Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks, Lakers Among Teams Reportedly Interested In Ben Simmons

December 13th, 2021 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on ESPN’s recent report stating that there may be momentum toward a Ben Simmons deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic confirms that the Sixers have increased their efforts to explore multi-team trade scenarios involving Simmons.

According to Charania, the Knicks and Lakers are among the teams with interest in Simmons. Charania adds that the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings, Pacers, and Cavaliers also have interest, but those clubs have been previously cited as potential suitors for the three-time All-Star, whereas New York and Los Angeles are new additions to the list.

The Knicks would be a fascinating potential trade partner for Philadelphia. Their top offseason additions – Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker – haven’t been major successes so far and the team is off to a 12-15 start, perhaps increasing the likelihood of an in-season shakeup. New York would have the contracts necessary to match Simmons’ $33MM+ salary, and it’s probably safe to assume Tom Thibodeau would be a fan of what last season’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up could bring to the table on defense.

Still, while the Knicks might be willing to roll the dice on Simmons if all it took was Fournier, Walker, and a couple draft picks, Philadelphia will presumably seek a more significant return. The 76ers remain on the hunt for an All-Star caliber player and/or multiple first-round picks in any deal for Simmons, Charania notes.

It’s even trickier to imagine the Lakers as a realistic trading partner for the Sixers. Given the salaries on the team’s books, Los Angeles would almost certainly have to include Russell Westbrook in any trade involving Simmons and I’m skeptical that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey would want to acquire Westbrook again after doing so in Houston didn’t pay dividends. Perhaps a three-team structure could work, but the Lakers seem like a long shot at best in the Simmons sweepstakes.

It’s unclear whether the Sixers have gained any real traction in any of their discussions involving Simmons, according to Charania.

Central Notes: LeVert, Sexton, Markkanen, Vucevic, DiVincenzo

December 12th, 2021 at 10:45am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers‘ search for a scoring guard to replace the injured Collin Sexton and the Pacers‘ interest in moving some of their veteran players could lead to a possible trade, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Cleveland looks like a legitimate contender in the East with seven wins in its last nine games and will probably be seeking an upgrade before the February 10 trade deadline. An obvious area to address is replacing the 16.0 points per game that Sexton delivered before being lost for the year with a torn meniscus.

Caris LeVert is struggling with his shot this season, hitting just 42.1% from the field and 28.9% from three-point range, but he has a history of being a productive scorer. He is under contract for $17.5MM this season and $18.8MM in 2022/23, and at age 27 he fits in well with the Cavs’ timeline.

Indiana is known to like Sexton, who is only 22 and will be eligible for restricted free agency after the season. Vardon isn’t sure if the Pacers will commit to him in light of the injury, although it could allow them to re-sign him to a shorter, low-cost deal while he works his way back.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen has to fulfill a commitment to Finland’s military, but it shouldn’t affect his NBA availability, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic has been struggling with his shot after missing two weeks with COVID-19 and he expressed his frustration after Saturday’s loss in Miami, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Vucevic was just 3-of-15 from the field and missed several opportunities close to the basket. ‘‘It’s tough when you want to play well and go out there and help the team win and don’t do your job,’’ he said. ‘‘I have a lot of pride in myself and put the work in, obviously. It’s not working for me right now, but that’s part of it. I’ve never been through a slump like this, and I just have to work myself out of it. I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do.’’
When Donte DiVincenzo makes his season debut this week, he will return to a Bucks team that has changed since DiVincenzo suffered an ankle injury in the playoffs, notes Brian Sampson of Forbes. The offseason addition of Grayson Allen, who has become a starter in the backcourt and has provided a shooting upgrade, will likely push DiVincenzo into a reserve role, but he remains valuable because of his defense and rebounding.

Knicks Notes: Duarte, Toppin, Barrett, Walker

December 12th, 2021 at 9:29am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks passed on a chance to give Chris Duarte a guarantee in this year’s draft, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. A source tells Berman that Duarte’s representatives were seeking a promise from New York before Duarte conducted any personal workouts that he would be selected with the 19th pick. The Knicks declined, so Duarte proceeded with his workout schedule and was eventually taken at No. 13 by the Pacers.

