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Pacific Notes: Paul, Durant, James, Westbrook

February 6th, 2023 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Addressing reports that the Suns were willing to trade him in a package to the Nets for Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul took the news like a pro, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.

Paul knows all about being traded, so he didn’t seem blindsided by the news.

“It’s a business. I’ve seen crazier,” he said. “The way I found out I was traded from Houston. You just show up to work and be a pro day in and day out. Nobody’s exempt from being traded. Find out just like everybody else.”

Coach Monty Williams expressed disappointment that the future Hall of Famer has to deal with these rumors and reports at this stage of his career, Rankin adds in another tweet.

“I don’t think it’s fair when guys have their names thrown out there,” Williams said. “Kind of bothers me, ’cause Chris, his name should never be thrown out there in that way.”

We have more Pacific Division news:

While they may have struck out for Irving, the Suns are prepared to make another offer to Brooklyn if Kevin Durant becomes available, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. It’s unknown just what Phoenix would be willing to part with for Durant, but The Arizona Republic’s Jeremy Cluff cobbles up some speculative pieces around the Internet that suggest Deandre Ayton would likely be part of the package.
LeBron James expressed disappointment that the Lakers were unable to land Irving, he told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon (hat tip to Rachel Nichols). “Definitely disappointed. I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land someone…I’ve got great chemistry on the floor with, that can help you win championships,” James said.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said that Russell Westbrook just needs to do his work as trade rumors continue to swirl around him, Mark Medina of NBA.com tweets. “This is an unforgiving business in terms of different coverage and in terms of covering scenarios and dealing with rumors and different things happening,” Ham said. “All you can do is put your head down and do the work and try to remain as professional as possible. He’s done that.”

Kyrie Irving Trade Notes: Durant, Doncic, LeBron, Grades

February 6th, 2023 at 8:06am CST by Arthur Hill

The Kyrie Irving trade may lead to a flurry of deals before Thursday’s deadline, but John Hollinger of The Athletic expects most teams to hold onto their first-round picks in case three of the NBA’s biggest stars become available this summer.

It’s barely been seven months since Kevin Durant‘s last trade demand, and even if he doesn’t request it, Hollinger believes the Nets may consider moving him in the offseason. Durant will turn 35 in September, and Hollinger points out that he’s the only star left on a Brooklyn team that no longer looks like a contender and may not have the draft assets to pull off a major addition.

Hollinger also expects rival teams to start monitoring Luka Doncic‘s happiness in Dallas, especially if the Irving deal backfires. He cites league executives who speculated over the past week that acquiring Irving could be toxic for the Mavericks on the theory that he could eventually cause Doncic to ask to leave, the same way James Harden did in Brooklyn when he was paired with Irving. Even if Irving turns out to be a short-term addition, Dallas parted with two rotation players plus draft capital in the deal and doesn’t have an obvious path to improve.

The third star worth watching, according to Hollinger, is LeBron James, who tweeted “Maybe It’s Me” on Sunday after seeing the Lakers miss another opportunity to add talent. James was reportedly a strong proponent of trading for Irving, his former teammate in Cleveland.

There’s more on the Irving deal:

Even though they gave up the best player in the deal, Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer believes the Nets are in a better position. Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith provide additional depth, giving the team possibly 12 players capable of handling regular rotation minutes. O’Connor adds that Brooklyn could still use a backup center and states that the organization still has interest in the Timberwolves‘ Naz Reid.
The Durant-Irving era, which began when both players signed with the Nets in 2019, will go down as a disappointment, says Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. Even after adding another All-Star by trading for Harden in 2021, Brooklyn managed to win just one playoff series. Zagoria notes that this time will always be a “what if?” for Nets fans.
Bobby Marks of ESPN considers the trade a “win-win” for both teams (video link). He argues that Brooklyn got at least one starter, and maybe two, in return for Irving, while Dallas is taking an understandable chance to upgrade its talent level.
In grading the deal, Zach Harper of The Athletic gives the Mavericks a C-plus because of the risk involved and the Nets a B, as long as the deal doesn’t alienate Durant.

Pacific Notes: Hachimura, Irving, Durant, Fox

February 5th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Lakers combo forward Rui Hachimura is comfortably slotting in to his new role with the club, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. The athletic 6’8″ forward has become a solid fast-breaking force for Los Angeles so far.

His length, size and speed are massive attributes for a team desperately bereft of those components.

“[Russell Westbrook and LeBron James] get all the defensive attention so I have a lot of easy looks, in either transition of the half court,” Hachimura said. “So, yeah, I love playing with those guys.”

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Prior to his eventual move to the Mavericks, the Lakers had conversations with the Nets about a framework for a Kyrie Irving trade, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Woj reveals that Brooklyn prioritized the Dallas trade offer because it gave them better role-player depth than Los Angeles could offer, in addition to similar future draft equity.
Now that Irving is off the Brooklyn roster, the Suns are hoping to make a legitimate trade offer for the Nets’ lone remaining All-Star, power forward Kevin Durant, sources inform Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). There’s no indication that Brooklyn is willing to listen on Durant at this point — if that changes, plenty of other suitors figure to join the Suns.
With Warriors All-Star guard Stephen Curry likely to be sidelined for multiple weeks due to a leg injury, commissioner Adam Silver may have to select an injury replacement for the All-Star Game. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee tweets that Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox deserves to receive serious consideration for that spot.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

February 5th, 2023 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Although Kyrie Irving ostensibly missed Saturday’s Nets game – a dramatic comeback win over Washington – due to right calf soreness, it’s safe to assume his Friday trade request was the reason he wasn’t on the court in Brooklyn.

The Nets are scheduled to play three more home games before Thursday’s trade deadline – Monday vs. the Clippers, Tuesday vs. the Suns, and Thursday vs. the Bulls – but we shouldn’t expect Irving to be available for any of those ones either. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), Brooklyn plans to keep Irving sidelined until a trade is finalized.

And what if the trade deadline comes and goes without the Nets finding a suitable deal for Irving? According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), the 30-year-old hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’d sit out the rest of the season in that scenario, but Lewis says it’s a “nuclear option” that has been discussed.

Here’s more on Irving:

Although the Lakers are widely considered a frontrunner to land Irving, having been linked to him since last summer, sources with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times expressed pessimism about the odds of Kyrie being dealt to the Lakers.
As Woike explains, Irving’s expectations for his next contract are a factor working against a trade to the Lakers — the All-Star guard is expected to seek a four-year, maximum-salary deal, while the Lakers would prefer no more than a two-year commitment. A similar disconnect between Irving and the Nets is reportedly what led to his trade request in the first place.
Asked about the possibility of the Lakers acquiring Irving, LeBron James said it was a question for Rob Pelinka and the front office, but made it clear he wouldn’t be against a reunion with his former Cavs teammate. “Obviously, that’s a — what’s the word you use — ‘duh’ question when you talk about a player like that,” James said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Russell Westbrook would have to be part of an outgoing package in any Irving deal involving the Lakers, but he said on Saturday that he’s not feeling any added pressure hearing his name in trade rumors once again, according to McMenamin. “That’s not up to me. Like I said, I’ve known this was a business since I was 18, 19 years old, since I got into it,” Westbrook said. “My dad taught me that at that age, getting to this league is a business, and people make whatever decision they make. And I’ll make sure I’m ready and professional, like I always have been and always will be.”
Law Murray of The Athletic explores the Clippers‘ reported interest in Irving, noting that L.A.’s up-and-down season has made the team more open to pursuing Kyrie than it would have been last summer. Murray hears that the Clippers have made a “strong offer” for Irving.
While there’s no indication that Kevin Durant will follow Irving’s lead and request a trade before this Thursday, rival executives are hopeful that the Kyrie drama will help expedite Durant’s own exit from Brooklyn, perhaps as soon as this offseason, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “I know (Nets owner) Joe Tsai came into this year looking at it like, ‘Let’s see how this plays out,'” an Eastern Conference GM said to Deveney. “Well, he’s seen how it has played out. … No matter what happens with Kyrie in the next few days, you have to think that Joe Tsai is going to say it is time to tear it all down and start over. And that means KD is next up.”

Clippers Part Of Kyrie Irving Trade Talks

February 4th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are among the teams that are active in trade negotiations for Nets guard Kyrie Irving, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

When Irving’s trade request was made public Friday, Wojnarowski listed the Lakers, Mavericks and Suns as the teams with the greatest interest in acquiring him. Sources tell Woj that the Clippers, who are in need of point guard help, should be added to that list.

Wojnarowski hears that Brooklyn is talking to a number of teams about Irving and appears determined to work out a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline. He adds that the Nets expect Kevin Durant to return soon from his MCL sprain and are focused on getting a return that will keep them in title contention.

Sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the Clippers made a “strong offer” to Brooklyn and that Tyronn Lue is interested in coaching Irving again after they spent time together in Cleveland.

Irving decided to seek a trade after being unhappy with an extension offer that Brooklyn presented to him last week. Wojnarowski’s sources say Irving wants a deal close to the maximum $198.5MM over four years that he’s eligible to receive. If he’s traded, he can sign a two-year extension with his new team worth up to $78.6MM through the end of June.

Wojnarowski cites a “strong mutual interest” between Irving and the Lakers that dates back to last summer when he was considering whether to pick up his option for the current season. Woj’s sources describe the Lakers as a “motivated suitor” for Irving and say LeBron James is “an immense proponent” of dealing for his former Cavaliers teammate.

Irving missed tonight’s game with right calf soreness, and there’s a chance he might not play for the Nets again if they’re serious about trading him away.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

February 3rd, 2023 at 8:00pm CST by Rory Maher

After Kyrie Irving‘s agent reached out to the Nets about an extension last week, Brooklyn offered him a deal that included an unlikely incentive based on the team winning a championship, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

Haynes was told that Irving’s camp refused to negotiate after the offer, and now the All-Star guard reportedly won’t re-sign with the Nets even if he was offered a fully guaranteed maximum-salary extension, which would be worth $198.5MM over four years.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), an unlikely incentive can be worth up to 15% of a contract’s yearly value.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the Nets offered a multiyear extension, with the stipulations tied to the last year of the deal. Charania didn’t specify the years or amount that was offered.

Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Nets were “reluctant to rush into a long-term commitment without further evidence that Irving could stay reliable, perform at a high level and remain controversy-free.” Reading between the lines, it’s pretty clear that he wasn’t offered a four-year extension.

The market isn’t exactly brimming with teams in pursuit of Irving due to how many games he’s missed over the past handful of years, not to mention the controversy. In fact, two of his primary would-be suitors, the Lakers and Mavericks, are wary of giving up “significant trade assets” in a potential offer, sources tell Wojnarowski.

Irving, who turns 31 next month, is making $36.9MM in the final year of his contract. If he’s traded, he would be eligible for a two-year extension worth up to $78.6MM until June 30, but Woj sounds skeptical that would be available to Irving, especially right away, writing that “no teams are privately expressing a desire to make that investment.” That includes the Suns, another team expected to have interest in acquiring Irving.

The Nets are currently 31-20, the No. 4 seed in the East, but have gone just 4-7 since Kevin Durant was injured. Wojnarowski reports that many rival teams are “far more interested” in seeing how Durant reacts to Irving’s trade request and learning whether Durant may decide to follow suit, rather than pursuing Irving himself.

In an appearance on NBA TV (Twitter video link), Haynes said he “would be very surprised if Kyrie is a Net past the trade deadline,” which is February 9 at 2:00pm CT.

Atlantic Notes: Pritchard, Durant, Reddish, Thybulle

February 2nd, 2023 at 4:04pm CST by Rory Maher

When Andre Iguodala asked Payton Pritchard what he’s hoping to accomplish in the next five-to-10 years, the Celtics guard said a “bigger role” is something he’s looking for in the future.

“Obviously, after I’m done here, after this year, I’d like to look—be a part of a bigger role a little bit,” Pritchard said on the Point Forward podcast.

Iguodala followed up by asking if he was certain that’s what he wanted, and Pritchard said he was.

“Yeah, I definitely do,” Pritchard said. It’s obviously what I work for. I think that’s what Brad (Stevens) and them know, too. We’ve had that discussion — but a bigger role. I want to be part of a winning culture, but I want to also really help that, be a really big piece of that.

“I’m not saying it’s the best player on the team or anything, but I don’t know what my future holds unless I can take that next step. I don’t know what it is in five-to-10 years, but I just want to look back and know that I put my best foot forward. I put all the work in. So whatever happens, I can live with. As long as I did it my way. That’s the most important thing to me.”

While it may be easy to read those comments and think Pritchard could be looking for a change of scenery after the season, it clearly wasn’t a prepared statement and it’s only natural for a young player whose playing time has been reduced to want a long career. Still, it’s interesting nonetheless.

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

Nets superstar Kevin Durant hopes to play in the All-Star Game on February 19, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Countdown (YouTube link). The news was passed along by Durant’s manager, Rich Kleiman. Wojnarowski points to February 13 against New York or February 15 versus Miami as possible target dates for Durant’s return, as he’ll likely need to play at least a game or two before the exhibition contest. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week that there was optimism Durant could return before the break.
Once Knicks guard Quentin Grimes was fully recovered from his foot injury on November 20, Cam Reddish‘s playing time was reduced. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, Reddish told an assistant coach that he was unhappy with how head coach Tom Thibodeau was using him prior to a game on December 4, and Reddish hasn’t appeared in a game since he voiced his displeasure. The 23-year-old has been a healthy scratch for 27 consecutive games, Begley notes.
Matisse Thybulle is no stranger to trade rumors, but he’s not stressing hearing his name bandied about ahead of the deadline, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I think it helps, too, that it’s not my first rodeo,” The Sixers wing said. “And every single year is kind of like the same situation. You are going to get traded until the very last minute; it’s like you don’t. … So I’ve gone all the way there until it actually happens. So, at this point, I kind of know the ropes and it helps that my family does as well.”

New York Notes: Knicks’ Second Unit, Knicks Defense, Nets Offense

January 30th, 2023 at 8:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There may be more pressure on the Knicks’ front office than coach Tom Thibodeau, Steve Popper of Newsday speculates.

The Knicks had to attach draft picks to trade three veterans during the offseason and now have three more — Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish — glued to the bench. They could use some help on the second unit, with Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen rumored as potential trade targets. Meanwhile, Thibodeau is leaning on younger players to produce.

“We know that a big part of learning is trial and error, so our young guys are getting better day by day, and that’s what I’m excited about,” the head coach said. “I know there’s a tremendous amount of growth they’ve already had, and I think there’s more to come.”

We have more on the New York City teams:

With the jumbled standings and most teams at least in contention for the play-in tournament, there are more buyers than sellers in the trade market. That could make it more difficult for the Knicks to do anything, Fred Katz of The Athletic notes. The Knicks are hoping that more teams will go into sell mode prior to the trade deadline — Katz breaks down which clubs might fall into that category.
The Knicks were disappointed with their defensive coverages in their loss to the Kevin Durant-less Nets, Peter Botte of the New York Post writes. The Nets knocked down 22 3-pointers. “Closing out, sense of urgency, none of that. We have to be better,” Julius Randle said. “We didn’t play well enough to win. We definitely didn’t deserve to win the game. We didn’t pick up our sense of urgency until the game went on, the fourth quarter. We have to be better from the start.”
On the flip side, the Nets might need to continue firing away from deep to make up for Durant’s absence, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. They attempted 40 3-pointers against the Knicks and head coach Jacque Vaughn wasn’t sure it was enough. “I wouldn’t mind having 10 more,” Vaughn said. “I say that in the huddle, let’s get 50 up. We have a good enough squad who can shoot the basketball and they have to be respected. [Kyrie Irving’s] ability, that’s why it’s so great to have the basketball in his hands. … If we can shoot 50 [3-pointers], we’ll shoot 50 and be OK with that as long as they’re good ones.”

Antetokounmpo, James Head All-Star Starters; Embiid Falls Short

January 26th, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers forward LeBron James tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday with his 19th NBA All-Star selection. James, who currently shares the record with Abdul-Jabbar for most All-Star Games played with 18, was chosen as a starter, according to a league press release.

All of the starters were revealed on Thursday night.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic were the other starters chosen out of the Western Conference. James will serve as a team captain for the sixth straight year, since he received the most votes.

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, named a team captain for the third time, heads the list of starters out of the Eastern Conference. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Nets forward Kevin Durant, Nets guard Kyrie Irving, and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell will join him, but the league’s second-leading scorer, Sixers center Joel Embiid (33.4 PPG), didn’t garner enough votes.

The starters are selected by a weighted voting process with the fan vote accounting for half of the final outcome. The player and media portions of the vote each counted for 25 percent. Three frontcourt players and two guards were selected from each conference.

Embiid finished third in the player and media voting among Eastern Conference frontcourt players but fourth in the fan voting. All voting results can be found here.

The game will be played Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City. James and Antetokounmpo will choose their teams shortly before the game begins. James will set the league record for most All-Star appearances if he plays, since Abdul-Jabbar did not play in the 1973 game after being chosen.

The reserves, which are chosen by the league’s coaches, will be announced Feb. 2.

Atlantic Notes: Fournier, Durant, Tatum, Raptors

January 24th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked directly if he wants to remain with the Knicks, Evan Fournier paused to consider his answer before responding, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. As the veteran wing eventually explained, while his preference would be to stay in New York, that may not be the case if he’s going to remain out of the team’s rotation.

“Best-case scenario, I want to stay here. I want to play here,” Fournier said. “I had a bunch of different choices in free agency and I wanted to be a Knick. I love New York. I wanted to play for (head coach Tom Thibodeau). So I’d love to stay, but I’d love to play.”

Fournier went on to say that he feels like he’s in the best shape of his career and that he’d rather not spend some of his prime years sitting on the bench.

“I should be in my prime. I am in my prime,” he said, per Braziller. “You want to play, for sure. Especially as a competitor. It’s not like I forgot how to play. Last year I had a different role and somehow I was able to break a 30-year-old franchise record (most three-pointers in a season). So I am going to find a way to adapt to any situation.”

The veteran wing has been ruled out of Tuesday’s game vs. Cleveland for personal reasons, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). According to Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link), Fournier’s wife gave birth today.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

It’s uncertain after today’s update from the team whether Kevin Durant will be healthy in time to play in next month’s All-Star Game, but if the decision is up to him, the Nets star would like to suit up in Salt Lake City, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I want to play tomorrow if I can,” Durant said. “So that’s what my sense of urgency is. Obviously, I don’t want to rush anything. I want to make sure I’m 100%. But yeah, I want to play. I want to be a part of all these events.”
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum didn’t rule out the possibility that his sore left wrist will require surgery after the season, but indicated that he has no plans to miss extended time during the season, using rest and injury management to play through the ailment, per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media.
Eric Koreen and John Hollinger of The Athletic teamed up to take a closer look at the Raptors‘ approach to the trade deadline and various factors the team should be considering as it weighs its options. Hollinger views the Lakers as one logical trade partner for Gary Trent Jr., pointing out that L.A. would be in position to re-sign the veteran swingman to a new contract this summer.