Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Virginia Beach, Paul, World Peace

January 4th, 2013 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacific Division was widely expected to be a two-team race this season, and that's been the case so far, but it's the Warriors that have crashed what was supposed to be an all-L.A. party. Golden State sits just 2.5 games back of the division-leading Clippers, while the third-place Lakers are nine games back of their Staples Center rivals. Here are a few Friday morning updates out of the Pacific:

Virginia Beach mayor Will Sessoms has set a Monday deadline to reach an agreement with a professional sports team to move to the city, according to Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee. If the city hasn't signed a lease with a team, such as Sacramento's Kings, by that time, then the mayor is expected to pull the plug on Virginia Beach's arena efforts for the year. "We have a timeline that is right upon us to go to the state to ask for a substantial amount of money," Sessoms said. "We are not going to go up there and make a fool of ourselves. I need to know something by Monday."
Chris Paul tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he "never, ever" thinks about the possibility of playing with the Lakers, more than a year after David Stern vetoed a trade that would have paired CP3 with Kobe Bryant.
After indicating that he'd like to coach after his playing career ends, Metta World Peace discussed his potential coaching style with reporters, including the Kamenetzky Brothers of ESPNLosAngeles.com (YouTube link). I get the impression that the Lakers forward hasn't considered the subject extensively yet.

Odds & Ends: Gelabale, Celtics, D-Will, Favors

January 1st, 2013 at 11:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

Amare Stoudemire began his season on the same day we all started a new year, scoring six points off the bench in his 2012/13 debut for the Knicks. Here's more from around the league on the first day of a year the Mayans never counted on.

While the Wolves recently took a look at Mickael Gelabale and decided to sign Lazar Hayward instead, another, unidentified team has also considered signing the former Sonics small forward, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
There's mistrust between long-tenured Celtics and the team's newer acquisitions, says Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, who echoes Kevin Garnett's uncertainty about whether this year's version of the C's is capable of turning it on for the playoffs.
Deron Williams admits his shot is still off-kilter from the effects of surgery on his right wrist he underwent in 2011, and he feels as frustrated as he's ever been in his life, as Newsday's Roderick Boone chronicles. "I've had stretches [before] where one or two games, I had off-games," Williams said. "Never like this. I've never been consistently playing this bad."
The Jazz aren't jumping into a move that would free up more playing time for Derrick Favors, but Favors isn't discouraged when he sees fellow power forward Paul Millsap on the floor down the stretch, as Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune observes.
Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth examines teams that are near the bottom of the standings and seem destined to stay there for years to come, given their cap situations.
Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group recounts the rapid ascent of the Clippers and Warriors.
He spent most of 2012 spearheading the launch of Hoops Rumors as the site's lead writer, but his work with our sister website, MLB Trade Rumors, earned Luke Adams an honorable mention on the list of the year's most influential Canadians in baseball, as compiled by Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.

December’s Expired Trade Exceptions

December 31st, 2012 at 8:11pm CST by Luke Adams

As we outline in our Hoops Rumors Glossary entry, traded player exceptions created in deals must be used within a year of being obtained. If they aren't used within that year, they simply expire. And that was the case for a few trade exceptions obtained last December, after the NBA lockout ended.

Listed below are the four trade exceptions that expired this month and are no longer in play. Only the Thunder's small TPE acquired in the Byron Mullens trade went completely unusued — the Clippers, Magic, and Jazz all acquired players with parts of their exceptions, including Utah absorbing Mo Williams' $8.5MM salary within the massive TPE the team acquired by sending Mehmet Okur to the Nets.

You can check out our complete list of the remaining trade exceptions around the league right here. Here are the TPEs that expired this month:

Orlando Magic
Obtained by trading: Brandon Bass (to Celtics)
Initial amount: $4,250,000
Used: $1,500,000 (Gustavo Ayon), $1,731,960 (Maurice Harkless)
Amount left: $1,018,040
Expired: 12/12/2012

Los Angeles Clippers
Obtained by trading: Al-Farouq Aminu (to Hornets)
Initial amount: $2,755,560
Used: $1,375,000 (Willie Green)
Amount left: $1,380,560
Expired: 12/14/2012

Oklahoma City Thunder
Obtained by trading: Byron Mullens (to Bobcats)
Amount: $1,288,200
Expired: 12/19/2012

Utah Jazz
Obtained by trading: Mehmet Okur (to Nets)
 Initial amount: $10,890,000
 Used: $8,500,000 (Mo Williams)
Amount left: $2,390,000
 Expired: 12/22/2012

Pacific Notes: Jamison, Petrie, Stan Van Gundy

December 29th, 2012 at 10:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

After a turbulent start to their season, the Lakers have won six of their last seven games as they look to climb back into the Western Conference playoff picture. For most, the recent hot streak could only have brightened the mood for the organization and their fans alike. Antawn Jamison, however, doesn't seem to share the same change in sentiment. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times delves into the puzzling situation that the 15th-year veteran has found himself in, going from nearly 30 minutes per game to not being in the rotation at all. Here are more Pacific Division notes:

Sam Amick of USA Today writes that some people close to both Kings GM Geoff Petrie and the Maloof brothers do not think that Petrie's 19-year run with the organization will extend beyond this season. Going further, Amick also writes about how the unilateral decision by ownership to reinstate DeMarcus Cousins went against the wishes of the front office, and that Petrie was not part of the reinstatement process.
Stan Van Gundy says that Dwight Howard has not "looked himself" this season, specifically noting the lack of explosiveness and quickness that he had shown before, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. However, the former Magic head coach believes that Howard is more than capable of adjusting to his situation and insists that the two are in good standing with each other.
Pau Gasol has seemingly found his rhythm within Mike D'Antoni's offense, and the addition of a potent three-point shot has certainly helped expedite that process, writes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times believes that the Clippers and their 16-game winning streak face a tough test ahead of them, with four of the next five games against above .500 opponents.

Western Notes: Barnes, Douglas-Roberts, White

December 28th, 2012 at 11:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers erased a 19-point deficit to the Jazz to win their 16th straight game tonight, but the NBA's best team still only has a one-game lead for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Thunder are tied in the loss column with the Clippers, and the Spurs are just a game and a half back of L.A. As usual, the West is stacked at the top. Here's more on the Clips and the teams trying to chase them down.

Clippers forward Matt Barnes believes he was "stuck in a bad situation" under former Lakers coach Mike Brown, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes. "Last year, playing with the Lakers, I was told when I could shoot. If I made mistakes, I'd come out of the game," Barnes said. "This year Vinny (Del Negro) has installed a lot of trust in me. He lets me go out there and play my game. If I mess up, he still sticks with me and that goes a long way with any player."
New Mavericks swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts, writing on his Tumblr account, chronicles his experiences in training camp with the Lakers this fall. He also reveals his decision to turn down a seven-figure contract from a team overseas to play in the D-League, which he felt offered the fastest route back to the NBA (hat tip to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com).
Royce White's grandfather told Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that White expects to work out with the Rockets next week (Twitter link). It's unclear whether that means he'll be formally returning to the team.
JaVale McGee is playing less than 20 minutes per game after re-signing with the Nuggets for four years and $44MM this summer, but coach George Karl said the team doesn't regret committing so much money to him, HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram tweets.
Michael Scotto of RealGM.com chronicles the journey of Mavs rookie and former Air Force Staff Sergeant Bernard James, including his early experiences in the NBA.

Odds & Ends: Crawford, Smith, Knicks, Miller

December 27th, 2012 at 10:59pm CST by Zachary Links

J.R. Smith‘s production so far this season clearly outweighs his pay this season and the guard looks like a mortal lock to opt out of his $2.9MM option for 2013/14. However, Smith tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he hopes to stay in New York beyond this season. “Right now, I’m just trying to play it out and do the best I can throughout this year and hopefully I’ll be back here. That’s my plan. I don’t want to play anywhere else. I love it here,” said Smith. Here’s more (non-Nets) news from around the Association..

The Celtics could have had Jamal Crawford for the right offer, but they were still going after Ray Allen when Crawford inked his deal with the Clippers, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Amick also spoke with guard Andre Miller about his reasons for re-signing with the Nuggets despite his desire to be a starter. The 36-year-old explained that at this stage in his life, stability was a major factor for him and his children.
Blazers center J.J. Hickson is playing exceptionally well as of late and Sam Amico of FOX Sports (on Twitter) sees him as a a trade candidate. The big man, who is set to hit the open market at the end of the season, has nine straight double-doubles.
Blazers veterans Sasha Pavlovic, Ronnie Price, and Jared Jeffries have been good soldiers in taking a backseat to Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Hickson, and Nicolas Batum, writes Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.

Pacific Rumors: Cousins, Fredette, Blakely, Paul

December 26th, 2012 at 10:32am CST by Chuck Myron

Only in Los Angeles could five be greater than 14. That's where the Lakers, winners of five straight, are casting shadows on the Clippers, who are on a franchise-record 14-game winning streak. We passed along some Lakers news earlier, but they aren't the only team making noise in the Pacific Division, as we round up here.

Agent Dan Fegan may have influenced the Kings’ decision to lift their suspension of DeMarcus Cousins after just one game, writes Mark Perner of the Philadelphia Daily News, who chastises the team for being too lenient.
Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty doesn't think coach Keith Smart is behind the decision to reinstate Cousins.
Victor Contreras of the Sacramento Bee argues that former 10th overall pick Jimmer Fredette deserves a chance to start for the Kings, citing his 16.5 points per game in contests in which he plays 20 or more minutes.
Clippers training camp invitee Marqus Blakely has signed with the German club Telekom Baskets Bonn, the team announced on its website (translation via Sportando). Emiliano Carchia of Sportando first reported the move would take place. Blakely, a 6'5" small forward, has been in camp with NBA teams the past three seasons but has yet to make his official debut in the Association after going undrafted in 2010.
The impact soon-to-be free agent Chris Paul has on the Clippers doesn't always show up in the box score, but J.A. Adande of ESPN.com echoes Nuggets coach George Karl's argument that Paul should be a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.

Los Angeles Notes: Nash, Kobe, Barnes

December 20th, 2012 at 7:11pm CST by Ryan Raroque

In what should be a sight for sore eyes for Lakers fans, Steve Nash took the court today at the team's El Segundo practice facility and participated in scrimmage. The impact he made on the floor could partially be summed up by teammate Dwight Howard, who told reporters after practice: "he (threw) a pass that I haven't got hit with since I've been here…not any offense to the guys who've been playing, but he made some tough passes today… Just little things like that will really help our team out." The 38-year-old veteran told reporters that he wants to test things out day-by-day and reiterated that Christmas Day's game against the Knicks is a realistic target for a return.

Sam Amick of USA Today cautions that Nash is still under considerable pain and will need some time to improve his conditioning in addition to establishing chemistry with the rest of the team. Here's more of tonight's links from Los Angeles:

Coach Mike D'Antoni offered his thoughts on Nash after team practice today: "He looked good today. Real good. You never know how he wakes up. But the first step was positive. He looks good on the floor. He said he felt good. We'll see if he can do it again tomorrow and keep building from there" (Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles reports).
Shelburne and ESPN's Arash Markazi both opined about whether or not Nash will be the answer to the team's problems.
Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times presents a rebuttal against ESPN's Chris Broussard (Insiders only), who recently wrote that the Lakers' issues are centered on Kobe Bryant's high volume of shot attempts.
Eric Patten of NBA.com talks about the emergence of Clippers forward Matt Barnes as an invaluable role player on both sides of the floor.

Amick On Clippers, Nuggets, Davis, Raptors

December 20th, 2012 at 2:37pm CST by Sean Highkin

Sam Amick of USA Today has posted a new notebook column covering a variety of topics of interest from around the NBA. Among the subjects touched on are the progress of several Western Conference teams and an update on the Rookie of the Year and MVP races.

Amick is buying the Clippers as a contender, and points out that head coach Vinny Del Negro is making a strong case for himself as deserving of a contract extension. Del Negro appears to have the support of Clippers owner Donald Sterling as the team's long-term head coach.
Following a slow start to the season, the Nuggets are starting to improve following high expectations in the preseason, Amick writes.
Amick catches up with top overall pick Anthony Davis, who says that he is 100 percent healthy following missing several weeks with an ankle injury.
Amick writes that the latest slate of injuries have been a mixed blessing for the Raptors as they attempt to move certain players. Andrea Bargnani has sunk his value on the market by being sidelined with a torn elbow ligament, while Jose Calderon has raised his by doing an excellent job filling in for the injured Kyle Lowry.
Michael Beasley has seen his role diminish with the struggling Suns since signing a three-year, $18MM contract this summer, Amick writes.

Trade Rumors: Gasol, Hawks, Bucks, Bobcats

December 20th, 2012 at 9:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The trade deadline is two months and one day away, and we'll be hearing a lot about trade candidates in the coming weeks. HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler provides an update on a few teams and players we're likely to hear more about soon.

While Kyler believes it's "inevitable" the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol, he doesn't think there's much of a market for him, having heard there are only three or four teams in the mix. No one is offering a "home run" deal, and trading Gasol now would mean selling low. The Lakers would like to swap Gasol for a pair of players on less lucrative deals who would be better fits, but no such deal is out there at the moment. L.A. has a full roster with 15 players, and the team would like to open up a spot. Kyler speculates that the Lakers could move Jordan Hill, Devin Ebanks, Darius Morris or Darius Johnson-Odom for a second-round pick or a backup point guard.
The Hawks want to trade some of their expiring contracts for a player who can help the team this season, but they won't make a deal unless it's an obvious win. They still want to have enough cap space to fit Dwight Howard or Chris Paul on the team, and with only about $18.5MM in commitments for next season, not including cap holds for free agents like Josh Smith, whom they're optimistic about re-signing and, according to Kyler, not planning to trade. The Hawks could probably add a player who helps now while maintaining enough flexibility this summer.
We heard yesterday that the Bucks have told Brandon Jennings they'll match any offer he'll get in restricted free agency. That makes Monta Ellis the more likely to be traded among the team's pair of backcourt aces, but Kyler hears that there are teams with interest in both. If Milwaukee elects to hang on to Jennings and Ellis, it isn't worried about losing either in free agency.
Everyone on the Bobcats is available in a trade, a source tells Kyler. That's not a shock, considering the team has lost 13 in a row, but Kyler cautions that Gerald Henderson probably won't be dealt unless it's as part of a package with others.
While the Magic are open to sending J.J. Redick away in a deal that offloads other contracts, the team doesn't want to let him go, as GM Rob Hennigan and the revamped front office has become more fond of the veteran two-guard than they were at the beginning of the season.
Kyler believes the Raptors must trade Jose Calderon to recoup value for him before he becomes a free agent next summer, and while it seems like Andrea Bargnani is headed out of Toronto, too, uncertainty about GM Bryan Colangelo's future is complicating potential deals.
If the Jazz remain in the playoff picture, a deal is less likely, but if not, Utah will look to unload one of its big men for draft picks and players on rookie contracts.