Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
The Grizzlies have reached an agreement to send Andre Iguodala to the Heat, who will give him a two-year, $30MM contract extension, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Justise Winslow will be part of the package headed to Memphis in return, Woj adds (Twitter link).
The second season of Iguodala’s extension will be a team option, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). That will allow the Heat to retain their financial flexibility to participate in a loaded free agent class in 2021. Sources tell Wojnarowski that Miami will guarantee the second season of Iguodala’s deal for $15MM if the team misses out on its top free agent targets (Twitter link).
The trade takes a player off the board who was coveted by contenders around the league for his defensive toughness and playoff experience. Iguodala was widely expected to return to Golden State next season as a free agent, but the extension removes any chance of that.
Bobby Marks of ESPN notes that Miami is limited to two years on the extension along with 5% raises on top of his current salary because of extend-and-trade restrictions. (Twitter link). Normally teams can offer extensions up to four years with 8% raises.
Heat president Pat Riley is making an effort to acquire Oklahoma City’s Danilo Gallinari as well as Iguodala, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Gallinari was expected to have a short stay with the Thunder after he was acquired in July as part of the trade that sent Paul George to the Clippers. However, OKC has emerged as a strong playoff contender with Gallinari contributing 19.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per night. The 31-year-old has a $22.6MM expiring contract.
Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
Both the Rockets and Nets have specifically expressed interest in Hawks big man John Collins recently, a league source tells Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. However, teams that have talked to Atlanta have been left with the impression that the team won’t move Collins unless it gets an offer it can refuse.
According to Kirschner, Houston wanted Collins as part of a Clint Capela trade as a younger, cheaper replacement, which presumably was a non-starter for the Hawks. Kirschner suggests Spencer Dinwiddie was mentioned in talks with the Nets, but says it’s not clear whether those discussions went anywhere.
Collins will be eligible for a rookie scale extension for the first time this offseason, and multiple league sources tell Kirschner that he’s expected to seek a max or near-max deal. If the Hawks decide that price is too rich, they could revisit the trade market, but for now, the big man isn’t being shopped at all. It’s “highly unlikely” that Atlanta moves any member of its young core – including Collins – at this Thursday’s deadline, tweets Sarah K. Spencer of The Athletic.
Here’s more on the Hawks:
ESPN insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks published a pair of podcasts on Sunday examining each of the NBA’s two conferences, breaking down trade possibilities and scenarios for a number of teams.
The two podcasts, which are worth listening to in full, included several interesting notes and tidbits on the trade market, so we’ll pass along several of the highlights right here:
Eastern Conference (full podcast link):
Western Conference (full podcast link):
A number of players who have been mentioned as trade candidates this season may not be moved – or may not be available at all – at Thursday’s deadline, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes in an article jam-packed with trade-related rumors and speculation.
For instance, teams who have called the Pelicans asking about J.J. Redick have been “shooed away,” sources tell Lowe. The Wizards have taken a similar approach to clubs inquiring on Davis Bertans, though Lowe notes that could change if Washington is offered something concrete that moves the needle more than a future first-round pick.
As Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week, teams have been monitoring John Collins in case the Hawks think about trading him, but there’s no indication Atlanta has interest in moving Collins “on any of the general terms being bandied about,” Lowe writes.
The Pistons‘ talks involving Andre Drummond aren’t entirely dormant, but it’s “far from a sure thing” that he’ll be moved, according to Lowe, who suggests that even if Detroit does make a deal, the return will likely be less than the team envisioned.
Meanwhile, the Thunder have been mentioned all season long as a potential seller, given their offseason moves and their veteran trade candidates. But the safest bet is that they stand pat with guys like Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams, per Lowe.
As Lowe points out, the Thunder could still have leverage to make deals after the season, when Schroder and Adams will be entering contract years and Gallinari will be a prime sign-and-trade candidate. The Heat are among the teams to inquire on Gallinari this season, sources tell Lowe.
As noted above, Lowe’s latest ESPN piece is filled with many more trade rumors and notes. Here are several of the highlights:
Marcus Morris is confident that he’ll sign a multi-year contract with the Knicks if he remains with the organization past the trade deadline, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. This comes after a report earlier this week that he and the team have “strong mutual interest” in reaching a new deal this summer. Morris likes playing in New York and enjoys being so close to his family in Philadelphia.
Morris risked some security last year when he reneged on a two-year offer with the Spurs to accept a one-year arrangement with the Knicks. He recently hired a new agent in Raymond Brothers, who has a close relationship with New York general manager Scott Perry.
While it’s not a sure thing that Perry will remain with the organization after another disappointing season, some sources believe owner James Dolan’s desire to have Masai Ujiri run the team could work in Perry’s favor. Dolan may not be able to land Ujiri while he’s still under contract with the Raptors, so Mills may be able to convince Dolan to give him another season while he waits. Thunder president Sam Presti could be another target, Bondy adds.
There’s more this morning from New York:
The NBA has officially announced the 20 rookies and sophomores who have been named to the league’s Rising Stars game for All-Star weekend. Those 20 players, selected by assistant coaches from around the league, will be divided into a U.S. Team and a World Team, as follows:
Williamson’s inclusion is notable since he has appeared in just four games due to injuries. It’s not surprising that the NBA found a way to get him into the game, since he’s one of the most exciting prospects to enter the league in years, but it’s a tough break for youngsters who have been on the court since the fall for contenders, such as Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle. or Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.
Snubbed players like Thybulle, Porter, and others could eventually make their way into the Rising Stars game if players have to pull out due to injuries, or if All-Stars like Doncic and Young opt not to play in both events.
The Rising Stars game will take place in Chicago on Friday, February 14.
The NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement includes a rule that states players who are acquired using an exception (ie. not using cap space) can’t be aggregated in a second trade for two months after the original deal.
Aggregating a player in a trade refers to the act of combining his contract with another player’s contract for salary-matching purposes. For instance, an over-the-cap team can’t trade a player with a $5MM salary straight up for a player with a $13MM salary. But if the team aggregates that player with a second player who also earns $5MM, the deal would work.
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The rule against including a player in an aggregated trade for two months after he’s acquired doesn’t preclude the player’s team from adding him to a multi-player deal. His salary simply can’t be combined upon with another player’s for matching purposes in such a trade.
For instance, even if a player earning a minimum salary can’t be aggregated in a trade, his team could still include him in a swap involving a pair of $10MM players, since his minimum-salary cap hit wouldn’t be needed for salary matching.
With those rules in mind, here’s the list of players who have been acquired using a cap exception within the last two months and can’t be aggregated in a deadline trade this season: