Ramon Sessions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Kings Arena, Sessions

March 29th, 2012 at 5:59pm CST by Daniel Seco

With only four games on Thursday night's schedule, one particular matchup stands out as a potential preview of things to come during the playoffs. The Lakers take on the Thunder at the Staples Center in a battle between a particularly strong road team and a squad that does an excellent job of defending their homecourt. Let's take a look around the Pacific Division to catch up on the latest news and happenings.

The Warriors are in an unenviable position where finishing out the season on a strong note would cost the team a draft pick, writes Carl Steward of the San Jose Mercury News. Currently the ninth-worst team in the league, the Warriors would have to forfeit their lottery pick to the Jazz as compensation for a trade made in 2009 if they fail to finish the season as one of the seven worst teams by record. The Warriors received Marcus Williams, now playing in China, from the Nets with hopes of him developing into a replacement for Baron Davis.
Tony Bizjak of The Sacramento Bee says the construction of the Sacramento arena can take a step in the right direction come Tuesday when the Sacramento City Council votes on appropriating $6.5MM toward arena pre-development.
John Hollinger of ESPN.com (Insider link) looks at how the addition of Ramon Sessions to the Lakers has stabilized the team's backcourt, but raises concern over the team's heavy reliance on players such as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol with regard to their usage. Hollinger raises the point that Sessions arrival in Los Angeles has merely kept the Lakers from imploding due to the fact that the rest of the key players are exhausted from being completely overworked.

Odds & Ends: Sessions, Irving, Blazers, Redd

March 24th, 2012 at 7:07pm CST by Daniel Seco

With a full slate of NBA action set to get underway shortly, let's take a look around the league to see what's going on:

The arrival of point guard Ramon Sessions via trade from the Cavaliers has revitalized the Lakers, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer contends Kyrie Irving is the favorite to take home rookie of the year honors given his outstanding performance thus far this season. Irving, who recently celebrated his 20th birthday, is averaging 18.9 PPG and 5.7 APG through 41 starts this season.
The Trail Blazers aren't going to give up on the rest of the season even after cutting ties with head coach Nate McMillan and revamping a majority of their roster at the trade deadline, writes Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld.
Michael Redd is slowly rebuilding his career with the Suns after a fall from grace due to injuries that slowed the former Ohio State star, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. Thanks to the outstanding training staff in Phoenix, Redd has been able to find a fountain of youth and channel flashes of his former self.

Pacific Notes: Smith, Sessions, Hickson, Kings

March 23rd, 2012 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Smith's flagrant foul on Blake Griffin last night didn't sit well with the Clippers and will almost certainly result in a suspension for the Hornets big man. However, ESPN.com's Marc Stein writes that the Clippers might owe Smith a thank you for his role in December's Chris Paul saga.

According to Stein, Smith rejected a sign-and-trade offer that would have made him part of the original three-way Paul trade between the Hornets, Rockets, and Lakers for salary purposes. While David Stern could have ultimately nixed the proposed Paul-to-the-Lakers deal regardless of Smith's involvement, the 26-year-old may have played a small part in Paul eventually heading to L.A.'s other team.

Here are a few more Friday odds and ends out of the Pacific Division:

Some of Ramon Sessions' new teammates expect him to decline his 2012/13 player option, says Mike Breshanan of the Los Angeles Times. Sessions' agent Jared Karnes says no decision has been made yet, but that his client was excited to have joined the Lakers: "It's a great fit for Ramon and when it's appropriate, we'll discuss his future and make a decision."
J.J. Hickson was dressed in Warriors gear, preparing to shoot around with the team, when he found out he'd been claimed off waivers by the Trail Blazers, writes Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
Kings coach Keith Smart discussed Terrence Williams' potential role with the team, and said the decision on when Tyreke Evans would return to the starting lineup is in Evans' hands. Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee has the details.

Finnan On Sessions, Kapono, Walton, Boykins

March 18th, 2012 at 9:44am CST by Daniel Seco

Three games behind the surging Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Cavaliers have a vastly different roster than they did a week ago heading into the final stretch of the season. They'll play host Sunday afternoon to the Hawks amidst a full slate of NBA action. Let's take a look at what The News-Herald's Bob Finnan has to say about the current state of the Cavaliers in the wake of what was a busy trade deadline for the club.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is very pleased to have been able to acquire Ramon Sessions from the Cavaliers for a first-round pick projected in the mid-20s. "In terms of the draft picks, I don't think we could've found a Ramon Sessions if he were available in the 20s this year in the draft," Kupchak said.
The Cavs' decision to cut Jason Kapono wasn't a premeditated move by the team but rather a numbers game given that the Cavs needed to find a roster spot for Manny Harris. As part of the Sessions trade, the Lakers provided the Cavs with enough money to cover the cost of waiving Kapono.
Much of the criticism surrounding what the Cavaliers received from the Lakers stems from Luke Walton's $6.1MM contract for next year. The hefty price tag for adding a first-round pick hasn't deterred Cavs head coach Byron Scott from feeling optimistic about the team's standing heading into the draft. "I'm very excited about what we did as far as getting another first-round pick, which is very exciting for us to go along with the one we have and our two second-round picks," Scott said. "So, like I said in the short term and in the long term, it was the best thing for us to do and we feel pretty good about it."
If the Cavs didn't resign Harris, they would have seriously considered adding Earl Boykins to the mix. Boykins, 35, was serviceable last season with the Bucks where he averaged 7.2 PPG in limited action.

Reactions To The Ramon Sessions Trade

March 15th, 2012 at 9:52pm CST by Sean Highkin

Earlier today, the Lakers traded Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, and a first-round pick to the Cavaliers for Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga. Here's a roundup of reactions to the deal from around the web:

CBS Sports' Royce Young thinks both teams made out well, with the Lakers getting a major upgrade at point guard and the rebuilding Cavs adding a first-round pick and flexibility for free agency in 2013.
Kurt Helin of NBC's ProBasketballTalk blog thinks the Lakers got better at point guard but cautions that Sessions isn't the slam-dunk the fans were hoping for.
The Los Angeles Times' Mark Medina points to Sessions' efficiency in the pick-and-roll as another way of creating offense to take pressure off Kobe Bryant.
ESPNLosAngeles.com's Brian Kamenetzky echoes the view that Sessions is a significant upgrade at point guard, while also pointing out that the Lakers didn't burn their trade exception from the Lamar Odom trade.
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Tom Reed praises the Cavs' accumulation of draft picks in the deal, which he believes sets them up well for the future.

Hollinger On Deadline Deals

March 15th, 2012 at 8:35pm CST by Sean Highkin

ESPN.com's John Hollinger has posted grades for every trade that took place today. The post is only available to ESPN Insider subscribers, but here are the highlights:

The Nuggets were smart to shed Nene's contract, even if trading for JaVale McGee is a risk.
However, Hollinger views the Wizards' acquisition of Nene is an overreaction to McGee's contract demands.
For the Clippers, Hollinger doesn't believe Nick Young is a perfect solution, but that he's worth the risk since they didn't have to give up any significant assets.
Hollinger praises the Blazers' rebuilding effort in the Gerald Wallace trade, although he has reservations about the players they got back from Houston for Marcus Camby.
He doesn't think the Nets made a smart move giving up a lottery pick for short-term help when they risk losing Deron Williams at the end of the season.
Hollinger likes the Rockets' acquisition of Camby as a short-term pick-up to help them make a playoff run.
The Warriors' acquisition of Richard Jefferson is counterproductive to their efforts to tank for a draft pick, Hollinger writes. However, he praises the Spurs for shedding Jefferson's contract for Stephen Jackson's shorter one.
Hollinger questions the Cavaliers for taking on Luke Walton's expensive contract while giving up Ramon Sessions, but loves the deal for the Lakers, as Sessions is a massive upgrade at point guard over Derek Fisher and Steve Blake.
Hollinger likes the Sam Young acquisition for the 76ers, and while he doesn't believe losing him will shift the Grizzlies' playoff hopes one way or another, he questions whether it was necessary to shed him simply for cap reasons.
He sees the Leandro Barbosa trade as a low-risk deal for both the Raptors and Pacers, giving Indiana immediate help at shooting guard while freeing up room for other players to get more minutes in Toronto.

Recap Of Trade Deadline Deals

March 15th, 2012 at 5:33pm CST by Sean Highkin

Here's the complete list of trades that took place this week leading up to the trade deadline earlier today:

On Tuesday, the Warriors sent Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.
The Warriors then flipped Jackson to the Spurs for Richard Jefferson, T.J. Ford, and a first-round pick on Thursday.
The Grizzlies traded Sam Young to the 76ers for the rights to former second-round pick Ricky Sanchez.
The Pacers acquired Leandro Barbosa from the Raptors in exchange for a second-round draft pick and cash considerations.
The Blazers entered rebuild mode by trading Gerald Wallace to the Nets for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, and a 2012 first-round draft pick with top-3 protection.
Portland also sent Marcus Camby to the Rockets for Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet, and a second-round pick.
The Rockets acquired Derek Fisher from the Lakers as well as the Mavericks' 2012 first-round pick (from the Lamar Odom trade) for Jordan Hill.
The Lakers also traded for Ramon Sessions, sending Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, and a 2012 first-round pick to the Cavaliers and also receiving Christian Eyenga. The Cavs will also have the ability to swap the Heat's 2013 pick (which they own from the LeBron James sign-and-trade) with the Lakers' pick that year.
The Nuggets, Wizards, and Clippers agreed to a three-team deal that will send Nene, Brian Cook, and a future second-round draft pick to Washington; Nick Young to the Clippers; and JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver.

Lakers To Acquire Ramon Sessions

March 15th, 2012 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

1:39pm: The Lakers will also send Jason Kapono to the Cavaliers in the trade, tweets Wojnarowski.

12:32pm: The Lakers and Cavaliers have agreed to a trade that will send Ramon Sessions to Los Angeles for a first-round pick, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. According to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal, the Lakers will also receive Christian Eyenga in the deal, and will send Luke Walton to the Cavs. The first-rounder is the Lakers' 2012 pick, and will be top-14 protected (Twitter link). The Cavs also gain the option of swapping the Heat's 2013 first-round pick for the Lakers' '13 first-rounder, depending on which is higher, says Lloyd (Twitter link).

The pairing of the Lakers, who badly needed point guard help, and Sessions, who was stuck behind Kyrie Irving in Cleveland, seemed inevitable for weeks. When I examined Sessions as a trade candidate on February 2nd, I said I could see the Lakers eventually acquiring the point guard for a protected first-round pick.

By trading Walton in the deal, the Lakers avoid having to use their Lamar Odom trade exception to acquire Sessions. That $8.9MM exception is still available for another deal, perhaps for Michael Beasley, who is still drawing interest from L.A., according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).

The price the Cavs pay for adding another first-round pick for this year's draft is taking on Walton, who will be due $6MM+ next season after his trade kicker takes effect. For the Lakers, Sessions holds a player option worth $4.55MM for next season, while Eyenga is still on his rookie contract.

Before making the move for Sessions, the Lakers were discussing D.J. Augustin with the Bobcats, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

Ramon Sessions Likely To Be Traded Today

March 15th, 2012 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

While no reports have suggested a deal is imminent, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal hears that Ramon Sessions will be on the move today (Twitter link).

Sessions has been the subject of trade rumors for weeks, with the Lakers cited as the point guard's most likely suitor. Lloyd isn't sure if the Cavs will get the first-round pick they've been seeking for Sessions, but if he's dealt to Los Angeles, the Lakers have two first-rounders (their own and the Mavericks') that could be sent to Cleveland.

Lloyd adds in a separate tweet that Antawn Jamison's name barely comes up anymore, and that there's "very little buzz" surrounding him.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday

March 14th, 2012 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Even after an impressive overtime win by the Magic against the Heat last night, the post-game focus was on the off-court story: Dwight Howard's future. As we covered in yesterday's round-up of Howard rumors, D12 told reporters he'd like the Magic to keep him for the rest of the season and "roll the dice" this summer. Considering earlier Tuesday reports indicated that Howard's long-term plan involves signing with the Nets as a free agent so New Jersey doesn't have to trade core assets, Dwight's suggestion that Orlando roll the dice seemed particularly brash.

Zach Lowe of SI.com called Howard's post-game speech the low point of the ongoing saga, while Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported that some Magic executives were privately disgusted with the star center's comments. We expect plenty more updates to pour in as the day goes on, so we'll track them all here, with the latest items up top:

The Knicks are intrigued by the possibility of acquiring Howard, but won't offer Carmelo Anthony, since James Dolan "loves him," tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. I'd say that takes New York out of the running, since the Magic wouldn't be nearly as interested in an Amare Stoudemire/Tyson Chandler package.
There are no legs to the rumor that the Magic are working on a three-team deal to bring in Josh Smith (linked below), tweets Jarrod Randolph of RealGM.com.
According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, the Nets would be open to offering the Magic anything they want for Howard, with the exception of Deron Williams.
Orlando still seems to be entertaining deals that could bring in help around Howard, as Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld reports that they're eyeing the Hawks' Josh Smith. The Magic would need to get a third team involved, perhaps the Timberwolves and Michael Beasley. Given Orlando's lack of tradeable assets, acquiring Smith seems like an extreme long shot to me.
The Magic are telling teams they intend to move Howard if they don't receive a commitment beyond this season from Dwight, according to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. We have the details here.
Nets sources insist the team would give up assets in the next 24 hours if it meant landing Howard, but Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld explains why New Jersey may not be motivated to make a substantial offer. If Howard and Williams sign in Brooklyn this summer, the pair would want a third significant player to join them, and the Nets may be considering saving its trade chips to acquire that player.