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Fantasy Hoops: It’s Time To Trade For Myles Turner

December 14th, 2018 at 3:29pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pacers were a surprise contender last season, making the playoffs after trading away franchise star Paul George. After an offseason of adding reinforcements, the team looks to be in even better shape, entering the day fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Indiana lost its new franchise star Victor Oladipo for 11 games, but was able to perform well in his absence, going 7-4 over that stretch. The team was able to find success by relying on its defense, as only the Thunder had a better defensive rating during the time that Oladipo was out — Indiana actually performed slightly better on the defensive end during the 11-game Oladipo-less stretch than they have on the season, per NBA.com.

Myles Turner is the anchor of the team’s stifling defense, providing elite rim protection for the club. He also stepped up his game on the offensive end this season, particularly of late. He’s averaging 16.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.5 blocks over his last six contests and he’s starting to look like he will have top-50 value in season-long roto leagues.

Oladipo reentered the lineup on Wednesday against the Bucks, accumulating 12 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes of action. The return of Indy’s high-usage guard didn’t dramatically decrease Turner’s role, as the big man scored 23 points on 22 shots (including 4-for-6 from 3-point land) while adding seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.

While it may seem like he’s at a high-point in value, I’d expect him to, at a minimum, maintain this value going forward. Ben Simmons, Jusuf Nurkic, Andre Drummond, Aaron Gordon, C.J. McCollum, and Devin Booker are all players I’d trade for Turner in a player-for-player fantasy deal.

The big man recently signed a four-year, $72MM extension with the Pacers and so far this season, it appears as if he’ll provide good value for the franchise. Now’s the time to acquire him in fantasy before his value in that space rises even further.

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Finding A Markelle Fultz Trade: Pistons Edition

December 14th, 2018 at 1:38pm CST by ChrisCrouse

It’s becoming clear that Markelle Fultz isn’t in Philadelphia’s future plans, as neither side appears keen on a long-term relationship. While the former No. 1 pick doesn’t have a ton of trade value on the market, some rival teams are looking into the situation.

The Pistons are among the teams doing due diligence on Fultz, Rod Beard of the Detroit News relays, confirming a previous report that Detroit was interested in the Washington product. It was previously reported that the Suns have also expressed interest.

It’s not clear what the Sixers’ asking price is for Fultz. The injured guard played in just 19 games for Philadelphia this season, missing time without specific details on his ailment until it was announced that he was suffering from neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.

Beard takes a look at what Detroit could offer and speculates that it’s unlikely that the Pistons move a first-round pick in a potential deal. They surrendered their 2018 first-rounder in the Blake Griffin trade.

Ish Smith ($6MM) and Reggie Bullock ($2.5MM) are each on expiring deals and could be useful to the Sixers this season. Bullock, in particular, would provide Philly with another floor spacer on the perimeter. He made 44.6% of his shots from behind the arc last season. He came back down to earth this year, making 35.0% of his attempts while battling ankle woes.

Smith served two separate stints as a Sixers’ floor general during the less glamorous periods of The Process. He’s a slightly below average shooter from downtown, but Beard argues that he could provide the team with a spark off the bench.

With Bullock slumping and Smith providing neither top shooting or defense, finding a workable trade is difficult. Short of a Detroit offering a first-rounder, it’s hard to see the incentive for the Sixers to send Fultz to Motown.

Perhaps Philadelphia looks at Detroit’s roster and narrows in on a young prospect, such as Luke Kennard or Khyri Thomas, and decide to build a package around him. No reports have surfaced relaying what exactly the team is looking for in a Fultz trade, so it’s hard to speculate on what deal would make the most sense.

Fultz is making $8.3MM this season with $9.7MM coming in next year. His deal contains a team option on the 2020/21 season worth $12.3MM.

Do the Pistons have the right assets to make a Markelle Fultz deal with the Sixers? If you were Detroit’s GM, what would you offer for the former No. 1 pick? If you were in Philadelphia’s front office, what would you accept? 

Let’s us know what you think in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

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Six Trade Candidates To Watch After December 15

December 13th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve noted frequently on Hoops Rumors over the last several weeks, December 15 is a key date to watch on the NBA calendar, since it’s the day that most of the summer’s offseason signees become eligible to be traded. There are some players who won’t be trade-eligible until January 15 or other player-specific dates, but December 15 is the big one.

Of course, for many players signed during the offseason, that December 15 date will come and go without any fanfare. For instance, LeBron James and Kevin Durant are among the 85 players who become eligible to be dealt as of this Saturday, but it’s not as if we’ll have to start keeping an eye out for James- and Durant-related trade rumors this weekend.

There are a number of other players around the league, however, who may have to pay closer attention to the rumor mill as of Saturday. While most trades are completed a little closer to the deadline, as opposed to right after December 15, talks could start to get more serious within the next few days, and it’s certainly possible that we’ll see a deal or two completed before the end of the calendar year.

Here are six players who figure to become trade candidates once they become eligible to be dealt on Saturday, and are worth monitoring going forward:

  1. Trevor Ariza, F (Suns): Ariza’s has the ability to immediately slot into a three-and-D role for virtually any contending team. He also has an expiring contract and is on the NBA’s worst team, making him a quintessential trade candidate. The Lakers have been the team linked to Ariza most often within the last week or so, but they won’t be his only suitor. At least eight teams have already reportedly expressed some interest.
  2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G (Lakers): Caldwell-Pope’s name surfaced in the Ariza rumors, which makes sense, since his $12MM expiring contract represents an ideal salary-matching piece. He has the ability to block any trade involving him though, so he likely wouldn’t sign off on heading to a team like the Suns. The Rockets, who have also been linked to Caldwell-Pope, are a more plausible landing spot, though there are a few other teams who could use KCP on the wing.
  3. Carmelo Anthony, F (Rockets): It has been nearly a month since the Rockets announced they were parting ways with Anthony, but he remains on the team’s roster. As I noted at the time, trading Carmelo would be more favorable than waiving him for Houston, so the club may be waiting until December 15 to see if a deal can be made. If no viable trade options surface, Anthony figures to be waived sooner or later.
  4. Michael Carter-Williams, G (Rockets): While Anthony has taken much of the criticism in Houston, the offseason signing of Carter-Williams hasn’t worked out any better. The former Rookie of the Year has played almost exclusively garbage-time minutes since the start of November and doesn’t appear to be on the verge of reclaiming a regular role. If Houston wants to use his roster spot on a player who could contribute more, MCW should be expendable.
  5. Anthony Tolliver, F (Timberwolves): Tolliver was expected to be a key reserve for the Timberwolves this season, but has played just nine total minutes since the Jimmy Butler trade. Tolliver expressed some concern about his role after his first DNP-CD, and while he hasn’t said much since then, it seems safe to assume he wouldn’t mind being sent to a team that would use him a little more. He could emerge as a trade candidate prior to the February 7 deadline.
  6. Michael Beasley, F (Lakers): If the Lakers intend to hang onto their young prospects, as is expected, then it’ll be their veterans on expiring contracts who are used as chips in any trades for short-term help. Beasley, who is on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, has only played 7.1 minutes per game in 10 contests this season, and is a good bet to be included in offers for players who would see more regular minutes for the Lakers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: Which L.A./NYC Team Is Most Likely To Land Top 2019 Free Agent?

December 13th, 2018 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2019 NBA offseason is shaping up to be a fascinating one. With plenty of big-name players poised to reach free agency and many teams around the league in position to create cap room, there could be a good deal of player movement on the free agent market.

Making things even more interesting is the fact that all four teams in Los Angeles and New York, the country’s two biggest media markets, are poised to be among those teams with significant cap space, and all four teams will be looking to land a top-tier free agent.

In certain recent years, the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, and Knicks may not have even received consideration from elite free agents. All four clubs have suffered from poor management and/or ownership at times during the last decade, but all four appear to have turned a corner as of late.

The Lakers, under new head of basketball operations Magic Johnson, secured a long-term commitment from LeBron James in free agency and have complemented him with an intriguing collection of young prospects. They should have the cap space necessary to sign another maximum-salary free agent in 2019.

The Clippers, led by owner Steve Ballmer, have transitioned out of the Lob City era by putting together a deep, talented roster, and will have veteran executive Jerry West in their corner as they look to make a splash on the 2019 free agent market. They’ll have more than enough room for one max free agent, and could potentially clear enough space for two.

The Nets are finally out from under their commitments to the Celtics and are trending in the right direction, having acquired young building blocks like Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert despite not having premium first-round picks for the last few years. They could also be in position to open up two maximum-salary contract slots this summer, depending on what happens with their own free agents (note: two max slots are far less likely after Spencer Dinwiddie‘s extension).

