Jalen Brunson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Grimes, Payne, Brunson

January 29th, 2022 at 8:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks were willing to give up a first-round pick for Cam Reddish, but he hasn’t seen much playing time in his first two weeks with the team, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Reddish got another DNP Friday night in Milwaukee and has appeared in just two games as coach Tom Thibodeau has followed through on his statement that Reddish will have to earn his minutes.

“We like who (Reddish) is. We like the talent. And right now — it’s a long season,” Thibodeau said. “We traded someone who wasn’t in the rotation, so you can’t keep adding to it without taking someone out. We can have injuries, so just have to be patient and work our way through it.”

Bondy states that although Thibodeau works closely with team president Leon Rose, the Reddish deal seems to be the latest instance where they have different views of a player’s value. Bondy adds that Reddish’s situation may not change for the rest of the season unless the team makes another trade by next week’s deadline.

There’s more from New York:

An easy way to shake up the Knicks is to move rookie guard Quentin Grimes into the starting lineup, suggests Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper notes that Grimes is the team’s best three-point shooter at 40.3%, he’s better defensively than starting guards Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, and he plays with the toughness that Thibodeau likes. “If a rookie can play you’re going to see it right away,” Thibodeau said of Grimes. “Each time he goes through the league he’s going to pick up more and get to know the players better and the teams better. The anticipation factor and experience factor get into it more. There is trial and error. The second time around he’s been really really good.”
Knicks assistant Kenny Payne is considered the favorite to become the next head coach at Louisville, Popper adds in the same piece. Payne played for the Cardinals and spent 10 years as an assistant with Kentucky before coming to the NBA.
The Knicks have “touched base” with the Mavericks about guard Jalen Brunson, Ian Begley of SNY.tv said on a recent podcast (hat tip to Grant Afseth of SI.com). According to Begley, there’s a team that plans to offer Brunson more than $20MM a year in free agency this summer, which might make Dallas more willing to part with him.

Lowe’s Latest: White, Murray, Hawks, Grant, Mavs, Magic, More

January 28th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

Teams are calling the Spurs to inquire about Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast. Murray is having an All-Star caliber season and is under contract for two more years beyond 2021/22, so the cost for him would be extremely high if San Antonio is even willing to consider moving him at all.

“I would assume the Spurs will bat the Murray stuff away,” Lowe acknowledged. “But those are interesting names for teams that need guards.”

Although White is perhaps a more realistic target for teams in the market for backcourt help, the Spurs typically aren’t too active at the trade deadline. The team’s deal sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last week was just the third in-season trade San Antonio has made in the last 10 years — and the other two were very minor.

Here are a few more highlights from Lowe’s latest podcast with ESPN’s Bobby Marks:

Lowe doesn’t view the Hawks as a serious contender to acquire Pistons forward Jerami Grant, at least for now. “They’ve been linked in recent reports to Jerami Grant,” Lowe said of the Hawks. “Personally, I think that’s old intel, based on what I’ve heard, and that they’re not in on Jerami Grant right now. I don’t think a Jerami Grant trade involving John Collins makes much sense because I think John Collins is just better than Jerami Grant.”
Concerns about Jalen Brunson and/or Dorian Finney-Smith leaving Dallas as unrestricted free agents this offseason are legitimate and will have to be taken into account as the Mavericks consider their trade deadline plans, according to Lowe. “I believe the flight risk for both is very, very real — particularly Brunson,” he said.
Both Lowe and Marks are skeptical the Magic will be able to get a significant return in a deal for Terrence Ross or Gary Harris. “If Orlando gets a first(-round pick) for either Ross or Harris, that’s a home run,” Lowe said. “I don’t expect them to be able to get it.”
The Knicks are reportedly open to discussing several veteran players, but it’s one of their young players who is generating more trade interest from rival teams, according to Lowe: “I know the vultures are circling and they’re getting a lot of calls about (Immanuel) Quickley. And I think they’re batting those calls away, as they should, but the vultures are circling and trying to poach somebody from the Knicks, and Quickley’s a name that keeps coming up.”
With the likely exception of Bradley Beal, no one is untouchable on the Wizards‘ roster, according to Lowe, who says Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell are a couple of the names he keeps hearing in trade speculation.
Both Lowe and Marks believe the Sixers are more likely to hang onto Ben Simmons through the trade deadline than to move him by February 10.

Western Trade Rumors: Kings, Pelicans, D. White, Mavs, More

January 27th, 2022 at 9:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are still expected to make some sort of major move ahead of this year’s trade deadline in an effort to strengthen their roster for a postseason push, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Sacramento has expressed interest in both Pacers centers, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, but Fischer hears that Indiana’s asking price has been much higher than what teams are willing to give up for either player.

According to Fischer, who says the Pelicans also have interest in Sabonis, Turner is still the more likely trade candidate of the two Indiana centers, but only if the Pacers are willing to drop their asking price a little, since teams are concerned about Turner’s injury recovery timeline and his ability to help a team this season. If the price remains high, Turner may stay in Indiana until the offseason.

One team to watch on the Turner front is the Trail Blazers, who gained some momentum in discussions with the Pacers prior to the big man’s injury, according to Fischer. If Portland is focused more on next season than this season, acquiring Turner would make some sense, but the Blazers still hold a play-in spot in the West, so they probably aren’t prepared to just throw in the towel.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the West:

Kings center Tristan Thompson is considered to be available in exchange for a second-round pick, says Fischer. I’m a little skeptical that Sacramento will be able to get positive value for Thompson by himself.
The Spurs received a call from the Hawks about guard Derrick White, Fischer reports. It doesn’t sound like those discussions gained any traction, but Fischer points out that San Antonio has been viewed since 2020 as a potential suitor for Atlanta big man John Collins.
As previously relayed, rival executives think the Mavericks may trade one of Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith by February 10. Both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer, so there will be nothing stopping them from signing elsewhere, and if the Mavs do re-sign both, they’ll likely be taxpayers. However, Dallas has expressed confidence in its ability to re-sign both players, according to Fischer, who adds that there’s a belief Finney-Smith will seek $15MM annually on his next deal.
The Thunder‘s asking price in any trade for forward Kenrich Williams is believed to be a first-round pick, per Fischer.

Latest On Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith

January 26th, 2022 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

A lot of executives around the NBA think the Mavericks may trade either Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith prior to the February 10 deadline, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto first stated two weeks ago that rival execs believed there may be an opportunity to acquire Brunson or Finney-Smith.

As Scotto reported earlier and restated during the most recent HoopsHype Podcast, the Mavs project to go well into the luxury tax if they re-sign both Brunson and Finney-Smith to lucrative contracts this offseason when the duo reaches unrestricted free agency, which is one reason why the team would be incentivized to make a move. Those two players are also among Dallas’ best trade assets if the team wants to try to acquire an impact player.

The Pistons are one club worth keeping an eye on for Brunson, according to Scotto, who says the fourth-year point guard has “some admirers in Detroit.” The Mavericks are known to be interested in Jerami Grant, so Brunson or Finney-Smith could head to Detroit if the Pistons decide to send Grant to Dallas.

Scotto also points out that the Pistons are one of the few teams projected to have cap room this summer, so if their interest in Brunson is real and they don’t acquire him at the deadline, they could make an offseason run at him.

Meanwhile, the Hawks, Trail Blazers, Pacers, Wizards, and Pelicans are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Finney-Smith, says Scotto. Those clubs aren’t exactly title contenders, so they’d likely view Finney-Smith as a potential long-term core piece rather than a short-term solution to push them over the top.

Of course, the three-and-D wing would fit well on virtually any roster, so he’ll likely have many more suitors than just those five teams.

