Hoops Rumors Originals

Trade Deadline Outlook: Southwest Division

February 21st, 2017 at 9:39am CST by Luke Adams

In the days leading up to the February 23 trade deadline, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. We’ll be identifying each team as a buyer, seller, or something in between, and discussing which teams and players are most likely to be involved in deals this month. We’ve already covered the Atlantic, Northwest, Southeast, Pacific, and Central. Today, we’re examining the Southwest.

Buyers:

The Spurs (43-13) lead the way among the Southwest’s group of buyers, but R.C. Buford typically isn’t all that active around the deadline. Even though San Antonio has been a perennial title contender in recent years, the team’s only in-season trade since 2013 came three years ago, when the Spurs sent Nando De Colo to Toronto in exchange for Austin Daye. It wasn’t exactly a franchise-altering move. While it’s possible the Spurs do something small at this year’s deadline, there’s a strong chance they’ll simply stand pat.

The Rockets (40-18) have also expressed reluctance to make major changes and upset team chemistry, but Daryl Morey is always exploring potential upgrades, and has a long history of making deadline deals. Houston technically didn’t make a move at the deadline a year ago, trading for Josh Smith in January rather than February. But before 2016, Morey had made at least one deadline deal every year since taking over as the club’s GM in 2007. This year, the club has been linked to veterans like Wilson Chandler, and reportedly has some interest in adding a ball-handler.

It may be a quiet deadline for the Grizzlies (34-24), who had been on the lookout for a backup point guard and an athletic big man. Toney Douglas has been solid in the backcourt since rejoining the club, and Brandan Wright has been effective in the frontcourt since getting healthy, so those needs may not be quite as pressing now. Memphis has already traded away its 2017 and 2019 first-round picks, which doesn’t leave a lot of ammo for the club to go after a legitimate impact player this week.

Speaking of legitimate impact players, the Pelicans (23-34) already made their big move this week, swinging a deal with Sacramento for All-NBA center DeMarcus Cousins. That trade signaled that New Orleans is a strong buyer this month, despite being 11 games below .500, and the club may not be done yet. Having sent out three guards in the Cousins swap, the Pelicans are in the market for backcourt help, and have reportedly Terrence Jones available as they search for deals.

Sellers:

With the top four teams in the Southwest all looking to earn playoff spots, that just leaves one club whose outlook is unclear. However, I don’t think that final team is a full-fledged seller…

Somewhere in between:

Instead, the Mavericks (22-34) fall somewhere in the middle between buying and selling, though they’re probably a little closer to the seller’s end of the spectrum. While they’re just a half-game back of New Orleans, the Mavs will have an uphill battle for a postseason berth, and it might make more sense for the club to see what it can get for some of its veteran players. Still, indications are that Mark Cuban‘s team has no interest in an all-out fire sale. Dallas likely won’t make any win-now moves this week, but I expect to see most of the club’s veterans – particularly those on multiyear deals – remain on the roster through Thursday’s deadline.

Team most likely to make a move:

Before the Cousins deal, I had the Pelicans down as the Southwest team most likely to make a move. I still think New Orleans fits that bill, since the club will need to do something to balance out its roster and replenish its backcourt, but the Mavericks and Rockets are very much in the running for this honor as well. In my view, this is a toss-up between New Orleans and Dallas, with Houston in the mix only due to Morey’s lengthy history of deadline deals.

Player(s) most likely to be moved:

A report late Sunday night suggested that Terrence Jones has likely played his last game with the Pelicans, so it’s hard not to give him the nod in this category, but there are several other candidates.

Elsewhere in New Orleans’ frontcourt, the club would certainly like to ditch Omer Asik, but would probably settle for moving Alexis Ajinca. Both players are out of the Pelicans’ rotation, but Asik’s contract is far more onerous and harder to sell than Ajinca’s.

For the Mavs, Andrew Bogut seems likely to be on the move this week — he’s on an expiring contract and would have real value to a few contending teams.

Under-the-radar trade candidate(s):

As I noted above, I don’t anticipate the Mavericks being eager to move some of their veteran contributors who are on multiyear deals, and that applies especially to someone like J.J. Barea, who is under contract through 2018/19 and earns less than $4MM annually. Still, the factors that make Barea valuable to Dallas would also make him appealing to other teams. If the Mavs were willing to consider moving him, Barea’s solid play and very affordable contract would likely make him more valuable than any of the other veteran point guards on the roster. I think Dallas will opt to keep Barea, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.

What do you think is in store for the Southwest teams over the next three days? Which teams are most likely to make a deal? Which players will be on the move?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Candidate: Carmelo Anthony

February 20th, 2017 at 11:24pm CST by ChrisCrouse

As the February 23 trade deadline nears, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at several players we consider trade candidates, discussing their value, speculating on potential destinations, and explaining why they are – or should be – available. These players won’t necessarily be dealt in advance of the deadline, but it won’t be surprising if they are.

Carmelo Anthony, F
New York Knicks
2016/17 salary: $24,559,380
Under contract through the 2018/19 season, though his deal contains an ETO for the final year
Trade restrictions: No-Trade Clause

The Knicks surprisingly beat the Spurs last weekend in what could be Carmelo Anthony’s final home game as a member of the team. New York doesn’t have another game before the February 23 trade deadline and while the odds are against an Anthony trade, if he were to be moved, it wouldn’t be the most shocking trade to happen this week.

How Did We Get Here?

It appears that team president Phil Jackson wants Anthony to play for another team, as evidenced by his disparagement of the 10-time All-Star. The Zen Master subtweeted the star and he allegedly had a hand in the article written by his close associate, Charley Rosen, which condemned Anthony. Rosen opined that Anthony’s legs had similar principles to a homerun leaving Yankee Stadium and he concluded his subjective piece with this sentiment: The only sure thing is that Carmelo Anthony has outlived his usefulness in New York.

Anthony still has plenty left in the tank. At age 32, he’s no longer the nimblest of athletes. When he drives at defenders, he powers into them at a controlled speed while always remaining a threat to stop and utilize his deadly jumpshot. He’s not going to rival LeBron James‘ all-around game on a nightly basis, but he’s still a top-30 player in the league and he’s one of the best on the offensive end.

There’s a recipe for constructing a winning Melo team, yet for the longest time, Jackson seemed disinterested in reading anyone else’s cookbook. Anthony needs to be surrounded by shooters along with a defensive anchor in the post while playing in a free-flowing offense. For over half of his tenure with the Knicks, Jackson insisted on the triangle, an offense which has principles installed in sets around the league but it hasn’t been successful as a standalone offense for quite some time. Kristaps Porzingis can develop into the team’s defensive anchor, but Jackson’s signing of Joakim Noah delays his development at the five. Additions Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas are good fits for the quintessential system, but Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings are equally poor fits for it.

The mismatch of talent will likely lead New York to the lottery again this season. If this team was winning, the Jackson-Anthony estrangement might be blanketed, but that’s not the case, as our Reverse Standings indicate.

Why Trading Anthony Is Problematic

Anthony’s no-trade clause presents problems for the Knicks. New York can only send Anthony to places he wants to go, which limits the marketplace and therefore, damages the team’s bargaining power in negotiations. Without a full league of competition, rival teams can make underwhelming offers for Anthony and if the Knicks are determined to move him, they will be forced to take a less-than-desirable deal.

Another obstacle in an Anthony deal is his trade kicker, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes. Anthony will receive a 15% bonus should the team trade him and that bonus will take into account the remaining amount owed on his contract once he’s dealt (to skip the salary cap math, scroll down two paragraphs).

He has slightly over $78.73MM left on his current deal, though by the time the trade deadline arrives, he will have already made nearly $17.50MM this season. He can void the final year, which is worth just under $27.93MM, if he opts to activate his Early Termination Option. However, that amount is included in the calculation of trade bonus and if Anthony is traded Thursday at the deadline, the amount of the bonus will be slightly under $9.19MM.

That amount would get paid by the Knicks, but it would go on the acquiring team’s salary cap. It would be split equally over the remaining guaranteed years of the deal (not including the final year of the deal since it’s not guaranteed that he will receive it due to the ETO). Anthony’s cap hit on a new team for the 2016/17 season would be $29,153,188. As Marks noted, the trade bonus could be amended to match salaries, but not if the acquiring team is hard capped (hello Cleveland). The acquiring team, if over the salary cap, would need to send back salaries that are within 125% of Anthony’s salary plus $100K, which at the aforementioned figure comes out to $23.25MM.

The team that takes on Anthony would add $29,153,188 to this year’s salary cap and $30,837,568 to next season’s. The acquiring team would also take on another $27.93MM on the 2018/19 season’s salary cap should Anthony decide not to terminate the final year of the deal. By the time Anthony makes a decision on that option, he’ll be 34 years old. He could very well opt to hit the open market in hopes of landing one more lucrative deal or he could take the security of his current contract. Either way, by that point in his career, there’s little chance that his contract resembles anything that’s described as team-friendly.

Anthony’s Most Likely Destinations

Anthony hasn’t publicly stated that he would waive his no-trade clause for any team, but he would reportedly be open to a trade if it sent him to the Clippers, Cavs or Celtics.

Los Angeles isn’t willing to surrender any of its core players for Anthony, but the team had discussions with the Knicks and offered New York a package headlined by Austin Rivers in exchange for the 32-year-old. It’s easy to see why the Knicks didn’t complete that deal, as the package included no first-round picks or promising players on team-friendly deals. A Blake Griffin-Anthony swap seems like the best case scenario for the team, but New York can not acquire Griffin while Rose is on the team because of a CBA rule that prevents teams from carrying more than one player currently signed via a designated player extension.

