Spurs Won’t Look To Acquire Smith, Jefferson
Ric Bucher of Comcast Sports says that the Spurs won't be looking to deal for Josh Smith or Al Jefferson before the deadline (Sulia link).
San Antonio's interest in Smith dwindled after the team decided that the Hawks' star wouldn't be a good fit with the team's 'DNA,' whereas the supposed interest in Jefferson wasn't very serious considering their salary-cap situation. The Jazz forward is making $15MM in the final year of his deal, and at age 28 would likely be looking for the most lucrative contract of his career this summer.
Knicks Interested In Jermaine O’Neal
ESPN's Chris Broussard (via Twitter) says that the Knicks have been showing strong interest in Suns center Jermaine O'Neal. The 34-year-old former All-Star is putting up averages of 6.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and a notable 1.3 BPG in just 16.6 MPG and has been relatively healthy in Phoenix this season.
Such an addition would be welcomed with open arms in New York, where the Knicks have been recently lacking in viable frontcourt depth due to the injuries of Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby. The team has been reportedly considering Louis Amundson and Kenyon Martin as possible reinforcements but have been reluctant thus far to waive a player in order to make room for a free agent signing.
Atlantic Links: Bynum, Celtics, Knicks
76ers center Andrew Bynum still hasn't set an exact return date for his practice debut, telling reporters that he expects to be able to join the team in "a week, could be two" (reports Jason Wolf of USA Today). The young center provides a distinction between returning to practice and going up against "live defenders," the latter of which he doesn't think he'll be ready for until a couple of weeks from now. Slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July, Bynum remains confident he can still return to NBA action at some point this season. Here's more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Baxter Holmes of Boston.com looked further into Danny Ainge's uncertainty about the Celtics getting a trade done within the coming days. Ainge admitted that he's been involved in a lot of conversations due to their misfortune with injuries, also mentioning that he's had to field a lot of "waste-of-time calls from the media and other teams."
- Paul Pierce thinks that the Celtics need to add help – whether through trades or free agency – for practice and preservation's sake (CSNNE.com report). Coach Doc Rivers thinks the team needs two guards (at least one for practice), but also made it clear that they won't go after somebody they don't want.
- Knicks big men Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby had limited participation in today's practice, although head coach Mike Woodson says that they still have a lot to show him before he can consider putting them back into games (Barbara Barker of Newsday reports).
Odds & Ends: Dwight, Lakers, Warriors, Bobcats
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops told Joe and Evan of WFAN 660 today that he believes there is a 50-50 chance that Dwight Howard winds up with the Nets by the trade deadline. Despite the Lakers' reassurances that they wouldn't be willing to deal their prized center, Sheridan thinks that they soon have to realize that this season cannot be salvaged and suggests that a deal involving MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Tyshawn Taylor, Mirza Teletovic, Tornike Shengelia, the draft rights to some of their overseas prospects, and a few first round picks could be enough to get something done. Here's what else we're hearing this afternoon:
- In contrast to Sheridan's thoughts, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com tweets about Mitch Kupchak's insistence that Howard won't be traded and the unlikelihood that the Lakers acquire a talent upgrade anytime soon. Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times relayed Kupchak's thoughts explicitly: "I don’t anticipate anything dramatic talking place in the next two days" (Twitter link).
- Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News notes that coach Mike D'Antoni remains convinced the Lakers don't have to make any moves before the deadline and that Pau Gasol is hopeful he can return before the end of the regular season. Gasol, who suffered a foot injury two weeks ago, expects to be off crutches soon (All Twitter links).
- As we heard last week, Warriors ownership hasn't required the front office to make deals for the sake of avoiding the luxury tax and would be willing to make a deal if the right one came along. With that being said, team co-owner Joe Lacob told Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News that he likes how the current group has been performing and needs to see them continue to perform together for an extended period of time.
- Bobcats head Coach Mike Dunlap said that he's met with some of his players to talk about the trade deadline, adding that he feels "uncomfortable communication" is necessary too. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer thinks that the latter was likely a reference to Ben Gordon, who has been notably unhappy with Dunlap this season (Twitter links).
HoopsWorld’s Latest: Randolph, D12, 2014, Ellis
Steve Kyler and Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld both have new pieces up, in which they address various trade candidates or possibilities. Let's dive in and cover the highlights….
- Zach Randolph is "all but untouchable" for the Grizzlies this week, according to Kyler. While Memphis is still expected to make a move or two using its trade exceptions, the club would have to be blown away to consider moving Randolph.
