2012 February | Hoops Rumors

Brook Lopez Rumors: Tuesday

February 28th, 2012 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

Playing against Dwight Howard and the Magic in the Nets' last game before the All-Star break, Brook Lopez scored 15 points, grabbed four boards, and blocked a pair of shots. While the performance wasn't exceptional, and wasn't enough to help New Jersey avoid a loss, it was a good step forward for Lopez in just his second game back from foot surgery. Here are today's Lopez-related items, as he prepares to return to action in Dallas tonight:

The Magic don't have a ton of interest in Lopez in a Howard trade, but he's inexpensive and even decent big men are hard to find, says Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links).
There are "renewed rumblings" about the Warriors landing Lopez in a multi-team Howard trade, according to Peter Vecsey of the New York Post. This scenario, which Vecsey suggests would include Monta Ellis going to Orlando, sounds like a real long-shot to me.

Kyler On Rondo, Diaw, Mavs, Ellis, Scola

February 28th, 2012 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

Over at HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler kicks off a quick look at trade possibilities for all 30 teams, running alphabetically from Atlanta through Houston. Let's check out a few of Kyler's notes….

The general belief is that Rajon Rondo will remain a Celtic past March 15th unless Boston is blown away by an offer.
Bobcats sources say the team has received inquiries on Boris Diaw, who has an expiring contract worth $9MM.
Sources close to the Mavericks say the team views Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones as "possible sweeteners" in an offseason sign-and-trade deal for Dwight Howard or Deron Williams.
If the Warriors decide to move Monta Ellis, any deal may have to include a contract like David Lee's or Andris Biedrins' as well. According to Kyler's sources, the Warriors offered Ellis to the 76ers for Andre Iguodala at the start of the season.
Concerns about Luis Scola's knees may make it tough for the Rockets to find full value for him on the trade market.
For more on the ten teams covered in Kyler's piece, check out our Assessing Stocks series, which, coincidentally, has covered the same ten clubs.

Jason Kidd Talks Brooklyn, Retirement, Williams

February 28th, 2012 at 9:33am CST by Luke Adams

With the Nets and Mavericks set to square off in Dallas, Jason Kidd talked to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News about his former team, his future, and the point guard he'll be facing tonight. Here are the highlights:

A free-agent-to-be, Kidd says he'd like to remain a Maverick, but conceded that signing with the Brooklyn Nets this summer is also a possibility: "You can’t rule that out…. But we’ll see what happens here in Dallas. I wouldn’t mind staying here in Dallas if that opportunity presents itself. But if Brooklyn presents itself, we’ll see."
While Kidd doesn't think he's ready for retirement yet, he'll consider that option before signing anywhere this offseason.
Kidd again praised Deron Williams and reiterated that he'd enjoy backing up Williams in the future: "I know he’ll play 40 minutes so I can give him an eight-minute break. Wherever he ends up – whether it’s in Brooklyn or Dallas – that franchise has a great point guard."

Latest On Lamar Odom

February 28th, 2012 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Having left the team last week to tend to his ill father, Lamar Odom hasn't reported to the Mavericks following the All-Star break, as we heard yesterday. SI.com's Sam Amick said on Monday that the Mavs weren't planning to buy out Odom's contract, but there's no timetable for his return at this point. Here's the latest on the former Laker:

Odom briefly considered retiring in the offseason following the death of a cousin, but wants to keep playing, sources tell ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on a possible buyout for Odom: "It hasn't been discussed and we wouldn't do it. We think Lamar can be a huge plus for us" (via Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com).
Peter Vecsey of the New York Post hears from a Texas source that Odom isn't happy in Dallas and would like a buyout. However, Caplan writes in a separate ESPNDallas piece that "for now, all we can assume is that Odom is caring for his dad and that he will be back with the Mavs soon."

Hornets Re-Sign Lance Thomas, Solomon Jones

February 28th, 2012 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have re-signed Lance Thomas and Solomon Jones, the team announced last night. Thomas, who had already received two 10-day contracts, will be signed for the remainder of the season, while Jones received his second 10-day deal.

Thomas, who signed the league's first 10-day contract this season, also becomes the first player to have his contract guaranteed for the remainder of the season following two 10-day deals. As we outlined earlier this month in our 10-day contract primer, teams are only permitted to sign players to two 10-day contracts (not necessarily consecutively) before being required to sign them for the rest of the season or part ways.

Thomas has appeared in 11 games for the Hornets, averaging 2.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game. Jones, meanwhile, has played in five games, posting 3.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in just under 15 minutes per contest.

John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune first reported that both frontcourt players were expected to be re-signed.

Introducing Hoops Links

February 27th, 2012 at 11:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Here at Hoops Rumors, we deliver up-to-the-minute news on NBA transactions and high-quality original analysis. Now, we will feature some of the best blog articles from around the web in our new weekly feature, Hoops Links.

We're looking for interesting reads on all things basketball from blogs of all sizes. While Hoops Rumors is dedicated to player movement, Hoops Links will be open to pieces on all areas of the game. If you would like to suggest something for Hoops Links, send Zach an email with the link and a brief synopsis at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.

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Hoops Links

Odds & Ends: Timberwolves, Calderon, Kobe

February 27th, 2012 at 10:42pm CST by Luke Adams

With the All-Star Game behind us and regular season games not restarting until tomorrow, a handful of writers today are looking ahead to the season's second half. With the March 15th deadline just 17 days away, the start of the second half figures to be dominated by trade rumors, so Sean Deveney of the Sporting News and Sam Smith of Bulls.com were among the scribes who examined a few big-name trade candidates. Here are a few more links from around the Association as we wait for the second half to get underway:

Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman doesn't believe that there is a solid wing upgrade available on the trade block, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
Raptors head coach Dwane Casey says that there's nothing brewing on the trade front, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Casey added that the club has received interest in Jose Calderon but "there's nothing on the table" when it comes to the point guard (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies recalled rookie Josh Selby from the D-League, according to the Commercial Appeal's Twitter feed. The former Kansas Jayhawk was assigned to the Reno Bighorns earlier this month in order to see more playing time.
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez told reporters this weekend that Kobe Bryant was thinking about retirement before undergoing platelet-rich plasma treatment in the offseason, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times.
Michael Lee of the Washington Post wonders which of the Wizards' young players are part of the team's long-term plans. Spoiler alert: Andray Blatche isn't mentioned. In a separate piece, Lee previews the summer for Nick Young and JaVale McGee, who are both in contract years.
Point guard may not be a major offseason priority for the Heat if they can win a title with Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole manning the position, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star handicaps the odds of a few Raptors trade candidates being moved before the deadline.
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley has been eliminated from the list of prospective bidders for the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
The 2015 All-Star game will likely be in New York, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Mavericks Don’t Plan On Odom Buyout

February 27th, 2012 at 9:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Lamar Odom's recent absence from the Mavericks has some wondering about his future in Dallas and there is not yet word on when he will return to the club. However, a Mavs source told Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter) that the team will not exercise its $2MM buyout on Odom for next season.

The forward is set to earn $8.2MM for 2012/13 in what will be his walk year. The 32-year-old recently took a leave of absence from the club to tend to a family matter.

Odom averaged 13.7 PPG and 9.5 RPG in his seven seasons with the Lakers but has put up just 7.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG so far this season with the Mavericks. The veteran has been seeing less playing time in 2011/12 but he has been far less productive than in years past, as evidenced by his career low PER of 9.8.

Johnson: Mavs A Threat To Sign Deron Williams

February 27th, 2012 at 8:02pm CST by Zachary Links

8:02pm: Williams told reporters that the Mavericks' American Airlines Center is his favorite arena in the league and praised its shooting background, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).

7:09pm: As the Nets look to land Orlando center Dwight Howard, they also face the very real possibility of losing Deron Williams in free agency this summer. Head coach Avery Johnson told reporters that he expects the Mavericks to make a major play for the point guard based on his familiarity with owner Mark Cuban, tweets Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger.

Over the weekend, Williams indicated that he would be open to signing elsewhere and sacrificing earnings for an opportunity to win. The 27-year-old spent his teenage years in The Colony, Texas, just 30 miles outside of Dallas.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Monday

February 27th, 2012 at 5:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Predictably, even though Dwight Howard declined comment for most of the weekend on his trade request and his next destination, rumors and speculation on D12 still dominated the All-Star proceedings. You can catch up on the latest rumors in our extensive Howard post from Sunday, and follow along with today's updates below:

Sources with knowledge of Howard's thinking say that while his wish-list of teams still includes the Nets, Lakers and Mavs, New Jersey is far and away the leader, writes Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated. Amick also notes that even though Howard could sign with the Nets in free agency, getting there via trade means that he can sign a five-year deal with a 7.5 percent raise versus a four-year deal with a 4.5 percent raise.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld says staying in Orlando for one more season is a real possibility for Howard, who could opt in for next year at $19.54MM. Kyler's piece includes a number of updates on the Howard rumors that circulated during the All-Star break.
Several team executives believe Howard won't be moved before the trade deadline, says Fred Kerber of the New York Post. The "consensus feeling" is that any offers the Magic get before March 15th could also be had later. Plus, Orlando would have more time to convince Howard to stay.
The Lakers are "fading as a viable trade option," due to questions about Andrew Bynum's knees, adds Kerber. Based on what we've heard to date, it seems like the Magic are reluctant to send Howard to L.A. even for a healthy Bynum.
Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com believes trading for Bynum would be the best decision Orlando could make.

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