Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Mavericks, Jones
In a piece for HoopsWorld, Jason Fleming examines five teams, debating whether they'd be better off rebuilding or simply retooling. For the Mavericks, Fleming recommends a complete rebuild, but he believes the rival Spurs just need to retool. Here are a few more items out of the Southwest Division:
- The Grizzlies may make a trade before March 15th, but don't feel the pressure they have in past seasons to get something done. "We've talked to teams, and we'll continue to talk," GM Chris Wallace told Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "The frequency of these discussions will get ratcheted up over the next two weeks. But I don't have a deal we would do today. I don't feel like we have to do a deal."
- Even though the Mavericks are committed to their offseason plans, that doesn't necessarily mean they have to stand pat at the trade deadline, says Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- Solomon Jones is hoping to follow in Lance Thomas' footsteps rather than Donald Sloan's, as he tells John Reid of the Times-Picayune. The Hornets signed Thomas for the remainder of the season after giving him a pair of 10-day contracts, but let Sloan go after his second 10-day deal expired.
Latest On Chandler, Sessions, Odom
Wilson Chandler, Ramon Sessions, and Lamar Odom have been in the news for a handful of reasons lately — one's a restricted free agent, one's a trade candidate, and one… well, it's hard to succinctly summarize Odom's current situation. Regardless, we have Friday updates on all three players, so let's round them up right here:
- Wilson Chandler: With the deadline to obtain an offer sheet from another team having passed, Chandler can only sign with the Nuggets if he wants to play in the NBA this season. Agent Chris Luchey tells Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post that he's still negotiating with the Nuggets, who are only interested in a multiyear deal. If the two sides don't reach an agreement, Chandler could sit out the rest of this NBA season and become a restricted free agent again in July.
- Ramon Sessions: Sessions' agent, Jared Karnes, tells Bob Finnan of the News-Herald that he and his client haven't asked the Cavaliers for a trade, though they're aware it's a possibility. According to Finnan, the Lakers and Hawks are the teams most interested in Sessions.
- Lamar Odom: As we heard yesterday, Odom will indeed join the Mavericks' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, before he returns to the Mavs. The team confirmed the assignment in a press release. According to Dallas president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, the assignment was Odom's idea, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas. The 32-year-old will work out today with Mavs consultant Tim Grgurich, then join the Legends tomorrow.
Odds & Ends: Rondo, Curry, Lin
With just about every team back in action after the All-Star break, here are a few leap day notes from around the league:
- The Celtics have intensified their efforts to trade Rajon Rondo, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN. Broussard says sources have told him the Celtics consider Rondo to be too high maintenance, and so the team is considering a deal with the Warriors for Stephen Curry that's been percolating since December. Other players would have to be in such a deal for it to work. ESPN's Chris Forsberg also contributed to the report.
- Shabazz Muhammad, a premier college prospect who currently sits atop the class of potential 2013 draftees according to NBADraft.net, could be in trouble with the NCAA, report Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. The NCAA has informed schools recruiting Muhammad that his amateur status is in question. According to Goodman and Parrish, there are concerns that the 6'5", 210-pound shooting guard has been receiving payments for unofficial visits to campuses, among other benefits. Since NBA draft rules prohibit Muhammad from entering the league until a year after his high school class graduates, he may be forced to head overseas next year.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com doesn't see much truth in the rumored swap of Lamar Odom and Steve Nash, unless several other components are involved.
- It seems every other day we find out about another team that came close to signing Jeremy Lin, but whiffed. Today that team is the Italian club Banca Tercas Teramo, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY. The team was "extremely close" to signing him, Lin said, but they went with Charles Jenkins instead.
- The Chris Paul trade may have transformed the Clippers, but since amnesty claim Chauncey Billups was lost for the year with an Achilles' tear, the Clips have gone 5-5 and appear to have lost their mojo, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times examines.
- Before handing the Spurs just their second home loss of the season, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau praised San Antonio's ability to identify and nurture the talent necessary to keep the team on top, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Thibodeau hopes the Bulls can copy that model.
- Jazz swingman Josh Howard, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has responded well since Raja Bell's injury forced him into the starting lineup, notes Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Pacific Notes: Nash, Hinrich, Arenas
The tightest divisional race in the NBA is in the Pacific, where the Clippers lead the Lakers by a single game. As packed together as the Western Conference is, that single game would represent the difference between the third seed and the sixth seed if the playoffs began today. Here's what's happening in the far west:
- Steve Nash and Lamar Odom could be trading places, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The move would get the slumping Odom closer to his beloved L.A. beaches and reunite Nash with his old friend Dirk Nowitzki. The rumor comes as the Suns and Nash continue to dance around the issue of a trade, as both player and team are not interested in a deal unless the other asks first. The Mavs would have to throw a little extra into the deal to make the salaries match up under cap rules.
- The Lakers have inquired about Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich, according to a tweet from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Hinrich is averaging career lows across the board, including his 19.9 MPG, after missing the first month of the season with a left shoulder injury. At 31, though, he's still probably closer to his prime than either Steve Blake, 32, or Derek Fisher, 37, the Lakers' pair of veteran point guards.
- Rumors of Gilbert Arenas joining the Lakers have slowed down of late, and that's because he wants to make sure he's in top condition first, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Arenas doesn't want to ruin what could be his last chance in the NBA, Kyler says.
- The city of Sacramento will contribute $255.53MM to the new arena, the total cost of which has been bumped up to $391MM, according to details of the deal reached Monday, write Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee. The city council will vote to approve the terms of the plan agreed to by city officials, the Kings, the NBA and several private companies.
- Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles says the report that the Lakers turned down an offer of Michael Beasley because of tax concerns demonstrates how the team will be limited like never before under the new collective bargaining agreement.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday
Orlando's roster could have an entirely new look a month from now, and Magic players are all aware of that fact. Nonetheless, as they tell Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, their goal for the second half will be to avoid being weighed down by off-court distractions and focus on playing good basketball. Here's the latest on Dwight Howard, who figures to dominate Orlando's on- and off-court headlines in the coming weeks:
- Add the Hawks to the list of potential Howard suitors. Marcus Thompson, while looking for Warriors rumors for the Bay Area News Group, tweets that Atlanta is offering Joe Johnson and Al Horford to the Magic for D12. Howard grew up in Atlanta and went to high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. Thompson notes that Howard and Hawks forward Josh Smith are friends.
- Howard wants the Magic to pursue Steve Nash, and would consider staying at least another year in Orlando if the team can acquire Nash and re-sign him, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Of course, given the Suns' current stance on their point guard, such an acquisition would be a challenge.
- An Eastern Conference executive tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com that he thinks if Howard is dealt by March 15th, it will be to the Nets, but the longer the saga drags on, the better the Mavericks' odds become. While the Knicks and Clippers aren't on Howard's list of preferred destinations, Broussard says D12 would consider both teams, though neither has engaged the Magic in trade talks.
- The Warriors say they're not interested in trading Monta Ellis unless he's part of a package for Howard, sources tells Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link).
- We covered some Howard-related links in our notes on the Warriors earlier this morning, as Golden State remains in the hunt for the Magic superstar. SI.com's Zach Lowe confirms the Warriors would be willing to acquire Howard without assurances he'd sign long-term or even opt into the final year of his contract next season. This seems a little crazy to me, but as Lowe points out, Golden State will likely have to break up its core at some point to become a legit title contender anyway. I suppose if the Warriors were able to deal David Lee along with Ellis and others, even just renting Dwight would create a ton of cap flexibility for future seasons. Still, I don't think it's a likely scenario.
Odds & Ends: Barbosa, Heat, Mavericks, Maloofs
Odds and ends for Wednesday afternoon….
- Leandro Barbosa has switched agents and is now represented by Dan Fegan, according to HoopsHype (via Twitter). The Raptors guard, who is eligible for free agency at season's end, told Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun the change was "just business" (Twitter link).
- In a Heat mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel fields questions on the Nuggets' Chris Andersen and potential buyout candidates.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com answered questions on trade scenarios and draft prospects in an afternoon chat.
- In two pieces for ESPNDallas.com, Tim MacMahon talks to Mavericks players about not getting caught up in the business side of the NBA, and asks why Dallas wouldn't consider buying out Lamar Odom.
- The Maloof brothers have become heroes in Sacramento again for the first time in years, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
Atlantic Rumors: Williams, Chandler, Celtics
Seeking to clarify comments he made on Monday, Nets coach Avery Johnson reiterated last night that, while he views the Mavericks and Mark Cuban as a threat to sign Deron Williams this summer, he still expects his point guard to return to the Nets.
"I think somebody kind of got it twisted where the focus was more on the threat and saying that I said that I think he’s going to Dallas, which I never said, never said that," Johnson told reporters, including Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record. "I said that [Cuban was a threat] because anybody that’s under the cap would be a threat to get a guy that’s a unbelievable point guard. But I said I believe he has every intention to re-sign."
Here are a few more morning rumors on Williams and the rest of the Atlantic Division:
- Talking to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld, Williams admitted he isn't sure whether he'll be a Net next year.
- Within the same HoopsWorld piece, Pincus says that the Nuggets have offered a multiyear deal to Wilson Chandler, but that it's not as lucrative as Chandler hoped. Still, the Raptors likely won't sign the 24-year-old to an offer sheet, says Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Although Toronto hasn't moved on entirely, the club is currently put off by Chandler's asking price.
- Wolstat adds that it appears the Raptors are listening to trade inquiries made by other teams rather than actively seeking deals themselves.
- Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, appearing on NBC's SportsTalk, says the Celtics have been actively pursuing trades, and won't hesitate to break up their core in the right deal. Wojnarowski speculates that, of Boston's "big three," Paul Pierce may be the most likely trade candidate, since Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have contracts that Boston could simply let expire.
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Trail Blazers, Stoudemire
Dallas is in an extremely enviable position. Today they're a championship contender, and tomorrow they might form the league's next super team, with Deron Williams and Dwight Howard. In a chat today with readers, Eddie Sefko from the Dallas Morning News looks at a few options the team might have should they not get the two superstars.
- Also covered in his chat, why Dallas can't afford to cut ties with Lamar Odom, despite his poor production and present absense from the team.
- The Oregonion's Joe Freeman, writing about whether or not the Trail Blazers will be players before the trade deadline, says other teams will be in aggressive pursuit of Nicolas Batum, but the team won't part with him. Freeman notes that team President Larry Miller will explore every option with regards to improving the team, and that includes making a deal before the deadline.
- Amare Stoudemire's struggles this season could be attributed to myriad of issues, including the 15 pounds of muscle he put on during the lockout in an attempt to make his back stronger, according to Howard Beck of the New York Times.
Odds & Ends: Lakers, Mavs, Raptors, Kidd-Gilchrist
Rounding up a few Tuesday odds and ends from around the NBA…
- The Lakers are "determined" to acquire a point guard sooner rather than later, according to Peter Vecsey of the New York Post. The Lakers appear to be the most active team in pursuing trades, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas wonders if the Mavericks have a legit shot at landing Dwight Howard, and talks to owner Mark Cuban about his past investments in big men.
- Raptors coach Dwane Casey says no moves are on the horizon for his club and that he hopes his players don't get distracted by trade rumors. Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun has the details.
- Hunter Atkins of the New York Times explores the 10-day journey of recent Nets signee Andre Emmett, who was told New Jersey would not sign him to a second 10-day deal.
- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist insisted to reporters, including Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal, that he intends to stay at Kentucky and graduate, a stance that surprises even coach John Calipari. Kidd-Gilchrist could be a top-five pick if he enters the NBA draft this year, as ESPN.com's Chad Ford suggests in his latest Insider-only piece on the draft class.
Kyler On Rondo, Diaw, Mavs, Ellis, Scola
Over at HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler kicks off a quick look at trade possibilities for all 30 teams, running alphabetically from Atlanta through Houston. Let's check out a few of Kyler's notes….
- The general belief is that Rajon Rondo will remain a Celtic past March 15th unless Boston is blown away by an offer.
- Bobcats sources say the team has received inquiries on Boris Diaw, who has an expiring contract worth $9MM.
- Sources close to the Mavericks say the team views Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones as "possible sweeteners" in an offseason sign-and-trade deal for Dwight Howard or Deron Williams.
- If the Warriors decide to move Monta Ellis, any deal may have to include a contract like David Lee's or Andris Biedrins' as well. According to Kyler's sources, the Warriors offered Ellis to the 76ers for Andre Iguodala at the start of the season.
- Concerns about Luis Scola's knees may make it tough for the Rockets to find full value for him on the trade market.
- For more on the ten teams covered in Kyler's piece, check out our Assessing Stocks series, which, coincidentally, has covered the same ten clubs.