Finally, even the Knicks, who have endured more drama and made more questionable roster moves than just about any other NBA team in recent years, have been showing more patience and making smarter roster moves since Scott Perry assumed GM duties in 2017. Assuming they’re able to move a salary or two, the Knicks should have enough cap space for a max free agent in 2019.

All four of these clubs have big-market appeal and will be able to make strong pitches to next year’s best free agents. That’s a group that should include Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson, Tobias Harris, and Kemba Walker, as our recent free agent power rankings show.

Our question today is which of those four clubs has the best chance to land one of those marquee free agents. For the sake of this poll, we’re focused more on outside free agent signings, so the Clippers re-signing Harris or the Knicks re-signing Kristaps Porzingis wouldn’t really count.

What do you think? Which Los Angeles or New York club is in the best position to land an elite free agent in 2019?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Allonzo Trier Sets New Benchmarks With Knicks Deal

December 13th, 2018 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Allonzo Trier isn’t the first two-way player to receive a new standard NBA contract this season — Gary Clark earned that honor when he signed a new deal with the Rockets last week. However, Trier’s new contract with the Knicks will establish some new benchmarks for undrafted free agents and two-way players.

As we outlined earlier today, the Knicks will use their entire bi-annual exception to lock up Trier for the next two years. The bi-annual exception for the 2018/19 season is worth $3,382,000, with a 5% raise resulting in a $3,551,100 salary for 2019/20. Even though that second-year salary isn’t yet guaranteed, it’s an impressive payday for Trier, who only has 27 NBA games under his belt.

Here are a few noteworthy details about Trier’s new deal:

Trier will earn a higher salary this season than 20 of 2018’s first-round picks.

As our breakdown of this season’s rookie scale salaries shows, the 11th overall pick, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is earning $3,375,360 in his rookie season, which is less than Trier’s new salary (hat tip to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports). Trier’s $3,382,000 salary is worth more than double what the bottom four picks in the first round are making this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who has looked very impressive so far, may still do better in the long run than Trier, since his four-year rookie contract is worth nearly $17MM in total, but that’s not a lock — Trier will have the opportunity to reach restricted free agency two or three years earlier than SGA and other 2018 first-rounders. If he continues to impress, Trier’s next deal could very well be bigger than the one he agreed to today.

Trier will earn the largest first-year salary for a non-international undrafted free agent.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the highest first-year salary for a non-international undrafted rookie up until today was Malcolm Delaney‘s $2.5MM salary with the Hawks in 2016/17. Trier’s $3.382MM salary easily surpasses that figure. Most UDFAs, of course, are limited to the minimum salary, which is about $838K this season.

Trier will earn the largest salary for any player coming off a two-way contract.

Two-way contracts are fairly new to the NBA, having been introduced for the 2017/18 season, so we don’t have a ton of historical data to compare to Trier’s new contract. However, previously, the biggest two-way success story was probably Torrey Craig, who parlayed a two-way deal last season into a guaranteed two-year, $4MM contract with the Nuggets this year.

Craig technically secured a larger overall guarantee than Trier, but the $2MM first-year salary on his deal is well below Trier’s.

Trier’s new deal would be equivalent to a $5MM full-season salary for 2018/19:

Assuming his new contract is finalized today, Trier will earn $3.382MM for about two-thirds of the NBA season — 119 of 177 days. A $3.382MM salary over 119 days equates to $28,420 per day.

If a player on a full-season contract was earning that same per-day rate, his deal would be worth $5.03MM over 177 days. The Knicks will essentially be paying Trier like a player earning that salary the rest of the way.

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Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Atlantic Division

December 12th, 2018 at 9:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Atlantic Division:

Terry Rozier, Celtics, 24, PG (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $8.8MM deal in 2015
Rozier showed he could be effective starter filling in for Kyrie Irving during the playoffs. With Irving back in the lineup, Rozier has been forced into a second-unit role again. He has expressed a desire to be a starter in the future and that’s not going to happen if Irving re-signs with Boston. Rozier’s stats aren’t that far off from last regular season but it’s been difficult for the restricted free agent, who is currently ranked No. 18 in our Free Agent Power Rankings, to enhance his value while playing 22 MPG.

DeMarre Carroll, Nets, 32, SF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $58MM deal in 2015
Carroll’s offensive numbers have been unsightly since he returned from an injury in early November. He’s shooting 34.4% from the field and 30.8% from long range. He’s also been a defensive liability, according to Basketball Reference, which gives him a minus 1.6 Defensive Box Plus/Minus rating. Carroll cashed in at an opportune time the last time he was a free agent. He’s going to find the offers much more modest next summer, given his age and declining production.

Emmanuel Mudiay, Knicks, 22, PG (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $14MM deal in 2015
The way first-year head coach David Fizdale has been tinkering with his lineup and rotation, it’s hard for anyone on the roster to feel comfortable. The point guard situation has remained a muddle, with Mudiay, Frank Ntilikina and Trey Burke taking turns as the main guy and sitting in the doghouse. Mudiay had a 28-point performance against Milwaukee earlier this month but the Knicks have been outscored by 46 points over the last three games with the restricted free agent on the court. His grasp on a starting spot seems tenuous at best.

Mike Muscala, Sixers, 27, PF (Up) — Signed to a two-year, $10MM deal in 2017
Muscala has reinvented himself as a stretch four and he’s become a valued member of Philadelphia’s rotation. He’s averaging 10.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 2.2 APG over the past six games. He had an 18-point outing to help the Sixers erase a 15-point deficit in Detroit last week. If Muscala can keep this up for one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams, he’ll be in line for a nice payday next summer and might even find a suitor that views him as a starter.

Danny Green, Raptors, 31, SG (Up)– Signed to a four-year, $40MM deal in 2015
Kawhi Leonard isn’t the only former Spur making a major impact north of the border. Green seems rejuvenated as well. His shooting numbers declined during his last three seasons in San Antonio but with Toronto he’s posting his best averages since the 2012/13 season. He’s shooting 44.2% overall and 42.1% from deep. His defensive metrics have remained well above average. Green should be able to score one more multi-year contract, whether he re-signs with Toronto and gets a starting job elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Raptors’ Hot Start

December 12th, 2018 at 7:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors have been the league’s best team during the first two months of the season.

At least in the short run, their gamble on Kawhi Leonard has paid off handsomely. They have the league’s best record and Leonard has reestablished himself as one of the game’s brightest stars. Leonard is averaging 26.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 3.0 APG and the Raptors hold a 2 1/2 game lead in the Eastern Conference standings.

Toronto has been equally as good on the road as it has been at home. The wins have come in bunches, with a pair of six-game streaks and a seven-game streak.

While the Leonard trade has worked out as well as the Raptors could have hoped, they’re far from a one-man band. Toronto has four other players averaging at least 13.0 PPG, led by the resurgent Serge Ibaka (16.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG). Kyle Lowry‘s scoring numbers are down but he leads the league in assists (9.9).

Young players are also producing at a high rate, particularly big man Pascal Siakam (14.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG) and backup point guard Fred VanVleet (9.2 PPG, 4.4 APG).

The Raptors had a mini-slide recently, losing three of four, but responded with a 24-point road win against the Los Angeles Clippers despite Leonard sitting out with a hip injury. In fact, they’re 6-1 in games Leonard has missed.

However, we’ve been down this road before with the Raptors. They won anywhere from 48 to 59 games during the past five seasons but only reached the Eastern Conference Finals once under former coach Dwane Casey.

LeBron James had a lot to do with that but now he’s safely tucked away in Los Angeles. However, Boston and Philadelphia possess more star power than Toronto, and that’s often made the difference in a 7-game series in which flaws can be exposed and exploited.

That brings us to our question of the day: Can the Raptors reach the NBA Finals with the roster they have now or will they need another star to pair up with Kawhi Leonard?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

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NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Pacific Division

December 12th, 2018 at 2:37pm 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 Warriors have been one of the NBA’s least active teams in terms of in-season trades over the last several seasons, but the other four Pacific teams all look like good candidates to be active over the next couple months. The Kings may be buyers, the Suns are in the market for a point guard, and the Lakers and Clippers will seek upgrades that don’t compromise their 2019 cap space.

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

Milos Teodosic, G
Los Angeles Clippers
$6.3MM cap hit; restricted free agent in 2019

Last month, in the midst of a 14-game stretch in which he appeared in four games and played less than 24 total minutes, Teodosic expressed some frustration with how his time in the NBA is going, suggesting he’d likely return to the EuroLeague in 2019 — perhaps even before the end of the NBA season.

With Lou Williams on the shelf due to a hamstring injury, Teodosic has had the opportunity to play a bigger role over the Clippers‘ last two games, and he should continue to get regular minutes for at least a couple weeks. However, if he falls out of the rotation again before the trade deadline, Teodosic could become a trade candidate.

