Celtics Discussed Several “Significant” Shakeups
The Celtics didn't end up participating in many trades at last week's deadline, completing one minor move, sending Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins to Washington in exchange for Jordan Crawford. Despite the team's apparent inactivity though, owner Wyc Grousbeck told WEEI today that the team was very active in trade discussions leading up to the deadline (link via Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe).
According to Grousbeck, the Celtics discussed several deals that would have been "significant" shakeups for the club, including one four-way trade that ultimately fell through because two other teams backed out.
"Most of the other guys in this league are not as confident as we are in making trades," Grousbeck said. "We are aggressive in exploring things through. I'm not saying we're always right. But we are more likely to make a trade and stick to it than anybody else in the league. The rest of them are afraid to do anything. They'll say they'll do it and then they won't…. It takes two teams to trade, and it's very incorrect to accuse us of not looking for things."
Had one of those "significant shakeups" occurred, it likely would have involved Kevin Garnett and/or Paul Pierce heading to another team. According to Grousbeck, those two veterans were the players that drew the most interest in trade discussions. Earlier today, we heard from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that a deal sending Garnett to Los Angeles for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan was "closer to happening than people think." KG would have had to waive his no-trade clause to approve any move.
Western Notes: Rockets, Clippers, Garnett, Mavs
Here's the latest from around the Western Conference, where the Lakers are three games back of the Rockets for the eighth seed and three and a half back of the seventh-place Jazz:
- Although his plan was being openly questioned in NBA circles eight months ago, GM Daryl Morey continues to build the Rockets into a team with strong long-term potential, observes Grantland's Zach Lowe. Within his piece, Lowe writes that Morey and assistant coach Kelvin Sampson were both fixated on acquiring James Harden, and that the team would like to add a defense-first wing to the roster.
- The Clippers were "closer than people think" to acquiring Kevin Garnett for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan last week, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
- Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News questions whether the Mavericks ought to try to build a team around Dwight Howard, even if the All-Star center is willing to sign in Dallas this summer.
- Although Dirk Nowitzki indicated recently that he hopes to play for a few more years, his focus for now is more on the short term, as he tells Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. "[Mark Cuban]’s obviously said his bank’s open, so we’ll see what happens this summer," Nowitzki said. "It’s going to be a big summer for us. We want to get back to winning ways. We always competed and were part of the playoffs, so we’ll see what happens this summer. It’s going to be a big summer for this franchise."
- The Thunder decided to bring back Derek Fisher for the stretch run because they know exactly what they're getting in the veteran point guard, writes Susan Bible of HoopsWorld.
Garnett Turned Down Trade Pitch From Paul?
At various times leading up to yesterday's trade deadline, we heard that the Celtics and Clippers were exploring a potential swap that would have sent Kevin Garnett to L.A. and perhaps Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan to Boston. There were conflicting reports yesterday about whether the two sides were revisiting talks, but in any case, no deal was consummated.
However, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, the primary roadblock to the trade wasn't necessarily an unwillingness from the Clippers or Celtics to reach an agreement — it was Garnett's unwillingness to waive his no-trade clause. Bulpett hears from a league source that Chris Paul reached out to KG and told him that if was open to joining the Clips, Paul would make it happen. However, Garnett expressed a desire to remain with the Celtics, according to Bulpett.
The Clippers had reportedly been reluctant to trade Bledsoe in any deal before being 100% sure that Paul will re-sign with the team this summer, so it's unclear if the two sides could have finalized a trade even if Garnett had approved a move. Ultimately, despite rumors that suggested the Celtics were exploring possible deals involving Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo, all three C's players remained in Boston through the deadline. The club's only move consisted of acquiring Jordan Crawford from the Wizards.
Clippers, Celtics Unlikely To Reach Deal
12:09pm: Sources tell Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links) that Garnett seems "dead-set" on remaining with the Celtics as long as Paul Pierce is there and they're a playoff team. While the Clippers will keep working the phones, a trade would be a surprise, says Markazi.
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com adds that one person involved in previous Clippers/C's talks hasn't detected a renewed push to revisit talks (Twitter link).
11:08am: Bulpett clarifies in a second tweet that some members of the Clippers' front office are in favor of revisiting talks with the Celtics, while others aren't so sure.
11:03am: On Tuesday night, we heard that the Clippers and Celtics had shut down trade talks involving Kevin Garnett, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan, and anyone else. Although reports since then have suggested it may be a quiet deadline for the Clips, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald is hearing word of a "new push" from L.A. to do something with the Celtics (Twitter link).
As we've noted previously, Garnett would have to waive his no-trade clause if the Celtics hope to include him in any deal. KG has publicly said he has no intention of doing that, but the Clippers are believed to be perhaps the one team that could convince him otherwise. Of course, it's worth mentioning that Bulpett's tweet didn't specifically mention Garnett, but I'd be surprised if the two teams were discussing an entirely new deal.
Western Notes: Kings, Garnett, Mavs, Wolves
Most around the league are surprised by the Kings' involvement in a cost-cutting deal that sent away Thomas Robinson, the fifth pick of this past June's draft this evening, Grantland's Zach Lowe hears (Twitter link). It's just the fifth time a team has traded a top five pick in his rookie season, ESPN Stats and Info tweets. The Kings weren't expected to be involved in any deals as their ownership situation is resolved, but ultimately they didn't hesitate to jump in at the last moment. Here's more on that trade and from around the West as the hours tick down until tomorrow's 2:00pm Central time deadline:
- If Kevin Garnett is traded, it will be to the Clippers or not at all, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes.
- The Mavs are making Brandan Wright, Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones available in return for draft picks, but won't compromise future cap space, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (All Twitter links).
- J.J. Barea, Luke Ridnour and Derrick Williams are all available from the Wolves, Berger also tweets.
- Marcus Morris is averaging 18.4 minutes per game this month for the Rockets, and he was seeking more before the trade that sent him to the Suns, tweets Sam Amick of SI.com.
- There's a decent chance the Blazers get involved in serious trade talks, but it would likely be about smaller moves, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune sums up what looks to be a quiet deadline for the Jazz, who aren't interested in trading for anyone on a long-term deal unless they get a core player in return.
Celtics, Nets Have Discussed Paul Pierce
5:31pm: A source with ties to the Nets indicates to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld the team is unlikely to acquire Pierce.
4:25pm: The Celtics and Nets have discussed a trade for Celtics star Paul Pierce, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. However, the Celtics want a better package than what Brooklyn is currently offering, according to the sources.
The Nets' offer centered on forward Kris Humphries, guard MarShon Brooks and a first-round draft pick. "The Celtics still highly value Pierce and it wouldn't make sense to trade him for that kind of a package if they're keeping Kevin Garnett," one league source said.
Boston has shown interest in forward Mirza Teletovic and securing another possible first-round pick, but the Nets don't seem willing to pay that kind of price for the 35-year-old guard. Boston had interest in guard C.J. Watson in a separate deal, but GM Billy King & Co. don't want to part with him, sources said.
The Nets and Celtics discussed a deal for Pierce at last year's deadline, but the C's decided to keep him for another playoff run. The veteran is averaging 18 PPG for the Celtics this season while shooting just 41% from the floor, his worst percentage in the past eight seasons.
Clippers, Celtics End Kevin Garnett Talks
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Clippers and Celtics have terminated trade talks involving Kevin Garnett for now. The latest reported potential deal involved Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan going to Boston, but discussions are believed to be at a standstill unless Chris Paul pushes for a deal. Yesterday, we heard about Paul's plans to re-sign with Los Angeles as well as the strong influence he supposedly has on personnel decisions.
The Celtics are reportedly willing to continue talks, but won't re-visit negotiations unless Bledsoe and Jordan are included. Wojnarowski also points out that any deal that involves trading Garnett could be a pre-cursor to Boston attempting to package Paul Pierce for Atlanta's Josh Smith. Apparently management has yet to approach Garnett about waiving his no trade clause without a deal on the table, but there is a belief that he could be eventually convinced to agree to move.
Wojnarowski notes that the Celtics' front office is still deciphering whether to add to the current core in order to try to make a playoff run this year or begin re-tooling the roster with young talent. For the Clippers, the 15-time All-Star is seen as a possible key piece that could make them the favorite to win the Western Conference this season.
Celtics Rumors: Garnett, Bass, Lee, Melo, Bradley
After ACL surgery ended Rajon Rondo's season, Celtics president Danny Ainge insisted that he wanted to see how his team responded before deciding what sort of roster moves to consider. The Celtics have been on a tear since then, but Jared Sullinger and Leandro Barbosa have also seen their seasons end prematurely due to injuries, leaving the team with a dearth of healthy bodies. While we wait to see wait Ainge and the C's have up their sleeves before Thursday, here are the latest rumblings from out of Boston:
- Marc Stein of ESPN.com isn't convinced that Kevin Garnett could be persuaded to waive his no-trade clause, even if it meant joining a team like the Clippers. According to Stein, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last night on SportsCenter that Chauncey Billups believes his friend's position on not waiving his no-trade clause is firm.
- Even if Garnett were to agree to a deal, the Clippers aren't willing to include both Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan in their proposal, according to Stein. The ESPN.com scribe cautions that it could be posturing on the Clippers' part, but one source says the Clippers feel like that's too much to give up for a 36-year-old who may not play much longer.
- Outside of weighing possible deals involving Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Celtics have also explored possibilities that include Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee, Fab Melo, and Avery Bradley, but have only received lukewarm interest, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. I imagine plenty of teams would like to get their hands on Bradley, but perhaps the Celtics' asking price is exorbitant.
- One opposing executive on the Celtics, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "[They] are one of the more active teams out there talking, but they really don’t have a lot of great options. They don’t have a lot to trade."
- Bulpett reports that the Clippers have yet to make a formal offer for Garnett. He also adds that Ainge doesn't feel any pressure to do anything more drastic than to add a player or two. "I love how hard our guys play and compete," Ainge said. "They do need some support with some extra bodies for the rest of the year. I definitely need to do that, to add some players to our roster. But that’s all that we need to do."
Berger On Bledsoe, Celtics, Bulls, Warriors, Maynor
In his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Ken Berger echoes a rumor we've heard recently, writing that concerns about increasing luxury-tax penalties may make teams reluctant to deal this week. While there may be something to that idea, I'd be surprised if we don't end up seeing a handful of trades consummated by Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm CST. And Berger also shares the latest on a few possibilities, so let's round up the highlights from his column:
- The Clippers are willing to listen on Eric Bledsoe inquiries, but are reluctant to move him as long as there's even the slightest doubt that Chris Paul will re-sign this summer.
- Talks between the Clippers and Celtics involving Kevin Garnett are dormant for now. Rival execs believe that Danny Ainge recognizes that if he trades Garnett, he'll probably have to trade Paul Pierce as well, and vice versa. If the C's don't blow things up, moving Jason Terry to get under the luxury tax will also be a consideration.
- Other teams who could attempt to get under the luxury tax: The Bulls, by moving Richard Hamilton, and the Warriors, who could try to deal a couple of minimum-salary players like Jeremy Tyler, Kent Bazemore, or Charles Jenkins.
- Bergers suggests that Eric Maynor, who we heard is being shopped by the Thunder, could be a fit for the Jazz, but Utah is "consumed with the dilemma" of whether to trade Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap. I'm sure if Oklahoma City approached the Jazz with an offer, they'd listen, but it doesn't sound like a priority for Utah at the moment.
- The Timberwolves are aggressively shopping draft picks in an attempt to acquire wing help. We heard a similar report from Adrian Wojnarowski last night.
Sacks Says Clippers Not Shopping Jordan, Bledsoe
Los Angeles Clippers vice president of basketball operations Gary Sacks tells Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the team is not actively shopping DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe, or any other player on its roster:
"I haven't called anybody to say, 'Hey, we have Eric Bledsoe and would you like him?' Or, 'We have DeAndre Jordan or we have anybody and would you want them?' That's not where I am right now with this team," Sacks said in a phone interview from Houston on Saturday. "That's not where we are."
Sacks' comments come in the wake of widespread reports that the Clippers are discussing a deal with the Celtics that would send Bledsoe and Jordan to Boston in exchange for Kevin Garnett, but may be viewed as a message to other teams that he is not interested in dealing the two players.