Celtics Rumors: Asik, Rondo, Luxury Tax
The Celtics are viewed as one of the most likely suitors for Omer Asik, but even if they don’t land the Rockets center, the C’s figure to be active before this season’s trade deadline. The latest piece from Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald focuses on the team’s involvement in trade talks and rumors, so let’s round up the highlights from his piece….
- Here’s what one rival GM had to say about the Celtics: “It looks like Danny [Ainge] doesn’t want anything to happen in the league until he gets a chance to see if he can find something in it for Boston. I think he’s got his fingers in a lot of pies.”
- According to Ainge, while the Celtics would like to get involved in any deal that helps the franchise, there’s not a lot going on yet. “It’s December,” the GM notes.
- Bulpett writes that the C’s have discussed Asik, but suggests that it’s unlikely they complete a deal directly with the Rockets, since Houston doesn’t seem to be interested in what Boston is offering. A three-team trade is a possibility.
- While Ainge is willing to discuss Rajon Rondo, the point guard’s name hasn’t come up in discussions in any meaningful way, considering what the club would want in return. “Yeah, Danny will talk about Rondo if you bring his name up,” said one team executive. “You listen to everything, but when you find out the kinds of things they’d want in return for someone like Rondo, you wonder whether there’s really anything that could get something like that done.”
- According to Bulpett, the Celtics are “very much interested” in a deal that would reduce team salary, giving the club more breathing room below the luxury tax threshold.
Omer Asik Rumors: Wednesday Morning
The Rockets‘ self-imposed deadline for an Omer Asik deal is right around the corner, which means we should expect to hear plenty of rumors about the big man today. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld even suggested last night that a trade could be agreed upon today, though nothing is imminent quite yet. Here’s the latest on Asik, who appears almost certain to be on the move by week’s end:
- The Celtics are “increasingly active” in Asik talks and are viewed as the Sixers‘ strongest rivals for the center’s services, according to Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The ESPN duo reports that neither Boston nor Philadelphia is scared off by the $15MM balloon payment owed to Asik in 2014/15.
- According to Stein and Windhorst, many league sources believe one reason Rockets GM Daryl Morey imposed the December 19th deadline in the first place was a belief that he could get a deal done by then with Sixers GM (and former Rockets assistant GM) Sam Hinkie. The Rockets would want to do a deal involving Spencer Hawes and at least one first-round pick.
- The Cavaliers are more likely to act as a third-team facilitator than to acquire Asik directly, according to the ESPN.com report. Stein and Windhorst detail one scenario in which the Celtics would land Asik and send Jeff Green to the Cavs, though Chris Mannix of SI.com hears there’s “no way” Boston will include Green in an Asik deal (Twitter link).
- Although Green and Thaddeus Young have frequently been cited as potential targets for Houston, Stein and Windhorst say the Rockets would be reluctant to take on the long-term contract of either player, since it would negatively impact the team’s ability to lock up Chandler Parsons.
- Stein and Windhorst, as well as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, report that while the Rockets would love to acquire Paul Millsap, the Hawks‘ interest in Asik is “lukewarm” at best.
- Within Berger’s piece, the CBSSports.com scribe writes that multiple league executives have told him the Rockets are open to packaging Jeremy Lin with Asik. However, considering Lin also has a big salary bump coming next season, sending the two players to the same team is unlikely.
- One scenario that has emerged is the possibility of a three-team deal involving the Celtics and Sixers, with Asik going to Boston, says Berger. However, one league source called it a long shot, describing it as a “weird deal.”
- The Knicks attempted to get involved in the Asik sweepstakes, discussing a potential deal with the Rockets and a third team, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Despite their efforts though, the Knicks are on the outside looking in, and are very unlikely to land the seven-footer.
- We heard last night from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the Hawks, Celtics, Cavs, and Sixers are squarely in the mix for Asik, with a “wild card” team in play as well.
Odds & Ends: Asik, Gasol, Wolves, Mirotic
With December 15th in our rearview and the trade deadline two months ahead of us, things should start to heat up quickly, as our Luke Adams noted in his Trade Season Primer. Here are some trade-related rumors as well as some odds and ends from around the league on Tuesday night:
- With two days remaining until the Rockets self-imposed December 19th deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets that there is a consensus expectation that Omer Asik will be moved in a three-team deal in which he ends up in Boston or Philly.
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports adds the Cavs and the Hawks to Stein’s list and says that there is a fifth mystery team in the mix for the center’s services. (Twitter links)
- Meanwhile, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that he is hearing that an Asik deal may go down on Wednesday, though he cautions that nothing is definite.
- Kennedy also writes about the possibility of the Lakers finally pulling the trigger on a deal to send the disgruntled Pau Gasol out of Los Angeles, opining that while the team has overvalued the Spaniard in the past, the combination of his contract, his struggles this season and his issues with Mike D’Antoni may finally be enough for the Lakers to move him.
- As Tim Faklis of Canis Hoopus writes, the Timberwolves don’t have the assets to complete another significant trade this season. Faklis concludes that any deal could only involve some combination of Dante Cunningham, Luc Mbah a Moute, Alexey Shved and/or Shabazz Muhammad. Referencing Faklis’ story, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that the Wolves are limited in their flexibility and that he is told to expect “status quo” in Minnesota for now.
- We know that not only have the Bulls met with Nikola Mirotic, but that they’re aggressively trying to bring him over from Spain for next season. Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago tweets that the Bulls “love” Mirotic and that if they get him stateside this summer that it should be considered their big offseason move. To put that into context, Friedell adds that the Bulls consider Mirotic more valuable than the top-10 protected first round pick of the Bobcats that they own. (Twitter links)
Draft Notes: Big Board, Kentucky, Embiid
The 2014 NBA Draft is more than six months away, but with the college season in full swing we should begin to see an increasing number of draft updates. Here is the latest that has come across the wire regarding June’s draft:
- For Insiders only, ESPN’s Chad Ford has released the fourth version of his Big Board in which he says there are six players that would currently garner consideration for the No. 1 pick. The draft is loaded with freshmen, as seven of Ford’s top 10 and 11 of the top 20 are in their first year.
- A handful of those freshmen play for John Calipari at Kentucky and, outside of projected top five pick Julius Randle, have not lived up to expectations so far in their time in Lexington. Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal caught up with ESPN’s Ford, who says that, while he has downgraded several Wildcats on his Big Board, many scouts still believe in the talent assembled at UK and are willing to be patient.
- Jason King of Bleacher Report pens a lengthy but worthwhile feature on Kansas freshman Joel Embiid, which examines his backstory by way of Cameroon and hits on an idea that we’ve heard more than once lately: that the projectable Embiid could climb his way to the top spot in June’s draft.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Grizz, Rockets
Three of the ten NBA teams in action tonight are in the league’s Southwest division, which also seems to be having a busy night in the rumors department. Let’s take a look at the latest coming out of the division:
- He’s been mentioned frequently in trade rumors and speculation, but Ryan Anderson isn’t going anywhere, says John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. According to Reid, the Pelicans aren’t discussing Anderson in any trade scenarios, and the NBA’s three-point leader (3.5 per game) remains “critical” to the club’s plans.
- Speaking of the Pelicans, ESPN’s Marc Stein chimes in on the news that Alexis Ajinca is returning stateside to sign with New Orleans, tweeting that he has continuously been told that the improved Frenchman is not the same disappointing player that we last saw in the NBA.
- In an Insider-only piece, Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com questions whether or not the Grizzlies – ravaged by injuries and part of a ridiculously deep Western Conference – should throw in the towel on this season. Haberstroh says that Memphis is statistically more likely to win the No. 1 selection in June’s draft than they are to make the playoffs, and that “tanking” would undoubtedly include trading grit-and-grind staple Zach Randolph.
- At the end of his Waiters story, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report also confirms that the Rockets could trade Omer Asik by Thursday, citing a source familiar with the situation and reiterating potential destinations that we’ve heard about in recent weeks. In addition to the Asik stuff, Zwerling spoke to a source close to Jeremy Lin who said the recent buzz that the point guard could be traded is just rumors for now and that nothing is “imminent.”
Latest On Dion Waiters
In the latest addition to the Dion Waiters saga, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report reports that the Cavaliers guard “wants out” of Cleveland and that the Sixers and the Bulls have emerged as his top two suitors, with Waiters preferring his hometown presumably in hopes of being the go-to guy in Philly. Zwerling, who has been dialed into the situation, cites a source close to Waiters who adds that the guard is unhappy coming off the bench and playing second fiddle to Kyrie Irving. Zwerling speculates that Evan Turner of the Sixers or Luol Deng of the Bulls could be dangled for Waiters, opining that both potential destinations are good fits for the shoot-first guard out of Syracuse.
