Alec Burks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pistons Rumors: Bogdanovic, Burks, Bey, Noel, Stewart, More

February 5th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons‘ stance on Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, and Saddiq Bey doesn’t appear to have changed much in the last month, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes in his latest trade deadline preview.

According to Edwards, while Detroit is open to discussing and moving any of those three players if the price is right, the team is asking for a lot and seems happy to retain them through the deadline, given that all three are under contract at relatively team-friendly prices for next season.

While some league sources have expressed to The Athletic that they’d be surprised if Bey is moved, Edwards gets the sense that the third-year forward may be a more likely trade candidate than Bogdanovic or Burks. The Pistons’ asking price for Bogdanovic is very high, and Edwards believes the club is more likely to extend Burks (in the offseason) than to trade him.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

Although the Pistons are high on Isaiah Livers‘ potential to develop into a solid three-and-D player, according to Edwards, they’re also prioritizing three-and-D wings in potential trades. First-round picks (ideally unprotected) and a three-and-D wing are two of the top items on the team’s wish list at the trade deadline, Edwards notes.
Edwards adds the Sixers and Celtics to the list of teams that have recently called the Pistons to inquire about center Nerlens Noel. He also mentions Miami, Denver, Dallas, and Sacramento, whose interest in Noel has been previously reported.
Of Detroit’s three 2020 first-round picks, Isaiah Stewart is the most likely to be extended during the coming offseason, in Edwards’ view. Bey and Killian Hayes are the other two players in that trio.
Edwards says he wouldn’t be surprised if veteran guard Cory Joseph is included in a deadline deal and advises not to rule out the possibility of a reunion between Jerami Grant and the Pistons in the offseason. Although Detroit will have significant cap space and Grant seems to be in no rush to accept a four-year extension offer from the Trail Blazers, the idea that he’d return to the Pistons seems like a long shot to me.

Fischer’s Latest: Westbrook, Jazz, Nurkic, Burks, Reid, Centers

February 4th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Lakers have talked recently to both the Hornets and Jazz about trades involving Russell Westbrook‘s expiring $47.1MM contract, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Sources around the NBA inform Fischer that the Heat are not interested in trading incumbent starting point guard Kyle Lowry in a deal for Westbrook (and presumably future draft equity). Fischer notes that opposing clubs generally are hoping for both of L.A.’s two movable future first-round draft picks, in 2027 and 2029, in any Westbrook deal, a price the Lakers are hesitant to pay.

According to Fischer, point guard Mike Conley, swingman Malik Beasley and big man Jarred Vanderbilt would be a part of any trade for Westbrook if the Jazz and Lakers are able to reach a deal, but Utah is discussing all of those players with other teams as well.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Jazz have talked at least to the Hawks, Trail Blazers, and Knicks about trades centered around both Vanderbilt and Beasley as a package deal. Sources inform Fischer that Utah shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also been floated in some of these conversations.
Fischer reports that injured Trail Blazers starting center Jusuf Nurkic can be had on the trade market, though his pricey long-term contract has cooled rival teams’ interest.
Sources tell Fischer that the Pistons has interest in potentially signing reserve guard Alec Burks to an extension this offseason, as the team did in the fall with veteran forward Bogdan Bogdanovic. Detroit has expressed reluctance to trade either player at the deadline, Fischer adds.
Timberwolves reserve center Naz Reid has rejected potential contract extensions, making him a possible trade candidate, per Fischer. Reid is hoping to earn something in the neighborhood of $10MM per year, Fischer says, a price Minnesota may be reluctant to pay after having already invested heavily in its starting frontcourt of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Fischer adds that other reserve centers could very well be on the move, as his sources indicate that the Sixers, Clippers, Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Nets, Celtics, Raptors and Kings are all looking to improve that position.

Trade Rumors: Bogdanovic, Collins, Pistons, Wood

February 1st, 2023 at 11:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Numerous teams have been calling to inquire about the availability of Hawks guard/forward Bogdan Bogdanovic, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

However, as Amick writes, Atlanta hasn’t shown a whole lot of interest in trading the veteran wing, who makes $18MM in 2022/23 and holds an $18MM player option for ’23/24. If Bogdanovic does get moved, whichever team acquires him would have his Bird rights, so it would be able to go over the cap to re-sign him and potentially offer him more years and more money than another team could.

Now in his third season with the Hawks, the 30-year-old is averaging 15.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 3.1 APG on .427/.367/.769 shooting through 26 games. Bogdanovic primarily comes off the bench, but he is averaging a career-high 30.8 minutes per game.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA:

Amick says the Hawks are focused on “landing a quality player, or players” in return for forward John Collins, and aren’t necessarily seeking draft compensation. That’s essentially what Amick reported a few weeks ago, with rival executives telling him that Atlanta’s asking price for Collins had come down considerably compared to where it was in past years.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Monday that the Pistons appear to be committed to keeping Bojan Bogdanovic. Marc Stein has heard the same thing from rival teams, writing in his latest Substack article that one league source tells him the Pistons would decline an offer of an unprotected future first-round pick, which is what they were reportedly seeking.
The Pistons have consistently maintained that they would require “quality draft capital” to part with either Alec Burks or Saddiq Bey, Stein adds. It’s unclear what exactly they’re asking for based on that wording, but it sounds like at least some type of decent first-round pick. Time will tell if that stance changes in the next week.
Mavericks big man Christian Wood, who is currently sidelined with a fractured left thumb, will likely be out for around another week, according to Stein, who says Wood is “unlikely to play before next week at the earliest.” Sources tell Stein that contract extension talks between Wood and Dallas are still in the early stages, which is notable with the trade deadline fast approaching — the 27-year-old is earning $14.3MM in the final year of his contract.

Trade Candidate Watch: Four Popular Wings

January 27th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Leading up to the February 9 trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA. We’re continuing today with a handful of popular wing targets.

Gary Trent Jr., G, Raptors

Salary: $17.5MM in 2022/23, $18.8MM player option in ‘23/24

Trent is a legitimate 3-and-D player in a league constantly looking for players in that mold. I’ve read nothing but good things about his work ethic, and he was praised for his professionalism after being briefly demoted to a reserve role early in the season.

I’ve been a little surprised that his name keeps being floated as perhaps the most likely Raptor to be traded. He just turned 24 years old last week, is still improving, and is one of the only real threats from deep on a team that desperately needs floor spacing – Toronto is 28^th in the league in three-point shooting (33.4%).

Perhaps money is the sticking point. Trent has a $18.8MM player option for ‘23/24 that he’s expected to decline in search of a long-term deal.

Alec Burks, G/F, Pistons

Salary: $10MM in ‘22/23, $10.5MM team option in ‘23/24

Burks’ career trajectory is unusual, as he struggled with injuries and inefficiency for several years with Utah before bouncing around the league — he’s now on his seventh team in the past five years.

A former lottery pick becoming a journeyman doesn’t sound that intriguing on the surface, but Burks has played the best basketball of his career over the past three years with the Knicks and Pistons. He has always been able to get downhill and draw fouls, but he has evolved into an excellent three-point shooter, converting at least 40% of his looks each of the past three seasons (including a career-high 44.4% in ’22/23).

Part of the reason why the Pistons’ asking price is seemingly high for Burks (I haven’t actually seen a report indicating what they’re after) is because he has outplayed his current contract and has a team option for $10.5MM, making him an affordable asset. He would theoretically be the easiest player to acquire on this list from a salary-matching perspective.

Malik Beasley, G/F, Jazz

Salary: $15.56MM in ‘22/23, $16.52MM team option in ‘23/24

Beasley is only 26 years old, so there’s plenty of time for him to develop other parts of his game, but to this point in his career he has mostly been a high-volume shooting specialist. Nearly 70% of his field goal attempts have come from behind the arc in ‘22/23, and while he has been in a major slump in January (30.7%) to drop his season-long average to 35.9%, he is still a player who must be accounted for at all times (his career mark is 38.1%).

Utah runs a lot of three-guard lineups, which sort of makes Beasley the small forward by default, but he’s on the smaller side even at the two, and he doesn’t defend either position particularly well. He’s a very bouncy athlete, though he doesn’t get to showcase it much, and rarely drives or makes plays for others.

The Jazz are reportedly looking for a first-round pick for him — I only see that happening if the pick is protected (lottery?) and Utah takes on a multiyear contract in return. Having said that, the team option for next year makes him a little more appealing, as an acquiring team would have the flexibility to either keep him an additional year or trade him down the line.

Josh Hart, G/F, Trail Blazers

Salary: $13MM in ‘23/24, non-guaranteed $13MM player option in ‘23/24

Hart is one of the top rebounders in the game on the wing, pulling down 8.1 boards per contest. He’s also an unselfish passer (4.0 assists per game) and hard-charging fast break player who hustles all over the court.

He isn’t a great outside shooter (34.6% career, 33% this year), but he is a relentless worker whose energy and enthusiasm is infectious. He certainly gets the most out of his skill set.

Hart’s contract is a little odd. His player option for next season is non-guaranteed, so if he picks it up a team could release him without having to pay him. While he’s too good for that to happen, there’s also basically no incentive to exercise that option when he can opt out and seek a long-term, guaranteed contract.

Note: This list isn’t meant to be comprehensive, just a brief overview. There are a number of other wings that have been in the rumor mill, including Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre, Terrence Ross, Josh Richardson, Doug McDermott, Saddiq Bey, Tim Hardaway Jr., and several others.

Spurs, Hornets Expected To Be Among Top Deadline Sellers

January 17th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs and Hornets are viewed as two of the NBA’s “assured” sellers in this season’s trade market, Shams Charania of The Athletic writes in his latest Inside Pass column.

In San Antonio, veterans Jakob Poeltl, Doug McDermott, and Josh Richardson are considered the team’s top trade candidates. Poeltl and Richardson are on expiring contracts, while McDermott is under contract for one more season at the same salary he’s earning this year ($13.75MM).

Confirming a previous report indicating that Poeltl is generating significant interest, Charania says the Raptors and Celtics are among the teams that have shown interest in the big man. According to Charania, Poeltl is widely respected within the organization and the Spurs would like him to be part of their long-term future, but they’ll have to take into account his price tag as a free agent and the risk of losing him for nothing this summer.

The Spurs have had a standing extension offer of four years and $58MM (his in-season max) on the table for Poeltl since before the season, per Charania, but the center has passed on that offer and is expected to do much better on the open market. Rival executives believe he could approach $20MM per year on his next deal, Charania adds.

San Antonio will have a ton of cap room available this summer, so it’s not as if the franchise won’t have the means to retain Poeltl. However, there’s a belief among rival teams that the 27-year-old’s desire to play for a contender could be an important factor as he weighs his future, Charania notes.

As for the Hornets, Mason Plumlee, Kelly Oubre, and Jalen McDaniels – all on track for unrestricted free agency in 2023 – are considered candidates to be moved. According to Charania, Charlotte is also expected to listen to inquiries on guard Terry Rozier, even though he’s still under contract for three years beyond this one.

More sellers besides Charlotte and San Antonio figure to emerge in the coming weeks, but for now, only two other teams are with them in the NBA’s cellar, well out of play-in contention. Those teams are the Pistons and Rockets.

Multiple recent reports have suggested that Detroit has set a high asking price for veterans like Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but the team is believed to be open to conversations. The Raptors, Lakers, Pelicans, Bucks, Cavaliers, and Mavericks are among the clubs that have registered interest in Bogdanovic, league sources tell The Athletic.

As for the Rockets, their roster isn’t exactly loaded with expendable vets. Shooting guard Eric Gordon is the team’s most obvious trade candidate, but Houston is seeking either a good young player or a first-round pick in exchange for Gordon, says Charania.

Pistons Rumors: Bogdanovic, Burks, Noel, Bey

January 16th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons aren’t eager to trade Bojan Bogdanovic, but they’re willing to part with him for the right price, league sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Detroit is asking for an unprotected first-round pick at minimum, Edwards adds, and the front office is confident that offers in that range will materialize. That will lead to a difficult decision on whether to keep Bogdanovic in an effort to be competitive next season or to move him in exchange for draft help.

Acquired from the Jazz in September, the 33-year-old Bogdanovic is in the midst of his best NBA season, averaging a career-high 21.2 points per game while shooting 48.7% from the field and 41.5% from three-point range. He signed an extension in October that keeps him under contract through the 2024/25 season.

Bogdanovic may be the best shooter available heading into the February 9 trade deadline. The list of teams that have expressed interest in acquiring him has reportedly reached double digits, so the Pistons appear to be in a good position to get their asking price.

Edwards offers more insight into Pistons trade rumors:

Detroit hasn’t shown much interest in moving Alec Burks, who is also having his best offensive season, averaging 13.8 PPG as a reserve. The Pistons hold a $10.4MM option on the 31-year-old for next season and appear content to bring him back. Edwards believes a team would have to be willing to greatly overpay for Burks to get Detroit’s attention.
The Pistons and backup center Nerlens Noel have agreed that a trade would be the best option for both sides, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be moved before the deadline. Edwards hears that if Noel remains with the team past February 9, he won’t be looking for a buyout. Detroit isn’t expected to pick up its $9.6MM team option on Noel for next season, Edwards adds, unless the move would be part of an offseason trade. Edwards cites the Heat, Nuggets and Mavericks as teams that have been most active in trade talks for Noel.
Rival teams began monitoring Saddiq Bey when he lost his starting job in November, league sources tell Edwards. But the Pistons haven’t given up on the third-year small forward, who is only 23 and is coming off two productive seasons. Edwards believes it would take a significant offer for Detroit to part with Bey, who remains a steady part of the rotation.

Stein’s Latest: Quickley, Rose, Collins, Burks, Sixers

January 14th, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Although Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley continues to intrigue several rival clubs, New York is now more hesitant to include him in a potential deadline deal, given his strong play since Christmas, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

Quickley has averaged 19.0 PPG, 5.2 APG and 5.1 RPG in his last nine games, during which the Knicks have gone 6-3. As was revealed previously, the Mavericks, Wizards, and Bucks are among the clubs with interest in the 6’3″ guard. Overall on the season, he is posting averages of 12.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 3.3 APG for the 24-19 Knicks.

There’s more from Stein:

Sources inform Stein that veteran Knicks reserve guard Derrick Rose could be on the move as well. The former three-time All-Star and 2011 MVP has long been a favorite player for head coach Tom Thibodeau, who also coached him with the Bulls and Timberwolves. A source tells Stein that New York would only make a move if the team feels it can “do right by” Rose. This would seem to suggest that the Knicks want to flip the 6’3″ vet to a team with an actual rotational need for him, as he has fallen out of New York’s lineups.
The Hawks have allowed the management team of power forward John Collins to look for favorable possible trade destinations, per Stein. Collins has been on the trading block for a while now. Stein writes that the Jazz, Wizards, Nets and Pacers remain intrigued by Collins to some extent. The 6’9″ big man has been having something of a down season, averaging his fewest field goal attempts (10.3) and points (13.1) since his 2o17/18 rookie year.
Pistons shooting guard Alec Burks has so impressed his current team that Detroit has reportedly been informing rival clubs that it would like to keep him and plans to pick up his $10.5MM team option for 2023/24, according to Stein. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported something similar earlier in the week, noting that it would take a significant return to pry Burks away. Thus far this season, the 31-year-old is averaging 13.8 PPG on .461/.444/.810 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in 3.0 RPG and 2.2 APG for the Pistons.
The Sixers, looking to reduce their luxury-tax bill at the end of the season, are expected to try to trade shooting guards Jaden Springer and/or Furkan Korkmaz ahead of the trade deadline, Stein reports.

Pistons Notes: Noel, Stewart, Deadline Approach, Livers

January 12th, 2023 at 2:22pm CST by Rory Maher

Pistons backup center Nerlens Noel has filled in admirably as an emergency starter, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. The 28-year-old had only made nine appearances for a total of 81 minutes leading up to Tuesday, but he started back-to-back games with Isaiah Stewart (shoulder), Jalen Duren (right ankle soreness) and Marvin Bagley III (hand surgery) all sidelined.

“Ten years in, it’s a blessing. Nothing to take for granted,” Noel said after Wednesday’s victory over Minnesota. “I saw tonight we were playing against (Rudy) Gobert, so I definitely took it upon myself to try and be at my best as far as rim-protecting goes. This is what I’ve been doing and I’m going to continue to do it, especially with the steals. I know it changes the game. Just gotta stay consistent.”

Long known for his disruptive defense, Noel has averaged 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.0 steals in 21.0 minutes over the past two games, Curtis notes. Even though he hasn’t played much this season, Noel says he will be ready when his number is called.

“I’ve always been a team guy, through everything,” Noel said, per Curtis. “It’s a great group of guys here, great young guys. With my veteran s–t, I just lend knowledge, whatever they want, let them pick my brain and help them out with experiences I’ve been through. We’ve got a young frontcourt, so I’m never tripping on that. I’m always here for them and when they call my number, I’ll be ready.”

