Broussard On Eric Gordon, Rockets, Pacers, Smith
Already today, we've passed along a few trade rumors from Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Now, it's Chris Broussard's turn, as the ESPN reporter has published a lengthy Insider-only piece on the latest rumblings from around the league. Here's what Broussard has for us:
- The Hornets have made some calls to gauge Eric Gordon's trade value, but Broussard hears that there's less than a 10% chance he's moved within the next week. The Mavericks, Rockets, and the Warriors are among the clubs believed to have inquired on Gordon.
- The Rockets still figure to make a run at Dwight Howard this summer, but Andrew Bynum and perhaps a trade for Gordon are the team's Plan Bs. Since Houston is saving its cap space for the summer, the club isn't expected to be too active at the trade deadline.
- Indiana will likely keep Danny Granger through the deadline, but is willing to move Tyler Hansbrough, D.J. Augustin, or Gerald Green. The Pacers dangled Hansbrough and Augustin when talking to the Magic about J.J. Redick, but Orlando didn't have interest.
- Three different general managers told Broussard on Wednesday that Danny Ferry and the Hawks have decided not to re-sign Josh Smith this summer and are trying hard to trade him this week. Rival executives don't expect Ferry to settle for the Nets' offer of Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks, however.
- The Hawks have also discussed moving Kyle Korver and Anthony Morrow.
- Teams have been calling the Suns, one of the league's most active clubs, about Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, and Jared Dudley. A deal with the Knicks involving Dudley and Iman Shumpert is "not happening," according to Broussard's sources.
- As has been the case for many reporters over the last few weeks, Broussard has received mixed reports on whether the Jazz are more likely to trade Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson. The Trail Blazers are one team that likes Millsap, says Broussard.
- A few executives that have spoken to Broussard have mentioned the possibility of the Clippers trying to trade DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler to create the necessary cap space to make a play for Dwight Howard this summer. That one sounds awfully far-fetched to me though, considering the team would have to make additional moves to clear enough room, and would have to acquire only expiring contracts in return. Even then, there's no guarantee they could land Howard as a free agent.
Ford’s Latest: Smith, Hawes, Turner, Granger
In an earlier post, we passed along Chad Ford's report on Brandon Jennings' discontent in Milwaukee. Ford's latest Insider-only piece at ESPN.com featured plenty of additional trade notes though, so we'll round up the highlights here:
- The consensus around the NBA continues to suggest that Josh Smith is unlikely to remain with the Hawks next season, whether he leaves by trade or free agency.
- According to Ford, the 76ers have been "dangling" Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner as potential trade chips, and could be a team to watch in the Smith sweepstakes.
- The Raptors would like to acquire a backup point guard in an Andrea Bargnani deal.
- Danny Granger is probably out of the Pacers' price range over the long-term, so if he's not moved in the next week, he's a good candidate to be shopped this summer. Ford names the Clippers as a potential suitor for Granger.
- While anyone on the Suns' roster is available for the right piece, it's not entirely clear what they're looking for in return, as they've been linked to everyone from Al Jefferson to Iman Shumpert. Ford suggests that's a sign that Phoenix doesn't necessarily have a "coherent rebuilding plan."
Trade Candidate: Jared Dudley
The Suns wouldn't be averse to trading any of their players, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports wrote today, and as they target Iman Shumpert, Al Jefferson, Gordon Hayward and others, Jared Dudley is a name that keeps coming up on Phoenix's end. The 27-year-old swingman is again performing close to the level he attained in last season's career-best campaign, and with an affordable long-term contract, he could be a fit for teams looking for a steady, if unspectacular, role player.
Dudley has been linked to the Knicks and Jazz in recent days, and the Grizzlies were reportedly insisting that Dudley be included in any offer that would have sent Rudy Gay to the Suns. Among those three teams, he would probably make the most sense in Memphis, where his long-range accuracy (he's made 38.9% of his treys this season) would help a squad that's last in the league in three-pointers made this season. Dudley could provide depth for the Grizzlies, who've continually reduced their forces to shed salary. Even now that Gay is in Toronto, the Grizzlies could slide Dudley's $4.25MM salary into the $7,489,453 trade exception they received in last month's three-team deal, and still have plently of room on the exception and under the tax line to add someone else. The hangup there would probably be over what the Suns would get in return, since Memphis doesn't have much in the way of draft picks to surrender, and giving up a player to get one in return wouldn't solve the team's depth issues.
The Knicks are at the opposite end of the three-point spectrum from the Grizzlies, having made the second-most long balls of any team in the league, so Dudley would likely overlap with existing talent in the Big Apple. Still, too much outside shooting isn't necessarily a problem, and for a high-payroll team like New York, Dudley's contract could be a welcome value. He's set to make the same salary every year through 2016, though the final season of his deal includes an early-termination option. Finding cheap contracts wouldn't really seem like a pressing concern for the Jazz, who have only about $25.3MM in commitments for next season, but GM Dennis Lindsey and company, just like every team's front office, aren't going to turn down a value, particularly if they'd be swapping him out for Gordon Hayward's rookie contract.
Utah is in the bottom third of the league in three-pointers made, but perhaps the reason why Utah and other teams would hesitate to jump at Dudley is that he probably wouldn't really represent a significant all-around upgrade, particularly if he's in the starting lineup. The 22nd pick in the 2007 draft, Dudley set his career mark in points per game at 12.7 last year, his first as a full-time starter. He's at 11.5 PPG this year, with averages of 3.5 rebounds and a career-high 2.6 assists in 29.4 minutes per game. Those conventional statistics suggest mediocrity, and they're backed up by his 15.1 PER, right on the mark for an average player. His presence hasn't been able to lift the Suns out of last place in the Western Conference, and while he could be the missing piece on an established team, Dudley by himself is nothing special.
