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Forbes Releases 2019 NBA Franchise Valuations

February 6th, 2019 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, when Forbes released its annual NBA franchise valuations, the Knicks were reeling from the news that Kristaps Porzingis has suffered a torn ACL, but still earned the top spot on Forbes’ list of the league’s most valuable teams.

This time around, Knicks fans are reeling from the trade that sent Porzingis to Dallas. Once again though, the franchise is still considered the most valuable of any of the NBA’s 30 clubs, according to a report from Kurt Badenhausen and Mike Ozanian of Forbes.

For the first time, all 30 NBA teams have a perceived worth of $1.2 billion or more, per Forbes’ annual report. While all 30 teams’ valuations cracked the $1 billion threshold for the first time last year, 10 franchises were below $1.2 billion.

The league-wide average of $1.9 billion per team in 2019 is also a new record, with franchise valuations up 13% in total over last year’s figures. NBA franchise values have once again tripled over the last five years, according to Badenhausen and Ozanian.

Here’s the full list of NBA franchise valuations, per Forbes:

New York Knicks: $4 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $3.7 billion
Golden State Warriors: $3.5 billion
Chicago Bulls: $2.9 billion
Boston Celtics: $2.8 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $2.35 billion
Houston Rockets: $2.3 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $2.25 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $2.2 billion
Miami Heat: $1.75 billion
Toronto Raptors: $1.675 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $1.65 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $1.625 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $1.6 billion
Sacramento Kings: $1.575 billion
Washington Wizards: $1.55 billion
Phoenix Suns: $1.5 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $1.475 billion
Utah Jazz: $1.425 billion
Indiana Pacers: $1.4 billion
Denver Nuggets: $1.375 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $1.35 billion
Orlando Magic: $1.325 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $1.3 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $1.275 billion
Detroit Pistons: $1.27 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $1.26 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $1.25 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $1.22 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $1.2 billion

The Sixers are this year’s big riser, moving from 21st on the 2018 list to 12th in 2019. Conversely, the Cavaliers fell the most. After losing LeBron James, Cleveland was the only franchise to see its valuation dip from year to year, as it decreased from $1.325 billion (15th) in 2018 to $1.275 billion (25th) in 2019.

Details On How Porzingis Trade Talks Played Out

February 5th, 2019 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest newsletter for The New York Times, Marc Stein takes a deep dive into the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis from New York to Dallas, sharing several interesting new details on the negotiations leading up to the deal itself.

Here’s a round-up of the highlights from Stein:

The Knicks spent a good portion of January canvassing the NBA for possible Porzingis trades, according to Stein, who hears the team was rebuffed when it inquired on potential targets like Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Kings guard De’Aaron Fox. After devoting much of the month to possible trade scenarios, the Knicks were convinced that no team besides Dallas would take on the Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee contracts while also offering a player like Dennis Smith Jr. along with multiple first-round picks, says Stein.
New York’s management group has known for years that the Mavericks were very interested in Porzingis, with one Mavs official joking to Stein that Dallas had approached the Knicks “about a hundred times” before they finally showed a willingness to move the All-Star big man. Conversely, the Knicks had been expressing interest in Smith all season, per Stein.
The Knicks and Mavericks had been discussing the framework of a possible Wesley Matthews/Hardaway deal for weeks, and began expanding those talks to include Porzingis on January 28, Stein writes. The two teams then worked in person toward finalizing the framework of a deal last Wednesday when the Mavs played the Knicks in New York. However, the Knicks wanted to wait until after they met with the Porzingis brothers on Thursday to make any decisions.
Following that Thursday meeting between Knicks management and the Porzingis brothers, Janis Porzingis (Kristaps’ agent) provided the club with a four-team list of preferred destinations, a source tells Stein. The Nets and Clippers were on that list, but the Mavericks weren’t. The Knicks opted to move quickly on the Mavs deal in part due to concern that Porzingis’ camp would leak that list and threaten to only sign long-term with those clubs, Stein adds.
The Knicks were informed that Porzingis was ready to leave the team and continue his injury rehab in Spain if he remained on the roster through the trade deadline, Stein hears.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, with an interesting quote to Stein: “It was my mistake to not keep Dirk [Nowitzki] and Steve [Nash] together longer. I won’t make the same mistake with Luka [Doncic] and KP.”
For what it’s worth, Stein reports that the threat of Kevin Durant leaving for the Knicks has “never felt more real” to the Warriors than it does now that New York has cleared two maximum-salary slots for the summer.

Durant Speculation Hasn't Created Distraction

February 4th, 2019 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors will take a hard look at the buyout market after the trade deadline but won’t necessarily add another piece, ESPN’s Nick Friedell reports. GM Bob Myers feels comfortable with his roster at the moment. “We’ll see who’s bought out, first of all,” Myers said. “And then if it’s a player we think makes sense that can help us win a championship, then we’ll look at it. … We’re still probably a week or so away from those things happening.”

Wesley Matthews Would Be Popular Target On Buyout Market

February 4th, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran swingman Wesley Matthews made his Knicks debut on Sunday, but it’s unclear how many more games he’ll play for the club. New York has received “multiple inquiries” about Matthews, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who hears from a source that the Sixers are expected to have some interest in a deal.

Berman writes that a buyout “won’t happen,” but that could be posturing from the Knicks’ side, as opening the door for that possibility would diminish Matthews’ value on the trade market. If the 32-year-old ends up being bought out, he’d be a popular free agent target, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

Stein identifies the Rockets, Thunder, Raptors, 76ers, and Warriors as teams hoping Matthews makes it to free agency. Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com had previously reported (via Twitter) that Houston would have interest in Matthews on the buyout market.

While the Knicks appear to be resisting the buyout route, it might be tricky for the club to find a taker for Matthews by Thursday’s deadline. The franchise has zero interest in taking on 2019/20 salary, and there aren’t a ton of expiring contracts around the NBA that make sense as salary-matching pieces for Matthews’ own $18.6MM expiring deal.

A team like the Kings might make sense as a trade partner for the Knicks, since they have $11MM in cap room and multiple non-rotation veterans on expiring deals, including Zach Randolph ($11.7MM). Clubs like the Rockets, Thunder, and Raptors, however, wouldn’t have a clear path to a trade, given their current cap situations, which is why they’re hoping Matthews is ultimately bought out.

As the Knicks consider their options with Matthews, it’s worth noting that head coach David Fizdale has said that he believes both Matthews and DeAndre Jordan could have a future in New York, as Berman relays. The Knicks are hoping that Jordan will be a “big influence” on rookie center Mitchell Robinson, Berman adds.

“Both of those guys have played some [playoff] series on some really good basketball teams,” Fizdale said. “And who knows what the future holds for these guys? They’re ours now, free agents at the end of the year, but who knows? I want them to come here and enjoy the process with us and really help the young guys.”

Warriors Notes: Luxury Tax, Chase Center, Free Agents

February 3rd, 2019 at 7:00pm CST by Austin Kent

Re-signing pending free agents Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson to substantial, long-term contracts would have major financial implications for the Warriors – upward of $300MM per year, potentially – but franchise owner Joe Lacob doesn’t think luxury tax and salary costs are the issue heading forward, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic writes.

“We can do whatever we want [financially],” Lacob said. “And you should expect that that’s not going to be a reason this team … doesn’t stay great going forward. We have the capital to pay our players what they deserve. And we will.”

Kawakami notes that this is a change in tone from what we’ve heard from the team’s ownership group in the past. There may be several factors responsible for that, including the “unprecedented influx of cash” that the team’s new stadium is expected to bring. The Warriors will begin playing at the Chase Center next fall.

There’s more from the Bay Area tonight:

The Warriors are in somewhat of a holding pattern until Durant makes his decision whether to remain with the franchise or move elsewhere, Kawakami notes in the above-mentioned article. These dynamics may have put Anthony Davis just out of reach for the team. “The best thing for us to do is keep our great players together as long as we can, as long as we should, and then develop on the margins,” Lacob said.
With free agency looming and the Knicks posturing to be a major player, New York appears to at the very least be an option for Durant. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringers writes that the forward has wavered between staying or leaving all season.
Since the blockbuster trade that freed up two max contract slots in the Knicks’ books last Thursday, Durant has been quieter than usual, Mark Medina of The Mercury News writes. Durant has avoided post-game interviews after each of Golden State’s last two matchups.

Knicks Notes: Jordan, Matthews, Zion, Davis

February 3rd, 2019 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews may not be with the Knicks very long, but coach David Fizdale is preparing to use them, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Acquired in the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas, both players are veterans with expiring contracts who will be buyout candidates if they aren’t traded by Thursday’s deadline.

“What I want to try to do with them is get them minutes where they can start helping our guys understand defense,” Fizdale said. “DeAndre is going to be a guy that really helps Mitchell (Robinson) and I think having him be able to do it with demonstration and not just words, I think, is going to be important.

“Because DeAndre, he’s a veteran version of what Mitchell is hoping to become. And the same with Wesley. I think Wes is really going to be able to help Dot (Damyean Dotson) and Zo (Allonzo Trier), especially when it comes to defending. So I want to be able to find him some minutes out there so that he can demonstrate it while he’s doing it.”

There’s more from New York City:

Knicks fans aren’t the only ones dreaming about the possibility of having Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Zion Williamson in their lineup next season. The expected No. 1 pick told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv he has considered it as well. “It would be dope to play with KD and Kyrie, but like I said I’m enjoying college and whichever team drafts me I’m going to be ready to play hard and work,” Williamson said Saturday after Duke defeated St. John’s. The Knicks hold the top spot in our latest Reverse Standings.
The prospect of bringing two elite free agents to New York suddenly seems feasible now that the Knicks project to have about $70MM in cap space, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Fans welcomed Irving to Madison Square Garden Friday night with a rousing ovation, followed by chants of “We want Kyrie.” However, if the Knicks don’t get their top targets, Vorkunov wonders if they will be content with another year of rebuilding or if they’ll throw that money at players such as Tobias Harris and Kemba Walker.
The Knicks may have a path to team up Durant, Irving and Anthony Davis, tweets salary cap expert Albert Nahmad. He explains that New York could agree to a deal with the Pelicans before the draft involving its lottery pick, young players and future selections. The Knicks would then take whomever New Orleans wants, add Durant and Irving with cap space and finalize the Davis trade 30 days after the draftee signs his contract (Twitter link).

NBA Announces All-Star Reserves

January 31st, 2019 at 6:12pm CST by JD Shaw

The NBA announced today the reserves for the 2019 All-Star Game, releasing the pool of players eligible to be drafted by captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the contest.

For the Eastern Conference, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Detroit’s Blake Griffin, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic were all selected.

Indiana guard Victor Oladipo was also chosen, but he’ll miss the game due to injury. The NBA could name a replacement for Oladipo, with Eric Bledsoe or D’Angelo Russell among the most likely candidates.

New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Portland’s Damian Lillard, San Antonio’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen to represent the Western Conference.

James and Antetokounmpo will draft their respective teams next Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7:00pm ET. The draft will air on TNT and commence just hours after the NBA’s trade deadline. Each captain must first finish selecting from the pool of starters — announced last week — before choosing from this list of reserves.

The All-Star Game is set to take place on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte. The starters for the game were chosen by votes from fans, players and media, while the reserves were selected by the 30 NBA head coaches.

Latest On Anthony Davis

January 31st, 2019 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans are approaching the Anthony Davis trade request “methodically,” listening to trade inquiries and offers but remaining focused on “the long play,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Wednesday during an appearance on NBA Countdown (video link). According to Wojnarowski, it’s “very unlikely” that the Pelicans will get serious enough in any trade talks by next Thursday’s deadline to actually finalize a Davis deal by February 7.

As Wojnarowski observes, the Pelicans could gain leverage during the offseason by getting more teams involved in the Davis sweepstakes. Besides all the teams that will open up cap room and gain flexibility in the summer, the Celtics will also enter the mix, no longer held back by the Rose Rule restrictions that prevent them from trading for Davis. According to Wojnarowski, it sounds like the Celtics have conveyed to the Pelicans that they should be patient and that Boston would be willing to discuss virtually anyone on its roster except for Kyrie Irving.

If the Pelicans don’t make a deal at the deadline, that could be bad news for the Lakers, who would like to trade for Davis as soon as possible, before the Celtics can get involved. However, Wojnarowski suggests that New Orleans’ front office has “no interest in acquiescing Anthony Davis to the Lakers right now.”

Here’s more on the NBA’s top trade candidate:

There has been speculation that Davis may have played his last game for the Pelicans, who could hold their star big man out of action for the rest of the season even if he’s not moved at the deadline. However, while that’s an option under consideration, nothing has been definitively decided on that front, a source tells Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter links). Asked this week whether Davis would play again for the Pelicans, head coach Alvin Gentry was noncommittal, as Peter Thompson of Sporting News relays. “I don’t really know how to answer that. I assume that he will,” Gentry said. “That’s something that will obviously have to be discussed about what’s best for him and what’s best for our team.”
Mirjam Swanson of The Los Angeles Times explores whether the Clippers could be a player in the Davis sweepstakes, while Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic digs into the Warriors‘ long-shot odds and Erik Horne of The Oklahoman does the same for the Thunder.
While much of the coverage this week has focused on Davis and his potential suitors, Royce Young of ESPN.com looks at the other side of the saga, examining how the Pelicans are dealing with the trade rumors swirling around the franchise.
Cap expert Albert Nahmad takes a deep dive into Davis’ future contract options, along with a potential timeline for a trade (and new contract) in an interesting piece for HeatHoops.com.

