OG Anunoby Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Blazers Rumors: No. 3 Pick, Lillard, Adebayo, George, Zion

June 20th, 2023 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

Like his ESPN colleague Jonathan Givony, Brian Windhorst has been hearing that the Trail Blazers haven’t been enamored with the trade offers they’ve been getting for the No. 3 pick in this Thursday’s draft. Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Tuesday (YouTube link), Windhorst discussed the situation in Portland and how it could affect star guard Damian Lillard.

“In discussions with teams in the last couple of days, the Blazers have started to maybe indicate that they won’t trade the No. 3 pick and that they may end up deciding to draft a player there, whether it be Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller, because they aren’t necessarily in love with the options they’re getting offer for No. 3,” Windhorst said.

As Windhorst notes, Lillard has repeatedly expressed his loyalty to the Trail Blazers, but he has also spoken in recent months about not wanting to be part of a rebuild in Portland and his hope that the team can add impact veterans.

“I checked in on the Lillard side of things about whether or not there’d been a change of heart there and I was told unequivocally, ‘No,'” Windhorst said. “Dame does not want a youth movement. He wants to play with veterans. He wants the team to upgrade fast and immediately with veteran players that can help him now.”

There are other ways besides trading the No. 3 pick for the Blazers to add veteran talent this summer, Windhorst acknowledges, so if Portland keeps and uses its lottery pick on Thursday, that doesn’t necessarily mean Lillard will immediately make a trade request.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports makes this point too, writing in his latest story that the Blazers “view this entire offseason as their canvas” to upgrade their roster around Lillard and don’t necessarily feel it has to happen entirely during the draft. For now, it still appears that Dame’s preference is to remain in Portland and that the club hasn’t shown any willingness to discuss trading Lillard, says Fischer.

Here’s more on the Blazers:

Portland is preparing what the front office considers a “compelling” offer for Heat big man Bam Adebayo, a source tells Fischer. While that may be true, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Miami would accept such a deal, given that the Heat view Adebayo as a long-term cornerstone and want to acquire Lillard themselves rather than help the Blazers keep him. For what it’s worth, Fischer suggests that any Portland offer for Adebayo would almost certainly have to include Shaedon Sharpe in addition to the No. 3 pick and Anfernee Simons to even get Miami to think about it.
While Adebayo may not be attainable, he’s the sort of “premium” player the Trail Blazers are targeting in talks involving their lottery pick, Fischer writes, naming Clippers forward Paul George as another example of a player the team would like to land.
League sources tell Fischer that the Blazers don’t “truly covet” either of the Raptors forwards they’ve been linked to (Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby) in a deal for the No. 3 selection. Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns also aren’t considered legitimate targets, Fischer adds.
The Blazers and Pelicans have discussed Zion Williamson, per Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, but New Orleans hasn’t made a formal offer involving Williamson and may want more than just the No. 3 pick for him, per Fischer.

Stein’s Latest: Pacers, Barnes, Anunoby, Hawks, Lively, Beal

June 19th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Pacers aren’t able to trade for a starting-caliber forward, either using the No. 7 pick or other assets, they’re expected to turn to free agency in an effort to land that sort of player, Marc Stein writes at Substack.

One player Indiana has some interest in, league sources tell Stein, is Kings forward Harrison Barnes, who will be an unrestricted free agent next week. As Stein points out, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle coached Barnes in Dallas, while point guard Tyrese Haliburton played with the veteran in Sacramento, so Barnes certainly has fans within the organization.

Stein classifies Barnes as a “strong” candidate to change teams this offseason, though he hears from one source that a return to the Kings hasn’t been ruled out.

Here’s more from Stein:

A team with interest in acquiring OG Anunoby described the Raptors‘ feelings about trading him as “strong reluctance,” Stein writes. While Anunoby has no shortage of potential suitors – including teams like Indiana, Portland, Memphis, and Sacramento – Stein says the early signals suggest the Raptors may end up once again holding onto him, like they did at the trade deadline.
The Hawks are “known to be interested” in Duke big man Dereck Lively and have spoken to Dallas about trades involving the No. 10 pick, according to Stein. While Stein doesn’t go into detail about how the possibility of Atlanta landing Lively would affect the team’s current big men, such as center Clint Capela, that frontcourt would be getting awfully crowded.
A veteran personnel executive tells Stein that Bradley Beal getting to be the third option with the Suns should “suit him very well.” Beal was probably miscast as a franchise player in Washington, but made a career-best 50.6% of his shots this past season as he increasingly shared the scoring load with Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma while his shot attempts per game dipped to 17.6 (his lowest mark since 2016/17).

Scotto’s Latest: VanVleet, Anunoby, Middleton, DiVincenzo, G. Williams

June 18th, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

New head coach Ime Udoka’s desire to land a veteran point guard makes the Rockets a strong contender for Fred VanVleet in free agency, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Houston will be part of a large group of teams expected to pursue VanVleet, who remains open to re-signing with the Raptors, Scotto adds.

The Suns expressed interest in VanVleet the last time he was a free agent, Scotto notes. Chris Paul appears to be on the way out of Phoenix, as Scotto’s sources say the team has discussed a number of trade scenarios, including a proposed deal reported Saturday that would send him to Washington as part of a package for Bradley Beal.

The Lakers would also like to add VanVleet, according to Scotto, but would probably need to work out a sign-and-trade with the Raptors to make it happen. That would require Toronto to have interest in D’Angelo Russell, who is also a free agent.

VanVleet has also been linked to the Magic because president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman previously worked in Toronto, but Scotto cites skepticism that Orlando is ready to make a big free agent move while the core of the team is still young.

Scotto passes along more inside information:

The Grizzlies are a team to watch if the Raptors decide to part with OG Anunoby, Scotto states. Memphis is offering future first-round draft picks to add a wing player, according to Scotto’s sources, and Anunoby would be an attractive target if he becomes available. Scotto notes that the Grizzlies were willing to give four first-round picks to Brooklyn in February for Mikal Bridges, and the need for wing help has increased with Dillon Brooks not expected back next season.
League executives tell Scotto that they expect Khris Middleton to re-sign with the Bucks for about $130MM over four years if he turns down his $40.4MM player option. Milwaukee is hoping to re-sign Brook Lopez as well, Scotto adds, but the veteran center will likely get an offer from the Rockets.
Donte DiVincenzo is expected to turn down his $4.7MM player option and receive better offers than the Warriors can match. One executive told Scotto that DiVincenzo is likely to be offered the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is well above the four-year, $23.2MM deal that Golden State can give him due to cap restrictions. Scotto hears that the Warriors have also received interest in Jonathan Kuminga from several teams that believe he can be more successful with an increased role.
The Mavericks have expressed interest in Celtics free agent forward Grant Williams, who has the same agent as Luka Doncic, sources tell Scotto. Dallas has also considered bringing back former Maverick Harrison Barnes, Scotto adds.
League executives expect the Bulls to re-sign center Nikola Vucevic, likely for about $65MM over three years, according to Scotto.

Fischer’s Latest: Kuzma, Pacers, Rockets, Draft, Raptors, More

June 16th, 2023 at 11:14pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns have been targeting Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma for “several seasons,” league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, but it seems unlikely he’ll be headed to Phoenix this summer.

Kuzma, who has said he plans to decline his $13MM player option in search of a bigger payday, has been linked to the Pacers and Rockets — a couple of teams with cap space — ahead of free agency, says Fischer.

The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 21.2 PPG in 2022/23, along with 7.2 RPG and 3.7 APG (another career-best) in 64 games (35.0 MPG). However, his scoring efficiency left something to be desired — he posted a .448/.333/.730 shooting slash line for a below-average 54.4 true shooting percentage.

It’s unclear if Washington’s new front office will have interest in retaining Kuzma. The prior regime was obviously high on the combo forward, as the club decided to hold onto him through the February trade deadline.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up for Yahoo Sports:

Outside of the top three selections, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how the rest of the lottery will play out, Fischer writes. He suggests that Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin and Metropolitans 92 wing Bilal Coulibaly are worth keeping an eye on as somewhat unexpected top-10 picks. Several teams are reportedly considering moving into or out of the lottery, and sources tell Fischer the Thunder (No. 12) should be added to the list of teams open to moving back in order to add multiple first-rounders.
According to Fischer’s sources, while the Raptors continue to weigh various approaches to their roster construction, they still view Scottie Barnes as a franchise cornerstone. Multiple league executives tell Fischer the Raptors are expected to keep investigating pathways to move into the top three of the draft, and they’ve also contacted the Rockets about the fourth overall pick.
Moving into the top three or four would almost certainly require the Raptors to part with Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby, Fischer notes. Toronto has had previous trade talks with the Trail Blazers, who control the third pick, centered around both forwards, sources tell Fischer. Both players are entering the final year of their contracts, so presumably any team acquiring either player would have to secure a long-term commitment — they’ll both be extension-eligible this offseason. Fischer hears the Raptors have told rival clubs they declined Portland’s overtures for Anunoby in exchange for the seventh overall pick in 2022, but obviously last year’s seventh pick has a different valuation than a top-three selection in a draft that is viewed as having three standout prospects.
Multiple sources tell Fischer that Anunoby is “very much” open to staying with the Raptors if he can land a bigger role in the team’s offense under new head coach Darko Rajakovic. However, he suggests that might change if Siakam and Fred VanVleet remain on the roster alongside Barnes next season. The Kings are among the teams interested in Anunoby, Fischer writes, with Harrison Barnes‘ future up in the air ahead of free agency.
Despite opting out of his player option, VanVleet is still open to re-signing with the Raptors, per Fischer. $90MM over three years appears to be VanVleet’s floor for a new contract, according to Fischer, who adds that fellow guard Gary Trent Jr. will likely command “at least” $20MM annually in free agency. Trent is expected to decline his own player option, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. The deadline on Trent’s decision was reported to be June 14, but may have been pushed back — ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) now lists that deadline as June 29.

Haynes’ Latest: Beal, Pacers, Lue, McMillan, Henderson, Hornets

June 16th, 2023 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards have given Bradley Beal and his representatives – including agent Mark Bartelstein – permission to talk to rival teams about a potential trade, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

While Beal has not requested a trade, per Haynes, the Wizards are reportedly mulling the idea of a roster reset that would involve moving the star guard. Since Beal has a no-trade clause, he’ll be very much a part of any trade negotiations, so it’s no surprise that his camp has been granted permission to talk directly to potential suitors.

The Heat and Bucks are among the teams expected to speak with Bartelstein, sources tell Haynes. The Heat and Beal have been linked in the past and appear to have mutual interest, but the 29-year-old isn’t attempting to force his way to Miami or to any other specific team, a source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

As for Milwaukee, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports confirms there have been rumblings about the Bucks having interest in Beal, as others have reported. But a Bucks trade for Beal would probably have to include Khris Middleton, according to Fischer, who says all indications are that Milwaukee intends to bring back Middleton and free agent center Brook Lopez.

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

The Pacers have made the No. 7 pick available and are in the market for a starting-caliber wing, per Haynes, echoing a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Twitter video link via Evan Sidery of Forbes). According to Fischer, Indiana previously explored trade scenarios for Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter (for Chris Duarte and draft capital) and Raptors forward OG Anunoby. The Pacers are also expected to be among the suitors for Celtics restricted free agent forward Grant Williams, Fischer adds.
The Clippers are considered unlikely to reach an agreement on a contract extension with head coach Tyronn Lue this offseason, Haynes reports. Lue has one more guaranteed year on his contract, with a team option for 2024/25. Haynes adds that the Suns never officially made contact with the Clippers about their interest in Lue this spring, since L.A. would have wanted draft assets to release Lue from his contract, and Phoenix used most of its draft picks at the trade deadline to acquire Kevin Durant.
Nate McMillan turned down an offer to join the Mavericks‘ coaching staff and intends to take a year off from coaching to spend time with his family, sources tell Haynes.
Scoot Henderson will return to North Carolina on Monday to meet with Hornets owner Michael Jordan, writes Haynes. Fischer previously reported that Charlotte wanted to bring both Henderson and Brandon Miller back early next week to meet with Jordan. It’s unclear whether or not Miller will also return to Charlotte.

Nuggets Notes: Murray, Irving, Smith, Williams, Braun, Watson, Anunoby

June 13th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets’ path to the championship was a testament to perseverance and patience. They didn’t panic when they fell short in previous postseasons, nor did they feel the need to replace coach Michael Malone. They were rewarded this season but there was some measure of luck involved. ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link) offers some sourced nuggets on the Nuggets, sharing details about the steps along the way to the first title in franchise history. Here are some of the highlights from Lowe’s story:

The Nuggets never seriously considered trading Jamal Murray as he rehabbed from his ACL injury but former executive Tim Connelly approached Malone five or six years ago to say that Murray could be moved for a high-profile veteran player or two. Kyrie Irving, who requested a trade from the Cavaliers during the 2017 offseason, was one of the players Denver considered acquiring in a Murray deal, but the team ultimately decided against pursuing Irving.
The Nuggets had an opportunity to move journeyman point guard Ish Smith prior to this season’s trade deadline, but coaches and players lobbied the front office to keep him. Smith didn’t play much but he proved to be a powerful influence behind the scenes, including mimicking the Heat’s playbook as part of Denver’s scout team at Finals practices.
General manager Calvin Booth considered trading up to the No. 10 spot — held by the Wizards — in last year’s draft with the idea of selecting Jalen Williams. The Nuggets also considered moving up later in the lottery to nab Christian Braun, even though he was projected as a late first-rounder. They got him anyway at No. 21. They were also concerned that the Warriors would take Peyton Watson with the No. 28 pick. Golden State passed on Watson and Denver grabbed him at No. 30.
In one of the few mistakes they made, the Nuggets traded down from No. 13 to No. 24 in the 2017 draft — the 13th pick turned out to be Donovan Mitchell. Denver had considered taking OG Anunoby at that spot but felt he was a reach at that point in the draft. Anunoby came off the board at No. 23 and the Nuggets wound up with long-forgotten Tyler Lydon with the next pick.

Raptors Notes: Rajakovic, VanVleet, Draft Pick, Green

June 13th, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri felt the organization needed a change, and surprise coaching choice Darko Rajakovic is just what he was looking for, according to Ian Harrison of The Associated Press.

“I know it’s change and sometimes change is hard, but we believe change is good, and change is good for our ball club and our organization now,” Ujiri said during the coach’s introductory press conference.

GM Bobby Webster said Rajakovic wasn’t the favorite going into the process but won over everyone in the organization, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets.

“We were really open minded with the approach to who we wanted to look at and every step of the way he really exceeded expectations and impressed us,” Webster said.

We have more on the Raptors:

Now that Fred VanVleet has declined his player option, where might he wind up? Cap space teams like the the Rockets, Magic and Lakers could be viable options for the combo guard, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. The number of other suitors could pursue a sign-and-trade for VanVleet, including the Bulls, though that could be contingent on whether the Raptors value former lottery pick Patrick Williams.
The Raptors hold the No. 13 pick in the draft and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star takes a closer look at which players they might consider at that spot. With Gary Trent Jr. expected to become a free agent, a wing like Cason Wallace, Kobe Bufkin, Keyonte George, Gradey Dick and Bilal Coulibaly could serve as his replacement.
Former Raptors guard Danny Green saw head coaching potential from Rajakovic while rehabbing with the Grizzlies from a knee injury, Lewenberg writes. “He operated like a head coach. He’s very good at breaking things down and talking to the group in that manner,” Green said. “Certain people you can look at and say ‘I could never see them as a head coach’, or ‘He doesn’t seem sure of himself’, or not yet anyway. But I could see him being in that role.”
The hiring of Rajakovic points to the Raptors building around a younger roster with Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and Jakob Poeltl at the core, Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur opines.

Trail Blazers Offering No. 3 Pick, Simons In Exchange For Star?

June 10th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Numerous trade rumors are circulating about Damian Lillard, but league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer that the Trail Blazers are more inclined to keep Lillard and try to build a contender around him.

According to O’Connor, Portland’s front office is exploring deals involving the No. 3 pick in the draft and would be willing to move Anfernee Simons as well. O’Connor names the Celtics‘ Jaylen Brown, the Raptors‘ Pascal Siakam and the Nets‘ Mikal Bridges as targets that would make sense for that package, but he also cautions that the Blazers might decide to keep their pick.

Simons is coming off his best NBA season, averaging 21.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 62 games. The 24-year-old shooting guard has three seasons left on his four-year, $100MM extension.

The No. 3 pick also carries significant value in a draft that is projected to have three top players. Brandon Miller is widely expected to be taken second by Charlotte, leaving G League star Scoot Henderson available for any team that wants to deal for the third choice. However, Miller and Henderson could easily flip places.

In an interview this week, Lillard identified the Heat and Nets as teams he would be interested in joining if he requests a trade. O’Connor offers a few other suggestions, including the Raptors, who reportedly talked to Portland about an OG Anunoby deal last summer and again before the February deadline. O’Connor also mentions the Grizzlies if they decide to unload Ja Morant or teams rich in draft picks such as the Pelicans, Rockets and Spurs.

Lillard has stated repeatedly that he wants to compete for a championship, and O’Connor believes his best chance to reach that goal is to accept a trade. However, it appears the Blazers are going to make an effort to create an instant contender before they consider that option.

Raptors Notes: Rajakovic, Scariolo, Coaching Search

June 10th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors‘ decision to hire Darko Rajakovic as their next head coach doesn’t provide any clues about what they plan to do with their roster, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Rajakovic is versatile enough to handle either direction, Koreen states, whether it’s trying to win right away with the current core or leading a rebuilding project focused on younger players.

