2016 September | Hoops Rumors

Jeff Ayres To Play In Russia

September 22nd, 2016 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA big man Jeff Ayres is headed overseas, having signed a contract with Russian team CSKA Moscow. The club officially announced the deal today on its website.

“I think this is a great situation for me and perfect timing to go to Europe,” Ayres said in a statement. “I got a chance to play for [a] great team, great organization like CSKA Moscow. … I watched some games already trying to learn the system, I know many players there and I think I can fit into European basketball. So it seems like [a] really good idea.”

Ayres, 29, spent two seasons in San Antonio and was part of the Spurs’ 2014 championship team, but wasn’t re-signed after the 2014/15 season. He was the first player selected in the 2015 D-League draft and spent much of the season in Idaho before joining the Clippers in January. After playing on two 10-day contracts, Ayres signed with the team for the remainder of the season. He appeared in 17 games for L.A., averaging 1.8 PPG and 1.3 RPG in limited playing time. Ayres has also played for the Trail Blazers and Pacers over the course of his six-year NBA career.

Although he ended up signing to play in Russia, Ayres appeared to receive a little NBA interest this offseason. He recently worked out for the Spurs after participating in a free agent mini-camp with the Lakers last month.

According to CSKA Moscow’s announcement, Ayres only signed a two-month contract with the club, so if the team doesn’t extend his contract, he’d have the opportunity to return to the NBA during the 2016/17 season.

Warriors Rumors: S. Jackson, Durant, Arena

September 22nd, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA swingman Stephen Jackson is still hoping to catch on with a team for training camp, but he won’t be rejoining his old club in Golden State. According to head coach Steve Kerr, the two sides talked in the summer about a potential deal, but it “ultimately didn’t pan out” (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Bay Area News Group).

Here’s more out of the Bay Area on the defending Western Conference champs:

Stephen Curry called the decision to add Kevin Durant to the Warriors’ roster this summer a “no-brainer,” suggesting he’s not worried about how the two former MVPs will mesh in Golden State, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
Meanwhile, Kerr used similar language to describe a lower-profile offseason signing for the team, calling the decision to add JaVale McGee an easy one, per Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com. “He’s a talented guy,” Kerr said. “He’s athletic. He’s big. It’s a no-brainer.”
Kerr also weighed in on several other topics, including most of the Warriors’ offseason moves, and Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News has the full transcript in two parts, so be sure to check those out.
Appearing on HBO’s Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons, Durant addressed his decision to leave the Thunder for the Warriors, his relationship with Russell Westbrook, and his frustration with how his decision was covered. Erik Horne of The Oklahoman passes along several of Durant’s comments from the show.
In a piece for The Mercury News, Anthony Slater speaks to Warriors president Rick Welts to get an update on the arena project being undertaken by the team in San Francisco. As Slater details, Welts hopes to break ground by early 2017 and have the arena ready for the start of the 2019/20 NBA season.

Latest On Chris Bosh Playing For The Heat

September 21st, 2016 at 10:39pm CST by ChrisCrouse

A second blood clot was discovered in Chris Bosh‘s leg last season, leading team doctors to tell him that his career was likely over. However, the 32-year-old has been fighting the diagnosis since last winter, as Bosh discusses in a documentary on Uninterrupted.com (h/t to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com).

“[The Heat’s doctors] told me that my season is over, my career is probably over and this just happens, this is just how it is,” Bosh said. “I felt right away that I was written off. It was [claps his hands together] put it to the side matter-of-factly. If a doctor tells me, ‘Hey that’s it and this is how that is,’ and I don’t buy that. I have the right to disagree with you.”

Bosh firmly believes he has the ability to play again. “It wasn’t a matter of if I play again; it was when. So we took the bull by the horns,” he said. Last week, Bosh said that he has not yet been cleared by team doctors, but he has reportedly consulted numerous physicians for opinions on treatment and he believes he has found a medication regimen that will allow him to play. The team has not addressed Bosh’s statements.

Sources tell Windhorst that the Heat are not yet comfortable with clearing him to play long-term. If Bosh is not cleared by the team to play this season, he is expected to take the issue to the NBA Players Association, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. Bosh has three years and about $75.9MM left on his contract. His salary is guaranteed, but that figure could possibly come off of Miami’s future cap sheet if an independent doctor rules that he has become disabled. The team would not be eligible for cap relief during the 2017/18 campaign if he plays in more than nine games during this upcoming season.

According to one source, the team has “more optimism” that Bosh could play again at this point than it had at any point last year. Miami plans on welcoming him to join the team in training camp. Still, Bosh doesn’t consider his situation with the team resolved, Windhorst hears. Sources told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com that there is no timetable for a resolution.

Windhorst describes the situation between Bosh and the team as “somewhat of a standoff” since the spring. Toward the end of last season, Bosh announced through his own public relations firm that he was planning on returning to the court. Ultimately, the player’s union pressured the two sides to meet and find a resolution. The two parties decided that Bosh would be declared out for the year and they would reassess the situation prior to training camp.

