Central Rumors: Turner, Bulls, Pacers, Cavs
NBA executives are praising the Pacers for their acquisition of Evan Turner because it improves their team, reduces payroll, and gives them leverage with Lance Stephenson when he’s a free agent next summer, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. This may prove to be just a short-term rental for the Pacers as they swapped one pending free agent for another, but it’s definitely an upgrade for their club in the here and now. Here’s more out of the Central..
- Despite some rumors to the contrary, the Bulls showed no desire to move Mike Dunleavy because he’s an affordable rotation player who fits next season, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. For his part, Tom Thibodeau is satisfied with what was a quiet deadline for the Bulls.
- The Cavs have a vacant roster spot and will fill it through free agency or a D-League signing, but GM David Griffin says that he’ll take his time to identify the club’s biggest need, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- With the Turner deal, the Pacers have sent a strong message to the Heat that they are ready to take it all this season, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Turner will allow the Pacers to play small at times, matching up with teams that use quick lineups. More importantly, he brings serious ball-handling skills to the table, which should help round out the Indiana offense nicely.
- While the addition of Turner could be a boost on paper, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders fears that the Pacers could be making a mistake by messing with their chemistry.
- With the smart (but painful) trade, the Pacers put themselves in great position for the remainder of the year, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- If Roger Mason Jr, clears waivers, he could be a candidate for the Bulls when Jarvis Varnado‘s 10-day pact expires, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
- In today’s presser, a reporter asked Griffin if he considers Cavs star Kyrie Irving an untouchable. He explained that his philosophy is that no one is untouchable, tweets the Plain Dealer. Meanwhile, Griffin says that he wasn’t close to a deal for Luol Deng, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, but he added that if he didn’t listen, he wouldn’t be doing his job.
- Amico gives Griffin a thumbs up for his first trade deadline as Cavs GM.
Cavaliers Acquire Hawes For Clark, Sims
The Sixers and Cavs have agreed to a trade that sends Spencer Hawes to Cleveland for Earl Clark, Henry Sims, and draft picks. The deal is now official following the Cavs’ press release. Cleveland is sending their 2014 second-round pick and the Grizzlies’ 2014 second-rounder to the Sixers as a part of the deal.
The Cavs had to send out salaries in the deal as they’re over the cap and couldn’t absorb Hawes’ $6.6MM salary without giving someone up. The deal marks GM David Griffin‘s first significant move in his new role with the Cavs. Cleveland was also shopping Tyler Zeller and gave some thought to dealing Luol Deng, but this move went down as Cleveland’s deadline adjustment. The Rockets also reportedly had interest in Hawes in connection to an Omer Asik deal, but that didn’t come to fruition.
Hawes has been putting up career highs in points, rebounds, assists and three-point shooting percentage for the Sixers as he heads into unrestricted free agency this summer. The 25-year-old former 10th overall pick is finishing up a two-year, $13.1MM deal he signed with Philadelphia in 2012.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) first reported that Hawes was on his way to the Cavs. TNT’s David Aldridge (Twitter link) reported that Clark would be going to the 76ers and the Plain Dealer (via Twitter) added that Sims was in the deal as well. Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported Cleveland’s interest in the center.
Wolves Interested In Jarrett Jack
1:58pm: The Minnesota deal doesn’t appear to be happening, Amick tweets.
1:54pm: It sounds like the Wolves and Cavs haven’t been able to agree on a deal involving Jack, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com. It’s unknown if the Cavs have other discussions going at this time.
1:14pm: A Jack-for-Barea deal is “not likely,” a source tells Spears (on Twitter).
1:09pm: A source confirmed to the Plain Dealer (via Twitter) that the Wolves and Cavs have discussed a deal with Jack and J.J. Barea, but Jack having two years left versus the one on Barea’s deal has proven to be problematic.
1:06pm: The best chance the Cavs had of moving Jack was to Kings for Jason Thompson, but Cleveland balked at taking back salary, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
12:02pm: The Timberwolves, falling short on getting Andre Miller, are reaching out to Cavs to try and get Jack, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com.
11:59am: The previously reported Jack-for-Thompson deal is on life support, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. The initial report indicated that the Cavs wanted a third team to send Thompson to, and apparently they’re finding that extraordinarily difficult. Putting all the pieces together, it sounds like Jack is staying put.
11:31am: With less than three hours from the deadline, a deal involving Jack seems considerably less likely, sources tell Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).
7:58am: The Cavs probably won’t end up dealing Jack, a source tells the Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 10:59pm: The Cavs are unlikely to send Jack to Sacramento unless they find a third team to take the Kings’ Jason Thompson, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein, putting Cleveland in an all too familiar scenario. A deal that would have had Jack leaving Cleveland stalled earlier this week when the Cavs couldn’t find a destination for Jason Terry. (Twitter links)
3:17pm: The Nets are hesitant to take on Jack because of his lengthy deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who says it’s unlikely that the Cavs and Nets would pull off a trade.
11:19am: The Cavs and Kings have spoken about including Jason Thompson or Marcus Thornton in a Jack deal, reports Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
10:56am: The talks involving the Nets and Cavs are “not on the front burner,” according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald (Sulia link).
9:59am: The Wizards are looking for a backup point guard, but they’re not in on talks for Jack, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
TUESDAY, 8:59am: The Kings are also in on the Jack talks, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s not entirely clear if they’re competing with the Nets for the guard’s services, or if they’re willing to absorb Terry in a deal that sends Jack to Brooklyn.
MONDAY, 4:38pm: The Nets are looking to replenish their draft-pick stock in the swap, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
3:44pm: The Cavs and Nets have indeed engaged in discussions about a trade involving Jack and Terry, report Youngmisuk and ESPN.com colleague Marc Stein. The Cavs would prefer to find a third team to take on Terry, according to the report.
2:23pm: The Nets are eyeing guard Jarrett Jack, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com, who hears that there’s a chance Brooklyn swaps Jason Terry for Jack. It’s unclear how strong the odds are of that, or if the Cavs are interested in Terry.
Jack is in the first season of a four-year, $25.2MM contract that pays him $6.3MM each season, while Terry will make about $5.625MM this year and slightly more than $5.85MM next season in the final year of his deal. The difference between their salaries would be compounded for the Nets, who are well into the tax. New Cavs GM David Griffin would be parting with one of predecessor Chris Grant‘s key offseason additions if Cleveland surrenders Jack, who hasn’t had the same impact for the Cavs as he had last year with Golden State.
Jack, 30, is shooting a career-worst 39.7% this season, and his 8.5 points per game is his lowest scoring average since he was a rookie. Terry, whom the Nets acquired from the Celtics in the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce blockbuster, is plumbing even farther depths. The 36-year-old is posting new lows in scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal percentage and minutes. If Jack is dealt to Brooklyn, it’ll be his seventh team in nine NBA seasons.
Deadline Rumors: Hill, Nelson, Bulls, Kaman
The latest from around the league as we inch closer to the deadline..
- All is quiet for the Bulls, Grizzlies, Warriors, Mavericks, and Pelicans at the moment, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Meanwhile, the Mavericks have interest in Lakers big man Jordan Hill but the proposal is problematic because of L.A.’s desire to move both Hill and fellow big man Chris Kaman in order to get under the luxury tax, Amick writes.
- The Kings are still shopping anyone not named DeMarcus Cousins from the Maloofs regime, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
- The Magic and Wizards were discussing a deal involving Jameer Nelson before the Andre Miller deal was agreed upon, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
- The Bulls, who are $678K under tax, are comfortable standing pat, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. They believe they can stay under the threshold even with bonuses and 10-day deals.
- The Cavs were never in on Lakers big man Chris Kaman, despite reports to the contrary, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- More from Amico, who tweets that Cavs acting GM David Griffin was unwilling to give up a first-round pick and a player for Rockets big man Omer Asik. The Cavs went out and got Spencer Hawes instead.
