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Month: November 2024

Southeast Notes: Nelson, Magic, Howard, Bobcats

May 10th, 2012 at 9:29pm CST by Zachary Links

A few items out of the Southeast division as the Hawks' offseason gets underway..

  • Magic point guard Jameer Nelson has until June 15th to notify the team of whether he will opt out of contract, tweets John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com.  The language in Nelson's contract in Jameer's contract says that he must notify the team of his intentions by three days after the team is eliminated or by June 15th, whichever is later, Denton tweets.
  • In an interview on 610 The Fan in Charlotte, Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops discussed Patrick Ewing interviewing for the Bobcats head coaching job.  Sheridan points out that if Charlotte lands the No. 1 pick, Ewing could be a solid pick to help groom big man Anthony Davis.
  • Magic center Dwight Howard needs to let the club know what his intentions are ASAP, opines Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
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Knicks Rumors: Woodson, Lin, Amare

May 10th, 2012 at 8:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Knicks’ season may be over but we have a summer full of intrigue out of MSG to look forward to.  Here’s the latest on the orange and blue..

  • At the urging of Garden management, head coach Mike Woodson has decided to drop agent Joe Glass as he negotiates a new deal, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.  Glass is also the agent for Larry Brown and the Knicks are still bitter over the coach’s tumultuous season with the club.  Woodson, who has denied that he is in talks for a new contract, is believed to be signing with CAA.
  • Woodson’s refusal to name Jeremy Lin as the team’s starting point guard next season indicates that he would like a veteran at the helm, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
  • Despite the criticism that he has endured as of late, forward Amare Stoudemire insists that one couldn’t ask for a better core than himself, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler, Iannazzone writes.
  • Earlier today we rounded up another batch of Knicks notes and Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated had some news on what may be in store for the franchise.
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Amick On Woodson, Smith, Fields, Lin, Amare

May 10th, 2012 at 6:58pm CST by Zachary Links

After being bounced by the Heat in five games, the Knicks' offseason is now underway.  The club will have a lot of important decisions to make in the coming months, and Sam Amick of SportsIllustrated.com has the goods on what might be in the club's immediate future..

  • Even though Mike Woodson shot down a report that he has had extension talks with the Knicks, a source close to the situation said that the coach has been telling people that he has had preliminary discussions with team officials about his return.  Although anything can happen when it comes to the Knicks, the signs are strong that the Knicks will keep their coach rather than chase big names such as Phil Jackson or John Calipari.
  • Retaining Woodson would help the Knicks in their effort to retain J.R. Smith.  The guard will likely turn down his $2.5MM option for next season.
  • Jeremy Lin's return seems like a foregone conclusion at this point as the Knicks can use their mid-level exception to match any offer.  However, that could have a ripple effect on the rest of the club's roster.  If the Knicks use the exception on Lin, they wouldn't be able to go $4MM above the luxury-tax threshold.  Interested parties and CBA expert Larry Coon have indicated to Amick that Landry Fields would be on the outside-looking-in while retaining Steve Novak would also be a challenge.
  • Can the Knicks move Amare Stoudemire this summer?  One Western Conference exec said, "I can't think of anyone who has less trade value."  The internal sentiment, according to one source close to the situation, is that this group can get it done with a core of Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler with a three-year window to make a title push.
  • Even though Anthony and Stoudemire didn't play particularly well with Lin this season, the Knicks' front office is more focused on making it work than they are on considering any major changes, according to sources close to the situation.
  • The Knicks were among the teams that asked the Hornets about Chris Paul before he was traded to the Clippers in December, according to sources.
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Prospect Profile: Moe Harkless

May 10th, 2012 at 5:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The commitment of Queens native Moe Harkless to St. John's kickstarted a surprisingly talent-rich recruiting class for Steve Lavin & Co for 2011.  While the speedy small forward was seen as a big get for the Red Storm, the program probably wasn't expecting him to break out in his freshman campaign and declare for the draft.  However, after scoring 25 in a losing effort against Pittsburgh in the Big East Tournament, it quickly became evident that Harkless would be a first-round pick. 

As a fairly raw but intriguing talent, Harkless' draft status is based largely on upside rather than what he can contribute to an NBA team in 2012/13.  The 6'8" forward was charged with the task of playing at the 4 for St. John's this past season, not unreasonable for a player of his size but still out of place for someone with his skill set.  Harkless, for the most part, did just fine in this role and averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals per contest as he played out of position.  On an NBA court, Harkless undoubtedly projects to the small forward position. 

There were plenty of games in 2011/12 where Harkless looked like an elite scorer.  Just ask the Duke Blue Devils, who watched the forward drop 30 points off of 13-of-21 shooting (plus 13 boards) in late January.  Harkless put together this and other strong offensive performances with his ability to slash to the basket.  Meanwhile, he has yet to show that he has much in the way of range.  If Harkless hopes to produce consistently at the next level, he'll have to develop his jumper in order to keep defenders honest.

So where does a hyper-athletic small forward with significant upside fit on this draft board?  Likely just outside of the lottery and behind the likes of Baylor's Quincy Miller, who offers similar promise but with a sweet shooting stroke.  Currently, DraftExpress has Harkless going at No. 22 while the latest mock draft from Chad Ford of ESPN.com pegs him at No. 24.  Wherever Harkless lands, you can expect the partisan crowd at New Jersey's Prudential Center to give their nod of approval.

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James Harden Wins Sixth Man Of The Year

May 10th, 2012 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

3:21pm: Harden has officially received the award at a Oklahoma City press conference. He received 115 of 119 possible first-place votes, with Williams receiving the other four. Williams was the runner-up, with Terry, Al Harrington, and Manu Ginobili rounding out the top five.

10:23am: The Thunder will hold a news conference this afternoon where the team is expected to officially announce that James Harden has won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, according to Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman. The news conference is scheduled for 3:00pm local time, Mayberry tweets.

Harden came off the bench in 60 of his 62 games for Oklahoma City this season, taking a giant step forward in his third season in the league. The 22-year-old averaged 16.8 PPG on .491/.390/846 shooting, and earned an invite to Team USA’s preliminary Olympic roster. In addition to winning the Sixth Man of the Year award, Harden also received a few votes for the league’s Most Improved Player award, finishing 18th.

Lou Williams of the Sixers, Jason Terry of the Mavericks, and Taj Gibson of the Bulls were among the other players expected to be considered for Sixth Man of the Year.

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Offseason Outlook: Golden State Warriors

May 10th, 2012 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Guaranteed Contracts

Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Draft Picks

  • 1st Round (Top-seven protected; pending lottery; 3.6% chance at first overall pick; 72.5% chance of keeping pick)
  • 1st Round (30th overall)
  • 2nd Round (35th overall)
  • 2nd Round (52nd overall)

Cap Outlook

  • Guaranteed Salary (including likely options): $55,957,097
  • Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $12,416,397
  • Total (not including draft picks): $68,373,494

The Warriors' offseason didn't technically begin until after the team played its final regular season game on April 26th, but unofficially it was well underway by that point. With the Warriors out of playoff contention, the offseason was underway when the club promoted Bob Myers to general manager earlier in April, and it was even underway when the team completed a blockbuster deal in March, swapping Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut in a five-player trade.

Because Golden State got an early headstart on the offseason, the summer itself doesn't figure to be all that eventful. The Warriors will be looking forward to seeing how a healthy Bogut plays with the current nucleus, so they won't be shaking up the roster with any sort of major trades. The amnesty clause was used last December (Charlie Bell, anyone?), and with nearly $56MM in guaranteed contracts on the books, Golden State doesn't exactly have much cap flexibility.

The Warriors will have a few assets in play as they head into the summer. They hold four draft picks, though there's about a one-in-four chance their lottery selection will head to Utah if the ping-pong balls are unkind later this month. The team will also have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to spend in free agency.

With Bogut, David Lee, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry penciled in as four of the club's five starters, the small forward position represents the biggest hole on the roster. Richard Jefferson and Dorell Wright can play the position, but probably shouldn't be relied upon for heavy minutes, so the Warriors figure to target the three-spot in the draft or free agency.

If Golden State keeps its top-seven-protected pick in the draft, the team should be targeting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes. Those two players are easily the top small forwards in this year's draft class, and either would be a terrific addition for the Warriors. If neither player is on the board when the Warriors draft at #7, perhaps Golden State could consider trading the pick, along with a contract or two, to obtain a veteran small forward.

While free agency is another route the team could go in its search for a small forward, the pickings will be slim. Gerald Green, Carlos Delfino, Boris Diaw, and Steve Novak are among the uninspiring names that highlight the list of threes available in unrestricted free agency. Nicolas Batum headlines the restricted free agents, but will command a larger contract than the Warriors can afford.

Perhaps the most intriguing candidates for the Warriors are Lamar Odom and Landry Fields. Odom is expected to be waived by the Mavericks, making him a free agent, and while there's no guarantee he'd be interested in Golden State, his value has dropped enough this season that the $5MM mid-level could be enough to land him. Fields, meanwhile, is a restricted free agent and will likely be re-signed by the Knicks, but a competitive mid-level type offer would make it tough on New York, who also want to re-sign Jeremy Lin and have major money committed to Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler.

2012/13 will be an important season for the Warriors, as they determine whether a squad led by Bogut can contend in the West, and decide whether to extend Curry's contract, which will expire in 2013. The team likely won't be too active this summer, simply looking to land a small forward and filling out the rest of its roster with rookies and veterans on minimum salaries. Those decisions aren't insignficant, but the team's major acquisition of 2012 (Bogut) has already been made.

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

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Morway, Bower Frontrunners For Blazers’ GM Job

May 10th, 2012 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Current Pacers GM David Morway and former Hornets GM Jeff Bower have emerged as the frontrunners for the Trail Blazers' general manager opening, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Bower has already met with team owner Paul Allen, and Morway will meet with Allen tomorrow to discuss the position.

With Allen looking to cut back on his free-spending ways, the Blazers' owner appears to be targeting executives that have experience with small-market budgets, says Wojnarowski. Morway and Bower played significant roles in constructing talented rosters in Indiana and New Orleans, respectively.

Chad Buchanan, who has served as the Blazers' acting GM over the last year, is also still a candidate for the permanent position. However, team president Larry Miller has said Buchanan won't be formally interviewed, since the franchise is already very familiar with the long-time employee. Bower and Morway are the only two candidates to receive interviews with Allen so far.

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Woodson: Lin Will “Absolutely” Return To Knicks

May 10th, 2012 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

According to coach Mike Woodson, free agent point guard Jeremy Lin will "absolutely" return to the Knicks for next season. Woodson told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, that Lin is a key part of the team going forward.

"Jeremy's a big part of our team. Will he start? Only time will tell," Woodson said. "He has to recover from his knee and use the summer to work on his game to put himself in the best position possible for our ballclub…. He has started for our team and he has played well for our basketball team. But this summer will be very pivotal for him in terms of his improvement and the future is very bright for him. Will he be back next year? Absolutely. He's a big part of our ballclub."

Earlier today, we heard that there could be as many as six teams preparing to make a run at Lin in free agency. However, since the 23-year-old is a restricted free agent, the Knicks will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs with another club.

While Woodson's comments don't guarantee anything – Woodson himself isn't even under contract for next season yet – it appears that New York is prepared to match any offers for Lin. Doing so would probably mean using up most or all of the team's mid-level exception, limiting its ability to sign other free agents.

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Nuggets “100%” Committed To Re-Signing McGee

May 10th, 2012 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

JaVale McGee played the best game of his young postseason career Tuesday night in Los Angeles, recording 21 points, 14 rebounds, and a pair of blocks against a tough Lakers frontcourt, sending the series back to Denver. The performance led to some speculation about the offers McGee could receive in free agency this summer, but the Nuggets don't intend to let him get away. GM Masai Ujiri told Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post that McGee is "100%" a player the team intends to lock up long-term.

"Our intent was to get JaVale for the future, not just for three months," Ujiri said, referring to the blockbuster deadline deal that brought McGee to Denver.

McGee will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, so the Nuggets will have the opportunity to match any offer sheet the 24-year-old signs. A report earlier this season suggesting McGee would seek an average salary of $14MM was met with jokes and skepticism at the time, but the center's play since joining the Nuggets has certainly improved his stock. When I previewed McGee's free agency on Monday, I predicted an average annual salary of about $8-9MM, but that estimate may end up being light.

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Knicks Rumors: Nash, Lin, Fields, Novak

May 10th, 2012 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

Following New York's Game Five loss in Miami last night, we rounded up a few Knicks-related notes, but the news and rumors keep coming. Here's the latest as the Knicks prepare for an eventful offseason:

  • Amare Stoudemire would love to play alongside former Suns teammate Steve Nash in the Big Apple next year, as he told Frank Isola and Kevin Armstrong of the New York Daily News. "Everyone knows that Steve loves New York and that New York loves Steve," Stoudemire said. "I love Steve. It would be great to have him here next year."
  • It's long been rumored that the Suns will offer Nash a two-year, $20MM deal, but Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld believes the point guard will leave money on the table to join a contender (Twitter link). The above-linked Daily News report suggests that if if Nash were to sign for the veteran minimum, he'd only go to a title contender. I'm not sure why he'd have to settle for the minimum though, no matter where he signed.
  • Jeremy Lin endorsed Knicks coach Mike Woodson, and told Marc Berman of the New York Post he'd like to remain in New York. According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, as many as six teams could be preparing to make a run at Lin, though as I explained yesterday, the Gilbert Arenas provision will allow the Knicks to match any offers.
  • Landry Fields and Steve Novak were among the other Knicks free agents to express their desire to return next season. Fields told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com he'd "love" to be back, while Novak said there's no place he'd rather play, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. I think Fields will be re-signed, but the team may not have the financial flexibility to hang on to Novak.
  • Despite their early exit from this year's postseason, the Knicks are on the right track, says Tom Ziller of SBNation.com. Stoudemire also sees better days ahead for the team, as George Willis of the New York Post writes.
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