Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Suns Seek Expiring Deal, Second-Rounder For Knight

February 23rd, 2017 at 11:45am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns are seeking an expiring contract and a high second-round pick for combo guard Brandon Knight, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets.

As we pointed out in our Trade Candidate series last month, Phoenix has been actively shopping Knight since the offseason, with the emergence of Devin Booker making him expendable. The Suns have talked to the Magic, Kings, Sixers and Bulls about Knight, who still has three years and nearly $44MM remaining on his contract after this season.

Knight, 25, has seen his playing time diminish this season and he briefly dropped out of the rotation. He’s averaging 11.0 PPG and 2.4 APG in 21.1 MPG this season, after posting a career-high 19.4 PPG and 5.1 APG in 36.0 MPG last season.

Celtics Rumors: Butler, George, Bogut, Fultz

February 23rd, 2017 at 11:16am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics remain hopeful of acquiring either Jimmy Butler or Paul George before the trade deadline but it’s more likely they’ll hold onto their main assets, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports.

One sticking point is that GM Danny Ainge is reluctant to part with the first-round pick the Net owe them this summer via a swap of positions, Bulpett continues. An agent with connections to the potential deal between the Bulls and Boston informed Bulpett that Ainge’s unwillingness to deal the pick scuttled preliminary discussions. The Pacers would likely want that same pick as part of any deal involving George, Bulpett speculates.

Unless a blockbuster deal is worked out that would give them a serious chance of supplanting the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have no real incentive to move their most prized assets, the thinking goes in the Boston front office. According to another league executive, teams have offered solid veterans to Boston but Ainge only wants to a “real star” for those assets, Bulpett writes in a separate column.

Other nuggets involving the Celtics possible moves:

Andrew Bogut, whom the Mavs agreed to trade to the Sixers today, could be re-routed to the Celtics, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. However, ESPN’s Chris Haynes tweets that Philadelphia is expected to engage in buyout talks with the veteran center.
Ainge wants to remain a player in this summer’s free agent market unless he can obtain a franchise cornerstone today or via the draft, according to Bulpett. If the Celtics end up holding onto the Nets pick, Washington freshman Markelle Fultz could be the player they’re coveting.
A lesser trade involving a forward such as the Grizzlies’ JaMychal Green or Suns’ P.J. Tucker remains a possibility, Bulpett adds.

Trade Rumors: KCP, OKC, Afflalo, Knight, Ezeli

February 23rd, 2017 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

While the Pistons have been open to listening to inquiries on anyone, few – if any – players on their roster have received as much interest as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Speaking to reporters, including Rod Beard of The Detroit News, Stan Van Gundy confirmed that KCP’s future has been one of the main topics discussed as of late by the Pistons, who will have to make a big long-term commitment to the shooting guard this summer if they keep him.

“That’s something you have to make decisions about and deal with. I’m not getting into specifics at this point, but that has been a significant part of what we’ve talked about,” Van Gundy said of the RFA-to-be. “He was probably the most urgent decision because of that and the money coming and what it means in terms of the cap and the (luxury) tax. We’ve talked about it internally and we’ve talked about it with (team owner) Tom (Gores). We know exactly what’s coming and we’re making informed decisions.”

Here are several more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Thunder are being aggressive as the trade deadline nears, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who adds Doug McDermott to the list of players on Oklahoma City’s radar. OKC was linked to another Bulls forward – Taj Gibson – earlier today.
League executives believe the Kings will move Arron Afflalo today, says Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee adds (via Twitter) that Afflalo is more likely to be dealt than Ben McLemore, who has impressed some people within the organization lately. Afflalo has been linked to Indiana and Oklahoma City this week.
Brandon Knight wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, but the Suns have set their asking price too high in the past in talks with the Magic, Kings, Sixers, and Bulls, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. As Amick observes, it remains to be seen whether that will change today.
The Trail Blazers continue to try to find a taker for Festus Ezeli‘s contract, per ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Although Bucks general manager John Hammond likes to make trades, league executives say Milwaukee has been “low key” in trade talks this week, according to Jeff Zilgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
The Cavaliers continue to work on deals that could fortify their roster, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team ultimately rely on the buyout market instead, tweets Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.

