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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/23/19

December 23rd, 2019 at 10:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

The Warriors recalled forward Alen Smailagić from Santa Cruz, according to a team press release. In 11 games with Santa Cruz, Smailagić has posted averages of 16.8 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 25.3 MPG. The rookie has yet to appear in a game for Golden State.
The Wizards recalled guard Justin Robinson from the Capital City Go-Go, the team’s PR department tweets. He had three points and an assist in 16 minutes against New York on Monday.
The Nuggets recalled Jarred Vanderbilt from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team’s PR department tweets. The second-year forward has appeared in three games with Denver this season.
The Sixers recalled forward Jonah Bolden and guard Shake Milton from the Delaware Blue Coats, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Milton made a cameo appearance in the Sixers’ win at Detroit on Monday.
The Timberwolves recalled rookie center Naz Reid from the Iowa Wolves, according to a team press release. Reid is averaging 19.1 PPG and a team-high 10.2 RPG in 14 games for the Iowa Wolves.
The Clippers recalled rookie guard Terance Mann from the Agua Caliente Clippers. Mann has appeared in 22 games, including five starts, for the NBA Clippers.

Wolves Notes: Lineup Changes, Chemistry, Wiggins

December 23rd, 2019 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

A combination of injuries and head coach Ryan Saunders‘ desire to play matchups have resulted in the Timberwolves using 11 different starting lineup combinations this season. While those changes have often been made out of necessity, Jeff Teague believes the lineup juggling has impacted the club’s chemistry, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune details.

“We haven’t been healthy all year, so it is difficult to try and get a rhythm,” the Timberwolves’ veteran point guard said. “Seems like every four games something happens. It’s part of the NBA. Just try to keep adjusting, keep making things happen. Hopefully we can get all on the same page one of these games.”

Since starting the season with a 10-8 record, the Timberwolves have lost 10 consecutive games and dropped to 13th in the Western Conference, so Saunders may continue tweaking the lineup until the club finds a combination that works.

Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins and Nuggets forward Torrey Craig have each signed with CAA Basketball for representation, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link). Craig had previously been represented by Tony Dutt, while Wiggins had been operating without an agent.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/20/19

December 20th, 2019 at 6:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

The Magic recalled forward Amile Jefferson and swingman Melvin Frazier from Lakeland, the team’s PR department tweets. Jefferson has played three games for Lakeland, averaging 23.7 PPG and 13.0 RPG in 34.0 MPG. Frazier has also played three games for Lakeland this season, averaging 13.7 PPG in 32.3 MPG.
The Timberwolves recalled guard Jaylen Nowell from the Iowa Wolves, the team’s PR department tweets. He’s averaged 21.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.4 APG in 33.1 MPG through 15 games in the G League this season.

Wolves Among Teams With Interest In Dennis Smith Jr.

December 18th, 2019 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

While many Knicks trade rumors this season have focused on frontcourt players like Marcus Morris, Bobby Portis, and Taj Gibson, several teams that have been in touch with the Knicks recently believe they’re open to moving a point guard, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

Frank Ntilikina and Elfrid Payton certainly won’t be untouchable, but Begley singles out Dennis Smith Jr. as one player who has drawn interest from multiple teams. Sources tell Begley that the Timberwolves are among the clubs with interest in Smith.

Minnesota has been seeking a long-term answer at point guard, and while Smith may not be that answer, he could represent a low-cost flier for the Wolves. DSJ’s stock has slipped since he was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Mavericks. He’s averaging just 17.0 minutes per game in New York this season, and has received multiple DNP-CDs since Mike Miller took over for David Fizdale.

Still, Smith is only 22 years old and showed on Tuesday vs. Atlanta that he’s still capable of filling up a box score. In just 13 minutes, he recorded eight points, five rebounds, and five assists.

It’s unclear what sort of return the Knicks would want back in a trade involving Smith. Begley hears from one executive that the club probably can’t realistically demand a first-round pick in exchange for the third-year guard, which doesn’t come as a surprise.

Woj, Lowe On D-Lo, Mavs, MPJ, Love, VanVleet, More

December 16th, 2019 at 9:15am CST by Luke Adams

Approximately 120 players around the NBA became trade-eligible on Sunday, signaling the unofficial start of the NBA’s 2019/20 trade season. To celebrate the occasion, Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe hosted an ESPN special to survey the trade market, discussing which teams are most likely to make moves and which players are most likely to be dealt.

