re: Rockets, Pacers, Jazz, and Spurs interested in Kaman - per Yahoo

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Not Impossible, But Not Likely, Either
Utah: The Jazz have a lot of good, young assets, including rookie big Enes Kanter, second-year forward Derrick Favors and second-year swingman Gordon Hayward. But Utah is looking to upgrade in the backcourt, not up front, and while Kaman could be useful, the Jazz want to give their young guys the bulk of the playing time in the next few years.

Detroit: Seems like a natural for Kaman, who's from Grand Rapids, but the Pistons are also rebuilding and don't want to give up any of their young assets like forwards Jonas Jerebko or Austin Daye, or rookie Brandon Knight, in a package for Kaman. Detroit is committed to going slowly, through the Draft, and certainly wouldn't part with a pick that's going to be high in the Lottery.

Boston: The Celtics would have interest, but the Boston Globe reported this weekend that that interest is limited to Kaman being a free agent following a potential buyout by New Orleans of his contract, not in a trade with the Hornets.

Miami: I have no idea if the Heat would even be interested, and I don't think they are, but even if they were the Hornets wouldn't take back the Heat contracts that would be necessary to make the deal work -- like Chris Bosh's, for example.

Orlando: Yes, the Magic would need a center if they trade Dwight Howard, but if the deal is with New Jersey, Brook Lopez is superior to Kaman, and the Nets can add an expiring contract like Mehmet Okur's, along with a pick.

San Antonio: Kaman wouldn't be the Spurs' type of player. But you never say never in this business.

Now, to the other side of the coin:

Would Make Sense
Atlanta: With Al Horford out for the season the Hawks need someone in the middle, and Kaman would certainly help. But New Orleans would have to take at least some salary back -- like Zaza Pachulia, who has a year left on his deal -- or, maybe, Marvin Williams, along with an expiring contract like Kirk Hinrich's and Atlanta's first-round pick -- which wouldn't be that good, given the Hawks' likelihood to be in the playoffs. But the Hawks have been reluctant to get anywhere near the luxury tax, and unless they were just renting Kaman for the rest of this season, it would be hard to re-sign him and avoid exceeding the threshold next year.

Houston: The Rockets are always looking for bigs. But what young roster pieces does Houston have that the Hornets would like? At first glance, don't see any. But if Rockets GM Daryl Morey starts concocting one of those three- or four-team deals he loves to put together, who knows? New Orleans would surely like that first-round pick that Houston got from the Knicks in the Tracy McGrady deal a couple of years ago, but the Rockets aren't giving that up.

Portland: The Blazers have a lot of young pieces, like Luke Babbitt and Nolan Smith and Elliot Williams. They have a potential breakout player in Nicolas Batum, who is chapped he didn't get a contract extension, and though the Blazers have always said Batum was off-limits trade wise, they need a long-term solution in the middle to ultimately replace 37-year-old Marcus Camby. They also have an owner who can easily write a $3 million check. (If we were really feeling conspiratorial, they also have a former No. 1 overall pick in the Draft who hasn't been able to stay healthy, and who probably could use a change in scenery to a place with next to no expectations for him.)

Cleveland: The Cavaliers wouldn't deal Tristan Thompson, obviously, but they have the requisite expiring contract in Antawn Jamison, and they have a bunch of future first-round picks -- one from Sacramento and a couple from Miami.

Golden State: The Warriors have one Monta Ellis, a scoring machine from nearby Jackson, Mississippi, that they could offer, pretty much straight up, for Kaman. But Ellis has two years and $22 million left on his deal, a price tag that could be too rich for the Hornets/NBA's blood. And if the Hornets genuinely want to keep Eric Gordon -- another Pelinka client, by the way -- an Ellis deal wouldn't make sense.

Washington: The Wizards surely would move Andray Blatche, just as the Hornets would surely say no. And my understanding is New Orleans is equally uninterested in getting Rashard Lewis's massive $22 million deal -- which can be bought out next summer for $10 million -- on its books. The Wizards won't part with their soon-to-be Lottery pick. Would probably take a three-way deal to get enough assets down to Nawlins for Kaman to come to D.C.

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