Ford’s Latest: Smith, Hawes, Turner, Granger
In an earlier post, we passed along Chad Ford's report on Brandon Jennings' discontent in Milwaukee. Ford's latest Insider-only piece at ESPN.com featured plenty of additional trade notes though, so we'll round up the highlights here:
- The consensus around the NBA continues to suggest that Josh Smith is unlikely to remain with the Hawks next season, whether he leaves by trade or free agency.
- According to Ford, the 76ers have been "dangling" Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner as potential trade chips, and could be a team to watch in the Smith sweepstakes.
- The Raptors would like to acquire a backup point guard in an Andrea Bargnani deal.
- Danny Granger is probably out of the Pacers' price range over the long-term, so if he's not moved in the next week, he's a good candidate to be shopped this summer. Ford names the Clippers as a potential suitor for Granger.
- While anyone on the Suns' roster is available for the right piece, it's not entirely clear what they're looking for in return, as they've been linked to everyone from Al Jefferson to Iman Shumpert. Ford suggests that's a sign that Phoenix doesn't necessarily have a "coherent rebuilding plan."
Amick On Nets, Josh Smith, Gay, Grizzlies, Mavs
Sam Amick of USA Today covers topics from around the league in his A-to-Z column, and with next week's trade deadline looming, it's no surprise the latest edition is full of intriguing tidbits. The Nets and Grizzlies figure prominently, as well as Josh Smith. We'll round it all up here:
- The Nets' efforts to land Smith aren't as aggressive as recent rumors make it seem, but Amick wonders just how much owner Mikhail Prokhorov is willing to spend. Despite the billionaire's deep pockets, the team's front office is under instructions not to add more costly contracts unless they significantly improve the team's title hopes.
- Brooklyn was interested in Rudy Gay before he went to the Raptors, but the Grizzlies rejected their offer because it included Kris Humphries.
- The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were "thrilled" to acquire Ed Davis. Amick refers to him as a fourth-year player, but he's only in his third season. Nonetheless, Davis will be up for an extension this summer, and Amick notes that Memphis views him as a part of the team's future.
- Smith's representatives have reached out to other teams and given them indication that he's unlikely to re-sign with the Hawks this summer, but many front offices don't share Smith's view that he's a maximum-salary player. One such team appears to be the Mavs, who have abandoned discussions with Atlanta about trading for Smith.
- While noting the Bucks' future salary flexibility, Amick speculates that Ekpe Udoh could draw attention from other clubs as "the sort of young, defensive-minded talent on a rookie contract that teams crave."
- Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo is still anxious to trade Andrea Bargnani, but there hasn't been a lot of interest from other teams.
Pera, Levien On Gay, Stats, Hollins, Randolph, Tax
Grizzlies owner Robert Pera and CEO Jason Levien today held their first press conference with local media since November, and after a pair of trades within the last month, there was plenty to catch up on. Marlon W. Morgan of the Memphis Commercial Appeal rounded up comments from the presser, and fellow Commercial Appeal scribe Kyle Veazey followed up with an exclusive interview with the two men in charge of the team. Both pieces are worth a read, but we'll round up the highlights of what Pera and Levien had to say from both stories here:
Pera on Rudy Gay:
"I was actually a big Rudy Gay fan. He was 6'9", over a 7-foot wing span with a 40-inch vertical, really smooth and athletic and on the highlights all the time. He was awesome. But like I said, going back to basketball and how it’s a team sport and all the pieces fit together, the offense we run is really traditional. It’s inside-outside, a grinding type of offense. Rudy’s talent, his potential really couldn’t be maximized in our system. I think it was good for him and I think it was good for the team. I think the pieces we got back were much stronger. I wouldn’t say the players we got back were necessarily better than Rudy. Rudy’s a special talent. But for our team and for our fit, I think the personnel and the team we have constructed now is probably the best Grizzlies team when you’re looking at the total team and chemistry and how it fits our style of play.”
Pera on the team's reliance on advanced metrics:
"Well, we like the movie "Moneyball." They use a lot of advanced statistics for the Oakland A's teams. But the difference between baseball and basketball, is (in) baseball, you have individual players, they each have an on-base percentage and a batting average, defensive capabilities. All these parts added together equals the strength of the team, right? But in basketball it's completely different. A player can be immensely valuable in one system and maybe not as valuable in another system. I think it's the combination of pieces in basketball. Analytics are a great tool but you also have to look at the individual player analytics in the context of the system you're running."
Pera on whether coach Lionel Hollins, in the last year of his deal, will receive a new contract:
“I think all that for now is confidential. The final decision will come down to Jason and I’ll approve whichever direction he wants to go."
Levien on Hollins:
"I don’t think it behooves us to speak publicly about any kind of contract situation. We had a great meeting with Lionel and I’ve certainly enjoyed the interaction he and I have had over the past several months. He has a proven track record that’s very impressive as a coach. We see him as a big asset to the team."
Levien on Zach Randolph:
"There was never a serious discussion or dialogue around trading Zach Randolph. I can say that categorically. We’re really proud of him for going back to the All-Star Game."
Levien on the team's luxury tax strategy:
"We don't have a hard and fast rule about being in the tax or not being in the tax, being up to the line or not. We want to field the most competitive team. Part of it is — yeah, you don't want to throw money away — but part of it is, when you're in the tax, it restricts in the kind of trades you can make, the kind of free agents you can sign, the kinds of decisions you can make to get better. That's what the rules do now. It's not just about the money. So, we've talked about not having a hard and fast line, or where we're going to be, but thinking through what's our end game? Our end game is to be consistently very competitive and try to win a championship. I think some years you're going to see us in the tax, some years you're going to see us well below it, some years you're going to see us just up against it. The money is one of the factors, but the biggest factor is how do we field the best team going forward?"
Spears On Spurs, Smith, Maynor, Knicks, Grizzlies
Not content to simply rank the NBA's teams, one through 30, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports also includes plenty of interesting trade rumors and nuggets within his power rankings. Here are the items of note from Spears in this week's installment:
- The Spurs, who used to employ current Hawks GM Danny Ferry, are among the teams interested in Josh Smith.
- Eric Maynor has been drawing some interest, and Spears suggests that he could be a fit for the Jazz, the team that initially drafted him.
- The Knicks are still trying to decide whether they should wait on injured bigs Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace or sign a free agent.
- Zach Randolph appears safe in Memphis, but the Grizzlies could still try to make a deal using one or more of their seven trade exceptions.
- Spears hears from a source that it's been nearly three weeks since the Raptors and Bulls last discussed a Carlos Boozer/Andrea Bargnani swap.
- No Suns player is untouchable via trade.
- Talks between the Bobcats and Nets involving Kris Humphries and Ben Gordon remain at a standstill.
Spurs Talked Blair Trade With Raptors, Pistons
The Spurs offered forward DeJuan Blair to the Pistons and discussed a deal involving him with the Raptors, but nothing has come of those talks so far, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Broussard hears that the Celtics, Heat, and Trail Blazers are among the teams that could have interest in the 23-year-old.
Blair has been considered a trade candidate for quite some time and there has been friction between him and the club ever since he was effectively 86'd from the rotation in the 2012 postseason. The Pitt product is seeing less playing time than ever this season, averaging 13.9 minutes per contest versus 20.2 per game over the previous three years in San Antonio.
Recently, it was reported that the Warriors also have interest in acquiring Blair.
Eastern Links: Ellis, Bargnani, Magic, Pistons
As we prepare for an evening schedule that includes the Celtics looking to extend their winning streak to eight in Charlotte and the Wizards looking for their fourth straight win in Milwaukee, let's check in on a few stories out of the Eastern Conference….
- Monta Ellis has the opportunity to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, but he insists he's committed to the Bucks and isn't thinking about his contract situation, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Despite the trade rumors surrounding Andrea Bargnani and the Raptors, coach Dwane Casey is moving forward as if Bargnani will be in Toronto for the rest of the season, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.
- Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops explains why he thinks the Knicks ought to consider trading Iman Shumpert.
- Considering that Magic GM Rob Hennigan targeted young players such as Nikola Vucevic and Maurice Harkless in the Dwight Howard trade, the team appears to be in good hands when it comes to Hennigan's talent evaluation, says Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
- The Pistons have already begun recruiting one of their own players, as they attempt to convince Jose Calderon to stay in Detroit beyond this season, writes Terry Foster of the Detroit News.
- With Tayshaun Prince now in Memphis, David Mayo of MLive.com wonders if Kyle Singler could be the Pistons' new long-term answer at small forward.
Kyler’s Latest: Pistons, Bucks, Raptors, Jazz
With 10 days left until the trade deadline arrives, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld surveys the market in his latest NBA AM piece, covering the latest rumors related to the Pistons, Bucks, Raptors, and Jazz. Here are the highlights from Kyler:
- The Pistons are "open for business," and would have interest in unloading Rodney Stuckey and/or Charlie Villanueva. There's also been speculation that Detroit could be convinced to move some of their own players on expiring contracts, such as Will Bynum and Jason Maxiell.
- Josh Smith and Gerald Henderson are expected to be among the Pistons' free agent targets this summer, according to Kyler.
- Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are unlikely to be dealt by the Bucks, but Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, and perhaps even Ersan Ilyasova could be had. The price for Ilyasova would be high, however, and so far potential suitors such as the Raptors and Nets seem unwilling to pay that price.
- The Raptors are seeking frontcourt help and looking to find a taker for Andrea Bargnani, but haven't made significant progress on either front.
- Although Ric Bucher reported yesterday that the Jazz are more likely to trade Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson, Kyler suggests the opposite may be true, since Millsap is viewed as the free agent more likely to be re-signed or signed-and-traded in July.
- Any team willing to take Raja Bell off Utah's hands, perhaps in a larger deal, might receive more consideration from the Jazz, says Kyler.
Odds & Ends: CP3, Clippers, Bargnani, Hunter, Scola
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Saturday evening:
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday.com writes that Chris Paul is unlikely to ever play for the Knicks, despite proclaimations he reportedly made to the contrary at Carmelo Anthony's wedding in 2010.
- Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com breaks down the Clippers' salary-cap flexibility for upcoming seasons.
- Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun writes that Andrea Bargnani is growing increasingly irrelevant in the Raptors' long-term plan.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer looks back at Billy Hunter's rocky tenure as executive director of the NBPA.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic praises Luis Scola's hard-nosed style, saying the veteran forward is a positive influence on the team's young players.
- Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News looks back at Nets interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo's tenure with the Spurs.
- Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes that, despite getting little playing time with the Mavericks, rookie Jared Cunningham is gaining valuable experience in the D-League.
- Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer examines the impact of trade rumors on head coaches in the NBA.
Brigham On Humphries, Gordon, Lucas, Oden, Leonard
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.com has a new column touching on a few trade rumors as well as some other topics from around the NBA on Saturday morning:
- Brigham writes that the rumored swap of Kris Humphries for Ben Gordon is a move that makes sense for both the Nets and Bobcats, given the needs each player fills on their roster.
- John Lucas enjoys playing for the Raptors, but he misses the Bulls.
- Following yesterday's report that the Cavaliers are preparing a multiyear offer for Greg Oden, Brigham writes that they are the frontrunners to land him.
- Brigham talks to Trail Blazers rookie center Meyers Leonard about his adjustment to the NBA lifestyle and the difference between the college and pro games.
Eastern Rumors: Drummond, Nets, Collins, Bulls
Pistons center Andre Drummond will miss four to six weeks with a stress fracture of the fifth lumbar vertebra in his back, as first reported by MLive's David Mayo (Twitter link), and confirmed by the team, via press release. Since Detroit has only faint hope of a playoff spot and has been limiting the rookie's minutes this year, it seems unlikely the injury will prompt a move, but the Pistons do have pro-rated portions of their mid-level and biannual exceptions available. While Detroit fans endure another test to their patience, here's more on a handful of squads they'd like their team to someday surpass in the Eastern Conference:
- With a pair of rumors surfacing today that link the Nets to Josh Smith and Ben Gordon, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News shares responses from Joe Johnson (via Sulia), Kris Humphries and coach P.J. Carlesimo that suggest the team may be open to a move (Twitter links).
- In the midst of a frustrating season for the Sixers, Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders whether coach Doug Collins will return next season.
- In an Insider piece, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com shares insight from executives who believe the Bulls, with a healthy Derrick Rose, will be the Heat's most significant threat in the East.
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times runs down a list of reasons the Bulls should keep Carlos Boozer, opining that Andrea Bargnani, the centerpiece of a proposed deal with the Raptors, wouldn't be a fit in coach Tom Thibodeau's system. I looked at Boozer's trade candidacy earlier tonight.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com gives his take on Boozer and other issues surrounding Chicago and the rest of the league as part of a lengthy mailbag piece.