- In his latest look at trade rumors from around the NBA, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post explores how the Pelicans and Thunder will try to fill the holes created in their rotations after season-ending injuries to DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Roberson, respectively.
JANUARY 28, 6:48pm: The Thunder have announced via press release that Roberson underwent successful surgery. He’ll miss the remainder of the season, as had been previously reported.
JANUARY 28, 10:38am: The Thunder have confirmed that Roberson ruptured his left patellar tendon and will require surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the season, tweets Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman.
JANUARY 27, 6:58pm: Thunder coach Billy Donovan has confirmed that Roberson suffered a patellar tendon injury, Young tweets, adding that further evaluation will take place when the team returns to Oklahoma City.
JANUARY 27, 6:22pm: A preliminary medical report says Thunder swingman Andre Roberson has a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee after being carried off the floor in today’s game at Detroit, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He adds that more tests are being conducted to determine the severity of the damage (Twitter link).
Roberson’s injury occurred in the third quarter when he appeared to hurt himself while jumping and took a hard landing. He was carried off the court on a stretcher. Roberson missed some games recently with patellar tendinitis in the knee, notes Royce Young of ESPN (Twitter link). Young adds that Roberson was a likely first-team All-Defense selection and would have been considered for Defensive Player of The Year (Twitter link).
Roberson has appeared in 39 games this season and was shooting a career-best 53% from the floor coming into today while averaging 5.0 points per night. He is making a little less than $9.26MM this year and is signed for $10MM next season and $10.74MM in 2019/20.
With the trade deadline February 8, the Thunder have 12 days to decide if they want to make a move to get another defensive specialist to replace Roberson for the rest of this season. Young notes that the Thunder weren’t expected to be active on the trade market, but today’s injury might change their thinking (Twitter link).
The Thunder have limited options in trying to replace Andre Roberson through trades, writes Kevin Pelton of ESPN. Oklahoma City lost its best wing defender Saturday when Roberson was carried off the court in Detroit with a ruptured patellar tendon. Terrance Ferguson and Alex Abrines are potential replacements on the roster, but both have deficiencies in their games and neither can match Roberson’s defensive prowess. Josh Huestis has similar skills to Roberson, but only shoots 28.4% from 3-point range.
- The Thunder have a pair of trade exceptions available, posts Bobby Marks on ESPN Now. However, they are only valued at $2.55M and $1.49M, so the team’s options with those exceptions will be limited.
Thunder forward Paul George will replace DeMarcus Cousins in the All-Star Game, the league office announced. He will be part of the team captained by LeBron James.
This is the third straight All-Star appearance for George and the fifth of his career. He is averaging 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 45 games with the Thunder.
Under league rules, when an All-Star is injured, as Cousins was with a season-ending rupture to his left Achilles, commissioner Adam Silver will select a replacement from the same conference. George had the most points among players who weren’t chosen as reserves this week in a vote by coaches.
George is in his first season with the Thunder after being acquired from the Pacers in a July trade. He is expected to opt out of a $20.7MM salary for next season and test the market in free agency.
- The Thunder have recalled big man Dakari Johnson, the team announced in a press release. Johnson will return to the big league club with averages of 23.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in four contests with the squad’s affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.
As the February 8 trade deadline approaches, many potential sellers around the NBA will be looking to get their hands on 2018 draft picks. Those picks are the simplest way for contending teams to upgrade their rosters without sacrificing a key rotation player or two of their own, and they’re coveted by rebuilding clubs looking to stockpile assets or add cheap young talent.
A year ago, six first-round picks were moved in trades within the last two weeks before the trade deadline. One of those picks was heavily protected and ultimately turned into two second-rounders, but the others resulted in players like Zach Collins, Harry Giles, Jarrett Allen, and Tony Bradley in the 2017 draft.
Although ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link) hears that that some league-wide reluctance to deal first-round picks for a quick fix, I expect to see at least one or two first-rounders change hands again this season. However, several contending teams have already moved their 2018 first-rounders.
The Ted Stepien rule also prevents those clubs from trading their 2019 first-round picks, which means that a 2020 selection is the earliest first-rounder they could dangle in trade talks. A pick that far down the road still has value, but it may not appeal to some sellers looking to accelerate their rebuilds or add talent for next year.
Here’s a look at five contending teams without 2018 first-round picks, with a breakdown of how the absence of a first-rounder could impact potential plans of a roster upgrade at the deadline:
Houston Rockets
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Los Angeles Clippers (top-3 protected) in deal for Chris Paul. The Clippers subsequently traded the pick to the Hawks.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2020. Since there are protections on their traded 2018 first-rounder, the Rockets could only trade their 2020 pick conditionally. However, a team acquiring that 2020 pick could be confident that it won’t be delayed, since the 2018 pick will definitely change hands this year.
- Potential impact: The Rockets look like a fairly well-rounded squad already, so the team may simply look to make an upgrade or two around the edges of its roster at the deadline. If that’s the case, no longer being able to put that 2018 first-round on the table shouldn’t be a problem.
Miami Heat
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Phoenix Suns (top-7 protected) in deal for Goran Dragic.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2023. In addition to their 2021 pick, the Heat also sent their 2021 first-rounder to Phoenix in the Dragic trade, essentially tying up their first-round picks for the next several years.
- Potential impact: The Heat haven’t been the subject of any major trade rumors, though they’ll always keep an eye out for potential stars to target. If they make an unexpected splash at this year’s deadline, they’ll probably have to use players like Hassan Whiteside and/or Justise Winslow as their key trade chips, rather than draft picks.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Phoenix Suns (top-10 protected and 17-30 protected) in deal for Eric Bledsoe.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2020. The unusual protections on the pick sent to the Suns mean that it may not change hands until as late as 2021, so the Bucks would only be able to trade their 2020 pick conditionally. Any team acquiring that 2020 first-round pick would have to be prepared for the possibility that it could end up becoming a 2022 or 2023 first-rounder instead.
- Potential impact: The Bucks are reportedly in the market for an impact center such as DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers, but their inflexibility with future first-round picks figures to complicate that hunt. In lieu of a first-rounder, Milwaukee could offer someone like Malcolm Brogdon or Jabari Parker.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Utah Jazz (top-14 protected) in deal for Enes Kanter. The Jazz subsequently traded the pick to the Timberwolves.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2022. The Thunder have also traded away their 2020 first-rounder, which is top-20 protected, so their ’22 pick can only be moved conditionally. That leaves the club with essentially no first-round assets for now.
- Potential impact: The Thunder would benefit from a deal like the one the Wizards made at the deadline last season for Bojan Bogdanovic — adding a productive sixth or seventh man in exchange for a first-round pick and a bad contract (like Kyle Singler‘s) would make the club’s roster more dangerous and well-rounded. Without a first-rounder to dangle in trade talks though, it’s harder to see OKC’s path to that sort of upgrade.
Toronto Raptors
- Traded 2018 first-round pick to: Brooklyn Nets (top-14 protected) in DeMarre Carroll salary dump.
- Next trade-eligible first-round pick: 2020. Technically, the pick sent to Brooklyn is protected, so the 2020 pick would need to be moved conditionally. But that 2018 first-rounder will change hands this year, so a team acquiring Toronto’s 2020 pick would know it wouldn’t be delayed.
- Potential impact: A year ago, the Raptors were more than willing to part with draft picks at the deadline, sending a first-rounder to Orlando for Serge Ibaka and a pair of second-rounders to Phoenix for P.J. Tucker. With no 2018 selections in their arsenal, the Raps aren’t as well-equipped to address a need this time around, which makes them less likely to complete a deal.
While the Lakers are still expected to be a strong contender for Paul George in free agency this summer, the forward’s latest public comments suggest he might be leaning toward remaining in Oklahoma City. As ESPN’s Royce Young writes, Russell Westbrook, who told reporters in strong terms on Wednesday that George should have been an All-Star, is a key reason why George will seriously consider re-signing with the Thunder.
“Russ is the reason why this decision is becoming even more easier to make… the character Russ [has],” George told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “A stand-up guy, and he has his teammate’s back.
“It was awesome for a teammate to have your back and to stand up,” George continued. “And to be honest, he should be a starter. He’s been the MVP, been the best player at his position. He should’ve been a starter, but that’s another story. But the fact Russ had my back, that’s my guy forever, and it’s more apparent what this decision needs to be made when it comes down to it.”
Although George sounds today like a man ready to stick with the Thunder when his current contract expires, plenty could change in the next five months — an early playoff exit, for instance, could hurt the team’s offseason recruiting pitch. Still, Oklahoma City will have George’s Bird rights, giving the team the ability to offer more years and more money than rival suitors, and the front office has to be encouraged by the relationship between its star forward and star point guard.
Westbrook is under contract with the Thunder through at least 2022, so if George wants to continue playing with the reigning MVP, re-upping in OKC on a long-term deal this summer would be the logical move.
