Aldridge On Raptors, Varejao, LeBron, Thunder
TNT's David Aldridge checks in as usual on a Monday with his Morning Tip column at NBA.com, and this week's edition is full of trade rumors as talk heats up around the league. Here's a digest of Aldridge's latest scuttlebutt, with a heavy focus on the Raptors.
- While Andrea Bargnani's elbow injury will keep him out for a month, delaying trade talk, one rival GM is convinced he'll eventually be leaving the Raptors, feeling as though there's no doubt GM Bryan Colangelo will trade him.
- The Raptors are leery of adding another international player, according to Aldridge, which would make them reluctant to trade for Pau Gasol.
- Aldridge speculates the Raptors won't deal Jose Calderon to the Lakers, and instead ship him somewhere for a draft pick to create a massive trade exception. Aldridge writes that such a trade exception would be $15.6MM, but I believe it would be closer to $10.6MM, reflecting Calderon's salary.
- A league executive speculates that the Cavs will hold on to Varejao through the summer of 2014, when LeBron James can become a free agent, so they can make a pitch to their erstwhile superstar. In any case, the Cavs have set Varejao's asking price too high for other teams' tastes, as they often do with their many of their players, according to Aldridge.
- Though the Thunder are reportedly content to stand pat for now, Aldridge believes they could try to move the Raptors pick they got from the Rockets in the James Harden trade, speculating that one of their targets could be Varejao.
- Aldridge spoke with a GM who joins the seeming consensus that the Jazz are more likely to deal Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson. The GM believes Jefferson is a better fit with Derrick Favors.
- The Bucks want an upgrade at small forward, and Aldridge thinks the team is more likely to move "one of its undersized four or oversized threes" than trade Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
- The Wizards are open to trading one of their big men for veteran help at the point, where they're woefully thin in John Wall's absence.
- The Pacers are willing to tinker, but aren't putting Paul George or George Hill on the table.
- No one aside from Jrue Holiday is off-limits as the Sixers seek a big man, though it would take a lot to pry Thaddeus Young or Evan Turner from their hands.
Steven Gray Signs In France
Steven Gray, who was in training camp with the Wizards, has signed with Chorale Roanne in France, according to the team's website (translation via Sportando's Emiliano Carchia). Gray, a 6'5" combo guard, went undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2011, but hooked on with the Wizards summer league team this past offseason. He played just 17.3 minutes per game in three summer contests, but nonetheless earned the invitation to Washington's camp.
Gray was with the Wizards until shortly before opening night, but the team didn't look his way when they switched out point guards last month, replacing Jannero Pargo with Shaun Livingston. They also didn't bring him in to work out along with Ben Uzoh and Blake Ahearn when they went auditioned the pair of point guards last week after A.J. Price suffered a broken hand.
The journey to France is a return to Europe for Gray, who spent last season with BK Ventspils of Latvia. On Chorale Roanne, Gray joins Ryan Reid, who appeared in five games last season with the Thunder.
Odds & Ends: Wizards, Ebanks, Nets, Celtics
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis used his personal blog to address a report this week by Michael Lee of The Washington Post that the Wizards turned down a trade for James Harden. Leonsis denies that finances were a factor in the team's decision, and points out the trade wouldn't have put the team over the luxury tax. However, Lee didn't write that the trade would make Washington a taxpayer, surmising instead that the team would eventually have to pay the tax if it wanted to keep Harden, John Wall and the rest of its post-trade core together. Here's who else is making news on an 11-game night in the NBA.
- Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times thinks Devin Ebanks might not be with the Lakers much longer, though he points out that he's one of a handful of players who can veto trades this season (Sulia link).
- More than half of the players on the Nets roster become eligible to be traded tomorrow, but Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets that the team isn't planning any moves.
- Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen isn't high on the Celtics, but he doesn't foresee the team making changes in an effort to win a title this season, he tells CSNNE's Sports Tonight (link via CSNNE.com).
- This year's class of college sophomore draft prospects is especially deep, writes Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider only). Centers Cody Zeller and Alex Len, two potential No. 1 overall picks, sit atop Ford's ranking of the top 10 sophomores.
- Eddie Johnson of HoopsHype points to the shortcomings of Eric Maynor this season and speculates that the Thunder may look to add another point guard to back up Russell Westbrook.
- Pacers rookie guard Orlando Johnson would have been sent down this weekend for his second D-League assignment if not for Lance Stephenson's right ankle injury, notes Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
- After passing along a pair of reports that linked Carlos Arroyo to teams in Italy and Turkey, Sportando's Emiliano Carchia believes the nine-year NBA vet is down to a single option overseas. Arroyo last played in the Association in 2010/11, splitting the season between the Heat and Celtics.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Harden, Terry, Draft
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday night:
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday.com writes that Mike Woodson has been more successful at coaching Carmelo Anthony than Mike D'Antoni was.
- James Harden was indifferent in his reaction to reports that the Wizards had rejected an offer from the Thunder to send him to Washington.
- Jason Terry did not rule out a return to the Mavericks later in his career, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford took a variety of questions from fans relating to the 2013 NBA Draft in a live chat.
- SNY.com's Adam Zagoria reports that Jabari Parker, the second-rated prospect of the 2014 Draft, is down to Duke and Michigan State in his choice of colleges.
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that John Wall will have his knee re-examined on Friday.
- Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com writes that youth is not an excuse for the Cavs' poor play.
- D.J. Augustin has been a disappointment since signing with the Pacers this summer.
- Sean Michael Meager of the Oregonian has an interview with Trail Blazers rookie Will Barton about his recent D-League assignment and the adjustment from college to the NBA.
- Brandon Jennings was perhaps the best player up for a rookie-scale extension who didn't get one, but he's drawing comparisons to Chris Paul and Mike Conley from Bucks coach Scott Skiles for his play this season, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel documents.
- Stephen Curry is feeling happy with his level of play this season and is not disappointed with his contract extension, he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Wizards Turned Down Trade For James Harden
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis didn't want to commit a five-year maximum-salary contract to James Harden, so the team turned down an offer of Harden for Bradley Beal and Chris Singleton, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post. One Wizards official, who disputes that such a proposal was ever on the table, said the Thunder were also seeking an established player of the caliber the Wizards don't possess, Lee adds.
The Thunder reportedly had interest in trading up to take Beal right before the draft, but didn't want to part with Harden. Lee notes that the proposal including Harden was made two months after the draft, when the Wizards made Beal the third overall pick. An NBA executive pointed out to Lee that teams are much more reticent to give up recently drafted players than they are draft picks.
The revelation of this would-be deal surely isn't welcome news for Wizards fans, who've watched their team stumble to a 2-15 start. As Lee details, the Wizards would likely have become a taxpaying team if they had committed a max deal to Harden as the Rockets did after the Thunder traded him to Houston on the eve of the season. With stiffer tax penalties kicking in by 2014, it makes it easier to understand why Leonsis put the brakes on a Harden trade, but with John Wall's value seemingly declining each day he misses with a left patella injury, it's worth wondering if the team might have been better off committing to Harden and letting Wall walk as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2014.
Beal is off to a slow start, shooting just 34.9% in his first 17 NBA games, and Singleton, the 18th pick in 2011, is averaging just 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game this year, so the Thunder appear to be much better off with the package they got from the Rockets that's centered around Kevin Martin. I'd have to think there's some legitimacy to the statement by the Wizards executive who said the Thunder were looking for something more in a deal with Washington. And the Rockets are assuredly glad they wound up with Harden, who's averaging 24.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game this year, all career highs.
Eastern Notes: Bynum, Blatche, Wizards, Scott
On the heels of Andrew Bynum's comments yesterday, in which he suggested he could miss another month, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld says league sources wonder if Bynum's prolonged rehab is about trying to get healthy for his upcoming free agency. However, 76ers sources tell Kyler that if the team remains in the hunt and Bynum returns at some point in January, they're okay with the wait.
Here are a few more Tuesday notes out of the Eastern Conference:
- Andray Blatche and the Nets are both reaping the benefits of Brooklyn's willingness to bring the ex-Wizard aboard on a minimum-salary deal, writes ESPN.com's David Thorpe in an Insider-only piece.
- Despite working out a couple point guards over the weekend, the Wizards are staying the course and not adding anyone to the roster for now, according to Gene Wang of the Washington Post. "We’re looking at different scenarios," coach Randy Wittman said. "Obviously brought a couple guys in [on Sunday], looked at, and we’re still, we haven’t done anything. Don’t know when or if we will do anything, but we’re looking at different scenarios, different options, different people. We’re not going to make a snap quick judgment. There’s not a guy out there right now that warrants that, so we’re going to take our time and look at some different guys and see what best fits us moving forward."
- With the Bakersfield Jam not scheduled to play their next game until Friday, the Hawks are set to recall Mike Scott from their D-League affiliate, says Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- While one school of thought suggests the Bulls shouldn't bring Derrick Rose back from his ACL injury until the 2013/14 season, Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times explains why that would be playing it too safe.
Coaching Rumors: Suns, Wizards, Pistons, Kings
We're about a quarter of the way through the NBA regular season, which is enough of a sample size that we can say certain teams have underperformed so far. Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today take a look at the coaching situations for a few of those teams in their latest piece, examining whether any head coaches are in danger of being let go. We touched on Dwane Casey's situation with the Raptors in a post this morning, but here are the rest of Amick's and Zillgitt's updates:
- After Suns owner Robert Sarver told ESPN.com's Chris Broussard yesterday that Alvin Gentry wasn't on the hot seat, Amick and Zillgitt spoke to Sarver as well. Sarver's vote of confidence in this case was even stronger, as he told USA Today that Gentry's job is safe for the rest of the season.
- Like the Raptors, the Suns may explore an on-court change rather than a coaching move, with Michael Beasley a candidate to be involved — according to USA Today, there's some disagreement between the team and player about what his role should be. However, Sarver still hopes Beasley will work things out in Phoenix: "We're working with him. He's working hard, and we still expect to be able to (salvage the situation)."
- The Wizards are still paying their last head coach, Flip Saunders, so they're unlikely to replace Randy Wittman this year, since it would mean paying three different coaches.
- Pistons owner Tom Gores has high expectations for his club, and wants to see some progress toward the playoffs this year in Detroit, making it a potential make-or-break season for Lawrence Frank.
- Keith Smart's job with the Kings appears safe, though team president Geoff Petrie's future isn't quite so clear.
- The Nets still have faith in Avery Johnson and expect some peaks and valleys with the team's overhauled roster. However, there's an expectation that the team will not only qualify for the postseason but be in position to "make an impact once they get there."
- Despite a slow start for the Pacers, there's still hope in Indiana that Frank Vogel is around to coach the team for years to come.
Odds & Ends: Ahearn, Wizards, Draft, Bargnani
A year ago today, the NBA lockout had just officially ended and we were immersed in a compressed and frantic period of free agency. As fun a week as that was, I'll take this year's December 10th, which features an evening slate of six NBA contests, including a Southeast battle between the Hawks and Heat. As we await tonight's games, let's round up a few afternoon odds and ends:
- In addition to working out Ben Uzoh on Sunday, the Wizards also took a look at Blake Ahearn, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. However, Washington doesn't plan to sign either player to replace the injured A.J. Price.
- In the latest draft blog at ESPN.com (Insider link), Jay Bilas and Chad Ford discuss which college point guard is the top prospect at the position.
- John Hollinger also has an Insider-only piece up at ESPN.com, in which he examines Andrea Bargnani's disappointing performance so far this season for the Raptors. If Bargnani plays like this all season, the amnesty clause could be a real possibility next summer, says Hollinger. I still think the former first overall pick has some trade value, but that value is certainly not where it was even a few weeks ago.
- The Hawks are still figuring out when to bring back Mike Scott from the D-League, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- Tony Parker sees a little of himself in Jeremy Lin, as he tells Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Wizards Auditioning Uzoh To Replace Injured Price
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports via Twitter that Ben Uzoh is working out today for the Wizards, who will be without point guard A.J. Price for four to six weeks because of a broken hand, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post reveals. Shaun Livingston is the only healthy point guard left for Washington, which is at the 15-man roster limit, meaning someone would have to be waived if Uzoh is to be signed. That would most likely be Earl Barron, who's on a non-guaranteed deal for the minimum salary.
Uzoh, who was in training camp with the Nuggets, is currently with the D-League's Springfield Armor. He's appeared in 60 games over the past two seasons with three NBA teams, including a 16-game stint with the Raptors last year in which he started eight contests and averaged 4.8 points and 3.7 assists in 22.3 minutes per game.
Lee, when he reported the news of Price's injury, didn't expect the team to sign another point guard, instead believing Washington would simply shift more ball-handling duties onto Jordan Crawford. The Wizards are already on the hook for the partial guarantee of $300K on the contract of Jannero Pargo, whom they waived to sign Livingston. They're paying the same amount to point guard Shelvin Mack after cutting him loose at the end of training camp. The team has had issues at point guard all season long in the absence of John Wall, who has no timetable for his return from a left patella injury.
The Wizards, who are over the cap, have $3.1MM of their mid-level exception and their full $1.957MM bi-annual exception at their disposal if they want to add someone for more than the minimum salary. Yet given the dearth of intriguing options on the list of available free agent point guards, it seems unlikely they'll have to dip into either exception.
Eastern Rumors: Ilyasova, Dalembert, Bynum
The teams that would occupy the top four playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference are all in action tonight, and all of them are in fairly compelling matchups. The first-place Knicks and would-be No. 4 seed Bulls square off, while the Hawks, the third-best team in the conference, travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies, who sit atop the league. The Heat take on the lowly Hornets, but after Miami's loss to the Wizards this week, nothing's a given. Here's today's news from around the East:
- Ersan Ilyasova signed new a five-year, $40MM deal with the Bucks this summer, but has since been benched, as Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld chronicles. "It is a little bit (tough)," Ilyasova said. "We got a lot of big guys in different spots. It’s hard to find room some times. It doesn’t really matter. Whenever I step out on the floor I just try to be myself and give 100 percent."
- The Bucks also acquired Samuel Dalembert via trade this offseason, and he, too, is on the bench despite a $6.7MM salary in the final season of his contract. Dalembert is questioning the way the team has deployed him, according to Koutroupis. "It is not working," Dalembert said. "It’s not quite, I thought my role would have been a little bit more. But, like I said it’s coaching and everybody is doing their best."
- Tom Moore of Phillyburbs.com cites examples from Sixers coach Doug Collins' comments as he argues that Collins' patience with Andrew Bynum has worn thin, and wonders if the coach has moved on from the idea of having a franchise center around.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld believes any player on the Raptors roster is liable to be traded, and predicts a major move in the near future. Brotherston thinks GM Bryan Colangelo and coach Dwane Casey might not be long for Toronto, either.
- Jan Vesely, the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft, has fallen out of the Wizards rotation, but the team isn't planning to send him to the D-League, sources tell Michael Lee of The Washington Post.