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Carmelo Anthony Rumors: Thursday

July 3rd, 2014 at 10:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

Carmelo Anthony is doubling up on meetings again after visiting the Rockets and Mavs on Wednesday. He’s seeing both the Lakers and the Knicks today in Los Angeles. We’ll round up the latest ‘Melo updates here:

Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) gets the sense that the Rockets are fully focused on Carmelo and are merely on the outskirts of the LeBron James chase, as much as they’d like to be a factor there.
The Knicks have concluded their free agent meeting with Anthony, and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link) is reporting that as expected, the team offered Anthony the maximum five-year, $129MM deal that he was eligible to receive.
Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirms the Knicks offer as well as the earlier report that the Lakers offered Anthony a four-year, $96MM deal.
Broussard also tweets that Anthony did not give the Knicks an answer or a timetable tonight. He will take the holiday weekend to think things through.

Earlier updates:

Anthony has been pursuing a conversation with Pau Gasol about playing together on the Knicks, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The time of today’s meeting with the Lakers was changed, and it might conclude before Kobe Bryant can arrive back in town to be in attendance, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). He’s going to try to meet with Anthony later, Shelburne adds.
People around Anthony believe he plans on making up his mind this weekend as he spends time at his home in Los Angeles, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Knicks owner James Dolan won’t be present for today’s meeting, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Team president Phil Jackson, coach Derek Fisher and GM Steve Mills are instead all flying in.
Rival suitors appear to be increasingly pessimistic about their chances of prying ‘Melo from the Knicks, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. But the Lakers, for their part, weren’t short on confidence going into today’s meeting, as Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding writes.
Though the Bulls reportedly floated the idea of a $16MM annual salary for ‘Melo, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune says they didn’t discuss financials much, if at all, with the Bulls instead generally communicating that they’d secure the necessary cap flexibility (Twitter link).
The Bulls see the Knicks as their only real competition for Anthony, and they’re selling Gasol on the idea that they could sign both him and Anthony, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
The meeting that ‘Melo had Wednesday with the Mavs was all business and lacked the elaborate flair that accompanied his visits with Chicago and Houston, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details.

Cavs Hesitate To Make Offer To Gordon Hayward

July 3rd, 2014 at 9:42am CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 9:42am: The possibility remains that the Cavs will eventually extend an offer to Hayward, Amick writes.

WEDNESDAY, 9:53pm: The Cavs won’t give Hayward an offer sheet, a source tells Sam Amick of USA Today. Cleveland likes the 23-year-old, but they believe that Utah will match any offer and they don’t want to tie up their cap space. Their reluctance to bind their flexibility may or may not be related to their hopes of signing LeBron James.

7:45pm: The Cavs’ belief that the Jazz will match any offer sheet for Hayward is strongly discouraging Cleveland from extending one, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).

3:49pm: The Cavs are undecided about a max offer to Hayward, writes Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer, who believes a sign-and-trade is a more likely scenario, pointing to Utah’s predraft trade talk with Cleveland as having established a familiarity between the respective front offices.

2:40pm: A source close to the Cavs tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that the details of the team’s meeting with Hayward have been “greatly exaggerated” (Twitter link).

1:10pm: Some sources give Marc Stein of ESPN.com different figures, but most tell him that the Jazz have been willing to give Hayward four years and $48MM while he’s been seeking four years at $52MM (Twitter link). Previous reports indicated the Jazz were willing to go above that four-year, $48MM amount during extension talks this fall.

12:38pm: The Jazz remain intent on matching any offer to Hayward, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News hears (Twitter link).

12:04pm: The Cavs are believed to be readying a max offer sheet to present to Gordon Hayward during his visit with the team today, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Jazz have been steadfast that they’ll match any offer, but it appears Cleveland is prepared to test their resolve.

There was reportedly mutual interest between the C’s, who employ Hayward’s college coach, and the 24-year-old swingman, though Boston’s agreement with Avery Bradley might alter that equation. The Suns apparently have had interest in a deal at least approaching the max, and the Hornets reportedly like Hayward, too. Still, the Cavs have targeted Hayward for months, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), and they have no shortage of cap flexibility to accommodate Hayward’s max, which would be roughly 25% of the salary cap.

The Jazz and Hayward reportedly discussed an extension last fall worth more than the four years, $48MM that Derrick Favors agreed to take in his extension. There’s probably about a $2MM difference in between the average annual value of Favors’ deal and the starting salary in a max deal for Hayward, but a max deal would entail raises of 4.5% if Hayward signed with another team and 7.5% if Hayward re-signed with the Jazz.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jazz are content to have the Cavs sign Hayward to the offer sheet and match, since the max deal Utah could give him, which entails larger raises and a fifth year, would be larger. The Jazz would have three days to match should the Cavs sign the Mark Bartelstein client to the offer sheet when they’re eligible to do so after the July moratorium is over.

LeBron’s Return To Miami Not Certain

July 2nd, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, several reports have indicated that LeBron James was leaning heavily towards re-signing with the Heat and clubs around the league seem to have shifted their focus away from the game’s top talent. In fact, while Carmelo Anthony continues his nationwide tour, teams have been having trouble getting in touch with James’ camp. However, a report from Chris Broussard of ESPN.com paints a different picture of where the Heat stand with James.

After a lunch meeting last Wednesday, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were committed to returning to the Heat, but James was unsure of what he would do, sources said. James also did not ask or suggest that Wade and Bosh opt out of their deals or take lesser salaries to allow the Heat to add other top players. Bosh and Wade are intent on returning, but neither of them knows what James will do.

Bosh and Wade were so uncertain about James’s future after the meeting that one of them spoke about what the Heat might look like without him, according to one source. Where LeBron winds up, as far as Bosh and Wade are concerned, is still up in the air. The only certainty is that James wants a max deal.

Free Agent Rumors: LeBron, Deng, Jamison

July 1st, 2014 at 11:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Suns managing partner Robert Sarver expressed confidence in his club’s chances of luring LeBron James to Phoenix, writes Bob Young of the Arizona Republic. “We are in a good position,” he said. “We have a lot to offer, too, with the depth of our roster compared to some of the other teams. We think we have a favorable opportunity, but obviously he’ll make his decision when he wants to make it. He’ll look at the facts and make a decision.”

Luol Deng would welcome the chance to return to the Bulls, agent Ron Shade told Sam Amick of USA Today. “There’s always going to be a part of him that belongs to Chicago, and part of Chicago that belongs to him,” Shade said. “There were no hard feelings (about the trade). Moving forward, he’d look to have an amicable relationship (if he played with the Bulls).“
Free agent forward Antawn Jamison, 38, is in good shape and is not contemplating retirement, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
Kent Bazemore has meetings lined up with the Spurs next Tuesday followed by the Celtics next Wednesday, sources tell Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter).
Anthony Morrow, one of the league’s best shooters, has received interest from 12 teams around the league since free agency began, tweets Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
With Shaun Livingston out of the picture for the Nets, one option for the mini mid-level exception is Bojan Bogdanovic, league sources tell Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (on Twitter).
In addition to the previously reported Hornets and Blazers, Josh McRoberts has drawn interest from the Mavs, Cavs, Heat, Clippers, Knicks, Spurs, Suns and Lakers, a source tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

LeBron James Not Currently Engaged With Teams

July 1st, 2014 at 10:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The growing belief around the league has been that LeBron James will ultimately wind up back in Miami. All signs continue to point in that direction. Teams hoping to engage James have been mostly unable to and while no doors have been closed, teams are moving on, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.

It’s been known for a while that the free agency market would be in a holding pattern as teams are prioritizing runs at James and Carmelo Anthony. While Anthony’s free agency could continue to gum up the works for other free agents, it doesn’t appear at this time that will be the case with LeBron.

It seems that the most likely scenario will be James re-signing with the Heat while teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade take discounts to help the team improve in other areas.

Southwest Rumors: Daniels, LeBron, Parsons

July 1st, 2014 at 7:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rockets would like to re-sign Troy Daniels, but he’s also receiving interest from the Mavericks, Spurs, Grizzlies, and Pelicans, according to sources that spoke with RealGM’s Shams Charania. Daniels became a playoff hero for Houston after he was called up from the D-League but they could be seeing plenty of him on the opposing side this season with the entire Southwest Division in pursuit. Here’s the latest out of the Southwest..

The Mavericks, Rockets, and Suns are among the teams that are set to meet with LeBron James‘ agent, Rich Paul, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Several teams are thinking of signing Chandler Parsons to a high-dollar offer sheet if only to burden the Rockets with an unwieldy cap hold while they decided whether to match, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe writes.
The Grizzlies are split on what to do with free agent forward James Johnson, writes Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal. The coaching staff sees Johnson as a mistake-prone player and is frustrated by him. Meanwhile, some of the team’s execs see him as a wild card worth keeping.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Southeast Rumors: Lowry, McRoberts, Livingston

July 1st, 2014 at 7:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Heat‘s infatuation with free agent guard Kyle Lowry has been well documented, but the Big Three haven’t been actively recruiting him, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. More from the Southeast Division..

Josh McRoberts‘ agent tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer that there’s mutual interest between his client and the Hornets. “Quite a few teams have expressed” interest, Mike Conley Sr. said in a phone interview. “We haven’t gone into any in-depth discussions yet, but we know how the Hornets want him.”
The Hornets approached Shaun Livingston about a possible return to Charlotte, a knowledgeable source tells Bonnell. Livingston played for Charlotte in the 2010-11 season when they were under their maiden Bobcats moniker.
Kent Bazemore has heard from the Hawks, Celtics, Mavs, Lakers, Suns, and Bulls, tweets Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (Twitter link) adds the Spurs to that list.

LeBron James To Demand Max Salary

July 1st, 2014 at 3:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 3:12pm: James is indeed seeking a maximum salary deal for just one or two seasons, according to John Canzano of The Oregonian. Canzano reiterates the details of the discounted figures to which Wade and Bosh have consented to assist the team in its attempt at a significant upgrade.

MONDAY, 12:26pm: LeBron James will insist on the maximum salary in a new deal this summer, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, though it’s not clear whether he’d demand the maximum number of years. James isn’t planning to meet with any teams, allowing agent Rich Paul to do all of the negotiating, and that plus his salary demand has led teams around the league to believe more strongly that James will stay with the Heat, according to Windhorst.

The ESPN scribe suggests that the NBA’s maximum salary for a veteran of 10 or more seasons will rise to $22.2MM for 2014/15. That would be the max for James, but even if the NBA’s max doesn’t surge that high, James’ max will be no less than $20,020,875, which is 105% of his salary from this past season.

James met with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to discuss salaries this weekend, so it appears it will be up to Wade and Bosh to take discounts if the Heat are going to add a free agent of note from another team this summer. All three took less than the max to sign with Miami in 2010.

Windhorst’s assertion that James appears increasingly likely to re-sign counters a dispatch from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who hears that James had begun to distance himself from Heat management during the season. Still, a source tells Amico that James would like to sign a deal that would give him the ability to opt out after one season, and with James apparently undecided on the length of his deal, according to Windhorst, perhaps James is indeed eyeing another shot at free agency in 2015.

Southeast Rumors: Wizards, Heat, McRoberts

July 1st, 2014 at 1:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

Plenty of teams are hoping for a chance to pitch to LeBron James, but the Wizards aren’t one of them, as owner Ted Leonsis explained in an appearance on 106.7 The Fan today. Scott Allen of The Washington Post has the transcription.

“You’d have to have cap space and you’d have to renounce all your free agents,” Leonsis said. “Then you’d have to be able to call their agent and say, ‘Would you think he would consider coming here?’ So, I never understood the grandstanding. Some of the bloggers have said, just get in the mix and throw your name out there. OK, so you generate positive pixels and it creates these faux expectations, and LeBron is in total control of his future. LeBron will do what LeBron wants to do. We have to be able to control what we want to control, and right now our main targets are retaining our players.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast Division:

The Heat‘s top two targets for outside improvement appear to be Kyle Lowry and Luol Deng, but neither seem likely to end up with the team, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Deng is unwilling to take a discount to go to Miami, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com, probably putting him out of reach (Twitter link).
Hornets free agent power forward Josh McRoberts and the Blazers have mutual interest in a deal, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com hears.
The Wizards would like to bring back free agent point guard Garrett Temple, but they face competition from the Heat, Magic and Bulls, who have also expressed interest, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
The Hawks are interested in re-signing Elton Brand, but the Knicks are eyeing him, too, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Free Agent Rumors: Melo, Love, Henry, Sessions,

July 1st, 2014 at 1:15am CST by Zachary Links

The Knicks are still viewed in league circles as the favorites in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The team is confident that it will get the final sales pitch with Anthony, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The latest free agent rumors from around the league..

The Rockets, Suns, Bulls, and Warriors are all expected to make plays for Kevin Love if they miss out on LeBron James and/or Anthony, tweets Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press.
The Pacers are targeting Xavier Henry in free agency to replace Evan Turner, tweets Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth.
Bucks free agent guard Ramon Sessions‘ camp received calls from three teams in the first hour of free agency, a source tells Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
The Grizzlies, Nets, Spurs, and Thunder have expressed in free agent point guard Sebastian Telfair, a source tells Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter). Telfair played in China last season. For the Nets, Telfair could be a potential replacement for Shaun Livingston if he goes elsewhere.
The Nets reached out as soon as the negotiating window opened to their own free agents Paul Pierce, Livingston, and Alan Anderson, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
The Blazers have strong interest in signing a stretch four, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Spencer Hawes, Boris Diaw, and Josh McRoberts are among their targets.
Blazers GM Neil Olshey met with Hawes and his agent, Greg Lawrence, tonight in Los Angeles, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
Channing Frye would be open to returning to the Blazers, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “Of course coming back would be an option,” Frye wrote in an e-mail. “I love the city, the fans, and the players they have are top notch.”
Nick Young was contacted by the Lakers and a number of other teams, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).