Odds & Ends: Bucks, Celtics, Raptors, NBPA
A year ago, the biggest unrestricted free agent on the open market, Deron Williams, made his decision to sign with the Nets on July 3rd. A year later, the two biggest free agents available are Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Paul quickly agreed to re-sign with the Clippers, while Howard is visiting with the Mavericks and Lakers today after meeting with the Rockets, Warriors, and Hawks earlier in the week.
Will Howard follow in D-Will's footsteps and make a decision on the 3rd, once his meetings are finished? We'll have to wait to find out, but in the meantime, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the Association….
- In examining potential free agent targets for the Bucks, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times says to keep an eye on Carl Landry and Devin Harris, who both told Woelfel recently that they'd be open to playing in Milwaukee.
- Woelfel adds in a tweet that the Bucks appear to be eyeing former Pacers GM David Morway as a potential assistant GM in Milwaukee.
- As Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes, tanking hasn't exactly worked for the Celtics in the past, so it may not be the best approach for the 2013/14 team either.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star says there's a belief Raptors GM Masai Ujiri may not use the amnesty provision later this month, in order to keep Linas Kleiza's expiring contract around for trade purposes.
- Writing for The Basketball Jones, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com explains why the Andrea Bargnani trade looks much better for the Raptors than the Knicks.
- Because the Suns decided not to release P.J. Tucker yesterday and the Clippers held on to Willie Green, both players' contracts have become fully guaranteed for the 2013/14 season, per ShamSports.com.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com examines some of the Lakers' free agent targets, attempting to determine which possibilities are more realistic than others.
- The NBA players' union has filed a motion to dismiss Billy Hunter's lawsuit against the NBPA, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Los Angeles Rumors: Bledsoe, Redick, Vujacic
Dwight Howard has met with the Rockets, Warriors, and Hawks so far this week, and the Lakers, along with the Mavs, will finally get their shot to make a pitch to the All-Star free agent today. As Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets, Golden State's and Atlanta's presentations yesterday went well, with Howard considering both team's head coaches (Mark Jackson and Mike Budenholzer) to be impressive.
As the Lakers prepare to meet with the biggest free agent left on the market, let's round up a few more updates out of Los Angeles….
- It's sounding "more and more" as if the Clippers may just hang on to Eric Bledsoe, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. As Shelburne notes, it's hard to imagine Bledsoe re-signing with the Clippers long-term, either this offseason or next summer as a restricted free agent, but Doc Rivers seems in no hurry to part with the point guard, even after exploring possible deals (all Twitter links).
- According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the Clippers have received trade inquiries on Bledsoe from the Raptors, Magic, Pistons, Bucks, and Mavericks.
- The Clippers are searching for a way to sign-and-trade for J.J. Redick, who dined with Rivers on Monday night, tweets Wojnarowski. However, sources call the possibility a long shot.
- Sasha Vujacic intends to return to the NBA for the 2013/14 season, and the Lakers would be his top choice, reports Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
- Kobe Bryant offered his latest hints that he'll be sticking around past next summer, insisting to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com that he'll be able to play at a high level for "at least another three years," and pointing to his injury and the Spurs' run to the Finals as motivation (Twitter links).
- The Lakers have expressed interest in re-signing Earl Clark, who is drawing attention from "two or three teams" besides L.A., writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Big Man Rumors: Bynum, Wright, Oden, Mullens
Earlier this afternoon, we passed along a few notes and rumors related to point guards. Now let's go a little bigger, with a focus on free agent centers….
- The Mavericks were one of several teams to contact Andrew Bynum shortly after free agency began last night, agent David Lee tells Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. The Mavs, like all the teams chasing after Dwight Howard, are also in the market for Bynum as a fallback option, and the Trail Blazers and Cavaliers are reportedly pursuing the oft-injured center as well.
- Dallas would like to retain Brandan Wright, but the Hawks, Magic, Pistons, Raptors, and Knicks all expressed interest in the Jim Tanner client after free agency began last night, McMahon reports. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link) also adds the Lakers to the list of potential suitors for Wright.
- The Heat, Spurs, Cavs, Celtics, Mavericks, Kings, Pacers, and Grizzlies all have interest in Greg Oden, but the former No. 1 overall pick is in no rush to make his decision on where to sign, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. He's hoping to be physically ready to play by training camp.
- According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter), it's unlikely that Oden lands with the Cavs.
- The Lakers have inquired on Byron Mullens, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Mullens became an unrestricted free agent when the Bobcats didn't tender him a qualifying offer.
- The Heat are in contact with Chris Andersen's camp in the hopes of working out a deal, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
Kyler’s Latest: Iguodala, Dwight, Lee, Martin
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler has a few free agent rumors in his NBA AM, so let's dive right in:
- The Nuggets are one of many teams pursuing Andre Iguodala, and they plan to offer him a deal close to the $14,968,250 he made last season in Denver.
- Dwight Howard's camp notes that most marquee free agents sign deals with some kind of player or early termination option, as Chris Paul is doing with the Clippers. Thus, the advantage the Lakers have of granting him a fifth year in a deal is virtually moot, save for the protection it would give Howard against a career-altering injury.
- Sources close to the Warriors are downplaying the team's reported interest in trading David Lee, though if Golden State wants to re-sign both Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, they'll have to clear some money off their cap, Kyler writes.
- Kyler adds the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies to the list of teams pursuing Kevin Martin.
- Marcus Camby appears upset with his inclusion in the Andrea Bargnani trade, and Kyler hears the Raptors would be open to a buyout if they can't find someone willing to take on Camby in another trade.
Richardson To Join Raptors Via Sign-And-Trade
Quentin Richardson will head to the Raptors through a sign-and-trade deal that will complete the Andrea Bargnani swap, according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone (Twitter link). Marc Stein of ESPN.com speculated last night that Richardson or Earl Barron would likely be signed-and-traded to the Raptors to make the numbers in the Bargnani deal work. It's unclear exactly how much Richardson will earn, but it probably won't be the hefty $5MM payday that Keith Bogans is getting to be part of the Celtics/Nets blockbuster.
Still, it seems Richardson is in line for more than the prorated minimum salary he earned after signing with the Knicks at the end of the regular season. The client of Jeff Wechsler spent most of 2012/13 out of the NBA after the Magic cut him at the end of training camp. The 13-year veteran made just one regular season appearance for the Knicks, and got in five of the team's playoff games for a total of only 14 minutes.
Knicks Rumors: Camby, J.R. Smith, Copeland
The major news out of New York is last night's agreement on a trade that will bring Andrea Bargnani to the Big Apple. Marcus Camby is one of the players headed to the Raptors in return, and he caused a stir overnight, releasing a statement in which he said "it was unfortunate that I didn't get a meaningful chance to contribute" with the Knicks this past season, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets. Camby also said that while he has an affinity for Toronto and Raptors fans, he wants to be with a title contender and will evaluate his options, Spears tweets. Since Camby's under contract through 2015, he doesn't appear to have many options, and this morning he backtracked a bit via Twitter, at least on the Knicks side of the affair, thanking the Knicks and their fans for their treatment of him during his time in New York (hat tip to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com). Zwerling has much more on the Knicks this morning, so let's dive in:
- J.R. Smith agreed to meet last night with Knicks coach Mike Woodson and members of the team's front office to discuss a future in New York for the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.
- Plenty of teams are in the market for Chris Copeland, and a source tells Zwerling that the Pelicans and Bucks are prepared to make attractive bids for the forward. The Jazz and Lakers were the first two teams to inquire about Copeland when free agency started last night.
- A source close to Kenyon Martin is "confident" that the veteran wants to return to the Knicks, Zwerling writes.
- The Knicks are interested in Aaron Brooks, who was waived Sunday by the Rockets. Leon Rose, Brooks' agent, also reps Bargnani, Carmelo Anthony and Smith.
- DeJuan Blair is not a candidate to join the Knicks because of the team's limited financial flexibility, Zwerling hears.
Warriors Exploring Trading David Lee
As the Warriors look for ways to upgrade a roster that earned a spot in the Western Conference Semifinals this year, the team has explored the possibility of trading David Lee, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
According to Wojnarowski, the Warriors offered Lee to the Raptors in a package that included Andrea Bargnani, but Toronto agreed to a deal that will send Bargnani to the Knicks. Golden State also made the Trail Blazers an offer for LaMarcus Aldridge that included Lee and Brandon Rush, says Wojnarowski. However, Portland has more appealing options than the Warriors' proposal, if the club chooses to move Aldridge.
Lee, 30, still has three years and close to $45MM remaining on his contract. While he's viewed as a better value than other Warriors like Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson, the three years remaining on his deal make him tricky to move. As Wojnarowski notes, it makes sense for Golden State to explore trading Lee for a star or at least a player on a shorter contract.
Western Notes: Rockets, Iguodala, Clippers
The Rockets have been expected to waive Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks before their salaries become fully guaranteed at the end of today, but Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears the team is still pursuing 11th-hour trade possibilities for the two, despite the slim chance they'll find a deal (Twitter links). That's just one of many news items out of the West with free agency less than 12 hours away:
- With a host of teams vying for Andre Iguodala, Nuggets GM Tim Connelly and coach Brian Shaw will meet with Iguodala on Monday in Los Angeles, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- Doc Rivers is downplaying talk of a trade involving Eric Bledsoe or anyone else, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times notes. The Clippers have interest in retaining Lamar Odom and Matt Barnes, Turner reports, adding that the Lakers are also high on Barnes.
- Though the Clippers reportedly prefer Andrea Bargnani to DeMar DeRozan, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes that Rivers has always held DeRozan in high regard (Twitter link).
