Charlotte Hornets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Gary Neal To Push For Buyout

February 21st, 2015 at 6:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

FEBRUARY 21ST, 6:37pm: The Timberwolves have no plans for a buyout with Neal, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The season-ending injury to Shabazz Muhammad has no bearing on Minnesota’s thinking, Wojnarowski adds.

FEBRUARY 20TH, 9:35am: Saunders indicated that he remains disinclined to do a buyout, as Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune relays. “I’m not into buyouts,” Saunders said. “I’m not into paying a guy to play for someone else. It has to make sense for the team, not just the player.” To be clear, Neal would by definition be the party relinquishing money in a buyout, though Minnesota would still have to pay whatever remains on his contract, even if he hooks up with a new team.

5:42pm: The Wizards would have interest in Neal if he were to become a free agent, J. Michael of CSNWashington.com reports (Twitter link). Washington has an open roster spot it could use to add Neal, Michael adds.

4:21pm: The Bulls also have interest in Neal should he reach a buyout deal, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 19TH, 11:38am: Neal wants a trade to a playoff team, and the Hawks remain one of four or five postseason-bound clubs with interest in trading for him, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). He will indeed push for a buyout if there’s no trade, Berger adds (Twitter link).

6:38pm: The Wolves are trying to include Chase Budinger in any trade involving Neal, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 18TH, 4:09pm: Neal continues to prefer either a trade or a buyout rather than remaining in Minnesota, Chris Mannix Of SI.com reports (Twitter link). Atlanta remains interested in Neal, Mannix adds.

FEBRUARY 13TH, 1:08pm: There’s a significant level of interest in Neal around the league, and the Hawks are among the teams that would like to sign him, but substantive buyout talks between the Relativity Sports client and the Wolves have yet to take place, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

9:12pm: Neal and his representatives will make a push to reach a buyout deal with the Wolves, in spite of Minnesota’s preference he remain on the roster for the remainder of the season, Wolfson tweets.

3:38pm: The Wolves have no plans to arrange a buyout with Neal, Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders told reporters, including Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). Instead, Saunders said he insisted on receiving a shooter in the deal with the Hornets, Zgoda notes, though Neal has slumped from behind the arc this year, as I noted (below).

12:40pm: Minnesota is looking at either a buyout or another trade involving Neal, Charania now says (on Twitter).

FEBRUARY 10TH, 12:22pm: The Wolves plan to explore a buyout with Gary Neal after having acquired him from the Hornets this afternoon, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link) Charania previously reported that the team would look for ways to flip the guard (Twitter link), but his latest dispatch indicates that Minnesota won’t do that. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities first raised the possibility that Neal would push for a buyout (on Twitter). In any case, the Wolves have plans for the roster spot that today’s trade opened up, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press, adding that he’s heard that spot should be filled by day’s end.

Neal, 30, is making $3.25MM in the final season of a two-year contract that he signed in 2013 with the Bucks, who shipped him to the Hornets a year ago. He’s a client of Dan Fegan’s Relativity Sports, an agency with multiple Timberwolves clients, as Wolfson points out (Twitter link).

The fifth-year veteran is experiencing his worst three-point shooting season so far, nailing just 29.3%. He was a 39.4% three-point shooter during his first four seasons of action, and that skill led Charlotte to acquire him at last year’s deadline. Neal has averaged 9.6 points in 21.7 minutes per game across 43 appearances this season.

