Chris Copeland Undecided On Offer Sheets
Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter) reports that free agent forward Chris Copeland has not decided on an offer sheet as of yet. Aside from the Pacers and Jazz, the Lakers remain very much in the picture, although Berman implies that L.A. has their focus on resolving the Dwight Howard situation first. Earlier today, we heard that Copeland had at least three offer sheets on the table, and while the Cavaliers seemed to be one of the three suitors, it appears that Utah may have been the third team Berman was alluding to.
The rumors swirling around Jose Calderon's possible interest in joining the Lakers could theoretically have an effect on whether or not Copeland would sign with the purple and gold, since Calderon would likely command the mini-MLE or a significant portion of it. Yesterday, we relayed the reported mutual interest between Copeland's camp and the Jazz, and that Copeland's agent expected more discussions with Utah. While the Pacers have a portion of their $5.15MM MLE to make a competitive offer, the Jazz have more than enough cap room to make a significant bid as well.
Jose Calderon Interested In Lakers
9:04pm: Kennedy tweets that he'd expect Calderon to join the Lakers if Howard decides to return to Los Angeles.
8:54pm: Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy hears that Howard and Calderon are interested in playing together, and that Calderon may wait on Howard's decision before signing a contract. Kennedy also mentions that it wasn't a coincidence that rumors of Dwight going to Houston were subsequently followed by a rumor which speculated a Jeremy Lin for Calderon swap (Twitter links).
7:40pm: Jabari A. Davis of Hoopsworld (via Twitter) hears that free-agent point guard Jose Calderon is interested in joining the Lakers, but is waiting to see if Dwight Howard re-signs with the team first. Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times tweets that Howard's decision could have an effect on Pau Gasol's future in L.A., which may ultimately affect Calderon's desire to join the team. Just over a year ago, the Spanish point guard – a potential candidate to be amnestied by the Raptors at the time – was reportedly excited at the prospect of playing with his former Olympic teammate on the Lakers.
Calderon, who ultimately decided not to sign with the Kings for the sake of avoiding a rebuilding situation, still plans to continue negotiating with other teams and hasn't ruled out a return to the Pistons. While one might find it puzzling that Calderon wouldn't consider Detroit a rebuilding team either, Matt Watson of SB Nation writes of the possibility that he might think that they're capable of reaching the playoffs next season.
Looking at their point guard situation, the Lakers have Steve Nash and Steve Blake under contract next season and recently released Chris Duhon. With Nash having battled some injuries last year, it's not far-fetched to think that the Lakers would be mutually interested in Calderon at this point. However, with the team's options relegated to the mini-MLE and veteran's minimum contracts, it remains to be seen if the 31-year-old point guard (who made $10.5MM last season) would ultimately take a large pay cut considering this could be his final lucrative contract in the NBA, not to mention that the Lakers have many other free agents on their radar that may garner a portion or all of their mini-MLE.
Western Notes: Cousins, Nedovic, Gordon
According to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears, Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro, head coach Michael Malone, and team majority owner Vivek Ranadive visited DeMarcus Cousins in Alabama today. Though an extension is yet to be agreed upon, D'Alessandro told Yahoo that he is confident in Cousins as the face of the Kings' franchise (Twitter links). For a while, it seemed that Cousins' future in Sacramento was in limbo, as he had recently kept mum on the franchise at the behest of his agent Dan Fegan. Last month, Fegan reportedly wanted to negotiate a maximum deal for Cousins with the threat of a trade demand if a deal wasn't reached, and we also heard that D'Alessandro had planned to meet with Cousins in person at some point. Today's meeting could only bode well for the prospects of the 22-year-old center remaining in Sacramento for the long-term.
Here are more news and notes out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News tweets that the Warriors would likely have to keep Nemanja Nedovic – their 2013 first-round pick – in Europe this upcoming season as one pre-requisite of clearing enough space to sign Dwight Howard.
- CBS Sports’ Matt Moore writes that following the three-team deal between the Pelicans, Kings, and Trail Blazers, New Orleans hasn’t given any indication that they plan to trade Eric Gordon. He also thinks that Robin Lopez is a perfect fit next to LaMarcus Aldridge, and lauds the fact that the Portland won’t have to surrender a big contract in order to land him.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA tweets that if the Lakers were to match Earl Clark’s $4.5MM a year deal from the Cavaliers, it would cost them roughly $11.3MM with taxes in order to keep him, and therefore would be too steep a price.
- Hoopsworld’s Eric Pincus notes that any free agent signing that the Lakers make will carry a hefty luxury tax bill along with them, though if Dwight Howard were to ultimately leave, the team’s tax multiplier would significantly decrease. This puts the franchise in a tricky situation: if they don’t want to commit to a player for more than a year, they’d have to overpay in year one; if they were to overpay, the team would face massive luxury tax implications (All Twitter links).
Odds & Ends: Blazers, Iguodala, Knicks, Morrow
Now that the Trail Blazers have struck a deal to acquire a big man (Robin Lopez), the team figures to move on to address other needs. As Jason Quick of the Oregonian tweets, Portland's focus could shift to a wing player next, with Francisco Garcia, Matt Barnes, and Corey Brewer representing possible targets.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Association:
- Andre Iguodala will likely make a decision on a team early next week, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
- The Knicks are likely out of the running for Matt Barnes and Nate Robinson now that the team no longer has its full mini mid-level exception, tweets Zwerling.
- Before they agreed to sign C.J. Watson, the Pacers expressed interest in Robinson, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
- Kennedy also tweets that free agent shooter Anthony Morrow has been in contact with the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Rockets, and Knicks.
- A source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link) that the Mavericks weren't willing to commit $8MM a year to J.R. Smith, let alone $10MM. The market for Smith was fairly modest, according to Berman.
- Jared Dudley wasn't looking to be traded out of Phoenix, and is open to returning to the Suns at some point down the road. But as he tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, if the Suns were going to move him, Dudley couldn't have asked for a much better fit than the Clippers.
Dwight Howard Notes: Rockets, Lakers, Mavs
Plenty of you weighed in on yesterday's poll asking where Dwight Howard would eventually sign, and there was a fairly solid consensus: About half of nearly 3,500 voters believe Howard will end up in Houston, while the Lakers, Mavericks, Warriors, and Hawks (in that order) combined for the other half of the votes. One former Rocket great is in agreement with Hoops Rumors readers, as Hakeem Olajuwon told ThePostGame.com that he believes there's an "85% chance" Howard signs with Houston.
"You never know," Olajuwon added. "But after that meeting we had, I feel very comfortable that we have the best chance to get him."
Here are a few more Thursday links related to the biggest name on the free agent market:
- Sources close to Howard tell ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Twitter link) that Kobe Bryant's reported pitch, in which he proposed teaching the All-Star center how to become a champion, will be a "complete turn-off" for Howard.
- As Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News points out, since deals can't officially be signed until July 10th, the team Howard chooses shouldn't rest easy until that contract is finalized, given how indecisive D12 has been in the past.
- Yesterday, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com passed along a Howard-related conspiracy theory (via Twitter), which suggested that all the Houston buzz is a smokescreen and that the big man has been ticketed for Dallas all along. Today, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com explains why it's easy to shoot holes in that theory.
Knicks Likely To Re-Sign Prigioni, Not Copeland
Holding only non-Bird rights on a pair of restricted free agents this summer, the Knicks aren't expected to be able to re-sign both Chris Copeland and Pablo Prigioni unless both players are willing to accept discounts. With Copeland drawing plenty of interest from rival teams, it appears he's on the verge of signing an offer sheet that would end his time as a Knick, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Berman hears from sources that Copeland has three offer sheets to choose from. The Pacers, Lakers, and an unknown team, perhaps the Cavs, are the clubs believed to have offers on the table for Copeland. The Lakers, like the Knicks, have limited cap flexibility, so New York could potentially match an L.A. offer sheet. However, the Pacers intend to use a portion of their $5.15MM mid-level exception, while the Cavs have a chunk of cap space available. Both teams could offer Copeland a starting salary that exceeds $3.18MM, which is the maximum the Knicks could match with their own mini MLE.
Although the Knicks may be preparing to lose Copeland, the team appears to be a good bet to re-sign Prigioni. According to Berman, New York has made the point guard a two-year offer worth about $2.3MM. Since such a deal would exceed the minimum salary, the club would have to use a portion of its mid-level on the offer, leaving a little more than $2MM to try to bring back Copeland or sign an outside free agent.
Speaking of outside free agents, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that the Knicks continue to pursue Sebastian Telfair, reaching out to the player himself rather than just his agents. It's not clear whether the Knicks are interested in signing both Prigioni and Telfair, or whether Telfair is viewed as a Plan B. But having lost Jason Kidd to retirement, the Knicks figure to be in the market for a third point guard.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday
Dwight Howard has been visited by five teams since free agency opened, meeting with the Rockets late Sunday night, the Hawks and Warriors on Monday, and the Mavericks and Lakers on Tuesday. It appears Howard will decide on one of those five options, with no dark horse suitors like the Clippers lurking as possibilities. Happy Walters, one of Howard's reps at Relativity Sports, tweeted earlier this morning, "Great meetings with @DwightHoward. Group Going 2 get some Mountain air to clear the mind and make some decisions."
Here's more on Walters' tweet and Howard's free agency in general:
- In the Lakers meetings with Howard, Kobe Bryant essentially challenged his teammate to learn how to become a champion, insisting that Bryant should be the one to teach him in L.A., writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. According to Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News, via Twitter, Mike D'Antoni, Steve Nash, Bryant and Howard all openly talked about last year's issues, leaving nothing unsaid yet still leaving the meeting on a positive note.
- Regarding Stein's report that Golden State had forced their way into the conversation, Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News hears that Mark Jackson was very impressive and that the pitch included Howard being surrounded by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes (via Sulia string). This would all but rule out a blockbuster sign-and-trade.
- Tim Kawakami, also of the Mercury News, provides an extensive breakdown of what is and is not possible when it comes to the Warriors and Howard. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld also gives his take on the potential match.
Earlier updates:
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Warriors made a real impression on Howard during their Monday meeting, and shouldn't be written off as a potential destination, though they still probably trail the Lakers, Rockets, and Mavs (Twitterlinks).
- Howard hopes to decide by this Friday on which team he'll sign with, according to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter. A source tells Schefter that D12's decision is "totally up in the air."
- There are still teams interested in further making their cases to Howard, but he appears to have shut down all takes to decide now, says Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to various reports, Howard and his camp are heading to Aspen to discuss their options.
- Howard and his camp will be heading "off the grid" to either a resort area in Colorado or a remote ranch in Montana to weigh the big man's options over the next few days, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- One source to Berger, on Howard's meetings this week: "The meetings were all very interesting. Each [was] very individualized for the team and city they repped. Super impressed by all."
- Berger also speculates on how Howard will announce his decision, predicting that while a LeBron James-esque production won't happen, D12 could make his announcement via a YouTube video.
- A decision could come from Howard by Friday, but it's also possible he'll "let it bleed into the weekend," says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- A source with knowledge of Howard's decision-making process still believes the Rockets are the favorites, according to Wojnarowski. "The Rockets have put themselves in position to pull this off," the source said. "If he wants to win right now – and be set up to keep winning – it's hard to make a case for anyone but Houston."
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Smith, Billups, Martin, More
The news that the Celtics have landed Brad Stevens to be their next coach has shocked the NBA world. Sean Deveney of the Sporting News points out, via Twitter, that of the twelve new head coaches hired this offseason, eight have now been first timers, adding that the Sixers will probably make it nine of thirteen. The Stevens hire has also led to some speculation that Rajon Rondo will be on his way out of Boston. The Pistons have explored the possibility of trading for both Rondo and/or Rudy Gay, according to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy (via Twitter). For what it's worth, Rudy Gay tweeted tonight that he hopes to play a full season in Toronto this year.
With the NBA offseason in full swing, let's look at some of the news churning out of the rumor mill:
- After meeting with several teams in Los Angeles the past few days, unrestricted free agent Josh Smith will return to his home in Atlanta today to contemplate his future, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports.
- It might be tough for the Clippers to keep Chauncey Billups after their acquisitions of J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, reports Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears. Billups, 36, has drawn interest from the Cavaliers, Spurs, Mavericks, Kings, Nets and Wolves.
- Per ESPN's Chris Broussard on Twitter, unrestricted free agent Kenyon Martin is drawing interest from the Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, Knicks and Nets. However, Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York tweets that no offers have been made.
- After visiting with the Cavs for two days, Earl Clark was impressed with what Cleveland had to say, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News, who spoke to Clark's agent. Deveney has been all over the Clark rumors, and really likes how he would fit in Cleveland now that they took Anthony Bennett No. 1 overall.
- Considering the withdrawal of the Kings' offer to Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets are now in a much better spot if they are aggressive in trying to re-sign him, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. Like many of the top free agents, Iguodala's options hinge on Dwight Howard's destination and in the meantime, Dempsey writes, now is Denver's opportunity to strike.
Latest On Chris Copeland
As the market continues to develop for many of this year's restricted free agents, Chris Copeland is drawing interest from a number of teams looking to pry him away from the Knicks. Last night, we heard that the Pacers had extended an offer to Copeland, but the forward continues to meet with and talk to other potential suitors.
Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that there's still mutual interest between Copeland and the Jazz. Copeland's agent expects further discussions with Utah, though the team hasn't made an offer yet, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News (via Twitter). The 29-year-old remains interested in the Knicks, as Genessy tweets, though with New York hoping to use its mini mid-level exception on multiple players (perhaps Copeland and a point guard), the club's ability to match rival offers will be limited.
A league source told Jared Zwerling of ESPN.com (Twitter link) yesterday that the Lakers have made an exploratory offer to Copeland, and a report earlier this week suggested that the Pelicans and Bucks could also be preparing offers for the restricted free agent. However, the Pelicans are stuck in a bit of a holding pattern as they wait to hear back from Tyreke Evans on their offer sheet, and the Bucks have been linked to so many players that it's not clear if Copeland is a top priority or a secondary target.
While it appears Copeland has plenty of possible destinations, the pendulum isn't swinging in any direction yet, according to Zwerling, who says it's still too early in the process (via Twitter).
Latest On Matt Barnes, Clippers
11:51am: Barnes will begin meeting with other teams today, tweets Shelburne.
10:30am: After agreeing to acquire Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick yesterday, the Clippers remain "very interested" in re-signing Matt Barnes, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. That interest appears to be mutual, with Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reporting that Barnes would still like to return to L.A.
However, according to Broussard, if the Clippers don't "do something fast," Barnes will begin meeting with rival suitors. The Mavericks, Nuggets, Nets, Knicks, and Spurs have all shown interest in Barnes, says Broussard. Various reports have also linked the Trail Blazers and Lakers to the veteran forward.
L.A. only has Barnes' non-Bird rights, but still has the full mid-level exception available as well. A non-Bird offer from the Clips for Barnes would limit his starting salary to about $1.48MM, whereas an offer using the MLE could start at any salary up to $5.15MM. Given how well Barnes played for the Clippers in 2012/13 and how many suitors he appears to have, I'd be surprised if the 33-year-old was willing to settle for that $1.48MM first-year salary.