Seattle Group Officially Files Intent To Move Kings
The investors who have a deal with the Maloof brothers to buy the Kings have officially filed with the league to move the team to Seattle, reports Tim Booth of The Associated Press. The group, led by Chris Hansen and Howard Ballmer, had been expected to do so before the March 1 deadline, but the news, delivered by commissioner David Stern, makes it official. Stern called Hansen and Ballmer's bid "very strong" in his comments to reporters in Minneapolis assembled before tonight's Timberwolves-Spurs game.
Hansen and Ballmer reached an agreement last month to buy a 65% stake in the Kings, investing $340MM of the $525MM value of the franchise. That value, a 75% jump from the value Forbes magazine determined last year, was set as part of the agreement. The city of Sacramento and mayor Kevin Johnson have been scrambling to put forth a counter offer, having found 20 local investors to pledge $1MM, with rumors that Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov have interest in teaming up to spearhead the bid.
The Sacramento group is expected to make its case before the league at the board of governors meeting in April, so no resolution on the future of the Kings appears likely until then.
Bobcats, Spurs Possibilities For Greg Oden
A week after confirming that the Heat and the Cavaliers were both potential fits for his client, agent Mike Conley tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that the Bobcats and Spurs are possibilities for Greg Oden as well.
"I definitely can see both of those teams (as possibilities)," Conley said. "San Antonio has an aging front line with [Tim] Duncan, and with Duncan and the Admiral (David Robinson, who still lives in San Antonio), he would have some great mentors…. Charlotte, they are rebuilding. They would be in a better position to take more of a risk."
While Miami and Cleveland were reported as the frontrunners for Oden, those teams were never considered the only two possible destinations. The Celtics have met with the former first overall pick, and a handful of other teams, including the Mavericks, are said to have interest. Conley suggests to Tomasson that about seven or eight teams are in the mix for the former Ohio State star, a number he expects will continue to grow.
Despite the seemingly strong market for Oden, the chances of him signing a contract before season's end are decreasing, according to Conley, who figures teams will want to thoroughly explore his client's medical records. Oden was always eyeing a return to the court in 2013/14, but had been considering signing this season in order to rehab with an NBA team.
"A few weeks ago, I’d probably have said it was 80%," Conley said of Oden signing with a team this season. "Now, I’d say it’s 50-50."
As for teams who won't be in the running for Oden, Conley suggests that he doesn't see the Magic as a fit, and also tells Tomasson that the Lakers and Knicks haven't expressed any interest.
Pau Gasol To Miss Significant Time With Foot Injury
Pau Gasol has suffered a torn plantar fascia in his right foot, the Lakers confirmed on their website. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who originally reported the news, set the timetable for his return at six weeks or more, while Chris Broussard of ESPN.com hears it's at least four weeks (Twitter link). In any case, it will keep him out until after the trade deadline, complicating, if not scuttling, any potential deal.
Gasol will meet with a specialist tomorrow, and an official timetable will be set following that, but Berger hears he could be out 10-12 weeks if he opts for surgery, which would provide a better chance for full recovery than rehab alone. That would leave the 23-26 Lakers without their second-leading rebounder until April at the earliest, adding yet another burden to their pursuit of a playoff spot.
The Lakers have a $1.78MM injury exception granted following the loss of Jordan Hill for the season, but the team isn't dead set on using it, a source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). They also have a pro-rated portion of the $1.4MM they had leftover on their mid-level exception entering the season. Aside from that, they'd either have to replace Gasol in trades or via minimum-salary signing. L.A. has 14 players on the roster, leaving one open spot.
Odds & Ends: HGH, Kings, Gelabale, NBPA
On this day in 2008, the Shaquille O'Neal era began in Phoenix, when the Heat and Suns finalized a deal that sent O'Neal to the Suns in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. February 6th also represents Hoops Rumors' anniversary, as we launched our site a year ago today. Whether you've been with us from the beginning or just visited for the first time today, we'd like to thank you for reading, and we hope you'll stick with us longer than the O'Neal era lasted in Phoenix.
Here are this afternoon's odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Commissioner David Stern told WCCO radio in Minnesota that he expects the NBA to introduce blood testing for HGH by next season, according to Ben Golliver of SI.com.
- Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson hopes to have a detailed plan to attempt to keep the Kings in Sacramento in place by the end of the month, according to Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged that French forward Mickael Gelabale, currently with the Timberwolves, is a player that's interested San Antonio in the past. "He's somebody we thought about a lot over the last couple of years," Popovich said. "We just never really had a position there" (Twitter links via Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News).
- Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld takes a look at trade possibilities for Western Conference clubs, identifying which players on each team are most likely to be on the move.
