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Month: November 2024

Wayne Selden Signing With Turkish Team

January 18th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Shooting guard Wayne Selden is signing with Turkish club Afyon Belediye of the Basketball Super League, per Turkish paper Afyon Haber.

After going undrafted out of Kansas in 2016, Selden logged time with the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Bulls, plus several G League clubs. The 27-year-old wing then suited up for Israeli Basketball Premier League club Ironi Nes Ziona during the 2020/21 season.

Selden inked a non-guaranteed camp deal with the Knicks ahead of training camp and stuck on the roster through the start of the regular season. However, he was waived earlier this month as part of the Knicks’ Denzel Valentine/Rajon Rondo trade. Selden appeared in just three games for New York this season.

The 6’4″ guard holds NBA career averages of 7.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.5 APG with a shooting line of .415/.344/.718 across 127 contests, including 27 starts.

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Pincus’ Latest: Pacers, Mavs, Cavs, Blazers, Hawks, Avdija

January 18th, 2022 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

As they weigh their options on the trade market in the next few weeks, the Pacers will be seeking shooting and players who fit head coach Rick Carlisle‘s system, sources tell Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

As Pincus observes, this could make the Mavericks an intriguing trade partner for the Pacers. Reports have indicated that Dallas has interest in Myles Turner, and Carlisle may value some of his former players more than other teams would. According to Pincus, several rival executives had considered the Mavs the favorites to land Turner using a package that includes Dwight Powell as a salary-matching piece, plus either Jalen Brunson and/or Dorian Finney-Smith.

Turner’s health complicates matters, however. The Pacers’ big man is expected to be sidelined through the February 10 trade deadline due to a foot injury, which will likely temper enthusiasm among his potential suitors. Additionally, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link) that the Mavericks have recently backed off their pursuit of Turner as their defense has moved into the NBA’s top five.

While Turner may no longer be a top target, it’s still possible the Mavericks will consider moving Brunson or Finney-Smith for a roster upgrade, especially if they’re concerned about their ability to sign either player this summer, when they’ll reach unrestricted free agency. According to Pincus, there’s a sense around the league that Finney-Smith probably won’t get more than the full mid-level exception, whereas Brunson is “believed by many” to be seeking a four-year, $80MM deal.

Here’s more from Pincus:

  • Rival teams don’t get the sense that the Cavaliers are making Isaac Okoro or Kevin Love readily available, Pincus says. That doesn’t mean that either player – especially Love – is untouchable, but it sounds like they’re not being actively shopped.
  • There’s an expectation that the Trail Blazers will pursue deals that help them shed a few million dollars in salary to get under the luxury tax line, according to Pincus, who suggests Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic, and even Larry Nance Jr. are among Portland’s potential trade candidates. The Blazers gave up a first-round pick for Nance last summer.
  • Some executives around the NBA believe the Hawks acquired a first-round pick from New York in the Cam Reddish trade in an effort to improve a potential offer for Sixers star Ben Simmons, writes Pincus. Philadelphia wasn’t interested in Reddish, Pincus adds.
  • Multiple teams have interest in Wizards forward Deni Avdija, per Pincus. If Washington looks to upgrade its roster, it’s safe to assume Avdija is someone potential trade partners will ask about.
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Myles Turner Has Stress Reaction In Left Foot, May Miss Several Weeks

January 18th, 2022 at 11:42am CST by Arthur Hill

One of the top names on this year’s trade market will be out of action for at least the next two weeks. Pacers center Myles Turner has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot, the team announced in a press release.

Turner’s absence is expected to stretch beyond the February 10 trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). He adds that teams interested in trading for Turner will have to investigate the severity of the injury before they make a decision.

Although Indiana has reportedly expressed an openness to break up its big man combination of Turner and Domantas Sabonis, Wojnarowski notes that there’s no pressure to move Turner right away if the Pacers don’t get the offers they want (Twitter link). He’s under contract for one more season at $17.5MM and could be traded this summer.

Turner, who sat out Monday afternoon’s game against the Clippers, was examined by “multiple specialists,” the press release adds. He will receive treatment over the next two weeks and his condition will be re-evaluated by Indiana’s medical team.

Trade rumors have been swirling around Turner for several weeks, with the Mavericks, Knicks, Lakers, Hornets, Timberwolves, Kings, Trail Blazers, and Raptors reportedly showing interest. He’s the league’s top shot blocker at 2.8 per game and is averaging 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per night.

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Chandler Parsons Announces Retirement

January 18th, 2022 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Chandler Parsons has retired from basketball, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Parsons published an Instagram post today stating that he’s “excited for the next chapter of [his] life.”

“My entire life all I wanted to be was an NBA player,” Parsons wrote. “I didn’t even realize, or think what came with that, I just wanted to compete and play basketball at the highest level. I can proudly say, I did THAT!

“It wasn’t perfect, but it was a blast and I want to take a moment to thank every single person who helped me reach my dreams. My family, my friends, my AAU and high school program, University of Florida, thank you for preparing me and getting me ready for the journey. To the Rockets, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Hawks, thank you for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to live my dreams. To all the staff, trainers, doctors, coaches, teammates, agents, and most important the fans who supported me, THANK YOU.”

