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Five-team NBA trade sends Russell Westbrook to Lakers, Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyle Kuzma to Wizards

The Washington Wizards announced yesterday that they have acquired guard Spencer Dinwiddie from the Brooklyn Nets; guard Aaron Holiday, the rights to forward Isaiah Todd and cash considerations from the Indiana Pacers; and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell from the Los Angeles Lakers in a five-team trade.

Washington sent guard Russell Westbrook and second-round picks in 2023, 2024 and 2028 to the Los Angeles Lakers; forward Chandler Hutchison and a 2022 second round pick to the San Antonio Spurs; and a 2024 second-round pick along with the right to swap second-round picks in 2025 to the Brooklyn Nets. As part of the trade, Indiana acquired the rights to Isaiah Jackson, who was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Brooklyn also received the rights to 2015 first-round pick Nikola Milutinov from the Spurs as part of the deal.

“It takes a special mentality of competitiveness to take on the role of point guard for The Los Angeles Lakers,” said Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. “We have seen some of the all-time greats master that role here, and now Russell Westbrook gets to come home and do just that. This is a very proud day for our franchise, and we are incredibly grateful. We welcome Russell and his family to Lakers Nation.”

“We were clear as we moved into the offseason that we would be aggressive in making moves that would improve our defense, shooting and athleticism,” said Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “Starting with hiring Coach Unseld, then moving to the draft and the acquisition of these five players via trade, we feel confident that we have made significant progress in those areas.”

“Each player that we acquired in this trade addresses a need for us in addition to bringing experience, toughness and a winning attitude that makes them ideal fits around Bradley and the rest of our returning roster,” said Sheppard. “Spencer’s athleticism allows him to score and make plays for others with Aaron’s hard-nosed style off the bench making a complementary pair of point guards. Kyle and KCP are proven three-and-D players with significant championship experience while Montrezl’s energy and effort personify the way we want to play every night.”

Dinwiddie (6-5, 215), who comes to Washington in a sign-and-trade deal, has appeared in 320 career games (133 starts) with the Pistons and Nets, and holds career averages of 12.9 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per game. In five seasons with Brooklyn, Dinwiddie averaged 14.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 274 games (132 starts) and posted career-highs in points (20.6 ppg) and assists (6.8 apg) during the 2019-20 season. The Colorado product appeared in only three games during the 2020-2021 season, after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn ACL he suffered on December 27, 2020 (he has been cleared for all basketball activities since June).

Originally selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, Caldwell-Pope (6-5, 204) holds career averages of 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists and 29.1 minutes per game in 606 career games (464 starts) with Detroit and Los Angeles. The 6-5, 204-pound guard, has shot .370 percent or better from three-point range in three of the past four seasons and shot a career-best .410 from three-point territory last season.

Last season, the eight-year NBA veteran averaged 9.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 67 games (all starts) for the Lakers. Caldwell-Pope was an integral part of the Lakers 2020 NBA Championship team, where he averaged 12.8 points per game in the Finals against the Miami Heat.

A fourth-year forward, Kuzma (6-10, 221) holds career averages of 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 276 (146 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Flint, MI, native, has averaged at least 12.0 points and four rebounds per game in every year of his career, joining Jayson Tatum and Lauri Markkanen as the only players from the 2017 NBA Draft class to post these averages in all four seasons.

During the 2020-21 season, Kuzma averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and a career-high 1.9 assists in 68 games (32 starts), while shooting .361 percent from three-point range on 5.6 attempts per game. Last season, the Utah product reached double-figures on 45 occasions, scored 20+ points 13 times and totaled 13 double-doubles. Selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Lakers, Kuzma was selected to the All-Rookie First-Team.

Harrell, 6-7, 240, has appeared in 387 career games (26 starts) across six seasons with the Houston Rockets (2015-2017), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-2020) and Los Angeles Lakers (2020-2021), averaging 12.8 points on .616 percent shooting, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.2 minutes per game. In 69 games (one start) with the Lakers last season, he averaged 13.5 points on .622 shooting, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

The former Sixth Man of the Year (2019-20) has averaged 10 or more points per game the past four consecutive years while making five or fewer starts in those seasons, joining Jordan Clarkson as the only players to do so since the 2017-18 season.

Holiday, 24, has averaged 7.7 points, 2.4 assists and 1.7 rebounds, while shooting .372 percent from three-point range in 182 career games (41 starts) over three seasons with the Indiana Pacers. The 6-0, 185-pound guard averaged 7.2 points and 1.9 assists in 66 games (eight starts) during the 2020-2021 season.

Drafted with the 23rd overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Holiday posted career-bests in points (9.5 ppg), assists (3.4 apg) and rebounds (2.4 rpg) during the 2019-20 season.

