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Heat Exploring Kyle Lowry Trades

January 22nd, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Accomplished veteran Kyle Lowry is a natural trade candidate for the Heat due to his declining production and $29.7MM expiring contract. While he has been involved in countless rumors over the years, including the past year-plus with Miami, Lowry’s name hasn’t popped up in many reports during the 2023/24 season to this point.

However, Miami “continues” to discuss the 37-year-old point guard in potential trades, sources tell Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. That implies the Heat either restarted or perhaps never stopped exploring Lowry deals.

Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) goes a step further, suggesting that Lowry’s time in Miami “appears to be” nearing its end. Winderman says a resolution to Lowry’s situation is “not only expected” by next month’s trade deadline, it could occur as early as this week.

Lowry started his first 35 games this season, but he was moved to the bench for Friday’s loss vs. Atlanta and that continued for Sunday’s defeat to Orlando. Miami has dropped three straight games and is currently the No. 6 seed in the East with a 24-19 record.

According to Winderman, Lowry was granted permission to travel away from the team after Wednesday’s loss to the Raptors in Toronto. Lowry played nine seasons with the Raptors, making six All-Star teams and helping Toronto win its first title in 2019. But he got caught in bad weather and was late returning to Miami on Friday, leaving his status against the Hawks uncertain — and opening the door for a lineup change. Head coach Erik Spoelstra started Caleb Martin in Lowry’s place.

“We are not where we want to be,” Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “That’s not an indictment on one player. Kyle has been great as a starter and really impactful last year off the bench. So this really isn’t about him. This is about us trying to get to a higher level on both ends of the court, but also offensively. Combinations do matter, rotations do matter, lineups that bring out the best in each other do matter. And I’m still in the process of trying to help the team figure that out.”

Lowry’s overall numbers are solid, if unspectacular. He has averaged 8.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.1 SPG on .426/.385/.833 shooting in 28.0 MPG through 37 games, but his usage rate is a career low 13.3% and his counting stats have all dropped considerably, Chiang notes. Lowry is 0-for-17 from three-point range over the past five games, averaging just 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 3.6 APG in 25.7 MPG over that span.

For his part, Lowry didn’t exactly sound thrilled with the demotion, but said he was trying to make the best of it.

“For me as a professional, of course I’m disappointed to have to adjust,” Lowry said after going 1-for-9 in 25 minutes off the bench on Sunday. “But I haven’t played well in the last couple weeks and I understand that coach has made a decision to try to move and shake some things and get in a different flow. So as a professional, of course it’s an adjustment. But I have to make it and figure out how to help the team win.”

As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald observes (via Twitter), the big question is whether the Heat will be willing to take on a multiyear contract in exchange for Lowry’s expiring deal. Doing so would likely put them deep into luxury tax territory in the coming years, which would hurt their roster flexibility due to restrictions from the second tax apron. Still, the Heat could make future trades to shed salary in that scenario, Jackson notes.

Zach LaVine To Miss At Least 1-2 Weeks With Ankle Sprain

January 19th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls guard Zach LaVine is expected to be sidelined for at least one-to-two weeks after sustaining a right ankle sprain on Thursday vs. Toronto, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Bulls officially confirmed that LaVine will miss at least a week, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

After exiting to the locker room when he initially suffered the injury in the third quarter, LaVine returned to the bench and tried to play through it for a few minutes in the fourth, but was hampered. Further testing on Friday revealed the sprain, says Charania.

It’s an unfortunate setback for the two-time All-Star, who missed 17 games earlier this season with a right foot injury and only returned to action two weeks ago. Now, he’ll be out at least another week or two with an injury on the same foot.

LaVine has been one of the more prominent players mentioned in trade rumors this season, though the three years and $138MM remaining on his contract beyond this season have reportedly suppressed his market value. The fact that he’s injured again just a few weeks before the February 8 deadline almost certainly won’t help matters on that front, either.

When Chicago was struggling early in the season, LaVine faced criticism for his perceived selfish play and that only intensified when the Bulls played pretty well without him (they were 10-7).

However, they’re 5-2 since LaVine returned to the lineup on January 5, with the 28-year-old playing far more of a complementary offensive role in averaging 15.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 5.3 APG on .487/.390/.810 shooting in that span. For context, LaVine has averaged 25.1 points on 18.6 field goal attempts per game over the past five seasons, compared to 15.6 points on 11.1 shots over the past seven games.

