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Southwest Rumors: Gordon, Hornets, Grizz, Odom

April 12th, 2012 at 4:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Around the time I posted this afternoon's Free Agent Stock Watch piece on Eric Gordon, SI.com's Sam Amick published an article in which he discussed Gordon's impending free agency with the Hornets guard himself. While New Orleans has the inside track to sign Gordon this summer, Amick names the Pacers, Trail Blazers, Mavericks, and Suns as other teams with some interest. The Hornets' new ownership group could also have an impact on how aggressive New Orleans is in matching rival offers for Gordon.

Here are a few more Southwest Division links:

  • Mike Dunleavy is part of the group likely to purchase the Hornets, a fact that concerns the team's current management, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. "Mike is going to want his own people in there, he has a reputation as a control freak," a Hornets source told Deveney. "It will be good for the team obviously to have an owner in. But I think everybody is a little on edge because of that, because you don't know what is going to happen. Or I guess you do know, you know there are going to be changes coming once there’s a new group in charge. It could be a house cleaning."
  • Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins has transformed the team's rotation through minor roster moves and lineup shuffling, says Rob Mahoney of the New York Times.
  • Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com wonders how much money Lamar Odom cost himself in the long-term due to his poor season with the Mavericks.
  • Mavericks owner Mark Cuban never believed that Odom wanted to sit out this season, writes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
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Free Agent Stock Watch: Eric Gordon

April 12th, 2012 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

In theory, a player like Eric Gordon, who has been limited to just five games this season, should be seeing his free agent stock take a huge hit. After missing most of the season with a knee injury, Gordon has also been bothered by back and hip issues recently. For a player who also missed significant time in 2010/11 with a wrist injury, it seems like earning the "injury-prone" label is unavoidable, hurting his leverage in free agency.

However, Gordon is in a unique position as he approaches restricted free agency. Having been the centerpiece of the blockbuster trade that sent him to New Orleans for Chris Paul, Gordon isn't a player the Hornets can simply let walk away without a fight at season's end. The 23-year-old's leverage is strong enough that he reportedly turned down a four-year deal worth about $50MM earlier this season, while he was on the shelf with knee problems.

Gordon's free agency will be perhaps the most fascinating case to watch this offseason. He probably won't receive the most money — Deron Williams figures to receive that honor. But Gordon should draw interest from a number of teams. His hometown Pacers have long been rumored to have interest, and other teams facing possible holes at shooting guard, such as the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Trail Blazers, will have the cap room to make Gordon a big offer, if they so choose.

Gordon is a talented scorer who poured in 22.3 PPG with the Clippers a year ago and figures to only get better, as long as he stays healthy. But he's not a superstar, and his health issues are a genuine cause for concern. I don't think he deserves the sort of four-year, maximum-salary contract that Kevin Love signed with the Timberwolves.

With the league-owned Hornets determined to salvage the Paul trade though, they'd likely be willing to pay close to the max to keep Gordon in a New Orleans uniform for the next few years. The question is whether or not another team will force them to go that high. If you're the Pacers, do you offer Gordon a lucrative four-year deal that could compromise your tremendous cap flexibility? What if the Hornets decide not to match, and you end up locked into a contract in the neighborhood of $14MM annually for a pure scorer who may be an ongoing injury risk?

For Gordon, the other question is whether or not he even wants to play in New Orleans long-term. If he prefers to sign elsewhere, he could simply accept the Hornets' qualifying offer, bet on his health for next season, and then become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2013. That'd be a big risk though, since he'd giving up his current leverage with New Orleans, and another injury or two next year would raise serious red flags.

Although I expect Gordon to ultimately re-sign to a near-max deal with the Hornets, this one could go in a number of different ways. The Pacers still seem to be the most serious threat to New Orleans, but we'll see how this plays out in July.

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Odds & Ends: Williams, Miller, Gordon, D-League

April 11th, 2012 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Wednesday afternoon links from around the Association:

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Injury Updates: Stoudemire, Hamilton, Gordon

March 28th, 2012 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

With the season winding down, health and injury issues loom larger than ever. Teams with injured players may look to find reinforcements via 10-day contracts or rest-of-season deals, while free-agents-to-be with injury woes could see their stocks affected by their health problems. Here are a few Wednesday morning updates on a few such situations:

  • The Knicks announced today that Amare Stoudemire will undergo non-surgical treatment on a bulging disk, and will miss two-to-four weeks (Twitter link). With Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin also battling nagging injuries, New York could look to the D-League or free agency to add depth.
  • Richard Hamilton is "very close" to returning for the Bulls and there's a chance he plays tonight, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. I'd imagine Mike James' contract status relies on Hamilton's health to some extent, though the Bulls have the roster space to bring James back for the rest of the season either way.
  • The Hornets could have Eric Gordon back in their lineup in "a matter of days," writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. A centerpiece in the Chris Paul trade and a restricted free agent at season's end, Gordon has played just two games for New Orleans. A healthy final few weeks for him could make a significant impact on the contract he signs this summer.
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Kyler’s Latest: Sessions, Crawford, Hornets, Bulls

March 8th, 2012 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

In today's NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler explores a few potential trade situations, providing the latest updates. Here's what he has for us:

  • The Cavaliers aren't seeking a significant return for Ramon Sessions. The club would prefer a draft pick and an open roster spot rather than a filler player.
  • While no deal is imminent, the Timberwolves' interest in Jamal Crawford is very real, and they appear to be the frontrunner. The Blazers are still talking to several teams about Crawford, however.
  • Mike Dunleavy, who is part of the group that is the favorite to buy the Hornets, feels like he could get Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman, two of his old players, signed to new deals in New Orleans.
  • The Bulls are talking to other teams, but appear to be surveying the landscape rather than actively trying to get any deals done.
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Odds & Ends: Gordon, Chandler, Celtics, Martin

February 22nd, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to a busy evening schedule highlighted by Hawks/Knicks and Mavericks/Lakers matchups, here are a few Wednesday links that we haven't covered elsewhere:

  • Asked about the possibility of signing with his hometown Pacers as a restricted free agent this summer, Eric Gordon sounded intrigued by the possibility, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star writes. "Coming back here would be a lot of pressure," Gordon said. "But I think it would be good for the fans. We'll see. You never know where this summer will take me."
  • Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post is curious to see how much money and how many years the Nuggets will offer Wilson Chandler, who may not be a future starter for the team. The Raptors' interest in Chandler may have an impact on his negotiations with Denver as well.
  • Injuries could force the Celtics to sign or trade for a big man, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
  • Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld explores what the future holds for Kevin Martin, who doesn't appreciate the way the Rockets are handling his contract situation, according to Ingram.
  • If the Heat sign Mickell Gladness to a second 10-day contract, it will likely happen after the All-Star break, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. With Joel Przybilla headed to Portland, I'd be surprised if Miami didn't re-sign Gladness, whose first 10-day deal just expired.
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Kyler On Rose, Gasol, Martin, Gordon

February 20th, 2012 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

As we covered this morning, Steve Kyler shared a few Dwight Howard rumors in his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld. Here's the latest from Kyler on a few more topics:

  • Bulls sources vehemently denied having contact with the Lakers regarding Pau Gasol, and said Chris Sheridan's report about Derrick Rose giving his blessing for the Bulls to pursue Gasol didn't originate from Rose. Kyler himself is skeptical about the rumor, noting that it would be out of character for Rose, who has avoided recruiting players.
  • Replying to a question about the Rockets trading Kevin Martin, perhaps to the Timberwolves, Kyler tweets that there is "real interest." It's unclear whether he's referring to the Rockets being interested in dealing Martin or the T-Wolves being interested in acquiring him, but you could make an argument that both teams would be motivated to pursue such a deal.
  • The Hornets are open to moving Eric Gordon, but only if he could bring back a "legit star," tweets Kyler.
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Odds & Ends: Heat, Thornton, Gordon, Gasol, Lin

February 19th, 2012 at 12:05pm CST by Daniel Seco

With 10 games on the schedule for Sunday, let's take a quick look around the league to see what's happening:

  • Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel responds to a reader's question wondering if the Heat are setting themselves up for NBA Finals failure by not beefing up their post play. Winderman points to LeBron James as a player who could utilize his unique size to provide the Heat with an option to slow down the game in fourth quarter by getting the ball in the paint.
  • Former Warriors forward Al Thornton has signed to play with Puerto Rico's Brujos de Guayama according to Sportando. The former Seminoles star averaged 7.4 PPG and 3.0 RPG during the 2010/2011 season with time split between Golden State and Washington.
  • The Hornets are playing a waiting game with injured guard Eric Gordon, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. The former Indiana star was acquired prior to the start of the season in the Chris Paul blockbuster but has only played in two games thus far. He'll become a restricted free agent this summer with the Hornets holding hope that they can re-sign him for a manageable price.
  • Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN.com says it's been an unique season for Pau Gasol as he awaits his fate amidst trade rumors that he'll be moved prior to the trade deadline. Kamenetzky concedes his affection for the Barcelona native but would trade him to the Nets in exchange for Deron Williams in a heartbeat.
  • According to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter), Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is currently searching for Jeremy Lin's 2010 Mavericks summer league jersey so he can sell it on eBay. No word yet on the reserve price.
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Hornets Notes: Buyers, Gordon, Johnson

February 15th, 2012 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, we heard that the Hornets will sign Solomon Jones to a 10-day contract and that Eric Gordon underwent successful knee surgery. Today brings more news on the Hornets, so let's round it up right here….

  • David Stern has reduced the list of potential buyers for the Hornets from about seven to two or three, writes J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. The commissioner is optimistic about completing a sale by month's end.
  • Following Gordon's surgery, coach Monty Williams said reports suggesting the 23-year-old doesn't want to play for the Hornets are "way off base," according to the Associated Press (via ESPN). Williams added that Gordon is "a big part of what we want to do and where we're going."
  • The Hornets are making a mistake by not being more forthcoming with the team's fans, says John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
  • Italian team Novipiu Casale is eyeing Trey Johnson, according to a Sportando report. Johnson signed with Novipiu Casale but didn't play with the club due to an injury. Johnson returned to the NBA in December, appearing in 11 games with the Hornets before being waived late in January.
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Hornets Notes: Kaman, Gordon, Sale

February 14th, 2012 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

Led by Chris Kaman's 27-point, 13-rebound showing last night, the Hornets topped the Jazz 86-80 for their first win in February and just their third victory of 2012. As the Hornets head to Milwaukee hoping to continue their winning ways Wednesday against the Bucks, let's check out some New Orleans notes…

  • Kaman, who sat out the Hornets' last game with an ankle sprain, likely impressed potential suitors with his performance vs. the Jazz. His 27 points and six offensive rebounds were easily season highs. Kaman talked to reporters after the game about pushing himself to play through the injury (New Orleans Times-Picayune link).
  • Eric Gordon underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee today, the team announced. With Gordon set to miss another six weeks, the Hornets' decision not to extend him last month looks a little sounder. Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star speculates (via Twitter) that Gordon's injury issues could temper the Pacers' interest when the 23-year-old becomes a restricted free agent this summer.
  • The list of potential buyers for the Hornets has been "whittled from a half-dozen or so," reports Jimmy Smith of the Times-Picayune. Hornets chairman Jac Sperling spoke positively about the team's current roster and its future: "They play hard every night…. You look at that, plus three, four, five players any given night who could be playing but aren’t. You add that with a couple of (2012) draft choices, you add that with a new owner coming in next year and I’m really optimistic about what this team could be like if we were at full strength with two new draft choices and a new owner."
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