Pelicans Rumors

NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 14th, 2022 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Several NBA teams typically end up with newly-opened roster spots following the trade deadline. This happens for a variety of reasons. Some teams make two-for-one or three-for-one trades; some acquire players in cap-related deals and immediately cut them; others buy out or release players they weren’t able to move at the deadline.

Whatever the reason may be, there are plenty of available roster spots around the NBA, and it’s a good bet that most of them will be filled before the end of the regular season. Contending teams will want to fortify their depth for the playoffs, while lottery-bound clubs will take fliers on prospects willing to accept multiyear deals that aren’t fully guaranteed beyond this season.

Here, with the help of our roster counts page, is a look at the teams that have open roster spots as of February 14:

Teams with open 15-man roster spots:

Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics (3)
Charlotte Hornets
Denver Nuggets *
Detroit Pistons
Houston Rockets
Miami Heat (2)
Milwaukee Bucks (3) *
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
Orlando Magic
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards

* The Nuggets (DeMarcus Cousins) and Bucks (Greg Monroe) each have a player on a 10-day contract. We’re counting those roster spots as “open” because Cousins’ and Monroe’s deals will expire this week.

If we count the Nuggets, exactly half of the NBA’s 30 teams have at least one 15-man roster spot available. Twelve of those clubs have a single open roster spot, while the Celtics, Heat, and Bucks have multiple openings.

Since teams are only permitted to dip below 14 players on standard contracts for up to two weeks at a time, Boston, Miami, and Milwaukee will all have to get back to that league-mandated minimum before the end of the month.

The other teams on this list aren’t under immediate pressure to add a 15th man, and some may hold off for a little while for financial reasons — or just to wait to see who else becomes available on the buyout market in the next couple weeks.

Some of these clubs – including the Heat with Caleb Martin, the Pelicans with Jose Alvarado, and the Raptors with Justin Champagnie – might use their open roster spot to promote a player on a two-way contract who has earned regular minutes.

Teams with open two-way spots:

Boston Celtics
Dallas Mavericks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Phoenix Suns
Utah Jazz

The Celtics (Sam Hauser) and Thunder (Aaron Wiggins) have each promoted a two-way player to the 15-man roster since the trade deadline. The other three teams on this list released a two-way player in January, creating an opening.

In the past, teams haven’t been able to sign players to two-way contracts after January 15, but that restriction doesn’t exist this season, so I expect we’ll see some – if not all – of these teams fill their open two-way slots sooner or later.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, Rockets, Brooks, McCollum, Murray

February 14th, 2022 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks project to go well into the luxury tax in 2022/23 if they re-sign point guard Jalen Brunson, but team owner Mark Cuban sounds prepared for that scenario.

“We’re going to be in luxury tax hell next year, but that’s OK; it frees up the year after that,” Cuban said after the trade deadline, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

The Mavericks have several contracts on their books that expire in 2023, including Dwight Powell‘s and Maxi Kleber‘s. Additionally, Spencer Dinwiddie and Reggie Bullock only have partial guarantees for 2023/24 on their respective deals.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone explained after the trade deadline that the decision to move Daniel Theis was related in part to the emergence of rookie Alperen Sengun. “Positionally, it makes sense for us,” Stone said, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “It’s not a secret that Alperen has been really good, really early. It has been since his first practice a priority to play him. That made it challenging to play Daniel Theis the amount we wanted, he wanted, that he should be playing. He’s a really, really good established NBA player.” Stone added that the team is excited about acquiring Dennis Schröder and has liked him for “a long time,” suggesting a buyout probably isn’t in the cards for the veteran point guard.
A handful of teams have inquired on Armoni Brooks, who cleared waivers over the weekend after being waived by the Rockets, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko adds that the door remains open for Brooks to return to Houston. The team will have an open spot on its 15-man roster once Enes Freedom is officially waived.
CJ McCollum did plenty of research on the Pelicans before signing off on the trade sending him to New Orleans. According to Will Guillory of The Athletic, McCollum spoke to Chris Paul about Pelicans head coach Willie Green, talked to J.J. Redick about his experience with the franchise, and got intel about the roster from current Pelicans wing Garrett Temple. McCollum didn’t have a no-trade clause, but told reporters last week that Portland involved him in the trade process.
Spurs guard Dejounte Murray was initially shocked that the team traded away his backcourt partner, but by the time he spoke to reporters about the Derrick White trade, he had come to terms with it, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “You start to realize you’re a player and not the GM or the front office,” Murray said. “You realize, just be a player and focus on that.”

Willy Hernangomez Exits Health And Safety Protocols

February 12th, 2022 at 3:54pm CST by JD Shaw

Pelicans center Willy Hernangomez has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to ESPN’s Andrew Lopez (Twitter link). Hernangomez is expected to be available for the team’s game against San Antonio on Saturday. He originally entered protocols on February 3.
The Pelicans and Trail Blazers didn’t require any physicals in the trade that featured star guard CJ McCollum, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tweets. ESPN’s Bobby Marks said on The Lowe Post that New Orleans waived McCollum’s physical (hat tip RealGM), so it’s still unclear if physicals were waived for all of the players involved in the deal. As Marks notes, it’s unusual for a team to waive a physical when the player has significant money left on his contract. McCollum will make $30.9MM this season, $33.3MM in 2022/23 and $35.8MM in 2023/24. He missed time due to a collapsed lung back in December.

Larry Nance Jr. Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out Six Weeks

February 11th, 2022 at 4:06pm CST by Rory Maher

FEBRUARY 11: Nance underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this morning, the team confirmed in a press release. The Pelicans said a timeline for Nance’s recovery would be provided at a later date. An estimated six-week timeline has been reported, as noted below.

FEBRUARY 9: The Pelicans just acquired Larry Nance Jr. Tuesday as part of a seven-player trade, but he’s currently sidelined with right knee soreness and is expected to undergo surgery on Friday, a source tells Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

ESPN’s Andrew Lopez confirms (via Twitter) Clark’s report that Nance is scheduled to have surgery Friday. Sources tell Lopez that Nance is expected to miss up to six weeks.

Six weeks from Friday is March 25; if he’s active again by that date, Nance would have nine games left in the regular season to get acclimated with his new team.

As Clark relays, Nance was injured on January 5 while attempting a layup against Miami. An MRI the next day revealed “no significant damage,” but he’s been sidelined ever since. Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said Nance suffered “a little setback” last Friday.

Nance had missed 18 straight games prior to the trade that sent him from Portland to New Orleans. Fellow newly-acquired teammates CJ McCollum and Tony Snell are expected to be active for the Pelicans on Thursday, says Clark.

In 37 games (23.2 MPG) with Portland this season, Nance averaged 6.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG on .515/.306/.653 shooting. The 29-year-old was traded to Portland from Cleveland in the offseason, as part of a three-team sign-and-trade that sent Derrick Jones Jr. and Portland’s protected 2022 first-round pick to the Bulls, and Lauri Markkanen to the Cavs.

Nance, 29, is a versatile two-way contributor in the frontcourt when healthy. He’s a strong defender across multiple positions and possesses a high basketball IQ offensively, although he can be a little too unselfish at times given his explosive leaping ability. Nance is earning $10.7MM this season and will make $9.7MM in 2022/23.

Williamson Feeling Good, To Have More Scans

February 10th, 2022 at 9:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans emerged from the trade deadline with an open roster spot. They’ll likely target a defensive-minded wing on the buyout market, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune tweets.
CJ McCollum said he was involved in the process of the Trail Blazers’ negotiations to trade him, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. McCollum was intrigued with the idea of joining the Pelicans due to their young talent and the opportunity to play with Brandon Ingram.
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will have more scans done on his injured right foot at the end of next week or the following week, Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets. GM Trajan Langdon visited with Williamson in Oregon last week and said Williamson “feels good.”

Knicks Rumors: Reddish, Fournier, Burks, Randle

February 9th, 2022 at 10:48pm CST by Rory Maher

Despite trading a protected first-round pick for Cam Reddish last month, the Knicks haven’t shut down inquiries about their new young wing, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays. Reddish was brought up in trade discussions with at least one other team, although it’s not clear who initiated the conversation.

As Begley notes, at 24-31 and having lost 10 of their last 12 games, nothing should be considered off the table for the Knicks, so they’re likely just seeing how other teams value Reddish.

Because he was just traded, Reddish can’t be aggregated with another player in a larger deal for salary-matching purposes — he could still be dealt in a multi-player trade, but New York wouldn’t be able to add his salary to another player’s within that trade in order to acquire a higher-salaried player.

Begley believes the Knicks are unlikely to flip Reddish at the deadline unless they receive a “significant player” on a similar contract.

Here’s more from New York:

In a separate article for SNY, Begley writes that the Knicks have had trade discussions involving Evan Fournier. The Knicks and Pelicans had dialogue about Fournier with New Orleans receiving draft compensation, but the talks fell apart. The Pelicans have since traded for CJ McCollum, so they’re likely no longer interested in Fournier.
The Knicks called the Trail Blazers about McCollum prior to him being traded, but were unable to provide the cap relief Portland was after, Begley surmises.
Begley notes that Alec Burks continues to be involved in trade calls. It’s unclear which teams might be interested in his services.
For his part, Fournier hopes the Knicks stand pat at the deadline, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I really do believe we have the right pieces. We have talent, we have toughness, we have everything. And we’re not that far from playing better and getting wins. It’s just about finding a way to play and sticking with that and building confidence and all that,” Fournier said after the Knicks were blown out by the Nuggets Tuesday.
Several teams, including the Kings, have been interested in Julius Randle, but after the Domantas Sabonis trade, Randle would be redundant in Sacramento, writes Begley.

Blazers Notes: Lillard, McCollum, Grant, Draft Pick

February 9th, 2022 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard tells Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com that he and longtime teammate CJ McCollum had talked for years about the possibility that they may eventually end up playing on different teams. However, that didn’t necessarily cushion the blow when Lillard learned that McCollum was being traded to New Orleans.

“As a friend and a teammate, I love CJ, that’s like a real friend of mine, not just my teammate,” Lillard said. “… It is what it is, we both knew that this point would be coming. But that don’t make it no easier to deal with. I think that’s where I am now. Me and him literally talked about it happening, the possibility of it and it was likely and stuff like that, and I still woke up this morning like, sad. It’s actually done. When I’m seeing ‘CJ to the Pelicans’ and stuff like that, it’s like damn, ain’t no coming back from this, this is it. It ain’t gonna be no every day, pull up to the house, dinner on the road, all that stuff. It’s done, he’s on a new team.

“As much as I understood it and he understood it and we kind of have always communicated in a transparent way, it don’t make it any easier to deal with or to look at. Like man, is it really over? Is the run really over? And that’s where we are.”

While McCollum’s time as a Trail Blazer has come to an end, the team reportedly has no plans to move Lillard and hopes to reshape the roster around him. For his part, Portland’s star point guard sounds like he’s on board with that plan.

“For me, my heart is Portland Trail Blazer,” Lillard said, per Holdahl. “I want to win it. I know that I have a plan that’s going to put me on my best level when I come back to play. And I want our team to fit that.

“I’m a huge fan of Chauncey Billups. I love Chauncey, we’ve got a great relationship and I think he’ll continue to grow into the head coach that he wants to be. And I’m a Joe Cronin fan. In his position I think it takes being bold and doing bold things, doing what you see fit and standing on it. He’s told me that our plan is to build a winning team, not to rebuild. Because we had a prior relationship to him becoming GM, I trust his word.”

Here’s more on the Blazers:

Echoing Adrian Wojnarowski’s reporting, Chris Mannix of SI.com says the Trail Blazers may shift from selling to buying before Thursday’s deadline, using their newly-acquired assets to add pieces that could help them win as soon as next season. Mannix, like other reporters, has heard that Pistons forward Jerami Grant is a possible trade target for Portland.
The Trail Blazers will receive the Pelicans‘ first-round pick in 2022 if it lands between No. 5 and No. 14. However, if it ends up in the top four or outside of the lottery, New Orleans will instead owe Portland the Bucks’ 2025 first-round pick (top-four protected), tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
Jason Quick of The Athletic takes a look at the Blazers’ decision to finally move McCollum, suggesting that the move represented the team finally coming to grips with an uncomfortable truth.

2022 NBA Trade Deadline Preview: Southwest Division

February 9th, 2022 at 6:33am CST by Luke Adams

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 Southwest Division.

Dallas Mavericks

Trade deadline goals:

The Mavericks don’t have a single glaring hole on their roster, but could use some extra reinforcements at any number of spots.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see Dallas try to acquire another wing to replace the injured Tim Hardaway Jr.; or an extra big man as Kristaps Porzingis insurance; or even one more guard who can shoot, such as buyout candidate Goran Dragic.

The Mavs probably aren’t just one player away from legitimate title contention — or if they are, they don’t have the assets necessary to make a good deal that one player. So anything they do at the deadline will probably be about taking an incremental step forward. Ideally, they’d find a player who fits well alongside Luka Doncic and who can make the roster a little more dangerous in the playoffs.

Top trade candidates:

Any team that discusses trades with the Mavericks will likely want to talk about one of two players: Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. They’re not exactly young prospects anymore – Brunson is 25 while Finney-Smith is 28 – but both players remain very much in their prime, have small cap hits, and are solid two-way contributors who would fit in just about any system. They’ll be unrestricted free agents this summer, but acquiring their Bird rights may appeal to a capped-out team.

The Mavs are in a tricky spot with Brunson and Finney-Smith. The team has insisted it wants to retain them and re-sign them this summer, but both guys may be in line for eight-figure raises, pushing Dallas into tax territory without even adding a single piece to the current roster. On the other hand, trading either player comes with its own risk — no Maverick besides Doncic has played more minutes than Brunson and Finney-Smith this season, so they’ve been important parts of the team’s success.

If the Mavs aren’t willing to move Brunson or Finney-Smith, their trade assets are limited. Hardaway isn’t a viable trade chip due to his injury and his contract. Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock have been playing well as of late, but their multiyear guarantees will make some teams wary — they probably have marginal positive trade value, at best. Maxi Kleber, whose $9.2MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed, could be a trade candidate, though he has battled injuries this season, which may hurt his value.

Perhaps Dallas could drum up a little interest in a package that includes some combination of Josh Green, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Moses Brown, and a future first-round pick (the next one the Mavs can unconditionally trade is their 2027 first-rounder), but that won’t be enough to land an impact player.

Houston Rockets

Trade deadline goals:

The full-scale rebuild that began when the Rockets traded away James Harden a year ago remains a work in progress.

At 15-39, Houston is in last place in the Western Conference and remains very much in contention for a top spot in this year’s draft lottery. They won’t be making any trades that benefit the team more in the short term than the long term — asset accumulation is still the goal here.

Of course, there are no trade candidates on the current roster who are as valuable as Harden was last year, but the Rockets still have a handful of veterans who will generate real trade interest, along with a couple other vets who will be more challenging to move.

Top trade candidates:

Let’s start with Houston’s most valuable trade candidates — Christian Wood is averaging a double-double while knocking down 37.4% of his three-pointers this season, making him an intriguing option for any team in need of frontcourt help.

Wood, who is under contract through 2022/23, won’t come cheap though. I’d expect the Rockets to seek multiple first-round picks – or the equivalent in young talent – in exchange for Wood. If no one is willing to meet that price, Houston will probably be comfortable hanging onto Wood and revisiting trade scenarios in the offseason.

Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon is enjoying a career year at the right time, knocking down 49.1% of his shots, including 42.7% of his threes, through 45 games. Gordon’s $18.2MM cap hit this season and his $19.6MM salary for next season will still be a little high for some teams’ liking, especially since he’ll turn 34 later this year. But I think the Rockets have a legitimate shot at getting a first-round pick for him, which I wouldn’t have expected entering the season.

Veteran center Daniel Theis hasn’t been at his best during his first year in Houston, but he has still drawn some interest from teams in need of a big man, based on his track record. Jae’Sean Tate would be popular if the Rockets made him available, but there’s no indication that has happened. Tate may be part of the club’s longer-term plans.

Of course, Houston would love to find new homes for point guards John Wall and D.J. Augustin, but they aren’t interested in giving up assets to make a deal happen. That essentially rules out a deal for Wall, whose $47.3MM player option for 2022/23 kills his value.

At $7MM, Augustin is a more realistic trade candidate, especially since he has been solid in his limited minutes. But unless Houston wants to take back multiyear money, it might be a challenge to acquire anything of real value for the veteran.

Memphis Grizzlies

Trade deadline goals:

The Grizzlies have been one of the best stories of the 2021/22 NBA season. After sneaking into the playoffs in ’20/21, Memphis has emerged as a serious threat to secure a top-three seed and to win a postseason series this year.

The Grizzlies control their own 2022 first-round pick and Utah’s, and would receive a third first-rounder if the Lakers’ pick falls between 11 and 30. With an ascendant roster and an excess of draft picks, you could make the case that the time is right for Memphis to make a major move at the trade deadline and push for a deep playoff run.

Still, it doesn’t appear that’s the plan for the Grizzlies, who have hardly been mentioned in trade rumors in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline. Whether they don’t want to risk upsetting their chemistry, don’t feel they’re ready to push their chips into the middle, or want to wait until the offseason to see where their first-round picks land, the Grizzlies seem more inclined to stand pat than to take a big swing.

A smaller move remains possible. If Memphis makes a deal, the team will likely focus on fortifying its depth on the wing.

Top trade candidates:

Former lottery pick Jarrett Culver has occasionally flashed a little upside, particularly on the defensive end, but he’s not part of the Grizzlies’ rotation and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. His $6.4MM expiring contract could be a logical salary-matching piece in a minor move. Culver wouldn’t have more than neutral trade value, but it’s possible he’d draw a little interest from a lottery team interested in taking a flier on him.

Big man Xavier Tillman is another young player who has shown some promise but doesn’t have a place in Memphis’ current rotation. He’s on a minimum-salary contract, limiting the Grizzlies’ options with him unless they attach him to another player.

Unlike Culver and Tillman, reserve guard De’Anthony Melton and forward Kyle Anderson do play regular minutes, so the Grizzlies will be less motivated to move them. But if Memphis seeks out a more significant upgrade on the wing, Melton ($8.8MM) and Anderson ($9.9MM) would be the most logical trade candidates among the higher-salaried players on the team’s books.

New Orleans Pelicans

Trade deadline goals:

New Orleans had spent the entire season outside of the top 10 in the Western Conference until finally moving into 10th place for the first time on Sunday. Despite their underwhelming first-half performance, the Pelicans were in the market to buy in the weeks leading up to the deadline and found a deal they liked on Tuesday, acquiring CJ McCollum in a seven-player trade that also included three draft picks.

It was a logical move for the Pelicans, who had been on the lookout for backcourt help after Kira Lewis sustained a season-ending knee injury and former first-round pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker took a step backwards in his third NBA season.

McCollum is a reliable veteran capable of creating his own shot who will help Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas carry the offensive load. The deal makes the Pelicans an odds-on favorite to make the play-in tournament in the West, whether or not Zion Williamson returns in the second half.

Now that the Pelicans have already achieved their primary trade deadline goal of acquiring an impact backcourt player, it remains to be seen whether they’ll have anything else up their sleeves this week as they try to further fortify their roster in the hopes of pushing for a playoff spot.

Top trade candidates:

After trading away Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, and Alexander-Walker in the McCollum deal, the list of viable Pelicans trade candidates has dwindled.

Third-year big man Jaxson Hayes remains a possible trade chip, but New Orleans has reportedly been encouraged by his recent play at power forward, and his legal issues will negatively impact his trade value. The Pelicans may be better off hanging onto Hayes.

Garrett Temple has averaged about 20 minutes per game this year for New Orleans despite having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career (.382 FG%, .319 3PT%). If they can find a way to upgrade on the wing using Temple as a trade chip, the Pelicans would probably welcome the opportunity.

Larry Nance Jr., who New Orleans received in the McCollum deal, is another player worth watching. As long as Williamson remains sidelined, Nance – once he’s healthy himself – will have a role in the Pels’ rotation, so I imagine he’s not a real candidate to be flipped this week. But the team’s frontcourt will be pretty crowded if and when everyone’s back, so Nance could eventually be the odd man out. That’s probably an issue the Pelicans will wait until the offeason to address.

Finally, it’s worth noting that even after sending a first-round pick and two second-rounders to Portland in the McCollum deal, the Pelicans is well-stocked with future draft picks as a result of the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. They could dangle another pick or two in trade discussions this week if there’s another player they like.

San Antonio Spurs

Trade deadline goals:

The Spurs rarely make in-season trades. Entering the 2021/22 league year, they’d completed just two deals during the season since 2012, and neither one had much of an impact on their roster.

However, San Antonio has already made one trade this year, sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last month in a three-team deal in exchange for Juan Hernangomez, a future second-round pick, and cash.

Did that trade signal an increased willingness from San Antonio to make moves before the deadline? Or is expecting more than one in-season trade from the Spurs misguided?

It’s still too early to say, but if the Spurs stand pat at the deadline, it won’t be due to a lack of interest in their players. They’ve reportedly gotten calls on Derrick White, Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, and Thaddeus Young, among others.

Top trade candidates:

Murray is almost certainly off the table, but it’s not out of the question that the Spurs could move White, Poeltl, or Young.

Of the three, Young is the least likely to finish the season in San Antonio. The veteran forward hasn’t been a regular part of the Spurs’ rotation and is on an expiring $14MM+ contract. He has reportedly generated interest from Minnesota and Phoenix, and I imagine the Spurs would be eager to move him if they can get a second-round pick without taking back any multiyear money. If that sort of offer doesn’t emerge, Young will be a post-deadline buyout candidate.

Poeltl has reportedly generated interest from at least the Raptors, Bulls, and Hornets, but he’s having a very good season and is on an extremely team-friendly contract. It would likely take a pretty strong offer for the Spurs to seriously consider a deal — one report stated they’d want a first-round pick and a quality young player, which sounds about right.

I also wouldn’t expect the Spurs to move White during the season, but he at least seems more attainable than Murray, who was named to his first All-Star Game this week. Veteran sharpshooter Doug McDermott, who is hitting 43.5% of his three-point attempts, would likely be a popular target if San Antonio makes him available, but there has been no indication that he’s on the trade block.

Southwest Notes: Augustin, Silas, Mavericks, McCollum

February 8th, 2022 at 11:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Rockets point guard D.J. Augustin, 34, hopes to remain in Houston through the NBA trade deadline, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Should the Rockets opt not to pick up his partially-guaranteed deal this summer, the rebuilding club’s oldest player could become a free agent. The 5’11” guard is averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.2 APG in just 15.0 MPG this season.

“At this point in my career, man, whatever the team needs from me, whatever the coach needs from me, the organization needs, I’m going to do my job and do what I need to do,” Augustin said.

At times this season, head coach Stephen Silas has opted not to play Augustin at all, in favor of giving the team’s younger prospects more run. Augustin does concede that he would like a consistent role in the Rockets’ rotation, but accepts that that may not be what Houston requires.

“I would like minutes, period,” he said. “That’s not my role right now with this team.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

With NBA trade deadline chatter swirling, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas is trying to help his current Houston players focus on the task at hand as much as possible, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Feigen notes that the Rockets have been active at the trade deadline for the past 16 straight years. “It is our job as a coaching staff, as a management team to make sure everybody is pointed in the direction of things that you can control,” Silas said. “I know that there’s other stuff out there and rumors. There’s always rumors and false narratives going on. But really focusing on what you can control makes everybody’s job easier. Whatever happens, you adapt to that.”
The 32-23 Mavericks could opt to develop their current chemistry at the trade deadline or make changes. In a roundtable, Callie Caplan, Brad Townsend and Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News debate how Dallas should move forward at the deadline. Sherrington cautions that it may prove difficult for the Mavericks to re-sign both Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. Caplan suggests that the Mavericks maintain their core players, noting that the team seems capable of fending off most Western Conference contenders. Caplan adds that Raptors point guard Goran Dragic could make a nice addition with the Mavericks, should he get a buyout.
After acquiring sharp-shooting guard CJ McCollum, forward Larry Nance Jr. and deep-bench reserve Tony Snell from the Trail Blazers today, the Pelicans are clearly hoping to make a play-in tournament push, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic. The club has gone 19-16 in its last 35 contests. Guillory notes that McCollum, an excellent scorer and ball-handler, could prove to be a stellar partner for star forwards Brandon Ingram and, when healthy, Zion Williamson. New Orleans is currently the tenth seed in the West, with a 22-32 record.

Blazers Trade CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. To Pelicans

February 8th, 2022 at 8:00pm CST by Luke Adams

8:00pm: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Pelicans and Trail Blazers. Portland waived Cody Zeller to create room on their 15-man roster for the incoming players.

