Dwight Howard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers/Celtics Updates: Sunday

June 16th, 2013 at 8:26am CST by Chuck Myron

There were a lot of moving parts involved in Saturday's dominant storyline, a proposed trade that would send Celtics mainstays Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to the Clippers. Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, with an assist from Chris Broussard, as well as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times rounded up the relevant details late last night. Based on their reports, here's what we know right now:

The Celtics are seeking Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and at least one future first-round pick in return for Garnett and Rivers. They're also insisting the Clippers take on the contract of either Jason Terry or Courtney Lee.
The Clippers are reluctant to give up Bledsoe, in large measure because of his value for other potential swaps, perhaps a sign-and-trade for Dwight Howard. Still, a source tells Turner that a swap of Bledsoe and Blake Griffin for Howard won't happen.
An executive told Turner that the Clippers appear to be holding up the deal, while the Celtics want to hurry it along, given Rivers' desire to coach the Clips.
If the Clippers do the deal, they'd follow by pursuing Paul Pierce. The Celtics may waive Pierce by June 30th to prevent his $15.3MM contract, which is partially guaranteed for $5MM until that date, from becoming fully guaranteed.
Clippers owner Donald Sterling is willing to give Rivers a three-year deal worth about $6MM per year, or about $1MM less annually than what Rivers would make with the Celtics.
The Celtics are prepared to bring Rivers back as their coach if no deal is reached with the Clippers. Garnett, like Rivers, has yet to commit to playing next season, but the chance of him doing so would be significantly enhanced if Pierce is back with the Celtics as well.
If the trade doesn't happen by Tuesday or Wednesday, the Clippers will choose between Lionel Hollins and Brian Shaw for their next coach. Of the two, Hollins is the front-runner, but both are also in the mix for the Nuggets job.

Trade Rumors: Howard, Griffin, Bledsoe

June 15th, 2013 at 7:50pm CST by Spencer Lund

With the Celtics' Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett trade to the Clippers losing steam for now, Sam Amick writes at USA Today that the Clippers were reluctant to part with third-year guard Eric Bledsoe because he could be used in a possible trade for the Lakers' Dwight Howard.

The trade would involve Blake Griffin and Bledsoe for Howard, but many have already weighed in and said the Lakers are still looking to re-sign Howard and have not discussed a deal with the Clippers just yet. Here are some of the reports about a possible Dwight-Griffin/Bledsoe exchange:

Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com hears from a Lakers team source that the Lakers have not even broached the possibility of trading Dwight to the Clippers with in-house discussions yet (Twitter).
An NBA executive told Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the Lakers will either sign Howard or let him walk to save cap space for next summer (Twitter).
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports that the Lakers have resisted overtures from the Clippers to a sign-and-trade for Howard, with his source claiming the Lakers "will never do it" (Twitter).
ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe, Arash Markazi, says he can't see the Clippers trading Griffin anywhere, let alone to the Lakers (Twitter).
ESPN.com's J.A. Adande says that if Howard thinks the Clippers are his best option to stay in LA, then he has to realize how much "90% of the city would hate him" (Twitter).

Eastern Rumors: Hawks, Dwight, Bobcats, Celtics

June 15th, 2013 at 1:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

Since 2007, the only teams to win the Eastern Conference have been the Celtics, the Magic, and whatever team LeBron James has been on. The Magic probably won't be getting back to the Finals anytime soon, and the core of those Celtics teams could soon disappear. Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett may all wind up with the Clippers, removing one of LeBron's most prominent conference rivals. We've got more on the Celtics saga and other news from the East:

The Hawks hired Darvin Ham as an assistant coach, the team announced, prompting ESPN's Chris Broussard to speculate that the move was done in part to appeal to Dwight Howard (Twitter link). Ham has been an assistant with the Lakers the past two years, and worked with Howard this year. The Bobcats also had interest in Ham, as Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes via Twitter.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge still believes coach Doc Rivers will return for next season, according to Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald, who hears from an agent who figures that Rivers won't coach any team next season.
The Celtics will have to rebuild sooner or later, Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth argues. Powell says that now appears to best time to do so, and he lays out a plan that involves waiving Pierce, letting Rivers coach the Clippers, and dangling Garnett in trade offers.
Vladimir Radmanovic didn't see much playing time on his one-year deal with the Bulls this past season, but his agent, Alexander Raskovic, says the 32-year-old still intends to play for an NBA team next season (Twitter link).

Lakers Won’t Sign And Trade Howard

June 15th, 2013 at 9:07am CST by Zachary Links

If Dwight Howard leaves the Lakers this summer, the Lakers won't help pave his way to a new destination with a sign-and-trade deal, sources tell Mark Heisler of CBS Los Angeles. Barring a great deal that they don’t expect to be offered, insiders say the club’s fallback position would be to bring back this team and bank the savings.

Even though they wouldn't salvage something for their star center, they would save roughly $50MM in salary and luxury tax. That would put them under the luxury tax threshold after next season, which has been a Laker priority for some time but is even more important given the stiff penalties of the new CBA. Those savings would give the Lakers $55MM worth of cap space for the 2014 free agent class, which could include LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

The Lakers acquired Howard knowing they would have to pay him an average of ~$23.6MM per season, because of his unique value. If they lose him, the Lakers would only pay that much for someone else they think has unique value, Heisler writes.

Nets Rumors: Dwight, Kidd, Prokhorov, Blatche

June 14th, 2013 at 9:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

Earlier today, we learned Nets backup point guard C.J. Watson will decline his player option for next season, and our Atlantic Division roundup was heavy with news on Brooklyn's team. The Nets continue to make headlines, as we detail:

Nets GM Billy King attempted to throw some cold water on the idea that his team is still in the mix for Dwight Howard, telling Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that, "The (team's) core is going to stay intact." King also said that he'll prioritize adding shooting off the bench and more athleticism as he tweaks the roster this summer (Sulia link).
Though a report prior to Jason Kidd's hiring as Nets coach indicated "the Russians are on board" with the move, Kidd has yet to speak with owner Mikhail Prokhorov, Bondy tweets.
Most NBA head coaches don't coach in the summer league, but Kidd will do just that next month as he prepares to take over the Nets bench, according to Newsday's Roderick Boone.
Andray Blatche is hitting free agency after succeeding on his one-year, minimum-salary deal, and it will be hard for the Nets, who only have his Non-Bird rights, to give him much of a raise. Still, teammate Reggie Evans is holding out hope. "In my heart, I'm expecting him to be back," Evans said to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).

Chris Paul, Dwight Howard Hoping To Team Up?

June 14th, 2013 at 9:39am CST by Luke Adams

The two top players available on this year's free agent market have interest in teaming up and playing together, according to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. Broussard reports that Chris Paul and Dwight Howard have been "texting back and forth" to try to figure something out.

Considering first-year salaries in maximum contracts for Paul and Howard would combine to total $39MM+, there likely won't be many teams that would be able to accommodate both players, barring a significant discount on one or both. However, the Hawks may be able to clear the necessary room to make max offers to both players, while a handful of other teams, including the Rockets, could use sign-and-trades to make space.

According to Broussard, although Howard has previously been averse to the idea of playing in his hometown of Atlanta, he'd be open to considering it if it meant playing with Paul. However, Broussard adds that CP3 is unlikely to leave Los Angeles, making the Clippers the preferred destination for the two stars if they're to become teammates.

The Clippers could theoretically bring Howard aboard via a sign-and-trade, though it's hard to imagine the Lakers agreeing to such a deal with their Staples Center cohabitants, as Broussard writes. The same goes for the Clippers sending Paul to the Lakers, a task that would be even more difficult, given the Lakers' payroll situation. Teams acquiring a player in a sign-and-trade aren't permitted to surpass the tax apron (expected to be about $75.6MM) at any point after the deal — max contracts for CP3 and D12 would make it virtually impossible for the Lakers to get under that apron.

A deal that lands both players on the Clippers wouldn't be quite as challenging, but as Broussard notes, for the Lakers to seriously consider it, it would likely take an offer that includes Blake Griffin and perhaps Eric Bledsoe as well. A blockbuster trade like that between the two Los Angeles teams seems a bit outlandish to me, but if Howard was set on joining Paul with the Clippers, the Lakers certainly wouldn't find a better return than a Griffin/Bledsoe package.

Field Of Suitors For Dwight Howard Widening?

June 13th, 2013 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

The field of potential suitors for Dwight Howard has "widened considerably," sources tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (Twitter link). According to Kyler, the Lakers, Hawks, Rockets, Mavericks, Spurs, and Nets are all expected to pursue the All-Star center this offseason.

We've heard plenty about the interest that a handful of those teams have in Howard — the Lakers remain optimistic about re-signing him, while the Hawks, Rockets, and Mavs are all seeking an impact player and have a good chance to create room for a maximum contract offer. The Spurs and Nets, on the other hand, haven't been mentioned in the Howard discussion with the same amount of frequency, though I think there are reasons for that.

In the Nets' case, while we've heard they still maintain interest in Howard, they also have $86MM+ in salary commitments for next season. Without the cap space to sign D12 outright, they'd need to complete a sign-and-trade, and ultimately end up below the tax apron, which figures to be in the neighborhood of $75.6MM. Given the amount of undesirable contracts on the roster, it's hard to envision a scenario in which the team is able to make something work, even if Kyler tweets that they're "willing to do whatever it takes."

As for the Spurs, they've been linked to Howard multiple times by Kyler's fellow writers at HoopsWorld. Their path to cap room is easier, but they still likely won't have quite enough space for a max offer. Clearing the necessary cap room would also figure to mean parting ways with Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter, unless those players were inclined to agree to significant home discounts. On top of that, I'm skeptical that a team whose chemistry is arguably unmatched around the league would risk making such a big commitment to Howard, considering the circus that's followed him around the last two seasons.

Even if the Nets and Spurs are long shots for Howard, we've heard that he'll be willing to listen to pitches from just about any interested team, so plenty of clubs will have the chance to at least kick the tires this summer.

