Kelly Oubre Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Collins, Ibaka, Barrett, Hornets

January 9th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hawks forward John Collins, one of the league’s prime trade candidates, is “comfortable” with whatever happens over the next month, he told Sam Amick of The Athletic in an extensive interview.

“I come in and I play basketball, and whatever happens, happens because I don’t control that side. I don’t have any control over any decisions that get made, where I am and where I play. I don’t have any control over that,” he said. “I can say, ‘Hey, I want to do this and I wanna do that,’ and they (the Hawks) can just do whatever they feel is fair. You saw it with Kevin Durant, right? He’s begging for trade, and Brooklyn is like, ‘Nah.’ Not saying that I’m Kevin Durant, but it’s just the mentality of ‘Yeah, you can say whatever, you can make a public scene, you can do whatever (and it won’t matter).’”

Collins, who is averaging 13.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per night, is in the second year of a five-year, $125MM contract with the Hawks.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Bucks forward Serge Ibaka will miss the team’s road trip for personal reasons, according to coach Mike Budenholzer, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. The Bucks faced the Knicks on Monday. Milwaukee plays Atlanta and Miami (twice) before returning home. Ibaka has appeared in 16 games this season but has averaged just 11.6 minutes in those contests.
RJ Barrett is “real close” to returning to action, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link) and other media members. Barrett hasn’t played since departing in the first quarter against Dallas on Dec. 27 due to a lacerated finger. New York’s next game is against Indiana on Wednesday.
The Hornets are likely to be sellers at the trade deadline, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer opines in his latest mailbag. President of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak hasn’t made major trades during his tenure in Charlotte, but with the club floundering, players on expiring contracts such as Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre could be dealt to contenders.

Stein’s Latest: Bogdanovic, Gordon, Oubre, Turner, Clarkson

January 7th, 2023 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic may not be the biggest-name player to change teams prior to the February 9 trade deadline, but he seems to be the one who is the most in demand at this point, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.

According to Stein, the list of clubs with interest in Bogdanovic has reached double digits, even though the Pistons have been telling teams for weeks that they’d prefer not to trade their top scorer.

Although they’ve expressed reluctance to move Bogdanovic, the Pistons have also been conveying that if they do have a change of heart, the asking price would be at least an unprotected first-round pick, says Stein. A previous report suggested Detroit would seek a first-round pick plus at least one more asset. Bogdanovic’s potential suitors are hoping that the Pistons’ apparent hesitation to move the 33-year-old is a negotiating ploy and that the price will drop as the deadline nears, per Stein.

Here’s more from Stein’s latest rumor round-up:

Two teams have told Stein recently that the Rockets‘ asking price for Eric Gordon is similar to what the Pistons have sought for Bogdanovic. While Houston may be trying to get an unprotected first-round pick for Gordon, the club probably knows it won’t get that sort of return, according to Stein, who views it as an example of just how high prices are in general with over a month to go until the deadline and few sellers on the market.
The Cavaliers, Suns, and Raptors were among the teams thought to have some trade interest in Hornets wing Kelly Oubre before he underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand, Stein writes.
According to Stein, Pacers big man Myles Turner and Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson have so far rebuffed extension offers from their respective teams. Stein doesn’t expect Utah to trade Clarkson even if no extension is in place by February 9, but is less sure about Indiana’s plans with Turner.

Hornets’ Kelly Oubre Undergoes Surgery On Hand

January 5th, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Luke Adams

JANUARY 5: Oubre underwent a successful surgery on the torn ligament in his left hand, the Hornets have announced in a press release.

JANUARY 3: Hornets forward Kelly Oubre will undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Oubre is expected to be sidelined for approximately four-to-six weeks while recovering from the procedure, sources tell Charania.

Oubre appeared in each of the Hornets’ first 34 games of the season before missing three of the last four. However, according to Charania, the 27-year-old has been dealing with the hand injury since the first week of the season and has been attempting to play through the pain.

Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer wrote over the weekend that the Hornets were trying to come up with a plan for how to treat the injury, which was being referred to as a sprain. Head coach Steve Clifford said Oubre was “really sore” and “definitely needs time.” It sounds like Hornets doctors ultimately determined that surgery, rather than rest and treatment, will be the best path forward for Oubre.

Despite battling the injury, Oubre is averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game through 35 games (32.6 MPG) for Charlotte this season. His shooting percentage of 42.1% from the floor and 30.8% on three-pointers all well below his career marks though, which is perhaps an indication that the hand has been bothering him.

Oubre, earning $12.6MM this season, is in a contract year and had been considered a possible trade candidate if the Hornets decide to sell. The recovery timeline provided by Charania should put the forward on track to return sometime around the February 9 deadline, so he could still draw interest from teams looking for another piece in the wing.

Although Oubre’s absence is an unfortunate break for Charlotte, the club is healthier now than it has been for much of the season, with LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and Terry Rozier all available after missing time earlier in 2022/23. Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. also returned to action on Monday following an 18-game absence due to an ankle injury.

Fischer’s Latest: Cavs, LeVert, Crowder, Okoro, Bogdanovic, More

January 5th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers would love to add a defensive-minded wing who is also a consistent shooting threat, but doing so won’t be easy, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. After acquiring Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, Cleveland no longer has any first-round picks available to trade, so landing a wing would probably require the club to move Caris LeVert and another rotation player, which isn’t an appealing prospect.

Fischer names Tobias Harris and Jae Crowder as a couple veterans who would make sense for the Cavaliers from an on-court perspective. However, Cleveland likely wouldn’t be able to put together a package for Harris that would entice the Sixers, and the Suns are seeking a “playoff-caliber player” in return for Crowder — if the Cavs had that sort of player available, they wouldn’t be in the market for another wing, Fischer writes.

Although LeVert might have to be included in a package for an upgrade on the wing, the Cavaliers still value his “high-character presence in the locker room,” per Fischer, and aren’t looking to move him, even if they’re open to discussing him. As the Cavs consider what sort of impact any potential target might have, LeVert will be the “comparative barometer,” says Fischer.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest story:

The Cavaliers are still hopeful about Isaac Okoro‘s development into the sort of two-way wing they’re missing and he has a strong desire to remain in Cleveland, sources tell Fischer. The fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft, Okoro will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2023 offseason.
The Cavaliers are among the teams with interest in Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, but Detroit has set a high asking price for Bogdanovic, according to Fischer. The team is believed to be seeking a first-round pick, plus either additional draft assets or a young player with upside. The Mavericks, Lakers, and Suns are among the other teams interested in Bogdanovic, Fischer adds.
Crowder, who is in the final year of his contract, is hoping to sign an extension similar to the three-year, $33MM deal P.J. Tucker got from Philadelphia this past summer, Fischer writes. The Suns‘ unwillingness to give Crowder that sort of deal is considered a factor in his decision to remain away from the team this season.
While forwards like P.J. Washington, Jalen McDaniels, and Kelly Oubre will draw interest from potential suitors, center Mason Plumlee appears to be the Hornets‘ most likely trade candidate, says Fischer. Moving Plumlee would open up more minutes for youngsters Mark Williams and Nick Richards at center.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Lowry, McDaniels, Oubre

January 1st, 2023 at 4:18pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

A consultation with a Los Angeles doctor over the weekend resulted in good news on the state of Heat All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler‘s sore right knee, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Butler sat out Miami’s narrow 126-123 victory over the Jazz last night but has been cleared to play in back-to-backs going forward, a source tells Chiang.

In 23 games this year, Butler is averaging 21.8 PPG on .528/.340/.829 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in 6.7 RPG, 5.8 APG and 2.1 SPG for the 19-18 Heat.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

$28.3MM Heat starting point guard Kyle Lowry may need to step up his game or risk being rotated out of the team’s closing lineups for good, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida South Sentinel. The 36-year-old was recently sat for the entirety of the fourth quarter in the Utah win, after experiencing consecutive down nights in back-to-back games against the Nuggets and Jazz.
Fourth-year Hornets reserve small forward Jalen McDaniels recently spoke with Alex Kennedy of Basketball News about his long road to major rotation time. “Playing in the G League [for much of his rookie season], it just got me real confident — just letting me play through my mistakes and play a lot of minutes,” McDaniels said. “I learned a lot of the game, coming from the G League, playing in a lot of games and just knowing what to expect. I feel like my game is just locked in and I know where I’m supposed to be.” This season, McDaniels is averaging a career-most 10.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG and 1.0 SPG in 25.9 MPG.
Starting Hornets small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. will be sidelined for at least a few games as he grapples with a sprained left hand, reports Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “He’s working, doing as much as he can now to try and get back,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “Hopefully we’ll know more in the next couple of days. The hand is funny, it just got banged a bunch of times, and this was twice in a short period of time. It was really sore. You could see he was struggling to catch the ball. He definitely needs time for sure.”

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.

Trade Rumors: Reddish, Fournier, Bogdanovic, Raptors, More

December 12th, 2022 at 4:07pm CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers have discussed trade concepts involving Knicks wings Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported last week that the Lakers and Knicks discussed a potential three-team deal, so perhaps Fournier, who’s out of New York’s rotation and owed $36.86MM through 2023/24 (with a $19MM club option in ’24/25), could have been heading to the unknown team in that scenario.

Reddish was also removed from Knicks’ rotation recently and is in the final year of his rookie contract, which will pay him $5.95MM this season. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023 if he’s issued an $8.1MM qualifying offer.

Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Following up on the Lakers/Knicks reports, sources tell Kurt Helin of NBC Sports that Russell Westbrook‘s $47.1MM expiring salary is unlikely to be dealt due to the assets the Lakers would have to attach to move him.
Charania wrote earlier today that L.A. remains in pursuit of forward Bojan Bogdanovic, and are offering a protected first-round pick and salary-matching contracts. Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article (subscriber link) that the Pistons are “insisting on a fully unprotected future first from the Lakers to seriously entertain” dealing the veteran sharpshooter.
Though they’re considered a less likely seller than the Bulls, rival teams are keeping a close eye on the Raptors ahead of the February 9 trade deadline, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. “The timeline of their players don’t match,” one source said. “They have good players, but it will be interesting to see how they navigate with OG [Anunoby] and Fred [VanVleet].” VanVleet will likely decline his $22.8MM player option for ’23/24 in search of a longer-term deal, while Anunoby will almost certainly decline his own option in ’24/25, so Toronto has more time to decide what to do with him. According to Pincus’ sources, the Magic and other rebuilding clubs with cap space next summer might be worth keeping an eye on for VanVleet, who has struggled mightily with his shot this season (.360/.326/.846 splits through 21 games).
Perhaps the most available player amongst the Raptors‘ rotation regulars could be shooting guard Gary Trent Jr., who can also become a free agent if he declines his $18.8MM player option for ’23/24. “I don’t think they want to keep Trent,” one source told Pincus. Toronto is just 2-5 in its last seven games, including two straight losses at Orlando, and currently holds a 13-14 record.
Pincus suggests the Jazz might be more of a buyer than a seller after their 15-14 start to the season. He also mentions that teams are eyeing the Hornets as a seller after injuries and off-court issues ravaged the roster. According to Pincus, Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre, Mason Plumlee and P.J. Washington are among the players worth watching. Washington, in particular, is reportedly seeking more money than Charlotte might be willing to offer in restricted free agency, per Pincus.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Wizards, Hornets, Oubre

December 7th, 2022 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Victor Oladipo made his season debut on Tuesday night, taking the court for the first time since May and scoring nine points in 19 minutes off the bench. However, it will take more than Oladipo’s return to fix Miami’s second unit, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

As Winderman outlines, with Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin promoted to the starting lineup, injuries affecting a handful of players, and the club unwilling to fill its 15th roster spot due to luxury tax ramifications, depth no longer seems to be one of the Heat’s strengths. Miami ranks 29th in the NBA in both bench scoring (26.6 PPG) and bench shooting (.420 FG%) so far this season.

Here are a few more notes from around the Southeast:

While Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma have thrived as the Wizards‘ “Big Three,” the team needs more offensive production from its role players, especially with Beal out due to a hamstring injury, says Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Wallace singles out Monte Morris, Will Barton, and Deni Avdija as a few rotation players who “haven’t been operating at their full potential.”
Injuries have prevented the Hornets from getting a clear sense of what works and what doesn’t, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “We haven’t played enough lineups together,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “We have individual goals for the guys. But in terms of our group, we’ve had no continuity. So, it’s been hard to figure out. Usually by 15 games, you can say, ‘When we defensive rebound, we win.’ ‘When we don’t turn the ball over, we’re good.’ And we’ve been all over the place. So that’s a good question, but we are not there yet.”
In a mailbag for The Charlotte Observer (subscriber link), Boone says Hornets forward Kelly Oubre is a player worth keeping an eye on this season. As Boone outlines, Oubre would be a movable asset if the team decides to sell, but he appears to have interest in remaining in Charlotte if the club is interested in keeping him.

Hornets Notes: Williams, Maledon, Oubre, Smith Jr.

December 3rd, 2022 at 5:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mark Williams hasn’t played as much as some of his fellow first-round picks, so he’s taking advantage of the opportunities the Hornets are giving him in the G League, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Williams was selected 15th overall, but the Hornets view him as a long-term project at center. He’s behind Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards on the depth chart and has logged 13 total minutes in three games, so Williams is focused on making an impact with Greensboro Swarm.

“Go down there, dominate, show the pro that I am and I try to do that,” Williams said. “There’s nothing like playing five-on-five. It’s good to get in a flow, get into rhythm and be able to play, go down and do that. I just got to make the most of the opportunity when I’m out there, just try to work on my game. Work on the defensive principles and stuff like that, so whenever the opportunity comes, I’ll be ready for it.”

Boone points out that Charlotte traditionally has young players work on their skills in the G League, with Richards and Kai Jones as two recent examples. Coach Steve Clifford said it’s beneficial for rookies to play regularly and experience success, and Williams is on board with that philosophy.

“At the end of the day it’s not like when I’m there I can do anything about it,” Williams said. “You’ve just got to make the most of it, turn it into a positive and just go out there and play basketball. It’s definitely great for your confidence, going there, playing there, playing well. It’s definitely great for your confidence to go there and show what you are capable of.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

The Hornets’ top four guards have all battled injuries this season, so Theo Maledon has been playing more than expected, Boone adds. Maledon signed a two-way contract on October 15, four days after being waived by the Rockets, and is averaging 16.7 minutes in 20 games. “It’s for sure a huge confidence boost,” Maledon said. “Just not being there for preseason and just getting in with the team and just being able to do what I’m doing right now is a great feeling, and I just want it to keep going and have that same mentality for sure.”
With free agency looming next summer, Kelly Oubre sounds interested in a long-term future in Charlotte. He talked about his love for the city in an appearance on Boone’s podcast. “Just coming from where I’ve been at in my career, just like the ups and downs, the uneasiness, I’ve never been able to find a consistent flow in a city, other than the city I was drafted in because I was there for so long,” Oubre said. “It’s just been amazing, man, to come and play for this city and for this organization.”
Dennis Smith Jr. will miss his fourth straight game tonight with a sprained left ankle, but he’s no longer wearing a walking boot, Boone tweets.

Eastern Notes: Tatum, Herro, Oubre, Thibodeau, Brunson

August 21st, 2022 at 7:09pm CST by JD Shaw

Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum played with a small non-displaced fracture in his left wrist this past season, he revealed in an interview with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report. Tatum suffered the injury on February 13 against the Hawks.

In May, Tatum revealed he was dealing with wrist pain after being fouled by Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he wouldn’t go into more detail. He received a cortisone shot for the pain and continued playing.

Tatum sounded optimistic that the wrist won’t be an issue going forward, as he’s no longer dealing with pain. The 24-year-old led Boston to its first NBA Finals berth since 2010 this season, averaging 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists in the playoffs.

Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:

Heat guard Tyler Herro unsurprisingly wants the team to run it back with the same group this season, as relayed by Betr (Twitter link). This would require that the team doesn’t acquire Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell, both of whom would likely require Herro to be traded. Miami suffered a significant blow when P.J. Tucker signed with the Sixers in free agency, but otherwise looks very similar to last season’s team.
Hornets forward Kelly Oubre Jr. should be monitored as a potential trade piece this season, an NBA executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Oubre, 26, averaged 15.0 points on 44% shooting last season. If the Hornets look to improve their center position, it’s possible he could be included in a deal.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is “ecstatic” about the arrival of Jalen Brunson this season, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Thibodeau believes he can turn Brunson from a B-minus player to a B-plus one, a source tells Berman, which would largely start on the defensive end. Brunson signed a four-year, $104MM deal to join the Knicks this offseason.