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Three-team trade sends George Hill to Sixers, Austin Rivers to Thunder, Terrance Ferguson to Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced today that the team has acquired George Hill from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ignas Brazdeikis from the New York Knicks in a three-team trade.

Philadelphia sent Tony Bradley and two second-round picks (2025 and 2026) to Oklahoma City and Terrance Ferguson, Vincent Poirier, the rights to Emir Preldžić, a 2021 second-round pick and Miami’s 2024 second-round pick (protected Nos. 31-55) to New York.

The Knicks also traded Austin Rivers to Oklahoma City as part of the deal.

In his 13th NBA season, Hill has appeared in 14 games (all starts) with the Thunder, averaging 11.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. He’s shot .508 from the field, .386 from beyond the arc and .840 from the free-throw line. Hill posted a season-high 22 points on Jan. 24 at the L.A. Clippers, shooting 9-12 from the field and 3-4 from three-point range and has scored in double figures in nine of his 14 contests this season.

All told, Hill has seen action in 799 career games (463 starts) with Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Sacramento, Utah, Indiana and San Antonio, averaging 11.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 27.7 minutes per contest. Last season’s NBA leader in three-point percentage (.460), he’s shot .384 from beyond the arc in his career. A two-way talent, Hill has collected more than 700 steals in his career and is one of nine active players shooting at least 38-percent from three-point range in 20,000-or-more career minutes. Hill’s teams have made the playoffs in 11 of his 12 NBA seasons as he’s seen action in 127 postseason games (91 starts), boosting his scoring average to 12.1 points in those contests.

A native of Indianapolis, Hill played collegiately at IUPUI, earning Summit League Player of the Year honors in his final season, before he was selected by San Antonio with the No. 26 overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Brazdeikis has played in 13 NBA games over two seasons with New York. Most recently, he appeared in 12 NBA G League games with the Westchester Knicks during single-site play at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando. With Westchester, Brazdeikis averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 34.1 minutes per game. He and the 76ers’ Paul Reed were the only two players to average at least 20 points and nine rebounds during the 2021 NBA G League season.

Brazdeikis was originally selected by Sacramento with the No. 47 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, following a standout 2018-19 season at Michigan, during which he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He averaged 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per game as he helped lead the Wolverines to a 30-7 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Originally from Lithuania, Brazdeikis grew up in Canada and has represented the country internationally, earning a silver medal at the 2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship.

Bradley, Ferguson and Poirier were acquired by Philadelphia prior to the 2020-21 season. Bradley has played in 20 games this season, Ferguson has seen action in 13 and Poirier has appeared in 10. The rights to Emir Preldžić were originally acquired by Philadelphia on Feb. 6, 2019.

Ferguson, 6-6, 190-pounds, has appeared in 204 NBA games (124 starts), averaging 4.5 points and 1.3 rebounds over 19.6 minutes in four seasons with Oklahoma City and Philadelphia. He has appeared in 13 games for Philadelphia this season. The Tulsa-OK native, was originally selected by Oklahoma City with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Poirier, 7-0, 235-pounds, has appeared in 32 games, averaging 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds over two seasons with Boston and Philadelphia. The Clamart, France native was originally signed by Boston as a free agent on July 15, 2019.

Brazdeikis, 6-7, 214-pounds appeared in 13 games for New York, averaging 1.5 points over 4.6 minutes over two seasons. He was originally selected by Sacramento in the second round (47th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft and had his draft rights traded to New York.

Rivers, 6-4, 204-pounds appeared in 21 games (two starts) for New York this season, averaging 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists over 21.0 minutes. He was originally acquired by New York from Houston on November 27, 2020.

Bradley (6-10, 260) has appeared in 20 games (eight starts) with the 76ers this season, recording averages of 5.5 points and a career-high 5.2 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per contest, shooting a career-best 68.0 percent from the floor. The UNC product has made appearances in 90 career games (11 starts) and averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 11.3 minutes, shooting 64.6 percent from the field.

Center Mitchell Robinson set to return for Knicks

The Knicks are set to welcome center Mitchell Robinson back to action. Via the New York Daily News:

The Knicks center, who has missed 15 straight games with a broken hand, was cleared to play ahead of Sunday against the Sixers at the Garden. Robinson was officially listed as questionable because the team wanted to see how he responded to Saturday’s afternoon practice, but then the center tweeted, “I feel toooooo gooooodddd bro I’m ready.”

Coach Tom Thibodeau said the plan is to eventually integrate Robinson back into the starting lineup, even though Nerlens Noel has performed well in his extended absence.

The Knicks are 21-21 this season, which ties them with the Hornets for the 6th best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Julius Randle at 22.9 points per game, and RJ Barrett at 17.2 ppg.

Knicks guard Derrick Rose out due to health and safety protocols

The Knicks were without guard Derrick Rose tonight and likely won’t have his services for the coming days. Via New York Newsday:

The Knicks announced shortly before game time Tuesday that Derrick Rose was out because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, meaning he will be lost to the team at least through the All-Star break.

