Western Notes: Davis, Prince, Matthews
The Lakers have contacted free agent Ed Davis, and would like for him to return to Los Angeles next season, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes. There will be some competition for Davis’ services, as four undisclosed teams have also expressed interest in the big man, Medina notes. Davis is seeking a two or three-year deal worth $7MM-$8MM, or a one-year arrangement worth $9MM-$10MM, the Daily News scribe adds. In 79 games for the Lakers last season, Davis notched averages of 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 23.3 minutes per contest.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Clippers are not optimistic about the idea of Paul Pierce taking less money to come their way, Sam Amick of USA Today Sports tweets.
- The Lakers have expressed interest in restricted free agents Jimmy Butler of the Bulls, and Iman Shumpert of the Cavaliers, Medina relays (Twitter link).
- The Spurs were among the teams to contact unrestricted free agent Tayshaun Prince, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets.
- The Mavericks and Wesley Matthews are still engaged in contract talks, but remain approximately $3MM apart in annual value for the agreement, Amick tweets. Matthews is seeking an annual salary of $15MM per year, while Dallas is offering $12MM, Amick notes.
- The Jazz contacted free agent Joe Ingles to express their interest in re-signing the forward, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News tweets. Utah tendered Ingles a qualifying offer worth $1.045MM on Monday, making him a restricted free agent. The 27-year-old appeared in 79 games for the Jazz in 2014/15, including 32 starts, and averaged 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 21.2 minutes per contest.
- The Mavs have reached out to point guard Nick Calathes, who is a restricted free agent, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Monta Ellis In Talks With Pacers
4:00am: Indiana is believed to be offering Ellis a deal in the three-year, $32MM range, Wojnarowski reports.
1:25am: Ellis and his family are traveling to Indiana to meet with Pacers officials on Wednesday, Wojnarowski relays (via Twitter).
1:06am: The Hawks, Nuggets and Kings are calling on Ellis tonight, too, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
JULY 1ST, 12:31am: Ellis is “gathering traction” in talks with the Pacers, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Bird is determined to reach a deal and the Pacers are pushing hard, Wojnarowski adds (on Twitter).
JUNE 30TH, 11:22am: The Kings have interest in Ellis, too, Broussard hears (Twitter link).
12:11pm: Interest is mutual between Ellis and the Heat, and the shooting guard also plans to talk to the Hawks, reports Shams Charania of RealGM, who suggests that Ellis would generally prefer to sign with an East Coast team.
JUNE 24TH, 10:15am: The Pacers and Heat are interested in signing Monta Ellis, who’s opting out of his contract with the Mavs to become a free agent, a source tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Interest from both would presumably hinge on other option decisions. The Heat would be unlikely to have the cap space necessary to chase Ellis if Dwyane Wade opts in to his $16.125MM salary for next season or if the sides work out a new deal. The same is the case with the Pacers and both Roy Hibbert and David West, who also hold player options.
Ellis, a Relativity Sports client is surely seeking more than the $8.72MM he would have seen on his player option with the Mavs. The shooting guard has until midnight tonight to change his mind and opt in, but that would be unforeseen. The Heat have only about $43MM committed for next season against a projected $67.1MM cap, but they have a lucrative offer earmarked for Goran Dragic and also seemingly have interest in retaining Luol Deng, who has a player option worth $10.152MM. A continued partnership with Wade, who’s reportedly open to leaving the team amid tense negotiations, would presumably push the team well into tax territory, though Miami is reportedly shopping Mario Chalmers and Chris Andersen in an effort to clear salary. Ellis would ostensibly be a replacement for Wade at the shooting guard position in Miami.
Indiana, unlike Miami, doesn’t have a star entrenched at two-guard, though with $36MM in guaranteed salaries on the books, Hibbert’s option of more than $15.514MM and West’s, worth $12.6MM, would largely close the door on any chance the Pacers have at opening cap room without making a trade. The deadlines both face to decide on their respective options aren’t until next week, GM Kevin Pritchard said, according to Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), and it’s unclear what they’ll choose to do. Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird earlier this spring seemed to encourage Hibbert to opt out as Indiana seeks a faster style of play.
Raptors, Lakers, Mavs, Bucks Eye Iman Shumpert
1:03am: The Suns have liked Shumpert for a while and might get in the mix for him, too, Kennedy adds on Twitter.
12:05pm: The Raptors also have interest, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
11:35am: The Lakers, Mavericks and Bucks are interested in Iman Shumpert, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The shooting guard will become a restricted free agent Wednesday after the Cavaliers tendered a qualifying offer to him on Monday. Six teams have already expressed interest in Shumpert and league executives believe he’ll command a deal that will pay him better than $8MM a year, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported, and as we passed along in our Offseason Outlook for the Cavs.
Cleveland GM David Griffin has expressed interest in keeping his team together, and LeBron James would reportedly like the team to re-sign Shumpert. Inking him to a new deal or matching an offer sheet from another team would add to the projected tax bill for the Cavs, who’ve already had internal discussions about a $100-110MM payroll, with tax payments perhaps exceeding $75MM, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported.
Free Agency Rumors: Pierce, Green, Dragic
The Wizards have a phone conversation scheduled with free agent forward Paul Pierce at 12:01 a.m. ET, a league source tells Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter). Here’s more from a busy night around the league:
- One GM told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (on Twitter) that the three-year, $46MM deal that Chandler Parsons signed in 2014 will set the market for wings this year. That will apparently have an impact on guys like Danny Green, Khris Middleton, and DeMarre Carroll.
- The Heat placed a call to Goran Dragic shortly after midnight on the East Coast, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter). However, the guard is in Slovenia where it’s early in the morning and Shelburne seems to be implying that he was not awake to receive the call.
- The Cavs have reached out to the reps for forward Tayshaun Prince, according to Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. The Cavs feel that Prince could help shore up their wing depth. Prince, 35, played for the Grizzlies, Celtics, and Pistons last season and averaged 7.5 PPG and 3.6 RPG.
- The Mavericks and Rockets were the first two teams to reach out to Patrick Beverley, sources tell Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
Free Agency Rumors: LeBron, Cavs, Leonard
A league source told Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group that the Cavs “do not value” pending free agent J.R. Smith. LeBron James reportedly wants the Cavs to re-sign the guard, so one has to wonder if that could outweigh the team’s reservations about him. Vardon adds that it is not known if the Cavs will immediately submit offers to James, Kevin Love, and Tristan Thompson when the clock moves past midnight. Here’s more as we get set for the start of free agency..
- There’s a growing belief that Thompson’s postseason performance coupled with his ties to LeBron could earn him a max contract or something close to it, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal writes. Lloyd also writes that the Cavs were aware that Iman Shumpert would be seeking a ~$10MM per year deal this summer when the acquired him.
- Spurs star Kawhi Leonard is on track for five-year, ~$90MM max deal after San Antonio takes care of other free agency business, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News tweets. It was previously believed that Leonard was in line for a lucrative four-year deal rather than five.
- Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki will join the team’s recruiting contingent in Wednesday’s meetings with DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets.
- James Harden will join coach Kevin McHale, GM Daryl Morey and executive VP Gersson Rosas in the Rockets‘ meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge Tuesday night in Los Angeles, a source tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Knicks‘ selection of Kristaps Porzingis may scare free agents away, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “They took a Latvian guy who may or may not be good,’’ an individual connected to a free agent said. “It’s very strange. They should’ve taken more of a tried-and-true guy, even a Justise Winslow. Top free agents are looking at winning now. It’s fun to go the playoffs and have a chance to compete for the Finals. They’re not going to win this year.’’
Qualifying Offers: Tuesday
Here are the latest qualifying offer decisions to come in..
- The Spurs extended QOs to Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph, making them restricted free agents, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- Knicks forwards Travis Wear and Alexey Shved and Spurs big man Aron Baynes did not receive qualifying offers, according to Pincus (on Twitter).
- Pacers forwards Chris Copeland and Shayne Whittington, Sixers center Henry Sims, Nuggets center Ian Clark, Celtics center Gigi Datome, Wolves big man Arinze Onuaku, Mavs center Bernard James, Lakers guard Vander Blue, and Kings forward Derrick Williams did not receive qualifying offers, Pincus tweets.
- The Grizzlies have made Nick Calathes a restricted free agent by extending him a QO, according to Pincus (on Twitter).
- The Warriors have made Ognjen Kuzmic a restricted free agent, Pincus tweets.
Earlier Updates:
- The Sixers declined to offer guard Glenn Robinson III a qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. However, Philly has shown an inclination to revisit a longer-term deal for Robinson this summer, according to those same sources. In 35 games as a rookie, Robinson averaged 2.1 PPG.
- The Hornets will not make a qualifying offer to guard Jeffery Taylor, according to a source that spoke with Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (on Twitter). Taylor will now become an unrestricted free agent.
- Pero Antic, who was rumored to be going overseas, was given a qualifying offer by the Hawks, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter). If the Hawks need to maximize their cap space, Pincus adds (link), they can revoke the qualifying offer to Antic and renounce him.
- As expected, the Magic have extended qualifying offers to both Tobias Harris and Kyle O’Quinn, according to John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com (on Twitter).
- The Rockets made Patrick Beverley and K.J. McDaniels restricted free agents by extending QOs to them, Pincus tweets.
Western Rumors: Clippers, Chandler, Davis
If DeAndre Jordan leaves for the Mavs, the Clippers will try to sign and trade for Tyson Chandler, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter). However, the Clippers are still “hopeful” that they’ll retain Jordan. Here’s more from the West..
- The Pelicans want to get a new deal done with Anthony Davis quickly, according to John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Negotiations can continue until Halloween, but New Orleans apparently wants to get everything sewn up this summer.
- The Mavs are concerned that Al-Farouq Aminu will get a relatively big offer, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com (on Twitter). If that happens, they’ll try to talk him into deal he could opt out of next summer.
- The Lakers would be a winning taker of Brendan Haywood‘s non-guaranteed contract with the Cavs, but it’s not clear if L.A. has anything Cleveland would want in return, Sam Amico of FOX Sports tweets. There are conflicting reports on the matter, but the Cavs may have recently discussed the center with the Spurs.
- Despite the uncertainty in Portland, Gerald Henderson says he’s excited to be with the Blazers, Mike Tokito of The Oregonian writes. Days ago, the Blazers sent forward Nicolas Batum to the Hornets for Henderson and forward Noah Vonleh.
Kings, Rajon Rondo Have Mutual Interest
JUNE 30TH, 3:20pm: Rudy Gay is recruiting Rondo to the Kings, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Sacramento has nonetheless reportedly been pursuing trades involving Gay.
JUNE 23RD, 8:57am: The Kings and soon-to-be free agent Rajon Rondo have mutual interest, as the idea of signing a one-year deal with Sacramento to rehabilitate his value around the league intrigues the point guard, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who writes amid the latest in the DeMarcus Cousins saga. Rondo is almost certain to leave the Mavericks after a disastrous few months there, as Mavs coach Rick Carlisle essentially confirmed after Rondo and the team had an apparent mutual parting of ways during the playoffs.
Sacramento has long coveted Rondo, as reports have indicated, and the Kings were among the teams who spoke with the Celtics shortly before Boston traded him to Dallas in December. Neither the arrival this spring of Vlade Divac as vice president of basketball and franchise operations, a role in which he controls the front office, nor Rondo’s declining play have apparently dissuaded Sacramento from its affection for the 29-year-old.
Rondo’s value at this point is difficult to peg, with speculation suggesting that he’d struggle to make salaries of $10-12MM on his next deal. Sacramento has about $53MM in guaranteed salary against a projected $67.1MM cap for next season, not counting its first-round pick at No. 6., but with the team pursuing trades for just about everyone on the roster, according to Wojnarowski, it’s tough to project what the Kings will have to spend. The Lakers, with whom the Kings have reportedly engaged in exploratory talks regarding Cousins, are also likely Rondo suitors.
Kings Eye Jrue Holiday, Schröder, Jeremy Lin
The Kings are eyeing Jrue Holiday and Dennis Schröder among potential trade targets as they seek a point guard to play along with Darren Collison, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN (Twitter link), who confirms the team’s interest in Ty Lawson, too. Broussard adds Jeremy Lin to the team’s list of free agent targets and confirms that Sacramento is still high on Rajon Rondo. Kings ownership is making a hard push to sign Rondo and fellow reported target Monta Ellis, as Chris Mannix of SI.com hears (on Twitter), pointing out that Sacramento, with about $53MM in guaranteed salaries against a $67.1MM salary cap, can likely afford only one of those two.
Ellis, a shooting guard, would appear the lower priority, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee says the team is making point guard and small forward more of a priority (Twitter link). The team appears to be casting a wide net as it seeks a new point man. Coach George Karl has long seemingly been enamored with the idea of trading for Lawson, as Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck wrote months ago, though the Kings are reportedly investigating the idea of firing Karl as they gauge John Calipari‘s interest in joining the team. Lawson is set to make approximately $12.404MM next season on a contract that runs through 2016/17. Holiday’s deal with the Pelicans runs through the same season, though he’ll make only about $10.596MM next season. Schröder, whose rookie scale deal with the Hawks also goes through 2016/17, is by far the cheapest trade option, as next season he’s in line for roughly $1.763MM.
Lin would also seemingly come relatively cheaply after a largely unsuccessful stint with the Lakers. His scoring average has declined in each of the three years since his “Linsanity” season with the Knicks.
Latest On DeAndre Jordan
11:55am: Jordan is tired of being third in line behind Paul and Blake Griffin and wants a larger role on offense, Broussard hears, as he writes in a full story. There’s a 50% chance he goes to the Mavs and a 50% chance he stays with the Clippers, a source told Broussard.
TUESDAY, 11:13am: It’s likely that Jordan will sign for four years, with a player option after the third, no matter which team he chooses, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That limits the edge the Clippers have as the only team that can offer five years, notes Dan Woike of the Orange County Register (on Twitter).
5:46pm: Jordan is scheduled to meet with the Mavericks, Lakers and Knicks on the first day of free agency on Wednesday, sources told Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). He will meet with the Clippers on Thursday, Turner adds.
MONDAY, 1:15pm: The Clippers have a slight edge, a league source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), which runs counter to what Amick said the Clippers believe (below).
SUNDAY 9:25pm: The Bucks are “a long shot” to land Jordan and it is unlikely they meet with him, reports Sam Amick of USA Today, who cites a person with knowledge of the Bucks’ situation.
Amick tweets that there is some sense from the Clippers’ side that the Mavs have a slight edge in the Jordan sweepstakes, but the upcoming meetings hold weight.
While sources indicate to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times that Jordan will either stay with the Clippers or go to Dallas, an acquaintance of Jordan claims the big man would love to play for the Rockets. Houston, of course, already has a quality center in Dwight Howard.
7:08pm: Jordan will also meet with the Knicks once the free agent negotiating period commences, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports.
1:11pm: The Clippers and Mavs remain the front-runners for Jordan, a source tells Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling, who suggests that the Knicks might end up meeting with the Relativity Sports client, too.
8:17am: Rumors of a rift between DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul are true, and the Mavs, Lakers and Bucks, as well as the Clippers, will have pitch meetings with Jordan at his home when free agent negotiating begins next week, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Chandler Parsons has been recruiting Jordan to the Mavs while the two have been hanging out together in Houston this summer, Turner also hears.
Bill Reiter of Fox Sports 1 first reported last month that Paul and Jordan had a falling out, though teammate Dahntay Jones and Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers separately denied it. Rivers is apparently confident about re-signing the seven-year veteran, whom the Clippers will offer a max deal.
Jordan, who’s said he won’t be “greedy” and seek a one-year deal that would take him to a surging salary cap next summer, can receive more money and a longer contract from the Clippers than from any other team, though the Mavs offer the advantage of no state income tax in Texas. The center, who turns 27 next month, has reportedly expressed serious interest in signing with Dallas, and the Mavs are high on the idea themselves. The Mavs front office has kicked around the idea of a sign-and-trade that would involve Jordan coming Dallas and Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton going to the Clippers, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reported.
Chandler is also an apparent target for the Bucks, along with Brook Lopez, as coach Jason Kidd and GM John Hammond aim high. The draft-night acquisition of Greivis Vasquez nonetheless puts a squeeze on Milwaukee’s finances, and the Bucks would probably have to clear some salary for an estimated $18.96MM max salary for Jordan next season if Jared Dudley opts in.
Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com wrote last month that the Lakers would love to have Jordan, and he’ll apparently be one of a coterie of big men the team will target in free agency, along with LaMarcus Aldridge, who’s also a Mavs target, and Kevin Love. Interior players will no doubt be a priority for the Lakers, who have max-level cap flexibility, now that the team has used the No. 2 pick on guard D’Angelo Russell.