Southeast Notes: Howard, Hawks, Wizards, Heat
Every Southeast team except the Magic is in action tonight, but before the evening's slate of games gets underway, here are a few Friday afternoon items from around the division:
- The Magic don't intend to pursue Dwight Howard in free agency this summer, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, in perhaps the week's least surprising story. Robbins acknowledged via Twitter that Orlando likely wouldn't have had a shot at Howard anyway, but clarified that the team isn't even planning to try.
- One Western Conference general manager told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that another Southeast team could be in the running for D12 this July, however. "I have it as Lakers, Dallas or Atlanta for Dwight," said the unnamed GM.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) examined the best possible fits for the Wizards in June's draft, eventually concluding that Shabazz Muhammad probably makes the most sense for Washington right now.
- In today's mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel addressed the possibility of the Heat acquiring Samuel Dalembert from the Bucks.
Grizzlies Making Rudy Gay Available?
Rudy Gay is no stranger to trade rumors, having been the subject of a few rumblings as recently as last summer. And it appears that 2013 will bring even more rumors surrounding the veteran forward, with Zach Lowe of Grantland reporting that the Grizzlies have made it known in preliminary talks with NBA teams that Gay could be available.
Lowe clarifies that it doesn't sound as if Memphis is actively shopping the 26-year-old. However, the club is about $4MM into the luxury tax this season, and could be heading back into tax territory in the next two seasons, based on the contracts currently on the books. As such, moving Gay's three-year, $53MM+ deal might be an attractive option.
Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said back in June that the team had no plans to deal Gay, and a September report from the Memphis Commercial Appeal suggested that Memphis turned down a number of lowball offers for Gay over the summer. However, with a new owner (Robert Pera) in place, and new faces in the front office, such as John Hollinger and Jason Levien, the Grizzlies may be more open to revisiting the possibility of a move.
While Lowe doesn't specify which teams the Grizzlies may have spoken to about Gay, he does speculate on which clubs may be a fit, naming the Timberwolves, Bucks, Celtics, Hawks, Raptors, Rockets, and Jazz as "sensible candidates." Lowe also adds that the Warriors have "long coveted" Gay, but points out they don't really have the pieces to make a deal work at the moment.
Odds & Ends: Martin, Roy, Allen, Brooks
If Kevin Martin has his way, anyone other than the Thunder will have a tough time signing him this summer, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The ninth-year veteran is averaging career bests in three point shooting (45.7%) and free throw shooting (93.2%) in addition to producing 15.8 PPG in 30.0 MPG. He is currently in the final year of his contract, and is slated to make nearly $12.4MM this season. Here are some more of tonight's miscellaneous notes from around the Association:
- Despite recent reports that Phil Jackson wouldn't be interested in coaching the Nets, Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops talks about why we probably haven't seen the last of the Zen Master just yet.
- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott is confident about the front office's patience with him, writes Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler tweeted that an Andrea Bargnani trade is inevitable since he is no longer in Toronto's long-term plans, and that the Raptors will only play him when he comes back in order to prove that he's healthy.
- Kyler (via Twitter) also says that the Lakers aren't currently looking to trade any of their bench players and are more focused on continuing to establish rhythm, Bargnani's elbow injury effectively hurts any if not all of his trade value right now, and that the current feeling around Brooklyn is that P.J. Carlesimo will get a chance to finish the season if none of the candidates they want are available.
- Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune shared some of David Kahn's comments on Brandon Roy's decision to undergo non-invasive treatment, noting that it would not be the same Regenokine therapy that Roy underwent last spring and that the upcoming process could take three to four weeks (Twitter links).
- Shams Charania of RealGM says that Ray Allen was not contacted by the Bucks during the free agency period this past summer and admitted that he probably would not have considered a return to Milwaukee regardless.
- Nets guard MarShon Brooks is hoping to capitalize on what appears to be a fresh start with coach P.J. Carlesimo after not being able to mesh with Avery Johnson, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
- Without much practice time, Carlesimo will have to rely on much of the same offensive schemes that the Nets players have been familiar with up to this point along with additional help from the assistant coaches as he continues to make a transition into his interim head coaching role (Roderick Boone of Newsday reports).
- While the departure of Joe Johnson might have signaled a rebuilding year to some, the Hawks' climb to 3rd place in the East after 27 games has definitely contradicted that notion, writes Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.
Central Notes: Henson, Robinson, Pistons, George
With the Bucks hanging on for an overtime win against the Celtics, it was a successful night for the Central Division. The only team to endure a loss this evening was the Cavs, and that came at the hands of the division rival Pacers. Here's the scoop from off the court in the Central.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel checks in with Bucks rookie John Henson, whose lack of consistent playing time belies the team's enthusiasm about the chance to draft him with the 14th overall pick. "I think everybody was surprised he was there," assistant coach Jim Boylan said. "Everybody had him in the top 10 somewhere. But in the draft that happens all the time."
- Nate Robinson's minimum-salary contract is only partially guaranteed for $400K so that it's easier for the Bulls to include him in trades, a source tells K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. It becomes fully guaranteed on or before New Year's Day. The Bulls aren't likely to trade him by then, and the team probably won't cut him either, according to Johnson.
