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And-Ones: Trade Deadline, Cap Space, 2019 Draft

January 21st, 2019 at 9:44pm CST by Luke Adams

For a second consecutive season, the NBA’s trade deadline will fall earlier in the calendar year than it has in the past. The February 7 deadline arrives well before the All-Star break, whereas as recently as 2017, the All-Star Game took place several days before the deadline.

As Danny Leroux of The Athletic writes, the earlier deadline could have some unintended consequences. For one, the buyer/seller ratio is one-sided — so many teams are still within striking distance of the top eight in their respective conferences that there may only be a handful of full-fledged sellers, while most of the rest of the league’s teams will be buyers.

Leroux points to the Magic as one example of a team that could be impacted significantly by the early deadline. Despite an underwhelming 19-27 record, Orlando is still just three games out of the No. 8 seed in the East. With a couple extra weeks to evaluate their playoff odds, perhaps the Magic would be more inclined to sell off pieces like Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, and Jonathon Simmons. If the team is still in the postseason hunt by February 7 though, those players may stay put.

If trade activity is somewhat tepid at this season’s deadline, the NBA should consider re-evaluating its calendar for future seasons, Leroux writes.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Which teams will have cap room during the summer of 2019? In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks previews the market, identifying the clubs that figure to have the most flexibility – like the Mavericks, Pacers, Hawks, and Kings – along with a few teams that could be “wild cards” (the Pelicans, Jazz, and Bucks).
  • Elsewhere in ESPN’s Insider-only section, Jonathan Givony recently published a two-part feature examining several of the top international draft prospects, including Georgian big man Goga Bitadze and Lithuanian forward Deividas Sirvydis, among others. Bitadze and Sirvydis rank 31st and 33rd on Givony’s most recent big board for 2019.
  • In the wake of the NBA’s annual trip to London last week, Mark Woods of ESPN.com explores the effect that a homegrown British basketball star might impact the perception of the NBA in the United Kingdom. As Woods outlines, British basketball is still waiting for its first high-profile star, while other European countries like Germany (Dirk Nowitzki), France (Tony Parker), and Spain (the Gasol brothers) have had major NBA success stories over the last couple decades.
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And-Ones: All-Rookie Teams, Trade Candidates, Europe, J. Young

January 20th, 2019 at 2:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dallas guard Luka Doncic is the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year honors midway through the season, writes Ben Nadeau of Basketball Insiders as he selects his all-rookie teams. Doncic has transformed the Mavericks and has a chance to be the first rookie selected for the All-Star Game since 2011. Joining him as Nadeau’s first-team selections are the Suns‘ Deandre Ayton, the Grizzlies‘ Jaren Jackson Jr., the Knicks‘ Kevin Knox and the Hawks‘ Trae Young.

The Cavaliers‘ Collin Sexton, the Hawks‘ Kevin Huerter, the Nets‘ Rodions Kurucs, the Kings‘ Marvin Bagley Jr. and the Suns‘ Mikal Bridges make up the second team, while the Bulls‘ Wendell Carter Jr., the Knicks‘ Allonzo Trier, the Sixers‘ Landry Shamet, the Clippers‘ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Timberwolves‘ Josh Okogie get honorable mention honors.

There’s more NBA-related news to pass along:

  • Jabari Parker and Robin Lopez of the Bulls are among the most likely players to be traded before the February 7 deadline, according to Shane Rhodes of Basketball Insiders. Parker couldn’t take advantage of an opportunity when Lauri Markkanen missed the start of the season with an elbow injury, but Rhodes suggests a change of scenery might help. Lopez has seen his playing time reduced this year, but the Bulls are determined to work out a trade rather than consider a buyout. Rhodes lists the Knicks‘ Enes Kanter, the Magic’s Nikola Vucevic and the Mavericks‘ Dennis Smith Jr. as other players with a good chance of being dealt.
  • After this week’s sellout for the Wizards and Knicks in London, the NBA is looking at other European venues, relays Martyn Herman of Reuters. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum indicated that Paris is likely the next destination and Berlin may follow. “There has been a lot of interest in teams wanting to go to Paris because France is a hotbed for basketball,” Tatum said. “We have nine French players in the NBA now. It’s just a matter of building the right business case and having the right partners in those areas. It is an important market for many of our marketing partners. It’s just a matter of time.” He added that Spain and Italy don’t have arenas yet that are capable of hosting a game.
  • Former Celtics first-round pick James Young was waived this week by the G League’s Wisconsin Herd, tweets Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days. It’s the latest setback for Young, who was waived by the Bucks shortly before the season began.
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Trade Rumors: Hawks, Most Active Teams, Porter

January 18th, 2019 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s 2019 trade deadline is now less than three weeks away, and a number of the trade candidates whose names are popping up the most have something in common, as Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports tweets: They’re all on expiring contracts.

Smith identifies Dewayne Dedmon (Hawks), Jeremy Lin (Hawks), Jonathon Simmons (Magic), Wayne Ellington (Heat), Robin Lopez (Bulls), Enes Kanter (Knicks), Noah Vonleh (Knicks), and David Nwaba (Cavaliers) as those players cited most frequently in trade chatter. Of those eight players, Simmons is the only one under contract for next season, and his 2019/20 salary of $5.7MM is partially guaranteed for just $1MM. In other words, his deal can be viewed as a de facto expiring contract too.

Here are a few more notes and rumors on the NBA’s trade market:

  • The Hawks appear willing to take on 2019/20 salary in trade discussions, according to Smith (Twitter link). A willingness to eat a bad contract in exchange for a more favorable asset could make Atlanta a team to watch in the coming weeks, since most teams around the NBA want to preserve their cap space for 2019.
  • Smith names the Sixers, Nets, Magic, Kings, Rockets, Pelicans, and Clippers as the teams that appear to be most active in trying to upgrade their rosters (Twitter link). Besides gauging the trade market, these clubs are also keeping an eye on potential buyout candidates, Smith notes.
  • The Wizards have shown “little appetite” for any trade that involves moving Otto Porter for a return heavy on future assets and cap flexibility, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe. That stance aligns with comments on Thursday made by owner Ted Leonsis, who stressed that Washington continues to push for a playoff spot and has no plans to tank.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/17/19

January 17th, 2019 at 9:23pm CST by JD Shaw

Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

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Tyler Dorsey Assigned To Erie

January 16th, 2019 at 9:47pm CST by clarkcrum
  • The Hawks assigned guard Tyler Dorsey to the Erie BayHawks, the team’s G League affiliate, per a tweet from the official BayHawks account. In his first G League appearance of the season earlier today, Dorsey went off for 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists in a win over the Wisconsin Herd.
  • The Bucks assigned both Donte DiVincenzo and Christian Wood to the Wisconsin Herd in time for today’s game against the BayHawks, per a release from the team. Wood is averaging a team-high 27.7 points per game with the Herd while DiVincenzo has averaged 17.3 points per game in his three games.
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Schroder: "I Wanted To Be In A Winning-Mentality Organization"

January 16th, 2019 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Returning to Atlanta this week for the first time since he was traded from the Hawks to the Thunder last summer, Dennis Schroder didn’t mince words when he spoke about heading from Atlanta to Oklahoma City. As Erik Horne of The Oklahoman relays, Schroder suggested that he welcomed the move to a contender after growing tired of the Hawks’ rebuilding efforts.

“I wanted to be in a winning-mentality organization,” Schroder said before Tuesday’s game between the Thunder and Hawks. “You just can’t go out there and try to lose. I’m a competitor and I try to give everything out there. I want the organization to feel the same way. Right now with our organization, all the players in the locker room, all of the coaches, they’ve got a winning mentality. That’s what makes it fun, when you go out there and go to war with your brothers. There’s nothing better than that.”

Despite Schroder’s veiled shots at the Hawks, it was Atlanta that had the last laugh on Tuesday. The Hawks overcame Schroder’s 21 points and six assists to beat the Thunder in a 142-126 barn-burner. Atlanta’s offensive outburst included a pair of 45-point quarters.

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Kings Among Teams Interested In Jeremy Lin

January 15th, 2019 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are among the teams that have expressed “exploratory” trade interest in Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

As Stein notes (via Twitter), Lin is one of a handful of Atlanta veterans expected to be available leading up to the February 7 trade deadline. The club figures to be seeking draft picks in return for Lin and Dewayne Dedmon, who are on expiring contracts, as well as Kent Bazemore, who still has one more year left on his deal after this season.

De’Aaron Fox has enjoyed a breakout season for the surprising Kings in 2018/19, but the club could use a veteran ball-handler and play-maker like Lin to stabilize its backcourt behind Fox. Yogi Ferrell and Frank Mason have handled backup point guard duties so far this season in Sacramento, while Lin has enjoyed a bounce-back year after two-injury plagued seasons in Brooklyn, averaging 10.8 PPG and 3.6 APG in a part-time role (19.5 MPG) for the Hawks.

The Kings figure to be linked to a number of trade candidates in the coming weeks, since they reportedly want to be buyers and they have the most in-season financial flexibility of any NBA team. With $11MM in cap room and a handful of expiring veteran contracts – such as Zach Randolph‘s and Kosta Koufos‘ – Sacramento could easily accommodate just about any salary. That includes Lin’s $13.77MM expiring deal.

The Sixers, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are said to be among the other teams that have inquired on Lin.

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Kevin Huerter Continues To Develop

January 13th, 2019 at 5:35pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

The Hawks are in the early stages of a rebuild. Having brought in a new coaching staff and with a new focus on player development, it has been very encouraging for the team to see Kevin Huerter break out in recent weeks. After slowly adjusting to the NBA, Huerter has received more playing time as of late and has been productive in his role. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic details Huerter’s recent stretch of play and what it means for the Hawks’ future.

As Huerter continues to develop alongside Trae Young and John Collins, it’s clear that the Hawks have quality young talent to grow and develop for years to come.

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Jeremy Lin Drawing Interest From Blazers, Others

January 11th, 2019 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams
  • The Trail Blazers would also be willing to part with their 2019 first-rounder for help in the backcourt or on the wing, per Deveney. Sources tell Deveney that Portland has expressed some interest in Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin, whom the Sixers and Pelicans have also inquired on. Getting a first-round pick in return for Lin might be challenging, but the veteran guard has boosted his value with a solid season so far in Atlanta.

    [SOURCE LINK]
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Lin Drawing Interest; Plumlee Undergoes Knee Procedure

January 9th, 2019 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

It sounds like interest around the NBA in Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin is picking up, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). After missing most of the last two seasons in Brooklyn due to injuries, Lin is averaging 10.9 PPG and 3.6 APG with an efficient .502/.380/.821 in the final year of his contract.

Lin’s salary is fairly sizable ($13.77MM), but given the lack of clear-cut sellers around the league, as well as the number of teams that could use one more play-maker, he could be a sought-after trade chip. Smith speculates that the Hawks should be able to secure a “decent asset” – albeit nothing “amazing” – in return for Lin if they move him by February 7.

  • Hawks big man Miles Plumlee, who underwent a non-surgical procedure on his left knee in December, underwent another procedure on that same knee this week, per a press release from the team. The Hawks say Plumlee will be re-evaluated in about two weeks, while Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that the procedure was a PRP-like injection.
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