The Jazz don't currently have a first-round pick in next week's draft, having sent their pick to the Timberwolves. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll stand idly by during draft night. According to Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz have long coveted Weber State point guard Damian Lillard, and could consider trading up on draft night, depending on how far Lillard falls and what trade packages are available (Twitter links). Here are a few more Jazz updates from Smith:
The next few weeks figure to be eventful for the Warriors, who have four picks in this year's draft and should be active in exploring deals. Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle writes in his latest piece that Golden State may face some trade competition from the Raptors, who pick one spot after the Warriors in the draft and are seeking the same thing in a potential trade — an athletic veteran small forward. Here are a few more notes from Simmons' article for the Chronicle….
It doesn't seem that long ago that Josh Howard was a 26-year-old playing in his first All-Star game after starting for the Mavs in the Finals the season before. That was more than five years ago, though, and it's been a slow descent for the 6'7", 210-pound swingman ever since. He bottomed out during a year and a half in Washington, tearing his ACL four games after the Mavs traded him there. He played in only 20 games over two seasons before he signing this past December with the Jazz. This season he struggled in the playoffs after left knee surgery in March knocked him out for more than a month. Now he faces uncertainty as he heads into unrestricted free agency for the third time in as many years.
He signed a $2.15MM contract with the Jazz before the season, coming off a one-year, $3MM deal with the Wizards in 2010/11. That was a significant paycut after finishing off a four-year, $41.67MM contract. Howard may have been on the way to reversing his trend of declining salaries during a string of 15 games before he hurt his knee this year. He started each of those games, averaging 10.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and a steal in 27.5 minutes a night, but he wasn't the same after his return, going for just 3.8 PPG and 3.5 RPG as the Jazz were swept by the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
Howard's saving grace might be weak competition among free agent small forwards. He's arguably the best unrestricted free agent at his position, and after Nicolas Batum, the restricted class doesn't look that impressive, either. There's a decent chance Howard winds up back with the Jazz, as GM Kevin O'Connor has said the team is open to bringing him back. It's far from a lock, however, as the team could easily use Gordon Hayward as the starter at the 3 or experiment with DeMarre Carroll in that role, as was the case when Howard was injured this year.
The draft lottery doesn't hold great personal interest for a lot of 32-year-old veterans in the NBA, but it may have a roundabout impact on Howard's destination. If the Warriors' pick falls out of the the top seven, it goes to the Jazz, and if Utah takes a small forward like Harrison Barnes or Terrence Jones, Howard could be on his way out. If the Warriors, a team that will be looking for a small forward this summer, keep the pick, they could take Barnes, Jones or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, eliminating the need to sign a veteran like Howard. The Raptors, another team looking for a small forward, may also choose to do so with a high draft pick instead of free agency.
The Bucks, Timberwolves and Suns are three more teams with money to spend that could have interest in Howard as a starter, but the best situation for him might be as a reserve for a veteran team. He can play limited minutes, minimizing the amount of stress on his body, and he's shown he can be a valuable contributor, if not a primary offensive option, when healthy. I could see him flourishing with the Grizzlies, who might envision him as a cost-effective replacement for O.J. Mayo.
Following the team's four-game sweep at the hands of the Spurs, members of the Jazz have been conducting exit interviews with local media. Already we've heard that Raja Bell doesn't expect to return to Utah next season. Here are a few other highlights from today's session, courtesy of Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (all links via Twitter):
- General manager Kevin O'Connor has no plans to "blow up" the roster, but will attempt to make improvements and additions. The GM also says the team is open to bringing back Josh Howard and Jamaal Tinsley.
- Coach Tyrone Corbin says the Jazz may add key pieces during the offseason, but he's prepared to move forward with a roster similar to this year's.
- Al Jefferson isn't looking ahead to his contract situation, but would like to finish his career in Utah if possible.
- Jefferson says Corbin has done a good job communicating with the team, but not all of his teammates agree. According to C.J. Miles, communication between the staff and players was much better under Jerry Sloan, and Miles never knew what was expected of him this season.
- Miles is a free agent this summer and it sounds like he'll be signing elsewhere. He says he wanted things to work in Utah, but that the team didn't treat him right. The 25-year-old added that the team was put off by Jefferson saying before Game Four that he couldn't see anyone beating the Spurs.
- Devin Harris acknowledged that communication between Corbin and the team was an issue at times, but says he thinks the coach is figuring it out and will improve.
- After his strong second half, Harris is "excited" to enter a contract year.
- DeMarre Carroll appears very likely to return to the Jazz next season.
This is the time of year reputations are made in the NBA. A breakout performance or a disappointment at playoff time can change how teams view some of their most important players. The stakes are even higher for players about to head into free agency, since this is their last chance to make an on-court impression before they sign a contract.
With that in mind and a week of playoff action in the books, let's take a look at some upcoming free agents who've played particularly well, and some who've played especially poorly:
Winners
Nick Young, Clippers: He's always been capable of heating it up, and in his first playoff appearance since his rookie season, he hasn't shrunk from the spotlight. He canned three straight treys in the Clippers' amazing 27-point comeback in Game 1, and is the team's third leading postseason scorer at 15.0 PPG on 10 of 16 shooting so far.
Spencer Hawes, Sixers: When he wasn't in the starting lineup for Game 1, it looked like Hawes would have little opportunity to showcase his abilities, and the outlook was pretty grim when coach Doug Collins got visibly upset with Hawes when he got in foul trouble in Game 2. But as a starter in a Game 3 victory for the Sixers, he went for 21 points and nine rebounds in more than 32 minutes on the floor, and was a go-to option down the stretch.
JaVale McGee, Nuggets (restricted): It looked like he was adding to his lengthy personal blooper reel during an 0-for-6 playoff debut in Game 1. It's easy to get carried away with his 16-point, 15-rebound performance from Game 3, but it's a sign of the potential that makes the 7-footer a commodity. Plus, he had nine rebounds in 24 minutes in Game 2.
Losers
Ryan Anderson, Magic (restricted): He might have won the Most Improved Player of the Year award this week, but his performance in the playoffs has fueled speculation that his regular season play was a product of having a dominant center like Dwight Howard around. He's just 10-for-31 from the field, and has averaged 8.5 PPG and 3.8 RPG. He went to the bench early in the fourth quarter during today's Game 4 against the Pacers, and the Magic rallied from 19 down to force overtime without him.
Steve Novak, Knicks: He's played 67 minutes over three games, but the Heat's defense has only allowed him to shoot seven three-pointers the entire series. Novak has proven he's deadly when he gets the chance to fire away, but he's of little value if he can't get a shot off.
Josh Howard, Jazz: You could excuse him here, since he just came back from knee surgery that originally looked like it would end his season, but he's shot just 3-for-13 and averaged 5.0 PPG as the Jazz have struggled mightily against the Spurs.
WEDNESDAY, 10:23am: After receiving a second opinion on his knee, Howard will likely undergo surgery today, says Smith. He still hopes to be back by the end of the regular season, or at least for the playoffs, if the Jazz qualify (all Twitter links).
TUESDAY, 7:17pm: Howard says not to count him out just yet. He'll get a second opinion on his knee tomorrow, and believes he'll be out no longer than four to six weeks, Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune reports. That would get him back for the last week of the regular season at the earliest. The Jazz, however, still expect him to miss the rest of the year, Smith tweets.
6:45pm: GM Kevin O'Connor says the Jazz still don't intend to add a player, even with Howard out, according to Smith (Twitter link).
4:37pm: Josh Howard will undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee, according to Jazz radio announcer David Locke (via Twitter). Howard underwent an MRI on Monday that showed a chip in the knee, tweets Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune. Smith adds more detail in this story, including that Howard had recently said he'll give the Jazz "full consideration" as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Howard signed a one-year deal worth $2.15MM with the Jazz prior to the season, after spending the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Mavericks and Wizards. In 41 games for Utah, the 31-year-old averaged 8.7 PPG and 3.7 RPG in 23.4 MPG. Howard had started every game since the All-Star break.
Utah GM Kevin O'Connor said earlier today that the Jazz didn't intend to use their open roster spot to add a player this season. Perhaps that stance will be reconsidered with Howard out for the year.
4:34pm: Howard is likely to remain with the Jazz through the deadline, tweets Brian T. Smith.
11:38am: As of this morning, the chances of Miles being dealt to the Timberwolves appeared very slim, according to Brian T. Smith (via Twitter). Miles heading to New Jersey for Petro and a first-rounder is a possibility, tweets Stefan Bondy.
7:53am: Josh Howard and C.J. Miles, whose contracts expire at season's end, have both expressed interest in re-signing with the Jazz this summer. However, it looks as if there's a chance neither player will even finish the season in Utah.
On the heels of last night's report that the Jazz are discussing a three-team trade with the Spurs and Timberwolves that would ship both Howard and Miles out of town, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that the Jazz are shopping Miles. The T-Wolves and Nets are among the teams that have shown interest, according to Kennedy. New Jersey has interest in Miles' expiring contract as a way of clearing summer cap space to make a run at top free agents, and Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld says the Nets have discussed Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro with the Jazz. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News hears such a deal could involve a Nets first-round pick (Twitter link).
Pincus says the Clippers may have some interest in Miles, who could fit into one of the team's traded player exceptions, but L.A. probably won't part with Eric Bledsoe or a first-round pick. Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune, who reported last month that Miles could be had, says the former second-rounder, who turns 25 this weekend, may be easier to move in a package deal (Twitter link).
Meanwhile, besides the Spurs, the Lakers, Knicks, and Celtics have also expressed interest in acquiring Howard, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Of those four interested clubs, only the Knicks are below the luxury tax line, so Howard and his $2.15MM salary would be an affordable addition. The Jazz don't necessarily want to make a deal though, according to Spears.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports that the Spurs, Jazz, and Timberwolves are in talks that would see Josh Howard go to San Antonio, C.J. Miles and Jamaal Tinsley to Minnesota, and Wayne Ellington along with Danny Green to Utah.
He also writes that while no deal is imminent, talks are ongoing and it is likely that draft picks and more players are added to the deal.
With just about every team back in action after the All-Star break, here are a few leap day notes from around the league:
- The Celtics have intensified their efforts to trade Rajon Rondo, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN. Broussard says sources have told him the Celtics consider Rondo to be too high maintenance, and so the team is considering a deal with the Warriors for Stephen Curry that's been percolating since December. Other players would have to be in such a deal for it to work. ESPN's Chris Forsberg also contributed to the report.
- Shabazz Muhammad, a premier college prospect who currently sits atop the class of potential 2013 draftees according to NBADraft.net, could be in trouble with the NCAA, report Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. The NCAA has informed schools recruiting Muhammad that his amateur status is in question. According to Goodman and Parrish, there are concerns that the 6'5", 210-pound shooting guard has been receiving payments for unofficial visits to campuses, among other benefits. Since NBA draft rules prohibit Muhammad from entering the league until a year after his high school class graduates, he may be forced to head overseas next year.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com doesn't see much truth in the rumored swap of Lamar Odom and Steve Nash, unless several other components are involved.
- It seems every other day we find out about another team that came close to signing Jeremy Lin, but whiffed. Today that team is the Italian club Banca Tercas Teramo, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY. The team was "extremely close" to signing him, Lin said, but they went with Charles Jenkins instead.
- The Chris Paul trade may have transformed the Clippers, but since amnesty claim Chauncey Billups was lost for the year with an Achilles' tear, the Clips have gone 5-5 and appear to have lost their mojo, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times examines.
- Before handing the Spurs just their second home loss of the season, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau praised San Antonio's ability to identify and nurture the talent necessary to keep the team on top, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Thibodeau hopes the Bulls can copy that model.
- Jazz swingman Josh Howard, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has responded well since Raja Bell's injury forced him into the starting lineup, notes Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune.
With the All-Star Game about to kick off in Orlando, here are some other things going on around the league:
- After signing Lance Thomas to a couple of 10-day contracts, league sources have confirmed that the New Orleans Hornets will now sign the forward for the remainder of the season, according to John Reid at the Times Picayune.
- Reid also indicates that the Hornets will offer big man Solomon Jones his second 10-day contract this year. Both of these moves will be announced later this week.
- Utah Jazz forward C.J. Miles discussed his upcoming free agent status with Brian Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune. Miles indicates that while he will explore his options, he is definitely open to re-signing with the Jazz.
- Smith also talked to Jazz forward Josh Howard, who like Miles, will also consider re-signing with Utah.