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NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southeast Division

November 29th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2019/20 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

We’re still more than two weeks away from December 15, the date when most of this past offseason’s free agent signees become trade-eligible, so the NBA’s 2019/20 trade season hasn’t really begun yet. But with the regular season nearing the one-quarter mark, we’re getting a better sense of which teams might be buyers and which non-contenders will end up being sellers.

Having gone through all six divisions once as we examine potential trade candidates, we’re starting our second go-round today. Here are three more possible trade candidates from out of the Southeast:

Davis Bertans, PF
Washington Wizards
$7MM cap hit; UFA in 2020

Bertans, who would likely still be a Spur if Marcus Morris had never agreed to sign with San Antonio over the summer, has played a crucial role in helping the Wizards post some of the NBA’s best offensive numbers. One of the most dangerous frontcourt shooters in the league, Bertans is making a career-high 44.3% of his three-pointers on 7.6 attempts per game and has increased his scoring average off the bench to 13.3 PPG.

The Wizards might try to lock up Bertans long-term, but the 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, giving the club little leverage in contract talks. If Washington falls out of the playoff hunt in the East, Bertans will be one of the team’s best trade chips, based on his affordable cap hit ($7MM), his expiring contract, and his ability to provide instant offense.

One scout who spoke to ESPN’s Bobby Marks earlier this month suggested that it wouldn’t be a surprise if there’s a team willing to surrender a late first-round pick for Bertans at the trade deadline.

Jabari Parker, PF
Atlanta Hawks
$6.5MM cap hit; $6.5MM player option for 2020/21

Like the Wizards, the Hawks probably won’t shift into selling mode until their playoff hopes are all but extinguished. And it may take a while for that to happen in an Eastern Conference where the 8-12 Hornets currently hold onto the No. 8 seed.

Still, at 4-15, the Hawks are already 3.5 games out of the postseason picture, so unless they start winning some games soon, they’ll have to consider shopping some veteran players. Although Parker is only 24, the sixth-year forward qualifies as one such veteran.

With 17.8 PPG on 51.8% shooting through 18 games (28.1 MPG), Parker has been the Hawks’ best scorer not named Trae Young this season. And it’s not as if he’s been putting up numbers against second-stringers — he has been a starter since John Collins was hit with a 25-game suspension early in the season.

With a $6.5MM player option for the 2020/21 season, Parker could be a one-and-done in Atlanta, so if a team in need of frontcourt scoring wants to make a play for him before the deadline, the Hawks would be wise to listen.

Aaron Gordon, F
Orlando Magic
$19.9MM cap hit; descending guaranteed salaries through 2021/22

By all accounts, Gordon isn’t a trade candidate right now. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported two weeks ago that teams were monitoring the former No. 4 overall pick in case he becomes available, but said that Orlando has shown no interest in such a move.

Still, the Magic (7-11) have been disappointing so far and their offense has been disastrous. Jonathan Isaac, not exactly a dynamic scorer himself, nonetheless looks like a franchise cornerstone due to his versatility, defensive ability, and upside, and Sean Deveney of Forbes recently suggested there may be some concern within the organization about the long-term fit of an Isaac/Gordon frontcourt.

Gordon is just 24 years old and still has intriguing potential, despite his lack of improvement so far this season. He also has a contract that declines in value each year, eventually dipping to $16.4MM in 2021/22. That makes him a valuable trade chip.

I think the Magic front office will be patient in giving the current group every opportunity to make things work, and a trade for scoring help wouldn’t necessarily have to include Gordon. But moving the young forward is a possibility the team should at least consider if its struggles continue.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Alex Poythress Signing With Turkish Team

November 29th, 2019 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Alex Poythress, a two-way player with the Hawks last season, will sign with Galatasaray in Istanbul, Turkey, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Poythress began the season with the Jilin Northeast Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Poythress got into 21 games for Atlanta last year, averaging 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per night. The 26-year-old power forward started his NBA career in April of 2017, appearing in six games with the Sixers. He joined the Pacers on a two-way deal the following season and played 25 games.

Poythress will replace former NBA center Ben Moore on the Galatasaray roster. Moore, who played two games for the Pacers during the 2017/18 season, asked to be released from his commitment with the Turkish team so he could return to the United States and be closer to his family following the death of his grandfather. He plans to seek a spot in the G League.

