Monta Ellis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dwight Howard Rumors: Tuesday

March 13th, 2012 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Reports from both ESPN.com and CBS Sports yesterday indicated that the Magic continue to try to surround Dwight Howard with talent in an effort to get him to stay in Orlando. If Howard remains noncommittal, the Magic are expected to re-evaluate their options tomorrow, with about 24 hours remaining before the trade deadline. So for today at least, the Magic seem more likely to discuss deals that don't involve their star center. Still, the Howard rumors continue to trickle in, and we'll keep tabs on Tuesday's items here, with the latest added to the top throughout the day:

Michael Wallace of ESPN reports that Howard has informed the Magic that he intends to stay for the rest of the season, and that the Magic must now "roll the dice." (Twitter link)
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel wrote that GM Otis Smith said during the Magic-Heat game that nothing is imminent, but implied that he won't rule anything out.
Magic CEO Alex Martins says that there are several teams willing to take on Howard as a rental without assurances that he'll stay, tweets Brian K. Schmitz.
Jason Lloyd of the Akron-Beacon Journal spoke with a few people around the league who have a feeling that the Magic will likely move Dwight within the next 24 hours. (Twitter link)
The Magic appear to be a team that currently has no deals to make other than one that involves Howard on his way out of Orlando, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Owner Rich DeVos told reporters that he does not believe anything major was going to happen.
Brian K. Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel tweets that Howard has not informed Magic CEO Alex Martins of whether or not he plans to stay or go during the offseason. John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com quoted Martins (via Twitter): "If you're asking whether we’ve decided to hang onto him or trade him, we haven’t made that decision yet."

Latest On Monta Ellis, Warriors

March 13th, 2012 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have made it abundantly clear at this point that they're not interested in trading Monta Ellis unless it means acquiring Dwight Howard. But what does Ellis think of all the trade rumors swirling around him and his Warriors teammates? According to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, Ellis and the Warriors have discussed the possibility that it might be time for him to be traded (Twitter link).

While Kawakami notes that the conversation doesn't mean a trade will happen this week, he adds that Ellis is frustrated by the team's inability to build a roster that can contend. Andris Biedrins and Dorell Wright, whose names also came up in trade rumors this week, seem open to the possibility of being traded by the Warriors as well, says Kawakami (Twitter links).

Talking to Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group about his current situation, Ellis said he wasn't about to request a trade, but hinted that he'd like to play for a contender.

"I probably could go to Orlando or Chicago and get a championship," Ellis said. "But if they don’t move me, what can I do? Hopefully — if they don’t move me – they get somebody in here so we can win and I don’t have to go through this every year."

Ellis is under contract next year, then has an early termination option for 2013/14. Asked if he planned to exercise that option, Ellis was noncommittal, telling Thompson, "We'll see."

Warriors Owner Wants Howard In Ellis Deal

March 13th, 2012 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

12:11pm: The Warriors have turned down the Magic's various trade proposals and talks have ended for now, tweets Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com. Presumably if the Magic put Howard on the table in the next couple days, the Warriors would be interested in reopening discussions.

11:16am: Monta Ellis was at the center of a major trade rumor yesterday, as reports suggested the Warriors were engaged with the Magic and Hornets about a possible three-way deal that would have sent Ellis to Orlando. However, multiple outlets, including ESPN.com and the Bay Area News Group, reiterated what's been an ongoing stance from the Warriors in recent weeks — Golden State isn't interested in trading Ellis unless it gets Dwight Howard in return.

Ken Berger of CBS Sports expands on this stance, noting that Warriors owner Joe Lacob has no desire to send Ellis to Orlando for non-Howard assets (Twitter link). The hope on Orlando's part is that acquiring Ellis would mean Howard commits to at least one more season with the Magic. But Lacob, who would badly like to acquire Howard himself, wants to preserve the Warriors' chances of acquiring D12, however slim those chances may be (Twitter link). Golden State is highly unlikely to participate in any deal that would improve the Magic's odds of retaining its star center.

While I tend to believe Ellis could still be had in the right deal that doesn't involve the Magic and Howard, it appears the Warriors aren't expecting to make a major trade before Thursday's deadline.

Andrew Bogut Rumors: Tuesday

March 13th, 2012 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported last night that the Rockets, Warriors, and Wizards were all pursuing an acquisition of Andrew Bogut. The Rockets have since backed off, according to Berger, but the Bucks still seem to be talking Bogut, with a decision on the big man potentially affecting Brandon Jennings' future as well. Let's track today's Bogut updates here, with the newest items up top:

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld explains that Jennings' future could be tied to Bogut's because one offer for Bogut has the Bucks getting a "solid" point guard in return. However, Milwaukee is asking a lot for both players, and most teams aren't interested at the Bucks' price (Twitter links).
The Warriors aren't expecting to make a blockbuster deal this week, reports Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. While Golden State is considering making a play for Bogut, his ankle injury and the potential inclusion of Stephen Jackson in any deal diminishes the Warriors' interest.
Berger's Bogut-to-the-Warriors scenario had Monta Ellis heading out of Golden State in any deal, but Thompson and Peter Vecsey of the New York Post both suggest that may not be the case. Thompson says the Warriors still don't want to trade Ellis for anyone besides Dwight Howard, while Vecsey says it's Stephen Curry, not Ellis, who is being discussed in a potential Bogut trade.
Meanwhile, a source tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link) that the rumored Warriors/Bucks/Magic talks never even took place.

Rockets, Warriors, Wizards Discussing Bogut

March 12th, 2012 at 11:41pm CST by Michael Pina

Houston, Golden State, and Washington are all trying to construct deals that would land them Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut, according to CBS Sports NBA Insider Ken Berger. Here's how each rumored deal looks to be shaping up:

The Warriors, who have been in the spotlight all day as rumored participants in a possible three-team deal with Orlando and New Orleans, have reportedly entered a new three-team opportunity that would send Bogut to Golden State and Monta Ellis to Orlando. It's unclear what Milwaukee would receive in the deal, but chances are they'd be giving up Stephen Jackson in the process, which is a favorable situation for them. Golden State had also been talking to the Lakers and Bulls about a deal involving Ellis, but those have yet to get off the ground.
If they strike a deal with the Rockets, it's believed the Bucks would receive a package that includes Samuel Dalembert, Courtney Lee, and draft picks in exchange for Bogut and Jackson. This deal would give Houston the All-Star level center (when healthy) they've coveted since Yao Ming retired, along with an immediate impact wing man. Dalembert is probably not in Houston next season, and Courtney Lee is an athletic bench player, so if this is rumored to be true, the deal could work out splendidly for Daryl Morey's team.
Despite having JaVale McGee on its roster, Washington has been in talks to acquire Bogut from Milwaukee. One would assume McGee, who is physically gifted but suffers from mental lapses, is a part of the deal, but no specific players on Washington's side have been reported. All we know with the Wizards is that every player on the roster is on the table except for John Wall.

Magic, Warriors, Hornets Discussing Ellis Deal

March 12th, 2012 at 6:13pm CST by Luke Adams

6:13pm: According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Golden State has moved away from talks of a three-team deal that would send Monta Ellis to Orlando. In a tweet, Stein says the Warriors are far more interested in assembling a package to offer Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut. Stein went on to say that the Warriors would be unwilling to part with Ellis, even if it meant getting rid of Andris Biedrins' contract, one of the worst in the league. According to an ESPN report by both Stein and Chris Broussard, the Magic will continue to spend the next 48 hours seeking various options on how they can add an enticing player to keep Dwight Howard happy. If they can't make a splash, they'll then spend the last 24 hours before the deadline looking at all their trade options.

1:57pm: The Magic, Hornets, and Warriors are discussing a three-way trade that would send Monta Ellis to Orlando, multiple league sources tell Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com. According to Rudolph, Warriors players being discussed include Ellis, Andris Biedrins, and Dorell Wright, while Magic players mentioned include Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, Hedo Turkoglu, Quentin Richardson, and Daniel Orton. Taking into account the Warriors' reported interest in Chris Kaman, the Hornets' involvement likely means Kaman would be going to Golden State if a deal was reached.

Although nothing is imminent, talks are ongoing, says Rudolph. I'd be surprised to see the three clubs work out an agreement, given all the moving parts involved, not to mention the presence of the league-owned Hornets — with David Stern still acting as the team's de facto owner, he'll have the opportunity to turn down any trade he doesn't feel benefits the team.

Reports in recent weeks have also indicated that the Warriors aren't looking to move Ellis unless they can acquire Dwight Howard. So it would be unexpected to see them move the Western Conference player of the week to Orlando for non-Howard assets. As Sam Amick of SI.com tweets, Joe Lacob seems unlikely to help the Magic keep Howard, since the Warriors owner covets the star center himself.

Warriors Targeting Andrew Bogut

March 10th, 2012 at 4:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Warriors are trying to put together a dea l for Bucks center Andrew Bogut, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Bogut is drawing interest from a number of teams, we learned yesterday, after the Bucks put him on the market last month.

Golden State is not optimistic a deal can get done, Thompson notes, in part because the price is high.Thompson also says part of the pessimism on the Warriors' front is because they are still looking for players who can help them this season, despite their 15-21 record.

The Bucks aren't insisting that Monta Ellis be a part of the deal, but they would want the Warriors to take back players they don't want, namely Stephen Jackson and Drew Gooden. Jackson played in Golden State from 2007 to 2009, but the coach, GM and ownership have all changed since his stay there. Gooden's contract, which has three years and $20MM left, makes him unattractive to Warriors GM Larry Riley and company.

Thompson speculates that it will take a third team in the deal for it to work.

Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, seems resigned to the idea of leaving the only NBA team he's ever known, as indicated by his comments to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last night. "Seven years (with the Bucks)," Bogut said. "It could work for us to part ways or it could work for us to stay together. I'll make it a positive either way."

Dwight Howard Rumors: Thursday

March 1st, 2012 at 8:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors and Hawks may be interested in making a play for Dwight Howard in the next two weeks, even without a guarantee that he'd sign long-term. For his part, Howard would like the Magic to try to acquire Steve Nash, and could perhaps be convinced to stay in Orlando a little longer if such a trade happens. Those were a few of the Howard rumors we heard yesterday. We'll track Thursday's updates here throughout the day, with the latest up top:

The Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins reports that Magic CEO Alex Martins has continued to engage Howard in discussions about the future, athough Martins was hesitant to divulge what exactly has been discussed in these meetings.
Robbins also wonders if Howard has expressed a willingness to stay in Orlando if the Magic acquire certain players, or if reports of Orlando's interest in Steve Nash and Monta Ellis simply suggest the Magic are making a Hail Mary play to convince Dwight to stay.
The Magic could do worse than Brook Lopez in a Howard trade, writes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
The Magic are making trade inquiries, but they're trying to acquire talent around Howard, rather than shopping their star center, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. If Orlando isn't able to bolster its roster around Howard, that stance could change, but for now, a D12 deal appears unlikely, Kennedy adds (via Twitter).
One player the Magic are pursuing is Monta Ellis, though Marcus Thompson II reported yesterday that the Warriors aren't interested in trading Ellis to Orlando without acquiring Howard. I'm also in agreement with Kennedy when he notes (on Twitter) that the Magic probably don't have the assets, besides Howard, to get an Ellis deal done. Still, the fact that Orlando is involving Howard in the decision-making process is a step in the right direction for the Magic, tweets Kennedy.

Amico On Rondo, Sessions, Watson, Warriors

March 1st, 2012 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest piece for FOX Sports Ohio, Sam Amico talks Rajon Rondo, Ramon Sessions, and other trade candidates. Here's what Amico has for us:

Amico hears from an NBA executive that the Celtics "hardly feel desperate" to trade Rondo, despite reports suggesting Boston is aggressively shopping its point guard. The same exec wonders if the Celtics could package Rondo and Jermaine O'Neal in the same deal.
A source says it would be "a miracle" if Sessions is a Cavalier past the trade deadline, even though the team "wouldn’t be against keeping him." At one point, it seemed as if the Lakers may ramp up their pursuit of Sessions, but Amico's source isn't sure if that's happened yet.
C.J. Watson is drawing interest, and while the Bulls are happy with his play, they'll listen to offers.
Amico is the latest reporter to hear that a Monta Ellis-to-Orlando deal is highly unlikely, due to the Magic's lack of non-Dwight Howard assets.

Magic Eyeing Monta Ellis

February 29th, 2012 at 8:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

8:52 p.m.: The Warriors are not interested in giving up Ellis if they don't get Dwight Howard in return, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. Thompson believes there's little chance the Magic could find a player from another team to satisfy the Warriors' demands.

8:39 p.m.: The Magic are in talks with the Warriors about Monta Ellis, reports Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM. Chris Broussard of ESPN adds that the Magic, who don't possess the assets the Warriors are looking for, are trying to get other teams involved in what would be a multiteam swap.

Both the Magic and the Warriors have been linked to the Nets and Brook Lopez of late, and the Warriors have been pursuing Dwight Howard. There's no indication at this point that Howard would be a part of an Ellis deal, though Broussard notes the Warriors were willing to send Ellis to Orlando for Howard earlier this year.

The 26-year-old Ellis is the league's seventh leading scorer at 22.2 PPG, though that figure is off from last year's 24.1 PPG and a career-high 25.5 in 2009/10. He's due $11MM each year through 2013/14, though he could elect an early-termination option after next season.

Broussard says that Ellis is on Howard's list of players he'd like to team with someday.