2016 February | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Mirotic, Mahinmi, Blatt

February 3rd, 2016 at 8:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls originally believed Nikola Mirotic would return after the All-Star break, but that timeline is now up in the air after the forward underwent hematoma removal surgery over the weekend, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes. Mirotic was originally out of commission due to an appendectomy he underwent on January 27th. “He’s still in the hospital,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He developed a hematoma, which is a collection of blood, that he had to go back in and have a second surgery to remove. He’s on a liquid diet right now. He’s in quite a bit of pain, but his spirits are OK. Hopefully he’ll get out of the hospital soon and just get him back. As far as a timetable for Niko to get back on the floor, we just don’t know yet. But he had the complication, got it fixed. Hopefully we’ll get him back soon.”

“It’s still too early to tell,” Hoiberg said, when asked about the post-All-Star break timeline. “We’ll have a better idea once Niko gets out of the hospital and just gradually have to get his strength back. Hopefully he’ll be out in the next day or two, out of the hospital. Hopefully Niko will recover quickly from it, but you got to be careful any time you’re dealing with surgery. Not just one, but two, you got to be a little bit careful.”

Here’s more from the NBA’s Central Division:

The struggles he’s had dealing with injuries thus far this campaign have Pacers center Ian Mahinmi calling 2015/16 one of his difficult seasons as a pro, Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports notes. “Yeah, it’s been a little bit of a tough year as far as injuries [for me],” Mahinmi, a free agent at season’s end, told Agness. “When you look at it, I only missed a few games. I probably missed like, what, five games this year. So overall, it’s not crazy. That’s the behind-the-scenes thing that fans and people that work the game don’t really know about it. How much your body goes through. It goes through a lot. You got to keep playing games, and you got to keep practicing every day. It’s been tough. It’s been one of the toughest years for me. Knock on wood — it hasn’t been anything bad, injury wise.”
Cavs shooting guard J.R. Smith appreciates the opportunity former coach David Blatt gave him in Cleveland and believes Blatt will be a head coach in the league again, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. “I mean, I think he’s a good coach,” Smith said. “I think he has an opportunity to get another job somewhere. I think somebody will give him a shot given the circumstances. I think before he took the [Cleveland] job, it was pretty much he was going to coach a different team until LeBron James and Kevin Love and everybody came to the situation. So it was kind of weird, I’m sure, for him from the start for him because he was expecting just to have Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson and before you know it, you got all these other guys. So, I think he has a good chance of getting a job somewhere else. It’s just a matter of time.”

Western Notes: Howard, Durant, Morris

February 3rd, 2016 at 6:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite the reports that the Rockets are entertaining trade offers for Dwight Howard, GM Daryl Morey insists the team hasn’t given up on the season and the center is needed if Houston wants to make a playoff push, Brian T. Smith of The Houston Chronicle relays. “We’re just focused on this season,” Morey told reporters. “So is Dwight. If we as a team and he as a player plays like we know he’s capable and has been this year and was last year, all that stuff takes care of itself. There’s no way we make the conference finals last year without Dwight and there’s no way [we] are making the solid playoff push this year without Dwight.

The Rockets haven’t had any meaningful dialogue about a Howard trade since December and aren’t looking to trade him, one source told Calvin Watkins and Marc Stein of ESPN.com, a dispatch that conflicts with earlier reports. Here’s more from out West:

Houston plans to make a big push this offseason to sign unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant, and the front office believes it has a legitimate shot to sign the Thunder star, Watkins and Stein note in the same piece. Rockets officials believe privately that they will have as good a chance as any team to lure Durant away from Oklahoma City because of his strong relationship with former teammate James Harden and the room Houston has to pay Durant max-contract money while also re-signing Howard, the ESPN duo note.
The Suns have indicated they plan to make Markieff Morris the focal point of their offense, a move that is geared to showcase him to teams potentially interested in trading for the power forward, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders opines.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone raves about the potential of big man Nikola Jokic and believes the sky is the limit for the 20-year-old, Harrison Wind of BSNDenver.com relays (via Twitter). “You can talk about some of these very young bigs who are very talented. I know Nikola Jokic and wouldn’t trade him for anybody in the world,” Malone said. “He’s a special young man, he’s a special young talent and he’s only going to get better as he continues to get stronger. But he’s a heck of a young talent. I give a lot of credit to [GM] Tim Connelly and the front office for finding him and making him part of this organization.”
Former Hornets point guard Jannero Pargo, who signed with the D-League earlier this week, was claimed off waivers by the Thunder‘s D-League affiliate, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor tweets.

Atlantic Notes: Hinkie, Jerebko, Johnson

February 3rd, 2016 at 5:06pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Stan Van Gundy, who holds a dual role with the Pistons as executive and coach, says if the Nets intend to hire separate people to fill their vacant GM and coaching slots they should begin with finding a GM, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “I don’t think you can hire — if you’re going to hire two people, you can’t hire the employee before the boss,” said Van Gundy. “That just doesn’t make any sense to me. And that’s immediately going to create tension, right there, [that] the guy that’s your boss, that you report to … didn’t hire you? I mean, we see it in college coaching all the time. It’s tenuous, anyway, but if you were there before and there’s a new AD [athletic director] coming in, good luck to you. The guy’s looking for the first sign [to fire you]. Whereas if the guy hires you, he’s got a little more tendency to give you the benefit of the doubt because it reflects upon him. So if you’re going to hire two, to me you’ve got to hire the GM first. He’s got to have say in who he has as a coach.”

Here’s the latest from out of the Atlantic Division:

Sixers GM Sam Hinkie says that he views new team executive Jerry Colangelo as a co-worker who is on equal footing as himself and not necessarily as his boss, Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. When asked if he viewed Colangelo as a potential threat to his position, Hinkie said, “I’m a big believer in the meritocracy of ideas, and your idea had better stand up to scrutiny from all sides. You’d better know your opponents’ arguments better than they do if you want to truly understand what’s best. So I don’t mind the thought that there might be debate about any particular topic.“
Despite seeing sporadic playing time early in the season, Raptors power forward James Johnson has been a model teammate and has continued to work hard to contribute on the defensive end, Ryan Wolstat of The National Post writes. Johnson is on an expiring contract.
Jonas Jerebko insists he has no regrets about re-signing with the Celtics this past offseason despite averaging only 13.7 minutes per game this season, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “Like I’ve said before, I just want to stay ready when my opportunity comes,” Jerebko told Blakely. “You know with coach [Brad] Stevens that sooner or later, you’re going to get your chance. It’s just a matter of being ready for it and making the most of it. That’s what I try to do every chance I get to play.”

Celtics, Rockets Talk Dwight Howard Trade

February 3rd, 2016 at 4:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:46pm: The Rockets have indeed engaged in trade talks with teams regarding Howard, but the asking price is reportedly very steep and Houston is not merely looking to dump him, Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports tweets.

2:55pm: The teams never really had a negotiation, multiple league sources told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, who explains that the trade proposal quickly died after a brief exchange. Still, the Rockets have made efforts to trade Howard, Bulpett hears.

10:37am: The talks aren’t expected to progress past the discussion phase, a league source tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Blakely suggests the Celtics would have to include David Lee, plus additional players, draft assets, or both to make any Howard trade work. Boston has reportedly made Lee available and the Celtics and Lee’s representatives are cooperating as they explore trade options for him, Blakely adds.

7:58am: The Celtics have engaged the Rockets in trade talks about Dwight Howard, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports amid a larger piece. It’s unclear how receptive Houston has been to the idea of trading the former All-Star center or how aggressively Boston is pursuing him. The 30-year-old Howard has a player option worth more than $23.282MM for next season, but the Rockets reportedly expect him to turn it down, no surprise given that he’d be eligible for a maximum salary of a projected $29.3MM in free agency.

Howard has been relatively healthy this season after missing 41 games last year and has been regularly playing in back-to-backs after having been held out of them at the beginning of the season. Still, he’s averaging 14.4 points on 8.6 shots per game, his lowest numbers in either categories since he was a 19-year-old rookie in 2004/05. His 1.6 blocks per game are relatively low compared to the number of shots he swatted in years past, including a career-high 2.9 in 2008/09, but he’d still represent the sort of rim-protecting force the Celtics have lacked.

The Dan Fegan client, along with others on the Rockets, denied a report in December that he’s “extremely unhappy” with his role in Houston. Gauging his level of contentment in either Houston or with a would-be trade to Boston would undoubtedly be key if the trade discussions reach any advanced stage, since he can walk as a free agent at season’s end.

The Celtics and Rockets both have a surplus of point guards and power forwards, so it’s difficult to see how the sides could help each other in a swap. Still, Rockets GM Daryl Morey used to work under Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, so it’s not surprising to see them have a dialogue.

Where do you think Dwight Howard will be playing next season? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Submit Your Questions For Hoops Rumors Mailbag

February 3rd, 2016 at 4:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

In addition to our regular weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in our weekly mailbag feature, which is posted every Saturday.

Have a question regarding player movement, free agent rumors, the salary cap, the NBA draft, or the top storylines of the week? You can e-mail them here: hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com. Feel free to send emails throughout the week, but please be mindful that we may receive a sizable number of questions and might not get to all of them.

If you missed out on any past mailbags and would like to catch up, you can view the full archives here.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript

February 3rd, 2016 at 4:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:05pm: Click here to read this week’s chat transcript.

3:00pm: The Warriors have emerged as serious contenders for Kevin Durant, the Suns changed coaches and Markieff Morris trade rumors continue. Add the chatter about Jeff Teague and Dwight Howard, and it’s not hard to tell the trade deadline is two weeks and one day from now. So, we have plenty to talk about in this week’s chat.

Tyler Johnson To Miss At Least Two Months

February 3rd, 2016 at 4:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 4:03pm: Johnson underwent successful surgery today, the team announced. No timetable was relayed regarding the point guard’s return to action.

MONDAY, 12:41pm: Heat combo guard Tyler Johnson will miss upward of two months after having left shoulder surgery later this week, league sources told Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The operation on Johnson’s rotator cuff will take place Wednesday, the team announced. A formal recovery timetable will be determined after the procedure, Charania adds (on Twitter), though Johnson said he’s been told it will take him 60 days to heal, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). That would bring him back with roughly two weeks to go in the regular season.

The 23-year-old said recently that he wasn’t planning surgery on the bothersome shoulder, which has been an issue for years and has restricted his movement, nonetheless adding that he expected to converse with doctors about the prospect of going under the knife, notes Aric Dilalla of the Miami Herald. Johnson has been out for the past two games, but the ailment dates to his time in college at Fresno State, writes Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post.

Johnson’s role in the rotation has increased this year, and he took on backup point guard duties after the Heat traded Mario Chalmers to the Grizzlies in early November. Miami signed Johnson to a multiyear deal last season after he ran through a pair of 10-day contracts, and that minimum-salary contract runs out at the end of June, when he’ll be set for restricted free agency.

Beno Udrih, whom the Heat acquired in the Chalmers trade, figures to see the bulk of the action backing up Goran Dragic in Johnson’s stead, making it more difficult for the Heat to unload Udrih and his salary of more than $2.17MM in a tax-dodging maneuver. Miami faces repeat-offender tax penalties if it doesn’t trim roughly $5.5MM from its payroll to slip beneath the $84.74MM tax threshold by the last day of the regular season. The Heat aren’t eligible to apply for either a disabled player cap exception or the hardship provision of a 16th roster spot.

And-Ones: Gasol, Barnes, Garnett, Horford

February 3rd, 2016 at 2:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

Two executives from other teams aren’t sold on the idea that the Bulls are done gauging the trade market for Pau Gasol in the wake of injuries to Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, who adds that the Bulls want to re-sign Gasol this summer but at a limited price. Gasol said today that he doesn’t view a trade as likely but wouldn’t be completely shocked if the Bulls dealt him, adding that he wished he had a no-trade clause in his contract, notes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (ESPN Now link). Gasol also expressed a desire for a no-trade provision in his next contract, which he could only get if he signs with the Grizzlies or Lakers or re-signs with the Bulls on a one-year deal. Formal no-trade clauses are only available to veterans of eight or more years (Gasol qualifies there) who sign with teams they’ve spent at least four seasons with. Gasol is in just year No. 2 with Chicago, but anyone who re-signs with his team on a one-year deal, or a two-year deal with a player option, can veto trades. See more from around the league:

Harrison Barnes has fans within the Timberwolves organization, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities says in a podcast, though it’s not entirely certain that Minnesota will pursue the soon-to-be restricted free agent. Barnes engendered an “undercurrent of disenchantment” within the Warriors when he stayed for as long as he did with a sprained ankle that prompted him to miss 16 games this season, as Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com reported earlier. Wolves GM Milt Newton has no guarantee of running the team’s front office beyond this season after inheriting the authority from the late Flip Saunders.
Kevin Garnett is “no lock” to play next season, as many people close to him aren’t sure whether or not he intends to do so, Wolfson says in the same podcast. In July, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune raised the specter of Garnett moving into a front office position with the Timberwolves next season if he’s not healthy enough to play. Garnett, who turns 40 in May, has appeared in 38 of Minnesota’s 50 games this year and is set to make $8MM in 2016/17 on the two-year contract he signed this past summer.
Soon-to-be free agent Al Horford said he feels like Atlanta is home and added that he isn’t focused on trade talk as the February 18th deadline looms, observes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That echoes the mostly glowing remarks Horford made about Atlanta and the Hawks organization to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports, and though the Hawks want to-resign him, it’s unclear whether they’re willing to shell out the max contract he’ll be seeking, according to Spears. Horford also said to Spears that other cities probably offer more business and marketing opportunities than Atlanta does, and the Hawks are expected to listen to offers for Horford out of concern that he might walk in free agency this summer, Spears reports.

Raptors Among Suitors For Markieff Morris

February 3rd, 2016 at 1:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Raptors are among the teams interested in trading for Markieff Morris, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears, adding Morris to P.J. Tucker among the Suns whom Toronto is reportedly eyeing (Twitter link). Suns GM Ryan McDonough has said he’d like to make at least one trade before the February 18th deadline, and according to Stein, people around the league view the Suns as a lock to do just that. Morris has been the most prominent trade candidate all season long for Phoenix, but though it’s a matter of when, not if, the Suns will trade him, as rival executives told Stein recently, the Suns are holding out for a strong return amid a slow market for the power forward, Stein wrote.

The Suns made Morris “very available” in December, and that apparently hasn’t changed despite a strong performance from him on Tuesday, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Twitter link). Suns interim coach Earl Watson said Tuesday that Morris will be the focal point of the Suns offense going forward, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, a stark contrast to earlier this season, when former coach Jeff Hornacek benched the former lottery pick and at times removed him from the rotation altogether. That situation reached a head when Morris threw a towel in Hornacek’s direction during a game, resulting in a two-game suspension. Feelings have been prickly surrounding Morris since his offseason trade demand, though he backed away from the demand at the start of training camp.

The Raptors have been starting 35-year-old Luis Scola at power forward, seemingly a signal that the team is in need of an upgrade at the position. Morris is in the first season of a four-year, $32MM extension he signed with Phoenix in 2014, so adding him without sending long-term salary commitments to Phoenix, or to another team in a more complex deal, would add to an already daunting burden for the years ahead. Toronto has nearly $70MM in guaranteed salary on next year’s books, not counting any money for soon-to-be free agent DeMar DeRozan.

DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are friends of Morris, but a couple of other Raptors don’t speak as highly of him, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Morris engendered public antipathy with his trade demand, his high volume of technical fouls last season, and his legal troubles, which entail felony aggravated assault charges stemming from a January 2015 incident.

Phoenix has reportedly been targeting young players and draft picks lately in exchange for Morris, and the Raptors have recent first-round picks Lucas Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo, as well as an extra first-round pick for both this season and next. The Suns reportedly spoke with the Pelicans and Rockets about Morris trades earlier this season, and the Pistons are also reportedly interested.

What do you think a workable Morris trade between the Raptors and Suns would look like? Leave a comment to share your ideas.

Raptors Interested In P.J. Tucker

February 3rd, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Raptors are among the teams interested in trading for P.J. Tucker, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The small forward is making $5.5MM this season but only $1.5MM of his $5.3MM salary for next season is guaranteed. The Suns were reportedly putting off talks about Tucker as of last month while they waited to gauge their postseason chances, but Phoenix is a long shot for the playoffs at this point, 10 games behind eighth-place Portland.

Stein expects Phoenix will hold out for a “nice pick” in return for Tucker. The Raptors are slated for an extra first-round pick both this year and next. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has indicated that the team plans to unload the surplus of first-rounders at some point, but Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun reported that the Raptors have no intention of giving them up cheaply and aren’t interested in a stopgap player. However, that was before James Johnson underwent an MRI on Tuesday after suffering an ankle injury. Johnson was filling in at small forward for DeMarre Carroll, who remains at least a few weeks away from returning after right knee surgery.

The Suns are dealing with injury concerns of their own, as combo forward T.J. Warren went down with a season-ending injury this week, placing him on the shelf alongside Eric Bledsoe, who was already done for the year. Still, Tucker, who turns 31 in May, doesn’t quite epitomize a youthful building block, and the Suns have incentive to focus on young players and build for the future amid a season in which little has gone right for them.

Toronto’s interest in Tucker dates to at least the summer of 2014, when he was a free agent and re-signed with Phoenix, leading the Raptors to ink Johnson instead, notes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). Tucker was originally a draft pick of the Raptors in 2006, but that was long before Ujiri took charge of the front office.

What do you think the Suns should demand in return for Tucker? Share your thoughts.

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