Jabari Parker Won’t Rule Out Return To Bucks

November 27th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Bucks had high hopes for Jabari Parker when they selected him with the No. 2 overall pick back in 2014, but injuries robbed him of much of his time in Milwaukee. Parker, who recently signed with the Hawks, wishes things had worked out differently.

“It’s real special, man, how they were able to build this building,” Parker told Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “I haven’t played here but just seeing like the growth of the city, I really like the way that it’s developing.”

“It’s just so sad that I’m not able to share it with them and that they moved on, but that’s fine, that’s business. But I do have like a little homesickness from being here. I just miss being here.”

Parker’s deal is for two seasons, though the second year is a player option. The forward wouldn’t rule out a return to Milwaukee.

“Never. I would never rule out a possible return here,” Parker added. “I would never do that. It’s just so sad how it ended and I wish I could’ve stayed.”

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Huerter, Mahinmi

November 26th, 2019 at 10:52pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Coach James Borrego is losing patience with the Hornets‘ defense and he’s not afraid to shake things up, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer relays.

“You have to value your time on the floor. This isn’t a God-given right to step on the floor and just go through the motions,” Borrego said recently. “If you’re not doing your job, if you don’t have great effort, if you’re not engaged from Minute 1, then I need to make a change — bring someone in off the bench or make a lineup change.”

Charlotte is 6-12 and the team has already started 12 different lineups this season. Borrego is searching for the best combination of players that will help the team win games regardless of each player’s contract status or seniority on the team.

As the Hornets look to right the ship, let’s take a look at more from the Southeast Division:

Kevin Huerter has been cleared to begin some on-court activity, Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com tweets. Huerter, who suffered a left rotator cuff strain earlier this month, will not play on the Hawks‘ upcoming road trip.
Wizards center Ian Mahinmi, who is in the final year of his four-year, $64MM deal, is close to returning to the court and the big man wants to prove that he has something left in the tank, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports reports. “This cannot be the end of this story,” Mahinmi told Hughes. “I’ve always wanted to be a valuable piece in that puzzle. So, in my mind, there’s still a lot of chapters left to be written.”
In the same piece, which is worth a read, Hughes compares Mahinmi’s game in Washington to his previous stop in Indiana and finds that the center’s per-36 numbers are actually slightly better with Wizards. “I’m a guy that wants to anchor the defense and who understands defensive principles. That’s who I am and what I can do,” Mahinmi said.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/25/19

November 25th, 2019 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Monday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Wizards assigned forward Admiral Schofield and guard Justin Robinson to the Capital City Go-Go, the team’s PR department tweets. In six games with the Go-Go, Schofield has averaged 18.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG, while Robinson has posted averages of 12.8 PPG, 7.2 APG and 3.2 SPG.
The Knicks assigned rookie forward Ignas Brazdeikis to the Westchester affiliate, the team’s PR department tweets. The second-round pick is averaging 18 PPG and 7.1 RPG in four games at the G League level.
Suns rookie guard Ty Jerome was assigned to the Northern Arizona Suns, the team’s PR department tweets. The first-round pick is rehabbing from an ankle injury.
The Hawks recalled forwards Bruno Fernando and guard Tyrone Wallace from the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League, the team tweets. Fernando posted nine points and nine rebounds in a game with College Park while Wallace, another second-round pick, scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Pacers recalled forward Alize Johnson from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, according to a team press release. Johnson had 36 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals against the Windy City Bulls on Sunday. Johnson has appeared in five games with the Pacers this season, averaging 2.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG.
The Mavericks assigned rookie forward Isaiah Roby to the Texas Legends, the team’s PR department tweets. Roby has averaged 11.8 PPG and 8.2 RPG in five G League games.
The Nets recalled forward Rodions Kurucs from their Long Island affiliate, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Kurucs, a 2018 second rounder, has appeared in nine games with Brooklyn this season.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/24/19

November 24th, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by JD Shaw

Here are Sunday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Hornets have assigned Caleb Martin, Cody Martin and Jalen McDaniels to the Greensboro Swarm, G League affiliate of the team, general manager Mitch Kupchak announced. It marks Caleb Martin’s fourth assignment, Cody Martin’s second assignment and McDaniels’ third assignment to the G League this season.
The Pacers have assigned forward Alize Johnson to their G League team in Fort Wayne, announcing the news in a press release. Johnson has averaged 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in five games with the Pacers this season.
The Wizards have recalled forward Admiral Schofield and guard Justin Robinson from the Capital City Go-Go, announcing the news on social media. Washington holds a 5-9 record through the campaign’s first 14 games.
The Hawks assigned Bruno Fernando and Tyrone Wallace to the College Park Skyhawks, their public relations department tweets. Fernando has appeared in 16 games with Atlanta this season, while Wallace has appeared in 11 games.
The Sixers have recalled Jonah Bolden and Zhaire Smith from the Delaware Blue Coats, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The duo will join the team in Toronto for their game on Monday, and Pompey notes the plan is for both players to work with the team in the coming days.
The Spurs assigned Chimezie Metu and Keldon Johnson to the Austin Spurs, the team announced on Twitter. Both players started in Austin’s game against Salt Lake City on Sunday.
The Thunder announced that they have recalled center Justin Patton from their G League affiliate. Patton has averaged 9.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in six games with the Oklahoma City Blue this season.

Early Check-In On Protected 2020 First-Round Picks

November 21st, 2019 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

We’re about a month into the NBA’s 2019/20 regular season, and no team has played more than 16 games. Still, based on what we’ve seen so far, we’re starting to get a sense of which teams will be competitive and which teams probably won’t.

As a picture begins to form of which teams will be vying for top seeds in each conference and which might be battling for lottery odds, it’s worth checking in on the traded first-round picks for 2020. Of next year’s 30 first-round selections, 10 have been traded, and all 10 have some form of protection on them, meaning the ’19/20 standings will dictate whether or not those first-rounders actually change hands.

Here’s an early look at which of those picks are safe bets to move, which ones will likely be kept, and which ones are still up in the air:

Likely to change hands:

Bucks acquiring Pacers‘ pick (top-14 protected)
Celtics acquiring Bucks‘ pick (top-7 protected)
Nets acquiring Sixers‘ pick (top-14 protected)
Thunder acquiring Nuggets‘ pick (top-10 protected)

The Bucks (11-3) and Nuggets (10-3) are currently competing for the No. 1 seed in their respective conferences. If that continues, the Celtics and Thunder can count on receiving picks in the late-20s.

Meanwhile, the Pacers (8-6) and Sixers (9-5) have been a little shakier since opening the season, but there’s little doubt that they’ll be playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. They’ll send their respective first-rounders to the Bucks and Nets, who will be hoping those picks land in the teens or at least the early-20s.

Unlikely to change hands:

Grizzlies acquiring Jazz‘ pick (1-7, 15-30 protected)
Nets acquiring Warriors‘ pick (top-20 protected)
Sixers acquiring Thunder‘s pick (top-20 protected)

The protections on the Utah first-rounder included in the Mike Conley trade are meant to ensure that the Grizzlies don’t receive too high or too low a first-round pick. Assuming the Jazz (9-5) make the playoffs, as expected, they’d retain their 2020 pick and would owe Memphis their 2021 selection with the same protections.

The Warriors (3-13) and Thunder (5-9) picks are a little more interesting, since they won’t simply roll over to 2021 if and when they’re retained. If Golden State keeps its 2020 pick, the team will only owe Brooklyn its 2025 second-rounder. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, would owe Philadelphia its 2022 and 2023 second-round picks if its 2020 first-rounder falls into its protected range.

Still up in the air:

Celtics acquiring Grizzlies‘ pick (top-6 protected)
Hawks acquiring Nets‘ pick (top-14 protected)
Pelicans acquiring Cavaliers‘ pick (top-10 protected)

The Grizzlies have been frisky so far, but they’re just 5-9 and will likely finish among the West’s worst teams. Whether or not they hang onto their 2020 first-rounder may come down to lottery luck. If it falls in the top six and Memphis keeps it, Boston would be in line to acquire the Grizzlies’ unprotected 2021 first-round selection.

The Hawks will need the Nets to make the postseason to receive their first-rounder in 2020. That’s not a lock, but it still seems likely — despite a modest 6-8 record, Brooklyn holds the No. 7 seed in the East. If the Nets miss the playoffs and keep their first-round pick in 2020, they’ll owe a lottery-protected 2021 first-rounder to Atlanta.

Finally, it may just be a matter of time before we can move the Cavaliers’ first-rounder into the “unlikely to change hands” group. The team is putting in a good effort under new head coach John Beilein, but is just 4-10 so far. Unless things improve, the Cavaliers’ pick will remain in the top 10 and they’ll keep it, instead sending their 2021 and 2022 second-rounders to New Orleans.

Southeast Notes: Young, Heat, Batum, Fournier

November 17th, 2019 at 5:32pm CST by JD Shaw

Hawks star Trae Young overcame several non-believers in his path to the NBA, proving doubters wrong while using their comments as motivation, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes.

Young, 21, has quickly turned into one of the league’s most electric point guards. He’s averaged 26.6 points and 8.8 assists in 11 games for the Hawks this season, having being drafted fifth overall in 2018. The memories of his doubters still remain firmly in his mind.

“Yeah, it’s little stuff like that,” Young said. “I have pictures and stuff like that. Old tweets. Old different sayings and quotes from people who said things when I was coming into the draft, coming into college too. It’s stuff I just keep it in my mind. Some of it is mental notes, but at the same time some of it is stuff that I keep and I have my eye on. …But I think that type of stuff motivates you.”

Young, according to Amick, has a second phone filled with screenshots of those who doubted him. The phone itself isn’t attached to an actual line, but it’s something he’ll always have for motivation during his career.

“I’ve probably changed my phone twice, but I still have that same phone with all my pictures and all that stuff,” he said. “I’ll always have that phone, until I’m retired. And then, when I’m retired, I’ll go to the ocean somewhere and throw it in the water.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether the Heat have reached their development quota. Miami has several intriguing young players on its roster this season, including Justise Winslow, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn.
Hornets forward Nicolas Batum returned on Saturday against the Knicks after missing nearly four weeks with a fractured left middle finger. Batum, 30, finished with three points, nine rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes of work, registering a positive-18 net rating.
Evan Fournier‘s renewed rhythm is leading the Magic to offensive improvement, writes John Denton of NBA.com. Orlando has won two straight games after a poor start to the season, though the team has yet to win a game on the road (0-4). Fournier has averaged 16.2 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 43% shooting from 3-point range.

Chandler Parsons Cleared To Make Hawks Debut Tonight

November 16th, 2019 at 4:13pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Hawks forward Chandler Parsons has been activated and is poised to make his season debut in tonight’s bout against the Clippers, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Parsons inked a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the Grizzlies in the great summer cap boom of 2016. However, knee and back problems limited him to 95 total games during the first three years of his contract. After protracted wrangling with Memphis in 2018/19, Parsons was flipped to Atlanta this summer. He has missed the first 11 games of Atlanta’s 2019/20 season.

Parsons flashed complementary All-Star potential in his time with the Rockets and Mavericks in the first four years of his NBA career. The 6’9″ sharpshooting forward was drafted with the 38th pick out of Florida in 2011, and outperformed modest pre-draft expectations until his body began to betray him at the tail end of the 2014/15 season.

The Grizzlies took a big swing in 2016, hoping their medical staff could mitigate his injury risks. Atlanta has significantly more modest expectations, and could use Parsons as a bench kick-out target for stud point guard Trae Young.

If Parsons is able to showcase flashes of his former self on his new team and stay healthy through early 2020, he may have a shot at postseason glory yet. His is an expensive expiring contract, and could be dangled by Atlanta in a trade to a team looking to clear cap space for this summer. It’s more likely that he will be bought out of his remaining contract by Atlanta and hit the buyout market. A reasonably healthy Parsons could serve as a nice floor-spacing bench addition for NBA teams looking to add cheap shooting for a spring playoff run.

Surging Trae Young Talks Doubters

November 16th, 2019 at 2:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Athletic’s Sam Amick takes an in-depth look at the ascent of Hawks second-year point guard Trae Young in an exclusive interview. The 21-year-old Young is off to a blistering start. Amick discusses the way Young’s on-court achievements will always be connected with the Hawks’ fateful 2018 draft trade with the Mavericks involving Luka Doncic. Young and Amick scroll through a list of Young’s doubters. “I have pictures and stuff like that. Old tweets. Old different sayings and quotes from people who said things when I was coming into the draft, coming into college too,” Young reflected. “It’s stuff I just keep it in my mind. Some of it is mental notes, but at the same time some of it is stuff that I keep and I have my eye on. …But I think that type of stuff motivates you.”