NBA trade roundup: Ex-Rebel Joel Anthony to 76ers in 3-team trade

Joel Anthony, who attended UNLV from 2004-2007, was acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers Thursday in a three-team trade, according to CSN Philly.

The trade involved the Detroit Pistons sending Anthony and a protected first-round pick in 2018 to the Houston Rockets. He was then shipped to the 76ers for a 2017 second-round pick from the Rockets.

Anthony, who appeared in 13 games for the Pistons this season, is expected to be waived by the 76ers, according to CSN Philly.

In the trade, the Pistons added some perimeter shooting, reportedly acquiring guard Marcus Thornton and forward Donatas Motiejunas from the Houston Rockets.

The Pistons are 24th in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage. Detroit (27-27) is one game out of eighth place and is hoping the acquisitions of Thornton and Motiejunas along with Monday's deal for forward Tobias Harris from the Magic can help them improve in that area and result in a playoff berth.

Thornton averaged 10 points in 47 games for the Rockets and has made 33.8 percent (73 of 216) of his 3-pointers this season. In 436 games for the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Houston, Thornton has averaged 12.4 points while shooting 35.9 percent from 3-point range.

Montiejunas has been limited to 14 games after undergoing back surgery last March and averaged 5.6 points while shooting 41.2 percent from 3-point range. He has been on a rehab assignment in the NBA Developmental League but returned to practice Wednesday.

In 191 games for the Rockets, Montiejunas averaged eight points while shooting 31.9 percent from 3-point range. The 25-year-old Lithuanian native started 62 of 71 games last season and averaged 12 points.

— After weeks of speculation, forward Markieff Morris was reportedly traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Washington Wizards for a future first-round pick along with reserve forwards Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair on Thursday.

Morris has been dissatisfied most of the season after the Suns traded his twin brother Marcus Morris to the Detroit Pistons last summer. The speculation intensified once the Suns began struggling in December and Morris has been involved in two controversial incidents.

In the last game before the All-Star break against the Golden State Warriors, Morris and teammate Archie Goodwin engaged in a shouting match and shoved each other during a timeout. Earlier this season, Morris was suspended for throwing a towel at former coach Jeff Hornacek in an incident widely played nationally.

He and his brother are also facing felony aggravated assault charges from an incident at a Phoenix recreation center last spring.

Morris was Phoenix's first-round pick in 2011 and averaged 11.4 points in 345 games. Last year, he started every game and averaged a career-best 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds on 46.5 percent shooting from the field, but his numbers dipped this season to 11.6, 5.2 and a career-worst 39.7 percent from the field.

— For the third time in less than two years, forward Lance Stephenson reportedly has a new team.

Stephenson was obtained by the Memphis Grizzlies from the Los Angeles Clippers along with a first-round pick for forward Jeff Green.

Stephenson is in the second year of a three-year, $27 million deal signed with the Charlotte Hornets after the 2013-14 season. His improvement helped the Indiana Pacers to consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference finals, but he has struggled since leaving.

Stephenson, 25, averaged 8.2 points for the Hornets last season and 4.7 points in 43 games for the Clippers in 2015-16.

Stephenson hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in his first few weeks with the team but was traded to the Clippers on June 15. After averaging 8.2 points with the Hornets, Stephenson averaged 4.7 points in 43 games for the Clippers in 2015-16.

Green will be reunited with Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers after spending a little over a year with him for the Boston Celtics. He averaged 12.6 points in 98 games for the Grizzlies after being traded by Boston in January 2014.

According to TNT, the first-round pick is lottery protected in 2019.

— In an attempt to add more 3-point shooting, the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly acquired forward Channing Frye from the Orlando Magic and sent center Anderson Varejao to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Cleveland will also send a second-round pick and guard Jared Cunningham to Orlando, which is expected to waive him. Portland will reportedly waive Varejao.

In 44 games this season, Frye has averaged 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds on 43.5 percent shooting from the field and shot 39.7 percent from 3-point range.

Frye, 32, will be joining his fifth team since entering the league as a first-round pick of the New York Knicks in 2005. In 701 games for the Knicks, Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns and Orlando, Frye has averaged 9.3 points while shooting 43.8 percent from the field.

In recent years, Frye has become a formidable threat from 3-point range. He attempted 70 3-pointers in his first four seasons, but in his last six seasons, he has made 39 percent (778 of 1993) of his 3-point shots.

— The Atlanta Hawks traded one reserve guard and added another, sending Shelvin Mack to the Utah Jazz for a second-round pick and acquiring Kirk Hinrich from the Chicago Bulls for a second-round pick.

The Hawks switched backup guards who are 10 years apart in age.

Mack, 25, is averaging 3.9 points and 1.6 assists in 24 games this season. He has averaged 5.3 points in 247 games for the Hawks, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.

Hinirich, 35, averaged 3.8 points in 35 games and is rejoining the Hawks. Atlanta acquired him from the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline in 2011 in a deal for Mike Bibby.

— The Oklahoma City Thunder added some experience to their bench, reportedly acquiring guard Randy Foye from the Denver Nuggets for guard D.J. Augustin and forward Steve Novak, along with two-second round picks.

Foye has averaged career lows of six points and 19.8 minutes in 54 games for the Nuggets. He also has shot a career-low 35.1 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from 3-point range this season as Denver attempts to integrate a younger roster.

The 33-year-old has averaged 11 points and is a career 40 percent shooter in 656 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and Denver. He was obtained by Denver in July 2013 as part of a three-team deal that sent Andre Iguodala to the Golden State Warriors and is the final year of a three-year contract.

Augustin averaged 4.2 points in 34 games this season for the Thunder, who obtained him at last year's deadline from the Detroit Pistons. Novak appeared in only seven games for Oklahoma City this season.

— The Miami Heat made two minor cost-reducing trades, sending rookie forward-center Jarnell Stokes to the New Orleans Pelicans for a conditional second-round draft pick and cash and dealing guard Brian Roberts to the Portland Trail Blazers for a second-round draft choice, according to reports.

By trading Stokes and Roberts, the Heat are now under the luxury tax line and have saved $6 million dollars, according to Yahoo.

Stokes appeared in seven games for the Heat, who obtained him from Memphis in November. Roberts was acquired by Miami in Monday's three-team trade from Charlotte and is averaging 4.8 points and 1.3 assists this season.

Reviewjournal.com contributed to this article.