Failed Deals: Beasley, Crawford, Allen, Pierce
You've read about the trades that were completed prior to the deadline, but there were also plenty of moves that didn't quite work out. Here are a few that have been reported so far:
- The Lakers had been in talks to acquire Michael Beasley in a deal that would've sent Jamal Crawford and Derek Fisher to the Timberwolves, with Dallas' first-round pick going to the Blazers, says Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (on Twitter).
- Crawford also could've gone to the Lakers, but the Blazers didn't want to take on Derek Fisher, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- Before they acquired Nick Young, the Clippers talked extensively with the Rockets about trading for Courtney Lee, tweets Sam Amick of SI.com.
- The Clippers were also "this close" from acquiring Ray Allen, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
- The Celtics had serious talks with several teams about both Allen and Paul Pierce, but nothing came together, says Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
- Another interesting tidbit from Amick: He says the Nuggets tried to engage the Kings on Nene/DeMarcus Cousins swap about a month ago, but the Kings weren't interested (Twitter links).
- The Bucks made a "strong late push" for the Hornets' Carl Landry, but couldn't work anything out, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
- GM Otis Smith told John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com that the Magic explored many deals to bring in help around Dwight Howard, but that the risk/reward factor didn't make sense (Twitter link).
Heat, Kings, Suns Expecting Quiet Deadline
As trade rumors continue to surface around the league, a number of clubs are saying they don't expect to be active today. Here are a few quotes from teams who don't anticipate any moves, but are leaving the door open just in case:
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald:
"I am on the phone with Pat [Riley], but our focus is on this group. We feel we have enough. Andy [Elisburg] and Pat and Nick [Arison] will always look for opportunities to make our team better, but we made a big splash two summers ago."
Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee:
"If we [make a move], it's more than likely to be something on the periphery of things. It's really unlikely there's some huge deal out there."
Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:
"As of now, there is nothing that appeals to us. It's possible that something would coalesce, but I wouldn't expect it to…. I don't anticipate that we will have anything, but we will keep talking to the last possible minute."
Celtics, Kings Discussing J.J. Hickson
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets that the Celtics and Kings have had conversations about forward J.J. Hickson. The Kings acquired Hickson in an offseason trade that sent Omri Casspi to the Cavs.
It's unclear what the Celtics would send in return. Hickson, in the final year of a contract that pays him $2.35MM, has been buried on the bench of late in Sacramento. Last night, he saw just more than six minutes against the Warriors, his briefest appearance of the year. Hickson is averaging just 4.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.4 minutes this year after putting up 13.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 28.2 MPG last year mostly in a starting role for the Cavs.
Once considered a cornerstone that Cleveland was reluctant to give up, his value has taken a hit of late. Depending on whom the Celtics would send back, it appears the team would be after Hickson for his ability to replace the ailing Chris Wilcox, who's out for the season, as well as his expiring contract. Hickson will be a restricted free agent at season's end.
Earlier today, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee said he didn't think the Kings had given up on Hickson. He noted that the team gave up a popular player and a draft pick for him, and that they would expect to get a pick in return. (Twitter links)
Odds & Ends: Batum, Kaman, Ewing, Elson, Heat
A few odds and ends from around the league, with less than 24 hours until the 2012 trade deadline:
- The Kings inquired on Nicolas Batum, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. However, multiple reports have suggested the Blazers have no intentions of trading Batum.
- If a second-round pick is all it takes to acquire Chris Kaman, expect the Pacers to make another run, says Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). I had the same thought when I saw Chris Broussard's update on Kaman today — Indiana is the only team in the league that could take Kaman's salary without sending players back, and parting with a second-rounder wouldn't affect the team's long-term plan.
- Patrick Ewing may have some interest in the Knicks' full-time coaching job, tweets Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Francisco Elson has been in touch with the Heat, but Miami isn't interested in working him out yet, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. The Heat could make a move for Elson after the trade and buyout deadlines.
- The Heat likely won't make a move at the deadline, but players will still be relieved when it passes, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- Wizards players talked to both Michael Lee of the Washington Post and Derek Page of HoopsWorld about the distraction of the impending deadline.
Broussard On Pierce, Brooks, Curry, McGee, Daye
ESPN.com's Chris Broussard has a ton of trade rumors in today's Insider-only piece. You can read his major update on Dwight Howard here, but let's dive into the rest of his rumors….
- The Celtics offered Paul Pierce to the Blazers, though Broussard isn't sure who else would've been involved in the deal. Portland wasn't interested in Boston's proposal.
- The Clippers are reluctant to trade Eric Bledsoe for Jamal Crawford because they believe Crawford will opt out of his contract at season's end, and Bledsoe will have more value at draft time, since there won't be many point guards available.
- Ramon Sessions is unlikely to be moved unless the Cavaliers can get a first-round pick. Cleveland would try to trade for Jonny Flynn if they moved Sessions, though the Spurs have also expressed interest in Flynn.
- The Cavs are also in talks with the Hornets about swapping Antawn Jamison for Emeka Okafor and a first-round pick.
- Aaron Brooks is drawing interest from the Blazers and Kings, though the Suns hope to re-sign him. When Brooks returns from China, he can only sign with Phoenix. If he doesn't sign anywhere this season, he becomes a restricted free agent again this summer.
- A second-round pick is likely all it would take for the Hornets to move Chris Kaman.
- The Warriors preferred to deal Stephen Curry rather than Monta Ellis, but Curry's ongoing ankle issues hurt his trade value.
- Broussard hears JaVale McGee will be seeking a contract worth $14MM annually this summer. Good luck with that, JaVale.
- Wilson Chandler is seeking a deal starting at $7MM, which the Nuggets feel is too high, since that amount won't be prorated this season — Denver would prefer to start around $5MM.
- The Pistons are shopping Austin Daye "all day every day" but not many teams are biting.
- The Grizzlies would like to move Sam Young to get below the luxury tax line.
Amick’s Latest: Jennings, Evans, Knicks, Jackson
Sam Amick of SI.com explores a few trade deadline topics in his latest column. Here are the highlights:
- The Bucks have taken Brandon Jennings off the trade block, as we heard yesterday, telling Jennings' camp that he remains part of the team's future plans. Before Milwaukee made Jennings unavailable, the Hornets were interested in acquiring the young point guard to pair him with Eric Gordon.
- Before they dealt Monta Ellis to Milwaukee, the Warriors made multiple inquiries on Tyreke Evans. Golden State was prepared to discuss a deal that would've sent Ellis to the Kings, says Amick.
- Following up on reports of turmoil in New York, Amick hears divided opinions from sources close to the situation — some feel a coaching change is necessary for the Knicks, while others feel the onus is on Carmelo Anthony to adjust to Mike D'Antoni's system. Sources close to Jerry Sloan tell Amick that the former Jazz coach may be interested in coaching the Knicks if the position opens up.
- Traded players have 48 hours to report to their new teams and pass physicals, which means the Warriors may not have much of a window if they hope to flip Stephen Jackson to another team before the deadline.
- Amick also had a Dwight Howard update, which we covered here.
Pacific Rumors: Gasol, Kaman, Evans, Kings
Let's head west and check in on the latest rumors out of the Pacific Division….
- A league source tells Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the biggest obstacle for a Pau Gasol trade is that not many owners would take on that sort of salary for one player. Owing about $20MM annually to a single player is scary for any team not in a major market, adds Kyler (Twitter links).
- According to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, if they were to trade Chris Kaman to the Warriors, the Hornets would want to acquire Ekpe Udoh as part of the deal. A recent report suggested the Hornets may be interested in extending Kaman, but Deveney considers that a smoke screen.
- In a column yesterday for SI.com, Sam Amick hinted that Tyreke Evans may not be in the Kings' long-term plans, and that the team could eventually field trade offers for him. If Sacramento reaches that point, don't expect the Cavs to be interested, says Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter).
- Speaking of Sacramento, if you have a few million dollars burning a hole in your pocket, perhaps you'd be interested in owning a portion of the Kings. Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee reports that a 7% minority share of the team will be auctioned off due to Bob Cook's personal bankruptcy.
Amico On Jamison, Pistons, Evans, Calderon
In his latest column updating us on a few rumors from around the league, Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com had a conversation with Cleveland forward Antawn Jamison about the likelihood he could be moved before Thursday's deadline. Traded four times in his 14-year career, the veteran believes that with the Cavaliers currently sitting just a game behind New York for the eighth and final playoff spot, that the team will keep him instead of making a move just to save money. Jamison's name has been mentioned in trade speculation with Charlotte, Atlanta, and New Orleans, Amico said, but the 35-year-old is firm in believing he'll stay put.
- With his team now in the hunt for a playoff seed, Detroit GM Joe Dumars has "probably called every team twice" looking for a move that could improve the Pistons. Young standouts Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight are the team's only two players who're off the table.
- Of all the popular names being discussed in a deadline deal—including Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and Monta Ellis—Toronto's Jose Calderon is the most likely to be dealt. I believe a team like the Lakers would be prime to acquire the sure-handed point guard (Calderon leads the NBA in assist to turnover ratio) who's a career 38.1% shooter from the three-point line and has familiarity playing with Pau Gasol from Spain's national team.
- Ever since he fell out of favor in Keith Smart's rotation, Sacramento has been trying to rid themselves of J.J. Hickson. The forward has been one of the league's biggest disappointments this season. The Kings are also apparently open to moving everyone on the roster except for DeMarcus Cousins and Marcus Thornton, which means Tyreke Evans could be available.
Trade Candidate: Andre Iguodala
Make no mistake about it, Andre Iguodala is having a fine year. The veteran forward was selected to his first All-Star game and has been mentioned as a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate. While his scoring is down at 12.6 PPG, Iguodala has continued to stuff the statsheet as he always has while being the leader of a first place team.
But as the shine of a 20-9 start begins to wear off, the 76ers fans are getting restless. Going into tonight's game against Boston, the Sixers are 2-8 in their last 10 and have seen their once sizeable lead over the Celtics shrink to just a game. That stretch has shown the Sixers go ice cold offensively in the final minutes of close games, primarily because they lack an offensive star who can create his own shot.
Making almost $14MM this year, that player is supposed to be Iguodala. But as he showed on Sunday night against Chicago – where he airballed two pivotal attempts in the last few minutes – it probably is not. Iguodala's ineffectiveness at the end of games has led the team to turn to sixth man Louis Williams to take the final shot. Williams is a nice "instant offense" type of player, but he is not who a team wants deciding games for them if they intend to go deep in the playoffs.
Another issue is the lack of chemistry between Iguodala and Evan Turner – neither of whom is a traditional shooting guard. Turner's minutes have been down for the last month and the most popular theory is that those two cannot play together – prompting John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News to suggest that one of them needs to go. As mentioned by Luke Adams, Smallwood thinks it will be Turner.
While I disagree that Turner will be moved, all of the elements mentioned above definitely point to the Sixers needing to make a decision at some point. They need a star, or at least someone who can create (and make) their own shot. With Iguodala due nearly $30MM in the two years after this one, the Sixers would need to take salary back to make a trade work.
How about a swap centered around Iguodala and the recently signed Marcus Thornton? Iguodala's defensive prowess would fit nicely around offensive studs Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento Meanwhile, Thornton's scoring and three point shooting would be a good fit in Philly. ESPN Trade Machine likes a straight up Iguodala-for-Thornton swap. Doug Collins and Rod Thorn both love Iguodala, so it is just speculation at this point, but it's clear that Philadelphia needs to do something, whether this year or very soon, if they want to compete with the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.
Odds & Ends: Bulls, Nets, Kings, Hornets, Celtics
After a slow start in the early minutes, the Heat had little trouble dealing with the Nets at home. Chris Bosh was back in action tonight and put up 20 points off of 9-14 shooting en route to Miami's 108-78 blowout win. Here's a look at some items from around the Association on this Tuesday night..
- With Richard Hamilton set to return soon, Sam Smith of Bulls.com doesn't think the Bulls need to make a deal to fill the veteran's shoes.
- Nets general manager Billy King still intends to be active at the March 15 trade deadline even with center Brook Lopez sidelined for the next three weeks, writes Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. Stephenson points out that Mehmet Okur, DeShawn Stevenson, Kris Humphries, Sundiata Gaines, Shelden Williams and the injured Damion James all own expiring contracts.
- The Sacramento City Council is expected to approve a plan to give the Kings a new arena and subsequently retain the franchise, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (via Twitter). The meeting is still in progress.
- With Emeka Okafor still out indefinitely with a sore left knee, Hornets Coach Monty Williams says there is a good chance center Solomon Jones will be signed for the remainder of the season, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune. In ten games with New Orleans, Jones has averaged 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest.
- Kevin McHale was literally in the shoes of the Celtics' current Big Three near the end of his Hall of Fame career with the C's, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The Rockets coach told reporters that he believes 2012's Big Three is playing better than himself, Larry Bird, and Robert Parish towards the end of their time in Boston.
- Gerald Green is elated to receive another ten-day contract from the Nets, tweets Andy Vasquez of The Record.