Raja Bell Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: McCants, T’Wolves, Thunder

January 23rd, 2013 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that former Timberwolves first-round pick Rashad McCants might be on his way back to the D-League's Texas Legends. The 28-year-old, who averaged nearly 20 PPG in China this year, played for the Mavericks affiliate in their debut season. Here's more on the T'Wolves and the rest of the Northwest..

The Thunder will pursue small forward Pete Mickeal when his contract with FC Barcelona is over, according to a report from TuBasket.com passed along by HoopsHype. Mickeal was drafted by Dallas in the second-round of the 2000 Draft but was waived that summer.
The T'Wolves were in on Australian center Aron Baynes early on before the Spurs scooped him up, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. San Antonio won out thanks to their personal connections with the big man in conjunction with their offer of a guaranteed deal.
The Raja Bell saga has gone on for months in Utah but his reps are hopeful that a settlement can be struck at some point, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM. The Jazz and Bell haven't made much progress on a buyout over the last month.

Western Rumors: Bell, Gordon, Kings

December 20th, 2012 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Thunder, owners of the best record in the NBA, face off tonight in what could be a playoff preview against the Timberwolves, who are just percentage points ahead of the Rockets and Jazz in the race for the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference. Here's more from the West:

Raja Bell is hopeful that he's nearing the end of the standoff he and the Jazz have been engaged in for months over the prospect of buyout, the veteran guard told Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune. Still, the team is giving no indication the impasse is close to resolution.
There's no official timetable for the return of Eric Gordon, who's been rehabbing his troublesome right knee, but the Hornets shooting guard says he's "more than 90 percent sure" he'll play before New Year's Day, as John Reid of The Times-Picayune details.
Many of the Kings are frustrated with coach Keith Smart over his benching of point guard Isaiah Thomas, according to Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com, who gives sharp criticism of the team's signing of Aaron Brooks, Thomas' replacement in the starting lineup.
Rockets rookie Donatas Motiejunas was appreciative of the playing time he received during this weekend's D-League assignment, notes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. "When you step on the court, you have confidence," he said. "Sitting on the bench for a longer time kills your confidence. At least (in the D-League) you get a feeling for the game."
Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld looks at how the improvement of Derrick Favors has created a dilemma in the frontcourt for the Jazz.
Kenneth Faried said the Blazers told him they would draft him 21st overall in 2011, and when they passed him over, allowing the Nuggets to pounce at pick No. 22, the power forward from Morehead State was upset with Portland, as he explained to The Oregonian's Jason Quick. "I ain’t going to lie to you: I don’t like them," Faried said. "I think it’s disrespectful what they did, got my hopes up for nothing. Every time we play them, it’s a little extra motivation for me to come out and show them what they missed."

Lakers Rumors: Gasol, Bell, D’Antoni, Jackson

December 14th, 2012 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

As I suggested in yesterday's round-up of Lakers links, a loss last night in New York wouldn't have been the end of the world, but a loss tonight in Washington? If that happens, sound the alarm bells. As L.A. looks to snap its four-game losing streak, let's browse a few Lakers rumors….

Multiple sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that if Pau Gasol still struggles to find a fit with the Lakers once Steve Nash has returned, the team would be willing to explore dealing him for a younger, more athletic forward and bench help.
With Wojnarowski's piece, the Yahoo! scribe also says the Lakers have put their pursuit of Raja Bell on held as they realize that point guard is a more pressing concern. The Bulls are willing to commit to Bell on a non-guaranteed deal, says Wojnarowski, but that hasn't motivated the veteran forward to finalize a buyout with the Jazz.
Kobe Bryant doesn't blame the Lakers' struggles on new coach Mike D'Antoni, as Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. "It’s not fair. He’s been thrown into a situation," Bryant said. "It’s been a huge adjustment for all of us. And we’ve been asked to figure it out with some key pieces that are out. When they come back we’ll get this thing locked and loaded."
Lakers fans still holding out hope for Phil Jackson probably shouldn't hold their breath, as Jackson tells TMZ.com that he wouldn't take the job if it were offered to him.

Kyler On Gasol, Redick, Varejao, Lakers, Fredette

November 28th, 2012 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld took to Twitter today to field a variety of trade-related questions from his followers. Some of Kyler's tweets were particularly notable, so let's round up the highlights below (all links go to Twitter)….

The Lakers have kicked the tires on Pau Gasol trades in the past and are aware that any move they make would be a downgrade. Kyler notes that if the team falls out of contention, a Lamar Odom-esque salary dump is a possibility, but it's hard to imagine that happening this season.
Even though J.J. Redick is on an expiring contract, a deal isn't necessarily likely since Redick fits the culture the Magic are trying to establish. Asked specifically about a potential swap with the Timberwolves involving Redick and Derrick Williams, Kyler says the Magic would want to include at least one bad contract in that type of move.
The Cavaliers continue to say Anderson Varejao isn't available, but Kyler thinks the team will have to cash him in at some point.
The Hawks still intend to re-sign Josh Smith next summer and build around him.
Having traded most of their first-round picks in other deals, the Lakers no longer have the draft picks to facilitate a contract dump, so the team will find it difficult to move a point guard like Steve Blake or Chris Duhon.
The Lakers have talked about the possibility of adding Mickael Pietrus, Delonte West, or Raja Bell, but nothing is close.
Kyler also reiterates a point he's made before, saying Jimmer Fredette is unhappy with the Kings.

Western Notes: Bell, Lakers, Rockets, Jackson

November 27th, 2012 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

As we prepare for an evening that includes at least one Western Conference team in every game on the NBA schedule, let's round up a few notes from out west:

Raja Bell's camp indicates the veteran forward would love to end up with the Lakers, but there's a long way to go before that's a real possibility, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
In his latest column for Grantland.com, Zach Lowe examines the Sixers' acquisition of Andrew Bynum and notes that if Philadelphia had decided not to facilitate August's Dwight Howard blockbuster to land Bynum, it could have had a huge impact on a number of Western Conference teams. Lowe suggests the Magic may have traded Howard to the Rockets instead, which would not only have affected the Lakers, but also the Thunder, since James Harden wouldn't have been sent to Houston in that scenario.
Appearing on Slate's Hang Up and Listen podcast, Rockets GM Daryl Morey discussed Jeremy Lin, Royce White, and Houston's need to gamble on high-upside players.
Brian Shaw, a current Pacers assistant and former member of Phil Jackson's staff in Los Angeles, was surprised the Lakers didn't hire Jackson to replace Mike Brown. And as he told Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Shaw was particularly taken aback by the Lakers' handling of the situation. "Under the circumstances," Shaw said. "Phil Jackson, who's been there and done that and put a lot of money in everybody's pockets around here, the way it was done… it's mind-boggling."

Pacific Rumors: Landry, Lakers, Bell, Barnes

November 23rd, 2012 at 7:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

All five Pacific Division teams are in action tonight, and four of the five are squaring off against opponents with records of .500 or better, including the Lakers, who have an opportunity to bounce back from an ugly loss to the Kings with a victory against the Grizzlies. The Suns figure to have the easiest go of it tonight, with a game against the Hornets, but that's certainly no guarantee for a rebuilding Phoenix squad. Here's more from the West Coast:

Carl Landry is glad to have the stability of the two-year deal he signed with the Warriors this summer, as he tells HoopsWorld. The deal includes a player option for next season, so perhaps this is an early hint that Landry plans to opt in, though that's merely my speculation.
Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times breaks down potential trade candidates for a Lakers deal involving Raja Bell, and says via Twitter that the team won't cut Robert Sacre to fit Bell on the roster.
The Lakers' decision on Bell will come down to whether they believe he's an upgrade over offseason signee Jodie Meeks, opines Ben Golliver of SI.com.
ESPN.com's Chris Palmer thinks the Lakers made a mistake letting Matt Barnes sign with the Clippers, and ESPNLosAngeles.com colleague Arash Markazi believes Barnes would be a better fit in purple and gold under Mike D'Antoni than he was with Mike Brown (Twitter links).

Lakers Showing Interest In Raja Bell

November 23rd, 2012 at 6:39pm CST by Luke Adams

6:39pm: Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles hears the Lakers haven't had any official discussions with Bell yet (Twitter link).

12:44pm: With Mike D'Antoni now at the helm in Los Angeles, the Lakers are exhibiting interest in a player that used to play for D'Antoni in Phoenix. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Lakers are displaying "renewed interest" in Jazz forward Raja Bell. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and Kobe Bryant have also been "strong advocates" of Bell this summer, according to Wojnarowski.

Bell, who is in the final year of his contract, was asked not to report to the Jazz this season, and the two sides have made attempts to negotiate a buyout. While a trade would also be a possibility, Bell's $3.48MM salary makes it difficult to find a taker, particularly given Utah's lack of leverage.

Even if the Jazz were to reach a buyout agreement with Bell, there's no guarantee the Lakers would be willing to add him on a minimum salary, according to Wojnarowski. Los Angeles would have to cut a player to clear a spot, then add more salary and a larger tax hit to a roster that's already worth $100MM. Although Wojnarowski suggests the Lakers would have to pay the salary for whichever player they'd cut, it's worth noting that Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom are on non-guaranteed deals, so the team could save itself some money by releasing one of them.

Regardless, for now, Bell remains under contract with the Jazz. According to Wojnarowski, the Lakers aren't the only team to show some interest in the 36-year-old either — the Bulls have also kicked the tires.

Western Notes: Lakers, Howard, Bell

November 15th, 2012 at 7:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

During an interview at the Lakers practice facility today, Mike D'Antoni acknowledged that his job will be to compete for a championship this season and added, "I told the team if we're not averaging 110-115 points a game, we need to talk." Zach Harper of CBS Sports relayed a plethora of other notable quotes as the new Lakers coach touched upon the offensive freedom he plans to give his players, the promise he sees in the second unit, and the notion that maximizing the amount of possessions per game will help offset one bad shot or bad call affecting the final outcome. Here's more of what we've heard tonight out of the Western Conference:

Dwight Howard told reporters that he is playing at about "75-80%" and still needs to get his explosiveness back to where he can sustain it over longer stretches of the game (Arash Markazi of ESPN LA tweets).
Marc Stein of ESPN mentions that Raja Bell would naturally be a target for the Lakers to pursue at this point, but him still being under contract with the Jazz, Los Angeles' $100MM payroll and a full roster remain as the most significant obstacles in their way (Twitter link).
The Suns approach to rebuilding includes stockpiling assets and being prepared for circumstances in which a good player may become available via trade, similar to how Houston was able to acquire James Harden from Oklahoma City, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (Sulia link) reports that Warriors center Andrew Bogut has received multiple injections of Regenokine in his left ankle to help with his overall recovery process.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside explains why a trip to the D-League for Scott Machado will be a golden opportunity for him to garner attention as a strong talent, something that would have been difficult without any significant playing time on the Rockets.

Western Rumors: Lakers, Wolves, Dirk, Rockets

November 13th, 2012 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard almost a month ago to the day that the Lakers had made Steve Blake and Chris Duhon available via trade, and that hasn't changed even with Steve Nash out, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Mannix reports that the Lakers have continued to dangle the two point guards in trade talks, but, unsurprisingly, neither player is drawing much interest. Here are a few more updates out of the Western Conference:

With Chase Budinger officially out for about three months, the Timberwolves will likely move to add a wing, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Zgoda names Mickael Pietrus, Josh Howard, and Raja Bell as possibilities, though Pietrus is seeking more than Minnesota can offer and Bell is still a member of the Jazz.
Dirk Nowitzki's rehab on his surgically repaired knee isn't progressing quite as quickly as he'd anticipated, Nowitzki said on FOX Sports Southwest last night. Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News has the details.
Following up on yesterday's report that the Rockets would send their three rookies to the D-League, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle notes (via Twitter) that that's always been the case with Rockets rookies who aren't getting regular playing time.
SI.com's Ian Thomsen fields questions on the Lakers, DeMarcus Cousins, the Grizzlies, and a few other topics in his latest mailbag.

Buyout Talks Resume Between Raja Bell, Jazz

October 30th, 2012 at 5:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

5:51pm: Charania tweets more from Bell's radio interview, noting that Bell characterized the situation as a "waiting game until [the Jazz] can either get rid of the contract and trade it or we can find a good situation for a buyout." Charania concludes that the situation is fluid, and no one on either side of the dispute is quite sure how it will turn out (Twitter links).

5:12pm: Raja Bell told Jorge Sedano of WQAM in Miami that he and the Jazz are once more working toward some means of parting ways, whether through a trade or a buyout, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com. This comes a week after Bell's agent, Herb Rudoy, told Charania that the two sides had ended buyout negotiations that had dragged on all summer. The report indicated Rudoy and the Jazz were discussing trade scenarios, but Rudoy later denied that part of it to Jody Genessey of the Deseret News.

The 36-year-old shooting guard is due $3.48MM this season in the final year of a three-year, $9.72MM contract. He started 33 of the 34 games he played last season in Utah, but clashed with coach Tyrone Corbin and saw his playing time disappear. Though it's long been clear that the Jazz organization sided with Corbin, their decision to exercise their 2013/14 option on Corbin today is further evidence of where they stand. Bell didn't attend camp with the Jazz after he was told to stay away, and hasn't been with the team at all in the preseason.

Bell attended high school and college in Miami, and last month he identified the Heat as his top choice for his next destination. The Heat currently have 15 players under contract, but Josh Harrellson and Terrel Harris are on non-guaranteed deals.