Parsons, who is 33, was the 38th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He appeared in a total of 440 regular season games for Houston, Dallas, Memphis, and Atlanta from 2011-20, averaging 12.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 2.7 APG on .462/.373/.713 shooting in 30.1 minutes per contest. He only saw action in 13 postseason contests, but played a key role for the Rockets and Mavericks in those games, putting up 18.1 PPG and 6.6 RPG on .437/.363/.690 shooting in 40.4 MPG.

Parsons’ best seasons came in Houston and Dallas from 2012-16 before he signed a four-year, $94MM+ contract with the Grizzlies during the 2016 offseason. Injuries subsequently derailed his career, as he appeared in just 95 total games across three seasons with Memphis.

Bad health luck continued to plague Parsons after he was traded to Atlanta — he was involved in a serious car accident in January 2020. The Hawks initially announced he had been diagnosed with a concussion and whiplash and Parsons’ lawyers later issued a statement indicating that the forward had suffered additional injuries in the accident, including disc herniation and a torn labrum.

Those injuries ultimately led to the early end of Parsons’ career, according to Charania, who says a lawsuit the 33-year-old filed in response as a result of that accident has been settled for a “substantial amount.”

It’s an unfortunate final chapter for Parsons’ playing days, but his statement on Instagram makes it sound as if he’s at peace with his decision to retire.

“It’s been a crazy last couple years and has put a lot of things in perspective,” Parsons wrote. “I’ve had so many ups and downs and thankful for every single one of them.”

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Atlantic Rumors: Claxton, Simmons, C. Brown, Birch

January 18th, 2022 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets appear to have “dipped their toe” into the trade market for Nicolas Claxton, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated on his latest Hoop Collective podcast, adding that he has heard about Claxton’s possible availability from two different teams (hat tip to RealGM). While Brooklyn may not be actively looking to move the young center, the team is at least “feeling out” the market, Windhorst says.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the Nets considering the possibility of a Claxton trade. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said last month that Brooklyn “quietly gauged” the 22-year-old’s value at the 2021 draft. Fischer also reported that some rival executives believed the Nets would make Claxton available ahead of this season’s trade deadline.

Claxton will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, and the Nets – already far above the luxury tax line – may be hesitant about giving him a sizeable raise. Additionally, rookie big man Day’Ron Sharpe has emerged recently as a viable rotation player who could claim some of Claxton’s minutes.

Still, Mark Deeks of Heavy.com isn’t convinced that trading Claxton would be the right call for the Nets, arguing that it would be difficult for the club to recoup enough value to make it worthwhile in both the short- and long-term.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • Sixers star Ben Simmons is open to the possibility of sitting out for the entire 2021/22 season if the team can’t find a trade it likes by next month’s deadline, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said on Monday’s episode of NBA Today (video link). There have been reports that Philadelphia’s preference would be to get Simmons back on the court this season before potentially trading him in the offseason, but the idea of him playing for the club again has always seemed like a long shot.
  • Charlie Brown Jr.‘s new two-way contract with the Sixers, signed last Tuesday, is a two-year deal covering the 2022/23 season in addition to the rest of ’21/22, Hoops Rumors has learned. That doesn’t mean Brown will definitely remain in Philadelphia through next season, but it ensures he’ll receive at least a $50K partial guarantee for ’22/23.
  • Raptors center Khem Birch, who suffered a nasal fracture on Friday, underwent surgery to repair his broken nose over the weekend, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Head coach Nick Nurse expects Birch to be out for about 10-to-14 days, Lewenberg adds.
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Zach Collins Plays G League Game, Nears Return For Spurs

January 17th, 2022 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs took a gamble on Zach Collins in free agency and the oft-injured forward could make his San Antonio debut sometime this month.

Collins was assigned to the G League Austin Spurs on Sunday, as Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw tweets, and he recorded eight points and three blocks in 19 minutes against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Monday.

Collins expects to play one more game for the Austin Spurs on Friday before returning to the NBA club, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News (Twitter link).

“Then after that, if that goes well, and the ankle responds to that well, then I should be going back up (to the Spurs),” Collins said.

However, coach Gregg Popovich said that’s not necessarily the case, Orsborn reports in another tweet.

“He’s been out for a long time, I mean a really long time,” Popovich said. “He needs this to get his rhythm back and to feel comfortable and have confidence in himself, physically, as much as playing-wise.”

Collins was signed to a three-year, $22MM contract last summer, which includes a partial guarantee for next season. The third year is non-guaranteed.

The 10th pick of the 2017 draft, Collins has seen his career sidetracked by injuries. Collins became an unrestricted free agent when the Trail Blazers decided not to extend him a $7MM qualifying offer. He has only appeared in 11 games the past two seasons due to shoulder, foot and ankle injuries.

Collins had a major setback in late June when another fracture was discovered in his left foot. He underwent a second revision surgery to repair a left medial malleolus stress fracture.

