Ty Lawson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kyler On Harden, Jennings, Holiday, Rockets

October 30th, 2012 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld shared a few updates on extension-eligible players in his NBA AM column this morning, and also tweeted a few notes about the Rockets' options in free agency next summer. Let's dive right in and round up the highlights….

James Harden and the Rockets will almost certainly reach an agreement on a five-year extension today or tomorrow. It's just a matter of whether it will be for the true max or slightly below that.
If Tyreke Evans, who won't be extended this week, struggles early in the season, he could become a trade candidate for the Kings.
According to Kyler, Brandon Jennings' camp is seeking an extension worth $9-10MM annually, which the Bucks aren't interested in. Those numbers are a little surprising to me — I'd think the Bucks wouldn't mind a deal in that neighborhood, while Jennings would be seeking something closer to the max.
The Sixers and Jrue Holiday don't appear headed for an extension this week. Kyler says Philadelphia's offer was worth about $8-9MM annually.
The "broad strokes" are there for an agreement between Ty Lawson and the Nuggets. Now it's just a matter of working out the final value of the contract.
The odds of Taj Gibson and the Bulls reaching an extension agreement today or tomorrow are about 50/50 at best.
The Hawks have told Jeff Teague that he's still part of their long-term plans, but the team wants to maintain flexibility next summer, so he won't be extended now. The Bobcats have a similar stance with Gerald Henderson and Byron Mullens.
In a series of tweets, Kyler says the Rockets are unlikely to be serious players for Josh Smith in free agency next summer, unless they trade for him. The fifth year that the team holding Smith's Bird Rights will be able to offer could be a dealbreaker, according to Kyler, who adds that the forward appears happy with the Hawks for now.
Kyler expects the Rockets to take a similar approach to what they did this past offseason, pursuing restricted free agents and perhaps making a poison pill offer or two. Paul Millsap could also be a potential target, says Kyler (Twitter links).

Lawson, Nuggets Making Progress On Extension

October 30th, 2012 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are moving closer to finalizing a contract extension with Ty Lawson in advance of tomorrow's deadline, reports TNT's David Aldridge at NBA.com. There's no deal in place yet, but Aldridge says hopes are increasing that something can be worked out by tomorrow.

We heard over the weekend that talks between the two sides had stalled, with Lawson expressing some pessimism yesterday about the chances of an agreement being reached. However, Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post anticipates talks going down to the wire, noting that the "intense, fourth-quarter-like moment" will be fitting for Lawson.

According to Aldridge, Lawson turned down a four-year, $45MM offer from the Nuggets earlier this month. I wouldn't be surprised if an offer a little closer to $50MM for four years got it done tomorrow. If the two sides don't reach an agreement, Lawson will become a restricted free agent next summer.

Extension Talks Stall Between Ty Lawson, Nuggets

October 29th, 2012 at 2:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

MONDAY, 2:33pm: While there's still time for the two sides to reach an agreement, Lawson sounds pessimistic about working out an extension, writes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.

"I don’t think we’re at the point where we want to be at right now," Lawson said today. "We’ll see, we have two days left. “Today it weighed on me (at practice) more than most days. I talked to my agent right before I came here. I was kind of disappointed. But we’ll see what happens."

SUNDAY, 11:39am: Discussions about an extension for Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson have stalled with three days to go before the deadline, HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy reports via Twitter. Lawson has been one of the few players from the 2009 draft class thought to be likely to get an extension, and earlier this month Marc Stein of ESPN.com heard that it seemed a matter of "when," not "if" a deal would get done.

The Nuggets could give Lawson a five-year extension to make him the team's designated player, and Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote that such a deal for around $65MM could be in play. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors believes it might not take that much to get it done, having speculated in July that a $10MM annual salary could work for both sides. Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld recently wrote that the team has been looking for creative ways to structure the deal, and could be exploring incentives.

If Lawson fails to sign an extension by Wednesday, he'll hit the market as a restricted free agent next summer, when several other top-flight point guards could also be available, including Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday,

Odds & Ends: Harden, Lawson, Jazz, Beasley

October 28th, 2012 at 10:41pm CST by Sean Highkin

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

Rockets coach Kevin McHale talked to the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen about the addition of James Harden. McHale doesn't believe Harden will have trouble transitioning from the sixth-man role he played in Oklahoma City to a starting job in Houston.
George Karl calls Ty Lawson's extension negotiations with the Nuggets a "distraction," according to Adrian Dater of the Denver Post.
Bill Oram of the Salt Lake tribune writes that the Jazz have already developed chemistry, which the team believes will work to its benefit.
Yahoo's Marc Spears writes that Michael Beasley is hoping to rehabilitate his public image in Phoenix this season.

Kyler On Extension Candidates

October 25th, 2012 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

Last week, both TNT's David Aldridge and ESPN.com's Marc Stein passed along rumors and rumblings they'd heard about this offseason's extension candidates. With just six more days for Ty Lawson, Taj Gibson, and other extension-eligible players to work out new deals with their teams, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld throws his hat into the ring, rounding up a few of the latest updates:

James Harden would like to end speculation about his contract situation, and that could mean he accepts an offer worth less than the max from the Thunder, says Kyler. A contract that includes incentives is a possibility.
The Kings are unlikely to lock up Tyreke Evans this month, and could even explore trading him prior to this season's deadline. Kyler hears from sources close to Evans that he'd welcome free agency "if only to find a situation that believes in him as a player."
The Warriors still like Stephen Curry and figure to retain him beyond this season, but an extension probably won't happen within the next week. Given Curry's ankle issues, it's simply too hard to value him fairly.
DeMar DeRozan appears headed for restricted free agency, and the Raptors would like to see a "big leap" from him this season before committing too heavily next summer.
Brandon Jennings is "far from secure" in Milwaukee, and the Bucks could consider trading him before the deadline, according to Kyler.
Kyler hears that the 76ers have offered Jrue Holiday an extension in the neighborhood of $9MM annually, but that's Holiday's camp turned it down, expecting to see a bigger payday in free agency.
Lawson still appears to be one of the players most likely to be extended, and Kyler says the Nuggets could include incentives in their offer.
The Bulls are likely to extend Gibson, who wants to stay in Chicago, though that doesn't necessarily mean he'll accept a hometown discount.

Stein On Extension Candidates, Boozer, Paul

October 17th, 2012 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, TNT's David Aldridge shared the latest rumors and rumblings he'd heard about this year's fourth-year extension candidates. ESPN.com's Marc Stein follows suit today, and while much of what he's hearing is along the same lines as Aldridge's updates, there's still enough new info that it's worth rounding up the highlights….

Despite chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's apparent aversion to early extensions, it's still likely that the Bulls and Taj Gibson work something out this month, and that the team will eventually release Carlos Boozer using the amensty clause.
An extension for Ty Lawson remains more a question of "when" than "if," sources tells Stein.
The Raptors seem to "want to be wowed" by DeMar DeRozan in the 2012/13 season before committing to him long-term.
The Bobcats aren't expected to lock Gerald Henderson up to an extension unless the terms are very team-friendly.
Although the Hawks like Jeff Teague, they'll likely hold off on committing future cap space to a point guard until they're 100% sure they can't lure Chris Paul to Atlanta.
Extensions for Darren Collison and Rodrigue Beaubois can safely be ruled out as the Mavericks attempt to preserve next summer's cap room.
Stein also believes Stephen Curry and James Harden are likely to be extended, and that a new deal for Jrue Holiday is possible. However, he classifies the rest of this offseason's extension candidates as unlikely to receive long-term contracts by Halloween.

Aldridge On Extension Candidates

October 15th, 2012 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

The latest Morning Tip piece from TNT's David Aldridge is up at NBA.com, and focuses on the first round of the 2009 draft class, most of whom are eligible for contract extensions this month. However, Aldridge doesn't expect many new deals to be inked, since the new CBA doesn't give players a ton of incentive to sign early.

"Now (that) you can only give the same amount of years that they can get next summer, the player isn't as interested," one team executive told Aldridge. "Now, you have no advantage. I used to be able to say 'I can give you a year more today than you can get next year. So let's talk about a deal and maybe the number is more realistic.' But they've taken that away."

Here's what Aldridge has heard on a number of extension candidates:

The Kings will "probably not" be offering Tyreke Evans an extension, Aldridge hears from a source.
Things are "pretty quiet" on the Brandon Jennings front, and Aldridge isn't expecting him to work out a long-term extension with the Bucks.
DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors aren't close to a deal, but have been talking for weeks. Aldridge cautions not to rule out the possibility of the two sides reaching an agreement.
Aldridge does, however, essentially rule out extensions for Austin Daye (Pistons) and James Johnson (Kings).
Jrue Holiday's agent will touch base with the 76ers later this week about a possible extension.
Ty Lawson of the Nuggets is the one player that everyone around the league believes will sign a long-term deal by Halloween.
The Hawks are talking to Jeff Teague about a new deal, but Aldridge thinks it's unlikely the team commits to anything yet when it could have so much cap space available next summer.
Agent Mark Bartelstein on Taj Gibson and the Bulls: "They've made it clear they'd like to sign Taj. They're making an effort, and so are we… if we can get something done that everybody feels good about, great. If not, I'm sure he'll have a great year."

Latest On Negotiations Between Lawson, Nuggets

October 15th, 2012 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

For much of the offseason, Ty Lawson and the Nuggets have expressed optimism about working out a long-term extension before November. Just over two weeks remain until the October 31st deadline, and Lawson continues to believe he and the Nuggets will reach an agreement, as he tells Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld.

"I’m still confident," Lawson said. "My agent is working with [GM] Masai Ujiri and [president] Josh Kroenke so I feel like in the next couple of weeks something will get done. We’ll see."

According to Koutroupis, the Nuggets' current offer is somewhere in the neighborhood of four years and $44MM, which figures to be a little short of what it'll take to get a deal done. Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post recently wrote that a five-year, $65MM contract could be in play, though I wouldn't be surprised if Lawson signs for slightly less than that. As Koutroupis writes, the two sides seem close enough that an agreement by Halloween looks likely.

Lawson is one of a handful of point guards who will be eligible for restricted free agency next summer if they don't work out extensions with their current clubs. Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings, Stephen Curry, and Darren Collison are among the others.

Northwest Rumors: Blazers, Lawson, Miller, Batum

October 11th, 2012 at 10:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Oregonian's Joe Freeman examines the decisions the Blazers face in advance of the October 31st deadline for exercising their 2013/14 team options on Luke Babbitt, Nolan Smith and Elliot Williams. According to Freeman, the team could come within $500K of having enough cap space to sign a free agent to a maximum-salary deal next summer if it declines all three options. Freeman seems to think, given the makeup of the Blazers roster, it would make the least sense to pick up Babbitt's option, despite the injury to Williams that's expected to keep him out the entire season. Check out other option decisions facing teams with our Rookie Contract Option Tracker, and read on for from the Blazers and other Northwest Division clubs.

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post suggests Ty Lawson and new agent Happy Walters could be in line for a five-year, $65MM extension from the Nuggets before the October 31st deadline. Hochman also passes along some advice for Lawson from new teammate Andre Iguodala, who re-signed with the Sixers in 2008 after failing to come to an extension agreement in 2007.
Andre Miller has been an ironman over his 13-year NBA career, missing only six regular season games, but he's sitting out of select preseason games for the first time, Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com notes. The Nuggets signed the 36-year-old Miller to a three-year, $14.625MM deal this summer that includes a partial guarantee for the final season.
Nicolas Batum told Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune he signed his offer sheet with Minnesota this summer knowing he'd be pleased to wind up with either the Timberwolves or the Blazers. "I chose Minnesota because I knew (Portland) could match," Batum said. "I knew those two teams were going to be the best options for me. I wouldn’t have signed with anybody else. And I wanted to challenge the Blazers, to see if they really like me or not."

Jennings, DeRozan Unlikely To Land Extensions

October 6th, 2012 at 10:43am CST by Zachary Links

With 25 days until the extension deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter) hears that Denver's Ty Lawson and Philadelphia's Jrue Holiday are likely to get new deals. Meanwhile, Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings and Toronto's DeMar DeRozan are not likely to get extensions done with their respective teams.

Jennings is set to earn $3.18MM in the final year of his rookie scale contract but the dynamic point guard is said to be seeking a maximum deal. While the one-guard has shown a great deal of promise, it seems unlikely that Milwaukee would spend that much to keep him in the fold, especially with Monta Ellis holding an option at the end of the year. Jennings has expressed dissatisfaction with the Bucks in the past but over the summer he publicly said that he hopes to reach a new deal with the club.

Earlier this week, we heard that the Raptors still view DeRozan as a key part of their future and have had extension talks with the guard. However, Bryan Colangelo said that he wasn't sure if he'd get a deal done with DeRozan prior to the deadline. For his part, the 23-year-old has said that he is happy with the Raptors.

It was reported that Holiday was seeking a max extension earlier this summer, an expectation that seemed overly ambitious at best. However, the 22-year-old recently clarified those remarks, explaining that it is simply a goal of his to be on that level as a player.

Lawson recently followed LeBron James' lead and opted to leave the powerful Creative Arts Agency as he enters his final year under contract. Luke Adams recently looked at what it'll take for the Nuggets to lock the point guard up and sees a deal with a ~$10MM average annual value.

Other 2009 draftees in the mix for extensions include Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Bulls forward Taj Gibson, and, of course, Thunder guard James Harden, Stein tweets. We've already seen fellow '09ers Blake Griffin and Serge Ibaka sign lucrative contract extensions with the Clippers and Thunder, respectively.