Utah Jazz Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: Trade Deadline, Westbrook, Irving, Reaves

February 6th, 2023 at 9:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Now that Kyrie Irving is headed to Dallas, the Lakers are left to search for other ways to upgrade their roster, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register.

There don’t appear to be any other All-Star level talents available for what L.A. has to offer, so Goon believes the options now involve role players such as Mike Conley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley from the Jazz, Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott from the Spurs or possibly Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee from the Hornets.

The Lakers are also in a difficult situation because the player they most want to part with, Russell Westbrook, has a contract that will likely require three or four players in return to match salaries, Goon adds. Utah, Charlotte and San Antonio may not be interested in making such a complex deal when there are simpler options with other teams.

Last month’s acquisition of Rui Hachimura — and the likelihood of a new contract this summer — will cut into L.A.’s projected cap room. A rival executive told Goon that the Lakers want to limit this year’s hit on their repeater tax, which also reduces their options in the trade market.

There’s more on the Lakers:

Although Westbrook has been better this season, teams remain reluctant to take on his $47.1MM contract, Goon adds. The same executive says potential trade partners still want at least one future unprotected first-round pick attached in any Westbrook deal. Goon also speculates that the Lakers’ interest in Irving may have opened old wounds with Westbrook that could affect locker room chemistry if he remains with the team.
The Lakers received permission from the Nets to talk to Irving’s representatives when he was pondering his player option last summer, but they didn’t follow up, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Even though L.A. appeared to be the most likely trade partner at the time, Irving’s agent, Shetellia Riley Irving, never heard from any member of the team’s front office. Buha’s sources say the Nets informed the Lakers that they wouldn’t have accepted Westbrook in an Irving deal, so his only path to L.A. was to decline the option and sign for the mid-level exception, which the Lakers didn’t believe he would do. L.A. reportedly tried again in early July and during Summer League, but Brooklyn wasn’t interested in dealing Irving at the time.
Austin Reaves talks about the difficulty of breaking into the NBA as an undrafted free agent during an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Fischer’s Latest: Westbrook, Jazz, Nurkic, Burks, Reid, Centers

February 4th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Lakers have talked recently to both the Hornets and Jazz about trades involving Russell Westbrook‘s expiring $47.1MM contract, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Sources around the NBA inform Fischer that the Heat are not interested in trading incumbent starting point guard Kyle Lowry in a deal for Westbrook (and presumably future draft equity). Fischer notes that opposing clubs generally are hoping for both of L.A.’s two movable future first-round draft picks, in 2027 and 2029, in any Westbrook deal, a price the Lakers are hesitant to pay.

According to Fischer, point guard Mike Conley, swingman Malik Beasley and big man Jarred Vanderbilt would be a part of any trade for Westbrook if the Jazz and Lakers are able to reach a deal, but Utah is discussing all of those players with other teams as well.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Jazz have talked at least to the Hawks, Trail Blazers, and Knicks about trades centered around both Vanderbilt and Beasley as a package deal. Sources inform Fischer that Utah shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also been floated in some of these conversations.
Fischer reports that injured Trail Blazers starting center Jusuf Nurkic can be had on the trade market, though his pricey long-term contract has cooled rival teams’ interest.
Sources tell Fischer that the Pistons has interest in potentially signing reserve guard Alec Burks to an extension this offseason, as the team did in the fall with veteran forward Bogdan Bogdanovic. Detroit has expressed reluctance to trade either player at the deadline, Fischer adds.
Timberwolves reserve center Naz Reid has rejected potential contract extensions, making him a possible trade candidate, per Fischer. Reid is hoping to earn something in the neighborhood of $10MM per year, Fischer says, a price Minnesota may be reluctant to pay after having already invested heavily in its starting frontcourt of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Fischer adds that other reserve centers could very well be on the move, as his sources indicate that the Sixers, Clippers, Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Nets, Celtics, Raptors and Kings are all looking to improve that position.

Sixers Interested In Jarred Vanderbilt

February 4th, 2023 at 1:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Reserve Jazz power forward Jarred Vanderbilt has emerged as a potential trade candidate for the Sixers, sources inform Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Sixers are hoping to shore up their frontcourt depth behind starters Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid. The prime backup at present is the undersized Montrezl Harrell. Fischer writes that Utah’s current asking price for Vanderbilt is a first-round draft selection, as has been previously reported.

Though Vanderbilt is traditionally more of a four than a five, his 6’11” wingspan, ability to defend all three frontcourt positions, and lateral speed could endear him to a Philadelphia club currently lacking much versatility among its bigs.

Vanderbilt is in the second year of a three-season, $13.1MM deal he inked while with the Timberwolves. This season with Utah, the 6’9″ big man out of Kentucky is averaging 8.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG. He was recently demoted to a reserve role with the Jazz, behind Kelly Olynyk and Walker Kessler.

Fischer also confirmed the continued interest of the Pacers in Vanderbilt’s services, which had been previously reported.

Knicks, Jazz Have Had Exploratory Talks About Beasley, Vanderbilt

February 4th, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Jazz have engaged in some exploratory conversations about a possible trade that would send wing Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt to New York, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

According to Scotto, the proposed deal would see Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin, and draft capital going to Utah.

As Scotto details, the specific draft assets going from the Knicks to the Jazz presumably represent the sticking point in the talks between the two teams. Utah has reportedly sought a first-round pick for Beasley and one for Vanderbilt as well.

Given that Fournier’s contract, which includes an $18.9MM guaranteed salary for 2023/24, is viewed as a negative asset, the Jazz may want another first-round pick for taking on that deal rather than simply considering him the salary-matching piece for Beasley. On the other hand, Toppin – the eighth overall pick in 2020 – should have positive value and could perhaps take the place of one of the first-rounders Utah is seeking, Scotto notes.

Of course, even if the Knicks and Jazz could agree on the number of first-round picks that would accompany Fournier and Toppin to Utah, the two teams may not see eye to eye on how those picks are protected.

New York controls several protected first-rounders from other teams, including Dallas’ 2023 pick (top-10 protected), Washington’s 2023 pick (top-14 protected), Detroit’s 2023 pick (top-18 protected), and Milwaukee’s 2025 pick (top-four protected). Of those selections, only Milwaukee’s has a chance to ultimately land in the top eight. The Knicks also have the ability to add protections to their own first-rounders if they’re willing to trade one or more of them.

However, CEO Danny Ainge made it a priority to stockpile unprotected first-round selections in his offseason trades involving Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Beasley and Vanderbilt don’t carry the same value as those two All-Stars, so Ainge won’t have as much leverage in this instance, but he’ll still be pushing to make the protections as light as possible on any pick he acquires.

Current Knicks executive Gersson Rosas signed both Beasley and Vanderbilt to their current contracts when he was the head of basketball operations in Minnesota. Led by president of basketball operations Leon Rose, New York had interest in Beasley before he re-signed with the Wolves in 2020, Scotto writes.

Beasley has reportedly drawn interest this season from teams like Cleveland, Atlanta, Phoenix and New Orleans in addition to New York.

As for Vanderbilt, Scotto has heard that the Pacers have interest in the fifth-year forward, previously named the Suns as a possible suitor, and confirms that the Trail Blazers are in the mix as well. Forward Nassir Little is a player to watch if Portland gets involved in trade talks with Utah, Scotto adds.

Kyrie Irving Notes: Possible Suitors, Tsai, Nets’ Reaction

February 4th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

Following Kyrie Irving‘s trade request on Friday, initial reporting identified the Lakers, Mavericks, and Suns as the point guard’s top potential suitors. Could there be other teams willing to enter the fray and make a play for the Nets star?

Don’t count on the Clippers being one of Irving’s suitors, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest Lowe Post podcast. Although the Clippers have been linked to some points guards who are considered trade candidates, Lowe and his guest Bobby Marks expressed skepticism that L.A. would have legitimate interest in acquiring Kyrie.

“Everything I’ve heard for a year is leading me to say I would be very, very surprised if the Clippers actually dip their toe into this Kyrie Irving situation,” Lowe said. “Maybe that’ll change if Kawhi (Leonard) goes to them and says, ‘Do this or else’ or whatever. I just don’t get the sense that they have the appetite for it.”

There has been some speculation that the Heat could get involved, but Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links) says Miami won’t be aggressive in its pursuit of Irving. The Heat will monitor the situation and could be a landing spot if Brooklyn gets desperate, Jackson says, but other suitors will likely be more motivated. Jackson adds that Irving “doesn’t exactly fit the qualities” the Heat value in their players, including “reliability, selflessness, (and) putting (the) team first.”

Sam Amick of The Athletic offers up the Jazz as an outside-the-box suitor for Irving, observing that CEO Danny Ainge wouldn’t have the same reservations about Kyrie that some other executives would, even though his time in Boston didn’t necessarily go as planned.

Amick is just speculating though — there’s no indication the Jazz have actually expressed interest in Irving. I’d be surprised if they do, given that the chemistry in the locker room has been a major asset in Utah this season, and Irving may not have any desire to re-sign with the Jazz when his contract expires in the summer.

Here’s more on the Irving situation:

League sources with knowledge of the Mavericks‘ thinking downplayed Dallas’ chances of landing Irving, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. In the same story, Scotto says the Nets are fans of Mikal Bridges. However, it’s highly unlikely the Suns would be willing to give him up in a deal for Irving.
Nets owner Joe Tsai was firmly against the idea of offering Irving a maximum-salary extension last summer and that stance hasn’t changed, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). Begley doesn’t specify whether Tsai is only opposed to the idea of a long-term maximum extension for Kyrie or if he’d also be opposed to guaranteeing him the max for one or two years. Either way, the difference in opinions on Irving’s value going forward was clearly the driving factor in his decision to request a trade.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated on his Hoop Collective podcast that he believes the Nets were surprised by Irving’s trade request, as RealGM relays. A source close to people in the organization who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com conveyed a similar sentiment. “People are walking around like, ‘What the f–k just happened?’ It’s crazy,” the source said. “Crazy. But we’ve seen it before there, so nobody should be that surprised. Crazy.” One player source who spoke to Bulpett speculated that Irving’s trade request was a gambit designed to get him the sort of extension he wants.
After “a few months in the sun,” the Nets find themselves in a familiar place, clouded by chaos, Alex Schiffer writes for The Athletic. Elsewhere at The Athletic, John Hollinger explores what an Irving trade might look like for nine different teams, including extreme long shots like the Pelicans and Bulls.
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post argues that the Nets should give Irving the trade he wants and “end the charade” of trying to mollify him in Brooklyn.

Trade Rumors: Anunoby, Hornets, Prince, Beasley, Crowder

February 3rd, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have told teams they’ll wait until their current road trip is over before making a decision on their direction at the trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said in an appearance on NBA Today on Thursday (YouTube link). With games in Houston on Friday and Memphis on Sunday still on tap for Toronto, potential trade partners will have to wait a few more days for clarity.

However, if the Raptors do make OG Anunoby available, Windhorst expects there to be several playoff teams vying for his services.

“If the Raptors are willing to put OG Anunoby on the trade block, I believe – conservatively – there could be six or seven different teams, a lot of them contenders for the title this year, who are willing to put in a significant offer for him,” Windhorst said. “It would really depend then on whether the Raptors prioritized getting young players… or if they decided to focus on draft picks, because that would change the order of teams that you’d like for OG.”

In the same TV segment, Windhorst’s ESPN colleague Bobby Marks observed that it would help potential Anunoby suitors if they could get some clarity on whether the NBA will tweak its contract extension rules in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Based on the current rules, if he were to sign an extension, Anunoby could only get a 20% raise on next season’s $18.6MM salary (or on his $19.9MM player option for 2024/25). As such, he may be inclined to wait for free agency to sign a new contract, since he could get a bigger raise at that point. However, if the new CBA loosens restrictions on veteran extensions, a team acquiring Anunoby now would be in a better position to extend him before the end of his current contract.

CBA negotiations are ongoing, so it’s unclear if teams will have a real sense by the February 9 deadline of whether or not those rules will change.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Hornets are engaged in trade talks about “almost all of their veterans,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link) writes, citing league sources. While Lowe doesn’t name specific players, we’ve previously heard Mason Plumlee, Terry Rozier, and Kelly Oubre, among others, referred to as possible trade candidates.
In his Lowe Post podcast, Lowe mentions in passing that teams are calling the Timberwolves about forward Taurean Prince “a lot.” Lowe doesn’t provide any additional details, but it seems safe to assume that Minnesota isn’t eager to move one of its key role players, given the team’s playoff aspirations. The Wolves currently rank sixth in the West at 28-26.
Rival executives tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that they believe the Jazz have at least one team willing to offer a first-round pick for veteran wing Malik Beasley. It’s unclear what sort of protections that first-rounder might have or whether Utah would have to take back a multiyear contract for salary-matching purposes.
The Bucks aren’t the only team that has requested and received permission to speak to Suns forward Jae Crowder, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who says there are “others” who have done the same.

Lakers, Jazz Have Had Exploratory Talks About Westbrook

February 3rd, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Jazz have had some exploratory discussions about a trade involving veteran point guard Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Although Westbrook has adjusted nicely to a sixth man role this season and hasn’t been cited as trade rumors nearly as often as he was during the offseason, he has “remained available” for trade, according to Haynes.

The recent acquisition of Rui Hachimura has given the Lakers a “renewed sense of confidence,” but there’s a belief within the organization that the club needs to make at least one more roster move before the February 9 trade deadline to give itself a real shot at contention, Haynes says.

It’s possible such a move could involve Westbrook, though Patrick Beverley remains a trade candidate as well. According to Haynes, the Lakers are in communication with many teams around the NBA as they consider the most favorable trade scenarios available to them.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the Lakers and Jazz having a conversation about Westbrook. The two teams reportedly engaged in discussions last offseason, with Los Angeles exploring a deal that would’ve sent Westbrook and draft assets to Utah in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic and others.

Bogdanovic was traded to Detroit instead, but the Jazz still have several veterans on eight-figure salaries who could appeal to L.A., including Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, and Jordan Clarkson. The Lakers also remain interested in Bogdanovic as they scour the market in search of outside shooting help, Haynes confirms, though there’s skepticism about whether the Pistons will actually move the veteran forward before the deadline.

Westbrook’s $47MM+ cap hit makes him a tricky player to move, but if the Lakers remain open to dealing him, there are other possibilities they could explore.

According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, one popular trade idea that has made the rounds as of late is Westbrook and the Lakers’ 2027 and 2029 first-round picks to the Raptors for a package headlined by Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. However, Hollinger stresses that the Raptors/Westbrook proposal has been “fairly heavily trafficked in theory despite little evidence that it’s been discussed in reality.”

Trail Blazers Considered Strong Suitor For Jarred Vanderbilt

February 3rd, 2023 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers have emerged as a “strong suitor” for Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reports (Twitter video link).

Portland is one of several teams showing interest in Vanderbilt, according to Charania, who says the 23-year-old appears increasingly likely to be on the move prior to the February 9 trade deadline.

When Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard was asked in September about players he’d like to team up with – outside of obvious stars – he singled out Vanderbilt, as well as Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Bridges isn’t currently available, while Anunoby would likely require a huge trade haul, but Vanderbilt might be more attainable.

Vanderbilt doesn’t have much of an offensive game — his 8.5 points per game in 2022/23 represent a career high and he has made just 22 career three-pointers (19 this season). However, he’s a strong, versatile defender who contributes in many ways beyond scoring. He has averaged 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 24.2 minutes per game (51 games) for the Jazz this season after arriving in Utah as part of the Rudy Gobert trade.

Vanderbilt, who has also been linked to the Hawks and Suns, is also on a team-friendly contract, earning just $4.4MM this season and $4.7MM in 2023/24 before becoming an unrestricted free agent. He’ll be extension-eligible during the 2023 offseason.

The Jazz have reportedly sought a first-round pick for Vanderbilt. Portland could theoretically meet that asking price, though the pick would have to be conditional, since the 2023 first-rounder the Blazers owe Chicago is lottery-protected through 2028. The Stepien rule prohibits the Blazers from trading first-rounders in consecutive future seasons, but Portland could agree to send Utah a first-rounder two years after its pick conveys to the Bulls.

Justise Winslow, who is earning $4.1MM on an expiring contract, and Keon Johnson, earning $2.68MM in the second year of his rookie scale deal, are among the salary-matching pieces the Blazers could include in an offer for Vanderbilt.

2023 NBA All-Star Reserves Announced

February 2nd, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The league has announced its 2023 All-Star reserves during a pregame broadcast on TNT, as voted on by NBA head coaches. As usual, the list of 14 selections featured some interesting surprises.

For the Eastern Conference, coaches voted in Sixers center Joel Embiid (the reigning Player of the Month in the East), Heat center Bam Adebayo, Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and Knicks forward Julius Randle.

Holiday, who is making his second overall All-star appearance this year, last earned an All-Star nod a decade ago while playing for Philadelphia.

Randle will receive a $1.2MM salary bonus as a result of being named an All-Star this season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Marks adds (via Twitter) that Holiday will get a $324K bonus. And as long as he appears in at least 65 contests this year, Brown will earn a $1.55MM bonus after having qualified for the All-Star game, Marks tweets.

Among the most notable omissions in the East were a handful of point guards: the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the Hawks’ Trae Young, the Cavaliers’ Darius Garland, and the Sixers’ James Harden. Miami swingman Jimmy Butler also missed out. Young, Harden and Butler all made the cut last season.

In the Western Conference, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, Kings center Domantas Sabonis, Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Paul George, Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. were selected as reserves.

Being named to the All-Star team again this year will earn Sabonis a $1.3MM bonus, per Marks (Twitter link).

Lakers center Anthony Davis, Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Suns guard Devin Booker, and Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon were among the Western Conference snubs.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Markkanen and Jackson are the lone first-time All-Stars among these 14 picks.

All-Star weekend tips off on February 17 in Salt Lake City. Los Angeles power forward LeBron James and Milwaukee power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the captains of their respective conferences, will draft their teams ahead of the 2023 All-Star Game on Sunday, February 19.

Trade Rumors: Raptors, Ayton, Russell, Olynyk, Heat, Celtics

February 2nd, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA is still waiting to see what the Raptors will decide to do ahead of next week’s trade deadline, but it’s seeming more likely that they’ll be active.

“I would be shocked if they didn’t do anything,” one high-ranking league executive told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

The Raptors are open to offers for everyone on the roster except for second-year forward Scottie Barnes, sources tell Lewenberg. Just because they’re listening doesn’t mean they’re going to totally overhaul the team in the next week though, with Lewenberg pointing out that more options could be available in the offseason.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

The Raptors came close to landing Deandre Ayton from the Suns via sign-and-trade over the summer, a source tells Lewenberg, who notes that Phoenix is reportedly interested in OG Anunoby.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his Lowe Post podcast that trade chatter involving Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell has died down a little with his strong play of late. “He has been a good offensive player for them,” said Lowe (hat tip to RealGM). “That noise, to me, has kind of quieted. I know there are deals out there that they would do. I don’t think any teams have met those deal points yet.” Russell is making $31.4MM in the final year of his contract.
Both the Heat and Celtics are interested in a reunion with Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk, sources tell Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. Boston is still trying to figure out what Utah might seek in return for Olynyk, but a source from a team looking for frontcourt help expressed skepticism that the Celtics or Heat will be able to meet the Jazz’s asking price, per Bulpett.
A front office source from a rival team doesn’t expect the Celtics to do anything drastic on the wings at the deadline, suggesting that even if they sign someone in a buyout, that player is likely to be a deep-bench reserve who is buried on the depth chart. “I’m not saying they wouldn’t upgrade their end of the bench wings, but there’s really no room in the rotation,” the source told Bulpett.