Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Thompson, Mavs, Smart, Wembanyama

December 6th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Klay Thompson is averaging just 12.6 points per game with career-worst shooting percentages of 38.1% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc through his first 19 games with the Mavericks. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst writes in an Insider-only story, Thompson has started every game he has played so far for Dallas, but hasn’t always been part of the team’s closing lineup.

“Klay has been an awkward fit so far,” one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “Derrick Jones shot the ball better and played better D for them last year.”

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps points out in the same story that the Mavericks are running into a similar issue Golden State did last season — since Thompson has lost a step following ACL and Achilles injuries, playing him alongside two offense-first guards (Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski last year; Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving this year) compromises his team’s defense.

“He’s the exact same player he was with the Warriors,” one scout told Bontemps. “A quality spot-up shooter who can get hot and make shots still and who can occasionally guard.”

While Thompson certainly hasn’t come flying out of the gates this season, the Mavericks have been better with him on the court (+9.8 net rating) than off it (+4.5). And at least one scout believes it’s too early to be concerned about the veteran sharpshooter’s production.

“Klay has been fine,” that scout told ESPN. “His impact will be determined in the postseason, and if he has a few big games, then no one will remember what he shot from three in November.”

We have more from around the Southwest:

Asked about nearing the end of a grueling 28-day stretch in which the Mavericks have had 15 games on their schedule – including 12 on the road – and have had to repeatedly traverse several time zones, head coach Jason Kidd acknowledged it hasn’t been easy, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “We’ve gone as far as you can go west, and now we’re going as far as we can go east,” Kidd said. “We’re not going to complain about it. It is what it is, but it’s not fair if you want players to play. And so when guys sit out, they (the NBA) can’t complain about guys sitting out when you have a schedule like this.” The Mavs have handled the travel- and schedule-related challenges admirably, having gone 10-4 entering the final contest of that 15-game run on Saturday in Toronto.
Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart will be looking to get a rare win against his old team in Boston on Saturday. The Celtics have beaten Memphis in 16 of their last 17 meetings dating back to 2016, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “You want him to get that win and get that feeling of beating the team that traded him or whatever,” Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. said. “At the end of the day, we want to have Marcus’ back and go up there and get the win.”
Victor Wembanyama tested his sore lower back in warmups on Friday before being ruled out of the Spurs‘ game vs. Sacramento, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). Head coach Mitch Johnson said “the hope” is that Wembanyama will be good to go on Sunday against New Orleans after missing two games this week. Tre Jones (left shoulder sprain) is missing a third consecutive contest for the Spurs on Friday, while Devin Vassell (right foot injury management) is sitting the second end of a back-to-back, but should be available Sunday.
In case you missed it, we passed along a handful of Pelicans-related notes and rumors earlier this evening.

Southwest Notes: Butler, Wembanyama, Edey, Eason

December 5th, 2024 at 7:01pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Mavericks are trending upward despite Luka Doncic missing six of their past nine games due to knee and wrist injuries. Entering Thursday, they’ve won nine of their last 10 games and sit at 14-8, third in the Western Conference after reaching the NBA Finals in the spring.

The Mavs made midseason changes in each year under general manager Nico Harrison, including the deadline-day acquisitions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford that helped propel last season’s Finals run. Could they make another splash at the 2025’s deadline? A report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on Monday indicated that there has been “quiet discourse” in league circles about Dallas being a potential landing spot for Heat star Jimmy Butler, a Texas native.

However, Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal is skeptical the Mavericks will complete a trade for Butler this season, largely due to the fact that they’re financially limited during the season.

“You’ve got to look at the money before anything else,” an NBA executive told Dallas Hoops Journal. “Moving that kind of salary midseason is almost impossible for a contender with this CBA. The salary-matching rules are brutal, and unless you’re sending out another massive contract, moving around contracts to fit roster spot limits is tough. For Jimmy, we’re talking about a player making more than Luka and Kyrie (Irving)—it’s tough to see how that adds up.”

On top of that, the Mavericks would have to gut their rotation to make the math work on a potential deal. Butler makes $48.7MM this season. The executive Afseth chatted with suggested a sign-and-trade in the offseason would be the most viable way for Butler to work his way to Dallas, but it still wouldn’t be very viable unless Irving and Butler (both hold player options for next season) sacrificed financially on their next contracts.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Spurs star second-year center Victor Wembanyama suffered a back injury Tuesday against Phoenix, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Wembanyama is dealing with a sore lower left back and will miss Thursday’s game against the Bulls. However, the injury doesn’t seem serious — Orsborn tweets that the Spurs are expected to upgrade Wembanyama to questionable for Friday’s game against Sacramento, though his likelier return date would be on Sunday against New Orleans.
Grizzlies first-round rookie Zach Edey has missed the past eight games for Memphis after suffering an ankle injury. Though he made encouraging progress earlier this week, Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal says Edey’s return will have to wait. The big man practiced with the G League’s Memphis Hustle on Wednesday, but the team didn’t feel he was ready to play afterward. “As he was going through testing it out, we weren’t comfortable where he was at,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “We’re going to gradually progress him over the next couple of weeks.”
While his team ultimately lost the game, Tari Eason helped the Rockets overcome a season-high 31-point deficit to force overtime with a career-high 27 points on November 2 vs. the Warriors, earning praise from Draymond Green for his performance and his energy. The former LSU forward expressed gratitude for Green’s comments, but offered a simple explanation for his career game against Golden State, according to Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen. “I don’t like the Warriors,” Eason said at the time. He expanded on his feelings about the Warriors this week: “They won their first championship when I was 14 years old. I was a fan of another player in the NBA. I kind of grew up hating them. That just carried over. I don’t like them winning. I don’t like the shimmy. I don’t like all that stuff. But they’re a dynasty for a reason. We’ve got to beat them.” Eason and Green will both miss Thursday’s matchup, but they could be back in action when the two teams square off again on Dec. 11.

Grizzlies’ GG Jackson Out Another 6-8 Weeks For Surgery Recovery

December 4th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II has missed Memphis’ entire 2024/25 season thus far while recuperating from an offseason surgery to treat a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot.

Memphis announced on September 4 that the 6’9″ second-year pro would be reevaluated in three months. Having apparently completed that evaluation, the team believes he needs more time to recuperate.

According to a Grizzlies announcement (Twitter link), the team anticipates Jackson will be back on the hardwood in six-to-eight weeks.

Jackson was selected with the No. 45 overall pick out of South Carolina in 2023. He was joining a Grizzlies club then coming off two straight 50-win seasons, so he wasn’t initially expected to make much of a rotational impact. But Memphis was bit hard by the injury bug last year.

In the frontcourt, injuries to Brandon Clarke, then-Grizzlies center Steven Adams, and Jaren Jackson Jr. opened up a rotational role for GG Jackson. Across 48 healthy contests last year, he averaged 14.6 points on .428/.357/.752 shooting splits, plus 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He was named to the 2024 All-Rookie Second Team for his efforts.

This season, even amidst further injury woes, the Grizzlies have managed to cobble together a far more robust start. Memphis is currently the No. 4 seed in the competitive Western Conference, with a 14-8 record.

Ja Morant Prioritizing Health Over Highlight-Reel Plays

December 4th, 2024 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

After being sidelined for most of the 2023/24 season due to a shoulder injury and missing time this fall due to thigh and hip issues, Grizzlies point Ja Morant is making his health a top priority. As Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes, that means avoiding going out of his way to make the kind of risky highlight-reel plays that could result in an injury.

Midway through the second quarter of Tuesday’s game in Dallas, for instance, Morant stole the ball and had a clear path to the Mavericks’ net. He opted to finish by lightly dunking the ball, resulting in a few boos from the fans in Dallas (video link).

“I’m not trying to dunk at all,” Morant said after the game. “Y’all think I’m lying. I’m dead serious.

“… Continue to boo me,” he added, smiling. “Hey, I got two points. It was still a dunk. It was just not the dunk they wanted to see. But if they boo me off a little rim-grazer, I’m fine with that.”

According to Basketball-Reference, Morant has dunked just four times in 12 games this season. That’s a well below-average rate for a player who has been one of the NBA’s highest fliers since he entered the league in 2019. Morant still throws down the occasional highlight slam (video links), but he made it clear on Tuesday that he’s looking to minimize his injury risk if he can help it.

The former No. 2 overall pick injured his hip earlier this season when he was bumped in the air during an alley-oop attempt, resulting in a hard fall to the court (video link).

“Sometimes I get knocked out the air and (a foul) doesn’t get called, and now I’m out longer than what I’m supposed to be,” Morant said. “Sometimes the foul might get called; I still hit the floor, but after the game you might feel that little fall. So I just pick and choose, man. Hey, two points is two points. I get it done. That’s all that matters.”

After winning 56 games in 2021/22 and 51 more in ’22/23, the Grizzlies fell to 27-55 last season due to Morant’s limited availability and injuries to several other key contributors.

Memphis has dealt with some health issues again so far this season, but has a deep roster and looks capable of hanging with any opponent when Morant is available. The team is tied for the third-best record in the Western Conference so far at 14-8 and will be looking to reclaim its place as a legitimate NBA Finals contender in the spring.

“My focus right now is do what I can with the team and continue to try to get to 100 percent (healthy),” Morant said on Tuesday.

Knockout Round Matchups Set For NBA Cup; Games Scheduled For Non-Quarterfinalists

December 4th, 2024 at 6:27am CST by Luke Adams

Following the conclusion of the group play games in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, the eight teams advancing to the knockout round have been set, and the quarterfinal games have been scheduled.

After the Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks previously clinched spots in the knockout round, the Thunder, Mavericks, Bucks, Knicks, and Magic joined them as a result of Tuesday’s outcomes. The quarterfinal matchups are as follows, per the NBA (Twitter links):

Eastern Conference:

Orlando Magic (No. 4) at Milwaukee Bucks (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (7 pm ET)
Atlanta Hawks (No. 3) at New York Knicks (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (7 pm ET)

Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) at Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (9:30 pm ET)
Golden State Warriors (No. 3) at Houston Rockets (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (9:30 pm ET)

While those four games will be played in the home team’s arena, the winners will advance to a neutral site for the final four. The semifinals (Dec. 14) and final (Dec. 17) will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The quarterfinal and semifinal results will count toward each team’s regular season record, whereas the final won’t. A team that loses in the quarterfinals will play the other quarterfinal loser in its conference in newly scheduled regular season games to make sure those clubs get the full 82.

Meanwhile, the 22 teams who did not advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup have each had two regular season games added to their initial 80 to fill that mid-December gap on their schedules.

Here are the newly added games for those clubs, according to the league (Twitter link):

Thursday, December 12:

Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (7:30 pm ET)
Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (7:30 pm ET)
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans (8 pm ET)

Friday, December 13:

Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers (7 pm ET)
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers (7 pm ET)
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves (8 pm ET)
Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (8 pm ET)
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (8 pm ET)
Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (9 pm ET)
Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz (9:30 pm ET)
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers (10 pm ET)

Sunday, December 15:

New Orleans Pelicans at Indiana Pacers (5 pm ET)
Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards (6 pm ET)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs (7 pm ET)
Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (8 pm ET)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 pm ET)

Monday, December 16:

Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets (7 pm ET)
Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons (7 pm ET)
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (7:30 pm ET)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets (7:30 pm ET)
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings (10 pm ET)
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 pm ET)

Southwest Notes: Smart, Spencer, VanVleet, Wembanyama

December 3rd, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Marcus Smart‘s willingness to come off the bench has made a big impression on his Grizzlies teammates, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Smart, who started 185 regular season games between bench appearances from 2021-24, has been part of Memphis’ second unit in his last six outings.

“That’s a vet, that’s a pro,” Grizzlies star Ja Morant said. “That’s what he brings to this team. Obviously, it’s a different situation than he’s been in in his career, but for him to embrace that and still push guys like Jaylen (Wells), who’s in the starting lineup, to be even better, and then he comes in and makes a difference for us in the game. It’s his handle . . . We’re very appreciative.”

Smart is averaging 16.7 points and 5.7 assists over the last three games. His current contract runs through next season.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Rookie guard and second-round pick Cam Spencer had a huge game at the NBA G League level for the Grizzlies’ affiliate, Cole notes. Spencer erupted for 51 points for the Memphis Hustle, including 12 three-pointers, against the Birmingham Squadron on Monday. Spencer, who won a national title with UConn in the spring, is on a two-way contract.
The Rockets are playing like true contenders. They’re just a half-game out of the top spot in the West after defeating conference leader Oklahoma City behind Fred VanVleet‘s 38 points. “The foundation that we’re laying, it’s easy to see it when you’re just competing,” VanVleet told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “But to see wins against good teams at different stages of the season, it’s a good sign that what we’re doing is working. We’re getting better.”
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama posted his third career triple-double (34 points, 14 rebounds, and a career-high 11 assists) in a win over Sacramento despite an uneven performance through the first three quarters, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I thought he had some very poor moments in the first three quarters in terms of fundamentals and solid basketball,” acting head coach Mitch Johnson said. “And it’s a testament to him, and his ability to lock in (that he figured it out). I thought in the fourth quarter, (that) he was a man. And I thought he dominated. He’s so good, but the dominating (of) the fundamentals for him — the catches, the passes, the solid stuff — (is key). It’s still spectacular, but when he does that, he’s a load.”

Jared McCain, Jaylen Wells Named Rookies Of The Month

December 3rd, 2024 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers guard Jared McCain and Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells have been named the NBA’s Rookies of the Month for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, respectively, the league announced today (via Twitter). The honor technically covers more than a month, since it’s for games played in October as well as November.

