Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Oubre, Suns, West, Jordan

December 22nd, 2018 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kelly Oubre has no regrets from the three-plus years he spent with the Wizards, telling Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, “I gave everybody my all, man.” Oubre was traded to the Suns last week, but with the team on a road trip, he still hasn’t been to Phoenix. He made his return to Washington tonight and sounds like he’s not fully sold on the Wizards’ decision to unload him.

“I could go into theories of why (GM) Ernie (Grunfeld) and (VP of basketball operations) Tommy (Sheppard) did what they did, but at the end of the day, it’s not my job to,” Oubre said. “I’m on the business aspect of it and I’ve got to make home in Phoenix.”

Oubre was a victim of the salary structure in Washington. He will be a restricted free agent next summer and the team was concerned about being able to match a sizable offer because of luxury tax implications. Oubre is now part of the rebuilding process in Phoenix, which he doesn’t believe will need a long time to be successful.

“ It’s not necessarily age. I don’t really believe in age,” he said. “If your mind is strong enough, you can do anything, no matter how old you are.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Defense has sparked the Suns in their four-game winning streak, writes Cody Cunningham of NBA.com, which is ironic because the team just traded one of its best defenders in Trevor Ariza. Phoenix is allowing teams to shoot just 41.3% in those four games and became the first team in history to hold back-to-back opponents to 20% or worse from 3-point range.
The injury to Damian Jones accentuates the Warriors‘ loss of veteran big man David West, who retired after last season, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Golden State’s center rotation has fallen apart as Jordan Bell has been a disappointment and Kevon Looney hasn’t fit well with the reserves. The Warriors plan to give Draymond Green more minutes at center until DeMarcus Cousins is ready to return from his Achilles injury.
In an interview with Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register, Clippers coach Doc Rivers looks back on the day three years ago that a contingent from the team visited free agent center DeAndre Jordan to change his mind about signing with the Mavericks. “It was a weird day, but I think it was far weirder on the outside of the room than on the inside of the room,” Rivers said. “I mean, basically D.J. basically told us he was staying within five seconds.”

Smith Jr. Expected To Miss Rest Of Road Swing

December 21st, 2018 at 7:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry believes LeBron James‘ comment that it would be “amazing” to play with Anthony Davis constitutes tampering, William Guillory of The Athletic tweets. An NBA statement on Friday indicated the James’ statement did not rise to the level of tampering. Gentry vehemently disagreed. “It’s tampering,” Gentry said. “Should we have AD say, ‘Why don’t we trade for LeBron?'” Gentry went on further to say, “I thought if you talked about a player under contract, it’s tampering. That’s just me. I’ve only been in the league for 31 years, so what would I know?”

We have more from around the Southwest Division:

Rockets All-Star guard Chris Paul has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to a team press release. Paul suffered the injury against Miami on Thursday.
The Grizzlies are hopeful that forwards Chandler Parsons and Dillon Brooks will return to action soon, David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. Parsons hasn’t played since the third game this season due to knee and back soreness but has ramped up his workouts lately. Brooks, who has not played since November 10th due to a Grade II MCL sprain, should return before the New Year. They could boost an offense that has reached 100 points just once the past 10 games, Cobb adds.
On that same topic, Michael Wallace of the team’s website notes that rookie forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and veteran combo guard Shelvin Mack have slumped recently. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes confidence is a factor for the team in general. “We can come up with schemes and tricks and all that, but on the offensive end of the floor, we’ve got to take the shots that are available to us,” he said. “We’ve got to believe the shots are going in. Guys are working their tails off, taking their reps. We’ve got to get them those shots, and when they get them, they’ve got to take them and knock them down.”
Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. probably won’t play again until after Christmas, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. Smith has missed six of the last seven games due to a wrist injury. He’s unlikely to return until after the team’s road trip, which concludes Sunday. Their next home game is Wednesday against the Pelicans.
Davis’ decision whether to sign a Designated Veteran extension with the Pelicans looms as one of this summer’s biggest stories, as Danny Leroux of The Athletic notes. Davis has no financial incentive to wait until potential free agency the following summer, so if he doesn’t sign it, that probably means he wants out of New Orleans, as Leroux details.

Kokoskov "Loved" Doncic, But Had Little Input In Suns' No. 1 Pick

December 20th, 2018 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a profile on Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon cites a source who says that Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov “loved” Doncic, but had minimal input in Phoenix No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Western Notes: Oubre, Rivers, Doncic, Young

December 18th, 2018 at 5:31pm CST by ChrisCrouse

New addition Kelly Oubre is expected to make his debut for the Suns on Wednesday against the Celtics. It’s unclear what role he’ll play in Phoenix but the 23-year-old appears ready for whatever the team asks of him.

“They’re on a three-game winning streak, man, and I don’t wanna come in and slow them down in any type of way,” Oubre said (via Gina Mizell of The Athletic). “I try to help everybody get better, and in the process be aggressive and find myself in the system…I bring a lot of energy.”

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Suns officially waived Austin Rivers earlier today and it’s unlikely any team claims Rivers off of waivers, ESPN’s Bobby Marks contends (Twitter link). The Nuggets are the only team with enough cap space to make the claim and it’s unlikely they take a flyer on Rivers at his current $12.65MM salary since doing so would take them across the luxury tax threshold.
The Mavericks had conducted years of homework on Luka Doncic prior to the 2018 NBA Draft and it wasn’t difficult to convince owner Mark Cuban to trade up and nab the 19-year-old, as Eddie Sefko of Sports Day relays.“Mark saw all the same things we did,” GM Donnie Nelson said. “There were no coconuts necessary on this one.”
Nick Young, who recently signed with the Nuggets on a non-guaranteed, one-year deal, is fitting in well with his new team, Mike Singer of The Denver Post details. Assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. applauds Young’s adaptability. “He’s been as kind-hearted as they come. I think a lot of times [Young is] misunderstood, but there’s not a negative bone in his body,” Unseld said. “He is one of the most positive people that I’ve ever met. A little different, a little eclectic, but he’s very positive and it’s good particularly in the situation he’s in. Guys gravitate toward him.”

Dirk Nowitzki Set To Make Season Debut

December 13th, 2018 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki is poised to make his 2018/19 debut, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com, who reports that Nowitzki will suit up for Dallas’ game in Phoenix on Thursday night.

Nowitzki, who is spending a record-setting 21st season with the same NBA team, was hoping to be ready to go for the start of training camp after undergoing surgery on his ankle earlier this year. However, he suffered a setback in September and has missed nearly two months of the regular season.

In Nowitzki’s absence, the Mavericks got off to a slow start, losing seven of their first nine games, but they have bounced back in impressive fashion. Currently, Dallas holds the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference with a 15-11 record.

As the Mavs continue to push for a spot in the playoffs, Nowitzki will be looking to carve out a role off the bench, despite having started 1,440 of his 1,471 NBA regular season games to date. While the 40-year-old is prepared for his new role, he acknowledged that he’s not quite sure yet what it will look like.

“The boys are playing well,” Nowitzki said recently, per MacMahon. “Maxi [Kleber]‘s been playing and Dwight [Powell]‘s playing well off the bench. … I have no idea [about the fit in the rotation], but it’s not a bad thing to be deep at a position. It’s a long season. Stuff always happens. Injuries always happen. It’s good to have a deep team, like we’ve showed. Our bench has been great all year and has won a bunch of games for us.”

Mavericks Off To Best Start Among Texas Teams

December 9th, 2018 at 8:42pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

In what is a surprise to many, the Mavericks are the current kings of Texas, having jumped out to a strong 13-11 start. As Brad Townsend writes for SportsDay Dallas, the additions of Luka Doncic and DeAndre Jordan have helped boost the Mavericks from the lottery to the playoff picture.

Doncic has been sensational as a rookie, averaging 18.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while hitting several clutch shots down the stretch of games. Jordan has improved the Mavericks’ rebounding and has provided an interior presence that the team has lacked in recent years.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks’ bench has been very successful, as J.J. Barea and Dwight Powell have played well in their specified roles. With Rick Carlisle at the helm, the Mavericks appear to be a very competitive team this season that has a good chance of sneaking into the playoffs.

Jason Terry Has Interest In Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks

December 9th, 2018 at 10:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran guard Jason Terry considers himself retired unless he receives an offer from the Lakers, Warriors or Mavericks, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Terry made the comments as part of the Dallas broadcast of Saturday’s game, adding, “Then I’ll answer the phone.”

Terry, 41, played 19 NBA seasons, including the past two with Milwaukee. He averaged 3.3 PPG in 51 games last year and was hoping for another season with the Bucks, but the opportunity never came.

A career 38% shooter from 3-point range, Terry had his best years with the Hawks and Mavericks, winning a championship with Dallas in 2011. He signed with Boston in 2012 and entered a journeyman phase of his career, spending one season with the Celtics, another with the Nets and two with the Rockets before coming to Milwaukee.

There’s no indication that any of Terry’s preferences are considering giving him an opportunity. Golden State has a roster opening, but may not fill the spot all season to lessen its luxury tax. The Warriors are also waiting to see what happens with Patrick McCaw, who remains a restricted free agent.

The Lakers and Mavericks both have full 15-man rosters and would have to unload a guaranteed salary to add Terry.

Nowitzki Won't Return On Saturday

December 7th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki will not make his season debut Saturday against the Rockets but he is inching closer to his return, Dwain Price of the team’s website reports. Nowitzki, who underwent ankle surgery during the spring and suffered a setback in September, participated in practice on Friday. “He’s doing well. You see him down there. He’s playing 3-on-3 and getting better all the time,” said coach Rick Carlisle, who assured the media he won’t play this weekend.

Mavericks Exploring Trade Possibilities

December 7th, 2018 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing this week on Bill Simmons’ podcast at The Ringer, Marc Stein of The New York Times suggested that the Mavericks are keeping an eye on the trade market in the hopes of making a move to fortify their roster, as Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype relays.

“They are looking and they want to do something,” Stein said of the Mavs. “There is no question about that. [General manager] Donnie Nelson is always active. And so they’ve got chips. I don’t think it has materialized [in terms of] what is out there yet. We’re not even at December 15. But they’re always on the lookout to do something.”

While the Mavs may be exploring the trade market, they seem unlikely to do anything too drastic during the 2018/19 season. Even if they’re able to add a starter or a solid rotation player, they don’t have championship upside yet, and they’re still assessing how their young players fit together, so a major shake-up probably wouldn’t make much sense.

Still, Wesley Matthews‘ expiring contract could serve as an interesting trade asset, particularly if the Mavs are willing to cut into their projected 2019 cap space by taking on some longer-term salary.

During his podcast, Simmons proposed a scenario that would see the Mavs sending Matthews to New York in a deal involving Tim Hardaway and Frank Ntilikina, allowing the Knicks to clear significant cap room next summer. However, Stein pushed back on that idea, suggesting that Dallas likely values its own 2019 cap space too much to make a deal like that.

Currently, the Mavs only have about $14MM in guaranteed salaries on their books for 2019/20, though Harrison Barnes ($25.1MM) and Dwight Powell ($10.26MM) will almost certainly increase that total by picking up their player options.

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Dallas Mavericks

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest Division

December 6th, 2018 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

The NBA’s Southwest division continues to defy expectations as the 2018/19 season nears its one-third mark. Dallas and Memphis were expected to sit at the bottom of the Southwest this year, but the Mavericks currently have a better record than their fellow Texas teams in San Antonio and Houston, while the Grizzlies are in first place in their division. The unpredictability has resulted in some unexpected trade candidates.

Here’s our latest look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southwest…

Carmelo Anthony, F
Houston Rockets
$1.51MM cap hit; unrestricted free agent in 2019

It has been three weeks since the Rockets confirmed they’d be parting ways with Anthony, but the veteran forward remains in limbo. It’s possible that Houston is putting off releasing Anthony because there’s concern he’ll be claimed off waivers by a team he doesn’t want to join — or perhaps the Rockets, who already have one open roster spot, don’t want to have to replace him on their roster, which would increase their projected tax bill.

However, it also seems likely that the Rockets are waiting until December 15 before making any final decisions on Anthony. That’s the date he’ll become eligible to be traded.

It’s not clear whether there are teams in there with immediate interest in acquiring Anthony, but if there are, a trade should be simple enough — because he’s on a minimum-salary contract, the 34-year-old can be acquired using the minimum salary exception, negating the need for salary-matching, and Houston certainly won’t be asking for anything of value in return.

If there has been no resolution on Anthony by December 15, that resolution should come shortly thereafter, as the Rockets assess whether there’s a deal to be made for the 10-time All-Star.

Pau Gasol, C
San Antonio Spurs
$16.8MM cap hit; $16MM salary for 2019/20 partially guaranteed ($6.7MM)

The Spurs are only two games out of a playoff spot in the West, but their 11-14 record places them 14th in the conference. They’ve dropped 12 of their last 17 games, including three recent losses by 30 or more points. If this slump continues, there’s a real possibility that selling will make more sense than buying at the trade deadline.

In that scenario, Gasol could become a trade chip. Typically, a 38-year-old who is earning $16.8MM and recovering from a stress fracture is an albatross, but if Pau gets healthy, he should have some appeal in the right situation.

Gasol’s partial guarantee for next season makes his contract a bit more manageable, and he’s the sort of veteran who could fit into just about any situation, playing 15 minutes or so off the bench. Again though, he has to get back to 100% first before he’ll have any value, and at his age, that’s not necessarily a given.

Dennis Smith Jr., G
Dallas Mavericks
$3.82MM cap hit; on rookie contract; eligible for restricted free agency in 2021

There have been no reports this season suggesting that the Mavericks are mulling the possibility of trading Smith, but Luka Doncic‘s emergence has increased the pressure on Dallas’ 2017 lottery pick. While it may be too early to dub Doncic the Mavs’ next franchise player, the early returns on this year’s No. 3 selection suggest that he should be the team’s primary play-maker for years to come.

If that’s the case, the Mavericks will need to determine whether Smith makes sense alongside Doncic for the long term. If management believes the two youngsters can coexist and thrive together, there’s no reason to do anything with DSJ except look ahead to his next contract. If there are doubts about the pairing, the Mavs should start thinking about a potential deal.

After all, outside of perhaps Wesley Matthews‘ expiring contract and one or two others, the Mavericks don’t have a ton of attractive trade chips. Smith would be a big one, and if moving him allows the franchise to acquire another long-term piece that fits better alongside Doncic, it’s worth considering.

While I don’t expect Smith to go anywhere this season, we’ll be monitoring this situation going forward.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.