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Nikola Vucevic

Heat Notes: Butler, Silva, Trade Deadline, Vučević

March 14th, 2021 at 3:57pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Heat wing Jimmy Butler, a five-time All-Star, has been having an MVP-level impact on Miami’s success when available this season, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Butler has led the way during the team’s recent 13-4 tear, which has propelled Miami from a 7-14 record to its current 20-18 mark, good for the No. 4 seed in the East.

Butler is averaging team bests in points (22.5 PPG), assists (9.1 APG), steals (2.1 SPG) and plus-minus (plus-117) during this 17-game turnaround. Though missing 14 games early may keep Butler from actually netting MVP honors, his impact on one of the best teams in its conference should certainly help cement his status as an All-NBA player for the 2020/21 season. The club is 16-8 when Butler plays and 4-10 when he sits.

There’s more out of South Beach:

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Vucevic On Trade Rumors: “I’m Happy Where I Am”

March 10th, 2021 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

Following a 6-2 start this season, the Magic lost 21 of their last 28 games entering the All-Star break, fueling trade speculation about many of their most productive veterans, including standout center Nikola Vucevic. However, Vucevic doesn’t sound like someone who’s eager to leave Orlando, telling Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel that he loves being with the Magic.

“I’m happy where I am,” Vucevic said. “When I re-signed with the Magic, I knew it was going to be a process and I knew we weren’t going to turn into a championship team right away.

“… It’s unfortunate we’ve had all of these injuries. I think we are headed in the right direction, but we have lost two very important players — Markelle (Fultz) and J.I. (Jonathan Isaac) — for the season. If we were healthier, our goals would be much different and we could achieve much more. But that’s just part of the journey. Unexpected things are going to happen.”

Expressing loyalty to one’s team publicly isn’t uncommon even for a player who would prefer a change of scenery. But there’s reason to believe Vucevic’s stance is genuine. The All-Star center recently told Shams Charania of The Athletic that he likes the idea of building a legacy with one team, citing Damian Lillard‘s loyalty to the Trail Blazers as a point of reference.

Of course, Vucevic doesn’t have any veto power over a trade, so the Magic don’t need his approval to move him if they get an offer they like. And several teams – including the Celtics, Heat, Spurs, and Hornets – are said to have “significant” interest in the 30-year-old. Still, all indications are that Orlando isn’t looking to trade Vucevic and would require a massive return to consider making a deal.

For now, players like Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, and perhaps Terrence Ross appear to be more likely trade candidates than Vucevic, who is having a career year with 24.6 PPG and 11.6 RPG on .483/.412/.851 shooting. Vucevic is under contract through the 2022/23 season, so the Magic would have plenty of opportunities to consider moving the big man in future years if they hang onto him through the 2021 deadline.

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Vucevic, Other Magic Vets Drawing Trade Interest

March 8th, 2021 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics aren’t the only team that has Magic center Nikola Vucevic high on its wish list. The Heat, Spurs, and Hornets have also expressed “significant” interest in the All-Star big man, sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

Miami, San Antonio, and Charlotte would all be intriguing landing spots for Vucevic. The Heat presumably envision him playing alongside Bam Adebayo up front; the Spurs have seen LaMarcus Aldridge‘s production decline this season and may view Vucevic as an eventual replacement for the veteran; and the Hornets could use an impact player at the five to complement primary play-makers LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward.

However, O’Connor cautions that front office executives around the NBA are skeptical that the Magic will move Vucevic at this month’s trade deadline, since he still has multiple years left on his contract. After earning $26MM this season, the 30-year-old will make $24MM in 2021/22 and $22MM in ’22/23.

Even if the Magic are open to considering a Vucevic trade, they’d seek a substantial return, according to O’Connor. Shams Charania of The Athletic conveyed a similar sentiment last week, writing that Orlando would want a “massive” package for its All-Star center.

While the Magic seem unlikely to deal Vucevic, there are other solid veterans on their roster whom they could be more open to moving. O’Connor reports that the club is receiving calls on guards Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross, with the Hornets among the clubs inquiring on Fournier, while the Nuggets have asked about Ross.

Aaron Gordon is viewed as a possible trade candidate too, and the Magic have some lower-priced veterans who could appeal to contenders as depth pieces. However, Orlando hasn’t shown much enthusiasm for making major trades in recent years, so it would be a bit of a surprise if the team goes into full-fledged fire-sale mode, despite its record (13-23) and place in the Eastern Conference standings (14th).

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Southeast Notes: Vucevic, Iguodala, Heat, Hornets

March 7th, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by JD Shaw

Magic center Nikola Vucevic has given the team a feel-good story in the midst of an otherwise difficult campaign, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes.

Vucevic, who was named an All-Star for the second time of his career this season, is averaging an impressive 24.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He’s also shooting a career-high 41% from three-point range in his 36 contests.

“You get selected among 24 players out of 450 to make it and it’s a special feeling and a huge honor, something I’m very proud of,” Vucevic said. “It just shows that you’ve achieved a great level of respect from coaches around the league, other players around the league, and when you’re able to make it multiple times it kind of fortifies that.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

  • Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald examines Andre Iguodala‘s veteran impact on the Heat. Iguodala, a former Finals MVP, is currently in his 18th NBA season. “He brings that stability on the floor and even off the floor,” teammate Goran Dragic said of Iguodala. “He has got a lot of experience. He has been in a lot of tough games. He won championships. So it’s always nice to have a guy next to you to ask for some advice. He’s like an open book. … Him, [Udonis Haslem], those two guys are tremendous for our team.”
  • Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel explores whether the Heat should trade for a star player now — even if it impacts the team’s long-term flexibility. Miami has expressed interest in several combo forwards ahead of the March 25 deadline, winning seven of its final 10 games before the All-Star break.
  • The Hornets have recalled centers Vernon Carey Jr. and Nick Richards from their G League affiliate in Greensboro, the team announced (Twitter link). The team also announced (via Twitter) that two-way players Grant Riller and Nate Darling were transferred from the NBAGL to Charlotte.
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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Celtics, Randle, Vučević

March 4th, 2021 at 9:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid has used Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert‘s All-NBA Third Team selection last year and recent Defensive Player of the Year hardware as motivation this season, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Embiid, an MVP frontrunner so far in 2020/21, looks to have a good chance at besting Gobert’s All-NBA finish this season.

“I want to dominate,” Embiid said. “But going up against him, one of my goals is to also be Defensive Player of the Year. So, you know, when you go up against those types of guys, he’s a great player, and you know, he does a lot for his team that don’t show up on the stat sheet … but when you go against those guys, you know, it brings something else to my game.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

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Jerami Grant, Nikola Vucevic Among Celtics’ Targets

March 4th, 2021 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons forward Jerami Grant is among the Celtics‘ top trade targets, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Charania, the C’s and the Hornets are also among the teams interested in Magic center Nikola Vucevic.

It comes as no surprise that Grant and Vucevic would appeal to Boston. Grant has enjoyed a career year in Detroit so far, boosting his scoring average to 23.4 PPG in an expanded offensive role. Vucevic is playing the best basketball of his career too, averaging 24.6 PPG and 11.6 RPG on .483/.412/.851 shooting and earning his second All-Star berth for Orlando.

Both players also have salaries that would fit into the Celtics’ $28.5MM trade exception. Grant is earning $19MM, while Vucevic has a $26MM cap hit.

However, the odds of the Celtics actually acquiring either player before this year’s deadline seem slim, for multiple reasons. For one, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has been averse to making major moves at the deadline over the years — since acquiring Isaiah Thomas at the 2015 deadline, his lone in-season trade has been a salary-dump of Jabari Bird in 2019.

Additionally, while the Pistons and Magic are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, Grant and Vucevic are under contract for multiple years and appear to be cornerstone pieces for their respective teams.

Grant, who joined the Pistons in part because he wanted to play for a Black head coach and a Black GM, was the team’s top target in the offseason. According to James Edwards III of The Athletic, Detroit appears to have no interest in moving the 26-year-old, despite receiving interest and trade offers from several teams. Grant “embodies everything Detroit wants its culture to be about,” according to Edwards, who says the forward seems likely to stick with the team for as long as he wants to.

As for Vucevic, Charania says that rival teams believe any trade involving the big man would have to feature a “massive” return for the Magic. Vucevic also told Charania that there’s “something special” about being with the same franchise for a long and building a legacy there, which suggests he has no plans to ask the Magic to move him anytime soon.

If the Celtics do attempt to push for either player, they could offer an appealing combination of draft picks, salary relief, and prospects with upside, though they don’t have an up-and-coming young player who would be the obvious headliner of such a package.

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Simons, Stanley, Toppin To Compete In Dunk Contest

March 2nd, 2021 at 6:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Anfernee Simons of the Trail Blazers, Cassius Stanley of the Pacers, and Obi Toppin of the Knicks will compete for the annual Slam Dunk title at halftime of the All-Star game on Sunday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, the NBA announced in a press release.

Simons, a 6’3” guard, is averaging 8.2 PPG in his third NBA season. Stanley is a 6’5″ rookie guard on a two-way contract after being selected in the second round last fall. He recorded a maximum vertical leap of 44 inches in the 2020 draft combine. Toppin, a 6’9″ rookie forward and lottery pick, is averaging 4.6 PPG in 25 games off the bench.

The 3-Point Contest, which will be held prior to the game, has a lot more star power. Suns guard Devin Booker and Warriors guard Stephen Curry, former winners of the long-ball contest, head the list of participants. The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Bulls’ Zach LaVine and the Jazz‘s Donovan Mitchell round out the six-man field.

The Skills Challenge, which will also be held prior to the game, also has plenty of All-Star firepower. Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Suns guard Chris Paul head that six-man list. Knicks forward Julius Randle, Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis, Magic center Nikola Vucevic and Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington round out the field.

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Southwest Notes: Rockets, Porzingis, Spurs, Mavs, Vucevic

March 1st, 2021 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s time for the Rockets to sell off assets and acquire more draft picks, Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer argues. Victor Oladipo, who reportedly rejected a two-year extension, is the team’s biggest trade chip and P.J. Tucker is the most likely player to be dealt. Eric Gordon could also be moved if a contender is willing to take on his contract.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • The Mavericks are going to great lengths to try to keep Kristaps Porzingis healthy and productive and Tim Cato of The Athletic details what the franchise is doing to make that happen. Porzingis hasn’t played more than 66 games over the last four seasons; he’s appeared in 18 of the Mavericks’ 32 games this season.
  • The Spurs will start allowing fans in the AT&T Center on March 12, according to a team press release. Attendance will be limited to approximately 3,200 fans to help maintain physical distancing. The March 12 game will be the first of 17 home games for the Spurs after the All-Star break.
  • The Mavericks were interested in Nikola Vucevic when the Magic center hit the free agent market in 2019 but he was out of their price range, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Vucevic re-signed with Orlando that summer for four years and $100MM.
  • Thanks to his improved play, Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball is less likely to be dealt before the trade deadline. Get the latest notes and rumors out of New Orleans here.
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Southeast Notes: Okeke, Wizards, Heat, Vucevic

February 23rd, 2021 at 11:10pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Magic rookie Chuma Okeke has been earning rave reviews from his veteran teammates, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic details. Okeke, the No. 16 pick out of Auburn in 2019, missed all of the 2019/20 season as he rehabilitated from a torn left ACL. Fifteen games into his pro career this year, the 22-year-old has already endeared himself to the rest of the club.

“I love Chuma,” Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier said. “I like the player, but I just like the person even more, because he does the right things and he has the right mindset.”

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

  • The Wizards have clawed their way back towards a respectable record thanks to five consecutive wins. Chase Hughes of NBC Sports unpacks how the ascent of second-year forward Rui Hachimura and the club’s hot streak can be traced to a decisive team meeting. The Wizards hope to extend their winning streak to six games tonight as they play the Clippers. Team leaders Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal reviewed their expectations of their teammates’ roles with the players themselves. “Everybody had to talk about it. Everybody started talking and I mentioned, I said ‘I can guard one through five,'” Hachimura said. Since then, he has taken his versatile defense to another level.
  • The Heat are doubling the allowed fan capacity for their home court, AmericanAirlines Arena, from 1,5000 fans to 3,000 people starting with a game tomorrow against the Raptors, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
  • Magic center Nikola Vučević has been named to his second All-Star team. Josh Robbins of The Athletic explores the steps Vučević took to improve his play this season and become the absolute fulcrum of an injury-depleted 13-19 Orlando club. “He’s an elite decision-maker,” head coach Steve Clifford raved. “He shoots when he should shoot. He passes when he should pass. And he makes his teammates better just by the very nature of how he plays.”
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2021 NBA All-Star Reserves Revealed

February 23rd, 2021 at 6:16pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The 2021 NBA All-Star reserves have been revealed. Below is the full rundown of the 14 players scheduled to join the previously announced 10 starters for the March 7 contest in Atlanta. All-Star reserves are selected by the league’s head coaches.

Eastern Conference Reserves:

Notable omissions this season include recent Heat All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, two-time Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton, recent Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young, Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, recent Pacers All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, and Sixers forward Tobias Harris.

Brown, LaVine, and Randle are making their All-Star debuts. Harden is the most decorated among the All-Star vets among the East reserves, as he will be appearing in his ninth All-Star contest.

Western Conference Reserves:

Lillard, who just barely missed out on a starting nod to Mavericks guard Luka Dončić, earns his sixth All-Star mention as he mounts a sleeper MVP campaign with the Trail Blazers. Paul will be playing in his 11th All-Star game, for a fourth different team (he did not earn an All-Star nod in either of his two Rockets seasons, but made it with the Clippers, New Orleans Hornets, and Thunder).

Snubs in the West include recent Suns All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker, Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan, and 33-year-old Jazz point guard Mike Conley, the latter of whom may go down in history as the best NBA player never to make an All-Star team. Williamson, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, is a first-time All-Star. Last year, his teammate Brandon Ingram made his own All-Star debut.

Conley may still have his day in the sun, however. Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register notes that Lakers All-Star big man Davis, recovering from a right calf strain, will likely not be healthy in time to partake in the currently-planned All-Star game, and thus another Western Conference All-Star should eventually be named by NBA commissioner Adam Silver to replace the eight-time All-Star.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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