Detroit interested in Jalen Brunson, Deandre Ayton and Mitchell Robinson

Michael Scotto: I’ve heard some people in that front office that have an eye for Jalen Brunson. I’ve also heard there are people in the front office that could see Mitchell Robinson, who’s an unrestricted Knicks free agent, as a guy that they’d also look at. Deandre Ayton’s name has been floated out there too. My observation on this is guys like Brunson and Robinson are targets for Detroit because they’ll command less money (than Ayton). With Ayton, you’d have to give him a full max to try to get him there and out of Phoenix going into his (restricted) free agency. I think that would be tough. Whereas, with Brunson, Dallas knows there’s going to be a market for him. One of the reasons they got Spencer Dinwiddie was a hedge to cover themselves depending on what the market bears for Brunson. The Knicks have Robinson entering free agency and also have an eye for Brunson with the relationship with Leon Rose. They do need a point guard looking ahead. Immanuel Quickley is there, but it seems like he’s viewed as a microwave scorer off the bench, and Tom Thibodeau likes him off the bench in that role.
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Oh wait… Ayton ate KAT’s food last night? 🌚 – 10:57 AM Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
MVP of the Night: Deandre Ayton
#NBAsFinest pic.twitter.com/E7ksjVLhyG – 6:23 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
5 takeaways from Deandre Ayton’s career night in #Suns emotional win at T-Wolves (w/videos) azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 2:40 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“Book called the five pop play.”
Deandre Ayton on Devin Booker calling a play for him to get a 3 to give him a career-high 35 in #Suns comeback win at T-Wolves. pic.twitter.com/hbjunfsZPS – 1:27 AM Mark Followill @MFollowill
Outstanding performances for the starting backcourt for the Mavs tonight in a 110-91 win vs the Rockets. Spencer Dinwiddie had 26 with 19 in the first half. Jalen Brunson with 28, tying his highest scoring quarter in his career with 16 in the 3rd. – 11:53 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Deandre Ayton with the game ball after scoring a career-high 35 points in #Suns road win Wednesday over #Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/iSU9mnyOhk – 11:32 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jason Kidd said Dorian Finney-Smith spoke up in the locker room with Mavs down 53-52 at halftime and called for accountability.
Jalen Brunson: “Doe is a man of few words, so when he speaks, there’s a lot of weight to that. He basically told us to wake up.” – 11:16 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Game ball for Deandre Ayton and that new career high of 35 points pic.twitter.com/asfzha0ZaO – 11:15 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Deandre Ayton sitting with the game ball after his career-high 35 points pic.twitter.com/P0nMA1aEMR – 11:15 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
The 16 points from jalen Brunson matched the most points he’s ever scored in a qtr. He had 16 vs BOS in the 4th qtr in Feb 2021. – 11:11 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Jalen Brunson on what changes for Mavs when Luka Doncic doesn’t play: “Besides not having a generational talent, not a lot.” – 11:10 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Suns were up 1 with 5:15 to go. Then…
Booker assist to Ayton
Booker layup
Booker 30-footer
Booker non-assist off the glass to Bridges
Beasley 3
Shamet 3
Booker jam
Suns up 12 with 2:26 to go.
Say it with me everyone pic.twitter.com/64gfr3eUO9 – 11:04 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Jalen Brunson without Luka this season:
20.4 PPG
7.5 APG
49/35/80%
The Mavs are 5-1 in the last 6 games with Brunson and without Luka. pic.twitter.com/AeAibPwEPN – 10:54 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“Personal pride”
Monty Williams on Deandre Ayton playing well in marquee matchups. #Suns – 10:49 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Deandre Ayton tonight:
35 PTS (career high)
14 REB
15-24 FG
1-1 3P
He joins Devin Booker as the only Suns player with multiple 30+ point games this season. pic.twitter.com/walxHp0sjn – 10:33 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Final: PHX 125, MIN 116
Ayton: 35 Pts, 14 Reb, 15-24 FG
Booker: 28 Pts, 7 Ast, 7-15 FG
Shamet: 19 Pts, 5-9 3P
Bridges: 16 Pts
Towns: 15 Pts, 11 Reb, 6-13 FG
Suns outscored Wolves 74-52 in 2nd half – 10:32 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
A very good basketball game
Wolves 116, Suns 125
On tonight’s show:
– Booker takes over, outexecuted in the 4th
– More KAT foul trouble
– Jaylen Nowell, microwave scorer
– Big Vando game
– 35 and 14 for Ayton
– Needed more from KAT/Ant/DLo. No Wolves player over 20 – 10:32 PM Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
It is ridiculous how much s** talk is going on in this Phoenix/Minnesota game.
