- The Pelicans, Rockets, Wizards, Heat, and Mavericks are the would-be contenders who most need to make a trade, in the view of Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer. Meanwhile, a handful of NBA.com writers weigh in on the teams most in need of a shake-up, and many of the same clubs are mentioned.
The Knicks‘ long-term answer at the point guard position may not be in the roster and some within the league believe the team is gearing up to make the Wizards an offer for John Wall, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports.
Berman writes that the Knicks are “stocking up” their young talent and could attempt to put together a package for the former All-Star should the Wizards make him available. The offer would involve Frank Ntilikina, Damyean Dotson and Courtney Lee as well as a 2020 first-rounder and a future second-rounder as part of a three-team deal, Berman suggests.
It was previously reported that there were no untouchables on Washington’s roster, though that was when the team was 6-12 and looking at a lost season. The Wizards have since gone 4-2, pulling themselves closer to their lofty playoff goals.
Wall has not played his best basketball this year. However, it would be hard to argue that he wouldn’t be an upgrade over New York’s current point guard situation.
[RELATED: John Wall drawing very little trade interest]
Ntilikina has fallen out of the rotation and it’s unclear whether the team believes he can play the position long-term. Emmanuel Mudiay hasn’t proven to be consistent as the starter and Trey Burke was demoted to backup before suffering an MCL injury.
The upgrade to Wall would come with heavy financial and opportunity costs. The team expects to be a major player in free agency and Wall’s $37.8MM salary for the 2019/20 season would severely impact the franchise’s ability to make a splash.
Facing unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2018/19 season, Trey Burke would like to remain with the Knicks, but knows he might not have that option depending on which direction the club goes at point guard. Burke acknowledged as much during a conversation with Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.
“I know how the business goes and if that is not an option, you’re always auditioning for other teams. But personally, on record, I want to be here in New York City,” Burke said. “You just never know, man. You never know in this league. Try not to put all your eggs in one basket because it is a business at the end of the day.”
Burke, who is currently sidelined with a knee sprain, has started five games for the Knicks this season, but has recently settled into a backup role behind Emmanuel Mudiay. Even coming off the bench, the former Michigan standout has been impressive, averaging 25.8 points per game in 28.1 MPG during one four-game stretch a couple weeks ago.
While he’s a few years older than fellow point guards Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina, Burke tells Bondy that he doesn’t feel like he has a ton of mileage on his body at age 26, pointing to a couple seasons where he “didn’t play much.” Burke, who says he’s making an effort to become a better defender this year, also acknowledges that he’s trying to “stay in the moment” rather than looking ahead to his free agency. However, he’s curious about what next summer will bring.
“Obviously, it is on my mind,” Burke said. “It’s an exciting time, but at the same time I’m just trying to first of all just get back on the court and second of all be the best version I can be to help this team win. I think when you win and when you are personally excelling in your role, I think that’s a plus. But I think when you win, teams look at that more than anything.”
Over at The New York Post, Marc Berman observes that Mudiay is making a case to receive consideration as part of the Knicks’ long-term plans at point guard, given his recent play. However, as both Bondy and Berman note, Mudiay would have a sizable cap hold ($12.88MM) as a restricted free agent at season’s end, which could complicate the Knicks’ offseason salary cap situation. Burke’s minimum-salary cap hold would be much easier to keep on the books during free agency if New York wants to go after Kevin Durant or other big-name targets.
Of course, the Knicks’ long-term decision at point guard won’t just come down to Mudiay vs. Burke. Ntilikina remains under team control for multiple seasons, and it’s possible the club will use its cap flexibility to fortify the position with an established veteran, via trade or free agency. Berman writes that some people around the NBA believe the Knicks are stocking up assets to make a play for Wizards guard John Wall, though Wall doesn’t seem like an ideal target for the franchise, given his unfavorable contract.
Here are Monday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
- The Wizards recalled power forward Okaro White from the Capital City Go Go, the Wizards’ PR department tweets. White has appeared in one Go Go game, scoring six points in 25 1/2 minutes. He’s also seen action in one Washington game.
- The Jazz assigned guard Grayson Allen and forward Georges Niang to the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s PR department tweets. Allen, the 21st overall pick out of Duke, has appeared in 14 Jazz games, averaging 4.6 PPG in 10.5 MPG. Niang has seen action in 18 games, averaging 3.2 PPG in 7.4 MPG. The Stars play the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Monday.
- The Pacers assigned center Ike Anigbogu to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for the fifth time this season, according to a team press release. The 2017 second-round pick has seen action in three Indiana games.
- The Thunder recalled forward Abdel Nader from the Oklahoma City Blue, according to a team press release. Nader piled up 31 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the Blue’s game on Sunday. He’s seen action in nine Thunder games after being acquired from Boston during the summer.
- Wizards center Dwight Howard is more likely to exercise his player option for next season after undergoing surgery last week, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington notes. Howard underwent a spinal procedure to correct a gluteal ailment and will be sidelined for two to three months. He has a $5.6MM option and if he exercises it, it’d likely push the Wizards further over the projected cap. Washington already has $111MM in salary guarantees to just five players next season.
The Nets would “very much like to keep” guard Spencer Dinwiddie, but only at the right price, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski said today in an interview with Fordham’s student radio station (hat tip to NetsDaily).
Wojnarowski wouldn’t speculate on how much Brooklyn’s front office is willing to give Dinwiddie, but it’s obviously less than the four-year, $47.5MM extension he’s eligible to receive starting next Saturday. The Nets have until the end of June to finalize an extension with Dinwiddie, who is currently making the league minimum. He will become a free agent July 1 if no deal is in place by then.
“I think the Nets would very much like to keep him and keep him long term but again, it’s negotiation,” Wojnarowski said. “It will be at a number — I don’t know what the number is for Brooklyn — but I’m sure they have in their minds a sense of what they’re willing to do and then how does that measure up to what the other options are, what it does to their cap space, what they want to do with D’Angelo Russell.”
Dinwiddie is having a career year in a reserve role, averaging 15.9 PPG and shooting 37% from 3-point range. Wojnarowski believes there will be a strong market for Dinwiddie if he reaches free agency and predicts the Nets will try to re-sign him if they can’t come to terms on an extension.
Wojnarowski touched on a few other topics in the interview, saying:
- The Nets are unlikely to trade for an “established player” this season. Management seems content to keep the current core in place and try to make additions through free agency.
- The Knicks seem like a long shot to land Kevin Durant because they don’t have a strong foundation already in place. He noted that elite free agents have historically gone to teams that are already equipped to contend for a title.
- The Wizards would demand a high price if they elect to trade Bradley Beal. However, they may have to take on a long-term contract to unload the $81MM they still owe to Otto Porter.
- Nothing is expected to happen with Sixers guard Markelle Fultz until “more clarity” is obtained on his physical condition.
Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.
The Southeast could be one of the NBA’s most active divisions leading up to this season’s trade deadline. It features a pair of underachieving teams (the Heat and Wizards) who could badly use a trade to shake things up, along with at least one lottery-bound club that looks like an obvious seller (the Hawks). It’s too early to tell which direction the Hornets and Magic will go, but they’re candidates to be active too.
Here’s our latest look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southeast…
Otto Porter Jr., F
Washington Wizards
$26.01MM cap hit; $27.25MM guaranteed salary in 2019/20; $28.49MM player option for 2020/21
As I wrote earlier today when I relayed news of the Kings’ renewed interest in Porter, the young forward looks like the best trade candidate of the Wizards‘ three highly-paid cornerstones. His contract isn’t as scary as John Wall‘s, which will make him easier to move. Conversely, he’s not as valuable an asset as Bradley Beal, meaning Washington won’t be as averse to giving him up.
Although Porter’s contract will make him a somewhat tricky sell, he fits the mold of the three-and-D wing that so many teams around the NBA are seeking. He’ll draw interest, especially from teams that have a little cap flexibility but don’t necessarily expect to be major players in free agency — like the Kings, whose expiring contracts and cap space make them an interesting potential trade partner for Washington.
