San Antonio Spurs Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Broussard On Pierce, Brooks, Curry, McGee, Daye

March 14th, 2012 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com's Chris Broussard has a ton of trade rumors in today's Insider-only piece. You can read his major update on Dwight Howard here, but let's dive into the rest of his rumors….

The Celtics offered Paul Pierce to the Blazers, though Broussard isn't sure who else would've been involved in the deal. Portland wasn't interested in Boston's proposal.
The Clippers are reluctant to trade Eric Bledsoe for Jamal Crawford because they believe Crawford will opt out of his contract at season's end, and Bledsoe will have more value at draft time, since there won't be many point guards available.
Ramon Sessions is unlikely to be moved unless the Cavaliers can get a first-round pick. Cleveland would try to trade for Jonny Flynn if they moved Sessions, though the Spurs have also expressed interest in Flynn.
The Cavs are also in talks with the Hornets about swapping Antawn Jamison for Emeka Okafor and a first-round pick.
Aaron Brooks is drawing interest from the Blazers and Kings, though the Suns hope to re-sign him. When Brooks returns from China, he can only sign with Phoenix. If he doesn't sign anywhere this season, he becomes a restricted free agent again this summer.
A second-round pick is likely all it would take for the Hornets to move Chris Kaman.
The Warriors preferred to deal Stephen Curry rather than Monta Ellis, but Curry's ongoing ankle issues hurt his trade value.
Broussard hears JaVale McGee will be seeking a contract worth $14MM annually this summer. Good luck with that, JaVale.
Wilson Chandler is seeking a deal starting at $7MM, which the Nuggets feel is too high, since that amount won't be prorated this season — Denver would prefer to start around $5MM.
The Pistons are shopping Austin Daye "all day every day" but not many teams are biting.
The Grizzlies would like to move Sam Young to get below the luxury tax line.

Spurs, Jazz, Timberwolves Discussing Trade

March 13th, 2012 at 7:38pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports that the Spurs, Jazz, and Timberwolves are in talks that would see Josh Howard go to San Antonio, C.J. Miles and Jamaal Tinsley to Minnesota, and Wayne Ellington along with Danny Green to Utah.

He also writes that while no deal is imminent, talks are ongoing and it is likely that draft picks and more players are added to the deal.

Odds & Ends: Spurs, Diaw, Kaman, Morris

March 13th, 2012 at 6:38pm CST by Ryan Raroque

On the speculation that Dwight Howard could be the determining factor with regard to his job security, coach Stan Van Gundy was forthright: "If they want to fire me to please somebody, fire me," later adding, "our job, my job is to focus on the basketball." Regardless of what happens before the deadline, the Magic coach will be able to put the trade speculation aside by the time Friday hits. Here are some other notes worth looking at from around the league:

The Spurs may be looking into the trade market for a point guard, according to Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld.
Tony Parker spoke about his desire for Boris Diaw to join him in San Antonio should he be granted a buyout from the Bobcats. Interestingly enough, Parker referred to the Knicks as another team that is interested in Diaw.
Center Chris Kaman says he feels comfortable with his role in New Orleans and would hope to stay with the Hornets, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.
Lakers rookie Darius Morris suffered a bruised wrist during a game in the D-League and will be day-to-day, says Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times. (Twitter link)
Greg Oden appears to be preparing to move on from the Trail Blazers. According to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, a source close to the situation has said that Oden is in the process of selling his home in Portland and has no intention of returning to the team next season.

T.J. Ford Announces Retirement

March 12th, 2012 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

11:54am: Ford announced his decision via Twitter: "It's official " I Retire from the NBA " as of today."

10:49am: Following a neck injury that forced him out of action last Wednesday, T.J. Ford has decided to take an indefinite leave of absence while he contemplates retirement, according to a statement from the Spurs. According to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter links), Ford himself says his career is over.

"After last Wednesday, I felt being on the floor and being in that position one too many times," Ford said. "I feel like that was enough for me…. That was the last basketball game you’ll see me play.

"It’s tough because I know I can still play," Ford added. "If I had to play today, I could play. The tests came back negative. I just felt mentally and physically, my body has taken enough."

Ford, 28, has been limited to 102 games in the last three seasons, including just 14 this year, due to various injuries. Although Ford's most recent injury was diagnosed as just a neck stinger, the incident was particularly scary given the point guard's history of neck and spine issues.

Ford has played for the Bucks, Raptors, Pacers, and Spurs over the course of his nine-year NBA career, with averages of 11.2 points and 5.8 assists in 429 career games. If 2011/12 ends up being his final season, he'll have earned about $43MM in the NBA, according to Basketball-Reference.

Odds & Ends: Timberwolves, CBA, Lakers

March 10th, 2012 at 6:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

With the basketball world abuzz on the eve of college basketball's Selection Sunday and more than half of the NBA in action tonight, here are the topics that have been circulating as of late:

Stephen Litel of HoopsWorld examines the impact the Ricky Rubio injury will have on the rest of the Timberwolves' personnel, and speculates, as we did earlier, that this may precipitate a Michael Beasley trade.
The TrueHoop Network on ESPN.com discussed the how Rubio's injury affects Minnesota's involvement in the trade market, and the consensus appears to be that the Timberwolves will be able to make do with Ridnour and Barea in the meantime.
NBA.com's John Schuhmann looks at the effect the new collective bargaining agreement is having on trade talks. The more punitive tax that is set to kick in during the 2013/14 season, restrictions on cap exceptions, and limits on sign-and-trades and max contracts are forcing GMs to adjust how they value players in trades.
Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer believes that the value of the expiring contract has depreciated because of the new CBA.
During a road trip that included disappointing losses to the Pistons and Wizards, the Lakers cancelled practice on Thursday and held a meeting between the coaches and players instead. The main message from the assistant coaches to the players appeared to be a request to "curtail external chatter," according to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
HoopsWorld's Derek Page chatted with fans this afternoon and discussed a variety of ideas, including the suggestion that Chris Kaman would be a nice consolation prize for the Mavericks should they fail to land Dwight Howard.
The Spurs have rarely engaged in deadline deals over the last 16 years, but Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation thinks that the team could be willing to shop their first round pick this time around if the right deal comes along.
Although the Pistons are just four games out of the eighth seed, Lawrence Frank does not want to pay attention to the standings and would rather focus on taking things day by day, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel quotes Erik Spoelstra by saying that the Heat do not have any personnel moves pending after deciding not to renew the contract of Mickell Gladness. (Twitter link)

Minor Moves: Lee, Joseph, Wright

March 9th, 2012 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll keep tabs on today's international and D-League-related transactions of note here:

Malcolm Lee has been recalled from Sioux Falls by the Timberwolves, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Lee, who has yet to make his NBA debut, was assigned to Minnesota's D-League affiliate for the second time last Wednesday.
The Spurs have recalled Cory Joseph from their D-League affiliate in Austin, tweets Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. Joseph, who was assigned to the Toros less than a week ago, returns to San Antonio following T.J. Ford's neck injury.
Former NBA veteran Antoine Wright has joined the D-League in hopes of returning to the NBA, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Wright, a 15th overall pick in 2005, played for the Nets, Mavericks, Raptors, and Kings, last appearing in the NBA in November 2010. The 28-year-old averaged 5.4 PPG in 297 career games.

Minor Moves: Gadzuric, Cavs, Ford, Tyler, Cousin

March 6th, 2012 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll keep tabs on all of Tuesday's notable international and D-League-related moves right here:

Less than a week after signing with the D-League, Dan Gadzuric has already been traded, and will join the Texas Legends, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside.
The Cavaliers have assigned Christian Eyenga and Luke Harangody to the Canton Charge, the team's D-League affiliate, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). It's the second D-League assignment this season for both players.
Having finished his one-day stint with the Austin Toros, T.J. Ford has been recalled by the Spurs, the team announced today. Ford is returning from a torn left hamstring that has sidelined him for all but ten games this season.
The Warriors have recalled Jeremy Tyler from their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Tyler played five games for the Dakota Wizards during his assignment, averaging 15.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per game.
Marcus Cousin, not to be confused with DeMarcus Cousins, has signed with Venezuela's Guaiqueries de Margarita, according to Sportando. The 6'11" Cousin appeared in four games with the Jazz last season.

Minor Moves: T.J. Ford

March 5th, 2012 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll round up any notable international and D-League-related moves here throughout the day:

The Spurs announced they've assigned T.J. Ford to the Austin Toros for a one-day rehab stint. The Spurs' D-League affiliate doesn't play its next game until Thursday, so Ford will simply practice with the team before rejoining San Antonio on Tuesday. Ford tore his left hamstring earlier in the new year and has missed nearly two months of action.

Kyler On Thunder, Howard, Crawford, Young

March 5th, 2012 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

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.

Spurs Notes: Joseph, Dawson

March 3rd, 2012 at 9:13pm CST by Sean Highkin

Tim Griffin and Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News have a couple of minor news updates about Spurs rookies.

Griffin reports that Cory Joseph, the 29th overall pick in the 2011 draft, has been assigned to the D-League's Austin Toros for the second time this season. Joseph is averaging 1.8PPG and 1.2APG with the Spurs this season.
Monroe notes that Eric Dawson, recently cut by the Spurs, lost his roster spot for financial reasons, not because of his play.