New York would like to bring back Kevin Love in an Anthony deal, but Love will be sidelined with a knee injury for the next several weeks so that presumably kills any chance of him heading to New York before the deadline. Even if he was healthy, it was unlikely the Knicks could acquire him, as the Cavs appear unwilling to move the big man. Cleveland remains interested in acquiring Anthony, but only if doesn’t involve Love, James or Kyrie Irving. There’s no indication that the teams have discussed what a trade package would look like. It would have to involve at least two players of a group that includes Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Channing Frye in order to make the salaries work, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors wrote earlier this month.

The Celtics make the most sense for an Anthony destination out of these three teams. They have the assets to offer the Knicks a reasonable deal and doing so wouldn’t necessarily gut a major piece from the team’s roster. However, Boston is reportedly uninterested in bringing the star to town.

An Outside-The-Box Destination

Anthony values being in New York, a place where his wife, La La, has several business ventures. He admitted that his family will play a role in deciding whether or not he waives his no-trade clause.

“My family, my son being comfortable in New York at an age now where he gets an opportunity to understand being in New York, having a home here, having friends here, my wife working there, having opportunities there,” Anthony said (via The New York Post’s Marc Berman). “I think about that more so than my decision for my career. At the end of the day, it will come down to my decision, but I think more about what my family is thinking, what they’re going to go through if anything was to happen.”

Location is a major factor for Anthony, which is why the Nets should consider making a cross-town call to the Knicks. If a Rivers-centered package appears to be the best offer on the table for Anthony, it would be smart for any team to try and top that because acquiring Anthony at that price is a low-risk transaction. Wouldn’t Jeremy Lin, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and a lottery-protected future first-rounder (2020) be a better haul than the underwhelming packages Jackson has seen? A young prospect plus a future draft pick plus cap space is a nice formula for trading a star.

Trading Anthony to the Nets benefits the Knicks beyond the haul they receive. Boston has the right to swap picks with Brooklyn this season and the team owns Brooklyn’s 2018 first-rounder outright. If the Knicks send Anthony to the Nets, it will hurt New York in the standings, which will lead to a higher pick in the draft this season, and it will indirectly hurt the Celtics’ chances of landing a star-prospect through the draft over the next two seasons since the value of the two picks are reliant on Brooklyn’s success (or lack thereof). The Celtics are constructed to compete for a title today and they could add a top prospect to an already-loaded roster via those picks. The Knicks could be playing catch-up for the next decade unless the Nets get better overnight.

With Boston owning those picks, Brooklyn’s path to relevancy remains difficult. The Nets can’t employ a tanking strategy; there’s no benefit for Brooklyn to do it over the next two seasons. Free agency and trades are going to be the main sources of acquiring talent. The team isn’t a major free agent destination right now, but adding Anthony could change that image. GM Sean Marks could sell free agents on playing alongside Anthony and Brook Lopez or he could deal Lopez to bring Anthony another sidekick.

From Brookyn’s perspective, there’s not much risk associated with bringing Anthony to the team as long as you can acquire him at the right price. The team would need to make sure protections are placed on any outgoing pick so that if Anthony bolts in free agency and the team drops in the standings, it wouldn’t be losing a valuable asset.

Before the Nets could consider adding Anthony, they’d have to convince him to waive his no-trade clause and there’s a pitch to be made. They could offer him more involvement in the team’s moves and an escape from the James Dolan-Jackson shadow. They could offer the opportunity to change teams without him having to move his family (although he would have a rougher commute for his new gig). Anthony keeps his no-trade clause with any deal the Knicks make, per the CBA, and the small-forward can leave via free agency in the summer of 2018 should he desire to.

Anthony playing for the Nets is a far-fetched idea. It’s completely speculative and unlikely to occur, yet it’s a proposal that could benefit all parties involved.

The Most Likely Trade Deadline Outcome

While the Knicks would like to trade Anthony, it’s likely he stays put through the trade deadline because of his no-trade clause.

“I haven’t figured out a situation that makes sense for both parties,” Anthony said via The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears. “I am not the kind of guy who just goes out there and says, ‘Get me outta here … get me outta here,’ without having a plan. It’s bigger than that.”

What do you think? What teams should Anthony be willing to waive his no-trade clause for and what should the Knicks get in return? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts and possible trade ideas.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Outlook: Central Division

February 20th, 2017 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

In the days leading up to the February 23 trade deadline, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. We’ll be identifying each team as a buyer, seller, or something in between, and discussing which teams and players are most likely to be involved in deals this month. We’ve already covered the Atlantic, Northwest, Southeast, and Pacific. Today, we’re examining the Central.

Buyers:

The Cavaliers (39-16) started buying last month when they sent a first-round pick to Atlanta in a deal for Kyle Korver. Since then, however, Cleveland’s on-court performance has been up and down, and LeBron James has called for the team to add a “playmaker.” Derrick Williams‘ play has been encouraging so far, but the Cavs could still use a ball-handler and a big man, particularly with J.R. Smith and Kevin Love on the shelf. The club’s luxury tax bill will continue to rise exponentially if team salary goes up though, so GM David Griffin likely won’t be taking on any big contracts.

No other team in the Central division is within 10 games of the Cavs, but the Pacers (29-28) are in playoff position and are interested in adding to their roster. Although there is reportedly some reluctance within the organization to part with the team’s 2017 first-round pick, that selection appears to be available in the right deal as Indiana seeks an established wing or big man. Paul George will have the opportunity to opt out of his contract in 2018, so the Pacers are running out of time to prove to him that their roster is capable of seriously contending — adding an impact player this week could help.

Sellers:

The Bucks (25-30) are currently the ninth place team in the Eastern Conference, just one game behind Detroit for the No. 8 seed. As such, it’s possible they won’t be sellers at all, though in the wake of Jabari Parker‘s devastating ACL injury, that’s the route that makes the most sense for the club. Slipping down the standings to secure a top-10 pick would allow the Bucks to add another promising young player to their core of Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker, and Malcolm Brogdon. The team’s most obvious trade candidate is Greg Monroe, who has perhaps regained some value with a solid season in Milwaukee — his overall numbers are down due to his decreased role, but his per-minute numbers and shooting percentages are among the best of his career.

Somewhere in between:

The Bulls (28-29) confused fans and observers with a series of unusual offseason moves, and have the potential to do so again at the deadline, depending on what approach they take. Retooling the roster around Jimmy Butler makes sense to me, and that could mean moving a few of their veterans this week for draft picks or younger players. However, it also wouldn’t be a surprise if the team hangs on to guys like Rajon Rondo, Taj Gibson, and Nikola Mirotic and continues to push for a playoff spot instead. It wouldn’t even be a total shock if the club decides to trade Butler for a package of assets, though that seems unlikely at this point.

As for the Pistons (27-30), they’re clinging to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and have had chemistry issues for much of the season. A full-fledged rebuild doesn’t look like a realistic outcome in Detroit, and the team also doesn’t really have the pieces to make a run at a star. A minor move or two is more likely, but if the club gets an offer it likes for Reggie Jackson, he could be on the move. Zach Lowe’s recent piece on the Pistons at ESPN.com didn’t exactly paint the veteran point guard as untouchable.

Team most likely to make a move:

The Cavaliers are a good bet to add another player to their roster at some point, but they could end up delving into the buyout market rather than pulling off another trade. The Bulls and Pistons may also be active, though the direction for those two teams is trickier to discern. The Pacers, who are looking to add talent to their roster in the hopes of making a playoff run and enticing Paul George to stay in Indiana for the long term, have a clearer objective, and I expect them to follow through on it within the next three days. They’re my pick for the Central team most likely to make a deal.

Player(s) most likely to be moved:

There’s no shortage of players in the Central who have been the subject of trade rumors and speculation this season. Several of them are Bulls players, with Rajon Rondo, Taj Gibson, Michael Carter-Williams, Robin Lopez, and Doug McDermott among the potential candidates to be moved. Greg Monroe was once considered one of the most likely players in the NBA to be dealt, and fellow big man Al Jefferson is also believed to be available. If the Cavs do make a deal, Iman Shumpert and Jordan McRae are trade candidates.

Any of those players would be a fine choice in this category, but I’ll roll the dice and name Reggie Jackson as the player most likely to be traded. The Pistons may ultimately decide to hang onto their point guard and potentially revisit a deal down the road in the hopes that his value will rebound. But recent reports and quotes from out of Detroit suggest that the Pistons wouldn’t mind getting out from under Jackson’s long-term deal if they could get a decent offer for him.

Under-the-radar trade candidate(s):

It’s been a rough season for Reggie Bullock, who was sidelined early on by back and hip problems, and then suffered a torn meniscus. Bullock is healthy enough to play now, but isn’t in Detroit’s regular rotation, and he’s headed for restricted free agency this summer. If he isn’t a part of the Pistons’ future plans, it makes sense for the team to see if it can get something for him on the trade market. Bullock still has some promise as a defensive-minded wing, and if there’s a team out there that likes him, it might be a good idea to acquire him now in order to secure matching rights for when he becomes an RFA.

What do you think is in store for the Central teams over the next three days? Which teams are most likely to make a deal? Which players will be on the move?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Weekly Mailbag: 2/13/17 – 2/19/17

February 19th, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:

What’s your opinion of the Serge Ibaka trade from the Raptors’ perspective? They have Jonas Valanciunas, drafted Jakob Poeltl, as well as Patrick Patterson and Jared Sullinger. So why trade from the backcourt depth for something that doesn’t appear on paper as a need? — Matt Elliott

The Raptors believe they are in position to contend for a title this season, and the organization didn’t see Poeltl, Patterson or Sullinger as a difference maker at power forward. After losing to the Cavaliers in last year’s Eastern finals, Toronto didn’t want to enter the playoffs with basically the same roster. Ibaka is a better shooter and rim protector than anyone they had at the position and he got a ton of playoff experience in Oklahoma City. No matter how much the Raptors may miss Ross, it was worth rolling the dice on a deal that makes their starting lineup significantly better.

Who would Detroit give the hardest matchup to, Boston or Washington? Is there a player out there that would fit their biggest need before the deadline? — Mark Holmes

Despite their 27-30 record, the Pistons wouldn’t be an easy playoff matchup for either team. The Celtics, with their rebounding and interior defensive issues, would probably have a tougher time containing Andre Drummond in a seven-game series. Detroit has discussed a deal that would send Reggie Jackson to Orlando in exchange for D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green. While that may help with chemistry issues, it’s not a talent upgrade and it wouldn’t guarantee the Pistons a playoff spot. They could also revisit a deal with Minnesota for Ricky Rubio, who continues to be available. More likely, Detroit will save its most significant moves for the offseason.

Isn’t Kyle O’Quinn a legitimate candidate for Most Improved? Who would be his competition? — Ed Fields

The 26-year-old center has stepped up his game this season and has helped the Knicks deal with a disappointing performance from Joakim Noah. However, the modest increase in his numbers (going from 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game a year ago to 6.4 and 5.6 this season) won’t be enough to take home the award. Bucks point forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is almost a shoo-in for the honor, even though he was recognized as a star before the season began. His averages are up significantly in points (16.9 to 23.4), rebounds (7.7 to 8.6) and assists (4.3 to 5.4) and he has become an on-court leader for the Bucks. His most serious competition was probably Zach LaVine before the season-ending ACL injury. O’Quinn is having a nice season, but this year’s award belongs to the Greek Freak.

Trade Deadline Outlook: Pacific Division

February 18th, 2017 at 7:59pm CST by Luke Adams

In the days leading up to the February 23 trade deadline, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. We’ll be identifying each team as a buyer, seller, or something in between, and discussing which teams and players are most likely to be involved in deals this month. We’ve already covered the Atlantic, Northwest, and Southeast. Today, we’re examining the Pacific.

Buyers:

As the odds-on favorite to win the 2017 NBA championship, the Warriors (47-9) are undoubtedly buyers rather than sellers, but the team may not be overly active within the next few days. Adding another reliable guard or rim protector would provide the roster with a little additional depth as the playoffs approach, but Golden State doesn’t have any glaring holes that need to be filled, and the team isn’t brimming with expendable trade assets. With huge max deals for Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant looming, the Warriors may need to rely on young, inexpensive players like Patrick McCaw, Kevon Looney, and Damian Jones to assume regular rotation roles in future seasons, so it makes sense to hang onto them rather than to dangle them in search of a minor upgrade.

The Clippers (35-21) will likely look a little harder for an upgrade than the Warriors, but like Golden State, their trade assets are limited. A 2021 pick is the earliest first-rounder Los Angeles could move, and as the Carmelo Anthony rumors proved, adding an impact player would probably require giving up one or more rotation players out of a group that includes Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford, and J.J. Redick. If the Clippers were willing to make Blake Griffin available and really reshape their roster, things could get interesting, but there’s no indication that’s on the table at all. If L.A. makes a move, it’s far more likely be a small one.

Sellers:

The Lakers (19-39) have a huge incentive to sell their productive veterans to ensure a bottom-three finish this season, since they’ll give up their 2017 first-rounder to the Sixers if it doesn’t fall in the top three. The outcome for that pick will have further ramifications as well — if the Lakers lose their 2017 first-rounder, they’ll owe their 2019 first-rounder to Orlando. If they keep their 2017 pick, they’ll send a pair of second-round picks to the Magic instead.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, their list of “productive veterans” isn’t long. Lou Williams, the team’s leading scorer, is the most obvious trade candidate on the roster, and Nick Young could draw interest. But newly-signed vets like Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov don’t have much value. The Lakers will also have to figure out how newly-hired advisor Magic Johnson fits into the front office as he continues to talk about wanting to “call the shots” on the club’s roster moves.

Somewhere in between:

Despite being nine games below .500, the Kings (24-33) currently hold the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference, leading the way among the clubs threatening to knock Denver out of the No. 8 seed. Team ownership would love to get into the postseason, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sacramento try to fortify its roster with a veteran piece or two at the deadline. On the other hand, with Rudy Gay out for the season and DeMarcus Cousins already a good bet to sign an extension with the team (given the money he’d lose by heading elsewhere), it’s possible the Kings won’t be quite as motivated to land short-term pieces as they otherwise might have been.

As for the Suns (18-39), they’re currently dead last in the West, and even though the group of teams competing for the No. 8 seed is weak, that shouldn’t inspire Phoenix to buy. Nonetheless, the team reportedly remains on the lookout for a deal in which it could package a handful of assets for a star player, having contacted the Kings about Cousins earlier in the year. Cousins is unavailable, but if there any other stars land on the trade block, Phoenix is a club to watch — the Suns are eager to make a splash.

Team most likely to make a move:

My vote here is for the Kings. Trailing the Nuggets for a playoff spot by just a game and a half, Sacramento has reason to believe that an extra piece could make the difference. The team currently doesn’t have enough minutes to go around for all of its young players, and likely wouldn’t be opposed to parting with at least one of them in a deal. And if the Kings don’t mind shaking up their rotation a little, veterans like Darren Collison, Arron Afflalo, and Kosta Koufos would make decent trade chips.

Player(s) most likely to be moved:

There’s little reason for the Suns not to take the best offer they can get for P.J. Tucker, who will be a free agent this summer and could help a contender in need of a wing defender. The Lakers and Lou Williams fall into this category as well, though Williams remains under contract for one more year at an affordable salary ($7MM). If the Lakers don’t move him now, they could still do so in the summer, or at next year’s deadline. I’ll give the edge to Tucker as the one more likely to be moved, given Williams’ contract situation and the changes afoot in L.A.’s front office.

Under-the-radar trade candidate(s):

A report in November suggested that the Kings were open to moving Willie Cauley-Stein, but team sources downplayed that idea and his name hasn’t really surfaced in trade rumors since then. Still, even though he has received more consistent minutes lately, Cauley-Stein hasn’t been a regular part of Dave Joerger‘s rotation for much of the year, playing just 13.0 MPG overall (compared to 21.4 MPG in his rookie season). The sixth overall pick still has plenty of promise and should have a fair amount of trade value, so perhaps the Kings will consider moving him in a deal for someone whom Joerger’s coaching staff would view as more reliable.

What do you think is in store for the Pacific teams over the next five days? Which teams are most likely to make a deal? Which players will be on the move?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: All-Star Weekend Winners

February 18th, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After last year’s duel with Zach LaVine in the finals of the slam dunk contest, Aaron Gordon comes into this year’s event as a heavy favorite. The high-flying Magic forward impressed judges with some jaw-dropping dunks a year ago, and LaVine, the two-time defending champion, is out of action with a torn ACL that will sideline him for the rest of the season.

Gordon’s competition will come from Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, Pacers swingman Glenn Robinson III and little-used Suns forward Derrick Jones Jr., who has spent most of the season in the D-League.

In the 3-point contest, Golden State’s Klay Thompson is back to defend his title, but fellow “Splash Brother” Stephen Curry is sitting this one out. Thompson will be challenged by Kyrie Irving, C.J. McCollum, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, Nick Young, Wesley Matthews and Kemba Walker.

There’s a wide-open field in the skills challenge, with MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas among the competitors. He will be challenged by John Wall, Devin Booker, Gordon Hayward, Anthony Davis, Kristaps Porzingis, DeMarcus Cousins and Nikola Jokic.

But before the action gets under way, we want to hear from you. Give us your picks to win the dunk contest, the 3-point contest and the skills challenge, along with the best bet to be named MVP of tomorrow’s game.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 2/11/17 – 2/18/17

February 18th, 2017 at 12:28pm CST by Austin Kent

The trade deadline is less than a week away, so the Hoops Rumors staff has been busy keeping tabs on all of the latest insights and headlines. Still, we like to post our share of original content throughout the week as well. Here’s a look at some of our favorite features.

For the first time since signing with the Warriors, former Thunder forward Kevin Durant made his return to Oklahoma City. Fans were predictably hostile toward the superstar as the game approached, enough for us to ask the question how much is too much? Do fans have the right to denounce professional athletes and, if so, what constitutes crossing the line?
Arthur Hill answered questions in our weekly mailbag feature, including one reader’s question wondering just how much Andre Drummond could yield for the Pistons. Don’t forget to get your own questions in for next week’s mailbag.
The February 23 trade deadline is right around the corner. Luke Adams is putting together division-by-division break downs, summarizing the overall outlook as the big day approaches. This week he tackled the Atlantic, Northwest and Southeast Divisions.
A few early trades have already an impact on the fantasy basketball scene. Chris Crouse explains how Aaron Gordon and Jusuf Nurkic could be the big winners from the transactions that have unfolded thus far.
In case you missed them last time, here are last week’s Hoops Rumors Originals.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Send Us Your Mailbag Questions, Hoops Links Entries

February 17th, 2017 at 7:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Every Sunday at Hoops Rumors, we publish a pair of features that rely on input and submissions from our readers. One is our Weekly Mailbag, in which Arthur Hill answers a few questions related to the latest news and rumors from around the NBA. The second is our Hoops Links feature, which showcases a selection of notable NBA blog entries from all over the internet. In each instance, the content for those features comes from you.

Have a question regarding player movement, free agent rumors, the salary cap, the NBA draft, or the top storylines of the week? You can e-mail them here for consideration for our Weekly Mailbag: hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.

Got a new NBA blog post that you’d like to see featured on Hoops Rumors? You can send the URL and a brief description of the piece to hoopslinks@gmail.com for consideration.

Be sure to send us your new mailbag questions and NBA blog posts each week, and check back every Sunday to see if you’ve been featured in that week’s installment!

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Trade Deadline Outlook: Southeast Division

February 16th, 2017 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

In the days leading up to the February 23 trade deadline, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. We’ll be identifying each team as a buyer, seller, or something in between, and discussing which teams and players are most likely to be involved in deals this month. We’ve already covered the Atlantic and Northwest. Today, we’re examining the Southeast.

Buyers:

The Wizards (33-21) have been one of the NBA’s best teams since the first 10 games of the 2016/17 season, but their roster probably isn’t quite deep or talented enough to match up to a healthy Cavaliers squad in the playoffs. Washington doesn’t exactly have a huge collection of promising young players to dangle in trade talks, but the team does have all of its future first-round picks, and could use at least one of them to strengthen its rotation. A deal similar to last year’s Markieff Morris acquisition wouldn’t move the needle enough to make the Wizards conference favorites, but it would make the club a little more dangerous in the postseason without mortgaging much of its future.

The Southeast’s second-place team, the Hawks (32-24), looked like sellers a month ago, but the team is prepared to buy now, and has several future draft picks and expiring contracts to dangle in trade discussions. As some observers have pointed out, Atlanta actually looks like a good fit for Carmelo Anthony, matching up better as a trade partner for the Knicks than most of Carmelo’s preferred destinations. Anthony’s no-trade clause makes a move to the Hawks extremely unlikely though, so the team will have to look elsewhere for scoring help on the wing or in the backcourt.

Sellers:

The Magic (21-37) have already begun the process of selling their top trade assets, sending Serge Ibaka to Toronto for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick. The deal is an admission that the club is more focused on future seasons than this one, but it remains to be seen how many pieces Orlando is willing to sell. Will Nikola Vucevic be on the move within the next week? Are the Magic ready to move on from recent lottery picks like Elfrid Payton and Mario Hezonja, or will the focus on the future allow the team to be more patient with those young players who have been slow to develop? GM Rob Hennigan has vowed to be aggressive, so it will be interesting to see if he has any follow-up moves up his sleeve after parting with Ibaka.

Somewhere in between:

The Heat (25-32) looked like one of the NBA’s most obvious sellers at the start of 2017, trailing only the Nets in our 2016/17 Reverse Standings. Since then, an improbable hot streak in January and December has elevated the club into contention for a playoff spot in the East, making it much trickier to forecast what Pat Riley and company have in mind at the trade deadline. With little flexibility to trade future first-rounders, and young players like Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, and Tyler Johnson either dealing with injuries or possessing the ability to veto trades, the Heat aren’t in position to offer up a tantalizing package for an impact player. But the club also doesn’t seem likely to trade guys on expiring contracts who are playing key roles, such as Dion Waiters and James Johnson. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Miami stand pat, or simply make minor tweaks to the roster.

Meanwhile, the Hornets (24-32) have headed in the opposite direction of the Heat, finally slipping behind Miami in the standings last night when after blowing a big fourth-quarter lead to Toronto. At one point, Charlotte was 19-14 and comfortably in playoff position, but the team will have to bounce back in a major way if it still hopes to earn a spot in the postseason. This month’s Miles Plumlee trade didn’t really tip the Hornets’ hand — Plumlee could have been acquired to help the team right away, but he’s also much more of a long-term piece than either Spencer Hawes or Roy Hibbert were. I think Charlotte’s probably still looking to add to its roster and grab a playoff spot, but that’s no sure thing.

Team most likely to make a move:

A handful of Southeast teams have already made at least one deal in 2017, and many of those teams could strike again. I think the Magic, in particular, will continue to be active. However, my vote for the team most likely to make a move by February 23 is the Hawks — they have more than enough pieces to make a deal work, and I think they want to show Paul Millsap that they’re committed to getting him help as his free agency nears.

Player(s) most likely to be moved:

If the Heat were still headed for a bottom-five record, there would be no shortage of trade candidates on their roster, but their move up the standings – and Orlando’s trade of Ibaka – leaves the Southeast without any one player who will clearly be on the move.

Nikola Vucevic is a strong trade candidate for the Magic, but with Ibaka gone, there’s a little more breathing room in the team’s frontcourt. So my pick for the player most likely to be moved is one of Orlando’s point guards — I’d be surprised if Elfrid Payton, D.J. Augustin, and C.J. Watson were all members of the Magic on February 24. The club likely still hopes Payton can become its point guard of the future and may decide to hang onto him, but there’s no reason not to explore the market for deals involving Augustin and/or Watson. Both vets could appeal to playoff teams in need of point guard depth.

Under-the-radar trade candidate(s):

The Hornets were a playoff team last season and looked like they’d be back in the postseason this year, but their recent slide raises questions about whether the team should sell a couple veteran pieces at next Thursday’s deadline. If Charlotte does to decide to move a vet, the wing position is probably the spot to watch. Nicolas Batum isn’t going anywhere, but guys like Marco Belinelli, Jeremy Lamb, and Marvin Williams shouldn’t be at all untouchable. Belinelli would be especially attractive to teams in need of outside shooting, given his favorable contract ($6.3MM this season, $6.6MM next season) and his ability to make threes (37.6%).

What do you think is in store for the Southeast teams over the next week? Which teams are most likely to make a deal? Which players will be on the move?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fantasy Hoops: Ibaka, Nurkic, Collison

February 14th, 2017 at 10:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Hoops Rumors is examining the fantasy basketball landscape in order to help you dominate the competition. Check back weekly for more analysis.

Breaking Down The Trades: Part 1

Magic send Serge Ibaka to the Raptors for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick

Ibaka was a top-50 player before the trade and his overall ranking doesn’t change that much. He was averaging 15.1 points per game, which ties the highest mark of his career, and while that figure will probably decrease, it won’t hurt his overall value too much. He’ll likely offset a dip in scoring with an increase in field goal percentage, as Toronto’s offense should get him better looks than what he saw in Orlando’s clogged sets.

Ross should see additional opportunities with the Magic and he should be on the fantasy radar by the time he settles into a role with his new team. He was scoring 10.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game while adding a steal per contest in Toronto. He was only seeing 22.4 minutes per contest before the trade. The Magic rank 29th in the league in offensive efficiency, so Ross will likely see an increase in minutes as coach Frank Vogel looks to improve the team on that end of the floor.

Aaron Gordon is the player whom could see his fantasy value rise the most as a result of this trade. By shipping Ibaka north, the Magic can give Gordon more run at the power forward spot, which is his natural position. The offense should be better overall and Gordon should be able to take advantage of the extra space in the post.

Blazers trade Mason Plumlee and a 2018 second-rounder to the Nuggets for Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 first-round pick

The deal isn’t great for Plumlee’s stat line. He’s going to come off the bench for the Nuggets and it remains to be seen whether or not he can play meaningful minutes next to Nikola Jokic. If he can’t, his value takes a major dive, as he will likely go from a player seeing 28.1 minutes per contest to someone who sees about two-thirds of that figure.

The trade is good news for Nurkic. He didn’t see action in five of his final 17 games with the Nuggets and in the 12 he played, he only saw 12.5 minutes per contest. While there’s not much elbow room in Portland’s frontcourt, the team doesn’t have one future star soaking up all the center minutes. Nurkic will get his opportunity to prove he deserves court time and I suspect he’ll eventually settle into a role that’ll provide him with 20-25 minutes per night. That’s enough run to make him worth adding in most leagues, though I’d let the situation develop before dropping a productive player for him.

There was another trade this week: Cleveland shipped Chris Andersen to Charlotte, but that deal doesn’t have any direct fantasy impact. Here’s more fantasy notes and analysis from around the league:

Pau Gasol should be back on the court for the Spurs after the All-Star break and he’s a top-75 fantasy player going forward. If someone in your league dropped him when he injured his hand, pick him up now.
Trevor Booker, who I wrote about in the inaugural edition of Fantasy Hoops, has been taken out of the starting lineup in Brooklyn, but that doesn’t mean you should do the same with him in your fantasy lineups. Since becoming a reserve, he has a higher field goal percentage and he’s averaging more points and steals per game than he did as a starter.
Since the start of February, Darren Collison is sixth in the league in minutes per game. He’s taken on a bigger role on the Kings since Rudy Gay went down with a torn Achilles and he’s available in roughly 34% of ESPN leagues.

Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.

Statistics are current through Tuesday afternoon.

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