Here are several of the highlights from that discussion between Woj and Lowe:

Western Conference:

The Warriors may field trade inquiries on D’Angelo Russell leading up to February’s trade deadline, but they’re unlikely to actively shop him and probably won’t move him before the 2020 offseason, according to Wojnarowski (video link).
Wojnarowski believes the Mavericks would like to acquire a standout center to complement Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis (video link). He cites Montrezl Harrell as one player who might fit that bill, though Dallas would have to wait for the Clippers‘ big man to reach free agency.
The Nuggets essentially view Michael Porter Jr. as “untouchable,” says Wojnarowski (video link).
Wojnarowski and Lowe expect contenders to keep a close eye on Pelicans guards Jrue Holiday and J.J. Redick as the deadline nears (video link). According to Woj, Holiday loves New Orleans, but it’s not clear how patient he’ll be with the team’s rebuilding process.
Woj and Lowe note that the Clippers pursued Marcus Morris in free agency and could have interest in him again on the trade market. Lowe wouldn’t be surprised if the club tries to see what it can get using a package of Maurice Harkless, Patrick Patterson, and its first-round pick (video link).
Wojnarowski views 2019/20 as a pivotal year for the Rockets, adding that GM Daryl Morey seems to have given up trying to find a way to trade for Grizzlies wing Andre Iguodala after exploring multi-team scenarios earlier in the year (video link).

Eastern Conference:

Wojnarowski thinks the best the Cavaliers can realistically expect in a Kevin Love trade is a protected first-round pick, an expiring salary, and another throw-in player (video link). Woj adds that it seems as if Love is “ready to go,” having lost patience with the rebuild in Cleveland.
Count the Raptors and Heat among teams that will be reluctant to make any moves that compromise their 2021 cap flexibility (video links). According to Wojnarowski, Toronto wants to re-sign Fred VanVleet this summer, but continues to eye Giannis Antetokounmpo for ’21. As for the Heat, they seem less likely to trade young players for veterans than they have been in the past.
Pistons owner Tom Gores “loves” Andre Drummond, but the club will soon have to have a serious conversation about whether to go all-in on the veteran center or whether to try to shop him, per Woj (video link).
Lowe thinks players like Timberwolves forward Robert Covington and J.J. Redick will be on the Bucks‘ radar if they’re available, adding that Milwaukee appears willing to go over the tax line for the right deal (video link).

Wolves Rumors: Teague, Wiggins, D-Lo, Covington

December 13th, 2019 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves made it known throughout the NBA during the offseason that veteran point guard Jeff Teague could be had in a trade, and that’s still the case, league sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

Teague, who was signed to a three-year, $57MM deal by former Wolves president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau, is in the final year of that contract, with a $19MM expiring salary. His fit within Minnesota’s offensive system under Ryan Saunders isn’t ideal, as Krawczynski explains, and the club wants to find its point guard of the future.

Here’s more on the Wolves, via Krawczynski:

It’s not year clear which direction Minnesota will go at the trade deadline. The club’s new management group, led by Gersson Rosas, is pragmatic and has a long-term plan for success, so the team is unlikely to compromise that plan for a quick fix, writes Krawczynski. On the other hand, the Wolves figure to be aggressive if they identify a player who fits Karl-Anthony Towns‘ timeline and can be part of that long-term plan.
There was a leaguewide belief this past summer that Andrew Wiggins could be had in a trade, but the Wolves have been encouraged by the progress he has made this fall, and Saunders and Rosas are both in his corner, says Krawczynski. That doesn’t mean Wiggins is untouchable, but it doesn’t sound like he’s actively being shopped either.
The Timberwolves remain interested in D’Angelo Russell after pursuing him in free agency, sources tell Krawczynski.
Minnesota isn’t looking to move Robert Covington, but the club recognizes that if it wants to land an impact player, Covington and its future first-round picks are the most attractive assets it could dangle.

Vonleh Stuck On Bench

December 11th, 2019 at 8:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Wolves center Noah Vonleh has been relegated to the bench a lot lately, tallying eight healthy scratches in the last 10 games heading into tonight’s contest against the Jazz (he has yet to play tonight, too). Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune details Vonleh’s plight. The forward signed a one-year, $2MM contract with Minnesota expecting an opportunity to play, but thus far has seen sparse playing time.

Details On Wolves’ FA Offer To D’Angelo Russell

December 11th, 2019 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

While D’Angelo Russell ultimately landed with the Warriors in free agency as part of a complicated sign-and-trade deal involving Kevin Durant, reports at the time indicated that the Timberwolves made the All-Star point guard their top offseason priority. Anthony Slater of The Athletic confirms as much in an in-depth piece on Russell, citing sources who say Minnesota’s initial offer to Russell was worth about $107MM over four years.

