And-Ones: Cavs, Bogut, Barnes, Holiday
The Cavs won’t make a decision on Larry Sanders until after the trade deadline, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com passes along (ESPN Now link). Cleveland is also keeping an eye on the Andrew Bogut situation. The Cavs would like to bring the center aboard and they’re expected to be in the mix for him.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Several teams have expressed interest in Matt Barnes, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com tweets. Sources tell Shelburne that he’s waiting until after the trade deadline to make a decision.
- Jarrett Jack will audition for the Pelicans, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. New Orleans is pursuing backcourt help after trading away several players in the DeMarcus Cousins deal.
- Point guard and pending free agent Jrue Holiday said the Pelicans “see me as a part of [the future],” the team tweets. The organization is calling Holiday, DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis their version of a Big Three.
- Mike Bibby and Ricky Davis will be the co-captains of the Ghost Ballers, the fourth official team in the new 3-on-3 league, according to a press release on BIG3.com.
- Thunder center Enes Kanter returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing arm surgery, Royce Young of ESPN.com reports. It’s uncertain whether Kanter, who suffered a broken arm punching a chair on the bench on January 26th, will return to action on Friday against the Lakers.
- Former Rockets center Yao Ming, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year, has been appointed as president of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to an ESPN.com report. He gave up ownership of the league’s Shanghai Sharks in order to take over his new role.
Chris Crouse contributed to this post
Latest On Paul George
12:12pm: “More than a few” rival teams believe the Celtics have a real shot to land George today, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein (Twitter link). However, Wojnarowski tweets that the C’s have no significant traction yet on either George or Jimmy Butler.
10:43am: On the heels of his last George update, Wojnarowski has issued another one, tweeting that the Celtics have now introduced a Nets pick into the discussion. ESPN’s Zach Lowe notes that it’s the 2017 first-rounder (Twitter link). However, Boston has yet to meet the Pacers’ asking price.
10:35am: The Pacers and Celtics had preliminary talks regarding George, but those discussions won’t move forward unless – or until – the C’s put the Nets’ pick on the table, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter). Wojnarowski doesn’t specify which of the Nets’ picks he’s referring to, but I’d imagine the 2017 first-rounder would be the Pacers’ preference.
10:00am: The Pacers have shown a willingness this week to listen to inquiries on Paul George, but Indiana’s asking price on the star forward is “off the charts,” tweets Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. A league source who spoke to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders echoed that sentiment, suggesting that George would be “massively expensive” to obtain. That source said that his own team didn’t have anywhere close to the assets to pursue such a deal.
[RELATED: Lakers inquired on Paul George]
Outside of the fact that it would take a huge package to pry George away from the Pacers, potential suitors will be apprehensive about making a deal because they know that he wants to win in Indiana, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. As Haynes explains, George’s top preference would be to ultimately re-up with the Pacers, while the Lakers would be his Plan B. The All-Star forward wouldn’t be willing to commit long-term to a team besides those two.
Meanwhile, as has been previously reported, a recent meeting between George and Pacers owner Herb Simon prompted Indiana to more seriously consider all of its options with PG13, since he indicated during that meeting that he wants to stay with the Pacers for the long term only if the team can be a serious contender. Haynes tweets that the meeting between George and Simon was “cordial,” with no ultimatum given.
Trade Rumors: Muhammad, Raptors, Collison, Mavs
The Timberwolves are “determined” to move Shabazz Muhammad today and hope to land a draft pick in return, reports TNT’s David Aldridge (via Twitter). One report earlier today suggested that Minnesota might attach Muhammad to Ricky Rubio, but Aldridge is unsure if Muhammad would be included in a potential Rubio/Derrick Rose swap.
Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) has heard that Raptors players would like to see the team acquire Suns forward P.J. Tucker, in the hopes of getting someone capable of defending LeBron James in the postseason.
- Darren Collison, who is on an expiring contract, is drawing interest from many teams, but the Kings are holding firm on their asking price of a first-round pick, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. An earlier report identified the Bucks as a potential Collison suitor, but Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) says Milwaukee hasn’t engaged in talks with the Kings.
- Now that they’ve found a taker for Andrew Bogut, the Mavericks have shifted their focus to a possible Deron Williams deal, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
- The Wizards are exploring the market for a possible deal for a point guard, sources tell Kyler (Twitter link).
- The Warriors aren’t active today, and figure to focus on the buyout market if they want to bolster their bench, according to Kyler (Twitter link).
Suns Seek Expiring Deal, Second-Rounder For Knight
The Suns are seeking an expiring contract and a high second-round pick for combo guard Brandon Knight, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets.
