Raptors Not Engaged In Trade Talks
The Raptors have been on the pages of Hoops Rumors quite a bit over the last few weeks but as of tonight, it sounds like things have quieted down in Toronto. General Manager Masai Ujiri told a few reporters at the All-Star game, including Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler (via these Twitter links), that he hasn’t been engaging in trade talks as of late.
Ujiri won’t “close the door” on anything happening between now and February 20th, but he was also up front about his lack of communication with other NBA GMs up until this point. While he was complimentary of what his team (28-24, first place in Atlantic Division) has done so far this year, he was also realistic in noting that the Eastern Conference has been rather weak as a whole this year.
Kyle Lowry has been regarded as a trade candidate all year long and heavily connected to the Knicks, but so far the Raptors haven’t gotten an offer worth taking. If Ujiri is telling the truth, then nothing is imminent with the point guard and New York at the moment.
Hoops Links: Grant, Love, Raptors
On this date in 1972, Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain became the first player in NBA history to reach the 30,000 point mark for his career during a 110-109 loss to the Suns. Chamberlain also passed Bill Russell during the 1971-72 season to become the NBA’s all-time leading rebounder.
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 bids farewell to Cavs GM Chris Grant.
- Legion Report says it’s time for the T’Wolves to move Kevin Love.
- Go Hard Sports Blog talks Raptors.
- NML Sports doles out their mid-season awards.
- Streets Of The Association asks if Steve Nash is still important in the league today.
- Hardwood Paroxysm profiles DeMar DeRozan.
If you have a great basketball blog post that you want featured on Hoops Links, send a link to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Los Angeles Notes: Kobe, Williams, Paul
Some people are concerned that Kobe Bryant won’t return to form, but Derek Fisher isn’t among them. “Yes.” Fisher told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News when asked if the 35-year-old will recover well. “Physically, you may not be able to run as fast, jump as high and explode as much. But when you’re as skilled as he is, you can still go out and dominate games and be extremely effective.” The latest out of Los Angeles..
- The Lakers have a decision to make now that Shawne Williams‘ 10-day contract has expired, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times examines. If the Lakers wait until Wednesday to re-sign the forward, he would be available for the team’s final six games in the month of February. The franchise could also choose to wait until after the trade deadline, preserving an open roster spot in case a deal materializes that brings in one more player than the Lakers send out.
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak says he has no regrets about signing Steve Nash to a three-year, $27MM deal, but there’s no denying that the move has been a bust, writes Medina. “Life rarely goes as planned. I didn’t think it was a guarantee of anything happening here. I just thought it was a great opportunity to play for a great franchise,” said the injured veteran. “Everyone faces ups and downs in their life.“
- Clippers guard Chris Paul says he’ll fully support whatever decision Knicks star Carmelo Anthony makes in free agency, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- When asked if his reputation as an abrasive teammate hurt the Lakers‘ chances of recruiting a top free agent, Bryant told reporters, including Berman (on Twitter), that he’s only a pain in the neck when he sees that his teammates aren’t committed.
Hoops Rumors Originals
This week’s look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff..
- Chuck Myron looked at the clubs with open roster spots.
- Could Brandon Bass be on his way out of Boston? Chuck breaks it all down.
- Chuck looked at how long-tenured executives have operated at the deadline.
- The Sixers are in an unusual position with Evan Turner.
- Here’s a look at the players who are ineligible to be traded at the deadline.
- Want to follow specific players on Hoops Rumors? Here’s how.
- If you missed out on Monday’s chat, you can get caught up with the transcript here.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Celtics, Love
Carmelo Anthony wants a championship in New York, but he’s realistic about the Knicks‘ chances of making something major happen between now and the trade deadline. “I don’t know man, I don’t know who’s tradeable, who’s on the block. Not many people that I think can come right now in February and change our whole season around. This is a difficult time,” Melo said. More out of the Atlantic..
- Not everyone on the Knicks is earning their keep, but Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com highlights three players that are, including mid-season pickup Jeremy Tyler. Tyler’s averaging 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes and hitting 55.6 percent of his field goals – solid numbers for a guy making $560K. Of course, this is all in a relatively small sample size of 174 total minutes.
- Is Boston still a free agent destination? Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe asked several prominent NBA players at the All-Star break about how’d they’d feel about (hypothetically) playing for the Celtics and he got back some positive responses. Washburn writes that the last major free agent to come to Boston might have been Xavier McDaniel back in 1992.
- Count Kevin Love, a free agent in 2015, amongst those who believe that the Celtics are still a draw for free agents, tweets Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. “Boston is a great city. I’m sure free agents would love to go there, especially with [Brad Stevens] as a coach,” said the All-Star.
Week In Review: 2/10/14 – 2/16/14
All season long we’ve been wondering if Carmelo Anthony will stay or go. This week, it appears that he has put some of that speculation to rest. Melo told reporters covering All-Star weekend that his first priority is to stay with the Knicks and that he’d like to remain with the organization for the rest of his career. In fact, he says he’d even be open to taking a pay cut if that would help the Knicks towards their goal of winning a world championship. More from the week that was..
- Ersan Ilyasova wants out of Milwaukee.
- Andre Miller doesn’t want to return to the Nuggets.
- Finalists have emerged for the top position in the NBPA.
- The Cavs are thinking about making a pitch to agent Mark Bartelstein to have him join the team’s front office.
- The Cavs and Nuggets like Pierre Jackson.
- The Thunder are seeking a wing player.
- The Wizards want a big man.
- The NBA is unlikely to expand to Seattle anytime soon.
- The Knicks like Glen Rice Jr. Meanwhile, they still want Kyle Lowry, but the Raptors are reluctant to make a deal.
- The Thunder and other clubs have their eye on Rudy Fernandez.
- The Warriors want bench help.
- The Knicks are pushing Iman Shumpert for Kenneth Faried again.
- Executives from around the league say the Bobcats and Suns are the teams to watch as we get closer to the deadline.
- The Hawks re-signed Cartier Martin.
- The Wizards have interest in Beno Udrih and Andre Miller.
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak opened up about the repeater tax and any regrets he might have with Steve Nash.
- Raja Bell has retired.
- The Spurs inked Shannon Brown to a 10-day deal.
- Mike Harris is drawing interest.
- Kevin Love isn’t saying much about free agency.
- Bulls executive VP of basketball ops John Paxson says the team is unlikely to make a move at the deadline.
- Chris Duhon signed in Italy.
- Sasha Pavlovic is headed to Serbia.
Amico On Celtics, Melo, Irving, Dumars
Most executives who spoke with Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio say it seems more and more likely that the Celtics want to build around point guard Rajon Rondo, forward Jeff Green, and second-year big man Jared Sullinger. Everyone else, however, appears to be available, and even those three aren’t considered untouchable. More from Amico’s column..
- The Knicks‘ struggles are fueling talk that Carmelo Anthony could be moved at the deadline but league sources say that seems considerably less likely and Melo will remain a Knick at least until the end of the season.
- Could the Cavs be giving thought to moving Kyrie Irving given their own troubles? “Absolutely, positively untouchable, now and forever,” said one opposing General Manager.
- There’s been some talk that Pistons GM Joe Dumars could step down at the end of the season if the team fails to make the playoffs. If so, league insiders suspect Dumars won’t be out of the game for long. Despite Detroit’s struggles, Dumars helped build a title team and still has a lot of respect around the league.
- The Spurs typically aren’t major players at the trading deadline, but sources say that could change this year. For an outstanding return, Kawhi Leonard could be made available.
Lawrence On Nash, Stotts, Gasol
During the All-Star break in New Orleans, the players will ask the league to try and put an end to the “Tennessee Tax,” writes Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News Every NBA player who visits Memphis for a game against the Grizzlies is subject to the tax, which takes up to $7,500 per season per player. Somehow, the money totaling $1.5MM per season, ends up in the pocket of Memphis owner Robert Pera. More from Lawrence’s column..
- Lakers guard Steve Nash has told a few friends that this season will be his last, even though he still has another season on his contract beyond 2013/14. Nash will be leaving $9.7MM on the table if he decides to hang them up after this season. Meanwhile, Nash has denied talk that he is planning on retirement, tweets Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News.
- No one with the Blazers is complaining about the job coach Terry Stotts is doing, but team sources tell Lawrence his standing in the locker room would be helped if he made more of a concerted effort to strengthen his relationship with LaMarcus Aldridge. The big man is nearing the end of his contract and no extension has been hammered out yet.
- Even as Pau Gasol misses the next ten days or so due to injury, the Suns and Lakers are expected to talk trade. Los Angeles was open to moving Gasol until they couldn’t get Phoenix to part with one of their first-rounders in the 2014 draft.
- High-profile attorney David Cornwell, who was part of Alex Rodriguez’s team in the Yankee’s steroid appeal, is among the candidates to head the player’s union. He’s not considered the favorite, however.
Eastern Notes: Bobcats, Cheeks, Beasley
Bobcats owner Michael Jordan tells Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report that, so far, he’s very pleased with the job that coach Steve Clifford has done. “I’ve been impressed with several aspects of his coaching,” MJ said. “Steve has come in and quickly established an identity and a style of play for our team—hard-working, defensive-minded, playing inside-out basketball.” Here’s more out of the East..
- Pistons players were caught off-guard by the dismissal of coach Maurice Cheeks, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. Chauncey Billups didn’t have anything bad to say about Cheeks but he’s hopeful that the move will help the club turn things around this season. “I don’t know if Mo’s the problem, but I do think [John Loyer] is more offensive-minded as far as details and small things.”
- Heat forward Michael Beasley didn’t leave the Suns on the greatest terms but he’s still excited for Tuesday’s return to Phoenix, writes Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report.
- Newly signed swingman Chris Johnson should bring energy and talent to a Celtics team in need of both, writes Chris Forsberg ESPN Boston.com.
Odds & Ends: Griffin, Smart, Moultrie
Cavs interim GM David Griffin is looking to establish a positive culture in Cleveland, something his predecessor, Chris Grant, was unable to do despite his best efforts, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Word is that Griffin gave the club a stern message to his underachieving team and when asked about that pep talk during his introductory presser, the exec said, “I wouldn’t want to share what I told them.” More from around the Association..
- When asked if the Cavs will be buyers or sellers at the deadline, Griffin said, “I don’t see how you get better and win more games selling…We are dedicated to getting better,” according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter).
- Will Marcus Smart‘s draft stock take a hit after his incident with a fan last night? Opinions were split amongst execs that Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports spoke with.
- Meanwhile, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (on Twitter) got no indication from executives that Smart’s stock will take a hit and heard mostly positive things about the Oklahoma State star’s character.
- The 76ers announced that they recalled forward Arnett Moultrie from the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League. The move was made in advance of tonight’s contest against the Clippers, meaning that Moultrie was able to suit up in L.A. The forward was assigned to the Sevens on February 4 and appeared in three D-League games.
- D-League guard Tiny Gallon turned down an opportunity in China to continue his pursuit of an NBA contract, writes Shams Charania of RealGM. The 76ers have maintained dialogue with the 23-year-old throughout the season.