The full deal looks like this:

Pelicans acquire McCollum, Nance, and Snell.
Trail Blazers acquire Hart, Satoransky, Alexander-Walker, Louzada, the Pelicans’ protected 2022 first-round pick, the Pelicans’ 2027 second-round pick, and either the Pelicans’ or Blazers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable; New Orleans had previously acquired Portland’s 2026 second-rounder).

“On behalf of the Trail Blazers organization, I want to thank CJ McCollum for the integral role he has played in the success of the franchise over the last nine seasons and for his countless acts of service to the Portland community,” Blazers GM Joe Cronin said in a statement. “CJ has cemented himself in Trail Blazers history with his elite skill level and memorable moments on the court as well as with the work ethic, professionalism and generosity he displays behind the scenes.”

10:10am: The Pelicans and Blazers have reached an agreement, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter links), who reports that Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell are also headed to New Orleans in the deal, with Didi Louzada going to Portland.

The Blazers will receive a future first-round pick and two future second-rounder, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter). As Woj explains (via Twitter), the Blazers will get New Orleans’ 2022 first-round selection if it lands between No. 5 and No. 14. Otherwise, the Blazers will receive a future first-rounder. That Pelicans pick currently projects to be No. 9.

The inclusion of Nance, who has been out for the last month with a knee injury, will give the Pelicans another versatile two-way contributor in the frontcourt while clearing even more multiyear money off the Blazers’ books. The Pels will presumably acquire Nance and his $10.7MM cap hit using a portion of their $17MM trade exception. Nance is under contract for $9.7MM in 2022/23.

Because the Blazers have a full roster, they’ll have to trade or waive a player to accommodate the three-for-four swap.

9:24am: The Pelicans and Trail Blazers are finalizing a deal that will send CJ McCollum to New Orleans, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The package for McCollum will include Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and draft compensation, per Charania (Twitter link).

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported that the two sides were engaged in serious talks, an agreement technically hasn’t been finalized yet and there’s still work to be done, but Woj says there’s optimism a deal will be completed (Twitter link).

McCollum, 30, has been a Blazer since entering the NBA in 2013, making up one-half of the team’s star backcourt alongside Damian Lillard. Portland made the postseason in each of McCollum’s first eight NBA seasons and got as far as the Western Conference Finals in 2019, but the team has taken a step back this year and is clearly in retooling mode, having sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers last Friday.

Trading McCollum will create more future financial flexibility for the Blazers, who are reportedly interested in re-signing free-agents-to-be Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic this offseason. Based on the team’s moves so far, it appears Portland views those players, along with Lillard and Nassir Little, as keepers going forward, though there’s still time for things to change in the 48+ hours before Thursday’s trade deadline.

While we’ll have to wait to see what sort of draft compensation is headed from New Orleans to Portland in the trade, the Blazers did well to acquire a solid two-way player like Hart, and they’ll get a chance to take a flier on Alexander-Walker, who has struggled in 2021/22 after a promising sophomore performance last season.

The Pelicans, meanwhile, are on the verge of adding a talented shot creator to their backcourt as they continue their push for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. New Orleans currently leads Portland by a half-game for the No. 10 seed in the West.

McCollum has been hampered this season by health issues, including a collapsed lung, and his numbers have dipped a little as a result, but he’s still averaging 20.5 PPG and 4.5 APG on .436/.384/.706 shooting in 36 games (35.2 MPG).

McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Jonas Valanciunas will be the go-to offensive options in New Orleans for the time being. The Pelicans are also hoping to get Zion Williamson back in their lineup at some point in the second half, though it’s been a while since we’ve gotten an update on Williamson’s recovery from foot surgery.

McCollum is owed $30.9MM this season, $33.3MM in 2022/23, and $35.8MM in ’23/24 before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2024. Hart’s contract is more team-friendly — after earning $12MM this season, he has a $13MM non-guaranteed salary next season, with a $13MM player option (also non-guaranteed) for ’23/24.

Satoransky has an expiring $10MM contract, while Alexander-Walker is earning $3.3MM this season. Alexander-Walker is under contract for $5MM in 2022/23 and will be eligible this offseason for a rookie scale extension. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023 if he doesn’t sign a new deal later this year.

The Hawks, Knicks, and Pacers were among the other teams said to have trade interest in McCollum.

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