Brandon Bass Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Pelicans, Parsons, Grunwald

July 12th, 2014 at 6:03pm CST by Cray Allred

The Thunder lost a valuable weapon Friday with the expiration of a $6.5MM trade exception left over from last year’s sign-and-trade of Kevin Martin to the Wolves. The Thunder had hoped to use the exception to acquire Pau Gasol, and today lost out on the big man, report Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Here’s more from out West:

The Warriors had considered using their own expired trade exception to acquire Brandon Bass, among other players, reports Zach Lowe of Grantland.
The Pelicans renounced their rights to Al-Farouq Aminu, Jason Smith and James Southerland, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports. That means they no longer hold any form of Bird rights on the trio.
The Suns also renounced Emeka Okafor‘s rights in a move that will erase his $19.2MM cap hold from Phoenix’s books, Deeks reports in a separate tweet.
Sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com) that although the Rockets just snagged small forward Trevor Ariza, Houston is still deciding whether to match Chandler Parsons‘ max offer sheet with the Mavs.
The Grizzlies have been talking up Glen Grunwald as a candidate for their GM-in-waiting search, Mitch Lawrence of New York Daily News reports. Lawrence expects Memphis to hire Grunwald for the job.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: Celtics, Boozer, Del Negro

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Cray Allred

Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes that the Celtics may be better off enduring another year of rebuilding instead of turning in their best assets for a blockbuster acquisition like Kevin Love. Here’s the rest of the night’s notes from Boston and the rest of the Eastern Conference:

NBA GMs see Rajon Rondo among the league’s best when he has his A game, but they’re concerned about his personality and consistency, reports Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, who examines the leaguewide perception of the players on the Celtics roster. One GM is wary of trading for Jeff Green, believing agent David Falk will convince him to opt out if he has a productive season, and the Celtics and other teams noticed the dedication Brandon Bass showed in an otherwise lost season for Boston, Bulpett hears.
The Bulls coaching staff told Taj Gibson to prepare to become a starter next season, sources indicated to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, who suggests it’s further evidence that Carlos Boozer has played his last game for the team.
The Cavs will soon schedule head coaching interviews with Alvin Gentry, Adrian Griffin, Vinny Del Negro, and other candidates, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Gentry and Griffin were known to be strong candidates, but this is the first report verifying Del Negro’s candidacy.
New Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens are taking the reigns in Milwaukee following the draft lottery, telling Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel they will soon start meeting with front office and coaching personnel, whose future with the team is still up in the air. “I think right now we just want to spend time with everybody,” Lasry said. “Then we’ll have more of an understanding.” Head coach Larry Drew and GM John Hammond both have multiple years left on their contracts, but haven’t been assured of staying with the team.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Celtics Notes: Bass, Babb, Bradley

March 21st, 2014 at 1:26pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics visit Brooklyn tonight for a game against Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett‘s team, but the front office will probably be far more plugged in to what happens during this evening’s NCAA tournament action. The C’s are in line for the sixth overall pick, but they’re just a game up on the Jazz, who have the league’s fourth-worst record, as our Reverse Standings show. That means a marquee prospect figures to be wearing green soon. Here’s the latest on the future-focused Celtics:

Brandon Bass will be a trade candidate again this summer, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The power forward has played well and isn’t pouting, according to Washburn, who says Boston’s frontcourt logjam and its focus on rebuilding could be the impetus for a deal.
Today’s addition of Chris Babb on a contract that’s non-guaranteed for next season gives the Celtics four players with non-guaranteed deals for 2014/15, notes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. The Celtics have proven adept at using non-guaranteed contracts as trade ballast the past two summers, and Boston has the chance to do so again in a few months, as Forsberg examines.
Avery Bradley has suggested that his desire to stay with the Celtics is tied to his enthusiasm for playing with Rajon Rondo. They’ve nonetheless shared the court for a total of just 159 minutes since Rondo made his season debut January 17th, as Forsberg points out in a separate piece. The C’s should pair them together more often before Bradley hits restricted free agency this summer, Forsberg argues.

