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Month: November 2024

Timberwolves Waive Phil Jones, Seth Tarver

October 14th, 2012 at 8:09am CST by Chuck Myron

The Timberwolves waived training camp invitees Phil Jones and Seth Tarver to bring the roster down to 18 players, the team announced via Twitter. Both were believed to have been on non-guaranteed minimum-salary deals, having been signed right before camp began. Neither made an appearance in any of the three preseason games the Wolves have played so far.

Jones, a 6'10" center, played in Romania in 2011/12 after he was ruled academically ineligible midway through his senior season at UNC Charlotte in 2010/11. Tarver is a 6'5" swingman who averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 28.2 minutes over the past two seasons for the Idaho Stampede of the D-League. He was in camp with the Blazers in 2010 and 2011.

The moves leave Jermaine Taylor, Mike Harris, Chris Johnson and Will Conroy to battle for the final roster spot, since all 14 other players on the roster have fully guaranteed contracts. Conroy would appear to have a slight edge, since his deal is partially guaranteed for $100K. The 6'11" Johnson, from LSU, is not to be confused with the 6'6" Dayton product of the same name in camp with the Magic. 

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Odds & Ends: Beasley, Suns, Magic, Nailon

October 13th, 2012 at 9:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this week, Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby told Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports that he never would have predicted trading Steve Nash early in the 2011/12 season.  Of course, the time came where it made sense for the Suns to agree to a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers for the veteran point guard, and Babby noted that owner Robert Sarver was really good about making a deal that may hurt the team's revenue in the short-term but should prove to be a smart basketball move in the long run.  Here's more out of Phoenix and other items from around the Association..

  • Michael Beasley averaged 13.4 shots per game despite only playing 27.9 minutes per contest, but the Suns are actually encouraging their new forward to shoot the ball more, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic.  Beasley has never been big on three-point attempts, but he did shoot 37.6% from downtown last year and the Suns are encouraging him to let it fly more often. 
  • The Magic have undergone a major renovation and it extends well beyond the hardwood, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.  The organization's basketball operations department has grown from 26 employees under former GM Otis Smith to 33 employees this season under Rob Hennigan.
  • Former NBA forward Lee Nailon has signed a contract with the Goyang Orions of South Korea, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter).  Nailon spent eight years in the Association, seeing time with the Sixers, Bobcats, Knicks, Magic, Hornets, and Cavs.
  • The Mavs fully own and operate their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, and with new coach Eduardo Najera, they're trying to build a successful organizational culture from top to bottom, as Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside writes.
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Warriors Waive Stefhon Hannah

October 13th, 2012 at 8:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Warriors announced that they have waived guard Stefhon Hannah.  The 27-year-old was signed as a free agent on October 1st and did not see playing time in any of the team's three preseason games since then.

The 27-year-old was a standout at the University of Missouri where he shined as an offense-oriented point guard.  Hannah spent last season with the Dakota Wizards of the D-League – controlled by the Warriors and now located in Santa Cruz – and averaged 18.4 PPG with 4.8 APG and 3.8 RPG in 29 games.  Golden State's roster now stands at 19.

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Northwest Notes: Wolves, Love, Carter, Thunder

October 13th, 2012 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

News and notes out of the Northwest Division..

  • Timberwolves forward Kevin Love talked to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press why he wasn’t happy when he had to settle for a four-year extension rather than the five-year pact he was seeking.  “That’s because I wanted to be here,” Love said. “I wanted them to say, ’When people think Minnesota Timberwolves, they think Kevin Love.’ And I felt with my contract we didn’t really do that.”
  • The Nuggets offered guard Anthony Carter a coaching spot three weeks ago but he told Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) that he will instead look to play the year out.  The 37-year-old re-joined Denver this offseason on a non-guaranteed deal.
  • Though he’s been criticized for being too passive and has drawn the ire of coach Scott Brooks for taking too many three-pointers, Thunder rookie Perry Jones III is nonetheless making a significant impact so far, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes.
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Eastern Rumors: Harris, Novak, Valanciunas

October 13th, 2012 at 5:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Either the Celtics or a team with LeBron James or Dwyane Wade on the roster has won the Eastern Conference title every year since 2006, with the exception of 2009, when Dwight Howard and the Magic broke through. With D12 in L.A., it seems the path is clear for the Celtics and Heat to once again battle for Eastern supremacy, though there's a lot that could happen between now and June. Until then, here's the latest from around the East.

  • Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald figures guard Terrel Harris' endorsement deal with Peak, a shoe company with promotional ties to the Heat, means he's a safe bet to make the opening-night roster. Harris has no guarantee on his minimum-salary deal.
  • Steve Novak, a Wisconsin native who went to Marquette, explained his choice of the Knicks over the Bucks in free agency to the New York Post's Marc Berman. "We talked several times when I’ve been a free agent. I never know for sure at what level," Novak said of the Bucks. "But no, I wanted to be back. If I could choose Milwaukee or New York, hands down, New York. It’s the truth."
  • Doug Smith of the Toronto Star disagrees with a scout who thought Raptors rookie Jonas Valanciunas looked "soft" and "scared" in a preseason game this week.
  • Nets guard Joe Johnson says he's eager to share the ball with Deron Williams and get away from the "iso-Joe" style of play that placed the offensive load on his shoulders when he was with the Hawks, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times.
  • John Denton of Magic.com delves into Nikola Vucevic's rich basketball bloodlines, a pedigree that Magic coach Jacque Vaughn believes will serve him well as he attempts the Herculean task of replacing Howard at center.
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Lawrence On Josh Smith, White, Lin, Nets, Cuban

October 13th, 2012 at 4:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News shares tidbits from around the league in his Saturday roundup, and this time several of them have to do with the Hawks and Rockets. We'll hit the highlights here.

  • Josh Smith has informed the Hawks he isn't going to sign an extension during the season, according to Lawrence. That's in line with a report last month from Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Smith and the team were unlikely to agree to an extension. Smith's stance makes sense, considering he could get five years if he re-signs with Atlanta next summer and only three if he signs an extension. In that same report, Vivlamore said Smith is open to a long-term future with the Hawks.
  • The Hawks were one of several teams that weren't considering drafting Royce White because of his psychological disorders, Lawrence says, predicting the Rockets will look to trade White if fellow rookie Jeremy Lamb continues to impress.
  • Lawrence argues that Jeremy Lin's knee, which has been slow to recover, is just another sign that the Rockets overpaid for the point guard with a three-year, $25.124MM offer sheet the Knicks declined to match.
  • When Avery Johnson interviewed for the Hawks head coaching job in 2010, he said he'd only take the gig if the team intended to re-sign Joe Johnson. The pair, who aren't related, are now together with the Nets.
  • Nearly a year after a sign-and-trade that sent him to the Knicks, Tyson Chandler still has hard feelings for Mavs owner Mark Cuban, as Lawrence notes. "He never called to thank me for helping his team win the title, or wish me luck, after I decided to sign here," Chandler said. "I thought he would call me, but he never did."
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Guaranteed Minimum Deals: Western Conference

October 13th, 2012 at 3:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

Following up on the list of fully guaranteed minimum-salary contracts in the Eastern Conference, here is the corresponding Western Conference list. While the idea is to identify players who might be vulnerable to getting cut when teams pare their rosters down for the regular season, some on this list are safer than others — the Kings don't figure to cut loose Isaiah Thomas, for instance. Still, the guys on this list, along with the players on partial and non-guaranteed deals, would be the most financially friendly to cut. 

The league reimburses teams for the cost of veteran minimum-salary players who earn more than $854,389 based on their years of experience, so that's what everyone below is making, unless otherwise noted.

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Guaranteed Minimum Deals: Eastern Conference

October 13th, 2012 at 2:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

We've been tracking players on non-guaranteed deals with a list that also includes those with partial guarantees, but as preseason goes on and we edge closer to the time when teams must make their final cuts, those without a full guarantee aren't the only ones who might be vulnerable. A number of guys are on fully guaranteed minimum-salary contracts, but it wouldn't cost their clubs too much to eat their guarantees if they decide someone else is more deserving of a roster spot.

The amount of the minimum salary is based on a player's years of service, but since the league reimburses teams for anything above the third-year minimum, no team is obligated to more than $854,389 for a minimum-salary player. If a team is carrying a first- or second-year player on the minimum, his salary is noted in parentheses below. We'll follow up with the Western Conference list soon.

*-contract includes an additional fully guaranteed year beyond 2012/13

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Odds & Ends: Hinrich, Williams, Heat, Hansbrough

October 13th, 2012 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

While some have said that Kirk Hinrich has lost a step, the guard says that he is as healthy as he has been in years.  That could make all the difference this season for the Bulls, who need as much as they can get out of the backcourt while Derrick Rose rehabs his knee injury, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.  The point guard has spent the last few years with the Hawks and Wizards while battling injuries and was brought back to be a stabilizing force in Chicago.  Hinrich, who is set to earn $8MM over the next two seasons, may not be the player he was five years ago, but could still prove to a strong pickup for the Bulls.  Here's more from around the league..

  • Atlanta native Lou Williams says that he always envisioned himself playing for his hometown team, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Williams said that there were "three or four teams" in heavy pursuit of him this summer, but he quickly gave the edge to the Hawks once it became clear that they would offer him a fair deal.
  • In today's Q-and-A column, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat would be better off with a traditional point guard such as Jose Calderon over Mario Chalmers.  Winderman doesn't agree, arguing that a typical one-guard isn't needed when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade like to handle the ball as much as they do.
  • Undrafted rookie Ben Hansbrough has an uphill battle as he looks to make the Pacers roster, but he is certainly giving the front office something to think about, writes Mark Montieth of Pacers.com.  Hansbrough is trying to hook on as a one-guard behind two true point guards in George Hill and D.J. Augustin and combo guard Lance Stephenson.
  • Justin Holiday will also have a tough time making the final 15 with the Trail Blazers, but the forward has never been afraid of working hard to reach his goal, writes Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside.
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Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Novak, Sixers, Bynum

October 13th, 2012 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com writes that a few underrated veteran pickups and smart draft picks may be all that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo need to be contenders once again in 2012/13.  While Pierce just turned 35 and Kevin Garnett is a 36-year-old with extra mileage, it's hard to overlook their free agent pickups like Jason Terry and Courtney Lee.  It also helps that the Celtics will have Jeff Green return from his heart issue and Avery Bradley back from shoulder problems.  Here's more from the Atlantic Division..

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