Nets Open To Dealing Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young
TUESDAY, 5:01pm: The Clippers are also interested in Young, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News relays (via Twitter).
MONDAY, 8:10am: Toronto and Brooklyn are talking in “basic, non-specific terms” about Young, one source told Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
8:50pm: The Raptors are interested in Young, but have yet to make a serious offer, one source tells NetsDaily.
SUNDAY, 7:49pm: The Nets are willing to deal Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young despite the franchise still being in the process of hiring a general manager, several league executives told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
One potential deal, according to Isola, involves Young being traded to the Raptors in exchange for Patrick Patterson and Delon Wright. The Raptors own the Knicks’ 2016 first round draft pick and that may be part of the package, Isola adds. It was recently reported that Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is not 100% committed to retaining Lopez and Young. The Raptors are reportedly looking to add a power forward and Young’s name has already been attached to Toronto in that capacity.
Lopez landed a three-year deal for the max this past summer despite his history of foot problems. His contract contains only conditional guarantees for next season and 2017/18 based on the health of his right foot. Young, a ninth-year veteran, re-signed with the Nets this past summer on a four-year, $50MM deal. Young has enjoyed a solid season and is averaging 15.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Atlantic Notes: Patterson, Hinkie, Ainge
The Atlantic Division figures to be among the most interesting corners of the NBA to watch as the trade deadline approaches, with the Celtics stuffed with assets, the Raptors apparently looking for a power forward, the Knicks having just changed coaches, the Sixers a continued mystery, and the Nets in a continued search for a GM. See what’s going on around the Atlantic:
- Many teams are high on Patrick Patterson, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports in his trade deadline preview for the Raptors. Patterson’s name is one of those linked to the Nets in reported talks regarding Thaddeus Young.
- Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Daily News interprets Sixers chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo‘s remarks about perhaps adding to the front office and his intention that the Sixers make noise in the playoffs within three years as further signals that the power of GM Sam Hinkie is significantly reduced.
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge must be careful not to offer too many of the team’s draft assets at the trade deadline this week, contends Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The C’s nonetheless have an opportunity to further their case for free agents with a strong finish this season, an endeavor that a trade for a short-term upgrade would help, Bulpett also argues.
- The time is now for team president Phil Jackson to start delivering for the Knicks, opines Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News, urging him to help the team make a strong play for this year’s postseason.
Atlantic Notes: DeRozan, Sixers, Knicks
DeMar DeRozan again indicated that it would be unlikely for him to sign elsewhere this summer, Marc Stein of ESPN.com relays. DeRozan is poised to turn down his player option worth only slightly more than $10MM and hit free agency this summer, but he has made it clear on several occasions that he prefers to stay with the Raptors. The Lakers, however, are ready to make a maximum-salary offer to him.
“My whole mindset has always been this is home for me,” DeRozan said. “I never think otherwise unless it’s brought up to me, or you see things, or people ask you about certain things. This has always been home to me. I took pride in putting on this Toronto Raptors jersey since I’ve been drafted here. And my whole goal was to get this team to the point where it is now. And I feel I’ve been a major key to that.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Point guard Ish Smith has been credited with helping to improve things with the Sixers and teammate Nerlens Noel doesn’t want to see the soon-to-be free agent leave this summer, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “He has to come back,” Noel said. “He has to. He’s an important piece to this and why we are so playing so well these past couple of months. And he’s helped us at the point guard position, you know, just setting guys up in the post position. So he’s got to come back.” The Sixers were 1-30 before they acquired Smith from the Pelicans in late December. They are 7-15 since the trade. Sixers team executive Jerry Colangelo was non-committal recently about Smith’s future with the team beyond this season.
- Carmelo Anthony said he was shocked when he learned the Knicks had fired coach Derek Fisher, Marc Berman of the New York Post details. “We were all surprised,’’ Anthony said. “This was something, I really don’t know if it was a quick decision or if it was lingering. Nobody wants to lose their coach, especially some of the young guys. This is an experience they have to go through. For me, having to keep those guys intact, keep them in line, and let them know it happens. Unfortunately it’s happening to us right now.”
Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Ujiri, Johnson, Nets
Adding Jerry Colangelo to their front office has changed the Sixers‘ timetable for success, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia hired Colangelo in December as chairman of basketball operations and gave him a three-year contract to run the team. That’s the deadline he has imposed for being “very competitive,” which he defines as more than just reaching the playoffs. The Sixers are 8-45, but will have plenty of opportunity to improve this summer. The franchise will have lots of cap space and as many as four first-round draft picks. “I would hope that the Sixers are in a lot better shape than what they were from the time I started,” Colangelo said. “That only means if I can help contribute to an improvement of the franchise. That’s why I’m there.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri is working to make a deal before the deadline, but is concerned about disrupting team chemistry, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. At 35-17 and trailing only Cleveland in the East, the Raptors are on pace for the best season in team history.
- Toronto should hang on to the first-round picks it owns from New York and Denver, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Both picks have a chance of landing in the lottery, which could make the Raptors an elite team for years to come. Marks believes Toronto should listen to offers for its own first-rounder, along with small forward James Johnson, who will be a free agent this summer.
- The Clippers currently have the sixth-best record in the NBA, which will affect the Nets in the draft if it holds, tweets NetsDaily. The Clippers have the right to swap second-round picks with Brooklyn, but only if their own pick falls between 31 and 55. If L.A. stays where it is now, the Nets will have to trade the 33rd pick for the 55th.
Knicks Rumors: Lowry, Bryant, Fisher, Porzingis
Raptors All-Star Kyle Lowry thought he was headed to the Knicks in a December 2013 trade, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The proposed deal, which would have solved New York’s ongoing problem at point guard, would have sent Lowry from Toronto to the Knicks in exchange for Metta World Peace, Iman Shumpert and a future first-round draft pick. “That deal was done,” said Lowry, but it was reportedly stopped by New York owner James Dolan, who was hesitant to make another trade with Toronto GM Masai Ujiri so soon after sending several assets to Ujiri in Denver in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. Toronto was willing to move Lowry at the time because the front office wasn’t sure it could keep him in free agency. Lowry is currently in the second season of a four-year, $48MM deal he signed in the summer of 2014. “At the end of the day, the decision was made for me to be here and it worked out equally, perfectly for both parties,” Lowry said.
There’s more out of New York:
- Kobe Bryant understands the circumstances that got Derek Fisher, his former teammate, fired as coach of the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Fisher was dismissed Monday with New York mired in a 1-9 slump. Bryant also has connections to Knicks president Phil Jackson and interim coach Kurt Rambis, who both used to be part of the coaching staff in L.A. “They felt they needed a change so they made a change. It’s pretty black and white to me,” Bryant said. “Derek’s like a brother, always has been. But still it’s hard to be a coach somewhere and last your entire career there. He’s had a good run there and now it’s time for a change.”
- Rookie Kristaps Porzingis believes Fisher was let go to send a message to the team, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Porzingis said players occasionally lost focus and something had to change to make a late-season playoff run. He doesn’t question the decision to give Rambis a shot at turning things around. “They know what they’re doing,’’ he said of Knicks management. “They have a lot of experience. I’m nobody to judge their decisions. I felt guilty for that happening.”
Rockets Engage Teams About Dwight Howard
FRIDAY, 9:55am: The talk with other teams is more a matter of due diligence than not, Rockets sources tell ESPN’s Chris Broussard, who spoke in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link). One NBA GM tells Broussard that the Rockets have been gauging interest in him for about a month but have been surprised that no team has put forth an overwhelming offer.
3:08pm: The Raptors showed no interest when the Rockets reached out to them about Howard, league sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link).
2:41pm: Neither Howard nor Fegan has asked the Rockets for a trade, Fegan said in a statement to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). The agent also said that he isn’t privy to what the Rockets are doing, which would seem to counter the idea that they were working together.
THURSDAY, 1:25pm: The Rockets have engaged teams in trade talk about Dwight Howard and are working with agent Dan Fegan to find a new home for the former All-Star center who intends to opt out of his contract this summer, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Uncertainty surrounding whether either side wants to continue their partnership has prompted Houston to take action, Wojnarowski writes, noting that Howard is still expected to seek a max deal starting at a projected $29.3MM salary for next season once he turns down his roughly $23.282MM option.
Howard becomes the most significant name on the trade market, though the 30-year-old’s game isn’t what it used to be. He makes more than $22.359MM this season, a difficult salary to match for, and a 15% trade kicker worth about $600K further complicates the matter, as The Vertical’s Bobby Marks notes (on Twitter). Houston would have to pay him that amount in the event of a trade, but it would count as part of Howard’s incoming salary for whichever team would acquire him.
Howard, James Harden and GM Daryl Morey had an extended chat after Houston’s loss to Portland Wednesday, one that dropped the Rockets to ninth in the Western Conference, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN said in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link), and as RealGM transcribes. Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff was also involved, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, who notes that Howard made comments about the rest of the season with the Rockets (Twitter link), a hint that he doesn’t expect to be traded. Howard and Harden have no personal qualms, The Vertical’s Chris Mannix tweets, countering earlier reports, which Howard and the Rockets vehemently denied, that Howard was dissatisfied playing a secondary role to Harden.
The Celtics reportedly had a brief exchange with the Rockets about Howard within the past few weeks, but Houston’s asking price has been high, as Mannix reported earlier this month. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald wrote then that the Rockets had made efforts to trade Howard, even if the Celtics talk didn’t go anywhere.
What should the Rockets seek in return for Howard? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
Atlantic Notes: Pierce, Conley, Prokhorov
Despite the seemingly long odds for either the Knicks or the Nets landing Mike Conley in free agency this summer, sources close to the point guard say he will be more receptive to playing in New York than most people think, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays. “It’s tough,” Conley, who was reportedly disappointed that the Nets fired coach Lionel Hollins, said. “But at the same time, like I said, I’ll give everybody their fair shot. With Lionel being here, obviously, it was a big reason to look [at the Nets]. But still, at the same time, with him gone, I’ll give everybody the same look.”
When asked what he was looking for in a prospective free agent suitor, Conley said, “I want to win. That’s what I want to do at the end of the day, wherever that may be. So hopefully, when that time comes, I’ll have a better vision on what I want and what I want going forward in the summer, but right now, I’m all about winning, and I want to be somewhere that’s committed to doing that.” Here are more news and notes regarding the teams of the Atlantic Division:
- Paul Pierce at least briefly considered signing with the Celtics before deciding that the draw of family and friends in Los Angeles and the chance to play for Doc Rivers again on a title contender was too alluring to turn down, as Pierce acknowledged Wednesday, observes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The 38-year-old once more said that he’s not sure he’ll play beyond this season, and he also said he’d “love” to work for the Celtics organization after he retires, as Himmelsbach also relays.
- Nets team owner Mikhail Prokhorov wants whomever is hired as the team’s next GM to establish a firmer identity for the team and its roster, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops relays. “I think I want us to have a much firmer blueprint,” Prokhorov said. “What kind of players we’re looking for and why, in line with the strategic guidelines developed with the new coach and GM. I think we need to have a sense of identity and a style of play. Are we building a team around a franchise player, or are we balancing with younger athletes without a superstar system or about 3-point shooting, defense or speed?”
- Multiple NBA teams are keeping their eyes on Raptors D-League power forward Ronald Roberts, who is expected to receive a 10-day deal at some point in the near future, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders relays.
- It is highly unlikely that Knicks owner James Dolan would grant team president Phil Jackson permission to join the Lakers this summer if Jackson desired to leave New York, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. A “strong belief” persists that Jackson will wind up back with the Lakers organization and fiancee Jeanie Buss in the future, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Raptors Highly Interested In Ryan Anderson
The Raptors have high interest in Ryan Anderson as the trade deadline approaches, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Toronto joins a handful of teams apparently eyeing the soon-to-be free agent for a trade, as well as the Pistons, who’ve reportedly been looking at him but only as a potential offseason signee. The Raptors are seeking power forwards, with Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Faried and Markieff Morris among the names on their radar, according to multiple reports. Toronto has engaged in exploratory discussions about those three as well as P.J. Tucker, another object of their interest, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, though it’s not entirely clear whether those are internal or external talks.
Anderson is making $8.5MM this season, and the Raptors, who are over the cap and without a trade exception, would have to match for that salary to trade for him, a complicated task given the construction of Toronto’s roster, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca has pointed out. Toronto has an extra pick in each of the next two drafts to offer, and GM Masai Ujiri has signaled an intent to eventually trade at least one of those, but any deal would have to involve more than just draft assets going to New Orleans.
Conflicting reports have emerged about the likelihood of an Anderson trade this season, though more of them indicate that he’s not the likeliest trade candidate on the New Orleans roster than the other way around. New Orleans reportedly made Anderson available earlier this season, but the team wasn’t anxious to trade him, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported, adding Wednesday that the Wizards have asked about him. The Rockets “kicked the tires” on Anderson earlier this season, Kyler also reported. New Orleans apparently had talks with the Suns that involved Anderson, while differing reports paint an unclear picture of whether the Pelicans turned down an offer from the Kings of Rudy Gay for Anderson.
The subject of the Raptors and power forwards was the topic for our Community Shootaround on Wednesday.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/10/16
The Raptors are looking at power forwards in advance of the trade deadline, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, who relayed that Toronto has checked on the availability of Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Faried and Markieff Morris. The Raptors’ current salary structure would make it tough for the team to deal anyone from its existing roster, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca pointed out, but the team has an extra first-round pick for each of the next two drafts, and GM Masai Ujiri has signaled that he wants to trade at least one of those picks at some point. Despite its apparent willingness to upgrade at the four spot, Toronto doesn’t have the cap room or trade exception to absorb either Young, Faried or Morris without relinquishing salary in return.
Toronto has started veteran Luis Scola at power forward in each of its first 51 contests, whose averages of 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds aren’t anything to get excited about. Any of the three players mentioned above would provide a clear upgrade at the four spot for the Raptors, though acquiring any of them would likely leave a hole elsewhere on the roster thanks to the team’s need to send out salary in any transaction. But if Toronto is set on making a splash at this year’s trade deadline, nabbing either Faried, Morris or Young would certainly qualify as an impact move.
This brings me to the topic for today: If the Raptors make a move to acquire a power forward, who would be the best fit — Kenneth Faried, Markieff Morris or Thaddeus Young?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the matter, including who and what it might take to land one of the three men mentioned above. We look forward to what you have to say.
Atlantic Notes: Zeller, Jackson, Biyombo
Mike Conley, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, was disappointed that the Nets fired Lionel Hollins, who had coached Conley during his tenure with the Grizzlies, Andy Vasquez of The Record relays (via Twitter). The point guard also noted that Hollins’ presence would have been a major reason to consider signing with Brooklyn this offseason, Vasquez adds. Conley is slotted fifth in Hoops Rumors’ latest free agent power rankings. Here’s more regarding the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks’ players say they are also to blame for the team’s woes, not just former coach Derek Fisher, Neil Best of Newsday writes. “I think sometimes coaches get blamed, but it’s just about everybody,” said point guard Jose Calderon. “He was the guy let go but at the end of the day we are all together, from the top to the bottom of the staff, players, everybody. It’s tough to see him go like that because maybe we weren’t winning games lately, but it’s tough to see somebody go like that. It’s on us to turn this around or not and we’ve been saying that for a couple of weeks now.”
- Celtics big man Tyler Zeller has become a valuable contributor recently after playing sparingly the past few weeks, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com notes. “A true pro, a guy who’s been on the bad end of the stick and hasn’t really played that much,” Thomas said of Zeller. “Every time his name is called he’s ready, and that’s the definition of a true professional right there. He puts the work in each and every day, and he’s a great teammate.” Boston reportedly contacted the Hawks about a potential deal for center Al Horford before Zeller’s recent success.
- Knicks team president Phil Jackson has an opt out clause in his contract that he can exercise after the 2016/17 season, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com notes (Twitter link). A “strong belief” persists that Jackson will wind up back with the Lakers organization and fiancee Jeanie Buss in the future, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports.
- Bismack Biyombo has been a solid addition to the Raptors this season and he is providing better value than Amir Johnson, who departed as a free agent this past offseason, is for the Celtics, Ben Golliver of SI.com opines. Johnson is earning $12MM this season in Boston while Biyombo is due $2.814MM from the Raptors.
- Well before the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis, Italian big man Danilo Gallinari was considered the future of the Knicks franchise, but the team instead dealt him as part of a package to acquire Carmelo Anthony. The combo forward says he still has fond memories of his time in New York despite the team trading him away, George Willis of The New York Post writes. “It was tough for me because I got injured right away and had back surgery,” Gallinari said. “But it’s great when you’re a young player and you have the chance to play in a city like New York. My first two years were very intense and the third year we started winning and when you’re winning, New York is a lot of fun.” The Celtics are reportedly interested in acquiring Gallinari, but the Nuggets have rebuffed them so far.