Timberwolves Rumors

Booker, Paul Head List Of Western Conference All-Star Reserves

Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul were among seven players named to the Western Conference All-Star reserve pool, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

The Jazz duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert also made the list, along with the Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, the Warriors’ Draymond Green and the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic.

Green announced he will not play in the All-Star game due to back and calf injuries, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select his replacement.

The Western Conference starter pool was announced last week.

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was chosen along with Lakers forward LeBron James and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic among Western Conference frontcourt candidates. The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant joined the Warriors’ Stephen Curry as the backcourt duo in the starter pool.

Northwest Notes: Ingles, Edwards, Beverley, Reed

Jazz swingman Joe Ingles, recently ruled out for the season with an ACL tear, seems likely to either see his expiring $14MM contract traded or waived by Utah, writes Sarah Todd of the Deseret News.

Todd writes that wing Danuel House appears likely to ink a guaranteed deal with Utah, but that the team may need more help than that. The Jazz also have a $7.4MM trade exception they could use to their advantage. Until the team makes another addition to its roster, Todd projects Eric Paschall to see more run in the absence of Ingles.

Tony Jones of The Athletic concurs that it seems probable House will get a guaranteed deal in the wake of the Ingles injury. Jones opines that Ingles will be tough to replace as a reliable wing shooter and ball-handler, particularly in the pick-and-roll. Jones notes that the Jazz, hopeful to make a championship push this season, will most likely look to shore up their roster beyond just keeping House around.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

  • Timberwolves second-year swingman Anthony Edwards is confident he can reach All-Star levels, possibly even this season, writes Marc Spears of the Undefeated. “My main goal is to get into the All-Star Game,” Edwards said ahead of the NBA revealing coaches’ picks tonight for the 2022 game in Cleveland next month. “I know I am going to get in the Rising Stars Game [this season]. I want to be in [the] All-Star Game.” The 20-year-old is averaging 22.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 3.7 APG, with shooting splits of .443/.363/.807 across 40 games for the 26-25 Timberwolves this year. Responding to a question about his ceiling as a player, Edwards was optimistic. “I don’t think I got one,” he said. “I think I can be as good as anyone.”
  • When asked about the possibility of being dealt at or before the impending trade deadline this season, Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley indicated that he hopes to stick around in Minnesota, both for the rest of this season and perhaps past it, per Chris Hine of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). “It’s been great here,” Beverley said of his tenure in Minnesota. “Especially trying to establish a culture, a winning culture here … They allowed me to be myself here. Allowed me to do my thing, and that’s affected on and off the court on the team.”
  • Nuggets shooting guard Davon Reed expressed confidence that he has shown he can be more than a “fringe” player in the league, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “I can defend multiple positions, I can make open shots and, given the opportunity, I can make plays for my team as well,” Reed said. He has certainly earned rave reviews from head coach Michael Malone. “Every time that kid gets a chance to play, he goes out there and plays at a high level,” Malone said. Reed’s shooting numbers, albeit across a fairly modest 14.4 MPG while taking just 3.4 field goal attempts and 0.2 free throw looks a night, have been encouraging: .500/.476/.800.

2022 NBA Trade Deadline Preview: Northwest Division

With the NBA’s February 10 trade deadline around the corner, we’re taking a closer look at all 30 teams, breaking down their potential plans for the deadline and identifying their most likely trade candidates. We’re focusing today on the Northwest Division.


Denver Nuggets

Trade deadline goals:

A report in early January clearly laid out the Nuggets’ goals: Denver was in the market for help on the wing, along with a backup center. Since then, the team has made a trade with the Spurs to acquire sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and signed big man DeMarcus Cousins to a pair of 10-day contracts.

While the Nuggets moved quickly to address their most pressing needs, we shouldn’t necessarily assume they’re done dealing. Forbes and Cousins are good offensive players, but they could be exposed on defense in big games. That’s the main reason why Forbes fell out of the Bucks’ rotation in the NBA Finals last year, and why Cousins has had a hard time finding a permanent home since dealing with a series of leg injuries from 2018-20.

The Nuggets will likely continue shopping for players – especially on the wing and in the frontcourt – who are more reliable two-way contributors. However, the team’s assets are limited, so it may end up being a fairly quiet deadline.

That wouldn’t be the end of the world for Denver though. The team is holding out hope that Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will be able to return to action by the time the playoffs begin in April. If the Nuggets can get both players back healthy, they’ll be more significant lineup additions than just about any team can hope to acquire at the trade deadline.

Top trade candidates:

JaMychal Green and Jeff Green have popped up in trade rumors here and there this season, but if the Nuggets are going to move either Green, it would probably have to be for a clear upgrade. Jeff has been in the starting lineup for the last month, so I’m skeptical he’ll be shopped; JaMychal is struggling this season, but would have the ability to veto any trade he doesn’t like.

If they do try to move one of those forwards or another veteran player for a roster upgrade, the Nuggets will be hard-pressed to find sweeteners. Having traded away R.J. Hampton and Bol Bol in the last year, they don’t really have expendable prospects to include in trade offers anymore — Bones Hyland and Zeke Nnaji are still around, but they’ve looked good this season and are part of the regular rotation.

Denver’s previous trades also left the club without the ability to realistically trade a future first-round pick due to the Stepien Rule and the Seven-Year Rule. Second-round picks in 2024, 2025, and 2026 are essentially the Nuggets’ only draft ammo.


Minnesota Timberwolves

Trade deadline goals:

The Timberwolves’ desire to land a power forward has been an open secret for the last couple years, and it remains a top priority for the club. However, the urgency to address the position has been lessened by the emergence of Jarred Vanderbilt and the continued development of Jaden McDaniels.

A lineup that includes Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell doesn’t require any more offense-first players who need the ball in their hands, so defense-first players like Vanderbilt and McDaniels (along with guard Patrick Beverley) have meshed well with Minnesota’s stars.

Still, a player who can provide solid defense like Vanderbilt and McDaniels while more reliably knocking down open three-point looks would be an even better fit in the frontcourt. It would keep opposing defenses more honest and would give the Wolves’ top scorers more room to operate. Minnesota will remain on the lookout for that kind of player, with Harrison Barnes and Robert Covington among the veterans who would make sense as targets.

The Wolves have also remained involved in the Ben Simmons sweepstakes, but probably won’t have the assets to make a serious play for him unless Philadelphia significantly lowers its asking price.

Top trade candidates:

Malik Beasley is one player the Timberwolves are known to be shopping. In theory, he could be the sort of three-and-D wing who would make sense alongside Edwards, Russell, and Towns, but both his shooting and defense have been erratic this season — Minnesota has been about eight points per 100 possessions better when he’s not on the court.

Beasley’s contract isn’t exactly team-friendly, but it’s not a major albatross either. He makes $14.5MM this season and $15.6MM in 2022/23, with a $16.5MM team option for 2023/24. In other words, if he doesn’t bounce back going forward, he’s just a few months away from being on an expiring deal.

Beasley isn’t a significant asset on his own, so the Wolves would need to attach a young player or draft pick if they’re seeking an upgrade. McDaniels, Naz Reid, or Jaylen Nowell could fit that bill.

If a team is unwilling to take on Beasley’s multiyear contract, Taurean Prince‘s expiring deal could be in play. Former first-round pick Josh Okogie is also a trade candidate, and the Wolves have even been willing to discuss Beverley, though the odds of him being moved are slim.


Oklahoma City Thunder

Trade deadline goals:

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but it looks like the Thunder’s primary goal at this season’s deadline will be to acquire more draft picks.

Someday, the Thunder will shift from asset accumulation mode into contending mode, but that day hasn’t arrived yet. At 16-34 and with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battling an ankle injury, Oklahoma City isn’t in the running for a play-in spot in the West and is once again prioritizing player development and draft positioning over its place in the standings.

The Thunder are well positioned to acquire draft picks this season even if they don’t want to sell off any of their current players. Their cap situation means they’ll get the first call from any team looking to dump an unwanted contract. And, depending on the size of the contract, they should be able to accommodate multiple deals — if they remove all the cap holds from their books, the Thunder will have over $33MM in cap room to work with.

Oklahoma City acquired two future first-round picks in the 2021 offseason by taking on Kemba Walker and Derrick Favors in separate deals. They’ll be looking for ways to do that again at the deadline.

Top trade candidates:

While the Thunder could be satisfied to take on unwanted contracts and the draft picks that come along with them, they also could shop two or three of their veterans, if they so choose.

Kenrich Williams is perhaps the most intriguing player in this group. A throw-in for salary-matching purposes in 2020’s Steven Adams trade, Williams has emerged as a reliable (and underrated) three-and-D forward who would fit nicely into most playoff teams’ rotations. I’m not sure the Thunder will get the first-round pick they reportedly want for him, but it’s certainly not inconceivable, especially if they take back some bad money. Williams is under contract through next season at just $2MM per year.

Oklahoma City would also presumably move Favors for a modest return, but he has a $10MM+ player option for 2022/23, so he’s probably doesn’t have positive trade value at this point.

Certain Thunder youngsters – particularly Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey – will be off the table at the deadline, but the club will be willing to discuss the ones who are less likely to be part of the long-term plan in OKC. I expect the Thunder to receive plenty of inquiries on Luguentz Dort — I’d be surprised if they move him unless they get an offer they can’t refuse.


Portland Trail Blazers

Trade deadline goals:

There are a whole lot of directions the Trail Blazers could go at the trade deadline.

The most logical direction based on their roster situation and their place in the standings – and the one we’re assuming they’ll take – would be to hang onto injured star Damian Lillard and their most promising young players (Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little), making any other veterans available as they prioritize next season over this one.

At 21-31, the Blazers are hanging onto the 10th spot in the Western Conference and could conceivably make the playoffs. But even with Lillard back, this isn’t a team that’s going to contend for a title — or even win a first-round series. So reshaping the roster a little and trying to bounce back in 2022/23 makes the most sense.

Top trade candidates:

Focusing on next season means veterans on expiring contracts are logical trade candidates. In Robert Covington and Jusuf Nurkic, Portland has two good ones. Covington, in particular, should net a nice return, with so many playoff teams in the market for a two-way wing.

If the Blazers are willing to move Larry Nance Jr. just a few months after surrendering a first-round pick to acquire him, he’d likely draw plenty of interest too. But he’s under contract for 2022/23 at a team-friendly rate, so there’s no urgency at all to make a move with him.

Simons’ recent emergence has made him a worthwhile long-term keeper, but a backcourt made up of Lillard, Simons, CJ McCollum, and Norman Powell is just too crowded. Even though trading a contract as big as McCollum’s or Powell is harder to do during the season than in the summer, I expect the Blazers will be very open to discussing both players. Ben McLemore is another guard who could be on the move in the next week.

Portland’s front office situation is worth taking into account as we consider what they may or may not do at the deadline. Will interim GM Joe Cronin have the freedom to make significant changes to the roster? Based on the changes he has already made to the organization’s basketball operations department, it appears the answer is yes.


Utah Jazz

Trade deadline goals:

The Jazz couldn’t ask for a better defensive anchor than Rudy Gobert, but the three-time Defensive Player of the Year isn’t getting a whole lot of help on that end of the floor. Despite Gobert’s presence, Utah ranks in the middle of the pack in defensive efficiency. The team is also giving up nearly nine more points per 100 possessions when Gobert isn’t on the court.

The Jazz’s top priority at the trade deadline stems from this shortcoming — the team badly needs another solid defensive wing or forward who won’t be a black hole on the offensive end. Adding a second unit play-maker who could step in for injured forward Joe Ingles would be a bonus.

Like Minnesota, the Jazz would love to acquire a forward like Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, or Robert Covington, but they aren’t loaded with the assets necessary to make it happen. Utah can’t trade a first-round pick earlier than 2026, and even then, it would have to be conditional (based on the team’s traded 2024 first-rounder not falling in its protected range). The club also lacks the sort of promising young prospects who would move the needle in a trade offer.

If those higher-end targets are out of reach, the Jazz could shift their focus to a Plan B like Josh Richardson or a Plan C such as Josh Okogie or Jarrett Culver.

Top trade candidates:

Ingles has been lauded for years for his impact both on the court and in the locker room. However, he became a trade candidate this year due to his expiring contract and his declining production. Unfortunately, a season-ending ACL tear makes him even more expendable — he won’t be able to play again before his contract expires, so his $13MM salary represents a logical matching piece for the Jazz.

Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson has seen his shooting efficiency fall off this season — his .400 FG% would easily be a career low. I imagine Utah would be open to moving him in a deal for a defensive upgrade, but his guaranteed $13.3MM salary next season and a $14.3MM player option for 2023/24 may turn off some potential trade partners.

Like Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic is an important part of Utah’s scoring attack, but could probably be had in a trade that upgrades the team’s defense without dealing a significant blow to the offense.

Celtics Rumors: Schröder, Richardson, Smart, Williams

There appears to be “a wave of momentum” toward the Celtics completing a Dennis Schröder trade in advance of the February 10 trade deadline, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

In the latest HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto singled out the Bulls as a team to watch for Schröder, noting that Chicago could use some backcourt help with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso sidelined.

Both Scotto and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report mentioned a possible package of Troy Brown Jr. and a second-round pick in exchange for Schröder, with Fischer suggesting that framework has been circulating around the league.

Here’s more on the Celtics:

  • The Celtics explored a possible deal that would’ve sent Josh Richardson and either Romeo Langford or Aaron Nesmith to the Timberwolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, according to Jared Weiss and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Minnesota, right up against the tax and hoping to maintain roster flexibility for bigger deadline moves, wasn’t interested at the time, The Athletic’s duo says.
  • Marcus Smart‘s name has come up recently as a possible target for the Timberwolves, especially if they move Patrick Beverley in another deal, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Weiss suggests the Celtics could probably move Smart for an expiring contract and a first-round pick right now if they wanted to, but adds that “there’s a lot more that goes into moving him beyond finding matching value.”
  • Celtics big man Robert Williams is believed to be on the Raptors‘ list of potential targets as they explore the market for a center, per Fischer. According to Weiss, Boston appears to be rebuffing interest in Williams for now, but anyone on the roster outside of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could theoretically be had.
  • As we relayed earlier this morning, Richardson is considered a possible trade target for Utah.

Western Trade Rumors: Covington, Nurkic, Beverley, Culver, Lakers

Of the veteran Trail Blazers who are candidates to be traded by the February 10 deadline, Robert Covington has been described as the most likely one to be moved, says Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Ben McLemore‘s name has also emerged in recent trade discussions, Fischer adds.

Conversely, there doesn’t seem to be any momentum toward a trade involving Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, according to Fischer. Marc Stein said something similar in a recent Spotify Greenroom session, suggesting he hasn’t heard Nurkic’s name mentioned much in his recent conversations with teams. Stein gets the sense there’s not a “huge amount” of interest in the veteran center (hat tip to HoopsHype).

Nurkic himself recently told Jason Quick of The Athletic that he doesn’t think he’ll be traded this season. If the latest reports from Fischer and Stein are accurate, he may be right.

Here are a few more items from around the Western Conference:

  • The Timberwolves are exploring some possible trade avenues involving Patrick Beverley ahead of his upcoming free agency, Fischer reports. Responding to that report, Minnesota-based reporters Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter links) said that head of basketball operations Sachin Gupta is casting a wide net and is willing to discuss anyone besides Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. However, neither Wolfson nor Krawczynski expects Beverley to be traded.
  • The Grizzlies aren’t considered likely to make any major moves at the trade deadline, but they may receive inquiries on fourth-year swingman Jarrett Culver, Fischer writes. There’s so much leaguewide interest in wings who can play defense that Culver – who isn’t currently part of Memphis’ rotation and will be a free agent this summer – could appeal to another team, Fischer explains.
  • The Lakers, who continue to shop veteran wing Kent Bazemore, have been mentioned as a potential suitor for big man Paul Millsap if he reaches the buyout market, says Fischer. Brooklyn is still looking to trade Millsap.

Josh Richardson, Josh Okogie Among Players On Jazz’s Radar

Celtics swingman Josh Richardson and Timberwolves swingman Josh Okogie are among the wing options the Jazz have discussed as they weigh their trade options, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on HoopsHype’s latest podcast.

Utah also continues to keep an eye on Kings forward Harrison Barnes and Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington, according to Scotto. Barnes – whom new Jazz executive Danny Ainge pursued during his time in Boston – and Covington have previously been identified as potential targets for the club.

Barnes and Covington would certainly come at a higher cost in a trade than Richardson or Okogie. Scotto has heard from executives around the NBA that the Kings are seeking at least a first-round pick in any deal involving Barnes. Utah has a future first-rounder to offer along with Joe Ingles‘ expiring contract, but Scotto thinks Sacramento might push for a player like Bojan Bogdanovic, who could contribute right away, over Ingles, who will be sidelined for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL.

If the Jazz are unable to use Ingles and draft assets to land a player like Barnes or Covington, they could shift their focus to a target like Richardson. In his latest roundup of leaguewide trade rumors, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report says that Utah has been “consistently mentioned” as a possible destination for Richardson.

A January report indicated Boston has been “surprisingly open” to discussing Richardson after trading for him and signing him to a one-year extension during the 2021 offseason. Richardson’s scoring average has dipped to 9.8 PPG, his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2015/16, but he’s hitting 39.1% of his three-point attempts and is a versatile defender.

Okogie, who is shooting a career-worst 35.6% from the floor in just 12.7 minutes per contest (32 games) in 2021/22, will be a free agent at season’s end and is likely viewed as a fallback option for Utah. The former first-round pick is earning just $4.1MM and is a solid defender, but won’t contribute much on offense and probably can’t be counted on to play a significant role on a contending team. He has been in and out of Minnesota’s rotation this season.

NBA Announces 2021/22 Rising Stars Rosters

The NBA has revealed the 28 players (12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite players) who will suit up for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars Game in Cleveland this year, per its official PR account (Twitter links). There are a few intriguing surprises among the first-year NBA players.

Here are the players who made the cut:

Rookies:

Sophomores:

Additionally, four players from the G League Ignite will participate in the Rising Stars Game based on voting from NBA G League head coaches. The NBAGL has announced (Twitter link) that MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy and Scoot Henderson will partake in the action. Players will be separated into four teams, and each G League player will be drafted to join one of the teams later this week.

Among the rookie NBA players, the additions who would be most surprising ahead of the 2021/22 season would be Dosunmu and Jones, both of whom were second-round draft selections. 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo and Moses Moody were all omitted from inclusion this year.

Among the second-year players, Ball could be appearing on multiple nights during All-Star Weekend this season, as he appears to be a very possible first-time All-Star this year thanks to his outstanding work with the upstart Hornets.

The lottery-bound Magic, Pistons, and Rockets can boast having the most inclusions here, with three players apiece.

As we detailed last week, this year’s Rising Stars event will look a little different, with the four teams taking part in a mini-tournament and playing to a target score in each game: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

Wolves Need More From Malik Beasley

  • Malik Beasley‘s last five games have been a microcosm of his season as a whole — the Timberwolves wing scored 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting in Phoenix on Friday, but put up a total of 17 points on 7-of-31 shooting in the other four contests. As Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes, Minnesota badly needs to see Friday’s version of Beasley more often. “It’s on him now,” head coach Chris Finch said. “He’s got to have the right approach. He’s got to stay confident and it’s on him. Opportunity is never going to be the issue. Never going to be the issue.”

Cavaliers Eyeing LeVert, Gordon, Ross, Covington

Caris LeVert, Eric Gordon, and Terrence Ross are among the players the Cavaliers have been monitoring as potential trade targets, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The 29-19 Cavaliers, led by point guard Darius Garland and big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, remain firmly in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, but could use some extra help on the wing. They’re reportedly dangling Ricky Rubio‘s expiring contract and draft assets in trade discussions.

LeVert has been linked to Cleveland several times since word broke in December that the Pacers had made him available, but Gordon and Ross haven’t been mentioned as possibilities for the Cavs nearly as often. Both the Rockets and Magic are believed to be seeking a first-round pick in exchange for their respective wings.

LeVert, Gordon, and Ross are all under contract for at least one more season beyond 2021/22, which perhaps increases their appeal for the Cavs, who wouldn’t want to give up any significant assets for a rental.

Besides those three shooting guards, the Cavs have reached out to the Trail Blazers about Robert Covington, according to Scotto, who says the Timberwolves and Jazz are among the other teams to inquire on the forward. Covington is on an expiring contract and is a bigger wing who doesn’t play the two, so he may not place as high on Cleveland’s list of targets, but it’s worth noting that the team isn’t just looking at guards.

The Cavs also like Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris, says Scotto, but a deadline deal involving Harris seems unlikely. His ongoing recovery from ankle surgery will likely limit what suitors are willing to offer, but Brooklyn wouldn’t want to give him up in a deal that doesn’t include an impact player, per Scotto.

Jordan McLaughlin Exits Protocols

  • Timberwolves guard Jordan McLaughlin has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced on social media. McLaughlin has missed five straight games. He’s appeared in 28 contests this season, averaging 2.2 points and 2.4 assists in 11.2 minutes per contest.