Knicks, Nuggets Talk Udrih, Jordan Hamilton
THURSDAY, 7:09am: The swap of Udrih for Hamilton could depend on whether the Nuggets are able to unload Andre Miller, according to Begley and Stein’s latest piece.
WEDNESDAY, 8:02pm: The deal appears to be Udrih for Hamilton right now, with the Knicks yet to convince Denver to part with Faried, write ESPN’s Begley and Stein. In a separate tweet, Stein indicates that the Wizards are still interested in Udrih’s services and are lobbying the Knicks to switch trade partners.
FEBRUARY 19TH, 1:09pm: The Knicks are still making an effort to acquire Faried for Shumpert, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, who also confirms that Hamilton and Udrih remain a part of the talks (Twitter links).
FEBRUARY 11TH, 5:02pm: According to Stein, a source close to the situation says that if talks were to progress into a serious stage, one likely scenario would involve Shumpert and Beno Udrih in exchange for Faried and swingman Jordan Hamilton. The issue, however, is that New York hasn’t been able to persuade Denver to consider the idea.
Faried’s $1.4M salary for 2013/14 makes it difficult to find a deal that would yield equal value, leading Stein to presume that Denver would require any potential trade partner to additionally take back a long-term contract. The Knicks are wary of making any moves that would hinder their cap flexibility in 2015, especially one that would involve taking back long-term money for short-term gain.
2:38pm: The Knicks are once more trying to pry Kenneth Faried from the Nuggets in exchange for Iman Shumpert after their initial push for such a trade failed in November, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Those talks fell through when Denver asked New York to include multiple draft picks, presumably including a first-rounder. The Knicks already owe this year’s first-round pick to the Nuggets from the Carmelo Anthony trade, and they can’t trade their 2015, 2016 or 2017 first-rounders, either.
A pair of reports from the last two days say the Nuggets are open to trading Faried, even though they deny it. Shumpert has largely remained out of rumors since a late-December meeting in which Knicks owner James Dolan told the team’s players that there would be no trades or coaching changes. Nevertheless, a report soon thereafter noted that New York’s front office was continuing to pursue deals.
The Knicks have also reportedly thrown Shumpert into a proposal to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo, but they were cool on talks to send him to the Raptors for Kyle Lowry. The Cavs and Lakers are among the teams that also have been linked to the defensive-minded wing. Ryan Raroque of Hoops Rumors examined Shumpert as a trade candidate in late November.
There’s been less chatter about Faried, but opposing GMs still expect the Nuggets to move him. He, like Shumpert, will be up for a rookie scale extension this summer, though Denver is reluctant to shell out significant money for the power forward.
Knicks, Clippers Discuss Iman Shumpert Deal
THURSDAY, 7:02am: The Knicks are pushing to revive the talks, Stein and Begley write. New York attempted to interest the Clippers in a compromise proposal that would have sent Barnes, instead of Bullock, along with Collison to New York for Shumpert and Felton, but the Clippers continue to be reluctant to take on Felton.
WEDNESDAY, 8:29pm: Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports confirms Aldridge’s report, tweeting that the talks between the Knicks and Clippers have “broken down and concluded.”
7:28pm: The proposed deal involving Shumpert, Felton and Collison is “not happening,” tweets David Aldridge of TNT, who adds that it’s unclear if talks can be revived before tomorrow. ESPN’s Marc Stein, also on Twitter, adds that Shumpert is only available in exchange for a first round pick or alongside Felton.
2:16pm: Jared Dudley is also in the conversation, according to Chris Broussard and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
12:37pm: Two sources involved with the talks tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that a deal is unlikely (Twitter link).
12:17pm: The Knicks are most interested in the Felton-for-Bullock part of the exchange, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who believes the Clippers would prefer to substitute Matt Barnes for Bullock, and would also want Beno Udrih rather than Felton.
11:35am: The Knicks and Clippers are in talks on a deal that would send Darren Collison to New York for Iman Shumpert and Raymond Felton, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. A deal isn’t close and the proposal is fluid, but the Clippers are interested in Shumpert, Wojnarowski writes. Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers has expressed affection for Collison on several occasions this season, notes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link), so perhaps his inclusion could become a stumbling block. Reggie Bullock is also a part of the talks, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
Such a deal would help the Knicks upgrade their point guard position and the Clippers get better on the wing, both goals the teams have sought to achieve. The return of Chris Paul makes Collison somewhat expendable, Wojnarowski notes, in spite of Rivers’ affection for his backup point guard. The trade would also help the Clippers offset the loss of J.J. Redick, who’s out indefinitely with back trouble.
Presuming it’s a two-for-two proposal at this point of Bullock and Collison for Felton and Shumpert, the Clippers would have to include another player to make the salaries match. Unless it’s someone on a long-term deal, the trade would appear to help New York’s plans for the summer of 2015, as none of the players who would head to the Knicks have guaranteed salary beyond 2014/15. Felton’s contract includes an approximately $3.95MM player option for 2015/16.
Atlantic Notes: Shumpert, Lin, Turner, Rondo
The Knicks‘ Iman Shumpert managed only 17 minutes on the court tonight before he was forced to leave the game with a knee injury. With his name involved in at least two deals under discussion, the early word on the second-year man out of Georgia Tech was that he has a sprained MCL in his left knee, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski, adding that Shumpert is on his way back to New York to undergo an MRI.
- Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders, citing a source close to the situation, tweets that a deal sending Jeremy Lin back to New York is very unlikely.
- While they’re desperate to deal Evan Turner, it looks like the Sixers may not get what they want in return. Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports that Philly may settle for a second rounder as part of a bigger package for the Ohio State product, adding that the team has plenty of cap room to take back money but doesn’t want to make Turner a qualifying offer this summer (Twitter links).
- Point guard Rajon Rondo is unlikely to be traded, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England, who adds that the Celtics star is likely to draw significantly more interest this summer once he re-establishes his health.
- Sam Amick of USA Today offers his ruminations on Rondo, opining that having the point guard under contract through next season gives general manager all the leverage in any negotiations. Amick also reiterates his report that the Rockets and Celtics have not discussed a deal involving Rondo.
Ford’s Latest: Knicks, Rockets, W’s, Pelicans
Chad Ford of ESPN.com takes an Insider-only look at the trade market for a handful of teams with little more than 24 hours remaining before Thursday’s 2:00pm Central trade deadline. We’ll round up the highlights here:
- The Knicks are shopping Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert and Beno Udrih as they seek to upgrade their point guard spot. Ford mentions Jeremy Lin as a long shot possibility for New York, but Houston is adamant it doesn’t want to give him up. Trading for Lin or Kyle Lowry would require the Knicks to relinquish Tim Hardaway Jr.
- The Warriors have been listening to offers for Harrison Barnes, and they’ve gone as far as to counter a few of them, Ford hears. Greg Monroe, Thaddeus Young, Tristan Thompson, Kenneth Faried, John Henson and Amir Johnson all intrigue the W’s as possible targets in exchange for Barnes, Ford writes. Golden State is also enamored with Kevin Love, as most teams around the league are.
- Ford describes David Lee as available, too, but he notes there isn’t much of a market for him, which makes sense, given his bloated contract.
- Part of the Pelicans‘ motivation for exploring trades for Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans is the feeling that they could fall back into position to snag a top-five pick in this year’s draft if both guys are off the roster, according to Ford. Their first-rounder goes to the Sixers if it’s No. 6 or worse. Chris Mannix of SI.com wrote earlier this morning that New Orleans was looking to move either Gordon or Evans, but not both.
Atlantic Rumors: Sixers, Terry, Felton
It might turn out to be a busy deadline for the Sixers, who are trying hard to deal Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes. Philly GM Sam Hinkie has reportedly contacted every team in the NBA about potential deals involving Turner and Young, reveals Jason Wolf of USA Today Sports. The club wants a first rounder in exchange for any of the three, and Hinkie has apparently yet to find a deal to his liking since each of them is still on the roster. Here’s more on the Sixers and the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers haven’t been shy about shopping Hawes, and the big man admits that this is the most he’s ever been mentioned in trade talks, passes along Tom Moore of Calkins Media (on Twitter).
- Like Hawes, Young is also aware of speculation regarding potential deals surrounding him and his teammates, and Moore hears that Young would like to stay a member of the Sixers past the deadline (Twitter link)
- Jason Terry is allegedly part of “serious” trade talks between the Nets and Kings, but he says hasn’t talked talked to GM Billy King about the rumors, tweets Rod Boone of Newsday.
- Raymond Felton would like to remain on the Knicks past the deadline, but Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that Felton understands the NBA is a business and wouldn’t be offended if he was moved. “Whoever I play for, it’s who I play for,” Felton said. “If it’s here, great, I’m going to love it. I love these guys. But if it happens, then it happens. I’m a guy who’s been in the league a long time. That’s part of the business. I understand that.”
- Earlier tonight, we passed along the latest on the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo.
Amick’s Latest: Rondo, Love, Asik, Ilyasova
Despite the high asking price set by Celtics GM Danny Ainge, Rajon Rondo is still being pursued by several teams, most actively by the Raptors, Knicks, and Kings, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. Ainge is seeking multiple first round picks and a young prospect in exchange for Rondo, and no team has been able to present a deal that meets such a hefty cost. Here’ more from Amick:
- The Timberwolves are willing to listen to offers for any player on their roster besides Kevin Love, says on league executive. It’s a common belief Love will part ways with Minnesota in the summer of 2015 to seek out a deal with the Lakers, and the Wolves want to do everything they can to help prevent such a scenario.
- Omer Asik has been asking for a trade since the Rockets signed Dwight Howard, but Amick hears it’s unlikely the disgruntled big man gets moved this week. It’ll be interesting to see where Asik is come Thursday, since this news contradicts an earlier report stating the Sixers might be in play to land him.
- The Bucks have emerged as a possible “longshot destination” for Asik, as the Rockets would be interested in a swap involving Ersan Ilyasova. The Bucks remain hesitant to take on Asik, who will receive a steep pay increase next season, despite word that Ilyasova is unhappy in Milwaukee.
- Amick reiterates earlier reports that suggest Mike Dunleavy is unlikely to be traded away from the Bulls.
- Jeff Teague might emerge as a fallback option for clubs that are unable to trade for Rondo, as rival executives believe Teague will be available to teams if the price of the package coming their way is high enough.
Knicks, Raptors Show Interest In Kenneth Faried
7:42pm: The Knicks also continue to show interest in Faried, tweets Kennedy. New York is still willing to send off Iman Shumpert in exchange for Faried, but their attempts to create a similar deal earlier this season fell through.
11:28am: Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has expressed interest in Kenneth Faried, whom he drafted for the Nuggets, reports Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The Knicks made plays for Faried at multiple points this season, but the Nuggets appeared to hold out for significant draft compensation.
The Nuggets have denied that they’re making Faried available on multiple occasions, but the sense remains that they’d be open to dealing the third-year player. Denver is apparently reluctant to shell out major money for Faried, who’s extension-eligible this summer, unless he improves his defense.
Faried’s playing time down this year amid a crowded front court in Denver. He’s seeing just 24.7 minutes per game, and the 24-year-old’s per-minute numbers aren’t much better than they were last season.
Knicks Pursue Jeff Teague, Still Eyeing Lowry
1:02pm: Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also downplays New York’s pursuit of Teague, though he says it’s because of the Knicks’ lack of assets (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 8:24am: Marc Berman of the New York Post throws cold water on the story, writing that the Knicks are expected to pass on Teague out of concerns about his long-term deal. He also hears that the Raptors, Hawks and Knicks didn’t have talks about the three-way deal involving Lowry, whom Toronto probably won’t trade, according to Berman. Still, the Knicks would love to flip Shumpert for a point guard, and that desire has grown stronger than the team’s pursuit of a backup center, Berman writes.
MONDAY, 3:27pm: The Knicks view Andre Miller as a fallback option, though their preference is for someone younger like Teague or Lowry, Stein writes in his full story.
2:02pm: New York is continuing to try to pry Lowry away from the Raptors, offering packages that include Felton, Iman Shumpert and Beno Udrih, Begley reports. The Knicks have been reluctant to offer Tim Hardaway Jr. or a first-round draft pick, but the Raptors are believed to be demanding at least one of the two, Begley writes. The Knicks, Raptors and Hawks have had preliminary discussions about a three-team deal that would provide the Raptors with the first-rounder they’re apparently seeking, according to Begley. Such a deal would send Teague to the Raptors, Shumpert to the Hawks and Lowry to the Knicks, sources tell Begley, who notes that it’s also still a possibility that Teague winds up with the Knicks.
1:03pm: The Knicks are focusing on upgrading their point guard position at the deadline, and Jeff Teague is a new target, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com seconds the report, via Twitter. Hawks GM Danny Ferry apparently isn’t enamored with the four-year, $32MM offer sheet that Teague signed with the Bucks this past summer, goading the Hawks into matching it. Because the Hawks matched the offer sheet, Teague can veto any trade this season, as Stein points out (on Twitter).
New York renewed efforts to extract Kyle Lowry from the Raptors last week, but the Knicks have become convinced the Raptors won’t deal him, Stein tweets. Incumbent Knicks point guard Raymond Felton is averaging a career-low 10.4 points as New York sits two and a half games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Teague, by contrast, is putting up a career-best 15.6 points per game, and he’s also matching his high of 7.2 assists per contest. The Hawks are fifth in the East, but are below .500 at 25-26.
Latest On Rajon Rondo
The Knicks are making one last push to acquire Rajon Rondo from the Celtics, but they’re convinced it’s a futile attempt even as they do so, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. It sounds as if New York is doing its due diligence to make sure the four-time All-Star is truly out of reach as the trade deadline nears. Sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News there’s “very little chance” the Celtics find a suitable trade partner for Rondo, and that’s consistent with most reports. Here’s more from Deveney:
- Boston is looking for a young player with All-Star potential plus multiple first-round draft picks for Rondo, Deveney says, adding that some would-be suitors are scared off by Rondo’s ACL injury last year. Teams that have called often abandon their pursuit once they realize the asking price, as Deveney explains.
- The Kings highly value Ben McLemore, one of the players reportedly in their proposed Rondo trade, but the C’s would want a more well-established player in return, according to Deveney.
- The Raptors don’t possess the assets to land Rondo, unless they get involved in a multi-team deal, Deveney writes.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Celtics, Love
Carmelo Anthony wants a championship in New York, but he’s realistic about the Knicks‘ chances of making something major happen between now and the trade deadline. “I don’t know man, I don’t know who’s tradeable, who’s on the block. Not many people that I think can come right now in February and change our whole season around. This is a difficult time,” Melo said. More out of the Atlantic..
- Not everyone on the Knicks is earning their keep, but Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com highlights three players that are, including mid-season pickup Jeremy Tyler. Tyler’s averaging 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes and hitting 55.6 percent of his field goals – solid numbers for a guy making $560K. Of course, this is all in a relatively small sample size of 174 total minutes.
- Is Boston still a free agent destination? Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe asked several prominent NBA players at the All-Star break about how’d they’d feel about (hypothetically) playing for the Celtics and he got back some positive responses. Washburn writes that the last major free agent to come to Boston might have been Xavier McDaniel back in 1992.
- Count Kevin Love, a free agent in 2015, amongst those who believe that the Celtics are still a draw for free agents, tweets Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. “Boston is a great city. I’m sure free agents would love to go there, especially with [Brad Stevens] as a coach,” said the All-Star.