Deadline Rumors: Hill, Nelson, Bulls, Kaman
The latest from around the league as we inch closer to the deadline..
- All is quiet for the Bulls, Grizzlies, Warriors, Mavericks, and Pelicans at the moment, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Meanwhile, the Mavericks have interest in Lakers big man Jordan Hill but the proposal is problematic because of L.A.’s desire to move both Hill and fellow big man Chris Kaman in order to get under the luxury tax, Amick writes.
- The Kings are still shopping anyone not named DeMarcus Cousins from the Maloofs regime, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
- The Magic and Wizards were discussing a deal involving Jameer Nelson before the Andre Miller deal was agreed upon, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
- The Bulls, who are $678K under tax, are comfortable standing pat, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. They believe they can stay under the threshold even with bonuses and 10-day deals.
- The Cavs were never in on Lakers big man Chris Kaman, despite reports to the contrary, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- More from Amico, who tweets that Cavs acting GM David Griffin was unwilling to give up a first-round pick and a player for Rockets big man Omer Asik. The Cavs went out and got Spencer Hawes instead.
Warriors Shop Jordan Crawford
The Warriors are dangling Jordan Crawford in trade talks, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Golden State acquired Steve Blake on Wednesday, lessening the need for the converted point guard the Warriors received via trade from Boston earlier this season.
Crawford, of course, was already traded in this calendar year when he went from the Celtics to the Warriors along with MarShon Brooks. With Brooks shipped to the Lakers yesterday, the W’s could be on the verge of shipping out their entire return from that swap just weeks after pulling the trigger.
Crawford, 25, pretty much saw his minutes cut in half when he moved from Boston to Oakland. In 14 games with the Warriors this season, Crawford has averaged 6.6 PPG and 2.2 APG in 16.5 minutes per contest. That’s less playing time than he’s seen in any of his NBA seasons to date.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Cavs Exploring Options For Luol Deng Trade
1:15pm: Cleveland’s still looking for a first-rounder for Deng, but no one will bite without assurance from Deng that he’ll re-sign this summer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
12:54pm: The Cavs still have multiple “irons in the fire” and talks are likely to go right up to the deadline, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
11:32am: The Wizards and Cavs have discussed Trevor Ariza as part of a potential Deng deal, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal, though it’s unclear if those talks are ongoing (Twitter link). The Cavs have shifted away from seeking a first-round pick for Deng and are now seeking a veteran, per Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
10:14am: There’s “no traction” with either the Wizards or Pistons on Deng, Berger tweets, but the Cavs continue to survey the market. The Cavs sought a first-round pick from the Suns for Deng, but Phoenix isn’t biting, Berger adds in a second tweet.
THURSDAY, 9:24am: The Wizards are among the teams talking to the Cavs about Deng, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who notes that Washington tried to acquire Deng from the Bulls this past summer.
WEDNESDAY, 4:24pm: Deng would be hesitant to commit to an extension with any club, and that makes a trade unlikely, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Of course, anxiety surrounding his free agency was the very reason noted earlier for why the Cavs might trade him. Wojnarowski adds the Pistons and Pacers to the list of teams that have had conversations with the Cavs about Deng, but there’s no traction toward a deal as clubs are reluctant to surrender assets for a player who can walk away this summer. Deng has expressed a willingness to at least consider re-signing with the Cavaliers, according to Wojnarowski, who adds there’s increasing doubt around the league that the Lakers will make a run at him in the offseason.
2:21pm: The Mavs have contacted the Cavs about trading for Deng, but they lack the assets to get a deal done, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports in a pair of tweets.
10:35am: Windhorst, in his full story, clarifies that the Cavs aren’t determined to trade Deng, but are gauging the market to see what they could get for him. The ESPN.com scribe identifies the Lakers and Mavs as among the teams expected to chase him in free agency this summer.
10:28am: The Cavs have made Deng available to several teams, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Still, the team is not looking to trade him, a source tells The Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
10:04am: Cleveland has spoken to the Kings and Warriors about Deng, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link). There’s been no shortage of inquiries from clubs around the league, and the Cavs are “clearly” open to hearing pitches, Amico also tweets.
9:46am: The Cavs are worried that Luol Deng won’t re-sign with them this summer, and have begun to investigate the willingness of other teams to trade for the small forward they acquired just last month, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Rival executives have expressed a belief that Cleveland should try to trade him for a top-level first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Sources told Marc Stein of ESPN.com earlier this month that there was little or no chance Deng would re-sign. That story came out shortly after the Cavs replaced former GM Chris Grant with David Griffin, but before the club began its ongoing five-game winning streak.
The Bulls extracted salary relief, a pair of second-round picks, a protected first-rounder and the right to swap first-round picks with the Cavs in 2015 when they traded Deng in January, and it’s doubtful his value has changed much. Chicago sent Deng out alone in that deal, and Cleveland would have to do the same. Teams aren’t allowed to package any players with someone they acquired via trade within the last two months, though the Cavs could attach draft compensation or cash to Deng if they like.
Pistons Shopping Josh Smith, Want Assets
12:28pm: The Cavs are not interested in Smith, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
11:20am: Other teams say Pistons indeed shopping Josh Smith, but they’re demanding more than just dead expirings, tweets Zach Lowe of Grantland.com. It has been reported that Joe Dumars & Co. have been eager to deal the veteran forward but, so far, they have been unable to find a taker.
It’s safe to say that the Pistons are having a bit of buyer’s remorse when it comes to Smith. Detroit signed Smith to a hefty four-year, $54MM deal that could reach $56MM through incentives. After Dwight Howard and Chris Paul – universally regarded as free agents 1A and 1B came off the market – Smith was the top prize to be had for clubs with cap space. Today, they’d like to move on from the 28-year-old, but they want more than a salary cap reset.
While Smith is averaging a respectable 15.9 PPG and 7.0 RPG, he’s putting up career lows in field goal percentage (41.7%) and PER (14.8).
Cavs Shop Tyler Zeller, Eye Reggie Bullock
12:24pm: Discussion stalled when the Clippers tried to make it a three-for-one swap, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who notes Cleveland remains on the lookout for an “athletic/shooting” small forward.
11:58am: Talks have hit a snag, and a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports that a deal is “not happening” (Twitter link).
11:03am: Doc Rivers is high on Zeller, having wanted to draft him for the Celtics in 2012, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (on Twitter).
10:50am: The Cavs have had discussions with the Clippers about swapping Zeller for Reggie Bullock, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
9:00am: The Cavaliers have been aggressively shopping Tyler Zeller the past few days, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Zeller’s role is in line to be reduced, since the Cavs have agreed to trade for Spencer Hawes.
Zeller, the 17th overall pick in 2012, has already seen his playing time reduced this season after he started 55 games as a rookie. He’s averaging 4.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game. Zeller makes $1.633MM on his rookie-scale contract, and he’s due a little more than $1.7MM next season.
There’s been little chatter about Zeller this season, but he was reportedly involved in an early version of a proposal to the Bulls for Luol Deng this past summer. That was while former GM Chris Grant was at the controls in Cleveland, and it appears new GM David Griffin isn’t quite as willing to wait for the already 24-year-old center develop into a more productive player.
Cavs Receive Offer Of First-Rounder For Waiters
THURSDAY, 12:21pm: The Cavs continue to receive offers for Waiters, but they’re still making it clear they won’t trade him, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
WEDNESDAY, 10:08am: At least one team has offered the Cavaliers a first-round pick for Dion Waiters, but a deal is nonetheless unlikely, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. It’s unclear whether it’s a likely lottery pick or one destined to fall in the 20s, or what sort of protections would be attached, but it’s still perhaps the strongest indication to date that the Cavs are unwilling to part with the second-year shooting guard.
A December report indicated Cavs owner Dan Gilbert was high on Waiters and wanted to keep him amid rumors that stemmed from a team meeting around that time. Some executives around the league have continued to believe Waiters would be available before the deadline, but it appears that if he is, the 2012 fourth overall pick will come with quite a high price tag.
Kyrie Irving recently referred to Waiters as a friend, helping dispel the notion that the Cavs guards were at odds. Waiters’ production has plateaued in his second year in the league, but he is shooting the deep ball better, making 36.3% of his three-point attempts compared this season compared to 31% last year.
Knicks, Nuggets Close To Udrih, Hamilton Deal
12:13pm: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports puts the brakes on talks of a deal, reporting that the Nuggets are still considering several trades for Hamilton (Twitter link).
11:49am: The Nuggets have agreed to send Jordan Hamilton to the Knicks for Beno Udrih, having reached agreement on a deal that sends Andre Miller to Washington, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Wizards were also targeting Udrih, but they landed Miller instead, opening the door for Udrih to go to Denver.
The deal came together from talks the Knicks and Nuggets had about an Iman Shumpert-for-Kenneth Faried swap. Denver resisted that deal, but was apparently more receptive to the swap of the smaller names.
Hamilton makes about $1.17MM this year, the third season of his rookie scale contract. The Nuggets declined his fourth-year option before the season, so he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Udrih is on a one-year deal for the minimum-salary.
Nuggets, Wizards In Serious Andre Miller Talks
11:35am: The Wizards and Nuggets are close to a deal involving Miller, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
11:15am: The Nuggets and Wizards are engaged in “serious talks” about a deal that would send Andre Miller to Washington for Eric Maynor and Jan Vesely, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Wolves have fallen off the pace in the Miller sweepstakes, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities notes that they want to trade J.J. Barea to another team before taking on Miller (Twitter link).
There would probably need to be a third team involved, since the Nuggets don’t want to take Maynor, according to Marc J. Spears and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links).
The veteran guard left the club earlier this year and apparently has no interest in returning to them this season. The 37-year-old isn’t the player he once was, but he has proven to be one of the most durable players in the league. The guard is probably a bit overpaid at a $5MM salary and makes $4.625MM next year in the final year of his deal, but that’s only partially guaranteed for $2MM as long as he’s waived before July.
Bobcats, Bucks Close To Gary Neal Swap
11:28am: Caron Butler and Ben Gordon could also be involved, tweets Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.
11:10am: Charlotte is trying to sell Milwaukee on the idea that acquiring Sessions makes it easier for them to trade Luke Ridnour, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
10:59am: The proposed deal would send Sessions to the Bucks, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Sessions, making $5MM, earns more money than Neal’s $3.25MM, so apparently Kohl would have to get involved.
10:56am: The Bobcats and Bucks are nearing an agreement that would send Neal to Charlotte, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Still, Milwaukee owner Herb Kohl would have to sign off on an increase in team salary as part of the deal, according to TNT’s David Aldridge (Twitter link).
THURSDAY, 6:45am: The Bobcats are trying to convince the Bucks to take on Ramon Sessions in return for Neal.
11:06pm: While they may be looking for a shooter, the Thunder’s interest in Neal could be overstated, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Amick also confirms interest in Neal from the Bobcats.
4:39pm: Woelfel adds the Suns, Wolves and Kings to the list of suitors for Neal (via Twitter).
1:15pm: The Bucks have progressed with several teams on the Neal front, but they’re still holding off on agreeing to a deal, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 12:29pm: The pursuit of Neal is the only active discussion the Bobcats are engaged in, with talks for Evan Turner having flamed out early, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
TUESDAY, 8:24pm: The Bobcats and Thunder are both interested in acquiring sharpshooting Bucks guard Gary Neal, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com and Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links). Stein reports that Neal has been being openly shopped by Milwaukee since January, and we heard on Friday that the fourth year guard is unhappy with the Bucks. A recent Woelfel piece labeled Brandon Knight, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton as the only untouchable assets on the Bucks roster, so it’s not a surprise the club is open to moving Neal.
After a solid postseason performance with Spurs en route to finals loss versus Miami, Neal signed with Milwaukee on a two-year, $6.25MM deal. While he hasn’t put up extraordinary numbers so far this season, he’s proven throughout the course of his career that he can be a good shooter capable of putting up solid numbers on some nights.
Charlotte has been very active so far this deadline. News broke earlier today that they were close to a deal with the Bucks that would’ve brought in Neal and Caron Butler, but the alleged move fell through at the last minute. It’s unclear if a new deal would involve Butler, but reports have indicated the Bobcats are willing to give up a draft pick for the right price.
Neal’s other potential suitor, the Thunder, are said to be looking for a shooter. Neal would certainly welcome a move to Oklahoma City since we’ve heard reports suggesting he wants to play for a contender. The Thunder would have to send some salary out in return however, since trading for Neal would put the team over the tax line.
Latest On Harrison Barnes
THURSDAY, 11:26am: The Cavs have also asked the Warriors about Barnes, but Golden State doesn’t intend to trade him, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 8:08am: The Grizzlies are going after Harrison Barnes as they seek to upgrade their small forward spot, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. The Warriors are looking for a quality backup big man, but Memphis will clearly have to give up more than Kosta Koufos to acquire Barnes, Amick notes (Twitter link). The Warriors have received a deluge of calls about their second-year small forward, but they’ve been unwilling to trade him unless they can get a marquee player in return, as Amick reported last week.
Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob said a week ago that the team is unlikely to trade Barnes, Klay Thompson or Stephen Curry, and the Warriors have reportedly told Barnes that he won’t be dealt, barring a blockbuster. The seventh overall pick in 2012 is averaging just 10.4 points in 29.2 minutes per game, but he’s shooting 40.9% from three-point range.
Memphis appears ready to shake up its rotation, if not its core, having begun discussions with the Wolves about shipping Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince to Minnesota for Chase Budinger and J.J. Barea. It would be tough for the Grizzlies, or any team, to construct a trade for Barnes without taking back at least one other high-salaried player, since Barnes is making only a little more than $2.9MM on his rookie scale contract. Most players making that much or less wouldn’t constitute the sort of return the Warriors are looking for. While Golden State has a trade exception worth more than $9.8MM available, absorbing that much salary without sending nearly as much out would put the team into the luxury tax.