Pincus’ Latest: Pacers, Mavs, Cavs, Blazers, Hawks, Avdija

January 18th, 2022 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

As they weigh their options on the trade market in the next few weeks, the Pacers will be seeking shooting and players who fit head coach Rick Carlisle‘s system, sources tell Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

As Pincus observes, this could make the Mavericks an intriguing trade partner for the Pacers. Reports have indicated that Dallas has interest in Myles Turner, and Carlisle may value some of his former players more than other teams would. According to Pincus, several rival executives had considered the Mavs the favorites to land Turner using a package that includes Dwight Powell as a salary-matching piece, plus either Jalen Brunson and/or Dorian Finney-Smith.

Turner’s health complicates matters, however. The Pacers’ big man is expected to be sidelined through the February 10 trade deadline due to a foot injury, which will likely temper enthusiasm among his potential suitors. Additionally, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link) that the Mavericks have recently backed off their pursuit of Turner as their defense has moved into the NBA’s top five.

While Turner may no longer be a top target, it’s still possible the Mavericks will consider moving Brunson or Finney-Smith for a roster upgrade, especially if they’re concerned about their ability to sign either player this summer, when they’ll reach unrestricted free agency. According to Pincus, there’s a sense around the league that Finney-Smith probably won’t get more than the full mid-level exception, whereas Brunson is “believed by many” to be seeking a four-year, $80MM deal.

Here’s more from Pincus:

Rival teams don’t get the sense that the Cavaliers are making Isaac Okoro or Kevin Love readily available, Pincus says. That doesn’t mean that either player – especially Love – is untouchable, but it sounds like they’re not being actively shopped.
There’s an expectation that the Trail Blazers will pursue deals that help them shed a few million dollars in salary to get under the luxury tax line, according to Pincus, who suggests Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic, and even Larry Nance Jr. are among Portland’s potential trade candidates. The Blazers gave up a first-round pick for Nance last summer.
Some executives around the NBA believe the Hawks acquired a first-round pick from New York in the Cam Reddish trade in an effort to improve a potential offer for Sixers star Ben Simmons, writes Pincus. Philadelphia wasn’t interested in Reddish, Pincus adds.
Multiple teams have interest in Wizards forward Deni Avdija, per Pincus. If Washington looks to upgrade its roster, it’s safe to assume Avdija is someone potential trade partners will ask about.

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Brunson, Randle, Walker

January 16th, 2022 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau met with newly acquired Cam Reddish on Saturday and told him that playing time will have to be earned, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Knicks didn’t part with any rotation pieces in the Thursday trade that brought Reddish to New York, sending out only Kevin Knox and a draft pick, so Reddish will have to supplant someone else to get his minutes.

Reddish is still dealing with a sprained ankle, so there’s no firm timetable for him to make his debut with the Knicks. Once he’s ready, it sounds like he will have to stand out in practice before being placed into the rotation.

“You don’t lock into one player, you lock into our team,’’ Thibodeau said. “So it’s not just Cam’s development or just (Immanuel Quickley’s). It’s everyone’s development. I’m looking forward to working with Cam. Practice is important to me. You have to earn what you get, it’s that simple.’’

There’s more on the Knicks:

Executives around the league believe the Reddish trade may eventually lead to an even bigger deal, Berman states in a separate story. Sources tell him that the front office has already contacted the Mavericks about Jalen Brunson and has reached out to the Pistons about Jerami Grant and the Pacers about Myles Turner. The Knicks are particularly interested in Brunson, whose father Rick has served as an assistant coach under Thibodeau and was the first client for team president Leon Rose when he became an agent.
The Knicks may be more willing to part with Julius Randle, who is having an uneven season after winning Most Improved Player honors last year, Berman adds. Randle may not be suited for the role of team leader, Berman suggests in the wake of a public dispute with fans last week. Rumors that John Collins may be available could spark another trade with the Hawks.
Kemba Walker has now missed eight games after feeling pain in his left knee during warmups and didn’t make the trip to Atlanta for Saturday’s contest, notes Steve Popper of Newsday. “It’s a one-game trip,’’ Thibodeau said. “We thought it would be better, don’t get on the plane, stay at the practice facility, get your treatment, get your workout, get a much better workout there. Because it’s a one-day thing, we just thought it made more sense that way.”

Trade Rumors: Finney-Smith, Pacers, Mavs, Grant, Howard, Lillard, Harris

January 14th, 2022 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on Michael Scotto’s report that stated teams around the NBA are eyeing Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report says Rick Carlisle was considered Finney-Smith’s “biggest advocate” in Dallas, adding that the Pacers are considered a possible suitor for that reason.

According to veteran reporter Marc Stein, the Mavericks have been trying to get in the mix for Pacers center Myles Turner or Hawks forward John Collins. Dallas may need to part with at least one of Jalen Brunson and Finney-Smith in such a deal — Stein suggests those two 2022 free-agents-to-be have “no shortage of suitors” around the NBA.

However, Stein also points out that in order to make a major move, Dallas may need to find a taker for Tim Hardaway Jr. While Hardaway’s $21MM salary makes him the Mavericks’ most logical salary-matching piece if they make a play for someone like Turner ($18MM) or Collins ($23MM), his production has dipped to 14.5 PPG on .395/.328/.747 shooting through 35 games (30.6 MPG) this season.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:

Although Jerami Grant has frequently been cited as a trade candidate in recent weeks, Marc Stein says the Pistons forward isn’t a lock to be on the move. General manager Troy Weaver remains a “staunch backer” of Grant, and there’s a sense he may prefer to hang onto the 27-year-old. However, vice chairman Arn Tellem also has a significant voice in personnel moves, so the decision isn’t just up to Weaver.
Jake Fischer adds Dwight Howard to the list of minimum-salary Lakers veterans who are thought to be on the trade block. DeAndre Jordan and Kent Bazemore are also part of that group.
The Trail Blazers had zero intention of trading Damian Lillard prior to his abdominal surgery and still has no desire to trade him going forward, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
Noting that Gary Harris has had a nice bounce-back season for the Magic, Lowe says contending teams have inquired about the veteran wing as a trade candidate or possible buyout signing. A previous report stated Orlando is seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Harris, but I’m not sure that’s realistic, given his $20MM+ expiring contract, unless the Magic take on some unwanted long-term money.

Reddish Trade Notes: Other Offers, Details, Grades, More

January 13th, 2022 at 9:06pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hawks traded Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill and 2025 second-round pick to the Knicks in exchange for Kevin Knox and a protected first-round pick on Thursday. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the Hawks were interested in acquiring Quentin Grimes, but the Knicks were reluctant to part with the rookie, who was the 25th overall pick of the 2021 draft.

The Knicks are likely to explore other trades ahead of the deadline and are known to be interested in Myles Turner and Jalen Brunson, Begley reports. He mentions that any player on New York’s roster could be on the table for the right return, pointing to Alec Burks and Mitchell Robinson as players who could draw interest, but the Knicks would likely want a top-end starter in return for Burks and/or Robinson.

Teams pursuing Reddish believed he could command a salary in the range of $18-20MM per year on his next contract, whether it be this summer in an extension or as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023, so Begley thinks the Knicks must be open to that figure, unless they plan to trade him again in the future.

Here’s more on the trade between Atlanta and New York:

Atlanta had been seeking a first-round pick for Reddish for several months and never wavered in its asking price, write Fred Katz and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. The Pacers, Cavaliers, Pistons, and Lakers were among the teams interested in Reddish, with L.A. recently offering two second-round picks for the third-year wing.
Reddish requested a trade from Atlanta months ago, which led to awkwardness in the team’s locker room, and it was inevitable he would be dealt once a team met Atlanta’s asking price, according to Katz and Kirschner. Reddish was reportedly unhappy with his role as a spot-up shooter and desired more play-making opportunities, which is questionable given he has more turnovers than assists in his career. It’s unclear how he’ll fit in with the Knicks, who have a crowded rotation when healthy, meaning finding more minutes than Reddish was getting in Atlanta (23.4 MPG) could be a challenge. Katz and Kirschner believe the first-round pick Atlanta acquired could be used in a subsequent trade, perhaps for Ben Simmons or Jerami Grant.
Zach Harper of The Athletic and Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider link) provide their grades for the trade. They both liked it more for the Knicks than the Hawks.
John Hollinger of The Athletic thinks that the trade is in the eye of the beholder, because while Reddish has the size and talent to be a good NBA player, the idea of him has been better than his actual play to this point in his career. The winner of the deal will ultimately depend on how Reddish develops, Hollinger notes. He adds that Hawks were -10.0 points per 100 possessions with Reddish on the court, compared to +5.7 per 100 when he was off.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks (video link) provides his thoughts on the deal, essentially saying it’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward for the Knicks, but the Hawks got fair value for Reddish too.
Sources tell Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link) that Reddish and RJ Barrett didn’t get along well at Duke, and some in the Knicks’ front office wanted to trade back to draft Reddish in 2019.

Atlantic Notes: J. Harris, Knicks Trade Targets, Raptors, T. Harris

January 12th, 2022 at 10:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris still isn’t practicing yet after undergoing ankle surgery at the end of November, as Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays. There was a report last week indicating Harris was close to returning to practice and could return to games within a couple weeks, but that seems less likely based on Lewis’ update. Coach Steve Nash says Harris isn’t cleared for all activities.

“Yeah so I think he’s … he’s not full [ramp-up mode],” Nash said. “He’s not fully cleared to do everything yet. He’s got to get back to that, and he’s got to get his high-intensity stuff in. So, he’s not there yet.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

The Knicks are among the teams interested in Hawks wing Cam Reddish, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Begley also points to Myles Turner and Jalen Brunson as players the Knicks are known to be interested in.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic believes the Raptors should be looking at acquiring a wing shooter prior to the trade deadline in order to shore up a weak spot in the roster.
Chris Boucher has improved over the course of the season and his strong play has helped the Raptors go 6-1 over their past seven games. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes that Boucher is learning his role is to provide energy and effort no matter how many minutes he receives. “He’s accepted whatever is there for playing time, whatever the lineup is, he’s accepted it with energy,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He’s played hard. There haven’t been a ton of offensive attempts, and that doesn’t seem to bother him either. He just keeps going and playing. He’s been really impactful.” Boucher is an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter) that Sixers forward Tobias Harris has been playing through right shoulder bursitis and bicep tendinitis. Harris said he’s been dealing with shoulder soreness since a game against Utah, and that it’s an “irritating” type of pain rather than something severe, but it has been aggravated multiple times since original incident, tweets Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice.

Mavs Confident About Retaining Jalen Brunson Beyond 2021/22

November 26th, 2021 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks officials continue to express confidence behind the scenes about the team’s ability to lock up guard Jalen Brunson beyond the 2021/22 season, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack report.

Brunson was the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 draft, selected 30 spots after Dallas drafted Luka Doncic. He obviously hasn’t followed Doncic’s path to superstardom, but Brunson is viewed as one of the NBA’s best second-round picks of the last few years. In 17 games (29.2 MPG) so far this season, the fourth-year point guard is averaging 15.1 PPG, 5.3 APG, and 4.4 RPG, all of which would be career highs.

Unlike most second-rounders who sign four-year contracts, Brunson didn’t get a team option on the final year of his deal, which means Dallas didn’t have the ability to make him a restricted free agent following his third season. Instead, the former Villanova standout is on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2022.

Brunson is extension-eligible, so the Mavs could theoretically sign him to a new contract before he becomes a free agent. However, restrictions on veteran extensions will limit Dallas to a maximum offer of approximately $55.6MM over four years. If Brunson continues to play at his current level, that could be a below-market offer. The team would be able to go beyond that limit in free agency using the 25-year-old’s Bird rights.

According to Stein, Brunson is “quietly regarded as Dallas’ most effective and forceful locker-room leader,” so his value to the team extends beyond what he provides on the court. If he does reach the open market next summer, it’s safe to assume Brunson will receive interest from other suitors looking to pry him away from the Mavs.

In shorter-term news, Brunson – who left Tuesday’s game with a left foot injury – went through portions of Friday’s practice, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be cleared to play on Saturday, but it sounds like his foot injury isn’t a significant one.