Duarte has been one of this season’s top rookies, becoming a starter in Indiana and averaging 13.3 points per game. At 24, he was the oldest prospect in the draft and may have fallen a few more spots without the workouts. Duarte was born in the Dominican Republic, and people close to him say he was interested in playing in New York because of the city’s significant Dominican population, Berman writes.

Duarte was held 0ut of the draft combine and didn’t begin his workouts until late in the process. A source tells Berman that the Pacers were sold on Duarte after watching him work out alongside Corey Kispert, Cameron Thomas and Ziaire Williams.

There’s more from New York:

Obi Toppin has been much better in his second season, including a 19-point, 10-rebound performance Friday, but coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t thinking about putting him in the starting lineup, Berman states in a separate story. Any move with Toppin would be on hold now that he’s in the league’s health and safety protocols, and Thibodeau wants to keep the starting unit stable for a while after recently inserting Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. Asked about a potential pairing of Toppin and Julius Randle, Thibodeau responded, “(It’s) very good offensively. Defensively, we lose the rim protection and rebounding. You’re sacrificing that part of the game which is critical. But I like the speed and the way they are playing.’’
A rookie-scale extension for RJ Barrett next summer has gotten less likely since the season began, says Fred Katz of The Athletic. Barrett’s inconsistent play might make the front office think it’s safer to negotiate with him as a restricted free agent in 2023 than to give him a big-money deal after this season.
Kemba Walker‘s benching could lead to his second buyout in less than a year, Katz adds. He doesn’t believe the Knicks would attach an asset to Walker to get another team to take him and it’s hard to envision Walker, who is under contract through next season, accepting a permanent role on the bench if that’s what it becomes.

Myles Turner Clarifies Comments, Doesn’t Want Trade

December 11th, 2021 at 9:18am CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers center Myles Turner reiterated his desire for a bigger offensive role on Friday but also made it clear he’s not seeking a trade, according to James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star.

Turner has discussed his role with the staff and appears to be satisfied with the tone of those conversations.

“It’s easy for me to sit here and say I want to shoot the ball 20 times a game. Everybody does. There’s only one ball out there,” Turner said. “There have been active conversations about me ‘asserting myself’ more. … We don’t really run a lot of plays …. We get a lot of our stuff off of the flow of our offense, and that’s not even what I’m asking. I’m not asking for individual plays. It’s just role clarity. That’s the best way I can describe it. Those are the candid conversations that I’ve had and it’s made my job easier.”

Turner raised some eyebrows with recent comments to The Athletic, saying he was frustrated with being a “glorified role player.”

“It’s clear that I’m not valued as anything more than a glorified role player here, and I want something more, more opportunity,” Turner said earlier in the week. “I’m trying really hard to make the role that I’m given here work and find a way to maximize it. I’ve been trying to the past two, three seasons. But it’s clear to me that, just numbers-wise, I’m not valued as more than a rotational role player, and I hold myself in a higher regard than that.”

Turner added he didn’t want to be just a floor spacer and “hide in the shadows.” Turner said on Friday he’s just tired of doing the same thing every season and compared his desire for a bigger role with a media member seeking a better job.

“You don’t want to stay consistent at the same exact thing, going for four, five, six years. Eventually you’re gonna want to move up, whether it be a promotion, whether it be a senior writer or (however) it works out,” he said. “It’s the same thing, how I addressed it. It’s not like me saying, ‘I’m demanding a trade.’ It’s not like me saying, ‘Get somebody else out here.’ It’s none of that. All that was me saying that I know my worth. I hold myself to a high regard, and I expressed that.”

The Pacers have won three straight and Turner has played a prominent offensive role the last two games. He had a 22-point outing against the Knicks on Wednesday and a 17-point output against the Mavericks on Friday.

