Mike Dunleavy Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Notes: Rivers, Douglas-Roberts, Farmar

January 17th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Eddie Scarito

Austin Rivers is now a member of the Clippers and playing for his father, Doc Rivers, as a result of the recent trade. Bulls swingman Mike Dunleavy Jr. was in a similar situation years ago when he almost ended up being dealt to Los Angeles to play for his father, former coach Mike Dunleavy, something the younger Dunleavy wanted no part of, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “My concern was more with the locker room dynamic with the guys,” Dunleavy said. “It just seemed to me to be an awkward situation.“

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

Dunleavy is hopeful things will work out for the Rivers father-son tandem, but he’s far from convinced it will, Blakely adds. “I think there are only two ways it really works,” Dunleavy said. “You’re either the best player or the worst player. Those are the two extremes. Somewhere in between? That seems to me to be the greater challenge.“
Sam Amick of USA Today tweeted that a locker room or chemistry issue led to the Clippers cutting ties with Jordan Farmar and Chris Douglas-Roberts. This drew a response via Twitter from Douglas-Roberts, who acknowledged there were chemistry issues in Los Angeles, but he denied being a negative influence in the locker room. Douglas-Roberts also tweeted his gratitude for the trade.
Farmar was disappointed that things didn’t work out for him with the Clippers, but the player acknowledged that he and the team weren’t a great fit, Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times writes. “I just never felt I had a real role,” Farmar said. “We talked in the offseason about what my job was going to be. The opportunity just wasn’t the same. It was never time for me to really ever get going and feel comfortable and feel like I had a place on the team.”
When the elder Rivers contacted his son about potentially coming to L.A., Austin needed time to consider the proposition, Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes. “The first thing I did was call my mom,” Austin Rivers said. “She’s going to have to deal with this. She was a wreck the first night. She was calling me, ‘What if this happens and what if that happens?’ I was like, ‘Mom, it’s not on anybody but me and him.’ At the end of the day, my job is to play and compete and that’s it. It’s not like in the last second of the game I’m going to have the ball in my hands. I know my role here. I know Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are the leaders.“

Bulls Rumors: Fredette, Thibodeau, Granger

February 28th, 2014 at 2:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls appear on the verge of a deal with Jimmer Fredette, and although coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t address the soon-to-be former King specifically with reporters, he dropped strong hints that Fredette is the sort of player the team wants to add. Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com rounds up the coach’s remarks.

“We could always use shooting so we’ll see,” Thibodeau said. “I know (Bulls executives are) looking at a number of guys right now. But any time we could add shooting, we’re interested. I think the more shooting you have the more it opens up the floor. It’s just to create the space, too. We want to open things up where we could attack off the dribble with our cuts, things of that nature. But it’s also how you complement your primary scorers, so we feel that’s an area of need.”

There’s news about Thibodeau himself amid the latest from Chicago:

Bulls vice president of basketball John Paxson operations issued another dismissal of rumors that Thibodeau will leave the team this summer over disagreements with the front office, notes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “He is not going anywhere. … I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that our team is the best prepared in the NBA with Tom as our head coach,’’ Paxson said Thursday on WGWG-FM 87.7.
Sources close to the Bulls tell Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald that they didn’t have strong interest in Danny Granger or Caron Butler, despite reports putting them in the mix for both.
Trade chatter surrounded Mike Dunleavy and Kirk Hinrich before the deadline, but the Bulls never engaged in serious talks to deal away either of them, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com, who answers reader questions in his latest mailbag column.

Central Rumors: Turner, Bulls, Pacers, Cavs

February 20th, 2014 at 7:38pm CST by Zachary Links

NBA executives are praising the Pacers for their acquisition of Evan Turner because it improves their team, reduces payroll, and gives them leverage with Lance Stephenson when he’s a free agent next summer, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. This may prove to be just a short-term rental for the Pacers as they swapped one pending free agent for another, but it’s definitely an upgrade for their club in the here and now. Here’s more out of the Central..

Despite some rumors to the contrary, the Bulls showed no desire to move Mike Dunleavy because he’s an affordable rotation player who fits next season, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. For his part, Tom Thibodeau is satisfied with what was a quiet deadline for the Bulls.
The Cavs have a vacant roster spot and will fill it through free agency or a D-League signing, but GM David Griffin says that he’ll take his time to identify the club’s biggest need, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
With the Turner deal, the Pacers have sent a strong message to the Heat that they are ready to take it all this season, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Turner will allow the Pacers to play small at times, matching up with teams that use quick lineups. More importantly, he brings serious ball-handling skills to the table, which should help round out the Indiana offense nicely.
While the addition of Turner could be a boost on paper, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders fears that the Pacers could be making a mistake by messing with their chemistry.
With the smart (but painful) trade, the Pacers put themselves in great position for the remainder of the year, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
If Roger Mason Jr, clears waivers, he could be a candidate for the Bulls when Jarvis Varnado‘s 10-day pact expires, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
In today’s presser, a reporter asked Griffin if he considers Cavs star Kyrie Irving an untouchable. He explained that his philosophy is that no one is untouchable, tweets the Plain Dealer. Meanwhile, Griffin says that he wasn’t close to a deal for Luol Deng, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, but he added that if he didn’t listen, he wouldn’t be doing his job.
Amico gives Griffin a thumbs up for his first trade deadline as Cavs GM.

Amick’s Latest: Rondo, Love, Asik, Ilyasova

February 18th, 2014 at 8:06pm CST by Charlie Adams

Despite the high asking price set by Celtics GM Danny Ainge, Rajon Rondo is still being pursued by several teams, most actively by the Raptors, Knicks, and Kings, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. Ainge is seeking multiple first round picks and a young prospect in exchange for Rondo, and no team has been able to present a deal that meets such a hefty cost. Here’ more from Amick:

The Timberwolves are willing to listen to offers for any player on their roster besides Kevin Love, says on league executive. It’s a common belief Love will part ways with Minnesota in the summer of 2015 to seek out a deal with the Lakers, and the Wolves want to do everything they can to help prevent such a scenario.
Omer Asik has been asking for a trade since the Rockets signed Dwight Howard, but Amick hears it’s unlikely the disgruntled big man gets moved this week. It’ll be interesting to see where Asik is come Thursday, since this news contradicts an earlier report stating the Sixers might be in play to land him.
The Bucks have emerged as a possible “longshot destination” for Asik, as the Rockets would be interested in a swap involving Ersan Ilyasova. The Bucks remain hesitant to take on Asik, who will receive a steep pay increase next season, despite word that Ilyasova is unhappy in Milwaukee.
Amick reiterates earlier reports that suggest Mike Dunleavy is unlikely to be traded away from the Bulls.
Jeff Teague might emerge as a fallback option for clubs that are unable to trade for Rondo, as rival executives believe Teague will be available to teams if the price of the package coming their way is high enough.

Bulls Rumors: Varnado, Dunleavy, ‘Melo

February 18th, 2014 at 6:35pm CST by Charlie Adams

News broke this morning that the Bulls officially signed big man Jarvis Varnado to a 10-day contract. The shot-blocking specialist is a logical fit for Tom Thibodeau‘s defensive system, and K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune passes along that the coach is happy to have Varnado aboard. “We followed him in college and of course in the D-League, Boston and Miami,” Thibodeau said. “He’s gotten better. He has a lot of the qualities that we’re looking for. We’re excited to have him.” More out of Chicago..

Mike Dunleavy has been targeted by the Rockets, among other teams, but he seems to be staying put with the Bulls for the time being, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
Chicago has been labeled as possible destination for Carmelo Anthony during this summer’s free agency period, but in order for the Bulls to sign Melo for the salary he’s probably looking for, the club would most likely need to amnesty Carlos Boozer and trade Taj Gibson. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders examines Anthony’s odds at landing in Chicago compared to a few other cities come this July. Sources tell Kyler it’s highly unlikely the Bulls would meet Anthony’s maximum-salary asking price.
Speaking of Anthony, Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune opines the Bulls would be better off if they avoided signing last year’s scoring leader (subscriber link). Rosenbloom doesn’t think Melo has proven he can succeed as a team’s primary option.

No Trade Talk Surrounding Omer Asik

February 18th, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Chuck Myron

The Rockets have no ongoing discussions about trading Omer Asik, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link). GM Daryl Morey said last month that it’s likely the team will keep Asik through next season, and it appears he’s keeping his word. Morey indicated the team would trade Asik in December, but no deal came about.

Houston also isn’t making much traction toward acquiring Bulls swingman Mike Dunleavy, Amick tweets. The Bulls appear unwilling to move him, according to Amick, in spite of his $3.183MM salary this season and $3.326MM pay for 2014/15.

The Rockets would love to move Asik, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports wrote last night, but the nearly $15MM balloon payment Asik will receive next season, in contrast to an $8.37MM cap figure, appears to be scaring off suitors. A January report indicated Houston was targeting Dunleavy, though not necessarily for a deal involving Asik.

Odds & Ends: Durant, ‘Melo, Rockets

January 30th, 2014 at 5:39pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There are plenty of things to look forward to tonight in the NBA, including the announcement of the All-Star game reserves as well as the follow-up showdown between the Warriors and Clippers, whose Christmas Day match-up gave us a taste of how intriguing the playoff atmosphere in the Western Conference could be come April. Shortly after the 105-103 loss, Clippers forward Blake Griffin spoke about being ejected and didn’t seem too happy with Golden State:

“If you look at it, I didn’t do anything and I got thrown out of the game. It all boils down to they (referees) fell for it…To me, it’s cowardly basketball. I don’t know their intentions, but it worked…If I knew the answer I’d probably be in a different position. Tonight I got two technicals for nothing.”

Although Warriors coach Mark Jackson continues to insist that LAC-GSW isn’t a rivalry, Matt Moore of CBS Sports provides the evidence which suggests otherwise. In the meantime, here are some links to pass along from around the Association this afternoon:

Kevin Durant‘s decision this summer to sign with Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency came from a desire to enhance his off-court marketing, and it had nothing to do with his feelings about Oklahoma City, sources tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
An agent with ties to the Knicks tells Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling that he thinks Carmelo Anthony is “too Hollywood” to choose the Bulls in free agency and prefers New York or Los Angeles instead.
Some executives around the league were put off by the public negotiating the Rockets did when Omer Asik was on the block, and other front-office types were annoyed with Houston’s boasts after the Dwight Howard signing, as Zwerling reports in the same piece.
The Bulls would be “ecstatic” if Nikola Mirotic signed this summer for the mid-level exception, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. He’s almost certainly referring to the non-taxpayer’s mid-level, which would allow for a starting salary of $5.305MM.
Marco Belinelli says the Bulls didn’t make an offer to re-sign him this past summer, and he finds that surprising, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com observes. The Bulls chose to sign Mike Dunleavy instead, reportedly because they felt he was a better fit with Derrick Rose.
Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays a report from El Mundo Deportivo that China and Russia have decided to withdraw their bids from the FIFA World Cup Wild Card. Ryan Wosltat of the Toronto Sun (via Twitter) says that with those two teams out of the picture and Brazil, Greece, and Turkey locks for the tournament, then Canada should have a shot to make it as well.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Bucher’s Latest: Griffin, Anthony, Lowry

January 14th, 2014 at 4:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

A majority of the league believes Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan don’t fit together, and Jordan’s improvement has made Griffin the more obvious trade candidate, according to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report. The consensus is that the Clippers need a big man who can shoot, and even Chris Paul wishes Griffin were more like former teammate David West, sources tell Bucher. A general manager who possesses the sort of power forward who might mesh better with Jordan said to Bucher that the Clippers haven’t contacted his team and added that he hasn’t heard that the Clippers are shopping Griffin at all. The GM thinks owner Donald Sterling would never agree to such a deal, though Bucher hears from a Clippers source confident that Doc Rivers will talk him into it before the trade deadline. Bucher has more on the Clippers and scuttlebutt around the league, as we detail:

Bucher suggests that if the Clippers were to trade for Carmelo Anthony, there’d be no certainty that they could re-sign him.
The Warriors decided against trading for Kyle Lowry over concerns about how he’d fit into their locker room. The Raptors have upped their asking price for Lowry in the meantime, and executives around the league aren’t sure whether Lowry, Andre Miller or Kirk Hinrich is the best oversized point guard who might be available.
Several GMs believe the Bulls will trade Mike Dunleavy for a draft pick, with Chicago setting its sights on a retool for next season. The Rockets are reportedly targeting Dunleavy, and Bucher shares insight from a rival executive on why Houston might be inclined to deal for him.

Bulls Notes: Dunleavy, Luxury Tax, Martin

January 12th, 2014 at 12:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

When Mike Dunleavy signed with the Bulls last offseason, he assumed he was signing on for an off-the-bench role on a contending team. Quite a bit has changed with the season-ending injury to Derrick Rose and the recent trade of Luol Deng. Dunleavy is doing his best to adapt to his new role as a starter writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Here’s more on the Bulls:

The Deng trade to the Cavaliers, the possibility of further trades, and the potential use of the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer after the season has led to speculation the team is heading into a rebuilding phase. Both executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman discounted that assertion. Instead, they countered with the notion that the team was simply retooling. This retooling will be aided by the Bulls getting themselves out of paying the luxury tax for this season, and the Bulls fully intend to put the money right back into the team, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times.
Cowley also notes that Cartier Martin, who was recently signed to a 10-day contract, had a strong debut for the team. In 26 minutes of action off the bench, Martin contributed 11 points and made four-out-of-five shots from the field. Martin said he had several options with other NBA teams but thought the Bulls were the best fit for him.
Another bit from Cowley is that with the recent speculation that the Knicks would pursue coach Tom Thibodeau, Bobcats coach Steve Clifford, a former assistant along with Thibodeau for the Knicks and Rockets, expressed that he didn’t believe Thibodeau would be fazed by participating in the rebuilding or retooling of the team. Thibodeau stated in response to the Knicks rumors: “That stuff is ridiculous. First I was being traded. … I couldn’t care less about that stuff. I love the fighting spirit of this team. That’s all I’m thinking about.“

Berger On Lakers, Love, Spurs, Bulls, Miller

January 10th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

Last month, we heard that the Nets and Rockets discussed the idea of a trade that would have sent Deron Williams to Houston and Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik to Brooklyn. While it’s not clear how serious those talks were, or if they still had any legs at all, they’re probably “dead for good” after D-Will underwent multiple injections in his ankles, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger’s latest piece includes several other trade tidbits from around the NBA, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

The Lakers are seeking an athletic power forward that would fit Mike D’Antoni‘s system, but league sources tell Berger that it’s unrealistic for the team to expect to land an impact player for Pau Gasol, whose trade value has “plummeted.”
Rival execs are also skeptical that the Lakers would take on any long-term salary. One Eastern Conference exec even tells Berger that “everyone knows” Kevin Love wants to sign with L.A. in 2015, so if the Lakers believe they have a shot at the star forward, it’s unlikely they’d tie up their ’15 cap space and compromise their chances.
Arn Tellem of Wasserman Media Group continues to work hard to try to find deals that would get two of his clients, Asik and Donatas Motiejunas, out of Houston.
The Spurs have been “unusually aggressive” in pursuing roster upgrades via trades this season, which signals to rival executives that the team recognizes its window may be closing.
As anticipated, J.R. Smith has generated “zero” trade interest, says Berger.
The Bulls are receiving interest in guards Kirk Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy, according to Berger, who reiterates that the Warriors are eyeing Hinrich and the Rockets like Dunleavy.
The Nuggets‘ talks with the Kings about Andre Miller have not gained any further traction, writes Berger. Meanwhile, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities says (via Twitter) that Denver coach Brian Shaw wants the club to land a skilled big man in any Miller deal.
Team executives around the league are encouraged by a growing perception that new commissioner Adam Silver will be more open-minded than David Stern. Among the ideas gaining traction among front offices that could be considered by Silver: A 16-team playoff bracket that includes the league’s 16 best teams, not sorted by conference.