Stein’s Latest: Gasol, Celtics, Smith, Jazz
ESPN.com's Marc Stein has posted his latest Weekend Dime column, featuring updates on several prominent players whose names have been featured in trade rumors ahead of the February 21 deadline. Here are the highlights of Stein's report:
- Stein doesn't believe the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol before the deadline, although the Raptors are making a push to acquire him with a package built around Andrea Bargnani.
- Although the Clippers have shown no indication of wanting to trade Eric Bledsoe, a swap of the third-year guard to the Celtics for Paul Pierce could make the most sense for both sides, Stein writes.
- Celtics GM Danny Ainge recognizes that Pierce and Kevin Garnett don't have the value that would likely make it worth trading then, so he may instead look to move Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, or Jeff Green to get the team under the luxury tax threshold.
- The Hawks have been gauging trade interest in Josh Smith, Stein reports. Although they are very open to moving the forward, there is hesitance because other teams don't want to risk him walking in free agency and Atlanta doesn't want to take on long-term salary.
- Executives around the league don't expect the Jazz to trade Al Jefferson, saying they will either move Paul Millsap instead or stand pat.
- Given their ownership situation, the Kings will likely not make any moves before the deadline. There has been interest in Tyreke Evans, although DeMarcus Cousins remains untouchable.
- The Trail Blazers are not looking to make any moves that will help them in the short term, preferring to preserve their flexibility.
- Teams expect the Magic to trade J.J. Redick, but executives tell Stein that GM Rob Hennigan is asking for young talent or draft picks for the veteran sharpshooter.
Western Notes: Howard, Grizzlies, Roy, Kings
As we look forward to an evening schedule that includes a Lakers/Timberwolves contest in Minnesota, Dwight Howard, who will miss tonight's game, is heading back to Los Angeles to undergo a platelet rich plasma procedure, the Lakers announced today in a press release. Here's the latest from around the Western Conference on D12 and a number of other topics:
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com spoke to both Howard and Kobe Bryant about the All-Star center's impending free agency and future in Los Angeles.
- ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton (Insider link) thinks it's worth keeping an eye on J.J. Redick as a potential Grizzlies target, since his salary would fit in the team's new $7.49MM trade exception. However, Pelton notes that a swap would likely have to include Ed Davis, and it's not clear whether Memphis would flip Davis or if the team views him as Zach Randolph's eventual replacement.
- Grizzlies owner Robert Pera believes the team's two recent trades have made Memphis a "far more dangerous playoff team," as Kyle Veazey of the Memphis Commercial Appeal documents.
- Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins wasn't quite as bullish on the club's latest moves, as he weighed in on the Rudy Gay trade after last night's game: "When you have champagne taste, you can't be on a beer budget," Hollins said, according to John Rohde of the Oklahoman. "It's a small market and I understand the economics of being in a small market."
- In speaking to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, Brandon Roy suggested that coaching may be in his future if he has to end his playing career prematurely again. Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com cautions Roy that the development process of a coach involves a lot of drudgery, and wonders if Roy is the sort of "special, driven person" that could succeed as an NBA coach.
- Potential Kings bidder Ron Burkle is part of a group that's in the running to buy Anschutz Entertainment Group, according to Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee. However, the bid for AEG shouldn't affect his ability to make an offer for the Kings.
Odds & Ends: Mavs, Van Gundy, Howard, Barbosa
Shorthanded following the completion of the Rudy Gay trade, the Pistons and Raptors were both beaten in their respective games on Wednesday night. Tonight, in the first game of the post-Gay era in Memphis, the Grizzlies will be tasked with what would be a tough matchup under normal circumstances, as they travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder. While we look forward to that game, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the NBA:
- The Mavericks were never going to be a part of a three-team trade with the Grizzlies and Raptors if it meant giving up Vince Carter, team president Donnie Nelson tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Jeff Van Gundy, who admits that he misses being on an NBA bench, is expected to explore potential coaching opportunities starting next summer, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Dwight Howard re-aggravated the torn labrum in his right shoulder on Wednesday night, but intends to play through the pain and isn't currently considering surgery, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wonders if Howard's injury woes could open the door for the Mavericks to buy low on the All-Star center in a trade.
- Appearing on WEEI's Mut & Merloni in Boston, Leandro Barbosa said the idea he had asked the Celtics to trade him was "definitely a miscommunication" (link via Victor Barbosa of WEEI.com).
- Jeremy Pargo, who was recently waived by the Cavaliers, hasn't ruled out playing overseas, and has drawn some interest from Greece's Olympiacos, reports David Pick of Sportando (Twitter links).
Trade Exceptions Set To Expire At Deadline
As our list of outstanding traded player exceptions shows, there are a number of trade exceptions that could be in play as this season's deadline approaches. A trade exception allows a team to absorb a salary without sending any salary out in return. For instance, with the $4.2MM exception the Grizzlies obtained when they traded Marreese Speights to Cleveland, Memphis could acquire one or more players who are earning $4.3MM this season ($4.2MM + $100K).
Trade exceptions, which cannot be combined, expire a year after they're initially acquired, so the TPEs that were created at last year's March trade deadline will expire if they go unused on or before February 21st. While the exceptions don't expire until March, teams obviously won't have the opportunity to use them during the few weeks after the deadline passes.
Most notable among those exceptions set to expire in March is the $13MM TPE the Nuggets obtained when they dealt Nene to Washington at the 2012 deadline. The Nuggets are very unlikely to use that entire exception, but it certainly gives them some added flexibility as they weigh their options over the next three weeks.
Here's the complete list of traded player exceptions that will expire if they go unused at the trade deadline:
- Denver Nuggets: $13,000,000
- Golden State Warriors: $3,294,960
- Milwaukee Bucks: $2,506,500
- Brooklyn Nets: $1,390,000
- Brooklyn Nets: $1,377,383
- Los Angeles Clippers: $1,223,166
- Memphis Grizzlies: $1,184,750
- Los Angeles Lakers: $854,389(*)
- San Antonio Spurs: $854,389
- Los Angeles Lakers: $544,340
(* This TPE was initially listed as $1,422,027 and had since been corrected.)
Kyler’s Latest: Pierce, Josh Smith, Redick, Lakers
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler chimed in with roundup of trade rumors in advance of the Rudy Gay deal, and though his info about that swap quickly became outdated, he delivered much more from around the league. Let's hit the highlights here:
- The Celtics were entertaining offers for Paul Pierce before Rajon Rondo went down with a torn ACL, but for the moment they want to evaluate their team in the wake of the injury before making a move. Pierce wants to retire with Boston, and Celtics basketball president Danny Ainge and company will consider his special place in the team's history in deciding whether to move him. The C's will seek deals for their other players first.
- Though rumblings seem to indicate Josh Smith may be on his way out of Atlanta, the Hawks haven't considered any deal for him to this point. Still, Kyler believes that if they decide to deal Smith, they already know where they can send him. According to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, the Raptors probably aren't one of the teams that would make a deal for the power forward (Twitter link).
- More than half the league has tried to trade for J.J. Redick, but the Magic have rebuffed all offers for the soon-to-be free agent. The Magic front office has kept Redick informed about all the possible deals, and it seems more than likely he'll opt to re-sign this summer.
- The Lakers continue to discuss Pau Gasol deals, but as it stands now, they're more likely to hold off until the summer, when they'll know whether Dwight Howard, a free agent, will be back.
- Kyler also shares Lang Greene's pre-trade video interview with Raptors coach Dwane Casey, and catches up with Greivis Vasquez and new Grizzlies big man Jon Leuer, who revealed that it was former teammate Kyrie Irving who broke the news to him about last week's trade.
Lakers Get Disabled Player Exception For Hill
The league has granted the Lakers their request for a disabled player exception for power forward Jordan Hill, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. It will be worth $1.78MM, or half of Hill’s salary for this season. The Lakers aren’t likely to use the exception, as Medina notes via Twitter, but it does give them one more way to acquire help down the stretch in case they need it.
L.A. already had a prorated portion of their midlevel exception remaining, worth about $1.235MM at this point, so now they possess multiple tools other than the midlevel exception to bring someone aboard. They can add $100K to the disabled player exception to acquire a player via trade. The Lakers have 14 players on their roster, so a spot is open.
Odds & Ends: Lakers, Johnson, Oden
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News says that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak will likely know by tomorrow about whether or not the NBA will approve their Disabled Player Exception for the injured Jordan Hill (Twitter link). With the roster currently at 14, an exception worth $1.78MM would be a very valuable asset for a team that would have otherwise only have a veteran's minimum deal or a small, pro-rated portion of their mini mid-level exception to offer free agents at this point during the season. You'll find the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links from around the NBA here:
- Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge says the team currently has no needs and will wait and see what transpires over the next few weeks to get a better feel if a move has to be made or not (Adi Joseph of USA Today reports).
- Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman, who recently returned from an 11-game absence for family reasons, sounded like he wanted the team to keep Chris Johnson (LSU) and Mickael Gelabale for the rest of the season, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
- Grizzlies guard Chris Johnson, whose 10-day contract is set to expire on Friday night, is making a strong case to be brought back for another deal, writes Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. GM Chris Wallace described Johnson as a "seamless fit" so far.
- Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald doesn't think the Heat are the best fit for Greg Oden, citing that if healthy, the former number one overall pick could find more playing time and a better comfort level elsewhere. Even if the team uses its taxpayer mid-level exception to land Oden this summer, Goodman thinks that the luxury tax impact might not be worth the investment either.
- When asked directly about the possibility of playing for the Cavaliers, Oden replied: "I'm worried about the knee. That's it," later saying that it was too early for him to be thinking of a destination. Oden added that he wants to take his rehab slow, and that while he could possibly play today if he wanted to, he wants to avoid the risk of having the same setbackthat he had in Portland (Doug Lesmerises and Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer report).
Sefko On Dwight, Marion, Kaman
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW, who believes that the Mavericks will have at least one new player after the trade deadline, engaged in a chat with his readers today and answered a number of questions about the team. Here are some of the highlights:
- Any possible deal for Dwight Howard would have to hinge on the inclusion of Shawn Marion, and adding O.J. Mayo to the discussion could give the deal some legs. Since the Nets still possess the more attractive players, Dallas would have to get a third team into the mix in order to sweeten their offer to the Lakers.
- Chris Kaman could be of worth to a team looking to shed a large contract within the next coming weeks. One hypothetical scenario would include Kaman being packaged with younger assets to the Celtics in exchange for Paul Pierce (with a third team involved). Although the Mavericks would have to bear Pierce's contract in 2013/14, they would subsequently have a good amount of cap room that summer. Sefko makes it clear that while he isn't necessarily promoting a Kaman-for-Pierce swap, he suggests that those type of deals may be available.
- Free agency remains the team's best avenue toward rebuilding, especially since they don't currently possess enough trade assets to pull off a major deal or can acquire anything that would be considered long-term help via trade. He also notes that other than Marion, the only enticing pieces on the Mavericks are the one-year contracts that might interest teams looking for financial relief.
- Sefko wonders if Rodrigue Beaubois' recent increase in playing time is meant to to boost his trade market value, or if it's because Rick Carlisle thinks he can be a viable contributor down the stretch.
- With better financial opportunities possibly waiting in the wings this summer, Elton Brand could be tough to retain once his contract expires at the end of the year.
Odds & Ends: Rondo, Dragic, Speights, Rumors
With seven NBA games on the docket for Monday night, here are some odds and ends from around the Association:
- J.J. Redick has made Orlando his home and hopes to stay, he told Michael Scotto of RealGM. But Redick also realizes that trade speculation is inevitable and therefore has stayed in close contact with his agent and the Magic general manager Rob Hennigan.
- Ben Golliver of Blazers Edge provides a transcript of an interview of Neil Olshey in which the Blazers GM discusses his team's roster and potential future moves.
- Andrei Kirilenko handpicked Minnesota as his destination this offseason because he found the roster intriguing as well as conducive to his game. Unfortunately, due to the Timberwolves' long list of injuries, Kirilenko has yet to find out if his vision was as good as it seemed this offseason, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
- Danny Ainge said that he fully expect Rajon Rondo to be ready for training camp come October, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. How realistic that truly is will go a long way in determining the Celtics' next move.
- Despite sitting at 15-30 and in last place in the Pacific division, the Suns have a reason for optimism in Goran Dragic, writes Derek Page of HoopsWorld. Dragic, Page says, is the most important piece of Phoenix's rebuilding plans.
- We've already heard that Marreese Speights could be moved before the trade deadline despite rumors that the Cavaliers have coveted him for years. The Plain Dealer rounds up some Speights-related buzz, linking to a Sam Amico article that says whether the team keeps Speights depends on whether it can do so without sacrificing its financial flexibility. Amico, of Fox Sports Ohio, says that Speights will likely opt out of his deal after the season and seek a payday.
- Sean Deveney of Sporting News addresses several popular rumors that are floating around the NBA of late, the most notable of which include Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce and Pau Gasol.
Pau Gasol Won’t Request Trade
It has been about a week since Mike D’Antoni opted to move Pau Gasol to the Lakers’ bench in favor of Earl Clark. Gasol’s unhappiness with the move has been well-documented and only has ramped up speculation that he could be moved before the trade deadline.
Gasol told Ken Berger of CBS Sports on Monday that while he maintains his unhappiness, he will not directly or indirectly request a trade from the team with which he has won two titles since his arrival in 2008. Gasol is “all in” for the remainder of the season:
“It’s hard for anybody who considers himself one of the top players in the world to say, ‘OK, I’m OK with coming off the bench. It’s a difficult situation that we’ve been dealing with here. The last few games have been great, and we’re staying positive and we look forward to that to continue. But at the same time, we don’t need any other distractions, any more negativity. We need positive embracing, we need focus, we need to support each other. That’s where we’re at and that’s where I’m at, too,” he said.
However, Gasol has $19.3MM left on his contract for next year, and told Berger that he can’t envision a scenario where he would be comfortable returning to the Lakers next year as a bench player.
“I’ve been on this team, in this city, for six years. It’s very hard to stick around on this team, and I take pride in that. I think I’m a valuable asset and I want my role to be as big as it can be, within the well being of the team. But I don’t know if being a player that comes off the bench will be something that I’ll be able to accept long term,” Gasol said.