Western Notes: Brooks, Fortson, Jazz
With a busy Monday chock full of games set to get underway, let's take a look around the Western Conference to catch up on the latest news and happenings.
- Stefan Swiat of Suns.com says Suns general manager Lance Blanks took a flight to China on Monday to check in on CBA All-Star point guard Aaron Brooks. The former Oregon star has thrived in China as he has led his squad to the CBA Finals thanks to his 21.9 PPG and 4.7 APG. Adding a hot Brooks for the stretch run may be enough for the Suns to clinch a playoff spot with the team currently one game behind the Rockets for the eighth seed.
- The Rockets are set to sign guard Courtney Fortson for the remainder of the season with a team option for next year, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. Fortson, 23, signed a 10-day contract with the team on March 18th after being cut by the Clippers in late January. The rookie out of Arkansas is currently averaging 2.8 PPG and 1.2 RPG in five games with the Rockets.
- Lang Greene of HoopsWorld writes many Jazz players are relieved that the trade deadline has passed given the uncertainty surrounding the front office's plans for developing the roster. Since the deadline, the Jazz have won six of their last seven games, putting the team in the playoff mix as the current seventh seed in the Western Conference.
Spurs Pushing For Boris Diaw
The Spurs have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Boris Diaw once he passes through waivers, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Diaw was bought out by the Bobcats today and is expected to clear waivers on Friday.
San Antonio is also waiting on visa issues to finalize its deal with Patrick Mills, but the team has two open roster spots, so it wouldn't need to make a move to add both Mills and Diaw. Both players would be eligible for the postseason if they were to sign with the Spurs.
Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News wrote earlier today that the Spurs would be interested in signing Diaw. Fellow Frenchman Tony Parker spoke prior to the trade deadline about his desire to have the forward join him in San Antonio. Diaw also has a fan in Steve Nash, but Phoenix will likely pass on the former Sun, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
Pacific Notes: Ebanks, Lakers, Clippers, Hill
The Pacific Division was turned upside down last night, as the division's three playoff contenders all lost, while the last-place Kings topped Memphis behind 31 points from Marcus Thornton and Jason Thompson's fourth consecutive double-double. As the Lakers, Clippers, and Suns look to get back in the win column tonight, let's round up the latest updates on the Pacific's top three squads….
- Devin Ebanks' agent David Bauman told the Los Angeles Times that his client likely won't return to the Lakers next season if Matt Barnes and Metta World Peace are still on the team and receiving most of the small forward minutes: "He'll find an opportunity where he'll have a better chance to break into a rotation." Ebanks, 22, will be eligible for restricted free agency if the Lakers extend him a qualifying offer worth $1.03MM, in which case L.A. would be able to match any offer sheet he received. Barnes' contract expires at season's end, while World Peace is an amnesty candidate.
- The ongoing changes to the Clippers' roster and rotation have affected the team's offensive output, says Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Suns forward Grant Hill wants to keep playing until he "can't go or it's not fun anymore," he tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. The 39-year-old, who's on a one-year, $6.5MM contract, thinks he can play for at least another season or two.
Pacific Notes: Hill, Wallace, Trade
Fewer than half of the NBA's 30 teams are involved in a seven-game slate tonight, but four of the five Pacific Division clubs are in action. Let's take a look at what's happening out west:
- Grant Hill, 39, thinks he can play "another year, maybe two" after this season and hopes to finish his career with the Suns, writes Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
- Rasheed Wallace, who has been linked to the Lakers and the Heat, will wait until after Friday to make his decision on where to sign, Tomasson tweets.
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks back on last year's Suns–Magic trade, which had Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus going to Phoenix and Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark headed east. After tonight's loss to the Heat, the Suns are 51-52 since the trade, and even though Gortat has ably filled a hole at center, Schmitz believes the Magic won the deal, if only by a hair.
Latest On J.J. Hickson
After failing to find a trade at last week's deadline, the Kings parted ways with J.J. Hickson yesterday, buying him out of the remainder of his contract. Hickson is expected to land in Golden State, but still needs to clear waivers, and may have other teams interested in him. Here's the latest on Hickson, with the newest updates up top:
- Hickson will likely pick the Warriors over the Suns because Golden State can offer him a larger role, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- As we covered earlier, the Pacers, Cavaliers, and Raptors, who all have enough cap space to easily absorb Hickson's $2.35MM salary, won't be placing waiver claims, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
- In an interview with Cowbell Kingdom, Hickson acknowledged he's considering the Suns in addition to the Warriors: "We’re still talking and hopefully I can find the right situation for myself and then we’ll go from there."
- A Warriors exec told Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group that he's not sure why Hickson has fallen off so much, "but we want to find out."
- The Nets aren't interested in Hickson, says Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
Kyler On Arenas, Hickson, Turiaf, Fisher, Powell
In his latest NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler checks in on a few free agents and free-agents-to-be, providing updates on their potential destinations. Let's round up the highlights….
- Gilbert Arenas is expected to take a physical and finalize his deal with the Grizzlies today.
- The Pacers, Cavaliers, and Raptors, who all have enough cap space to easily absorb J.J. Hickson's $2.35MM salary, won't be placing waiver claims.
- A number of teams are interested in Ronny Turiaf but "word is" the forward will likely decide between the Celtics and Heat. Like Hickson, he doesn't figure to be claimed on waivers by clubs with cap space.
- The Lakers have extended an offer to Derek Fisher to join the team's basketball operations staff. However, it doesn't appear Fisher is ready to retire just yet. We heard earlier today that the Thunder and Heat are the favorites to land the longtime Laker.
- Josh Powell is drawing interest from the Suns and Celtics, as Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reported last night. I believe Powell signed in Switzerland late in February, and I haven't seen any reports that indicate he's parted ways with Neuchatel. The Swiss regular season has ended though, so perhaps Powell is lining up an NBA job for when he returns. Since he hasn't played for an NBA team this season, he can sign after March 23rd and still be eligible for the postseason.
Odds & Ends: Blazers, Bulls, Hornets, Lakers
With the Bulls' 85-59 victory over the Magic this evening, Tom Thibodeau reached 100 victories and hit that mark in the least time of any coach in NBA history. Here's more on Chicago and the rest of the league..
- Blazers interim GM Chad Buchanan originally wanted the Nets 2012 first-round pick sans protection in the Gerald Wallace deal but compromised in the end for top-three protection, tweets Ben Golliver of BlazersEdge.com.
- Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com spoke to a number of Bulls players and people around the team about the prospect of picking up a free agent. The general feeling around the club is that while they would gladly welcome a new acquisition, they don't feel as though they need one to win.
- David Aldridge of NBA.com takes a look back at the deadline deals that went down and also the ones that didn't. Aldridge opines that the Hornets, Wolves, and Hawks all should have made moves rather than stand pat.
- Most of the big names in this summer's free agent class are veterans on the downslope of their career, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com.
- The Celtics, Suns, and Pacers will all be flush with cash this summer, writes Larry Coon for ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd). Teams with limited cap flexibility going forward include the Bulls, Heat, and Lakers.
Teams With Open Roster Spots
After the flurry of trades, signings, and releases around the league in the last week, it's gotten challenging to keep track which clubs still have the flexibility to make roster moves. To make things a little easier, here's our list of teams who currently have fewer than the maximum 15 players on their rosters, and could add a player without releasing anyone:
- 76ers: 14
- Bulls: 14. When Mike James' second 10-day contract expires, the Bulls will have two open roster spots. They also reportedly have some interest in Leon Powe.
- Clippers: 14. The Clips are still deciding whether to sign Bobby Simmons for the rest of the season with their final roster spot.
- Grizzlies: 13. Memphis is looking at Gilbert Arenas for one of its openings.
- Heat: 14. Miami could fill its final roster spot with a player who is bought out of his contract this week.
- Hornets: 13. 14th man Jeff Foote just had his 10-day contract expire.
- Jazz: 14
- Kings: 14
- Lakers: 14
- Pacers: 14
- Pistons: 14
- Raptors: 13
- Rockets: 14. Houston will open up a second roster spot when Derek Fisher clears waivers.
- Spurs: 13. San Antonio is expecting to add Patrick Mills with one of its open roster spots. Even if the Spurs finalize Mills' deal, they'll still have a pair of open spots after Eric Dawson's second 10-day deal expires.
- Suns: 13
- Warriors: 13
- Wizards: 14. 14th man Edwin Ubiles is on a 10-day contract.
Note: The Nets currently have 15 players on their roster, but will open up a spot when Jerry Smith's 10-day contract expires.
Pacific Notes: Nash, Bogut, Morris
As every Pacific team except the Clippers prepares to host a game later tonight, let's check in on the latest updates out of the division:
- Steve Nash will have plenty of options in free agency this summer, but he'll "strongly consider" re-signing with the Suns, agent Bill Duffy tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Newly-acquired Andrew Bogut tells the Australian Associated Press that the Warriors are likely to hold him out of action for the rest of the season (link via NBA.com).
- Ramon Sessions is expected to be available for his new team tonight, but the Lakers have recalled Darius Morris from their D-League affiliate just in case, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Odds & Ends: Beasley, Bucks, Spurs, Nash
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Thursday night:
- The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Jerry Zgoda talked to Michael Beasley, who was shopped heavily by the Timberwolves prior to the trade deadline. Beasley would like to remain in Minnesota past this season but recognizes that it is not in his control.
- The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Michael Hunt believes the trade of Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown makes sense for the Bucks in both the short and the long term.
- Spurs GM R.C. Buford hints that there may be another roster move to come, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News's Tim Griffin.
- The Arizona Republic's Paul Coro highlights the loyalty Steve Nash has displayed to the Suns as something that distinguishes him from other stars in the league.