2012 October | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Waive Delonte West

October 29th, 2012 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

3:49pm: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that there will be interest in West from NBA clubs, but that the ex-Mav figures to wait on teams to develop needs early in the season in order to find the best fit.

3:17pm: The Mavericks have officially waived Delonte West, according to a press release from the team. The move reduces the team to 15 players in advance of today's roster deadline.

West was re-signed by the Mavs this summer on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, but fell out of favor with the club over the last few weeks. He was recently suspended a second time this month for conduct detrimental to the team. Even though the 29-year-old's contract was guaranteed, the club decided to carry Eddy Curry as its 15th man rather than West.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), the Mavs were unable to negotiate a buyout with West, meaning the veteran guard will still be paid in full and Dallas will take a small cap hit for his minimum salary. The only way the Mavs could get off the hook for his salary is if one of the league's 29 other teams decided to claim him on waivers this week.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune speculates (via Twitter) that the Bulls, who had interest before, could kick the tires again if West clears waivers. Chicago will be eligible to sign a minimum-salary player later in November.

Rockets Waive Lazar Hayward, Shaun Livingston

October 29th, 2012 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

3:32pm: Berman confirms (via Twitter) that the Rockets have waived Hayward. In addition to Hayward, Forbes, Brockman, and JaJuan Johnson, Houston has also released Shaun Livingston, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Livingston was under contract for $3.5MM this season, but only $1MM was guaranteed.

2:10pm: Shortly after acquiring him from the Thunder, the Rockets are expected to waive Lazar Hayward, according to Mark Berman of the FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link).

With 19 players under contract, Houston has to release four players today in order to reduce their roster to the 15-man regular-season limit. We've heard previously that Gary Forbes and Jon Brockman are expected to be cut. If the team makes that official, and releases Hayward, it would still need to waive one more player.

Hayward, 25, has appeared in 68 total games for the Timberwolves and Thunder since being drafted 30th overall in 2010. He has averaged just 2.9 PPG on 35.4% shooting in his two NBA seasons. Like Forbes and Brockman, Hayward has a guaranteed contract for 2012/13, so the Rockets will need to eat some salary in order to waive him. The Marquette product is owed $1,174,080 for the coming season, and had a team option for $2.12MM, which it seems won't be picked up.

Hornets Pick Up Option On Greivis Vasquez

October 29th, 2012 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have exercised their 2013/14 option on Greivis Vasquez, according to John Reid of the Times Picayune. However, Reid confirms that the team will not pick up '13/14 options for Al-Farouq Aminu or Xavier Henry.

All three players are heading into their third seasons, meaning the Hornets had to decide on their respective fourth-year options. Vasquez, who figures to see increased playing time this season with Jarrett Jack having been traded to Golden State, will earn about $1.19MM this season and $2.15MM in 2013/14.

Aminu would have been in line for a $3.75MM salary next season, while Henry would have earned $3.2MM. Instead, both players will become unrestricted free agents at the end of this season. According to Reid, the Hornets may still be interested in re-signing both players, but want to keep their options open when it comes to cap space.

Extension Talks Stall Between Ty Lawson, Nuggets

October 29th, 2012 at 2:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

MONDAY, 2:33pm: While there's still time for the two sides to reach an agreement, Lawson sounds pessimistic about working out an extension, writes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.

"I don’t think we’re at the point where we want to be at right now," Lawson said today. "We’ll see, we have two days left. “Today it weighed on me (at practice) more than most days. I talked to my agent right before I came here. I was kind of disappointed. But we’ll see what happens."

SUNDAY, 11:39am: Discussions about an extension for Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson have stalled with three days to go before the deadline, HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy reports via Twitter. Lawson has been one of the few players from the 2009 draft class thought to be likely to get an extension, and earlier this month Marc Stein of ESPN.com heard that it seemed a matter of "when," not "if" a deal would get done.

The Nuggets could give Lawson a five-year extension to make him the team's designated player, and Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote that such a deal for around $65MM could be in play. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors believes it might not take that much to get it done, having speculated in July that a $10MM annual salary could work for both sides. Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld recently wrote that the team has been looking for creative ways to structure the deal, and could be exploring incentives.

If Lawson fails to sign an extension by Wednesday, he'll hit the market as a restricted free agent next summer, when several other top-flight point guards could also be available, including Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday,

Rockets Waive Johnson, Forbes, Brockman

October 29th, 2012 at 2:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

MONDAY, 2:27pm: The Rockets have waived Forbes and Brockman as well, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (via Twitter).

SUNDAY, 12:11pm: The team has waived Johnson, according to his agent, Kevin Bradbury, Mark Berman of FOX 26 reports (Twitter link).

