Delonte West Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Sixers, West, Gordon, Jamison

August 4th, 2013 at 11:13am CST by Chuck Myron

Trail Blazers assistant David Vanterpool appears to have become the leading candidate in the Sixers head coaching search, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Most reports have cited Brett Brown and Michael Curry as the front-runners, but it seems there are still several hopefuls who could emerge with the job. We passed along news from Washburn earlier today on the continuing possibility of a Rajon Rondo trade to the Pistons, and here's more from the Globe scribe as we round up the morning's news from around the NBA:

The Knicks and Grizzlies have reportedly been in talks with Delonte West, but the Knicks appear to be out, and according to Washburn, no team has shown serious interest.
The additions of Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans make for a crowded backcourt in New Orleans, but Eric Gordon is glad to have his new Pelicans teammates, he tells Washburn.
Clippers boss Doc Rivers didn't make an offer to Antawn Jamison when they met for dinner last night, but the Clippers and Jamison's reps plan to talk soon, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
The Hawks waived DeShawn Stevenson on Friday, and in the likely event that he clears waivers and hits free agency, he'd like to sign with the Heat, according to a pair ofdispatches from his Twitter account.
Shelvin Mack appears in a tenuous position with the Hawks, since his contract is non-guaranteed and he plays the same position as Jeff Teague and first-round pick Dennis Schröder. If the Hawks waive Mack, he'll be the primary point guard target for Olimpia Milano of Italy, Enea Trapani of Sportando reports.
Elston Turner has reached an agreement to become an assistant coach for the Grizzlies, a source tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The defensively minded Turner also spoke about joining the Timberwolves staff.
Stefhon Hannah has signed to play with Juve Caserta in Italy, the team announced (translation via Sportando's Emiliano Carchia). Hannah worked out for the Knicks this summer, and spent two weeks last fall in training camp with the Warriors.

Zwerling On Knicks, Ivan Johnson, Humphries

August 1st, 2013 at 8:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com has tweeted a string of updates on the Knicks today, as we've noted in a pair of posts. Marc Berman of the New York Post delivered plenty more on the Knicks earlier today, and this evening Zwerling delivers a full story on the latest from New York. We'll hit the highlights from Zwerling's piece here:

The Knicks and Ivan Johnson are discussing a potential deal. The former Hawks power forward had been holding out for a team to commit its mini mid-level exception to him, but his interest in the Knicks, who can only offer the minimum, indicates that his price may have come down.
The Knicks' interest in Kris Humphries is mutual, but the Celtics are still unlikely to buy him out.
Other big men the Knicks are considering include Cole Aldrich, Hamed Haddadi, Jerome Jordan, Gani Lawal, Shavlik Randolph and Henry Sims.
The Knicks remain interested in Beno Udrih and Bobby Brown, but Zwerling confirms Berman's report that the team is no longer looking at Delonte West.
Berman wrote that the Knicks are expected to invite Toure Murry to training camp, and Zwerling hears that the team will do the same with "a few young developmental point guards."

Atlantic Rumors: Iverson, Pargo, Williams, West

August 1st, 2013 at 7:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported last week that Celtics second-round pick Colton Iverson had agreed to a deal with Besiktas of Turkey, but today Washburn tweets that Boston's release of Shavlik Randolph could clear the way for Iverson to join the Celtics this season. The C's would have to open up another roster space, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times points out (via Twitter), but Washburn says the team plans additional moves and needs big men (Twitter link). They're not the only Atlantic Division team looking to add to its roster, as we detail:

The Knicks are looking for a point guard, and their latest target appears to be 33-year-old Jannero Pargo. A source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com that New York and the Mark Bartelstein client have entered talks (Twitter link).
Mo Williams had been another possibility, but he's looking for a better haul than the minimum salary, which puts the Knicks out of the running, Zwerling tweets. The Grizzlies and Heat look like the strongest suitors for Williams.
The Knicks are also up against the Grizzlies in the pursuit of Delonte West, who tells Washburn that he'd be willing to accept a non-guaranteed deal (Twitter link).
As we passed along earlier today, Zach Links of Hoops Rumors heard from Andrei Kirilenko as part of a conference call on the veteran forward's decision to take a discount to sign with the Nets.

Knicks Rumors: Brown, Udrih, Williams, West

August 1st, 2013 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard yesterday that the Knicks, in their search for a third point guard, are hoping to convince veteran free agent Beno Udrih to sign for the minimum and come to New York. That's not the only iron the team has in the fire though. Here's the latest on the Knicks:

Although Bobby Brown reached an agreement with China's Dongguan Leopards, the deal has an August 15th NBA opt-out date, giving him two weeks to find an NBA offer he likes. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Brown's first choice would be to sign with the Knicks, even though the minimum salary he could make in New York would be about half of the $1MM he'd earn in China.
Before deciding whether to circle back to Brown, the Knicks are eyeing veteran options like Udrih and Mo Williams. However, if Williams ends up settling for a minimum-salary contract, he's more likely to join the Heat, says Berman.
Despite previous inquiries, the Knicks are no longer considering Delonte West, a source tells Berman.
Berman adds that the Knicks are expected to invite point guard Toure Murry to training camp after a successful Summer League run.
Noting that Lamar Odom is still undecided on where he'll play in 2013/14, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com wonders (via Twitter) if the Knicks would be a fit, with New York in the market for a big.

Knicks Interested In Delonte West?

July 30th, 2013 at 8:00pm CST by Michael Pina

The Knicks are interested in Delonte West, according to ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley, who reports that the free agent guard's representatives have been in discussion with the team.

The 30-year-old West did not play in the NBA last season, with his last run in the league coming on a 44-game stint with the Mavericks in 2011/12. He averaged 9.6 PPG during that stretch, his highest in three years.

West is an eight-year veteran with significant baggage off the court, and New York is just in the preliminary stages of discussion. Conversely, fellow ESPNNY.com scribe Jared Zwerling tweeted it's "highly unlikely" the Knicks sign West, as they're searching for a big man.

Knicks, Grizzlies In Talks For Delonte West

July 27th, 2013 at 4:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks and Grizzlies have engaged in talks about bringing free agent guard Delonte West aboard, a source tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Neither team has made an offer, and while Haynes hears the talks are still preliminary, they've begun to ramp up, Haynes writes.

West didn't play in the NBA this past season after his behavior in Mavs training camp prompted the team to cut him. West signed with the D-League's Texas Legends, but it took him several weeks to report to the team, and he averaged just 10.3 points and 4.4 assists in eight games with the squad.

The 30-year-old former first-round pick has an advocate for his case to join the Grizzlies. Tony Allen doesn't want to interfere with Grizzlies management, but he says he'd "love to have" West join the team, as Brandon Speck of Fox Sports Tennessee writes. Still, the Knicks are limited to giving him the minimum, and I'd be surprised if the Grizzlies or any other team offered him any more than that.

Free Agent Rumors: Miller, Oden, Camby, Blair

July 22nd, 2013 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent rumors and rumblings have slowed down since the start of July, as most of the bigger names have come off the board. Still, even though not a ton of teams have significant cap space or exception money remaining, plenty of intriguing players remain on the market. We're entering the point in the summer where teams are hunting for bargains and value signings, so here's the latest on a few players who could fit that bill:

Mike Miller is meeting face-to-face for a second time with both the Thunder and Grizzlies, who appear to be the two favorites for him, says Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Rockets and Nuggets aren't out of the running yet, but Miller's choice will likely come down to OKC or Memphis (Twitter links).
The Heat, Pelicans, and Kings will observe Greg Oden in person as he works out this week, according to Stein and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com, though Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports says (via Twitter) it'll just be the Pelicans and Kings. The Spurs and Mavericks are still in the hunt as well, with Miami and San Antonio still viewed as the frontrunners for the former first overall pick.
Marcus Camby is expected to make a decision on his next team within the next week, with the Rockets, Bulls, and Heat among the finalists, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
According to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, DeJuan Blair's asking price is in the $3MM range, Lamar Odom is only interested in playing for a Los Angeles team, and Josh Akognon is drawing heavy interest from Chinese teams.
Zwerling adds (via Twitter) that the Knicks have some interest in Ivan Johnson, but the big man is still seeking a mini mid-level deal.
Prior to reaching an agreement with the Nuggets, Nate Robinson received serious interest from the Wizards, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). Washington had already used its mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, so making a competitive offer would have been tricky.
Free agent point guard Delonte West spoke to Tzvi Twersky of SlamOnline.com about his desire to return to an NBA roster.

