Dwight Howard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets, Heat Talk Dwight, Whiteside Swap

February 16th, 2016 at 8:34am CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 8:34am: The Heat have questions about Howard’s character and the way he’d fit with their team, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.com.

MONDAY, 10:56am: The Rockets and Heat are talking about a potential trade that would involve Dwight Howard and Hassan Whiteside, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Miami would have to come up with at least an additional $17,315,052 in salary to make such a trade work within the league’s salary-matching rules, thanks in part to Howard’s trade kicker, and significantly more if the Heat want to cut payroll to avoid repeat-offender tax penalties. The Heat have reportedly measured the market for Whiteside, and the Rockets have reportedly gauged interest in Howard, too, if only on a due-diligence basis.

Howard is making in excess of $22.359MM this season, while Whiteside earns the three-year veteran’s minimum of $981,348. Both are poised for free agency this summer, with the Rockets expecting Howard to opt out and Whiteside’s bargain contract set to expire. The Heat have only Early Bird rights on Whiteside, meaning they’d have to use cap room to pay him in excess of roughly $6MM next season. The same would be true for the Rockets, or any other team that might trade for him before Thursday’s 2pm Central time deadline. The Heat reportedly believe Whiteside, who turns 27 this summer, would command a salary of at least $17MM. The Sean Kennedy client will no doubt try for a max deal with a projected starting salary of $20.4MM, while Howard, only three and a half years older but with eight additional years of NBA experience, is expected to seek his max of a projected $29.3MM.

Miami has reportedly grown frustrated with the emotional Whiteside, while the Rockets are looking for answers while they sit at 27-28, in ninth place in the Western Conference. ESPN’s Chris Broussard said this morning that Howard would like to play for his hometown Hawks, though it’s unclear if Atlanta has interest, and the market for the former All-Star center apparently hasn’t been overwhelming so far.

Can you envision a workable trade proposal involving Howard and Whiteside? Share your ideas in the comments.

Southwest Rumors: Mavs Trade Talk, Davis, Spurs

February 15th, 2016 at 7:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks are not looking to making a major move, which all but rules out a potential blockbuster scenario for James Harden or Dwight Howard, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. It doesn’t make sense that the Rockets would deal one of their stars to an in-state team within their division, Sefko argues, plus the Mavs have few tradeable assets. Even if they manage to pull off such a deal, it would not push them past the Warriors or Spurs, so they’d be better off holding onto and developing young players like forwards Dwight Powell and Justin Anderson, Sefko continues. However, Dallas could make a smaller move for another shooter or an athletic big man, and the team would also be interested in bringing in either Kevin Martin or Joe Johnson if those veteran shooting guards reach buyout agreements with their respective clubs, Sefko adds. A closer look at some of the Mavs’ potential trade targets can be found here in a Morning News sidebar.

In other news around the Southwest Division:

The Pelicans will run any potential moves by their superstar Anthony Davis before pulling the trigger, Brett Dawson of The New Orleans Advocate writes. The All-Star power forward told Dawson that he will be asked for his input if New Orleans’ front office gets into any serious trade discussions. “I trust our organization,” Davis said. “Whatever they decide to do, of course they’re going to make sure I’m involved with it. I don’t go out [and say], ‘Let’s do this; let’s do that.’ I try to let them handle that and they come to me, and we all sit down collectively and try to figure out what’s the best move.”
The Spurs have used their D-League affiliate in Austin as a means to develop several players in recent seasons, as Melissa Rohlin of the San Antonio Express-News examines. Point guards Ray McCallum and Cory Joseph, shooting guard Jonathon Simmons and small forward Kyle Anderson are examples of players who have improved their games via their D-League experiences under the tutelage of Austin coach Ken McDonald, Rohlin adds.

Celtics Rumors: Lee, Thomas, Horford, Love

February 14th, 2016 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The trade deadline is just four days away, but the Celtics don’t feel any urgency to make a deal, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. A league source told Murphy that Friday’s rumored three-team trade with Cleveland and New York “never existed” and that Boston hasn’t talked to the Rockets about acquiring Dwight Howard. The Celtics are willing to add a player for the right price, but they believe everyone currently in play is overpriced. The source said that includes the Hawks’ Al Horford, whom the Celtics don’t want to invest heavily in because of his looming free agency. Boston had interest in the Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari, but the source said that would-be deal was “a dead issue” before it was even reported.

There’s more this morning out of Boston:

The Celtics haven’t found any teams interested in David Lee and his $15.5MM contract, Murphy writes in the same piece. The source said Lee has “no value” around the league, even though his expiring deal presents an opportunity for cap relief this summer.
Isaiah Thomas recently became a recruiter when a player from another team asked him about the benefits of Boston, Murphy adds. Thomas, who used the reputation of coach Brad Stevens as one of his selling points, wouldn’t offer any clues as to who the player was. “The coaching staff is great and the organization is 100% – it’s A1,” Thomas said. “I told him, You watch us. It’s fun to watch us. We were joking around the locker room about how everyone likes to watch the Boston Celtics, and how hard we play.”
The unidentified player may have been Horford, speculates A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. He noted that Thomas smiled and said, “I didn’t say that” when asked if it was Horford he was talking about. A late replacement pick for the All-Star Game, Horford is trying to focus on business as usual despite the trade talk. “I’m going to continue doing what I do,” he said. “I can’t control the speculation that’s going on.”
It’s unlikely the Celtics can get Kevin Love from Cleveland without a third team involved, Blakely said in an interview on SportsNet Central. Blakely explained that Boston has enough young players and draft picks to make a deal happen, but such a move wouldn’t get Cleveland any closer to a championship.

Southwest Notes: Howard, Morey, Davis, Grizzlies

February 13th, 2016 at 5:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwight Howard‘s risks have become greater than his potential reward, writes Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW. Sefko advises the Mavericks against pursuing Howard, whom they tried to get in free agency nearly three seasons ago. He notes that the league’s trend remains toward smaller and more athletic centers, and even among traditional big men, Howard is falling behind DeAndre Jordan and Andre Drummond. With the Rockets going through a disappointing season and Howard expected to opt out of his contract this summer, Houston’s front office has reportedly explored possible deals before next week’s deadline. Sefko notes that former teammate Chandler Parsons is likely to recruit Howard, but adds that Parsons can also opt out this summer, so his future in Dallas isn’t certain.

There’s more news from the Southwest Division:

The Rockets need to make a deal before the deadline to shake up their chemistry, argues Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. After reaching the Western Conference finals last season, Houston stumbled into this year’s All-Star break at 27-28 and in ninth place in the conference. “We’re generally an active team,” GM Daryl Morey said of the trade deadline. “I mean we won’t force anything. They’re not many windows where you get a chance to upgrade your team. We’ll have to look at it very closely.”
Pelicans center Anthony Davis doesn’t want to be one of those NBA stars who has a strong say in personnel moves, tweets Brett Dawson of The New Orleans Advocate. “I trust our organization,” Davis said. “Whatever they decide to do, of course they’re going to make sure I’m involved with it. I don’t go out [and say] ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that.’ I try to let them handle that and they come to me, and we all sit down collectively and try to figure out what’s the best move.”
Missing the playoffs, which is a possibility for the Grizzlies in the wake of Marc Gasol‘s injury, would also affect the organization on draft day, according to Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Memphis sent this year’s first-round pick to Cleveland in 2013 along with Marreese Speights in a salary-shedding deal. Denver currently owns the rights to the pick, thanks to the Timofey Mozgov trade, but it’s protected for both the top five selections and spots 15-30. The Grizzlies would keep the pick if they make the playoffs but likely have to give it up if they fall short of the postseason.

Atlantic Notes: Shaw, Howard, Mbah a Moute

February 13th, 2016 at 1:06pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Brian Shaw is reportedly a candidate for the Knicks head coaching position, and despite not having run the triangle offense during his tenure in Denver, Shaw said he could coach any system, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. “I was 12 years involved in it as a player and coach,’’ Shaw told Berman. “The funny thing about it is everybody makes a big deal about the triangle. Almost every team in the league runs different aspects. They’re not dedicated solely to the triangle. It’s something that will always be ingrained in me — the fundamentals of that offense. In Denver, I didn’t run the triangle. I could adapt to any style the personnel dictates.’’

The former Nuggets coach also hopes he isn’t solely judged by his performance in Denver, which was marred by injuries and player unrest, Berman adds. “It was a situation I don’t really feel I was able to succeed in,’’ Shaw said. “I don’t think anyone placed in that situation could’ve succeeded. I hope I’m not judged on the year-and-a-half I was there more so than the 27 years prior to that I’ve been involved in the NBA.’’

Here’s more regarding the teams of the Atlantic Division:

Despite the reports that the Celtics are targeting Rockets center Dwight Howard, team executive Danny Ainge is reluctant to part with assets for a short-term rental, a description Howard would potentially fit, since he can opt out of his deal this summer, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes. While Boston is looking to make a significant trade prior to Thursday’s deadline, it won’t get itself caught up in a bidding war for players, and the franchise is willing to stand pat, Himmelsbach adds. “This team is not in it for the short term,” a league source told Himmelsbach regarding the Celtics. Boston has also been linked to Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony, both of whom are under contract beyond this season.
Luc Mbah a Moute believed he would be back with the Sixers this season, but the team went in a different direction instead, leading the combo forward to sign with the Clippers after his deal with the Kings fell through. For his part, Mbah a Moute is pleased with how things turned out and he has found his niche in Los Angeles, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “It’s a life lesson, you know,” Mbah a Moute said. “It’s always something good when everything bad happens. You never know. When you go through it, it’s kind of tough. It’s always something that better comes out of it.“

Rockets Engage Teams About Dwight Howard

February 12th, 2016 at 9:55am CST by Chuck Myron

FRIDAY, 9:55am: The talk with other teams is more a matter of due diligence than not, Rockets sources tell ESPN’s Chris Broussard, who spoke in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link). One NBA GM tells Broussard that the Rockets have been gauging interest in him for about a month but have been surprised that no team has put forth an overwhelming offer.

3:08pm: The Raptors showed no interest when the Rockets reached out to them about Howard, league sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link).

2:41pm: Neither Howard nor Fegan has asked the Rockets for a trade, Fegan said in a statement to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). The agent also said that he isn’t privy to what the Rockets are doing, which would seem to counter the idea that they were working together.

THURSDAY, 1:25pm: The Rockets have engaged teams in trade talk about Dwight Howard and are working with agent Dan Fegan to find a new home for the former All-Star center who intends to opt out of his contract this summer, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Uncertainty surrounding whether either side wants to continue their partnership has prompted Houston to take action, Wojnarowski writes, noting that Howard is still expected to seek a max deal starting at a projected $29.3MM salary for next season once he turns down his roughly $23.282MM option.

Howard becomes the most significant name on the trade market, though the 30-year-old’s game isn’t what it used to be. He makes more than $22.359MM this season, a difficult salary to match for, and a 15% trade kicker worth about $600K further complicates the matter, as The Vertical’s Bobby Marks notes (on Twitter). Houston would have to pay him that amount in the event of a trade, but it would count as part of Howard’s incoming salary for whichever team would acquire him.

Howard, James Harden and GM Daryl Morey had an extended chat after Houston’s loss to Portland Wednesday, one that dropped the Rockets to ninth in the Western Conference, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN said in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link), and as RealGM transcribes. Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff was also involved, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, who notes that Howard made comments about the rest of the season with the Rockets (Twitter link), a hint that he doesn’t expect to be traded. Howard and Harden have no personal qualms, The Vertical’s Chris Mannix tweets, countering earlier reports, which Howard and the Rockets vehemently denied, that Howard was dissatisfied playing a secondary role to Harden.

The Celtics reportedly had a brief exchange with the Rockets about Howard within the past few weeks, but Houston’s asking price has been high, as Mannix reported earlier this month. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald wrote then that the Rockets had made efforts to trade Howard, even if the Celtics talk didn’t go anywhere.

What should the Rockets seek in return for Howard? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Texas Notes: Bickerstaff, Howard, Parsons

February 11th, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff says his team must use the All-Star break to try to come together as a cohesive unit, which is not currently the case in Houston, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com relays. “We’re broken,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s that simple. We’re a broken team, and we all need to use this break to figure out how we’re going to impact change. If we don’t want to impact change, then we need to be made aware of that, too, and we’ll go in a different direction. We can’t continue to go out and play this way. It’s easy to see it’s a fragmented bunch. You can’t win that way.” When asked what about the team is broken, center Dwight Howard said, “I’m not going to talk about what’s broken. It’s all we do is we talk about the issues that we have. Nobody is being positive.”

Jason Terry also complained about the team’s lack of rapport, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle relays (Twitter links). “The chemistry is not where you like it. I’ve seen worse. It’s not functioning as a unit. Do we like to play with each other?” The shooting guard did note that the players and coaches should be able to make the necessary changes and Terry wasn’t sure if there would be any roster changes made prior to next week’s trade deadline, Feigen adds. Terry was overheard walking through the team’s media room on Wednesday night saying, “No chemistry with that group. [Expletive] horrible,” Watkins tweets.

Here’s the latest from the Lone Star state:

Howard said he did not ask the Rockets to trade him, seconding what his agent Dan Fegan said earlier today, Marc Stein of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link) relays. “Dan’s statement is true. I have not asked the Rockets to trade me,” said Howard. “Nor have I talked about right trades. I want to win. I want this situation to work. I chose this team. And I’m not running because we have been faced with some adversity.“
Despite the Mavericks‘ lack of depth at point guard, Dallas should consider trading Raymond Felton and his expiring contract to a team looking to clear payroll for next season, Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports opines in his deadline primer for the Mavs. Felton, 31, is averaging 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 27.1 minutes per contest on the season.
The return to form by Chandler Parsons has the Mavericks optimistic about their chances of becoming a factor in the West after the All-Star break, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. “I’m feeling great,” Parsons told Sefko. “It’s some of the best basketball I’ve ever played in my career. My body feels great. I’m as confident as I’ve ever been. And I’m in a good place. Coach is getting me the ball in good spots. But it’s not really about me. It’s about the team and getting the highest possible seed we can and be playing as well as we can at the end.”

Western Notes: Griffin, Howard, Carter, Warriors

February 5th, 2016 at 10:28am CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers plan to make a concerted effort to look for Blake Griffin trades if they don’t make a long playoff run this spring, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (video link). That’s regardless of whether an opportunity arises to swap Griffin for Kevin Durant, a move the Clippers wouldn’t hesitate to make, according to Wojnarowski. Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers suggested before the season that he would be open to major changes if the team disappointed in the playoffs, as Zach Lowe of ESPN.com reported, adding that it appears as though Rivers isn’t eager to trade any members of the team’s core before the trade deadline this month. See more from the Western Conference:

The Celtics aren’t the only team the Rockets have engaged about Dwight Howard, but it’s unlikely a Howard trade happens this season as Houston isn’t shopping him so much as gauging his market value, reports Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Three executives from around the league told Mannix they wouldn’t approach the max in an offer to Howard in free agency this summer, and an Eastern Conference GM pegged a fair contract for him at three years and $60MM, Mannix relays.
Vince Carter plans to play next season, which would be his 18th in the NBA, and while he’s taking a year-by-year approach, he’d like to play 20 seasons, notes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Carter’s salary of more than $4.264MM for next season is partially guaranteed for $2MM, and fellow Commercial Appeal scribe Chris Herrington suggested recently that the Grizzlies will “almost certainly” waive him this summer and pocket the savings. Still, coach Dave Joerger expressed a fondness for the veteran swingman, as Tillery relays.
Executives from other teams know that so much as asking the Warriors about any of the key players on their roster would be ill-advised, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports as he analyzes Golden State’s trade assets.

Western Notes: Howard, Pecherov, Simmons

February 4th, 2016 at 9:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Rockets center Dwight Howard has heard the trade rumors regarding himself, but insists that he isn’t concerned about his immediate future, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News relays. “There’s always going into be rumors and speculation,” Howard said. “I don’t want to pay attention to it. I didn’t say it. What can I do? There’s nothing I can say. Teams are going to say what they have to say. It doesn’t matter what I say. I’m here now. I’m a Rocket. That’s the only thing that matters. People are always going to have rumors and say certain things. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a distraction. Nobody thinks about that stuff. I know my mind is on trying to get better every day. I feel like I was in a good stretch and got hurt. I’m going to try to get back. That’s my mindset. We don’t sit around and talk about what’s going to happen next year because that means you’re really not in it. You don’t want to have those thoughts.”

Here’s more from out West:

Nuggets camp cut Oleksiy Pecherov has signed with the Lebanese team Sagesse, Orazio Cauchi of Sportando reports. Pecherov, 29, has been out of the NBA since the 2009/10 campaign when he appeared in 44 games for the Timberwolves. The center has career NBA averages of 3.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.2 blocks to go along with a slash line of .386/.290/.793.
Based on the Spurs‘ track record of developing players, the team should think twice about trading away Jonathon Simmons and Kyle Anderson in any potential deals, as both have reasonably high upsides, Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports opines in his trade deadline primer for San Antonio.
Blazers big man Ed Davis says he has found a home in the NBA for himself in Portland and admits he had some maturing to do after a difficult experience being buried on the Grizzlies bench during the 2013/14 campaign, writes Jason Quick of CSNNW.com in his profile of the player. “I think I grew up quicker after that,’’ Davis said. “I didn’t carry myself as well as I should have when I was there. I wish I would have communicated more with coach [Dave] Joerger. I never got into it with him – was never suspended, fined or had a skirmish in the locker room – but I wish I would have been more outspoken, like asking him what was going on, and what did he expect from me.’’

Latest On Danilo Gallinari, Celtics

February 4th, 2016 at 10:30am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics have aggressively pursued a trade for Danilo Gallinari, but the Nuggets have consistently rebuffed them, Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports said in a radio appearance on the “Toucher & Rich” show on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston (audio link via CSNNE.com). That confirms a report last week from Sportando’s Orazio Cauchi, who heard that the Celtics were targeting Gallinari and that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was keen on his shooting ability and leadership skills. The Nuggets are similarly enamored with the Italian-born small forward, and they want to build around him, Mannix said.

Denver has set a high bar for Gallinari offers, demanding at least two first-rounders, according to Cauchi, and he and Emmanuel Mudiay are among the few Nuggets the team would object to parting with, as Mannix explained. The Celtics have no shortage of draft assets, but the unprotected 2016 first-rounder they have from the Nets is “definitely not available,” writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

The Gallinari talks with the Celtics never amounted to more than a conversation, even though the Nuggets are otherwise “open for business,” Mannix said. Gallinari became eligible for inclusion in a trade just this week on the six-month anniversary of the rare renegotiation-and-extension he signed over the summer. That deal gives the 27-year-old salaries that add up to $45.15MM from this season through 2017/18, though he can opt out after next season.

The Celtics have also been linked to Dwight Howard with several conflicting reports. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, who first reported the discussion between Houston and Boston, wrote that the Celtics had engaged the Rockets, but Mannix said Houston initiated the dialogue.