- Marcus Morris talked to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer about how much it means to him to be playing for his hometown Sixers and hearing “from North Philly” as part of his pregame introduction. “If you would have asked me this, in a million years, I would have said I didn’t think it was going to happen,” said Morris, who was acquired from the Clippers earlier this season. “… My boys being able to see it. My family being able to see it. It was big for me. Just grateful for the opportunity.”
In his latest Substack article, Marc Stein reports that Magic center Wendell Carter is a “player to monitor” ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.
As Stein explains, Orlando has played above expectations through 34 games (the team is currently 19-15), but it has a deep frontcourt featuring Carter, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner, Goga Bitadze and Jonathan Isaac. Carter has only appeared in 13 games due to hand and knee injuries, and has been coming off the bench of late after he returned.
Those factors, plus needing to eventually re-sign or extend Franz Wagner and Banchero beyond their rookie scale contracts, has led rivals to believe that Carter will be available this winter, Stein writes.
A former lottery pick who is still just 24 years old, Carter has been a productive starter for the Magic the past few seasons and is on a fairly team-friendly contract, which will pay him $35.85MM over the next three seasons (it declines annually, down to $10.85MM in 2025/26). However, he has also missed at least 18 games in every season of his six-year career due to a variety of injuries.
Here are some more trade rumors from Stein:
- It has been reported multiple times that the Jazz were expected to be sellers ahead of the trade deadline, but they’ve gone 9-3 over their past 12 games and are currently 16-19, a game out of the final play-in spot in the West. That rise up the standings has rival front offices wondering what Utah will do now, per Stein. League sources tell Stein that John Collins is one player the Jazz are continuing to try and move, though it’s unclear how much success they’ll have after acquiring him in the offseason in a salary dump.
- Stein confirms recent reporting from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports about the Hawks, who are actively involved in trade conversations regarding Dejounte Murray and possibly several players on the roster outside of Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. Bogdan Bogdanovic is expected to be widely coveted by rival teams, according to Stein.
- Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report said in a live stream on Friday that the Sixers and Lakers could be eventual Murray suitors, and the Knicks have been “increasingly” linked to the former All-Star guard, Stein adds.
- The Sixers are unlikely to pursue Zach LaVine or Pascal Siakam, with the team looking to take a “thoughtful” approach at the deadline, according to Stein, who gets a “strong sense” that Philadelphia will likely make moves around the edges if it makes more in-season trades.
- Multiple reporters have linked the Lakers to LaVine, but Stein continues to hear they haven’t been interested — at least to this point — in taking on his long-term money. The two-time All-Star is in the second season of a five-year, $215MM contract.
Once considered the most aggressive suitor for Pascal Siakam, the Hawks are no longer viewed by league personnel as a top contender to trade for the Raptors forward, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. As Fischer explains, with Atlanta more likely to be a seller than a buyer at the trade deadline, a deal for Siakam no longer makes as much sense as it might have last summer.
Recent chatter among NBA executives has centered on the Pacers, Kings, and Pistons as prime landing spots for Siakam, according to Fischer, who says that the Sixers and Mavericks aren’t considered especially viable destinations for now.
As Fischer writes, in any deal involving Siakam, Toronto would be prioritizing young, established players – like the ones the team got in its OG Anunoby trade – rather than future draft assets. Philadelphia doesn’t really have any trade chips that fit that bill, while Dallas has “long rebuffed inquiries” on wing Josh Green, per Fischer.
Teams like Detroit and Indiana, on the other hand, have young players who could be included in a Siakam package, and the Pistons continue to signal to rival front offices that they’re interested in buying at the trade deadline rather than selling off their veterans, Fischer reports.
Here’s more on Siakam:
- The Kings won’t consider trading away forward Keegan Murray, says Fischer, which may make them an underdog in the Siakam sweepstakes. However, Davion Mitchell is available, and Sacramento has called teams to gauge the value of a package headed by Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, Fischer writes, adding that the team also has multiple tradable first-round picks.
- Before Anunoby was traded to New York, the Pacers made a “strong push” to acquire him from the Raptors, according to Fischer, who says Indiana continues to explore an upgrade at power forward.
- Raptors officials have suggested to opposing executives that as many as 10 teams have legitimate interest in Siakam, sources tell Fischer.
- Tim Bontemps of ESPN is the latest reporter to state that his league sources expect the Raptors to move Siakam before the trade deadline next month.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will be back in action on Tuesday.
Embiid is ready to go after sitting out the last four games due to a sprained right ankle, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Philadelphia faces the Bulls, who defeated the Sixers in Chicago 105-92 on Saturday. The 76ers play six of their next seven games at home.
Embiid is averaging a league-high 35.0 points to go along with 11.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game this season.
We have more on the Sixers:
- They went 2-2 on their road trip without Embiid. Nicolas Batum returned Saturday after missing five games with a strained right hamstring. The absences of those two players led to extended minutes for Paul Reed, Marcus Morris and Danuel House Jr. “This was a good road trip for us,” Tobias Harris told Pompey. “Two-and-two, to finish out with kind of a mini-identity to this group without playing with the big fella. … We continue to get guys back in the rotation as well, so different variables. But at the end of the day, overall on the road trip, I thought we made a lot of progress. We grew and developed as a team through those games.”
- In the aftermath of the Knicks acquiring OG Anunoby, coach Nick Nurse was asked if the Sixers needed to make a move before the trade deadline. Philadelphia already made a major trade by shipping James Harden to Los Angeles but Nurse isn’t averse to another alteration to the roster, according to Pompey. “I think you always have to be in the mindset to upgrade at all times,” Nurse said. “Whether I was coaching the Iowa Energy, or coaching the Sixers, there’s always places. Can you improve 10 through 12? Can you improve eight through 10? Can you improve three through five? You are always trying to do that or you are getting assets so you can do something else.”
- De’Anthony Melton won’t play on Tuesday due to lumbar spine soreness, Pompey tweets.
- In case you missed it, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported the Sixers are unlikely to make another major move this season. The Sixers could have more cap space than any other team in 2024 if they don’t add long-term salary this season.
- Joel Embiid — the reigning MVP and current Eastern Conference Player of the Week — will miss the Sixers’ back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Saturday will mark Embiid’s fourth straight absence. He’s been dealing with a right ankle sprain, which he sustained last Friday vs. Toronto. Nicolas Batum (right hamstring strain) is also out Friday, but he’ll be back tomorrow against Chicago, Pompey tweets.
Tonight will mark the first trip to Orlando for Sixers center Mohamed Bamba since the Magic traded him in February, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Bamba was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, but he never developed into the starting-caliber center that Orlando hoped he would be. He was shipped to the Lakers at last year’s trade deadline and signed with Philadelphia this summer, but he remains close with his former Magic teammates.
“Yeah, that’s family over there, you know, all those guys,” Bamba said after Monday’s game. “I’m probably going to stop by Jalen Suggs’ mom’s house tomorrow just to kick it. But that’s family, Cole (Anthony), Wendell (Carter Jr.), Kelle (Markelle Fultz). Those are guys that I can say I grew up with in the league.”
The Lakers hosted the Magic in March, but Bamba wasn’t able to play because of an injury. He’s expected to see plenty of minutes tonight with Joel Embiid sidelined by an ankle sprain, and he’s coming off his best game of the season with 18 points, six rebounds and two steals Monday at Miami.
“It’s just a matter of getting out there and trying not to be the game, throwing out the game,” Bamba said. “You don’t get enough minutes to be out there throwing away minutes, feeling out the game. But I got an opportunity to feel them out (during the first stretch), came back, made some changes and tried to be a little more aggressive.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Philadelphia has lost all four games that Embiid has missed this season, and the other players have to figure out how to win without the reigning MVP, Pompey states in a separate story. He notes that Embiid’s absence has been particularly tough on Tyrese Maxey, who was limited to 12 points Monday and is averaging just 20.3 PPG while shooting 37.5% from the field and 17.3% from three-point range when Embiid hasn’t played.
- Embiid has been ruled out for tonight, but his status for Friday’s game at Houston hasn’t been determined, Pompey adds. Coach Nick Nurse is optimistic that his ankle sprain won’t be a long-term issue. “We have a very deep roster of people who can play at a high level,” Kelly Oubre said. “It’s about consistency. … So tomorrow’s a new challenge for us to show we can win without Jo. And we’ll see what happens.”
- Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks of ESPN look at the options for president of basketball operations Daryl Morey as he tries to add another star to the Sixers’ lineup. Morey’s ability to make a deal will expand on January 1 when aggregate restrictions are lifted for Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris and KJ Martin, who were acquired from the Clippers in the James Harden trade. The ESPN authors examine the pros and cons of trying to land a big name or some smaller pieces before the trade deadline or waiting until the offseason to make significant moves.
The Sixers could put off acquiring another star player until the offseason, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link).
Speaking on the “NBA on ESPN” show, Wojnarowski stated that Philadelphia would prefer to preserve its cap space for next summer and then pursue a max salary player in a trade or free agency. As for this season, the Sixers are more likely to just seek a less splashier move.
“When (the Sixers) made the James Harden trade with the Clippers, there was a sense they may have to … at the trade deadline, find a star player to be able to keep up with Boston and Milwaukee in the East. They’re showing with this group they can do it maybe without a third star, maybe (do) something around the edges,” Wojnarowski said.
