Wilson Chandler

Odds & Ends: Cavs, Chandler, World Peace, Ellis

No trades have been agreed upon yet, but with less than 48 hours remaining until Thursday's trade deadline, it shouldn't be long before we see our first deadline deal of 2012. In the meantime, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

Chandler Sets Friday Deadline For Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are in an advantageous position when it comes to dealing with restricted free agent Wilson Chandler. Until the summer, Chandler has no options other than Denver. The Nuggets, understandably, are taking their time to reach the best deal possible for their organization. According to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy, Chandler has issued a deadline for the Nuggets for this Friday. Some notes from Kennedy's report:

  • Chandler has been open to signing a one-year deal, which would make him an unrestricted free agent heading into the summer. The Nuggets are seeking a longer commitment. Since Chandler returned past the March 1st deadline to sign an offer sheet with other teams, the Nuggets remain his only option for playing in the NBA this season. Without competing bids, the Nuggets are the only team setting his market value.
  • An artifical deadline set by Chandler essentially has two threats to back it up. He can either sit out the remainder of the season and enter restricted free agency this summer, or he can opt to head overseas until the summer.
  • All indications point to Chandler wanting to remain in Denver long-term, and the Nuggets wanting him, which generally means a deal will be completed.
  • Some credit must be given to the Nuggets organization for properly utilizing, or at least taking advantage of, restricted free agency. Restricted free agency was a holdover from the previous CBA designed to allow teams to keep their players without going over market value. The problem was so few teams properly used it, opting to overpay their own players before someone else theoretically could. Chandler is a great asset to have, for the right price. The Nuggets are doing a great job of holding the line to ensure they sign him for that.

Odds & Ends: Granger, Wilcox, Chandler

Danny Granger‘s status as Indiana’s best player has gone into question over the course of this season. With his drop in scoring and overall contribution not matching up with his significant salary, there’s a growing chance that he could be traded. According to Fox Sports’ Chris Tomasson, when asked if he could be dealt before this Thursday’s trade deadline, Granger said, “possibly.” 

Here’s a look at a few other notes from around the league:

  • In a tweet from ESPNBoston’s Chris Forsberg, Doc Rivers said that Chris Wilcox‘s heart issue could be similar to Jeff Green‘s in that it might end his season. Boston was already looking for more front court depth before news of this injury was revealed, and it could now ratchet up their hunt. CSNNE.com’s A. Sherrod Blakely added in another tweet that Wilcox used to receive monthly check-ups when he was in Detroit. Right now he’s officially listed as out indefinitely. 
  • According to The Denver Post’s Benjamin Hochman’s twitter feed, Wilson Chandler is currently working out in Denver, waiting for his agent to negotiate a contract with the Nuggets.  

 

Northwest Notes: Crawford, Thunder, Nuggets

Despite a rough night for some of its teams, the Northwest Division is the NBA's best division from top to bottom. The 31-9 Thunder trail only the Bulls for the league's best record despite a loss to the Cavs tonight, and the last-place Blazers, at 19-21, are just two games below .500 even though they've been struggling lately. Here's a look around the division:

  • Blazers guard Jamal Crawford says if teams who are thinking of trading for him hesitate because they're worried he'll turn down his $5.225MM player option next year, those teams can simply ask him whether he'd like to stay next year, reports Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Haynes tweets that he interprets this as Crawford saying he's open to a trade.
  • The Thunder could be in the mix for a backup point guard, tweets Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. The team likes Reggie Jackson, but they're not sure if they want to continue to go with the rookie in that role.
  • Nuggets.com writer Aaron J. Lopez sat down for an interview with team president Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan Kroenke. The younger Kroenke says the team is "still in active talks" with restricted free agent Wilson Chandler, and that they're "working hard on trying to add him." Unlike last year, the Nuggets don't need to make a move at the deadline, Kroenke says, though GM Masai Ujiri will be ready should a deal arise.

Odds & Ends: Felton, Simmons, Chandler, Pistons

With ten days left until the 2012 NBA trade deadline, most columnists are looking ahead to next Thursday, exploring every possible scenario for moves contenders and non-contenders could make. Amidst all the trade speculation, Derek Page of HoopsWorld decides to look back at the offseason, assessing which trades and free agent signings have worked out best and worst so far this year, placing Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler atop the list of successes. Here are a few more Monday links from around the NBA:

Cavs Notes: Free Agency, Irving

The latest news and notes surrounding the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday:

  • Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says in a mailbag that it's too early to begin worrying about Kyrie Irving leaving the Cavaliers, saying that if the team surrounds him with the right pieces, there's a good chance he'll stay.
  • Reed also believes that Ramon Sessions will be traded before the deadline, but that the Celtics' Rajon Rondo will not.
  • Reed does not see the Cavs being in the mix for Wilson Chandler this summer if he hits restricted free agency.
  • In another article, Reed examines the Cavs' upcoming cap flexibility, suggesting that Dan Gilbert may take a more conservative approach to free agency than in 2005, the last time the team had significant cap space.
  • Reed also notes (via Twitter) tha Irving is close to making a decision as to whether or not to play for the Australian national team at the Summer Olympics in London.

Amick On Dwight, Celtics, Crawford

SI.com's Sam Amick has a roundup of the latest crop of NBA trade rumors, touching on a variety of topics. Here are the highlights:

  • There is a distinct possibility that the Magic will opt not to trade Dwight Howard, either because they don't like the offers out there or because they believe they can convince the superstar center to stay.
  • Nets GM Billy King believes it will be easier to land Howard through trade than via free agency, because of the difference in money the team will be able to offer.
  • The Warriors are still said to be interested in trading for Howard, even as a rental, and convincing him to stick around.
  • Ray Allen is more likely to be moved by March 15 than Rajon Rondo, but a deal with the Clippers is unlikely. The Celtics are asking for young talent and picks, which is more than most teams are likely to want to give up for the 36-year-old Allen.
  • Amick suggests Jamal Crawford as a trade possibility for the Clippers or any other team looking for help at the shooting guard position. He believes Crawford may be available because of the Blazers' struggles and his dissatisfaction with Nate McMillan playing him at point guard.
  • The Lakers continue to monitor Michael Beasley and Ramon Sessions, and the future of Pau Gasol is still uncertain.
  • It is possible that Wilson Chandler will spend the rest of the season overseas rather than re-sign with the Nuggets, and instead test free agency this summer.
  • The market is still slow for Gilbert Arenas, who is working out in Orlando in hopes that a team will sign him.

Odds & Ends: Stern, Hawks, Clippers

Leave it to LeBron James to wind up in the spotlight again amidst Linsanity and the impending trade deadline. He passed up a potential game-winning shot against Utah to give the ball to Udonis Haslem instead, and Haslem missed to give the Jazz a 99-98 win. Still, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida points out, it was the first time James has ever gone back-to-back games without committing a turnover. James will surely be with the Heat for a while, but here are a few notes on more fluid situations:

Latest On Chandler, Sessions, Odom

Wilson Chandler, Ramon Sessions, and Lamar Odom have been in the news for a handful of reasons lately — one's a restricted free agent, one's a trade candidate, and one… well, it's hard to succinctly summarize Odom's current situation. Regardless, we have Friday updates on all three players, so let's round them up right here:

  • Wilson Chandler: With the deadline to obtain an offer sheet from another team having passed, Chandler can only sign with the Nuggets if he wants to play in the NBA this season. Agent Chris Luchey tells Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post that he's still negotiating with the Nuggets, who are only interested in a multiyear deal. If the two sides don't reach an agreement, Chandler could sit out the rest of this NBA season and become a restricted free agent again in July.
  • Ramon Sessions: Sessions' agent, Jared Karnes, tells Bob Finnan of the News-Herald that he and his client haven't asked the Cavaliers for a trade, though they're aware it's a possibility. According to Finnan, the Lakers and Hawks are the teams most interested in Sessions.
  • Lamar Odom: As we heard yesterday, Odom will indeed join the Mavericks' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, before he returns to the Mavs. The team confirmed the assignment in a press release. According to Dallas president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, the assignment was Odom's idea, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas. The 32-year-old will work out today with Mavs consultant Tim Grgurich, then join the Legends tomorrow.

Wilson Chandler Offer Sheet Deadline Passes

HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy reports (via Twitter) that the deadline for forward Wilson Chandler to sign an offer sheet with a team other than Denver has passed. Chandler, a restricted free agent, may now either re-sign with the Nuggets or sit out the remainder of the 2011/12 season and become a restricted free agent this summer.

Chandler signed with the Chinese Basketball Association's Zhejiang Guangsha Lions during the NBA lockout and recently received FIBA clearance to return to the NBA. The Raptors were rumored to be interested in signing Chandler, but any team besides Denver that wants to pursue him will have to wait until after the season.