Washington also acquired Isaiah Todd on draft night, who was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 31st overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Todd, a 6-10, 210-pound forward, played for G League Ignite in its inaugural season in 2020-21, averaging 12.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in 16 games (three starts).

In one season with Washington, Westbrook averaged 22.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-leading 11.7 assists per game in 65 games (all starts), the fourth career season he has averaged a triple-double. The 13-year guard became the NBA’s all-time triple-double leader on May 10, 2021, after passing Oscar Robertson’s 181 triple-double record. He concluded the regular season with 36 straight double-doubles and a league-best 38 triple-doubles.

Hutchison, who was acquired by Washington in a three-team trade on March 25, 2021, averaged 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 18 games (one start) with the Wizards last season.

“Russell was a tremendous leader for us and watching him make history while with the Wizards was a privilege for me, our players and our fans that none of us will ever forget,” said Sheppard. “The impact he made on our franchise and our players in just one season is remarkable and we wish him the best as he continues his Hall of Fame career. We also appreciate Chandler for the work he put in during his time with us and extend him our encouragement as he progresses in his development.”

Pacers hire Lloyd Pierce, Ronald Nored, Mike Weinar and Jenny Boucek as assistant coaches

The Indiana Pacers have hired Lloyd Pierce, Ronald Nored, Mike Weinar and Jenny Boucek as assistant coaches for Head Coach Rick Carlisle’s staff.

Pierce joins the Pacers after being head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for the past two and a half seasons. Pierce is currently working with Team USA as part of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team coaching staff as an assistant coach that will soon head to Japan for the 2021 Olympic Games. Prior to his time with the Hawks, Pierce spent time in assistant coaching roles with the Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Before he coached in the NBA, Pierce was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Santa Clara University, from 2002-07, and played four seasons at Santa Clara.

Nored returns to the state of Indiana after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets. Prior to his time with the Hornets, Nored was the head coach of the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League for two seasons and spent time with both the Boston Celtics and their G League affiliate, the then-Maine Red Claws. Nored started his coaching career in Indiana at Brownsburg High School. Nored played collegiately at Butler University and was a part of the team that reached back-to-back National Championship games in 2010 and 2011. While at Butler, he was a two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.

Weinar joins the Pacers after 13 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, four as an assistant coach. Weinar was on staff as part of the Mavericks 2011 NBA Championship team. Prior to joining the Mavericks, Weinar worked with the University of Florida men’s basketball program. Originally from Urbana, Illinois, Weinar earned his master’s degree in sport management and his bachelor’s degree in sport science from Florida.

Boucek joins the Pacers after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to her time with the Mavericks, Boucek was a player development coach with the Sacramento Kings, becoming just the third woman to coach in the NBA. Prior to joining the Kings, she spent two decades coaching professionally in the WNBA, including tenures as the head coach of the Seattle Storm (2015-17) and the Sacramento Monarchs (2007-09). Boucek was involved in the WNBA since its inaugural season in 1997 when she played for the Cleveland Rockers. Following a career-ending injury in 1998, she began her coaching career. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, she played collegiately at the University of Virginia from 1992-96 and was a two-time GTE All-American, two-time ACC selection and two-time defensive player of the year.

Assistant coaches for Pacers to be named soon

Rick Carlisle, for the second time in his career, recently became the head coach of the Indiana Pacers. And his assistant coaches reportedly may soon be named. Via the Indianapolis Star:

Coach Rick Carlisle should have his staff rounded out within the next week, and there’s a strong chance that Calbert Cheaney will remain with the Indiana Pacers, a league source familiar with the situation told IndyStar.

Last week, IndyStar reported that Charlotte Hornets assistant Ronald Nored is “close” to joining the staff, too.

Rick Carlisle, for the second time, will become head coach of Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday they have reached an agreement with Rick Carlisle to become head coach.

“Rick is a proven winner with a championship and will be a Hall of Fame coach,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “He has demonstrated throughout his career an ability to build something with sustainable success. He has great respect for our franchise and our fans from his previous times here. We are very happy to welcome him back to Indiana.”

Carlisle will begin his second head coaching stint with Indiana after he guided the Pacers to a 181-147 (.552) record during four seasons from 2003-07. In his first season as Pacers head coach in 2003-04, Carlisle led Indiana to a franchise-record 61 wins, posted the best record in the Eastern Conference and reached the Eastern Conference Finals. His 181 wins stands as the fourth-most by a head coach in NBA franchise history. Carlisle was also an assistant coach for the Pacers under Larry Bird from 1997-2000.

“My sincere thanks to Herb Simon, Kevin Pritchard and the entire Pacers organization for the opportunity to come back to basketball’s heartland,” said Carlisle. “My wife, Donna, daughter, Abby, and I are truly grateful.”

Carlisle has completed 19 NBA seasons as head coach of the Detroit Pistons (2001-03), Pacers and Dallas Mavericks (2008-21). He has compiled an 836-689 (.548) record and will enter the 2021-22 season ranked 15th in NBA history in coaching victories. Carlisle was named NBA Coach of the Year after his first season in Detroit in 2001-02 and led the Mavericks to their first NBA championship in 2010-11.

Pacers fire head coach Nate Bjorkgren

The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday that Nate Bjorkgren will not be retained as the team’s head coach.

“The 2020-21 season was not what any of us hoped or anticipated it would be, and our results on the court certainly did not meet the standards for what our organization and our fans have come to expect,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “We have determined this is the right time to move in a different direction, and on behalf of the Simon Family and the entire Pacers organization, I want to express my gratitude to Nate for his efforts leading our team. While we do not have a definite timetable for our search, we will move quickly to identify candidates who will make our team and our organization stronger.”

Bjorkgren was hired prior to the 2020-21 season and led the Pacers to a 34-38 record. He previously served as an assistant coach in Toronto and Phoenix.

Pacers and Hornets square off in NBA Play-in Tournament game tonight

The Hornets play the Pacers at 6:30PM ET tonight in the first of two NBA Play-in Tournament games tonight. In the second game, at 9PM ET, the Wizards will face the Celtics. Both games are on TNT.

PACERS TEAM NOTES

The Pacers finished the regular season ranked sixth in the NBA in scoring and set a new NBA franchise record for the highest scoring average over a season with 115.3 points per game.

Indiana matched its franchise record with 21 3-pointers made in Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee. Justin Holiday led the Pacers with 26 points – his highest total in his two seasons with Indiana – and set a new career high with eight 3-pointers – one shy of the team’s franchise record. The Pacers set a new franchise record for 3-pointers made in a season (12.4 per game)
and passed their previous mark after 63 games this year (779 in 2018-19).

Indiana finished with the best road record in the Eastern Conference at 21-15. The Pacers finished with their third-best winning percentage (.589) on the road in NBA franchise history.

Indiana finished first in the NBA in blocked shots with 460 and 6.4 per game. The Pacers finished with their second-highest average for blocks in NBA franchise history (6.5 in 1979-80). Despite missing 25 games due to injury this season, Myles Turner finished second in the NBA with 159 rejections.

Domantas Sabonis finished with his best NBA season in 2020-21 with 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. He became the first player in franchise history and the fifth player in NBA history to record averages of 20 or more points, 12 or more rebounds and six or more assists per game. He is the first player since Kevin Garnett in 2002-03 to post such averages in a season.

Sabonis finished 31st in the NBA in scoring, fourth in rebounding, 13th in assists, 23rd in field goal percentage (.535), 25th in steals (1.2) and fifth in minutes played (36.0). He also finished tied for fifth in the league with 48 double-doubles and fifth with a franchise-record nine triple-doubles.

After missing the final six games of April with a back injury, Sabonis posted four triple-doubles over a nine-game span in May while averaging 23.0 points, 14.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists. He finished with 21 points and 20 rebounds in the win at Cleveland May 10, becoming the fourth player in NBA franchise history to record multiple games with 20+ points and 20+ rebounds (Jermaine O’Neal, 2, 2002-03; Clark Kellogg, 2, 1982-83; Dan Roundfield, 2, 1977-78).

Acquired in January via trade, Caris LeVert set career highs in 2020-21 despite missing 24 games due to a medical condition after the trade. LeVert finished with averages of 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game, all of which were his highest numbers in his five-year NBA career.

T.J. McConnell finished the regular season as the NBA’s leader in steals with 128 thefts, which was 20 more than the next-leading player (Miami’s Jimmy Butler, 108). McConnell finished with career highs this season with 8.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.86 steals per game. He also shot a career-best 55.9 percent from the field, which led the team and ranked 15th in the NBA.

HORNETS TEAM NOTES

This season, the Charlotte Hornets had two of the league’s top 3-point shooters with guard Terry Rozier finishing fifth in total 3s with 222 while guard Devonte’ Graham knocked down 179 shots from beyond the arc, 14th best. Charlotte is one of three teams along with Utah (7. Jordan Clarkson: 208, 12. Joe Ingles, 183, 13. Bojan Bogdanovic: 180) and Dallas (8. Tim Hardaway Jr.: 207, 10. Luka Doncic: 192) with multiple players in the top 15 in made 3s this season as well as one of four teams with two or more players making at least 175 3s as Chicago also joins that group (Zach LaVine: 200, Nikola Vuecivic: 176).

Rozier and Graham are the first duo for the Hornets with 175 or more made 3s in the same season as Rozier’s 222 made 3s ended up as the fifth most in a season in franchise history while Graham’s now ninth in made 3s in a season with his 179. Rozier ranks averaging 3.2 3-point field goals made per game, which ranks 12th among league leaders while Graham is 11th in 3s per contest at 3.3 as only Charlotte and the Jazz (Donovan Mitchell: 3.4, Clarkson: 3.1) have two players within the top 15 in 3s per game.

Hornets forward Miles Bridges had an excellent third season, averaging 12.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting .503% from the field.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball returned from a 21-game hiatus due to injury and averaged 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game in his 10 games back. Ball totaled 27 points, six rebounds and six assists, his 10th game this season with at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, which is the third most by a rookie in their teens in NBA history as he passed Carmelo Anthony (8) on May 4 at Detroit and finished only behind Luka Doncic (17) and LeBron James (17). The first-year guard out of Chino Hills is second in franchise history in games with 20-5-5 by a first-year player, only behind Larry Johnson (16), as he totaled 17 20-point performances this season after scoring 22 points vs. New Orleans on May 9 for the fourth most in franchise history by a Hornets rookie surpassing Emeka Okafor (2004-05: 16). Since returning to action, Ball dished out at least five assists eight straight games from May 1-13 and nine of his 10 games and posted five-plus assists in 39 games this season.

In his first season, Ball averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists and 1.59 steals per game as he became just the 12th rookie in NBA history to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per outing in their debut season. He was just one of four players in the 2020-21 season to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals while appearing in at least 70% of their team’s contests along with Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butkler and Dejounte Murray as he ranked tied for 17th in assists and ninth in steals per game among league leaders this season. Ball ranks second in assists (313), third in 3s (92), tied for fifth in steals (81) and 10th in points (803) among the Hornets all-time rookie leaders as he was third in total points, second in assists and third in steals among rookies this season.

Hornets guard Terry Rozier had a strong season as he once again set a career-high in scoring with 43 points knocking down a career-best 16 field goals vs. New Orleans on May 9. Rozier also knocked down seven 3s as he totaled 24 points in the first half, tying his career-high for most points in the first half as he had 18 points in the second quarter alone.

Rozier has been stellar in the fourth quarter and in clutch moments for the Hornets as he scored 28 points vs. Orlando on May 7, including 18 second half points and 13 points in the fourth quarter. He has six games this season with 20+ points in the second half as he was one of 19 players with six or more 20-point second halves and one of 25 players with eight or more 20+-point halves this season. Rozier is averaging 3.3 points per game in 27 games played in clutch situations, the 19th best clutch scoring average, and averaging 0.5 3s per game in those instances, which is tied for fifth in the NBA.

Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson suspended, Spurs guard Patty Mills and forward Rudy Gay fined

Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson has been suspended one game without pay for headbutting San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills, and Mills and Spurs forward Rudy Gay have each been fined for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident began when Sampson and Mills were battling for rebounding position. It continued to the next possession when Mills made contact with Sampson and Sampson shoved Mills. Sampson then furthered the altercation by aggressively confronting and headbutting Mills. Sampson’s actions resulted in a Flagrant Foul 2 and an automatic ejection.

Mills received a technical foul and has been fined $25,000 for his role in the altercation. Gay also received a technical foul and has been fined $20,000 for escalating the incident by shoving Sampson.

The incident occurred with 9:32 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ 109-94 win over the Pacers on April 19 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Sampson will serve his suspension tonight when Indiana faces the Oklahoma City Thunder at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Pacers sign forward Oshae Brissett

The Indiana Pacers have signed forward Oshae Brissett to a standard NBA contract.

Brissett originally signed with the Pacers on a 10-day contact on April 1, followed by a second 10-day contract on April 11.

Previously this season, Brissett played with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G-League bubble, where he was named to the 2020-21 All-NBA G League Second Team.

Brissett spent his rookie season in 2019-20 on a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Pacers sign forward Oshae Brissett to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers signed forward Oshae Brissett to a 10-day contract today.

A 6-7 forward in his second professional season out of Syracuse University, Brissett recently completed the 2021 G League season as a member of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ affiliate in the NBA G League. Brissett appeared in 19 games for the Toronto Raptors during his rookie season in 2019-20.

The Pacers are 21-25 this season, which is the 9th best record in the Eastern conference.

Pacers’ T.J. Warren will not return until next season

The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday that T.J. Warren will be out for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

Warren underwent surgery on January 5 to repair a small left navicular stress fracture.

The Pacers are just 20-23 this season, which is the 9th best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers in 2020-21 are Malcolm Brogdon at 21.4 points per game, Domantas Sabonis at 20.1 ppg, Caris LeVert at 16.7 ppg (in 7 games played for the Pacers so far), and Warren at 15.5 ppg (in just 4 games played).