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Knicks Notes: Barrett, Ivey, LaMelo, Morris

January 19th, 2020 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Steve Nash didn’t get to watch his godson, RJ Barrett, play last night because of an injury, but he has faith that Barrett will develop into a franchise cornerstone for the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

“(Barrett’s) shown very much of what I thought he’d show. He’s an incredibly talented, well-rounded basketball player. He does a bit of everything. I think he will evolve into a great playmaker because that’s a natural ability for him that he doesn’t necessarily get to shine in at this stage of his career and on this stage of this team,” Nash said. “That’s exciting for Knicks fans that he still produces, he’s versatile, he can score. He’s growing defensively. And for me, he’s a natural playmaker and that hasn’t been a part of his upside yet that’s highlighted. So for the franchise, that’s exciting.”

Barrett was a primary ballhandler in college, but the Knicks quickly gave up on their experiment of using him at point guard, Bondy notes. Still, his usage rate is high at 23.2% and he is often utilized as a secondary initiator of the offense.

There’s more Knicks news to pass along:

The Sixers expressed interest in hiring New York assistant Royal Ivey after the end of last season, but the Knicks blocked the move because they thought Ivey might help attract Kevin Durant in free agency, Bondy adds in a separate story. Ivey is a close friend with Durant and was a former teammate in Oklahoma City. A source tells Bondy that the Knicks refused to allow the Sixers to interview Ivey, but did give him a pay raise.
The Knicks never made it to Australia to see LaMelo Ball in person before he was shut down for the season with a foot injury, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The front office was planning a trip this month, but Berman points out that it might not matter because president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry may not be with the team by draft time.
The Knicks will be wasting an opportunity if they don’t trade Marcus Morris by the deadline, contends Tommy Beer of Forbes. Morris is enjoying his best statistical season, averaging 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 3-pointers per game, but may not be a long-term fit at age 30. Not only would the Knicks be better off with whatever assets they can obtain in return, Beer adds, trading Morris takes away any chance they will overpay to re-sign him this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Rose, Wooten, Anderson

January 16th, 2020 at 10:59pm CST by ChrisCrouse

There are few players who are off the table in trade talks for the Knicks, as I recently wrote for SLAM Magazine. RJ Barrett, who injured his ankle earlier tonight, and Mitchell Robinson are both unlikely to be dealt. Everyone else on the roster seems available for the right price, including Marcus Morris, who returned from a five-game absence in the loss tonight.

As we wait to see which players from New York get traded before the deadline, let’s take a look around the Atlantic Division:

Should the Sixers trade for Derrick Rose? ESPN’s Tracy McGrady (video link) believes the point guard could be the right target for Philadelphia at this year’s trade deadline.
Kenny Wooten‘s two-way contract with the Knicks runs through two seasons, ESPN Bobby Mark tweets. Wooten’s deal is just one of seven like it in the NBA.
Javonte Green is getting a chance to live out his dream with the Celtics, as he tells NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg.“When I first got the offer from [Danny Ainge], it was a dream come true,” said Green. “I still don’t think it’s really hit me. But every day, a random day, I can just be going to the grocery store, and I’m like, ‘Yo, I’m really in the NBA.’”
Justin Anderson will re-join the Raptors‘ G League affiliate, per the team’s Twitter feed. Anderson was with the Raptors 905 before signing a 10-day deal with Brooklyn.

Timberwolves Intensifying Pursuit Of D’Angelo Russell

January 16th, 2020 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Having traded Jeff Teague to Atlanta today, the Timberwolves are actively pursuing additional deals and have intensified their pursuit of Warriors point guard D’Angelo Russell, report Shams Charania and Jon Krawcznyski of The Athletic.

Russell was atop Minnesota’s wish list in free agency this past offseason, but the Wolves’ recruiting efforts fell short when the Warriors swooped in with a four-year, maximum-salary offer for the All-Star guard.

Russell has been viewed as a trade candidate essentially since the day he agreed to sign with Golden State, but the Warriors appear inclined to keep him at least through the 2020 trade deadline, per Charania and Krawcznyski, since the club would have more trade options once its hard cap lifts in July. As such, there has been no traction so far on a potential deal between the Wolves and Warriors.

While nothing is imminent on the Russell front, rival teams say the market for Robert Covington has been heating up as of late, according to Charania and Krawczynski. Minnesota is expected to “drive a hard bargain” for the talented three-and-D wing, but plenty of contenders have interest, including the Rockets, Mavericks, and Sixers.

New Wolves head of basketball operations Gersson Rosas spent nearly two decades working in Houston’s front office and was Daryl Morey‘s top lieutenant for years. He shares Morey’s aggressive approach to the trade market and likely won’t hesitate to shake things up and reshape Minnesota’s roster to fit his vision. After today’s Teague deal, it seems safe to say the Wolves aren’t done dealing.

