NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Saddiq Bey Meets Starter Criteria, Increasing QO

February 16th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks forward Saddiq Bey met the “starter criteria” for potential restricted free agents earlier this week by making his 41st start of the season.

An RFA-to-be meets the criteria – which dictates the value of his qualifying offer – when he starts 41 games or plays 2,000 minutes in the final season of his contract, or when he averages 41 starts (or 2,000 minutes) in his last two seasons before free agency.

As a result of meeting the starter criteria, Bey will see the value of his qualifying offer increase by approximately $2MM. The No. 19 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Bey had been on track for a QO worth $6,498,258, but that figure will be bumped to $8,486,620, which is the equivalent of what the No. 9 pick in his draft class would receive.

It remains to be seen whether or not that modest bump will have a tangible impact on Bey’s free agency. If the Hawks issue the qualifying offer and the 24-year-old signs a multiyear contract, the QO will essentially just function as a placeholder until his new deal is completed. But he has been inconsistent this season, shooting a career-worst 31.6% from the three-point line, so it’s not as if he’s a lock for a massive payday, despite his promising skill set.

Perhaps the increase from $6.5MM to $8.5MM will give the Hawks – who have over $158MM in guaranteed money committed to 10 players in 2024/25 – some pause as they consider whether to issue that qualifying offer. And if Bey does receive a QO and doesn’t find an appealing multiyear deal right away, that extra $2MM could make accepting the one-year deal a more intriguing option.

Bey is the third potential restricted free agent to meet the starter criteria this season, joining Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and Bulls forward Patrick Williams. Former Pistons guard Killian Hayes actually met it as well, but he was subsequently waived by Detroit, eliminating the possibility of restricted free agency this summer.

Tyronn Lue Fined $35K For Comments About Officiating

February 16th, 2024 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has been fined $35K for public criticism of the officiating and questioning the integrity of game officials, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Lue’s comments occurred after the Clippers’ 130-125 victory over the Warriors in Golden State on Wednesday. Cameras captured him outside L.A.’s locker room greeting his players by shouting, “Where the refs at now? Cheating. That’s all they be doing” (Twitter video link).

Lue had been ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter when he received a pair of technical fouls less than a minute apart for arguing foul calls. The Clippers trailed by a score of 103-94 at the time of his ejection, but came back for the victory.

A handful of NBA head coaches – including Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins, Ime Udoka, and Darko Rajakovic – have been fined this season for criticizing the officiating after games.

Unlike those other coaches, Lue didn’t air his complaints to reporters during a postgame media session, but given that he was caught on camera, the league felt it couldn’t turn a blind eye to his “cheating” comment.

Warriors’ Lacob Talks Payroll, Kerr, Kuminga, Thompson

February 16th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Warriors playing better basketball since Draymond Green‘s return from suspension last month, the organization decided ahead of this season’s trade deadline that it didn’t want to take a step backward by essentially selling off a veteran or two, even if it resulted in a significant financial windfall, team owner Joe Lacob said during an appearance on Tim Kawakami’s podcast at The Athletic.

However, Lacob acknowledged that keeping the Warriors’ payroll as high as it’s been for the last several seasons (relative to the luxury tax line) probably isn’t practical going forward, especially with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement introducing punitive roster-building restrictions for teams above the tax aprons.

“Our Plan 1, or 1A, is actually we’d like to be out of the tax, and we think that we have a way to do that,” Lacob told Kawakami. “That kind of is the plan, not just under the second apron. I’ll tell you why that’s important, because the truth is that we need to be out of the tax two years out of the next four, below the tax line, in order to get this repeater thing off our books. We don’t want to be a repeater. It’s just so prohibitive, not to say we wouldn’t do it if we had to, but you’ve gotta look at what the downside is to doing that.

“… There’s a Plan 1B, I guess, and 1B is we could go even further than that and we could make big changes if we had to. If this team were to slide all the way down and not do well the end of the year here, you know there’s gonna be big changes. But if we do really well, we might decide to go the other way. So everything’s open, we have to be flexible, I can just tell you that the goal is to not be a lottery team ever. The goal is to be competitive, the goal is to win and ideally, if it’s possible, to win championships or compete for championships.”

