Latest On Clippers, Celtics Austin Rivers Talks
TUESDAY, 8:30am: Clippers officials have begun conversations with other teams about sending them Jordan Farmar, sources tell Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), as the Clips hunt for an expiring deal to send to Boston. A third team may not be required to pull off the Rivers trade, and the Clippers may pull off a separate transaction to acquire the assets the Celtics are looking for, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt (on Twitter), who hears the chances are “really good” that Rivers ends up with the Clips. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge acknowledged some uncertainty surrounding Rivers and said the Celtics are engaged in a dialogue with him, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald relays.
MONDAY, 1:59pm: The Clippers are “very confident” they’ll reach an agreement to acquire Austin Rivers this week, a source tells Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Rivers didn’t travel with the Pelicans, who officially traded him to the Celtics today, on their flight to Boston, where the Pels and Celtics will play tonight, notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. It’s expected the Celtics will eventually convey Rivers to the Clippers, where his father Doc Rivers is both coach and president of basketball operations, with a second-round pick likely to head to Boston, Murphy writes. The Clippers have been working to find a third team that would send an expiring contract to Boston, too, since the Celtics don’t want to take back salary that runs past this season, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote this past weekend.
The Clips are less than $2MM shy of a hard cap they triggered when they used the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception on Spencer Hawes and the biannual exception on Jordan Farmar this summer, so they can’t take on Austin’s salary, worth nearly $2.44MM, without giving up salary in return. DeAndre Jordan, Glen Davis, Ekpe Udoh, Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Douglas-Roberts are the Clips without any guaranteed salary beyond this season, though it would be a shock to see the Clippers part with Jordan. Should the Clippers acquire Austin, whose deal expires at season’s end, they couldn’t re-sign him for a salary greater than the nearly $3.111MM rookie scale team option the Pelicans declined for 2015/16.
Clippers GM Dave Wohl and assistant coaches Lawrence Frank and Mike Woodson are encouraging Doc to overcome fears about the perceptions that would surround a father trading for and coaching his son, as Wojnarowski also reported Sunday. Doc said to reporters on Saturday that he’s more open to the idea of coaching Austin than he had been in the past, Wojnarowski noted.
Heat, Clippers, Hornets Eye Arron Afflalo
The Heat, Clippers and Hornets have all discussed Arron Afflalo as the Nuggets field numerous trade calls on Afflalo and Wilson Chandler, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). Afflalo has a player option for next season worth $7.36MM and was rumored to be interested in hitting the open market.
The Clippers were in discussions with the Celtics about acquiring shooting guard Austin Rivers. The team seems interested in adding depth at the guard position and there’s no word yet whether one move would exclude the other.
Charlotte has been linked to Afflalo since last season when he was a member of the Magic. The Hornets have won five games in a row and find themselves just two games behind the Nets for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Miami is already in position to make the playoffs but would most likely need to add reinforcements if the team is to make any sort of deep postseason run. Mario Chalmers ($4.0MM) or Chris Andersen ($5.38MM) seem like candidates to be in a trade for Afflalo based on their salaries, although that is just my speculation.
Afflalo is having a rough season so far. He is averaging 15.5 points per game and his player efficiency rating is down to 12.75. However, based on his past history, he should have plenty of interest from teams as the trade deadline approaches.
Chris Crouse contributed to this post
Southeast Notes: Magic, Whiteside, Payne
Three Southeast Division teams would make the playoffs if they started today, and a fourth, the Hornets, are but two games out of the final postseason spot. The fifth-place Magic are within hailing distance at four and a half games out, but key decision-makers in Orlando appear to be getting antsy, as we detail amid the latest from the Southeast:
- Magic officials feel as though the team has lost its way over the past few weeks, and while they believe that the inexperience of the roster is responsible for the team’s struggles, they’re looking deeper to find the genesis of the problems, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Speculation surrounds the job security of Jacque Vaughn, but Vaughn says he’s not concerned and many players tell Robbins that the coach is not to blame. Vaughn’s contract runs through 2015/16 after the team picked up his option this past offseason.
