Nets GM Billy King On Trade Talks
The trade deadline is weeks away and the Nets have been featured prominently on the pages of Hoops Rumors. Nets GM Billy King admits that the phone is ringing in Brooklyn, but he insists that he’s not the one doing the dialing.
“Are we aggressively shopping our guys? No. Have we had a lot of conversations with people? Yes,” said King in an interview with Sarah Kustok and Lenn Robbins of BrooklynNets.com earlier tonight (via Roderick Boone of Newsday on Twitter).
King went on to explain (link) that he wants to “see this group play” before making any deals. In fact, King said that he wants to sit back and evaluate things between now and the All-Star break before doing anything at all, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). “Then, if a deal makes sense, we’ll do it,” the GM said. The Nets will play their last game before the break on February 10th and won’t resume action until February 20th.
Despite the Nets’ struggles so far this season (they’re 18-28 heading into tonight’s tilt against the Clippers), King says that he still believes that the Nets have enough talent to make it to the playoffs. With that in mind, King says that he will not make a deal just for the heck of it (via Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record on Twitter). Still, he has spoken to Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez, and Deron Williams about the possibility being traded (via Boone on Twitter).
Recently, the Nets have been discussing Lopez with the Nuggets, though it appears that things have been dormant for the last week. The Nets could also upgrade their roster in the coming weeks without making a trade as they are looking into old friend Andray Blatche.
Celtics Sign Andre Dawkins To Second 10-Day
MONDAY, 3:35pm: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.
SUNDAY, 3:15pm: Andre Dawkins told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (on Twitter) that he will be signing another 10-day deal with the Celtics. Dawkins’ first 10-day deal expires today.
Dawkins spent the bulk of this 10-day stint in the D-League, though he was recalled briefly to join Boston for a practice a few days ago and he was also brought back to the team earlier today. The 23-year-old was waived by the Heat in January as they opted not to guarantee his rookie minimum salary for the season.
Miami was reportedly interested in bringing back the John Spencer client on a 10-day contract at some point this season, but the Celtics ostensibly beat them to the punch. The former Duke Blue Devil went undrafted this summer, but he joined the Rockets and Heat for summer league and made Miami’s opening-night roster out of training camp. In four games with Miami, Dawkins played a grand total of 22 minutes.
Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) first reported that a second 10-day deal for Dawkins was expected.
Grizzlies Sign JaMychal Green To 10-Day Pact
MONDAY, 3:31pm: The signing of Green is official, Memphis announced via press release.
SUNDAY, 2:03pm: Thomas won’t be offered another 10-day deal, according to Wojnarowski.
1:35pm: The Grizzlies will sign forward JaMychal Green to a 10-day contract, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Green, 24, recently completed a 10-day contract with the Spurs.
Green averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in five appearances with the Spurs. While he didn’t get tons of playing time to show what he could do, he garnered interest as a possible 10-day signee from multiple teams, including the Grizzlies.
The power forward spent the preseason with the Spurs and was with San Antonio’s D-League affiliate in between stints with the big club. The Knicks, Bulls, Bucks, and Blazers also reportedly had him on their radar for a 10-day deal.
As our roster counts show, Memphis has a spot open on its 15-man roster thanks to the expiration of Tyrus Thomas‘ 10-day deal.
Pistons Sign John Lucas III To 10-Day Contract
MONDAY, 9:43am: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.
SUNDAY, 2:12pm: The Pistons plan to sign John Lucas III to a 10-day deal, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Lucas is being brought aboard to help fill the void created by the loss of star guard Brandon Jennings.
Lucas, a seven-year NBA vet, called off a scheduled workout with the Lakers back in November to sign with a Chinese team, the Fujian Sturgeons. That somewhat surprising decision capped what proved to be a very weird offseason for the 32-year-old guard. The Jazz had him under contract for a non-guaranteed $1.6MM at the beginning of the offseason, but they traded him to the Cavs in July. Cleveland flipped him two months later to the Celtics, who promptly waived him. The Wizards picked him up in late October, presumably with an eye on keeping him for the start of the regular season, but Washington put him back on waivers before opening night.
Now, Lucas is on his way back to the Association, this time to help give Detroit backcourt depth in the wake of Jennings’ torn Achilles. Jennings was averaging 19.8 points and 7.0 assists since the departure of Josh Smith and helped lead the club to a 12-4 record in that time period.
The Pistons had their eye on Heat guard Norris Cole as a possible backcourt addition, but it’s not clear if they’ll continue to pursue him via trade.
Hoops Links: Lillard, Raptors, Thunder
On this date in 1967, the legendary American Basketball Association was born. The league, which fielded 11 teams in its first season, lasted until the 1975/76 season, when it was forced to disband after facing financial difficulties. Of course, four former ABA clubs joined the NBA in the summer of 1976: the Nuggets, Pacers, Nets, and Spurs. The ABA’s existence was brief, but it forever altered the game of basketball and the NBA as we know it.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere…
- Slam Dunk Zone comes to the defense of Damian Lillard.
- Posterized Basketball broke down the Raptors.
- Hoops In the Holland House wants to see change in OKC.
- Bullets Forever says the Wizards are doing great on D despite losing Trevor Ariza.
- The Dream Shake penned an open letter to Steve Kerr.
- Denver Stiffs is buckled in for a bumpy ride.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s a look at the original analysis written by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- In a special feature for Hoops Rumors, Marc Porcaro gave us a complete list of the players around the globe who still have their draft rights held by an NBA team.
- Chris Crouse looked at Michael Carter-Williams as a trade candidate.
- If the Nuggets can move Arron Afflalo for someone younger who could someday approach Evan Fournier‘s level, they would be wise to bite, Chuck Myron writes.
- Eddie Scarito answered your questions in this week’s mailbag.
- Here’s a look at foreign-born NBA player salaries by country, courtesy of Eddie.
- Chuck looked at midseason D-league assignment trends.
- There’s a market for Norris Cole, even as his shot has deserted him, Chuck writes.
- if you missed this week’s chat, you can check out the transcript.
- Follow Hoops Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, and RSS.
- Want to follow specific players on Hoops Rumors? Then what are you waiting for?
- Download the Trade Rumors app for iOS and Android!
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Garnett, Carmelo
The struggling Nets could use a return by Deron Williams, contends Reid Wallach of NetsDaily.com. Only the Knicks had a worse January offensively than Brooklyn, and Wallach argues that the point guard play of Jarrett Jack and Darius Morris is a big reason why. Williams, whose maximum contract runs through 2016/17, may not be the player he once was, but he could lead another late-season Nets run to the playoffs. Williams went through a full practice Sunday, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. (Twitter link). More from the Atlantic Division..
- Amid speculation that the Nets could buy him out, Kevin Garnett says that he’s not thinking much about that possibility. “When that road comes, I’ll cross it and I’ll deal with it,“Garnett said, according to Stefan Bondy of the Daily News. “A lot of things with family, situation and things, it’s not just convenient to get up and move, to change things. It’s not as convenient as it once was when I was younger. I have a lot more responsibilities and things to take into account.” In December it was reported that Garnett has been telling people that this will be his last season in the NBA. Meanwhile, one has to imagine that KG could get a call from Doc Rivers and the Clippers if he’s freed from his current deal.
- Knicks star Carmelo Anthony can only be so patient with the team’s rebuilding process. “The time is now ….I don’t think we can wait. Not just for my sake, just in general,” Anthony said, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
- On Saturday, Jared Sullinger said that Celtics coach Brad Stevens has asked him to take more shots and to take shots off of different actions since Boston’s stretch of trades, according to the team’s official Twitter.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Week In Review: 1/26/15 – 2/1/15
A look back at the week that was..
- The Magic are on the verge of firing coach Jacque Vaughn. Mark Jackson is said to be among the “names to watch” if Vaughn is ousted.
- It appears that the tension is continuing to build between Bulls management and coach Tom Thibodeau.
- Kevin Durant can see himself in a Knicks jersey. However, one NBA GM cautioned to Adam Zagoria of SNY that other contenders around the league have the same chance as New York at this stage.
- Dwight Howard is expected to miss at least a month due to ongoing trouble with his right knee.
- The Nets are reportedly taking a close look at the performance of coach Lionel Hollins, but a conflicting report indicated that the Nets aren’t looking to fire him.
- The Nuggets have been offering the Nets a package of JaVale McGee and J.J. Hickson for Brook Lopez. The Thunder are willing to go deep into the luxury tax this season to acquire Lopez.
- The Wolves are open to moving Mo Williams.
- There’s a perception around the NBA that GM Dell Demps and coach Monty Williams are on “thin ice” in New Orleans.
- The Nets and Hornets discussed Joe Johnson but it sounds like things have cooled off.
- The Thunder nearly dealt Reggie Jackson to the Nuggets, according to one report, but there’s also word that OKC is on the fence about moving him.
- Pau Gasol hinted that the Lakers won’t be among Marc Gasol‘s preferred destinations in free agency this summer.
- The Lakers announced that Kobe Bryant underwent successful surgery to repair the damage to his rotator cuff. He’s expected to be out nine months, which is a longer recovery time than was initially expected.
- People around the league increasingly believe that Ray Allen already knows the team he would like to play for this season and that he’s simply deciding whether he wants to play at all.
- The idea of waiving Andrea Bargnani looks like it’s off the table for the Knicks until the trade deadline.
- The Knicks will keep Lance Thomas for the rest of the season.
- Chase Budinger‘s representatives have let the Timberwolves know that he’d like to play elsewhere and the team is trying to accommodate him.
- The Hornets have Ramon Sessions and Norris Cole on their radar as they pursue trade possibilities to replace injured point guard Kemba Walker. Hornets coach Steve Clifford acknowledged the possibility that the team would sign a player to help offset the loss of Walker, who will be out for a minimum of six weeks.
- The Wizards have joined the Cavs among the teams interested in point guard Will Bynum.
- James McAdoo, whose 10-day contract with the Warriors expired Wednesday night, is headed back to Golden State’s D-League affiliate.
- Thabo Sefolosha is expected to miss six to eight weeks due to a calf strain.
- Teams are calling the Magic to inquire about the availability of Maurice Harkless.
- The Clippers maintain their interest in Nate Robinson, but they’re looking into other deals first.
- The Kings are shopping former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams.
- The Mavericks feel that they’re closing in on Jermaine O’Neal.
- The Pistons are eyeing Norris Cole.
- The Rockets are dangling Jason Terry.
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr seemed to indicate that the Warriors will match offers for soon-to-be restricted free agent Draymond Green.
- A number of teams are looking at JaMychal Green.
- Tayshaun Prince hinted that he wants out of Boston.
- The Bucks, Hornets, and Sixers are exploring the idea of signing D-League point guard Gary Talton.
- Tony Wroten will have surgery on his torn ACL.
- Lorenzo Brown drew interest from the Pistons and Wolves.
- The Wolves cut Miroslav Raduljica to make room for Lorenzo Brown.
- The Knicks agreed to re-sign Lou Amundson to a deal that covers the rest of the season.
- The Heat signed Tyler Johnson to a second 10-day contract.
- The Knicks re-signed Langston Galloway.
- The Spurs signed Reggie Williams to a 10-day deal.
- The Bucks signed Jorge Gutierrez to a 10-day deal.
- Andre Dawkins agreed to another 10-day deal with the Celtics.
- The Pistons plan to sign John Lucas III to a 10-day deal.
- The Grizzlies will sign forward JaMychal Green to a 10-day contract.
- The Jazz signed Chris Johnson to a 10-day pact.
- The Sixers signed Larry Drew II to his second 10-day contract with the team.
- Former Sixers power forward Ronald Roberts is signing with the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippines.
D-League Notes: Young, Dawkins, Goodwin
The latest D-League moves..
- The Celtics recalled James Young and Andre Dawkins from their D-League affiliate in Maine on Sunday, the team announced in a press release. Young has played nine games for the Red Claws with a slash line of 23.6/5.3/2.2. Dawkins, who averaged 20 points per game in four contests with Maine, agreed to another 10-day deal with the Celtics today.
- The Suns have recalled Archie Goodwin and Reggie Bullock from the Bakersfield Jam, their D-League affiliate, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The trip concludes Goodwin’s third D-League trip of the season and the first of Bullock’s career. Bullock averaged 25.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG in the D-League while Goodwin put up 26.0 and 11.0 RPG in his two games.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Kings Sign Quincy Miller To Second 10-Day Deal
10:32am: The Kings have followed up with a formal public announcement of the deal.
JANUARY 30TH, 9:53am: The team announced that the deal is official, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). However, the Kings have yet to make any public announcement, as teams almost always do with 10-day contracts.
JANUARY 25TH: The Kings will sign forward Quincy Miller to a second 10-day contract, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Miller has appeared in two games since signing with the Kings earlier this month.
Prior to joining the Kings on January 17th, the 22-year-old was with Reno Bighorns, Sacramento’s D-League affiliate. The 6’10”, 220-pound big man had proven himself as one of the best scorers in the D-League with 26.3 PPG to go with 7.6 RPG and 1.8 APG. He was shooting 52.2% from the field, and a solid 35.6% from three-point range.
Miller has appeared in two games with the Kings and he made his presence felt in his last appearance, scoring 13 points against the Warriors on Friday night. For his career, Miller has averaged 4.6 PPG and 2.6 RPG across parts of three seasons.