The Heat will open training camp on September 27th. The power forward is expected to partake in a Facebook live chat with Maverick Carter on Wednesday. Be sure to check Hoops Rumors for the latest on Bosh’s status with the team.

Bucks Looking For Help On The Wing

September 21st, 2016 at 9:19pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Bucks are calling other teams to inquire about adding a wing in order to compensate for the loss of Khris Middleton, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). Middleton is expected to miss six months of action after tearing his hamstring.

If Middleton is ruled out for the year, the Bucks could apply for the disabled player exception, which would give them $5.6MM to use in free agency, Bobby Marks of the Vertical adds on Twitter. The team would need a roster spot open if awarded the exception and Marks notes (Twitter link) that the team has 15 guaranteed contracts on the books.

The injury to Middleton is a devastating blow to a team that is looking to drastically improve upon its 33-win campaign. The core of Middleton, Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo was supposed to take the next step and elevate the team to contender status. Barring a substantial acquisition, Parker and Antetokounmpo, who recently signed a $100MM extension with the team, will likely be tasked with shouldering a bigger load on both ends of the floor.

Milwaukee signed Matthew Dellavedova and Jason Terry this offseason to bolster its bench unit, but it could be forced to insert one of the two into the starting lineup. Rashad Vaughn is also an internal candidate to see an increased role, but the sophomore didn’t have a particularly productive rookie campaign, so it may be a stretch to pencil him in for major minutes if the team intends on competing for a playoff birth.

Earlier today, we learned that Jabari Brown will join the Bucks for training camp. The team also signed J.J. O’Brien and Orlando Johnson earlier this month and while they all face uphill battles to make the team, opportunity awaits should a member of this trio excel during camp.

What should the Bucks do now that they will be forced to play much of the season without Khris Middleton? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say!

Wolves, Kevin Garnett Nearing Buyout Deal

September 21st, 2016 at 8:06pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wolves and Kevin Garnett are in advanced discussions on a buyout agreement, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The team believes Garnett will opt to retire, Stein adds in a full-length piece.

President of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau said earlier today that Garnett and owner Glen Taylor would have discussions about the future Hall-of-Famer’s status. Taylor previously insinuated that if Garnett decided to hang up his jersey, the team would make a good portion of his contract available to him via buyout, so the big man wouldn’t have to return for the money.

It was reported that Garnett had concerns about whether his body could endure the 82-game schedule. However, he still had the desire to play.

“Yes, theoretically, he’d like to play. But he has some doubts of his knees holding up,” Taylor said at the time. “I think he’s worried if he can play. I worry about that too. When I talked to him last year, I said, ‘Is it your knees or what?’ He said, ‘It’s my whole leg.’ ”

There may also be other factors in play. Garnett apparently wasn’t pleased with the way Sam Mitchell was fired, Justin Termine of SiriusXMNBA adds (Twitter link). Mitchell told Termine last month that the situation could play a factor in Garnett’s decision.

Additionally, former Wolves coach Flip Saunders was believed to Garnett’s strongest ally in the organization, having convinced the veteran big man to waive his no-trade clause to come to Minnesota. KG. As Stein details, KG agreed to return to the Wolves in part because he was interested in joining Saunders in a potential ownership group for the franchise down the road. Saunders passed away prior to the start of last season, and it’s not clear now where Garnett’s ownership aspirations stand.

Mo Williams To Play In 2016

September 21st, 2016 at 7:39pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Mo Williams has been contemplating retirement, but it appears he has made a decision regarding his status. The point guard took to Twitter tonight and tweeted, “Coming back #onemoreyear.”

Last month, the Cavs decided not to use the stretch provision on Williams’ contract, which will pay him close to $2.2MM for the 2016/17 campaign. Williams battled injuries last season and only appeared in 41 games.

The 2016/17 season will be Williams’ farewell tour, as he won’t play past this season. “This is my last year,” the veteran guard told Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link) when asked about the possibility of playing more than one season. Cleveland only has rookie Kay Felder at the point guard spot behind starter Kyrie Irving, so the Cavs will likely give the 33-year-old as many minutes as he can handle.

Khris Middleton To Miss Six Months

September 21st, 2016 at 7:13pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Khris Middleton has suffered a torn hamstring and is slated to undergo surgery next week, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports. Middleton is expected to be sidelined for roughly six months, according to the team’s website. The final timetable for his return will be set after the surgery, sources tell Charania.

“We’re obviously disappointed for Khris and our team, but injuries are an unfortunate part of the game,” said Bucks GM John Hammond. “We’ll rely on our overall roster depth to help us while Khris is out for a significant period of the season.”

Milwaukee signed Middleton to a five-year, $70MM deal last offseason. In the first year of the deal, he averaged 18.2 points and 1.7 steals in 79 games. He was drafted by the Pistons with the 39th pick in the 2012 draft before coming to the Bucks in the Brandon Jennings deal.