Wizards Notes: McRae, Brooks, Porter, Cousins

January 30th, 2019 at 1:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Two-way player Jordan McRae showed off his scoring prowess in Tuesday’s loss to the Cavaliers, writes Ben Standig of NBC Sports Washington. The G League’s top scorer this season at 29.8 PPG, McRae hit all five of his shots from the field, finished with 15 points and was part of a reserve unit that led a huge fourth-quarter rally.

McRae had prior NBA opportunities in Phoenix and Cleveland before signing with the Wizards in September. Defense and attitude remain concerns, Standig notes, but there’s no question about his ability to provide a spark on offense.

“I think it’s just about [Jordan’s] mentality,” said Jarell Christian, head coach of Washington’s Capital City G League affiliate. “When he’s thrown into a game on the next level, still being able to function without getting the ball every possession.”

McRae has been waiting all season for an NBA opportunity, but has watched the Wizards go in other directions. They signed Ron Baker in December, then gave a 10-day contract to Gary Payton II last week.

There’s more from Washington:

Coach Scott Brooks made a statement by sticking with a patchwork lineup in the final seconds of Tuesday’s game, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic. McRae teamed with Payton, Troy Brown, Sam Dekker and Thomas Bryant to overcome a 25-point deficit with seven minutes to play. Brooks gave that unit a chance to tie the game at the end instead of turning to his regulars. “They played harder than the (starters),” Brooks said afterward. “And our starters didn’t play hard enough. That’s the bottom line.”
Otto Porter Jr. has adapted well to his new sixth man role, writes Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. A starter for the past four years, Porter joined the reserve unit in early January because he was on a minutes restriction while returning from a quadriceps injury. He has accepted the backup spot despite being the team’s highest-paid player. “I mean, of course everybody in the NBA wants to start,” Porter said. “It’s an earned position, but at the same time, for the better of the team, you have to take sacrifices. And that’s what I’ve been doing.”
The Wizards had discussions with DeMarcus Cousins when he was a free agent last summer, but the sides were never close to a deal, Buckner relays in a separate story. Cousins turned aside questions during the Warriors’ appearance in Washington this week, but Brooks offered an explanation of what happened. “I think the conversation took place but it was his decision,” Brooks said. “When we made the trade [with Marcin] Gortat, we needed somebody now. We couldn’t afford to wait five or six months or four months into the season. We needed a live, active player that was ready to start the season.”

Lakers Notes: K. Thompson, Davis, LeBron, Ingram

January 29th, 2019 at 1:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are hoping for a scenario in which they can add both Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi. In an appearance with Scott Van Pelt yesterday, Wojnarowski broke down the latest Davis rumors and said L.A.’s front office has even bigger things in mind.

If the Lakers can acquire Davis before the start of free agency and the Warriors aren’t willing to make a full maximum offer to Thompson, the All-Star guard will think about heading south to form a new Big Three, according to Woj.

“We’ll see what Golden State does there. They’ve got a lot of players to pay going forward,” Wojnarowski said. “They want to re-sign Kevin Durant. They certainly want to re-sign Klay, they’ve got Draymond Green coming up in free agency the following year.”

The Lakers project to have about $36MM in cap space this summer, so they should be considered a serious contender for Thompson if he’s ready to part ways with the Warriors.

There’s more Lakers news to pass along:

The front office should learn from past mistakes and make an all-out effort to get the Davis deal done, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. The Lakers had similar opportunities over the past two years with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, two Southern California natives who both expressed a desire to play in L.A., but were cautious and watched them go to other teams. They didn’t want to give up Brandon Ingram in a deal for George, Oram states, and they never put together their best offer to get Leonard from the Spurs.
LeBron James is getting closer to returning from the groin injury that has sidelined him for more than a month, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. James participated in full-court contact drills this week and hasn’t been ruled out for tonight, although Thursday’s game seems more realistic.
The Davis trade rumors are a potential distraction for the Lakers’ young players, who are rumored to be part of the package for New Orleans, Youngmisuk notes in the same story. Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart will hear their names mentioned frequently until the Davis situation is resolved. “I think you look on social network and look on everything else, you have all these stories of this player, this player, this player,” Ingram said. “But no one in this room or the players or the coaches or the general manager doesn’t say a word about it. So like I said, we only listen to the important people in this building.”