The trade deadline is fast approaching, but the future outlook of the NBA’s salary cap situation— and spending spree mistakes of the past— appear to be impacting negotiations ahead of Thursday’s cutoff.
After the wild summer of 2016, when teams combined to dish out over $1.8 billion in salaries, the well seems to be drying given the salary cap is not expected to rise again next season. Throw in the fact, as outlined in this ESPN report, that only seven teams will likely enter the summer with more than $10 million in cap space (compared to at least 25 teams in 2016) and NBA front offices will be limited in their spending and looking to avoid paying luxury tax.
It also means that teams with marquee free agents to re-sign could be hesitant to add significant salary, while those looking to deal big names (on big contracts) are facing a scenario where they’ll have to take on significant salary in return, like we saw last week when the Chicago Bulls dealt Nikola Mirotic for a first round pick— and the $34 million remaining on Omer Asik’s deal.
But with the playoff landscape beginning to reveal itself— and teams like the Cavaliers imploding, potentially opening the window for more teams to compete than expected— there should still be a good amount of activity as the Februrary 8th deadline nears.
Hear the latest reports, rumours, and rumblings from around the NBA:
Blazers-Clippers discussing DeAndre Jordan deal
Los Angeles made a clear statement that they’d be moving on from the “lob city” era Clippers and take a major step towards rebuilding their roster when they traded Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons last week. The logical next player to go, and one that has been a part of trade rumours since the season began is centre DeAndre Jordan.
Jordan is in the final year of his contract, but has a player option that would pay him $24 million next season, so he is essentially a rental player with an asterisk. The uncertainty over whether or not a team will get his services for more than just the next and the risk of not having control over adding $20+ million to the books next season diminishes Jordan’s trade value some, but he’s still an upper-echelon centre who can do damage on both ends of the floor.
Teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks have been linked to Jordan, but may not be able to offer the package of picks, young players, and manageable contracts that the Clippers are reportedly seeking— at least the Cavs can’t.
Clippers’ beat writer Broderick Turner reports that the team has engaged in Jordan trade talks with a Western conference team, the Portland Trailblazers. He notes that no formal offer has been made yet, but this could be the most viable destination for the big man.
Few teams were stung harder by the 2016 spending spree than Portland, which means they’ll have no problem matching salaries with the Clips. The bigger question is whether or not L.A. wants any part of the sizeable contracts of Meyers Leonard ($22 mil over the next two seasons), Maurice Harkless (ditto), or Evan Turner ($36.4 mil over the next two seasons).
It would certainly benefit the Blazers to rid themselves of one or more of those deals, and they were already able to fix one mistake by sending Allen Crabbe to Brooklyn last summer. And obviously adding a player of Jordan’s calibre— particularly if they keep their core of C.J. McCollum, Damian Lillard, and Jusuf Nurkic in tact— could transform Portland into sleeper contenders in the West.
The Clippers are seeking a similar bounty as to what they received for Griffin, meaning Portland’s first-rounder would almost certainly have to be part of a deal, likely along with a young prospect like 2017 lottery pick Zach Collins or Caleb Swanigan.
Jordan, a two-time all-defensive team member, is currently averaging 11.6 points and 14.9 rebounds per game— 0.1 off his career-best mark.
Lou Williams, who is in the final year of his deal, is still considered to be likely on the move as well, with the Boston Celtics emerging as a potential suitor given their need for scoring off the bench, something few, if any, players can provide like Williams right now.
Speaking of the Celtics…
Marcus Smart will be a restricted free agent this summer and, given the aforementioned financial restrictions that teams like Boston will be facing this off-season, there is a growing believe that the team may be better of dealing their fiery reserve guard now as opposed to having to overpay him in free agency (and avoid being in a situation like Portland’s), or let him sign elsewhere for little to no compensation.
Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, teams are reportedly reaching out to the Celtics with offers for Smart.
And, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics have an asking price: an unprotected first round pick.
That first rounder would likely be dangled for a volume scorer, someone who could lead Boston’s rookie-filled second unit, and a first-rounder (and a role player) could be enough to get a deal done for either Lou-Will, or Tyreke Evans, two reported Celtics deadline targets.
Smart is averaging 10 points and a career-high 4.7 assists this season. He is an impactful defender but remains a total liability shooting the ball— he’s attempting 4.6 threes per game this season, and knocking down just 29 per cent of them.
He’s currently out with a hand laceration, and Boston is 3-1 without him in the four games since suffering the injury.
Cavaliers in tough to make a big splash
Regardless of LeBron James‘‘ future in Cleveland, the fact remains that the team has very little in the way of trade assets heading into Thursday’s deadline.
Isaiah Thomas has been floated as a player who could be shopped, but given how badly he’s struggled since returning from injury, his value couldn’t be lower. The team has no promising young players that other clubs are looking to poach, which basically leaves one real asset: Brooklyn’s first-round pick, which was acquired as part of the Kyrie Irving deal to Boston last summer.
The pick currently sits at eighth (in a draft with six potential franchise-altering prospects), and it’s not expected to fall much lower. And yet, according to reports, the front office and owner Dan Gilbert— who are seemingly doing their best to encourage James to walk in free agency next summer— won’t trade the pick for a rental like DeAndre Jordan.
They are, however, reportedly still searching for an all-star calibre player in exchange for the pick. There seems to be a real disconnect between the value the Cavs are placing on the pick, and what the rest of the league thinks of it.
Philadelphia gearing for a playoff push?
If the Celtics want Tyreke Evans, who is having the best campaign since his rookie season, it’s looking like they’ll have competition within their division. The 76ers are reportedly making a run at Evans to help shore up the wing.
Philly is currently a half game up on the Pistons (who are 3-0 with Griffin in the lineup) for the eight seed and, like many East teams, could be eyeing the messy situation in Cleveland as an opportunity to make some playoff noise sooner than previously scheduled.
Like Boston, the Sixers have a bevy of draft picks to offer in a potential deal with the tanking struggling Memphis Grizzlies, including— apart from their own picks— a provisional first-rounder from the Los Angeles Lakers, and three second-rounders in 2018 and a provisional first-rounder from Sacramento in 2019.
Whether it makes sense to accelerated “the process” and part with those picks for a rental player like Evans is another question, but the Sixers are certainly in a good position to do so if they see a window to compete this season.
Bigs for sale
Teams looking to bolster their centre depth could have two intriguing options in Chicago Bulls’ veteran Robin Lopez and New York Knicks’ sophomore Willy Hernangomez.
Lopez, who is averaging a career-best 12.6 points per game and has started all 52 games for the Bulls this season, has one more year on a deal that will see him earn $14 million in his final season. He could be a useful situational backup on the right team and/or a tradeable expiring contract during the 2018-19 season.
The Bulls have reportedly made Lopez, along with point guard Jerian Grant, available as they look ahead to the future and what is sure to be a long-term rebuild around rookie big man Lauri Markkanen.
Hernangomez is a far cheaper option, but it’s hard to imagine him fetching much on the trade market. After a promising rookie campaign, Hernangomez has fallen out of the Knicks rotation. It’s been reported before that he’s asked to be moved.
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