While the swirl around Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo has calmed down to something less than a tornado, it is picking up elsewhere, specifically around the Portland Trail Blazers.
After a quick start that saw the Blazers win at Oklahoma City and briefly hold the best record in the Western Conference, Portland has fallen to 18-18 and is on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.
The Blazers have movable parts – the expiring contracts of Raymond Felton ($7.5 million) and Marcus Camby ($9.2 million). In addition, Gerald Wallace ($11.4 million) and Jamal Crawford ($5 million) have player options for the 2012-13 season that they may not exercise.
So Portland could be a buyer or seller as the trade deadline approaches.
From Jason Quick of the Oregonian: “Team president Larry Miller told The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman that the management team will take a “hard look” at improving the Blazers as the March 15 trading deadline nears. But it is unclear whether the Blazers have a grand plan. If they value a playoff run this season, then they need to trade one, or more, of the Camby-Wallace-Felton trio. If they more value a grand overhaul of the roster through free agency this summer, and are willing to sacrifice more games, they should stand pat at the deadline and allow Camby, Felton and possibly Crawford to walk. Wallace has an option for one more year that will pay him more than $11 million, and his agent said he won’t make a decision until after the season. It’s likely he will opt in, considering the unlikelihood of finding a team willing to pay $11 million for a 30-year-old player who produces 13.4 points and 6.3 rebounds.”
Quick’s harsh assessment of the Blazers suggests that they will either be sellers between now and March 15 or clear the decks this summer, allowing free agents to walk and even ousting coach Nate McMillan. Whatever their course of action, it might be a good idea to remove the interim label from GM Chad Buchanan.
The swirl is also gaining momentum in Dallas, where the Mavericks have lost a season-high four straight games and are losing patience with Lamar Odom, who is a component of their future plans.
From Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com: “The Mavs need Odom’s presence off the bench in the midst of nine games in 12 nights, the most grueling stretch of the season. After Friday’s 97-92 loss at New Orleans, Dallas has lost a season-high four games and five of six. “Mark asks a fundamental question of anybody in our franchise: Are they in or are they not in?” Carlisle said. “Our fans want to know that Lamar’s in. Our players want to know that Lamar’s in. It’s not about how many points he’s scoring or rebounds; those things are a factor. Our fans, our players want to see the guy playing like his pants are on fire and we haven’t seen that so far and that’s got to change.” Texas Legends owner and Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson confirmed Friday that it was Odom’s idea to play with the Legends first. Odom was expected to report back to the Mavericks on the Monday after the All-Star break, but he didn’t arrive in Dallas until Wednesday. While the team was in Memphis on Wednesday, Cuban met in Dallas with Odom and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, to work on a timetable that would ease Odom back into the fold after his weeklong personal leave.”
Thus far, there has been no talk of trading Odom, who is now not going to the D-League but instead joining the team. Owner Mark Cuban said Odom would not be bought out of his contract this season, which has a $2 million buyout for next season.
Dallas has a huge plan to make a play for both free agents Dwight Howard and Deron Williams in the offseason. The plan has multiple moving parts and is considered by some to be far-fetched. One element of the plan is finding a taker for Shawn Marion and the two-plus years remaining on his deal. But if the Mavs were to find a destination for Marion, they would need Odom as a viable contributor to offset the loss of Marion.
But ESPN’s Marc Stein says the Mavs plan to wait until the offseason to move Marion: “Sources close to the situation insist that the Mavericks are not currently shopping Marion and don’t intend to start making Dwight-and-Deron moves until after this season plays out.”
Another player now sharing the trade talk with Howard and Rondo is Hornets center Chris Kaman, who notched his fifth straight double-double Friday. His ability to fill the middle – plus his expiring $14 million contract – make him attractive as the deadline approaches.
From Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Insider): “Kaman will almost certainly be moved. New Orleans has no use for him and simply wants to get something — even if it’s just a second-round draft pick — for him, according to sources. A month ago, when the Hornets told Kaman to stay home and wait to be traded, they were asking for a young player, a draft pick and an expiring contract. Now, their aspirations aren’t so lofty. Golden State, Houston and Miami have interest in Kaman.”
The Warriors and Heat really don’t have the expiring contracts the Hornets would likely want in return. But the Rockets have a handful of young players with team options for 2012-13, including Chase Budinger, Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet and Terrence Williams.
Elsewhere …
Stein also says the Kings are looking to move J.J. Hickson, who is injured and out for the next three games.
Magic CEO Alex Martins told Yahoo! Sports that he has hope he can convince Howard to stay.
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