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Hawks, Pelicans End Dejounte Murray Trade Talks

February 8th, 2024 at 9:45am CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks and Pelicans have halted talks regarding Dejounte Murray because the teams weren’t making progress and had little hope of completing a deal by this afternoon’s deadline, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link). Numerous reports stated that Atlanta and New Orleans were discussing Murray, but there was never an indication of any traction.

Talks may have been complicated by a 15% trade kicker in Murray’s contract that he was unlikely to waive to help facilitate a deal, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Hawks are hoping to get two first-round picks in return for Murray, but the teams with rumored interest haven’t been willing to offer more than one, Scotto adds. In addition to New Orleans, the Lakers, Knicks and Nets were among the prominent teams with interest in the former All-Star guard.

Scotto states that it’s looking increasingly likely that Atlanta will hold onto Murray through the rest of the season and revisit trade talks this summer in hopes of getting better offers.

Pacers To Trade Buddy Hield To Sixers

February 8th, 2024 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers and Sixers have agreed on a trade that will send sharpshooter Buddy Hield to Philadelphia, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Indiana will receive forward Marcus Morris, guard Furkan Korkmaz, and three second-round picks.

The Sixers will also sent the Pacers $1.5MM in cash, a league source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Pompey reports that the draft picks involved in the deal will be the Raptors’ 2024 second-rounder, and the Clippers’ and Trail Blazers’ 2029 second-rounders.

Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter) that the two teams were nearing a deal for Hield.

Although he’s having a down year relative to his career rates, Hield remains one of the NBA’s most dangerous outside shooters. The 31-year-old is averaging 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per night (52 games) so far in 2023/24, with a 38.4% three-point rate on 6.9 attempts per contest.

Hield saw his role cut back this season on a deep Indiana roster — his 9.9 field goal attempts per game represent his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2016/17.

However, he’s a career 40.1% three-point shooter and has knocked down at least 262 total threes in each of the past five seasons prior to this one. His now-former teammate Tyrese Haliburton raved this week about Hield’s ability to space the floor and create room for others to operate.

The Sixers had been in the market for size and shooting ahead of the trade deadline and will achieve one of those goals without compromising their projected cap room for this offseason, since Hield – like Morris and Korkmaz – is on an expiring contract. They also didn’t have to give up a first-round pick, which Indiana had been seeking for Hield as recently as Wednesday, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (via Twitter), Hield’s $19.3MM cap hit for this season will be adjusted upward to $19.8MM as a result of the trade, since some of the playoff-related bonuses in his contract that were considered unlikely will now be deemed likely. Hield is extension-eligible through June 30, though he’d be limited to a two-year deal and 5% raises if he inks a new deal prior to free agency.

Philadelphia remains about $1.6MM above the luxury tax line, Gozlan adds (via Twitter), and can create a $5.4MM trade exception in the deal.

Hield had long been considered a trade candidate for the Pacers, who explored a preseason extension with the veteran shooting guard and couldn’t agree to terms. Recognizing that they likely wouldn’t keep Hield beyond this season, Indiana decided to get what it could for him now.

The Pacers won’t have to waive a player to complete the deal, since they have two open spots on their 15-man roster following the expiration of James Johnson‘s 10-day contract on Wednesday night.

It’s unclear if Indiana intends to hang onto both Morris and Korkmaz. A physical, versatile forward and a Philadelphia native, Morris averaged 6.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG on .439/.400/.861 shooting in 37 games (17.2 MPG) for the Sixers this season, while Korkmaz chipped in 2.5 PPG on .395/.350/.700 shooting in 35 contests (8.6 MPG).

Morris is making $17.1MM; Korkmaz’ cap hit is $5.4MM.

Jazz Trade Simone Fontecchio To Pistons

February 8th, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 8: The Jazz and Pistons have officially completed their deal, issuing press releases to confirm the move.

FEBRUARY 7: The Jazz and Pistons have agreed to a trade that will send forward Simone Fontecchio to Detroit in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

That 2024 draft pick will be the more favorable of the Wizards’ and Grizzlies’ second-rounders, since that’s the only ’24 second-round selection the Pistons control, as Zach Lowe of ESPN confirms (via Twitter).

In addition to that pick, Utah is acquiring Detroit forward Kevin Knox, reports James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (via Twitter). The Jazz will also receive the rights to Gabriele Procida, the 36th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).

An Italian forward who played in Europe for a decade before making the move to the NBA, Fontecchio signed a two-year, $6.25MM contract with the Jazz during the 2022 offseason. He played a modest rotation role in 52 games as a rookie, but has seen his minutes increase in 2023/24.

