New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jazz Have Interest In Willy Hernangomez

January 24th, 2018 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz are among the teams that have shown interest in Knicks big man Willy Hernangomez, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bondy had reported earlier this week that Hernangomez is the Knick receiving the most trade interest from rival clubs.

With four centers on their roster, the Knicks will likely try to move one of Hernangomez, Enes Kanter, and Kyle O’Quinn before the February 8 trade deadline (Joakim Noah is considered virtually untradable). While there’s certainly no guarantee that Hernangomez will be the player dealt, Bondy observes that head coach Jeff Hornacek doesn’t appear to be the “biggest fan” of the young center.

Hernangomez, who had a solid rookie campaign a year ago, has fallen out of New York’s rotation this season and has repeatedly expressed a desire to play more, whether that happens with the Knicks or another team. As Bondy details, the 23-year-old sounds encouraged to hear that other clubs are looking into trading for him.

“I feel good to know that I’m not even playing and a lot of teams are interested in me. That makes you happy, you can see that you did something good and somebody thinks you can be good in this league,” Hernangomez said. “Like I said, I’m not worried about what’s going to happen in the next couple of weeks. I’m working to be ready for my minutes to come. I’ll be ready. I got a chance to play here, whatever it is.”

As we detailed this morning, the Jazz have no shortage of trade candidates on their roster, so they’re a candidate to make a move or two at the deadline. One of the players on the trade block in Utah is Derrick Favors, who has played the fourth-most minutes on the team. If Favors is dealt, it would make sense to target a younger, cheaper frontcourt player like Hernangomez to assume some of those minutes and to provide insurance behind Rudy Gobert, who has battled injuries this season.

Begley’s Latest: Walker, Knicks, Warriors, Capela

January 23rd, 2018 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

The latest article from Ian Begley of ESPN.com ostensibly focuses on the Knicks as they consider their approach to the trade deadline. However, in the process of exploring potential trade partners for New York, Begley also slips in a couple tidbits of interest related to other teams around the NBA. Let’s dive in and round up a few highlights from the piece…

If the Hornets move Kemba Walker at the deadline, there’s an expectation that they’ll also look to move other players on long-term contracts, according to Begley, who identifies Jeremy Lamb as one such trade candidate.
Speaking of Walker, while the Knicks are viewed as a possible trade partner for the Hornets, Begley says opposing executives have gotten the impression that New York doesn’t want to trade draft picks or take on long-term salary unless it means acquiring a “transformative” player. It’s not clear if Walker qualifies.
Opposing execs think the Knicks will deal at least one of their four centers at the deadline. Enes Kanter, Willy Hernangomez, and Kyle O’Quinn have all received interest, with the Warriors among the teams inquiring on O’Quinn, sources tell Begley. League execs believe O’Quinn will turn down his player option for 2018/19 this summer, which may impact his trade value.
Members of the Clippers and Rockets discussed the possibility of a DeAndre Jordan deal. However, those talks went nowhere after Clint Capela‘s name came up, since Houston doesn’t want to move Capela, writes Begley.
Knicks forwards Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas continue to draw trade interest , but opposing execs have come away with the impression that New York would only move Lee if it results in a “significant” return. According to Begley, Lee has been a strong presence in the Knicks’ locker room, and the club views that sort of veteran as important for building a winning culture.

Latest On Willy Hernangomez

January 22nd, 2018 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

A report earlier in January suggested that several teams had contacted the Knicks about Willy Hernangomez, and it appears the trade interest in the second-year center hasn’t waned. According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, Hernangomez is the Knick who has received the most trade interest from rival teams.

While clubs are interested in Hernangomez, Bondy notes that any discussions centered on the young big man often involve a follow-up question: Why isn’t he playing? After averaging 8.2 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 72 contests (18.4 MPG) in a promising rookie season a year ago, Hernangomez has posted just 4.4 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 20 games (9.3 MPG) in 2017/18.

The arrival of Enes Kanter in New York has played a big part in the reduction of Hernangomez’s role, though he’s not the only veteran center vying for minutes — Kyle O’Quinn and Joakim Noah are also in the mix. Speaking to a Spanish outlet (translation via Sportando), Hernangomez admitted that he’s hoping – and expecting – things will change in the near future.

“I think there is going to be a change,” Hernangomez said. “I hope for [the] better. I would like to continue here, but I don’t close to the doors to anything. I just want to play. There are still [two and a half] weeks left before the market closes and I want to play. I love New York, the fans, the teammates, but I am 23. I am very ambitious, I’m hungry and I want to play. I don’t care where. I am ready for everything and I am working to change the situation and play now.”

While it sounds as if Hernangomez would welcome the opportunity to simply play more minutes in New York, he also doesn’t sound opposed to the idea of being traded, if that’s what it takes for him to see more action. The Knicks will have until February 8 to see if they can move Hernangomez or another center in order to clear their logjam up front.

Knicks Eyeing Caldwell-Pope As Free Agent Target

January 22nd, 2018 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Knicks consider their options at the trade deadline and look ahead to the summer, the front office is prioritizing the addition of an athletic wing, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. According to Bondy, one player on the team’s radar is Lakers swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

The idea of trading for Caldwell-Pope and his $17.75MM cap hit probably isn’t practical for the Knicks, since KCP will be an unrestricted free agent in a few months. The club is more likely to target the fifth-year wing in free agency this offseason, Bondy writes.

As Bondy points out, the recent jail sentence Caldwell-Pope served for violating probation will be a red flag for the Knicks and other potential suitors. However, if New York’s front office does its homework on KCP and is confident that off-court issues won’t be an ongoing problem, the club could have the opportunity to land the UFA-to-be at a discounted rate, given that legal history.

Caldwell-Pope, who will turn 25 next month, failed to land a lucrative long-term deal during the 2017 offseason and settled for a one-year contract with the Lakers. He has played fairly well in L.A., posting career-best rates in a few categories, including 3PT% (.357). However, given the lack of teams projected to have real cap room in 2018, it remains to be seen whether KCP will have better luck securing a big payday this time around.

While the Knicks could create a chunk of cap space this summer, player options for Enes Kanter, Ron Baker, and Kyle O’Quinn complicate that equation — if all three players pick up their options, New York’s cap room would all but disappear, leaving the club with the mid-level exception. As for the Lakers, they’ll have plenty of flexibility to re-sign Caldwell-Pope if they so choose, but they figure to focus on higher-profile targets when free agency opens in July.

Seven Atlantic Trade Candidates To Watch

January 22nd, 2018 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA trade deadline is just two and a half weeks away, and there’s no shortage of players around the league who could change teams. With that in mind, we’re taking a closer look at some of those top trade candidates, breaking them down by division.

While our focus will be primarily on teams expected to be sellers at the deadline, our lists may also include some players on contenders who could be used as trade chips when those teams look to make upgrades.

So far, we’ve covered the Southeast and Southwest. We’re examining the Atlantic Division today, so let’s dive in and identify seven players who could be on the move on or before February 8…

