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Chris Paul, Joel Embiid Named Players Of The Week

January 31st, 2022 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Chris Paul and Sixers center Joel Embiid have been named the Players of the Week for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

Paul led the Suns to a 4-0 week from January 24-30, averaging 22.3 PPG, 12.8 APG, and 7.5 RPG on .542/.588/.714 shooting in 38.5 minutes per contest. He posted his second triple-double of the season on Friday vs. Minnesota, with 21 points, 14 assists, and 10 boards.

The 76ers, meanwhile, enjoyed a 3-0 week, with their star center leading the way. Embiid put up 34.7 PPG, 11.7 RPG, and 5.7 APG in victories over over the Pelicans, Lakers, and Kings. He’ll get a breather following his big week, sitting out Monday’s game vs. Memphis for rest purposes. It’ll be the first game he has missed since December 13.

Both Paul and Embiid would likely show up on plenty of MVP ballots if the season ended today, so it’s a little surprising that neither star had won a Player of the Week award yet this season. Embiid was named the East’s Player of the Month for December.

Devin Booker, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant, Nikola Jokic, and Karl-Anthony Towns were this week’s other nominees in the West, while Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, Jayson Tatum, Franz Wagner, and Trae Young received consideration in the East, according to the league (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Simmons, Smart, Banton

January 30th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers need to make the best possible deal for Ben Simmons before the trade deadline or they’ll risk wasting a remarkable season from Joel Embiid, argues Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid is putting up MVP-level numbers with 29.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per night. He has scored at least 25 points in 17 straight games and has Philadelphia in contention for the top spot in the East even though Simmons hasn’t played.

There has been speculation that Sixers president of basketball operation Daryl Morey is hoping to use Simmons to land James Harden during the offseason, but Pompey sees that as too great a risk. He notes that there’s no guarantee that Harden or any other star will be available this summer, meaning the offers for Simmons won’t be much different from what they are now. He also points out that the Bucks won a title last season after making minor improvements around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics guard Marcus Smart is a supporter of coach Ime Udoka, who has come under criticism during his first season in Boston, per Jay King of The Athletic. Smart complimented Udoka on the job he’s done so far and said he trusts his coach to act in his best interests. “Being in Boston and coaching for Boston, it’s not easy, especially for your first year,” Smart said. “So we just have to continue to help him. I’ve gotta continue to help him. I’ve been here the longest. I know the guys more than he does. And I’ve gotta be that quarterback out there for him.”
Smart admitted Saturday that he still has pieces of glass in his right hand after punching a picture frame four years ago, tweets Keith Smith of CelticsBlog. “Yeah, it gets like this ever since the picture frame incident,” Smart said. “There’s still some glass in there. The doctors said it would cause more issues to take it out, so I still have glass in there. Sometimes I can’t really feel my hand.”
Raptors rookie Dalano Banton doesn’t mind the extra work of playing in the NBA and the G League at the same time, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “Going up and down to the G League and playing up here with the Raptors, I feel like I’m putting myself in a position to have a good, long career,” Banton said. “Everybody here looks out for me. They never let nothing slide with me. Everybody holds me accountable.”’

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Harden, Nets, Randle

January 29th, 2022 at 9:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

Could the Sixers deal Ben Simmons before the trade deadline and still acquire James Harden in a sign-and-trade with the Nets this offseason? Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com raises that possibility.

He speculates that dealing Simmons for the best available package now might actually make the Sixers more enticing to Harden in free agency.

Making the team better around Joel Embiid than it is right now with Simmons inactive could lead to an extended playoff run, and they’d still have some assets to offer the Nets. Brooklyn would likely accept the best sign-and-trade package it could get from Philadelphia for Harden if the veteran guard insists on joining the Sixers, Neubeck writes.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Harden will return to action on Saturday at Golden State, Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post writes. Harden missed Wednesday’s game against Denver due to left hamstring tightness but was able to practice on Friday. The Nets will reportedly not listen to trade offers for Harden.
The Nets have been forced to play without two or all three of their perennial All-Stars on a frequent basis lately. They have lost three straight but coach Steve Nash hopes the heavier reliance on their role players will pay off in the long run, as he told Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “The goal is to continue to move this thing forward,” Nash said. “Win or lose, are we learning more about ourselves, more about each other and refining our details? If we do, when we get bodies back we’ll be in a better place for it. We’ll have learned something about ourselves, and we’ll be able to say that this time was not wasted.”
Julius Randle doesn’t regret signing a four-year, $117MM extension with the Knicks despite his rough season, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. “I wouldn’t change it,” he said. “I still want to be a part of it. I still want to see this thing through. I still want to be a part of trying to bring a championship to the Knicks.” Randle has reached the 20-point mark just once in the last five games.

Sixers/Harden Chatter Raises Tampering Suspicions

January 28th, 2022 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The possibility of the Sixers using Ben Simmons as a trade chip to try to acquire Nets star James Harden via sign-and-trade was rumored back in the fall, but the idea has gained more steam as of late, with multiple reporters suggesting this week that such a scenario appears increasingly viable.

With so many recent reports connecting Harden to the 76ers – who are seemingly becoming more and more comfortable with the idea of hanging onto Simmons until the offseason – there are growing suspicions around the NBA about what Philadelphia’s ownership and management groups might know about Harden’s intentions — and how they gathered that information.

In the most recent episode of his Posted Up podcast, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports laid out those concerns and explained what they might mean (hat tip to NBC Sports).

“Michael Rubin – for those who don’t know, the Sixers’ co-owner – (is) very, very, very good friends with James Harden,” Haynes said. “And I’ve talked to a rival owner, talking to rival front-office executives who believe that there could be something, some talks going on now between both sides.

“And this is what I was told: Some front-office executives are prepared to – when the time comes, if a deal does look like it’s about to transpire where there could be some potential sign-and-trade in the offseason – they’re prepared to get the league involved on a potential collusion case, dating back to what they believe could be going on right now, as to why we’re probably hearing a lot of Philadelphia-James Harden talk.

“So, that’s something to keep an eye on. If it does get to the point where it looks like James Harden will be headed to Philly, I was told there will be complaints issued to the league on trying to investigate, to see if there was any collusion, any talks of recruitment going on right now, which is illegal and against the CBA.”

It’s not unusual for a team to recruit a star player months before he reaches free agency. Before Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City for Golden State, for example, there were whispers about the possibility throughout the preceding season.

However, those recruiting efforts were led by the Warriors’ stars rather than team management, and the NBA has never seemed interested in pursuing tampering changes against players. In this case, it’s Harden’s relationships with Rubin and Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey that have helped fuel leaguewide speculation.

Additionally, the league has made an effort to crack down on tampering in recent years, increasing and expanding the penalties that can be imposed on teams found to be guilty of violating the NBA’s rules. The league is much more likely to take a closer look at a potential case of tampering in 2022 than it would have been five or six years ago.

So far, there has been no indication that the Sixers have been in contact with Harden. But Haynes’ report suggests the franchise will face plenty of scrutiny if its oft-rumored pursuit of the former MVP is ultimately successful.

Kings No Longer Pursuing Ben Simmons

January 28th, 2022 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

With less than two weeks to go until the NBA’s 2022 trade deadline, the Kings have ended their pursuit of Sixers star Ben Simmons and have shifted their focus to other trade targets, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Sacramento has long been considered one of the most realistic destinations for Simmons due to a combination of the Kings’ assets, roster construction, and a desire to shake up their squad in the midst of another disappointing season. However, according to Wojnarowski, the Kings believe Philadelphia’s asking price for Simmons is too high and that there’s no viable path to a deal.

One report last week suggested Simmons was “front and center” in Sacramento’s deadline plans, while another stated that the Kings might be willing to offer Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, and two future first-round picks in exchange for Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Matisse Thybulle. However, there was a belief that even that package wouldn’t be enough for Philadelphia.

Subsequent reporting indicated the Kings want to build their roster around Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox and weren’t interested in taking back Harris in a Simmons deal, which significantly diminished their odds of putting together an offer Philadelphia would accept. The 76ers, led by president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, have said for months that they want a star player in return in return for Simmons and aren’t inclined to accept a package of role players and draft picks.

With Simmons no longer in their sights and no apparent desire to move Haliburton or Fox, the Kings will continue to shop players like Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III, Tristan Thompson, and Richaun Holmes as they look to reshape their roster. Sacramento entered the season with playoff aspirations, but currently has an 18-32 record and ranks 13th in the West.

Sources tell Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) that the belief within the organization is that the current state of affairs is “unacceptable,” so Sacramento is expected to remain active and aggressive in trade discussions leading up to February 10. The Kings have been linked recently to the Pacers’ two centers (Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner), as well as Pistons forward Jerami Grant.

The Sixers, meanwhile, seem increasingly willing to extend their standoff with Simmons into the offseason, as we’ve written multiple times today alone.

According to Wojnarowski, Philadelphia still believes a deal could be made in the next two weeks, but the club also thinks a wider range of options could be available in the offseason, including perhaps stars like James Harden and/or Bradley Beal.

Stein’s Latest: Grant, Simmons, Fox, Millsap, McCollum

January 28th, 2022 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Some rival teams believe there’s something of a split within the Pistons organization on the idea of trading Jerami Grant, says Marc Stein in his latest Substack column.

Signing Grant was one of the first major moves made by general manager Troy Weaver when he took the reins in Detroit’s front office in 2020, and he’s had a “longstanding affinity” for the forward, as Stein writes. However, there’s a belief that Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem is more open to the idea of trading Grant before the deadline.

Echoing some previous reporting, Stein suggests the Pistons want a significant return for Grant, who in turn wants a significant offensive role and a contract extension with whatever team acquires him. Finding a trade partner willing to check all those boxes could be a challenge for Detroit, so there’s no guarantee the 27-year-old will be on the move by February 10.

Here’s more from Stein:

Teams that have been in touch with the Sixers don’t believe Daryl Morey is bluffing about his willingness to hang onto Ben Simmons through the trade deadline, says Stein. However, clubs are less convinced about reports that De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are off-limits for the Kings — according to Stein, there’s a sense among rival executives that Fox, in particular, could be had.
Paul Millsap is away from the Nets as the team seeks a new home for the veteran big man. Stein hears from sources that Brooklyn would ideally like to upgrade their perimeter shooting in the process of moving Millsap. That could mean either trading Millsap for a shooter or trading him and then signing a shooter using the newly-opener roster spot.
Anfernee Simons‘ emergence in Portland has sparked “some of the loudest speculation” that the Trail Blazers are finally prepared to break up their longtime backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Stein writes. There has been no indication that the team is interested in shopping the injured Lillard, so McCollum will be the trade candidate to watch. A Thursday report stated that he has been linked most frequently to New Orleans.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Embiid, Durant, Knicks

January 28th, 2022 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

In a column for SI.com, Chris Mannix makes the case that the Sixers should move sooner rather than later on a Ben Simmons trade, even if the team might be able to get a stronger return in the offseason. As Mannix argues, Joel Embiid is having an MVP-caliber season and the 76ers are a borderline title contender, so getting a couple good pieces in exchange for Simmons – who isn’t playing – could be enough to push the team over the top.

However, it doesn’t sound like the Sixers feel compelled to act yet. Acknowledging that Philadelphia’s stance has been “all over the place and difficult to read” over the last few months, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today (video link) on Thursday that the club still appears prepared to extend its standoff with Simmons beyond February 10.

“The most recent conversations out of Philly to opposing teams in trade talks are that not only are the Sixers showing signs that they are willing to keep Ben Simmons past this trade deadline, but they have not given up on Ben Simmons reversing his field and playing for them this season,” Windhorst said. “… Now, I don’t think that this is a viable option, based on my conversations with Ben Simmons’ side, but it is what the Sixers are saying today.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

After a brief on-court altercation between Embiid and Pelicans rookie Jose Alvarado on Tuesday resulted in technical fouls for both players, Alvarado revealed on Thursday that the Sixers center was paying the $2,000 fine associated with his technical. Embiid explained to reporters, including Andrew Lopez of ESPN, why he covered the cost of Alvarado’s fine. “I just like his energy. He plays hard. He competes. Even when he picked up the tech, he wasn’t backing down,” Embiid said. “… I just felt like the least I can do because I made him pick up a tech and he doesn’t make as much as other guys in the league. I just felt like that was on me and I didn’t want him to lose that money because I’m sure we all need it.”
Nets forward Kevin Durant has earned a $1.1MM bonus as a result of making the All-Star Game, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Even if Durant hadn’t been named an All-Star starter, he would’ve received that bonus if he appears in at least 50 games, the Nets make the playoffs, or the Nets win at least 43 games, so it was a virtual lock. The former MVP’s cap hit going forward will be unaffected, since the bonus had already been considered likely.
Following the Knicks‘ loss to Miami on Wednesday, swingman Evan Fournier expressed frustration with the team’s inability to make in-game changes on offense to account for opposing defensive game plans. “We have to adapt. That’s the main thing,” Fournier said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “Because we have the weapons, let’s be honest. We have guys who can score. It shouldn’t be a problem for us to score.” New York currently ranks 24th in the NBA in offensive rating.

Lowe’s Latest: White, Murray, Hawks, Grant, Mavs, Magic, More

January 28th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

Teams are calling the Spurs to inquire about Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast. Murray is having an All-Star caliber season and is under contract for two more years beyond 2021/22, so the cost for him would be extremely high if San Antonio is even willing to consider moving him at all.

“I would assume the Spurs will bat the Murray stuff away,” Lowe acknowledged. “But those are interesting names for teams that need guards.”