Fontecchio has averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 23.2 minutes per game across 50 appearances (34 starts) this season, posting a solid shooting line of .450/.391/.800 while attempting 4.7 three-point shots per night. He reportedly drew recent trade interest from the Celtics, Suns, and Cavaliers, among others, so Detroit may have had to outbid a few rival suitors to land him.

The Pistons view Fontecchio as a player whom they’ll retain beyond this season, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Although he’s on an expiring contract, the 28-year-old will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer and Detroit will control his Early Bird rights in addition to projecting to have no shortage of cap space, so the club is well positioned to re-sign him.

In exchange for Fontecchio, the Jazz will receive a draft pick that figures to land near the top of the 2024 second round, as well as Procida, a 21-year-old draft-and-stash prospect who was selected early in the second round two years ago. The Wizards’ 2024 second-rounder currently projects to be No. 32 overall, while Procida – another Italian wing – is playing for Alba Berlin in Germany.

Utah will also receive Knox, a former lottery pick who is unlikely to replicate Fontecchio’s role or his production – especially from the three-point line – and essentially functions as a salary-matching piece. However, it’s possible he’ll get an opportunity to vie for rotation minutes as the 10th-seeded Jazz fight for a play-in spot. The 24-year-old averaged 7.2 PPG and 2.4 RPG on .462/.330/.909 shooting in 31 games (18.1 MPG) for Detroit.

Knox was signed by the Pistons on November 8, meaning he’ll become trade-eligible just ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Sending him out for salary-matching purposes will allow Detroit to retain the $5.7MM trade exception the team generated in last month’s deal with the Wizards.

The Jazz, meanwhile, will be able to take on Knox’s minimum-salary contract using the minimum salary exception, allowing them to create a new trade exception worth just north of $3MM for Fontecchio.

Scotto’s Latest: Mavs, Washington, Grimes, Pacers, Hornets, Hyland, More

February 8th, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks and Hornets have discussed various P.J. Washington trade concepts that include a future first-round pick from Dallas, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

According to Scotto, if Charlotte is going to agree to take back Richaun Holmes, who holds a $12.9MM player option for next season, in exchange for Washington, the Hornets want that Dallas first-rounder to be unprotected. The Mavs have resisted that idea so far, Scotto writes, adding that Seth Curry has also been part of those trade discussions between the two teams.

While Scotto doesn’t say that Grant Williams has come up in the trade talks between the Mavs and Hornets, he suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise if that’s the case, since Dallas has talked about Williams with multiple teams already.

In addition to Washington, the Mavs have expressed interest in Raptors wing Bruce Brown and Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, among others, Scotto reports. League sources tell HoopsHype that Dallas explored acquiring Grimes in exchange for a package headlined by Josh Green, but New York turned down the proposal.

Here’s more from Scotto, with just hours to go until Thursday’s trade deadline:

Although Buddy Hield is considered Indiana’s top trade candidate, rival executives think the Pacers might move some of their frontcourt depth, with Obi Toppin and Jalen Smith among the players believed to be available, Scotto writes. Lottery pick Jarace Walker, on the other hand, remains off limits based on what the Pacers are telling other clubs, league sources tell HoopsHype.
The Hornets have expressed interest in Bones Hyland, according to Scotto, who says the Clippers are seeking a pair of second-round picks in exchange for the third-year guard.
Despite some speculation that the Nets are interested in D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn hasn’t had any “substantive” talks with the Lakers and/or Hawks about getting involved in a potential Dejounte Murray trade to acquire Russell, Scotto reports.
The Pistons and Grizzlies continue to talk about a possible Killian Hayes trade, with second-round draft compensation serving as the sticking point, per Scotto.

Miles Bridges Tells Hornets He Won’t Approve Any Trade

February 8th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Miles Bridges has decided to veto any trade and will remain with the Hornets for the rest of the season, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter link). The news was confirmed by Bridges’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.

The move means Bridges will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and will retain his Bird rights, which he would have lost if had been dealt to another team. Bridges is one of a handful of NBA players with the ability to turn down trades because he re-signed with his team on a one-year contract last summer.

The Bird rights issue and Bridges’ legal difficulties combined to limit his value on the trade market. Bridges received a 30-game suspension for a 2022 domestic violence incident and has a pending court appearance in March for allegedly violating a protection order.

Bridges has said several times that he prefers to remain in Charlotte, including Wednesday night in a post-game session with reporters, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Bridges posted his second straight 40-point game and has been a valuable weapon for the rebuilding Hornets.

Even if Bridges doesn’t re-sign with Charlotte, the team could potentially get a better return for him this summer in a sign-and-trade deal, tweets Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Bridges didn’t play in 2022/23, so the Hornets weren’t permitted to sign and trade him last offseason.

Wizards Have Told Teams They Plan To Hang Onto Kuzma

February 8th, 2024 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards have informed teams with interest in Kyle Kuzma that they intend to hang onto the veteran forward through Thursday’s deadline, reports Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Kuzma’s name surfaced frequently in trade rumors in recent weeks because the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA and several playoff contenders, including Dallas and Sacramento, have been scouring the market for a power forward. However, Washington’s asking price was said to be high, with the club reportedly seeking multiple first-round picks.

Additionally, there’s no urgency for the Wizards to do anything with Kuzma at this point, since he’s in the first season a four-year contract he signed last summer.

That deal has a declining salary structure, so even though the 28-year-old is earning $25.6MM this season, his cap hit will dip to $19.4MM by 2026/27, potentially making him an even more appealing trade target down the road.

As Stein reported earlier today, Kuzma also hasn’t sought a change of scenery, having expressed a preference to remain in D.C. for the time being. That stance factored into the Wizards’ reluctance to move him, Stein notes.

Although the Wizards have the NBA’s second-worst record (9-41), Kuzma has been having perhaps his best season as a pro, averaging new career bests in points (21.9) and assists (4.2) per game, with a 45.5% field goal percentage that’s just off his career high.

The Mavericks, the team that had been most frequently linked to Kuzma, is believed to have pivoted to Hornets forward P.J. Washington.

Eastern Rumors: Knicks, Sixers, Bogdanovic, Burks, Celtics, Hayward, More

February 8th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Both the Knicks and Sixers have had trade conversations with the Pistons about the possibility of acquiring both Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Ian Begley of SNY.tv hears that Detroit sought forward Tobias Harris in those conversations about Bogdanovic, noting that Harris has been a player Philadelphia is reluctant to trade. Fischer doesn’t specifically mention Harris, but says the 76ers made “no progress” in their talks with the Pistons, whereas the Knicks are believed to still be engaged with Detroit.

This is just my speculation, but presumably the return in a trade that sends Bogdanovic and Burks to the Knicks would be built around Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract and draft compensation.

Here are a few more rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

Barring a late surprise, the Celtics may be done making moves on the trade market, says Fischer (Twitter link). Boston was expected to explore a move for a wing after acquiring big man Xavier Tillman on Wednesday, but Fischer’s report suggests there’s not optimism that the team will find another deal in the coming hours.
A source close to the situation reiterated to Marc Stein (Substack link) that Gordon Hayward won’t seek a buyout from the Hornets if he remains with the team through the deadline. According to Begley, Charlotte sought a first-round pick from at least one potential trade partner that inquired about Hayward. That’s not a realistic asking price unless perhaps the Hornets were willing to take on an unwanted multiyear contract or two.
Raptors point guard Dennis Schröder is among the players the Bucks have expressed interest in, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Western Rumors: Suns, Rockets, O’Neale, Tate, Jazz, Grizzlies

February 8th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns continue to keep an eye on Nets forward Royce O’Neale and Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who hears from league sources that Phoenix has discussed a package of Nassir Little and second-round picks for one of those two players.

As Scotto details, the Suns are hoping to find a wing and/or a frontcourt piece on the trade market and will likely be aggressive on the buyout market looking for that sort of player if they’re unable to make a deal. Phoenix will be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM, but not every player on the buyout market will fit that bill.

The Rockets, who are among the other teams with interest in O’Neale, have sought either a late first-round pick or multiple second-rounders to part with Tate, league sources tell Scotto. Aaron Holiday is another Houston player who has generated trade interest.

If the Rockets were to acquire draft assets for a player like Tate or Holiday, they could ultimately flip those picks for another rotation player, Scotto writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference in advance of today’s trade deadline:

Scotto hears from multiple executives who have explored trading for Kelly Olynyk that the Jazz are seeking draft compensation — ideally a first-round pick. Another potential Utah trade candidate, Kris Dunn, appears likely to stick with the team through the deadline unless the team gets an “unexpected” offer it can’t refuse, a league source tells HoopsHype.
The Jazz have had some talks with the Hornets about forward P.J. Washington, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says John Collins came up in those discussions.
Rival executives believe that some of the Grizzlies‘ recent first-round picks – Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, and Jake LaRavia – could be trade candidates, given the emergence of cheaper youngsters like Vince Williams and GG Jackson, says Scotto. Memphis is facing a bit of a roster and cap crunch for 2024/25, so creating a bit more flexibility in both areas would help.
Suns head coach Frank Vogel said on Wednesday won’t mind if his front office decides to stand pat at the deadline, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m very in the loop with all of those conversations, but as I said (Tuesday), we love where we’re at as a team,” Vogel said. “If we don’t do anything, I’ll be really happy with the group we have, but obviously, you always look at ways to improve your team.”

Southwest Notes: Spurs, McDermott, Oladipo, Pelicans, Mavs

February 8th, 2024 at 7:32am CST by Luke Adams

Although they were linked earlier in the season to Atlanta guard Dejounte Murray, the Spurs are much more likely to be sellers than buyers at Thursday’s trade deadline, says Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). According to head coach Gregg Popovich, San Antonio’s goal in any deal would be to improve its prospects beyond this season.

“Our focus is not immediate other than individual development and team concepts,” Popovich said. “But if there’s a trade that would make sense both now and for the long-term, of course we look at it.”

According to McDonald, veterans Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, and Devonte’ Graham appear to be the Spurs’ most likely trade candidates. McDermott, who is on an expiring contract, said it’s “always good to be wanted,” but admitted he feels fortunate to be coached by Popovich and wouldn’t mind sticking around through the deadline — and even beyond that.

“Shooting is at premium in this league, and I know I can do it with the best of them,” McDermott said. “At the same time, I love being here, I love being with this young team. I think there is a lot of potential for the future here and it is awesome to be a part of. … It’s a special place to be. I would love to be here forever.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Victor Oladipo, whom the Grizzlies acquired as a salary-matching piece in last week’s Steven Adams trade, will be waived after the deadline if he’s not flipped to a new team today, confirms Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link).
Both Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (link via Marc Stein) and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via the Woj Pod) stated that the Pelicans have talked to the Hawks about Dejounte Murray, corroborating similar reporting from Jake Fischer. However, Stein says those discussions don’t appear to have gained much traction.
Following an impressive victory over the Clippers on Wednesday, the Pelicans have now won four straight at hold a top-six seed in the West at 30-21. After dealing with injury issues in recent seasons, New Orleans has been thriving this year in large part due to the availability of its “big three” of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum, as Christian Clark of NOLA.com outlines.
The Mavericks have played sub-.500 basketball since Christmas and could really benefit from a trade or two, writes Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News. As Sherrington details, offseason addition Grant Williams has faded after a strong start and Maxi Kleber isn’t available enough to be relied upon, so a wing and a big man figure to be atop Dallas’ wish list.

Trade Rumors: Sixers, Pistons, Bulls, Bridges, Mavs, Kuzma, Brown, Knicks, More

February 8th, 2024 at 6:44am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on SportsCenter late on Wednesday night (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the Sixers and Pistons have had recent trade discussions about players like Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic, but that those talks “largely broke down” on Wednesday.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Sixers and Pistons won’t reengage on Thursday, but Philadelphia is exploring several avenues in search of size and shooting. The 76ers have also talked to the Bulls about multiple players, including DeMar DeRozan, Wojnarowski stated on the latest episode of the Woj Pod.

The challenge in trading with the Bulls, Woj explains, is that they want to remain competitive this season, so they’re not looking to sell off starters or key rotation players for draft assets. Given that position, it may be difficult for a contender to make more than a minor deal with Chicago, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) believes Philadelphia is the potential trade partner worth keeping the closest eye on for the Bulls.

Besides DeRozan, Andre Drummond is another Bulls player who has reportedly drawn interest from the Sixers. Chicago may take its Drummond talks down to the wire, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack story that the club could command multiple second-round picks for the veteran center.

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

Wojnarowski also indicated during his SportsCenter appearances that forward Miles Bridges is “very, very likely” to remain in Charlotte beyond the trade deadline, with the Hornets hoping to re-sign him this offseason. Stein (Substack link) has also heard that Bridges may very well stay put, despite interest from the Suns and a handful of other clubs. The 25-year-old has the ability to veto a trade and would lose his Bird rights if he approves a move to a new team.
According to Wojnarowski (via the Woj Pod), the Mavericks‘ efforts to pry Kyle Kuzma away from the Wizards haven’t been successful, so Dallas is believed to be pivoting to P.J. Washington and will likely keep talking to the Hornets on Thursday. Stein suggests that Kuzma’s preference has been to stay in D.C. rather than seek a change of scenery, which has been a factor in Washington’s apparent reluctance to move him.
The Knicks have been willing to attach a first-round pick to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract in a trade offer for Raptors wing Bruce Brown, but they want to include one of their 2024 first-rounders (their own or Dallas’), reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto, which already controls at least two first-rounders and a high second-rounder in a 2024 draft considered to be weak, has sought a future pick, but New York wants to preserve those selections for a potential deal for a star, Grange explains.
Some teams have kicked the tires on Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, Grange reports, though he looks like a long shot to be moved. Although Dennis Schröder is a more likely trade candidate, Grange hears from a league source that the return for the veteran point guard would probably just be second-round picks at best.