Courtney Lee, G/F (Knicks): Lee’s cap hit for this season is $11.75MM, and it will jump to $12MM+ for the following two seasons. That’s not great, especially since he’s already 32 years old, but there are many players with similar skill sets around the NBA who cost more. And many of those more expensive players aren’t knocking down shots as effectively as Lee is — his 13.6 PPG and .434 3PT% are career bests, and he has been the league’s best free throw shooter (.965 FT%). If the Knicks‘ recent slide continues and the club falls further out of the playoff picture in the East, Lee looks like a prime trade candidate — expensive enough that clearing his contract from the books would help the Knicks in the long term, but affordable and productive enough that he’d draw interest from contenders.
Willy Hernangomez, C (Knicks): After a promising rookie campaign in 2016/17, Hernangomez has been turned into a benchwarmer this season due to New York’s logjam at center. While the Carmelo Anthony trade has turned out well for the Knicks as a team, the arrival of Enes Kanter in that deal has reduced Hernangomez’s role significantly, and the second-year big man would likely welcome a deal if it means he’ll see more minutes. The Knicks have reportedly received some calls on Hernangomez, but the former second-rounder is still just 23 years old and is on a very team-friendly deal. In other words, Steve Mills and Scott Perry aren’t just going to give him away.
Kyle O’Quinn, C (Knicks): Rather than moving Hernangomez, the Knicks would probably like to find a taker for O’Quinn, who is a little older (28 in March) and a little more expensive ($4.09MM cap hit). O’Quinn doesn’t have Hernangomez’s upside, but the veteran center is posting career highs in several categories, including PPG (6.9), RPG (5.8), and FG% (.596). His $4.26MM player option for 2018/19 won’t appeal to clubs looking to keep their books as clean as possible next season, but it may not be a deal-breaker for some potential suitors. O’Quinn isn’t the answer for a team seeking an impact player in the middle, but he could be a decent investment for a team that just needs a little more depth up front.
DeMarre Carroll, F (Nets): Carroll’s contract was viewed as so toxic during the 2017 offseason that the Raptors had to accept Justin Hamilton‘s unwanted contract and attach a first-round pick and a second-round pick to get the Nets to take it on. With just a year and a half now left on Carroll’s deal, it looks a little more palatable these days, especially since the veteran forward has been more effective in Brooklyn than he ever was in Toronto. Carroll is averaging career bests in PPG (13.0) and RPG (6.8), and while his shooting line (.409/.346/.773) still probably isn’t as high as the Nets would like, the 31-year-old has been a solid rotation player this season. His cap hit ($14.8MM) may make it difficult to deal him unless the Nets take back another undesirable contract, but Carroll’s trade value isn’t nearly as negative as it was just six months ago.
Amir Johnson, F/C (Sixers): The Sixers‘ unusual 2017 free agent strategy saw the team overpay a pair of veterans to avoid having to commit to them for more than one year. The 76ers are getting what they hoped for from sharpshooter J.J. Redick, who is once again knocking down more than 40% of his three-point attempts, but Johnson has been somewhat underwhelming. With multiple options ahead of him at both power forward and center, Johnson is scraping out minutes where he can, but his 15.5 minutes per game are the least he has played since 2008/09. While Philadelphia presumably values Johnson’s veteran leadership in the locker room, his $11MM expiring contract would make sense as a trade chip if the club looks to make a move at the deadline.
Jonas Valanciunas, C (Raptors): Valanciunas’ situation is similar to the one Ryan Anderson finds himself in for the Rockets, which we discussed last week. Both players are on lucrative contracts despite being unplayable against certain lineups — they were also both frequently mentioned in offseason trade rumors as their teams explored upgrades. As we noted when we discussed Anderson, once he stayed put through the offseason, he became less likely to be moved during the season. That’s also the case for Valanciunas, who continues to start for the Raptors despite averaging a career-low 21.0 MPG. If Toronto makes a deadline splash, Valanciunas looks like the most logical outgoing piece, but I’m not counting on that splash.
The Celtics’ $8.4MM disabled player exception: It’s almost certainly cheating to include the Celtics‘ DPE here in place of a player, but the fact is that if Boston makes a deal, it seems more likely to involve this exception than any one player. Only three Celtics players – Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Gordon Hayward – are earning more than the $8.4MM this disabled player exception is worth, and those three players are extremely unlikely to be moved at the deadline. The Celtics also still have nearly $10MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line, meaning the team can afford to use its DPE to take on a player without sending out any salary in return. The fact that the DPE can only be used on a player with an expiring contract limits Boston’s options somewhat, but the team would still probably rather use the exception than surrender a rotation player or two in a trade.

Here are a few more potential Atlantic trade candidates to monitor:

Spencer Dinwiddie, PG (Nets): Dinwiddie has been a revelation for the Nets and he’s on a minimum salary contract through 2018/19. The club could sell high on him, with D’Angelo Russell penciled in as the point guard of the future, but I’d still be somewhat surprised to see him moved.
Joe Harris, F (Nets): Another sell-high candidate for Brooklyn, Harris has made 38.7% of his three-point attempts with the Nets and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Joakim Noah, C (Knicks): The Knicks would certainly rather move Noah than either of the two centers listed above, but his contract will make it virtually impossible.
Jerryd Bayless, G (Sixers): While Bayless has been a solid rotation piece for the Sixers, getting his $8.58MM salary for 2018/19 off the books might be a smart long-term play.
Lucas Nogueira, C (Raptors): Nogueira has fallen behind Jakob Poeltl on the Raptors‘ depth chart and will be a restricted free agent this summer. If another team wants to roll the dice on him, he could probably be had.
Bruno Caboclo, F (Raptors): The same goes for Caboclo, a former first-round pick and a 2018 RFA-to-be who hasn’t developed like the Raptors hoped.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Knicks Notes: Burke, Hardaway, Trade Deadline

January 21st, 2018 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

Trey Burke‘s performance in the two games since signing with the Knicks has given the team a “puzzle” at point guard, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Burke has exhibited instant chemistry with former college teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. and was used to close out Friday’s win in Utah.

