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Latest On Pascal Siakam

January 5th, 2024 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

Once considered the most aggressive suitor for Pascal Siakam, the Hawks are no longer viewed by league personnel as a top contender to trade for the Raptors forward, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. As Fischer explains, with Atlanta more likely to be a seller than a buyer at the trade deadline, a deal for Siakam no longer makes as much sense as it might have last summer.

Recent chatter among NBA executives has centered on the Pacers, Kings, and Pistons as prime landing spots for Siakam, according to Fischer, who says that the Sixers and Mavericks aren’t considered especially viable destinations for now.

As Fischer writes, in any deal involving Siakam, Toronto would be prioritizing young, established players – like the ones the team got in its OG Anunoby trade – rather than future draft assets. Philadelphia doesn’t really have any trade chips that fit that bill, while Dallas has “long rebuffed inquiries” on wing Josh Green, per Fischer.

Teams like Detroit and Indiana, on the other hand, have young players who could be included in a Siakam package, and the Pistons continue to signal to rival front offices that they’re interested in buying at the trade deadline rather than selling off their veterans, Fischer reports.

Here’s more on Siakam:

The Kings won’t consider trading away forward Keegan Murray, says Fischer, which may make them an underdog in the Siakam sweepstakes. However, Davion Mitchell is available, and Sacramento has called teams to gauge the value of a package headed by Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, Fischer writes, adding that the team also has multiple tradable first-round picks.
Before Anunoby was traded to New York, the Pacers made a “strong push” to acquire him from the Raptors, according to Fischer, who says Indiana continues to explore an upgrade at power forward.
Raptors officials have suggested to opposing executives that as many as 10 teams have legitimate interest in Siakam, sources tell Fischer.
Tim Bontemps of ESPN is the latest reporter to state that his league sources expect the Raptors to move Siakam before the trade deadline next month.

Gary Payton II Out At Least Three Weeks For Warriors

January 4th, 2024 at 5:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II is out at least three weeks — which is when he’ll be reevaluated — after sustaining a grade 2 left hamstring strain on Tuesday vs. Orlando, Golden State announced in a press release (via Twitter).

In just his second game back from a right calf strain that sidelined him for 13 contests, Payton exited Tuesday’s win in the third quarter due to the hamstring injury. He didn’t return to the game.

The injury occurred as Payton was defending Magic guard Cole Anthony while he brought the ball up the court. The Warriors guard fell awkwardly as he looked to avoid a screen set by Paolo Banchero (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area).

Payton has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, including being limited to just 22 games in 2022/23. The 31-year-old defensive stalwart was a key member of Golden State’s championship run in ’21/22.

Payton is earning $8.7MM this season and holds a $9.1MM player option for ’24/25.

Draymond Green Returning To Warriors Soon, Suspension Nearing End

January 4th, 2024 at 2:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Draymond Green‘s indefinite suspension appears to be nearing an end. The veteran power forward is expected to return to the Warriors’ practice facility in the next few days, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Green will need to ramp up his physical activity and get in some practice time before he suits up again. He will miss his 11th consecutive game on Thursday night, when Golden State faces Denver.

Rejoining the team and working himself back into playing shape is the final step to getting back in action. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will determine when Green will be reinstated, but sources told Wojnarowski that Green will have satisfied the league’s requirements to return once he’s ready to play again.

Green was suspended on Dec. 13 for repeated violent acts, most recently when he struck Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head last month.

He has been participating in individual counseling sessions and virtual meetings that include team, league and union officials designed to chart his progress toward reinstatement, according to Wojnarowski. Green’s agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. and team trainer Rick Celebrini, along with NBPA and NBA officials, are part of these ongoing sessions.

Green is in the first season of a four-year, $100MM contract and is losing $153,941 for every game he misses during the suspension.

The Warriors are 6-4 during Green’s absence but are still one game under .500.

Nets Fined $100K For Violating Participation Policy

January 4th, 2024 at 12:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA has fined the Nets $100K for violating its player participation policy, the league announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Brooklyn’s staff held out starters Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton, and Spencer Dinwiddie against Milwaukee on Dec. 27 in the second game of a back-to-back set after all three played the previous night. Johnson and Claxton were listed as out due to “injury maintenance,” while Dinwiddie was simply listed as out due to “rest.”

Brooklyn also didn’t use Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale, or Cam Thomas after the first quarter. The move irked Bridges, who said after the game that he would’ve been fine handling his usual workload and pushing harder for a victory.

The league launched an investigation, including a review by an independent physician, and determined that four Nets rotation players who did not participate in the game could have played under the medical standard of the policy. The league did not specify the four players.

The new player participation policy was adopted prior to this season under the new CBA. It was designed to discourage load management and expanded on previous guidelines related to resting healthy players. This is the first fine levied by the league under the new policy, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets.

As an interesting side note, half of the fine will go to the NBA Players Association under the terms of the new CBA, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

Ricky Rubio Agrees To Buyout, Announces NBA Retirement

January 4th, 2024 at 11:28am CST by Arthur Hill

11:28am: Rubio has announced his retirement from the NBA in a statement on social media (Twitter link).

9:31am: Ricky Rubio has reached an agreement on a contract buyout with the Cavaliers, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The move will likely lead to the end of the 33-year-old guard’s playing career, at least in the NBA.

Terms of the buyout haven’t been made available, but Bobby Marks of ESPN notes that Rubio has about $3.5MM left on his $6.15MM contract for this season (Twitter link). Rubio is also owed $6.44MM for 2024/25, but only $4.25MM of next season’s salary is guaranteed.

Rubio and the team began discussing an eventual buyout last month. He hasn’t played this season, announcing in August that he needed to pause his career for mental health reasons. Rubio has remained in his native Spain and there was reportedly little expectation that he was planning to make an NBA return.

Cleveland is $752K below the luxury tax, according to Marks, so any savings from Rubio’s contract will create financial flexibility. The Cavs are already carrying one open roster spot due to tax concerns, and they’re currently shorthanded because of long-term injuries to Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome. Teams can begin signing players to 10-day contracts on Friday, so that may be an option until those players return.

Rubio emerged as a star in Spain as a teenager and was selected by Minnesota with the fifth pick in the 2009 draft. He played for four teams in his 12-year career and averaged 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 698 total games.

The Cavaliers originally acquired Rubio in the summer of 2021, but a torn ACL ended his season after 34 games and he was sent to Indiana to help match salaries in the Caris LeVert trade. He re-signed with Cleveland in 2022, but was still slowed by the injury and was limited to 33 games last season.

“Deepening Disconnect” Between Darvin Ham, Lakers Players

January 4th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

Darvin Ham‘s frequent lineup changes have led to a “deepening disconnect” between the Lakers coach and his players, according to Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Six sources with direct knowledge of the situation spoke to the authors about a “disjointedness” that has arisen as Ham has adjusted roles of various players to try to shake the team out of its current slide. L.A. is 3-9 since winning the in-season tournament and has fallen to 10th in the West with a 17-18 record.

Ham used his 10th different starting lineup of the season in Wednesday night’s loss to Miami, making Austin Reaves a starter again in place of the injured Rui Hachimura. Sources tell Charania and Buha that the changes have led to “a fluctuating rhythm” for several players. The authors add that the adjustments have prevented the team from establishing any continuity or determining its best lineup combinations.

After Wednesday’s game, Ham said injury problems are responsible for his frequent changes. Cam Reddish has been in and out of the lineup due to a groin issue, Hachimura is sidelined with a Grade 1 left calf strain and D’Angelo Russell sat out his second straight game with a bruised tailbone.

Ham also suggested that the Heat, who were playing without Jimmy Butler, were in a better position than the Lakers.

“I think the multiple (rotation players) are more impactful than … if you lose one of your big dogs, you’re going to figure out how to try and manage without them,” Ham said. “… And when you have your key role players, your key rotation players – this guy misses three or four. This guy misses three or four. And they’re happening one right after another, that’s what makes it difficult. … We’ve got to figure it out. I’m disappointed, but I’ll be damned if I get discouraged.”

L.A. held a team meeting after Wednesday’s loss, Charania and Buha add, and many of the players were gone by the time the media were admitted to the locker room. Among those who talked to reporters, Reaves and Anthony Davis both emphasized that injuries are no excuse for losing, which the authors note is part of the disconnect between Ham and his players.

Ham has two full seasons beyond this one remaining on his four-year contract, so the Lakers will likely be reluctant to make a coaching change. He has also shown an ability to overcome adversity, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals after a 2-10 start to last season. However, Charania and Buha write that “time is of the essence” for L.A. to start winning and “patience is beginning to run thin.”

LaVine Assigned To NBAGL For Practice, Could Return Friday

January 3rd, 2024 at 6:05pm CST by Rory Maher

January 3: LaVine’s practices have gone well with no setbacks and he could return on Friday against the Hornets, Donovan said on Wednesday (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps).

January 1: The Bulls have assigned guard Zach LaVine to the G League for his first contact practice since he was shelved by a foot injury in late November, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

As Johnson explains, seeing how the foot responds is LaVine’s final hurdle in his recovery process, with a return possibly coming as soon as Friday against Charlotte if the two-time All-Star doesn’t experience a setback.

The team decided to keep LaVine and fellow injured teammates Nikola Vucevic and Torrey Craig back in Chicago while the Bulls traveled to Philadelphia to begin Tuesday’s back-to-back road trip against Philadelphia and New York, Johnson adds. That will give LaVine more practice time with Windy City, Chicago’s NBAGL affiliate.