Deveney’s Latest: Tucker, Favors, Gallinari, Anthony

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:49am CST by Dana Gauruder

P.J. Tucker‘s expiring, affordable contract makes him the player most likely to be dealt before today’s trade deadline, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The Suns are holding out for a first-round pick for the veteran small forward, even if it’s a future first-rounder that they can use down the road as an asset, Deveney continues. The Jazz, Celtics, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Hawks and Bulls have all shown interest in Tucker, giving the Suns hope they can get a first-round pick for him, Deveney adds.

Deveney touched on a number of other players who could be wearing a different uniform by the end of the day:

Luxury-tax concerns have the Jazz exploring the market for power forward Derrick Favors. Rudy Gobert‘s extension kicks in next season and Utah is hopeful of re-signing Gordon Hayward in the likelihood he opts out of the final year of his current contract this summer. That makes Favors expendable but his nagging knee injury has tempered the market for him.
Danilo Gallinari is drawing more interest on the market than fellow Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler. Denver is seeking a first-rounder for either player but Gallinari’s ability to opt out of his contract after the season makes it more difficult for the Nuggets to get value for him.
Carmelo Anthony is likely to stay put unless Knicks president Phil Jackson can revive talks with the Clippers. Jackson is also trying to deal free agents he signed last summer — Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah — for draft picks.
The Hawks, Hornets and Bucks have shown interest in point guard Darren Collison as the Kings continue their latest rebuild in the wake of the DeMarcus Cousins blockbuster.
The Bulls, Pacers and possibly the Mavericks are still in play as potential suitors for Sixers power forward Jahlil Okafor but Philadelphia is not determined to move him unless it gets the right package.
The Mavericks are hopeful of getting a first-rounder for either Andrew Bogut or Deron Williams but may be willing to settle for a couple of second-rounders.

Suns Finding Little Traction For Knight, Other Vets

February 23rd, 2017 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

Today’s big decision for the Raptors will be whether to give up a future first-round pick – likely attached to Jared Sullinger‘s expiring deal – for Suns forward P.J. Tucker, says ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link). Sportsnet’s Michael Grange (via Twitter) gets the sense that Toronto would strongly prefer to keep its pick in a loaded 2017 draft. Still, the Raps are fond of Tucker, tweets Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.
According to Stein (via Twitter), the Suns continue to explore the market for deals involving Brandon Knight and other veteran players, including Tyson Chandler. However, the team has “struggled all week” to find traction for that sort of trade.

Suns Express Interest In Mindaugas Kuzminskas

February 23rd, 2017 at 1:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have expressed some interest in trading for Knicks forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter). Kuzminskas has averaged 14.6 MPG in 47 contests in his rookie season in New York, chipping in 6.0 PPG and 1.9 RPG. He’s under contract next season at a rate of about $3MM before he becomes eligible for restricted free agency in 2018.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 2/22/17

February 22nd, 2017 at 10:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Wednesday’s D-League assignments and recalls:

The Grizzlies have assigned Wade Baldwin and Jarell Martin to the team’s D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, according to a team’s website.
The Mavericks have recalled A.J. Hammons from the Texas Legends, according to a team press release.
The Jazz have assigned Joel Bolomboy to the Salt Lake City Stars, according to the team’s website.
The Suns have assigned Derrick Jones to their D-League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, per the team’s Twitter feed.
The Spurs have assigned Bryn Forbes to the Austin Spurs, according to the team’s website.
Maurice Ndour and Marshall Plumlee have been assigned to the Westchester Knicks, per New York’s Twitter feed.

Trade Rumors: Rose, Rubio, Okafor, Caldwell-Pope

February 22nd, 2017 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have reached out to the Knicks about a possible Derrick Rose deal, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose has fallen out of favor with Knicks president Phil Jackson, who is disappointed with the veteran guard’s effort on defense. Rose is entering free agency and sources tell Berman that New York would rather move him now than give him a long-term deal. He won MVP honors in Chicago in 2011 under Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau.

The proposed deal is believed to involve Ricky Rubio, whom Thibodeau has never believed in as his long-term point guard, according to Berman. Rubio still has two years and more than $29MM left on his contract and has been the subject of trade rumors since Minnesota drafted Kris Dunn last summer.

The Knicks contacted the Wolves about Rubio at last year’s deadline, Berman writes, and have been interested in him since he entered the league in 2009 because of the recommendations of their European scout, Kevin Wilson, who is based in Barcelona.

New York also reportedly likes Minnesota’s Nemanja Bjelica and inquired about his availability as part of the Rose discussions, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).

There’s more on the trade front as Thursday’s deadline inches closer:

The Rockets have asked about Wolves guard Shabazz Muhammad, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minneapolis. Wolfson doesn’t believe the teams are close to a deal.
The Pistons refused an offer from the Sixers involving Jahlil Okafor and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, tweets Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated. Philadelphia offered to bring a third team into the trade, but Detroit still wasn’t interested. The Pistons reportedly have hesitations about giving Caldwell-Pope a maximum salary after his contract expires at the end of the season. The Sixers have been calling around the league trying to make a deal for Okafor, with the Pacers and Bulls as the most frequently mentioned potential trade partners.
The Suns are looking for someone to take Brandon Knight‘s contract and might be a fallback option for an Okafor trade, according to Fischer (Twitter link). A former starter in Phoenix, Knight in is the midst of a disappointing season, averaging 11.0 points per game and shooting less than 40% from the field. He still has three seasons and nearly $43.9MM left on his current deal.
The Thunder and Clippers remain in pursuit of Nuggets swingman Wilson Chandler, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.

Wizards, Jazz, Others Interested In P.J. Tucker

February 21st, 2017 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

P.J. Tucker‘s name has been coming up in trade rumors for over a month now, and with less than 48 hours to go until the deadline, the Suns swingman appears to be receiving interest from several potential suitors. Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link) identifies the Raptors, Wizards, Clippers, Hawks, Celtics, and Jazz as teams eyeing Tucker.

Several of those teams have already been linked to Tucker in recent weeks. The Clippers and Hawks were among the teams initially named as suitors in January, along with Chicago, Cleveland, and Minnesota. More recently, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News wrote that the Celtics have “deep interest” in Tucker, and ESPN’s Zach Lowe said that the Raptors were a team to watch.

The inclusion of the Wizards and Jazz in Scotto’s report appears to be new, though both teams are known to be in the market for modest upgrades to their respective rotations. Both Washington and Utah are believed to have interest in Lou Williams, a far more lethal scorer than Tucker, who is known more for his defense.

Tucker is on an affordable contract, earning just $5.3MM this season, but he’ll also become an unrestricted free agent this summer, so it remains to be seen how much value the Suns will be able to extract for a rental player.

More DeMarcus Cousins Trade Fallout, Reactions

February 21st, 2017 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

A player of DeMarcus Cousins‘ caliber doesn’t get moved often, so it’s no surprise that there are plenty of notes, reactions, and details to round up after the deal got done. On Monday, we published a pair of posts that covered some of the fallout from the deal. We’ve got more to cover today, so let’s dive in…

In a piece for The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor examines the ripple effect of the Cousins trade and explains why Vivek Ranadive‘s fondness for Buddy Hield resulted in a deal with the Pelicans. A source tells O’Connor that the Suns were willing to offer multiple first-round picks – including one or both of their selections from the Heat – and that the Nuggets were believed to be willing to part with anyone except Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for Cousins.
Pursuing Cousins was a last-ditch attempt by Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak to save their jobs with the Lakers, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter). Amick adds that Buss “really wanted” Cousins, though Kupchak handled the talks with Sacramento. Those discussions came to an end when L.A. was unwilling to include Brandon Ingram.
Cousins got emotional last night as he tried to say goodbye to Sacramento (Twitter video link via Carmichael Dave of KHTK Sports 1140). Cousins told Sean Cunningham of ABC10 (Twitter link) today that he’ll always love the city, and plans to remain a presence in the community. According to Cunningham (via Twitter), Cousins also said today that he still hasn’t talked to Kings GM Vlade Divac — it sounds like that may not happen.
The Pelicans have now paired two Kentucky stars in their frontcourt, but don’t expect John Calipari to make the move to the NBA to coach Cousins and Anthony Davis. Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show this week, Calipari was asked in jest if he might end up in New Orleans, and the Kentucky head coach shot down the idea, saying that’s it’s “not happening” (link via The Detroit News).