The Pacers didn’t waste any time getting Thomas Bryant on the court. After officially being acquired on Sunday, Bryant had seven points and two rebounds in 11 minutes against the Pelicans.
“It was a little hectic but everybody accepted me and they helped me through the whole time. It felt great being out there with the guys,” Bryant said via a video posted by the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak.
Bryant provides depth at the center spot, a position where Indiana has suffered two season-ending injuries. He appeared in only 10 games with Miami this season.
“I know there’s a big need to have another ‘five’ here. Just trying to fill that role here with the guys and talking with them as well, just trying to see what I can bring, what I can do with them. … They just want me to play my game,” Bryant said.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Bulls wing Zach LaVine is questionable to play against Toronto on Monday due to lower back spasms, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network tweets. LaVine is averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season.
- The Bulls continue to aggressively shop Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic and LaVine, among other players, as they look to stay in the loaded 2025 draft lottery, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Chicago owes San Antonio a first-rounder but it’s top-10 protected for 2025. Moving LaVine’s contract this season is more of a pipe dream than a reality, the source told Cowley, unless there’s a major injury or another unexpected development.
- The Pistons won’t have starting forward Tobias Harris against Miami on Monday. He’s dealing with a right thumb sprain, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
I wonder if the Rockets could be in on LaVine. He’s not likely to command a real return, and they have guys like Jalen Green and FVV they can match salary with (trading FVV might be a bad call, given how much of a floor general he’s been for this team).
The one thing the Rockets lack is a true bucket-getter. It showed in the matchup with the Thunder. They did everything they could on defense, held the Thunder to 41 points in the first half, and held J-Dub and Shai to 8/20 and 8/21, respectively. And they still lost by fifteen points.
Green’s not that guy, and extending him was an outright mistake. Sengun is a good player, but he can get stymied; as the Thunder showed in the PIT matchup this weekend, a good enough rim protector can hold him in check as a scorer even if he’s still valuable elsewhere. FVV can’t attack the rim; he’s one of the worst guards in NBA history in that department. Sheppard is too raw, and being an undersized non-playmaker limits his ceiling at the moment. Eason is more of a defender. Whitmore is apparently on the outs given his minutes compared to last year and the team’s needs. Thompson is great, but he can’t shoot. Brooks isn’t a scorer. Jabari’s game isn’t really offense-first.
They’d be a tough out in the playoffs, but they lack an offensive engine they can just give the ball to and get a bucket. LaVine is still just 29, and he’s still a capable scorer both on and off the ball. Slotting in over/in place of Green gives the Rockets the weapon they need.
The contract sucks, but so does the contract/trade situation of every offensive player likely to be available. Ingram wants a max and is a less versatile offensive weapon than LaVine for arguably worse defense. Grant and Simons on Portland have both been playing like ass. Sexton isn’t really good enough and can’t defend anyone. Markkanen’s contract is a slight overpay, but he’s also not likely to be available for less than a giant haul. DeMar maybe? But I don’t think the Kings want to admit that getting him was a bad fit at this point. And then there’s not a lot to go for after them that both fits their team and isn’t likely to cost much.
I would do FVW and a lottery protected 1st for Lavine. FVW has a team option for next year and it would def be declined for $43M and removes us having a $46M player option in a few years for Lavine. I hope we don’t sell low on him because this is as good as he has been since 2020-2021 season. I am disappointed GSW got Schroeder, really wanted Ball in GSW and get something of value back for him.
LaVine just isn’t a candidate for a good return. FVV and Cam Whitmore might be as good as it gets, and they might not be willing to actually trade FVV, given that even with his clear shortcomings, he’s very integral to their offense, and they don’t have a real answer at the point if he leaves. LaVine can’t do it. Green is terrible. Holiday is a backup at best.
Eon, I’m not asking for top tier talent. I know I have to settle for a decent offer on Lavine. I wouldn’t mind that offer TBH as long as Lavine is off the team and so is his $46M P/O. Lol
CHI should focus on what might be doable, trying to move Vuce for an expiring deal and a FRP. I doubt there will be a real market for LaVine any time soon; any demand will be situational and contingent. Ball is little more than expiring dead money.
My sense with LaVine is not so much that he needs a change of scenery (he’s oblivious), but that his teammates and coaches do (one without him in it). Similiar, although not identical, to Melo’s situtation with the NYK after he signed his second deal with them. CHI’s FO needs to end this if it can.
I’ve said it before, bulls need to focus on moving Lavine asap bc of their 2025 pick situation. They’re way past the point of getting a good return, the whole things become reminiscent of Beal in Washington by now.
Eon, the problem w the rockets for me isn’t the fit- you’ve outlined how he could fit well, but given their ability to land an actual star in the next year or 2, I don’t see them dedicating that much salary to a guy who can’t be the number 1 scorer on a good team.
Pistons are the most realistic team to me. Build it around Stewart, Fontecchio, and THJ. They’re dying to actually be competitive and giving them some more firepower would buoy them in this east.