Timberwolves Rumors

Wolves, Grizzlies Swap James Johnson, Gorgui Dieng

UPDATE: This trade is now official. See this story for more details.

The Timberwolves and Grizzlies have agreed to a trade that will send forward James Johnson to Minnesota and big man Gorgui Dieng to Memphis, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Johnson is technically still a member of the Heat but is being traded to Memphis in the six-player Andre Iguodala trade. The Dieng deal with the Wolves may be folded into that transaction to make it a three-team trade, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian observes (via Twitter), swapping Johnson for Dieng will add a little more salary to Memphis’ books this season and next year, but the Grizzlies view the big man as a better fit on their depth chart.

Dieng, who is under contract for $16.23MM in 2019/20 and $17.29MM in 2020/21, has averaged 7.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 46 games (16.9 MPG). He was particularly effective during Karl-Anthony Towns‘ injury absence, posting 12.9 PPG and 8.9 RPG on .463/.409/.806 shooting in 15 starts during that time.

Johnson is making approximately $15.34MM this season and holds a $16MM option for next season. By trimming more payroll, the Tiimberwolves will be just $1.1MM above the luxury tax line with this move, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

Both teams have been extremely active prior to the deadline, as Minnesota was also part of four-team blockbuster that landed it D’Angelo Russell.

Karl-Anthony Towns: “I’ve Been Losing For A Long Time”

The Timberwolves may have a problem with their franchise cornerstone, as Karl-Anthony Towns erupted after the team’s 13th straight defeat last night, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Towns displayed minimal interest and effort throughout the home loss to the Hawks, Krawczynski adds, then spoke about his frustration after the game.

“I’ve been losing for a long time,” Towns said. “I’m not trying to do that (expletive) anymore. So every possession means a lot. You obviously see my patience running low with a lot of things. There’s no excuses. We gotta get it done.”

Towns’ personal losing streak is even longer, as he missed a month with a knee injury and subsequent illness and hasn’t been part of a victory since November 27. He also watched his best friend on the team, Robert Covington, get shipped to Houston this week in a four-team trade.

Towns posted 21 points and 11 rebounds last night, but his disengagement was obvious, Krawczynski observes, adding that there were several fourth-quarter possessions when he didn’t cross half court. Towns also wasn’t aggressive on offense, even though he had a size advantage over defenders Damian Jones and John Collins.

Krawczynski speculates that Towns may have been registering his displeasure with the Covington trade. After news of the deal broke late Tuesday night, Towns texted some of the team’s younger players to tell them they were getting a lessons in the business side of the NBA.

“I hope this is a great learning experience for them because this is what it is,” Towns said. “You could be very close and you could be with someone you cherish a lot and they could be gone the next day, not only in basketball but in life. I hope this a lesson and reminder for them.”

There were reports last month that the Knicks and Warriors were monitoring the situation in Minnesota to see if Towns might become available, but Wolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas responded by calling the 24-year-old center “as untouchable as they come.” While nothing is expected to happen before today’s deadline, it’s a story to watch, especially if the losing in Minnesota continues.

Latest On The Andre Iguodala Trade

Negotiations are continuing in an effort to make the deal sending Andre Iguodala to Miami a three-way trade that would also enable the Heat to acquire Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

One way the Heat could facilitate trade talks is to remove protections on a lottery-protected 2023 first-round draft pick they owe to Oklahoma City, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). That would free up Miami to unconditionally trade its 2025 first-rounder, explains Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Because of hard-cap restrictions, Miami will need to send out at least $39.8MM in salary to fit Iguodala ($17.2MM) and Gallinari ($22.6MM) on its roster, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). He notes that Justise Winslow, who is already believed to be part of the deal, Dion Waiters and James Johnson add up to $40.4MM.

Johnson’s representatives tell Jackson that they are expecting their client to be included in the transaction, but several other teams have expressed interest as well (Twitter link). Jackson identifies the Bucks, Rockets and Timberwolves as teams that have inquired about the veteran forward.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies held Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill out of Wednesday’s game in Dallas, and Dillon Brooks spoke after the game as if they were being traded, though that hasn’t been confirmed (video link via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon). Moving Crowder and Hill along with Iguodala would allow Memphis to take back up to $47MM+ in salary, if necessary.

In an interview with Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated, Iguodala said he plans to join the Heat and take his physical in Sacramento on Friday. He’s excited to be coming to Miami, but after not playing since June he isn’t sure when he’ll be ready to be activated (Twitter link).

Jimmy Butler is very well respected in terms of passion and hard work he brings to the game,” Iguodala said. “His temperament and values he has really resonates with the Heat. They’re very well aligned. He’s brought out the most in those young guys. Those are some of the guys I’m really excited about. I feel I can make the most impact with those guys. I’m a big fan of Bam [Adebayo]. … Really looking forward to playing with him. … Been hearing about him last couple of years. Help him get better. Really excited about that opportunity.”

Wolves, Hawks, Rockets, Nuggets Complete Four-Team Trade

FEBRUARY 5: The trade is now official, with Twitter announcements from the RocketsTimberwolves and Nuggets confirming the deal. Atlanta also formally waived Chandler Parsons to accommodate the trade, as detailed earlier.

FEBRUARY 4: The Timberwolves, Hawks, Rockets, and Nuggets are in agreement on a massive four-team trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter) that the four clubs were close to reaching a deal, while Woj says (via Twitter) the players involved are now being informed.

According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Charania (Twitter links), Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), and Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link), the trade looks like this:

There have been rumors for the last several days suggesting that a trade like this one could be in play. An earlier variation had the Warriors in Denver’s place, with the Wolves pursuing D’Angelo Russell, but Golden State backed off those talks earlier on Tuesday, leaving Minnesota, Houston, and Atlanta to work out a new agreement.

Let’s break down how the deal will impact each team…

Houston Rockets:

Daryl Morey‘s group has long been on the lookout for an upgrade on the wing, and they’ll get their man in Covington, a three-and-D specialist who is on a team-friendly contract that’s worth $11.3MM this season and runs through 2021/22.

The Rockets gave up two valuable assets in Capela and their 2020 first-round pick to bring in Covington, Bell, and a second-round pick. By moving Nene and Green in the deal, the team will also move well below the luxury-tax line, which would be a favorable outcome for ownership — while Tilman Fertitta has claimed to have signed off on the club being a taxpayer, it looks like this could be the second straight season that the Rockets sneak out of the tax at the deadline.

On the other hand, as Wojnarowski points out (via Twitter), the structure of the deal would allow Houston to take back up to another $12MM in salary. So until the trade is made official, there’s a window for the Rockets to potentially expand it even further to include another team and player, assuming they find a suitable target, agree on compensation, and are willing to go back into the tax. That won’t be easy, however.

While Bell could play some minutes at the five, the Rockets will remain on the lookout for a more reliable replacement for Capela, either via a trade or on the buyout market, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Houston’s go-to lineup will feature P.J. Tucker at center, but the team still wants a more traditional big to match up with star bigs in the playoffs, notes Tim MacMahon of ESPN (via Twitter).

MacMahon also adds (via Twitter) that Green, who is likely out for the season with a broken foot, had the ability to veto his inclusion in this trade, but won’t do so.

The move will reduce the Rockets’ roster count to 13 players on standard contracts, so the team will have two weeks to get back up to the NBA’s required minimum of 14 players.

Denver Nuggets:

The Nuggets were said to be seeking a first-round pick for Beasley and a second-round pick for Hernangomez, their two restricted-free-agents-to-be. They won’t quite meet that asking price, but they’ll at least get the first-rounder they were looking for, acquiring Houston’s 2020 pick in the deal.

In addition to sending out Beasley and Hernangomez, Denver also moved Vanderbilt and will bring back four players: Green, Bates-Diop, Napier, and Vonleh. The team had an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no one will have to be waived, though MacMahon reports (via Twitter) that Green is expected to be cut after the trade is official, once again opening up that last roster spot.

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski observes (via Twitter), Napier and Vonleh are capable of playing rotation minutes and providing depth off the bench for the Nuggets. Bates-Diop will probably be further down on the depth chart. Napier and Vonleh will be unrestricted free agents at season’s end, while KBD has a non-guaranteed minimum salary for 2020/21.

Having previously traded away their own 2020 first-round selection for Jerami Grant, the Nuggets can get back into this year’s draft with Houston’s first-rounder. Of course, with Wojnarowski suggesting Denver will continue to be active before Thursday’s deadline, that pick could theoretically be flipped in another move.