This game has had a little bit of everything from technicals, flagrant fouls plus a career 35 from Deandre Ayton. – 10:29 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Deandre Ayton drills a 3 to set a new career high of 35 points – 10:28 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Deandre Ayton hits a 3 to hit a new career high with 35 points. What a night for the big fella – 10:28 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton career high 35 after hitting a 3. #Suns up 11. – 10:28 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jalen Brunson scored 16 points (5-6 FG) while playing the full third quarter, Luka Doncic’s usual rotation pattern. – 10:18 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton 32. One shy of tying career high. #Suns up 3. – 10:17 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Offensive basket interference on Ayton.
Towns back in with 5:27 left and five fouls. #Suns up one as T-Wolves turn ball over. – 10:16 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton with 30. Ties season high.
#Suns up four with 6:08 left.
His career high is 33 from his rookie year. – 10:15 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
13-6 run by the Suns in under 3 minutes to take control of the game. Another great performance from Landry Shamet. Deandre Ayton has tied his season high of 30 points. – 10:14 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Season-high tying 30-point game for Deandre Ayton – 10:12 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
26 and 13 for Ayton. Big-time game for him, keeping the Suns in it – 10:04 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 3Q: MIN 88, PHX 83
Ayton: 24 Pts, 14 Reb, 11-17 FG
Booker: 17 Pts, 6 Ast, 4-12 FG
Bridges: 11 Pts
Towns: 15 Pts, 8 Reb, 6-12 FG
Suns win 3Q, 32-24 – 9:57 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton again. Has 24 on 11-of-17 FGs. Also with 13 rebounds.
#Suns down five as Reid answers. – 9:44 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton again. Has 22 and 13.
#Suns down seven as Vanderbilt on the follow.
When Ayton helps, #Suns struggle on backside rebounding against bigger, active teams. – 9:38 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Patrick Beverley got a technical foul earlier this quarter and now Deandre Ayton gets one too. – 9:37 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton hits turnaround jumper, wanted foul.
Screamed out with fist clinched.
Called for tech.
Crowdwer clapping as Towns hits tech FT.
#Suns down 75-68. – 9:36 PM Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Ayton makes for the 5th technical handed out tonight. – 9:36 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Halftime: MIN 64, PHX 51
Ayton: 16 Pts, 11 Reb, 7-12 FG
Shamet: 9 Pts, 3-5 3P
Booker: 6 Pts, 2-8 FG
Towns: 12 Pts, 8 Reb, 5-10 FG
MIN: 9-24 3P; PHX: 5-19 3P – 9:13 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
Whoa, KAT. Blows by Ayton and throws it down. 12 and 8 in the half – 9:04 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns current lineup:
Payne
Booker
Craig
Crowder
Ayton
#Suns down nine as T-Wolves are 8-of-21 from deep. – 9:01 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Per NBA Courtside: Jalen Brunson accounts for 60% of the team’s points in the 1st quarter (6 points, 3 assists, 6 points created from assists). – 9:01 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
A close as he was to the rim, Ayton didn’t really get clear view of it on that shot.
Still should make that. #Suns down five with 4:04 left in half. – 8:57 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton with 12 on 5-of-9 FGs. #Suns down five. – 8:56 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 1Q: MIN 30, PHX 25
Ayton: 10 Pts, 8 Reb, 4-7 FG
Booker: 6 Pts, 2-7 FG
Crowder: 3 Pts
Towns: 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 4-7 FG
Down 5 with non-Ayton Suns shooting 5-for-20 isn’t terrible – 8:41 PM Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
End of the first quarter and Minnesota leads Phoenix 30-25. Towns and Ayton each with 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting. Ant has taken the Booker assignment and helped hold him to 2-for-7. Ayton has 8 rebounds. – 8:40 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton 4-of-7 FGs.
Rest of #Suns? 5-of-19. – 8:35 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton finds Craig for 3. #Suns down one. – 8:32 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker drives, stops, feels contact, shoots.
Not so sure refs are looking at that thinking he’s waiting on contact and doesn’t have to in order to get his shot off.
Just an observation.
#Suns down 4. Timeout T-Wolves with 3 minutes left in 1st as Ayton has 10 to match Towns 10 – 8:32 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Strong start for Deandre Ayton. He’s got 10 of the Suns’ 20 points and 5 of their 12 rebounds, shooting 4-for-7. Rest of Phoenix is 4-for-14 – 8:30 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton already with four rebounds, finding his way around Towns with regularity here early. #Suns – 8:22 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton has all #Suns 8 points as they trail by nine.
He’s shooting 3-of-4 FGs.
Rest of #Suns 0-of-7 – 8:21 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Wolves matching KAT up on Crowder and Vanderbilt on Ayton. Interesting. – 8:17 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
What you’re seeing right now is Crowder is guarding Towns.
So that leaves Ayton to check out the very active Vanderbilt on the glass.
#Suns down 13-4 as Vanderbilt has four points and three rebounds.
The Suns as a team have three rebounds.
#Suns timeout 8:11 left in 1st – 8:16 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Ayton over Towns.
Tied 2-2. #Suns #Timberwolves – 8:12 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Going to make a prediction.
The team that wins two of these three matchups will this game.
1. Ayton vs. Towns
2. Edwards vs. Booker
3. Bridges vs. Russell
#Suns #Timberwolves – 8:11 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
My @PrizePicks for Wolves-Suns
Ayton under 17.5 points
DLo over 6.0 assists
Payne under 7.5 assists
Crowder over 17.5 points + rebounds + assists – 7:19 PM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Load Mismanagement w/@jphanned is live @Underdog__NBA
• Celts D-onovan
• Wolves/Suns
• Kyrie & KD in Memphis
• Jalen Brunson time
• Embiid in LA for the zombie Lakers
• Dubs spiraling
Huge 11-game NBA slate tonight, talking here through tipoff!
https://t.co/6M9u2oJWtd pic.twitter.com/HHe6uc7gBm – 6:30 PM Steve Popper @StevePopper
Knicks say Julius Randle (sore right quadriceps tendon) and Mitchell Robinson (sore lower back) are out for tonight’s game at Charlotte. – 4:36 PM Marc Berman @NYPost_Berman
Randle and Mitchell Robinson both out tonight in Charlotte. Lots of Jericho. Robinson has a sore back. – 4:32 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Knicks say Julius Randle (sore right quadriceps tendon) and Mitchell Robinson (sore lower back) are out tonight at Charlotte.
More NBA from me: marcstein.Substack.com – 4:32 PM Fred Katz @FredKatz
Mitchell Robinson has a sore lower back and is OUT for tonight’s game in Charlotte, the Knicks say. Julius Randle is also OUT with the sore right quad tendon. – 4:31 PM Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Knicks have ruled out both Julius Randle (sore right quadriceps tendon) and Mitchell Robinson (sore lower back) for tonight’s game at Charlotte. – 4:31 PM Fred Katz @FredKatz
Knicks starters:
Alec Burks
Evan Fournier
RJ Barrett
Obi Toppin
Mitchell Robinson – 7:02 PM Ian Begley @IanBegley
From earlier: we covered Miles McBride, the draft, Mitchell Robinson & more in last week’s Mailbag. Thanks to @d_jpure, @DeweyinMSG, @GuardUpKnicks, @rads619, @logicallyknicks & @PascalSouthSide for the questions! Full show here: https://t.co/YSH6YYSh5i pic.twitter.com/kb1Hb52H4H – 3:45 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Six @Dallas Mavericks players scored at least 15 points last night:
22 – Dwight Powell
20 – Spencer Dinwiddie
18 – Reggie Bullock
15 – Jalen Brunson
15 – Luka Doncic
15 – Dorian Finney-Smith
It’s the first time since April 23, 1989 the franchise had six such players in a game. pic.twitter.com/lNxOvxwaOD – 9:51 AM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jalen Brunson makes one from about 50 feet, but it won’t count. Clearly came after the buzzer. Mavericks up 60-54 at the break. Luka has seven points. Dwight Powell has 16. Just a routine half of basketball. – 9:53 PM

More on this storyline

Robinson has played the best ball of his career lately, adding a 10-point, 16-rebound, four-block, four-assist, three-steal effort Friday to a solid run of games. An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, he has hesitated to sign an extension before free agency starts and figures to have suitors among the Pistons, the Thunder and, if they can work the cap space, the Mavericks. -via Newsday / March 14, 2022 Early free-agent rumble to pass along involving those same Knicks: Detroit is said to have a strong interest in unrestricted free agent-to-be Mitchell Robinson. -via marcstein.substack.com / March 13, 2022 It is unclear whether center Nerlens Noel will play again. He has been shut down with plantar fasciitis and didn’t sit on the bench at Dallas or Sacramento. Noel has played in just 25 games in a train wreck of a season, a crash that puts the pressure on team president Leon Rose to lock up Robinson early if he can.  -via New York Post / March 11, 2022