2018-19 NBA Bric-a-brac (Week 14)

(Gotten quite lazy here but football is over, time to get back to the court; here's a catch up)

Firings
Bulls fire Fred Hoiberg; replaced by Jim Boylen
His chances of success were minimal but acting like he was the problem is dangerously deluded for the Bulls front office (which also got an overhaul). Hoiberg will likely get another chance, perhaps as soon as this off-season. Boylen...seems like a nice guy.

Wolves fire Coach Tom Thibodeau; replaced by Ryan Saunders
Thibs is officially out of the running for Coach of the Year. I was skeptical of Thibs when he was hired but I wanted to be optimistic. Think my gut instinct was the right one. He never got control of the locker room and apparently not the board room, either (and his old pal Jimmy Butler did him no favors). This was never the right fit for Thibs but he'll turn up somewhere. Saunders (son of Flip) is a well-liked member of the coaching staff, if he gets the Wolves to the post-season, I'd expect him to be hired full time.


Waivings (since Nov 15)
Andrew Harrison (Grizzlies), Ben Moore (Pacers), John Holland (Cavs), Chasson Randle (Wizards), Jodie Meeks (Bucks), Isaiah Canaan (Suns), Walt Lemon (Celtics), Andrew Harrison (again!) (Cavs), Billy Preston (Cavs), Danuel House (Rockets), Brandon Goodwin (Nuggets), Ron Baker (Knicks), Devaughn Akoon-Purcell (Nuggets), Zhou Qi (Rockets), Austin Rivers (Suns), Okaro White (Wizards), Tyler Ulis (Bulls), Tyler Davis (Thunder), DJ Stephens (Grizzlies), Nick Young (Nuggets), Alan Williams (Nets), Cameron Payne (Bulls), Eric Moreland (Suns), James Nunnaly (Wolves), Demetrius Jackson (Sixers), MarShon Brooks (Bulls), Lorenzo Brown (Raptors), Ron Baker (again!) (Wizards), Michael Carter-Williams (Bulls), Andrew Harrison (yet again!) (Pelicans), Jaylen Morris (Bucks), Jalen Jones (Cavs), Jarnell Stokes (Grizzlies), Keenan Evans (Pistons), Zach Lofton (Pistons), Kenneth Faried (Nets), James Nunnally (Rockets)


Buy-outs (since Nov 15)
Suns buy out Tyson Chandler
Why? Chandler was the Suns' best trade asset and yet they give him away for nothing? What is the point of that?


Signings (since Nov 15)
Tyson Chandler (Lakers) 1yr/$2.1m
The Lakers needed an upgrade down low and

Okaro White (Wizards) 1yr/$2.1m
He's already been waived, so pretty good quick buck for White.

Danuel House (Rockets) 1yr/$2.1m
Later waived and re-signed to a 2-way contract.

Brandon Goodwin (Nuggets)
Already waived.

Joakim Noah (Pelicans) 1yr/$1.7m
I wrote last year that the Pelicans should sign/trade Cousins to the Knicks for Noah, but this is much cheaper. So far there is little sign than Noah has anything left in the tank but it was worth a try for the Pelicans.

Gary Clark (Rockets) 3yrs/$3.7m
I don't understand this at all but the Rockets are kinda the kings of weird roster maneuvers, so there's probably some reason for this.

Nick Young (Nuggets)
Took a flier, had some fun times but he's already been waived. It wasn't meant to be. (Hornets could use Young, no?)

Eric Moreland (Suns) 1yr/$1.1m
Think he's already been waived but I can find no evidence that he was ever paid by the Suns, so...

Kenneth Faried (Rockets) 1yr/?
Faried hasn't done much since he blew up with the Nuggets (and Team USA) a few years back. Can he give the Rockets some good rebounding down low? Ehhh, maybe.


Options/Extensions (since Nov 15)
(Exercised) Celtics pick up Jayson Tatum, Guershon Yabusele, Jaylen Brown; Raptors pick up Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby; Knicks sign Alonzo Trier to 2-year extension; Nets sign Spencer Dinwiddie to 3-year extension; Thunder re-up Coach Donovan for another year
These all are no-brainers (well, except for Yabusele, but worth a bet, I reckon). Donovan seems pretty well in control of that squad, seems like a good idea to extend him.

(Declined) Sixers declined Furkan Korkmaz; Nuggets declined Tyler Lydon; Raptors declined Malachi Richardson; Rockets declined Marquisse Chriss; Wolves declined Justin Patton
I kinda like Korkmaz but the Sixers are gonna need every penny to pay Jimmy Butler and another top flight free agent in the off-season, so there was problem never room for him on next year's roster. Lydon and Richardson over performed in the NCAA tournament and got a handful of NBA paychecks they probably never really deserved. Chriss was overrated coming out of college, could still be intriguing for a thin roster (Pelicans need every athletic big man they can get, right? And, of course, the Knicks love derided cast-offs).


2-way Contracts (since Nov 15)
Andrew Harrison (Cavs), Ben Moore (Spurs), Jalen Jones (Cavs), Jaron Blossongame (Cavs), Danuel House (Rockets), Jawun Evans (Suns), Brandon Goodwin (Nuggets), Brandon Sampson (Bulls), Donte Graham (Thunder), Jarnell Stokes (Grizzlies), RJ Hunter (Celtics), Alan Williams (Nets), Kadeem Allen (Knicks), Deng Adel (Cavs), Julian Washburn (Grizzlies), Kalin Lucas (Pistons), Bonzie Colson (Bucks)


10-Day Contracts (since Nov 15)
Cameron Payne (Cavs), Quincy Acy (Suns), Haywood Highsmith (Sixers), Corey Brewer (Sixers), Isiah Whitehead (Pistons), Quincy Acy (Suns), Stephan Hicks (Pacers),Gary Payton II (Wizards)
I actually still kinda like Payne, Acy and Whitehead and each will be in a place where they might even get a chance to play. Brewer is an interesting veteran pickup for the Sixers, though I'm not sure he will see much of the floor. Payton has yet to catch on in the league, maybe this will give him good exposure. I don't Hicks. And I don't know Haywood Highsmith (but he sounds like a guy that would've played for the Globetrotters back in the 1970s).


Trades (since Nov 15)
Sixers gets Jimmy Butler, Justin Patton; Wolves get Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless, 2022 2nd rd pick
This is the big swing the Sixers have been waiting on. Personally I was kinda iffy on this move: Butler has been a troubling personality over the last few years, not sure he's the best mix with Simmons on or off the court and I'm a big fan of Saric especially and Covington, too. But this is the big move they had to make, adding another scorer that can play defense is what has the chance to elevate this team and giving up two good young prospects is the price to pay. I was a bit skeptical but I understand. And getting Patton, too, is a potential bonus prospect in return (and gives perfect symmetry to the original deal that sent Butler to the Wolves from the Bulls).

The Wolves get rid of a big star who...well...never did much for them and get back two promising team players in Covington and Saric. Bayless is a decent vet with some action left in him, he'll get some time off that Wolves bench. And they got a 2nd rd pick from the Sixers? Dang, that's something to tell the grandkids about! Big thumbs up on the deal for the Wolves, all upside for them. 


Jazz get Kyle Korver; Cavs get Alec Burks, 2020 Jazz 2nd rd pick, 2021 Jazz 2nd rd pick
Jazz needed a wing scorer and Korver is reliable and reasonably priced (though wouldn't be surprised to see him traded again in the off-season), but, man, I never understood why/how Burks fell so far of their rotation. Since Burks wasn't playing and Korver will, I guess a coupla 2nd rd picks is a good deal for the Jazz.

The Cavs just need to shorten up their commitments, paying more for Burks now is better than paying more for Korver later. And the Cavs rotation will need all the scoring it can get, so I expect Burks to get plenty of playing time. A coupla 2nd rd picks for the extra cash is a nice bonus for them.


Bucks get George Hill, Jason Smith, 2020 Wizards 2nd rd pick (*), 2021 Cavs 2nd rd pick, cash; Cavs get Matthew Dellevadova, John Henson, 2019 Bucks 1st rd pick (highly protected), 2021 Bucks 2d rd pick, 2022 Wizards 2nd rd pick, cash; Wizards get Sam Dekker
Bucks wanted to upgrade their bench and while I kinda like Hill, personally I prefer Henson to Smith and Dellevadova has some spark to him, so I'm not sure this was a step up for the Bucks though Hill has a better chance of bringing more impact off the bench than Henson or Dellevadova--but not necessarily Dekker, so why include him rather than develop him?

The Cavs needed to get cheaper and while that didn't really happen, they did thicken the bench without increasing cost and picked up a 1st rd pick to boot. I doubt this makes the team better but it does give them a little more depth and more options going forward.

The Wizards swapped out an expensive player (Smith) they didn't need for an underappreciated sprak plug off the bench (Dekker). All it cost them was a 2nd rd pick--long after the current GM will be fired--so easy deal for the Wizards.


Wizards get Trevor Ariza; Suns get Kelly Oubre and Austin Rivers
Why? What does the deal do for either team? The Suns signed Ariza solely for the purpose of being trade bait but they let him go for a guy they cut immediately (Rivers) and a youngster who may or may not fit their needs next season (Oubre)--why give away your trade bait? And what is Ariza gonna do for the Wizards? He's a fine veteran who can do a little bit of everything but the Wizards are gonna struggle to get to the top 8 in the East, why give away Oubre one of their best recent draft picks? (**)


Bulls get Wayne Selden, MarShon Brooks, a 2019 2nd rd pick, a 2020 2nd rd pick; Grizzlies get Justin Holiday
I don't get to watch the Grizzlies (dang you, blackout restrictions!), so I'm not sure how good a fit this is but my gut tells me the Grizzlies always need back up ball handlers who can score a little. Bulls quickly waived MarShon (don't call me 'Dillon') Brooks but I can see Selden getting some playing time in that rotation and two 2nd round flyers for a guy the Bulls didn't prize anyway isn't bad.

Bulls get Michael Carter-Williams and cash; Rockets get Bulls' 2020 2nd rd pick (top 55 protected)
Yawn. Bulls waived MCW immediately and the pick is so protected as to likely not exist.



(*) Actually this is a modification of a previously received pick: it is now unprotected.
(**) Yeah, this deal makes no sense but compared to the clusterfuck that preceded it, this move seems strangely normal. There was supposed to be a 3-team trade involving the Grizzlies, but no one agreed on whether it was MarShon or Dillon Brooks that was to be included. Deal fell apart shortly after hitting the media, then this deal magically appeared in its place. No one came out looking good on this one.