Derrick Williams Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Ingram On Love, Derrick Williams, Mayo

December 14th, 2012 at 4:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's been a busy day of news off the court for the Timberwolves, as we passed along a number of Wolves rumors earlier today, and this afternoon HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram checks in with a few more.

Ingram praises the offseason moves of Wolves GM David Kahn, and believes that if Kevin Love continues to criticize the team, Minnesota might be better off trading him, perhaps to the Lakers in a Pau Gasol swap.
The Wolves would like to send Derrick Williams out as part of a package, and Ingram thinks Williams might fit in well with the Cavs. Earlier today, we heard that Minnesota reportedly has strong interest in Anderson Varejao.
Ingram lists Nicolas Batum and O.J. Mayo as the two offseason targets the Wolves missed out on, adding that Mayo took less money because "he had his heart set on Dallas." Going into the summer, the Wolves were seen as a team that might go after Mayo, but this is the first we've heard suggesting that Minnesota did indeed pursue him. It seems that Mayo couldn't have been turning down too much money, from the Wolves or anyone else, to sign with the Mavs, given his recent comment to Stein that he was disappointed with the two-year, $8.22MM deal he got.

Stein On Pau, Raptors, Varejao, Jazz, Gentry

December 14th, 2012 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com's Marc Stein has published his Weekend Dime, and leads off the jam-packed column with a look at a handful of players that are candidates to be dealt before February 21st's trade deadline. Here are the highlights on those guys, and from the rest of Stein's piece:

The Lakers continue to recognize that they're unlikely to get fair value for Pau Gasol, given his health, salary, and performance, and would prefer to avoid another major shakeup anyway. So for now, they're still not seriously considering a Pau trade.
Multiple front-office sources view the Raptors as the team most motivated to make a move. The team would like to make Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon in tandem, but Bargnani's elbow injury may force Toronto to deal Calderon on his own. The Lakers and Mavericks have interest, though neither team is an obvious match for Calderon's $10.5MM+ salary.
NBA teams believe Anderson Varejao is "highly available," but are skeptical he'll be dealt, since the Cavaliers' high asking price is only increasing. Cleveland is seeking multiple young assets for Varejao, according to Stern, who says the Thunder, a potential match, have exhibited little interest.
Teams around the league aren't sure whether the Jazz would be more inclined to trade Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson, but the general consensus suggests one of the two will be dealt by the deadline for a front-line point guard.
Stein lists a few other names that come up repeatedly in talks with sources as trade candidates: Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings, Derrick Williams, Luke Ridnour, J.J. Barea, Michael Beasley, Courtney Lee, and D.J. Augustin.
Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley may already be interested in buying another team, with the Bucks as a potential target, according to Stein.
Robert Sarver's assurances that Alvin Gentry will keep his job as Suns head coach shouldn't be viewed as a "dreaded" vote of confidence. Sources tell Stein that Sarver likes Gentry "too much personally to make an in-season change."

Odds & Ends: Williams, T’Wolves, Mirotic, Gasol

December 10th, 2012 at 10:07pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 1995, the (Vancouver) Grizzlies lost to the Raptors 93-81 in the first ever meeting between Canadian NBA franchises. That Grizzlies squad went 15-67 on the year and finished 14-68 in their sophomore campaign. Today, they play 2,500 miles away from Vancouver and are lightyears ahead of where they once were as they boast the third-best record in the Western Conference. Here's more from around the Association..

T'Wolves forward Derrick Williams says that president David Kahn hasn't mentioned talk of a Pau Gasol trade to him, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. "I don’t think we necessarily need to talk like that. Myself and [Nikola Pekovic] are big part of the team," said Williams.
The Bulls should make Nikola Mirotic untouchable as one NBA front office source says that he is the best prospect still playing in Europe, writes Nick Gibson of Sheridan Hoops. The Hornets have so far rejected the idea of parting with 24-year-old Ryan Anderson and Gibson opines that Chicago should take the same stance on the Real Madrid star.
Kyrie Irving will have a greater impact for the Cavs upon his return than Pau Gasol will for the Lakers, opines Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops. GM Mitch Kupchak recently told Gasol's representatives that he will be forced to explore a trade if things do not improve for the forward and the team as a whole.
The Lakers are playing about as well as they can given what they have available, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.

Latest On Pau Gasol

December 7th, 2012 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As we noted in our round-up of Timberwolves rumors earlier today, president David Kahn spoke to reporters at the team's shootaround today, something that doesn't happen often. Kahn wanted to clear the air on recent trade rumors, telling the media that he hasn't spoken to the Lakers about a deal since the summer, and that he was concerned about the players whose names had been involved — Kahn intends to speak to Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic, tweets Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Whether Kahn's comments were made for the sake of P.R. or whether he was telling the truth, Gasol rumors involving Minnesota and other clubs continue to circulate. Here's the latest:

The buzz around the NBA suggests that teams aren't eager to trade for Gasol and his $19MM annual salary, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter). One team exec tells Amico that the Heat are the only team that would trade for Gasol, while Amico adds that clubs may be more willing to give something up for Andrea Bargnani. This strikes me as a little odd, since it's not clear what Miami could give up for Gasol beyond one of its Big Three, and as ineffective as Pau has been so far, Bargnani has been even worse for the Raptors.
In his latest mailbag, Sam Smith of Bulls.com addresses a few questions on Gasol, writing that he thinks it's "inevitable" that the Lakers trade the big man.
Following up on his report about Gasol drawing interest from the T-Wolves and Raptors, ESPN.com's Marc Stein discusses potential suitors for Pau on TrueHoop TV. According to Stein, the Lakers seem committed to making things work with the Spaniard, so they'll take their time assessing how the lineup looks when Steve Nash returns before making any decisions.

Wolves Rumors: Williams, Gasol, Roy, Pekovic

December 7th, 2012 at 11:19am CST by Luke Adams

Although Ricky Rubio had been angling to make his return to the court for the Timberwolves tonight, the team has announced that he won't play against the Cavs (Twitter link). Still, even though Rubio's debut won't happen today, it seems it's getting close, which is good news for the T-Wolves. Here are a few more items out of Minnesota:

Speaking to the media today, David Kahn said there was no truth to any trade rumors involving the Lakers and that he hasn't spoken to them since the summer (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

Rob Pelinka, Derrick Williams' agent, has "voiced his displeasure" about his client's lack of playing time, reports Wolfson. According to Wolfson, Pelinka hasn't requested a trade, but has asked about the likelihood of a deal, and was told the Wolves want to see Williams on the court with Rubio first, since the two worked well together last season.
David Kahn has spoken to other general managers, but there's nothing serious in the works yet, says Wolfson. A team source tells ESPN 1500 that the Wolves are interested in Pau Gasol, but that a deal would likely have to include a third team.
The T-Wolves are open to going into luxury-tax territory next season if it's necessary, according to Wolfson.
The doctor who performed Brandon Roy's latest knee procedure would be surprised if the former Blazer retired, though it's been "loosely discussed."
A team source hints to Wolfson that there's a "healthy internal debate" about whether the Wolves want to commit a big, long-term deal to Nikola Pekovic.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune explores the Pau rumors, and writes that the T-Wolves figure to be interested in Gasol right up until he's traded somewhere. Zgoda also outlines a few reasons why Minnesota would have interest in acquiring the Spaniard.

Raptors, Wolves Interested In Pau Gasol

December 6th, 2012 at 10:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:51pm: The report connecting Gasol and the Timberwolves is news to the T-Wolves, tweets Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

8:07am: The Raptors and Timberwolves recently attempted to initiate trade discussions with the Lakers about Pau Gasol, but Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has convinced the club to continue to take a pass on offers until Steve Nash returns, as Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne report for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza are among those the Raptors are talking about including in a Gasol deal, according to Stein and Shelburne. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who's told by rival executives that the Raptors are the most likely destination for Gasol, hears that Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo is currently unwilling to include Bargnani in a deal. That could change, however, if Colangelo starts to feel pressure to win now.

It's an "open secret" that Wolves GM David Kahn has been after Gasol since last season in attempts to put together a core of Kevin Love and Spaniards Gasol and Ricky Rubio, Stein and Shelburne write. Kahn's trade offers have been built around Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic, packages that continually meet with rejection from the Lakers.

Hornets power forward Ryan Anderson, reportedly L.A.'s No. 1 target in a Gasol deal, is a "virtual untouchable" as far as New Orleans is concerned, according to the ESPNLosAngeles.com story. The Hawks, Rockets and Nuggets have no interest in obtaining Gasol, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.

The 32-year-old Gasol is making $19MM this year and is due $19.286MM next season in the final year of his deal. He's averaging 12.6 points per game on 42% shooting, both career lows, and has missed the last two games because of tendinitis in both knees.

Western Notes: Evans, Wolves, Williams, Davis

December 6th, 2012 at 9:14pm CST by Luke Adams

There's only one game on the Western Conference schedule tonight, so as we wait for the Mavericks and Suns to tip off in Phoenix, let's round up a few notes out of the West….

Tyreke Evans' play of late shows why he could either be an integral part of the Kings' rebuild or a valuable trade chip later in the season, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
The Timberwolves are finding success with bringing in international players from overseas, as an Associated Press report details (link via NBA.com). "To me, it's just a natural extension of scouting," said team president David Kahn. "Just as you can't afford to be negligent about the domestic side, you can't afford to not be on top of matters internationally."
Andrew Perna of RealGM.com spoke to Derrick Williams about trying to live up to the expectations of being a second overall pick.
In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's John Hollinger takes a look at some long-term deals signed this summer that have been money well spent so far. Ryan Anderson, Omer Asik, and Alexey Shved are among the names on Hollinger's list.
Anthony Davis tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that he's looking forward to a bright long-term future with the Hornets.

Western Notes: Gasol, Lillard, Williams, Mavs

November 30th, 2012 at 7:54pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes around the Western Conference on Friday evening:

Robert Silverman of the New York Times wonders what sort of return the Lakers could get if they decided to trade Pau Gasol.
Nicole Auerbach of USA Today has a feature on Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and the impact he is having on other players hoping to make it to the NBA from mid-major schools.
HoopsWorld.com's Bill Ingram thinks it's too early for the Timberwolves to give up on Derrick Williams.
Ingram also thinks the Mavericks will be able to get a couple more high-level seasons out of Dirk Nowitzki.
John Reid of the Times-Picayune writes that Hornets coach Monty Williams is urging guard Brian Roberts to shoot more.

Odds & Ends: Gooden, Aldridge, Gasol, Bulls

November 27th, 2012 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

With most of the Bench Mob gone, this year's version of the Bulls isn't built for 48 minutes, opines Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. However, Luol Deng seems to disagree with that view, as he told reporters today.

"It's not fair to the guys that are here, the new guys, to be compared to the guys from the last two years," Deng said, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. "They’re still getting used to it. Even the Bench Mob, the first year we had them, it took a while to get going. When we got going, it clicked. The year after that, last year, what helped us a lot was we had a lot of guys returning so we knew how we play and how to play with each other. We’re still learning how to play with each other."

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

While the Bucks would like to move Drew Gooden's contract, there's no urgency to "dump" him, since he's still a mentor and leader in Milwaukee, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com makes his case for why the Trail Blazers should consider trading LaMarcus Aldridge. Blazers GM Neil Olshey reportedly told Aldridge last month that the team has no intentions of dealing him.
Although Pau Gasol has a 15% trade kicker, he'd actually only receive about a 3.4% bonus if the Lakers dealt him, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains.
Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman believes Derrick Williams could be a realistic target for the Thunder if GM Sam Presti gets involved on the trade market again this season.
Several NBA scouts told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that it's unfair to compare Kentucky freshman and potential 2013 No. 1 pick Nerlens Noel to former Wildcat Anthony Davis. "I think Anthony Davis’s IQ is so high that he’s unique that way," said one scout. "This is a guy that was a small player, a two guard, who could handle the ball, do all those things. I mean, Nerlens could never be a ball-handler. He’s not a passer, ball-handler guy."

Timberwolves Rumors: Williams, Finley, Roy

November 23rd, 2012 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves got an unexpected lift on Wednesday when Kevin Love returned earlier than anticipated from the broken hand that had sidelined him for the last few weeks. Although reports suggested Love wouldn't be back until December, he looked to be in midseason form in his debut, racking up 34 points and 14 rebounds against the Nuggets. It wasn't enough to propel the T-Wolves to victory, but the team will get another shot to get its first win with Love on the court tonight vs. the Trail Blazers. In the meantime, here are a few rumblings out of Minnesota:

Derrick Williams tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (Twitter link) that he was preparing to become a Trail Blazer this summer when rumors involving a Nicolas Batum sign-and-trade were swirling. Asked if he was just listening to speculation or if he had inside info, Williams replied, "I guess you could say inside information" (Twitter link).
With Michael Finley attempting to make an NBA comeback, the Wolves received a call from Finley's camp, but said no thanks, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Brandon Roy's future is still to be determined, tweets Wolfson, who says the idea of possible retirement came up when Roy spoke to GM David Kahn last Friday.
Earlier this afternoon, we heard that the Timberwolves briefly signed Demetris Nichols and Troy Hudson before the season in order to hang onto the duo's D-League rights. Both players are now on the roster for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Minnesota's D-League affiliate.