Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Blazers Notes: GM, Drew, Freeland, Claver, Batum

May 16th, 2012 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Let's follow up on Tuesday's Trail Blazers items with another round of updates today:

  • The Blazers have identified two or three more candidates for their general manager opening that they hope to interview soon, writes Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune. President Larry Miller says he hopes to have a "couple more" candidates meet with owner Paul Allen within the next two weeks or so, at which point the team may be ready to make a decision.
  • Eggers hears that Portland is having its GM hopefuls complete a written psychological test to establish leadership qualities. "I’ll just say it’s pretty extensive," Miller says. "We try to do as much due diligence as possible."
  • Larry Drew of the Hawks is a possibility to be the Blazers' next head coach, according to Eggers. "Word is" Drew may not have his option picked up by the Hawks after he failed to lead Atlanta past the first round, says Eggers.
  • Acting GM Chad Buchanan expects buyouts for former Blazers draft picks Joel Freeland and Victor Claver to be low enough that there shouldn't be an issue bringing them overseas: "We’ve had talks with both players and their parties, and we’re hopeful we can get something worked out."
  • Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge takes an in-depth look at Nicolas Batum's impact on Portland's cap, and how it would affect the team if he signed an offer sheet early.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Odds & Ends: Deng, Magic, Ibaka, World Peace

May 15th, 2012 at 10:54pm CST by Daniel Seco

With Tuesday night's second playoff game winding down, let's take a quick break from the action and catch up on the latest stories and headlines from across the league…

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

NBPA Releases Statement On Bird Rights Issues

May 15th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Daniel Seco

Billy Hunter, the executive director of the NBA players' association, released a statement this evening addressing free agency issues involving J.J. Hickson, Chauncey Billups, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, reports USA Today's J. Michael Falgoust (via Twitter). All four players are hoping that an arbitrator will allow them to keep valuable rights as they hit free agency this summer.

“Bird and Early Bird rights are among the most valuable rights that players have by a player to select a team through free agency. We will ask the arbitrator to resolve this dispute on an expedited basis and prior to the commencement of free agency." 

By allowing these players Bird and Early Bird rights, teams will be able to go above the salary cap to retain their own players. This directly impacts the Trail Blazers (Hickson), Clippers (Billups) and Knicks (Lin and Novak). Hoops Rumors writer Chuck Myron broke down the situation in great detail earlier this week.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Poll: Will The Heat Beat The Pacers Without Bosh?

May 15th, 2012 at 9:10pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Heat fell to the Pacers at home Tuesday evening by the score of 78-75 with Chris Bosh sidelined due to an abdominal muscle strain. The series, now even at one game a piece, heads to Indianapolis where the Pacers went 23-10 during the regular season and are currently 2-1 during the playoffs. Bosh, 28, had been especially strong for the Heat during the first round of the playoffs where he averaged 14.7 PPG and 6.8 RPG in just over 30 minutes per contest.

Game 2 of the series between the Heat and the Pacers saw Miami's two superstars live up to their billing with a combined  52 points and 15 rebounds in the losing effort. The Heat bench failed to shoulder any of the load as five players, including Mike Miller and Shane Battier, gave the team a total of 15 points. Ronny Turiaf, inserted into the starting lineup in the wake of Bosh's injury, struggled to provide quality minutes during his brief time on the court in which he committed more fouls (four) than points scored (three).

What do you think? Can LeBron James and Dwyane Wade elevate their level of play and get increased production from the bench to overcome the absence of Bosh to beat the Pacers?

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Free Agent Stock Watch: Ramon Sessions

May 15th, 2012 at 8:12pm CST by Daniel Seco

As the Lakers struggled in Game 1 against the Thunder on Monday evening, Ramon Sessions' future with the team remains slightly ambiguous. Acquired at the trade deadline from the Cavaliers, Sessions proved to be a strong upgrade at the point guard position over the aging Derek Fisher as he infused the Lakers' backcourt with youth and energy. The former Nevada star holds a player option for next season at $4.55MM after averaging 11.3 PPG and and 5.5 APG in 64 games this past year. 

Sessions' departure from Cleveland allowed for the 26-year-old guard to assume a consistent starting role for the first time in his career and thrived upon his arrival in Los Angeles. His style of play is predicated on driving to the basket and using his 6-foot-3 frame to post up his opponent. Health has not been a serious concern for Sessions as he's demonstrated an ability to stay on the court and fight through lingering injuries throughout his career. He earned $4.26MM during the 2011/2012 season and will potentially look to get a contract that exceeds his player option for next year by signing a multiyear deal this summer.

While Sessions is clearly a strong young talent with many dynamic aspects to his game, there are still areas of weakness that keep him from being a complete player on both sides of the ball. Sessions lacks a reliable jump shot and stays away from taking many three-pointers, both of which decrease the amount of points he contributes on a nightly basis. Defensively, Sessions uses his quickness to his advantage as he's an average defender who doesn't accumulate many steals and struggles to defend post players given his slight build.

Sessions proved enough with the Lakers during the regular season that his sporadic performances thus far during the playoffs may not be enough to deter the fifth-year player from declining his player option. The Lakers will likely be one of his chief suitors regardless of Sessions' decision, unless Los Angeles decides to blow up their roster in the wake of a potential sweep by the Thunder. In such a situation, the Lakers would attempt to trade Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol with hopes of landing Dwight Howard and may pursue a veteran point guard like Steve Nash in an effort to provide Kobe Bryant the best chance to win another ring.

Sessions spoke with the media during the first round of the playoffs about coming to the Lakers, how he's handled his new role as a starter and his thoughts for the future. "It's definitely something that's not in the back of my mind right now because I'm trying to focus on the playoffs," Sessions said on the eve of Game 4 [against the Nuggets]. "It's not even a concern. I don't know what's going to happen. I know it's coming. "It's something I'll deal with."

Whatever team ends up with Sessions can expect 28 to 32 minutes per game with 12 to 15 points and approximately 5 to 6 assists per contest. He has shown that he can handle the starting point guard position on a squad full of superstars and big personalities during his brief tenure in Los Angeles. Look for Sessions to decline his player option this offseason and re-sign with the Lakers on a multiyear contract.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Mavs Notes: Carlisle, Free Agency, Donnie Nelson

May 15th, 2012 at 6:46pm CST by Daniel Seco

It's been a busy day for owner Mark Cuban and the Mavericks as they locked up head coach Rick Carlisle to a four-year extension earlier on Tuesday. The move marks the first of many for the 2011 NBA champions as they were swept by the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. The Mavs will likely feature a vastly different lineup come the fall, so let's head to Dallas to catch up on the latest news and happenings at the American Airlines Center.

  • It's time for the Mavs to put together a plan of attack for the offseason now that Carlisle's contract status has been addressed, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com. The team must look to get younger and explore every avenue possible to convince Deron Williams to join Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. Regardless of which players end up on the Mavs' roster, Carlisle's biggest task as head coach will be to provide strong communication as he looks build team unity. 
  • After signing his contract extension, Carlisle hit the radio to chat with ESPN's Galloway and Company about the team's goals for free agency this summer, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Carlisle stated that the Mavs will look to add a player to the roster that will make Nowitzki the second-best player on the team. Entering the 2011/2012 season, Nowitzki was ranked the fifth-best player in the entire NBA by ESPN.com's TrueHoop Network.
  • With countless decisions ahead of him this offseason, Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson is relieved that one of the team's most pressing concerns has been addressed in the re-signing of Carlisle, reports Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. "Rick is simply one of the top coaches in the league today," Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson told The News. "He's embraced this community, established a winning culture, and has taken this franchise to a place it's never been."
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Douglas’ Contract May Impact Knicks’ Offseason

May 15th, 2012 at 5:45pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks decision to pick up Toney Douglas' team option for the 2012/2013 season on January 25 may impact their financial flexibility this offseason, writes Jim Cavan of The New York Times. The former Florida State star was struggling at the time but the team was left with few options at point guard as Linsanity was still a few weeks away from captivating the attention of the entire league. Douglas was relegated to the bench for the majority of the remainder of the season but will still cost the Knicks $2.1MM next season, limiting their options as they look to retain a series of free agents and add backcourt depth this summer.

Alex Raskin of NJ.com points out that while Douglas can be limited offensively, his defense could be an asset for the Knicks if rookie sensation Iman Shumpert misses significant time to start next season. While this is a nice bonus for the Knicks, it does not provide them with the type of point guard they are looking for to help complement Lin's skill set and foster his continued growth as a player. Simply put, the Knicks would be in a better position to attract the likes of Steve Nash, who resides in Manhattan during the offseason, if they hadn't picked up Douglas' option back in January.

Douglas began the 2011/2012 season as the Knicks starting point guard but quickly lost his job to Shumpert, who finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year vote announced early Tuesday. The Knicks explored trading Douglas in March when he fell out of the team's rotation thanks to strong play by Jeremy Lin but were unable to find a suitor. The 26-year-old point guard averaged 6.2 PPG and 2.0 APG in 38 games while playing a career-low 17.3 minutes per contest.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Blazers Notes: Allen, General Manager, Batum

May 15th, 2012 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

A few Tuesday afternoon updates out of Portland….

  • Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen has definitively told commissioner David Stern not to send him prospective buyers, Stern tells Jason Quick of the Oregonian (Twitter link). "My guess is that Paul is going to own [the Blazers] for many years to come," Stern said (Twitter link).
  • The Blazers hope to have at least three candidates for their GM opening meet with Allen before making a decision, team president Larry Miller tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
  • In a piece for The Oregonian, a number of Blazers scribes debate what the team will do with restricted free agent Nicolas Batum this offseason. The consensus is that Portland will spend what it takes to retain the young forward.
  • Earlier today, we heard that Batum won't wait around to accomodate other Blazers' roster moves if he and his agent get an offer sheet they like.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Derrick Rose Not Expected Back Until 2013

May 15th, 2012 at 4:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls held a press conference today in Chicago to update the media on Derrick Rose's health and a number of other topics. Here are a few of the notable items from the news conference, courtesy of Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times (all links go to Twitter):

  • Dr. Brian Cole, who performed Rose's ACL surgery, said the procedure went very well, but that recovery usually takes eight to 12 months. The best-case scenario for Rose is returning in January 2013, though he could miss the entire season, said Cole.
  • It will likely take more than a year for Rose to return to his previous level of play, but there's no reason he shouldn't be that player again, Cole added.
  • Bulls GM Gar Forman views Rose's absence as a short-term issue that won't affect the team's long-term plans. Forman said he won't make decisions based on short-term problems, since he doesn't feel the team's window of opportunity will close anytime soon.
  • Coach Tom Thibodeau's contract option for 2012/13 will "obviously" be picked up, Garman said. The two sides will begin discussing an extension soon, according to the GM.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Free Agent Stock Watch: O.J. Mayo

May 15th, 2012 at 3:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks' salary cap situation has received plenty of attention lately, and rightly so. With Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler taking up a good chunk of the team's payroll for the next three years, there's little flexibility to bring in more talent or even bring back the team's own free agents. While the Grizzlies may not be quite as hamstrung, Memphis' situation isn't unlike New York's.

Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, and Marc Gasol are set to earn about $47MM next year, and that number will only increase over the next couple seasons. With Mike Conley and a number of other players on guaranteed contracts for 2012/13, Memphis heads into the summer with about $62.5MM already committed to team salary.

Owner Michael Heisley has said he doesn't want the Grizzlies to be a taxpaying team, so unless the club finds a blockbuster deal in which it moves one of its expensive stars and regains some cap flexbility, one player is clearly on his way out of town: O.J. Mayo.

Mayo is frequently referred to as a restricted free agent, but the chances he becomes restricted are slim. The Grizzlies would have to extend him a one-year qualifying offer worth about $7.39MM in order to make him a restricted free agent. If Heisley is serious about avoiding the luxury tax, the Grizzlies probably can't risk making such an offer, since the team would be forced past the tax threshold if Mayo were to accept it.

So the former third overall pick appears poised to join a group of unrestricted free agent two guards that already includes Ray Allen, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Nick Young, C.J. Miles, and others. While it's a stacked group, it won't necessarily lead to a buyer's market. The Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Pacers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Magic, and Trail Blazers are among the clubs that could be interesting in signing a free agent two guard this summer.

Of course, Mayo's suitors may not be limited to teams in need of a shooting guard. The 24-year-old has expressed a desire to play the point, and while it would take an adventurous or desperate team to sign him as its starting point guard, perhaps he could draw interest as a combo guard that can earn minutes at both backcourt spots.

Coming off a $5.63MM salary in 2011/12, Mayo likely won't be eager to take a pay cut, but it's hard to imagine him getting an offer much larger than the $5MM mid-level. That means teams with cap space, such as the Cavs or Pacers, won't necessarily have the advantage over over-the-cap clubs like the Clippers and Timberwolves.

Mayo, who was considered the top prep star in the country in 2007, has yet to become the NBA difference-maker that many were expecting. But at the very least, he's turned into a solid scorer, and a player who figures to earn a multiyear deal worth at least in the neighborhood of $5MM annually this offseason.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0