Pau Gasol Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Kings, Nash, Gasol, Patterson

March 9th, 2013 at 9:34am CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the Pacific Division on Saturday morning:

Tom Ziller of SBNation.com discusses the importance of David Stern's implication that the Maloofs have no leverage in the sale of the Kings to the Seattle or Sacramento groups.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes that Steve Nash is growing increasingly comfortable in his new role on the Lakers.
Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register reports that Pau Gasol is still at least two weeks away from returning to action.
Ric Bucher of CSNBayArea.com writes that the Kings traded for Patrick Patterson in part because of his close relationship with DeMarcus Cousins dating back to their time as teammates at the University of Kentucky.
Wendell Maxey of RidiculousUpside.com chronicles Malcolm Thomas' journey from Israel to the D-League to the Warriors.

Western Notes: Spurs, Marion, Mayo, Collison

February 27th, 2013 at 9:49pm CST by Alex Lee

Stephen Curry absolutely went off at the Garden on Wednesday night, dropping 54 points via 11 treys on the Knicks in the game of the night. Despite Curry's efforts, the Warriors still came up short, losing by four. Here are some other notes from around the Western Conference:

Gregg Popovich says that the Spurs, as always, will do their due diligence in scouring the post-March 1st buyout market, but with their roster already 15 deep, he doesn't expect anything to come of it, tweets Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News answered a few questions about the Mavericks roster in a chat on Tuesday. Sefko doesn't see the Mavs dealing Shawn Marion next season just to free up cap space, opining that Marion is still a starting caliber player that warrants something worthwhile in return.
Sefko also considers re-signing O.J. Mayo and Darren Collison critical to the team's chances of luring whatever big name free agents they'll set their sights on, largely due to their youth. Keeping both players, who have had nice seasons in Dallas, will be difficult without overpaying, Sefko says.
Pau Gasol, likely still a month from returning, has been cleared to work out on an elliptical machine, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Gasol tore his plantar fascia three weeks ago and the Lakers are sticking to their original timetable of six-to-eight weeks for his return.

Lakers Notes: Howard, Kobe, Gasol, D’Antoni

February 20th, 2013 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Here's the latest on the Lakers, as the club prepares to host the Celtics tonight in Los Angeles….

GM Mitch Kupchak has insisted for weeks that the Lakers won't trade Dwight Howard, and he told ESPN Radio today the team still envisions Howard as the centerpiece of its future (link via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com).
Kupchak also hinted that the Lakers aren't necessarily counting on more than another year and a half from Kobe Bryant: "Kobe has one more year on his deal. That's all I can bank on or this organization can bank on. I have no idea if he wants to continue to play beyond next year. As of now, we're looking at a two-year window, [and that] plays to the urgency of the situation and how we build the team…. This team's window to win is this year and next year."
Pau Gasol won't be moved this week, but Kupchak didn't rule out the possibility that trade rumors will surface again in the summer or next season: "His name has come up in the past and it would be misleading to say it won't come up in the future."
According to Kupchak, the Lakers are "very happy" with coach Mike D'Antoni going forward, and are pleased with the job he has done considering he didn't have a training camp with the team.
Asked today whether he sees himself as part of the Lakers' future, Howard replied, "Yeah, I do. We talked about it plenty of times. That's what we've always talked about since the first day I got here. It hasn't stopped. The goal hasn't changed and won't change." However, he stopped short of committing to re-signing with the Lakers, telling reporters that there's no need to make that decision right now (Twitter links via Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com and Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe).

Odds & Ends: Repeater Tax, Bobcats, T-Wolves

February 20th, 2013 at 1:08am CST by Ryan Raroque

Yahoo's Marc J. Spears says (via Twitter) that trade talk has been quiet, as teams are waiting to see what happens with Josh Smith first. One major factor which undeniably has affected discussions around this time has been the looming "repeater tax," which Adrian Wojnarowski tweets is the reason why most teams have been reluctant to take back long-term deals at the deadline. We'll round up the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links below:

In addressing the biggest issues for the Lakers moving forward, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times puts the chances of Dwight Howard re-signing next season at 25%. If Howard stays, Bresnahan thinks the Lakers could possibly amnesty Pau Gasol. If Dwight chooses to leave, Bresnahan opines that L.A. would likely keep Gasol and amnesty Metta World Peace.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune directs attention to Luke Ridnour and the Timberwolves' multiple first-round picks as their most attractive pieces in trying to acquire a legitimately-sized shooting guard.
According to Wojnarowski, the Bobcats have been trying to find takers for Gerald Henderson and are looking for a first-round pick in return.
John Reid of NOLA.com hears that the Hornets would be interested in trading Eric Gordon to the Warriors in any package that includes Klay Thompson, although Golden State is said to be reluctant in parting ways with the second-year guard right now. Reid notes Gordon has the power to veto any trade, and while he showed a strong interest in signing with Phoenix over the summer, the Hornets are prohibited from dealing him to the Suns.
With no first-round picks or salary cap space to use, Tim Kawakami of Mercury News believes that the Warriors aren't looking or aren't likely to make a deal soon.
ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that Derrick Rose appeared good enough to return to in-game action judging by the way he looked during 5-on-5 practice, according to eyewitnesses (Twitter link). On the same token, head coach Tom Thibodeau told ESPN Chicago earlier today that Rose might not make his return this season.
Paul Coro of AZCentral.com says that Sebastian Telfair and Jermaine O'Neal could be sent to title contenders in minor deals, and that Telfair would be the most likely candidate to be moved.
While there aren't any concrete trade connections between Oklahoma City and the following list of players, Royce Young of Daily Thunder names five reasonable targets for the Thunder: Luc Mbah a Moute, J.J. Barea, Luke Ridnour, Darren Collison, and Rodney Stuckey.

Odds & Ends: Dwight, Lakers, Warriors, Bobcats

February 19th, 2013 at 6:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops told Joe and Evan of WFAN 660 today that he believes there is a 50-50 chance that Dwight Howard winds up with the Nets by the trade deadline. Despite the Lakers' reassurances that they wouldn't be willing to deal their prized center, Sheridan thinks that they soon have to realize that this season cannot be salvaged and suggests that a deal involving MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Tyshawn Taylor, Mirza Teletovic, Tornike Shengelia, the draft rights to some of their overseas prospects, and a few first round picks could be enough to get something done. Here's what else we're hearing this afternoon:

In contrast to Sheridan's thoughts, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com tweets about Mitch Kupchak's insistence that Howard won't be traded and the unlikelihood that the Lakers acquire a talent upgrade anytime soon. Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times relayed Kupchak's thoughts explicitly: "I don’t anticipate anything dramatic talking place in the next two days" (Twitter link).
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News notes that coach Mike D'Antoni remains convinced the Lakers don't have to make any moves before the deadline and that Pau Gasol is hopeful he can return before the end of the regular season. Gasol, who suffered a foot injury two weeks ago, expects to be off crutches soon (All Twitter links).
As we heard last week, Warriors ownership hasn't required the front office to make deals for the sake of avoiding the luxury tax and would be willing to make a deal if the right one came along. With that being said, team co-owner Joe Lacob told Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News that he likes how the current group has been performing and needs to see them continue to perform together for an extended period of time.
Bobcats head Coach Mike Dunlap said that he's met with some of his players to talk about the trade deadline, adding that he feels "uncomfortable communication" is necessary too. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer thinks that the latter was likely a reference to Ben Gordon, who has been notably unhappy with Dunlap this season (Twitter links).

Odds & Ends: Garnett, Rose, Knicks, Blazers

February 13th, 2013 at 11:36pm CST by Alex Lee

Kevin Garnett made some cryptic comments after the Celtics win on Wednesday night, stating that this weekend's festivities will be his last All-Star game, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Garnett signed a three-year extension with Boston in the offseason, so this statement obviously prompted confusion and resulting questions from media (via Chris Forsberg on ESPN.com):

"Y'all don't know what I know," Garnett said. "So, let's put it like this: I'm more than grateful for going, but I'm not going to act like I've got more All-Star Games in me, so I'm actually going to enjoy this one with some friends and family."

Garnett could obviously be implying that he will decline future All-Star invites, but given his tendency for hinting at walking away from the game, this is something worth following. Here are some other things going on around the league:

With his knee still bothering him, Derrick Rose told reporters that he "won't mind missing this year" if he isn't ready, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. This was the first time Rose spoke to the media since the start of the regular season, making this a surprising revelation. Rose was originally thought to be aiming for a post All-Star break return, but that sure seems like a long shot at this point. Based on Rose's words, it is clear that he intends to come back on his terms and will only do so when he is entirely healthy.
If the Knicks are truly inquiring on Luke Ridnour, sharpshooter Steve Novak may be the only piece they can move to get it done, writes Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops. Novak, recently relegated to more of a reserve role, makes $4.05MM — a number that matches up nicely against Ridnour's $4MM for this year and $4.3MM for next. Sheridan writes that Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni aren't real options to play meaningful minutes at the point. Sheridan considers Will Bynum of the Pistons to be the best fit for the Knicks.
Even if no high profile players are dealt by next week's deadline, look no further than last year to see how much a mid-level trade can make an impact on a franchise. The Blazers trade of Gerald Wallace to the Nets — while it didn't alter the landscape of the league a bit last year — resulted in the acquisition of Damian Lillard via the NBA Draft, and the subsequent expediting of the Blazers rebuilding process, says Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge.
Asked about the Lakers personnel, Hall of Fame basketball writer Mark Heisler, now of Sheridan Hoops, says via video that the Lakers won't be moving Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol or Kobe Bryant this year. Looking to the future, Hesiler says the team's No. 1 priority is to lock up Howard because, quite simply, he is "the only young player they have who's any good."

Los Angeles Notes: Howard, Tax, Grant Hill

February 7th, 2013 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Even during a year when neither team has lived up to preseason expectations, a matchup between the Lakers and Celtics is worth circling on the calendar. The contest in Boston tonight is particularly intriguing, given the injury woes that have beset both clubs recently. Despite being shorthanded, the Lakers and C's have been two of the league's hottest teams, with the latter riding a five-game winning streak and the former having won six of seven. As we wait to see which team cools off tonight, let's check in on a few items out of Los Angeles….

Kobe Bryant tells Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston.com that he feels like Dwight Howard is too preoccupied with how he's perceived by fans and media. "He just wants people to like him," Bryant said. "He doesn't want to let anyone down, and that gets him away from what he should be doing."
In detailing how the CBA's increasing tax penalties will affect NBA teams next season and beyond, Sam Amick of USA Today notes that few teams will be hit harder than the Lakers. If the club signs Howard to a max deal, it will have about $100MM committed to just nine players for next season, which would result in over $70MM in tax payments. As such, it's no surprise that a player like Pau Gasol, who is earning $19MM+ next season, has an uncertain future in L.A.
Despite having a partially guaranteed contract for next year, Grant Hill strongly hinted that he's likely to retire after this season, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
Earlier this morning, we heard from Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the Lakers are in no rush to add a free agent following Gasol's foot injury.

Pau Gasol To Miss Significant Time With Foot Injury

February 6th, 2013 at 7:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pau Gasol has suffered a torn plantar fascia in his right foot, the Lakers confirmed on their website. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who originally reported the news, set the timetable for his return at six weeks or more, while Chris Broussard of ESPN.com hears it's at least four weeks (Twitter link). In any case, it will keep him out until after the trade deadline, complicating, if not scuttling, any potential deal.

Gasol will meet with a specialist tomorrow, and an official timetable will be set following that, but Berger hears he could be out 10-12 weeks if he opts for surgery, which would provide a better chance for full recovery than rehab alone. That would leave the 23-26 Lakers without their second-leading rebounder until April at the earliest, adding yet another burden to their pursuit of a playoff spot.

The Lakers have a $1.78MM injury exception granted following the loss of Jordan Hill for the season, but the team isn't dead set on using it, a source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). They also have a pro-rated portion of the $1.4MM they had leftover on their mid-level exception entering the season. Aside from that, they'd either have to replace Gasol in trades or via minimum-salary signing. L.A. has 14 players on the roster, leaving one open spot.

Lakers Rumors: Gasol, Howard, Trades

February 5th, 2013 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

With the eighth-seeded Rockets hosting the red-hot Warriors tonight, the Lakers will have the opportunity to gain some ground in the Western Conference playoff race. It won't come easy though, as the Lakers head to the Barclays Center for the first time to face the 28-19 Nets. As we wait to see how tonight's game plays out, let's round up a few of the latest rumblings out of L.A….

D'Antoni told reporters, including Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter), that he isn't concerned about his relationship with Gasol. "He will probably do what we ask him to do. I'm not going to Spain to vacation with him this summer, but he's good," the coach said.
The Lakers aren't upset about Gasol's comments either, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The big man is a professional and they don't believe that what he said will impact the team.

Earlier updates:

Asked by T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times how he'd feel about next season, if Mike D'Antoni remained with the Lakers and Dwight Howard re-signed, Pau Gasol admitted it would "be hard for me to deal with another season." Gasol acknowledged that it's possible he'd ask for a trade this summer in that case, but he won't do so this month: "I'm not a quitter. Just because things look better on the other side of the fence, I'm not going to take the easy way out."
More Gasol to Simers: "I'm fortunate to be doing what I am for a living and being highly rewarded for it. But it hurts me that this unique opportunity we have with such good players is not being maximized."
Gasol's trade value may be rising recently as he plays well with Howard out of action, but D12's absence also exhibits that Pau is an important piece for the Lakers to keep around this season, writes Brian Kamenetzky via Sulia.
It would be a major departure from Mitch Kupchak's style for him to say he's not trading Howard and then turn around and do it, says Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Sulia). As such, Bucher expects the Lakers to roll with their current roster rather than making any significant changes.

Kupchak: Lakers Won’t Trade Dwight Howard

February 4th, 2013 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

With the Lakers struggling through the 2012/13 season and Dwight Howard facing free agency at this summer, there's been some speculation recently that general manager Mitch Kupchak could look to move the All-Star center before this month's trade deadline. Speaking to Newsday's Steven Marcus, however, Kupchak says the team doesn't intend to deal Howard.

"We will not make a trade," Kupchak said. "We will not trade Dwight Howard. We have no intention of making a trade. It's unlikely that we'll make any trade with any of our principal players. To make another change at this time of the year being behind the eight-ball like we are, I think that would just make it more difficult. The talent is there. We have to find our way."

The Lakers have been playing better ball lately, having won five of their last six games. But even that stretch hasn't been smooth sailing, as it included a pair of near-collapses against the Hornets and Pistons, and a loss to the 16-32 Suns in Phoenix. Still, while he acknowledges that it's taken some time for everyone to get on the same page, Kupchak is confident in the current roster, and doesn't think it's too old to be a contender.

"Old? If you're looking to make excuses, I suppose," Kupchak said. "I put this team together with Jim Buss. We don't think they're too old. We have great experience. When I look at our team and I make a list of things that may contribute to our record to date, age is not one of them. I think seven or eight games from now we'll have more answers. We're trying to get into the playoffs and make a run."

Besides Howard, Pau Gasol has also been mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Lakers. Kupchak didn't specifically name Gasol as someone who absolutely won't be moved, but his comments suggest the Lakers don't plan to seriously explore that possibility.