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Odds & Ends: Rondo, Dragic, Speights, Rumors

January 28th, 2013 at 10:01pm CST by Alex Lee

With seven NBA games on the docket for Monday night, here are some odds and ends from around the Association:

  • J.J. Redick has made Orlando his home and hopes to stay, he told Michael Scotto of RealGM.  But Redick also realizes that trade speculation is inevitable and therefore has stayed in close contact with his agent and the Magic general manager Rob Hennigan.
  • Ben Golliver of Blazers Edge provides a transcript of an interview of Neil Olshey in which the Blazers GM discusses his team's roster and potential future moves.
  • Andrei Kirilenko handpicked Minnesota as his destination this offseason because he found the roster intriguing as well as conducive to his game.  Unfortunately, due to the Timberwolves' long list of injuries, Kirilenko has yet to find out if his vision was as good as it seemed this offseason, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
  • Danny Ainge said that he fully expect Rajon Rondo to be ready for training camp come October, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.  How realistic that truly is will go a long way in determining the Celtics' next move.
  • Despite sitting at 15-30 and in last place in the Pacific division, the Suns have a reason for optimism in Goran Dragic, writes Derek Page of HoopsWorld.  Dragic, Page says, is the most important piece of Phoenix's rebuilding plans. 
  • We've already heard that Marreese Speights could be moved before the trade deadline despite rumors that the Cavaliers have coveted him for years.  The Plain Dealer rounds up some Speights-related buzz, linking to a Sam Amico article that says whether the team keeps Speights depends on whether it can do so without sacrificing its financial flexibility.  Amico, of Fox Sports Ohio, says that Speights will likely opt out of his deal after the season and seek a payday. 
  • Sean Deveney of Sporting News addresses several popular rumors that are floating around the NBA of late, the most notable of which include Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce and Pau Gasol.
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Pau Gasol Won’t Request Trade

January 28th, 2013 at 8:22pm CST by Alex Lee

It has been about a week since Mike D’Antoni opted to move Pau Gasol to the Lakers’ bench in favor of Earl Clark.  Gasol’s unhappiness with the move has been well-documented and only has ramped up speculation that he could be moved before the trade deadline.

Gasol told Ken Berger of CBS Sports on Monday that while he maintains his unhappiness, he will not directly or indirectly request a trade from the team with which he has won two titles since his arrival in 2008.  Gasol is “all in” for the remainder of the season:

“It’s hard for anybody who considers himself one of the top players in the world to say, ‘OK, I’m OK with coming off the bench.  It’s a difficult situation that we’ve been dealing with here. The last few games have been great, and we’re staying positive and we look forward to that to continue. But at the same time, we don’t need any other distractions, any more negativity. We need positive embracing, we need focus, we need to support each other. That’s where we’re at and that’s where I’m at, too,” he said.

However, Gasol has $19.3MM left on his contract for next year, and told Berger that he can’t envision a scenario where he would be comfortable returning to the Lakers next year as a bench player.

“I’ve been on this team, in this city, for six years.  It’s very hard to stick around on this team, and I take pride in that. I think I’m a valuable asset and I want my role to be as big as it can be, within the well being of the team. But I don’t know if being a player that comes off the bench will be something that I’ll be able to accept long term,” Gasol said.

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Odds & Ends: Lakers, Luxury Tax, Meeks

January 26th, 2013 at 6:09pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Yannis Koutroupis and Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld both agree that it wouldn't be in the Lakers' best interests to deal Dwight Howard despite how the team has struggled with him thus far. Brotherston also thinks that with Pau Gasol's value to teams looking for some veteran leadership, it would be wise for Los Angeles to cash him in for younger and more athletic players who can provide a better fit next to Steve Nash and Dwight. You'll find more of tonight's miscellaneous links below:

  • Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer looks at how the CBA's more restrictive luxury-tax implications (set to take effect in 2013-14) have reconfigured the way trades have been discussed in today's NBA, where cap space and draft picks have become the most coveted bargaining chips in what Celtics coach Doc Rivers calls 'economic trades.' 
  • Brotherston writes about how the emergence of Earl Clark in Mike D'Antoni's rotation has come at the expense of guard Jodie Meeks, who has gone from averaging 26.5 MPG in December to playing a total of 38 minutes in the Lakers' last seven games. While Meeks admits his frustration, he says there is nothing else to do but remain positive and stay ready for when D'Antoni gives him another opportunity to play. 
  • Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer points to inexperience as an explanation for the Bobcats' struggles when trying to close out games. Of their 31 losses this season, 10 have been decided by six points or less. 
  • While there is no set timetable for Hedo Turkoglu's return to action for the Magic, the 6'10 veteran forward recently participated in fullcourt scrimmages and said that the injured left hand he's been dealing with is "about to be 100 percent soon," notes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. 
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Stein’s Latest: Celtics, Grizzlies, Cavs, Suns, McCants

January 26th, 2013 at 11:13am CST by Sean Highkin

Marc Stein of ESPN.com has posted his latest Weekend Dime column, which features updates on a variety of trade-related topics from around the NBA. Here are the highlights:

  • GMs around the league view the Celtics as likely to make a move. They have interest in J.J. Redick, and executives speculate that they may finally decide to move Paul Pierce or Rajon Rondo.
  • Some GMs believe a three-team trade is possible that would send Pierce to the Grizzlies, Rudy Gay to the Lakers, and Pau Gasol to Boston.
  • After their trade with the Cavs this week, the Grizzlies' roster is down to 11 players and they have 14 days to sign at least two players to meet the minimum requirement of 13. Memphis looked at Delonte West but decided against signing the veteran guard, Stein reports.
  • Stein notes that Memphis received three separate trade exceptions in the trade. Marreese Speights landed them an exception worth $4.2MM, while Wayne Ellington's was worth $2MM and Josh Selby's was worth $762,195.
  • Although the Cavaliers think highly of Speights and have wanted him for years, the forward is already drawing interest from other teams and could be moved before the February 21 trading deadline. Stein identifies Daniel Gibson and Omri Casspi as the other two Cleveland players most likely to be traded.
  • The Suns are said to be shopping Jared Dudley, Marcin Gortat, and Luis Scola in light of the team's struggles this season. It should be noted that Scola, having been claimed after being waived with the amnesty clause, cannot be traded until after this season.
  • Stein's column also featured a Q&A with 28-year-old former lottery pick Rashad McCants, who is playing with the Texas Legends of the NBA D-League in hopes of eventually making another run at an NBA career.
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Berger’s Latest: Lakers, Lowry, Gay, Suns, Seattle

January 25th, 2013 at 7:21pm CST by Sean Highkin

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a new column in which he examines the Lakers' options at the trading deadline. Berger attributes at least some of Dwight Howard's struggles this season to having only had a limited amount of time playing in the pick-and-roll with Steve Nash, and suggests that standing pat could be an option. He goes into further depth about the Lakers' options as well as some other topics from around the NBA as the deadline approaches.

  • The Jazz, Raptors, Hawks, and Timberwolves are among the teams Berger says have interest in trading for Pau Gasol, although none of them have an ideal set of pieces to make a deal with the Lakers.
  • Berger doesn't believe the Lakers will trade Howard because they have a lot of leverage to keep him in the form of a bigger contract they can offer him than any competitor.
  • Kyle Lowry may be on the trade market, as people within the Raptors organization are not pleased with him. Berger lists the Mavericks and Hawks as two teams that could be interested in trading for him.
  • Although talk has cooled in recent weeks, Berger hears from executives around the league that the Grizzlies are still open to trading Rudy Gay, either before the trade deadline or during the summer.
  • Suns GM Lance Blanks and president Lon Babby could have their job security depend on Lindsey Hunter's success as interim head coach over the rest of the season.
  • A bankruptcy lawyer is claiming that Kings minority owners should be given an opportunity to match the offer the Maloof family accepted to sell the team to the Chris Hansen-led Seattle ownership group.
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Wolves Rumors: Turner, Pekovic, Johnson, Gasol

January 25th, 2013 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

This week's edition of Darren Wolfson's Scoops column at 1500ESPN.com focuses on a couple other local teams before getting around to the Timberwolves. There are still a few notable T-Wolves tidbits within Wolfson's piece though, so let's check out the highlights….

  • Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman badly wanted to add Elston Turner to his staff when he first got the job. Now that the Suns and Turner have parted ways, it's possible he eventually ends up on the Wolves' bench.
  • Minnesota is still expected to make a move before the February 21st trade deadline, but all is quiet on the trade front at the moment.
  • The T-Wolves have told Nikola Pekovic they don't intend to shop him, though a source close to Pekovic asks Wolfson, "What does that really mean?" For his part, Pekovic is hoping to remain with the team long-term.
  • There's a sense that if the Wolves don't re-sign Chris Johnson when his 10-day contract expires on Monday night, he'll land with another NBA team fairly quickly.
  • As long as Pau Gasol remains a trade candidate, consider the Wolves still in the hunt, says Wolfson.
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Lakers Rumors: Trades, Job Security, Howard

January 24th, 2013 at 6:32pm CST by Daniel Seco

Here's the latest news and notes making headlines at the Staples Center…

  • While Lakers fans may expect the franchise to move either Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol or both before the trade deadline, one GM says it's more liklely that the team retains both players, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com. 
  • After already having three head coaches man the bench for the Lakers this season, don't look for Los Angeles to consider a buy-out or firing of Mike D'Antoni, says Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register (via Twitter).
  • Struggles have dominated the first half of the Laker's season but the unlikely performance of Earl Clark has been a bright spot for Los Anglees, writes Alex Kennedy of Hoops World.
  • Arash Markazi and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com consider whether trading Dwight Howard now in hopes of the Lakers winning a championship is worth sacrificing the future of the franchise for the long-term.
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Lakers Rumors: Nash, D’Antoni, Howard, Gasol

January 24th, 2013 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers' disastrous first half has been one of the major stories for most of the NBA season, but the situation has somehow seemed to get even worse within the last few days. Yesterday, the Lakers "went at each other a little bit" in a team meeting, and then lost in Memphis to fall to 5-15 on the road and 17-25 overall, closer to the Western Conference basement than the eighth playoff spot. What's next? Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has the latest on the Lakers….

  • The biggest issue Lakers vice president Jim Buss had with the possibility of choosing Phil Jackson over Mike D'Antoni as the team's head coach was the idea that offseason signee Steve Nash would be marginalized in Jackson's Triangle offense, says Wojnarowski. "The way this turns out," one league source told Wojnarowski. "You've chosen not only Steve Nash over [Pau] Gasol, but maybe over Gasol and Dwight [Howard]."
  • The Mavericks and Hawks have called the Lakers to inquire on Howard, and have been told the big man isn't available, and that the stance won't change before the trade deadline.
  • Sources tell Wojnarowski that the only reason Howard might hesitate about re-signing with the Lakers is the presence of D'Antoni. According to the Yahoo! scribe, the Lakers coach "fundamentally doesn't believe in post play."
  • When he was coaching the Knicks and a possible pursuit of Howard was discussed, D'Antoni told the Knicks front office that USA Basketball preferred Tyson Chandler to Howard, and that "the Knicks would be wise to adopt that thinking," according to Wojnarowski.
  • Gasol, who has been marginalized in D'Antoni's system, is upset and privately expects to be traded, says Wojnarowski.
  • The Lakers are very unlikely to fire D'Antoni, since it would leave them paying $25MM to coaches no longer in Los Angeles (D'Antoni and Mike Brown). But if they did make a change, Wojnarowski suggests that Bernie Bickerstaff may be the Lakers' best option, since he simplified the offense and had the club playing solid defense during his interim stint.
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Lakers Notes: World Peace, Gasol, Howard

January 22nd, 2013 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

When I asked earlier this month whether the Lakers would make the postseason, the votes were nearly split, with just over 51% of you predicting that the club would end up on the outside looking in. In the two weeks since I published that poll, the Lakers have gone just 2-6, and I'd guess if I asked the same question about the team's playoff chances today, the results would lean even more heavily to the Lakers as a lottery team. As the club looks to find a way out of its most recent spiral, let's check in on a few notes out of L.A….

  • Metta World Peace could become a free agent this summer if he turns down his 2013/14 player option, but he doesn't intend on going anywhere, as he tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "I want to stay here the rest of my career [and] get past this adversity. I want to finish as a Laker."
  • The latest lineup change in L.A. involves Pau Gasol coming off the bench, a role he's not thrilled with, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Still, Pau wants to remain a Laker: "I feel like I'm a part of this team and part of this franchise. I love to play here for as many years as possible because I identify myself with the team. I want it to work."
  • Kobe Bryant spoke to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports about the Lakers' current struggles.
  • Following up on Mark Cuban's comments about teams with high payrolls and long losing streaks being more inclined to deal as the deadline approaches, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wonders if the Mavericks might approach the Lakers about acquiring Dwight Howard. However, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears from Lakers sources that trading Howard isn't an option the team is currently considering.
  • We recently heard that the Lakers inquired on the Timberwolves' Dante Cunningham, but according to Kyler, Cunningham was just one of a number of players the Lakers have checked in on.
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Western Notes: Gasol, Howard, Aminu, Grizzlies

January 21st, 2013 at 8:54pm CST by Michael Pina

Pau Gasol will be coming off the bench permanently, tweets Orange County Register reporter Kevin Ding. Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni believes his team plays better when they're small, and a starting frontline of Gasol and Dwight Howard obviously isn't small. 

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