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Free Agency Rumors: Bynum, Clippers, Warriors

July 6th, 2013 at 10:49pm CST by Spencer Lund

Andrew Bynum is one of the biggest wildcards of this year's crop of free agents after failing to play a single minute while in a Sixers uniform this past season. Bynum's belabored knees kept him from showcasing the All-Star talent he displayed during the 2011/12 season with the Lakers, which is what prompted the Sixers to deal for him in the first place.

Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News notes that the Mavs have positioned themselves to be in the mix for Bynum this summer, but signing the injury-plagued seven-footer would have to be contingent on a couple of different stipulations:

One would be whether Bynum could fly to Dallas for a thorough physical with the Mavs to see how his knees are doing after another surgery this year. There's also no chance they'd sign Bynum to a long term contract unless the deal was written in such a way as to protect the team should he miss extended time because of injury.

Sefko notes that Bynum was a force for the 2011/12 Lakers averaging 18.7 PPG and 11.8 RPG while making the All-Star team, but he missed 28 games in 2010/11, 32 games in 2008/09 and 47 games in 2007/08.

Here are a few more rumors surrounding Bynum, the Clippers and Warriors during another whirlwind night of the NBA's free agency:

Tom Moore of Phillyburbs.com tweets that he doesn't think a proposed hypothetical with the Mavs sending Shawn Marion's $9.3MM contract plus a second round draft pick to the Sixers would be enough to acquire Bynum.
According to sources for the Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner, the Clippers are looking to bring back big men Ryan Hollins and Ronny Turiaf (Twitter).
The Oakland Tribune's Marcus Thompson says the Warriors are interested in J.J. Hickson (Twitter), but the price might be too high to make a deal right now.
Thompson also writes (via Twitter) that the Warriors are not looking for a number 2 point guard, but a number 3 point prospect that's more Charles Jenkins than Jarrett Jack. Coach Mark Jackson and GM Bob Myers have Andre Iguodala to fill their back-up point guard duties.
Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld guesses that Lamar Odom may spurn his current Los Angeles team, the Clippers, for his former LA team, the Lakers (Twitter).
Chris Haynes of Comcast Sportsnet Northwest says Jermaine O'Neal will make his free agency decision in the next 2-3 days, and that he wasn't pursued by the Blazers (Twitter).

Free Agency Rumors: Odom, Brand, Tinsley

July 6th, 2013 at 8:18pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Mavs will bring back point guard Devin Harris, but they're also considering another former guard, this one from their title-winning 2011 team: Jose Barea.

Earlier this month, there were rumors of a sign-and-trade involving O.J. Mayo and either the Wolves' J.J. Barea or Luke Ridnour. This came before the Mavs locked up their point guard slot by signing Jose Calderon.

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com says (via Twitter) the Mavs have $8MM in cap space after Jose Calderon signed with them and O.J. Mayo signed with the Bucks, but there are ways to increase that figure, he notes. We already reported that the signing of Calderon likely knocks Barea out of the running for a return to the Mavs in a sign-and-trade since the Mavs have their point guard now and Mayo is gone.

Here's what else is happening around this busy Saturday night, including more Mavs' rumors as they go with plan B after failing to sign Dwight:

Besides bringing Harris back, the Mavs are also looking at re-signing Elton Brand, reports McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. McMahon also mentions their interest in Jermaine O'Neal, as previously iterated.
The Lakers, fresh off the disappointing exit of free agent Dwight Howard, are looking at Elton Brand and Lamar Odom, reports ESPNLosAngeles' Ramona Shelburne (Twitter links). But interest levels for Odom are hard to determine on both sides, and they may not be able to afford Brand, Shelburne continues.
Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune says (via Twitter), that besides the Nets, the Jazz were among Jamaal Tinsley's primary suitors. Oram says Tinsley remains interested in returning to the Jazz.
In the first three years of Chris Grant's position as the Cavs' general manager, he spent less than $7MM in free agency. This summer he's spent $34MM counting option years, tweets the Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Loyd.

Western Notes: Rockets, Iguodala, Clippers

June 30th, 2013 at 12:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Rockets have been expected to waive Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks before their salaries become fully guaranteed at the end of today, but Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears the team is still pursuing 11th-hour trade possibilities for the two, despite the slim chance they'll find a deal (Twitter links). That's just one of many news items out of the West with free agency less than 12 hours away:

With a host of teams vying for Andre Iguodala, Nuggets GM Tim Connelly and coach Brian Shaw will meet with Iguodala on Monday in Los Angeles, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
Doc Rivers is downplaying talk of a trade involving Eric Bledsoe or anyone else, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times notes. The Clippers have interest in retaining Lamar Odom and Matt Barnes, Turner reports, adding that the Lakers are also high on Barnes.
Though the Clippers reportedly prefer Andrea Bargnani to DeMar DeRozan, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes that Rivers has always held DeRozan in high regard (Twitter link).
O.J. Mayo is expected to turn down his $4.2MM player option for next season, and while his preference is to return to Dallas, the Mavs won't receive a discount, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
Carl Landry's first priority will be to re-sign with the Warriors, but he believes there will be about half a dozen teams pursuing him, and he expects the Blazers to be one of them, the power forward tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Landry reciprocates Portland's interest.
The Suns won't be in the market for big-ticket free agents, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The team prefers to keep its cap flexibility to accomodate an enticing trade possibility or next year's crop of free agents. The Suns will be in contact with Wesley Johnson, one of their own free agents, Coro says.
New Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro is promising an "aggressive" approach to the offseason, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee observes. The Kings won't simply let restricted free agent Tyreke Evans go without matching his offer or working out a sign-and-trade, writes Voisin, who pegs his market value at between $8MM and $10MM per year.
Yesterday was the deadline for the Spurs to waive Matt Bonner before his $3.945MM salary for next season, which had been partially guaranteed for $1MM, became fully guaranteed. So, Bonner will be back, unless the team waives him via amnesty, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News points out as he examines the Spurs' offseason.

Knicks Rumors: Will Bynum, Watson, Harris, Brand

June 30th, 2013 at 9:37am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks are expected to be well into the luxury tax for next season, but that won't stop them from trying to improve their team, especially given the allure of the Madison Square Garden spotlight. Here's the latest:

The Knicks are looking for a point guard to replace the retired Jason Kidd, and have Will Bynum, C.J. Watson and Devin Harris on their radar, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post, who identifies Bynum as tops on that list. They're also looking for a backup big man, with Elton Brand and Lamar Odom under consideration, along with incumbent Kenyon Martin.
J.R. Smith believes he'll get an offer that exceeds the maximum of approximately $5.4MM that the Knicks can give him, Berman adds. The Bucks, Pistons and Suns are considering Smith.
The Knicks are resigned to the idea that Chris Copeland will sign elsewhere for more money, according to Berman. More than half a dozen other NBA teams are chasing Copeland. Berman believes the team may try to work out a sign-and-trade involving Copeland that would net a trade exception around $4MM, allowing the Knicks to bring aboard another player that way. The Knicks are also open to the idea of trading Steve Novak, Berman writes.
The Knicks like Mike Dunleavy and Marco Belinelli, but they're prioritizing a point guard instead with their mini mid-level, according to Berman.
GM Glen Grunwald and company hope proven veterans will become available in trades, and likely would be willing to part with anyone other than Carmelo Anthony for the right deal, Newsday's Al Iannazzone reports.

Clippers Eyeing Big Name Candidates

May 28th, 2013 at 6:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Clippers have taken an ambitious approach in the early stages of their coaching search and they're eyeing names previously thought to be outside their price range such as Jeff Van Gundy, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, and Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw, multiple sources with knowledge of the team's thinking tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

The Clippers also are thinking about requesting permission to speak with at least one other current NBA head coach, one source said. Former Suns coach Alvin Gentry, former Cavs coach Byron Scott, and former Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan are also on the team's radar, sources said.

There's considerable skepticism around the league that Clippers owner Donald Sterling would be willing to fork over the kind of money it would take to land Van Gundy, Hollins, or Shaw. However, Los Angeles' front office has so far been acting as though money won't be a major issue, sources said. Sterling, who still hasn't entirely shaken his reputation for being cheap, has been reluctant to sign coaches or front office staff to contracts longer than one year after he was stuck with a $13.5MM payout to former coach and GM Mike Dunleavy.

The Clippers have yet to formally request permission from the Grizzlies to speak to Hollins, but intend to soon, sources said. The Clippers will also have to wait to speak to Shaw as the Pacers won't let him talk to clubs until the club's season is over. The Clippers would prefer a coach with NBA experience, sources said, but would make an exception for Shaw. Clippers players have given strong endorsements for Shaw, including Lamar Odom.

Kyler’s Latest: Pierce, Nuggets, Rockets, Odom

April 25th, 2013 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, Hawks sources say the team would be open to working out a sign-and-trade involving Josh Smith this summer if it meant getting something of value in return for the unrestricted free agent. It appears there are still a number of possibilities though for Smith, who could end up returning to the Hawks or signing outright with another suitor. Here's more from Kyler:

Since less than a third of Paul Pierce's $15.33MM salary for 2013/14 is guaranteed, the "basketball move" may involve trading him or buying him out, but Pierce's history with the Celtics complicates the team's decision, says Kyler.
Andre Iguodala seems likely to decline his player option for next year in favor of re-signing a long-term contract with the Nuggets that reduces his cap hit for '13/14.
There's also mutual interest between Corey Brewer and the Nuggets in a new deal for the veteran, though Denver's cap situation may make it tricky for the club to give him much of a raise.
Carlos Delfino and Chandler Parsons both have deals with the Rockets that aren't fully guaranteed, but are good bets to be back in Houston unless the team needs to move them to make room for a star.
Sources tell Kyler that the Clippers would like to re-sign Lamar Odom, albeit for a significantly lesser salary than he's making now. Considering Odom is unlikely to receive huge offers on the open market, a multiyear offer from the Clips could get it done, says Kyler.
Mike Dunleavy's future in Milwaukee may depend on how much the Bucks spend to retain their bigger-name free agent guards.
According to Kyler, league sources have "openly questioned" how much longer Robert Sarver intends to own the Suns, leading to speculation that after the Kings sale is finalized, the Suns could be the next NBA franchise on the market.

Western Notes: Kobe, Ridnour, Odom

January 26th, 2013 at 10:49pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Although Kobe Bryant registered a season low of 10 field goals on Friday night, his 14 assists proved to be instrumental in the Lakers' rout of the Jazz. Mike D'Antoni praised his star shooting guard's approach, saying that the dip in field goal attempts shouldn't be looked at as a sacrifice if the team ultimately comes out on top, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. McMenamin also takes a closer look at the impending return of Steve Blake, who practiced with the team today and could return to game action next week. You'll find the rest of tonight's Western Conference notes here:

Earlier today, HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler answered some of his followers' questions on Twitter, saying that he doesn't think the Lakers aren't looking to move Dwight Howard before the deadline, Mike D'Antoni's job isn't necessarily safe right now, and that the Grizzlies aren't currently looking to make a deal with the Celtics (All Twitter links).
Luke Ridnour has been a productive and dependable stop gap for the Timberwolves in spite of all the injuries he's handled this year, notes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro wants Lamar Odom to be more aggressive on the offensive end, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Another 6'10 forward has been making waves in Los Angeles, albeit for the purple and gold. In another article, Ben Bolch examines Earl Clark's breakout year as a starter for the Lakers.
Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin tells Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune that he wants to groom Gordon Hayward into a player who can be counted on to close games.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says there's no doubt in his mind that Dirk Nowitzki will be an All-Star again, writes Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW.
Jason Smith has played with
a reckless abandon that has earned the attention and respect from his
teammates and the Hornets coaching staff, observes John
Reid of NOLA.com.
Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post makes a case for why Warriors guard Stephen Curry was the biggest snub of this year's All-Star game.

Odds & Ends: D-League, Odom, World Peace

December 9th, 2012 at 5:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld spoke with Dan Reed, the president of the NBA's developmental league, and heard that there is growing interest from several NBA teams in either purchasing or having a joint affiliation with a team in the NBDL. According to Reed, Koutropis notes that with an increase in the assignments of young players from the NBA to the D-League, it will make for a great opportunity for developmental affiliates to market themselves with some of the NBA's top young talent. Here are more of today's odds and ends from the Association:

Lamar Odom is starting to get in shape and is displaying flashes of his old Sixth Man of the Year form, as Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News observes.
The Lakers' decision not to amnesty Metta World Peace before last season is paying off, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, who adds that this summer's discovery and treatment of a nerve issue that had been bothering World Peace for four years has reinvigorated his play.
Nuggets guard Ty Lawson admits he can do better than his slumping performance this season, and Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post outlines what the point guard must do to return to the form that netted him a four-year, $48MM extension in October.
Despite GM David Kahn's denial of Pau Gasol trade rumors, the Timberwolves "would love" to acquire the big man and play him at center, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.
Finnan also hears from sources within the ranks of media, agents, assistant coaches, GMs and scouts who tell him they are convinced LeBron James will opt out of his contract in 2014.
Center Solomon Alabi is close to a deal with a Chinese club, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The 7'1" Alabi was let go by the Hornets at the end of training camp. He spent the last two seasons with the Raptors, but saw little playing time, averaging 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 7.0 minutes a game over 26 total contests.

Odds & Ends: Odom, Duncan, Johnson, Blazers

November 11th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday evening:

Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes that the Clippers still aren't sure what contributions they can expect from Lamar Odom this season.
Tim Duncan is playing like an MVP candidate this season, says Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News.
David D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledges examines Nets guard Joe Johnson's slow start to the season.
The Trail Blazers have the least productive bench in the league so far, but Chris Haynes of CSNNW.comthinks the team should give their young reserves more playing time so they can develop and improve.
Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that the Knicks' J.R. Smith is an early candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com has a new mailbag covering various Celtics topics.
Barry Tramel of the Oklahoman is impressed with new Thunder guard Kevin Martin.

Clippers Notes: Paul, Odom

October 27th, 2012 at 5:40pm CST by Sean Highkin

Here are the latest updates on the Los Angeles Clippers leading up to the start of the 2012/13 season:

Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times has a story on Chris Paul's future with the Clippers. Paul is not thinking about whether he will stay with the team beyond this season, but he is impressed with the efforts they have made to change the culture of the organization.
Zach Harper of CBSSports.com predicts that Paul will play at a level this season that he has not reached for the last several
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper has an article on Lamar Odom, who is attempting to rehabilitate his reputation after a disastrous season in Dallas.