Portland Trail Blazers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Stein’s Latest: Clifford, Hornets, Pistons, Jazz, More

June 23rd, 2022 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

As the Hornets resume their head coaching search following Kenny Atkinson‘s decision to back out of an agreement with the team, Marc Stein suggests in his latest Substack column that a surprising name may be on Charlotte’s radar.

According to Stein, there’s some “serious mounting buzz” that Steve Clifford, who coached the Hornets from 2013-18, has emerged as a candidate to replace James Borrego. Charlotte is reportedly in the market for a candidate with previous head coaching experience and is certainly familiar with Clifford. He took the club to the postseason in 2014 and 2016 — those are the Hornets’ only playoff appearances since 2010.

Mike D’Antoni, who was said to be meeting with Hornets owner Michael Jordan this week, was a finalist during the initial search appears to still be in contention for the job. There have been conflicting reports on whether Terry Stotts was also a finalist before the team reached a deal with Atkinson — Stein writes that D’Antoni was the “only other known finalist” at that point.

Here’s more from Stein:

Confirming that the Pistons are expected to pursue Suns RFA center Deandre Ayton, Stein says Ayton would embrace the idea of teaming up with Cade Cunningham in Detroit. Stein adds that Miles Bridges and Collin Sexton are believed to be ahead of Jalen Brunson on the Pistons’ list of other potential free agent targets. Both Bridges and Sexton will be restricted free agents, while Brunson will be unrestricted.
There’s an increasing belief in coaching circles that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge would like to hire an up-and-coming first-time head coach to replace Quin Snyder, according to Stein, who identifies Celtics assistant Will Hardy and Suns assistant Kevin Young as candidates who have impressed Utah so far.
After writing on Wednesday that the Sixers would be the favorites to sign P.J. Tucker if the forward leaves the Heat, Stein says today that Philadelphia’s impending pursuit of Tucker has the “strong backing” of star center Joel Embiid.
In addition to OG Anunoby, the Trail Blazers maintain interest in Thunder swingman Luguentz Dort, says Stein. Portland’s interest in Dort was previously reported. Portland’s No. 7 overall pick could be in play as the team seeks an upgrade on the wing.

Draft Rumors: Banchero, Possible Trades, Sharpe, Sixers, Wolves

June 23rd, 2022 at 7:19am CST by Luke Adams

A major swing occurred overnight in sportsbooks across the country, according to Matt Moore of Action Network, who tweets that every book with odds available for the No. 1 overall pick now lists Duke’s Paolo Banchero as the favorite to come off the board first.

It’s a fascinating turn of events with the draft just hours away, though it’s hard to ascertain what exactly it means. Do those oddsmakers know something about the Magic‘s plans that the general public doesn’t? Did some bettors swing the odds by placing significant wagers on Banchero, either because they have inside info or because they want to create more favorable odds for subsequent bets on Jabari Smith? Could a trade involving the top pick be in the works?

Most NBA reporters and draft experts have stated for weeks that it would be a surprise for anyone besides Smith to go to Orlando at No. 1. However, he’s far from the lock that recent first overall picks like Cade Cunningham and Zion Williamson have been. This 11th-hour swing in betting odds only adds more intrigue to the top of tonight’s draft.

Here’s more on the 2022 NBA draft:

The Pacers, Jazz, Celtics, and Pistons are among the teams believed to be looking into acquiring a pick in the back half of the first round, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Boston seems open to discussing young rotation players like Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard in those talks, Fischer adds.
The latest round-up of draft-related intel from Jeremy Woo of SI.com includes notes on Shaedon Sharpe, who continues to be linked to the Trail Blazers at No. 7; the Sixers‘ No. 23 pick, which rival teams believe will be dealt; and the list of teams thought to have interest in acquiring a second-round pick, which includes the Lakers, Jazz, Mavericks, Suns, Nets, and Heat.
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said on Wednesday his team is “super open” to trading the No. 19 overall pick, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). “We’ve had countless conversations about using that pick to add a more quickly impactful piece,” Connelly said. “But 99% of these conversations are just theoretical.”

Pistons Expected To Pursue Deandre Ayton

June 22nd, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After agreeing to send Jerami Grant to the Trail Blazers, the Pistons will target Suns center Deandre Ayton in free agency, sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Ayton will be a restricted free agent, so Phoenix can match any offer he receives, but there’s speculation that he might be on the move because of his desire for a max contract and a reported confrontation with coach Monty Williams in the playoffs.

Detroit will head into the free agent market with roughly $43MM in cap space once the Grant trade is finalized. Edwards says the Pistons may use it to explore trade opportunities if Ayton either re-signs with the Suns or is traded elsewhere. He adds that general manager Troy Weaver won’t feel pressured to go through it all during the offseason. The organization may save some room to take on unwanted contracts and acquire draft assets.

With their obligations to Blake Griffin finally over, the Pistons have significant cap flexibility for the first time in several years, Edwards notes. They want to build an exciting, competitive team around Cade Cunningham and they hope Ayton will be part of that group.

There’s more on the Grant trade:

The deal with Portland is the best offer the Pistons received for Grant, according to Edwards’ sources. He adds that potential trades were discussed with other teams, dating back to the deadline in February, but no formal offers provided a better return than the package of draft picks from the Blazers.
Trading their starting power forward may indicate that the Pistons are focused on Keegan Murray with the fifth pick in Thursday’s draft, but Edwards cautions that it’s not a foregone conclusion. Jaden Ivey will also be considered if he’s available, along with Bennedict Mathurin. Edwards also points out that Isaiah Stewart or Saddiq Bey could replace Grant, allowing the team to concentrate on other positions in the draft. Edwards suggests that, with the help of their newfound cap space, the Pistons might try to acquire a pick late in the lottery if a big man like Jalen Duren is still available.
Damian Lillard‘s agent, Aaron Goodwin, endorsed the trade, tweets Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. He said it shows “the Blazers are competing.”
Zach Harper of The Athletic gives the Trail Blazers a B and the Pistons a C-plus in his grades for the deal. He notes that Grant was extremely productive during his two seasons in Detroit and provides Portland with a path toward quickly returning to contender status. Harper adds that the trade makes sense for the Pistons’ rebuilding effort, although it’s a long time to wait for Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2025.

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.

Givony’s Latest: Sharpe, Magic, Kings, Duarte, Suns, Knicks, More

June 21st, 2022 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe, perhaps the biggest enigma of the 2022 NBA draft, is the subject of several rumors in Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft at ESPN.com (Insider link).

Givony has Sharpe coming off the board at No. 7 to Portland, writing that Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is believed to be a fan of the young guard, despite the fact that Sharpe is 12 years younger than Lillard and is on a “completely different timetable.”

A pair of teams picking later in the lottery may also have their sights set on Sharpe. The Thunder, who hold the No. 12 pick, continue to pursue trade-up opportunities, according to Givony, who says Sharpe and Jaden Ivey are among the players Oklahoma City appears to be targeting.

Meanwhile, Sharpe is also said to intrigue the Hornets if they trade up from No. 13, Givony writes, noting that the Kentucky guard surprised other teams when he opted to work out for Charlotte.

Here are a few more of the most interesting tidbits from Givony’s newest mock:

Virtually every NBA team expects the Magic to select Jabari Smith first overall and would be surprised if they go in a different direction.
The Kings are considered more likely to stand pat than to trade the No. 4 pick, but they’ve had discussions with almost every team behind them in the lottery and even some outside of the lottery, per Givony. Pacers wing Chris Duarte is among the possible trade targets the Kings have done their homework on, Givony adds.
Surprisingly, Givony has heard the Suns are among the clubs exploring trade scenarios involving the Pelicans‘ No. 8 pick. Givony suggests Phoenix could potentially include a player like Cameron Johnson in its offer to help create more long-term cap flexibility to retain Deandre Ayton.
There’s a widespread belief that the Knicks won’t end up picking at No. 11, Givony reports. they’re “aggressively” exploring scenarios in which they trade back or trade out of the first round.
Rival teams believe the Cavaliers are high on Ousmane Dieng, though he could be off the board by No. 14, says Givony.
Echoing multiple recent reports, Givony identifies Hawks big man John Collins as a major draft-day trade candidate. Givony goes a step further, suggesting that Collins could even be packaged with Kevin Huerter in a deal involving the Kings‘ No. 4 overall pick.
The Bucks (No. 24) are eyeing older prospects who could help them win right away, such as Andrew Nembhard, Jake LaRavia, Christian Braun and Ismael Kamagate, according to Givony, who has heard from rival teams that Milwaukee has also conveyed some interest in trading up into the teens, possibly for a big man like Mark Williams and Walker Kessler.

Caleb Swanigan Passes Away At Age 25

June 21st, 2022 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA forward Caleb Swanigan died on Monday night, according to an announcement from his alma mater of Purdue (Twitter link). Swanigan was 25 years old.

Swanigan spent two seasons with the Boilermakers from 2015-17, enjoying a breakout season as a sophomore. He averaged 18.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 35 games in 2016/17, earning consensus first-team All-American honors and the Big Ten Player of the Year award.

The 26th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Swanigan spent his rookie year the Trail Blazers, then was traded to Sacramento midway through his second NBA season. He was sent back to Portland about a year later. In total, he appeared in 75 NBA games across three seasons, averaging 2.3 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 8.7 minutes per contest for the Blazers and Kings.

Swanigan battled obesity and spent time in homeless shelters during his childhood before becoming a star at Purdue, as Myron Medcalf of ESPN detailed in a 2017 profile.

Our condolences go out to Swanigan’s friends and family.

Hawks Rumors: Collins, Capela, Grant, Bogdanovic

June 20th, 2022 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

A John Collins trade appears more likely to happen this offseason than it ever has in the past, according to Marc Stein, who writes in his latest Substack article that a deal involving the Hawks big man seems to be “pretty much expected.”

Both Stein and Jeremy Woo of SI.com continue to link Collins to the Trail Blazers, with Woo suggesting that Atlanta is “eyeing” Portland’s No. 7 overall pick and Stein agreeing that a Collins deal structured around that No. 7 pick seems plausible.

Stein adds that Suns general manager James Jones has “rated Collins highly in the past,” so if Atlanta does pursue a sign-and-trade deal for Phoenix center Deandre Ayton, there could be a fit there.

Here’s more on the Hawks:

Clint Capela‘s name continues to pop up in trade rumors, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting earlier today that the Timberwolves have talked to Atlanta about the veteran center. However, Stein notes that Capela is close with Trae Young and has been described as a “true Young favorite,” so if the Hawks move the big man, they’d have to be pretty confident the deal upgraded the roster.
After writing a couple weeks ago that the Hawks continued to exhibit interest in Pistons forward Jerami Grant, Stein clarifies that it was actually Detroit that showed more interest in a hypothetical deal that would involve Grant, the Hawks’ No. 16 overall pick, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, while Atlanta was less enthusiastic about the idea. It’s not clear how Bogdanovic’s recent knee surgery might affect the Pistons’ interest in such a trade or the Hawks’ ability to move him, Stein writes.
Despite Travis Schlenk‘s insistence that the Hawks won’t undergo a “major overhaul” this summer, rival teams still believe they’re looking to make significant changes, with Young, De’Andre Hunter, and Onyeka Okongwu widely believed to be the only players who are probably off limits, according to Stein.

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.

Pre-Draft Workout Wednesday Features Sharpe, Sochan

June 15th, 2022 at 5:48pm CST by Rory Maher

The Trail Blazers are hosting a pre-draft workout with six prospects on Wednesday, including a couple of potential lottery picks, tweets Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian. Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 prospect on ESPN’s big board, headlines the group, followed by Jeremy Sochan (No. 15), Dalen Terry (No. 25), John Butler (No. 67), Jamaree Bouyea (No. 79) and Jordan Hall (No. 87). Portland holds the Nos. 7, 36 and 59 picks in the draft.

Draft Notes: Green Room, Draft Targets, Comps, Mock, Minott

June 14th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Rory Maher

The list of prospects invited to the green room on draft night has expanded to 16, tweets ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. The list includes all of the top-16 ranked players on ESPN’s big board: Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Dyson Daniels, Shaedon Sharpe, Bennedict Mathurin, AJ Griffin, Jalen Duren, Johnny Davis, Ousmane Dieng, Malaki Branham, Mark Williams, Jeremy Sochan and Ochai Agbaji.

A source tells Givony that the list could expand further, with four more invites still a possibility. The draft is nine days away.

Here are some more draft-related notes:

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report lists three realistic prospects for each team’s first pick of the draft. For instance, Wasserman believes Sochan, Tari Eason and TyTy Washington would be solid choices for Atlanta with the 16th overall pick.
In a separate article for Bleacher Report, Wasserman provides NBA comps for 14 projected lottery picks, including Sharpe, whom Wasserman compares to Zach LaVine.
The early entrant withdrawal deadline passed at 5:00 pm ET on Monday, so BasketballNews.com updated their 2022 mock draft to include some international prospects who were previously on the fence, such as Yannick Nzosa, Gabriele Procida and Ibuo Badji, who all go late in the second round (Twitter link via Matt Babcock of BasketballNews).
Memphis wing Josh Minott recently worked out for the Kings, and has upcoming workouts with the Jazz, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves and Heat, according to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com (Twitter link). Minott is ranked 46th on ESPN’s board.