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Wizards Rumors: Dinwiddie, Kuzma, Harrell, No. 15 Pick, Bertans

July 29th, 2021 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

With Russell Westbrook gone from the Wizards, Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is interested in taking his place, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Washington would probably have to work out a sign-and-trade to land Dinwiddie, but it’s one of the destinations the free agent is considering.

Dinwiddie likes the idea of playing in the same backcourt with Bradley Beal, Scotto adds, along with the potential of Rui Hachimura and the idea of living in Washington. Dinwiddie believes he can help the Wizards return to the playoffs and that he can recruit other players to the team.

There’s more on the Wizards:

  • Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell, who are both headed to Washington in the Westbrook deal, are considered potential assets that can be used to acquire Dinwiddie, tweets Wizards insider Quinton Mayo.
  • Washington has gotten calls from the Hawks and Jazz about the 15th pick, Mayo adds (Twitter link). The team landed pick No. 22 in the deal with the Lakers, so their own selection may be available.
  • The Wizards have made Davis Bertans available in trade talks, a source tells Mayo (Twitter link). Bertans is coming off a down season, as his scoring average declined from 15.4 to 11.5 points per game and his three-point shooting dropped from 42.4% to 39.5%. He signed a five-year, $80MM contract last offseason.
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Trade Rumors: Reddish, Pacers, Knicks, McDaniels, Kemba, Bulls

July 29th, 2021 at 6:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks and Pacers have had exploratory talks about a deal that would send Cam Reddish and the No. 20 pick to Indiana in exchange for the No. 13 selection, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer had previously reported that the Hawks and Pacers had discussed the No. 13 pick, and reported separately that Atlanta had offered Reddish and the No. 20 pick to teams in the late lottery, so it was safe to assume Reddish was on the table in those talks with Indiana. Scotto confirms as much, though it remains to be seen if the two sides will work out an agreement.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league as the start of the 2021 NBA draft nears:

  • Scotto and Marc Berman of The New York Post each confirmed that the Knicks have talked to the Magic about a possible Terrence Ross trade, as was reported earlier. Berman hears that the Knicks are offering draft assets and that Orlando has made Ross available for the better part of a year.
  • According to Scotto, the Knicks have asked the Magic about the No. 8 pick, but didn’t gain any real traction. They’ve also talked to the Spurs about No. 12, per Scotto, who says the sense around the league is that New York is eyeing Chris Duarte.
  • Multiple lottery teams have expressed interest in trading for Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, according to Scotto. However, Minnesota remains reluctant to move McDaniels, whom the team views as part of its core going forward.
  • The Thunder are exploring possible trades for Kemba Walker, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com. This had been expected, as Oklahoma City has made a habit in the last couple years of taking on unwanted contracts and then trying to flip them for positive value.
  • The Bulls are eyeing draft prospects Miles McBride and Nah’Shon Hyland and may be looking to trade into the back half of the first round, tweets Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago currently only has the No. 38 pick in the 2021 draft.
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O’Connor’s Latest: Pistons, OKC, Grizzlies, Wagner, Pacers, More

July 29th, 2021 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons continued to receive inquiries about what it would take to trade the No. 1 pick, with the draft now just hours away, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Although there has been increasing speculation about the possibility of Detroit trading down or even using the top pick to select Jalen Green, executives around the NBA still think the club will end up drafting Cade Cunningham, says O’Connor.

Here’s more from O’Connor on Thursday’s draft:

  • The Thunder have talked to all five teams drafting ahead of them about the possibility of moving up, per O’Connor. Rival executives aren’t sure exactly which prospect(s) Oklahoma City is targeting, but the club is thought to be high on Cunningham, Evan Mobley, and Scottie Barnes.
  • The Grizzlies, who agreed to acquire the No. 10 pick from New Orleans, are interested in another move up to the 6-8 range, according to O’Connor, who says Memphis has pursued last-minute meetings with prospects like Jonathan Kuminga, Alperen Sengun, and Davion Mitchell.
  • Franz Wagner claims he has grown two inches since college, to 6’11”, and multiple league sources believe that’s true, though there has been no update on his official measurement, O’Connor reports.
  • According to O’Connor, the Pacers are “juggling” trade talks involving the No. 13 pick, Myles Turner, and T.J. Warren in separate scenarios. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that Indiana is fielding a lot of calls for the No. 13 selection, including from the Hawks. Atlanta has also been in touch with the Hornets about the No. 11 pick, says O’Connor.
  • O’Connor confirms a couple items that were previously speculated, writing that the Knicks are involved in trade discussions for Magic swingman Terrence Ross and reporting that the Hawks have offered the No. 20 pick and Cam Reddish to teams drafting in the late lottery.
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Trade Rumors: Reddish, Simmons, Heat, Nuggets, Warriors

July 28th, 2021 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks, who were listening to inquiries on Cam Reddish prior to the trade deadline in March, remain willing to listen to offers on Reddish and have been taking calls on the young forward, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.

