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Magic Rumors: Gordon, Vucevic, Ross, Fournier

March 15th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As we relayed earlier today, Portland and Minnesota are among the teams interested in Aaron Gordon, but the Magic forward is receiving interest from several other clubs as well.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Rockets, Mavericks, Nuggets, and Warriors are all eyeing Gordon. Some lead members of the Pelicans‘ front office are high on Gordon too, per Fischer. And the Pistons have also inquired about him, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes suggests that Gordon would be “open to a change of scenery.”

Gordon has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time and the Magic’s current front office hasn’t made many major deals in recent years, so some people around the league are skeptical that Orlando will do anything big at next week’s deadline, per Fischer.

“You talk to them and it’s just like, ‘Well, you know, we’re open to this…’ It’s just like talking in circles,” an assistant general manager told Fischer. Another league source added: “They don’t pick up the phone and call.”

However, according to Fischer, the Magic have already seriously explored moving Gordon and are seeking a return of young players and draft picks. Prior to Gordon’s ankle sprain, the Magic and Timberwolves were making progress on a potential deal that would have sent the 25-year-old to Minnesota for a package that included Ricky Rubio and draft capital, sources told Bleacher Report.

Brooklyn also made an offer for Gordon in mid-January before acquiring James Harden, according to Fischer, though the Nets may not have been targeting the Magic forward for themselves. Fischer reports that Houston is especially interested in Gordon and asked teams during the Harden discussions to engage Orlando about the veteran forward. The Rockets may be taking a similar approach in their Victor Oladipo trade talks, Fischer adds.

Here’ more on the Magic:

In addition to Gordon, the Magic are believed to be listening to inquiries on Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier, and Nikola Vucevic, though Vucevic is considered far less likely than the others to be moved. Sources tell Fischer that for Orlando to consider a Vucevic offer, it would need to include at least a starter-caliber player and multiple first-round picks. “It would have to be to a point where (a team) offers what someone hasn’t yet been willing to offer,” one Western Conference executive said.
The Celtics are said to have interest in Vucevic, but their overtures haven’t piqued Orlando’s interest, according to Fischer, who says Boston may be focused on Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge for the time being.
Some executives believe the Magic could get a late first-round pick for Ross or Fournier, but most believe that a package of multiple second-rounders is more realistic, writes Fischer. “If you know you can get better, I would give up all my seconds (for Fournier). Who cares?” one assistant GM said. “I think he’s a good sixth man, maybe a fifth starter. One night he might give you 20, the next night he’s giving you eight. But he definitely can put that thing in the basket, and you gotta guard him.”
Here’s what one Eastern Conference exec had to say about the Magic and their trade candidates, per Fischer: “They should sell. They own their first-round pick. If you can get that pick into the top five, and you’re adding back Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz next season, all of a sudden things could look very different.”

Nuggets May No Longer Be In Mix For Tucker; Wall To Undergo Knee Scope?

March 15th, 2021 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

A source with knowledge of the Rockets‘ talks tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that about 70% of the league has inquired on P.J. Tucker. The Nuggets, who are seeking a forward capable of guarding multiple positions, are no longer believed to be in the mix for Tucker, since the asking price is so high — Amick says Houston has sought a young impact player and a first-round pick. The club would be doing well to acquire one or the other for the 35-year-old.
Rockets guard John Wall, who recently suffered a left knee contusion, is expected to have that knee scoped later this year, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Wall should be able to return soon from the contusion, but will have to undergo the scope eventually, says Haynes, noting that the veteran has previously undergone surgery on that knee.

Checking In On NBA’s 10-Day Contracts

March 15th, 2021 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

As our 10-day contract tracker shows, there are currently five players around the NBA who have active 10-day deals. Those players are as follows:

Henry Ellenson, Raptors (runs through March 19)
Sindarius Thornwell, Pelicans (runs through March 19)
Damian Jones, Lakers (runs through March 20)
Mason Jones, Rockets (runs through March 21)
Quinn Cook, Cavaliers (runs through March 21)

Thornwell and Damian Jones are on their second 10-day contracts with their respective teams. Players can’t sign three 10-day deals with the same club, so Thornwell and Jones will either have to be re-signed to rest-of-season deals or will become free agents.

Since their contracts expire just a few days before the March 25 trade deadline, Thornwell and Jones likely won’t be re-signed immediately, as the Pelicans and Lakers look to maximize their roster flexibility for potential trades.

Ellenson, Mason Jones, and Cook are each eligible to sign one more 10-day contract with their respective teams after their current deals expire, but again, if teams prioritize roster flexibility around the trade deadline, those players may have to wait until after March 25 to get a second offer — Jones is the one exception here, since the Rockets are very shorthanded due to injuries and may not want to lose him for even a few days.

While there are just five players on active 10-day pacts for now, the Nets are a team to keep an eye on this week. They’ve had fewer than 14 players on standard contracts since March 8, when Andre Roberson‘s and Iman Shumpert‘s 10-day deals expired. Teams are only permitted to dip below that minimum roster requirement for two weeks at a time, so Brooklyn will have to add a 14th man within the next week — a 10-day signing is the most likely solution to address that issue, though the team could also make a trade or target a player for a rest-of-season contract.

The Pelicans and Lakers will also each only have 13 players under contract once their current 10-day players are no longer on the roster, so if they don’t re-sign those players right away and don’t add at least one player in a trade-deadline deal, they’ll each have to fill at least one roster spot shortly after the trade deadline, via a 10-day or rest-of-season signing.

Several other teams around the league also have an open 15th roster spot and could be candidates to sign players to 10-day contracts soon, as our roster counts page shows.

Trade Rumors: Hill, Ariza, Tucker, Hawks, Collins, Celtics, More

March 15th, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple playoff contenders have interest in Thunder veterans George Hill and Trevor Ariza, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Charania, the Clippers are among the teams eyeing Hill.

Neither Hill nor Ariza is active right now for the Thunder. Hill hasn’t played since January 24 due to a right thumb injury, while Ariza has been away from the team all season, having been acquired in an offseason trade as a salary throw-in. Hill shouldn’t be out too much longer though, and there’s no indication that Ariza isn’t healthy.

The Thunder have been focusing on developing their young players, so Hill and Ariza are expendable. However, Charania notes that the team would be fine with retaining Hill, who is under contract for 2021/22 at a reasonable price ($10MM).

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from Charania:

The Rockets continue to discuss possible P.J. Tucker trades with teams like the Bucks, Heat, and Lakers, but the Nets are no longer believed to be actively involved, writes Charania. A Brooklyn deal for Tucker likely would’ve involved injured guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Hawks have made trade inquiries in recent weeks about wing players, per Charania. The team is currently missing two of its top young forwards, De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish, due to injuries.
Hawks big man John Collins is among the potential trade targets being eyed by the Celtics, but Atlanta’s asking price is high, according to Charania, who says the team is seeking a high first-round pick and/or a talented young player. Collins is eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
The Pistons are after a second-round pick in exchange for veteran shooting guard Wayne Ellington, says Charania. Ellington is having a nice year in Detroit, with 10.6 PPG and a .422 3PT%.
Heat guard Avery Bradley and Grizzlies forward Gorgui Dieng are receiving interest from several teams, sources tell The Athletic.

Scotto’s Latest: Lowry, Aldridge, Oladipo, Wolves

March 14th, 2021 at 10:07am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are among the teams that have reached out to the Raptors about veteran guard Kyle Lowry, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Some of the players discussed in a possible deal include Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk and Kendrick Nunn, according to Scotto.

Lowry, who will turn 35 this month, continues to remain productive, averaging 18.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.5 rebounds through 31 games. He recently pledged his loyalty to the franchise, but didn’t offer a guarantee that he will re-sign with Toronto when he becomes a free agent this summer.

As a one-year Bird player, Dragic has veto power over any trade, Scotto notes. If Dragic agrees to a deal and a new team declines his $19.44MM option for next season, his Bird rights will be reduced to Non-Bird when he enters free agency. Olynyk is headed for unrestricted free agency, while Nunn will be a restricted free agent if he receives a $4.7MM qualifying offer.

Scotto offers a few more tidbits in advance of the March 25 trade deadline:

The Heat have also talked to the Spurs about veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who won’t play again until San Antonio can work out a deal. According to Scotto, Miami offered Avery Bradley, Maurice Harkless and Meyers Leonard to match salary and would be willing to include a minimum contract such as Chris Silva or KZ Okpala or possibly draft picks. The Spurs will have many suitors for Aldridge, and several league executives expect the Celtics to get involved with their $28.5MM trade exception, Scotto adds. Boston is about $19.9MM below the hard cap and would have to send at least $4.1MM in contracts to San Antonio in return.
Rockets guard Victor Oladipo may be the top player available before the deadline, a few executives tell Scotto. The Knicks and Heat are among the teams that are reportedly interested. Scotto adds that Christian Wood is the only player the rebuilding Rockets might consider untouchable.
Several teams have inquired about Timberwolves veterans Ed Davis, Ricky Rubio, Juan Hernangomez and Jake Layman. Minnesota would like to acquire a young forward such as the Hawks‘ John Collins or the Magic’s Aaron Gordon, Scotto notes, and has future first-rounders to offer starting in 2023.

Rockets Notes: Porter, Nwaba, Tucker, Silas

March 13th, 2021 at 6:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Porter Jr. has been one of the few bright spots in a miserable season for the Rockets, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Porter has been spectacular in his first two games since being recalled from the G League, averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists.

Houston acquired Porter for a conditional second-round pick in January after he wore out his welcome in Cleveland due to off-court issues. He was a small forward with the Cavaliers, but the Rockets have shifted him to point guard after having him experiment with the position with Rio Grande Valley.

“He does have like a sereneness to him,” said coach Stephen Silas. “He is just composed for a young kid, doesn’t get too high, too low, That’s a steadying influence on the rest of the group, When you have the guy who has the ball in his hands most of the time, which it was (Friday) for him, to kind of play in that manner and not get rattled by a run by the opposing team or a turnover or a bad play, just kind of have the next play mentality, it’s pretty cool for a young guy to be that way. He’s played two games for us. We’re not going to overstate anything. But we think we got something there.”

There’s more from Houston:

David Nwaba was projected to have an extended recovery time after straining his wrist in a February 28 game, but he asked to play Friday because so many of his teammates are unavailable, Feigen states in a separate story. Surgery has been recommended, which would sideline Nwaba for six weeks. “Dave came up to me and was like, ‘I’m injured, but it’s hard for me to sit over there and watch when we’re so low on bodies and we’re so decimated and we’re in foul trouble. And even though I’m not 100 percent, maybe I can give a little bit,’” Silas said. “To hear that was definitely gratifying. That tells you a lot about him as a competitor and him as a person and him as someone you want in your group.”
The absence of P.J. Tucker, who isn’t playing while the Rockets try to work out a trade, has put more strain on a team already dealing with numerous injuries, Feigen notes in another piece. Houston signed guard Mason Jones to a 10-day contract so it would have enough active players for Friday’s game.
The Rockets will use their 24th starting lineup in 37 games Sunday, Feigen adds. The injuries and lack of continuity have played a large role in the team’s 15-game losing streak. “The sooner we can get to the point we know what our starting lineup is going to be, what our rotation is going to be off the bench, the better it will be for the group,” Silas said. “Obviously, it hasn’t been like that all season.”

McLemore Drawing Interest On Trade Market

March 12th, 2021 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With John Wall out due to a left knee contusion and Eric Gordon sidelined for four-to-six weeks, Kevin Porter Jr. will get more playing time than expected, starting with his Rockets debut on Friday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Porter was recalled from the G League last weekend.

The second-year swingman, who was acquired from the Cavaliers in January, lit up the G League. He averaged 24.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 15 games. “He will have the ball in his hands, he will initiate plays, he will be off the ball a little bit,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said.

Rockets guard Ben McLemore is drawing interest from teams looking to add backcourt depth, Kelly Iko of The Athletic tweets. McLemore, 28, had one of the better years of his career last season, averaging 10.1 PPG and shooting 40% from deep in 71 games. He’s averaging 6.4 PPG in 15.7 MPG this year and his shot has been off (30.9% on threes). McLemore is the final year of a very movable contract ($2.28MM).

Eric Gordon Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Groin Strain

March 12th, 2021 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets continue to be hit hard by the injury bug, with shooting guard Eric Gordon the latest player to be ruled out. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Gordon is expected to miss approximately the next four-to-six weeks due to a moderate right groin strain.

Gordon strained his groin during the Rockets’ loss to Sacramento on Thursday night. He was listed as out for Friday’s game vs. Utah and had been scheduled to undergo an MRI today to assess the severity of the injury.

Gordon, 32, has had a fairly solid season for the Rockets, despite all the obstacles the team has faced so far in 2020/21. He’s averaging 17.8 points per game on .433/.329/.825 shooting in 27 games (29.2 MPG).

As Wojnarowski points out (via Twitter), Gordon would have been a trade candidate at this month’s deadline. Given his injury, he now looks like a safe bet to finish the season in Houston. The veteran guard remains under contract for three more seasons after this one, though his salary in that third year is non-guaranteed.

The Rockets signed Mason Jones to a 10-day contract earlier today to help fill the gap at shooting guard created by Gordon’s injury.

In addition to Gordon and P.J. Tucker, who is expected to be traded, Houston is missing Christian Wood (ankle), John Wall (knee), David Nwaba (wrist), Danuel House (knee), Dante Exum (calf), and Rodions Kurucs (oblique). The hope is that some of those players will be able to return soon.

Rockets Sign Mason Jones To 10-Day Contract

March 12th, 2021 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

12:29pm: The Rockets have officially signed Jones to a 10-day deal, the team announced in a press release.

9:48am: The Rockets are bringing back shooting guard Mason Jones on a 10-day contract, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jones had been with Houston on a two-way deal, but was waived on Monday to make room for Anthony Lamb.

An undrafted rookie out of Arkansas, Jones held his own in a part-time role for Houston in the first half, averaging 5.5 PPG and 2.1 RPG on .437/.367/.651 shooting in 22 games (11.1 MPG).

He received more playing time than initially anticipated due to the number of Rockets players who were affected by the COVID-19 protocols or missed time due to injuries — his return is presumably related to ongoing health issues as well, since Eric Gordon suffered a strained groin on Thursday night. Jones will provide some added depth on the wing and could immediately reenter the rotation.

The signing of Jones doesn’t mean that a trade of P.J. Tucker or another roster move is imminent. Houston already has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for the 10-day signing.

Jones will earn $61,528, a prorated portion of the rookie minimum, on his 10-day contract, while the Rockets will take on an identical cap hit.

P.J. Tucker Away From Rockets, Expected To Be Traded

March 12th, 2021 at 12:25am CST by Luke Adams

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is away from the team and there’s a belief that he has likely played his last game with Houston, head coach Stephen Silas said after Thursday’s game in Sacramento, his club’s 14th straight loss.

“P.J.’s not with the team,” Silas said (video link via Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston). “He traveled here (to Sacramento), but is traveling back to Houston (instead of accompanying the team to Utah). We’re going to try to figure out something that works for him and works for us, in terms of him not being on the team anymore.

“I was under the assumption that he was going to be playing tonight, and he didn’t play. And that was disappointing. But it’s no secret that it’s been a rough year. He’s been professional… But at this point we’re going to do what’s best for the group and what’s best for P.J., and that’s probably not having him here.”

Prior to Silas’ post-game presser, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon had reported that Tucker, who is “increasingly frustrated” about not having been traded to a contending team, was a healthy scratch and that there was uncertainty about whether he’d return to the lineup at all. Silas essentially confirmed that report after the game, suggesting that both sides are on board with the divorce.

“He decided he was just not really with it, and we decided that’s a good idea — let’s move on,” Silas said, explaining why Tucker didn’t practice with the team on Wednesday and didn’t play vs. the Kings on Thursday (video link via Berman).

Unlike other players that have been pulled from their teams’ lineups in recent weeks, such as Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tucker has a very manageable expiring salary, worth just under $8MM. As such, it shouldn’t be too tricky to find a taker for him, despite the fact that he’s having a down year.

While he’s still a solid defender, the 35-year-old isn’t contributing much on offense this season, averaging a career-low 4.4 PPG with a .314 3PT% in 32 games (30.0 MPG). Tucker believes joining a contender would allow him to display his value in ways he hasn’t been able to on the struggling and rebuilding Rockets, a person familiar with his thinking told Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

According to Woj and MacMahon, the Rockets have engaged in several trade discussions with teams about Tucker in recent weeks, including the Bucks, Lakers, Heat, and Nets. The Sixers, Jazz, Nuggets, and Timberwolves have also been cited as clubs with potential interest in the veteran forward, as Houston seeks a young, productive rotation player.

Sources tell ESPN that the Rockets thought they were in position to sign Tucker to an extension earlier in 2020/21, having offered $17MM ($10MM guaranteed) over two seasons. However, they balked when Tucker’s camp countered with a fully guaranteed two-year, $24MM deal.

The Tucker situation is the latest unfortunate development in what’s turning into a nightmare of a season for the Rockets, who already had to deal with a prolonged push from superstar James Harden to be traded.

Houston has slumped badly with Christian Wood out due to an ankle sprain, and the club’s injury situation has gone from bad to worse within the last couple days. As Feigen details, John Wall was hit on the side of his left knee in a scrimmage on Wednesday and was ruled out for Thursday’s game, while fellow guard Eric Gordon strained his groin vs. Sacramento and will undergo an MRI (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.