Odds & Ends: Lakers, Asik, Warriors
While trying to rationalize a sign-and-trade involving the Lakers sending Dwight Howard to the Warriors from L.A.'s point of view, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (Insiders only) writes that Golden State could possibly sweeten their offer by adding another expiring contract to the table while agreeing to take on the rest of Steve Nash's deal in return. If in fact Dwight decides to leave, Pelton thinks that acquiring expiring contracts, future first round picks, and a young talent like Harrison Barnes would be much more preferable than seeing their star free agent walk away for nothing.
Here are more of the rest of tonight's miscellaneous notes:
- Although 76ers GM Sam Hinkie chose not to comment much on the team's possible interest in Omer Asik, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Hinkie is very familiar with the Rockets big man, as he was part of Houston's front office when they signed him to a deal last summer.
- ESPN's Marc Stein tweets that the most notable aspect of the D12 rumors from the Warriors' perspective is how they'll deal with Andrew Bogut if their pursuit of Howard falls through. Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area (via Twitter) adds David Lee, Barnes, and Klay Thompson to the list of players that will be owed an explanation as well.
- A number of the Mavericks' point guard targets – including Monta Ellis, Mo Williams, Jarrett Jack, Chauncey Billups, and Jose Calderon – remain on the free agent market, and Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW writes that the team is working behind the scenes with multiple agents regarding potential acquisitions. In another piece, Sefko details why Howard would fit and make a much needed positive impact in Dallas.
- Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times goes through the potential repercussions for the four teams that miss out on signing Howard this summer.
- John Canzano of The Oregonian endorses the under-the-radar moves Neil Olshey has completed recently for the Trail Blazers, even if they may not appeal to fans who were expecting a big splash thus far.
- Kevin Sherrington of SportsDayDFW says that there’s virtually no chance that Mark Cuban sells the Mavericks even if things don’t continue to go well, citing a tweet from the team owner himself.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN NY recommends keeping an eye out for Reyshawn Terry and Toure Murry as players who could find themselves on an NBA team's radar soon (Twitter links). Terry, whom Zwerling thinks could be another team's 'Chris Copeland,' has reportedly played well overseas and could find himself on an NBA summer league team. Murry is currently on the Knicks' summer team and could be good enough to make a team's regular season roster.
- Earlier tonight, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE tweeted that the Mavericks were expected to see if the Celtics are more willing to trade Rajon Rondo now with Brad Stevens as the new head coach. However, with a report that Rondo is keeping an open mind to the hiring, it might not seem likely that Danny Ainge would be receptive to trade overtures just yet.
Western Notes: Cousins, Nedovic, Gordon
According to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears, Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro, head coach Michael Malone, and team majority owner Vivek Ranadive visited DeMarcus Cousins in Alabama today. Though an extension is yet to be agreed upon, D'Alessandro told Yahoo that he is confident in Cousins as the face of the Kings' franchise (Twitter links). For a while, it seemed that Cousins' future in Sacramento was in limbo, as he had recently kept mum on the franchise at the behest of his agent Dan Fegan. Last month, Fegan reportedly wanted to negotiate a maximum deal for Cousins with the threat of a trade demand if a deal wasn't reached, and we also heard that D'Alessandro had planned to meet with Cousins in person at some point. Today's meeting could only bode well for the prospects of the 22-year-old center remaining in Sacramento for the long-term.
Here are more news and notes out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News tweets that the Warriors would likely have to keep Nemanja Nedovic – their 2013 first-round pick – in Europe this upcoming season as one pre-requisite of clearing enough space to sign Dwight Howard.
- CBS Sports’ Matt Moore writes that following the three-team deal between the Pelicans, Kings, and Trail Blazers, New Orleans hasn’t given any indication that they plan to trade Eric Gordon. He also thinks that Robin Lopez is a perfect fit next to LaMarcus Aldridge, and lauds the fact that the Portland won’t have to surrender a big contract in order to land him.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA tweets that if the Lakers were to match Earl Clark’s $4.5MM a year deal from the Cavaliers, it would cost them roughly $11.3MM with taxes in order to keep him, and therefore would be too steep a price.
- Hoopsworld’s Eric Pincus notes that any free agent signing that the Lakers make will carry a hefty luxury tax bill along with them, though if Dwight Howard were to ultimately leave, the team’s tax multiplier would significantly decrease. This puts the franchise in a tricky situation: if they don’t want to commit to a player for more than a year, they’d have to overpay in year one; if they were to overpay, the team would face massive luxury tax implications (All Twitter links).
Odds & Ends: Blazers, Iguodala, Knicks, Morrow
Now that the Trail Blazers have struck a deal to acquire a big man (Robin Lopez), the team figures to move on to address other needs. As Jason Quick of the Oregonian tweets, Portland's focus could shift to a wing player next, with Francisco Garcia, Matt Barnes, and Corey Brewer representing possible targets.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Association:
- Andre Iguodala will likely make a decision on a team early next week, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
- The Knicks are likely out of the running for Matt Barnes and Nate Robinson now that the team no longer has its full mini mid-level exception, tweets Zwerling.
- Before they agreed to sign C.J. Watson, the Pacers expressed interest in Robinson, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
- Kennedy also tweets that free agent shooter Anthony Morrow has been in contact with the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Rockets, and Knicks.
- A source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link) that the Mavericks weren't willing to commit $8MM a year to J.R. Smith, let alone $10MM. The market for Smith was fairly modest, according to Berman.
- Jared Dudley wasn't looking to be traded out of Phoenix, and is open to returning to the Suns at some point down the road. But as he tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, if the Suns were going to move him, Dudley couldn't have asked for a much better fit than the Clippers.
Bulls Rumors: Aldridge, Adams, Robinson
The Bulls have made some noise in free agency so far, reaching an agreement with Mike Dunleavy and agreeing to re-sign Nazr Mohammed to a minimum-salary deal. The club also reportedly plans to release Richard Hamilton before his contract becomes guaranteed next week. Here are a few more updates out of Chicago as the Bulls continue to tweak their roster:
- Within a piece about the relationship between head coach Tom Thibodeau and star point guard Derrick Rose, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune passes along an intriguing tidbit on LaMarcus Aldridge. According to Johnson, the Bulls "continue to rebuff attempts" by Aldridge's reps to bring the All-Star big man to Chicago. The Bulls have been unwilling to discuss a hypothetical deal that would see them give up Joakim Noah and Jimmy Butler for Aldridge, sources tell Johnson.
- As Hoops Rumors' agency database shows and as Johnson suggests, Aldridge and Rose are both represented by Wasserman Media Group.
- Johnson notes within the same article that GM Gar Forman's decision to part ways with lead assistant Ron Adams was related to Adams' "complaining about personnel matters."
- The Bulls have been in touch with Nate Robinson and have offered a minimum-salary deal, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). However, Robinson is seeking a bigger multiyear contract after a successful season in Chicago.
Kings Won’t Match Evans Offer, Discussing Trade
3:51pm: Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that the proposed three-way deal would see Evans go to the Pelicans, Lopez to the Trail Blazers, and Vasquez to the Kings, with the Blazers sending out picks and cash. The specifics on the Portland picks and money aren't known, nor is it clear which team would receive them.
3:39pm: Jose Calderon has passed on an opportunity to sign with the Kings, clearing the way for the team to complete the three-way agreement that would see Vasquez land in Sacramento, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter) that the Pelicans had been hoping to sign Calderon and move Vasquez elsewhere.
11:11am: Sam Amick of USA Today confirms that trade talks are ongoing, but says the proposed scenario would be a three-way deal, with Vasquez going to Sacramento and Lopez heading to Portland. According to Amick, the Kings have "other situations still in play" but are looking to get something in return for Evans rather than just letting him walk (Twitter links).
7:49am: With Tyreke Evans preparing to sign a four-year, $44MM offer sheet with the Pelicans, the Kings do not plan to match the offer, according to Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. However, according to Voisin, the Kings and Pelicans are working on an agreement that would send Greivis Vasquez and Robin Lopez to Sacramento in exchange for a signed-and-traded Evans.
For Evans to be part of a sign-and-trade deal, he'd have to hold off on officially signing the Pelicans' offer sheet — once he signs, the Kings would only have the option of matching the offer or letting him walk. With the July moratorium extending into next week though, the two teams have plenty of time to work out an agreement, avoiding the need for that offer sheet.
The Pelicans had been attempting to move Lopez in order to make room under the cap for their offer sheet to Evans, so involving the two players in the same deal makes sense. Meanwhile, with New Orleans putting together a backcourt that includes Evans, Jrue Holiday, and Eric Gordon, Vasquez appears to be the odd man out.
It's not clear if only Vasquez and Lopez would be heading to Sacramento in the proposed move, or if more pieces would be involved, but the Pelicans would be able to absorb Evans into their cap space, so no further players would be required.
According to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee, the Kings' price to bring back Evans was something in the $8-9MM range, annually, which is significantly less than the $11MM annual salary the Pelicans offered. For him not to agree to New Orleans' offer, Evans was seeking a $12MM starting salary from Sacramento, says Jones.
While they debated whether or not to try to bring back Evans, the Kings also pursued Andre Iguodala, making him a four-year, $52MM offer. However, the club rescinded the offer when Iguodala was noncommital about signing it. With Evans seemingly on his way to New Orleans, the Kings could revisit Iguodala, but if they take on Vasquez and Lopez, their ability to make another big-money offer would be limited.
This post was first published on July 4th at 7:49am CST.
FA Updates: Evans, Josh Smith, Pekovic, Clark
Tyreke Evans has been one of the most intriguing stories in free agency so far, with the Pelicans having extended a four-year, $44MM offer to the 23-year-old. Still, Evans has yet to agree to sign that offer, and there's no guarantee he'll do so, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets. The situation remains fluid, and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) believes if the Kings make Evans a comparable offer, he'd prefer to sign it and stay in Sacramento.
Let's round up a few more of today's free agent updates….
- As they continue to explore the possibility of making a big splash, the Warriors are trying to set up a meeting with Josh Smith, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (via Sulia). However, Smith doesn't seem as interested in the Warriors, who Thompson says "aren't going to jump as high as others to get him."
- Don't expect a whole lot of movement in talks for Nikola Pekovic until after Dwight Howard makes his decision, says Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News says (via Twitter) the Cavaliers are being extremely aggressive in their pursuit of Earl Clark, meeting with him yesterday and again today, though no offer has been extended yet.
- Dorell Wright met with the Thunder yesterday and was presented with one- and two-year contract offers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, adding that Wright received a similar proposal from the Trail Blazers. The Spurs, Grizzlies, and Mavericks also have interest in Wright, says Spears (via Twitter).
- Australian forward Joe Ingles is drawing interest from four NBA teams, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com, listing the Pacers, Grizzlies, Bucks, and Clippers as possible suitors for the 25-year-old.
Blazers, Pacers Eyeing Robin Lopez
12:36pm: With Lopez drawing plenty of trade interest, he is unlikely to be released by the Pelicans by Friday, since the team should be able to find a deal, tweets Wojnarowski.
12:15pm: As the Pelicans attempt to move Robin Lopez before his contract becomes guaranteed this weekend, Portland has emerged as a possible destination for the big man, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, the Pacers are one of the other teams on a short list of potential suitors for Lopez.
Lopez is set to earn about $5.12MM in 2013/14, a reasonable price for a center who was productive (18.9 PER) and durable (82 starts) during his first season in New Orleans. However, that salary is not yet guaranteed, with Lopez set to receive just $500K if he's released on or before Friday. If he's on an NBA roster beyond Friday, however, his salary for both '13/14 and '14/15 ($5.34MM) will become fully guaranteed.
