Knicks Rumors: Shumpert, World Peace, Udrih
Iman Shumpert has been all over Hoops Rumors for months now, so why is he still in New York? Chris Broussard of ESPN.com heard from a league source that the Thunder were willing to part with a 2014 first-rounder even after Shumpert suffered a strained left MCL. However, the Knicks refused to do the deal because they weren’t getting a current player in return who could help them make a push for this season’s playoffs. At the end of the day, they deemed Shumpert more valuable than the super low pick OKC is bound to get, according to sources. The latest out of New York after the Knicks made their buyout agreements with Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih official..
- After officially hammering out a buyout with the Knicks, World Peace is hoping to land with the Thunder, Spurs, or Heat, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. MWP has averaged just 4.8 PPG in limited minutes this season.
- Coach Mike Woodson says the Knicks may look at perimeter defenders and front court players to fill the roster spots vacated by World Peace and Udrih, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Ike Diogu isn’t the right fit for the Knicks, opines Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal. Diogu offers a lot of low-post strength at the forward position but what the Knicks really need is a point guard, preferably a young one.
Southeast Notes: Muscala, Thomas, Chalmers
The Hawks put in a call last week to Obradoiro of Spain about Mike Muscala, whose NBA rights belong to Atlanta, reports Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. Still, the Hawks made no offer for the 44th overall pick from the 2013 draft, Sierra notes, adding that Obradoiro has rejected entreaties from other European clubs for the center from Bucknell (Twitter links). More out of the Southeast..
- Tyrus Thomas is not an option for the Wizards due to a back injury, a person close to the situation tells J. Michael of CSNWashington.com (on Twitter). Besides, it looks like Washington has their eye on another 2013 amnesty victim in Drew Gooden.
- Mario Chalmers, a free agent this summer, says that he’s more comfortable than ever with the Heat, writes Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel.
- A fun fact courtesy of Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (on Twitter): the Magic haven’t signed anyone to a 10-day contract since the team signed Seton Hall product Andre Barrett on March 31, 2005.
Odds & Ends: Onuaku, Collins, Johnson, Faried
Danny Granger was the biggest name involved in a deadline deal and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee explains why that might have been the case. “We’ve seen a trend toward teams being much more cautious and careful about how aggressive they are about trading for longer-term contracts, and that’s because of the luxury tax,” Tom Penn, an ESPN analyst and former Blazers vice president of basketball operations told Jones. “The other major change in the new deal is draft picks have become more coveted, and that’s because teams can no longer throw cash into trades as aggressively.” The old CBA allowed clubs to include as much as $3MM in a trade. The current CBA says that teams can only trade up to $3.2MM on the year. More from around the league..
- The Cavs announced that they have recalled Arinze Onuaku from the Canton Charge of the D-League. Onuaku has appeared in 27 games for the Charge this season with averages of 14.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 24.2 MPG.
- Even with the Nets‘ signing of Jason Collins and the Clippers’ agreement with Glen Davis, those teams are still possible destinations for Ivan Johnson, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
- Charania spoke with Kenneth Faried about all the trade talk surrounding him leading up to the trade deadline on Thursday. “I’m not surprised at all that my name was in trade situations, because I am a good player and people do want me,” the Nuggets forward said. “It just makes me that much more aware of how many other teams want me and like me.”
- Sometimes, the best moves are the ones that you don’t make. Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders argues that the Rockets didn’t need a blockbuster deal at the deadline.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal wonders if the Knicks would have signed Collins.
Knicks Considering Ike Diogu
The Knicks are mulling whether to use one of two soon-to-be-open roster spots on power forward Ike Diogu, an NBA source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. The former lottery pick impressed the team during training camp, but was ultimately released.
The Knicks will have two open spots when Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih’s buyouts become official tomorrow. The undersized forward, who is in the D-League with the Bakersfield Jam and averaging 16.2 points and 8.2 rebounds, could be an option for the club. It should come as no surprise that the Knicks would have interest in Danny Granger if he is bought out by the Sixers but they’ve also got interest in Earl Clark, Ben Gordon (if his buyout is completed), and Antawn Jamison.
Because the club is well into luxury tax territory and owner James Dolan is already paying 17 players this season, the Knicks may only sign one player. With solid rebounding ability and a decent mid-range game, New York may make Diogu their pick.
Heat Rumors: Liggins, Turner, Oden
The Heat reportedly would have liked to convince Glen Davis to stay in the Sunshine State, but they ultimately watched Big Baby hook on with the Clippers instead. Where do they go from here? The latest out of South Beach..
- The Heat are strongly considering signing DeAndre Liggins, who has been playing for the D-League’s Sioux Falls SkyForce, sources tell Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (on Twitter). Liggins would fill the spot vacated by Roger Mason Jr. but other moves are still possible (link). Liggins was waived by the Thunder in September after an alleged domestic incident.
- No deadline deal affected the Heat more than the Pacers’ deal for Evan Turner, Winderman writes. Turner definitely makes the Pacers a better team, but whether the Heat can get past the Pacers in an anticipated Eastern Conference finals matchup comes down to whether Dwyane Wade can win his matchup against Lance Stephenson.
- Offseason pickup Greg Oden made his first-ever start for the Heat today in the absence of LeBron James and the Associated Press recapped his performance against Chicago.
Gerald Wallace Not Seeking Buyout
The Celtics’ blockbuster deal with the Nets over the summer allowed them to press the reset button on their aging roster but it came with a difficult contract in Gerald Wallace. The veteran’s deal calls for him to earn $20.2MM total in 2014/15 and 2015/16, so a buyout wouldn’t be easy, but Wallace says he wouldn’t want one even if it were presented to him.
“My mom said never complain about the situation you’re in,” Crash told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “You can’t control it. It’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to take it in stride and move forward. My focus is on helping these guys become better players, help them build, help them understand what it takes to have a successful career in the NBA.”
Wallace, who has been known throughout his career for his aggressiveness and hustle, is still giving 100% on the floor for the C’s, despite back spasms that have slowed him down considerably. Glen Davis was able to reach a buyout agreement with the Magic and Ben Gordon is close to breaking free with the Bobcats, but Wallace has every intention of sticking it out in Boston.
“That ain’t my thing,” Wallace said when asked about buyouts. “My thing is wherever I’m at, I’m gonna play and make the best of the situation and hopefully something changes or something. If not, I’m satisfied with the situation that I’m in.“
Hoops Links: Cavs, Bulls, Draft
On this date in 1986, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Lakers replaced Elvin Hayes as the NBA’s all-time leader in games played when he appeared in his 1,304th game, a 117-111 overtime win at Philadelphia. Abdul-Jabbar went on to play in 1,560 games, which is second all-time to Robert Parish, who played in 1,611 games.
Do you have a great basketball blog post that you want (whether it’s your own or someone else’s) to see featured on Hoops Links? Send me a link and a brief description via email to HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s trip around the blogosphere..
- Keep It Cavalier recaps the trade deadline for Cleveland.
- Atlas Bowled talks strategic win curve.
- Legion Report looks at the future of the Bulls.
- iSports Web turns in their 2014 mock draft.
- The BBall Drop looked at the NBA at the All-Star Break.
If you have a great basketball blog post that you want featured on Hoops Links, send a link to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s this week’s look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff..
- Want to know how all the deadline deals worked financially? Chuck Myron broke it all down.
- Eddie Scarito asked readers to choose the deadline deal that will have the biggest impact on the playoffs, outside of the Evan Turner/Danny Granger swap. No surprise – readers picked the Warriors’ acquisition of Steve Blake.
- Did you miss out on this week’s chat? You can get caught up with the transcript here. Be sure to join Chuck every Monday at 4pm CT.
Reactions To Jason Collins Signing With Nets
Earlier today, the Nets and Jason Collins made history together when the center inked a 10-day deal to become the first openly gay athlete in one of America’s four major leagues. Collins, 35, has been out of the NBA since completing the 2012/13 season with the Wizards but he should bring hard-nosed defense and veteran leadership to the 25-28 Nets. Here’s a look at some of the latest reaction and fallout..
- Clippers coach Doc Rivers admitted to reporters, including Jeff Caplan of NBA.com (via Twitter), that he’s been in contact with the big man about playing with Los Angeles. Rivers, who is expected to officially add Glen Davis to his roster later today, says he’s happy for Collins and glad to see him join Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in Brooklyn.
- Newly-minted commish Adam Silver issued a statement on the signing this afternoon. “Jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an NBA team,” Silver said. “Today, I want to commend him on achieving his goal. I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment.”
- Collins’ deal may be making history, but Nets GM Billy King is insistent that it wasn’t about breaking barriers. “The decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision,” King said in the press release. “We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract.”
- Mark Madsen, Collins’ former teammate at Stanford, had dinner with the newest Net a few months ago and was struck by how good of shape he was in, tweets Bill Oram of the Orange County Register. The Nets are getting a “skilled leader, a skilled defender for a bargain price,” said the former center (link).
- Since the news broke Thursday the Nets were a potential landing spot for Collins, every player on the team has been uniform in agreeing Collins would be welcomed with open arms, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
- Sam Amick of USA Today notes that Collins has built up a reputation as a classy professional over the course of his career.
Week In Review: 2/17/14 – 2/23/14
Evan Turner and Danny Granger have been featured prominently on the pages of Hoops Rumors all season long. This week, the Pacers and Sixers got together to complete the most significant deadline deal. The trade sent Granger and a future second round draft pick to Philly for Turner and forward Lavoy Allen. Granger, however, may not be in the city of Brotherly Love for long. Here’s more from the news-filled week that was..
- The Magic agreed to a buyout with Glen Davis and earlier today, Big Baby hooked on with the Clippers.
- The Wizards acquired Andre Miller in a three-team deal that will also see the Nuggets receive Jan Vesely and Philly get Eric Maynor plus two second-round picks.
- The Knicks and Metta World Peace agreed to a buyout. The Knicks also let Beno Udrih buy out his contract. Udrih almost went to Denver for Jordan Hamilton.
- Jason Collins is joining the Nets on a 10-day deal.
- The Bobcats and Ben Gordon are talking buyout.
- The Nets shipped Jason Terry and Reggie Evans to the Kings for Marcus Thornton. Terry, unfortunately, is done for the year.
- The Sixers and Cavs agreed to a trade that sends Spencer Hawes to Cleveland for Earl Clark, Henry Sims, and draft picks. The Sixers didn’t keep Earl Clark for long.
- The Bobcats acquired Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour from the Bucks in exchange for Ramon Sessions and Jeff Adrien.
- The Warriors acquired Steve Blake from the Lakers in exchange for Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks.
- The Nuggets sent Jordan Hamilton to the Rockets for Aaron Brooks.
- The Spurs and Raptors swapped Nando De Colo and Austin Daye.
- The Heat sent cash and Roger Mason Jr. over to the Kings for a second-round pick that they’ll never see. Mason was subsequently waived.
- The Sixers acquired Byron Mullens from the Clippers. They were in talks for another L.A. big man in Chris Kaman, but that deal didn’t come together.
- The Hawks traded for Antawn Jamison and waived him soon after.
- The Clippers and Nets are considering Ivan Johnson.
- The Rockets waived Ronnie Brewer to sign Troy Daniels.
- The Clippers and Knicks had serious talks involving Iman Shumpert but they couldn’t come to terms on a deal.
- JaVale McGee is done for the year.
- The Wolves and others had interest in Jarrett Jack but a deal didn’t get done before Thursday’s deadline.
- The Cavs talked Luol Deng with the Wizards and other interested clubs. They also shopped Tyler Zeller with an eye on Reggie Bullock. Cleveland got offers for Dion Waiters but held on to him.
- The Pistons shopped Josh Smith.
- The Nets and Pelicans wanted Lakers big man Jordan Hill but he wound up staying put. Thanks to the luxury tax, the Nets would have paid $17MM for the privilege of having him for the rest of the year.
- The Rockets resumed Omer Asik talks with the Sixers and others but the disgruntled big man is staying in Houston.
- Houston wanted Rajon Rondo. The C’s reportedly wanted two unprotected first-round picks for the star guard.
- The Kings made Isaiah Thomas available.
- The Celtics had their eyes on Gordon Hayward.
- The Pelicans were granted a DPE.
- The Grizzlies and Wolves discussed a deal involving J.J Barea and Chase Budinger.
- Dario Saric may not enter the draft.
- The Warriors dangled Jordan Crawford.
- Chris Duhon backed out of his deal in Italy.
- Lamar Odom is going to Spain.
- Pierre Jackson is Turkey-bound.
- The Wolves considered Jameer Nelson.
- The Lakers and Mavs considered Kevin Love deals.
- The Heat turned away calls on Norris Cole.
- The Bobcats and Lakers talked Pau Gasol.
- The Bulls signed Jarvis Varnado to a 10-day.
- Multiple teams called on rookie Shabazz Muhammad.
- Charlie Villanueva is open to a buyout if the Pistons want to work one out.
- The Hawks signed Dexter Pittman to a 10-day contract.
- The Hawks signed Cartier Martin for the rest of the year after his 10-day expired.
- The Warriors inked Hilton Armstrong to a 10-day.
- The Magic agreed to sign Dewayne Dedmon to a 10-day pact. Ditto for Adonis Thomas.
- Atlanta waived Jared Cunningham.
- Daniel Gibson is drawing NBA interest.
- The Pacers waived the hard-working Orlando Johnson.
- The Cavs signed Arinze Onuaku to a 10-day contract.