Portland Trail Blazers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Celtics, Sullinger

March 27th, 2013 at 10:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

It had to end sometime. The Heat finally lost a game after winning 27 in a row, falling to the Bulls tonight despite the absence of Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. That leaves the Knicks, who earned their sixth straight victory with a win over the Grizzlies this evening, as the team with the longest current winning streak in the NBA. The six W's in a row have allowed the Knicks to essentially end the Celtics' hopes of a sixth straight division title, and New York has built a three-game lead on second-place Brooklyn, pending the Nets' late game against the Blazers. Here's more on a pair of teams looking up at New York in the Atlantic standings.

Last year's Gerald Wallace deal allowed the Blazers to select Damian Lillard sixth overall in the draft this past June, but if that trade hadn't happened, the Nets still wouldn't have Lillard, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Brooklyn's scouts weren't high on last year's draft class, and the team likely would have traded the pick elsewhere if Portland hadn't come along, a source tells Bondy, who adds that the Nets weren't close to trading for Paul Pierce at the deadline a year ago, either.
SB Nation's Paul Flannery delivers a lengthy piece on Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough, examining his role in drafting Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley, along with plenty of insight on the team's inner workings. The article deserves a look in full, particularly for Boston fans, and details someone who appears poised to take over an NBA front office sometime soon. "He’s very good at what he does," C's coach Doc Rivers said. "He’ll be a GM. There’s no doubt about that."
Jared Sullinger's back had him red-flagged by NBA doctors before last year's draft, and even though the rookie is out for the season after undergoing back surgery, Rivers doesn't regret the Celtics taking him 21st overall, as Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer notes.

Odds & Ends: Ayon, Brooks, Mavericks

March 23rd, 2013 at 10:03pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Bucks center Gustavo Ayon expressed some frustration about not being able to find court time in Milwaukee, and told reporters that he could return to Europe when his contract runs out, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel. Though coach Jim Boylan reportedly likes what he sees from the Mexican-born center, there hasn't been enough practice time to incorporate him into the rotation. We've got a few more tidbits to share from around the league tonight, and you can find them below:

In addition to wondering what the 76ers will do with Andrew Bynum, Tom Moore of Philly Burbs also ponders the future of Evan Turner, who will be eligible for an $8.7MM qualifying offer after he finishes his fourth year option worth $6.7MM next season. Moore adds that if Turner doesn't figure to be in the team's plans, the Sixers could look to trade him this summer or during next year's trade deadline.
HoopsWorld's Derek Page held his weekly chat with fans earlier today, and here are some of the highlights: he sees DeMarcus Cousins as a max-level player, thinks Josh Smith could be the biggest name to move in free agency, predicts that Dwight Howard and Chris Paul remain in Los Angeles beyond this season, and isn't sure that O.J. Mayo or Tyreke Evans are long-term solutions for the Mavericks.
Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK delves into what could have been as he revisits Scott Brooks' challenging contract negotiations with the Thunder last summer, and discussing the possibility that he could have joined the Trail Blazers.
Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram reeled in some quotes about upcoming free agency from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: "Our goal is to win championships, not win the summer, and so we have to see what’s available and what’s out there…We do the same thing we do every year and be opportunistic. We’re going to be opportunistic, and depending on how things go, we’ll make our decision."

Maynor Unlikely To Receive Qualifying Offer

March 23rd, 2013 at 8:33pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes that while Eric Maynor has been a solid addition for the Trail Blazers, it isn't likely that Portland would offer him the $3.4MM qualifying offer that he's eligible for this summer. However, Freeman writes that a more plausible scenario would involve the Blazers to allow Maynor to become an unrestricted free agent in order to let the market set his value, which is how they handled J.J. Hickson's free agency before he ultimately returned to the team.

With plenty of contracts set to expire in the offseason, Portland expects to have a significant amount of cap space to have at their disposal. However, Maynor's $5.85MM cap hold would significantly eat into the team's flexibility, which explains why they could prefer to relinquish their rights over him as a restricted free agent. The 6'3 guard, who has seen his playing time nearly double since being acquired from the Thunder, has put up 7.1 PPG and 3.6 APG for the Blazers in 14 games.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Bynum, Acy

March 19th, 2013 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Over at Grantland.com, Zach Lowe checks in with the early favorite for the week's most interesting NBA piece, delving into the SportVU camera-tracking system and explaining how it's employed by the Raptors. I highly recommend checking out Lowe's story, which includes some fascinating details that, frankly, I'm surprised the Raps were willing to share publicly. Here are a few more notes from out of the Atlantic Division:

Multiple NBA executives tell Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that they wouldn't be surprised if a "desperate" club offers Andrew Bynum a max contract this summer. Kennedy expects the Hawks, Mavericks, Rockets, and Trail Blazers to be among the interested teams (Twitter links). I'd imagine that the Sixers will at least have to kick the tires on re-signing Bynum as well.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld also looks ahead to Bynum's free agency in the wake of news that the big man will undergo season-ending surgery. According to one executive who spoke to Kyler, if Bynum is willing to agree to injury exclusions in his contract, teams likely won't hesitate to make him big offers. It remains to be seen whether Bynum would be more interested in a deal like that or a smaller offer made up entirely of guaranteed money.
Although a report last week suggested that the Raptors would likely recall Quincy Acy from the D-League, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star says the team likes having Acy getting consistent playing time with the Bakersfield Jam. For now, there's no rush to bring him back to Toronto, where he'd receive limited minutes.

Southwest Rumors: Fisher, Mavs, Spurs, Davis

March 18th, 2013 at 1:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mavs owner Mark Cuban took a sarcastic tone last month when discussing Derek Fisher's decision to sign with the Thunder a few months after securing his release from Dallas earlier this season, ostensibly so the veteran point guard could spend more time with his family. Last night, Cuban took a more direct swipe at Fisher, insinuating that he tried to deceive the Mavericks, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas chronicles.

"My personality is to try to help somebody, particularly somebody that I thought one thing about, even if it didn't turn out to be that way," the owner said. "So I was just trying to be nice and help. Usually when you help somebody, you expect at least some semblance of loyalty back. When you don't get it, then it's more disappointing. With his history, I shouldn't have been surprised what happened."

Fisher's exit from Dallas was the third time in his career that he's negotiated a premature end to one of his contracts, as MacMahon and Jeff Caplan of NBA.com point out. There's more news today on the Mavericks, as well as a couple of their Southwest Division rivals, and we'll round it up here:

Caplan looks at the revolving door in the Mavs' backcourt this season, a group that lost another member last night when Rodrigue Beaubois broke his left hand, likely knocking him out for the season (Sulia link).
David Aldridge's Morning Tip column at NBA.com has a heavy Southwest feel this week. Aldridge examines the state of the Spurs, chronicles the journey of Mavs' 10-day signee Chris Wright, who's dealing with multiple sclerosis, and catches up with No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis for a Q&A.
Davis spoke about leading Rookie of the Year candidate Damian Lillard in the interview with Aldridge, and Hornets coach Monty Williams believes it's helped Davis' development to have Lillard steal some of the spotlight this year, notes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.

Stein’s Latest: Ibaka, Mavs, Bobby Brown, Raja Bell

March 15th, 2013 at 11:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

After indulging in his love of soccer to make a cross-sport comparison of LeBron James and Lionel Messi, Marc Stein of ESPN.com delivers his usual assortment of juicy NBA rumors from around the league as part of his Weekend Dime. Here are the highlights:

One NBA GM believes Serge Ibaka would have been worth a maximum-salary contract had he not signed a $49.4MM extension with the Thunder this past offseason. I took an early look this evening at some of this summer's rookie-scale extension candidates.
The Mavs recently tried to free former NBA point guard Bobby Brown from his deal with Italian club Montepaschi Siena, but the potential buyout would have been too costly. Several teams have interest in Brown, 28, who's expected to return to the NBA next season. He's averaging 17.7 points and 4.4 assists this season in Italy.
Raja Bell confirms, as we've heard, that he would have taken a buyout from the Jazz before the March 1st playoff eligibility deadline if he had an offer from another team already lined up, and that the Lakers' concerns about the luxury tax have precluded L.A. from signing him. He also said he's open to joining a team this season even though he wouldn't be eligible for the playoffs.
Had the Nets held on to their first-round draft pick last year instead of trading it away in the Gerald Wallace deal, they likely would have passed on presumptive Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard in favor of Tyler Zeller, since they figured incumbent point guard Deron Williams would re-sign.
Stein takes the Bulls to task for not making it clear that they're OK with Derrick Rose if he doesn't come back this season. Rose is angry that the perception that he's the only one holding up his return has been allowed to build. A source tells Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com that "a lot of people have to sign off" before he could come back.

Odds & Ends: Blatche, Suns, Wolves, Cavs, Lillard

March 15th, 2013 at 10:24pm CST by Chuck Myron

Without Bird or even Early Bird rights, The Nets could be in a tricky situation if they want to re-sign Andray Blatche, whom Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors ranked among the best one-year contract signings this season. Blatche indicated to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that he might make it easy on Brooklyn, since he'll still be drawing paychecks from his amnestied contract with the Wizards. "I’m very aware (of my unique situation)," Blatche said. "That’s what I’m saying. Everybody is probably thinking I’m looking to get that big check. I’m not. Not at all. I’m looking at what’s best for me."

