Trade deadline: Latest buzz around NBA
Pau Gasol (right) is making $19.3 million in the last year of his contract. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Here is the latest buzz around the NBA with one day remaining before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. Check back throughout the day for updates.
**COMPLETED TRADE: The Lakershave agreed to send guard Steve Blake to the Warriors for guards MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore.
**COMPLETED TRADE: The Netshave agreed to send guard Jason Terry and forward Reggie Evans to the Kings for guard Marcus Thornton.
More Buzz: Tuesday, Feb. 18 | Feb. 17 |Feb. 16|Feb. 15 | Feb. 14 | Feb. 13
Update, 10 p.m. Wednesday
• Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times: [Steve] Blake was in his warm-ups for tonight's game when he got called in to say he'd been dealt.
• Alex Kennedy, Basketball Insiders: One executive said that most shopped players have been Charlotte’s Ben Gordon, Memphis’ Tayshaun Prince, New York’s Iman Shumpert, Dallas’ Shawn Marion, Houston’s Omer Asik, Washington’s Eric Maynor and Denver’s Andre Miller among others.
• Marc Berman, New York Post: [Knicks guard Iman] Shumpert with sprained left knee and not returning [to Wednesday's game against the Pelicans]. No word if he'll need an MRI. It's the same left knee that he had ACL surgery on. Startling development on eve of deadline with Clippers talks real.
Update, 8:30 p.m.
• Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: A person with knowledge of the Rockets’ thinking said [GM Daryl] Morey is seeking ‘home run’ deals, trades that are by definition less likely. Even if he is to tweak –-- and other persons familiar with the Rockets’ plans have said they would like to add a defensive-minded wing that can catch and shoot -- it has been difficult to make a trade work with the Rockets’ unwillingness to take back a contract beyond the 2015 off-season to merely fine tune and also unlikely to take a step back this season to acquire future assets.
• Darren Wolfson, 1500 ESPN: Want to know how much of a long-shot a Kevin Love trade is? Owner Glen Taylor: "Flip [Saunders, Minnesota's president] doesn't even bring (the proposals) to me."
• Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports: Orlando strongly inclined to keep Arron Afflalo past trade deadline and revisit deals around NBA Draft in June, league sources tell Yahoo.
• Ramona Shelburne, ESPNLosAngeles.com: Lakers have also had discussions with the Atlanta Hawks on Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman. Nets, Cavs also in mix for Hill.
Update, 5:15 p.m.
• Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Hearing now that Cavs have strongly emerged as team trying to trump BKN and acquire Jordan Hill from Lakers. Looks like Cavs & Nets for Hill.
• Sam Amick, USA Today Sports: Makes sense for Houston to pursue Boston's Rondo (and @ESPNSteinLine says Rox have interest) but I'm told the two teams have not spoken.
• Steve Kyler, Basketball Insiders: Hearing Grizzlies not nearly as active as being reported, have fielded calls, but not as close to anything as being reported.
Update, 4:15 p.m.
• Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Sources familiar with Rockets' thinking say HOU has absolute interest in trading for Rajon Rondo. But that alone doesn't mean we'll see a deal. ... Celtics, I'm told, would insist on Chandler Parsons in a theoretical Rondo deal. And Rockets, by all accounts, NOT willing to surrender CP.
• Sean Deveney, Sporting News: [The Bobcats] are eager to make a move to maintain that postseason spot before Thursday’s trade deadline. One target that has emerged, league sources told Sporting News, is shooting guard Anthony Morrow, a player who interested the Bobcats before he signed in New Orleans last summer. ... The Bobcats have also expressed interest in Orlando guard Arron Afflalo going back almost two months now.
• Sam Amico, Fox Sports Ohio: A lot of people are dreaming up trade scenarios involving [Cavaliers forward Luol] Deng. Let me just say this based on what I'm hearing from other execs around the league: It seems highly unlikely that Deng will be moved.
• John Reid, New Orleans Times Picayune:The New Orleans Pelicans are desperate to land draft picks and they could be willing to part ways with the draft rights of Pierre Jackson and possibly backup shooting guard Anthony Morrow to secure picks.
Update, 3:15 p.m.
• David Aldridge, NBA.com: Hearing that [Pau] Gasol to Suns, if it ever was serious, dying quickly on the vine. PHX "looking at other stuff" now, per source.
• Jason Jones, Sacramento Bee: The Kings have agreed to trade guard Marcus Thornton to the Brooklyn Nets for guard Jason Terry and forward Reggie Evans. ... Dealing Thornton would give more playing time to Ben McLemore, the Kings’ first-round draft pick. General manager Pete D’Alessandro said after Tuesday’s practice that McLemore was not a part of any proposed deals.
• Marc Spears, Yahoo Sports: Active Kings might not be done. Keep an eye on Kings guard Jimmer Fredette, who had 24 points at the Knicks last week, sources said.
• Mark Medina, Los Angeles Daily News: League source says Lakers are talking to several teams about Jordan Hill, including Nets. I'm told Nets more open toward footing luxury tax bill on Jordan Hill. But not currently clear if that will happen.
• Marc Stein, ESPN.com: ESPN has learned Knicks are telling teams that have interest in [Iman] Shumpert: It'll either cost you a [first-round pick] or you have to take on [Raymond] Felton's deal.
Update, 1:45 p.m.
• Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports: The Sacramento Kings are finalizing a deal to send guard Marcus Thornton to the Brooklyn Nets for guard Jason Terry and forward Reggie Evans, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
• Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Hearing strong suggestions Nets now want to go ahead with proposed acquisition of Jordan Hill if Lakers still amenable despite huge BKN cost.
Update, 12:30 p.m.
• Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com: As they evaluate the team and look to make a deal to help it secure a playoff berth, Cleveland Cavaliers officials are making recently acquired Luol Deng available ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, multiple league sources told ESPN.com. The Cavs traded three future draft picks and Andrew Bynum to the Chicago Bulls to acquire Deng on Jan. 7. But the deal hasn't worked out how either side hoped. Cleveland isn't determined to trade Deng, but with his impending free agency a concern, new general manager David Griffin is testing the market to see what the veteran forward might bring.
• Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports: The Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks are discussing a deal centered around guard Iman Shumpert, league sources told Yahoo Sports. In proposed deals, the Clippers would send the Knicks a package that includes point guard Darren Collison for Shumpert and point guard Raymond Felton, sources told Yahoo Sports.
• Jerry Zgoda, Minneapolis Star Tribune: If JJ [Barea] is dealt to Memphis by Thursday, point guard Wolves target as replacement could be Jameer Nelson rather than Andre Miller.
• Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports: Minnesota firm that it wants Tony Allen to join Tayshaun Prince in [Chase] Budinger-Barea deal, but Memphis resisting -- for now, sources tell Yahoo.
• Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Griz-Timberwolves are nowhere close to a deal, per source. Memphis won't part with Tony Allen in proposed deal that's been reported. ... Source says Griz have 'nothing close' on trade front. There are a lot of 'fishing expeditions' right now, per source.
9 a.m.
• Ric Bucher, Bleacher Report: The odds are greater that Pau Gasol finishes the season in a Lakers uniform than winds up elsewhere, even though both sides know his run in L.A. is over and he intends to keep playing beyond this season somewhere.
• Mark Medina, Los Angeles Daily News: Even if [Pau] Gasol survives another trade scenario, it’s unlikely the Lakers will retain him once he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Gasol also conceded the Lakers haven’t had any talks with him about securing an extension.
• Ramona Shelburne, ESPNLosAngeles.com: The Lakers have been one of the more active teams in advance of Thursday's deadline as they gauge the market for [Pau] Gasol and veterans like Jordan Hill, Chris Kaman and Steve Blake. With their record at 18-35 heading into Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets, it makes little sense to pay luxury taxes and be in line to pay the more punitive repeater taxes in the future. However, sources said the Lakers have remained resolute in every trade discussion not to trade Gasol without acquiring an asset in return, and that there is a growing sentiment within the organization that it could be more valuable to hold on to Gasol and his Bird rights as he becomes a free agent and the organization has substantial room under the salary cap for the first time in years.
• Eddie Sefko, Dallas Morning News: Mark Cuban has heard so many preposterous trade rumors that he laughs at a lot of them. The Kevin Love-to-Dallas speculation fell into that category. ... The Mavericks are ridiculously shy on tradable assets to obtain a player of Love’s talents. So that makes it impossible to create any scenario that would get them in the running.
• Jerry Zgoda, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Despite all the building national speculation, here's one thing you can bet on: The Wolves aren't trading Kevin Love.
• Stefan Bondy, New York Daily News: Sources confirmed a Yahoo! report that the Nets were talking with the Kings about swapping two veterans -- Jason Terry and Reggie Evans -- for 26-year-old guard Marcus Thornton. The Nets have been shopping Terry and Evans extensively, a source said. Terry, who has been traded twice in his long career, said he hasn’t been told anything about a deal, but plans to have a conversation with general manager Billy King. ... Every player involved in the proposed deal with the Kings has two years remaining on his contract. But the Nets would have to spend more money in salaries and luxury taxes if they acquire Thornton, which would push their record-breaking season figure close to $200 million.
• Keith Pompey, Philadelphia Inquirer: The Sixers are shopping Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and [Thaddeus] Young leading up to Thursday's 3 p.m. trade deadline. The franchise wants to gain future compensation. The Sixers are believed to be the most active team in trade talks, having had discussions with all 29 other NBA franchises.
• Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald: The Celtics are, indeed, willing to entertain offers for [Rajon] Rondo, but unless another club puts something truly amazing to [president Danny] Ainge’s head, it’s hard to see him pulling the trigger on such a trade at this time.
• Chris Broussard, ESPN.com: Toronto would love to make a deal for Rajon Rondo, but I'm told Rondo would not re-sign a long-term contract in Toronto after next season.
• Darnell Mayberry, The Oklahoman: All told, it's unlikely the Thunder will do anything of substance [at the deadline] for the third straight year. Still, there are reasons to believe OKC could agree to something smaller. ... It's not a pressing need, but the Thunder could stand to shore up its perimeter shooting.
