Wizards, Cavaliers, Nuggets Eye Pierre Jackson
TUESDAY, 1:06pm: The Wizards are also in the market for Jackson, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who says the Pelicans are trying to package Jackson with Austin Rivers (Twitter link). The Pelicans have fielded plenty of calls for the 5’8″ Jackson, but GMs around the league are worried about his size, particularly since he’s not a true point guard, Amico also tweets.
SATURDAY, 2:57pm: The Cavaliers and Nuggets have made inquires to the Pelicans about the rights of D-League standout Pierre Jackson, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Neither club has come up with a deal to New Orleans’ liking, but Haynes hears from one GM that it’s “inevitable” the Pelicans make some sort of deal before next week’s trade deadline.
Jackson, whose rights are held by New Orleans, has excelled for the Idaho Stampede this season. He’s averaging 29 PPG while shooting 45% from the floor in 31 contests. He’s posted seven 40 point performances so far this year, but despite his success, the Pelicans haven’t given Jackson a shot to prove himself in the NBA. Haynes hears that it’s certainly possible the club hangs on to Jackson, but notes that their roster currently stands at the league maximum of 15 players, so the team would have to make some sort of move to make room for the rookie guard out of Baylor. Earlier this season, we heard the team was allowing Jackson and his agent to seek out a trade partner.
Reports this morning suggested Cleveland was primed to make some sort of deal before the deadline, but New Orleans reportedly doesn’t feel rushed to make any move with Jackson. However, the Nuggets could definitely use some help at the point guard position, with Nate Robinson out for the season, Ty Lawson missing time, and Andre Miller still inactive.
Spears On Rondo, Lin, Barnes, Turner
Can the Rockets keep soaring past the All-Star break? In his latest power rankings, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports brings Houston up from No. 7 to No. 4, putting them right behind the Heat, Pacers, and Thunder. Will they make a big splash in the days to come to hold their spot? Spears has the goods on that and more..
- According to a source, the Kings offered the Celtics Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, and two picks for Rajon Rondo. However, Rondo wasn’t interested in re-signing with Sacramento.
- While the Rockets would love to trade Omer Asik, a source says they won’t trade reserve Jeremy Lin due to the scoring value he brings.
- Sources tell Spears that Warriors executives have informed forward Harrison Barnes that, barring a blockbuster offer, he will not be traded before Thursday’s deadline. Recently, Warriors owner Joe Lacob said that he hopes to keep Barnes for the long haul.
- The 76ers want to move Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes and could act as a third team in a significant trade.
- Raptors coach Dwane Casey is in the final year of his deal but Spears hears that he has impressed GM Masai Ujiri.
- The Pelicans could be trading guard Austin Rivers and the rights to D-League guard Pierre Jackson between now and Thursday.
- The Kings are in the market for a veteran backup point guard who can push the ball up the floor.
- With several teams looking for backup point guards, Bucks veteran Luke Ridnour could be on the move.
Deveney’s Latest: Gordon, Sixers, Rockets
There are plenty of trade rumors flying around the NBA, even if no superstars seem on the verge of being dealt by Thursday’s deadline. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News shares the latest from his notebook, as we highlight here:
- The Pelicans have been trying to trade Eric Gordon all season, Deveney hears, which contradicts what Gordon says the team told him. New Orleans would be willing to add salary in a deal that sends Gordon away, Deveney notes. The Sporting News scribe also seconds an earlier report that the Pelicans are looking for a big man.
- The Sixers are asking for more in return for Thaddeus Young than they are for Evan Turner or Spencer Hawes, Deveney writes, though it’s not clear exactly what the price difference is.
- Rockets GM Daryl Morey has been as active as any executive around the league, Deveney notes, which is no surprise given Morey’s history. Houston remains keen on upgrading at power forward, according to Deveney, though Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle wrote Friday that the team’s desire for perimeter help had grown stronger than its longing for a four man.
D-League Notes: Jackson, Jones
While most eyes will be watching the NBA All-Star festivities this weekend, the D-League has its own All-Star events. The D-League All-Star game will take place in just over an hour. Here are some notes from around the D-League:
- Despite being one of the more NBA-ready prospects in the D-League, Pelicans rookie Pierre Jackson has contemplated signing overseas, he tells Matt Moore of CBS Sports. The 42nd overall pick in last year’s draft has excelled and earned a D-League All-Star spot this year, but the Pelicans hold his rights and haven’t added him to their NBA roster. “(Europe’s) on the back of my mind. My family needs the money. I need to provide for m family so whatever I have to do, I’ll have to. The NBA’s always been my dream, and I think I’m good enough to play there. But the way the cards are dealt, I may have to go overseas for my career.” After failing to reach a deal with New Orleans, Jackson requested a trade earlier this year.
- Terrence Jones says his time with the Rockets‘ D-League affiliate this year helped him on his way to having a breakout season, per Matt Moore of CBS Sports. “It just helped me out a lot,” says Jones. “Because when you’re not playing, being able to go down there and work on what you’ve been working on in practice and get your confidence up, it helps a ton.”
Western Rumors: Udrih, Clippers, Gordon, Jazz
Beno Udrih played three seasons for the Spurs, and Marc Berman of the New York Post thinks the veteran journeyman might end up back in San Antonio before the deadline passes. The Knicks have been trying to find suitors for Udrih, and former New York GM Scott Layden, now in the front office of San Antonio, was at attendance for Wednesday’s Knicks game. It might be too early to make assumptions, but it’s certainly possible Udrih might be on the move some time soon. Here’s more out of the Western Conference..
- Chris Paul wasn’t necessarily a fan of the Hornets franchise, but his love for the city of New Orleans made for a difficult move to the Clippers. Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports recaps the blockbuster deal that paired Paul with Blake Griffin in Los Angeles.
- A well placed source tells Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders that the Bucks aren’t interested in Pelicans guard Eric Gordon (Twitter link). Ingram hears Milwuakee doesn’t have any interest in dealing for oft-discussed guard.
- The Jazz would be wise to find a suitor for Gordon Hayward, suggests Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders in his weekly chat. Kennedy thinks Hayward might command max dollars from a rival team as a restricted free agent, but there’s still some doubt whether he’s worth that kind of money.
- Kennedy also believes the Lakers would be better off trading Pau Gasol for some assets that could help the team down the road. At this stage in his career, Kennedy thinks Gasol would like to play for a winner, so he might be likely to leave LA in free agency.
Aldridge’s Latest: Gordon, Jackson, Monroe
TNT’s David Aldridge’s lengthy “Morning Tip” column on NBA.com has a strong trade deadline focus this week, as is only appropriate with 10 days left before the big day. We’ll dive into the highlights here:
- The Pelicans have been shopping Eric Gordon “for a while,” Aldridge writes, but an opposing GM says they’re not finding takers because rival teams realize that injuries have cut into the 25-year-old’s athleticism.
- Aldridge expects the Pistons to try to convince Phil Jackson, who served as a special advisor to the team this summer, to coach the club, but Aldridge notes it’s unlikely the Zen Master would do so.
- The Pistons aren’t giving up Greg Monroe unless it’s part of a blockbuster trade, and they’re hoping they can re-sign him this summer to a contract similar to the four-year, $49.4MM deal that Serge Ibaka inked with the Thunder in 2012. If not, Aldridge expects the Pistons to swallow hard and match a max offer sheet from another team.
- Kyle Lowry will probably remain with the Raptors through the deadline, but that’s not an indication that the Raptors are willing to pay a heavy price to re-sign him this summer, Aldridge writes.
- Aldridge hears plenty of trade chatter surrounding Kenneth Faried, and though the Nuggets deny it, Aldridge thinks there could be something to it. He’s up for an extension this summer, and if he doesn’t get one, he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2015. Denver wouldn’t be willing to give him an outsized payday as it stands, given its concerns about his defense, Aldridge writes.
- Grizzlies management is high on Ed Davis, who’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, and Aldridge examines how that affects the team’s willingness to retain Zach Randolph. Aldridge says the Wizards would prefer to acquire Davis rather than Randolph if they had a choice.
- Patty Mills will be a free agent at season’s end, but even amid increased playing time with the Spurs this season, he’s giving no thought to leaving for another team where he could have a larger role or make more money, according to Aldridge.
Pelicans Looking For Upgrades At Deadline
The Pelicans are seeking trades that will improve the team in the short term, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in his latest Insider-only “Tank Rank” piece. New Orleans (22-28) has the 11th-worst record in the league, as our Reverse Standings show, and Ford speculates that the team has given up hope of landing a top-five draft choice this year, which the Pelicans would need to do to keep the pick from going to the Sixers.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweeted last week that the Pelicans were “extremely active” in trade talks, while Steve Kyler wrote that New Orleans is open to trading Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans. USA Today’s Sam Amick seconded that report on the Gordon front. Coach Monty Williams didn’t play a healthy Evans in last night’s game against the Nets, but Ford’s report makes it seem unlikely Evans or any of the team’s other cornerstones will be moved between now and next week’s trade deadline.
It appeared late last month that the Pelicans were seeking a big man via trade, and that was before the club announced that center Jason Smith will miss the rest of the season. Ryan Anderson is likely out for the year, too, accentuating the need to get help on the inside for All-Star Anthony Davis.
Amick On Expected Buyers, Sellers At Deadline
In his most recent column, Sam Amick of USA Today passed on a lot of information gathered from six NBA executives speaking anonymously regarding what he thinks will be a “very active swapping season.” Talk includes teams from around the league looking to win now or bolster rebuilding efforts. The entire article is worth the read, but here is a brief roundup:
- The Knicks “have decided to think big” as the deadline approaches, and believe that the Celtics‘ Rajon Rondo is more available than Boston general manager Danny Ainge is letting on. Trading Carmelo Anthony is not being given serious consideration, despite all the speculation surrounding his willingness to re-sign this summer.
- Rival executives think that if Ainge were to make any Rondo move, he would wait until just before the deadline to do so.
- The Pelicans are thought to be willing to trade Eric Gordon, although moving the two-year, $29MM left on his contract would be a challenge.
- If the Suns don’t acquire Pau Gasol, Thaddeus Young is another possible trade target before the deadline. It’s also believed that Phoenix would have strong interest in Rudy Gay this off season should he opt out of his player option.
- The Spurs and Bobcats were mentioned by an executive as possible destinations for the Sixers‘ Evan Turner, either through a trade this season or when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer.
- It’s more likely that the Pistons move players with expiring deals (Rodney Stuckey, Charlie Villanueva or Jonas Jerebko, for instance) than for them to part with Greg Monroe before the deadline.
- The Timberwolves have great urgency to make the playoffs and keep Kevin Love content, and are thought to be willing to part with J.J. Barea, Dante Cunningham, and Alexey Shved for a deal that would help them avoid finishing another season outside the playoffs.
- While the Grizzlies‘ Zach Randolph hasn’t said whether he will opt out of his contract this summer, he has indicated that he wants to remain with Memphis. For their part, the Grizzlies don’t appear to be shopping him. The Suns inquired about the power forward, but were told he wasn’t available.
- The Magic aren’t eager to move Arron Afflalo, and it would likely take a proven player in addition to any draft picks to pry him away from Orlando.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Spurs, Covington
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN details Pelicans GM Dell Demps‘ process of rebuilding New Orleans’ roster after trading away Chris Paul in 2011. A mixture of good and bad results have come from that blockbuster trade (Eric Gordon), drafting (selecting Anthony Davis last year, trading Nerlens Noel for Jrue Holiday this year), and free agency (Ryan Anderson, then Tyreke Evans via a sign-and-trade with the Kings that also sent away Robin Lopez), and the team has little flexibility in the near future. Coach Monty Williams is unhappy with the current roster’s performance, but a slew of injuries this year has limited a thorough roster evaluation, as well as the team’s performance. “The errors in planning are easy to enumerate and Demps tacitly admits some of his primary goals are cleaning up his own mistakes,” writes Arnovitz. “Fortunately for the Pelicans, a single truth lies beneath the spreadsheets: When you have a budding star like Anthony Davis, you can afford to make mistakes.” Here’s more from around the division:
- It cost roughly $200K for the Pelicans to buy recent signee Luke Babbitt out of his contract with BC Nizhny Novgorod, reveals Marc Stein of ESPN.com. New Orleans also paid $575K to pry Alexis Ajinca from his French team this season.
- The Rockets have assigned Robert Covington to the D-League, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Covington has spent most of the year in the D-League, owning the longest assignment stretch of the season after a 72-game stint that ended in January.
- Shannon Brown tells Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News that he’s working hard to extend his time with the Spurs beyond his current 10-day contract, which expires Tuesday per our 10-Day Tracker.“All I can do is going out and give my best, do what the guys ask me to,” Brown says. “Let the chips fall where they may. I’m going to play hard no matter what. That’s one thing they aren’t going to be able to say about me, that I didn’t battle.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Kyler’s Latest: Rivers, Bobcats, Sixers
Sources tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that the Pelicans have had a deal in place all season to trade Austin Rivers if he didn’t start seeing minutes. His playing time has perked up of late, and Kyler wonders if the Pelicans are merely showcasing him for other trades. The Pelicans are also open to trading Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, according to Kyler, who shares plenty more in his latest piece. We’ll hit the highlights here:
- The Bobcats are “kicking around” the idea of trading for Greg Monroe, Kyler writes. He also hears they’d be willing to throw Bismack Biyombo into a Ben Gordon trade to convince teams to take on Gordon’s inflated deal, but as Kyler notes, that wouldn’t do much to persuade reluctant trade partners.
- The Sixers could wind up dealing away all of their three veteran trade candidates — Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young — by the deadline, Kyler writes, adding that the Rockets have been targeting Young all season. We heard Young connected to Houston in December, but this is the first report suggesting the Rockets have had interest in him since.
- Dion Waiters and Alonzo Gee are the names most frequently mentioned around the league when the subject of Cavs trade candidates comes up, according to Kyler. Cleveland is reluctant to make Anderson Varejao a part of its talks, but the Cavs are coming around to ideas they hadn’t previously considered, Kyler observes, adding that the team looks like it will be a seller, either at the deadline or around draft time.
- Almost everyone on the Bucks, outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Henson, is fair game for a trade, according to Kyler, who hears that the Rockets have been eyeing Ersan Ilyasova.
- Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette are the Kings that Kyler keeps hearing in trade chatter, but there’s little market for either, he writes.
- Rival teams are getting the sense that the Pistons will stand pat at the deadline, which Kyler finds vexing.
- Sources close to the Raptors tell Kyler that their trade talk is simply due diligence, and that they’re only considering overwhelming offers.