Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jamal Crawford Rumors: Thursday

March 8th, 2012 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves and Trail Blazers may be discussing a deal involving Jamal Crawford and Luke Ridnour, while the Pacers also have some interest in Crawford, as we learned yesterday. This morning, we also heard that the T-Wolves appear to be the frontrunner for the Blazers shooting guard. We'll continue to track the latest updates on the Crawford sweepstakes here throughout the day, with the newest additions up top:

Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge reports that the Pacers and Blazers have discussed Crawford, with Portland asking for A.J. Price and a first-round pick. A source tells Golliver that "the first team to give Portland a first round pick for Crawford will have him" (Twitter links).
The Blazers' asking price for Crawford includes a first-round pick in addition to either Ridnour for the Wolves or Eric Bledsoe for the Clippers, says Ken Berger of CBS Sports. That could pose a problem for the Clips, who have already traded both first-rounders they owned for 2012.
Timberwolves GM David Kahn is downplaying the team's interest in making a deadline deal, says Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Kahn says the Wolves are "not looking to address anything this season" and that he doesn't mind having three point guards in Ricky Rubio, J.J. Barea, and Ridnour. The GM did leave the door open slightly though, noting that there's still an "eternity" until next Thursday's deadline.
Asked if he was feeling affected by the trade rumors, Crawford told Haynes: "I wouldn't say me so much me, but the people around me for sure. Because decisions like that just don't affect you, they affect everybody."

Kennedy On Clippers, Allen, Celtics, Crawford

March 6th, 2012 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some highlights from tonight's column from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld..

Over the next week and a half, the Clippers will make a strong push to land a starting shooting guard, according to multiple sources close to the situation. Los Angeles has been in search of a two-guard ever since losing Chauncey Billups for the year. As of right now, Randy Foye and Travis Leslie are the only true shooting guards on the roster and the club has expressed interest in Ray Allen and Jamal Crawford, according to sources.
The Celtics aren’t actively shopping Allen but are listening to offers. It’s unclear what Boston would want in exchange for the 36-year-old, though many teams have expressed interest in him.
Sources say that Crawford will opt-out of the final year of his contract to test free agency this summer and the Trail Blazers may look to move him before the deadline. The Clippers are expressing interest along with the Timberwolves. The Clips tried to sign-and-trade for Crawford over the offseason, but the Hawks didn’t want to take back any contracts.
Other two-guards who could be on the move include the Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo, Courtney Lee of the Rockets, and Anthony Morrow of the Nets. If any of the three guards are made available, the Clippers can be expected to be in the mix. Recently, I broke down the case for New Jersey parting with Morrow.
Sources believe that the Magic will hold onto Dwight Howard past the trade deadline. There are members of the organization who remain optimistic that Howard will re-sign this summer if the right moves are made. The Magic will pursue players like Steve Nash and Monta Ellis before the deadline, but it'll be an uphill battle due to their lack of trade chips outside of Howard.

Odds & Ends: Felton, Simmons, Chandler, Pistons

March 5th, 2012 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

With ten days left until the 2012 NBA trade deadline, most columnists are looking ahead to next Thursday, exploring every possible scenario for moves contenders and non-contenders could make. Amidst all the trade speculation, Derek Page of HoopsWorld decides to look back at the offseason, assessing which trades and free agent signings have worked out best and worst so far this year, placing Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler atop the list of successes. Here are a few more Monday links from around the NBA:

Raymond Felton, who Page named one of the season's worst acquisitions, will start for the Blazers tonight, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Given Jamal Crawford's success as a starter, it's unclear why Felton has been re-inserted into the starting five, but coach Nate McMillan insists it's not about showcasing Felton, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian. I'm skeptical.
The Clippers expect to sign Bobby Simmons to a second 10-day contract, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
At SheridanHoops, Chris Sheridan lists a number of traded draft picks that could be important at this season's deadline.
Wilson Chandler and the Nuggets are still talking about a contract for the restricted free agent, but there's nothing new to report, says Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
Keith Langlois fields a handful of questions about potential Pistons trades in a Pistons.com mailbag.

Lamar Odom Desires Return To L.A.

March 5th, 2012 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

Lamar Odom helped propel the Mavericks to a win on Saturday, after asking his teammates for their support, but according to Ric Bucher of ESPN.com (video link), Odom is still "desperate" to return to Los Angeles.

Having dealt Odom to the Mavs in December, the Lakers are ineligible to reacquire the forward at any point this season. Bucher says the Clippers would love to acquire the 32-year-old, but they don't have the expiring contracts Dallas would want to make a trade work. If Odom does indeed want to return to Los Angeles, a more likely scenario has him being traded or bought out next season by the Mavs.

Odom returned to the Mavericks on Saturday night after an absence that lasted a week and a half. In 33 games this season, he has posted career-lows in points (7.7), rebounds (4.5), and minutes (21.3) per contest.

Crawford Drawing Interest From Several Teams

March 4th, 2012 at 8:02pm CST by Ryan Raroque

7:49pm Chris Haynes of Comcast SportsNet Northwest asserts that the Timberwolves and Clippers "are very interested" but can't confirm the other teams being mentioned. (Twitter link).

7:20pm Before the season started, then-free agent Jamal Crawford decided to sign with the Trail Blazers after fielding offers from several teams. With almost ten days before the NBA trade deadline, the 6'5 guard could find himself on the move again, reports Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld.com. While the Timberwolves and the Clippers appear to be the most aggressive in attempting to trade for Crawford, the Bucks, Kings, and Raptors have also sent out their feelers.

The 12th-year veteran is averaging 14.8 PPG, shooting 36.2% from three-point range, and is third in the league in free throw percentage at 92.8%. Crawford possesses a player option for next season and can opt out of his contract this summer. With a recent report of uncertainty brewing within the Trail Blazers' locker room, there is a possibility that Portland deals Crawford for value before the deadline rather than risk losing him for nothing to upcoming free agency.

Amick On Dwight, Celtics, Crawford

March 3rd, 2012 at 7:57pm CST by Sean Highkin

SI.com's Sam Amick has a roundup of the latest crop of NBA trade rumors, touching on a variety of topics. Here are the highlights:

There is a distinct possibility that the Magic will opt not to trade Dwight Howard, either because they don't like the offers out there or because they believe they can convince the superstar center to stay.
Nets GM Billy King believes it will be easier to land Howard through trade than via free agency, because of the difference in money the team will be able to offer.
The Warriors are still said to be interested in trading for Howard, even as a rental, and convincing him to stick around.
Ray Allen is more likely to be moved by March 15 than Rajon Rondo, but a deal with the Clippers is unlikely. The Celtics are asking for young talent and picks, which is more than most teams are likely to want to give up for the 36-year-old Allen.
Amick suggests Jamal Crawford as a trade possibility for the Clippers or any other team looking for help at the shooting guard position. He believes Crawford may be available because of the Blazers' struggles and his dissatisfaction with Nate McMillan playing him at point guard.
The Lakers continue to monitor Michael Beasley and Ramon Sessions, and the future of Pau Gasol is still uncertain.
It is possible that Wilson Chandler will spend the rest of the season overseas rather than re-sign with the Nuggets, and instead test free agency this summer.
The market is still slow for Gilbert Arenas, who is working out in Orlando in hopes that a team will sign him.

Odds & Ends: Stern, Hawks, Clippers

March 3rd, 2012 at 4:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Leave it to LeBron James to wind up in the spotlight again amidst Linsanity and the impending trade deadline. He passed up a potential game-winning shot against Utah to give the ball to Udonis Haslem instead, and Haslem missed to give the Jazz a 99-98 win. Still, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida points out, it was the first time James has ever gone back-to-back games without committing a turnover. James will surely be with the Heat for a while, but here are a few notes on more fluid situations:

Changes are afoot for slumping Cleveland, where Cavs coach Byron Scott is giving thought to juggling his rotation and starting lineup after his team lost its fourth straight tonight, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. With the trade deadline approaching, the team must soon decide what to do with Ramon Sessions and Antawn Jamison, Amico says.
Bucks backup point guard Beno Udrih would be on board with a trade if one happens, notes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
ESPN's John Hollinger, writing from the Sloan Sports Analytics Conferences, says the numbers don't add up in the Kings arena deal. He believes the league provided financial support to the cash-strapped Maloof brothers so they could make their $73MM contribution to the deal. (Insider link)
John Schuhmann of NBA.com rounded up Celtics coach Doc Rivers' irritated pregame remarks about the trade rumors swirling around his team. In particular, he took aim at the belief the Celtics are shopping Rajon Rondo and the "ridiculous" idea that Pau Gasol may be headed to Boston. For Rondo, whose name has come up in trade talks many times before, it feels like "deja vu," notes Andrew Perna of RealGM.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com looks at Celtics free agent signee Mickael Pietrus, who's finally displaying his all-around game now that he's healthy, Blakely says.
Marc Gasol, used to fielding rumors involving his brother Pau, is surprised that Raptors point guard Jose Calderon, another Spanish Olympic teammate, is coming up in trade talk as well, reports Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes the Knicks have assembled their most talented roster in 12 years.
Jeremy Lin isn't the only waiver pickup exceeding expectations for the Knicks, as Steve Novak has been a major beneficiary of his more famous teammate's play, as Ben Bolch examines in the Chicago Tribune.
Former Clippers and current Suns coach Alvin Gentry admires the team the Clips have put together this year, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic points out that Suns guard Shannon Brown, who'll hit the free agent market this summer, has a deceptive career high of 8.9 PPG this year. This has also been one of his worst shooting seasons.
Maturity is the difference between the Gerald Green who flamed out with the Celtics a few years ago and the player who just returned to the league with the Nets, observes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.

Odds & Ends: Cavs, Udrih, Kings

March 3rd, 2012 at 12:00am CST by Chuck Myron

Leave it to LeBron James to wind up in the spotlight again amidst Linsanity and the impending trade deadline. He passed up a potential game-winning shot against Utah to give the ball to Udonis Haslem instead, and Haslem missed to give the Jazz a 99-98 win. Still, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida points out, it was the first time James has ever gone back-to-back games without committing a turnover. James will surely be with the Heat for a while, but here are a few notes on more fluid situations:

Changes are afoot for slumping Cleveland, where Cavs coach Byron Scott is giving thought to juggling his rotation and starting lineup after his team lost its fourth straight tonight, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. With the trade deadline approaching, the team must soon decide what to do with Ramon Sessions and Antawn Jamison, Amico says.
Bucks backup point guard Beno Udrih would be on board with a trade if one happens, notes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
ESPN's John Hollinger, writing from the Sloan Sports Analytics Conferences, says the numbers don't add up in the Kings arena deal. He believes the league provided financial support to the cash-strapped Maloof brothers so they could make their $73MM contribution to the deal. (Insider link)
John Schuhmann of NBA.com rounded up Celtics coach Doc Rivers' irritated pregame remarks about the trade rumors swirling around his team. In particular, he took aim at the belief the Celtics are shopping Rajon Rondo and the "ridiculous" idea that Pau Gasol may be headed to Boston. For Rondo, whose name has come up in trade talks many times before, it feels like "deja vu," notes Andrew Perna of RealGM.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com looks at Celtics free agent signee Mickael Pietrus, who's finally displaying his all-around game now that he's healthy, Blakely says.
Marc Gasol, used to fielding rumors involving his brother Pau, is surprised that Raptors point guard Jose Calderon, another Spanish Olympic teammate, is coming up in trade talk as well, reports Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes the Knicks have assembled their most talented roster in 12 years.
Jeremy Lin isn't the only waiver pickup exceeding expectations for the Knicks, as Steve Novak has been a major beneficiary of his more famous teammate's play, as Ben Bolch examines in the Chicago Tribune.
Former Clippers and current Suns coach Alvin Gentry admires the team the Clips have put together this year, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic points out that Suns guard Shannon Brown, who'll hit the free agent market this summer, has a deceptive career high of 8.9 PPG this year. This has also been one of his worst shooting seasons.
Maturity is the difference between the Gerald Green who flamed out with the Celtics a few years ago and the player who just returned to the league with the Nets, observes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.

Minor Moves: Leslie, Jordan, Ely, Hayward

March 2nd, 2012 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today's notable international and D-League-related transactions:

Travis Leslie has been assigned to the D-League by the Clippers, according to Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles. The Clips' second-round pick has played in just eight games this season.
The Knicks announced that they've assigned Jerome Jordan to their D-League affiliate in Erie, tweets Zach Lowe of SI.com. The return of Josh Harrellson made the decision a no-brainer, says Marc Berman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
Another former NBA player signed in Puerto Rico, as Melvin Ely joined Brujos de Guayama, according to Sportando. Ely, the 12th overall pick in the 2002 draft, played 12.2 MPG in 30 contests for the Nuggets last season.
The Thunder have assigned Lazar Hayward to their D-League affiliate in Tulsa, according to the team (Twitter link). Hayward, who has appeared in 12 games for Oklahoma City this season, suffered a fractured orbital floor on his left eye last month.
Craig Brackins has been recalled from the D-League by the 76ers, according to a team press release. The 24-year-old was assigned to the Maine Red Claws on February 7th, and averaged 18.9 points and 9.3 rebounds in seven games with the club.

Odds & Ends: Rondo, Curry, Lin

February 29th, 2012 at 10:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

With just about every team back in action after the All-Star break, here are a few leap day notes from around the league:

The Celtics have intensified their efforts to trade Rajon Rondo, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN. Broussard says sources have told him the Celtics consider Rondo to be too high maintenance, and so the team is considering a deal with the Warriors for Stephen Curry that's been percolating since December. Other players would have to be in such a deal for it to work. ESPN's Chris Forsberg also contributed to the report.
Shabazz Muhammad, a premier college prospect who currently sits atop the class of potential 2013 draftees according to NBADraft.net, could be in trouble with the NCAA, report Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. The NCAA has informed schools recruiting Muhammad that his amateur status is in question. According to Goodman and Parrish, there are concerns that the 6'5", 210-pound shooting guard has been receiving payments for unofficial visits to campuses, among other benefits. Since NBA draft rules prohibit Muhammad from entering the league until a year after his high school class graduates, he may be forced to head overseas next year.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com doesn't see much truth in the rumored swap of Lamar Odom and Steve Nash, unless several other components are involved.
It seems every other day we find out about another team that came close to signing Jeremy Lin, but whiffed. Today that team is the Italian club Banca Tercas Teramo, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY. The team was "extremely close" to signing him, Lin said, but they went with Charles Jenkins instead.
The Chris Paul trade may have transformed the Clippers, but since amnesty claim Chauncey Billups was lost for the year with an Achilles' tear, the Clips have gone 5-5 and appear to have lost their mojo, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times examines.
Before handing the Spurs just their second home loss of the season, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau praised San Antonio's ability to identify and nurture the talent necessary to keep the team on top, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Thibodeau hopes the Bulls can copy that model.
Jazz swingman Josh Howard, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has responded well since Raja Bell's injury forced him into the starting lineup, notes Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune.