Spears On Howard, Bynum, Lowry, Gasol
A number of NBA executives are predicting a relatively uneventful trade deadline, and the ones who have spoken to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports echo that sentiment, calling this the quietest deadline in years.
"I'd be surprised if we see a lot of deals," one Western Conference exec told Spears. "In a short season, you can survive another 30 games and start talking trade to teams during the draft lottery."
While we may not see a blockbuster deal by next Thursday, there are still plenty of major trade possibilities out there, and Spears has updates on a few of the bigger names:
- The Dwight Howard sweepstakes continue to hold up other trades around the league, as one GM tells Spears: "Everyone has crazy ideas here and there. But teams are reluctant to make a trade until something happens [with Howard]."
- The Lakers aren't interested in trading Andrew Bynum unless it nets them Howard.
- With the Rockets still unwilling to include Kyle Lowry in a deal for Pau Gasol, Houston would probably need to recruit a third team to send Los Angeles a point guard if they hope to acquire the Spaniard.
- No changes on these fronts: The Celtics won't move Rajon Rondo unless they get a star in return, the Suns will only trade Steve Nash if he asks for it, and the Warriors prefer to deal Monta Ellis only if they can acquire Howard.
Amico On Lakers, Clippers, Celtics, Magic
Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico has posted a rundown of the trade-deadline needs of four teams: the Lakers, Clippers, Celtics, and Magic. Here are the highlights:
- Amico believes the Lakers should surrender first-round draft picks for Ramon Sessions to address their point-guard issues, arguing that they will not likely find an equally-skilled player in the draft.
- Kirk Hinrich would be the safest bet for the Clippers, with Ray Allen likely costing too much. Amico also mentions Jamal Crawford as a possibility.
- Amico points to J.J. Hickson as a potential low-cost trade target who could benefit from being around Kevin Garnett.
- Amico says the Magic should do everything in their power to convince Dwight Howard to stay, and trade him only if it becomes clear that is impossible.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Gasol, Jones, Odom
Only one Southwest team is in action tonight, as Dirk Nowitizki and the Mavericks take on Steve Nash and the Suns in Phoenix. To make up for the lack of games, let's take a look at a few Thursday links out of the Southwest:
- Based on calls he's received and reports he's read, Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle concludes the Lakers are "floating the idea" that a package of Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola could get Pau Gasol to Houston. Solomon says there's no way the Rockets would do such a deal though.
- Solomon Jones' second 10-day contract has expired, and the Hornets have decided not to sign him for the rest of the season, reports John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Jones played in 11 games for New Orleans, averaging 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per contest.
- Lamar Odom and Mavericks owner accused New York media of blowing their alleged spat out of proportion, writes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Concerns For Lakers Involving Brown, Offense
The Lakers have lost on consecutive nights to teams near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, resulting in some growing unrest in the locker room over the team's offensive performance. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles, there's increasing concern among Lakers players about coach Mike Brown's offensive system, which has the club scoring at its lowest rate in the shot-clock era.
Sources tell Shelburne that the Lakers' struggles on the road have many of the team's veterans longing for a return to Phil Jackson's Triangle offense. Since the players-only meeting held by Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher last month, a few players have met privately to discussing running elements of the Triangle, says Shelburne.
"The players want to unify," one source told Shelburne. "They know how to win, and they want to fix this. I don't know if they can, though."
The other topic of discussion during that initial players-only meeting was the trade rumors surrounding the team. Following the Lakers' most recent losses, along with continued reports of the players at odds with Brown and the coaches, you'd have to think those trade rumors will only pick up steam in the coming week. Whether it's the roster, the coaching staff, or the on-court philosophy, something needs to change for the Lakers if they hope to contend for a title this season.
Odds & Ends: Howard, Morris, Anderson, Knicks
While there haven't been any big Dwight Howard rumors so far today, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel indicates that there has been a "shift in tone" in how Howard's desires are perceived. As we documented yesterday, the rumors are running wild, seemingly due to Howard's ambivalence. Here is what else is going on around the league on this Wednesday evening:
- Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at the some of the hardships facing the Magic leading up to the trade deadline, including their tough schedule and inconsistency.
- Eddie Sefko from the Dallas Morning News says (via chat), should Dwight Howard not get traded by March 15th, he considers the Mavericks the heavy favorites to land both Howard and Deron Williams. He also mentions Gerald Wallace and C.J. Miles as potential complimentary fits around Dirk Nowitzki, Howard and Williams.
- According to Yahoo's Marc Spears, Lakers assign rookie guard Darius Morris to the NBDL D-Fenders. Mike Bresnahan, Lakers beat writer for the L.A. Times, adds that Morris is still counted on the roster and will continue to get paid as a Laker.
- Chris Bernucca from Sheridan Hoops examines some of the recent deadline deals, and their impact on the league today.
- Magic forward Ryan Anderson has been trying to block out the Dwight Howard rumors, says Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel. Anderson knows he could be packaged with Howard, or traded to get Howard help.
- Mike D'Antoni recognizes that the Knicks are struggling with Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin on the floor, but D'Antoni thinks it's a solvable problem, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Latest On Rasheed Wallace
Before the All-Star Game, a CSNNE.com story suggested Rasheed Wallace would come out of retirement and play for the Lakers. It appears that report was a little premature. Still, Wallace is indeed considering a return to the NBA, and recently worked out for the Heat, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
According to Tomasson's source, Wallace hasn't decided yet whether or not he wants to play, and is keeping mum on the subject for now since he "doesn't want to cause a lot of hoopla" if he stays retired. If the Heat were interested in adding him, however, Wallace would consider it (Twitter links).
As for the rumored Wallace-to-the-Lakers move that never materialized, I have to think there was something there, particularly since the team never publicly shot it down. But clearly the two sides weren't as close to an agreement as was believed. CSNNE's A. Sherrod Blakely covered Wallace on the Pistons for years, so perhaps he heard from the big man's camp that he planned to sign with Los Angeles, while the Lakers themselves were still undecided on how to use their open roster spot — that's just a guess though.
Gasol, Kupchak Spoke About Trade Rumors
Kobe Bryant's plea to the Lakers to provide the team's players with some clarity on the trade rumors swirling around the club didn't go unanswered. While the Lakers didn't definitively decide to trade or retain Pau Gasol, as Kobe suggested they should, GM Mitch Kupchak called Gasol to discuss the situation, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles.
"I have an understanding of where things are," Gasol said. "Where they stand and where he stands and where I stand. He [Kupchak] told me to just keep doing what you do, keep playing hard and playing on and from that point on, we'll see…. It was kind of calming to have that feedback. Since before training camp, it was the first time I was approached by them."
Although Kupchak didn't make any guarantees to Gasol about where he'd be playing after the trade deadline, Gasol understands why such a guarantee wouldn't be in the team's best interest. The Spaniard asked the Lakers GM to let him know when "something real" was on the table, and recognized why Kupchak wouldn't necessarily keep him updated more frequently.
"It's hard because when an organization is going to pull the trigger, I guess the less involvement and the less contact, the easier it is," Gasol said. "That was the point if you watched that movie 'Moneyball' where Brad Pitt doesn't want to be involved with players. I don't know if that's the case or not, but you could see that kind of factor."
The Rockets, Timberwolves, Celtics, and Bulls are among the clubs that have been linked to Gasol in the last few weeks. For his part, Gasol told Shelburne he doesn't have a sense of whether he'll be traded, and is looking forward to putting the March 15th deadline behind him so he'll have an answer one way or another.
Five Western Contenders To Watch At The Deadline
During this lockout-shortened season, the playoff race in the Western Conference is even more intriguing than usual. Although the Thunder sit comfortably atop the conference standings (their 4.5-game lead over second-place San Antonio is equal to the Spurs' 4.5-game lead over eighth-place Houston), they're not considered the overwhelming favorites to come out of the West. With plenty of basketball to be played and plenty of time for teams to improve their rosters, here are a few Western Conference contenders who could make a splash before the trade deadline:
- Thunder: While Oklahoma City hasn't been the subject of many trade rumors in recent weeks, GM Sam Presti has a history of striking unexpected deals. With the Thunder hoping to eventually lock up James Harden and Serge Ibaka to join Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for the years ahead, I can't imagine them agreeing to take on a deal with years left on it. But if the club can find a shooter or offensive-minded big man on a short contract to upgrade its bench, I think they'd be glad to move Daequan Cook and Nazr Mohammed to make it happen. And as Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld pointed out yesterday, if the Thunder are concerned about the health of Thabo Sefolosha, they could explore a deal for a defensive wing player to replace him.
- Lakers: Unlike the Thunder, the Lakers have found it impossible to avoid trade chatter, so much so that Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant held a players-only meeting to ensure no one was distracted heading into the second half. But the rumblings are justified — the Lakers hold a valuable $8.9MM trade exception and could be a player or two from becoming legit title contenders again. Point guard and small forward are the Lakers' most glaring needs, with the team eyeing Ramon Sessions, Raymond Felton, Kirk Hinrich, Leandro Barbosa, Michael Beasley and others. I don't expect a blockbuster Pau Gasol trade, but I'd be shocked if the Lakers stood pat. Sending one of their first-rounders to the Cavs for Sessions still makes the most sense to me.
- Grizzlies: They expect to get Zach Randolph back in the lineup soon, and have played very well even without their All-Star. The addition of Randolph will likely be the most significant move the Grizzlies make, but they're an intriguing club to keep an eye on just in case. Memphis currently sits slightly above the luxury tax line, and owner Michael Heisley has no desire to be a taxpayer, so the team figures to make a move at some point to get below that threshold. Could that mean moving O.J. Mayo? The fourth-year guard has been the subject of trade rumors for years, and as a potential restricted free agent, his $5.63MM cap figure represents an expiring deal.
- Mavericks: Caught between defending their title and preparing to make a run at marquee free agents this summer, the Mavs are trying to win now without compromising their future cap flexibility. While it seems as if they're reluctant to break up the team until after the season, you have to think that if they got an offer they liked for Shawn Marion, they'd take it. I don't expect the Mavs to be major players at the deadline, but it'll be interesting to see how they continue to balance their present and future goals.
- Rockets: When Jesse Blanchard of Hoops Rumors assessed the Rockets' stocks, he pointed out that, while the team lacks a star, it also doesn't possess any awful players or contracts. The Rockets have a number of players that could be interesting trade pieces, including reasonably-priced starters like Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, and Samuel Dalembert, and a plethora of expiring deals. I think GM Daryl Morey will make some sort of trade by March 15th, though it remains to be seen whether it'll be a move with an eye toward the coming postseason or the future. Houston would love to get its hands on Pau Gasol, but I don't think that's happening unless they include Kyle Lowry in a package.
Lamar Odom Desires Return To L.A.
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.
Lakers, Trail Blazers Discussing Deal For Felton
According to CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes, the Lakers and Trail Blazers are in "exploratory talks" regarding Raymond Felton. This rumor sprouted last week via a string of tweets from Larry Coon, but this is the first official word we've heard of Steve Blake being a possible piece in the deal. The offer has yet to "get off the ground," but both teams are interested.
Felton has struggled mightily this season, putting up the worst shooting numbers of his career from both the field and three-point line. He's been benched and has had several verbal spats with Portland coach Nate McMillan in the season's first few months. But Los Angeles is desperate for youth at the point guard position, they have a trade exception Felton's contract would fit inside, and a change of scenery may do good for both teams.
In 23 games this year, Blake is shooting 34% on three-pointers, which would be the second worst mark of his nine-year career if it holds up throughout the season.
Our Chuck Myron covered Felton as a potential trade candidate last week.