Amico On Gay, Kings, Millsap, West, Oden
The latest piece from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio is brimming with juicy material, so let's dive right in.
- Even though the Grizzlies are reportedly in a "holding pattern" regarding trades, Memphis is still talking to other teams about moving Rudy Gay. The clubs engaged most heavily in those discussions are the Bobcats, Timberwolves, Suns and, more recently, Hawks. Nonetheless, a source tells Amico not to expect a Gay trade until after the All-Star break.
- Speaking of holding patterns, that appears to be the current state of any potential Kings sale, Amico writes. Whatever happens, it's "pretty clear" this is the final season for Geoff Petrie as GM. He's in the final year of his deal, and the 64-year-old reportedly wants to retire.
- We heard Friday about the Nets' possible interest in Paul Millsap, and Amico confirms Brooklyn, along with the Bucks and Nuggets, are among teams that could make a push for Millsap at the deadline. Most of the teams in that mix would want to offer Millsap an extension immediately upon acquiring him, since he's in the final year of his contract.
- Like Millsap, David West is another power forward set to hit the unrestricted free agent market, but the Pacers are confident they can re-sign him, Amico reports. That's why the team is largely ignoring trade offers for him.
- Greg Oden hopes to sign with a team around the All-Star break or right after the trade deadline. Interested clubs include the Celtics, Heat, Mavericks and Cavaliers.
Lawrence On Suns, Babby, Blanks, Heat, Europe
- Suns president Lon Babby is in the final year of his contract, and is "probably done" in Phoenix, where owner Robert Sarver, not known for his patience, appears anxious to make changes, Lawrence hears, adding that GM Lance Blanks could also be on his way out.
- In addition to a big man, the Heat are also looking for an upgrade at point guard. Lawrence suggests the Heat, who aren't re-signing Josh Harrellson to another 10-day contract, are still mulling whether to sign Chris Andersen, who worked out for the team earlier this month.
- Lawrence doesn't think London, which played host on Thursday to the Knicks–Pistons game, is anywhere near ready for an NBA franchise, and believes the league might be better off expanding into Barcelona or Rome, where there's greater interest in the game. Commissioner David Stern foresees multiple NBA teams based in Europe within 20 years.
Lou Williams Out For The Season
Lou Williams is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee, reports Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The Hawks guard suffered the injury last night against the Nets, and an MRI today revealed the tear, which the team specifies is to his ACL. Williams is in the first season of a three-year, $15.675MM deal.
The timing of the news is especially rough for Atlanta, since the NBA's deadline to apply for a disabled player exception just passed this week. Williams had fit in well as a sixth man with the Hawks, averaging 14.1 points per game with a shooting line of .422/.367/.868. His numbers were similar to the ones he put up last year with the Sixers, when he averaged a career-high 14.1 PPG. Williams had avoided major injury to this point in his career, having played in at least 61 games in each of the last six seasons.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry issued his reaction to the news, saying, "We’ll examine every and all option that can be considered and make decisions from there," as Vivlamore tweets. Atlanta has lost seven of its last nine games and sits at 22-17, in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks are over the cap, but can use a pro-rated portion of their $1.957MM bi-annual exception if they wish to sign someone for more than the minimum.
Rockets Notes: White, Scola, Cook
The Rockets have lost six straight, and could drop to .500 if they lose tonight against the banged-up Wolves. They've already fallen out of the top eight teams in the Western Conference, as they sit percentage points behind the Blazers for the last playoff spot. Already this afternoon we heard about their interest in Josh Smith, and there's more noise coming out of Houston, as we round up here.
- Royce White wants the Rockets to hire a doctor who would have the authority to determine whether his psychological ailments will allow him to play before each game, he told HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" in an interview that will air Tuesday. David Barron of the Houston Chronicle has the details, noting that the White's demands for such medical protocols to be part of a written agreement between the player and the team would violate the CBA.
- Luis Scola didn't expect the Rockets to amnesty him this summer, but he wasn't completely caught off guard when the team sent him away, as he tells Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld. "I was ready for some closure, and when I knew that they were going to amnesty me I thought it was a good thing because I could finally focus on playing and get some closure and know for sure where I was going to play next season and just move on," the power forward said. "I wish I could have stayed in Houston because it was a good place, but now I am happy in Phoenix. It’s a nice city, great organization, great fans."
- Brigham also checked in with Daequan Cook, whom the Bulls picked up right after the Rockets waived him earlier this month. With the new address came a change in the locker room atmosphere around him. "Nothing against Houston, but there are just mature guys in here, some veterans guys and guys who played in the league for so long where you can just tell the difference,” Cook said.
