Brandon Jennings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs, Brandon Jennings Have Mutual Interest

February 23rd, 2013 at 3:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Mavericks were looking at Brandon Jennings prior to the trade deadline, and it appears they aren't giving up on pursuing the Bucks point guard. They'd "love" to nab him in restricted free agency this summer, and that's an outcome Jennings would like to happen as well, as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes. The Bucks, though, will have the right to match any offer he gets, and earlier this season they informed him they intend to do just that.

Jennings and the Bucks failed to agree on an extension to his rookie-scale contract before the October deadline. Since then, the point guard switched agents, replacing Bill Duffy with Jeff Schwartz, an advocate for the endorsement opportunities that major markets can provide. Jennings has made no secret of his desire to explore what big cities could do for his career, though he recently expressed his affection for Milwaukee as he denied that he had encountered "irreconcilable differences" with the team.

The Bucks appear to hold Jennings' talents in high regard, as they reportedly consider him one of their "untouchable" players, along with Larry Sanders and rookie John Henson. Backcourt mate Monta Ellis and deadline acquisition J.J. Redick could both leave as unrestricted free agents in the summer, so Jennings is the only one of Milwaukee's top three guards under team control beyond this season.

The Mavs will have plenty of cap space, and could make it difficult for the Bucks to bring Jennings back if they sign him to an offer sheet at or near the maximum salary, which is 25% of the salary cap for a player with six or fewer years of experience, like Jennings. I'm not sure either team believes Jennings is a max player, however, and Dallas appears eager to go after established superstars like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. They figure to be in the mix for Josh Smith as well. Yet if Mark Cuban and company miss out on those targets, they might be willing to overspend to land Jennings.

Bucks Rumors: Redick, Udoh, Jennings, Dalembert

February 20th, 2013 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks are reportedly one of the teams most determined to make a deal before Thursday's trade deadline, and today has has brought more rumblings from out of Milwaukee, so let's dive right in and check out the latest….

Although the Bucks like J.J. Redick, the Magic aren't enamored with anything Milwaukee has offered so far, according to Sam Amick of Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Yesterday's report on trade talks between the two teams suggested that Orlando had extended an offer of Redick for Luc Mbah a Moute and a first-round pick, but Amick and Zillgitt seem to suggest that offer may have come from the Bucks' side. The Magic don't like Mbah a Moute's contract, according to the USA Today report.
Ekpe Udoh is also drawing interest around the NBA, according to the USA Today duo.

Earlier updates:

Brandon Jennings appears to have moved alongside Larry Sanders and John Henson as the players the Bucks consider "untouchable," according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
The Mavericks had been the team most interested in Jennings, but they'd been pessimistic all along about their chances, knowing that the fourth-year guard is the closest thing Milwaukee has to a face of the franchise since the team traded Andrew Bogut a year ago, says Stein.
Although Samuel Dalembert was once considered one of the players most likely to be moved this season, the Bucks appear more inclined to keep him (and his expiring contract) after his solid recent play filling in for Sanders, according to Stein.
Stein also covers the latest on the Bucks' talks with the Hawks regarding Josh Smith, which we've recapped in our post dedicated to today's Smith rumors.

Sefko On Jennings, Dwight, Dalembert

February 20th, 2013 at 1:07am CST by Ryan Raroque

Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW doesn't think the Mavericks will engage in any trades before Thursday, saying that the team's biggest issue – namely their rebounding deficiencies – will have to improve with the personnel they already have. He also participated in a chat with fans about trade deadline rumblings, and you can read some of the highlights here:

Sefko says that the Mavs won't have much luck if they want to go after Brandon Jennings, being that his asking price would be too high for them to reach.
Dallas hasn't been turned off by the way Dwight Howard's tenure has gone in Los Angeles, and Sefko thinks the Mavericks' chances of landing him over the summer notably improve if the Lakers fail to make the playoffs.
Bucks center Samuel Dalembert would make sense as a trade target, but Milwaukee's price tag may be too high, especially if they want a young player in exchange.
Sefko puts the Mavericks' chances of making a deal at 25%.
While talking about the draft may be a little premature, Dallas would be wise to target a guard or a swingman once the NBA Draft comes along in June, says Sefko.

Berger On Smith, Bucks, Dwight, Hickson

February 19th, 2013 at 11:27pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Ken Berger of CBS Sports described the difficulty for the Hawks to find the type of assets they want in exchange for Josh Smith, and GM Danny Ferry has been firm in telling other teams that he's not willing to take back future salary. Atlanta has prioritized draft picks and young players in exchange for their star forward, though other teams have been insistent on including some long-term deals as part of their offers.

The Nets are one interested team that would be hard-pressed to complete a trade before Thursday, as the current CBA would prohibit a luxury taxpayer to complete a sign-and-trade in the offseason. With Brooklyn set to be around $4MM above the tax line this summer, the only way they could acquire Smith after this season would be to significantly shed salary first. Here's more out of Berger's column tonight:

Ferry realizes that the number of potential trading partners will decrease this summer, and while Phoenix had originally been seen as an ideal destination for Smith, the Suns appear to have their reservations about whether or not the assets they'd be sending out would be worth it.
The Bucks have been "definitely active" in Smith talks considering the uncertain future of Brandon Jennings, who is said to have been intrigued by bigger markets and had recently switched agents (from Bill Duffy to Jeff Schwartz, known for being a strong advocate for the opportunities that a bigger market can provide).
Luc Mbah a Moute could be a key component of a Smith-to-Milwaukee deal, factoring in his production and manageable contract.
It is widely believed that the Hawks will try to make a strong push to acquire Dwight Howard before the trade deadline.
The Trail Blazers continue to shop J.J. Hickson in exchange for a first-round pick.
Wizards guard Jordan Crawford has drawn interest from some teams, but the team isn't willing to take back any long-term contracts.
76ers guard Nick Young has been part of many discussions, but there isn't a deal to be made as of now.
The Nets know that a Kris Humphries-for-Ben Gordon trade with the Bobcats is still on the table, but are waiting to see what happens with Josh Smith before returning to that avenue.

Odds & Ends: Bargnani, Nets, Jennings, Greene

February 19th, 2013 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that the Sixers are a good bet to stand pat at this year's deadline, and given how their last trade turned out, perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise. One player acquired by the 76ers in the deal, Jason Richardson, underwent successful surgery on his left knee this morning, according to a team release. Meanwhile, the centerpiece, Andrew Bynum, told reporters today that he still intends to play for Philadelphia this season, though it won't happen until at least March.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), while the Raptors would move Andrea Bargnani in the right offer, teams don't sense an urgency on Toronto's part. That falls in line with comments Bryan Colangelo made today.
I questioned earlier today whether Nets GM Billy King was being honest when he told reporters there's a 10% chance he makes a trade, but Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News says (via Twitter) that's the same line King has been giving privately to rival teams.
Despite his agent change, Brandon Jennings really doesn't have a ton of leverage, and the Bucks should still be expected to match any offer sheet he receives this summer, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Donte Greene, who was set to sign with the Nets last summer before he fractured his ankle, is back to 100% and is drawing interest, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The Nets, Pacers, Hornets, Spurs, Bulls, Knicks, Magic, Rockets, and Cavaliers have inquired on Greene, says Spears.

Spears On Oden, Kings, Gordon, Ridnour, Bucks

February 19th, 2013 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In the last pre-trade-deadline installment of his weekly power rankings, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports shares trade nuggets for a good chunk of the NBA's 30 teams. We've already heard many of them, but here are a few of Spears' notes of interest:

Agent Mike Conley tells Spears that his client Greg Oden likely won't sign with a team until the offseason. We've heard that the Cavaliers and Bobcats are preparing to make Oden offers after the trade deadline, so if he really waits until the summer to sign, it would strongly suggest to me that he prefers to go to the Heat. Miami can only offer a minimum-salary contract at this point, but would have the mini mid-level exception available again in July.
The Kings prefer to let a new ownership group inherit the team as is, so they likely won't make any moves at the deadline.
Eric Gordon figures to remain with the Hornets through the deadline, but the club may explore potential trades involving Gordon this summer.
A source tells Spears that, contrary to previous reports, the Timberwolves aren't actively shopping Luke Ridnour.
The Bucks doubt that they'll move either Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis this week, even though both players could become free agents in the summer.
Mark Cuban would like to make a trade that makes Dirk Nowitzki the Mavericks' second-best player, according to Spears. I have a hard time believing there's a deal out there like that for Dallas.
The Pistons are expected to stand pat at the deadline.

Bucks Pursuing Josh Smith, Shopping Everybody?

February 16th, 2013 at 9:19am CST by Sean Highkin

Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has some updates in his latest notebook column on where the Milwaukee Bucks stand in several trade discussions leading up to Thursday's deadline:

The Bucks are considering making an offer to the Hawks for Josh Smith, writes Woelfel. Smith has been most openly courted by the Nets and Celtics, with Brooklyn reportledly offering MarShon Brooks and Kris Humphries and Boston offering Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. However, Woelfel believes that the Bucks' package could be equally attractive if they include Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings. They could also make Ersan Ilyasova available in a package for Smith.
Woelfel writes that the Bucks are open to trading anyone on their roster and no one is off limits, although Ellis and Samuel Dalembert are the two players GM John Hammond would most like to move. Woelfel points to Beno Udrih and Mike Dunleavy as two other potentially attractive assets with expiring contracts.
Woelfel contradicts a previous report by ESPN on the status of Jennings, writing that the Bucks never made him a formal offer of a contract extension before the October deadline. Jennings is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Forward Drew Gooden is no stranger to the trade deadline, Woelfel writes. The 11-year veteran has been traded five times during the season in his career.

Central Notes: Jennings, LeBron, Pistons, Bulls

February 15th, 2013 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

No Central Division players will crack the Eastern Conference's starting lineup this Sunday in Houston, but the division is well-represented on the East's bench, with Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Paul George, and Kyrie Irving all expected to see action in the All-Star Game. Here's the latest out of the Central:

ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported earlier this week that Brandon Jennings turned down a four-year, $40MM extension offer from the Bucks last offseason, but Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets that no such offer was ever made by the team.
LeBron James brushed off questions about returning to the Cavaliers when he's eligible for free agency in 2014, as Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio writes (on Sulia).
Writing for the Detroit Free Press, Patrick Hayes ranks the Pistons free-agents-to-be from least likely to most likely to return to Detroit next season.
In a mailbag, David Mayo of MLive.com discusses the future of Rodney Stuckey with the Pistons.
Another mailbag comes courtesy of Sam Smith of Bulls.com, who fields Bulls-related questions on Derrick Rose's health and trade possibilities.

Dallas Notes: Cuban, Nowitzki, Jennings

February 13th, 2013 at 9:42pm CST by Alex Lee

It is pretty clear by now that the constant stream of Mavericks' rumors will not stop until the team makes good on their plan to utilize their cap room to bring in at least one superstar. Until then, we will continue to track everything Mavs here:

Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com asked Mark Cuban for a comment on the trade rumors swirling around his Mavericks (Twitter link). "If you read about it, it ain't happening, because we don't talk," the Mavs owner said.
Meanwhile – with regard to the aforementioned quote – fans should be cautious believing Cuban at times like this, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas. MacMahon references the Mavs' separate acquisitions of Jason Kidd and Caron Butler as instances when the rumors turned out to be true despite Cuban's best attempts to conceal the team's plans.
Dirk Nowitzki sat down with Zach Lowe of Grantland on Monday, speaking intelligently about the NBA's collective bargaining agreement and the resulting luxury tax implications (and much more). Nowitzki says he supported Cuban's decision to break up their title team last year, comparing the departure of Tyson Chandler to that of Steve Nash in 2004.
Answering questions from readers, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says the Mavs making a move for Brandon Jennings is a "no-brainer" if they think they can keep him. While Jennings is a clear upgrade over Darren Collison, all indications out of Dallas are that Cuban and company are saving their money for elite, cornerstone-type players. While he still is young, I am not sure Jennings fits that criteria.

Poll: Do You Believe Brandon Jennings?

February 13th, 2013 at 7:19pm CST by Alex Lee

So within the same day, we have a report from ESPN's Chad Ford that Brandon Jennings wants out of Milwaukee and, six hours later, a report from ESPN's Chris Broussard citing texts from the Bucks point guard that deny he hopes to be traded. Which is it? Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel caught up with Jennings at his locker before tonight's game against Philadelphia.

"As long as I'm in a Bucks uniform, I'm going to play every night for the Bucks. I'm trying to get out of this shooting slump that I'm in. Every player goes through it," Jennings said, adding the following:

"Just because I got a new agent, that doesn't mean I'm trying to leave Milwaukee or I'm unhappy. That has nothing to do with it. It was just a time for a change and it was a decision me and my family made. So all these stories coming out about me not wanting to be here and this and that, I never said that. That never came out of my mouth. If anything, I've always said I love Milwaukee."

There are clearly several possibilities here. Jennings could be genuinely upset about the Ford report because he loves Milwaukee and wants to stay. On the other side, the Ford report could be right on and Jennings is refuting it in order to save face with the Bucks fans that have supported him for more than three years now. Or, in what is probably the most likely scenario, the truth is somewhere in between and Jennings has enjoyed his time in Milwaukee and will consider staying, but is definitely also eyeing greener (and bigger) pastures.

What do you think? Feel free to accompany your vote with your opinion in the comments section.