NBA To Open Global Basketball Academies

September 21st, 2016 at 6:21pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The NBA plans to open global basketball academies starting in Africa, China, India and Australia, Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony of the Vertical report. The expectation is that other global regions will be added to the program in the future. The goal of opening these academies is to identify the best young talent in the teenage ranks around the world and assist them by delivering training on the court and education off of it. The league will be seeking to assist prospects in the 14-to-18-year-old range.

Brooks Meek, the NBA’s vice president of internal operations, will be among the league executives tasked with coordinating the program. The league is still finalizing locations and contracts and an announcement is expected in the near future, Wojnarowski and Givony add.

The program will partner with and upgrade existing facilities and educational institutions. The league will provide coaching, strength and conditioning specialists, scouting, video and technical specialists and it plans on partnering with local infrastructures to create a “360 degree” development experience for prospects. The program will work closely with the prospects’ families and mentors to help them understand the academic portion of the program with the goal of conveying the importance of achieving the higher education goals. The league will provide scholarship funds for players wishing to attend college and there will be assistance for those who don’t earn scholarships. The pair of Vertical scribes note that this particular segment of the program has drawn comparisons to the old “G.I. Bill.” There will also be vocational and life-skills training for those prospects that are uninterested in or unable to pursue a college degree.

For older prospects in the program, the league will provide evaluation windows that will eventually be open to college coaches interested in recruiting them. For prospects that plan on immediately taking a professional route, there will be windows in which agents will be allowed to meet with them.

The NBA’s initiative will be headquartered in Australia and elite prospects from other regions and countries with underdeveloped basketball infrastructures could be invited to its location. Through the Basketball Without Borders program, the NBA has successfully been able to identify young talent globally and it would like to build on those camps with this new initiative. The league believes the D-League could eventually draw from these programs to fill its rosters since the prospects won’t yet meet the age requirement to be draft-eligible.

Wolves Notes: Garnett, Pekovic, Extensions, Butler

September 21st, 2016 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

With training camp set to get underway on Tuesday, the Timberwolves still don’t have a definitive answer on whether or not Kevin Garnett will be back for one more season. As Kent Youngblood of The Star Tribune details, Wolves president of basketball operations and head coach Tom Thibodeau said owner Glen Taylor will be involved in that decision.

“Glen and Kevin and his representatives are in discussions,” Thibodeau said. “We’ll keep that private for now, and we’ll see how it unfolds. But, obviously, what Kevin has meant to our league, the organization, he’s earned the right to have those discussions with Glen.”

While the Wolves wait to see whether Garnett will play out his contract or call it a career, let’s round up a few more items out of Minnesota, via Youngblood…

Veteran center Nikola Pekovic, who continues to recover from an Achilles issue, is not expected to be ready for training camp, says Thibodeau. “We wanted to get him here, try to give him an opportunity get in shape and get treatment,” Thibodeau said. “We were hopeful he would respond well. There have been some good days, but there have been a lot of setbacks as well. It’s something we’ll monitor going forward.” The Wolves head coach didn’t sound like he’s expecting much from Pekovic going forward, tweets Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune.
According to Thibodeau, Minnesota hasn’t talked much to Gorgui Dieng or Shabazz Muhammad about possible rookie-scale contract extensions. However, that could happen before the October 31 deadline, writes Youngblood.
The Wolves brought in free agent swingman Rasual Butler “for a couple days,” according to Thibodeau, who says the team will “make a final decision in the next day or so” on whether to add the veteran to its camp roster.

Bucks To Sign Jabari Brown, Cut Xavier Henry

September 21st, 2016 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks will bring a former Laker to training camp, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. According to Spears (via Twitter), Milwaukee is adding free agent shooting guard Jabari Brown to its roster for camp.

Brown, 23, made his NBA debut with the Lakers during the 2014/15 season after going undrafted out of Missouri. Brown saw plenty of action for the team down the stretch that season, appearing in 19 games and averaging 11.9 PPG, 2.1 APG, 1.9 RPG, and a .371 3PT% in 29.9 minutes per contest.

Over the last two seasons, Brown has also played in China and has spent time with the Lakers’ D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Brown averaged 23.1 PPG and shot .443/.374/.842 in 47 D-League games. He also worked out for the Jazz earlier this month.

In Milwaukee, Brown figures to be on the outside looking in as he attempts to earn a regular-season roster spot. The Bucks currently have 15 players on guaranteed salaries, with Orlando Johnson and J.J. O’Brien among the other camp invitees on non-guaranteed deals.

Xavier Henry also recently signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Bucks, though NBA.com’s transactions log suggests the club waived him on Tuesday — it’s not clear why Henry’s stint in Milwaukee was so short-lived. Ronald Roberts was also rumored to be heading to camp with the Bucks, but hasn’t officially signed a contract and may not end up doing so.

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