J.J. Hickson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors Expect To Sign Hickson

March 19th, 2012 at 6:36pm CST by Zachary Links

6:36pm: The Warriors are expected to sign J.J. Hickson, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com. Golden State has two open roster spots and could finalize a deal with Hickson as early as Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) that the Warriors and Suns are frontrunners Hickson if he clears waivers.

6:09pm: Forward J.J. Hickson is likely committed to an NBA team and it's not the Celtics, a source told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Hickson received a buyout from the Kings earlier today.

The C's seemed to be a likely destination for the 23-year-old as they had talks with Sacramento about Hickson before the trade deadline. The 6'9" forward put up 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in Cleveland last year but has averaged just 4.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest with the Kings.

Hickson still has to clear waivers before he can sign with a club and it's conceivable that he'll be claimed given his potential.

Kings Buy Out J.J. Hickson

March 19th, 2012 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

J.J. Hickson has received a buyout from the Kings, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Hickson was in the final year of his rookie contract, earning just $2.35MM, so the savings for Sacramento will be minimal.

For contenders in need of size, Hickson could be an intriguing pickup. After averaging 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in Cleveland last year, the 6'9" forward was dealt to the Kings for Omri Casspi and a first-round pick. His time in Sacramento was a disappointment — his averages slipped to 4.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG, and he eventually fell out of the rotation, appearing in just two games in March. But perhaps a change of scenery could put him back on the right track.

The Celtics reportedly discussed Hickson with the Kings before the trade deadline, so they figure to have interest again. The Heat have also been seeking frontcourt help, though they'd probably prefer a true center. As Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter), we'll have to see if Hickson clears waivers first. Given his low salary and potential upside, it's possible he'll be claimed.

Celtics, Kings Discussing J.J. Hickson

March 14th, 2012 at 10:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets that the Celtics and Kings have had conversations about forward J.J. Hickson. The Kings acquired Hickson in an offseason trade that sent Omri Casspi to the Cavs.

It's unclear what the Celtics would send in return. Hickson, in the final year of a contract that pays him $2.35MM, has been buried on the bench of late in Sacramento. Last night, he saw just more than six minutes against the Warriors, his briefest appearance of the year. Hickson is averaging just 4.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.4 minutes this year after putting up 13.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 28.2 MPG last year mostly in a starting role for the Cavs.

Once considered a cornerstone that Cleveland was reluctant to give up, his value has taken a hit of late. Depending on whom the Celtics would send back, it appears the team would be after Hickson for his ability to replace the ailing Chris Wilcox, who's out for the season, as well as his expiring contract. Hickson will be a restricted free agent at season's end.

Earlier today, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee said he didn't think the Kings had given up on Hickson. He noted that the team gave up a popular player and a draft pick for him, and that they would expect to get a pick in return. (Twitter links)

Amico On Lakers, Clippers, Celtics, Magic

March 8th, 2012 at 7:52pm CST by Sean Highkin

Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico has posted a rundown of the trade-deadline needs of four teams: the Lakers, Clippers, Celtics, and Magic. Here are the highlights:

Amico believes the Lakers should surrender first-round draft picks for Ramon Sessions to address their point-guard issues, arguing that they will not likely find an equally-skilled player in the draft.
Kirk Hinrich would be the safest bet for the Clippers, with Ray Allen likely costing too much. Amico also mentions Jamal Crawford as a possibility.
Amico points to J.J. Hickson as a potential low-cost trade target who could benefit from being around Kevin Garnett.
Amico says the Magic should do everything in their power to convince Dwight Howard to stay, and trade him only if it becomes clear that is impossible.

Injuries That Could Affect The Trade Deadline

March 5th, 2012 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Deron Williams may have scored a franchise-record 57 points en route to a Sunday victory over the Bobcats, but the news out of Charlotte wasn't all good for the Nets. In just his fifth game back from a foot injury, Brook Lopez rolled his ankle badly and left the arena on crutches. There's still no official word from the team on the severity of the injury, but as Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes, it could deal a serious blow to the Nets' hopes of trading for Dwight Howard in the next ten days.

Lopez isn't the only trade candidate who could be on the shelf as the March 15th deadline approaches. Here are a few more players whose injury statuses may affect the deals their respective teams can make in the next week and a half:

Jermaine O'Neal: The Celtics would need to include salary to make any deal of substance, so O'Neal's $6.23MM expiring contract made him a prime candidate to be included in a trade to ensure salaries match. Unfortunately for Boston, O'Neal recently suffered a wrist injury and may undergo season-ending surgery. If he elects for the surgery, there's a chance O'Neal could be waived by the Celtics.
Al Horford: Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group reported last week that the Hawks were still interested in Dwight Howard, perhaps in a deal involving Horford. While such a trade would be a long shot to begin with, Horford's torn pectoral makes it even trickier. Already reluctant to deal Howard, the Magic would probably be even more wary about doing so for a player who is just recently out of a sling.
Anderson Varejao: Varejao will be re-evaluated this week, but it looks like he won't return to the Cavs' lineup until after March 15th. Before the injury, the Cavs said they didn't intend to trade Varejao, though there was some speculation that stance could change by the deadline. With Varejao still out, he'll definitely be remaining in Cleveland.
Jordan Hill: Among the Rockets' numerous former lottery picks on expiring contracts, Hill is the most attractive asset. While that may be faint praise, Hill has been the most productive of the group of four 2009 draftees that also includes Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, and Terrence Williams, and his salary ($2.86MM) is very reasonable. However, a sprained MCL has kept Hill out of action for the last couple weeks, and even though he expects to return within the next week, he won't have much time to showcase his health before the deadline.
J.J. Hickson: The Kings are reportedly quite interested in moving Hickson, but they've stumbled upon a roadblock besides his disappointing production this season — he'll miss his third straight game tonight with a hip pointer.
Thabo Sefolosha: Having missed 18 games with a foot injury, Sefolosha is shooting jump shots again, but it doesn't appear he's ready for game action yet. Steve Kyler wrote this morning that the Thunder could try to acquire a replacement if the team feels Sefolosha will miss much more time. The 6'7" wing also represented a potential trade asset for the Thunder, but questions about his health will hurt his value.
Andrea Bargnani: Bargnani seems to be getting closer to returning from a calf injury, and could be back in plenty of time for the trade deadline, but it may not matter either way. As Kyler reported today, the Raptors are getting inquiries on Bargnani, but don't seem interested in dealing him.

Stein On Lakers, Raptors, Marion, Hickson, Kaman

March 2nd, 2012 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

It's Friday afternoon, which means another installment of Marc Stein's Weekend Dime at ESPN.com. In addition to writing about the 50th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, Stein shares a few trade rumors. Let's check them out….

If the Lakers were to acquire Kirk Hinrich or Leandro Barbosa, they would want the Hawks or Raptors, respectively, to take on salary. However, neither Atlanta or Toronto is interested in doing so. The Lakers would have to use their $8.9MM trade exception and accept the luxury-tax consequences if they were to deal for either player.
The Raptors are also unwilling to take on salary in a deal for Jose Calderon.
The Mavericks aren't currently shopping Shawn Marion, and don't intend to start clearing out the necessary cap space to make a run at top free agents until after the season. One source told Stein there's "no chance" the Mavs trade Marion this month, even though there may be potential suitors.
J.J. Hickson is being aggressively shopped by the Kings.
The Hornets have been telling teams that Chris Kaman won't be bought out after March 15th if the club can't find a trade partner. Since New Orleans is still owned by the league, that may not be an idle threat. A number of teams, including the Heat, are hoping Kaman is bought out, since they don't have the trade assets necessary to acquire the big center.

Cavs Notes: Uzoh, Hickson, Casspi

February 20th, 2012 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers narrowly escaped yesterday's game against the Kings with a 93-92 win, and rookie Tristan Thompson played a major role in the victory, as Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. With 15 points and 12 rebounds, the Canadian power forward recorded his first career double-double and talked after the game about getting his "groove back." As the Cavs wait to see if Thompson can maintain this level of production going forward, let's check out some other notes out of Cleveland….

Ben Uzoh, who signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs on February 10th, will not have his deal renewed, reports Reed in a separate Plain Dealer article.
Within the same piece, Reed looks at J.J. Hickson's disappointment in the trade that sent him to Sacramento last summer, and his struggles with the Kings. Asked if he could make it work in Sacramento, Hickson paused and replied, "Uh, yeah. I think so, yeah."
Hickson on whether he'd want to return to the Cavs via free agency: "Of course, why not? I'm not saying 'no, I don't want to come back.' If the opportunity presented itself, why not?"
Omri Casspi, who came to Cleveland in the Hickson deal, also took some time to adjust to his new setting, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. However, Casspi says he enjoys playing for coach Byron Scott and calls his Cavs teammates "a great group of guys."

Odds & Ends: Martin, Hickson, Ginobili

February 19th, 2012 at 1:58pm CST by Michael Pina

Yesterday’s game between the Clippers and Spurs was one of the most exciting endings we’ve seen this season. Here’s a bit of news regarding some of the players involved in that exciting finish, as well as some others notes from around the league.

Clippers forward Kenyon Martin told SI.com’s Sam Amick that upon his return, Carmelo Anthony will be more than helpful in making the Knicks an even more potent team than they already are. Martin also said that he doesn’t appreciate George Karl’s remarks regarding Anthony as a selfish player.
Even though Omri Casspi hasn’t played lights out basketball since joining the Cavaliers, FoxSportsOhio.com’s Sam Amico says the team was right to acquire him in exchange for J.J. Hickson. In Amico’s story, one Western Conference general manager said if the Kings knew exactly what they were getting with Hickson, they never would’ve made the deal.
After suffering an oblique injury in yesterday’s win against the Clippers, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will head back to San Antonio for treatment as his team continues on their west coast road trip, according to the San Antonio Express’ Mike Monroe. Ginobili said the injury wasn’t as bad as he originally thought, and that his anti-inflammatory medicine is already working.

Pacific Notes: Nash, Blake, Hickson

February 19th, 2012 at 10:12am CST by Daniel Seco

With much of today's attention focused on the Eastern Conference, the Lakers will take on the Suns for the second time in three days later this afternoon. Known to elevate his level of play against the Suns, Kobe Bryant has led the Lakers to three straight victories after putting up 36 points and six assists in Friday night's 111-99 victory in Phoenix. Let's take a look around the rest of the Pacific Division to see what else is going on:

Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic says Suns star point guard Steve Nash isn't going anywhere prior to the trade deadline. It's a catch-22 situation where sending Nash to a contender wouldn't net the team fair compensation whereas sending the future HOFer to a middling squad who could send an attractive draft pick to the Suns would be doing a disservice to Nash. Coro expects Nash, 38, to stay with the Suns through the rest of the season and attempt to re-sign the former Santa Clara star to a new contract come June.
While there has been heavy speculation that the Lakers are plotting to make a move in order to make a playoff run, the return of one injured player has given the squad a much needed spark. Since rejoining the Lakers five game ago, the team has gone 4-1 with former Terrapins guard Steve Blake manning the point, says Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The ninth-year player is currently averaging 6.8 PPG and 3.1 APG on the season.
After arriving in Sacramento last June via trade, life for Kings forward J.J. Hickson has been a series of adjustments, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Hickson, 23, spent the first three years of his career with the Cavaliers and benefited from two years of tutelage under LeBron James. Now in Sacramento, he's had to deal with an early season coaching change and an overall different way of doing things which has led to the former N.C. State star's career-low FG% (.382) on the season.