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Western Notes: Wiggins, Haliburton, Gordon, Wood, Jones

February 6th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by JD Shaw

Even with Klay Thompson returning from his two-season absence last month, the Warriors still want first-time All-Star Andrew Wiggins to be aggressive, Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Wiggins is averaging 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game, shooting 49% from the floor.

“Klay’s got this very big … aura about him when he’s on the court and he just finds a way to make his presence felt,” teammate Andre Iguodala said. “And Wiggs is a little more shy. So we had to remind Wiggs we still need you to go out and be on attack. And he’s done a great job of doing that.”

Wiggins’ play is a key reason why the Warriors are 40-13 this season. Golden State is currently on an eight-game win streak, working to stay afloat as Draymond Green rehabs a lower back injury.

There’s more out of the Western Conference:

  • Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton finished with 17 assists on Saturday, becoming the youngest player in franchise history (21 years old) to do so, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee notes. Haliburton only recorded four turnovers and also pitched in 13 points. The Kings beat the Thunder 113-103.
  • Rockets veterans Christian Wood and Eric Gordon are blocking out the trade rumors ahead of Thursday’s deadline, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Wood and Gordon have been mentioned as possible trade candidates for the Rockets, who own the worst record in the West at 15-37. Wood is due $13.7MM this season, while Gordon will make $18.2MM.
  • Pelicans rookie Herbert Jones broke down film on some of his steals with Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Jones, the No. 35 pick in 2021, has become one of the league’s bright young defenders. He’s averaging 1.5 steals in 29.8 minutes per game this season.
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2021/22 Rising Stars Team Rosters

February 4th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by Rory Maher

As we previously relayed, the NBA announced a new format for its Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, which will take place on Friday, February 18. The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament (two semifinals and a final).

The player pool is comprised of 12 NBA rookies, 12 sophomores, and four players from the G League Ignite, while the games will be played to a target score: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

The rosters were announced on February 1, but now the four honorary coaches (75th anniversary team members Rick Barry, Isiah Thomas, Gary Payton and James Worthy) have selected their seven-man teams, per our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Here are the rosters:

Team Barry:

Team Isiah:

Team Payton:

Team Worthy:

James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat provides (via Twitter) the full draft results.

The top 10, in order, were: Edwards, Mobley, Ball, Anthony, Giddey, Barnes, Cunningham, Bey, Bane, and Wagner. It’s worth noting that Worthy and Anthony both went to the University of North Carolina, so Anthony’s selection at No. 4 is less surprising given that context.

What do you think of the teams? Who do you think will come out on top? Head to the comments section and let us know your thoughts!

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NBA Announces 2021/22 Rising Stars Rosters

February 1st, 2022 at 6:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has revealed the 28 players (12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite players) who will suit up for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars Game in Cleveland this year, per its official PR account (Twitter links). There are a few intriguing surprises among the first-year NBA players.

Here are the players who made the cut:

Rookies:

Sophomores:

Additionally, four players from the G League Ignite will participate in the Rising Stars Game based on voting from NBA G League head coaches. The NBAGL has announced (Twitter link) that MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy and Scoot Henderson will partake in the action. Players will be separated into four teams, and each G League player will be drafted to join one of the teams later this week.

Among the rookie NBA players, the additions who would be most surprising ahead of the 2021/22 season would be Dosunmu and Jones, both of whom were second-round draft selections. 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo and Moses Moody were all omitted from inclusion this year.

Among the second-year players, Ball could be appearing on multiple nights during All-Star Weekend this season, as he appears to be a very possible first-time All-Star this year thanks to his outstanding work with the upstart Hornets.

The lottery-bound Magic, Pistons, and Rockets can boast having the most inclusions here, with three players apiece.

As we detailed last week, this year’s Rising Stars event will look a little different, with the four teams taking part in a mini-tournament and playing to a target score in each game: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

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Stein’s Latest: Grant, Simmons, Fox, Millsap, McCollum

January 28th, 2022 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Some rival teams believe there’s something of a split within the Pistons organization on the idea of trading Jerami Grant, says Marc Stein in his latest Substack column.

Signing Grant was one of the first major moves made by general manager Troy Weaver when he took the reins in Detroit’s front office in 2020, and he’s had a “longstanding affinity” for the forward, as Stein writes. However, there’s a belief that Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem is more open to the idea of trading Grant before the deadline.

Echoing some previous reporting, Stein suggests the Pistons want a significant return for Grant, who in turn wants a significant offensive role and a contract extension with whatever team acquires him. Finding a trade partner willing to check all those boxes could be a challenge for Detroit, so there’s no guarantee the 27-year-old will be on the move by February 10.

Here’s more from Stein:

  • Teams that have been in touch with the Sixers don’t believe Daryl Morey is bluffing about his willingness to hang onto Ben Simmons through the trade deadline, says Stein. However, clubs are less convinced about reports that De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are off-limits for the Kings — according to Stein, there’s a sense among rival executives that Fox, in particular, could be had.
  • Paul Millsap is away from the Nets as the team seeks a new home for the veteran big man. Stein hears from sources that Brooklyn would ideally like to upgrade their perimeter shooting in the process of moving Millsap. That could mean either trading Millsap for a shooter or trading him and then signing a shooter using the newly-opener roster spot.
  • Anfernee Simons‘ emergence in Portland has sparked “some of the loudest speculation” that the Trail Blazers are finally prepared to break up their longtime backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Stein writes. There has been no indication that the team is interested in shopping the injured Lillard, so McCollum will be the trade candidate to watch. A Thursday report stated that he has been linked most frequently to New Orleans.
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Latest On Ben Simmons

January 24th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers continue to discuss possible Ben Simmons trades with potential suitors, but sources with direct knowledge of the team’s thinking – and sources from rival clubs – believe Philadelphia still prefers to hang onto Simmons until the offseason in order to pursue James Harden or another star player, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Kings and Hawks are among the teams that have been most engaged with the 76ers as of late, with the Hornets also inquiring on Simmons, per The Athletic’s report. Philadelphia has asked Sacramento for a package that includes Tyrese Haliburton and multiple first-round picks, and wants John Collins and multiple first-rounders from Atlanta, according to Charania and Amick, who hear that the Sixers would also want the Hawks to take on Tobias Harris‘ pricey contract.

None of those scenarios have generated serious traction, and team officials in Sacramento and Atlanta are skeptical that the Sixers will lower their asking price for Simmons much – if at all – by the February 10 trade deadline, according to The Athletic’s duo.

Sources tell Charania and Amick that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has the full support of ownership to extend the Simmons sweepstakes into the offseason. Although Philadelphia obviously doesn’t want to waste an MVP-caliber season from Joel Embiid, the club is more concerned about not squandering its top trade chip in Simmons by settling for one of the offers currently on the table. There’s a belief those offers will still be available in the summer, and there could be better options for Philadelphia at that point, Charania and Amick say.

“There’s no sense of panic (to do a deal before the deadline),” a source with knowledge of the Sixers’ thinking told The Athletic.

Here’s more on the Simmons situation:

  • The Sixers have explored deals that would be centered around players like Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, but felt those players weren’t “championship-altering, perfect fits” for their roster, according to Charania and Amick.
  • When the Rockets traded Harden to the Nets a year ago, the Sixers were a serious contender for the star guard, having offered Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, and two first-round picks, per The Athletic. During the Rockets’ decision-making process, owner Tilman Fertitta asked Harden whether he preferred to go to Brooklyn or Philadelphia, and Harden chose Brooklyn. It’s unclear if Houston would’ve taken the Sixers’ deal if Harden preferred Philadelphia, according to Charania and Amick, who hear from sources that the Rockets liked the Nets’ proposal more.
  • Although Harden chose Brooklyn over Philadelphia last year, sources tell The Athletic that Morey is optimistic about his chances of landing the former MVP in the offseason and believes Harden views the Sixers’ situation “in a positive light.” Philadelphia’s cap situation would make an offseason sign-and-trade acquisition of Harden challenging (even if the Nets were interested in Simmons), but not impossible.
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Kings Rumors: Holmes, Haliburton, Fox, Randle

January 21st, 2022 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Examining the Kings‘ options at the trade deadline, James Ham of The Kings Beat confirms previous reporting from Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, writing that Sacramento no longer has interest in taking on Tobias Harris‘ contract in any Ben Simmons deal and that De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are off the table in trade discussions involving Domantas Sabonis.

While Fox and Haliburton are presumed to be off-limits, the Kings would be open to discussing virtually any other player on their roster, according to Ham. That includes center Richaun Holmes, who was just re-signed to a four-year contract during the 2021 offseason. Holmes, Harrison Barnes, and Buddy Hield would be among Sacramento’s prime trade candidates in any move for an impact player.

A league source tells Ham that the Kings – who are “working overtime” to seek out viable deals – won’t be eager to sacrifice future draft assets, but would be open to trading picks for quality players who are under contract for multiple years and who complement Fox and Haliburton.

Here’s more out of Sacramento:

  • Tyrese Haliburton has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, as reported by… well, Haliburton himself (Twitter link). Sacramento no longer has any players in the protocols.
  • De’Aaron Fox, who spoke to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports last week about his reaction to being included in trade rumors, discussed the subject again during a media session on Wednesday night, downplaying his concerns. “Am I worried about anything? No,” Fox said (video link via Ham). “Do I know stuff can happen? Yeah. But I’m not worried at all, no.”
  • Asked in a video mailbag for SNY.tv about the possibility of the Knicks acquiring Fox, Ian Begley says some people in the Kings’ front office were interested in Julius Randle even before his breakout season in 2020/21. However, Begley is skeptical that there’s a major deal to be made between the two teams.
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Morey Expands Trade Options Due To Embiid’s Stellar Season

January 20th, 2022 at 5:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has expanded his trade options due to the MVP-caliber play of Joel Embiid, but he remains cautious about making a blockbuster deal prior to next month’s deadline, he said in an radio interview on 97.5 The Fanatic (hat tip to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com).

Morey acknowledges that the play of Embiid and his teammates makes him more motivated to upgrade the team for a championship push.

“I think with how great Joel is, our line has moved down a little bit. Because Joel has lifted us to contention by his sheer will of greatness this year, that does the number of deals we would do more likely,” Morey said. “It’s more likely that we can find ones that get us into the top few contention because of how great Joel is playing. So we are sitting right now at a better chance of a trade that actually helps Joel and the Sixers.

“[Before], we absolutely need to get an impact player, but there’s an impact player that has to be in the top 30 of the league. Because Joel is playing amazing and has lifted us into probably five percent plus title odds just on his play, now we might be able to do it with a top-40 player who’s a great fit.”

Of course, the main path to making such a deal would be to move Ben Simmons. Throughout the season, Morey has put an exorbitant price tag on Simmons. Morey’s comment suggests he’s more open to getting a package that won’t include a “top-30” player.

As Neubeck speculates, Morey may be trying to motivate a potential trade partner such as the Kings to include a promising player like Tyrese Haliburton, who could eventually develop into an All-Star.

Morey admits that he’s “frustrated” by not having a “whole team” due to Simmons remaining inactive.

“We do have a big chunk of our pretty constrained salary that we can pay the players not playing,” he said. “That’s very frustrating…and then there’s teams that are frustrated because they’re losing or not quite as good as they thought they would be, and that’s creating a lot of chatter.”

Yet he’s not necessarily optimistic that the chatter will lead to an impactful trade.

“It won’t be because we don’t want to do it, it will be because for whatever reason, I mean I can tell you that these other 29 teams, none of them wake up and say, ‘Hey, today, how can I help the 76ers get better?'” he said. “They’re all worried about their own teams. The main reason I say less likely than likely is it takes two or three to tango. Trades are not easy to construct in this league, there’s a lot of risk aversion, there’s a lot of decision-makers that have to be hurdled.”

Morey also doesn’t want to make a deal for some well-known players that will only marginally help their chances of reaching the Finals.

‘That will hurt Joel, that will hurt the 76ers, that will hurt our whole roster in the long run more than if we’re patient,” Morey added.

Thus far, there’s hasn’t been an offer that comes within the range of what Morey is willing to do, according to the radio station’s Twitter feed (link). Morey did say there are trade packages with the Kings that could work, but doubts he’ll get such an offer, which may require a third team.

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Kings Tell De’Aaron Fox They Don’t Want To Trade Him

January 19th, 2022 at 4:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have informed De’Aaron Fox and agent Chris Gaston that they don’t want to trade the 24-year-old guard, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Fox’s name has surfaced more frequently in trade rumors as of late, including earlier today. However, sources tell Charania that the Kings’ current mindset is that they want to keep both Fox and second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton and build the team around them. Sacramento has conveyed that stance to potential trade partners and to Fox and his reps, says Charania.

Multiple reports this week stated that the Kings have expressed interest in Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, with one report suggesting Fox had been brought up in those discussions. Charania says a deal centered around Sabonis and Fox won’t happen.

The Kings are also believed to be very much in the hunt for Ben Simmons, though Sam Amick of The Athletic – who previously reported that Sacramento was open to the idea of acquiring Tobias Harris along with Simmons – now hears from a source that the team doesn’t have interest in that scenario (Twitter link). Amick says the Kings still see a pathway to landing Simmons, but it’s hard to imagine how they’ll construct an offer that meets the Sixers‘ asking price without including either Fox or Haliburton.

Fox and Haliburton were reported last summer to be off-limits, but that changed earlier this month, as Amick reported that no Kings players were considered untouchable. While that report – and others – stated that Sacramento’s preference would be to build around Fox and Haliburton, there had been a sense that the team was becoming more open to doing something drastic and perhaps breaking up its backcourt.

Based on Charania’s report, it sounds like the Kings are once again leaning toward making Fox and Haliburton untouchable. It’s possible they arrived at their latest position as a result of being underwhelmed by how the two guards were being valued on the trade market — it’s also possible this is posturing and Sacramento will reverse its stance again within the next three weeks.

For now though, it appears that any major move made by the Kings will involve some combination of Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III, and others on the roster rather than Fox or Haliburton.

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Latest On Kings’ Pursuit Of Ben Simmons

January 19th, 2022 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

After Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Ben Simmons appears to be “front and center” in the Kings‘ trade deadline plans and said the team is open to acquiring Tobias Harris along with Simmons, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer has published a report with more details on Sacramento’s pursuit of the Sixers‘ star.

According to Pompey, sources have repeatedly stated the Sixers aren’t interested in a deal headlined by De’Aaron Fox, who would be one of the Kings’ best trade chips.

One source tells Pompey the Kings have considered offering Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, and two first-round picks in exchange for Simmons, Harris, and Matisse Thybulle. However, that source also said the Sixers aren’t interested in that package; a second source tells Pompey that Philadelphia has yet to receive a formal offer from Sacramento.

Pompey hears from that second source that the Kings and Sixers haven’t discussed Philadelphia’s younger players like Thybulle, whom the source classifies as borderline untouchable. However, sources tell Pompey that Sacramento has done background work on Thybulle, Isaiah Joe, and Paul Reed.

Even if the Kings were willing to put the aforementioned Haliburton/Hield/Barnes offer on the table, they’d need to either reroute Harris to a third team or add at least one more player – such as Tristan Thompson or Marvin Bagley III – to make the deal work financially.

The Kings and Sixers haven’t yet gained any “significant traction” on a deal, Pompey writes.

Here are a few more noteworthy tidbits from Pompey’s report:

  • The Sixers have denied that they’re shopping Harris or want to attach him to a Simmons trade, but multiple teams and sources have told Pompey that’s the case.
  • According to Pompey, before sending Cam Reddish to New York, the Hawks considered offering John Collins, Reddish, and a first-round pick for Simmons, but the Sixers brought Harris’ name into discussions, ending those talks.
  • Pompey confirmed there are league executives who believe the Sixers would be comfortable hanging onto Simmons for the rest of the season. He also confirmed that the three-time All-Star is prepared to sit out the remainder of the season in that scenario.
  • Sources tell Pompey that the 76ers are continuing to fine Simmons for the games he misses, but not for more minor infractions.
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COVID-19 Updates: Haliburton, Clippers, Powell, Caruso, Bolmaro

January 17th, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

For a brief period in late December and early January, there were well over 100 NBA players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. However, the situation has improved considerably since that spike. The latest update of our protocols tracker shows just 15 players who are currently affected.

That doesn’t mean no one is entering the protocols anymore though. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton was placed in the protocols ahead of the team’s game vs. Houston on Sunday. Haliburton joins Robert Woodard as the two Sacramento players affected.

Here are a few more protocol-related updates:

  • Clippers teammates Luke Kennard and Justise Winslow have exited the COVID-19 protocols and are taking part in return to competition reconditioning, as Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group tweets. Kennard is doubtful to play on Monday vs. Indiana, while Winslow is questionable.
  • Trail Blazers wing Norman Powell was upgraded to questionable for Monday’s contest in Orlando and his status is now listed as “COVID recovery,” so it sounds like he has cleared the health and safety protocols (Twitter link via Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian).
  • Bulls guard Alex Caruso won’t play on Monday in Memphis, but he’s no longer in the protocols, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
  • Timberwolves rookie Leandro Bolmaro exited the protocols on Sunday and was available vs. Golden State. He played the final 1:42 of garbage time in a 20-point Wolves victory.
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