Pacers Acquire Evan Turner
The Pacers issued a press release to officially announce that they have acquired Evan Turner from the 76ers. The deal sends Danny Granger and a future second round draft pick to Philly for Turner and forward Lavoy Allen. The future second-round pick will be the Warriors’ 2015 selection, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media.
Philadelphia and Indiana teamed up to complete the most significant deadline trade of them all. Indiana spent most of the season merely open to dealing Granger without actively seeking deals, but that appeared to change last week. Still, the Pacers were looking to be “blown away” by an offer and hadn’t found a suitable exchange as of this morning. That clearly changed when Turner entered the mix, and the former No. 2 overall pick figures to give Indiana a significant leg up in the race for the NBA title.
Turner has played his most significant role to date in the final season of his rookie scale contract, averaging a career-high 17.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 34.9 minutes per game. He figures to get a raise this summer on his $6.68MM salary, but perhaps not a hefty one, as Philadelphia wasn’t planning to tender a qualifying offer worth more than $8.7MM that would have allowed the Sixers to match offers this summer. That helped push Turner into trade discussions. Indiana will now have the ability to decide on that qualifying offer this summer, when it faces a tight squeeze underneath the luxury tax to retain unrestricted free agent Lance Stephenson.
The Sixers were holding out for a 2014 first-round pick for Turner, as well as Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young, but didn’t find any such offers. They agreed to send Hawes to the Cavs for Earl Clark and Henry Sims, but hung on to Young. Still, Granger is a decent consolation prize, and Philadelphia, flush with cap room, can take on his bloated expiring contract, worth slightly more than $14MM.
Granger led the Pacers in scoring for five straight seasons from 2007/08 through 2011/12, but injury cost him all but five games last year, and he’s been unable to return to form this season in a reserve role. Still, he’s just 30 years old, and with plenty of shots to go around in Philadelphia, he has an opportunity to strengthen his market value for this summer.
Turner was a hot commodity in trade talks, with the Pistons, Suns, Clippers, Hawks, Bobcats, Mavs, Timberwolves and Spurs all linked to him at one point or another. Teams were nonetheless wary of giving up other players or picks for Turner, figuring they could sign him as an unrestricted free agent this summer if Philly passed on his qualifying offer. Depending on how it shakes out with the Pacers, those clubs might not have a chance at him in the offseason.
Allen makes $3.06MM in the final season of a two-year contract he signed with the Sixers after a surprisingly productive rookie season. He’s averaged 5.2 points in 18.8 minutes per game this year, but he doesn’t figure to have much of a role on the Pacers. He, like Turner, would become a restricted free agent in the summer if Indiana makes him a qualifying offer, but that seems unlikely, since that offer would be for $3.825MM.
I profiled Turner and Granger as trade candidates earlier this season.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links) first reported the trade. Grantland’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link) and Jason Wolf of The News Journal (Twitter link) added details.
Spurs, Raptors Swap De Colo, Daye
The Spurs and Raptors have announced their swap of Nando De Colo for Austin Daye. De Colo has been on frequent D-League assignments this year, having ceded playing time at backup point guard to Patty Mills and Cory Joseph. Daye has been even less of a factor for the Raptors, appearing for just 33 minutes total after signing a two-year minimum-salary deal this summer. 
De Colo, a 2009 second-round pick of the Spurs, finally signed with the team on a two-year deal in 2012. The contract gives him slightly more than the minimum, and he’s making $1.463MM this year. He’ll be a restricted free agent at season’s end.
Daye’s pact is partially guaranteed for $250K next season. He was the 15th overall pick the same year the Spurs drafted De Colo, but he never panned out in three and a half seasons with the Pistons, who traded him to the Grizzlies as part of the three-way Rudy Gay trade in January 2013.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports first tweeted news of the deal.
Nuggets, Rockets Swap Hamilton, Brooks
The Nuggets announced that their deal sending Jordan Hamilton to Houston in exchange for Aaron Brooks is now official. It initially appeared Hamilton would be on his way to the Knicks, but it turns out he won’t have to travel quite as far.
Brooks, who had the option of declining the deal, fills Denver’s need for a point guard. Meanwhile, the swap makes it seven straight deadline in which Rockets GM Daryl Morey has swung a deal.
Brooks will likely see more playing time in Denver than he did in Houston, where he was stuck behind Patrick Beverley and Jeremy Lin. The Nuggets have been looking for a backup to Ty Lawson ever Andre Miller and coach Brian Shaw got in a public spat around New Year’s, prompting Denver to send Miller home. Denver agreed to trade Miller to the Wizards in a three-team arrangement today.
The Nuggets’ decision to send Hamilton to Houston instead of the Knicks appears to have stymied New York’s efforts to trade Beno Udrih, whom Denver would have received, since the Knicks had no other suitors left for the veteran point guard, Shams Charania of RealGM tweets. All the interest in Hamilton is somewhat surprising, though the 23-year-old has made 11 starts for a banged-up Denver team this year, averaging career highs in an assortment of categories in his first significant playing time after mostly riding the pine during his first two NBA seasons. The small forward is nonetheless shooting just 39%.
Hamilton and Brooks will both be unrestricted free agents at season’s end. Denver elected to decline its 2014/15 option on Hamilton’s rookie scale contract before the season. Hamilton is making about $1.17MM, while Brooks gets the minimum salary.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Shams Charania of RealGM.com first tweeted news of the deal.
Bobcats Acquire Gary Neal
The Bobcats announced that they have acquired Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour from the Bucks in exchange for Ramon Sessions and Jeff Adrien. Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter) first reported the agreement.
“We are excited to add a pair of quality players to our backcourt,” Bobcats president Rod Higgins said. “Gary is an exceptional shooter and Luke is a veteran point guard who can help us off the bench. They both have significant postseason experience so they know how to get where we’re trying to go. We look forward to adding them to our rotation. We also want to thank Ramon and Jeff for their contributions and professionalism and wish them the best of luck.”
Charlotte was attempting to talk Milwaukee into the idea that taking Sessions would make it easier for the Bucks to trade Ridnour, and apparently they agreed, simply deciding to fold Ridnour into this deal.
An earlier report suggested Caron Butler and Ben Gordon could be involved in the deal, but that wasn’t the case. The Suns, Kings, Wolves and Thunder were among the teams in the mix for Neal this week, but Charlotte emerged as the most serious suitor today.
Ridnour, a free agent at season’s end, makes $4.42MM, while Neal earns $3.25MM this season and gets the same pay next year. Sessions is on a $5MM expiring deal while Adrien makes the minimum.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cavaliers Acquire Hawes For Clark, Sims
The Sixers and Cavs have agreed to a trade that sends Spencer Hawes to Cleveland for Earl Clark, Henry Sims, and draft picks. The deal is now official following the Cavs’ press release. Cleveland is sending their 2014 second-round pick and the Grizzlies’ 2014 second-rounder to the Sixers as a part of the deal.
The Cavs had to send out salaries in the deal as they’re over the cap and couldn’t absorb Hawes’ $6.6MM salary without giving someone up. The deal marks GM David Griffin‘s first significant move in his new role with the Cavs. Cleveland was also shopping Tyler Zeller and gave some thought to dealing Luol Deng, but this move went down as Cleveland’s deadline adjustment. The Rockets also reportedly had interest in Hawes in connection to an Omer Asik deal, but that didn’t come to fruition.
Hawes has been putting up career highs in points, rebounds, assists and three-point shooting percentage for the Sixers as he heads into unrestricted free agency this summer. The 25-year-old former 10th overall pick is finishing up a two-year, $13.1MM deal he signed with Philadelphia in 2012.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) first reported that Hawes was on his way to the Cavs. TNT’s David Aldridge (Twitter link) reported that Clark would be going to the 76ers and the Plain Dealer (via Twitter) added that Sims was in the deal as well. Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported Cleveland’s interest in the center.
Clippers, Knicks In Serious Talks On Shumpert
2:04pm: There will be no deal between the Knicks and Clippers, Wojnarowski tweets.
1:54pm: The Clippers and Knicks are engaging in “serious discussions” once more, according to Stein (Twitter link).
1:47pm: As of last night, the proposed deal between the Clips and Knicks was Darren Collison and Matt Barnes for Raymond Felton and Shumpert, Stein tweets.
1:41pm: The Clippers are having some last minute discussions on whether they should say yes or no to a deal for Shumpert, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
1:35pm: Shumpert’s MRI has revealed no tears in his left knee, only a mildly sprained MCL, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. He could miss two weeks, but that’s a whole lot better than what it could have been.
12:27pm: Shumpert to the Thunder isn’t likely, even if his MCL isn’t torn, Broussard tweets.
12:13pm: If Shumpert’s MRI looks OK, he could be headed to the Thunder for a first-round selection or to the Clippers, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Of course, the scan must show that his MCL is not torn.
7:35am: The Thunder are interested in Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr., a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. There’s a possibility Shumpert sustained damage to the MCL in his left knee last night that could keep him out for weeks, according to Berman, so that could dampen Oklahoma City’s enthusiasm. Hardaway is a “virtual untouchable,” Berman writes.
The Thunder have been looking for a two-way wing player via trade. Shumpert fits the bill defensively, and while he’s not a long-range artist, he’s a career 34.7% shooter from three-point range. Hardaway, a rookie, is making 39% of his three-point attempts this year.
Either player would fit into Oklahoma City’s $2.339MM trade exception that expires Friday. The Knicks have been demanding that a team either give up a first-round pick or take back Raymond Felton in a trade for Shumpert. Oklahoma City could wind up with a pair of 2014 first-rounders, so the Thunder would probably give up a pick rather than absorb Felton, though that’s just my speculation.
New York has been engaged on multiple teams on Shumpert, and the Knicks are trying to revive talks with the Clippers. Doc Rivers has long coveted Shumpert, Berman notes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Wolves Interested In Jarrett Jack
1:58pm: The Minnesota deal doesn’t appear to be happening, Amick tweets.
1:54pm: It sounds like the Wolves and Cavs haven’t been able to agree on a deal involving Jack, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com. It’s unknown if the Cavs have other discussions going at this time.
1:14pm: A Jack-for-Barea deal is “not likely,” a source tells Spears (on Twitter).
1:09pm: A source confirmed to the Plain Dealer (via Twitter) that the Wolves and Cavs have discussed a deal with Jack and J.J. Barea, but Jack having two years left versus the one on Barea’s deal has proven to be problematic.
1:06pm: The best chance the Cavs had of moving Jack was to Kings for Jason Thompson, but Cleveland balked at taking back salary, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
12:02pm: The Timberwolves, falling short on getting Andre Miller, are reaching out to Cavs to try and get Jack, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com.
11:59am: The previously reported Jack-for-Thompson deal is on life support, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. The initial report indicated that the Cavs wanted a third team to send Thompson to, and apparently they’re finding that extraordinarily difficult. Putting all the pieces together, it sounds like Jack is staying put.
11:31am: With less than three hours from the deadline, a deal involving Jack seems considerably less likely, sources tell Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).
7:58am: The Cavs probably won’t end up dealing Jack, a source tells the Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 10:59pm: The Cavs are unlikely to send Jack to Sacramento unless they find a third team to take the Kings’ Jason Thompson, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein, putting Cleveland in an all too familiar scenario. A deal that would have had Jack leaving Cleveland stalled earlier this week when the Cavs couldn’t find a destination for Jason Terry. (Twitter links)
3:17pm: The Nets are hesitant to take on Jack because of his lengthy deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who says it’s unlikely that the Cavs and Nets would pull off a trade.
11:19am: The Cavs and Kings have spoken about including Jason Thompson or Marcus Thornton in a Jack deal, reports Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
10:56am: The talks involving the Nets and Cavs are “not on the front burner,” according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald (Sulia link).
9:59am: The Wizards are looking for a backup point guard, but they’re not in on talks for Jack, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
TUESDAY, 8:59am: The Kings are also in on the Jack talks, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s not entirely clear if they’re competing with the Nets for the guard’s services, or if they’re willing to absorb Terry in a deal that sends Jack to Brooklyn.
MONDAY, 4:38pm: The Nets are looking to replenish their draft-pick stock in the swap, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
3:44pm: The Cavs and Nets have indeed engaged in discussions about a trade involving Jack and Terry, report Youngmisuk and ESPN.com colleague Marc Stein. The Cavs would prefer to find a third team to take on Terry, according to the report.
2:23pm: The Nets are eyeing guard Jarrett Jack, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com, who hears that there’s a chance Brooklyn swaps Jason Terry for Jack. It’s unclear how strong the odds are of that, or if the Cavs are interested in Terry.
Jack is in the first season of a four-year, $25.2MM contract that pays him $6.3MM each season, while Terry will make about $5.625MM this year and slightly more than $5.85MM next season in the final year of his deal. The difference between their salaries would be compounded for the Nets, who are well into the tax. New Cavs GM David Griffin would be parting with one of predecessor Chris Grant‘s key offseason additions if Cleveland surrenders Jack, who hasn’t had the same impact for the Cavs as he had last year with Golden State.
Jack, 30, is shooting a career-worst 39.7% this season, and his 8.5 points per game is his lowest scoring average since he was a rookie. Terry, whom the Nets acquired from the Celtics in the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce blockbuster, is plumbing even farther depths. The 36-year-old is posting new lows in scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal percentage and minutes. If Jack is dealt to Brooklyn, it’ll be his seventh team in nine NBA seasons.
Nets, Pelicans Slow Pursuit Of Jordan Hill
1:51pm: Discussions surrounding Hill are either “dying or dead,” tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
1:01pm: Brooklyn has cooled on Hill because the Lakers were seeking a “decent” second-round pick for him, and because bonuses in his contract could have added another $1MM to the Nets’ already astronomical tax bill, according to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
12:47pm: The Nets appear ready to pass on Hill, tweets David Aldridge of TNT.
11:15am: The Lakers want a pick for Hill but, meanwhile, the Nets want a pick from the Lakers for saving them $7MM+, according to Stein (via Twitter).
9:37am: New Orleans is backing off its pursuit of Hill, Wojnarowski hears (Twitter link). That would appear to make the Nets the leading contender for him.
7:40am: The Lakers are looking for a second-rounder in return for Hill, Stein tweets. Atlanta’s interest is not as strong as that of the Nets and Pelicans, Stein adds in a second tweet.
THURSDAY, 7:14am: The Nets and Pelicans appear to be in the lead for Hill, according to Shelburne (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 10:12pm: There is a strong chance that Hill is moved, per Shelburne, who adds that the Lakers may want more than just cap relief now that they have (at least) the Nets, Bobcats and Pelicans involved. In light of the Steve Blake deal, moving Hill and Kaman would allow the Lakers to hang onto Gasol and his Bird Rights (Twitter links here). Ken Berger tweets that both New Orleans and the Nets hope to use their disabled player exceptions on Hill.
8:44pm: ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne adds the Hawks to the mix of teams in on Hill as well as center Chris Kaman, with the deals being discussed in parallel (Twitter links).
5:29pm: Sean Deveney of Sporting News contests the report that the Suns are no longer a player for Hill (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Eric Pincus from the L.A. Times reminds us that the Lakers wouldn’t move Hill if they had any hope or desire to re-sign him. Hill doesn’t have the stamina for a big minute role, per Pincus, and would therefore be better suited for an energy role off the bench (Twitter links here).
3:59pm: The Suns are no longer in talks for Hill, Wojnarowski tweets.
3:42pm: Stein casts it as a two-team race between the Cavs and Nets for Hill (Twitter link).
1:44pm: The Suns, as well as the Mavs, have engaged the Lakers in talks about Hill, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).
