Andrea Bargnani Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wolves Rumors: Rubio, Love, Pekovic, Amundson

February 1st, 2013 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

On Wednesday, when the Raptors and Grizzlies were on their way to finalizing the Rudy Gay deal, the Pistons, Celtics, and Mavericks were all mentioned as the potential third team involved, with Detroit eventually helping to facilitate the trade. According to Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com, the Timberwolves were never in the mix as the potential third team in the trade, but the Hawks were in play. Here's more from Wolfson on the T-Wolves:

While club president David Kahn recently called Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love "untouchable" in trade talks, he didn't say the same about Nikola Pekovic, though he said he hopes the big man is "part of us for many years to come."
According to Wolfson, there's still a difference of opinion in the front office about whether Pekovic is worth a big, long-term deal. Still, he's likely not going anywhere this month — Wolfson says that if a trade comes, it's more likely to be a sign-and-trade deal over the summer.
Minnesota doesn't have interest in trying to trade for Josh Smith, and also hasn't inquired on Greg Oden yet.
Wolfson hears from multiple sources that Andrea Bargnani is an unlikely fit for the T-Wolves. While one source "scoffed" at the idea, another didn't rule it out entirely, says Wolfson.
The Knicks and Sixers are believed to have some interest in Louis Amundson, who is expected to be the odd man out once the Wolves lose their ability to carry 16 players. This is my speculation, but I'd imagine both teams would be more inclined to wait for the Wolves to waive him, rather than giving up any real assets in a trade.

Colangelo: Bargnani Would Be Open To Trade

January 31st, 2013 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of his acquisition of Rudy Gay, Raptors president Bryan Colangelo suggested to reporters, including Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, that he may not be done dealing yet. Colangelo referred to Andrea Bargnani as a player who has "definitely garnered interest," adding that the former first overall pick would likely be open to a trade.

"He’s a unique talent, but sometimes a change of address is not bad," Colangelo said. "I’m not saying he’s asked for a trade, but he would certainly not fight or resist a situation if it was the right situation."

Colangelo went on to say that there are no assurances the Raptors will deal Bargnani, and that for now the focus is on getting him healthy and back on the court. But Bargnani has long been viewed as a potential trade candidate, and with Gay's sizable salary potentially on the books through 2014/15, moving Bargnani's contract could help alleviate some of Toronto's cap and tax concerns.

Bargnani tore a ligament in his shooting elbow earlier in the season, and has been out of action since December 10th. His injury issues, along with an eight-figure annual salary, will make him a tricky trade chip to move within the next three weeks. If Toronto doesn't trade Bargnani at this year's deadline, it's not out of the question that the 27-year-old becomes an amnesty candidate this summer. He's one of three Raptors still eligible to be amnestied.

Atlantic Links: Bynum, Carlesimo, Rondo, Raptors

January 29th, 2013 at 8:35pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Led by Jrue Holiday, the 76ers remain three games out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Significant help in the form of another all-star caliber player could be on the way within the next several weeks, as Andrew Bynum has continued to make progress toward his goal of possibly returning to practice next week, notes Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com. The 7'0 center has been plagued by bone bruises in both knees since the start of the season. With that aside, here are more news and notes from the Atlantic Division:

Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York reports that Nets GM Billy King will meet with owner Mikhail Prokhorov on Wednesday to discuss P.J. Carlesimo and the job he's done so far as the interim head coach. While Carlesimo has done an exceptional job after replacing Avery Johnson, Prokhorov is said to still be enamored with going after big names such as Phil Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy in the offseason.
According to A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSNNE.com, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo will get a second opinion on his ACL injury from Dr. James Andrews, who is considered be arguably "the best orthopedic surgeon in the business."
Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun lays out the Raptors' top five pressing issues as they inch closer to the deadline, calling their interest in Rudy Gay the "most likely to come to fruition" rumor, examining the return of both Andrea Bargnani and Jonas Valanciunas from injury, Terrence Ross' progression into coach Dwane Casey's crunch-time lineup, and the continued acclimation of Landry Fields. With regard to Bargnani, Ganter thinks that Casey may have to provide a significant role at the expense of Ed Davis' minutes in order to showcase the 7-footer's health.
Eric Koreen of the National Post doesn't think that Gay is the cure-all answer for the Raptors, who still have many other important questions to answer regardless of whether they land him or not. Among those question marks involve the franchise's commitment to GM Bryan Colangelo, the need for more significant roster moves, and the struggles of point guard Kyle Lowry.
Doc Rivers doesn't appear too concerned about his players making an adjustment without Rondo, saying that a "no-point guard system" is something that the second unit has already found success with, writes Greg Payne of ESPN Boston.
Mike Woodson will place a higher priority on getting Knicks three point sharpshooter Steve Novak more involved in the offense, says Ian Begley of ESPN New York.

