Portland Trail Blazers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bradley Beal Trade May Limit Market For Kyrie Irving

June 19th, 2023 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns‘ acquisition of Bradley Beal may leave the Mavericks as the only bidder for Kyrie Irving when free agency begins, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

Stein states that when Dallas traded for Irving in February, team officials were told that the Suns and Lakers were likely to pursue him this summer. Phoenix appears to have taken itself out of the race by trading for Beal, while L.A. is focused on keeping key elements of its current roster and doesn’t appear interested in bidding for Irving, according to Stein.

League sources tell Stein that the Mavs don’t seem to have any competition for Irving, although that could change before free agency kicks off in 11 days. The Rockets could get involved if they’re unsuccessful in luring James Harden back to Houston, but Stein was told that Irving would be their third choice behind Harden and Fred VanVleet.

Stein identifies the Heat as another team that could make a run at Irving after missing out on Beal, noting that Miami had interest in Irving before he was traded to Dallas. Stein is skeptical, however, believing the Heat are more focused on acquiring Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers. Miami officials are hoping Lillard will opt for a change of scenery if Portland can’t trade the No. 3 pick for veteran help and that he would be motivated to join a team that just reached the NBA Finals.

Stein adds that the Lakers could still reverse course, but “Plan A” is to re-sign Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura while trying to add Chris Paul if he’s bought out or released once he joins the Wizards. The Clippers are reportedly trying to get their hands on Paul before that can happen, either by expanding the Beal trade or making a separate deal with Washington.

Stein notes that Mavericks haven’t wavered in their plan to re-sign Irving, and team officials believe he wants to stay in Dallas. Negotiations may still be complicated, Stein adds, because the Mavs are hoping to get Irving to agree to a team-friendly contract without alienating him. Irving can receive an estimated $210MM over four years from Dallas, but he may find himself at the bargaining table with very little leverage.

Suns Confident They Can Deal Deandre Ayton?

June 18th, 2023 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With the Suns on the verge of acquiring Bradley Beal from the Wizards, Phoenix has virtually depleted its trade assets. They still have one more big trade chip left, if they choose to deal center Deandre Ayton.

While they may have to exercise patience, there’s confidence within the Suns organization that they can deal Ayton, an unnamed league executive tells Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney.

Currently, interest around the league is Ayton is modest because he’s not a priority for potential trade partners. That could change after the draft and once the dominoes start to fall during free agency.

The Suns matched the Pacers’ offer sheet last year for Ayton when he was a restricted free agent. Ayton had three years left on that four-year, $132.9MM contract. He’ll make approximately $32.46MM next season, $34MM in 2024/25 and $35.55MM on 2025/26.

Ayton averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds this past season. However, he’d be an afterthought in an offense featuring Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant and probably wouldn’t be thrilled with a reduced role.

Strapped by max contracts, Phoenix might try to parlay Ayton for two or more quality role players. Deveney lists the Bulls, Mavericks, Hornets, Pacers and Trail Blazers as potential landing spots, while acknowledging that acquiring Ayton isn’t of great importance for any of those franchises at the moment.

Draft Notes: Wembanyama, Coulibaly, Lewis, Clowney

June 18th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Although Victor Wembanyama may be the best NBA draft prospect in 20 years, the Spurs understand that his body type carries a certain amount of injury risk, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. McDonald notes that foot injuries have interrupted or even ended the careers of numerous big men, such as Bill Walton, Yao Ming, Arvydas Sabonis and Greg Oden. The latest example is Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, who suffered a foot fracture in an exhibition game last summer that forced him to miss his entire first season.

Wembanyama possesses an agility that has rarely been seen in someone so tall, and he has a team of advisors who have created a specialized training regimen to help him avoid stress injuries. Their prescription includes an all-natural diet with five meals each day, along with 10 hours of sleep.

“When you talk about a generational talent, it often times goes beyond your ability to make a shot or your ability to jump or put the ball on the floor,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “As we’ve studied Victor, he’s very in depth with everything he does. It’s all those little details that go into becoming great.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

Wembanyama is advocating for his French teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, to be selected in the lottery, relays NBA reporter Esfandiar Baraheni (Twitter link). “When I see the top 10 prospects announced at the draft, and for example the twins, Amen and Ausar Thompson, whose profile is similar to Bilal’s,” Wembanyama said, “I tell myself, very factually, that if these players are announced in the first five picks while playing in a league, Overtime Elite, whose level is light years away from what we experience here, then Bilal must be at least a top five.”
Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis, who worked out for the Trail Blazers on Thursday, views himself as a definite first-round pick, per Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “In my opinion, after just being in this environment, I feel like I’m a top-20 guy,” Lewis said. “We’ll see. Sky’s the limit.”
Alabama’s Noah Clowney is the 20th player to receive a Green Room invitation for draft night, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).
Washington State guard Justin Powell has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Rockets and Nets, tweets Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.
The Hornets are hosting six players on Sunday for a pre-draft workout (Twitter link). They are Kam’Ron Blue of Coppin State, GG Jackson of South Carolina, Terry Roberts of Georgia, Vincent Valerio-Bodon of Sopron KC, Jalen Wilson of Kansas and Isaiah Wong of Miami.

Stein’s Latest: Beal, Heat, Suns, Zion, Harden, Rosas, Bucks

June 17th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards may be motivated to move Bradley Beal sooner rather than later, Marc Stein writes at Substack, observing that the team’s leverage in trade negotiations could take a hit if Damian Lillard asks the Trail Blazers for a trade while Beal is still in D.C.

As Stein writes, the Heat are currently one of Beal’s prime suitors, but if Lillard were available, Miami would be at the top of his wish list too. The Heat are believed to prefer Lillard to Beal, but may not have the luxury of waiting to see if the Blazers guard will request a trade, says Stein. Miami theoretically has the assets to make a play for both stars, but the Wizards probably don’t want to risk having the Heat pivot to Lillard and away from Beal.

As we noted within our initial story on Beal this afternoon, the Wizards seem to be prioritizing cap relief rather than players on long-term contracts, which means Kyle Lowry and Chris Paul would be at the center of offers put forth by the Heat and Suns, respectively. Stein and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) confirm that Paul is expected to be part of any Phoenix offer, with Haynes adding that Landry Shamet would likely be included too.

Stein and Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald suggest that Paul’s partially guaranteed contract could appeal to the Wizards, since they could waive him by June 28 and only owe him his $15.8MM partial guarantee instead of his full $30.8MM salary for 2023/24. However, Paul’s outgoing salary for matching purposes in a trade would be equivalent to his guarantee for ’23/24, not his full cap hit, so the Suns may need to increase that guarantee in order to adhere to the NBA’s trade rules.

Here’s more from Stein:

While it remains to be seen whether the Pelicans will seriously consider moving Zion Williamson this offseason, Stein hears that they “quietly” held some exploratory talks a year ago before signing him to a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension. Stein also reiterates a point he made previously, writing that the “rising level of exasperation” within the organization about Williamson’s availability and approach will have to be addressed if Zion remains in New Orleans.
Star guard James Harden is believed to be giving “renewed consideration” to the idea of remaining with the Sixers rather than leaving for the Rockets in free agency, Stein reports.
More than one rival team expects the Knicks to make Gersson Rosas their new general manager under president of basketball operations Leon Rose following Scott Perry‘s exit from the franchise, Stein writes. Rosas is currently a senior basketball advisor for the Knicks.
Before hiring Adrian Griffin as their new head coach, the Bucks expressed “strong” interest in University of Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, along with Monty Williams, according to Stein, who notes that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo wanted a former NBA player to get the job.

Trade Rumors: Lillard, Simons, Ayton, Beal, Nets

June 17th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

With the draft less than a week away, the Trail Blazers continue to focus on trying to acquire pieces to complement Damian Lillard rather than seeking a trade involving their franchise point guard, according to reports from veteran basketball journalists Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst.

Stein wrote on Friday at Substack that Portland continues to convey a willingness to package the No. 3 overall pick with guard Anfernee Simons in a deal for win-now talent. Windhorst, meanwhile, said on ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that the Blazers are trying to get creative as they seek roster upgrades.

“Portland is trying some pretty aggressive moves, from what I’ve been able to glean,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “I have no idea how accurate everything is, but they are swinging.”

As Stein observes, the teams with interest in acquiring Lillard are hoping the Blazers don’t find a trade they like using their lottery pick. There’s a belief that Dame will consider asking out of Portland if the club simply keeps and uses that No. 3 selection, since he has spoken about wanting to contend for a title.

In that scenario, Windhorst notes, the Blazers would be in a good position to reset their roster, with a couple young players to build around, but he doesn’t get the sense that’s a path the front office is exploring yet.

“They have Shaedon Sharpe… This year they have the No. 3 pick. If they wanted to, they’re primed (to rebuild),” Windhorst said. “They could get a haul for Dame, whatever it is, and they’d have two lottery picks to rebuild around. But that is not the direction that they’re going at all. That is not the intel that I’m (receiving) at all. If that’s being considered, it’s not being discussed outside the family.”

