Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Stock Watch 2020: Pacific Division

March 9th, 2020 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Pacific Division:

Marquese Chriss, Warriors, 22, C (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $2.48MM deal in 2019
The eighth overall pick of the 2016 draft flamed out in Phoenix, Houston and Cleveland, but he’s taken advantage of his opportunity in Golden State. His playing time has gradually increased and so has his production. He averaged 13.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.8 BPG last month; In his first four games this month, he’s posted a stat line of 14.5/10.0/3.8/1.5 in those categories. Golden State has until mid-July to guarantee his $1.824MM salary for next season. That’s a dirt-cheap price for a young rotation big man.

Marcus Morris, Clippers, 30, PF (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $15MM deal in 2019
Morris has jumped right into the Clippers’ rotation since the Knicks traded him. He’s started all 11 games since the deal became official, averaging 28.9 MPG. Unfortunately, Morris seemingly left his jump shot in the Big Apple. He’s made just 37.3% of his field-goal attempts and 26.3% of his 3-point tries with his new team. In the big showdown with the Lakers on Sunday, Morris clanked all nine of his shots. His defensive versatility will keep him in the rotation, but he needs to regain his perimeter touch to stay on the court in crunch time. Otherwise, he may have to drop his price tag this summer.

Quinn Cook, Lakers, 26, PG (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $6MM deal in 2019
Cook was a steady presence with Golden State last season, as he appeared in 74 regular-season games and 17 more in the postseason. He’s gotten lost in the shuffle with the Lakers. He’s the de facto No. 4 point guard behind Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo and Alex Caruso, and has only played 22 minutes since the All-Star break. Cook is a solid 3-point shooter — 41.2% for his career — which would make him a valuable reserve on many rosters. The Lakers have until June 29 to guarantee Cook’s $3MM salary for next season. It seems likely he’ll become an unrestricted free agent, despite a $1MM partial guarantee.

Frank Kaminsky, Suns, 26, PF (Down) – Signed to two-year, $9.77MM deal in 2019
Kaminsky was in and out of Charlotte’s rotation last season, but he got a chance to reboot his career in Phoenix. The early returns were promising — he had four 20-point games in December. Shortly after Christmas, Kaminsky suffered a stress fracture in his right knee and he hasn’t seen the court again. The team holds a $5MM option on his contract next season. With Dario Saric and Aron Baynes headed to the open market, the Suns will have tough decision to make regarding Kaminsky, since that option must be exercised before free agency begins.

Alex Len, Kings, 26, C (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $8.5MM deal in 2018
Len has generally been productive since being dealt to Sacramento. He had a double-double in 21 minutes against Oklahoma City, an 8-point, 13-rebound, 5-block performance against Detroit and a 15-point, 7-rebound outing in 15 minutes against Toronto. His playing time will continue to fluctuate in the Kings’ crowded frontcourt. Sacramento’s motivation to acquire him was his expiring contract, but he definitely hasn’t hurt his value since the deal. He’ll head into unrestricted free agency this summer and should be able to hook on with a team seeking another big body to fortify its bench.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Suns Pursued Gordon, Mavs Went After Gallinari At Deadline

March 6th, 2020 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest Inside Pass column for The Athletic, Shams Charania passes along details on several deals that were pursued but didn’t get done at the 2020 trade deadline, a month ago today.

According to Charania, the Suns made a “late push” for Magic forward Aaron Gordon, while the Mavericks did the same for Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari is on an expiring contract, but Gordon is under team control for two more years beyond this season and is expected to receive interest from multiple teams this offseason if Orlando is willing to move him, Charania says.

Elsewhere in the Western Conference, the Nuggets attempted to make a “major trade” just before the deadline, sources tell The Athletic. Charania notes that Jrue Holiday was a player of significant interest for Denver, though it’s not clear if he was the player the Nuggets were pushing for at the deadline. The Pelicans never showed any interest in moving Holiday, per Charania.

Finally, while we’ve previously heard that the Lakers made an offer for point guard Derrick Rose, Charania provides some additional details on that offer, writing that it included fan favorite Alex Caruso and draft compensation. The Lakers would have needed to include at least one more player in that package for salary-matching purposes. In any case, the Pistons weren’t interested in moving Rose.

Although nothing materialized on any of these fronts, there’s value in knowing which teams pursued which players, since many of them remain under contract beyond this season and could become trade targets again down the road. Someone like Gallinari, meanwhile, could be on Dallas’ wish list in free agency, assuming the Mavs didn’t simply view him as a rental.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/4/20

March 4th, 2020 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Bucks assigned D.J. Wilson to their Wisconsin affiliate, according to a release from the team. He’s posting an 18.3/7.8/4.0 line in four games with the Herd and has appeared in 30 NBA games.
The Thunder shipped Isaiah Roby to Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a press release. He is averaging 8.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 13 G League games.
The Suns assigned Ty Jerome to Northern Arizona, tweets Gina Mizell of The Athletic. Phoenix wanted him to get some playing time after he was pulled from the rotation last week.
The Warriors recalled Alen Smailagic from Santa Cruz (Twitter link).

Suns Concerned About Deandre Ayton’s Ankle Injury

March 4th, 2020 at 7:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Deandre Ayton underwent an MRI today on his injured left ankle, and there are concerns that he might be sidelined for a while, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Ayton is in a walking boot and he’s not expected to play Friday, although no official ruling has been made.

The injury happened on a collision with Toronto’s OG Anunoby in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s game. Ayton grabbed his ankle and immediately dropped to the court.

“When I looked at the injury, it looked like it got jammed and that’s a tough one cause you don’t know how it’s going to respond,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Usually when you roll it, you can see, but when you get it jammed like with that much pressure, I think we just got to wait and see. He had some swelling last night.”

Ankles have been an issue this season for Ayton, who missed five games in December with a sprained right ankle and two in February with soreness in his left ankle. That’s on top of the 25-game suspension he received early in the season for a violation of the league’s anti-drug policy. Ayton has been dominant in the 30 games he has played, averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds per night and looking like one of the league’s best young centers.

“Ankle (injury) feels the same like all the other ones,” said Ayton, who was walking with a crutch after the game. “It’s the same. I’m just used to it now.”

Phoenix is six and a half games out of a playoff spot with 20 games left, so there’s no reason to rush back the franchise center. Veteran Aron Baynes, who has already started 25 games this year, is expected to take Ayton’s spot in the starting lineup, and Dario Saric will be used in the middle in smaller sets.

Pistons Claim Jordan McRae Off Waivers

March 4th, 2020 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

4:15pm: The waiver process is complete and McRae belongs to the Pistons, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

3:07pm: The Pistons intend to claim guard Jordan McRae off waivers this afternoon, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

After reaching a buyout agreement with Denver on Sunday, McRae was officially released and appeared to be headed to Phoenix, with the Suns planning to place a waiver claim of their own. However, with Derrick Rose on the shelf due to an ankle injury, the Pistons were said to be eyeing McRae for backcourt depth.

Because the waiver priority order is determined by the NBA’s reverse standings, Detroit (20-42) will be awarded McRae over Phoenix (24-38) if both teams submit claims. Technically, one of the five teams with a worse record than the Pistons could swoop in and steal McRae, but there has been no indication that will happen.

A fourth-year shooting guard, McRae was putting up the best numbers of his career in D.C. this season, recording 12.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 2.8 APG on .420/.377/.371 shooting for the Wizards, though injuries limited him to just 29 games. He was sent to Denver in a deadline deal for Shabazz Napier and averaged just 8.0 MPG in four games for the Nuggets, who have an overcrowded rotation.

The two sides reached a deal on Sunday that allowed McRae to get a new opportunity, with the Nuggets opening up a roster spot and saving some money. Although the 28-year-old agreed to surrender $390,424 of his minimum salary, that agreement will be negated by the Pistons’ waiver claim. Detroit will simply take on McRae’s $1,645,357 expiring contract, which will come off Denver’s books. The Pistons will be on the hook for paying the prorated salary remaining on the deal, while the Nuggets’ financial obligation will be extinguished.

By claiming McRae off waivers, the Pistons will get his Early Bird rights, which will give them added flexibility to re-sign him this summer. No corresponding roster move will be necessary for Detroit, since the team has an open spot after letting Derrick Walton‘s 10-day contract expire earlier this week.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oubre To Be Re-Evaluated In Four Weeks Following Meniscus Surgery

March 3rd, 2020 at 10:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Suns forward Kelly Oubre underwent surgery on his torn meniscus in his right knee earlier today, as expected. In addition to confirming that report, the club issued an updated timeline for Oubre’s recovery, announcing he’ll be re-evaluated in four weeks, as ESPN relays.

Oubre, who was acquired mid-season last year in a trade with the Wizards, was having a career year with the Suns this season. He’s averaging 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

The timing of Oubre’s re-evaluation would leave about two weeks left in the season, so it’s possible we won’t see him return to the court this spring, especially if the Suns have fallen entirely out of the race for the eighth seed by that point.

McRae Could Help Suns In Present, Future

March 3rd, 2020 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic examines how Jordan McRae could fit with the Suns this season and potentially beyond. Phoenix reportedly intends to place a waiver claim on McRae, but there’s a possibility Detroit will do so as well, and the Pistons would have the higher priority.

Oubre To Undergo Surgery On Torn Meniscus

March 3rd, 2020 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns forward Kelly Oubre will undergo surgery on his torn right meniscus, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. Oubre’s recovery timetable remains unclear — an update is expected to be provided on Wednesday, per Arizona Sports 98.7.

Derrick Rose Out At Least Two Weeks; Pistons Eyeing Jordan McRae

March 3rd, 2020 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

11:59am: The Pistons have issued a press release confirming that Rose has been diagnosed with a grade two right ankle sprain. He’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, according to the team.

11:07am: An MRI on Derrick Rose‘s sprained right ankle came back negative, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. However, sources tell Haynes that the Pistons will be cautious with Rose’s injury and that he’ll be reassessed in “a few weeks.”

Rose, who received interest from contenders at the trade deadline, has a second year on his contract with Detroit, so the Pistons will want to make sure he’s as healthy as possible heading into the offseason — the former MVP will either play a key role on next year’s team or be a valuable trade chip this summer. Rose is expected to make a full recovery from his ankle injury, Haynes notes.

As the Pistons consider handing the reins to their young players for the rest of the season, they’re also keeping an eye on Jordan McRae, according to Haynes. Released by the Nuggets on Sunday night, McRae is expected to be claimed off waivers by the Suns on Wednesday.

However, based on Haynes’ report, it sounds like Detroit is mulling a waiver claim of its own. Because they trail Phoenix in the NBA standings, the Pistons would have the higher priority and would be awarded McRae if both teams submit a claim.

If the Pistons were to place a claim on McRae, no corresponding roster move would be necessary, since they have room on their 15-man roster.

Pacific Notes: Bender, Kings, Lakers, Ayton

March 2nd, 2020 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

After failing to become long-term building blocks in Phoenix, former Suns lottery picks Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender have reunited in Golden State. Bender is only on a 10-day contract for now, but Chriss thinks his former and current frontcourt mate is fitting in nicely with the Warriors, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details.

“I think it’s a good fit for him, especially being around people who believe in you and help you grow,” Chriss said. “I think that’s all he needs.”

Bender’s 10-day contract with the Warriors will expire on Tuesday night, at which time Golden State will have the option of signing him to a second 10-day deal before having to make a decision on a rest-of-season commitment. Bender, who is simply looking to prove he still belongs in the NBA, hopes he’s making a good impression.

“I take it day-by-day,” Bender recently said, per Rankin. “I think there’s always options, but with this team, take it day-by-day and see what happens. Obviously, a great place to be, like I said. Great organization. I’m looking forward to the opportunity, but like I said, take it day-by-day and see what happens.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Although the Kings have missed Richaun Holmes over the last two months, they could actually have a logjam at center soon, writes James Ham of NBC Sports California. Holmes is reportedly nearing a return, but Harry Giles and Alex Len have played well up front for Sacramento as of late, so it’ll be interesting to see how the team divvies up playing time down the stretch.
Despite the fact that Anthony Tolliver was waived by the Kings over the weekend, he and Kent Bazemore helped get the team out of its lowest point of the season in January, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. The two recently-acquired veterans told their new teammates in a team meeting that they were better than their record showed. “We were very vocal about the potential here,” Tolliver said. “Coming from Portland and seeing how we played there, and seeing how these guys played here, even though they were losing a lot of games at that point, we were like, ‘You guys are not that far away from winning.'” Sacramento is 11-5 since that motivational pep talk.
With a comfortable hold on the top seed in the West, the Lakers are using the final stretch of the season to experiment a little with lineups, says Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. That included starting Alex Caruso when Danny Green missed Saturday’s game with a minor hip injury.
Even though he’s not the All-Star and borderline MVP candidate that Luka Doncic is, Deandre Ayton is on an impressive run for the Suns, averaging 20.9 PPG and 12.4 RPG in his last 19 games. Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic makes the case that it wasn’t a mistake for Phoenix to select Ayton first overall in 2018, two spots ahead of Doncic.