Teams that can utilize him as a fifth starter alongside a more explosive wing player or use him as a shooter off the bench seem like the right fits. Though his name is not often mentioned when the league's best marksmen are discussed, he's a career 40.5% three-point shooter, and nailed 45.8% of his attempts from behind the arc in 2009/10, the fourth-best percentage in the league that season. He seems like he could be a more inexpensive option for teams going after J.J. Redick, who's making $6.19MM this year in the final season of his contract. Dudley would be a long-term alternative who could also be much easier to obtain, considering the Suns are looking to deal while the Magic seem reluctant to part with Redick. Given the volume of Redick rumors we've seen this season, Dudley's team-friendly pact, and Phoenix's willingness to make changes, I think the Boston College product shouldn't get too comfortable in the warmth of the Valley of the Sun.
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.
Suns Interested In Al Jefferson, Gordon Hayward
The last-place team in the Western Conference at 17-35, the Suns are lottery-bound, but with cap space to spare and a handful of movable assets, the club is expected to be active at the trade deadline. In his latest round-up of the trade rumors surrounding the team, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports that the Suns have shown interest in Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward.
While it's not clear if the Suns and Jazz have engaged in discussions about a possible deal, Coro notes that Jared Dudley, who has been the subject of trade rumblings himself, could be a potential outgoing piece, with Marcin Gortat likely needed to make a deal for Jefferson work. Although Jefferson is set to be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, his Bird Rights would come along with him in any trade, giving his new team a bit of a leg up in re-signing him this summer.
For his part, Dudley is trying to avoid letting trade rumors faze him, pointing out that it's just flattering to be drawing interest.
"When my name came up before, I was a throw-in," Dudley said. "Now, I think I’ve worked on my game where I could be a good piece or asset for the Suns or any team."
The Suns also reportedly have interest in acquiring Iman Shumpert, as we heard over the weekend.
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.
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.
Odds & Ends: Josh Smith, Suns, Mavs, Tony Allen
It's a light five-game schedule in the NBA tonight, with no clashes of two teams that appear to be headed for the playoffs. So, it may be time for a few executives around the league to take their eyes off the court and delve into trade talks, with the deadline just a dozen days away. We'll be keeping tabs on all the latest, with a few afternoon items right here:
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News expects the Suns and Mavs to be players for Josh Smith before the deadline (Twitter link). Yesterday we heard there's a 60% chance the Hawks deal Smith away, and that they're seeking a "quality young center" in return — the sort of asset neither Phoenix nor Dallas appears to possess, which could necessitate a three-way swap.
- Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth praises Tony Allen's defense, and passes along comments from the Grizzlies swingman about hitting free agency this summer. "I'd like to stay but whatever happens I'm cool with it," Allen said. "I'll get what's coming to me. At least I hope. They say defense wins games, right? They say it's all about how you play defense, right?"
- Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game is surprised that Brandon Jennings has changed agents, arguing that Excel's Jeff Schwartz is likely to use the same leverage BDA's Bill Duffy would have when Jennings becomes a restricted free agent in the offseason (Sulia link).
- Brad Rock of the Deseret News believes the Jazz should stand pat at the trade deadline and preserve their flexibility for the summer.
- Chris Dortch of NBA.com looks at how potential No. 1 overall pick Nerlens Noel sizes up against Anthony Davis and other shot-blocking savants.
- Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com examines the top power forwards available in the 2013 draft.
Knicks Eyeing Jared Dudley
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports (via Twitter) that the New York Knicks are interested in trading for Suns swingman Jared Dudley before the February 21 trade deadline. It is unclear what sort of package the Knicks could offer.
Dudley was previously rumored to be part of a package the Suns were offering to the Grizzlies for Rudy Gay. Gay was ultimately dealt to the Toronto Raptors in January. Dudley is making $4.25MM this season, which would make it difficult for New York to put together an attractive enough package to land Dudley. It is doubtful Phoenix would be interested in veterans such as Steve Novak or Marcus Camby, and the Knicks have already traded away many of their future first-round draft picks.
Pacific Notes: Hill, Frye, Kings, Lakers
Whether or not the Lakers have what it takes to come close to fulfilling their promise this season, they've already outstripped all expectations for drama. Tonight was no exception, as they bounced back from last night's blowout loss, erasing a 20-point deficit in Charlotte to defeat the Bobcats. The win assures they'll finish better than .500 on their seven-game road trip, which finishes up Sunday with a visit to the defending champion Heat. We've got more on the Lakers and their Pacific brethren right here:
- Clippers reserve Grant Hill has been hinting at retirement, but told Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida "there's definitely a chance" he returns for the final season of his deal next year.
- USA Today's Sam Amick checks in one of Hill's former Suns teammates, Channing Frye. The sharpshooting big man said he's 95% sure he'll be able to make it back next season from the heart ailment that's kept him out all of this year.
- A hearing has been scheduled for later this month in a lawsuit brought by a Seattle longshoremen's union that contends the arena plan at the centerpiece of a potential Kings move violates Washington state environmental laws. The suit seeks to nullify the agreement on the building between local governments and investor Chris Hansen. Tony Bizjak, Dale Kasler and Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee have the details.
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post examines the conflicting goals of Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.