Checking In On NBA’s Two-Way Contracts

January 16th, 2020 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

January 15 was the last day that NBA teams were permitted to sign players to two-way contracts this season. As such, the next time we see a two-way deal finalized will be this summer when the 2020/21 league year begins.

With that in mind, it’s worth checking in on where things stand with the current two-way players around the NBA. Let’s dive in…

All 60 two-way slots have been filled

For much of the season, the Suns only carried one two-way player. A handful of other teams also opened up two-way contract slots in recent weeks. However, all those openings have now been filled, as all 30 NBA teams are carrying a pair of players on two-way contracts. The full list can be found right here.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that those 60 slots will stay filled all season long. A two-way player can still be waived, though there will be little incentive to do so after January 20, when all two-way salaries for the season become guaranteed. A player on a two-way contract can still be promoted to a 15-man roster too — he just can’t be replaced with a new two-way player.

There are still players on two-way contracts who are candidates for standard deals

Some teams, including the Warriors (Damion Lee), Heat (Chris Silva), and Nets (Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot) added standout two-way players to their 15-man rosters via a standard contract or 10-day deal on Wednesday. That allowed those clubs to sign a replacement two-way player in advance of the January 15 deadline. But not every team with a two-way player in its rotation took that approach.

The Sixers, for instance, opted not to convert Norvel Pelle‘s two-way contract to a standard deal on Wednesday, preferring to prioritize roster flexibility as the trade deadline approaches, as Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com tweets.

Pelle only has a handful of days left on his 45-day NBA limit and head coach Brett Brown suggested the team plans to play him until he hits that limit (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps). At that point, Pelle will have to remain in the G League until the regular season ends or he receives a promotion to the 15-man roster.

Brandon Goodwin (Hawks), Ky Bowman (Warriors), Garrison Mathews (Wizards), Oshae Brissett (Raptors), and Kelan Martin (Timberwolves) are some of the other candidates to be moved to standard contracts before the season ends.

The league’s newest two-way players will get to spend up to 42 days in the NBA — sort of

As noted above, two-way players are generally limited to spending 45 days with their NBA clubs after the G League season begins and before it ends. However, players who sign two-way deals during the season get a prorated portion of those 45 days, depending on when they sign.

Guys like Marquese Chriss (Warriors), Jeremiah Martin (Nets), Ray Spalding (Hornets), and Paul Watson (Raptors), who finalized their two-way agreements on Wednesday, did so with 92 days left in the 177-day NBA season. As a result, they’ll get to spend up to 24 days (92/177ths of 45 days, rounded up to the nearest whole number) with their NBA teams before the G League regular season ends on March 28.

Once the NBAGL regular season is over, those players will no longer face NBA restrictions and can subsequently spend the season’s last 18 days (from March 29 to April 15) in the NBA.

So, in total, players like Chriss and the rest will be able to spend 42 days in the NBA if they remain on their two-way contracts for the rest of the season. They’ll just be limited to 24 days until the G League season concludes.

Not all two-way players will be free agents at season’s end

Based on reports this week, Kenny Wooten (Knicks) and Matt Mooney (Cavaliers) signed two-way contracts that span two years and won’t expire until the summer of 2021.

Those two-year deals are very team-friendly, since they give players limited leverage in the event they outperform their two-way contracts. But Wooten and Mooney aren’t the only players whose two-way pacts will run through next season. Bol Bol (Nuggets), Marial Shayok (Sixers), Kyle Guy (Kings), Amir Coffey (Clippers), and Devontae Cacok (Lakers) are also on two-year contracts.

Of the NBA’s 60 current two-way players, then, up to 53 have the opportunity to reach unrestricted or restricted free agency by this summer. Those seven players listed above, however, may still occupy two-way slots in 2020/21 without getting the chance to test the market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Potential Trade Targets For Sixers

January 14th, 2020 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Derek Bodner and Rich Hofmann of The Athletic list 19 potential trade targets for the Sixers at the deadline, including some backup fours, catch-and-shoot players, and combo guards. Meanwhile, David Aldridge of The Athletic makes the case for why acquiring another point guard should be the 76ers’ top priority in trade talks.

Checking In On 2020’s Protected First-Round Picks

January 14th, 2020 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

We’re nearly at the halfway mark of the 2019/20 NBA regular season, with several teams having already played their 41st game. As such, it’s a good time to check in on the traded 2020 first-round picks that have protections on them to get a sense of whether or not those protections will be applied this year.

