Pau Gasol Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trade Rumors: Gasol, Hawks, Bucks, Bobcats

December 20th, 2012 at 9:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The trade deadline is two months and one day away, and we'll be hearing a lot about trade candidates in the coming weeks. HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler provides an update on a few teams and players we're likely to hear more about soon.

While Kyler believes it's "inevitable" the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol, he doesn't think there's much of a market for him, having heard there are only three or four teams in the mix. No one is offering a "home run" deal, and trading Gasol now would mean selling low. The Lakers would like to swap Gasol for a pair of players on less lucrative deals who would be better fits, but no such deal is out there at the moment. L.A. has a full roster with 15 players, and the team would like to open up a spot. Kyler speculates that the Lakers could move Jordan Hill, Devin Ebanks, Darius Morris or Darius Johnson-Odom for a second-round pick or a backup point guard.
The Hawks want to trade some of their expiring contracts for a player who can help the team this season, but they won't make a deal unless it's an obvious win. They still want to have enough cap space to fit Dwight Howard or Chris Paul on the team, and with only about $18.5MM in commitments for next season, not including cap holds for free agents like Josh Smith, whom they're optimistic about re-signing and, according to Kyler, not planning to trade. The Hawks could probably add a player who helps now while maintaining enough flexibility this summer.
We heard yesterday that the Bucks have told Brandon Jennings they'll match any offer he'll get in restricted free agency. That makes Monta Ellis the more likely to be traded among the team's pair of backcourt aces, but Kyler hears that there are teams with interest in both. If Milwaukee elects to hang on to Jennings and Ellis, it isn't worried about losing either in free agency.
Everyone on the Bobcats is available in a trade, a source tells Kyler. That's not a shock, considering the team has lost 13 in a row, but Kyler cautions that Gerald Henderson probably won't be dealt unless it's as part of a package with others.
While the Magic are open to sending J.J. Redick away in a deal that offloads other contracts, the team doesn't want to let him go, as GM Rob Hennigan and the revamped front office has become more fond of the veteran two-guard than they were at the beginning of the season.
Kyler believes the Raptors must trade Jose Calderon to recoup value for him before he becomes a free agent next summer, and while it seems like Andrea Bargnani is headed out of Toronto, too, uncertainty about GM Bryan Colangelo's future is complicating potential deals.
If the Jazz remain in the playoff picture, a deal is less likely, but if not, Utah will look to unload one of its big men for draft picks and players on rookie contracts.

Aldridge On Raptors, Varejao, LeBron, Thunder

December 17th, 2012 at 12:25pm CST by Chuck Myron

TNT's David Aldridge checks in as usual on a Monday with his Morning Tip column at NBA.com, and this week's edition is full of trade rumors as talk heats up around the league. Here's a digest of Aldridge's latest scuttlebutt, with a heavy focus on the Raptors.

While Andrea Bargnani's elbow injury will keep him out for a month, delaying trade talk, one rival GM is convinced he'll eventually be leaving the Raptors, feeling as though there's no doubt GM Bryan Colangelo will trade him.
The Raptors are leery of adding another international player, according to Aldridge, which would make them reluctant to trade for Pau Gasol.
Aldridge speculates the Raptors won't deal Jose Calderon to the Lakers, and instead ship him somewhere for a draft pick to create a massive trade exception. Aldridge writes that such a trade exception would be $15.6MM, but I believe it would be closer to $10.6MM, reflecting Calderon's salary.
A league executive speculates that the Cavs will hold on to Varejao through the summer of 2014, when LeBron James can become a free agent, so they can make a pitch to their erstwhile superstar. In any case, the Cavs have set Varejao's asking price too high for other teams' tastes, as they often do with their many of their players, according to Aldridge.
Though the Thunder are reportedly content to stand pat for now, Aldridge believes they could try to move the Raptors pick they got from the Rockets in the James Harden trade, speculating that one of their targets could be Varejao.
Aldridge spoke with a GM who joins the seeming consensus that the Jazz are more likely to deal Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson. The GM believes Jefferson is a better fit with Derrick Favors.
The Bucks want an upgrade at small forward, and Aldridge thinks the team is more likely to move "one of its undersized four or oversized threes" than trade Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
The Wizards are open to trading one of their big men for veteran help at the point, where they're woefully thin in John Wall's absence.
The Pacers are willing to tinker, but aren't putting Paul George or George Hill on the table.
No one aside from Jrue Holiday is off-limits as the Sixers seek a big man, though it would take a lot to pry Thaddeus Young or Evan Turner from their hands.