Here are a few more recent NBA trade rumors:

Having previously reported that the Suns were expected to gauge Deandre Ayton‘s trade value this offseason, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN indicated during an appearance on the Ryen Russillo Podcast (YouTube video link) that those efforts haven’t been especially fruitful so far. According to Wojnarowski, the trade market for Ayton is “lean,” so Phoenix should prepare for the possibility of bringing back the former No. 1 pick. “They’ve gone through the marketplace and I don’t think there is an obvious deal for Deandre Ayton out there,” Woj said, per RealGM.
A rival Eastern general manager tells Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that the Wizards shouldn’t rush into a Bradley Beal trade, even if they intend to reset their roster, since his value is “as low as it has ever been” at the moment. “Right now, you can get him for cap relief but you’re not going to a big package of picks,” the GM said. “They’d be better off waiting, let him get on the floor and let him shine a little bit.”
In the latest episode of their #thisleague UNCUT podcast, Stein and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report both said they’d be surprised if Beal is still with the Wizards at the start of next season. Haynes also added the Nets to the list of teams that may get involved in the Beal sweepstakes if the star guard is open to being sent to Brooklyn.

Fischer’s Latest: Kuzma, Pacers, Rockets, Draft, Raptors, More

June 16th, 2023 at 11:14pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns have been targeting Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma for “several seasons,” league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, but it seems unlikely he’ll be headed to Phoenix this summer.

Kuzma, who has said he plans to decline his $13MM player option in search of a bigger payday, has been linked to the Pacers and Rockets — a couple of teams with cap space — ahead of free agency, says Fischer.

The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 21.2 PPG in 2022/23, along with 7.2 RPG and 3.7 APG (another career-best) in 64 games (35.0 MPG). However, his scoring efficiency left something to be desired — he posted a .448/.333/.730 shooting slash line for a below-average 54.4 true shooting percentage.

It’s unclear if Washington’s new front office will have interest in retaining Kuzma. The prior regime was obviously high on the combo forward, as the club decided to hold onto him through the February trade deadline.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up for Yahoo Sports:

Outside of the top three selections, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how the rest of the lottery will play out, Fischer writes. He suggests that Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin and Metropolitans 92 wing Bilal Coulibaly are worth keeping an eye on as somewhat unexpected top-10 picks. Several teams are reportedly considering moving into or out of the lottery, and sources tell Fischer the Thunder (No. 12) should be added to the list of teams open to moving back in order to add multiple first-rounders.
According to Fischer’s sources, while the Raptors continue to weigh various approaches to their roster construction, they still view Scottie Barnes as a franchise cornerstone. Multiple league executives tell Fischer the Raptors are expected to keep investigating pathways to move into the top three of the draft, and they’ve also contacted the Rockets about the fourth overall pick.
Moving into the top three or four would almost certainly require the Raptors to part with Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby, Fischer notes. Toronto has had previous trade talks with the Trail Blazers, who control the third pick, centered around both forwards, sources tell Fischer. Both players are entering the final year of their contracts, so presumably any team acquiring either player would have to secure a long-term commitment — they’ll both be extension-eligible this offseason. Fischer hears the Raptors have told rival clubs they declined Portland’s overtures for Anunoby in exchange for the seventh overall pick in 2022, but obviously last year’s seventh pick has a different valuation than a top-three selection in a draft that is viewed as having three standout prospects.
Multiple sources tell Fischer that Anunoby is “very much” open to staying with the Raptors if he can land a bigger role in the team’s offense under new head coach Darko Rajakovic. However, he suggests that might change if Siakam and Fred VanVleet remain on the roster alongside Barnes next season. The Kings are among the teams interested in Anunoby, Fischer writes, with Harrison Barnes‘ future up in the air ahead of free agency.
Despite opting out of his player option, VanVleet is still open to re-signing with the Raptors, per Fischer. $90MM over three years appears to be VanVleet’s floor for a new contract, according to Fischer, who adds that fellow guard Gary Trent Jr. will likely command “at least” $20MM annually in free agency. Trent is expected to decline his own player option, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. The deadline on Trent’s decision was reported to be June 14, but may have been pushed back — ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) now lists that deadline as June 29.

Latest Rumors On Hornets’, Blazers’ Lottery Picks

June 16th, 2023 at 7:58am CST by Luke Adams

Despite New Orleans’ interest in Scoot Henderson, the odds of the Hornets and Pelicans reaching an agreement involving the No. 2 pick appear slim.

While the Pelicans don’t necessarily view any player as “untouchable” as they explore moving up in the draft, they’ve shown little interest in parting with forward Brandon Ingram, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. According to Fischer, the team has received plenty of trade inquiries about Trey Murphy this year, but Murphy isn’t viewed as the type of player who could be the centerpiece of a deal that moves New Orleans up from No. 14 to No. 2.

That would leave Zion Williamson as the most obvious trade chip the Pelicans could use if they’re serious about moving into the top three. However, the organization still believes in Williamson’s upside and “fondly remembers” starting the season atop the Western Conference this past season when Zion was healthy, Fischer writes, noting that a top-three pick would be “merely the starting point” to meet Williamson’s valuation of the star forward. Charlotte is unlikely to share that valuation.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony expressed a similar sentiment during an appearance on Zach Lowe’s Lowe Post podcast, as RealGM relays.

“I’ve been told New Orleans is not trading Zion,” Givony said. “And no interest in trading Brandon Ingram. I would be very surprised if anything ended up happening there at two or three. They were the No. 1 team in the West last year when Zion went down with the injury. If he’s healthy, which he rarely is, but when he’s healthy, he is easily one of the best players in the NBA. So I don’t see it happening. That was pretty much shut down to me as a possibility of Zion to Charlotte.”

Asked by Lowe if the possibility of a Pelicans/Trail Blazers trade involving the No. 3 pick is more viable, Givony essentially dismissed that idea too.

“They haven’t even spoken with Portland,” Givony said. “I think New Orleans has made some calls, just to see what it would take to get to one, get to two, but I don’t think it went past that.”

While the Pelicans have been the team most frequently mentioned this week as a candidate to move into the top three, they’re not the only ones who have looked into that possibility. Fischer says the Raptors and Rockets have conveyed interest in moving up in the lottery, while Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer cites sources who say that Toronto and the Wizards have explored deals to move into the top three.

Presumably, any trade into the top three for the Raptors or Wizards would involve a star player like Pascal Siakam or Bradley Beal, though it’s unclear whether those All-Stars on their own would be enough for a team like Charlotte or Portland to seriously consider a move down. Siakam will be on an expiring deal in 2023/24, while Beal is owed nearly $208MM over the next four years, so neither player has a particularly favorable contract. As we wrote on Thursday, Fischer is skeptical that Houston has the veteran talent necessary to move into the top three.

Givony suggested on The Lowe Post that the Trail Blazers have yet to receive a compelling offer for the No. 3 pick.

“Contrary to what people think, if the draft were tonight, they’re making that pick,” Givony said, per RealGM. “Unless something crazy comes up. Some type of trade that you just can’t say ‘no’ to. At this stage, they haven’t had anywhere near that level of conversation to get fair value for that pick. You very rarely have a chance to get that type of talent, like a Brandon Miller or a Scoot Henderson, in Portland. So they’re not just going to pass up on that unless something absolutely incredible comes out of thin air, which doesn’t appear the case right now.”

Northwest Notes: Brown, Moran, Jazz, Thunder

June 15th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

It appears that momentum may be building toward Nuggets swingman Bruce Brown remaining with the champs at least a bit longer, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). During Denver’s championship parade on Thursday, Brown alluded to his impending free agency in addressing a crowd of Nuggets faithful, with the team’s front office and coaching staff on hand.

“[I’ve] got a question for you,” Brown told the gathered fanbase. “One question: one more year?”

Brown could become a free agent this summer by declining his 2023/24 player option, and if he did he could be in line for a significant raise, potentially even doubling his $6.8MM option salary. However, Denver’s ability to offer him a raise is limited due to cap restraints. Following the Nuggets’ championship-clinching victory on Monday, the 6’4″ veteran expressed a desire to remain with the team, telling reporters that “money isn’t everything.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

The still-unnamed new G League affiliate of the Trail Blazers has found its head coach. A Portland press release reveals that Jim Moran, who most recently served as an assistant coach for Dwane Casey on the Pistons from 2021-23, will lead the new club. Moran had also worked in various capacities with Portland from 2014-21.
The Jazz have a wealth of intriguing options they could choose from with the ninth pick in the 2023 draft. Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune takes a look at players the team should consider — and, conversely, which players the club should avoid. Larsen opines that shooting ability, an aptitude for full court offense, and basic defensive competency are the three key traits Utah should prioritize. In terms of likely selections that could still be available in the Jazz’s range, Larsen is dubious about the shooting skills of Arkansas guard Anthony Black, but like the shooting and defense of Central Florida forward Taylor Hendricks. He appreciates the floor vision of Indiana wing Jalen Hood-Schifino. He also examines a few other possible prospects.
The Thunder once again have a late lottery pick at their disposal this season. Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman identifies several guards the club could consider with its No. 12 selection, including Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. and 2022/23 All-Big Ten Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin.

Windhorst: Damian Lillard Trade Market Is Quiet

June 14th, 2023 at 5:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard speculated about possible trade destinations in a Showtime interview last week, but he and the Trail Blazers appear committed to continuing their partnership, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Wednesday during an appearance on “Get Up” (video link).

Asked whether Lillard is likely to be on a different team at the start of next season, Windhorst said he doesn’t expect that to happen “as of right now.”

“They publicly haven’t sounded like they want to trade him. I can tell you privately the Blazers aren’t interested in trading him right now either,” Windhorst explained. “I have to underline ‘right now’ because we’re in a fluid situation.”

The fluidity stems from Lillard’s desire to see Portland trade its first-round pick for veteran help rather than bringing in more young talent. Some lottery luck gave the Blazers the No. 3 selection, but Lillard emphasized in an interview after the regular season ended that he doesn’t want to be part of a rebuilding project.

Lillard alluded to that statement while talking to Showtime, saying the organization has “an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete.” But he also made it clear that his philosophy on trading the pick hasn’t changed, adding, “If we can’t do that … then it’s a separate conversation we would have to have.”

Although that sounds like a message to management that he’ll want out if the pick isn’t dealt, Windhorst said the rumor mill is currently quiet regarding a potential Lillard trade.

“I am hearing nothing,” Windhorst added. “Nothing from the Dame side. Nothing from the Blazers’ side formally that he doesn’t want to be there.”

If the Blazers keep their pick, they are expected to take either Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson, whichever player is left on the board after Charlotte’s selection at No. 2. Although they’re high-level prospects who might be able to contribute right away, they’re both 19, which Windhorst points out is the exact situation that Lillard said he doesn’t want to be part of.

Pelicans Rumors: Henderson, Draft, Williamson, Ingram

June 14th, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

Since Shams Charania reported on Monday that the Pelicans have explored the possibility of trying to acquire a top-three pick in the draft in order to snag G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, multiple NBA journalists – including Brian Windhorst of ESPN (YouTube link) and Substack writer Marc Stein – have confirmed New Orleans’ interest in Henderson.

The Pelicans like the idea of adding a more “traditional play-maker” to their roster after having CJ McCollum serve as the de facto point guard last season, according to Stein, who adds that New Orleans is “undeniably drawn” to Henderson.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday, Windhorst said the Pelicans’ interest in moving up from No. 14 in the draft has rival teams speculating about whether former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson will hit the trade block.

“The Pelicans have had some cursory discussions (about moving up), from what I’ve been told. There haven’t been any offers made necessarily yet,” Windhorst said. “But it makes you really not take too far of a leap to wonder – and the league is certainly wondering – if the Pelicans are going to make, for the first time truly, Zion Williamson available ahead of next week’s draft. To get up to that level in the top five, you’d have to consider a player of this caliber.

“… I don’t know if anything’s going to truly develop there, but I think it’s fair to say based on my conversations, there’s an eye being kept toward whether the Pelicans would make Zion Williamson available.”

Stein has heard similar speculation and spoke to one “well-placed” source who believes that the Pelicans would be prepared to move Williamson if it meant they could land Henderson.

According to Stein, that source cited a “rising level of exasperation” in New Orleans about Zion’s injury history and his overall approach. The former Duke star has appeared in just 114 games in his first four NBA seasons due to a variety of health issues.

Of course, even if the Pelicans are willing to trade Williamson, it’s not clear whether the Hornets would be willing to give up the No. 2 overall pick in a deal for him, given not just his injury issues but his maximum-salary contract, which will go into effect this year.

A second source who spoke to Stein predicted that Charlotte would turn down an offer centered around the No. 2 pick and Williamson, though Stein notes that Hornets governor Michael Jordan may like the idea of acquiring a Jordan Brand star.

It’s possible the Trail Blazers would have interest in Williamson, Stein writes, but if the Blazers decide to trade the No. 3 pick, they’d likely prefer to acquire a star with a better track record of availability. It’s also not a lock that Henderson would be available for New Orleans if the team traded up to No. 3, since Charlotte could take him instead of Alabama’s Brandon Miller.

As we relayed earlier today, Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com wrote within his latest mock draft that the top of the draft could get a shake-up if the Pelicans include Brandon Ingram in an offer for the No. 2 pick, but Givony cautioned that it’s too early to say whether New Orleans would be willing to do so. For what it’s worth, Stein says his read right now is that the Pels would be less inclined to move Ingram than Williamson.