The 16th overall pick in the 2024 draft, McCain didn’t initially project to be part of Philadelphia’s regular rotation and played fewer than four minutes in each of his first two games of the season.

However, injuries cleared a path for him to get minutes and he took advantage of that opportunity, averaging 16.0 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.5 rebounds on 25.2 minutes per game across 18 outings (seven starts) to open his NBA career. McCain also posted a solid shooting line of .448/.364/.906.

Wells, who was drafted with the No. 39 pick in June, is an even unlikelier early-season standout than McCain, but also took advantage of his team being affected by the injury bug and capitalized on an opportunity to play rotation minutes right out of the gate.

In 20 games (15 starts) in October and November, Wells averaged 12.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.9 APG in 25.3 MPG. He provided some much-needed outside shooting for the Grizzlies, knocking down 39.4% of 5.0 attempts per night from beyond the arc.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), McCain beat out fellow nominees Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, and Carlton Carrington for Rookie of the Month recognition in the East. The other nominees in the West were Dalton Knecht, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Ryan Dunn, and Wells’ teammate Zach Edey.

Western Rumors: Kings, Grant, Kessler, Moody, Looney, Rockets, A. Mitchell

December 2nd, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are off to a disappointing 9-12 start this season, already 2.5 games back of a play-in spot in the Western Conference, prompting executives around the NBA to keep an eye on the situation in Sacramento to see if the front office will make another move to try to upgrade its roster, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Citing a “heightened sense of urgency” in Sacramento, Scotto suggests that teams talking to the Kings will be eager to see if the club is willing to part with first-round picks, rookie Devin Carter, or perhaps former No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray, who has essentially been off the table in trade discussions in recent years.

For now, it seems safe to assume that the Kings will dangle Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles in trade talks, according to Scotto, who points out that both players were also available last season. Between Huerter’s $16.8MM cap hit and Lyles’ $8MM expiring deal, Sacramento could get to about $25MM in matching salary and then sweeten an offer from there by adding draft capital and/or a young player.

Here are a few more Western Conference rumors from Scotto:

Although Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and Jazz center Walker Kessler are both considered potential trade candidates, Portland has been unwilling to move Grant without getting two first-round picks back and Utah has sought at least two first-rounders for Kessler, Scotto writes. Teams with interest in Grant and Kessler have viewed the Blazers’ and Jazz’s asking prices as too high, Scotto notes.
Moses Moody signed a three-year contract extension with the Warriors before the season, but his role hasn’t increased at all, leading to speculation that he’s a player to monitor as a possible trade chip, says Scotto. “Moody could be part of a package in a bigger deal, and (head coach) Steve Kerr still doesn’t play him 20 minutes a game,” one league executive told HoopsHype. Moody would be subject to the poison pill provision if he’s dealt this season, which wouldn’t preclude a trade but would make it more complicated.
The Knicks, Thunder, and Grizzlies had “exploratory” trade interest in Warriors center Kevon Looney during the offseason before they addressed frontcourt holes in other ways, Scotto reports. Looney, who is on an $8MM expiring contract, has been Golden State’s leading rebounder (7.6 RPG) despite playing just 14.9 minutes per night.
Despite reports insisting the Rockets aren’t looking to break up their young core to acquire a player like Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo, many rival executives believe it’s just a matter of when – not if – Houston makes a big splash on the trade market, according to Scotto. Those execs believe Jalen Green won’t be off limits in future Rockets trade talks, even after signing a three-year, $105MM+ contract extension in October.
Thunder rookie Ajay Mitchell, who has impressed in a rotation role this fall, is considered a strong candidate to be promoted from his two-way contract to the standard roster later this season, per Scotto. Oklahoma City currently has a full 15-man roster, but has some flexibility with its last roster spot, which is held by Branden Carlson on a non-guaranteed deal.

Southeast Rumors: Richards, Martin, Micic, Capela, Nance, Hunter, Anthony

December 2nd, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Nick Richards has drawn trade interest from a number of teams across the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says the Hornets center is viewed as an intriguing target due to his solid play as a starter and his team-friendly contract, which includes a $5MM salary this season and a $5MM non-guaranteed cap hit for 2025/26.

Several rival executives who spoke to HoopsHype believe it would take at least two second-round picks to acquire Richards, Scotto writes, and there’s also uncertainty about how willing Charlotte would even be to trade him, since ostensible starting center Mark Williams has been sidelined for nearly a full year due to back and foot issues. If the Hornets can’t trust Williams to be available, they may be reluctant to part with an important frontcourt depth piece like Richards.

Exploring other potential trade candidates in Charlotte, Scotto identifies wing Cody Martin and guard Vasilije Micic as two more players to watch.

After a couple injury-plagued seasons, Martin has been healthy and effective so far in 2024/25. According to Scotto, the Hornets spoke to the Cavaliers during the offseason about a possible Isaac Okoro sign-and-trade that would have sent Martin and multiple second-round picks to Cleveland, but Okoro ended up re-signing with the Cavs.

As for Micic, while he’s playing a more significant role right now due to injuries to LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann, he’s Charlotte’s third-string point guard when both of those players are healthy, having fallen firmly behind Mann on the depth chart. That makes him potentially expendable for the Hornets, and his pseudo-expiring contract (his 2025/26 salary is non-guaranteed) could make him an appealing target for a team in need of point guard depth.

We have more from around the Southeast:

According to Scotto, executives scouring the center market believe Hawks center Clint Capela may be a trade candidate this season, with potential unrestricted free agency looming in 2025. Sources tell HoopsHype that the Knicks, Grizzlies, and Pelicans are among the clubs that did due diligence on Capela during the 2024 offseason before going in different directions at center.
Hawks reserves Larry Nance Jr. and De’Andre Hunter are also viewed as potential trade candidates, Scotto reports. That’s especially true of Nance, who is on an expiring deal, has played inconsistent minutes in Atlanta, and is considered a good locker room presence. As for Hunter, his three-and-D skill set is valued, but Scotto suggests teams have some questions about his durability and may be reluctant to take on his contract, which has two years and $48MM+ still left on it after this season.
The Magic‘s offseason addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, along with an increased role for second-year guard Anthony Black, has resulted in several NBA executives viewing Cole Anthony as a viable trade candidate, Scotto writes. After averaging 26.5 minutes per game in his first four years in Orlando, Anthony is logging just 9.8 MPG so far this season.

Nets Rumors: Johnson, Schröder, Finney-Smith, Sharpe, Bogdanovic

December 2nd, 2024 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets have been surprisingly competitive through the first quarter of the season, but they have a chance to be one of the NBA’s most active teams heading into the trade deadline, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Nearly the entire roster could be considered expendable as Brooklyn starts building for the future, and Cameron Johnson might bring the greatest return.

The 28-year-old power forward is in the midst of his best offensive season, averaging a career-high 18.1 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 42.2% from three-point range. His increased production has helped to fill the void that was created when Mikal Bridges was traded to New York over the summer.

League executives tell Scotto that the Nets might be able to get a first-round pick if they part with Johnson before the February 6 trade deadline. He has two more full seasons left on his contract, which pays him $23.6MM this year before declining to $21.6MM next season and returning to $23.6MM for 2026/27. Johnson is aware of the trade rumors, but he tells Scotto that his preference is to remain in Brooklyn.

“I want to build this,” he said. “I really like coach Jordi (Fernandez). I like our staff. I think we’re headed in the right direction. I can’t tell them exactly what to do and how to proceed. The business will do what the business does. I don’t take it personally either way. For me, I’m invested in what we have. It’s been exciting to find progress and to see the potential. I want to be here and get this thing really turned around and back to winning basketball. I think we have the group to do it, and I think we have the assets and pieces to do it. Whatever they decide, no hard feelings.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

NBA executives tell Scotto that point guard Dennis Schröder, who has a $13MM expiring contract, is also considered one of the Nets’ top trade assets. He continues to produce at a high level at age 31, averaging 18.7 points and 6.4 assists per night while shooting a career-best 40.5% from three-point range. Schröder has become a strong voice in the locker room as well as the team’s on-court leader. The executives Scotto spoke with believe Brooklyn can get multiple second-round picks from a contender that wants to acquire Schröder as a “rental” for the rest of the season.
Scotto hears that several playoff-caliber teams have already contacted the Nets about Dorian Finney-Smith. The 31-year-old forward is shooting 42.2% from beyond the arc and he brings a wealth of playoff experience. Finney-Smith holds a $15.38MM player option for 2025/26, so any team that acquires him should be considering a relationship that lasts beyond the end of this season.
Rival teams are also watching Day’Ron Sharpe as a potential backup center, Scotto adds. Sharpe is expected to return soon from a hamstring injury, and he’ll get an opportunity to play while Noah Clowney is sidelined with a sprained ankle. Sources tell Scotto that the Grizzlies, Clippers, Pelicans, Lakers and Raptors all have interest in Sharpe.
The Nets are expected to showcase Bojan Bogdanovic for potential suitors when he returns from offseason foot surgery later this month. Scotto hears that the team might be able to get a second-round pick in return if Bogdanovic can stay on the court.