- O.J. Mayo is expected to turn down his $4.2MM player option for next season, and while his preference is to return to Dallas, the Mavs won't receive a discount, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Carl Landry's first priority will be to re-sign with the Warriors, but he believes there will be about half a dozen teams pursuing him, and he expects the Blazers to be one of them, the power forward tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Landry reciprocates Portland's interest.
- The Suns won't be in the market for big-ticket free agents, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The team prefers to keep its cap flexibility to accomodate an enticing trade possibility or next year's crop of free agents. The Suns will be in contact with Wesley Johnson, one of their own free agents, Coro says.
- New Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro is promising an "aggressive" approach to the offseason, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee observes. The Kings won't simply let restricted free agent Tyreke Evans go without matching his offer or working out a sign-and-trade, writes Voisin, who pegs his market value at between $8MM and $10MM per year.
- Yesterday was the deadline for the Spurs to waive Matt Bonner before his $3.945MM salary for next season, which had been partially guaranteed for $1MM, became fully guaranteed. So, Bonner will be back, unless the team waives him via amnesty, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News points out as he examines the Spurs' offseason.
Raptors Pursuing Eric Bledsoe
SUNDAY, 9:12am: The Raptors may end up simply sending Bargnani, whom the Clippers prefer over DeRozan, to L.A. for Butler, with the Clippers saving Bledsoe for another deal or holding on to him for next season, Stein tweets.
SATURDAY, 10:57pm: ESPN.com's Marc Stein has updated his article on the Raptors–Clippers talks surrounding a possible trade sending Eric Bledsoe to Toronto for Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan.
But sources tell Stein Doc Rivers' new position as the senior vice president of basketball operations for the Clippers has complicated matters since he was steadfast in his refusal to allow the Clippers to part with Bledsoe while they were acquring him from the Celtics. Rivers is said to be "lukewarm" on the Raptors' offer up to this point.
Rivers still isn't keen on giving up Bledsoe (Twitter), or DeAndre Jordan, despite the fact Chris Paul will probably re-sign with Clippers next month and Bledsoe is due an extension when his rookie deal runs out next summer.
Bledsoe has expressed a desire to sign an extension before the Halloween deadline for his rookie class, and Paul even said that Bledsoe should start somewhere during this past season. Keeping Bledsoe on the roster, even with Rivers' strong support, may be untenable and most league executives expect him to be unloaded some time this offseason while the Clippers can still get something back.
If Bledsoe gets traded, it will most likely be conjoined with Caron Butler, Stein notes.
3:44pm: The Raptors have significant interest in Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe, and have begun exploratory talks with L.A. about a trade, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Raptors would like to include Andrea Bargnani in any deal, and while that idea wouldn't entirely turn off the Clips, L.A. has greater interest in DeMar DeRozan than any in other Raptor, according to Stein.
Some executives around the league believe the revamped front office in Toronto, with GM Masai Ujiri in charge, isn't keen on the four-year, $38MM extension that DeRozan got from former GM Bryan Colangelo and company. The Magic have been frequently linked to Bledsoe as well in recent weeks, reportedly with a deal that would include Arron Afflalo, and sources tell Stein that the Pistons are one of a half dozen teams that have interest in Bledsoe, as well.
Caron Butler, who drew mention in the Clippers' talks with the Magic, would likely have to be a part of a deal with the Raptors, though both the Clips and Toronto have discussed a variety of options, Stein writes. In addition to the new regime for the Raptors, coach Doc Rivers appears to have assumed the role of primary basketball decision-maker for the Clippers. During negotiations over Rivers between the Celtics and Clippers this month, the coach reportedly tried to make sure Bledsoe remained in L.A. Still, Bledsoe is due for an extension to his rookie contract this summer, and with Chris Paul seemingly assured of returning to Clipperland, Bledsoe would become an expensive luxury as a bench player. Many front offices have assumed that Bledsoe would be on the block once Paul re-signed this summer.
Magic GM Rob Hennigan told reporters Thursday that his team may revisit its pursuit of Bledsoe, and Orlando remains at the "head of the list" of teams chasing the 23-year-old point guard, Stein writes.
Spencer Lund contributed to this post.
Knicks Close To Acquiring Andrea Bargnani
The Knicks are on the verge of landing Andrea Bargnani in a trade with the Raptors, a source tells Howard Beck of the New York Times. The Knicks are offering Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick for the Italian big man.
Several teams have pursued Bargnani, but the Knicks have emerged as the “strong favorites” to land him, and an agreement could come soon, the source said. The former No. 1 overall pick has career averages of 15.2 PPG and 4.8 RPG in seven NBA seasons. He’s owed $22.25MM over the next two seasons.
Moving Barngani would be the first major move by new Raptors decision-maker Masai Ujiri. Outgoing GM Bryan Colangelo was open about his desire in past years to move Bargnani, but no deal ever materialized for him.