Latest On Trade Candidates From Reno
Marc Stein of ESPN.com attended the NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nevada this week, where many NBA GMs and executives were present. He posted a roundup of trade-related chatter he heard during the event:
- The Raptors are making the hardest push for Rudy Gay, offering the Grizzlies a package that includes Jose Calderon and Ed Davis. Memphis is still undecided as to whether they will move Gay.
- There is a growing sense from front offices around the league that the Lakers will not ultimately trade Pau Gasol this season.
- Teams have continued to ask the Kings about DeMarcus Cousins, and were told that he is not available.
- A source told Stein that it is highly unlikely the Bucks will move Brandon Jennings before the end of the season.
- The Jazz are more likely to trade Al Jefferson than Paul Millsap, even though both are free agents this summer.
- The Hornets are not expected to trade Eric Gordon, despite previous rumors that he may be available.
- Despite his recent statement that he intends on staying retired, the Nets are still making a hard push to convince Phil Jackson to be their next head coach.
- Stein lists several players as having been made known to be available by their teams, including the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani, the Spurs' DeJuan Blair, the Cavs' Omri Casspi, the Rockets' Cole Aldrich, and the Bucks' Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, and Beno Udrih.
Odds & Ends: Millsap, Blair, Pistons, Cavs
As we wait to hear the next development in the Sacramento Kings/Seattle investment group story, let's check in on a few other odds and ends from around the NBA….
- It's a transition year for Paul Millsap, who has been the subject of trade rumors and faces unrestricted free agency in July. As he tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com, Millsap hopes to stay put, but will understand if the Jazz trade him next month: "At least somebody wants you, so you can't really be hurt about that. I don't have a problem with change if that's the case. I feel like I'm a guy that can adjust to whatever situation is thrown in front of him. For me, I hope it's here [in Utah]. But if not, you know, I've got to go.''
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld suggests the Spurs may lower their asking price in DeJuan Blair trade talks now that the club appears close to signing big man Aron Baynes.
- The Pistons might not make a major move before the trade deadline, but they have more assets of value than expected, says David Mayo of MLive.com.
- Grantland's Zach Lowe examines how Anderson Varejao's leg surgery will affect the Cavaliers, and what the team's roster-building strategy may look like going forward.
- Rockets GM Daryl Morey views his team's roster as "stable" and doesn't expect to add anyone he sees at the D-League showcase in Reno, but he's in attendance anyway, as Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld writes.
- There's no quick fix out there for the Kings, who are more than just one or two moves away from contending, opines Brian Blomster of the Sacramento Bee.
- Mike James doesn't figure to be a difference-maker for the Mavericks, but the team is hoping he can offer what Derek Fisher was supposed to, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
Sefko On Howard, Trade Targets, Chemistry
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW answered questions from fans on Tuesday about the current state of the Mavericks among other rumors. Here are some of the more noteworthy topics of discussion from his chat:
- Three centers that should be on the team's list of targets this summer include Al Jefferson, Andrew Bynum, and Dwight Howard. He also thinks that either Paul Millsap and/or Jefferson are destined to be dealt from the Jazz, and that the Mavericks' projected draft position at this point could garner a high enough pick to offer for one of Utah's big men.
- From the above list, the team should still have a shot at landing Howard, depending on if the Lakers continue to struggle.
- Jose Calderon will be in very high demand near the trade deadline and should be on Dallas' radar. While he hasn't heard anything with regard to Devin Harris being on the trade block in Atlanta, Sefko notes that the former Mavericks player is in the last-year of his deal and would instantly become the team's starter if they were to somehow acquire him.
- Despite the team's struggles at this point in the season, there doesn't seem to be any serious issues in the locker room. He also thinks that Rick Carlisle has the ability to keep the team from splintering.
- Considering that players picked up off of amnesty last summer can't be traded this year, it's one reason to advocate an increased role for Elton Brand.
Jazz Recall Kevin Murphy From D-League
The Jazz are recalling Kevin Murphy from their D-League affiliate, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Murphy had been playing for the Reno Bighorns since being assigned by Utah on November 26th.
When Murphy was assigned to the D-League by the Jazz, GM Dennis Lindsey noted that he wanted to see the second-round pick operate as a team player, rather than dominating the ball and trying to rack up points. In 14 games, including 12 starts, for the Bighorns, Murphy averaged 13.2 PPG on .446/.350/.775 shooting.
Western Notes: Nolan Smith, Royce White, Mavs
You could make a convincing case that the biggest NBA news out of the Western Conference so far today has been Kobe Bryant's arrival on Twitter. With just a single tweet to his name, Kobe has already racked up over 200,000 followers, a figure that continues to grow exponentially. There's plenty going on around the rest of the conference too though, so let's check out a few links….
- Trail Blazers point guard Nolan Smith, a former 21st overall pick, is on a mission to prove that he's not a bust, and feels good about his impending free agency, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Royce White appeared on SiriusXM radio to discuss his refusal of a D-League assignment, and both Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside have passed along a few of White's more interesting comments. Among them: White suggested the chances that he never plays in the NBA are "very high" and said that playing for a team besides the Rockets wouldn't be a solution.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News expects O.J. Mayo to score a big contract next summer, but isn't sure it'll come from the Mavericks. The Mavs figure to be targeting the top free agents of the class before circling back to Mayo, according to Sefko.
- Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News is critical of the make-up of the Mavericks' roster, opining that with so many players on expiring deals, they're playing for contracts rather than wins.
- The Jazz announced today that Mo Williams underwent successful surgery on his injured right thumb, as Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune writes.
- Roster construction has been a bigger problem than DeMarcus Cousins for the Kings, according to Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com.
Grizzlies Making Rudy Gay Available?
Rudy Gay is no stranger to trade rumors, having been the subject of a few rumblings as recently as last summer. And it appears that 2013 will bring even more rumors surrounding the veteran forward, with Zach Lowe of Grantland reporting that the Grizzlies have made it known in preliminary talks with NBA teams that Gay could be available.
Lowe clarifies that it doesn't sound as if Memphis is actively shopping the 26-year-old. However, the club is about $4MM into the luxury tax this season, and could be heading back into tax territory in the next two seasons, based on the contracts currently on the books. As such, moving Gay's three-year, $53MM+ deal might be an attractive option.
Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said back in June that the team had no plans to deal Gay, and a September report from the Memphis Commercial Appeal suggested that Memphis turned down a number of lowball offers for Gay over the summer. However, with a new owner (Robert Pera) in place, and new faces in the front office, such as John Hollinger and Jason Levien, the Grizzlies may be more open to revisiting the possibility of a move.
While Lowe doesn't specify which teams the Grizzlies may have spoken to about Gay, he does speculate on which clubs may be a fit, naming the Timberwolves, Bucks, Celtics, Hawks, Raptors, Rockets, and Jazz as "sensible candidates." Lowe also adds that the Warriors have "long coveted" Gay, but points out they don't really have the pieces to make a deal work at the moment.
Poll: What Should The Jazz Do?
Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune wrote an interesting column today regarding the current state of the Utah Jazz. Despite having a roster filled with talented young pieces and valuable veterans, a variety of factors have the Jazz trapped in NBA mediocrity.
Most important, they simply aren't good enough as currently constructed and will likely be a fringe playoff team. Additionally, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the year. Utah has never been a traditional landing spot for big name free agents, nor has it had a great track record of keeping its best players (see Deron Williams). So what should the Jazz do?
The easy answer is to move Millsap and Jefferson this season for draft picks and/or young assets, especially when you consider that the team's best young players – Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter – play similar positions to them and would receive valuable bumps in playing time. That is essentially what they did with Williams. But compiling a team of 20-to-24 year olds, while it looks good on paper, is a risk in itself. For every Oklahoma City Thunder type result, there are teams that spend a decade in the lottery taking this approach.
Should Utah decide to make a run at a playoff spot, they could keep their big man duo and either attempt to re-sign one or both of them after the year or look to replace them with other free agents. But again, the Jazz have had limited success luring any free agents to Utah, much less impactful ones.
Every option comes with a certain level of uncertainty. So what would you do if you were running the Jazz? And please, feel free to expand on your selection in the comments section, especially if you selected "Other."
Amick On Warriors, Shumpert, Lillard, Kings
In his Thursday morning edition of A to Z at USA Today, Sam Amick speaks to Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob about his team's first-half success and looks into the Kings' decision to pass on Damian Lillard last June, among other topics. Let's dive right in and check out what Amick has for us….
- Asked about the possibility of making a trade to further upgrade the Warriors' lineup, Lacob tells Amick that the club is taking things one game at a time for now, and that if Andrew Bogut comes back healthy before the deadline, "it's sort of like you made a trade." Still, Golden State intends to be opportunistic, so if a potential deal arises, the team will certainly consider it.
- Lacob also praised the work of GM Bob Myers, singling out the signings of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry as moves that have made a big impact so far.
- Lacob expects it'll be another year and a half before the Warriors "get all the approvals" for their eventual move to San Francisco.
- While the Knicks are happy to have Amare Stoudemire back in the rotation, Amick suggests Iman Shumpert is the player New York needs more right now. The young guard tells Amick that he expects to return in "January or February."
- According to Amick, one reason why the Kings drafted Thomas Robinson over Lillard at No. 5 overall last June was the front office's uncertainty about whether ownership would be willing to pony up the money for a long-term deal for Jason Thompson. While Sacramento was happy to land Robinson, who was viewed as a safe selection, there was also "strong support" for Lillard among the front office and scouting staff.
- Amick notes that the Celtics and Jazz are two teams worth keeping an eye on as the trade deadline approaches. In the past, Boston has been aggressive about adding future pieces even when the team has been winning, which it's not doing right now. As for Utah, the Jazz have a number of expiring contracts and other assets and could be sellers if they continue to play sub-.500 ball.
Odds & Ends: Williams, Warriors, Magic, Roy
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday evening:
- Jazz guard Mo Williams is expected to miss six weeks following thumb surgery. It will be interesting to keep an eye on what roster moves Utah makes to account for his absence.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News examines several reasons the Warriors are having such a successful season.
- John Mitchell of Philly.com writes that former Sixers big man Nikola Vucevic is beginning to realize his potential with the Magic.
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks at the path Ishmael Smith followed that led to his signing with the Magic.
- Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Brandon Roy is practicing with the Timberwolves but it is still unknown when he will return to the court.
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes that J.J. Hickson's stellar recent play has been a nice surprise for the Trail Blazers.
Western Notes: Jazz, Howard, Hickson, Beasley
The Clippers saw their 17-game winning streak finally come to an end last night in Denver, and now sit percentage points behind the Thunder in the Western Conference standings. Still, ESPN.com's Chad Ford gives the Clips the slight edge over OKC as the best team in the West at the moment. Here are a few more Western Conference notes from Ford's chat and from a variety of other writers:
- Responding to questions about trade candidates like DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Love, Ford suggests the Timberwolves should trade Love sooner rather than later (though there's no indication they will), and says the Jazz wouldn't be a logical suitor for Cousins, since Utah isn't the sort of team that would take that risk.
- Elsewhere in his chat, Ford questions whether it's a lock that Dwight Howard will sign a long-term deal with the Lakers, noting that D12 "still pines for Brooklyn." Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld also wrote last night (via Sulia) that it's hard to see a long-term marriage between Howard and the Lakers working. I still think L.A. is the overwhelming favorite to sign Howard, but it's not necessarily the sure thing it seemed to be at one point.
- J.J. Hickson is an early candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, according to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld. Hickson, who is playing on a one-year deal and could be a coveted free agent next summer, tells Raskin that he's not sure exactly what his future holds: "I don’t know. All I can do is control what I can control and that’s play the game of basketball and the rest will work itself out."
- When Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors examined some of long-term deals signed last offseason that haven't worked out so far, he didn't mention Michael Beasley's three-year, $18MM contract with the Suns. But as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes, Beasley has "bottomed out" in Phoenix.
- Newly-signed James Anderson talks to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle about what he hopes to bring to the Rockets.
- Having been recalled by the Mavericks from the D-League earlier this week, Jared Cunningham tells Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News that his time with the Texas Legends was "good for me."