- Sources tell Kennedy that there's a non-zero chance the Lakers will move Dwight Howard this week, which is something we've heard from Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio and from Kennedy himself. Howard hasn't asked for a trade and isn't expected to do so, so a deal is very unlikely, but there's no guarantee D12 will remain in Los Angeles through the deadline, according to Kennedy.
- If the Lakers are fielding calls on Howard, the Rockets, Mavericks, and Hawks, three teams frequently linked to the All-Star center, are expected to make inquiries.
- When weighing trade offers this week, teams will be cognizant of their salary commitments for 2014 and beyond, says Kennedy. Like 2010, the 2014 free agent class is expected to be particularly star-studded, so plenty of teams are attempting to preserve cap space for that summer.
- League sources expect Monta Ellis to opt out of his contract this summer and look to sign with a contender, since he's tired of being on losing teams, according to Kennedy. It's worth noting that the 26-25 Bucks aren't technically a "losing team," but I suppose being one game above .500 doesn't exactly qualify Milwaukee as a contender.
Odds & Ends: Bargnani, Nets, Jennings, Greene
Earlier today, we heard that the Sixers are a good bet to stand pat at this year's deadline, and given how their last trade turned out, perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise. One player acquired by the 76ers in the deal, Jason Richardson, underwent successful surgery on his left knee this morning, according to a team release. Meanwhile, the centerpiece, Andrew Bynum, told reporters today that he still intends to play for Philadelphia this season, though it won't happen until at least March.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), while the Raptors would move Andrea Bargnani in the right offer, teams don't sense an urgency on Toronto's part. That falls in line with comments Bryan Colangelo made today.
- I questioned earlier today whether Nets GM Billy King was being honest when he told reporters there's a 10% chance he makes a trade, but Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News says (via Twitter) that's the same line King has been giving privately to rival teams.
- Despite his agent change, Brandon Jennings really doesn't have a ton of leverage, and the Bucks should still be expected to match any offer sheet he receives this summer, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- Donte Greene, who was set to sign with the Nets last summer before he fractured his ankle, is back to 100% and is drawing interest, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The Nets, Pacers, Hornets, Spurs, Bulls, Knicks, Magic, Rockets, and Cavaliers have inquired on Greene, says Spears.
Hawks, Bucks, Suns Expected To Be Active
League executives tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the Hawks, Bucks, and Suns are the teams most determined to make a deal by Thursday's trade deadline (Twitter link). All three clubs have been involved in various trade rumors already today, including all being linked in one way or another to Josh Smith.
It's no surprise that any of the three clubs are expected to be active on the trade market this week. We've long heard that no one on the Suns is untouchable, except for Luis Scola, who is ineligible to be dealt. The Bucks, meanwhile, face the possibility of their top two scorers, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, hitting free agency this summer, so they could make a deal to avoid losing one or both of those players for nothing.
The Hawks also have a star heading for free agency in Smith, and according to Berger (via Twitter), there's a belief around the NBA that Atlanta will make a serious run at Dwight Howard, despite the Lakers' insistence that D12 won't be moved. Assuming the Hawks don't land Howard by Thursday's deadline, which seems like a fairly safe bet, the team is expected to be one of his primary suitors in free agency in July.
In addition to holding a number of moveable trade chips, the Hawks, Bucks, and Suns figure to have a good amount of cap room this summer, so all three teams have the flexibility to take on some long-term salary without any real luxury-tax concerns.
Raptors GM Talks Bargnani, Trades, Future
Although the trade deadline is less than 48 hours away, it's possible the biggest trade we'll see during this season already occurred last month when the Raptors acquired Rudy Gay. Even so, general manager Bryan Colangelo is still exploring more deals, as he tells Sam Amick of USA Today. According to Amick, Toronto discussed Andrea Bargnani with the Bulls and with the Lakers, before Pau Gasol's injury, but haven't talked to the Bobcats or Sixers about Bargnani, despite reports suggesting otherwise.
Amick spoke to Colangelo about the possibility of a Bargnani trade, as well as his future with the Raptors once his contract expires this summer. Here are the quotes from the Toronto GM:
On whether the Gay trade changed the team's perception of Bargnani:
"All of a sudden the outlook and the presence of a guy like Andrea is entirely different now. He's not relied on as a No. 1 guy. He has never been paid like a No. 1 option, but people wanted to criticize that he couldn't handle that role. I've always felt like he's been slotted in salary-wise as a No. 2 or No. 3. Maybe he's kind of fitting in nicely now."
