Celtics Interested In Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley's 27 points off the bench in a win over the Clippers last night apparently aren't swaying the Timberwolves, who are pushing hard to trade him, perhaps to the Celtics, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reports that while the Nets, Rockets and Lakers have all had talks with the Wolves about Beasley, Boston is in the lead for his services. The deal would center around the expiring contract of Jermaine O'Neal, who's making close to $6.23MM this year.
Our Luke Adams profiled Beasley's trade candidacy yesterday. The fourth-year forward is averaging career lows in almost every major statistical category, despite his strong performance last night. Nonetheless, he was the second pick in the draft in 2008, and at only 23, his still-bright potential will make him a sought-after restricted free agent this summer.
O'Neal, averaging 5.0 PPG and 5.4 RPG in 22.8 minutes a night, is probably not in the Wolves' long-term plans. It's also hard to see where he fits in Minnesota's crowded frontcourt now, especially with the recent emergence of Nikola Pekovic. That the Wolves would ship out Beasley, whom they could simply just let go this summer, for little in return suggests that Minnesota simply doesn't want Beasley around.
Broussard On Gasol, Rondo, Ellis, Beasley, Kaman
In addition to providing an update on the Dwight Howard sweepstakes, Chris Broussard shares rumors about a handful of big-name trade candidates in his latest Insider-only ESPN.com column. Let's dive in….
- The Rockets still have interest in Pau Gasol but want to build around Kyle Lowry rather than include him in any Gasol deal. The Timberwolves haven't talked to the Lakers in months about Gasol, while the Bulls have shown some interest in the Spaniard.
- Sources tell Broussard that the Celtics have determined they're not title contenders this year and would prefer to move Rajon Rondo rather than deal with the "headaches" he brings.
- Broussard hears that if Monta Ellis were traded, the Warriors guard would like to join the Lakers, Bulls, or Magic (alongside Dwight Howard), but none of those scenarios appear realistic.
- The Timberwolves offered Michael Beasley to the Lakers in exchange for the higher of L.A.'s two first-round picks, but were turned down. The Lakers are torn on Beasley — because L.A. is over the tax line, the team would be adding more than just Beasley's $6.26MM cap figure. I imagine they'd also prefer to use their trade exception to acquire a point guard.
- The Hornets' asking price for Chris Kaman has dropped since earlier in the season. They're seeking a draft pick, even just a second-rounder, for the center.
- LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum are "virtually untouchable" but the Blazers would talk about anyone else on their roster, particularly Raymond Felton and Gerald Wallace.
Atlantic Rumors: Williams, Chandler, Celtics
Seeking to clarify comments he made on Monday, Nets coach Avery Johnson reiterated last night that, while he views the Mavericks and Mark Cuban as a threat to sign Deron Williams this summer, he still expects his point guard to return to the Nets.
"I think somebody kind of got it twisted where the focus was more on the threat and saying that I said that I think he’s going to Dallas, which I never said, never said that," Johnson told reporters, including Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record. "I said that [Cuban was a threat] because anybody that’s under the cap would be a threat to get a guy that’s a unbelievable point guard. But I said I believe he has every intention to re-sign."
Here are a few more morning rumors on Williams and the rest of the Atlantic Division:
- Talking to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld, Williams admitted he isn't sure whether he'll be a Net next year.
- Within the same HoopsWorld piece, Pincus says that the Nuggets have offered a multiyear deal to Wilson Chandler, but that it's not as lucrative as Chandler hoped. Still, the Raptors likely won't sign the 24-year-old to an offer sheet, says Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Although Toronto hasn't moved on entirely, the club is currently put off by Chandler's asking price.
- Wolstat adds that it appears the Raptors are listening to trade inquiries made by other teams rather than actively seeking deals themselves.
- Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, appearing on NBC's SportsTalk, says the Celtics have been actively pursuing trades, and won't hesitate to break up their core in the right deal. Wojnarowski speculates that, of Boston's "big three," Paul Pierce may be the most likely trade candidate, since Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have contracts that Boston could simply let expire.
Kyler On Rondo, Diaw, Mavs, Ellis, Scola
Over at HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler kicks off a quick look at trade possibilities for all 30 teams, running alphabetically from Atlanta through Houston. Let's check out a few of Kyler's notes….
- The general belief is that Rajon Rondo will remain a Celtic past March 15th unless Boston is blown away by an offer.
- Bobcats sources say the team has received inquiries on Boris Diaw, who has an expiring contract worth $9MM.
- Sources close to the Mavericks say the team views Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones as "possible sweeteners" in an offseason sign-and-trade deal for Dwight Howard or Deron Williams.
- If the Warriors decide to move Monta Ellis, any deal may have to include a contract like David Lee's or Andris Biedrins' as well. According to Kyler's sources, the Warriors offered Ellis to the 76ers for Andre Iguodala at the start of the season.
- Concerns about Luis Scola's knees may make it tough for the Rockets to find full value for him on the trade market.
- For more on the ten teams covered in Kyler's piece, check out our Assessing Stocks series, which, coincidentally, has covered the same ten clubs.
Ray Allen Drawing Interest
The direction the Celtics will take over the next two and a half weeks is still unknown. If they decide to blow up the roster though, Ray Allen and not Rajon Rondo may be the team's most-coveted trade chip. According to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (via Twitter), Allen has generated more interest than Rondo to date.
While Rondo is the more attractive long-term asset, Allen would require a smaller package and intrigue contenders in need of a shooter. Teams like the Clippers or Timberwolves would probably love to add Allen for a possible playoff run. Plus, the 36-year-old's $10MM salary makes his one of the largest expiring contracts in play this season.
The Celtics have a number of options as March 15th approaches, and it's possible the team hangs onto its veteran players for one more postseason run. Although the team, as constructed, likely isn't a title contender, holding onto its veterans would allow Boston to clear plenty of salary this summer. Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Jermaine O'Neal alone have expiring contracts that total about $38MM.
Daniel Seco of Hoops Rumors examined Allen as a trade candidate two weeks ago.
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Rose, Paul
With the All-Star game taking place later tonight in Orlando, all eyes will be on the best players in the world. Next year's consensus number one overall draft pick, Anthony Davis, could participate in the game sooner than later. CBS Sports columnist Gregg Doyel wrote a piece on why Davis may be the most impactful college basketball player since Shaquille O'Neal.
Here's a look into what else is happening on the last day of All-Star weekend:
- To continue a theme that's run through their organization since last year's Kendrick Perkins deal, the Celtics are in search of a big man. According to CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely, Boston should be interested in D-league center Jeff Foote, a seven-foot, 265 pound Cornell graduate. It's been reported that New Jersey and Milwaukee have also shown interest in adding Foote.
- Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld talked with Chris Paul about his immediate future with the Clippers.
- Derrick Rose's recent 14-year, $250MM deal with Adidas has opened speculation that the magnitude of shoe contracts could influence a player's decision regarding which market they'd like to play in. Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times says the worry is big-market teams could avoid the harsh luxury tax by paying less for players but getting help from shoe companies to draw them in.
- Golden State owner Joe Lacob tells Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee that he wants the Kings to stay in Sacramento.
Coon On Lakers, Rockets, Celtics
Salary cap expert and burgeoning Twitter star Larry Coon unleashed a stream of tweets today on several topics. Here are some of the highlights:
- The Lakers are considering a swap with the Blazers for point guard Raymond Felton, who was recently benched. The Lakers would be able to fit Felton's $7.5MM salary in using part of their $8.9MM trade exception acquired in the Lamar Odom deal.
- Gilbert Arenas could be the fallback option at point guard if the Lakers don't get Felton or Ramon Sessions from the Cavs.
- The Rockets are still hot after Pau Gasol, but their unwillingness to part with Kyle Lowry makes a deal with the Lakers unlikely unless additional teams are involved.
- In a rumored deal involving Rajon Rondo and Gasol, the Lakers would seek Brandon Bass instead of Jermaine O'Neal. Rondo, Coon says, is "on the outs" in Boston.
- If the Celtics are looking to move Ray Allen, Coon reiterated what he's been saying about the interest the Clippers have in him. Complicating such a move is the health of Allen's son, Walker, who has juvenile diabetes and is accustomed to receiving care in the Boston area. The Clippers are also closing in on signing Bobby Simmons.
Odds & Ends: Bogut, Gasol, Kings
Peter Vecsey, in the same column in which he revealed the Knicks as potential suitors for Dwight Howard, hears that the Bucks are "definitely open to offers" for Andrew Bogut, who's currently out with a fractured left ankle. He also says the rumored signing of Rasheed Wallace by the Lakers lends credibility to the idea that the team could send Pau Gasol to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O'Neal. Here's the rest of what's being whispered around All-Star weekend.
- Restricted free agent Wilson Chandler's Chinese team has been eliminated from the playoffs, and he's expecting FIBA clearance soon, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Yesterday we noted that Chandler's clearance has been delayed. He's been a target of the Nuggets, his former team, and the Raptors of late.
- A meeting today between Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, the Maloof brothers and league officials could be make-or-break for the city's hopes to keep the Kings, writes Sacramento Bee columnist Ailene Voisin.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com delves into the finer points of the lockout negotiations, and notes how close the league came to canceling the entire season.
- Celtics team president Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers must turn into salesmen to attract top free agent talent to Boston as the team looks to replace its aging core, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- To get the Hornets to trade Chris Kaman to the Heat, it would take Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, a price Miami is unwilling to pay, observes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- Swingman Mike Dunleavy, who signed a two-year, $7.5MM free-agent deal with the Bucks this past offseason, is getting comfortable in what was already familiar territory in Wisconsin, writes Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's worth noting, though, that Dunleavy's dad is part of what's reportedly the leading potential ownership group for the Hornets.
- Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside chronicles the fall of one-time top prospect Reeves Nelson.
- Fred Kerber of the New York Post looks at how free-agent-to-be Deron Williams is showcasing his talents with little help in New Jersey.
Odds & Ends: Howard, Lakers, Durant, Nash
With the likes of Chase Budinger and Jeremy Evans among the Slam Dunk contestants set to do battle on Saturday evening in Orlando, let's take a look around the league to see what else is happening:
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Twitter) says he's having a hard time with Dwight Howard's constant line of wanting to push aside distractions and focus on winning. It's Howard, not anyone else, who has created such distractions by making trade demands and by telling his agent to ask for permission to pursue possible deals.
- Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com is looking forward to the NBA trade deadline (March 15) and wonders if the Lakers should blow up their roster now or simply wait until the summer. He says that the Celtics are in a similar situation, but is excited to see another group of aging players in the Spurs continue to do well and perhaps threaten for an NBA Finals appearance.
- Kevin Durant believes the Hornets can rebuild their franchise through the draft in a similar fashion to his own team, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. ''Losing C.P. and David West was tough for the Hornets, but they have Trevor Ariza and I like Gustavo Ayon. You know it's just a matter of time before everything starts to click. But losing your point guard in a lockout shortened season is tough. I love Monty for what he does and stands for.''
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com says Steve Nash believes Jeremy Lin is the type of player that can succeed in any type of NBA system. While Lin is expected to re-sign with the Knicks this summer, such an endorsement from a marquee player may go a long way to drive up the asking price for the restricted free agent.
Expired Trade Exceptions
There were a great deal of trade exceptions obtained in the days leading up to last season's February 24th trade deadline and with a full year gone by they have expired. In certain trade scenarios, a team can acquire a traded player exception, which is worth a specific amount of money and can be used at any time over the next year.
For a more detailed refresher on how trade exceptions work, check out our glossary of salary cap exceptions and Larry Coon's CBA FAQ. Here's a look at the exceptions that expired this week..
Feb. 22nd
- Nuggets: $4,640,536 (Carmelo Anthony), $1,675,000 (Renaldo Balkman), $854,389 (Shelden Williams)
Feb. 23rd
- Hawks: $1,042,320 (Jordan Crawford)
- Hornets: $762,195 (Marcus Thornton)
- Jazz: $1,815,873 (Deron Williams)
Feb. 24th
- Bobcats: $1,486,330 (Gerald Wallace)*
- Celtics: $473,604 (Semih Erden), $473,604 (Luke Harangody)
*Charlotte used roughly $1.28MM of this trade exception plus a 2013 second-round pick to acquire center Byron Mullens from the Thunder in December.