11:20am: The Rockets are expected to waive Gary Forbes, Jon Brockman and JaJuan Johnson on Monday, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). All three have fully guaranteed salaries, with two more cuts necessary to get down to the regular-season roster limit of 15 by Monday's 4:00pm Central time deadline.

Forbes is set to make $1.5MM, Johnson $1.089MM, and Brockman $1MM this season, all of which the Rockets would have to pay regardless of whether they're waived. Houston has three players with partially guaranteed contracts, but no one on a non-guaranteed deal.

Western Notes: Harden, Grizzlies, Mavs, Seattle

October 29th, 2012 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

In dealing James Harden to the Rockets, the Thunder ensured that the gold medalist will likely remain in the Western Conference for years to come. In his weekly Morning Tip piece at NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge notes that while that may come as a surprise, there weren't many logical fits with Eastern Conference clubs.

The Thunder liked Bradley Beal, but the Wizards weren't interested in dealing the third overall pick. Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel, meanwhile, tweets that the Magic had some pieces that could have enticed Oklahoma City, but Orlando probably wouldn't have given Harden the max. The Magic ended up not getting involved in the Harden sweepstakes, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.

Here are a few more Monday afternoon updates from around the Western Conference, with just over 24 hours until the NBA regular season gets underway:

Within his NBA.com column, Aldridge reports that the final sale price of the Grizzlies to Robert Pera's ownership group was $377MM.
Wayne Ellington remains unlikely to be extended by the Grizzlies before Wednesday, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com wonders if carrying so many players in contract years could blow up for the Mavericks.
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper spoke to Seattle mayor Mike McGinn about the possibility of the NBA returning to his city. McGinn said that he's rooting for Sacramento to keep the Kings, since he knows what it feels like to lose a team, but is still hopeful about professional basketball coming back to Seattle.
Nuggets center JaVale McGee is going to have to learn how to deal with the burden of having a big contract and the attention that brings, writes Adrian Dater of the Denver Post.
The Lakers and Clippers both head into the 2012/13 season hoping that revamped benches will help them contend for a title, says Jill Painter of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Sam Smith of Bulls.com believes that, even without Harden, the Thunder are the team to beat in the Western Conference.
Luke Zeller's contract includes a $50K guarantee, so if he opens the season with the Suns, that doesn't mean he'll be with the team all year, says Mark Deeks of ShamSports (Twitter links).

Thunder Trade James Harden To Rockets

October 29th, 2012 at 1:30pm CST by Sean Highkin

MONDAY, 1:30pm: All the physicals and paperwork relating to the Harden trade have been completed, meaning the Rockets can now officially negotiate and sign an extension for Harden, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). As Feigen notes, extension talks shouldn't drag on, since a max-salary offer is expected.

SUNDAY, 1:49pm: According to SI.com's Ben Golliver, Harden has indicated he will sign a maximum extension with the Rockets before Wednesday's deadline.

10:15am: Harden has expressed interest in the maximum-salary deal that the Rockets will offer him, Mark Berman of Fox 26 hears (Twitter link). Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle has no doubt Harden will sign the extension, calling it a "slam dunk" (Twitter link).

SATURDAY, 10:42pm: Wojnarowski adds that the Rockets, unlike the Thunder, are able to give Harden a five-year maximum extension. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team is allowed to designate one player to receive a five-year max extension, and the Thunder have already given one to Russell Westbrook. You can view a complete list of teams who have used their five-year extensions here.

10:20pm: Wojnarowski reports (Twitter links) that the Thunder's final offer to Harden was for between $53 and $54MM over four years, and the extension the Rockets will give him once the trade is completed will be worth $60MM over four years.

10:14pm: ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Rockets plan to sign Harden to the maximum four-year contract extension he was seeking from the Thunder before Wednesday's deadline.

10:06pm: Wojnarowski has clarified the draft picks the Thunder will receive in the deal (Twitter links). Oklahoma City will receive 2013 first-round picks from the Rockets belonging to Dallas and Toronto, in addition to a 2013 second-round pick belonging to Charlotte.

10:02pm: Specifics of the picks the Thunder will receive from the Rockets are not clear, but Wojnarowski reports that they will be "significant." He adds that Thunder GM Sam Presti quickly decided to trade Harden after extension talks broke down. Earlier Saturday, Wojnarowski reported that Harden had rejected an offer of four years at $52MM from the Thunder but that the sides were continuing to negotiate.

9:47pm: Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports (all Twitter links) that the Oklahoma City Thunder have traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets along with Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward, and Daequan Cook in exchange for Jeremy Lamb, Kevin Martin, and future draft picks.

