2013 January | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Seek To Retain West

January 21st, 2013 at 5:59pm CST by Michael Pina

The Pacers and David West—their soon to be unrestricted free agent power forward—are committed to extending their relationship, according to the Indianapolis Star's Bob Kravitz. Team President Donnie Walsh declared that Indiana wants to keep West earlier today.

It's against NBA rules for the Pacers to offer West an extension right now, but both parties have made it known they're interested in getting something done this offseason. Along with Paul George, West has been Indiana's most valuable player this season, and retaining him for off the court reasons are just as important, due to his positive influence with younger players in the locker room.

Kings/Seattle Rumors: Monday

January 21st, 2013 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The possibility of the Sacramento Kings moving to Seattle appears to have taken a big step forward, as news broke last night that the Maloofs have reached an agreement to sell the franchise to the Seattle group led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer. According to various reports, the Seattle group will buy 65% of the franchise for about $340MM, with the total valuation of the team at $525MM. Sacramento and mayor Kevin Johnson will still receive an opportunity to present a counter-offer to the NBA Board of Governors, but it sounds as if it may be a long shot. Here are the latest details on the team's potential sale and move:

Hansen and the Seattle Center are already working toward preparing the KeyArena for the fall, tweets Chris Daniels of KING 5 TV in Seattle.
According to Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter), the Maloofs approached Larry Ellison about the $525MM price, but Ellison wasn't interested. Ellison was involved in the bidding when the Warriors were sold, and reportedly inquired about buying the Grizzlies as well.

Earlier updates:

Hansen and the Maloof family have each released official statements confirming the agreement between the two sides. Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee shares Hansen's statement and the Maloofs' statement via Sulia.
The NBA confirmed this morning that it has received an "executed purchase and sale agreement" for the transfer of the Kings' controlling interest. The statement reads: "The proposed transaction is subject to the approval of the NBA Board of Governors and has been referred to the Board's committee process for review" (link via Sam Amick of USA Today).
The relocation committee has been briefed several times on the possible move to Seattle, and is fully behind it, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. An official announcement detailing the agreement is expected to happen this week.
Wojnarowski also reports that the Seattle group is already targeting candidates to run the team's front office, including the Spurs' R.C. Buford and former Pacers president Larry Bird. With Hansen's group expected to overhaul the front office, current Kings president Geoff Petrie will likely retire at season's end, says Wojnarowski. Peter Vecsey also throws Phil Jackson into the mix as a possible candidate to run Seattle's basketball operations (Twitter link).
While the Hansen/Ballmer group has agreed to buy just 65% of the franchise initially, the group would like to buy out the remaining 35% in the near future, reports TNT's David Aldridge on NBA.com. According to Aldridge, the final agreement was signed by the Maloofs and Hansen late Saturday night.
Given the transition in ownership, the Kings aren't expected to be active at this season's trade deadline, but could make "major changes" in the summer, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
In an Insider-only FAQ for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton rounds up the key details on the potential sale of the Kings.
ESPN.com's latest 5-on-5 discussion focuses on the Maloofs' agreement with the Seattle group.

Blazers Rumors: Draft Picks, Cap, Free Agency

January 21st, 2013 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest column for The Oregonian, Jason Quick writes that the Trail Blazers' unexpected success this season may actually impede the team's "grand plan." Here are the details from Quick and Blazers GM Neil Olshey, along with a few other notes out of Portland:

As we note in our tentative 2013 draft order, the Blazers will send their first-round pick to Charlotte if it's not in the top 12. Losing that pick would mean one less way for Olshey to retool the roster.
The Ted Stepien rule also prohibits Portland from trading its 2014 first-rounder while it's still possible the club could lose the '13 pick. "If that pick wasn’t encumbered, we would have far more flexibility in constructing a deal which would allow us to acquire a player that could contribute immediately," Olshey said.
Olshey still believes making the playoffs would be a good thing for the team, in part because it would make Portland a more appealing destination for free agents: "It’s a completely different pitch going to recruit guys if you are a current playoff team that is only going to get better as opposed to, 'Hey, if you come here, you can help us become a playoff team.'"
The Blazers need to add three "really good players" this summer using their cap space and possibly the draft, according to Olshey. The team will likely have between $10-15MM in cap room at its disposal. "It’s either going to be a draft pick and you split the $12MM between two guys," Olshey said. "Or you don’t have the draft pick and you split the $13.5MM between three guys and the mini-mid level (exception)."
Portland figures to focus on adding depth in the backcourt and at center in the summer.

Categories:
Portland Trail Blazers

Poll: Will The Hawks Trade Josh Smith?

January 21st, 2013 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh Smith has been the subject of off-and-on trade rumors for years, but even as the Hawks' roster changes around him, Smith has remained a fixture in Atlanta. His contract is finally set to expire this summer though, and with a month remaining until the trade deadline, it's not entirely clear what the veteran forward's future holds.

For most of this season, Smith expressed satisfaction with new general manager Danny Ferry and the Hawks' direction. However, a recent slide by the team has frustrated the 27-year-old, something agent Wallace Prather conveyed to Ferry last week. Neither Smith nor his agent requested a trade, and a weekend report suggested that the team was still committed to the longtime Hawk, but Smith's frustration and a one-game suspension doled out by the club seemed to bring some of those old issues back to the surface.

Zach Lowe tackles the possibility of the Hawks trading Smith in his latest piece for Grantland, noting that there are a number of factors in play. Potential suitors could be reluctant to give up much of value for a player on an expiring contract, and the Hawks may not want to part with Smith if they intend to pursue Dwight Howard this summer, since the two are good friends. Nonetheless, Lowe sees a few teams as real candidates to be trade partners if Atlanta explores deals over the next few weeks. The Rockets, Mavericks, Suns, and Nuggets top Lowe's list.

So what do you think? Is this the year we finally see Smith on the move, or will the Hawks hang on to him, hoping to re-sign him to a long-term contract this summer?

Aldridge On Hawks, Smith, Batum, LeBron

January 21st, 2013 at 2:03pm CST by Zachary Links

NBA.com's David Aldridge has his new weekly column up, and as usual, it's packed full of interesting notes, quotes, and stories. Let's take a look at some highlights….

The Hawks' Larry Drew was the NBA's Coach of the Month in December, but as we saw with Avery Johnson, that doesn't always guarantee job security. The Hawks have dropped eight of their last ten and there has been speculation around the league that GM Danny Ferry is waiting for the end of the season to remove Drew and hire Mike Brown. For his part, Ferry says that he has enjoyed working with Drew and plans to discuss his future with him after the season.
Ferry acknowledged that he made decisions this summer with the idea of freeing up cap space down the line. It was a plan that he knew wouldn't yield a world-beating Hawks team in 2012/13. "I had no preconceived notions," Ferry said. "We were in a situation where we had six guys back and we were going to have to fill the roster with six guys to stay under the tax. Ownership gave me permission to go over the tax, but I didn't think there was anything we were going to be able to do to be a contender even over the tax."
Prior to his suspension, Josh Smith told Aldridge that he had a great deal of confidence in the Hawks' core and believed that they could be a couple pieces away from contending.
Nicolas Batum's says that his lucrative new deal hasn't put pressure on him and has instead left him feeling liberated. The forward is averaging 16.8 PPG with 5.9 RPG per game this season which are both career highs.
There has been some buzz about a possible return to the Cavaliers for LeBron James in 2014, but Aldridge believes that Cleveland will still be more than two years from contending with a core including Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.

Odds & Ends: Andersen, Grizzlies, Lakers, Nash

January 21st, 2013 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Happy Martin Luther King Day to our American readers. For the NBA, the holiday means plenty of afternoon basketball, with Pacers/Grizzlies and Kings/Hornets contests already underway. As we look forward to a few more daytime games, including the Nets and Knicks playing in Madison Square Garden, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

Although Chris Andersen just signed a 10-day contract with the Heat, the club would like to keep him for the rest of the season if things work out, tweets Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears from sources that it would probably be easier for the Grizzlies to find good value on the trade market for Zach Randolph, rather than Rudy Gay. However, Memphis isn't actively looking to move either player at this point, according to Kyler.
Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com points out that, despite not being asked about whether the Lakers need to make a trade or signing, Kobe Bryant made an interesting comment when talking about the team's struggles: "Unless they're going to do something roster-wise, I got to continue to push through it. If this is what we're rolling with, then I can't make excuses. I got to go out there and do my job."
Chris Smith, J.R. Smith's younger brother, would like to return to the Knicks next season once he gets healthy, as he tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Smith was expected to make the team this fall but was waived after suffering a knee injury.
Although Steve Nash seriously considered returning to his home country and signing with the Raptors last summer, Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star argues that Nash wouldn't have been an ideal fit in Toronto.

Hawks Sign Jannero Pargo

January 21st, 2013 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

11:09am: The Hawks have officially signed Pargo to a 10-day deal, the team announced in a press release.