“I like having those guys on the bench just with their voice. I think it’s always good. But their health is the most important thing and getting the back to play,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “There’s more that they’ll have access to (in Chicago) because they’re all at a point where they can really do stuff on the court. . . . It’s a lot easier for them (in Chicago).”

According to Johnson, while the Bulls have gone 10-5 since LaVine last played, his coach and teammates are “adamant” that Chicago’s improved play is merely a coincidence and he can help the team win.

LaVine, of course, is one of the high-profile players who has been involved in trade rumors for several months. A healthy and productive return to the court could be a catalyst for a deal, with his market rumored to be limited to this point.

Knicks Sign Duane Washington Jr. To Two-Way Deal

January 3rd, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks have signed free agent guard Duane Washington Jr. to a two-way contract, the team announced (via Twitter).

This is the third time New York has signed Washington to a two-way deal since February 2023, but he has yet to make his NBA debut with the club. He was cut in late November after he sustained a right thumb injury, which was supposed to sideline him six-to-eight weeks.

The Knicks must be comfortable with how Washington is recovering, since his salary will become guaranteed if he remains on the roster through January 7, though two-way salaries don’t count toward the salary cap or luxury tax. New York waived big man Dmytro Skapintsev a couple days ago to open a two-way roster spot.

It’s worth noting that New York also just traded Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and the Pistons’ 2024 second-round pick to Toronto for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn. That created a need for backcourt depth — Washington is a 6’3″ guard.

Washington went undrafted out of Ohio State in 2021 and spent his rookie season with the Pacers. He played for the Suns 2022/23, eventually being waived before bouncing back and forth with the Knicks.

The 23-year-old averaged 27.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds on .588/.417/.700 shooting in three Showcase Cup games with the G League’s Westchester Knicks (New York’s affiliate) this season prior to the injury.

The Knicks’ 18-man roster is full after the move.

Woj: Hawks “Absolutely Open For Business” Ahead Of Trade Deadline

January 3rd, 2024 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks are “absolutely open for business” on the trade market, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who said today during a Q&A session on Threads that general manager Landry Fields “seems determined to make changes” to Atlanta’s roster by the February 8 trade deadline.

Given that Wojnarowski’s statement is just a brief response in a Q&A session rather than a full report, he doesn’t offer any additional details on the Hawks’ plans for the deadline.

It seems relatively safe to assume that star guard Trae Young won’t be going anywhere on or before Feb. 8, and the Hawks reportedly aren’t inclined to move breakout forward Jalen Johnson. Additionally, young big man Onyeka Okongwu will be subject to the poison pill provision, making it more challenging – though certainly not impossible – to include him in a deal.

On the other hand, De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela have frequently been cited as probable trade candidates, and there has been speculation that Atlanta might be open to listening to inquiries on Dejounte Murray. It would presumably require a substantial offer for the Hawks to seriously consider moving Murray, but with the club off to a 13-19 start this season following an underwhelming 41-41 finish in 2022/23, Fields and the front office will likely consider a wide range of possibilities.

In terms of potential trade targets, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam has frequently been linked to the Hawks. Atlanta and Toronto reportedly engaged in serious talks over the summer that ultimately didn’t lead to a deal.

The Hawks were at the center of several trade rumors during the offseason, with Caplea’s and Hunter’s names coming up frequently, but the team’s only major move on the trade market was sending John Collins to Utah in what amounted to a salary dump.

The hope was that, a year after acquiring Murray, the current iteration of the Hawks could make a leap in the same way that the Timberwolves have this season in their second year with Rudy Gobert. That hasn’t been the case in the first half though, so after those rumored offseason trades didn’t come to fruition, Atlanta may be more aggressive in trying to get deals across the finish line in the coming weeks.

Spurs Sign Mamadi Diakite To Two-Way Deal

January 1st, 2024 at 1:05pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs have signed free agent forward/center Mamadi Diakite to a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release.

Diakite, 26, went undrafted in 2020 out of Virginia after winning the national championship with the Cavaliers in 2018/19. This is his fourth NBA season — he played 49 games with Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Cleveland from 2020-23 and holds career averages of 3.2 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 10.3 MPG.

A native of Guinea, Diakite was unable to find a team as a free agent this offseason, eventually landing with the Knicks on an Exhibit 10 deal that gave him a bonus after he was waived and spent time with their G League affiliate in Westchester. In 19 Showcase Cup and regular season games with Westchester in 2023/24, he averaged 8.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 1.1 BPG.

San Antonio recently released rookie center Charles Bediako from his two-way deal after he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee, opening up the two-way spot that went to Diakite. The Spurs now have a full 18-man roster.