Tag: NBA Trade Rumors

Report: Warriors trade D’Angelo Russell to Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins and picks

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Golden State Warriors are moving D’Angelo Russell, Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans III to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins and draft pick compensation.

Since the time D’Angelo Russell arrived in Golden State, there have been trade rumors swirling around the 23-year-old former All-Star. On the day of the NBA trade deadline, those rumors seem to be turning into reality.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors are trading D’Angelo Russell, Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans III to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins and draft pick compensation that includes a 2021 top-three protected draft pick. The Warriors are reported to be acquiring a 2021 second-round pick in the package for Russell, Spellman and Evans III.

 

Since Russell’s 2019 free agency, the Timberwolves have been linked to the former Ohio State Buckeye, once a member of Golden State, the rumors of Minnesota and the Warriors trade chatter swirled all season. Now, with only hours till the trade deadline, the Timberwolves got their point-guard to pair with All-Star center, Karl-Anthony Towns.

In his first season with the Golden State Warriors, Russell was Steve Kerr’s leading offensive initiator, averaging 23.6 points and 6.2 assists per game. Russell registered 10 games of 30 points or more this season, including a career-high 52-point effort against his new team, the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Along with Russell, young players, Spellman and Evans III, will be traded to Minnesota as well. Evans III, the Warriors 2019 first road pick, hasn’t found consistency in his young NBA career, dealing with injuries that have limited him to only 52 games in two seasons.

Spellman came from the Atlanta Hawks over the offseason and impressed in a limited role for Golden State. With the Warriors, Spellman averaged 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per game. The former Villanova Wildcat was able to stretch the floor for Golden State, shooting a career-high 39.1 % from beyond the arc.

In the deal, the Warriors are getting back 2014’s No. 1 overall pick in Wiggins. The former Rookie of the Year will slide next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson once the “Splash Brother” duo returns healthy.

One day after trading Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III, the Warriors added two more draft picks from the Russell package deal. Minnesota is sending their 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 second-rounder, adding to the bevy of picks Golden State has amassed from the 2020 trade season.

There is still time left before the NBA trade deadline passes. However, the Warriors have little assets left to move after trading six players leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline.

Report: 76ers acquire Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III from Warriors for draft picks

According to reports, the Golden State Warriors are trading Glenn Robinson III and Alec Burks to the Philadelphia 76ers for a bundle of draft picks.

Multiple trips to the NBA Finals have spurned the Golden State Warriors activity in the NBA trade deadline. Yet, during the 2019-20 season, things are changing. With a losing record, the Warriors have been busy leading up to the NBA’s trade deadline.

Starting with a trade that sent center Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors are dealing two more of their veteran players before the deadline. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Philadelphia 76ers are acquiring both Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III from Golden State.

The news of the deal comes after Golden State held both Robinson III and Burks out of the lineup shortly before tip-off against the Brooklyn Nets on the eve of the trade deadline.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Philadelphia is sending draft pick compensation that includes three second-round picks for the pair of Golden State veterans. Including the Cauley-Stein trade, the Warriors now have a draft haul of five future second-round picks.

Burks and Robinson III have registered breakout seasons with the Warriors in their first year in San Francisco. Robinson III has started all but three games for Golden State, averaging 12.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game. Robinson is shooting a career-high 48.1 % from the field while adding 40.0 % shooting beyond the arc.

Burks has been one of Steve Kerr’s best offensive options in the 2019-20 season, stamping games of 30 points or more twice this season. Burks is scoring a career-high 16.1 points per contest in 48 games this season.

Now that Burks and Robinson III have been moved, 23-year-old guard D’Angelo Russell is the remaining member of Golden State being linked to trade rumors. The Warriors will now have one day to decide on either holding onto Russell past the deadline or trade the former Brooklyn All-Star.

Report: Miami Heat acquire former Warrior Andre Iguodala from Memphis

Former Golden State Warrior turned member of the Memphis Grizzlies, Andre Iguodala has found a new home with the Miami Heat.

Several members of the Golden State Warriors have been surrounded by rumors leading up to the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. Willie Cauley-Stein has been traded to the Dallas Mavericks, while both Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III were pulled from the Warriors’ lineup with the trade deadline looming.

In the middle of it all is D’Angelo Russell. According to multiple reports, teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks are vying for a trade to bring Russell to their team.

While the Warriors are active at the trade deadline, former members of Golden State are also on the move.

Over the past offseason, the Warriors traded their sixth-man Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies, now he’s on his way to South Beach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Iguodala has yet to play a game in the 2019-20 season as he was waiting for Memphis to move him to a contender, now, a day away from the trade deadline, the former NBA Finals Most Valuable Player got his wish granted.

On top of being traded to Miami, Iguodala will reportedly sign a two-year, $30 million extension. That news is significant for the Golden State Warriors because it essentially nixes any chance at a reunion with Iguodala over the summer via free agency.

Once the trade becomes official, Iguodala will have the chance to reunite with the Warriors, as his new team the Miami Heat will travel to Chase Center in San Francisco on February 10.

Report: Warriors ‘investigating deals’ that shed salary, lower tax bill and bring back draft value

With the trade deadline around the corner, Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the Warriors are “investigating deals that shed salary and lower their tax bill” but can bring back draft value as well.

The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching, and for the first time in years, the Golden State Warriors are in the middle of all the rumors. Competing in five-straight NBA titles with a roster that features four healthy All-Star caliber players has left the Warriors content in trade deadlines of the past. However, in the 2019-20 season, things are changing.

The Warriors have already traded center Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for a second-round pick, and with the deadline to make trades right around the corner, the rumors around Golden State are heating up.

23-year-old guard, D’Angelo Russell, has been the centerpiece of most trade chatter with several different teams being connected. Reports have indicated both the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in Russell. Yet, there hasn’t been a deal to come to fruition yet.

When it comes to the deadline, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Warriors are “investigating deals that shed salary and lower tax bill — as well as bring back some draft value.”

Wojnarowski mentions that the Warriors could hold onto Russell through the deadline. If a team can’t meet Golden State’s pricepoint, seeing Russell alongside a healthy Stephen Curry would be an intriguing option for Warriors’ decision-makers.

Curry has played only four games this season, limiting any opportunity for Russell and the two-time Most Valuable Player to build chemistry. If Curry’s rehab from his broken hand injury continues to go as planned, he could return sometime in March, giving him and Russell around 20 games to play together before the end of the season.

If the Curry and Russell backcourt experiment fails, the Warriors could look to tweak their roster over the offseason instead of the upcoming trade deadline.

Analysis: Rockets, Morey have window to expand Covington trade

With the Covington-Capela trade agreed to but not finalized, Rockets GM Daryl Morey has a unique opportunity to further expand the deal.

The Houston Rockets and GM Daryl Morey have a unique opportunity to expand Tuesday night’s huge trade involving Clint Capela and Robert Covington, which was agreed to in principle but not finalized.

The NBA’s salary cap rules allow teams to take back 125% of their outgoing salary in a trade. In the Covington deal, Gerald Green (to Denver) and Jordan Bell (to Houston) aren’t counting toward that figure, since they’re each being acquired with minimum salary exceptions.

From Houston’s perspective as an above-the-cap team, Capela at $16.5 million, Covington at $11.3 million, and Nene at $2.6 million are the three salaries of significance, since they were all acquired using non-minimum resources. Capela and Nene are both being sent to Atlanta.

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Because Covington makes nearly $8 million less than Capela and Nene combined, the Rockets have the ability to bring in additional salary through an expanded version of the trade.

Based on salaries in the current agreement, the Rockets can add salary up to $5.8 million while still staying below the league’s luxury tax line. If they are willing to pay the tax, they could take back closer to $12 million.

While Tilman Fertitta has reportedly not put any financial restrictions on Morey at this year’s deadline, the Rockets haven’t paid the tax in any of Fertitta’s three seasons to date as owner. Thus, it remains to be seen if they would actually go through with such a move. But even if they do not, $5.8 million is still very much a salary slot of significance.

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Reports prior to the agreement indicated that Morey was aiming to acquire both a wing player (Covington) by Thursday’s trade deadline and a replacement center for Capela. In the deal’s current construction, they have the former but not the latter.

It’s also possible that Houston could turn to the buyout market after the deadline to fill the center need, but it’s unclear at the moment who the available players will be and whether they would choose Houston.

