Odds & Ends: Bucks, Celtics, Raptors, NBPA
A year ago, the biggest unrestricted free agent on the open market, Deron Williams, made his decision to sign with the Nets on July 3rd. A year later, the two biggest free agents available are Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Paul quickly agreed to re-sign with the Clippers, while Howard is visiting with the Mavericks and Lakers today after meeting with the Rockets, Warriors, and Hawks earlier in the week.
Will Howard follow in D-Will's footsteps and make a decision on the 3rd, once his meetings are finished? We'll have to wait to find out, but in the meantime, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the Association….
- In examining potential free agent targets for the Bucks, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times says to keep an eye on Carl Landry and Devin Harris, who both told Woelfel recently that they'd be open to playing in Milwaukee.
- Woelfel adds in a tweet that the Bucks appear to be eyeing former Pacers GM David Morway as a potential assistant GM in Milwaukee.
- As Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes, tanking hasn't exactly worked for the Celtics in the past, so it may not be the best approach for the 2013/14 team either.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star says there's a belief Raptors GM Masai Ujiri may not use the amnesty provision later this month, in order to keep Linas Kleiza's expiring contract around for trade purposes.
- Writing for The Basketball Jones, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com explains why the Andrea Bargnani trade looks much better for the Raptors than the Knicks.
- Because the Suns decided not to release P.J. Tucker yesterday and the Clippers held on to Willie Green, both players' contracts have become fully guaranteed for the 2013/14 season, per ShamSports.com.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com examines some of the Lakers' free agent targets, attempting to determine which possibilities are more realistic than others.
- The NBA players' union has filed a motion to dismiss Billy Hunter's lawsuit against the NBPA, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Kyler On Pekovic, Spurs, Iguodala, Pelicans, C’s
Here's the latest on free agency from Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld:
- The Trail Blazers are expected to extend a "massive" offer to Nikola Pekovic, according to Kyler. After acquiring Thomas Robinson, Portland won't have the necessary cap room to make a huge offer, but perhaps the team has another move in mind to clear some space.
- Al Jefferson, who is expected to meet with the Bobcats this week, has been linked to the Spurs as well. Kyler also hears from sources that San Antonio "kicked the tires" on a possible Marcin Gortat trade, so the Spurs are exploring ways to add a big man.
- The Mavericks may make Andre Iguodala a "serious offer" if they miss out on Dwight Howard, says Kyler.
- If Tyreke Evans wants to join the Pelicans, New Orleans would be open to moving Greivis Vasquez or Austin Rivers, either in a sign-and-trade with the Kings or in a separate deal, according to Kyler. However, the team seems more inclined to hang on to Eric Gordon.
- Sources close to Rajon Rondo say the Celtics have pledged to be aggressive in putting together a roster around him that will be competitive in 2013/14 and beyond, writes Kyler.
Knicks, Others Express Interest In Monta Ellis
Monta Ellis is drawing plenty of interest from contending teams early in free agency, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who reports that the Knicks are among the clubs to express interest in the veteran guard. The Bulls, Spurs, Nuggets and Suns have also inquired on Ellis, says Berger.
Many of those teams would seem to be long shots for Ellis. The Knicks, for instance, likely won't be able to acquire players via sign-and-trade since they're over the tax line, so they'll only have the mini mid-level exception ($3.18MM) available. Considering he just turned down an option worth $11MM, Ellis seems unlikely to sign with a team that can't even offer him that amount over three years.
Still, Ellis and agent Jeff Fried are "known to be willing to compromise in order to sign with a contending team," according to Berger, so it's probably too early to rule out any suitors, as unlikely as they may appear.
Western Notes: Rockets, Iguodala, Clippers
The Rockets have been expected to waive Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks before their salaries become fully guaranteed at the end of today, but Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears the team is still pursuing 11th-hour trade possibilities for the two, despite the slim chance they'll find a deal (Twitter links). That's just one of many news items out of the West with free agency less than 12 hours away:
- With a host of teams vying for Andre Iguodala, Nuggets GM Tim Connelly and coach Brian Shaw will meet with Iguodala on Monday in Los Angeles, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- Doc Rivers is downplaying talk of a trade involving Eric Bledsoe or anyone else, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times notes. The Clippers have interest in retaining Lamar Odom and Matt Barnes, Turner reports, adding that the Lakers are also high on Barnes.
- Though the Clippers reportedly prefer Andrea Bargnani to DeMar DeRozan, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes that Rivers has always held DeRozan in high regard (Twitter link).
- O.J. Mayo is expected to turn down his $4.2MM player option for next season, and while his preference is to return to Dallas, the Mavs won't receive a discount, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Carl Landry's first priority will be to re-sign with the Warriors, but he believes there will be about half a dozen teams pursuing him, and he expects the Blazers to be one of them, the power forward tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Landry reciprocates Portland's interest.
- The Suns won't be in the market for big-ticket free agents, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The team prefers to keep its cap flexibility to accomodate an enticing trade possibility or next year's crop of free agents. The Suns will be in contact with Wesley Johnson, one of their own free agents, Coro says.
- New Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro is promising an "aggressive" approach to the offseason, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee observes. The Kings won't simply let restricted free agent Tyreke Evans go without matching his offer or working out a sign-and-trade, writes Voisin, who pegs his market value at between $8MM and $10MM per year.
- Yesterday was the deadline for the Spurs to waive Matt Bonner before his $3.945MM salary for next season, which had been partially guaranteed for $1MM, became fully guaranteed. So, Bonner will be back, unless the team waives him via amnesty, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News points out as he examines the Spurs' offseason.
Knicks Rumors: Will Bynum, Watson, Harris, Brand
The Knicks are expected to be well into the luxury tax for next season, but that won't stop them from trying to improve their team, especially given the allure of the Madison Square Garden spotlight. Here's the latest:
- The Knicks are looking for a point guard to replace the retired Jason Kidd, and have Will Bynum, C.J. Watson and Devin Harris on their radar, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post, who identifies Bynum as tops on that list. They're also looking for a backup big man, with Elton Brand and Lamar Odom under consideration, along with incumbent Kenyon Martin.
- J.R. Smith believes he'll get an offer that exceeds the maximum of approximately $5.4MM that the Knicks can give him, Berman adds. The Bucks, Pistons and Suns are considering Smith.
- The Knicks are resigned to the idea that Chris Copeland will sign elsewhere for more money, according to Berman. More than half a dozen other NBA teams are chasing Copeland. Berman believes the team may try to work out a sign-and-trade involving Copeland that would net a trade exception around $4MM, allowing the Knicks to bring aboard another player that way. The Knicks are also open to the idea of trading Steve Novak, Berman writes.
- The Knicks like Mike Dunleavy and Marco Belinelli, but they're prioritizing a point guard instead with their mini mid-level, according to Berman.
- GM Glen Grunwald and company hope proven veterans will become available in trades, and likely would be willing to part with anyone other than Carmelo Anthony for the right deal, Newsday's Al Iannazzone reports.
Suns Waive Hamed Haddadi
The Suns have waived center Hamed Haddadi, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Haddadi's deal, which had been scheduled to pay him nearly $1.4MM in 2013/14, was only guaranteed for $200K as long as he was waived by today, as Coro points out.
It's certainly no surprise that the Suns want to save nearly $1.2MM with the move, even though the 28-year-old averaged more playing time in his 17-game stint with the Suns this past season than in any other year of his career. He notched 4.1 points and an eye-catching 5.1 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game for Phoenix after coming over from the Raptors at the deadline. Haddadi never made an appearance for Toronto in the few weeks he spent with the team, which acquired him from the Grizzlies in January as part of the Rudy Gay trade.
Without Haddadi, the Suns still appear well-stocked at the center position, with Marcin Gortat and No. 5 overall pick Alex Len. The team also faces a decision about whether to fully guarantee Shannon Brown's $3.5MM deal, which is only 50% guaranteed if the team cuts him loose today.
Suns GM Says He Won’t Trade Gortat
7:51pm: Shams Charania of RealGM.com provides some additional details, noting that Suns coach Jeff Hornacek envisions Gortat as a mentor for Len. He also passes along a comment from Zucker that seems to back up my suspicion that Gortat could be moved later on.
"It’s clear they are in a rebuild and they drafted a center, so [a trade] would make sense, but for now they want to hold onto him," Zucker said. "As with everything in the league, it should be stated: As of today."
7:30pm: New Suns GM Ryan McDonough said on radio Friday that Marcin Gortat will begin the 2013/14 season as the starting center in Phoenix, ruling out the possibility that team's decision to draft center Alex Len fifth overall Thursday would lead to a trade of Gortat. McDonough told the Burns and Gambo show on Arizona Sports 620 that the team is not looking to move the 29-year-old Gortat, as Dave Dulberg of ArizonaSports.com notes.
The Blazers have been interested in Gortat, according to a recent report, and he seemed to spend much of the past season on the trading block. Gortat is set to make about $7.7MM in the final season of his contract in 2013/14, and while McDonough said he isn't sure about the veteran's long-term future with the club, he seemed to hint that they'll consider an extension this summer.
"We'll see after July 1 what he and his agent have in mind," McDonough said. "I haven't had any discussions about (his long-term future) yet, but we do have him under contract for another year."
The Guy Zucker client turned down a multiyear extension offer from the Suns last summer, though that was when former GM Lance Blanks was still around. And unlike in 2012, when Gortat could only have added two more seasons to his contract, any extension he signs this summer could run through 2017.
While McDonough said Gortat would be with the Suns at the start of this coming season, he didn't say that Gortat would end next season with the team. McDonough made mention of Len's foot injury in discussing Gortat, so perhaps the GM will become more open to the idea of trading Gortat once Len becomes healthy, though that's just my speculation.
Suns Move Up To No. 29
The Warriors have reached an agreement with the Suns that will see Golden State move back to No. 30 from No. 29, while Phoenix moves up a spot, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). The Suns will use the 29th pick to select Archie Goodwin.
Mid-Draft Rumors: Noel, 76ers, Warriors, Suns
You can follow tonight's draft picks right here, but we're hearing plenty of other rumblings outside of the picks themselves. Let's round up a few….
- One executive whose team passed on Nerlens Noel told Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the Kentucky big man is actually healthier than Anthony Bennett or Alex Len, so injury concerns weren't the reason Noel slipped.
- The blockbuster trade the Sixers made, acquiring Noel and a 2014 first-rounder for Jrue Holiday, signals one reason the team hasn't hired a coach yet, tweets Broussard. With a rebuild seemingly on the way, the 76ers wanted a new head coach to know what he was getting into.
- The Warriors are receiving calls on Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes, but value both players "very, very, very highly," according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter).
- The Suns drafted Alex Len to keep him, and have no deals in place, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- A Luke Ridnour/Ekpe Udoh swap between the Timberwolves and Bucks won't happen tonight, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- The Cavs are in the process of trying to move up from No. 19, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
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.