Hawks Remain Uninterested In Pau Gasol

December 17th, 2012 at 9:41am CST by Chuck Myron

Multiple reports over the last month or so have indicated that the Hawks aren't interested in trading for Pau Gasol, and HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler notes that it continues to be the case, as Hawks officials find the idea they would think about such a trade "laughable." Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times wrote this weekend that the Hawks had asked the Lakers over the summer about their interest in trading Gasol for Josh Smith, adding that the Lakers rejected the idea. Bolch speculated that the Lakers might be warming to the idea of acquiring Smith, but Kyler says the Hawks have never wanted to trade for Gasol.

Such a deal would run counter to GM Danny Ferry's course of clearing cap space, and Kyler hears the Hawks also haven't had talked to the Lakers about Smith. The Hawks have been in steady communication with Smith and believe he's content in Atlanta, and know that they have the "inside track" to re-sign him when he hits free agency next summer, according to Kyler. The Hawks view Smith and Horford as the pillars of the franchise, and plan to use their newfound flexibility to build around them, as Kyler writes.

The HoopsWorld scribe also notes that the Lakers continue to look for upgrades to the end of their bench, and are shopping Devin Ebanks, though there has been little call for his services around the league. Because Ebanks accepted his qualifying offer this summer, he can veto any trade.

Trade Notes: Gasol, Cavs, Heat

December 16th, 2012 at 3:14pm CST by Sean Highkin

Yesterday was December 15, meaning players who were signed as free agents during the offseason are now eligible to be traded. With just a few months to go before the trade deadline and teams beginning to assess their needs, trade rumors and talks are beginning to heat up. Here are the latest rumblings from around the league on that front:

Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times doesn't think Pau Gasol and Steve Nash will mesh as the Lakers hoped, and has a few Gasol trade ideas that might benefit the Lakers.
The Cavs will have a pair of first-round picks in the 2013 draft, and according to Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer, they'd love to add another via trade.
A trade isn't a priority for the Heat right now, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. If they were looking to make a deal, they would not have a lot of assets.

Bucher On Jennings, Evans, Varejao, Gasol

December 16th, 2012 at 8:35am CST by Chuck Myron

With a few exceptions, yesterday was the day free agents signed this offseason became eligible to be included in trades, so rumors will no doubt begin to intensify. Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game shares a few dispatches via Sulia, and we'll round them up here.

Of the two most prominent names headed for restricted free agency next summer, Brandon Jennings has a better chance of being traded this year than Tyreke Evans. The Bucks are cognizant that several teams are "quietly assessing" Jennings to gauge his worth, though Bucher has been given no indication the team is looking to trade him at the moment.
The Kings, who'll have the ability to match offers to Evans, are content to sit back and wait for another team to set his value on the market. Sacramento is reluctant to let go of Evans' talent even though it's still unclear what position he plays best.
Among prominent veteran trade candidates like Pau Gasol, Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon, Anderson Varejao is the only one with a significant chance of being dealt soon. Gasol isn't going anywhere right now because of the promise the Lakers made to Steve Nash that he and Gasol would get to play together.

Odds & Ends: Gasol, D-League, Knicks, Nash

December 15th, 2012 at 10:08pm CST by Michael Pina

There has been much talk that the Lakers should trade Pau Gasol. Ben Bolch from the Los Angeles Times gives five possible trade scenarios that could end up pleasing both parties. .

Ridiculous Upside's Keith Schlosser writes that former first round draft pick Damion James is currently down in the D-League fighting his way back to the NBA. And he's not the only one. Ryan Ripley tells the same story with Morris Almond.
ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling writes that Knicks head coach Mike Woodson prefers to push the ball and increase the tempo.
The Orange County Register's Kevin Ding writes that Lakers fans should be exicted as they await Steve Nash's return.
Former Bulls backup point guard C.J. Watson says he was "mistreated" in the offseason and had no plans on re-signing with Chicago, writes The Chicago Sun-Times' Neil Hayes. Watson is currently backing up Deron Williams with the Nets.

Stein On Pau, Raptors, Varejao, Jazz, Gentry

December 14th, 2012 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com's Marc Stein has published his Weekend Dime, and leads off the jam-packed column with a look at a handful of players that are candidates to be dealt before February 21st's trade deadline. Here are the highlights on those guys, and from the rest of Stein's piece:

The Lakers continue to recognize that they're unlikely to get fair value for Pau Gasol, given his health, salary, and performance, and would prefer to avoid another major shakeup anyway. So for now, they're still not seriously considering a Pau trade.
Multiple front-office sources view the Raptors as the team most motivated to make a move. The team would like to make Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon in tandem, but Bargnani's elbow injury may force Toronto to deal Calderon on his own. The Lakers and Mavericks have interest, though neither team is an obvious match for Calderon's $10.5MM+ salary.
NBA teams believe Anderson Varejao is "highly available," but are skeptical he'll be dealt, since the Cavaliers' high asking price is only increasing. Cleveland is seeking multiple young assets for Varejao, according to Stern, who says the Thunder, a potential match, have exhibited little interest.
Teams around the league aren't sure whether the Jazz would be more inclined to trade Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson, but the general consensus suggests one of the two will be dealt by the deadline for a front-line point guard.
Stein lists a few other names that come up repeatedly in talks with sources as trade candidates: Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings, Derrick Williams, Luke Ridnour, J.J. Barea, Michael Beasley, Courtney Lee, and D.J. Augustin.
Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley may already be interested in buying another team, with the Bucks as a potential target, according to Stein.
Robert Sarver's assurances that Alvin Gentry will keep his job as Suns head coach shouldn't be viewed as a "dreaded" vote of confidence. Sources tell Stein that Sarver likes Gentry "too much personally to make an in-season change."

Lakers Rumors: Gasol, Bell, D’Antoni, Jackson

December 14th, 2012 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

As I suggested in yesterday's round-up of Lakers links, a loss last night in New York wouldn't have been the end of the world, but a loss tonight in Washington? If that happens, sound the alarm bells. As L.A. looks to snap its four-game losing streak, let's browse a few Lakers rumors….

Multiple sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that if Pau Gasol still struggles to find a fit with the Lakers once Steve Nash has returned, the team would be willing to explore dealing him for a younger, more athletic forward and bench help.
With Wojnarowski's piece, the Yahoo! scribe also says the Lakers have put their pursuit of Raja Bell on held as they realize that point guard is a more pressing concern. The Bulls are willing to commit to Bell on a non-guaranteed deal, says Wojnarowski, but that hasn't motivated the veteran forward to finalize a buyout with the Jazz.
Kobe Bryant doesn't blame the Lakers' struggles on new coach Mike D'Antoni, as Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. "It’s not fair. He’s been thrown into a situation," Bryant said. "It’s been a huge adjustment for all of us. And we’ve been asked to figure it out with some key pieces that are out. When they come back we’ll get this thing locked and loaded."
Lakers fans still holding out hope for Phil Jackson probably shouldn't hold their breath, as Jackson tells TMZ.com that he wouldn't take the job if it were offered to him.

Lakers Notes: Kobe, Gasol, World Peace

December 12th, 2012 at 7:17pm CST by Sean Highkin

The Los Angeles Lakers have continued to struggle this week, losing 100-94 on Tuesday to the Cleveland Cavaliers to fall to 9-13 so far for the 2012/13 season. Here are the latest tidbits around the team:

Lakers.com's Mike Trudell reports that Kobe Bryant defended the struggling Pau Gasol from recent criticism during an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter. Bryant reiterated how important Gasol is to the team and should be viewed among the top big men in the game (Twitter links).
Lakers forward Metta World Peace told the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan that the team should not use the injuries to Gasol and Steve Nash as an excuse for their struggles.
Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com discuss the Lakers' playoff hopes in a new video segment.

Pacific Notes: Gortat, Curry, Gasol, Jamison

December 9th, 2012 at 10:54pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Suns starting center Marcin Gortat might be becoming "restless" in Phoenix, noting that he has tallied a total of just 50 minutes over the last two games despite not being in foul trouble. While Robbins references a "Polish-language publication" that suggested Gortat would welcome a trade to the Celtics, Bulls, Mavericks, or even back to the Magic, he also mentions that Phoenix hasn't given the impression that they're willing to deal him at this point. With that aside, here's the rest of tonight's tidbits coming from the Pacific Division:

Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles looks at the success and production of the Clippers' second unit, which has started to gain some popularity with the nickname "A Tribe Called Bench."
Warriors coach Mark Jackson firmly believes that Stephen Curry is an All-Star based on his performance after 20 games this season. It's hard to disagree, as the 24-year-old Davidson product is averaging 19.7 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, and nearly 4 RPG for the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference. Jeff Zillgit of USA Today also mentions that Curry has been worry-free about the ankle problems that had sidelined him for all but 16 games last year.
Mike D'Antoni hints that Pau Gasol could play on Tuesday if his pain has lessened enough (Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets).
Compared to his experiences in Cleveland and Washington, 15-year-veteran Antawn Jamison isn't rattled by the Lakers' slow start. As of late, he has been one of the team's most consistent performers, hitting double figure scoring in six of the last eight games: "I'm comfortable, not thinking at all, having fun, competing and doing the things I normally do. So it's a lot easier. I was getting frustrated, but now I'm just out there playing" (Schmitt Boyer reports).
Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation revisits the 1996 trade that sent then Charlotte-draft pick Kobe Bryant to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.
In addition to the Rockets and Nuggets, the Lakers cracked HoopsWorld's list of most surprising teams this season from the Western Conference.