Og Anunoby Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trade Rumors: Anunoby, Crowder, Heat, Thybulle, Wood, Russell, Plumlee

February 4th, 2023 at 10:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors will be looking for young talent rather than draft assets if they decide to trade OG Anunoby, multiple league insiders tell Christian Clark of NOLA. Toronto plans to wait until its current road trip ends on Sunday before making a decision on whether to part with Anunoby or any of its other top players.

Clark points out that the Pelicans can offer players such as Dyson Daniels, Herbert Jones and Naji Marshall, who are all on team-friendly contracts, along with a large collection of draft picks. In addition to holding all its own first-round picks over the next five years, New Orleans is owed future first-rounders from both the Lakers and Bucks.

Anunoby is one of the league’s top perimeter defenders, ranking first in both steals and deflections per game, and he shoots 39.2% on three-pointers. He can be used at shooting guard in a fully healthy lineup or he can handle either forward slot if Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson continue to battle injuries.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:

The Bucks have been considered a potential landing spot for Jae Crowder, but John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets that the Suns are unlikely to accept Milwaukee’s latest offer of Serge Ibaka, George Hill, Jordan Nwora, and second-round draft capital. Gambadoro also doesn’t expect Phoenix to wind up with Anunoby (Twitter link).
Assuming the Heat don’t make a play for Kyrie Irving, their main focus before the deadline will be finding another power forward or center who would be worth giving up a first-round pick, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson talks to a scout from a rival team about several trade prospects and what it would take to acquire them.
The Hawks have joined the Kings as suitors for Sixers guard Matisse Thybulle, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. Sources tell Stein there’s a significant chance of Thybulle being moved by the deadline.
The Clippers are considering Mavericks big man Christian Wood and Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell, Stein adds in the same piece. He also states that the Kings have contacted the Hornets to see if Mason Plumlee is available. Sacramento is hoping to deal Richaun Holmes and Alex Len and would like to improve its interior defense.

Trade Rumors: Anunoby, Hornets, Prince, Beasley, Crowder

February 3rd, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have told teams they’ll wait until their current road trip is over before making a decision on their direction at the trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said in an appearance on NBA Today on Thursday (YouTube link). With games in Houston on Friday and Memphis on Sunday still on tap for Toronto, potential trade partners will have to wait a few more days for clarity.

However, if the Raptors do make OG Anunoby available, Windhorst expects there to be several playoff teams vying for his services.

“If the Raptors are willing to put OG Anunoby on the trade block, I believe – conservatively – there could be six or seven different teams, a lot of them contenders for the title this year, who are willing to put in a significant offer for him,” Windhorst said. “It would really depend then on whether the Raptors prioritized getting young players… or if they decided to focus on draft picks, because that would change the order of teams that you’d like for OG.”

In the same TV segment, Windhorst’s ESPN colleague Bobby Marks observed that it would help potential Anunoby suitors if they could get some clarity on whether the NBA will tweak its contract extension rules in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Based on the current rules, if he were to sign an extension, Anunoby could only get a 20% raise on next season’s $18.6MM salary (or on his $19.9MM player option for 2024/25). As such, he may be inclined to wait for free agency to sign a new contract, since he could get a bigger raise at that point. However, if the new CBA loosens restrictions on veteran extensions, a team acquiring Anunoby now would be in a better position to extend him before the end of his current contract.

CBA negotiations are ongoing, so it’s unclear if teams will have a real sense by the February 9 deadline of whether or not those rules will change.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Hornets are engaged in trade talks about “almost all of their veterans,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link) writes, citing league sources. While Lowe doesn’t name specific players, we’ve previously heard Mason Plumlee, Terry Rozier, and Kelly Oubre, among others, referred to as possible trade candidates.
In his Lowe Post podcast, Lowe mentions in passing that teams are calling the Timberwolves about forward Taurean Prince “a lot.” Lowe doesn’t provide any additional details, but it seems safe to assume that Minnesota isn’t eager to move one of its key role players, given the team’s playoff aspirations. The Wolves currently rank sixth in the West at 28-26.
Rival executives tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that they believe the Jazz have at least one team willing to offer a first-round pick for veteran wing Malik Beasley. It’s unclear what sort of protections that first-rounder might have or whether Utah would have to take back a multiyear contract for salary-matching purposes.
The Bucks aren’t the only team that has requested and received permission to speak to Suns forward Jae Crowder, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who says there are “others” who have done the same.

Trade Rumors: Raptors, Ayton, Russell, Olynyk, Heat, Celtics

February 2nd, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA is still waiting to see what the Raptors will decide to do ahead of next week’s trade deadline, but it’s seeming more likely that they’ll be active.

“I would be shocked if they didn’t do anything,” one high-ranking league executive told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

The Raptors are open to offers for everyone on the roster except for second-year forward Scottie Barnes, sources tell Lewenberg. Just because they’re listening doesn’t mean they’re going to totally overhaul the team in the next week though, with Lewenberg pointing out that more options could be available in the offseason.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

The Raptors came close to landing Deandre Ayton from the Suns via sign-and-trade over the summer, a source tells Lewenberg, who notes that Phoenix is reportedly interested in OG Anunoby.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his Lowe Post podcast that trade chatter involving Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell has died down a little with his strong play of late. “He has been a good offensive player for them,” said Lowe (hat tip to RealGM). “That noise, to me, has kind of quieted. I know there are deals out there that they would do. I don’t think any teams have met those deal points yet.” Russell is making $31.4MM in the final year of his contract.
Both the Heat and Celtics are interested in a reunion with Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk, sources tell Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. Boston is still trying to figure out what Utah might seek in return for Olynyk, but a source from a team looking for frontcourt help expressed skepticism that the Celtics or Heat will be able to meet the Jazz’s asking price, per Bulpett.
A front office source from a rival team doesn’t expect the Celtics to do anything drastic on the wings at the deadline, suggesting that even if they sign someone in a buyout, that player is likely to be a deep-bench reserve who is buried on the depth chart. “I’m not saying they wouldn’t upgrade their end of the bench wings, but there’s really no room in the rotation,” the source told Bulpett.

Haynes’ Latest: Hyland, Hornets, Anunoby, Reddish, Barton

February 2nd, 2023 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are among the teams to register some interest in Nuggets guard Bones Hyland, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report stated during the latest episode of his #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Marc Stein.

Haynes, following up on his TNT report on Hyland from Tuesday, reiterated that the second-year guard would be open to a trade that sets him up for a larger role elsewhere. There has been “friction” between Hyland and Denver’s coaching staff, Haynes notes, adding that the Nuggets have confidence in rookie Christian Braun to take on some of Hyland’s minutes if a trade happens.

Echoing previous reports, Haynes also confirms that the Timberwolves are among the teams with interest in Hyland, but expresses some skepticism that the Nuggets would want to send the former first-round pick to Minnesota, since there’s still some resentment from Denver’s ownership group about how Tim Connelly‘s move to the Wolves played out.

Here are a few more items of interest from the podcast:

Based on rumblings he has heard, Haynes believes that Raptors forward OG Anunoby would “embrace a change of scenery,” even if he hasn’t explicitly asked to be traded. Haynes also suggests that neither the Grizzlies nor the Pelicans want their Southwest rival to land Anunoby, which is a factor to keep in mind if Toronto seriously considers moving him.
The Cavaliers, who have been in the market for help at the small forward position, are among the potential trade suitors to watch for Knicks forward Cam Reddish, according to Haynes. Dylan Windler‘s expiring $4MM contract would be a logical salary-matching piece in a Reddish trade if the Knicks are simply seeking a second-round pick, though that’s just my speculation.
Things haven’t worked out well for Will Barton with the Wizards so far, Haynes notes, reporting that the veteran guard would be open to a change of scenery. Haynes identifies the Nets and Bucks as two teams worth keeping an eye on. It’s unclear whether Washington will find a trade for Barton or if he might emerge as a buyout candidate after the February 9 deadline.

