Broussard On Beaubois, Williams, Raps, Sessions
In addition to reporting on the Lakers' interest in Michael Beasley, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard has a number of other interesting tidbits to share in his latest column. Let's check out the highlights:
- The Mavericks are "about ready to move on" from the Rodrigue Beaubois experiment. It was only a week ago that Mark Cuban insisted Beaubois remained in the team's long-term plans, but the young guard would be an intriguing trade chip. Including him in a deal for a player on an expiring contract could improve the Mavs' roster in the short-term and help clear a little extra cap space in the long-term.
- Marvin Williams is frustrated with his role in Atlanta and would like to play somewhere where he could contribute more on offense.
- The Raptors are receiving plenty of inquiries on Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani. Bargnani isn't likely to be moved, and the team would want a point guard in return for Calderon.
- The Lakers want to see if they can trade for a point guard before giving Gilbert Arenas a shot. According to Broussard's sources, the Lakers should be able to acquire Ramon Sessions for one of their first-round picks before the deadline, if they want to pull the trigger. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (on Twitter), the Lakers are expected to "accelerate" their pursuit of Sessions this weekend.
Lakers Rumors: Kupchak, Beasley, Gasol
- GM Mitch Kupchack addressed the media in response to Kobe as well as his stance on the Lakers being in trade talks.
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com writes that the Lakers have spoken to the Timberwolves regarding their interest in forward Michael Beasley.
- Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that while there isn't too much progress in the ongoing trade talk involving Gasol, he also tweets that the stalled talks are due to the Lakers' specific asking price.
- SI.com's Chris Mannix tweets that the Rockets are not interested in trading point guard Kyle Lowry in a deal for Pau.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that although coach Mike Brown does not want to get involved between Kobe and Mitch Kupchack, he admits that the rumors could be bothering Gasol.
- Earlier today, we reported other rumors surrounding the Lakers forward.
Latest On Pau Gasol
Within the last week, Dwight Howard has taken a backseat to Pau Gasol as the NBA's most-discussed trade target. It may not last long, as the Howard talk figures to roar back to life after the All-Star break. For now though, Gasol is dominating the headlines. Kobe Bryant called upon the Lakers' brass to either trade Pau as soon as possible or pull him off the trade block, but I'd be surprised to see any resolution quite yet. Gasol is one of the Lakers' strongest trade assets, and the quality of offers they'll get for him will likely increase as the deadline approaches.
With plenty of discussion focusing on whether the Lakers will trade Gasol, and where the Spaniard may land, let's round up a few Pau-related links….
- Using ESPN.com's Trade Machine, Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles runs through a few conceivable Gasol trade scenarios.
- SI.com's Zach Lowe acknowledges that the Lakers' current roster doesn't look like a real championship contender, but says the Gasol rumors he's heard so far haven't made a ton of sense. I agree with Lowe on both points. In particular, the reports linking Gasol to the Bulls and Timberwolves didn't seem all that logical from L.A.'s perspective.
- The Rockets are rooting for a messy breakup between Gasol and the Lakers, since it could allow them to swoop in and acquire Pau, writes Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle.
- Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles explores how the constant trade rumors are affecting not just Gasol but the Lakers as a whole.
- Gasol is "there for the taking" for the Magic, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Of course, Schmitz is referring to a Dwight Howard deal here, in which case the Magic would want more than Gasol.
Gilbert Arenas Talks Lakers, Health, Howard
Free agent Gilbert Arenas worked out for the Lakers recently, but there are no indications he's close to a deal with Los Angeles. Arenas sat down for a lengthy interview with SI.com's Sam Amick, in which he discussed a handful of topics, including the Lakers workout, his health, his former teams, and much more. Here are a few highlights from the informative two-part piece:
- Because he's still rehabbing and working his way toward full health, Arenas says he doesn't expect to sign anywhere until at least the All-Star break.
- Arenas spoke to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak at his L.A. workout, but wouldn't comment on what the two discussed.
- The platelet-rich therapy Arenas underwent last month has improved his health immensely: "I'm jumping and moving like before I got injured, like it's basically '06 again. My explosiveness, my jumping ability, my quickness — it feels like I never got injured."
- Arenas talks to Dwight Howard every day, but says he doesn't know where Howard will end up next season and beyond: "I have no idea [if Dwight will stay], because like any big decision you're going to go back and forth every day."
- Howard and Arenas have talked about playing together again, which could still technically happen in Orlando next year if the former Wizard sits out this whole season, according to Arenas. I believe CBA rules prohibit an amnestied player from rejoining his old team for the duration of his contract, but presumably Arenas has been advised on this loophole. Regardless, I expect the odds of Howard and Arenas both wearing Magic uniforms next season are close to zero.
Kyler On Rose, Gasol, Martin, Gordon
As we covered this morning, Steve Kyler shared a few Dwight Howard rumors in his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld. Here's the latest from Kyler on a few more topics:
- Bulls sources vehemently denied having contact with the Lakers regarding Pau Gasol, and said Chris Sheridan's report about Derrick Rose giving his blessing for the Bulls to pursue Gasol didn't originate from Rose. Kyler himself is skeptical about the rumor, noting that it would be out of character for Rose, who has avoided recruiting players.
- Replying to a question about the Rockets trading Kevin Martin, perhaps to the Timberwolves, Kyler tweets that there is "real interest." It's unclear whether he's referring to the Rockets being interested in dealing Martin or the T-Wolves being interested in acquiring him, but you could make an argument that both teams would be motivated to pursue such a deal.
- The Hornets are open to moving Eric Gordon, but only if he could bring back a "legit star," tweets Kyler.
Kobe, Gasol Discuss Lakers Trade Rumors
It was only four days ago that Pau Gasol addressed the trade rumors surrounding him and the Lakers, but after Sunday's loss to the Suns, Gasol and teammate Kobe Bryant shared a few more thoughts on the topic. Kobe was the first to talk to reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles, about the trade rumors involving Gasol and the team.
"It's hard for Pau because of all this trade talk and all this other stuff," said Bryant. "It's hard for him to kind of invest himself completely or immerse himself completely into games when he's hearing trade talk every other day. I wish management would come out and either trade him or not trade him."
Kobe stressed that he'd prefer the Lakers not to move Gasol, but said he'd like the team to make a decision one way or the other soon, so that Gasol can focus on playing basketball. Gasol agreed with the sentiment:
"It seems like there is a team almost every other day that is putting something together," said Gasol. "Which is flattering and I'm glad there are teams out there who would love to have me on their roster, because they believe in the player that I am, but at the same time, it's frustrating because if I own a player or a player plays for my team and I say, 'Look, I'm not interested in listening to anything because I value my player and I want to keep him here,' then all that stops. But, it seems that it's not that way."
For his part, Mitch Kupchak told SI.com's Sam Amick this weekend that he doesn't expect to make any major moves before the trade deadline. But the GM's comments left the door open enough that things could change between today and March 15th. Kupchak talked to Amick prior to the Suns game, so perhaps the Lakers' dismal showing in Phoenix, along with the comments made by the club's star players, could prompt Kupchak to explore a deal more aggressively.
Kupchak, Lakers Not Expecting Any Moves
The Los Angeles Lakers dropped a game to the Phoenix Suns tonight and appear to be falling further away from their status as overwhelming Western Conference favorites from just a season ago.
After a failed attempt at a blockbuster trade for Chris Paul before the season, and a flurry of trade rumors involving Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak told SI.com's Sam Amick he does not expect any big moves this season.
Despite popular opinion, a trade for Dwight Howard is hardly a cure-all for this Lakers' season. Howard's biggest strength is his ability to anchor a defense, and the Lakers are already quite formidable on that end, at fourth in the NBA at points per game allowed.
Their frontline of Bynum and Gasol is still perhaps the best frontline in the league and quite capable of generating high efficiency looks from the post and drawing double teams–and in Gasol's case, passing better out of those double teams. Howard might augment some of that, but his presence still leaves the Lakers woefully lacking.
Bryant already largely underutilizes Gasol and Bynum in the post, and according to previous reports, would look to do the same with Howard. The Lakers troubles remain on the offensive end.
The Lakers need to make some moves on the fringes of their roster. Replacing underproducing veterans like Fisher or World Peace with merely replacement level players would do wonders for the Lakers offense. Guys like Ramon Sessions or Aaron Brooks would provide significant upgrades.
Unfortunately, it appears the Lakers seem intent on standing pat.
Sheridan On Gasol, Bulls
Since the moment he was actually traded–only to later have it rescinded by David Stern–there have been many rumors on possible destinations for Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol.
Over at Sheridan Hoops, Chris Sheridan reports that Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has let his front office know that he would like to play with Gasol should the Bulls be able to build a package around Carlos Boozer and another player.
The Bulls have enviable front court depth and team chemistry, though Gasol might just be the type of player worth the risk of breaking that up. Gasol has a very versatile skill set and off the charts basketball IQ, though is being underutilized in the Lakers offense as almost exclusively a high post option when paired with Andrew Bynum and release valve for Bryant.
On paper Gasol would seem to be a perfect pairing with Joakim Noah. Unlike Bynum, Noah does not need touches to affect a game. This cedes the low block to Gasol to fully utilize his game. The intelligence and passing of both players should make for some interesting high-low passing.
Rose and Gasol would be a dynamic and intelligent pick and roll pairing, and Gasol's ability to draw and pass out of double teams would open up driving lanes for Rose.
The tandem of Gasol and Noah would upgrade an already stingy Bulls defense, consolidating Boozer's offensive game with a quality defender.
The question is why the Lakers would want to trade Gasol for a similar but lesser offensive skill set that diminishes their greatest strength, defense. The Lakers need a point guard, and while steady this season, backup C.J. Watson probably is not a significant enough upgrade at the position to warrant downgrading to Boozer.
A possibility that checks out on the ESPN Trade Machine that makes some sense is a deal sending forwards Boozer and Luol Deng for Gasol and Matt Barnes.
Pacific Notes: Nash, Blake, Hickson
With much of today's attention focused on the Eastern Conference, the Lakers will take on the Suns for the second time in three days later this afternoon. Known to elevate his level of play against the Suns, Kobe Bryant has led the Lakers to three straight victories after putting up 36 points and six assists in Friday night's 111-99 victory in Phoenix. Let's take a look around the rest of the Pacific Division to see what else is going on:
- Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic says Suns star point guard Steve Nash isn't going anywhere prior to the trade deadline. It's a catch-22 situation where sending Nash to a contender wouldn't net the team fair compensation whereas sending the future HOFer to a middling squad who could send an attractive draft pick to the Suns would be doing a disservice to Nash. Coro expects Nash, 38, to stay with the Suns through the rest of the season and attempt to re-sign the former Santa Clara star to a new contract come June.
- While there has been heavy speculation that the Lakers are plotting to make a move in order to make a playoff run, the return of one injured player has given the squad a much needed spark. Since rejoining the Lakers five game ago, the team has gone 4-1 with former Terrapins guard Steve Blake manning the point, says Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The ninth-year player is currently averaging 6.8 PPG and 3.1 APG on the season.
- After arriving in Sacramento last June via trade, life for Kings forward J.J. Hickson has been a series of adjustments, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Hickson, 23, spent the first three years of his career with the Cavaliers and benefited from two years of tutelage under LeBron James. Now in Sacramento, he's had to deal with an early season coaching change and an overall different way of doing things which has led to the former N.C. State star's career-low FG% (.382) on the season.
Odds & Ends: Bryant, Cap, Allen
Today's matinee between the Clippers and Spurs, two of the top teams in the Western Conference, highlights a light NBA schedule. Here's what's up around the league:
- Pau Gasol is averaging a career-low 16.6 PPG, and Kobe Bryant believes trade talk is one reason for the uncharacteristic performance, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times notes.
- HoopsWorld's Jason Fleming has a rundown on the available cap space for each team. He notes the Grizzlies, who stand just over the tax line, could get under by making a deal before the March 15th trading deadline. The Kings, meanwhile, must either take on salary to get up to 85% of the cap or distribute that money to their existing players. Fleming has the Pacers in the same boat as the Kings, but James Posey's amnestied $7.6MM salary pushes them above the 85% line.
- Salary cap guru Larry Coon sees J.R. Smith declining his $2.5MM option for next season and heading to another team with more money available. Smith already took the more lucrative option on the table this week when he picked the Knicks for this season over the Clippers. (Twitter links)
- Coon tweets the Clippers may covet Ray Allen, one of the Celtics cornerstones GM Danny Ainge may be willing to trade, but doubts L.A. has enough assets to get a deal done.
- We examined Tyson Chandler's impact as a free-agent signing earlier today. Justin Kubatko of The New York Times takes a closer look at the Knicks center playing in the shadow of Jeremy Lin.
- Fellow Times writer Benjamin Hoffman looks at Brandan Wright, who is one of the centers charged with replacing Chandler in Dallas. The scant $1MM investment is paying off for the Mavs, Hoffman writes.
- Mark Cuban and James Dolan are owners who like to spend money and meddle with their teams, but the similarities end there, writes Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News, who believes the Knicks' Dolan should try to further emulate his Dallas counterpart.
- Omri Casspi's numbers are down since the Cavs acquired him via trade last summer, yet Casspi and coach Byron Scott aren't too concerned, notes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets that the team feels it got the better of the deal, which sent J.J. Hickson to the Kings for Casspi and a first-round pick.