Lakers, Celtics In Talks To Swap Dwight, Rondo
10:08pm: Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, speaking with Chris Broussard of ESPN.com tonight, strongly denied that any Howard-Rondo talks have taken place at any time this season.
"I haven't talked to Danny Ainge in weeks. I made the statement a week or two ago that we're not going to trade Dwight Howard and that hasn't changed," Kupchak said (All Twitter links).
Kupchak hasn't spoken with anyone else in the Celtics organization either, Broussard also tweets.
9:54pm: A source tells TNT's David Aldridge that there's nothing to the rumored Howard-for-Rondo proposal (Twitter link).
8:43pm: The Lakers and Celtics have engaged in preliminary talks about a trade involving Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The proposal has yet to gain traction, Berger writes, and Celtics basketball president Danny Ainge would be reluctant to do a deal without assurances from Howard that he would re-sign with the Celtics this summer. The Lakers are also continuing to insist they won't trade Howard, and that's the impression the Celtics have at present, according to Berger.
The trade could be tabled until after the offseason, but a sign-and-trade would only allow Howard to sign with the Celtics for four years instead of five, Berger points out, which would cost him as much as $30MM. It would also preclude the Celtics from exceeding the luxury-tax apron next season and keep them from using their full midlevel exception under new sign-and-trade rules going into effect this summer.
Sources tell Berger that the Nets, Mavericks and Rockets are teams that intrigue Howard as he looks ahead to free agency this summer. Absent from that list are the Celtics, which would seem to make the deal a long shot. By taking back Rondo, who's out for the year with a torn ACL, the Lakers would be throwing up a white flag of sorts with regard to this season, though the Celtics would have to throw in others who make at least another $5.8MM for the deal to work under the league's salary-matching rules. Rondo would also be an odd fit in L.A., considering fellow point guard Steve Nash is the only Laker signed past 2014.
Howard said happiness and the ability to have fun on the court is what he'll look for in a free agent destination, and he said he's not having as much fun as he used to, as Berger notes. While a trade to Boston or elsewhere might not be in the cards before Thursday's deadline, it seems there's a strong chance Howard won't be wearing the purple and gold come next season. The Celtics, meanwhile, could be in for radical changes as Ainge, as he has done in the past, appears open to exploring blockbuster moves to return the team to title contention.
Amico On Smith, Nets, Nuggets, Sixers, Thunder
Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has just published a piece rounding up a few of the latest trade rumblings from around the NBA, so let's dive in and tackle the highlights….
- Josh Smith is viewed by Amico's sources as a near-lock to be moved, though there's no consensus on where he'll be headed. The Nets, Suns, and Mavericks are mentioned as potential destinations, with the Spurs in the mix as well.
- One source isn't so sure the Hawks will move Smith by next Thursday: "They won’t just give the guy away. (Smith) is practically an All-Star. You can deal with the contract situation later."
- The Nets haven't completely given up on the idea of making a play for Dwight Howard, but they'd likely need to get a third team involved. I'd consider that one a real long shot.
- While the Nuggets are fairly content with their roster at the moment, they could explore a smaller move involving someone like Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer, or Anthony Randolph. Denver has some interest in J.J. Redick, but Amico says conversations have "all but disappeared after he indicated he wants to stay with the Magic."
- The Bulls and 76ers have started to get more active in trade talks within the last week.
- The Raptors have engaged the Sixers in trade talks involving Andrea Bargnani, though it's not clear what would be going Toronto's way in a hypothetical deal — Spencer Hawes is one possibility.
- After losing twice to the Heat this season, the Thunder are "strongly considering" making a move to bolster their lineup, according to Amico.
Western Notes: Rockets, Blazers, Payton, Suns
While there's been plenty of talk about the cap space the Rockets are expected to have this summer, coach Kevin McHale is just hoping to see that space turned into an impact player, as he jokes to Sam Amick of USA Today.
"I've never seen Cap Room score a basket yet though," McHale said. "I've seen old Cap, and his last name is Room, I've yet to see him put a hoop in, haven't seen him block a shot, haven't seen him get a rebound yet. But when Cap Room starts putting up numbers, we should be in great shape."
Here are a few more notes out of the Western Conference as we prepare for All-Star weekend:
- LaMarcus Aldridge doesn't expect the Trail Blazers to make a move at the trade deadline, as he tells Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge (Twitter link).
- With expansion not currently being considered by David Stern and the league, it appears unlikely that Sacramento and Seattle will both have an NBA team in the near future, writes Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee.
- Former SuperSonic great Gary Payton tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com that he has spoken to Chris Hansen about joining the front office if Hansen's bid to move the Kings to Seattle if successful.
- Another former star, Charles Barkley, has talked about wanting to be hired as the general manager of the Suns, and Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic thinks that might not be a bad idea.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes that Darren Collison has made a solid case for being a long-term fixture with the Mavericks.
Western Notes: Timberwolves, Rockets, Clippers
Back in December, there were some rumblings of frustration brewing with Kevin Love about the direction of the Timberwolves franchise (though he would insist that he desired to stay in Minnesota soon after making those comments). Today, team owner Glen Taylor said that after meeting with Love this week, both of them are – and have been – on the same page. Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press writes that Taylor and Love have met periodically to discuss the future of the team, and that their latest encounter has given the impression that all is currently well in Minnesota. Here's the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links out of the Western Conference:
- Kevin McHale thinks that having James Harden will make the Rockets an attractive destination for free agents (Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets reports). In another article, Sam Amick of USA Today talks about Harden's emergence into superstardom in Houston.
- Jamal Crawford tells HoopsHype that he doesn't want the Clippers to make any trades right now: "We are family and it would be like trading a family member…We don’t think there is one thing we need that is missing. We have everything."
- Dave of the Blazers Edge answered a few questions about the Trail Blazers in his mailbag, saying that it's a "pretty safe bet" that Portland won't retain many of its bench players next season and that a backup point guard will surely be a target. He mentions Luke Ridnour and Jarrett Jack as hypothetical targets, but adds that the team will have to be wary of the cap in order to try adding a starting center or quality bench players as well.
- Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW took part in a chat with fans earlier today about the Mavericks. Among his more notable thoughts are that Dallas will miss out on the big names this summer and that he doesn't believe Dirk Nowitzki will ask to be traded. In the event that Dirk wants out, Cowlishaw thinks that Mark Cuban would try to convince him to stay first. In another article, Eddie Sefko (also of SportsDayDFW) makes an argument about why Darren Collison could be a keeper moving forward.
- The Warriors have taken pride in the progress they've made this season, and with four representatives participating in the All-Star weekend festivities, higher ratings for games, and sitting 30-22 in the Western Conference, there is a sense that Golden State is headed in the right direction (Marcus Thompson II of San Jose Mercury News).
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Gordon, Heat, Rose
Despite Mark Cuban's belief that adding an overpaid player with a massive contract would be a huge mistake considering the framework of the current CBA, Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas wonders if the Mavericks would explore trading for Hornets guard Eric Gordon as a possible fallback option if the team falls short in its effort to land Dwight Howard this summer. On another note, Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops explains why it would be wise for Dallas to deal Vince Carter and Shawn Marion for expiring contracts and draft picks now if they want to give themselves a legitimate chance at going after Howard, Chris Paul, or Andrew Bynum in upcoming free agency.
Here are more of this evening's odds and ends:
- A report from ESPN (via the Associated Press) states that NBA Commissioner David Stern expects a concrete plan from Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson within the next two weeks regarding the Kings' future. Although the NBA Board of Governors does not meet until April 17-18, Stern believes that the official proposal could be made by March 1st "if (Mayor Johnson) follows through on what he's told us." He also put the kibosh on the idea of expansion and doesn't foresee a scenario where both Seattle and Sacramento wind up with teams.
- With 15 guaranteed contracts and the team on a roll as of late, Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida figures that the Heat will be very quiet at the trade deadline next week (Twitter link).
- Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago gets the sense that Bulls superstar Derrick Rose won't be returning this season.
- Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside provides a rundown of the top available point guards in the D-League and organizes them in groups by what they specifically have to offer.
- After suffering a torn ACL on Tuesday night, Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel figures to be on a six-to-eight month recovery. Once touted by some to be the number one overall pick in this June's draft, Noel has slid to number three in Chad Ford's ESPN rankings of the top 30 prospects (Insiders only). On a side note, Darren Rovell (also of ESPN) tweets that Noel has a $10MM insurance policy in the event that he suffers a career ending injury.
- In a statement issued to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, David Falk (the former agent of Michael Jordan) apologized for his disparaging comments about John Wall and the Wizards recently.
- There have been a flurry of reports today about Lakers owner Jerry Buss' bout with terminal cancer, which was first reported by Amber Goodhand of Radar Online this morning. In a statement issued by the team today, it was made clear that there is no intention of selling the team to an outside group and that the Buss family plans to keep ownership of the Lakers for many generations to come (Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News).
Berger’s Latest: Warriors, Mavericks, Kings, NBPA
In addition to publishing a new installment of his Postups column, Ken Berger of CBSports.com joined Kevin Corke (video link) to discuss a few trade rumors. Here are a few items of note from both Berger links:
- The Warriors don't necessarily have to get under the tax threshold this year, but at some point they're interested in getting out from under Andris Biedrins' and/or Richard Jefferson's contracts. Golden State may be willing to include a first-round pick to move one of those two players.
- Berger feels like the Mavericks could be a darkhorse for Josh Smith, despite reports indicating that Dallas isn't interested. The Mavs have at least internally discussed the possibility of making a run at Smith, says Berger.
- While Sacramento isn't expected to officially present its bid to keep the Kings to the NBA's Board of Governors until April, mayor Kevin Johnson will be in Houston this weekend to update David Stern on his progress and to lobby team owners to not give up on Sacramento.
- The player's union is also expected to meet during All-Star weekend to decide on Billy Hunter's future. However, even if the player reps vote to oust the executive director, Hunter may challenge the authority and composition of the union's new interim executive committee. Such a decision could also open the door for a civil lawsuit.
Broussard On Eric Gordon, Rockets, Pacers, Smith
Already today, we've passed along a few trade rumors from Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Now, it's Chris Broussard's turn, as the ESPN reporter has published a lengthy Insider-only piece on the latest rumblings from around the league. Here's what Broussard has for us:
- The Hornets have made some calls to gauge Eric Gordon's trade value, but Broussard hears that there's less than a 10% chance he's moved within the next week. The Mavericks, Rockets, and the Warriors are among the clubs believed to have inquired on Gordon.
- The Rockets still figure to make a run at Dwight Howard this summer, but Andrew Bynum and perhaps a trade for Gordon are the team's Plan Bs. Since Houston is saving its cap space for the summer, the club isn't expected to be too active at the trade deadline.
- Indiana will likely keep Danny Granger through the deadline, but is willing to move Tyler Hansbrough, D.J. Augustin, or Gerald Green. The Pacers dangled Hansbrough and Augustin when talking to the Magic about J.J. Redick, but Orlando didn't have interest.
- Three different general managers told Broussard on Wednesday that Danny Ferry and the Hawks have decided not to re-sign Josh Smith this summer and are trying hard to trade him this week. Rival executives don't expect Ferry to settle for the Nets' offer of Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks, however.
- The Hawks have also discussed moving Kyle Korver and Anthony Morrow.
- Teams have been calling the Suns, one of the league's most active clubs, about Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, and Jared Dudley. A deal with the Knicks involving Dudley and Iman Shumpert is "not happening," according to Broussard's sources.
- As has been the case for many reporters over the last few weeks, Broussard has received mixed reports on whether the Jazz are more likely to trade Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson. The Trail Blazers are one team that likes Millsap, says Broussard.
- A few executives that have spoken to Broussard have mentioned the possibility of the Clippers trying to trade DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler to create the necessary cap space to make a play for Dwight Howard this summer. That one sounds awfully far-fetched to me though, considering the team would have to make additional moves to clear enough room, and would have to acquire only expiring contracts in return. Even then, there's no guarantee they could land Howard as a free agent.
Kyler’s Latest: Knicks, Mavs, Kings, Granger
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld shares a number of trade rumors and updates in his latest NBA AM piece, so let's dive right in and round up the highlights….
- The Knicks likely won't make a deal in the next week, but if they do, it will probably involve Iman Shumpert being moved for a more proven veteran. Jared Dudley's camp claims there's nothing to reports of the Knicks' interest, but according to Kyler, sources in New York say Dudley is exactly the sort of veteran the Knicks are considering.
