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Timberwolves To Waive Bryn Forbes

February 9th, 2023 at 12:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Timberwolves are waiving guard Bryn Forbes, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets.

Minnesota needed to open up a roster spot to complete the agreed-upon three-team trade with the Lakers and Jazz. The Timberwolves are trading D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles and bringing in guards Mike Conley and  Nickeil Alexander-Walker,

Forbes was on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, so waiving him will not have any implications beyond this season.

The 29-year-old hadn’t seen much playing time with Minnesota. He appeared in 24 games off the bench, averaging 3.3 points in 10.6 minutes. Forbes appeared in a combined 75 regular season games with San Antonio and Denver last season.

A career 40.9 percent 3-point shooter, Forbes could be an interesting option for a contender looking for bench help once he clears waivers.

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Northwest Notes: Hyland, Blazers, Nurkic, Wolves, Thunder

February 9th, 2023 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

Second-year Nuggets guard Bones Hyland is considered a strong candidate to be moved ahead of this afternoon’s trade deadline, but if it were up to teammate Michael Porter Jr., Hyland wouldn’t be going anywhere, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscription required). In addition to wanting Hyland to remain in Denver, Porter would also like to see him back in the club’s rotation.

“Bones is one of my favorite players, and I think he’s such a great player and person,” Porter said. “Circumstances make it so that sometimes he’s misunderstood, but me and him have a good connection. He’s such a talented player, obviously he should be on the floor. Everyone knows that. I don’t know what the future’s gonna hold for him, but I wish he was here. I wish he would stay here, and I wish it could be figured out. Obviously, that’s not up to me. That’s up to the front office.”

Hyland, who reportedly hasn’t been thrilled with his modest role in Denver, has been a DNP-CD for the team’s past four games. The Nuggets are believed to be seeking a first-round pick or a defensive-minded wing in any deal involving the 22-year-old.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Although the Trail Blazers‘ deal sending Josh Hart to New York doesn’t exactly scream “win now,” star guard Damian Lillard didn’t mind the move, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. “I think it’s a game of chess … you gotta do what you gotta do, and trust the process that repositioning ourselves will be beneficial,” Lillard said. “… I’ve always liked Cam Reddish a lot.”
  • Jusuf Nurkic recognizes that the Trail Blazers‘ plans could change at the last minute before the deadline, but he said on Wednesday that general manager Joe Cronin has told him he won’t be on the move this week. “We had a really good, nice chat,” Nurkic said, per Quick. “I don’t know if I should really put it out there, but he said, ‘No, we are not trading you.'”
  • Given how aggressively the Timberwolves recruited and pursued D’Angelo Russell in 2019 and 2020, Wednesday’s trade agreement sending Russell out in a deal for Mike Conley represents a major philosophical shift in the team’s direction at point guard, says Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. While Russell was a scorer who could pass, Conley is more of a “classic” point guard, and the Wolves could use a veteran with his ability to organize and lead a team, Krawczynski explains.
  • It’s unlikely to be too eventful a trade deadline for the Thunder, who aren’t yet ready to be buyers and don’t have many veterans worth selling, writes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (subscription required).
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Lakers/Jazz/Wolves Trade Notes: 2027 Pick, Westbrook, Conley, TPEs

February 9th, 2023 at 6:26am CST by Luke Adams

After months of speculation about whether the Lakers would include both of their tradable future first-round picks (2027 and 2029) in a Russell Westbrook trade, the club only attached its 2027 first-rounder to Westbrook in a three-team trade agreement with Minnesota and Utah. Perhaps most importantly, the Lakers’ front office retained its ability to trade its 2029 pick despite lightly protecting the 2027 selection.

As Zach Lowe of ESPN tweets, the top-four protected 2027 first-round pick the Lakers are sending to the Jazz in the deal won’t carry over to 2028 if it lands in its protected range. In that scenario, the Lakers would instead send their ’27 second-round pick to Utah.

If the protections on the first-round pick had carried over to 2028 (or 2029), the Lakers’ ability to trade their 2029 first-rounder would’ve been significantly hampered due to the Stepien rule that prohibits teams from leaving themselves without first-round selections in consecutive future seasons. But because Los Angeles’ obligations to Utah will end in 2027 no matter where that pick lands, the Lakers still have the ability to dangle their 2029 first-rounder, unencumbered, in trade talks today or during the offseason.

Here’s more on the three-team deal that’s sending D’Angelo Russell back to Los Angeles and Mike Conley to Minnesota:

  • “Addition by subtraction” was part of the Lakers‘ thinking in moving Westbrook, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who hears from team and league sources that Westbrook’s situation in Los Angeles had become “untenable” during the last week, with both sides ready to move on from the partnership.
  • The Lakers took a patient, diligent approach to solving the Westbrook problem, passing on opportunities last offseason and earlier this season to trade both of their available first-round picks in deals with Indiana, Brooklyn, and others, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. While the Lakers still have a ways to go to even qualify for the postseason, they’re far better equipped now to earn a spot and to be competitive in a playoff series, in Pincus’ view.
  • Losing Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and especially Conley hit the Jazz‘s locker room hard, according to Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “You know that trades are like a legitimate thing, but to go through it,” rookie center Walker Kessler said, before trailing off. “I’m a very empathetic person, so you just kind of feel for them. I’m not saying anything was done wrong. It’s part of the business, but it’s definitely a hard thing to go through.”
  • Although Conley was “universally beloved” within the organization, the Jazz‘s front office wanted to move his contract, which was a factor in the decision to make the trade, says Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Conley’s deal includes a $14MM+ partial guarantee for next season.
  • In a column for The Star Tribune, Chip Scoggins says that trading Russell was the right move for the Timberwolves, but suggests that the team’s long-term plan is still unclear. As Scoggins notes, the Wolves are ostensibly in win-now mode, but just traded away their starting point guard and still don’t have a timeline for Karl-Anthony Towns‘ return.
  • Assuming no new pieces are added to the three-team trade once it’s made official, the Jazz will create trade exceptions worth approximately $5MM and $4.4MM, while the Timberwolves will generate a trade exception worth $3.7MM. The Lakers will create two trade exceptions as well, though neither will be worth more than $2.3MM.
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Deveney’s Latest: Lowry, D. Robinson, Crowder, Okoro, G. Williams, Warriors

February 8th, 2023 at 6:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat haven’t been able to find a taker for Kyle Lowry and may not be able to work out a significant deal before the deadline, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy. Sources tell Deveney that Miami had Lowry trade offers rejected by the Nets, Mavericks and Timberwolves and wasn’t able to generate much traction with any other team.

Lowry’s age (36) and contract (fully guaranteed at $29.68MM next season) have been major impediments to finding a trade partner. In addition, he has been limited to 44 games because of injuries, including a current bout with left knee soreness that could sideline him through the All-Star break.

The Heat also haven’t found much of a market for Duncan Robinson, who is under contract for $57MM over the next three years, although the last season isn’t fully guaranteed. Robinson has seen his playing time reduced this season and underwent finger surgery in January. Deveney suggests Miami will need to attach a future first-round pick and a young player to trade Lowry or Robinson, and he notes that some teams have expressed interest in rookie Nikola Jovic and Max Strus.

“They thought they were going to have more assets at this point, that Robinson might be playing better, that (Victor) Oladipo would be better, that Omer (Yurtseven) would be better, that Strus would be better, that Lowry would have value,” an NBA executive told Deveney. “That is why they were confident they would make a move. But they missed on pretty much all of those bets, and it is going to be hard to pull something off.”

Deveney passes along a few more rumors:

  • The Suns appear willing to accept Caleb Martin from the Heat in exchange for Jae Crowder, but Miami is reluctant to part with Martin, who is 27 and has an affordable contract. Sources tell Deveney that Phoenix is talking to several other teams about Crowder, including the Nets.
  • The Cavaliers likely won’t deal for another wing if the cost is Isaac Okoro, according to Deveney, who notes that Cleveland has discussed Josh Hart with the Trail Blazers, Bojan Bogdanovic with the Pistons and Malik Beasley with the Jazz.
  • The Celtics aren’t exploring Grant Williams trades before the deadline, Deveney adds. Although Williams will be a free agent this summer after not reaching a contract extension, Boston prefers to hold onto him at his current bargain price of $4.3MM and may consider a sign-and-trade in the offseason.
  • The Warriors are listening to offers for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman, but Deveney hears that their trade value may have decreased from a lack of playing time.
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Lakers, Jazz, Wolves Discussing Russell, Conley, Westbrook

February 8th, 2023 at 4:30pm CST by Luke Adams

4:30p.m.: The Lakers and Jazz have the structure of a trade in place, but the deal will depend on what the Wolves get in return for Russell, particularly in terms of draft assets, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who adds that Minnesota has discussed Russell with other teams as well.

2:49pm: The Lakers, Jazz, and Timberwolves are engaging in discussions on a potential three-team trade that would send Mike Conley to Minnesota, D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles, and Russell Westbrook and draft compensation (including a first-round pick) to Utah, according to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link) that the Lakers were talking to Minnesota about Russell and says the Wolves would also receive some draft compensation in the deal if it’s finalized (Twitter link).

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), Jazz swingman Malik Beasley and Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt have been included in versions of the proposed trade. Charania confirms as much, tweeting that those two players would end up with the Lakers.

The three teams continue to negotiate and are working through draft picks and pick protections, sources tell The Athletic. Wojnarowski cautions that the Jazz remain involved in other trade discussions involving Conley, so it’s not a sure thing that this three-team swap will be completed.

Veteran point guards Conley, Russell, and Westbrook have all been the subject of trade rumors for much of the 2022/23 season. Russell and Westbrook are on expiring contracts and haven’t engaged in serious extension talks to remain with their current teams beyond this year; Conley has a partially guaranteed contract for next season, but may not have a place in the rebuilding Jazz’s future.

The Lakers have explored possible Westbrook trades since last offseason, but have thus far been unwilling to include the kind of draft capital it would take to move off his $47MM+ cap hit and acquire multiple reliable rotation players in return.

Due to restrictions affecting earlier picks, L.A. can only currently trade its first-rounders for 2027 and 2029. It’s unclear whether the team would give up both of those picks in this proposed deal, but it’s safe to assume at least one would be included, since the trade would provide the Lakers with two strong outside shooters in Russell and Beasley, along with a versatile wing and frontcourt defender in Vanderbilt, addressing two of the club’s biggest needs.

Russell, of course, is a former Laker, having been selected second overall by the franchise in the 2015 draft.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, may view Conley as a better fit in their backcourt alongside rising star Anthony Edwards than Russell has been. Conley also had success playing with Rudy Gobert in Utah and could potentially help make the big man more comfortable in Minnesota.

In addition to the promising on-court fit, having Conley under contract for next season would allow the Wolves to head into the summer without having to worry about negotiating a new contract for their starting point guard, as they would with Russell.

As for the Jazz, they would likely buy out Westbrook if they move forward on this trade, as Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report confirms (via Twitter). The motivation on Utah’s end would be to cash in veterans for future draft picks as the team continues its rebuilding process.

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Scotto’s Latest: Hart, Knicks, Thybulle, Prince, Nuggets, Suns

February 8th, 2023 at 11:44am CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks are among the teams with interest in Trail Blazers wing Josh Hart, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Previous reports have linked the 27-year-old to the Cavaliers and possibly the Heat.

Hart is expected to decline his $12.96MM player option for 2023/24, which is non-guaranteed, in search of a long-term deal. His cap hit for ’22/23 is also $12.96MM.

As Scotto notes, Hart won a national championship in college at Villanova with Knicks guards Jalen Brunson and Ryan Arcidiacono. Through 51 games (33.4 MPG), he’s averaging 9.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3.9 APG and 1.1 APG on .504/.304/.731 shooting.

The Knicks have a number of options for potentially matching Hart’s salary in a trade. However, since the Blazers are unlikely to be interested in Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier, combining some smaller contracts could be in play — Cam Reddish and Obi Toppin would work, for example.

Here’s more from Scotto:

  • Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle is drawing a significant amount of interest around the NBA. In addition to the Warriors, Kings and Hawks, the Pacers, Trail Blazers, Bucks, Mavericks, Hornets, Raptors and Suns have all had exploratory conversations with Philadelphia regarding the former first-round pick, Scotto reports. A two-time All-Defensive Second Team member, Thybulle is playing a career-low 12.1 minutes per game in ’22/23 and will hit restricted free agency if he’s tendered a $6.28MM qualifying offer, Scotto notes.
  • The Nuggets are interested in Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince, sources tell Scotto. Prince’s cap hit this season is $7.3MM and he has a non-guaranteed $7.65MM cap hit for ’23/24. In addition to Bones Hyland, the Nuggets are also open to moving Zeke Nnaji for a roster upgrade, sources tell HoopsHype. Prince has dealt with injuries in ’22/23, but has posted a rock-solid .479/.389/.833 shooting line in 33 games (21.1 MPG) off Minnesota’s bench. Ish Smith ($4.73MM) would likely be included if one of Hyland ($2.2MM) or Nnaji ($2.6MM) were moved for Prince due to salary-matching rules.
  • When Scotto asked Suns forward Cameron Johnson about his impending restricted free agency, he suggested he hopes to remain in Phoenix going forward. “I love being in Phoenix,” Johnson replied. “I love the team, the staff, and the city. The organization has treated me really well to this point. Whatever the future holds, the future holds. Phoenix has really become a home to me. These guys have become my brothers, which from my understanding, is not something you should take for granted in professional sports.”
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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.
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Trade Rumors: E. Gordon, Tate, Suns, Hyland, Vanderbilt, More

February 8th, 2023 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

The list of teams interested in Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon has narrowed to a handful of contenders, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who reports that the Suns and Clippers are among the clubs still in the mix.

Gordon has made his preference for a trade known to the Rockets, but Houston doesn’t plan to deal him just for the sake of it, says Iko. A source close to Gordon tells The Athletic that the veteran isn’t expected to push for a buyout if he’s still a Rocket after the deadline, so the club would be OK hanging onto him. However, if the Rockets get an offer that includes a first-round pick, a promising young player, or a “defensive-minded veteran on team-friendly money,” they’ll likely pull the trigger, Iko writes.

According to Iko, forward Jae’Sean Tate is among the other Rockets players drawing trade interest ahead of Thursday’s deadline. The Suns, Nuggets, Celtics, and Wizards are among the teams eyeing Tate, sources tell The Athletic. However, Houston still values the 27-year-old due in part to his selfless playing style and his attention to detail, per Iko, and would require a strong offer to part with him.

A few teams also inquired on second-year wing Josh Christopher, but those discussions didn’t go far, according to Iko, and the former first-round pick has been playing well as of late, averaging 12.4 PPG on 61.5% shooting in his last five games (18.5 MPG). He sounds likely to stay put in Houston.

Here are more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

  • Multiple league sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscriber link) that the Raptors – along with the Pelicans and Timberwolves – have registered interest in Nuggets guard Bones Hyland. Singer has heard from sources that Denver believes it has traction on acquiring a first-round pick for Hyland, though the team would prefer to acquire a win-now player who could immediately step into the rotation. The Nuggets are prioritizing a defensive-minded wing, Singer reiterates.
  • Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required) continues to hear from multiple sources that Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt is a leading trade target for the Sixers. Jake Fischer reported over the weekend that Philadelphia was interested in Vanderbilt.
  • The Nets sent $2.58MM in cash to the Kings in the Kessler Edwards trade that was completed on Tuesday, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). That money is enough to cover Edwards’ remaining salary for 2022/23 as well as his $1.93MM team option for ’23/24 if Sacramento chooses to pick it up.
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NBA G League Announces 24 Players For Next Up Game

February 7th, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League announced today that G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson and Timberwolves/Iowa Wolves forward Luka Garza have been named team captains for the NBAGL Next Up Game, which will take place in Salt Lake City during All-Star weekend.

While the exhibition match isn’t technically being called a G League All-Star Game, that’s essentially what it is. The 24-player pool was selected by a fan vote and by the league itself.

Henderson averaged 21.2 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 4.3 RPG in six Showcase Cup games (28.5 MPG) before missing time with an injury. The guard, widely projected to be the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, has registered 17.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 4.5 RPG in 11 regular season games (29.8 MPG) since returning.

Garza, meanwhile, has been dominant at the G League level while playing for the Timberwolves on a two-way contract. He averaged 29.8 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 3.2 APG on .628/.500/.794 shooting in nine Showcase Cup games (34.4 MPG) and has been boosted those averages in two regular season games (32.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 5.0 APG) for the Iowa Wolves.

Here’s the full list of players who will take part in the G League Next Up Game:

(* Players marked with an asterisk are on two-way contracts with NBA teams.)

As is the case with the NBA All-Star Game, the team captains – in this case, Henderson and Garza – will select their 12-man squads in a draft. The draft for the G League Next Up Game will take place on February 14.

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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.
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