Eastern Notes: Ross, Blatt, Pistons

February 18th, 2015 at 10:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Terrence Ross is unlikely to be dealt by the Raptors before Thursday’s trade deadline, Michael Grange of SportsNet reports. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri tells Grange that it’s too early to give up on Ross, even though Ross’ playing time has dropped from 31.1 minutes in December to 20.9 in January and 22.0 for February. “I would be shocked if we did something with Terrence,” Ujiri said to Grange. “Trust me. I can’t tell you more how I totally don’t think that would happen before Thursday.” Ross has been rumored to be part of a package that could deliver a quality big man such as the Pacers‘ David West.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

David Blatt’s job security is on firmer ground because LeBron James has gained respect for him, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports. James, who did not give Blatt ringing endorsements earlier in the season, called him “great” and added that Blatt has handled his first season as the Cavs coach “extremely well so far, and I’m happy to be playing for him.“
The Cavs have recalled Joe Harris from the Canton Charge, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. Harris has played in seven games for Canton this season, averaging 17.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 32.3 minutes per contest.
Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy says that things are quiet on the trade front for Detroit, and that it was doubtful the team would make a move prior to the trade deadline, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press tweets.
Free agent Jamaal Tinsley has turned down 10-day contract offers from the Pistons, Hornets, and Wolves, David Pick of Eurobasket.com reports (Twitter link). Tinsley appeared in eight games for the Jazz last season.
Sixers coach Brett Brown said the team will get another point guard in time for its next game, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Pompey did not elaborate on whether that would occur by trade or free agent signing.
Suspended Sixers forward Andrei Kirilenko is a likely buyout candidate, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com tweets. Philadelphia would prefer to trade him for assets but it’s expected that won’t happen and the team will wind up buying Kirilenko out, Mazzeo adds.
Brandon Bass made it clear that he has no interest in a buyout, as Jay King of MassLive relays (Twitter link). Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck identified him as a likely buyout candidate last week.

Eddie Scarito and Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Wojnarowski’s Latest: Prince, Clippers, Nelson

February 17th, 2015 at 10:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With Thursday’s NBA trade deadline creeping ever closer, things are going to heat up rather quickly. The reports that the Suns are looking to trade Goran Dragic are likely just the beginning of what should be an interesting couple of days around the NBA. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports relayed some of the latest deadline rumors from around the league:

The Celtics are continuing to try to include Tayshaun Prince in a trade package, but if unable to find a taker, the team will work out a buyout arrangement after the deadline, Wojnarowski notes.
After missing out on Amar’e Stoudemire, who is reportedly on his way to Dallas once he clears waivers, the Clippers’ best chance to improve their roster will be to sign a free agent, Wojnarowski opines. Los Angeles may attempt to sign Prince if he is waived by Boston, Wojnarowski adds. The Blazers are also interested in Prince, the Yahoo! scribe relays.
The Clippers have dangled Jamal Crawford in an effort to acquire a first round draft pick that the team could use to nab the Nuggets‘ Wilson Chandler or Arron Afflalo, the Yahoo! scribe adds. Los Angeles continues to show interest in the Suns‘ Gerald Green as well, Wojnarowski reports.
Los Angeles had scouted Lance Stephenson recently, but the Clippers never engaged in discussions with the Hornets regarding the mercurial guard, Wojnarowski relays.
There are several teams around the league that are hoping Jameer Nelson reaches a buyout arrangement with the Nuggets, Wojnarowski notes. Denver currently has no plans to cut the veteran point guard loose, adds the Yahoo! scribe.
Wolves president Flip Saunders has shown little inclination that he wishes to deal Kevin Martin and Thaddeus Young, Wojnarowski relays.
Teams that miss out on acquiring Afflalo may take a look at nabbing the Wolves‘ Chase Budinger, Wojnarowski writes. While teams like Budinger’s ability to spread the floor, his $5MM player option is a deterrent for some interested franchises, the Yahoo! scribe adds.

Kyler’s Latest: Dragic, Deng, Garnett, Lawson

February 17th, 2015 at 10:09am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks have engaged the Suns in talks as they keep an eye on Goran Dragic, just as the Lakers have done, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes in his NBA AM piece. The Knicks and Lakers would be on board with trading for a player whom they could otherwise just wait to sign outright in free agency this summer, like Dragic, but it doesn’t seem that either would give up major assets in any such swap. Kyler has plenty more new information with the trade deadline just two days off, and we’ll hit the highlights here:

Miami is open to trading Luol Deng, according to Kyler, who suggests that the veteran small forward isn’t garnering the sort of interest it would take for him to be traded. Kyler also lists Norris Cole, Chris Andersen and Danny Granger as players the Heat are making available, which jibes with earlier reports on all three.
Golden State is “more than” interested in Kevin Garnett, Kyler hears, which advances a suggestion from Grantland’s Zach Lowe on Monday that the Warriors would like to try to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. The 20th-year veteran reportedly has no plans to seek a buyout.
The Bucks are “being linked” to Ty Lawson, Kyler writes, though it’s unclear just what sort of interest is there.
The Bulls would think about trading Tony Snell for a veteran shooting guard who fits what they’re looking for, Kyler writes. Still, while Chicago is speaking generally about doing some deals before the deadline, the team doesn’t appear to be willing to give up what it would take, according to Kyler.
The Suns are making Gerald Green available, according to Kyler.
Charlotte has interest in Wilson Chandler, but the Hornets would prefer to trade for Arron Afflalo, as Kyler hears. That’s the reverse of the Blazers‘ apparent preference. The Bulls are “sniffing at” both players, too, Kyler adds, nonetheless casting doubt once more on whether Chicago is willing to give up the assets necessary to swing a deal.
Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas have come up in trade rumors, but it’s more likely that the Raptors deal someone on an expiring contract, according to Kyler, naming Landry Fields, Tyler Hansbrough and Amir Johnson as examples.
Sources close to the Pacers tell Kyler that David West is likely to opt in with the Pacers for next season, when his contract calls for him to make $12.6MM.
There is “a sense” that the Magic are making Ben Gordon and Luke Ridnour available, Kyler says.

Eastern Notes: Knicks, Horford, Williams

February 16th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by ChrisCrouse

It’s doubtful that the Knicks will be able to trade Jose Calderon or Andrea Bargnani, but a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that a smaller deal could happen. Calderon, who Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors examined as a trade candidate, is making slightly less than $7.1MM this season and is owed more than $15.1MM over the remaining two years of his deal. Bargnani, whom Eddie believes is unlikely to be traded, is set to make $11.5 this season, which is the last year of his current contract.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Al Horford said that he doesn’t know whether the Hawks should reinstate GM Danny Ferry from his indefinite absence, and Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald takes it as a signal that Horford isn’t warm to the idea of Ferry returning.
Mo Williams had a trade kicker in his deal, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), so he went from making $3.75MM to just under $3.97MM. The Timberwolves paid the difference, though the new number counts on Charlotte’s cap.
Tim Frazier, whose 10-day contract with the Sixers has expired, will return to the Maine Red Claws, the D-League affiliate of the Celtics, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. The point guard appeared in three games with Philadelphia, averaging five points, 4.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game.
Kyle Lowry has blossomed into a star in Toronto but the point guard was skeptical at first when he was acquired by the Raptors, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. “Well no, honestly I didn’t think [this is where everything would work out],” Lowry said of Toronto. “But with all the hard work I put in and the commitment they made to me, everything just kind of came into fruition and it worked out.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post

Nuggets Talk Afflalo With Thunder, Others

February 16th, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

MONDAY, 12:12pm: Shelburne mentions the Thunder among the teams that have discussed Afflalo with the Nuggets in her latest tweet. The Kings, Bulls and Clippers are the others Shelburne names, though she cautions that none of the talks have become serious. Grantland’s Zach Lowe indicated this morning that the Nuggets are seeking multiple first-rounders for Afflalo. Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes that the Nuggets are seeking only a mid-to-late first-rounder, but that teams are hesitant to pay even that price.

WEDNESDAY, 8:59am: The Nuggets have discussed Arron Afflalo with the Blazers, Bulls and Kings, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link), who also reiterates her earlier report that Denver has heard from the Clippers and Heat about the shooting guard, too. That dispatch also had the Hornets in the Afflalo discussion, but Shelburne doesn’t mention Charlotte this time around, perhaps an indication that the Hornets have moved on in the wake of their Mo Williams acquisition. The Nuggets seek a first-round pick for Afflalo, as Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post reported earlier and as Shelburne alludes to, but even given that sort of cost to other teams, Afflalo is more likely to end up in a trade before the deadline than Wilson Chandler, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link).

Indeed, the Nuggets would prefer to move Afflalo instead of Chandler if they had to choose, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News wrote a week ago. The general belief is that Denver is also seeking a first-rounder for Chandler, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reported last week and as he reiterated overnight (on Twitter), echoing another report from Dempsey that the Blazers and Clippers, also apparent Afflalo suitors, are interested.

The Bulls have all of their own first-rounders for the coming years, plus they have a first-round pick coming from the Kings as soon as this year. Portland also has all of its own first-rounders. The Kings owe their pick to Chicago but otherwise have all of their first-rounders, too, while the Heat are in a similar position, with all of their own first-rounders except one that they owe to the Sixers that could go out this year. The Clippers are in the worst position among the latest teams connected to Afflalo, owing this year’s first-round pick to the Celtics and their 2017 pick, with protections that carry through 2019, to the Bucks.

I profiled the trade candidacies of Afflalo and Chandler, but they’re not the only Nuggets liable to move between now and the February 19th deadline, as Stein names Randy Foye and Jameer Nelson trade candidates, too (Twitter link). Denver can’t aggregate Nelson’s $2.732MM salary with any other player, since the team acquired him via trade less than two months ago, but there are no such restrictions on Foye, who makes $3MM. Foye’s $3.135MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed while Nelson has a player option worth nearly $2.855MM.

Trade Candidate: Lance Stephenson

February 14th, 2015 at 11:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

When they signed Lance Stephenson as a free agent last summer, the Hornets never envisioned unloading him a few months later. But Stephenson’s erratic play and the team’s disappointing season have put the fifth-year guard on the trading block.

Charlotte gave Stephenson a three-year, $27.4MM contract to leave the Pacers in July, hoping he would help the Hornets improve on last year’s 43-39 record. Instead, both the player and the team got off to rough starts. Stephenson struggled with his shot in November, connecting at just 38% from the field and a paltry 19% from three-point range. Not coincidentally, the Hornets sank to the bottom of the Southeast Division, sitting at 3-15 after a 10-game losing streak that stretched over November and December.

Stephenson’s luck got even worse in mid-December when he suffered a strained pelvis that sidelined him for 14 games. Charlotte won its first four games in Stephenson’s absence and gradually crept back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Hornets reached the All-Star break tied for seventh place in the conference at 22-30, a game ahead of the Nets and a game and a half better than the Celtics.
But Stephenson has played only a small role in this resurgence. Since returning to the court January 14th, he has logged more than 30 minutes in just one game and has often played 20 minutes or less. He was held scoreless in the team’s final pre-break game, a 28-point loss to the Pistons, and had just three rebounds and four assists — far short of the flashy numbers he put up last season in Indiana.

Stephenson has continued to have problems with his shot since returning. He shot 32% from the field in January and made just 1 of 10 three-point attempts. His February numbers are little better — 34% from the field and 19% from long distance.

With Stephenson struggling on the court and faced with a diminished role, it may be a case where both sides could benefit from a deal. Stephenson, who was born in Brooklyn, has been linked to the Nets in recent trade talks, including a rumored three-way deal last month that also involved the Thunder. More recent discussions have focused on a one-on-one deal between the Nets and Hornets, with Joe Johnson possibly being sent to Charlotte in return. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported January 25th that Gerald Henderson and Marvin Williams could also be part of the trade package.

Conflicting reports had the Hornets so close to dealing Stephenson and Cody Zeller to Brooklyn last month that they were ready to call the league office. Even though that trade didn’t get finalized, some version of it could reappear before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Charlotte has already shown a willingness to shake things up. On Tuesday, the Hornets sent Gary Neal and Miami’s second-round draft pick in 2019 to Minnesota in exchange for Mo Williams, Troy Daniels and cash considerations.

Despite Stephenson’s recent problems, he remains an intriguing gamble for any team seeking help for a postseason run. The 24-year-old broke through as a star for the Pacers in 2013/14, putting up 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game and helping Indiana secure the best record in the Eastern Conference. His numbers were almost identical in the playoffs —13.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 4.2 APG — as the Pacers reached the conference finals before losing to the Heat.

However, Stephenson’s on-court production has been mixed with erratic behavior, such as the much-publicized incident when he blew in LeBron James‘ ear during last year’s playoffs. Larry Bird, the Pacers’ president of basketball operations, sent a text message to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today expressing his displeasure with the James incident at the time, and that undoubtedly played a role in the decision not to retain Stephenson.

In addition, Stephenson was third in the NBA last season with 17 technical fouls and reportedly had a scuffle during practice with teammate Evan Turner. Stephenson also gained a reputation for being moody and having his mind wander during games.

The question for any team considering a Stephenson trade is whether he can get beyond his recent physical and behavioral issues and recapture the on-court brilliance he displayed with the Pacers. He would have to find a team that is willing to absorb a contract that pays him $9MM next season and $9.4MM in 2016/17, but he could be the type of player who benefits greatly from a change of scenery.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eastern Notes: Williams, Nets, Wizards

February 12th, 2015 at 10:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mo Williams was traded to the Hornets on Tuesday but their interest in the veteran point guard dated back to last summer when he was on the free-agent market, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The Hornets were shopping for a backup to Kemba Walker but ultimately settled on Brian Roberts, Bonnell adds. Their interest in Williams was rekindled when Walker suffered a knee injury that will sideline him until at least early March, Bonnell notes.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Nets coach Lionel Hollins expects to have the same roster after the trade deadline, according to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Any move by the Nets would likely involve Deron Williams, Joe Johnson or Brook Lopez but the market for them is underwhelming because of their salaries and, particularly in Williams’ case, a lack of production, Bontemps adds. The fact that the Nets must swap first-round picks with the Eastern Conference-leading Hawks, courtesy of their acquisition of Johnson in 2012, leaves them no incentive to strip the roster to increase their chances of moving into the lottery, Bontemps notes.
John Wall feels the Wizards need to add another play-making guard or wing player to the second unit, Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reports. Rather than making a deal, the Wizards could wait to fill that spot with a free agent bought out of his contract after the trade deadline or an overseas pickup, Castillo notes. Former Pistons point guard Will Bynum, who is currently playing in China for the Guangdong Southern Tigers, could fill the void when the CBA playoffs end, Castillo adds. Wall told Castillo that he endorses Bynum’s skill set and competitive nature.
Brandon Bass and Marcus Thornton could be moved before the trade deadline as the Celtics continue their quest to shed salary and stockpile draft picks, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Both will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Bass, who is averaging 9.5 points and 4.2 rebounds, is making $6.9MM this season. Thornton, who is averaging 8.9 PPG, has a $8.575MM salary.
The Hawks will have to give All-Star Paul Millsap a substantial raise to retain him, according to Paul Newberry of the Associated Press. That’s just what Millsap planned when he left the Jazz to sign with Atlanta for what turned out to be a bargain rate of two years and $19MM, Newberry adds. He will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

And-Ones: Kings, Allen, Lopez, Wolves

February 11th, 2015 at 10:33am CST by Chuck Myron

DeMarcus Cousins and Tyrone Corbin both called the latest round of Kings coaching upheaval a “distraction,” as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee relays (Twitter link). Cousins released a statement through his agency saying that he hadn’t been consulted when the team fired Michael Malone and isn’t being consulted now, expressing hope for a quick resolution and support for George Karl should the team choose to hire him. Still, Cousins decried the public chatter of a coaching move while Corbin remains in place. Rudy Gay, who’s hinted at dissatisfaction with Corbin in the past, instead expressed admiration Tuesday for the job Corbin’s done under trying circumstances, as Jones also notes in his story.

While we wait to see how it all plays out in Sacramento, here’s more from around the league:

A Nets source tells Windrem that no deal with the Hornets involving Lopez, Stephenson and Zeller was ever that close (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

There’s no guarantee that Ray Allen makes his decision on whether or not he’ll return to the NBA this season within 10 days of All-Star Weekend, as Jim Tanner, Allen’s agent, tells Chris Broussard of ESPN (Twitter link). It was rumored that the 39-year-old sharpshooter was going to make a choice regarding his future shortly after the All-Star break.
The Hornets offered Lance Stephenson and Cody Zeller to the Nets last month and were ready to call the league office to finalize the trade, reports Robert Windrem of NetsDaily (All Twitter links). The sides were quite close to agreement, Windrem adds, and so close that people at the D-League Showcase, which was taking place at the time, thought it was a fait accompli, Grantland’s Zach Lowe tweets. It was the closest Brooklyn has come to trading Lopez, Joe Johnson or Deron Williams this year, according to the NetsDaily scribe.
The Wolves sent the Hornets $344,462 in cash Tuesday in the Mo Williams trade, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders shows on his Wolves salary page (Twitter link). Minnesota created two trade exceptions in that deal, one worth Troy Daniels‘ $816,482 salary and another worth the $500K difference between the salaries for Williams and Gary Neal, Pincus tweets.
That means the Wolves had to take Adreian Payne into one of their existing trade exceptions to make their trade with the Hawks work, and that’s just what Minnesota did. The Wolves absorbed Payne’s $1,855,320 salary into their $4,702,500 Corey Brewer exception, leaving the $6,308,193 Kevin Love exception untouched and reducing the Brewer exception to $2,847,180, as Pincus shows on the Basketball Insiders Wolves salary page.
The Hawks would wind up with Minnesota’s second-round picks for both 2020 and 2021 if the lottery-protected 2017 first-rounder the Wolves gave up in the Payne trade doesn’t convey to Atlanta by 2019 at the latest, Pincus also reports on that page.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: Sanchez, Hornets, Anthony

February 10th, 2015 at 6:12pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Orlando Sanchez remains with the D-League affiliate of the Knicks and continues to seek an NBA contract, agent Brian J. Bass tells Hoops Rumors (Twitter link), even though the owner of Cangrejeros de Santurce, a Puerto Rican team, says Sanchez has signed with his club, as Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia relays in a pair of tweets.

Here’s more from the East:

The Celtics have recalled guard Andre Dawkins from the Maine Red Claws, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. Dawkins has appeared in seven games for the Red Claws this season, and he is averaging 16.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 36.3 minutes per game.
Hawks coach and acting GM Mike Budenholzer indicated that dealing Adreian Payne to the Wolves was about creating roster flexibility, and that the trade should be taken on its own merit, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter links). Budenholzer also said that no other trades are imminent, Vivlamore adds.
Hornets GM Rich Cho said that he doesn’t think that Charlotte “gave up a ton” to acquire Troy Daniels and Mo Williams from the Timberwolves, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets. The Hornets shipped Gary Neal and the Heat’s 2019 second-round pick to Minnesota to complete the trade.
Cho also indicated that the Hornets would continue to be active up until the trade deadline, but that there was no specific need that the team would try and address, Bonnell adds (Twitter link).
Carmelo Anthony said that the chances of him undergoing surgery during the season on his injured knee are growing increasingly likely, Keith Schlosser of SNY.tv writes. The Knicks’ star also relayed that the procedure would keep him out a minimum of two months, which would likely sideline ‘Melo for the remainder of the season, Schlosser adds.