Hedo Turkoglu To Work Out For Clippers
8:38pm: Clippers coach Doc Rivers acknowledged that the club is interested in signing Hedo Turkoglu and said tonight’s signing of Darius Morris doesn’t affect their pursuit, tweets Markazi.
2:02pm: The Clippers have interest in Turkoglu, but haven’t had him in for a workout yet, tweets ESPN.com’s Arash Markazi. Based on Baumann’s earlier tweet, it sounds as if that could happen later today.
1:37pm: Hedo Turkoglu has cleared waivers, meaning he’s free to sign with any NBA team, and it looks like he hasn’t wasted much time trying to find a new home. According to David Baumann of 740 The Game in Orlando, Turkoglu hopes to land with a contender, and will work out for the Clippers today (Twitter links).
Turkoglu, 34, hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since February 2013, having reached an agreement with the Magic not to join the squad this season despite being under contract. We heard last week that the veteran forward still “badly” wanted the chance to earn NBA minutes, and the Magic afforded him that opportunity when they released him on Friday.
As for the Clippers, they’re expected to be without star point guard Chris Paul for the next several weeks. While Turkoglu isn’t a guard, he’s capable of running an offense as a point forward, which could interest the Clips. The club released Maalik Wayns yesterday, so there’s an open roster spot to add a player on a 10-day contract or a rest-of-season deal.
It’s not clear yet how many teams will be in the mix for Turkolgu, but the former first-round pick could also draw interest from another L.A. team — a weekend report indicated the Lakers might consider adding Turkoglu.
Clippers Sign Darius Morris
8:30pm: The Clippers offically announced the signing. The 23-year-old’s jersey was made in “record time,” tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com, and he’ll be in action for tonight’s game against the Magic.
7:41pm: The Clippers will sign Darius Morris to a 10-day deal today, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The guard has picked up the interest of multiple clubs in recent days but Doc Rivers & Co. came out on top.
Morris was cut loose by the Sixers earlier this season along with Kwame Brown. The guard, 23 in January, has an offer in hand from Turkey but he’ll instead ply his craft in the NBA, at least for the next week and change. He auditioned for the Grizzlies along with Reggie Williams, but Seth Curry wound up getting that spot.
Southwest Notes: Camby, Rockets, Randolph
Tonight’s look at the Southwest Division..
- Marcus Camby is working to get back to the hardwood after undergoing surgery on a torn plantar fascia and tells Mark Berman of myFOX Houston that he would like to return for the Rockets. “(My) preference is to stay home,” said Camby, who lives in Pearland, Texas.
- With the Grizzlies on the verge of acquiring Courtney Lee from the Celtics, Zach Randolph tells Michael Cohen of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the front office’s willingness to try to improve this season’s roster is “very encouraging.”
- John Reid of The Times-Picayune wonders if the Pelicans should make a deal. Eric Gordon has been linked to trade talk but they could also dangle backup one-guards Brian Roberts and Austin Rivers. Earlier tonight, we learned that they’ve given D-League prospect Pierre Jackson the greenlight to find a trade.
Nuggets Actively Shopping Andre Miller
4:50pm: There’s a strong belief within the league that the Nuggets are looking to move Miller in the next 24-48 hours, tweets Wojnarowski.
4:49pm: The Kings have been proactive in talks for Miller, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
12:53pm: The Warriors don’t intend to make a move for Miller, TNT’s David Aldridge writes in his weekly Morning Tip column at NBA.com.
8:25am: Despite formally rescinding his two-game suspension, the Nuggets are actively trying to trade Andre Miller, according to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. Miller has been excused from team activities for the last several days following a confrontation with head coach Brian Shaw, and his suspension was only lifted to allow him to continue receiving his salary.
While a report on Friday suggested that the Nuggets were probably still “a ways away” from moving Miller, and that a deal could happen closer to next month’s trade deadline, Dempsey says the veteran point guard “won’t be part of the Nuggets team much longer after he returns.”
Well before last week’s incident between Miller and Shaw, Grantland’s Zach Lowe wrote that rival teams expected Denver to trade Miller before the deadline. More recently, we’ve heard that the Warriors and Kings have some level of interest in the 37-year-old. I’d expect the teams that have been linked to Kyle Lowry, such as the Knicks, Nets, and Timberwolves, to at least kick the tires on Miller as well.
Miller, a 1999 lottery pick, is posting career-worst marks in several categories this year, including PPG (5.9), APG (3.3), and PER (14.0). Still, he’s only a year removed from a season in which he was arguably one of the league’s best backup point guards, averaging more than 26 minutes per game while playing all 82 contests.
Pierre Jackson Has Permission To Seek Trade
One of the D-League’s top talents could finally be on the verge of breaking through to the NBA, but it may not be with the club that holds his rights. The Pelicans have granted permission to Pierre Jackson‘s representatives to seek out a trade for their client, sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
Sam Amico of FOX Sports heard before the New Year that New Orleans was giving thought to moving Jackson, the 42nd pick in the 2013 draft, for “future considerations” and perhaps cash. Jackson, a 5’10″ point guard from Baylor, is averaging nearly 30 points per game and is considered by some to be the most dynamic talent in the D-League. Jackson is currently with the Trail Blazers’ affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, but only the Pelicans can bring him to the varsity squad, unless they move his rights elsewhere.
Andrew Bynum Rumors: Monday
Sunday brought several updates on the Cavaliers’ trade talks involving Andrew Bynum, but things have been quieter so far today. Although there’s still a little time for the Cavs to send Bynum to a team that plans to waive him by tomorrow’s contract guarantee deadline, the clock is ticking, and Cleveland’s window of opportunity won’t be open much longer. As we wait to hear whether Bynum will be on the move or staying put, here are Monday’s items on the former All-Star:
- Talks between the Lakers and Cavs are ongoing, with three-team possibilities still in play and the Cavs pushing for resolution by the end of the day, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. While some sources say a deal is close, Amico cautions that they were saying the same thing yesterday (Twitter links).
- Multiple executives not directly involved in talks for Bynum are hearing that the Kings could be involved in a potential deal as a facilitator, tweets Amico.
Earlier updates:
- The Cavaliers have yet to find a suitable offer, and while they continue to pursue a possible trade, it looks “highly unlikely” that they’ll move Bynum, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Assuming no deal is made, the Cavs can still save $6MM+ themselves by waiving the big man tomorrow.
- With Richard Jefferson available as a trade chip, the Jazz remain a possible trade partner for the Cavs, but Utah isn’t as involved as other clubs, a source tells Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
- The Cavs approached the Grizzlies recently to ask about acquiring Zach Randolph, in a deal similar to the proposed Pau Gasol swap with the Lakers, tweets Amick. However, Memphis wasn’t interested, and isn’t in the mix for Bynum.
- As we heard late last night from ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, talks between the Cavs and Lakers were expected to continue into Monday, though there have been no updates on those negotiations yet today.
Kings Waive Hamady N’Diaye
The Kings have released big man Hamady N’Diaye, the team announced today in a press release. N’Diaye had been on a non-guaranteed contract, so Sacramento will avoid paying him a full-season salary by waiving him before tomorrow’s guarantee deadline.
N’Diaye, a former Rutgers center, appeared in 14 games this season for the Kings, though he averaged only 5.3 minutes per contest, limiting his production. In two games for Sacramento’s D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, the 26-year-old received more playing time (28.0 MPG), but still didn’t make a significant impact, averaging 6.5 PPG and 6.0 RPG.
The Kings now have 13 contracts on their books, leaving two openings on the roster to add players via trade or free agency.
D-League Moves: Sixers, Spurs, Mavs
It’s been a busy day so far for D-League transactions, with several teams either calling up or sending down young players. We heard earlier that the Nets re-assigned Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor to the Springfield Armor. Now, let’s round up the rest of Monday’s moves:
- The Sixers have recalled both Elliot Williams and Lorenzo Brown from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Williams was just assigned to the Delaware 87ers yesterday, while Brown had been with the Sixers’ D-League affiliate for the last week and a half.
- Nando De Colo has been sent to the Austin Toros for the sixth time this season, the Spurs announced in a press release. De Colo’s assignments have each been brief, as he’s played just five total games during his time with Austin, averaging 24.6 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 6.2 RPG.
- The Mavericks have recalled Ricky Ledo from the Texas Legends, according to a team release. Ledo was assigned back on November 30th, and appeared in 14 contests with the Legends, helping to lead the club to a 10-5 overall record.
- C.J. McCollum has been informed by the Blazers that he’ll be active for Tuesday’s game, says Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. McCollum hasn’t officially been recalled from the D-League’s Idaho Stampede yet, but it appears that will officially happen today or tomorrow, in advance of what could be McCollum’s NBA debut in Sacramento.
Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, Nets, Raptors, C’s
Regardless of whether or not Carmelo Anthony plans to re-sign with the Knicks, the team should trade him, opines Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Beck argues that even if Carmelo stays, building a contender around him would be tricky, and that the Knicks would be better off starting the retooling process now. Multiple league executives agree with that assessment, with one suggesting that an ideal trade partner for New York would be “a team that so wants a star and so wants it now and will do anything to get it, and that thinks Carmelo is still a star.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- The Nets have re-assigned Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. It’s the fourth time each player has been assigned to the Springfield Armor this season, though like their first three assignments, there’s a good chance this one will be brief.
- If the Raptors acquire a player in the next few weeks, it should probably be a big man, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, who says that even having a young big at the end of the bench would help the team.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com and Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com explain the Celtics‘ motivations for swapping Courtney Lee for Jerryd Bayless, with financial considerations playing a large role. Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com also caught up with Avery Bradley and Jeff Green, who weighed in on the move, wishing Lee the best in Memphis. The deal is expected to be finalized later today.
Lakers Notes: Gasol, Roster, Williams
Noting that it wouldn’t be a normal season if Pau Gasol wasn’t at the center of several trade rumors, Kobe Bryant once again voiced his support for his longtime teammate yesterday, as he has done several times in the past.
“How much more am I supposed to support a guy, besides making a Pau flag and riding in there on a horse with Spanish-colored paint on my face like I’m the Spaniard William Wallace or something?” Bryant asked, according to Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. “I don’t know what else to do.”
As trade rumors continue to swirl around Pau, let’s round up a few more Lakers items….
- The Lakers’ trade talks involving Gasol aren’t limited to just their discussions with the Cavaliers, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes in his latest power rankings piece.
- According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, the Lakers are still weighing whether or not to keep all 15 players on their roster beyond tomorrow, which would ensure that all 15 contracts become fully guaranteed for this season. In Shelburne’s view, Shawne Williams, who has fallen out of the rotation, is the only candidate to be released, but even he will likely remain on the roster (Twitter links).
- In a story for ESPN LA, Shelburne focuses on Gasol, who acknowledged that there’s a chance yesterday’s game was his last one as a Laker: “Yeah, it could’ve. Any game could be your last game. It’s not something you think about very often. It could be due [to] an injury or a trade, anything like that, but I’m happy with the way that I’m playing. In the last few games I’m giving it everything I have, and that’s all I can do.”