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Pacific Notes: Barnes, Davis, Kings, Lakers

February 22nd, 2015 at 8:59am CST by ChrisCrouse

Harrison Barnes has improved this season and the North Carolina product could have a greater role on the team going forward, writes Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group. Barnes is making more than $3.87MM this season and slightly over $5.19MM during the 2015/16 season, after which he will become a restricted free agent. If the forward continues to improve his play, Barnes may get a significant raise on that figure, something the Warriors should keep in mind if they decide to hand a hefty contract to restricted free agent Draymond Green this offseason, although that is just my speculation.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Clippers failed to make any noise at this year’s trade deadline and the team’s faith in reserve forward Glen Davis was part of the reason it didn’t add a piece to the frontcourt, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. “His energy, I stay on him all the time because it’s contagious,” Clippers point guard Chris Paul said this week. “When he brings that, he brings a different element to our team.” The Clippers have gone 4-1 since Blake Griffin exited the lineup because of an elbow injury. The team currently sits in fifth place in the Western Conference with a record of 37-19.
  • New addition Andre Miller believes coach George Karl will succeed in Sacramento, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. “He knows how to deal with players and egos,” Miller said of Karl, “and that’s why he’s been so successful in this league.” The Kings acquired Miller from the Wizards in exchange for point guard Ramon Sessions at Thursday’s trade deadline.
  • The Lakers are looking at their final 28 games of the season as a chance to evaluate their young players to see who can fit into the team’s long-term plans, writes Bill Oram of Orange County Register. Coach Byron Scott believes their current starting point guard may have a chance to be one of those players. “I’m still really excited about Jordan Clarkson,” Scott said. “I keep getting excited about that kid because his growth is getting better and better. I’m excited with the way he’s played so far, he’s come a long way in a short period of time.”
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Atlantic Notes: Prince, Celtics, Sixers

February 21st, 2015 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy says Tayshaun Prince should blame the Celtics, not Detroit, if he is unhappy about not receiving a buyout, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. The Pistons acquired Prince in a deal shortly before Thursday’s trade deadline, sending  Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome to Boston. Now there are rumblings that Prince would like a buyout, even though he would be giving up money, so he can join a contending team. “The reason Boston made the trade was to save money,” Van Gundy said. “We’re paying Tayshaun more money. If he was going to get bought out, he should have done it in Boston. … We weren’t told of this until after we made the trade by Tayshaun’s agent.” In a separate story, Ellis noted that Prince didn’t seem thrilled when he learned he was going back to Detroit. “Reggie [Jackson] was really, really excited,” Van Gundy said. “I think Tayshaun was — not unhappy, but he was sort of trying to figure out what the hell happened, and I understand that.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Celtics‘ trade deadline deals brought the number of players who’ve been on Boston’s roster this season to 39, notes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Since July 2014, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has made 11 trades involving 25 players. “The constant change, it’s certainly a challenge,” said coach Brad Stevens. “But it was anticipated, too, [20] months ago when I took the job. I didn’t know it would be quite this much, or quite this consistent.”
  • Even Ainge was surprised by the trades the Celtics made Thursday, reports Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The GM said two deals materialized within an hour of the deadline. In addition to the trade with Detroit, Boston sent Marcus Thornton and Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2016 to Phoenix for Isaiah Thomas. “Things were quiet for us, and then some opportunities opened up,” Ainge said. “There was the possibility of the Detroit trade, but I just didn’t think the Phoenix deal was going to happen. I think it was just the other stuff going on there [the Suns’ dealing of Goran Dragic to Miami and their pick-up of Brandon Knight from Milwaukee] that changed that.”
  • The Sixers‘ desire to take “big leaps” was behind Thursday’s deal that sent Michael Carter-Williams to Milwaukee, writes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. GM Sam Hinkie moved the reigning Rookie of the Year in a three-team trade that saw Phoenix send Philadelphia the Lakers’ 2015 draft pick, which is top-five protected. “We don’t think it’ll necessarily be linear, that each year you will add five wins and after 10 years you will get to 50,” Hinkie explained. “… You have to be prepared to put yourself in a position where you might be able to take big leaps.”
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Western Notes: Bryant, Anderson, Prigioni

February 21st, 2015 at 9:00am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Lakers don’t intend to focus on building around the aging Kobe Bryant, and won’t mortgage their future to give Bryant one final shot at a championship, Bill Oram of The Orange County Register writes. “To jeopardize the next five or seven years,” GM Mitch Kupchak said, “To bring in old veterans that make a lot of money, just to win one more year, because that’s Kobe’s last year or could be his last year, I’m not sure that fits into doing it the right way.”

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

  • The Spurs have recalled Kyle Anderson from their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. In two trips to Austin this season, Anderson has appeared in 10 games, averaging 22.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.10 blocks in 41.0 minutes per contest.
  • The Timberwolves used a tiny portion of their mid-level exception rather than the minimum-salary exception to sign Lorenzo Brown to his two-year deal, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Brown makes $283,367 this season and a non-guaranteed minimum salary next year, as Pincus shows on his salary page for the Wolves.
  • There’s a very good chance that Pablo Prigioni, who was acquired by the Rockets on Thursday, will play in Spain next season, a league source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. Prigioni is under contract for 2015/16, but only $290K of his $1,734,572 salary for next season is guaranteed, making him a candidate to be waived or reach a buyout arrangement, though that is merely my speculation.
  • The Suns‘ deadline deals were made in an effort to improve the team’s chemistry, Matt Petersen of NBA.com notes. “This is a team sport,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough said. “We’re looking for team-first guys. This isn’t singles tennis. The guys who will be here are the guys who will buy in and play the right way. Those that don’t will be gone.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

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Sixers Notes: McGee, Carter-Williams, Hinkie

February 20th, 2015 at 9:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers haven’t decided on what the future holds for newly acquired big man JaVale McGee, Tom Moore of Calkins Media writes (Twitter link). Speaking about McGee, GM Sam Hinkie said, “We’ll see what happens. He may have a fresh start here but he was moved in large part because of the pick.” Philadelphia received the Thunder’s 2015 first-round draft pick in the trade.

Here’s more out of Philadelphia:

  • Hinkie indicated that the Sixers had not been actively looking to deal Michael Carter-Williams, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. “The only way we would ever move him was if someone blew us away … and something came along,” Hinkie said. The the Sixers garnered the Lakers’ top-5 protected 2015 first round pick in the deal for MCW.
  • The Sixers’ personnel strategy is focused on having options, Pompey writes in a separate article. When asked if he cared more about acquiring assets than developing players, Hinkie said, “I believe a lot in optionality – a lot. I believe a lot in flexible. I believe a lot in making a decision as late as you possibly can to gain as much information as you can.”
  • The GM spoke further on the decision to deal Carter-Williams, saying, “He only left here because there was a way to move our program forward,” Hinkie said. “Not for any other reason, and he did nothing wrong. It is possible for two things to be really valuable, both Michael and something else,” Pompey relays.
  • Hinkie has proven once again that he’ll trade any player if a team meets his asking price, Moore writes in a separate piece. If the Sixers didn’t believe Carter-Williams was a player who they could build around, the trade was a smart move, Moore opines. But the team continually dealing younger players away for future picks is just delaying the rebuilding process even further, Moore adds.
  • The Sixers’ front office needs for Joel Embiid to develop into a very good player and a number of their acquired draft picks to turn into stars, Rich Hofmann of The Philadelphia Daily News writes. After the last two seasons of perceived tanking, the Sixers’ fan base will turn on the team if Hinkie’s rebuilding plan fails, Hofmann adds.
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Lakers Remain Free Agent Contender For Dragic

February 20th, 2015 at 12:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

12:22pm: The Heat were believed to be the No. 1 team on the list of preferred destinations that agent Bill Duffy reportedly gave the Suns before the trade, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com.

10:12am: New Heat trade acquisition Goran Dragic views the Lakers as a “perfect fit” and would love the opportunity to join the team in free agency this summer, a source with knowledge of Dragic’s thinking told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Still, the point guard will probably re-sign with the Heat this summer, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News heard Thursday, and the expectation is that the Heat will make a five-year max offer, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com also reported Thursday.

