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Pacific Notes: Beal, Green, Milojevic, Vezenkov

January 24th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bradley Beal lost a chance to play in the last Olympics after being placed in COVID protocols, and it doesn’t appear he’ll be part of this year’s event either, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Suns star wasn’t included on the 41-player pool list that was released Tuesday.

“It’s a difficult exercise because we have so many talented players and so many guys who one could make an argument for being on the list,” USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill said during a media conference call. “I had some great conversations with Brad last summer. That was tough. Tough decisions to get it to 41. I’ll be honest. I didn’t think we would be at 41. I thought we would have fewer names. I thought maybe 30 and it was really hard to get to 41 and I imagine it will be very difficult to get to 12.”

Beal remains a productive scorer, averaging 18.0 PPG in his first season with Phoenix, but injuries likely factored into the decision to keep him off the pool list. Beal has been limited to 50 and 40 games the past two seasons, and he has only appeared in 20 of the Suns’ first 44 games.

“I’ll say this with history as sort of a guide here,” Hill added. “A lot can, and will, happen between now and July and we’ve added players to that list. We’ve been fluid at times. We’ll continue to monitor, we’ll continue to evaluate and we’ll see where we are when we get on that plane and head overseas.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors forward Draymond Green was also noticeably absent from the pool list, and Hill indicated that his two suspensions this season played a role in the decision, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “His contributions have been significant, and he is a real part of the legacy of this organization for his excellence,” Hill said of Green, a two-time gold medal winner. “But in lieu of what’s transpired this year, we made a decision to not have him on this list.”
The Warriors will wear a “DM” patch for the rest of the season to honor assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, who died suddenly last week, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The team paid tribute to Milojevic with a ceremony before tonight’s game (video link from Kendra Andrews of ESPN).
Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov will be reevaluated in seven to 14 days after suffering a moderate right ankle sprain Monday night, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Vezenkov was dealing with a sprained left ankle going into the game, Anderson adds.

Knicks Notes: Grimes, Sims, Achiuwa, Brunson

January 24th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Quentin Grimes has been the subject of recent trade rumors, but coach Tom Thibodeau wants the third-year wing to ignore the speculation and concentrate on basketball, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. The Knicks have reportedly been taking calls about Grimes, but Thibodeau said that’s not a sign that anything will happen.

“For this time of year, for every 100 trades that get talked about, one gets done. That’s why you stick to your routine,” Thibodeau said. “You block out all the outside stuff. You lock into what’s in front of you and keep your focus there. Let basketball be your focus. So, I think where we are today, the popularity of the game is so huge. Media, social media and everyone talking about it. It’s a by-product of society today. But don’t get caught up in it. Whether it’s praise, criticism, speculation, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that really matters is what you think and what we think. That’s it.”

Botte notes that Grimes probably expected his playing time to increase after RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were traded to Toronto last month. Instead, it has declined since the deal as Thibodeau has relied more on other players on his reconfigured bench.

There’s more from New York:

With their top two centers hurt, the Knicks got a strong night from their reserve big men in Tuesday’s win at Brooklyn, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Mitchell Robinson underwent ankle surgery and hasn’t played since December 8, and Isaiah Hartenstein saw his consecutive games streak end at 164 due to an inflamed Achilles, but Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa were capable replacements. Sims started the game and blocked four shots in the first quarter, and Achiuwa played the entire fourth quarter as New York rallied for the victory. “[They were] amazing,” Julius Randle said. “Precious gave us big minutes. Jericho gave us big minutes. Protecting the rim. Jericho was great protecting the rim in the first half. Precious just being in the right spots, getting us extra possessions rebounding the ball. Defending guards. All that type of stuff. Gave us a lot of versatility.”
Jalen Brunson has been playing at an All-Star level, but that won’t guarantee him a spot in the game when the rosters are announced Thursday night, Botte notes in a separate story. Brunson ranked sixth among Eastern Conference backcourt players in the latest round of fan voting, which accounts for half of the final total. He may need to be selected by the coaches to earn his first-ever All-Star nod.
The Knicks should monitor trade opportunities, but they shouldn’t risk their current chemistry with an aggressive move, contends Fred Katz of The Athletic, adding that he doesn’t see an ideal player for the team on this year’s market.