- Hassan Whiteside had a one-day stint with the Grizzlies in November but says that no one else wanted him when the Heat picked him up shortly thereafter, observes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald. “It’s different because I got a coach who will play me, so I get to play,” Whiteside said. “You can’t get on the court without a contract. I called the Clippers for a workout, they said no. I called every team for a workout, they said no, except the Heat. The Heat gave me a chance and, I mean, it’s only right for me to give 110% effort every time.” Whiteside’s 23-point, 16-rebound performance Sunday seemed like a turning point for him and the Heat, as Goodman and Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examine.
- The Hawks have recalled Adreian Payne from the D-League, the team announced via press release. The 15th overall pick of the 2014 draft had been on his fourth assignment of the season since December 30th with the D-League affiliate of the Spurs, who took him in under the new rules in place for the Hawks and the 12 other NBA teams who share a D-League affiliate.
Grizzlies Acquire Jeff Green In Three-Team Trade
3:16pm: It’s a 2017 first-rounder headed from Memphis to Boston that’s top-10 protected, reports Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). If the Grizzlies don’t convey it in 2017, it’s top-12 protected for 2018, top-eight protected for 2019, top-six protected for 2020, and unprotected for 2021.
10:33am: The Grizzlies acquired forward Jeff Green from the Celtics in a three-team trade that also includes the Pelicans, the teams announced in three separate press releases (Grizzlies, Celtics, Pelicans), Memphis had drawn close to acquiring the high-scoring Green Friday. In addition to Green, the Grizzlies land Russ Smith from New Orleans. Boston acquires Tayshaun Prince and a protected first-round pick from Memphis in exchange for Green, and they also receive Austin Rivers from New Orleans. The Grizzlies send Quincy Pondexter to the Pelicans along with a 2015 second-round selection. This trade will help further Boston’s rebuilding process, which has already seen the team deal Rajon Rondo to the Mavs and Brandan Wright to the Suns.
Green has one season left on his current deal, but was reported to be considering turning down his $9.2MM player option for 2015/16 in order to test free agency and secure a long-term contract. He’ll add some scoring punch to Memphis’ offense, something the Grizzlies have been seeking. In 33 games this season, the 28-year-old Green has averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 33.1 minutes per game. His career numbers over six seasons are 14.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 1.6 APG, with a slash line of .440/.340/.788.
Smith, a rookie out of Louisville, has appeared in just six contests for the Pelicans this season after being selected 47th overall in last June’s draft. By contrast, Prince, who’s leaving Memphis, is a 12-year NBA veteran who appeared in 25 contests for the Grizzlies. The 34-year-old’s large expiring contract is likely what appealed to the Celtics, who are clearly looking toward building for the future rather than contending in the present.
The 26-year-old Pondexter has appeared in 30 games for the Grizzlies this season, including two as a starter. His season averages are 4.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. He still has three years remaining on his contract and is scheduled to make $3,382,023 in 2015/16, $3,617,978 in 2016/17, and $3,853,931 in the deal’s final season. The sharpshooting swingman out of Washington missed almost all of 2013/14 with a stress fracture in his foot and suffered an MCL sprain in 2012/13 that cost him a good chunk of that season as well.
“The New Orleans Pelicans are thrilled to welcome back a high character person like Quincy Pondexter to our organization,” Pelicans GM Dell Demps said in the team’s statement. “Quincy is a two-way player, a multi-position defender that will add toughness along with an offensive skill set that we anticipate will help the Pelicans win games.
Rivers heads to Boston, where his father, Doc Rivers, enjoyed remarkable success as the Celtics coach before heading out west in 2013. However, there have been indications that the former 10th overall pick’s stay in Boston will be relatively short, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that the the Clippers, for whom Doc Rivers serves as coach and head of basketball operations, are interested in acquiring the young shooting guard.
“It was difficult to trade Austin Rivers and Russ Smith,” Demps said. “Russ was only with the team for a short time while Austin is an intense competitor that is continuing to improve. We will miss Austin and Russ on and off the court. We thank Austin and Russ for their contributions and wish them success in the future.”
Los Angeles GM Dave Wohl and assistant coaches Lawrence Frank and Mike Woodson have encouraged Doc Rivers to try to trade for his son Austin, even if the move might be publicly viewed as family favoritism, Wojnarowski writes. Rivers will become a free agent after this season, since New Orleans declined his third-year player option back in October.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) reported that the sides had come to an agreement, though Wojnarowski maintained that there were still moving parts and later reported the final structure of the deal. The pair added numerous details along the way, and Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, John Reid of The Times Picayune, and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today also reported details.
Pacific Notes: Rivers, Bryant, Wright, Kerr
Clippers coach Doc Rivers isn’t sure if he is permitted to talk to his son about joining the team, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. Austin Rivers is expected to be moved from Memphis to Boston Monday as part of a three-team deal. Rumors emerged that the Celtics don’t want to keep Rivers and could be shipping him to the Clippers, although a third team may be needed to facilitate the deal. “I maybe should call the league,” Doc Rivers said. “It may be tampering. Listen, if it got to that point, yeah, we would talk, clearly.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Lakers coach Byron Scott said he played Kobe Bryant too many minutes early in the season and dropped a hint about shutting Bryant down for the rest of the year, according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Bryant has missed six of the team’s last 11 games, but Scott said any decision will be made gradually. “I keep thinking about game-to-game right now,” he said. “So I haven’t gotten to that point. Maybe after the All-Star break, maybe we will start talking about something like that if necessary.”
- New Suns center Brandan Wright impressed the opposition coach in Sunday’s double overtime loss to Memphis, reports Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Wright had seven points and two rebounds in 15 minutes of action in his first game since Friday’s trade from the Celtics, but the Grizzlies’ Dave Joerger sees him as a perfect fit. “He plays off the ball as well as anybody in the league, being able to get into pick-and-rolls and then separate and get out of pick-and-rolls,” Joerger said. “What you do on that deal is then you either have dunks or you create long close-outs of two guys who are very willing and capable of making perimeter shots. Then if you have to run out too fast, whew. You just keep chasing your tail.”
- The Warriors‘ Steve Kerr is coaching the best team in the NBA, but he could have been with the worst, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Kerr admits he had a verbal commitment to join the Knicks before opting for Golden State. “I told [Knicks president Phil Jackson] that I was going to come as long as we could work a contract out,” Kerr said. “And we didn’t ever work a contract out.”
Celtics Notes: Rivers, Ainge, Clippers, Draft
The Celtics have been among the most active teams on the trade market this season, already completing two deals with a third reportedly forthcoming. As more activity appears to be looming, we’ll round up the latest out of Boston:
- Rumors have indicated Austin Rivers might soon be playing for his father, Doc Rivers, in a Clippers uniform. The elder Rivers told reporters, including Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, that his son almost played under him when he was the coach of the Celtics, as Boston team president Danny Ainge made an attempt to swing a deal for the former 10th overall pick during Doc’s tenure in Beantown (Twitter link).
- Rivers admits he’s glad that he can now discuss trades with Ainge again since the one-year ban the NBA imposed on trade talks between the Celtics and Clippers has been lifted, notes Bolch (on Twitter). The league forbade the two franchise from making trades for a season after Boston agreed to trade their then-coach Rivers to Los Angeles for a first-round pick.
- Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com has a look at some of the different ways the Celtics might use their huge stockpile of draft picks over the next two years. Boston is in line to have 14 selections in the upcoming two drafts.
Grizzlies, Celtics Close To Deal For Jeff Green
SUNDAY, 12:03pm: The Clippers are working to find a third team to help deliver Boston an expiring deal to go along with a second-rounder that the Celtics want in the Clippers/Rivers deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
6:43pm: Stein is also reporting that Smith is headed to Memphis, and adds that the Grizzlies are sending a second round pick to the Pelicans (Twitter link). Washburn says Rivers will likely be moved in a separate deal (Twitter link). Wojnarowski notes the Celtics don’t want to take back any salary beyond this season. (Twitter link).
6:00pm: Officials in the Clippers’ front office and coaching staff are pushing Doc Rivers to bring Austin to Los Angeles, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).
5:39pm: The Clippers are the likely destination for Rivers, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
5:21pm: The Celtics are attempting to find a trade partner for Rivers, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).
5:05pm: Salmons was originally going to be included in the trade, but Boston made a push to acquire Rivers instead, John Reid of The Times Picayune reports. This wasn’t the first time the two sides had discussed a deal for Rivers, Reid notes, as New Orleans had conversations with the Celtics last summer about a potential trade involving Rivers, but talks broke off without a deal getting done. The Pelicans, who have been struggling to get consistent play at small forward, pushed to get Pondexter in the deal, Reid adds.
4:36pm: Rivers is reportedly headed to Boston, but he may not stay with the team, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe reports (Twitter link). Whether this means the Celtics intend to waive Rivers or trade him is unclear.
2:15pm: The three sides have agreed to terms, Stein maintains (on Twitter), but it appears there are still some moving parts involved. It’s unclear if they will push the trade through today or wait until Monday when the league office reopens, Stein adds.
2:09pm: Boston would also get a future first-rounder, Stein reports (Twitter link).
1:50pm: The current deal being discussed involves Green heading to Memphis, Prince and Rivers to Boston, and Pondexter to New Orleans, Stein tweets. Stein makes no reference to Smith, who was previously reported by Wojnarowski to be involved, nor any draft picks changing hands.
SATURDAY, 1:42pm: New Orleans is going to send Austin Rivers to the Celtics as part of the proposed deal, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).
10:04pm: Russ Smith is also heading to Memphis in the proposed deal, Wojnarowski tweets.
8:44pm: The third team involved looks to be the Pelicans, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter links). In this proposed three-way deal, Green would go to Memphis, Prince, John Salmons, and a first-rounder from Memphis to Boston, and Quincy Pondexter would head to New Orleans, Wojnarowski notes. The Grizzlies are discussing various deals involving Pondexter with other teams, Wojnarowski reports, but their focus is on including him in a trade for Green.
FRIDAY, 5:06pm: The Celtics are continuing with their rebuilding process, and the next player on the list to be dealt is Jeff Green, who is likely on his way to the Grizzlies, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Memphis is offering Boston Tayshaun Prince and a first round draft pick in return, Wojnarowski notes. There also appears to be a third team involved in the deal, Wojnarowski adds.
Memphis has been actively trying to acquire either Luol Deng from the Heat, or Green from Boston over the last few days. When the Grizzlies couldn’t make any headway on nabbing Deng, they zeroed in on Green over the last 48 hours and sold Boston on deal, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Boston had initially been asking for two first-rounders in return, Wojnarowski tweets. The Clippers had also inquired about Green, but they didn’t have the expiring contracts that Boston was looking for to make a trade work, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (Twitter link).
In 33 games this season, the 28-year-old Green has averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 33.1 minutes per game. His career numbers over six seasons are 14.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 1.6 APG. His career slash line is .440/.340/.788.
Prince is a 12-year NBA veteran, and is averaging 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 25 appearances (9 starts) this season. The 34-year-old’s career numbers are 11.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 2.5 APG. His career shooting percentages are .455/.367/.758.
Pacific Notes: Rivers, Clippers, Wright, Warriors
There’s a real possibility that Austin Rivers might be joining his father with the Clippers, reports Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times. “I think this team could handle that,” said L.A. coach Doc Rivers. “He’s a downhill guard, which is something we need.” Austin Rivers is likely to be dealt from New Orleans to Boston in a three-team trade on Monday. The Celtics are rumored to be moving him after the deal, and the Clippers have emerged as a potential landing spot. One obstacle is compensation, as Los Angeles would have to give up approximately $1.8MM in a deal for Rivers. A possibility is guard Jordan Farmar, who makes $2.1MM this year. But he has a player option for the same amount next season, and the Celtics are reluctant to accept any salary beyond this year.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers had interest in Boston’s Jeff Green but decided the price was too high, according to Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. He reports that L.A. could have gotten Green for Matt Barnes, Jamal Crawford and a first round pick, probably in 2019, but the Clippers didn’t want to part with that much. Instead, Green appears headed to Memphis as part of the Rivers deal.
- When Brandan Wright joined his new Suns teammates in Memphis Saturday, he talked like he plans to stay a long time, reports Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Wright, who has an expiring $5MM contract, was traded from Boston to Phoenix on Friday. “Everyone on this team is still growing,” he said. “This thing is going in the right direction. It’s a great fit for me and this is a place I can thrive at.”
- The Warriors are going to have to accept the luxury tax as part of the price of success, opines Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group. Golden State has the best record in the NBA, but keeping its current roster together will be costly. In line for the biggest raise is Draymond Green, who is making just $915,243 this season and is headed toward restricted free agency this summer.
Western Notes: Brooks, Clippers, Waiters
Though he’s unlikely to be fired mid-season, Thunder coach Scott Brooks‘ job is definitely on the line this year, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman writes. Tramel cites the Thunder’s disappointing record, and how the team has regressed even after getting Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back from injuries, as major reasons why Brooks’ days in OKC could be numbered.
Here’s the latest out of the Western Conference:
- Toure’ Murry, who was waived by the Jazz earlier this month, was acquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-League, the team announced. Rio Grande Valley is the D-League affiliate of the Rockets.
- The Warriors were one of the Wolves‘ most aggressive suitors for Kevin Love prior to him being dealt to Cleveland, but Love still isn’t sure how close he was to heading to Oakland, Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle writes. “I know that they were a team that was in talks,” Love said. “But that’s really as far as it got.” Love definitely appreciates just how talented a squad Golden State has, Simmons adds. “They’re a great team,” Love said. “They’re a fun team to watch. They get up and down the floor. They shoot the three ball really well. They have a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things.”
- Dion Waiters said that he learned that he had been traded to the Thunder after the starting lineup had been announced and the Cavs’ game against the Sixers was just about to begin, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports notes (Twitter link). Waiters still wanted to play in the game, but wasn’t permitted to for obvious reasons, Spears adds.
- In light of president of basketball operations Neil Olshey‘s brand new contract extension, Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders looks at the success that Olshey has had during his tenure with the Blazers.
- The Clippers sent $300K to the Sixers as part of the Jared Cunningham deal, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link).
- Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger isn’t happy that trade talks have leaked to the media, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal tweets. “It’s a major distraction,” Joerger said. “Things like that should be kept behind closed doors. It ticks me off.“
Eastern Notes: Wroten, Taylor, Butler
CSNPhilly.com’s John Gonzalez took an in-depth look at the potential trade value of Tony Wroten, who was rumored to be the subject of trade discussions between the Clippers and the Sixers earlier this week. A pair of league executives told Gonzalez that Wroten could possibly net GM Sam Hinkie two second-rounders, and another said that it would be difficult to get fair value for Wroten, so it would be wiser to hang on to the guard. Philadelphia currently owns a whopping 15 second round draft picks between now and 2020.
Here’s more from the East:
- The Hornets have recalled Jeffery Taylor from the Austin Spurs of the NBA D-League, the team has announced. In four games with the Spurs he averaged 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26.2 minutes per contest. This was Taylor’s initial jaunt of the season to the D-League.
- Rasual Butler had the remainder of his contract guaranteed for the season when he remained on the Wizards’ roster past Wednesday’s deadline. The veteran swingman’s play has made him an integral part of Washington’s rotation, and Butler also has a fan in Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post writes. Thibodeau, who briefly coached Butler in Chicago, said of his former player, “I think it’s the perfect fit for him and he’s a great pro. He’s a guy who plays year-round and stays in great shape. And I think when you look at what John Wall does and you look at what Andre Miller does, he’s the perfect fit because he creates space and his career says how well he can shoot the three. But to be doing it at this stage of his career is a real credit to him. But we always felt strongly about his professionalism, his attitude, how much he loved he game. And the shooting part, that’s never going to go away.”
- Despite all of the Knicks‘ struggles this season, first year coach Derek Fisher‘s confidence hasn’t wavered, and he believes this turbulent campaign will help him become a better coach, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes.