Jazz Rumors

Scotto’s Latest: DFS, Grimes, Kleber, Toppin, Jazz

February 2nd, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers‘ acquisition of Luka Doncic in the three-team blockbuster with the Mavericks and Jazz could improve their odds of retaining veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Scotto previously reported that Finney-Smith was expected to decline his $15.4MM option for next season in order to enter unrestricted free agency. Doncic and Finney-Smith, who was acquired from the Nets this season, are close friends. Doncic will undoubtedly lobby the Lakers’ front office to retain Finney-Smith, Scotto notes.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Mavericks‘ acquisition of young guard Max Christie along with Anthony Davis in the trade could impact Quentin Grimes‘ status with the organization. Grimes, who reportedly declined a three-year rookie scale extension offer prior to the October deadline, has become a key contributor, averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc. He’ll become eligible for restricted free agency this summer, while Christie is signed through 2027/28, including a player option.
Prior to adding current injured Maxi Kleber to the Doncic deal, the Mavericks held exploratory talks involving Kleber with the Pacers. Dallas had its eyes on power forward Obi Toppin. Kleber is signed through the 2025/26 season and if he’s not dealt again prior to Thursday’s deadline, he’ll become a more valuable trade asset for the Lakers in the offseason when he’ll have an expiring $11MM contract.
The Jazz, who facilitated the Doncic/Davis trade, are expected to remain active ahead of the trade deadline. Utah is looking to flip veteran forward P.J. Tucker, who was acquired from the Clippers on Saturday, for another team’s salary dump to land more future draft assets. Tucker will be bought out of his $11.54MM contract if he’s not traded. John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton have all come up in trade discussions. Walker Kessler has also drawn interest but the Jazz’s high price tag makes it unlikely he’ll be dealt this week.

Breaking Down Lakers/Mavs Blockbuster: Cap Details, Luka’s Next Contract, More

February 2nd, 2025 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Mavericks officially finalized one of the most shocking trades in NBA history on Sunday, making a deal so unexpected that we had to make sure ESPN's Shams Charania hadn't been hacked before we published our initial story late on Saturday night.

Luka Doncic, a reigning MVP finalist who has made the All-NBA First Team five years in a row, has been sent to the Lakers along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, with 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis headed to the Mavericks alongside Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Utah also got involved in the deal, taking on Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers and getting a future second-round pick from both Dallas and L.A.

Much has already been written - and will continue to be written - about why each team (especially Dallas) felt motivated to make this move. Today, while we're still reeling from the news, we want to dig into the nitty-gritty of the trade, exploring how it works from a cap perspective, examining how it impacts Doncic's future earnings, and considering what the Lakers and Mavs do next to follow this up.

Let's dive in...

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Jazz Waive Mo Bamba

February 2nd, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Rory Maher

To complete the three-team blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, the Jazz have officially waived center Mohamed Bamba, who was acquired on Saturday in a separate deal with the Clippers.

Utah announced the move in a press release.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), the Jazz needed to create an opening on their standard roster to acquire Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers. Bamba was the odd man out.

A former lottery pick, Bamba was unable to carve out a consistent role in his four-plus seasons with Orlando, the team that selected him sixth overall back in 2018. The 26-year-old was traded to the Lakers in February 2023, but only played nine games for the club due to injury.

Bamba signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Philadelphia in the summer of 2023. Last offseason, he inked the same type of deal with the Clippers.

In 28 games with the Clips in 2024/25, Bamba averaged 4.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 block in 12.6 minutes per contest. He posted a shooting slash line of .466/.300/.680 while serving as a backup to Ivica Zubac.

Bamba was the most straightforward candidate to be cut by the Jazz due to the size of his contract. The other player Utah acquired from the Clippers was P.J. Tucker, who has yet to play this season but makes $11.54MM.

Tucker is a strong buyout candidate, but that could require him to give back a prorated portion of his salary — it also presumes the 39-year-old will have another opportunity lined up. There’s no rush for either side to reach that decision until after the February 6 trade deadline, especially since Tucker’s expiring contract could still be useful in certain trade scenarios.

Assuming he clears waivers, Bamba will be an unrestricted free agent in a couple days. He’ll be ineligible to re-sign with the Clippers.

Luka Doncic To Lakers, Anthony Davis To Mavs In Three-Team Trade

February 2nd, 2025 at 9:14am CST by Arthur Hill

February 2: The trade is now official, according to a press release from the Mavericks.

“We are thankful for Luka and grateful for his efforts during his time with us,” stated general manager Nico Harrison. “He helped build this team and was an integral part of the success we’ve seen throughout the years, including our recent NBA Finals run, along with Maxi and Markieff who are veteran voices equally valued across this team.

“This is a new chapter, and we are excited to welcome Anthony and Max to the fold. AD is an experienced veteran, who can play both ends of the floor while helping elevate us defensively. He knows first-hand what it takes to win, and I know he’s motivated to be a part of what we’re building in Dallas.”

February 1: The Lakers are acquiring superstar Luka Doncic in a stunning blockbuster trade that will send Anthony Davis to the Mavericks as part of a three-team deal involving Utah, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

L.A. will also receive Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while Max Christie and the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2029 are headed to Dallas.

The Jazz will take on the salary of second-year Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino while receiving two 2025 second-round picks, one from the Mavericks and one that originally belonged to the Clippers (via the Lakers).

Utah will also send $55K in cash to both the Lakers and Mavericks, a source tells Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).

It’s one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, to the extent that Charania had to publish multiple tweets after breaking the news confirming that it’s real, while other reporters verified that he hadn’t been hacked. It’s the first time in league history that two players who earned All-NBA honors have been traded for each other during the following season, per ESPN.

There had been no indication that the Mavs were looking to part with Doncic or that the Lakers’ front office was considering breaking up Davis’ long-time partnership with LeBron James, who was surprised by news of the deal and didn’t know it was in the works, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I believe that defense wins championships,” Dallas president of basketball operations Nico Harrison told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon in explaining his motivation. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”

Doncic did not request a trade, sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The Mavericks simply liked the return from L.A. enough to part with their franchise player, who was “stunned” when he was informed of the trade, Charania said during an appearance on SportsCenter (Twitter video link).

Doncic would have become eligible during the 2025 offseason for a record-setting super-max contract projected to be worth $345MM over five years. According to MacMahon, Dallas had concerns about making that commitment due to Doncic’s diet and conditioning, which the team believes have been major factors contributing to his injuries over the years.

Sources tell Charania that the Mavericks initiated the deal, while the Lakers believed it was in their best long-term interest to give up Davis, who will turn 32 next month, to acquire the 25-year-old Doncic, who could be the face of the franchise for the next decade.

Doncic will no longer be eligible to sign a super-max contract in Los Angeles, since that option comes off the table once a player is traded. That means his next deal figures to start at 30% of the 2026/27 cap instead of 35%. The exact amount of that contract will depend on when he signs it and how many years it covers, but it would max out at about $296MM over five years rather than $345MM.

Dallas contacted several teams this week to see if they were willing to reroute salary in a potential three-team deal, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). While several teams had an indication that the Mavericks were working on something, no one else had any idea that it involved Doncic, Fischer adds.

Doncic has been sidelined since Christmas Day when he suffered a left calf strain in a game against Minnesota. He had been expected to return soon, and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets that Dallas was preparing for him to play next Saturday.

Doncic has a been a franchise-changing talent since the Mavericks traded up for the opportunity to select him in the 2018 draft. After winning Rookie of the Year honors, he was a first-team All-NBA selection and finished in the top eight of MVP balloting in each of the next five seasons, including third in 2024. He’s not eligible for individual awards this year because of the strained calf and other ailments that have limited him to 22 games.

Davis is one of the top big men in the league and helped the Lakers capture the 2020 title in his first season with the team. The eight-time All-Star is currently sidelined with an abdominal strain, but he has been remarkably durable over the last two years despite a history of injuries. He has appeared in 42 of L.A.’s 47 games this season after playing 76 in 2023/24.

Davis is looking forward to joining the Mavericks, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). He has a history with Harrison from their days together at Nike, and his long-time preference to play power forward rather than center will be less of an issue in Dallas with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively on the roster.

Davis has agreed to waive his 15% trade bonus, which would have been worth $5.9MM, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes and Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter links). That decision leaves the Mavericks $628K below the luxury tax line — they were $5.1MM above the tax threshold before the deal, Marks notes.

Davis’ current maximum-salary contract will pay him a projected $112.6MM over the next two seasons after this one, with a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28.

Because they’re not sending anyone out in the trade, the Jazz will have to open a roster spot before they can acquire Hood-Schifino, points out salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). That’s likely to happen by waiving or reaching a buyout with P.J. Tucker or Mohamed Bamba, both of whom were acquired from the Clippers in a deal earlier on Saturday.

Gozlan states that Hood-Schifino will be absorbed into Utah’s $8MM room exception, leaving the team $16.7MM below the tax line after Saturday’s dealings. The 21-year-old guard may get a greater opportunity to play with the Jazz after appearing in just two games this season and 23 total since being selected with the 17th pick in the 2023 draft.

Christie could be a valuable addition for Dallas, as he has blossomed into a solid rotation player during this third NBA season. He’s in the first season of a four-year, $32MM contract that he signed last summer as a restricted free agent.

Kleber suffered a broken right foot last weekend, so he won’t provide any immediate help to the Lakers. The 33-year-old big man is under contract for one more year at $11MM. Morris, a 35-year-old power forward, has an expiring veteran’s minimum contract.

Tristan Tucker and Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Cap/Roster Check-Ins: Clippers/Jazz Trade, 10-Day Deals

February 1st, 2025 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s going to be a busy week at Hoops Rumors, with this year’s trade deadline just five days away. But while things are still relatively quiet, we want to take a closer look at how today’s trade between the Clippers and Jazz works from a cap perspective and where things stand with the few 10-day contracts that have been signed so far this season.

Let’s dive in…

The Clippers/Jazz trade

Utah’s cap flexibility:

The Clippers and Jazz have officially finalized a deal that sends P.J. Tucker, Mohamed Bamba, a 2030 second-round pick, and cash to Utah in exchange for Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills.

First and foremost, this is a reminder that for teams not encumbered by either tax apron, salary-matching rules in trades have never been more lenient. Bamba and Mills are on identical one-year contracts and each have a cap hit of $2,087,519 this season, but Tucker’s cap hit ($11,539,000) is more than double that of Eubanks ($5,000,000).

Teams operating below the first tax apron like Utah are permitted to take back up to 200% of their outgoing salary (plus an extra $250K) when they send out any amount up to $7.5MM. That means the Jazz are allowed to acquire up to $10,250,000 in incoming salary in exchange for Eubanks’ outgoing $5MM salary.

That’s not quite enough for Tucker, which is why Mills was added to the deal. With $7,087,519 in total outgoing salary, the Jazz’s maximum incoming amount increases to $14,425,038. That’s more than enough to accommodate both Tucker and Bamba, who are earning a combined $13,626,519, though Bamba’s minimum deal can be absorbed using the minimum salary exception, meaning salary-matching is only necessary to acquire Tucker.

The Jazz entered the day with a team salary of $143,653,620. This trade increased that figure to $150,192,620, which is still more than $20MM below the luxury tax line ($170,814,000). In other words, Utah has more than enough breathing room below the tax line to make this sort of deal two or three more times over before the deadline.

Of course, the Jazz don’t have enough expendable players to make exactly this sort of trade two or three more times. But the team could, for instance, take back extra salary when moving players like John Collins, Collin Sexton, or Jordan Clarkson, and also still has its $8MM room exception available to absorb a contract or two outright. That flexibility should serve Utah well and make the Jazz a team to watch for the rest of the week.

The Clippers’ tax-ducking:

Meanwhile, the Clippers were one of five NBA teams that entered the day on Saturday operating over the tax by less than $6MM — Los Angeles had been about $2.47MM above the tax line and has now moved to approximately $4.07MM below that threshold.

Steve Ballmer is the richest team owner in the NBA, so he probably barely would’ve noticed if he’d to pay L.A.’s relatively small projected tax bill of $6.2MM. But the Clippers will now be in position to receive a share of the tax distribution for non-taxpayers too. The exact amount of that per-team distribution remains up in the air depending on what other moves are made this week, but it could be in excess of $15MM. That’s not nothing.

Perhaps more importantly, after being a taxpayer for each of the previous four seasons, the Clippers move a step closer toward resetting their “repeater” clock. If they can avoid the tax at least once more in a coming season, the Clips will shed their repeater status and will only face standard tax penalties when they become a taxpayer again down the road, rather than the far more punitive repeater penalties.

The difference between standard and repeater penalties is substantial, especially with repeater rates set to rise in 2025/26, so resetting that clock is a big deal — it puts the Clippers in position to spend big on their roster a few years from now without still being on the hook for extra tax payments as a result of their high payrolls in the Paul George era.

The Pelicans, Cavaliers, Mavericks, and Warriors are the other four teams who are over the tax line by less than $6MM. I don’t expect all of them to try to get out of tax territory before Thursday’s deadline, but New Orleans, at least, is a virtual lock to do so and it’s possible one or two others will consider it.

Ten-day contracts

Branden Carlson and the Thunder:

Carlson’s second 10-day contract with Oklahoma City expired overnight on Friday, making him a free agent and reopening the 15th spot on the Thunder‘s roster. Because a player can’t sign three 10-day contracts with the same team in a season, the Thunder would have to offer Carlson a rest-of-season deal if they want to bring him back.

I don’t see that happening before Thursday’s trade deadline — my guess is that the Thunder will leave that 15th spot open for now in case they need to use it in a trade this week. If the spot remains free after that, they might consider their options on the buyout market over the next few weeks before making any final decisions on their 15th man.

Carlson is a candidate to fill that opening eventually. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Thunder decide to promote Ajay Mitchell from his two-way contract to the standard roster and look to bring Carlson back on a two-way deal before the March 4 deadline for two-way signings.

However, Mitchell’s toe surgery, which may sideline him for the rest of the season, is a factor working in Carlson’s favor for that 15th spot — if Mitchell isn’t able to contribute in the playoffs, there will be no urgency for the Thunder to get him locked up before the summer.

For what it’s worth, Carlson was playing regular minutes off the bench with Isaiah Hartenstein sidelined and had made at least one three-pointer in eight straight games, but he was a DNP-CD in each of the two games after Hartenstein returned from his calf strain.

Orlando Robinson and the Raptors:

Now that Carlson’s 10-day deal has expired, Robinson’s second 10-day contract with Toronto is the only one in the league still active.

It has been a very quiet winter so far for 10-day signings, as our tracker shows — I expect things will pick up after the trade deadline when more teams open up roster spots, but as of now, the Raptors and Thunder are the only two teams that have signed any players to 10-day contracts this season.

Robinson’s contract is set to expire at the end of Thursday, hours after the trade deadline passes. Don’t be surprised if the Raptors end up terminating that deal one day early. They don’t have a game on Thursday, so Robinson would be the easy choice to be cut if they need to open up a spot to accommodate an extra incoming player in a trade.

Robinson has averaged 16.8 minutes per game in Toronto’s last four contests and looks like a candidate to earn either a standard or two-way rest-of-season contract if the Raptors can accommodate it after the trade deadline.

Clippers Trade Tucker, Bamba To Jazz For Eubanks, Mills

February 1st, 2025 at 2:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

2:18 pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from both teams.

11:39 am: The Clippers are trading forward P.J. Tucker, center Mohamed Bamba, a future second-round pick and cash to the Jazz for big man Drew Eubanks and guard Patty Mills, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The second-rounder is the Clippers’ 2030 pick, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).

It’s a cost-cutting move for the Clippers, who will dip below the luxury tax line by swapping Tucker ($11.54MM) out for Eubanks ($5MM). Both Bamba ($2.1MM) and Mills ($2.1MM) are on expiring minimum-salary contracts.

Los Angeles had been operating about $2.47MM above the tax line, but will move below it by approximately $4.07MM as a result of this deal.

Besides generating significant savings this season, the move could financially benefit the team in the long run, since it’s a first step toward resetting the repeater taxpayer clock after spending the previous four years in tax territory.

The Clippers will also create trade exceptions worth $6.54MM and $2.1MM as a result of the deal, as cap experts Yossi Gozlan and Marks note (Twitter links).

Tucker was originally acquired in the trade that brought James Harden to Los Angeles. He only appeared in 28 regular season games (along with two playoff outings) with the franchise in 2023/24.

In February 2024, Tucker spent time away from the team just before the All-Star break. The forward was unhappy with his playing time, but was not traded before last year’s deadline and had a player option worth $11.54MM that made him an unrealistic buyout candidate.

Tucker picked up that option during the 2024 offseason, since he would have had no chance to earn that sort of guaranteed money on the free agent market. Los Angeles was expected to part ways with Tucker over the summer, but a trade or waiver didn’t come to fruition at that time. In October 2024, he and the Clippers mutually agreed that he would remain away from the team while the sides worked toward finding him a new home.

Approximately 15 months after he first arrived in Los Angeles, Tucker has finally been traded and now looks like a prime buyout candidate. The 39-year-old didn’t suit up at all this year for the Clippers and seems unlikely to play for the Jazz either. It’s reasonable to assume that Tucker would prefer to play for a contender with an opportunity to contribute, unless both he and Utah are happy with keeping him in a mentorship role.

Tucker started 75 games for the 54-win Sixers in 2022/23 and 70 games for the 53-win Heat in ’21/22. Any team would be eligible to sign him if he’s bought out since his pre-waiver salary of $11.54MM is lower than the $12.8MM mid-level exception.

Eubanks, who turns 28 today, has seen the most action this season of any the four players involved in the deal. He’ll give the Clippers a new look in the frontcourt. In 37 games (four starts) this season, he has averaged 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per night.

Eubanks signed with the Jazz this past summer on a two-year deal worth $9.75MM. However, the $4.75MM he’s due next year is fully non-guaranteed, giving Los Angeles some extra flexibility.

Mills was holding the Jazz veteran slot that Tucker could potentially take over. The 36-year-old split last season between Atlanta and Miami before signing in Utah. He has appeared in 17 games in 2024/25, averaging 4.4 points per contest. According to Murray (Twitter link), the Clippers plan to keep Mills on the roster for now. It’s possible that changes, however, depending on what additional moves the team might make at the trade deadline or on the buyout market.

Bamba signed with the Clippers during the summer of 2024. He appeared in 28 games with Los Angeles, making two starts and recording averages of 4.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.0 BPG. The former lottery pick is still just 26 years old and could get a look down the stretch from the Jazz, perhaps claiming Eubanks’ spot on the depth chart.

Kings Discussed Deal For John Collins

January 30th, 2025 at 11:16pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Jazz big man John Collins continues to be frequently mentioned as a possible target for the Kings. Reporting last week cast doubt on Sacramento’s ability to make a deal for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, but Collins is someone who might fit the roster at a lower cost.

As has been previously reported, the Kings made Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and draft compensation available as they sought out roster upgrades. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that before the De’Aaron Fox news broke earlier this week, the Kings discussed various frameworks of trades that would have netted Collins.

It’s unknown how Fox’s availability affects the Kings’ interest in Collins, and NBA insider Marc Stein says it’s also unclear how far talks between the two teams progressed before the Kings opened up offers for Fox.

However, James Ham of ESPN1320 reported on “The Kings Beat” podcast (YouTube link) that the Kings basically had a deal done for Collins, going so far as to tell their players, before pulling out.

“I saw some rumors, but I definitely didn’t hear that,” Collins said of Sacramento, per The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen. “Whatever Sacramento is doing, that’s, you know, their prerogative, if it involves me or not. Obviously, I would have found out. But I’m kind of happy I just didn’t have that news — sorry, nothing against Sacramento — just kind of happy I didn’t have that news hit my phone. I’ve just got to continue to be the best professional I can be and continue playing basketball.“

For what it’s worth, a package of Huerter ($16.8MM) and Lyles ($8MM) would work as a match for Collins’ $26.5MM salary. Collins is averaging 18.1 points (his most since 2019/20), 8.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game with an impressive .531/.446/.869 shooting line this season.

“It’s a Catch-22. It’s something that I try not to think about because I would get lost in it. And that’s why I just say I’m just happy that I found a nice group of guys here who can talk me through all of the trade rumors. You know what I mean?” Collins said. “Because this is not an easy thing mentally, to think about whether, it might be a better situation or worse situation, and whatever situation is out there, it’s not my current one. So it’s hard for me to think about that and focus.“

Trade Rumors: Butler, Suns, Turner, Johnson, Mathurin, Lakers

January 30th, 2025 at 5:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Heat have lowered their asking price for Jimmy Butler, they have yet to find a trade package they like, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links), who hears from a source that the Suns remain the most “aggressive” team in pursuit of the six-time All-Star. However, Miami still has no interest in taking on Bradley Beal and his no trade-clause.

Jackson reiterates that the Heat are “determined” to move Butler, but if they’re unable to before next Thursday’s deadline, they’ll still have some options in the offseason. Of course, that scenario glosses over the issue of having to deal with more Butler-related drama for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.

According to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, league executives keep circling back to the Grizzlies as a possible dark horse suitor for Butler, even though they were warned by his camp not to trade for him.

Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Both Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times and veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link) hear the Pacers are receiving trade inquiries on Myles Turner, though there’s skepticism around the league that Indiana will move its starting center. As both writers point out, the Pacers have been surging up the Eastern Conference standings and are determined to make a strong playoff push, so trading Turner might hurt the team’s chemistry. According to Stein, Indiana would want at least another starting-caliber center in return for Turner to even contemplate moving the impending free agent.
Indiana’s improved play of late might make the Pacers reluctant to part with significant assets to acquire Nets forward Cameron Johnson, according to Stein. Rival teams think the Pacers may need to trade some of their wing depth — either by next week or the offseason — to free up their books to re-sign Turner in free agency. With that in mind, Bennedict Mathurin could be worth monitoring, but Indiana values him — Woike hears the Pacers would want a player it likes plus a first-round pick in exchange for the 22-year-old, who was selected sixth overall in the 2022 draft.
Woike’s story is largely focused on the Lakers and their trade options. As Woike explains, while the front office is open to trading both of the team’s available first-round picks, coming up with “realistic” scenarios is tricky for a number of reasons — including the high asking price for starting centers. For example, the Jazz may not be willing to trade Walker Kessler even if the Lakers offered both first-rounders, according to Woike, who highlights several other possible trade candidates in his story, including Malcolm Brogdon, whom the Wizards may be willing to part with for second-round draft capital.

Northwest Notes: Braun, Gordon, SGA, Jazz, Avdija, Camara

January 30th, 2025 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

After bringing forward Aaron Gordon off the bench in his first eight games back from a calf strain, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reinserted Gordon into the starting lineup on Wednesday vs. New York.

Rather than replacing Russell Westbrook, who was a reserve for the first couple months of the season, Gordon supplanted third-year guard Christian Braun, who had started each of his first 45 games of 2024/25 and just set a personal career high with 28 points on Monday.

“Never an easy decision. Christian Braun has been great for us this year. Not good. He’s been great,” Malone said after the game, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “And he’s done everything that’s been asked of him.

“But I just like keeping Russell out there. I think the Russ-and-Nikola (Jokic) dynamic is the best two-man combination in the NBA right now, and I didn’t want to disrupt their rhythm. Knowing that CB, whether he comes off the bench and plays 29 minutes like he did tonight, or he starts, he’s going to give us the same thing every night. We need that. … I applaud CB’s understanding of what we’re trying to do.”

Braun had 13 points of 4-of-8 shooting in his first game as a reserve. He was a team-worst minus-18, though that could be at least partially attributed to the fact that the Nuggets’ rotation were thrown for a loop early in the game when Jokic picked up two quick fouls and was replaced by Braun. The 23-year-old told reporters, including Durando, that he’s willing to do “whatever I’m called to do” by the team and earned praise from Malone for how he handled the move.

“Was he celebrating? Was he shaking his pom-poms? No, of course,” Malone said. “He’s a competitor. He wants to be out there. He wants to start. But what you love about Christian Braun is he’s going to do whatever you ask him to do, and whatever is best for the team.”

Malone added that the lineup change isn’t necessarily permanent.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

After not reaching the 50-point mark in any of his first 427 NBA regular season games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done it twice in his past four outings. One week after he scored 54 points in a win over Utah, the star guard poured in 52 against Golden State on Wednesday, but it wasn’t enough to get the Thunder a victory, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes. “It sucks. Me personally, I play to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Winning comes first and foremost, and if I don’t win, I am not satisfied. So maybe my 52 points tonight wasn’t in the best interest of the team.”
The Jazz‘s decision to elevate Isaiah Collier to the starting lineup and move Keyonte George to the bench was less about rewarding Collier for his play so far this season and more about sending a “wake-up call” to George, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. George has continued to play a significant role as part of Utah’s second unit, averaging 32.0 minutes per game in his first three appearances as a reserve.
Forwards Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara have been the Trail Blazers‘ two best players for much of the season and have established themselves as long-term building blocks, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who says the duo’s strong play has been one of the brightest spots in another lottery-bound season in Portland.
While Camara has improved his scoring numbers this season (10.0 points per game with a .349 3PT%), his defense is his calling card. Jason Quick of The Athletic takes a closer look at Camara’s impact on that side of the ball, speaking to several of his opponents about what they see in the young Trail Blazers forward. “He’s a dog, for real!” Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan said of Camara. “I just love the way he picks up full court. He doesn’t give a f–k who he is guarding. He just wants to play defense, and you don’t really see that often here in the NBA anymore.”

Jazz’s Cody Williams To Be Reassessed In One Week

January 29th, 2025 at 5:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rookie Jazz wing Cody Williams is set to miss at least one more week of action with a sprained ankle, reports Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). At that point, the 6’7″ first-year swingman will be reevaluated.

Across his first 26 pro games with Utah, Williams — younger brother to Oklahoma City forward Jalen Williams — is averaging 3.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.5 steals per night. He has started 12 contests, but is normally a reserve behind veteran Collin Sexton in head coach Will Hardy‘s lineup.

The young swingman is averaging 21.0 minutes per bout for the 10-35 Jazz thus far in 2024/25.

Selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the last summer’s NBA draft lottery out of Colorado, the 20-year-old Williams has been getting some significant run this season on a rebuilding Utah roster.

Williams has been on the shelf since the Jazz’s 123-119 overtime loss to another lottery-bound club, New Orleans, on January 20.

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