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Lowe’s Latest: Wolves, Bulls, Bucks, Rivers, Vucevic, Nuggets, More

March 22nd, 2021 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas has been extremely proactive in overhauling the club’s roster since taking control of the front office in 2019, and Minnesota figures to be a team worth watching again leading up to this Thursday’s trade deadline.

While the Wolves have been linked to potential trade targets like Aaron Gordon and John Collins, Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link) says it’s safe to assume that if there’s a power forward between the ages of 22 and 30 who could theoretically be available, Minnesota has inquired on him. Upgrading the four is a top priority for the team.

On the other hand, while the Wolves could be in the market for a win-now move, they’ve also signaled that they may be willing to trade some of their deeper rotation players for future draft picks, sources tell Lowe.

Lowe’s latest look at the trade market is worth checking out in full if you’re an ESPN+ subscriber. Here are some of the highlights:

Lowe’s sources believe the Bulls could get a first-round pick for Thaddeus Young, but they continue to signal that he’s not available. Chicago has also rebuffed inquires on rookie forward Patrick Williams.
The Bucks will peruse the trade and buyout markets for a backup guard after trading D.J. Augustin, and Lowe suggests Knicks guard Austin Rivers is a target to watch. Rivers is a buyout candidate if New York doesn’t trade him by Thursday afternoon.
Lowe believes a Nikola Vucevic trade is “very unlikely.” Jared Weiss and Sam Amick of The Athletic conveyed a similar sentiment today, writing that it might take a Jrue Holiday-esque return for the Magic to pull the trigger.
Other teams suggest the Nuggets have been active in search of a deal to upgrade their rotation, according to Lowe, who confirms Denver explored a move for P.J. Tucker before he was sent to Milwaukee.
While the Warriors aren’t feeling pressure to move Kelly Oubre, they’re exploring the market for him to see if there’s a deal that could help them more beyond this season, Lowe says.
Pacers sharpshooter Doug McDermott is drawing interest from several teams, sources tell ESPN.

Bulls, Hawks Pursuing Lonzo Ball

March 21st, 2021 at 6:13pm CST by JD Shaw

The Bulls and Hawks are among the teams interested in Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, but skepticism remains that New Orleans will deal the 23-year-old ahead of the March 25 trade deadline, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

Chicago has offered a package that features Tomas Satoransky and second-round picks, per O’Connor, but the Pelicans are hoping to acquire at least one first-round pick or a young player.

Trade discussions with the Hawks have mostly revolved around second-year wing Cam Reddish, O’Connor adds. Atlanta signed two point guards (Rajon Rondo and Kris Dunn) last offseason to a roster that already features Trae Young as a starter, but Dunn has yet to make his debut to an ankle injury and Rondo’s play has been up and down.

By offloading a guard, the Pelicans would have a clearer pathway toward playing some of their younger backcourt players, though it’s probably safe to assume the team would rather move Eric Bledsoe than Ball.

Ball is set to become a restricted free agent at season’s end. Similar to the Kyle Lowry situation with any interested teams, both the Bulls and Hawks will have enough cap space to potentially sign Ball this offseason, but New Orleans would have the ability to match any offer. The former No. 2 overall pick averaged a career-high 14.2 points and 5.6 assists in 31.7 minutes per game on the year.

Markkanen Says His Relationship With The Front Office Is Good

March 20th, 2021 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lauri Markkanen‘s long-term future with the Bulls may appear uncertain, but he believes he could get an explanation any time from executive vice president Artūras Karnišovas, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. A source tells Johnson that a rumored deal involving Markkanen and Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball stems mostly from the fact that both are headed for restricted free agency. “ I have a good relationship with AK and same thing with (coach Billy Donovan),” Markkanen said. “If that wasn’t the case, they would tell me. I’m happy. Obviously, we’ve gotta win more games and there’s things we can get better at. And that’s what we’re trying to focus on right now.’’

Trade Rumors: Oladipo, Kings, Markkanen, McGee

March 19th, 2021 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski expects Rockets guard Victor Oladipo to be “prominent” in trade discussions leading up to the March 25 deadline, he said in the latest episode of The Woj Pod. However, it’s not clear what sort of return Houston will want or if any teams will be willing to meet the asking price.

As RealGM relays, Wojnarowski and ESPN colleague Tim Bontemps believe teams will be reluctant to aggressively pursue Oladipo since he hasn’t recaptured his All-Star form in Houston (he’s shooting .399/.316/.772 since joining the Rockets) and will be seeking a huge new multiyear contract as a free agent this offseason.

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

A number of power forwards are among the most intriguing players on the trade market, but teams like the Kings, Magic, and Bulls are sending signals that they won’t necessarily feel compelled to move players like Harrison Barnes, Aaron Gordon, and Thaddeus Young, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Insider link). According to Windhorst, teams that have called Sacramento have found the club willing to discuss Nemanja Bjelica and Jabari Parker, but more hesitant to talk about Barnes.
The Bulls appear more likely to consider moving Lauri Markkanen than Young, Windhorst adds in the same story.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, a number of strong playoff teams are interested in Cavaliers center JaVale McGee. However, those clubs are gauging the likelihood of a possible buyout for McGee before committing to giving up an asset for him.
Bobby Marks of ESPN closes the book on the trade that sent Torrey Craig to the Suns, tweeting that Phoenix sent $110K to the Bucks in the deal. That’s the minimum amount possible this season if a team trades cash.

Lauri Markkanen Meets Starter Criteria

March 18th, 2021 at 11:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After playing in his 19th game of the season yesterday, Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen has achieved the starter criteria in his rookie contract, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. His qualifying offer for the summer of 2021 will now be worth $9.03MM instead of $7.03MM. In the two seasons leading up to Markkanen’s restricted free agency, he needed to start at least half of his games with Chicago to qualify. Markkanen started in all 50 games he was available for during the 2019/20 season, and has started in all 19 games he has played thus far this season.

Bulls May Stand Pat At Deadline

March 17th, 2021 at 5:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rival executives speculate that the Bulls may be standing pat at the upcoming March 25 trade deadline, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The team has several intriguing players who could be of interest to rival clubs, including veteran forward Thaddeus Young, 2021 restricted free agent big man Lauri Markkanen, the expiring contract of injury-prone wing Otto Porter Jr., and veteran guard Tomas Satoransky.

Bontemps’ Latest: Hawks, Bulls, Barnes, Pelicans, Fournier

March 16th, 2021 at 1:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks are determined to make the playoffs and are expected to be buyers heading into next week’s trade deadline, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Atlanta has won five straight games since firing head coach Lloyd Pierce and has moved up to eighth in a crowded Eastern playoff race. With Kris Dunn and De’Andre Hunter possibly back soon from injuries, the Hawks are hoping to add more talent to break their three-year postseason drought.

Trade rumors continue to circulate around forward John Collins, who is on track to become a restricted free agent this summer. Although Collins has been a full-time starter the past three seasons, Atlanta wasn’t able to work out an extension with him during the offseason and is reportedly wary of giving him a max contract.

Apart from Collins, there are concerns that the Hawks don’t have enough assets to make a significant move, with an Eastern Conference executive telling Bontemps, “I think they’d like to buy, but not sure there’s a lot to buy or what they buy it with. (Kevin) Huerter and picks, I guess, is the package, but what is that buying you?”

Bontemps offers a few more items related to the trade deadline:

The Bulls‘ decision to take two recent lottery picks out of their starting lineup is considered a sign that they’re focused on the playoffs rather than the future. Veterans Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young have replaced Coby White and Wendell Carter for a Chicago team that’s in ninth place at 17-20. The Bulls also face a decision on Lauri Markkanen, who is moving toward restricted free agency, where he might get an offer sheet that Chicago is unwilling to match. “I think they’d trade Markkanen if they get a good offer, but I don’t think they’re likely to trade him,” an East executive said. “I don’t think they do anything unless they get something they love.”
The Kings will consider offers for Harrison Barnes, whom Bontemps sees as a good fit for the Celtics or Heat. However, Barnes’ team-friendly contract, which declines over the next two seasons, could be a factor in convincing Sacramento to keep him.
The Pelicans would like to clear out their backcourt veterans to create more playing time for young guards Kira Lewis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. J.J. Redick and Eric Bledsoe will both be available, but they may be too expensive to bring much of a return. Redick, who underwent treatment for a sore heel last week, has a $13MM expiring contract and is being viewed as a buyout candidate, according to Bontemps. Bledsoe is under contract for another year at more than $18MM and didn’t perform well in the playoffs the past two seasons.
Rival executives are split on what the Magic will do with Aaron Gordon, but many expect Evan Fournier to be traded. “I think they’ll rent Fournier to someone, but that’s it,” an East executive said. “Nobody has given me any indication they’re going to move (Nikola) Vucevic, or even have a discussion for him, unless they get a huge return.”

Bulls' New-Look Rotation Off To Good Start

March 16th, 2021 at 8:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls‘ new-look rotation got off to a good start on Sunday, as the team comfortably defeated Toronto with Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young replacing Coby White and Wendell Carter in the starting lineup. Head coach Billy Donovan cautioned after the game that the new starting five isn’t “set in stone” (Twitter link via Eric Woodyard of ESPN). However, the affected players sounded fully on board with the changes, with Carter stating that he would’ve benched himself too, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.
Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic explores what the lineup changes might say about the Bulls‘ approach to the trade deadline, suggesting that the team seems unlikely to be a seller.

Donovan May Sub In Vets Young, Satoranský As Starters

March 14th, 2021 at 3:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is rumored to be making significant changes to the club’s starting lineup, a source informs Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Veteran Tomáš Satoranský could replace second-year point guard Coby White, and veteran forward Thaddeus Young could be moved in to start ahead of third-year center Wendell Carter Jr. as soon as tonight, in time for the team’s game against the Raptors.

Slow starts have impeded the Bulls lately, losers of four of their last five contests. Mayberry notes that Chicago’s traditional starters have been struggling. The team’s starting five of White, Carter, All-Star Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Lauri Markkanen is averaging a lackluster minus-17.6 net rating. K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago details what the changes – should they transpire – mean for the Bulls.

Markkanen Makes Impact In Return From Injury: Carter Talks About Struggles

March 13th, 2021 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Although they’ve lost two straight games since the All-Star break, the Bulls have to be encouraged by the strong return of Lauri Markkanen, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. After missing 13 games with a strained right shoulder, Markkanen scored a team-high 23 points Thursday against the Sixers and followed that with 20 points Friday against the Heat. “I felt all right,” Markkanen said after his first game back. “Physically, obviously there’s still just getting my wind back and my legs back into game shape. I had a couple practices, so it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I felt all right. Still got a ways to go, but not too bad.”
Bulls center Wendell Carter admitted Friday that he needs to play better, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Carter is averaging just 5.8 PPG in that span and shooting 32.3% from the floor. “I feel like I’ve regressed in that area of being more aggressive on the offensive end,” he said. “Just trying to play the right way, do everything that everybody is telling me to do. But at the same time, I understand that me being aggressive will be better for my team. So I just got to play a lot better on the offensive end.”