2016 November | Hoops Rumors

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 11/25/16

November 25th, 2016 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

After a quiet Thanksgiving, NBA teams are once again assigning players to their D-League affiliates, or recalling them to their 15-man squads. Here are Friday’s D-League assignments and recalls:

The Pistons have recalled rookies Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. The duo combined for 21 points and 24 rebounds for the Grand Rapids Drive on Wednesday night.
The Pacers have sent Rakeem Christmas back to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today (via Twitter). Christmas, who ran into foul trouble during his last D-League contest, figures to suit up for the Mad Ants tonight against the Long Island Nets.
Rookie guard Wade Baldwin has been recalled from the Iowa Energy by the Grizzlies, the team announced today in a press release. The 17th overall pick has appeared in nine games for the Grizzlies, but got an opportunity to play more minutes and a bigger role in the D-League, averaging 18.5 PPG in his two games with Iowa.
The Hornets have assigned Aaron Harrison to the D-League, according to a press release issued by the team. Charlotte’s affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, will play back-to-back games against Erie on Friday and Saturday, giving Harrison a chance to earn some playing time.

Heat Notes: Bosh, Cap, Lineup, Wade

November 25th, 2016 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

If Chris Bosh doesn’t appear in a game by February 9 and an independent doctor selected by the NBA and NBPA declares him medically unfit to continue his career, the Heat could remove his current and future cap hits from their books. That much has been well documented. However, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald details, in that scenario, the Heat would unfortunately have some motivation to root against Bosh making a comeback for another team.

According to Jackson, if Bosh were to play in 25 games for another team starting in 2017/18, his cap charges would return to Miami’s books. The Heat wouldn’t be required to remove salary to get back under the cap, but they could be subject to a very expensive luxury tax bill with Bosh’s $25MM+ salary back on the payroll, and his $26MM cap hit for 2018/19 could prevent the team from having any cap room during the 2018 offseason. In that scenario, the Heat might be stuck in a position where they have to shed significant salary via trade in order to avoid a mammoth tax bill, so the team might be inclined to take a cautious approach to spending in 2017 even if Bosh’s cap hits are removed.

Here’s more on the Heat:

As Jackson observes, if Bosh’s 2016/17 cap charge is removed from the Heat’s payroll between February 9 and February 23, the team could be in a position to take on salary at this season’s trade deadline. It’s not clear how quickly cap relief would be granted to Miami, but Jackson suggests there’s a “good chance” of it happening before the deadline.
In a separate article for the Herald, Jackson notes that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is considering possible lineup and rotation changes in order to kick-start the club’s struggling offense. “I’ll look at everything right now to get us more organized, get guys comfortable and get them to their strengths,” Spoesltra said. “Everything is on the table.”
Count Stan Van Gundy among those who thought it was “sad” to see Dwyane Wade leave the Heat this summer instead of finishing his career with the franchise, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “It’s the way it is now,” Van Gundy said. “Very few guys, very, very, very few guys are going to finish where they start. But it certainly looked for a long time like he would have been one of the guys who would have finished there.”

Pistons’ Reggie Bullock Suffers Torn Meniscus

November 25th, 2016 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

After hip and back issues delayed his season debut, Pistons guard Reggie Bullock appeared in just four games this season before being sidelined with another injury. The Pistons announced today in a press release that Bullock suffered a left knee meniscus tear during the second quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Heat.

According to the announcement from the team, Bullock will be further evaluated by team doctors and other medical experts to determine the next course of action, and there’s no timetable yet for his potential return to the court. Bullock’s recovery timeline will be affected by whether or not he undergoes a procedure to remove or repair the meniscus. Typically, players who suffer a torn meniscus are sidelined for at least a few weeks, and occasionally end up missing several months depending on the severity of the tear, as well as how the injury is treated and rehabbed.

The 25th overall pick in the 2013 draft, Bullock spent time with the Clippers and Suns before arriving in Detroit. Last season, he averaged a career-high 11.6 minutes per game for the team, and while his numbers (3.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG) were modest, he played solid defense. Bullock was extension-eligible this offseason, but didn’t ink a new deal with the Pistons, so he remains on track for restricted free agency in the summer of 2017.

Reggie Jackson is on track to return to the Pistons’ lineup in early December, but until then, the team will be somewhat shorthanded in the backcourt with both Jackson and Bullock out of action. Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will continue to play significant roles for Detroit in the interim, with Stanley Johnson, Beno Udrih and Darrun Hilliard among the bench players who could see a little extra playing time.

Sergio Llull Plans To Play Out Real Madrid Contract

November 25th, 2016 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

Spanish guard Sergio Llull remains committed to Real Madrid, stating once again during an interview with COPE radio in Spain that he has no intention of leaving his team in Spain to make the move to the NBA (link via Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype).

“I’m not in the NBA because I’m happy in Madrid,” Llull said. “Houston has been waiting for me three [or] four years.”

The 34th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Llull has been under Rockets control for more than seven years, but has spent that time with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid. An October report from ESPN’s Marc Stein indicated that Houston planned to push to land Llull for the 2017/18 season, and was optimistic about its chances of bringing him stateside. However, the 29-year-old, who signed an extension with Real Madrid last summer, still doesn’t sound overly eager to play in the NBA.

“They tried to convince me, but I am where I want to be in Madrid,” Llull said. “Houston has been very respectful of my decision. They didn’t pressure me, and congratulate me on my success. I’ve never closed the door on the NBA. I live in the present. … I have a contract with Real Madrid until 2021 and I plan on fulfilling it.”

Although Llull’s current deal runs through 2021, it does include an NBA out, so the Rockets could bring him over sooner than that, if he’s interested. A recent report out of Spain indicated that the buyout for Llull’s contract with Real Madrid had increased to 12 million euros with last year’s extension, but Stein suggested that the buyout isn’t “nearly as onerous” as that report suggests — one of Stein’s sources describes the cost as “manageable.”

In 2015/16, Llull averaged 12.1 PPG and 4.9 APG in Spanish League play, while adding 12.8 PPG and 4.6 APG in 24 Euroleague games. So far this year, playing alongside former NBA vets like Anthony Randolph, Gustavo Ayon, Rudy Fernandez, and Andres Nocioni, Llull has been even better, averaging 13.3 PPG and 6.0 APG in eight Spanish League contests, and 19.4 PPG and 5.8 APG in nine Euroleague games. Real Madrid has a combined record of 14-3 in those games.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Covington, Lin, Celtics

November 24th, 2016 at 8:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid and Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons have bonded on social media because of their history with injuries, writes Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. Embiid, who is playing for the first time in three seasons and remains on a minutes limit, has commented on several of Parsons’ posts. Parsons, who spent the offseason rehabbing from microfracture surgery, can sympathize with the rookie’s plight. “Him coming off surgery and me coming off surgery, he asked me a lot of questions about the recovery,” Parsons said. “He’s an awesome listener. … A lot of guys kind of get complacent, get used to being hurt, don’t work as hard. But he takes his rehab very, very seriously and he takes care of his body. He does all the right things and you see it paying off now with the success he’s hard early this season.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Robert Covington has found ways to contribute even as he suffers through a long shooting slump, writes Robert Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Sixers fans are starting to turn against the fourth-year small forward, who is shooting just 29% from the floor and 27% from 3-point range, but coach Brett Brown recognizes his value in other areas. “Somebody had given me a stat, I believe was produced by ESPN, and they had him as the third-ranked small forward in the NBA as far as his defensive efficiency rating,” Brown said. “He really has improved his defense.” The Sixers have a $1,087,745 team option on Covington for next season.
The Nets have nosedived since Jeremy Lin‘s injury, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. After a 2-3 start, Brooklyn has just two victories since Lin went down with a strained hamstring in early November. The Nets’ offensive and defensive ratings are both significantly worse without Lin. “Offensively it’s just the challenges with different lineups and different stuff just getting on the same page,’’ coach Kenny Atkinson said. “But we’ve done it before with different lineups, so [we have to] focus in on our execution, making sure that we’re doing all the little things, in the right spots and making the right pass and making the right play.” There is still no timetable for Lin to return.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE checks in on four players whose draft rights are owned by the Celtics. Abdel Nader is with the team’s D-League affiliate in Maine, while Marcus Thornton, Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic are all overseas.

Suns Notes: Williams, Ulis, Bender, Warren

November 24th, 2016 at 7:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

After spending last Thanksgiving in China, Phoenix native Alan Williams has landed his “dream job” with the Suns, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. The 23-year-old big man’s quest to play in the NBA started with a 10-day contract with Phoenix in March. He chose the Suns over the Rockets, who were willing to sign him for the remainder of the season. Williams’ gamble paid off when Phoenix gave him a multi-year contract, and his $875K salary for this season became guaranteed in September. He is averaging 6.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and posted two double-doubles last week. Suns coach Earl Watson believes Williams has a 10-year career ahead.

There’s more news out of Phoenix:

After seeing almost no action in his first 12 games, Tyler Ulis is becoming a reliable backup point guard, Coro writes in a separate story. The 5’10” rookie has averaged 6.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals over the last four games and is making a case to be part of the regular rotation. “I just come in and try to make the most of my minutes,” Ulis said. “Do what coach and the players want me to do. Get guys involved, get paint touches and get into my man defensively.”
Watson says rookie Dragan Bender has a bright NBA future, but that won’t guarantee playing time right now, Coro adds in the same piece. The Croatian power forward is seeing just 10 minutes per night through the first month of his career. “I think Dragan is going to have amazing opportunities moving forward,” Watson explained. “We understand he’s a big part of our future as a cornerstone. But the NBA is not just as easy as playing guys you like. There’s a lot of things that go into it.”
Small forward T.J. Warren is out indefinitely with a minor head injury, the Suns announced on their website. Warren left a game on Friday after just nine minutes of action and hasn’t played since. Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough said the organization has a policy of being extra cautious with injuries to the head and estimated Warren will be sidelined “a matter of weeks.” Warren has appeared in 13 games, all starts, and is averaging 17.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per night.

Donatas Motiejunas Still Seeking Offers

November 24th, 2016 at 6:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Representatives for Donatas Motiejunas have been contacting teams with cap space in an effort to get an offer for their client, report Marc Stein and Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com.

Because Motiejunas remains a restricted free agent, the Rockets would have the option to match any offer sheet he receives. Motiejunas’ camp believes Houston’s offers haven’t been sufficient based on his performance. If the 26-year-old Lithuanian native decides to play overseas, the Rockets would still retain his NBA rights and could match any deal.

Motiejunas is “surprised and upset” that he is still without a contract nearly five months after free agency began. He could have accepted the Rockets’ $4.4MM qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but he let it expire October 1st in anticipation of reaching a long-term deal.

Houston pulled its latest contract offer on Tuesday and will reportedly drop the monetary amount of any future offer. A source told ESPN that if talks resume, the next offer would be at least $1MM smaller for the first season. The Rockets’ last offer reportedly included roughly $7MM in guaranteed first-year salary with team options beyond that. Houston officials considered November 23rd to be an unofficial deadline to reach an agreement because it was the last day Motiejunas could have signed and still been eligible for a trade at the February 23rd deadline.

The Rockets are reluctant to make a long-term commitment to Motiejunas because of his history of back problems. He played just 37 games last season, and a trade to Detroit in February was rescinded after he failed a physical. Second-year forwards Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell have filled in for Motiejunas during Houston’s 9-6 start.

Stein/Lowe On Cousins, George, Noel, Monroe

November 24th, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Luke Adams

In a Wednesday edition of The Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Marc Stein and Zach Lowe discussed several teams who could make a trade at some point this season, and several players who are candidates to be moved. Both ESPN reporters agreed that the Trail Blazers are one of the most likely clubs to complete a deal within the next three months, with Lowe suggesting he’d be “blown away” if Portland doesn’t make at least one trade. Stein also identified the Kings, Suns, Nuggets, and Celtics as clubs to watch for potential deals.

Here are several more highlights from the discussion:

“I’ve had a couple guys from other teams tell me they’re hearing that the Kings are starting to get sick of [DeMarcus] Cousins, whatever that means,” Lowe said at one point. Lowe added that there are so many voices involved in the Kings’ decision-making process – in ownership and the front office – that it’s hard to know exactly what the team is thinking. Some decision-makers may want to move Cousins, while others would rather keep him.
During the conversation about Cousins, Stein said that the latest word out of Sacramento still suggests the Kings don’t want to move their star big man, though teams around the NBA think the Kings will – or should – make a move by the deadline to maximize Cousins’ value. In Lowe’s view, at least one or two suitors would be willing to give up “a lot” for Cousins, despite the posturing going on at this point to downplay his value.
Both Stein and Lowe are frequently asked whether Paul George might become available, and Stein points out that if teams are asking reporters about it, they’re probably asking the Pacers as well. George is extension-eligible and Indiana has expressed interest in locking him up to a max deal, but nothing has happened so far, so teams may sense an opening. However, Lowe hears that most people expect Pacers president Larry Bird to “take it to the end” with George, and to avoid trading him at all costs.
Lowe confirms a couple trade rumors that have been reported in the past, noting that the Raptors and Sixers discussed a possible deal that would have sent Nerlens Noel to Toronto for Terrence Ross and at least one other piece. The Pelicans have also had “semi-serious talks” with the Bucks about Greg Monroe over the course of the last six to 12 months. Nothing is imminent on either front though, and Lowe isn’t sure exactly what New Orleans would give up for Monroe.
Stein and Lowe both agree that Monroe’s trade value is very low, with Stein observing that there’s more supply than demand for big men on the trade market right now. Lowe also wonders how Monroe will handle his 2017/18 player option (worth nearly $18MM) if the Bucks keep him and continue to bury him in the rotation, crushing his value — he could exercise it out of spite, or opt out if he badly wants to find a better situation.
According to Lowe, the Mavericks were among the teams hoping Dennis Schroder would reach free agency in 2017, but his new extension with the Hawks took that possibility off the table.

Dante Cunningham Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks

November 24th, 2016 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

After leaving Wednesday’s game with an apparent knee injury, Pelicans forward Dante Cunningham has been diagnosed with a non-displaced right proximal fibula fracture, the team announced today (via Twitter). According to the Pelicans, the injury is expected to sideline Cunningham for the next four to six weeks.

It’s a tough break for a team that was hit hard last season by injuries and has already had to deal with some health issues this season. New Orleans’ backcourt has been impacted more by injuries in the early going, with Tyreke Evans and Quincy Pondexter having missed the first month of the season. However, Anthony Davis has also been a little banged up, and now Cunningham may not return until the new year.

Although Cunningham isn’t one of the Pelicans’ top scorers, averaging just 5.6 PPG, he has started 10 of his 15 games for the team so far, averaging 23.5 minutes per contest. The 29-year-old, who missed a game earlier in the season due to a suspension, has also chipped in 3.9 RPG and has shown off an improved three-point shot, making 41.0% of his attempts from long range.

Terrence Jones, Solomon Hill, and even newly-signed wing Anthony Brown are among the players who could see an uptick in playing time during Cunningham’s absence.

Knicks Notes: Rose, Noah, Kuzminskas

November 24th, 2016 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning the NBA MVP award in 2011, Derrick Rose appeared in just 49 games over the next three seasons, raising questions about whether “vintage” Rose would even return. Although he has been healthier in recent years, the veteran point guard acknowledges that his so-called “vintage” self is probably a thing of the past.

“That vintage is gone, man,” Rose said on Tuesday, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com. “I told you the question should be: Can I hoop? It shouldn’t be like, ‘He’s playing like his old self.’ Like, if I can hoop, I can hoop. No matter if I did that when I was younger or now, I can play the game of basketball.”

While he may not vie for MVP awards again, Rose is happy with where he’s at now, telling Begley that he used to be “reckless” and that he’s picking his spots more carefully now. Rather than looking to “recreate past glory,” the Knicks’ starting point guard wants to make life easier for the team’s top scorers, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis.

Here’s more out of New York:

After missing a pair of games with a flu-like illness, Joakim Noah appears set to return for Friday’s game against Charlotte. Mike Vorkunov of The New York Times writes that Noah is still finding his way with the Knicks after signing a four-year deal with the team this offseason, while Marc Berman of The New York Post takes a blunter approach, suggesting that it remains “open for debate” whether or not the Knicks even need Noah.
Most Knicks fans probably hadn’t heard of Mindaugas Kuzminskas until the club used its room exception to sign him over the summer, but the Lithuanian rookie has fought his way into New York’s rotation, as Berman details in a piece for the Post.
In another article for the Post, Berman takes a closer look at Porzingis’ continued development as he continues on a path toward stardom.

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