The Los Angeles Lakers have still yet to find a palatable deal for Pau Gasol, and they're now mulling the possibility of keeping the big man in order to maintain his Bird rights heading into the offseason, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles.
NBA trade rumors roundup: Lakers weighing benefits of keeping Pau Gasol, Nets-Kings discussions progressing
Still unable to find a deal for Gasol, the Lakers are considering keeping the big man. Elsewhere, the Nets and Kings are progressing in trade talks involving Jason Terry, Reggie Evans and Marcus Thornton.
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Keeping Gasol’s Bird rights would be useful if the Lakers plan on re-signing him, or if they want to work out a sign-and-trade deal with another team. However, if the plan is to open up as much cap space as possible, Gasol’s cap may simply have to be waived, which would in turn render those Bird rights useless.
The Lakers have had ongoing discussions with several teams about Gasol, most notably the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers. A deal with the Suns for Emeka Okafor's $14.5 million expiring salary and more makes a ton of sense, but talks haven't gotten far because of the Lakers' high asking price.
Gasol was also mentioned as the possible centerpiece of a deal for Kevin Love, but the Minnesota Timberwolves have shown very little interest in trading their star power forward.
Gasol is currently recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out of the last six games.
Nets-Kings trade talks progressing
Discussions between the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings involving Jason Terry, Reggie Evans and Marcus Thornton have progressed to a "serious" stage, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
USA Today’s Sam Amick reported similar, saying the talks progressed on Tuesday night and that a deal may get done.
The Nets are looking to upgrade their bench for a playoff run, and Thornton could help provide some scoring punch. The 26-year-old has had a really rough year in Sacramento, but he has shown the ability to be a solid scorer in the past. Terry has been a disappointment this year and Evans is expendable.
From the Kings’ perspective, they’re simply looking to get out of Thornton’s contract. Thornton is owed $8.05 million this year and $8.58 million next year, and for a rebuilding team like Sacramento, he’s just not worth it for the production he’s giving.
Cavs interested in D-League star Jackson
The Cleveland Cavaliers have shown interest in acquiring the rights of D-League star Pierre Jackson, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Jackson's rights are owned by the New Orleans Pelicans, who never signed the point guard after dealing for him on draft night. The diminutive guard has been tearing up the D-League this season, averaging 29.1 points and setting a D-League record for most points in a game with 58.
An acquisition of Jackson could be insurance if Jarrett Jack is dealt. The Cavs have had discussions about Jack with both the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings.
What’s happening in Orlando?
The rebuilding Orlando Magic are "focused" on finding takers for veterans Jameer Nelson and Glen Davis, according to Amick. However, the Magic haven't been able to find any good deals.
Arron Afflalo is another veteran who could be dealt, although Amick says there hasn't been much action on that front either and the Magic aren't in any rush to move the 28-year-old.
Bulls not looking to move Dunleavy
Chicago Bulls swingman Mike Dunleavy has garnered interest from the Houston Rockets among other teams, but the Bulls aren't likely to move him, according to Amick.
With Derrick Rose done for the season and the Bulls also moving on from Luol Deng, some figured Dunleavy would be the next to go. But with Chicago back in the playoff race and Dunleavy on an affordable deal for next season, it appears the team would rather keep him around.
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