2014 February | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Sign Shannon Brown To 10-Day Deal

February 27th, 2014 at 9:34am CST by Ryan Raroque

THURSDAY, 9:34am: The Knicks have officially announced the signing (on Twitter).

TUESDAY, 8:53pm: Broussard tweets that Brown will be playing on a 10-day contract, which gives New York approximately seven games to get a good look at him.

Earlier today, New York had been labeled as a “team to watch” in the race for Jimmer Fredette (who is reportedly discussing a buyout with the Kings) in addition to Dahntay Jones and Tiny Gallon. With Brown and Earl Clark signed, the Knicks roster is now at 15.

8:45pm: The Knicks have agreed in principle to sign Shannon Brown to a 10-day contract, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN (via Twitter). This news comes shortly after ESPN New York’s Ian Begley reported that the team was showing strong interest in the former Michigan State product.

Eastern Notes: Gooden, Casey, Bulls

February 26th, 2014 at 11:54pm CST by Cray Allred

Derrick Rose has begun running for the first time since tearing a meniscus earlier this year, according to a note from the Associated Press on NBA.com. Despite the good news, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau again reiterated that Rose will remain out for the rest of the season. Here’s more from the East:

Thibodeau says that it’s possible the Bulls could add a veteran from the buyout market, he tells Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago: “We could. I know [GM Gar Forman] and [executive VP] John [Paxson] are looking at the market and watching how it shapes up. Again, if something is a good fit for us and we think can help then we may take a shot at it.”
Drew Gooden is ready to contribute in his second stint with the Wizards, he tells J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. “I’ve been spectating. I’m thirsty. I’m hungry. Definitely there’s a reset button that’s been hit.” Gooden is more enthusiastic about his time in Washington this time around than last, when the team struggled following the Gilbert Arenas locker-room gun incident. The Wizards appealed to him because of their commitment to winning. “When I first came in it seemed like the whole league was eager to win a championship. It wasn’t really realistic but they made those moves and those efforts to win. I see a handful of teams doing that now and I believe the Washington Wizards is one that wants to win. That’s why they added me for depth going into the playoffs.”
The Raptors have a looming decision on whether to sign breakout point guard Kyle Lowry to a lucrative deal when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, but the decisions don’t end there, writes Eric Koreen of The National Post. Coach Dwane Casey‘s contract also expires at the end of the year, and he has also performed above expectations in guiding the Raptors to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. GM Masai Ujiri isn’t one to reveal which way he’s leaning, but this doesn’t faze Casey. “I promise you, I don’t even think about that,” Casey said. “That’s one thing that I can’t control. The only thing I can control is preparing this team each and every game.”

Knicks Notes: ‘Melo, Woodson, Felton

February 26th, 2014 at 11:27pm CST by Cray Allred

LeBron James is impressed with Carmelo Anthony‘s willingness to take less money with the Knicks in order to get more talent around him in New York, he tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. “What I got out of it is, he wants to win,’’ James said. “Everyone says they want to win, but that’s what it’s about.’’ James, who spurned New York for the Heat in “The Decision” four summers ago, made it clear that he was rooting for Anthony, and not the Knicks: “I don’t worry about their franchise. I worry about Carmelo Anthony. I always want him to win and succeed. Obviously he’s been playing great basketball. I don’t like seeing him lose like they’ve been losing, but I really don’t care about the franchise.’’ Here’s more from the team that continues to make headlines for its struggles:

Coach Mike Woodson‘s next three to five games could be another perilous stretch, a source tells Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). The source believes that owner Jim Dolan could make a knee-jerk firing if it appears New York is truly, finally out of playoff contention soon.
The Knicks tried to trade Raymond Felton to the Magic for Jameer Nelson before the trade deadline, per John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com. The decision by Orlando to turn down the offer made sense at the time, but it looks even better now considering Felton’s recent legal troubles.
Harvey Araton of The New York Times thinks that the failures and foibles of the Knicks supporting cast around Anthony are drawing blame away from Anthony and owner Jim Dolan, whom Araton believes are equally at fault for the team’s struggles this year. Araton cites the 2011 trade for ‘Melo that stripped the Knicks of valuable assets and ‘Melo’s failure to develop into a player who makes his teammates better as reasons the Knicks haven’t developed into contenders.