Although White is perhaps a more realistic target for teams in the market for backcourt help, the Spurs typically aren’t too active at the trade deadline. The team’s deal sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last week was just the third in-season trade San Antonio has made in the last 10 years — and the other two were very minor.

Here are a few more highlights from Lowe’s latest podcast with ESPN’s Bobby Marks:

Lowe doesn’t view the Hawks as a serious contender to acquire Pistons forward Jerami Grant, at least for now. “They’ve been linked in recent reports to Jerami Grant,” Lowe said of the Hawks. “Personally, I think that’s old intel, based on what I’ve heard, and that they’re not in on Jerami Grant right now. I don’t think a Jerami Grant trade involving John Collins makes much sense because I think John Collins is just better than Jerami Grant.”
Concerns about Jalen Brunson and/or Dorian Finney-Smith leaving Dallas as unrestricted free agents this offseason are legitimate and will have to be taken into account as the Mavericks consider their trade deadline plans, according to Lowe. “I believe the flight risk for both is very, very real — particularly Brunson,” he said.
Both Lowe and Marks are skeptical the Magic will be able to get a significant return in a deal for Terrence Ross or Gary Harris. “If Orlando gets a first(-round pick) for either Ross or Harris, that’s a home run,” Lowe said. “I don’t expect them to be able to get it.”
The Knicks are reportedly open to discussing several veteran players, but it’s one of their young players who is generating more trade interest from rival teams, according to Lowe: “I know the vultures are circling and they’re getting a lot of calls about (Immanuel) Quickley. And I think they’re batting those calls away, as they should, but the vultures are circling and trying to poach somebody from the Knicks, and Quickley’s a name that keeps coming up.”
With the likely exception of Bradley Beal, no one is untouchable on the Wizards‘ roster, according to Lowe, who says Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell are a couple of the names he keeps hearing in trade speculation.
Both Lowe and Marks believe the Sixers are more likely to hang onto Ben Simmons through the trade deadline than to move him by February 10.

Embiid, DeRozan Among All-Star Starters From Eastern Conference

January 27th, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers center Joel Embiid, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nets forward Kevin Durant have been named All-Star starters from the Eastern Conference frontcourt pool.

DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) and Trae Young (Hawks) are the conference’s guards who will join them as starters, NBA Communications tweets.

Durant will be a team captain because he is the All-Star starter from the East with the most fan votes in the East. However, he’s currently sidelined by a knee injury and isn’t expected to play in next month’s All-Star Game at Cleveland.

DeRozan was the leader among Eastern Conference guards in the fan voting. The fan vote counted for 50% in the selection process, with player voting accounting for 25% and the media getting a 25% say.

It will be DeRozan’s third All-Star start and fifth All-Star game. In his first year with the Bulls, DeRozan is averaging 26.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 4.8 APG. All of the starters from the East are among the NBA’s top six scorers, led by Durant (29.3 PPG) and Embiid (29.0 PPG).

Eastern Trade Rumors: Pacers, Sixers, Hawks, Celtics, More

January 26th, 2022 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Domantas Sabonis‘ name has frequently surfaced in trade rumors in the last couple months, one executive who spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said he doesn’t think the Pacers will move Sabonis unless they get a package like the one Orlando got for Nikola Vucevic last season. Chicago gave up two lightly-protected first-round picks and young center Wendell Carter Jr. for Vucevic, and took on Al-Farouq Aminu‘s multiyear contract in the deal.

The price will be significantly lower for other Pacers trade candidates, including Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb, who are both available, according to Scotto. Rival executives tell HoopsHype that Indiana is thought to be seeking a couple second-round picks for Holiday.

Scotto doesn’t specify an asking price for Lamb, but I imagine it will be a challenge for the Pacers to get positive value for the veteran wing — he’s having a down year and is earning more than $10MM.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the Eastern Conference from the latest episode of the HoopsHype Podcast:

When the Sixers and Hawks discussed Ben Simmons, they “briefly kicked around” a trade that would’ve involved Simmons, Tobias Harris, John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Danilo Gallinari, according to Scotto. That concept didn’t gain any traction though, as Atlanta has no interest in Harris.
Scotto has heard the Celtics did due diligence on Rockets center Daniel Theis, but says a reunion with the big man is less likely following last week’s Juan Hernangomez trade, since Hernangomez would’ve been the most logical salary-matching piece in any deal involving Theis. Scotto adds that rival executives believe Boston will hang onto Robert Williams, viewing him as part of the team’s current core.
The Hornets, Raptors, and Bulls are among the teams in the market for a center, says Scotto. The position has been an area of concern for Charlotte and Toronto for a while — Chicago has Vucevic, but would be interested in adding a backup.

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