J.J. Hickson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hickson, Blair Remain With Respective Teams

February 21st, 2013 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers were unable to work out a deadline deal involving J.J. Hickson, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com (via Twitter). Hickson will remain in Portland.

The Spurs were also unable to find an acceptable offer for DeJuan Blair, who will remain with San Antonio, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter).

J.J. Hickson Likely To Remain With Blazers

February 21st, 2013 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 12:14pm: A Hickson deal looks increasingly unlikely for the Blazers, even if the big man were willing to approve a deal. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports (via Twitter) that Portland doesn't have one offer on the table that makes sense, while Ken Berger of CBSSports.com tweets that there may not even be much interest if the team downgrades the asking price to a second-rounder.

WEDNEDAY, 1:27pm: J.J. Hickson has been the subject of a few trade rumors in recent weeks, but unlike most trade candidates, Hickson has the ability to veto any deal he doesn't like. Hickson didn't negotiate a no-trade clause into his contract like Kevin Garnett, but because he re-signed with the Trail Blazers on a one-year pact and would lose his Bird Rights if he were moved, the big man can block a deal.

As Joe Freeman of the Oregonian observed while speaking to Hickson, it doesn't make a ton of sense for the 24-year-old to approve a deal that would strip him of his Bird Rights, reducing his leverage in free agency as he enjoys a career year. Hickson agreed with Freeman's assessment of the situation.

"There you go then — you just said it," Hickson said, laughing. "You just answered all your questions."

While Hickson didn't entirely rule out the possibility of approving a trade, he told Freeman that he's focusing on playing for Portland right now. And if the club comes to him with a trade for him to consider? "I’ll deal with it when I cross that path."

Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge noted earlier today that the presence of other available big men such as Marreese Speights and Jermaine O'Neal on the trade market was softening Hickon's value. And given the year Hickson is having so far, if the Blazers can't even find a good offer for the N.C. State product, it's unlikely they'll consider a move.

Morning Rumors: Hickson, Pacers, Heat, Bulls

February 21st, 2013 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

With the deadline less than five hours away and trade rumors picking up steam, here are a few miscellaneous rumblings from around the league:

The Trail Blazers' chances of landing a first-round pick in exchange for J.J. Hickson don't look good at the moment, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
In an effort to move below the tax threshold, the Warriors are still attempting to move bench players, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Within the same tweet, Wojnarowski says the Pacers are shopping D.J. Augustin and his expiring contract.
Wojnarowski's rumor-heavy tweet also includes word that the Heat are offering Dexter Pittman in deals.
The Bulls are "pushing hard" to unload Richard Hamilton, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times.
The Thunder have been seeking a first-rounder for Eric Maynor, but haven't found any takers yet, says Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter).

Bobcats Discussed Timofey Mozgov, J.J. Hickson

February 20th, 2013 at 6:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bobcats engaged in talks with the Nuggets for Timofey Mozgov and the Trail Blazers for J.J. Hickson, but neither discussion gained any traction, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Wojnarowski reports that Gerald Henderson would have been an outgoing piece for Charlotte in both scenarios.

This isn't the first time we've heard about the Bobcats attempting to deal from their shooting guard depth in an effort to land a big man — the club reportedly explored a Ben Gordon/Kris Humphries swap with the Nets, though those talks didn't get serious. Gordon and Humphries both have one more expensive season remaining on their contracts, while Henderson, Mozgov, and Hickson are all on expiring deals.

Despite the fact that Mozgov and Hickson are heading for free agency this summer, it appears neither player will come cheap in a trade. The Nuggets reportedly turned down an offer from the Timberwolves for Mozgov that included a first-round pick. Meanwhile, Hickson has the ability to veto any trade, so it's probably unlikely that he'd be willing to give up his Bird Rights to be sent to the NBA's worst team.

Odds & Ends: Kings, Hickson, Pacers, Blair

February 20th, 2013 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sacramento City Council voted in favor of supporting mayor Kevin Johnson's quest to keep the Kings in town yesterday, by a 7-2 margin, according to Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee. While the vote was mostly symbolic, it shows that the city is open to providing a subsidy for a new arena that would be vital to Johnson's cause.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA, with a focus on tomorrow's trade deadline:

The availability of big men like Marreese Speights and Jermaine O'Neal has softened the market for J.J. Hickson, according to Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge (via Twitter).
While Danny Granger is viewed as the Pacers' top trade candidate, a deal involving Granger is unlikely, albeit not impossible, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. According to Kyler, the Pacers would prefer to move Gerald Green, though he doesn't have much value on the trade market at this point.
Despite the fact that the 2013 draft class is perceived as subpar, teams around the league are very reluctant to part with first-round picks, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com.
DeJuan Blair isn't letting himself be affected by trade rumors involving him and the Spurs, as he tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News. "Of course I would like to stay," Blair said. "I’d like a better opportunity, also, so it goes both ways. It’s a business at the end of the day, so it’s not about what I want. It’s about what they want."
Tim Bontemps of the New York Post spoke to Ersan Ilyasova about the Nets' pursuit of him last summer in free agency, before Ilyasova re-upped with the Bucks.
ESPN.com's 5-on-5 panel names the ideal landing spots for a handful of trade candidates.

Western Rumors: T-Wolves, Grizzlies, Warriors

February 19th, 2013 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Regular-season action resumes tonight, and one of the more intriguing games on the schedule will impact the Western Conference's playoff standings. If the Jazz can defeat the Warriors in Utah, they'll pull into a tie with Golden State for the sixth seed. As we wait to see if the Warriors can snap their five-game losing streak, let's check out a few notes from the West:

Multiple reports have suggested the Timberwolves are shopping draft picks as they try to bolster their roster. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities isn't exactly sure who the Wolves are pursuing, but says Josh Smith and J.J. Hickson aren't among the team's targets and that J.J. Redick is "doubtful" (Twitter link).
According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, the Grizzlies are likely to be buyers rather than sellers at the deadline, since they'll need to add a 13th man to their roster soon.
Kyler also echoes a report by Ken Berger, writing that the Warriors are expected to try to move a couple of minimum-salary players to duck below the luxury-tax threshold. The HoopsWorld scribe notes that Draymond Green is also a possibility, and that he'd bring back a better return, but Golden State will probably want to keep him around.
We've heard plenty of times over the last few weeks that the Kings aren't likely to make a deadline deal, and general manager Geoff Petrie agrees with that assessment, as he tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
Eric Gordon is unconcerned with the trade rumors surrounding him and is focused on moving forward with the Hornets, writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Wojnarowski On Wolves, Smith, Nets, Bell

February 18th, 2013 at 10:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's the latest news from around the league courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski with all links going to Twitter..

The Wolves have been aggressive in offering multiple first-round picks for established talent, according to league sources (Twitter link). We've heard some trade buzz around Minnesota in recent weeks, but it has mostly concerned guard Luke Ridnour.
The Celtics are on several fronts, including discussions on Josh Smith, Wojnarowski tweets. They've got plenty of competition, however, as the Nets are solely focused on making a deal for Smith, despite being linked to a few other big names in recent weeks.
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has remained intrigued with bringing exiled Jazz guard Raja Bell to Lakers, sources tell Wojnarowski. The Jazz would be delighted to put a bow on their saga with the disgruntled guard.
League GMs believe that the Hawks, Bucks, and Suns will make significant moves before the trade deadline.
The Trail Blazers are still willing to move J.J. Hickson, but haven't found an appealing offer yet.
Teams trying to trade for J.J. Redick of the Magic are surveying the cost of re-signing him this summer, Wojnarowski tweets. If Bucks move a starting guard, he'll be a major target for them.

Nets Interested In J.J. Hickson?

February 15th, 2013 at 5:42pm CST by Luke Adams

5:42pm: Bondy tweets that he "got pushback" from the Nets about his earlier report that the team is eyeing Hickson. That doesn't necessarily mean the rumor isn't true, but it seems at least the Nets are denying it.

3:07pm: As they continue to search for frontcourt help, the Nets may be eyeing a Trail Blazer, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Bondy reports that the Nets are interested in J.J. Hickson.

Hickson, 24, is enjoying the best season of his career in Portland, and is on an expiring contract. While that would typically make him a much-discussed trade candidate, Hickson also has the ability to veto any trade, since he would lose his Bird Rights if he's dealt. The former Cavalier has indicated that he's happy with the Blazers, so it's unclear whether or not he'd approve a move that would hurt his leverage in unrestricted free agency this summer.

The Nets, meanwhile, have been linked to a number of potential trade targets, including Ben Gordon, Paul Millsap, and Josh Smith. Those players all earn significantly more than Hickson's $4MM salary, so an offer for the Portland big man could be composed of smaller pieces rather than including Kris Humphries and his $12MM salary. MarShon Brooks ($1.16MM), Mirza Teletovic ($3.09MM), and Andray Blatche (minimum salary) are among the players the Nets could dangle if they engage in talks with the Blazers.

Northwest Notes: Hickson, Wolves, Nuggets

February 7th, 2013 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Grizzlies and Warriors not playing their best ball as of late, another team has quietly passed them in the standings and assumed the fourth seed in the Western Conference: the Nuggets. Heading into tonight's game against the Bulls, Denver has won seven straight, and has posted a 21-3 record at home. The Lakers/Celtics matchup will draw most of the headlines, but it may be that late game at the Pepsi Center that turns into the evening's best contest.

As we look forward to tonight's action, here are a few notes out of the Northwest Division:

Although he's played out of position at center for much of the season, J.J. Hickson has excelled with the Trail Blazers, and is increasing his chances of landing a big deal in unrestricted free agency this summer, according to Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. "I’d be lying if I wasn’t looking forward to it, but that’s something I’ll get more excited about when that period hits," Hickson said. "It’s something that me and my agent will talk about, but right now I’m just worried about playing basketball and trying to make these playoffs."
Commissioner David Stern is involved in Minnesota's plan to refurbish the Target Center and remains apprised on Glen Taylor's process of eventually selling the Timberwolves, as Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune writes.
In his latest mailbag for the Denver Post, Benjamin Hochman fields multiple questions on trade possibilities for the Nuggets, discussing Timofey Mozgov, Jordan Hamilton, and the team's $13MM trade exception.
Karl Malone is willing to work for free if it means getting a chance to join the Jazz's coaching staff as an assistant, says Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.

Odds & Ends: NBPA, Joseph, Lakers, Burks

February 6th, 2013 at 10:50pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday evening:

Agent David Falk tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype that the NBPA needs to band together to force a change in union leadership.
Kris Joseph is returning to the D-League, reports Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes that Dwight Howard should look to Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant as an example of how to play through injuries.
Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune writes that Alec Burks is succeeding in playing out of position at point guard to replace Earl Watson for the Jazz.
The Bulls' rash of injuries have forced Tom Thibodeau to improvise his rotations, writes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that J.J. Hickson has been a smart pickup for the Blazers.