Even with the streak, Indiana is four games under .500 and there’s been plenty of speculation the front office will shake up the roster. A report this week indicated Indiana was receptive to going into rebuild mode by trading veterans, with Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, and Turner being the most notable players available.

Turner’s four-year, $80MM contract runs through next season but it shouldn’t be an impediment to a trade. He’s the league’s leading shot-blocker.

Sabonis says there’s no issues sharing the floor with Turner.

“I think it works great. We love playing together,” he said. “So as long as we’re great on the court together and we feel great playing together, I don’t think it matters.”

Warriors Committed To James Wiseman, Aren’t Looking To Trade For Center

December 10th, 2021 at 10:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors aren’t exploring deals involving second-year center James Wiseman and they believe they already have a roster in place that can contend for a championship, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Wiseman, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, hasn’t played this season while rehabbing from meniscus surgery. He likely won’t return until January, but the organization is willing to wait as long as necessary. A source tells Kawakami that management views this as a development phase for Wiseman, who is seen as a future star, and that any contribution he makes this season will be considered “a bonus.”

Wiseman was Golden State’s starting center on opening night last season, but injuries and inconsistent play limited him to 39 games. His combination of size and skill makes him a tantalizing prospect despite the rookie-year frustrations. He’s still just 20 years old and the Warriors hope he will develop into an eventual franchise leader who can help extend the careers of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

The team also believes Wiseman has benefited from watching games and learning from his veteran teammates while he has been sidelined. He has built a rapport with Thompson while they’ve done rehab work together and he has gained a better understanding of the role the coaches want him to fill, which is similar to what Deandre Ayton does in Phoenix.

“I watch (Kevon Looney) and how he’s able to see the patterns on defense,” Wiseman said. “And also on offense, how he’s able to score. I just visualize myself out there, where I’m going to be out on the floor so I can make those opportunities happen for me as well.”

While there may be tempting names on the trade market, such as Myles Turner, whom the Pacers are reportedly making available, the Warriors believe their best lineup is already set, Kawakami adds. They have a long-time pattern of closing games with Green in the middle, so they don’t feel a need to upgrade at center.

Finances are also a concern, Kawakami writes. Golden State is already facing a record-setting $180MM luxury tax bill this season, pushing its total payroll cost above $300MM. With Curry signed through 2025/26, Thompson and Green under contract through 2023/24 and Andrew Wiggins signed through next season, the Warriors are looking at several years of high luxury tax payments.

That’s why there’s more value in keeping Wiseman, who will make $9.6MM next year on his rookie contract with a $12.1MM team option in 2023/24, rather than gambling on Turner, who has a $17.5MM salary this season and next and will be looking for big money as a free agent in the summer of 2023.

Rick Carlisle Tests Positive For COVID-19, Will Miss Several Games

December 10th, 2021 at 9:54am CST by Arthur Hill

A PCR test confirmed that Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has COVID-19, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Carlisle will miss several games, starting tonight against Dallas, with lead assistant Lloyd Pierce taking over in his absence.

Carlisle was place in the league’s health and safety protocols on Thursday after returning a positive result on a rapid test. He took the PCR test later in the day, but the results weren’t available until this morning.

The 62-year-old coach is experiencing “mild symptoms” of COVID-19, according to an ESPN report. He is fully vaccinated and has received a booster shot.

With the virus now confirmed, Carlisle will be required to isolate for at least 10 days or until he has two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart. If he’s away from the team for 10 days, he will miss four games, including tonight’s. He could be able to return for a December 21 game in Miami.

The Pacers canceled practice Thursday, citing an “abundance of caution” relating to the protocols. After a relatively calm start to the season, COVID-19 is starting to create havoc throughout the league, with the Bulls, Sixers and Hornets among the teams most affected.

Southeast Notes: Reddish, Bogdanovic, Okongwu, Hornets, Sabonis, Martin

December 9th, 2021 at 4:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hawks forward Cam Reddish, who is recovering from a wrist injury, went through a full practice on Thursday, according to coach Nate McMillan. Reddish did some shooting and participated in drills at 75% speed. He’s listed as probable to play on Friday.

