Odds & Ends: Nets, Humphries, Hawks, Olympics
Already this offseason, international outlets have linked the Nets to contract agreements with Andrei Kirilenko and Mirza Teletovic, among others, but GM Billy King cautioned today not to believe everything you read.
"If you go back to summer, we've had a lot of guys that agreed to deals here, and if we'd agreed to all those deals, we wouldn't have room to sign them all," King explained, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. "So I think a lot of information gets fed out there, especially international where they just say it. And a lot of times they're doing it because they're negotiating, trying to get a player to Team A in Barcelona, so they want to get out there: 'This guy's going. You want to sign with us;' 'Hey, he's leaving, so you've got to sign here.'"
As we prepare to sift through the free agent rumor mill over the next few weeks, let's round up a few Wednesday afternoon odds and ends from around the league:
Draft Rumors: Tuesday
With two days remaining until the 2012 draft, we've seen a first-round pick change hands for the first time this offseason, as the Timberwolves agreed to send the 18th overall pick to Houston in exchange for Chase Budinger and the rights to Lior Eliyahu. The general consensus is that the move is the precursor to a bigger deal for the Rockets, and Houston isn't the only team rumored to be shopping picks. Here are today's draft-related rumors, with the newest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweeted that the Bucks are looking to move into the top 10, and are supposedly targeting John Henson.
- Kennedy says that the Rockets are still trying to acquire another first round pick, most recently in discussions with the Hornets about the 10th pick before talks broke down (Twitter link). He also tweeted that the Lakers and Nets are both looking to acquire a first rounder.
Rockets Rumors: D12, Martin, D-Will, Smith, Gay
When the Rockets and Timberwolves agreed to swap Chase Budinger for a first-round draft pick this morning, the T-Wolves' motives were clear, as Budinger gives the team a perimeter shooting threat it has lacked in recent years. For the Rockets though, the deal looked like the first in a series of bigger moves. We've heard that Houston is targeting Dwight Howard, or perhaps Josh Smith, but what exactly is the next step for GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets? Here's the latest from Sam Amick of SI.com and from Bill Ingram and Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld….
Amico On Bobcats, Lakers, Wizards, Hawks
We're tracking most of today's draft rumors right here, but the latest column from Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has a few too many tidbits and rumors to condense it to a single bullet point. Amico's piece has draft-related updates on the Lakers, Hawks, Wizards, and more, so let's round up all the pertinent info below….
Rockets Targeting Dwight Howard In Trade Talks
TUESDAY, 10:01am: While Howard is the Rockets' top trade target, the team could pursue Josh Smith or other big-name players if a deal can't be consummated with the Magic, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
MONDAY, 8:05am: Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported last night that the Rockets have engaged in trade discussions with teams in the top 10 in the draft, including the Kings (No. 5) and the Raptors (No. 8). In their initial report, Ford and Stein suggested Andre Drummond had caught the Rockets' eye, and was the target in any deal. However, a rival GM told the ESPN scribes that he believes Houston's real goal is to land Dwight Howard.
Amick’s Latest: Rockets, Hawks, Bucks, Nets
SI.com's Sam Amick says he'd be surprised if there weren't a few trades finalized this week, particularly on draft night. Amick points to the Rockets, who own the 14th and 16th overall picks in the first round, as a prime candidate to be involved in draft-day deals, confirming ESPN.com's report that the Kings are among the teams talking to Houston. Amick shares a number of other draft-related updates, and one non-draft rumor via Sulia. Here are the highlights….
Hawks Hire Danny Ferry As President, GM
The Hawks have officially hired Danny Ferry as the team's new president of basketball operations and general manager, the team announced today in a press release. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports first reported yesterday that Atlanta had offered Ferry the job, with Chris Broussard of ESPN.com adding that the offer was for six years.
Hawks Offer GM Job To Danny Ferry
11:14pm: The Hawks' offer to Ferry is for six years, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Broussard notes that the lengthy offer strongly indicates that the club is no longer for sale.
2:44pm: The Hawks have officially offered their general manager position to Danny Ferry, according to Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski. No deal is complete as of now, but there is "progress towards an eventual agreement."
Draft Updates: Friday
ESPN.com's Chad Ford will be in his element over the next few days, as the NBA shifts its focus from the Finals to the 2012 draft. Ford's latest Insider-only piece at ESPN.com breaks down the first-round candidates into tiers, from Tier 1 (Anthony Davis) to Tier 6 (14 players, including Evan Fournier, John Jenkins, and Miles Plumlee). Of particular note is Tier 4, where 10 players figure to compete for the final five lottery spots. The tier ranges from the high-upside prospects (Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones III) to the safer plays (Tyler Zeller, John Henson). As the countdown until draft night continues, we'll round up today's draft notes right here throughout Friday, with the latest updates on top:
- Raptors sources tell Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun that John Henson had a very good workout for Toronto, putting him into the mix at eighth overall (Twitter link).
- Meyers Leonard headlines the list of prospects scheduled to work out for the Warriors this weekend, according to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Earlier updates:
Hawks Have Contacted Danny Ferry About GM Job
The majority of our Danny Ferry rumors in recent weeks have seen him linked to the 76ers, as Rod Thorn's successor. However, Philadelphia isn't the only team with interest in the Spurs executive, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Broussard reports that the Hawks have been in touch with Ferry about becoming the team's new general manager.