Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Timberwolves Rumors

Odds & Ends: Rondo, Bosh, McCollum

January 18th, 2014 at 6:57pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

Fallout from the two Nets trades earlier today continues into the evening. Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders provides his analysis to the trades. According to Brigham, the deal “makes sense for everyone involved”.

A few other notes around the league.

  • The famous trade that sent Kevin Garnett to the Celtics may have never happened if it wasn’t for Timberwolves‘ owner, Glen Taylor removing his demand for Rajon Rondo. Peter May of The New York Times writes that Celtics’ owner Wyc Grousbeck stayed firm on his offer and wasn’t willing to part with Rondo in any trade with the Timberwolves. 
  • Regarding current trade possibilities, Chris Bosh has taken a note from Pau Gasol‘s book by trying to find interests outside of basketball when trade rumor volume increases each year. Bosh noted to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel that he likes how Gasol can be “comfortable in who he is” and not let the constant rumors bother him.
  • C.J. McCollum revealed to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders his friendship with fellow Trail Blazer Damian Lillard extends long before becoming teammates this summer. Lillard was someone McCollum wanted to play like and began learning from the guard prior to his last season at Lehigh University.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Fallout From Warriors/Celtics/Heat Trade

January 15th, 2014 at 4:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat made initial inquiries about Kyle Lowry prior to today’s three-team trade with the Celtics and Warriors, but those talks with the Raptors went nowhere, Grantand’s Zach Lowe reports. Lowe predicts the Heat will cut either the newly acquired Toney Douglas or Roger Mason Jr. to open a roster spot for Andrew Bynum. Regardless, the trade is a “no-brainer” for Miami, Lowe believes. We’ve roundup up more news and reaction in the wake of today’s deal below:

  • Even if the protected first-rounder the Celtics acquired turns into a pair of second-round picks after next season, the trade still provides Boston with a “small bounty,” Lowe writes in the same piece, as teams around the league are valuing second-rounders more highly.
  • The departure of Joel Anthony prompts Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel to wonder if Udonis Haslem might be the next to go as the Heat continue to pursue a strategy of freeing money to keep their three stars and supplementing them with bargains.
  • The Warriors are still “thrilled” to have essentially passed on Jarrett Jack in favor of Andre Iguodala this summer, even though Douglas proved ineffective as a replacement at backup point guard, forcing today’s move, notes Sam Amick of USA Today.
  • Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com figures the depature of Crawford, who was developing into a serviceable point guard, strengthens the chances that the Celtics will keep Rajon Rondo long-term (Twitter link).
  • Today’s trade means the Heat have cut their projected luxury tax bill by more than 50% since the start of July, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com explains (Twitter links).
  • The Timberwolves weren’t among the teams interested in Jordan Crawford, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
  • Crawford played point guard for the Celtics, but he’s otherwise been a shoot-first gunner, and Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group believes he’ll benefit the Warriors most as a pure scorer.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Players Eligible To Be Traded As Of Today

January 15th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

It’s been an active season for trades in the NBA. We’re still more than a month away from the deadline and we’ve already seen five swaps, including today’s three-teamer between the Warriors, Celtics and Heat. The door to the action opens just a little bit wider today, as seven more players become eligible to be included in trades. It’s not quite a landmark sort of occasion like December 15th, when most free agents signed in the offseason, along with a few others, become fair game for trades, but the arrival of January 15th nonetheless represents one fewer obstacle to player movement.

Players who received a raise of better than 20% this summer when they re-signed via Bird or Early Bird rights with a team that was over the cap weren’t eligible to be traded until today, as long as they were making more than the minimum salary last season. That narrow distinction applies to the following players:

The Wolves are the only team with two players on that list, but J.R. Smith seems far and away the most likely trade candidate, and he’s uncertain about his future in New York, as we passed along this morning. It doesn’t seem as though there’s much of a market for him, but if a team wants to engage in talks with the Knicks about the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, collective bargaining agreement rules won’t forestall a move any longer.

ShamSports, RealGM, and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Odds & Ends: Love, Spurs, Lee, Thunder

January 13th, 2014 at 10:16pm CST by Zachary Links

With the Wolves struggling and Kevin Love‘s frustration level rising, clubs are likely salivating at the chance to land him via trade.  However, Sam Smith of NBA.com hears that Love, a free agent in the summer of 2015, favors the Knicks and Lakers.  In Smith’s mind, there really isn’t a point to trading for the forward if he isn’t willing to extend his deal or re-sign with your club.  More from around the Association..

  • The Spurs announced that Danny Green will miss about four weeks with a broken left hand, but the team isn’t likely to sign a replacement, tweets Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
  • Michael Cohen of the Commercial Appeal chatted with new Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee and those who helped shape his game.  “He’s a system guy. He’s not Paul George. He’s not this alpha male-type player. You put him in a specific role on a good team with good players, and that’s where he’s really strong. That’s what we see in him here,” said Stu Lash, Grizzlies director of player personnel and basketball development.
  • Thunder GM Sam Presti told a local sports radio station that while he’ll do his “due diligence” on the trade market, he’s happy with where the team is currently, tweets Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman.
  • Jerryd Bayless can do more for the Celtics than just help their finances, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Chris Forsberg.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

D-League Notes: Harris, Jazz, Muhammad

January 13th, 2014 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Manny Harris, fresh off his second D-League Performer of the Week award, is drawing interest from the Hawks and Lakers, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.  NBA interest is nothing new for Harris, who also spoke with Thunder management about a week ago.  Here’s more from the D-League..

  • The Jazz today officially announced their recall of Ian Clark and Rudy Gobert from the D-League.  Jody Genessy of the Deseret News first reported the move yesterday.
  • The T’Wolves announced that they have recalled Shabazz Muhammad from the Iowa Energy.  The rookie forward is expected to practice with Minnesota today.  The UCLA product averaged 24.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in four games.  Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (on Twitter) notes that Flip Saunders said this would be the plan all along.
  • The Pistons announced that they have recalled rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.  Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.6 steals in five games (four starts) with Fort Wayne.  In six games (five starts) with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.
  • The Kings announced that they have assigned rookie guard Ray McCallum to the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns.  McCallum was assigned yesterday and recalled just a few hours later.
  • The Raptors announced that they have recalled Dwight Buycks from the Bakersfield Jam.  Buycks has appeared in 12 games for the Raptors this season recording a total of 41 points, 10 assists, 20 rebounds and six steals in 121 minutes.
  • The Delaware 87ers of the D-League have claimed guard Vander Blue, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).  Maccabi Rishon LeZion of Israel waived the former Marquette shooting guard just before the New Year.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Western Rumors: Nuggets, Turkoglu, Spurs

January 10th, 2014 at 8:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

There’s a chance, albeit a slim one, that Andre Miller will return to the Nuggets’ lineup before the team finds a trade for him, a source tells Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. Miller has not rejoined the team since being suspended for a confrontation with coach Brian Shaw last week, and while the Nuggets continue to explore deals, they’ve been unsuccessful so far. One stumbling block has been the Kings‘ insistence on including Travis Outlaw in any such swap, as USA Today’s Sam Amick wrote earlier this evening. As we wait to find out when, or if, a Miller trade will happen, here’s more on the Nuggets and the rest of the Western Conference:

  • Hedo Turkoglu impressed during his workout with the Clippers today and the team is interested in signing him, Doc Rivers told reporters, including Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). Still, Rivers didn’t say when a signing might happen. Rivers is wary of change, as the coach also said in noting his reticence to consider Andrew Bynum, Markazi tweets.
  • Gregg Popovich explains that the “scary” effect midseason trades can have on team chemistry generally helps dissuade the Spurs from making such moves, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News observes. The Spurs are reportedly taking an “unusually aggressive” approach to trade talks this season.
  • The insurance on Danilo Gallinari‘s contract will pay the Nuggets 80% of his salary for any games he misses over the remainder of the season, Dempsey notes, amending his earlier report that said the insurance would cover 50%. The team will save about $99K per game.
  • Ricky Rubio was supposed to represent one of the Timberwolves’ notable draft successes in recent years, but his lack of development is making 2009’s haul, which included Jonny Flynn, look even worse, opines Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Berger On Lakers, Love, Spurs, Bulls, Miller

January 10th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

Last month, we heard that the Nets and Rockets discussed the idea of a trade that would have sent Deron Williams to Houston and Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik to Brooklyn. While it’s not clear how serious those talks were, or if they still had any legs at all, they’re probably “dead for good” after D-Will underwent multiple injections in his ankles, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger’s latest piece includes several other trade tidbits from around the NBA, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • The Lakers are seeking an athletic power forward that would fit Mike D’Antoni‘s system, but league sources tell Berger that it’s unrealistic for the team to expect to land an impact player for Pau Gasol, whose trade value has “plummeted.”
  • Rival execs are also skeptical that the Lakers would take on any long-term salary. One Eastern Conference exec even tells Berger that “everyone knows” Kevin Love wants to sign with L.A. in 2015, so if the Lakers believe they have a shot at the star forward, it’s unlikely they’d tie up their ’15 cap space and compromise their chances.
  • Arn Tellem of Wasserman Media Group continues to work hard to try to find deals that would get two of his clients, Asik and Donatas Motiejunas, out of Houston.
  • The Spurs have been “unusually aggressive” in pursuing roster upgrades via trades this season, which signals to rival executives that the team recognizes its window may be closing.
  • As anticipated, J.R. Smith has generated “zero” trade interest, says Berger.
  • The Bulls are receiving interest in guards Kirk Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy, according to Berger, who reiterates that the Warriors are eyeing Hinrich and the Rockets like Dunleavy.
  • The Nuggets‘ talks with the Kings about Andre Miller have not gained any further traction, writes Berger. Meanwhile, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities says (via Twitter) that Denver coach Brian Shaw wants the club to land a skilled big man in any Miller deal.
  • Team executives around the league are encouraged by a growing perception that new commissioner Adam Silver will be more open-minded than David Stern. Among the ideas gaining traction among front offices that could be considered by Silver: A 16-team playoff bracket that includes the league’s 16 best teams, not sorted by conference.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Western Notes: Bledsoe, Love, Kaman

January 9th, 2014 at 8:31pm CST by Ryan Raroque

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton wonders if the Suns can continue to play well without Eric Bledsoe, mentioning that in the ten games Bledsoe has missed, Phoenix has gone 5-5 (Insiders only). Should the 24-year-old guard be unable to return this season, Pelton doesn’t think the Suns will have trouble finding a viable backup point guard, whether it be Leandro Barbosa (recently signed to a 10-day contract) or acquiring one with an expiring deal via trade.

Here are some more links to share out of the Western Conference tonight:

  • In the midst of mounting frustration in Minnesota, Ken Berger of CBS Sports wonders if the Timberwolves should consider trading Kevin Love before he hits free agency.
  • Lakers center Chris Kaman is still confused about his on-again/off-again role in Mike D’Antoni’s rotation, telling Mike Bresnahan and Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times: “I honestly can’t answer that question for you without telling you a lie. I really have no clue why. I’d just be making something up…I haven’t played in six games and then all of a sudden I play [Wednesday]…I really have no rhyme or reason for it. When it’s my turn, it’s my turn and when it’s not, I just sit and be positive and try to be professional about it.”
  • The city of Sacramento filed an eminent domain lawsuit in Sacramento Superior Court that seeks to take control of a former downtown Macy’s department store for the development of a new sports arena, reports Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee. The Kings wired $4.3MM to the city in anticipation of the city taking the eminent domain action.
  • Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune briefly mentions that at a reasonable price of $4MM this season, Brandon Rush could become one of the Jazz’s best assets leading up to the February trade deadline.
  • Doug Robinson of the Deseret News discusses how Trey Burke has been one of the lone bright spots of a “bad” 2013 NBA Draft.
  • Despite their continued struggles, the Lakers aren’t resorting to any finger-pointing, writes Janis Carr of the OC Register.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Players Whose Contracts Will Be Guaranteed

January 7th, 2014 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

As we outlined earlier today, players on non-guaranteed contracts who aren’t released by 4:00pm central time will have their full 2013/14 salaries guaranteed. We’ll be keeping tabs in this post on players who have been informed they’ll remain on their respective teams’ rosters, with new updates added to the top of the list throughout the afternoon:

  • Barring an unexpected development, the Pacers will guarantee Rasual Butler‘s contract today, tweets Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star.

Earlier updates:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Andre Miller Rumors: Tuesday

January 7th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been nearly 24 hours since we heard that the Nuggets were looking to move Andre Miller within the next 48 hours, and while there’s no deal yet, there are a few updates on the Miller front. Let’s round them up:

  • The Nuggets have been telling teams at the D-League Showcase in Reno that they plan to trade Miller by the end of the week, says Sam Amick of USA Today, who adds that the Warriors remain in play for the 37-year-old.

Earlier updates:

  • The Nuggets continue to talk to teams and work toward a Miller trade, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post, who tweets that nothing is imminent.
  • It sounds as if one team the Nuggets have spoken to is Minnesota. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reports (via Twitter) that the Nuggets and Timberwolves have had a “back and forth” about the veteran point guard. Wolfson also notes that current Nuggets GM Tim Connelly worked with Wolves president Flip Saunders and GM Milt Newton in Washington, so there’s some history there.
  • Reiterating what we heard yesterday from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, Marc Berman of the New York Post says the Knicks aren’t pursuing Miller.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0