Og Anunoby Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trade Rumors: Suns, Jazz, Capela, Wolves, Russell, Fournier, Anunoby

June 23rd, 2022 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns don’t currently own a pick in the 2022 NBA draft, but there have been recent rumors that the team is interested in trading for a second-rounder. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix goes a step further, stating (via Twitter) that “while a second-round pick is more likely, I cannot rule out (the Suns) trading into the first round.”

Gambadoro reports that Phoenix has its eyes on eight-to-10 prospects that the team would consider making a deal for. He points to the Spurs, Hornets and Hawks as teams who could be trade partners, though he doesn’t clarify which of those teams’ picks might be in play.

Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Like Phoenix, Utah doesn’t currently control a pick, but the Jazz are dangling core players to try and acquire some, multiple sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones reports that the Jazz are very active on the trade market, with the odds increasing that the team’s roster could look significantly different by the end of today. The Jazz have a “lengthy list” of potential undrafted prospects they hope to entice with Exhibit 10 contracts once the draft concludes, sources tell The Athletic.
The Timberwolves remain interested in potentially pairing Karl-Anthony Towns with Clint Capela in the team’s frontcourt, but sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic that the Wolves and Hawks haven’t made any real headway on that front.
Sources suggest to Dane Moore of Bring Me The News (Twitter link) that there’s a greater than 50% chance that D’Angelo Russell will be traded by the Timberwolves in the coming days. Russell is viewed as a trade candidate due to his poor playoff showing despite having a solid season with Minnesota. The guard is extension-eligible this summer and his $31.38MM contract expires after next season.
The Knicks offered to trade Evan Fournier to the Celtics to create cap space in order to sign Jalen Brunson, but Boston has no interest in the deal, according to Gambadoro (Twitter links). The Celtics have a large trade exception that was ironically created by signing-and-trading Fournier to New York, so the Knicks theoretically wouldn’t have needed a player in return, but he’d still count against Boston’s cap, which would push the team deep into the luxury tax.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report says (via Twitter) that he has “consistently heard” the Raptors are only interested in trading OG Anunoby if they can get an “elite center” in return. Toronto is still linked to Rudy Gobert and inquired about Jarrett Allen in February, sources tell Bleacher Report.

Trail Blazers Pursuing OG Anunoby

June 22nd, 2022 at 7:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

After agreeing to a deal for Jerami Grant, the Trail Blazers are now targeting Raptors forward OG Anunoby, tweets Chris Hayes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes adds that Portland is willing to part with the No. 7 pick in Thursday’s draft in a potential trade.

A report emerged late last month that Anunoby had grown frustrated with his role in Toronto’s offense, as much of his ball-handling duties had been taken over by Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes.

However, there was no indication that Anunoby had asked to be traded, and subsequent reports have suggested the Raptors are unlikely to move him unless the return is substantial.

The 24-year-old is coming off a career-best scoring season, putting up 17.1 PPG in 48 games. He also averaged a career high in assists with 2.6 per game and took more shots (14.5) and three-pointers (6.6) than in any previous season while playing his usual strong, versatile defense.

Anunoby would be another solid building block for the Trail Blazers, who are hoping for a quick turnaround following an injury-plagued 27-55 season. He has two more two more guaranteed years left on his contract, plus a $19.9MM player option for 2024/25.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Mills, Kyrie, Knicks, Burks, Celtics

June 22nd, 2022 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked on Tuesday about what the Raptors‘ offseason might look like, general manager Bobby Webster suggested it might be a fairly quiet summer in Toronto, but didn’t rule out the possibility of that changing if favorable trade opportunities arise.

“You look at it two ways: We have a couple free agents, we have a mid-level (exception). Maybe in that sense it’s just adding to the group,” Webster said, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “Obviously if you have trade discussions, it’s different. There are kind of just two different paths you can go.”

OG Anunoby has been at the center of some trade rumors this offseason, with one report indicating the Raptors forward wants a bigger role on offense going forward. Asked about Anunoby, Webster dismissed the idea that there’s any real tension between the team and the 24-year-old, but he also didn’t exactly slam the door on the idea that Anunoby could be traded.

