Month: September 2024

Bucks, Suns Deep In Talks About Caron Butler

August 28th, 2013 at 9:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:35pm: A source confirms the existence of the trade negotiations to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, saying that the deal is still in the works. The Suns are seeking only draft picks and short-term contracts, Stein adds (Twitter links).

9:45pm: The Bucks and Suns are in "serious" negotiations about a trade involving Caron Butler, reports Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Woelfel tweeted earlier tonight that Milwaukee made a run at Butler before the Clippers traded him to the Suns last month in the same three-way deal in which the Bucks sent J.J. Redick to L.A. The Suns are barred from trading Butler until September 10th if they include another player in the deal, but they can swap him at any time if they send him out by himself. Woelfel says the deal could be consummated by today.

An injury to free agent acquisition Carlos Delfino is fueling Milwaukee's pursuit of an established small forward, Woelfel writes, adding that he's heard rumors that Delfino could miss part of the regular season after undergoing surgery for a fracture in his right foot. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are the only other small forwards on the roster.

Butler's $8MM expiring contract would put Milwaukee just above the salary cap, so they'll have to send salary out as part of the deal. The Bucks have eight different players capable of playing either power forward or center, so it figures that they'd try to include one of them in a trade. In any case, it's not likely to be a marquee name heading to Phoenix, according to Woelfel, as the Suns are prioritizing assets that can help them in the future over immediate returns. Draft compensation will probably be the jewel of the swap for Phoenix, though that's just my speculation.

Bucks GM John Hammond and new Suns GM Ryan McDonough have been among the most active executives on the trade market this summer. If they strike a deal involving Butler, it would be Milwaukee's fifth trade since the beginning of July, and Phoenix's third. And while few players would welcome a winter in Milwaukee instead of Phoenix, Butler is a native of nearby Racine, Wisconsin, so presumably he'd be on board.

Update On Declined Rookie-Scale Options

August 28th, 2013 at 8:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

Some NBA teams are spending the waning days of the summer debating contract extensions for players entering the final season of their rookie-scale contracts, but those aren't the only decisions that clubs must make involving recent former first-round picks. The third and fourth seasons of every rookie-scale contract are team options, and the decisions on those options are due early. They must either be exercised or declined before the second and third seasons of those deals, respectively.

Most of the time, clubs pick up those relatively cheap options, but sometimes, players simply haven't met expectations, prompting their teams to take a pass. That's the case with 14 of the 60 players picked in the first round in 2010 and 2011 — guys who would otherwise still be on their rookie deals. Here's an update on each of them.

Signed with NBA teams

Wesley Johnson (2010 No. 4) — He wound up with a one-year, minimum-salary deal from the Lakers this summer. The Suns turned down Johnson's fourth-year option last fall, shortly after acquiring him via trade.
Al-Farouq Aminu (2010 No. 8) — No one on this list was affected less by his team's decision not to exercise his option. He re-signed with the Pelicans this summer for a one-year contract worth $3,749,602 — exactly what he would have made in his option year.
James Anderson (2010 No. 20) — He's bounced around quite a bit since the Spurs decided in 2011 not to exercise is third year option, signing contracts with the Hawks, Spurs again, and Rockets. Houston waived him last month, but the Sixers, with former Rockets executive Sam Hinkie as their new GM, claimed him and assumed his non-guaranteed contract.
Daniel Orton (2010 No. 29) — The Thunder signed him to a three-year contract right before last season, but the final two seasons are non-guaranteed, and he's expressed a willingness to be released from the deal if he could find more playing time elsewhere.

Signed overseas

Luke Babbitt (2010 No. 16) — He's signed a one-year deal with Russian club Nizhny Novgorod. The deal doesn't include an out that would allow him to return to the NBA this season.
Craig Brackins (2010 No. 21) — He'll join 2009 first-rounder Christian Eyenga in Poland this season with Stelmet Zielona Gora.
Nolan Smith (2011 No. 21) — Last month it appeared that Smith would take part in Celtics training camp, but he wound up signing with Cedevita Zagreb of Croatia instead.
JaJuan Johnson (2011 No. 27) — He inked a deal with Italy's Giorgio Tesi Pistoia after spending summer league with the Pistons in hopes of finding NBA work.

Free agents

Cole Aldrich (2010 No. 11) — The big man worked out for the Kings this month, and the Knicks are reportedly interested as well.
Xavier Henry (2010 No. 12) — The Pelicans, who declined his 2013/14 option, took the additional step of renouncing his rights in July, and there hasn't been much news on the shooting guard since. A Sixers beat writer made reference to Henry as someone who could interest the Sixers, but the only other news we've heard on him this summer involves his exploits in pickup games.
Elliot Williams (2010 No. 22) — He missed all of 2012/13 after tearing his Achilles tendon last September, and he sat out of summer league after having hopes of using it as a launching pad for a new deal. It doesn't sound like re-signing with the Blazers is an option.
Damion James (2010 No. 24) — The Nets gave him a 10-day contract a couple months after he and fellow 2010 first-rounder James Anderson failed to make the Hawks on a training camp invitation, but Brooklyn didn't renew his deal after the 10 days were up. He spent summer league with the Heat after attending a Bucks free agent mini-camp in June.
Dominique Jones (2010 No. 25) — He was linked to the Nets and Bucks, but that was back in June, and no other NBA teams have been reported to have interest since then. If he can't get an NBA deal, he would apparently prefer playing overseas to another stint in the D-League.
Lazar Hayward (2010 No. 30) — He went to Houston as part of the James Harden trade, but he didn't spent much time with the Rockets, who waived him right after they acquired him. He had a pair of brief tenures with the Timberwolves this past season, but the club didn't pick him up again after his 10-day contract expired, and we haven't heard him linked to another team since.

Categories:
Uncategorized

Bucks Seeking SF, Made Run At Caron Butler

August 28th, 2013 at 5:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

With this week's press conference to announce the Larry Sanders extension, it seemed like the Bucks, like most teams, were done with their significant offseason work. That may not be the case, as sources tell Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times that they're seeking to add an established small forward (Twitter link). Milwaukee attempted to trade for Caron Butler last month, Woelfel adds, but the former All-Star wound up going to the Suns in the same three-way trade that saw the Bucks cut ties with J.J. Redick.

Milwaukee is one of only two teams with significant cap room, with about $7.5MM worth of space, so they may be exploring free agents in addition to trades. There aren't any players of Butler's caliber left on the market, but other veteran options like Mickael Pietrus, Josh Childress and Stephen Jackson are among the unsigned small forwards with extensive NBA experience. Childress has reportedly drawn interest from multiple clubs of late, so perhaps the Bucks are in on him as well. Jackson seems least likely, since it would be tough to envision a reunion after he feuded with former coach Scott Skiles and found himself on the outs with the Spurs this season just as the playoffs were about to start.

Hedo Turkoglu could be another possibility, as he's acknowledged that it's unlikely he'll remain with the Magic for much longer. He's in talks with Orlando about a buyout of his expiring contract, which is worth $12MM but only 50% guaranteed. At least one team from overseas is already poised to make an offer if he becomes a free agent, but it looks like the Magic may try to see what they can get in a trade. The Bucks would have to send some salary out to make such a deal work, but with their glut of big men, they may be willing to make a deal, though that's just my speculation.

With dwindling free agent options and a quiet trade market, the Bucks may extend their search for a small forward into the season, or at least training camp, when other teams are more open to trades and some veterans — as Quentin Richardson was last year — might be cut loose.

Eastern Notes: Sanders, Bulls, Contract Years

August 28th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Wednesday items out of the Eastern Conference….

According to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via Twitter), there were some Bucks officials who wanted to cut Larry Sanders a year ago, making his lucrative new four-year extension with the club even more remarkable.
The Heat will head into 2013/14 as the favorites to come out of the East for a fourth straight year, but Lang Greene of HoopsWorld warns that sleeping on the Bulls, despite their fairly quiet offseason, would be a mistake.
Ira Winderman's latest mailbag at the South Florida Sun Sentinel includes questions on the Heat's inactivity and on whether Mikhail Prokhorov's willingness to go deep into the luxury tax will have an effect on the league's other owners.
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, David Thorpe poses "burning questions" facing the five Atlantic Division teams.
Danny Granger (Pacers), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), and Paul Pierce (Nets) are a few of the players in contract years who Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld believes are worth watching.

Clippers Sign Antawn Jamison

August 28th, 2013 at 4:08pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 4:08pm: The Clippers have officially signed Jamison, the team announced today in a press release.

MONDAY, 4:44pm: The Clippers have signed Antawn Jamison to a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links). It was reported that the Clippers were closing in on a deal with the veteran last night, though the Grizzlies and Bulls were also in the mix for his services.

Jamison, 37, spent last season with the Lakers, averaging 9.4 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 21.5 minutes per contest. It was a noticeable step back from the forward's previous career averages of 19.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG in 36.3 minutes per game.

The Clippers were said to be waiting on other options, namely Lamar Odom, before signing Jamison. In fact, they told Jamison as much nearly two weeks ago when he thought he was on the verge of a deal. It appears that Odom is going through some personal troubles right now, though earlier today, agent Jeff Schwartz refuted reports that his client has gone missing. One source told ESPN's Marc Stein that Odom is dealing with a drug problem and his friends are trying to get him help.

The UNC product is represented by the Wasserman Media Group, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.

Dante Exum Undecided On College

August 28th, 2013 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Australian guard Dante Exum is set to graduate from high school this coming December, but his next move after that is still unclear. Exum, who is considered one of top young prospects in the world, could opt to immediately come stateside and start college in December. Alternately, he could attend an NCAA school starting in the fall of 2014, or forgo college entirely in favor of declaring his intent for the '14 draft as an international early entrant.

While Exum has yet to make his decision, it doesn't sound as if he plans to start college immediately after high school, as he tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.

"Schools have been saying I can start in early December and play this season," Exum told Goodman. "But if college is the option, I'll stay in Australia, do workouts with the national team and then go to college next August. Playing this season in college is not an option."

If he does decide to enroll in an NCAA program, Exum figures to choose one of five schools: Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan or Oregon. Still, the 18-year-old tells Goodman that he's 50/50 on whether to declare for the 2014 draft or to attend college a year from now, which would make him ineligible for the NBA until at least 2015.

Currently, both ESPN.com's Chad Ford and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com rank Exum as the third-best prospect of the 2014 class, behind only Andrew Wiggins (Kansas) and Julius Randle (Kentucky). Barring any setbacks, he projects as a top-five pick in the '14 draft, assuming he declares his intent.

Clippers Notes: Jamison, Odom, Mullens

August 28th, 2013 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers reached an agreement to sign Antawn Jamison earlier this week, but most of you don't expect him to make a significant impact for the team this season. When Alex Lee of Hoops Rumors asked last night how many points per game Jamison would score in the 2013/14 season, over 62% of you predicted a single-digit average for the veteran forward.

Here's more on the Clippers:

Grantland's Kirk Goldberry examines what the signing of Jamison means for the Clippers.
After adding Jamison, the Clippers are no longer interested in re-signing Lamar Odom, a source tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. However, Medina adds that the team would "welcome Odom to training camp," so it may just be a matter of not wanting to guarantee him any money. Odom's alleged drug problems almost certainly played a part in that stance.
With 14 contracts on their books, the Clippers plan to fill the last roster spot in training camp, according to Medina. It's worth noting that once Jamison's deal becomes official, L.A. will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts. Maalik Wayns also has a non-guaranteed pact, and Brandon Davies reportedly agreed to a partially guaranteed deal earlier in the summer, though the team has yet to announce it. In any case, it seems that there could conceivably be two spots up for grabs in camp.
Byron Mullens knows that some fans and observers are wondering why the Clippers would sign him, but he tells Eric Patten of Clippers.com that he intends to prove his doubters wrong. Mullens inked a two-year, minimum-salary contract last month.

Rockets Sign Ronnie Brewer

August 28th, 2013 at 12:40pm CST by Zachary Links

AUGUST 28TH, 12:40pm: The Rockets have officially signed Brewer, the team announced today in a press release.

AUGUST 19TH, 6:15pm: It's a two-year partially-guaranteed deal for Brewer, according to Stein (on Twitter).

5:51pm: The Rockets are wrapping up a deal with free agent Ronnie Brewer, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Brewer is a client of CAA, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.

The Knicks traded Brewer to the Thunder at the trade deadline last season and the guard/forward wound up averaging a career low 10.1 minutes per contest during his short run in OKC. Despite his lack of burn with Kevin Durant & Co., Brewer said he was open to a reunion with the Thunder. The Sixers were also linked to the University of Arkansas product this summer.

Brewer, 28, has career averages of 8.2 PPG with 3.0 RPG and 1.7 APG for the Jazz, Grizzlies, Bulls, Knicks, and Thunder. In 60 combined games for New York and OKC last year, Brewer averaged 3.0 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 14.2 minutes per game.

Pacers, Pelicans, Sixers Eyeing Earl Barron

August 28th, 2013 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent big man Earl Barron is drawing interest from a handful of potential suitors, and looks like a good bet to land at least a training-camp invite from an NBA team, as Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com reports. According to Zwerling (via Twitter), the Pacers, Pelicans, and Sixers are among the teams interested in Barron.

Zwerling reported last night (via Twitter) that the Knicks remain Barron's preferred destination, and that his reps are hoping to work something out with the team after Labor Day. We had heard earlier this week that the Knicks are still considering Barron, along with a few other bigs.

Indiana, New Orleans, and Philadelphia all make sense as potential landing spots for the 32-year-old, who finished last season with the Knicks. The Pacers have a solid frontcourt, but Roy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi are the only real centers on the roster, so another addition may be necessary. The Pelicans have been seeking depth in the middle as well, having worked out Hamed Haddadi recently, and the Sixers still need to add more players and salary to reach the league's required minimums.

Barron, who has appeared in parts of seven NBA seasons, spent time with the Wizards last year before joining the Knicks, averaging 3.3 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 12 overall contests.

Update On 2013’s 10-Day Signees

August 28th, 2013 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Of the many free agents still on the market, plenty will join NBA training camp rosters for October, and some will even earn a place on a regular-season roster. But plenty of those available players are more likely to sign a contract overseas or land a spot on a D-League squad to start the 2013/14 season.

Still, as the season progresses, injuries will start piling up for NBA teams, and fresh bodies will be needed. At that point, some of those guys who missed out on roster spots earlier could ink 10-day contracts, potentially parlaying that into a rest-of-season deal.

In 2012/13, as our 10-day contract tracker shows, 21 players signed one or two 10-day contracts with a team before signing a rest-of-season contract with that team. Most of those deals included non-guaranteed salaries for the coming season, giving the clubs some flexibility to retain or cut those 10-day signees, depending on other roster moves. In some cases, the player's performance down the stretch earned him a spot on the team's 2013/14 roster, either on an existing deal or a new contract.

Listed below are the 21 guys who signed rest-of-season contracts with teams in 2013 after initially signing at least one 10-day deal. Let's take a look at what their outlooks are for the coming season….

Returning to their previous teams:

Chris Andersen (Heat): Andersen's rest-of-season contract last season didn't include an option for this year, but he and Miami nonetheless reached an agreement to reunite for the minimum salary.
Chris Johnson (Timberwolves): Johnson made out better than most of his fellow 10-day signees, as his deal with the T-Wolves for the coming year is fully guaranteed.
Shelvin Mack (Hawks): For now, Mack remains under contract with Atlanta on a non-guaranteed contract, but it's unclear how secure his spot on the roster is. If he ends up being cut, he would reportedly still try to land another NBA job, rather than heading overseas.
Kenyon Martin (Knicks): Martin's trajectory with the Knicks closely matched Chris Andersen's with the Heat — the former first overall pick impressed on his one-year deal last season, earning him a new fully guaranteed contract with the club this time around.
Jerel McNeal (Jazz): McNeal remains on the Jazz on a non-guaranteed contract, and considering the team is in rebuilding mode, his roster spot looks reasonably safe for now, despite the fact that he's never appeared in an NBA game.
Jannero Pargo (Bobcats): Charlotte was impressed enough by Pargo's performance last season that the club re-signed him to be the third point guard behind Kemba Walker and Ramon Sessions. The deal isn't fully guaranteed, but it's partially guaranteed for $300K, giving Pargo a leg up on any non-guaranteed players for a roster spot.
Jarvis Varnado (Heat): Varnado's rest-of-season deal with the Heat last season included a non-guaranteed 2013/14 salary, and the team has yet to cut him. There's no rush to make a decision on Varnado yet, but $250K of his salary becomes guaranteed on opening night, and at least one local beat writer views the big man as a long shot to remain on the roster that long.
Maalik Wayns (Clippers): Wayns remains on the Clippers on a non-guaranteed contract, and we've yet to hear one way or the other if the team plans to hang on to him into the regular season. For now, the Clips only have 13 guaranteed deals on the books, so there could be room for Wayns.

Playing elsewhere:

Josh Akognon (Grizzlies): Due to a need for cap room, the Mavericks released Akognon last month, but the young point guard didn't even have a chance to weigh his free agent options before the Grizzlies snapped him up on waivers. His contract is still non-guaranteed, but Memphis' decision to move Tony Wroten could bode well for Akognon's chances of making the team.
Mickael Gelabale (Russia): Like 2012/13 Timberwolves teammate Chris Johnson, Gelabale's rest-of-season deal last year included a second year. But unlike Johnson, Gelabale had a non-guaranteed salary for 2013/14, making him a cap casualty last month. The French forward has since signed with BC Khimki in Russia.
Terrel Harris (Trail Blazers): Harris' non-guaranteed contract was included in last month's Tyreke Evans swap for salary purposes, so it's not clear if the Blazers actually like him, or whether they simply took him on out of necessity. Harris is also facing a suspension for a drug violation, so he'd probably need to have a very strong training camp to avoid being cut.
Kris Joseph (China): After being waived for the second time in the last year by the Celtics, Joseph reportedly caught on with a Chinese team, though not all the details of his rumored deal have surfaced yet.
Jeremy Pargo (Russia): While Pargo inked a rest-of-season contract with the Sixers, he didn't actually last the full year with the team, which cut him to make room for Justin Holiday in April. Pargo bounced back nicely though, landing a lucrative deal with Russia's CSKA Moscow well before the NBA free agency period even got underway.
DaJuan Summers (Ukraine): The Clippers waived Summers early in July, but by the end of the month, the forward was employed again, landing with Ukraine's Budivelnyk Kyiv.

Current free agents:

Juwan Howard: The Heat seem willing to pay Howard to be on the roster regardless of how often he'll actually see the court, so perhaps that happens again later in the 2013/14 season. For now, he remains unsigned.
Mike James: After spending a good chunk of last season with the Mavericks, James was said to be in talks with the team again nearly a month ago. Dallas has 15 guaranteed contracts on the books, and a pretty crowded backcourt, so a reunion seems unlikely, but the 38-year-old still hopes to continue his playing career.
Scott Machado: Machado was a roster casualty for the Warriors, waived last month along with two other non-guaranteed players. He appears to be drawing overseas interest though, recently telling Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com that he has four international offers.
Shavlik Randolph: Much to the chagrin of several Celtics fans in our comments section, Randolph was released by the club a few weeks ago. I have a feeling the decision was based much more on Boston's proximity to the tax line than on Randolph himself, who played well in 2012/13. He has been mentioned as a possible Knicks target since being cut by the C's.
Malcolm Thomas: Despite consistently solid play in Summer League and D-League action, Thomas hasn't been able to stick with an NBA team. The Bulls released him last month, reducing their tax bill, and we haven't heard him mentioned in any rumors since then.
D.J. White: Entering July on a non-guaranteed contract, White was included as a spare part in the blockbuster that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn, and was quickly waived by the Nets. White has since worked out for the Knicks, but is also reportedly considering offers from Chinese teams.
Terrence Williams: Williams had a solid stint for the Celtics in the second half of 2012/13, but it wasn't enough to keep him on the roster any further — he was released back in June. The only Williams-related rumor we've heard since then involves the swingman changing agents, from Aaron Goodwin to Herb Rudoy.

Categories:
2013 Free Agent Market

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