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Berger On Howard, Pierce, Jackson, Beasley, Nash

March 8th, 2012 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The latest Postups column from Ken Berger of CBS Sports is packed with interesting deadline notes, so let's dive right in…

  • While Berger doesn't necessarily predict a quiet deadline, he points to other factors that could contribute to reducing trade activity this season: For potential contenders, the need to roll the dice on a veteran is offset by a strong draft class this summer. Additionally, the amnesty clause gives teams an alternative to trying to offload bad contracts in trades.
  • The Rockets and Warriors maintain interest in trading for Dwight Howard without assurances that he'd sign long-term. Houston also continues to be "in hot pursuit" of Pau Gasol.
  • The Celtics are "prepared to entertain offers" on Paul Pierce, but he may be the hardest of Boston's Big Four to move, since he doesn't have an expiring contract like Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, or the youth of Rajon Rondo.
  • One executive says the Trail Blazers, who have been among the most active teams, need to make major changes.
  • Rival execs think that the Hawks may deal Kirk Hinrich in the next week.
  • The Cavaliers are open to absorbing salary in exchange for the right assets.
  • Stephen Jackson has drawn an "amazing" number of inquiries, though most interested teams would want the Bucks to take on future salary to complete a deal.
  • The Magic and Nets could look into trading for Michael Beasley, with both teams ultimately sharing the same goal — enticing Dwight Howard by upgrading their rosters at other positions.
  • Steve Nash is content to remain with the Suns this season, in part because it's not in his nature to ask out and become the bad guy. "He'd like to go and win," a person connected to Nash said. "But he's not prepared to play the Carmelo [Anthony] card." To me, that suggests he'd be a long shot to re-sign in Phoenix at season's end.
  • Berger also shared an update on Jamal Crawford, which we covered in today's Crawford rumor round-up.
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Ford On Rondo, Smith, Kaman, Wallace, Nash

March 8th, 2012 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

While a number of NBA executives are anticipating a quiet trade deadline, the conversations ESPN.com's Chad Ford has had still lead him to believe that significant deals will be made. In an Insider-only piece, Ford listed ten impact players who could be moved, from the most likely (Rajon Rondo) to the least likely (Steve Nash). Here are the highlights from Ford's column:

  • Even though the Celtics insist they won't trade Rondo, that isn't consistent with what rival GMs are saying after talking to GM Danny Ainge. Ford thinks Ainge would move Rondo if he could get two solid pieces in return.
  • The Hawks have been exploring potential Josh Smith deals "for years" and would be interested in an offer that nets them a legit point guard and a decent forward.
  • Chris Kaman has drawn "a lot of interest" from the Warriors, Rockets, and Heat.
  • The Blazers appear more open to trading Gerald Wallace now than they were at the start of the season. Ford thinks the Magic could make a big push for the 29-year-old forward.
  • If the Magic hang onto Dwight Howard, the Nets will stay the course with Deron Williams, but a Howard trade anywhere besides New Jersey could force the Nets to explore trade options for Williams.
  • Ford says it doesn't make much sense for the Suns and Steve Nash not to consider a trade, since Phoenix could end up losing Nash for nothing at season's end anyway.
  • Monta Ellis, Pau Gasol, and Eric Gordon also cracked Ford's list.
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Miller On Nash, Carlisle, Cuban

March 3rd, 2012 at 10:52pm CST by Sean Highkin

Dallas radio host Craig Miller posted a mailbag covering several Mavericks topics. Here are the highlights:

  • Miller likes the idea of the Mavs signing Steve Nash if they miss out on Deron Williams, but wonders whether his age will be a deterrent.
  • Rick Carlisle's contract status is currently up in the air, but Miller expects the two sides will get something done to keep the coach in Dallas long-term.
  • Miller wonders whether Mark Cuban is gearing up to sell the Mavericks after finally achieving his decade-long goal of winning an NBA championship in 2011.
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Odds & Ends: Nash, Beasley, Dawson

March 1st, 2012 at 11:28pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Thursday night:

  • The Arizona Republic's Dan Bickley writes that the Suns are taking a risk by not attempting to trade Steve Nash, pointing out that he's a longshot to re-sign in Phoenix after the season.
  • HoopsWorld's Eric Pincus explores the possibility of the Lakers making a trade for Michael Beasley after reportedly turning down an offer from the Timberwolves this week.
  • The San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald reports that the Spurs are unlikely to re-sign Eric Dawson, who just finished up his first 10-day contract with the team.
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Odds & Ends: Rondo, Curry, Lin

February 29th, 2012 at 10:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

With just about every team back in action after the All-Star break, here are a few leap day notes from around the league:

  • The Celtics have intensified their efforts to trade Rajon Rondo, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN. Broussard says sources have told him the Celtics consider Rondo to be too high maintenance, and so the team is considering a deal with the Warriors for Stephen Curry that's been percolating since December. Other players would have to be in such a deal for it to work. ESPN's Chris Forsberg also contributed to the report.
  • Shabazz Muhammad, a premier college prospect who currently sits atop the class of potential 2013 draftees according to NBADraft.net, could be in trouble with the NCAA, report Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. The NCAA has informed schools recruiting Muhammad that his amateur status is in question. According to Goodman and Parrish, there are concerns that the 6'5", 210-pound shooting guard has been receiving payments for unofficial visits to campuses, among other benefits. Since NBA draft rules prohibit Muhammad from entering the league until a year after his high school class graduates, he may be forced to head overseas next year.
  • Matt Moore of CBSSports.com doesn't see much truth in the rumored swap of Lamar Odom and Steve Nash, unless several other components are involved.
  • It seems every other day we find out about another team that came close to signing Jeremy Lin, but whiffed. Today that team is the Italian club Banca Tercas Teramo, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY. The team was "extremely close" to signing him, Lin said, but they went with Charles Jenkins instead.
  • The Chris Paul trade may have transformed the Clippers, but since amnesty claim Chauncey Billups was lost for the year with an Achilles' tear, the Clips have gone 5-5 and appear to have lost their mojo, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times examines.
  • Before handing the Spurs just their second home loss of the season, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau praised San Antonio's ability to identify and nurture the talent necessary to keep the team on top, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Thibodeau hopes the Bulls can copy that model.
  • Jazz swingman Josh Howard, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has responded well since Raja Bell's injury forced him into the starting lineup, notes Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune.
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Pacific Notes: Nash, Hinrich, Arenas

February 29th, 2012 at 7:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

The tightest divisional race in the NBA is in the Pacific, where the Clippers lead the Lakers by a single game. As packed together as the Western Conference is, that single game would represent the difference between the third seed and the sixth seed if the playoffs began today. Here's what's happening in the far west:

  • Steve Nash and Lamar Odom could be trading places, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The move would get the slumping Odom closer to his beloved L.A. beaches and reunite Nash with his old friend Dirk Nowitzki. The rumor comes as the Suns and Nash continue to dance around the issue of a trade, as both player and team are not interested in a deal unless the other asks first. The Mavs would have to throw a little extra into the deal to make the salaries match up under cap rules.
  • The Lakers have inquired about Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich, according to a tweet from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Hinrich is averaging career lows across the board, including his 19.9 MPG, after missing the first month of the season with a left shoulder injury. At 31, though, he's still probably closer to his prime than either Steve Blake, 32, or Derek Fisher, 37, the Lakers' pair of veteran point guards.
  • Rumors of Gilbert Arenas joining the Lakers have slowed down of late, and that's because he wants to make sure he's in top condition first, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Arenas doesn't want to ruin what could be his last chance in the NBA, Kyler says.
  • The city of Sacramento will contribute $255.53MM to the new arena, the total cost of which has been bumped up to $391MM, according to details of the deal reached Monday, write Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee. The city council will vote to approve the terms of the plan agreed to by city officials, the Kings, the NBA and several private companies.
  • Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles says the report that the Lakers turned down an offer of Michael Beasley because of tax concerns demonstrates how the team will be limited like never before under the new collective bargaining agreement.

