Derrick Rose Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Pistons, Ayon, Bulls, Rose

March 11th, 2013 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Only one Central Division team is in action tonight, as the Pistons visit the Jazz in Utah. The good news for a Jazz team looking to snap a four-game losing streak? The Pistons have lost their last two road games, against the Spurs and Clippers, by a combined 71 points. As we wait to see which team can snap out of its recent funk, here are a few updates on Central clubs:

Pistons owner Tom Gores is disappointed that the team isn't in the hunt for a playoff spot this year, but is pleased with Detroit's cap flexibility going forward, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Gustavo Ayon made comments on Spanish radio suggesting he isn't thrilled by his role with the Bucks, as Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype passes along in English. Ayon's contract with Milwaukee includes a team option for next season, but it sounds as if the big man would be interested in a buyout that would allow him to join Spain's FC Barcelona.
Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune is suspicious of the Bulls' motives after news leaked that Derrick Rose has been medically cleared to play. While the Bulls' public stance is that they're not putting any pressure on Rose to return, Rosenbloom suggests the leak creates "precisely the kind of pressure the Bulls said they were not applying."

Odds & Ends: Oden, Mavs, Rose, HGH, Kings

March 9th, 2013 at 4:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

Greg Oden and the Cavs appeared to engage in heavy flirtation last night, as the former No. 1 overall pick sat in one of owner Dan Gilbert's courtside seats at the Cavs-Grizzlies game. While Oden regards Cleveland as one of his favored destinations for a return to the league, the Cavs haven't made him an offer, agent Mike Conley Sr. tells Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida (Twitter link). Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld believes the big man will eventually sign with the Heat, based on multiple sources who insist Miami will be his choice, in spite of the ability other teams have to offer him more money and a longer contract (Twitter links). Oden isn't expected to sign with any team until the summer, so we'll likely be hearing plenty more about him in the coming months. In the meantime, here's more from around the league:

Coach Rick Carlisle expects the Mavs will look at players to fill the roster spot vacated today when the team waived Dominique Jones, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com.
Bulls GM Gar Forman says there's no rift between Derrick Rose and the team's front office over the timing of the former MVP's return from injury, notes Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.
Henry Abbott of ESPN.com reported yesterday that the NBA and the players union were nearing an agreement that would subject players to blood tests for human growth hormone as soon as next season, but Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News hears no deal is close.
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com interprets David Stern's call for Sacramento bidders to pour more money into their efforts to buy the Kings as a sign that the commissioner isn't as closely aligned with the city as it might have otherwise appeared.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic caught up with Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, who spoke at length about his push to keep the Kings in town.
For draft prospects on college teams that might not make it to the NCAA tournament, the week ahead will be their final opportunity to make an impression before the combine. Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in an Insider piece, takes a look at five prospects who could be seeing their last collegiate action.

Central Notes: Rose, Calderon, Mayo, Bucks, Bulls

March 8th, 2013 at 4:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Derrick Rose's return to the Bulls may be just around the corner, as Rose's doctor has cleared him to play, according to Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. The Bulls guard still isn't entirely comfortable dunking off his left foot, and isn't 100% ready mentally to make his 2012/13 debut, so the club isn't pressuring him, writes Isaacson. But it sounds as if Rose will return well in advance of the postseason, perhaps within the next week or two. As we look forward to seeing the former MVP back on the court, let's round up a few more items out of the Central Division….

Jose Calderon tells David Mayo of MLive.com that he's taking a wait-and-see approach with free agency, but appreciates the fact that the Pistons had genuine interest in him rather than simply acquiring him for his expiring contract.
If Calderon doesn't re-sign with the Pistons, expect O.J. Mayo to be one of the team's top targets, Mayo (David, not O.J.) writes in a separate piece.
Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth examines the big offseason approaching for the Bucks, as Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and J.J. Redick prepare to hit free agency.
As he does every Friday, Sam Smith of Bulls.com opens up his mailbag and addresses a number of Bulls-related questions and comments from readers.

Brigham On Future Contenders

February 23rd, 2013 at 10:13am CST by Sean Highkin

Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld has a new column examining which teams have a chance to be title contenders five seasons from now, taking into account possible moves in free agency and the ages of the teams' core players.

Brigham believes the Thunder still have the brightest future, given that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka will all be under 30 in five seasons.
LeBron James' free agency will play a major role in determining the next title contender, Brigham writes. The health and effectiveness of Dwyane Wade will determine whether James stays with the Heat, but the Cavaliers and Lakers are also possible destinations.
On that note, Brigham writes that, although Kyrie Irving is blossoming into a superstar, the Cavs will not be a contender unless James signs in Cleveland.
The Bulls will still be contenders if Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah stay healthy, Brigham writes. He also notes that Nikola Mirotic will have come over to the NBA by then.
The trade for Thomas Robinson added another young piece to the James Harden/Jeremy Lin core the Rockets have built, Brigham writes. Additionally, the team is still well under the cap and can add another high-level player via free agency.
Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge give the Blazers a solid core to build around, writes Brigham.
Brigham writes that there will be uncertainty every year for the next five as to whether Chris Paul will still be with the Clippers.
Even if Stephen Curry's ankles don't hold up, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes give the Warriors a good young core, Brigham says.
Brigham writes that the Pacers have excellent cornerstone players in Roy Hibbert and Paul George.

Bulls’ Inactivity Could Impact Rose’s Return

February 21st, 2013 at 6:55pm CST by Sean Highkin

6:55pm: Rose has released a statement distancing himself from his brother's comments and backing the Bulls organization:

“I have always felt that the Bulls organization’s goals have been the same as mine and that is to bring another championship to this city.”

6:43pm: Derrick Rose's return to the court is still up in the air, but the former MVP's brother, Reggie, tells Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com that the team's decision not to make any trades before Thursday's deadline could impact Rose's willingness to return this season.

"Joakim Noah is a great player. Luol Deng is a great player. But you need more than that. You have to put together pieces to your main piece. The players can only do so much. It's up to the organization to make them better."

"It's frustrating to see my brother play his heart and soul out for the team and them not put anything around him," Reggie Rose said.

The Bulls attempted to move Richard Hamilton and Carlos Boozer in recent weeks and were at one point linked to J.J. Redick before the deadline, but they ultimately did not make any moves.

Odds & Ends: Repeater Tax, Bobcats, T-Wolves

February 20th, 2013 at 1:08am CST by Ryan Raroque

Yahoo's Marc J. Spears says (via Twitter) that trade talk has been quiet, as teams are waiting to see what happens with Josh Smith first. One major factor which undeniably has affected discussions around this time has been the looming "repeater tax," which Adrian Wojnarowski tweets is the reason why most teams have been reluctant to take back long-term deals at the deadline. We'll round up the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links below:

In addressing the biggest issues for the Lakers moving forward, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times puts the chances of Dwight Howard re-signing next season at 25%. If Howard stays, Bresnahan thinks the Lakers could possibly amnesty Pau Gasol. If Dwight chooses to leave, Bresnahan opines that L.A. would likely keep Gasol and amnesty Metta World Peace.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune directs attention to Luke Ridnour and the Timberwolves' multiple first-round picks as their most attractive pieces in trying to acquire a legitimately-sized shooting guard.
According to Wojnarowski, the Bobcats have been trying to find takers for Gerald Henderson and are looking for a first-round pick in return.
John Reid of NOLA.com hears that the Hornets would be interested in trading Eric Gordon to the Warriors in any package that includes Klay Thompson, although Golden State is said to be reluctant in parting ways with the second-year guard right now. Reid notes Gordon has the power to veto any trade, and while he showed a strong interest in signing with Phoenix over the summer, the Hornets are prohibited from dealing him to the Suns.
With no first-round picks or salary cap space to use, Tim Kawakami of Mercury News believes that the Warriors aren't looking or aren't likely to make a deal soon.
ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that Derrick Rose appeared good enough to return to in-game action judging by the way he looked during 5-on-5 practice, according to eyewitnesses (Twitter link). On the same token, head coach Tom Thibodeau told ESPN Chicago earlier today that Rose might not make his return this season.
Paul Coro of AZCentral.com says that Sebastian Telfair and Jermaine O'Neal could be sent to title contenders in minor deals, and that Telfair would be the most likely candidate to be moved.
While there aren't any concrete trade connections between Oklahoma City and the following list of players, Royce Young of Daily Thunder names five reasonable targets for the Thunder: Luc Mbah a Moute, J.J. Barea, Luke Ridnour, Darren Collison, and Rodney Stuckey.

Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Gordon, Heat, Rose

February 14th, 2013 at 8:32pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Despite Mark Cuban's belief that adding an overpaid player with a massive contract would be a huge mistake considering the framework of the current CBA, Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas wonders if the Mavericks would explore trading for Hornets guard Eric Gordon as a possible fallback option if the team falls short in its effort to land Dwight Howard this summer. On another note, Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops explains why it would be wise for Dallas to deal Vince Carter and Shawn Marion for expiring contracts and draft picks now if they want to give themselves a legitimate chance at going after Howard, Chris Paul, or Andrew Bynum in upcoming free agency.

Here are more of this evening's odds and ends:

A report from ESPN (via the Associated Press) states that NBA Commissioner David Stern expects a concrete plan from Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson within the next two weeks regarding the Kings' future. Although the NBA Board of Governors does not meet until April 17-18, Stern believes that the official proposal could be made by March 1st "if (Mayor Johnson) follows through on what he's told us." He also put the kibosh on the idea of expansion and doesn't foresee a scenario where both Seattle and Sacramento wind up with teams.
With 15 guaranteed contracts and the team on a roll as of late, Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida figures that the Heat will be very quiet at the trade deadline next week (Twitter link).
Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago gets the sense that Bulls superstar Derrick Rose won't be returning this season.
Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside provides a rundown of the top available point guards in the D-League and organizes them in groups by what they specifically have to offer.
After suffering a torn ACL on Tuesday night, Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel figures to be on a six-to-eight month recovery. Once touted by some to be the number one overall pick in this June's draft, Noel has slid to number three in Chad Ford's ESPN rankings of the top 30 prospects (Insiders only). On a side note, Darren Rovell (also of ESPN) tweets that Noel has a $10MM insurance policy in the event that he suffers a career ending injury.
In a statement issued to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, David Falk (the former agent of Michael Jordan) apologized for his disparaging comments about John Wall and the Wizards recently.
There have been a flurry of reports today about Lakers owner Jerry Buss' bout with terminal cancer, which was first reported by Amber Goodhand of Radar Online this morning. In a statement issued by the team today, it was made clear that there is no intention of selling the team to an outside group and that the Buss family plans to keep ownership of the Lakers for many generations to come (Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News).

Odds & Ends: Garnett, Rose, Knicks, Blazers

February 13th, 2013 at 11:36pm CST by Alex Lee

Kevin Garnett made some cryptic comments after the Celtics win on Wednesday night, stating that this weekend's festivities will be his last All-Star game, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Garnett signed a three-year extension with Boston in the offseason, so this statement obviously prompted confusion and resulting questions from media (via Chris Forsberg on ESPN.com):

"Y'all don't know what I know," Garnett said. "So, let's put it like this: I'm more than grateful for going, but I'm not going to act like I've got more All-Star Games in me, so I'm actually going to enjoy this one with some friends and family."

Garnett could obviously be implying that he will decline future All-Star invites, but given his tendency for hinting at walking away from the game, this is something worth following. Here are some other things going on around the league:

With his knee still bothering him, Derrick Rose told reporters that he "won't mind missing this year" if he isn't ready, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. This was the first time Rose spoke to the media since the start of the regular season, making this a surprising revelation. Rose was originally thought to be aiming for a post All-Star break return, but that sure seems like a long shot at this point. Based on Rose's words, it is clear that he intends to come back on his terms and will only do so when he is entirely healthy.
If the Knicks are truly inquiring on Luke Ridnour, sharpshooter Steve Novak may be the only piece they can move to get it done, writes Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops. Novak, recently relegated to more of a reserve role, makes $4.05MM — a number that matches up nicely against Ridnour's $4MM for this year and $4.3MM for next. Sheridan writes that Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni aren't real options to play meaningful minutes at the point. Sheridan considers Will Bynum of the Pistons to be the best fit for the Knicks.
Even if no high profile players are dealt by next week's deadline, look no further than last year to see how much a mid-level trade can make an impact on a franchise. The Blazers trade of Gerald Wallace to the Nets — while it didn't alter the landscape of the league a bit last year — resulted in the acquisition of Damian Lillard via the NBA Draft, and the subsequent expediting of the Blazers rebuilding process, says Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge.
Asked about the Lakers personnel, Hall of Fame basketball writer Mark Heisler, now of Sheridan Hoops, says via video that the Lakers won't be moving Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol or Kobe Bryant this year. Looking to the future, Hesiler says the team's No. 1 priority is to lock up Howard because, quite simply, he is "the only young player they have who's any good."

Eastern Links: Rose, Pargo, Shumpert, Will Bynum

February 12th, 2013 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bulls continue to hang around in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, there's been speculation that getting a certain former MVP back in the lineup could make Chicago the biggest threat to knock off the Heat. But as he tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Derrick Rose doesn't have a set timetable for his return and isn't about to rush back.

"I'm not coming back until I'm 110%," Rose said. "Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It's just that I'm not coming back until I'm ready."

As Bulls fans wait on Rose, let's round up a few links from around the Eastern Conference:

Jannero Pargo's second 10-day contract with the Hawks expired last night, and though Atlanta has interest in retaining him for the season, the team will keep the roster spot open for now, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). With just 14 guaranteed contracts on the books, the Hawks have a little flexibility to take on a player at the trade deadline.
Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld weighs the pros and cons for the Knicks if they were to trade Iman Shumpert.
Will Bynum's name figures to pop up in trade rumors over the next nine days, but the Pistons guard isn't thinking about that at all, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
ESPN.com's 5-on-5 panel debates whether "sell-high" trade candidates such as Amare Stoudemire, Kyle Korver, and Jameer Nelson would be worth the risk for potential suitors.
The Pacers are the team that would benefit the most by acquiring J.J. Redick from the Magic, writes Bradford Doolittle in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com.

Eastern Notes: Nelson, Bynum, Rose, Celtics

January 21st, 2013 at 7:53pm CST by Michael Pina

Magic guard Jameer Nelson is playing some of his best basketball of the season right now, and according to the Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz, the 30-year-old point guard is interested in playing until he's 40. Nelson signed a three-year contract with the Magic before this season.

CSNPhilly.com's John Finger reports that Sixers center Andrew Bynum has said he isn't feeling a lot of pain in his surgically repaired knee, and that his debut could come around the All-Star break.
ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg answered questions from readers about the Celtics recent struggles, and the likelihood that the team blows everything up.
The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson tweets that Derrick Rose could take part in full-contact drills as soon as this week in practice.