- Israel's Elizur Ashkelon has signed former NBA veteran Jarvis Hayes, according to the team's website (translation via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Hayes, who last played for the Nets in 2009/10, was drafted 10th overall in 2003.
- The recently-formed five-man interim NBPA executive committee has hired the law firm of Orrick Herrington as advisors, tweets Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal.
NBA Players Making Impact In D-League
While many of the well-publicized changes to the new collective bargaining agreement relate to the salary cap and luxury tax, the post-lockout CBA also features a number of modifications to the relationship between the NBA and the D-League. With more flexible regulations for D-League assignments in effect this season, a record 52 players have been assigned to the D-League so far.
For veterans such as Amare Stoudemire or Kawhi Leonard, those assignments were simply for injury rehab purposes, and didn't last long. But for many young players, the D-League has provided an opportunity to earn the kind of minutes they wouldn't be seeing for their NBA teams.
One example of how that opportunity is paying off came earlier this week, when the D-League announced its All-Star rosters. Three of the players on the rosters (Jeremy Lamb, Cory Joseph, and Terrence Jones) were on assignments from their respective NBA teams, while another D-League All-Star, Shelvin Mack, is currently playing for the 76ers.
Here's a look at a few players on NBA rosters who have played at least 10 D-League games this year and are making an impact for their respective affiliates:
- Terrence Jones (Rio Grande Valley Vipers): While the Rockets are still waiting to see Royce White on the court, Jones, the player selected two spots after White in the 2012 draft, is averaging nearly 20 and 10 in the D-League. Jones' 19.7 PPG and 9.6 RPG (in 14 contests) both rank among the league leaders, and coming into today, the Vipers had won the last seven games in which Jones played.
- Cory Joseph (Austin Toros): A second-year guard, Joseph has played more minutes for the Toros this year than he has in total for the Spurs since being selected 29th overall in 2011. So far this season, he's been one of the D-League's most effective scorers, averaging 19.8 PPG in 19 contests, aided by a .458 3PT%.
- Jeremy Lamb (Tulsa 66ers): The 12th overall pick last June, Lamb may be viewed as a core asset for the Thunder down the road, but for now he's seeing the majority of his minutes in Tulsa, and making the most of them. In 14 D-League games, he has averaged 21.1 PPG on .462/.356/.915 shooting.
- Miles Plumlee (Fort Wayne Mad Ants): Plumlee has barely seen the floor this season in Indiana, appearing briefly in just three games since November 18th. But in the D-League, he's one of only a handful of players averaging a double-double, with 12.3 PPG and 11.1 RPG to go along with 1.9 BPG in 13 games. Of course, there's still plenty for Plumlee to work on while he's in Fort Wayne, such as his abysmal 43.8% mark from the free-throw line.
- Honorable mentions: Kevin Jones (23.0 PPG, 12.6 RPG in seven games), Perry Jones III (14.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG), Scott Machado (11.4 PPG, 6.6 APG), Quincy Miller (12.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG)
Ford’s Latest: Bucks, Smith, Randolph, Nuggets
Although Chad Ford's weekly chat at ESPN.com featured plenty of draft questions once again this week, Ford also addressed a number of trade questions and rumors. Many of Ford's answers focused more on his own opinions or speculation, but here are a few of the highlights from ESPN's NBA draft guru:
- Ford is hearing that the Bucks are "very active" and that Samuel Dalembert isn't the only player they're actively discussing. Monta Ellis, Beno Udrih, and Ersan Ilyasova could all be had as well, according to Ford.
- The Hawks would like to move Josh Smith, but the market for him isn't currently very strong and the team is still holding on to hope that Smith could help lure Dwight Howard to Atlanta this summer, says Ford.
- Zach Randolph "looks like a marked man," according to Ford, though it's not clear whether he thinks the Grizzlies will trade Randolph in the next two weeks or further down the road.
- Ford keeps hearing the Nuggets mentioned in trade scenarios, with Danilo Gallinari's and Wilson Chandler's names coming up most frequently.
Spurs Frontrunners To Acquire Al Jefferson?
As ESPN.com's Chad Ford noted in his chat this afternoon, the Jazz are one of the league's most close-to-the-vest teams, which may explain why we haven't heard a ton of rumors about trade candidates and soon-to-be free agents Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. However, according to Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops, one team has emerged as a frontrunner to acquire Jefferson: the Spurs.
Sheridan points out that various members of San Antonio's and Utah's front offices used to work for the other club, strengthening the relationship between the two teams. As one source tells Sheridan: "Those teams are practically incestuous, they are on such good terms internally."
The Spurs don't have a ton of obvious trade assets, but Stephen Jackson's $10MM+ expiring contract could be used in an offer for Jefferson, who makes $15MM. From there, Sheridan suggests that a package including Tiago Splitter, Patrick Mills, and the rights to European prospects Erazem Lorbek could make some sense for both sides, though he cautions that he's not sure whether that specific deal has been discussed. Like Jefferson and Jackson, Splitter will be a free agent after this season, while Mills has a 2013/14 player option for a modest $1.13MM, so the Jazz wouldn't be giving up much future flexibility in that hypothetical trade.
Some reports have suggested the Jazz would prefer to move Millsap rather than Jefferson, while others have indicated the team would be fine with simply standing pat and keeping both big men. Given the club's secrecy when it comes to trade talks, we likely won't know for sure what Utah's intentions are until a move is made or the deadline passes.
Rudy Gay Talks Trade, Grizzlies, Raptors
The new-look Raptors have played well since adding Rudy Gay, cruising to a convincing win over the Clippers on Friday night before playing the Heat close until the final few minutes of Sunday's game. The Raptors will take on the Celtics tonight, a day after Gay appeared on The Fan 590 in Toronto to discuss the move from Memphis to Toronto. Brad Gagnon of Sports Radio Interviews passes along a few highlights from Gay's conversation with Tim and Sid….
On his initial reaction when he heard about the trade:
"I was excited for a new start. I’ve known a lot of these guys here and I’ve been a fan of DeMar’s for a long time. I like the fact that he’s gotten better and better every year. So it was cool. It was a new start for me."
On whether he expected to stay in Memphis after the Grizzlies sent Marreese Speights and Wayne Ellington to the Cavaliers:
"I did, but I wasn’t sure. As soon as they changed the ownership it was kind of like you didn’t know what was going to happen. And that’s no way to run a business, if you’re asking me. But I’m just happy I’m here now and I’m not really going to elaborate too much on what they do."
On the possibility of the Raptors becoming a contender:
"With the kind of leadership we have here, and ownership… I think this would be a great place for free agents — and with the kind of moves they’re making here, also with trades."
On how many pieces the Raps need to add to become a consistent playoff team:
"I say one — one piece. I think honestly we can get there with this team but I think we could really make noise if we have one more piece. It doesn’t take a lot, because everybody’s going to pick up their game and everybody’s gonna come prepared to try to win."
Rockets May Pursue Bynum In Free Agency
As we heard earlier today from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, the Rockets are expected to be in the mix for Dwight Howard in free agency this summer, representing perhaps the most dangerous threat to the Lakers for the All-Star center. However, according to Broussard (via Twitter), if Houston is unsuccessful in landing Howard, the team is expected to turn its attention to Andrew Bynum.
Despite having James Harden's max deal on their books for 2013/14, along with sizable salaries for Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, the Rockets still only have about $40MM in commitments on next season's payroll. If the team hopes to make a run at Howard, it may require a bit of maneuvering to fit a maximum offer under the cap, since D12 is eligible for a first-year salary of about $20.51MM next season. But Bynum's maximum salary for '13/14 is about $17.73MM, which would make a max offer for him a little more manageable.
Like Howard, Bynum would be giving up some guaranteed long-term money if he were to sign a maximum-salary contract with a team besides the Sixers. As I outlined last August, Bynum could re-sign with Philadelphia for up to five years and close to $102MM, while a team like the Rockets could only offer four years and $75.7MM.
Of course, before considering the difference between various maximum-salary contracts, Bynum may have to exhibit that he's worthy of one. Broussard suggests the Rockets' interest in Bynum will hinge not only on Howard's availability, but also on how the Sixers' center looks when he finally returns to the court this season. Bynum's chances of earning max offers in July will rely in part on his health and production over the final couple months of 2012/13.
Nuggets’ Interest In Garnett Not Reciprocal
The Nuggets have called the Celtics about Kevin Garnett, but Denver's interest isn't reciprocated by Garnett himself, according to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post. Kiszla reports that the Celtics big man has "let it be known" through his representatives that he's not currently interested in joining the Nuggets.
For most players, that stance wouldn't mean a whole lot, but Garnett is one of a handful of veterans to negotiate a no-trade clause into his contract, giving him the ability to veto any deal. A report earlier this week suggested that the 36-year-old wouldn't give his consent to a trade unless Paul Pierce was also heading out of Boston — even then, KG would prefer to be dealt to a Los Angeles team, near his home in Malibu.
As Matt Moore of CBSSports.com notes, the Nuggets don't make a ton of sense as a potential destination for Garnett anyway, since Denver generally hasn't been eager to add age or money. Garnett also wouldn't necessarily be a fit with George Karl's up-and-down style of play. Still, Kiszla's report indicates that the Nuggets are exploring their options and would be open to making a deal if it helps improve their title chances.