Toronto Raptors v Portland Trail Blazers
Three Things To Know is NBC’s five-days-a-week wrap-up of the night before in the NBA. Check out NBCSports.com every weekday morning to catch up on what you missed the night before plus the rumors, drama, and dunks that make the NBA must-watch.
1) Warriors go ahead with Gary Payton II after all
In the end, the Warriors want Gary Payton II and want to move on from James Wiseman, so they went ahead with a four-team trade made at the deadline despite Payton not passing his physical with the team.
However, at the urging of the Warriors, the NBA league office will review the trade to see if the Trail Blazers misled the Warriors on the health of Payton prior to the trade.
Payton had abdominal surgery during the summer and, despite an initial timeline that had him back for the regular season, missed the season’s first 35 games, hinting after his return that he still didn’t feel right. After their post-trade physical, the Warriors said Payton could be out most of the rest of the season, still recovering from the surgery. Because all this was discovered after the trade deadline, the trade cannot be amended — either the Warriors just ignored the physical and allowed the trade to go through, or everyone went back to their original teams. The Warriors chose to let the trade happen.
Here’s how the trade shakes out:
• Warriors receive: Gary Payton II
• Pistons receive: James Wiseman
• Trail Blazers receive: Kevin Knox, five future second-round picks
• Hawks receive: Saddiq Bey
Now the focus turns to the NBA’s review of the situation, with the Trail Blazers denying wrongdoing.
2) Buyout market update: Jackson, Green, Ross find new homes
The NBA post trade deadline buyout market is heating up, and while these transactions rarely have the impact fans hope they will, it can get teams some depth to help them weather the rest of the regular season. Here’s a quick buyout market update:
• Danny Green has agreed to a buyout with the Houston Rockets and has chosen to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Story continues
• Reggie Jackson — the point guard the Clippers traded to…
..
