Dwight Howard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Mulling Another Run At Dwight Howard?

January 22nd, 2013 at 8:07pm CST by Luke Adams

8:07pm: Tim Bontemps of the New York Post hears the Nets have no interest in going after Howard again, in spite of the earlier report.

10:10am: With the Lakers struggling and Dwight Howard frustrated, the Nets are considering making another run at the All-Star center, according to Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com (Sulia link). Rudolph reports that Nets GM Billy King has been quietly searching for a third team that could include an attractive piece that would help facilitate a trade between the Lakers and Nets.

When the Magic were attempting to find a trade partner for Howard at last year's deadline and again over the summer, the Nets topped D12's wish list. However, Orlando ultimately ended up sending Howard to another one of the clubs on a wish list that also included the Lakers and Mavericks. While Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported this morning that trading Howard again isn't something the Lakers are currently considering, the Nets feel like L.A. would at least think about it, for the right price, according to Rudolph.

Rudolph indicates that King was preparing an offer that would have included Brook Lopez going to the Timberwolves and Kevin Love heading to the Lakers, with a handful of smaller pieces also included in the deal. The Nets believed the Lakers would be intrigued by Love, but the plan suffered a blow when the Wolves' big man was sidelined for two months with a broken hand.

King will continue to search for a third team that could facilitate a Howard trade, but won't make landing the big man the priority that he did a year ago, according to Rudolph.

Lakers Notes: World Peace, Gasol, Howard

January 22nd, 2013 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

When I asked earlier this month whether the Lakers would make the postseason, the votes were nearly split, with just over 51% of you predicting that the club would end up on the outside looking in. In the two weeks since I published that poll, the Lakers have gone just 2-6, and I'd guess if I asked the same question about the team's playoff chances today, the results would lean even more heavily to the Lakers as a lottery team. As the club looks to find a way out of its most recent spiral, let's check in on a few notes out of L.A….

Metta World Peace could become a free agent this summer if he turns down his 2013/14 player option, but he doesn't intend on going anywhere, as he tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "I want to stay here the rest of my career [and] get past this adversity. I want to finish as a Laker."
The latest lineup change in L.A. involves Pau Gasol coming off the bench, a role he's not thrilled with, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Still, Pau wants to remain a Laker: "I feel like I'm a part of this team and part of this franchise. I love to play here for as many years as possible because I identify myself with the team. I want it to work."
Kobe Bryant spoke to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports about the Lakers' current struggles.
Following up on Mark Cuban's comments about teams with high payrolls and long losing streaks being more inclined to deal as the deadline approaches, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wonders if the Mavericks might approach the Lakers about acquiring Dwight Howard. However, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears from Lakers sources that trading Howard isn't an option the team is currently considering.
We recently heard that the Lakers inquired on the Timberwolves' Dante Cunningham, but according to Kyler, Cunningham was just one of a number of players the Lakers have checked in on.

Western Notes: Gasol, Howard, Aminu, Grizzlies

January 21st, 2013 at 8:54pm CST by Michael Pina

Pau Gasol will be coming off the bench permanently, tweets Orange County Register reporter Kevin Ding. Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni believes his team plays better when they're small, and a starting frontline of Gasol and Dwight Howard obviously isn't small.

ESPN analyst Magic Johnson believes the Mavericks would be wise to strike a trade for Lakers center Dwight Howard before the trade deadline instead of targeting him in free agency this summer, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Hornets forward Al-Farouq Aminu is having a breakout season with the Hornets writes Nola.com's John Reid.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal rationalizes why the Grizzlies need to make several moves before the trade deadline.

Lakers Rumors: Howard, Gasol, Blake, DPE

January 16th, 2013 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers' new game plan involves increasing Kobe Bryant's role on defense, having him guard opponents' top wing players. The approach was certainly effective last night, as the Lakers beat the Bucks by 16, and Brandon Jennings told reporters after the game that Kobe played "probably the best defense anybody's played on me since I've been in the league" (Twitter link via Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register). As the Lakers look to continue their winning ways on the court, here are the latest off-court notes on the club:

Brook Lopez is now trade-eligible, which would suggest that trade rumors connecting Dwight Howard to the Nets may be renewed. However, Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com hears from a source close to Nets management that Brooklyn's interest in D12 may not be as strong as it once was: "It's not as cut and dried as it was last year, when the feeling was go ahead and pretty much gut the team for Dwight, give up a bunch of draft picks and players and take back bad contracts. That feeling isn't there anymore."
Regardless of the Nets' interest or lack thereof, exploring trades involving Howard isn't even something that's on the table for the Lakers, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
The Lakers are leaning toward keeping Pau Gasol at the trade deadline in part because they're not 100% sure Howard will remain in L.A. long-term, and they don't want to risk losing both of their All-Star bigs in a matter of months, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com has details on how Gasol and Steve Blake are recovering from their respective injuries.
GM Mitch Kupchak confirmed to reporters, including Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times, that the Lakers have requested a disabled player exception for Jordan Hill. Kupchak expects to hear back from the league within a week or so. I outlined on Monday what a DPE would mean for the team.

Southeast Notes: Seraphin, Hawks, Beal

January 15th, 2013 at 9:41pm CST by Alex Lee

The Bobcats were the only Southeast team in action tonight, getting torched by the Central-leading Pacers in Charlotte. Let's take a look at what else is going on in the division on Tuesday:

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst (via Twitter), Wizards big man Kevin Seraphin has changed agents, hiring Rich Paul. Seraphin, a former first round pick, is under contract in Washington at least this year and next before the team must decide whether to extend him a qualifying offer. He was formerly represented by Bouna Ndiaye.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today offers his perspective on the job new general manager Danny Ferry has done with the Hawks. After clearing cap space by moving Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams, much of the Hawks roster is currently playing on expiring deals. While that can be a tough spot for a coach to be in, Larry Drew has gotten his team off to a solid start despite a recent lull. The Hawks now have the financial flexibility to re-sign Josh Smith this summer as well as go after someone like Dwight Howard, Zillgitt writes.
In a separate story for USA Today, Zillgitt concurs with much of what we heard yesterday with regard to Bradley Beal; essentially that the Wizards have no plans whatsoever of trading their rookie phenom for Rudy Gay or anyone else. On the contrary, Zillgitt writes that Beal is settling nicely into his role as the team's closer.

Eastern Notes: Bucks, Nets, Cavs, Oden

January 13th, 2013 at 4:13pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the Eastern Conference on Sunday afternoon:

Raptors head coach Dwane Casey tells Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he is not surprised that Scott Skiles was fired by the Bucks, noting the heavy turnover among coaches in recent years.
Wes Szafran of the South Jersey Times writes that P.J. Carlesimo has done an excellent job since replacing Avery Johnson as head coach of the Nets.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert told fans to be patient with the team's rebuild in a recent television interview. Bob Finnan of the News-Herald has quotes.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer writes that Greg Oden deserves a chance to rehabilitate his NBA career, comparing his injury-plagued early years to those of former Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who was able to put together a productive NBA career.
Michael Lee of the Washington Post wonders if top overall draft picks are cursed, citing the recent injuries to John Wall and Kyrie Irving.
Ryan Anderson tells Fred Kerber of the New York Post that the Dwight Howard drama was a distraction for the Magic players last season.

Kyler On Dwight, Hornets, Beasley, Gay, Magic

January 12th, 2013 at 3:34pm CST by Sean Highkin

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.com answered some questions from his Twitter followers on Saturday regarding various free agency and trade rumors.

Just as they plan to make a run at Chris Paul (link below), the Hawks will aggressively pursue Dwight Howard as well, Kyler says.
Hornets GM Dell Demps tells Kyler he wants to give his roster more time to play together, so New Orleans is unlikely to be active at the deadline.
The Lakers almost traded for Michael Beasley last year, but Kyler can't see them doing so again (Twitter links).
Kyler speculates that the Wizards are the most logical destination for Rudy Gay.
The Magic, who possess a trade exception worth more than $17.8MM from the Dwight Howard deal, aren't likely to use it for a "splashy" move.
If the Magic deal away J.J. Redick, he'll look to sign with a contender as a free agent this summer.

Earlier updates:

Kyler tweets that the Hawks intend to make a strong push for Chris Paul this summer. The Bobcats will also attempt to lure him, but Kyler does not think he will leave the Clippers.
Kyler says that Andrew Bynum will be seeking a max contract on the open market, although there is some doubt that he will get such an offer. He points to the Rockets as one team willing to take a gamble.
The Magic value J.J. Redick highly, and it would cost several draft picks for them to move him.
Kyler sees the Grizzlies' recent Rudy Gay trade discussions as an attempt to understand roster value.
If Derrick Williams continues his strong play, Kyler thinks the Timberwolves may opt to move Kevin Love instead.
The Celtics may be open to trading Paul Pierce, Kyler writes, if the return makes them more competitive right now.