Miami’s ability to offer that fifth year gives the team a financial edge on the other 29 clubs who are limited to offers of no more than four seasons, though USA Today’s Sam Amick heard before the trade that the fifth year wouldn’t hold sway over his decision on where to sign. The Heat also have the ability to offer more money through 7.5% raises instead of the 4.5% raises to which the Lakers and other teams are limited. Dragic has a $7.5MM player option for next season, but he’s said he plans to turn it down.

The Lakers made a hard push to trade for Dragic in advance of Thursday’s deadline, as Medina confirms. The team has reportedly been eyeing him for months for free agency as well as a trade, and Dragic has said it would be “cool to play with” Kobe Bryant. Still, Rade Filipovich, one of Dragic’s agents, told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that there’s no question Dragic will like playing with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and Filipovich also praised Heat team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra.

“It’s a great fit,” Filipovich said of the Heat. “Goran and Wade to bring the ball up, create offense, very good shooters –– very interesting team. A playoff team. He feels lucky he ended up in Miami. He’s very happy.”

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Western Notes: Lin, Green, Rockets

February 19th, 2015 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Numerous NBA sources outside of Jeremy Lin’s camp and the Lakers are skeptical either party would want a reunion, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes.  Still, Lin isn’t really opening up about his future with anyone and he says that he has declined to discuss his impending free agency even with his family and his agent. More from the Western Conference..

  • Draymond Green is flattered by talk that connects him to his hometown Pistons, but he told KNBR that he’s focused on winning with the Warriors, Jimmy Durkin of the Mercury News writes.
  • “I know I am a free agent,” Green told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. “Everyone knows it. But I can honestly say I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it.”  The Warriors standout is averaging 11.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG this season.
  • The Rockets sent Nick Johnson and Clint Capela to the D-League, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter).  This marks Capela’s fifth trip to the D-League and Johnson’s fourth.
  • Blazers GM Neil Olshey gave up very little in exchange for a player he knows and likes in Arron Afflalo, John Canzano of The Oregonian writes.  Portland, he writes, added offensive punch in the second unit with very little sacrificed.
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Goran Dragic Rumors: Thursday

February 19th, 2015 at 1:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

The intensity of trade chatter surrounding Goran Dragic picked up Wednesday, when the guard said flatly of Phoenix’s front office, “I don’t trust them anymore.” We’ll use this post to round up the Dragic rumors as today’s 2pm Central time trade deadline approaches, with any additional updates on top:

  • The Heat are in the lead for Dragic as the Suns continue to talk with multiple teams, and while the Suns continue to send signals they won’t trade him, no other team wants to believe that, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links).

12:30pm update:

  • The Suns are holding firm to their preference to move Isaiah Thomas rather than Dragic, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (on Twitter).  Dragic was designated as the heir apparent to Steve Nash and owner Robert Sarver wants to keep it that way.

9:37am update:

  • The Heat are offering two first-round picks for Dragic, but Sarver is still resistant to a trade, according to Broussard (Twitter link).

9:16am update:

  • The Suns want a first-round pick and a “young player with significant potential” or two first-rounders in return if they’re to part with Dragic, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Nik Stauskas and a first-round pick were among the assets the Kings were willing to offer, league sources tell the Yahoo! scribe. The timing of Dragic’s trade request is what’s upsetting Sarver, Wojnarowski hears.

8:57am updates:

  • The Kings are growing hesitant to make a deal for Dragic, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). There’s “no way” that Dragic will sign a long-term deal with the Kings, Pacers, Rockets, Celtics, or any other team that’s not among his preferred destinations, a source tells Broussard (Twitter link).
  • Dragic’s trade request has miffed Suns owner Robert Sarver, who’s refusing to go along with it, at least at this point, league executives tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • The Knicks are offering a package for Dragic that includes Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jose Calderon, Broussard tweets.
  • No deal between the Suns and Lakers involving Dragic appears likely, a source tells Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
  • The ability to offer a fifth year in a new contract this summer, which is the exclusive domain of whichever team holds his Bird rights, won’t have much sway on where Dragic decides to sign, a source tells USA Today’s Sam Amick. Of course, Bird rights also give a team the opportunity offer raises of 7.5% instead of 4.5%.
  • There’s “nothing of substance” to the reported interest of the Celtics in either Dragic or Reggie Jackson, given the ability of both to hit free agency this summer, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald hears. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge spoke of his hesitancy to “get rid of multiple draft picks for players with uncertainty in the free agent market” in a radio appearance this morning on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, notes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter).
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Latest On Ty Lawson

February 19th, 2015 at 10:31am CST by Eddie Scarito

10:31am: There’s tension between Lawson and the Nuggets, and both parties are frustrated with each other, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders hears (Twitter link). A trade remains “very possible,” Kennedy adds.

8:42am: The Nuggets were never interested in a Lawson-for-Hill swap, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Lawson remains unlikely to be traded, Dempsey also tweets.

THURSDAY, 7:21am: Denver has listened to pitches for Lawson, but the front office has yet to seriously consider a deal, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 8:02pm: The Nuggets are trying to trade point guard Ty Lawson, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). If Denver is indeed able to move Lawson, coach Brian Shaw wants his team to acquire George Hill from the Pacers as Lawson’s replacement, Broussard adds. The Lakers have expressed interest in Lawson in addition to Goran Dragic of the Suns, the ESPN scribe notes. The Bucks, Kings, and Celtics are all reportedly interested in the veteran point guard as well.

Lawson, 27, has two more years left on his contract after this season. He is earning $11,595,506 this year, and will make $12,404,595 in 2015/16 and $13,213,482 during the 2016/17 campaign, the final year of his current deal. In 51 appearances this season, all as a starter, Lawson is averaging 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and a career-high 10.1 assists. His career numbers over five and a half seasons are 14.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 6.5 APG. His career slash line is .470/.373/.773.

The Pacers are reportedly willing to move one of their high-salaried veterans to create cap space to pursue free agents with this summer, according to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report . Indiana is believed to be willing to trade anyone aside from Paul George to accomplish that, Bucher writes.

Hill is making $8MM this season, and is on the books for two more years beyond this one at the same rate. In 15 appearances for the Pacers this season Hill is averaging 14.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 23.9 minutes per contest. His career numbers through 448 games are 10.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 3.1 APG. Hill’s career shooting percentages are .448/.373/.806.

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Goran Dragic Rumors: Wednesday

February 18th, 2015 at 11:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

The ultimatum that Goran Dragic‘s agent, Bill Duffy, issued to the Suns late Wednesday when he told them his client wouldn’t re-sign with the team this summer set in motion of flurry of trade rumors surrounding the league’s reigning Most Improved Player. We’ll round up the rest of today’s Dragic news here, with any additional updates added to the top:

  • The Suns are trying to attach Zoran Dragic to any trade packages involving his brother, Goran, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. The Suns signed Zoran to a two-year contract last summer, largely as a way to make Goran feel more comfortable with re-signing with the organization, Wojnarowski notes.

11:20pm update:

9:18pm update:

8:20pm update:

  • The Suns’ asking price for Dragic is a young player with significant potential and a first-round draft pick or two first-round picks, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports.

7:24pm update:

  • Coro’s full piece has more of Dragic’s input. “They give promises, OK. It’s hard. But at the same time, I wish them all the best,” Dragic said of the Suns. “They were great to me the past five years. I’m always going to have a good memory about Phoenix fans and the city. I just hit that point of my career that it’s better for me and my family to move on.”

3:53pm update:

  • The Suns are still resisting any Dragic deals and remain active in their attempts to trade Thomas instead, a source tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Still, Dragic’s camp has complained to GM Ryan McDonough multiple occasions this season, Deveney hears.

2:01pm update:

  • Dragic told reporters today that he wants out of Phoenix because his role changed, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter links). “I don’t feel comfortable with the situation,” Dragic said. The guard also called out the Suns front office. “I don’t trust them anymore,” he said.

1:39pm update:

  • The Knicks and Lakers lack the motivation, as well as the assets, necessary to make a competitive offer for Dragic because they know they have the cap flexibility to sign him in free agency this summer even without his Bird rights, Wojnarowski writes.

12:43pm update:

  • The Suns are more focused on talking with the Celtics, Rockets, Kings and others than with any of Dragic’s preferred destinations, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

11:47am update:

  • There’s a decent chance the Suns would attach Miles Plumlee to Dragic in a trade, Stein reports (on Twitter). The Knicks and Lakers reportedly have interest in both Dragic and Plumlee.

10:55am update:

  • Teams that have spoken with the Suns remain unconvinced the team will trade him, as it appears Phoenix is willing to call Dragic’s bluff and tempt him with the five-year deal that no other team could offer if the Suns keep him through the deadline, reports Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter links).

10:15am update:

  • The Lakers and Knicks top Dragic’s preferred locations, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Phoenix offered Isaiah Thomas instead to the Lakers last week after the purple-and-gold made a pitch for Dragic, but the Lakers rejected that idea, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com adds to Stein’s story. The Suns this week showed a willingness to talk about a Dragic deal with the Lakers if they removed the top-five protection on the pick L.A. owes Phoenix, but the Lakers turned down that idea, too, Shelburne also reports.
  • The lack of minutes that the Suns are giving Zoran Dragic is believed to be part of Goran’s frustration with the team, Stein writes in the same piece.

8:34am updates:

  • The Pacers are conveying the sense that they want to stand pat, and while the prospect of a Dragic trade will be tempting, it’s hard to see Indiana putting together a package that convinces the Suns to trade him there, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). Wojnarowski on Tuesday noted interest from the Pacers and heard that they were a team that Dragic might be willing to commit to.
  • Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report hears a somewhat different story on the Pacers, whom his sources say are instead looking to move one of their high-salaried veterans to create the cap flexibility necessary to sign Dragic this summer. They’re believed to be willing to trade anyone aside from Paul George to accomplish that, Bucher writes. Bucher suggests that the team would be less willing to trade Roy Hibbert than David West or George Hill.
  • The Suns want a first-round pick as part of any package for Dragic, sources tell Bucher for the same piece.
  • Dragic is the No. 1 target of the Rockets, Bucher hears. It’s likely that the Rockets would give up Patrick Beverley in a trade for Dragic, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
  • Assuming Beverley wouldn’t head out in a trade that brings Dragic to Houston, Beverley’s free agent stock would go down, and Beverley and Dragic are both BDA Sports clients, Wojnarowski notes (Twitter link). Dragic has signaled an unwillingness to make a long-term commitment to the Rockets.
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Pacific Notes: Hill, Green, Crawford

February 18th, 2015 at 7:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers center Jordan Hill is “highly unlikely” to be traded before Thursday’s deadline, a source told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Hill, who is making $9MM this season and would make the same salary next year if the team picks up his option, said on Wednesday that he would like to stay put in Los Angeles. Many league executives believe the Lakers will pick up Hill’s option if he is not dealt, according to Deveney. Hill’s name has been mentioned in trade talks involving Goran Dragic and Reggie Jackson, Deveney adds.

In other news around the Pacific Division:

  • The Warriors will likely match any offer sheet for restricted free agent Draymond Green, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. An unnamed Warriors executive, when asked recently if paying Green $12MM per season was too high, told Thompson “we’re keeping Draymond Green.” The Warriors are well aware Green’s value has risen dramatically this season, possibly to the status of a max contract, but there has been no indication they will decline to match any offer.
  • The Clippers are hesitant to make any deal involving Jamal Crawford unless it would clearly improve the team, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times tweets.
  • Rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson has impressed the Lakers so much that they are reluctant to part with him in any proposed deal, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Clarkson, who was selected by the Wizards in the second round last June and was immediately traded to Los Angeles, is averaging 12.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.9 turnovers over his last 10 contests.
  • Lakers coach Byron Scott does not appear to be in the loop concerning trade talks, Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times reports. Scott said Wednesday he had not talked to GM Mitch Kupchak about trade rumors, including the Lakers’ pursuit of Goran Dragic, and wouldn’t discuss the topic with Kupchak until the GM approaches him, Pincus adds.
  • The Kings’ main priority is to acquire a power forward who can stretch the floor with his shooting range, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. The Magic’s Channing Frye and Bucks’ Ersan Ilyasova are potential targets, Kennedy speculates. Even if they can’t find a 3-point shooter at the position, the Kings may still look to acquire a power forward before the deadline, Kennedy adds.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

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