Odds & Ends: Dampier, Lin, Weems, Heat, Varejao
Let's take a look at a few links from around the league as we await tonight's renewal of the Lakers/Celtics rivalry in Boston….
- In a blog entry for NBA.com, Scott Howard-Cooper discusses Seattle's push for an NBA team, the Warriors' potential trade options, and Chauncey Billups' future.
- Hawks coach Larry Drew conceded to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Erick Dampier isn't in great shape (Twitter link). Atlanta signed Dampier to a 10-day contract to add frontcourt depth.
- As Jeremy Lin dominates headlines in New York, teams that could've signed and kept him look back on a missed opportunity. Donnie Nelson talked about the Mavericks' failed attempt to sign Lin (Dallas Morning News link), while Houston GM Daryl Morey tweeted that he should have held on to Lin when he was a Rocket.
- Sonny Weems won't be returning to the NBA this season, his agent tells Sportando.
- Talking to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Oscar Robertson said the Heat need a center who can consistently record 12 points and 10 boards if they're going to win championships. With respect to the Hall-of-Famer, I think the Heat are talented enough to win a title without a strong presence in the middle.
- The Cavaliers won't actively place Anderson Varejao on the trade market, since they likely wouldn't get fair value for him, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
2012/13 NBA Unrestricted Free Agents
Hoops Rumors' up-to-date list of 2012/13 unrestricted free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2011/12 season. The player's 2012 age is in parentheses. Players who have signed overseas or are playing in the D-League are not listed here.
If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us. For instant free agent updates, be sure to follow us on Twitter @hoopsrumors.
Updated 4-22-13
With the 2012/13 regular season over, this summer's free agents can now be found on our 2013/14 list.
Keith Bogans Out For Season
Keith Bogans has suffered a fractured left ankle and a complete tear of his deltoid ligament, the Nets announced today (Twitter link). Bogans, who was injured in last night's game against the Pistons, will undergo surgery on Monday, and figures to be out for the rest of the season.
Bogans signed with the Nets just over a week ago to help provide depth to a backcourt that was without MarShon Brooks and DeShawn Stevenson. The 31-year-old averaged over 18 minutes in his five games with the Nets, scoring a total of 21 points on 38.1% shooting.
New Jersey has been decimated by injuries this season, as big men Brook Lopez and Mehmet Okur have also missing significant time. With Brooks still out until at least Sunday, the Nets could look to add players on 10-day contracts to fill out their rotation while they wait for their players to get healthy.
Atlantic Links: Celtics, Raptors, Sixers
A round-up of the latest news out of the Atlantic Division….
- Steve Pagliuca appeared on WEEI's Mut and Merloni Show, and Alex Speier has transcibed a few of the comments made by the Celtics co-owner. Pagliuca discussed Paul Pierce, Danny Ainge, and the team's financial flexibility, among other topics.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com doesn't put too much stock in rumors of the Celtics' interest in Pau Gasol.
- The Raptors don't plan to sign anyone to a 10-day contract, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
- Dwight Howard is the only acquisition worth breaking up the 76ers young core for, and there's no way Philadelphia will land him, writes Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Sheridan expect the Sixers to be relatively quiet at this year's trade deadline, with an eye toward the offseason.
- The 76ers still need to find a consistent go-to guy, says Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Franchise Notes: Europe, Hawks, Anaheim, Kings
From the possibility of international expansion to an NBA owner making a bid for an MLB team, here are a few updates on the futures of the league and a few franchises:
- Commissioner David Stern said the idea of NBA teams in Europe has been discussed, but it's not realistic for the near future: "It’s not the schedule and the traveling which is the problem. It’s the arenas, the ownership, the television arrangements, the pricing structure and the fan avidity. And it doesn’t pay to take anything for granted. It’s a nice thought. But basketball is not going to vend in Europe quite yet. It’s just growing. And it’s growing slowly but it’s growing nevertheless" (HoopsWorld link).
- Stern added that would-be buyers have interest in the Hawks, but Atlanta's ownership group isn't currently entertaining the idea. The Hawks are "well down" on the league's list of worries, according to Stern.
- Anaheim's Honda Center announced that its multi-million dollar renovation project is underway. As Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles wrote last summer, Anaheim hopes the renovations help attract an NBA team to the home of the NHL's Ducks.
- At one point, the Kings looked Anaheim-bound, and their situation is still tenuous. Tom Couzens of the Sacramento Bee says the Maloofs "are speaking volumes by saying nothing" about financial contribution toward the city's new arena.
- Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is leading one of the groups bidding on the Los Angeles Dodgers, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Up against ten other suitors, Heisley's bid is "solid but a long shot," says Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Hawks Sign Erick Dampier To 10-Day Contract
The Hawks have signed Erick Dampier to a 10-day contract, according to a team press release.
It was reported over the weekend that Atlanta was eyeing free agent centers, including Dampier, Kyrylo Fesenko, and Dan Gadzuric. The team announced on Saturday that Jason Collins would miss at least two weeks with a sprained elbow. Considering the Hawks are also without Al Horford, it makes sense that they'd add some frontcourt depth.
Dampier, 36, played in 51 games for the Heat last season, averaging 2.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 16 minutes per contest. The 6'11" center has also played for the Pacers, Warriors, and Mavericks since making his NBA debut in 1996.
Mo Williams Talks Role, Contract, Cavs Trade
Mo Williams returned to Cleveland last night, playing his first game at Quicken Loans Arena since being traded from the Cavaliers to the Clippers nearly a year ago. Before the game, Williams spoke to reporters about a number of topics, including the trade that sent him to Los Angeles.
On his role with the Clippers (via Bob Finnan of the News-Herald):
"I haven't come off the bench for a long time. Once I understood the role, it's starting to flow. You have to play a role on every team. This is what they've asked me to do. Whether I like it or not, I have to perform my duties."
On the trade that sent him to the Clippers with Jamario Moon for Baron Davis and the draft pick that became Kyrie Irving (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal):
"I thought [the Cavs] handled everything first class, even though I was traded. It was a decision that they made as an organization. I would say it worked out for them."
On his current contract situation (via T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times):
"I don't know where I stand…. If you have a girlfriend and she tells you she loves you every day, obviously you know she loves you…. The way [a team] tells you they love you every day is by signing you to a contract extension."
I think Simers' portrayal of Williams as a selfish player out for another payday is unfair. Williams' comments suggest to me that he won't feel like he's part of the Clippers' long-term plans (which he may not be) as long as the team seems content to let his contract expire. Neil Olshey has said he's not shopping Williams, but the Clips GM, at least before Chauncey Billups' season-ending injury, seemed open to a trade if he received the right offer.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Thursday
Discussing the upcoming All-Star Game in Orlando, commissioner David Stern said yesterday that he doesn't expect the Dwight Howard drama to overshadow the game itself. Stern added that he was fine with players deciding where they want to play, since the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement provides plenty of incentives for a player to remain with his current team. Here are the rest of today's Howard updates:
- 85-year-old Magic owner Rich DeVos, who spoke about the Howard trade rumors before last night's game, also addressed them after Orlando's win, as Tim Povtak of FOX Sports Florida writes. DeVos hopes he can convince Howard to stay in Orlando, putting the odds at 50-50: "Dwight is in a good place now. When you’re young, sometimes you don’t always realize it."
- DeVos has indicated he'll spend whatever it takes to build around Howard if D12 decides to stay: "Everyone wants to win a championship. I want a ring for our players. But you can’t change anything until he says he’s going to stay. Then you can do a lot of things."
Rockets Sign Greg Smith
The Rockets have officially signed Greg Smith to a three-year contract, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The deal is worth the pro-rated portion of the rookie minimum this season, is partially guaranteed for year two, and has a team option for the third year. The team waived Jeff Adrien to clear a roster spot.
Smith, 21, had averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and a .677 FG% in 18 games for the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers this season. The Fresno State product, who spent time with the Rockets during training camp, was drawing interest from around the league, Feigen adds.
Feigen first reported that the Rockets had reached an agreement with Smith, while Sam Amick of SI.com added that the deal was expected to be for multiple years.
Chandler Plans To Re-Sign With Nuggets
10:18pm: Despite a wave of interest coming from several teams throughout the league, Wilson Chandler plans to rejoin the Nuggets upon returning to the NBA. In a tweet, Marc Spears of Yahoo! reports that Chandler will either sign on for the rest of this season, or to a long-term deal.
5:10pm: As we discussed earlier today, Wilson Chandler's status as a restricted free agent when he returns from China could limit his NBA options. Chandler is preparing for such a scenario and hopes to sign a long-term contract with the Nuggets, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Chandler's Zhejiang Lions currently rank eighth in the CBA, which would just barely qualify them for the postseason. If they fall out of the playoffs over the next week, Chandler could return to America this month and be eligible to receive offer sheets from any NBA team. However, if the Lions play past March 1st, NBA clubs wouldn't be permitted to sign Chandler to an offer sheet when his contract in China ends, meaning he could only play in Denver this season.
According to Kennedy, Chandler is prepared to sit out the rest of the NBA season if he returns after March 1st and he and the Nuggets can't work out a long-term deal. In that case, the 24-year-old would again be a restricted free agent this summer, with the restrictions on offer sheets lifted.