Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Suns Notes: Ayton, CP3, Johnson

March 11th, 2022 at 9:43pm CST by Rory Maher

Deandre Ayton is having another strong season for the Suns, and Evan Sidery of BasketballNews.com wonders if the center will finally get his bag from Phoenix.

Ayton will be a restricted free agent this summer in a weak class, and Sidery thinks it’s inevitable that one of the rebuilding teams with cap space will offer Ayton a four-year, maximum-salary contract. Sidery points to the Thunder, Spurs and Pistons as possibilities.

The question is, will the Suns match that offer? They can offer Ayton more years (five) and more money than other teams, but were reluctant to give him the max prior to the season.

Through 45 games (29.6 minutes) this season, Ayton is averaging 16.8 points, 10 rebounds and 1.4 assists on .642/.385/.718 shooting. The 38.5% from deep is deceptive, as he’s only attempted 13 threes all season, but he’s still a highly efficient scorer with great footwork.

Ayton has also continued his impressive defense from last season’s run to the Finals, Sidery writes. Ayton, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are the only centers in the league allowing less than 45% of the shots they defend to end in points (min. 15 shots per game).

Here are a few more notes from Phoenix:

Chris Paul won a team shooting contest Friday morning for the Suns, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “He kicked our ass. He beat us today. It was cool to see him out there. I was actually surprised. I didn’t think he was going to be out here shooting, but that’s a good sign,” Cameron Payne said. Paul is currently sidelined with a fractured thumb that he suffered last month and is scheduled to be reevaluated in early-to-mid April.
Suns coach Monty Williams tempered expectations of a potential early return for Paul, per Rankin. “It’s awesome, but I wouldn’t get too excited about it,” Williams said before Friday’s game. “It’s just part of a normal progression for that type of injury. We’re happy about it, but we have to temper it until he’s able to get to 1-on-1, 3-on-3, 5-on-5.”
Forward Cameron Johnson scored a career-high 38 points last Friday against the Knicks, including a three at the buzzer to win the game, but he’s missed four straight games since then. As Rankin writes in a separate article for the Arizona Republic, Johnson suffered a right quad contusion in the game after getting kneed by Mitchell Robinson as the Knicks center was contesting a shot. Williams said Johnson likely won’t practice Saturday, so his status for Sunday’s game against the Lakers sounds doubtful. Johnson is averaging career-highs of 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 26.3 minutes this season. He sports a stellar shooting line of .475/.448/.873. As a third-year former first-round pick, Johnson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Bridges, Sabonis, Vogel, Kidd

March 10th, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns guard Devin Booker didn’t experience any symptoms after testing positive for COVID-19, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. The Suns star was frustrated he had to sit out four games despite not feeling sick.

“That’s the tough part about it,” he said. “Not feeling anything and not being able to play. I don’t even know why people are getting tested that much anymore.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Mikal Bridges believes this Suns team is superior to the one that made the Finals last season, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I felt like that early in the season, like I was looking around and this team I feel like is better, and then (we kept) adding guys,” he said. “It made me realize like, yeah, this is team is better than last year.”
Domantas Sabonis has two years left on his contract and he’s hoping he can help the Kings end their playoff drought during the next two seasons, he told Sam Amick of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview. “It sucks that we have that drought, but the fact that we can be part of something that can turn it around, you know, that’s the goal. Come in and change the perspective of this organization and what people think,” he said. “We’re excited that we can be part of that and build it, you know? So I want to stay as long as I can. Everything has to go well, (but) I’m happy here.”
The Lakers likely would have fired Frank Vogel by now if Jason Kidd was still on the staff to take over in the interim, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin said on The Woj Pod (hat tip to NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman). “I think we both agree, if Jason Kidd, was still on this staff, they would’ve made a coaching change,” Wojnarowski said.

Knicks Rumors: Robinson, Noel, Fournier, Randle, Kemba, Reddish

March 10th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype spoke to five executives about Mitchell Robinson‘s value as the Knicks center nears unrestricted free agency and came away the impression that a deal in the mid-level range ($10MMish) might be on the low end for Robinson this offseason. Generally speaking, the projected range for the big man was closer to $12-13MM per year, according to Scotto.

As Scotto notes, Robinson doesn’t have a perimeter game and has dealt with a series of injuries in his first four NBA seasons, but his ability to protect the rim on defense and finish around the basket on offense makes him valuable. The Knicks will presumably want to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency, which could give him some leverage in contract negotiations.

“One executive told me, ‘I think the Knicks re-sign him and maybe overpay to do so to keep him as an asset. It’ll be a tough negotiation given what they gave Nerlens Noel,'” Scotto told Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News on the HoopsHype podcast.

