Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday
In yesterday's round of Dwight Howard rumors, we learned that the Cavaliers had pulled out of the complicated four-team talks that included the Nets and Magic. The Nets are still in the mix for Howard, but are focusing more on one-on-one talks with Orlando now. Meanwhile, the Magic continue to talk with other teams, including the Rockets, Lakers, and Hawks, about a variety of trade scenarios involving the star center. What will today bring? We'll track the latest right here….
- According to SI.com's Sam Amick, the Magic could simply let the Nets fall out of the race for Howard and seek another trade partner. Amick adds that the Rockets have been calling around looking for a taker for Luis Scola, in an effort to allow the Magic to clear more cap space in a Howard deal.
- Among the Nets' reasons for accelerating the Howard talks: They're concerned that the Trail Blazers will step in and sign Brook Lopez to an offer sheet after missing out on Roy Hibbert, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein. The Rockets represent another threat to the Nets if their offer sheet for Omer Asik is matched, adds ESPN.com's Chad Ford (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
Bulls Exploring Kyle Korver Trades
11:13am: According to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Hawks had interest in Korver, but it appears he's "likely" heading to the Timberwolves in a trade. The T-Wolves need to clear some cap space for other moves they've lined up, so I wonder if they intend to trade guaranteed salary for Korver's non-guaranteed deal.
8:12am: The Bulls have until Sunday to decide whether or not they'll bring back Kyle Korver for another season, and haven't ruled out retaining him. However, in the meantime, the team is also exploring trade possibilities that could send Korver to another club, such as the Timberwolves or Hawks, according to Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Tuesday
The Dwight Howard rumor mill was in full swing on Monday, as we needed multiple posts to round up all of the day's rumblings. I recapped the Monday highlights right here, including the framework of a possible four-team deal, but things continue to evolve quickly. So let's follow along with Tuesday's updates, which we'll add to the top of this page throughout the day….
- As Marc Stein suggested (below), the Rockets have remained "strongly engaged" with the Magic on direct talks for Howard and haven't spent much time on three-team scenarios, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Earlier updates:
Free Agent Rumors: Flynn, Heat, Mahinmi
We're less than 14 hours away from the July moratorium coming to an end and this season's signing period beginning in earnest. As of 11:00pm central time tonight, teams can officially sign free agents, trades can be consummated, and players can sign contract extensions. In the meantime, free agents have one more day to try to reach contract agreements before clubs start finalizing the moves they've agreed to over the last week and a half. We'll track today's rumors on free agents here, with the newest updates up top:
- Jonny Flynn has worked out for the Hawks and will visit the Bulls on Friday, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Count the Cavs as another team interested in the point guard's services.
- Look for the Heat to add a minimum-scale big man, such as Kwame Brown or Joel Przybilla, as they finish up their offseason spending, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link) hears from NBA officials that the Bucks have some interest in Ian Mahinmi.
Earlier updates:
Hawks Sign John Jenkins
The Hawks have signed first-round pick John Jenkins to a rookie scale contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). Atlanta selected the Vanderbilt shooter with the 23rd overall pick in the June draft.
The rookie scale amount for Jenkins' slot is slightly over $1MM, so the 21-year-old will earn a first-year salary worth a little more than $1.2MM if he signs for the full 120% allowed. Because first-rounders can sign during the moratorium, Jenkins' deal can be finalized immediately.
Free Agent Rumors: Wallace, Grizzlies, Fisher
We're into the home stretch of the July moratorium, and it won't be long before all the moves that have been agreed upon in the last week are made official. In the meantime, teams have two more days to prepare for the next stage of free agency, and the rumors continue to swirl. You can track all of the contract agreements to date using our Free Agent Tracker, and you can follow many of today's free agent rumors right here, with the latest up top….
- There's a "pretty good chance" that Ben Wallace will return to the Pistons next season, a source tells Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News.
- A source told The Commercial Appeal (via Twitter) that it's unlikely that the Grizzlies will sign Russian guard Alexey Shved. Shved allegedly received offers from the Grizzlies, Cavs, and T'Wolves.
- However, the Grizzlies are working to bring veteran guard Willie Green to Memphis, The Commercial Appeal tweets. The soon-to-be 31-year-old averaged 7.6 PPG last year for the Hawks.
Earlier updates:
Blazers Notes: Leonard, Batum, Barton
Earlier today, Portland General Manager Neil Olshey disclosed that he plans to move from the free agent market to the trade market as it appears that Roy Hibbert will be staying put in Indiana. Here's more on the Blazers..
Odds & Ends: Miles, Magic, Celtics, Hawks
With free agent news and rumors dominating the headlines over the last week, it's been easy to miss a number of other stories that have flown under the radar. One such story today: The Wizards have hired Don Newman as an assistant coach under Randy Wittman. A longtime NBA assistant coach, Newman has spent the last seven years on the Spurs' bench in San Antonio, and represents a solid hire for Washington.
Here are a few more Monday afternoon odds and ends from around the league….
Dwight Howard Rumors: Sunday
11:02pm: The Magic, Nets and Cavs are in "serious talks" about a deal involving Dwight Howard and others, reports Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, who said Magic executives will meet Monday morning to determine if the deal is the right one, and an agreement could come sometime Monday (Twitter links). The Magic will complete "one last sweep" around the league before deciding whether to pull the trigger on the 11-player trade, says Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com (Twitter links). A key to the deal could be the willingness of the Cavs to take MarShon Brooks from the Nets, because the Magic isn't interested in the swingman, report Chris Broussard and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Many teams concerned about competitive balance are reluctant to facilitate a blockbuster deal, Broussard and Windhorst report, so the Magic and Nets must overcome that obstacle.
9:58pm: The Sixers are also a possibility to acquire Humphries as part of a three-team that would send Howard to the Nets, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld notes via Twitter. In an email to Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com, Sixers president Rod Thorn indicated a move may in the works, but declined to give details.
Free Agent Rumors: Lucas, Camby, Lewis
Jeff Green reached an agreement to remain with the Celtics on Saturday, while Aaron Brooks became an unrestricted free agent after the Suns withdrew their qualifying offer to the guard. What will Sunday bring? Here are the latest rumors on a number of free agents still on the market:
- The Heat have interest in unrestricted free agent point guard John Lucas III, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
- Marcus Camby's meeting with the Knicks today was "very positive," a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, and Zwerling hears that Camby is drawn to the Knicks because of his "great relationship" with GM Glen Grunwald.
- "Everything went well" during the Heat's meeting with Rashard Lewis today, as Lewis' agent tells David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link). Lewis has yet to make a decision, with the Knicks and Hawks still in the running, Aldridge says.
Earlier updates: