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Knicks Want To Trade For Rajon Rondo

December 26th, 2013 at 8:41am CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks management is confident it can attract the stars necessary to pull the team out of its malaise, and its first target will be Rajon Rondo, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Knicks hope Rondo will become discontent with the Celtics and attempt to force them to trade him to New York sometime between now and 2015, when his contract ends. If they come up short on trading for Rondo, the Knicks think they’ll sign him in free agency or land one or two of the following potential 2015 free agents: LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Roy Hibbert, Kevin Love and Tony Parker.

The notion of Rondo joining the Knicks isn’t new, since the point guard’s high school coach claimed earlier this month that fellow former pupil Carmelo Anthony has been trying to recruit Rondo. Anthony pointed out that any such talk could constitute tampering, and both he and Rondo denied that they were discussing the idea of teaming up. It’s not clear how the Knicks could sell Rondo on the notion of pushing for a trade to New York, as Anthony did in 2011, without violating tampering rules. Still, much of the Knicks’ confidence in their future comes from the built-in lure of star-making capital New York, Windhorst writes.

Anthony could leave in free agency himself this summer, and there’s talk that the Knicks may attempt to trade him by the upcoming February 20th deadline if they don’t feel as though they can retain him. Windhorst seems to suggest there’s little chance of that happening, given how certain the Knicks seem about the road ahead. An executive from another team says the Knicks expect to re-sign Anthony and have another star player with him in a year’s time, adding that, “They’re so sure about it you’d think they already know what will happen.” 

The same attitude explains why Mike Woodson is still coaching the team, according to Windhorst. The Knicks don’t feel there’s an adequate replacement available during the season, but plenty of intriguing candidates may exist in the summer, Windhorst writes. Having traded their potential lottery pick for 2014, the Knicks may be better off trying to make the playoffs this year with Woodson as coach, the ESPN scribe opines.

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Blazers, Bulls Talked Aldridge, Noah Swap

December 24th, 2013 at 12:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

There were conflicting reports this summer about whether LaMarcus Aldridge wanted to be traded, but Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher hears that there was a deal in the works that would have sent him to the Bulls for Joakim Noah. It’s not clear how close the deal came to happening or whether it was the Blazers or Bulls who initiated the talks, but Portland indeed made Aldridge available in the offseason, Bucher writes.

Rumors about Aldridge have become less frequent since the start of the season as his career-best performance has helped the Blazers to a 23-5 record that has them atop the Western Conference. He’s averaging 23.1 points and 11.0 rebounds a game, both career highs, and his 22.7 PER matches his best mark from his seven previous NBA seasons.

The Bulls drafted Aldridge second overall in 2006, but sent him to Portland in a regrettable draft-night deal that brought in a package of Tyrus Thomas and little else. Chicago might have brought Aldridge back this summer, but it would have cost the Bulls an All-Star of their own in Noah. It’s not clear if there were other players in the discussion, but a one-for-one swap of Aldridge and Noah wouldn’t have worked under salary-matching rules, since it would have added too much to Chicago’s payroll.

I’d be quite surprised if the Blazers revisited Aldridge talks with the Bulls or any other team, given Portland’s fast start, so it seems the scenario will remain a “what if?” proposition.

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Knicks Links: Anthony, Griffin, Aldridge

December 13th, 2013 at 7:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks have won three out of the first five contests in a nine-game stretch against Eastern Conference opponents. The run doesn’t include any meetings with the Pacers or Heat, so it’s a chance for New York to start its climb out of the Atlantic Division cellar, and for coach Mike Woodson to shush speculation about his job security. Here’s the latest on the Knicks:

  • Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling proposes a swap centered on Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin and shares insight from sources close to the Clippers and Knicks about the idea. Zwerling also hears that the Knicks wanted to pursue LaMarcus Aldridge this summer but the Creative Artists Agency goaded them into trading instead for Andrea Bargnani, one of their clients.
  • The only way Knicks owner James Dolan would agree to an Anthony-Griffin swap is if Anthony tells him he’s signing elsewhere in free agency this summer, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
  • Metta World Peace tells reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post, that he signed with the Knicks with the intention of winning a title in New York (Sulia link). The veteran forward says the Raptors would gain a “championship mentality” if the Knicks throw him in a Kyle Lowry trade, as has been rumored.
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Western Notes: Gay, Corbin, Aldridge, Jackson

December 11th, 2013 at 7:51pm CST by Charlie Adams

The heavily discussed Kings/Raptors swap has spurred a discussion on advanced basketball metrics, mostly due to Rudy Gay. Some statheads have suggested Gay’s presence in Sacramento might stand to hurt Isaiah Thomas and DeMarcus Cousins‘ chemistry on the floor, but the latest piece from Alex Kennedy at HoopsWorld examines why numbers might not tell the whole story for Gay. Here are some tidbits on Gay and the Western Conference as a whole:

  • In his piece, Kennedy suggests it’s not unthinkable that Gay might turn his efficiency numbers around, pointing to Monta Ellis as an example of a player who didn’t reach his full potential until a later stage of his career than most players.
  • Conversely, Mark Deeks of ShamSports breaks down the reasons why he believes the Kings spent too much to acquire Gay in his piece at SB Nation. Among his list of reasons, Deeks believes Gay’s presence will add nothing to Sacramento that they didn’t already have besides another expensive contract.
  • Richard Jefferson doesn’t blame the Jazz‘s lack of success on Tyrone Corbin, reports Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. The forward recently blasted critics who have tried to fault his coach for the team’s struggles : “As far as lashing out and putting pressure on a coach, that’s unfair… Everybody’s an armchair quarterback.”
  • Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports speculates that LaMarcus Aldridge probably won’t participate in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, based on his lack of history in international competition.
  • The Clippers’ recent signing of Stephen Jackson will help bolster a squad that’s recently been bit by the injury bug. Losing J.J. Redick, Matt Barnes, and Reggie Bullock will be a challenging hurdle for Los Angeles to overcome, and Jovan Buha from ESPNLosAngeles.com examines how Jackson might fit in and help ease the club’s pain.
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Northwest Rumors: Aldridge, Lillard, Hayward

December 7th, 2013 at 3:26pm CST by Chuck Myron

LaMarcus Aldridge spoke to Jim Rome of CBS Sports Radio this week about the trade rumors that surrounded him this summer, chalking it up to passing frustration, as Ben Golliver of Blazer’s Edge notes in his transcript of the most notable passages.

“It was just me being overly emotional at the time,” Aldridge said. “Nobody wants to lose. I’m in my prime right now. At the time, I was a little emotional about not winning or what not. After I had time to talk to (Blazers GM) Neil (Olshey) and the team, I knew they were going to make some moves, bring some guys in.”

Aldridge is eligible to sign an extension, and when Rome asked whether he’d sign one, Aldridge said he’ll deal with the matter in the offseason. His decision will be a key story next summer, and as we await that, there’s more out of the Northwest Division:

  • Damian Lillard, the Blazers‘ other linchpin, doesn’t seem at all reticent about his willingness to commit to the team long-term, judging by his comments to Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune. “I love it here,” Lillard said. “Hopefully this is where I’ll always be. I’m not saying that just to be politically correct. I really hope so. My family likes it here. Hopefully it will be a career-long thing for me.”
  • Gordon Hayward discusses this year’s steep increase in his on-court responsibilities with USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt. Hayward professes his love for the team and calls himself a “Jazz guy” in response to a question about his upcoming restricted free agency.
  • Brian Shaw had been passed over multiple times for head coaching jobs, but before landing his Denver gig this summer he was confident he’d wind up with the Nuggets, Nets or Clippers, tweets Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
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Western Links: Trail Blazers, Bogut, Mavericks

December 5th, 2013 at 10:47pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Beckley Mason of the New York Times examines the chemistry and cohesiveness that have galvanized the Trail Blazers this season, prompting LaMarcus Aldridge to call this the ‘happiest time in his career’: “Guys are playing so (unselfishly) — our team chemistry is unreal right now…Coach Stotts gives us the freedom to play loose and make plays, and guys aren’t abusing it.” 

Veteran point guard Earl Watson also weighed in: “Everyone accepts their role, and the roles were never defined. It’s the truth of our team, the DNA of our team. The way we fit together, it’s like the perfect storm, so to speak.”

Here’s more out of the Western Conference tonight:

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Amico On Aldridge, Turner, Bulls, Thornton

November 25th, 2013 at 4:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Sam Amico of FOX Sports has tons of great stuff in his latest column, let’s dive in and check out some of the highlights..

  • LaMarcus Aldridge was all over Hoops Rumors this summer with talk of dissatisfaction with the Blazers and trade demands, but it sounds like we can finally put that to rest.  Aldridge, who looks like the best power forward in the league so far this season, appears to be content with his 12-2 club.
  • There is some relevance to a suggested potential trade involving the 76ers and Cavs, according to league sources.  Philly is likely to shop small forward Evan Turner, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and the Cleveland is exploring the idea of landing a starting-caliber small forward. It could be a good match, depending on the Cavs’ desire to gamble on the uncertainty of Turner’s contract.  The possibility also exists the Sixers will hold on to Turner and re-sign him in the summer as he has played well and been a team leader under new coach Brett Brown.
  • However, Cavs GM Chris Grant is not actively trying to make a deal, even though he likes to make trades and is always willing to listen.
  • League sources believe Kings swingman Marcus Thornton is available.  Thornton is a talented scorer, but a less-than-stellar defender and has fallen out of Michael Malone‘s rotation.
  • The Derrick Rose-less Bulls could shake things up.  Chicago still wants to win and get into the playoffs, sources say, but if things head south quickly, they could gut the roster and aim for a high lottery pick to pair with Rose when he returns.  A team source says if the Bulls trade Luol Deng, they would have to get what they consider a steal (a young player and picks) to move him within the Eastern Conference.  The asking price from a Western team wouldn’t be as high.
  • One league source said that as of today, the Bulls won’t even think about what to do with Deng until the trade deadline nears.
  • Guards Richard Hamilton, Shannon Brown, and Kendall Marshall remain unsigned, but they’re all drawing interest from several teams.  League sources expect Brown and Marshall to sign somewhere by the New Year, and Hamilton perhaps not long after that.
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Odds & Ends: Aldridge, Blazers, Redick, Henry

November 8th, 2013 at 11:17pm CST by Chuck Myron

LaMarcus Aldridge hasn’t told coach Terry Stotts that he wants to remain in Portland long-term, but he hasn’t said he wants to get out, either, so the coach tells Jim Rome of CBS Sports Radio that he isn’t worried about a player he believes is content playing for the Blazers. Ben Golliver of Blazer’s Edge has a transcript of those comments, as well as the coach’s remarks on the contributions of new acquisition Robin Lopez toward what Stotts perceives as a changed culture on the team. Here’s more on other new additions around the Association:

  • Doc Rivers arrived in L.A. this summer with J.J. Redick atop his list of targets within the Clippers‘ price range, and he convinced Redick over dinner to come to the team, finally landing the player he’d sought multiple times while with the Celtics. Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com has the details.
  • Xavier Henry didn’t perform nearly as well in New Orleans as he is with the Lakers, and while Pelicans coach Monty Williams takes responsibility for his role in that, Henry doesn’t blame him, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
  • Lester Hudson is headed to play in China for the third straight season, inking a deal with Xinjiang, agent Brad Ames tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Hudson’s first trip East in 2011/12 resulted in late-season NBA stints with the Cavs and Grizzlies.
  • The Thunder have lost plenty with the departures of James Harden and Kevin Martin the past two offseasons, but Jeff Caplan of NBA.com thinks this could be the most complete Oklahoma City team yet, thanks to the team’s youthful bench.
  • Steven Adams, a member of that Thunder bench, has seen more minutes than starter Kendrick Perkins this year, but Caplan passes along Perkins’ praise for the rookie, and coach Scott Brooks isn’t concerned that Perkins will pout, The Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry notes.
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Western Notes: Suns, Aldridge, Thunder, Kings

November 5th, 2013 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

No team except perhaps the Sixers was viewed as more likely to tank the 2013/14 season than the Suns, who shipped out Luis Scola over the summer and traded Marcin Gortat just days before the regular season began. But team president Lon Babby takes issue with the idea that Phoenix is intentionally trying to lose games, as he tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.

“There is a key difference between acknowledging that you’re rebuilding, which we are, and some notion that you’re not trying to succeed,” Babby said. “Anybody in this business, because you’re competitive, and you have a competitive nature, it is not going to do anything but give your heart and soul to try to win every night.”

It may be an question of semantics, but Babby’s comments, along with the strong starts to the season for the Sixers and Suns, are a reminder that while a front office may put a team in position to lose games, the players on the court are certainly trying to win.

Here’s more from around the West:

  • Rival team executives will continue to monitor LaMarcus Aldridge‘s situation in Portland, but the Blazers forward tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he has no desire to be moved. Asked about his current attitude, Aldridge replied: “It’s not ‘If there’s a better deal, then get me out of [Portland] or take that.’ It’s ‘We’re here. Let’s win, and let’s try to have the best season that we can.'” Amick adds that there’s a league-wide belief that GM Neil Olshey wouldn’t even consider an offer for Aldridge unless it included at least an All-Star player, among other things.
  • Responding to comments made by ESPN’s Bill Simmons, Oklahoman contributor Jon Hamm rebuts the idea that the Thunder need to become a taxpaying team to win the title.
  • On the heels of a 19-point outing from Ben McLemore, Kings coach Michael Malone tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee that the rookie guard is “a big part of our future.”
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Western Notes: Kobe, Carney, Blazers

October 5th, 2013 at 6:20pm CST by Spencer Lund

Kobe Bryant didn't inform Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni of his latest trip to Germany for a blood-spinning procedure on his right knee, and at least one other NBA coach sees that as a sign of disrespect, according to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.

Here's more from around the Western Conference…

Chuck Myron contributed to this post

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