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Amico’s Latest: Garnett, Josh Smith, Millsap

February 12th, 2013 at 11:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio is hearing plenty of chatter from around the league, and shares a lot of information in his latest dispatch. He identifies the player receiving the most attention as the deadline approaches, and dishes on several big names. We'll cover the highlights here:

The Celtics are open to trading Kevin Garnett, but president of basketball ops Danny Ainge is looking for something to get "really, really excited" about, Amico writes. Garnett has a no-trade clause, and reportedly will only waive it if he's dealt to Los Angeles and the Celtics also trade Paul Pierce away.
Josh Smith is the most-talked-about name on the rumor mill at present, and Amico reiterates that the Spurs, Nets and Bobcats are among the teams that have interest in the athletic forward. The Nets are anxious to deal Kris Humphries, and could be looking to get a third team involved in talks with Atlanta to faciliate a Smith-Humphries deal. Cavs GM Chris Grant spent time on the phone with Nets GM Billy King last week, and Amico notes the close ties Grant shares with King, as well as the connection between Hawks GM Danny Ferry and King.
Grant wants more draft picks, and is apparently willing to rent some of the Cavs' ample cap space for a player whose deal expires after next season, as Humphries' does.
If they can't land Smith, plan B for the Nets might be Paul Millsap. We heard about Brooklyn's interest in the Jazz power forward earlier today.
Bulls GM Gar Forman also covets Smith and Millsap. Chicago has talked to the Nets about Carlos Boozer, but there's been no recent movement on that front.
Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings are available, but only for a team that makes an overwhelming offer to Bucks GM John Hammond.
The Mavs are publicly downplaying the chances of a trade before the deadline, but that's not the case behind the scenes, where basketball president Donnie Nelson is seeing what he can get for Shawn Marion.
Eric Gordon would love to return to his Indiana roots and the Hornets have interest in Danny Granger, but the Pacers and New Orleans have not discussed a Gordon-Granger swap.

Eastern Links: Rose, Pargo, Shumpert, Will Bynum

February 12th, 2013 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bulls continue to hang around in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, there's been speculation that getting a certain former MVP back in the lineup could make Chicago the biggest threat to knock off the Heat. But as he tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Derrick Rose doesn't have a set timetable for his return and isn't about to rush back.

"I'm not coming back until I'm 110%," Rose said. "Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It's just that I'm not coming back until I'm ready."

As Bulls fans wait on Rose, let's round up a few links from around the Eastern Conference:

Jannero Pargo's second 10-day contract with the Hawks expired last night, and though Atlanta has interest in retaining him for the season, the team will keep the roster spot open for now, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). With just 14 guaranteed contracts on the books, the Hawks have a little flexibility to take on a player at the trade deadline.
Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld weighs the pros and cons for the Knicks if they were to trade Iman Shumpert.
Will Bynum's name figures to pop up in trade rumors over the next nine days, but the Pistons guard isn't thinking about that at all, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
ESPN.com's 5-on-5 panel debates whether "sell-high" trade candidates such as Amare Stoudemire, Kyle Korver, and Jameer Nelson would be worth the risk for potential suitors.
The Pacers are the team that would benefit the most by acquiring J.J. Redick from the Magic, writes Bradford Doolittle in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com.

Kyler On Gordon, Lakers, Redick, Expirings

February 10th, 2013 at 9:41am CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler took to Twitter for his latest round of trade deadline updates, and we'll round up the highlights here:

We heard Friday that the Hornets are willing to discuss offers for Eric Gordon, but the team says its interest in trading him is overstated, according to Kyler, who adds that New Orleans is looking for "tremendous value" in return for the 24-year-old shooting guard.
The Lakers, winners of seven out of nine games, have an open roster spot, and are without big men Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill because of injury. Still, they're unlikely to make an addition unless they start losing again.
The Bucks, Bulls, Pacers and Knicks have all emerged as suitors for J.J. Redick, but the Magic's price is "very high" because they'd like to retain the sharpshooter.
Answering a question about Cole Aldrich's $2.445MM expiring contract with the Rockets, Kyler says expiring deals aren't as sought-after this season as usual, because most teams that want to clear cap space for the summer have already done so, and teams looking to unload players to avoid the tax wouldn't be able to get under the tax line by dumping anyone in the last year of his deal. It's a trend he expects to continue under the new CBA, with shorter contracts and fewer teams likely to become taxpayers.

