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Southeast Notes: Gafford, Collins, Hawks Injuries, Olynyk

April 20th, 2021 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Daniel Gafford thought there was a “50-50” chance he could be dealt by the Bulls before the Wizards traded for him, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.

“I was in and out (of the lineup). I wasn’t really playing as much,” Gafford said. “So, there was a lot of stuff going on in my head, just really trying to stay as positive as I could.”

He’s thriving thus far since joining the Wizards, averaging 11.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 2.0 BPG in 17.1 MPG through his first eight games.

The Wizards were not only interested in adding an athletic body in Gafford. They also liked his affordable contract — he has a non-guaranteed $1.78MM salary next season, a guarantee Washington will almost certainly pick up given his production.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks big man John Collins admits that trade rumors affected him mentally before the deadline, he told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (video link). “It’s not an easy thing to deal with,” he said. Collins will be a highly-coveted restricted free agent this summer, since he was unable to reach an extension agreement with the club last fall. “Very disappointing to not have something done,” he said. “I wanted to stay here, I want to be here. Now the situation being as it is, just (have to) weigh all my options.”
De’Andre Hunter, Tony Snell and Kris Dunn missed the Hawks’ game against Orlando on Tuesday and there’s no timetable for their return. Coach Nate McMillan provided updates on the trio on Monday and noted that Hunter (knee) was unable to participate in practice, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweets. Snell did some light running and shooting, while Dunn did some live work. They’re both sidelined by ankle injuries.
While Heat guard Victor Oladipo is sidelined by an knee injury, one of the players traded to Houston, Kelly Olynyk, has thrived in his new NBA home, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. “It’s different for me coming from Boston and then Miami, just a different role,” Olynyk said. “But it’s been a great opportunity for me to go out there and play and help these young guys and help this team in a different way than my role was in Miami.” He had 10 points and eight rebounds against his former team on Monday.

Southeast Notes: Collins, Magic, Westbrook, Monk

April 18th, 2021 at 6:26pm CST by JD Shaw

Hawks star John Collins returned from an ankle injury on Sunday to help give his team a boost in a 129-117 victory over the Pacers, Sarah Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.

Collins, who missed the team’s last nine games, finished with eight points and two rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Atlanta remains without Danilo Gallinari, De’Andre Hunter, Tony Snell, Cam Reddish and Kris Dunn due to injuries, but getting back the 23-year-old Collins will certainly help.

“I felt great,” Collins said postgame. “I feel like I’m back to 100%. Obviously, trying to get the wind back to where it was before I got hurt, but be that as it may, I felt great out there. Just great to be back out with my teammates and happy, happy, happy we got that W tonight, so trying to stay here and continue to progress.”

There’s more from the Southeast today:

The Magic‘s veterans are looking to keep the team focused as the regular season starts to wind down, Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel writes. Orlando currently holds an 18-38 record, the second-worst mark in the East, placing five games behind the No. 10 Bulls. “I feel like myself, T-Ross (Terrence Ross), MCW (Michael Carter-Williams), Bac’ (Dwayne Bacon), Gary (Harris), we can help them — all the young guys — have the right approach every game,” James Ennis said. “I know it’s kind of tough playing these last games. I don’t know if we can make the playoffs or not, but it’s just our jobs to keep everybody engaged and just staying focused on the goals for our team and ourselves.”
The Wizards have taken on Russell Westbrook‘s personality this season, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington explores. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double on the season — 21.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game — but his primary focus remains helping Washington make the playoffs. “He’s just full of energy, ready to go, always a winning mentality,” teammate Bradley Beal said. “He’s going to play extremely hard every single time he touches the floor. It’s so surreal to be able to see a guy that plays as hard as he does still have that type of energy, still getting himself up and ready to go.”
Hornets guard Malik Monk isn’t close to returning from injury, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Monk has done “very little activity” since suffering a sprained ankle, coach James Borrego said. The 23-year-old is currently enjoying the best season of his young career.

John Collins Out At Least Another Week

April 8th, 2021 at 6:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Hawks big man John Collins will remain sidelined with a sprained left ankle for at least another week, according to a team press release. The injury has kept him unavailable for Atlanta since March 30.

The Hawks note that Collins has progressed in his recovery to “dynamic foot contacts, lateral shuffling and individual court work.” The club intends to reassess the 6’9″ forward/center in seven-to-10 days.

A restricted free agent this summer, the 23-year-old out of Wake Forest is averaging 18.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.4 APG for Atlanta in 47 contests. He is shooting a stellar .545/.380/.838.

Collins will join De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish and Kris Dunn on the sidelines for the Hawks. Meanwhile, his frontcourt comrades Clint Capela and Danilo Gallinari remain questionable to play for the Hawks tomorrow.

John Collins To Miss At Least One Week With Ankle Injury

April 1st, 2021 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks big man John Collins, who suffered a sprained left ankle during Tuesday’s loss in Phoenix, underwent an MRI on Wednesday, according to the team. Following that MRI, Collins has been diagnosed with a lateral ankle sprain and associated bone bruise, the Hawks announced today.

Although Collins has begun “low-level” rehab activities, he’ll miss some time as a result of the injury. Atlanta said Collins will be reevaluated in one week, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready to return at that point.

Collins, who will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, is having a strong contract year for the Hawks, averaging 18.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG on .545/.380/.838 shooting in 47 games (30.3 MPG).

The 23-year-old has been Atlanta’s second-leading scorer and a full-time starter this season, so the team will miss him as it jockeys for playoff position. Currently, the Hawks rank seventh in the East with a 23-24 record, but only a half-game separates them from the teams ahead of and behind them in the standings.

With Collins out, the Hawks figure to lean more heavily on Danilo Gallinari and Solomon Hill in the frontcourt.

Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Vucevic, Collins, Hutchison

March 28th, 2021 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Victor Oladipo‘s defense is an underrated component of why the Heat targeted him in a trade with the Rockets, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Players guarded by Oladipo are shooting just 40.5% this season, far under their normal 46% rate. That ranks second in the league among shooting guards. Among Miami’s current backcourt, the defensive rates are 43.3% for Tyler Herro, 43.8% for Goran Dragic and 45.8% for Kendrick Nunn.

Oladipo is still a productive scorer, averaging 20.3 PPG this season, but his efficiency and three-point shooting have fallen off from his peak years. He also hasn’t played on back-to-back nights yet this season.

“Houston wasn’t the best situation for him,” a Western Conference scout told Jackson. “He had moments where he played very, very well, and I think with more veteran players around him, he will be fine. I’m not so sure how much he wanted to make it work in Houston. This is what Victor has talked about over a year, going to Miami. There will be a lot more buy-in, a lot more want-to. This is what he wanted. He had no three-point shooting around him in Houston. He’ll have that in Miami, at least guys who should be that. Opposing teams will say Oladipo is not the same until he scorches somebody.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Before making his debut with the Bulls Saturday night, Nikola Vucevic offered an emotional message to Orlando, where he spent the past nine years, relays Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “Obviously, it meant a lot to me,” the All-Star center said. “Like I said, I came there as a kid and left as a man. I guess you guys know the answer with my reaction. Leaving that place after so many years obviously was hard.” Vucevic said he knew the Magic were shopping him and he wasn’t surprised when the deal with Chicago was announced.
Hawks forward John Collins was “super-duper relieved” to remain with the team through the trade deadline, according to Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Collins’ future has been up for speculation since he failed to reach an extension during the offseason, and he’s now on the way to becoming a restricted free agent.
Wizards forward Chandler Hutchison, who was acquired from the Bulls on Thursday, won’t play for his new team until he participates in a full practice, tweets Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Chicago had been listing Hutchison as out indefinitely for personal reasons, and he hasn’t been in a game since February 5. However, he told Wallace his conditioning is “off the charts.”

Lou Williams Considered Retirement After Trade

March 26th, 2021 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Lou Williams contemplated retirement following the trade that sent him from the Clippers to the Hawks on Thursday. As the three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner explained in a post on Instagram, being dealt away by the Clippers – his team for the last four years – hit him hard.

“I thought about retiring yesterday. You give so much to an organization and you wake up and boom, it’s no more,” Williams wrote. “Then in true Clipper nation fashion I was reminded that my talent and contribution was appreciated and it made me reflect on what’s to come. There’s plenty left in my tank and I’m privileged to continue my career in my backyard.”

The Clippers didn’t want to move Williams, but he was the only salary-matching piece that made sense in their deal for Rajon Rondo, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Hawks, incidentally, received high marks on that trade from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton (Insider link). Rondo hadn’t been effective this season and was owed a guaranteed $7.5MM salary for 2021/22, so trading him for Williams’ expiring $8MM deal and multiple second-round picks was an “enormous win” for Atlanta, Pelton argues.

Here’s more on the Hawks:

Although it’s a win for the Hawks overall, the Rondo trade will cost the team a respected veteran leader in the locker room, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, who says some players were going to the point guard for guidance over former head coach Lloyd Pierce. Kirschner notes that Williams, a 16-year veteran, should help replace Rondo’s leadership.
With Rondo gone, the Hawks don’t have a clear-cut backup point guard, but general manager Travis Schlenk said today that he thinks Williams can fill that role, with Bogdan Bogdanovic and others also sharing ball-handling responsibilities, per Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Schlenk added that the team will count on Williams to inject more offense into a second unit that has often struggled to score without Trae Young on the floor.
Atlanta never had any “serious conversations” about a John Collins trade prior to Thursday’s deadline, Schlenk told reporters. “We’ve been steadfast that we view John as a big part of our team, a big part of our franchise,” the Hawks’ GM said, according to Spencer. “Like with all our players, we do our due diligence to see what their value is, but I don’t think that you’ve ever heard myself or anybody else in the Hawks organization say that we don’t place great value on John. We do.”
Schlenk told reporters today that the plan is for Kris Dunn (ankle) to scrimmage on Monday, and that the guard could make his Hawks debut near the end of the team’s current West Coast road trip, tweets Spencer. That trip concludes on April 2 in New Orleans.

Wolves Notes: Trade Deadline, Gordon, McDaniels, Collins, Power Forward

March 26th, 2021 at 12:03pm CST by JD Shaw

The Timberwolves allowed the trade deadline to pass without making a move, opting not to make a trade just for the sake of doing so, president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said.

Minnesota was most heavily linked to forward Aaron Gordon, who was moved from Orlando to Denver on deadline day. The team has struggled with injuries and currently holds the league’s worst record at 10-34.

“You don’t make a trade for the sake of making a trade,” Rosas explained, as relayed by Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. “We haven’t seen this group together enough starting with our best two players and everybody else. That played a big part in it. We want to see what we have in order to make the best-educated decisions we can make.”

As a whole, an astounding 23 teams were involved in trades on deadline day this year, though Minnesota naturally wasn’t one of them.

Here are some other notes from Minnesota today:

A significant hurdle in the Wolves’ talks to acquire Gordon was the availability of rookie Jaden McDaniels, Hine writes. Minnesota and Orlando held discussions for multiple weeks, but Orlando reportedly wanted McDaniels in a potential agreement. Rosas and his team ultimately balked at the idea of parting ways with the 20-year-old.
Don’t expect the Wolves to stop monitoring Hawks big man John Collins in the coming months, Hine contends. Collins will be a restricted free agent this summer and received interest from Minnesota until the deadline passed. The 23-year-old has averaged 18.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 30.6 minutes per game this season.
The power forward position remains an area of concern for the franchise, Hine relays. What remains to be seen, however, is whether the solution will come internally or externally. “The one thing we don’t want to do is plug a long-term hole with a short-term solution that’s not going to be there when we need it,” Rosas said. “So we’ll continue investing in and developing our young players to see if the answer is there. Jaden gives us a lot of excitement and a lot of optionality there, but it’s a need.”
A source tells Hine that the Timberwolves could have made trades involving Ed Davis and Ricky Rubio, but opted against it.

Hawks Will Keep John Collins

March 25th, 2021 at 2:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

As expected, the Hawks will hold on to power forward John Collins, tweets Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. The deal that sent Rajon Rondo to the Clippers for Lou Williams and two picks is the only one that Atlanta plans to make before the deadline, according to Kirschner.

Collins has been a hot name on the trade market for the past few weeks, but things seemed to change in the last 48 hours as the Hawks couldn’t find an offer to their liking. Collins told reporters on Tuesday that he was hoping to stay in Atlanta past the deadline.

The decision sets up an intriguing summer for Collins, who is on track for restricted free agency. He turned down an extension prior to the season that would have paid him roughly $90MM over four seasons, but he indicated this week that he might accept less than a max-salary offer. The Hawks have reportedly informed rival teams that they plan to match any offer he gets as a free agent.

Collins, 23, has played an important role in the Hawks’ rise to playoff contention, averaging 18.1 points and 7.8 rebounds in 44 games.

Hawks Likely To Hang Onto Collins Through Deadline

March 24th, 2021 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams

While John Collins has been mentioned in trade rumors for the last few months, the Hawks are unlikely to trade him at this year’s deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski said during ESPN’s televised Woj & Lowe Trade Deadline Special this afternoon.

“They are going to keep John Collins,” Wojnarowski said. “… Expect him to finish the year with the Hawks.”

Meanwhile, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News – who says (via Twitter) that the Mavericks are one of the few teams “loosely” engaged in talks for Collins – cites a source who thought the big man was a lock to be dealt two weeks ago but now estimates the likelihood of a trade to be 40%.

Assuming the Hawks aren’t blown away by a last-minute offer, the opportunity to stay in Atlanta for at least the rest of the season should please Collins, who spoke on Tuesday about his desire to remain with the team.

The next step would be working out a long-term contract in the offseason when Collins reaches restricted free agency. If he and the Hawks can’t find common ground, an offer sheet or a sign-and-trade deal would be another option.

Wojnarowski also said on this afternoon’s ESPN special that Atlanta had some interest in Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, but that possibility may have “gone by the wayside.” Woj wouldn’t be surprised if the Hawks ultimately stand pat at the deadline, or end up just making small tweaks around the edges of their roster.

John Collins: “I Want To Stay” With Hawks

March 24th, 2021 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

One of the most frequent subjects of NBA trade speculation in recent weeks, Hawks big man John Collins, made it clear on Tuesday that he’d prefer not to join a new team this week, as Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details.

“I want to stay,” Collins told reporters. “I want my flowers here in Atlanta. I want to be true to Atlanta for my entire career, as corny or cheesy as it may sound to whoever. As a basketball player, as someone who takes pride in their job, me being drafted in the organization, and me living here, becoming a man and living my life in the NBA as a Hawk, it means something to me.

“It might not mean a lot to other people, but I want to be here. I want my future to be here. I want to think about my future here, but as I said, the reality of the situation is it’s not always, stuff doesn’t always go the way I want it to, and all I can do to make sure that my future is as good as it can be is to make sure that I’m the best player I can be, and wake up every day and figure it out.”

Collins and the Hawks discussed a rookie scale extension prior to the season, with Atlanta reportedly offering somewhere in the range of $90MM over four years. The 23-year-old turned down that offer, putting him on track for restricted free agency in 2021, but it sounds like he’s still interested in working out a new long-term with his current club. Collins said last March that he believed he was in “max contract contention,” but he clarified on Tuesday that a maximum-salary offer isn’t all he’ll accept.

“There has never been a single number,” Collins said, per Spencer. “I never said ‘I need a max,’ or I never said ‘I’m only taking a max.’ All I said was I feel like with my play and what I’ve done I feel like I should be in max contention, or I should be in the caliber, realm of guys, who do what I do on the court, and that’s all I said. There was no, ‘Oh, I need a five-year max,’ this and that, I never said any of that.”

If the Hawks believe a rival team will offer Collins a max-salary offer sheet this offseason and they’re wary of matching it, a trade this week would make some sense. But Atlanta has reportedly conveyed to teams inquiring on Collins that they’re comfortable matching any offer for him in free agency. As such, the odds of an in-season trade appear to be declining.

According to Chris Mannix of SI.com, the Hawks don’t seem willing to give up Collins for anything less than a package of young players and draft picks. Mannix adds that rival executives are saying Atlanta isn’t operating like a team eager to move the young power forward, while Collins said on Tuesday that he expects to remain with the Hawks through the deadline.

If the Hawks’ stance changes between now and Thursday afternoon, the Hornets are a team to watch, according to Mannix, who notes that Charlotte could put together a package headlined by Devonte’ Graham and draft picks and would have the flexibility to sign Collins to a lucrative new contract this summer.