Hornets receive Timofey Mozgov (2yrs/$32.7m), the #45 pick and a 2021 2nd round pick; Nets receive Dwight Howard (1yr/$23.8m)
The Hornets save money this year (but not next year), get an extra pick in Thursday's draft and get rid of one of the most unpopular players in recent memory. Mozgov is quite a bit cheaper right now but that extra year on his deal instantly becomes next summer's big problem (I'd be willing to be he'll get stretched). Hey, man, Mozgov had moments when he was a rebounding machine and not a bad down-low scorer. If he can give the Hornets some semblance of that, then this is a big win for the Hornets. And if the Hornets move on from Kemba Walker (I expect that trade announcement to be coming any day now), then the plethora of 2nd round combo guards might make that #45 pick come in handy.
Howard gives the Nets one year of looking like they're trying to win and then helps clear the decks for next summer when they'll--finally!--have some money to spend and probably a top ten pick. (I was already thinking it so I'll go ahead and get it down now: Lebron and Durant together in Brooklyn...yeah, I think that's a for-real thing. And even if not, it's what everyone will be talking about next spring)
A weird-looking trade but I'm inclined to say it's a good move for both teams. The Nets get rid of their worst contract and get to pretend like they have a big star, without damaging their chances at a good draft pick and even creating a little free agent buzz in the process (no pun intended); the Hornets get rid of a guy they can't stand, save a little money while doing so and get a bite at the 2nd round apple. Not bad.
Fired
Pistons fire GM Jeff Bower
The Pistons are cleaning house, Bower's days were clearly numbered after the Blake Griffin deal, which was the ownership choosing to ride a popular star rather than actually build a basketball team. The roster is tighter than (fill in your own joke) and the draft is in 48 hours, so not sure what a GM would do for them right now.
Sixers accept resignation of GM Bryan Colangelo
Funny how quick this story came and went. So some reporter discovered a Twitter account that seemed to look like Colangelo, wacky hijinks ensue, investigation discovers that it was Colangelo's wife. Colangelo's dad (a Sixer advisor) reportedly raised hell behind the scenes (why is he still getting a paycheck from the Sixers?) but couldn't save the disgraced GM or his better half. Fortunately for ol' Bryan this happened shortly before the Trump-Kim summit, the World Cup and the draft, all of which have mercifully pushed him from the Twittersphere. Look, the guy inherited the Process (handed to him by his dad), got no value for Jahlil Okafor, wildly overpaid for Markelly Fultz and....well....nothing else. To be blunt: the Sixers fucked up by getting rid of Sam Hinkie to begin with and frankly they ought to sue the NBA for foisting the Colangelo clan on them as an attempt to class up Philly. For now it seems Coach Brown will run the draft and the free agency but Hinkie is still out there looking for a job (just sayin').
Hired
Raptors hired Nick Nurse as new coach
Word is Quicken Arenas has already prepared a sign for next year's playoffs reading "Good Night, Nurse!" (Heh heh, sorry, couldn't help myself) So the Raptors got rid of Casey to bring in his assistant? This was to...shake things up while maintaining continuity...? Ehhhhh....I don't know Nurse, don't want to cast aspersions, but I don't see the point of this move.
Pistons hired Dwane Casey as new coach
This is fine. The Pistons were looking for a retread coach for the next 3 years, Casey is arguably the top of the list at the moment. Their roster is locked up for the foreseeable future, they should be close to a playoff team, so for now they need a caretaker who can squeeze out efficiencies around the margins. Casey did brilliant things with Toronto's bench last season, if he can do that again in Detroit, then maybe--just maybe!--.they'll get swept by the Cavs next year. Hey, for Detroit that would actually look like a pretty good season.
Options exercised
Iman Shumpert (Kings), Darrell Arthur (Nuggets), Jodie Meeks (Wizards), Dwayne Dedmon (Hawks) all exercised player options to return to their teams
Uh....yeah....those guys are all better off staying where they are. I can see Shumpert being a regular rotation guy for the Kings, whereas I can't see Meeks playing basketball ever again. Arthur and Dedmon are both trade chips though for different reasons: Arthur because the Nuggets would like to save money and Dedmon because he could be an interesting addition for a playoff team looking to thicken their bench.
Sixers exercise team option on Richaun Holmes
I kinda like Holmes but he doesn't play much. He's still on a very affordable rookie contract, so it's a low cost move for continuity but I wonder if we'll see him more next year.
Rudy Gay (Spurs) has declined his player option
His contract for next year was (around) $8.5m which is probably about the maximum he could make. But if Kawhi leaves, then San Antonio will not be a fun place to be and he probably fancies himself as a contributor on of them new 'super teams'. I could see him with the Lakers, maybe the Sixers but if none of the big moves we imagine take place this summer, he could find himself getting minutes in Brooklyn.
Kyle O'Quinn (Knicks) has declined his player option
Hmmmm....I kinda like O'Quinn and the money was not terribly high (I wanna say $4.5m) but in a year with so many big men at the top of the draft, it feels like a tough time for him to get himself a new gig. The buzz is the Warriors want him and just that hint of interest is perhaps worth a gamble.
Waived
Cavs waive London Perrantes
Cavs need every penny they can squeeze this summer. Don't know Perrantes but wouldn't be a shock to see him in Summer League for the Cavs or back with the Cavs in pre-season.
(*) I typically don't update these posts but there were a coupla news items today that I thought I'd shoe horn into yesterday's post.
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