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Trade Rumors: Poeltl, Wizards, G. Harris, Noel, Warriors, Knicks, More

February 8th, 2023 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards are among the teams to register trade interest in Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, Marc Stein reports at Substack. As Stein writes, Boston and Toronto have been the clubs most frequently cited as suitors for the big man in recent weeks — Washington is a new addition to the Poeltl sweepstakes. Still, Stein hears that as of Wednesday morning, there didn’t appear to be a logical trade match between the Wizards and Spurs.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Although Gary Harris has been mentioned as a trade candidate in Orlando, Stein hears that the Magic may prefer to hang onto the veteran swingman through Thursday’s deadline, since the team values his locker room presence on a young roster.
Nerlens Noel is the Pistons veteran most likely to be on the move this week, according to Stein, who says the Heat and Sixers continue to convey interest in the veteran center.
Multiple rival executives consider the Warriors good bets to make a move by Thursday’s deadline, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “To me, there’s nobody more incentivized toward making a deal than the Warriors,” one league exec told Bulpett, pointing to Golden State’s veteran stars and pricey payroll. “Now. Right now. This is one of those years. You can’t waste this year. You’ve got to roll with this year.”
As of late Tuesday night, there was pessimism that the Knicks will make a deal with the Jazz for Jarred Vanderbilt and/or Malik Beasley, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Although the two teams have discussed a potential trade, as HoopsHype reported over the weekend, some people in New York’s front office aren’t sold on Vanderbilt’s and Beasley’s fit with the current roster, Begley explains.
Although there has been some speculation that the Nuggets may be reluctant to deal with the Timberwolves after how Tim Connelly‘s move from Denver to Minnesota played out, a Nuggets team source insisted to Sam Amick of The Athletic that Connelly’s history wouldn’t be a roadblock if the two teams wanted to make a deal involving Bones Hyland or another player.

Injury Notes: O. Robinson, Williamson, Bagley, Beal

February 8th, 2023 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Heat backup center Orlando Robinson has only missed two games since fracturing his right thumb on January 31 in Cleveland, but the rookie big man is ready to return. Robinson said that he plans to suit up on Wednesday after receiving positive news from a doctor and testing out the thumb in practice, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

The Heat have listed Robinson as probable on their injury report for Wednesday, so it sounds like the team is comfortable having him play. Udonis Haslem and Dewayne Dedmon each spent one game as Miami’s backup center in Robinson’s absence, but Dedmon has since been traded and Haslem will almost certainly remain out of the rotation as long as Robinson’s good to go.

The injury news isn’t all positive for the Heat, however. Victor Oladipo (right ankle sprain) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game, and – as we relayed on Tuesday – Kyle Lowry will miss at least the next three contests due to knee soreness.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Pelicans head coach Willie Green said on Tuesday that he doesn’t think the team will have its opening night starting five available before the All-Star break, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). Currently, four of New Orleans’ five opening night starters are healthy, so Green’s update suggests Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain) won’t be back before All-Star weekend.
Pistons big man Marvin Bagley III has progressed to individual work as he makes his way back from surgery on his right hand, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. The team announced on January 5 that Bagley would be reevaluated in six weeks, so we can probably expect a more concrete update on his progress sometime late next week.
After missing the team’s last two games, Wizards star Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) practiced on Tuesday and has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s contest vs. Charlotte, tweets Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain), also listed as questionable, didn’t take part in Tuesday’s practice.

Trade Rumors: Reddish, Nuggets, Pistons, Bucks, Rose, Suns, More

February 7th, 2023 at 8:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are among the teams that have registered some interest in Knicks forward Cam Reddish, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says the Pistons and Knicks have also spoken recently about Reddish.

In passing along Begley’s latest reporting, SNY’s story notes that Begley has previously identified the Knicks as a team with interest in Pistons forward Saddiq Bey and suggests that perhaps there could be a match between the two teams on a deal involving Bey and Reddish. Bey’s trade value is significantly higher at this point than Reddish’s, however, so New York would need to attach a sweetener or two to make Detroit seriously consider that framework.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Bucks have expressed trade interest in Knicks point guard Derrick Rose, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Milwaukee doesn’t have an obvious salary-matching piece for Rose, who has a $14.5MM salary and has been out of New York’s rotation for much of the season — it’s hard to imagine he’s near the top of the Bucks’ wish list. For what it’s worth, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said he’d like to keep Rose around, explaining that the former MVP “contributes in a lot of different ways to our club” despite not seeing much playing time this season (link via Peter Botte of The New York Post).
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 shoots down a rumor suggesting that the Mavericks and Suns could make a deal centered around Deandre Ayton, Christian Wood, and Tim Hardaway Jr., tweeting that there’s “nothing” to that speculation. One recent report indicated that Dallas has interest in Ayton, but that report suggested he’d be more of a long-term trade target rather than a player the Suns would have interest in moving this week.
Suns veteran Dario Saric is among the power forwards on the Heat‘s radar, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), though Jackson acknowledges that Miami doesn’t have a clear salary-matching piece to send out for Saric ($9.2MM). Jackson adds (via Twitter) that the Suns, under new ownership, are “very active” in the trade market, but still haven’t been intrigued by the assets Miami has put on the table for Jae Crowder.

Heat Trade Dedmon, Second-Round Pick To Spurs

February 7th, 2023 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

1:53pm: The Spurs have officially acquired Dedmon and the Heat’s 2028 second-round pick from Miami in exchange for cash considerations, they announced in a press release.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the belief is that the Heat are getting $110K, which is the minimum amount a team can send or receive in a trade.

10:25am: The Heat and Spurs have agreed to a trade that will send center Dewayne Dedmon to San Antonio along with a future second-round pick, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-rounder will be Miami’s 2028 pick, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Dedmon, 33, re-signed with the Heat last summer and began the season as the club’s primary backup center behind Bam Adebayo. However, he lost his spot in the rotation to two-way rookie Orlando Robinson and was suspended for one game by Miami last month for a sideline outburst. The Heat had reportedly been shopping him in trade talks in recent weeks.

For the season, Dedmon has averaged 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 30 appearances (11.7 MPG).

The Spurs remain well below the salary cap (and floor), giving them the ability to take on Dedmon’s $4.7MM salary without sending out any players of their own. They also have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to create room for Dedmon.

From the Spurs’ perspective, the deal essentially comes down to sacrificing some of their cap space for the rights to a future draft pick. Dedmon’s $4.3MM salary for 2023/24 is non-guaranteed, so he’s a good bet to be waived after the trade is official — San Antonio won’t owe him any money beyond this season.

For Miami, the move generates additional roster and cap flexibility. The Heat have spent the season carrying just 14 players, with a team salary about $200K below the luxury tax line. Moving Dedmon will give the team significantly more breathing room below the tax threshold to make trades or signings.

Even if the Heat don’t need that flexibility this week for a pre-deadline deal, they’ll have the ability to sign free agents to fill both their 14th and 15th roster spots without having to worry about becoming a taxpayer. Robinson is a candidate to be promoted to the standard roster to claim one of those openings.

Teams are permitted to carry below 14 players on standard contracts for up to two weeks at a time, so the Heat would have 14 days to add a 14th man after the trade becomes official.

To make the trade legal, the Spurs will have to send something to Miami, but since this is essentially just a salary dump, San Antonio’s outgoing piece is unlikely to be anything of real value — it could be a heavily protected draft pick, the rights to a draft-and-stash player who won’t ever play in the NBA, or a small amount of cash. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link) hears that it’ll be the latter.

The Heat will generate a trade exception worth $4.7MM (Dedmon’s salary) as a result of the deal.

Fischer’s Latest: Anunoby, VanVleet, Clippers, Hornets, McGee, Bogdanovic

February 7th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors remain the team to watch ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Pascal Siakam doesn’t appear likely to be moved, although numerous teams have expressed interest, but sources point to OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. as more realistic trade candidates.

Fischer cites the Pelicans, Grizzlies, Knicks, Pacers, Trail Blazers, Lakers, Suns and Nets as teams that have recently been linked to Anunoby, although he states that there is “varying interest” around the league. Fischer’s sources confirm that Toronto is placing a premium price on the 24-year-old wing, which other front offices are calling “quite steep.”

Fischer also raises the possibility that offers for Anunoby will be lessened because of the chance that Kevin Durant might be available this summer in the wake of the Kyrie Irving trade. Although Durant hasn’t indicated to the Nets that he plans to issue another trade request, league insiders tell Fischer that several teams are planning to stockpile their resources in case it happens.

Fischer passes along a few more rumors heading into the deadline:

Multiple executives from other teams see VanVleet as the most likely Raptor to be moved this week. Fischer notes that the Clippers and Suns have been linked to VanVleet in trade rumors, and hears that the Lakers, Magic and Timberwolves have expressed interest as well.
The Clippers started looking for point guard help before John Wall was sidelined with an abdominal strain, sources tell Fischer. Numerous teams have expressed interest in Terance Mann, and the Clippers have several affordable contracts to help get a deal done. Fischer states that L.A. and Phoenix have both mentioned as possible landing spots for Kyle Lowry, Terry Rozier and D’Angelo Russell as well as VanVleet, with the Suns seeking an experienced playmaker who can eventually take over for Chris Paul.
Rozier has also been mentioned as a possibility for the Lakers and Timberwolves, Fischer adds, and the Heat are among the teams interested in Charlottte’s P.J. Washington, who wasn’t able to reach an extension agreement before the October deadline. Fischer notes that the Hornets typically aren’t a major player at the deadline, but he identifies Mason Plumlee as a potential trade piece, with the Kings expressing interest and having a desire to move backup center Richaun Holmes.
Another veteran center on the market is the Mavericks‘ JaVale McGee, according to Fischer. Dallas signed McGee to a three-year, $17MM deal last summer in anticipation of making him a starter, but he’s no longer part of the rotation.
Teams are becoming convinced that the Pistons plan to keep Bojan Bogdanovic. Fischer states that the Bucks recently inquired about the veteran sharpshooter after failing to close a deal with the Suns for Jae Crowder, but Detroit wants at least one unprotected first-round pick in return and Milwaukee can’t offer a first-rounder until 2029.

Heat Open To Dealing Kyle Lowry

February 6th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

While it was previously reported that the Heat weren’t actively shopping Kyle Lowry and a deal was considered unlikely, evidently the team is now open to moving him if it receives an “advantageous” offer, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

As Jackson and Chiang point out, Lowry’s list of suitors might be small. In addition to being 36 years old, he is making $28.33MM this season and $29.68MM in 2023/24.

The other issue is Lowry has been battling left knee soreness off and on since December. He had a “minor medical procedure” on the knee in mid-January, which caused him to miss four games, Jackson and Chiang report. He missed Saturday’s game as a result of the issue and plans to meet with a doctor soon.

Lowry, a six-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion with the Raptors, has seen his production drop off in ’22/23. He’s averaging 12.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.0 SPG on .396/.333/.855 shooting through 44 games (33.3 MPG).

The Clippers are one team that has expressed interest in the veteran point guard, but others have inquired as well, per Jackson and Chiang.

In addition to Lowry, Miami is “willing to listen to offers on most players” on its roster. One player rival teams have been calling about is Max Strus, who is an impending free agent in the summer, a source tells Jackson and Chiang. The Heat would like to re-sign him, but it might be costly due to luxury tax concerns.

The Herald’s duo suggests the Heat are unlikely to trade away a first-round pick unless they can acquire a “quality starter.” The primary reason for that is the team is always on the lookout for star talent and would prefer to save its draft capital.

The Heat continue to look for frontcourt help and will attempt to unload Dewayne Dedmon‘s $4.7MM contract (his deal is non-guaranteed for ’23/24), Jackson and Chiang add.

Trade Rumors: Anunoby, Crowder, Heat, Thybulle, Wood, Russell, Plumlee

February 4th, 2023 at 10:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors will be looking for young talent rather than draft assets if they decide to trade OG Anunoby, multiple league insiders tell Christian Clark of NOLA. Toronto plans to wait until its current road trip ends on Sunday before making a decision on whether to part with Anunoby or any of its other top players.

Clark points out that the Pelicans can offer players such as Dyson Daniels, Herbert Jones and Naji Marshall, who are all on team-friendly contracts, along with a large collection of draft picks. In addition to holding all its own first-round picks over the next five years, New Orleans is owed future first-rounders from both the Lakers and Bucks.

Anunoby is one of the league’s top perimeter defenders, ranking first in both steals and deflections per game, and he shoots 39.2% on three-pointers. He can be used at shooting guard in a fully healthy lineup or he can handle either forward slot if Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson continue to battle injuries.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:

The Bucks have been considered a potential landing spot for Jae Crowder, but John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets that the Suns are unlikely to accept Milwaukee’s latest offer of Serge Ibaka, George Hill, Jordan Nwora, and second-round draft capital. Gambadoro also doesn’t expect Phoenix to wind up with Anunoby (Twitter link).
Assuming the Heat don’t make a play for Kyrie Irving, their main focus before the deadline will be finding another power forward or center who would be worth giving up a first-round pick, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson talks to a scout from a rival team about several trade prospects and what it would take to acquire them.
The Hawks have joined the Kings as suitors for Sixers guard Matisse Thybulle, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. Sources tell Stein there’s a significant chance of Thybulle being moved by the deadline.
The Clippers are considering Mavericks big man Christian Wood and Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell, Stein adds in the same piece. He also states that the Kings have contacted the Hornets to see if Mason Plumlee is available. Sacramento is hoping to deal Richaun Holmes and Alex Len and would like to improve its interior defense.

Kyrie Irving Notes: Possible Suitors, Tsai, Nets’ Reaction

February 4th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

Following Kyrie Irving‘s trade request on Friday, initial reporting identified the Lakers, Mavericks, and Suns as the point guard’s top potential suitors. Could there be other teams willing to enter the fray and make a play for the Nets star?

Don’t count on the Clippers being one of Irving’s suitors, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest Lowe Post podcast. Although the Clippers have been linked to some points guards who are considered trade candidates, Lowe and his guest Bobby Marks expressed skepticism that L.A. would have legitimate interest in acquiring Kyrie.

“Everything I’ve heard for a year is leading me to say I would be very, very surprised if the Clippers actually dip their toe into this Kyrie Irving situation,” Lowe said. “Maybe that’ll change if Kawhi (Leonard) goes to them and says, ‘Do this or else’ or whatever. I just don’t get the sense that they have the appetite for it.”

There has been some speculation that the Heat could get involved, but Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links) says Miami won’t be aggressive in its pursuit of Irving. The Heat will monitor the situation and could be a landing spot if Brooklyn gets desperate, Jackson says, but other suitors will likely be more motivated. Jackson adds that Irving “doesn’t exactly fit the qualities” the Heat value in their players, including “reliability, selflessness, (and) putting (the) team first.”

Sam Amick of The Athletic offers up the Jazz as an outside-the-box suitor for Irving, observing that CEO Danny Ainge wouldn’t have the same reservations about Kyrie that some other executives would, even though his time in Boston didn’t necessarily go as planned.

Amick is just speculating though — there’s no indication the Jazz have actually expressed interest in Irving. I’d be surprised if they do, given that the chemistry in the locker room has been a major asset in Utah this season, and Irving may not have any desire to re-sign with the Jazz when his contract expires in the summer.

Here’s more on the Irving situation:

League sources with knowledge of the Mavericks‘ thinking downplayed Dallas’ chances of landing Irving, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. In the same story, Scotto says the Nets are fans of Mikal Bridges. However, it’s highly unlikely the Suns would be willing to give him up in a deal for Irving.
Nets owner Joe Tsai was firmly against the idea of offering Irving a maximum-salary extension last summer and that stance hasn’t changed, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). Begley doesn’t specify whether Tsai is only opposed to the idea of a long-term maximum extension for Kyrie or if he’d also be opposed to guaranteeing him the max for one or two years. Either way, the difference in opinions on Irving’s value going forward was clearly the driving factor in his decision to request a trade.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated on his Hoop Collective podcast that he believes the Nets were surprised by Irving’s trade request, as RealGM relays. A source close to people in the organization who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com conveyed a similar sentiment. “People are walking around like, ‘What the f–k just happened?’ It’s crazy,” the source said. “Crazy. But we’ve seen it before there, so nobody should be that surprised. Crazy.” One player source who spoke to Bulpett speculated that Irving’s trade request was a gambit designed to get him the sort of extension he wants.
After “a few months in the sun,” the Nets find themselves in a familiar place, clouded by chaos, Alex Schiffer writes for The Athletic. Elsewhere at The Athletic, John Hollinger explores what an Irving trade might look like for nine different teams, including extreme long shots like the Pelicans and Bulls.
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post argues that the Nets should give Irving the trade he wants and “end the charade” of trying to mollify him in Brooklyn.

Lakers, Mavs, Suns Among Possible Kyrie Irving Suitors

February 3rd, 2023 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Mavericks are among the teams expected to talk to the Nets before next Thursday’s trade deadline about a possible deal involving Kyrie Irving, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link).

In addition to the Lakers and Mavs, the Suns have emerged as a potential suitor for Irving, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times tweets that there has also been some buzz in league circles about the Heat being a team to watch.

Irving has reportedly requested a trade out of Brooklyn.

There are a handful of reasons why the list of obvious matches for Irving isn’t lengthy. His history of mercurial behavior and inconsistent availability will scare many teams away, as will the fact that he’s an unrestricted free agent at season’s end — some suitors will be reluctant to give up much for a player who might be a rental, while others may not welcome the idea of having to negotiate a new contract with the 30-year-old. Additionally, Irving’s $36.9MM cap hit is sizable and wouldn’t be easy for certain clubs to match.

Still, Irving remains an elite talent on the court, having averaged 27.1 PPG, 5.3 APG, and 5.1 RPG on a sparkling .486/.374/.883 shooting line in 40 games (37.0 MPG) for Brooklyn this season, so it’s safe to assume Sean Marks and the Nets’ front office will get some inquiries.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Irving hasn’t given the Nets a list of preferred landing spots, but his interest in the Lakers has carried over from the 2022 offseason.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, have had interest in Irving in the past, though they’ve been reluctant to give up a substantial haul of assets for the All-Star guard, tweets Wojnarowski. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon observes (via Twitter) that Mavs president of basketball operations Nico Harrison (a former Nike executive) and head coach Jason Kidd have long-standing relationships with Irving, and Dallas badly wants a co-star for Luka Doncic.

As for the Suns, they’re viewed as one of the only teams capable of making a deal with the Nets that could leave both teams as contenders, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

When Irving explored the possibility of changing teams last summer, the Lakers, Mavericks, and Heat were said to be on his wish list, along with the Clippers, Knicks, and Sixers. New York and Philadelphia don’t look like logical fits for Kyrie at this point, but L.A.’s other team could be worth keeping an eye on.

There haven’t been any reports linking Irving to the Clippers so far, but they’ve reportedly expressed interest in some other point guards and have been “proactive” in gauging John Wall‘s trade market, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times.

2023 NBA All-Star Reserves Announced

February 2nd, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The league has announced its 2023 All-Star reserves during a pregame broadcast on TNT, as voted on by NBA head coaches. As usual, the list of 14 selections featured some interesting surprises.

For the Eastern Conference, coaches voted in Sixers center Joel Embiid (the reigning Player of the Month in the East), Heat center Bam Adebayo, Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and Knicks forward Julius Randle.

Holiday, who is making his second overall All-star appearance this year, last earned an All-Star nod a decade ago while playing for Philadelphia.

Randle will receive a $1.2MM salary bonus as a result of being named an All-Star this season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Marks adds (via Twitter) that Holiday will get a $324K bonus. And as long as he appears in at least 65 contests this year, Brown will earn a $1.55MM bonus after having qualified for the All-Star game, Marks tweets.

Among the most notable omissions in the East were a handful of point guards: the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the Hawks’ Trae Young, the Cavaliers’ Darius Garland, and the Sixers’ James Harden. Miami swingman Jimmy Butler also missed out. Young, Harden and Butler all made the cut last season.

In the Western Conference, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, Kings center Domantas Sabonis, Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Paul George, Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. were selected as reserves.

Being named to the All-Star team again this year will earn Sabonis a $1.3MM bonus, per Marks (Twitter link).

Lakers center Anthony Davis, Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Suns guard Devin Booker, and Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon were among the Western Conference snubs.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Markkanen and Jackson are the lone first-time All-Stars among these 14 picks.

All-Star weekend tips off on February 17 in Salt Lake City. Los Angeles power forward LeBron James and Milwaukee power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the captains of their respective conferences, will draft their teams ahead of the 2023 All-Star Game on Sunday, February 19.