Tag: NBA Trades

Doc Rivers says the 76ers ‘would love to get Ben [Simmons] back’ but it’s far too late for that

Doc Rivers is trying to patch things up with Ben Simmons but it’s too late

The Ben Simmons saga with the 76ers is beginning to reach a point of no return.

Training camp starts for the 76ers in just a few days on September 28. Yet, the 76ers point guard who is still under contract for the next four seasons reportedly has no intention of showing up to camp or playing a game for Philadelphia this season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

The 76ers are currently in damage control mode. Doc Rivers made an appearance on ESPN’s First Take to clarify the situation with Simmons from the team’s point of view.

Rivers said Simmons did meet with the team and made his intentions clear about wanting to move on, but he also said the team “would love to get Ben back.”

“We’re going to always do what’s best for the team. But I can tell you up front, we would love to get Ben back. And if we can, we’re going to try to do that. Ben has a long contract. It’s in our hands, and we want him back.”

Yet, still, Simmons seems fixed on moving on from the 76ers. And who can really blame him? Simmons was the scapegoat for the team after the Hawks loss.

Rivers, himself, seemed to be down on his point guard at the time. He said he didn’t know if Simmons could be the point guard of a championship team. Stephen A. Smith asked him about that moment after he declared the 76ers wanted Simmons back and Rivers claims to have never said that.

“I never said what was reported. The question was asked about Ben, it was the first question after we just lost the game 7. My answer was ‘I’m not answering any of that right now, guys. I don’t even know how to answer that.’ That had nothing to do about Ben.” 

But he actually did say it. Here’s the moment in question.

“Yeah, David, I don’t know that question or the answer to that right now. You know, so I don’t know the answer to that.” 

Rivers said he later clarified his words to Simmons and reiterated that he does think the 76ers can win a championship with him. But that’s absolutely not what he said after the loss.

This is just a perfect reflection of the 76ers situation as it stands. It’s just chaos. Everything is chaos. And Simmons seems to just not want any parts of it anymore.

Rivers, Joel Embiid and the 76ers can talk about how much they want him back as much as they want. But the damage seems to be done. This will be tough to repair.

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Who should trade for Damian Lillard? A roundtable debate

If Damian Lillard asks out of Portland, here’s where he should go

The NBA Finals are in full swing and Olympic basketball is right around the corner.

But that doesn’t mean it’s too early to discuss potential offseason happenings. With the NBA Draft coming in just over a week, transactions between teams from around the NBA will be flying sooner rather than later.

And everyone has their eyes on what’s happening with Damian Lillard. Will Portland’s star stay or will he demand a trade? And who should trade for him? All very valid questions.

They’re also questions we attempted to answer as a staff. Here’s a look at our roundtable debate at where Lillard would fit best considering all of the different variables.

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Ranking the 10 biggest trades in Warriors franchise history

Warriors Wire dissects the Golden State Warriors’ transaction history to compile the 10 most significant trades in franchise history.

Trades in the sports world provide juicy storylines for the media and fans alike.

We debate which team got the better end of the deal and predict the consequences of the transaction years from now.

With that in mind, Warriors Wire combed through the history books to determine the team’s most significant player swaps of all time. The Warriors have made hundreds of transactions over the decades — some pedestrian, some momentous, and a few blockbusters. Kevin Durant, Latrell Sprewell and Joe Barry Carroll are just a few of the notable players traded by the Warriors.

Below, we present our subjective ranking of the 10 most significant trades in Warriors franchise history.

The James Harden trade shows the Wizards should think hard about moving Bradley Beal

It’s time.

The James Harden trade is done and, my goodness, what a haul it was for the Rockets.

They got four future first-round draft picks between the Nets and a 2022 Bucks first-rounder sent via the Cavaliers. On top of that, they got four pick swaps from the Nets, giving Houston full reign over Brooklyn’s draft capital until 2027.

This is the kind of stuff that kicks your rebuild into overdrive. They don’t even really need to tank anymore — they have the assets in place to retool their team without truly having to be bad.

Here’s a look at all of it in total.

Man. That is a lot. But it’s par for the course with how we’ve seen the cost of star players in trades rising.

And that’s exactly why now is the time for the Wizards to move on from Bradley Beal.

Podcast: Exploring the latest James Harden rumors and beyond

Tuesday night’s Locked on Rockets podcast breaks down the latest news surrounding the Rockets, both on the Harden front and beyond.

Tuesday night’s Locked on Rockets podcast with host Jackson Gatlin and analyst Ben DuBose breaks down the latest news surrounding the Houston Rockets, both on the James Harden front and well beyond.