“We have great communication with OG,” Webster said. “He’s even up here (in Toronto) now. For one, it doesn’t make sense to comment on all the trade speculation. If we talked about every call we got or every player we discussed we’d be here for hours, so I don’t think it’s all that noteworthy.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets guard Patty Mills still hasn’t decided whether or not he’ll pick up his $6.2MM player option for 2022/23, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Insider link). In a story for NetsDaily, Collin Helwig looks at what Mills could bring to the table for Brooklyn next season if he returns and is slotted into the role the team envisioned for him last year, before Kyrie Irving‘s extended absence resulted in him being thrust into the starting lineup.
Speaking of Irving, both Fred Katz of The Athletic and Ian Begley of SNY.tv explored whether the idea of the Nets guard joining the cross-town Knicks this offseason is realistic. A Shams Charania report on Monday linked Irving to the Knicks, but New York is believed to be more focused on Jalen Brunson and Malcolm Brogdon, while there’s a belief that Kyrie and the Nets can still work out a deal.
Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News provides a few more details on Alec Burks‘ foot surgery, reporting that the affected left foot had been bothering the Knicks guard for a while. Burks, who previously underwent procedures on his left ankle in 2015 and 2016, has seen his trade value negatively affected by the surgery, league sources tell Bondy.
The Celtics brought in Michigan State forward Gabe Brown on Wednesday, just a day before the draft, for a second workout, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Brown, the No. 78 prospect on ESPN’s big board, could be a target for Boston with the 53rd overall pick or as an undrafted free agent.

Fischer’s Latest: Ayton, Nurkic, Anunoby, Dort, Turner, Sharpe

June 16th, 2022 at 1:14pm CST by Rory Maher

The Trail Blazers are no longer viewed as a suitor for restricted free agent Deandre Ayton, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. According to Fischer, Portland plans to re-sign starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who is an unrestricted free agent, and hopes to acquire Raptors forward OG Anunoby in exchange for a package headlined by the No. 7 overall pick of the 2022 draft.

However, Anunoby might not be the only target for the Blazers. It’s been rumored that the Thunder are trying to move up in the lottery, and Fischer reports that “there has been increasing talk” about Portland sending the No. 7 pick to OKC in exchange for No. 12 and a “package that could include” Luguentz Dort.

The three most realistic landing spots for Ayton, aside from re-signing with the Suns, appear to be the Hawks, Pistons and Raptors, says Fischer, adding that all three clubs have interesting pieces to dangle in a possible sign-and-trade for the center.

Echoing a report from Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Fischer states that the Pacers could also be a possibility for Ayton in a sign-and-trade deal involving Myles Turner. The two players are both represented by agent Bill Duffy, Fischer notes (hat tip to RealGM).

According to Fischer, Shaedon Sharpe may be a candidate to fall in the lottery after a series of underwhelming workouts ahead of the draft. Fischer says Sharpe’s range might begin at No. 8, but he could also be a target of teams who try to acquire the No. 7 pick from Portland. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported yesterday that the Thunder are high on Sharpe.

Atlantic Notes: J. Brown, Sixers, Raptors, Anunoby

June 15th, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Now a crucial part of a Celtics team vying for a championship, Jaylen Brown recalls seeing club owner Wyc Grousbeck get booed by fans on draft night in 2016 when Boston used the No. 3 pick to select and keep Brown rather than using it in a trade for Jimmy Butler or another established star.

“(Wyc) had to defend, like, ‘This is who we’re going with. You guys just gonna have to live with it.’ And I was like, ‘This is crazy.’ These guys have never seen me play before or, you know, I haven’t even got the opportunity,” Brown said, per Michael Pina of SI.com.

As Pina writes, Brown’s development into an All-Star-caliber player has been a major part of the Celtics’ return to the NBA Finals. And at age 25, the standout swingman isn’t necessarily a finished product, meaning his best could be yet to come.

“I think the organization has known the type of ability that I’ve had for a long time; even when casual fans thought they were crazy for not trading me for X, Y and Z, Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens knew,” Brown said. “They seen me every single day, knew what I was capable of. Not to say I’m anywhere close to those guys yet, but I’m continuing to work and I’m excited that we’re here in the Finals now, going through this journey.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer confirms a report which stated the Sixers have explored trades involving the No. 23 pick in the draft and Danny Green‘s expiring contract, explaining why such a move would make sense for the club.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic explores what an ideal offseason for the Raptors might look like, laying out a scenario in which the team re-signs Chris Boucher and Thaddeus Young, drafts Wendell Moore at No. 33, brings in Malik Monk using the mid-level exception, and locks up Fred VanVleet to a long-term extension.
In a separate story for The Athletic, Koreen wonders whether Raptors wing OG Anunoby‘s career path will look more like Jerami Grant‘s or Andrew Wiggins‘. As Koreen writes, Grant left a three-and-D role in Denver for a starring role on a lottery team in Detroit, while former No. 1 overall pick Wiggins has thrived in a complementary role in Golden State, earning an All-Star nod and helping bring the team within one win of a title.

Raptors Rumors: Anunoby, VanVleet, Boucher, Young, More

June 13th, 2022 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors aren’t actively looking to trade forward OG Anunoby, Michael Scotto said in the latest episode of The HoopsHype Podcast. According to Scotto, it would require a “substantial” return for Toronto to consider moving Anunoby, along the lines of a significant upgrade at center or a top-10 draft pick. That’s similar to what Jake Fischer has recently reported.

Scotto’s guest, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet 590 The Fan, agrees that it would take “a lot” for the Raptors to seriously considering moving Anunoby, noting that assistant GM Dan Tolzman recently expressed skepticism when asked if the No. 7 pick in this year’s draft would develop at the same rate and with the same ceiling as Anunoby.

While Murphy acknowledges that Anunoby would be an obvious trade candidate if the Raptors attempt to trade for an impact player, he believes the team would rather enter the 2022/23 season without a traditional center than include Anunoby in a trade for a center who isn’t as well-rounded and versatile a player as the 24-year-old forward.

Murphy and Scotto also point out that Toronto is high on Precious Achiuwa, whose role would be cut back if the team added a starting center to play 30-35 minutes per night.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Fred VanVleet and the Raptors are expected to discuss a possible contract extension this offseason, league sources tell Scotto. If VanVleet were to decline his 2023/24 player option, he could extend for up to four years and $114MM this summer. However, Murphy doesn’t think there will be a rush to get anything done, since Toronto will hold VanVleet’s Bird rights and would be in the driver’s seat to re-sign him if he opts out in 2023.
The Raptors have interest in re-signing both Chris Boucher and Thaddeus Young in free agency, according to Scotto. Murphy observes that the team should have about $31MM in wiggle room below the luxury tax line, which could be used to bring back Boucher and Young and fill out the roster, possibly using the mid-level exception. A deal in the mid-level range ($10MM) might make sense for Boucher, Murphy adds.
Addressing Boucher’s free agency in his own story today, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report suggested that it seems safe to “pencil in” the big man’s return to Toronto.
Svi Mykhailiuk‘s decision on his $1.88MM player option may go down to the wire, according to Scotto, who says June 22 is the deadline for Mykhailiuk to opt in.
Murphy would be shocked if two-way restricted free agent Justin Champagnie doesn’t remain with the Raptors, perhaps on a two-year, minimum-salary deal.

Southwest Notes: Wood, Spurs, Anunoby, Pelicans

June 10th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Rival executives who have spoken to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype anticipate the Rockets will gauge the trade market for Christian Wood this offseason as the big man enters the final year of his three-year contract. However, it doesn’t sound as if Wood is preparing for his exit.

According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, Wood expressed this week that he believes the Rockets are capable of taking a real step forward in 2022/23 after finishing with the NBA’s worst record in each of the last two seasons. He also said he has spoken to the team about a possible contract extension.

“I just want to win, try to get to the playoffs,” Wood said when asked if he wants to remain in Houston. “I haven’t been to the playoffs yet in my career. That’s what I’m focused on.”

Wood could sign an extension worth up to about $77MM over four years this summer. However, doing so would make him ineligible to be traded for six months. If he preferred to maintain his trade eligibility while signing an extension, he’d be limited to a deal worth up to $31.3MM over two years.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Spurs are one of the teams mentioned consistently as a potential trade partner for the Raptors if Toronto moves OG Anunoby, writes Matt Moore of Action Network. The Raptors were frequently cited as possible suitors for San Antonio center Jakob Poeltl prior to the 2022 deadline, but seem unlikely to part with Anunoby in a deal for Poeltl.
The Pelicans have received some calls about the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft and are open to listening to offers for it, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. New Orleans unexpectedly received that Lakers pick due to L.A.’s dismal season — it would have gone to Memphis if it had landed outside of the top 10.
William Guillory of The Athletic considers what a Zion Williamson contract extension might look like and explores the role the former No. 1 overall pick could play with the Pelicans next season, while Christian Clark of NOLA.com takes a look at five Pelicans offseason storylines to monitor, starting with a possible extension for Williamson.

Fischer’s Latest: Brunson, LaVine, Beal, Anunoby, Ayton, Collins

June 10th, 2022 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, Bulls wing Zach LaVine, and Wizards guard Bradley Beal are all considered likely to remain with their respective teams in free agency this offseason, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said during an appearance on the Dunc’d On podcast this week.

Brunson has been linked to teams like the Knicks, Pistons, and Pacers over the last few months, but the Mavs have consistently stated both publicly and privately that they want to hang onto the point guard. According to Fischer, people around the league are writing in Brunson’s return to Dallas “in Sharpie” at this point. “Literally, everyone in the league is saying that,” Fischer said.

Fischer has been among the reporters to suggest that LaVine’s return to Chicago is no longer viewed as a sure thing, but he doesn’t believe the All-Star swingman will actually leave the Bulls.

“Even people around him have been saying all along, ‘Yeah, the door’s open, but we don’t think he’s going to leave,'” Fischer said.

Asked if there’s any smoke around the idea of Beal exiting Washington, Fischer said he hasn’t heard anything he’s “giving much weight to.” As Fischer observes, the Wizards guard could accept a lucrative contract offer to remain in D.C. this offseason, knowing that he could request a trade down the road if he eventually decides he wants out.

“The Zach LaVine thing, like I said, I don’t expect him to leave, but people there are at least saying, ‘Yeah, the door’s open for him to go,'” Fischer said. “No one’s even coming close to that type of verbiage when it comes to Brad.”

Here are a few more of the highlights from Fischer’s Dunc’d On appearance:

Following up on his reporting on OG Anunoby, Fischer reiterated that he believes the Raptors wing wants a greater role on offense. “I do definitely think there’s definitive truth that he wants more opportunity,” Fischer said. “That’s the one thing that’s been repeated across the board from everyone I’ve talked to — from people within his representation, to coaches who’ve worked with him in the past, to general people in the league who would know, let’s say. And that’s the one word that everyone consistently agrees on, that he wants more opportunity, and it doesn’t seem like a clear path to having that in Toronto.”
The Raptors aren’t going to “sell off” Anunoby, but appear open to the idea of including him in a trade for an impact player, according to Fischer, who once again identifies the Trail Blazers and Jazz as teams with interest. “Portland is definitely targeting OG. He’s definitely said to be someone that (Damian) Lillard wants to pair with,” Fischer said. “Utah has had conversations – I think they’ve even had conversations with Toronto, (though) I don’t want to say there’s been offers made. Right now most of these teams are in super-early conversations and the only team I hear about that’s ready to talk trade right now is (the Hawks).”
Fischer believes Suns center Deandre Ayton could be the biggest name to change teams in free agency this summer, perhaps in a sign-and-trade. “He wants the max, he doesn’t want to come down from that,” Fischer said of Ayton. “… Detroit gets mentioned a lot. Portland, it seems like he’s another guy that Dame has interest in playing with. Toronto gets mentioned. San Antonio’s been mentioned.”
Hawks big man John Collins is another player Fischer believes is drawing interest from the Trail Blazers. Fischer adds that the Spurs had serious interest in Collins a year or two ago, but admits he’s not sure whether that’s still the case. “There was someone I talked to today who had just spoken to Atlanta in recent days who said that John Collins is clearly the guy that they are most interested in moving,” Fischer said.

Nuggets Rumors: Anunoby, Barton, Morris, Front Office

June 9th, 2022 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Count the Nuggets among the teams interested in trading for Raptors forward OG Anunoby, according to Matt Moore of Action Network.

I’m somewhat skeptical Denver has the necessary assets to acquire Anunoby because the Nuggets have given up two future first-round picks and four second-rounders without acquiring any extra picks of their own in win-now moves over the past few years. However, Anunoby certainly makes sense as a fit for the Nuggets, since he’s a strong, versatile defender with good size, and improves on offense every year.

League sources outside of Denver tell Moore that Nuggets guards Will Barton and Monte Morris are “believed to be available” in potential trades this summer. It’s worth noting that Barton’s $14,375,000 expiring salary in 2022/23 could theoretically work in the framework of a deal for Anunoby, who’ll make $17,357,143 in ’22/23, but the Raptors would likely ask for at least Bones Hyland and a first-round pick or two on top of Barton, assuming Toronto is even interested at all.

The Nuggets plan to aggressively build a “true contender” around back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, aided by the returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., says Moore. Murray missed the entire season recovering from a torn ACL, while Porter played just nine games after undergoing another back surgery.

Although Tim Connelly‘s exit to Minnesota was unexpected, Moore reports that there’s no “sense of confusion or uncertainty” within Denver’s organization, noting that general manager Calvin Booth has had more control of the team’s day-to-day operations the past couple seasons. Moore also points out that assistant GM Tommy Balcetis has been with the Nuggets since 2013, so both front office members have plenty of experience.

In case you missed it, Luke Adams published our Nuggets Offseason Preview a couple days ago, in which he wrote that Barton and Morris could be used as trade chips this summer.

Atlantic Notes: White, Smart, Sixers, Anunoby, Raptors

June 3rd, 2022 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

Like longtime Celtics Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart, former Spurs guard Derrick White was a member of the USA Basketball team that played in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. As Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes, the training camp for that World Cup represented the first time that Smart met White, who is now playing a key role for Boston as the team seeks a championship.

“We knew that Derrick understood the game, the way he plays,” Smart said on Thursday, revisiting their first meeting. “Watching him play before we got to USA reminded myself a little bit of me. So, just instantly off the bat, I loved the way he played.”

While Team USA had a disappointing run at the 2019 World Cup, finishing in seventh place, White and Smart are having more success as Celtics teammates. Boston is now just three wins away from a title after White, acquired in a deadline deal in February, played a key role in Thursday’s Game 1 win with 21 points and five three-pointers.

“Every day he’s done something new to make you go, ‘That’s why he’s here,'” Smart said of his fellow guard.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Smart was no longer listed on the Celtics‘ injury report for Game 1 on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean his right ankle sprain has fully healed. “The ankle is a pretty serious injury,” Smart said on Wednesday when asked about it (Twitter link via Jared Weiss of The Athletic). “I’m thankful to let alone play and still be walking. It hurt, but my mama always told me if you’re gonna play, you can’t make no excuses.”
Now that they know they’ll have the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft rather than sending it to Brooklyn, the Sixers can focus on what to do with that selection. Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice identifies five draft prospects who would make sense as potential targets if Philadelphia hangs onto the pick.
In a Twitter thread, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca explains why he believes the Raptors are extremely unlikely to trade OG Anunoby this summer, despite rumors that he could be available.
Gabe Brown (Michigan State), Marcus Bingham (Michigan State), Trent Frazier (Illinois), and JD Notae (Arkansas) are among the prospects who worked out for the Raptors earlier this week, according to reports from Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com and Brandon Simberg of Busting Brackets (Twitter links).