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Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday

March 14th, 2012 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Even after an impressive overtime win by the Magic against the Heat last night, the post-game focus was on the off-court story: Dwight Howard's future. As we covered in yesterday's round-up of Howard rumors, D12 told reporters he'd like the Magic to keep him for the rest of the season and "roll the dice" this summer. Considering earlier Tuesday reports indicated that Howard's long-term plan involves signing with the Nets as a free agent so New Jersey doesn't have to trade core assets, Dwight's suggestion that Orlando roll the dice seemed particularly brash.

Zach Lowe of SI.com called Howard's post-game speech the low point of the ongoing saga, while Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported that some Magic executives were privately disgusted with the star center's comments. We expect plenty more updates to pour in as the day goes on, so we'll track them all here, with the latest items up top:

The Knicks are intrigued by the possibility of acquiring Howard, but won't offer Carmelo Anthony, since James Dolan "loves him," tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. I'd say that takes New York out of the running, since the Magic wouldn't be nearly as interested in an Amare Stoudemire/Tyson Chandler package.
There are no legs to the rumor that the Magic are working on a three-team deal to bring in Josh Smith (linked below), tweets Jarrod Randolph of RealGM.com.
According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, the Nets would be open to offering the Magic anything they want for Howard, with the exception of Deron Williams.
Orlando still seems to be entertaining deals that could bring in help around Howard, as Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld reports that they're eyeing the Hawks' Josh Smith. The Magic would need to get a third team involved, perhaps the Timberwolves and Michael Beasley. Given Orlando's lack of tradeable assets, acquiring Smith seems like an extreme long shot to me.
The Magic are telling teams they intend to move Howard if they don't receive a commitment beyond this season from Dwight, according to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. We have the details here.
Nets sources insist the team would give up assets in the next 24 hours if it meant landing Howard, but Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld explains why New Jersey may not be motivated to make a substantial offer. If Howard and Williams sign in Brooklyn this summer, the pair would want a third significant player to join them, and the Nets may be considering saving its trade chips to acquire that player.

Magic Seeking Commitment From Dwight Howard

March 14th, 2012 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are telling teams they will trade Dwight Howard by the deadline if Howard doesn't make a commitment to staying in Orlando past this season, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.

"Dwight's dreaming if he thinks Orlando won't trade him without a commitment,'' a source told Broussard. "He needs to make some small commitment to them. They're saying it can't be one way.''

Although the Magic would prefer to lock Howard up long-term, they would settle for D12 opting into the final year of his contract and staying for 2012/13. However, Howard hasn't shown that he's even willing to do that, leading to increased tension between the team and Howard's camp. Sources tell Broussard that the Magic are "incensed" with agent Dan Fegan, who they feel is leading the charge to convince the star center to leave Orlando.

The Magic were also upset over Howard's "roll the dice" comments after last night's game, and according to Broussard, Orlando has essentially invited teams to make their best offers. The ideal situation for the Magic would be creating a bidding war the Nets and Lakers, Broussard writes in a separate piece. Orlando would also be interested in a package of Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, but there's no indication the Knicks would make such an offer, particularly without assurances about Howard's long-term future.

You can find the rest of today's Howard updates here.

Carmelo, D’Antoni, Knicks At Odds

March 14th, 2012 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

10:10am: Anthony says he doesn't want to be traded and that he supports D'Antoni, tweets Iannazzone.

9:45am: Al Iannazzone of Newsday hears most Knicks players aren't upset with D'Antoni, and are more bothered by Anthony not buying into the coach's system (Twitter link).

8:44am: Leon Rose, Anthony's agent, tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that reports of his client wanting out of New York are "total nonsense" and "laughable" (Twitter link).

7:29am: With the Knicks in the midst of a six-game losing streak, still winless in March, there's at least one team executive who would like to trade Carmelo Anthony, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. But MSG Chairman James Dolan doesn't intend to trade any Knicks today or tomorrow.

"He said he's not trading anyone," said a source who has direct contact with Dolan. "He said it's up to the coach to figure it out."

For the coach, Mike D'Antoni, "figuring it out" may not be so easy. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that D'Antoni has lost the Knicks' locker room during the team's current losing streak.

"The players like Mike as a person," a source said. "They think he's a good guy. But he doesn't have the respect of the team anymore."

According to Broussard, players are questioning D'Antoni, complaining about playing time, and confused about the coach's offensive and defensive schemes. Sources close to the situation tell Broussard that some players, including Anthony, have strayed from the system, mixing in some of their own plays with D'Antoni's and creating a "mess."

"Half the team is trying to do what coach says and the other half is doing something different," one source said. "Then it spills over to the defensive end because players are (ticked) off about somebody taking a bad shot."

During the Knicks' current slide, plenty of observers have questioned whether Anthony and D'Antoni can coexist on this Knicks squad, speculating that one will have to go sooner or later for the team to reach its full potential. Marc Berman writes about this topic in his latest column for the New York Post, noting that the player and coach talked last night in an attempt to work things out. However, before that discussion, 'Melo told a confidant that he might prefer a trade out of New York, and only wanted to remain a Knick if D'Antoni didn't return next season, according to Berman.

I can't imagine the Knicks will blow things up before tomorrow's trade deadline. The current coaching staff and roster should have until the end of the season to try to right the ship, but the team could definitely consider major changes this summer if the situation doesn't improve.

Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, D’Antoni, Celtics

March 13th, 2012 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

After losses by the Knicks and Nets early in the evening, a Celtics victory in Los Angeles kept the Atlantic Division from going winless last night and pulled Boston within 2.5 games of the 76ers. Here's the latest out of the Atlantic:

It seems "inconceivable" that Carmelo Anthony and Mike D'Antoni will both be back with the Knicks next season, says Marc Berman of the New York Post. While a trade deadline move is unlikely, Berman hears from a source that Anthony is disgruntled, and the relationship between player and coach "appears to be deteriorating."
An injury to Marquis Daniels was one reason Celtics GM Danny Ainge acquired Jeff Green at last year's deadline, so do this year's injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox mean another deal is coming? "It’s similar but I don’t feel like we have to do anything, other than get another big body," Ainge told Paul Flannery of WEEI.com. "But I don’t think we have to make a trade at all."
Ainge and the Celtics will proceed with caution at this year's deadline, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.

Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, Smith, Celtics, Humphries

March 12th, 2012 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Here's the latest out of the Atlantic, where the 76ers' Sunday win extended their division lead to three games:

Carmelo Anthony wasn't on board with the Knicks' signing of J.R. Smith, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. While Anthony's public comments indicated he was behind the move, Carmelo "was not gung-ho and was 'hurt' Knicks upper management tossed his advice out the window," according to Berman.
WEEI.com's Paul Flannery examines how the Celtics might fill the void in the middle, following Jermaine O'Neal's wrist injury and Chris Wilcox's heart condition.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes that Kris Humphries was cryptic when asked if he'd waive his no-trade clause for the right deal: "Would you jump off a bridge? It depends how high it is. It depends on if there’s a drowning baby in the water…. Cause if you jump in the summer, the water was warm enough, you know it’s deep underneath." Humphries' point, I believe, is that his decision would vary depending on where the Nets intended to send him.
The Nets' MarShon Brooks isn't worried about the trade deadline, as he tells Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Douglas, McMillan

March 9th, 2012 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks wrap up their four-game road trip in Milwaukee tonight, hoping to salvage a win after losses in Boston, Dallas, and San Antonio. In the meantime, here are a few Friday morning Knicks links:

Unlike Tyson Chandler, who Mike D'Antoni called the Knicks' "most irreplaceable player," Carmelo Anthony has looked very replaceable lately, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Howard Beck of the New York Times argues that blaming Anthony for the Knicks' recent struggles is too easy. An overcrowded rotation means certain players may not be getting the minutes they require to be effective, says Beck.
Toney Douglas is one player who has been a casualty of the Knicks' increased depth, and Berman writes that Douglas is trying not to think about the upcoming trade deadline. "I want to be a good teammate," Douglas said. "I don’t want to talk about that or deal with that. I can control what I can control. That’s me working out, being ready. I don’t want to get into all that."
If the Knicks were to deal Douglas, they'd likely want a couple of second-round picks, says Berman.
Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops thinks current Blazers coach Nate McMillan is a good candidate to be the next coach of the Knicks.

Odds & Ends: Howard, Morris, Anderson, Knicks

March 7th, 2012 at 11:31pm CST by Alex Lee

While there haven't been any big Dwight Howard rumors so far today, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel indicates that there has been a "shift in tone" in how Howard's desires are perceived. As we documented yesterday, the rumors are running wild, seemingly due to Howard's ambivalence. Here is what else is going on around the league on this Wednesday evening:

Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at the some of the hardships facing the Magic leading up to the trade deadline, including their tough schedule and inconsistency.
Eddie Sefko from the Dallas Morning News says (via chat), should Dwight Howard not get traded by March 15th, he considers the Mavericks the heavy favorites to land both Howard and Deron Williams. He also mentions Gerald Wallace and C.J. Miles as potential complimentary fits around Dirk Nowitzki, Howard and Williams.
According to Yahoo's Marc Spears, Lakers assign rookie guard Darius Morris to the NBDL D-Fenders. Mike Bresnahan, Lakers beat writer for the L.A. Times, adds that Morris is still counted on the roster and will continue to get paid as a Laker.
Chris Bernucca from Sheridan Hoops examines some of the recent deadline deals, and their impact on the league today.
Magic forward Ryan Anderson has been trying to block out the Dwight Howard rumors, says Brian Schmitz from the Orlando Sentinel. Anderson knows he could be packaged with Howard, or traded to get Howard help.
Mike D'Antoni recognizes that the Knicks are struggling with Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin on the floor, but D'Antoni thinks it's a solvable problem, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.

Lawrence: Knicks Not Planning Major Moves

March 3rd, 2012 at 6:57pm CST by Sean Highkin

In a new column about the chemistry the Jeremy Lin-era Knicks have developed, Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News says that the team's owner, James Dolan, wants to see how the current group grows and is not planning any major shake-ups at the trading deadline.

Lawrence, citing an Eastern Conference GM who had a recent conversation with the Knicks, believes that Dolan likes the chemistry between Lin and Carmelo Anthony and doesn't think another move is necessary. He also points out that, between the huge contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chander, the Knicks wouldn't have many assets to trade if they were inclined to make changes. However, Lawrence doesn't rule out the long-shot possibility of Dolan making a run at Deron Williams or Dwight Howard if the opportunity were to present itself.

Knicks Notes: Chandler, Lin, Anthony

February 18th, 2012 at 8:18pm CST by Daniel Seco

After reeling off seven straight victories, the Knicks look to avoid a losing streak as they take on the Mavericks in a nationally-televised game on Sunday. With Carmelo Anthony still unlikely to play due to a lingering groin injury, the Knicks will have to rely on getting quality minutes from Steve Novak, who has exceeded any expectations with four double-digit performances in Anthony's absence. Let's see what else is happening with the Knicks as their schedule gets set to become a bit more difficult in the coming week:

Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com begs you to forget Linsanity for a moment and focus on center Tyson Chandler, the true leader in the Knicks' locker room and one of the major reasons for the team's recent success. After winning a championship last season in Dallas, Chandler is now taking players like Lin under his wing to provide tutelage and build camaraderie amongst his teammates.
Jeremy Lin's path to Madison Square Garden stardom took an interesting path, writes Newsday's Ian Iannazzone in his latest Knicks insider column. From draft day decisions to Lin's choice of wanting to live closer to home when offered a contract by the Mavericks, there are countless scenarios that could have precluded Lin from donning the Knicks' orange and blue.
Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press says that while Lin has done a great job handling the fame-side of Linsanity, he needs to do a better job keeping control of the basketball. The Knicks streak of seven consecutive victories came to a halt when Lin turned the ball over a career-high nine times on Friday against an underwhelming Hornets squad.
Anthony finally has the pieces in place to make a wholehearted run at the NBA title this spring, says ESPNNewYork.com's Ian O'Connor. O'Connor points to a suddenly loaded Knicks backcourt along with what was already a top-flight frontcourt as reasons why Anthony could secure his legacy with a ring come June.

Kyler’s Latest: Brand, Love, Lin, Anthony

February 16th, 2012 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld fielded questions from his followers on Twitter this morning, focusing on everyone's favorite topics — Jeremy Lin and Dwight Howard. In addition to his morning tweets, Kyler also has an NBA AM piece up at HoopsWorld that includes a few interesting tidbits. Here are some of the highlights:

76ers forward Elton Brand has an early termination option for 2012/13 worth about $18.16MM which will almost certainly be picked up. He intends to keep playing well past next season though, if his body allows it: "Everything hurts now but I still love playing the game and it's a joy coming out and competing against the best guys every night and having some success with the team, it feels good."
Kevin Love says the presence of Rick Adelman is a big reason why he signed a long-term extension with the Timberwolves: "He's allowed me to play with a lot of confidence and he's a coach that I enjoy playing for and I think everyone will say that in this locker room."
Addressing some Knicks trade speculation that has arisen since Lin's emergence, Kyler says it's way too early to talk about trading either Lin or Carmelo Anthony. While Kyler acknowledges that Carmelo is a tradable asset, he says the Knicks need to see the two players on the court together before jumping to any conclusions. I think this goes without saying — I don't expect we'll see Anthony leaving the Knicks anytime soon. I'm betting he and Lin will co-exist better that people are anticipating.