Wolves Rumors: Pekovic, Prince, Henderson

July 15th, 2013 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

As I explained last Friday, the Timberwolves have done a good job this summer managing the cap, allowing the team to add Kevin Martin, Corey Brewer, and Ronny Turiaf, while locking up Chase Budinger. However, the offseason can't truly be viewed as a success until the T-Wolves re-sign free agent big man Nikola Pekovic. Here's the latest on that front, along with a few more noteworthy items out of Minnesota:

A source close to Pekovic tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that there has been no movement in negotiations with the Wolves. Minnesota still has an offer on the table, believed to be for four years and $50MM, and persumably Pekovic's camp feels comfortable that the offer isn't going anywhere.
Timberwolves president Flip Saunders still intends to hire a general manager and VP of basketball operations. According to Wolfson, two candidates we've heard mentioned before remain in play: Rob Babcock and Milt Newton. Wolfson's report suggests two candidates will be hired (or promoted), rather than one exec filling both roles.
While a Wolves source says a three-year, $21MM deal for Andrei Kirilenko was at least briefly discussed, a source close to Kirilenko tells Wolfson that there was never an offer on the table to bring the forward back to Minnesota.
Before they signed Brewer, the Wolves had a chance to acquire Tayshaun Prince from the Grizzlies, but passed, given Prince's price tag, according to Wolfson.
The T-Wolves had "heavy interest" in Gerald Henderson prior to agreeing to terms with Martin.
The Wolves like O.J. Mayo, but determined he wouldn't be a good fit with Ricky Rubio, since the team wanted to add a two guard who didn't need the ball in his hands a whole lot, says Wolfson. Minnesota also pursued J.J. Redick before landing Martin, but couldn't negotiate a sign-and-trade as beneficial as the Clippers' deal.
Reps for Nate Robinson and Delonte West called the Wolves to see if the club has interest in either player, but the answer appears to be no, writes Wolfson.
After being selected 58th overall in the 2012 draft, Robbie Hummel spent last season playing in Spain, but now that he's back with the Wolves' Summer League squad, he's eager to show that he's deserving of the team's final open roster spot, as he tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. "That’s the ultimate goal," Hummel said. "It always has been my dream to play in the NBA. I’m thankful for this opportunity and want to show I belong."

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, West, Iguodala, Sixers

March 22nd, 2013 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets became the third Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff spot last night, and owner Mikhail Prokhorov issued a statement today suggesting that he's hoping for more from the team than just a postseason berth.

"Of course I'm pleased the Nets have made the playoffs, but I can't say I'm surprised," Prokhorov said in a press release. "We have a lot of talent which is really coming together now and starting to gel. I am confident that the team's best days on the court are still ahead."

Here are a few more notes from around the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks continue to keep an eye on the D-League in case the team needs to add injury replacements, as Mike Woodson tells Marc Berman of the New York Post (Sulia link). "We’re constantly looking at the D-League all the time,'' Woodson said. "We have to gauge where we are and see what happens with these (injured) guys. We still got time. That deadline is still down the road. We go to map out our guys and see where they are going to be physically in the next couple of weeks and then maybe make a decision."
One D-League player that doesn't appear to be an option for the Knicks is Delonte West. Although New York was said to be monitoring West's D-League debut, the team has not discussed signing him, according to Nate Taylor of the New York Times (Twitter link). Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders if West's performance with the Texas Legends so far was a turn-off for the Knicks.
Andre Iguodala helped the Nuggets defeat his old team last night, and told John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he has no regrets or hard feelings about his time in Philadelphia or the trade that sent him to Denver. Iguodala also expressed hope that the player the Sixers acquired in that deal, Andrew Bynum, recovers quickly from knee surgery.
In his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Lang Greene takes a look at players whose free agent stocks have been hurt by their performances in 2012/13. Greene's list includes a pair of Sixers: Bynum and Dorell Wright.

Knicks, Others To Monitor Delonte West

March 15th, 2013 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

It's been nearly two months since Delonte West was added to the roster of the D-League's Texas Legends, but it appears West is finally ready to make his debut. After not reporting to the team for several weeks, West recently joined the Legends and is expected to play tomorrow, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter).

If and when West debuts for the Mavericks' D-League affiliate, there figure to be a number of NBA teams monitoring his progress. We recently heard West cited as a potential target for the Knicks as the club considers adding another point guard, and Stein confirms (via Twitter) that the Knicks will indeed be one of the teams keeping an eye on West.

Regardless of how West performs in the D-League, there will likely still be concerns about his off-court presence and his locker-room influence. But if he shows that he can still contribute on the court, I'd expect at least a couple teams to express some interest, thinking that the pros will outweigh the cons.