Wizards Notes: Maynor, Davis, Jamison
The Wizards saw trading Eric Maynor as an “imperative,” a source tells J. Michael of CSNWashington. That’s a strong indictment of his play, since Michael notes that Maynor didn’t cause trouble in the locker room. Maynor was never the team’s first choice last summer when they were seeking a backup for John Wall, he was just the first to accept their offer, writes Michael. Now that Andre Miller is on the roster, the team believes they have found the right player for them.
More on the Wizards:
- The Wizards have a “lukewarm” interest in Antawn Jamison now that the Hawks have officially waived him, tweets J. Michael. The team will wait and see what other players are available prior to making a decision on Jamison.
- J. Michael also tweeted that Glen Davis isn’t likely to be in the Wizards plans. He thinks Davis is most likely to sign with the Clippers.
- Miller commented on his difficulties with former coach Brian Shaw, in an article by the Associated Press. Miller stated, “It was just an instance where I kind of lost my cool and was a little bit unprofessional and stepped out of character. And I apologized to my teammates for what happened. That’s not me. That’s not what I’m about.“
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Knicks Notes: Durant, Udrih, Buycks
The Knicks didn’t pull off a deadline trade, so they will need to look to the future in their quest to surround Carmelo Anthony with other star caliber players. This is assuming of course that ‘Melo decides to return to New York next season. If the Knicks re-sign Anthony for the maximum salary this summer and ink another maximum-salary free agent in 2015, they probably won’t be able to afford Kevin Durant in 2016, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com explains.
More on the Knicks:
- The Knicks and two other clubs showed interest in Raptors guard Dwight Buycks before the deadline but Toronto showed no interest, sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter).
- Sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com that the Clippers were negotiating with the Knicks about Iman Shumpert just to keep the swingman away from the Thunder, who also reportedly had interest (Twitter Link).
- It’s unlikely the Knicks and Beno Udrih will come to a buyout agreement, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Knicks were close to a deal to trade the point guard to the Nuggets before the deadline. Udrih though, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a buyout yet, tweets Berman.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Clippers Send Byron Mullens To Sixers
The 76ers announced that they have acquired center Byron Mullens and a 2018 second-round pick in exchange for a protected second-round pick in the 2014 draft.
Philadelphia was discussing Chris Kaman with the Lakers shortly before the deadline, but it appears the Sixers opted to instead acquire a big man with skills similar to Spencer Hawes, whom they agreed to send to the Cavs earlier today.
The Clippers have successfully pulled off two deals at the buzzer with Mullens and Jamison changing uniforms. Mullens, who was once regarded as the top talent in the 2009 draft class, is headed to his to his fourth team in five years. The big man has averaged just 2.5 PPG and 1.2 RPG in 6.2 minutes per game this season. Even when he was seeing significant playing time with the Bobcats, Mullens never had a PER above 13.0.
Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) first reported that Mullens was on his way to the 76ers. Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times added details (via Twitter).
Clippers Trade Antawn Jamison To Hawks
The Hawks announced that they have acquired Antawn Jamison and cash considerations from the Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Cenk Akyol. Sending Jamison to Atlanta saves Los Angeles $884,293 toward its tax bill.
The 37-year-old has been averaging 3.8 PPG and 2.5 RPG in a career-low 11.3 minutes per game this season for Los Angeles. For his career, the veteran has averaged 18.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG across 16 NBA campaigns.
We learned earlier this week that the Clippers were dangling Jamison and others for frontcourt help. Jamison signed a one-year, minimum salary deal with the Clippers over the summer and despite his impressive resume, he hasn’t had the kind of impact that Doc Rivers & Co. were hoping for. Meanwhile, Jamison may not be staying it Atlanta for long as the club is said to be considering a buyout for the veteran forward.
Akyol, a 6’7″ forward, was the Hawks’ second-round draft pick in 2005 but has never appeared in the NBA and now plays in the Turkish Basketball League. It’s extremely unlikely that he’ll wind up in the NBA.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com first reported the deal. Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter) added details.
Los Angeles Notes: Shumpert, Gasol, Lakers
The Knicks and the Clippers went back and forth on a deal involving Iman Shumpert, but ultimately they couldn’t come to an agreement. The final discussion between the two clubs was a deal that would have sent Darren Collison, Willie Green, and Matt Barnes to New York for Shumpert and Raymond Felton, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Meanwhile, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com hears that it was the Clippers and not the Knicks who backed out of the swap (Twitter link). More from L.A…
- Lakers big man Pau Gasol is “pretty confident” there will be desirable offers after the season when he’s a free agent, tweets Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. Gasol added that he’s not holding any grudges against the Lakers over being in trade rumors, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- Gasol says that he wanted to stay with the Lakers, so he’s happy to have seen the trade deadline come and go, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said that a major factor in the Steve Blake trade was freeing up playing time to evaluate Jordan Farmar and Kendall Marshall, McMenamin tweets.
Clippers Considering Ivan Johnson
The Clippers are thinking about giving Ivan Johnson a 10-day deal and recently worked him out, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter) reported earlier today that the forward was a possible free agent for the Clips.
Johnson’s Chinese team, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, waived Johnson in late January, allowing him to pursue NBA opportunities. Johnson was averaging 26.0 points and 9.9 rebounds in China and picked up interest from multiple NBA clubs, including the Clippers and Knicks.
The Clippers shipped big men Antawn Jamison and Byron Mullens to the Hawks and Sixers, respectively, and there is playing time to be had if Johnson comes to L.A.
Clippers, Knicks In Serious Talks On Shumpert
2:04pm: There will be no deal between the Knicks and Clippers, Wojnarowski tweets.
1:54pm: The Clippers and Knicks are engaging in “serious discussions” once more, according to Stein (Twitter link).
1:47pm: As of last night, the proposed deal between the Clips and Knicks was Darren Collison and Matt Barnes for Raymond Felton and Shumpert, Stein tweets.
1:41pm: The Clippers are having some last minute discussions on whether they should say yes or no to a deal for Shumpert, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
1:35pm: Shumpert’s MRI has revealed no tears in his left knee, only a mildly sprained MCL, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. He could miss two weeks, but that’s a whole lot better than what it could have been.
12:27pm: Shumpert to the Thunder isn’t likely, even if his MCL isn’t torn, Broussard tweets.
12:13pm: If Shumpert’s MRI looks OK, he could be headed to the Thunder for a first-round selection or to the Clippers, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Of course, the scan must show that his MCL is not torn.
7:35am: The Thunder are interested in Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr., a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. There’s a possibility Shumpert sustained damage to the MCL in his left knee last night that could keep him out for weeks, according to Berman, so that could dampen Oklahoma City’s enthusiasm. Hardaway is a “virtual untouchable,” Berman writes.
The Thunder have been looking for a two-way wing player via trade. Shumpert fits the bill defensively, and while he’s not a long-range artist, he’s a career 34.7% shooter from three-point range. Hardaway, a rookie, is making 39% of his three-point attempts this year.
Either player would fit into Oklahoma City’s $2.339MM trade exception that expires Friday. The Knicks have been demanding that a team either give up a first-round pick or take back Raymond Felton in a trade for Shumpert. Oklahoma City could wind up with a pair of 2014 first-rounders, so the Thunder would probably give up a pick rather than absorb Felton, though that’s just my speculation.
New York has been engaged on multiple teams on Shumpert, and the Knicks are trying to revive talks with the Clippers. Doc Rivers has long coveted Shumpert, Berman notes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Cavs Shop Tyler Zeller, Eye Reggie Bullock
12:24pm: Discussion stalled when the Clippers tried to make it a three-for-one swap, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who notes Cleveland remains on the lookout for an “athletic/shooting” small forward.
11:58am: Talks have hit a snag, and a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports that a deal is “not happening” (Twitter link).
11:03am: Doc Rivers is high on Zeller, having wanted to draft him for the Celtics in 2012, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (on Twitter).
10:50am: The Cavs have had discussions with the Clippers about swapping Zeller for Reggie Bullock, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
9:00am: The Cavaliers have been aggressively shopping Tyler Zeller the past few days, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Zeller’s role is in line to be reduced, since the Cavs have agreed to trade for Spencer Hawes.
Zeller, the 17th overall pick in 2012, has already seen his playing time reduced this season after he started 55 games as a rookie. He’s averaging 4.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game. Zeller makes $1.633MM on his rookie-scale contract, and he’s due a little more than $1.7MM next season.
There’s been little chatter about Zeller this season, but he was reportedly involved in an early version of a proposal to the Bulls for Luol Deng this past summer. That was while former GM Chris Grant was at the controls in Cleveland, and it appears new GM David Griffin isn’t quite as willing to wait for the already 24-year-old center develop into a more productive player.
Knicks, Clippers Discuss Iman Shumpert Deal
THURSDAY, 7:02am: The Knicks are pushing to revive the talks, Stein and Begley write. New York attempted to interest the Clippers in a compromise proposal that would have sent Barnes, instead of Bullock, along with Collison to New York for Shumpert and Felton, but the Clippers continue to be reluctant to take on Felton.
WEDNESDAY, 8:29pm: Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports confirms Aldridge’s report, tweeting that the talks between the Knicks and Clippers have “broken down and concluded.”
7:28pm: The proposed deal involving Shumpert, Felton and Collison is “not happening,” tweets David Aldridge of TNT, who adds that it’s unclear if talks can be revived before tomorrow. ESPN’s Marc Stein, also on Twitter, adds that Shumpert is only available in exchange for a first round pick or alongside Felton.
2:16pm: Jared Dudley is also in the conversation, according to Chris Broussard and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
12:37pm: Two sources involved with the talks tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that a deal is unlikely (Twitter link).
12:17pm: The Knicks are most interested in the Felton-for-Bullock part of the exchange, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who believes the Clippers would prefer to substitute Matt Barnes for Bullock, and would also want Beno Udrih rather than Felton.
11:35am: The Knicks and Clippers are in talks on a deal that would send Darren Collison to New York for Iman Shumpert and Raymond Felton, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. A deal isn’t close and the proposal is fluid, but the Clippers are interested in Shumpert, Wojnarowski writes. Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers has expressed affection for Collison on several occasions this season, notes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link), so perhaps his inclusion could become a stumbling block. Reggie Bullock is also a part of the talks, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
Such a deal would help the Knicks upgrade their point guard position and the Clippers get better on the wing, both goals the teams have sought to achieve. The return of Chris Paul makes Collison somewhat expendable, Wojnarowski notes, in spite of Rivers’ affection for his backup point guard. The trade would also help the Clippers offset the loss of J.J. Redick, who’s out indefinitely with back trouble.
Presuming it’s a two-for-two proposal at this point of Bullock and Collison for Felton and Shumpert, the Clippers would have to include another player to make the salaries match. Unless it’s someone on a long-term deal, the trade would appear to help New York’s plans for the summer of 2015, as none of the players who would head to the Knicks have guaranteed salary beyond 2014/15. Felton’s contract includes an approximately $3.95MM player option for 2015/16.
Clippers Looking For Frontcourt Help
The Clippers are dangling Jared Dudley, Antawn Jamison and Byron Mullens in search of a frontcourt upgrade, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Matt Barnes may also be on the block as well, Berger says. Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported the Clippers were shopping Dudley a couple of weeks ago. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports last night tweeted overnight that the Clips were seeking backup bigs.
Jamison and Mullens were two players the team signed this past summer to serve as frontcourt reserves, but neither is having much impact. Both are on minimum-salary deals, though Jamison’s pact covers just this season while Mullens has a player option for next year.
Dudley is signed through 2015/16, making $4.25MM each year. His production is down after coming over from the Suns last summer via trade, and Doc Rivers recently yanked him from the starting lineup. Barnes is posting a career-worst 38.5% field goal percentage after inking a three-year deal for nearly $10.2MM in the offseason.