There have been multiple rumors indicating that the Pistons are looking to move Noel — his recent play might help convince rival teams that he’s healthy and can still provide a defensive boost.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

Head coach Dwane Casey said that Stewart underwent testing on his sore shoulder, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Casey added that the team doesn’t think it will be a long-term concern, but are still waiting for results from the exams. The third-year big man has missed the past two games with the injury.
Edwards doesn’t expect the Pistons to have a fire sale ahead of the trade deadline, as he writes in a mailbag article for The Athletic. Like Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, he hears Detroit is looking for a first-round pick and a “good young player” for veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic. He doesn’t think Alec Burks will be dealt, nor Saddiq Bey, though he does believe Bey might be more likely to be moved than the aforementioned veterans. The most likely player to be traded, according to Edwards? That would be Noel, but even he isn’t a lock — his $9.24MM salary might make him more of a buyout candidate.
Second-year forward Isaiah Livers made his return to the lineup on Wednesday, Edwards notes (via Twitter). Livers hadn’t played since December 1 due to a right shoulder sprain, missing 20 consecutive games in the process. The Pistons hold a $1.84MM team option on the former second-round pick for 2023/24.

Scotto’s Latest: Burks, Reddish, Quickley, Cavs, Hardaway

January 10th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons guard Alec Burks is receiving interest from a number of playoff-caliber clubs, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Burks is having one of his best seasons as a pro off the bench for the Pistons, averaging 14.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.2 APG in just 22.0 minutes per contest (30 games). His 44.7% three-point rate is a career high, as is his 46.4% mark on shots from the floor.

Burks is earning approximately $10MM this season and has a $10.49MM team option on his contract for 2023/24. According to Scotto, the Pistons are a pretty safe bet to exercise that option if Burks remains with the team for the rest of the season, since it’s a team-friendly price based on his production and his veteran presence. With that in mind, Detroit could always trade Burks in the offseason or even at the 2024 trade deadline, so the club won’t have to simply settle for the best offer in the coming weeks.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Knicks‘ asking price for Cam Reddish is a pair of second-round picks, league sources tell Scotto. The Lakers and Bucks are among the teams who have inquired on the fourth-year forward, Scotto adds.
The Bucks are also one of the clubs to inquire on Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley, along with the Mavericks, Wizards, and others, says Scotto. However, Quickley has been playing some of his best basketball as of late and New York’s asking price is significant (at least a first-round pick), reducing the odds that he’s moved.
Addressing the possibility of a Caris LeVert/Tim Hardaway Jr. swap between the Mavericks and Cavaliers, Scotto confirms a couple of concerns from Cleveland’s side first voiced by Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Cavs would be hesitant to take on Hardaway’s contract, which has two years left beyond this season, according to Scotto, and may be seeking extra compensation in any deal due to a belief that LeVert is a better overall player.

Lakers Notes: Davis, Trade Market, LeBron, Bryant, Christie

December 21st, 2022 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

The foot injury that Anthony Davis suffered last week has decreased the chances that the Lakers will gamble on a major trade, multiple sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. He adds that the only exception would be if the team can acquire a young star that it believes can succeed alongside Davis over the next few years.

Even before the Davis injury, the Lakers’ front office wasn’t confident that there was a trade available that would turn the team into contenders, Buha states. He suggests the most likely current scenario is a deal that would include some combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and a protected first-rounder in either 2027 or 2029 in exchange for a 3-and-D wing or a combo forward.

Along with the players who have already been linked to the Lakers in trade talks, Buha’s sources point to the Suns‘ Jae Crowder, the Rockets‘ Eric Gordon, the Pistons‘ Alec Burks, the Hornets‘ Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington and Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Spurs‘ Josh Richardson and Jakob Poeltl as players to watch.

There’s more on the Lakers, all from Buha:

LeBron James has posted four straight 30-point games, but his playing time is starting to become a concern. He’s averaged 39.2 minutes over the past five games, and the Lakers need to be careful that they don’t rely too heavily on him. Buha notes that James, who will turn 38 next week, ranks sixth in minutes per game among players with at least 50 total games over the past two seasons.
The loss of Davis has been eased somewhat by the emergence of Thomas Bryant. Buha states that Bryant was considered “almost unplayable” before Davis got hurt, but he’s averaging 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in the last three games while shooting 61.1% from the field and 55.6% from three-point range. The 25-year-old center joined the Lakers during the offseason on a veteran’s minimum contract and will be a free agent again next summer.
Rookie shooting guard Max Christie recently moved into the rotation and may be playing well enough to stay there. The second-round pick provides a much-needed 3-and-D option for coach Darvin Ham, and he’s one of the best rebounders among the team’s guards.
The starting backcourt of Beverley and Dennis Schroder hasn’t performed well, and Buha wonders why Ham keeps playing them together. The Lakers are minus-50 in 161 minutes when they’re on the court at the same time, and their skills seem to be redundant.