Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs Rumors: Brunson, Finney-Smith, Kleber, Powell, Dragic

January 31st, 2022 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith have been frequently mentioned in trade rumors within the last few weeks, Marc Stein says in his latest Substack article that the safe money is on both players remaining with the Mavericks through the February 10 trade deadline.

Dallas has rebuffed trade interest in Brunson and Finney-Smith so far, according to Stein, who notes that both players are important parts of the team’s current roster. Discussing Brunson specifically, Stein says the Mavs believe the point guard wants to stick with the team long-term and haven’t considered the idea of sending him to the Knicks in a deal that would allow them to reacquire their 2023 first-round pick.

While the Mavs would ideally like to extend both Brunson and Finney-Smith before they reach unrestricted free agency this summer, it’s unclear if either player will be interested in a four-year, $55.6MM deal, which is the most Dallas can offer at this point. A previous report stated that Finney-Smith may be seeking $15MM+ annually on his next contract, and Stein says Brunson is believed to after $18MM+ per year.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

As they consider potential deadline moves, the Mavs are looking to upgrade their offense rather than their defense, which is why they backed off pursuing rim-protecting Pacers center Myles Turner, Stein writes.
Dallas’ ability to make an impact trade may be hindered by the lack of interest in many of their players outside of Brunson and Finney-Smith, according to Stein. Tim Hardaway Jr. was having a down year before he got hurt, and the perceived trade value of Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell has “waned,” Stein adds.
Sources tell Stein that using their $10.9MM trade exception to acquire guard Dennis Schröder from the Celtics isn’t in the Mavs’ plans.
If Goran Dragic is bought out, either by the Raptors or by a team that acquires him as a salary-matching piece, Dallas would be among the frontrunners to sign him, but multiple clubs would be in the running, according to Stein.

Southwest Notes: Carlisle, Porzingis, Bane, Eubanks

January 29th, 2022 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was touched by the video tribute the Mavericks offered tonight as he returned to Dallas to face the team he ran for the past 13 seasons, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Carlisle wiped away tears and acknowledged the fans as he watched the highlights, which included the NBA title he helped bring to the city in 2011.

Carlisle resigned last spring after the Mavs were knocked out of the playoffs and signed with Indiana shortly afterward. He recalled “a lot of blessings” during his time with the organization and said the team is in good hands with new coach Jason Kidd.

“This is now Jason’s time,” Carlisle said. “It’s their time as a staff. They’ve got an amazing opportunity with a young nucleus that could go on long run, for a long time. And so that’s exciting. That’s exciting for them. But being, being a small part of that foundation is meaningful to me and all the other coaches that have worked with me.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis left tonight’s game with soreness in his right knee, Townsend adds. Kidd didn’t have any information about his condition, saying, “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” but a source tells Townsend that Porzingis wasn’t on the team’s flight to Orlando.
Grizzlies swingman Desmond Bane, one of this season’s breakout stars, talked about using the lessons from his rookie season in an interview with Spencer Davies of Basketball News. “I learned just how to be a pro first and foremost,” Bane said. “The schedule last year was grueling due to all the games being canceled and so forth, so I had to learn how to just continue my habits more than anything. Stack good habits on top of each other and let the good days stack up, and learn how to be a pro essentially.”
Backup Spurs center Drew Eubanks has been forced to adjust to fluctuating playing time, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News. Over a recent seven-game stretch, he played 11-to-19 minutes three times and seven or fewer minutes four times. “It can get frustrating, but I know where I’m at within the organization and with the coaches and front office,” he said. “It’s easy for me to come in every day and have a good attitude and be supportive of my teammates. I know they may be going through some turbulence too, but they’re still going to be supportive of me and whoever else.”

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Grimes, Payne, Brunson

January 29th, 2022 at 8:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks were willing to give up a first-round pick for Cam Reddish, but he hasn’t seen much playing time in his first two weeks with the team, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Reddish got another DNP Friday night in Milwaukee and has appeared in just two games as coach Tom Thibodeau has followed through on his statement that Reddish will have to earn his minutes.

