Some more NBA news and rumors are here, including the latest on Rajon Rondo and Team USA.
Check out the latest buzz below.
Rondo Trade Far From Sure
Rajon Rondo reportedly wants out of Boston but a trade is far from a sure thing.
Rondo told ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan that he wants out, MacMullan said recently.
Frank Isola mentioned possible trades for Rondo, prompting MacMullan to say: “Oh, I hope so. Just get it done. And it will happen because he’s told them he wants out. And no one believes me, but that’s the truth.”
MacMullan doesn’t see great possibilities for the Celtics to get much in return.
“I don’t see how you get 80 cents on the dollar for him. Tell me where,” she said.
All the while, Rondo’s agent and Rondo are denying that he wants out.
“Neither Bill nor Rajon know where this has come from, but it didn’t come from them,” Alyson Furch, a spokeswoman for Bill Duffy’s agency, told the Boston Herald. “They want this on the record. Neither has spoken to anyone about this.”
Rondo to Lakers?
A supposed destination of Rondo if he is traded is the Los Angeles Lakers. MacMullan named tha Lekers as a potential destination.
Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors noted that the Lakers could hypothetically package Julius Randle with expiring contracts such as Jeremy Lin to obtain Rondo.
“Los Angeles could offer some combination of draft picks, Julius Randle, and one or both of Jeremy Lin’s and Steve Nash’s expiring deals, plus the Lakers probably could be talked into taking on Gerald Wallace’s $20MM+ that he’s owed over the next two seasons as well,” Scarito said.
“This wouldn’t be a bad return for Boston, especially if they could rid their books of Wallace’s deal in the process. One major hitch would be convincing Rondo to re-sign with the Lakers, which MacMullan said he wouldn’t be willing to do.”
It’s hard to see the Lakers letting go of Randle, though, who figures to be a great player for many years.
Heat May Target Ellington
Wayne Ellington was waived by the Sacramento Kings this week, prompting a rumor that the Miami Heat may scoop him up.
Ellington, 26, averaged 3.2 points on 43.7 percent shooting, including 42.4 percent from 3-point range, last season.
“In wake of ESPN report of Kings waiving Wayne Ellington, sure seems like a name that could make sense for Heat. Must first clear waivers,” said Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Meanwhile, the Heat have agreed to a training camp deal with undrafted guard Andre Dawkins, reported Shams Charania of RealGM.
Dawkins averaged 7.9 points per game as a senior at Duke.
Unbeaten US routs New Zealand 98-71 at worlds
Anthony Davis of the US dunks the ball during their Group C Basketball World Cup match against New Zealand in Bilbao, northern Spain, Tuesday Sept. 2, 2014. The 2014 Basketball World Cup competition takes place in various cities in Spain from Aug. 30 through to Sept. 14. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
BILBAO, Spain—Anthony Davis scored 21 points, Kenneth Faried had 15 and the U.S. remained unbeaten at the Basketball World Cup by beating winless New Zealand 98-71 on Tuesday.
James Harden added 13 points for the Americans, who will play two more games here before moving on to Barcelona for the round of 16. They face the Dominican Republic on Wednesday before wrapping up Group C play on Thursday against Ukraine.
Two nights after having to rally from a halftime deficit and pull away in the fourth quarter for a 98-77 victory over Turkey, the U.S. led this one wire to wire. The game was close only for a little more than a quarter.
BJ Anthony scored 11 points for New Zealand, which fell to 0-3.
The Americans paused late in warmups to stand and face the Tall Blacks, who performed the haka, their traditional war dance challenge. Fans enjoyed it, then were largely quiet throughout the first half as the bigger U.S. team imposed its will, not needing the kind of highlight plays fans expect of the NBA stars.
But there was no shortage of energy from Faried, the Denver Nuggets forward who seems intent on raising his profile as a largely overlooked player in the league.
The Manimal came into the game shooting 14 of 17 in the tournament and then made all five shots in the first half while also grabbing six rebounds.
He was just as active on defense, getting called for a third-quarter goaltend on a shot he blocked with such force that it landed behind the New Zealand bench.
Stephen Curry finished with 12 points for the U.S., getting his shot to fall after going just 4 of 17 through the first two games.
It was 27-20 after one and the Americans were ahead by nine in the second before a 12-0 run, featuring seven points from Irving, made it 50-29 on Faried’s follow shot with 4:14 left. The Americans got into transition during that flurry, but were often content in the first half to pound it inside, taking advantage of Davis and Faried’s muscle in the middle.
Harden had a couple of baskets early in the third quarter — he and Davis both throwing down impressive dunks — and the Americans kept building the lead en route to their 57th straight victory.
AP Source: Rockets reach agreement for Terry
HOUSTON—A person with knowledge of the deal says the Houston Rockets will acquire guard Jason Terry in a trade with Sacramento.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been completed.
The Rockets will also receive two second-round draft picks and send guard/forward Alonzo Gee to the Kings, along with at least one other non-guaranteed contract.
The 36-year-old Terry started last season with Brooklyn and averaged only 4.5 points in 35 games. He was traded to Sacramento at the trade deadline and didn’t play the rest of the season as he recovered from a left knee injury. Terry played in Boston in 2012-13 after eight seasons in Dallas, where he was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2009 and 2011.
Gee came to Houston as part of a three-team trade in July that also brought Trevor Ariza to the Rockets.
Knicks-Cavs Trade?
The Knicks and Cavs may be discussing a trade, although at this point it appears to only have been mentioned by a fan to Kevin Pelton of ESPN.
“I’ve been thinking about a two part trade that would solve all the Cavs defensive problems: Tristan Thompson for Iman Shumpert; Dion Waiters + non-guaranteed contracts for Timofey Mozgov Randy Foye. Knicks get a PF (Amare Bargnani coming off the books) clear up SG logjam; Nuggets get Waiters Gary Harris as potential SG’s. Is this doable?” the fan said.
Pelton responded:
“I could see the Cavaliers-Knicks deal, but the Nuggets already added Arron Afflalo this summer, so they seem to be deeper at shooting guard than center. I don’t think they’re in any hurry to get rid of Mozgov.”
The Knicks are certainly shopping Shumpert around as Phil Jackson continues to try to improve the team through trades.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