With LaVine out, players like Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter and Patrick Williams could receive more minutes. It’s worth noting, however, that Williams is dealing with a right ankle issue himself and head coach Billy Donovan said it could be an injury that lingers for the rest of the season, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Pacers Sign James Johnson To 10-Day Contract

January 19th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pacers have re-signed veteran forward James Johnson, but this time he’ll receive a 10-day contract instead of a rest-of-season deal, the team announced in a press release.

Indiana waived Johnson a couple days ago in order to create roster space to acquire fourth-year guard Kira Lewis, who was immediately flipped to Toronto as a salary-matching piece for two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam.

The Pacers had two open 15-man roster spots after sending out three players (Bruce Brown and Jordan Nwora were the others) for Siakam — one of those spots will be going to Johnson.

The move was expected, as Tony East of SI.com reported shortly after Johnson was released that the team planned to bring him back if he cleared waivers.

Inking Johnson to a 10-day contract will give Indiana roster flexibility in the event of more trades ahead of the February 8 deadline. As our tracker shows, the 15-year veteran is the sixth player to sign a 10-day deal this season.

Technically, the Pacers are paying Johnson twice right now, as his previous contract was guaranteed after he remained on the roster through the cut-down deadline earlier this month. The dead money cap hit for that deal is about $1.4MM.

Johnson, who has played for 10 different NBA teams, averaged 4.8 minutes per game across five appearances in 2023/24. The 36-year-old played 18 games for the Pacers last season.

His on-court contributions have been modest the past two seasons, but clearly the Pacers value Johnson’s leadership and professionalism, which is why they keep bringing him back.

Christian Koloko Facing Career-Threatening Blood Clot Issue

January 18th, 2024 at 6:21pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Former Raptors center Christian Koloko has a blood clot issue that is threatening his basketball career, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

According to Charania, the NBA told teams today that Koloko was referred to the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play Panel, which means he is unable to play or practice in the league until he is cleared.

Koloko was waived by the Raptors yesterday following the Pascal Siakam trade and Charania says there is no shortage of teams who were interested in acquiring him before learning of this development.

The NBA’s Fitness-to-Play panel helps deal with and determine options for players with potentially life-threatening injuries or conditions.

Koloko had a promising rookie season in 2022/23 after being selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft. Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri spoke highly of Koloko on Thursday and said he saw the former Arizona center as part of Toronto’s future.

Recurring issues with blood clots forced former NBA players like Chris Bosh and Mirza Teletovic into early retirement in the past. Other players – including Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram – have been able to resume their careers following a single occurrence of a blood clot.

Our best wishes go out to Koloko and we hope he is able to enjoy a happy, healthy and fulfilling life and career.

Raptors’ Ujiri: More Trades “Definitely” Possible

January 18th, 2024 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors have made a pair of blockbuster trades in the past few weeks, dealing away longtime veteran forwards OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam for packages centered on young players and draft picks, respectively. They also acquired a valuable role player in swingman Bruce Brown, who is on a pseudo-expiring $22MM contract (2024/25 is a team option for $23MM).

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Raptors vice chairman and president Masai Ujiri said more trades are “definitely” a possibility ahead of the February 8 deadline, as Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca relays (via Twitter). In particular, Ujiri highlighted shooting and flexibility as areas of emphasis, Murphy adds.

In a Twitter thread, Murphy passes along several noteworthy comments from Ujiri’s press conference addressing the trades, his close relationship with Siakam, the team’s plans for the future, and much more.

According to Murphy, Ujiri was “clearly quite emotional” when discussing the moves, which he called “incredibly difficult.”

“These things happen but that one is close to me,” he said. “I hate to go on this little rant, but what I think of the world globally, and what these guys represent, and where I come from, where they come from, it’s meant a lot to me. … Trust me, we’ve analyzed this in every single way.”

“Two African guys that won a championship, I share that with him,” Ujiri said of Siakam (Twitter video link via The Shift). “ … Again, I say to you guys, that guy’s success is my success no matter where he is.”

Ujiri wanted to give the previous roster as much time as it could, but it was trending in the wrong direction. He also cited free agency — both Anunoby and Siakam can be unrestricted free agents this summer — and a desire to get younger around Scottie Barnes as key factors in the moves, per Murphy.

