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Month: November 2024

Odds & Ends: Williams, Lorbek, Thunder

May 11th, 2012 at 7:16pm CST by Alex Lee

With the Grizzlies looking to stay alive in Los Angeles against the Clippers tonight, it sounds like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will play.  Here are some links from around the league as we wait for that contest to get underway:

  • While we don't yet know who will be the Trail Blazers' new general manager or head coach, we do know who will not be their assistant coach.  Chris Haynes from CSNNW.com reports that the team will not renew Buck Williams' deal, as they will let the new head coach choose his own staff. 
  • Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress tweets that the Spurs signing 6-foot-10 center Erazem Lorbek is "very close to being a done deal."  The Spurs acquired the rights to Lorbek via a 2011 draft day trade with the Pacers for George Hill.  The Spurs figure to be desperate for size this summer, and bringing Lorbek over from the Spanish League could prove pivotal.
  • HOOPSWORLD's Tommy Beer gives his take on a question we posed several weeks ago:  Long term, should the Thunder pair Serge Ibaka or James Harden with their already-dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook?  Ideally Oklahoma City would like to keep both promising youngsters, but given their emergence as impact players that doesn't seem likely.
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Carmelo Anthony Talks Knicks Offseason

May 11th, 2012 at 6:13pm CST by Alex Lee

As we discussed earlier today, the Knicks offseason conundrum is one of the more intriguing storylines of the summer.  Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York posted a brief look today, including quotes from Carmelo Anthony and Jared Jeffries.

Anthony said he was willing to offer his take on an offseason strategy to the Knicks brass:

"I would like to stay out of it but in order for us to get better, if it's something that the front office needs my opinion on, I'm there for them. But that's why those guys get paid the big bucks," Anthony said.  

Anthony's teammate Jeffries was on ESPN radio on Friday afternoon and when asked what he thought the team's biggest offseason need was, he said:

"I think if we can find a young, athletic three that can come in and kind of give Melo a break.  I think this year, we relied so much on Melo at our three position, that if we can get a young, athletic three that can come in and give us some scoring, but also a lot of defense, that will be big for us.

"I feel like because Melo is so versatile, he can move to the four some. So if Amare does get tired, Melo can move to that position. But I feel like if Melo moves to the four, we had to go really small at our three. We go with Landry, we go with Shumpert. If we can find somebody, like a Kawhi Leonard [of the Spurs], a knock-down 3-point shooter at the three that can also play defense, for the right kind of price, because this year we have so little cap room, you bring him in and now you can move Melo to the four and still big at three position." 

As Luke Adams outlined, New York has a very limited amount of salary cap flexibility so it is uncertain exactly how they would acquire the caliber of player that Jeffries seems to be talking about.  Also without a first round pick, the Knicks front office will really have to get creative if they want to get past the first round next season. 

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Southeast Notes: Redick, Magic, Hawks, Bobcats

May 11th, 2012 at 4:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Friday afternoon odds and ends out of the Southeast Division….

  • J.J. Redick has one non-guaranteed year remaining on his contract and the Magic haven't indicated whether he'll be brought back, as he tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "I think I'm down the totem pole. Obviously, the Magic have a decision to make about my contract. It's pretty much out of my hands. I think I've done everything I can do at this point."
  • Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel is "hearing whispers" that Mike D'Antoni would be interested in coaching the Magic if the job opened up (Twitter link). Of course, even if that were true and the team fires Stan Van Gundy, there's no guarantee the interest would be mutual.
  • An NBA.com column examines the decisions the Hawks will have to make on their front office and roster this offseason.
  • Heat players and coaches aren't bothered by comments made by Pacers coach Frank Vogel about the team's propensity for "flopping," writes Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
  • The Bobcats likely won't hire a coach this month, according to Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer, who implores the team to take its team and make sure they find the right candidate for the job.
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Offseason Outlook: Toronto Raptors

May 11th, 2012 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Guaranteed Contracts

Options

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Draft Picks

  • 1st Round (Pending lottery; 3.5% chance at first overall pick)
  • 2nd Round (37th overall)
  • 2nd Round (56th overall)

Cap Outlook

  • Guaranteed Salary: $43,887,478
  • Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $30,271,632
  • Total (not including draft picks): $74,159,110

While most teams head into the offseason not entirely sure whether or not they'll land an impact player, the Raptors are assured of adding at least one such player to their rotation. Last year's fifth overall pick Jonas Valanciunas is expected to arrive in North America for the 2012/13 season, and he could be just the first of many interesting new faces in Toronto.

Even after adding Valanciunas to their books, the Raptors have an enviable cap situation. With just under $44MM in guaranteed salary committed to nine players, the Raps are in good position to renounce their cap holds and gain some cap space this summer. Although the team missed out on a potential offseason target when Wilson Chandler signed a long-term extension with the Nuggets, there are still a number of free agents that could interest Toronto, including Andrei Kirilenko and new Team Canada GM Steve Nash.

With Valanciunas, Andrea Bargnani, and DeMar DeRozan expected to be building blocks for the franchise going forward, the Raptors will be seeking a long-term solution at point guard and small forward. Jose Calderon ($10.56MM) and James Johnson ($2.81MM) are the incumbents, but both players will face free agency after next season. Johnson is certainly a player worth keeping around, but he may be better served coming off the bench, making Kirilenko an intriguing possibility for the starting lineup.

Calderon, meanwhile, was efficient on the offensive end, but isn't strong defensively. Even at age 38, Nash is the superior player, albeit with a similar skill set. Taking into account the appeal a Canadian star could have in Toronto, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Raptors make Nash a competitive multiyear offer. However, if the two-time MVP's top priority is a championship ring, he may turn down the Raps' money for a chance to win elsewhere.

With Calderon under contract for next season, the Raptors may not pursue a non-Nash point guard in free agency, though it's an area they could target in the draft. Given this year's underwhelming class of point guards, the Raps would likely have their pick of the litter at eighth overall, and could nab Weber State's Damian Lillard. The club could also use its lottery pick on a scorer like Austin Rivers or Dion Waiters to replace Jerryd Bayless if the combo guard departs in free agency.

If the cap space, lottery pick, and new arrival from overseas weren't enough, the Raptors also have a handful of interesting trade chips at their disposal. Ed Davis could be expendable in a frontcourt that includes Valanciunas, Bargnani, and Amir Johnson, and his affordable contract should draw plenty of interest. If they want to get adventurous, the Raptors could even explore trades for Bargnani, though I doubt they'd go in that direction unless they repeated Cleveland's 2011 feat — landing the first overall pick with the eighth-best odds. Pairing Valanciunas with Anthony Davis would give the team a tremendous foundation and would provide the opportunity to shop Bargnani for wing or backcourt help.

General manager Bryan Colangelo and other members of the Raptors have strongly suggested the team expects to contend for the playoffs next season. Considering the progress made under coach Dwane Casey in his first year in Toronto, it's not an unrealistic goal. Adding Valanciunas this summer is a near certainty, but the club's postseason chances may depend on the rest of its offseason moves. Armed with a lottery pick, trade chips, and cap room, the Raps have a great opportunity to take a big step forward.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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Williams Meets With King, Prokhorov In Istanbul

May 11th, 2012 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

The Euroleague's Final Four is underway in Istanbul, and there are a few interesting names among those in attendance. Deron Williams, Nets GM Billy King, and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov are at CSKA Moscow's semifinal today against Panathinaikos, according to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.

We already knew King would be on hand in Istanbul to meet with Nets' 2011 draft pick Bojan Bogdanovic, but to have Williams and Prokhorov there as well is a promising sign for the Nets. Even if it's not necessarily a concrete indicator that the star point guard is leaning toward re-signing with Brooklyn, Williams' presence alongside the Nets' brass can't hurt. It also suggests the team's front office is continuing to keep him in the loop on potential moves and roster decisions.

Besides meeting with Bogdanovic, the Nets also will be keeping an eye on Andrei Kirilenko, who is playing for CSKA Moscow. Recent reports suggesting the Nets had a handshake agreement with Kirilenko were shot down, but Bontemps says the team has been monitoring the Russian forward's play overseas. For his part, Kirilenko is undecided about where he'll be playing next year, as he recently told Reuters' Zoran Milosavljevic.

"I have a huge history with the Utah Jazz and they are a priority for me among the 30 teams competing in the NBA, while CSKA are just as close to my heart in Europe," Kirilenko said. "When the Final Four is over I will weigh my options and make a decision."

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The Knicks And The Salary Cap

May 11th, 2012 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

During yesterday's live chat, I received a number of questions about the Knicks' cap situation heading into next season, and how it would affect their ability to re-sign free agents. It's definitely an interesting and complex case, and it's worth taking a more extended look at it now that the team's season has ended.

The Knicks currently have just five players on guaranteed contracts for next season, which would typically result in a good deal of cap flexibility. In New York's case though, three of those players – Carmelo Anthony ($20.46MM), Amare Stoudemire ($19.95MM), and Tyson Chandler ($13.6MM) combine for over $54MM, almost the entire $58.04MM cap. Iman Shumpert's and Toney Douglas' salaries are far more modest, but still put the 2012/13 team salary at $57.72MM heading into the summer.

If the Knicks want to match offers for restricted free agent Jeremy Lin, they'll almost certainly need to use their full $5MM mid-level exception. To be eligible for the full MLE, the team will need to keep its 2012/13 salary commitments below the "apron" — about $74.3MM, or $4MM above the luxury tax threshold. This leaves the Knicks about $16.58MM to spend on at least eight players.

The Knicks will have the opportunity to re-sign both Lin and Landry Fields, but rival teams can offer those players first-year salaries of up to $5MM each, per the Gilbert Arenas provision. If New York is forced to match offer sheets at that price, it will leave the team with only $6.58MM of wiggle room below the apron, with six players still to sign. And that's assuming J.R. Smith doesn't exercise his $2.5MM player option, which would reduce the team's flexibility even more.

New York has some options, but not many are both realistic and appealing. With no amnesty clause and no way to restructure contracts downward, reducing Stoudemire's cap hit is virtually impossible. Anthony and/or Chandler would have trade value, but the Knicks likely wouldn't have any desire to move their top scorer or the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

If James Dolan and Knicks ownership were willing to become a taxpaying team, the Knicks could easily re-sign Fields, Smith, and Steve Novak. But crossing the tax line would reduce the club's mid-level exception to $3MM, meaning New York would be powerless to match an offer sheet for Lin if the starting salary exceeded that amount.

Needless to say, it'll be a fascinating offseason in New York, as the Knicks decide which free agents are worth hanging on to at the expense of the others. I'd be shocked if Lin wasn't back, so unless a couple guys are willing to take discounts to stay, many of the team's other free agents may be on their way out of the Big Apple.

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Trail Blazers Interested In Hawks’ GM Rick Sund

May 11th, 2012 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, two frontrunners have emerged for the Trail Blazers' general manager opening: Jeff Bower and David Morway. However, those aren't the only candidates still in the running for the position. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that the Blazers are also eyeing Hawks GM Rick Sund.

According to Broussard, the Blazers requested permission to speak to Sund, but were turned down by the Hawks, who preferred to wait until the season was over. After being eliminated from the playoffs by Boston last night, the Hawks will likely allow Sund to meet with Portland. Still, it's not clear how serious the Blazers' interest is. According to Jason Quick of the Oregonian (via Twitter), Sund is on the team's radar but not a primary target.

Sund is in the last year of his contract in Atlanta, and while the team has attempted to initiate extension talks, the GM has insisted on keeping his options open, says Broussard.

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J.R. Smith Leaning Toward Exercising Option?

May 11th, 2012 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

Although J.R. Smith recently tweeted comments suggesting he might be on his way out of New York, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Smith is leaning toward exercising his option and remaining a Knick. Smith, who holds a $2.5MM player option for 2012/13, said yesterday that he was "just messing" with fans on Twitter.

Ever since Smith signed with New York this season for the mini mid-level exception, reports have gone back and forth on whether he'll opt in for the second year of his contract. Berman suggests that a poor playoff performance could have an impact Smith's decision — the 26-year-old averaged just 12.2 points in 35.0 minutes per game vs. Miami, shooting 31.6% from the floor and just 17.9% from downtown.

"The way the economy is working nowadays, I don’t even know," Smith said of his value on the open market. "In my heart I believe I am [worth more than $2.5MM]. But you got a look at it from a standpoint of where everyone else is as well."

Like Smith, I still believe he's worth more than $2.5MM on the open market, and I have my doubts about whether he'll really opt in. If he does, it would complicate matters for New York, who won't have the means to retain all their free agents this offseason. If Smith opts in, the team should still be able to re-sign Jeremy Lin, but may have to part ways with Landry Fields and Steve Novak.

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NBPA Wants Perks For Age Limit Change

May 10th, 2012 at 11:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The NBA's players association wants the draft age limit to return to 18 years old from 19 but will listen to commissioner David Stern's desire to increase it to 20 only in exchange for significant concessions, writes ESPN.com's Andy Katz.  For that to happen, the union will seek changes to the rookie wage scale and an incentive program for players who stay in school longer.

"The NBPA's position on the age limit has been consistent," said union spokesperson Dan Wasserman. "An overwhelming majority of the NBPA's members support the ability of potential NBA players to freely pursue their livelihood by allowing high school graduate-age players to apply for the draft. As a practical matter, we recognize that any change to the current rule must sufficiently balance both the league's and players' interests."

The NBPA would love for the minimum age to return to 18 but knows that it would have to concede something to the owners.  Because that is unlikely to happen, they will look to gain ground in other areas if they agree to the age being bumped up to 20.  The NBPA wants the owners to give first-year players more money and a quicker path to free agency if they stay in school.

The minimum age for draft eligibility was raised from 18 to 19 in the 2005 collective bargaining agreement. 

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Odds & Ends: Blazers, Hibbert, Bulls, Farmar

May 10th, 2012 at 10:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight we saw the 76ers and Celtics advance to the second round in a pair of closely-contested Game 6s.  Here are some links from around the Association as we wait to see if the Lakers can put the Nuggets away in Denver..

  • The Blazers hope to bring former first-round picks Joel Freeland and Victor Claver on to the roster for next season, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
  • The Rockets could have interest in Pacers big man Roy Hibbert as he enters restricted free agency, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.  However, it seems that Indiana is prepared to match any offer that isn't unreasonable.
  • When asked if the Bulls should keep their core in tact this summer, Joakim Noah responded, "I'm not the GM," tweets Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
  • Nets guard Jordan Farmar wants to be a starter and wasn't terribly happy with his role last season, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.  However, it's unlikely that Farmar will decline his $4.25MM player option.
  • Most agree that the Pistons' main need in the draft is another big man to pair alongside center Greg Monroe, but team president Joe Dumars says that isn't neccessarily the case, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.  Ellis writes that it wouldn't be a shock to see Detroit tab a shooter like North Carolina's Harrison Barnes if they don't like any of the big men on the board.
  • One Western Conference exec told Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter) that there is no way that Columbus will land an NBA franchise.  Earlier today, we learned that the mayor of Columbus has informed David Stern that his city is interested in adding an NBA team.
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