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Thus, as opposed to waiting for the uncertainty of buyouts, Morey and the Rockets might prefer to make another addition via trade. While the Rockets are limited with regards to tradable assets, since Houston’s 2020 first-round pick went to Denver in the Capela trade, other teams could still have incentive to participate in an expanded version because the Rockets are now able to take salary off another team’s books.

As ESPN‘s Wojnarowski indicated, there are two primary paths that Morey could pursue. The first would be searching for a good player (likely a center) that helps now. For one example, acquiring big man Kevon Looney — who the Rockets targeted in last summer’s free agency — would allow the Warriors to avoid the tax, all while not pushing the Rockets over it.

The other possibility, as Wojnarowski notes, is taking on a bad contract for assets. For example, if the Rockets are confident in their ability to lure a rotation center in the buyout market, they could use this salary matching window and their second open roster spot to take on a negatively valued contract. It could be to help a team avoid the luxury tax, or to possibly give them additional cap room for 2020 free agency.

In doing so, the other team could give Houston a future draft pick to help Morey and the Rockets replenish their stockpile of assets, which has been significantly drained in recent months. Between the Covington deal and last offseason’s trade for Russell Westbrook, the Rockets have surrendered three future first-round picks (2020, 2024, 2026).

They’ve also dealt away many of their future second-round picks. This route could allow the Rockets to recoup some of those lost assets.

To get a first-round pick, the salary taken in by Houston would probably need to be higher than $5.8 million — which would push the Rockets into tax territory. But with Fertitta reportedly giving the green light with regards to spending at this year’s trade deadline, it can’t be ruled out.

One potential downside to not immediately finalizing the trade is that Covington won’t be able to play for his new team until the league officially approves the deal, and until all players involved report to their new destinations and pass physicals.

That means it’s very unlikely that Covington will be available for Houston’s upcoming back-to-back, on Thursday in Los Angeles and Friday in Phoenix. But considering the deal’s size and the historically high amount of players involved, that may have been the case no matter what.

Even so, there’s certainly still a path for the Rockets (32-18) to compete without any new players at all, considering they’ve now won six of their last eight games overall — including the last four without Capela. And at the moment, Capela is the only rotation player to depart.

In the meantime, they have until the 2019-20 trade deadline at 2 p.m. Central on Thursday to canvass the league and consider all scenarios. Hours later, the Rockets will tip off against the Lakers (38-11) at 9:30 p.m. Central time from Staples Center.

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Report: Warriors ‘moving on’ from D’Angelo Russell trade talks with Timberwolves

The Warriors and Timberwolves haven’t been able to agree on a deal that would send D’Angelo Russell to Minnesota and now Golden State is “moving on” according to reports.

As the clock ticks down to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the rumors continue to buzz around one member of the Golden State Warriors. D’Angelo Russell has been in the middle of a lot of trade chatter since the time he landed with the Golden State Warriors.

With the trade deadline around the corner, noise linking Russell to a move has heated up. Multiple teams like the New York Knicks have been connected to Russell, but the team that’s led the way has been the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Since Russell hit free agency over the offseason, the Timberwolves have been a rumored destination. Now in Golden State, the T-Wolves have been trying to work a deal to bring Russell to Minnesota.

However, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the talks between Golden State and Minnesota regarding a Russell trade are slowing down.

There is still ample time left for Golden State and Minnesota to work out a trade at an agreed-upon price. Though, if the Warriors decide to keep Russell, it could give them a look at the future.

Russell is only 23-years-old and has yet to build chemistry with Golden State’s two-time Most Valuable Player, Stephen Curry. Curry has missed all but four games in Russell’s first season with the Warriors. The three-time NBA champion could return from his broken hand in March, giving Russell and Curry around 20 games to play as a backcourt tandem.

If Russell stays in Golden State past the trade deadline, it will give Steve Kerr and Bob Myers a better view on how the former Ohio State Buckeye would fit on a healthy Warriors squad.

Tilman Fertitta reportedly signs off on Rockets’ deadline spending

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta reportedly isn’t putting any financial restrictions on GM Daryl Morey entering the 2019-20 trade deadline.

Houston GM Daryl Morey will not be limited financially in his attempts to upgrade the Rockets by Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, according to a new report from CNBC’s Jabari Young.

Citing a source, Young writes that Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has given Morey “full rights” to improve the team at the deadline with no financial restrictions. “Fertitta [is] not happy with team’s current standing and wants to win now,” Young wrote on Twitter.

The previous day, Young quoted league sources as saying that Fertitta wanted to shed payroll in hopes of avoiding the NBA’s luxury tax.

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The Rockets are reportedly shopping center Clint Capela on the trade market while hoping to bring in a wing player and replacement center. They’re also said to be monitoring the potential buyout market, with high-profile targets such as Cleveland big man Tristan Thompson.

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But some of those moves could push Houston into luxury tax territory, leaving many fans wondering just how viable they actually are. In Fertitta’s first two seasons owning the Rockets in 2017-18 and 2018-19, Houston avoided paying the tax.

However, it seems Fertitta could have a different mindset heading into the 2019-20 deadline, with the Rockets (31-18) mired in the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference and perhaps needing further roster upgrades to reach their expected status as an NBA title contender.

The trade deadline arrives at 2 p.m. Central time on Thursday.

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Report: Rockets eye potential Thompson, Kidd-Gilchrist buyouts

Per Kelly Iko, Houston is monitoring Cleveland big man Tristan Thompson and Charlotte forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as buyout targets.

A potential deal by Thursday’s NBA trade deadline for the likes of Minnesota forward Robert Covington isn’t the only item on the agenda of Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey this week.

According to The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko, the Rockets are also monitoring the upcoming buyout market, with Cleveland big man Tristan Thompson and Charlotte forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist among their targets.

Iko writes:

Assuming the Rockets trade Capela and aren’t able to land a serviceable replacement center over the next 72 hours, Tristan Thompson is someone they’d like to acquire in a buyout. Thompson’s skillset is very similar to what Capela brings to the table, and Thompson has championship experience. …

Another name to monitor in the assumption he gets a buyout is Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist — Houston has liked him for some time. His three-point shot is still horrendous (.294), although his last four games has seen an uptick (.429 at home).

Both players are in the final year of their respective contracts.

The Rockets are reportedly seeking a wing player and replacement center if they trade Clint Capela, but it remains to be seen if they could get both in the same transaction. If they are not able to, the buyout market could be a plausible solution to the other need.

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Most buyouts do not occur until after the NBA’s annual trade deadline, since teams would prefer to trade those players and receive value in return for them, if at all possible.

However, once the deadline passes, many rebuilding teams — which Cleveland (13-38) and Charlotte (16-34) definitely are — will engage in buyout talks with veterans on expiring contracts. It’s usually a means of doing a favor to the player and/or his agent by letting the player enter free agency and join a team better positioned to win that season.

Because the trade deadline has passed and the player is on an expiring contract, it’s possible (if not likely) that the player could leave the team for no compensation in summer free agency — which means there’s not much downside to his team to let him go now.

If anything, some rebuilding teams might even see a further incentive for a buyout, since sending away a veteran could open up more playing time for younger players, earn goodwill with influential agents, and perhaps also give the team better odds at a higher pick in the upcoming NBA Draft (by losing more games, thanks to the veteran not playing).

Now 28 years old, the 6-foot-9 Thompson is averaging 11.9 points (50.8% shooting) and 10.4 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per game with the Cavs this season. He could potentially replace some of the rebounding void if Houston deals Capela, who ranks fourth in the NBA with 13.8 rebounds per game. Thompson was drafted No. 4 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Kidd-Gilchrist is best known for his wing defense. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft is averaging 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game with the Hornets.

The NBA’s 2019-20 trade deadline arrives at 2 p.m. Central time on Thursday, and buyout negotiations around the league with veterans who are not dealt should begin shortly thereafter.

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What all 30 teams are doing at the NBA trade deadline

This deadline is sure to be a good one.

It’s quiet in the NBA. Probably a little bit too quiet. You can literally count the number of trades that have happened this season on one hand.

It feels like we’re due for an explosion and that could come on Thursday when the trade deadline hits. Most of the league feels like they’re in a position to compete this season, so there isn’t a lot of selling going on.

It’s hard to keep track of what everything is and what everyone is thinking so far — even some the bottom-feeders are trying to get better.

Luckily for you, we’ve got you covered here. Here’s who is buying, selling and standing pat at the deadline.

