Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hollinger On Deadline Deals

March 15th, 2012 at 8:35pm CST by Sean Highkin

ESPN.com's John Hollinger has posted grades for every trade that took place today. The post is only available to ESPN Insider subscribers, but here are the highlights:

The Nuggets were smart to shed Nene's contract, even if trading for JaVale McGee is a risk.
However, Hollinger views the Wizards' acquisition of Nene is an overreaction to McGee's contract demands.
For the Clippers, Hollinger doesn't believe Nick Young is a perfect solution, but that he's worth the risk since they didn't have to give up any significant assets.
Hollinger praises the Blazers' rebuilding effort in the Gerald Wallace trade, although he has reservations about the players they got back from Houston for Marcus Camby.
He doesn't think the Nets made a smart move giving up a lottery pick for short-term help when they risk losing Deron Williams at the end of the season.
Hollinger likes the Rockets' acquisition of Camby as a short-term pick-up to help them make a playoff run.
The Warriors' acquisition of Richard Jefferson is counterproductive to their efforts to tank for a draft pick, Hollinger writes. However, he praises the Spurs for shedding Jefferson's contract for Stephen Jackson's shorter one.
Hollinger questions the Cavaliers for taking on Luke Walton's expensive contract while giving up Ramon Sessions, but loves the deal for the Lakers, as Sessions is a massive upgrade at point guard over Derek Fisher and Steve Blake.
Hollinger likes the Sam Young acquisition for the 76ers, and while he doesn't believe losing him will shift the Grizzlies' playoff hopes one way or another, he questions whether it was necessary to shed him simply for cap reasons.
He sees the Leandro Barbosa trade as a low-risk deal for both the Raptors and Pacers, giving Indiana immediate help at shooting guard while freeing up room for other players to get more minutes in Toronto.

Recap Of Trade Deadline Deals

March 15th, 2012 at 5:33pm CST by Sean Highkin

Here's the complete list of trades that took place this week leading up to the trade deadline earlier today:

On Tuesday, the Warriors sent Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.
The Warriors then flipped Jackson to the Spurs for Richard Jefferson, T.J. Ford, and a first-round pick on Thursday.
The Grizzlies traded Sam Young to the 76ers for the rights to former second-round pick Ricky Sanchez.
The Pacers acquired Leandro Barbosa from the Raptors in exchange for a second-round draft pick and cash considerations.
The Blazers entered rebuild mode by trading Gerald Wallace to the Nets for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, and a 2012 first-round draft pick with top-3 protection.
Portland also sent Marcus Camby to the Rockets for Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet, and a second-round pick.
The Rockets acquired Derek Fisher from the Lakers as well as the Mavericks' 2012 first-round pick (from the Lamar Odom trade) for Jordan Hill.
The Lakers also traded for Ramon Sessions, sending Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, and a 2012 first-round pick to the Cavaliers and also receiving Christian Eyenga. The Cavs will also have the ability to swap the Heat's 2013 pick (which they own from the LeBron James sign-and-trade) with the Lakers' pick that year.
The Nuggets, Wizards, and Clippers agreed to a three-team deal that will send Nene, Brian Cook, and a future second-round draft pick to Washington; Nick Young to the Clippers; and JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver.

O.J. Mayo Remains In Memphis

March 15th, 2012 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

2:05pm: The Grizzlies didn't like any of the proposed deals and decided not to move Mayo, according to Tillery (on Twitter).

1:05pm: Don't expect a Mayo trade, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, who hears from rival executives that the Grizzlies aren't interested in moving him.

11:34am: The Grizzlies are still "seriously considering" trades involving O.J. Mayo, reports Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). As recently as Saturday, we heard that Memphis was unlikely to move Mayo.

The Pacers have long had interest in Mayo, but they probably won't make a deal for him now that they've acquired Leandro Barbosa from the Raptors.

Sixers Acquire Sam Young

March 15th, 2012 at 10:34am CST by Luke Adams

The 76ers have acquired Sam Young from the Grizzlies, reports Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Memphis receives the rights to former second-rounder Ricky Sanchez, who is currently playing in Argentina, reports Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The Sixers confirmed the move in a press release.

"Sam preferred another location because he wasn’t playing," Memphis GM Chris Wallace told Tillery. "Sam earned his keep around here and is clearly an NBA player. He was a guy who was a big part of us being able to be successful when Rudy Gay went down last year. But teams evolve."

The move isn't entirely unexpected for Memphis, since the team had been sitting barely above the luxury tax line. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reported yesterday that the Grizzlies were looking to move Young to sneak below that threshold. Sanchez, who was drafted with the 35th overall pick in 2005, "will never wear a Grizzlies uniform," according to Tillery. Tillery also points out (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies could use the savings to pursue Gilbert Arenas.

For the Sixers, they'll likely take on Young's salary using part of the traded player exception they acquired when they dealt Marreese Speights to Memphis earlier this season. Young's cap figure for this season, the final year of his contract, is $947,800.

In 21 games for the Grizzlies this year, Young has played just 11.4 MPG, averaging 3.5 PPG and 10.6 PER.

Grizzlies Interested In Gilbert Arenas

March 14th, 2012 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With everyone else focused on trades, the Grizzlies are keeping an eye on the free agent market. According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis is exploring the possibility of signing Gilbert Arenas.

Tillery says the two sides have mutual interest, though no deal will be made until the Grizzlies see Arenas work out. A source tells Tillery that Arenas and the Grizz are working to schedule a meeting.

I'm a little surprised that Memphis would be willing to bring on a free agent, considering the team currently sits barely above the luxury tax line. I expected the club to try to make a move prior to tomorrow's trade deadline to get below that threshold, but perhaps it's not a major concern.

Arenas, who was amnestied by the Magic before the season, has also drawn interest from the Lakers.

Broussard On Pierce, Brooks, Curry, McGee, Daye

March 14th, 2012 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com's Chris Broussard has a ton of trade rumors in today's Insider-only piece. You can read his major update on Dwight Howard here, but let's dive into the rest of his rumors….

The Celtics offered Paul Pierce to the Blazers, though Broussard isn't sure who else would've been involved in the deal. Portland wasn't interested in Boston's proposal.
The Clippers are reluctant to trade Eric Bledsoe for Jamal Crawford because they believe Crawford will opt out of his contract at season's end, and Bledsoe will have more value at draft time, since there won't be many point guards available.
Ramon Sessions is unlikely to be moved unless the Cavaliers can get a first-round pick. Cleveland would try to trade for Jonny Flynn if they moved Sessions, though the Spurs have also expressed interest in Flynn.
The Cavs are also in talks with the Hornets about swapping Antawn Jamison for Emeka Okafor and a first-round pick.
Aaron Brooks is drawing interest from the Blazers and Kings, though the Suns hope to re-sign him. When Brooks returns from China, he can only sign with Phoenix. If he doesn't sign anywhere this season, he becomes a restricted free agent again this summer.
A second-round pick is likely all it would take for the Hornets to move Chris Kaman.
The Warriors preferred to deal Stephen Curry rather than Monta Ellis, but Curry's ongoing ankle issues hurt his trade value.
Broussard hears JaVale McGee will be seeking a contract worth $14MM annually this summer. Good luck with that, JaVale.
Wilson Chandler is seeking a deal starting at $7MM, which the Nuggets feel is too high, since that amount won't be prorated this season — Denver would prefer to start around $5MM.
The Pistons are shopping Austin Daye "all day every day" but not many teams are biting.
The Grizzlies would like to move Sam Young to get below the luxury tax line.

Pacers Eyeing Shooting Guards

March 13th, 2012 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers "continue to have a great deal of interest" in acquiring a shooting guard, according to Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. However, Indiana isn't inclined to break up the core of its roster to bring in a two guard.

O.J. Mayo was nearly traded to Indiana at last year's deadline, and the Pacers maintain interest in him, but the Grizzlies don't appear likely to move the USC product this season. If Memphis makes a deal, it will likely be a smaller move designed to get the team below the luxury tax line.

According to Ingram, the Pacers also have some interest in Courtney Lee, whose agent would like to relocate his client to a team where he might sign an extension. The Rockets, who should clear a good deal of cap space this summer, don't appear to have much interest in bringing back most of their players on expiring contracts, including Lee. Still, Houston figures to ask for a young player or a draft pick for Lee, a price Indiana may not want to pay.

The Pacers have a huge amount of cap space they could use to facilitate a deal, but with no obligation to spend to reach a salary floor, Indiana won't make a trade just for the sake of it. For what it's worth, Danny Granger and other Pacers players don't believe the team needs to make a deal, as Granger told Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.

Odds & Ends: Grizzlies, Nuggets, Wall, Warriors

March 12th, 2012 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after losing to the Lakers, the Celtics return to the Staples Center to face the Clippers and try earn one win in Los Angeles. That contest figures to be the highlight of an evening schedule that also includes the Bobcats and Hornets squaring off in a battle of Conference cellar-dwellers. While we wait for the first of tonight's seven games to tip off, let's round up a few odds and ends:

The Grizzlies have been active in trade talks, but haven't been discussing their primary players, reports Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.
Zach Lowe of SI.com hears that the Nuggets are being "very quiet" as the trade deadline nears (Twitter link).
The Wizards' only untouchable player, John Wall talked to Michael Lee of the Washington Post about the team, trade options, and his performance.
The Monta Ellis vs. Stephen Curry could finally come to an end for the Warriors this week, writes Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Meanwhile, Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com looks at some centers the Warriors are reportedly pursuing this week.
Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside examines some D-League players who could benefit from deadline deals and earn NBA contracts in the coming weeks.
The Clippers have recalled Travis Leslie from the Bakersfield Jam, as Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles writes. Leslie had been assigned to the team's D-League affiliate on March 2nd.

Grizzlies Not Likely To Move Mayo

March 10th, 2012 at 10:08pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer says that Memphis has been trying to move O.J. Mayo for over a season now, Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld tweeted earlier that the Grizzlies are unlikely to make a move despite having received multiple offers for the fourth-year guard. If Memphis were to be involved in a trade this week, it will be a smaller, money-saving deal. (Twitter link)

Mayo has appeared to be comfortable in his reserve role as a scorer, and Lionel Hollins still manages to supply him with a substantial amount of minutes on the floor. The Grizzlies are 11-3 in their last 14 games, and Mayo's playing time has been near the 30 minute mark in nine of those contests.

Earlier this year, GM Chris Wallace handled the loss of Zach Randolph to injury by dealing guard-forward Xavier Henry for big man Marreese Speights. With Randolph recently being cleared for contact practice and eyeing a return to the court soon (according to The Sports Xchange of CBSsports.com), it would appear that there is no need for Memphis to make another move to add another big to the frontcourt, much less include Mayo in those type of talks.

During last year's deadline, the Grizzlies and Pacers had agreed in principle to send Mayo to Indiana but failed to submit the deal to the league office on time for approval.

Odds & Ends: Bogut, Rondo, Blatche

March 9th, 2012 at 11:55pm CST by Chuck Myron

The talk of a 10-game night across the association has been about the health of two point guards whose absence could alter the plans of a pair of teams rumored to be among the most active nearing Thursday's trade deadline. Ricky Rubio of the Wolves tweeted that he'll receive an MRI on his left knee, which he hurt in his team's loss to the Lakers tonight. The team fears he has a torn ACL, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry of the Rockets was hospitalized with a fever and abdominal distress, HoopsWorld reports. Here's what's happening elsewhere:

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the trade candidacy of Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Bogut's agent David Bauman said there are several teams interested in talking to Bucks GM John Hammond about his client.
Rajon Rondo appears to be conflicted about how trades might affect the chemistry of the Celtics. Rajon Rondo, who saw best friend Kendrick Perkins dealt away at the deadline last year, told Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston he doesn't care about what a trade would do to the team's chemistry this year. Yet, to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, Rondo said, "You can't get chemistry if you bring in new guys."
Jason Kidd came close to joining a team that had just won the title when he thought about joining the Spurs in 2003, so he sympathizes with Lamar Odom, who arrived via trade to join this year's defending champs, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. For the record, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told the Galloway & Company radio show today that the uproar concerning Odom has come and gone.
Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld looks at the Grizzlies' early-season acquisition of Marreese Speights from the Sixers and wonders if that will wind up being the most effective deal of the year.
Both John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune and Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com tweeted to note the progress of Lance Thomas, who signed with New Orleans for the rest of the season last month after the team gave him two 10-day contracts.
The Wizards are willing to move anyone on the roster not named John Wall if another team will take Andray Blatche off their hands, tweets Michael Lee of The Washington Post.
Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group notes the Warriors' lease in Oakland is up in 2017, and checks in with the progress of potential sites for a new home in Oakland and San Francisco. Venturing a guess, Kawakami has the San Francisco site as the most likely destination at this point.
Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld proposes the Celtics as a potential destination for JaVale McGee, for whom the Wizards are reportly listening to offers.
The Knicks starting lineup is in flux, and Newsday's Anthony Rieber takes a look at the quick changes engineered by coach Mike D'Antoni.
Jeremy Evans' minimum salary contract expires at season's end, so time is running out for him to prove he can do more than win a dunk contest. Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how his theatrics during All-Star weekend haven't earned him any extra minutes with the Jazz.
Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press passed along Pau Gasol's kind words about Kevin Love, two players who could be Wolves teammates if a rumored Gasol/Michael Beasley swap takes place, Richardson notes. "He's got a will and determination to go after every ball," Gasol said of Love. "Even though he's a little undersized and lost some weight, he's still a powerful player and playing at a high level. I'm definitely impressed with him."
With Richard Hamilton and Luol Deng ailing, it's been hard for Bulls GM Gar Forman to get a true handle on how effective his team really is, writes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times. Forman must balance the team's current needs with its capability for long-term success, Hayes says.
Bill Simmons of Grantland.com came out with his annual trade value column today in two parts, ranking the top 50 player assets across the league. The Heat's LeBron James is No. 1, meaning he'd be the player who would command the most in any trade, though James isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
GM Sam Presti and the Thunder provide the small-market blueprint for Cavs GM Chris Grant, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.