Zach LaVine Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls, LaVine Increasingly Open To Exploring Trade

November 14th, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Both the Bulls and Zach LaVine are increasingly open to the idea of exploring a trade involving the two-time All-Star, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Charania, teams around the NBA are “probing” LaVine’s possible availability.

A number of executives, including many general managers, are in Chicago on Tuesday for the 2023 Champions Classic, the NCAA’s annual fall showcase. Conversations about LaVine could begin there, Charania explains.

LaVine is averaging 21.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 35.1 minutes per game through his first 11 contests this season. The 28-year-old is off to a bit of a slow start – his .409 FG% and .309 3PT% would be career worsts – but is typically one of the NBA’s best scorers, having averaged at least 23.7 PPG for five straight seasons entering this fall.

LaVine is in the second season of a five-year, maximum-salary deal with the Bulls. He’s earning approximately $40MM in 2023/24 and is owed a guaranteed $89MM over the following two seasons. He holds a 2026/27 player option worth just shy of $49MM.

While the plan was for LaVine to be a key part of a Bulls roster that perennially qualified for the playoffs and contended for titles, the team has struggled to compete on a consistent basis since losing Lonzo Ball to the first in a series of knee injuries midway through the 2021/22 season.

Chicago was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2022 and was knocked out in the play-in tournament in 2023 after posting a losing record (40-42) in the regular season. The club is off to a 4-7 start this fall and there have already been reports that teams are keeping an eye on the Bulls, as well as speculation that changes could be coming. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic (Twitter link) says one league source predicted this week that Chicago will have a different roster in a month.

As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes (via Twitter), the Bulls held exploratory talks on LaVine over the summer but had a high asking price at that time. It’s unclear if that price might drop at all based on how the club has started this season, but the players are “very aware” that changes could be coming if they don’t turn things around, says Johnson.

Besides LaVine, DeMar DeRozan could be another major trade chip for the Bulls. Charania says the franchise would ideally like to keep DeRozan beyond his current contract, which expires in 2024. However, there has been a gap between the two sides on both years and salary in their extension talks, and the 34-year-old would like to get a sense of the organization’s direction before committing to a new deal, Charania adds.

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, Caruso, Lillard, Craig, Trade Values

November 13th, 2023 at 1:33pm CST by Rory Maher

Third-year guard Ayo Dosunmu gave the Bulls a much-needed lift during Sunday’s victory over Detroit, according to Kyle Williams of The Chicago Sun-Times. After a sluggish first quarter that saw the Bulls down nine points, Dosunmu helped swing the momentum in their favor in the second period, spearheading a 22-4 run with his energy and defense.

“First thing I told him coming out was, ‘That quarter was because of you,’” forward DeMar DeRozan said. “The energy he brought, getting out in transition, the layups and getting those steals. I let him know that without him, that quarter would not have happened.”

Dosunmu finished with 13 points (on 6-of-7 shooting), three assists and three steals and was a game-high plus-19 in 27 minutes on the court, which was a season high. As Williams writes, Dosunmu also helped limit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham — Detroit’s leading scorer — to just 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting.

“I closed with [Dosunmu] today,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “You could have closed with Torrey [Craig]; you could have closed with Patrick [Williams]. I just elected to go with him because I thought he was playing really well on both ends of the floor. He was playing well defensively, in particular guarding Cunningham.”

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Alex Caruso, who missed Sunday’s game, is considered day-to-day due to a toe injury he sustained in practice, Williams adds in another story. As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets, Caruso is doubtful for Monday’s contest vs. Milwaukee, while Bucks star Damian Lillard, who has missed the past two games with calf soreness, is probable.
Pistons head coach Monty Williams spoke glowingly of Craig prior to Sunday’s matchup, Kyle Williams of The Sun-Times notes. Craig, who signed with Chicago as a free agent in the offseason, played under Monty Williams in Phoenix. “He’s just an everyday guy and has a great attitude,” he said of Craig. “You could coach him; you could talk to him about other stuff outside of basketball. He just became one of my favorite players. You can play him at any wing spot, and you can play a number of defenses with him, whether it’s switching, zone or man coverage.”
After 10 games, the Bulls sit at 4-6. That prompted Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic to list 10 observations from the early portion of the 2023/24 season. After the team brought back most of the same group, many of the same issues from last season are still present, according to Mayberry, including a sluggish offense and the poor fit of Chicago’s “big three.” Jevon Carter, who signed with his hometown team as a free agent over the summer, has been a bright spot. But the Bulls need to shake things up and trades should be coming at some point, says Mayberry.
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype projects the trade values of DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams and Caruso, writing that Caruso might fetch the most in return due to his “elite defense” and “relatively small annual salary.” Caruso is under contract for $19.4MM over the next two seasons.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Caruso, Terry, Phillips, Carter

November 11th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rival teams are keeping an eye on the Bulls amid their slow start, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Friday on “NBA Today” (hat tip to Bleacher Report). Chicago is 13th in the East with a 3-6 record, leading to speculation that changes could be coming soon.

“In talking to some people around the league, the scouts are jamming themselves into Bulls games because they realize that at some point, the Bulls may break this team up,” Windhorst said. “And they’re all gathering intelligence like, ‘What’s gonna happen with the Bulls?'”

Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are expected to be in demand if Chicago decides to shake up its roster. There has been speculation that the Sixers may pursue LaVine with the assets they got in the James Harden deal, although one subsequent report said the Bulls have “no intention” of trading the high-scoring guard. DeRozan is playing on an expiring $28.6MM contract and hasn’t been able to work out an extension, so the team may be more inclined to part with him if it becomes a seller.

There’s more from Chicago:

Alex Caruso would be a valuable trade chip if the Bulls decided to move him, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Even though he comes off the bench and his value is primarily on defense, Caruso has been the team’s most valuable player so far this season, according to Mayberry. Caruso would be a valuable addition for anyone aiming to win right away and he’s signed for one more year at a team-friendly $9.9MM, Mayberry adds. A Caruso deal could help the Bulls replenish their depleted draft capital.
Dalen Terry, a first-round pick in 2022, has been assigned to the G League several times already this season while rookie Julian Phillips has remained with the Bulls, but coach Billy Donovan said that’s not reflective of their standing on the team, Mayberry states in the same piece. “Dalen had a whole year last year with the group,” Donovan said. “He was down in the G League some but not necessarily a lot. I think getting Julian acclimated to NBA life, around our team, practices, the flow, those kinds of things, is important. There will be a time when he’ll end up going down there and playing in games.”
DeRozan said he never liked Jevon Carter as an opponent because of his tenacity on defense and his mismatched shoes. Carter explained to Mayberry that the different-color sneakers were a way to get attention for the AND1 brand when he wasn’t playing regularly.

Central Notes: Lopez, Ivey, LaVine, Cavaliers

November 4th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Back in the system that he’s comfortable with, Brook Lopez looked like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate again Friday night, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Protecting the rim in drop coverage, Lopez blocked eight shots as the Bucks held off the Knicks in their first in-season tournament game.

Lopez finished second in DPOY voting last season as he and Giannis Antetokounmpo presented huge obstacles for anyone trying to finish around the basket. However, new Milwaukee coach Adrian Griffin made a controversial change to the defense that called on players to cover more of the court in an effort to force turnovers.

In the wake of a slow start, Griffin met with some of his veteran players after Thursday’s practice and an agreement was reached to go back to the team’s traditional defensive scheme.

“Sometimes as coaches, we’re too smart for our own selves,” Griffin said, “and so a couple players came to me — I won’t disclose (them) — but they wanted Brook deeper in the drop and I was smart enough to listen to ‘em and it paid off tonight.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Jaden Ivey needs to get better at the “non-negotiables” to increase his playing time, James L. Edwards III of the Athletic states in a mailbag column. Ivey is averaging 20.7 minutes per night in his first six games under new Pistons coach Monty Williams, which is about 10 minutes per game less than he saw as a rookie. Edwards explains that Williams is reluctant to play anyone who turns the ball over frequently, fouls opponents outside the paint, and messes up defensive assignments.
Zach LaVine‘s refusal to take responsibility for two defensive mistakes late in Friday’s loss to Brooklyn represents a huge problem for the Bulls, contends Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Mayberry argues that the team needs its leader to be accountable, but LaVine told reporters he felt like he made the right decision when he went for unsuccessful steal attempts that resulted in baskets.
The Cavaliers fell to 2-4 with Friday’s loss at Indiana, but they were encouraged by the return from injuries by center Jarrett Allen and point guard Darius Garland, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). It marked the first game of the season for Allen, who has been sidelined with a bruised ankle bone.

Central Notes: LaVine, Williams, Craig, Nesmith, Bucks

November 4th, 2023 at 11:05am CST by Tristan Tucker

Bulls guard Zach LaVine refuted the idea that the team hosted a players-only meeting following last week’s season opener, as detailed by Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill. LaVine said the players didn’t have a team meeting, as suggested by head coach Billy Donovan, but instead had “a basketball conversation.”

“We’re having conversations from top to bottom,” LaVine said. “If we don’t want the coaches in there while we are talking, that’s not a team meeting, it’s players talking amongst ourselves. I don’t know if coach got that misunderstood or not.”

Goodwill writes the Bulls are at an inflection point. Notably, LaVine has been in trade rumors, Nikola Vucevic had a tense exchange with Donovan in the opener, and the team hasn’t been able to come to terms on an extension with DeMar DeRozan. On top of that, as Goodwill observes, Donovan has multiple years left following the extension he signed before last season and owner Jerry Reinsdorf hasn’t historically given up on long-term coaching contracts.

“You know, we’re on our third year now, and I’ve been saying since training camp: It’s time to put pen to paper,” LaVine said. “If it don’t work, we understand the business of basketball. We have three All-Star players. We gotta make this work, from top to bottom. It’s not just the players. We gotta make this click.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Donovan made a big change to the Bulls‘ starting lineup on Friday, substituting former No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams out for Torrey Craig, who signed in the offseason. Williams is off to a disappointing start to the season, averaging 5.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting a poor 33.3% from the floor in his first six games (five starts). According to NBC Sports Chicago’s Ryan Taylor, Williams took a mature approach to the move to the bench. “I was just going through a stretch there where I really couldn’t make a shot,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t say it’s difficult though [playing with the first group]. That’s a unit that has so much talent and can do so many different things on the court. It’s just more opportunity for whoever is playing in that second unit.“
Following last season’s trade that sent Malcolm Brogdon to the Celtics from the Pacers, there was a sentiment on social media that Boston didn’t give anything of value in the swap, according to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. Flash forward to now and Indiana forward Aaron Nesmith, who was part of the package, has become a crucial member in the Pacers’ rotation. Since arriving in Indiana, Nesmith is averaging 10.2 points per game and admitted he felt overlooked last summer. Now, he’s won over the coaching staff. “He’s been one of our best defensive players and obviously, we all know he can shoot the ball really well and he’s developed other parts of his game,” said head coach Rick Carlisle. “He drives it now, he’s making really good, simple reads and a very important part of what we’re doing here.“
On Wednesday, the NBA’s then-league worst offense in the Raptors dropped 130 points on the contending Bucks. According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, head coach Adrian Griffin spent the first few games of the season experimenting with defensive anchor Brook Lopez, putting him out on the perimeter more to help generate turnovers, though the Bucks wound up with the league’s second-worst defensive rating through their first four games. However, as detailed by Nehm in a separate piece, Griffin put Lopez back in drop coverage for Friday’s game against the Knicks, and New York mustered just 105 points against Milwaukee.

Central Notes: LaVine, Williams, Wiseman, Hayes, Pistons

November 2nd, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Rory Maher

There has been speculation that the Sixers might have interest in Zach LaVine, but a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that the Bulls have “no intention” of trading the two-time All-Star in the near future, and even if they change their mind, Chicago’s front office probably wouldn’t be interested in what Philadelphia has to offer.

LaVine, who is in the second year of a five-year, maximum-salary contract, recently said he’s not bothered to see his name pop up in rumors again. The Bulls are off to a 2-3 start and will face Brooklyn on Friday for their first in-season tournament game.

Here’s more from the Central:

Patrick Williams was eligible for a rookie scale extension before the season began, but that deadline has passed and now he could be a restricted free agent next summer if the Bulls tender him a qualifying offer. The former No. 4 overall pick has had a very slow start to 2023/24, averaging just 4.0 PPG and 3.2 RPG on .267/.125/1.000 shooting through five games (22.4 MPG). Still, the 22-year-old tells Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic that his contract situation isn’t on his mind. “Nah. None at all,” he said. “Knowing it’s a long season. Knowing what I can do. I’ve always had confidence in myself, what I can do, what I bring to the game. Knowing it’s going to be stretches like this and times like this. It’s all about how you bounce back from it. It’s not a matter of what you go through but how you go through it. I kind of look at it as an opportunity to show what I’m really made of. Everybody can be happy when everything’s going well for them. But when it’s not, when it’s shaky, when you can’t make a shot, when you lose a couple of games in a row, then what are you really made of?“
Pistons center James Wiseman, another player who could be a restricted free agent in 2024, made his season debut in Wednesday’s loss to Portland, notes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). The 2020 No. 2 overall pick finished with four points and two rebounds in six minutes off the bench, committing four fouls in his limited run, including three in a two-minute span in the first quarter.
Killian Hayes has once again struggled to score efficiently early in ’23/24, attempting 8.8 shots per game but only averaging 6.4 points (on .273/.235/.571 shooting), and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic believes it may be time for the Pistons to remove him from the starting lineup. As Edwards writes, Hayes got a starting guard spot after a strong preseason showing, but Detroit’s loss to Portland is the latest evidence that the team needs more offensive spacing. Alec Burks (once he returns from injury) and Jaden Ivey are logical choices to start, but Edwards wonders if rookie Marcus Sasser might be the best option for what head coach Monty Williams is seeking (shooting and defense).

Sixers Notes: Trade Targets, Harden, Maxey, Embiid, Harris, Martin

November 2nd, 2023 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Raptors forward OG Anunoby is a player to watch as the Sixers try to remake their roster following the James Harden trade, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says in a conversation with Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Scotto states that Nick Nurse is a huge fan of Anunoby after coaching him in Toronto, and he would be a good fit with the current roster on both offense and defense. Scotto also points out that the Sixers would have plenty of cap room to re-sign Anunoby when he becomes a free agent next summer.

Sources tell Scotto that Philadelphia may eye a few other trade targets such as Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic. He hears the Sixers aren’t interested in pursuing Karl-Anthony Towns to play alongside Joel Embiid because he hasn’t meshed well with Rudy Gobert on the Timberwolves. Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan would provide scoring punch, but he also brings spacing issues to the offense. Scotto doesn’t believe Philadelphia currently has interest in either Raptors forward Pascal Siakam or Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant.

Pompey doesn’t see another ball-dominant scorer as an ideal fit because of Tyrese Maxey‘s strong play to open the season. Anunoby’s defense and Bogdanovic’s outside shooting would be more valuable, according to Pompey, and they’re likely to cost less than some of the other hypothetical targets.

Scotto and Pompey offer more on the Sixers:

The Clippers‘ offer that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey accepted for James Harden was the only legitimate one he received, according to Pompey. He speculates that the organization wanted to unload Harden before he was reintroduced to the team and possibly caused a distraction, and there was concern that L.A.’s interest in Harden might lessen if the team got off to a strong start. Scotto hears that the Knicks called about Harden but never made a serious offer, while the Heat weren’t involved at all.
The Sixers believe it will take a max contract to keep Maxey in free agency next summer, Scotto hears. The fourth-year guard has excelled as the leader of the offense with Harden sidelined, but Scotto believes the organization has to determine whether he’s best suited as a point guard or shooting guard.
Embiid is “monitoring the situation” to see if Morey can build a legitimate contender before making any decisions about his future, Pompey states. The Sixers are currently optimistic about keeping him happy, but Pompey warns that another early playoff exit could prompt him to ask for a trade during the offseason.
The Sixers will be interested in re-signing Tobias Harris, but they can’t give him close to a max contract because of how much they’ll have to pay Maxey and possibly others, Pompey adds. He points out that Philadelphia has Harris’ Bird rights, which will help with his next contract but would eat into the club’s cap room.
Sources tell Scotto that the Sixers are “intrigued” with Kenyon Martin Jr., who was part of the return from the Clippers in the Harden deal, and may consider re-signing him next summer if he plays well.

Central Notes: LaVine, Cunningham, Duren, Griffin, Cavaliers

November 1st, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Zach LaVine said he learned about the business of basketball early in his career and he’s not bothered to see his name being floated in trade rumors again, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. There has been speculation that the Sixers may target LaVine now that the James Harden trade is finalized, but LaVine said the Bulls‘ front office hasn’t given him any indication that he might be moved.

“I’ve been traded before,” LaVine said. “Trades are just part of the business and guys get shuffled around every year. I’ve been in trade talks since I’ve been here for some reason. I feel like I’ve held up my end of the bargain in my commitment to the Bulls, but there’s not a lot you can do with rumors and people putting your name in trade talks.”

LaVine admits being “blindsided” by the 2017 draft night deal that sent him from Minnesota to Chicago. He said the Timberwolves gave him no reason to believe that he might be traded prior to the draft, and he found out when he got a call from his agent. LaVine expressed confidence that the Bulls would communicate with him ahead of time if they’re thinking about moving him.

“I feel like I’m in a good situation now where, if anything were to happen, they would let me know,” he said. “I have good communication with them and my agent. But there’s been stars traded before, high-level guys, who didn’t know about it as well. You’ve just got to hope you have a good relationship — or at least you have a heads up for the family.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Cade Cunningham‘s shin injury limited him to 79 minutes of playing time with rookie center Jalen Duren last season, so the Pistons teammates spent the summer working out together, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. They developed chemistry while training in Texas, then moved on to the U.S. Select Team in Las Vegas, where they were both reportedly standouts in their games against the World Cup squad. “That was, really, like the introduction to me playing with him and us getting acquainted with each other’s game, me learning how to get him open and to his spots,” Duren said. “I feel like, honestly, it clicked early because of the IQs. I feel like I have a high IQ for the game and so does he.”
Tonight’s visit to Toronto is a homecoming for Adrian Griffin, who spent five seasons as an assistant with the Raptors before being hired as the Bucks‘ head coach, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. “It’s great to be back. A lot of fond memories here,” Griffin told reporters before the game. “We were a tight knit family. … We won a championship here. Just special times. It’s a little bit awkward being in the visitors’ locker room.”
Joe Vardon of The Athletic examines the reasons behind the Cavaliers‘ 1-3 start, including injuries to several rotation players, up-and-down shooting by free agent addition Max Strus and a lack of scoring from Evan Mobley.

Harden Trade Notes: TPE, Hard Cap, Sixers’ Next Targets, More

October 31st, 2023 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The size of the traded player exception the Sixers create in their James Harden deal with the Clippers will depend on whether or not they’re comfortable being hard-capped at the first tax apron ($172.3MM), notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

Philadelphia could complete the trade using either the more lenient salary-matching rules for teams below both tax aprons or using the more restrictive matching rules for apron teams, which prohibit clubs from taking back more than 110% of their outgoing salary (plus $250K).

Going the latter route would result in a smaller trade exception ($6.8MM), but would avoid creating a hard cap; the former route would mean a bigger TPE ($11MM) but would leave Philadelphia just $2.8MM below a hard cap. I’d expect the 76ers – who want to make another trade or two before February’s deadline – to settle for the smaller TPE to avoid limiting their cap flexibility, but that’s just my speculation.

Here’s more on the Harden blockbuster:

Which players might the Sixers target in pre-deadline trades using the draft assets they’re acquiring for Harden? According to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), the “early chatter” on names to watch includes Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Raptors forward OG Anunoby. Based on Mannix’s wording, it sounds like that may just be speculation from rival executives rather than anything concrete from Sixers sources.
Zach Harper of The Athletic gives the Clippers a B-minus grade and the Sixers a C-minus grade for the trade, expressing surprise that Philadelphia didn’t get Terance Mann or Norman Powell as part of the return for Harden. In a separate Athletic story, Harper shares five reasons why he doesn’t love the deal for either side, including the fact that Russell Westbrook has played well since being traded to the Clippers and will now have his role adjusted.
While Harden and Westbrook will once again have to figure out how to coexist in a backcourt after stints together in Oklahoma City and Houston, there’s no conflict between the two guards, who have long “maintained a line of communication,” a league source tells Law Murray of The Athletic.
Filip Petrusev isn’t expected to be a contributor for the Clippers, a team source tells Murray. If Los Angeles were to waive the rookie big man, the team would open up a second spot on its 15-man roster and would only be on the hook for his partial guarantee ($559,782) rather than his full $1,119,563 salary, assuming that guarantee isn’t being increased as part of the trade.
In his story on the trade, Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times writes that the Clippers weren’t in “Harden-or-bust” mode. In fact, some people with the team believe L.A. came “extremely close” to winning the bidding for Jrue Holiday a few weeks ago, Greif writes. If the Clippers had landed Holiday, it’s unclear how the Harden saga would’ve been resolved.

Eastern Notes: Middleton, Bulls, D. Green, Duren, Butler

October 29th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

Forward Khris Middleton played in the Bucks‘ final game of the preseason last Friday and their regular season opener on Thursday, but he’ll be held out of Sunday’s game vs. Atlanta as the team monitors his workload and plays it safe with the three-time All-Star, per The Associated Press.

Sunday’s game is the first in a back-to-back set, as the Bucks are scheduled to host the Heat on Monday. Head coach Adrian Griffin indicated that Middleton, who underwent offseason knee surgery, will be available for Monday’s contest.

“This is just being smart and ramping him up gradually,” Griffin said on Saturday following the Bucks’ practice. “He participated in practice today and looked really good.”

Although he played on Thursday in the Bucks’ win over Philadelphia, Middleton doesn’t appear ready for a full workload yet — he logged just four minutes in the second half of that game and didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

The Bulls‘ inconsistent and disjointed 1-2 start to the season has only generated more questions about the fit and future of the team’s “big three,” writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “It’s our third year here together,” Zach LaVine said of the trio of himself, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic. “We know how this business is. We all love each other. DeMar is one of my best friends. We talk all the time. But we have to figure out how to make this thing work.”
The Sixers and Danny Green have agreed to adjust the salary guarantee trigger dates on his contract, Hoops Rumors has learned. The veteran swingman earned a $200K partial guarantee by making it to the first game of the regular season and will see that partial guarantee increase if he remains under contract through November 10 (to $500K), Nov. 24 ($750K), Dec. 8 ($1MM), Dec. 22 ($1.25MM), and Jan. 5 ($1.5MM). He’ll lock in his full $3,196,448 salary if he’s not waived on or before Jan. 7.
Pistons center Jalen Duren is off to an incredible start in his second NBA season, averaging 18.0 points, a league-leading 15.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.7 blocks in three games, including two wins. The big man, who doesn’t turn 20 until next month, is quickly blossoming into the sort of player who can help key the Pistons’ resurgence, says John Niyo of The Detroit News (subscription required)
Heat wing Jimmy Butler battled a right knee issue last season and played in both games in just seven of the team’s 14 back-to-back sets. Although Miami held Butler out of the second end of its first back-to-back set this season, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how he’ll be managed in back-to-backs going forward, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “No, we’re going to take it week by week,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said.