Garnett Won’t Waive No-Trade Clause
In the midst of rumors that the Clippers and the Celtics are discussing a Kevin Garnett trade, the veteran forward told reporters Saturday that he will not waive his no-trade clause for any team. Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Garnett simply replied "No" when asked if there was any team or circumstance under which he would allow himself to be traded.
Yahoo! Sports reported on Friday evening that the Clippers and Celtics are discussing the framework of a trade that would send Garnett to Los Angeles in exchange for DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe. Garnett was believed to be open to waiving his no-trade clause in this situation because he owns a home in Malibu and the Clippers are a contender. However, he came out strongly on Saturday against the notion.
Garnett is the owner of one of only four no-trade clauses in the NBA, alongside Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki.
Heat Unlikely To Make Deadline Move
The Miami Heat are unlikely to make a trade before Thursday's deadline, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Pat Riley has a history of making splashy moves at the deadline, dating back to the mid-1990s when he acquired Tim Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn. But Winderman writes that these moves have decreased in recent years, and there isn't any indication that he will make a move before Thursday.
Winderman writes that the most attractive trade asset the Heat have is the Sixers' lottery-protected 2013 first-round pick, acquired for the rights to Arnett Moultrie in June of 2012. Joel Anthony and Mike Miller are unlikely to be moved due to their contracts, and Winderman notes that Miller is very likely to be waived via the amnesty clause this summer. Mario Chalmers could be moved, but Winderman does not believe there is a deal out there for the point guard that the team must make.
Bucks Pursuing Josh Smith, Shopping Everybody?
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has some updates in his latest notebook column on where the Milwaukee Bucks stand in several trade discussions leading up to Thursday's deadline:
- The Bucks are considering making an offer to the Hawks for Josh Smith, writes Woelfel. Smith has been most openly courted by the Nets and Celtics, with Brooklyn reportledly offering MarShon Brooks and Kris Humphries and Boston offering Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. However, Woelfel believes that the Bucks' package could be equally attractive if they include Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings. They could also make Ersan Ilyasova available in a package for Smith.
- Woelfel writes that the Bucks are open to trading anyone on their roster and no one is off limits, although Ellis and Samuel Dalembert are the two players GM John Hammond would most like to move. Woelfel points to Beno Udrih and Mike Dunleavy as two other potentially attractive assets with expiring contracts.
- Woelfel contradicts a previous report by ESPN on the status of Jennings, writing that the Bucks never made him a formal offer of a contract extension before the October deadline. Jennings is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
- Forward Drew Gooden is no stranger to the trade deadline, Woelfel writes. The 11-year veteran has been traded five times during the season in his career.
Wizards Shopping Jordan Crawford
Ric Bucher of CSNBayArea.com reports (via Sulia) that the Washington Wizards have made guard Jordan Crawford "eminently available," and points to him as an option for teams in need of an affordable scorer. Bucher writes that rookie guard Bradley Beal's emergence as a legitimate starter has made it easier for the Wizards to consider moving Crawford.
Crawford is averaging 13.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 3.7 APG this season. He is in the third year of his rookie contract and is owed about $1.9MM this season, and will make $2.2MM next season before becoming a restricted free agent in the summer of 2014.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Randolph, Josh Smith
Kyrie Irving is willing to listen to any pitch LeBron James might make about joining forces on the Cavaliers in 2014, a source tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who wonders if All-Stars from around the league will use this weekend to hatch plots to form more superteams. While we wait to hear if any such whispers emanate from Houston, here's the latest from the Association:
- Jared Zwerling, speaking with fellow ESPNNewYork.com scribe Ian Begley, says he's hearing the Knicks will "hold tight" and not make a move before the trade deadline (video link).
- Zach Randolph agrees with owner Robert Pera's view that the Grizzlies are stronger after the Rudy Gay trade, as Kyle Veazey of the Memphis Commercial Appeal details.