One of his new teammates, Doug McDermott, said the team is eager to see Collins get back in action. He hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since August 2020 at the Orlando bubble.

“It’s been a long journey for him,” McDermott told Orsborn (Twitter link).

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Northwest Notes: Simons, Favors, Beasley, Timberwolves

January 17th, 2022 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Anfernee Simons‘ recent play has justified former Blazers executive Neil Olshey’s faith in him, Jason Quick of The Athletic writes. Olshey maintained that Simons was the most talented player he had ever drafted, even though he had also selected Damian Lillard, Blake Griffin and CJ McCollum during his career. A late first-rounder in 2018, Simons has averaged 28.3 PPG and 8.2 APG in his last six games. Simons will be a restricted free agent this summer.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • Thunder big man Derrick Favors shrugs off the trade rumors surrounding him, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets. “I think every year I’ve been in the league, my name’s been in trade rumors … I’m pretty much used to it,” he said. “I don’t really pay attention to it. I try to control what I can control. I try to, like coach says, keep my feet grounded where I’m at.” Favors, who has appeared in 31 games with Oklahoma City this season, holds a $10.18MM player option on his contract for next season.
  • Malik Beasley‘s subpar perimeter shooting is hampering the Timberwolves offense and making him more difficult to trade before next month’s deadline, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic opines. Beasley is averaging 12.3 PPG while shooting a career-low 37.3% from the field. Beasley is signed through the 2023/24 season, though the final year is a team option.
  • On that same topic, the Timberwolves are in a tricky spot regarding the trade deadline, Michael Rand of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. They are in the playoff hunt, hovering around the .500 mark, and could be buyers if they want to enhance their chances of a postseason berth. They could just as well trade veterans such as Patrick Beverley for assets or simply stand pat and see if the current group can develop more chemistry.
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Central Notes: Turner, Grant, Olynyk, Caruso

January 17th, 2022 at 7:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers center Myles Turner will visit a foot specialist in Los Angeles during the team’s West Coast trip, Scott Agness of FieldhouseFiles reports in a Substack post.

“In the last couple games, he’s just felt something so we’re going to get it checked out,” coach Rick Carlisle said.

Turner sat out the team’s loss to the Clippers on Monday afternoon. The league’s top shot-blocker has been the subject of trade rumors this season and a significant injury could alter the front office’s plans prior to next month’s deadline.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • The Pistons have assigned forward Jerami Grant — a prime trade candidate — to the G League Motor City Cruise as he rehabs from thumb surgery, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. He’ll begin on-court work as the team heads out for a four-game road swing. He will not play in any of those road games, Rod Beard of The Detroit News tweets.
  • Pistons center Kelly Olynyk is hopeful he’ll be back in action sometime during the trip, Beard adds in another tweet. Olynyk hasn’t played since Nov. 10 after suffering an MCL sprain. He was signed to a three-year, $37MM contract in free agency last summer.
  • Bulls guard Alex Caruso could play on Wednesday against Cleveland after exiting the league’s health and safety protocols, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “He did some work [Monday], he’ll do some work [Tuesday], and probably make some kind of assessment then at that point before the Cleveland game,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “We’ll have to have a plan for him if he is able to physically play Wednesday, and what his minutes will look like to help him get back to what he was.”
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Atlantic Notes: Irving, Brown, Tatum, Walker, Reddish

January 17th, 2022 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant‘s knee injury, which is expected to keep him out four-to-six weeks, won’t change Kyrie Irving‘s mind about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, Adam Zagoria of Forbes.com writes.

“Kev’s gonna heal, Kev’s gonna be OK,” Irving said on Monday after the Nets lost in Cleveland. “And we’re going to have to deal with that as his teammates, but in terms of where I am with my life outside of this, I stay rooted in my decision and that’s just what it is.”

Irving will continue to be limited to road games unless he gets vaccinated. He suggests that will remain the case the rest of the way.

“I’ve made my decision and I’m standing by it…I stay rooted in what I believe in,” Irving said.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Celtics will approach the trade deadline with the intent of building around their two best players, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link). He said Marcus Smart, Dennis Schröder and some young players are available and Boston would like to find another play-maker or wing player. “(The Celtics’ approach) is to build around Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, not to break those two up,” Wojnarowski said. “The hard part for Boston is what are the other tradeable assets they want to move on from? They don’t want to trade Robert Williams, their young center. That’s a player they see at the center of what they’re doing moving forward.”
  • Kemba Walker missed his ninth straight game Monday due to a sore knee. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t want him back until Walker is confident he can play on a regular basis. “The big thing regarding Kemba is I want him to feel as good as possible and a player like him in the situation he is in, I want him to trust where he is with his body,’ Thibodeau said. “When he’s ready, he’s ready. He’ll let us know. We trust him. What I don’t want [is] to get into a situation where it’s on-off, on-off.”
  • Cam Reddish has yet to make his Knicks debut due to a sprained ankle, but the newly-acquired forward believes he can blossom in New York, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I feel like I can be a star,” Reddish said. “I feel like I could be a legit star. That’s what I’m working to be. It’s pretty simple.”
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