NBA trade rumors/FA signings 2021

[colincb]

The LA Clippers are trading Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu to the Memphis Grizzlies for guard Eric Bledsoe, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Memphis acquired Bledsoe in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans last month.

The Grizzlies, with an already packed roster, are open-minded on the futures of all three players in Memphis -- and will likely consider trades with some of those arriving in this deal, sources said. The Grizzlies also get salary cap flexibility in the summer of 2022 with the trade.

The Clippers, meanwhile, will save $30 million in luxury tax payments, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Bledsoe, 31, averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season for the Pelicans and now returns to the team that drafted him in 2010. Bledsoe played three seasons in L.A. before he was included in a trade that sent him to Phoenix and Chris Paul to the Clippers.

Beverley had been a member of the Clippers for the last four seasons while Rondo was acquired in a deadline deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

Oturu, 21, was a second round pick in the 2020 draft.

Bledsoe sucked his last 3 playoffs in MIL and although Rondo didn't have good stats in this year's playoffs, he's far outclassed Bledsoe in the playoffs over his career.

[#1P4P]

The Clippers cut their tax bill from $125M to $95M, roster to 15 players, and the players traded to Memphis fell out of favor with Lue in the playoffs. Those are great reasons for the trade on their own.

Bledsoe hasn’t diminished athletically, if he can be average to above average defensively, LAC’s going to be a top defensive team and a tougher out in the playoffs. With a closing lineup featuring Kawhi, PG, Morris, Batum/Ibaka, the Clippers can afford to have Bledsoe on the court on offense.

[liam]

The Clippers cut their tax bill from $125M to $95M, roster to 15 players, and the players traded to Memphis fell out of favor with Lue in the playoffs. Those are great reasons for the trade on their own.

Bledsoe hasn’t diminished athletically, if he can be average to above average defensively, LAC’s going to be a top defensive team and a tougher out in the playoffs. With a closing lineup featuring Kawhi, PG, Morris, Batum/Ibaka, the Clippers can afford to have Bledsoe on the court on offense.

Why does Memphis do this?

[Celtics2021]

Weird trade for Memphis.  Bledsoe had a small guarantee next year ($3.9 million), so it clears some space next summer, but aside from that I don’t see reason for the move.

[Roy H.]

Weird trade for Memphis.  Bledsoe had a small guarantee next year ($3.9 million), so it clears some space next summer, but aside from that I don’t see reason for the move.

Yeah, they give up the best player, and basically gift the Clippers $30 million.  They didn't even get a pick out of it?

[BudweiserCeltic]

Weird trade for Memphis.  Bledsoe had a small guarantee next year ($3.9 million), so it clears some space next summer, but aside from that I don’t see reason for the move.

Yeah, they give up the best player, and basically gift the Clippers $30 million.  They didn't even get a pick out of it?

Then you add that Memphis is above the full roster and may need to eat some salary if they don't find a way to dump players, which could require using picks. Hard to see why for them at the moment, but haven't thought much on it to give an opinion... just odd.

[slamtheking]

Weird trade for Memphis.  Bledsoe had a small guarantee next year ($3.9 million), so it clears some space next summer, but aside from that I don’t see reason for the move.

Yeah, they give up the best player, and basically gift the Clippers $30 million.  They didn't even get a pick out of it?

probably looking Oturu as that pick

[celticsclay]

Bledsoe is better than all 3 of them..Rondo probably go back to Lakers

I agree.

Would this require taking the ball out of the hands of either Westbrook or lebron? That seems like Real scrap minutes. Then again he signed in a weird spot last year behind tre young. Not sure what he cares about at this point.

[colincb]

This is primarily a money deal. MEM pays $6 MM more this year and they have the cap room IF they can't find anyone to take some of these guys off their hands. They save $3.9 million next year and they plan to get someone in FA next summer.

LAC saves $6MM in cash salary, but $24 million in luxury tax. Bledsoe will be a backup PG in LAC. He sucked in NOL and he's sucked in his last 3 playoffs. He's not the same guy he was before and was rumored to be moved when the original deal that brought him to MEM was announced.

ESPN's Pelton gave the LAC an A- for the cap savings and MEM a B. The last paragraph of his analysis for LAC:

Despite this year's four postseason wins after Kawhi Leonard went down with a partial right ACL tear, 2021-22 also might not be the Clippers' best opportunity for a deep playoff run, depending on whether Leonard can return. That being the case, the savings seem well worth whatever chance of a downgrade there is.

Not exactly a rousing endorsement of Bledsoe.

[Celtics4ever]

We'll take Anderson off their hands, JK

[Jvalin]

Fwiw, here are some free agents that are still available. The ones in red are restricted.

PG: Isaiah Thomas, Mike James, Frank Ntilikina, Dante Exum, Dennis Smith Jr, Jeff Teague, Brad Wanamaker
SG: Josh Hart, JJ Redick, Wes Matthews, Avery Bradley, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
SF: Hamidou Diallo, James Ennis, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
PF: Lauri Markkanen, Paul Millsap, Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Boogie Cousins, Bismack Biyombo, Isaiah Hartenstein

Don't think we'll sign any of them. We already have 15 guaranteed contracts, plus Jabari on a team option. That said, I'd love us to somehow sign Millsap. Highly doubt he's willing to sign for the minimum otherwise he would have already joined a contender.

[Celtics2021]

Fwiw, here are some free agents that are still available. The ones in red are restricted.

PG: Isaiah Thomas, Mike James, Frank Ntilikina, Dante Exum, Dennis Smith Jr, Jeff Teague, Brad Wanamaker
SG: Josh Hart, JJ Redick, Wes Matthews, Avery Bradley, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
SF: Hamidou Diallo, James Ennis, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
PF: Lauri Markkanen, Paul Millsap, Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Boogie Cousins, Bismack Biyombo, Isaiah Hartenstein

Don't think we'll sign any of them. We already have 15 guaranteed contracts, plus Jabari on a team option. That said, I'd love us to somehow sign Millsap. Highly doubt he's willing to sign for the minimum otherwise he would have already joined a contender.

Dennis Smith Jr. is unrestricted.  He wasn’t extended a qualifying offer.

[Jvalin]

Fwiw, here are some free agents that are still available. The ones in red are restricted.

PG: Isaiah Thomas, Mike James, Frank Ntilikina, Dante Exum, Dennis Smith Jr, Jeff Teague, Brad Wanamaker
SG: Josh Hart, JJ Redick, Wes Matthews, Avery Bradley, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
SF: Hamidou Diallo, James Ennis, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
PF: Lauri Markkanen, Paul Millsap, Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Boogie Cousins, Bismack Biyombo, Isaiah Hartenstein

Don't think we'll sign any of them. We already have 15 guaranteed contracts, plus Jabari on a team option. That said, I'd love us to somehow sign Millsap. Highly doubt he's willing to sign for the minimum otherwise he would have already joined a contender.

Dennis Smith Jr. is unrestricted.  He wasn’t extended a qualifying offer.

TP! My bad. Apparently, Mykhailiuk is unrestriced as well. The Thunder rescinded their qualifying offer. I'll edit the original post.

[Birdman]

Fwiw, here are some free agents that are still available. The ones in red are restricted.

PG: Isaiah Thomas, Mike James, Frank Ntilikina, Dante Exum, Dennis Smith Jr, Jeff Teague, Brad Wanamaker
SG: Josh Hart, JJ Redick, Wes Matthews, Avery Bradley, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
SF: Hamidou Diallo, James Ennis, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
PF: Lauri Markkanen, Paul Millsap, Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Boogie Cousins, Bismack Biyombo, Isaiah Hartenstein

Don't think we'll sign any of them. We already have 15 guaranteed contracts, plus Jabari on a team option. That said, I'd love us to somehow sign Millsap. Highly doubt he's willing to sign for the minimum otherwise he would have already joined a contender.

Hart, Lauri are only 2 I like..Redick also on a cheap contract thou

[JSD]

I wonder if that package the Clippers sent out for Bledsoe, plus Ibaka, was available for Kemba Walker. We’d be in even better cap shape and it wouldn’t have cost us a 1st rounder, or even if it did, it’s a better deal than if we have to waive Horfords final year and carry $14 M over whatever timespan.