Week In Review: 10/22/12 – 10/28/12

October 29th, 2012 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

It was a very busy week in the NBA, with teams around the league exercising options for 2013/14, and making cuts in advance of the regular season. In addition to all those roster moves, there were a pair of big stories involving the NBA commissioner and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. Here's a round-up of the week's news and rumors:

Late Saturday night, the Thunder stunned the league by sending James Harden to the Rockets along with Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward, and Daequan Cook. Oklahoma City received Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and a handful of draft picks in return. As you might imagine, the deal inspired plenty of reactions.
David Stern will step down as NBA commissioner in February of 2014, exactly 30 years after he took over the job. Before he retires, Stern is hoping to return an NBA team to Seattle.
The NBA has officially eliminated the center position from the All-Star ballot, allowing fans to select two guards and three frontcourt players instead. The league also formally approved the sale of the Grizzlies to Robert Pera.

Blazers Have No Plans To Trade LaMarcus Aldridge

October 29th, 2012 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

LaMarcus Aldridge and Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey met earlier this month to discuss Aldridge's future in Portland and the team's direction over the next several years, reports Jason Quick of the Oregonian. Quick hears from Aldridge and Olshey that two main points came out of the meeting: The Blazers have no plans to trade Aldridge over the next two years, and the team intends to pursue an accomplished veteran in free agency next summer.

Having undergone a significant roster overhaul this summer, the Blazers have a young team this season. At age 27, Aldridge represents the veteran presence on a roster whose core pieces include Nicolas Batum (23), Wesley Matthews (26), Damian Lillard (22), and Meyers Leonard (20). Given the Blazers' relative youth and inexperience, and the way Portland's last franchise player, Brandon Roy, was set aside by the club, Aldridge approached Olshey to inquire about the rebuilding process and his role with the franchise. He left the meeting pleased with the answers he received.

"What I took from this meeting that made me more confident was that this isn't a total rehaul," Aldridge said. "He said we have young guys this year, but we have cap room next year, and we can bring in another older player, another good player, and that can help us get over the hump next year. He also said they still want this to be my team, for me to lead it, and that we aren't trying to get rid of you or trade you in the next year or two. That's the number one thing I wanted to hear."

With three years and nearly $44MM left on his current contract, Aldridge will be eligible for free agency in the summer of 2015. As for next summer, the Blazers figure to have about $50MM in contracts on the team's books, giving them room to be a player on the free agent market. The team could also clear close to another $7MM in salary if it turns down 2013/14 options for Luke Babbitt, Nolan Smith, and Elliot Williams.

Warriors, Jazz, Others Discussed James Harden

October 29th, 2012 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

10:56am: Suns president Lon Babby confirmed to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic that Phoenix had been engaged with the Thunder in trade talks for Harden, though he says that no proposal ever gained serious traction.

"We were engaged in discussions on numerous occasions," Babby said. "We most recently met in person when we played them [on October 19th]. At the end of the day, there wasn’t a deal that was workable for both sides."

8:53am: According to Zach Lowe of Grantland.com, Thunder GM Sam Presti had at least "semi-serious" trade conversations involving James Harden with a number of teams before eventually accepting the Rockets' offer. Lowe says the Warriors, Jazz, Wizards, and Raptors were among the teams that Presti spoke to before sending Harden to Houston. We heard yesterday that the Suns also pursued a trade for Harden.

The Thunder were seeking a sure-thing player who was still in the first year or two of his rookie deal, according to Lowe. That means Presti figures to have inquired on players like Klay Thompson, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Bradley Beal, and Jonas Valanciunas. Lowe adds that the Thunder GM likely started the process by reaching out to the Hornets about Anthony Davis, though I imagine that conversation didn't last too long.

Here are a few more Harden-related links, as reactions continue to pour in on one of the year's most surprising trades:

Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman reports that the Thunder made a last-ditch offer to Harden on Friday, proposing a four-year, $53MM extension. The team gave him a one-hour window to accept it, telling him that if he turned it down, he'd be traded to Houston. According to Tramel's sources, Harden said he needed three days to make a decision, but because the Rockets wanted time to negotiate an extension before Wednesday's deadline, Presti stuck to the one-hour window.
The pieces the Thunder acquired for Harden are the same sort of assets the team used to initially build itself into a perennial contender, opines Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman.
Members of the Spurs, a team the Thunder eliminated from the playoffs earlier this year, were surprised by the deal, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News writes. "It's kind of weird to look at OKC and think of them without their Big Three," Danny Green said. "Things are different. Obviously they're still going to be a good team."

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