Eastern Links: Rose, Pargo, Shumpert, Will Bynum
As the Bulls continue to hang around in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, there's been speculation that getting a certain former MVP back in the lineup could make Chicago the biggest threat to knock off the Heat. But as he tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Derrick Rose doesn't have a set timetable for his return and isn't about to rush back.
"I'm not coming back until I'm 110%," Rose said. "Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It's just that I'm not coming back until I'm ready."
As Bulls fans wait on Rose, let's round up a few links from around the Eastern Conference:
- Jannero Pargo's second 10-day contract with the Hawks expired last night, and though Atlanta has interest in retaining him for the season, the team will keep the roster spot open for now, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). With just 14 guaranteed contracts on the books, the Hawks have a little flexibility to take on a player at the trade deadline.
- Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld weighs the pros and cons for the Knicks if they were to trade Iman Shumpert.
- Will Bynum's name figures to pop up in trade rumors over the next nine days, but the Pistons guard isn't thinking about that at all, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
- ESPN.com's 5-on-5 panel debates whether "sell-high" trade candidates such as Amare Stoudemire, Kyle Korver, and Jameer Nelson would be worth the risk for potential suitors.
- The Pacers are the team that would benefit the most by acquiring J.J. Redick from the Magic, writes Bradford Doolittle in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com.
Spears On Spurs, Smith, Maynor, Knicks, Grizzlies
Not content to simply rank the NBA's teams, one through 30, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports also includes plenty of interesting trade rumors and nuggets within his power rankings. Here are the items of note from Spears in this week's installment:
- The Spurs, who used to employ current Hawks GM Danny Ferry, are among the teams interested in Josh Smith.
- Eric Maynor has been drawing some interest, and Spears suggests that he could be a fit for the Jazz, the team that initially drafted him.
- The Knicks are still trying to decide whether they should wait on injured bigs Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace or sign a free agent.
- Zach Randolph appears safe in Memphis, but the Grizzlies could still try to make a deal using one or more of their seven trade exceptions.
- Spears hears from a source that it's been nearly three weeks since the Raptors and Bulls last discussed a Carlos Boozer/Andrea Bargnani swap.
- No Suns player is untouchable via trade.
- Talks between the Bobcats and Nets involving Kris Humphries and Ben Gordon remain at a standstill.
Atlantic Rumors: Knicks, Shumpert, Nets, Celtics
Although the Knicks have slowed down a little since their torrid start to the season, Carmelo Anthony told reporters this weekend that he doesn't think the team should be involved in trade talks, a point he reiterated last night.
"I love this team, I love the chemistry on this team — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it," Anthony said, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Right now we’re tops in our division. That was one of our goals. Second in the Eastern Conference, we’ll take that right now. There’s always a lot of talk around the Knicks come trade time. We don’t need that."
Here are a few more notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- Glen Grunwald may not end up moving Iman Shumpert, but he's at least exploring some possibilities, says Berman. According to Berman, the Rockets' director of scouting attended Sunday's Knicks/Clippers game, though it's not clear whether he was there to observe more than just Shumpert.
- Steve Popper of the Bergen Record and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com both wonder whether or not Anthony is right about the Knicks not needing to make a deal.
- The Nets would like to make a trade in the next nine days, and would be willing to dangle MarShon Brooks and perhaps a first-round pick along with Kris Humphries in the right deal, reports Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. When I examined Humphries' trade candidacy in December, I wrote that he may have to be packaged with Brooks and/or draft picks to draw much interest.
- In addition to talking with the Hawks, the Nets have also had exploratory conversations with the Cavaliers, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com looks at four guards playing at the Celtics' D-League affiliate in Maine, noting that they could be candidates to join Boston's roster in the wake of Leandro Barbosa's injury.
- While a D-League call-up is one option for the Celtics, Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com points out that there are plenty of others. However, Payne expects the team to stand pat until the trade deadline.
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.
Odds & Ends: Marion, Knicks, NBPA, CBA
Shawn Marion made headlines on Friday when he told reporters that he wouldn't show up if the Mavericks traded him to a bad team. However, as Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News observes, Marion's recent play on the court, which includes four double-doubles in his last five games, certainly should attract interest.
"I’m just playing ball," Marion said after scoring 26 points last night. "When (trade) situations arise, I’m going to let it take care of itself. But right now, I’m a Dallas Maverick and that’s what it’s about."
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Asked after today's game about trade rumors involving Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony told reporters, including Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (via Twitter), that the Knicks "shouldn't even be in trade talks right now."
- Members of the players union's executive committee who are allies of embattled executive director Billy Hunter weren't involved in the decision to put him on leave, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- In a Sulia post, Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game wonders why Hunter's ill-advised decisions as executive director aren't receiving more attention.
- A pair of 2012 Rockets draft picks, Jeremy Lamb and Terrence Jones, top Joe Kaiser's list of young prospects who could be moved at this year's trade deadline, in an Insider-only piece at ESPN.com.
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News assesses the returns thus far from the offseason's two most significant trades: the Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum mega-deal and the James Harden swap.
- Discussing the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement, commissioner David Stern argues that management, not market-size, is the most important factor for teams to be competitive and profitable. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune has the details.
Eastern Notes: Josh Smith, Turner, Richardson
Rumors have been swirling around Josh Smith the past couple of days, yet HoopsWorld's Lang Greene says that the Hawks aren't actively shopping Smith for now, and are simply listening to offers to gauge the power forward's value. Greene also passes along the comments Smith made about the speculation in a video report by Atlanta journalist Nubyjas Wilborn. Smith is far from the only player who's had to respond to trade chatter as the February 21st deadline approaches, as we hear from another who could be on the move in our roundup from the Eastern Conference:
- Evan Turner's name has also emerged on the trading block, and the former No. 2 overall pick acknowledges the decision is out of his hands, as John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes.
- Mitchell wouldn't be surprised if the Sixers and Jason Richardson wind up pursuing a buyout. Richardson, who could be out as long as 12 months with a cartilage tear on his kneecap, is due $5.8MM this year and $6.2MM next season, with a $6.6MM player option for 2014/15.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com hears the Knicks will assess the health of Rasheed Wallace, who's dealing with a left foot injury, after the All-Star break, and if the results aren't favorable, they'll pursue another big man.
- Coach Tom Thibodeau and the Bulls agreed to a four-year extension worth up to $20MM in October, but Thibodeau has yet to sign the contract, reports Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.
Suns Pursuing Iman Shumpert
11:18am: Woodson has spoken with Shumpert, but he can't assure him he won't be traded, Newsday's Al Iannazzone tweets.
10:48am: Knicks coach Mike Woodson seemed to downplay the idea of any Shumpert trade in his remarks to reporters, including Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
"Sure, we talk to him and we show him love and we tell him he's a big part of what we're doing. Those are just trade rumors," Woodson said.
SUNDAY, 9:04am: Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com hears the Knicks are unlikely to bite on a Shumpert-for-Dudley deal.
SATURDAY, 7:53pm: Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld adds on to Wojnarowski's report, saying that the Knicks would rather move Ronnie Brewer than Shumpert, but the Suns are intent on acquiring the second-year guard.
6:55pm: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Phoenix Suns are pursuing a trade for Knicks guard Iman Shumpert. The Suns would offer a package including guard Jared Dudley and could possibly include a first-round pick as well.
Shumpert has been linked to the Suns since this summer, when they attempted to acquire him in a sign-and-trade with the Knicks for Steve Nash before Nash ultimately went to the Lakers. Saturday morning, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reported the Knicks' interest in Dudley, although Wojnarowski writes that New York is hesitant to do this trade.
Kyler On Gordon, Lakers, Redick, Expirings
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler took to Twitter for his latest round of trade deadline updates, and we'll round up the highlights here:
- We heard Friday that the Hornets are willing to discuss offers for Eric Gordon, but the team says its interest in trading him is overstated, according to Kyler, who adds that New Orleans is looking for "tremendous value" in return for the 24-year-old shooting guard.
- The Lakers, winners of seven out of nine games, have an open roster spot, and are without big men Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill because of injury. Still, they're unlikely to make an addition unless they start losing again.
- The Bucks, Bulls, Pacers and Knicks have all emerged as suitors for J.J. Redick, but the Magic's price is "very high" because they'd like to retain the sharpshooter.
- Answering a question about Cole Aldrich's $2.445MM expiring contract with the Rockets, Kyler says expiring deals aren't as sought-after this season as usual, because most teams that want to clear cap space for the summer have already done so, and teams looking to unload players to avoid the tax wouldn't be able to get under the tax line by dumping anyone in the last year of his deal. It's a trend he expects to continue under the new CBA, with shorter contracts and fewer teams likely to become taxpayers.
Odds & Ends: CP3, Clippers, Bargnani, Hunter, Scola
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Saturday evening:
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday.com writes that Chris Paul is unlikely to ever play for the Knicks, despite proclaimations he reportedly made to the contrary at Carmelo Anthony's wedding in 2010.
- Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com breaks down the Clippers' salary-cap flexibility for upcoming seasons.
- Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun writes that Andrea Bargnani is growing increasingly irrelevant in the Raptors' long-term plan.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer looks back at Billy Hunter's rocky tenure as executive director of the NBPA.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic praises Luis Scola's hard-nosed style, saying the veteran forward is a positive influence on the team's young players.
- Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News looks back at Nets interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo's tenure with the Spurs.
- Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes that, despite getting little playing time with the Mavericks, rookie Jared Cunningham is gaining valuable experience in the D-League.
- Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer examines the impact of trade rumors on head coaches in the NBA.
Bulls, Pacers Pursuing J.J. Redick
10:40pm: Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork reports that the Knicks are monitoring the market for Redick as well.
8:35pm: Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick has been one of the most heavily pursued players in the league in the weeks leading up to the February 21 trade deadline, and now Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld adds the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers to the list of teams that are contemplating trading for him.
Kennedy notes that the Bulls signed Redick to an offer sheet in 2010, which Orlando matched. He also cautions that the Magic have not made a decision as to whether they will trade Redick, although he will draw plenty of interest if they do decide to move him.