- The Grizzlies have reportedly assured Randolph that he won't be traded, and the power forward spoke today about his desire to remain in Memphis. Jeff Zillgitt and Kevin Spain of USA Today have more.
- Trade candidate Josh Smith talked about dealing with speculation about his post-deadline address and his belief that he deserves a max deal with Lang Whitaker of GQ.
- Jeff Teague believes rumors involving Smith and others have been a huge distraction for the Hawks, as HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram tweets.
- Billy Hunter ally and former players union executive vice president Maurice Evans told Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com he's received a letter warning him to stay away from tomorrow's meeting that will decide whether Hunter remains executive director. Evans, who has not played in the NBA this season, also contends the only reason Derek Fisher signed with the Mavs is so he could remain union president and engineer Hunter's exit.
- HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy checks in with a few points to keep in mind as the trade deadline approaches.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Dwight, Curry, Lee
When Gary Payton was a rookie with the old SuperSonics, he faced a challenge when he went up against the division-rival Warriors, who boasted a backcourt of Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond as two-thirds of their "Run TMC" combo. Now, all three players could be a few weeks away from election to the Hall of Fame, as today the Hall announced the finalists for this year's class. Other finalists with NBA ties include Tom Heinsohn, Maurice Cheeks, Spencer Haywood, Bernard King, Rick Pitino and Jerry Tarkanian. A pair of ex-players have already made it into the Hall's class of 2013 as direct-elects from the ABA and Veterans committees, respectively: Roger Brown and Richie Guerin.
Another Pacific Division point guard from Payton and Hardaway's vintage is making news this evening, and there's more on him and others right here:
- Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson is conducting closed-door meetings with NBA officials at the All-Star Game as he attempts to keep the Kings in town, as Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee details.
- Dwight Howard is adamant about waiting until the end of the season to decide where he'll sign in free agency, notes Sam Amick of USA Today. Even as it appears Howard will remain with the Lakers after the trade deadline — discussion of a trade to the Celtics notwithstanding — the star center's refusal to commit to staying in L.A. beyond the season leaves the Lakers in a precarious situation, observes Michael Wallace of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Looking ahead to the 2014 World Cup, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com that Stephen Curry is in the mix for Team USA. Howard-Cooper adds that fellow Warrior David Lee is also drawing consideration, as is Pacers All-Star Paul George.
Lakers, Celtics In Talks To Swap Dwight, Rondo
10:08pm: Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, speaking with Chris Broussard of ESPN.com tonight, strongly denied that any Howard-Rondo talks have taken place at any time this season.
"I haven't talked to Danny Ainge in weeks. I made the statement a week or two ago that we're not going to trade Dwight Howard and that hasn't changed," Kupchak said (All Twitter links).
Kupchak hasn't spoken with anyone else in the Celtics organization either, Broussard also tweets.
9:54pm: A source tells TNT's David Aldridge that there's nothing to the rumored Howard-for-Rondo proposal (Twitter link).
8:43pm: The Lakers and Celtics have engaged in preliminary talks about a trade involving Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The proposal has yet to gain traction, Berger writes, and Celtics basketball president Danny Ainge would be reluctant to do a deal without assurances from Howard that he would re-sign with the Celtics this summer. The Lakers are also continuing to insist they won't trade Howard, and that's the impression the Celtics have at present, according to Berger.
The trade could be tabled until after the offseason, but a sign-and-trade would only allow Howard to sign with the Celtics for four years instead of five, Berger points out, which would cost him as much as $30MM. It would also preclude the Celtics from exceeding the luxury-tax apron next season and keep them from using their full midlevel exception under new sign-and-trade rules going into effect this summer.
Sources tell Berger that the Nets, Mavericks and Rockets are teams that intrigue Howard as he looks ahead to free agency this summer. Absent from that list are the Celtics, which would seem to make the deal a long shot. By taking back Rondo, who's out for the year with a torn ACL, the Lakers would be throwing up a white flag of sorts with regard to this season, though the Celtics would have to throw in others who make at least another $5.8MM for the deal to work under the league's salary-matching rules. Rondo would also be an odd fit in L.A., considering fellow point guard Steve Nash is the only Laker signed past 2014.
Howard said happiness and the ability to have fun on the court is what he'll look for in a free agent destination, and he said he's not having as much fun as he used to, as Berger notes. While a trade to Boston or elsewhere might not be in the cards before Thursday's deadline, it seems there's a strong chance Howard won't be wearing the purple and gold come next season. The Celtics, meanwhile, could be in for radical changes as Ainge, as he has done in the past, appears open to exploring blockbuster moves to return the team to title contention.
Union Likely To Fire Billy Hunter
The widespread belief among players, agents and other stakeholders is that NBPA player representatives will vote to oust executive director Billy Hunter in tommorrow's meeting, reports Howard Beck of the New York Times. A representative from each team will cast a vote, and members of the interim executive committee might also be permitted to vote, according to Beck. As many as 50 players are expected to attend the meeting, during which a new executive committee will also be elected.
Union representatives say no decision has been made about whether to invite Hunter, but Hunter's lawyers insist their client has been made unwelcome. Hunter, placed on indefinite leave of absence after the release of an independent audit critical of his practices while in charge of the union, released a presentation that he claimed was in lieu of the ability to address the players in person at the meeting.
"On every call, I have raised this issue of attending with their lawyers, and they have said consistently: you can continue assuming you are not coming," said Michael Carlinsky, an attorney for Hunter.
Agent Arn Tellem, who represents more than 50 players, is advising his clients to fire Hunter. Speaking with Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal, he laid out recommendations for the players as they meet to decide Hunter's fate, and gave his thoughts on how they should go about replacing the executive director should they choose to let him go.
Northwest Links: Aldridge, Thunder, Harden
Three Northwest Division teams are on track to make the playoffs, but only one of them is sending any players to the All-Star Game. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will represent the first-place Thunder, and they're joined by LaMarcus Aldridge of the Trail Blazers, the Northwest's other All-Star whose Portland team hits the break three games out of the last playoff spot in the West. All three All-Stars are making noise as the events begin in Houston, where James Harden, the Thunder's erstwhile third All-Star, plays the role of unofficial host. Here's more on all of them:
- Aldridge will have the chance this weekend to try to recruit some fellow All-Stars to the Blazers, and he said his pitch will center on the team's fans, its young core of players and this summer's cap space, which could exceed $13MM, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com writes.
- Westbrook and Durant acknowledged that the Thunder haven't missed a beat following the Harden trade, notes Jason McDaniel of the Houston Chronicle. "We’re different, but I think we’re just as good," Durant said. "James, don’t get me wrong, he’s a phenomenal player, but we lost him and we got Kevin Martin back, who’s a really good player as well. And I think for the passing ability that we lost with James, and his defense, we make up for it with Russell and myself, and the guys on the bench that help.”
- Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman chronicles Harden's remarks to reporters on his feelings about Durant and Westbrook and what it will be like to play with his old teammates at the All-Star Game, among other topics.
Bill Walker Signs To Play In D-League
Former Celtics and Knicks swingman Bill Walker has signed to play in the D-League and will be assigned to a team Tuesday, agent Mike Naiditch told Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Walker was recently linked to the Grizzlies as they sought to fill out their roster following last month's three-for-one trade with the Cavs.
Walker, a second-round draft pick in 2008, spent four seasons in the NBA, but hasn't returned to the league since the Knicks waived him shortly before the end of the regular season last year. He's averaged 5.8 points and 37.9% three-point shooting in 15.2 minutes per game for his career. His best season by far took place in 2009/10, when he notched 11.9 PPG and shot 43.1% from behind the arc in 27.4 MPG with the Knicks after coming over from Boston in a deadline trade.
He joins a host of former NBA players in the D-League, including Shelvin Mack, Jerome Jordan and DaJuan Summers. Those three and others are on the rosters for the D-League All-Star Game this weekend.