Jakob Poeltl Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Amick’s Latest: Tanking, Jazz, Poeltl, Gilgeous-Alexander

November 10th, 2022 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Entering the 2022/23 season, it looked like it could be a historic year for tanking in the NBA, with Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson headlining next year’s draft class as prospects who have the potential to transform a franchise.

So far though, many of the teams expected to be involved in that race to the bottom have performed better than expected. The Pacers (5-6) and Spurs (5-7) have been hovering around .500, while the Jazz (10-3) have the best record in the Western Conference.

Still, front office executives who spoke to Sam Amick of The Athletic believe it’s just a matter of time before we see a handful of teams bottom out.

“It’s such a long season,” one executive said. “A lot of people that run and operate teams understand the risk of not winning games, as far as what it does to the fabric of your organization or your team. They do value teaching the right habits and making sure they’re putting their best foot forward and trying to win games, so I think that’s why you’re seeing teams perform better than what we thought coming out. But I do think at some point during the season, when teams realize where they’re at, they’ll adjust and do more things to try to procure the best position they can.”

Another exec put it more succinctly: “Nobody starts 0-10. You just can’t do that. But yeah, (the tanking) will happen.”

Amick spoke to 10 NBA front office executives about a variety of topics, with a focus on possible tanking teams. Here are a few more highlights from his article, which is worth checking out in full if you’re an Athletic subscriber:

While some executives believe the Jazz remain open for business and will look to continue selling off veterans, others aren’t convinced the team will go into fire-sale mode. “I think (CEO) Danny (Ainge) won’t break it all the way down,” an exec told Amick. “I could see him keeping a guy like (Lauri) Markkanen, and (there’s a sense) that he doesn’t have the stomach for a true rebuild. That might be one team that doesn’t make moves to go that direction because Danny doesn’t believe in it.”
Veteran center Jakob Poeltl is considered a “floor lifter” for the Spurs, so if San Antonio wants to bottom out, he’ll likely emerge as a prime trade candidate in the coming weeks and months — especially since he’s so highly regarded around the NBA. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up back there, but I also think he’ll be very much in demand (from other teams) in February,” an exec told Amick.
Although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has expressed confidence in the Thunder‘s future, people around the league are curious about how long he’ll remain patient if the losses continue to pile up. Amick says “quite a few teams” are monitoring Gilgeous-Alexander’s situation in addition to the Raptors, whose interest was reported in September. “You keep hearing that Shai is frustrated with the losing, and so I think that’s the Toronto thing that we’ve all heard about with their interest in Shai this summer,” one executive said. “But how far do (the Thunder) want to push this (tanking effort)?”

Spurs Rumors: Poeltl, Richardson, McDermott, Jones, Wright

November 9th, 2022 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs haven’t been discussing trades with teams around the NBA since around the time Joshua Primo was waived and word of his alleged misconduct first broke, according to LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com.

Ellis speculates that management may have its handful dealing with the fallout of the Primo situation, and wonders if an unexpectedly strong start in San Antonio may have the team feeling more inclined to stand pat and see how the current group performs.

Before they shut down trade talks, the Spurs had been seeking two lightly protected first-round picks in exchange for center Jakob Poeltl, a first-round pick for swingman Josh Richardson, and “positive value” for sharpshooting forward Doug McDermott, Ellis reports.

A source tells Ellis that the Lakers and Spurs discussed a possible swap involving Richardson, McDermott, and Russell Westbrook, but Los Angeles had only been willing to attach a pair of second-round picks to Westbrook, so those talks didn’t gain any momentum. Westbrook would have been waived or bought out if the Spurs acquired him, Ellis adds.

Here’s more on the Spurs from Ellis:

A Western Conference scout who spoke to Ellis believes the Spurs will remain quiet on the trade market this season and wait until next summer to consider any more major moves. “With that (Primo) mess, the Spurs are going to try to stay competitive,” the scout said. “There’s no way they risk looking even more dysfunctional than they already look over there.”
According to Ellis, the Spurs have zero interest in trading Tre Jones, who has taken over as the team’s starting point guard after Dejounte Murray was dealt to Atlanta. Spurs insiders say Jones is a “natural leader and an effective communicator,” Ellis writes.
Spurs general manager Brian Wright has come under fire after a lawsuit filed by one of Primo’s accusers painted him as slow to respond to her allegations when they were reported to him. However, a source close to the Spurs tells Ellis that Wright isn’t in danger of being fired and insisted that the Primo situation was “handled with great care and concern.”

Spurs Notes: Langford, Primo, Johnson, Poeltl

November 1st, 2022 at 10:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Romeo Langford beat out Joe Wieskamp for the final roster spot during the Spurs‘ training camp. Due to injuries and the release of Joshua Primo, Langford found himself in the starting lineup on Sunday, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News writes. Langford played 34 minutes in the victory over Minnesota.

