Josh Smith Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Hornets, Smith, Harris

March 13th, 2012 at 10:48pm CST by Ryan Raroque

After playing an instrumental role in defeating the Heat tonight, Dwight Howard publicly stated that he'd like to stay put with the Magic for the remainder of the season. With that in mind, here are some other reports of teams that aren't trying to make any splashes by Thursday, as well as other miscellaneous links from tonight:

Mark Cuban doesn't see a reason why the Mavericks would be involved in the trade market right now, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reports that the Hornets are not looking to add any payroll in a deal involving Chris Kaman, which makes a deal tough. (Twitter link)
Despite numerous reports that Josh Smith wants out of Atlanta, Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson believes that the chances of the team receiving equal value for their star forward is very unlikely, according to an Associated Press article by the Star Tribune.
Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune tweeted that the Jazz are not trying to move Devin Harris.
Clippers GM Neil Olshey tells Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the team is not looking to trade any of their remaining assets unless it makes an "impact acquisition."
A panel of experts from ESPNChicago.com discussed the current state of the Bulls, and all agreed that the Bulls should remain intact past the deadline.
Jeff McDonald of Spurs Nation gives a rundown of the team's thought process as the trade deadline looms. While they may not have the trade assets to get anything major done, they could look to the waiver wire after the deadline.
Stephen Litel of HoopsWorld offered his opinion on trade scenarios in a chat with fans.

Latest On Josh Smith

March 12th, 2012 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

It appears Josh Smith will remain an Atlanta Hawk for at least the rest of this season, if not the calendar year. Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reports that Smith's camp was told last week by the team that a trade by March 15th is unlikely, but the situation could be seriously revisited around the draft. Kyler's report supports Friday's story by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, which suggested the Hawks aren't presently looking to trade Smith, despite his desire to be moved.

The Hawks have talked to other teams about Smith, but "nothing seems real or imminent," Kyler adds. For his part, Smith isn't letting the trade rumors affect his play — his 28 points, three steals, and three blocks last night led Atlanta to a victory in Sacramento.

"I'm here. I have one more left on my deal," Smith said when asked about remaining in Atlanta long-term. "We have to see what happens. I just have to keep playing the way I'm capable of playing and keep doing what I'm doing and not worry about any outside distractions."

Ganter On Howard, Smith, Rondo

March 9th, 2012 at 8:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun conducted an in-house interview of fellow writer Mike Ganter, who held forth on a number of trade-related topics. (Video link) Here's what Ganter is hearing as the deadline draws near:

Ganter believes there's no way the Magic can get fair value for Dwight Howard, and predicts they'll hold on to the big man at the deadline.
Josh Smith tops the list of stars likely to be dealt. Smith has wanted out of Atlanta for a while, and is irked the Hawks didn't do more to promote his case to make the All-Star team this year.
What the Nuggets got in the Carmelo Anthony was a "once in a lifetime" haul, and teams shouldn't expect to approach that as they look to unload superstars.
The Celtics may break up their team, but don't expect Rajon Rondo to be going anywhere.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Friday

March 9th, 2012 at 6:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com wrote last night that the Magic would seek a Carmelo Anthony-esque haul if they decided to trade Dwight Howard. The teams on Howard's list of preferred destinations may have difficulty putting together such a package, but plenty of other clubs, such as the Hawks, Warriors, and Rockets, are still in the hunt. We'll follow today's Howard rumblings right here, with the latest updates at the top of the page:

The Magic leaked the Thunder's interest in Howard just to let other teams know that a price similar to the package of James Harden and Serge Ibaka is what Orlando is looking for, tweets Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel tweets that the Magic executives are not at odds over Brook Lopez, who is in the discussion because the Nets are Howard's favored destination. Question remains, however, about whether team CEO Alex Martins or GM Otis Smith has final say on a deal.
Robbins also tweets that the only way Howard would agree to a sign-and-trade is if the team he wants to go to does not have enough cap space for him.
Sam Amick of SI.com shares some Howard updates in his latest column, noting that the Bulls have been "quietly deliberating" a play for D12 all season, but won't pursue him without assurances he'd remain in Chicago. Amick also hears that Magic GM Otis Smith isn't seriously interested in anyone the Warriors could offer for Howard.
Howard's list of teams is becoming somewhat irrelevant at this point, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. If the Magic get a serious offer from a team besides the Mavericks, Lakers, or Nets, they're just as likely to pull the trigger as they would be with one of those clubs.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel can't see any sort of trade with the Hawks working. He doesn't think Howard would re-sign in Atlanta if dealt there, and he doesn't think the Magic could acquire Josh Smith without giving up Howard — even if they could, he's not sure the presence of Smith convinces D12 to stay in Orlando (Twitter links).
Brian Schmitz of the Sentinel (Twitter link) also doesn't see the Hawks as a fit for Howard, saying the hometown team "offers no allure" for the Atlanta native. He adds that the Magic want Kyle Lowry from the Rockets in any Howard deal.
The Magic talked to the Thunder about Howard, but Oklahoma City balked at giving up James Harden and Serge Ibaka, reports Schmitz (via Twitter). While that's entirely understandable, the idea of Howard playing with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, even if it's just for two months, is pretty fun, isn't it?
It was reported yesterday that Otis Smith has talked to "all 29 teams" about Howard, but Schmitz tweets that only six to eight are serious — the other GMs just want to tell their owners they've called.

Hawks Not Looking To Trade Josh Smith

March 9th, 2012 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh Smith would like to be traded out of Atlanta, but the Hawks don't appear to be on board with the idea. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta ownership is resisting trading Smith, despite the fact that the 6'9" forward has been hoping for a deal for the last year.

Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported yesterday that Smith is seeking a trade to a franchise where he can start fresh. The longtime Hawk feels the team didn't promote his All-Star candidacy, and isn't dedicated enough to winning a championship, according to Cunningham's report.

If the Hawks were to entertain offers for Smith, he'd certainly be an attractive piece for a playoff contender. Even with a 15% trade kicker in his contract, Smith would be reasonably priced for a new team ($14.32MM this year, $15.12MM next year), and isn't locked into an inflexible long-term deal.

Josh Smith Still Hoping For Trade

March 8th, 2012 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh Smith, who has been the subject of numerous trade rumors in the past, has let the Hawks know that he wants be traded by next week's deadline, reports Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cunningham hears from a source that Smith would like a fresh start in a situation "where he can better reach his potential on and off the court."

Smith wanted out of Atlanta at the end of last season, according to Cunningham, and that desire has resurfaced recently for a number of reasons. The 26-year-old believes the Hawks didn't do enough to promote his for All-Star consideration this season, and wants to play for a franchise he feels is more dedicated to winning a championship, says Cunningham.

Earlier today, ESPN.com's Chad Ford ranked Smith as one of the likeliest big-name players to be traded by the deadline, behind only Rajon Rondo. Recent reports have suggested the Celtics and Timberwolves had some interest in Smith, though Atlanta wouldn't be interested in simply acquiring players on expiring contracts. Cunningham adds the Warriors to the teams who have inquired on Smith, but says the Hawks have yet to indicate whether they want to move the former 17th overall pick.

Smith, who has a 15% trade kicker included in his current deal, is eligible for unrestricted after next season, in the summer of 2013.

Ford On Rondo, Smith, Kaman, Wallace, Nash

March 8th, 2012 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

While a number of NBA executives are anticipating a quiet trade deadline, the conversations ESPN.com's Chad Ford has had still lead him to believe that significant deals will be made. In an Insider-only piece, Ford listed ten impact players who could be moved, from the most likely (Rajon Rondo) to the least likely (Steve Nash). Here are the highlights from Ford's column:

Even though the Celtics insist they won't trade Rondo, that isn't consistent with what rival GMs are saying after talking to GM Danny Ainge. Ford thinks Ainge would move Rondo if he could get two solid pieces in return.
The Hawks have been exploring potential Josh Smith deals "for years" and would be interested in an offer that nets them a legit point guard and a decent forward.
Chris Kaman has drawn "a lot of interest" from the Warriors, Rockets, and Heat.
The Blazers appear more open to trading Gerald Wallace now than they were at the start of the season. Ford thinks the Magic could make a big push for the 29-year-old forward.
If the Magic hang onto Dwight Howard, the Nets will stay the course with Deron Williams, but a Howard trade anywhere besides New Jersey could force the Nets to explore trade options for Williams.
Ford says it doesn't make much sense for the Suns and Steve Nash not to consider a trade, since Phoenix could end up losing Nash for nothing at season's end anyway.
Monta Ellis, Pau Gasol, and Eric Gordon also cracked Ford's list.

Odds & Ends: Stern, Hawks, Clippers

March 3rd, 2012 at 4:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Leave it to LeBron James to wind up in the spotlight again amidst Linsanity and the impending trade deadline. He passed up a potential game-winning shot against Utah to give the ball to Udonis Haslem instead, and Haslem missed to give the Jazz a 99-98 win. Still, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida points out, it was the first time James has ever gone back-to-back games without committing a turnover. James will surely be with the Heat for a while, but here are a few notes on more fluid situations:

Changes are afoot for slumping Cleveland, where Cavs coach Byron Scott is giving thought to juggling his rotation and starting lineup after his team lost its fourth straight tonight, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. With the trade deadline approaching, the team must soon decide what to do with Ramon Sessions and Antawn Jamison, Amico says.
Bucks backup point guard Beno Udrih would be on board with a trade if one happens, notes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
ESPN's John Hollinger, writing from the Sloan Sports Analytics Conferences, says the numbers don't add up in the Kings arena deal. He believes the league provided financial support to the cash-strapped Maloof brothers so they could make their $73MM contribution to the deal. (Insider link)
John Schuhmann of NBA.com rounded up Celtics coach Doc Rivers' irritated pregame remarks about the trade rumors swirling around his team. In particular, he took aim at the belief the Celtics are shopping Rajon Rondo and the "ridiculous" idea that Pau Gasol may be headed to Boston. For Rondo, whose name has come up in trade talks many times before, it feels like "deja vu," notes Andrew Perna of RealGM.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com looks at Celtics free agent signee Mickael Pietrus, who's finally displaying his all-around game now that he's healthy, Blakely says.
Marc Gasol, used to fielding rumors involving his brother Pau, is surprised that Raptors point guard Jose Calderon, another Spanish Olympic teammate, is coming up in trade talk as well, reports Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes the Knicks have assembled their most talented roster in 12 years.
Jeremy Lin isn't the only waiver pickup exceeding expectations for the Knicks, as Steve Novak has been a major beneficiary of his more famous teammate's play, as Ben Bolch examines in the Chicago Tribune.
Former Clippers and current Suns coach Alvin Gentry admires the team the Clips have put together this year, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic points out that Suns guard Shannon Brown, who'll hit the free agent market this summer, has a deceptive career high of 8.9 PPG this year. This has also been one of his worst shooting seasons.
Maturity is the difference between the Gerald Green who flamed out with the Celtics a few years ago and the player who just returned to the league with the Nets, observes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Turner, Dolan

March 2nd, 2012 at 5:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers continue to control the Atlantic Division, and Jeremy Lin is still amazing Knicks fans, but most of the talk around the division this week has centered around the Celtics and what they'll do with Rajon Rondo their aging "big three." Here's more on them as well as the other playoff contenders on the Eastern seaboard.

The Hawks have had exploratory talks with the Celtics about Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Hawks are reluctant to move Josh Smith for an expiring deal, so that precludes swapping him for Allen or Garnett. The Celtics wouldn't want to flip either of them for the likes of Marvin Williams, and unless they get quality players with favorable contracts in return, they're inclined to hang on to them for the rest of the season. (All Twitter links)
Wojnarowski also appeared on the Dennis & Callahan show on WEEI radio today, and told the hosts he doesn't see the Celtics trading Rondo. He said the team has been reaching out to other teams to assess his value on the trade market, but not actively shopping him. The Celtics view his contract, which has approximately $35.86MM spread over three years after this season, as favorable, and would only trade him for a major star.
There's no truth to the idea that agent David Falk is pressuring Sixers coach Doug Collins to give client Evan Turner, the second pick in the 2010 draft, more playing time, writes John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Turner has averaged 23.7 MPG in 35 games this year, all of them off the bench.
The emergence of Jeremy Lin and hot second-unit play for the Knicks vindicate James Dolan for pushing hard to trade for Carmelo Anthony last year, observes Moke Hamilton on Sheridan Hoops.

Josh Smith Rumors: Friday

March 2nd, 2012 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

A report this morning suggested the Celtics have interest in acquiring Josh Smith, perhaps in a deal that includes Kevin Garnett. Following up on that rumor, here are the latest Friday updates on Smith, with the newest up top:

The Hawks are getting inquiries on Smith, but Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution says (via Twitter) he hasn't heard anything about the team wanting to move him.
According to Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo! Sports, Smith has wanted a trade for the last year, but the Hawks haven't aggressively tried to move him. Wojnarowski adds that the Hawks spoke to the Timberwolves about a deal involving Smith during last year's draft, and that Atlanta GM Rick Sund has "always been partial" to Ray Allen rather than Garnett (Twitter links).
SI.com's Chris Mannix spoke to rival execs who believe the Hawks would move Smith, but not simply for an expiring contract like Garnett's (Twitter link).