Here's more from around the league on the one-year anniversary of the 2012 trade deadline:

Wesley Johnson is headed for unrestricted free agency this summer after the Suns turned down his fourth-year option, but he tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic that he still views Phoenix as a "longtime place" for him.
The Timberwolves seem content to carry 15 players for now, rather than applying for a hardship exception and adding a 16th man. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reports that the team isn't interested in free agents like Donte Greene, Tony Gaffney, and Raja Bell.
The Cavs want to see how rookie Dion Waiters handles minutes at point guard, so the team hasn't discussed adding another player at the position while Kyrie Irving misses the next three to four weeks with a sprained left shoulder, notes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
Damian Lillard believes he's improved since he started playing alongside Eric Maynor, whom the Blazers acquired at the trade deadline, as Mike Tokito of The Oregonian observes.
Thaddeus Young, who's on a deal that runs through 2016 with annual salaries under $10MM, is the Sixers player who'll draw the most trade inquiries from other teams, opines John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The threat of a referendum on public funding for a new arena in Sacramento will have no impact on the city's bid to retain the Kings, sources tell Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com (Twitter link).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Williams, Sampson

March 13th, 2013 at 10:34pm CST by Alex Lee

Miami's win streak has reached 20 after they survived a spirited effort from the 76ers in Philly. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant is out "indefinitely" after he suffered a severe left ankle sprain late in the Lakers loss in Atlanta. With Carmelo Anthony's return to Denver nearing halftime, let's round up the final links from around the league on Wednesday night here:

The Blazers, who have a top-12 protected first round pick, are in a conflicting position at 3.5 games out of a playoff spot, writes Jason Quick of the Oregonian. If the season ended today they would retain their selection, and Blazers scouts are spread across the country accordingly, taking in the NCAA conference tournaments. Portland GM Neil Olshey implemented a new draft strategy in Portland, which consists of each scout watching a targeted group of 15 to 18 college players at least three times. The Blazers would currently pick 12th.
Blazers guard Elliot Williams plans on using the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas as an audition this summer to prove his health, writes Chris Haynes of CSN Northwest. Williams tore his left Achilles in September in a voluntary team workout, but claims to be nearing a full recovery. Portland declined the fourth-year option on Williams in October, making him an unrestricted free agent come summer.
St. John's freshman Jakarr Sampson, who is considering entering June's NBA draft, had a tough night against Villanova in the Big East Tournament on Wednesday, going 5-of-18 from the field. The performance prompted Jonathan Givony of Draft Express to hope, via Twitter, that Sampson stays in school, opining that there is no guarantee that the 6-foot-8 swingman would even be drafted. Maurice Harkless left St. John's after his freshman season just under a year ago, before being drafted 15th by the Sixers and moved to the Magic in the Andrew Bynum deal.

Northwest Notes: Trail Blazers, Durant, Leslie

March 12th, 2013 at 8:48pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the NBA's Northwest Division:

The Oregonian's John Canzano gives his take on the Trail Blazers situation compared to that of the Seattle Seahawks. Both franchises are owned by Paul Allen, and in light of yesterday's big news that the football team had made a big splash by trading for wide receiver Percy Harvin, Canzano argues that in order for the basketball team to make similar high-impact moves, Blazers GM Neil Olshey needs to gain Allen's trust.
Jazz guard Travis Leslie hopes he'll get to stay with the team past his 10-day contract, writes The Salt Lake Tribune's Bill Oram.
The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry has quotes from Kevin Durant on his poor shooting performance last night against the Spurs.

Eric Maynor Hopes To Remain With Blazers

March 11th, 2013 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

After spending most of his NBA career with the Thunder, Eric Maynor is just seven games into his stint with the Trail Blazers, but is enjoying his time in Portland so far. As he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, Maynor hopes the team tenders him a qualifying offer, and is very open to the idea of remaining a Blazer beyond this season.

"That would be great for me," Maynor said of potentially receiving a qualifying offer. "There's a bunch of cool dudes that work hard and want to get better. I'm used to that and those are the type of guys I want to be around. This is the type of team that I want to be on."

General manager Neil Olshey is keeping his options open when it comes to filling out the roster this summer, so it's not clear yet whether Maynor will be re-signed. But according to the Blazers GM, the club had the future in mind when it traded for Maynor last month.

"We acquired Eric because we felt he could be a long-term solution at a position of need," Olshey said. "Obviously we are pleased with the impact he has made and how quickly he has fit in. We plan to use the remainder of the season to evaluate how he, and all of our potential free agents, fit into our roster composition."