Brandon Jennings Frustrated With Bucks?
6:18pm: In a text message to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, Jennings has denied that he wants to be traded from the Bucks by next week's deadline. "That is not true," Jennings texted. "Just because I got a new agent doesn't mean anything. That stuff never came out of my mouth. They're just reaching for a story since I changed my agent."
The 23-year-old point guard dropped agent Bill Duffy in favor of Jeff Schwartz on February 4. Jennings, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, has hinted in the past that he may be eyeing a move to a larger market and some have speculated that he was frustrated he didn't make the All-Star team and may hold Milwaukee's small market status accountable. Jennings refuted that claim on Wednesday.
"Being in Milwaukee wasn't the reason I didn't make the All-Star Game. Guys just had better numbers than me."
12:12pm: While the Bucks insist they're not shopping Brandon Jennings, the team may have to seriously consider fielding offers for Jennings in the next week, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Ford reports that Jennings is frustrated with the Bucks and would prefer to play in a bigger market. One source cites "irreconcilable differences" between the two sides.
Jennings, in his fourth season, didn't reach an agreement on a long-term extension with the Bucks last fall, which is one source of his frustration. However, the Bucks will still have the opportunity to retain him this summer by extending a qualifying offer. At that point, Jennings could accept the one-year qualifying offer and be eligible for unrestricted free agency a year later. But the more likely scenario would involve him seeking out a long-term offer sheet with a rival team, then hoping the Bucks don't exercise their ability to match.
Agent Bill Duffy was recently let go by Jennings, who is expected to officially hire Jeff Schwartz as soon as the waiting period for switching agents allows it. Schwartz is a noted proponent of larger markets, and according to Ford, he will be tasked with getting Jennings out of Milwaukee via trade or a large offer sheet this summer. The Mavericks, Magic, and Hawks are considered the most likely suitors for Jennings, says Ford.
The Bucks reportedly told Jennings they expect to match any offer sheet he receives in free agency next summer, so we'll see if that stance still applies, despite the seemingly deteriorating relationship between the two sides. Last summer, we saw restricted free agents like Nicolas Batum and Eric Gordon express some desire to leave their respective teams, but their offer sheets were ultimately matched by the Trail Blazers and Hornets. Like those clubs, the Bucks will have most of the leverage, so their decision this week or this summer will be an interesting one.
Southwest Links: White, Spurs, Prince, Mavs
As every Southwest team except the Grizzlies prepares for action tonight, let's check in on the latest notes out of the division….
- Royce White finally made his D-League debut for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and showed flashes of the potential that makes Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle think White could help the Rockets this season.
- Don't expect the Spurs to make a serious play for Josh Smith, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
- Tayshaun Prince appeared on the Chris Vernon Show on ESPN Memphis, and discussed how shocked he was when he heard he'd been traded to the Grizzlies, as well as the adjustment he's making to a new team and city (link via Sports Radio Interviews).
- Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News explains why Mavericks fans shouldn't be holding their breath waiting for the club to make a blockbuster trade.
- The Mavs would love to get their hands on DeMarcus Cousins, who they think would greatly benefit from the team's culture, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. But with the Kings unlikely to move Cousins and the third-year big man not due for restricted free agency until the summer of 2014, Dallas may not have much of an opportunity to land him.
Danny Ainge Talks Potential Celtics Roster Moves
Earlier today, we heard that Danny Ainge had provided injury updates on Rajon Rondo, who underwent ACL surgery yesterday, and Leandro Barbosa, who the Celtics have interested in bringing back next season. Ainge also made a few other comments to reporters, including Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, about his plans for re-stocking the roster after the team suffered three season-ending injuries in as many weeks. Let's round up the notable comments from the Celtics president of basketball operations….
On the impact of the season-ending injuries:
"All three of them are real blows to us. First of all, we lose our star player and then Jared [Sullinger] and then Barbosa. That’s devastating. We’re short on guards now, and we have to bring someone in. We have players we like in the D-League, and we have a little more than a week before the trade deadline. And we’ll explore all of that."
On a short-term fix:
"Immediately we will probably bring someone in on a 10-day contract, and we’re going through all those names. There’s a lot of names actually, but it’s going to be very difficult to replace Leandro Barbosa…. There are guys playing all around the world, and I need to figure out when they may become available with their contracts. So there’s a lot to go through here."
On whether the team will be able to add an above-average player:
"Those guys are hard to find, someone with veteran NBA experience that has the athleticism to make an impact. There’s a lot of players out there that are good enough to play in the NBA, that could come into an NBA game today and contribute. I’m not worried about that, but to find someone who can play to Leandro’s level, to have an impact and be one of the best players on the court for a quarter like Leandro, that’s what’s going to be a challenge."
On adding a veteran vs. adding a younger player:
"We need someone that can help us more now. If there’s a decent player that could contribute some now and might have a bright future, we’d look at that as well, but I think that’s less likely at this moment. But we’d really like to get someone who could step in and play an important role right away, if we can."
On how injuries have affected the team's ability to make trades:
"The problem with trades now is we don’t have enough bodies to trade. Like, we can’t afford to trade a big for a guard. It’s not like we have an excess amount of anything. We have nine or 10 players, and we’re not trading draft picks unless someone really special becomes available."
D-League Moves: Pittman, Miller, Stone
We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls right here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page:
- Dexter Pittman has been recalled from the D-League by the Heat, according to a team release. Pittman averaged 9.0 PPG and 7.3 RPG in three games during his most recent stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
- The Nuggets have recalled Quincy Miller and Julyan Stone from their D-League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. While Miller has averaged 11.3 PPG for the Iowa Energy in 23 D-League games, Stone struggled during his stint with the club, going scoreless in his last four contests. Neither player figures to see much action with the Nuggets, but they'll provide depth for tonight's game in Brooklyn, particularly if Andre Iguodala, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and JaVale McGee remain sidelined.
Knicks Have Expressed Interest In Luke Ridnour
Last night, we heard that the Knicks and Timberwolves have engaged in trade talks, though it wasn't clear which players were being discussed. Today, a report from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld starts to fill in the blanks, as Kennedy tweets that the Knicks have expressed interest in Luke Ridnour.
From the Timberwolves' perspective, trade discussions involving Ridnour make sense, since the Wolves are said to be shopping the veteran point guard. The Knicks' interest is a little surprising though — as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors pointed out last night, New York seems fairly set at point guard, with Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni all healthy. Presumably, if the Knicks were to acquire Ridnour, the club would either ship out one of their current options (likely Prigioni) in the deal or plan on playing Ridnour at the two.
Speculating on how Ridnour would fit on the Knicks' roster is probably premature, however, as Kennedy doesn't suggest the talks are serious. It's possible New York was just kicking the tires on Ridnour to get an idea of the T-Wolves' asking price.
Odds & Ends: Noel, Celtics, Barbosa, NBPA
The 2013 draft class took a bit of a hit today, when the University of Kentucky announced today that freshman Nerlens Noel has torn his ACL, and will undergo surgery in the coming weeks — he's expected to be out at least six to eight months (Twitter links). Nonetheless, while there's a possibility Noel will return to the Wildcats for his sophomore year, Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com hears that NBA people still expect the big man to be a top-five pick if he declares for the draft this summer (Twitter link).
Here are a few more Wednesday odds and ends from around the league:
- Danny Ainge shares a couple of Celtics injury updates with Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, noting that Dr. James Andrew performed ACL surgery on Rajon Rondo yesterday. Additionally, Leandro Barbosa suffered MCL damage, and will have to wait until March to undergo surgery on his knee (Twitter links).
- According to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter), the Celtics would like to bring back Barbosa next season if they can.
- Iman Shumpert has been the subject of a few trades rumors recently, but George Willis of the New York Post believes it would be a mistake for the Knicks to move him.
- The Jazz should be in no rush to trade Al Jefferson, writes Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- As All-Star weekend approaches, so too do the NBPA's annual meetings, which will include plenty of discussion about executive director Billy Hunter. Tom Ziller of SBNation.com writes that the union owes it to itself to replace Hunter with a director that's more aggressive about challenging issues like the NBA's age minimum.
- The latest piece of bad news for Hunter comes from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who reports that the U.S. Attorney's office is investigating a contract that authorized future payment of more than $3MM to a firm that employed Hunter's son. The NBPA's executive committee is required to authorize any expenditures more than $25K, but were reportedly never shown a deal that would have paid Prim Capital $600K+ annually for five years.
- An ESPN.com 5-on-5 panel that includes Marc Stein, Chris Broussard, and Chad Ford predict the odds that some of the big-name trade candidates will be dealt within the next eight days.
Ford’s Latest: Smith, Hawes, Turner, Granger
In an earlier post, we passed along Chad Ford's report on Brandon Jennings' discontent in Milwaukee. Ford's latest Insider-only piece at ESPN.com featured plenty of additional trade notes though, so we'll round up the highlights here:
- The consensus around the NBA continues to suggest that Josh Smith is unlikely to remain with the Hawks next season, whether he leaves by trade or free agency.
- According to Ford, the 76ers have been "dangling" Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner as potential trade chips, and could be a team to watch in the Smith sweepstakes.
- The Raptors would like to acquire a backup point guard in an Andrea Bargnani deal.
- Danny Granger is probably out of the Pacers' price range over the long-term, so if he's not moved in the next week, he's a good candidate to be shopped this summer. Ford names the Clippers as a potential suitor for Granger.
- While anyone on the Suns' roster is available for the right piece, it's not entirely clear what they're looking for in return, as they've been linked to everyone from Al Jefferson to Iman Shumpert. Ford suggests that's a sign that Phoenix doesn't necessarily have a "coherent rebuilding plan."
Donald Sloan Signs In China
WEDNESDAY, 12:47pm: Sloan has finalized a contract with Guangdong, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Berger adds in a second tweet that the deal is only for the rest of this season.
TUESDAY, 12:41pm: For teams like the Celtics, who may be looking at D-League prospects in search of backcourt help, one prime candidate appears to be off the market. According to Mark Deeks of ShamSports, Donald Sloan has left the D-League and will replace Terrence Williams on China's Guangdong Southern Tigers. Williams came home due to a death in the family, says Deeks (Twitter links).
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports (via Twitter) that Sloan is closing in on a "lucrative" contract with Guangdong, though it's not clear if it will just be for the remainder of this season. Deeks suggests that the Texas A&M product will be returning stateside after the CBA season ends, and could catch on with an NBA team later this season.
Sloan, 24, appeared in 20 games for the Cavaliers earlier this season, earning some extra playing time when Kyrie Irving was sidelined. He also signed a 10-day contract with the Hornets and appeared briefly in three games for New Orleans.
Although Sloan has yet to make a real impact at the NBA level, he has excelled for the D-League's Sioux Falls SkyForce this year, averaging 22.1 PPG, 7.4 APG, and 6.5 RPG, while leading the team to an 8-2 record in his 10 contests.
Poll: What Will Nets Do At Trade Deadline?
As I noted yesterday when I rounded up the latest rumors out of Brooklyn, last summer's most active team in free agency appears to be one of the league's more active teams in trade talks as next week's deadline approaches. The Nets have been linked to Ben Gordon, Josh Smith, and Paul Millsap, among other potential trade targets.
While the Nets likely wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on a trade that brought in reinforcements, it's unclear if they have the assets to make a move for a player of Smith's or Millsap's caliber. Kris Humphries and his $12MM salary would likely have to be included in any deal to match salaries, and other than MarShon Brooks and perhaps a handful of future draft picks, the Nets don't have a ton of attractive, tradeable assets.
A target like Gordon may be more attainable since, like Humphries, he's overpaid and still has another year remaining on his contract. But according to a New York Daily News report yesterday, the Nets have "cooled" on Gordon due to concerns about his defense.
GM Billy King has said the Nets won't make a trade for the sake of making a move, but the team showed last summer, and at last season's trade deadline for that matter, that it's not afraid to take a risk. So what do you think? Will the Nets find a way to make a big splash at this year's deadline, or are they more likely to stand pat?
What will the Nets do at the trade deadline?
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Acquire Josh Smith 27% (247)
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Acquire Paul Millsap 25% (228)
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Acquire Ben Gordon 20% (188)
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Acquire someone else 16% (147)
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Stand pat 12% (112)
Total votes: 922
Oden Leaning Toward Cavs; Heat Out Of Mix?
WEDNESDAY, 10:53am: Sources tell Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that Oden appears to be leaning toward the Cavaliers.
MONDAY, 1:58pm: The field of suitors for Greg Oden may have decreased by one, as Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports (via Twitter) that the Heat have removed themselves from the running. Miami had been considered one of the frontrunners for Oden, according to a report last month.
On Friday, we heard that the Cavaliers were preparing to make Oden a contract offer after the trade deadline. Amico confirms that report, adding that the Bobcats are also expected to make an offer. While the Cavs have about $4MM in cap space that they could use for their offer, the Bobcats have a pro-rated portion of the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception available.
Although Oden isn't expected to appear on the court until the 2013/14 season, his agent has suggested he may sign a contract this season in order to rehab with an NBA club. If the former first overall pick were to wait until the summer to sign, perhaps the Heat could re-emerge as an option, since they'd have their $3MM taxpayer mid-level exception available at that point. That's just my speculation though — it's not clear if an inability to offer more than the minimum this year is the reason why the Heat are out of the running for Oden.
In addition to the Heat, Cavs and Bobcats, the Celtics, Spurs, Pacers, Hornets, and Mavericks have also been mentioned as potential destinations for Oden.