“I can just read him on the floor anywhere, especially when he’s coming downhill,’’ Hardaway said. “Yeah, it was immediate. I kind of know his game so well. Even when I wasn’t playing with him the past couple of years, I definitely watched him in Utah, Washington. I still know what he can do on the court, and what he’s able to do both offensively and defensively. It felt like old times.”

The Knicks are giving Burke an audition to see if they want to bring him back for next season, Berman notes. The point guard position is unsettled with rookie Frank Ntilikina not ready to be a starter and veteran Jarrett Jack unlikely to return. Ramon Sessions was waived last week, and a trade with the Hornets for Kemba Walker remains a possibility.

There’s more this morning from New York:

Burke turned down a $3MM offer from China and opted to play for the Knicks’ G League affiliate, relays Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “[Knicks GM] Scott Perry, that’s my guy,” Burke said. “He told me he was going to give me an opportunity to come [to Westchester] and start there, and if I do what I do, he’ll give me an opportunity [with the Knicks]. Now we’re here, I just got to continue to get better.”
Hardaway has boosted the Knicks’ offense in the four games since returning to the lineup and is determined to make the playoffs, relays Al Iannazzone of Newsday. After missing about six weeks with a stress injury in his left leg, Hardaway is averaging 22 points per game and shooting 52.6% from the field since he started playing again. “I feel like with our group, we have that fire and that desire and in our heart [the goal] is to make the playoffs one hundred percent,” he said. “If we don’t make the playoffs, we’re going to go home in April upset.”
Finding a point guard before next month’s trade deadline remains among the Knicks’ priorities, along with a starter at the wing and a rim protector, Iannazzone notes in a separate story. He doesn’t expect the team to get all three, but it will be active in trade talks. He adds that the Knicks want to be aggressive in the 2019 free agent market and won’t be interested in Walker if it means taking one of Charlotte’s expensive, long-term contracts.

Coaching Shakeup May Be On The Way

January 20th, 2018 at 6:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coming off a rare season in which no coaches were fired, the NBA may be preparing for a shakeup that will affect a third of the league, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News.

Isola suggests as many as 10 teams could be looking at coaching changes at the end of the season, if not sooner. The actual number will depend on how things play out, but several more names may join David Fizdale of Memphis and Earl Watson of Phoenix as coaching casualties for 2017/18.

Both Los Angeles teams could be open to changes, with the Lakers far out of the playoff race at 16-29. The front office was slow to defend Luke Walton after recent derogatory comments by LaVar Ball, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently suggested that hiring former Fizdale, a former assistant with the Heat, would give the organization a better shot at LeBron James. However, Walton still has an important ally in majority owner Jeanie Buss.

Across town, Doc Rivers is doing a remarkable job with a depleted roster, but he may not remain with the Clippers if they decide to rebuild by following through with rumored trades involving DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams. Rivers, who has one more year left on the extension he signed in 2014, was removed from his front office duties before the start of the season. Isola says Rivers may return to television if he leaves the Clippers, though he would become a candidate for possible openings in New York and Orlando.

There will be no shortage of prominent candidates if the Knicks decide to move on from Jeff Hornacek. Isola identifies ABC/ESPN analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy as potential replacements, along with former Pelicans coach and Knicks player Monty Williams, reigning G League Coach of the Year Jerry Stackhouse and Villanova coach Jay Wright, although there is speculation that Wright would only leave the college ranks to take the Sixers’ job.

Hornets Hoping To Engage Knicks In Walker Talks?

January 20th, 2018 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets would like to engage the Knicks in trade talks involving point guard Kemba Walker, but the two teams have yet to have any substantive discussions, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPN. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday, the Hornets are open to moving Walker, though the star guard won’t come cheap.

Any potential trade partner with interest in Walker would likely have to be willing to take on one of Charlotte’s less desirable contracts — Nicolas Batum, Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are among the highly-paid Hornets who fit that bill. Additionally, according to Wojnarowski, the Hornets are hoping that the inclusion of Walker in a salary-shedding deal would help the club land a good young player or a first-round pick.

As Begley notes, it makes sense that Charlotte would view New York as a good match, since the Knicks have a talented young point guard prospect in Frank Ntilikina and haven’t traded away any of their future first-round picks.

Still, Begley is skeptical that the Knicks will be willing to match the Hornets’ asking price. The club was very reluctant during the offseason to take on any sizable long-term salary commitments in a Carmelo Anthony trade, and it’s unlikely that stance has changed. Additionally, in order to match salaries with the Hornets, the Knicks might want to include one of their own long-term contracts, such as Joakim Noah‘s or Courtney Lee‘s, which wouldn’t appeal to Charlotte.

