NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz on Paul Millsap, Tyson Chandler and More
January 9th, 2017 by Jared Johnson No comments »
The NBA trade deadline is about a month-and-a-half away. But the rumor mill is already buzzing with plenty of information about who could be on the move and where they might be going.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' acquisition of Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks last Saturday may have kick-started the league's trade season. Let's focus at a few other players who have recently appeared in rumors and discuss each of their situations.
Paul Millsap
Now that Korver is gone, the Hawks are just one player away from completely dismantling the starting lineup that led the team to 60 wins during the 2014-15 season.
That player is three-time All-Star power forward Paul Millsap, but even he could be gone in the next month or so. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Hawks are listening to calls for Millsap and would like any offer to include at least one high-quality first-round pick. ...
NHL Power Rankings: B/R Experts’ Week 14 Poll
January 9th, 2017 by Jonathan Willis No comments »
It’s been an eventful three weeks since we last updated the NHL power rankings here at Bleacher Report, but with the holidays behind us, our panel of hockey writers reconvened to take a look around the league.
The timing is excellent. The Columbus Blue Jackets were dominant over the interim, pushing their franchise-record winning streak to 16 games but came back to earth this week with a pair of losses. The end of that run has reopened the conversation as to which team is the best in the league, though with one or two possible exceptions, that discussion is largely confined to the murderer’s row at the top of the Metropolitan Division.
It isn’t just at the top that there’s serious debate over which team is best. Playoff battles are starting to come into focus around the league as we enter the back half of the year. For teams on the cusp of ...
James Harden vs. Raptors: Stats, Highlights and Reaction
January 8th, 2017 by Rob Goldberg No comments »
James Harden continued his incredible season with another triple-double Sunday, leading the 30-9 Houston Rockets to a 129-122 win over the Toronto Raptors.
Although his 10 turnovers might make some headlines, the rest of the guard's numbers were eye-popping, via ESPN.com:
Here are some highlights of Harden's effort:
Houston got off to a terrible start, trailing the Raptors by 10 points at the end of the first quarter. It was the bench, especially Eric Gordon, that helped the Rockets get back into the game, cutting the Toronto lead down to just 63-61 at halftime.
Harden had a big third quarter to keep Houston in the game, going into the fourth just short of a triple-double with 32 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
He also had this buzzer-beater to cut the Raptors' lead to four after three quarters, via NBA on ESPN:
Houston came alive from there, outscoring Toronto 34-23 in the final period to secure the ...
Best Potential 2016-17 NBA Trade Deadline Targets for Oklahoma City Thunder
January 8th, 2017 by Vytis Lasaitis No comments »
At 22-16, the Oklahoma City Thunder are seventh in the Western Conference and six games in the clear for the playoffs. With a real chance to compete for first-round home-court advantage, it's only reasonable to explore the trade market.
The Thunder entered the season with a young roster and unclear expectations, but Russell Westbrook's heroics have propelled the team forward and OKC could look to bolster its roster immediately.
Perimeter shooting remains shaky, and despite Victor Oladipo and Steven Adams being excellent players, the team still lacks a reliable secondary scorer. According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, that's what OKC is looking for, but finding the right trade could be tricky.
OKC could make noise in the playoffs with a solid veteran addition, but it may come at the cost of developing talent. One way or another, wing depth remains a huge weakness following Kevin Durant's departure in the offseason.
The candidates in the following slides ...
Dallas Stars’ Team Plane Had to Make Emergency Landing Due to Electrical Issue
January 8th, 2017 by Joseph Zucker No comments »
The Dallas Stars announced Sunday they had to make an emergency landing on their flight to Los Angeles as a result of an electrical issue.
After landing safely, the team boarded a new plane ahead of Monday's game against the Los Angeles Kings.
According to Kelsey Landis of the Star-Telegram, smoke entered the cockpit shortly after the plane departed St. Louis. St. Louis Downtown Airport Fire Department Chief Mike Mavrogeorge said an electrical issue may have caused the smoke but that there was no fire.
Brittany Ludwig of KSDK in St. Louis shared a photo of the plane on the tarmac:
The plane was carrying 50 passengers, the Stars and members of the organization, per Landis. Team media relations manager Ben Fromstein said there were no injuries.Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
Ranking Top 5 NBA Stars at Every Position: Early 2017 Edition
January 8th, 2017 by Zach Buckley No comments »
The NBA crashed into the new year with its superstar collection bursting at the seams.
The old basketball guard has yet to vacate its posts, with 30-somethings like LeBron James and Chris Paul still bringing nightly dominance inside the lines. But the new in-prime group has forced its way up the pecking order, and the Association's youth looks skilled beyond its years.
Russell Westbrook and James Harden are promising to make 2017 the year of the triple-double. Anthony Davis has officially crashed the elite party, albeit a year later than many expected. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns are showing superstars don't have to follow any player models or typical ascension timelines.
This absurdly rich collection of talent demands hoop heads live in the now, which makes a perfect setup for these rankings. This isn't about forecasting the future or celebrating the past—we're stacking up the top stars at each position and ...
Isaiah Austin Signs with Adriatic League Team FMP: Contract Details, Reaction
January 7th, 2017 by Joe Pantorno No comments »
Former Baylor standout Isaiah Austin has signed a deal with Serbian team FMP of the Adriatic League, international basketball reporter David Pick reported Saturday.
The figures of his contract have not been disclosed yet.
The 7'1" big man, who played with a prosthetic right eye, was expected to be a first-round talent after two successful years at Baylor in which he averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, via Sports-Reference.com.
But just days before the 2014 NBA draft, he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. It's a genetic disease that could affect the heart, and it looked as though it would permanently end his playing career.
In one of the classiest moves by the NBA during draft night, though, the league honorarily drafted him:
The 23-year-old returned to Baylor to finish his degree while raising awareness for Marfan syndrome. He also published a memoir about his life and his struggles against the disorder.
But on ...
Tyson Chandler Trade Rumors: Latest News, Speculation Surrounding Suns Center
January 7th, 2017 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Tyson Chandler hasn't quite meshed with the Phoenix Suns since he arrived prior to the 2015-16 season, and at least one team is reportedly monitoring the center's status in advance of the Feb. 23 trade deadline.
Continue for updates.
Portland Keeping an Eye on Chandler
Saturday, Jan. 7
"Word is Portland, of late, has been tracking Tyson Chandler as a potential trade target, since the Phoenix center could certainly help the Blazers with their defensive issues," ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported.
Stein added that Chandler "encouraged [Phoenix] to resist outside trade interest last summer."
However, it's hard to ignore how nice of a fit he would be for a Trail Blazers team that could use a tried-and-true shot-blocker like Chandler to stabilize a defense that ranks 28th in efficiency. Thirty-eight games into the 2016-17 campaign, the Blazers are allowing 109.8 points per 100 possessions. Only the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets own more inferior marks.
To date, opponents ...
Best Potential 2016-17 NBA Trade Deadline Targets for New York Knicks
January 7th, 2017 by Sara Peters No comments »
Only five games separate the 10th-place New York Knicks from the third-place Boston Celtics in the slippery Eastern Conference as of Jan. 7. But if the Knicks want to sink their claws into a playoff berth, they may need to trade for a player who will sharpen their 25th-ranked defense.
The rosters of some Western contenders have embarrassments of riches defensively and rags on the other end.
They might be the likeliest trade partners.
As usual at this time of year, you'll hear many names get tossed around—the Atlanta Hawks are dangling Paul Millsap, per ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein, the Brooklyn Nets are shopping Brook Lopez (as always), per Stein, and the Chicago Bulls are even shopping Jimmy Butler, according to Bleacher Report's own Ric Bucher.
But before you get too excited, the Nets reportedly want two first-round picks for Lopez, which the Knicks are unlikely to give up since they have waited years to ...
Pistons vs. Trail Blazers Postponed Due to Inclement Weather
January 7th, 2017 by Joe Pantorno No comments »
The NBA announced Saturday night's game between the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center has been postponed because of "potential severe weather conditions" in Oregon, per Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
The teams will play Sunday at 9 p.m. ET instead.
According to Kristina Pydynowski of AccuWeather.com, the area will "bear the brunt of a winter storm invading the northwestern United States."
Weather.com reported that snow will give way to freezing rain Saturday night, which will create hazardous conditions on the roads.
Blazers guard C.J. McCollum had a non-basketball reason for being interested in the game's status:
The Pistons now have an extra day before beginning their five-game West Coast road trip, which ends Jan. 15. Detroit is coming off a one-point win over the East's No. 5-seeded Charlotte Hornets at The Palace, but it has struggled to a 7-12 record on the road during the 2016-17 campaign.
The Trail Blazers are hanging on to ...