Cavs Pushing To Acquire Mavs’ First-Round Pick
The Cavaliers are pushing to make a deal for the Mavericks' 13th overall pick, with a focus on drafting Sergey Karasev, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). It's not clear what Cleveland is offering, but various reports have suggested the Cavs would have to give up either the 19th pick or the 31st and 33rd picks for Shawn Marion and No. 13.
It doesn't appear likely Karasev will still be on the board if the Cavs stay put at No. 19. Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter) that the Cavs believe they have to at least get ahead of the Bucks at No. 15 to have a shot at the Russian forward, but it's possible they'd have to move even higher. During a chat earlier today, ESPN.com's Chad Ford named Karasev as a potential target for the Sixers (No. 11) and the Thunder (No. 12).
If the Mavs keep their first-round pick, Karasev would also be a likely target for them, since the club is looking to clear cap space to make a run at Dwight Howard. Karasev is a potential draft-and-stash candidate, though the club is reportedly much more likely to simply trade the pick.
Ford’s Latest: Draft Rumors, Aldridge, Jazz, Pacers
ESPN.com's Chad Ford is staying busy as Thursday night nears, chatting with fans this afternoon and also publishing a new story with Marc Stein on the latest draft-related rumors and rumblings. Here are the highlights from both links:
- Stein reported earlier today that the Cavaliers were offering the No. 19 pick to the Rockets for Thomas Robinson, but that pick may also be necessary to complete another deal, whether it's a Shawn Marion trade with the Mavericks or a bigger move. If the Cavs can't finalize another trade though, they'd try to acquire Robinson with that pick, according to Stein and Ford.
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal is skeptical that the Cavs would really offer the 19th pick for Robinson, since the team didn't have much interest in him as of a couple weeks ago (Twitter link).
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link) is also hearing, like Stein and Ford, that the Cavaliers are still trying to figure out a way to make a "mega-deal." Even if the Cavs are interested in such a move, they'd have to find a willing partner, which has been tricky so far. Ford notes in his chat that the Cavs would likely have to include Tristan Thompson along with the No. 1 pick to pull off something big.
- If the Rockets can make a Robinson trade with the Cavs or Bulls, they'd almost certainly use that first-round pick to draft-and-stash an international player, according to Ford and Stein. Sergey Karasev, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lucas Nogueira, Dennis Schroeder, and Rudy Gobert are potential targets.
- Ford wouldn't be shocked if the Bobcats traded down with the Wolves and used the No. 9 pick to draft Cody Zeller. Minnesota is attempting to trade into the top five.
- Positional need likely won't be a major priority for the Kings, according to Ford, who adds that he thinks Sacramento's roster will be significantly overhauled by opening night of 2013/14.
- Ford anticipates the Trail Blazers will "seriously listen" to LaMarcus Aldridge trade offers this summer.
- If the Jazz want to move into the top 10 to take a top point guard, they'll probably have to make Alec Burks available, rather than just the Nos. 14 and 21 picks, says Ford.
- The Pacers are trying to trade the No. 23 pick, and have been linked to both Robinson and Jimmer Fredette, according to Ford.
Eastern Notes: Garnett, Cavaliers, Nets, Hawks
A few notes from around the NBA's Eastern Conference.
- The Nets are inquiring about Kevin Garnett's interest to waive his no-trade clause and play in Brooklyn, according to New York Daily News reporter Stefan Bondy.
- Terry Pluto from the Cleveland Plain Dealer argues that the Cavaliers would be wise to trade the first overall pick in Thursday's draft, depending on what's available. Pluto covers most rumors he's heard, including the pick for Paul Pierce, Luol Deng, and LaMarcus Aldridge.
- The Nets will hold their final pre-draft work out on Wednesday, according to the team's official site. Louisville's Gorgui Dieng will be in attendance.
- Hoopsworld.com's Lang Greene believes the Hawks will be looking to package their two first round draft picks to make a trade on Thursday night.
- The Bucks and Pistons are two teams reportedly interested in free agent shooting guard J.R. Smith, tweets ESPNNY.com's Ian Begley.
Cavs Rumors: Robinson, Noel, Len, Trades
A Houston Chronicle report earlier today indicated that the Rockets were in "advanced talks" on a deal that would see them trade Thomas Robinson, citing the Cavaliers and Spurs as a couple possible trade partners. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, the Cavs are indeed engaged in trade discussions with Houston, working on the logistics of a possible Robinson acquisition while attempting to keep a potential deal with the Mavericks alive. Here's more from Amico:
- Multiple league executives believe the Cavs are looking big with the first overall pick, since the team has been trying to acquire a veteran small forward via trade. The No. 1 pick will likely come down to Nerlens Noel vs. Alex Len, according to Amico.
- The Cavs have had discussions about trading their second-round picks (Nos. 31 and 33) with the Celtics, Mavericks, and Timberwolves, says Amico. However, when Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities asked a Wolves source about the possibility, he was told, "We did not buy an NBDL team" (Twitter link).
- On a conference call earlier today, ESPN.com's Chad Ford talked about the possibility of the Thunder trying to acquire the No. 1 pick, suggesting the team would likely have to give up Serge Ibaka to make it work. According to Amico, the Thunder have made it clear to other teams that they're not interested in moving Ibaka, though they remain willing trade partners.
- While a deal with OKC is unlikely, the Cavs are expected to continue to explore trade options involving the No. 1 pick up until the draft. Amico notes that the team may not feel as if any of the bigs in the draft are ideal fits.
- The Cavs are also "highly reluctant" to part with any 2014 picks via trade, says Amico.
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets that he's more convinced than ever the Cavs are trying to move up from No. 19, and says to keep an eye on the Mavs' pick at No. 13.
Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Magic, Wizards, Suns, Kings
ESPN.com's Chad Ford has published version 6.0 of his 2013 mock draft, with just over 48 hours remaining until draft night. As he has been for all six of Ford's mocks, Nerlens Noel remains in the No. 1 spot. The ESPN.com scribe wrote a lengthy piece last night on why he thinks the Cavaliers are still likely to select Noel, and provides details on plenty of other first-round teams in his new mock, so let's check out the highlights….
- The Magic are prepared to leap on Noel if he's there at No. 2, but if the Cavs take him, Orlando's choice becomes trickier. Ford continues to hear that the Magic are leaning toward Victor Oladipo over Ben McLemore and others., though Cody Zeller could be a dark horse.
- Otto Porter appears to be ahead of Anthony Bennett for the Wizards at No. 3.
- Although Ford has the Suns selecting McLemore at No. 5, he says Phoenix prefers Oladipo and also likes Zeller and Michael Carter-Williams.
- If Porter or Alex Len are still on the board at No. 6, the Pelicans will probably draft one of the two, but if not, the team may target a point guard like Carter-Williams or Trey Burke, says Ford.
- C.J. McCollum has emerged as a potential selection for the Kings at No. 7.
- The Trail Blazers wouldn't be opposed to drafting Carter-Williams if he slides to No. 10, since he has the necessary to play alongside Damian Lillard, according to Ford.
- If the Cavs end up acquiring the Mavericks' 13th overall pick, Cleveland would probably use it to draft Sergey Karasev.
- Ford has Shabazz Muhammad slipping all the way to No. 18 (Hawks) in this version of his mock.
Latest On Paul Pierce
Although the Cavaliers and Bucks are among the teams that have expressed interest in Paul Pierce, the longtime Celtic is unlikely to be sent to either of those clubs if he's traded this week, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. Stein reports that the C's have shown an inclination to work with Pierce in an effort to send him to a favorable destination if they make a deal by week's end.
Boston continues to seek a first-rounder for Pierce, so if the team receives an offer from a contending team willing to give up a first-round pick, the 35-year-old could be moved within the next few days. However, if such a deal doesn't materialize, the Celtics are prepared to guarantee Pierce's full $15MM+ salary, since the club believes he'll still have trade value throughout the offseason and up until the 2014 trade deadline. Pierce's contract is currently partially guaranteed for $5MM, but will become fully guaranteed if he's not waived on or before Sunday.
Although the Celtics' decision to let Doc Rivers out of his contract to join the Clippers, in exchange for a first-round pick, may have signaled the start of a rebuilding period, it's still possible that Boston could start the 2013/14 season with Pierce and Kevin Garnett on the roster. According to Stein, the Celtics believe retaining Pierce may help convince KG to stick around without Rivers, rather than retiring or asking for a trade.
It's also possible that Pierce could be dealt this week to a team that intends to buy him out for the cap savings, says Stein. In that scenario, Pierce could end up reuniting with Rivers by signing with the Clippers in July.
Kyler’s Latest: Bledsoe, Marion, Warriors, Deng
With the 2013 draft now just two days away, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld tackled some of the most frequently mentioned trade rumors, passing along the latest updates he's heard on Eric Bledsoe, Shawn Marion, and others in today's NBA AM piece. Here are the highlights:
- A rumored deal that would send Bledsoe and Caron Butler to the Magic in exchange for Arron Afflalo may also include Andrew Nicholson and/or a 2015 draft pick going to the Clippers, says Kyler. L.A. appears to be exploring all its options for Bledsoe, but if no team tops Orlando's offer, a trade could happen on draft night.
- While the Mavericks are denying that Marion would be attached to a deal involving the No. 13 pick, Kyler is hearing that there are two scenarios on the table that include Marion and the pick. One is with the Cavaliers, while the other is with the Pelicans. A Marion deal isn't necessarily Cleveland's top priority, however, and the fact that Marion has yet to officially exercise his 2013/14 player option may also be complicating discussions.
- The Warriors would like to trade into the draft and pick up a late first-round pick, but given the team's proximity to the tax line, adding a guaranteed rookie salary to the books may not make sense for Golden State.
- Breaking down the latest Luol Deng rumors, Kyler notes that it makes sense for Deng to play out the final year of his contract with the Bulls, but adds that he's heard a couple sources describe an eventual Deng trade as "inevitable."
- Following up on the rumor that the Cavaliers tried to acquire LaMarcus Aldridge, Kyler says there are rumblings the Suns made a play for Aldridge as well. It seems unlikely that the Trail Blazers would move the big man at this point, but there's certainly a market for him.
- Kyler confirms that the Timberwolves, who have been very aggressive over the last few weeks, tried to make a play for MarShon Brooks involving the No. 26 pick.
Draft Rumors: No. 1 Pick, Blazers, Kings
The draft is right around the corner and Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN.com have the latest rumblings as we approach Thursday..
- The Cavaliers reached out to the Trail Blazers in an attempt to land LaMarcus Aldridge for the Nos. 1 and 19 picks but the Blazers quickly rebuffed them, sources say. Late Monday night, we heard that the Blazers, Thunder, and T-Wolves have been the most proactive in trying to deal for the No. 1 pick.
- The Kings want a second first-round pick and are using Jimmer Fredette as bait. Sources say Sacramento has reached out to several teams in the mid-to-late first round in an attempt to secure another pick and the Pacers and Jazz are potential destinations for the guard. Kings coach Mike Malone is high on Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tony Snell, but the Kings feel that they can get them much lower in the draft.
- In addition to the Pacers' Fredette discussions, sources say Indiana has made the No. 23 pick available in hopes that they can unload Gerald Green's contract.
- The Nets are shopping MarShon Brooks and sources say they want a first-round pick in return. If the T-Wolves give up the No. 26 pick, they'll probably have a deal on draft night. Yesterday it was reported that the two sides have discussed Brooks.
- The Wolves want to move higher up in the draft to select Victor Oladipo. They're offering Derrick Williams, the No. 9 and the No. 26 pick to move up, but so far haven't found a taker.
- The Rockets badly want to move Aaron Brooks or Carlos Delfino in conjunction with the draft before they have to just let them go in order to create as much cap space as possible for Dwight Howard.