Bulls, Pacers Pursuing J.J. Redick

February 9th, 2013 at 10:40pm CST by Sean Highkin

10:40pm: Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork reports that the Knicks are monitoring the market for Redick as well.

8:35pm: Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick has been one of the most heavily pursued players in the league in the weeks leading up to the February 21 trade deadline, and now Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld adds the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers to the list of teams that are contemplating trading for him.

Kennedy notes that the Bulls signed Redick to an offer sheet in 2010, which Orlando matched. He also cautions that the Magic have not made a decision as to whether they will trade Redick, although he will draw plenty of interest if they do decide to move him.

Central Notes: Speights, Cavs, Plumlee

February 9th, 2013 at 5:35pm CST by Sean Highkin

With Derrick Rose returning to the Bulls soon, the Pacers rounding into a serious challenger to the Heat in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and the Bucks looking like a late-seed sleeper, here's a look at the happenings around the Central Division.

Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer has a new mailbag column in which she discusses the possibility that Marreese Speights will be traded before the February 21 deadline. She believes it's possible if the team believes he will opt out of his $4.5MM option for next season, but says his veteran experience makes him worth keeping around.
Schmitt Boyer does not know when Lucas Nogueira and Augusto Lima, two Brazilian draft prospects represented by Anderson Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, plan to enter the NBA draft.
Schmitt Boyer writes that the Cavs did not make an attempt to trade for Rudy Gay because his contract would have limited their options in future years of free agency.
Schmitt Boyer breaks down the protections on the Lakers' first-round pick the Cavs own, explaining that Cleveland only gets to swap their own pick with the Lakers if Los Angeles makes the playoffs.
Schmitt Boyer writes in a separate column that Cavs GM Chris Grant is known to make a lot of moves at the deadline, and she expects him to be active again this year.
Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star has a feature on Pacers rookie Miles Plumlee, who is currently playing in the D-League.

Stein’s Latest: Clippers, Josh Smith, Randolph

February 8th, 2013 at 11:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

Marc Stein's Weekend Dime at ESPN.com is usually full of juicy rumors year-round, and with the trade deadline less than two weeks away, this week's edition is especially jam-packed. Let's dig in:

The Clippers went fishing for Kevin Garnett, and while the Celtics seem uninterested in such a swap, Stein expects Clippers to keep looking for deals as the trade deadline draws near. L.A. might like to send out DeAndre Jordan, who's eager for more playing time and whose lack of production has frustrated coach Vinny Del Negro, but the more likely trade chip is third-year point guard Eric Bledsoe. Stein hears there's a 99.5% chance Chris Paul re-signs this summer, but if the Clippers endure an early playoff exit, Paul's future, as well as Del Negro's job, could hang in the balance.
If the Hawks trade Josh Smith, they'll be looking for "a quality young center" in return.
The Grizzlies have told Zach Randolph they won't trade him, and Memphis is unlikely to make another move involving Randolph or anyone else. Still, despite coach Lionel Hollins' insistence that he and management are on the same page, the coach's dim view of the Rudy Gay trade has cast a pall on the locker room, as Stein writes.
Reports that the Rockets have interest in Danny Granger are inaccurate, according to Stein.
Denver isn't biting on an offer for Timofey Mozgov unless the Nuggets get one that's "crazy good."
The Sixers, open to a shakeup as they wait for Andrew Bynum to make his Philadelphia debut, are shopping Evan Turner.
Samuel Dalembert was on the market even before he did his best to showcase his value with a career-best 35-point game against the Nuggets this week, and he's not the only player Milwaukee might trade. Monta Ellis and Beno Udrih are among the Bucks who could be on the move.
Boston isn't better with Rajon Rondo out for the season, but Stein believes the Celtics' six-game winning streak can be at least partially explained by the team's improved attitude without the moody Rondo around.

Odds & Ends: Andersen, Splitter, Celtics, Pacers

February 5th, 2013 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the 10 NBA teams in action tonight, eight are currently in position to make the playoffs, while one of the remaining two is a shorthanded Lakers squad trying to claw its way back to .500. As we look forward to what should be an entertaining evening slate, let's round up some miscellaneous updates from around the Association….

As Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida documents, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is talking as if he expects Chris Andersen to remain with the team for the rest of the season. If Miami does guarantee Andersen's contract, it will be the 15th guaranteed deal on the roster, meaning the Heat wouldn't have an open spot for someone like Greg Oden later in the season.
Tiago Splitter is eligible for restricted free agency this summer and acknowledges to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News that he can't help but think about his future. "I’m not thinking about it during the games, of course," Splitter said. "But it’s difficult not to think about it other times. It’s in your head." Splitter's preference is to re-sign with the Spurs, though he'll likely be in line for a decent raise.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers referred to recent trade rumors involving his players as "silly," suggesting that they're media-driven rather than substantial. Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com has the details.
Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star implores the Pacers to make a deal before the February 21st deadline if they want to be legit contenders in the Eastern Conference.
In light of LeBron James' recent comments suggesting that his contract doesn't reflect his true value, ESPN.com's Henry Abbott and Brian Windhorst (video link) discuss the value of NBA superstars like LeBron.
In a mailbag, Ian Thomsen of SI.com identifies 12 teams he thinks could be "buyers" as the trade deadline approaches.

Ingram On Gortat, Granger, Rockets, Calderon

February 4th, 2013 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

With just two and a half weeks remaining until this season's trade deadline, Bill Ingram's NBA PM piece at HoopsWorld today focuses exclusively on players who could be on the move on or before February 21st, or players who have already been dealt. Here are the highlights from Ingram:

Ingram spoke to Marcin Gortat about the difficulties of adjusting to an overhauled Suns' roster and a midseason coaching change. According to Ingram, sources continue to say that Phoenix would move Gortat at the deadline if and when the price is right.
Following up on Sam Amico's report of the Rockets' interest in Danny Granger, Ingram hears from an executive who jokes that one item on Daryl Morey's "daily to-do list" involves calling the Pacers and inquiring on Granger's availability. The Pacers have some internal concerns about Granger's knee and are debating whether now is the time to cash in, says Ingram.
While the Pistons consider Jose Calderon's expiring contract valuable, there's a real possibility he'll be part of the team's longer-term plan. If Detroit trades Rodney Stuckey or Will Bynum before the deadline, expect to see Calderon re-sign with the Pistons this summer, says Ingram.

D-League Moves: Aron Baynes, Miles Plumlee

February 4th, 2013 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

Here are Monday's D-League assignments and recalls, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

Aron Baynes has been recalled from the Austin Toros, the Spurs announced in a press release. Baynes played in a pair of Toros' losses over the weekend, excelling in his first D-League contest on Friday, with 30 points and 10 boards.
The Pacers have re-assigned Miles Plumlee to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. It's the sixth time this season that the 2012 first-round pick has been assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. In his previous five stints, Plumlee has appeared in 12 games for the team, averaging 12.7 PPG and 11.1 RPG.

Amico On Josh Smith, Cavs, Blatche, Granger

February 4th, 2013 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

Water-cooler conversation this morning may be dominated by talk of Super Bowl XLVII, but at Hoops Rumors, we're still focused on the NBA, including the latest trade rumors from around the league. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has a few updates on players and teams that could be in the mix as the February 21st deadline approaches, so let's round up the highlights from his piece….

Amico names the Mavericks, Bobcats, Rockets, Hornets, and Kings as potential suitors for Josh Smith. Many recent reports have suggested the Kings likely won't be too active at the deadline, but Amico notes that expiring contracts typically appeal to new ownership groups.
Cavaliers GM Chris Grant wouldn't mind making another move before the deadline. Nothing concrete is in the works yet, but Grant is still working with some cap space and a few expiring contracts (Luke Walton, Daniel Gibson, Omri Casspi).
Amico hears from multiple sources that the Nets have made Andray Blatche available in hopes of landing a draft pick. The Trail Blazers may have some interest, according to Amico.
The Rockets are keeping a "keen eye" on Danny Granger, who has missed the entire season with a knee injury. The Pacers aren't actively shopping Granger, but could be more open to moving him given the emergence of Paul George.
The Mavericks figure to be more active in trade talks as the deadline nears, as plenty of clubs are interested in Chris Kaman's expiring contract.