- MLive's David Mayo answers reader questions about the Pistons, and delves into why the team hasn't sent rookie Slava Kravtsov to the D-League, despite Kravtsov failing to have played a minute this season until tonight's blowout win over the Wizards. Mayo theorizes that having to share their affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, with the Pacers and two other clubs might keep Kravtsov from getting enough minutes. Mayo also says the Pistons, like most teams, prefer having their players practice with the big club rather than rack up minutes in the D-League.
- Ben Golliver of SI.com breaks down Paul George's hot streak, concluding that George, due for an extension on his rookie deal this summer, could become a pricey commodity.
Central Notes: Pistons, Varejao, Bucks, Robinson
The latest news and notes from around the Central Division on Thursday afternoon:
- Keith Langolis of Pistons.com has a new mailbag column in which he answers reader questions about hypothetical trades the team could make for players like Kevin Love and Al Jefferson. Langolis expects the Lakers to make a strong push when Love hits free agency.
- Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com writes that Anderson Varejao is happy with the Cavs, and wonders whether the Celtics could be a potential trade destination.
- Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley denies reports that he would like to buy the Bucks.
- Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com writes that Nate Robinson is not affected by the fact that his contract with the Bulls isn't guaranteed.
- Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com has a Q&A with Jeremy Pargo, who filled in ably for Kyrie Irving when Irving was injured earlier this season.
Trade Rumors: Gasol, Hawks, Bucks, Bobcats
The trade deadline is two months and one day away, and we'll be hearing a lot about trade candidates in the coming weeks. HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler provides an update on a few teams and players we're likely to hear more about soon.
- While Kyler believes it's "inevitable" the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol, he doesn't think there's much of a market for him, having heard there are only three or four teams in the mix. No one is offering a "home run" deal, and trading Gasol now would mean selling low. The Lakers would like to swap Gasol for a pair of players on less lucrative deals who would be better fits, but no such deal is out there at the moment. L.A. has a full roster with 15 players, and the team would like to open up a spot. Kyler speculates that the Lakers could move Jordan Hill, Devin Ebanks, Darius Morris or Darius Johnson-Odom for a second-round pick or a backup point guard.
- The Hawks want to trade some of their expiring contracts for a player who can help the team this season, but they won't make a deal unless it's an obvious win. They still want to have enough cap space to fit Dwight Howard or Chris Paul on the team, and with only about $18.5MM in commitments for next season, not including cap holds for free agents like Josh Smith, whom they're optimistic about re-signing and, according to Kyler, not planning to trade. The Hawks could probably add a player who helps now while maintaining enough flexibility this summer.
- We heard yesterday that the Bucks have told Brandon Jennings they'll match any offer he'll get in restricted free agency. That makes Monta Ellis the more likely to be traded among the team's pair of backcourt aces, but Kyler hears that there are teams with interest in both. If Milwaukee elects to hang on to Jennings and Ellis, it isn't worried about losing either in free agency.
- Everyone on the Bobcats is available in a trade, a source tells Kyler. That's not a shock, considering the team has lost 13 in a row, but Kyler cautions that Gerald Henderson probably won't be dealt unless it's as part of a package with others.
- While the Magic are open to sending J.J. Redick away in a deal that offloads other contracts, the team doesn't want to let him go, as GM Rob Hennigan and the revamped front office has become more fond of the veteran two-guard than they were at the beginning of the season.
- Kyler believes the Raptors must trade Jose Calderon to recoup value for him before he becomes a free agent next summer, and while it seems like Andrea Bargnani is headed out of Toronto, too, uncertainty about GM Bryan Colangelo's future is complicating potential deals.
- If the Jazz remain in the playoff picture, a deal is less likely, but if not, Utah will look to unload one of its big men for draft picks and players on rookie contracts.
Spears On Jennings, Daye, Smith
- The Bucks have told Brandon Jennings they'll match any offer he gets in restricted free agency next summer, according to Spears. Jennings is averaging career highs in assists and steals this season after the Bucks turned him down for an extension before the October 31st deadline. The point guard will be one of the gems of restricted free agency in the offseason, and even if a few teams might be scared off by Milwaukee's willingness to match, Jennings could be in line for a maximum offer. In any case, this news would seem to indicate the Bucks aren't looking to trade Jennings, but that's not necessarily set in stone.
- The Pistons are "actively shopping" Austin Daye, according to Spears. I think it would be difficult to find much of a market for the 24-year-old forward, who has appeared for a total of just 40 minutes in six games this season, and the 15th overall pick from 2009 hasn't done much to distinguish himself in four seasons with the Pistons, averaging 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for his career. MLive.com's David Mayo notes that Daye is returning to the Pistons rotation, and it's possible the team could be making that move simply to try to showcase him.
- Sources tell Spears that Hawks GM Danny Ferry isn't interested in trading Josh Smith. This is in line with what we've heard so far about the mutual satisfaction between Atlanta and the athletic forward. Smith is making $13.2MM this season in the final year of his deal.
Nets Notes: Ilyasova, Williams, Johnson
The Nets have been struggling as of late and people are trying to find answers for the team's recent slide. With the Jazz coming into Brooklyn tonight, Deron Williams opened up about his time in Utah and admitted that he has struggled to fit in with coach Avery Johnson's system. Here's more on the Nets..
- The Nets are reportedly interested in Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova, but it would be difficult for the two sides to match up for a trade, writes Dan Sinclair of Brew Hoop. The big man has a $7.9MM average annual salary and everyone on the Nets' roster makes either more than $9.6MM or less than $3.1MM. Beyond the logistics, there's also the question of whether the Bucks would be interested in dealing Ilyasova just one year into his new deal.
- Williams' open pining for Jerry Sloan's system could be viewed as subtle criticism of Johnson's offense, writes Howard Beck of the New York Times. The guard said that there are too many isolation sets in the Nets' offense, but an Eastern Conference scout noted that the U.C.L.A. sets that Johnson is running now appear to be in place for Williams’s benefit as he never used them in Dallas.
- It's pretty early in Williams' five-year, $98MM deal for him to pine for Sloan, tweets Jeff Caplan of NBA.com.
Aldridge On Raptors, Varejao, LeBron, Thunder
TNT's David Aldridge checks in as usual on a Monday with his Morning Tip column at NBA.com, and this week's edition is full of trade rumors as talk heats up around the league. Here's a digest of Aldridge's latest scuttlebutt, with a heavy focus on the Raptors.
- While Andrea Bargnani's elbow injury will keep him out for a month, delaying trade talk, one rival GM is convinced he'll eventually be leaving the Raptors, feeling as though there's no doubt GM Bryan Colangelo will trade him.
- The Raptors are leery of adding another international player, according to Aldridge, which would make them reluctant to trade for Pau Gasol.
- Aldridge speculates the Raptors won't deal Jose Calderon to the Lakers, and instead ship him somewhere for a draft pick to create a massive trade exception. Aldridge writes that such a trade exception would be $15.6MM, but I believe it would be closer to $10.6MM, reflecting Calderon's salary.
- A league executive speculates that the Cavs will hold on to Varejao through the summer of 2014, when LeBron James can become a free agent, so they can make a pitch to their erstwhile superstar. In any case, the Cavs have set Varejao's asking price too high for other teams' tastes, as they often do with their many of their players, according to Aldridge.
- Though the Thunder are reportedly content to stand pat for now, Aldridge believes they could try to move the Raptors pick they got from the Rockets in the James Harden trade, speculating that one of their targets could be Varejao.
- Aldridge spoke with a GM who joins the seeming consensus that the Jazz are more likely to deal Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson. The GM believes Jefferson is a better fit with Derrick Favors.
- The Bucks want an upgrade at small forward, and Aldridge thinks the team is more likely to move "one of its undersized four or oversized threes" than trade Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
- The Wizards are open to trading one of their big men for veteran help at the point, where they're woefully thin in John Wall's absence.
- The Pacers are willing to tinker, but aren't putting Paul George or George Hill on the table.
- No one aside from Jrue Holiday is off-limits as the Sixers seek a big man, though it would take a lot to pry Thaddeus Young or Evan Turner from their hands.
Nets Pursuing Ersan Ilyasova
Ersan Ilyasova is off to a disconcerting start after re-signing with the Bucks for five years and $40MM this summer, having been benched amid declines in just about every statistical category. It would be reasonable to expect that the Nets, one of Ilyasova's suitors in the offseason, would feel thankful they're not the ones stuck with his contract, but according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, Brooklyn is still trying to acquire the 6'9" Turkish big man. Woelfel spoke about the Nets' renewed pursuit with Robert Haack Diamond of WSSP radio in Milwaukee, and NetsDaily provides the transcript.
Woelfel speculated that the Bucks might want to take back MarShon Brooks and Tyshawn Taylor as part of the deal, though there'd have to be more players going the Bucks' way to make the salaries match. Brooks "would love coming to Milwaukee," Woelfel said, suggesting that would still be the case even if Brooks hadn't seen his minutes cut drastically with the Nets this season.
The Nets turned their attention to Kris Humphries over the summer once Ilyasova was off the market, but Humphries, too, has been a disappointment and finds himself benched after signing a two-year, $12MM contract. He might be someone the Nets send the other way in a deal, though that's merely speculation as well. If Humphries were part of the deal, the Bucks would be the team that had to add players to the mix in order to make the salaries match.
Most players who signed a contract became eligible to be traded on Saturday, but Ilyasova is one of several players who can't be traded until January 15th. He's averaging 8.9 points per game, down from 13.0 last season, 5.5 rebounds per night, off from last year's 8.8 RPG clip, and he's shooting just 39.9% after hitting on 49.2% of his field goal attempts in 2011/12. Though he's only 25 years old, Diamond and Woelfel went over a few of the other names in the Bucks frontcourt, reasoning that Milwaukee might prefer to go with Larry Sanders, John Henson, Tobias Harris and Ekpe Udoh, all of whom are the same age or younger than Ilyasova.