Mavs, Brandon Jennings Have Mutual Interest
The Mavericks were looking at Brandon Jennings prior to the trade deadline, and it appears they aren't giving up on pursuing the Bucks point guard. They'd "love" to nab him in restricted free agency this summer, and that's an outcome Jennings would like to happen as well, as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes. The Bucks, though, will have the right to match any offer he gets, and earlier this season they informed him they intend to do just that.
Jennings and the Bucks failed to agree on an extension to his rookie-scale contract before the October deadline. Since then, the point guard switched agents, replacing Bill Duffy with Jeff Schwartz, an advocate for the endorsement opportunities that major markets can provide. Jennings has made no secret of his desire to explore what big cities could do for his career, though he recently expressed his affection for Milwaukee as he denied that he had encountered "irreconcilable differences" with the team.
The Bucks appear to hold Jennings' talents in high regard, as they reportedly consider him one of their "untouchable" players, along with Larry Sanders and rookie John Henson. Backcourt mate Monta Ellis and deadline acquisition J.J. Redick could both leave as unrestricted free agents in the summer, so Jennings is the only one of Milwaukee's top three guards under team control beyond this season.
The Mavs will have plenty of cap space, and could make it difficult for the Bucks to bring Jennings back if they sign him to an offer sheet at or near the maximum salary, which is 25% of the salary cap for a player with six or fewer years of experience, like Jennings. I'm not sure either team believes Jennings is a max player, however, and Dallas appears eager to go after established superstars like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. They figure to be in the mix for Josh Smith as well. Yet if Mark Cuban and company miss out on those targets, they might be willing to overspend to land Jennings.
Last Year’s Key Post-Deadline Transactions
Just because the trade deadline is over doesn't mean we have to wait until the offseason for NBA teams to make more significant moves. Plenty of transactions take place once trading is done for the season, from buyouts to notable 10-day deals and, more recently, signings involving players returning from China.
One notable post-deadline signing has already taken place, as the Knicks have brought Kenyon Martin aboard with a 10-day contract. Richard Hardy of HoopsWorld looks at some other players who could wind up on new teams in the coming days and weeks. To help give you more of an idea of what sort of moves to expect, here's a glimpse at what happened after last year's March 15 trade deadline:
- March 18: Nuggets sign Wilson Chandler to a five-year deal. The total package is worth $37.858MM, including $6.137MM in deferred compensation. — Chandler spent most of last season playing in China and after his return engaged in protracted negotiations with the Nuggets on the long-term deal. He could have waited to sign until the summer, when other teams could bid on him as a restricted free agent. The Nuggets could simply have signed him for the rest of the season, but that would have meant he'd become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Instead, both sides made a lengthy commitment, though injuries have kept Chandler from making much of an impact this season.
- March 19: Greg Oden clears waivers — The Blazers finally cut ties with their oft-injured No. 1 overall pick from 2007. He still hasn't played in an NBA game since December 2009, but he's eyeing a return.
- March 21: Blazers claim J.J. Hickson off waivers from Kings — Hickson believed he would clear waivers, as most players do, so he was all set to sign with the Warriors before Portland snatched him up. The big man had a sudden revival with the Blazers, more than tripling his points-per-game mark to 15.1 from the 4.7 he put up with Sacramento. He's continued to play well, averaging a double-double this season as Portland's starting center on a one-year, $4MM contract he signed in the summer.
- March 21: Thunder sign Derek Fisher to one-year, $2.33MM deal — Oklahoma City used part of its mid-level exception to land the veteran point guard, and he helped shepherd the team to the Finals. This year, Fisher may be a late-season addition again, as he is apparently eager to return to the NBA.
- March 21: Heat sign Ronny Turiaf to two-year, minimum-salary deal — The Nuggets waived him after receiving him as part of the Nene Hilario/JaVale McGee deal. He started seven playoff games for the Heat, though he only averaged 10.1 minutes per game in a dozen postseason contests last year. The second year of his contract was a player option, and Turiaf declined it over the summer in hopes of a raise. Instead, he wound up signing with the Clippers for the same minimum salary he would have earned with Miami.
- March 23: Spurs sign Boris Diaw to minimum-salary deal for the rest of the season — Diaw revived his career after a buyout from the Bobcats, and went from the worst team in the league to one that tied for the NBA's best record. He started all 14 playoff games for San Antonio, averaging 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, and re-signed with the Spurs for a two-year, $9.2MM contract this summer.
- March 26: Raptors sign Alan Anderson to first 10-day contract — Toronto eventually signed Anderson for the rest of the season, and in the summer the team inked him to a minimum-salary deal for this year as well. He's become an indispensable part of Toronto's rotation, averaging 11.0 points in 25.5 minutes per game in his time with the Raptors.
Magic Waive Hakim Warrick
The Magic have officially released Hakim Warrick, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Warrick came over in a deadline deal from the Bobcats, and USA Today's Sam Amick reported at the time that Orlando was expected to waive Warrick. The move leaves 14 players on the Magic roster, one less than the maximum, freeing the team to either bring in players on 10-day contracts or sign someone for the rest of the season.
The Magic will be on the hook for Warrick's full $4MM salary unless another team claims him off waivers, though Orlando could recoup some of that money through the set-off provision if he signs another professional contract this year. The 30-year-old power forward also has a $4MM team option on his contract for next season, but that will disappear unless he's claimed.
Warrick has been traded or released four times within the last seven months. He went from the Suns to the Hornets in July's Robin Lopez deal, and New Orleans shipped him to the Bobcats for Matt Carroll in November. Warrick and New Orleans were reportedly working on a buyout prior to that trade, but it doesn't appear as though the Magic were able to convince Warrick to take less money this time around.
Odds & Ends: Lin, Knicks, Lillard, Bargnani
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Saturday afternoon:
- Tim Bontemps of the New York Post writes that Jeremy Lin is thriving with the Rockets.
- Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal takes a look at the Knicks' roster's defensive weaknesses, especially defending reserve scorers.
- USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that Damian Lillard is on his radar for an invite to this summer's Team USA mini-camp.
- Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes that Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo still intends to take a patient approach with Andrea Bargnani.
Deadline Notes: Redick, Robinson, Luxury Tax
Reactions continue to pour in following the trades made at Thursday's deadline, especially now that players are beginning to make their debuts with their new teams. Here is the latest post-deadline buzz:
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has quotes from J.J. Redick and Bucks GM John Hammond, both of whom believe Redick can fit in with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis in Milwaukee's backcourt.
- Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld thinks the acquisition of Redick will help Milwaukee extend their playoff run.
- Thomas Robinson tells Ryne Nelson of SLAM Magazine that he is excited for a fresh start with the Rockets after an uneven beginning to his rookie season.
- Michael Lee of the Washington Post writes that the Collective Bargaining Agreement contributed to the decreased amount of moves made at the deadline.
Knicks Sign Kenyon Martin To 10-Day Contract
SATURDAY, 10:53pm: The Knicks have officially added Martin, per John Schuhmann of NBA.com (via Twitter).
THURSDAY, 4:20pm: The New York Knicks will sign veteran forward Kenyon Martin to a 10-day contract, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports (via Twitter). The team had cleared a roster spot earlier Thursday by moving forward Ronnie Brewer to the Thunder for a future second-round pick.
Martin, 35, last played in the NBA for the Clippers in 2011/12, averaging 5.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 42 games.
Brigham On Future Contenders
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld has a new column examining which teams have a chance to be title contenders five seasons from now, taking into account possible moves in free agency and the ages of the teams' core players.
- Brigham believes the Thunder still have the brightest future, given that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka will all be under 30 in five seasons.
- LeBron James' free agency will play a major role in determining the next title contender, Brigham writes. The health and effectiveness of Dwyane Wade will determine whether James stays with the Heat, but the Cavaliers and Lakers are also possible destinations.
- On that note, Brigham writes that, although Kyrie Irving is blossoming into a superstar, the Cavs will not be a contender unless James signs in Cleveland.
- The Bulls will still be contenders if Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah stay healthy, Brigham writes. He also notes that Nikola Mirotic will have come over to the NBA by then.
- The trade for Thomas Robinson added another young piece to the James Harden/Jeremy Lin core the Rockets have built, Brigham writes. Additionally, the team is still well under the cap and can add another high-level player via free agency.
- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge give the Blazers a solid core to build around, writes Brigham.
- Brigham writes that there will be uncertainty every year for the next five as to whether Chris Paul will still be with the Clippers.
- Even if Stephen Curry's ankles don't hold up, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes give the Warriors a good young core, Brigham says.
- Brigham writes that the Pacers have excellent cornerstone players in Roy Hibbert and Paul George.
Latest On Kings, Seattle
Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis, and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee report that a Seattle judge has rejected a lawsuit that would have challenged the legality of the arena plan the Chris Hansen-led ownership group has in place in the event that the Kings are sold to them and allowed to relocate. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, would have challenged the proposed arena's location, as well as the environmental regulations that it may have bypassed.
The report indicates, however, that those connected with the efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento did not take this lawsuit seriously, and instead are relying on their own forthcoming offer to purchase the team from the Maloof family and prevent it from moving to Seattle. There has been no definitive announcement as to who is involved with the Sacramento group, but heavy speculation persisits that the primary investors are Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov.
The Seattle group still faces a prospective lawsuit on behalf of Seattle taxpayers, questioning whether the city will make a profit on the publicly funded arena.
Odds & Ends: Dell Demps, Chris Paul, Mark Cuban
Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league with a weekend chock full of games awaiting…
- Hornets GM Dell Demps says not making a trade at the deadline stems from his belief in his core players even if they struggle to accumulate wins, says Terrance Harris of The Times-Picayune. Demps was presented with a variety of different offers but none of them made sense for his team's future.
- Clippers point guard Chris Paul believes his team is capable of winning a championship even without making a splash at the trade deadline, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. “Let me tell you right now,” he said. “If I didn’t feel like it was, I wouldn’t be playing. I don’t play just for fun. We’re playing to win a championship.”
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban made comments on Friday insinuating that the Lakers should consider using their amnesty clause to rid themselves of Kobe Bryant's contract for next season. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter) points out Bryant's brand value means even more to the Lakers than his contributions on the court and that Cuban would never amnesty a player like the Black Mamba for that reason.
Free Agent Notes: White, Bell, Fisher
- Doc Rivers says the Celtics are close to signing D.J. White to a deal in hopes of providing depth off the bench as a big man, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter). The team would like to bring in one more frontcourt player to add to the roster.
- The Lakers remain hopeful the Jazz buy out the remainder of Raja Bell's contract so that the veteran can sign with Los Angeles, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). The 36-year-old shooting guard would be counted on to provide strong defense and long-distance shooting.
- Derek Fisher remains another option available for the Lakers as the long-time veteran is eager to return to the court, writes Kennedy (on Twitter). Fisher continues to work out regularly in Las Vegas and has stayed in close contact with Kobe Bryant since being traded to the Rockets last season.