Raptors Notes: VanVleet, Trent, Anunoby, Banton

February 2nd, 2023 at 7:38am CST by Luke Adams

Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet is a candidate to be traded within the next week, but the team doesn’t feel “heavy pressure” to make a move or risk losing VanVleet in free agency, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

As Grange notes, there’s a belief that VanVleet would like to remain in Toronto, not just due to fit and familiarity, but because he’s in a good position to get a raise from the Raptors if and when he declines his player option this summer.

“The worst thing that could happen to Fred is to be traded,” a source told Grange. “Unless you’re a superstar who is getting the max no matter what, the best way to get paid is by staying with your own team.”

While there’s some truth to that observation, it’s worth noting that VanVleet’s Bird rights would go with him to a new team if he’s traded on or before February 9, so that club wouldn’t face any cap-related limits if it wanted to give him a significant raise on this season’s $21.25MM salary.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

League sources believe Gary Trent Jr.‘s value on the trade market is equivalent to a protected first-round pick or a pair of “good” second-round picks, along with matching salary, according to Grange. Like VanVleet, Trent can become an unrestricted free agent in July by turning down a player option, but Toronto believes it can re-sign him and doesn’t feel significant pressure to trade him now, Grange adds.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic views Raptors forward OG Anunoby as a trade chip capable of having a real impact on the title race if he ends up landing with a team like Memphis, arguing that Anunoby’s defensive versatility and ability to match up with big wings makes him worth multiple first-round picks even if his offense doesn’t improve beyond its current level.
Anunoby holds the No. 1 spot on The Athletic’s latest trade deadline big board, which ranks players based on several factors, including his potential impact and his “asset value.” Two other Raptors are in the top 10, with VanVleet coming in at No. 3 and Trent at No. 9.
Second-year guard Dalano Banton, who played in 15 of the Raptors’ first 16 games this season, saw some action on Wednesday for the first time since December 18, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. A restricted free agent at season’s end, Banton was with the Raptors 905 in the G League for a while and also missed time due to a hip injury.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic considers four possible paths Toronto could take at the trade deadline, ranging from standing pat to blowing up the roster.

Pacers, Pelicans Among Potential OG Anunoby Suitors?

February 1st, 2023 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on FanDuel TV (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic adds a couple more teams to the list of potential OG Anunoby suitors, suggesting that the Pacers and Pelicans have registered some interest in the Raptors forward and are worth keeping an eye on.

Anunoby would have local appeal in Indiana, having played his college ball for the Hoosiers before he was drafted by Toronto in 2017. He would also make sense as a long-term fit among a Pacers core that includes guards Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin and center Myles Turner.

The retooling Pacers may not be in position to offer up many of their own draft picks for a player like Anunoby, but they do control 2023 first-rounders from Cleveland (top-14 protected) and Boston (top-12 protected). Those picks – especially Boston’s – figure to land late in the first round, but could be used to help sweeten a trade offer.

New Orleans, meanwhile, remains well stocked with draft assets as a result of blockbuster trades involving Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday. Besides holding all their own future first-rounders and a handful of swaps, the Pelicans also control the Lakers’ unprotected 2024 pick (with the option to defer it to 2025) and the Bucks’ unprotected 2027 pick.

Those extra selections would put the Pelicans in position to make a strong offer for Anunoby without mortgaging their future. In New Orleans, the former Hoosier could supplement a core that features Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum and could form a fearsome defensive duo alongside talented young forward Herbert Jones.

Charania reiterates that Phoenix and New York are among the other teams with interest in Anunoby, while Ian Begley of SNY.tv confirms that the Knicks conveyed to the Raptors earlier in the season that they were comfortable offering three first-round picks for the 25-year-old. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca reported this morning that the Knicks were widely believed to be willing to make that sort of offer.

Begley stresses that those conversations about Anunoby occurred before the Knicks reeled off eight straight wins in December and says it’s unclear what sort of protections would have been on those first-rounders. New York controls a handful of protected picks from other clubs, as we outlined in our earlier story.

Anunoby is currently sidelined due to a sprained left wrist, but Charania hears that the injury is not considered serious and that the forward could return to action when the Raptors return to Toronto next week following the conclusion of their current road trip.

Knicks Notes: Bey, Anunoby, Barrett

February 1st, 2023 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are among the teams that has shown interest in Pistons forward Saddiq Bey, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Begley isn’t sure how far discussions between the two teams have gotten, but says Bey’s name is one that “has been talked about recently” as New York considers its trade options.

The Pistons are believed to be setting a high asking price for players like Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, and Bey, so it may be tricky for the Knicks to find a deal that works for both sides. Still, as Begley points out, the two front offices have worked together many times in recent years — New York acquired Derrick Rose from Detroit at the 2021 trade deadline and the two clubs completed a pair of offseason deals in 2022.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Begley previously reported that the Knicks were open to offering multiple first-round picks for OG Anunoby, while a separate report indicated that at least one team was prepared to put three first-rounders on the table for the Raptors forward. According to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, there’s a wide belief that the report was referring to the Knicks and that New York is the team willing to offer three first-rounders for Anunoby.
However, Grange cautions that even if the Knicks are willing to offer three first-round picks, those may not be “high-end” selections. New York controls protected 2023 first-rounders from Dallas (top-10 protected), Detroit (top-18 protected), and Washington (top-14 protected). None of those picks can ever land in the top eight and it may still be multiple years before a couple of them change hands. They wouldn’t be nearly as valuable as the Knicks’ own unprotected picks.
RJ Barrett didn’t play during the final seven minutes of regulation or at all in overtime on Tuesday as the Knicks fell to the Lakers, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. Barrett didn’t speak to reporters after the game, but appeared frustrated, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, while head coach Tom Thibodeau offered only a brief explanation for why he opted to close the contest with Immanuel Quickley instead of Barrett. “We were just looking for our group to get going,” Thibodeau said. “The group that was out there was what we went with.”
In case you missed it, the Knicks will send a player to the Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in Utah. Quentin Grimes was one of 10 sophomores to earn a spot in the player pool.

Raptors Rumors: Trent, VanVleet, Siakam, Anunoby, Achiuwa

January 31st, 2023 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

Most executives who have spoken to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype believe that Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. will be able to at least match – and likely exceed – the value of his $18.8MM player option on a new contract, which is why he’s considered a strong bet to opt out and become a free agent this summer.

Scotto said during a podcast with Blake Murphy of Sportsnet that there are people around the league who think Trent will surpass $20MM annually on his next contract. Although Murphy mentioned the possibility of a deal in the neighborhood of $25MM per year for Trent, Scotto is skeptical that he’ll get that much — if he does, it would be based on his age and potential for further growth (he just turned 24 years old).

As for Fred VanVleet, Scotto has heard that the Raptors’ point guard could be seeking a contract in the range of $30-35MM per year when he’s eligible for free agency this summer. That would put him in the same ballpark as a fellow guard like Jrue Holiday, for instance, Scotto observes.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Executives around the NBA don’t expect Pascal Siakam to be on the move by February 9 unless the Raptors are blown away with a “crazy” offer, Scotto says.
According to Scotto, a number of rival executives have speculated about the possibility of the Grizzlies making a run at Raptors forward OG Anunoby. Memphis has exhibited plenty of patience in building its roster in recent years and hasn’t seemed eager to sacrifice future draft capital to take a big swing — still, Anunoby would be an ideal fit on the roster, and the team has an extra first-round pick (Golden State’s top-four protected 2024 selection).
Anunoby tells Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that there’s no truth to the rumblings that he wants out of Toronto. Within the same story, Grange examines the recent emergence of Precious Achiuwa and considers whether the ascendant big man could help ease the loss if the Raptors trade Anunoby.

