Spears On Rondo, Lin, Barnes, Turner
Can the Rockets keep soaring past the All-Star break? In his latest power rankings, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports brings Houston up from No. 7 to No. 4, putting them right behind the Heat, Pacers, and Thunder. Will they make a big splash in the days to come to hold their spot? Spears has the goods on that and more..
- According to a source, the Kings offered the Celtics Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, and two picks for Rajon Rondo. However, Rondo wasn’t interested in re-signing with Sacramento.
- While the Rockets would love to trade Omer Asik, a source says they won’t trade reserve Jeremy Lin due to the scoring value he brings.
- Sources tell Spears that Warriors executives have informed forward Harrison Barnes that, barring a blockbuster offer, he will not be traded before Thursday’s deadline. Recently, Warriors owner Joe Lacob said that he hopes to keep Barnes for the long haul.
- The 76ers want to move Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes and could act as a third team in a significant trade.
- Raptors coach Dwane Casey is in the final year of his deal but Spears hears that he has impressed GM Masai Ujiri.
- The Pelicans could be trading guard Austin Rivers and the rights to D-League guard Pierre Jackson between now and Thursday.
- The Kings are in the market for a veteran backup point guard who can push the ball up the floor.
- With several teams looking for backup point guards, Bucks veteran Luke Ridnour could be on the move.
Southeast Rumors: LeBron, Bosh, Beaubois
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert still believes strongly that LeBron James will entertain the idea of signing with the Cavs either this summer or next if the Heat‘s run of titles ends, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. There are plenty of hypotheticals in that statement, but if James does return, Kyrie Irving‘s development means the move would more closely resemble James’ decision to hook up with other stars in Miami than a simple homecoming, Berger opines. Here’s more from another of the Heat’s trio of big names:
- Chris Bosh won’t pester LeBron about where he’ll choose to play next, but Bosh offered up a hint about his own free agency, explaining to Sam Amick of USA Today that he’s moved past the idea of being a team’s No. 1 option. “I’m over it,” Bosh said. “It’s just all about winning at the end of the day. It’s about being in the game. I mean everybody isn’t meant to take the last shot. Everybody isn’t going to be the MVP. It’s only for a very, very small percentage, for a small percentage of guys. I understand that, and I’m just lucky enough to be in this situation I am now, just competing at the highest level in the league. That’s good enough for me.”
- There’s no chance Rodrigue Beaubois will work out for the Wizards, two sources tell J. Michael of CSNWashington.com, contradicting a weekend report that indicated Beaubois would audition for the Wizards and Grizzlies.
- Gerald Wallace is still upset with the Bobcats for what he says happened when they traded him at the 2011 deadline, as he tells Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders. Wallace says the Bobcats told him they wouldn’t trade him, then dealt him anyway without giving him an explanation.
Celtics Seek Two Unprotected Picks For Rondo?
12:26pm: Grantland’s Zach Lowe has also heard that the Celtics are demanding a pair of unprotected first-rounders for Rondo (Twitter link).
11:21am: The Celtics asking price for Rajon Rondo is “said to be” two unprotected first-round picks, as Sam Smith of Bulls.com writes in his weekly leaguewide roundup. That would be quite a hefty ransom for the four-time All-Star whom Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has consistently maintained is off-limits for a trade.
Few NBA teams surrender so much as one unprotected first-round pick via trade these days, never mind two, so it seems unlikely any team would match that price. The Knicks have consistently made Rondo a target, and they reportedly believe that Ainge is more amenable to a Rondo trade than he’s let on. The Knicks can’t give up a first-rounder for a draft earlier than 2018. Ainge served up his latest dismissal of Rondo trade talk this weekend, calling it “all a little crazy.”
The Suns, Rockets and Mavericks were also linked to Rondo last month, though there’s been little chatter connecting the point guard to those teams since. Rondo is set to become an unrestricted free agent after next season, but he’s expressed a desire for a long-term future in Boston.
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.
Atlantic Rumors: ‘Melo, Woodson, Knicks, Sixers
Carmelo Anthony assured reporters that both he and Mike Woodson would be present at the Knicks’ Monday morning’s practice after the All-Star break, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. Woodson has been on the hot seat seemingly all season, and trade rumors involving Anthony have started circulating in recent months. For the time being, it looks like both Woodson and Anthony will remain in New York. Here’s more on the Knicks and the Atlantic Divsion:
- The Knicks roster looks to be set for now, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports (via Twitter) that no trades appear imminent in New York.
- By contrast, the Sixers are looking for potential deals, passes along Kyler (via Twitter). We heard last Tuesday that Philly was set to be “super active” in the days leading up to the trade deadline.
- Strong seasons by Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk prove that the Celtics are able to make the most out of their drafts, regardless of the position they’re picking from, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Sullinger was taken with the 21st pick in 2012, and Olynyk was taken 13th overall last summer.
Celtics GM Ainge Talks Trade Deadline
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is staying in Boston during the All-Star festivities to work through the final week of Thursday’s trade deadline, along with many of his colleagues. He told Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald how the final days could shape up for the Celtics and the rest of the league. The whole interview is worth a read, and here are some of the highlights:
On what kind of deal the Celtics are looking for:
“We would do a deal to make our team better and use assets to get better right away. And we would also move veteran players to create flexibility and get draft picks. So we could go either way right now. But right now I think it’s a feeling-out process. I’m not talking about getting three wins better. I’m talking about being able to be significantly better next year.”
On the current landscape of buyers and sellers across the league:
“I don’t have a trading partner as of this moment. Right now there’s just a lot of people trying to feel out what everybody’s trying to accomplish. A lot of it is teams wanting to find out where everybody is in case there’s a chance to do a three- or four-team, multiple-team deal, in case there isn’t something that will work with just two teams. But I think everybody’s still trying to figure out what are the goals of each team going forward. And some teams don’t have as clear goals as other teams have.”
On the continued rumors of Rajon Rondo‘s availability, despite the team’s insistence to the contrary:
“I honestly haven’t paid that much attention to it. I’ve been asked those questions before, but I don’t know anything about those rumors. It’s all a little crazy.”
Rockets Notes: Trade Targets, Bynum, Asik
No NBA executive makes deadline trades as often as Rockets GM Daryl Morey does, so Houston figures to get involved in the fun on Thursday. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle takes a broad look at the moves the Rockets have considered so far and the ones they might make in the next six days, and we’ll hit the highlights here:
- Feigen hears the Rockets have been on the lookout for a backup wing player who’s a strong defender and can catch and shoot. That desire eclipsed the team’s pursuit of a power forward or a perimeter player who can create off the bounce. It’s not entirely clear from Feigen’s wording whether the team is currently seeking that sort of backup wing.
- The Rockets had talks last month with Andrew Bynum before he signed with the Pacers, a source tells Feigen. Houston didn’t extend an offer, but Feigen isn’t sure whether that’s because the team didn’t think Bynum could contribute or whether it’s simply a reflection of the team’s intention to hold on to Omer Asik.
- Morey says that he continues to focus on improving the club for the future, though he admits he’s putting a greater emphasis on helping the present incarnation of the team than at past trade deadlines, Feigen notes. The Chronicle scribe also points to concerns about the length of Courtney Lee‘s contract as the reason the Rockets passed on a December trade that would have sent Asik to Boston for Lee and Brandon Bass. That’s a signal of the team’s reluctance to add commitments beyond next season, Feigen concludes.
Eastern Rumors: Sanders, Celtics, Bulls
A few Eastern Conference teams have picked up their play of late, but there are still only four East clubs with a record of .500 or better as the All-Star break arrives. Here’s the latest on the NBA’s weaker half:
- Larry Sanders will be out at least six weeks after surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone, the Bucks announced. The team has reportedly been rejecting trade offers for the center, and today’s news makes it seem even less likely that he’ll be dealt.
- Danny Ainge is “more open to a deal than most” NBA executives as the deadline approaches, but rivals believe he’d like to hang on to his future draft picks while adding as little money to the Celtics books as he can, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.
- The Bulls have been at 12 players since February 1st, and they were facing a Saturday deadline to add to their roster, but the league has granted the team an exception to its two-week limit on 12-man teams, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports (Twitter link). Chicago can stand pat until Monday.
- Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick identifies Caron Butler as a player the Heat may target if the Bucks agree to a buyout after the trade deadline, citing mutual admiration between the veteran small forward and Miami’s front office. Skolnick also says Butler or Shawn Marion could become a free agent replacement for Shane Battier this summer, when Battier is likely to retire (video link).
Atlantic Notes: ‘Melo, DeRozan, Ross, MCW
Carmelo Anthony will likely be a free agent next summer, and Justin Terranova of the New York Post reveals that Grant Hill thinks the Knicks’ unimpressive season might dissuade Melo from re-signing in the Big Apple:
“I think it could. He’s getting older and you want to be in a situation where you are going to win. And he came to New York, he got in the playoffs and now it’s almost like they are regressing. To go through a potential season with no playoff opportunity, it could play a role.”
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors swingman DeMar DeRozan is proving he’s worth every penny of the $38MM extension he signed last season, writes Eric Koreen of the National Post. DeRozan was mentioned in a few trade rumors earlier this year, but we recently heard Toronto would like to retain the first-time All-Star through the deadline.
- Andrew Perna of RealGM.com examines Terrence Ross‘ progression from a one-dimensional dunker to a complete basketball player for the Raptors.
- Midway through the season, the Sixers’ Michael Carter-Williams looks like the front runner to win the Rookie of the Year award. Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune recaps how Utah almost prevented Philly from landing MCW but ended up with Trey Burke instead.
- Speaking of draft choices that might have been, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald revisits the 1997 draft, where the Celtics missed out on number one pick Tim Duncan despite having the best odds at landing the future MVP.
Trade Candidate: Brandon Bass
Brandon Bass became a hot commodity on the NBA trade market this week, when reports indicated the Suns, Bobcats, Warriors and Thunder are among several teams interested in trading for the Celtics power forward. While a follow-up indicated that Golden State is unlikely to be in the mix, it seems there’s no shortage of clubs seeking the 28-year-old with a reasonably priced contract that runs through next season. Bass is the Celtic garnering the most trade talk around the league as the deadline nears, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, who initially reported the leaguewide interest. Celtics president of basketball ops Danny Ainge is usually active at the deadline, so it seems there’s a strong chance Bass will be playing for another team soon.
Bass makes $6.45MM this season and $6.9MM in 2014/15 as part of a three year deal he inked in 2012 to remain in Boston. The former second-round pick made his reputation as a physical presence off the bench for the Mavericks, and he blossomed into a part-time starter after signing with the Magic following their run to the 2009 Finals. He’s started more often than not since coming to the Celtics in exchange for Glen Davis soon after the lockout, but this season is the first since 2006/07 that he’s spent on a team seemingly destined for the lottery.
He makes sense as a role player on a contending team that needs to shore up its power forward position, and that’s apparently what the Rockets envisioned him doing for them when he was involved in Omer Asik rumors. The development of Terrence Jones would seem to have dissuaded Houston from revisiting the idea of trading for Bass. The 6’9″ Jones has a slightly larger frame than the 6’8″ Bass, and while neither he nor Jones has the three-point range the Rockets usually covet, Jones has been much more efficient. Jones has an 18.1 PER this season compared to the 15.1 mark Bass is posting. Jones is also cheaper, and while Bass could provide the Rockets with an intriguing bench option, the Rockets probably have no call for a reserve power forward who lacks an outside shot and makes nearly $13.5MM between this year and next.
Bass has been a defensive minus, as his teams have allowed more points per possession with him on the floor than when he’s been on the bench four of the past five seasons, per NBA.com. Some of that might be a function of playing when defensive stalwarts Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard are sitting, but that’s not a factor this year. The Celtics give up 104.4 points per 100 possessions with him in the game compared to 101.6 points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the court. Boston also has a net rating of minus 7.8 when he’s in there, and only the Sixers and Bucks have worse net ratings as a team this year.
His rebounding is a weakness, too, particularly for any team that envisions him as a center. He hasn’t averaged as many as eight rebounds per 36 minutes in any of the past five seasons. Still, Bass earns his minutes. His PER of 14.9 since becoming a rotation-level player seven years ago is as close at it comes to 15.0, the mark of an average player. He’d be an upgrade over most bench guys in the league, and his contract, while pricey for that job description, is not entirely unreasonable.
The Suns view him as an alternative to Pau Gasol, but he probably wouldn’t be their first option if they can’t work out a deal with the Lakers, particularly given that GM Ryan McDonough is on the lookout for stars. The Bobcats have been particularly active in trade rumors this month, having been linked to Evan Turner and Greg Monroe, among others, and while Bass would be an improvement over starting power forward Josh McRoberts, Charlotte probably has other priorities.
The Thunder’s interest is curious, since they already have an off-the-bench banger in Nick Collison. The 33-year-old Collison is seeing fewer minutes this season than in any year since he was a rookie, and perhaps Oklahoma City is looking for an upgrade to Bass, a better scorer. Collison only makes about $2.6MM this season, so the Thunder would have to add more salary to the deal to entice the Celtics to take him on and to avoid going into the tax. Both Oklahoma City and Boston are in close proximity to the tax line, so if the teams hooked up on a deal, the salaries would have to align nearly perfectly.
There are clearly plenty of teams interested in Bass, but I’d be surprised if the Celtics can wrangle too much in return. Deveney suggested that a first-round pick could be in play, but I’m highly skeptical that Ainge will be able to command that. The Celtics are probably best served targeting a deal that provides salary relief and perhaps an undervalued young player they can develop.