Mannix’s Latest: Celtics, Pelicans, Afflalo

February 19th, 2014 at 9:42am CST by Chuck Myron

Every Celtics player, including Rajon Rondo, is available for the right price, Chris Mannix of SI.com reports in a pair of tweets. Still, some rival executives believe Boston is overvaluing Brandon Bass and Jeff Green, for whom Danny Ainge is demanding first-round picks, as Mannix writes in a full piece. Mannix also notes that the Celtics would prefer to keep Kris Humphries through the deadline. There’s plenty more in Mannix’s dispatch covering several of the league’s most active teams in advance of Thursday’s deadline, so let’s dive in:

The Pelicans are making a strong effort to trade either Eric Gordon or Tyreke Evans, Mannix hears, contradicting what coach Monty Williams told reporters earlier this week.
Mannix adds Arron Afflalo to the list of players the Bobcats are eyeing. Charlotte is apparently willing to absorb a player-friendly contract as part of a deal that brings in an impact player, Mannix writes.
The Pistons like Evan Turner, and they may be willing to offer the Sixers the first-round draft pick they’re looking for, according to Mannix. Still, it will take “an overwhelming offer” to pry Greg Monroe from Detroit, which would like to trade Josh Smith instead but is finding no takers.
Andre Miller is “gone one way or another,” but that may be the only trade Denver makes, in spite of a heavy volume of calls coming in from other teams, Mannix writes. The Nuggets don’t appear inclined to auction off Kenneth Faried, according to Mannix. His report contrasts with what teams are telling Grantland’s Zach Lowe, who hears that anyone outside of Ty Lawson is available (Twitter link).
Rival teams are interested in Bojan Bogdanovic, but the Nets are unwilling to trade the rights to the former second-round pick who’s playing in Turkey.
Kirk Hinrich has been drawing more interest than Mike Dunleavy, but executives around the league believe the Bulls probably won’t deal Hinrich and risk deepening the divide between Tom Thibodeau and the front office. Dunleavy is similarly off the table.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has been “determined” to find another star to go along with Kyrie Irving, but the league appears to have lukewarm feelings about the young players on the Cavs, according to Mannix, which would appear to make a blockbuster unlikely.
There’s been friction between Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala, Mannix hears, but rival executives nonetheless believe it will take a massive offer to acquire Barnes, Mannix notes, echoing what Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob has said.

Ford’s Latest: Magic, Cavs, Bobcats

February 18th, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

Victor Oladipo may be the only Magic player unavailable for a trade, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who adds that the team is looking for multiple first-round picks or young players for Arron Afflalo. Ford believes Orlando will indeed find a taker for Afflalo, but that’s in contrast to a report from Sam Amick of USA Today indicating the Magic aren’t that eager to trade him and aren’t hearing from any team with strong interest (Twitter link). The Magic’s price is much lower for Glen Davis and Jameer Nelson, Ford writes, and while Amick tweets that the Magic is focusing most of its trade attention on those two, Orlando hasn’t gotten anywhere with either of them yet, Amick says.

Ford has much more in his latest Insider-only piece, and we’ll hit the highlights here:

The Cavs and Bobcats appear to be the only teams capable of trading away a 2014 lottery pick that would actually do so, according to Ford. If the Cavs are determined to make a playoff push, they’ll offer Dion Waiters and their 2014 first-round pick in search of veteran help, Ford writes.
There’s nothing major happening on the Ersan Ilyasova front, Ford hears, naming Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour as the Bucks most likely to be traded. Milwaukee is reluctant to let go of Caron Butler, who’s a native of nearby Racine, Ford adds.
The Sixers want “significantly” more than just a first-round pick for Thaddeus Young, which has been dissuading some teams from trading for him, Ford writes.
Jeff Green and Brandon Bass are the names that come up most frequently in trade discussions involving the Celtics, according to Ford.
Several GMs tell Ford that the Lakers appear willing to discuss any player on their roster short of Kobe Bryant.
Everyone outside of DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas is available from the Kings, with Marcus Thornton, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and Jimmer Fredette the primary bait, Ford writes.
It’s unlikely the Jazz trade Gordon Hayward, Ford says, naming Marvin Williams as the team’s most likely trade candidate.
Teams are looking to acquire a package of both Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey, but the Pistons remain unwilling to deal Monroe, as multiple GMs tell Ford.

Rockets Notes: Trade Targets, Bynum, Asik

February 14th, 2014 at 12:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

No NBA executive makes deadline trades as often as Rockets GM Daryl Morey does, so Houston figures to get involved in the fun on Thursday. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle takes a broad look at the moves the Rockets have considered so far and the ones they might make in the next six days, and we’ll hit the highlights here:

Feigen hears the Rockets have been on the lookout for a backup wing player who’s a strong defender and can catch and shoot. That desire eclipsed the team’s pursuit of a power forward or a perimeter player who can create off the bounce. It’s not entirely clear from Feigen’s wording whether the team is currently seeking that sort of backup wing.
The Rockets had talks last month with Andrew Bynum before he signed with the Pacers, a source tells Feigen. Houston didn’t extend an offer, but Feigen isn’t sure whether that’s because the team didn’t think Bynum could contribute or whether it’s simply a reflection of the team’s intention to hold on to Omer Asik.
Morey says that he continues to focus on improving the club for the future, though he admits he’s putting a greater emphasis on helping the present incarnation of the team than at past trade deadlines, Feigen notes. The Chronicle scribe also points to concerns about the length of Courtney Lee‘s contract as the reason the Rockets passed on a December trade that would have sent Asik to Boston for Lee and Brandon Bass. That’s a signal of the team’s reluctance to add commitments beyond next season, Feigen concludes.

Trade Candidate: Brandon Bass

February 13th, 2014 at 2:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

Brandon Bass became a hot commodity on the NBA trade market this week, when reports indicated the Suns, Bobcats, Warriors and Thunder are among several teams interested in trading for the Celtics power forward. While a follow-up indicated that Golden State is unlikely to be in the mix, it seems there’s no shortage of clubs seeking the 28-year-old with a reasonably priced contract that runs through next season. Bass is the Celtic garnering the most trade talk around the league as the deadline nears, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, who initially reported the leaguewide interest. Celtics president of basketball ops Danny Ainge is usually active at the deadline, so it seems there’s a strong chance Bass will be playing for another team soon.

Bass makes $6.45MM this season and $6.9MM in 2014/15 as part of a three year deal he inked in 2012 to remain in Boston. The former second-round pick made his reputation as a physical presence off the bench for the Mavericks, and he blossomed into a part-time starter after signing with the Magic following their run to the 2009 Finals. He’s started more often than not since coming to the Celtics in exchange for Glen Davis soon after the lockout, but this season is the first since 2006/07 that he’s spent on a team seemingly destined for the lottery.

He makes sense as a role player on a contending team that needs to shore up its power forward position, and that’s apparently what the Rockets envisioned him doing for them when he was involved in Omer Asik rumors. The development of Terrence Jones would seem to have dissuaded Houston from revisiting the idea of trading for Bass. The 6’9″ Jones has a slightly larger frame than the 6’8″ Bass, and while neither he nor Jones has the three-point range the Rockets usually covet, Jones has been much more efficient. Jones has an 18.1 PER this season compared to the 15.1 mark Bass is posting. Jones is also cheaper, and while Bass could provide the Rockets with an intriguing bench option, the Rockets probably have no call for a reserve power forward who lacks an outside shot and makes nearly $13.5MM between this year and next.

Bass has been a defensive minus, as his teams have allowed more points per possession with him on the floor than when he’s been on the bench four of the past five seasons, per NBA.com. Some of that might be a function of playing when defensive stalwarts Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard are sitting, but that’s not a factor this year. The Celtics give up 104.4 points per 100 possessions with him in the game compared to 101.6 points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the court. Boston also has a net rating of minus 7.8 when he’s in there, and only the Sixers and Bucks have worse net ratings as a team this year.

His rebounding is a weakness, too, particularly for any team that envisions him as a center. He hasn’t averaged as many as eight rebounds per 36 minutes in any of the past five seasons. Still, Bass earns his minutes. His PER of 14.9 since becoming a rotation-level player seven years ago is as close at it comes to 15.0, the mark of an average player. He’d be an upgrade over most bench guys in the league, and his contract, while pricey for that job description, is not entirely unreasonable.

The Suns view him as an alternative to Pau Gasol, but he probably wouldn’t be their first option if they can’t work out a deal with the Lakers, particularly given that GM Ryan McDonough is on the lookout for stars. The Bobcats have been particularly active in trade rumors this month, having been linked to Evan Turner and Greg Monroe, among others, and while Bass would be an improvement over starting power forward Josh McRoberts, Charlotte probably has other priorities.

The Thunder’s interest is curious, since they already have an off-the-bench banger in Nick Collison. The 33-year-old Collison is seeing fewer minutes this season than in any year since he was a rookie, and perhaps Oklahoma City is looking for an upgrade to Bass, a better scorer. Collison only makes about $2.6MM this season, so the Thunder would have to add more salary to the deal to entice the Celtics to take him on and to avoid going into the tax. Both Oklahoma City and Boston are in close proximity to the tax line, so if the teams hooked up on a deal, the salaries would have to align nearly perfectly.

There are clearly plenty of teams interested in Bass, but I’d be surprised if the Celtics can wrangle too much in return. Deveney suggested that a first-round pick could be in play, but I’m highly skeptical that Ainge will be able to command that. The Celtics are probably best served targeting a deal that provides salary relief and perhaps an undervalued young player they can develop.

Suns, Warriors, Bobcats, Thunder Eye Bass

February 12th, 2014 at 1:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 1:31pm: An NBA GM tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that the Thunder have interest in Bass, too, as Amico shares in a chat with readers.

MONDAY, 2:42pm: The talk of Bass going to the Warriors has “little to no legs,” tweets Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group, who isn’t sure how Golden State could pull off the deal unless the Celtics agreed to take on Marreese Speights.

10:30am: The Suns, Warriors and Bobcats are among a wide array of teams interested in Celtics power forward Brandon Bass, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. The power forward is the most frequent subject of trade talk on the Celtics, a team that rival executives believe could be one of the busiest at the trade deadline, according to Deveney. The Celtics are willing to trade just about any player on the roster, short of Rajon Rondo, whom Danny Ainge wouldn’t give up for anything short of an “overwhelming offer,” Deveney writes.

Ainge has expressed a fondness for building through the draft, and to obtain Bass, the Bobcats would most likely give up Portland’s first-rounder, which the Blazers owe Charlotte, Deveney says. The Warriors don’t have much in the way of draft assets to offer Boston, but they could give up young players like Festus Ezeli, Nemanja Nedovic and Ognjen Kuzmic, as Deveney speculates. Golden State also has the flexibility of a sizable trade exception they acquired when they sent Richard Jefferson to the Jazz in the summer. The Suns see Bass as an alternative to a Pau Gasol deal, a source tells Deveney.

Bass was linked to the Rockets in December, when Houston was pushing to trade Omer Asik. The 28-year-old Bass is putting up 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per game this season, numbers all somewhat above his career averages. He’s making $6.45MM this season, and will get $6.9MM next season in the final year of his deal.

Omer Asik Rumors: Thursday Morning

December 19th, 2013 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

There were so many updates on the Omer Asik front yesterday that we needed three posts to round them all up, and the rumor mill doesn’t figure to slow down today. December 19th represents the Rockets‘ self-imposed deadline to move their disgruntled center, and it sounds as if the team plans to stick to that goal. Here are the latest items related to the Asik sweepstakes:

The Sixers remain “very involved” in talks for Asik, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Because this season’s trade deadline is February 20th, rather than the 19th, the Rockets have been told they could move Asik tomorrow and still re-package any involved players in February swaps. However, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports, Houston is still operating as if today is the deadline, meaning the club figures to take a step back and reconsider its options if nothing is finalized by day’s end (Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

While the Celtics are viewed as the frontrunner to land Asik, GM Danny Ainge said today on Boston sports radio that he’s been exploring deals, but doesn’t believe anything is close (link via Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston).
According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, the Rockets are believed to have spent much of Wednesday weighing the merits of the Celtics‘ offer (Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee, and a first-round pick), while remaining engaged in talks with the Sixers and leaving the door open for other teams to join the discussion. As we heard yesterday, Houston would like to obtain Spencer Hawes and a first-rounder from Philadelphia, but it’s not clear yet if GM Sam Hinkie is willing to pay that price.
Stein echoes yesterday’s reports in writing that the quality of the draft pick the Rockets can get from the Celtics will go a long way toward determining whether the two sides make a deal. However, most sources who spoke to Stein expressed a belief that Houston will proceed with an Asik trade today, accepting the best offer on the table.

Latest On Celtics-Rockets Omer Asik Talks

December 18th, 2013 at 10:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:01pm: Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe hears the Celtics and Rockets are “close” to a deal and echoes much of what we heard tonight before Bulpett reported that the talks are no longer active. It appears the teams are sending out conflicting information on the talks, perhaps in an exercise of negotiating tactics, though that’s just my speculation.

9:16pm: The Celtics proposed a deal of Bass, Lee and a protected first-rounder for Asik a week ago, but talks have been closed since then, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. While other reports have indicated the teams are currently negotiating, that’s not the case, Bulpett writes, suggesting that Celtics GM Danny Ainge isn’t budging from his offer and that the Rockets would have to sweeten their end of the deal to revive discussions. Bulpett also hears that when the Rockets brought Asik aboard in 2012, they promised him they wouldn’t sign another center to compete with him for the starting job.

8:11pm: The Celtics prefer to trade the Clippers’ 2015 first-round pick they acquired via the Doc Rivers deal, while the Rockets are seeking a 2014 first-rounder, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

7:09pm: TNT’s David Aldridge suggests the Rockets won’t close on an Asik deal tonight, meaning they’ll have to pull one off Thursday to meet their self-imposed deadline (Twitter link).

6:50pm: The Trail Blazers, believing Asik isn’t worth the risk of disrupting team chemistry, aren’t involved in talks with the Rockets, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The Blazers have “grown to love” Robin Lopez and aren’t interested in any major acquisitions for now, Haynes adds.

6:24pm: Though the Hawks don’t appear too interested in Asik, his nearly $15MM balloon payment next season wouldn’t deter the team from taking him on, Vivlamore writes in a subscription-only piece.

5:58pm: The belief that the Celtics will land Omer Asik is growing stronger as other suitors drop out of the talks, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com. It looks like the deal would involve Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee and a draft pick headed to Houston in a trade that includes only the Celtics and Rockets. The two teams are debating over which pick Houston would get, Mannix adds (Twitter links). The Celtics had reportedly been reluctant to surrender their 2014 first-rounder, but it appears they’ve at least relented on the notion of draft compensation.

Lee spoke this afternoon about the possibility of getting traded, saying that he’d prefer to stay put but that he isn’t too concerned with the talk, as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com notes (Twitter links). Lee is no stranger to Houston, having played there before the sign-and-trade that took him to Boston last year.

It’s not clear whether the Rockets would send anyone other than Asik to Boston, but Donatas Motiejunas is “desperate” for playing time, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, who points out that Motiejunas and Asik share an agent. Still, Motiejunas would prefer that he got added playing time in Houston rather than with another team, Feigen adds.

The Hawks, also reportedly an Asik suitor, were only in talks with the Rockets out of due diligence, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link).