Amid all the problems plaguing the Cavaliers this month, one underlying issue is LeBron James‘ frustration with the front office over not upgrading the roster, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Appearing on The Lowe Post podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Windhorst said James saw that the Cavs had a chance to land Paul George and Eric Bledsoe and was angry when both players ended up elsewhere.
Cleveland reportedly came close to acquiring George in a three-team trade shortly before the Pacers shipped him to the Thunder in early July. A deal was in place to trade Kevin Love to Denver in exchange for Gary Harris and the No. 13 pick, which the Cavaliers would have sent to Indiana to get George. Pacers president Kevin Pritchard had second thoughts about the trade and backed out before it was finalized.
The Cavaliers were also rumored to have interest in Bledsoe, who was among James’ summer workout partners and shares an agent in Rich Paul. Instead the Suns sent him to Milwaukee in exchange for little-used Greg Monroe and two draft picks.
“I’m sure if [Cavaliers owner] Dan Gilbert would ever speak freely, he probably never will, but he would say, ‘Well, I needed LeBron to commit past this year if I was going to trade, and LeBron wouldn’t commit, so therefore it’s LeBron’s fault this didn’t happen,'” Windhorst said. “Everybody’s going to have their own story. I’m just telling you that LeBron is there and he’s like, ‘We could have had Eric Bledsoe and Paul George, and instead we have a draft pick who I’m never going to meet [Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder] — Well, I don’t know about that, but I’m not meeting him this year — we have Isaiah Thomas, who is very clearly hampered and we have Jae Crowder, who’s having the worst year of his career.”
This offseason was the first for rookie GM Koby Altman, who was hired to replace David Griffin in late July. James had been a vocal defender of Griffin and questioned why the team refused to give him a new contract last season.
The NBA trade deadline is just over two 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, Southwest, and Atlantic. We’re examining the Northwest Division today, so let’s dive in and identify seven players who could be on the move on or before February 8…
Derrick Favors, F/C (Jazz): This isn’t the first season in which Favors has been considered a trade candidate, but the case for moving him is now stronger than ever. He’s on an expiring contract, the 19-28 Jazz are slipping out of the playoff race, and Utah looks like a better team with a small-ball power forward playing alongside Rudy Gobert. When Gobert has been sidelined due to injuries, Favors has played his best, which suggests he’d be better suited as a center than a power forward for most NBA teams. There are several teams that could be fits for that sort of player, but given Favors’ looming unrestricted free agency, the Jazz may have to be willing to take back some long-term salary in order to land a decent draft pick or a young player in exchange for the veteran big man.- Rodney Hood, SG (Jazz): In the wake of Gordon Hayward‘s offseason departure, Hood was identified as a prime breakout candidate and a key source of offense for the Jazz. However, injuries have once again slowed down the 25-year-old, who has played 60+ games in a season just once since entering the league in 2014. When he has played, Hood has been pretty effective, posting career-highs in several categories, including PPG (16.7) and 3PT% (.386). However, his injury history is an issue, and it’s no longer clear if he’s in Utah’s long-term plans. Hood will be a restricted free agent in the summer, which makes him a more appealing trade piece than a UFA-to-be like Favors, since a new team would be able to match any offers Hood receives. With the Jazz reportedly increasing their efforts to make a deal, teams in need of a scoring punch should be in on Hood.
- Joe Johnson, F (Jazz): Johnson made perfect sense on the 2016/17 Jazz roster as a veteran leader and a clutch-time scorer on a fairly young playoff team. He makes less sense on the current iteration on the Jazz, especially since his game has fallen off a cliff this season. Johnson’s average of 7.2 PPG is a career low, as is his dismal .258 3PT%. Unless the Jazz start to make a playoff push very soon, it seems unlikely that Johnson finishes the season in Utah — Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link) hears that the veteran forward wants out. Of course, given his performance and his $10.5MM cap hit, Johnson may be end up being more of a buyout candidate than a trade candidate. It’s possible he could still help a contender, but at that salary – and at his age (36) – teams probably won’t pay much to find out.
- Kenneth Faried, PF (Nuggets): Given how long Faried has been the subject of trade rumors, it seems hard to believe that he still has one more year on his contract after this one. That extra guaranteed season could be problematic if and when the Nuggets look to move him — most teams won’t be looking to commit $13.76MM of next year’s cap to a somewhat one-dimensional player who is playing fewer minutes than ever this season. An off-and-on member of Denver’s rotation, Faried has averaged a modest 6.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 30 games (14.9 MPG) so far in 2017/18. The 28-year-old is still a solid rebounder and can finish at the rim, but he’s not a particularly strong rim protector on defense and he doesn’t shoot three-pointers — most NBA teams these days want their bigs to do one or the other. Moving Faried may require the Nuggets to attach an asset or two.
- Emmanuel Mudiay, PG (Nuggets): Mudiay has been a more efficient shooter in 2017/18 than he was in first two NBA seasons, particularly from three-point range (.387 3PT%). However, he’s still shooting just 39.1% overall, and he has once again seen his role reduced by the Nuggets. After starting 107 games in his first two seasons, the former No. 7 overall pick has come off the bench all year, having been usurped on the depth chart by Jamal Murray. Mudiay is still just 21 years old, and his rookie contract doesn’t expire until 2019, making him an intriguing trade target for a team that still believes in his potential. His trade value isn’t as high as it would have been a year or two ago, but it might be time for the Nuggets to get what they can.
- Maurice Harkless, F (Trail Blazers): Even after trading Allen Crabbe in the offseason, the Trail Blazers likely want to move off one more long-term contract in order to avoid ongoing luxury tax purgatory. The club may prefer to deal Evan Turner, who is earning $17MM+ annually, or Meyers Leonard, who has a contract similar to Harkless’ but barely plays. Still, of the three, Harkless represents the best combination of affordability (relative to Turner) and production (relative to Leonard). At $10.16MM, the 24-year-old’s salary isn’t an albatross, especially if he can match last season’s production (10.0 PPG, .503 FG%, .351 3PT%). Anyone on the Blazers’ roster not named Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum should be available, so Harkless is hardly the only trade candidate in Portland, but he strikes me as one of the club’s most logical trade chips.
- Cole Aldrich, C (Timberwolves): Aldrich has only played 22 minutes this season for the Timberwolves, so perhaps it’s more accurate to identify Aldrich’s contract as the trade candidate rather than the player himself. The veteran center is earning $7.3MM and only has about $2MM guaranteed for 2018/19, making his deal essentially an expiring one. Minnesota reportedly dangled Aldrich and a draft pick in the offseason in an effort to add a shooter, and I’d expect the team to do the same at the deadline.
Here are a few more potential Northwest trade candidates to monitor:
- Alec Burks, SG (Jazz): Burks was identified earlier this month as a player drawing some interest on the trade market.
- Wilson Chandler, F (Nuggets): Like Faried, Chandler has been a longtime trade candidate in Denver. But he’s having a down year and the rumor mill this season has been pretty quiet.
- Kyle Singler, SF (Thunder): Singler, who has played 44 minutes this season, will be a candidate to be stretched in the offseason if the Thunder can’t include him in a trade. Alex Abrines or Patrick Patterson would draw more interest on the trade market, but Oklahoma City might be reluctant to give up a player who can hit outside shots.
- Ed Davis, F/C (Trail Blazers): The Blazers would rather trade longer-term contracts, and they probably still need Davis in their rotation. Still, with Zach Collins emerging, Davis makes an interesting trade candidate — moving his expiring contract could get Portland under the tax line this season.
- Gorgui Dieng, F/C (Timberwolves): Moving Dieng’s four-year, $62.8MM deal is a long shot, but he’s the most likely trade candidate of the Timberwolves‘ highest-paid players. With Taj Gibson now starting at the four, Dieng has seen his minutes slashed from 32.4 MPG a year ago to just 18.2 this season.
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
8:30pm:
- The Spurs recalled Brandon Paul and Derrick White from their G League affiliate in Austin, the team’s site announced in a press release.
3:56pm:
- The Celtics have recalled Guerschon Yabusele and Abdel Nader from the G League, the team announced today (via Twitter). Yabusele and Nader were sent down yesterday for the Maine Red Claw’s tilt against the Westchester Knicks.
- The Hawks have recalled DeAndre’ Bembry, Tyler Cavanaugh and Isaiah Taylor to their G League affiliate in Erie, the team announced in a press release. Additionally, Josh Magette, who has appeared in nine games with Atlanta, was sent down to Erie.
- The Thunder have assigned Dakari Johnson to the team’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a press release. Johnson has appeared in one game for the Blue, posting a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He has played in 21 games for OKC.
- The Suns have recalled guard Davon Reed to their Northern Arizona affiliate, per Scott Bordow of Arizona Central Sports (via Twitter).