Ingram On Howard, Grizzlies, Celtics, Boozer, Bargnani

January 25th, 2013 at 9:33pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest from around the NBA as reported by Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.com:

The Lakers are keeping their options open with regards to Dwight Howard, but as of now they are determined to keep him in Los Angeles.
Ingram doesn't think the Grizzlies should trade Rudy Gay or Zach Randolph this season, writing that they are close enough to title contention to keep the core together in the short term.
The Celtics need to find younger players to build around Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley, Ingram writes.
Given Carlos Boozer's recent stretch of excellent play, Ingram doesn't see the Bulls trading him.
While the Raptors would love to trade Andrea Bargnani, it is unlikely that any player he could net in return is worth trading him for.
Ingram talk to Rockets rookie Patrick Beverley about his transition from the D-League to the NBA.
Ingram writes that the firing of head coach Alvin Gentry has injected a sense of urgency into the Suns locker room.

Ford’s Latest: Bargnani, Kings, Granger, Draft

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Chad Ford's latest chat at ESPN.com includes a handful of trade-related inquiries along with plenty of draft questions. Let's dive in and check out the highlights from both categories….

While the Raptors would likely move Andrea Bargnani for any decent offer, Ford hasn't spoken to any general managers that are excited about making an offer for the former first overall pick.
The Kings could still be active before the trade deadline, but the Maloofs are still in charge of any decisions until the NBA Board of Governors makes a decision on the sale of the franchise. As such, most rival teams view the Kings' assets as "essentially frozen" for now.
Danny Granger is receiving assurances from the Pacers that he won't be traded, but Ford thinks Indiana would change that stance if the right offer came along. A young power forward or point guard could interest the Pacers, says Ford.
Ford spoke to five different NBA GMs this week who said they'd take Kansas guard Ben McLemore first overall next June.
Ford also adds that McLemore would be at the top of his personal top-five list for 2013, with UNLV's Anthony Bennett and Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State right behind him.

Latest On Trade Candidates From Reno

January 11th, 2013 at 7:40pm CST by Sean Highkin

Marc Stein of ESPN.com attended the NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nevada this week, where many NBA GMs and executives were present. He posted a roundup of trade-related chatter he heard during the event:

The Raptors are making the hardest push for Rudy Gay, offering the Grizzlies a package that includes Jose Calderon and Ed Davis. Memphis is still undecided as to whether they will move Gay.
There is a growing sense from front offices around the league that the Lakers will not ultimately trade Pau Gasol this season.
Teams have continued to ask the Kings about DeMarcus Cousins, and were told that he is not available.
A source told Stein that it is highly unlikely the Bucks will move Brandon Jennings before the end of the season.
The Jazz are more likely to trade Al Jefferson than Paul Millsap, even though both are free agents this summer.
The Hornets are not expected to trade Eric Gordon, despite previous rumors that he may be available.
Despite his recent statement that he intends on staying retired, the Nets are still making a hard push to convince Phil Jackson to be their next head coach.
Stein lists several players as having been made known to be available by their teams, including the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani, the Spurs' DeJuan Blair, the Cavs' Omri Casspi, the Rockets' Cole Aldrich, and the Bucks' Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, and Beno Udrih.

Odds & Ends: Pargo, Celtics, Gordon, Carlesimo

January 7th, 2013 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

With the contract guarantee deadline looming and the 10-day-contract period underway, there have been plenty of roster moves made around the NBA today. We don't want to let anything slip through the cracks though, so while we await word of the next signing or cut, we'll check out a few odds and ends:

Jannero Pargo is drawing fresh interest from multiple teams and is talking about a potential 10-day contract with two of them, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
Sources tell Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, and Marcin Gortat are all potential trade targets for the Celtics. Gortat makes more sense to me than the other two, who seem like long shots for Boston.
Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld speculates that Andrea Bargnani could be another possible target for the Celtics. The HoopsWorld scribe also writes that Eric Gordon is talking like someone who expects to be with the Hornets long-term.
Tom Ziller of SBNation.com questions how the Celtics could possibly acquire Cousins without giving up Rajon Rondo, and explores the trade rumors surrounding Gay.
Nets head coach P.J. Carlesimo appeared on WFAN in New York last week to discuss shedding the interim tag and working for Mikhail Prokhorov, among other topics. Steven Cuce of Sports Radio Interviews has the quotes.

Amick’s Latest: Cousins, Evans, Heat, Bargnani

January 4th, 2013 at 3:14pm CST by Luke Adams

In their Friday A-Z piece for USA Today, Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt lead off by examining a number of potential teams and players that could be involved in trade talks in the next few weeks. Most of the juicier rumors come from Amick, so we'll round up the highlights from his section of the piece right here:

Geoff Petrie has said that the Kings aren't interested in trading DeMarcus Cousins, and it seems as if that sentiment is now being conveyed privately as well as publicly, according to Amick. However, the Kings would be open to listening to offers on Tyreke Evans or anyone else besides Cousins.
The Celtics and Mavericks are two teams that could shake things up before the deadline — both clubs are underperforming and have been known to be aggressive pursuing upgrades in the past.
The Heat would like to add a big man, but don't really have the assets needed to make a deal.
Nolan Smith is a good candidate to be moved before the deadline by the Trail Blazers.
The Cavaliers and Clippers won't be eager to move Anderson Varejao and Eric Bledsoe, respectively, but both teams should receive plenty of offers on those players, says Amick, noting that the Cavs' poor record will only increase the pressure to make a move.
Both Amick and Zillgitt identify the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani as the biggest name likely to be on the move by February 21st.

