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Southwest Notes: Carmelo, Cousins, Faried, DSJ

January 22nd, 2019 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Carmelo Anthony trade between the Rockets and Bulls is still expected to get done at some point soon, but the trade call has yet to take place, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. According to Stein, the deal may have to be amended due to a discrepancy involving the rights to a draft-and-stash player.

In addition to receiving Anthony and cash in the trade, the Bulls are also expected to receive the rights to Marko Todorovic, while the Rockets receive Tadija Dragicevic‘s rights, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. However, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), the NBA has made an effort to crack down on swaps that include a player who aren’t expected to ever come stateside. It’s not clear if those efforts will impact what the Rockets/Bulls swap ultimately looks like.

Let’s round up a few more items from out of the Southwest…

Within an article about DeMarcus Cousins‘ free agency and his debut with Golden State, the big man admits to Shams Charania of The Athletic that he hasn’t forgotten about how his time with the Pelicans playing alongside Anthony Davis ended. “I think about our pairing all the time,” Cousins said. “Me and A.D. talk about it. It’s f—ed up. It could’ve been something great, something special, but other people had different things in mind. That’s out of our control, and you never know what’ll happen later on down the line.”
After sitting on the bench in Denver and Brooklyn, Kenneth Faried is happy to have an opportunity to play an actual role for the Rockets, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle details. “The coaches and team believe in me,” Faried said. “They want me to come out and do what I do. I’m excited to be here.”
The Mavericks are listing Dennis Smith Jr. as a probable starter for his return game tonight, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who tweets that the club never discussed a possible move to the bench with Smith before his sabbatical.
Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic has been fined $10K for kicking the game ball into the stands during Saturday’s game, the NBA announced today in a press release.

And-Ones: Trade Deadline, Cap Space, 2019 Draft

January 21st, 2019 at 9:44pm CST by Luke Adams

For a second consecutive season, the NBA’s trade deadline will fall earlier in the calendar year than it has in the past. The February 7 deadline arrives well before the All-Star break, whereas as recently as 2017, the All-Star Game took place several days before the deadline.

As Danny Leroux of The Athletic writes, the earlier deadline could have some unintended consequences. For one, the buyer/seller ratio is one-sided — so many teams are still within striking distance of the top eight in their respective conferences that there may only be a handful of full-fledged sellers, while most of the rest of the league’s teams will be buyers.

Leroux points to the Magic as one example of a team that could be impacted significantly by the early deadline. Despite an underwhelming 19-27 record, Orlando is still just three games out of the No. 8 seed in the East. With a couple extra weeks to evaluate their playoff odds, perhaps the Magic would be more inclined to sell off pieces like Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, and Jonathon Simmons. If the team is still in the postseason hunt by February 7 though, those players may stay put.

If trade activity is somewhat tepid at this season’s deadline, the NBA should consider re-evaluating its calendar for future seasons, Leroux writes.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Which teams will have cap room during the summer of 2019? In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks previews the market, identifying the clubs that figure to have the most flexibility – like the Mavericks, Pacers, Hawks, and Kings – along with a few teams that could be “wild cards” (the Pelicans, Jazz, and Bucks).
Elsewhere in ESPN’s Insider-only section, Jonathan Givony recently published a two-part feature examining several of the top international draft prospects, including Georgian big man Goga Bitadze and Lithuanian forward Deividas Sirvydis, among others. Bitadze and Sirvydis rank 31st and 33rd on Givony’s most recent big board for 2019.
In the wake of the NBA’s annual trip to London last week, Mark Woods of ESPN.com explores the effect that a homegrown British basketball star might impact the perception of the NBA in the United Kingdom. As Woods outlines, British basketball is still waiting for its first high-profile star, while other European countries like Germany (Dirk Nowitzki), France (Tony Parker), and Spain (the Gasol brothers) have had major NBA success stories over the last couple decades.

Davis' Finger Injury Could Spell Doom

January 21st, 2019 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Anthony Davis‘ finger injury is a body blow to an already scuffling franchise, Scott Kushner of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes. The Pelicans face a tough stretch of games heading into the trade deadline despite beating Memphis by 20 points on Monday. They remain below the .500 mark and are in danger of falling completely out of the playoff picture with Davis expected to miss 1-2 weeks with a left finger sprain.

Anthony Davis To Miss 1-2 Weeks With Left Finger Sprain

January 19th, 2019 at 10:40am CST by marksuleymanov

Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis will miss the next one t0-two weeks due to a left index finger sprain, the team announced in a press release Saturday. Davis’ agent Rich Paul said the big man will re-evaluate the injury in three to four days before deciding on whether or not to see a hand specialist, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Davis suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 128-112 loss to Portland on Friday night. He finished the game with 27 points and seven rebounds.

The 25-year-old is enjoying another MVP-caliber season in 2018/19. In 41 games, the five-time All-Star is averaging career-highs with 29.3 PPG, 13.3 RPG and 2.6 BPG

At 21-25, the Pelicans are currently four games back of the Lakers (25-21) for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Playing without their best player, the Pelicans will need a strong effort from the rest of the team to keep pace in the West.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest Division

January 18th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

Southwest trade candidates like Dennis Smith, Wesley Matthews, and Carmelo Anthony have been in the news lately, but we’ve discussed them in previous installments of our Trade Candidate series. Today, we’ll be focusing on a few players who haven’t necessarily been at the center of recent trade rumors, but still could very well be on the move by February 7.

Here’s our latest look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southwest…

Brandon Knight, G
Houston Rockets
$14.63MM cap hit; $15.64MM guaranteed salary in 2019/20; UFA in 2020

Knight has essentially been on the trade block since the Rockets acquired him from Phoenix during the offseason, with a December report suggesting that Houston is dangling Knight in trade talks for a wing.

Knight’s appeal as a trade chip from Houston’s perspective is obvious. Of the team’s six players earning more than $4MM this season, he’s the only one who isn’t a key contributor. His $14.63MM salary is ideal for matching purposes, and getting his $15.64MM salary for 2019/20 off the books could help the Rockets avoid another big tax penalty next season.

Of course, Knight’s appeal to other teams will be… limited. While he has returned from the ACL tear that sidelined him for over a year, he continues to be bothered by knee issues and hasn’t looked good for Houston in the 12 games he has played (3.0 PPG on .234/.156/.818 shooting). If a team agrees to take on Knight’s contract in exchange for a solid rotation player, that team will almost certainly be receiving the Rockets’ 2019 first-round pick as well.

Julius Randle, F/C
New Orleans Pelicans
$8.64MM cap hit; $9.07MM player option for 2019/20

Like the Rockets, the Pelicans are exploring upgrades on the wing and will likely try to attach a first-round pick to an overpriced veteran (Solomon Hill) to accommodate a deal. Still, even though that’s New Orleans’ most obvious trade package, it’s not the team’s only option.

Depending on what sort of player the club is pursuing, making Randle available could make sense. On the surface, trading him doesn’t seem prudent — he’s had a terrific year (20.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.9 APG), and is one of a handful of reliable pieces on a Pelicans team that lacks depth.

Still, he’ll likely be a free agent at season’s end, and there’s no guarantee the Pelicans will be able to re-sign him. It’s also unclear if he’ll be able to play at the same time Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic in the postseason, assuming New Orleans makes it — that lineup would be awfully big and wouldn’t match up well against many of the team’s potential opponents.

As such, I think the Pelicans could explore flipping Randle for one or two players who could help the team in the short term, especially if one of those players is a wing who would fit better alongside Davis and Mirotic. New Orleans showed last spring that it can win with that frontcourt duo, so Randle looks to me like the most expendable of the club’s top four or five players.

JaMychal Green, F
Memphis Grizzlies
$7.67MM cap hit; UFA in 2019

It seems hard to believe that the Grizzlies were, briefly, the No. 1 seed in the West less than two months ago. The club now ranks 14th in the conference and while head coach J.B. Bickerstaff says the postseason is still the goal, it seems irresponsible for the club to continue acting as a buyer.