The Wolves and Warriors were two of three serious bidders in the mix for Russell, according to Slater. The Lakers were also in play and would potentially have been willing to make an offer in the $100MM range, but were in a holding pattern as they pursued Kawhi Leonard.

Minnesota “desperately wanted” to pair Russell with Karl-Anthony Towns and had spent much of June planning their recruiting pitch for the 23-year-old, Slater writes. However, when the Warriors put a maximum-salary ($117MM) offer on the table for D-Lo near the start of free agency, it didn’t take him long to choose Golden State.

As Slater details, word of Russell’s tentative agreement with the Dubs broke when D-Lo was being transported back via helicopter from his meeting with the Wolves. “The mood in the cabin changed” when that news came out, Slater writes.

“An awkward goodbye on the tarmac,” a source told The Athletic.

In addition to the fact that the Warriors’ offer was more lucrative financially, Russell was intrigued by the idea of teaming up with two potential Hall-of-Famers like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Speaking to Slater, Russell said he was excited about the idea of getting to “take a year and just learn from all these guys” — he caught himself when he realized he was talking as if expecting a trade.

“Well, we signed a four-year deal,” Russell said. “Hopefully, four years.”

According to Slater, Russell would like to remain with the Warriors for the entirety of his contract, but recognizes the team faces certain roster and cap constraints and knows nothing is guaranteed.

“Yeah, you know, that’s what sucks more than anything,” Russell said of not being able to settle in for the long-term. “Like, it sucks more than anything. That’s kind of what I’m doing now though. I’m kind of just putting two feet into the house that I’m in now.

“… I can’t control if (Warriors president of basketball operations) Bob Myers is like, yo, let’s go get such and such for this and make this pick,” D-Lo added. “That’s his job. I can’t control it or say anything about it, especially if I’m a part of it. So I don’t waste energy worrying about it.”

Northwest Notes: Porter, Murray, Wolves, Jazz

December 10th, 2019 at 10:58pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said he considers expanding Michael Porter Jr.‘s role “everyday”

“I really do,” Malone said (via Mike Singer of The Denver Post). “We met as a staff yesterday and today, this morning prior to shootaround, when you’re 1-4 [over the last five games] and your offense is kind of holding you back, you have to have all options on the table.”

Heading into the night, Porter was averaging just 8.6 minutes per game and has appeared in just 10 contests for Denver.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

Jamal Murray left the Nuggets‘ contest tonight with a torso injury, Singer tweets. The point guard injured himself during a collision with Ben Simmons. There’s no word yet on the severity of the ailment.
Matt John of Basketball Insiders examines whether the Timberwolves will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Minnesota would like to add more talent, though its hard to envision the team making a substantial trade without including one of its core pieces.
The Jazz remain buyers and could certainly use some help after a disappointing start to the 2019/20 campaign, John writes in the same piece. Utah’s bench has struggled and adding depth could be the key to turning around the club’s season.

Rockets Interested In Robert Covington

December 10th, 2019 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

A day after Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Rockets were willing to surrender future assets for help on the wing, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identifies one specific target Houston is eyeing. League sources tell O’Connor that the Rockets have “serious interest” in Timberwolves forward Robert Covington.

Houston isn’t the only team with interest in Covington — O’Connor hears from multiple sources that playoff teams are monitoring the availability of the veteran, who will turn 29 on Saturday. As a very effective three-and-D player with a favorable contract, Covington could net a strong package for the Wolves if they decide to move him before this year’s deadline, O’Connor writes.

In 22 games (all starts) this season, Covington is averaging 12.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.3 SPG with a .455/.369/.902 shooting line for Minnesota. He has an $11.3MM cap hit, with guaranteed salaries of $12.1MM (2020/21) and $13MM (’21/22) to follow.

For the Rockets, putting together a trade package for Covington might be tricky. While Houston could offer its first-round pick in 2020 and/or 2022, matching salaries would be an issue. The team signed Nene to a contract loaded with incentives in the hopes of using him as a salary-matching piece in a deal for a player like Covington, but the NBA ruled that Nene’s outgoing salary in a trade can only be $2.56MM (his guaranteed base) rather than $10MM (his actual cap hit), limiting the club’s options.

The Rockets are also right at the tax line, meaning they could face stricter salary-matching rules, depending on how a deal is structured. If Houston is unwilling to trade one of its five highest-paid players (James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, and P.J. Tucker), the club would have to package at least three smaller contracts for someone like Covington, which would be difficult for Minnesota to accommodate.

For what it’s worth, new Wolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was Daryl Morey‘s top lieutenant for years in Houston, so Rosas will be very familiar with the Rockets’ roster.