- The Pelicans are interested in John Collins, but their talks with the Hawks have yet to gain much traction, sources tell Fischer. New Orleans is said to be looking for offensive upgrades and shooting, while Atlanta is searching for defensive upgrades. Money concerns may dampen the Pelicans’ pursuit of Collins, Fischer notes, as ownership has long avoided the luxury tax. Like Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Fischer hears Atlanta is comfortable hanging onto Collins if the team doesn’t find an offer it likes.
The Rockets have some interest in Hawks forward John Collins, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko suggests that Houston hasn’t put a formal offer on the table for Collins, but that the two teams have talked as Atlanta gauges league-wide interest in the big man.
As Iko details, the Rockets have expressed interest in Collins in the past, including when they traded Clint Capela to Atlanta back at the 2020 deadline. Although they’re intrigued by the possibility of acquiring the 25-year-old, the Rockets would have to consider a number of factors, including Collins’ fit alongside young cornerstones Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith, as well as his long-term contract.
According to Iko, the Rockets value the cap flexibility they have going forward. Collins’ contract would cut significantly into that flexibility — he’s owed $25.3MM next season and $26.6MM in 2024/25, with a $26.6MM player option for ’25/26. Before talks with the Hawks get serious, Houston would have to decide whether it’s worth sacrificing both current assets and future opportunities for Collins.
Here’s more from Iko on the Rockets:
- Houston has interest in Pacers center Myles Turner, but he’d likely be a target in free agency rather than via trade, according to Iko. The Rockets would be reluctant to engage in a bidding war and surrender valuable assets for a player on an expiring deal.
- Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon remains a strong candidate to be traded before the February 9 deadline (and has privately expressed some frustration with his situation, per Iko), but the Rockets are also open to the idea of adding another veteran or two to their roster. As Iko explains, the team’s rebuild has perhaps left the roster perhaps too young, with 10 Houston players no older than 22. The front office may prefer a little more balance.
- Team and league sources tell Iko that a few clubs around the league have floated the idea of offering a first-round pick for Kenyon Martin Jr., but the Rockets haven’t received any concrete offers. Houston wouldn’t be interested in trading Martin for a second-round pick, Iko adds.
Longtime NBA guard Jeremy Lin is resuming his playing career in Taiwan after parting ways with the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association last month.
Lin, who appeared in a total of 480 regular season NBA games across nine seasons, announced on his Instagram account that he’s joining the Kaohsiung Steelers. The club, which competes in the P. League+, Taiwan’s top basketball league, confirmed the news in an Instagram post of its own.
Lin last played in the NBA as a member of the champion Raptors during the 2018/19 season. Since then, he has continued to play in Asia and the G League — before he suited up for Guangzhou earlier this season, the 34-year-old spent time with the Beijing Ducks in 2019/20 and ’21/22, and with the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2021.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week that the Hawks were in serious talks to hire former Cavs general manager Chris Grant as a senior advisor in their front office, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has heard that it won’t happen. “From what I’m told, even though they were interested in bringing him in, Chris has actually pulled his name from consideration,” Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast, per RealGM. “He’s going to stay with the Spurs (in a scouting role). He’s happy in San Antonio.”
- The NBA announced this week (via Twitter) that it will have its All-Star captains pick their 12-man squads right before the All-Star Game begins, rather than days in advance. The captains will be announced tonight when the league reveals the five All-Star starters from each conference.
- Former second-round pick Tyrell Terry, who made a surprising retirement announcement last month at age 22 for mental health reasons, spoke to Julie Kliegman of SI.com about why he opted to give up basketball and why he isn’t regretting the decision. “If you Google my name it’ll probably be, ‘Ex-Athlete Steps Away From the Game for Mental Health,'” Terry said. “But when I read some of the DMs that people have sent me – I’ve had phone call conversations with parents of athletes who are struggling – and just the kind words and the gratitude that they’ve showed me, it pushes those second thoughts to the side and makes them less relevant.”
