Southeast Notes: Augustin, Heat, Magic, Wizards
Just one team from the Southeast division was in action tonight – the Bobcats. Charlotte outscored the Raptors 38-14 in the third quarter to power their way to a 107-103 victory at home. Here's a look at the rest of the division..
- Bobcats guard D.J. Augustin told reporters that the trade deadline wasn't a distraction for him because his name has been in rumors since he was a rookie, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
- In today's mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if Derek Fisher would be a good fit for the Heat. Winderman won't rule Fisher out as a possibility for the Heat if he is bought out of his deal, though he wouldn't be a great fit due to his lackluster defense.
- The Magic will be fighting an uphill battle as they look to surround Dwight Howard with the talent he seeks, writes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. GM Otis Smith will have to be extremely creative with his roster this summer and every player outside of D12 and Ryan Anderson will surely be shopped.
- At his introductory press conference in Los Angeles, Nick Young sounded relieved to be traded from the Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Young says he was bothered not only by the losing but the ridicule he and his former team received on a national level.
- The Bobcats players and coach Paul Silas seem to trust Michael Jordan's vision for the club, writes Derek Page of HoopsWorld.com. While Gerald Henderson and D.J. Augustin are optimistic about the future in Charlotte, the club has received a great deal of criticism from the outside.
Sixers Allow Nocioni To Explore Other Options
8:31pm: Nocioni is technically still on the team's active roster but will be allowed to look at other options in the NBA and overseas, coach Doug Collins told reporters (article from Associated Press).
"His official status is that I don't know if the paperwork is done, but we've worked out a deal with him to allow him to either go on with another team maybe, or if not, I talked to him last night, go to Argentina and get ready for the Olympics," Collins said.
8:13am: The 76ers bought out the contract of Andres Nocioni last night, a source tells Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com. The forward could look to catch on with a team for the home stretch of the season or possibly return to his home country of Argentina.
Nocioni, 32, was making $6.65MM in the final year of his contract with a $7.5MM team option that clearly was not going to be exercised. Nocioni played just 56 minutes across eleven games in 2011/12 for Philadelphia.
The Sixers acquired the Argentinian in June of 2010 from Sacramento along with Spencer Hawes for Samuel Dalembert. For his career, Nocioni has averaged 10.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG in eight NBA seasons.
Blazers To Target Backcourt Help
By dealing Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby at the trade deadline, the Blazers gave themselves the flexibility to eventually acquire a star to put alongside LaMarcus Aldridge. Interim General Manager Chad Buchanan told Mike Tokito of The Oregonian that he'll be looking to land either a one- or two-guard to pair with the big man this offseason.
“I feel like that’s what we need on this team to take the next step,” Buchanan said. “We need another high-caliber, top-30 player in the league, preferably in the backcourt, with LaMarcus, who we already have in the frontcourt.”
Buchanan estimates the Blazers could be between $15MM to $20MM under the cap this summer, although that number go as low as $12MM and as high as $27MM, depending on a variety of factors. While the GM obviously cannot discuss specific players, he did say that he would prefer that a second star player be close in age to Aldridge, who turns 27 in July.
With Nets star Deron Williams set to exercise his Early Termination Option, the Blazers should at least have the chance to court the top-tier point guard. For a complete look at this summer's free agent class, check out our comprehensive list.
Rockets Sign Courtney Fortson
2:07pm: RealGM confirms that Fortson has signed. The 5'11", 185-pound former Arkansas Razorback averaged 4.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in a brief four-game stint with the Clippers earlier this year. As fate would have it, the Rockets and Clippers play this afternoon.
11:34am: The Rockets will sign free agent guard Courtney Fortson today, according to Mark Berman of MyFOXHouston.com. The former D-League standout played in four games for the Clippers this season before being waived in late January.
Signing Fortson fills one of two vacant roster spots for Houston and adds a guard to the fold in advance of their expected buyout of Derek Fisher. Fortson, 23, averaged 17 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 29 games for the Los Angeles D-Fenders this year.
Odds & Ends: Blazers, Fisher, Kaman, Rockets
If you've gotten a little too caught up in March Madness, don't worry. We'll get you caught up with a look at what's happening around the Association ..
- After dealing Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace at the deadline, Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld.com wonders what's next for the Blazers.
- The Wizards would be willing to accommodate Brian Cook if he wishes to play elsewhere, a league source told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Cook’s agent Mark Bartelstein said on Saturday the two sides will likely engage in buyout discussions this week.
- Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is sad to see longtime teammate Derek Fisher leave, writes Dave Menamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Rockets will likely buy out Fisher's contract, but the new Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits the veteran from rejoining the Lakers.
- Hornets General Manager Dell Demps now says that the club is open to offering center Chris Kaman an extension at the end of the season, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Kaman's name was involved in trade talks but ultimately wound up staying put. It's still possible that the Hornets could buy out the big man, allowing him to latch on with a contender.
- General Manager Joe Dumars said that the Pistons stood pat at the trade deadline because there were no quality offers on the table, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Plenty of deals were put in front of Dumars but none of them were enticing enough for him to pull the trigger.
- The Rockets' moves at the trade deadline were solid but the club didn't make the kind of blockbuster that some were expecting, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
- Commissioner David Stern & the NBA did a tremendous job facilitating the new lease agreement between the Hornets and the state of Louisiana, writes John DeShazier of the Times Picayune. The new deal will keep the Hornets in New Orleans through 2024.
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Raptors, McGee, Heat, Gasol
A look at some items from around the Association..
- The increased value of draft picks makes it unlikely that the Celtics will get what they're looking for in exchange for one of their Big Four, says Sean Grande of CSNNE.com. It's possible that a deal will get done before the deadline, but unlikely.
- Kevin Garnett has seen 16 trade deadlines come-and-go during his time in the league and isn't fixated on trade talks, writes CSNNE.com's Jessica Camerato.
- The Raptors aren't planning on making a major move at the deadline, writes Eric Koreen of the National Post. Earlier this week we learned that the Blazers have interest in Jose Calderon but finding the right deal for the point guard could be difficult.
- With the Wizards open to trading JaVale McGee, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat should make a move for him. Winderman doesn't think that Miami should risk tinkering with their chemistry by adding someone like McGee and is also wary of the club taking on Andray Blatche.
- Lakers big man Pau Gasol heard his name in trade rumors on Friday but did his best to tune them out, writes Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register.
- Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside looks at five standout players in the D-League who are getting less than 28 minutes of burn per game.
Kennedy On McMillan, Allen, Bogut, Jackson
Here's the latest from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld..
- Nate McMillan has lost the locker room in Portland, according to sources close to the situation. One source adds that there’s a growing number of players who would like to see McMillan ousted with assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff taking over as interim head coach. The Blazers have lost 11 of their last 16 games, including losses to the Wizards, Kings, and Warriors.
- The Celtics are seeking a young player and first-round draft pick in exchange for Ray Allen and that's an asking price that's likely too rich for the Clippers' blood. Even if Los Angeles was willing to meet the C's asking price, the bigger issue is that they don't have a first-round pick in this year's draft.
- If the Bucks decide to trade Andrew Bogut, they will package Stephen Jackson in the same trade. Jackson has butted heads with head coach Scott Skiles and yesterday one executive told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that he predicts no one will touch the veteran unless he is bought out by the Bucks.
Nets Inquired On Michael Beasley
While trading for Dwight Howard is obviously the Nets' Plan A, the club is also preparing backup options in case they cannot swing a trade for the big man. One of those options is forward Michael Beasley and Billy King & Co. have spoken with the Timberwolves about acquiring him, according to Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
Beasley, 23, could allow the Nets to be "buyers" at the deadline without compromising their cap flexibility this offseason. The Kansas State product is in the final year of his deal and earning $6.2MM. In the short term, Beasley could be played at the small forward position where the Nets are in desperate need of support.
Alternatively, the Nets could also turn into sellers at the deadline as Mehmet Okur, DeShawn Stevenson, Damion James, Sundiata Gaines, Shelden Williams, and Kris Humphries all have expiring contracts. Humphries holds a no-trade clause thanks to his impending Bird rights.
The Celtics have been linked to Beasley and the Lakers are also said to be interested in the forward.
Odds & Ends: Bulls, Nets, Kings, Hornets, Celtics
After a slow start in the early minutes, the Heat had little trouble dealing with the Nets at home. Chris Bosh was back in action tonight and put up 20 points off of 9-14 shooting en route to Miami's 108-78 blowout win. Here's a look at some items from around the Association on this Tuesday night..
- With Richard Hamilton set to return soon, Sam Smith of Bulls.com doesn't think the Bulls need to make a deal to fill the veteran's shoes.
- Nets general manager Billy King still intends to be active at the March 15 trade deadline even with center Brook Lopez sidelined for the next three weeks, writes Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. Stephenson points out that Mehmet Okur, DeShawn Stevenson, Kris Humphries, Sundiata Gaines, Shelden Williams and the injured Damion James all own expiring contracts.
- The Sacramento City Council is expected to approve a plan to give the Kings a new arena and subsequently retain the franchise, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (via Twitter). The meeting is still in progress.
- With Emeka Okafor still out indefinitely with a sore left knee, Hornets Coach Monty Williams says there is a good chance center Solomon Jones will be signed for the remainder of the season, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune. In ten games with New Orleans, Jones has averaged 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest.
- Kevin McHale was literally in the shoes of the Celtics' current Big Three near the end of his Hall of Fame career with the C's, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The Rockets coach told reporters that he believes 2012's Big Three is playing better than himself, Larry Bird, and Robert Parish towards the end of their time in Boston.
- Gerald Green is elated to receive another ten-day contract from the Nets, tweets Andy Vasquez of The Record.
Kings Arena Deal Passes City Vote
The Kings have cleared a major hurdle in their efforts to secure a new stadium in Sacramento. The city council has given the plan its stamp of approval with a final vote of 7-2, according to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter).
Sacramento owner Gavin Maloof was in attendance for the meeting along with multiple team officials and guard Isaiah Thomas, according to Ailene Voisin (Twitter links). David Aldridge of NBA.com recently wrote that the Maloofs have the support of David Stern and will receive some sort of financial help if needed to keep the team in Sacramento.
The arena is set to open in time for the 2015/16 season and the Kings have agreed to act as its anchor tenant for 30 years. Cities such as Anaheim and Seattle were expected to go after the Kings if they were to leave Sacramento.