Injury issues derailed Reddish’s second NBA season, so his regular season numbers (11.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, .365/.262/.817 shooting in 26 games) don’t look great. But the former 10th overall pick is a strong defender and has flashed untapped potential. He made 6-of-7 three-pointers and scored 21 points in the Hawks’ final playoff games against Milwaukee earlier this month.

Kirschner isn’t sure what the chances are that Reddish is dealt, but writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Hawks packaged the former Blue Devil with the No. 20 pick in order to move up in the draft.

Here are a few more trade-related tidbits:

  • Earlier today, Sam Amick of The Athletic cited a source who named the Heat as one of the most likely landing spots for Ben Simmons in the event the Sixers move the three-time All-Star. However, another source is downplaying the likelihood of Simmons landing in Miami, according to Amick, who tweets that the 25-year-old and his camp haven’t requested any specific destinations.
  • The Nuggets are comfortable with the No. 26 pick in this year’s draft, as they believe there will still be plenty of talent available at that spot, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. A report on Tuesday indicated that Denver has explored moving up several spots, but Singer hears that teams in the early 20s have actually contacted the Nuggets about the possibility of moving down. It doesn’t sound like Denver has been compelled by any of those offers.
  • Many of the trade scenarios the Warriors have discussed involving the Nos. 7 and 14 picks are dependent on how the draft plays out and which players are on the board when those picks come up, president of basketball operations Bob Myers told reporters on Monday. Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area has the story, with several quotes from Myers.
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Hawks Hire Gansey To Helm Skyhawks

July 27th, 2021 at 7:45pm CST by Eli Cohen
  • The Hawks have hired Steve Gansey to be the head coach of their G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, reports Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Gansey spent the past five seasons as the head coach of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
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Hawks’ Kris Dunn To Exercise Player Option

July 27th, 2021 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Kris Dunn is opting into his contract for next season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who hears from sources that the Hawks guard will pick up his 2021/22 option, worth just over $5MM.

The Hawks signed Dunn last offseason, envisioning him as a player who could share the backcourt with Trae Young and provide stout perimeter defense. However, injury woes derailed Dunn’s first year in Atlanta, as he was sidelined for most of the season while he recovered from ankle surgery.

Dunn made his Hawks debut in late April and ultimately appeared in just four regular season games and five playoff games, primarily in garbage time. In 2019/20, as a Bull, Dunn averaged 7.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 2.0 SPG in 51 contests (24.9 MPG).

Although Dunn is now under contract with the Hawks for next season, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be on the club’s opening-night roster in the fall. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link) suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Dunn and his expiring $5MM contract traded during the offseason.

With Dunn’s decision in, we’re still awaiting word on six more player option decisions around the NBA, as our tracker shows.

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Draft Notes: Mitchell, Duarte, Thomas, Şengün

July 26th, 2021 at 8:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Baylor point guard Davion Mitchell worked out for about seven or eight NBA clubs in the lead-up to Thursday’s draft, including the Thunder, Warriors, and Spurs, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).

Mitchell, whose team won the NCAA championship this season, is currently slated as a mid-lottery pick on ESPN’s latest big board. The 6’2″ guard averaged 14.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.9 SPG across 30 games, all starts, during the 2020/21 season. During his final collegiate season, Mitchell posted a shooting line of .511/.447/.643.

Mitchell was honored as the 2020/21 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being a two-time All-Big 12 and two-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection.

Here are some other draft-related notes to pass along:

  • Oregon guard Chris Duarte is not anticipated to fall beyond the No. 15 pick in Thursday’s upcoming NBA draft, per J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star (subscription required). For the 2020/21 season, the 6’6″ Duarte was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and the All-Defensive Team.
  • 6’4″ LSU shooting guard Cameron Thomas, expected to be a first-round selection in the upcoming draft, has thus far worked out for the Pacers, Warriors, Hornets, Grizzlies, Hawks, Knicks and Lakers, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (via Twitter). Hughes adds (Twitter link) that Thomas is also set to work out for the Wizards on July 27. Thomas was a 2020/21 All-SEC selection.
  • Beşiktaş center Alperen Şengün, the 2021 Turkish League MVP, has worked out for the Warriors, Kings, Spurs, Hornets, Magic and Thunder, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The big man is projected as a mid-first-round selection on the current ESPN big board.
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Kirschner: Hawks Should Retain Collins

July 26th, 2021 at 7:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After Hawks power forward John Collins opted to not accept Atlanta’s four-year, $90MM contract extension offer during the 2020 offseason, opinions were split on what he could fetch in restricted free agency ahead of the 2020/21 season. As an athletic jump-shooting big man who still appears to have room to grow, Collins now appears set to be one of the top available free agents this summer, opines Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.

Kirschner writes that the Hawks should ensure that they re-sign Collins, who proved to be a crucial component of the club that took the eventual-champion Bucks to six games in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. Kirschner projects that a four-year, $110MM deal could satisfy both Collins and Atlanta.

  • The Hawks have announced some finalized coaching staff hires ahead of the 2021/22 season, according to a team press release. Joe Prunty, most recently an assistant with the Suns, and Jamelle McMillan, most recently an assistant with the Pelicans, are the new additions under head coach Nate McMillan. Prunty and Jamelle McMillan were reported to be possibilities for Atlanta earlier this month.
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Latest On Bradley Beal

July 26th, 2021 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Despite a pair of weekend reports suggesting that Wizards guard Bradley Beal is contemplating his future with the franchise, he has not yet requested a trade, according to multiple reports.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (video link) said on the Woj & Lowe special on ESPN on Sunday that Beal hasn’t asked the Wizards to be dealt; Fred Katz of The Athletic says there hasn’t been a demand, a request, or even a “timid suggestion” for a trade; and Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes that the All-NBA guard has remained in contact with the Wizards’ front office and has given the team no signs that he’s unhappy.

Previous reports from Bleacher Report and The Athletic suggested that Beal might make a decision on whether he wants to remain in D.C. before Thursday’s draft. A trade would be easier to put together before that draft, since it would allow potential suitors to offer 2021 picks and give the Wizards the opportunity to select the players they want with those picks.

However, Hughes cites one source who pushed back on the idea that Washington needs to decide its course within the next four days, pointing out that Beal is under contract next season and not every trade offer would center around 2021 draft picks.

One team whose offer would be heavy on 2021 picks is Golden State, and Wojnarowski (video link) views Beal as the primary target for the Warriors, who don’t seem inclined to get too involved in the Ben Simmons sweepstakes. If Beal isn’t made available via trade, Wojnarowski expects the Warriors to use their picks at No. 7 and No. 14 this Thursday.

Of course, even if Beal is available, there will be other teams in the mix besides Golden State, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe observes (video link). Lowe believes the Wizards would seek more than Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, and the Nos. 7 and 14 picks from Golden State in any Beal deal, suggesting that Washington would likely also ask for the Warriors’ 2026 first-rounder and a pick swap or two.

Here’s more on Beal:

  • Beal has always looked for reasons to stay in D.C. rather than to leave, according to Wojnarowski. “He loves that organization,” Woj said. “He loves that city.”
  • While the Wizards said Beal would have a say in the team’s head coaching search this offseason, the star guard was a little frustrated that his top pick for the job – Sixers assistant Sam Cassell – didn’t get a second interview, sources tell Katz. It’s unclear, however, if that will be a major factor in Beal’s decision on his future.
  • If Beal does request a trade, the Sixers, Heat, and Hawks are among the teams that could join the Warriors in the bidding, sources tell Katz. Hughes, meanwhile, suggests that the Warriors, Heat, Celtics, Trail Blazers, Lakers, and Mavericks are some of the clubs that would likely intrigue Beal.
  • The Thunder have made it known around the NBA that they’d be interested in participating in a Beal trade as a third team, according to Hughes.
  • The Wizards haven’t received any indication that their other star guard – Russell Westbrook – wants out of Washington, a team source tells Hughes.
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Eastern Draft Notes: Hawks, Sixers, Cavaliers, Hornets

July 23rd, 2021 at 9:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tennessee guard Jaden Springer and Oregon guard Chris Duarte are expected to work out for the Hawks shortly before the draft, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweets. Duarte is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s Best Available list, though he’s expected by some outlets to go higher, and Springer is rated No. 27. Atlanta holds the No. 20 pick.

We have more draft news involving Eastern Conference teams:

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