Heat Won’t Bring Back Josh Harrellson
Josh Harrellson's 10-day contract expires at midnight tonight, and it will signal the end of his tenure with the team, according to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald, who tweets that the team will not give the second-year big man another 10-day deal. The same appears to be the case for Jarvis Varnado, who became a free agent today after the Heat failed to re-sign him to another deal when his 10-day contract ended last night.
Harrellson will explore other options that will net him more playing time, Goodman notes. He made the Heat out of training camp on a non-guaranteed deal before he was waived January 7th, and he returned January 10th on his 10-day pact. Still, the 6'10" University of Kentucky product appeared in just six games for a total of 31 minutes after averaging 14.6 minutes across 37 contests for the Knicks last year. New York let him go over the summer in the sign-and-trade deal that brought Marcus Camby to the Knicks, and the Rockets waived Harrellson shortly thereafter.
The Heat are set to have 13 players on their roster once Harrellson's deal is finished tonight, giving them plenty of flexibility to shore up their rebounding woes. The Heat recently auditioned Chris Andersen, and Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined the Birdman and other options who could help the team improve its work on the boards. Miami is 30th in the league in total rebounds this season.
Hawks Remain Committed To Josh Smith
For most of the season, it seemed like the Hawks and Josh Smith were satisfied with their partnership, with the team not looking to trade the eighth-year veteran and Smith strongly considering re-signing next summer with the only NBA club he's ever played for. When the Hawks issued their athletic forward a one-game suspension this week for "conduct detrimental to the team," it seemed to signal a change, as Smith's agent expressed his client's frustrations in Atlanta and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported the team had engaged in trade talks about Smith. Now, Steve Kyler hears that the Hawks are turning away those calls, and are instead looking to build around Smith (Twitter links).
Kyler also tweets that they've held that stance "this week," which could indicate their rumored participation in trade talks was limited to fielding offers and issuing rejections. Kyler notes that the Hawks may decide to entertain a trade for Smith closer to the deadline, but appear more focused on bringing in someone to help distinguish themselves in the tightly bunched upper half of the Eastern Conference (Twitter link). The HoopsWorld scribe isn't sure that the Hawks can accomplish that, and I think it might come down to whether GM Danny Ferry is willing to bite into the ample cap room the team is set to have in the summer. With only about $18.5MM in guaranteed salary on the books for next year, Atlanta could probably take on another moderately-priced multi-year contract without significantly compromising their flexibility.
The Rockets would have interest in Smith if he's available, Kyler tweets, and Berger identified them as one of the teams that would appeal to the 6'9" soon-to-be free agent. It might be difficult for them to get a deal done with Atlanta, though, since they don't have many of the expiring contracts the Hawks would probably want. The Rockets already owe a protected first-round pick to the Hawks that Atlanta acquired via the Nets in the Joe Johnson trade.
Odds & Ends: Union, Gay, Magic, West, Adelman
It's been quite an evening in the NBA, as a third of the nine games on the docket went to overtime. It was also a rare night when both the Wizards and Bobcats recorded wins. As we wait to find out more about trade candidates and the Suns coaching situation tomorrow, here's the rest of the news from around the Association.
- A day after the release of a report detailing abuses of power by players union executive director Billy Hunter, Nets star Deron Williams called for changes from "top to bottom" in the organization, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler says the Magic aren't interested in Rudy Gay, but wouldn't be surprised to see the team get involved in a trade that sends Gay elsewhere. Orlando's $17.8MM trade exception allows Orlando to get involved as a middleman, as Kyler points out (All Twitter links).
- In a piece that looks back on the Magic's in-season trades from years past, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel argues that Nikola Vucevic has become the team's No. 1 trade chip and urges the front office to hold on to him.
- David West won't let his impending free agency distract him from his work with the Pacers, as HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy documents via Sulia.
- Wolves coach Rick Adelman won't be returning to the team anytime soon as he continues to tend to his ailing wife, GM David Kahn told reporters, including Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Assistant coach Terry Porter will continue to lead the team in Adelman's stead.
Nets Interested In Paul Millsap?
Though he'll be a unrestriced free agent this summer and has been the subject of frequent trade rumors this season, Paul Millsap isn't eager to leave the Jazz. The team has reportedly been in no rush to trade him or Al Jefferson, but when the deadline comes around, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets that the power forward could wind up in Brooklyn. Amico hears the Nets may make a play for the seventh-year veteran, though he cautioned that such a move shouldn't be deemed "likely" at this point.
Brooklyn's incumbent power forward, Kris Humphries, has disappointed after re-signing for two years and $24MM this past offseason, and has fallen out of the starting lineup. Earlier this season, the team was reportedly pursuing Ersan Ilyasova, who was the Nets' first choice over the summer before they re-signed Humphries. When Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined Humphries' trade candidacy, he noted reports that suggested the Nets were never all that high on him, so it's reasonable to expect they'd go after another power forward.
If the Nets want an upgrade, they'll probably have to do it via trade, since they're set to have no cap room in the summer. Acquiring Millsap at the deadline could be risky, as he could leave as a free agent, but trading for him would give the Nets his Bird rights, which would allow them to re-sign him despite their lack of space under the cap.
There have been conflicting reports on whether the Jazz are more likely to deal Millsap or Jefferson, both of whom are in the final year of their deals. A month ago, Hoops Rumors readers seemed split on which the Jazz would be better off trading, and a roughly equivalent number said the Jazz should trade them both.
Suns Rumors: Malone, Nash, Gentry, Van Gundy
The news today that the Suns and coach Alvin Gentry decided to part ways didn't register nearly the reaction that coaching changes by the Lakers and Nets did earlier this season. That stands to reason, given that L.A. and Brooklyn are media hubs, but even the end of Scott Skiles' tenure in Milwaukee seemed to have more gravitas than what went down in Phoenix. Last-place teams typically don't generate much press, though, particularly when they're devoid of any notable star. Phoenix has had plenty of stars in the past, though, and one of them weighed in on today's move, as we pass along below with other notes from the Valley of the Sun.
- Rival executives are bringing up Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone's name in connection with the Suns job, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who identifies him as a strong candidate for the job this summer (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Steve Nash thinks Gentry's departure from Phoenix could be a positive for his former coach, and Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com believes that speaks volumes about the state of the Suns (Sulia link). The move didn't catch Nash off-guard. "I think the writing's been on the wall," Nash said. "It looks like it to me … They wouldn't extend his contract. They just gave him the year to kind of play it out. It looked like they wanted to get their own guy in there."
- Gentry isn't discouraged by today's events, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "I still think I'm a good coach," Gentry said. "I'm at fault, not totally. There were other factors but I'm ultimately responsible as the coach."
- Marcin Gortat seems to be lobbying via Twitter for Stan Van Gundy, who coached the Polish center with the Magic, to take the job in Phoenix, writing "SVG is out there….." shortly after the news broke about Gentry this afternoon (hat tip to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). Van Gundy said over the summer he still has the itch to coach, but has maintained that he has no interest in the Nets opening.
- The Suns front office expected that the team would compete for a playoff spot this year, but that was a drastic miscalculation from the start, contends Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link).
Bobcats ‘Aggressively’ Pursuing Rudy Gay
The Bobcats have shown committment to a slow rebuild after bottoming out with last year's 7-59 debacle, but according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, they're willing to depart from that strategy for the right player. Apparently, basketball president Rod Higgins and GM Rich Cho are convinced Rudy Gay is the sort of guy for whom they'd be willing to change course, as Kyler reports the Bobcats are one of multiple teams "aggressively" pursuing the Grizzlies small forward (Twitter links).
Kyler notes the 'Cats may not have enough to offer Memphis, which makes sense, since Charlotte has only won two games since November. Still, the Grizzlies would primarily be seeking salary cap relief in any deal involving Gay, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined earlier this week. The Bobcats would probably have to come up with some combination of draft picks and young players, and with their own likely lottery selection as well as protected first-rounders from the Pistons and Blazers, Charlotte could offer Memphis plenty of draft help. If they're willing to part with either Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, along with perhaps Ramon Sessions or Byron Mullens and a few throw-ins to make the salaries match, that might be enough for a reasonable proposal. Gay has $53.67MM remaining on his deal, including this season, so the Bobcats and just about anyone else would have to give up at least a few key components to bring him on board, as Kyler suggests via Twitter.
Of course, the Grizzlies have no shortage of suitors for Gay. Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, today mentioned the Wizards, Clippers, Magic and Mavs as teams with interest, and other teams have been linked to him as well over the past few weeks. Ford surmises that offers for Gay will be better as the deadline approaches, but ultimately the Grizzlies are in control. It's up to CEO Jason Levien, GM Chris Wallace and the rest of the Grizzlies retooled front office to decide whether it wants to deal with Gay's luxury tax implications now or after the season, and Gay's teammates would prefer that he stays put. The Grizzlies aren't active in talks at the moment, and unless the Bobcats or another team comes up with a truly enticing offer, the Grizzlies players may get their wish of having one more shot at the title together.