In preparation for the NBA Draft, we examine several advanced statistical categories to determine which players stand out both good or bad to help solidify our opinions on their strengths and weaknesses. Read More. Written by Dan Hanner on Jun 17, 2013
Jerry Sloan maintains a close relationships with Jazz management, making his return to the franchise this summer an easy transition even without an official position as consultant to this point. Read More.
Dwight Howard and Chris Paul have been in contact with each other in an effort to play for the same team next season, according to sources.
"They would love to play together if somebody can make it happen," one of the sources said.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers do not have the available cap space to allow Howard and Paul to team up. If the preference is to play together with the Clippers, they would have to acquire Howard via a sign-and-trade with the Lakers.
Sources say a trade package centered around Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe for Howard could be possible. Multiple sources insist Griffin is untouchable but he would almost surely be required for the Lakers to agree to a trade.
The Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks all have cap space, though acquiring both players would likely acquire both Howard and Paul to accept less than a full max contract. The Hawks would seemingly have the easiest path to sign both Howard and Paul under that scenario.
Howard has seemingly been uninterested in playing in his hometown of Atlanta.
Both Howard and Paul will be free agents for the first time in their careers this offseason.
Dwight Howard is open to signing a four-year deal this offseason, though he could sign for as many as five seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Howard is keen on becoming a free agent again to coincide with the NBA's new national television deals and potentially a new collective bargaining agreement.
Howard figures to have two more max contract deals in his career.
Mark Cuban is financing a flopping study conducted by biomechanics experts at Southern Methodist.
"Flopping is a player’s deliberate act of falling, or recoiling unnecessarily from a nearby opponent, to deceive game officials," writes Allen in a press release. "Athletes engage in dramatic flopping to create the illusion of illegal contact, hoping to bait officials into calling undeserved fouls on opponents."
The Cuban-owned company Radical Hoops Ltd. awarded a grant of more than $100,000 to fund the 18-month research study at SMU.
The NBA instituted anti-flopping rules in 2012 to discourage the practice.
Dirk Nowitzki will take a pay cut in order to clear cap space for the Dallas Mavericks’ free agent pursuit of Dwight Howard or Chris Paul.
Nowitzki was asked if he has a number in mind.
“Not really. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Nowitzki said. “It kind of depends on what team we can get, too. I’ve always said that (Mark) Cuban has taken care of me for a long, long time. Money isn’t something I play for. I want to compete. I want to win. We’ll play this year and hopefully have a great team and then I’ll come off the books. Then, we can all sit together again and see how many guys we can get and who is out there. Saying all of that, I think that’s something I haven’t really thought about yet in terms of an actual number. We’d love to be as competitive as we can be.”
Nowitzki plans to use his pay cut as a selling point to free agents.
“Yeah. Obviously, I’m not going to make $23 million again,” Nowitzki said. “I know that. I’m 36 next summer, so this is going to be my last year of making money like a franchise player. That gives us even more cap space next year. I’m sure it’s going to come up. We’ll see if that has an impact on anything or helps us bring anything. We’re obviously trying to sell the big picture and that’s one small part of it.”
Dwayne Davis, the draft prospect out of Southern Miss, has scheduled workouts for six NBA teams and interests those organizations as a possible second round pick, a source told RealGM.
Davis will work out for the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and a sixth team that could sign the 6-foot-5 guard if he falls out of this month’s draft.
After averaging 16 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 41.3 percent from three-point range in his senior season at Southern Miss, Davis stood out in the pre-draft’s Portsmouth Invitational, earning workout opportunities despite not participating in the combine.
Davis, 23, grew up as a homeless child, living through foster care and looking after his siblings.
Dwight Howard is a free agent this offseason for the first time in his career and is widely expected to decide between the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks.
"It's free agency and I have the opportunity to choose where I'm going to play," said Howard. "God opens doors, and I'm relying on my faith to direct me.
"I don't think it's fair I get criticized for waiting on such an opportunity."
Howard was asked what he wants in a team.
"I want to win; I've done everything else," he said. "I just want to win."
Howard also spoke warmly about Mike D'Antoni, though he did seem to express his feelings in the past tense.
"He's a great person and I'm glad we had the opportunity to be together," said Howard.
Howard will make in-person visits to each of the teams interested in signing him.
"I want to see what each opportunity offers," Howard said. "I want to see how people plan on winning."
The Dallas Mavericks brought in Zeke Marshall, a 7-foot center out of Akron University, for a pre-draft workout on Friday.
Marshall has a series of workouts slated in the coming days, according to a source.
Marshall will work out with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. After Sunday’s workout, Marshall will work out for the Houston Rockets on June 5, the Phoenix Suns on June 6, the Los Angeles Lakers on June 17, the Chicago Bulls on June 18 and the Indiana Pacers on June 22.
The Houston Rockets have received "hopeful signals" that Dwight Howard is genuinely considering signing with the team in free agency, according to sources.
Howard has conveyed interest in joining James Harden with the Rockets.
Sources say Howard will make in-person recruiting visits to the Rockets and Dallas Mavericks once free agency begins.
Howard may add other teams to the list.
The Los Angeles Lakers can offer a five-year deal worth $120 million to Howard, though their financial advantage isn't as significant as it seems due to the absence of state taxes in Texas.
Mark Cuban was unable to meet with Deron Williams on July 1st last year due to a contractual obligation to tape Shark Tank.
The Dallas Mavericks intend to pursue Dwight Howard and Chris Paul as their top priorities.
"I will be chasing free agents and not at Shark Tank on July 1st," said Cuban. "So I'll get that out of the way. I've been grinding. I keep that trophy ... to remind me every morning what the goal is. There's no other focus right now. I've got, I don't know 70 businesses, they all know right now it's all about basketball."
NBA
ATL
BOS
BKN
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GOS
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MEM
MIA
MIL
MIN
NOP
NYK
OKC
ORL
PHL
PHX
POR
SAC
SAN
TOR
UTH
WAS
Dallas Mavericks Wiretap
RSS Feed