Atlanta Hawks:

The Hawks have been linked to several centers over the course of the season, reportedly expressing interest in Andre Drummond, Steven Adams, and Dewayne Dedmon, among others. In recent days, the club appeared to be zeroing in on Capela, a big man whose rim-running ability will complement Trae Young on offense and whose rim-protecting ability could help bail out Young on defense.

Atlanta will surrender Turner’s expiring contract, Brooklyn’s lottery-protected 2020 first-round pick, and an extra future second-round pick in order to lock up Capela. The move will give the Hawks some cost certainty in the middle — Capela, who has a $14.9MM cap hit in 2019/20, has three more years and about $51.3MM left on his contract after this season. He won’t be eligible for free agency until the summer of 2023.

Acquiring a center now rather than waiting until the summer and trying to land one in free agency will give the Hawks the opportunity to evaluate how Capela looks next to big man John Collins. A heel injury is currently nagging Capela, but it’s not believed to be an issue that jeopardizes the rest of his season.

A 2017 first-round pick, Collins will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2020 offseason. If he meshes with Capela down the stretch, Atlanta would likely be more willing to invest heavily long-term in Collins, who is expected to seek the max or something close to it.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the Hawks are currently carrying 15 players, so they’ll have to waive or trade someone in order to take back both Capela and Nene for Turner, even if they intend to eventually release Nene.

Minnesota Timberwolves:

Although the Timberwolves probably would have preferred to get the Warriors involved in this deal to acquire Russell, they’ll get a handful of intriguing assets in exchange for Covington and several low-cost role players (Bell, Bates-Diop, Napier, and Vonleh).

Beasley and Hernangomez will both be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, which will give the Wolves the chance to match any offer sheet they sign. Neither player had been great this season in Denver, as a crowded depth chart pushed them out of the rotation at times, but they both had solid seasons in 2018/19.

Beasley averaged 11.3 PPG with a .474/.402/.848 shooting line in 81 games (23.2 MPG) a year ago, while Hernangomez averaged 5.8 PPG and 3.8 RPG on .439/.365/.767 shooting in 70 games (19.4 MPG). The Nuggets explored contract extensions last fall with both players, reportedly offering Beasley $30MM over three years, but they didn’t reach a deal with either one. Now the Wolves will have the opportunity to evaluate them during the season’s final two months and decide whether they’re part of the franchise’s long-term plans.

In addition to acquiring those two Denver players – and a little-used project in Vanderbilt – the Timberwolves take on Turner’s $18.6MM expiring contract, generating some extra cap flexibility for the 2020 offseason by moving off Covington’s guaranteed money. They also secured Brooklyn’s lottery-protected 2020 first-round pick, which could end up at No. 15 or 16 if the Nets hang onto a playoff spot this spring.

This move doesn’t necessarily affect the Wolves’ plans to revisit a Russell trade with the Warriors, though like Allen Crabbe, Turner can’t be aggregated with another player in a deadline deal to match D-Lo’s salary. That Brooklyn first-round pick figures to be one of the assets Minnesota dangles in any offer for Russell.

Like Houston, Minnesota will have two openings on its 15-man roster once this trade is finalized, and will have up to two weeks to get back up to 14 players, the league’s required minimum.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Notes On Nuggets/Wolves/Rockets/Hawks Trade

Within the past month, both Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez approached Nuggets management about the possibility of being traded, a league source tells Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Beasley and Hernangomez were key parts of Denver’s rotation in 2018/19 but had less consistent roles this season in large part due to Jerami Grant‘s arrival and Michael Porter Jr.‘s emergence.

Both players sought more consistent playing time and will now get the chance to earn an increase in minutes in Minnesota. Beasley and Hernangomez, both of whom are eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end, could even become long-term building blocks for the Timberwolves if they finish the 2019/20 season strong.

Here are a few more notes and leftover items on the 12-player, four-team trade that also involved Atlanta and Houston:

  • Beasley was a popular trade target leading up to the deadline — a league source tells Singer that at least 10 or 12 teams had inquired on the fourth-year shooting guard in talks with the Nuggets.
  • Although there has been speculation that the Nuggets intend to use the first-round pick they’re acquiring from Houston as part of a potential package for Jrue Holiday, that wasn’t the team’s plan when it made the deal, Singer writes in a separate Denver Post article. The general belief is that the Pelicans will hang onto Holiday through the deadline anyway.
  • The trade helps clarify a crowded rotation in Denver and gives the Nuggets some options for subsequent moves, says Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
  • Daryl Morey and the Rockets are going all-in on their small-ball philosophy by essentially swapping Clint Capela for Robert Covington, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The deal shows just how unconventional Houston is willing to get, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who explores the reasons why the team was okay with moving on from Capela.
  • Meanwhile, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic examines what Capela will bring to the Hawks and what the move means for the franchise’s present and future. As Kirschner points out, Atlanta wasn’t willing to give up a first-round pick for Andre Drummond, but did so for Capela, who is locked in for several years at a reasonable price. Capela should fit in with the Hawks’ up-tempo offense and help anchor their defense, Kirschner adds.
  • Count Trae Young among those excited by the Hawks‘ acquisition of Capela. Getting Clint, it’s big-time,” Young said, per Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links). “I already shot him a text and talked to him. I’m excited about getting him. … There’s been times late in games where we just couldn’t get a stop. All we needed was one stop. Having him makes our defense that much better.” Young’s enthusiasm is a good sign for the Hawks, since there were rumblings earlier this season that the second-year star wanted the team to make a move.

Evan Turner Would Draw Interest If Bought Out

One of four players headed to Minnesota in the Timberwolvesfour-team trade with Denver, Houston, and Atlanta, Evan Turner looks like a potential candidate to reach free agency in the coming weeks. Sean Deveney of Heavy.com suggests the Wolves are likely to buy out Turner in the coming days if his $18.6MM expiring contract can’t be used in another deadline deal.

Still, it’s not a lock yet that Turner won’t suit up for his new team. Darren Wolfson of SKOR North suggested this morning (via Twitter) that his early sense is that the veteran guard will stick around and play for the Wolves for now. Wolfson later noted (via Twitter) that Minnesota could take a few weeks to make a final decision, since the deadline to waive Turner and allow him retain his playoff eligibility is March 1.

Agent Kevin Bradbury said in a statement to Wolfson that no decisions have been made yet on Turner’s status.

“We’re working through all the options with G.R. (Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas) right now,” Bradbury wrote in a text message. “They have been professional and upfront with everything. Evan is a 10-year vet who has a lot of basketball left in him and understands this is a business. We’re open to working with (Rosas) to help everyone accomplish their goals.”

At least in the short term, Turner’s veteran experience and his ball-handling ability could help a Timberwolves team that’s undergoing some major changes and has now moved both of its top two point guards (Shabazz Napier and Jeff Teague) in in-season deals. However, he’s probably not in the organization’s plans beyond this season and may appreciate the opportunity to join a contender sooner rather than later.

If Turner eventually gets a buyout, multiple teams are expected to have interest in him, league sources tell Deveney. The Celtics – who may be looking for some bench scoring – and the Heat would likely be among the teams with interest, Deveney adds. For what it’s worth, Miami is right up against a hard cap and would have to move a little salary to sign a veteran like Turner.

Wolves At Impasse With Warriors In D-Lo Talks

The Warriors are moving on from conversations with the Timberwolves about a D’Angelo Russell trade for now, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). As Charania explains, Golden State has been firm in its asking price for Russell, and Minnesota has been unwilling to meet that price to this point.

The Warriors and Timberwolves exchanged trade concepts throughout the day, but a significant gap remains, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that Golden State is exploring deals that would help them shed salary and acquire draft assets. According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the impasse between the two teams can be attributed in large part to a disagreement over draft compensation.

O’Connor reports that the Timberwolves are offering their own protected 2020 first-round pick as well as Brooklyn’s lottery-protected 2020 first-rounder, which would be acquired as part of a multi-team trade sending Robert Covington to Houston and Clint Capela to Atlanta. However, the Warriors prefer future first-round picks, including Minnesota’s unprotected 2021 first-rounder, according to O’Connor, who notes that the 2020 draft isn’t considered a particularly strong one.

Interestingly, multiple league sources told O’Connor that Andrew Wiggins was part of “every iteration” of the potential swap being discussed by the Wolves and Warriors.

Although the Warriors are no longer actively involved in trade talks with the Wolves, Hawks, and Rockets, those three teams continue to engage, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter). In fact, Charania reports (via Twitter) that those discussions are becoming serious.

Minnesota, Atlanta, and Houston are still exploring a trade that would send Covington to the Rockets, Capela to the Hawks, and Evan Turner‘s expiring contract and draft compensation to Minnesota, per Charania, who says that a new fourth team could emerge to round out the deal. The Nuggets are among the candidates to become that fourth team, tweets Wojnarowski, though he cautions that the situation is fluid and talks with other teams are ongoing.

With Denver looming as a potential fourth team, it’s worth noting that the Wolves have eyes for Malik Beasley, according to our Chris Crouse. Minnesota also has interest in Gary Harris, a source tells Crouse. If the Nuggets deal Harris, it would give them some extra financial flexibility to work out a deal with Beasley, who is a restricted free agent after the season.

There are a ton of moving parts involved in these discussions, so we’ll have to wait to see what’s next. D-Lo remains Minnesota’s top priority, so if the Wolves, Hawks, and Rockets end up completing a three-team trade involving Covington and Capela, Gersson Rosas‘ group could hang onto the assets it gets in that deal and attempt to re-open Russell talks with Golden State closer to the deadline or even in the offseason.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/4/20

Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

Trade Rumors: Bembry, Ojeleye, Celtics, Bertans

Hawks swingman DeAndre’ Bembry, who is dealing with a hand injury, could be moved before the deadline, per a source. The Timberwolves are among the teams with eyes on the wing, though interest around the league isn’t expected to be strong.

It’s possible that Bembry is included in a potential multi-team D’Angelo Russell trade. Bembry starred at St. Joe’s before being selected with the No. 21 overall pick. Through three-plus seasons on the Hawks, the New Jersey native hasn’t taken flight.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • At least one team has an interest in trading for Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye, provided the price tag isn’t significant at all, a source tells Hoops Rumors. The 25-year-old has played in 47 games for Boston this season.
  • All signs point to a quiet deadline for the Celtics, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It feels like it’s kind of dead right now,” one league source told the Boston writer. Himmelsbach also noted that Houston was the party to initiate the Clint Capela talks, adding that it now appears those talks aren’t going anywhere because of the Rockets‘ high asking price.
  • As we passed along last month, the Wizards love Davis Bertans and see him as a long-term piece. Not much has changed, according to Candace Buckner of the Washington Post, the team plans on keeping the 27-year-old power forward and wants to re-sign him this offseason.
  • The Celtics remain interested in Bertans, per Himmelsbach. Chris Mannix of SI.com shared similar intel earlier today, writing that Boston’s interest in Bertans is “strong.”  However, according to Himmelsbach, the C’s appears resigned to the fact that they’re not getting the power forward.

Latest On Wolves’ Multi-Team D’Angelo Russell Trade Talks

As multiple reports have indicated, the Timberwolves have been making an effort to orchestrate multi-team trade talks involving the Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks that would help them land point guard D’Angelo Russell.

The basic goal of such a four-team deal would be get a center (Clint Capela) to Atlanta, a wing (Robert Covington) to Houston, Russell to Minnesota, and various assets to Golden State. However, according to those previous reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, Minnesota and Golden State haven’t been able to find common ground on a package for Russell.

The Timberwolves may need to give the Warriors flexibility on which year(s) they’d prefer to get draft picks, league sources tell Wojnarowski.

Multi-team trades aren’t easy to complete, so this mega-trade is certainly no lock to get done. But it also doesn’t appear as if the clubs involved have given up yet. Here are the latest updates on these four-team discussions:

  • Within his report, Wojnarowski suggests that Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins would almost certainly have to be included in any trade involving Russell for financial reasons, and our Chris Crouse confirms (via Twitter) that Wiggins has been discussed as part of a potential deal.
  • According to Jabari Young of CNBC (Twitter link), Hawks swingman Evan Turner – who has a pricey expiring contract – and Warriors center Kevon Looney are among the other players whose names have come up as parts of this potential trade.
  • The Hawks, Timberwolves, and Warriors are talking about what draft picks (and possible protections) would be involved in the trade, according to Young (Twitter link). The Rockets aren’t involved in that aspect of the deal and would presumably just receive Covington and a center, Young adds.
  • Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) hears that the Rockets like Looney as a potential option to replace Capela in the middle if they can land a three-and-D upgrade such as Covington.
  • According to John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link), a four-team, seven-player trade that includes Wiggins, Russell, Covington, Capela, Looney, Turner, and Nene could get both the Warriors and Rockets out of the tax. Wojnarowksi has suggested that the Warriors are interested in shedding some salary — they’d avoid repeater penalties if they sneak below the tax line this year.