FA Updates: Evans, Josh Smith, Pekovic, Clark
Tyreke Evans has been one of the most intriguing stories in free agency so far, with the Pelicans having extended a four-year, $44MM offer to the 23-year-old. Still, Evans has yet to agree to sign that offer, and there's no guarantee he'll do so, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets. The situation remains fluid, and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) believes if the Kings make Evans a comparable offer, he'd prefer to sign it and stay in Sacramento.
Let's round up a few more of today's free agent updates….
- As they continue to explore the possibility of making a big splash, the Warriors are trying to set up a meeting with Josh Smith, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (via Sulia). However, Smith doesn't seem as interested in the Warriors, who Thompson says "aren't going to jump as high as others to get him."
- Don't expect a whole lot of movement in talks for Nikola Pekovic until after Dwight Howard makes his decision, says Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News says (via Twitter) the Cavaliers are being extremely aggressive in their pursuit of Earl Clark, meeting with him yesterday and again today, though no offer has been extended yet.
- Dorell Wright met with the Thunder yesterday and was presented with one- and two-year contract offers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, adding that Wright received a similar proposal from the Trail Blazers. The Spurs, Grizzlies, and Mavericks also have interest in Wright, says Spears (via Twitter).
- Australian forward Joe Ingles is drawing interest from four NBA teams, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com, listing the Pacers, Grizzlies, Bucks, and Clippers as possible suitors for the 25-year-old.
Odds & Ends: Kings, Lee, Martin, Cavs, Bulls
Tyreke Evans is being courted by the Pelicans and Andre Iguodala is reportedly drawing interest from several teams, but the Kings are expected to make a pitch to both players today. Bryan May of News10 in Sacramento reports (via Twitter) that Sacramento brass is scheduled to meet with Evans and Iguodala in Los Angeles today.
Here are a few more Monday odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Evans is also expected to meet with the Pistons today, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News follows up on Adrian Wojnarowski's report of the Warriors gauging trade interest in David Lee by exploring the possibility of a deal and noting that the Warriors were "quickly rebuffed" when they offered Lee to the Lakers last year in a proposal for Pau Gasol.
- Expect the Grizzlies to become more interested in Kevin Martin if they're unable to bring back Tony Allen, tweets TNT's David Aldridge.
- The Cavaliers came close to acquiring a second top-10 pick in last week's draft, with an eye on adding Alex Len or Ben McLemore, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Thunder fans shouldn't worry that his new partnership with Jay-Z and Roc Nation Sports means he'll be leaving Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant tells Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman.
- 2011 second-round pick Bojan Bogdanovic continues to have interest in coming stateside to play for the Nets, but if Brooklyn uses its mini mid-level exception on a player like Kyle Korver, it's unlikely that Bogdanovic comes over this season, as Sean Deveney of the Sporting News writes.
- Bulls GM Gar Forman has reached out to free agents Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, and Nazr Mohammed, but sounds much more confident about retaining Mohammed than the other two. Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com has the details.
Thunder In Pursuit Of Dorell Wright
1:43pm: A source tells Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman that OKC's interest in Wright is "preliminary" and that the two sides haven't engaged in serious talks yet (Twitter link).
1:05pm: The Thunder have begun an aggressive pursuit of free agent swingman Dorell Wright, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wright appears to represent a lower-cost option for Oklahoma City if the team is unable to retain its own free agent shooting guard, Kevin Martin.
Speaking of Martin, the Thunder have a phone conversation scheduled with the former King and Rocket for this afternoon, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein. Considering all the attention Martin has received so far today, it's looking increasingly as if the Thunder will be outbid for him, but the club would like to concoct a sign-and-trade, if possible, tweets Stein. Even that may be tricky though, given OKC's lack of cap flexibility.
Wright is coming off a $4.11MM salary with the Sixers, while Martin earned $12.44MM in his lone season with the Thunder.
Point Guard Rumors: Calderon, Telfair, Mavs
With free agent rumors coming in fast, we have enough updates on point guards alone to dedicate a whole post to the position. Here's the latest:
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com hears the Pistons are intent on bringing back Jose Calderon (Twitter link), though an earlier report indicated that the team is unwilling to exceed a deal worth $7MM a year to re-sign him.
- Sebastian Telfair has drawn interest from the Knicks, Nets, Heat, and Thunder, sources tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link).
- Finding a starting point guard remains a top priority for the Mavericks, who hope to have Shane Larkin and Gal Mekel compete for backup minutes, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News suggests keeping an eye on Greivis Vasquez, though he's more of a secondary option for the Mavs, since the Pelicans may not be inclined to trade him even with Jrue Holiday on board.
- The Jazz, who had plenty of free agents come off their roster last night, were no doubt busy, but they did reach out to Jamaal Tinsley, tweets Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Nemanja Nedovic, who says he's ready to come stateside next season if the Warriors want him, was "shocked" when Golden State drafted him. He had worked out for the Pistons, Cavaliers, Hawks, Knicks, and Bucks, but not the Warriors, prior to the draft (Twitter links via Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle and Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group).
- The Sixers didn't extend a qualifying offer to Charles Jenkins, making him an unrestricted free agent, notes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Barnes, Mavs, Rockets, Pistons
Only one contract agreement has been reached so far on the first night of the NBA's 2013 free agent period, but that doesn't mean we weren't treated to plenty of news and rumors. Here are a few more odds and ends from a busy Sunday night:
- In addition to all the other players they reportedly contacted tonight, the Lakers reached out to Matt Barnes, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
- Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports that the Mavericks have expressed interest in Jose Calderon and Mo Williams. Even though MacMahon's report came before news broke that Dallas had agreed to sign Gal Mekel, it makes sense that the team would continue to seek a veteran point guard to complement rookies Mekel and Shane Larkin.
- MacMahon adds (via Twitter) that now that Mekel is under contract, the Mavs are likely to trade the rights to 2009 second-round pick Nick Calathes, something that GM Donnie Nelson has hinted at.
- After an encouraging meeting with Dwight Howard in Los Angeles, the Rockets will target players to complement him rather than fall-back options, says Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The team will meet with Corey Brewer and Mike Dunleavy next, according to Feigen (Twitter links).
- Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press spoke to Pistons owner Tom Gores about the process of hiring head coach Maurice Cheeks, the team's long-term vs. short-term prospects, and free agency.
- Several NBA teams have expressed interest in point guard Bobby Brown, who played for four clubs between 2008 and 2010, tweets Shelburne.
- Since they weren't released on or before June 30th, the 2013/14 contracts for E'Twaun Moore (Magic), Chandler Parsons (Rockets), Jason Smith (Pelicans), and Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) have become fully guaranteed. Paul Pierce's contract also became fully guaranteed, so it can be used in the Nets/Celtics swap that will be finalized later this month.
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein rounds up the latest on a few early free agency rumors. We've already heard about most of the stories Stein addresses, such as the Nets leading the race for Kyle Korver, the Pelicans pursuing Tyreke Evans, and the Timberwolves and Bucks targeting Kevin Martin. However, there are a few notable tidbits from Stein, including word that the Thunder's odds of retaining Martin are dwindling.
Odds & Ends: Mayo, Martin, Noel, Bulls
Here's the latest from around the Association as we gear up for the start of free agency..
- The Jazz, Bucks, Timberwolves, Clippers, Blazers, Bobcats, and Bulls are all likely suitors for Mavs guard O.J. Mayo, USA Today's Sam Amick tweets. Mayo is expected to turn down his $4.2MM option this summer and it makes a lot of sense considering the number of teams with major cap space to burn.
- Kevin Martin is expected to draw interest from the Bucks, Pelicans, Timberwolves, Mavericks, and Pistons, as well as the Thunder, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
- Before Nerlens Noel fell to pick No. 6, the Pelicans were entertaining the idea of trading that selection to the Bobcats for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe notes amid his weekly roundup.
- Drastic change isn't likely to blow through the Windy City for the Bulls this summer, writes Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com. There's still a lot of moving pieces for the club, but the major shifting probably won't come until the summer of 2014 for the Bulls.
- The Wizards face some tough decisions with free agency approaching, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Washington obviously won't be in play for any of the elite free agents this summer and they have their sights set on less-thrilling goals, like retaining small forward Martell Webster.
- We hear similar news out of Portland, where Joe Freeman of The Oregonian cautions fans not to expect anything too crazy out of the Blazers. Of course, there have been rumblings over LaMarcus Aldridge's discontent.
Odds & Ends: Howard, Korver, Thunder
The Lakers are in limbo as they await Dwight Howard's free agent decision, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The situation isn't entirely new to L.A. though as they went through a similar in 2004 when Kobe Bryant gave some thought to leaving the team but staying in the same building by signing with the Clippers. Ultimately, an eleventh-hour phone call from the late Jerry Buss kept him in purple-and-gold. Here's the latest from around the Association..
- The Nets are among the club's with interest in Kyle Korver but they're far from alone in that, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Brooklyn's extremely high payroll also limits them in their pursuit of the free agent sharpshooter.
- The Thunder's draft was underwhelming to some, but star Kevin Durant likes OKC's haul and believes that most of the criticism comes from a lack of name recognition, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. The Thunder took Pitt center Steven Adams at No. 12, traded up three spots to take Colorado forward Andre Roberson at No. 26, took Alex Abrines out of Spain at No. 32, and acquired Grant Jerrett, originally the 40th pick out of Arizona by Portland.
- Undrafted free agent Laurence Bowers will play for the Grizzlies' summer league team, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (on Twitter). The Missouri forward has promise but is viewed as a tweener.
Thunder Acquire Grant Jerrett
9:53pm: Oklahoma City has officially announced the move via press release.
12:17am: The Thunder acquired 40th overall pick Grant Jerrett from the Trail Blazers, GM Sam Presti confirmed, according to John Rohde of the Oklahoman (via Twitter). Jason Quick of the Oregonian first tweeted that Jerrett had been dealt by the Blazers. Portland will receive cash considerations for Jerrett.
It was a busy draft night for both the Thunder and the Blazers. Oklahoma City landed Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, and Alex Abrines to go along with Jerrett. Meanwhile, even without Jerrett, Portland still walked away with C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Jeff Withey, and Marko Todorovic.
No. 26 Pick To Thunder, No. 29 To Warriors
FRIDAY, 9:52pm: The Thunder confirmed their end of the trade via press release. Oklahoma City acquired the rights to Roberson (No. 26) in exchange for Archie Goodwin (No. 29) and cash (presumably the $1MM that Kawakami reported).
THURSDAY, 11:22pm: Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has the details on the Warriors' trades via Twitter. According to Kawakami, Golden State gave up $1.6MM and a 2014 second-rounder for the Wolves' 26th overall pick and Malcolm Lee. The Warriors then got $1MM from the Thunder to move back to No. 29. Finally, Golden State sent Lee and the 29th pick to the Suns for No. 30. The key takeaway here is that Lee's guaranteed 2013/14 salary is now on Phoenix's books.
9:42pm: According to Katz (via Twitter), the Warriors also sent a future second-round pick to the Wolves in order to initially grab the 26th pick.
9:17pm: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports now reports (via Twitter) that the Thunder have moved up to No. 26, while the Warriors will acquire OKC's No. 29 pick. According to ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman (via Twitter), Golden State bought the 26th pick from Minnesota, then sent it to the Thunder for the 29th pick and cash. The Thunder will take Andre Roberson with the 26th pick, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
9:13pm: The Timberwolves have agreed to send the No. 26 overall pick to the Warriors, according to ESPN.com's Andy Katz (via Twitter). The Wolves had previously picked up an extra first-rounder by sending their 9th overall pick to the Jazz for the 14th and 21st picks. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune first reported (via Twitter) that the Wolves appeared likely to move the 26th pick.
More Draft Rumors: Thunder, Cavs, Raptors, Jazz
The Cavaliers will be on the clock in less than two hours, and we still don't know exactly what they'll do with that No. 1 pick. The rest of the first round only gets more uncertain, so it looks like we're in for a fun night. Here are the latest rumors and rumblings related to the 2013 draft:
- The Thunder tried to acquire the Cavs' first overall pick, but OKC's bid failed, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- According to ESPN.com's Andy Katz (via Twitter), the Cavs have made a decision on their first overall pick, assuming they hang onto it. Within the next 15 minutes or so, we'll know what that decision is.
- The Raptors are finding no traction in their efforts to acquire a lottery pick, tweets Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
- While the Wolves continue attempting to move up in the lottery, teams ahead of them are "hesitant" to move their picks, a source tells ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- While the Jazz could be seeking a point guard at No. 14, don't expect Michael Carter-Williams to fall to them, says Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- The Cavs "definitely" have interest in Lucas Nogueira, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford is hearing that the Pistons will ride things out and keep the No. 8 pick (Twitter link).
- The Mavericks continue to shop the 13th pick "as hard as advertised," in hopes of landing a 2014 lottery pick, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com.
- In addition to the Suns (mentioned below), the Timberwolves also remain in play for the No. 1 pick, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- The Suns have offered the Cavs the Nos. 5 and 30 picks for the first overall pick, tweets ESPN.com's Chad Ford. Phoenix is after Nerlens Noel, according to Ford. But given how highly the Cavs seem to value that top pick, I doubt that offer gets it done.
- There's "little chance" that the Magic part with the No. 2 pick, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
- While the Timberwolves still have interest in trading up from No. 9, the price remains high, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. In the likely scenario that Minnesota remains at No. 9, the team is expected to target Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cody Zeller, and C.J. McCollum, in that order.
- The Cavs continue to explore trades involving the No. 1 pick, and Broussard says (via Twitter) that if they take anyone besides Alex Len, it could be part of a deal.
- Various reports indicate that the Raptors are looking to acquire a lottery pick. Broussard tweets that they could be trying to get as high as No. 2, while Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com is hearing (Twitter link) Toronto is targeting a late lottery pick with its eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- The Suns are trying to acquire late-first-round picks, hoping to add more young players to the roster, tweets Broussard.
- Although the Trail Blazers would like to add veterans more than youth, indications are that they'll keep the No. 10 pick, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- The possibility that the Thunder could draft Antetokounmpo at No. 12 probably scares the Hawks, who have long coveted the "Greek Freak," tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.