1:12pm: It’s unlikely the Nets will acquire Hill, tweets Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck
1:00pm: The Suns may get involved as a suitor for Hill, Wojnarowski hears (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 12:43pm: The Nets have decided they’d like to go ahead and take Hill if the Lakers are willing to send him their way, but L.A. is talking to multiple teams about the power forward, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
TUESDAY, 10:30pm: Brooklyn values Hill as being worth a “second round pick and a trade exception,” according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
3:40pm: The Nets’ discussions with the Kings wouldn’t preclude the team from trading for Hill, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. That suggests the deal is a greater possibility than Medina’s source indicated.
TUESDAY, 12:50pm: The deal will probably not happen, a source tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, who hears the Nets have cold feet about the hefty tax penalties that acquiring Hill without giving up a player would entail.
MONDAY, 10:31pm: It’s doubtful that the big man will want to re-sign with the Lakers if Mike D’Antoni is still the coach, sources tell Wojnarowski.
3:59pm: The Lakers and Nets have spoken about a deal that would send Jordan Hill to the Nets, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Brooklyn would absorb Hill’s $3.5MM salary into its $5.15MM disabled player exception granted in compensation for Brook Lopez‘s injury, Wojnarowski notes. It’s unclear precisely what the Lakers would get in return. Meanwhile, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter) hears that the talks are very preliminary.
Hill has been indentified as one of the Lakers’ prime trade candidates in the lead-up to the February 20th deadline, along with Steve Blake, Chris Kaman, and, of course, Pau Gasol. The former lottery pick obviously doesn’t offer the same kind of frontcourt boost that Gasol would, but he’ll cost a lot less in terms of both the trade and salary. Any team acquiring Hill would be on the hook for what remains on his $3.5MM salary for 2013/14. He’ll be eligible for free agency in the summer.
Unfortunately for the Nets, their tax situation means that acquiring Hill would cost them a small fortune – $17MM by the estimation of Wojnarowski (link). Even though the deadline is in a few days, the Nets have until March 10th to use their DPE.
Hill, 26, is averaging a career-highs in points (8.5 PPG) and rebounds (7.0 RPG) in 19.5 minutes per contest.
Lakers, Sixers Discussing Chris Kaman
The Lakers and Sixers are engaged in talks about Chris Kaman, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. L.A. has been seeking second-round picks for Kaman and Jordan Hill in an effort to get under the luxury tax line, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com notes (Twitter link), and Philadelphia is well-stocked with second-rounders. There’s no indication that Hill is a part of the talks, however.
The Sixers are trying to get over the league’s minimum-salary floor, Shelburne tweets. The Kaman talks are one of multiple fronts the Sixers are working on, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
Heat Trade Roger Mason Jr. To Kings
1:37pm: Miami sent the Kings enough cash to cover Mason’s salary, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
12:38pm: The Heat have officially announced the deal. Their press release doesn’t mention any cash as part of the transaction, but it notes the second-round pick coming their way is for 2015.
10:22am: The Kings will acquire Roger Mason Jr. and subsequently waive him, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel suggests the Heat will send cash to Sacramento in addition to the veteran shooting guard (on Twitter), and Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets confirmation of that detail. The Heat will drop to 14 players with the deal, allowing them to bring someone else aboard via signing or another trade. Sacramento will take Mason into its last remaining roster spot after acquiring Jason Terry and Reggie Evans for Marcus Thornton on Wednesday, then open that spot again after letting him go.
The Heat will receive a highly protected second-round pick that Sacramento is unlikely to ever have to actually convey, Stein tweets. Mason tells TNT’s David Aldridge he’s unsure where he’ll sign after Sacramento lets him go (Twitter link).
Mason is earning the minimum salary this year after making the Heat out of training camp. He’s receiving close to $1.4MM, but his cap hit is only $884,293. The latter number will remain on Sacramento’s books, since his salary is guaranteed for the season.
The 10th-year veteran is averaging just 3.0 points in 10.4 minutes per game. but he’s made a pair of starts this season in place of an injured Dwyane Wade. Mason has also been a major force within the National Basketball Players Association during his time in the league, but that hasn’t kept him from securing NBA work despite having been only a fringe rotation player for most of the past four seasons.