NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Kings Name Two Women To Lead G League Team

June 20th, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, made history on Tuesday by naming Lindsey Harding as their head coach and Anjali Ranadivé as general manager, according to a team press release.

It’s the first time that two women will hold the top positions for a G League franchise.

Harding replaces Bobby Jackson, who left the Kings organization to join Nick Nurse’s staff with the 76ers. Ranadivé, the daughter of owner Vivek Ranadivé, replaces Paul Johnson, who will take a front office role with the NBA team after winning the 2023 G League Basketball Executive of the Year award.

Harding spent the past four seasons as an assistant/player development coach with the NBA Kings. She previously worked as a player development coach and pro personnel scout with the 76ers. Harding is also currently the head coach of the Mexican women’s national team.

Anjali Ranadivé served as assistant GM in Stockton last season. She previously worked for the Kings organization as a coordinator in the Social Responsibility department.

Atlantic Notes: Milton, Harris, Randle, Bridges, Toppin, Rajakovic

June 20th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Shake Milton is the least likely of the Sixers’ free agents to re-sign with the club, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. Milton is looking for a opportunity to get an expanded role elsewhere, though that could change if the Sixers fail to re-sign James Harden.

There’s also no traction regarding a possible trade involving Tobias Harris and his expiring contract, Neubeck writes. There’s no sense of urgency to deal Harris, as the Sixers believe they’ll have multiple windows beyond this week to potentially move him. They’re not inclined to deal the veteran forward unless it improves their flexibility or top-end ceiling, Neubeck adds.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Julius Randle believes the Knicks are “not that far off” from being a championship team, he said on Paul George‘s Podcast P show (hat tip to SNY TV’s Ian Begley). “We got a great mixture of talent, bro. We’ve got young dudes, we’ve got guys going in their prime. So we’ve got a great mixture of guys and it’s like, ‘How do we keep getting better?’ So from a team standpoint, I think that’s where we at.”
Mikal Bridges believes that when injuries struck the Suns last season, he got a chance to showcase his offensive ability. That set him up to become a primary option after he was traded to the Nets, he told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “I always tell people I got traded at the right time with having pretty much the whole team out and being the guy for about a month and just going through the pains and the gains and growth throughout every day,” he said. “Having bad games and losing a lot to finally starting to get it going and start being efficient and trying to win games. And then once it kind of got to that and then that’s when I got traded. So it was perfect timing. I couldn’t have been traded at a better time.”
Obi Toppin’s trade value could be a late first-rounder in this year’s draft, a source told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The Pacers could be a potential suitor for the Knicks’ backup power forward, Bondy suggests, since they were interested in him before last season’s trade deadline and possess two late first-round picks. However, Toppin has supporters within the organization and he would become more valuable to the Knicks if they deal Randle in a blockbuster.
Darko Rajakovic presented a straightforward approach during the interviewing process for the Raptors’ head coaching job, he told Serbian media outlet MozzartSport (hat tip to Eurohoops.net). “When I entered the whole process, I had no intention of pleasing anyone and simply wanted to present myself, who I am and what I am, what my beliefs are, and what my basketball philosophy is,’ he said. “In the end, they liked it the most, so they decided to hire me.”

Weaver: Pistons Willing To Deal Lottery Pick

June 20th, 2023 at 6:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver says he’s open to trading the No. 5 overall pick, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.

During a pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, Weaver indicated he’s intrigued by the talent level at that spot but wouldn’t rule out a swap.

“We’re still open to improving the team, absolutely,” he said. “Do we like the players that we’ve been vetting out at five? Absolutely. We’re still open to different opportunities as well. Definitely still looking at all of our options to improve the team. These top-five, top-seven picks are valuable because it’s unpredictable after one.”

Weaver said he’s ready to pounce if the right opportunity comes along. He used the Knicks’ desire to shed salary last year to work out a three-team, draft-night swap that landed the Pistons another lottery pick, which they used on Jalen Duren. Weaver could also use the team’s cap space — projected to be around $30MM — to acquire contracts from teams looking to dump salary with future assets attached.

“There could be some vulnerable situations that we could take advantage of and we want to be prepared and working hard to make sure that if those opportunities are afforded, we’re there,” Weaver said, as relayed by Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.

If the Pistons keep their pick — or even if they move down a few spots — Weaver will seek a potential star over a safer option.

“I like the long ball,” he said. “I’m not bunting or trying to slap it into short center. I take a big swing. Especially if I only have one chance at it. If I have three chances, OK, I may bunt one. But one chance at it, I’m going for the big fly. That’s me.”

Weaver added that new head coach Monty Williams has been an active participant in draft evaluations.

“Since he’s been hired, he’s been a part of everything — the interviews, the on-court workouts and watching film,” Weaver said. “He’s jumped in with two feet, he’s ready and has a lot of keen insight on players that we really value.”

Heat Notes: Offseason Plan, Luxury Tax, Herro, Butler, Draft

June 20th, 2023 at 5:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat president Pat Riley will look for additions that could bring a title to Miami but he pledged not to make drastic roster changes, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.

Riley met the media for his annual postseason press conference on Tuesday.

“We’re not going to take a wrecking ball to a good team that had some real adversity this year that I felt built some strength. We have a good team, and probably a great team,” Riley said. “And so, running it back? Yes. Doing something that can help you with that last step? Yes, if it’s a possibility and if there’s an opportunity without setting you back while you’re moving forward. It’s just onward with us. It’s onward.”

Of course, the Heat could still make a big trade. They’ve been linked to Damian Lillard and would be considered a strong candidate to land him if the star guard asks out of Portland. They were also considered a possible destination for Bradley Beal before the Suns swooped in for the Wizards’ All-Star wing.

Riley wasn’t at liberty to speak about Lillard or Beal due to tampering rules, nor could he talk about specific free agent targets. However, the Heat could move some big salaries (Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson) if a superstar talent becomes available.

Riley addressed a number of other topics:

The Heat are projected to be over the luxury tax threshold next season, which is projected to be $162MM. Riley said that team owner Micky Arison and CEO Nick Arison are willing to pay the penalty for a championship team. “They’re committed to winning championships,” Riley said. “And we’re in the tax. (GM) Andy [Elisburg] has been already making sure that we’re working around the edges of the tax, trying to put together a competitive team, and we have. … [The Arisons are] committed to doing whatever it takes to fulfill his championship dream. It’s been 10 or 11 years, so we’re getting a little anxious here. We’d like to win another one.”
With Herro’s four-year, $130MM extension kicking in next season, Riley labeled him as one of the franchise’s young anchors along with Bam Adebayo, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Tyler is just an extraordinary scorer and fourth-quarter player, big-time shot-maker. He’s 23 years old. You got to watch (it) with these guys.”
Riley admits he’d like to take some of the pressure off Jimmy Butler shoulders on offense: “I would love to be able to go out there and pick who I want as a perfect complement to him. It’s not that easy, but we will work toward that and I will pat him on the back the next time I see him.”
Ideally, Riley would like to get a versatile player with the Heat’s first-round pick at No. 18. “Probably I would say more overall wing size and length. I mean, that’s what I think everybody is looking for and multiple-position players, especially ball-handling players that are two-way kinds of players.”

Suns Notes: Ayton, Landale, Okogie, Craig, Warren, More

June 20th, 2023 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

If they move Deandre Ayton this offseason, the Suns‘ preference would be to get multiple depth pieces in return rather than simply trading his contract to a cap-room team and acquiring a draft pick or two, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 told Michael Scotto in the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast.

As the Suns look to fill out their roster following the Bradley Beal blockbuster, they’ll also have interest in re-signing free agents like Jock Landale, Josh Okogie, and Torrey Craig, according to Gambadoro, though he says T.J. Warren is expected to be let go. Scotto confirms that Landale and the Suns have mutual interest in a new deal, with Gambadoro suggesting that the team “really” likes having the big man as its backup center.

Gambadoro and Scotto also discussed several other Suns-related topics during the podcast, including Isiah Thomas‘ unofficial role with the franchise, which Chris Paul alluded to in an interview with The New York Times.

As Gambadoro explains, Thomas isn’t going to be brought into the fold officially in a front office position, but he’s a trusted confidant for new owner Mat Ishbia, who will likely continue soliciting Thomas’ input and bouncing ideas off of him. Longtime Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is another Ishbia confidant, Gambadoro adds.

Here’s more on the Suns:

During the HoopsHype podcast, Gambadoro also discussed the tension that existed between former Suns head coach Monty Williams and players like Jae Crowder and Ayton. “The Jae Crowder situation was all on Monty. He told people he was too difficult to handle and coach. Monty didn’t want Jae. It wasn’t the Suns organization. He didn’t want Jae around,” Gambadoro said. “As far as Deandre Ayton, Monty didn’t want him either. He wanted them to trade him to Indiana for Myles Turner. He didn’t like coaching Ayton. … Monty’s a good coach and a player’s coach, but he’s a player’s coach for the players he likes, but he wasn’t in on Jae and Deandre.”
The Suns are counting on having a second-round pick in Thursday’s draft, tweets Gambadoro. It will either be No. 52 – Phoenix’s current selection– or No. 57, if the Suns and Wizards swap late second-rounders as part of the Beal trade.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported that the Suns – before acquiring Beal – were among the teams to reach out to the Mavericks earlier this offseason to inquire about a possible Kyrie Irving sign-and-trade. However, Gambadoro shot down that report, tweeting that it “never happened.” Either way, with Beal in the fold, an Irving pursuit is definitely off the table.
Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic takes a look at what sort of traits the Suns will be looking for as they attempt to fill out their roster on the cheap. The team could use at least one more wing shooter, a big man who can stretch the floor and rebound, and a defensive stopper, writes Rankin.
Eugene German, a former Northern Illinois Star who spent last season playing in China, will work out for the Suns on June 28, a source tells Sean Paul of Mountain West Wire (Twitter link).

Draft Rumors: Hornets, Miller, Rockets, Whitmore, Sixers, Prosper

June 20th, 2023 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The prevailing thought among rival teams is that the Hornets are more likely to draft Brandon Miller than Scoot Henderson at No. 2, according to both Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com (subscription required) and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Still, while Miller may be widely viewed as the favorite, it sounds like that intel is coming from outside the organization, with the Hornets not tipping their hand on their plans. According to Woo, not everyone around the league is convinced that Charlotte is zeroing in on Miller, especially since Henderson reportedly had a strong first workout with the team.

As draft day nears, it’s worth remembering that Jabari Smith – and not Paolo Banchero – was long considered by rival teams to be the pick at No. 1 in the weeks leading up to last year’s draft. We’ll see if the Hornets have a surprise in store for us this Thursday like Orlando did a year ago.

Here’s more on the 2023 NBA draft, which is just two days away:

The Rockets‘ No. 4 pick has been the subject of trade rumors this month, but opposing teams believe Houston will likely stand pat, writes Fischer. Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson increasingly looks like the frontrunner to be selected at No. 4, according to both Fischer and Woo.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, sources in recent days have begun to discuss the possibility of Cam Whitmore sliding down the lottery due to poor workouts. Both O’Connor and ESPN have Whitmore at No. 9 in their latest mock drafts, though O’Connor admits that the latest rumors might be a smoke screen.
Sixers ownership has given president of basketball operations Daryl Morey the go-ahead to be aggressive as he attempts to trade into the 2023 draft, reports Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. The team, which currently doesn’t have a pick in 2023, would like to acquire a second-rounder. The most likely scenario is Philadelphia simply buying a pick for cash, Neubeck says.
Marquette’s Olivier-Maxence Prosper, whose stock has been on the rise in recent weeks, received a Green Room invite for draft night, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Prosper is the 22nd prospect to be invited to the Green Room (Twitter link).
In a pair of articles for The Athletic, David Aldridge spoke to several anonymous NBA coaches and executives to get their thoughts on this year’s top guard prospects and top forward prospects.

Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 6/20/2023

June 20th, 2023 at 2:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The transcript of our weekly Tuesday chat can be accessed here.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Chats

Damian Jones Exercises 2023/24 Option With Jazz

June 20th, 2023 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Damian Jones has exercised his player option for the 2023/24 season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

The move guarantees Jones’ minimum salary ($2,586,665) for next season, so the Jazz will be on the hook for that full amount.

The opt-in doesn’t necessarily assure the big man of a return to Utah though, since he’ll immediately become trade-eligible once his option is officially picked up. He could be traded or released if he’s not in the team’s plans going forward.

A former first-round pick, Jones signed with the Lakers last offseason after playing for five different teams in his first six NBA seasons, then was sent to the Jazz in the three-team trade-deadline deal involving D’Angelo Russell, Russell Westbrook, and Mike Conley.

Jones saw more regular playing time in Utah than he had in Los Angeles, averaging 4.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per contest in his 19 appearances. In total, he played in 41 regular season games and averaged 3.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 11.6 MPG.

Jones, who will turn 28 later this month, is the first of four Jazz veterans to make a decision on a player option for 2023/24. Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Rudy Gay also have player option decisions to make by June 29.

Gay is considered a virtual lock to opt in, since he won’t exceed his $6.48MM option salary as a free agent, whereas Clarkson is a good candidate to decline his $14.26MM option and seek a multiyear deal. Horton-Tucker ($11.02MM) could go either way.

Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma Opts Out, Will Become Free Agent

June 20th, 2023 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has declined his player option for the 2023/24 season and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

The move had long been expected, as Kuzma spoke way back in December about his plans to turn down his option to become a free agent. The decision is more about his market value than a desire to leave D.C. — his option would have paid him $13MM, a figure he’ll almost certainly exceed on a new deal.

According to Wojnarowski, a return to Washington on a new contract remains a possibility for Kuzma, though it will be interesting to see how the team’s new front office – and apparent new direction – affects those negotiations. The Wizards reached an agreement this week to send Bradley Beal to Phoenix and appears to be in the process of a major roster reset.

Kuzma, who will turn 28 next month, spent the last two seasons in D.C. after being included in the blockbuster deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Lakers. He averaged a career-best 21.2 points per game in 64 contests (35.0 MPG) this past season, posting a shooting line of .448/.333/.730 and contributing 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per night.

It’s unclear where Kuzma might land if he doesn’t remain in Washington, though a recent report linked him to the Pacers and Rockets, two teams with cap room. Finding a club with cap space or the ability to acquire him via sign-and-trade will be necessary if Kuzma wants to change teams and exceed his $13MM option salary, since this year’s full mid-level exception projects to come in around $12.2MM.

Kuzma joins Fred VanVleet and Draymond Green as veterans who have declined player options for 2023/24; others are expected to join them, including James Harden and Josh Hart. Our tracker can be found right here.

One player whose option decision remains up in the air is Kuzma’s teammate Kristaps Porzingis. He could assure himself of $36MM if he opts in and is reportedly still mulling that possibility.

Raptors’ Gary Trent Jr. To Pick Up 2023/24 Player Option

June 20th, 2023 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. has decided to exercise his player option for the 2023/24 season, agents Rich Paul and Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter links).

The move will guarantee Trent’s $18.79MM salary for next season and will keep him off this year’s free agent market, lining him up instead for unrestricted free agency in 2024.

It’s a surprising decision, given that Trent had long been expected to opt out in order to sign a longer-term deal worth perhaps $18-20MM annually. The 24-year-old is coming off a solid two-and-a-half year stint in Toronto in which he averaged 17.7 points per game on .420/.374/.843 shooting while chipping in 1.6 SPG.

Trent, who is still entering his prime, projected to be one of the best three-and-D players on the market. It’s possible his agents quietly gauged his market and found it wasn’t robust as anticipated.

A desire to remain in Toronto also factored into Trent’s decision, according to Haynes, who says the two sides intend to explore a multiyear agreement. Once he officially picks up his option, the former Trail Blazer will be on track to become extension-eligible in July. The NBA’s new extension rules would allow him to receive a raise of up to 40% on a new deal.

While Trent’s decision to opt in will keep one key Raptors contributor off the free agent market, two others are still expected to become free agents on July 1. Starting point guard Fred VanVleet already declined his own ’23/24 player option, while center Jakob Poeltl will see his current contract expire on June 30.

As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets, Trent’s $18MM+ cap hit will make it more challenging for the Raptors to bring back both VanVleet and Poeltl on market-value deals and avoid the luxury tax. While it’s not impossible, it may require a cost-cutting move or two.

The full list of player option decisions for 2023/24 can be found right here.