All salary cap data pulled from EarlyBirdRights.com.

Buyers

Atlanta Hawks

  • Team salary: $106,507,190
  • Cap room: $2,632,810

It’s rare that you see the worst team in the NBA as a buyer, but here the Hawks are. They’re looking to get newly minted All-Star Trae Young some help in the front court — specifically at center. They’ve been linked to both Andre Drummond and, more recently, Clint Capela.

Boston Celtics

  • Team salary: $119,147,133
  • Cap room: –$10,007,133

The Celtics are also buyers and are looking to shore up their center spot being occupied by Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter at the moment. Like the Hawks, they’re in on the Capela sweepstakes.

Dallas Mavericks

  • Team salary: $122,689,077
  • Cap room: -$13,549,077

The Mavericks have a massive title window with Luka Doncic in hand, but they still want to try and win as much as they can this year. They’re in the market for a wing upgrade after trading for Willie Cauley-Stein when Dwight Powell went down.

Denver Nuggets

  • Team salary: $131,648,234
  • Cap room: -$22,508,234

The Nuggets have a two very tradeable assets in Gary Harris and Malik Beasley with Beasley being the more moveable piece. The rise of Michael Porter Jr. has strengthened their wing rotation but they’re still looking to upgrade at guard. They’ve made calls on Jrue Holiday, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reports, but it’ll take a lot to pry him from New Orleans.

Los Angeles Clippers

  • Team salary: $130,766,745
  • Cap room: -$21,626,745

The biggest thing for the Clippers right now is getting all of their best players healthy at once, but they’re looking to upgrade at multiple positions, but especailly on the wing. They’ve been rumored to have their eyes on Marcus Morris, Andre Iguodala and Robert Covington as potential upgrades.

Los Angeles Lakers

  • Team salary: $120,604,780
  • Cap room: -$11,464,780

The Lakers are trying to upgrade at the guard spot and on the wing, but they don’t really have the ammo to pry Iguodala from Memphis. They’ve also been connected to Bogdan Bogdanovic, who would be a great pickup. But the Kings have said Kyle Kuzma isn’t enough and he’s the Lakers’ best trade chip.

Miami Heat

  • Team salary: $136,587,504
  • Cap room: -$27,447,504

The Heat are mostly trying to keep their books clear for the summer of 2021, but they think they have a shot to win now. They’ve been linked to Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala and Danillo Gallinari. They’ll be active on Thursday.

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Team salary: $122,612,735
  • Cap room: -$14,472,735

The Timberwolves have been absolutely zeroed in on D’Angelo Russell and are trying to organize a convoluted four team deal to get draft picks that they’ll trade to the Warriors to land him in Minnesota. Uhhh, yeah, keep an eye on this one.

New York Knicks

  • Team salary: $112,598,829
  • Cap room: -$3,458,829

The Knicks, per usual, are a dumpster fire. They’re refusing to trade Marcus Morris in a lost season but are also willing to give up assets for D’Angelo Russell…who they could’ve signed in free agency last summer. Quick — somebody check on Charles.

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Team salary: $128,394,366
  • Cap room: $-19,254,366

You can just feel a panic trade coming from Philly after two straight big losses to the Celtics and Heat. They need shooting and Robert Covington is on the front of their list, but he’s on everyone else’s, too. We’ll see if they have the assets to get it done.

Washington Wizards

  • Team salary: $129,139,339
  • Cap room: -$19,999,339

No idea why but the Wizards are trying to push for the playoffs and get the 8th seed just to get swept by the Bucks in May. They want to upgrade at center and Tristan Thompson is in their sights.

Sellers

Charlotte Hornets

  • Team salary: $124,235,791
  • Cap room: -$15,095,791

The Hornets are in cost cutting mode with a ton of big salaries in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams and Bismack Biyombo that they’d like to shed. Their focus is going to be moving those guys along and bringing in assets.

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Team salary: $126,974,619
  • Cap room: -$17,834,619

The Cavs are finally hitting the reset button. They’re trying to move both Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love to new teams. They’d better hurry before Love throws another fit.

Detroit Pistons

  • Team salary: $132,623,331
  • Cap room: -$23,483,331

As the Pistons’ season has gone into the tank, they’ve been trying to move on from Andre Drummond to avoid paying him a massive contract this summer. Also in a shocking move, they’re on the cusp of moving Luke Kennard to Phoenix for a future first rounder.