GM Jon Horst Explains Bucks’ Coaching Change

January 24th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks general manager Jon Horst said the team’s expectations changed after the decision was made to hire Adrian Griffin as head coach, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Horst met with media members before tonight’s game to explain why management believed a coaching change was necessary even though the team was off to a 30-13 start.

Horst noted that when Griffin got the job in early June, the roster was filled with uncertainties, which made having a first-time head coach seem more plausible. Things changed throughout the summer as Milwaukee was able to reach contract agreements with Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and then trade for Damian Lillard, which led to Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s extension. With all those pieces securely in place, the front office felt renewed urgency to get the most of out of its championship window.

“It was a tough job and a great opportunity – both things were true – when we hired Griff,” Horst said. “The dynamics and the things that changed after that I think created even more of an urgency and even more so. These are special opportunities. The talent became even more special. The commitment to the team even more significant. And I think that increased the urgency.

“It’s not because I’m afraid to be wrong. I’ve been wrong many a times. I believe Griff still is a head coach. Guy’s 30-13. It made this such a tough decision. This is an assessment and an evaluation for myself, (team president Peter Feigin) and our ownership group in how do we give this team the best resources to maximize this window. It’s way more about that and way less about what Griff did or didn’t do.”

Horst referenced the awkward situation that can develop when a major move of this type is announced on social media. He met with the players before today’s shootaround to explain the reasons why a coaching change was deemed necessary.

Horst also expressed confidence in interim coach Joe Prunty, noting that he has been in this situation before and is “fully aware” that the organization is in the process of hiring a new head coach. Horst refused to comment on Doc Rivers, who reportedly reached an agreement in principle to take over the team, but indicated that he wants to fill the position as quickly as possible.

“What we’re looking for now is a path to go forward and maximize this group from a leadership perspective, from an experience perspective,” Horst said. “We want to try to bring in a coach that can really take us to the next level where we think we can go with this group. That’s not just about coaching. The players have to be better, they have to improve, my group has to continue figuring out how to improve the roster, but we think coaching is an element for us to get better.”

Horst also addressed the issue of having to pay three head coaches, as Mike Budenholzer had two years remaining on his contract when he was fired in May. Horst admitted that it’s part of the “hard decisions” that go into running a team and credited the owners for their commitment to winning.

Horst expressed confidence that the new head coach can fix the defensive shortcomings – and other issues that developed under Griffin – and put the team in position for a long playoff run.

“Although it’s a condensed period of time calendar-wise I think in the world of the NBA and what in particular our really smart, professional and mature players can do, a great coaching staff around them, I believe that there is enough time for them to find an identity, find a rhythm together and continue to grow,” he said. “So, it may feel shortened but the things that happen in the NBA happen quick all the time and transition happens all the time and I think we’ll be well adapted to it.”

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Lowry, Caruso, White

January 24th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

DeMar DeRozan typically doesn’t get involved in the Bulls‘ front office decisions, but he might change that stance if it means bringing long-time friend Kyle Lowry to Chicago, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Lowry, who was DeRozan’s teammate for many years in Toronto, was traded from Miami to Charlotte on Tuesday and could be on the move again before the February 8 deadline. It’s unlikely that the Bulls would deal for Lowry’s $29.7MM contract, but they have an open roster spot and DeRozan is willing to help facilitate a signing if Lowry reaches a buyout agreement with the Hornets.

“If it was asked of me, whether from him if that was something he wanted to do (or management), for sure. Why not?” DeRozan said. “That’s one of my closest friends, one of the smartest players I’ve played with since I been in the league.”

DeRozan revealed that Lowry called and informed him of the impending trade before the news broke Tuesday morning. DeRozan offered support to the 37-year-old guard, who is facing an uncertain basketball future for the first time in many years.

“For me, it flips to being there for him more so as a friend. Basketball kind of goes out the window,” DeRozan said. “Even last night, I just texted him before I went to sleep and asked him how he was feeling mentally. That’s all I care about first.”

There’s more from Chicago:

While several Eastern Conference rivals have already made significant moves, the Bulls’ trade outlook continues to be quiet, Johnson adds. No market has developed for Zach LaVine, who is currently sidelined with a sprained ankle, and the front office hasn’t shown any inclination to trade Alex Caruso despite interest around the league, according to Johnson.
Caruso was honored to be included in the 41-player pool for the 2024 Olympics that was released Tuesday, tweets Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. “Hopefully I’m lucky enough to get selected and go,” Caruso said. “That would be an even bigger accomplishment and exciting adventure.”
In a full story for The Chicago Tribune, Poe looks at whether Coby White should be given a larger role in the Bulls’ clutch possessions considering his improvement this season. Even when White is having a huge scoring night, DeRozan is typically the focus of the crunch-time offense.

Terry Rozier: “I Feel Like I Fit The Heat Culture”

January 24th, 2024 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

At a brief press conference before Wednesday’s game, Terry Rozier said he’s thrilled about the opportunity to play in Miami and he sees himself as a natural fit for Heat culture, relays Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Rozier, who was acquired from Charlotte on Tuesday, said he’s long been an admirer of his new team.

“It’s been no secret how much love I have for the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade growing up,” Rozier said. “This is definitely a full circle moment. I’m happy to be back on that stage in a playoff race. It’s huge.”

Rozier was added to bring some spark to the Heat’s offense, which has struggled to produce points on a consistent basis. He averaged 23.2 PPG in his 30 games with the Hornets this season, and Jackson notes that combining him with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro makes Miami the only team in the league with four players scoring at least 20 PPG.

Rozier added that he’s “not here to step on nobody’s toes” and will work with coach Erik Spoelstra to determine the best way he can help the team.

“Definitely want to take my time. Things are not going to be perfect right away,” Rozier said. “I feel like I fit the Heat culture and I’m coming right in, can come in [and help] on the defensive side. We’re basketball players. We will figure it out.”

Spoelstra also spoke at the press conference, calling Rozier “one of the most dangerous X-factors” in Boston before developing his game even further with Charlotte. Spoelstra likes the idea of adding another extreme competitor to his roster.

“He has a lot of those competitive qualities that we respect and we think not only resonate with us but also impact winning in a big way,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a competitive guy. Winning matters to him. He respects our uniform. He really wanted to be here. Not everybody wants to play for us. So that matters. We want to have like-minded competitors that view competition in a very similar way.”

Spoelstra addressed his new-look backcourt, with Rozier and Herro both capable of scoring and distributing the ball.

“Skill level is extremely high with both of these guys,” he said. “Terry can play more naturally at the point. Tyler, his skill level, his ball handling, his play-making has improved so much. Terry knows how to play on the ball and he also knows how to play off the ball which is really important for our group. He’s had success doing both. This year, he had to do a lot more on the ball and it shows you what he’s capable of leading the attack.”

Spoelstra also discussed the loss of Kyle Lowry, who was sent to the Hornets in the trade after spending the last two and a half seasons in Miami.

“Kyle, you can never define him by his stats,” Spoelstra said. “His whole career, and particularly as an ultimate winner, you define him by whether your team is winning and how it’s functioning. … This is part of the business…. Sometimes you have to make a business decision. That’s what this was. He’ll be just fine. He’ll find his next stop … whether it’s Charlotte or anywhere else.”

Central Notes: Griffin, Lillard, Pacers, Cunningham

January 24th, 2024 at 5:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The tensions that led to the Bucks‘ decision to fire head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday stemmed from a loss of their defensive identity, according to Ramona Shelburne and Jamal Collier of ESPN. A source tells the authors there was a “constant” string of internal conversations about why the team was falling short of expectations, even though Milwaukee is tied for the second-best record in the league at 30-13.

Griffin had a reputation as a defensive specialist after building the Raptors’ defense that resulted in a championship in 2019, and he impressed general manager Jon Horst and other team officials during the interview process with his ideas for the Bucks’ defense, according to Shelburne and Collier.

However, the aggressive scheme that Griffin implemented wasn’t popular with players, who couldn’t understand why center Brook Lopez was being taken out of drop coverage after finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, sources tell the authors. The new approach, which also included attacking ball-handlers far away from the basket, helped Milwaukee rise from 27th to fourth in the league in deflections, but the team ranked last in field goal percentage at the rim after five games before Griffin relented following a meeting with his top players.

Even though the Bucks kept winning, the defense never showed significant improvement, which caused the organization to lose its faith in Griffin. Shelburne and Collier note that former coaches reached out to Griffin to offer advice, including Lionel Hollins and Doc Rivers, who the authors say became a mentor to Griffin before ultimately replacing him in the job.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Fixing the Bucks‘ defense isn’t the only priority for Rivers as he takes over, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Damian Lillard is suffering through one of the worst shooting seasons of his career, connecting at just 42.7% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range, which are his lowest figures in nearly a decade. Nehm suggests that creating more pick-and-roll opportunities for Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo might be one of Rivers’ solutions.
The Pacers have a lot more options on defense after trading for Pascal Siakam, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Coach Rick Carlisle already took steps to improve atrocious defensive numbers early in the season by moving Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith into the starting lineup late last month. There has been progress, as Dopirak points out that the team is 19th in points allowed and 17th in defensive rating over its last 15 games.
The Pistons considered having Cade Cunningham return tonight, but coach Monty Williams will give him at least one more game off to recover from a left knee strain, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “We felt like we were in a good place, but decided to make sure he’s in a good place before he’s out there,” Williams said in a pregame meeting with reporters. Cunningham was originally listed as probable before downgraded to questionable and then out.

Heat Notes: Rozier, Offense, Draft Picks, Martin

January 24th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After being acquired by the Heat on Tuesday, Terry Rozier will be available to make his debut with his new team on Wednesday vs. Memphis, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). The Heat have confirmed the news.

Heat forward Caleb Martin, who played with Rozier in Charlotte, referred to the veteran guard as a “great teammate” and a tough competitor who will “fit right in” with the Heat, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Martin, Tyler Herro, and Kevin Love all pointed out that the club will benefit from having another contributor capable of putting up 25 or 30 points on any given night.

“It is increasingly important and paramount to have a weapon and a scoring threat out there on the floor at really every position,” Love said. “But somebody who can put points up in a hurry. With teams and offenses scoring so many points and the offensive ratings continuing to go up, usage continuing to go up — I mean, we had two guys score over 60, a guy score 70 (on Monday). It just goes to show you how important that is in this league now.”

While some analysts have expressed concern about the way that Rozier’s and Herro’s skill sets overlap, Herro believes they’ll complement one another well and is looking forward to playing with pace alongside his new teammate.

“We both can play on the ball and off the ball,” Herro said, according to Jackson. “We both can catch and shoot or dribble and shoot. We also can play-make for our teammates. We’re both younger. I think we’ll play faster. Get the ball up the floor. That’s what I want to be a part of and I think the rest of us do too.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

The Heat ranked 25th in offensive rating last season and are 20th so far this season, including 28th in January. With that in mind, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald takes an in-depth look at Rozier’s offensive game and considers how having him in the mix will boost the club on that end of the floor.
One NBA scout who spoke to Jackson of The Miami Herald acknowledged that Rozier isn’t a great defender and that he has a tendency to occasionally force shots, but called the trade a “great move” for the Heat. “This is a no-brainer to me, from the Heat’s standpoint. He’s perfect for them,” the scout said. “… His play-making is a tad underrated. He sees people. He can penetrate. He can get in the lane and dish. He can run pick-and-roll. He’s more of a point guard than Herro. You have to guard him.”
In another story for The Herald, Jackson explores the Heat’s draft pick situation, pointing out that – due to the Stepien rule – the 2030 pick is the only first-rounder the team can still freely trade.
Although Caleb Martin has been an important part of the Heat’s rotation, the deal for Rozier means his situation is worth monitoring, notes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. As Winderman explains, it will be more challenging financially for Miami to keep Martin beyond the season with Rozier’s contract on the books; plus, the Heat could potentially move below the first tax apron and become a player on the buyout market by moving off of Martin’s expiring contract at the trade deadline. Of course, Martin will have more value than just about any player who will be available in the buyout market, so Miami is unlikely to move him purely for financial reasons.

Eastern Notes: Embiid, Joerger, Bucks, Rozier, Heat

January 24th, 2024 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

When Sixers star Joel Embiid scored 30-plus points for a 21st consecutive game on Monday, he didn’t just eke past that threshold — he more than doubled it, eclipsing Wilt Chamberlain‘s franchise record of 68 points by racking up an eye-popping 70 in a victory over San Antonio, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The performance increased Embiid’s season-long scoring average to 36.1 points per game. James Harden (2018/19) is the only other player to average that many points in a single season since Michael Jordan did it in 1986/87.

Having already missed 10 games in 2023/24, Embiid isn’t a lock to reach the 65-game minimum required to qualify for end-of-season awards. But as long as he plays enough, he looks like the clear frontrunner to win a second consecutive MVP award.

“I keep telling everybody, we cannot take this for granted,” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey said. “Not just as teammates, not as an organization, but as fans … even if you’re not a fan of Philadelphia, if you’re just a fan of basketball, you can’t take Jo for granted, man. What he’s doing right now is special.

“… He’s doing so much out there. And you know, the kicker is he’s on the other end, he’s anchoring the defense as well. He’s not taking any nights off on defense. So, you know, we appreciate him, and everybody else should appreciate him, as well.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Dave Joerger, who spent three seasons on Doc Rivers‘ staff in Philadelphia, is receiving consideration to join the Bucks as an assistant, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Rivers and Bucks general manager Jon Horst are expected to work together to finalize any additions to Milwaukee’s coaching staff, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT.
Examining the Terry Rozier trade between the Heat and Hornets, John Hollinger of The Athletic wonders if this deal is a sign that there won’t be any blockbuster trades completed at the deadline. As Hollinger explains, Miami’s front office typically prefers to use its assets to go star-hunting on the trade market, so if the the Heat were willing to give up a first-round pick for Rozier, they may have felt as if no impact players will become available at the 11th hour.
Elsewhere at The Athletic, Jared Weiss and William Guillory take a closer look at what the Heat‘s Rozier acquisition means for the teams at the top of the East. As The Athletic’s duo points out, there’s a good deal of overlap between Rozier’s and Tyler Herro‘s skill sets, so it may be a challenge to play them together in the postseason when their relative lack of size makes them susceptible to being hunted on defense.
In a comprehensive Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks breaks down the trade deadline for the 15 Eastern Conference teams, outlining the assets at their disposal and what sorts of deals might make sense for each club.

Clarifying The NBA’s New Rule On Post-Buyout Signings

January 24th, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s trade deadline is just 15 days away, which means we’re nearly in buyout season. Several veteran players on lottery-bound teams who are in the final year of their respective contracts will become candidates to be bought out if they’re not traded to a new team on or before February 8.

When the league and the players’ union finalized a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2023, they agreed to a new rule that affects the buyout market. This rule hasn’t been a factor yet this season, but it will likely be relevant in the coming weeks. And in the wake of the deal that sent Kyle Lowry to Charlotte, making him a buyout candidate, I’ve seen some confusion about how the rule works and which players are affected, so we’ll offer some clarity here.

First, here’s the new rule: A team whose salary is above either the first or second tax apron is not permitted to sign a free agent on the buyout market if his pre-waiver salary exceeded the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

For the 2023/24 season, that means that any team whose taxable salary is above $172,346,000 is ineligible to sign a player who was cut this season if he was earning more than $12,405,000.

This applies to both buyouts and standard waivers, so regardless of whether or not the player agreed to give up any money as part of his release, he’s ineligible to sign with an apron team if he had been earning more than $12,405,000.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN noted earlier this week (via Twitter), these are the clubs whose team salaries are currently above the apron levels:

Boston Celtics
Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Phoenix Suns

That means that a player like Lowry, whose $29.7MM salary far exceeds the mid-level exception, would currently be ineligible to sign with one of those seven teams if he’s bought out by the Hornets. However, that list of teams is subject to change as rosters changes and salaries fluctuate.

The Heat, for instance, reduced their payroll in the deal that sent out Lowry for Terry Rozier, whose cap charge is several million dollars smaller than Lowry’s. The Heat are currently above the first apron but well below the second, per Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom, so if they were to further trim their payroll, they could gain the ability to sign any player on the buyout market (well, with the exception of Lowry, due to a separate rule prohibiting a team from re-signing a player it traded if he’s waived by his new team).

Conversely, if a team like the Sixers, whose salary is currently less than $3MM shy of the first apron, took on several million dollars in salary in a deadline trade, they’d become ineligible to sign a player like Lowry in the buyout market.

A team can be above the luxury tax line but remain eligible to sign a player on the buyout market, since there’s a gap of approximately $7MM between the tax threshold ($165,294,000) and the first apron. The Lakers, for example, currently project to be a taxpayer, but they have enough room below the apron to ensure this restriction won’t apply to them.

In order to be eligible to sign a player who had been earning more than $12,405,000, the team must have a salary below the first apron upon the completion of the signing — that means a team whose salary is $1MM below the apron can’t offer a player a rest-of-season contract worth $1.2MM.

If a team were to sign a player like Lowry or Gordon Hayward (who is earning $31.5MM) on the buyout market, that club would subsequently be hard-capped at the first apron and would be prohibited from having its salary exceed $172,346,000 for the rest of the season.

Outside of Lowry, Hayward, and perhaps Knicks wing Evan Fournier, it doesn’t look like there will be many buyout candidates earning above the mid-level who would be particularly intriguing on the free agent market.

Players like Gary Harris, Marcus Morris, or Doug McDermott would certainly draw interest, but I don’t see them as viable candidates for buyouts unless they’re traded to a team that views them as a pure salary-matching chip. Guys like Davis Bertans and Joe Harris may appeal to a team in need of shooting, but they’ve barely played this season, so if they were bought out, the competition for their services may not be particularly fierce.

Still, even if this rule only affects a couple players this season, it’s worth keeping in mind. After all, several of the teams in that aforementioned group of seven are legitimate championship contenders. Those are the sorts of clubs that would benefit most from adding one more depth piece, so the fact that that they won’t have access to certain targets on the buyout market is noteworthy.

Trade Rumors: Bucks Targets, Payne, Allen, Suns, Hornets, Kuzma

January 24th, 2024 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks don’t have a ton of trade assets left after completing blockbuster deals in recent years for Jrue Holiday and then Damian Lillard, but they’re perusing the market in an effort to upgrade their perimeter defense, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

According to Fischer, the Bucks have contacted teams to gauge the value of Portland’s 2024 second-round pick, which Milwaukee controls — it currently projects to be 35th overall, making it more valuable than a typical second-rounder. The team is exploring deals that would package that pick with wing Pat Connaughton and guard Cameron Payne, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

As Fischer explains, Payne fell out of Adrian Griffin‘s rotation earlier this month, but it’s possible new head coach Doc Rivers will want to use him more. If not, the veteran point guard would be “amenable” to a change of scenery, Fischer writes.

While the Bucks would love to acquire a player like Hawks guard Dejounte Murray or Raptors wing Bruce Brown, Bobby Portis‘ $11.7MM cap hit would almost certainly need to be includd in order to match their salaries, Fischer notes. Additionally, Atlanta and Toronto are seeking the sort of packages – two first-round picks and a starter-level player for Murray and a first-round picks for Brown – which the Bucks may not be able to offer, given their lack of tradable first-rounders.

Chicago guard Alex Caruso is likely also out of Milwaukee’s reach, given that the Bulls aren’t inclined to move him and would seek multiple first-rounders if they did, says Fischer. Players like Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle and Clippers forward P.J. Tucker may be more attainable, Fischer suggests. However, Tucker’s appeal is limited, and Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report points out (via Twitter) that Thybulle has veto rights and may not be eager to play for Rivers again.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Suns are no longer considering the possibility of trading Grayson Allen at the deadline, league sources tell Fischer. Fischer reported last week that Phoenix was gauging what a package of Allen and Nassir Little could bring back, but that seemed like it was more about due diligence, given how well the former Duke star has played this season.
Responding to reports from Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports and Trevor Booth of Clutch Points stating that the Suns have interest in Miles Bridges and Nick Richards of the Hornets, John Gambadoro of Arizons Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) throws cold water on the Richards speculation, but suggests Phoenix could be in the mix for Bridges if the price is right.
While Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been viewed as a potential in-season trade candidate, he’s under contract for several more years and Washington appears to be in no rush to move him, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on The Woj Pod. “Washington’s been very reticent with Kyle Kuzma,” Wojnarowski said (hat tip to RealGM). “… Teams tell me they call them and they’re not getting counters from Washington. If you want to register an offer for Kuzma, fine, you can do it. But they’re not at the point now where it seems like they’re really active in seriously trying to move him. It could change by the deadline, but I know (Wizards executives) Michael Winger and Will Dawkins like Kuzma, like having him there. I think they’ll be particular about what they might do.”

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