Wilson Chandler Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Rumors: Williams, Chandler, Celtics

February 29th, 2012 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

Seeking to clarify comments he made on Monday, Nets coach Avery Johnson reiterated last night that, while he views the Mavericks and Mark Cuban as a threat to sign Deron Williams this summer, he still expects his point guard to return to the Nets.

"I think somebody kind of got it twisted where the focus was more on the threat and saying that I said that I think he’s going to Dallas, which I never said, never said that," Johnson told reporters, including Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record. "I said that [Cuban was a threat] because anybody that’s under the cap would be a threat to get a guy that’s a unbelievable point guard. But I said I believe he has every intention to re-sign."

Here are a few more morning rumors on Williams and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

Talking to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld, Williams admitted he isn't sure whether he'll be a Net next year.
Within the same HoopsWorld piece, Pincus says that the Nuggets have offered a multiyear deal to Wilson Chandler, but that it's not as lucrative as Chandler hoped. Still, the Raptors likely won't sign the 24-year-old to an offer sheet, says Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Although Toronto hasn't moved on entirely, the club is currently put off by Chandler's asking price.
Wolstat adds that it appears the Raptors are listening to trade inquiries made by other teams rather than actively seeking deals themselves.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, appearing on NBC's SportsTalk, says the Celtics have been actively pursuing trades, and won't hesitate to break up their core in the right deal. Wojnarowski speculates that, of Boston's "big three," Paul Pierce may be the most likely trade candidate, since Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have contracts that Boston could simply let expire.

Wilson Chandler Receives FIBA Clearance

February 28th, 2012 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

4:58pm: The Raptors are "highly unlikely" to sign Chandler this week, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. If Chandler is a restricted free agent again this summer, Toronto could get involved, but would probably need his asking price to come down (Twitter link).

12:06pm: Wilson Chandler has received a FIBA letter of clearance and is now officially eligible for restricted NBA free agency, according to agent Chris Luchey (Twitter link via Sportando).

Restricted free agents aren't eligible to sign offer sheets as of March 1st, so Chandler will have just two days to try to secure an offer from a team besides the Nuggets. Denver would then have three days to match any offer.

If Chandler doesn't sign an offer sheet before Thursday, he could either sign with the Nuggets or sit out the season and become a restricted free agent again in the summer, when more teams could have interest (and money). A rest-of-season contract with the Nuggets would allow Chandler to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but Denver has indicated it doesn't plan to negotiate such a deal.

The Raptors appear to have interest in Chandler, but only have about $4.3MM in cap space, so the Nuggets wouldn't have much trouble matching any offer Toronto made. Yesterday, we heard Chandler and Luchey were in contact with an Italian team about the possibility of a rest-of-season deal.

Wilson Chandler Rumors: Monday

February 27th, 2012 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that the Raptors may be looking to move Leandro Barbosa in order to make a contract offer to Wilson Chandler. While Chandler is drawing interest, two major obstacles stand in his way: He needs to receive FIBA clearance to officially become a restricted free agent, and he needs to be cleared before March 1st if he hopes to sign an offer sheet with a team besides the Nuggets. Here's the latest on Chandler:

Agent Chris Luchey tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando that Chandler is in talks with an Italian team about a rest-of-season deal (Twitter link). If the 24-year-old were to play elsewhere and not return to the NBA this season, he'd be a restricted free agent again this summer, potentially scoring larger offers from teams with cap space. Perhaps Chandler and Luchey are trying to regain some leverage over the Nuggets by seriously weighing that option.

Raptors Looking To Move Barbosa?

February 27th, 2012 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors are looking to trade Leandro Barbosa so they can make a "big offer" to restricted free agent Wilson Chandler, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com.

There's still no word on whether Chandler, recently returned from China, has received FIBA clearance from the CBA. A report this weekend suggested that the process may be delayed, since the forward had been cleared to return to America by his team, but not by the league, which has control over his clearance. However, with Chandler's Chinese team now eliminated from the CBA playoffs, there shouldn't be a holdup.

When he's cleared, Chandler will be free to sign an offer sheet with any team, which the Nuggets would then have the option to match. However, teams aren't permitted to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets after March 1st, so if the Raptors hope to make a play for the 24-year-old, they'll have to move quickly.

The Raptors currently have about $4.3MM in cap space, which likely won't be enough to pose a serious threat to the Nuggets. Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld wrote last week that Toronto could try clearing salary to make a bigger offer to Chandler, but suggested Jose Calderon was a more realistic trade chip than Barbosa. I'm inclined to agree that it'll be tough to move Barbosa and his $7.6MM salary — trading him on March 15th would be doable, but if teams know that Toronto's hand is forced, they won't offer much this week.

I looked at Barbosa's trade candidacy earlier this month.

Odds & Ends: Bogut, Gasol, Kings

February 26th, 2012 at 9:54am CST by Chuck Myron

Peter Vecsey, in the same column in which he revealed the Knicks as potential suitors for Dwight Howard, hears that the Bucks are "definitely open to offers" for Andrew Bogut, who's currently out with a fractured left ankle. He also says the rumored signing of Rasheed Wallace by the Lakers lends credibility to the idea that the team could send Pau Gasol to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O'Neal. Here's the rest of what's being whispered around All-Star weekend.

Restricted free agent Wilson Chandler's Chinese team has been eliminated from the playoffs, and he's expecting FIBA clearance soon, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Yesterday we noted that Chandler's clearance has been delayed. He's been a target of the Nuggets, his former team, and the Raptors of late.
A meeting today between Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, the Maloof brothers and league officials could be make-or-break for the city's hopes to keep the Kings, writes Sacramento Bee columnist Ailene Voisin.
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com delves into the finer points of the lockout negotiations, and notes how close the league came to canceling the entire season.
Celtics team president Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers must turn into salesmen to attract top free agent talent to Boston as the team looks to replace its aging core, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
To get the Hornets to trade Chris Kaman to the Heat, it would take Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, a price Miami is unwilling to pay, observes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Swingman Mike Dunleavy, who signed a two-year, $7.5MM free-agent deal with the Bucks this past offseason, is getting comfortable in what was already familiar territory in Wisconsin, writes Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's worth noting, though, that Dunleavy's dad is part of what's reportedly the leading potential ownership group for the Hornets.
Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside chronicles the fall of one-time top prospect Reeves Nelson.
Fred Kerber of the New York Post looks at how free-agent-to-be Deron Williams is showcasing his talents with little help in New Jersey.

Wilson Chandler’s NBA Return Delayed

February 25th, 2012 at 1:26pm CST by Daniel Seco

According to Yahoo! Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), free-agent forward Wilson Chandler may have to continue to wait before he can sign with a team thanks to the China Basketball Association. The CBA is refusing to provide Chandler with a letter of clearance, which would grant him the ability to play in the NBA. While Chandler will file an appeal with hopes of reaching a resolution within a week, there is a possibility that an agreement may not be reached until mid-March.

Chandler had reached an agreement with his team, the Zhejiang Lions, to release him from his contract once he helped the squad secure a playoff spot. Unfortunately for the former first-round pick, the CBA has full control over the letter of clearance rather than his team. Currently a restricted free-agent, the fifth-year player out of DePaul is being recruited heavily by the Raptors but is expected to return to the Nuggets.

After arriving in Denver via the Carmelo Anthony trade just over one year ago, Chandler averaged 12.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG during 21 regular season games before struggling during the playoffs.

Latest On Wilson Chandler

February 23rd, 2012 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

12:16pm: The Cavaliers, one of the few teams who have the cap space to pose a serious threat to the Nuggets for Chandler, don't intend to get involved, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). The Cavs like Chandler, but prefer to rebuild through trades and the draft (Twitter link).

11:12am: Although the Nuggets extended Wilson Chandler's a qualifying offer last year to make him a restricted free agent, that offer expired on December 25th, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). If Chandler had hoped to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, he could have accepted the $3.1MM qualifying offer, but because it expired while he was under contract in China, he no longer has that option.

As I explained when I explored Chandler's options this morning, qualifying offers for restricted free agents typically expire on March 1st, though teams can choose to set an earlier deadline. It's unclear if the NBA adjusted the deadline in the new CBA or if the Nuggets set an earlier deadline, but either way, it limits Chandler's options.

Chandler, 24, could sign a long-term deal with the Nuggets or another club, or sit out the season and test restricted free agency again in the summer, when teams have more financial flexibility. However, his chances of becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season look slim to none, since the Nuggets don't plan to offer him a rest-of-season deal, according to Stein (on Twitter). The earliest Chandler could become an unrestricted free agent would be after next season, if he sat out this year, then accepted a qualifying offer from the Nuggets for 2012/13.

Options For Wilson Chandler

February 23rd, 2012 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

Following Wilson Chandler's visit to Toronto yesterday, a lot of misinformation on the 24-year-old's options has been floating around the web. Because of Chandler's unique situation, returning from a season in China as a restricted NBA free agent, there's some confusion about where he can sign, and for how much. So let me run through Chandler's situation as I see it….

Typically, restricted free agents can sign offer sheets with opposing teams, which the free agent's team then has three days to match. In this case, the Nuggets still hold Chandler's rights, so they'd have the option of matching any offer sheet he signs elsewhere.
To become a restricted free agent, Chandler had to be extended a qualifying offer by Denver. Generally, the deadline to accept that one-year deal is March 1st. Assuming the Nuggets didn't move that deadline up, Chandler should be able to accept that qualifying offer (worth $3.1MM, pro-rated) and be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the season, if he doesn't get a long-term offer he likes. He could also sit out the rest of the season and become a restricted free agent again in the summer, when teams have more financial flexibility.
Restricted free agents aren't permitted to sign offer sheets after March 1st, according to CBA expert Larry Coon, so if Chandler intends to sign an offer sheet with the Raptors or any other team, he'll have to do so within the next few days.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, and SI.com's Sam Amick are among those writing that the Raptors have cap space (about $4.3MM) to put toward an offer for Chandler. It had previously been thought that the Raptors had used their mid-level exception and bi-annual exception to sign Aaron Gray and Gary Forbes respectively. If the team has available cap space, however, it must have renounced its $16MM in cap holds, signed Forbes using cap space, and signed Gray using its $2.5MM room exception for teams under the cap. Still, a contract starting at $4.3MM won't be enough to scare off the Nuggets, so if the Raptors are serious about Chandler, they could try to make a trade that clears more cap space, as Kyler reports.
If Chandler accepted his qualifying offer from the Nuggets and became an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Raptors and a number of other teams would have the flexibility to make him a much larger offer than they can right now. So it makes sense that agent Chris Luchey suggested to Amick that GM Masai Ujiri and the Nuggets are more interested in a long-term contract than a rest-of-season deal. Denver is in a good position to outbid rival suitors at this point, but bidding could get more competitive this summer.

Wilson Chandler Talking To Raptors

February 22nd, 2012 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Wilson Chandler is in Toronto to discuss the possibility of signing with the Raptors, according to Sam Amick of SI.com (via Twitter). Agent Chris Luchey tells Amick that his client is staying in touch with the Nuggets, but is exploring all his options (Twitter link).

Chandler has already met with the Nuggets and expressed interest in joining the team on a long-term deal, if possible. As a restricted free agent, however, the 24-year-old is eligible to sign an offer sheet with another club before March 1st — the Nuggets would then have the opportunity to match it. Chandler, who still requires clearance by FIBA before he officially signs with an NBA team, hopes to get a deal done within a week.

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported late last month that the Raptors planned to "make life hard" for the Nuggets when Chandler returned from China. While I expect Chandler to end up signing with Denver, the DePaul product could become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he and the Nuggets don't work out a multiyear deal. The Raptors will have plenty of salary, including Leandro Barbosa's $7.6MM, coming off their books, so they could make a run at Chandler at that point if he's available. Chandler and Luchey may use that as leverage in the next few days as they make their case for a long-term deal with Denver.

Wilson Chandler Hopes To Sign Within Week

February 21st, 2012 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

Wilson Chandler was in attendance last night to see Martell Webster make a questionable decision that ultimately allowed the Nuggets to escape with a 103-101 win over the Timberwolves. While Chandler was a spectator for Monday's game, he intends to be on the court for the Nuggets soon, telling Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com that he hopes to sign with Denver "in the next week or so."

Chandler, who returned from China this week, has yet to be cleared by FIBA to sign with an NBA team, but doesn't expect his clearance to be an issue. The more pressing question is whether Chandler will sign for the rest of the season with the Nuggets, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, or work out a long-term deal. According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports (via Twitter), Chandler's agent is currently negotiating a multiyear contract for his client.

The addition of Chandler would be a boost for a Nuggets team that has been slowed by injuries recently. Despite the absence of key contributors like Nene Hilario and Danilo Gallinari, GM Masai Ujiri told J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today that the team isn't looking to make any major roster moves.

"We knew going into the season that a compressed season would have this effect, regardless of injury," Ujiri said. "Guys are tired… so we knew we were going to hit a couple rough patches. Most teams know that…. We're going to be patient with our guys."