While the Knicks did not disclose whether Rose had tested positive or if he was subject to contact tracing, even just the tracing would put him out of action. When Frank Ntilikina was sidelined because of it, he had to remain quarantined in a Miami hotel room for a week. Rose will have to remain in the team hotel in San Antonio. The Knicks have one more game Thursday against Detroit before the break.

The Knicks have been playing a better season than anyone expected, and if the season ended today would make the playoffs. There’s a long way to go, of course, but this season has been a big step in the right direction for the squad.

In 10 games played for the Knicks this season, Rose is averaging 12.5 points and 4.9 assists in 24.6 minutes per outing.

In Knicks win over Pacers, Julius Randle continued his fine play

It’s always cool when NBA players admit to being motivated by the team or players they’re up against. Via the NY Daily News:

Julius Randle showed why he was an All-Star selection over Domantas Sabonis.

In a head-to-head physical battle between the two powerful forwards, Randle won the box score and the game, 110-107, pushing the Knicks (17-17) to .500 for the first time since January.

Randle finished with 28 points and 10 boards in 42 minutes, fighting Sabonis on the block and in the paint.

Randle acknowledged he was motivated by the matchup.

“Sometimes there are just individual matchups that you take — not personal or nothing, like you don’t like the other guy, just personal from a competitive standpoint,” Randle said. “So it was that.”

The Knicks are outperforming expectations this season and are now tied with the Raptors for the East’s 4th best record. They’re the most fun-to-watch Knicks squad in recent memory. And they’re doing it with defense: the team ranks 3rd best in the league.

Derrick Rose will initially come off bench for Knicks

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is very happy to once again have Derrick Rose on his team. Via the NY Post:

The Knicks got “one of the elite players in this league’’ for Dennis Smith Jr. That’s at least the take of Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who has a blind spot for Derrick Rose.

Thibodeau said Rose will “initially’’ come off the bench and is happy to hear his favorite player tell him the great shape he is in.

Using the word “initially’’ could mean Elfrid Payton, the Knicks’ starting point guard, should be on alert if his play does not stay up to standards.

Thibodeau has raved about Payton’s defense, but now he’s got one of his favorite players of all time on his side in Rose. Thibodeau has coached Rose in Chicago, Minnesota and now New York…

A Pistons source said Rose’s production dropped off after 25 or so minutes and they kept him on an unofficial minutes restriction. But Thibodeau has always had a soft spot, despite the knee surgeries, for Rose, who won the league’s MVP award in Chicago 10 years ago when he was 22 and Thibodeau was his head coach.

Last season for the Pistons, Rose mostly came off the bench but put up starter numbers: 18.1 points and 5.6 assists in 26.0 minutes per game, shooting an impressive 49% FG.

This season for the Pistons, Rose came off the bench for all 15 games played, but was a less productive, putting up 14.2 points and 5.2 assists in 22.8 minutes per outing, shooting 43% FG.

Pistons trade Derrick Rose to Knicks for Dennis Smith Jr. and draft pick

The New York Knicks have acquired guard Derrick Rose in a trade with the Detroit Pistons for guard Dennis Smith Jr. and a 2021 second round draft pick (via Charlotte).

Rose, 6-3, 200-pounds, has appeared in 611 NBA games (504 starts) recording 18.7 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds over 12 seasons with Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minnesota and Detroit. In 15 games with Detroit this season, he is averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 assists and 1.9 rebounds over 22.8 minutes.

The Chicago-native returns to New York, where he previously spent one season with the Knicks, after being acquired from Chicago via trade on Jun. 22, 2016. He averaged 18.0 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds over 32.5 minutes in 64 games (all starts) as a Knick.

Career highlights for the first-overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft include: 2011 NBA MVP; 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year; three consecutive NBA All-Star selections (2010, 2011, 2012); 2009 NBA All-Rookie Team; two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Month; five-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week and three-time Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month.

Smith Jr., 6-2, 205, was the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks and went to New York as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade on January 31, 2019. In 159 career games (122 starts), the 23-year-old has averaged 12.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals with Dallas and New York. In his rookie season, he averaged a career-high 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2017-18. He was also selected to play in the 2018 Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, CA.

“We welcome Dennis Smith Jr. to the Pistons family. Adding another young player who was a high draft pick alongside a draft asset advances our goals in building for the future,” said Troy Weaver, Detroit Pistons General Manager. “We thank Derrick Rose for his contributions on and off the court during his time as a Piston and wish him and his family well as they move forward.”

A native of Fayetteville, NC, Smith Jr. played one collegiate season at North Carolina State University where he was named ACC Freshman of the Year after averaging a school-freshman record 18.1 points and 6.2 assists per game. He also garnered All -ACC Second Team honors.

Nets are much-improved in TV ratings department

The Nets are rising in the TV ratings department. Via the New York Post:

James Harden hasn’t faced the Knicks in his new Brooklyn uniform but he’s already beating them.

Harden was obtained in a blockbuster trade on Jan. 13, hours before the Nets played the Knicks at the Garden.

The Nets, since Harden’s first game, are averaging 122,000 viewers per game to the Knicks’ 111,000 viewers, based on Nielsen ratings, according to sources.

This isn’t a surprise. The Knicks are playing respectable basketball this season but are in a rebuilding state. While the Nets have three of the NBA’s best and most popular players, are still working out team chemistry, especially on the defensive end, but are focused on competing for the 2021 NBA championship and should certainly make the playoffs.

Former Knicks player Harthorne Wingo has died

Former Knicks player Harthorne Wingo has died. Via New York Newsday:

The names of the players on the last Knicks championship team, the 1972-73 squad, still echo through Madison Square Garden, with six of their jerseys hanging in the rafters. And while he was not one of the stars like Walt Frazier or Willis Reed, Harthorne Wingo was for a time nearly as familiar.

As the Knicks moved from a powerhouse to a struggling franchise, the chants of “De-fense” were swapped with a cry of “Harthorne Wingo,” for the popular 6-9 forward. The Knicks announced on Monday that Wingo passed away Saturday at the age of 73.

It was no coincidence that he captured the hearts of New Yorkers and not just for his name. Wingo, who had grown up in North Carolina, was one of the early students to integrate high schools and sports in the state. He then played a year at Friendship Junior College before deciding to move up to New York, where he displayed his athleticism on the courts at Rucker Park. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in the Rucker Pro League.

Via the New York Post:

Wingo, a North Carolina native, played four seasons with the 1970s Knicks before going overseas. Wingo was a bit player on the 1972-73 championship team playing in 13 games, averaging four minutes.

But later on, the undrafted 6-foot-6 forward became a fan favorite and was immortalized in the Beastie Boys song “Lay It On Me” with the lyric: “My favorite New York Knick was Harthorne Wingo.” …

Wingo was tall and gangly and known for an awkward jump shot that captivated fans when it actually went in. His career scoring average was 4.8 points, but he played in all 82 games in the 1974-75 season, shooting 46 percent.

Wingo’s NBA career was short, but he was well-liked and a fan favorite. He will be missed.

R.J. Barrett having good season for Knicks

Young Knicks swingman R.J. Barrett is turning some heads lately. Via the New York Newsday:

When the offensively challenged Knicks won at Golden State on Thursday to begin a four-game road trip, it seemed worth noting that RJ Barrett had led the way with a career-high 28 points.

But when Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau talked about Barrett after the game, he made his way through a number of compliments and never got to the scoring output as something worth praising…

While Julius Randle has been the offensive leader for the Knicks, Barrett has emerged as a steady sidekick. His offense has not always been steady, but his play has been. After Thursday’s game, they were tied atop the NBA in total minutes played at 593 (37.1 per game). They have teamed up for a heavy workload, helping spearhead a defensive unit that has allowed the fewest points per game in the league at 102.8.

The Knicks are a solid 8-8 this season, and have played better than many people expected. They are being lead in scoring by Julius Randle at 22.4 points per game, Alec Burks at 18.3 ppg (though in just four games played), Barrett at 17.8 ppg, and Elfrid Payton at 13.3 ppg.

G League: Westchester Knicks hire Jaren Jackson Sr., promote Ryan Borges

The Westchester Knicks, the official NBA G League affiliate of the New York Knicks, announced the hiring of Jaren Jackson Sr. as an assistant coach and the promotion of Ryan Borges to Assistant General Manager.

Jackson Sr. joins second-year head coach Derrick Alston’s ranks with a 13-year professional playing career under his belt and 18 years’ worth of coaching experience.

His professional career spanned from 1989-2002, highlighted by a 1998-99 NBA World Championship won with the San Antonio Spurs under esteemed head coach, Gregg Popovich. Jackson Sr. has also played on eight other NBA teams, four Continental Basketball Association (CBA) teams, a World Basketball League (WBL) team, and a European Basketball League (FIBA-France) team.

A former Georgetown letterwinner, Jackson Sr.’s coaching resume commences at his alma mater, includes head coaching stints in the CBA, NBLC and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League (2008-10) and opportunities at the NBPA Top 100 Camp and NBA Assistant Coaches Program. For the last five years, Jackson Sr. has been an on-air talent serving as the Mad Ants’ Color Analyst.

Borges was elevated to Assistant General Manager of the Westchester Knicks-the first position of its kind. Having been with The Madison Square Garden Company since 2014, Borges’ journey in the Mecca started as the New York Knicks Basketball Operations Student Associate prior to ascension as the Westchester Knicks Manager of Basketball Operations.

As Manager, Borges has been an integral part of Westchester’s scouting, trading acquisitions, and logistical needs, including travel, of coaching staff, front office and players. Serving as the main conduit between basketball and business operations, Borges has been instrumental in the managing of housing and lodging of the players and visiting teams on their organization’s behalf, and off-court player development.

Westchester returns Allen Deep as Assistant Coach, Yen Pham as Athletic Trainer and Mike Atkinson as Strength and Conditioning Coach and adds Joel Garcia as Video Coordinator.

For its seventh season, the Knicks will be one of 17 NBA G League teams to participate at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando beginning next month.