2012 March | Hoops Rumors

Wizards Expected To Sign Cartier Martin

March 27th, 2012 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

With Edwin Ubiles' 10-day contract set to expire today, the Wizards are expected to replace him on their roster with Cartier Martin. Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside reports that Washington plans to sign Martin to a 10-day contract.

Martin is no stranger to a Wizards uniform, having appeared in 52 games with the team last season. The 6'7" forward averaged just 4.0 points in 10.4 minutes per game in 2010/11, but has had a successful 2011/12 campaign so far. Martin scored 26.3 points per game in China, and has averaged 18.3 PPG with a .556 3PT% in seven D-League games since returning from overseas.

Ubiles is expected to return to the D-League's Dakota Wizards when his 10-day deal officially expires, according to Schroeder.

Blazers Open To Trading Picks For Players

March 27th, 2012 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Having acquired a first-rounder from the Nets and a second-rounder from the Rockets in addition to their own selections, the Trail Blazers head into this June's draft holding four picks. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're done dealing. According to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, Portland could explore trades for one or both of its first-round picks when the season ends.

"That's definitely something that would be appealing for us," said acting GM Chad Buchanan. "A big part of acquiring that pick (from the Nets), we realize that there'll be value not only to us in the draft but also to other teams where you might be able to flip that high pick into a proven player that is ready to help your team now.

"At the end of the day, if it's two lottery picks in a pretty strong draft, we're okay adding that to our team and trying to add the proven veterans through free agency," Buchanan continued. "We like to have the flexibility to do either…. We're open to moving one of those picks for a proven player. But we also like a lot of the players that could potentially be in that draft range. We feel like it's kind of a win-win for us."

The pick the Blazers acquired from New Jersey is top-three protected, so there's no guarantee it will be transferred to Portland this summer. However, if it is, the Blazers have a great shot at owning two of the top ten picks in what's expected to be a deep draft. Howard-Cooper says the Blazers will explore packaging both picks, or a pick and a player, to potentially move up even higher, though those scenarios are unlikely.

Ultimately, Blazers management is unlikely to want to bring four rookies to camp next season, so the team figures to make some sort of trade, even if it just means moving a second-rounder or two.

Spurs Sign Patrick Mills

March 27th, 2012 at 1:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Spurs have officially signed former Blazer Patrick Mills, the team announced today. The two sides had reached an agreement earlier, but visa issues held up Mills' arrival. The deal will reportedly include a player option in the second year, worth about $1MM.

According to a tweet from Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, the Pistons also wanted to sign Mills. The Rockets were interested in the guard as well, as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reported. San Antonio had been searching for a point guard after the abrupt retirement of T.J. Ford, who was subsequently shipped to Golden State for financial reasons in the Stephen Jackson–Richard Jefferson deal.

Mills, a 2009 second-round pick out of St. Mary's College, averaged 5.1 points and 1.5 assists in two seasons as a backup in Portland. He signed with a Chinese team earlier this season, but received FIBA clearance to join an NBA team. The Blazers held Mills' rights as a restricted free agent, but renounced them, allowing him to sign with any team.

The agreement was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, Sam Amick of SI.com, and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News added details.

Chuck Myron and Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Free Agent Market For Point Guards

March 27th, 2012 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks, Mavericks, Lakers, Heat, Knicks, Nets, Magic, Suns, and Trail Blazers are among the potential 2012/13 playoff contenders who could be in the market for a point guard this summer. Some of these clubs will head into the offseason looking to retain their current point guards, but there could be a handful of attractive options available via free agency. Let's take an early look at the market.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Steve Nash and Jason Kidd may be the two oldest players on this summer's point guard market, but they're a couple of the more intriguing names among this year's unrestricted free agents. It would be great to see Nash play for a title contender, but many potential suitors could only offer him the mid-level exception, and the Suns are expected to be aggressive on him. Besides Nash, there won't be any top-tier options available in unrestricted free agency, though Raymond Felton and Goran Dragic could draw a good deal of interest. Felton is young enough that a change of scenery could mean a bounceback season, while Dragic is even younger and has been impressive filling in for Kyle Lowry. Andre Miller and Kirk Hinrich are among the remaining options here.

Restricted Free Agents

While most of this summer's restricted free agent point guards are part-time players at best, a few names stand out, including Jeremy Lin. It's been widely assumed that the Knicks will use their mid-level exception to retain the marketable point guard, though we'll have to see how the rest of the season plays out to be sure. D.J. Augustin and Jerryd Bayless should also draw significant interest, and it'll cost the Bobcats and Raptors to keep them. Aaron Brooks is due to return from China in the near future, so if he and the Suns can work something out in the coming weeks, he may be off the market before the summer.

Players With Options

Although there are a number of point guards with options for next season, no decisions are nearly as important as Deron Williams'. He's expected to explore free agency rather than waiving his early termination option, and I imagine the Mavs and Nets won't be the only teams with a lot of interest. And Williams isn't the only player here who could inspire a bidding war — if Ramon Sessions keeps up his excellent play with the Lakers, he'll almost certainly be seeking a long-term deal rather than opting in for one year at $4.55MM. Most of the other point guards with player options, such as Jameer Nelson, Beno Udrih, and Mo Williams, likely won't find a better payday on the open market, so I'd expect them to exercise their options.

Categories:
2012/13 Free Agent Market

Raptors Sign Ben Uzoh To 10-Day Contract

March 27th, 2012 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have officially signed Ben Uzoh to a 10-day contract, according to a team press release. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reported today that the team was expected to add Uzoh.

Uzoh, 24, played 42 games for the Nets last season, averaging 3.8 points and 1.6 assists in 10.4 minutes per contest. He had seen limited NBA time this season, having been waived by the Bobcats before the season began, then playing a pair of games with the Cavs on a 10-day contract in February. He's spent much of the season in the D-League, averaging 14.8 point in 20 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

For the Raptors, Uzoh is their second 10-day addition in as many days, after signing Alan Anderson last night. Uzoh will provide backcourt depth as DeMar DeRozan and Jerryd Bayless continue to battle injuries. Toronto had two open roster spots, so the team won't need to make a corresponding move to make room for the 6'3" guard.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Uzoh, Raptors, Stoudemire

March 27th, 2012 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that the Nets may target Kevin Garnett and Ersan Ilyasova in free agency this summer. Here are a few more of the morning's updates out of the Atlantic Division….

Having signed Ryan Hollins, the Celtics may be done adding players, though that's not a certainty, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. "We may add another guy just to get through the year," said coach Doc Rivers. "But we'll see; there's no one out there…. Honestly, I'd be surprised if we brought a big in."
The Raptors are expected to sign Ben Uzoh, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Uzoh, who signed a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers last month, has spent most of the season with the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Amare Stoudemire is out indefinitely due to a bulging disk in his back, and according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, word on whether the forward requires season-ending surgery could come as soon as today. Berger says Stoudemire's absence could benefit Carmelo Anthony, though not necessarily the Knicks, while George Willis of the New York Post says the injury shouldn't doom the team's season.

Sterling: “Everything Is Good” With Del Negro

March 27th, 2012 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking before his team's win over New Orleans last night, Clippers owner Donald Sterling said he hasn't given any thought to making a coaching change, according to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times. While recent reports have suggested Vinny Del Negro could be let go any day, Sterling expects Del Negro to continue coaching the team for the remainder of the season.

"I like him," Sterling said. "I usually follow the advice of my people, and I think they care for him, like him and want him to succeed. And I think he will…. Would I like more wins? I'd like more. I'd like the players to develop more; I'd like to play better. But then I have great expectations, and to a certain extent they've been realized. To some extent they haven't, but I'm a patient guy."

ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last week that tensions were high in the Clippers' locker room, and that Del Negro had lost the team. Sterling insisted he didn't know where those rumors were coming from, saying "everything is good." GM Neil Olshey also downplayed the report, though he acknowledged the team's recent slide made questions about a coaching change inevitable.

"It would be crazy to say when you lose 12 out of 19 that the thought doesn't come through your mind. You'd have to be oblivious," Olshey said. "But the good always outweighs the bad with Vinny. He works his butt off, the players like him, and they're competing.

"I see absolutely no reason why there would be a coaching change based on where the guys are now," Olshey continued. "I think everybody built us up into something because we got out to such a great start and the minute we didn't live up to it for a short period of time everyone wanted to act like the Apocalypse was upon us."

While Del Negro's job status was the main focus of Simers' piece, Sterling also heaped praise on core players Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, vowing to keep them in Los Angeles long-term: "Chris Paul will be with me for a lifetime. And Blake will too. I'm not going to ever let these guys go. They are max players, and so you're going to pay that and keep them."

Nets Eyeing Kevin Garnett, Ersan Ilyasova

March 27th, 2012 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Nets acquired Gerald Wallace at the trade deadline to provide immediate on-court help, the team has been in a nosedive over the last week and a half, losing six of its seven games since the trade. The slide has taken New Jersey out of the playoff picture, though it has increased the team's chances of retaining its lottery pick, which is top-three protected.

According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, if the Nets don't luck out in the draft lottery, the club will target power forwards like Kevin Garnett and Ersan Ilyasova in free agency. SI.com's Chris Mannix previously identified Garnett and restricted free agent Ryan Anderson as potential targets for the Nets, and Bondy says Anderson would also be a "welcome upgrade." However, the Nets would prefer a stronger rebounder to play alongside Brook Lopez.

The Nets, who were long thought to be a player for Dwight Howard this summer, are exploring backup plans now that D12 has opted into the final year of his Magic contract. If Wallace and Jordan Farmar choose to play out the final year of their contracts, and the Nets are able to re-sign Deron Williams and Lopez, the team won't have as much cap space as initially thought. However, the expiring contract of Kris Humphries, among others, should still create enough room to make a play for at least one free agent.

Draft Updates: Sidney, Waiters

March 26th, 2012 at 10:45pm CST by Daniel Seco

The flurry of underclassmen declaring themselves eligible for the 2012 NBA draft has continued well into Monday evening. Earlier today, Duke's Austin Rivers announced his decision to leave school for the NBA after only one season and sign with an agent. Let's see who else will be joining him in what is shaping up to be one of the deeper drafts in recent memory.

Mississippi State forward Renardo Sidney will forgo his senior season after signing with an agent and declaring himself eligible for the draft. Sidney had an impressive sophomore season with 14.2 PPG and 7.6 RPG, but saw his production slip as a junior as the Bulldogs went 21-12 on the season. The 6-foot-10 forward dealt with eligibility issues earlier in his career and was involved in a fight with a teammate this past season during a tournament in Hawaii.
Syracuse guard Dion Waiters announced on Monday his decision to leave school early and enter the draft. The sophomore from Philadelphia nearly doubled his offensive output from his freshman year by averaging 12.6 PPG while leading the Big East in steals for a Syracuse team that reached the Elite Eight during the NCAA tournament. Lauded for his gutsy leadership during an especially tumultuous start to Syracuse's season, Waiters projects as a mid to late first-round draft pick by many draft experts.

Eastern Notes: Garnett, Jamison, Hawks

March 26th, 2012 at 8:19pm CST by Daniel Seco

With eight of Monday's nine games currently underway, let's take a look around the Eastern Conference as the injury-riddled Knicks are trailing the Bucks in the third quarter thanks to a 24-point first-half outburst from Mike Dunleavy.

Rich Levine of CSNNE.com ponders Kevin Garnett's future as a Celtic as he wraps up his Hall of Fame career. Levine points out that while the Celtics are interested in keeping Garnett in green and white, there are many other teams, including title contenders, eager to add The Big Ticket as the final piece to a championship puzzle.
Brendan Bowers of The Plain Dealer looks at Antawn Jamison's career in Cleveland and breaks down his present value to the team both on and off the court. The question becomes whether the Cavs should re-sign the former UNC star or cut ties with him this summer. Jamison, 35, is averaging 18.0 PPG and 6.6 RPG on the season for a Cavs squad that has currently lost three games in a row.
While the Hawks have been battered by injuries over the course of the season, the team has managed to stay relevant in the playoff race amidst adversity, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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