NBA Rumor: Alexis Ajinca Trade
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Will Guillory: Pelicans make the Wesley Johnson trade official pic.twitter.com/vHJpIjlzTQ
Andrew Greif: The Clippers’ trade of Wes Johnson to New Orleans for Alexis Ajinca has been completed ahead of the league’s 2 pm PST deadline, said a source not authorized to speak publicly. Ajinca has been waived, which saves the Clips money on the cap hit relative to Johnson’s contract.
The Clippers will save $849K by swapping out Wesley Johnson for Alexis Ajinca and are now $3.9M below the luxury tax. Both players are in the last year of their contract. Los Angeles will have $5.3M in Ajinca and $1.4M for Juwan Evans counting against the cap this season. Evans had a $1.6M team option for 2019-20 and is eligible to be claimed but only by a team that has cap space or a trade exception. Johnson has a $6.1M cap hit that the Pelicans will now inherit.
Wesley Johnson traded to Pelicans
Shams Charania: The Clippers have traded Wes Johnson to the Pelicans for Alexis Ajinca, per league sources. @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium
Adrian Wojnarowski: New Orleans is acquiring Clippers forward Wesley Johnson in a trade for center Alexis Ajinca, league sources tell ESPN. Clippers will waive Ajinca and guard Juwan Evans to get to 15 for opening night.
New Orleans was the third team involved in today’s Eric Bledsoe-to-Detroit talks, multiple sources told SI.com. After a morning of trade discussions, the proposed deal is now dead.
The deal would have landed Jackson in New Orleans, adding more shooting and playmaking on the perimeter and finally freeing the Pelicans of two large contracts the team has persistently tried to shed.
When Ajinca spoke in New Orleans’ locker room before Monday night’s game against Phoenix, he had not played in 11 straight games and had played only once – for three minutes – in the previous 19 contests. “I don’t care where I’m going, as long as I’m playing,” said the 29-year-old Ajinca, who is in the second season of a four-year, $20.2 million contract with New Orleans. “The contract is good, but at the end of the day, I’m a competitor and I just want to play and be able to bring what I can to a team. If it’s here, it would be great. But if it’s not, then I just go somewhere else.”
In the meantime, Ajinca said he is focused on supporting his current teammates and not allowing his frustration over not playing to get the best of him. “I’m just being professional, doing what I’m supposed to do,” Ajinca said, noting that he’d gone through his usual pre-game routine on the court. “If I play today, maybe I won’t have to run after the game. If I don’t play, then I will have to run after the game and get my lift in. “I can’t control what (the Pelicans) want to do,” Ajinca said. “I only care about what I can control – my health and the fact that I can stay in shape.”
When Ajinca spoke in New Orleans’ locker room before Monday night’s game against Phoenix, he had not played in 11 straight games and had played only once — for three minutes — in the previous 19 contests. “I don’t care where I’m going, as long as I’m playing,” said the 29-year-old Ajinca, who is in the second season of a four-year, $20.2 million contract with New Orleans. “The contract is good, but at the end of the day, I’m a competitor and I just want to play and be able to bring what I can to a team. If it’s here, it would be great. But if it’s not, then I just go somewhere else.”
Justin Verrier: Can confirm reports that Sixers-Pels talk centers around Alexis Ajinca and a 2018 first-round pick, per a source.
Philadelphia, sources said, is seeking at least one future first-round pick in exchange for Okafor, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2015 draft but has been on the trading block for months — along with fellow Sixers center Nerlens Noel — as a result of the Sixers’ glut of big men.
The New Orleans Pelicans are trying to bolster their frontcourt and are in advanced talks with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire big man Jahlil Okafor, according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the teams were still negotiating Monday in an attempt to complete the trade.
Michael Scotto: 76ers & Pelicans discussing a Jahlil Okafor trade for Alexis Ajinca & a 2018 protected 1st rounder, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
The Sixers are in deep talks to send forward-center Jahlil Okafor to the Pelicans, a source told @theundefeated. New Orleans could send center Alex Ajinca and a future 1st rounder back.
Justin Verrier: Despite expressing frustration over his role to French newspaper L’Equipe, Alexis Ajinca tells ESPN that he hasn’t asked to be traded,
Alexis Ajinca eyeing move?
Before the Pelicans faced the Knicks inside Madison Square Garden Monday night, Alexis Ajinca publicly voiced his frustrations about his current situation to a French publication, à L’Equipe. To sum it up, the 4-year player for New Orleans no longer believes he has a future with the team and would prefer to be included in a trade to continue his career elsewhere.
August 14, 2022 | 12:01 pm EDT Update
Kevin Durant: So I’m mj now? That’s not a bad comparison. Thank u
Kevin Durant: I #ruinedthegame?
One of the most experienced Serbian national team members is in danger of missing EuroBasket 2022, according to Mozzart Sport. Via the report, Nemanja Bjelica injured his calf during a friendly match against Montenegro behind closed doors. Due to swelling, it’s not completely clear how serious the injury is. This will be determined after further examinations in the near future.
August 14, 2022 | 3:06 am EDT Update
Kevin Durant holding out of training camp?
Brian Windhorst spent much of his Friday episode of “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast talking about Durant’s situation. Windhorst said he felt the Nets won the recent showdown between Durant and team owner Joe Tsai. But Windy doesn’t necessarily think that means all is over between the sides. In fact, Windhorst says he now could see a world where Durant holds out of training camp. “A week ago, if you had asked me, ‘Will Kevin Durant hold out of training camp if he is not traded?’ I would have been like, ‘eh, I can’t see it.’ Now I can see it. That is what we are headed towards,” Windhorst said.
Some analysts speculated that the Nets would play hardball with Durant. Brooklyn’s calculation would have depended upon Durant’s love of basketball. The thinking was that KD loves playing too much to sit out a season in order to get his way. Now Windhorst says he thinks a scenario of Durant sitting out could be on the table.
