Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Put Norris Cole On Trading Block

January 19th, 2015 at 11:42am CST by Chuck Myron

Norris Cole is on the trade block as the Heat prefer to forge ahead with 2014 first-round pick Shabazz Napier, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who writes amid his leaguewide roundup. Cole “pretty much knows” the Heat are ready to move him, Amico says. The former 28th overall pick out of Cleveland State didn’t sign a rookie scale extension with Miami before the October 31st deadline to do so, so he’s poised for restricted free agency this summer.

Miami made Cole part of a trade proposal to the Nets for Brook Lopez that also included Chris Andersen and Josh McRoberts, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported last week. Cole began the season as a starter for the Heat, but Mario Chalmers, whom the Heat re-signed this past summer for two years and $8.3MM, took back the starting job in December. Cole has seen more than 20 minutes just twice since New Year’s Day, and with Dwyane Wade out the past two games, coach Erik Spoelstra has elected to go with Napier instead of Cole alongside Chalmers in a dual point guard starting lineup. The Heat apparently rebuffed teams asking about Cole at the deadline last year, but they reportedly made him “very available” around draft time this past summer.

Cole changed agents later in the summer, joining Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, the same Cleveland-based representation that boasts LeBron James as its centerpiece client. The Cavs are on the lookout for a backup point guard and have interest in Jordan Farmar, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported Friday, and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports hears that Cleveland is particularly interested in veteran point guards. Cole is 26 and in his fourth NBA season, but it’s unclear if the Cavs have interest in him.

Latest On Brook Lopez Trade Talks

January 16th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:01pm: The Nets want to build more consensus within their organization before they move ahead with any trade, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com (All Twitter links). Youngmisuk suggests a split still exists over Stephenson but says Lopez talks are liable to restart at any point.

1:07pm: The Nets still want to move Lopez soon, and the Heat remain part of the talks surrounding the center, as Wojnarowski reveals in a full story.

12:51pm: Brooklyn isn’t prepared to simply dump salary, according to TNT’s David Aldridge (on Twitter). The two-team proposal involving the Thunder would have been essentially a salary dump, as Broussard wrote earlier (below).

12:34pm: The Nets are “standing pat” on Lopez discussions for now, a Nets source tells Wojnarowski, saying that there’s nothing on the market that they find appealing (Twitter links).

12:26pm: The Rockets are also looking into Lopez, Wojnarowski tweets.

10:36am: The Thunder and the Nets are making progress on their two-team talks, Wojnarowski reports (on Twitter). Lamb would go along with Perkins to Brooklyn for Lopez, Wojnarowski says, though Oklahoma City would need to add yet more salary to make it work, since the Thunder are above the tax line and can’t take in more than 125% plus $100K of the salary they give up.

9:49am: It was unwillingness on the part of the Nets to take on Stephenson that has Brooklyn considering a two-way deal with the Thunder instead of the three-teamer with the Hornets and Thunder, Wojnarowski tweets.

9:32am: The Nets continue to talk to the Thunder about a swap involving Lopez and Perkins in what would be a virtual “salary dump” for Brooklyn, according to Broussard (Twitter links).

9:05am: It was indeed the Nets who pulled away from the talks with Charlotte and Oklahoma City, but it’s still likely Brooklyn will trade Lopez, Bonnell writes in a full story.

8:44am: The potential deal between the Thunder, Hornets and Nets is “dead” for the time being, a source tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Reed Wallach of NetsDaily hears there are a lot of deals in play for the Nets (Twitter link).

FRIDAY, 8:00am: The Nets are trying to change some of the players involved in talks with the Thunder and Hornets as Brooklyn continues to resist closing on a deal, Broussard tweets. The rumors have upset Lopez, as a friend of Lopez tells Robert Windrem of Nets Daily (Twitter link). The NetsDaily scribe writes in a full story that league sources say Stephenson’s absence from the Hornets’ lineup has been because of a poor relationship with coach Steve Clifford, and not a groin injury as the team claims.

THURSDAY, 11:57pm: It’d be a surprise if the Nets, Thunder and Hornets don’t come to a deal that sends Brook Lopez to Oklahoma City, numerous league sources tell Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link), who hears from one source who says such a trade is likely to happen, as Bonnell writes in a full story. The Thunder and Hornets have reportedly agreed to a framework of a trade that would involve Lopez going to the Thunder, Lance Stephenson and Kendrick Perkins going to the Nets, and Jarrett Jack and Jeremy Lamb going to the Hornets. Charlotte would also receive Grant Jerrett in that arrangement, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com, though the Nets appear to be holding out as other teams pursue Lopez.

The Nuggets have spoken about a package involving JaVale McGee, but the Nets aren’t high on Denver’s injury-prone big man, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Heat came forward with a proposal involving Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Josh McRoberts, sources tell Wojnarowski. The Hornets would like to acquire Lopez for themselves, but Brooklyn prefers to send him to the Western Conference, Wojnarowski also hears. The Lakers are also reportedly interested in Lopez.

The Nets were reluctant to take on Stephenson last month, and while the front office remains cautious about him, as other teams around the league believe, Brooklyn’s ownership supports the idea of trading for him, as Wojnarowski details. Brooklyn’s talks involving Deron Williams haven’t found much footing, according to Wojnarowski. The team would like to rid itself of two of Lopez, Williams and Joe Johnson by the trade deadline, and the Nets have indicated to other teams that they want to make a Lopez deal by the weekend.

The Hornets have been “desperate” to trade Stephenson, according to Wojnarowski, though a month ago it appeared Charlotte had put an end to talks, at least temporarily. Still, there’s a strong belief that the shooting guard, a Brooklyn native, will end up back in his hometown, a move he’s hoped to make at some point, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.

Nets Looking To Deal Brook Lopez

January 15th, 2015 at 10:59pm CST by Eddie Scarito

10:59pm: The Nets have major concerns about acquiring Stephenson, and fear that bringing him home to New York will make his personal issues even worse, Mannix reports (Twitter link)..

10:54pm: The Thunder have joined the Hornets in agreeing to the framework of a trade, but the Nets are still undecided, Broussard tweets.

10:04pm: The proposed three team deal would include Perkins heading to the Nets, Sam Amick of USA Today reports.

9:33pm: Brooklyn’s most serious conversations regarding Lopez are with Western Conference teams, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). The Lakers are interested in Lopez, but likely lack the assets to get a deal done, Wojnarowski adds.

9:23pm: Charlotte is enthusiastic about getting a deal done, but Brooklyn and Oklahoma City aren’t ready to pull the trigger yet, Broussard tweets. According to Broussard’s source, the discussions are “just talk” right now.

8:49pm: The Nets are discussing a three-way trade that would send Lopez to the Thunder, Stephenson to Brooklyn, and Jeremy Lamb and Jarrett Jack to the Hornets, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). It would take more outgoing salary for Oklahoma City to make this deal work under the salary cap, with Lopez earning approximately $15.7MM this season, and Lamb’s salary only $2.2MM. Kendrick Perkins‘ expiring contract worth $9,654,342 would seem a likely candidate to be included in any deal, though that’s merely my speculation. Such a light return for a player who was deemed the missing piece when the Hornets signed him this past offseason would signal that Charlotte is in a hurry to offload Stephenson, and the chemistry issues he reportedly brings with him.

6:24pm: The Nuggets are among the teams expressing the most interest in acquiring Lopez, Chris Mannix of SI.com reports (Twitter link).

6:15pm: Brooklyn is talking to several teams, but is specifically seeking information on Lance Stephenson of the Hornets, Wojnarowski tweets.

THURSDAY, 6:10pm: The Nets have accelerated trade discussions for Lopez with the intention of moving him soon, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 5:02pm: The Nets are continuing to discuss potential deals involving center Brook Lopez with other teams, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com reports (Twitter link). The Heat have recently emerged as suitors, and according to Youngmisuk, have shown strong interest in acquiring the big man from Brooklyn. Any deal involving Lopez would be complicated by his salary, which is $15,719,062 this season, and he owns a player option for 2015/16 for $16,744,218. There have been conflicting reports as to whether or not the 26-year-old will opt in next season, which could impact the trade market for the seven-footer.

Brooklyn has reportedly discussed dealing Lopez to the Thunder for Kendrick Perkins (and his expiring contract), Perry Jones, and Lance Thomas (prior to him being dealt to the Knicks), though the Nets ultimately decided they didn’t like that return for their big man. The Celtics also reportedly checked in with the Nets regarding Lopez, but this was prior to the trade that sent Rajon Rondo to Dallas, and with Boston now in full rebuilding mode, it isn’t clear if the Celtics would still be interested in acquiring the oft-injured center.

Lopez has a wealth of talent, and he can be a dominant scorer when healthy. But injuries have cut short two of his previous three seasons, and big men don’t tend to age well in today’s NBA, which makes any deal for Lopez a gamble. His numbers are certainly impressive though. In 370 career games, Lopez has averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks. His slash line is .510/.091/.791.

Andre Dawkins To Play For Heat’s D-League Team

January 12th, 2015 at 6:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

Andre Dawkins has signed with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the D-League affliate of the Heat, according to the team’s website. The Duke product signed with Miami back in September but was waived last week.

Dawkins previously played eight games with the Skyforce while on assignment from the team. The shooting guard averaged 23.5 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game while in Sioux Falls.

In the NBA, Dawkins hasn’t really had the opportunity to capture success. He played in four games for the Heat and shot 1-6 from the field; all of his shots being three-pointers.

Heat, Clippers, Hornets Eye Arron Afflalo

January 12th, 2015 at 5:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat, Clippers and Hornets have all discussed Arron Afflalo as the Nuggets field numerous trade calls on Afflalo and Wilson Chandler, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). Afflalo has a player option for next season worth $7.36MM and was rumored to be interested in hitting the open market.

The Clippers were in discussions with the Celtics about acquiring shooting guard Austin Rivers. The team seems interested in adding depth at the guard position and there’s no word yet whether one move would exclude the other.

Charlotte has been linked to Afflalo since last season when he was a member of the Magic. The Hornets have won five games in a row and find themselves just two games behind the Nets for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Miami is already in position to make the playoffs but would most likely need to add reinforcements if the team is to make any sort of deep postseason run. Mario Chalmers ($4.0MM) or Chris Andersen ($5.38MM) seem like candidates to be in a trade for Afflalo based on their salaries, although that is just my speculation.

Afflalo is having a rough season so far. He is averaging 15.5 points per game and his player efficiency rating is down to 12.75. However, based on his past history, he should have plenty of interest from teams as the trade deadline approaches.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post

Southeast Notes: Magic, Whiteside, Payne

January 12th, 2015 at 3:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

Three Southeast Division teams would make the playoffs if they started today, and a fourth, the Hornets, are but two games out of the final postseason spot. The fifth-place Magic are within hailing distance at four and a half games out, but key decision-makers in Orlando appear to be getting antsy, as we detail amid the latest from the Southeast:

Magic officials feel as though the team has lost its way over the past few weeks, and while they believe that the inexperience of the roster is responsible for the team’s struggles, they’re looking deeper to find the genesis of the problems, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Speculation surrounds the job security of Jacque Vaughn, but Vaughn says he’s not concerned and many players tell Robbins that the coach is not to blame. Vaughn’s contract runs through 2015/16 after the team picked up his option this past offseason.
Hassan Whiteside had a one-day stint with the Grizzlies in November but says that no one else wanted him when the Heat picked him up shortly thereafter, observes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald. “It’s different because I got a coach who will play me, so I get to play,” Whiteside said. “You can’t get on the court without a contract. I called the Clippers for a workout, they said no. I called every team for a workout, they said no, except the Heat. The Heat gave me a chance and, I mean, it’s only right for me to give 110% effort every time.” Whiteside’s 23-point, 16-rebound performance Sunday seemed like a turning point for him and the Heat, as Goodman and Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examine.
The Hawks have recalled Adreian Payne from the D-League, the team announced via press release. The 15th overall pick of the 2014 draft had been on his fourth assignment of the season since December 30th with the D-League affiliate of the Spurs, who took him in under the new rules in place for the Hawks and the 12 other NBA teams who share a D-League affiliate.

Heat Sign Tyler Johnson To 10-Day Deal

January 12th, 2015 at 2:46pm CST by ChrisCrouse

MONDAY, 2:45pm: The deal is official, the team announced.

SUNDAY, 9:01am: The Heat will re-sign Tyler Johnson, as Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders reports and as a source confirms to Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). It’ll be a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link).

The Heat have an open roster spot and won’t need to make a corresponding move to accommodate the signing. The team originally signed Johnson in August to a multiyear contract, and the team kept his D-League rights when it waived him at the end of preseason.

Miami is struggling this season with a record of 15-21 and the team ranks 27th in the league on offense, scoring only 93.8 points per game. Johnson, a Pedro Power client, has averaged 18.5 points per game and has shot 46.3% from behind the arc in 13 D-League games this season. Perhaps the shooting guard can provide a boost to one of the league’s most stagnant offenses.

Southeast Notes: Pierce, Hawks, Gasol, Heat

January 11th, 2015 at 5:33pm CST by Charlie Adams

The two best teams in the Southeast Division also occupy the top of the top three spots in the Eastern Conference standings. We’ve got news on both of them below, along with a piece on a struggling Miami club that had lost seven of its last 10 before today’s big win in L.A..

One of the biggest benefits that Paul Pierce has provided to the Wizards since signing last summer is his strong leadership in the locker room, as team president Ernie Grunfeld tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Although Pierce has played well this season, the 17-year veteran says he’s going to discuss with his family whether or not he’ll continue playing beyond 2014/15, Bulpett notes.
Part of the reason that many notable free agents aren’t interested in joining the Hawks is the team’s history of less-than-stellar attendance, as one agent relays to Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com. “All things being equal, it’s not a place you choose to play unless there’s a good reason,” said the unnamed agent. “They just don’t rate.” Atlanta offered Pau Gasol more money than Chicago did last summer, according to Arnovitz, but the big man still opted to sign with the Bulls.
Despite inconsistency at the point guard position this season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel compels Heat executives not to pull the trigger on a quick fix. Taking back salary that inhibits long-term flexibility won’t stand to help the team’s ultimate goal of winning another championship, Winderman believes, even if it helps Miami win a few more games in the interim.

Grizzlies, Celtics Close To Deal For Jeff Green

January 11th, 2015 at 12:03pm CST by Eddie Scarito

SUNDAY, 12:03pm: The Clippers are working to find a third team to help deliver Boston an expiring deal to go along with a second-rounder that the Celtics want in the Clippers/Rivers deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).

6:43pm: Stein is also reporting that Smith is headed to Memphis, and adds that the Grizzlies are sending a second round pick to the Pelicans (Twitter link). Washburn says Rivers will likely be moved in a separate deal (Twitter link). Wojnarowski notes the Celtics don’t want to take back any salary beyond this season. (Twitter link).

6:00pm: Officials in the Clippers’ front office and coaching staff are pushing Doc Rivers to bring Austin to Los Angeles, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).

5:39pm: The Clippers are the likely destination for Rivers, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).

5:21pm: The Celtics are attempting to find a trade partner for Rivers, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).

5:05pm: Salmons was originally going to be included in the trade, but Boston made a push to acquire Rivers instead, John Reid of The Times Picayune reports. This wasn’t the first time the two sides had discussed a deal for Rivers, Reid notes, as New Orleans had conversations with the Celtics last summer about a potential trade involving Rivers, but talks broke off without a deal getting done. The Pelicans, who have been struggling to get consistent play at small forward, pushed to get Pondexter in the deal, Reid adds.

4:36pm: Rivers is reportedly headed to Boston, but he may not stay with the team, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe reports (Twitter link). Whether this means the Celtics intend to waive Rivers or trade him is unclear.

2:15pm: The three sides have agreed to terms, Stein maintains (on Twitter), but it appears there are still some moving parts involved. It’s unclear if they will push the trade through today or wait until Monday when the league office reopens, Stein adds.

2:09pm: Boston would also get a future first-rounder, Stein reports (Twitter link).

1:50pm: The current deal being discussed involves Green heading to Memphis, Prince and Rivers to Boston, and Pondexter to New Orleans, Stein tweets. Stein makes no reference to Smith, who was previously reported by Wojnarowski to be involved, nor any draft picks changing hands.

SATURDAY, 1:42pm: New Orleans is going to send Austin Rivers to the Celtics as part of the proposed deal, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).

10:04pm: Russ Smith is also heading to Memphis in the proposed deal, Wojnarowski tweets.

8:44pm: The third team involved looks to be the Pelicans, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter links). In this proposed three-way deal, Green would go to Memphis, Prince, John Salmons, and a first-rounder from Memphis to Boston, and Quincy Pondexter would head to New Orleans, Wojnarowski notes. The Grizzlies are discussing various deals involving Pondexter with other teams, Wojnarowski reports, but their focus is on including him in a trade for Green.

FRIDAY, 5:06pm: The Celtics are continuing with their rebuilding process, and the next player on the list to be dealt is Jeff Green, who is likely on his way to the Grizzlies, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Memphis is offering Boston Tayshaun Prince and a first round draft pick in return, Wojnarowski notes. There also appears to be a third team involved in the deal, Wojnarowski adds.

Memphis has been actively trying to acquire either Luol Deng from the Heat, or Green from Boston over the last few days. When the Grizzlies couldn’t make any headway on nabbing Deng, they zeroed in on Green over the last 48 hours and sold Boston on deal, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Boston had initially been asking for two first-rounders in return, Wojnarowski tweets. The Clippers had also inquired about Green, but they didn’t have the expiring contracts that Boston was looking for to make a trade work, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (Twitter link).

In 33 games this season, the 28-year-old Green has averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 33.1 minutes per game. His career numbers over six seasons are 14.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 1.6 APG. His career slash line is .440/.340/.788.

Prince is a 12-year NBA veteran, and is averaging 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 25 appearances (9 starts) this season. The 34-year-old’s career numbers are 11.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 2.5 APG. His career shooting percentages are .455/.367/.758.

Grizzlies Pursue Jeff Green, Luol Deng

January 9th, 2015 at 3:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

FRIDAY, 3:09pm: Discussion is heating up between Memphis and Boston about Green, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “Hurdles” remain as the teams talk, but the Grizzlies are more serious in their pursuit of Green than any other team in the league, Stein adds (on Twitter).

THURSDAY, 2:12pm: There’s nothing going on regarding Deng, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra insisted today, and Deng added that he isn’t trying to force his way off the struggling Heat, notes Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post (Twitter links).

1:36pm: The Grizzlies called the Heat to see if Deng was available, but the conversation didn’t advance from there, tweets Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Presumably, that means the Heat aren’t open to trading him.

12:05pm: Boston’s asking price for Green is high, Zillgitt hears (Twitter link), though while the Celtics have made it known that they want a first-round pick in return for him, the prevailing belief around the league is that they’ll ultimately agree to take less, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (on Twitter). President of basketball operations Danny Ainge called Green “our best player this year” in a radio appearance this morning with Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, notes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Memphis’ first-round pick for 2015 is already promised to the Nuggets, the protections on the pick would make it difficult for the Grizzlies to convey a pick to another team anytime soon.

10:10am: The Celtics, Grizzlies and Cavs had discussed a three-team scenario that would have sent Green to Memphis, Koufos to Cleveland, and draft compensation to Boston, Lowe reports (Twitter links). The Cavs’ acquisition of Timofey Mozgov on Wednesday threw a wrench in that idea, Lowe adds.

9:14am: The Grizzlies are actively trying to pry Luol Deng from the Heat or Jeff Green from the Celtics, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Any offer Memphis makes is likely to include Tayshaun Prince and draft picks, Stein adds. Still, no deal is imminent, the ESPN scribe cautions.

Memphis, along with the Clippers and Pelicans, inquired about Green before the Rajon Rondo trade last month, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt reported then, though the Celtics were uninterested in trading him. Boston turned down an offer from the Lakers that included Jordan Hill, a first-round pick, and perhaps more, Zillgitt also reported at the time. Now, people around the league believe that Green is available, according to Stein, so perhaps Boston’s position has changed. Green has played well this season, as I noted when I looked at his trade candidacy, so the Celtics can capitalize on that to extract a strong return if they’re prepared to do so.

It’s unclear whether the Heat would be willing to part with Deng, who signed with the team just this past summer, though some around the league wonder whether the Heat are ready to start collecting assets for the future, Stein writes. Miami is 15-20 and occupies the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Prince and Kosta Koufos reportedly drew interest from the Cavs prior to their flurry of moves this week, but Memphis resisted a shakeup amid a strong start. The Grizzlies are 25-10 and still in third place in the Western Conference, but they’ve shown an eagerness for an upgrade, making a push to sign Josh Smith before he instead went to the Rockets. They “kicked around” the idea of trading Koufos, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe wrote late last month, around the time Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com identified the Kings as a suitor for the backup center.

A $3.135MM trade exception that Memphis netted from the deal that sent Jerryd Bayless to Boston last year expired Wednesday. Still, it was unlikely that the Grizzlies would have used it, since adding a player with a salary close to that figure would have put the team over the tax line, as Stein points out (on Twitter). Memphis is only about $1MM shy of the tax threshold, so the team would likely be careful to match salaries closely in any trade involving Green or Deng. Green is making $9.2MM this year with a player option for the same salary next season, while Deng is on the books for more than $9.714MM this season and holds a player option worth nearly $10.152MM for 2015/16.