- The Sixers will have to go without their superstar for at least one more game. Joel Embiid, who didn’t play against Miami on Christmas Day, won’t suit up against Orlando on Wednesday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid, named the conference’s Player of the Week on Tuesday, is nursing an ankle injury he suffered on Friday against Toronto.
It only took Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant three games to earn his first honor from the NBA this season. After leading Memphis to a three-game winning streak upon returning from his 25-game suspension, Morant has been named the Player of the Week for the Western Conference, the league announced today (via Twitter).
Morant averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in 35.1 minutes per game over the course of three Grizzlies wins, securing last Tuesday’s victory over New Orleans with a game-winning shot at the buzzer. Having opened the season with 19 losses in 25 games, Memphis looks revitalized with Morant running the show, having not lost since reactivating the star guard.
Meanwhile, Sixers star center Joel Embiid became the Eastern Conference’s first repeat winner of the Player of the Week award this season. He also earned the honor once in November.
While the 76ers opened last week with a loss to Chicago, Embiid had 40 points in that game and followed it up with 51 points in a victory over the Timberwolves and 31 more in a win against the Raptors. In his three games last week, the big man put up impressive averages of 40.7 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, and 2.3 BPG in 36.0 MPG.
Morant beat out fellow nominees Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Jamal Murray, and Domantas Sabonis in the West. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jarrett Allen, Trae Young, DeMar DeRozan, Derrick White, Tyler Herro, and Embiid’s teammate Tyrese Maxey were the other nominees in the East (Twitter links).
The Celtics view Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk as a possible trade target, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.
With a $12.2MM expiring contract, Olynyk is one of several Utah veterans who might be on the move prior to the trade deadline. Boston drafted him in 2013 and he spent his first four NBA seasons with the Celtics, so he’s familiar with the organization.
After being a starter last year, Olynyk has moved into a reserve role in his second season with the Jazz, although he has started seven games because of injures to teammates. He posted 27 points, three rebounds, six assists and four steals in Thursday’s win at Detroit.
Boston’s current salary structure makes an Olynyk trade challenging, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Without giving up one of their rotation players, the Celtics would have to have to send out several minimum contracts to match Olynyk’s salary.
Stein also expects the Knicks to have interest in Olynyk after starting center Mitchell Robinson underwent ankle surgery that could sideline him for the rest of the season.
Stein passes along more inside information on potential trades:
- Citing conversations at the G League Winter Showcase, Stein remains skeptical that the Sixers have interest in trading for Bulls guard Zach LaVine. League sources tell Stein that Philadelphia wants to find someone who can contribute on both ends of the court, and the team is reluctant to give up its cap space for next summer to acquire LaVine, who still has three seasons left on his five-year, $215MM deal. The Lakers may be more inclined to consider LaVine after going 2-5 in their last seven games, but Stein notes that L.A. also prizes salary flexibility and tends to seek out players with shorter contracts to team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
- The Bucks and Heat still have “a healthy level of admiration” for P.J. Tucker, league sources tell Stein, but his $11MM salary for this season and a guaranteed $11.5MM for 2024/25 will limit trade interest. Tucker, who was acquired from Philadelphia as part of the James Harden deal, hasn’t played for the Clippers in nearly a month.
- Rival teams expect the Hawks to consider a Dejounte Murray trade before the deadline, Stein adds. Atlanta’s front office may explore deals involving several players as it tries to assemble a better mix of talent around Trae Young. Stein states that the Hawks would be hoping to replenish their draft assets after sending three future first-round picks and a pick swap to San Antonio in the trade to acquire Murray.
- In an interview with Mac McClung, the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest champ says he’s still deciding whether he’ll return to the event to try to defend his title.
The Christmas Day showdown between the Heat and Sixers lost some more star power as Miami announced that Jimmy Butler will sit out due to a strained left calf, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. This will be the third straight game that Butler has missed because of the calf issue. Haywood Highsmith (illness) and Josh Richardson (low back discomfort) also won’t play.
Philadelphia revealed on Sunday that reigning MVP Joel Embiid will be unavailable because of an ankle injury he suffered in Friday’s game. Embiid didn’t make the trip to Miami, and his status for Wednesday’s contest at Orlando hasn’t been determined. The Sixers are also without Nicolas Batum because of a strained right hamstring.
Butler has played in 23 of 29 games for the injury-riddled Heat, who rank among the league leaders in games missed as a result of injuries and illness. He’s averaging 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per night while shooting 46.2% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.
Miami is 3-3 without him in the lineup, notes Winderman, who points out that Butler has missed at least 18 games in each of his first four seasons with the Heat.
Winderman also reports that guard Dru Smith, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in a November 22 game at Cleveland, is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday. Smith’s injury led to numerous safety complaints about a courtside drop-off at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.