NBA rumors

The NBA is targeting Tuesday, December 22nd for the start of the 20-21 season with a 72-game regular season that finishes before the 2021 Olympics begin on July 23rd, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The league has started the season on a Tuesday in recent years with a doubleheader on TNT, and beginning the 2020-21 season around Christmas Day would allow the league to return to a semi-normal schedule while potentially allowing stars to play in the Olympics.

The NBA reportedly still prefers in-market play for the 20-21 season instead of a bubble or multiple bubbles.

The New Orleans Pelicans are unlikely to trade J.J. Redick following the hiring of Stan Van Gundy, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. 

Redick played a role in the Pelicans hiring Van Gundy, who coached him in Orlando.

The NBA’s Board of Governors are meeting on Friday and discussing starting the 20-21 season as quickly as possible, playing fewer than 82 games and not waiting for fans to be permitted to all arenas across the league, ESPN reports.

Some are reportedly pushing the league to start as soon as Christmas Day in what is typically a high ratings day for the NBA, though some believe that won’t be feasible and instead prefer beginning the season on or around Martin Luther King Day in mid-January. While the conventional wisdom around the league had been to delay the start of the season, that shifted in recent days to a quicker timeline.

Kenny Atkinson emerged as a strong candidate to join Ty Lue in Los Angeles as assistant coach.
Atkinson has been head coach of the Nets before the two sides parted ways in the middle of the season.
Another name in Clippers’ radars is Dan Craig, an assistant in Miami.

Heat assistant coach Dan Craig, who interviewed for Indiana's head-coaching vacancy, is said to be another top target for Lue's staff with the Clippers, which is also expected to include another former NBA coach head coach in Larry Drew

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 23, 2020

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Indiana Pacers have interest in acquiring Gordon Hayward.

Hayward can hit free agency this year by declining his $34 million player option but it isn’t a very likely scenario, Begley reports.

Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie has parted with Roc Nation Sports and is seriously considering representing himself, according to Shams Charania.

This is not the first time that Dinwiddie has shown his creativity when it comes to managing his business. In the past, he made headlines when he tried to turn his NBA contract into an investment vehicle, while recently he attempted to crowdfund his next one in exchange for letting fans choose his next team.

The Boston Celtics are monitoring the situation between Andre Drummond and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Evan Dammarell reports.
The parties are discussing a contractual extension, but they would still be far from an agreement.

Drummond has a player option for over $ 28 million option for next season and will most likely exercise it.

Last season he played just 8 games with Cleveland before the suspension, with averages of 17.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

Stan Van Gundy has reached an agreement with the New Orleans Pelicans to become the next coach of the franchise, Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Shams Charania added that the former coach of Miami, Orlando and Detroit agreed to a four-year deal.

Van Gundy led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in the 2008/09 season

ESPN reporting with @_andrew_lopez: Stan Van Gundy has agreed to a deal to become the next coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 21, 2020

Sources: Stan Van Gundy agreed to a four-year deal to be the new Pelicans head coach.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2020

Brooklyn Nets swingman Joe Harris will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason at the age of 29 after shooting better than 40 percent on three-pointers in each of the past three seasons.

“I have news for the Nets,” said ESPN’s Zach Lowe on his podcast. “They’re going to have competition for Joe Harris. These teams with cap room all view Joe as a potential very good fit on the floor and a good culture guy. I think Harris may have even more of an market because teams trust their defense more. He’s more sort of positionally fluid on defense. I think the Nets are going to have to pay like $15 million per year to keep Joe Harris”.

After reaching the Western Conference Finals, the Denver Nuggets are seen as likely looking for a trade to upgrade their roster, but Brian Windhorst of ESPN points out that the Nuggets are heavily reluctant to include rookie Michael Porter jr in any trade discussion.

“In talking to teams around the league, the Nuggets have made it clear: Michael Porter Jr. is not available,” said Brian Windhorst. “Do not ask.” Porter averaged 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 16.4 minutes over 55 games as a rookie in 19-20 after sitting out the 18-19 season due to a back injury.

At least three teams are expected to show interest in Derrick Jones jr, according to the Miami Herald.

Jones will be unrestricted free agent when the NBA free agency starts.

Via RealGM, Derrick Jones Jr. is expected to draw interest from the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Chicago Bulls, sources told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The 23-year-old Jones is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Teams will be interested in Jones due to his age, athleticism, defensive ability, and a belief that he has yet to peak as a player.
After playing in every Heat game starting from December 1st, Jones averaged just 6.5 minutes in the playoffs.
Jones averaged 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds last season.

New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets discussed a trade centered on Jrue Holiday before last trade deadline according to Espn.

Via RealGM, Holiday is commonly viewed as a player who would fit perfectly with Kevin Durant and Jrue Holiday due to his ability to play off the ball and his ability on defense while matching Brooklyn’s timeline of contention.
“That certainly is something that’s been out there and I think it has been reported. If it hasn’t been reported, I found out somewhere, I don’t think it was from an executive, maybe it was, there was some discussions between the Nets and Pelicans in February.”
Holiday can become a free agent in 2021.

Blake Griffin is expected to have suitors when the NBA market will begin.
Griffin has two years remaining on his contract at $36.8MM and $38.9MM (the second one is a player option) with the Detroit Pistons that acquired him from the Clippers in January 2018.

Per RealGM, Griffin was limited to just 18 games during the 19-20 season after having two surgeries on his left knee.
“Enough people have asked me what I’ve heard about Blake Griffin and how he’s looking,” said Zach Lowe on his podcast. “What am I hearing? This and that. That I think Detroit is going to have a market for him.
“I don’t think it’s going to be, like, strong. They’re not going to have two first round picks, or even a first round pick unless they take back something onerous too. But I’ve had enough teams ask me about Blake Griffin that I think there’s still interest in what he can do to help you win.”

The Milwaukee Bucks may pursue Victor Oladipo in the next NBA market.
The guard has a contract worth $21 million for next season and he is unlikely to remain in Indianapolis.

Per RealGm, Oladipo has one season remaining on his contract with the Pacers and has an uncertain future, while the Bucks are expected to be active in trade talks to upgrade their roster ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s supermax decision this year, or perhaps free agent decision in 2021.
“I’ll give you a team I’m keeping an eye on with Victor Oladipo,” said Zach Lowe on his podcast. “Milwaukee. Just keeping my eye on them. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m keeping my eye on them.
Oladipo was an All-Star in his first two seasons with the Pacers, but was uneven in 19-20 as he worked his way back from a ruptured quad tendon suffered in January 2019.

The Los Angeles Lakers have requested a career-ending injury application to have Luol Deng’s salary removed from the team books, according to Shams Charania.

Deng agreed to a buyout with the Lakers in 2018, then retired in October 2019. He has a $5-million-per-season cap hit for the Lakers until 2022.

The Indiana Pacers will hire Nate Bjorkgren as head coach for next season.
Bjorkgren comes from the Toronto Raptors where he was Nurse’ assistant coach.
The coach will replace Nate McMillan, fired at the end of the season.

The Indiana Pacers are hiring Raptors assistant Nate Bjorkgren as their new head coach, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 20, 2020

Mike Miller could resurface as Jeff Van Gundy’s assistant in Houston Rockets next season as reported by Marc Berman.

If the Houston Rockets hire veteran NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy to their vacant position, recent New York Knicks interim head coach could be among Van Gundy’s assistants.

One of the Toronto Raptors’ main targets in the next free agency is to re-sign Fred VanVleet. But the former NBA champions will try not to exceed a four-year, $80 million deal for the player.

Per ESPN, If the Raptors sign VanVleet to a larger number due to interest from rival teams, they would presumably need to shed salary in other areas if they end up signing a max player in 2021.

The Raptors are widely expected to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes a free agent in 2021.

The Milwaukee Bucks will not try to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo if decides to pass on the extension when free agency begins.
The two-time MVP will become unrestricted free agent in the free agency at the end of the season 2020-2021 if he doesn’t sign a new contract with Milwaukee.

Per ESPN, If Giannis Antetokounmpo passes on an extension with the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason, Tim Bontemps of ESPN reports that “multiple sources have emphatically said Milwaukee will not look to trade [him].”

The Bucks will instead try to improve their roster and bolster their case on why Antetokounmpo should sign long-term with the franchise.

The Bucks could be major players in the trade market if they are willing to increase payroll.

A few teams such as the Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat could be more aggressive in 2020 if Antetokounmpo does sign an extension now.

Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers in talks for Derrick Rose?

Sean Deveny wrote: «Back at the NBA trading deadline, it was no secret that the Lakers had an interest in bringing in some bench help, particularly in the backcourt. While not trade came to pass, there were talks that involved Pistons guard Derrick Rose, who was briefly a teammate of LeBron James in Cleveland».

One league GM told me a potential Lakers-Pistons deal for Derrick Rose, which never got off the ground last year, makes a lot more sense with Detroit going into full rebuild and the Lakers eager to bulk up a now-depleted backcourt.
For @HeavySan:https://t.co/2OwAWevJDY

— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) October 18, 2020

Stephen Silas, Jeff Van Gundy, and John Lucas are the three finalists to be the next head coach of the Houston Rockets as reported by Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston.

ICYMI NBA sources: For the moment the @HoustonRockets 3 finalists to be their next head coach are Stephen Silas, Jeff Van Gundy & John Lucas. Sources said the next step for team officials is to consult with their players about their candidates.
Silas had his 2nd interview Friday

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) October 17, 2020

According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the Los Angeles Lakers are increasingly considering the possibility to trade for Pistons’ guard Derrick Rose.

Former NBA MVP was linked to the Lakers in January. Rose is under contract with Detroit for 2020-21 at $7.6M.

Malcolm Brogdon’s contract with the Indiana Pacers is a barometer for what Fred VanVleet could expect to earn this offseason, sources told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Brogdon signed a four-year, $85 million deal with the Pacers last offseason.

According to Bondy, the Raptors remain the favorites to re-sign VanVleet but they face a tough competition with Detroit, Phoenix and New York reportedly on the hunt.