With the Cavaliers hosting Portland tonight, reporters were able to catch up with Waiters in the locker room prior to the game. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio writes that Waiters reiterated that he is happy in Cleveland and that he denied expressing any desire to be traded. Waiters, who said he is growing tired of being the center of trade speculation, again made comments that imply he thinks the media is reaching with these reports. This is a tough one to call right now, as we have conflicting reports as to whether or not Waiters is happy in Cleveland as well as whether or not the Cavs are shopping him.
Primer For 2013/14 Trade Season
Now that December 15th has passed, most players in the NBA are eligible to be traded, meaning we should be in for a fun couple months up until the February 20th deadline. Big names like Derrick Williams and Rudy Gay have already been on the move so far, and other trade candidates like Omer Asik, Iman Shumpert, and Kyle Lowry have been the subject of numerous rumors in the season’s first few weeks. It all points to an active and eventful season of trading.
We’ll be following all of the latest trade rumors and news at Hoops Rumors over the next few days, weeks, and months, but we also have a number of tools that will make it easier to stay informed about potential deals. Here’s a round-up of a few links to consult or to keep an eye on as 2014’s trade deadline approaches:
- Most NBA players became trade-eligible as of December 15th, if they weren’t already, but there are still several players who can’t be moved. You can find that full list right here. Any player that has signed with a team since that list was published won’t become eligible to be traded in time for February’s deadline.
- We’ll be going in-depth on specific trade candidates as the deadline approaches, profiling why they might be moved, and where they may land. So far, our trade candidate series includes posts on Asik, Shumpert, and Luol Deng, among others.
- Here’s our up-to-date list of outstanding traded player exceptions, which over-the-cap teams can use to acquire a player without sending out any salary.
- If you fall behind on trade news, you can quickly catch up on any completed deals by checking out our log of 2013/14’s in-season trades.
- Our glossary explains a number of CBA rules and concepts related to trades, including traded player exceptions, trade kickers, the poison pill provision, and the Ted Stepien rule. If you have any questions about those rules or others, don’t hesitate to ask them in the comment sections of the appropriate posts.
- Earlier today, I went into more detail on the idea of trading future draft picks, using a few current examples to explain the rules.
- If you want to follow the latest rumors on a specific player, we explain how to do so right here.
Eastern Links: Knicks, Woodson, Waiters, Sixers
Tonight’s NBA schedule is heavy on Western Conference action, but two Eastern teams in the playoff hunt will host Western opponents tonight, as the Cavs play the Blazers and the Bobcats face the Kings. Cleveland and Charlotte are just 9-14 and 10-14 respectively, but would each rank among the conference’s top eight teams with wins tonight. Here’s more from around the East:
- In the wake of injuries to Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni, the Knicks have recalled Chris Smith from the D-League, the club announced today (Twitter link).
- Mike Woodson‘s mismanagement at the end of last night’s loss to the Wizards gave the Knicks a credible reason to fire him, opines Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com.
- While Woodson may be on the hot seat, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein says there aren’t really any other head coaches whose jobs are in jeopardy. Eastern coaches like Jason Kidd (Nets), Randy Wittman (Wizards), Mike Brown (Cavaliers), and Dwane Casey (Raptors) rank among the most likely to be fired next, according to Bovada.lv, but none are in any danger for now, Stein writes.
- Within his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler writes that the Cavaliers aren’t eager to trade Dion Waiters, but would listen if the right offer came along. Kyler also explores the possibility of an Omer Asik trade involving the Sixers, eventually concluding that a deal with Philadelphia may be one of the Rockets’ less desirable options.
- Eric Griffin, who played for the Heat in summer league action and in camp, has reached an agreement to sign with a team in Puerto Rico, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Kaman, Gasol
Let’s check in on the latest updates out of the Pacific Division….
- The Suns‘ impressive start has taken most of us by surprise, but it hasn’t altered the team’s roster or trade plans at all, as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic details. “During my introductory press conference, the one thing I said we’d never do is pass on a chance to get a star, and that doesn’t change,” said GM Ryan McDonough. “The biggest misconception about our offseason moves was that we were trying to lose. We identified a good group of players who we thought could show more than they had in their careers…. One of the reasons we made four trades in the offseason is to make sure we didn’t have to do anything during the season.”
- The role Chris Kaman‘s had with the Lakers this season is “absolutely not” what he was looking for, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. However, Kaman says he hasn’t heard anything from the team about the possibility of a trade, so he’s focusing on working hard and being ready to play when the time comes.
- Breaking down Pau Gasol‘s trade value in an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com’s Kevin Pelton concludes that the Lakers may not be looking at much of a return based on Pau’s play so far this season.
- Earlier today, we heard that the Kings may be a suitor for trade candidate Jordan Crawford. A report yesterday had suggested Sacramento was in the market for a pass-first point guard, a label that wouldn’t seem to apply to Crawford despite his career-high 5.5 APG so far.
Rules For Trading Future Draft Picks
With trade season upon us and NBA teams coveting draft picks as strongly as ever, we should expect to see at least one or two first-rounders change hands in the coming weeks and months. As such, it’s worth revisiting the rules for trading future picks, as outlined in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Hoops Rumors glossary includes an entry on the Ted Stepien Rule, a condition that prohibits teams from trading back-to-back future first-round picks. Our write-up also includes a few other rules related to draft-pick trades. Still, while that glossary entry is definitely worth reading if you want to understand the basics of draft-pick trades, it may help more to take a look at a few specific cases with up-to-date examples to understand how those rules work in practice.
The Stepien rule, named after former Cavs owner Ted Stepien, was established so that franchises couldn’t trade away all their future first-round picks. Even teams like the Knicks, Nets, and Lakers, who are more willing than most clubs to part with draft picks, can only trade first-rounders for every other season. For instance, Brooklyn has traded away its 2014, 2016, and 2018 first-rounders — since the team isn’t allowed to give up back-to-back future first-round picks, that means the 2015 and 2017 picks can’t be offered up in deals, but the 2020 pick can.
Of course, in spite of the Stepien rule, a team could still end up without a first-round pick on an annual basis, since the rule only applies to future first-rounders. So a team like Toronto, which traded away its 2013 first-round pick, is now free to move its 2014 first-rounder, if it so chooses. In other words, a team can give up back-to-back first-round picks if the first of those two drafts has already passed.
Protected picks complicate the Stepien rule further. If there’s a possibility that the team will be without its first-round pick in a given year, the rule still applies, which means that clubs often limit their trade flexibility by placing several seasons of protections on traded picks. The Trail Blazers are a perfect example. Portland’s 2014 first-round pick will be sent to Charlotte if it’s not in the top 12, which seems like an awfully safe bet at this point, given the Blazers’ red-hot start. Still, because there’s a remote chance the pick may not change hands in 2014, the team can’t offer up its 2016 first-rounder in a trade. The Portland-to-Charlotte pick is top-12 protected in both 2014 and 2015, and unprotected in 2016. Since the pick will definitely change hands by 2016, the earliest first-rounder the Blazers are allowed to move is their 2018 pick.
Another quirk of draft-pick trading rules: Teams are allowed to trade away consecutive first-rounders of their own as long as they still adhere to the Stepien rule by acquiring other teams’ picks. For example, the Celtics are currently in line to receive 2014 and 2016 first-rounders from the Nets, along with a 2015 first-rounder from the Clippers. So if Danny Ainge wanted to, he could send out Boston’s own 2014, 2015, and 2016 first-round picks without any issue — he could even flip the Clippers’ 2015 pick on top of that, since it would still leave the team with the picks from the Nets in ’14 and ’16.
Most restrictions related to the Stepien rule apply only to first-round picks — teams can send out consecutive second-rounders with no issue. But there are some rules that apply to both first- and second-round picks. As has been discussed recently in the wake of trade rumors involving the Nets and Knicks, teams are also only permitted to trade draft picks for up to the next seven years. For the 2013/14 season, that means 2020 picks are the last ones eligible to be moved. In other words, while the Nets are allowed to trade their ’20 first-rounder, they can’t part with their ’21 pick until next July.
There are a few other rules related to trading draft picks, but we’ve covered most of the ones that will come into play as teams discuss deals over the next two months. As rumors trickle in, it’s worth keeping in mind that teams like the Nets, Knicks, Blazers, and others don’t have the flexibility to trade all the draft picks in their possession.
RealGM.com and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.