Cavs Exploring Options For Luol Deng Trade
1:15pm: Cleveland’s still looking for a first-rounder for Deng, but no one will bite without assurance from Deng that he’ll re-sign this summer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
12:54pm: The Cavs still have multiple “irons in the fire” and talks are likely to go right up to the deadline, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
11:32am: The Wizards and Cavs have discussed Trevor Ariza as part of a potential Deng deal, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal, though it’s unclear if those talks are ongoing (Twitter link). The Cavs have shifted away from seeking a first-round pick for Deng and are now seeking a veteran, per Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
10:14am: There’s “no traction” with either the Wizards or Pistons on Deng, Berger tweets, but the Cavs continue to survey the market. The Cavs sought a first-round pick from the Suns for Deng, but Phoenix isn’t biting, Berger adds in a second tweet.
THURSDAY, 9:24am: The Wizards are among the teams talking to the Cavs about Deng, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who notes that Washington tried to acquire Deng from the Bulls this past summer.
WEDNESDAY, 4:24pm: Deng would be hesitant to commit to an extension with any club, and that makes a trade unlikely, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Of course, anxiety surrounding his free agency was the very reason noted earlier for why the Cavs might trade him. Wojnarowski adds the Pistons and Pacers to the list of teams that have had conversations with the Cavs about Deng, but there’s no traction toward a deal as clubs are reluctant to surrender assets for a player who can walk away this summer. Deng has expressed a willingness to at least consider re-signing with the Cavaliers, according to Wojnarowski, who adds there’s increasing doubt around the league that the Lakers will make a run at him in the offseason.
2:21pm: The Mavs have contacted the Cavs about trading for Deng, but they lack the assets to get a deal done, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports in a pair of tweets.
10:35am: Windhorst, in his full story, clarifies that the Cavs aren’t determined to trade Deng, but are gauging the market to see what they could get for him. The ESPN.com scribe identifies the Lakers and Mavs as among the teams expected to chase him in free agency this summer.
10:28am: The Cavs have made Deng available to several teams, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Still, the team is not looking to trade him, a source tells The Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
10:04am: Cleveland has spoken to the Kings and Warriors about Deng, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link). There’s been no shortage of inquiries from clubs around the league, and the Cavs are “clearly” open to hearing pitches, Amico also tweets.
9:46am: The Cavs are worried that Luol Deng won’t re-sign with them this summer, and have begun to investigate the willingness of other teams to trade for the small forward they acquired just last month, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Rival executives have expressed a belief that Cleveland should try to trade him for a top-level first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Sources told Marc Stein of ESPN.com earlier this month that there was little or no chance Deng would re-sign. That story came out shortly after the Cavs replaced former GM Chris Grant with David Griffin, but before the club began its ongoing five-game winning streak.
The Bulls extracted salary relief, a pair of second-round picks, a protected first-rounder and the right to swap first-round picks with the Cavs in 2015 when they traded Deng in January, and it’s doubtful his value has changed much. Chicago sent Deng out alone in that deal, and Cleveland would have to do the same. Teams aren’t allowed to package any players with someone they acquired via trade within the last two months, though the Cavs could attach draft compensation or cash to Deng if they like.
Pistons Shopping Josh Smith, Want Assets
12:28pm: The Cavs are not interested in Smith, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
11:20am: Other teams say Pistons indeed shopping Josh Smith, but they’re demanding more than just dead expirings, tweets Zach Lowe of Grantland.com. It has been reported that Joe Dumars & Co. have been eager to deal the veteran forward but, so far, they have been unable to find a taker.
It’s safe to say that the Pistons are having a bit of buyer’s remorse when it comes to Smith. Detroit signed Smith to a hefty four-year, $54MM deal that could reach $56MM through incentives. After Dwight Howard and Chris Paul – universally regarded as free agents 1A and 1B came off the market – Smith was the top prize to be had for clubs with cap space. Today, they’d like to move on from the 28-year-old, but they want more than a salary cap reset.
While Smith is averaging a respectable 15.9 PPG and 7.0 RPG, he’s putting up career lows in field goal percentage (41.7%) and PER (14.8).
Cavs Shop Tyler Zeller, Eye Reggie Bullock
12:24pm: Discussion stalled when the Clippers tried to make it a three-for-one swap, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who notes Cleveland remains on the lookout for an “athletic/shooting” small forward.
11:58am: Talks have hit a snag, and a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports that a deal is “not happening” (Twitter link).
11:03am: Doc Rivers is high on Zeller, having wanted to draft him for the Celtics in 2012, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (on Twitter).
10:50am: The Cavs have had discussions with the Clippers about swapping Zeller for Reggie Bullock, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
9:00am: The Cavaliers have been aggressively shopping Tyler Zeller the past few days, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Zeller’s role is in line to be reduced, since the Cavs have agreed to trade for Spencer Hawes.
Zeller, the 17th overall pick in 2012, has already seen his playing time reduced this season after he started 55 games as a rookie. He’s averaging 4.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game. Zeller makes $1.633MM on his rookie-scale contract, and he’s due a little more than $1.7MM next season.
There’s been little chatter about Zeller this season, but he was reportedly involved in an early version of a proposal to the Bulls for Luol Deng this past summer. That was while former GM Chris Grant was at the controls in Cleveland, and it appears new GM David Griffin isn’t quite as willing to wait for the already 24-year-old center develop into a more productive player.
Cavs Receive Offer Of First-Rounder For Waiters
THURSDAY, 12:21pm: The Cavs continue to receive offers for Waiters, but they’re still making it clear they won’t trade him, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
WEDNESDAY, 10:08am: At least one team has offered the Cavaliers a first-round pick for Dion Waiters, but a deal is nonetheless unlikely, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. It’s unclear whether it’s a likely lottery pick or one destined to fall in the 20s, or what sort of protections would be attached, but it’s still perhaps the strongest indication to date that the Cavs are unwilling to part with the second-year shooting guard.
A December report indicated Cavs owner Dan Gilbert was high on Waiters and wanted to keep him amid rumors that stemmed from a team meeting around that time. Some executives around the league have continued to believe Waiters would be available before the deadline, but it appears that if he is, the 2012 fourth overall pick will come with quite a high price tag.
Kyrie Irving recently referred to Waiters as a friend, helping dispel the notion that the Cavs guards were at odds. Waiters’ production has plateaued in his second year in the league, but he is shooting the deep ball better, making 36.3% of his three-point attempts compared this season compared to 31% last year.
Latest On Harrison Barnes
THURSDAY, 11:26am: The Cavs have also asked the Warriors about Barnes, but Golden State doesn’t intend to trade him, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 8:08am: The Grizzlies are going after Harrison Barnes as they seek to upgrade their small forward spot, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. The Warriors are looking for a quality backup big man, but Memphis will clearly have to give up more than Kosta Koufos to acquire Barnes, Amick notes (Twitter link). The Warriors have received a deluge of calls about their second-year small forward, but they’ve been unwilling to trade him unless they can get a marquee player in return, as Amick reported last week.
Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob said a week ago that the team is unlikely to trade Barnes, Klay Thompson or Stephen Curry, and the Warriors have reportedly told Barnes that he won’t be dealt, barring a blockbuster. The seventh overall pick in 2012 is averaging just 10.4 points in 29.2 minutes per game, but he’s shooting 40.9% from three-point range.
Memphis appears ready to shake up its rotation, if not its core, having begun discussions with the Wolves about shipping Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince to Minnesota for Chase Budinger and J.J. Barea. It would be tough for the Grizzlies, or any team, to construct a trade for Barnes without taking back at least one other high-salaried player, since Barnes is making only a little more than $2.9MM on his rookie scale contract. Most players making that much or less wouldn’t constitute the sort of return the Warriors are looking for. While Golden State has a trade exception worth more than $9.8MM available, absorbing that much salary without sending nearly as much out would put the team into the luxury tax.
Cavs Consider Deal For Spencer Hawes
The Cavaliers are eyeing Spencer Hawes, among many potential targets, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Hawes is among a trio of veterans for whom Philadelphia has been demanding a first-round pick. The Cavs have their own 2014 first-rounder, and a pair of extra first round picks that could come their way for 2015.
The Rockets have also shown interest in Hawes in connection to talks surrounding Omer Asik. Hawes, who’s making $6.6MM this year, will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end
The Cavs already have Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson, Tyler Zeller and Anthony Bennett, among others, competing for time on the interior. That would make Hawes, a 7’0″ center, a tough squeeze onto the roster. The 25-year-old is nonetheless having a career year, putting up his best-ever numbers in points, rebounds, assists and three-point shooting.