Charlotte Hornets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Anthony, Heat Arena, Monk, Riley

March 25th, 2021 at 11:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Injured Magic rookie point guard Cole Anthony, recovering from a rib fracture suffered on February 9, has been progressing in his rehab, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel tweets.

Magic head coach Steve Clifford addressed: Anthony’s improvement: “He’s able to be on the court more now. He can’t do any contact. The rib isn’t totally healed, so he’ll have to do another MRI before he’s ready for contact but he is able to do, like work out with the ball, shooting, ball handling, things on the court that he wasn’t able to do a week ago.”

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

The cryptocurrency exchange FTX has purchased naming rights for the Heat‘s home court, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The current American Airlines Arena will soon be rebranded. FTX will pay $2MM per year for the moniker.
The Hornets face interesting decisions this summer on 2021 restricted free agents Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer wonders if Charlotte should prioritize retaining Monk, who has been on a tear of late, in the offseason. Bonnell notes that, in terms of each player’s potential fit alongside future of the franchise LaMelo Ball, Monk can be reliably slotted both alongside Ball and as a legitimate backup point guard option. The Hornets may need to let at least one of Graham or Monk walk to seek out a free agent upgrade at the center position.
Heat team president Pat Riley discussed Miami’s new veteran additions, and why his team opted to retain its promising youth, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. The Heat added shooting guard Victor Oladipo, recently a two-time All-Star, plus forwards Trevor Ariza and Nemanja Bjelica, without giving up intriguing young players Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, both of whom many assumed could be moved. “They can become truly great,” Riley said. “I hate to have that come back to [bite] us if we move them… We’re happy with both of them. They’re both [going through a shooting slump]. They’ll come out of it.” Riley was also excited for Oladipo’s diverse offensive game and his defensive promise: “He’s not just a shooter. He can really defend.”

Warriors Trade Brad Wanamaker To Hornets

March 25th, 2021 at 10:37pm CST by Luke Adams

10:37pm: The Warriors tweet that they have officially dealt Wanamaker to the Hornets. The terms of the deal are as follows:

Hornets acquire Wanamaker, the Raptors’ 2022 second-round pick (top-54 protected), and cash.
Warriors acquire the Hornets’ 2025 second-round pick (top-55 protected).

2:19pm: The Hornets have agreed to acquire veteran guard Brad Wanamaker in a trade with the Warriors, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Golden State won’t receive any players or picks in return, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Charlotte has the room to absorb Wanamaker’s $2.25MM cap charge, so no salary-matching was necessary.

Cash will be involved in the deal, per Slater, though it’s unclear which team is receiving it. Given Wanamaker’s middling production and the Warriors’ sizeable tax bill, I’d expect Golden State to be the team sending out cash, but Wes Goldberg of The San Jose Mercury-News says it’ll be Charlotte doing so. We’ll have to wait for more details.

Wanamaker was expendable because Golden State views rookie Nico Mannion as its backup point guard moving forward, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports (Twitter link). The Warriors were able to open two roster spots today ahead of the buyout season.

After signing with the Warriors as a free agent in November, Wanamaker appeared in 39 games, all as a reserve, and averaged 4.7 points and 2.5 assists per night.

Woj’s Latest: Drummond, Aldridge, Blazers, Oladipo, Redick, Hornets

March 24th, 2021 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

If Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge receive buyouts rather than being traded, the Lakers and Heat are widely viewed as the respective frontrunners to sign them. Adrian Wojnarowski essentially confirmed that point during today’s Woj & Lowe Trade Deadline Special on ESPN, though he noted that both big men would have plenty of options on the buyout market.

The Nets, Clippers, Celtics, and Mavericks would have interest in Drummond, according to Wojnarowski. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said he expects the Hornets to pursue Aldridge if he hits waivers.

The ability to compete for a championship would be a top priority for both veteran bigs, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter links), who hears that a championship ring would be “the driving force” for Aldridge. As for Drummond, while the Mavs would have interest, they expect he’d hunt for a ring with Brooklyn or one of the L.A. teams, says Townsend.

Here are a few more notable tidbits from the Woj & Lowe Trade Deadline Special that aired on ESPN this afternoon:

The Trail Blazers have been “very active” in trade discussions, according to Wojnarowski, who pointed to Norman Powell and Victor Oladipo as players who could appeal to Portland.
Wojnarowski gets the sense that the Rockets will be able to land a mid first-round pick in exchange for Oladipo. However, Woj downplayed New York’s interest in the veteran guard: “I don’t sense the interest in a future partnership with Oladipo is significant with the Knicks.”
The Jazz could be a dark-horse suitor for Pelicans guard J.J. Redick in the event of a buyout, says Wojnarowski. Still, the Nets are viewed as the probable frontrunner in that scenario, since Redick’s family is based in Brooklyn. “Geography may play a big part in this,” Woj said.
The Hornets had been scouring the market for a frontcourt upgrade, but may “retreat” a little following LaMelo Ball‘s wrist injury, per Wojnarowski.

John Collins: “I Want To Stay” With Hawks

March 24th, 2021 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

One of the most frequent subjects of NBA trade speculation in recent weeks, Hawks big man John Collins, made it clear on Tuesday that he’d prefer not to join a new team this week, as Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details.

“I want to stay,” Collins told reporters. “I want my flowers here in Atlanta. I want to be true to Atlanta for my entire career, as corny or cheesy as it may sound to whoever. As a basketball player, as someone who takes pride in their job, me being drafted in the organization, and me living here, becoming a man and living my life in the NBA as a Hawk, it means something to me.

“It might not mean a lot to other people, but I want to be here. I want my future to be here. I want to think about my future here, but as I said, the reality of the situation is it’s not always, stuff doesn’t always go the way I want it to, and all I can do to make sure that my future is as good as it can be is to make sure that I’m the best player I can be, and wake up every day and figure it out.”

Collins and the Hawks discussed a rookie scale extension prior to the season, with Atlanta reportedly offering somewhere in the range of $90MM over four years. The 23-year-old turned down that offer, putting him on track for restricted free agency in 2021, but it sounds like he’s still interested in working out a new long-term with his current club. Collins said last March that he believed he was in “max contract contention,” but he clarified on Tuesday that a maximum-salary offer isn’t all he’ll accept.

“There has never been a single number,” Collins said, per Spencer. “I never said ‘I need a max,’ or I never said ‘I’m only taking a max.’ All I said was I feel like with my play and what I’ve done I feel like I should be in max contention, or I should be in the caliber, realm of guys, who do what I do on the court, and that’s all I said. There was no, ‘Oh, I need a five-year max,’ this and that, I never said any of that.”

If the Hawks believe a rival team will offer Collins a max-salary offer sheet this offseason and they’re wary of matching it, a trade this week would make some sense. But Atlanta has reportedly conveyed to teams inquiring on Collins that they’re comfortable matching any offer for him in free agency. As such, the odds of an in-season trade appear to be declining.

According to Chris Mannix of SI.com, the Hawks don’t seem willing to give up Collins for anything less than a package of young players and draft picks. Mannix adds that rival executives are saying Atlanta isn’t operating like a team eager to move the young power forward, while Collins said on Tuesday that he expects to remain with the Hawks through the deadline.

If the Hawks’ stance changes between now and Thursday afternoon, the Hornets are a team to watch, according to Mannix, who notes that Charlotte could put together a package headlined by Devonte’ Graham and draft picks and would have the flexibility to sign Collins to a lucrative new contract this summer.

Hornets Increase Attendance Capacity

March 23rd, 2021 at 7:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Hornets are boosting their arena fan capacity from 3,000 fans (15% capacity in Charlotte’s home arena, the Spectrum Center) per game to 5,000 fans (25% arena capacity) per game, according to an official team press release. No COVID-19 pre-game testing or vaccine requirements have been announced, though coronavirus protocols including social distancing and face masks, will be enforced.

LaMelo Ball Undergoes Wrist Surgery

March 23rd, 2021 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

After fracturing his right wrist on Saturday, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball underwent surgery this morning in New York to repair the injury, per Ashley Stroehlein of NBC Charlotte (Twitter link).

Ball will require about four weeks to recover from the surgery, then will begin rehabbing his wrist, says Stroehlein. Shams Charania of The Athletic, who tweets that Ball will be reevaluated at the four-week mark, notes that the team still hasn’t closed the door entirely on the possibility of the star rookie returning this season.

At 21-21, the Hornets currently hold the No. 6 seed in the East, putting them right in the thick of the playoff race. Getting Ball back down the stretch, perhaps for a play-in tournament or a first-round postseason series, would be a huge boost, but it seems like a long shot at this point.

Reports at the time of Ball’s injury indicated it was expected to be a season-ender, and the Hornets certainly won’t want to risk rushing back their franchise player, who is still just 19 years old.

In 41 games (28.6 MPG) this season, Ball averaged 15.9 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.6 SPG on .451/.375/.789 shooting.

Trade Rumors: Gordon, Bagley, Collins, Turner, Nuggets, Mavs

March 23rd, 2021 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Aaron Gordon continues to be one of the most intriguing trade candidates leading up to Thursday’s deadline, with a Monday report indicating that the Celtics are believed to be the frontrunners for him. Boston reportedly offered two first-round picks and may be eyeing a bigger deal that also features Marcus Smart and Evan Fournier, as Sam Amick of The Athletic confirms.

According to Amick, the Nuggets are currently viewed as the second-strongest suitor for Gordon. Denver has done a good deal of research on the veteran forward in an attempt to determine how well he’d fit the team’s system and culture, sources tell The Athletic.

The Rockets were considered a serious threat to land Gordon at one point, but they no longer to be among the favorites. As Amick explains, the 25-year-old’s disinterest in signing a longer-term extension with Houston may dissuade the club from giving up valuable assets for him. Gordon’s current contract is set to expire after the 2021/22 season.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Kings, who reportedly offered Marvin Bagley III to Detroit in a proposal for Saddiq Bey, have also made Bagley available in discussions with the Hawks about John Collins, says Amick. The Celtics, meanwhile, have “cooled” on Collins due to concerns about how much he’ll cost to retain in restricted free agency, Amick adds.
The Pacers would have to be blown away by a “no-brainer” deal in order to trade Myles Turner this week, multiple sources tell J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. The Hornets, Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Pelicans are among the teams with interest in the big man, according to Michael, who says one three-team deal discussed last season would’ve sent Turner to New Orleans and Collins to Indiana.
The Nuggets and Mavericks remain on the lookout for wing help, with both clubs offering second-round picks and a veteran for salary-matching purposes (Gary Harris and James Johnson), per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Hornets Notes: Batum, Ball, Graham, Turner, Washington

March 22nd, 2021 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nicolas Batum found out the Hornets had released him in November on social media, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “I found out on Twitter, like everybody else,” Batum said. The veteran forward was let go to clear cap space for Gordon Hayward. Charlotte elected to use the stretch provision, spreading Batum’s $27.1MM cap hit over three seasons. The Hornets declined to comment on how they handled Batum’s departure.

We have more on the Hornets:

LaMelo Ball played 57 percent of the season before he injured his wrist, so he’s still likely to win the Rookie of the Year award, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic writes. Only strong finishes by either Anthony Edwards or Tyrese Haliburton would jeopardize his hold on the award.
The Hornets have a tricky decision on Devonte’ Graham in the aftermath of Ball’s injury, but they would still be wise to deal the restricted free agent, Vecenie opines in the same piece. Graham will never have more value than he has now, due to his $1.6MM salary, which makes him an option for any team interested in him. He could be an impact player for a contender, which would gain control over him this summer due to his RFA status.
Charlotte has long been interested in the Pacers’ Myles Turner and Indiana asked for P.J. Washington as part of a potential package prior to the season, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star tweets.
With an open roster spot and up to $4.1MM in cap space, GM Mitch Kupchak needs to add a big man to the roster, Bonnell tweets. Charlotte has left a roster spot open throughout the season.

Fischer’s Latest: Graham, Hornets, Mavs, Fournier, Knicks, More

March 22nd, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

While it remains unclear how LaMelo Ball‘s wrist injury will affect the potential availability of fellow Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham, some people around the league were already skeptical that Charlotte would trade Graham this week, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

“They’ll try to keep him, and they’re willing to pay,” one assistant general manager said of Graham, who is eligible for restricted free agency this summer. Team executives polled by Fischer estimated that it may cost about $13-16MM annually on a four-year deal for the Hornets to re-sign Graham.

Ball’s injury may make the Hornets less likely to address their center position with a one-year stopgap, but it shouldn’t discourage them from remaining on the lookout for a long-term solution, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

Both Fischer and Lowe reiterate that Pacers center Myles Turner is high on Charlotte’s wish list, which has been previously reported. Fischer also identifies Grizzlies big man Gorgui Dieng as a potential target for the Hornets and says Charlotte has also called the Lakers asking about Montrezl Harrell.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Mavericks have been the “loudest rumored team” for Magic guard Evan Fournier, according to Fischer, who says that one possible package would consist of James Johnson and a pair of second-round picks.
The Hawks are worth keeping an eye on as a possible Victor Oladipo landing spot, says Fischer, adding that the team has made Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish available.
The Knicks have signaled interest in using their $15MM in cap room to accommodate a three-team deal, per Fischer. Some people within the team’s front office are against the idea of surrendering any draft assets for a player who could be signed this summer.
Fischer adds the Rockets, Pacers, and Bulls to the list of teams that have looked into a possible acquisition of Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Miami, Detroit, and Toronto have previously been cited as possibilities for Dinwiddie.
Although the Pelicans and Bulls had some earlier discussions centered around Lauri Markkanen and Lonzo Ball, those talks haven’t seemed substantial, sources tell Fischer.

Charania’s Latest: LeBron, Fournier, Raptors, Holmes, More

March 22nd, 2021 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

There’s an initial expectation that the high ankle sprain LeBron James suffered over the weekend will sideline the Lakers star for multiple weeks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

As Charania explains, James has been incredibly durable throughout his career and has a high pain tolerance, but high ankle sprains are generally multi-week injuries and the Lakers will want to play it safe with the superstar forward to ensure he’s back to 100% by the time the playoffs begin in May. The team has a 28-15 record and isn’t in any danger of losing a playoff spot, so James won’t be rushed back.

Here’s more from Charania:

The Celtics are eyeing Magic guard Evan Fournier, sources tell The Athletic. Fournier’s $17MM expiring contract could be absorbed using Boston’s $28.5MM trade exception.
Charania adds the Raptors to the list of teams showing interest in Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Toronto is also – along with the Hornets – among the clubs interested in Kings center Richaun Holmes, according to Charania.
Although the Mavericks have discussed a possible Andre Drummond trade with the Cavaliers, Dallas is more likely to pursue the veteran center if he’s bought out, says Charania.
Teams around the NBA are monitoring Raptors swingman Norman Powell and Lakers wing Talen Horton-Tucker, per Charania. Both players are eligible for free agency in 2021 — Powell will be unrestricted, while Horton-Tucker will be restricted.