Dwight Howard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Howard, Morris, Anderson, Knicks

March 7th, 2012 at 11:31pm CST by Alex Lee

While there haven't been any big Dwight Howard rumors so far today, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel indicates that there has been a "shift in tone" in how Howard's desires are perceived. As we documented yesterday, the rumors are running wild, seemingly due to Howard's ambivalence. Here is what else is going on around the league on this Wednesday evening:

Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at the some of the hardships facing the Magic leading up to the trade deadline, including their tough schedule and inconsistency.
Eddie Sefko from the Dallas Morning News says (via chat), should Dwight Howard not get traded by March 15th, he considers the Mavericks the heavy favorites to land both Howard and Deron Williams. He also mentions Gerald Wallace and C.J. Miles as potential complimentary fits around Dirk Nowitzki, Howard and Williams.
According to Yahoo's Marc Spears, Lakers assign rookie guard Darius Morris to the NBDL D-Fenders. Mike Bresnahan, Lakers beat writer for the L.A. Times, adds that Morris is still counted on the roster and will continue to get paid as a Laker.
Chris Bernucca from Sheridan Hoops examines some of the recent deadline deals, and their impact on the league today.
Magic forward Ryan Anderson has been trying to block out the Dwight Howard rumors, says Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel. Anderson knows he could be packaged with Howard, or traded to get Howard help.
Mike D'Antoni recognizes that the Knicks are struggling with Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin on the floor, but D'Antoni thinks it's a solvable problem, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Tuesday

March 6th, 2012 at 10:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Another day, another round of Dwight Howard rumors. You can check out yesterday's updates here and follow along with today's Howard-related items below. You'll find any new updates up top throughout the day:

A person close to Howard tells Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter), "We want to work it out [in Orlando]."
The Magic are still telling anyone who calls on Howard that they're buyers, not sellers, and that they aren't interested in moving D12, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Some teams believe the Magic, while others think they'll eventually change their stance. One source tells Wojnarowski that Howard's apparent uncertainty is validating the Magic's confidence: "Don’t underestimate how much it means to Dwight to be a pillar in that community. Everyone else wants to pull him out of there, but I’m not so sure that’s where his heart is."
Some clubs believe no one in the Magic organization wants to tell owner Rich DeVos that they recommend trading Howard, says Wojnarowksi. Adds one rival exec: "They’re going to reach a dead end here. It’s just a matter of time."
Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld breaks down five hypothetical trades involving Howard and potential suitors, ultimately concluding that Orlando won't receive equal value in any of them.
In talking with Magic brass, Howard has conveyed his love for the team and city, sources tell Fred Kerber of the New York Post. "I really don’t think [Howard] knows exactly what he wants to do," said one of Kerber's sources.
If Howard had decided to remain with the Magic for another year, we would have heard about it by now, says Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Schmitz expects that Howard still intends to test free agency this summer.
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel says Howard should know the Magic are serious about winning without the team having to force a deadline deal to try to bring in more reinforcements around him.

Kennedy On Clippers, Allen, Celtics, Crawford

March 6th, 2012 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some highlights from tonight's column from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld..

Over the next week and a half, the Clippers will make a strong push to land a starting shooting guard, according to multiple sources close to the situation. Los Angeles has been in search of a two-guard ever since losing Chauncey Billups for the year. As of right now, Randy Foye and Travis Leslie are the only true shooting guards on the roster and the club has expressed interest in Ray Allen and Jamal Crawford, according to sources.
The Celtics aren’t actively shopping Allen but are listening to offers. It’s unclear what Boston would want in exchange for the 36-year-old, though many teams have expressed interest in him.
Sources say that Crawford will opt-out of the final year of his contract to test free agency this summer and the Trail Blazers may look to move him before the deadline. The Clippers are expressing interest along with the Timberwolves. The Clips tried to sign-and-trade for Crawford over the offseason, but the Hawks didn’t want to take back any contracts.
Other two-guards who could be on the move include the Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo, Courtney Lee of the Rockets, and Anthony Morrow of the Nets. If any of the three guards are made available, the Clippers can be expected to be in the mix. Recently, I broke down the case for New Jersey parting with Morrow.
Sources believe that the Magic will hold onto Dwight Howard past the trade deadline. There are members of the organization who remain optimistic that Howard will re-sign this summer if the right moves are made. The Magic will pursue players like Steve Nash and Monta Ellis before the deadline, but it'll be an uphill battle due to their lack of trade chips outside of Howard.

Smith: Six To Eight Teams Calling About Howard

March 5th, 2012 at 8:40pm CST by Michael Pina

Before Orlando defeated Toronto tonight by a score of 92-88, Magic General Manager Otis Smith told reporters that there were six to eight teams that still believe they have a shot at acquiring Dwight Howard in a trade before March 15, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Since the season began, the Magic has spoken to "everybody in the league" regarding Dwight's availability, Smith said, but there's nothing new to report on whether there are any front runners, or even if the team is willing to strike a deal at all.

Magic CEO Alex Martins has been talking to Howard directly, trying to convince him that staying with the only team he's ever known is the right decision.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Monday

March 5th, 2012 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported that the Magic think their chances of retaining Dwight Howard for at least one more season are at least 50/50. As long as the team continues to feel that way, it's unlikely we see Howard traded before the deadline. For now, it appears any moves the Magic make will intended to improve the roster around Howard, though the club doesn't have many appealing assets to offer in any deals. Here are the rest of today's Howard-related updates, with the newest up top:

The Nets announced today that Brook Lopez has suffered a sprained right ankle and will be sidelined for three weeks (Twitter links). If New Jersey hopes to acquire Howard by March 15th, Lopez would almost certainly need to be involved, so Lopez's continued injury woes make a D12 deal look less and less likely for New Jersey. As Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record tweets, Lopez's injury doesn't mean he can't be traded, but it certainly complicates negotiations for the Nets.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports hears from sources that serious trade talks around the league are on hold while teams wait for the Magic to decide whether or not they'll keep Howard.
While Howard's list of preferred destinations only includes three teams, Magic GM Otis Smith could try to work out a trade with a club not on Howard's list. But are there any teams that would be willing to acquire Howard without assurances that he'd stay long-term? Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks at a few clubs who might take that risk, though none of his hypothetical deals are particularly appealing for the Magic.

Kyler On Thunder, Howard, Crawford, Young

March 5th, 2012 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld wraps up his look at trade options for all 30 NBA clubs today, running alphabetically from Oklahoma City through Washington. You can find our recaps of the first two installments in the series here and here. Now, let's round up a few of the highlights from Kyler in part three….

The Thunder aren't actively engaged in any trade talks, but if they're concerned about Thabo Sefolosha's foot injury lingering, they could look into acquiring a defensive-minded replacement.
Sources close to the Dwight Howard process say the Magic are at least 50% sure they can keep D12 around for another season, if not longer. If that's the case, a blockbuster trade involving Howard is unlikely. Orlando is working hard to acquire pieces around its star center, though the team's lack of assets is making it a challenge.
Daniel Orton is "a safe bet" to be traded by the Magic.
While the 76ers have trade chips, they're unlikely to make a move before the deadline.
The Suns would gladly move Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick, or Robin Lopez.
Kyler hears from sources close to Jamal Crawford that the Blazers guard hasn't requested a trade, but that he wouldn't be opposed to being sent to a less chaotic situation.
The Spurs haven't had "meaningful discussions" with any potential trade partners, and will probably stand pat at the deadline.
The Raptors may be active in the next ten days, but Toronto continues to turn away proposals for Andrea Bargnani.
Although the Jazz have some strong trade assets, they probably would want to include Devin Harris in any deals, which could turn off potential suitors for other players.
Having accepted a qualifying offer from the Wizards this season, Nick Young can veto any deal that sends him out of town. However, Kyler hears that Young would welcome a move.