- Sources say the Mavericks have assured Darren Collison he's not going anywhere, but Kyler says that may be simply to boost Collison's confidence rather than a set-in-stone stance. O.J. Mayo and Chris Kaman also have trade value, though the Mavs may prefer to keep Mayo.
- Until the Kings are officially sold, the Maloofs and Geoff Petrie aren't prevented from making roster moves, but the team still isn't expected to do a whole lot at the deadline. One rival club that expressed interest in Tyreke Evans wasn't able to make much progress, says Kyler.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford suggested yesterday that Danny Granger might make more sense as a trade candidate this summer, a point Kyler echoes. Paul George will be extension-eligible starting in July, and Granger will be entering the final year of his contract, making a possible deal more logical for the Pacers.
Dallas Notes: Cuban, Nowitzki, Jennings
It is pretty clear by now that the constant stream of Mavericks' rumors will not stop until the team makes good on their plan to utilize their cap room to bring in at least one superstar. Until then, we will continue to track everything Mavs here:
- Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com asked Mark Cuban for a comment on the trade rumors swirling around his Mavericks (Twitter link). "If you read about it, it ain't happening, because we don't talk," the Mavs owner said.
- Meanwhile – with regard to the aforementioned quote – fans should be cautious believing Cuban at times like this, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas. MacMahon references the Mavs' separate acquisitions of Jason Kidd and Caron Butler as instances when the rumors turned out to be true despite Cuban's best attempts to conceal the team's plans.
- Dirk Nowitzki sat down with Zach Lowe of Grantland on Monday, speaking intelligently about the NBA's collective bargaining agreement and the resulting luxury tax implications (and much more). Nowitzki says he supported Cuban's decision to break up their title team last year, comparing the departure of Tyson Chandler to that of Steve Nash in 2004.
- Answering questions from readers, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says the Mavs making a move for Brandon Jennings is a "no-brainer" if they think they can keep him. While Jennings is a clear upgrade over Darren Collison, all indications out of Dallas are that Cuban and company are saving their money for elite, cornerstone-type players. While he still is young, I am not sure Jennings fits that criteria.
Brandon Jennings Frustrated With Bucks?
6:18pm: In a text message to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, Jennings has denied that he wants to be traded from the Bucks by next week's deadline. "That is not true," Jennings texted. "Just because I got a new agent doesn't mean anything. That stuff never came out of my mouth. They're just reaching for a story since I changed my agent."
The 23-year-old point guard dropped agent Bill Duffy in favor of Jeff Schwartz on February 4. Jennings, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, has hinted in the past that he may be eyeing a move to a larger market and some have speculated that he was frustrated he didn't make the All-Star team and may hold Milwaukee's small market status accountable. Jennings refuted that claim on Wednesday.
"Being in Milwaukee wasn't the reason I didn't make the All-Star Game. Guys just had better numbers than me."
12:12pm: While the Bucks insist they're not shopping Brandon Jennings, the team may have to seriously consider fielding offers for Jennings in the next week, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Ford reports that Jennings is frustrated with the Bucks and would prefer to play in a bigger market. One source cites "irreconcilable differences" between the two sides.
Jennings, in his fourth season, didn't reach an agreement on a long-term extension with the Bucks last fall, which is one source of his frustration. However, the Bucks will still have the opportunity to retain him this summer by extending a qualifying offer. At that point, Jennings could accept the one-year qualifying offer and be eligible for unrestricted free agency a year later. But the more likely scenario would involve him seeking out a long-term offer sheet with a rival team, then hoping the Bucks don't exercise their ability to match.
Agent Bill Duffy was recently let go by Jennings, who is expected to officially hire Jeff Schwartz as soon as the waiting period for switching agents allows it. Schwartz is a noted proponent of larger markets, and according to Ford, he will be tasked with getting Jennings out of Milwaukee via trade or a large offer sheet this summer. The Mavericks, Magic, and Hawks are considered the most likely suitors for Jennings, says Ford.
The Bucks reportedly told Jennings they expect to match any offer sheet he receives in free agency next summer, so we'll see if that stance still applies, despite the seemingly deteriorating relationship between the two sides. Last summer, we saw restricted free agents like Nicolas Batum and Eric Gordon express some desire to leave their respective teams, but their offer sheets were ultimately matched by the Trail Blazers and Hornets. Like those clubs, the Bucks will have most of the leverage, so their decision this week or this summer will be an interesting one.