“We like who (Reddish) is. We like the talent. And right now — it’s a long season,” Thibodeau said. “We traded someone who wasn’t in the rotation, so you can’t keep adding to it without taking someone out. We can have injuries, so just have to be patient and work our way through it.”

Bondy states that although Thibodeau works closely with team president Leon Rose, the Reddish deal seems to be the latest instance where they have different views of a player’s value. Bondy adds that Reddish’s situation may not change for the rest of the season unless the team makes another trade by next week’s deadline.

There’s more from New York:

An easy way to shake up the Knicks is to move rookie guard Quentin Grimes into the starting lineup, suggests Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper notes that Grimes is the team’s best three-point shooter at 40.3%, he’s better defensively than starting guards Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, and he plays with the toughness that Thibodeau likes. “If a rookie can play you’re going to see it right away,” Thibodeau said of Grimes. “Each time he goes through the league he’s going to pick up more and get to know the players better and the teams better. The anticipation factor and experience factor get into it more. There is trial and error. The second time around he’s been really really good.”
Knicks assistant Kenny Payne is considered the favorite to become the next head coach at Louisville, Popper adds in the same piece. Payne played for the Cardinals and spent 10 years as an assistant with Kentucky before coming to the NBA.
The Knicks have “touched base” with the Mavericks about guard Jalen Brunson, Ian Begley of SNY.tv said on a recent podcast (hat tip to Grant Afseth of SI.com). According to Begley, there’s a team that plans to offer Brunson more than $20MM a year in free agency this summer, which might make Dallas more willing to part with him.

Lowe’s Latest: White, Murray, Hawks, Grant, Mavs, Magic, More

January 28th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

Teams are calling the Spurs to inquire about Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast. Murray is having an All-Star caliber season and is under contract for two more years beyond 2021/22, so the cost for him would be extremely high if San Antonio is even willing to consider moving him at all.

“I would assume the Spurs will bat the Murray stuff away,” Lowe acknowledged. “But those are interesting names for teams that need guards.”

Although White is perhaps a more realistic target for teams in the market for backcourt help, the Spurs typically aren’t too active at the trade deadline. The team’s deal sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last week was just the third in-season trade San Antonio has made in the last 10 years — and the other two were very minor.

Here are a few more highlights from Lowe’s latest podcast with ESPN’s Bobby Marks:

Lowe doesn’t view the Hawks as a serious contender to acquire Pistons forward Jerami Grant, at least for now. “They’ve been linked in recent reports to Jerami Grant,” Lowe said of the Hawks. “Personally, I think that’s old intel, based on what I’ve heard, and that they’re not in on Jerami Grant right now. I don’t think a Jerami Grant trade involving John Collins makes much sense because I think John Collins is just better than Jerami Grant.”
Concerns about Jalen Brunson and/or Dorian Finney-Smith leaving Dallas as unrestricted free agents this offseason are legitimate and will have to be taken into account as the Mavericks consider their trade deadline plans, according to Lowe. “I believe the flight risk for both is very, very real — particularly Brunson,” he said.
Both Lowe and Marks are skeptical the Magic will be able to get a significant return in a deal for Terrence Ross or Gary Harris. “If Orlando gets a first(-round pick) for either Ross or Harris, that’s a home run,” Lowe said. “I don’t expect them to be able to get it.”
The Knicks are reportedly open to discussing several veteran players, but it’s one of their young players who is generating more trade interest from rival teams, according to Lowe: “I know the vultures are circling and they’re getting a lot of calls about (Immanuel) Quickley. And I think they’re batting those calls away, as they should, but the vultures are circling and trying to poach somebody from the Knicks, and Quickley’s a name that keeps coming up.”
With the likely exception of Bradley Beal, no one is untouchable on the Wizards‘ roster, according to Lowe, who says Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell are a couple of the names he keeps hearing in trade speculation.
Both Lowe and Marks believe the Sixers are more likely to hang onto Ben Simmons through the trade deadline than to move him by February 10.