Houston Rockets

  • Team salary: $139,930,773
  • Cap room: -$30,790,773

It feels strange to say, but the Rockets are actually trying to shed money with the deadline looming. They’re $321,465 into the luxury tax right now. They’re in the middle of talks with Minnesota and Atlanta right now to move on from Clint Capela and bring in Robert Covington, which would save them a bit of money so expand some deal to come forward.

Sacramento Kings

  • Team salary: $119,264,165
  • Cap room: -$10,124,165

The Kings have a ton of logjams all over the place — they’re a roster filled with power forwards and shooting guards. They’ve been in trade talks with teams about Bogdan Bogdanovic, but they haven’t been wowed by an offer so nothing has changed…yet.

San Antonio Spurs

  • Team salary: $124,807,109
  • Cap room: -$14,667,109

We knew the Spurs would definitely be sellers this year, but we got the players wrong. We thought DeMar DeRozan and Lamarcus Aldridge would be on the table but once Aldridge realized it was 2020 and started shooting threes, they became fine. Instead, it’s Demarre Carroll and Marco Bellinelli on the market.

Weighing their options

Brooklyn Nets

  • Team salary: $126,769,572
  • Cap room: -$17,629,572

Kyrie Irving is hurt again with a knee injury, so moving Spencer Dinwiddie doesn’t make sense right now. Joe Harris, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince are all rotation players they’re going to need next year when Kevin Durant comes back. A move to build for the future makes no sense. Their window to win opens next year — draft picks won’t help with that.

Chicago Bulls

  • Team salary: $113,930,996
  • Cap room: -$4,790,996

The Bulls are in a tricky situation. Otto Porter, Kris Dunn, Wendell Carter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are all missing significant time right now. They can’t make a move because they haven’t seen their whole roster fit together.

Golden State warriors

  • Team salary: $136,356,159
  • Cap room: -$27,216,159

The Warriors are almost $4 million over the luxury tax threshold, so a move to shed salary wouldn’t be a surprise. But they’ve been adamant that it’ll take a really good deal to move D’Angelo Russell who is their most tradeable asset right now, so we’ll see. The Wolves are trying their hardest to get that done.

Indiana Pacers

  • Team salary: $114,591,944
  • Cap room: -$5,451,944

The Pacers’ biggest addition this season was always going to be getting Victor Oladipo back from injury. They’re going to see how this squad plays together. And those Myles Turner rumors? Put them to bed, please.

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Team salary: $125,591,931
  • Cap room: -$16,451,931

The best move the Grizzlies can make right now is moving Andre Iguodala before this beef escalates any further. I’m only half kidding.

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Team salary: $129,625,386
  • Cap room: -$20,485,386

The Bucks are in a tricky situation. They want to show Giannis Antetokounmpo they mean business but they don’t want to shake up the team’s chemistry. A good trade could guarantee them a spot in the Finals. We’ll see what happens.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Team salary: $117,626,046
  • Cap room: -$8,486,046

Literally everyone in the league wants Jrue Holiday on their team but the Pelicans seem to be content with keeping him. They’re just 5 games back of the 8th seed and are 6-4 in their last 10. No sense in moving him now.

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Team salary: $133,256,688
  • Cap room: -$24,116,688

The Thunder are a weird team of misfits that everyone wants a piece of. The Nuggets and Heat want Gallinari, the Knicks want Dennis Schröder, everyone wants Chris Paul. But the Thunder are a playoff team and they’re not inclined to move any of them barring a crazy deal. They’re also not looking for help.

Orlando Magic

  • Team salary: $125,034,186
  • Cap room: -$15,894,186

The East is so bad the Magic will probably limp their way into the playoffs but, darn it, they’re going to make it. They’re so hurt right now on the wing with Jonathan Issac and Al-Faroq Aminu out it’s too dangerous to make a deal.

Toronto Raptors

  • Team salary: $125,154,361
  • Cap room: -$16,014,361

The Raptors are sitting pretty at second in the East despite injuries throughout the year to big names like Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol. At the beginning of the season, if anything, it felt like they’d be selling at this point. But they’re so good it doesn’t actually make sense to.