Here’s more from Ujiri’s lengthy press conference:

Ujiri had nothing but praise for how Siakam carried himself and performed over the past year while dealing with trade rumors, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. “He handled it perfectly,” Ujiri said of Siakam. “I give him 100 out of 100. It has to be difficult, and I said that to him. … Nothing stopped him from coming to work everyday and trying to be the best he could be while he performed. We truly respect that.” However, Ujiri says he regrets how he handled things on his end during the offseason, Lewenberg adds (via Twitter). “I think the lines of communication in the summer were not that great. That part I’m not particularly proud of,” Ujiri said, adding that he apologized to Siakam.
When asked if he regretted not making more trades last season, Ujiri said he didn’t, citing a desire to give the 2022/23 team more chances to succeed. He also doesn’t second-guess himself about last year’s trade for Jakob Poeltl. “When you trade a first-round pick for a starting center in the NBA, in our business and for us, it’s good — for now and for the future,” Ujiri said, per Lewenberg (Twitter link). “I’m not going to sit here and cry over spilled milk. If it was a mistake, it was a mistake, but it was good value for us.”
Regarding Christian Koloko, whom the Raptors waived to create roster space for the latest deal, Ujiri said his medical status was in the hands of the NBA. Koloko has yet to play this season due to a respiratory issue. “We’ve exhausted all our options there,” Ujiri said (Twitter link via Murphy) “I can’t comment on particulars. It’s really unfortunate. … He was someone we really believed in. Incredible talent. We saw as the future of this team.“
The Raptors could have four picks in the 2024 draft, depending on what happens with their own first-rounder (it will be sent to San Antonio as part of the Poeltl deal if it lands outside the top six). They acquired the Pistons’ second-round pick in the Anunoby deal, plus two more 2024 first-rounders from Indiana that are projected to be in the latter portion of what’s considered a weak draft class. Ujiri “strongly doubts” that the Raptors will actually keep all of those picks, tweets Murphy.

Cavaliers Sign Pete Nance To 10-Day Contract

January 18th, 2024 at 11:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

January 18: Nance’s 10-day deal is now official, per the Cavaliers.

January 16: The Cavaliers are signing big man Pete Nance to a 10-day contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Cleveland is essentially rewarding a player already in its organization. Nance has averaged 13.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game this season for the Cavs’ G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.

Nance went undrafted last year after spending four years at Northwestern and another with North Carolina. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract in September by the Cavs, then waived during training camp.

The Cavaliers needed to add another player to their 15-man roster after dropping to 13 players when they bought out Ricky Rubio, who announced his retirement earlier this month. NBA teams can’t carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for more than two weeks at a time, so the Cavs had a January 18 deadline to fill Rubio’s roster spot.

Nance is the son of former Cavs legend Larry Nance and the younger brother of Larry Nance Jr., who spent parts of four seasons with Cleveland.

NBA Postpones Another Warriors Game

January 18th, 2024 at 10:13am CST by Arthur Hill

As the Warriors grieve the loss of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, Friday’s home game against the Mavericks has been postponed, the NBA announced (via Twitter). The game will be rescheduled for a later date.

Milojevic passed away Wednesday morning at a Salt Lake City hospital after suffering a heart attack during a team dinner Tuesday night. The 46-year-old had been part of Steve Kerr’s staff since the 2021/22 season. Before that, he was a star player and coach in Europe.

Friday’s game against Dallas was set to be televised by ESPN, so it will be replaced by a Nets-Lakers contest, the league added. Golden State’s scheduled meeting with Utah last night was also postponed, and the team won’t play again until hosting Atlanta next Wednesday.

After facing the Lakers on Wednesday, the Mavericks were set to travel to San Francisco this afternoon, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Instead, they will return home to prepare for Monday’s game against Boston.

Raptors Trade Pascal Siakam To Pacers, Waive Christian Koloko

January 17th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors have traded star forward Pascal Siakam to the Pacers for Bruce Brown, Kira Lewis, Jordan Nwora, two 2024 first-round picks, and a top-four protected 2026 first-rounder, Indiana announced in a press release.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Pascal to Indiana,” said president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard. “As a two-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All Star, Pascal is a player that our organization has long admired and respected. We feel that his unique offensive skillset will complement our style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team.”

The Raptors also announced the trade is complete in their own press release.

