Wojnarowski On Wolves, Smith, Nets, Bell
Here's the latest news from around the league courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski with all links going to Twitter..
- The Wolves have been aggressive in offering multiple first-round picks for established talent, according to league sources (Twitter link). We've heard some trade buzz around Minnesota in recent weeks, but it has mostly concerned guard Luke Ridnour.
- The Celtics are on several fronts, including discussions on Josh Smith, Wojnarowski tweets. They've got plenty of competition, however, as the Nets are solely focused on making a deal for Smith, despite being linked to a few other big names in recent weeks.
- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has remained intrigued with bringing exiled Jazz guard Raja Bell to Lakers, sources tell Wojnarowski. The Jazz would be delighted to put a bow on their saga with the disgruntled guard.
- League GMs believe that the Hawks, Bucks, and Suns will make significant moves before the trade deadline.
- The Trail Blazers are still willing to move J.J. Hickson, but haven't found an appealing offer yet.
- Teams trying to trade for J.J. Redick of the Magic are surveying the cost of re-signing him this summer, Wojnarowski tweets. If Bucks move a starting guard, he'll be a major target for them.
Latest On Josh Smith
10:07am: The Suns aren't among the teams making a play for Smith, as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes at the end of his league-wide roundup. They, like other teams, are wary of giving Smith a max deal in the summer, according to Lawrence.
9:00am: The Bucks, Nets, Celtics, 76ers and Wizards are among the many involved in talks for Hawks forward Josh Smith, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Other teams are engaged as well, and there's a strong belief that Smith will be on the move before Thursday's trade deadline, according to Wojnarowski. Smith will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, and he believes he's deserving of a maximum-salary contract. It appears as though the Hawks are unwilling to meet that demand, and that has apparently sparked interest in a deal.
The Nets were reportedly making a strong push for Smith as recently as a week ago, but it's clear they have competition. The Hawks seem to be in a position of strength, with multiple teams going after a player who's likely the best player on the trading block as the deadline approaches. Atlanta, with less than $18.5MM in firm commitments for next season, looks like it's set up to have the cap room to add a pair of maximum-salary players this summer. Dwight Howard is an Atlanta native, so the Hawks could be a viable option if he elects not to re-sign with the Lakers. When I examined Smith's trade candidacy a couple of weeks ago, I predicted Hawks GM Danny Ferry would hold on to Smith in hopes that he might want to recruit Howard, the best man in his wedding, back to Georgia. Even if that doesn't happen, and Smith signs elsewhere, the Hawks would at least have a ton of cap room to play with.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported a week ago that the Hawks are looking for "a quality young center" in return for Smith. That's an asset the Celtics don't possess, and I'm not sure either the Nets or Hawks would have interest in including Brook Lopez in a Smith deal. Larry Sanders of the Bucks, Kevin Seraphin of the Wizards and Spencer Hawes of the Sixers are young centers who've shown promise, but perhaps not enough to entice Ferry and the Hawks.
Smith is making $13.2MM in the final season of his deal, which includes a 15% trade kicker. Since he signed his contract under the old CBA, the team that acquires him in a trade must pay the extra money. If Smith is traded at Thursday's deadline, the kicker would amount to approximately $1.3MM, or 15% of the prorated amount remaining on his salary this season.
Bucks Pursuing Josh Smith, Shopping Everybody?
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has some updates in his latest notebook column on where the Milwaukee Bucks stand in several trade discussions leading up to Thursday's deadline:
- The Bucks are considering making an offer to the Hawks for Josh Smith, writes Woelfel. Smith has been most openly courted by the Nets and Celtics, with Brooklyn reportledly offering MarShon Brooks and Kris Humphries and Boston offering Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. However, Woelfel believes that the Bucks' package could be equally attractive if they include Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings. They could also make Ersan Ilyasova available in a package for Smith.
- Woelfel writes that the Bucks are open to trading anyone on their roster and no one is off limits, although Ellis and Samuel Dalembert are the two players GM John Hammond would most like to move. Woelfel points to Beno Udrih and Mike Dunleavy as two other potentially attractive assets with expiring contracts.
- Woelfel contradicts a previous report by ESPN on the status of Jennings, writing that the Bucks never made him a formal offer of a contract extension before the October deadline. Jennings is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
- Forward Drew Gooden is no stranger to the trade deadline, Woelfel writes. The 11-year veteran has been traded five times during the season in his career.
Central Notes: Jennings, LeBron, Pistons, Bulls
No Central Division players will crack the Eastern Conference's starting lineup this Sunday in Houston, but the division is well-represented on the East's bench, with Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Paul George, and Kyrie Irving all expected to see action in the All-Star Game. Here's the latest out of the Central:
- ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported earlier this week that Brandon Jennings turned down a four-year, $40MM extension offer from the Bucks last offseason, but Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets that no such offer was ever made by the team.
- LeBron James brushed off questions about returning to the Cavaliers when he's eligible for free agency in 2014, as Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio writes (on Sulia).
- Writing for the Detroit Free Press, Patrick Hayes ranks the Pistons free-agents-to-be from least likely to most likely to return to Detroit next season.
- In a mailbag, David Mayo of MLive.com discusses the future of Rodney Stuckey with the Pistons.
- Another mailbag comes courtesy of Sam Smith of Bulls.com, who fields Bulls-related questions on Derrick Rose's health and trade possibilities.
Poll: Do You Believe Brandon Jennings?
So within the same day, we have a report from ESPN's Chad Ford that Brandon Jennings wants out of Milwaukee and, six hours later, a report from ESPN's Chris Broussard citing texts from the Bucks point guard that deny he hopes to be traded. Which is it? Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel caught up with Jennings at his locker before tonight's game against Philadelphia.
"As long as I'm in a Bucks uniform, I'm going to play every night for the Bucks. I'm trying to get out of this shooting slump that I'm in. Every player goes through it," Jennings said, adding the following:
"Just because I got a new agent, that doesn't mean I'm trying to leave Milwaukee or I'm unhappy. That has nothing to do with it. It was just a time for a change and it was a decision me and my family made. So all these stories coming out about me not wanting to be here and this and that, I never said that. That never came out of my mouth. If anything, I've always said I love Milwaukee."
There are clearly several possibilities here. Jennings could be genuinely upset about the Ford report because he loves Milwaukee and wants to stay. On the other side, the Ford report could be right on and Jennings is refuting it in order to save face with the Bucks fans that have supported him for more than three years now. Or, in what is probably the most likely scenario, the truth is somewhere in between and Jennings has enjoyed his time in Milwaukee and will consider staying, but is definitely also eyeing greener (and bigger) pastures.
What do you think? Feel free to accompany your vote with your opinion in the comments section.
Do You Believe Brandon Jennings?
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No, he desperately wants out 52% (571)
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Neither, he will legitimately consider the Bucks but probably leaves 39% (437)
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Yes, he wants to stay in Milwaukee 9% (100)
Total votes: 1,108
Brandon Jennings Frustrated With Bucks?
6:18pm: In a text message to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, Jennings has denied that he wants to be traded from the Bucks by next week's deadline. "That is not true," Jennings texted. "Just because I got a new agent doesn't mean anything. That stuff never came out of my mouth. They're just reaching for a story since I changed my agent."
The 23-year-old point guard dropped agent Bill Duffy in favor of Jeff Schwartz on February 4. Jennings, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, has hinted in the past that he may be eyeing a move to a larger market and some have speculated that he was frustrated he didn't make the All-Star team and may hold Milwaukee's small market status accountable. Jennings refuted that claim on Wednesday.
"Being in Milwaukee wasn't the reason I didn't make the All-Star Game. Guys just had better numbers than me."
12:12pm: While the Bucks insist they're not shopping Brandon Jennings, the team may have to seriously consider fielding offers for Jennings in the next week, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Ford reports that Jennings is frustrated with the Bucks and would prefer to play in a bigger market. One source cites "irreconcilable differences" between the two sides.
Jennings, in his fourth season, didn't reach an agreement on a long-term extension with the Bucks last fall, which is one source of his frustration. However, the Bucks will still have the opportunity to retain him this summer by extending a qualifying offer. At that point, Jennings could accept the one-year qualifying offer and be eligible for unrestricted free agency a year later. But the more likely scenario would involve him seeking out a long-term offer sheet with a rival team, then hoping the Bucks don't exercise their ability to match.
Agent Bill Duffy was recently let go by Jennings, who is expected to officially hire Jeff Schwartz as soon as the waiting period for switching agents allows it. Schwartz is a noted proponent of larger markets, and according to Ford, he will be tasked with getting Jennings out of Milwaukee via trade or a large offer sheet this summer. The Mavericks, Magic, and Hawks are considered the most likely suitors for Jennings, says Ford.
The Bucks reportedly told Jennings they expect to match any offer sheet he receives in free agency next summer, so we'll see if that stance still applies, despite the seemingly deteriorating relationship between the two sides. Last summer, we saw restricted free agents like Nicolas Batum and Eric Gordon express some desire to leave their respective teams, but their offer sheets were ultimately matched by the Trail Blazers and Hornets. Like those clubs, the Bucks will have most of the leverage, so their decision this week or this summer will be an interesting one.
Mavs Interested In Jennings, Not Josh Smith
11:47pm: Following up on his Jennings report, Stein adds that the Mavs aren’t looking at Josh Smith (Twitter link).
11:40pm: The Mavs are interested in point guard Brandon Jennings, and if the Bucks decide to make him available before next week’s trade deadline, Dallas will be one of the teams in the mix, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Mavs owner Mark Cuban, president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and coach Rick Carlisle have all said in recent days that the team is unlikely to make any deadline deals, but multiple reports suggest that’s not the case. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio hears the team is seeking offers for Shawn Marion, while Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, as part of a chat with readers today, wrote that anyone aside from Dirk Nowitzki and Elton Brand is liable to be dealt.
Bucks GM John Hammond wants an overwhelming offer in return if he’s to part with Jennings, Amico hears. Jennings’ recent change of agents, from Bill Duffy to Jeff Schwartz, could suggest he wants to join a large-market team when he hits restricted free agency this summer. The Bucks will have the opportunity to match, and the team has reportedly told Jennings they’ll do so with any offer sheet he signs. Still, Milwaukee declined to extend Jennings’ rookie deal this past fall when he was reportedly asking for an annual salary of about $9MM to $10MM, and he could receive offers for much more on the open market.
In his chat, Sefko named Rodrigue Beaubois, Dominique Jones, Vince Carter and Brandan Wright as the Mavs players most likely to be dealt. I don’t think a package involving any combination of them or Marion would be enough to bowl Hammond over to the point that he’d be ready to deal. Though the Mavs have a wealth of expiring contracts, it will be hard for them to match salaries for Jennings, who’s making just $3.179MM this season in the final year of his rookie deal. They’d probably have to take back one of Milwaukee’s less desirable contracts, like that of Drew Gooden, who’s due more than $20MM between this season and 2015. Since the Mavs have their eyes set on pursuing maximum-salary players like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, I’m not sure they’d be willing to compromise their flexibility to fit one of them under their cap to bring Jennings aboard.
Amico’s Latest: Garnett, Josh Smith, Millsap
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio is hearing plenty of chatter from around the league, and shares a lot of information in his latest dispatch. He identifies the player receiving the most attention as the deadline approaches, and dishes on several big names. We'll cover the highlights here:
- The Celtics are open to trading Kevin Garnett, but president of basketball ops Danny Ainge is looking for something to get "really, really excited" about, Amico writes. Garnett has a no-trade clause, and reportedly will only waive it if he's dealt to Los Angeles and the Celtics also trade Paul Pierce away.
- Josh Smith is the most-talked-about name on the rumor mill at present, and Amico reiterates that the Spurs, Nets and Bobcats are among the teams that have interest in the athletic forward. The Nets are anxious to deal Kris Humphries, and could be looking to get a third team involved in talks with Atlanta to faciliate a Smith-Humphries deal. Cavs GM Chris Grant spent time on the phone with Nets GM Billy King last week, and Amico notes the close ties Grant shares with King, as well as the connection between Hawks GM Danny Ferry and King.
- Grant wants more draft picks, and is apparently willing to rent some of the Cavs' ample cap space for a player whose deal expires after next season, as Humphries' does.
- If they can't land Smith, plan B for the Nets might be Paul Millsap. We heard about Brooklyn's interest in the Jazz power forward earlier today.
- Bulls GM Gar Forman also covets Smith and Millsap. Chicago has talked to the Nets about Carlos Boozer, but there's been no recent movement on that front.
- Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings are available, but only for a team that makes an overwhelming offer to Bucks GM John Hammond.
- The Mavs are publicly downplaying the chances of a trade before the deadline, but that's not the case behind the scenes, where basketball president Donnie Nelson is seeing what he can get for Shawn Marion.
- Eric Gordon would love to return to his Indiana roots and the Hornets have interest in Danny Granger, but the Pacers and New Orleans have not discussed a Gordon-Granger swap.
Amick On Nets, Josh Smith, Gay, Grizzlies, Mavs
Sam Amick of USA Today covers topics from around the league in his A-to-Z column, and with next week's trade deadline looming, it's no surprise the latest edition is full of intriguing tidbits. The Nets and Grizzlies figure prominently, as well as Josh Smith. We'll round it all up here:
- The Nets' efforts to land Smith aren't as aggressive as recent rumors make it seem, but Amick wonders just how much owner Mikhail Prokhorov is willing to spend. Despite the billionaire's deep pockets, the team's front office is under instructions not to add more costly contracts unless they significantly improve the team's title hopes.
- Brooklyn was interested in Rudy Gay before he went to the Raptors, but the Grizzlies rejected their offer because it included Kris Humphries.
- The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were "thrilled" to acquire Ed Davis. Amick refers to him as a fourth-year player, but he's only in his third season. Nonetheless, Davis will be up for an extension this summer, and Amick notes that Memphis views him as a part of the team's future.
- Smith's representatives have reached out to other teams and given them indication that he's unlikely to re-sign with the Hawks this summer, but many front offices don't share Smith's view that he's a maximum-salary player. One such team appears to be the Mavs, who have abandoned discussions with Atlanta about trading for Smith.
- While noting the Bucks' future salary flexibility, Amick speculates that Ekpe Udoh could draw attention from other clubs as "the sort of young, defensive-minded talent on a rookie contract that teams crave."
- Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo is still anxious to trade Andrea Bargnani, but there hasn't been a lot of interest from other teams.
Eastern Links: Ellis, Bargnani, Magic, Pistons
As we prepare for an evening schedule that includes the Celtics looking to extend their winning streak to eight in Charlotte and the Wizards looking for their fourth straight win in Milwaukee, let's check in on a few stories out of the Eastern Conference….
- Monta Ellis has the opportunity to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, but he insists he's committed to the Bucks and isn't thinking about his contract situation, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Despite the trade rumors surrounding Andrea Bargnani and the Raptors, coach Dwane Casey is moving forward as if Bargnani will be in Toronto for the rest of the season, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.
- Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops explains why he thinks the Knicks ought to consider trading Iman Shumpert.
- Considering that Magic GM Rob Hennigan targeted young players such as Nikola Vucevic and Maurice Harkless in the Dwight Howard trade, the team appears to be in good hands when it comes to Hennigan's talent evaluation, says Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
- The Pistons have already begun recruiting one of their own players, as they attempt to convince Jose Calderon to stay in Detroit beyond this season, writes Terry Foster of the Detroit News.
- With Tayshaun Prince now in Memphis, David Mayo of MLive.com wonders if Kyle Singler could be the Pistons' new long-term answer at small forward.