Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Notes: J.R. Smith, Simmons, Free Agents

February 17th, 2012 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

The J.R. Smith sweepstakes went down to the wire between the Knicks and Clippers, but New York ultimately won out, agreeing to a deal with Smith that could become official later today. Here's the latest on the Clips, as they move on to Plan B….

Before Smith chose the Knicks, Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro told Smith in a text message that signing with Los Angeles would mean a spot in the starting lineup, according to John Canzano of the Oregonian.
The Clippers will hold a free agent workout this afternoon, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Former Clipper Bobby Simmons will be among the players at today's workout, says Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Spears reported yesterday that Jermaine Taylor would also be working out for L.A.

Knicks Closing In On Deal With J.R. Smith

February 17th, 2012 at 7:50am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 7:50am: The Knicks are expected to add Smith in time for him to make his debut on Sunday, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman says Renaldo Balkman is the most likely candidate to be waived to clear a roster spot.

THURSDAY, 5:50pm: Alex Kennedy from HoopsWorld (via Twitter) just spoke with Smith, who confirmed he is nearing a deal with the Knicks.

5:35pm: ESPN.com's resident Collective Bargaining Agreement expert Larry Coon tweets that the pro-rated veteran's minimum that the Clippers can offer is worth $656,370 today versus $2,358,871 for the mini mid-level exception. According to Coon, this is because the mini mid-level exception didn't start pro-rating until February 10, whereas the veteran's minimum began pro-ration on December 26. In other words, the difference is bigger than we thought.

4:34pm: The Clippers "still think they have a shot" to sign Smith, a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. Smith is expected to make a decision one way or the other within a day or so.

11:52am: The Knicks are closing in on an agreement with J.R. Smith, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Isola reports that Smith's agent, Leon Rose, met with MSG chairman James Dolan Wednesday night to attempt to finalize a deal. Mike Bibby, Renaldo Balkman or Toney Douglas are the likely candidates to be released if Smith joins the Knicks.

As we heard earlier today, the Knicks appear to be vying with the Clippers for Smith, who returned to America from China in the last 24 hours. One advantage the Knicks have over L.A. is the availability of their pro-rated $2.5MM mini mid-level exception. The Clippers could only offer Smith the pro-rated veteran's minimum for the rest of this season. The Knicks could also add a player option for next year to their offer; while Smith would likely decline it and become an unrestricted free agent, it would provide a level of security.

Smith requires a letter of clearance from FIBA before he can officially finalize a contract with an NBA team.

Pacific Notes: Ellis, Kings, Suns, Williams, Blake

February 16th, 2012 at 9:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Seattle mayor Mike McGinn is reportedly set to unveil details of Christopher Hansen's proposal for a new sports arena later this afternoon. However, while Seattle is making strides toward returning to the NBA, it will likely need to relocate another franchise to do so. The Kings are the most likely candidates to be relocated, so let's check in on the progress on Sacramento's new arena, along with some other notes out of the Pacific….

The Suns hosted a free agent work out today, with Michael Finley and Jermaine Taylor in attendance, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
It has become clear that Monta Ellis is expendable in Golden State, writes Monte Poole of the Bay Area News Group. Poole says that rookie guard Klay Thompson has been getting more playing time as it becomes clear to the Warriors that they will continue to struggle if Ellis remains their best player.
Sacramento is seeking a contribution of about $85MM toward a new arena from the Maloofs, according to a report from the Sacramento Bee. It's not yet known whether the NBA, negotiating on the Kings' behalf, will agree.
Suns owner Robert Sarver and president of basketball operations Lon Babby are confident the team can become competitive again in the near future, writes Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic. The team still doesn't plan to trade Steve Nash unless he asks out, and isn't interested in a full-scale "blow-up" since that process would mean not contending for several years.
Reports last week suggested Mo Williams was unsatisfied with his role for the Clippers, but Williams told Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld that's not the case.
Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News wonders if the Lakers' point-guard issues could be solved in part by Steve Blake rather than a free agent signing or trade acquisition.

Free Agent Rumors: Iverson, Przybilla, Taylor

February 16th, 2012 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

J.R. Smith's potential deal with the Knicks is the biggest free agent story of the day, but there are plenty of players out there hoping to land contracts of their own. Let's round up a few of the day's free agent updates….

Allen Iverson is still drawing international interest, though there are conflicting reports on whether A.I. has received official contract offers. According to Sportando, Iverson has offers on the table from Puerto Rican and Venezuelan teams, but ESPN.com's Chris Broussard hears no formal offers have been extended so far. Broussard says Iverson would sign in the Caribbean, South America, or even the D-League, if it could lead to another shot at the NBA.
Both Iverson reports agree that the next week will be crucial. According to Broussard's source, Iverson will "accept that his forced retirement is permanent" if he hasn't signed by the All-Star break.
Some teams are backing off of Joel Przybilla, concerned that he's not fully healthy, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. Przybilla was thought to be deciding between the Heat and Bulls, but perhaps those clubs are wary of extending formal offers.
Jermaine Taylor, who appeared in 34 games for the Kings and Rockets last season, has signed with the D-League, according to Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. Perhaps Taylor's time in the D-League will be short-lived though — Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld says (via Twitter) the Suns will work out Taylor today, while Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets that the 25-year-old will work out for the Clippers tomorrow..

Clippers, Knicks Frontrunners for J.R. Smith

February 16th, 2012 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

While J.R. Smith has been linked to practically half the teams in the NBA at this point, the Clippers and Knicks are the frontrunners for his services, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Magic GM Otis Smith tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that his team isn't considering Smith.

Smith recently listed the Clippers, Knicks, Magic on his Twitter profile along with the Lakers, Bulls, and Pacers, leading to speculation that he could be choosing between those six teams. Currently, however, only the Clips, Knicks, and Lakers remain mentioned on his page.

The Clippers have been actively recruiting Smith, with Chris Paul confident about the team's chances and Vinny Del Negro saying a phone call with Smith yesterday went "very, very well." The Knicks, however, could offer Smith more money this season, along with a player option for next year. Both L.A. teams could only guarantee Smith the pro-rated veteran's minimum for the remainder of the season. According to Shelburne, the security of having a 2012/13 option with the Knicks could factor into Smith's decision.

Having just returned from his season in China, Smith still requires a FIBA letter of clearance before he's free to sign with an NBA team.

J.R. Smith Rumors: Wednesday

February 15th, 2012 at 10:13pm CST by Luke Adams

9:56 p.m.: Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports (via Twitter) that Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro has reached out to Smith.

1:00 p.m.: J.R. Smith's Chinese team played its final game today, which means Smith's should be returning to America any time now. While he still needs a letter of clearance from FIBA before he can become an unrestricted free agent and sign with an NBA team, Smith figures to make his NBA debut shortly after the All-Star break at the latest. Yesterday, Chris Paul expressed confidence in the Clippers' chances of signing Smith, while Lakers coach Mike Brown confirmed he and Smith had talked. Here's the latest on the CBA's scoring champ:

The Bulls aren't in the mix for Smith, according to Larry Coon of HoopsWorld and ESPN.com (via Twitter).
It's anyone's guess how much we should trust Smith's Twitter feed, but for what it's worth, he tweeted yesterday that he hasn't been in contact with the Timberwolves at all.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel doesn't expect the Magic to sign Smith (Twitter link).

Pacific Notes: Smith, Brown, Arenas, Howard

February 14th, 2012 at 7:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Chris Paul is confident about the Clippers' chances of landing J.R. Smith when the former Nugget returns from China, but Smith's Twitter profile suggests a number of teams are in play, including one he hasn't been linked to yet. Smith's Twitter bio simple reads: "NYK? LAL? LAC? CHI? ORL? iNDI?" While there's no guarantee the 26-year-old is deciding between just those six teams, the Magic are an interesting inclusion, given the uncertainty surrounding Dwight Howard. Hoops Rumors readers voted the Clippers as the frontrunner for Smith yesterday.

Here are a few more items out of the Pacific Division:

Lakers coach Mike Brown confirmed that he spoke with free agent guard J.R. Smith today over the phone, tweets J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today.
Shannon Brown signed a one-year deal with the Suns prior to the season because he thought he'd get a chance to play and increase his value, but it hasn't been working out that way, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
In a series of tweets, Ramona Sherburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com explains why she thinks the Lakers should sign Gilbert Arenas, assuming he's healthy.
Looking at a few realistic trade destinations for Dwight Howard, ESPN.com's John Hollinger (Insider link) evaluated how Howard's potential teammates would complement the star center. Hollinger determined that the Clippers' Chris Paul would be the best partner for Howard, while the Lakers' Andrew Bynum would be the worst.

Paul: Clips’ Chances Of Signing Smith “Very High”

February 14th, 2012 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers may not be able to offer J.R. Smith as much money as most NBA clubs can, but Chris Paul likes his team's chances anyway. Paul told ESPN.com's Marc Stein he thinks the Clips' chances of landing Smith are "very high."

Smith, 26, is set to return from China this week, with Paul one of the NBA players said to be recruiting him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Joining the Clippers would reunite Smith with three former teammates, in Paul, Kenyon Martin, and the injured Chauncey Billups. However, the Clips aren't the only club interested.

Stein reported on Friday that the Knicks were still thought to be the frontrunner for Smith, though perhaps that's changed over the last few days. While Stein adds the Timberwolves and Pacers to the list of interested clubs, Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star says Indiana's early interest has died down (Twitter link).

Yesterday, Hoops Rumors readers narrowly picked the Clippers (29%) as the favorite to sign Smith over the Knicks (26%).

Odds & Ends: Hornets, Clippers, Knicks, Magic

February 12th, 2012 at 7:14pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

The New Orleans Hornets are dropping like flies, reports John Reid of the Times Picayune. Chris Kaman is the latest casualty with a mysterious ankle injury. These injuries could hurt trade value for a Hornets team that needs as many assets as possible. Some other news around the NBA:

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles reports the Los Angeles Clippers are pursuing J.R. Smith. Their sales pitch includes Chauncey Billups vacated starting slot, a chance to showcase his game on a contending team, and his familiarity with Chris Paul–and their shared agent, Leon Rose.
Also pursuing Smith, according to the same report, is Carmelo Anthony. The New York Knicks have slightly more money to offer with the prorated $2.5MM mini-mid-level exception, and Leon Rose likewise represents Anthony.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel wonders if Jason Richardson can be a reliable go-to guy after a breakout game against the Milwaukee Bucks. If so, it would relieve a lot of the pressure for an immediate roster overhaul for general manager Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic.
Naturally after watching Richardson's performance over the Bucks comes reports from Schmitz that a disgruntled Dwight Howard would like to see the ball more in the fourth quarter.

Pacific Notes: Fisher, Bryant, Martin

February 11th, 2012 at 5:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers have been seeking a point guard in the trade market this season, as 37-year-old Derek Fisher, whose 5.2 PPG is his lowest since his rookie season, appears to be in decline. Fisher's role as head of the players union during the lockout has drained him, says Patrick Ewing, who went through the same experience in 1999, as Mitch Lawrence examines for the New York Daily News.

Here are a few more notes from the Pacific Division:

The Kamenetzky brothers of ESPNLosAngeles.com wonder whether Kobe Bryant, who recently told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith he doesn't want to play at a diminished capacity, will retire when his contract ends in 2014.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes, in the fifth item of this story, how recent free-agency signee Kenyon Martin is already getting comfortable with the Clippers.