Western Notes: Kings, Garnett, Mavs, Wolves
Most around the league are surprised by the Kings' involvement in a cost-cutting deal that sent away Thomas Robinson, the fifth pick of this past June's draft this evening, Grantland's Zach Lowe hears (Twitter link). It's just the fifth time a team has traded a top five pick in his rookie season, ESPN Stats and Info tweets. The Kings weren't expected to be involved in any deals as their ownership situation is resolved, but ultimately they didn't hesitate to jump in at the last moment. Here's more on that trade and from around the West as the hours tick down until tomorrow's 2:00pm Central time deadline:
- If Kevin Garnett is traded, it will be to the Clippers or not at all, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes.
- The Mavs are making Brandan Wright, Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones available in return for draft picks, but won't compromise future cap space, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (All Twitter links).
- J.J. Barea, Luke Ridnour and Derrick Williams are all available from the Wolves, Berger also tweets.
- Marcus Morris is averaging 18.4 minutes per game this month for the Rockets, and he was seeking more before the trade that sent him to the Suns, tweets Sam Amick of SI.com.
- There's a decent chance the Blazers get involved in serious trade talks, but it would likely be about smaller moves, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune sums up what looks to be a quiet deadline for the Jazz, who aren't interested in trading for anyone on a long-term deal unless they get a core player in return.
Clippers, Jazz Unlikely To Make Deals
The Clippers and Jazz have been two of the teams most frequently linked to trade talk, with L.A. reportedly involved in the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes while Utah figures out what to do with all of its expiring contracts. They've even been tied together in a rumored Paul Millsap/Eric Bledsoe deal. Still, Marc Stein of ESPN.com is hearing "mostly standing-pat rumbles" when inquiring about both teams (Twitter link). TNT's David Aldridge echoes that sentiment as far as the Clippers are concerned (Twitter link). On top of that, Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said today that the team doesn't expect to make any deals, notes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Tax concerns appear to be complicating talks for both teams, Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets. They're both right under the $70.307MM tax line. Lowe's math has both teams a little bit closer to the line than my figures from this weekend, but either way it makes it difficult for those teams to swing trades, likely necessitating them to take back less salary in any deal — something that would have an especially chilling effect on any moves for the Clippers, since they'd probably be looking to add to their team, and Lowe has them at about $150K beneath the tax line.
Just today, we've heard about the Jazz's talks with the Wolves about Paul Millsap and L.A.'s brief call to the Hawks about Josh Smith. Stein cautions that much can change in the next 20 or so hours before the trade deadline, but as of now, it looks like the Jazz and Clippers will move past the deadline with their teams intact.
Jazz Talked To Wolves About Paul Millsap
With less than 24 hours until the trade deadline, one of the biggest questions around the NBA is what the Jazz will do with Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson. Both players are candidates to be dealt, but Utah may ultimately decide to move one of the two, or keep both guys for the rest of the season.
While we haven't heard anything today on the Jefferson front, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reports (via Twitter) that the Jazz have engaged in talks with the Timberwolves involving Millsap. Derrick Williams' name has come up in those discussions, according to Broussard.
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reported today that Williams remains very available as Minnesota explores potential trades. While the Wolves are focused primarily on wing help, the team was also linked to Timofey Mozgov, so it makes sense that Minnesota could also have some interest in Millsap.
In Wolfson's report, he suggested that the Wolves viewed Mozgov as a better value as a free-agent-to-be than Nikola Pekovic, who the club isn't sure is worth $11MM annually. If the T-Wolves were to pursue Millsap, presumably the idea would be to obtain a potential alternative to Pekovic in free agency this summer.
Broussard On Gordon, Ellis, Rondo, Crawford
- The Hornets have made Eric Gordon available for a trade, but Broussard anticipates a lack of interest considering doubts about his health moving forward. The notion that New Orleans is willing to listen to offers for Gordon shouldn't come as a surprise, as we heard a similar report earlier this month.
- The Celtics are willing to move Rajon Rondo in the right deal. The Wizards have been actively shopping Jordan Crawford.
- A list of players who are currently on the trade market: Nets forward Kris Humphries, 76ers guard Evan Turner, Bobcats guards Ben Gordon and Gerald Henderson, Spurs' DeJuan Blair, Raptors big man Andrea Bargnani, Jazz big men Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, Magic guard J.J. Redick, and Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams (All Twitter links).
Spurs Won’t Look To Acquire Smith, Jefferson
Ric Bucher of Comcast Sports says that the Spurs won't be looking to deal for Josh Smith or Al Jefferson before the deadline (Sulia link).
San Antonio's interest in Smith dwindled after the team decided that the Hawks' star wouldn't be a good fit with the team's 'DNA,' whereas the supposed interest in Jefferson wasn't very serious considering their salary-cap situation. The Jazz forward is making $15MM in the final year of his deal, and at age 28 would likely be looking for the most lucrative contract of his career this summer.
Berger On Bledsoe, Celtics, Bulls, Warriors, Maynor
In his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Ken Berger echoes a rumor we've heard recently, writing that concerns about increasing luxury-tax penalties may make teams reluctant to deal this week. While there may be something to that idea, I'd be surprised if we don't end up seeing a handful of trades consummated by Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm CST. And Berger also shares the latest on a few possibilities, so let's round up the highlights from his column:
- The Clippers are willing to listen on Eric Bledsoe inquiries, but are reluctant to move him as long as there's even the slightest doubt that Chris Paul will re-sign this summer.
- Talks between the Clippers and Celtics involving Kevin Garnett are dormant for now. Rival execs believe that Danny Ainge recognizes that if he trades Garnett, he'll probably have to trade Paul Pierce as well, and vice versa. If the C's don't blow things up, moving Jason Terry to get under the luxury tax will also be a consideration.
- Other teams who could attempt to get under the luxury tax: The Bulls, by moving Richard Hamilton, and the Warriors, who could try to deal a couple of minimum-salary players like Jeremy Tyler, Kent Bazemore, or Charles Jenkins.
- Bergers suggests that Eric Maynor, who we heard is being shopped by the Thunder, could be a fit for the Jazz, but Utah is "consumed with the dilemma" of whether to trade Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap. I'm sure if Oklahoma City approached the Jazz with an offer, they'd listen, but it doesn't sound like a priority for Utah at the moment.
- The Timberwolves are aggressively shopping draft picks in an attempt to acquire wing help. We heard a similar report from Adrian Wojnarowski last night.
Wojnarowski On Wolves, Smith, Nets, Bell
Here's the latest news from around the league courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski with all links going to Twitter..
- The Wolves have been aggressive in offering multiple first-round picks for established talent, according to league sources (Twitter link). We've heard some trade buzz around Minnesota in recent weeks, but it has mostly concerned guard Luke Ridnour.
- The Celtics are on several fronts, including discussions on Josh Smith, Wojnarowski tweets. They've got plenty of competition, however, as the Nets are solely focused on making a deal for Smith, despite being linked to a few other big names in recent weeks.
- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has remained intrigued with bringing exiled Jazz guard Raja Bell to Lakers, sources tell Wojnarowski. The Jazz would be delighted to put a bow on their saga with the disgruntled guard.
- League GMs believe that the Hawks, Bucks, and Suns will make significant moves before the trade deadline.
- The Trail Blazers are still willing to move J.J. Hickson, but haven't found an appealing offer yet.
- Teams trying to trade for J.J. Redick of the Magic are surveying the cost of re-signing him this summer, Wojnarowski tweets. If Bucks move a starting guard, he'll be a major target for them.
Odds & Ends: O’Neal, Jazz, Trade Candidates
With less than 72 hours remaining until the 2013 trade deadline, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the NBA….
- Jermaine O'Neal tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic that, with his daughter scheduled for March surgery to repair a leaky valve, he hasn't had a chance to think much about trade possibilities. "My focus is to finish my job and what I signed up to do," O'Neal said. "If [the Suns] want to do something to help the team, I’m for it."
- For the last few weeks, we've heard conflicting reports on whether the Jazz are more likely to move Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap, and it sounds like NBA general managers aren't any more certain than we are. "I think they'll trade one of them because they can't keep both," a rival GM tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com. "But I'm never sure which one will go. One day I think it's going to be Jefferson, and the next day it will be Millsap."
- Josh Smith, Kevin Garnett, and Jefferson are among the trade candidates discussed by Sean Deveney in his latest column for The Sporting News.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com goes through each of the NBA's 30 teams, predicting what they might be up to at the trade deadline.
- In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton examines whether deadline deals are actually effective, and weighs whether or not a few fringe playoff teams should consider being buyers.
Jazz, Clippers Interested In Millsap, Bledsoe Swap
There's mutual interest between the Clippers and Jazz in a deal that would have point guard Eric Bledsoe and power forward Paul Millsap trading places, report Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. While Clippers vice president of basketball ops Gary Sacks says the team is not actively shopping Bledsoe or anyone else on the team's roster, it's clear the team is open to making a move of some kind, particularly with Bledsoe, who's also reportedly been at the heart of discussion with the Celtics about Kevin Garnett.
A pair of sources insisted to ESPN that the Clippers wouldn't make a move before the trade deadline, but two other sources gave Shelburne and Stein indications that the Clippers and Jazz will at least explore whether a Bledsoe-Millsap deal is workable. L.A. would have to add close to $6.4MM worth of salary to the deal to make the numbers match, as there's a wide gap between Millsap's $8.6MM take this season and Bledsoe's $1.7MM. Shelburne and Stein hear the Clippers are reluctant to break up their roster, given the team's 17-game winning streak earlier this season.
The Jazz have been giving mixed signals on whether they're more likely to trade Millsap or Al Jefferson, both of whom will be free agents this summer. The Nets appear to have interest in Millsap as well, and the Trail Blazers have also been linked to the power forward. Trading Millsap away would open up minutes for former No. 3 overall pick Derrick Favors at the four in Utah, and Bledsoe would strengthen the team's backcourt, which has been a weakness. Millsap would probably have to come off the bench for the Clippers, unless coach Vinny Del Negro wanted to play him or Blake Griffin out of position.
Wolves Rumors: Ridnour, Pekovic, Williams, Roy
As usual, Friday morning means the latest installment of Darren Wolfson's Scoops column has been published at 1500ESPN.com. With Minnesota expected to be active in trade talks over the next several days, let's check out the latest Timberwolves rumors from Wolfson….
- The Knicks are one of several teams interested in Luke Ridnour, who is mentally preparing to be moved. The Celtics, Sixers, and Jazz are among the other clubs with varying degrees of interest, says Wolfson.
- Nikola Pekovic has been assured by the T-Wolves that he isn't going anywhere for now.
- While Derrick Williams is still available, a trade over the summer may be more likely, according to Wolfson.
- Brandon Roy's financial advisor is still "rejecting overtures" on a buyout. It seems unlikely the Wolves will be able to move his salary in a trade, so a buyout would be the team's preferred route.
- When Chris Johnson signed for the rest of the season with the Wolves, the contract included a second year. Wolfson expects that it'll essentially be a team option for 2013/14 — a non-guaranteed minimum salary.