than Detroit, Denver, Indiana, and New Orleans.
Cleveland is 1 game up on Miami, 2 games up on Washington, 2 1/2 on Pacers, and 3 up on Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Detroit right behind them. Anything can happen.
Cavs suck and everyone knows it
There d is so bad that it makes me sick
Pacers paid Bogdonavich and Collison at $10 million each last season and Corey Joeseph at $7.
Right now Bogdonavich is their only small forward.
They could easily fit Evans in and extend him. He’d be better than any draft pick they could get.
Bogdonavich, Stephenson, Leaf, Sabonis, and Joseph would be good second unit for Pacers.
Turner, Turner, Evans, Oladipo, and Collison can all play uptempo. Pacers wouldn’t have to lose a player since they are under cap. They could resign Evans to replace Robinson or Joseph who will be free agents.
The Pacers aren’t able to attract big name free agents and thus have to build through the draft. Adding, and extending, Tyreke Evans makes them a borderline playoff team in the next few seasons. The Pacers are much better off adding a guy through the draft than hoping Evans suddenly kicks the injury bug that has plagued his career and lives up to his draft spot.
They would be picking somewhere between 15 and 20. The best they could get might be Trevon Duvall or Robert Williams, not quite a Tyreke Evans. They are already developing Myles Turner, Domantis Sabonis, T.J. Leaf, Ike from UCLA, and Edwin Summers. Thadeus Young will probably opt in on his contract leaving him, Oladipo, Bogdanovich, Collison, Stephenson who will be a team option free agent as veterans. Small forwards are hard to find and evans can play point guard as well.
Pacers want to play uptempo and he fits in better than Bogdanovich who was a supersub with the Wizards and Nets. The Pacers have the cap room to resign him and could trade their first pick outright without having to give Memphis a player for Evans, which they would want since they are over the cap. Summers is hurt this year, but the Pacers like him. Evans could help develop him. Pacers GM doesn’t want a rebuild. They discussed that last summer. They said they’d rather be middle of the pack and Pritchard said his job is to put a team on the floor owner can be proud of. He did good. As of noe the Cavs would be paying $25 million in luxury tax, the Pacers are $6 million under and are 2 1/2 games behind the Cavs. I’ve been a Pacer fan all of my years. Reggie Miller is my all-time favorite. Miller, Mark Jackson, and Jalen Rose were all on Pacers finals team and are big time announcers now. Sorry about length. There aren’t a lot of Pacer followers.
Make that Edwin Sumner from Xavier.
First off even with boogie the Pelicans were not a contender. They would have been fighting for one of the last playoff spots. Second a DPE can be traded as long as the player is on an expiring contract. Not sure if you meant AG couldnt be traded for with the DPE because he is going to be RFA
I had Arthur update the answer to the last question to fix the erroneous note on how the DPE can be used. Thanks to those that mentioned it!
FWIW, even though Gordon technically qualifies for the DPE, I’d be shocked if the Celtics used it on a big-name player like that. If they’re going to give up major assets for someone, I think it’d be for a player who’s under contract for multiple years so that he could help in 2019 or 2020 when Hayward’s healthy and Tatum/Brown are more fully formed.