Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Cavs, Ellington, Young, Calderon

February 2nd, 2013 at 4:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

No division race is tighter than the Central, where the Bulls hold a half-game lead over the Pacers, while he Bucks sit three back in the loss column. Derrick Rose and Danny Granger will soon return to Chicago and Indiana, respectively, so we’ll see how that affects the dynamics of the race. In the meantime, here’s what’s happening around the division:

The Cavs are open to using their $4MM in cap space to absorb an otherwise unwanted player in exchange for a draft pick, but Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal believes the team is done dealing this year. Signing Greg Oden is another possibility for that cap space, as Lloyd notes as he answers more questions from his Twitter followers.
Cavs shooting guard Wayne Ellington, acquired in last week’s trade with the Grizzlies, will be a restricted free agent this summer, and though he didn’t address his future plans, he spoke to Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer about his Charlotte connections and mentioned that he’s best friends with Bobcats swingman Gerald Henderson, who’s also set to hit restricted free agency.
Sam Young demonstrated why the Pacers re-signed him this week with his defense against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in last night’s blowout of the Heat, observes Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star. Wells writes that Young will have an impact the rest of the season, which suggests he isn’t merely on a 10-day contract; when Young signed, the terms were unclear.
MLive’s David Mayo, in a pair of features, breaks down the impact that new starting point guard Jose Calderon will have on Detroit’s rotation, and Matt Moore of CBSSports.com wonders why the Pistons aren’t shopping Jonas Jerebko, who’s struggled to find a role.
Hunter Atkins of The New York Times looks at the rapid improvement of Larry Sanders, whom Atkins compares to Tyson Chandler. Sanders will be up for an extension on his rookie deal with the Bucks this summer.

Eastern Rumors: Josh Smith, Lowry, Lucas, Bulls

February 2nd, 2013 at 1:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

It doesn't look like anything will derail a trip to the postseason for the teams currently in the top seven of the Eastern Conference, but with Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger both lost for the year, the Celtics appear more vulnerable than their three-game lead for the eighth spot would suggest. The Sixers, who could get Andrew Bynum back soon, are ninth, and the Pistons and Raptors, a pair of teams that could get a boost from this week's trade, are next in line. Here's more from the East:

Though other reports have contradicted Alex Kennedy's recent dispatch that the Suns have interest in Josh Smith, the HoopsWorld scribe stands by his story, and says the Rockets and Bobcats have had exploratory talks with the Hawks as well (Twitter links).
While Marc Stein of ESPN.com has heard the suggestion that the Raptors might have intended to get rid of Kyle Lowry as well as Jose Calderon, he doesn't see that happening now, especially given the close friendship between Lowry and new acquisiton Rudy Gay.
The Raptors signed John Lucas III last summer with the idea that he would slide into the rotation if a Calderon trade went down, Stein points out. Lucas responded with 17 points in less than 19 minutes during last night's upset of the Clippers.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders about the possibility LeBron James could sign with the Bulls in 2014, when the team is set to have plenty of cap space to accomodate King James and others.
Cowley also notes that Bulls GM Gar Forman is likely to sign free agents primarily to one-year contracts this summer, just as he did in 2012, as last year's free agent tracker shows.
HoopsWorld's Joel Brigham provides an update on Bynum, Derrick Rose, Danny Granger, and other key injured players due back around the All-Star break, speculating that their returns might make it less likely that their teams participate in trade deadline deals.

D-League Moves: Miles Plumlee, Kevin Jones

January 31st, 2013 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday's D-League assignments and recalls, with the latest moves at the top of the page:

The Pacers have re-assigned Miles Plumlee to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today in a press release. Plumlee has averaged a double-double for Indiana's D-League affiliate in 11 games with the Mad Ants this year, posting 12.8 PPG and 11.2 RPG.
A day after assigning him to the D-League, the Cavaliers have recalled Kevin Jones, the team announced in a press release. Jones recorded 18 points and 14 rebounds in the Canton Charge's loss to the Erie BayHawks last night, and will rejoin the Cavs for their game tomorrow in Detroit.

Heat, Cavs Frontrunners For Greg Oden

January 30th, 2013 at 9:40pm CST by Luke Adams

9:40pm: There's mutual interest between the Cavs and Oden, Conley tells Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. The agent noted that the proximity of the Cleveland Clinic helps the Cavs, as Conley wants to make sure that there's proper care for his oft-injured client wherever he winds up.

3:09pm: In addition to the potential Oden suitors we've already heard about (including the Spurs and Mavericks), the Pacers, Hornets, and Bobcats also have interest, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Broussard, Oden is expected to make his decision in three or four weeks.

WEDNESDAY, 1:26pm: Speaking to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida, agent Mike Conley essentially confirmed Goodman's report, referring to both Miami and Cleveland as potential fits for his client. He also confirmed that he and Oden would like to go down to Miami and meet with the Heat soon, noting that he has been in touch recently with team president Pat Riley.

TUESDAY, 11:08am: As Greg Oden continues to eye an NBA comeback, the Heat and the Cavaliers have emerged as the favorites to land the former first overall pick, reports Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. According to Goodman, Oden is hoping to visit Pat Riley and the Heat in Miami within the next week or so.

We heard earlier this month that Oden is considering signing an NBA deal this season, with the intention of rehabbing with the club this year and then returning to the court for the 2013/14 season. Multiple reports have identified the Heat as a possible landing spot for the seven-footer, but the Cavaliers have a couple factors working in their favor — Oden has a history in the area, having attended Ohio State, and the Cavs could also offer a higher salary. While the Heat only have minimum-salary deals at their disposal, Cleveland still has about $3-4MM in cap space.

Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reported last week that Oden was hoping to sign with a team shortly after the All-Star break or trade deadline, which means we could get resolution within the next few weeks. Besides Miami and Cleveland, the Celtics, Mavericks, and Spurs are among the teams that have been linked to Oden.

Pacers Re-Sign Sam Young

January 28th, 2013 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have officially re-signed Sam Young, the team announced today in a press release. Indiana had waived Young earlier in January after he sprained his ankle and before his contract could become guaranteed for the season.

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reported (via Twitter) that the Pacers were expected to re-add Young to the roster to replace Dominic McGuire, whose second 10-day contract has expired. While Young takes McGuire's place as the team's 15th man, it's not clear whether the 27-year-old is back on a 10-day contract or rest-of-season deal.

Young was averaging 3.6 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 16.0 minutes per game earlier this season with the Pacers, before he went down with the ankle injury. Presumably, since the team is comfortable re-signing him at this point, Young's ankle has healed and he'll be available immediately.

Odds & Ends: Pacers, Gelabale, Joseph, Wolves

January 28th, 2013 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Tonight's schedule includes a battle for Western Conference positioning between the Rockets and Jazz, Andrew Bogut's possible return to the court for the Warriors, and an opportunity for the Wizards to win their third straight game (and eighth of their last 11). As we look forward to the evening's slate of games, let's check out a few odds and ends from around the NBA….

Dominic McGuire's second 10-day contract with the Pacers has expired, and the team has elected to let him go rather than sign him to a rest-of-season deal. According to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter), the Pacers will likely bring back Sam Young, though it's not clear whether he'll get a 10-day contract or a rest-of-season deal. Indiana released Young before his contract became guaranteed, and shortly after he suffered an ankle sprain.
Agent Bill McCandless expects the Timberwolves to keep Mickael Gelabale for more than just one 10-day contract, as he tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype: "Based on my conversations with Timberwolves management, I understand that Minnesota is very likely to offer M.G. a second 10-day contract." (Twitter links).
With Sacramento and Seattle potentially set to battle over the Kings, Neema Hodjat of RealGM.com makes a case for why the NBA should consider expansion as an alternative to relocation.
We heard last week that Kris Joseph had signed a contract to play for Orleans in France, but David Pick of Sportando reports (via Twitter) that Joseph backed out of that deal for a possible D-League offer.
A.J. Mitnick of Sheridan Hoops makes his early picks for the top 10 European prospects of the 2013 draft class.
Tracy McGrady, Gilbert Arenas, and D.J. White are among the former NBA players in China whose CBA teams won't qualify for the postseason, according to Shaopeng Shen of Hupu.com (via Twitter). As such, those players would be free to return to the NBA sooner, assuming there's any interest.
The Timberwolves received a disabled player exception worth about $381K for Malcolm Lee, tweets Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times and HoopsWorld. Considering how small that amount is, the team is unlikely to use the exception.

Magic Want Picks, Young Talent For Redick

January 26th, 2013 at 12:38pm CST by Sean Highkin

Ric Bucher of CSNBayArea.com reports (via Sulia) that the Orlando Magic are asking for picks and young talent on a rookie contract if they are to deal J.J. Redick before the February 21 trade deadline.

Bucher also says that, while the Celtics and Pacers are known to be interested in acquiring Redick, they lack the pieces to meet the Magic's asking price. As such, it is unlikely that he will be dealt before the deadline.

Redick, 28, is averaging 14.9 PPG and 4.4 APG, both career highs, in his final season with the Magic. He is due to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Ford’s Latest: Bargnani, Kings, Granger, Draft

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Chad Ford's latest chat at ESPN.com includes a handful of trade-related inquiries along with plenty of draft questions. Let's dive in and check out the highlights from both categories….

While the Raptors would likely move Andrea Bargnani for any decent offer, Ford hasn't spoken to any general managers that are excited about making an offer for the former first overall pick.
The Kings could still be active before the trade deadline, but the Maloofs are still in charge of any decisions until the NBA Board of Governors makes a decision on the sale of the franchise. As such, most rival teams view the Kings' assets as "essentially frozen" for now.
Danny Granger is receiving assurances from the Pacers that he won't be traded, but Ford thinks Indiana would change that stance if the right offer came along. A young power forward or point guard could interest the Pacers, says Ford.
Ford spoke to five different NBA GMs this week who said they'd take Kansas guard Ben McLemore first overall next June.
Ford also adds that McLemore would be at the top of his personal top-five list for 2013, with UNLV's Anthony Bennett and Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State right behind him.

Pacers Seek To Retain West

January 21st, 2013 at 5:59pm CST by Michael Pina

The Pacers and David West—their soon to be unrestricted free agent power forward—are committed to extending their relationship, according to the Indianapolis Star's Bob Kravitz. Team President Donnie Walsh declared that Indiana wants to keep West earlier today.

It's against NBA rules for the Pacers to offer West an extension right now, but both parties have made it known they're interested in getting something done this offseason. Along with Paul George, West has been Indiana's most valuable player this season, and retaining him for off the court reasons are just as important, due to his positive influence with younger players in the locker room.

D-League Moves: Plumlee, Tyler

January 20th, 2013 at 12:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

We'll round up today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with the latest news on top.

Miles Plumlee is back with the Pacers, as the team announced it's recalled him from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The rookie's latest D-League assignment, his fifth, lasted four days. He's played in 11 games with the Mad Ants, averaging 12.8 points and 11.2 rebounds in 31.3 minutes. That's in contrast to just 22 total minutes with Indiana.
The Warriors have reassigned big man Jeremy Tyler to Santa Cruz of the D-League. It's the fifth time he's been sent down this season, but Tyler has only played in four games for Santa Cruz this season, notching 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per contest. The 39th overall pick in the 2011 draft has appeared in a total of 48 minutes over 16 games for Golden State this season, with 17 points and 11 rebounds.