A full-fledged fire sale is probably unrealistic too, since it would be an abrupt change of direction for the franchise in the span of a few weeks. But, as Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian recently wrote, some smaller-scale “strategic” selling seems possible.

If Memphis takes that route, Green would be an obvious candidate to be dealt. The veteran power forward is in the final year of a mid-level type contract and is putting up career-high numbers in several categories (10.8 PPG, .512 FG%, .397 3PT%). Moving him would also clear a path for the Grizzlies to feature promising rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. in a more prominent role down the stretch.

Green is unlikely to inspire a bidding war, but teams in need of one more frontcourt piece should have some interest if the Grizzlies make him available.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

18 Trade Exceptions To Expire Within Next Month

January 18th, 2019 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

As NBA teams consider their trade options before the February 7 deadline, it’s worth keeping in mind that two-thirds of the league’s clubs hold traded player exceptions. These traded player exceptions allow over-the-cap clubs to acquire a player – or multiple players – whose salary fits within the TPE without having to send out any salary in return.

Traded player exceptions can’t be combined with another salary or exception and often aren’t worth much, so most of them ultimately go unused. Still, they can come in handy every now and then, particularly for under-the-tax clubs that don’t mind adding a little more money to their books.

Last season, a total of 16 trades were completed between January 29 and February 8, resulting in 18 outstanding trade exceptions that will expire between January 29 and February 8 of this year.

Here are those traded player exceptions, listed in order of value, with the expiration date noted in parentheses for each TPE:

Detroit Pistons: $7,000,000 (1/29)
Utah Jazz: $3,708,883 (2/8)
Portland Trail Blazers: $3,505,233 (2/8)
Toronto Raptors: $2,451,225 (2/8)
Utah Jazz: $2,386,864 (2/8)
New Orleans Pelicans: $2,300,000 (2/8)
Milwaukee Bucks: $1,889,040 (2/5)
Memphis Grizzlies: $1,697,250 (2/8)
Los Angeles Clippers: $1,471,382 (1/29)
New Orleans Pelicans: $1,471,382 (2/1)
Cleveland Cavaliers: $1,471,382 (2/8)
Detroit Pistons: $1,471,382 (2/8)
New York Knicks: $1,435,750 (2/7)
New Orleans Pelicans: $1,429,818 (2/1)
Detroit Pistons: $1,331,160 (2/8)
Los Angeles Clippers: $1,331,160 (1/29)
Miami Heat: $1,312,611 (2/8)
Washington Wizards: $1,312,611 (2/8)

For the full list of traded player exceptions currently available, including three Nuggets TPEs ranging in value from $5.9MM to $13.7MM, click here.

Deveney’s Latest: D. Smith Jr., Nuggets, J. Parker

January 18th, 2019 at 1:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Teams that might otherwise be interested in trading for the Mavericks‘ Dennis Smith Jr. may prefer to try their luck with a talented crop of point guards in free agency, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. The Magic and Suns, who have been mentioned in trade rumors involving Smith, will both have cap room available this summer and could try to upgrade at the position without giving up any assets.

Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker will headline this year’s class, which will also feature D’Angelo Russell and Terry Rozier. They are all more traditional point guards than Smith, who was bumped out of that position in Dallas when the Mavericks drafted Luka Doncic.

“He is very athletic, but he’s not a playmaker and not a great shooter,” a front office executive said of DSJ, per Deveney. “If you have money under the cap this offseason, there are other guys you can pursue who fit better, who can pass and score.”

There are also concerns that Smith is already clashing with management midway through his second season in the league, Deveney adds. Dallas is reluctant to give up on such a talented young player a year after taking him with the No. 9 pick, but another source says he will eventually be traded, whether it happens before the February 7 deadline or sometime in the future.

Deveney shares a couple more trade-related rumors:

The Nuggets may be willing to use their trade exceptions to help improve their defense. After some early-season progress, Denver has been allowing 115.3 points per 100 possessions over the past 15 games, placing the team 29th in the league. The Nuggets have three active trade exceptions, worth $13.7MM, $12.8MM and $5.9MM. They can’t be combined, but any of them could be enticing for teams looking to get rid of salary before the deadline.
Jabari Parker‘s return to the Bulls‘ rotation came more out of need than coach Jim Boylen’s declaration that he has displayed more effort in practice. Deveney claims that Chicago’s front office hasn’t made any progress in its effort to trade Parker and needs him back on the floor to help spark some interest. The former No. 2 overall pick has responded by averaging 14.7 PPG in 18.0 minutes per night over past three games.
The Bulls have no desire to accept salary beyond this season, so Deveney speculates that in order to move Parker, a three-team deal might be necessary with an under-the-cap team involved. Deveney also notes that the Knicks and Pelicans have expressed interest, but Chicago doesn’t want Courtney Lee or Solomon Hill, who are both signed through next season.

Trade Rumors: Hawks, Most Active Teams, Porter

January 18th, 2019 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s 2019 trade deadline is now less than three weeks away, and a number of the trade candidates whose names are popping up the most have something in common, as Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports tweets: They’re all on expiring contracts.

Smith identifies Dewayne Dedmon (Hawks), Jeremy Lin (Hawks), Jonathon Simmons (Magic), Wayne Ellington (Heat), Robin Lopez (Bulls), Enes Kanter (Knicks), Noah Vonleh (Knicks), and David Nwaba (Cavaliers) as those players cited most frequently in trade chatter. Of those eight players, Simmons is the only one under contract for next season, and his 2019/20 salary of $5.7MM is partially guaranteed for just $1MM. In other words, his deal can be viewed as a de facto expiring contract too.

Here are a few more notes and rumors on the NBA’s trade market:

The Hawks appear willing to take on 2019/20 salary in trade discussions, according to Smith (Twitter link). A willingness to eat a bad contract in exchange for a more favorable asset could make Atlanta a team to watch in the coming weeks, since most teams around the NBA want to preserve their cap space for 2019.
Smith names the Sixers, Nets, Magic, Kings, Rockets, Pelicans, and Clippers as the teams that appear to be most active in trying to upgrade their rosters (Twitter link). Besides gauging the trade market, these clubs are also keeping an eye on potential buyout candidates, Smith notes.
The Wizards have shown “little appetite” for any trade that involves moving Otto Porter for a return heavy on future assets and cap flexibility, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe. That stance aligns with comments on Thursday made by owner Ted Leonsis, who stressed that Washington continues to push for a playoff spot and has no plans to tank.

Southwest Notes: Mirotic, Gasol, Spurs, Jackson Jr.

January 13th, 2019 at 4:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic has regained his rhythm with the team, returning to the lineup this past week after missing 12 games with an ankle injury. He scored 26 combined points in his first two games back, draining a handful of threes as an off-ball threat.

“He was trying to get himself going early and I just kind of wanted to tell him to let it come to him,” Anthony Davis said of Mirotic following Wednesday’s win over Cleveland, according to Scott Kushner of The Advocate. “I think it was big for him to see his shot go in and from there he started making a bunch of shots.”

Mirotic wound up scoring 17 points against the Cavs, then scored nine points with a positive net rating against the Timberwolves on Saturday. He was acquired by the Pelicans in a trade last year, with the team bringing him on as a catch-and-shoot threat.

“AD said, ‘Take the first one. Don’t hesitate,’ ” Mirotic said. “So I said, ‘He’s right. If you have an open shot, take the open shot.’ Just play simple. That’s what I did. A couple of possessions after that, they went to double against AD and he passed it to me wide open, and I shot that corner in the second quarter. That was all. Playing simple.”

The Pelicans are striving to make the postseason for the third time since drafting Davis. The team is reportedly active on the trade market, with the NBA’s annual deadline falling on February 7 this season.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol has denied that there’s any rift between him and teammate Joakim Noah, David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. A video of Gasol brushing by Noah after the team’s win over the Spurs circulated on social media, with Gasol calling the insinuation “f——” unbelievable.” Noah also played with Marc’s brother, Pau Gasol, for two seasons in Chicago.
Patty Mills expects an emotional night when longtime Spurs guard Tony Parker returns to San Antonio on Monday, tweets Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. Parker signed a free-agent contract with the Hornets last summer, leaving the Spurs after 17 seasons. “I think he is going to get a very, very warm welcome,” Mills said. “The city loves him. They always have, and vice versa. Looking forward to a pretty cool reception from the fans.”
Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff explains his development plan for Jaren Jackson Jr., as relayed by Cobb in a story for the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “There’s moments where it may look like we’re being tough on him,” Bickerstaff said. “But we have expectations of him being a franchise player, and your franchise player has to hold himself to those standards. And you only get one chance to coach him as a rookie.” Jackson Jr., the No. 4 pick in 2018, has averaged 13.4 points in 25.5 minutes per game this season, starting in 40 of 42 contests.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southwest Division

January 11th, 2019 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Southwest Division:

DeAndre Jordan, Mavericks, 30, C (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $24.1MM deal in 2018
Jordan has pretty much done his usual thing in his first season with Dallas, ranking second in the league in rebounding and anchoring the defense. One troubling development is his penchant for turnovers — he’s averaging a career-worst 2.4 per game. The one other surprising development is a plus — the career 45.9% free throw shooter has drained 70.3% of his attempts. The always durable Jordan has also answered the bell every game. Early concerns about about “selfish” play have somewhat dissipated. Dallas may not re-sign him but someone will give him another big contract this summer.

Austin Rivers, Rockets, 26, SG (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $1.15MM deal in 2018
The above salary number doesn’t reflect what Rivers is actually making this season, as the Suns bought out his contract after he was traded from the Wizards. He had a $12.6MM salary in the final year of a four-season contract and only gave back $650K. The decision to hook on with the Rockets after he cleared waivers has been good for both parties. With Chris Paul sidelined, Rivers has averaged 12.3 PPG and 3.1 APG in 38.5 MPG in his first eight outings with a championship contender. Still in his prime, Rivers should be able to land a multi-year deal this summer.

Ivan Rabb, Grizzlies, 21, PF (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $2.3MM deal in 2017
An early second-rounder in 2017, Rabb has been a force in a handful of G League games, averaging 23.4 PPG and 10.2 RPG. That hasn’t translated into NBA playing time. He hasn’t played meaningful minutes in 14 games with the Grizzlies. Interior defensive issues and the lack of 3-point shot are the main reason why the athletic big man hasn’t carved out a role. Unless they’re convinced he can improve those areas, the Grizzlies will likely cut ties with him after the season.

Darius Miller, Pelicans, 28, SF (Down) — Signed to a two-year, $4.3MM deal in 2017
Miller receives lots of playing time but his offensive contributions boil down to an occasional 3-point attempt. To be fair, Miller is the No. 5 option when he’s on the floor and he’s an above-average long-range shooter (38.7 percent). His defensive metrics are subpar, which partially explains his paltry 8.42 PER, so the 3-and-D tag doesn’t necessarily fit. Miller’s 3-point shooting could be enough to land him a veteran’s minimum deal or something slightly higher next summer but there’s no big payday ahead.

Quincy Pondexter, Spurs, 30, SF (Down)– Signed to a one-year, $2.16MM deal in 2018
Pondexter remained on the roster past January 10th, fully guaranteeing his salary for this season. Pondexter, whose career has been sidetracked by knee injuries, has been praised as a positive locker room influence but he hasn’t contributed much on the court. He’s appeared in 31 games but averaged just 5.9 MPG with a majority of his playing time coming in blowouts. Pondexter will likely struggle to find another veteran’s minimum deal in the summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.