Pacific Notes: Johnson, Lakers, Barnes

February 26th, 2014 at 11:18pm CST by Cray Allred

Pau Gasol and Mike D’Antoni have clashed at times with the Lakers, and D’Antoni wasn’t happy about Gasol’s latest complaints to the media after the team lost another game, according to Mark Medina of Inside the Lakers. “The thing I don’t appreciate is, I think every coach, you keep it in house,” D’Antoni said. “It’s very easy to come over and talk about your frustrations. We’ll try to work something out and figure something out. To go to you guys and do it in the papers, that’s disturbing. I don’t think that’s the way to go. I understand we’re all trying to solve the same problems. So let’s put our head together and do the best we can.” Gasol’s ongoing dissatisfaction with his role and the Lakers’ style of play under D’Antoni could factor into his decision making as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:

Although Chris Kaman‘s minutes are down and his name was floated around before the trade deadline, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets that there are no talks of a buyout between Kaman and the Lakers (link). Shelburne says that Kaman enjoys playing for L.A.
Harrison Barnes tells Diamond Leung of San Jose Mercury News there was helpful communication between him and the Warriors front office leading up to the trade deadline, and that he used the rumors surrounding him as motivation to play better. “They just told me obviously teams are inquiring, that’s pretty much it. I wasn’t really trying to like look through reports, figure out where I was going to go,” says Barnes. “It focuses you in a little bit more, keeps you locked in on what you’re doing and doesn’t really allow you to let your mind wander. Obviously I’ve been playing better as of late, so I obviously want to continue to do that.”
The Kings hope that Orlando Johnson, whom they just signed to a 10-day contract, will immediately make his presence known with Sacramento, reports Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Coach Michael Malone told Johnson to push his new teammates, something he’s prepared to do. “I knew what I was coming here for,” Johnson said. “I want to go at everybody. I’m coming in to stick and I’m going to show them I’m going to be a player in this league.”

Western Notes: Brooks, Nuggets, Granger

February 26th, 2014 at 10:54pm CST by Cray Allred

After a long, frustrating stretch to begin the season, Donatas Motiejunas is happy to be getting extended playing time for the first time, he tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. In his second NBA season, Motiejunas has continued to work and prove that he belongs: “It’s much harder when you get no attention when you’re working day-by-day really hard. That was happening for the most part of the season, almost half of the season. Right now, I get my chance. Whatever it takes, I try not to blow it away.” Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Aaron Brooks told Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com that he declined the deal that sent him to the Nuggets last week before changing his mind and waiving his no-trade clause: “I have a lot of family and friends in Houston. I was there almost five years total in my career. The connection I have with them was real close. It’s funny because I actually declined (the trade) at first and then went back and thought about it and OK’d it. Denver’s an up-and-coming team. They have talent and I thought it was a good opportunity.”
Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post thinks the Nuggets made the right choice in keeping their roster mostly intact through last week’s trade deadline. Dempsey doesn’t think the team that has been ravaged by injuries could improve much through trades this season, and was wise to take more time to evaluate its young players through the summer and hope to add a difference maker with a lottery pick in the draft.
Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reiterated that the Clippers and Spurs are the top suitors for Danny Granger following his buyout. Stein and Shelburne say the Clippers have the edge, since they can offer more playing time to Granger. The report also notes that Granger has an offseason home in Los Angeles.
Shelburne also says that the Clippers are not a lock since Granger wants to keep the process open, although Granger’s representatives were present at the Clippers/Rockets game to meet with Los Angeles officials (Twitter links). Shelburne adds that the Rockets’ push to sign Granger could have something to do with his representatives’ presence.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said that he would take part in recruiting Granger, per a tweet from Arash Markazi of ESPN LA.

Sixers Reach Buyout Deal With Danny Granger

February 26th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:38pm: Granger’s representatives were present at the Clippers/Rockets game to meet with Los Angeles officials, per Shelburne (Twitter link). Shelburne adds that the Rockets’ push to sign Granger could have something to do with the appearance.

5:05pm: Stein and ESPN.com colleague Ramona Shelburne suggest in their full story that the Clippers are the favorites, and add that Granger is seeking a championship contender as well as playing time.