Bogdan Bogdanovic still needs more time to return from his ankle injury, Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports in a series of tweets. “Bogi’s not doing anything other than shooting. He looks better,” McMillan said. “He’s up on his feet and he’s moving around.”

Second-year big man Onyeka Okongwu is continuing his rehab assignment from shoulder surgery. He’s with the G League College Park Skyhawks and is expected to play on Thursday.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

There’s been no change regarding the Hornets‘ COVID-19 issues. LaMelo Ball, Jalen McDaniels, Mason Plumlee, Terry Rozier and Ish Smith are all listed as out for Friday’s game against Sacramento due to the league’s health and safety protocols, the team’s PR department tweets. Charlotte’s depleted roster has managed to beat Atlanta and lose two close games to Philadelphia since those players were sidelined over the weekend.
With a recent report claiming that the Pacers may shake up their roster, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington examines whether Domantas Sabonis should be a trade target for the Wizards. Hughes notes that Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant are expected to return soon and the front office would like to see how they fit with their revamped roster. Hughes adds that the club already has the look of a playoff team and the addition of Sabonis may not move the needle all that much.
Caleb Martin may eventually have his two-way contract converted to a standard deal by the Heat but there are luxury tax concerns, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Martin has been active for 24 of the Heat’s 26 games and can only be active for 50 games under two-way rules. If he remained on the active roster for every game, he’d be able to play until nearly the end of January. But the Heat would have to wait a couple of weeks after that to convert his contract in order to avoid surpassing the tax threshold.

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Enters Protocols

December 9th, 2021 at 12:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).

It was reported earlier today that the Pacers canceled their practice on Thursday out of “an abundance of caution” related to the protocols — now we know why.

MacMahon also tweets that Carlisle returned a positive result for COVID-19 after a rapid test Wednesday night. Carlisle took a PCR test Thursday in order to confirm the diagnosis, but the results aren’t expected back until Friday.

If the PCR comes back positive as well, Carlisle will need to isolate for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative PCR tests a minimum of 24 hours apart.

Carlisle is unlikely to coach Friday vs. Dallas, which will be the first game against his former team this season, per James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter), lead assistant coach Lloyd Pierce will serve as head coach for the Pacers while Carlisle is out.

The Pacers have three games next week that Carlisle could miss: Dec. 13 against Golden State, Dec. 15 at Milwaukee and Dec. 16 vs. Detroit. Assuming he has to isolate for 10 days, which isn’t a given, he could be eligible to return for the Dec. 21 contest at Miami.

Raptors Notes: Practice, Sabonis, Turner, Achiuwa, Banton

December 9th, 2021 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Like the Pacers, the Raptors opted to cancel their practice on Thursday due to an “abundance of caution” related to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic.

As was the case with Indiana, Toronto didn’t provide any additional details to explain the decision. However, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) hears that it’s “not a player issue,” which suggests that perhaps a staff member either tested positive for COVID-19 or is a close contact of someone who did.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

The Raptors will have to decide in the coming weeks whether they intend to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, Grange writes for Sportsnet.ca. As Grange observes, upgrading the center spot or adding a reliable backup point guard could help make Toronto a more legitimate playoff contender, but the team could also decided to take a longer-term view toward the future and shop a couple veterans.
A league source tells Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca that the Raptors have had “their eyes on” Pacers big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner for years, so they’ll likely at least kick the tires on the two veteran centers. Doug Smith of The Toronto Star (subscribers only) argues that Toronto should seriously pursue either Sabonis or Turner in an effort to solidify the five spot.
Raptors center Precious Achiuwa is once again sidelined due to shoulder tendinitis, and head coach Nick Nurse isn’t sure how long Achiuwa will be out, writes Lewenberg. “Obviously, it’s aggravated again,” Nurse said of the injury. “I don’t know what to say. Hopefully it’s short-term, but you never know.”
Rookie guard Dalano Banton is pulling double duty this season, playing frequently for both the Raptors in the NBA and the Raptors 905 in the G League. As Smith writes for The Toronto Star, Banton welcomes that challenge, knowing that current Raptors stars like Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam spent plenty of time with the 905 when they first entered the league. “I’m not getting tired of it,” Banton said. “I’m just kind of trusting in the process that they have going on for me. … I trust in the development of the Raptors and I’ve seen it countless times of guys who came before me.”
Eric Koreen of The Athletic addressed a handful of Raptors-related topics in his latest mailbag, including Yuta Watanabe‘s future and what the team could get back in a trade involving Chris Boucher.

