Kevin Garnett Addresses Trade Rumors
Despite having a no-trade clause in his contract with the Celtics, Kevin Garnett has been the subject of trade rumors this week, after a weekend report suggested the Clippers were interested in acquiring the veteran big man. Garnett spoke to reporters today about the NBA's trade season, and Brian Robb of CelticsHub passed along a few of KG's comments. Here's what Garnett had to say:
On the possibility of being traded:
"Danny [Ainge] made it very obvious since day one when he brought me and Ray [Allen] here to be aligned with Paul [Pierce] that he was going to do whatever was best for the organization. He’s made that apparent so I’ve understood that. I bleed green, I die green, that’s what it is. But it is a business though, and when it cross paths, I’ll deal with it. Trades are a part of this league. Every year you are going to hear certain things. If I were ya’ll, I wouldn’t read much into it though."
On having to deal with constant rumors:
"It’s part of the year. Right after All-Star, you start to hear things. Some of it’s chatter, some of it’s real. You just have to block certain things out, play through certain things. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen — it’s out of your control a lot of times. The things you do control, you control those. You play, obviously fair. If the situation comes up where you got to move, then you are ready for it."
On having input on the Celtics' roster moves:
"Management usually makes those decisions on what they feel is best for the organization. A lot of the time players are just parts, and moving. No decision making. Danny talks to key guys here about decision making and that’s cool. He’s always give us important information and has been upfront with us. I don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon."
On whether he can imagine the Celtics without Pierce:
"No. I cannot. I will not."
Kings/Seattle Links: Tuesday
There haven't been many concrete updates on the status of the Kings sale lately, as a Sacramento group appears to still be putting together a counter-offer. But rumors, rumblings, and speculation continue to trickle in, so we'll round up today's links related to Sacramento, Seattle, and the Kings right here:
- If a Ron Burkle/Mark Mastrov-led group can finalize an ownership group whose bid for the Kings values the franchise at over $525MM, Sacramento should have a fighting chance to keep the team, writes Steve Kyler of Hoops World.
- According to Kyler, Sacramento's counter-offer would have to include more than just a big-money bid — the group would have to present a concrete plan for ways to increase team revenues in Sacramento, since a move to Seattle is expected to yield major corporate advertisers and a big TV deal.
- Tom Ziller of SBNation.com looks back at the SuperSonics' move to Oklahoma City, noting that Clay Bennett had more time and fewer roadblocks than Chris Hansen does, and was still tied up in legal proceedings for a few months. If the "right of first refusal" issue becomes a real factor, things could get messy, says Ziller.
- Ziller argues that David Stern's best move is to open up a discussion about keeping the Kings in Sacramento and creating a new expansion team in Seattle.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Amundson, Celtics, Garnett
Yesterday, we heard that Louis Amundson is bracing for a possible trade or release as the Timberwolves near a decision on whether to keep their players on 10-day contracts (Mickael Gelabale, Chris Johnson) for the rest of the season. Today, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com wonders if the Knicks could be in play for Amundson if the T-Wolves decide to cut him loose. Here are a few more notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- Some Knicks sources remain convinced that Rasheed Wallace is done for the season, but coach Mike Woodson isn't rushing to bring in a replacement, according to Zwerling.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears from sources that while Celtics president Danny Ainge has kicked the tires on some trade possibilities, he hasn't seriously considered moving Kevin Garnett. KG's bond with Paul Pierce and coach Doc Rivers would likely result in him blocking many possible deals anyway, writes Kyler.
- Even though Nikola Vucevic is enjoying a breakout season for the Magic and Andrew Bynum hasn't played a single game for the Sixers, John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News isn't second-guessing Philadelphia's decision to make last August's blockbuster trade.
- As the Lakers arrive in Brooklyn for tonight's game against the Nets, Deron Williams tells reporters, including Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, that he isn't spending any time thinking about what could have been if Brooklyn had acquired Dwight Howard. "We’re happy with Brook [Lopez], we’re happy with the team we have now," Williams said. "It’s not a 'shoulda, woulda, coulda' scenario."
Kevin Garnett Rumors: Monday
A report from the Sporting News yesterday indicated that the Clippers and Celtics had engaged in talks about a possible Kevin Garnett trade. Even with Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger out for the year, a Garnett trade appears unlikely, considering he negotiated a no-trade clause into his most recent contract in hopes of retiring as a Celtic. Still, a couple more updates relating to the Clippers/C's rumor surfaced since yesterday, so we'll round those up right here:
- Garnett will not waive his no trade clause unless Paul Pierce is also dealt, a source tells Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth (on Twitter). Even then, he would only give his consent to a deal that puts him in Los Angeles since he lives in Malibu. That would mean a deal to the Clippers and not the Lakers since there's no match for a deal there.
- According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers aren't pursuing Garnett and haven't even had any conversations with the Celtics' front office about a potential deal that would include Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler.
Earlier updates:
- There's nothing happening between the Clippers and Celtics at the moment, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. In a second tweet, Shelburne clarifies that she's not ruling out the possibility entirely, but there's no current progress.
- The Clippers' stance on trades, involving Garnett or anyone else, dictates that a deal would have to make sense for both now and the future, says Shelburne (via Twitter).
- According to Paul Flannery of SBNation.com, the Garnett trade rumor was floated from the Clippers' side, rather than the Celtics'. It would take more than Bledsoe and Butler to pique Boston's interest, and even then there's no guarantee KG would waive his no-trade clause, writes Flannery.
Odds & Ends: Amundson, Wolves, Harkless, Mavs
Wolves forward Louis Amundson has been talking with his agent about the very real possibility that he will be traded or waived Friday if the club signs Chris Johnson and Mickael Gelabale for the rest of the season, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. "Everything's on the table right now. You never like to get traded, but sometimes the situation isn't what you hope to it to be. It can work out for the best sometimes," Amundson said. Here's more from around the Association…
- Maurice Harkless says that he doesn't have any ill will toward the Sixers for trading him last August to the Magic in the three-team deal that sent Andrew Bynum to Philly and Dwight Howard to the Lakers, writes Jabari Young of CSNPhilly.com. Harkless is being given a chance to shine in Orlando and has been impressive as of late.
- Rival executives believe the Mavericks will look to unload some of their older money if they keep losing, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. Shawn Marion, who is owed $9.3MM in the last year of his deal in 2013/14 and Vince Carter, who is owed $3.1MM to finish out his deal next season, are both candidates to be moved.
- In today's edition of Sheridan Hoops Radio (audio link), Moke Hamilton explained why Will Bynum could be the next member of the Pistons on the move.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Gasol, Suns, Dudley
The Chris Paul-less Clippers are in action tonight against the Wizards and it's evident that they miss their star point guard. Eric Bledsoe is doing an admirable job in the starting one-guard spot and has 17 points off of 7-12 shooting through three quarters, but the Clippers are neck-and-neck in Washington. Here's more out of the Pacific..
- If the Lakers want to get out of the graduated tax for next season, then dealing Pau Gasol this year makes sense, but Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (on Sulia) writes that they can hang on to him for the second half, pay this year's tax, and then move him this summer. Earlier today, GM Mitch Kupchak made comments that seemed to imply that the big man will be staying put.
- More from Pincus (on Twitter) who opines that if the Lakers wanted to sign players like Delonte West and Kenyon Martin, they would have done it long ago when players were hurt.
- We haven't heard a lot of chatter surrounding the Suns' Jared Dudley, but he would make a great deal of sense as a trade candidate for Phoenix, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. It's obviously a lost season for the Suns and Dudley could be valuable for a playoff team looking for a perimeter threat. The Sixers would be one such team that could use his services.
- Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson made a mistake by setting a self-imposed deadline for unveiling an ownership group for the Kings and not meeting it, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (via Sulia). In a recent press conference, Johnson said that he had a number of minority investors lined up but he has yet to reveal the big money behind a group to keep the Kings from moving to Seattle.
Heat Sign Varnardo For Remainder Of Season
FEBRUARY 4th: Varnado's deal is paying him him a prorated $473K this season and is non-guaranteed next season for nearly $789K, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (on Twitter).
JANUARY 30th: The Heat have officially signed Varnado for the remainder of the season, according to a team release. Varnado's represents the 14th guaranteed contract on Miami's roster, so if the Heat intend to keep an open roster spot for Greg Oden or anyone else, the team would have to release Chris Andersen when his second 10-day deal ends.
JANUARY 29th: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports that the Heat are working to finalize a deal with Jarvis Varnado for the rest season, also noting that a decision had to be made today after the 6'9 power forward completed two 10-day contracts with the team (Twitter links).
Varnado has appeared in a total of seven games this season, including five with the Celtics and two with Miami. Although the former Mississippi State standout had originally been drafted in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft by the Heat, Varnado spent nearly two years in Europe in addition to a brief stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League, where he averaged 14 PPG, 10 RPG, 3.9 BPG, and 30.5 MPG in 10 contests. This year marks his first set of appearances in an NBA regular season.
Agents Want Don Fehr As Next Union Chief
As NBA players prepare to make a decision on union chief Billy Hunter's future at All-Star weekend, several influential agents already are privately discussing longtime sports union leader Don Fehr as a possible successor, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Fehr is currently the executive director of the NHL Players Association and the agents who want to hire him have enough juice to sway a significant portion of the union membership.
Fehr declined comment when reached and a person familiar with his thinking said that the hockey union chief is happy in his job and "has no plans to leave his position." However, sources say his deal gives either side the option to terminate it with 60 days notice.
"He is somebody who would be formidable," an agent said of Fehr, who would be charged with hammering out the next CBA before July of 2017. "He would go tooth-and-nail on everything."
In his column for NBA.com, David Aldridge suggested that sports attorney David Cornwell, longtime NFLPA general counsel Dick Berthelsen, and Wizards director of player development Ed Tapscott should be considered as possible replacements for Hunter.
Ingram On Gortat, Granger, Rockets, Calderon
With just two and a half weeks remaining until this season's trade deadline, Bill Ingram's NBA PM piece at HoopsWorld today focuses exclusively on players who could be on the move on or before February 21st, or players who have already been dealt. Here are the highlights from Ingram:
- Ingram spoke to Marcin Gortat about the difficulties of adjusting to an overhauled Suns' roster and a midseason coaching change. According to Ingram, sources continue to say that Phoenix would move Gortat at the deadline if and when the price is right.
- Following up on Sam Amico's report of the Rockets' interest in Danny Granger, Ingram hears from an executive who jokes that one item on Daryl Morey's "daily to-do list" involves calling the Pacers and inquiring on Granger's availability. The Pacers have some internal concerns about Granger's knee and are debating whether now is the time to cash in, says Ingram.
- While the Pistons consider Jose Calderon's expiring contract valuable, there's a real possibility he'll be part of the team's longer-term plan. If Detroit trades Rodney Stuckey or Will Bynum before the deadline, expect to see Calderon re-sign with the Pistons this summer, says Ingram.
Atlantic Notes: Blatche, Sullinger, Collins, Raps
Rajon Rondo's season-ending ACL injury was expected to leave an opening for the ninth-seeded 76ers to make a move in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers have held up their end of the bargain so far, winning three of their last four games, but the Celtics have been playing well without their All-Star point guard, winning four in a row. With Boston off tonight, the Sixers will look to gain a half-game in the standings by handing the Magic their 10th straight loss. Here are a few other updates out of the Atlantic:
- A pair of sources tell NetsDaily (Twitter link) that there's no truth to an earlier report about the Nets making Andray Blatche available.
- Agent David Falk says the Celtics recognized that his client, Jared Sullinger, would eventually require surgery on his back, but that the team and player were hoping it could be delayed until the summer. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe has the details.
- ESPN.com's 5-on-5 panelists, including Sean Highkin of Hoops Rumors, put forth a number of hypothetical deals for trade candidates. Among their proposals are suggestions for how the Celtics could maximize their return on Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
- The efforts of Jason Collins, who signed with the Celtics last summer on a one-year, minimum-salary deal, aren't going unnoticed, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star believes it makes sense for the Raptors to explore trading Alan Anderson for a backup point guard.