Lakers Rumors: Johnson, Kupchak, Gasol
Magic Johnson hasn’t suited up for the Lakers since the 1995/96 NBA season, but he’s still trying to help benefit the club’s performance on the court, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Regarding the Lakers’ attempt to secure top free agents next summer, Johnson had this to say:
“I love [the Lakers]. I’m going to support them. I asked Mitch [Kupchak] the other day if you want me to recruit this summer. People don’t know that was my role with Dr. Buss for a while. I was the first to call [Metta World Peace], Lamar Odom, all these guys. That was my job, calling them and recruiting them.”
The Lakers are riding a seven game skid and currently sit tied for the bottom spot in the Western Conference, so it looks like they’ll need all the help they can get. Here’s the latest out of LA:
- Kupchak spoke with Jared Greenberg and Rick Fox on SiriusXM NBA Radio, and the latest piece from Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times passes along the most notable bits from their sit down: “There is no plan to secure a player at a certain time,” said Kupchak, “We don’t know what the opportunities are going to be for the next two weeks, in terms of the trade deadline. We don’t know who is going to opt in, who is going to opt out, who may or may not be a free agent this summer.“
- Kupchak on a potential deal involving Pau Gasol: “On one hand I really feel for the situation [Gasol is] in but on the other hand our guys are very, very highly compensated professionals and this is the business that they chose… He’s a great player and regardless of what happens, he’ll go down as one of the great players in Laker history.“
- We heard yesterday that the Lakers and Suns still might still be in discussions for a potential Gasol/Emeka Okafor swap, and Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders opines in his weekly chat that such a deal would be a win-win for both clubs.
D-League Notes: Barron, Moultrie, Hairston
A pair of reports earlier today revealed that Othyus Jeffers is set to rejoin the Iowa Energry while Jarvis Varnado, Jeffers’ teammate in Des Moines for the time being, is drawing interest from several NBA clubs. Here’s a look at more news from around the D-League:
- Another former member of the Energy, Earl Barron, has inked a deal to play in Lebanon with Moutahed, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. After making his NBA debut in 2005, Barron has played for seven different NBA clubs and seen action in 121 D-League contests.
- We heard yesterday that the Sixers assigned Arnett Moultrie to the D-League following comments he made on Monday about frustration over a lack of playing time. However, Tom Moore of Calkins Media hears that the assignment to Delaware is unrelated to Moultrie’s venting, and that the big man will return to Philly once he meets certain conditioning standards (Twitter links).
- It’s been nearly a month since P.J. Hairston joined the D-League’s Texas Legends, and he’s still trying to move on from his playing days as a Tar Heel. Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com suggests that now is the time for Hairston to focus on impressing NBA executives to improve his draft stock.
- Thunder GM Sam Presti recently sat down and discussed his club’s innovative use of its D-League affiliate with Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman.
Lawrence On Deng, Cavaliers, Irving, Heat
As usual, the latest weekly column by Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News is filled with intriguing rumors and notes. Let’s dive in and look at some of the most notable pieces:
- Luol Deng was not happy to be traded to the Cavaliers, according to Lawrence. Deng reportedly expressed disdain for his new team to a close friend: “The stuff going on in practice would never be tolerated by the coaching staff or the front office back in Chicago. It’s a mess.” Should this report be true, it doesn’t sound like Deng will be open to staying in Cleveland beyond this season. Most Hoops Rumors readers don’t seem to think he will anyway.
- Lawrence hears that Cavaliers GM Chris Grant is expected to lose his job at the end of the season as ownership grows tired of losing and hearing about persistent locker room issues. Since trading for Deng, the team is 4-7 and still remains out of the playoff picture in the weak Eastern Conference.
- A league source tells Lawrence that Kyrie Irving is close to firing his agent, Jeff Wechsler. Reportedly, Wechsler wants Irving to stay in Cleveland, but Irving would prefer to leave the Cavs and become a member of the Knicks. Just a few days ago, we heard Irving strongly deny he has any desire to leave Cleveland.
- The Heat have expressed interest in retaining LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, but Lawrence hears that all three have “sent signals” that they want to get a maximum deal in free agency since they all took pay cuts to sign together in Miami three summers ago.
- One insider for the Heat spoke on a potential end to the big three era in Miami, telling Lawrence, “that’s a real concern for us. The biggest concern? LeBron leaving.“
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Chandler, Bynum, Celtics
At one point, it looked like 76ers had found a bargain in offseason acquisition Tony Wroten. He was averaging 13 PPG before missing three games as a result of an ankle injury, and he was only being paid $1.1MM. Upon his return, however, he hasn’t looked quite as strong, shooting just 24% from the floor. Wroten doesn’t seem to be worried however, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer passes along this quote from the second year guard: “You go through things like this. It’s a long season. So I’m getting back into the groove.” Let’s look at the latest out of the NBA’s Atlantic Division:
- Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com gives his take on the struggling Knicks, and opines the club should try to trade Tyson Chandler for future assets (ESPN Insider link). Doolittle sees Chandler as New York’s most valuable trade chip, and he thinks it might be possible to swing the veteran center to a contender for a pick or young player.
- The Knicks had interest in signing Andrew Bynum before he wound up in Indiana, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Berman adds they would’ve likely cut Cole Aldrich to make room for him since they’re carrying the maximum 15 players.
- Avery Bradley is set to return to the Celtics tomorrow night, and with Rajon Rondo also back in action, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines how a healthier backcourt will stand to impact Boston. Forsberg notes that the duo has shared the floor in just 51 of 277 potential regular-season games over the last four years.
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Silver, Boozer, Carmelo
News broke this morning that the Pacers officially signed Andrew Bynum to contract that covers the remainder of the season. The former All-Star didn’t find a fit in Cleveland, and a tweet from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reveals that part of Bynum’s frustration with the Cavs was aimed at Kyrie Irving. A source tells Amico that Bynum didn’t believe the team “knew how to win.” Here are a few tidbits from Saturday afternoon around the NBA:
- The Bleacher Report interviewed some notable NBA figures to get a bunch of interesting ideas they’d like to see new commissioner Adam Silver tackle, including raising the NBA draft age limit, getting a team in Seattle, and changing salary structures.
- Mike McGraw of The Daily Herald believes the Bulls will use the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer, but suggests that more of a shakeup will be needed to sign Carmelo Anthony. McGraw thinks the Bulls need to move Taj Gibson in order to create room for Anthony.
- Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post thinks Nate Robinson‘s season-ending ACL tear will have two definitive effects: the Nuggets will require a guard in return for Andre Miller (on the trading block), and Robinson will likely pick up his $2.1MM player option for next season rather than testing free agency before proving he’s back on the other side of surgery and rehab.
- Jodie Meeks tells Mark Medina of L.A. Daily News that he hopes he can stay with Lakers after this season: “I love it here and hope I can stay a long time.” He’s on the last year of a two-year, $3.05MM contract and is one of many Lakers that come off the books for next season.
- The Warriors announced in a press release that they’ve officially assigned MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore to the Santa Cruz Warriors. This confirms a report we passed along earlier this afternoon that said the duo would be heading to the D-League.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.
D-League Notes: Ledo, Faverani, Celtics
In his latest piece for D-League Digest, Gino Pilato details the story of Curtis Stinson, a 30-year-old D-League veteran who’s never played in an NBA game. It’s an interesting read, and Pilato notes that a veteran presence like the one Stinson provides can be beneficial to the development of young D-League players. Here’s the latest news regarding the NBA’s official minor league affiliate:
- Mavericks rookie Ricky Ledo will see his third D-League assignment this season, the team announced today via press release. He’s averaging 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 29.8 minutes per game for the Texas Legends. He’s started nine of the 15 D-League contests he’s played in.
- The Celtics have assigned Vitor Faverani to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, the team revealed today in a press release. The move might sound surprising since Faverani has played relatively well for Boston and averages about 13 minutes per game. However, comments by C’s boss Danny Ainge made it clear that it’s only a temporary assignment to help get Faverani some playing time: “This is just a quick assignment to get Vitor some more game action,” said Ainge, “He’ll be back with the Celtics for shootaround tomorrow morning.“
- More from Ainge on the move: “This is a great option for any Celtics player to get more in-game experience without missing any Celtics activities, and we expect there will be more of this type of assignment for Celtics players during the remainder of the season.” We saw Rajon Rondo see a similarly short assignment earlier this month.
- Earlier today, we passed along that the Hawks recalled Jared Cunningham from their D-League affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam.
Cavaliers Rumors: Waiters, Trade Deadline, Zeller
The Cavaliers bested the Bucks last night in a 15 point home victory. Sure, Milwaukee has the worst record in the NBA, but Cleveland will take any wins they can get. The Cavs sit 11 games below .500 and are set to face a tough Suns team on Sunday. Here’s the latest on the Cavs:
- Dion Waiters was the subject of several early season trade rumors after a report surfaced alleging that Waiters had a contentious relationship with Kyrie Irving. Months have passed, and Waiters remains a member of the Cavs. Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer hears that despite earlier reports, Waiters isn’t a locker room disturbance, and he probably won’t be shipped off unless Cleveland receives an “amazing” offer for him.
- In the same piece, Schmitt Boyer speculates that the Cavaliers are likely to be buyers at the upcoming trade deadline since they haven’t given up on their playoff hopes yet. The team is 4-4 in games that recent acquisition Luol Deng has played in, and they sit just two games out of a playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference.
- Tyler Zeller has been a valuable piece off the bench for Cleveland, and his teammates have started to take notice. Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer passes along this quote from Irving: “[Zeller’s] been playing out of his mind… It’s not just about points or anything like that. He’s been doing everything we need him to do and everything we ask of him – and some.” Since Andrew Bynum was traded, Zeller is averaging five more minutes per night. The Cavaliers exercised their 2014/15 team option for Zeller in October.
Poll: Should The Pacers Trade Danny Granger?
Last week, Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron examined Danny Granger as a potential trade candidate. The former All-Star missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, and his production since returning midway through this year’s campaign has been less than stellar. He’s shooting just 37% from the floor and has posted a PER of 10.7, well below his career marks in either category. His numbers might jump back up once he sees more time on the court, but his real value lies within his $14MM expiring contract. A team looking to make a splash in next summer’s free agent market might be interested in taking on Granger to create some future financial flexibility.
With Indiana set to make Lance Stephenson a “great offer” this summer, it’s possible the team might not have the funds to retain Granger next season, and trading him now would at least bring aboard some assets the club might be able to use down the road. However, the Pacers are expected to vie for a championship this season, and Granger is a veteran with playoff experience that has the ability to contribute off the bench. Last night, Sam Amick of USA Today passed along that Granger didn’t have any qualms with his new role on the team, so it’s unlikely he would be the one to push for a trade. We did hear earlier this season that Pacers President Larry Bird would be willing to listen to offers for Granger, though he wasn’t seeking any deals out himself.
So what do you think? If they can find a suitable partner, should the Pacers move Granger for a usable piece, such as a pick or a roleplayer? Or would they be more wise to hang on to him and utilize his leadership and experience in the playoffs this season? To do so would mean risking his departure this summer without getting any assets in return, but it could be beneficial to their championship dreams this year. Vote below, and post your reasoning in the comment section!
Draft Notes: Bogdanovic, Randle, Embiid, Magic
Here’s the latest news and notes on the 2014 NBA draft:
- Serbian draft prospect Bogdan Bogdanovic tells David Pick of Eurobasket.com that he feels ready for the NBA, but he says he wouldn’t mind staying in Europe another season if an NBA team drafts him and feels he could use more seasoning. He’s No. 32 on the list of prospects at DraftExpress.com.
- Adi Joseph of USA Today Sports takes a look at how the upcoming week’s slate of college games could impact several players’ draft stocks, including the much-discussed Kentucky freshman Julius Randle. Joseph opines that Randle’s lack of top-level upside makes him a less attractive option for the top pick than Andrew Wiggins or Joel Embiid, but also says his versatility could turn him into a perennial All-Star at the next level.
- The Magic sit just three games above the cellar of the Eastern Conference, and as a result, they look to have a great shot at getting a high pick in June’s draft. Embiid’s name has been rapidly climbing up mock draft boards, and Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at whether or not the Magic should select the Kansas big man if given the chance. We heard this morning that there’s mutual interest between Orlando and Nikola Vucevic on a potential extension, but drafting Embiid could mean the end of those talks. It’ll be interesting to see if the team would consider pairing the two centers together.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
D-League Notes: Kadji, Bennett, Marshall, Harris
A couple of former D-League players inked 10-day contracts earlier today: Dewayne Dedmon officially signed his second such pact this season with the Sixers, and Othyus Jeffers jumped on board with the Spurs to help provide some depth off the bench while the squad deals with an injury to Kawhi Leonard. Here are a few more D-League-related tidbits:
- Undrafted free agent Kenny Kadji has been acquired by the D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, hears Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Kadji spent his training camp playing with the Cavaliers, but he failed to make the opening day roster. The big man out of Miami is still free to sign with any NBA team.
- Cavaliers coach Mike Brown told reporters, including Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer, that Anthony Bennett won’t be heading to the D-League any time soon. Bennett hasn’t played in the Cavs’ last five contests and has struggled throughout his rookie season after being selected first overall in last summer’s draft.
- Kendall Marshall is unsure if he will be a member of the Lakers after this season, but he credits the D-League for keeping him in shape and helping him land a spot in Los Angeles (Twitter links via Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders). Marshall signed a deal to play for LA through the remainder of year after a rash of injuries in the club’s backcourt left them without much depth.
- Another tweet from Kyler reveals that Manny Harris praised the D-League for helping him display his skills and eventually get a 10-day deal with the Lakers. Harris, like Marshall, is also unsure of his future in Lakerland, but it was revealed last night that he might be soon receiving another 10-day contract offer from the team.