Odds & Ends: Rivers, Granger, Ellis, Muhammad
Doc Rivers is sold on the "new" Clippers, but still isn't sold on owner Donald Sterling. That could be part of the delay in the two sides hammering out the final details of his contract. A source close to Rivers told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald he was getting pulled hard in different directions last week as the Celtics and Clippers were negotiating a deal.
On one hand, Doc had coaching types telling him he had to jump at the opportunity to coach Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. However, others told him he would be crazy to step into the asylum that has been the Clippers over the years. Regardless, the contract seems like nothing but a formality at this point and we should see Rivers introduced as the new head man in L.A. this week. Here's more from around the Association..
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com hears that the Cavs are engaged in trade talks with a number of teams and sources say the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Blazers have been the most proactive in trying to get the No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, Ford still believes that Cleveland will go with Nerlens Noel if they keep the top selection.
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) asked an NBA executive for some names that are hot-and-heavy in trade talks. The names he got back were the Pacers' Danny Granger, the Bucks' Monta Ellis (sign and trade), the Rockets' Thomas Robinson, and the Wizards' Jan Vesely.
- Brian Shaw's deal with the Nuggets will be either three years or four years, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Nuggets hired the Indiana assistant earlier this evening.
- A source tells Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) that UCLA product Shabazz Muhammad worked out for the Pistons today. The source said that the audition went well for the guard/forward.
- The Wolves are still offering Derrick Williams around the league to see what they can get for him, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. The T-Wolves reportedly believe that Williams and the No. 9 pick can vault them into the top three.
- Recently appointed Kings assistant GM Mike Bratz said he's more of a see and "feel" guy in evaluating talent, but does use stats and analytics, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
- Former Celtics standout Antoine Walker told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) that he is "serious" about becoming an NBA coach.
Cavs Rumors: Marion, Pierce, Varejao, Deng, Clark
Armed with four of the top 33 picks in the draft, plenty of cap space, and young talent, no team has the potential to be more active over the next week than the Cavaliers, who also hold the first overall pick in Thursday's draft. The team is at the subject of several rumors today, so let's round up the highlights….
- Previous reports have suggested that the Mavericks are looking to shed Shawn Marion's salary and have talked to the Cavaliers about a possible deal. However, sources tell ESPN.com's Marc Stein that while Cleveland is interested in Marion, the Mavs aren't necessarily eager to deal him, and Dallas hasn't had any trade discussions involving Marion.
- The Marion situation is an odd once, since the veteran forward still hasn't officially exercised his player option for next season, and would have to do so if he were to be traded this week. Marion has until Friday to make a decision on the option. I would guess if he's dealt, it will happen in July, when that option has already been picked up and teams like the Cavs will be able to absorb his salary in their cap space.
- Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has different details on Marion than Stein's, writing that the Cavs have talked to Dallas about Marion and are debating whether or not they'd want to take on his salary. Based on where Stein and Amico are located, I'd guess Stein's sources are connected to the Mavs and Amico's to the Cavs, so there could be some level of posturing happening from those sources on one or both sides.
- At least ten teams have been in contact with the Cavs about the No. 1 pick, according to Amico, who says the Pelicans and Kings are among the most recent calls. Amico echoes what we've heard in the last several weeks, noting that Cleveland's asking price is high.
- According to Amico, the Cavs' talks with the Celtics about Paul Pierce aren't as serious as they've been portrayed elsewhere, and Cleveland's reported offer of the 31st and 33rd picks isn't necessarily "the entire truth."
- One team has inquired about Anderson Varejao, but the Cavs haven't been too receptive so far, says Amico.
- Amico also reports that the Cavs have talked to the Timberwolves about a draft trade, but that Cleveland isn't too keen on moving down to ninth — the Cavs would rather stay in the top five or six if they trade down.
- Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game wrote yesterday (via Sulia) that the Cavs have some level of interest in Luol Deng. Amico hears from sources that the Cavs "may have floated" the idea of a package that would include the No. 19 pick and a young player like Tyler Zeller.
- One general manager tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News that the Cavs haven't been "aggressively" shopping the first overall pick, but "it's been out there."
- According to Deveney, the Cavs figure to pursue power forwards in free agency, and one source says Earl Clark will be among the club's top targets.