KeithSmithNBA
I write and talk about the NBA, especially the salary cap, CBA and roster construction stuff. I do these things for Spotrac, NBA Front Office Show and The Basketball Bulletin. Any nonsense you see here is from me, not my employers.
- Suns are actually about $2.4M under the tax. Forgot to add the tax credit from Mark Williams suspension earlier this season.
- With under 2.5 hours to go until the NBA Trade Deadline we've seen: 24 trades involving 62 unique players (some have been traded more than once) and 35 unique draft picks (as reported). The only teams to not make a trade yet are: Nuggets Rockets Pacers Heat Spurs
- Moving Chris Boucher is about tax savings and clearing a roster spot. Was never able to secure a rotation role with the Celtics.
- The Phoenix Suns are now about $2.2M under the luxury tax after their trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Note: It's unclear if/when Haywood Highsmith will be able to play. He's still in the recovery process from offseason knee surgery and no targeted return date has been given for Highsmith.
- The Brooklyn Nets have waived Haywood Highsmith. This was necessary to complete the three-team deal with the LA Clippers and Toronto Raptors, which has now gone official.
- A lot of seconds have been parts of some pretty good trades in recent years, including this week.
- It's about flexibility and picking up future assets. Most of the guys they've acquired this week won't stick long-term. They've traded very little cap flexibility, while adding a bunch of assets.
- Outside of the kind of weird trade for Guerschon Yabusele (and it's by no means bad), the Bulls have done pretty well at the trade deadline so far. Need to rebalance this roster big-time, but they've picked up a lot of nice assets this week.
- Our (loose & flexible) plan for @frontofficeshow.bsky.social today: Trevor & I will be LIVE by 1 PM ET, straight through the 3 PM ET trade deadline and probably a while after too. Best way to make sure you don't miss out whatever time we start is to subscribe: www.youtube.com/@NBAFrontOff...
- Under eight hours to go until the NBA Trade Deadline. Should be a fun and busy day. But first...coffee!
- Quick CHI-NYK trade thoughts: 🏀Bulls needed someone who wasn't a guard on the roster. Yabusele can help just by adding size to the new-look rotation. 🏀Knicks get out of tiny bit of money this year. But out of Yabu's money for next year, which is important for a team with tight margins.
- Quick TOR-GSW trade thoughts: 🏀I like Jackson-Davis for the Raptors a lot. He's been out of the Warriors rotation over the last couple of years, but the player we all liked as a rookie is still in there. Good fit in Toronto's offensive system as a facilitator/ball-mover.
- Quick GSW-ATL trade thoughts: 🏀Porzingis will be awesome for GSW...if they can get and keep him on the floor. 🏀Good fresh start for Kuminga, but is the PT there with Johnson and Risacher in place? 🏀Not sure how Hield fits either. Maybe Atlanta has another trade coming?
- Philadelphia 76ers roster and two-way situation: The Sixers are down to 13 players on standard contracts after trading Jared McCain to the Thunder and with Charles Bassey's 10 Day contract expiring. 1/3
- Trades that went official late-night last night: 🏀Tyus Jones from ORL to CHA, Pat Connaughton waived 🏀Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng from CHA to CHI for Coby White, Mike Conley
- The Charlotte Hornets have waive Pat Connaughton. This will open the roster spot for Tyus Jones.
- NBA teams who have not been involved in a completed or reported trade thus far this trade season: Nuggets Warriors Rockets Pacers Lakers Heat Bucks Pelicans Knicks Suns Spurs NBA trade deadline is a little more than 16 hours away!
- Max Shulga is making his NBA debut tonight. He's the 526th player to suit up for the Boston Celtics in franchise history.
- Really good win for the Knicks. Sometimes after a tough call goes against you and extends a game, things get away from you. Knicks locked in and got a big win. Celtics are blowing out the Rockets in Houston, so Boston and New York stay tied for second in the East.
- Pervis Ellison taught a teenage me the lesson that "hurt players tend to stay hurt" by missing a ton of time when he was a Celtics. Earned his less-complimentary nickname of "Out of Service" Pervis too.
- "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison getting a shoutout on the Celtics broadcast! Happened because Neemias Queta is putting together a monster all-around game not seen since Ellison was a Celtic: 10 points 16 rebounds 5 blocks 2 steals
- Orlando had high hopes for Tyus Jones to fill the backup PG role. Never really worked out. Jones' shooting has fallen off the planet from his norm and he's been on the fringes of the rotation when the Magic backcourt is even semi-healthy. 1/2
- Charlotte will need to clear a roster spot for Tyus Jones. That will come via another deal, or they'll acquire and waive/buyout Mike Conley, then will acquire Jones. Jones will go into most of the remainder of the Non-Taxpayer MLE as a TPE.
- The Orlando Magic are now under the luxury tax by trading Tyus Jones. Orlando will be about $1.4M under the tax with two open roster spots.
- Oh man, that's a tough call against Mikal Bridges, especially in that spot. Not sure that's a foul.
- The Celtics built a big lead, but Kevin Durant is in the middle of taking over. Boston is going to have to keep scoring themselves here to hold off Houston.
- The RON HARPER JR breakout game!
- On defense, Boston is playing miles off Amen Thompson. They're helping off Alperen Sengun when he's at the arc too. That's allowing them to load to the ball on the strongside. In addition, Ron Harper Jr. is working his tail off to stay tight to Kevin Durant every trip.
- Joe Mazzulla tweaked the Celtics offense late in the first half and into the second half. They are running a ton more PnR. Rockets are dropping back and Boston is walking into threes. When Houston switches, Boston involves the bigs on the move.
- The Hospital Celtics ride again!
- FWIW, I had a chance to see Koprivica when he was at two different local high schools near me. He's a legit 7-footer. Had a solid sophomore year at FSU, then has played overseas since. Probably never going to come to the NBA, but he's not a zero as a player either.
- Why would OKC do this? OKC has traded out a decent chunk of their 2nd-rounders. All of their current draft rights players aren't eligible to be traded, because they are too old to reasonably come to the NBA. Koprivica gives OKC something they can put into a future trade, without giving up a pick.
- Luka Garza tried a DHO, a flare pass, a swing pass and none were open, so he just made a three instead.
- Minor trade from earlier today: The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired the drafts rights for Balsa Koprivica from the Utah Jazz for cash considerations.
- The trade of Jared McCain to the Thunder is now official.
- Celtics-Rockets isn't going to the Hall of Fame for offensive basketball. Both teams are grinding it out right now.
- I love trades and all, but my favorite thing about basketball is, well, basketball. It would be nice to chill with trades for a couple of hours to just watch some games. Probably wishful thinking this close to the deadline!
- Ron Harper Jr. is getting his first career start tonight for the shorthanded Celtics. Double-big for Boston too. Payton Pritchard again off the bench. Neemias Queta Luka Garza Baylor Scheierman Ron Harper Jr. Derrick White Let's get weird!
- Mason Plumlee, then Jared McCain, will be the first new non-rookie players that the Oklahoma City Thunder have added to their roster this season. OKC hadn't added a veteran player until this week at the trade deadline.
- Jokic stayed in after the Nuggets called a timeout and they took a look at him. Disaster averted!
