Thabo Sefolosha

Hawks Acquire Thabo Sefolosha

JULY 16TH, 7:48pm: Sefolosha’s deal has a declining salary structure, with $4,150,000 in 2014/15, $4,000,000 in 2015/16, and $3,850,000 in 2016/17, according to the Hawks updated salary sheet by Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com. That $4.15MM salary in year one is the value of the trade exception the Thunder create with this deal.

6:36pm: The Hawks announced that the deal is official, per team press release.

“Thabo is an unselfish, competitive and playoff-tested player, and does many things well on both sides of the ball,” Hawks president Danny Ferry said in a statement. “He also fills a need, giving us more size and depth at the wing position. He’s been a part of winning programs and will fit our culture well.”

4:40pm: The Thunder will receive the rights to draft-and-stash prospect Sofoklis Schortsanitis, while Atlanta gets Sefolosha, the rights to fellow draft-and-stash prospect Giorgos Printezis, and cash, according to Mayberry (Twitter link).

JULY 15TH, 4:32pm: The Hawks and Thunder are working on a sign-and-trade that would send Sefolosha to Atlanta but allow the Thunder to reap a trade exception, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. It’s expected to be finalized today, Mayberry adds.

JULY 10TH, 10:12pm: In spite of the team press release, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears that Sefolosha’s signing has yet to take place (Twitter link). Such news is out of the ordinary, given the team’s announcement, and Vivlamore notes the agreement is still in place, so the deal is likely to happen sometime soon.

6:10pm: The deal is official, the Hawks announce via press release.

“Thabo is an unselfish, competitive and playoff-tested player, and does many things well on both sides of the ball,” Hawks President and GM Danny Ferry said. “He also fills a need, giving us more size and depth at the wing position. He’s been a part of winning programs and will fit our culture well.”

JULY 3RD: The Hawks and Thabo Sefolosha have reached agreement on a three-year, $12MM deal, reports Shams Charania of RealGM. There were serious doubts about the Thunder’s willingness to retain their starting shooting guard since their playoff elimination, and indeed the 30-year-old is headed elsewhere. It’s a fully guaranteed three-year deal with no option clauses involved, Charania adds.

The Clippers, Mavs and Rockets scheduled meetings with the Guy Zucker client, who also visited Washington, according to earlier reports, and Toronto, as Charania writes. The Heat apparently made an inquiry, but there was no report of contact from either the Thunder or the Hawks. Atlanta nonetheless was on the lookout for a wing player with size and wasn’t pleased with the way it played when either Kyle Korver or DeMarre Carroll were unavailable last season, USA Today’s Sam Amick tweets. It appears as though the Hawks have brought Sefolosha in to address those issues.

Atlanta will likely use cap space to finalize the deal, having opened up additional flexibility with this week’s John Salmons trade. It’s doubtful they’ll stop there, however. The Hawks had reportedly thought about making a run at Carmelo Anthony, and while that seems like a remote possibility, they can still open enough cap room for an eye-catching free agent acquisition, even with Sefolosha in tow.

Western Notes: Williams, Warriors, Blake

Mo Williams met with the Mavericks today, and the meeting had “positive momentum,” writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). The team is waiting on ‘Melo’s decision before proceeding with any other signings, and Williams’ desired destination is Dallas, tweets Zwerling.

More from out west:

  • It appears that the Warriors are only offering the minimum salary to Kent Bazemore, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link) . The only way that would be enough to lure Bazemore is if his other options fall apart, opines Thompson.
  • With the loss of free agent Darren Collison to the Kings, the Clippers are turning their attention towards signing Jordan Farmar, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
  • McMenamin also tweets that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has also reached out to representatives for the team’s former point guard, Steve Blake.
  • Jarron Collins, twin brother of Nets center Jason Collins, is on the verge of being added to Steve Kerr‘s coaching staff with the Warriors, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Free agent center Spencer Hawes is visiting with the Suns today, reports Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
  • During their meeting today, the Lakers told Carmelo Anthony that they would offer the maximum they could, a 4-year, $97MM contract, if he chose them, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
  • The Jazz aren’t concerned about Gordon Hayward‘s ability to take the leap forward and become an elite player, which is why they aren’t worried about signing him to a possible max contract, reports Tony Jones of The Salt Lake City Tribune (Twitter link).
  • Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman tweets that Thabo Sefolosha had also drawn interest from the Wizards and the Pelicans.
  • In a separate article, Mayberry looks at the three reasons the Thunder agreed to sign Sebastian Telfair as a free agent.

Southeast Rumors: Monroe, Sefolosha, Wizards

Restricted free agent Greg Monroe and unrestricted free agent Thabo Sefolosha are at the Wizards‘ Verizon Center, tweets Gene Wang of the Washington Post.  No offer was made to Sefolosha during the visit and there isn’t much for the Wizards to offer, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (on Twitter).  More out of the Southeast..

  • The Heat inquired on Sefolosha today, league sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter), but they’re predictably far from concrete offers.
  • The Wizards and Gortat were haggling over the number of years in his deal, and Washington’s willingness to include the fifth season convinced the big man to agree to re-sign, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post explains.
  • Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter) hears that the Hawks are in hot pursuit of Kent Bazemore.

Western Rumors: Nowitzki, Frye, Sefolosha, Love

The Mavs have had advanced discussions with Dirk Nowitzki but both sides have agreed to put off sealing a deal until after Wednesday’s meeting with Carmelo Anthony, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears. That’s to let the team keep maximum flexibility, the same desire that also prompted the sides to decide against an extension. The Mavs and Nowitzki engaged in extension talks before he became a free agent, so Dallas has a strong idea of what the perennial All-Star wants, Stein writes. There’s more on the Mavs amid the latest from the Western Conference:

Zach Links contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Jackson, Hayward, Fisher

Thunder guard Reggie Jackson made it clear that he wants to start and seems to want to do so at point guard, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.  Coach Scott Brooks was non-committal when asked about the possibility of adding Jackson, under contract through next season, to the starting lineup.  Meanwhile, Thabo Sefolosha spoke of his time with the Thunder in the past tense and it seems likely that he’ll wind up elsewhere next season.  More from around the league..

  • Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that the Jazz front office fully expects Gordon Hayward to be with the team going forward.  Hayward is a restricted free agent this summer and there is mutual interest in a return.
  • The Lakers haven’t reached out to the Thunder about getting permission to talk to Derek Fisher just yet, but that could be subject to change, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
  • Former Nuggets coach George Karl had an informal phone conversation with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak but has yet to have a formal interview, Medina tweets.
  • Marist announced the resignation of Jeff Bower, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit Free Press.  That should be the first step towards him taking over as Pistons GM.
  • UCLA guard Jordan Adams was in Houston working out for the Rockets today, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
  • The Nuggets will host Rodney Hood for a private workout tomorrow, a source told Goodman of ESPN (on Twitter).
  • The Raptors will host Jordan Clarkson and Canadian Khem Birch for workouts tomorrow, sources tell Goodman (on Twitter).
  • A source told Goodman (on Twitter) that Elfrid Payton held his own in front of the Kings in a workout today against Marcus Smart.  Aaron Gordon worked out for Sacramento but did not go head-to-head with Noah Vonleh.  He instead matched up with Eric Moreland (link).
  • The Lakers will be very busy on Wednesday as they audition many of this year’s top prospects, as Goodman tweets.  Among the names not previously reported are Payton, Gordon, Tyler Ennis, Zach LaVine, James Young, and Rodney Hood.

Northwest Notes: Wolves, Love, Perkins

Former Syracuse star Jerami Grant is feeling confident after his workout today for the Wolves, according to the team’s Twitter account.  Meanwhile, he says he needs to work on his shooting consistency to take the next step (link).  The small forward is currently slated to go No. 25 in DraftExpress’ mock draft.  The Wolves own the No. 13 pick in the first round.  More out of the Northwest Division..

  • Kevin Love may be vacationing in Boston, but Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders told reporters, including The Associated Press, that he expects the All-Star back in Minnesota next season.  Love declined comment when asked if he was scouting out the city as a possible destination, but that hasn’t helped to quell any of the speculation that he wants to join the C’s.
  • When asked if it’s time to turn the page on Kendrick Perkins, Thunder coach Scott Brooks replied, “That remains to be seen. There’s a lot of work to be done this summer,” tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.  Perkins is entering the final year of his deal and is set to earn $9.15MM.
  • Pending free agent Thabo Sefolosha says that he has “no clue” if he’ll be back with the Thunder next year, Mayberry tweets.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Bobcats, Pistons

Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times thinks Lance Stephenson or Thabo Sefolosha would be good backup targets for the Bulls if Chicago makes a failed attempt at signing Carmelo Anthony in free agency.

More from the east:

  • The Bobcats could have two first-round draft choices this summer. They own the Trail Blazers pick at number 24, and if the Pistons pick falls outside of the top eight it goes to Charlotte as well. Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer looks at who the team might select with their picks.
  • The Pistons are looking at players who can shoot three-pointers in the draft, notes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Two players on their radar are Doug McDermott and Nik Stauskas, according to Ellis.
  • Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com examines the possibility of Mark Jackson coaching the Knicks.
  • Despite all the focus on the upcoming NBA Draft, Celtics GM Danny Ainge still thinks the team’s biggest focus will be on improving the existing players on their roster, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald.
  • Time will tell if Stan Van Gundy and Pistons owner Tom Gores can co-exist, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. The article examines the personality differences between the two men and how it may affect their relationship.
  • The biggest impediment in the Cavaliers coaching search might be owner Dan Gilbert‘s reputation, writes Mitch Lawrence of The New York Daily News. Gilbert is known as a non-stop screamer and the very definition of a hands-on owner, and that was one of the primary reasons that Kevin Ollie denied interest in the position, notes Lawrence.

Injuries That Could Affect The Trade Deadline

Deron Williams may have scored a franchise-record 57 points en route to a Sunday victory over the Bobcats, but the news out of Charlotte wasn't all good for the Nets. In just his fifth game back from a foot injury, Brook Lopez rolled his ankle badly and left the arena on crutches. There's still no official word from the team on the severity of the injury, but as Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes, it could deal a serious blow to the Nets' hopes of trading for Dwight Howard in the next ten days.

Lopez isn't the only trade candidate who could be on the shelf as the March 15th deadline approaches. Here are a few more players whose injury statuses may affect the deals their respective teams can make in the next week and a half:

  • Jermaine O'Neal: The Celtics would need to include salary to make any deal of substance, so O'Neal's $6.23MM expiring contract made him a prime candidate to be included in a trade to ensure salaries match. Unfortunately for Boston, O'Neal recently suffered a wrist injury and may undergo season-ending surgery. If he elects for the surgery, there's a chance O'Neal could be waived by the Celtics.
  • Al Horford: Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group reported last week that the Hawks were still interested in Dwight Howard, perhaps in a deal involving Horford. While such a trade would be a long shot to begin with, Horford's torn pectoral makes it even trickier. Already reluctant to deal Howard, the Magic would probably be even more wary about doing so for a player who is just recently out of a sling.
  • Anderson Varejao: Varejao will be re-evaluated this week, but it looks like he won't return to the Cavs' lineup until after March 15th. Before the injury, the Cavs said they didn't intend to trade Varejao, though there was some speculation that stance could change by the deadline. With Varejao still out, he'll definitely be remaining in Cleveland.
  • Jordan Hill: Among the Rockets' numerous former lottery picks on expiring contracts, Hill is the most attractive asset. While that may be faint praise, Hill has been the most productive of the group of four 2009 draftees that also includes Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, and Terrence Williams, and his salary ($2.86MM) is very reasonable. However, a sprained MCL has kept Hill out of action for the last couple weeks, and even though he expects to return within the next week, he won't have much time to showcase his health before the deadline.
  • J.J. Hickson: The Kings are reportedly quite interested in moving Hickson, but they've stumbled upon a roadblock besides his disappointing production this season — he'll miss his third straight game tonight with a hip pointer.
  • Thabo Sefolosha: Having missed 18 games with a foot injury, Sefolosha is shooting jump shots again, but it doesn't appear he's ready for game action yet. Steve Kyler wrote this morning that the Thunder could try to acquire a replacement if the team feels Sefolosha will miss much more time. The 6'7" wing also represented a potential trade asset for the Thunder, but questions about his health will hurt his value.
  • Andrea Bargnani: Bargnani seems to be getting closer to returning from a calf injury, and could be back in plenty of time for the trade deadline, but it may not matter either way. As Kyler reported today, the Raptors are getting inquiries on Bargnani, but don't seem interested in dealing him.

Kyler On Thunder, Howard, Crawford, Young

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld wraps up his look at trade options for all 30 NBA clubs today, running alphabetically from Oklahoma City through Washington. You can find our recaps of the first two installments in the series here and here. Now, let's round up a few of the highlights from Kyler in part three….

  • The Thunder aren't actively engaged in any trade talks, but if they're concerned about Thabo Sefolosha's foot injury lingering, they could look into acquiring a defensive-minded replacement.
  • Sources close to the Dwight Howard process say the Magic are at least 50% sure they can keep D12 around for another season, if not longer. If that's the case, a blockbuster trade involving Howard is unlikely. Orlando is working hard to acquire pieces around its star center, though the team's lack of assets is making it a challenge.
  • Daniel Orton is "a safe bet" to be traded by the Magic.
  • While the 76ers have trade chips, they're unlikely to make a move before the deadline.
  • The Suns would gladly move Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick, or Robin Lopez.
  • Kyler hears from sources close to Jamal Crawford that the Blazers guard hasn't requested a trade, but that he wouldn't be opposed to being sent to a less chaotic situation.
  • The Spurs haven't had "meaningful discussions" with any potential trade partners, and will probably stand pat at the deadline.
  • The Raptors may be active in the next ten days, but Toronto continues to turn away proposals for Andrea Bargnani.
  • Although the Jazz have some strong trade assets, they probably would want to include Devin Harris in any deals, which could turn off potential suitors for other players.
  • Having accepted a qualifying offer from the Wizards this season, Nick Young can veto any deal that sends him out of town. However, Kyler hears that Young would welcome a move.