Magic Seeking Commitment From Dwight Howard
The Magic are telling teams they will trade Dwight Howard by the deadline if Howard doesn't make a commitment to staying in Orlando past this season, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
"Dwight's dreaming if he thinks Orlando won't trade him without a commitment,'' a source told Broussard. "He needs to make some small commitment to them. They're saying it can't be one way.''
Although the Magic would prefer to lock Howard up long-term, they would settle for D12 opting into the final year of his contract and staying for 2012/13. However, Howard hasn't shown that he's even willing to do that, leading to increased tension between the team and Howard's camp. Sources tell Broussard that the Magic are "incensed" with agent Dan Fegan, who they feel is leading the charge to convince the star center to leave Orlando.
The Magic were also upset over Howard's "roll the dice" comments after last night's game, and according to Broussard, Orlando has essentially invited teams to make their best offers. The ideal situation for the Magic would be creating a bidding war the Nets and Lakers, Broussard writes in a separate piece. Orlando would also be interested in a package of Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, but there's no indication the Knicks would make such an offer, particularly without assurances about Howard's long-term future.
You can find the rest of today's Howard updates here.
Reactions To The Bogut/Ellis Trade
The Warriors and Bucks finalized the first major trade of 2012 last night, with Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown heading to Milwaukee in exchange for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. The deal is an interesting one, particularly since Bogut's fractured ankle could sideline him for the rest of this season.
My thoughts: the move is a risky one for both sides. Bogut has suffered multiple major injuries in his career, and hasn't played more than 69 games in any of the last four seasons — his health has to be considered a question mark going forward. For the Bucks, pairing Ellis with Brandon Jennings may not be ideal, since both players are at their best when they're controlling the ball. Considering the Bucks were also able to acquire a youngster with upside in Udoh and swap Jackson's hefty 2012/13 salary for Brown's expiring deal, I prefer Milwaukee's side. But if the Warriors slide down this year's standings (keeping their top-seven-protected draft pick), then get a healthy, productive Bogut back next season, the deal will end up looking pretty good for Golden State.
Here are a few more reactions and opinions on the trade:
- The upside is higher for the Warriors than the Bucks in the deal, though Milwaukee obviously benefits more in the short term, writes Zach Lowe of SI.com.
- Christopher Reina of RealGM doesn't love the trade for either side, giving the Warriors a C grade and the Bucks a C+.
- In a piece for The Basketball Jones, Mark Deeks says the trade doesn't make sense, concluding that two teams that were going nowhere before are still going nowhere.
- The Jazz and Knicks are the big losers of the deal, according to John Hollinger of ESPN.com (Insider link). The Jazz will own the Warriors 2012 first-rounder if it's not a top-seven pick, while the Knicks are currently tied with the Bucks for eighth in the East. Hollinger likes the deal a lot for the Bucks, particularly because of the cap ramifications.
- In a statement, Warriors GM Larry Riley said the team was "extremely excited" to acquire Bogut, as Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle writes.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News explains the Warriors' motivations for the deal, and why it should work (in theory).
Carmelo, D’Antoni, Knicks At Odds
10:10am: Anthony says he doesn't want to be traded and that he supports D'Antoni, tweets Iannazzone.
9:45am: Al Iannazzone of Newsday hears most Knicks players aren't upset with D'Antoni, and are more bothered by Anthony not buying into the coach's system (Twitter link).
8:44am: Leon Rose, Anthony's agent, tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that reports of his client wanting out of New York are "total nonsense" and "laughable" (Twitter link).
7:29am: With the Knicks in the midst of a six-game losing streak, still winless in March, there's at least one team executive who would like to trade Carmelo Anthony, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. But MSG Chairman James Dolan doesn't intend to trade any Knicks today or tomorrow.
"He said he's not trading anyone," said a source who has direct contact with Dolan. "He said it's up to the coach to figure it out."
For the coach, Mike D'Antoni, "figuring it out" may not be so easy. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that D'Antoni has lost the Knicks' locker room during the team's current losing streak.
"The players like Mike as a person," a source said. "They think he's a good guy. But he doesn't have the respect of the team anymore."
According to Broussard, players are questioning D'Antoni, complaining about playing time, and confused about the coach's offensive and defensive schemes. Sources close to the situation tell Broussard that some players, including Anthony, have strayed from the system, mixing in some of their own plays with D'Antoni's and creating a "mess."
"Half the team is trying to do what coach says and the other half is doing something different," one source said. "Then it spills over to the defensive end because players are (ticked) off about somebody taking a bad shot."
During the Knicks' current slide, plenty of observers have questioned whether Anthony and D'Antoni can coexist on this Knicks squad, speculating that one will have to go sooner or later for the team to reach its full potential. Marc Berman writes about this topic in his latest column for the New York Post, noting that the player and coach talked last night in an attempt to work things out. However, before that discussion, 'Melo told a confidant that he might prefer a trade out of New York, and only wanted to remain a Knick if D'Antoni didn't return next season, according to Berman.
I can't imagine the Knicks will blow things up before tomorrow's trade deadline. The current coaching staff and roster should have until the end of the season to try to right the ship, but the team could definitely consider major changes this summer if the situation doesn't improve.
Amick’s Latest: Jennings, Evans, Knicks, Jackson
Sam Amick of SI.com explores a few trade deadline topics in his latest column. Here are the highlights:
- The Bucks have taken Brandon Jennings off the trade block, as we heard yesterday, telling Jennings' camp that he remains part of the team's future plans. Before Milwaukee made Jennings unavailable, the Hornets were interested in acquiring the young point guard to pair him with Eric Gordon.
- Before they dealt Monta Ellis to Milwaukee, the Warriors made multiple inquiries on Tyreke Evans. Golden State was prepared to discuss a deal that would've sent Ellis to the Kings, says Amick.
- Following up on reports of turmoil in New York, Amick hears divided opinions from sources close to the situation — some feel a coaching change is necessary for the Knicks, while others feel the onus is on Carmelo Anthony to adjust to Mike D'Antoni's system. Sources close to Jerry Sloan tell Amick that the former Jazz coach may be interested in coaching the Knicks if the position opens up.
- Traded players have 48 hours to report to their new teams and pass physicals, which means the Warriors may not have much of a window if they hope to flip Stephen Jackson to another team before the deadline.
- Amick also had a Dwight Howard update, which we covered here.
Knicks Exploring Toney Douglas Trade
The Knicks are exploring trade options involving Toney Douglas, a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. ESPN.com's Chris Broussard confirms the report.
Douglas, 25, averaged 10.6 PPG in 81 games for the Knicks last year, and begin this season as the team's starting point guard. However, following the emergence of Jeremy Lin, the return of Baron Davis, and the signing of J.R. Smith, Douglas has disappeared from New York's rotation. He hasn't played since February 15th, his only action in the last month.
Marc Berman of the New York Post suggested last week that the Knicks could listen to offers on Douglas. Berman speculated that New York would be seeking a couple of second-round picks for the former first-rounder.
Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, D’Antoni, Celtics
After losses by the Knicks and Nets early in the evening, a Celtics victory in Los Angeles kept the Atlantic Division from going winless last night and pulled Boston within 2.5 games of the 76ers. Here's the latest out of the Atlantic:
- It seems "inconceivable" that Carmelo Anthony and Mike D'Antoni will both be back with the Knicks next season, says Marc Berman of the New York Post. While a trade deadline move is unlikely, Berman hears from a source that Anthony is disgruntled, and the relationship between player and coach "appears to be deteriorating."
- An injury to Marquis Daniels was one reason Celtics GM Danny Ainge acquired Jeff Green at last year's deadline, so do this year's injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox mean another deal is coming? "It’s similar but I don’t feel like we have to do anything, other than get another big body," Ainge told Paul Flannery of WEEI.com. "But I don’t think we have to make a trade at all."
- Ainge and the Celtics will proceed with caution at this year's deadline, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, Smith, Celtics, Humphries
Here's the latest out of the Atlantic, where the 76ers' Sunday win extended their division lead to three games:
- Carmelo Anthony wasn't on board with the Knicks' signing of J.R. Smith, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. While Anthony's public comments indicated he was behind the move, Carmelo "was not gung-ho and was 'hurt' Knicks upper management tossed his advice out the window," according to Berman.
- WEEI.com's Paul Flannery examines how the Celtics might fill the void in the middle, following Jermaine O'Neal's wrist injury and Chris Wilcox's heart condition.
- Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes that Kris Humphries was cryptic when asked if he'd waive his no-trade clause for the right deal: "Would you jump off a bridge? It depends how high it is. It depends on if there’s a drowning baby in the water…. Cause if you jump in the summer, the water was warm enough, you know it’s deep underneath." Humphries' point, I believe, is that his decision would vary depending on where the Nets intended to send him.
- The Nets' MarShon Brooks isn't worried about the trade deadline, as he tells Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger.
Odds & Ends: Dwight Howard, Clippers, Jeremy Lin
With so much of the trade deadline activity hinging on what happens with the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, Magic CEO Alex Martins says the team has yet to make a decision on him, reports the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins.
The Magic are taking a huge gamble on a player worth taking such a gamble on. Robbins writes that a strong possibility is Howard opting out of his contract and exploring free agency while keeping the Orlando Magic at the negotiating table with an opportunity to re-sign their franchise player.
One reason why this is dragging on so long is the notion that Howard himself seems unsure of what he wants. And on that note, a quick thought: With lessons learned from the LeBron James fallout, if Howard had made up his mind definitively about where he would like to play next year, chances are he would not string the Magic along, or else he risks alienating himself to fans as James did.
Some other notes around the league:
- The Los Angeles Clippers are still exploring trade options to replace the injured Chauncey Billups at shooting guard reports ESPN LA's Ramona Shelburne. So far the Clippers have been reluctant to part with backup point guard Eric Bledsoe, whose trade value might rise in the offseason with a draft lacking quality point guard talent.
- The New York Knicks are reeling, but head coach Mike D'Antoni still supports point guard Jeremy Lin, writes ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling. D'Antoni is correct in stating Lin needs to play a very specific way, with plenty of spacing and energy from his teammates.
The Knicks have some offseason decisions to make, one of which may be on the future of D'Antoni himself. But the crux of the matter is whether they want to build their offense around the pick and roll heavy talents of Lin, or the stagnant isolation ball Carmelo Anthony has played his entire career. - Jason Fleming of Hoops World provides five steps for fixing the Portland Trail Blazers.
Knicks Notes: Smith, Chandler, Backcourt
Struggling to make any strides in a muddled playoff picture, the Knicks kick off a full slate of NBA action on Sunday against a 76ers team currently allowing the fewest amount of points per game. The Knicks presently occupy the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a middling Bucks squad two games back. Making noise in the news for a multitude of reasons, let's head to the Garden to see what's going on with the Knicks.
- With J.R. Smith demonstrating inconsistency as a starter since assuming Landry Fields' former role, Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni has reinstated Fields into the starting lineup effective immediately thanks to his improved play as a reserve, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Smith, signed just prior to the All-Star break after a stint in China, has averaged 8.9 PPG in his nine games with the Knicks. The former first-round pick out of New Jersey has been making headlines for his risque actions off the court leading to a hefty fine by the league.
- By many accounts the Knicks made one of the best moves of the abbreviated off-season by luring Tyson Chandler away from the Mavericks with a lucrative contract. According to Al Iannazzone of Newsday, Chandler believes the Knicks' roster has enough talent to close out games. "I feel like we may be the deepest team in the league. We should be able to come at teams in waves. It's a matter of putting that together." A newly-beardless Chandler, 29, makes his return to the starting lineup Sunday against the Sixers after missing two games with hamstring issues.
- Rather than focusing on fixing the struggling Knicks via trade, D'Antoni wants to explore providing the tandem of Jeremy Lin and Baron Davis more minutes together on the court to see how such a pairing may improve the squad's overall performance, writes Mark Hale of the New York Post.
Odds & Ends: Bogut, Rondo, Blatche
The talk of a 10-game night across the association has been about the health of two point guards whose absence could alter the plans of a pair of teams rumored to be among the most active nearing Thursday's trade deadline. Ricky Rubio of the Wolves tweeted that he'll receive an MRI on his left knee, which he hurt in his team's loss to the Lakers tonight. The team fears he has a torn ACL, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry of the Rockets was hospitalized with a fever and abdominal distress, HoopsWorld reports. Here's what's happening elsewhere:
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the trade candidacy of Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Bogut's agent David Bauman said there are several teams interested in talking to Bucks GM John Hammond about his client.
- Rajon Rondo appears to be conflicted about how trades might affect the chemistry of the Celtics. Rajon Rondo, who saw best friend Kendrick Perkins dealt away at the deadline last year, told Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston he doesn't care about what a trade would do to the team's chemistry this year. Yet, to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, Rondo said, "You can't get chemistry if you bring in new guys."
- Jason Kidd came close to joining a team that had just won the title when he thought about joining the Spurs in 2003, so he sympathizes with Lamar Odom, who arrived via trade to join this year's defending champs, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. For the record, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told the Galloway & Company radio show today that the uproar concerning Odom has come and gone.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld looks at the Grizzlies' early-season acquisition of Marreese Speights from the Sixers and wonders if that will wind up being the most effective deal of the year.
- Both John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune and Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com tweeted to note the progress of Lance Thomas, who signed with New Orleans for the rest of the season last month after the team gave him two 10-day contracts.
- The Wizards are willing to move anyone on the roster not named John Wall if another team will take Andray Blatche off their hands, tweets Michael Lee of The Washington Post.
- Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group notes the Warriors' lease in Oakland is up in 2017, and checks in with the progress of potential sites for a new home in Oakland and San Francisco. Venturing a guess, Kawakami has the San Francisco site as the most likely destination at this point.
- Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld proposes the Celtics as a potential destination for JaVale McGee, for whom the Wizards are reportly listening to offers.
- The Knicks starting lineup is in flux, and Newsday's Anthony Rieber takes a look at the quick changes engineered by coach Mike D'Antoni.
- Jeremy Evans' minimum salary contract expires at season's end, so time is running out for him to prove he can do more than win a dunk contest. Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how his theatrics during All-Star weekend haven't earned him any extra minutes with the Jazz.
- Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press passed along Pau Gasol's kind words about Kevin Love, two players who could be Wolves teammates if a rumored Gasol/Michael Beasley swap takes place, Richardson notes. "He's got a will and determination to go after every ball," Gasol said of Love. "Even though he's a little undersized and lost some weight, he's still a powerful player and playing at a high level. I'm definitely impressed with him."
- With Richard Hamilton and Luol Deng ailing, it's been hard for Bulls GM Gar Forman to get a true handle on how effective his team really is, writes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times. Forman must balance the team's current needs with its capability for long-term success, Hayes says.
- Bill Simmons of Grantland.com came out with his annual trade value column today in two parts, ranking the top 50 player assets across the league. The Heat's LeBron James is No. 1, meaning he'd be the player who would command the most in any trade, though James isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
- GM Sam Presti and the Thunder provide the small-market blueprint for Cavs GM Chris Grant, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.