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Knicks Talked To Pietrus, Childress; Brand Unlikely

July 9th, 2013 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

10:48am: The Knicks have also spoken further to Mickael Pietrus, according to Zwerling (via Twitter). Pietrus is expected to return stateside in a couple weeks, and will work out for interested teams at that point, says Zwerling.

10:28am: As they continue to search for inexpensive bench help, the Knicks have explored the possibility of signing Josh Childress, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. Zwerling reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have had discussions, and that Childress may be open to the veteran's minimum.

With only the mini mid-level exception and the minimum-salary exception at their disposal this summer, the Knicks have run into trouble adding veterans to the roster so far. The team reportedly had interest in players like Carlos Delfino, Francisco Garcia, and Will Bynum, but those three free agents, and many others, have already reached agreements with other clubs.

The Knicks have agreed to re-sign Pablo Prigioni using a portion of their mini MLE, so there's still about $1.7MM left on that exception. However, presumably if talks became serious with Childress, New York would push for a minimum-salary deal to maintain some flexibility. Still, even if the Knicks can hang on to the rest of the MLE, the team is unlikely to sign Elton Brand, according to Zwerling (Twitter link).

Childress, 30, appeared in 14 games with the Nets last season before the team released him.

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Cavs Offered Bynum Two-Year, $24MM Deal

July 8th, 2013 at 9:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cavs are pushing for free agent center Andrew Bynum to accept a two-year, $24MM+, incentive-based contract offer, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.  Cavs execs met with Bynum in Cleveland on Monday, but could lose patience with waiting on him to make up his mind.

Cleveland's offer includes a team option in the second year of the deal, sources told Wojnarowski. The 25-year-old met with Hawks officials after his Ohio pow-wow and Cleveland has begun to engage free agents Andrei Kirilenko and Elton Brand on possible one-year deals that would preclude the Cavaliers from the ability to sign Bynum, according to league sources.

The incentives of a possible Bynum contract have incentives tied to completing training camp and reaching minutes and games-played plateaus in the regular season.  The team option on year two could be giving the center pause as his camp has been looking for one-year, high-money deals that would allow him to hit the market again next summer.

The Cavaliers see the possibility of a Bynum reclamation project coupled with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving making for a strong recruiting pitch to LeBron James next summer.  They'll have competition for his services though.  In addition to the Hawks, Bynum is also set to sit down with the Mavericks this week.

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Free Agency Rumors: Odom, Brand, Tinsley

July 6th, 2013 at 8:18pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Mavs will bring back point guard Devin Harris, but they're also considering another former guard, this one from their title-winning 2011 team: Jose Barea. 

Earlier this month, there were rumors of a sign-and-trade involving O.J. Mayo and either the Wolves' J.J. Barea or Luke Ridnour. This came before the Mavs locked up their point guard slot by signing Jose Calderon. 

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com says (via Twitter) the Mavs have $8MM in cap space after Jose Calderon signed with them and O.J. Mayo signed with the Bucks, but there are ways to increase that figure, he notes. We already reported that the signing of Calderon likely knocks Barea out of the running for a return to the Mavs in a sign-and-trade since the Mavs have their point guard now and Mayo is gone.

Here's what else is happening around this busy Saturday night, including more Mavs' rumors as they go with plan B after failing to sign Dwight:

  • Besides bringing Harris back, the Mavs are also looking at re-signing Elton Brand, reports McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. McMahon also mentions their interest in Jermaine O'Neal, as previously iterated.
  • The Lakers, fresh off the disappointing exit of free agent Dwight Howard, are looking at Elton Brand and Lamar Odom, reports ESPNLosAngeles' Ramona Shelburne (Twitter links). But interest levels for Odom are hard to determine on both sides, and they may not be able to afford Brand, Shelburne continues.
  • Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune says (via Twitter), that besides the Nets, the Jazz were among Jamaal Tinsley's primary suitors. Oram says Tinsley remains interested in returning to the Jazz.
  • In the first three years of Chris Grant's position as the Cavs' general manager, he spent less than $7MM in free agency. This summer he's spent $34MM counting option years, tweets the Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Loyd.
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Free Agent Rumors: Bynum, Teague, Kirilenko

July 6th, 2013 at 3:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

Free agents continue to reach deals with teams across the NBA in advance of Wednesday, when agreements can become official. Here's the latest on the moves that could be next:

  • The Mavs were in contact with Andrew Bynum even before Dwight Howard turned them down, and Stein tweets that Dallas is indeed pursuing the oft-injured Bynum now that Howard is out of the picture. Still, the Mavs will make a detailed and careful evaluation of the big man's health before reaching an agreement, according to Stein.
  • Jeff Teague's camp is becoming increasingly frustrated with the Hawks, who have yet to engage in meaningful negotiations on a new deal, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). The point guard is a restricted free agent, so Atlanta controls his destiny.
  • The Kings aren't considering Andrei Kirilenko, tweets Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee.
  • The Knicks remain in play for Elton Brand, as do other teams, but a decision could come this weekend, a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
  • The Jazz and Grizzlies also made offers to Dorell Wright, who wound up agreeing to join the Blazers instead, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The Thunder also made an offer, as previously reported, Haynes notes.
  • Decision makers within the Blazers front office have led The Oregonian's Joe Freeman to expect that the team won't re-sign Elliot Williams (Twitter link).
  • Joe Dumars, fresh off his agreement to sign Josh Smith, has his sights on a perimeter sharpshooter for the Pistons, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (on Twitter). Keith Langlois of Pistons.com agrees, and hints that the team could hit the trade market as well (Twitter link).
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Atlantic Notes: Copeland, Knicks, Raps, Stevens

July 5th, 2013 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up the latest news, notes, and rumors out of the Atlantic Division….

  • Chris Copeland's agent John Spencer isn't ruling out his client returning to the Knicks, but he expects to receive offers starting at higher than $1.75MM. As Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, after committing a portion of their mid-level to Pablo Prigioni, the Knicks only have about $1.75MM left on their MLE. Using that remaining money on a power forward like Elton Brand is more likely than a Copeland reunion, according to Berman.
  • Assuming Copeland doesn't take less to remain in New York, the Pacers, Lakers, Jazz, and Nuggets are in play for him, according to Spencer.
  • Agent Andy Miller tells Berman that his client, Sebastian Telfair, would "consider the Knicks very strongly." New York is eyeing another point guard and has also been in touch with reps for Earl Watson, Will Bynum, Aaron Brooks, and Devin Harris.
  • The second year of the Raptors' agreement with Julyan Stone won't be fully guaranteed, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Smith notes within the same piece that it remains extremely unlikely Toronto uses its amnesty clause next week.
  • Celtics GM Danny Ainge had long targeted Brad Stevens as a potential replacement for Doc Rivers, as Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe writes (subscription required). Ainge himself confirmed at this morning's press conference that Stevens was his first phone call after the Rivers transaction, tweets Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
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Odds & Ends: Wolves, Tanking, Knicks, Robinson

July 3rd, 2013 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

It's been another busy day in NBA free agency, with Manu Ginobili, Garrett Temple, and Donald Sloan agreeing to terms, while O.J. Mayo appears to be closing in on a deal of his own. As we wait to see which player is next to come off the board, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the NBA….

  • A source tells Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities that there has been contact between the Timberwolves and Matt Barnes' camp (Twitter link).
  • In his latest chat session, Chad Ford of ESPN.com fielded questions on last week's draft, next year's draft, and the issuing of tanking vs. rebuilding. Ford issued a series of tweets last night suggesting that a lot of teams appear interested in tanking next season, while Tom Ziller of SBNation.com replied with a column suggesting that rebuilding isn't necessarily synonymous with tanking.
  • The Knicks, who are hoping to split up their mini mid-level exception on two players, inquired again on Elton Brand today, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. While Brand is receiving plenty of interest, no officials offers are on the table yet, says Zwerling (Twitter links).
  • ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton (Insider link) and Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com (via The Basketball Jones) share their thoughts on the Clippers/Suns/Bucks three-way trade, while Grantland's Zach Lowe provides his take on that deal and a number of yesterday's free agent agreements.
  • According to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter), BDA Sports has signed Thomas Robinson, who had previously been represented by Tony Dutt.
  • In a piece for ShamSports.com, Deeks explains the difference between team options and non-guaranteed contracts, and why the distinction can be important.
  • When Dwight Howard makes his decision, expect a number of free agent dominos to begin falling, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
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Knicks Rumors: Prigioni, Smith, Blair, Brand

July 3rd, 2013 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

With a limited amount of flexibility available to bring back J.R. Smith, and only the mini mid-level exception to offer Chris Copeland and/or Pablo Prigioni, it will be tricky for the Knicks to bring back all their free agents this summer. Here's the latest out of New York on the team's continuted attempts to improve the roster:

  • With an international report suggesting that the Knicks have extended a two-year contract offer to Prigioni, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets that Prigioni told a friend today that he hopes to reach an agreement with the club "real soon."
  • There's a growing feeling among insiders that Smith will sign with a team besides the Knicks, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Based on the money available from rival suitors, one agent tells Zwerling that Smith "has to" leave New York, though we did see him take a discount to re-sign with the Knicks last year.
  • In a separate tweet, Zwerling passes along a couple more notes, reporting that DeJuan Blair will be too pricey for the Knicks, and that Kenyon Martin may field other offers this week.
  • Marc Berman of the New York Post examines the Knicks' pursuit of Elton Brand, noting that the team may have to use part of its mini mid-level exception to lure the veteran big man to New York.
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Knicks Preparing Offer For Elton Brand

July 2nd, 2013 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

10:45am: While Brand is interested in the Knicks, he also has a strong interest in returning to the Mavs, who remain fond of him, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

10:33am: Although there's definitely mutual interest between Brand and the Knicks, no deal is imminent, tweets Howard Beck of the New York Times, adding that Brand is fielding offers from several contenders.

10:15am: The Knicks are preparing to make a contract offer to power forward Elton Brand, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). According to Zwerling, mutual interest is "high" between the Knicks and Brand, who is interested in joining a winning team.

Brand, 34, is coming off a mammoth five-year deal that paid him in excess of $18MM in 2012/13, but will be in line for a significant pay cut this summer. If he signs with the Knicks, he'd only be able to sign for the veteran's minimum or a portion of the team's mini mid-level exception ($3.18MM).

After reaching an agreement to acquire Andrea Bargnani, the Knicks will add a stretch four to a frontcourt that also includes Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler. With Marcus Camby heading to Toronto though, and Kenyon Martin and Kurt Thomas on the open market, New York will likely to be looking to add a tough inside presence or two to complement its current lineup.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported over the weekend that Brand was on the Knicks' radar.

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Knicks Rumors: Will Bynum, Watson, Harris, Brand

June 30th, 2013 at 9:37am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks are expected to be well into the luxury tax for next season, but that won't stop them from trying to improve their team, especially given the allure of the Madison Square Garden spotlight. Here's the latest:

  • The Knicks are looking for a point guard to replace the retired Jason Kidd, and have Will Bynum, C.J. Watson and Devin Harris on their radar, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post, who identifies Bynum as tops on that list. They're also looking for a backup big man, with Elton Brand and Lamar Odom under consideration, along with incumbent Kenyon Martin. 
  • J.R. Smith believes he'll get an offer that exceeds the maximum of approximately $5.4MM that the Knicks can give him, Berman adds. The Bucks, Pistons and Suns are considering Smith.
  • The Knicks are resigned to the idea that Chris Copeland will sign elsewhere for more money, according to Berman. More than half a dozen other NBA teams are chasing Copeland. Berman believes the team may try to work out a sign-and-trade involving Copeland that would net a trade exception around $4MM, allowing the Knicks to bring aboard another player that way. The Knicks are also open to the idea of trading Steve Novak, Berman writes. 
  • The Knicks like Mike Dunleavy and Marco Belinelli, but they're prioritizing a point guard instead with their mini mid-level, according to Berman.
  • GM Glen Grunwald and company hope proven veterans will become available in trades, and likely would be willing to part with anyone other than Carmelo Anthony for the right deal, Newsday's Al Iannazzone reports.
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Western Notes: Brand, Mavs, Nash, Suns, Grizzlies

April 23rd, 2013 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Western Conference home teams are 5-0 in playoff games so far, after Chris Paul's buzzer-beater lifted the Clippers to a thrilling Game Two win over the Grizzlies last night. The Nuggets will look to make it six straight victories for favorites in the West tonight against the Warriors. While we wait for that game, let's check out some items from around the conference:

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