As we pointed out in our Trade Candidate series last month, Phoenix has been actively shopping Knight since the offseason, with the emergence of Devin Booker making him expendable. The Suns have talked to the Magic, Kings, Sixers and Bulls about Knight, who still has three years and nearly $44MM remaining on his contract after this season.
Knight, 25, has seen his playing time diminish this season and he briefly dropped out of the rotation. He’s averaging 11.0 PPG and 2.4 APG in 21.1 MPG this season, after posting a career-high 19.4 PPG and 5.1 APG in 36.0 MPG last season.
Celtics Rumors: Butler, George, Bogut, Fultz
The Celtics remain hopeful of acquiring either Jimmy Butler or Paul George before the trade deadline but it’s more likely they’ll hold onto their main assets, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports.
One sticking point is that GM Danny Ainge is reluctant to part with the first-round pick the Net owe them this summer via a swap of positions, Bulpett continues. An agent with connections to the potential deal between the Bulls and Boston informed Bulpett that Ainge’s unwillingness to deal the pick scuttled preliminary discussions. The Pacers would likely want that same pick as part of any deal involving George, Bulpett speculates.
Unless a blockbuster deal is worked out that would give them a serious chance of supplanting the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have no real incentive to move their most prized assets, the thinking goes in the Boston front office. According to another league executive, teams have offered solid veterans to Boston but Ainge only wants to a “real star” for those assets, Bulpett writes in a separate column.
Other nuggets involving the Celtics possible moves:
- Andrew Bogut, whom the Mavs agreed to trade to the Sixers today, could be re-routed to the Celtics, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. However, ESPN’s Chris Haynes tweets that Philadelphia is expected to engage in buyout talks with the veteran center.
- Ainge wants to remain a player in this summer’s free agent market unless he can obtain a franchise cornerstone today or via the draft, according to Bulpett. If the Celtics end up holding onto the Nets pick, Washington freshman Markelle Fultz could be the player they’re coveting.
- A lesser trade involving a forward such as the Grizzlies’ JaMychal Green or Suns’ P.J. Tucker remains a possibility, Bulpett adds.
Latest On Pistons Point Guard Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson is likely to stay put because of the Pistons’ high asking price, league executives told Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
The team’s front office — headed by president of basketball operations and coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Jeff Bower — has been aggressively shopping the point guard, Chris Mannix of The Vertical tweets, and is seeking a first-round pick, young player and an expiring contract in return.
The large package that the Pistons want for Jackson could indicate that they believe his inconsistent play this season is injury-related and that he’ll return to top form next season, Rod Beard of the Detroit News speculates (Twitter link). Jackson missed the first 21 games after receiving a plasma-rich injection for knee tendinitis during training camp. Jackson is averaging 15.2 PPG and 5.6 APG since his return after posting averages of 18.8 PPG and 6.2 APG last season when Detroit won 44 games and made the playoffs.
Jackson has been the subject of trade speculation for weeks, with the Timberwolves and Magic at the forefront of potential suitors. A Jackson-for-Ricky-Rubio rumor surfaced last month, though Van Gundy quickly shot it down. The Orlando discussions involved D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green but the Magic currently have nothing cooking for either Jackson or Rubio, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets. However, Jake L. Fischer of SI.com tweets that Orlando can get Jackson if it’s willing to part with a valuable first-rounder.
Trade Rumors: KCP, OKC, Afflalo, Knight, Ezeli
While the Pistons have been open to listening to inquiries on anyone, few – if any – players on their roster have received as much interest as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Speaking to reporters, including Rod Beard of The Detroit News, Stan Van Gundy confirmed that KCP’s future has been one of the main topics discussed as of late by the Pistons, who will have to make a big long-term commitment to the shooting guard this summer if they keep him.
“That’s something you have to make decisions about and deal with. I’m not getting into specifics at this point, but that has been a significant part of what we’ve talked about,” Van Gundy said of the RFA-to-be. “He was probably the most urgent decision because of that and the money coming and what it means in terms of the cap and the (luxury) tax. We’ve talked about it internally and we’ve talked about it with (team owner) Tom (Gores). We know exactly what’s coming and we’re making informed decisions.”
Here are several more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- The Thunder are being aggressive as the trade deadline nears, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who adds Doug McDermott to the list of players on Oklahoma City’s radar. OKC was linked to another Bulls forward – Taj Gibson – earlier today.
- League executives believe the Kings will move Arron Afflalo today, says Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee adds (via Twitter) that Afflalo is more likely to be dealt than Ben McLemore, who has impressed some people within the organization lately. Afflalo has been linked to Indiana and Oklahoma City this week.
- Brandon Knight wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, but the Suns have set their asking price too high in the past in talks with the Magic, Kings, Sixers, and Bulls, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. As Amick observes, it remains to be seen whether that will change today.
- The Trail Blazers continue to try to find a taker for Festus Ezeli‘s contract, per ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link).
- Although Bucks general manager John Hammond likes to make trades, league executives say Milwaukee has been “low key” in trade talks this week, according to Jeff Zilgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
- The Cavaliers continue to work on deals that could fortify their roster, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team ultimately rely on the buyout market instead, tweets Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.
Deveney’s Latest: Tucker, Favors, Gallinari, Anthony
P.J. Tucker‘s expiring, affordable contract makes him the player most likely to be dealt before today’s trade deadline, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The Suns are holding out for a first-round pick for the veteran small forward, even if it’s a future first-rounder that they can use down the road as an asset, Deveney continues. The Jazz, Celtics, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Hawks and Bulls have all shown interest in Tucker, giving the Suns hope they can get a first-round pick for him, Deveney adds.
Deveney touched on a number of other players who could be wearing a different uniform by the end of the day:
- Luxury-tax concerns have the Jazz exploring the market for power forward Derrick Favors. Rudy Gobert‘s extension kicks in next season and Utah is hopeful of re-signing Gordon Hayward in the likelihood he opts out of the final year of his current contract this summer. That makes Favors expendable but his nagging knee injury has tempered the market for him.
- Danilo Gallinari is drawing more interest on the market than fellow Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler. Denver is seeking a first-rounder for either player but Gallinari’s ability to opt out of his contract after the season makes it more difficult for the Nuggets to get value for him.
- Carmelo Anthony is likely to stay put unless Knicks president Phil Jackson can revive talks with the Clippers. Jackson is also trying to deal free agents he signed last summer — Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah — for draft picks.
- The Hawks, Hornets and Bucks have shown interest in point guard Darren Collison as the Kings continue their latest rebuild in the wake of the DeMarcus Cousins blockbuster.
- The Bulls, Pacers and possibly the Mavericks are still in play as potential suitors for Sixers power forward Jahlil Okafor but Philadelphia is not determined to move him unless it gets the right package.
- The Mavericks are hopeful of getting a first-rounder for either Andrew Bogut or Deron Williams but may be willing to settle for a couple of second-rounders.
Wilson Chandler On Raptors’ Radar
After acquiring Serge Ibaka last week, the Raptors remain in the market for help on the wing, having been linked to P.J. Tucker. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter), Toronto has also pursued Wilson Chandler. The Nuggets would want a first-round pick back for their veteran forward, Stein notes.
Chandler would likely come at a higher cost than Tucker, both in terms of trade cost and salary — Chandler is earning more than twice as much as Tucker this season ($11.23MM vs. $5.3MM). The Nuggets forward has been far more effective on offense this season though, averaging 15.6 PPG in 50 games.
In addition to considering whether Chandler is worth a first-round pick, the Raptors would also have to mull whether or not his multiyear deal fits into the team’s cap outlook. With Kyle Lowry and Ibaka both in line for lucrative new contracts this summer, the Raptors already project to go into luxury-tax territory if they re-sign both of those players, so adding another eight-digit salary like Chandler’s may not be viable. Tucker, conversely, is on an expiring deal.
In addition to the Raptors, both the Clippers and Thunder have been linked to Chandler, though Oklahoma City is believed to be prioritizing him. A report this morning indicated that Denver would be happy to keep Chandler and make a push for the playoffs with him if the club’s asking price isn’t met.
Knicks Rumors: Lee, O’Quinn, Jennings, Rubio
Courtney Lee has been cited this week as a possible trade candidate, and according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, the Clippers recently displayed interest in the Knicks shooting guard. However, one team that was in touch with the Knicks didn’t get the impression that Lee will be going anywhere, says Begley.
Here are a few more notes out of New York:
- Another team that has spoken to the Knicks said New York is seeking a first-round pick and has talked about packaging Kyle O’Quinn and Brandon Jennings together in a trade, Begley reports.
- Although the Knicks are shopping O’Quinn, it’s unclear if they’ll be able to get equal value for him, leagues sources tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link). On Wednesday, we heard that New York has been seeking a first-round pick for O’Quinn, so if the team believes that constitutes “equal value,” it makes sense that it may not happen.
- A report earlier today indicated that Ricky Rubio remains a “significant” trade target for the Knicks. However, Sam Amick of USA Today reports (via Twitter) that the Timberwolves continue to shop Rubio to teams besides the Knicks. Jake Fischer of SI.com adds (via Twitter) that Minnesota is willing to part with Shabazz Muhammad to help accommodate a Rubio trade.