Новости за 15.06.2023

With the 2022-23 NBA season fully wrapped up, we now enter a period of potential player movement coming up, one that could feature a lot of big names being traded, as the 2023 free-agent class isn’t anything to write home about, meaning teams looking to improve will likely attempt to do so through trades.

Shams Charania: Another team that’s had Bradley Beal trade talks with the Wizards: The Kings, sources tell me and @sam_amick. It’s believed Beal would consider Sacramento given his no-trade clause, but right now there does not appear a clear pathway for the two sides.
Source: Twitter @ShamsCharania

While Bradley Beal would welcome a trade to the Heat if the Wizards decide to deal him, he is not trying to push his way to Miami or any specific team, the source said. Beal, who has not asked for a trade, is open to landing with more than a handful of teams; the franchise’s ability to compete for a championship ranks highly among the important criteria for him.
Source: Miami Herald

Chris Paul didn’t look to go into detail about his present and future, but made one thing clear. He wants to stay in Phoenix. “Absolutely,” Paul said. “That’s why I’m there.” Paul addressed his situation with the Suns during an interview Thursday morning regarding his powerful new book titled, “Sixty-One – Life Lessons From Papa, On And Off The Court,” about his late grandfather, Nathaniel “Papa” Jones.
Source: Arizona Republic

Harrison Wind: Bruce Brown just now: “I’ve got one more question. 1 more year?” pic.twitter.com/jB99DWgBxW
Source: Twitter @HarrisonWind

Harrison Wind: Nikola Jokic: “You know that I told you I didn’t want to stay for the parade. But I f*****g want to stay for the parade.” pic.twitter.com/THI3W58PKa
Source: Twitter @HarrisonWind

Earlier this week, when the Denver Nuggets clinched the NBA title, Nikola Jokic made history in several ways. He became the first center to receive the  Finals MVP award since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 and the lowest draft pick ever with that accolade – and it’s not even that close. The Serbian big man was selected in the 2014 draft at No. 41, a full 12 spots lower than where Dennis Johnson, the 1979 Finals MVP, was chosen in 1976.

The Celtics are particularly loaded in the backcourt with Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard all under contract for next season and the team is investigating moving a guard to improve other areas of the roster per a league source.
Source: Brian Robb @ Booth Newspapers

The Knicks have thought about Bradley Beal for longer than just this week. According to a league source close to the situation, New York’s front office has already let necessary people know the team would be interested in the former All-NBA guard if he were to become available. Of course, Beal becoming available is more complicated than it would be with any other player.
Source: Fred Katz @ The Athletic

New Orleans staffers always speak philosophically about no player being “untouchable,” but the Pelicans have shown little interest in parting with Brandon Ingram at this juncture, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Source: Yahoo! Sports

Indiana explored trade scenarios for OG Anunoby and the concept of sending Chris Duarte plus draft capital to Atlanta for De’Andre Hunter during February’s trade deadline, sources told Yahoo Sports. The Pacers are expected to be one team in the mix for restricted free agent Grant Williams as well.
Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Mavericks are considering options to move down from No. 10 into the middle of the first round, sources said, to pick up a veteran rotation piece to help support Luka Doncic and free agent-to-be Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks and Hawks, for example, discussed the idea of swapping Davis Bertans and the No. 15 pick for John Collins and the No. 10 pick, sources said, although those talks do not appear to have progressed at this time.

For all the efforts in print Wednesday to paint the situation as exploratory, few rival teams see it that way. The Miami Heat are already widely regarded as the favorites to win the trade sweepstakes for Bradley Beal — largely because Beal, possessing the NBA’s only active full no-trade clause in his contract, will have so much say in where he goes. The Heat are believed to be high on Beal’s list of preferred destinations if it is indeed time, as it appears, to move on from the only team he has ever known. Читать дальше...

There have been rumblings about Milwaukee’s interest in Beal as well, as The Athletic first reported, but that would almost certainly have to include All-Star guard Khris Middleton heading back to Washington, and Milwaukee, by all accounts, has plans to bring back both Middleton and Brook Lopez.
Source: Yahoo! Sports

…but it’s the Chicago Bulls who have started contacting teams, quietly gauging the trade interest in Zach LaVine, league sources told Yahoo Sports. It remains to be seen just how willing Chicago is to part ways with LaVine, or if it receives a commensurate offer for his services. LaVine has four seasons remaining on his five-year, $215 million contract, and multiple teams have indicated the Bulls are holding a steep valuation for LaVine — one that’s likely to exceed what Washington can ultimately net for Beal. Читать дальше...

The Celtics intend to move forward with their All-NBA tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, sources said, despite Beal’s immense talent and close relationship with Tatum, a friendship that dates back to childhood roots in St. Louis. The Philadelphia 76ers, often floated right behind Boston as a potential Beal suitor, are also not expected to target Beal, league sources told Yahoo Sports, regardless of whether Harden decides to remain with the franchise.
Source: Yahoo! Sports

But Philadelphia, sources said, is not expected to target Fred VanVleet in the event Harden departs via free agency, despite the obvious connection to new Sixers head coach Nick Nurse, who won a championship with VanVleet in Toronto in 2019.
Source: Yahoo! Sports

One league source said Thursday that Kristaps Porziņgis is still deliberating over his decision to decline next season’s $36 million player option to become a free agent or elect to stay with Washington next season — with a deadline looming Wednesday to finalize that decision on the eve of the NBA Draft.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com

Brian Windhorst on potential Bradley Beal trade: Miami Heat, and this is a surprise but this is what I’ve been told, the Milwaukee Bucks. Two teams I think that have shown interest. There are other teams on the periphery that are involved, but two teams I think at the forefront are Miami and Milwaukee.
Source: Twitter @esidery

Sources say the team has already rebuffed several offers for the No. 1 pick, with Victor Wembanyama as its unquestioned target. But the Spurs have landed the most coveted draft prospect in a very long time.
Source: Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report

The Pelicans are attempting to move up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson, which means they are almost certainly open to trading away Williamson. “I don’t think his value is sky high right now,” said Brian Windhorst. “But he has a contract that protects the Pelicans or whatever team from further injury. It’s not fully guaranteed. Obviously, his value in January was a lot higher after another injury plagued season.”
Source: RealGM

The Celtics are believed to be prioritizing signing Jaylen Brown to a supermax contract this offseason. “My feel from talking to sources is that the Celtics are not necessarily in on this one,” said Brian Windhorst. “Their intention is to get Jaylen Brown on a contract extension this year. Even if they got Jaylen Brown done, the idea of bringing in Bradley Beal would be extraordinarily difficult because of the three contracts together.
Source: RealGM

The Pacers must decide on an extension for Tyrese Haliburton (sources anticipate he gets a max deal) and Aaron Nesmith (TBD if he’s in the long-term plans). Overall, the front office seems pleased with the team’s direction. The hope is a return to the playoffs in April.
Source: Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report

NBA Central: Kyrie Irving has some level of interest in joining the Miami Heat, but the Heat would prefer to go after Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal, per @IraHeatBeat “I do think Kyrie Irving wants to come here… I don’t think the Heat are going to be subservient to Kyrie’s wishes. I will… pic.twitter.com/3U6aO80hDT
Source: Twitter @TheNBACentral

Sources say the team hopes to bring back Russell Westbrook at a hometown discount ($3.8 million) for a year, to be paid next summer with Early Bird Rights (like Nicolas Batum and, formerly with the team, Reggie Jackson).
Source: Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report