10:07am: The Hawks will sign Jannero Pargo to a 10-day contract, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. Atlanta is currently carrying 14 players on its roster, so a corresponding move won't be required to clear space for Pargo.

Pargo earned a spot on the Wizards' roster this fall, but was cut early in the season when Washington signed Shaun Livingston. We heard multiple times after that point that the 33-year-old was drawing interest from teams like the Bulls, Lakers, and others. However, it sounds as if he didn't receive serious interest until the 10-day contract period got underway two weeks ago.

For Pargo, it's a return to the place where he spent the 2011/12 season. In 50 games last year for the Hawks, the veteran guard averaged 5.6 PPG and 1.9 APG while recording a decent 13.6 PER. He'll provide Atlanta some backcourt depth over the next ten days as the club deals with the loss of Louis Williams for the season.

Anderson Varejao Out For Season

January 21st, 2013 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

Anderson Varejao will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after developing a blood clot in his lung, the Cavaliers announced today in a press release. The issue surfaced shortly after Varejao had undergone leg surgery that was expected to keep him out of action for six to eight weeks.

"Clearly our players' health is our top concern and we are disappointed for Anderson, and his family," said GM Chris Grant in a statement. "We know what a competitor he is and how much he wants to be on the court helping his teammates. In the meantime, he has our full support and we look forward to welcoming him back as he recovers."

While Varejao is expected to make a full recovery, his absence will hurt the Cavs' on-court prospects this season, with the team likely headed for another high lottery pick. Varejao's latest health issue also figures to rule out the possibility that Cleveland will trade him this season. We've seen sidelined stars moved at the deadline before, such as Andrew Bogut a year ago, but I'd be shocked if the Cavs dealt Varejao while he undergoes treatment for the blood clot.

Because the deadline to apply for a disabled player exception came and went last week, the Cavaliers won't be able to request a DPE for Varejao. However, it wouldn't have been of use for the Cavs anyway, since the team has more room in cap space than the amount such an exception would have been worth ($4.18MM).

Following Specific Players On Hoops Rumors

January 21st, 2013 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

As we've outlined before, there are a number of different ways to follow Hoops Rumors via Facebook, Twitter, and RSS. If you don't want to follow all the site's updates, you can follow team-specific or transaction-only Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds. Although we don't have Facebook pages or Twitter feeds for specific players, you can also easily follow all our updates on your favorite player.

If, for instance, you want to keep track of all the latest news and rumors on Rudy Gay as trade winds swirl around him and the Grizzlies, you can visit this page. If you're interested in whether the Suns may consider dealing Marcin Gortat to your favorite team, all Gortat-related updates are located here.

Every player we've written about has his own rumors page. You can find your player of choice by using our search box (located in the right sidebar); by clicking his tag at the bottom of a post where he's discussed; or, by simply typing his name in your address bar after hoopsrumors.com, substituting dashes for spaces. For example, Gay's page is located at hoopsrumors.com/rudy-gay.

In addition to players and teams, there are a number of other subjects you can track by clicking on the tags we use at the bottom of posts. Early updates on the 2013 NBA draft, for instance, can be found on its rumors page. If you want to check out the latest updates on the possible sale of the Kings to Chris Hansen's Seattle investment group, those are all available here.

Categories:
Uncategorized

Doc Rivers Says Celtics Could Make Changes

January 20th, 2013 at 11:59pm CST by Alex Lee

After the Celtics lost their third straight in Detroit on Sunday night, Doc Rivers blasted his team's inconsistency and said that if they don't play better, changes are coming, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. This recent slide comes on the heels of a six game win streak, but Rivers said on Sunday that he felt the Celtics played poorly in at least two of those six wins.

"I've got to either find the right combination, the right guys, or we’re going to get some guys out of here. It’s the bottom line. Because this group right now, they are not playing right. It’s in them to play right. But right now they haven't been — either because I’m not getting to them, or they are not getting to each other. But at the end of the day, either we've got to do that, or we've got to make changes," Rivers said.

As Forsberg points out in his game story, Rivers eased off his comments a bit towards the end of the press conference, saying he wasn't sure if the team needed changes. But the writing is definitely on the wall for the Celtics, who at 20-20, are capable of looking like a title contender or a lottery team depending on which version of the team shows up. Other than their core four, Boston's roster entered the season with a lot of new faces. Danny Ainge retooled their supporting cast and received high marks from pundits around the league. But nearly halfway through the season, it is clear that the team has yet to mesh.

Whether or not the Rivers and the Celtics can make it work – and finish strong as they did last year – should be one of the league's most interesting storylines heading towards the trade deadline.

Categories:
Boston Celtics

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