- The Suns and Kings have shown interest in Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis in recent years, per Charania. It’s unclear if either Pacific team will make a run at Sabonis now that he’s rumored to be available, but they could be worth watching. Charania adds that “a slew” of teams are expected to pursue Myles Turner, and the expectation is that Indiana would only move one of its two big men, not both.
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Rival teams anticipate that the Celtics will be willing to discuss Dennis Schröder in trade talks this season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Boston unexpectedly signed Schröder to a one-year, $5.9MM deal in the offseason using the taxpayer mid-level exception after the bottom fell out of the point guard’s market. He has enjoyed a strong season so far, averaging 17.5 PPG and 4.9 APG through his first 26 games (33.4 MPG) with the Celtics, which may ultimately price the club out of being able to re-sign him as a free agent in 2022.
The Celtics won’t have cap room in 2022 and would only be able to offer Schröder a 20% raise using his Non-Bird rights. As such, it might make more sense to recoup some value by getting what they can for him at the trade deadline — especially since the C’s don’t look like a legitimate contender at this point.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA, courtesy of Charania:
- The Hawks are believed to be seeking a first-round pick in any trade involving Cam Reddish, while the Magic are taking a similar stance with Terrence Ross, says Charania. Neither team should face significant pressure to lower its asking price, since both players are under contract for one more season beyond this one.
- Sources tell Charania that teams have called the Knicks to ask about former lottery pick Kevin Knox, who is in his fourth season and will be a free agent in 2022. Knox had a nice game on Sunday, with 18 points and five rebounds vs. Milwaukee, but has otherwise barely played this season, prompting teams to wonder what New York’s plan for him is.
- Spurs guard Bryn Forbes, who is on a one-year, $4.5MM deal, is expected to receive trade interest from contenders, according to Charania. Forbes played a role for Milwaukee’s championship team last season.
- Suns center Jalen Smith has drawn a little interest and is a candidate to be moved before this season’s trade deadline, per Charania.
- Suns center Deandre Ayton will miss Friday’s game against the Celtics, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Ayton left the team’s shootaround early with a non-COVID illness.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a team press release.
Ujiri believes he contracted the virus during a “Giants of Africa” meeting.
“On Sunday, Giants of Africa held our first in-person event since 2019,” Ujiri said in a statement. “It was organized in compliance with all current public health guidance – everyone who attended had to show proof of vaccination, and to wear masks when not eating or drinking. Unfortunately, after the gala, we learned of positive COVID-19 tests among our guests – and even though I am fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, I also subsequently tested positive.
“I am now at home, observing the safety protocols by self-isolating for 10 days, monitoring for symptoms and undergoing testing, and I encourage everyone who attended to please do the same. We don’t want to live in fear of this virus, but COVID is a persistent enemy. Together, we’ll defeat it.”
Several others around the league have tested positive over the last 24 hours. Here’s a roundup:
- Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks missed the team’s game against the Lakers after entering the league’s health and safety protocols, the team’s PR department tweets. Brooks scored 15 points against Dallas on Wednesday before he was ejected. He’s averaging 17.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 2.8 APG.
- Suns assistant Kevin Young has yet to return to the club after being placed under protocols, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Young has missed the last four games.
- As we detailed earlier on Thursday, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has tested positive, Derrick Jones Jr. became the fifth Bulls player to enter protocols, and the Hornets will still be missing a handful of players on Friday due to protocols.
Suns center Deandre Ayton will be a restricted free agent this summer, but he says he’s focused on working hard and winning a championship this season, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
The 20-4 Suns hold the second-best record in the league, trailing the Warriors by a half-game. Ayton says the key to the team’s success has been maximum effort.
“All of it is from experience from the Finals and playing hard,” Ayton said. “We play super hard. We don’t know how to stop playing hard. Ever since I went to the Finals, I don’t know how to stop competing more than 100%. We have to stay at this high level of camaraderie and I have to make sure we win the game.”
In 18 games this season (30.9 MPG), Ayton is averaging 16.3 PPG and 11.1 RPG. He says he has his eye on some individual awards as well.
“I want All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year,” Ayton said, per Spears. “I really want that. I want to be on that talk of First-Team Defense.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:
- Russell Westbrook has been steadily improving throughout the season for the Lakers, prompting Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report to wonder whether people jumped the gun on judging the team’s trade to acquire him.
- The Lakers‘ season may hinge on whether LeBron James and Westbrook can form a winning partnership, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. McMenamin takes an in-depth look at the dynamic between the two players, noting that defensive lapses and turnovers have plagued the team. The duo’s chemistry has been slow to form with James sidelined for 12 games, but they’ve looked much better together recently.
- Rookie Brandon Boston Jr. had a breakout performance for the Clippers in their 114-111 victory over the Celtics Wednesday night, dropping 27 points and four steals in only 25 minutes and making 9-of-13 shots, including 5-of-8 threes. Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times writes that Boston is one of the keys to the Clippers’ present and future.
- The Suns‘ packed early-season schedule and injuries prompted head coach Monty Williams to give Ishmail Wainright a little playing time, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (video link). Williams hadn’t planned on giving players on two-way contracts minutes entering the season.
- Suns lead assistant Kevin Young didn’t travel with the team for the showdown with Golden State because he’s in the health and safety protocols, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Young, who has missed three games after testing positive for COVID-19, became Phoenix’s associate head coach under Monty Williams after Willie Green departed to become head coach of the Pelicans.
NBA executives and player agents believe the Bulls and Heat received a proverbial slap on the wrist for violating league policies in the free agent acquisitions of Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report writes.
The teams will have to forfeit their next available second-round pick, but that is unlikely to prevent other teams from trying to circumvent the rules in pursuit of free agents. Second-round picks appear more available than ever, Fischer notes.
As part of the league’s investigation and subsequent penalty, Chicago and Miami can’t trade any of their currently held future second-round draft picks until the forfeiture is resolved, Fischer reports.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Due to the success of LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey, Australia is increasingly viewed by European prospects as a springboard to the NBA, according to Ken Maguire of The Associated Press. According to NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger, the Next Stars program has become so popular, the league had to turn “people away in droves.” Four of this season’s seven Next Stars are from Europe and another French prospect is playing for the New Zealand Breakers.
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks takes an in-depth look at this year’s trade market, breaking down the league’s players into three categories — those with expiring contracts; those on multi-year deals; and those with trade restrictions. Marks notes that only the Thunder can acquire a player via cap space, so the rest of the teams will need to trade salaries that match within 125%, 175% or $5MM, depending on how much salary is changing hands and whether or not the teams are taxpayers.
- The Suns’ Monty Williams and the Bulls’ Billy Donovan have been named the league’s Coaches of the Month for games played in October and November, NBA Communications tweets. Phoenix is on the verge of setting a franchise record for most consecutive victories, while Chicago has a 14-8 record.
Suns guard Devin Booker is expected to miss multiple games due to the left hamstring injury he sustained during Tuesday’s win over the Warriors, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported during a TV appearance this afternoon (video link).
Wojnarowski said Booker’s hamstring ailment is “not believed to be a serious injury,” but the Suns will err on the side of caution with their leading scorer. The expectation is that Booker will miss “at least a few games,” according to Wojnarowski. That means he’ll likely be unavailable for Phoenix’s rematch vs. the Warriors in Golden State this Friday.
Booker, who left Tuesday’s game in the second quarter and didn’t return, has averaged 23.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.5 APG on .458/.403/.857 shooting in 21 games (32.2 MPG) this season for a Suns team that now leads the NBA with an 18-3 record.
Cameron Johnson will likely be in line for a bigger role with Booker out. He played a season-high 29 minutes on Tuesday, replacing Booker to start the second half and in the Suns’ closing lineup. Landry Shamet is another candidate for more playing time.
- Baxter Holmes of ESPN provides an update on the investigation into Suns owner Robert Sarver, noting that the firm conducting the probe has begun scheduling and conducting in-person interviews with current and former team employees. However, as Holmes outlines, former employees who signed non-disclosure agreements are still seeking assurances about their ability to speak freely to investigators without facing legal consequences.
- There’s no indication yet that the investigation into Sarver will result in him having to sell the Suns. However, reports from Matthew Belloni of Puck.news and Abigail Gentrup of Front Office Sports identify former Disney CEO Bob Iger as someone who would be interested in buying the franchise if the opportunity arises.