Kevin Garnett Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Raptors, Bulls, Magic, Frye

May 2nd, 2012 at 10:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are this evening's miscellaneous stories:

Lang Greene of HoopsWorld had his weekly chat with fans tonight. Among the more significant things he talked about were the chances that Tyreke Evans gets shopped this summer, the Nets pursuing Kevin Garnett if Deron Williams leaves, the Hornets matching any offer for Eric Gordon, and Portland being the realistic destination for Goran Dragic.
With $12MM in cap space before the draft, Bryan Colangelo talked about the Raptors' approach going into the offseason: "If there was going to be a year to make a bigger splash, whether in free agency or utilizing the space to acquire players by trade, I felt that would be better served in a subsequent season and that’s probably this summer" (Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld reports). Colangelo also told Brotherston that he and Ed Stefanski will be very active in terms of placing and entertaining calls with other GMs in the upcoming weeks and months.
Scoop Jackson, Melissa Isaacson, and Jon Greenberg of ESPN cover a few topics on the Bulls, including how Derrick Rose's injury will affect Chicago's title hopes over the next two years, whether Luol Deng should immediately get surgery and skip the Olympics, and Carlos Boozer's reliability in the playoffs.
Magic GM Otis Smith traveled to Los Angeles to check on Dwight Howard as he recuperates from surgery, according to Illiana Limón and Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. While there had been speculation that Howard is estranged from the franchise, Smith and Magic CEO Alex Martins say that he hasn't asked for a trade.
Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times provides a "to-do list" for the Nuggets if they are to have any chance at beating the Lakers.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas wonders if the Mavericks should make strategic defensive adjustments on Russell Westbrook or just hope that he starts missing mid-range jumpshots.
An article posted on Suns.com reports that Channing Frye underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder today.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Kevin Garnett

March 30th, 2012 at 8:39pm CST by Alex Lee

There has been a lot of talk lately about the impending unrestricted free agent status of Celtics veteran forward Kevin Garnett. Garnett wants to stay, and Doc Rivers expressed interest in bringing him back. So while there is certainly a chance that Garnett is not going anywhere, the 2004 NBA MVP would definitely generate significant interest should he hit the free agent market.

The age of the Celtics roster has been well documented in the media, and Garnett, who turns 36 in May, is obviously part of the reason why. While the Big Ticket is not the franchise centerpiece he once was, he was been able to maintain a consistent level of contribution over the past four years.

Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen teamed up to win the 2008 title in Garnett's first year as a Celtic. Since that season, there seems to be a general sentiment out there that Garnett is declining, but is he? While 2007-2008 may have been his last year as a superstar, his numbers since have been encouragingly consistent. His 2008-2012 points-per-game averages have been 15.9, 14.3, 14.9 and 15.6 while his rebounding averages have been 8.5, 7.3, 8.9, 8.1 respectively. That doesn't look like a decline to me, but at 35-years-old, the cliff has to be approaching.

Garnett is no longer an elite defender, but he is still above average and most importantly, he has stayed relatively healthy (played 69 and 71 games in the last two seasons). His leadership and on-the-court intensity are his signatures. Those aspects to his game will make him very attractive to contenders looking to add a final championship piece or even a younger team on the rise looking to learn how to win. The Nets have apparently already expressed interest. Who else could? The Pacers, 76ers and Mavericks all fit that mold, and could have the cap room to spend depending on what happens with their rosters.

It's hard to predict a price for Garnett because, let's face it, guys like him don't come around very often – he is in his 16th year and has produced at a high level in nearly all of them. The only certainty is that his $21MM+ days are numbered. Tim Duncan, who is also an unrestricted free agent after the season, faces a similar situation in San Antonio. It wouldn't be surprising if they received very similar deals, with one of them setting the market for the other. It all depends how many productive years the buyers think Garnett has left in him. With his consistency in the last four years, he has certainly made that hard to predict.

Atlantic Notes: O’Neal, Garnett, D-League, Davis

March 30th, 2012 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics announced today that Jermaine O'Neal underwent successful surgery on his injured left wrist. And as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets, all went well with Chris Wilcox's heart surgery yesterday too. Wilcox was waived by the Celtics earlier this month, and Boston could choose to let O'Neal go as well if the team needs to use his roster spot. For now though, the Celtics don't appear to be eyeing any free agents.

Here are a few more Friday afternoon updates out of the Atlantic Division:

Celtics big man Kevin Garnett appeared on WEEI's Mutt and Merloni show yesterday, and made some interesting comments, as Rich Levine of CSNNE.com writes. "I never wanted to be pieced around, or treated like a pawn, or a piece on the board," Garnett said. "Loyalty in this game has been depleted on both sides. The business of this game is terrible for players. It's all over the place. I have to choose and make a decision to whether to be part of the future of that. I wish players would take more of a stand in our league and understand that it's a player's league." Reading between the lines, Levine surmises that Garnett may have been referring to the lockout, the trade deadline, or both.
The NBA's D-League has turned into more of a true minor league system and is helping players reach the NBA, writes Jorge Castillo of the Star-Ledger. Castillo's piece is an interesting read, with a focus on the Nets' D-League call-ups, including Gerald Green and Jerry Smith.
The Knicks' offseason addition of Baron Davis fell under the radar following Jeremy Lin's emergence, but Lin's injury has given Davis a chance to re-enter the spotlight, says Keith Schlosser of the New York Times.

Odds & Ends: Garnett, Spurs, Randolph, Howard

March 29th, 2012 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The top of this year's draft figures to be particularly UNC-heavy, with three Tar Heel underclassmen declaring their intentions to enter the draft earlier today. Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Kendall Marshall will join senior Tyler Zeller as potential North Carolina lottery picks. And as ESPN.com's Chad Ford writes, the Tar Heels could make it five first-rounders if James McAdoo decides to enter the draft as well (Insider link).

Here are a few more afternoon links from around the Association:

Kevin Garnett seems open to returning to the Celtics next year and it's hard to argue Boston would be better off without him, writes Paul Flannery of WEEI.com.
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News breaks down the contract details for Boris Diaw and Patrick Mills. Each of the new Spurs signed a minimum deal, with Diaw's expiring at season's end and Mills holding a minimum-salary player option for next season.
The Kings worked out Shavlik Randolph yesterday, but didn't sign him to a contract, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Jones adds that Randolph may be an option for Sacramento later.
According to Jeff Van Gundy, "only the most gullible fans" would believe Dwight Howard's decision to play another season with the Magic was about loyalty. Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel has the details and more quotes from Van Gundy.

Nets Eyeing Kevin Garnett, Ersan Ilyasova

March 27th, 2012 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Nets acquired Gerald Wallace at the trade deadline to provide immediate on-court help, the team has been in a nosedive over the last week and a half, losing six of its seven games since the trade. The slide has taken New Jersey out of the playoff picture, though it has increased the team's chances of retaining its lottery pick, which is top-three protected.

According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, if the Nets don't luck out in the draft lottery, the club will target power forwards like Kevin Garnett and Ersan Ilyasova in free agency. SI.com's Chris Mannix previously identified Garnett and restricted free agent Ryan Anderson as potential targets for the Nets, and Bondy says Anderson would also be a "welcome upgrade." However, the Nets would prefer a stronger rebounder to play alongside Brook Lopez.

The Nets, who were long thought to be a player for Dwight Howard this summer, are exploring backup plans now that D12 has opted into the final year of his Magic contract. If Wallace and Jordan Farmar choose to play out the final year of their contracts, and the Nets are able to re-sign Deron Williams and Lopez, the team won't have as much cap space as initially thought. However, the expiring contract of Kris Humphries, among others, should still create enough room to make a play for at least one free agent.

Eastern Notes: Garnett, Jamison, Hawks

March 26th, 2012 at 8:19pm CST by Daniel Seco

With eight of Monday's nine games currently underway, let's take a look around the Eastern Conference as the injury-riddled Knicks are trailing the Bucks in the third quarter thanks to a 24-point first-half outburst from Mike Dunleavy.

Rich Levine of CSNNE.com ponders Kevin Garnett's future as a Celtic as he wraps up his Hall of Fame career. Levine points out that while the Celtics are interested in keeping Garnett in green and white, there are many other teams, including title contenders, eager to add The Big Ticket as the final piece to a championship puzzle.
Brendan Bowers of The Plain Dealer looks at Antawn Jamison's career in Cleveland and breaks down his present value to the team both on and off the court. The question becomes whether the Cavs should re-sign the former UNC star or cut ties with him this summer. Jamison, 35, is averaging 18.0 PPG and 6.6 RPG on the season for a Cavs squad that has currently lost three games in a row.
While the Hawks have been battered by injuries over the course of the season, the team has managed to stay relevant in the playoff race amidst adversity, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Hollins, Garnett, Knicks

March 24th, 2012 at 10:45am CST by Zachary Links

Last night the Sixers took care of the Celtics at home, winning 99-86 thanks in large part to a 37 point outburst in the third quarter. More importantly, Mickael Pietrus has been cleared to travel after his scare in Philly. Here's more out of the Atlantic division..

Celtics coach Doc Rivers is pushing the newly acquired Ryan Hollins to improve his rebounding, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. For his part, the 7-footer said that joining the C's was a no-brainer upon released by Cleveland.
Rivers told CSNNE's Greg Dickerson that he absolutely wants to see Kevin Garnett back with the Celtics next season. The soon-to-be 36-year-old has surprised many with his strong play this season as he's averaging 15.3 PPG and 8.3 RPG.
Knicks big man Tyson Chandler says that the team didn't quit on coach Mike D'Antoni, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. As for the Knicks' recently improved play under Mike Woodson? "Sometimes you hear the same message from a different person,'' the center said, "and for whatever reason it registers."

Celtics Rumors: Allen, Garnett, Pierce, Rondo

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

With the Celtics' Big Three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett potentially playing their last season together in Boston, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports talked to the Celtics stars about the trade deadline, the offseason, and their history. Spears also shares a few interesting trade and free agent tidbits along the way. Here are the highlights:

The Heat are expected to make a strong push to sign Allen this summer, a source tells Spears. Miami will almost certainly be a taxpaying team next season, so the club would only have a mini mid level exception to offer the sharpshooter.
Allen on the possibility of returning to the Celtics in free agency: "First of all, the team has to be willing to have me back. Then you have to look around to see what’s acceptable and who is capable of having me on the team and then you go from there. It’s hard to really say."
Coach Doc Rivers wouldn't be surprised to see Allen or Garnett, who are on expiring contracts, back in Boston next year: "I think people assume they won’t be back next year. I don’t know why there is that assumption. [Garnett and Allen] are free agents, but you can sign your own free agents last time I checked…. I don’t know if we will sign them both. We may sign one. But they’ve been great for us. Our [free agents] are probably the best ones and we will have the most money."
Rivers added that he thinks Garnett's first choice would be to return to Boston.
According to Spears, the Celtics were seeking first-round picks in exchange for Allen or Garnett at the trade deadline. Their asking price for Pierce was "a young star," and they were also only willing to move Rajon Rondo for an elite player.

Deadline Notes: Warriors, Nets, Mavs

March 15th, 2012 at 6:18pm CST by Sean Highkin

A few notes in the aftermath of the trade deadline:

Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com believes that the Warriors were willing to take on Richard Jefferson's contract because they don't believe luring a free agent with cap space is a viable option at this point.
SI.com's Chris Mannix suggests that the Nets could target Kevin Garnett and Ryan Anderson in free agency this summer.
Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson is happy with the team he has assembled and didn't see the need to make a move, reports Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.

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.