4:09pm: The Sixers and Danny Granger have reached agreement on a buyout, the team has announced, and Philadelphia has placed the 30-year-old on waivers. David Aldridge of NBA.com first reported the news. The Clippers have emerged as front runners for Granger, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Aldridge names the Clippers, Rockets, Bulls, Heat and Spurs as Granger’s preferred destinations, reiterating his report from earlier today. Marc Stein of ESPN.com casts it as a battle between the Clippers and the Spurs (Twitter link).

“Given Danny’s future goals and his desire to pursue them, we worked to fulfill his requests and have come to a resolution that we feel is mutually beneficial to both Danny and our organization,” Sixers GM Sam Hinkie said in a statement. “We wish Danny the best in the next phase of his career.”

The Pacers traded Granger to the Sixers at the deadline, but Granger was upset upon hearing the news. The Sixers hesitated as they pondered retaining the former All-Star for a possible sign-and-trade in the summer, but they wound up acquiescing to his desires. It’s not clear how much money Granger is forfeiting from his more than $14MM salary.

The Creative Artists Agency client figures to be the prize of the buyout market, even though one GM told Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that he thinks the ninth-year veteran is “done” after injuries that have plagued him the last two seasons. Chris Mannix of SI.com reiterates Stein’s report that the Spurs and Clippers are the front runners, having heard that from executives with other clubs (Twitter link).

Deveney’s Latest On The Draft: Exum, Austin

February 26th, 2014 at 9:46pm CST by Cray Allred

We’re just a few weeks away from March Madness, when a handful of college players will have a chance to make their mark in front of a national audience, and could even increase their draft stock with an impressive tournament run. Sean Deveney of Sporting News has some interesting things to report surrounding this year’s draft class in his latest article. Here are some highlights:

Some front office executives around the league are worried that Dante Exum will try to force his way onto the Lakers, per Deveney. “When you hear some of what he says, it does make you wonder how the process is going to go as far as workouts and that sort of thing,” one anonymous GM said. “We have seen this story before, of course. I am not sure a player can have that kind of control, though.” The Australian point guard, ranked fourth overall on Chad Ford’s big board, could refuse to work out for teams he wants to avoid, or even threaten to remain in Australia if drafted by a team other than Los Angeles. Of course, if the Lakers land a high enough pick in the draft, they might have an open path to Exum anyway.
In the same piece, Deveney quotes Celtics GM Danny Ainge from a local radio appearance. Ainge thinks that the 2014 draft class has been overrated, considering the mediocre performances from some of the hyped lottery prospects during the college season. “Yes, from the very beginning,” Ainge said. “It’s just all hype. It’s a bunch of young kids out playing in AAU basketball and high school and making all sorts of assessments and then they watch them play on the real stages and they’re not quite as good. College is a big jump from high school and I think reality has hit.”
A scout tells Deveney that Baylor’s Isaiah Austin made a mistake in not entering last year’s draft, and believes the potential first-rounder has likely fallen into the second round: “I could still see him going in the first round somewhere, based on his size and potential. But he does not get the ball enough, he does not hit the post enough, he is not assertive enough. More likely, he will be a second-rounder.”

Bucks, Butler Discussing Buyout

February 26th, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Ryan Raroque

WEDNESDAY, 8:54pm: While progress continues between Butler and the Bucks, it appears the buyout may not be complete until Thursday per C.F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter).

TUESDAY, 10:47pm: The buyout is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday, leaving ample time for Butler to clear waivers by Friday and retain his playoff eligibility (Marc Stein of ESPN reports). Stein also says the Heat will be at the front of the line to sign their former draft pick and that Butler is expected to verbally commit to a team before clearing waivers.

10:06pm: TNT’s David Aldridge (via Twitter) also confirms the report, adding that many around the league think the Heat will be Butler’s landing spot once he reaches a buyout. The Spurs and Thunder are also said to be interested.

5:54pm: The Bucks and Raymond Brothers, the agent of forward Caron Butler, are in the process of discussing a buyout, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Five days ago, we passed along that Milwaukee may have included Butler’s name in trade discussions with the Bobcats, who ultimately traded for Luke Ridnour and Gary Neal.

Butler was acquired from Phoenix last August, and although the Milwaukee native had originally been excited about his homecoming, there had been rumblings that he eventually became frustrated with his role over the course of the year. Back in September, Bucks GM John Hammond made it clear that the 6’7 swingman was brought in to be a starter and play a significant role. However, Butler had only started in 13 of 34 games this season after starting in 78 for the Clippers during 2012/13.

This year, the former UConn standout is averaging 11.0 PPG and 4.6 RPG while shooting 38.7% from the field and 36.1% from long distance. He is currently in the final season of a three-year, $24MM contract and will turn 34 next month.

Kings Likely To Sign Royce White

February 26th, 2014 at 8:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

8:42pm: Coach Michael Malone tells Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee that while the Kings are indeed interested in White, they won’t be signing him “soon” and that nothing is imminent (via Twitter). It’s unclear if this just in line with the wait for a roster spot to open upon Fredette’s finalized buyout, or if more substantial time could pass before Sacramento pulls the trigger on a deal with White.

1:49pm: The Kings will probably sign Royce White to a 10-day contract, two sources tell Sam Amick of USA Today. White has worked out in front of team officials, as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday. Since the Kings just filled their final roster spot with the signing of Orlando Johnson to a 10-day deal, White would most likely sign after the team finalizes a buyout with Jimmer Fredette.

A deal with the Kings would open the door for White to see the first regular season action of his career. The Rockets made him the 16th overall pick in 2012, but he had a well-publicized spat with the team over its accommodations, or lack thereof, for his mental health issues. Houston traded him to the Sixers this past summer, and Philadelphia waived him before opening night, swallowing his guaranteed rookie scale contract that pays the 22-year-old about $1.7MM this year.

White said in December that “quite a few” NBA teams were interested in him, and that he’d prioritize signing with a club that had an open mind about his mental health advocacy. Sacramento begins a seven-game road trip against mostly Eastern Conference teams on March 5th, but White also said in December that his fear of flying has been “overblown.”

The former Iowa State Cyclone recently changed agents, dropping ASM Sports to join George Bass of AAI Sports, as our Agency Database shows. He appeared in 16 games in the D-League on assignment from the Rockets, and he’s played in the preseason for Houston and Philadelphia, but more than 70% of Hoops Rumors readers who voted shortly after his release from the Sixers believed he would never make it into a regular season game.

D-League Notes: Knicks, Magic, Rice Jr.

February 26th, 2014 at 8:05pm CST by Cray Allred

The Knicks are planning to create their own D-League affiliate in White Plains next year, replacing the hybrid arrangement they currently have with the Erie BayHawks, according to Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside. If approved by the league, the five-year proposal would give the Knicks complete control over both basketball and business operations with the new affiliate. They only control basketball development with the BayHawks. Here’s more from the D-League:

The Magic are in talks with a current D-League team to establish a one-to-one hybrid relationship as early as next season, Orlando CEO Alex Martins tells Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando currently shares an affiliation with five other NBA teams. Martins wouldn’t name which team is the potential affiliate, but the Erie BayHawks are a possibility, since the Knicks appear to be moving on.
D-League president Dan Reed tells Robbins the D-League is looking at expanding soon, likely prioritizing the Northeast region of the country: “We will expand relatively soon, but it will be a measured expansion. We’re not going to grow by 13 teams in a year or two. Our mantra is ‘steady, sustainable growth.’ But we are at the point where it’s time to grow the league based on the stability of the league and the interest that we’re seeing out in the markets.”
The Wizards have assigned rookie Glen Rice, Jr. to the D-League for a second time this season, the team announced.
The Warriors D-League affiliate traded Scott Machado to the Blazers affiliate in exchange for the rights to Justin Holiday, per Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Holiday’s only NBA action to this point was in nine games with the Sixers last year alongside his brother Jrue. Machado also has limited time in the NBA so far in his career, averaging just 3.5 minutes over six games with the Rockets last year.
Gino Pilato of D-League Digest takes a look at some players who have received NBA contracts this season after playing with the Rockets D-League affiliate Rio Grand Valley Vipers. The team uses an extreme run-and-gun system that outpaces the already fast-paced D-League, and some have wondered whether the system is beneficial to the developing players beyond inflating their possessions and stats. James Johnson, Troy Daniels, and Chris Johnson have all inked NBA deals after spending time with the Vipers in 2013/14.

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