“Pascal is a champion, an integral part of winning teams and an example of what can be achieved with dedication, perseverance, hard work and tenacity,” said Raptors vice chairman and president Masai Ujiri. “We’re lucky to have seen Pascal develop into the man and player that he is today – and we are grateful for everything he has done for our city and for our franchise. We wish him all good things.

“This is a time of change for our team, and we welcome Bruce, Jordan and Kira to the Raptors and to Toronto. Bruce is a world champion, and we look forward to his two-way play and added toughness on the court. We continue the work of getting better every day, and continue moving forward in our quest to win here in Toronto.”

The Raptors needed to release a player to complete the deal, and that roster casualty was second-year center Christian Koloko, who has yet to play this season due to a respiratory issue. Assuming he clears waivers, Toronto will be on the hook for Koloko’s full 2023/24 salary, which comes in at $1,719,864. His salary for next season was non-guaranteed.

As a rookie last season, Koloko showed promise as a rim protector, averaging 3.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 58 games, including 19 starts (13.8 MPG).

According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), the Raptors are still “very high” on Koloko, but since there’s no timeline for his return to action, he was the odd man out. Murphy wouldn’t be surprised if Toronto signs Koloko to a G League contract or re-signs him to an NBA deal in the future.

Echoing that last point, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca believes there’s “a good chance” Koloko will remain with the Raptors in some capacity (Twitter link). Grange also hears Koloko has been ramping up his activity lately, but it’s unknown when the Cameroonian big man will be cleared to play again.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, all four players involved in the deal can be traded again prior to the February 8 deadline but cannot be aggregated with other salaries. The Raptors also created a $10.2MM traded player exception in the deal, per Marks (Twitter link).

The Raptors now have a full 15-man roster, while the Pacers have 13 players on standard deals. Teams aren’t permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for more than 14 days at a time, so Indiana will have two weeks to re-add a 14th man.

For more details on the blockbuster trade, check out our story from earlier in the day, before it became official.

Josh Giddey Won’t Face Criminal Charges Following Allegations

January 17th, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Rory Maher

8:30pm: In a press release (Twitter link), the Newport Beach Police Department confirmed that Giddey won’t face criminal charges.

7:40pm: The Newport Beach Police Department has concluded its investigation into Thunder guard/forward Josh Giddey and he will not be charged with a crime after no corroborating evidence was found, as first reported by TMZ Sports. Shams Charania of The Athletic later confirmed the news.

In November, a series of posts on social media accused Giddey of having an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl who is a student at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach. That prompted both the NBA and the Newport Beach Police Department to open investigations into the claims.

However, TMZ reported at the time that the alleged minor and her family were unwilling to cooperate with law enforcement officials. Now, the case is considered closed, according to TMZ.

The NBA’s investigation is technically still active, but it seems unlikely to turn out differently considering Giddey won’t face criminal charges.

The sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft, Giddey is averaging 11.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 4.6 APG in 39 games this season for Oklahoma City (24.8 MPG).

Pelicans Trade Kira Lewis Jr. To Pacers

January 17th, 2024 at 6:24pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans have traded fourth-year guard Kira Lewis Jr. and a 2024 second-round pick — the least favorable of New Orleans’ and Chicago’s second-rounders — to the Pacers in exchange for cash considerations, the two clubs confirmed in press releases.

Indiana waived James Johnson to create a roster spot for Lewis.

Lewis won’t be staying in Indiana. He’ll be part of the package heading to Toronto in the Pascal Siakam blockbuster. Lewis will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer if the Raptors give him a qualifying offer.

By trading Lewis’ $5.7MM contract, the Pelicans moved under the luxury tax line — they’d previously been over and have never paid the tax — so it’s a straightforward salary dump from their perspective.

A former lottery pick (13th overall in 2020), the 22-year-old was unable to carve out a regular spot in New Orleans’ rotation over the past two seasons after returning from a torn ACL in 2022/23. He has appeared in just 15 games this season for an average of 9.8 minutes per night.

The Pacers are acquiring Lewis using cap room, which means they’ll be able to immediately aggregate his salary in the Siakam trade. Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks will also be sent to the Raptors in that deal.

The Pelicans now have 13 players on standard contracts. Teams aren’t permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard deals for more than 14 days at a time, so they’ll have two weeks to re-add a 14th man.