Darren Collison Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kennedy’s Latest: Suns, Collison, Thunder, Pacers

February 14th, 2017 at 10:55pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Suns would like to package their young players and draft picks in order to bring a star to Phoenix, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype writes. Executives around the league tell Kennedy that they expect the Suns to continue their rebuild and trade away some of their veterans should they not be able to land a star player.

Here’s more from Kennedy’s piece:

The Kings have made several players available, including Darren Collison. The point guard, who will be a free agent after the season, has seen an expanded role on the team since Rudy Gay injured his Achilles, as I wrote in this week’s Fantasy Hoops.
It’s unclear whether the Thunder will be buyers or sellers at the deadline, but they are expected to be active. “They will do something, one way or the other. They won’t stand pat,” one anonymous GM told Kennedy.
The Pacers are willing to trade anyone on the roster with the exception being Paul George, Kennedy reports.
The Carmelo Anthony-to-Cleveland trade talks were “overblown,” Kennedy adds. The Cavs are still looking for outside help, as they are reportedly in trade discussions with several teams.
Anthony Davis isn’t going anywhere and Jrue Holiday is unlikely to be traded, but anyone else on the Pelicans‘ roster is on the table in trade talks, according to Kennedy.
Serge Ibaka was traded to the Raptors earlier today and a source tells Kennedy that Toronto was his preferred destination.

Kyler’s Latest: Cavs, Sixers, Lopez, Kings, Magic

February 7th, 2017 at 10:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have been “aggressively” exploring ways to clear the contract of Chris Andersen from their books, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Andersen, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, is on a minimum salary deal, but moving him would allow Cleveland to open up a roster spot and create additional savings on the team’s projected tax bill.

Although the Cavaliers have been mentioned in some intriguing trade rumors involving star players like Carmelo Anthony, Cleveland is more focused on bolstering its bench. According to Kyler, the Cavs are prioritizing adding a point guard and a big man for depth purposes.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the NBA, via Kyler’s report:

On Monday night, several reports indicated that the Sixers and Pelicans were discussing a possible swap of Jahlil Okafor for Alexis Ajinca and a 2018 first-round pick. However, a source tells Kyler that Philadelphia may not be on board with that specific framework, preferring to put Jrue Holiday in the deal rather than the future first-rounder. The two teams continue to talk, but both sides are exploring other options as well, writes Kyler.
We’ve heard in the past that the Nets are seeking two first-round picks in any Brook Lopez deal. Kyler says that the team is specifically seeking a lottery pick in 2017, plus an additional future first-rounder. It seems unlikely that any team will meet that asking price, but Brooklyn appears content to wait until at least the offseason to get serious about moving Lopez.
There’s a “growing sense” that the Kings might move Darren Collison, as well as Kosta Koufos, by the trade deadline, per Kyler.
Kyler identifies Nikola Vucevic, Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green, and C.J. Watson as Magic players that may be on the move this month, though he notes that Orlando’s asking prices remain high. Kyler’s sources suggest that Toronto would be a favorable long-term situation for Ibaka, but there’s no indication that the big man would be willing to sign with the Raptors long-term, or that the Raps would give up “meaningful assets” for Ibaka.

Kings Waive Jordan Farmar

November 7th, 2016 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Jordan Farmar‘s latest stint with the Kings came to an end today after less than a week. As James Ham of CSNBayArea.com tweets, Sacramento has waived Farmar, clearing the way for Darren Collison to come off the suspended list and rejoin the team. The Kings confirmed Farmar’s release in an announcement on their website.

The Kings were allowed to temporarily carry a 16th player on their 15-man roster after moving Collison to the suspended list for the last three games of his eight-game ban, as we detailed last Wednesday. However, since the team played its eighth game of the season on Sunday, a roster move was required today in order to get back down to 15 players.

Farmar, who turns 30 later this month, appeared in two games for the Kings over the last few days, averaging 6.0 PPG and 4.5 APG in 17.5 minutes per contest. The veteran point guard signed a non-guaranteed contract with Sacramento, so the team will only be charged a prorated portion of the minimum salary for the few days he was on the roster.

Farmar will return to the free agent list, assuming he clears waivers on Wednesday.

Pacific Notes: Collison, Chriss, Suns, Williams

November 6th, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

With his eight-game suspension about to end, Darren Collison is ready to take over as the Kings‘ starting point guard, writes Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. The suspension, which concludes with tonight’s game, was imposed after Collison pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor domestic battery.Ty Lawson has struggled to run the team in his absence, and Sacramento needs Collison as a stabilizing force after a 2-5 start. “Basketball is an escape,” he said. “I’ve been able to practice and be around the team, and that has helped a lot. Being around the guys has been great. But this is definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Suns are thrilled by what they’ve seen from rookie power forward Marquese Chriss, who was acquired in a draft-day trade with the Kings, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Phoenix is bringing Chriss along slowly, giving him 15 minutes per night in his first six games, and he has responded with averages of 6.2 points and 3.3 rebounds. Although he is only 19, Chriss believes he is mature enough for the NBA. “Off the court I’ve never had any problems, I never get in conflicts or things like that,” he said. “I’m real mellow, kind of just handle my business and put my head down. I’m just adjusting like everybody else is, getting up every morning, coming to the gym with the mentality that I want to get better and every day has a purpose.”
Former Suns coach Alvin Gentry thinks the team made wise moves in reacquiring two of his former players this offseason, relays Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Gentry had high praise for Jared Dudley and Leandro Barbosa, who both returned to Phoenix as free agents. “When I was there, they were great,” Gentry said. “They’re great locker room guys. There’s a maturity about them that they understand where they are in their careers and they’re going to do everything they can to help the young guys. You can put them on the court and they can be productive. That’s a win-win-win all the way around.”
The Lakers‘ young players are getting attention, but veteran Lou Williams is helping to close out games, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. The 30-year-old guard had 10 points in the fourth quarter Friday night as L.A. blew out the Warriors. “The game turns up down the stretch,” said coach Luke Walton. “It’s harder to run offenses, defenses and they’re flying at you. They’re trapping and switching. So it’s nice to have a vet out there among those young guys. When we call a play and the play is off, Lou can adjust.”

Kings Re-Sign Jordan Farmar

November 2nd, 2016 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are re-signing Jordan Farmar to their roster after waiving him last month, reports Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). Terms of the agreement aren’t known, but another non-guaranteed contract appears likely for the veteran point guard.

Sacramento is currently carrying the maximum allowable 15 players, but one of those 15 is point guard Darren Collison, who is serving an eight-game suspension. NBA rules allow for the Kings to move Collison to the suspended list after five games, meaning the team can add Farmar to its roster without waiving anyone. However, the club will need to cut someone when Collison becomes eligible to return, so Farmar’s second stint with the Kings figures to be even shorter than his first, unless they opt to waive another player when Collison returns.

Farmar, who will turn 30 later this month, has played more than 500 regular-season games over the course of his nine-year NBA career, though he appeared in just 12 games last season. Farmar joined the Grizzlies in March when Memphis’ roster was hit hardest by injuries, and was the club’s starting point guard down the stretch and in the postseason. Farmar played well in the regular season with the Grizzlies, averaging 9.2 PPG, 3.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.3 3PT. His production dipped in the playoffs, as he shot just 32.3% from the floor during the club’s first-round loss to San Antonio.

Although he appeared to have a decent shot to earn a roster spot in Sacramento this fall, Farmar ultimately lost out to Ty Lawson, another veteran point guard on a non-guaranteed deal.

And-Ones: Dragic, Pelicans, Salary Cap, Brown

October 20th, 2016 at 9:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told point guard Goran Dragic during a morning shootaround Thursday that rumors regarding a potential trade to the Kings were untrue, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. Miami was reportedly discussing a deal in which Dragic would head to Sacramento in exchange for forward Rudy Gay and guard Darren Collison. “Spo came over and did that today,” Dragic told Winderman. “He just said those rumors, they’re not true.” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald confirms that the Heat are not pursuing such a trade at the moment but might go after Gay in free agency next summer as a secondary option (Twitter link).

In other developments around the league:

E’Twaun Moore will start for the Pelicans at shooting guard entering the season ahead of lottery pick Buddy Hield, John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets. Moore was one of the first unrestricted free agents to make a commitment in July, agreeing to a four-year, $34MM contract after playing a backup role with the Bulls.
The projected salary cap for the 2017/18 season has been slightly raised from $102MM to $103MM, sources told Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That will give teams a little bit more elbow room as they make roster decisions.
Shannon Brown has signed with the NBA D-League and will be eligible for its draft, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor tweets. The 30-year-old guard last appeared in the NBA in 2014/15, when he played five games for the Heat.
Swingman Jordan Hamilton has left the Turkish team Tofas Bursa after just one game, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Hamilton appeared in 11 games with the Pelicans last season. A former first-round pick, Hamilton spent his first few NBA seasons with the Nuggets, but has bounced around since 2014, spending time with the Rockets and Clippers as well as the Pelicans.

Rudy Gay Notes: Trade Rumors, Heat, Dragic

October 19th, 2016 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

While Rudy Gay has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the offseason, given his apparent discontent with his situation in Sacramento, a Tuesday report provided the most concrete update yet on potential trade talks involving Gay. According to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, the Kings and Heat have discussed a potential deal that would send Gay to Miami along with Darren Collison, with Goran Dragic heading to Sacramento.

While such a deal has been discussed, it’s believed to be in the “kicking the tires” stage, with nothing imminent. With that in mind, here’s the latest on Gay and the trade rumors surrounding him:

Asked about the latest trade whispers, Gay downplayed the talk, as James Ham of CSN Bay Area details. “I’m in the same place I was earlier in the day, I’m in Sacramento,” Gay said. “It is what it is, man, it’s the NBA, it happens. Rumors are going to happen and you’ve just got to go out there and play basketball.”
According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, both he and fellow Herald reporter Manny Navarro have heard nothing is happening with the Heat and Kings at this time. Jackson adds that Miami likes Gay as a “complementary player,” but wants to see how Dragic looks with the current roster rather than trading him right now. Per Jackson, Gay would “love” to play in Miami, and the Heat will consider him a secondary option in free agency next July, whether or not they trade for him.
Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel also explores the Gay rumors from a Heat perspective, suggesting the team probably wouldn’t do the rumored deal involving Dragic and Collison unless the Kings included a draft pick or Willie Cauley-Stein. Winderman also echoes what Jackson wrote, suggesting it’s too early at this point for Miami to make a major trade.

Kings, Heat Discuss Gay, Collison, Dragic

October 18th, 2016 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

As ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently reported, the Heat and the Kings have engaged in some “vague” trade discussions since July. Today, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders fills in some details on those talks, reporting that the two sides have discussed a trade that would send Rudy Gay and Darren Collison to Miami and Goran Dragic to Sacramento.

The Kings appear open to moving Gay, who has expressed some frustration with the franchise and has indicated he’ll opt out and explore the open market next summer. Sources tell Scotto that Sacramento would like to land a starting-caliber point guard in a deal involving Gay, and Dragic would fit that bill. However, the Heat gave up two first-round picks in their previous trade for Dragic, so they may require a more significant return to part with him.

Still, acquiring Gay and Collison would make some sense for the Heat. Gay is a talented scorer who could help make up for the loss of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the short term, while Collison could provide some backcourt depth — he likely wouldn’t require as significant a role as Dragic, which could free up some minutes for Miami’s younger players.

Both Gay and Collison will also come off the books in 2017, whereas Dragic has a pricey cap hit through at least the 2018/19 season. Moving Dragic for a pair of expiring contracts would give the Heat much more financial flexibility to go out and pursue top free agents next July.

No deal seems imminent at this point, with Scotto reporting that both teams are “kicking the tires” on the possibility. However, it’s worth keeping an eye on the Heat and Kings as potential trade partners before the 2017 deadline.

Suns To Seek Trade Partner For Brandon Knight?

October 6th, 2016 at 4:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

If the Suns have interest in moving point guard Brandon Knight, a strong start would help create a “palatable” market for him, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (Links here). Knight, who has four years and approximately $57MM remaining on his contract, has become a backup behind Eric Bledsoe and shooting guard Devin Booker.

The Suns’ current blueprint has Knight, who is not a classic point guard, transitioning into a Jamal Crawford, instant-offense type of role player. That wasn’t the original plan when they gave up a protected first-round pick they possessed from the Lakers and forwarded it to the Sixers, Lowe points out. There isn’t much of a market for Knight now, but that could change if he plays well early on, due to the lack of quality wings around the league, Lowe adds. The club is not interested in moving Bledsoe, sources told Lowe.

In other tidbits offered by Lowe in his two-part article:

The next Collective Bargaining Agreement will likely tweak the Gilbert Arenas provision, so that matching teams can distribute salary more evenly across the length of certain contracts. Lowe uses the example of Heat guard Tyler Johnson, whose offer sheet from the Nets this summer jumped his salary from under $6MM during the first two years of the contact to $19.245MM in each of the final two years of the four-year offer. Under the current agreement, the team making the offer could use the average salary of the contract to count against its cap, while the matching team has to go with the actual salary figures for each season.
The Kings are actively involved in trade discussions and since Darren Collison is suspended for the first eight games, they could make a deal for a point guard during training camp, possible as part of a larger package.
The Bucks are seeking help at the wing positions and a swap with the Kings for shooting guard Ben McLemore – a projected backup with the addition of Arron Afflalo — is a possibility. Milwaukee would like to move either center Greg Monroe or point guard Michael Carter-Williams under the right circumstances, according to Lowe’s sources.

Pacific Notes: Collison, Temple, Clippers

October 5th, 2016 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

After pleading guilty to one count of misdemeanor domestic battery, Darren Collison was suspended eight games by the NBA, a penalty that will cost him nearly $400K in salary. However, as Kings general manager Vlade Divac tells Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee, the discipline from the league for Collison could have been harsher.

“These are serious matters,” said the Kings GM. “It goes against all the values our organization wants to represent. But I think it’s fair. The (Placer County District Attorney’s Office) did their investigation and made their decision, and the league did their own investigation as well. And the fact Darren cooperated right from the start, I believe, really helped him.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific division, including a note on one of the players who could see increased minutes during Collison’s absence:

Although he stands 6’6″, Garrett Temple has always made an effort to be a versatile player, which has meant spending some time at the point guard position. As Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes, Temple could be an important piece for the Kings, as a veteran who can play alongside another point guard or run the point himself when necessary.
Confirming a July report, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, said that his team is exploring the possibility of moving to a new arena once their lease with the Staples Center expires, tweets Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. Ballmer has no intention of ever taking the franchise out of Los Angeles, but has interest in moving to a building that wouldn’t be shared with the Lakers.
Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick will all be eligible for free agency in 2017, which raises questions about what sort of season the Clippers need to have in order to ensure all three players want to re-sign with the club next summer, writes Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk.