NBA rumors

The Boston Celtics are planning to sign Justin Jackson using the hardship exemption.
Jackson comes from G League.

The Boston Celtics are planning to sign forward Justin Jackson of G League’s Texas Legends via hardship exemption, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Boston has handful of players in health and safety protocols.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2021

The Denver Nuggets are re-signing forward Davon Reed via hardship exemption, sources tell The Athletic’s Shams Charania

Reed played six games (two starts) in his first stint with the Nuggets this season, averaging 3.1 ppg and 3.8 rpg

The Houston Rockets are waiving forward Danuel House, allowing him to find a new team in the final year of his deal, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Houston won’t hold House on roster to wait on a finding a deadline trade

To replace House, the Rockets will use open roster spot to convert Garrison Mathews from a two-way deal to a 4-year contract worth more than $8 million.

Additionally, the Rockets are signing guard Trevelin Queen to a two-way deal, his agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports tell ESPN. Queen will join the Rockets in Detroit on Saturday

In the wake of dozens of players being sidelined in the league’s health and safety protocols, and with looming concerns leaguewide about more games being halted, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association are discussing a plan that would require teams decimated by COVID to sign additional replacement players, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Baxter Holmes.

On an NBA Board of Governors call Friday, there was an overwhelming sentiment among NBA owners to do whatever is necessary to avoid postponements and cancellations this season, league sources said. In the backdrop of that view, the outlines of a plan regarding replacement players were approved by the Board of Governors during a meeting Friday, league sources said.

Previously, hardship rules were left up to the purview of teams. Some during the pandemic have declined to add replacement players even while they’ve had several of their own sidelined by COVID. In the proposed plan, after the first case of COVID, a team would be permitted to add a 10-day player, league sources said, but after a second, third and fourth case, teams would be required to add a 10-day player. Teams would be limited to three replacement players.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson are targeting a January home game for the player’s much awaited return from injury, with key targets being Jan 9 vs Cleveland or Jan 18 vs Detroit. Jan 3 game vs Miami is considered less likely

Thompson hasn’t played since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals

Shaquille Harrison will sign a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets.

American forward averaged 19.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists this season with Delaware in G League.

Free agent guard Shaquille Harrison will sign a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 17, 2021

Brooklyn Nets are close to sign James Ennis.

Ennis played last season with Magic averaging 8.4 points, 4 rebounds in 41 games.

The Brooklyn Nets are planning to sign free agent James Ennis via hardship exemption, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 17, 2021

The NBA’s first known player case of the Omicron variant was discovered in a recent positive COVID-19 test, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania

The CDC estimates the new variant is now three percent of US cases

The Utah Jazz are hiring Danny Ainge as alternate governor and CEO, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ainge will oversee basketball and Justin Zanik will remain GM.

Jazz owner Ryan Smith has had a longtime friendship with Ainge, who was a legendary player at BYU. Ainge stepped down as Celtics GM after last season, but now returns with the Jazz to oversee basketball operations and work closely with GM Justin Zanik.

The Brooklyn Nets are signing Langston Galloway to a ten-day contract.
Galloway will be signed through the hardship excemption.
Last season Galloway was with the Suns.

Galloway will sign a 10-day hardship exception. Nets were down to eight eligible players with seven entered into Covid protocols. Galloway played with the Suns last season. https://t.co/cmhx682XQj

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2021

According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the Kings are making available in trade talks both Marvin Bagley and Buddy Hield, with the team being linked to several players on the trade market, including Ben Simmons, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner

The Kings, however, are yet to make a serious push for both Pacers stars or for Sixers All Star

The Boston Celtics are ready to listen to offers for Dennis Schroder.

Per Shams Charania of the The Athletic, The Celtics signed Schroder to a one-year, $5.9 million deal and are unlikely to be able to afford to keep him next offseason.

Schroder is averaging 17.5 points, 4.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game for Boston.

Jerami Grant is targeted by a dozen of NBA teams, according to Shams Charania.

Among them the Lakers and the Blazers.

Per Realgm, The Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers are among the teams with interest in Grant.

Grant will become eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $112 million in the offseason. Grant will have one season remaining on his current deal this offseason.

The Atlanta Hawks may trade Cam Reddish for the right offer.

According to Shams Charania of the Athletic, the Hawks are seeking a first-round draft pick in any potential trade that involves small forward Cam Reddish.
Reddish, 22, is 6-foot-8 and is averaging 11.1 points and 2.7 rebounds this season, his third in the NBA after Atlanta selected him with the No. 10 overall draft pick in 2019.

At least seven teams are interested in Ben Simmons.

The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are pursuing the All-Star guard.

Per The Athletic, It is unclear, however, how much traction the 76ers have on a potential trade. The 76ers are currently asking teams for an All-Star-caliber player and/or multiple first-round draft picks for Simmons.
Simmons has yet to play for the 76ers this season as he’s expressed the sentiment that he’s not mentally ready to rejoin the team.

The 76ers are trying to shop Ben Simmons and in the recent days the trade conversations have gathered momentum.

Per ESPN (via RealGM): The 76ers have sought a top-25 player in exchange for Simmons and have discussed two-team and three-team scenarios.

The possibility of a trade opens up on December 15th when players that signed offseason deals become eligible for inclusion in a deal.

While Damian Lillard has been a target of interest to the 76ers, the Portland Trial Blazers have made it clear that he is not available.

The Chicago Bulls have reached an agreement with Alfonzo McKinnie.
The player was in G League averaging 24.1ppg.
McKinnie will be signed by the Bulls through hardship exemption.

The Chicago Bulls are signing veteran G/F Alfonzo McKinnie via hardship exemption, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. McKinnie has played for NBA G League’s Mexico City Capitanes this season, averaging 24.1 PPG and 43.3 percent from 3-point range.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 10, 2021

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard underwent a cortisone injection procedure to the abdominal, league sources tell Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes

Lillard could return to action as early as Sunday

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reports that Damian Lillard’s camp has denied both the “Ben Simmons to the Blazers” and the max contract extension rumors surrounding the multiple times All Star in the past days.