Rockets To Chase Both Howard & Paul

June 9th, 2013 at 12:59pm CST by Zachary Links

While the Rockets have been heavily tied to Dwight Howard for several months, he's not their only free agent target this summer. The team is also planning a similar and simultaneous pursuit of Clippers guard Chris Paul, a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Another individual familiar with the team’s plans termed the two stars as “targets No. 1 and 1A.” The difference, of course, is there have been far more indications that Howard will be receptive to the Rockets’ recruiting efforts. Meanwhile, it's too early to know if Paul is disinterested or just keeping his thoughts on Houston private.

James Harden has spoken with Howard about the Rockets and playing in Houston, but he is even closer to Paul thanks to their time together with USA Basketball. It still seems as though Howard is a more likely get for Houston than CP3 given the big man's fondness for coach Kevin McHale.

An individual with knowledge of Howard's thinking also says that he would be open to signing a four-year deal as he would be able to re-up as the NBA gets more TV money and, potentially, a fresh Collective Bargaining Agreement. They'll have to free up cap room to land D12 as well and a Thomas Robinson deal has been pointed to by many as the easiest way to make space. However, a person with knowledge of GM Daryl Morey's plans says there are about "20 other ways" that the finances can be worked out.

Kupchak Talks Dwight, Recruiting, Improvement

June 5th, 2013 at 6:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Mike Trudell of Lakers.com that his "hopeful" and "optimistic" feelings about the team's chances to re-sign Dwight Howard haven't changed since the season ended, even as rumors have proliferated about the big man's willingness to go elsewhere. Kupchak also spoke about front office dynamics, confirming he and Jim Buss are the primary decision makers, and the exodus of all but one of the team's assistant coaches. The transcript of the Q&A is worth reading, particularly for Lakers fans, but we'll note a few particularly intriguing passages here:

On his pitch to Howard:

"We would try to do what the other teams will do, which is convince him that this is the spot for him. I think we have an advantage in that he's played here for a year. I'm biased — I think this is the best city to live in with the best fans in the NBA. There are certain things that you remind him of or talk to him about, and you hope that it plays in your favor."

On the Lakers' recruiting advantages:

I do think we have advantages. Historically, this organization, via ownership beginning in 1960 has fielded competitive teams. We think the city sells itself, and we have a very passionate, wide fan base. It's also very competitive, the rules have changed a little bit, but we do have financial flexibility a year and a half from now. It can be used a lot of different ways. You don't just have to focus on free agency; you can take a contract. If a player doesn't fit into someone's roster from a salary perspective — maybe due to the repeater tax, for example — maybe you find a guy that way. There are a lot of ways you can use the space that we will have, and we're looking forward to having that flexibility.

On the difficulty of improving a taxpaying team that has only a late second-round pick:

It's a challenge. Even in the lottery, there's a likelihood that a player is not going to help you that year. Often times, the higher someone is drafted, the more likely he is to help you that year. With a veteran team, it's hard to say that a player drafted in the mid-second round will make an impact next year. Assuming our team next year is similar to the team it was this year, and also understanding that we have several free agents, probably the best way to improve this team would be through free agency, and even that's limited. Hopefully you can use your mini mid(-level exception), but most of the time it will fall towards the (veteran's) minimum contracts, and you want to make good selections there. But you're not going to get really good, productive young players at a minimum salary. You'll end up getting the older player who's had a good career that's looking to contend for a championship, like Antawn Jamison last season.

Pacific Notes: World Peace, Howard, Kings, Suns

June 4th, 2013 at 7:41pm CST by Alex Lee

Let's round up any and all links from the West's Pacific division in this post tonight:

Confirming Jason Jones' report from earlier, the Kings announced the firings of assistant coaches Jim Eyen, Alex English, and Clifford Ray via press release. However, former assistant Bobby Jackson will be retained in some fashion, but will not serve as an assistant under Michael Malone.

Earlier updates:

The Lakers have granted the Hawks and Bobcats permission to speak to Darvin Ham, currently an assistant in L.A., about joining their staffs, tweets Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News.
Metta World Peace will continue to defer to his agent, Marc Cornstein, on what he should do about his $7.7MM player option with the Lakers in 2013/14, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News, who exclusively spoke with the veteran forward. World Peace has until June 25 to make a decision. If he exercises his option, he will force the Lakers to make a decision on whether or not to use the amnesty provision on him.
While the Lakers certainly have a built-in advantage when it comes to signing Dwight Howard, there are plenty of factors that make him obtainable for other teams, writes ESPN salary cap guru Larry Coon. In this Insider only piece, Coon breaks down what it will take for Howard to land with the Rockets or Mavericks, both of which are considered realistic destinations.
It looks like new Kings head coach Michael Malone will not retain any assistant coaches from Keith Smart's staff from last season, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. According to the team's media guide, Smart's staff consisted of assistants Alex English, Jim Eyen, Bobby Jackson and Clifford Ray.
Suns managing partner Robert Sarver understands that his team's rebuilding process could be long and painful, writes Paul Coro for USA Today. With the No. 5 pick in a draft that seems devoid of high-end talent, and not enough star power to lure one of the big-time free agents, franchises like Phoenix need this patient approach to avoid the pitfalls of trying to rebuild too quickly.