Nets Close To Deal For Gerald Wallace
12:11pm: The pick that would be going to the Blazers in this proposed swap would only be top-three protected, says Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
11:48am: The discussed trade would send Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, and a protected first-round pick to the Blazers, tweets Wojnarowski. Such a deal would save the Nets money this year and potentially clear out more cap space for next year, which explains the first-round pick that would be going to Portland.
11:28am: The Trail Blazers and Nets are engaged in "advanced talks" on a deal that would send Gerald Wallace to New Jersey, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). A deal is close, adds Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Newsday's Al Iannazzone tweeted earlier today that the Nets were eyeing Wallace.
Wallace, 29, has a player option worth $9.5MM for next season, so perhaps the Nets would want him to make a decision on that option in the event of a trade. Turning it down would mean increased summer cap space for the Nets.
Crawford Hoping For Trade; Lakers Interested
The Lakers and the Nets are the latest teams to enter the Jamal Crawford sweepstakes, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com hears that Crawford is hoping for a trade, and that his preferred destination is Orlando (Twitter link).
The Lakers had already been engaged in talks involving Crawford, but the proposed three-team deal would have sent Crawford to Minnesota rather than Los Angeles. The Nets, meanwhile, are reportedly close to a deal for Gerald Wallace, so it's unknown whether they would maintain their interest in Crawford if they acquire Wallace.
Nets Interested In Jamal Crawford, Gerald Wallace
11:11am: Al Iannazzone of Newsday names Crawford and Gerald Wallace as two targets to watch for the Nets (Twitter link). Both guys have player options for next season, so it's unclear if New Jersey views them as longer-term additions or potential expiring contracts.
10:46am: The Nets are "calling everyone" about potential trades, says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (on Twitter). However, Wojnarowski hears that one player emerging as a prime trade target for the team is Jamal Crawford.
Crawford is rumored to be part of three-team talks between the Blazers, Timberwolves, and Lakers, though nothing is imminent on that front. The T-Wolves, Clippers, and Bobcats are among the teams that have expressed interest in Crawford.
Now that it appears Dwight Howard will opt in for 2012/13 with the Magic, the Nets are looking for deals that will improve the team around Deron Williams, and continue to try to clear future cap space. The Nets are turning away trade offers for Williams at the moment.
Nets Would Turn Down Gasol For Williams
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that if the Lakers offered Pau Gasol for Deron Williams, the Nets would turn it down. According to Stein, the Lakers actually did make that pitch to New Jersey in December, so the Nets have already said no once.
News of Dwight Howard's latest decision, to opt in for next season and remain with the Magic, has led to rampant speculation about potential trades involving the Nets' star point guard. However, New Jersey is still turning away all interest in Williams.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Thursday
If you haven't been able to keep up with the twists and turns of the Dwight Howard saga, you're not alone. An eventful Wednesday ended with Howard telling Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com that he will sign an ETO waiver this morning and remain in Orlando for another season. Howard was apologetic about the "circus" he's caused, and cited "bad advice" he'd received from advisors as one reason for his indecision.
Nothing's official until Howard puts pen to paper though, so until we get definitive pre-deadline resolution on D12's future, we'll track today's updates right here, with the newest items up top:
- There may still be skepticism about Howard's intentions, but the Nets, at least, are convinced he'll waive his ETO. According to Ric Bucher of ESPN.com (via Twitter), New Jersey is turning the page, and will move on to other deals.
- Sources tell SI.com's Sam Amick that Howard's representatives had been pushing the superstar to hit free agency, which was a source of frustration for the Magic. Howard would "routinely express a willingness" to stay with Orlando, only to reverse course after meeting with his agency, says Amick.
- Howard is expected to sign his ETO waiver at around 12:30 Eastern, says Rudolph (via Twitter).
- Following Howard's latest reversal, the Magic told Dwight to sleep on his decision before signing anything today, reports ESPN.com's Chris Broussard.
- It's highly unlikely that Howard waffles again, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. In the event that does happen, the Magic seem to have a trade they'd do with the Nets, Kyler adds.
- Howard is "definitely not firing" agent Dan Fegan, D12's manager Kevin Samples tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). As long as Fegan is representing Howard, he'll need to sign the ETO paperwork as well.
- Magic officials aren't expected to suspend trade talks involving Howard until they receive the signed ETO paperwork, says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. However, Wojnarowski says (via Twitter) the Nets are working on separate trade scenarios to bring in help around Deron Williams, in case Howard does remain in Orlando.
- A league source tells J.A. Adande of ESPN.com that missing the playoffs would cost Howard significant bonuses in his Adidas contract. Adande wonders if the threat of being traded to the 15-29 Nets and potentially losing those bonuses contributed to Howard's change of heart.
Nets Rebuffing Trade Interest In Deron Williams
With Dwight Howard apparently ready to commit to the Magic for 2012/13, the outlook for the Nets has become cloudier. But even now that they may not have a chance to acquire Howard today or this summer, the Nets aren't likely to trade Deron Williams, tweets Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Nets are rebuffing trade interest in Williams, telling teams they're not looking to move him (Twitter link).
According to Stephenson, the Nets are willing to take their chances on convincing Williams to sign long-term with the team this summer. With Howard potentially off the market, it will be a tougher sell, but the Nets should still have plenty of cap space to try to woo other free agents to Brooklyn.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported earlier today (on Twitter) that the Nets are looking at other trade scenarios that could bring in help around Williams. John Hollinger of ESPN.com, meanwhile, explored some deals involving Williams the Nets could explore if they decided to shop the star point guard.
Dwight Howard Re-Commits To Magic For 2012/13
Surprise! A few hours removed from reports of his latest decision, Dwight Howard has changed his mind again. In an exclusive interview with Jarrod Randolph of RealGM, Howard said he intends to waive his early termination option for 2012/13 and remain with the Magic for another season. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) confirms that Howard plans to sign the ETO waiver Thursday morning, and may also fire agent Dan Fegan.
In the last 24 hours, the Howard saga has devolved into a circus, with Dwight's flip-flopping resembling something out of a story from The Onion. First, we heard that Howard had told teammates and Magic officials that he'd opt in for the final year of his contract. Later in the day, Howard reportedly informed the team in a conference call that he hadn't finalized that decision and wouldn't commit for next season, which reignited trade talks.
You have to wonder if Howard's initial decision came before he consulted Fegan, who then advised his client not to put anything in writing yet. Howard would save some face if he fired Fegan and waived his ETO, but as Kennedy points out (on Twitter), nothing is official until Dwight puts pen to paper. For his part, Howard told Randolph that he's sorry for the circus he's put the Magic through and vows to be better going forward.
Based on everything that happened Wednesday, this saga still seems far from resolution. If Howard doesn't make his latest decision official Thursday morning, the Magic will likely continue to explore deals that send him out of town. A source tells ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Nets would be the frontrunner in that scenario, having been engaged with the Magic in trade talks late Wednesday night.
Howard Not Committing To Magic For 2012/13
10:45pm: The Nets have sweetened their offer to the Magic, sources tell Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM. New Jersey is not sure a deal will happen, though, as Orlando has been reluctant to answer calls. (Twitter links)
10:27pm: Wojnarowski updates with a story indicating that the Magic is moving "quickly" to trade Howard, with the Nets and Rockets making pushes.
8:09pm: Multiple league executives are telling Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the Magic are firm in their decision to trade Howard before tomorrow's deadline. (Twitter link)
7:53pm: Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says a spokesman for the Magic has confirmed Stein's story that Howard will not waive his ETO. (Twitter link)
7:18pm: ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting Dwight Howard has told the Magic he won't waive his early-termination option for 2012/13, and intends to test free agency this summer.
It's a reversal from his earlier indication to the team today that he would elect to stay with the Magic for the final season of his contract, which would pay him $19.57MM.
According to Stein's sources, Howard and agent Dan Fegan told the team about his latest move in a conference call with Magic CEO Alex Martins, owner Rich DeVos and members of the DeVos family before Orlando's game in San Antonio tonight. Howard said in the call that the Magic are still his first choice.
Stein reports that Howard originally said he would opt in because he "didn't fully understand the ramifications" of doing so, and felt pressure from the Magic, who told him he would be traded by the deadline tomorrow if he didn't commit to at least one more year in Orlando, the sources said.
The Magic is continuing to field offers for Howard. The team had given D12 until the end of the day to sign the paperwork declaring that he was waiving the ETO. Ken Berger of CBS Sports tweets that the team is not caught off guard by the latest development, citing team executives who aren't surprised by anything given Howard's waffling of late.
Nets Latest: Williams, Howard, Miles
9:43pm: Deron Williams sounds pleased with the Nets, telling reporters, including Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record, that he has a much better relationship with team executives than he did in Utah. He also praised the greater endorsement opportunities he's received, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News notes, which could be a subtle hint directed at Dwight Howard.
6:16pm: The Nets are unwilling to trade Deron Williams, writes Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld. They're not sure of the assets they could get in return, and feel like they can make some offseason moves to strengthen the club and entice the point guard to stay.
5:24pm: The future of Deron Williams in New Jersey is not necessarily tied to Dwight Howard, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. With D12 apparently staying in Orlando for at least one more season, it throws a wrench into plans the Nets had of putting Williams and Howard together when they move to Brooklyn next year. The Mavs, too, have had eyes on combining Williams and Howard.
Williams will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. As we surmised earlier, the chances of Williams remaining with New Jersey have taken a hit with today's Howard news. The Nets now may look to deal Williams to get some kind of return in case he leaves the team after the season.
The Nets are also continuing to pursue C.J. Miles of the Jazz, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. (Twitter link). The Jazz have been rumored to be looking to move Miles, a free agent at seasons end.
Kyler On Smith, Magic, Bulls
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld passed along a few goodies on Twitter, so let's take a look (all Twitter links, of course):
- The Magic are one of multiple teams trying to get the Hawks to change their minds about keeping Josh Smith, even though it's a long shot. One potential scenario would have the Magic sending Jason Richardson to the Wolves and Ryan Anderson to the Hawks while Michael Beasley would go to Atlanta. Ownership would be reluctant to do that deal because they believe Smith is worth twice that price. David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets that no such talks between the Magic and Hawks have taken place.
- The rumored three-team trade involving the Lakers, Wolves and Blazers is just one of the options the Wolves have.
- The Bulls are eyeing Courtney Lee, and would look to Raja Bell as a fallback.
- Kyler is much more confident about the Mavs' chances of landing Deron Williams now that Dwight Howard is close to committing to the Magic for next season.