2017 January | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Ellis, Rondo, Pistons

January 27th, 2017 at 1:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Monta Ellis‘ role with the Pacers keeps declining, notes Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The 31-year-old shooting guard has been replaced in the starting lineup by Glenn Robinson III and has struggled to contribute off the bench. Ellis is averaging just 8.3 points per game, the lowest since his rookie season, and shoots just 29% from 3-point range. He’s also taking a career-low 9.3 shots per 36 minutes and his free throw and assist rates have both fallen. Ellis is signed for $11.23MM next season and has an $11.7MM player option that Lowe expects him to exercise in 2018/19.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Rajon Rondo said he wasn’t trying to be the “bad guy” when he called out Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune relays (Twitter links). “I have a great relationship with the young guys [on the Bulls] and they had some things to say,” Rondo said. “When people express feelings relationships get better.”
Coach Fred Hoiberg said there will be no suspensions for any of the Bulls players as a result of the verbal battle between Wade, Butler and Rondo, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com passes along (Twitter link). However, Hoiberg did say there will be fines handed out.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy says the idea of a 10-man rotation isn’t workable, even though the team is getting past its injury problems, relays Aaron McMann of MLive. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jon Leuer recently returned to the lineup, giving Detroit 10 players who have seen regular playing time this season. But Van Gundy says decision have to be made on what’s best for the team, not to make sure certain players get enough minutes. “I like having all of those guys available,” he said. “It certainly gives us more flexibility, but the idea it’s as simple as, ‘Play 10,’ or ‘Play nine’ … you start charting out the minutes guys should get, and it doesn’t work.”

Chris Crouse contributed to this post

Suns Sign Ronnie Price To 10-Day Contract

January 27th, 2017 at 12:47pm CST by Austin Kent

January 27th, 12:47 pm: Phoenix has officially signed Price to a 10-day deal, according to the team’s website.

January 26th, 5:43 am: The Suns have a plan in place to sign Ronnie Price to a 10-day contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. The 32-year-old veteran played 62 games in Phoenix last season but hasn’t seen NBA action yet in 2016/17.

Price was last seen with the Thunder in training camp before he was cut prior to the start of the regular season. On October 29, we relayed that the guard had been offered an assistant coaching position with the Suns, but ultimately passed on the offer.

Last season Price averaged 5.3 points, and 2.5 assists in 19.5 minutes per game and even started 18 times.

The Suns have had an open roster spot on their 15-man squad since waiving John Jenkins earlier this month, so they won’t need to make a corresponding cut to create an opening for Price.

Northwest Notes: Jokic, Kanter, Blazers, Thibodeau

January 27th, 2017 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will undergo an MRI today to determine the damage caused to his left hip in a collision Thursday night, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. X-rays taken after the game were negative and the injury has been diagnosed as a hip strain. The Nuggets, who currently hold the eighth seed in the West with a 20-25 record, would have a hard time withstanding a prolonged absence by Jokic, who is averaging 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. “It’s good news for us,” teammate Will Barton said of the X-ray results. “He’s been playing out of this world for us, our best player. It would be tough to see him go down for a long time. I’m just happy he’s fine.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

The loss of Enes Kanter will create an even greater burden for Russell Westbrook, notes Royce Young of ESPN.com. Kanter is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks after breaking his right forearm by punching a chair Thursday night. The Thunder center was third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting last year and has become even more valuable this season by improving his passing, Young writes. His absence robs the bench unit of a player who can create his own offense.
The Trail Blazers have one of the best backcourts in the league in Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but they may need to break it up to build a contender, writes Michael Pina of RealGM. He suggests dangling both players in trade talks to see what kind of return they might bring, mentioning Andre Drummond, Jimmy Butler and Nerlens Noel as possibilities.
Tom Thibodeau’s style is starting to work with the Timberwolves, contends Jim Souhan of The Star-Tribune. Thibodeau can be loud and profane on the sidelines, but he is said to be fair and even-tempered with players behind the scenes. The Wolves are 17-29, but are only 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot that would be the first for the franchise since 2004. “He’s honest,’’ Andrew Wiggins said after a recent Thibodeau press conference. “He said we were flat but he likes the way we fought at the end.’’

Heat Sign Okaro White To Second 10-Day Contract

January 27th, 2017 at 11:23am CST by Arthur Hill

11:23am: The signing is official, according to a tweet from the team.

10:06am: The Heat will sign power forward Okaro White to a second 10-day contract, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

White joined the team on a 10-day deal January 17th after Miami was granted a hardship exception. He has appeared in four games, averaging 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and one block in 16.5 minutes of action.

Once the second 10-day deal expires, the Heat will have to decide whether to waive White or sign him for the rest of the season. He had been playing for the team’s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls after being cut by Miami in training camp.

Bulls Notes: Hoiberg, Rondo, Mirotic, Forman

January 27th, 2017 at 11:10am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg will eventually have to pick a side in the ongoing verbal battle involving Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, writes Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago. The team has seen verbal sniping this week, with Wade and Butler questioning the effort some of the players and Rondo responding on social media by saying his former Celtics teammates wouldn’t criticize players in the media. Goodwill states that Hoiberg faces a “defining moment” in trying to diffuse the situation.

There’s more today out of Chicago:

Nikola Mirotic and Michael Carter-Williams have been the main sources of frustration for Wade and Butler, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Johnson adds that both addressed the players privately before speaking to the media. “I’m very expressive. I want good for these guys. I try to help these guys,” Wade said. “But there also comes a time [when] I can’t want it for you. It’s not every person on this team. But guys know who they are if they want to be real with themselves, if they’re doing enough.”
GM Gar Forman is expected to make a statement to the media at this afternoon’s shootaround, Johnson tweets. Rondo will also reportedly answer questions (Twitter link).
Waiving Rondo would be the easy way out for the Bulls, says Bobby Marks of The Vertical on a podcast with Chris Mannix. Marks suggests a team meeting where all the players can discuss their grievances and says Rondo shouldn’t be made a scapegoat for exposing the problems in the Bulls’ locker room. The former Nets executive also criticizes the Bulls’ roster, which he says is poorly formed outside of Butler and Wade.

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

January 27th, 2017 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

As the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors heat up in New York, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News offers a reminder that Knicks president Phil Jackson never wanted to sign him to a long-term deal.

Shortly after Jackson took the job in 2014, he urged Anthony to opt in for the final year of his contract. That would have given the organization more cap flexibility and provided time for Jackson to evaluate whether the team should be built around Anthony.

Anthony opted out and re-signed with New York at $124MM over five years, but Deveney says some Knicks officials believe Jackson would have preferred to see him leave. Jackson reportedly believes Anthony will never adapt to fit the triangle offense and sees his value declining as he gets older. Anthony, 32, still has two seasons and more than $54MM left on his contract. Jackson has reached out to several teams and is not getting the type of offers he had hoped for, according to Deveney.

There’s more this morning regarding a possible Anthony deal:

The Celtics have informed the Knicks that they have no interest in trading for Anthony, according to a report on ESPN.com. The teams had “exploratory talks” about Anthony last season.
Jackson could put Anthony in a position where he has to decide between winning or enjoying the New York lifestyle, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Anthony still gets criticism for choosing the unstable Knicks over the Bulls two seasons ago, Isola notes, adding that if he blocks a trade to a contender now, it will raise more questions about his commitment to be part of a successful team.
Al Harrington, Anthony’s longtime friend and a former teammate with the Nuggets, doesn’t believe the Knicks star will waive his no-trade clause, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. “The fact he loves New York so much, I think he probably stays for the rest of his contract,’’ Harrington said. “I know he doesn’t want to leave.’’ Harrington was with Anthony when he forced his way out of Denver and added, “I know what New York means to him and I don’t see him giving up on it.’’

Larry Sanders Works Out For Celtics

January 27th, 2017 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Bucks center Larry Sanders recently held a workout with the Celtics, according to Keith Smith of Celticsblog. He’s not expected to sign any time soon, but the session reportedly went well and both sides plan to remain in touch.

Sanders referenced the workout on an Instagram post, then followed that up with one saying, “Boston what’s good?” He tweeted his intentions to return to the NBA Thursday evening with a post that read, “Officially stepping back into the game, looking for a good fit but it shouldn’t be long now, I really missed the game, I think it missed me 2.”

Sanders hasn’t played since the 2014/15 season, when he announced that he was quitting for personal reasons. Milwaukee waived him under the stretch provision, and he remains on the team’s cap at $1,865,547 per season through 2021/22. That figure would decline if he signs with another organization.

Sanders, now 28, could potentially provide the defensive and rebounding force the Celtics need. In the 2012/13 season, the last time he was fully healthy, he averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Injuries and off-the-court problems limited him to 50 games over his last two seasons in the league.

Boston is at the league maximum of 15 players, so the team would have to open a roster spot to sign Sanders. The Celtics have a pro-rated Room Exception available, along with a little more than $1.1MM in cap space. He could also agree to a veteran’s minimum contract.

Nuggets Notes: Mudiay, O’Bryant, Williams, Nurkic

January 26th, 2017 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn’t concerned about point guard Emmanuel Mudiay’s sore back, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post reports. Mudiay has missed three consecutive games but Malone doesn’t believe Mudiay will be sidelined much longer. “The treatment he’s been getting has been helping him, and all of the results from the testing coming back don’t show that there’s anything serious,” he told Dempsey. “So, that allows you to take a deep breath and say it’s not a long-term thing.”

In other developments regarding the Nuggets:

Forward Johnny O’Bryant received a 10-day contract on Thursday because the club needs frontcourt depth in the short term, Dempsey adds in the same story. Darrell Arthur, who has a knee issue, is among the big men who are nursing injuries, Dempsey adds. “I was talking to [Nuggets GM] Tim Connelly that it would be great to have another big here, ready, insurance,” Malone said to Dempsey. “If we have to play him and suit him up, he’s played in an NBA game, he has a skill – he can step out and shoot the ball.”
Guard Mo Williams has cleared waivers, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. The Nuggets claimed him for the second time on Monday because of salary floor implications. Denver will save over $1MM through its latest Williams transaction (Twitter links).
The Nuggets are trying to move center Jusuf Nurkic and could package him with Kenneth Faried to upgrade their backcourt, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News reports. Nurkic has drawn interest, in part because of his rookie contract, Deveney continues. But the Nuggets would either have to make it a multi-player swap, find a team below the cap, or involve a third team to make a trade work, Deveney adds.

Enes Kanter Fractures Forearm Punching Chair

January 26th, 2017 at 10:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

10:33 PM: Kanter will be out six to eight weeks, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).

10:00 PM: Thunder coach Billy Donovan told the media during his postgame press conference that Kanter suffered a fractured forearm, Wojnarowski tweets. Donovan said he would meet with Kanter before commenting on how the 6’11” center injured himself, Young tweets. No timetable has been established for Kanter’s return, according to Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman (Twitter link).

9:36 PM: Thunder center Enes Kanter, a leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, is feared to have fractured his right hand, sources told The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Kanter suffered the injury punching a chair on the bench in frustration after he was called for an offensive foul against the Mavericks on Thursday night.

He had X-rays on his wrist, ESPN.com’s Royce Young reports, and there is concern that the injury is significant pending further evaluation (Twitter link).

Kanter has arguably been the league’s most productive reserve this season, averaging 14.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG in 21.9 MPG. Kanter leads all centers with a Player Efficiency Rating of 24.76.

With Kanter out for an extended period, the Thunder will have to rely more heavily on starter Steven Adams. Joffrey Lauvergne will likely pick up the bulk of Kanter’s minutes off the bench. Nick Collison, 36, could also be in rotation mix after barely seeing the court this season.

Kanter has been very durable in recent years. He has played in every game this season and answered the bell every time last season, when he averaging 12.7 PPG and 8.1 RPG. He appeared in 75 combined games for the Jazz and Thunder two seasons ago, and played 80 games for Utah in 2013/14.

Austin Rivers Could Go If Clippers Trade For Carmelo

January 26th, 2017 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Combo guard Austin Rivers has been discussed in trade talks between the Knicks and Clippers regarding Carmelo Anthony, an NBA executive told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

The Clippers have emerged as a potential landing spot for Anthony but are apparently unwilling to part with any of their Big Three — Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan — to facilitate a trade.

The Knicks are known to think very favorably of Rivers, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, as they made a push to sign him during free agency, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register notes.

The son of coach Doc Rivers is enjoying a career year and his production has jumped since he joined the starting lineup. Rivers is averaging 17.7 PPG, 3.9 APG and 2.8 RPG over the last 14 games. He signed a three-year contract this summer to rejoin the Clippers with a starting salary of $11MM.

That alone won’t be nearly enough to match up salaries, as Anthony is making $24.6MM this season. Jamal Crawford, who is making $13.25MM, has also had his name tossed into trade discussions, according to Turner. J.J. Redick, who is making $7.38MM, is another logical candidate in potential trade scenarios, Amick adds.

Of course, Anthony would have to waive his no-trade clause to make any deal come to fruition.

One unnamed GM believes it will happen, telling Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net, “I’m betting he is playing next to Blake, Chris Paul and DeAndre right after (trade) deadline.” (Twitter link).

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