NBA Fines Mavs’ Porzingis, Hornets’ Washington, Raptors’ Champagnie

January 27th, 2022 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

Three NBA players have been fined $15K apiece by the league for recent violations, according to a pair of press releases.

Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis received his $15K fine for kicking the game ball into the stands during the fourth quarter of his team’s blowout loss to Golden State on Tuesday. Porzingis received a technical foul and was ejected at the time of the incident — now he’ll face an additional penalty, though losing $15K of his $31.65MM salary is hardly an exorbitant punishment.

Meanwhile, Hornets forward P.J. Washington and Raptors forward Justin Champagnie were each fined $15K for their involvement in an on-court altercation during the first quarter of Tuesday’s game in Toronto.

As the league outlined in its announcement, Washington hip-checked Champagnie to the ground and the Raptors rookie retaliated by shoving Washington in the back. The Hornets forward escalated the incident by “forcefully shoving” Champagnie, according to the league. Both players received technical fouls and were ejected.

The penalties will sting a little more for Washington and especially Champagnie than for Porzingis. Washington has a $4.2MM salary this season, while Champagnie is a two-way player whose 2021/22 earnings can max out at about $752K.

Eastern Trade Rumors: Smart, Hawks, Collins, Siakam, Sabonis, More

January 27th, 2022 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to sending Cam Reddish to New York, the Hawks discussed the framework of a trade with the Celtics that would’ve sent Reddish and Kevin Huerter to Boston in a deal for Marcus Smart, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Huerter is one of 11 players affected this season by the poison pill provision, complicating salary-matching in any trade involving him, but the deal described by Fischer theoretically would’ve worked for both sides if Atlanta had included another minimum-salary player (likely Solomon Hill).

Smart ultimately stayed put, and Fischer says it would take “significant value” for the Celtics to move him in another deal in the next two weeks. According to Fischer, there’s a sense around the league that the Celtics will be better in the second half than they were in the first half, as long as they’re healthier and first-year head coach Ime Udoka gets more comfortable.

Here a few more trade notes and rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

One team contacted by the Hawks told Bleacher Report that Atlanta wanted a “valuable” first-round pick and a starting-caliber player in exchange for John Collins. Other teams think the Hawks could get even more than that for Collins, says Fischer.
According to Fischer, the Raptors and Pacers at least briefly discussed a trade involving Domantas Sabonis and Pascal Siakam, but those talks stalled. The concept makes some sense in theory, since it would allow Myles Turner to be the lone center in Indiana, and Toronto has long been in the market for a five.
Since Brook Lopez‘s recovery timeline remains up in the air, the Bucks are “poking around” the market for a center, with Suns big man Jalen Smith mentioned as a possible target, per Fischer. Semi Ojeleye is considered to be available and Milwaukee has received inquiries about Pat Connaughton and Donte DiVincenzo, Fischer adds.
A handful of teams have expressed some interest in Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman, including the Spurs, Hornets, Mavericks, and Bucks, writes Fischer.

Western Trade Rumors: Kings, Pelicans, D. White, Mavs, More

January 27th, 2022 at 9:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are still expected to make some sort of major move ahead of this year’s trade deadline in an effort to strengthen their roster for a postseason push, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Sacramento has expressed interest in both Pacers centers, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, but Fischer hears that Indiana’s asking price has been much higher than what teams are willing to give up for either player.

According to Fischer, who says the Pelicans also have interest in Sabonis, Turner is still the more likely trade candidate of the two Indiana centers, but only if the Pacers are willing to drop their asking price a little, since teams are concerned about Turner’s injury recovery timeline and his ability to help a team this season. If the price remains high, Turner may stay in Indiana until the offseason.

