Raptors trade Goran Dragic to Spurs

The Toronto Raptors have acquired forwards Drew Eubanks and Thaddeus Young, along with a 2022 second round draft pick in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for guard Goran Dragic and a protected 2022 first round draft pick.

Eubanks, 6-foot-10, 245 pounds, is averaging 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 49 games (nine starts) this season. He is shooting .528 (84-159) from the field and has scored in double figures six times. Eubanks scored a career-high 18 points Nov. 10 vs. Sacramento and recorded his lone double-double of the year with 14 points and a season-best 11 rebounds Nov. 7 at Oklahoma City.

A native of Troutdale, Oregon, Eubanks owns career averages of 4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 11.7 minutes in 148 games (15 starts) all with the Spurs. He signed with San Antonio as an undrafted free agent in 2018 following three seasons at Oregon State (2015-18), where he was an All-Pac-12 Honourable Mention as a sophomore.

Young, 6-foot-8, 235 pounds, is posting averages of 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 14.2 minutes in 26 contests this season. He is shooting .578 (74-128) from the floor and has scored in double digits on eight occasions, including a season-high 17 points twice.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Young is in his 15th NBA season after being picked 12th overall by Philadelphia in the 2007 NBA Draft. Young holds career averages of 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 29.6 minutes in 1,059 games (711 starts) with Philadelphia, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Indiana, Chicago, and San Antonio. He has also reached the postseason eight times, averaging 10.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 29.2 minutes in 51 career playoff contests (17 starts). Prior to being drafted by the Sixers, Young played one season at Georgia Tech (2006-07).

Dragic is averaging 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 17.9 minutes in five games with the Raptors this season. He has been away from the team handling a personal matter for the last 33 games (Nov. 28 – Feb. 9). Dragic was acquired from Miami this past summer along with Precious Achiuwa as part of a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry.

Celtics trade Bol Bol and P.J. Dozier to Magic, who waive Michael Carter-Williams and E’Twaun Moore

The Orlando Magic have acquired center Bol Bol, guard P.J. Dozier, a future second round draft pick and cash considerations in a trade with the Boston Celtics for a future protected second round draft pick (2023, protected 31-55), President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

In addition, Orlando has waived guard Michael Carter-Williams and guard E’Twaun Moore.

Orlando also used a Traded Player Exception (TPE) to complete the deal. A TPE is what one team receives in exchange for a player traded to another team that can absorb that player into salary cap space.

Bol and Dozier were both acquired by Boston from Denver as part of a three-way trade on Jan. 19, 2022 that also included San Antonio. Juancho Hernangomez went to San Antonio and Bryn Forbes went to Denver in the trade.

Bol (7’2”, 220, 11/16/99) played in 14 games this season with Denver, averaging 2.4 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 5.8 minpg. He underwent surgery on his right foot on Jan. 18.

Originally selected in the second round (44th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Miami, Bol has played in 53 career NBA regular season games (two starts), all with Denver, averaging 2.7 ppg. and 1.2 rpg. in 6.2 minpg. He has also appeared in eight career NBA G League regular season games with Windy City, averaging 12.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg. and 2.25 blkpg. in 19.3 minpg.

Dozier (6’6”, 205, 10/25/96) played in 18 games this season with Denver, averaging 5.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg. and 1.6 apg. in 18.9 minpg. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Nov. 23 and will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Dozier has played in 105 career NBA regular season games (six starts) with Oklahoma City, Boston and Denver, averaging 6.4 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 18.0 minpg. He has also appeared in 107 career NBA G League regular season games (100 starts) with Oklahoma City, Maine and Windy City, averaging 17.9 ppg., 6.4 rpg., 5.2 apg. and 1.36 stlpg. in 32.8 minpg.

Carter-Williams (6’6”, 205, 10/10/91) has not played this season due to left ankle injury recovery. He underwent surgery on Aug. 23, 2021 to remove a bone fragment and to repair a ligament in his left ankle. Carter-Williams has appeared in 391 career NBA regular season games (217 starts) with Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte, Houston and Orlando, averaging 10.3 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 4.4 apg. and 1.27 stlpg. in 25.3 minpg. He was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the Magic on Mar. 15, 2019 and played in 88 games (25 starts) with the Magic, averaging 7.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 21.1 minpg.

Moore (6’3”, 190, 2/25/89) has not played this season due to a sprained left knee. He was signed as a free agent by Orlando on Sep. 9, 2021. Moore has appeared in 598 career NBA regular season games (191 starts) with Boston, Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and Phoenix, averaging 7.9 ppg., 2.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 21.0 minpg. He also spent two seasons with Orlando from 2012-14. Moore played in 154 regular season games (24 starts) with the Magic during that span, averaging 7.1 ppg., 2.1 apg. and 2.0 rpg. in 20.7 minpg.

On the new-look Sacramento Kings after Tyrese Haliburton trade

Here’s the Sacramento Bee on the new-look Kings, who recently made a controversial trade by sending talented youth away and getting experience in return:

With De’Aaron Fox working the perimeter and Domantas Sabonis manning the top of the key, setting screens at the 3-point line or making passes from the elbows, the Kings offense just seemed to make sense against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

The presence of Sabonis allowed Chimezie Metu to cut down the baseline and hammer home dunks fed by the new center’s creative passing. Sabonis’ floor vision, use of angles and positioning also led to 3-point shooters getting open looks.

It all led to a win, most importantly, with the Golden 1 Center crowd reaching a different level of intensity in the fourth quarter spurred by clutch shots, defensive stops and breakaway baskets. Wednesday’s victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 132-119, came in Sabonis’ Sacramento debut. It was a breath of fresh air, an oasis in a desert, hot chocolate on a cold day for a franchise that’s spent most of the season broiled in frustration.

One could even call it: fun.

Could the Kings become fun again? Say what you will about the decision to trade promising 21-year-old Tyrese Haliburton to get Sabonis from the Indiana Pacers. We’ve done that plenty. Sacramento’s new product on the court has the potential reach levels of fun that feel foreign to a team that’s missed the playoffs an NBA-high 15 consecutive seasons.

And the fun could come from a free-wheeling style that’s still in its infancy.

Steve Kerr pleasantly surprised by NBA coaching list honor

Here’s the Bay Area News Group, via the San Jose Mercury News, on Warriors head coach Steve Kerr being pleasantly surprised by an NBA coaching list honor:

When the NBA’s list of the top 15 coaches of all time was released Tuesday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it was “shocking” to see his name on it.

Kerr, who has won three championships and taken his team to the Finals five times in eight seasons with Golden State, was one of four active coaches to earn the honor, which was decided by a voting panel of all 30 current head coaches and 13 more former head men.

“I didn’t anticipate that,” Kerr said Wednesday before tipoff against the Utah Jazz. “It was very humbling and an incredible honor to see my name on that list. But I also know it’s a direct result of having incredible talent on our roster. If you look at that list, pretty much every coach would agree the reason they’re on there is because they were blessed with great talent and then were able to have success.”

With eight seasons under his belt, Kerr is the most junior of all of the coaches on the list, but his .696 winning percentage is second only to Phil Jackson and his three NBA championships are more than all but four others: Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), Pat Riley (5), Gregg Popovich (5).

Kerr’s success has continued this season, as the Warriors are only behind the Phoenix Suns in overall league standings.

Raptors now on a 7-game winning streak

Here’s the Toronto Star on the red-hot Raptors who tonight won their 7th game in a row:

The Raptors love to hunt mismatches with their egalitarian offence — because they have a handful of big, strong wings who can exploit them — and they were operating at near top efficiency for a large part of their outing Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.

If Pascal Siakam wasn’t bullying the slender Aleksej Pokuševski, OG Anunoby was toying with teenage Josh Giddey, and Scottie Barnes bullied his way through Tre Mann a time or two as Toronto stretched its win streak to a season-high seven games with a 117-98 victory over the Thunder.

“I think they continue to move it around and exploit what’s there,” Nick Nurse said after the game. “(I’m) pretty happy with the drawing of multiple defenders and then just taking what’s there. Those five (starters) just continue to find each other and … (there) seems to be a pretty even (shot) distribution going on now, which is good.”

Three-team NBA trade sends Joe Ingles to Trail Blazers, Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Jazz

The Utah Jazz have acquired guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Portland Trail Blazers and forward Juancho Hernangomez from the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team trade, sending Portland forward Joe Ingles, guard/forward Elijah Hughes and a future second-round draft pick. The Spurs received guard Tomas Satoransky from Portland and a future second-round draft pick from the Jazz.

Ingles, 34, averaged 7.2 points (40.4% FG, 34.7% 3-PT, 77.3%), 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 45 games (15 starts) for the Jazz this season. A veteran forward in his eighth NBA season, Ingles played professionally in his home country of Australia as well as Spain and Israel prior to signing with Utah in 2014. Ingles (6-8, 220) holds career averages of 8.6 points (44.9% FG, 40.8% 3-PT, 76.8% FT), 3.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 0.92 steals in 590 career games (313 starts) for the Jazz. The runner-up for the 2020-21 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, Ingles suffered a torn left ACL on January 30.

Hughes, 23, is averaging career-highs of 3.1 points (41.7% FG, 35.7% 3-PT, 100% FT), 1.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 14 games (one start) for the Jazz this season. The second-year guard out of Syracuse was selected with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. The New York-native holds career averages of 2.3 points (37.9% FG, 35.3% 3-PT, 85.7% FT), 0.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 32 career games (one start).

Alexander-Walker (6-5, 205, Virginia Tech) is in his third NBA season, averaging 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists (all career-highs) in 26.3 minutes per contest. He’s totaled six games with 20-or-more points, two games with 30-plus points and two double-doubles during the 2021-22 season.

For his career, Alexander-Walker has played in 143 games (33 starts), all for the New Orleans Pelicans, with career averages of 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. The Toronto, Ontario, Canada-native was originally drafted in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft (17th overall) by Brooklyn (traded to New Orleans on draft night).

Hernangomez (6-9, 215, Spain) is in his sixth NBA season, appearing in 23 games in 2021-22 with Boston and San Antonio. For his career, he owns averages of 5.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 280 games (57 starts) with Denver (2016-20), Minnesota (2019-21), Boston and San Antonio (2021-22). He was originally drafted by Denver in the first round (15th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft).

The 26-year-old has additional professional playing experience in Spain where he began his career with Estudiantes of the ACB in 2013-14. He spent three seasons with Estudiantes (2013-16), and in his final season with the club, averaged 9.7 points on 45.5 percent from the field and 5.7 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per contest.

Nuggets reportedly looking to add a perimeter defender

Here’s the Denver Post on what the Nuggets might be looking to accomplish in the next day:

The Nuggets are actively in search of a perimeter defender ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, sources told The Denver Post.

The major obstacle they’ve run into has been their available trade chips and, specifically, the aggregate contracts they’d use to acquire such a defender, one source said. The goal, with next season in mind as well, has always been to land a player who wouldn’t be just a rental.

The Nuggets are 30-24 this season, which is the sixth best record in the Western conference.

Magic guard Cole Anthony has had Slam Dunk contest in mind for a long time

Magic guard Cole Anthony has been waiting for a particular opportunity for a very long time. Via the Orlando Sentinel:

Cole Anthony hasn’t forgotten his first dunk.

He was in the seventh grade — either 12 or 13 years old — when he threw down a left-handed slam for his first dunk. From there Anthony, who’s known to not lack confidence, proceeded to go for more challenging attempts.

“Immediately after that, I was trying to windmill,” he said. “From there, I was just trying to do more and more dunks.”

Anthony will have the opportunity to show off his dunking ambition and creativity in the NBA’s Dunk Contest on Feb. 19 in Cleveland as part of All-Star Weekend.

He described the opportunity as “a life-long dream of mine since before I could dunk.”

Heat trade KZ Okpala to Thunder, who waive Mamadi Diakite

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded for forward KZ Okpala and will receive amendments on the conditions of a previously traded draft pick from the Miami Heat in exchange for the least favorable of its 2026 second-round draft picks.

In a related move, the Thunder has released forward Mamadi Diakite.

Okpala (6-8, 215) has appeared in 21 games this season and is averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game. He has played in 63 games (nine starts) over three seasons with the Heat and holds career averages of 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game.

The Thunder and Heat will amend the 2023 first-round pick the Heat had previously owed the Thunder, whereas two years of protections will be eliminated, and that pick will now be owed to the Thunder starting in 2025 (1-14 protected) and then will convey as unprotected in 2026.

NBA trade sends CJ McCollum from Trail Blazers to Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans have acquired CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

In exchange, New Orleans sent Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, Tomáš Satoranský, a protected 2022 first round draft pick, and two future second round draft picks to the Blazers.

“On behalf of the Trail Blazers organization, I want to thank CJ McCollum for the integral role he has played in the success of the franchise over the last nine seasons and for his countless acts of service to the Portland community,” said Trail Blazers Interim General Manager Joe Cronin. “CJ has cemented himself in Trail Blazers history with his elite skill level and memorable moments on the court as well as with the work ethic, professionalism and generosity he displays behind the scenes.”

“I also want to thank Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell and Cody Zeller for their contributions to the organization and community this season,” Cronin continued. “We wish all four players success moving forward.”

McCollum, 6-3, 190, has appeared in 36 games (all starts) for Portland this season, averaging 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 35.2 minutes per game while shooting .436 from the field and .384 from deep. Drafted tenth overall by Portland in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Lehigh, the nine-year NBA veteran has appeared in 564 career games (467 starts) with the Blazers, averaging 19.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per game while shooting .453 from the field and .396 from deep. McCollum has also appeared in 57 career playoff games (47 starts) throughout his career, averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 35.1 minutes per contest.

Nance Jr., 6-7, 245, has appeared in 37 games (11 starts) for Portland this season, averaging 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.2 minutes per game. Drafted 27th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Wyoming, Nance Jr. has appeared in 387 career games (134 starts) with Portland, Cleveland, and the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 8.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.1 minutes per game.

Snell, 6-6, 213, has appeared in 38 games (10 starts) for Portland this season, averaging 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game. Drafted 20th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft out of New Mexico, Snell has appeared in 586 career games (308 starts) with Portland, Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago, averaging 6.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. Snell has also appeared in 47 career playoff games (8 starts) throughout his career, averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per contest.

Alexander-Walker, 6-5, 205, whose draft rights were originally acquired by the Pelicans from the Atlanta Hawks via trade on July 7, 2019, has appeared in 50 games (19 starts) for the Pelicans this season, averaging 12.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. In three seasons with New Orleans, Alexander-Walker appeared in 143 games (33 starts), averaging 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.

Hart, 6-5, 215, who was originally acquired by the Pelicans from the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade on July 6, 2019, appeared in 41 games (40 starts) for New Orleans this season, averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 33.5 minutes per game. Hart has appeared in 283 career games (105 starts) with New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers, holding averages of 9.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.0 minutes per game.

Louzada, 6-5, 210, whose draft rights were originally acquired by the Pelicans from the Atlanta Hawks via trade on July 7, 2019, appeared in five games off the bench for the Pelicans over the last two seasons, averaging 1.6 points and 1.0 rebound in 12.6 minutes per game.

Satoranský, 6-7, 210, who was originally acquired by New Orleans from the Chicago Bulls on August 8, 2021, appeared in 32 games (three starts) for the Pelicans this season, averaging 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 15.0 minutes per game. Satoranský has appeared in 365 career games (172 starts) over six seasons with New Orleans, Chicago, and Washington, averaging 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 22.4 minutes per game.