Latest On LaMarcus Aldridge
9:48am: Hughes, the Blazers assistant who said the team expected Aldridge to depart, has no knowledge of Portland’s free agent dealings, as The Oregonian’s Jason Quick hears (Twitter link).
8:29am: The Raptors did well in their meeting with Aldridge, but it’s unlikely he picks them, TNT’s David Aldridge tweets.
THURSDAY, 8:22am: Blazers assistant coach Kim Hughes told WTHI-TV of Terre Haute, Indiana, on Tuesday that the team expected Aldridge to leave, as Mike Tokito of The Oregonian transcribes (video link; scroll ahead to 2:05 mark).
“Well, people don’t realize we just went young,” Hughes said. “We didn’t publicize it, but we lost LaMarcus Aldridge. It hasn’t been declared yet, but I’m sure he won’t come back. We will go young.”
5:22pm: The Suns have emerged as contenders along with the Spurs to land Aldridge, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.
3:53pm: The Blazers aren’t to be counted out for Aldridge yet, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who indicated in his last tweet that Aldridge was staying in touch with his incumbent team.
3:44pm: San Antonio impressed Aldridge the most, with the Rockets a close second, Wojnarowski hears (Twitter link).
3:36pm: The Lakers are out of the running for Aldridge, who disliked the basketball portion of the team’s presentation, Bresnahan reports (Twitter link). Aldridge was “floored in a good way” by Houston’s analytics and their on-court projections as he met with them, Bresnahan adds in a second tweet. Aldridge didn’t hear the answers he wanted to hear from Bryant during the Lakers meeting, Bresnahan also hears (Twitter link). Moreover, Aldridge wanted more of a basketball focus to the meeting, Wojnarowski tweets.
3:01pm: The Suns’ deal with Tyson Chandler piqued Aldridge’s interest, as USA Today’s Sam Amick hears. Phoenix wouldn’t have the cap space for both, so it would have to clear salary. Marc Stein of ESPN.com suggests that Portland might have interest in a sign-and-trade of Aldridge involving Eric Bledsoe, given that GM Neil Olshey drafted Bledsoe (Twitter links), though the latest report on Bledsoe indicates that the Suns will not deal him.
2:44pm: Aldridge won’t be re-signing with the Blazers, a source close to his situation tells Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling, identifying the Spurs, Lakers, Mavs and Rockets as front-runners (Twitter link). Still, the Spurs made a “powerful” presentation to Aldridge today and their status as the favorites remains unchanged, according to what Wojnarowski is hearing (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 12:11pm: The Spurs are the front-runners for LaMarcus Aldridge as they meet today, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, and some executives around the league are starting to think that the All-Star will sign with San Antonio, according to Grantland’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link). The Lakers didn’t make a strong impression on Aldridge in their meeting overnight, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), though Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com heard that it went “really well,” as we passed along earlier. Kobe Bryant told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that he also believed the meeting went well, but the Lakers star came away without a firm belief of what the notoriously fickle power forward would do (Twitter link). Aldridge was “engaged” but “noncommittal” in the meeting, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times hears (Twitter link).
San Antonio is meeting today with the client of Arn Tellem and Thaddeus Foucher, and the general feeling around the league is that the team’s deal with Danny Green and trade agreement that sends out Tiago Splitter and his salary are positives for the team’s pursuit of Aldridge, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (on Twitter). The Blazers are apparently unlikely to sign-and-trade Aldridge, so clearing cap room is key.
The Rockets, Suns, Mavericks, Raptors and Knicks are also on Aldridge’s list of meetings, as TNT’s David Aldridge reported. Aldridge’s meeting with Houston has apparently already happened, with the Rockets still seemingly unlikely to reel him in, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
And-Ones: Harris, Barea, Matthews
Jamal Crawford (Clippers), Jon Leuer (Suns) and Anthony Tolliver (Pistons) had their salaries fully guaranteed when they remained on their respective rosters Tuesday, as the schedule of salary guarantee dates indicates, along with Robert Sacre (Lakers) and Chris Kaman (Blazers), as we previously noted. Matt Barnes (Grizzlies) joins that group today, while Langston Galloway (Knicks) and Markel Brown (Nets) pick up partial guarantees of $220K and $100K, respectively. Cory Jefferson was originally thought to have a partial guarantee coming his way if he stuck on the Nets roster through today, but he’ll remain non-guaranteed until July 15th, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Magic would not be willing to match a max salary offer sheet to restricted free agent forward Tobias Harris, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe relays (Twitter link). The Hawks could be a potential suitor, though Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders noted previously that Atlanta’s level of interest in Harris was dependent on how the team’s pursuit of its own free agents, DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap, went. Millsap is reportedly set to ink a three-year, $58MM pact with Atlanta, and Carroll is on his way to the Raptors after inking a four-year, $60MM contract.
- Free agent point guard J.J. Barea is leaning toward signing with the Heat, David Aldridge of TNT tweets. Barea appeared in 77 games for the Mavs last season, averaging 7.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 17.7 minutes per contest.
- The Raptors and the Mavericks are still battling over free agent Wesley Matthews, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. Toronto is still in on Matthews despite signing Carroll, Stein notes.
- The Wizards have expressed interest in free agent swingman Alan Anderson, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post tweets.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Wright, Asik, Crowder, Lin
In the wake of losing free agent big man Tyson Chandler to the Suns, the Mavericks reached out to center Brandan Wright, J. Michael of CSNWashington.com tweets. Wright, whom the team dealt as part of the package to acquire Rajon Rondo from the Celtics last season, agreed to a three year, $18MM deal with the Grizzlies earlier this evening. Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Pelicans are in discussions with free agent Omer Asik about the center re-signing with the team, John Reid of The Times Picayune tweets. Blazers‘ free agent big man Robin Lopez doesn’t appear to be an option for New Orleans at this point, Reid adds.
- The Mavericks are intent on adding depth at point guard this offseason, and were one of the first teams to reach out to free agent Jeremy Lin, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter). Dallas has also touched base with Patrick Beverley, J.J. Barea, and Nick Calathes, Tim MacMahon tweets.
- The Clippers and Mavericks are among the teams that have expressed interest in free agent point guard C.J. Watson, Kennedy relays (Twitter link).
- The Mavericks and the Celtics are the frontrunners to sign free agent swingman Jae Crowder, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (via Twitter).
- The Pelicans and Mavs have both been in contact with free agent forward Richard Jefferson, Chris Mannix of SI.com relays (on Twitter).
- The Rockets are intent on re-signing Corey Brewer, and Houston was the first team to contact the swingman when the free agent signing period commenced, Kennedy tweets.
- The Pelicans, Rockets, and Knicks have expressed interest in unrestricted free agent center Kendrick Perkins, Royce Young of ESPN.com relays (Twitter link).
- Denver’s top priorities in free agency are to re-sign Jameer Nelson and Will Barton, according to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. The Nuggets are strong contenders for Nelson, and the general expectation is that they’ll keep Barton, as Dempsey details. The team would also like to re-sign Darrell Arthur but expects the Pistons, among others, to make a run at him, Dempsey writes.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Celtics, Jae Crowder Make Progress In Talks
Jae Crowder is progressing in discussions about a deal to re-sign with the Celtics, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). Charania tweeted earlier that the Mavericks, who dealt Crowder to Boston in December, and Celtics were front-runners for the Glenn Schwartzman client.
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made it clear this spring that he wanted to re-sign the former 34th overall pick. Crowder has hoped to return, but not before testing the market.
Paul Millsap Deciding Between Magic, Hawks
1:18pm: Millsap is leaning toward re-signing with the Hawks, according to Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops and Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links).
11:11am: The Hawks are confident they can retain Millsap, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
8:48am: Paul Millsap met with the Magic overnight, reports Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune (on Twitter), and at this point he’s deciding between those two teams, as Jones and TNT’s David Aldridge report (Twitter links), even though the Pacers and Mavericks also have interest, according to Jones (Twitter link). Orlando offered the power forward a four-year, $80MM deal, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN (on Twitter). The Knicks are interested, too, but Millsap won’t meet with them, nor will he do so with Indiana or Dallas, Broussard adds (Twitter link).
Atlanta has made the same offer the Magic have, Broussard writes in a full story. Their offers appear to be for the max, as the estimated starting salary for a player with Millsap’s experience is roughly $19MM, though that figure doesn’t factor in any rise in the cap projection that would lift the max by about $600K. If the cap winds up as much as $2MM over the previously projected $67.1MM figure, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported was a distinct possibility, it would ostensibly help the Hawks retain both Millsap and DeMarre Carroll, though Orlando’s aggressive entry into the Millsap sweepstakes keeps the pressure on. Atlanta, armed with only Early Bird rights on the two of them, had been losing faith in the idea of re-signing them both.
The Jazz reportedly planned an active pursuit, but as free agency drew near, and especially after the selection of Trey Lyles at pick No. 12 last week, Utah increasingly appeared to be a long shot, tweets Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. Orlando’s play for Millsap is a significant development for the club that’s been in a rebuilding phase since trading Dwight Howard nearly three years ago, and if the Magic land Millsap and turn away from fellow forward Tobias Harris as a result, it could well have implications for the restricted free agency market, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Magic have long coveted Millsap, having attempted to trade for him before the 2012/13 season, notes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
Latest On Tyson Chandler
WEDNESDAY, 1:14pm: The Bucks look like a decreasingly likely destination for Chandler, reports Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com (Twitter link), as do the Mavs, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter), leaving the Clippers and Lakers in better position, Stein says.
TUESDAY, 10:37pm: The Lakers are the latest team with interest in Tyson Chandler, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck heard chatter earlier today about Chandler and Kevin Love joining the Lakers in tandem. Love is meeting with the Lakers this week, as Broussard also reports.
The other Los Angeles team has interest in a sign-and-trade for Chandler if DeAndre Jordan bolts, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com wrote this evening, advancing an earlier report from Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that the Mavs were pondering such a move. The Mavs would like to re-sign Chandler if they miss out on Jordan, as MacMahon has detailed, but Milwaukee and Chandler have mutual interest, according to Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.
Chandler is finishing up a contract that paid him nearly $14.847MM with Dallas this past season. He’s a client of Jeff Schwartz, who’s represented Bucks coach Jason Kidd. The Lakers are dreaming of signing both LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan, so Chandler would presumably be down their list of priorities.
Mavs, Raptors Meet With Wesley Matthews
12:46pm: The Raptors have a meeting set with Matthews, reports Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). Toronto would likely have to offload a significant amount of salary to afford him, given the Carroll deal. DeMar DeRozan has been heavily involved in the recruitment of both, according to USA Today’s Sam Amick (on Twitter), so presumably he won’t be on the move if the Raptors trade anyone. Meanwhile, Stein indicates that Toronto’s meeting with Matthews has already happened (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 11:41am: Dallas is considered the front-runner for Matthews, Grantland’s Zach Lowe tweets. Toronto has a deal with DeMarre Carroll, so presumably that’ll take the Raptors out of the running.
TUESDAY, 11:44pm: The Mavs and Matthews are meeting this evening, at the same time a different Mavs contingent is with DeAndre Jordan, according to Stein (on Twitter).
12:30pm: New York is among the teams on Matthews’ radar, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, who nonetheless expresses pessimism that the money would work for both sides.
8:58am: The Raptors and Mavs have interest in signing Wesley Matthews, who’s ahead of schedule as he rehabs his torn left Achilles tendon, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News first reported the interest from Dallas. The Jeff Austin client is seeking about $15MM on his next deal, as Sam Amick of USA Today reported earlier.
The Celtics and Knicks are also reportedly interested. All four teams, as well as the incumbent Blazers, have the cap flexibility necessary to pay the swingman what he’s seeking, though it would seem they all have higher priorities, including LaMarcus Aldridge, a teammate and close friend of Matthews. It would be a tight squeeze for the Mavs and Knicks to sign both to the sorts of deals that Aldridge, who can command the max, and Matthews are looking for, and it would be virtually impossible for the Raptors and Celtics to do so unless they clear salary via trade. The Blazers, who have Bird rights on both, have the greatest capacity to sign the pair, but Aldridge is reportedly almost certain to leave Portland.
Matthews, a career 39.3% three-point shooter and fifth in ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus/Minus among shooting guards, would fit the three-and-D type the Mavs reportedly plan to seek if they sign Aldridge. Matthews would be a more difficult fit in Toronto, where DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross are under contract on the wings.
Jimmy Butler Ponders Max Offer From Bulls
10:46am: The Bulls are open to a player option, Johnson reports (Twitter link).
9:17am: The Happy Walters client is strongly leaning toward Chicago’s five-year offer instead of a shorter deal, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
12:48am: Butler wants a player option in any deal that he signs, and while he may shop himself to other teams if the Bulls don’t grant that request, Chicago would still match any offer, according to K.C. Johnson the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links).
WEDNESDAY, 12:12am: The swingman is thinking about doing a five-year max deal that includes a player option on the last season with the Bulls, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.
TUESDAY, 11:09am: Butler put off meetings with the Lakers, Celtics, Sixers and Mavs when the Bulls made their max qualifying offer and is now deciding how many years to sign for on a deal with Chicago, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
MONDAY, 3:43pm: The Bulls have given Jimmy Butler a maximum qualifying offer, meaning other teams can’t sign him to an offer sheet that runs fewer than three years, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). Those three years can’t include an option. Opposing teams would otherwise be limited to offer sheets of at least two years had Chicago merely extended a standard qualifying offer. The Bulls have also made the standard QO, worth nearly $4.434MM, that Butler can accept if he is intent on reaching unrestricted free agency as quickly as possible, though that would entail great financial sacrifice this season.
The max qualifying offer, by rule, is a fully guaranteed five years with a starting salary at the max and 7.5% raises. It can’t include any option years. The Bulls and Butler are free to negotiate different terms, but it nonetheless raises the stakes, with Butler reportedly wanting to sign a short-term deal with the Lakers.
David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune reported back in January that the Bulls planned a max offer for Butler, so today’s news is no surprise. Still, paying an estimated max salary of around $19MM to Butler next season will likely send the Bulls, who already have about $63MM in guaranteed salary for 2015/16, into tax territory, with the tax line projected to come in at $81.6MM.
Free Agent Rumors: Gasol, Carroll, Green, Lin
The Grizzlies and Marc Gasol are likely to reach a deal, as long expected, today or Thursday, as TNT’s David Aldridge hears (Twitter link). Gasol and Grizzlies owner Robert Pera are both in Spain today, working out the details on a new deal, a source tells TNT’s David Aldridge (Twitter link). While we wait for what appears to be an inevitable conclusion for the Arn Tellem client, here’s more from the first day of free agency:
- The Pistons are believed to have spoken to DeMarre Carroll overnight, according to Terry Foster of the Detroit News.
- New York would reportedly like to meet with Danny Green, and that interest appears mutual, as “anybody turning down a meeting with them would be crazy,” Green said to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I don’t think people are scared of the Knicks,’’ Green said. “They’re rebuilding. … Some guys want to go where they’re already winning. They get a couple of good pieces this summer, I’m sure it’ll attact more guys.’’
- Jeremy Lin heard from the Lakers overnight, and the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Pacers, Bulls and Clippers, a league source told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Still, Lin appears unlikely to re-sign with the Lakers, Media opines on Twitter.
- The Lakers reached out to Wayne Ellington overnight, and the Cavaliers, Warriors, Wizards, Spurs and Hawks also showed interest, Medina reports in a separate piece.
- Willie Green and the Knicks have engaged in preliminary discussions, speaking twice since free agency began overnight, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.
- Mike Dunleavy had no shortage of interest from others, but he’s quite pleased about his new deal with the Bulls, as he expressed to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). “I’m thrilled to be back,” Dunleavy said. “It’s a really fair deal. I’m looking forward to playing for [coach Fred Hoiberg] and love our team.”
- The Magic‘s apparent four-year, $80MM offer to Paul Millsap has executives more optimistic that Orlando won’t match offers for restricted free agent Tobias Harris, reports Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Marc Stein of ESPN.com had speculated as much earlier.
And-Ones: Harris, Brewer, Anderson
The Hawks could be a potential suitor for Magic forward Tobias Harris, who became a restricted free agent after Orlando extended him a qualifying offer on Tuesday, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter). Atlanta’s level of interest in Harris is dependent on how the team’s pursuit of its own free agents, DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap, goes, Kennedy adds. Here’s more from around the league:
- The Clippers, Knicks, and Lakers all put in calls on free agent center DeAndre Jordan during his dinner with the Mavericks, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets.
- Unrestricted free agent Corey Brewer has had phone conversations with the Rockets, Celtics and Knicks since the start of free agency, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Brewer and his representatives sat down for a meeting with the Lakers on Tuesday night, Wojnarowski adds.
- Alan Anderson, who bypassed his player option for 2015/16 worth $1,333,484 with the Nets, is seeking an annual salary of $3MM-$4MM from a contending team, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com relays.
- The Wizards‘ front office was encouraged at the team’s chances to re-sign Paul Pierce after conversing with the veteran, Chris Mannix of SI.com relays (on Twitter). Pierce and his family have grown fond of the Washington D.C. area, and the veteran’s role with the team as well, Mannix adds.
- If the Pistons land free agent Danny Green this offseason, it would be the biggest free agent coup in team history, writes Terry Foster of The Detroit News. The forward is in high demand, with the Spurs, Mavericks, Knicks, Kings, and Trail Blazers all expressing interest in signing the 28 year old, Foster adds.
Zach Links contributed to this post.