DeAndre Jordan Rumors | Hoops Rumors

L.A. Notes: Ball, Nance, Williams, Jordan

January 27th, 2018 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are expecting Lonzo Ball to return soon from his injured left knee, possibly before the end of the current road trip, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. The injury, which has officially been classified as a sprained MCL, took place January 13.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if within a couple days, a week, whatever it is, they say he’s ready to start practicing again,” coach Luke Walton said. “But we’re still training and approaching it as if it’s long-term.”

Ball joined the team at the end of today’s practice, but spent most of the time getting treatment on the knee, lifting weights and working on his shot. Walton said that once Ball goes through a full practice and feels fine the next day, he can start playing again.

There’s more NBA news out of Los Angeles:

Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. was slightly surprised to hear his name brought up in trade rumors for the first time in his career. Appearing on a podcast with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Nance said he realizes it’s part of life in the NBA. “At the end of the day, it’s a business,” he said. “If something like that were to happen, if I were to get traded to a different team, it would be a team that would value me. I try to look at it like that, just as an opportunity.”
Clippers guard Lou Williams was passed over for the All-Star Game for a second time today when commissioner Adam Silver picked Oklahoma City’s Paul George to replace the injured DeMarcus Cousins. Williams, averaging a career-best 23.6 points per game after being traded to L.A. last summer, offered his reaction on social media, first tweeting, “What’s crazier than 1 snub??? 2,” then offering a more philosophical response. “Y’all talking to a guy that’s been coming off the bench 7 plus years,” he wrote. “Lol i ain’t hurt about no all star snub. It’s dope to be in the conversation. I wanted it just to represent the underdogs. Not for validation.” (Twitter link)
There’s no guarantee DeAndre Jordan will be with the Clippers past the February 8 trade deadline, but if does leave, it will be with the franchise record for games played, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Jordan set the mark of 716 Friday night in Memphis. “It’s been a long journey,” he said. “Coming here when I was 19 and not playing hardly at all my first year, it’s been a cool ride though. They stuck with me and let me grow into a better player and person. Making history is always great, whatever you’re doing.”

Kyler’s Latest: Magic, Walker, Kawhi, Bucks, Blazers

January 23rd, 2018 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams that have been in contact with the Magic believe that Orlando’s front office is looking to shed some salary and trade players that don’t fit the club’s direction, Steve Kyler reports in his latest piece for Basketball Insiders. However, draft picks don’t appear to be atop the Magic’s wish list, with the team preferring to acquire expiring contracts and/or players on rookie contracts. Kyler suggests that Orlando would prefer to acquire players that are a little further along, rather than rebooting its rebuilding process by focusing on future picks.

While the Magic have “seriously” gauged potential trade interest in Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier still looks like the player most likely to be moved at the deadline, according to Kyler. Fournier is enjoying a career year, posting a career-best 18.0 PPG through 38 games this season, and he seems to be generating the most interest from rival teams.

Here are a few more highlights from Kyler’s latest look at the trade market:

League sources that have engaged the Hornets in Kemba Walker discussions believe that Charlotte is gathering facts and information, but is unlikely to move the star point guard at the February 8 deadline, according to Kyler. An offseason trade involving Walker may be more viable.
There’s a belief that the Hornets tried to engage the Spurs about a trade idea involving Walker and Kawhi Leonard, which may have been how the Walker rumors started, writes Kyler. Leonard was named specifically in Rick Bonnell’s recent Charlotte Observer story as the type of All-Star the Hornets would want to get back for Walker, so there may be something to that theory. However, league sources tell Kyler that the Spurs have immediately shut down any inquiries they’ve received on Leonard.
It’s not out of the question that Jabari Parker could become a trade chip for the Bucks if the right deal arises, says Kyler. League sources tell Basketball Insiders that the Bucks are “weighing where they are” with the former No. 2 overall pick, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. According to Kyler, Milwaukee continues to eye noteworthy bigs like DeAndre Jordan and Hassan Whiteside, dangling John Henson and some young players as potential bait.
In the wake of news that Damian Lillard met with Paul Allen last week, Kyler hears that the Trail Blazers owner has taken a “more hands-on approach” recently. That includes having top-level staff members gauge the general opinion around the NBA on president Neil Olshey and head coach Terry Stotts.

Begley’s Latest: Walker, Knicks, Warriors, Capela

January 23rd, 2018 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

The latest article from Ian Begley of ESPN.com ostensibly focuses on the Knicks as they consider their approach to the trade deadline. However, in the process of exploring potential trade partners for New York, Begley also slips in a couple tidbits of interest related to other teams around the NBA. Let’s dive in and round up a few highlights from the piece…

If the Hornets move Kemba Walker at the deadline, there’s an expectation that they’ll also look to move other players on long-term contracts, according to Begley, who identifies Jeremy Lamb as one such trade candidate.
Speaking of Walker, while the Knicks are viewed as a possible trade partner for the Hornets, Begley says opposing executives have gotten the impression that New York doesn’t want to trade draft picks or take on long-term salary unless it means acquiring a “transformative” player. It’s not clear if Walker qualifies.
Opposing execs think the Knicks will deal at least one of their four centers at the deadline. Enes Kanter, Willy Hernangomez, and Kyle O’Quinn have all received interest, with the Warriors among the teams inquiring on O’Quinn, sources tell Begley. League execs believe O’Quinn will turn down his player option for 2018/19 this summer, which may impact his trade value.
Members of the Clippers and Rockets discussed the possibility of a DeAndre Jordan deal. However, those talks went nowhere after Clint Capela‘s name came up, since Houston doesn’t want to move Capela, writes Begley.
Knicks forwards Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas continue to draw trade interest , but opposing execs have come away with the impression that New York would only move Lee if it results in a “significant” return. According to Begley, Lee has been a strong presence in the Knicks’ locker room, and the club views that sort of veteran as important for building a winning culture.

Trail Blazers Interested In DeAndre Jordan

January 22nd, 2018 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Add the Trail Blazers to the list of teams with interest in potential trade candidate DeAndre Jordan, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times, who reports (via Twitter) that Portland is among the clubs that have tried to engage the Clippers in trade discussions.

Besides the Blazers, the Cavaliers and Bucks are a couple of the other teams that are reportedly interested in making a play for Jordan. However, league sources tell Stein (Twitter link) that the Clippers have yet to receive a trade offer for Jordan that they’ve found “seriously tempting.”

While Jordan will be eligible to reach unrestricted free agency this summer and the Clippers won’t want to risk losing him for nothing, the team also won’t want to throw in the towel on the playoff hunt — L.A. currently holds the No. 8 seed in the West. Additionally, there’s no guarantee that this will be the final year of Jordan’s contract, since he has a $24MM+ player option for next season that isn’t necessarily a lock to be declined.

Of course, potential uncertainty about that option decision may cloud Jordan’s value on the trade market — some teams may not want to acquire him as a rental, while others may not want to be locked into that $24MM+ commitment for next season.

Jordan would be an interesting target for the Trail Blazers, who currently have Jusuf Nurkic manning the middle. Nurkic has been solid at center for Portland, but Jordan has a more extensive track record and is viewed as a stronger rim protector and rebounder. It’s also worth noting that current Blazers president Neil Olshey was part of the Clippers’ front office when the team drafted Jordan in 2008.

If the Clips and Blazers were to negotiate a deal involving Jordan, Portland would likely need to include at least one of Evan Turner, Maurice Harkless, and Meyers Leonard in order to make the salaries work. All three of those players are under contract through 2019/20.

Clippers Notes: Williams, Jordan, Rivers, Roster, Future

January 21st, 2018 at 2:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

Clippers guard Lou Williams has led the NBA in scoring since December 22, helping his team stay in playoff contention. As coaches decide on reserves for the All-Star game rosters, Williams feels his recent play has earned him a spot, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.

“Naw, I’ll be proud if I make it,” Williams said. “Honestly, I deserve it. I rarely speak about myself because I’ve never set personal goals. Being an All-Star wasn’t even on my radar this year. But with what this team has been through this year with injuries, with so many different lineups and still having an opportunity to compete for the playoffs and to put ourselves over .500 at this point, I think I’ve got something to do with that.”

Williams is averaging career highs in several categories, including PPG (23.1), APG (5.0), three-point percentage (41.2%). While the Clippers remain in the Western Conference playoff picture, Williams has been mentioned as a potential trade piece.

Check out other news out of the Clippers organization below:

DeAndre Jordan‘s name has floated all season as a possible – if not probable – trade candidate ahead of the February 8 trade deadline. The Clippers center, however, is proud of his tenure with the franchise and the longevity of his time in Los Angeles, Jeff Miller of the Orange County Register writes.
Coming out of a tumultuous game between the Clippers and Rockets in which things got physical on and off the court, Austin Rivers‘ reputation among his peers has taken a hit. However, the Clippers guard addressed those criticisms in an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who detailed Rivers’ account of the incident and his relationship with Rockets veteran Trevor Ariza.
After that win over the Rockets, the Clippers seem to have found their identity as a team, but ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz questions how long that can last.
Mike Sorensen of Deseret News writes about how the Clippers team that faced the Jazz recently is unrecognizable from the squad that battled Utah in a memorable seven-game playoff series last season.

Cavs Pursuing DeAndre Jordan, Lou Williams

January 19th, 2018 at 6:30pm CST by Austin Kent

6:30pm: Stein added in a later tweet that the Cavs have similarly inquired about Lou Williams. David Aldridge of TNT confirmed Cleveland’s interest in the former Sixth Man of the Year but notes that talks with the Clips have stalled due to L.A.’s request for the Nets’ 2018 pick.

6:13pm: The Cavaliers are pursuing separate deals for both DeAndre Jordan and George Hill, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. While the latter was reported earlier today, the fact that the Cavs are now more aggressively seeking a Jordan deal comes as news.

About a month ago, the Cavs were said to be “sniffing around” the 29-year-old Jordan. Now, third in the Eastern Conference and losers of nine of their last 13 contests, the team could be more desperate to make a bold move ahead of the deadline.

Given that Jordan is owed $22.6MM this season and holds a player option for $24.1MM next season, the luxury-tax-bound Cavs would have to get creative with outgoing packages if they planned on somehow netting both Jordan and Hill.

One of the major assets that the Cavs could offer in exchange for the 2017 NBA All-Star is the famous 2018 Nets pick they acquired from the Celtics in the Kyrie Irving trade. The team, however, has been said to be reluctant to deal the first-rounder.

The suddenly red-hot Clippers won’t be looking to give Jordan away for peanuts at the deadline, but there’s reason to believe that the club could be motivated to make a move. In 41 games for L.A. this season, Jordan has posted 11.8 points and 14.9 rebounds per game.

Kyler’s Latest: Jordan, Kings, Mirotic, Whiteside

January 18th, 2018 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

The streaky Clippers, who lost nine straight games back in November, have now won a season-high six consecutive contests, re-inserting themselves in the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Even though DeAndre Jordan has been sidelined with an ankle injury for the Clips’ last three wins, the streak seems to bode well for his chances of sticking in Los Angeles through the trade deadline.

As Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes, Clippers ownership and management doesn’t seem at all eager to blow up the roster. For now, the club is focused on seeing if it’s capable of competing in the West, preferring to wait until a bit closer to the deadline to evaluate all of its options.

If the Clippers do change course by February 8, the Bucks and Rockets figure to be among the teams with interest in Jordan, whose contract situation is worth monitoring. According to Kyler, there’s a belief that the veteran center won’t be able to top his $24.12MM player option as a free agent, meaning it’s possible he could decide to opt in for 2018/19. That possibility may affect how the Clippers and potential trade partners view Jordan at the deadline.

Here’s more from Kyler:

The Kings‘ veteran players are all potential trade candidates at the deadline, though some are more likely to be moved than others. George Hill, for example, won’t have much value, given his contract situation, his injury history, and his underwhelming play this season. Sources close to the situation tell Kyler that Sacramento seems to be trying to help its veterans find better situations as those players fall out of the team’s regular rotation.
Kyler hears that Nikola Mirotic‘s camp is pushing for the Bulls to pick up the forward’s $12.5MM team option for 2018/19. Until that team option is exercised, Mirotic has the ability to block a trade, giving him some leverage if Chicago wants to complete a deal. League sources tell Kyler that the Bulls have “gotten pretty far down the road” in talks with the Jazz and Pistons about Mirotic.
There’s “growing talk” around the NBA that the Heat would be open to the idea of moving Hassan Whiteside for the right mix of contracts and young players, Kyler writes. The Bucks and Cavaliers, both on the lookout for a center, would be obvious suitors, but it would tough for either team to make a deal, given Whiteside’s large cap hit ($23.78MM). John Henson, Mirza Teletovic, Tristan Thompson, and Iman Shumpert are among the players whose contracts might have to be included for Milwaukee or Cleveland to make a deal work, which doesn’t sound overly appealing for Miami.
The Mavericks are “dangling” some expiring contracts and appear to be seeking a promising prospect on a rookie scale deal, along with future picks, says Kyler. Dallas also has cap flexibility to take on a contract or two.

Central Notes: Jordan, Bucks, Pacers, James

January 17th, 2018 at 11:15pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Bucks remain interested in acquiring DeAndre Jordan and it was reported last week that Milwaukee was the team most likely to land the center. However, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link) hears that the Bucks are no longer the frontrunners for Jordan’s services. The scribe did not specify which team is the most likely to acquire the 29-year-old.

Jordan can become an unrestricted free agent if he turns down his player option, which is worth slightly over $24.1MM, and he has been the subject of trade rumors with the Clippers having an up-and-down season. He’s currently nursing a left ankle injury and has missed the team’s last three contests.

Any team looking to make a deal for the center will likely want to see him come back at full strength before pulling the trigger on a trade and with this season’s early trade deadline (February 8), time is ticking.

Here are some other notes from the Central Division:

Pacers president Kevin Pritchard is thrilled with the trade that netted the team Victor Oladipo, as Clifton Brown of the Indianapolis Star passes along.“From our perspective, we targeted Victor and [Domantas Sabonis]. It wasn’t by chance. They are two young players we wanted. Victor has been like a breath of fresh air. What’s that saying, High tide lifts all boats? That’s what he’s been for us,” the executive said. Indiana owns a record of 24-20 this season and is in the thick of the Eastern Conference’s playoff race.
The Cavaliers need to trade for a rim protector, Bill Livingston of The Cleveland Plain Dealer contends. Livingston names Jordan as a player who would help Cleveland with their defensive woes.
LeBron James, who is expected to turn down his player option worth over $35.6MM and become a free agent at the end of the season, may be having his most impressive season to date, Nate Wolf of NBAMath contends. Wolf crunches the numbers and also finds that LBJ is having the best season ever for anyone at the age of 33.

Clippers Notes: Jordan, Griffin, Beverley

January 14th, 2018 at 8:03pm CST by Austin Kent

The time has come for the Clippers to trade DeAndre Jordan, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders writes. The big man’s name has been subject to speculation for much of the season but now a rebuild is inevitable.

While Jordan isn’t the problem, he can be part of the team’s solution heading forward, Hamilton writes. Re-signing the 29-year-old big man would keep L.A. competitive enough to miss out on the benefits of being a bad team — unloading him for parts could help the team set off in the right direction.

There’s more out of L.A.:

An in-depth interview conducted by Marc Spears of The Undefeated sheds light on Blake Griffin‘s upbringing in Oklahoma. The scribe spoke with the power forward about everything from growing up biracial in Oklahoma to Chris Paul‘s departure.
The Clippers’ second unit has taken to referring to itself as the Goon Squad, Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times writes. Front and center of the bunch is Lou Williams, even though he’s spent time as a starter of late. “I am the leader of the Goon Squad. Yet and still,” Williams said. “I’ve started, what, six games this season? [Actually 11]. So I can’t really call myself a starter. I’m still a bench guy.”
While his return to the court may still be months away, Patrick Beverley is thrilled to return to rejoin his team on the sidelines. “I’m ecstatic, I get to talk some [trash] on the bench today,” he told Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. “[…] I wanted to stay in Houston until I was off the crutches, but I’m back. I’m back for good now.”

Kyler’s Latest: Fournier, Jordan, Mirotic

January 12th, 2018 at 8:13pm CST by Austin Kent

The NBA’s G League Showcase is playing out in Mississauga, Ontario this week and the event has brought a plethora of league executives under the same roof. With next month’s trade deadline looming, it’s inevitable that the celebration of the NBA’s affiliate league also doubles as an unofficial chance for teams to discuss possible deals.

Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders has a number of updates from the Showcase, the highlights of which we’ll get into below. For a full breakdown of the trade chatter going down north of the border, check out the full feature here.

The Magic aren’t committing to the notion of “blowing the team up” but that’s the impression that teams on the other end of the phone seem to be getting. The club is supposedly going to be active ahead of the deadline and they want to make changes that help them shed salary. Kyler notes that guard Evan Fournier seems to be the player most teams have an interest in.
There remains a sense that DeAndre Jordan will be moved ahead of the deadline and the Bucks continue to be mentioned as the team most likely to make that happen. Kyler writes that a possible Jordan-to-Milwaukee deal could yield the Clippers John Henson, a young player and a draft pick. The Clips apparently like Malcolm Brogdon but his inclusion seems to be a non-starter.
The Jazz and Pistons are in pursuit of Nikola Mirotic and the deciding factor could possibly come down to Mirotic’s ability to veto a deal. Mirotic supposedly likes the idea of the Jazz and playing for Quin Snyder. At the end of the day, however, a Mirotic-to-Utah deal would likely require a first-round pick heading from the Jazz back to the Bulls, something Utah seems currently reluctant to part with.
Kyler notes that there’s belief that Joe Johnson will seek a buyout from the Jazz after the trade deadline if he isn’t dealt to a playoff-bound squad.
There isn’t any sense in NBA circles that Pelicans big man DeMarcus Cousins or Thunder forward Paul George could be move ahead of the deadline, although some teams may make an “11th hour run” at George.