Toronto had a lot of individual talent this season, especially once center Jakob Poeltl was acquired at the trade deadline, but the team couldn’t put together any sustained success, which led to the dismissal of Nick Nurse after the play-in tournament. The Raptors have a decision to make on Poeltl as he enters free agency, along with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., who are both expected to turn down their player options and test the market. The team also must decide whether to explore potential trades involving Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby after opting to keep both of them at this year’s deadline.

Regardless of what happens with the team’s stars, Rajakovic will be counted on to develop young players who are able to contribute. Koreen notes that Nurse played his starters more than any other coach this season as draft picks such as Malachi Flynn and Dalano Banton weren’t able to earn rotation roles.

There’s more on the Raptors:

Rajakovic will be a huge loss for the Grizzlies‘ coaching staff, per Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. He spent three seasons with Memphis, and as the lead assistant, he filled in whenever Taylor Jenkins was unavailable. Rajakovic also guided the Grizzlies’ Summer League team in 2021, encouraging Desmond Bane to handle the ball more often and working to develop Ziaire Williams in his first NBA experience. “His basketball knowledge is very good, especially on the offensive end,” Williams said. “His schemes and the way he reads the game, it’s pretty different. I haven’t seen it before honestly.”
Sergio Scariolo, who was one of the coaches to receive a second interview in Toronto, tweeted a congratulatory message after news of Rajakovic’s hiring broke Saturday afternoon. “Congrats and good luck to my good friend coach @DRajakovic!” Scariolo wrote. “Good choice, it’s great to see a European coach having an opportunity to prove his value as an NBA HC ! A heartfelt thank you to the Raptors, receive this consideration from what has been my team was very meaningful!”
Many people around the league were perplexed by the length of the Raptors’ coaching search, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto’s interview process was largely conducted in secret, and it took nearly two full months to choose a replacement after Nurse was fired.

Blazers Rumors: Grant, Thybulle, Reddish, No. 3 Pick, Sharpe, More

May 31st, 2023 at 7:42am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant still appears on track to become a free agent this offseason rather than accepting the maximum four-year, $113MM extension he can sign until June 30. Appearing on the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report said he doesn’t expect the annual salary on Grant’s next deal to be worth more than about $30MM, but suggests that the forward may be waiting until free agency in order to get a fifth year from Portland.

“I think it’s going to come out around five years, $150 million, with probably a player option,” Highkin said. “I know he gets talked about as one of the top free agents on the market, but I’d expect that gets done pretty quickly. It might even be a (6:01 pm) on June 30th type of signing.”

As for restricted free agents Matisse Thybulle and Cam Reddish, Highkin views Thybulle as the player who is more likely to re-sign with the Blazers, suggesting that the former Sixer will be a priority for the front office. Highkin is less certain about Portland’s appetite for a new deal with Reddish, telling Scotto that the team would probably have interest in bringing back the former lottery pick if the price is right.

Here are more highlights from the conversation between Scotto and Highkin:

Scotto has gotten the sense that the Trail Blazers are comfortable keeping the No. 3 overall pick and drafting either Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson, even as they plan to continue building around Damian Lillard. However, Highkin believes Portland is far more likely to trade the pick for an established veteran, mentioning two-way forwards like Jaylen Brown and Pascal Siakam as potential targets while downplaying the likelihood of the club pursuing offensive-minded players like Zach LaVine. Another Raptors forward, OG Anunoby, has also been linked to the Blazers and would be a good fit on the roster, but Highkin doesn’t expect Portland to give up the No. 3 pick for Anunoby.
There are some people in Portland who believe Shaedon Sharpe has All-Star potential, according to Scotto. Highkin agrees that the Blazers are high on Sharpe and expects he’ll be kept out of any trade that doesn’t return a superstar (“Joel Embiid or something like that”). Anfernee Simons is the more likely trade candidate, Highkin explains, given his larger cap hit and his fit next to Lillard. Sharpe, who has more size and defensive upside than Simons, is the more logical long-term backcourt partner for Dame.
The Blazers may make some changes to their coaching staff this summer to give Chauncey Billups some more experienced assistants, Highkin notes. The organization remains optimistic about Billups’ potential as a head coach and wants to give him an opportunity to lead a more competitive roster, Highkin adds.
When the Blazers signed Jusuf Nurkic to a four-year, $70MM contract last offseason, that didn’t necessarily mean they thought he was their center of the future, according to Highkin, who believes the team is “very open” to moving Nurkic and will explore trade possibilities this summer. Highkin suggests that Nurkic’s willingness to be shut down with a leg injury in 2021/22 when Portland went into tank mode played a part in Portland’s decision to “take care” of him in free agency last summer.