 

 

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Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday

February 29th, 2012 at 6:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Orlando's roster could have an entirely new look a month from now, and Magic players are all aware of that fact. Nonetheless, as they tell Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, their goal for the second half will be to avoid being weighed down by off-court distractions and focus on playing good basketball. Here's the latest on Dwight Howard, who figures to dominate Orlando's on- and off-court headlines in the coming weeks:

  • Add the Hawks to the list of potential Howard suitors. Marcus Thompson, while looking for Warriors rumors for the Bay Area News Group, tweets that Atlanta is offering Joe Johnson and Al Horford to the Magic for D12. Howard grew up in Atlanta and went to high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. Thompson notes that Howard and Hawks forward Josh Smith are friends.
  • Howard wants the Magic to pursue Steve Nash, and would consider staying at least another year in Orlando if the team can acquire Nash and re-sign him, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Of course, given the Suns' current stance on their point guard, such an acquisition would be a challenge.
  • An Eastern Conference executive tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com that he thinks if Howard is dealt by March 15th, it will be to the Nets, but the longer the saga drags on, the better the Mavericks' odds become. While the Knicks and Clippers aren't on Howard's list of preferred destinations, Broussard says D12 would consider both teams, though neither has engaged the Magic in trade talks.
  • The Warriors say they're not interested in trading Monta Ellis unless he's part of a package for Howard, sources tells Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link).
  • We covered some Howard-related links in our notes on the Warriors earlier this morning, as Golden State remains in the hunt for the Magic superstar. SI.com's Zach Lowe confirms the Warriors would be willing to acquire Howard without assurances he'd sign long-term or even opt into the final year of his contract next season. This seems a little crazy to me, but as Lowe points out, Golden State will likely have to break up its core at some point to become a legit title contender anyway. I suppose if the Warriors were able to deal David Lee along with Ellis and others, even just renting Dwight would create a ton of cap flexibility for future seasons. Still, I don't think it's a likely scenario.
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Suns Don’t Intend To Trade Steve Nash

February 29th, 2012 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 1:15pm: The Blazers are trying hard to pry Nash away from the Suns, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein. However, Stein says the Suns still hope to re-sign their All-Star point guard to a multiyear deal this summer. The team would prefer to go that route and risk losing Nash to another team at that point, rather than losing him now in a "so-so trade."

TUESDAY, 3:23pm: A weekend report suggested the Magic were interested in pursuing a deal for Steve Nash, but any inquiries Orlando makes may prove futile. According to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (via Twitter), the Suns still intend to hang on to Nash unless he asks for a trade, which Broussard says won't happen.

This has been the Suns' stance for weeks, so it's no surprise that the team hasn't changed its mind. Nash's recent comments about being open to a trade may have fueled speculation that the situation could be in flux, but being "open" to a deal isn't quite the same as asking for a deal. Nash is also "open" to remaining in Phoenix and re-signing with the club.

Given his continued All-Star caliber play and his expiring contract, Nash should draw plenty of interest as March 15th approaches. But if the Suns and Nash continue to resemble a passive-aggressive couple, deferring to one another on the subject of a trade, the two-time MVP looks likely to stay in Phoenix for at least the rest of the season.

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Magic To Pursue Steve Nash?

February 26th, 2012 at 9:02pm CST by Alex Lee

The rumors continue to pour out of Orlando, though with the Dwight Howard sweepstakes and the All-Star game coinciding, it's hardly surprising.  The Magic have already denied that they were nearing a three team trade involving the Lakers and Raptors.

Now, RealGM's Jarrod Rudolph tweets that multiple sources have told him that Otis Smith will "aggressively pursue" Steve Nash at the trade deadline, presumably in an attempt to keep Howard by showing that they are serious about adding talent around him.  While it's an interesting idea for Orlando, giving up assets for a Nash rental seems pretty risky considering Nash and Howard could both walk at season's end. 

Nash, an unrestricted free agent after the season, already indicated that he would be open to a trade.  Paul Coro from The Arizona Republic tweets that the Suns stance to keep him remains. 

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Suns Notes: Nash, Morris, Draft

February 25th, 2012 at 8:14pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

For Steve Nash, tomorrow's All-Star game could be his last, or simply his last representing the Phoenix Suns. A couple of Suns notes during All-Star weekend: 

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