Lakers Hesitant On Sessions
The Lakers are one of many teams interested in trade candidate Ramon Sessions. According to Marc Stein, the Cavaliers would be looking for at least one of the Lakers two first-round picks in 2012.
Stein says Los Angeles is balking at including either of their first-rounders, or their $8.9MM trade exception, until they have a clearer understanding of Dwight Howard's situation in Orlando. The Lakers interest in Howard is well documented, and they clearly don't want to jeopardize any of their trade assets in a deal for Sessions if there is a chance they can land Howard.
The Lakers received one of their 2012 first-round picks and the $8.9MM trade exception when they dealt Lamar Odom to Dallas in the offseason.
Kupchak Talks Lakers Roster, Trades, China
Before the Lakers' six-game road trip gets underway tonight in Denver, GM Mitch Kupchak spoke to NBA.com's Mike Trudell about upcoming deadlines, possible trades, and the team in general. Highlights are below:
- Kupchak is keeping an open mind about ways to improve the team via any deal, big or small: "We continue to look at everything, and if there's something that we can do today to improve the team for this season and into the future, we'll consider it."
- With four players on non-guaranteed contracts, the Lakers may find themselves with much less flexibility a week from now, Kupchak acknowledged. On February 10th, all players on non-guaranteed contracts have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season.
- There was some "immediate urgency" to look around for a point guard when Steve Blake suffered a fractured rib.
- "If there were a way for us to get a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard we'd love to do it," said Kupchak, though he acknowledged that finding a bargain this month is unlikely.
- There are no exact dates when players in China will arrive back in America, Kupchak said, adding that the Lakers would have to wait for clearance from FIBA before attempting to sign any of those guys.
J.R. Smith Considering Five Teams
It doesn't appear he'll receive the same early clearance Kenyon Martin did, but J.R. Smith is already mulling where he'll sign when he returns from China. According to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, Smith is considering the Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, Thunder, and Bulls.
Those five teams have varying amounts of money left to spend on free agents. Since the Clippers agreed to sign Martin using their room exception, they could only make Smith a minimum offer. The Lakers are in the same boat. The Bulls have their $1.9MM bi-annual exception available, and the Knicks still have their $2.5MM room exception. The Thunder have the most money available, with about $4.5MM of their mid-level exception remaining. According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, the Spurs also have some interest in Smith, though it's not clear if he'd consider signing in San Antonio.
The 26-year-old Smith signed a one-year deal to play for China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls during the NBA lockout. He isn't expected to be allowed to sign an NBA contract until his team's season ends, which could happen as early as mid-February. Smith's stock certainly hasn't dropped at all in China — he dropped 60 points in a game earlier this week to increase his season scoring average to 33.9 points per game, according to Sportando.
Trade Candidate: Ramon Sessions
Following a 2010/11 campaign that saw him set career highs in FG% (.466) and PPG (13.3), among other categories, Ramon Sessions finds himself back in a familiar situation this season. Two years removed from playing behind lottery pick Jonny Flynn in Minnesota, Sessions has been relegated to backup point guard duty behind first overall pick Kyrie Irving in Cleveland.
With Irving clearly the point guard of the future for the Cavaliers, and Sessions playing in what could be the final year of his contract (he holds a $4.55MM player option for next season), it was only a matter of time before the 25-year-old's name surfaced in trade rumors. The Lakers and Knicks have been linked to Sessions so far, with reports suggesting the Cavs are fielding plenty of other calls about the point guard's availability.
The Cavs haven't indicated they want to move Sessions, and there's no guarantee they'll become sellers if they're in contention for the playoffs. But let's assume they're listening to offers. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported that Cleveland is interested in stockpiling draft picks in any deals, and I assume cap room is a concern as well. If that's the case, the Lakers make more sense as a trade partner than the Knicks. Without sending any salary back to Cleveland, Los Angeles could easily absorb Sessions' $4.26MM salary using part of the $8.9MM trade exception it acquired in the Lamar Odom deal. Other teams that could use a trade exception on Sessions include the Jazz, Nuggets, Magic, and Mavericks, but none of those clubs have as great a need as the Lakers.
The Lakers currently hold two first-round picks in this year's draft, having acquired the Mavericks' first-rounder in the Odom trade. I think it's unlikely they'd want to move either pick for Sessions, given the strength of this year's draft class. Perhaps holding two first-rounders this year would make them more willing to give up a future selection, though that could limit their trade flexibility going forward.
Given the injuries and general lack of production at their point guard spot this year, the Lakers will likely explore a wide range of trade options before March 15th. They could choose to use their trade exception and draft picks on a larger deal, but acquiring Sessions would make a lot of sense. I could see both sides eventually agreeing to a trade that sends Sessions from Cleveland to L.A. in exchange for a protected first-rounder.
Lakers Links: Brooks, Bynum, Free Agents
The Lakers pulled to within a game of the first-place Clippers in the Pacific division standings last night, trouncing the Bobcats at the Staples Center. The Pacific looks like it'll be a two-team race all season, as the Warriors, Suns, and Kings are a combined 20-40 so far. As the Clippers prepare to face the Jazz in Utah tonight, here are some updates on their L.A. rivals:
- Plenty of talk recently has centered around Kenyon Martin and when he'll be available to sign with an NBA team. However, SI.com's Chris Mannix (via Twitter) warns not to forget about Aaron Brooks, who is also under contract in China. Mannix thinks Brooks could be an impact addition for the Lakers, though he notes that inquiring teams would need to be creative since Brooks would be a restricted free agent for the Suns (Twitter link).
- Andrew Bynum on the team's upcoming six-game road trip: "These are big games for us coming up. We need to prove that we’re able to win, or else they’re going to start doing things." Dave McMenanim has the full story at ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- ESPN.com's J.A. Adande agrees that a slide over the next couple weeks would prompt the Lakers to make more dramatic moves than signing a low-cost veteran like Gilbert Arenas.
- Earlier today, we heard that the Lakers could be interested in signing retired forward Rasheed Wallace.
Kenyon Martin Decision Expected This Week
Kenyon Martin is expected to make a decision on where he'll sign by this weekend, reports Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports. Spears mentions that the Lakers, Clippers, Heat, Spurs, Hawks, and Knicks have expressed interest in adding Martin, though it's not clear if Martin's choices are limited to those teams or if others could get involved. For his part, the former first overall pick would like to sign with a winning team that can offer him consistent minutes.
Martin signed with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China during the lockout, but reached an agreement on a buyout in December. Although the 34-year-old was bought out before the American season got underway, he can't officially sign with an NBA team until the Flying Tigers' season ends, which could happen as soon as February 16th. If the Tigers make the CBA postseason, however, Martin would be in for a longer wait. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com points out (via Twitter) that Xinjiang is currently a half-game out of the playoff race.
While the Clippers, Spurs, Hawks, and Knicks all retain some form of exception they could put toward Martin, none of those teams appear to have the full MLE, a pro-rated portion of $5MM, available. Still, they can offer more than the Lakers or Heat, who have already used their mini MLEs, as I outlined yesterday. The Lakers acquired an $8.9MM trade exception when they dealt Lamar Odom to Dallas, but it can't be used on a free agent signing. If Martin were to sign with the Lakers or Heat, it would have to be for the veteran's minimum.
If Martin decides to sign elsewhere, the Lakers may have some interest in Rasheed Wallace, according to Spears. Wallace, who officially retired in 2010, is said to be considering a comeback.
Lakers Inquired On Gilbert Arenas
Lakers coach Mike Brown says the team has inquired about free agent guard Gilbert Arenas, writes Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com. While the club has yet to make plans to bring Arenas in for a workout, Brown admits that the club has checked in on the veteran.
Brown also cautioned that the club has talked about "a ton of players out there" and has yet to watch film on Arenas. The 30-year-old has averaged 21.7 PPG but struggled last year with the Wizards before a mid-season trade to the Magic. Thanks to injuries and league discipline, Agent Zero has played in just 117 games since the start of the 2007/08 season.
Arenas could provide the Lakers with a solid backup for Derek Fisher as Steve Blake is set to be sidelined for the next few weeks with a rib injury. Recently, the Lakers have been using rookie Andrew Goudelock in support of the 37-year-old.
2011/12 Taxpayer Mid-Level Exceptions Update
The NBA's latest Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced a new kind of mid-level exception for teams who are paying the luxury tax. Rather than the four-year contract starting at $5MM (with 4.5% raises) available to non-taxpayers, teams over the tax line can offer a "mini" MLE of up to three years, starting at $3MM (4.5% raises).
Let's check in the status of those exceptions, and see which teams can still offer a pro-rated portion of that $3MM maximum to free agents:
Available
- Spurs: Though waiving the retired Antonio McDyess reduced the Spurs' cap figure somewhat, the team still only has access to the mini mid-level exception rather than the full MLE. They could use it to attempt to sign a front-court player like Kenyon Martin, though it doesn't sound like they're overly interested in him. As close to the tax line as they are, it's possible San Antonio tries to get under it by season's end, rather than adding more salary. Here's the uninspiring list of current free agents the Spurs could be eyeing.
Used
- Celtics: They used their mini MLE on December 9th, signing Chris Wilcox to a one-year deal worth $3MM.
- Heat: They used their full mini MLE on December 9th, signing Shane Battier to a three-year deal.
- Lakers: They used their mini MLE on December 14th, signing Josh McRoberts to a two-year deal. He'll receive $3MM this season and a 4.5% raise for 2012/13.
- Mavericks: They used their mini MLE on December 12th, signing Vince Carter to a three-year deal. While Carter will receive the max ($3MM) this season, his subsequent raises are just 3%, and years two and three are only partially guaranteed.
Bonnell On Bobcats, Top Draft Prospects
The Charlotte Bobcats have the league's worst record (3-18) and are headed to L.A. on Tuesday to face the Lakers. The consolation is the team is likely headed for a high draft pick in June. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer broke down some of the probable top picks and how they would fit in with the Bobcats. Some highlights:
- Kentucky's Anthony Davis, a Marcus Camby type, could help fix Charlotte's porous interior defense.
- Andre Drummond of Connecticut has raw athleticism and the body of a center, a position the Bobcats need to improve as much as any other, Bonnell says.
- Catch-and-shoot small forward Harrison Barnes could provide an heir apparent to Corey Maggette, and the fact he comes from North Carolina is a plus.
- Ohio State's Jared Sullinger is a big man with range and deft passing skills, but the power forward position is already too crowded in Charlotte.
Pacific Links: Petrie, Smart, Biedrins
Here are a few happenings from the West Coast:
- Josh Childress is finding his way back into the Suns rotation, notes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic.
- The Kings could be looking to replace longtime president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie, sources tell Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty and SBNation.com.
- Former Warriors and current Kings coach Keith Smart "represented a continuation of the Don Nelson era," Golden State co-owner Joe Lacob said, and that's why he had to be replaced, reports J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today.
- Andris Biedrins is averaging a career-low 2.9 PPG, and he's unhappy with his role, writes Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times.
- Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles analyzes the potential implications of a Gilbert Arenas signing for the Lakers.