RealGM Basketball Wiretap

21 March 2023

• Pelicans Were Close To Trading For Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley

  The New Orleans Pelicans were involved in trade discussions with the Utah Jazz on a deal for Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley, but those players were eventually traded to the Los Angeles Lakers instead. The Lakers and Pelicans are competing for a spot in the play-in and New Orleans also gets to swap picks if the one belonging to Los Angeles is more favorable.

  As part of a three-team trade, the Jazz also traded Mike Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves with D'Angelo Russell going to the Lakers. That element may have prevented the Pelicans from getting a deal done for Vanderbilt and Beasley.

  "The Pelicans were close to getting Beasley and Vanderbilt from Utah at the trade deadline," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "Or close-ish. They had a pretty good offer on the table. It was a draft equity based offer with a pick that maybe was not as good as the Lakers' pick they ended up trading, but pretty close I think from what I've heard.

  "But one of the issues was Conley and the Jazz' determination to get off Conley and could the Pelicans figure that somehow? And it became pretty complicated.

  "That trade ends up helping the Lakers, helping the Wolves, and the Pelicans don't get involved in it and now they're falling apart."

• Jazz Sign Jarrell Brantley To 10 Day Contract

  The Utah Jazz have signed Jarrell Brantley to a 10 Day contract. Utah was coming up on the deadline to fill their 14th standard roster spot and filled it with a familiar face in Brantley.

  Brantley previously spent parts of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the Jazz. In 37 NBA games, the 6-foot-5 wing averaged 2.4 points in 6.3 minutes per game.

  This season, Brantley played for New Zealand of Australia's NBL. In 39 games, Brantley averaged 15.7 points, 6.0 rebound and 1.5 steals. Brantley has also played professionally in Russia and Puerto Rico.

• Kris Dunn, Jazz Sign Deal For Remainder Of Season

  Kris Dunn has agreed to a contract with the Utah Jazz for the remainder of the season.

  Dunn is averaging 11.6 points, 4.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds for the Jazz.

  Dunn was on two consecutive 10-day contracts with the Jazz.

• Collin Sexton Out Another Week With Hamstring Strain

  The Utah Jazz have ruled Collin Sexton out for another week due to a hamstring strain. Sexton has missed Utah's last five games with this current injury. He previously missed 13 games due to an earlier hamstring strain.

  In his first year with the Jazz, Sexton has averaged 14.3 points on career-best 50.7% shooting from the field, including a career-high 41% on three-pointers. The fifth-year guard took over as a starter for Utah after the Jazz traded Mike Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the trade deadline.

• Kris Dunn Signs Second 10-Day Contract With Jazz

  The Utah Jazz signed Kris Dunn to a second 10-day contract.

  Dunn's original 10-day contract expired on Saturday.

  Dunn is averaging 12.0 points and 4.5 assists in 22.3 minutes with the Jazz.

• Walker Kessler, Paolo Banchero Named NBA's Rookies Of The Month For February

  Walker Kessler and Paolo Banchero have been named the NBA's Rookies of the Month for February.

  Kessler averaged 10.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in February.

  Banchero averaged 16.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the month.

• WBD Abandoning RSNs With Rockets, Blazers, Jazz To Be Impacted

  Warner Bros. Discovery said Friday night that it is abandoning its regional sports network business.

  AT&T SportsNet has deals with the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz in the NBA.

  The SportsNet announcement comes on the heels of news that Diamond Sports Group is also prepping to file for bankruptcy this spring. DSG owns and operates the Bally Sports regional networks and has the local television rights for over 40 MLB, NBA and NHL teams.

  While WBD is attempting to exit from the RSN business, they are also negotiating with the NBA on extending its national television deals.

• Kris Dunn, Jazz Agree To 10-Day Contract

  Kris Dunn has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.

  Dunn has played for the Capital City Go-Go in the G League this season.

  Dunn appeared in 14 games last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 24.0 minutes.

  Dunn is represented by Bernie Lee.

• Frank Jackson, Jazz Agree To 10-Day Contract

  Frank Jackson has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.

  Jackson is averaging 22 points per game in the G League this season.

  Jackson appeared in 53 games last season with the Detroit Pistons, averaging 10.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.0 minutes.

  Jackson is represented by Troy Payne and Mike Silverman.

• Russell Westbrook To Sign With Clippers After Buyout From Jazz

  Russell Westbrook will sign with the LA Clippers for the remainder of the season. Westbrook negotiated a buyout with the Utah Jazz, after a deadline deal from the Los Angeles Lakers.

  The Clippers were looking for point guard depth, after trading both Reggie Jackson and John Wall in deadline day moves. LA added Bones Hyland at the trade deadline, but wanted another veteran option on the roster.

  Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28.7 minutes per game off the Lakers bench. Clippers All-Star Paul George campaigned for his team to add Westbrook on the buyout market. George and Westbrook were teammates on the Oklahoma City Thunder for two seasons from 2017 to 2019.