One exec told Scotto he could see Robinson getting $15MM per year if there’s outside competition for his services. Bondy has heard the Pistons and Mavericks mentioned as possible suitors, and Scotto agrees that the Pistons will be in the mix, especially if they’re unable to seriously contend for a higher-level target like Suns RFA Deandre Ayton.

Here’s more on the Knicks from Scotto and Bondy:

Scotto has spoken to multiple executives who believe Nerlens Noel could be back on the trade block this summer after popping up in trade rumors prior to last month’s deadline. Bondy, meanwhile, notes that Evan Fournier was one of the names the Knicks were “kicking around” before the deadline, indicating that he’ll probably still be a trade candidate going forward. “Given the right opportunity and price, he’s a guy they’d move on from,” Bondy said.
Bondy downplayed the Julius Randle trade rumors that surfaced prior to the deadline, suggesting the Knicks never really considered selling low on the veteran forward this season. “There might have been some calls here and there, but nothing ever got serious at all,” Bondy said.
Both Scotto and Bondy expect the Knicks will be able to find a taker for Kemba Walker this summer, though Bondy acknowledges they likely won’t get much back for him. “One GM told me he was concerned about trading for Kemba because of his knees and his limited availability on back-to-back games,” Scotto said.
Although Bondy believes the Knicks are open to trading Cam Reddish, he’s skeptical it will happen, since the team would be reluctant to essentially admit that giving up a protected first-round pick for him was a mistake. Reddish probably won’t sign an extension this offseason, but he’ll likely stick with the Knicks for at least another year, Bondy says.

Checking In On NBA’s Open Roster Spots

March 10th, 2022 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Several of the NBA teams that had open roster spots following the trade deadline have since filled them, either with free agent signings, such as DeMarcus Cousins (Nuggets) and DeAndre Jordan (Sixers), or with promoted two-way players, like Caleb Martin (Heat) and Daishen Nix (Rockets).

However, there are still a number of clubs around the league with openings available, either on their standard 15-man roster or among their two-way contract slots.

Here, with the help of our roster counts page, is a look at the teams that have open roster spots as of March 10:

Teams with open 15-man roster spots:

Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics (2) *
Charlotte Hornets *
Cleveland Cavaliers *
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans *
Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors *
Utah Jazz

* The teams marked with an asterisk each technically have full rosters as of today, but are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract. We’re considering those roster spots “open” because those 10-day deals will soon expire.

Despite a series of signings since last month’s trade deadline, there are still 12 NBA teams that aren’t carrying 15 players on full-season standard contracts. However, four of those clubs have filled their open roster spot(s) with 10-day signings, and a fifth will join that group when the Cavaliers complete their reported 10-day deal with Moses Brown.

The Celtics are one team to watch here. When the second 10-day contracts for Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin expire next Monday night, Boston will either have to sign at least one of them to a rest-of-season contract or add another player within the next two weeks in order to get back to the league-mandated minimum of 14 players on standard deals.

Teams with open two-way spots:

Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings

Following the trade deadline, five teams had open two-way contract slots. Four of those teams have since filled them — the Suns are the only holdout, having not carried a second two-way player since they released Chandler Hutchison in early January.

The Rockets have had an open two-way slot since they promoted Nix to the 15-man roster nearly a month ago, while the Kings‘ opening has existed since they waived Louis King on February 17.

Kaminsky Could Return Before Regular Season Ends

March 9th, 2022 at 9:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on the Burns and Gambo radio show, Suns general manager James Jones said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Frank Kaminsky return before the regular season ends, John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix tweets. Kaminsky suffered a stress reaction in his right knee in November which later required surgery. He was set to be reevaluated at the beginning of March, so presumably that evaluation yielded positive results. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Devin Booker Clears Protocols, Will Return On Wednesday

March 9th, 2022 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker has exited the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols and will be available on Wednesday for the team’s showdown vs. the Heat, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Booker isn’t listed on Phoenix’s injury report.

The Suns initially placed Booker in the health and safety protocols last Wednesday. One report said he entered the protocols due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test, creating some optimism that he could be cleared quickly. But the fact that he spent nearly a full week in the protocols suggests subsequent tests were probably positive.

The Suns have held their own with Booker and Chris Paul out of the lineup, winning three of the four games Booker missed, though those victories all came against non-playoff teams (Orlando, New York, and Portland). They’ll face a tougher test tonight in Miami as the top seeds in the Western and Eastern Conferences square off.

Booker’s return will likely result in role reductions for Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, and Aaron Holiday, with either Payne or Shamet moving from the starting five to the second unit.

There are now once again zero NBA players in the COVID-19 protocols.

Unlikely Heroes Keeping Suns Afloat

March 6th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by JD Shaw

Unlikely heroes are stepping up for the Suns in the absences of Chris Paul (thumb) and Devin Booker (protocols), Cydney Henderson of USA Today writes. Phoenix received a key performance from Cameron Johnson on Friday, as the 26-year-old finished with 38 points and a buzzer-beating game-winner. Mikal Bridges also added 20 points, while Cameron Payne recorded 17 points and 16 assists.

Latest On Investigation Into Suns Owner Robert Sarver

March 4th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Wachtell Lipton, the New York-based firm conducting the independent investigation into Suns owner Robert Sarver, has now interviewed more than 300 people as part of that probe, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN.

One key figure still hasn’t been interviewed by the lawyers leading the investigation: Sarver himself. That’s expected to happen soon, according to Holmes, who says investigators are preparing to talk to the Suns’ owner.

Back in November, Holmes published a bombshell report in which a number of current and former Suns employees described a toxic workplace culture under Sarver, who was accused of racism and misogyny. The NBA quickly announced that it was launching an independent investigation into those accusations.

According to today’s report from Holmes, employees who have been interviewed by Wachtell Lipton have “confirmed a range of published allegations while introducing others.” Some of the interviewees have spoken to investigators multiple times, and some have provided the law firm with emails supporting their claims, Holmes writes.

It remains unclear when the investigation will conclude. According to Holmes, the lawyers involved have consistently told current and former employees that they’re in the “fact-finding” stage.

Phoenix’s players and coaches certainly haven’t let the ongoing investigation distract them on the court. The Suns’ 50-12 record this season gives them a 7.5-game cushion on the NBA’s second-best team (Golden State, at 43-20).

Pacific Notes: Payne, Booker, Covington, Augustin

March 2nd, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

With Chris Paul injured and Devin Booker in health and safety protocols, the Suns were happy to welcome Cameron Payne back tonight, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Payne, who injured his right wrist on January 22, was in the starting lineup as Phoenix hosted the Trail Blazers.

“Just his energy, his energy is contagious,” said Torrey Craig, who was still with the Pacers when Payne got hurt. “He likes to get the crowd into the game. He gets his teammates going. He plays with this level of confidence that teams need.”

After Paul hurt his thumb, coach Monty Williams replaced him in the starting lineup with Cameron Johnson and let Booker run the point. Williams is glad to have a true point guard back with the starters and to see Johnson return to providing instant offense with the second unit.

“It allows for the bench to have a bit more rhythm,” Williams said. “It puts Cam Johnson back into his role on the bench and now he could be the anchor out there as far as scoring. A guy who has been in our rotation and he knows what we’re doing.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The COVID-19 test that Booker took today was inconclusive, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. Booker will be permitted to play if he can produce negative tests two days in a row.
After Tuesday’s game, Clippers forward Robert Covington talked extensively about mental health issues and revealed that he almost quit playing basketball in 2019, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. It happened while he was trying to recover from a knee injury, and Covington claims the Sixers traded him to Minnesota after assuring him that he wouldn’t be moved. Covington now uses his experiences to try to help other players who may be going through difficult times. “I take positives, I take negatives, and I just reevaluate,” he said. “I don’t let them drain my energy. I just assess it in a different manner, to where it helps me. And that’s what I’ll allow myself to get to, because before, I couldn’t do that.”
D.J. Augustin didn’t have much time to prepare after finding out Monday that the Lakers wanted to sign him, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Augustin said he “threw anything in a bag” and caught a flight to L.A. the next day.

Devin Booker Enters Health And Safety Protocols

March 2nd, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

Suns star Devin Booker has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will miss Wednesday’s game vs. Portland, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Rosters around the NBA were thrown into disarray in December and January as most teams experienced outbreaks of COVID-19. However, Booker is the first player to be placed in the league’s health and safety protocols since the All-Star break. Wizards center Daniel Gafford, the last player in the protocols, was cleared on February 13.

Hopefully, if Booker contracted the virus, it’s an isolated incident rather than the beginning of another league-wide increase in cases. The NBA hasn’t mandated daily coronavirus tests for the last few weeks, requiring players to get tested only if they’re unvaccinated, they’re a close contact of someone who tests positive, or they experience COVID-19 symptoms.

Assuming Booker did test positive, he’ll be out for at least five days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. A best-case scenario for Phoenix would be that Booker registered a false positive and is able to exit the protocols within the next day or two.

The Suns are already missing Chris Paul (thumb), so they’ll be without both of their backcourt stars when they face the Trail Blazers tonight. However, it appears Cameron Payne (wrist) should be available to play for the first time since January 22 — he’s listed as probable on Phoenix’s injury report.