“He might be our best on-ball defender,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He has a knack for it. He enjoys it. It was good to find that out.”

Langford is headed for free agency next summer, though San Antonio can make him a restricted free agent if the team extends a qualifying offer.

We have more on the Spurs:

Despite the troubling circumstances surrounding the franchise’s decision to cut ties with Primo, the Spurs have stuck together and continued to play inspired basketball, McDonald reports in a separate story. “They’re young enough they don’t know any better,” Popovich said. “They just keep playing hard. They enjoy playing with each other, and they’re pretty much obeying the basketball gods and doing all the simple things that help win games.”
Keldon Johnson signed a four-year, $80MM this summer and that deal is looking better every game. Johnson is averaging career highs in scoring (23.9 points), assists (4.1) and steals (1.3) per game while making 43.5 percent of his 3-point attempts, McDonald notes. “He’s been unreal to me,” center Zach Collins said. “It seems like every time he shoots the ball, it’s going in.”
It’s unlikely that Jakob Poeltl will sign an extension, since he could probably do better in the open market, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). That also makes Poeltl a trade candidate. The veteran center, who is pulling in just under $9.4MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. “From what I’m told, the Spurs discussed a contract extension with him, but he’s limited by how much he can sign for,” Windhorst said. “It’s the same reason they traded Dejounte Murray. They did such a good job on the contract that it almost works against you because when you want to sign a player, the player wants more than you can give him because you’re limited on how much of a raise you can give in an extension.”

Southwest Notes: Jackson Jr., Irving, Poeltl, Wood

July 11th, 2022 at 6:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent foot surgery after the season but the Grizzlies remain confident he’ll be a major contributor in 2022/23, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Jackson is expected to be out four-to-six months due to a stress fracture in his right foot.

“Jaren is going to be just fine,” Grizzlies executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said. “This is not a concerning injury. Jaren’s already putting in the work to get back. We know he’s going to be even better. Not worried about Jaren. He’s going to be a big part of our group this season.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Nets reached out to the Mavericks regarding a potential Kyrie Irving trade but Dallas showed little interest, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Coach Jason Kidd has been emphasizing “chemistry and accountability” and Irving’s reputation would change that mantra. It would also be difficult for Dallas to put together a suitable package.
Jakob Poeltl‘s name has been bandied about in the trade market but he may wind up staying with the Spurs, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. The Spurs look at Poeltl as a stabilizing force on a rebuilding team. They were asking in the range of a rotation player and a first-round pick for Poeltl at February’s trade deadline and the price could be even higher now.
Officially a member of the Mavericks, Christian Wood took what appeared to be a dig at the Rockets during his introduction to the Dallas media, Caplan writes. Wood is thrilled to join a perennial playoff contender. “I’m thankful I came to a good organization,” he said. Wood is entering the final year of his contract and is extension-eligible this offseason.

Southwest Notes: Spurs, M. Wright, Rockets, Grizzlies

July 6th, 2022 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Jakob Poeltl has been the subject of trade speculation dating back to February’s deadline, and while Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link) doesn’t believe the Spurs‘ signing of Gorgui Dieng and waiver claim of Isaiah Roby signal the end of Poeltl’s time in San Antonio, he suggests the team should be gauging the trade market for the big man.

In the wake of the trade sending Dejounte Murray to Atlanta, McDonald (Twitter link) views anyone on the Spurs’ roster over the age of 24 as “imminently available.” That would include sharpshooter Doug McDermott in addition to Poeltl, though it sounds like that’s just speculation for the time being.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Despite earning a spot on the All-G League First Team as a rookie this past season, forward Moses Wright wasn’t tendered a two-way qualifying offer by the Mavericks and is now an unrestricted free agent. As Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com writes, Wright is playing for Dallas’ Summer League team in Las Vegas and is determined to show he deserves a training camp invite, whether from the Mavs or another team. “I want to be the most dominant big (man) out there,” Wright said. “Whether it’s talking, rebounding, defensive presence, no matter what I do, just be dominant at what I do.”
Kelly Iko of The Athletic wonders if there’s a way for the Rockets to get involved in a multi-team trade scenario involving Kevin Durant in order to land restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton. Iko acknowledges that Ayton’s positional overlap with Alperen Sengun isn’t ideal, but believes it would still make sense for Houston if the price was right.
The Grizzlies, whose only move in free agency has been a new two-year agreement with Tyus Jones, believe time is on their side and are operating with patience this summer rather than making any significant roster changes, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (subscription required).

Bulls Rumors: LaVine, Gallinari, Drummond, White

June 30th, 2022 at 8:51am CST by Arthur Hill

Zach LaVine is expected to finalize a new contract with the Bulls shortly after free agency begins at 6:00 pm Eastern, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. LaVine has informed people that he plans to stay in Chicago, and his new contract will likely be a five-year max deal in the $215MM range, Johnson adds.

After weeks of rumors that LaVine was prepared to explore his options on the free agent market, the situation has settled down in recent days and a return to Chicago appeared imminent. General manager Marc Eversley said after last week’s draft that the team would “do what it will take” to re-sign LaVine.

The 27-year-old guard has been an All-Star the past two years. He dealt with knee issues this season, but was still able to average 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 67 games.

There’s more from Chicago, all courtesy of Johnson:

The Bulls are among several teams that would have interest in adding Danilo Gallinari if he gets waived by the Spurs. The move is expected after San Antonio agreed to acquire Gallinari on Wednesday as part of the return for Dejounte Murray. Johnson estimates that Gallinari will receive a two-year deal worth about $7-8MM per season and points out that Billy Donovan coached Gallinari with the Thunder.
Chicago, which has been linked to several centers through trade and free agency rumors, has interest in signing Andre Drummond. Several other teams will also pursue Drummond, Johnson adds, but he should be available on a veteran’s minimum salary.
Johnson says rumors that the Bulls will try to sign Mohamed Bamba are “on life support” and believes that reports of interest in dealing for Jazz center Rudy Gobert were exaggerated. Another possibility could be trading for San Antonio’s Jakob Poeltl if the Spurs continue to unload their veterans.
It appears likely that third-year guard Coby White will remain in Chicago. Johnson states that the Bulls listened to offers for White before the draft and were asking for a young rotation player and a draft pick. White is among Chicago’s best outside shooters and provides backcourt depth that is important with concerns about Lonzo Ball‘s knee.

FA/Trade Rumors: Ayton, Centers, Turner, Beal, Saric, Lakers

June 13th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Echoing comments made last week by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article that Suns center Deandre Ayton – a restricted free agent this summer – may be the biggest name to change teams in the coming weeks.

Phoenix is “increasingly expected” to explore sign-and-trade scenarios involving Ayton, according to Stein, who says there’s plenty of skepticism around the NBA about the team’s desire to make a significant financial commitment to the young center.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report conveys a similar sentiment in his latest round-up of NBA rumors, suggesting there’s “considerable skepticism” that the Suns will re-sign Ayton. The Pistons, Spurs, Trail Blazers, Hawks, and Raptors have all been mentioned as possible suitors for the former No. 1 overall pick, Stein notes.

Here are a few more updates from Stein and Pincus on some of this year’s top free agents and trade candidates:

According to Pincus, some sources believe that the Spurs (Jakob Poeltl), Bulls (Nikola Vucevic), Hawks (Clint Capela/John Collins), and Pacers (Myles Turner) are among the teams that could be willing to move their current centers in a package for one of the offseason’s top available big men (Ayton, Rudy Gobert, etc.). Grizzlies center Steven Adams also may be a summer trade candidate, though he’s well-liked in the locker room, says Pincus.
While both Pincus and Stein have talked to sources who believe the Pacers are likely to keep Myles Turner, Stein notes that the situation could change if the big man wants to play out his expiring contract rather than agreeing to an extension, since Indiana may not want to risk losing him for nothing next year.
According to Stein, one or two teams hopeful of landing Bradley Beal believe the All-Star guard wants to be the Dirk Nowitzki of D.C., sticking with the Wizards for his entire career.
While Dario Saric‘s $9.24MM expiring contract makes him an obvious trade candidate, Pincus writes that the Suns are hopeful the forward can return to form after missing last season due to an ACL tear, and may not be looking to move him.
If the Lakers have any hope of trading Russell Westbrook without including a first-round pick, they’ll likely have to take on at least one or two players earning $15-25MM annually on multiyear deals, Pincus writes, citing veterans like Davis Bertans and Duncan Robinson as hypothetical examples. Rival executives and agents don’t expect the Lakers to get clarity from LeBron James on his long-term intentions before the draft or free agency, which will complicate L.A.’s decision-making process — the team would be more comfortable taking on pricey multiyear contracts with a guarantee that LeBron is sticking around long-term, Pincus observes.

Spurs, Hornets Discussing Jakob Poeltl, P.J. Washington

February 10th, 2022 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs and Hornets have discussed a possible trade that would send center Jakob Poeltl to Charlotte, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

League sources tell Scotto that the proposed deal would see San Antonio acquire Hornets forward P.J. Washington, rookie big man Kai Jones, and a first-round pick. However, the two sides are haggling over the possible inclusion of that draft pick, says Scotto.

Charlotte has long been in the market for a center and is one of the many teams that have been linked to Poeltl. Toronto and Chicago were also mentioned as potential suitors for the big man leading up to the deadline, and Scotto says the Mavericks have expressed interest too.

Poeltl has emerged as a two-way force this season, averaging a career-high 13.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 2.8 APG in 45 games (28.8 MPG). He’s also San Antonio’s top rim protector, with 1.7 BPG.

The Spurs, meanwhile, have been one of the league’s busiest teams in the last month as they look to collect draft assets and young talent. According to Scotto, San Antonio considered drafting Jones at No. 12 last July before ultimately opting for Joshua Primo. Presumably, the Spurs are still high on Jones despite the fact that he hasn’t shown much yet at the NBA level, logging just 46 minutes across 16 games.

Washington has been solid again this season for Charlotte, averaging 9.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG on .446/.386/.729 shooting, but has seen his role reduced. He’s coming off the bench and is averaging a career-low 24.6 minutes per game after averaging 30+ MPG in each of his first two NBA seasons.

Trade Rumors: Harden, Simmons, Barnes, Dragic, Fournier, Hawks

February 9th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

A number of NBA reporters have expressed skepticism that a James Harden/Ben Simmons mega-deal will come to fruition this week, citing sources who say it almost certainly won’t happen. However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst remains bullish on the possibility of the Nets and Sixers figuring something out before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Appearing on ESPN’s Greeny with Mike Greenberg (video link), Windhorst said the two teams are “absolutely” talking and negotiating possible terms, and suggested Harden would welcome a deal.

“Yesterday, the 76ers were out looking for other moves, talking to other teams about other moves – moving players, opening roster spots – leading those teams to believe that they were getting ready to make the (Harden/Simmons) deal,” Windhorst said. “They have swapped offers, and really right now it’s about haggling (over) the ancillary parts.

“Now, does that mean it’s absolutely going to get done by tomorrow? No, I can’t say that. I’m not sitting in the room. It’s complicated. … But they are in the ‘deal zone’ right now, and so I am leaning toward this probably happening. I don’t want to guarantee it or anything, but I think we’re headed in that direction.”

In an appearance of his own on Greenberg’s show, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link) cast doubt on his colleague’s reporting.

“I try not to do the prediction business because you follow the news where it leads,” Wojnarowski said when asked about the likelihood of a Harden/Simmons swap. “But right now, there’s no negotiation going on between Philadelphia and Brooklyn. The trade deadline is tomorrow at 3:00, it can change. But the idea that they’re going back and forth that’s been surmised by some, I don’t believe that to be accurate. … I think, barring a flurry of negotiations and activity that hasn’t happened yet, right now James Harden is likely to be with the Nets.”

Here are a few more trade rumors from across the NBA:

Although the Kings continue to explore potential trades involving forward Harrison Barnes, they’ve told teams they’re not interested in packages heavy on future assets, per Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Sacramento remains focused on competing for the playoffs this season and would want players that could help right away.
After a report on Tuesday indicated New York has shown interest in acquiring expiring contracts, Mannix suggests the Knicks could “jump in the mix” for Raptors point guard Goran Dragic. However, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) says Toronto doesn’t see Evan Fournier as a fit. The Knicks continue to shop Fournier’s long-term contract around, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
Grange also reports that the Spurs have rebuffed the Raptors‘ interest in center Jakob Poeltl and are seeking more than just a mid first-round pick and expiring salary in exchange for Poeltl.
The Hawks have been frequently mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks, with players like John Collins and Danilo Gallinari cited as candidates to be on the move. However, a person familiar with the situation told Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that, as of Tuesday night, there was about a 90% chance that the Hawks would simply stand pat this week.

Fischer’s Latest: Nuggets, Fox, Poeltl, Brunson, Buyouts

February 8th, 2022 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets forward JaMychal Green and guard Facundo Campazzo are considered available in trade talks, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Mike Singer of The Denver Post also recently identified Green and Campazzo as two players the Nuggets would probably be willing to move as they seek a defensive-oriented small forward.

The Nuggets’ ability to trade Green could be complicated by his ability to veto any trade that involves him. A source tells Singer that the veteran forward wouldn’t accept a move to a non-contending team.

Here are a few more trade rumors, courtesy of Fischer:

The Knicks and Pelicans have held exploratory conversations for Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, says Fischer, whose report was published before New Orleans reached an agreement to acquire CJ McCollum — it’s probably safe to assume the Pels are no longer a candidate to pursue Fox.
The Hornets are among the teams interested in Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, per Fischer. Toronto and Chicago have previously been reported as potential suitors for Poeltl.
The Pistons remain very interested in Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, but may have to wait until free agency if they want to make a play for him, according to Fischer, who says Dallas is still committed to retaining Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith through the deadline.
Nets big man Paul Millsap, Kings center Tristan Thompson, Rockets guard D.J. Augustin, and guard Tomas Satoransky (who is reportedly being traded to the Trail Blazers) are considered potential buyout candidates, writes Fischer.