Dirk Nowitzki Discusses Future, Deron, Dwight

January 11th, 2013 at 10:07pm CST by Sean Highkin

Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports has a new interview with Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, in which the 2011 NBA Finals MVP discusses his career, his future with the Mavericks, various free agents that have been linked to Dallas, and more.

On the possibility that he may be traded:

“That is a tough question. You have to ask that to [owner] Mark [Cuban] and [general manager] Donnie [Nelson] if that's something they would consider. As far as I'm concerned, I think I am going to finish my career in Dallas. I really only have this year and next year left on my contract for big money and then we will see what happens."

On his hopes for the Mavericks' rebuilding efforts:

The good thing is we have [salary] cap space for the first time in my career. We've always been over the cap. We've never been able to sign someone flat-out. We always had to do different deals to get somebody in.

“The good thing with cap space is you can turn your situation around pretty quick. It might look a little ugly at times this year, but you can take chances on a contract and be a player in free agency this year.”

On his relationship with Deron Williams, who considered signing in Dallas before ultimately returning to Brooklyn:

“I talked to him actually. We partied at one of the All-Star Games a long time ago. I've had his number. We've been talking. He's from Dallas, I know that. But he made the decision that was best for him and for his family. I wasn't mad at that. It is what it is. I have to move on.

On the possibility that the Mavs will pursue Chris Paul or Dwight Howard this summer:

“We're not that close. It's going to be tough. Dwight is in L.A. Obviously, CP3 [Chris Paul] is with the Clippers and they're both in great situations. So, we will have to wait and see what the summer brings. Maybe we can still do something at the trade deadline. We still got a couple weeks to get better and you know Mark and Donnie are always working something to make the franchise better.”

On the Mavs' decision not to bring back Tyson Chandler and Jose Barea following the team's 2011 title:

“Great question. What Mark didn't want to do, especially now with the new CBA, was lock himself in where he has a bunch of older guys with big deals. And then when we get too old, you're basically locked in for another two to three years and you can't do any moves. As I understood the CBA more, how the taxes are going to be, I understood his point of view on it.

“But us as players, we would have loved to have kept Tyson, Caron [Butler], J.J., all those guys who really would have had another shot last year. But it is what it is and you have to make tough decisions in this league, and Cuban thought it would be better to have the [salary] cap space for the future.”

Lakers Rumors: Buss, Howard, Gasol

January 10th, 2013 at 8:07pm CST by Sean Highkin

As the Lakers continue to struggle, rumors are swirling as to which adjustments they will make to adjust for injuries and lack of chemistry. Here's the latest from Los Angeles:

Lakers Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Buss backs head coach Mike D'Antoni and says the team will not make any moves out of panic, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
Ramona Shelburne and Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com debate the likelihood of Dwight Howard re-signing with the Lakers this summer as a free agent. Shelburne believes that Los Angeles is still Howard's best long-term option, while Markazi wouldn't be surprised if the team's struggles this season drive Howard to look elsewhere.
The Orange County Register reports that Pau Gasol is improving after suffering a concussion but still has not been cleared to resume play.

Odds & Ends: Knicks, Cousins, Fernandez, Cavs

January 10th, 2013 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers and Trail Blazers head into today having each won 11 of their last 14 contests, but both teams will be in for tough matchups at home tonight, as the Knicks arrive in Indiana and the Heat play in Portland. As we look forward to what should be a fun TNT doubleheader, let's check in on a few afternoon links from around the NBA:

While the Knicks have inquired on Kenyon Martin, they won't make a decision on the free agent big man one way or another until they determine Rasheed Wallace's timetable, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
One NBA team executive predicts to Ian Thomsen of SI.com that if DeMarcus Cousins becomes available, there won't be as much interest as there might have been in the past. "We do all of this research and background work on players now before we draft them," said the exec. "I think half of the consideration when we look at players now is trying to understand who these guys are as people. I really do think that most teams are going to say they don't want any part of him."
Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News thinks that the Lakers should trade Dwight Howard for Dirk Nowitzki. However, even if the Lakers were interested in such a move, which seems extremely unlikely, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wouldn't be, as he tells David Baumann of Sports Talk Florida: "No knock on Dwight, I just won't trade Dirk" (Twitter link).
Although he signed a three-year deal overseas this past offseason, Rudy Fernandez isn't ruling out an eventual return to the NBA, writes CNN.com's Paul Gittings.
The Cavaliers should attempt to make a play for Rudy Gay, suggests Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wonders if Wilson Chandler's return to the Nuggets lineup could lead to a trade, either of Chandler or another player.