Eastern Notes: Josh Smith, Turner, Richardson
Rumors have been swirling around Josh Smith the past couple of days, yet HoopsWorld's Lang Greene says that the Hawks aren't actively shopping Smith for now, and are simply listening to offers to gauge the power forward's value. Greene also passes along the comments Smith made about the speculation in a video report by Atlanta journalist Nubyjas Wilborn. Smith is far from the only player who's had to respond to trade chatter as the February 21st deadline approaches, as we hear from another who could be on the move in our roundup from the Eastern Conference:
- Evan Turner's name has also emerged on the trading block, and the former No. 2 overall pick acknowledges the decision is out of his hands, as John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes.
- Mitchell wouldn't be surprised if the Sixers and Jason Richardson wind up pursuing a buyout. Richardson, who could be out as long as 12 months with a cartilage tear on his kneecap, is due $5.8MM this year and $6.2MM next season, with a $6.6MM player option for 2014/15.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com hears the Knicks will assess the health of Rasheed Wallace, who's dealing with a left foot injury, after the All-Star break, and if the results aren't favorable, they'll pursue another big man.
- Coach Tom Thibodeau and the Bulls agreed to a four-year extension worth up to $20MM in October, but Thibodeau has yet to sign the contract, reports Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.
Odds & Ends: Josh Smith, Suns, Mavs, Tony Allen
It's a light five-game schedule in the NBA tonight, with no clashes of two teams that appear to be headed for the playoffs. So, it may be time for a few executives around the league to take their eyes off the court and delve into trade talks, with the deadline just a dozen days away. We'll be keeping tabs on all the latest, with a few afternoon items right here:
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News expects the Suns and Mavs to be players for Josh Smith before the deadline (Twitter link). Yesterday we heard there's a 60% chance the Hawks deal Smith away, and that they're seeking a "quality young center" in return — the sort of asset neither Phoenix nor Dallas appears to possess, which could necessitate a three-way swap.
- Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth praises Tony Allen's defense, and passes along comments from the Grizzlies swingman about hitting free agency this summer. "I'd like to stay but whatever happens I'm cool with it," Allen said. "I'll get what's coming to me. At least I hope. They say defense wins games, right? They say it's all about how you play defense, right?"
- Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game is surprised that Brandon Jennings has changed agents, arguing that Excel's Jeff Schwartz is likely to use the same leverage BDA's Bill Duffy would have when Jennings becomes a restricted free agent in the offseason (Sulia link).
- Brad Rock of the Deseret News believes the Jazz should stand pat at the trade deadline and preserve their flexibility for the summer.
- Chris Dortch of NBA.com looks at how potential No. 1 overall pick Nerlens Noel sizes up against Anthony Davis and other shot-blocking savants.
- Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com examines the top power forwards available in the 2013 draft.
Latest On Dwight Howard
This week, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak proclaimed that the team will not trade Dwight Howard before the deadline, and while that means D12 may remain in purple and gold through the end of the season, it doesn't preclude a change of scenery before 2013 is through. Howard will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and though the Lakers are "very confident" he'll re-sign, plenty of other teams figure to be in pursuit, notably the Rockets, Hawks and Mavs. Here's more of what we're hearing:
- Howard said he and his father talk every day — just not about basketball — and remains hesitant to address Dwight Sr.'s public comments, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News documents. Howard's father called for his son to sit down with Bryant and coach Mike D'Antoni to hash out their problems, but Bryant and D'Antoni don't think there's anything to discuss.
Earlier updates:
- The transition from being the unquestioned team leader in Orlando to Kobe Bryant's sidekick with the Lakers has worn on Howard, his father believes, but Dwight Sr. told Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he thinks his son will still re-sign with L.A.
- Dwight Sr. rules out the Nets as a potential destination for his son, who are unlikely to have the cap space to sign him anyway, but seemed to leave the door open for the Hawks, who play in the family's hometown. "Dwight hasn’t said anything about Atlanta, either. But he likes home. I think he would love to end his career here, even though he hasn’t said that publicly," Dwight Sr. said.
- Despite last year's "Dwightmare," Howard's father isn't sure that his son truly wanted to leave the Magic, believing he received poor advice from his representatives.
- The younger Howard had little response to his father's remarks, telling reporters, including Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register, "I'm not getting into it" (Twitter link).
- Rashard Lewis, one of Howard's former teammates with the Magic, offered his prediction for the big man's summer as well, letting Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida know his "gut feeling" is that Howard will re-sign with the Lakers (Sulia link). "He most definitely likes the city, likes the organization," Lewis said. "It’s one of the first-class organizations. The Lakers have a history of winning championships, and that’s what he wants to do is win championships. So we’ll see what happens at the end of the season, but my gut feeling is I think he’ll stay there."
Stein’s Latest: Clippers, Josh Smith, Randolph
Marc Stein's Weekend Dime at ESPN.com is usually full of juicy rumors year-round, and with the trade deadline less than two weeks away, this week's edition is especially jam-packed. Let's dig in:
- The Clippers went fishing for Kevin Garnett, and while the Celtics seem uninterested in such a swap, Stein expects Clippers to keep looking for deals as the trade deadline draws near. L.A. might like to send out DeAndre Jordan, who's eager for more playing time and whose lack of production has frustrated coach Vinny Del Negro, but the more likely trade chip is third-year point guard Eric Bledsoe. Stein hears there's a 99.5% chance Chris Paul re-signs this summer, but if the Clippers endure an early playoff exit, Paul's future, as well as Del Negro's job, could hang in the balance.
- If the Hawks trade Josh Smith, they'll be looking for "a quality young center" in return.
- The Grizzlies have told Zach Randolph they won't trade him, and Memphis is unlikely to make another move involving Randolph or anyone else. Still, despite coach Lionel Hollins' insistence that he and management are on the same page, the coach's dim view of the Rudy Gay trade has cast a pall on the locker room, as Stein writes.
- Reports that the Rockets have interest in Danny Granger are inaccurate, according to Stein.
- Denver isn't biting on an offer for Timofey Mozgov unless the Nuggets get one that's "crazy good."
- The Sixers, open to a shakeup as they wait for Andrew Bynum to make his Philadelphia debut, are shopping Evan Turner.
- Samuel Dalembert was on the market even before he did his best to showcase his value with a career-best 35-point game against the Nuggets this week, and he's not the only player Milwaukee might trade. Monta Ellis and Beno Udrih are among the Bucks who could be on the move.
- Boston isn't better with Rajon Rondo out for the season, but Stein believes the Celtics' six-game winning streak can be at least partially explained by the team's improved attitude without the moody Rondo around.
Hawks Entertaining Trade Offers For Josh Smith
5:41pm: There's a 60 percent chance the Hawks trade Smith before the deadline, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com, who hears the Nets are among several teams interested.
5:27pm: Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears there have been no talks about a new contract between Smith and the Hawks, including the team's refusal to give him a max deal (Twitter link). It's unclear whether Vivlamore means the team hasn't refused to make Smith a max offer, or if that refusal is what's stymied further discussion.
3:38pm: The Hawks met with Josh Smith's representatives this week and indicated that the team wasn't interested in signing Smith to a maximum-salary contract this summer, reports David Aldridge at NBA.com. As such, Atlanta is now entertaining trade offers for the free-agent-to-be, though the club has yet to decide whether Smith will be moved, according to Aldridge.
Aldridge writes that the Hawks and GM Danny Ferry are still in "fact-finding" mode when it comes to exploring the market for Smith, though the player himself is prepared to move on. We heard recently that Smith considers himself worthy of a max deal in unrestricted free agency this summer, but the Hawks are unwilling to commit that kind of money at the expense of future cap flexibility. If Smith is removed from the books this summer, Atlanta could have room for two maximum-salary free agents.
The Suns, Rockets, and Bobcats are among the teams that reportedly have some level of interest in acquiring Smith, while the 27-year-old has been said to have interest in joining the Mavericks or Grizzlies as well. While Smith unquestionably has a ton of talent, he'd be a risky acquisition for any team, given the uncertainty on whether or not he'd re-sign this summer. He also has a 15% trade kicker, meaning he'd get a modest raise on his $13.2MM salary if he were moved, a bonus his new team would have to pay.
Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors examined Smith as a trade candidate last weekend.
Ford’s Latest: Bucks, Smith, Randolph, Nuggets
Although Chad Ford's weekly chat at ESPN.com featured plenty of draft questions once again this week, Ford also addressed a number of trade questions and rumors. Many of Ford's answers focused more on his own opinions or speculation, but here are a few of the highlights from ESPN's NBA draft guru:
- Ford is hearing that the Bucks are "very active" and that Samuel Dalembert isn't the only player they're actively discussing. Monta Ellis, Beno Udrih, and Ersan Ilyasova could all be had as well, according to Ford.
- The Hawks would like to move Josh Smith, but the market for him isn't currently very strong and the team is still holding on to hope that Smith could help lure Dwight Howard to Atlanta this summer, says Ford.
- Zach Randolph "looks like a marked man," according to Ford, though it's not clear whether he thinks the Grizzlies will trade Randolph in the next two weeks or further down the road.
- Ford keeps hearing the Nuggets mentioned in trade scenarios, with Danilo Gallinari's and Wilson Chandler's names coming up most frequently.
Lakers “Very Confident” Howard Will Re-Sign
We began yesterday with a round-up of the latest Lakers rumors, and there's enough going on in Los Angeles lately that we're starting off today the same way. Here are the latest Lakers-related links:
- Besides asserting publicly that Dwight Howard won't be moved this month, the Lakers have also assured Howard privately that he won't be going anywhere, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
- The Lakers haven't asked Howard directly whether he plans to stay or go in free agency, but Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (within Broussard's piece) says the team is "very confident" that Howard will re-sign.
- The Hawks, Mavericks, and Rockets figure to make a play for Howard in free agency, but the Lakers will have the ability to offer D12 about $30MM more in guaranteed money, as I outlined here. According to Broussard's sources, that extra money means a lot to Howard, who may be less inclined to give up an extra year of security given his recent injury woes.
- Of the rival suitors for Howard, the Rockets may be the most dangerous, says Broussard. While Howard wasn't interested in going to Houston a year ago, he recognizes that the club is much improved since then.
- Speaking to Stephen A. Smith of ESPN.com about his future, Howard said he's committed to the Lakers — for this season.
- Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are "very concerned" about the injury Pau Gasol suffered last night, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com, adding that the club needs Howard more than ever now.
Spears On Mozgov, Josh Smith, Rondo, Gay
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports has been busy today, publishing a piece on Lindsey Hunter's adjustment to the head coaching job in Phoenix as well as posting Yahoo!'s weekly power rankings, which features the Spurs in the No. 1 spot once again. Spears' power rankings also feature a few tidbits of note, which we'll round up right here:
- The Nuggets are getting plenty of calls about Timofey Mozgov, but aren't under any financial pressure to make a deal. They'll probably only move Mozgov for a "too-good-to-be-true offer," says Spears.
- While there's still plenty of speculation that the Hawks could trade Josh Smith, interested teams have been keeping any talks very quiet.
- A surgery date for Rajon Rondo's ACL still hasn't been set, as Rondo could seek opinions from as many as three doctors.
- A source close to Rudy Gay tells Spears that the newest Raptor was happy about leaving the Grizzlies and should be a very good fit in Toronto — not only in the team's up-tempo offense, but in the city as well.
Amico On Josh Smith, Cavs, Blatche, Granger
Water-cooler conversation this morning may be dominated by talk of Super Bowl XLVII, but at Hoops Rumors, we're still focused on the NBA, including the latest trade rumors from around the league. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has a few updates on players and teams that could be in the mix as the February 21st deadline approaches, so let's round up the highlights from his piece….
- Amico names the Mavericks, Bobcats, Rockets, Hornets, and Kings as potential suitors for Josh Smith. Many recent reports have suggested the Kings likely won't be too active at the deadline, but Amico notes that expiring contracts typically appeal to new ownership groups.
- Cavaliers GM Chris Grant wouldn't mind making another move before the deadline. Nothing concrete is in the works yet, but Grant is still working with some cap space and a few expiring contracts (Luke Walton, Daniel Gibson, Omri Casspi).
- Amico hears from multiple sources that the Nets have made Andray Blatche available in hopes of landing a draft pick. The Trail Blazers may have some interest, according to Amico.
- The Rockets are keeping a "keen eye" on Danny Granger, who has missed the entire season with a knee injury. The Pacers aren't actively shopping Granger, but could be more open to moving him given the emergence of Paul George.
- The Mavericks figure to be more active in trade talks as the deadline nears, as plenty of clubs are interested in Chris Kaman's expiring contract.
Trade Candidate: Josh Smith
Josh Smith might be the best player not named Dwight Howard or Chris Paul on an expiring contract this season, but until last month, he seemed destined to remain in Atlanta past the trade deadline, and perhaps longer. That all seemed to change January 16th, when the Hawks suspended Smith for a game and fined him an undisclosed amount. That same day, we heard that agent Wallace Prather met with Hawks GM Danny Ferry about Smith's frustration with the team's play, and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported the team had discussed its power forward in trade talks with other teams. Since then, the Smith rumor mill has cranked into high gear.
There's little consensus on just where Smith will end up once the dust settles after February 21st. Hoops Rumors readers were nearly split down the middle when we asked a couple of weeks ago whether he would be traded. Reports that seem to indicate the team is leaning toward trading the 27-year-old are juxtaposed by others that suggest the Hawks don't want to deal him away, even if they have a good read on where to send him should they feel compelled to part ways. Complicating matters is the 15% trade kicker on his $13.2MM salary that any team acquiring him would have to pay. Though the ninth-year veteran is an intriguing talent, trade partners are apparently skittish about taking him on considering he could leave as an unrestricted free agent in the summer, especially since he feels he's in line for a maximum-salary deal.
Smith, who has never been an All-Star, doesn't fit the classic profile of a max player. His scoring and rebounding numbers (16.9 PPG/8.5 RPG) have fallen off after last season's career highs (18.8/9.6). His 45.1% field goal percentage is his worst since 2006/07, and his free-throw shooting has plummeted to 49.7%, far beneath his previous low for a season of 58.8% in 2008/09. He's also averaging 3.1 turnovers per game, close to another career worst. He's blocking shots more often than he has in the last five years, and he's dishing out nearly a full assist more per game than his career average. Still, this season has hardly been the kind of resume-building walk year he probably imagined.
There have been conflicting reports on whether the Suns are going after him, with a package centered around Marcin Gortat and expiring deals. Whether or not Phoenix has interest, I'm not sure Gortat, whose numbers are also off this season, would entice Ferry to sacrifice the team's ample cap space for 2013/14. Gortat is due $7.7MM in the final year of his deal next season, and though acquiring him would leave the Hawks open to pursuing the ballyhooed free agent class of 2014, it seems they'd encounter plenty of competition for that bunch.
The Bobcats and Rockets also apparently have interest in Smith, and Houston is especially intriguing, since the soon-to-be free agent reportedly counts the team among his favored destinations, along with the Grizzlies and Mavs. Rockets GM Daryl Morey seems perpetually motivated to make a splash, but his team isn't flush with the kind of expiring deals that Ferry would likely want in return for Smith.
As Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote this weekend, the Hawks are reluctant to compromise this summer's cap space, which could allow them to sign a pair of max players. They're poised to make a run at Howard and Paul, though it's unclear if either of them would leave their respective teams in Los Angeles, much less sign with Atlanta. Still, when Smith got married, Howard served as his best man, and Smith has spoken fondly about reuniting with his former AAU teammate. That connection would only be meaningful to the Hawks if Smith is still around, and there's no guarantee he will be past July 1st. Trading him away would ensure he won't there to recruit Howard, however, so my guess is that unless a team bowls Ferry over, the GM will be content to ride it out this season with his athletic forward, and willingly accept cap space as consolation if Smith signs elsewhere.