Eric Bledsoe Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Eric Bledsoe, Draft, Players Abroad

February 7th, 2013 at 9:52pm CST by Daniel Seco

On this date in 1987, Michael Jordan won his first NBA Slam Dunk contest in Seattle with his famous leap from the foul line maneuver that wowed the sold-out crowd and viewers across the country. Let's catch up on the latest news and stories making headlines from around the league.

Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe hasn't let himself get too concerned about trade rumors involving his name, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. “Right now, I’m focused on Miami,” Bledsoe said. “We play Miami next and I’m thinking about Miami. I’m just worried about winning. Everything else is going to happen.”
Unlike in 2012 when the whole world knew Anthony Davis would be selected number one overall in the NBA draft, there is a lack of certainty surrounding the pick in 2013, says Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd). Ford analyzes six different potential selections, including Kentucky star Nerlens Noel, who he considers to be the closest thing to a top pick at this point in the year.
Max Ogden of Sheridan Hoops looks at the current situations of former NBA stars such as Gilbert Arenas and Tracy McGrady as they continue their careers overseas.

Kevin Garnett Rumors: Monday

February 4th, 2013 at 10:23pm CST by Luke Adams

A report from the Sporting News yesterday indicated that the Clippers and Celtics had engaged in talks about a possible Kevin Garnett trade. Even with Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger out for the year, a Garnett trade appears unlikely, considering he negotiated a no-trade clause into his most recent contract in hopes of retiring as a Celtic. Still, a couple more updates relating to the Clippers/C's rumor surfaced since yesterday, so we'll round those up right here:

Garnett will not waive his no trade clause unless Paul Pierce is also dealt, a source tells Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth (on Twitter). Even then, he would only give his consent to a deal that puts him in Los Angeles since he lives in Malibu. That would mean a deal to the Clippers and not the Lakers since there's no match for a deal there.
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers aren't pursuing Garnett and haven't even had any conversations with the Celtics' front office about a potential deal that would include Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler.

Earlier updates:

There's nothing happening between the Clippers and Celtics at the moment, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. In a second tweet, Shelburne clarifies that she's not ruling out the possibility entirely, but there's no current progress.
The Clippers' stance on trades, involving Garnett or anyone else, dictates that a deal would have to make sense for both now and the future, says Shelburne (via Twitter).
According to Paul Flannery of SBNation.com, the Garnett trade rumor was floated from the Clippers' side, rather than the Celtics'. It would take more than Bledsoe and Butler to pique Boston's interest, and even then there's no guarantee KG would waive his no-trade clause, writes Flannery.

Clippers, Celtics Engaged In Kevin Garnett Talks

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers have reached out to the Celtics about trading for Kevin Garnett, and any offer would include Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link). Deveney cautions, via Twitter, that the Celtics haven't decided yet whether to break up their core, but it appears they'll have at least one option if they decide to do so. Ric Bucher reported earlier this week that some GMs would be reluctant to trade for Garnett, fearing he may retire before his contract is up in 2015, even if Garnett might not be quite ready to hang it up at the end of this season.

Garnett is one of four players who negotiated no-trade clauses into their contracts, so he'd have to approve any deal. A swap of Garnett for Bledsoe and Butler would work for salary-matching purposes, but I'm not sure the Celtics, with Rajon Rondo in the middle of a team-friendly deal, would have interest in a package headlined by an up-and-coming point guard. Bledsoe would fill the void left while Rondo recovers from his ACL injury, but the Celtics would have a decision to make either this summer, when Bledsoe is up for an extension on his rookie deal, or next, when he's set to become a restricted free agent. Rondo, like Garnett, is signed through 2015. Butler makes $8MM this season and next, so his presence wouldn't do much to help the Celtics clear cap space.

The Clippers' proposal makes much more sense from their end. Garnett would provide veteran leadership for a team looking to make unprecedented strides in the playoffs. He'd strengthen a front line that includes Blake Griffin, and he would probably see fewer minutes than he's getting in Boston with DeAndre Jordan and Lamar Odom around in Los Angeles. A reduced role may fit the bill for the 36-year-old Garnett, whose aging legs prompted the concern from league executives that Bucher passed along.

Stein’s Latest: Gasol, Celtics, Smith, Jazz

February 2nd, 2013 at 8:53am CST by Sean Highkin

ESPN.com's Marc Stein has posted his latest Weekend Dime column, featuring updates on several prominent players whose names have been featured in trade rumors ahead of the February 21 deadline. Here are the highlights of Stein's report:

Stein doesn't believe the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol before the deadline, although the Raptors are making a push to acquire him with a package built around Andrea Bargnani.
Although the Clippers have shown no indication of wanting to trade Eric Bledsoe, a swap of the third-year guard to the Celtics for Paul Pierce could make the most sense for both sides, Stein writes.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge recognizes that Pierce and Kevin Garnett don't have the value that would likely make it worth trading then, so he may instead look to move Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, or Jeff Green to get the team under the luxury tax threshold.
The Hawks have been gauging trade interest in Josh Smith, Stein reports. Although they are very open to moving the forward, there is hesitance because other teams don't want to risk him walking in free agency and Atlanta doesn't want to take on long-term salary.
Executives around the league don't expect the Jazz to trade Al Jefferson, saying they will either move Paul Millsap instead or stand pat.
Given their ownership situation, the Kings will likely not make any moves before the deadline. There has been interest in Tyreke Evans, although DeMarcus Cousins remains untouchable.
The Trail Blazers are not looking to make any moves that will help them in the short term, preferring to preserve their flexibility.
Teams expect the Magic to trade J.J. Redick, but executives tell Stein that GM Rob Hennigan is asking for young talent or draft picks for the veteran sharpshooter.

Western Notes: Bledsoe, Grizzlies, Lakers, Howard

January 28th, 2013 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

While one Eastern Conference team lost a star for the season this weekend, a Western Conference club could be preparing to welcome one back to the court. According to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group, Andrew Bogut may return to action for the Warriors tonight in Toronto. Here are a few more notes out of the West:

Before they drafted Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers tried hard to make Eric Bledsoe their point guard of the future, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, who says the Blazers offered Jamal Crawford and a first-round pick for the Clippers' backup point guard last year. "Yeah, I knew [the Trail Blazers] were calling for me," Bledsoe said. "They have a great fan base, but I wasn't too worried about it at the time."
Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Memphis isn't in a rush to make another trade, and "it's more likely than not that we do nothing." According to Tillery, the team has received a number of proposals for Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph since December, but none were viewed as fair-value offers.
The Lakers are still waiting to find out whether they'll receive a disabled player exception after losing Jordan Hill for the season. GM Mitch Kupchak is expecting to hear from the league sometime this week, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Appearing on 103.3 KESN-FM in Dallas, ESPN.com's Marc Stein suggests that the Mavericks have a better chance at landing Dwight Howard via free agency rather than via trade (link from the Dallas Morning News).
For his part, Howard tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he doesn't have time to focus on free agency at this point.

Lakers Notes: Howard, Trade Rumors, Hill

January 23rd, 2013 at 4:24pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Lakers look to improve upon a 5-14 road record tonight against the Grizzlies in Memphis, we'll check in on a few of today's updates out of Lakerland….

After complaining earlier this week about not getting enough touches, Dwight Howard apologized today, accepting responsibility for his struggles and saying he needs to work harder, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. "I've just got to go out there and dominate defensively and make it tough for teams," Howard said. "I just have to get back to doing that and not worry about the offense."
Howard, on the return of the trade rumors that followed him everywhere last season: "I understand why they're saying that because they feel like I have an opportunity to just walk away. That is my choice at the end of the season but right now my focus is tonight and us doing something real special in L.A. We have that opportunity and we can't close the door on the opportunity that we have in front of us. We can turn this thing around."
Bresnahan also reports that the Lakers had a sort of "clear-the-air" team meeting before today's shootaround, and that the players "went at each other a little bit." The meeting included Steve Nash saying he was open to any style of play, as long as everyone was comfortable with the system, and Kobe Bryant directly asking Howard if the All-Star center dislikes playing with him.
According to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, the Clippers would offer Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan for Howard. However, even if the Lakers were considering moving D12, Broussard admits it's unlikely they'd send him to their L.A. rivals.
Jordan Hill underwent successful surgery on his left hip today and is expected to be sidelined for six months, the team announced in a press release.
Earlier today, we looked at a few of Mitch Kupchak's comments on the team, Mike D'Antoni, and trade options.

Los Angeles Notes: Lakers, Kobe, Bledsoe

January 17th, 2013 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Both Los Angeles teams will be in action tonight on TNT, looking to extend their respective winning streaks to three games. The Clippers will be in Minnesota to face the reeling Timberwolves in the early game, while the Lakers host the Eastern-Conference-leading Heat in the late game. As we look forward to those contests, here are the latest links out of L.A.:

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak would prefer to exercise patience with the team's roster and sounds skeptical about the possibility of a trade, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "We don't have many options," Kupchak said Wednesday. "It's not like we're going to be active or overly active in the trade market."
Because of the early-season coaching change and the numerous injuries the team has suffered, it's not fair to say the Lakers' roster needs to blown up, according to Kupchak. "If everybody had been together and coach [Mike] D’Antoni had been here from day one and Steve Nash hadn’t gotten injured and our record still was what it is today, then that’d be a different story," Kupchak said, according to Medina. "Then you have to look in the mirror and say the team we put together is not good enough."
Chris Paul's recent knee injury has given Eric Bledsoe the chance to start for the Clippers, providing the sort of starring-role opportunity many rival teams were hoping to see, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. The Clippers are unlikely to consider trades for Bledsoe in part due to concerns about how it would affect team chemistry, but the 23-year-old's recent boost in playing time could serve as a sort of audition for clubs that intend to pursue him down the road.
According to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link), Andre Miller is skeptical that Kobe Bryant will really retire when his current contract expires in 2014, as Kobe has suggested a few times.

Western Notes: Brewer, Suns, Bledsoe, Rush

January 16th, 2013 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Among the highlights on tonight's NBA schedule: A pair of Western Conference showdowns, as the Spurs host the Grizzlies and the Thunder look to extend their Conference lead with a win against the Nuggets. While we wait for those games to get underway, here are a few links from around the West:

Corey Brewer tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link) that he'd like to re-sign with the Nuggets in July when his contract expires. "Yeah, I’d like to be here," Brewer said. "I like the fans, I like the city, I like the system, I like George Karl’s system, I like my teammates. So it’s a good situation for me."
Given the Suns' current record and place in the standings, coach Alvin Gentry acknowledges that it may be time to look to the future and give his younger players more minutes, as Bob Young of USA Today writes.
Eric Bledsoe wants to be a starting point guard in the NBA at some point, but for now he's happy to learn from Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups on the Clippers, says Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Agent Mark Bartelstein tells Ken Berger of CBS Sports that his client Brandon Rush underwent successful knee surgery today and is expected to make a full recovery (Twitter links).. With his health not a given this summer, I'd imagine Rush will exercise his $4MM player option for 2013/14 and remain with the Warriors.
Mavericks guard Mike James spoke to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the challenge of making an impression while playing on a 10-day contract.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld recognized the Trail Blazers multiple times in his picks for the NBA's best offseason moves, giving Portland the nod for best first-round pick (Damian Lillard) and best coaching hire (Terry Stotts).

Rudy Gay Rumors: Friday

January 11th, 2013 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

In Hoops Rumors' live chat yesterday, I picked Rudy Gay as the biggest name I think will be on the move before this year's trade deadline. With nearly six weeks still remaining until February 21st arrives, I don't expect anything to be finalized soon, but that doesn't mean the rumors aren't continuing to swirl around Gay. Here's the latest:

Sam Amick of USA Today adds a new team to the mix for Gay: the Clippers. According to Amick, a package that includes Caron Butler, Eric Bledsoe, and picks could provide exactly what the Grizzlies are seeking. The Clippers are "justifiably wary" of making a move that would affect their chemistry, and are reportedly not looking to move Bledsoe before the deadline, but the club would at least consider Gay, says Amick.
The Nuggets, Kings, and Rockets, three teams that have been mentioned as potential suitors, don't appear to have any interest in Gay at the moment, according to Amick.

Paul: Bledose Capable Of Running Own Team

January 11th, 2013 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

With Chris Paul manning the point for the Clippers, backup guard Eric Bledsoe has only played about 18 minutes per game this year, despite performing admirably off the bench. Bledsoe's production hasn't gone unnoticed by Paul though — CP3 tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com that he thinks the 23-year-old is capable of running an NBA team.

"He deserves to run his own team, he deserves to be a starter somewhere,'' Paul said. "So when the time comes, I'm going to be the biggest advocate for him to get the money he deserves.''

Bledsoe is only in the third year of his rookie contract, so he'll be extension-eligible in the summer of 2013, but won't be eligible for restricted free agency until the summer of '14. And it's unlikely that he's going anywhere anytime soon. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported last week that the Clips expect to hang on to Bledsoe at least until they're 100% sure that Paul will re-sign with the team this summer.

Broussard echoes Stein's report, noting that clubs inquiring on Bledsoe are "quickly and decisively told no." However, he says that a trade around the time of the June draft is a real possibility. Paul can't officially re-sign with the Clippers until after the moratorium period in July, so L.A. may also wait until that point to seriously consider dealing Bledsoe.

According to Broussard, the Hornets and Wizards are among the teams that have shown interest in Bledsoe. Presumably, Washington's interest came when the team was first faced with the possibility of being without John Wall for significant time. If the Clippers were to make Bledsoe available this coming summer, I'd expect plenty more clubs to inquire.