Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mannix’s Latest: Celtics, Pelicans, Afflalo

February 19th, 2014 at 9:42am CST by Chuck Myron

Every Celtics player, including Rajon Rondo, is available for the right price, Chris Mannix of SI.com reports in a pair of tweets. Still, some rival executives believe Boston is overvaluing Brandon Bass and Jeff Green, for whom Danny Ainge is demanding first-round picks, as Mannix writes in a full piece. Mannix also notes that the Celtics would prefer to keep Kris Humphries through the deadline. There’s plenty more in Mannix’s dispatch covering several of the league’s most active teams in advance of Thursday’s deadline, so let’s dive in:

The Pelicans are making a strong effort to trade either Eric Gordon or Tyreke Evans, Mannix hears, contradicting what coach Monty Williams told reporters earlier this week.
Mannix adds Arron Afflalo to the list of players the Bobcats are eyeing. Charlotte is apparently willing to absorb a player-friendly contract as part of a deal that brings in an impact player, Mannix writes.
The Pistons like Evan Turner, and they may be willing to offer the Sixers the first-round draft pick they’re looking for, according to Mannix. Still, it will take “an overwhelming offer” to pry Greg Monroe from Detroit, which would like to trade Josh Smith instead but is finding no takers.
Andre Miller is “gone one way or another,” but that may be the only trade Denver makes, in spite of a heavy volume of calls coming in from other teams, Mannix writes. The Nuggets don’t appear inclined to auction off Kenneth Faried, according to Mannix. His report contrasts with what teams are telling Grantland’s Zach Lowe, who hears that anyone outside of Ty Lawson is available (Twitter link).
Rival teams are interested in Bojan Bogdanovic, but the Nets are unwilling to trade the rights to the former second-round pick who’s playing in Turkey.
Kirk Hinrich has been drawing more interest than Mike Dunleavy, but executives around the league believe the Bulls probably won’t deal Hinrich and risk deepening the divide between Tom Thibodeau and the front office. Dunleavy is similarly off the table.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has been “determined” to find another star to go along with Kyrie Irving, but the league appears to have lukewarm feelings about the young players on the Cavs, according to Mannix, which would appear to make a blockbuster unlikely.
There’s been friction between Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala, Mannix hears, but rival executives nonetheless believe it will take a massive offer to acquire Barnes, Mannix notes, echoing what Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob has said.

Northwest Notes: Love, Martin, Nuggets, Miller

February 18th, 2014 at 10:18pm CST by Charlie Adams

While most any team would certainly have interest in acquiring Kevin Love, the Timberwolves reportedly have no intention of trading him. Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com tweets that the multitude of clubs seeking the big man’s services will continue to be turned away. Kevin Martin might not be so untouchable however, as Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times hears the sharpshooting two guard might be moved before Thursday’s deadline. Let’s round up the latest from the Northwest Division:

Given the current state of their franchise, the Timberwolves might be wise to listen to offers for Love, opines Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Hamilton thinks the T-Wolves should find a taker on Love while his value is as high as it is right now.
Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman is open to the idea of adding contributors to his team, writes Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press. “Any time you can add players that are going to help you, then you really have to look at it,” Adelman said. “If something gets serious, we’ll find out about it, but right now you have to listen to whatever is going on. It takes two, sometimes three (players), to make a deal.”
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post believes that Nuggets rookie coach Brian Shaw has handled the Andre Miller situation correctly. Miller hasn’t played since December, when he publicly disagreed with Shaw’s decision to keep him on the bench during a game. Rumors circulated yesterday about a possible deal that would send Miller to the Timberwolves, but nothing new has surfaced tonight.
It’s been an exciting season for Thunder fans, as the team finds itself atop the Western Conference heading into the trade deadline. Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman takes a look at how the team should approach the coming days.
The Thunder have assigned rookie Andre Roberson to their D-League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers, the team announced in a press release. Roberson has appeared in 22 games for the Thunder this season, averaging 1.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

Knicks, Raptors Show Interest In Kenneth Faried

February 18th, 2014 at 7:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

7:42pm: The Knicks also continue to show interest in Faried, tweets Kennedy. New York is still willing to send off Iman Shumpert in exchange for Faried, but their attempts to create a similar deal earlier this season fell through.

11:28am: Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has expressed interest in Kenneth Faried, whom he drafted for the Nuggets, reports Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The Knicks made plays for Faried at multiple points this season, but the Nuggets appeared to hold out for significant draft compensation.

The Nuggets have denied that they’re making Faried available on multiple occasions, but the sense remains that they’d be open to dealing the third-year player. Denver is apparently reluctant to shell out major money for Faried, who’s extension-eligible this summer, unless he improves his defense.

Faried’s playing time down this year amid a crowded front court in Denver. He’s seeing just 24.7 minutes per game, and the 24-year-old’s per-minute numbers aren’t much better than they were last season.

Pelicans Open To Signing Pierre Jackson

February 18th, 2014 at 3:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pelicans are open to signing D-League standout Pierre Jackson, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Amico earlier today added the Wizards to a list of teams looking to trade for the 5’8″ guard that already includes the Cavaliers and the Nuggets.

Jackson has thrived in the D-League this year, but he can’t sign with any team other than the Pelicans, who hold his rights. The Sixers drafted him in the second round this past summer, and traded him to New Orleans, which has elected not to sign him.

The Pelicans have 15 guaranteed contracts, so they’d have to either trade someone or waive one of those deals to sign Jackson. The 22-year-old is averaging 29.1 points and 6.2 assists for the Idaho Stampede. New Orleans have given Jackson’s representatives permission to seek trades, though no deal appears imminent.

The league is poised to give New Orleans a disabled player exception worth more than $4MM, so perhaps the Pelicans will use part of that to sign Jackson.

Wolves Have Interest In Andre Miller

February 18th, 2014 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 2:00pm: The Wolves would be Miller’s top choice for a trade destination, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, who notes that it’s probably not a factor in Denver’s thinking. The Nuggets still aren’t making progress on a Miller trade, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).

MONDAY, 9:05pm: The Timberwolves are among the clubs that have expressed interest in Nuggets guard Andre Miller, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Wolves would only acquire Miller if they find another home for guard J.J. Barea, however.

A straight-up swap of the two probably isn’t in the cards as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) believes that such a deal has already been proposed. The Nuggets, unsurprisingly, rebuffed the Wolves’ offer.

The veteran guard left the club earlier this year and apparently has no interest in returning to them this season. The 37-year-old isn’t the player he once was, but he has proven to be one of the most durable players in the league. Our own Chuck Myron recently looked at Miller as a trade candidate.

Wizards, Cavaliers, Nuggets Eye Pierre Jackson

February 18th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Charlie Adams

TUESDAY, 1:06pm: The Wizards are also in the market for Jackson, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who says the Pelicans are trying to package Jackson with Austin Rivers (Twitter link). The Pelicans have fielded plenty of calls for the 5’8″ Jackson, but GMs around the league are worried about his size, particularly since he’s not a true point guard, Amico also tweets.

SATURDAY, 2:57pm: The Cavaliers and Nuggets have made inquires to the Pelicans about the rights of D-League standout Pierre Jackson, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Neither club has come up with a deal to New Orleans’ liking, but Haynes hears from one GM that it’s “inevitable” the Pelicans make some sort of deal before next week’s trade deadline.

Jackson, whose rights are held by New Orleans, has excelled for the Idaho Stampede this season. He’s averaging 29 PPG while shooting 45% from the floor in 31 contests. He’s posted seven 40 point performances so far this year, but despite his success, the Pelicans haven’t given Jackson a shot to prove himself in the NBA. Haynes hears that it’s certainly possible the club hangs on to Jackson, but notes that their roster currently stands at the league maximum of 15 players, so the team would have to make some sort of move to make room for the rookie guard out of Baylor. Earlier this season, we heard the team was allowing Jackson and his agent to seek out a trade partner.

Reports this morning suggested Cleveland was primed to make some sort of deal before the deadline, but New Orleans reportedly doesn’t feel rushed to make any move with Jackson. However, the Nuggets could definitely use some help at the point guard position, with Nate Robinson out for the season, Ty Lawson missing time, and Andre Miller still inactive.

Knicks Pursue Jeff Teague, Still Eyeing Lowry

February 18th, 2014 at 1:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:02pm: Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also downplays New York’s pursuit of Teague, though he says it’s because of the Knicks’ lack of assets (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 8:24am: Marc Berman of the New York Post throws cold water on the story, writing that the Knicks are expected to pass on Teague out of concerns about his long-term deal. He also hears that the Raptors, Hawks and Knicks didn’t have talks about the three-way deal involving Lowry, whom Toronto probably won’t trade, according to Berman. Still, the Knicks would love to flip Shumpert for a point guard, and that desire has grown stronger than the team’s pursuit of a backup center, Berman writes.

MONDAY, 3:27pm: The Knicks view Andre Miller as a fallback option, though their preference is for someone younger like Teague or Lowry, Stein writes in his full story.

2:02pm: New York is continuing to try to pry Lowry away from the Raptors, offering packages that include Felton, Iman Shumpert and Beno Udrih, Begley reports. The Knicks have been reluctant to offer Tim Hardaway Jr. or a first-round draft pick, but the Raptors are believed to be demanding at least one of the two, Begley writes. The Knicks, Raptors and Hawks have had preliminary discussions about a three-team deal that would provide the Raptors with the first-rounder they’re apparently seeking, according to Begley. Such a deal would send Teague to the Raptors, Shumpert to the Hawks and Lowry to the Knicks, sources tell Begley, who notes that it’s also still a possibility that Teague winds up with the Knicks.

1:03pm: The Knicks are focusing on upgrading their point guard position at the deadline, and Jeff Teague is a new target, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com seconds the report, via Twitter. Hawks GM Danny Ferry apparently isn’t enamored with the four-year, $32MM offer sheet that Teague signed with the Bucks this past summer, goading the Hawks into matching it. Because the Hawks matched the offer sheet, Teague can veto any trade this season, as Stein points out (on Twitter).

New York renewed efforts to extract Kyle Lowry from the Raptors last week, but the Knicks have become convinced the Raptors won’t deal him, Stein tweets. Incumbent Knicks point guard Raymond Felton is averaging a career-low 10.4 points as New York sits two and a half games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Teague, by contrast, is putting up a career-best 15.6 points per game, and he’s also matching his high of 7.2 assists per contest. The Hawks are fifth in the East, but are below .500 at 25-26.

Northwest Rumors: Blazers, Aldridge, Nuggets

February 17th, 2014 at 5:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin knows that anything can happen at the trade deadline. He was just a rookie with the Spurs when the legendary George Gervin was traded from San Antonio to the Bulls. “I didn’t think a guy like George Gervin could be traded,” said the coach, according to Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune (on Twitter). Here’s the latest out of the Northwest Division..

LaMarcus Aldridge tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that multiple fellow All-Stars approached him this weekend to say that they’d like to join the Blazers. Aldridge declined to identify the players.
Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (via Twitter) notes that if Andre Miller really wanted to return to the Nuggets, he could have taken steps to make it happen. However, it’s clear that he has little-to-no desire to rejoin Denver.
Terry Frei of the Denver Post implores the Nuggets to clean up their mess.

Western Notes: McGee, Westbrook, McDonough

February 16th, 2014 at 10:42am CST by Eddie Scarito

Nuggets center JaVale McGee has been out of action since November with a stress fracture in his left tibia. The team’s original plan was to allow McGee to take time to let his injury heal without having surgery. But now, with little progress having been made, the 7-footer has to decide whether or not to undergo season-ending surgery. A resolution on whether he will play again this season is expected by March 1st, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. His mother, Pamela McGee stated, “By March 1, we’ll know exactly what strategy to use and when he’ll be definitely be back, or not back.” McGee has been able to start doing lower-body activity such as light work on the elliptical machine, but the leg has not healed enough for McGee, or the Nuggets, to be confident the efforts will work to get him back on the court this season. McGee only appeared in five games this season and had averages of 7.0 PPG and 3.4 RPG.

Miller Doesn’t Want To Return To Nuggets

February 15th, 2014 at 7:58pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite reports that Andre Miller worked out for the Nuggets this week, it doesn’t appear that the embattled guard will be returning to the team anytime soon, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The Nuggets were reportedly attempting to bring back the veteran but the relationship is beyond repair, according to Spears’ source. “The vibe is delusional. It’s a burned bridge. No reconciliation. He’s waiting by the door with his bag already packed. The relationship is irreparable. Under no circumstances does he want to come back to Denver“, the source said. Spears says that Miller hasn’t spoken publicly about the situation out of good will.

Spears also writes that coach Brian Shaw also has no interest in bringing back Miller and the two have not spoken with one another about a possible return. Miller was suspended for two games back in January for yelling at Shaw during a game. Miller has been working out daily at the Nuggets practice facility, but mostly at night, and away from the team. Nuggets GM Tim Connelly has attended some of those workouts, according to Spears.

There have been rumors of potential suitors for Miller, but nothing has materialized yet. The Nuggets may find it difficult to get any value for Miller now, especially if other teams are aware that they have to move the veteran. Last month, Chuck Myron took a look at Miller as a trade candidate. In 30 games this season, Miller has averaged 5.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 3.3 APG.