There’s a huge market for Fred VanVleet if the Raptors decide to trade him, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
The 28-year-old guard will be a free agent this summer if he turns down a $22.8MM player option, which Pincus says many league insiders expect to happen. VanVleet can negotiate an extension with Toronto through June 30, but the Raptors could try to move him before the deadline if they aren’t confident about reaching a new deal.
Pincus hears that the Heat, Lakers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Suns and Wizards would be among the most interested teams if VanVleet is made available. He also throws in the Magic, who are seeking an experienced lead guard to play alongside their young core.
The Raptors will want a premium price if they decide to part with VanVleet, Pincus adds, with some combination of young talent, draft assets and players on team-friendly contracts.
Pincus looks at a few other guards who could be changing teams before the deadline:
- With the Hornets near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, they may be willing to consider trading Terry Rozier, who has three more years and nearly $75MM left on his contract. Pincus notes that Charlotte discussed dealing Rozier to the Lakers last offseason and points out that Marc Stein recently identified the Suns as a possible suitor.
- Pincus hears that the Heat, Suns, Mavericks and Clippers would all be interested in trading for D’Angelo Russell if the Timberwolves can’t reach an extension soon with the impending free agent.
- Pincus lists the Lakers, Clippers and Timberwolves as teams in the market for Mike Conley if the Jazz decide to part with their veteran point guard. Conley has a $14.32MM guarantee on his $24.4MM salary for next season and would be much cheaper to acquire than Van Vleet.
- Eric Gordon is attracting interest from the Suns, Lakers and Bucks, but Pincus believes the Rockets may not get the first-round pick they want in return. He suggests Houston might have to settle for a pick swap, using the 2023 first-rounder the team is owed from Milwaukee.
- The Lakers haven’t given up trying to trade Russell Westbrook, but Pincus says they’re not willing to part with their two available first-round picks unless they get a star in return. He adds that L.A. may focus on smaller deals involving Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker in an effort to find wing depth or a backup big man.
- The Hawks aren’t looking to move Trae Young now, but a source tells Pincus that it could be a consideration during the offseason. Young has clashed with coach Nate McMillan, and Atlanta’s overall turmoil may lead the team to seek a fresh start.
The Pelicans are among the teams to reach out to the Hawks about forward John Collins, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. Haynes hears from sources that those discussions were merely preliminary, however.
A report earlier this month stated that Atlanta had previously pitched the idea of a Collins trade involving Trey Murphy and one of New Orleans’ many first-round picks. It’s unclear whether the Pelicans are open to that sort of package — if so, they would need to add more outgoing salary, with Devonte’ Graham looking like a prime candidate to be dealt.
According to Haynes, the Hawks remain comfortable with the idea of keeping Collins on their roster beyond the trade deadline if they don’t get an offer they like.
Here’s more from Haynes:
- The Trail Blazers are “intensely engrossed” in seeking further upgrades for their roster and are open to listening to a wide variety of ideas, league sources tell Bleacher Report. Portland has struggled since getting off to a hot start, but remains focused on making the playoffs this season and has no plans to tank, Haynes adds.
- The Celtics are in the market for another frontcourt player and will try to add a big man in the buyout market if they’re unable to trade for one at the deadline, Haynes writes. Boston isn’t necessarily seeking an impact player, but Robert Williams has dealt with injuries in the past year and Al Horford is 36 years old, so the team would like a reliable insurance policy.
- Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet has parted with his representatives at Par-Lay Sports & Entertainment and will hire a new agent soon, league sources tell Haynes. The timing of the move is noteworthy, since VanVleet is likely headed for unrestricted free agency this summer and has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate.
The Wizards‘ willingness to trade Rui Hachimura reflects their increased confidence that they’ll be able to re-sign Kyle Kuzma as a free agent in the summer, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.
According to Stein, Washington has been telling rival teams that it plans to re-sign both Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, who also has a player option for 2023/24 that he may decline. Porzingis likes his situation in D.C., Stein adds, so if he does turn down his option, it sounds like he’d be open to a new deal with the Wizards.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports has heard similar rumblings on Kuzma, reporting that the Wizards have told inquiring teams like the Suns and Hawks that the veteran forward isn’t available for trade.
Still, even if Kuzma isn’t going anywhere, Washington seems likely to make at least one more trade before the February 9 deadline, Fischer writes. The team wants to open up a spot on its 15-man roster to promote Jordan Goodwin from his two-way contract, and center Vernon Carey Jr. is considered a trade candidate, according to Fischer, who adds that rival executives are also keeping an eye on Will Barton as a possible buyout candidate if he remains in D.C. through the deadline.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- One source tells Stein that Hachimura requested a trade before he was dealt to Los Angeles, which the 24-year-old didn’t deny over the weekend.
- Three-team discussions involving the Suns, Bucks, and Wizards helped set the price for the Lakers to acquire Hachimura, according to Fischer (Twitter link), who reports that those three clubs discussed a concept that would have sent Hachimura to Phoenix, Jae Crowder to Milwaukee, and three second-round picks and matching salaries to Washington. The Wizards ultimately decided they preferred the deal with L.A.
- In columns reacting to the Hachimura trade, Candace Buckner of The Washington Post questioned the Wizards’ plan and direction following their latest move, while David Aldridge of The Athletic referred to the deal as a “salvage operation” rather than a win for president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard. “Not impactful, but better than letting your No. 9 pick walk for nothing,” a league executive said in a text message to Aldridge. “Not a championship move. Not a playoff move. Maybe a play-in move.”
- As Josh Robbins of The Athletic notes in a column on the trade, the Wizards generated a $6.26MM traded player exception in the swap for Hachimura’s outgoing salary, since they were able to take Nunn’s $5.25MM salary into an existing trade exception created at last season’s deadline. Washington will have until January 23, 2024 to use the newly created TPE.
The Bucks may have several options in their effort to find a trade for Serge Ibaka, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. League sources tell Scotto that the Nets, Heat and Hawks are among a group of teams that are closely watching the Ibaka situation ahead of the February 9 trade deadline.
NBA executives believe a second-round pick will be enough to acquire the veteran big man, who has barely played for Milwaukee this season, averaging just 11.6 minutes in 16 games. He hasn’t been on the court since January 1 and is currently away from the team as it tries to work out a deal.
Scotto notes that Brooklyn is intriguing because Ibaka played alongside Kevin Durant for several seasons in Oklahoma City. The Nets have been searching for experienced frontcourt help, and Ibaka offers both rim protection and three-point shooting.
With the Heat possibly moving on from backup center Dewayne Dedmon, Ibaka could provide a low-cost alternative, Scotto adds. Dedmon, whose playing time was reduced before his recent one-game suspension, became trade-eligible on January 15.
The Hawks may believe they need insurance at center due to Clint Capela‘s injury woes. Capela returned to the lineup last Monday after missing the previous 10 games with a calf injury, but he has been limited to 31 games this season.
Malik Beasley is a popular target heading into this year’s trade deadline, with several contenders expected to make a play for the Jazz guard, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.
The desire around the league for more shooting, combined with a shortage of sellers, could produce an “overheated” market for Beasley, an Eastern Conference executive tells Deveney. The 26-year-old is averaging 13.7 PPG for Utah while connecting at 39.9% from the field and 35.8% from three-point range. His contract is relatively affordable, with a $16.5MM team option for 2023/24.
“It is a thin market,” the executive said. “You are going to have to overpay because there are not a ton of guys you can go out and get. … A lot of playoff teams are trying to figure out what it is going to take to get him.”
The Jazz are asking for a first-round pick in return for Beasley, along with a young player and whatever it takes to match salaries, according to Deveney, who hears that Utah is willing to take on salary beyond this season if it believes the players if acquires can eventually be moved for another first-rounder.
Deveney cites the Heat as among the top contenders for Beasley, possibly as part of a larger deal that would also bring Kelly Olynyk back to Miami for a package that includes Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin along with picks and other young players. Miami prefers to hold onto 2022 first-round pick Nikola Jovic, according to Deveney, who believes that stance could change as the deadline nears.
Deveney also mentions the Cavaliers in a rumor first floated last week by Marc Stein. The proposed three-team deal would send Beasley to Cleveland, Caris LeVert‘s expiring contract to the Hawks and John Collins to Utah.
The Bucks and Nets are also interested in Beasley, Deveney adds, but both teams are limited in the draft assets they can offer. Milwaukee doesn’t have a first-round pick to trade until 2029, while Brooklyn would like to deal Seth Curry or Joe Harris for Beasley, but can’t trade a first-rounder until 2028.
The Celtics, who nearly traded for Beasley last season before acquiring Derrick White, probably won’t be involved in the pursuit this year, Deveney states. He expects them to seek a less expensive wing if they’re active in the market at all, possibly offering Danilo Gallinari and Payton Pritchard in return.
Deveney identifies the Pelicans and Warriors as “dark horses” in the Beasley chase, with New Orleans having the combination of draft capital, young players and salary fillers that Utah is seeking, and Golden State able to get involved if management decides to part with either James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody.
Jazz center Kelly Olynyk, who has missed the team’s last six games due to a left ankle sprain, was a partial participant in practice on Thursday after beginning on-court work on Wednesday, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Olynyk still has a little ways to go before he’s cleared to return to action though — Larsen said on Friday night that the big man isn’t expected to play for the next week.
Here’s more out of Utah:
- Although the Hawks turned down a Jazz trade proposal that would have sent Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt to Atlanta for John Collins and a first-round pick, the expectation is that those two teams will resume their conversations closer to the trade deadline, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. Utah is expected to engage in plenty of trade discussions with teams around the league and will consider any deal that would be good for the franchise, whether that means buying or selling, Jones adds.
- In case you missed it, Marc Stein reported earlier today that the Jazz will likely be open to listening to inquiries on anyone except Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. In her own trade deadline primer, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News expresses a belief that Collin Sexton belongs with Markkanen and Kessler in that group of players who are highly unlikely to be dealt this season.
- In a separate story for The Deseret News, Todd explores the developmental process that the Jazz rookies have been going through in their first NBA season, noting that No. 14 overall pick Ochai Agbaji has been earning more playing time as of late. Agbaji has put up more than four points just once in his last five outings, but the Jazz have outscored opponents by 41 points in his 111 minutes during that stretch.
The Heat are very active on the trade market, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reports. An obvious area to upgrade would be power forward, with the Hawks’ John Collins a potential target. However, there’s concern within the organization that Collins may not be a great fit alongside Bam Adebayo due to his perimeter shooting issues.
The Suns rejected an offer of Duncan Robinson for Jae Crowder, but Caleb Martin could be substituted for Robinson with center Dewayne Dedmon tossed in to make the salaries work and keep Miami under the luxury tax, Deveney adds.
We have more on the Heat:
- There are plenty of other potential trade options for a power forward but the Heat may have to include an asset or two they don’t want to give up, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. They’d certainly be willing to move Robinson’s contract and Dedmon. They may also have to add Martin or Nikola Jovic into the package, as well one or two protected first-round picks, to get an impact player at that spot.
- While a Kyle Lowry trade can’t be ruled out, the Heat aren’t actively looking to move him, Jackson adds in the same story.
- After hovering around the .500 mark most of the season, the Heat are a season-best four games over .500. Better health has been a factor and Udonis Haslem believes the team can go on a run, he told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “We’ve been right there. So many games coming down to the last shot even with a decimated roster,” the veteran big man said. “So sometimes you got to look within the lesson. The lesson is, I think, once we get healthy, we’re building some good habits and we’ll be able to put something together here. You look at how Boston started their first half of the season last year and it was similar. So if we get healthy, I think we’re still capable of putting something together here.”
- Considering his past injury issues, Victor Oladipo is surprised he’s logged 30-plus minutes in eight of his last 10 games, he told Chiang. “A little bit, I can’t lie,” Oladipo said of playing extended minutes this season. “But sitting back and really reflecting, you see how much work I put in and how much I invest in my body. So it’s no surprise that I’m still feeling good, and I’m going to continue to keep feeling better as the year goes on.” Oladipo only played 25 minutes in a lopsided win over New Orleans on Wednesday.