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Western Trade Rumors: Kings, Pelicans, D. White, Mavs, More

January 27th, 2022 at 9:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are still expected to make some sort of major move ahead of this year’s trade deadline in an effort to strengthen their roster for a postseason push, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Sacramento has expressed interest in both Pacers centers, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, but Fischer hears that Indiana’s asking price has been much higher than what teams are willing to give up for either player.

According to Fischer, who says the Pelicans also have interest in Sabonis, Turner is still the more likely trade candidate of the two Indiana centers, but only if the Pacers are willing to drop their asking price a little, since teams are concerned about Turner’s injury recovery timeline and his ability to help a team this season. If the price remains high, Turner may stay in Indiana until the offseason.

One team to watch on the Turner front is the Trail Blazers, who gained some momentum in discussions with the Pacers prior to the big man’s injury, according to Fischer. If Portland is focused more on next season than this season, acquiring Turner would make some sense, but the Blazers still hold a play-in spot in the West, so they probably aren’t prepared to just throw in the towel.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the West:

Kings center Tristan Thompson is considered to be available in exchange for a second-round pick, says Fischer. I’m a little skeptical that Sacramento will be able to get positive value for Thompson by himself.
The Spurs received a call from the Hawks about guard Derrick White, Fischer reports. It doesn’t sound like those discussions gained any traction, but Fischer points out that San Antonio has been viewed since 2020 as a potential suitor for Atlanta big man John Collins.
As previously relayed, rival executives think the Mavericks may trade one of Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith by February 10. Both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer, so there will be nothing stopping them from signing elsewhere, and if the Mavs do re-sign both, they’ll likely be taxpayers. However, Dallas has expressed confidence in its ability to re-sign both players, according to Fischer, who adds that there’s a belief Finney-Smith will seek $15MM annually on his next deal.
The Thunder‘s asking price in any trade for forward Kenrich Williams is believed to be a first-round pick, per Fischer.

Bates-Diop Enters Protocols

January 25th, 2022 at 7:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Spurs forward Keita Bates-Diop has entered the health and safety protocols, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

Southwest Notes: Morant, Mills, Jones, Williamson

January 23rd, 2022 at 9:04pm CST by JD Shaw

Grizzlies star Ja Morant is seeing his brand elevate to new heights, something that could be important for the Grizzlies and the city of Memphis, Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes.

Morant has led his team to a 32-16 record on the season, averaging a career-high 25.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. His shooting numbers have also increased from last season (48.7% from the floor and 35% on threes, up from 44.9% and 30.3%, respectively). As Giannotto notes, Morant already has agreements with companies such as Nike and BodyArmor.

“It could be one of those things similar to when LeBron (James) was in Cleveland, and the opportunities that came with the Cavaliers because of that,” said Alex Hanono, a senior manager of the Celebrity and Influencer department at international marketing agency The Marketing Arm.

“Obviously that’s a long ways ahead, and a lot of winning and success, but if you want to take that long view at it, that’s probably something in Morant’s sights and in the team’s sights.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Nets guard Patty Mills discussed a variety of topics with Michael Wright of NBA.com, including how difficult it was to leave the Spurs last offseason. Prior to signing with Brooklyn, Mills spent 10 straight seasons with San Antonio. “I think why it was hard was because I was leaving a place, and more importantly, people, that have helped me grow up in a way,” Mills explained as part of a larger quote.
Pelicans forward Herbert Jones is gaining confidence in his three-point shot, Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes. Jones has been working closely with assistant coach Fred Vinson on his mechanics. In 42 games this season, he’s shot 50.2% from the floor and 40% from three, scoring 9.1 points per game.
In a separate story for NOLA.com, Clark examines the strength coach that Zion Williamson is working with. The strength coach, Jasper Bibbs, does not work for the Pelicans, who haven’t seen Williamson play since last May. Williamson suffered a setback in his rehab from foot surgery roughly six weeks ago, but no timetable was issued for a return.

New York Notes: Harden, Irving, Burks, Quickley, Claxton, Sharpe, Mills, Aldridge

January 22nd, 2022 at 9:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets’ two healthy stars had a “breakthrough” performance on Friday, James Harden told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and other media members. Harden and Kyrie Irving combined for 26 fourth-quarter points against San Antonio. Harden finished with 37 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

“For sure, it was a breakthrough,” Harden said. “(Kyrie)’s capable of doing that at any moment and any point in the game. That’s one of the reasons why we need him every single game, because he’s able to do that, especially with everything that’s going on with our team. But he’s able and more than capable of doing things like that whenever he wants. I think he just tries to get us involved a little bit more, but he’s a special talent.”

Of course, Irving can only play half the time due his unvaccinated status. Kevin Durant is sidelined by a knee injury and there’s no timetable for his return.

We have more on the New York teams:

There are all kinds of issues with the Knicks these days, including the lack of production from guards Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley, Marc Berman of the New York Post notes. Burks signed a three-year, $30MM contract during the offseason and Quickley is on his rookie deal. They’ve tanked during the current three-game losing streak, shooting 22-for-77 (30.6%) from the field.
The Nets are reportedly looking for a way to deal Paul Millsap, who hasn’t been able to crack the rotation. That’s due to the increase in minutes for young players Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. That has made it difficult for coach Steve Nash to fit in the numerous frontcourt veterans dotting the roster. “Just a difficult situation that we didn’t necessarily foresee, but here we are,” Nash said. “And Day’Ron and Nic have emerged.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered high praise for two of his former players, the Nets’ Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News relays (Twitter links). Of Mills, Popovich said, “he’s always positive, a consummate pro in preparing for his job, gives everything he has in every practice and every game, supports everybody on the team and in the organization.” Regarding Aldridge, Popovich said, “LA did all the community things Patty did….He just did it quietly. … He was a great teammate with everybody, a heck of a player.”

Juan Hernangomez On Being Traded To Spurs, Time In Boston

January 21st, 2022 at 9:04pm CST by Rory Maher

New Spurs forward Juancho Hernangomez was one of the last to find out on Tuesday night that he was being included in a three-team trade sending him from Boston to San Antonio. As Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes, Hernangomez’s phone was stolen last week, so he didn’t learn until he got home from a late dinner that he’d be changing teams.

“My brother (Pelicans center Willy Hernangomez) had tried to reach me,” Hernangomez said. “He was like, ‘Oh, good luck on your new team. It’s going to be awesome.’ I told him like, ‘What? Where am I going?’ He said San Antonio, and I was really happy. It’s a great opportunity for me.”

Hernangomez says he was looking forward to playing for the Celtics this season, but there “wasn’t space” for him in the lineup. He appeared in 18 of a possible 45 games with Boston for a total of 96 minutes — just 5.3 minutes per contest, after averaging 17.3 last season with Minnesota.

“It was a tough time,” Hernangomez said. “I feel like I could have helped the team. I was ready for the opportunity, I was really excited to play for Boston, but it didn’t work out like everybody thought. But no regrets. It is what it is. I tried to help with the young guys.

“They have a lot of talent, I tried to be a good teammate there and do everything I could. It was a great experience. Great group of guys, great talent, but it wasn’t the right time for me. There wasn’t space for me.”

As we previously relayed, Celtics coach Ime Udoka said that Hernangomez handled the situation professionally and “it was…nothing that he didn’t do.”

As Orsborn observes, Hernangomez has multiple ties to the Spurs organization. He had a pre-draft workout in San Antonio prior to the 2016 draft, when he was selected 15th overall by Denver. The 26-year-old has known Jakob Poeltl for approximately 10 years, having met him during Poeltl’s tryout with his former Spanish club, Estudiantes Madrid. Hernangomez also knows the Spurs’ director of player performance and wellness, Xavi Schelling, whom he met during their time with the Spanish National Team.

Hernangomez is eager to play for his new team and believes it’s a good fit for his hard-working style.

“I love the way San Antonio competes every time,” he said. “They beat us (the Celtics) two times this year. I know they are trying to rebuild and they have young guys and they are working really, really hard and they compete every time. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be fun learning from (his new teammates) and hopefully they can learn from me.”

COVID-19 Updates: Grant, Batum, Herro, McConnell, Smart, T. Jones, Jenkins

January 19th, 2022 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sidelined since December 10 after surgery on his right thumb, Pistons forward Jerami Grant has now entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Grant has been making progress toward playing again and began a rehab assignment with the G League’s Motor City Cruise this week.

Grant is considered the “grand prize” by some observers heading into the trade deadline and has been the subject of rumors involving at least nine teams. His time in the protocols could further limit the number of games he can play before Detroit has to make a decision on a deal.

He and rookie center Luka Garza are the only players currently in the protocols for the Pistons, who recently were among the hardest-hit teams in the league by COVID-19.

Here are some more protocol-related updates:

Clippers forward Nicolas Batum has been placed in the protocols, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Batum also spent time in the protocols in November.
Heat guard Tyler Herro has entered the protocols, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Herro is the only Miami player currently in the protocols.
Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, who may miss the rest of the season after having hand surgery, has been placed in the protocols, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart has exited the protocols, the team announced in its injury report. However, he’s not playing tonight due to “return to competition reconditioning.”
Spurs guard Tre Jones has cleared the protocols, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News. He missed seven games while he was out of action.
Taylor Jenkins is out of protocols and is coaching the Grizzlies tonight, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link). Jenkins missed six games.

Injury Updates: Ball, LaVine, Nader, Collins, Lopez, Carter

January 19th, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine will both miss the Bulls‘ upcoming three-game road trip so they can receive treatment for knee injuries, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. Coach Billy Donovan updated their conditions in a media session before tonight’s game, saying the team’s first treatment plan for Ball’s knee was unsuccessful.

Ball, who was sent back to Chicago before Monday’s contest in Memphis, had his diagnosis changed from soreness in the knee to a bone contusion. Donovan said a timetable for his return won’t be set until the medical staff sees how he responds to the new treatments, adding that doctors haven’t considered the possibility of surgery yet.

“I think the biggest thing right now is what are the steps that we can do to get him back and get him healthy,” Donovan said. “I haven’t gotten into any detail with them (doctors) about that other than, hey, we’ll try this treatment, we’ll try this therapy, see how it goes, and then whatever the next step is that will be. But I haven’t been told what any next steps are gonna be.”

LaVine, who hasn’t played since leaving last Wednesday’s game in the first quarter, is responding to therapy for pain in his left knee, Donovan added. There’s no timeline for LaVine’s return either, but Donovan said he has been shooting free throws and doing strength training.

There’s more injury news to pass along:

Suns forward Abdel Nader is making progress after missing the last 28 games with an injury to his right knee, but it will be a while before he can play again, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s starting to ramp up,” coach Monty Williams said. “He hasn’t done any 1-on-1, 2-on-2, 3-on-3. So he’s still a ways away.”
Spurs center Zach Collins is getting closer to making his season debut after playing in the G League Monday, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News (Twitter link). Collins expects to play another G League game Friday, and coach Gregg Popovich said there’s not a definite time when he’ll be called up.
The Bucks haven’t set a timetable for center Brook Lopez to return after having back surgery in early December, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We felt positive when we had the surgery,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “All the reports coming out of it, the hopes and the expectations. So nothing’s changed, nothing’s new. … This is all kind of to some degree what we expected, planned and we’ll continue to monitor and see how he progresses.”
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. missed his seventh straight game tonight with soreness in his left hamstring, but acting head coach Jesse Mermuys said he’s “very close” to returning, tweets Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel.

Bryn Forbes Traded To Nuggets In Three-Team Deal

January 19th, 2022 at 4:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JANUARY 19: The trade is official, according to a tweet from the Nuggets. As we relayed earlier today, the 2028 second-round pick acquired by the Spurs is top-33 protected, and San Antonio also received cash from both Boston ($2.15MM) and Denver ($200K).

JANUARY 18: Shooting guard Bryn Forbes is headed from the Spurs to the Nuggets as the headliner of a three-team deal that also involves the Celtics, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Forbes will once again join a playoff team, while Boston power forward Juancho Hernangomez and Denver’s 2028 second-round pick are heading to San Antonio. Two injured players, Nuggets power forward Bol Bol and guard PJ Dozier, will be sent to the Celtics.

As Woj details, the Nuggets, who at 22-20 are currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, had been looking to acquire a wing to improve their bench scoring. Forbes, averaging 9.1 PPG on .432/.417/.898 shooting, fits the bill. The Nuggets had been linked to the veteran sharpshooter as a trade target as recently as yesterday.

Denver has been hit hard by injuries this season, so moving a pair of players who are expected to be sidelined for most or all of the season will help improve the team’s depth and will open up a spot on the team’s 15-man roster. A report over a week ago stated that the Nuggets were expected to add free agent center DeMarcus Cousins on a 10-day contract. That deal has yet to materialize, but Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets that there’s still mutual interest between the two sides.

The Nuggets tried to trade Bol to the Pistons last week, only to see the deal rescinded when he failed his team physical. Bol subsequently went under the knife for a foot surgery this week and is expected to miss at least eight-to-12 weeks of game action. Dozier will be out for the rest of the 2021/22 NBA season as he continues to recover from a surgery of his own to repair a torn ACL.

Wojnarowski reports that, at least at present, the Celtics intend to retain both Dozier and Bol through this season’s trade deadline. Bol could return by March or April and the C’s would have both players’ Bird rights in the offseason — Bol will be eligible for restricted free agency and Dozier will be unrestricted. Those plans could change if Boston needs to open up a roster spot in the coming weeks or months.

Hernangomez failed to crack the 23-22 Celtics’ rotation this season, averaging 1.1 PPG and 1.4 RPG across 5.3 MPG in just 18 contests. As Woj writes, by getting off Hernangomez’s $7MM salary and taking back Bol ($2.2MM) and Dozier ($1.9MM), Boston gets that much closer to ducking the NBA’s punitive luxury tax.

The Celtics won’t need to waive a player to accommodate their one-for-two trade, since they already had an open spot on their 15-man roster.

San Antonio’s decision to acquire a future draft pick and Hernangomez’s pseudo-expiring contract (next season’s salary is non-guaranteed) in exchange for Forbes, a role player on the 2021 championship-winning Bucks, could signal that the team has accepted it should be in asset-accrual mode in the weeks leading up to the league’s trade deadline.

The return for Forbes is modest, but that’s not a major surprise. While he’s a terrific shooter, Forbes is limited on the defensive end and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. He also fell out of Milwaukee’s rotation during the NBA Finals last spring.

Bryn Forbes Trade Notes: Pick Protection, Cash, More

January 19th, 2022 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

The 2028 second-round pick the Nuggets are sending to the Spurs in the three-team Bryn Forbes trade will be top-33 protected, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Wojnarowski also reports that San Antonio is receiving $2.35MM in cash in the trade, including $2.15MM from the Celtics. Presumably, that means Denver is sending $200K to the Spurs.

That cash will offset the higher cost of Juan Hernangomez‘s remaining salary. Hernangomez is earning a $6.18MM base salary, plus $837K in incentives, per Spotrac, while Forbes has a more modest $4.5MM cap charge.

Here’s more on the trade:

While the three-team deal benefits the Celtics and Spurs from an off-court perspective, Denver’s willingness to give up a future draft pick for a player who will likely be a rental is the biggest story, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. It’s a strong signal the Nuggets still believe they can contend this spring, perhaps with Jamal Murray and/or Michael Porter Jr. back in their lineup.
Within his look at the deal, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News says Thaddeus Young could be the next Spurs veteran on the move. San Antonio typically doesn’t make many in-season deals, but it seems unlikely that Young – who is on an expiring contract and last played on December 31 – will finish the season with the team.
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter links) provides some additional information on the trade from the Celtics‘ perspective, observing that the team will likely absorb Bol Bol and PJ Dozier into a previously-existing traded player exception from last offseason’s Kemba Walker deal, creating a new $6.9MM trade exception in the process. Since Jaylen Brown is unlikely to achieve the bonuses in his contract, Boston may only have to shed about $850K in additional salary to sneak under the tax line, Marks adds.

Southwest Notes: Gordon, Chriss, Mavs, Pelicans, Spurs

January 18th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets guard Eric Gordon has been the subject of plenty of trade speculation already this season, and those rumors figure to continue heating up with the February 10 deadline just a few weeks away. However, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes, Gordon isn’t dwelling on the possibility that he could be playing for a new team next month.

“I’m not even thinking or worried about that,” Gordon said. “Things happen. Get traded or not, you’ve still got to play the game of basketball. Fortunately, I’ve been here for going on six years now, and it’s been really good. I know the situation I’m in. I’m looking to just continue to play my game and look forward to continue to thrive with this group of guys.”

A Monday report indicated that the Rockets are expected to seek a first-round pick in any Gordon trade.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Marquese Chriss‘ new two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Mavericks includes a fully guaranteed salary for 2022/23, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
New Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison will be involved in some key decisions at this season’s trade deadline, but he’s hoping to get a good look at the roster at full strength before making those decisions, per Brad Towsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I think you can always improve,” Harrison said. “But as I look at our team, we haven’t been whole for a while. I’m really excited to see how [good] we are, now that we’re whole.”
Examining the Pelicans‘ outlook for the trade deadline, Will Guillory of The Athletic contends that the team should try to acquire one more reliable perimeter player, while Christian Clark of NOLA.com makes a similar argument, writing that the team lacks consistent creators in its backcourt.
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia has joined the Spurs as a minority owner, as first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and officially announced by the team. The franchise has brought in multiple minority stakeholders since Peter J. Holt took over as managing partner in June, according to Charania, who says 13 previous investors have sold off equity. Besides Gebbia, other new minority owners include Bay Area investment firm Sixth Street and Michael Dell, the founder of Dell Technologies.