Topics discussed on the 45-minute episode include:

— Analysis on the current status of the trade request by Houston’s All-Star guard, as well as his decision to report to Toyota Center on Tuesday for COVID-19 testing;

— Early impressions of new head coach Stephen Silas after the initial three days of training camp;

— How the distraction of the Harden saga might offer an opportunity for Danuel House Jr.;

— The growing leadership role of veteran guard Eric Gordon, and how he might be able to bridge different team factions (“old guard” vs. newcomers); and

— The health and importance of new acquisition John Wall, both for the 2020-21 season and potentially beyond.

For full news coverage of these storylines and much more, be sure to check out Tuesday’s earlier coverage at Rockets Wire. The complete podcast episode can be listened to below.

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James Harden wants out but he’s making it difficult for the Rockets to trade him

James Harden is finally back at camp, but things aren’t ok.

Here we are, yet again. Another NBA offseason, another significant star potentially on the move.

This time, instead of Anthony Davis, it’s James Harden. And, to this point, he seems to be putting the Rockets in an even bigger bind than Davis did with the Pelicans.

Harden has essentially been ghosting the Rockets for the last few days. He didn’t show up for the start of training camp last week and was caught, instead, partying in Atlanta for Lil Baby’s birthday.

He left his teammates to answer awkward questions about his future with the team and only offered an emoji as a response.

He literally just showed up to camp for the first time on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi.

This hasn’t been a good look for anyone involved. Harden obviously wants out still, but he’s making it so much harder for that to actually happen.

Let me explain.

Harden is hurting his trade value

But it’s not falling because of any skill deterioration or anything on the court. It’s because of everything Harden is doing off of it.

He requested a trade, which is fine and well within his right to do. Trade requests are well within an NBA player’s right. A team can trade them at any moment without notice. Trade requests are a way for players to bring about a balance of power on a scale that has been uneven for decades between themselves and ownership.

But, at the same time, because he’s been so difficult for the Rockets to handle so far this offseason they’ll only be able to negotiate a trade from a place of weakness. Teams know that the Rockets need to get rid of Harden and they’ll take whatever they can back in the deal to do it.

That lessens the potential return in a trade for Harden which, as a result, will make his stint in Houston a bit longer. The Rockets have made their asking price clear — they want a star prospect and a bundle of first round picks from any Harden deal. And, according to reporting from Woj, they’re willing to wait it out until they get it.

“The Rockets have been adamant that they will not be rushed into trading Harden, regardless of how uncomfortable the situation has become with the three-time scoring champion failing to report to training camp while partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas.”

So, yeah, this could be a while.

Harden has opened up a bit and that may change things

Things change pretty quickly in the NBA. Harden is almost certainly done with the Rockets, but it seems that he may have decided to work with the team to facilitate something.

In that same piece, Wojnarowski reported that Harden is willing to play for the 76ers, or other contenders, if the team can’t get a deal done with the Nets and that opens the trade market up a little bit more. Plus, he’s finally showed up for camp after his extended absence in Atlanta. All of this helps boost the Rockets return — even if it’s just a little.

This marriage is over. There’s no debating that. But how it ends is largely up to Harden and how he wants to play it. If he comes in and balls out like he usually does? He’ll probably be out of the door sooner. If he does the opposite? We may have to wait until next offseason to get this thing done.

Hopefully, for the NBA’s sake, that doesn’t happen. Because a season without Harden at his peak isn’t a great season at all.

Report: James Harden adds 76ers, other teams to desired trade list

The change could give the Rockets more leverage in trade talks, relative to Harden’s initial request of only going to Brooklyn.

All-Star guard James Harden recently indicated to the Houston Rockets that he would be open to a trade to either the Philadelphia 76ers or other perceived NBA title contenders, according to a new ESPN report.

This represents a change from Harden’s initial focus in recent weeks of solely seeking a trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, the Sixers and Rockets have yet to have any substantive talks about a potential deal. While former Rockets GM Daryl Morey now leads the basketball operations department in Philadelphia, he’s said thus far that he wants to keep the All-Star duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid together.

If that’s the case, it would seem to be difficult for the 76ers to meet Houston’s asking price, according to ESPN.

Houston hasn’t wavered in what the Rockets consider a fair asking price for Harden: a package that includes a young franchise cornerstone and a bundle of first-round picks and/or talented players on rookie contracts, sources said.

It’s worth noting that Morey could certainly change his evaluation at a later date. Regardless, Harden expanding his list of satisfactory trade destinations should come as a welcome development to the Rockets.

For Houston to receive the assets that it desires, the team receiving Harden would likely want to feel secure that “The Beard” wants to play there and is open to staying beyond his current contract. At the moment, Harden can become a free agent after the NBA’s 2021-22 season.

That dynamic was problematic when Harden’s sole focus was Brooklyn, since the Nets don’t appear to have the high-level assets (assuming Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are unavailable) to make a deal worthwhile. But the presence of other teams in trade talks could change the dynamic, and it might also create a “bidding war” phenomenon in which the presence of other suitors forces each team to offer more aggressively.

With Harden under contract for at least two more seasons, the Rockets are under no pressure to move quickly. They’ve expressed an openness to keeping Harden to start the upcoming 2020-21 campaign, and perhaps into the 2021 offseason, depending on how the season goes in Houston and what the offers are around the league.

At some point, a trade seems likely — assuming Harden doesn’t budge from his desire to leave Houston. If that’s the case, having more teams in the bidding should boost the odds of Rockets GM Rafael Stone eventually getting what he needs to justify trading a perennial MVP finalist.

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Report: With newly acquired draft picks, Rockets eye future trades

“The Rockets now believe they have replenished the stock enough… to become major players at the trade deadline,” Kelly Iko writes.

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In a series of offseason transactions, the Houston Rockets effectively turned Robert Covington and Russell Westbrook into Christian Wood, John Wall, and three protected future first-round draft picks.

The protection details are complicated, but the bottom line is that Houston should be receiving a first-round selection at some point in the coming years from Portland, Detroit, and Washington.

If the Rockets were to eventually trade James Harden and consider a rebuild, those picks could help bolster a potential youth movement. But that’s not the goal today, with the team clearly focused on re-convincing the perennial MVP finalist to stay in Houston over the long haul.

That’s where those newly acquired draft picks in future years could prove very important to GM Rafael Stone. Per Kelly Iko of The Athletic:

After acquiring up to three first-round picks since the offseason began, the Rockets now believe they have replenished the stock enough and have the necessary flexibility to become major players at the trade deadline. Houston wants to continue to surround the roster with more talented players.

As a result, the start to the upcoming 2020-21 season will be critical for Harden, Wood, Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and the rest of the new-look Rockets. If things go poorly, it’s possible that Harden trade considerations could come back into play by the trade deadline in late March.

On the other hand, if things go well, the Rockets now have enough of a stockpile of future picks to be able to make compelling offers on the trade market for further upgrades. Besides bolstering their chances of making a title push in 2020-21, that might also be the important as it pertains to giving Harden a reason to stick around (under his current contract, he can become a free agent after the 2021-22 season).

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In addition to the three first-round draft picks that Houston traded for this offseason, they also have their own first-round choices in 2021, 2022, and 2023 — though Oklahoma City has a “pick swap” right for 2021.

That puts the Rockets in a much more favorable spot than they were in at this time a year ago, when they had no future first-round picks from other teams and many of their own upcoming  selections had already been surrendered to the Thunder as part of the Westbrook-Chris Paul trade. The Stepien rule, which prevents NBA teams from being without a first-round pick in consecutive future drafts, was also a major hindrance to potential Houston trade offers, since it was very difficult to package multiple future picks in a proposal without running afoul of that rule.

But after the 2020 offseason, that dynamic has changed significantly. It doesn’t guarantee that they’ll eventually trade those picks, because if the Rockets are looking likely to rebuild, it would probably make sense for them to keep many of those draft assets for themselves. But if things go well and the window to extend Harden’s era starts to re-open, those picks might help Houston secure a key upgrade at the 2020-21 trade deadline.

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Russell Westbrook thanks Rockets, fans for great experience in Houston

“I want to thank everyone at the Rockets for believing in my ability to make an impact and making my time in Houston a great experience.”

The partnership between All-Star guard Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets lasted just one season, but it was certainly memorable.

Westbrook, who was traded to Washington this week in a swap involving John Wall and a future draft pick, averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game during his lone season with the Rockets. He made the All-Star team and was an All-NBA Third Team selection.

Westbrook’s infectious energy and intensity made him a fan favorite at Toyota Center, and the 32-year-old issued a statement Thursday to thank both the fans and the Rockets as an organization for his experience.

Here’s what the former league MVP said, as it pertains to Houston:

I want to thank the fans and the City of Houston for embracing me and my family. I want to thank everyone at the Rockets organization for believing in my ability to make an impact, and making my time in Houston a great experience.

After reporting to training camp in Washington, Westbrook is expected to be introduced as a member of the Wizards in the coming days.

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Read John Wall’s heartfelt farewell note to Wizards fans

I’m not crying, you are.

The John Wall era in Washington is over. The Wizards traded Wall and a 2023 protected first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook.

Wall has been a Wizard for his entire career and was one of the longest-tenured players with one team in the NBA. Not only that, be he also ingratiated himself with the the people of the city. There was a legitimate connection between them.

So it’s no wonder that Wall’s goodbye to the city was so heartfelt. In a tweet, he thanked Wizards fans for supporting him for as long as they have. It was extremely touching.

Take a look.

“I may not wear the jersey anymore but I will never forget what it meant to represent for y’all. This isn’t the way I thought I would say goodbye to this city, so I won’t…I will say thank you. “

Man. Houston’s got a good one.