Trade Candidate: Andrea Bargnani

January 2nd, 2013 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

A list of the players picked first overall in the NBA draft over the last 15 years would include some of the league's best players, such as LeBron James, Dwight Howard, and Derrick Rose. It would also feature a few duds, like Greg Oden and Kwame Brown. Somewhere in between those two extremes lies the No. 1 pick in 2006, Andrea Bargnani.

Bargnani, 27, is playing in his seventh NBA season, and while he has never developed into the sort of franchise player you'd hope to get with the first overall pick, he hasn't been a total bust either. He's averaged 15.5 PPG in his career, including 19.9 PPG since Chris Bosh headed to Miami in the summer of 2010, and he's an excellent shooter for a seven-footer, with a .362 career 3PT%.

Still, Bargnani's career 14.5 PER is below average, he appears miscast as the go-to scorer in Toronto, he's not a strong defender, and his performance so far in 2012/13 (.398 FG%, 12.5 PER) has been especially disappointing. Throw in the fact that he's currently sidelined with an elbow injury and will earn an eight-digit annual salary through 2015, and it's obvious that the Italian's trade stock isn't exactly through the roof at the moment.

Even if the Raptors wouldn't be selling high on Bargnani, however, it seems clear that they will be selling. ESPN.com's Marc Stein heard last week that Bargnani is a "lock" to be dealt, and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld echoed that sentiment, writing that a trade appears ineveitable. With seven weeks until this season's trade deadline, there should be plenty of time for Bargnani to return to the court and at least prove that he's healthy, whether or not he improves on his early-season production.

Although Bargnani's aforementioned long-term contract complicates matters when it comes to finding a trade partner, it isn't a major albatross. At a price of $10-11MM per season, Bargnani is overpaid, but not massively so — over the next three seasons, he'll make less than half of what Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson will earn, for instance. Nonetheless, that third year on Bargnani's deal is problematic. With the free agent class of 2014 looking to be especially star-studded, teams may be reluctant to take on pricey contracts that extend past that summer.

The Lakers have been frequently mentioned as a potential destination for the former No. 1 pick, perhaps in some sort of Bargnani/Jose Calderon (another trade candidate) for Pau Gasol swap. While I think there's some potential in that idea, I'm skeptical that the Lakers would significantly shake up their roster once again, considering how many changes the team has already undergone in the last few months.

The Nuggets represent another intriguing possibility. The Raptors have pursued Wilson Chandler in the past, and are still lacking a real solution at small forward, given Landry Fields' struggles. Denver could use some outside shooting, and it's not inconceivable that Bargnani could thrive in a complementary role. Chandler isn't currently healthy either, and the salaries don't quite work, but it could be an option worth exploring.

In his seventh year in the NBA, it's unlikely that Bargnani suddenly breaks out and becomes the player the Raptors hoped they were drafting. However, he seems like a strong candidate to benefit from a change of scenery. In a Sixth Man sort of role, Bargnani could be a worthwhile addition for a club in need of outside shooting and scoring. Given Bargnani's contract situation, Toronto may not be able to extract as much value as it would like, but I still expect 2006's top pick to be wearing a different uniform after this February's trade deadline.

Kyler On Bargnani, Gasol, Jamison, Hamilton

December 31st, 2012 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

In this morning’s column, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld looks at the top trade candidates in the league. Let’s dive in..

League sources say it would be almost impossible for the Raptors to move Andrea Bargnani and the three years and $32.25MM remaining on his deal until he returns and proves his elbow isn’t going to be a problem. Toronto hopes that he can return sometime in early February so teams can get a good look at him before the February 21st trade deadline and won’t seek much in return. However, club sources say they don’t want a ton of long-term salary unless they’re getting exactly the right player.
The stance from the Lakers is that they are not looking at deals for Pau Gasol and word is that they’re not looking at deals at all. The Lakers have taken stock of the marketplace for the big man and have found it to be somewhat disappointing. There are deals for Gasol, but all of them either have the Lakers taking back multiple assets, which they cannot do without eating some contracts or taking on bad deals. Team sources say the goal is to compete for a championship this year and that Gasol, at this point, gives them the best chance for that.
On January 7th, the Lakers will need to decide on guaranteeing the non-guaranteed contracts of rookies Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom. The Lakers could opt to cut one or both and open roster spots for free agents, other cut players with non-guaranteed deals, or 10-day contracts (which begin on January 10th).
There has been speculation that Antawn Jamison wants off of the Lakers because of his decreased playing time, but the forward and sources close to him say that’s not the case.
League sources say Anderson Varejao is one of the more talked about trade targets in the league, but the Cavs are asking the moon for the big man. If they cling to their evaluation of Varejao as an All-Star type talent, they may not find many buyers.
League sources openly question if there is a marketplace for Richard Hamilton, who has had a lot of injuries since joining the Bulls and question whether or not he’ll be anything more than a role player on another team.