The Warriors have approximately $73MM coming off their books this summer in Klay Thompson‘s and Chris Paul‘s expiring contracts alone. Negotiating a new deal for Thompson would cut into that total, but there’s a path for Golden State to operate below the tax line, which is projected to be around $171MM in 2024/25.

Lacob discussed several more topics of note during his conversation with Kawakami, including his relationship with Green and his expectations for this year’s team. The podcast – or Kawakami’s round-up – is worth checking out in full if you’re a Warriors fan, but here are a few highlights from the discussion:

On the report that the Warriors pursued LeBron James prior to the trade deadline:

“We’re always going to try to be aggressive. … And we’re going to look at everything. When we acquired Kevin Durant many years ago, that was an incredibly aggressive move that we made, where I think half our roster went away to accomplish that. Even though we had a really good team, we felt we could be better, and we did.

“There are these inflection points, these times when sometimes players might be available. Even if it’s not something you maybe have considered, you need to consider it. My answer to your question is I’m always looking, we’re always looking at everything. I always tell (Warriors executives) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) and Kirk (Lacob) and everybody, nothing is off the table, nothing. So we look at everything, and if the deal’s right, the timing’s right and we have consensus generally inside, then we’ve got to consider this thing.

“As far as the reports … I’m not going to say anything about any specific player or anything. I’m just going to tell you that, you know, we’re aggressive and we’re looking at things all the time.”

On head coach Steve Kerr’s expiring contract:

“I think we will work out a deal with him. He’s a very fair human being. We’ve never underpaid people. We always pay people well. We’re fair. We have to do what’s good overall for business, obviously. … I think he does want to stay coaching the team in the future. And we want him here, to be very clear. We think he’s a great coach. … I think we’ll have a contract done with Steve pretty soon. … I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I don’t think anybody else is going to have Steve Kerr as their coach.”

On Jonathan Kuminga‘s breakout following a report that he had lost faith in Kerr

“I know there’s been a lot of concerns. ‘Why wasn’t JK playing more, did our coaching staff hold him back?’ Look, we can debate all that. But if you look at the bigger picture, he’s 21 years old. He did not play college basketball. And year three historically is the year when players kinda take off or don’t … very rarely in their rookie year can a rookie make an impact, especially on a good team.

“… I think JK has had a tough go of it, Steve has been tough on him, but maybe at the end of the day, he winds up being a much better player and maybe Steve in the long term looks smart. I mean, that’s a possibility. It certainly could be. I think it’s year three, I think he’s taken off, we needed him, it turned out, the opportunity just happened to be right there, and he has fully jumped through the window and taken advantage of it.”

On Thompson’s up-and-down season and his contract situation:

“Honestly, I love him like a son is the way I feel about that. … He’s had a really tough time. He’s had some severe injuries, he played really well coming back from that until the playoffs last year, obviously wasn’t his brightest moment. And he’s had an up-and-down year this year. … But at the end of the day, I believe in Klay, I think he’s a very impactful player, and I think he’s going to come through for us in the clutch if we make another run here. I stand behind Klay Thompson, too. I know his contract’s expiring … that’s a flexibility-of-a-team thing. … I’d like to have him retire as a Warrior, that’s the bottom line.”

Nerlens Noel Has Reportedly Drawn Interest From Knicks, Rockets, Hornets

February 16th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent center Nerlens Noel has received “exploratory” interest from the Knicks, Rockets, and Hornets, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Noel is known for his athleticism and versatility, especially on the defensive end of the floor. However, the 29-year-old hasn’t been on an NBA roster since being waived in September by the Kings. Last season, he appeared in 17 total games for the Pistons and Nets, but played limited minutes, averaging 2.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.9 steals in 11.5 minutes per night.

The Knicks have two open spots on their 15-man roster and have dealt with multiple injuries in their frontcourt as of late. According to Scotto, head coach Tom Thibodeau is a fan of Noel, who was with the team for two seasons from 2020-22. New York checked in on him prior to signing Taj Gibson to a second 10-day contract, Scotto adds.

Prior to the trade deadline, the Rockets were in the market for a center to back up and complement Alperen Sengun. They acquired Steven Adams from Memphis, but he’s out for the rest of the season, so he’s more of a long-term option up front. Houston currently has a full 15-man roster but may still be in the market for a big man who can help in the short term.

As for the Hornets, they’ve been missing starting center Mark Williams for much of the season and don’t have much depth at the position beyond Nick Richards, who has taken over the starting job. With no timeline for Williams’ return, they may want to add some reinforcements at the five. However, it’s worth noting that while the Knicks are a playoff team and the Rockets still have play-in aspirations, the Hornets are out of the postseason hunt, so they might prefer to rely on young players for those minutes.

Grizzlies’ Scotty Pippen Jr. Out At Least Three Weeks

February 16th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

The injuries keep coming for the banged-up Grizzlies, who announced early on Friday morning (via Twitter) that guard Scotty Pippen Jr. has been diagnosed with a bulging disc in his lower back after undergoing an MRI due to soreness in the area.

Pippen’s ailment will be managed “conservatively,” with physical therapy, according to the team, which added that he’ll be reevaluated in three weeks.

Pippen, who signed a two-way contract in Memphis a month ago, had seen regular action at the NBA level in recent weeks, appearing in eight games and starting four of them since January 20. He had played well during that time, averaging 10.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per night, with a scorching-hot shooting line of .475/.565/.714.

Pippen is the latest addition to a very lengthy injury list in Memphis. Ja Morant is out for the season, while Brandon Clarke, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia are all on the shelf with long-term injuries. Jaren Jackson Jr. (quad), Luke Kennard (knee), John Konchar (quad), and Derrick Rose (ankle) also sat out the second end of a back-to-back set on Thursday in the team’s final game before the All-Star break.

Sixers Came Close To Trading For Andre Drummond

February 16th, 2024 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers thought they had a trade in place to acquire center Andre Drummond from the Bulls prior to last Thursday’s deadline, but Chicago pulled out of those talks hours before the deadline, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

League sources tell Scotto that Chicago had been seeking three second-round picks in exchange for the veteran center. It’s not clear if Philadelphia was unwilling to meet that asking price or if the Sixers’ offer wasn’t to the Bulls’ liking for another reason (such as perhaps the perceived quality of the second-rounders or a requirement that Chicago take back an unwanted contract in return).

The Celtics and Mavericks also made offers for Drummond, per Scotto, but ultimately went in different directions at center, with Boston trading for Xavier Tillman and Dallas landing Daniel Gafford. The Lakers, Suns, and Rockets were among the other clubs to express interest in the big man, sources tell HoopsHype.

Drummond, who is on an expiring $3.36MM contract, was considered the Bulls’ top trade candidate leading up to the deadline after Zach LaVine underwent season-ending foot surgery. The 30-year-old has averaged 8.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game across 55 appearance (nine starts) this season, and Chicago has posted a better net rating when he’s on the court than when he isn’t.

In the end, the Bulls stood pat at the trade deadline for a third consecutive year, while the Sixers are believed to still be on the lookout for a center to provide depth up front during Joel Embiid‘s injury absence.

Buyout Market Rumors: Fournier, Wright, Bertans, Young, Gallinari

February 16th, 2024 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

After spending the better part of the last two seasons on the bench in New York, Evan Fournier was traded from the Knicks to the Pistons as a salary-matching piece in the deadline-day deal that sent Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks out of Detroit. Given that Fournier isn’t owed any guaranteed money beyond this season and the Pistons have the NBA’s worst record, he has been viewed as a buyout candidate.

However, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Pistons have indicated that they plan to hang onto Fournier, so barring an unexpected development, he won’t reach the buyout market in the coming days or weeks.

Fournier, who appeared in just three games for the Knicks prior to last week’s trade, has logged over 25 minutes per night in his first two games as a Piston, averaging 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.

Here are a few more notes and rumors on the buyout market from Scotto:

After averaging about 15 minutes per contest in his first 29 appearances in Washington this season, Delon Wright hasn’t played more than seven minutes in any of the four games since the trade deadline. A number of playoff contenders, including the Suns, are keeping on eye on the situation to see if the Wizards guard – who is on an expiring contact – will be bought out, Scotto writes.
Veteran sharpshooter Davis Bertans has played double-digit minutes off the bench in each of his first three games with the Hornets and appears unlikely to be let go in the immediate future, per Scotto. Bertans’ $16MM salary for 2024/25 is partially guaranteed for $5.25MM next season, which is one reason why Charlotte may wait until the summer to make any move involving him.
Thaddeus Young is expected to complete his deal with the Suns after the All-Star break next week, says Scotto, adding that the veteran forward also drew interest from the Sixers, Pelicans, and Celtics before agreeing to sign in Phoenix.
Although the Suns had interest in Danilo Gallinari, they were out of the mix for the forward after agreeing to sign Young, Scotto notes. Since the Cavaliers couldn’t guarantee Gallinari the kind of role he sought and the Bulls aren’t a legitimate title contender, Gallinari’s decision ultimately came down to the Clippers and Bucks. He chose Milwaukee after debating the two options for a few days, according to Scotto.

Warriors Move Klay Thompson To Bench

February 16th, 2024 at 7:42am CST by Luke Adams

After making 727 consecutive starts, Klay Thompson came off the bench for the Warriors on Thursday for the first time since 2012 in the team’s final game before the All-Star break. Thompson had his best night of the year, scoring a season-high 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting in 28 minutes of action in a 140-137 win over the Jazz in Utah.

As Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area and Anthony Slater of The Athletic write, the move to the second unit wasn’t viewed as a punishment for Thompson, who has been benched in some clutch-time moments as of late and made some costly mistakes on defense on Wednesday.

Head coach Steve Kerr explained that he decided to insert Brandin Podziemski into the starting five in Thompson’s place because lineups that feature the rookie alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga have been so effective — they’ve outscored opponents by 57 points in 107 minutes, good for a +26.0 net rating. Additionally, using Thompson as a sixth man gives Golden State “a lot of firepower” off the bench, Kerr added.

“He wasn’t thrilled about it,” Kerr said of informing Thompson of the decision before Thursday’s game. “I didn’t expect him to be thrilled about it.”

However, Thompson – whose overall production and shooting efficiency have dipped well below his career rates this season – said he ultimately decided to “embrace” the move before the opening tip.

“You can do two things. You can pout or you can go out there and respond. I thought I did the latter very well tonight,” Thompson said (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). “… I realize I’m going to play a ton of minutes, so you’ve just gotta let the ego go when you think of coming off the bench and all that. I thought about Manu Ginobili, that guy has four rings and a gold medal, and he came off the bench his whole career. And I don’t think anyone looks down on his Hall of Fame candidacy. He’s one of the greats.

“… The moment you worry about what people say or what headlines will be written about being benched or the streak being broken, is when you go out there and you don’t play with that love, that compassion for your teammates, and that freedom that has gotten me to this point. So I realized that I didn’t want to go to All-Star break on a sour note, and I had my best game of the season. Hopefully (can) build off it.”

As Slater notes, Kerr said after the game that having Thompson come off the bench isn’t necessarily “permanent.” However, he wants to at least take a longer look at it, so the plan is to keep Podziemski in the starting lineup and Thompson in that sixth man role when the Warriors resume play after the All-Star break next Thursday.

Thompson has averaged 17.3 points per game on .421/.373/.918 shooting in 50 contests (30.6 MPG) this season. The Warriors have a -1.9 net rating during his minutes this season, compared to a +5.5 mark when he’s not on the court, but the team was a +7 with the veteran sharpshooter on the floor in Thursday’s three-point victory.

Thompson remains extension-eligible and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t re-up with Golden State on or before June 30.

Central Notes: Williams, Haliburton, Fontecchio, Grimes

February 15th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls forward Patrick Williams hasn’t played since Jan. 25 due to a left foot injury. He’s also dealt with a right ankle injury while missing a total of 12 games this season.

Coach Billy Donovan hinted that Williams, a restricted free agent after the season, needs to give the team’s medical staff a heads-up if he’s not feeling 100 percent.

“I think Patrick has got to get better at when he has ailments and issues, not that he’s not getting treatment, but sometimes – and I’m not saying that this was the issue – but he’s got to really make sure that he’s not taking himself to a point where he’s putting himself in harm’s way health-wise,” Donovan said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Williams’ hasn’t had any setbacks regarding his current injury but his return depends on his ramp-up activity, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. He doesn’t have discomfort walking at this time but it’s unlikely he’d play against Boston, Chicago’s first game out of the All-Star break, Johnson adds (Twitter links).

We have more from the Central Division:

Tyrese Haliburton believes the Pacers can reach the Eastern Conference Finals, and perhaps even represent the conference in the NBA Finals. “I have no doubt in my mind that we can be a conference finals team, no doubt in my mind that we have that capability,” he told Marc J. Spears in an Andscape interview. “And again, I don’t even want to say that because I don’t want to put a limit on it. I think that teams already know when they see us it’s not a walk in the park. That was established last [season] with the way we played. And now add another guy like Pascal (Siakam) and with the success that I’m having and the success that everybody on our team is really having this year, it ain’t a walk in the park at all.”
The Pistons enter the All-Star break with eight victories in 54 gamse. After the Pistons made numerous trades before the deadline, James Edwards III of The Athletic believes that the impact of acquisitions Simone Fontecchio and Quentin Grimes will be one of the top storylines to follow in Detroit for the rest of the season.
As for the Bulls, Johnson takes a look at the reasons for optimism and pessimism heading into the second half of the season. Chicago currently holds a play-in spot.

Northwest Notes: Henderson, Ayton, Murray, Gordon, Flagler

February 15th, 2024 at 9:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Scoot Henderson received his first start since Jan. 14 on Thursday and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups plans to keep him in the lineup, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter links).

“The biggest thing is he deserves it. He’s just played really well,” Billups said. “I’ve wanted him to earn everything he gets. And he’s done that.”

Henderson, the third pick of last year’s draft, averaged 19.0 points and 5.6 assists in the previous five games.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Deandre Ayton has averaged 17.8 points on 62% shooting from the field, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 blocks in his last 10 games. The Trail Blazers center missed 12 games due to a knee injury and returned to action on Jan. 19. Ayton feels he’s fitting in better by taking inventory of his past mistakes, he told Casey Holdahl of the Blazers’ website. “I’ve been trying to humble myself a little bit and just accept the challenge, have some humility when it comes to failure,” he said. “Not try to rush anything. We’re a young team but we’re an exciting team as well. We just can’t skip no steps and we have to go through these growing pains a little bit where we’re just trying to know each other, really.”
Jamal Murray was passed over for All-Star recognition yet again this season, but he has something more important — a championship ring. The Nuggets guard expressed that sentiment to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “I’m an All-Star when you need the All-Star to show up — in the playoffs,” he said. “You want the best to step up (then), right? And I think I do a good job of that. So I kind of backed myself up in that way. That’s it. That’s what it is. So it’s just more fuel to the fire. But (not being selected an All-Star) doesn’t hurt me like that, psychologically. I haven’t made it for so long, and I’m a champion. And I’m on the best team in the world playing with the best player in the world.”
The Nuggets enter the All-Star break on a three-game skid and Aaron Gordon tells The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando that some time off is exactly what they require. “I think everybody needs a break,” Gordon said. “Everybody needs some rest. I think that’s what it comes down to. When you’re fatigued, not only is your body tired, but your mind is tired, too. Your ability to focus is just not as laser-sharp.”
Adam Flagler‘s two-way contract with the Thunder is for two seasons, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Flagler, an undrafted guard playing with the team’s G League affiliate, signed on Saturday.