Injury Updates: Anunoby, Simmons, Warren, James, Doncic, Young, Butler

January 30th, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

OG Anunoby is one of the bigger names churning through the trade rumor mill, so the latest injury news regarding the Raptors forward could complicate those discussions.

The team has ruled out Anunoby for the remainder of its road trip, a seven-game journey which concludes with stops in Utah, Houston and Memphis this week, Michael Grange of Sportnet.ca tweets. He sprained his left wrist against Golden State on Friday.

We have more notable injury updates:

The Nets’ Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) and T.J. Warren (left shin contusion) sat out Monday’s win over the Lakers, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Coach Jacque Vaughn is hopeful both will be “ready to go” for Wednesday’s matchup against Boston, Adam Zagoria tweets.
LeBron James sat out that game with what Lakers coach Darvin Ham describes as “some really significant soreness” in his left foot, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register tweets. The Lakers play against the Knicks on Tuesday.
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic returned to action after a one-game absence due to an ankle sprain and continued his scoring rampage. He notched 53 points against Detroit, his league-best fourth 50-point game this season, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press notes (Twitter link).
Hawks guard Trae Young sat out Monday’s game against Portland due to right ankle soreness, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. He had 31 points in 36 minutes against the Clippers on Saturday.
Heat forward Jimmy Butler (right quad contusion) is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Butler scored 28 points against Charlotte on Sunday.

Charania’s Latest: Anunoby, Collins, Poeltl, Hyland, More

January 30th, 2023 at 9:42am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks and Suns are among the teams interested in acquiring OG Anunoby, but it may be a few more days before the Raptors decide whether to make him available, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic. Sources tell Charania that Toronto won’t decide whether to be a buyer or seller until close to the February 9 trade deadline. That decision will affect the availability of Anunoby, along with Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and possibly others.

The Raptors were counting on another strong season after finishing fifth in the East last year, but they’re just 23-28 so far and stuck in 12th place. However, Toronto has won two of the first three games on its current road trip and still has a realistic shot to reach the play-in tournament.

President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster want to take as much time as they can to evaluate the current roster before deciding whether to keep the core together or try to rebuild around Scottie Barnes. The Raptors are expected to seek a premium price if they do make their top players available, and Charania hears that the Knicks are willing to part with multiple first-round picks to land Anunoby.

The organization will also make a decision this summer on the future of head coach Nick Nurse, Charania adds. Toronto hasn’t released the details of Nurse’s most recent contract extension, but sources tell Charania it will expire after the 2023/24 season. He also hears from sources that Nurse has been the target of some of the frustrations this season, and the front office will consider whether a coaching change is in the team’s best interest.

Charania offers more inside information heading into the trade deadline:

The Hawks are still listening to offers for John Collins, but new head of basketball operations Landry Fields is telling teams that Collins is considered an important asset rather than a salary to dump. The Jazz remain interested in Collins, sources tell Charania, and when the teams discussed a deal early this season, Atlanta sought Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in return. Utah reportedly asked for a first-round pick as well, which caused negotiations to stall.
Spurs center Jakob Poeltl is getting increased interest on the trade market, and Charania believes he could be headed to an Eastern Conference team such as the Celtics or Raptors.
The Nuggets are holding active trade conversations regarding Bones Hyland, and sources tell Charania that the Timberwolves are among the interested teams.
The Hornets are engaged in trade talks regarding Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre, according to Charania, and the Suns, Raptors, Jazz, Pacers and Spurs are among the teams monitoring Jalen McDaniels. Charlotte may value McDaniels too highly to consider a trade, but teams with cap space are expected to target him when he becomes a free agent this summer.
The Jazz are also interested in Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, and Charania reports that rival teams believe he would be available in a deal involving a star player. Executives tell Charania that Dallas has put a high price on Finney-Smith, who signed a four-year, $55MM extension last year.
Jaylen Nowell is strongly considering leaving the Timberwolves this summer in free agency if he doesn’t get an extension in Minnesota, according to Charania’s sources.