Dwight Howard Rumors: Saturday
Just a handful of days remain until Thursday's trade deadline, so we'll know soon where Dwight Howard will be for at least the next few months. Earlier today we heard that the Nets were looking at backup plans if they don't get Howard at the deadline, and its inevitable that most of D12's suitors will come away from their pursuit empty-handed. One team, though, will have him on the roster come Friday. We'll pass along any clues about which team that will be here, with the latest stuff on top:
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel takes a close look at the assets the Nets have to entice the Magic into a Howard trade. Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks and the Nets' draft picks all come with uncertainty, Robbins says.
Warriors Targeting Andrew Bogut
The Warriors are trying to put together a deal for Bucks center Andrew Bogut, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Bogut is drawing interest from a number of teams, we learned yesterday, after the Bucks put him on the market last month.
Golden State is not optimistic a deal can get done, Thompson notes, in part because the price is high.Thompson also says part of the pessimism on the Warriors' front is because they are still looking for players who can help them this season, despite their 15-21 record.
The Bucks aren't insisting that Monta Ellis be a part of the deal, but they would want the Warriors to take back players they don't want, namely Stephen Jackson and Drew Gooden. Jackson played in Golden State from 2007 to 2009, but the coach, GM and ownership have all changed since his stay there. Gooden's contract, which has three years and $20MM left, makes him unattractive to Warriors GM Larry Riley and company.
Thompson speculates that it will take a third team in the deal for it to work.
Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, seems resigned to the idea of leaving the only NBA team he's ever known, as indicated by his comments to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last night. "Seven years (with the Bucks)," Bogut said. "It could work for us to part ways or it could work for us to stay together. I'll make it a positive either way."
Poll: Which Injury Will Have The Biggest Impact On Trades?
The news of Ricky Rubio's season-ending injury threatens to alter the landscape of the trade market. While Rubio is not a trade candidate, the Wolves have figured prominently in trade discussions of late, so a change in Minnesota's plans could be a change for several other teams as well. A number of recent injuries threaten to have an impact on the trade market as well. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors took a look at some of those injuries Monday. Brook Lopez, a key figure in rumored Dwight Howard trades, went down March 4 with a sprained ankle that will keep him out three weeks. Jermaine O'Neal, once thought to be part of a deal with the Wolves for Michael Beasley and someone who could be a part of a Celtics blockbuster, is considering season-ending surgery on his wrist. Richard Hamilton suffered a right shoulder sprain Monday and is out indefinitely, a source of frustration for a Bulls team with championship aspirations that's weak at the wings.
So, which player's injury do you think will have the greatest impact on trades? Let us know what you think.
Which Injury Will Have The Biggest Impact On Trades?
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Brook Lopez 41% (353)
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Ricky Rubio 37% (319)
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Richard Hamilton 12% (101)
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Jermaine O'Neal 6% (53)
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Someone Else 5% (42)
Total votes: 868
Recent First-Rounders Traded At The Deadline
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets today that the Cavs are working on a deal that would allow them to acquire a lottery pick. It's the latest example of a team seeking long-term gain at the trade deadline, when GMs must decide whether they're seeking assets for an immediate playoff run or trying to build for future success. No move is quite as focused on the future as acquiring a draft pick. Players who have never played in the league are unknown quantities, no matter how precise scouting has become, and so these deals are high-risk, high-reward for executives on both sides of the transactions. No first-round picks changed hands at the quiet 2007 deadline, but in the four years since, several key contributors to NBA teams today have been dealt, as first-round draft picks, within a week of the deadline.
The Cavs were involved in perhaps the most prominent recent example when they acquired a pick at last year's deadline. That draft choice wound up No. 1 overall, and the Cavs used it on Kyrie Irving. The Cavs figure in a longstanding rule concerning first-round draft pick trades as well. The so-called Ted Stepien rule, named after the former owner of the Cavs, was instituted in the 1980s and holds that no team may trade its first-round picks in consecutive years. Stepien was fond of doing so, and left his team without a mechanism to rebuild when those deals didn't pan out.
The list below shows the team that gave up the pick at the deadline as well as the team that acquired it, and the player upon whom the pick was eventually used. In many cases, the team that acquired the pick eventually traded it again in another transaction, so some the players listed didn't play with either of the teams by their names. Still, this gives you an idea of just what teams are giving up, and just what other teams are getting, when a first-round pick is included in a trade.
2011 deadline
- Tobias Harris, as 2011 pick: Bobcats to Trail Blazers
- Kyrie Irving, as 2011 pick: Clippers to Cavaliers
- Nikola Mirotic, as 2011 pick: Suns to Rockets, Rockets to Timberwolves (traded in two separate deals)
- Enes Kanter, as 2011 pick: Nets to Jazz
- Norris Cole, as 2011 pick: Raptors to Bulls
2010 deadline
- Donatas Montiejunas, as 2011 pick: Jazz to Grizzlies
- Lazar Hayward, as 2010 pick: Cavaliers to Wizards
- Taj Gibson, as 2009 pick: Thunder to Bulls
2009 deadline
- DeMarre Carroll, as 2009 pick: Magic to Grizzlies
2008 deadline
- Rodrigue Beaubois, as 2009 pick: Spurs to SuperSonics
- Ryan Anderson, as 2008 pick: Mavs to Nets
- Jordan Crawford, as 2010 pick: Mavs to Nets
Rubio Out For The Year With Torn ACL
Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio is out for the year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in last night's loss to the Lakers. The injury shakes up one of the teams most prominent in trade rumors, with Thursday's trade deadline just five days away.
Rubio, a rookie, became the starting point guard for the Wolves this year, helping lift the team that finished last season with the league's worst record to a 21-20 mark, good for ninth in the Western Conference. He was averaging 10.6 PPG and 8.2 APG, and was third in the NBA with 2.2 steals a game. He was the fifth pick in the 2009 draft, but spent two years playing overseas before signing a four-year rookie scale contract with Minnesota this past offseason that guarantees him $7.22MM this season and next.
The Wolves had been in the market for a shooting guard, and could be even more motivated to find one if they move Luke Ridnour, who had been starting at two guard, back to his natural position at the point. Michael Beasley, a forward and former No. 2 overall pick who hasn't seen much playing time, could be the most useful asset in a trade, and was drawing interest prior to Rubio's injury.
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper notes via Twitter that the Hornets own the Wolves' first-round pick this year, so if Minnesota falters without Rubio, New Orleans stands to gain. The injury's six-to-nine month recovery time will also keep him from playing for Spain in this year's summer Olympics, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated broke the story via Twitter, while Zgoda followed with detail in a full story.
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Raptors, McGee, Heat, Gasol
A look at some items from around the Association..
- The increased value of draft picks makes it unlikely that the Celtics will get what they're looking for in exchange for one of their Big Four, says Sean Grande of CSNNE.com. It's possible that a deal will get done before the deadline, but unlikely.
- Kevin Garnett has seen 16 trade deadlines come-and-go during his time in the league and isn't fixated on trade talks, writes CSNNE.com's Jessica Camerato.
- The Raptors aren't planning on making a major move at the deadline, writes Eric Koreen of the National Post. Earlier this week we learned that the Blazers have interest in Jose Calderon but finding the right deal for the point guard could be difficult.
- With the Wizards open to trading JaVale McGee, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat should make a move for him. Winderman doesn't think that Miami should risk tinkering with their chemistry by adding someone like McGee and is also wary of the club taking on Andray Blatche.
- Lakers big man Pau Gasol heard his name in trade rumors on Friday but did his best to tune them out, writes Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register.
- Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside looks at five standout players in the D-League who are getting less than 28 minutes of burn per game.
Kennedy On McMillan, Allen, Bogut, Jackson
Here's the latest from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld..
- Nate McMillan has lost the locker room in Portland, according to sources close to the situation. One source adds that there’s a growing number of players who would like to see McMillan ousted with assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff taking over as interim head coach. The Blazers have lost 11 of their last 16 games, including losses to the Wizards, Kings, and Warriors.
- The Celtics are seeking a young player and first-round draft pick in exchange for Ray Allen and that's an asking price that's likely too rich for the Clippers' blood. Even if Los Angeles was willing to meet the C's asking price, the bigger issue is that they don't have a first-round pick in this year's draft.
- If the Bucks decide to trade Andrew Bogut, they will package Stephen Jackson in the same trade. Jackson has butted heads with head coach Scott Skiles and yesterday one executive told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that he predicts no one will touch the veteran unless he is bought out by the Bucks.
Nets Inquired On Michael Beasley
While trading for Dwight Howard is obviously the Nets' Plan A, the club is also preparing backup options in case they cannot swing a trade for the big man. One of those options is forward Michael Beasley and Billy King & Co. have spoken with the Timberwolves about acquiring him, according to Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
Beasley, 23, could allow the Nets to be "buyers" at the deadline without compromising their cap flexibility this offseason. The Kansas State product is in the final year of his deal and earning $6.2MM. In the short term, Beasley could be played at the small forward position where the Nets are in desperate need of support.
Alternatively, the Nets could also turn into sellers at the deadline as Mehmet Okur, DeShawn Stevenson, Damion James, Sundiata Gaines, Shelden Williams, and Kris Humphries all have expiring contracts. Humphries holds a no-trade clause thanks to his impending Bird rights.
The Celtics have been linked to Beasley and the Lakers are also said to be interested in the forward.
Odds & Ends: Bogut, Rondo, Blatche
The talk of a 10-game night across the association has been about the health of two point guards whose absence could alter the plans of a pair of teams rumored to be among the most active nearing Thursday's trade deadline. Ricky Rubio of the Wolves tweeted that he'll receive an MRI on his left knee, which he hurt in his team's loss to the Lakers tonight. The team fears he has a torn ACL, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry of the Rockets was hospitalized with a fever and abdominal distress, HoopsWorld reports. Here's what's happening elsewhere:
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the trade candidacy of Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Bogut's agent David Bauman said there are several teams interested in talking to Bucks GM John Hammond about his client.
- Rajon Rondo appears to be conflicted about how trades might affect the chemistry of the Celtics. Rajon Rondo, who saw best friend Kendrick Perkins dealt away at the deadline last year, told Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston he doesn't care about what a trade would do to the team's chemistry this year. Yet, to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, Rondo said, "You can't get chemistry if you bring in new guys."
- Jason Kidd came close to joining a team that had just won the title when he thought about joining the Spurs in 2003, so he sympathizes with Lamar Odom, who arrived via trade to join this year's defending champs, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. For the record, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told the Galloway & Company radio show today that the uproar concerning Odom has come and gone.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld looks at the Grizzlies' early-season acquisition of Marreese Speights from the Sixers and wonders if that will wind up being the most effective deal of the year.
- Both John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune and Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com tweeted to note the progress of Lance Thomas, who signed with New Orleans for the rest of the season last month after the team gave him two 10-day contracts.
- The Wizards are willing to move anyone on the roster not named John Wall if another team will take Andray Blatche off their hands, tweets Michael Lee of The Washington Post.
- Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group notes the Warriors' lease in Oakland is up in 2017, and checks in with the progress of potential sites for a new home in Oakland and San Francisco. Venturing a guess, Kawakami has the San Francisco site as the most likely destination at this point.
- Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld proposes the Celtics as a potential destination for JaVale McGee, for whom the Wizards are reportly listening to offers.
- The Knicks starting lineup is in flux, and Newsday's Anthony Rieber takes a look at the quick changes engineered by coach Mike D'Antoni.
- Jeremy Evans' minimum salary contract expires at season's end, so time is running out for him to prove he can do more than win a dunk contest. Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how his theatrics during All-Star weekend haven't earned him any extra minutes with the Jazz.
- Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press passed along Pau Gasol's kind words about Kevin Love, two players who could be Wolves teammates if a rumored Gasol/Michael Beasley swap takes place, Richardson notes. "He's got a will and determination to go after every ball," Gasol said of Love. "Even though he's a little undersized and lost some weight, he's still a powerful player and playing at a high level. I'm definitely impressed with him."
- With Richard Hamilton and Luol Deng ailing, it's been hard for Bulls GM Gar Forman to get a true handle on how effective his team really is, writes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times. Forman must balance the team's current needs with its capability for long-term success, Hayes says.
- Bill Simmons of Grantland.com came out with his annual trade value column today in two parts, ranking the top 50 player assets across the league. The Heat's LeBron James is No. 1, meaning he'd be the player who would command the most in any trade, though James isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
- GM Sam Presti and the Thunder provide the small-market blueprint for Cavs GM Chris Grant, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Trade Candidate: Kirk Hinrich
Lost in the noise surrounding Josh Smith in Atlanta lately is another intriguing trade chip the Hawks possess. They were without 31-year-old combo guard Kirk Hinrich for a month to start the season as he recovered from surgery on his left shoulder, and found suitable replacements on their bench. Jannero Pargo continues to see minutes as the backup point guard, while Willie Green has served as the backup shooting guard. Hinrich has started in the absense of Joe Johnson lately, but with the emergence of others, Hinrich's minutes are at a career-low 20.2 per game. He's shooting only 35.6% from the floor, also a career low, perhaps because of a lack of rhythm from playing time, but aside from the effect that's having on his point production, his most of his numbers per 36 minutes are consistent with what they have been the past several seasons. The Hawks don't appear to need him, but teams with holes at either guard position may.
Yesterday, we passed along a report from Ken Berger of CBS Sports who said rival executives believe Hinrich will be traded before the deadline. Recently, we've heard rumors linking him to the Clippers, who could use a shooting guard, and the Lakers, who are looking for a point guard. His contract, which pays him $8.1MM this year, is expiring, making him even more enticing for teams wanting to clear cap space. The Lakers reportedly want the Hawks to take on salary in a Hinrich deal, and that has a chilling effect for Atlanta, which teeters on the brink of being a tax-paying team.
So, a trade with the Clippers could be easier. A swap of Hinrich for Eric Bledsoe and Ryan Gomes would work under the cap, according to ESPN's Trade Machine. The Hawks could develop Bledsoe along with incumbent starter Jeff Teague and see which young point guard emerges as the best option going forward. Gomes may seem unappetizing this year, but he does provide depth at the wing positions for next season, when Green and Tracy McGrady come off the books. The trick would be convincing the Clippers that Hinrich is still a starting-caliber guard. He started 51 games combined for the Wizards and Hawks last year and 53 for the Bulls in 2009/10, but hasn't been a full-time starter since 2007/08. Hawks GM Rick Sund could point to last season's stint with the Wizards, when Hinrich shot 45.2% in 48 games for Washington, which would have been a career high had it been a full season total.
While the Clippers could bite, I think it's more likely Hinrich winds up with a team that hasn't been mentioned as a backup if he is to leave Atlanta. It's hard to see either the Clippers or the Lakers, two teams with aspirations of deep playoff runs, taking a gamble that Hinrich can return to his form of several seasons ago. He's only been past the first round of the playoffs once, too, so that hurts his case as well. Still, his versatility is likely to prompt several teams to make offers before the deadline is here.