The Pelicans are also said to have interest in Porter. If they’re willing to include a first-round pick and a mid-sized expiring contract, it might be worth it for the Wizards to take on Solomon Hill‘s contract.
Dewayne Dedmon, C
Atlanta Hawks
$7.2MM cap hit; UFA in 2019
A popular subject of trade speculation last season, Dedmon stayed put at the deadline and ultimately ended up exercising his player option to remain in Atlanta for another year. There are reasons to believe that he’s more likely to be traded this time around.
For one, potential suitors may have been put off by his uncertain contract situation last year. This time, his status is clear — he’ll be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, so teams won’t have to worry about accounting for him on next year’s books.
Additionally, the Hawks may have some regrets about how they approached last season’s trade deadline, when they kept Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova, then bought them out after the deadline passed. Both players ended up with the Sixers, serving as important rotation pieces into the second round of the playoffs. This season, Atlanta may be less inclined to let solid contributors get away for nothing.
While Dedmon doesn’t necessarily have one specific skill that could be a difference-maker for a playoff team like Belinelli’s and Ilyasova’s floor-spacing abilities were, he’s a solid big man who has some previous postseason experience under his belt, and he shouldn’t be overly expensive.
Nikola Vucevic, C
Orlando Magic
$12.75MM cap hit; UFA in 2019
It has been a fascinating season for Vucevic and the Magic so far. Despite a modest 10-12 record, Orlando currently holds the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, and Vucevic has played a huge part in the club’s early success, recording career highs in PPG (20.8), FG% (.553), 3PT% (.410), and APG (3.9), among other categories.
The 28-year-old is performing like the type of player the Magic should be trying to re-sign and build around, rather than one they should be looking to dump before he reaches free agency — especially if they remain in the playoff mix. So far, there are no indications that Orlando is interested in trading Vucevic.
Still, this is a complicated situation. The Magic drafted Mohamed Bamba earlier this year to be their center of the future, and with Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac in the frontcourt mix too, it looked like Vucevic might not be in the team’s long-term plans.
Could the Magic realistically lock up Vucevic long-term without compromising the development of their younger players? If they commit to the veteran, would the Magic need to trade one of those other young bigs? Would they be willing to keep Vucevic for the full season and risk simply losing him in unrestricted free agency next summer without any compensation? The answers to those questions will determine whether or not Vucevic becomes available before this season’s trade deadline.
Previously:
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Kings are “closely monitoring” the Wizards with an eye toward potentially making a play for forward Otto Porter Jr., league sources tell Jason Jones of The Athletic.
Sacramento has long been fond of Porter, pursuing him when he reached restricted free agency in 2017. Although the Kings made Porter a maximum-salary contract offer at that point, he ultimately decided to sign a similar offer sheet with the Nets, which was subsequently matched by Washington.
Now, with the Wizards reportedly willing to listen to inquiries on any of their players and the Kings still seeking a long-term answer at small forward, the time might be right for Sacramento to go after the 25-year-old once again.
Porter’s contract, which features a $26MM cap hit for 2018/19 and is worth $55.7MM over the following two seasons, is considered onerous, but the Kings’ books are clear of significant long-term commitments. They’re about $11MM under the cap right now, and project to have a ton of cap room in 2019. With Sacramento not viewed as a realistic player for 2019’s star free agents, it makes sense that the team would be open to the idea of sacrificing some of that potential cap space by acquiring a possible core piece in a trade.
The Kings also have several veterans on expiring contracts who could be used for salary-matching purposes, including Zach Randolph ($11.69MM), Kosta Koufos ($8.74MM), and Ben McLemore ($5.46MM).
It remains to be seen what approach the Wizards will take to in-season trade negotiations, since they’re still very much in the mix for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, despite their slow start. If they do decide to shake things up, Porter appears to be the likeliest trade candidate of the Wizards’ “Big Three.” He’d have more trade value than John Wall, and Washington would be more inclined to move him than Bradley Beal.
12:49pm: Howard has undergone an L4-L5 lumbar microdiscectomy, the Wizards confirmed in a press release. According to the team, he’ll be re-evaluated in approximately two to three months.
10:23am: Howard will undergo surgery, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports confirms. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) the procedure will be on the L4/L5 discs in Howard’s spine.
Howard hopes to return to the court within eight weeks, Charania adds. Haynes suggests a possible two-to-three month timeline, though he acknowledges that the big man could return sooner than that.
12:17am: Wizards center Dwight Howard will likely require surgery to provide relief from a gluteal injury that has kept him out of action for much of his first season in Washington, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Previous reports had indicated that Howard was scheduled to visit a nerve specialist this week, and according to Wojnarowski, that specialist recommended a surgical procedure. If the eight-time All-Star undergoes surgery, he’d be sidelined for a significant portion of the 2018/19 season, so he may seek a second opinion before making any final decisions, writes Wojnarowski.
Howard, who will turn 33 in December, signed a two-year, $10.94MM deal (second-year player option) with Washington during the offseason after being bought out by the Nets. He was expected to provide much-needed rebounding and rim protection for the Wizards, who traded former starting center Marcin Gortat to the Clippers in June. However, Howard has been limited to nine games so far, chipping in 12.8 PPG and 9.2 RPG in just 25.6 minutes per contest.
If Howard remains on the shelf for the foreseeable future, Washington will likely continue to start Thomas Bryant at the five, frequently using smaller lineups in which Markieff Morris serves as the de facto center. Veterans Ian Mahinmi and Jason Smith also provide a little depth up front.
Although they’re off to a disappointing 8-13 start, the Wizards are just 1.5 games out of the playoff race and could look to add frontcourt reinforcements at some point via trades or free agency.
The Wizards could also potentially apply for a disabled player exception if Howard is ruled out for the rest of 2018/19, but there’s no indication that this procedure would be a season-ending one. We’ll have to wait for further updates to get a clearer sense of how Howard’s injury will be treated and how long his recovery might take.
The Wizards are said to be open to discussing deals involving any player on their roster, but league-wide trade interest in star point guard John Wall is “close to nonexistent,” sources tell ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider-only link). As Marks details, Wall’s super-max extension, which goes into effect next season and runs through 2022/23, has substantially diminished the 28-year-old’s value around the NBA.
“Every player in this league can be traded, but the Wall extension right now is the toughest contract I have seen a team try to move in 20 years,” one club executive told Marks. “I couldn’t look my owner in the eye and tell him there is value with the player even if we didn’t have to trade anything of significance.”
While most teams don’t have interest in acquiring Wall, clubs are still trying to figure out how his 15% trade bonus would work if he were moved this season, says Marks. Wall’s trade kicker should pay him a bonus worth 15% of the remaining salary on his contract if he’s dealt; that bonus money would typically be dispersed evenly across the remaining non-option years of the deal.
However, a trade bonus can’t increase a player’s cap hit beyond his maximum salary — Wall’s salary for 2018/19 is well below his current maximum, but he’ll start earning his max in 2019/20, which complicates how his trade bonus could be spread out across multiple years. It’s an unprecedented situation that the NBA and the players’ union didn’t anticipate.
According to Marks, if Wall were traded this season, his 15% trade kicker may just apply to his current-year salary, rather than taking his extension into account. So he’d get an extra $2MM+ this season without impacting his future cap charges.
Still, that discussion may be moot — any in-season trade involving Wall seems like a long shot, given all the future money owed to him. And even next summer, once the confusion surrounding his trade bonus clears up, the point guard likely won’t be any easier to move.
According to Marks, the consensus among team executives he spoke to was that there was no way they’d sign Wall to a four-year, $171MM contract this offseason, which is what his extension will amount to. As Marks explains, execs have – for the most part – learned their lesson about overpaying borderline stars into their 30s and will be more cautious going forward, limiting the appeal of a highly-paid player like Wall.