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Suns Rumors: Harden, Lillard, Paul, Irving, Russell, More

June 9th, 2023 at 8:04pm CST by Rory Maher

There have been rumors linking James Harden to Phoenix. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM shut down that notion (via Twitter), writing that there’s a “zero percent chance” the Suns would pursue the former MVP.

Gambadoro also said it was “highly unlikely” the Suns would have interest in Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, pointing out that his large salary might be unpalatable for a roster that’s already top-heavy (Twitter link). On his Burns and Gambo radio show (Twitter link), the plugged-in local reporter stated in stronger terms that the Suns won’t pursue Lillard.

“They’re not getting James Harden, and they’re not getting Damian Lillard,” Gambadoro said.

Here are more rumors on the Suns:

  • Gambadoro’s reporting on Lillard was seemingly in response to a new piece from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who hears from sources who say that the Trail Blazers have shown interest in Deandre Ayton in the past. However, Fischer also downplays Phoenix’s chances of landing Lillard, noting that the Suns don’t have the requisite assets to land a player of his caliber. The Blazers, meanwhile, still hope to build a contender around their all-time leading scorer, and remain intent on re-signing Jerami Grant, sources tell Fischer.
  • Fischer’s article focuses on Chris Paul‘s uncertain future with the Suns and how it might have a ripple effect around the NBA. Although Lillard and Harden might be unrealistic targets, Fischer writes that the Suns remain intrigued by Kyrie Irving, who is entering unrestricted free agency. As Fischer notes, Irving would basically have to ask the Mavericks for help in a sign-and-trade. Dallas hasn’t shown any interest in helping the Lakers land Irving in a sign-and-trade for D’Angelo Russell, but Fischer wonders if Paul might be more appealing.
  • Could the Lakers and Suns explore a sign-and-trade involving Russell and Paul? The Suns pursued the 27-year-old impending free agent ahead of the February trade deadline when he was still on the Timberwolves, sources tell Fischer. Big man Naz Reid, who’s also set to hit unrestricted free agency, was another player Phoenix desired in talks with Minnesota, Fischer adds.
  • Hornets guard Terry Rozier has been linked to Phoenix in the past, but the Suns didn’t pursue him ahead of the trade deadline, sources tell Fischer. Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Kings guard Davion Mitchell, and Heat guard Gabe Vincent are among the other backcourt options the Suns have monitored, per Fischer.
  • Agents that Fischer has talked to believe Paul could get at least part of — if not the full — mid-level exception if he’s waived and becomes an unrestricted free agent. While Paul has been linked to his former club, the Clippers, Fischer notes that they can only offer the veteran’s minimum, and there’s “mutual interest” in a reunion between Russell Westbrook and the Clips.
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Pistons Rumors: Burks, Grant, Johnson, Bogdanovic, Frontcourt, More

June 9th, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are expected to pick up their $10.5MM team option on veteran swingman Alec Burks for the 2023/24 season, Michael Scotto said during the latest episode of The HoopsHype podcast. However, Scotto’s guest James L. Edwards of The Athletic believes Detroit will be in the market for at least one more three-and-D wing in free agency, naming Jerami Grant and Cameron Johnson as potential targets.

If the Trail Blazers hang onto Damian Lillard and continue trying to contend immediately, Grant may simply re-sign in Portland. But if the Blazers pivot to a rebuild, the Pistons should be considered a prime suitor for the veteran forward, according to Edwards, who notes that Grant still has a great relationship with general manager Troy Weaver and loves the city of Detroit.

Should the Pistons strike out on top-tier targets like Grant and Johnson, they could pursue lower-level free agents such as Torrey Craig and Yuta Watanabe, per Edwards.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

  • Scotto has heard that the Pistons still consider Bojan Bogdanovic a core piece, and Edwards agrees that the team seems to want to keep him rather than move him. Still, Edwards notes that if the team makes a big addition at forward (such as Grant or Johnson) and gets a good offer for Bogdanovic, a trade isn’t out of the question.
  • Scotto has spoken to rival executives who think the addition of James Wiseman to a frontcourt that also includes Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III could land Isaiah Stewart on the trade block. Edwards is skeptical though, suggesting that the Pistons saw an opportunity to roll the dice on Wiseman and still like the big men they’ve drafted. “As someone who’s on the ground floor, I think the situation has been misinterpreted a little bit,” Edwards told Scotto. “I think it’s far more likely that Duren and Stewart are the frontcourt. I think Wiseman was a guy they had a chance to get that they liked coming into his draft and see if they could unlock some potential as a backup big or starting big. Right now, it’s Duren and Stewart’s frontcourt job.” Stewart is more likely to be extended than traded this summer, Edwards adds.
  • Killian Hayes is open to signing a rookie scale extension with Detroit this offseason, according to Scotto. Edwards expects the Pistons to hold off on a new deal though, suggesting the team will wait another year and then evaluate Hayes’ situation in 2024, when he’s eligible for restricted free agency.
  • Before the Pistons made a last-minute push to hire Monty Williams as their head coach, they were preparing to offer the job to Charles Lee. “His second interview really sealed that home for a lot of people, everyone in the front office, until they sat down as a group, I’m told, and explored and made sure this was what they wanted to do,” Edwards said. “The owner brought up bringing one more run at Monty. They make the run, break the bank, and Monty is the coach.”
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Northwest Notes: Lillard, Knight, Williams, Wojciechowski

June 8th, 2023 at 7:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard floated a few destinations that would hypothetically appeal to him if he were to ask for a trade, his longtime backcourt mate CJ McCollum spoke with ESPN’s Alan Hahn, Zach Lowe and Jay Williams on “Get Up” about what he considers the best future trajectory for the Portland All-Star (YouTube video link).

McCollum, now with the Pelicans, believes the Heat would have the edge if Lillard were to request a trade, but says the Nets might also be an appealing fit for his former teammate.

“I’m going to preface this by saying Dame is my guy and I know he wants to be in Portland,” McCollum said. “He’s always talking about his affinity for bringing a championship to Portland… The obvious answer here is that if something (i.e. a trade) were to occur… Miami’s in the Finals right now, right? They have great culture, they have obviously (head coach) Erik Spoelstra, they have a young core… they have a need for what he brings to the table.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

  • Current Trail Blazers owner Jody Allen has turned down a second proposal by Nike head honcho Phil Knight and Dodgers minority owner Alan Smolinsky to purchase the team. Bill Oram of The Oregonian writes that Knight, a unique fixture in the Portland sports world, would represent a worthy successor to Allen’s late brother Paul Allen, known for his passion about the Trail Blazers and his NFL franchise, the Seattle Seahawks.
  • Thunder rookie swingman Jalen Williams intends to play in this year’s Summer League, per Daniel Bell of BSO (Twitter link). The All-Rookie First Teamer enjoyed a standout inaugural NBA season, averaging 14.1 PPG on .521/.356/.812 shooting splits, along with 4.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.4 SPG across 75 contests.
  • Former Marquette head coach Steve Wojciechowski is looking forward to his new pro ball opportunity, serving as the head coach of the Jazz‘s NBAGL affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “I’ve spent two years in Park City, and during those two years, the Jazz organization — Justin (Zanik) and Danny (Ainge) and those guys, and (former head coach Quin Snyder), who’s a good friend of mine — were very generous with allowing me to observe and watch them work,” Wojciechowski said. “I want to do a great job of creating a culture that mirrors the Jazz (on the Stars).”
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Heat Notes: Love, Herro, Vincent, Strus, Lillard

June 8th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Love remained in the Heat‘s starting lineup Wednesday, but the results weren’t nearly as good as they were in Game 2, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. After sitting out the series opener, Love provided a spark in Sunday’s win at Denver and helped to neutralize the Nuggets’ height advantage.

He sank a three-pointer about a minute into Game 3 and drew an early charge on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but Love wasn’t as impactful on Wednesday night. He played just 16 minutes with six points and two rebounds while shooting 2-of-5 from the field.

Miami had been 11-2 in the playoffs with Love as a starter before Wednesday, but the starting five was badly outplayed by Denver. They were outscored by 10 points in their 16 minutes together and allowed the Nuggets to take control of the game early in the third quarter. Coach Erik Spoelstra has just one off day to consider whether he wants to adjust his starters again before the series resumes Friday night.

There’s more from Miami:

  • The prospect of a Tyler Herro return appear less likely as the series wears on, Chiang adds. Herro has been able to practice, but he hasn’t received medical clearance yet to take part in games. The Heat have been listing him as day-to-day, but he hasn’t played since breaking two fingers on his right hand in Miami’s first playoff contest. “I don’t have another update for you,” Spoelstra told reporters before Game 3. “He is scheduled to have another full-contact workout (Thursday). He has not been cleared yet. So until he has been cleared, a lot of this stuff is really just hypothetical.”
  • The Heat didn’t get much production from their complementary players in Wednesday’s loss, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. After scoring 19 and 23 points in the first two games of the Finals, Gabe Vincent shot just 2-of-10 on a seven-point night. Max Strus was 1-of-7 and Duncan Robinson only took two shots in the game’s first 45 minutes before sinking two late threes.
  • Vincent and Strus are both in line for big raises in free agency, with a rival executive telling Darren Rovell of The Action Network that they may be able to land new contracts starting at $15MM per season. He also added that there’s a certain amount of risk for teams pursuing either player. “I’ve invested in players who had breakouts like these guys did and they turned out to be duds because they were just good in the system they were in,” the executive said. “If it doesn’t work out, you might never really know why. The teams that are going to be paying $12 to $15 million for Gabe Vincent and Max Strus are low- to mid-tier teams and they are going to be asked to do more on a consistent basis.”
  • Damian Lillard identified the Heat as a potential destination if he were to ask for a trade, but the Trail Blazers star said that’s “definitely” not happening if Miami wins the title, according to a tweet from NBA Central.
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Western Notes: CP3, LeBron, Mavs, Jeter, Blazers

June 7th, 2023 at 8:48pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns “would like to find a way to financially keep Chris Paul” on their roster, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).

That said, if Phoenix is unable to find a better alternative and winds up releasing Paul, the longtime veteran would be “very coveted” on the open market, Wojnarowski says. Woj names the Lakers and Clippers as two teams that would be interested in Paul’s services, noting that the veteran point guard lives in Los Angeles in the offseason.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated speculates (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies, Celtics and Heat could be among the other teams calling Paul’s agents if he hits unrestricted free agency.

Here’s more from the Western Conference

  • LeBron James hinted at retirement after the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whom James passed this season to become the league’s all-time leading scorer, recently touched on the possibility of James retiring, as Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times writes. “At the end of the year, after all that, LeBron and most of the guys looked like they’d been through two seasons, you know? But they still gave it an awesome effort,” Abdul-Jabbar said Monday. “I think it’s up to him. Certainly doesn’t have to prove anything. And it’s just what he wants to do at this point.”
  • Kyrie Irving reportedly wants the Mavericks to pursue James, but that’s certainly far-fetched. Even if they could pull it off, Tim Cato of The Athletic argues that adding James wouldn’t make the Mavs a title contender, as having three players on max (or near max) deals while trading away all their remaining assets would make it incredibly difficult to build out the rest of the roster. Cato also notes that James’ defensive effort comes and goes at this stage of his career and he isn’t a reliable spot-up shooter to complement Luka Doncic.
  • Former NBA guard Pooh Jeter is retiring as a player, reports Marc J. Spears of Andscape (via Twitter). Jeter played for the G League Ignite this past season and mentored Scoot Henderson. The 39-year-old has already found a new gig, reaching an agreement in principle to become an assistant GM for the Trail Blazers‘ new G League affiliate. Jeter will also serve as a player development coach for the Blazers, according to Spears.
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Draft Notes: Henderson, Miller, Thompsons, Hendricks, Livingston, Bates

June 7th, 2023 at 3:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets hold the No. 2 pick and the top contenders to be chosen at that spot are visiting Charlotte soon, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer reports.

G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson is scheduled to come in on Sunday, while Alabama forward Brandon Miller will visit on Tuesday. A trio of prospects also rated among the top 10 on most draft boards are also working out for the Hornets in the near future. Twins brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson of Overtime Elite will work out on Friday. Villanova forward Cam Whitmore is scheduled to come in on June 17.

We have more draft-related notes:

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Draft Notes: Black, Whitehead, Henderson, Hornets, Porter

June 7th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

In an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Arkansas guard Anthony Black describes himself as an unselfish player who’s willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win. Black displayed impressive passing skills during his freshman year with the Razorbacks, but he said he can defend, rebound and score as well.

Black, who grew up admiring Gilbert Arenas and Kobe Bryant, compares himself to Oklahoma City’s Josh Giddey among current players. Like Giddey, Black is exceptionally tall for a point guard and he uses his 6’7″ height to his advantage.

“I think it helps in my reads,” Black said. “I watch a lot of film, so I’m watching some of the film from the season and some of my reads I’m making just looking straight. There’s a defender, but he’s not tall enough to block it. I can read the back line of the defense a lot easier, I feel like, than a smaller guard who could be guarded by someone with some length and disrupt the passing lane.”

There’s more on the draft:

  • The second surgery needed by Duke forward Dariq Whitehead wasn’t caused by a re-fracture of his right foot, tweets Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. A source tells Wasserman that Whitehead has met with several teams picking late in the lottery as well as teams with multiple first-round selections. He hasn’t been able to work out, but he’s gone through film sessions and met with head coaches, executives and medical personnel.
  • The Hornets haven’t set a date for their workout with Scoot Henderson, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The G League Ignite guard visited the Trail Blazers over the weekend and indicated that he will only work out for Portland and Charlotte. Boone notes that workout days usually aren’t publicized far in advance, and Henderson lives in Georgia so it wouldn’t take him long to get to the Hornets’ facility.
  • The Hornets are hosting a workout today with Texas’ Timmy Allen, Baylor’s Adam Flagler, Florida’s Alex Fudge, Michigan State’s Joey Hauser, Southern Utah’s Tevian Jones and North Carolina State’s Terquavion Smith (Twitter link).
  • Craig Porter Jr. has already conducted workouts with the Mavericks, Warriors, Celtics, Pistons, Magic and Cavaliers, and he has upcoming sessions with the Clippers, Wizards, Nuggets and Knicks, according to a tweet from Global Scouting. The Wichita State guard is a potential late second-round pick.
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Heat Notes: Vincent, Lillard, Robinson, Undrafted Players

June 7th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Gabe Vincent showed Heat teammate Bam Adebayo that he could handle a starring role during an exhibition game in the summer of 2021, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. In what was expected to be an easy tune-up for Team USA as it prepared for the Olympics, Vincent scored 21 points as Nigeria surprised the Americans.

“Man, when he torched us in the Olympics, in the exhibition game facing Nigeria,” Adebayo said. “He came out with that type of energy, that type of voracity and that type of anger. I felt like, from there, he’s one of us.”

It took a while for Vincent to make his breakthrough in Miami, but it happened when Kyle Lowry was sidelined for a few games with knee soreness earlier this season. Vincent stepped into the starting point guard role and has kept it through the NBA Finals.

“Our stars, Jimmy (Butler), Kyle, Bam, they have just been in my ear and telling me just to play, play basketball,” he said. “They trust my IQ of the game, and they want me just to go out there and play hard.”

There’s more from Miami:

  • In an appearance on Showtime’s “The Last Stand,” Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard names the Heat as one of the teams he would consider if he ever decides to ask for a trade, relays Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “Miami obviously,” Lillard said. “Miami is the obvious one. And Bam is my dog. Bam is my dog for real. Miami is the obvious one. Brooklyn is another obvious one, because Mikal Bridges is my dog too.”
  • Duncan Robinson has been able to salvage his season after falling out of the rotation for a while, notes William Guillory of The Athletic. Robinson said he had to focus on incremental improvement every day as he tried to regain coach Erik Spoelstra’s trust. He provided a huge momentum shift in Miami’s Game 2 win with 10 points in a little over two minutes at the start of the fourth quarter. “We knew they were a really good team and we just needed to come out with a sense of urgency in that fourth,” Robinson said. “It was kind of like a now or never sort of thing.”
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic is the latest analyst to examine the Heat’s penchant for finding productive undrafted players. He notes that many of Miami’s G League finds began their careers with other organizations, adding that team president Pat Riley showed the same ability to uncover undrafted gems in New York.
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Damian Lillard: “I Want To Have An Opportunity To Win”

June 7th, 2023 at 7:51am CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard talked more about whether he wants to finish his career in Portland in an interview with Erick Savage on Showtime’s “The Last Stand” (video link).

Lillard has said numerous times that he prefers to remain with the Trail Blazers, but only if the team is able to compete for a title. He noted the good fortune that the organization received by landing the No. 3 pick in this year’s lottery and seemed to send a message to Blazers management to use it wisely.

“I want to have an opportunity to win in Portland,” Lillard said. “… We got an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete. If we can’t do that … then it’s a separate conversation we would have to have.”

Lillard made a statement after the end of the regular season that he’s “not interested” in rebuilding and wants the front office to seek out veterans rather than add more young talent in the draft. The Blazers are widely reported to be doing just that, shopping their first-rounder to see what they can get in return.

While Lillard has never directly asked Portland’s management for a trade, rumors that’s he’s unhappy with the direction of the organization have persisted for a long time. The team has missed the playoffs the past two years, even though Lillard is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career.

In the interview, Savage asks Lillard if it’s time for the Blazers to move him to a contender.

“I think that’s a loaded question,” Lillard responded, “because they could trade me to somewhere that we all say, you know, ‘This is a contender.’ But what is it going to cost for me to get there? What is it going to cost that team that we’re saying is a contender for me to get there? And how is it a guarantee that we’re gonna be playing in June when I get there? How do we know if everybody’s gonna be healthy? How do we know if it’s gonna work out?”

Lillard stated that he doesn’t want to end up in a situation like Russell Westbrook did with the Lakers. Although there was optimism when Westbrook arrived, he quickly became an outcast in L.A. and Lillard said the team “had him coming off the bench like he’s not a Hall of Famer.”

Lillard admits nothing is guaranteed no matter where he goes, but added that he has made his wishes clear to Blazers management.

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Fischer’s Latest: Hornets, Blazers, Sharpe, Middleton, Pacers

June 6th, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Many league executives believe the 2023 NBA draft could feature several first-round trades, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Fischer writes that there is widespread uncertainty surrounding the draft outside of Victor Wembanyama at No. 1, and examines the situations for the Nos. 2-10 picks.

The Hornets, who control the No. 2 pick, will be hosting Overtime Elite twins Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson for workouts on Friday, followed by G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson on Sunday and Alabama’s Brandon Miller next Tuesday, league sources tell Fischer.

Charlotte is widely expected to ultimately choose between Miller or Henderson, with the twins ranking just behind them on ESPN’s big board. However, it’s certainly not a consensus like No. 1.

The Hornets have an additional layer of certainty as well, with rumors that owner Michael Jordan might look to sell his majority stake in the franchise. A new ownership group could look to hire a new president of basketball operations and head coach.

That has some Charlotte staffers wondering about the fates of Mitch Kupchak and Steve Clifford, as they each only have one guaranteed season left on their respective contracts, per Fischer.

Here’s more from Fischer on the draft and free agency:

  • Rival front offices are skeptical that the Trail Blazers will have a deal lined up to trade No. 3 before they’re on the clock on June 22, Fischer writes. Part of that is the uncertainty at No. 2, because a team trading up to No. 3 would presumably be targeting either Miller or Henderson, and they don’t yet know who will be available. In early trade talks, the Blazers are sending signals to rivals that Shaedon Sharpe will not be part of a possible package with the No. 3 pick, per Fischer’s sources. Sharpe was the No. 7 overall pick last year and showed flashes of brilliance with his incredible athleticism and smooth shot-making, but he’s inconsistent and just turned 20 years old, while star Damian Lillard is 32.
  • Although he has been linked to the Rockets, who are fielding offers for No. 4, looking to improve, and project to have the most cap room in the league this summer, rival executives believe Bucks wing Khris Middleton is likely to sign a long-term contract with Milwaukee this summer, according to Fischer. The three-time All-Star has a $40.4MM player option for next season. As Fischer notes, Middleton reportedly met with finalists for the Bucks’ coaching vacancy before they hired Adrian Griffin.
  • The Pacers continue to express interest in finding a starting power forward, sources tell Fischer. Indiana controls five picks in the upcoming draft, including No. 7 overall.
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