Of this year’s 30 first-round selections, 10 have been traded, and all 10 have some form of protection on them. In other words, the ’19/20 standings will dictate whether or not those first-rounders actually change hands in 2020.

Here’s our latest look at which of those picks are safe bets to move, which ones will likely be retained, and which ones are still up in the air:

Likely to change hands:

Bucks acquiring Pacers‘ pick (top-14 protected)
Celtics acquiring Bucks‘ pick (top-7 protected)
Nets acquiring Sixers‘ pick (top-14 protected)
Thunder acquiring Nuggets‘ pick (top-10 protected)

It’s safe to say at this point that the Pacers (25-15), Bucks (35-6), Sixers (25-16), and Nuggets (27-12) aren’t missing the playoffs this season, which means their traded first-round picks, which range from lottery-protected to top-7 protected, will be on the move.

Currently, the Milwaukee and Denver picks project to fall near the end of the first round, while the Philadelphia and Indiana selections could end up in the late-teens or early-20s, as our Reverse Standings show.

Unlikely to change hands:

Grizzlies acquiring Jazz‘ pick (1-7, 15-30 protected)
Nets acquiring Warriors‘ pick (top-20 protected)

The Warriors (9-32) keeping their first-round pick is the safest bet on the board. Not only will that first-rounder land within the top 20, but it appears likely to be a top-five selection. Brooklyn will see the value of that asset decline significantly when it’s officially protected this year, receiving a 2025 second-round pick in place of that first-rounder.

Meanwhile, the Jazz (27-12) would have to finish out of the playoffs for the Grizzlies to get their first-rounder this year. That was always unlikely to happen, even before Utah’s recent hot streak. The protections on that pick will roll over to 2021 and will be identical next year (1-7 and 15-30).

Still up in the air:

Celtics acquiring Grizzlies‘ pick (top-6 protected)
Hawks acquiring Nets‘ pick (top-14 protected)
Pelicans acquiring Cavaliers‘ pick (top-10 protected)
Sixers acquiring Thunder‘s pick (top-20 protected)

Usually by this point in the season, we have a reasonably clear idea of which draft picks will be protected, but these four first-rounders are still very much up in the air.

The Thunder (23-17) weren’t considered a probable playoff team entering the season, but they’re comfortably holding the seventh seed in the West for now and project to have the No. 18 pick. Another winning streak or two could move that pick outside the top 20, which would be good news for the Sixers. If the pick is protected this year and Oklahoma City keeps it, Philadelphia would instead receive second-rounders in 2022 and 2023.

Like OKC, the Grizzlies (18-22) are defying modest expectations and hold one of the final playoff spots in the West. If they keep playing like this, there’s no chance their pick will end up in the top six, so it would be sent to the Celtics. But if Memphis doesn’t make the playoffs, there’s always a chance the lottery could push that selection into the top four, where the Grizzlies would keep it. In that scenario, Memphis would owe Boston its unprotected 2021 first-round pick.

The Nets (18-20) are the eighth seed in the East for the time being, and would send their lottery-protected to Atlanta as long as they hang onto a playoff spot. The Hawks would be happy for the Nets to stay where they are, resulting in the No. 16 overall pick. If Brooklyn slips out of the playoff picture and hangs onto its protected first-rounder, Atlanta would almost certainly receive a less valuable pick in 2021 when Kevin Durant returns and makes the Nets a more dangerous team.

Finally, it may seem safe to assume that the Cavaliers (12-28) will keep their top-10 protected pick, but we’re not writing that in pen yet. Even though the Cavs currently have the NBA’s fourth-worst record, only 3.5 games separate them from the 15-24 Timberwolves, who are the league’s 11th-worst team. I expect Cleveland to continue losing as the team shops its veterans, but there are enough bad teams in the NBA that hanging onto their pick can’t quite be considered a lock.

Two-Way Contract Situations To Watch This Week

January 13th, 2020 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

January 15 is the last day that NBA teams can sign a player to a two-way contract this season. After that date, teams can still waive two-way players or promote them to their 15-man rosters, but they can’t bring aboard new players on two-way contracts as replacements.

With that deadline looming, we could get a mini-flurry of activity related to two-way deals this week. While it’s impossible to predict which teams will simply choose to replace one two-way player with a new one, there are a few specific situations worth keeping an eye on, based on certain players’ performances or teams’ roster situations.

Here are a few two-way contract situations to watch this week:

The Suns, Cavaliers, and Heat

The Suns and Cavaliers are currently the only two teams not carrying a pair of players on two-way contracts, while the Heat are expected to join them tomorrow.

Phoenix has only had one player (Jared Harper) on a two-way contract all season long, but it would still be a surprise not to see the team add a second two-way player by Wednesday. Cleveland, meanwhile, just waived Levi Randolph on Sunday, while Miami is poised to promote Chris Silva to the 15-man roster, opening up a two-way slot for each club.