One team to watch on the Turner front is the Trail Blazers, who gained some momentum in discussions with the Pacers prior to the big man’s injury, according to Fischer. If Portland is focused more on next season than this season, acquiring Turner would make some sense, but the Blazers still hold a play-in spot in the West, so they probably aren’t prepared to just throw in the towel.

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

Kings center Tristan Thompson is considered to be available in exchange for a second-round pick, says Fischer. I’m a little skeptical that Sacramento will be able to get positive value for Thompson by himself.
The Spurs received a call from the Hawks about guard Derrick White, Fischer reports. It doesn’t sound like those discussions gained any traction, but Fischer points out that San Antonio has been viewed since 2020 as a potential suitor for Atlanta big man John Collins.
As previously relayed, rival executives think the Mavericks may trade one of Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith by February 10. Both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer, so there will be nothing stopping them from signing elsewhere, and if the Mavs do re-sign both, they’ll likely be taxpayers. However, Dallas has expressed confidence in its ability to re-sign both players, according to Fischer, who adds that there’s a belief Finney-Smith will seek $15MM annually on his next deal.
The Thunder‘s asking price in any trade for forward Kenrich Williams is believed to be a first-round pick, per Fischer.

Latest On Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith

January 26th, 2022 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

A lot of executives around the NBA think the Mavericks may trade either Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith prior to the February 10 deadline, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto first stated two weeks ago that rival execs believed there may be an opportunity to acquire Brunson or Finney-Smith.

As Scotto reported earlier and restated during the most recent HoopsHype Podcast, the Mavs project to go well into the luxury tax if they re-sign both Brunson and Finney-Smith to lucrative contracts this offseason when the duo reaches unrestricted free agency, which is one reason why the team would be incentivized to make a move. Those two players are also among Dallas’ best trade assets if the team wants to try to acquire an impact player.

The Pistons are one club worth keeping an eye on for Brunson, according to Scotto, who says the fourth-year point guard has “some admirers in Detroit.” The Mavericks are known to be interested in Jerami Grant, so Brunson or Finney-Smith could head to Detroit if the Pistons decide to send Grant to Dallas.

Scotto also points out that the Pistons are one of the few teams projected to have cap room this summer, so if their interest in Brunson is real and they don’t acquire him at the deadline, they could make an offseason run at him.

Meanwhile, the Hawks, Trail Blazers, Pacers, Wizards, and Pelicans are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Finney-Smith, says Scotto. Those clubs aren’t exactly title contenders, so they’d likely view Finney-Smith as a potential long-term core piece rather than a short-term solution to push them over the top.

Of course, the three-and-D wing would fit well on virtually any roster, so he’ll likely have many more suitors than just those five teams.

Tim Hardaway Jr. Fractures Left Foot

January 25th, 2022 at 10:41pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Mavericks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. fractured the fifth metatarsal in his left foot during Dallas’ game on Tuesday against the Warriors, the Mavericks’ PR team announced (Twitter link). A recovery timetable has yet to be determined.

The 6’5″ veteran swingman had been enjoying a decent if inefficient season in Dallas. Though Hardaway began the season as a starter with the Mavericks, he has largely come off the bench for the club since late November. The 29-year-old is averaging 14.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 2.2 APG, with a slash line of .394/.336/.745.

Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets that, on average, NBA players miss 10-to-11 weeks of game action with the injury, though an exact recovery timeline is contingent on the location and extent of the break.

Reserve wing Reggie Bullock could see a minutes uptick with Hardaway’s absence. Led by All-Star guard Luka Doncic, the 27-20 Mavericks are currently the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

Dorian Finney-Smith Increasing Value

January 25th, 2022 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

Already viewed as a strong defender, Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith has expanded his offensive game this season, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. Finney-Smith has taken on more ball-handling responsibilities, and his scoring average of 10.3 PPG would be a career high. Besides benefiting the Mavs on the court, Finney-Smith’s development has increased his value on the trade market, Caplan observes. It also likely puts him in line for a bigger payday when he reaches free agency this summer, which the Mavs and any potential suitor will have to take into account as they weigh possible deals.