Free Agent Watch: CP3 & D12 - Page 4 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Underdog · 05-31-2013, 07:35 AM

Woops...

Quote:

Source: Chris Paul 'angry' with Clips

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Chris Paul is upset with the Los Angeles Clippers organization because he is being widely blamed for the firing of Vinny Del Negro as coach, according to a source close to the situation.

How much of an impact this will have on Paul's decision to re-sign with the Clippers as a free agent is not clear, but the source conceded that Paul's anger could lead him to look elsewhere.

"He's angry right now and his anger is directed toward the Clippers organization," the source said. "Chris is a man of principle and if he feels like you've gone against his principles, it will affect how he feels about you. He's very agitated that his name has been put out there as the reason for Vinny's firing. He had nothing to do with it."

It has been widely assumed that Paul will re-sign with the Clippers this summer. He often has spoken as if it's a foregone conclusion.

Plus, the Clippers can offer him a five-year, $108 million deal, $28 million more than any other club. But the source said he would not put it past Paul to turn down more money if he feels strongly that he's been slighted.

Del Negro was fired on May 21 after leading the Clippers to 56 wins, the most successful regular season in franchise history. That same day, Clippers owner Donald Sterling strongly implied in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that Paul and Blake Griffin were to blame for Del Negro's ouster.

Sterling told the Times that Del Negro "is a wonderful man" and that he's "sad about the whole thing."

Sterling was asked by the Times if Del Negro was fired "just to hang on to Chris Paul."

Sterling said: "I always want to be honest and not say anything that is not true. So I'd rather not say anything. But you know, the coach did a really good job. I think he did. And I liked working with him. There are just factors that make life very complicated and very challenging."

The Times then asked Sterling if it was "off base" to say the "players are now calling the shots."

"No, you're not off base," Sterling said. "This is a players' league, and, unfortunately, if you want to win, you have to make the players happy."

Sterling later told the Times, "If you have special players, and special players think that they know the best opportunity to win, you have to support them."

True or not, Del Negro believes Paul got him fired, according to a source close to the Clippers' ex-coach. The source added that Del Negro had no idea during the regular season or the playoffs that Paul wanted him out. During an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show," Del Negro implied on Thursday that Paul was the reason he was let go.

But a source with knowledge of the situation said Paul refused to get involved in the Clippers' coaching situation and that he wanted nothing to do with the decision to retain or release Del Negro.

"Chris made it abundantly clear to the Clippers that he did not want to be involved in any decision about Vinny's future," the source said. "And Blake had nothing to do with it, either."

The source said the Clippers' front office was at odds with Del Negro for much of the season and that its differences with him were so strong that the executives did not need to consult Paul or any other players when deciding on Del Negro's future with the team.

One divide between Del Negro and the front office stemmed from the fact that the ex-coach made trade calls to other clubs during the season, according to a source. As the February trade deadline neared, the source said Del Negro discussed a potential deal with the Boston Celtics that would have sent DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe to Boston for Kevin Garnett. The rumor became major news around the league, even though the Clippers' front office was staunchly against the trade.

"The front office's feelings about getting rid of Vinny were strong enough that the players didn't need to get involved," a source said.

"The reason Vinny is no longer the Clippers' coach is because the front office didn't think he was the guy that could get them where they were trying to go. The players didn't have anything to do with it."

One source added that Paul is also steering clear of the Clippers' search for a new coach. The Clippers have a short list of current ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy, Brian Shaw and Byron Scott, according to a source. They are also considering asking the Nuggets for permission to interview coach George Karl, a source confirmed. Alvin Gentry and Nate McMillan are also candidates, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Paul will be eligible for free agency on July 1. Several clubs will be willing to offer him a maximum-salaried contract. If he wants to leave the Clippers, Paul could also request a sign-and-trade to a team without salary-cap space.

If Paul considers leaving the Clippers, the Atlanta Hawks would be a potential landing spot. Paul always has been fond of the city of Atlanta, and the Hawks have the cap room to sign both Paul and Dwight Howard, a Lakers free agent, to lucrative contracts. Paul and Howard have spoken in the past about joining forces, but once Paul was traded to the Clippers in December 2011 and Howard was moved to the Lakers last summer, the duo figured that possibility was dead.

Howard, an Atlanta native, has been lukewarm at best about the idea of playing in his hometown. But the possibility of playing with Paul likely would get him to rethink his position.

oilfieldtrash · 05-31-2013, 07:41 AM

Paul and Howard are drama queens that after a lot of drama will re-sign with their LA teams.

DevinHarriswillstart · 05-31-2013, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Paul and Howard are drama queens that after a lot of drama will re-sign with their LA teams.

You're probably right, but Paul being pissed at the Clips doesn't hurt.

BGMaverick9 · 05-31-2013, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

You're probably right, but Paul being pissed at the Clips doesn't hurt.

Meh, he doesn't want to be labeled as a coach killer. That seems to be a valid concern. There's a difference between being THE reason he was let go or just part of the reason. I've talked to different players and Deron's situation caused them to have a little bit of a different outlook on him.

EricaLubarsky · 05-31-2013, 09:38 AM

WOOPS, already posted

sefant77 · 05-31-2013, 09:59 AM

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ng-free-agency

saclare · 05-31-2013, 10:20 AM

SOURCES SAY!!!

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/93...rd-sources-say

We've got a long month of June ahead of us, starting tomorrow. Can we fast-forward to camp?

Dirk's Knee · 05-31-2013, 10:41 AM

Houston looking to free some cap room...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ho...215915027.html

grndmstr_c · 05-31-2013, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Meh, he doesn't want to be labeled as a coach killer. That seems to be a valid concern. There's a difference between being THE reason he was let go or just part of the reason. I've talked to different players and Deron's situation caused them to have a little bit of a different outlook on him.

BG, I'm not following you. What aspect of Deron's situation are you talking about, and how have outlooks changed?

Underdog · 05-31-2013, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

BG, I'm not following you. What aspect of Deron's situation are you talking about, and how have outlooks changed?

I'm guessing he's talking about Jerry Sloan... But it wouldn't shock me at all if he forced Avery Johnson out as well.

The Ghost of Championship · 05-31-2013, 11:06 AM

http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/5/10...way-trade-with

Quote:

Danny Ainge's comments and actions seem to indicate that he'd like to find a way to trade Paul Pierce and move on with the next era of Celtics basketball. Maybe I'm reading too much into his comments yesterday, but he said his first decision would likely be to decide what to do with Paul Pierce (after a lot of "discussions" with all the parties involved). He also said that he expects Pierce to play and and that the Celtics were more than one player away from a Championship.

Also, go back to the last trade deadline and you'll find that he was pretty close to moving Paul Pierce to the Mavericks - as outlined by Wojo (and hat tip to the forums poster "chambers" that unearthed this article from back in early March).

After trade talks to send Paul Pierce to Dallas fell through, Celtics make another spring run - Yahoo! Sports

In a three-way deal that would've secured Josh Smith and surrendered Paul Pierce to Dallas, Atlanta wanted Boston's first-round draft pick, too. The Celtics were in talks to send Paul Pierce to Dallas at the trade deadline. (AP)As much as any of the proposed deals discussed in February, perhaps this had been the closest Pierce had come to parting with the Celtics, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Dallas had constructed a package that included Jae Crowder, Brandan Wright and Dahntay Jones to Atlanta, with the Mavericks and Hawks exchanging positions in the 2013 NBA draft. Nevertheless, Boston wouldn't relent on the pick and the deal died on meeting-room grease boards in three cities.

BGMaverick9 · 05-31-2013, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

BG, I'm not following you. What aspect of Deron's situation are you talking about, and how have outlooks changed?

The Sloan stuff. I've spoken to different team officials and players and they know he's got diva in him and that the situation with Sloan wasn't seen favorably.

Underdog · 05-31-2013, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost of Championship

http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/5/10...way-trade-with

The original rumor back at the deadline was Kaman/Crowder/Jones/Carter, but Carter was an apparent deal-breaker because it would've left our roster too thin... Although, the details of a rumor have a way of changing over time to fit one's current agenda, so who knows?

rabbitproof · 05-31-2013, 12:04 PM

I think this sort of thing is hard to peg. Could be as simple as asking Chris "do you want Vinny back?"

Anything short of "yes, I really want him back" is construed as "get him out" by management while the player can plead innocence.

grndmstr_c · 05-31-2013, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

I think this sort of thing is hard to peg. Could be as simple as asking Chris "do you want Vinny back?"

Anything short of "yes, I really want him back" is construed as "get him out" by management while the player can plead innocence.

But when the owner goes out and intimates, whether accurately or merey clumsily, that the player was the one behind it, it gets a little harder for the player to plead innocence.

BGMaverick9 · 05-31-2013, 12:35 PM

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...-back-clippers

ribosoma · 05-31-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...-back-clippers

Donald Sterling has the most self-destructive mouth since Michael Richards.

yahyes · 05-31-2013, 01:29 PM

Mark Cuban > Donald Sterling in a heartbeat. It's clearly so obvious Sterling is putting the foot in his mouth once again. Now if this can be a great sign for CP3 to unite with Dirk.

sefant77 · 05-31-2013, 01:35 PM

Even without the Mavs as potential new team:

Paul would be stupid to stay. LA is Lakers and nothing more. Sterling is horrible, no coach so far, no proven FO. And im pretty sure that he saw allready that Griffin/Jordan wont lead him anywhere near the finals (skillset, maturity etc).

Looks like Howard is really considering Houston, so lets hope there wont be a teaming up in Houston...

The Ghost of Championship · 05-31-2013, 02:53 PM

Dallas targeting Josh Smith?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dallas-...164600877.html

Quote:

As NBA teams become shrewder on the idea of not overpaying wing players Josh Smith might be considered the bridesmaid of this year's free agency class, thus pricing himself into a deal closer to the $8-11M range as apposed to the max-deal he and his camp are sniffing around for. And while Smith has solid playoff numbers his overall production still indicates that he's most likely a complimentary piece, as apposed to the cornerstone of a perennial championship contender. Therefore, even taking Shawn Marion's contract situation aside, the reality is Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson don't need to overpay for a player with Smith's numbers just to make a splash in the market.

BGMaverick9 · 05-31-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sefant77

Even without the Mavs as potential new team:

Paul would be stupid to stay. LA is Lakers and nothing more. Sterling is horrible, no coach so far, no proven FO. And im pretty sure that he saw allready that Griffin/Jordan wont lead him anywhere near the finals (skillset, maturity etc).

Looks like Howard is really considering Houston, so lets hope there wont be a teaming up in Houston...

Schematically, it doesn't hit the true bang for the buck if Howard and Paul unite with Harden in Houston. Paul and Harden like to operate out of the pick-and-roll and they need the ball. One of them with Howard works, but I think you're looking at a remix (a lesser version) of Miami if all three are together.

Dirk's Knee · 05-31-2013, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Schematically, it doesn't hit the true bang for the buck if Howard and Paul unite with Harden in Houston. Paul and Harden like to operate out of the pick-and-roll and they need the ball. One of them with Howard works, but I think you're looking at a remix (a lesser version) of Miami if all three are together.

Houston has Lin on contract and 2 decent backup PGs with options, they really don't need Paul. Howard in Houston takes them into the second round if not a contender for the Western Conference Championship. I mean, think about a Lin, Harden, Parsons, Asik (at PF, though I could see Houston trading him if they get Howard), and Howard starting 5.

Dallas would look nice, but a little old with Howard, Dirk, Marion, and Carter in the starting lineup, but we've still got a gaping hole at PG (draft Schroeder?). If Paul and Howard were colluding Dallas or Atlanta would be better franchise fits. But I just don't see it happening.

yahyes · 05-31-2013, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost of Championship

Dallas targeting Josh Smith?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dallas-...164600877.html

Plan A/B/C

BGMaverick9 · 05-31-2013, 06:09 PM

Unless the story has changed from when I last talked to people about him, that's well after B and C on the plan depth chart.

Underdog · 05-31-2013, 08:24 PM

At least we have a face-to-face...

Quote:

Dwight Howard in hot demand

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Free agency in the NBA is exactly one month away, but the Houston Rockets' bid to steal Dwight Howard away from the Los Angeles Lakers is already gathering some momentum.

Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that the Rockets have received what has been described as "hopeful signals" that Howard is seriously considering a jump from the Lakers to the Rockets after becoming a free agent July 1.

Although the Rockets are well aware that Howard has a penchant for changing his mind, sources say that Howard has conveyed his rising interest to Houston star swingman James Harden, a fellow West All-Star.

Sources say Howard, furthermore, has already made it clear he'll field in-person recruiting visits from the Rockets and Dallas Mavericks once free agency begins. It's possible, sources said, that other teams will be added to the list.

After the Rockets' elimination from the playoffs in May, when asked if he'll be an active participant in free-agent recruiting, Harden told ESPN.com: "Hell, yeah." When asked specifically about Howard, Harden cracked a smile and said: "Maybe. Possibly." There can be no formal contact between the Rockets and Howard until July 1, but the NBA does not typically regard discussions between players before the start of free agency as a form of tampering because the league finds it difficult to try to referee the nature of discussions between friends.

Several rival executives, meanwhile, told ESPN.com that Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has likewise left the impression in recent days that Houston believes it has a legitimate shot at luring Howard away from the Lakers.

ESPN.com reported in April that the Rockets were planning to trade away 2012's No. 5 overall pick, Thomas Robinson, to a team with salary-cap space to create the requisite room to offer a max contract to Howard. In the past week, sources said, Morey pitched Robinson's availability to numerous teams, leaving the feeling that the Rockets think they have a legitimate shot in the Howard Sweepstakes.

Although only the Lakers can offer Howard a five-year deal worth nearly $120 million -- with leading external suitors Houston and Dallas limited to four-year offers worth just under $90 million -- L.A.'s financial advantage in trying to retain to Howard is not as robust as it seems. Not only does the absence of state taxes in Texas narrow the gap, but the strong likelihood that Howard, at 27, would opt out of a new deal to return to free agency before the fifth year lessens the Lakers' edge further.

The Rockets, though, are trying to keep their optimism in check, knowing that Howard has a history of calling audibles and, as one longtime Howard-watcher put it, "making everyone feel good about their chances."

The Lakers -- while acknowledging that the Rockets, Mavericks and Hawks are preparing full-out assaults on their All-Star center -- haven't backed off their intent to re-sign Howard one bit. Sources say Dallas owner Mark Cuban, meanwhile, continues to make plans to chase Howard and Los Angeles Clippers star guard Chris Paul with his max-salary slot in hopes of landing one transformational player.

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reported Thursday night that Paul is angry with the Clippers in the wake of owner Donald Sterling's open suggestions to the Los Angeles Times that coach Vinny Del Negro was not retained at Paul's behest. The depths of Paul's dismay aren't immediately clear, but his frustrations could crack the door open for the Hawks to join the Rockets and Mavericks as a free-agent threat this summer, since Atlanta is the only team this offseason that will have the requisite cap space to sign both Howard and Paul.

Although Howard has maintained a longstanding coolness to the idea of signing with his hometown Hawks, it's believed that stance could change if Paul had serious interest in going to Atlanta with him.

yahyes · 06-01-2013, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

At least we have a face-to-face...

Cuban says: Dwight, you can establish your own fan base to expand even more. Not to mention coming back to the blue! Would you and Chris Paul like an private jet?

Murphy3 · 06-01-2013, 09:25 AM

Kinda curious as to what the plan is when the Mavs miss out on Paul and Howard.

Bayliss · 06-01-2013, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Kinda curious as to what the plan is when the Mavs miss out on Paul and Howard

Say they are on a now on a new 2 year plan.

oilfieldtrash · 06-01-2013, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Kinda curious as to what the plan is when the Mavs miss out on Paul and Howard.

Worst part is that Dwight and Paul will likely wait till the last minute to decide they are staying in L.A. At that point all of the top plan B guys will be gone. Also add to that fact we'll probably trade off the 13 pick to make room for these two pipe dreams.

If it really plays out like it's shaping out I say fire Donnie. This whole plan powder was a complete fail.

Windmill360 · 06-01-2013, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Worst part is that Dwight and Paul will likely wait till the last minute to decide they are staying in L.A. At that point all of the top plan B guys will be gone. Also add to that fact we'll probably trade off the 13 pick to make room for these two pipe dreams.

If it really plays out like it's shaping out I say fire Donnie. This whole plan powder was a complete fail.

Not if you wait until next summer

oilfieldtrash · 06-01-2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windmill360

Not if you wait until next summer

Someone start the Lebron to Dallas thread!

Fml..

Bayliss · 06-01-2013, 10:46 AM

Cuban's new slogan:

A) Wait til next year!
B) The next big fish is.....!

sefant77 · 06-01-2013, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Worst part is that Dwight and Paul will likely wait till the last minute to decide they are staying in L.A. At that point all of the top plan B guys will be gone. Also add to that fact we'll probably trade off the 13 pick to make room for these two pipe dreams.

If it really plays out like it's shaping out I say fire Donnie. This whole plan powder was a complete fail.

Completly wrong, Paul and Dwight will be the decisions everyone is waiting, specially teams with "Plan B´s" and 2nd tier player hoping for a bigger payday.

And Paul/Dwight wont take 1-2 weeks into FA for their decisions because it would hurt their future team too.

BGMaverick9 · 06-01-2013, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Worst part is that Dwight and Paul will likely wait till the last minute to decide they are staying in L.A. At that point all of the top plan B guys will be gone. Also add to that fact we'll probably trade off the 13 pick to make room for these two pipe dreams.

This is the downside of mega threads that go on forever. This has been covered plenty of times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

Honestly, I don't know why people insist on worrying about this. If a point guard not named Chris Paul, or a center not named Dwight Howard agrees to a contract while the two big names have yet to make up their mind, then the point guard or center in question was either never going to do otherwise, or they have the worst agent in pro sports. And nobody who's any good has an agent that bad, so we're really just down to the player having their mind made up long before July 1 even gets here.

Don't confuse what the media and message boards fixate on for what the team is actually doing.

oilfieldtrash · 06-01-2013, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sefant77

Completly wrong, Paul and Dwight will be the decisions everyone is waiting, specially teams with "Plan B´s" and 2nd tier player hoping for a bigger payday.

And Paul/Dwight wont take 1-2 weeks into FA for their decisions because it would hurt their future team too.

I hope you're right although diva Deron sure took his sweet time and we're supposedly his hometown.

DevinHarriswillstart · 06-01-2013, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Worst part is that Dwight and Paul will likely wait till the last minute to decide they are staying in L.A. At that point all of the top plan B guys will be gone. Also add to that fact we'll probably trade off the 13 pick to make room for these two pipe dreams.

If it really plays out like it's shaping out I say fire Donnie. This whole plan powder was a complete fail.

What you seem to keep missing is that there will be tons of plan Bs available. Tier 2 and 3 players aren't impossible to acquire. You still go after the plan A guys if they are willing to listen to what you have to say. But you go on being a complete pessimist since that is your agenda.

LonghornDub · 06-01-2013, 03:07 PM

I don't see the point in talking about what happens "when" CP3 and Dwight don't sign in Dallas; they are both going to sign in Dallas.

Windmill360 · 06-01-2013, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Someone start the Lebron to Dallas thread!

Fml..

sefant77 · 06-01-2013, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Someone start the Lebron to Dallas thread!

Fml..

Good old times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qamC_3VItH4

Underdog · 06-02-2013, 01:15 AM

More MacMahon...

Quote:

Plan D12: Will Howard want to be part of Lakers' tradition?

link

The list of teams that can match the Lakers’ tradition is awfully short.

In fact, it features just one team, and the Celtics aren’t going to be involved in this summer’s Dwight Howard derby. The Mavs and Rockets certainly have respectable traditions, but they can’t come close to comparing with a franchise that has 16 NBA championships.

Of course, all-time great big men are a big part of the Lakers’ championship tradition. George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal set a sky-high standard for centers who wear purple and gold. That might not necessarily help the Lakers’ cause in trying to keep Howard.

There’s a ton of pressure that comes along with following that line of legends in the nation’s second largest media market. Shaq’s disdain for Dwight, which manifests itself in many nationally televised verbal jabs, doesn’t help matters. There’s a theory that Howard would prefer to create a different path instead of simply following Shaq’s Orlando-to-Los Angeles footsteps.

And what if Howard doesn’t win a title with the Lakers? That’s a distinct possibility with his fellow future Hall of Famers on the roster closer to the rocking chair than the prime of their careers. He’d be perceived as perhaps the biggest letdown in Lakers history, the lone perennial All-Star big man incapable of lifting his team to the top of the league.

How heavily will that weigh on the mind of a man who has made it clear he’s searching for happiness this summer?

If Howard goes to Houston, he’ll be constantly compared to Hakeem Olajuwon, a Hall of Famer and two-time Finals MVP.

To a lesser degree, there will also be comparisons to Moses Malone and Yao Ming. However, as dominant as Malone was during his Houston days, he never won a ring with the Rockets and isn’t a Houston legend. Ming only got out of the first round once during his injury-abbreviated career.

The Rockets have tradition, but it’s been years since Houston has been considered a legitimate contender. Over the last decade and a half, the Rockets have been a distant third among NBA franchises in this state. The scrutiny wouldn’t be anywhere close to as suffocating as it is in L.A.

All due respect to James Donaldson and Tyson Chandler, but Howard would be the best big man in Mavs history as soon as he tied his shoes. There could still be some unflattering comparisons for Howard when it comes to Chandler’s excellent intangibles, but there’s no question that Howard is the superior center.

While only one championship banner hangs on the Mavs’ side of the American Airlines Center, this franchise has established an impressive winning tradition during Mark Cuban’s ownership tenure. (Or during Dirk Nowitzki’s career, if you want to assign credit to the man who did more heavy lifting.)

The Mavs and Rockets can’t stack up to the Lakers’ tremendous tradition, but that might be a good thing in the Dwight sweepstakes this summer.

EDGE: That all depends on Dwight’s mindset … which infamously can change with the wind.