Pacers Rumors: Turner, Sabonis, Trade Candidates, Protocols

December 9th, 2021 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers big man Myles Turner, who has heard his name included in trade rumors for multiple years, told Jared Weiss of The Athletic that he loves playing in Indiana and wants to win with the team. However, he has also been frustrated with playing what he views as a limited role.

“It’s clear that I’m not valued as anything more than a glorified role player here, and I want something more, more opportunity,” Turner said to Weiss. “I’m trying really hard to make the role that I’m given here work and find a way to maximize it. I’ve been trying to the past two, three seasons. But it’s clear to me that, just numbers-wise, I’m not valued as more than a rotational role player, and I hold myself in a higher regard than that.

“… I’ve been given many roles in the years that I’ve been here, and I feel like I’ve been able to produce at a high level in the roles I’ve been given,” Turner added. “I’ve shown that I can do the things they ask me to do, and I think it’s time to put that all together and be a more prominent night-in, night-out guy on the offensive side of the ball instead of someone who is asked to be a floor spacer and hide in the shadows.”

Turner has enjoyed the occasional offensive outburst this season, scoring 40 points in Washington on October 22 and knocking down seven 3-pointers vs. New York on November 3. However, his modest season-long scoring average of 12.9 PPG is right in line with his career rate (12.7 PPG).

Head coach Rick Carlisle told Weiss that Turner, a talented rim protector, has a significant impact on winning whether he’s scoring or not, noting that the big man’s 40-point night may have “kind of skewed what the day-to-day expectations are” for him offensively. Carlisle and the coaching staff met to discuss Turner’s role this week and vowed to make an effort to get him involved in more actions as a roller. However, sources tell Weiss that Turner remains unconvinced that any positive changes to his role will stick.

“Myles has always wanted a bigger, more important role on the offensive end, but we absolutely know his value overall,” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard told Weiss. “Sometimes with Myles, we know how good he is and how dominant he is on the defensive end, and I think he wants to be a more complete player, not just a defensive player. I respect the s–t out of that. You know I do.”

Here’s more out of Indiana:

Pritchard told Pacers players this week that the team is fielding trade calls for Turner and Domantas Sabonis, but still believes the pairing can work and would be fine seeing it through this season, sources tell Weiss. Carlisle also remains convinced Turner and Sabonis can succeed alongside each other, pointing to their net rating as evidence, Weiss notes. The Pacers have a +10.9 rating when the two big men share the court this season.
Turner and Sabonis told reporters on Wednesday that they’re unfazed by the trade rumors and have grown accustomed to them, writes James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. “We want to be here,” Sabonis said. “And as long as we represent the team and have that jersey on our backs we’re gonna come out and compete.”
If the Pacers move one of their two big men, Turner appears to be the more likely trade candidate. However, Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer wonders if it should be the other way around, exploring whether Indiana ought to be more open to the idea of building around Turner.
There are people in the Knicks‘ front office who like the idea of pursuing a Turner trade this season, Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes in a follow-up to his recent report on the Knicks and Turner.
In the latest episode of the HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan identified the Warriors and Hornets as two teams they view as logical suitors for Turner.
The Pacers canceled their practice on Thursday out of “an abundance of caution” related to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. The team didn’t offer any additional details, so it’s unclear whether a member of the organization tested positive. Currently, Justin Holiday is the only Pacers player in the league’s health and safety protocols, having been unavailable since November 30.