Damion Lee / Ky Bowman (Warriors)

Rotation players Lee and Bowman have been two of the most likely candidates for promotions all season long. The Warriors have a pair of open roster spots, but based on their hard cap, they only have the flexibility to promote one of their two-way players for now.

Lee is expected to be first in line, as we heard when Golden State waived Marquese Chriss last week. A deal appeared imminent at that time, but nothing has been completed yet, even now that Lee has reached his 45-day NBA limit. It’s possible the two sides are still haggling over the length of the contract (the Warriors could offer as many as four years), but the team may just be taking its time to maximize its financial flexibility below the hard cap.

Assuming Lee is promoted by Wednesday, as expected, Golden State figures to add a new two-way player to pair with Bowman, who may get a promotion of his own later in the season. The Dubs’ new two-way player would be able to spend up to 24 days in the NBA before the end of the G League season.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Nets)

Keith Smith of RealGM suggested on Sunday (via Twitter) that the Nets will likely move Luwawu-Cabarrot to the 15-man roster in the coming days, on either a standard contract or a 10-day deal.

Brooklyn won’t technically have a roster spot open until Justin Anderson‘s 10-day pact expires on Wednesday night, but could terminate that contract a day or two early in order to promote Luwawu-Cabarrot and sign a new two-way player by Wednesday’s deadline.

Norvel Pelle (Sixers)

Teams around the NBA are keeping an eye on Pelle, who only has a few NBA days left on his two-way deal, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links).

If the Sixers intend to promote Pelle, it’d be in their best interests to do it by Wednesday in order to sign a new two-way player to replace him. However, it remains unclear whether or not that will happen. After guaranteeing Trey Burke‘s salary last week, Philadelphia has a full 15-man roster and would probably have to release a player like Jonah Bolden, Raul Neto, or Kyle O’Quinn to make room for Pelle.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sixers Express Interest In Galloway, Kennard, Green

January 11th, 2020 at 1:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Sixers, reeling from a recent injury to center Joel Embiid and still missing departed 2019 free agent wings Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick, are apparently seeking reinforcements this season.

Philadelphia has “expressed interest” in Pistons wings Luke Kennard and Langston Galloway, plus free agent forward Jeff Green, multiple league sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kennard, currently out with a minor knee injury, has blossomed into the sharpshooter the Pistons were dreaming the ex-Dukie could be when they drafted him at No. 12 in 2017 this season. The 6’5″ swingman is averaging 15.8 PPG while shooting 44.2% from the field, 39.9% from deep on 6.5 shots taken per night, and 89.3% from the free-throw line. Kennard is earning $3.8MM this season in the third year of his rookie deal and is owed $5.3MM in 2020/21.

Galloway, in the final year of a three-season, $21MM contract he inked with Detroit in 2017, is converting 39.9% of his 5.2 attempts from three-point range and 87.7% from the charity stripe. Both Pistons players could improve the Sixers’ floor spacing. The 25-14 Sixers are currently seeded fifth in a tough Eastern Conference.

The oft-traveled Green, 33, has played for eight NBA teams across 12 NBA seasons and appeared in 30 games for the Jazz on a $2.6MM veteran’s minimum salary this season before being waived on December 23. He logged 23.8 MPG and was a key defensive cog in the Cavaliers’ most recent trip to the NBA Finals in 2018. The 6’8″ Green is averaging 7.8 PPG and 2.7 RPG and shooting a decent 32.7% from three-point range this season. He could help spell injured Sixers All-Star Embiid in line-ups alongside Al Horford.

Joel Embiid Undergoes Hand Surgery

January 10th, 2020 at 5:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers star center Joel Embiid underwent surgery on his left hand on Friday and will be reevaluated in 1-2 weeks, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

The reevaluation period was the same that the Sixers projected prior to the surgery.

Embiid opted for surgery after suffering a torn radial collateral ligament of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. He dislocated his ring finger on Monday.

Embiid, 25, has averaged 23.4 PPG, 12.3 RPG, and 3.3 APG in 31 games this season. The Sixers moved Al Horford to the center spot and inserted Mike Scott at power forward in his absence on Thursday, when they defeated the Celtics.

Pelle Running Out Of NBA Days

January 10th, 2020 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers were victorious on Thursday in the first game of what could be a multi-week absence for Joel Embiid, but Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports argues the team should still be worried about not having its star center active. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Bobby Marks point out (via Twitter) that Norvel Pelle only has five NBA days left on his two-way contract and will have to return to the G League soon if Philadelphia doesn’t open up a 15-man roster spot for him.

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