Central Notes: Anthony, Pistons, Bulls
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau reflected on Chicago’s recruiting efforts of Carmelo Anthony this past summer, and though Anthony chose to remain in New York, Thibodeau offered nothing but praise for the Bulls’ free-agency plan, as well as Anthony, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes. “I have great respect for what he’s done. He’s a great talent. But he’s a great person, too,” Thibodeau said of ‘Melo. “I got to know him a little through USA Basketball and Coach [Jim] Boeheim. And the things Coach [Mike] Krzyzewski and Coach Boeheim said about him told me that he would be a great fit for any team. When you look at his career, it speaks for itself. The numbers are incredible. He probably doesn’t get the credit for being the passer and playmaker that he is.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Thibodeau was also asked how ‘Melo would have fit on the Bulls alongside Derrick Rose, who had been rumored to have declined to take part in recruiting Anthony, something all parties have since denied, Johnson adds. “I don’t even want to go there,” Thibodeau said. “I think he’d fit great with any team. He’s a great talent.“
- Pistons president Stan Van Gundy has previously stated that his team would be looking to add some quickness to their roster through the trade market. But the head man in Detroit also insists his team can play better even without any roster changes, Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press writes. Van Gundy wouldn’t say whom the team was shopping or what players the Pistons have their eye on. What he did say is that the team could use more quickness and length, Windsor adds.
- With the Pistons‘ winning percentage a dismal .192, Van Gundy can’t say he’s done a great job cultivating the talent he inherited, Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News writes. But he does possess the power to change the personnel and chart the course of whether moves will be made to salvage the season or to look ahead, although he would never directly admit to throwing away a season, Goodwill notes.
Mavs Front-Runners To Sign Jermaine O’Neal
DECEMBER 19TH: Dallas has an “undeniable edge” in the competition to sign O’Neal, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The Mavs’ acquisition of Rajon Rondo has intensified O’Neal’s interest in joining the team, Stein indicates, noting that the 36-year-old O’Neal lives in the Dallas area and has long hoped to play close to his home. Dallas has an open roster spot following Thursday’s trade, one that left the club thin at center.
DECEMBER 12TH: Free agent Jermaine O’Neal has been has been weighing his options on whether to return to the court this season or simply call it a career, in a situation similar to that of Ray Allen. Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports that O’Neal is likely to make his decision in January. If O’Neal does indeed decide to return to the hardwood for his 19th season in the league, he’ll have no shortage of suitors, Stein reports in a separate tweet. According to Stein, numerous contending teams would be interested in adding O’Neal to their rosters, including the Warriors, Cavs, Clippers, and Mavericks.
O’Neal had a solid season in Golden State last year, averaging 7.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in a little over 20 minutes per contest, which was good for a respectable 15.3 PER rating. His career averages are 13.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 1.8 BPG.
Golden State would seemingly have a leg up on the competition for O’Neal’s services, since the team has been in regular contact with O’Neal since the 2013/14 campaign came to a close. Although, back in September, GM Bob Myers intimated that his team would be content to stick with Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, and Ognjen Kuzmic at the pivot. But with Golden State out to a blistering 19-2 start to the season, which is tops in the NBA, returning to Oakland would seemingly be more appealing than ever for O’Neal. It would also be a wise move on the franchise’s part given Bogut’s injury history. Golden State also happens to have an available roster slot, so the team wouldn’t need to release a player to accommodate signing O’Neal.
Out of the rest of the contending teams mentioned in Stein’s tweet, Cleveland could also be an intriguing proposition for O’Neal, though the Cavs would need to release a player to be able to sign him. With the Cavs gunning for a title this season, as well as badly needing interior help, O’Neal may look at the easier path to the NBA Finals in the East as a viable alternative to returning to Golden State.
Western Notes: Craft, Gasol, Ledo
NBA executives are growing increasingly intrigued with guard Aaron Craft, who is currently playing in the D-League for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s affiliate, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports (Twitter link). Craft was in training camp with the Warriors this season, and was considering a contract offer from Partizan Belgrade of the Serbian League back in November, but he chose to remain with Santa Cruz rather than head overseas.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Spurs seem poised to chase Marc Gasol in free agency this coming summer, but there’s little call for them to go after a replacement for Tim Duncan when Duncan continues to demonstrate that he can still play at a high level, opines Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News.
- The Mavericks have assigned Ricky Ledo to the Texas Legends, their D-League affiliate, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com reports (Twitter link). This is Ledo’s fifth excursion of the season to the D-League.
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban believes the most difficult choice a team owner has to make is selecting a head coach, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. Cuban said there are different kinds of coaches for different kinds of jobs, including jobs that may inherently not be long-term fits, Sefko adds. “What do you expect [from coaches], and are they living up to it?” Cuban said. “Is it wins and losses or player development? How many coaches do you know that they knew the team was going to be down [before taking the job]? We’ve all heard about coaches who were brought in and were there to take the beating until they turn things around. You hear about that all the time. I haven’t been in that position, fortunately. And it takes one type of coach rather than another.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Mavs Acquire Rajon Rondo
The Mavericks have acquired Rajon Rondo from the Celtics, the teams announced in a pair of press releases. Also heading to Dallas in the swap is Dwight Powell. Boston receives Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, the Mavs’ 2015 first-rounder if it falls anywhere from No. 4 to No. 14, as well as a 2016 second-round pick. If Dallas doesn’t send out the first-round pick in 2015, it’ll be top-seven protected from 2016 through 2020. The Celtics create a trade exception worth $12,909,090, the equivalent of Rondo’s salary. To accommodate the transaction, which otherwise would have left the Celtics with 15 players, the Celtics waived Vitor Faverani. The unbalanced deal leaves the Mavs with an open roster spot.
“We would like to thank Rajon for everything that he has done for the Celtics organization and the success we have experienced during his tenure with us,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in the team’s statement.
This deal came together rather quickly after a report revealed last night that Ainge was willing to deal Rondo. Numerous teams, including the Lakers, Rockets, Knicks, Kings, and Pacers showed immediate interest, though Ainge was said to be looking to deal Rondo to a Western Conference team if at all possible.
With Rondo set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and 2014 first-rounder Marcus Smart showing quite a bit of promise, trading Rondo instead of running the risk of losing him for nothing became Ainge’s best option. The Celtics had been hesitant to commit to the idea of a maximum-salary deal for Rondo, something he will likely be seeking in free agency. Rondo and his representatives have reportedly told the Mavericks that the Bill Duffy client would be inclined to sign a new deal with the team this summer, something that was likely a priority for Dallas before the team agreed to the swap.
The trade marks the end of Rondo’s eight-plus seasons in Boston, and signals that the Celtics are heading into a rebuilding phase rather than trying to retool and find another star player to pair alongside the 28-year-old guard out of Kentucky. Rondo’s career averages, all with the Celtics, are 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.9 steals. His career slash line is .473/.252/.614.
In adding Wright, the Celtics address one of their biggest weaknesses, which is interior defense. The 27-year-old big man is averaging 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game this season. His career numbers are 7.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.0 blocks per contest. His career shooting numbers are .610/.000/.686. Wright, who is making $5MM this season, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Losing the 6’10” Wright leaves Dallas dangerously thin behind Tyson Chandler, which will be a concern going forward, and it could require the Mavs to make another roster move to correct the problem.
Crowder is a 24-year-old wing who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. In a little over two seasons in the league, the former Cavs second-rounder has averaged 4.6 PPG and 2.3 RPG. His slash line is .411/.331/.710. He’ll likely compete with rookie James Young for playing time. There could be more minutes available if Ainge decides to deal Jeff Green, as he is reportedly contemplating, though Ainge has issued a denial about shopping him.
The 32-year-old Nelson has been nursing a strained shoulder this season, but has still appeared in 23 contests, all as a starter. He is making $2,732,000 this season and has a player option for 2015/16 for $2,854,940. It remains to be seen if he’ll assume the starting duties in Boston or if the team will hand over the reigns to Smart, whom they drafted with the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft. Nelson’s career numbers are 12.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 5.3 APG. His career slash line is .441/.374/.817.
Receiving the 6’11” Powell isn’t likely to solidify the Mavs’ depth in the frontcourt. He is signed through next season, but his $845,059 salary for 2015/16 is non-guaranteed. In five games this season, the rookie is averaging 1.8 points in 1.8 minutes per game. Powell has spent more time in the D-League this year than with the big club in Dallas.
Faverani hadn’t appeared in a game this season, as he is still recovering from offseason surgery on his knee. The 26-year-old big man from Brazil is still at least a month away from being able to practice, and even further away from being ready for game action. In 37 career appearances, all with the Celtics, Faverani has averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest. Faverani’s $2.09MM salary for this season will stick on Boston’s books, but the Celtics avoid paying his non-guaranteed salary of $2.18MM for next year.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images. Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) first reported the deal. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports added that Powell would head to Dallas and that the Celtics would waive Faverani, as well as details about the protection on the first-rounder headed to Boston (All Twitter links). Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders noted that the Celtics would be able to create a trade exception (Twitter link).
Eastern Notes: Jackson, Pistons, Anthony, Bulls
Knicks president Phil Jackson took to Twitter today to defend his trade of Tyson Chandler to the Mavs in response to a tweet by Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops. In a series of tweets, Jackson said, “I’m okay with the Dallas deal. Tyson fits there and our 3 players, Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, and Shane Larkin are on the court. Our season got off to a rocky start thanks to injuries. Tyson could not have changed the outcome. Trades are judged in 4-5 year terms. Remember how people complained about the Pau Gasol trade? How does that trade look now? Just relax…and be patient.”
Here’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- When Pistons president Stan Van Gundy was asked if Detroit is involved in trade talks, Van Gundy replied, “We’re 5 and 21. I don’t think you need to say a whole lot else. Of course we’re talking,” Keith Langlois of NBA.com tweets.
- What Detroit is looking for in the trade market are high-energy players, David Mayo of MLive.com reports. Van Gundy hopes to remake the Pistons into a smaller, quicker team, Mayo adds. “We need high-energy guys,” Van Gundy said. “And going with that, you say energy, but part of that is quickness and stuff. Slow guys are never going to look high-energy. We definitely have had trouble keeping up. We’re a step behind defensively on some things, and the game has changed, it’s spread out. So quickness, length, people who really can cover some ground, I think, would be another thing [that the Pistons seek].”
- Bucks rookie Jabari Parker suffered only a “slight” tear of the ACL in his left knee, tweets Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. While this is good news for Parker’s long-term prospects and recovery, the news doesn’t necessarily change the prognosis that he is likely done for the season.
- Carmelo Anthony has been struggling with knee issues all season, and people close to him are now recommending that the Knicks‘ star take a few weeks off from basketball activities, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com reports. “I have multiple people say kind of just shut it down,” Anthony said. “Or just take time off. But at the end of the day, it’s hard for me to just do that right now in the midst of what’s happening with the team and this season. So just trying to be smart about that.”
- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is very comfortable with how Chicago’s free agency plan worked out this season, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes (Twitter link). Thibodeau said that the Bulls “ended up fine, just as we did in 2010. We came out great with Pau [Gasol].“
Pacific Notes: Crawford, Allen, Bogut
Doc Rivers dismissed the rumors that the Clippers are looking to trade Jamal Crawford, Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes. “I honestly don’t read anything,” Rivers said. “The fact that Jamal’s name is being mentioned, this is the first I’ve heard of it, literally right now. I don’t get into it. You guys are going to ask him about every rumor that’s out there. It’s just so much bogus chatter.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- When discussing free agent Ray Allen, Rivers reaffirmed that the Clippers would have interest in signing the veteran shooting guard if he decides to play this season, Markazi adds. “I just think he’s a good player,” Rivers said of Allen. “Why not add a good player to your team? He’s still good. We’ll see. I still have interest in him. He’s a good player. I think. I know he’s great at golf right now. He’s probably a scratch golfer by now; he’s had all this time. I’m assuming he’s still a good player.”
- Warriors center Andrew Bogut will be out indefinitely after undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy on his ailing right knee, the team announced. “We fully support Andrew in his decision to undergo the PRP treatment,” Warriors GM Bob Myers said in a statement. “Our number one concern is that Andrew is 100 percent healthy and we will continue to support him in any way we can to make that happen.”
- Bogut’s health this season will be the difference between the Warriors remaining in the championship hunt, or the franchise becoming a second or third-tier contender instead, Marcus Thompson II of The Bay Area News Group writes.
- The Lakers have re-assigned Jordan Clarkson to the Los Angeles D-Fenders, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News reports (Twitter link). This will be Clarkson’s fourth trip of the season to Los Angeles’ D-League affiliate.
Corey Brewer Back On Trade Block
6:58pm: The discussions between Houston and Minnesota include the possibility of Ronny Turiaf heading to the Rockets as well, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.com tweets.
THURSDAY, 6:20pm: The Rockets are involved in trade talks with the Wolves regarding Brewer and hope to have an agreement in place by Friday, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle reports.
WEDNESDAY, 8:25pm: The Timberwolves have placed veteran swingman Corey Brewer back on the trade block, Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein of ESPN.com report. Minnesota, which has been hit hard by injuries and is dead last in the Western Conference with a record of 5-19, are again engaging contending teams in discussions for Brewer. The Rockets, Cavaliers, and Clippers are the franchises most interested in acquiring Brewer, Windhorst and Stein note. The Heat have also been mentioned as being interested in the swingman’s services.
Minnesota had made Brewer available in trade talks back in November, but then pulled hm off of the trade market, with team president Flip Saunders saying that the 28-year-old defensive whiz was “too valuable to trade.” This was due in part to the loss of Kevin Martin to a broken wrist, and Ricky Rubio to an ankle injury, which left Minnesota rather thin in its backcourt, note the ESPN scribes. Saunders had acknowledged last week that the Wolves had switched their focus from retooling to rebuilding in light of the rash of injuries and their poor record, which explains why Brewer is suddenly being made available again.
Houston and Cleveland remain in the best position to make a deal because both teams possess an active trade exception large enough to absorb Brewer’s $4.7MM salary, note Stein and Windhorst. But their sources say that the Wolves are seeking a future first-round pick in exchange for Brewer, something that the Cavaliers are reluctant to surrender. Both the Rockets and the Cavs could certainly benefit from Brewer’s strong perimeter defense and versatility.
As for the Rockets, Houston hopes to sell Minnesota on trading Brewer for the Knicks’ 2015 second-rounder that the Rockets hold the rights to, which is a pick with the potential to be attractive come June given the Knicks’ ongoing struggles, Stein and Windhorst add.
For his part, Brewer would likely welcome a trade since he admitted last week that he wasn’t too keen on going through another rebuild with the Wolves. “It’s tough for me, I’m not going to lie,” Brewer said. “When I came back here, I wasn’t expecting this, to rebuild again. It comes with the territory. It’s business. It’s basketball. It’s what I love to do. So I wake up every day and I come to work.”
For the season, Brewer has appeared in 24 games for Minnesota, including 16 as a starter. He is averaging 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals in 28.3 minutes of action per contest.
Celtics Willing To Trade Rajon Rondo
10:19pm: The Celtics are also talking to the Knicks and the Kings, though the discussions with the Mavs are the most serious, Stein reports. The Mavs would most likely send Wright and at least one first round draft pick to Boston for Rondo, Stein adds.
9:15pm: The Mavericks are serious suitors for Rondo, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link). Brandan Wright and Monta Ellis are among the players being mentioned who could potentially head to Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com notes (Twitter links). The Rockets have also discussed a potential deal for the point guard with Boston as well, Wojnarowski adds.
4:29pm: According to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), word around the league is that the Celtics are the ones making preliminary calls to teams about Rondo. Mannix also notes that the Kings are the team to watch in regards to acquiring Rondo.
4:12pm: The Celtics are showing a renewed willingness to pursue trade packages that include point guard Rajon Rondo, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. According to Wojnarowski, Boston’s front office has left a strong impression with rival organizations around the league that it is prepared to make a deal that includes the veteran guard. Boston has been engaged in discussions described as “serious” in recent days, but no trade agreement is imminent, the Yahoo! scribe adds.
Trade discussions involving Rondo have been focused more toward Western Conference teams than with those in the East, Wojnarowski notes. The Celtics’ asking price for the 28-year-old remains “pretty high, probably higher than most want to pay,” one league official told Wojnarowski. Rondo is averaging 8.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 10.6 assists in 31.8 minutes per games this season.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge has been consistently shopping forward Jeff Green, in an attempt to secure a trade package that includes a first-round draft pick, Wojnarowski notes. With Boston now seemingly willing to trade Rondo, this would suggest that Ainge is prepared to embark on a full rebuild of the franchise, and perhaps attempt to guide the team toward a much higher spot in June’s NBA draft, Wojnarowski writes.
With Rondo set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and 2014 first-rounder Marcus Smart showing quite a bit of promise, trading Rondo instead of running the risk of losing him for nothing would seem like a wise move on the organization’s part. The Celtics have been hesitant to to commit to the idea of a maximum-salary deal for Rondo, something he will likely be seeking in free agency.
If Ainge is indeed looking at Western Conference teams, the two most likely suitors would probably be the Kings, who were previously said to be interested in acquiring Rondo, and the Lakers, another franchise also known to have significant interest in the point guard’s services. If Boston decides to try and deal with an Eastern team, the Knicks and the Pistons would immediately come to mind as potential suitors, though that is just my speculation.
Western Notes: Allen, Kuzmic, Crawford
One of the Warriors’ few weaknesses this season is the backup shooting guard spot, a void that free agent Ray Allen would fill perfectly, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group opines. Golden State has been having internal discussions about making a run at adding Allen to its roster, should he decide to play this season. With Corey Brewer once again being made available by Minnesota, he could also become a potential trade target, though that is just my speculation.
Here’s more from out west:
- The Warriors have assigned Ognjen Kuzmic to the Santa Cruz Warriors, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Kuzmic’s second trek to the D-League this season.
- Sources close to the Kings have denied reports that team owner Vivek Ranadive tried to dictate who ex-coach Mike Malone played, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). Although, one known instance of Ranadive suggesting whom to play was this past Saturday when Ranadive suggested that Ryan Hollins start after the death of his father, a move that Malone reportedly agreed with, Broussard adds.
- The Clippers‘ Jamal Crawford has parted ways with agent Andy Miller, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group reports (Twitter link).
- Crawford has said that the trade rumors regarding himself don’t bother him, and though he would prefer to stay with the Clippers, Crawford intimated that he could play “wherever,” Dan Woike of The Orange County Register tweets.
- Most league executives unsurprisingly believe Brook Lopez will pick up his $16.744MM player option for next season with the Nets, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe writes amid a broader look at the Warriors and possible trade fits for David Lee.
- Pops Mensah-Bonsu is set to be released by Hapoel Jerusalem, David Pick of Eurobasket.com reports (Twitter link). Mensah-Bonsu, who was briefly in training camp with the Nuggets this fall, was brought in by Hapoel on a month-to-month deal for the EuroCup competition, and is no longer needed since the team has been eliminated from the tournament, Pick adds.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Thornton, Hardaway Jr., Wallace
With Dwyane Wade‘s injury history and the lack of production from the bench, one possibility for the Heat to correct this deficiency is Celtics shooting guard Marcus Thornton, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. Miami wanted to sign Thornton this past offseason, but Thornton was unable to come to terms on a buyout arrangement with Boston, Jackson notes. In 20 games for the Celtics this season, Thornton has averaged 8.2 points and is nailing 42.3% of his three-pointers. The 27-year-old is currently suffering from a small tear in his left calf and is expected to miss a few weeks of action.
Here’s more from the East:
- The deal with the Nets that garnered Boston three first round draft picks, but also required the Celtics to take back Gerald Wallace‘s bloated contract is looking better for Boston every day, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes. Though Boston would jump at the chance to trade Wallace and the remaining $10.1MM that he is owed for next season, the veteran is providing value as a leader and a spot defender, notes Forsberg.
- With J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert currently out for the Knicks with injuries, Tim Hardaway Jr. has been struggling with his increased minutes, but Hardaway says the pressure to make his case for more playing time in the future isn’t a factor in his struggles, Fred Kerber of The New York Post writes. “I’m not going to hold my head. I’m not going to get frustrated,” Hardaway said. “I’ve just got to go in the gym and work on it. I’ve got to see the ball going in the basket. That’s what I’m going to do.”
- The play of Sixers‘ 2014 first-rounder Dario Saric overseas has Philadelphia’s coaches and front office excited for the future, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Saric is currently the only player in the Turkish Basketball League who is averaging at least 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists, notes Pompey. “I pay attention to him [in] all the games he plays,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said. “I’ll go and either watch a portion or all of it or highlights. We play text tag all the time. [GM] Sam [Hinkie] was just over there last week. The exciting thing is he’s ours. He will be a Philadelphia 76er and we all have to be excited about that.“