On the odds that Bargnani is moved:
"I would say (the situation) is fluid. There may have been an outright cry (to trade him) externally, whether from the media or the bloggers, to make a deal. But internally, we've always said that we recognized that a change of scenery may be helpful for him and may be beneficial for us. But we always recognized the talent, and I believe that – in some of the trade discussions I've had – the market recognizes the talent. And we didn't want to do something just to do it.
"If a deal presents itself that makes sense, we'll go ahead and move. I would say that, had he not injured himself early, it would've been much more likely that something would've happened. By virtue of him getting injured and returning with a handful games left prior to the trade deadline…there just may not have been enough runway prior to the deadline to get something."
On Colangelo's future:
"There's been no discussion. I certainly haven't brought it up. I think that we're, right now, transitioning with an ownership change of our own…. This is somewhat of a getting-to-know-you scenario for everyone involved, myself included. And I would like to think that at the end of the day, they look at my track record and my history and say that I'm the right guy. Time will tell. I have been consistent about one thing: I will always do what's right for the organization. It has nothing to do with me. If there's an opportunity to improve this team, I will do so. There's obviously always a balance in my position between short-term results and long-term results, or short-term outlook and long-term outlook.
On a specific instance when he made the right long-term choice for the team:
"Case in point was drafting [Jonas] Valanciunas knowing that he was not going to be here for a year, and that when he did arrive that he'd be 20 and would still be considered a project. But you have to carry out your job with integrity and do the right thing for the organization. That's what I've been hired to do and that's what I'm doing. Whether or not that pays off for me long-term, with an extension or just even my option year being picked up (for 2013/14), time will tell. But you can't lose sight of what the job is."
Western Rumors: T-Wolves, Grizzlies, Warriors
Regular-season action resumes tonight, and one of the more intriguing games on the schedule will impact the Western Conference's playoff standings. If the Jazz can defeat the Warriors in Utah, they'll pull into a tie with Golden State for the sixth seed. As we wait to see if the Warriors can snap their five-game losing streak, let's check out a few notes from the West:
- Multiple reports have suggested the Timberwolves are shopping draft picks as they try to bolster their roster. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities isn't exactly sure who the Wolves are pursuing, but says Josh Smith and J.J. Hickson aren't among the team's targets and that J.J. Redick is "doubtful" (Twitter link).
- According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, the Grizzlies are likely to be buyers rather than sellers at the deadline, since they'll need to add a 13th man to their roster soon.
- Kyler also echoes a report by Ken Berger, writing that the Warriors are expected to try to move a couple of minimum-salary players to duck below the luxury-tax threshold. The HoopsWorld scribe notes that Draymond Green is also a possibility, and that he'd bring back a better return, but Golden State will probably want to keep him around.
- We've heard plenty of times over the last few weeks that the Kings aren't likely to make a deadline deal, and general manager Geoff Petrie agrees with that assessment, as he tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
- Eric Gordon is unconcerned with the trade rumors surrounding him and is focused on moving forward with the Hornets, writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Bucks, Magic Talking Redick, Mbah A Moute
As the trade deadline approaches and the Magic debate whether or not to move J.J. Redick, one team that has been frequently linked to the sharpshooter is Milwaukee. According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Bucks and Magic have discussed a deal that would see them swap Redick for Luc Mbah a Moute and a first-round pick.
Berger's report suggests that the Magic have extended that offer to Milwaukee, but that the Bucks would only pull the trigger on the deal if they also moved Monta Ellis in a bigger trade (Twitter link). That echoes what Adrian Wojnarowski said yesterday, when he reported that Redick would be a major target for the Bucks if they move one of their starting guards. Earlier today, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports wrote that the Bucks aren't expecting to trade either Ellis or Brandon Jennings.
The Magic are known to be seeking either young talent or draft picks for Redick, and are also willing to simply hang on to him and try to re-sign him this summer. An overnight report indicated that Orlando had engaged in talks with the Knicks involving Redick and Iman Shumpert. In the proposed deal with the Bucks, the first-rounder would be the main piece heading back to Orlando, though it's not clear what protection would be on it. At the moment, Milwaukee's 2013 first-rounder is projected to be 15th overall, according to our tentative '13 draft order.