The Clippers have no shortage of backcourt options and teams like the Suns or Magic could really benefit from having a veteran point guard setting up their young players for easy baskets. Those clubs would also have an easier time carving out a clear-cut role for the former EuroLeague star.

Zach Randolph, C
Sacramento Kings
$11.69MM cap hit; unrestricted free agent in 2019

A starter last season for the Kings, Randolph hasn’t played a single minute this season and looks like a buyout candidate. Before they consider negotiating a buyout though, the Kings figure to thoroughly explore the trade market to see if Randolph’s $11.69MM expiring contract might be a useful trade chip.

Combined with Sacramento’s $11MM in cap room, Randolph’s expiring deal could give the club some intriguing options on the trade market. For instance, since the Kings reportedly have interest in Otto Porter, let’s say the Wizards make Porter available for cap relief and draft picks.

Sacramento could attach a future pick to Randolph ($11.69MM) and Ben McLemore ($5.46MM), who is also in the final year of his contract. If both teams were over the cap, those two players wouldn’t be enough to match Porter’s $26MM+ salary, but the under-the-cap Kings aren’t subject to those salary-matching rules and could make it work. The Wizards, meanwhile, would get out of tax territory, pick up a future asset, and significantly increase their 2019 cap flexibility.

There’s no indication that that specific scenario is on the table, but it’s an example of how the Kings could leverage expiring contracts like Randolph’s and their cap room in order to make a major move.

Dragan Bender, F/C
Phoenix Suns
$4.66MM cap hit; UFA in 2019

Typically, a 4-24 team like the Suns would be able to find plenty of minutes for a big man who is just two-and-a-half years removed from being drafted fourth overall. However, Bender’s days in Phoenix appear to be nearing an end. The team declined his 2019/20 option in October and has played him in just 10 games (8.6 MPG) so far this season.

If even the Suns can’t find a role for Bender, perhaps his days in the NBA are numbered too. But the seven-footer knocked down 36.6% of his three-pointers last season and he’s still just 21 years old. If another club wants to roll the dice on Bender’s upside, it seems like Phoenix would be open to making a move.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: Second-Best Team In West

December 11th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the last month, a number of teams have – if only briefly – held the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets, Clippers, Grizzlies, and Trail Blazers have all been the top team in the West for at least a day, and the Thunder actually currently lead the conference by a mere percentage point.

Despite the fluctuating standings, there’s still little doubt that the Warriors are the clear-cut No. 1 team in the West. They’ve battled injuries, but with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green back in action, the Dubs are in the midst of a four-game winning streak and appear to be hitting their stride — and it’s just a matter of time until they’ll be able to insert another All-Star, DeMarcus Cousins, into their lineup too.

While Golden State’s hold on the top spot in the conference still seems strong, there doesn’t appear to be an obvious No. 2 team behind them. Last season, that team was the Rockets, who edged out the Warriors during the regular season and then pushed them to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. But Houston is currently the No. 14 seed in the West, with an 11-14 record.

While it’s still possible that the Rockets will turn their season around and make another deep postseason run, there appear to be stronger contenders for the title of the West’s second-best team. The five clubs mentioned above – Oklahoma City, Denver, Memphis, Portland, and the Clippers – are among those contenders.

The Thunder have the NBA’s best defensive rating and the West’s best net rating, per Basketball-Reference, despite missing Russell Westbrook for several games earlier this season. The Nuggets rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating despite a number of injury issues of their own. The Grizzlies have one of the NBA’s best defenses, while the Blazers and Clippers rank among the league’s best offenses.

Those aren’t the only candidates for the honor of being the Warriors’ most dangerous challenger. LeBron James and the Lakers have recovered from a slow start and are just 1.5 games back of Golden State. The Jazz, who many experts viewed as a probable top-four seed entering the season, have struggled so far, but have a talented roster and one of the most favorable second-half schedules in the NBA.

What do you think? Assuming the Warriors are still the No. 1 team in the Western Conference, which team do you consider the second-best in the West? Place your vote in our poll, then head to the comment section to make the case for your choice!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/1/18 – 12/8/18

December 8th, 2018 at 1:15pm CST by clarkcrum

Our writing team here at Hoops Rumors continually creates original content to complement our news feed. Below are the original segments and features from the past seven days:

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