The Pelicans are in hot pursuit of Tyreke Evans, with a lucrative offer sheet on the table for the restricted free agent. Should Evans agree to sign that offer, New Orleans will likely need to trade or release Lopez to clear the necessary cap space. A trade wouldn't necessarily have to be agreed upon by Friday, but the Pelicans would probably lose some leverage at that point, since they'd no longer have the fallback option of releasing Lopez.
Unlike Portland, Indiana doesn't currently have the cap space to absorb Lopez's contract without sending salary back in return, so the Blazers seem to be a likelier trade partner for New Orleans, unless the Pacers can get creative.
Latest On Matt Barnes, Clippers
11:51am: Barnes will begin meeting with other teams today, tweets Shelburne.
10:30am: After agreeing to acquire Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick yesterday, the Clippers remain "very interested" in re-signing Matt Barnes, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. That interest appears to be mutual, with Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reporting that Barnes would still like to return to L.A.
However, according to Broussard, if the Clippers don't "do something fast," Barnes will begin meeting with rival suitors. The Mavericks, Nuggets, Nets, Knicks, and Spurs have all shown interest in Barnes, says Broussard. Various reports have also linked the Trail Blazers and Lakers to the veteran forward.
L.A. only has Barnes' non-Bird rights, but still has the full mid-level exception available as well. A non-Bird offer from the Clips for Barnes would limit his starting salary to about $1.48MM, whereas an offer using the MLE could start at any salary up to $5.15MM. Given how well Barnes played for the Clippers in 2012/13 and how many suitors he appears to have, I'd be surprised if the 33-year-old was willing to settle for that $1.48MM first-year salary.
Odds & Ends: Dalembert, Copeland, Barea, Nets
It's been another busy night in the Association, let's get caught up with the latest bits of news from around the league..
- Samuel Dalembert is getting interest from ten teams and surprisingly, the Bucks aren't among them, tweets Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports that the Blazers are among the interested teams.
- The Pacers continue to pursue Knicks guard Chris Copeland and Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that they have an offer on the table for the restricted free agent.
- In an interview with El Nuevo Dia (translated by HoopsHype), Wolves guard J.J. Barea said that he won't ask for a trade, but would love to play for Nets coach Jason Kidd.
- All indications are that fan favorite Brian Scalabrine is likely to join the Warriors coaching staff as an assistant, according to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link).
- Carlos Delfino received interest from a team in China last week, one source told HoopsHype (link), but the interest wasn't mutual. Delfino was recently cut loose by the Rockets.
- The Grizzlies informed assistant coaches Henry Bibby and Mitchell Anderson that they won’t be retained, according to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (on Twitter).
FA Updates: Brown, Oden, Iguodala, Pistons
We passed along a few free agent updates this morning, but while that may have been our first round-up of free agency notes for the day, it certainly won't be the last. Here's another set:
- Euroleague standout Bobby Brown is drawing plenty of interest from teams on both sides of the Atlantic, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Stein names the Knicks, Clippers, and Trail Blazers as potential NBA suitors for Brown, while noting that he also has "multiple big offers" to continue playing overseas.
- One source tells Stein (Twitter link) that the Spurs and Heat are likely in the lead ahead of the Cavs and other teams for Greg Oden, though that list could continue to evolve, given the complexities of his comeback.
- The Warriors, who had previously been named as a potential suitor for Andre Iguodala despite a lack of cap flexibility, met with the free agent swingman yesterday, says Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- The Pistons are talking to agent Mark Bartelstein about bringing back free agent point guard Will Bynum, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The team has also talked to Bartelstein about Jose Calderon, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
- Although talks aren't serious at this point, the Timberwolves have exchanged text messages with Andrei Kirilenko's camp, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).