Cuban On CBA, Free Agency, Chandler

March 4th, 2012 at 2:45pm CST by Michael Pina

Yesterday, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban had a few interesting things to say during a live taping of Bill Simmons’ B.S. Report at the 6th annual Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

Here were a few of the main points:

When asked about his team’s financial strategy of clearing cap space to make a speculative run at Dwight Howard and/or Deron Williams, Cuban said that since there’s a lot of other teams who have cap space, “the market gets inflated, which means it’s a bad time to buy.” Cuban went on to say he’d be happy heading into next season with the exact same team if that were possible, and that signing multiple super stars who will clog the cap might not be the best team building strategy moving forward.
The issue of whether or not Dallas should have re-signed Tyson Chandler after winning the championship was broached, with Cuban explaining that because of the new CBA and its noticeable luxury tax hike, the monetary value for most players will probably go down in the next few years. Instead of overpaying, in their minds, for Chandler, Dallas instead chose to improve their perimeter defense. Cuban cites the signings of guys like Delonte West, and the great play of Shawn Marion as key reasons why Chandler’s presence hasn’t been missed on the defensive end.
Cuban said that before the new CBA, whenever Dallas had a problem he would just spend more money. Now, with the increased luxury tax, it won’t be that easy, and the distribution of dollars will need to be done in a smarter way.

Broussard On Rockets, Knicks, Celtics

March 4th, 2012 at 1:58pm CST by Michael Pina

During halftime of today's Knicks–Celtics game, ESPN's Chris Broussard relayed several of the latest rumors regarding the league's most talked about trade pieces. Here they are:

Houston has shown an interest in acquiring Pau Gasol, and Broussard believes if they still have a package consisting of Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic, and the Knicks first round draft pick on the table, that the Lakers should take it. In a tweet, Larry Coon says Martin to the Lakers doesn't make any sense.
People around the league are saying that if New York wants Howard, packaging Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler could do the trick. In order for a deal like this to be possible, the Knicks would also have to take on Hedo Turkoglu's undesired contract, and they won't formally inquire about Orlando's big man until he expresses desire to play for the Knicks long term.
Boston likes Eric Bledsoe should they choose to move Ray Allen (the Clippers would need to throw in someone like Mo Williams to make the contracts match), but Los Angeles will likely hold onto their point guard until the offseason when his value is at an all-time high.

Amick On Dwight, Celtics, Crawford

March 3rd, 2012 at 7:57pm CST by Sean Highkin

SI.com's Sam Amick has a roundup of the latest crop of NBA trade rumors, touching on a variety of topics. Here are the highlights:

There is a distinct possibility that the Magic will opt not to trade Dwight Howard, either because they don't like the offers out there or because they believe they can convince the superstar center to stay.
Nets GM Billy King believes it will be easier to land Howard through trade than via free agency, because of the difference in money the team will be able to offer.
The Warriors are still said to be interested in trading for Howard, even as a rental, and convincing him to stick around.
Ray Allen is more likely to be moved by March 15 than Rajon Rondo, but a deal with the Clippers is unlikely. The Celtics are asking for young talent and picks, which is more than most teams are likely to want to give up for the 36-year-old Allen.
Amick suggests Jamal Crawford as a trade possibility for the Clippers or any other team looking for help at the shooting guard position. He believes Crawford may be available because of the Blazers' struggles and his dissatisfaction with Nate McMillan playing him at point guard.
The Lakers continue to monitor Michael Beasley and Ramon Sessions, and the future of Pau Gasol is still uncertain.
It is possible that Wilson Chandler will spend the rest of the season overseas rather than re-sign with the Nuggets, and instead test free agency this summer.
The market is still slow for Gilbert Arenas, who is working out in Orlando in hopes that a team will sign him.

Lawrence: Knicks Not Planning Major Moves

March 3rd, 2012 at 6:57pm CST by Sean Highkin

In a new column about the chemistry the Jeremy Lin-era Knicks have developed, Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News says that the team's owner, James Dolan, wants to see how the current group grows and is not planning any major shake-ups at the trading deadline.

Lawrence, citing an Eastern Conference GM who had a recent conversation with the Knicks, believes that Dolan likes the chemistry between Lin and Carmelo Anthony and doesn't think another move is necessary. He also points out that, between the huge contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chander, the Knicks wouldn't have many assets to trade if they were inclined to make changes. However, Lawrence doesn't rule out the long-shot possibility of Dolan making a run at Deron Williams or Dwight Howard if the opportunity were to present itself.