Knicks Notes: Kanter, Hornacek, Porzingis, Trade Deadline Plans

January 20th, 2018 at 9:20am CST by marksuleymanov

Enes Kanter has been a bright spot for the Knicks this season, but his ongoing dispute with the Turkish government has generated more headlines than anything he has done on the court. While his future — both with the Knicks and his native country — is unclear, Kanter knows he wants to retire in New York.

In an in-depth interview with ESPN’s Ian Begley, Kanter addressed his perception of the Knicks before he joined the team as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade last September and his current view of the organization.

“I remember during the draft I went to see a lot of organizations. But after you play in New York, you don’t really want to go anywhere else,” Kanter said. “The people around are so cool. I remember maybe it was my second month here. I was thinking, ‘This place is so cool, I want to retire here.’ I remember one of the media guys was asking me, ‘Is it too early to decide because you’ve been here for not even a half season? Why did you want to decide that you wanted to retire as a Knick?’ I was like, ‘This is the place I want to be.’ You play at Madison Square Garden, you see all the famous people. I’m really cool with Ben Stiller.”

Kanter, 25, has averaged 13.5 PPG and 9.9 RPG through 43 games this season while holding down the center position. In addition to his Knicks future, Kanter also discussed his view of Turkey, his current relationship with his family, and his spat with LeBron James.

Check out other Knicks news below:

There have been some rumblings of head coach Jeff Hornacek‘s future with the team given the team’s recent rough patch, which was addressed by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Amid the chatter, however, Hornacek responded by stating that he has the support of the organization and moving forward with the plan of developing young talent, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Kristaps Porzingis was voted an All-Star starter by his fellow players, but lost the overall vote to Sixers big man Joel Embiid. Per ESPN, the Latvian sharpshooter addressed the news with confidence. “Players know,” Porzingis said. “That’s all I’m going to say.“
The Knicks’ issues with their point guards, defensive capabilities, and ability to win were evident in a recent loss to the Grizzlies. Marc Berman of the New York Post examined how the recent losses — the rough patch that has left the team at 21-25 — could lead to a fire sale ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.

Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Nets, DeRozan, Burke, Knicks

January 16th, 2018 at 8:30pm CST by marksuleymanov

Markelle Fultz has missed almost 40 games this season as he’s battled a phantom shoulder injury that has taken away his ability to shoot the ball. While Fultz is practicing with the team, he is still a long way from making a return and the situation has head coach Brett Brown confused, per ESPN.

Fultz shot 50% from the field in his lone college season; he impressed the Sixers so much that the team traded up to draft him first overall in last year’s draft. However, a muscular imbalance in the shoulder hampered Fultz’s shot so much that he did not even attempt a three-point shot while healthy. Brown said he has “never experienced anything like this” but that Philadelphia is dedicated to helping Fultz find his stroke.

“It’s reclaiming the shot that he used to have,” Brown said. “The timeline of when that happens, none of us know. But I feel like there is discomfort in his shoulder and it does affect his shot.”

In four games this season, Fultz averaged 6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.8 APG while shooting 33% from the field.

Check out other Atlantic Division notes below:

Jahlil Okafor and D’Angelo Russell, two of the first three overall picks in the 2015 NBA Draft, are with the Nets organization now and general manager Sean Marks is impressed with their maturity. As Net Income at NetsDaily writes, Marks spoke to WFAN recently gave a glowing review of the organization and how it has helped its young players get acclimated.
Raptors star DeMar DeRozan was fined $15,000 for public criticism of the league’s officiating, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
Trey Burke played just eight minutes of the Knicks‘ win over the Nets on Monday but his impact was noticeable, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Burke lit up the G League with the Knicks’ affiliate and showed glimpses of the player who was the ninth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
In a separate story, Berman of the New York Post examines the Knicks‘ potential strategy as the trade deadline nears. At 20-24, the Knicks are currently three games out of the eighth playoff spot. A strong run could put the team in playoff position but head coach Jeff Hornacek has repeatedly stated the developing the young players comes before worrying about the playoffs. Berman notes that if the Knicks sell, their main priority will be clearing up the logjam at center that features four capable players (Enes Kanter, Kyle O’Quinn, Willy Hernangomez, and Joakim Noah).