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Free Agent Rumors: Lucas, Camby, Lewis

July 8th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Daniel Seco

Jeff Green reached an agreement to remain with the Celtics on Saturday, while Aaron Brooks became an unrestricted free agent after the Suns withdrew their qualifying offer to the guard. What will Sunday bring? Here are the latest rumors on a number of free agents still on the market:

The Heat have interest in unrestricted free agent point guard John Lucas III, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
Marcus Camby's meeting with the Knicks today was "very positive," a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, and Zwerling hears that Camby is drawn to the Knicks because of his "great relationship" with GM Glen Grunwald.
"Everything went well" during the Heat's meeting with Rashard Lewis today, as Lewis' agent tells David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link). Lewis has yet to make a decision, with the Knicks and Hawks still in the running, Aldridge says.

Earlier updates:

Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter) identifies the Nets and Knicks as the frontrunners in sign-and-trade talks to land Marcus Camby. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News says that in addition to meeting with the Knicks in Houston, Camby held a conference call with the Nets (Twitter link).
Ken Berger of CBS Sports tweets that Brandon Rush could be an option for the Timberwolves or Trail Blazers, whichever team loses out on Nicolas Batum. Also, Berger includes Shannon Brown in the mix of suitors for Courtney Lee, O.J. Mayo, and Lou Williams once the two-guard dust clears (Twitter link).
Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas says that the Mavericks will resume talks with Ramon Sessions on Monday. Along with Dallas, the Rockets appear to interest the free agent point guard because of the opportunity to start.
According to CBSSports.com's Ken Berger, the Knicks had a "very productive" meeting with Marcus Camby today.
The Magic still do not know if Spaniard Fran Vasquez will be joining the team next season,tweets CBSSports.com's Ken Berger. Vasquez was a lottery pick in 2005.
The Bulls will not pick up C.J. Watson's option, and are attempting to deal him before July 10th, tweets Hoopsworld.com's Alex Kennedy.
The Mavericks, Rockets, Knicks, Hawks, Suns, and Bucks are all interested in signing guard Randy Foye, tweets CBSSports.com's Ken Berger.
According to a tweet from the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn, Greg Stiemsma's agent said his client did not receive a $3MM offer sheet from the Timberwolves.
The Celtics are interested in Courtney Lee after meeting with the free agent shooting guard on Saturday night, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
Even with the addition of Hinrich, the Bulls have Michael Redd and Gerald Green on their radar, tweets Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald.
Brooklyn head coach Avery Johnson says the Nets' focus is to re-sign Brook Lopez as trading for Dwight Howard remains out of their control, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The team has begun negotiating with Lopez on an extension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
With Camby postponing a meeting with the Heat, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel considers the likelihood of signing Greg Oden similar to how the team added Eddy Curry last season.
The Knicks brass will meet with Marcus Camby in Houston on Sunday with hopes that the big man will land in New York to serve as a backup for Tyson Chandler, says Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Look for the Celtics to explore internal options to replace Ray Allen rather than spend excess money on players who may not prove to be a good fit in Boston, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
The Bucks have emerged as a potential landing spot for Kirk Hinrich as they look to improve their backcourt depth, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, but Milwaukee will have to look elsewhere as Hinrich reached a verbal agreement with the Bulls earlier on Sunday.

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Odds & Ends: Hinrich, Bulls, Meeks, Mayo, Tolliver

July 7th, 2012 at 9:51pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago reported earlier that the Bucks presented Kirk Hinrich with an offer of about $4 MM per year, while the Bulls have made an offer somewhere between the veteran's minimum and around $2 MM per year. The proposed length of either deal is still unknown. Although the Bulls have been relatively quiet at this point during the offseason, Sam thinks that Chicago could eventually become financially viable for free agent point guards such as Ramon Sessions, Raymond Felton, Jerryd Bayless, and Delonte West, who could be available if they are not acquired during the first wave of free agent signings. Derek Fisher and Jonny Flynn were also mentioned as potential additions.

We are currently less than four days away from the end of the NBA's moratorium period, and here is the rest of what we've heard around the league this evening…

Ersan Ilyasova plans to meet with Bucks owner Herb Kohl on Tuesday, which is seen as an important opportunity in the team's effort to retain the 6'10'' forward (Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times reports). Earlier this week, we reported that Milwaukee offered a deal worth around $40MM over five years.

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweeted that the Lakers are scheduled to meet with unrestricted free agent Jodie Meeks early next week. In another tweet, Amico says that the Celtics have reportedly stepped up their interest in O.J. Mayo, but thinks Boston would likely have to add him via a sign-and-trade.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweeted that although the Timberwolves express interest in Anthony Tolliver, the team has not made any promises. Zgoda also added via Tolliver's agent that there are five other teams that have shown interest.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer answered some questions from Cleveland fans about the Cavaliers' offseason. While the team appears committed to keeping Anderson Varejao, Boyer thinks that his name will be brought up by other teams during trade discussions. With regards to free agency, she believes that Anthony Tolliver, Sonny Weems, Jonny Flynn, and Royal Ivey could be targets.
Ben Golliver of the BlazersEdge wonders if there are more front office changes coming after the resignation of Larry Miller, considering that the Trail Blazers still have executives held over from two prior regimes (Twitter link).
Carmelo Anthony publicly endorsed the Knicks' efforts to recruit Marcus Camby, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
Bulls forward Taj Gibson told Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago that he'd like the team to keep Omer Asik and would be ecstatic if the team somehow found a way to bring unrestricted free agent Kirk Hinrich back to Chicago. The two had been teammates during Gibson's rookie season.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes about Austin Daye and Charlie Villanueva as two players who will look to stake their claim as the stretch-four in Lawrence Frank's rotation. Both are in Orlando participating in summer league practices, but only Daye will compete on the Pistons' summer league team.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel talked about Jameer Nelson's return to the Magic and what it means for his leadership role moving forward.

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Hawks Targeting Small Forwards

July 6th, 2012 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have agreed to trade away two of their starters already this offseason, in Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams. And while the team acquired a number of players in the Nets trade and a potential starting point guard in the Jazz deal, the team was left with a hole at the small forward position, where Williams and Johnson played last year. According to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, that position is a top priority for the team in free agency.

Latest On O.J. Mayo

July 6th, 2012 at 11:18am CST by Luke Adams

11:18am: Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star says the Pacers have "great, great interest" in Mayo, and that he's the team's top choice among outside free agents.

9:13am: As the Grizzlies agree to re-sign one of their free agents, Marreese Speights, another Memphis free agent continues to seek a new contract. O.J. Mayo almost certainly won't be returning to the Grizzlies, but he "may be close to something" with the Pacers, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).

Free Agent Rumors: Jamison, Sessions, Lewis

July 5th, 2012 at 10:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Five days into free agency, a number of big names, such as Deron Williams, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, are off the market. But there are still plenty of players out there looking for contracts. We'll wrap up many of today's free agent updates right here, with the latest items added to the top of the page throughout the day….

Antawn Jamison had dinner in Charlotte with Bobcats executives Rod Higgins and Rich Cho, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). The former UNC star has also been talking to Warriors general manager Bob Myers, Jamison's former agent, and will chat with head coach Mark Jackson in the near future.
The Mavericks have reached out to Ramon Sessions for a second time and pitched a starting job to the veteran point guard, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
Rashard Lewis will visit the Heat this weekend after having his contract bought out by the Hornets, reports David Aldridge of NBA.com (Twitter links). The Hawks and the Knicks are among other teams interested in the veteran forward.

Earlier updates:

The Timberwolves' offer to Nicolas Batum now exceeds $11MM per season, reports John Canzano of The Oregonian (on Twitter). The Trail Blazers told Batum during a meeting this afternoon that the team will match any offer the player receives, tweets Jason Quick of The Oregonian.
Even with the addition of Jason Kidd and the likely retention of Jeremy Lin, the Knicks remain in the market for a third-string point guard, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Lakers remain interested in retaining restricted free agent Devin Ebanks and will match any deal barring a huge offer, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Andrei Kirilenko wants to return to the NBA, but "wants way too much money" and may end up staying in Russia, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (Twitter links). Kirilenko plans to make his decision by Aug. 1 on whether he will sign with an NBA team, says Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (on Twitter).
Ric Bucher of ESPN.com names the Mavericks, Rockets, Pacers, Clippers, Knicks, and Suns as teams that still have a shot at O.J. Mayo (Twitter link). I'd guess the Clips are off that list after reaching deals with Jamal Crawford and Chauncey Billups.
Bucher adds in the same tweet that the Mavs, Pacers, Spurs, Kings, and Jazz are in the running for Chris Kaman.
Asked about the Pacers pursuing Courtney Lee or O.J. Mayo, Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star tweeted that Mayo is Indiana's "clear No. 1 choice." Whether that means he's the team's top free agent target overall or just compared to Lee, it's clear that Mayo is very much on the Pacers' radar.
Teams are offering Ryan Anderson frontloaded contracts to make it difficult for the Magic to retain him, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Ramon Sessions has been contacted by several teams, including the Mavericks, but not the Knicks, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. A multiyear deal and a starting spot remain Sessions' top priorities, says Amico (Sulia and Twitter links).
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com names Jordan Hill, Kirk Hinrich, Antawn Jamison, and Shelden Williams as some players the Warriors have reached out to so far in free agency.
According to Steinmetz, the Warriors may not match an offer sheet for Brandon Rush if it approaches $5MM. Steinmetz hears that the Raptors may be considering an offer for Rush, though given Toronto's agreement with Landry Fields, that would surprise me.

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Celtics Close To Three-Year Deal With Jason Terry

July 3rd, 2012 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

1:43pm: A source tells ESPN.com's Marc Stein (Twitter link) that Terry is expected to give the Mavericks a chance to match the three-year offer before agreeing to sign with Boston.

1:38pm: A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com confirms (via Twitter) that the Celtics are close to signing Terry for their full mid-level exception. Spears adds (via Twitter) that the deal is expected to be for three years.

O.J. Mayo Seeking More Than Mid-Level

July 3rd, 2012 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

O.J. Mayo has informed teams he's interested in signing for more than mid-level money, according to Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. According to Kyler, Mayo's representatives view the 24-year-old as a consolation prize for teams who miss out on Eric Gordon – potentially the Pacers, Rockets, Suns, and Hornets.

Odds & Ends: Hawks, D-Will, Calderon, Celtics

July 3rd, 2012 at 12:15am CST by Chuck Myron

It's been another whirlwind day of player movement in the NBA, as the Hawks agreed to two significant trades, sending Joe Johnson to the Nets and Marvin Williams to the Jazz. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld speculated that Josh Smith may be the next Hawk to go (Twitter link), but Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein of ESPN.com report that Smith is excited about the moves, which would free up plenty of cap space for next summer, when Atlanta could go after Smith and other major targets. Here's news from elsewhere around the busy Association.

T-Wolves Rumors: Batum, Crawford, Gasol, Hill

July 2nd, 2012 at 8:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves are off to an aggressive start in free agency, having reportedly made a "serious offer" to restricted free agent Nicolas Batum. According to Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld, sources believe the Trail Blazers' willingness to match a big offer for Batum will depend on whether they're able to land Roy Hibbert. Here are a few more updates on the T-Wolves' targets in free agency and trades:

Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com updates an earlier story to say that Batum has narrowed his options to the Blazers, with whom he's meeting later this week, and the Wolves, and has postponed visits to other teams.

Earlier updates:

Nets, Hawks Discussing Joe Johnson Trade

July 2nd, 2012 at 4:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

MONDAY, 4:04pm: Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star Ledger is hearing that a deal that would send Johnson to the Nets is "pretty much done," he says via Twitter.

SUNDAY,11:06pm: The Nets are now offering Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Williams, DeShawn Stevenson (via sign-and-trade) and a future first-round pick for Johnson, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Sources say that the Nets are insisting that the trade includes at least one of their free agents via sign-and-trade – Stevenson or Gerald Green – in hopes of staying over the salary cap and keeping their MLE.

Stein adds that the Nets will only go ahead with the deal if it means keeping Deron Williams in Brooklyn.

The Nets would have to sign-and-trade Stevenson at a low number in order to make the numbers match up, tweets John Hollinger of ESPN.com.

9:45pm: The Nets are still trying to get a trade done for Johnson and hoping to get it resolved by mid-week, sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).

4:17pm: Atlanta has spoken with about 20 teams and is in at least a half dozen active discussions, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

3:47pm: The deal is in jeopardy as the Nets fear that they'll be surrendering too much financial flexibility in the trade as currently structured, according to Marc Stein and Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Another major stumbling block is the Hawks' insistence on acquiring MarShon Brooks.

10:58am: The Nets and Hawks could reach a decision on a possible Johnson trade today, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski. If the two sides don't agree to a deal, Brooklyn figures to turn its attention to O.J. Mayo. Atlanta, meanwhile, is "much more focused" on moving Johnson than Josh Smith, tweets Wojnarowski.

SATURDAY, 8:34pm: The Nets and Hawks are in talks about a possible swap that would send Joe Johnson to Brooklyn, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Both sides are in talks on several fronts, and while no deal between the two teams is close, Atlanta and Brooklyn have "gone back and forth" on the possibility, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link).

Johnson has four years left on a massive six-year, $123.7MM contract, so any trade would have to involve a great deal of assets going to the Hawks in exchange. Since the Nets have only about $13.7MM in guaranteed contracts for next season, Brooklyn would have to engineer some sign-and-trades to make a swap for Johnson feasible. Deron Williams appears unlikely to be part of any Johnson deal, as Wojnarowski says the Nets' intent would be to pair Johnson in the backcourt with Williams, who's reportedly leaning toward re-signing with the team.

Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News says that no two NBA GMs are closer than Nets boss Billy King and new Hawks GM Danny Ferry, who played together in college at Duke. Bondy has wondered whether that relationship would lead to a trade, speculating it could involve Josh Smith instead (Twitter links). Zach Lowe of SI.com tweets that since the Nets currently have no one under a guaranteed contract for 2013/14, they could theoretically sign Williams, acquire Johnson and still have enough money left over for Dwight Howard, who's set to become a free agent next summer.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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