Trail Blazers

  • Team salary: $140,006,275
  • Cap room: -$30,866,275

The Blazers are just a couple games back of the Grizzlies for the 8th seed and are 7-3 in their last 10 with Damian Lillard playing like a maniac. That big move that we all thought they needed to make seems less necessary now.

Utah Jazz

  • Team salary: $120,805,158
  • Cap room: -$11,665,158

The Jazz are probably too busy celebrating having a couple All-Stars to care about the trade deadline — people are finally talking about their team. Seriously, though. They already made a move for Jordan Clarkson to shore up their backcourt. All that’s left is to figure out what role to play Mike Conley in.

 

Rockets reportedly offered Clint Capela to Nets for Prince, Allen

Though the bid for Taurean Prince and Jarrett Allen was declined, it sheds more light on what Rockets GM Daryl Morey hopes to do this week.

As part of ongoing trade talks with starting center Clint Capela, the Houston Rockets reportedly offered Capela to the Brooklyn Nets for a package led by big man Jarrett Allen and small forward Taurean Prince.

According to The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor, the Nets declined the offer:

Atlanta, Boston, and Brooklyn are among the teams that Houston has approached for the center. League sources say the Rockets offered Capela to the Nets for a package that included Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince, which Brooklyn declined.

The 6-foot-7 Prince averages 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game, and he’s well regarded for his perimeter defense — which is clearly something the Rockets are searching for this week. The 25-year-old is also a career 37.3% shooter from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-11 Allen averages 11.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game as Brooklyn’s starting center.

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Allen is just 21 years old and could have further upside in the years ahead, which may have played a role in Brooklyn’s choice to decline the offer.

Elsewhere in the story, O’Connor confirms Minnesota forward Robert Covington as a continued target for GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets in potential three-way trades leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline.

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O’Connor also reports that Houston has recently spoken with Atlanta about just a two-way trade for Capela, though specific players from the Hawks’ side in those talks were not identified.

Though the Brooklyn proposal wasn’t accepted, what it suggests is a potential reallocation of resources from the Rockets’ perspective. Making more than $16 million per season, Capela is Houston’s third-highest paid player, trailing only former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

But despite the salary, the Rockets (31-18) are 9-1 in the 10 games that Capela has missed this season ⁠— including 3-0 in the past week with a smaller lineup with P.J. Tucker at center. Those smaller lineups offer more floor spacing for Westbrook and Harden, allowing them to attack the basket since defenses have to respect 3-point shooters at all positions.

In a separate The Ringer article, Dan Devine makes the statistical case for why the Rockets are considering moving on from Capela:

As the Rockets offense became more predicated on floor spacing and one-on-one play, it became less oriented around the two-man game. [About] 21% of their possessions were finished by a pick-and-roll participant last season, and that’s down to 15.5% this season, with Houston ranking last in the league in percentage of plays finished by pick-and-roll ball handlers and roll men. As the Rockets have moved away from his bread-and-butter play, Capela’s production on it has waned, too: He’s gone from the 91st percentile in points scored per pick-and-roll possession finished two seasons ago, to the 65th percentile last season, to the 50th percentile this season.

If you’re not a pick-and-roll-heavy team anymore, maybe having a nonshooting pick-and-roll center, especially one who’s not a no-doubt-about-it elite finisher in that role, just isn’t as valuable as it used to be.

The Rockets average 117.3 points per 100 possessions when the 25-year-old Capela isn’t on the floor this season, which for the full 2019-20 season would be the best offense in the entire NBA. With the 6-foot-10 big man on the court, the Rockets average 110.3 points per 100 possessions.

They are slightly worse defensively without Capela, who ranks fourth in the NBA with an average of 13.8 rebounds per game, but not nearly to the extent of their improvement on offense.

Thus, the Rockets are seeking both a wing player (Prince) and a viable center (Allen) in their moves leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. While they may want to finish games with a smaller floor-spacing lineup, especially in select matchups, there are also advantages to having a traditional size presence that can offer rim protection and rebounding.

But rather than having so many eggs solely in Capela’s basket, from a salary perspective, Morey seemingly wants to redistribute those funds to give the Rockets more flexibility with their lineups.

The trade deadline arrives at 2 p.m. Houston time on Thursday.

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