Ty Lawson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Open To Trading DeMarcus Cousins?

February 26th, 2015 at 10:20am CST by Chuck Myron

The Kings wouldn’t rule out trading DeMarcus Cousins or anyone else on their roster at the trade deadline, a person with insight into coach George Karl‘s thinking told Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. Karl, who also worked with Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro when they were with the Nuggets, has a level of control over personnel decisions in Sacramento, that source said to Beck. Karl would love to acquire Ty Lawson or any of the other members of the 2012/13 Nuggets, the last team Karl coached, Beck also hears.

There were conflicting reports about whether the Celtics were pursuing Cousins prior to the deadline, but most of the chatter surrounding the star center had to do with his frustration regarding Sacramento’s coaching situation. Cousins was an advocate of former coach Michael Malone and expressed frustration about the upheaval that saw Tyrone Corbin and now Karl succeed Malone this season. Still, Cousins has indicated that he’s enthusiastic about playing for Karl, one of nine NBA coaches with more than 1,000 career wins. The 24-year-old center is in the first season of a four-year max extension.

Tension surrounds Lawson and the Nuggets, and GM Tim Connelly recently exhorted the 27-year-old point guard to “grow up” after he was late returning from the All-Star break. The Kings were among the teams with apparent interest, but while the Nuggets reportedly received calls from numerous would-be suitors, they were turning them away. The team did engage in exploratory talks with the Celtics, several sources told Grantland’s Zach Lowe, but it appeared as the deadline drew near that Denver hadn’t seriously considered any deal. Lawson makes more than $12.404MM next season and in excess of $13.213MM in 2016/17, the final season of his contract.

No trades can take place before the end of the season, since the deadline has passed. Teams are eligible to trade players as soon as the regular season is over if they’re not in the playoffs, but typically moves don’t happen until June.

Northwest Notes: Young, Lauvergne, Lawson

February 21st, 2015 at 12:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the trade deadline passed the Timberwolves‘ focus is on seeing which players fit into their long-term plans, Kent Youngblood of The Star Tribune writes. “It’s an evaluation time for some of these guys, for where they’re at,” president of basketball operations Flip Saunders said. “But also for what they have to work on, once the season ends and they start getting ready for next year, what they need to do to become solid rotational players. So it’s a little of both.”

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

The first-round pick the Jazz netted in their trade of Enes Kanter is Oklahoma City’s 2017 choice, and it’s lottery-protected every year through 2020, as RealGM shows. If it doesn’t convey by then, the Thunder will send their 2020 and 2021 second-round choices.
Thaddeus Young‘s representatives had asked the Timberwolves to trade him prior to Thursday’s deadline, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reports (Twitter link). Young was dealt to the Nets for Kevin Garnett.
Joffrey Lauvergne‘s contract with the Nuggets is for three years and $5.2MM, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). The big man will earn $1.89MM the first year, and then $1.7MM in each of the two remaining years, with the third season non-guaranteed, Pincus notes. Denver used part of its mid-level exception to sign the big man, Pincus adds.
Nuggets GM Tim Connelly was critical of Ty Lawson, whose relationship with the team has reportedly deteriorated, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post reports (Twitter links). Speaking about Lawson, Connelly said, “He needs to grow up. The organization, top to bottom, can’t be anymore supportive. It’s time for, not just Ty but for several of our guys to be pros or it’s time to take a hard look at our roster.“
As a result of their deadline dealings the Blazers now have an empty roster spot, something president of basketball operations Neil Olshey is in no hurry to fill, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes. Olshey believes that the Blazers’ player rotation is set and the organization believes that it has enough talent and depth to be a contender in the Western Conference, Freeman adds.
With the Nuggets reportedly set to waive him, Victor Claver‘s representatives are working to find the player a spot on an NBA roster, Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype.com relays. “The priority would be to find a new NBA deal even if it has to be a 10-day contract,” a league source told Sierra. “That would not be a problem, especially considering it may be too late for a deal in the Euroleague at this point.“

Latest On Ty Lawson

February 19th, 2015 at 10:31am CST by Eddie Scarito

10:31am: There’s tension between Lawson and the Nuggets, and both parties are frustrated with each other, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders hears (Twitter link). A trade remains “very possible,” Kennedy adds.

8:42am: The Nuggets were never interested in a Lawson-for-Hill swap, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Lawson remains unlikely to be traded, Dempsey also tweets.

THURSDAY, 7:21am: Denver has listened to pitches for Lawson, but the front office has yet to seriously consider a deal, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 8:02pm: The Nuggets are trying to trade point guard Ty Lawson, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). If Denver is indeed able to move Lawson, coach Brian Shaw wants his team to acquire George Hill from the Pacers as Lawson’s replacement, Broussard adds. The Lakers have expressed interest in Lawson in addition to Goran Dragic of the Suns, the ESPN scribe notes. The Bucks, Kings, and Celtics are all reportedly interested in the veteran point guard as well.

Lawson, 27, has two more years left on his contract after this season. He is earning $11,595,506 this year, and will make $12,404,595 in 2015/16 and $13,213,482 during the 2016/17 campaign, the final year of his current deal. In 51 appearances this season, all as a starter, Lawson is averaging 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and a career-high 10.1 assists. His career numbers over five and a half seasons are 14.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 6.5 APG. His career slash line is .470/.373/.773.

The Pacers are reportedly willing to move one of their high-salaried veterans to create cap space to pursue free agents with this summer, according to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report . Indiana is believed to be willing to trade anyone aside from Paul George to accomplish that, Bucher writes.

Hill is making $8MM this season, and is on the books for two more years beyond this one at the same rate. In 15 appearances for the Pacers this season Hill is averaging 14.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 23.9 minutes per contest. His career numbers through 448 games are 10.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 3.1 APG. Hill’s career shooting percentages are .448/.373/.806.

Bucks Dangle Henson, Mayo, Ilyasova

February 19th, 2015 at 7:31am CST by Eddie Scarito

THURSDAY, 7:31am: Henson is available only for deals in which the Bucks would acquire a top-notch point guard in return, rival executives tell Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Milwaukee appears to be targeting a “splashy addition” for Henson, as sources tell Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders, who suggests that Jackson and Lawson would fit that bill.

WEDNESDAY, 5:07pm: The Bucks are anxious to make a trade in the wake of reportedly reaching a buyout arrangement with Larry Sanders, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports. Milwaukee has been dangling Ersan Ilyasova, O.J. Mayo and John Henson in offers to other teams, Kyler notes. With Sanders’ cap hit beginning with next season being pared down significantly with the team poised to use the stretch provision to waive him, the Bucks will have some breathing room under the salary cap they can use to nab a player who is set to command big money as a free agent this summer, Kyler adds.

Milwaukee is in the market for a point guard, and has been mentioned in connection with Ty Lawson (Nuggets), Reggie Jackson (Thunder), and the Bucks have also been linked to big man Enes Kanter (Jazz), Kyler notes. The Bucks have maintained the stance that they would not mortgage their future for a quick fix, but they seem to be open to making a move that would bolster the roster for 2015/16 as well as improve the team’s shot at a playoff spot, the Basketball Insiders scribe relays.

Mayo, 27, is making $8MM this season, and is on the books for an identical amount for 2015/16. He has appeared in 53 contests this season, including 15 as a starter. Mayo’s numbers on the year are 11.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. His career stats are 14.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 3.0 APG. His slash line is .432/.378/.823.

Ilyasova has two more years remaining on his deal, which carries a cap hit of $7.9MM for this season and next, and his $8.4MM salary for 2016/17 is partially guaranteed for just $400K. In 30 appearances this season, Ilyasova is notching 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per night. His career numbers are 10.4 PPG and 6.0 RPG.

Henson, the 24-year-old big man out of North Carolina, also has a season remaining on his contract. He is earning $1,987,320 for the season and is set to make $2,943,221 next season. Henson’s numbers on the year are 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game.

And-Ones: Holiday, Hibbert, Lawson

February 18th, 2015 at 11:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday could be sidelined for more than another month after reaggravating the stress reaction injury in his lower right leg on Monday, John Reid of NOLA.com reports. The Pelicans announced on Wednesday that he will be re-evaluated in three weeks by the team’s medical staff but New Orleans offered no timetable for his return. Holiday, who suffered the setback while doing light drills, has been sidelined since January 14th. He was averaging 15.2 points and 7.1 assists prior to the injury.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Pacers are open to trading Roy Hibbert, rival executives told Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). There is nothing imminent regarding a potential trade of Indiana’s starting center, Kennedy adds.
Gal Mekel is being hotly pursued by Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israel Premier League, David Pick of Eurobasket.com tweets. Mekel, a point guard, appeared in four games with the Pelicans in December this season.
Trade chatter around the Raptors is unusually low, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun tweets. The Raptors are looking toward the offseason to make any big moves, Wolstat adds.
Jermaine O’Neal, who has opted not to play this season, hinted that the Warriors and Trail Blazers as well as the Mavs were interested in his services, according to quotes posted by Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com from a Dallas radio interview. The Mavs were expected to sign O’Neal but the veteran delayed his comeback because he felt that the timing wasn’t right, O’Neal explained in the interview on 103.3 FM’s “Friedo and Fitzsimmons” show.
The Nuggets are still considering offers for Arron Afflalo, and some “late charging” teams have expressed interest in the guard, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). The Blazers are still strongly in the mix to acquire Afflalo, Wojnarowski adds.
Ty Lawson‘s no-show at Nuggets practice on Wednesday might be a ploy on Lawson’s part to force a trade, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders opines. Lawson’s absence was unexcused by Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post.
The Timberwolves had checked in on free agent Jamaal Tinsley but never offered him a 10-day contract, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets. It was reported earlier that Minnesota and two other teams had offered Tinsley 10-day deals that he had declined.

Berger’s Latest: Jackson, Kings, Nuggets, Lee

February 17th, 2015 at 11:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

Reporters make a habit of emptying their notebooks as the deadline draws near, when rumors that would normally make headlines wind up buried beneath the deluge of news. We already passed along highlights from a jam-packed piece that Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports authored tonight, and we’ll do the same with a dispatch from Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who’s also heard plenty:

Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group provides some clarity on Lee, saying that the Warriors have always been willing to trade him for assets of value but that the team almost certainly won’t find what it’s looking for on the market. Golden State isn’t likely to simply give away the veteran, a favorite of co-owner Joe Lacob, unless it’s forced to in the offseason, Kawakami adds (All Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

Teams around the league expect the Thunder to trade Reggie Jackson before Thursday’s 2pm Central time trade deadline, Berger writes, indicating that they believe tax concerns would be the catalyst for Oklahoma City to make a deal.
Sacramento is intent on making an upgrade at the deadline in an effort to please DeMarcus Cousins, sources tell Berger, who identifies Arron Afflalo as the team’s No. 1 target. The Kings are dangling Nik Stauskas to the Nuggets as they seek Afflalo, to the puzzlement of some executives from other teams, Berger hears. The Kings continue to dangle Stauskas to other teams as well, according to Berger.
The Nuggets are in “full-on firesale mode,” and, notwithstanding Sacramento’s focus on Afflalo, Ty Lawson and Wilson Chandler are the players on Denver’s roster who are drawing the most interest from other teams, Berger writes.
Berger indicates that the Warriors are trying to trade David Lee, which conflicts with an earlier report that the team would like to keep him through the season to avoid disrupting chemistry. The CBSSports.com columnist also includes Kevin Martin on a list of players that teams are trying to trade, but Flip Saunders is reportedly showing little interest in doing so. Martin would be destined for a buyout if the Wolves don’t trade him, Berger hears.
Milwaukee has fielded offers for Brandon Knight, but the Bucks aren’t biting, sources tell Berger.
The Wizards are more likely to sign a free agent who would fill their desire for backcourt help than to make a trade, the CBSSports.com scribe hears.
The Clippers are still the front-runners for Tayshaun Prince should he and the Celtics do a buyout deal, according to Berger, who adds that Boston is trying to trade Brandon Bass.

Northwest Rumors: Kanter, Lawson, Afflalo

February 17th, 2015 at 11:31am CST by Chuck Myron

The Northwest Division includes the Nuggets, who are as active if not more so than any other club as the deadline draws near, the Thunder, who’ve been frequently linked to Brook Lopez and have a trade candidate of their own in Reggie Jackson, and Enes Kanter, who wants off the Jazz. It’s also home to the Timberwolves, who last week took part in the first two trades of February. The Trail Blazers have come up in rumors, too. Here’s more from what could be the NBA’s division to watch between now and 2pm Central time on Thursday:

The Jazz offered Kanter a four-year, $32MM extension this past fall, but the Max Ergul client’s representatives wanted a deal akin to the max contract worth nearly $63MM over four years that Gordon Hayward signed this summer, sources tell Jody Genessy of the Deseret News (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

The Nuggets have received calls from numerous teams about Ty Lawson, but have so far turned away those suitors, sources tell Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post, who adds that the Nuggets haven’t actively shopped the point guard (Twitter links). Denver and the Celtics reportedly engaged in exploratory talks about Lawson, and the Bucks have been loosely connected to him as well.
The interest the Thunder have in Arron Afflalo is strong, as a source describes it to Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link). Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reported Monday that the Thunder had spoken with the Nuggets about Afflalo, nonetheless adding that none of the conversations that Denver was having with several teams about the shooting guard had advanced to a serious stage.
Utah is indeed asking for a lot in any deal involving Kanter, but several teams are in pursuit, executives tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Wojnarowski lists a young player and a first-rounder as two sorts of assets the Jazz would want, but it’s unclear if they would require both to get a deal done. Still, a league source later reaffirmed to Scotto (Twitter link) what Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune had heard Monday, when Jones wrote that Utah is unlikely to trade the center and that while the Jazz will listen to offers, he remains in the team’s plans.

Kyler’s Latest: Dragic, Deng, Garnett, Lawson

February 17th, 2015 at 10:09am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks have engaged the Suns in talks as they keep an eye on Goran Dragic, just as the Lakers have done, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes in his NBA AM piece. The Knicks and Lakers would be on board with trading for a player whom they could otherwise just wait to sign outright in free agency this summer, like Dragic, but it doesn’t seem that either would give up major assets in any such swap. Kyler has plenty more new information with the trade deadline just two days off, and we’ll hit the highlights here:

Miami is open to trading Luol Deng, according to Kyler, who suggests that the veteran small forward isn’t garnering the sort of interest it would take for him to be traded. Kyler also lists Norris Cole, Chris Andersen and Danny Granger as players the Heat are making available, which jibes with earlier reports on all three.
Golden State is “more than” interested in Kevin Garnett, Kyler hears, which advances a suggestion from Grantland’s Zach Lowe on Monday that the Warriors would like to try to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. The 20th-year veteran reportedly has no plans to seek a buyout.
The Bucks are “being linked” to Ty Lawson, Kyler writes, though it’s unclear just what sort of interest is there.
The Bulls would think about trading Tony Snell for a veteran shooting guard who fits what they’re looking for, Kyler writes. Still, while Chicago is speaking generally about doing some deals before the deadline, the team doesn’t appear to be willing to give up what it would take, according to Kyler.
The Suns are making Gerald Green available, according to Kyler.
Charlotte has interest in Wilson Chandler, but the Hornets would prefer to trade for Arron Afflalo, as Kyler hears. That’s the reverse of the Blazers‘ apparent preference. The Bulls are “sniffing at” both players, too, Kyler adds, nonetheless casting doubt once more on whether Chicago is willing to give up the assets necessary to swing a deal.
Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas have come up in trade rumors, but it’s more likely that the Raptors deal someone on an expiring contract, according to Kyler, naming Landry Fields, Tyler Hansbrough and Amir Johnson as examples.
Sources close to the Pacers tell Kyler that David West is likely to opt in with the Pacers for next season, when his contract calls for him to make $12.6MM.
There is “a sense” that the Magic are making Ben Gordon and Luke Ridnour available, Kyler says.

Atlantic Notes: Wallace, Celtics, ‘Melo, Carlesimo

February 17th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

A Western Conference team has been inquiring with the Celtics about Gerald Wallace, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The veteran forward makes nearly $10.106MM this season and the same salary next year, making him Boston’s highest-paid player and difficult to trade. The proposals the Celtics have received for him and others are “lowball” offers, Bulpett says, though in Wallace’s case, that’s certainly not surprising, given the albatross his contract has represented ever since Boston acquired him in the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade of 2013. There’s more from Bulpett’s piece on the Celtics amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics reportedly have interest in Ty Lawson and Enes Kanter, but it’s unlikely either winds up in Boston come the trade deadline, as Bulpett writes in the same piece. Kanter’s public trade request is concerning to potential suitors, several league sources tell the Herald scribe.
Some within the Knicks have for weeks wanted Carmelo Anthony to stop playing this season so he can tend to his injured left knee, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
The summer ahead will show whether the Knicks under Phil Jackson can truly commit to a long-range plan or fall prey to the sort of quick-fix moves that have hurt the team in recent years, opines Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal.
P.J. Carlesimo admits he’d like to coach in the NBA again and thought his productive, albeit brief tenure with the Nets two years ago might help boost his stock around the league. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the details via Twitlonger.
Jerryd Bayless spoke glowingly about the time he spent with the Celtics and even admitted he would’ve liked to have re-signed with Boston when he was a free agent last summer, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe relays. Still, the seventh-year guard was quick to express a fondness for the Bucks, with whom he signed a two-year contract in July.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Celtics Engage In Exploratory Ty Lawson Talks

February 16th, 2015 at 9:53am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics and Nuggets have had exploratory conversations about a deal involving Ty Lawson, several sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe. People around the league sense that a team could pry Lawson or Kenneth Faried from the Nuggets for an especially intriguing offer, Lowe hears. The Nuggets are a hub of activity leading up to Thursday’s 2pm Central trade deadline, and Jusuf Nurkic is the only Nuggets player truly off-limits, several league sources said to Lowe. Still, Denver’s setting high prices, as the Grantland scribe suggests the Nuggets are looking for multiple first-round picks in return for each of Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler instead of just one for each, as previous reports indicated. He also hints that the Nuggets have spoken to the Wizards about Chandler and Afflalo, though that point isn’t entirely clear.

Boston would be an odd fit for Lawson, since the Celtics have 2014 No. 6 overall pick Marcus Smart at the point after trading Rajon Rondo, and Lowe writes that Boston won’t relinquish Smart in any deal for Lawson. Still, Lawson is tied for the league lead with a career-high 10.1 assists per game, and his salary of nearly $11.596MM would fit within Boston’s massive trade exception worth more than $12.909MM left over from the Rondo trade, so the Nuggets could offload his salary without taking anyone back. Lawson has two more seasons on his deal, worth $12.404MM in 2015/16 and $13.213MM in 2016/17.

Nuggets coach Brian Shaw has clashed with the point guard at times this season, according to Lowe, who nonetheless downplays the significance of that conflict. Denver appeared to be against the idea of putting Lawson in a deal for Brook Lopez last month, and while another report suggested Denver was willing to trade the 27-year-old, the asking price from GM Tim Connelly and company was a turn-off to would-be suitors.