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Paul Millsap Opts Out Of Deal

May 22nd, 2017 at 11:26am CST by ChrisCrouse

Paul Millsap has opted out of his contract and will become a free agent, sources tell Shams Charania of The Vertical. Millsap previously said that this was likely to happen, so it comes as no surprise. He turned down a salary of slightly more than $21.4MM for next year.

Millsap has publicly expressed a desire to stay in Atlanta, though NBA.com’s David Aldridge recently reported that the 32-year-old may be more open to a change than he’s been leading on. Aldridge wrote that Millsap was among the team’s players who were unhappy with the team’s ” lack of accountability for other players who consistently made mistakes on the floor.” 

The power forward will be a top priority for the Hawks, Charania adds. Atlanta has openings at GM and team president after shifting Wes Wilcox to a new role and taking front office privileges away from coach Mike Budenholzer. The team will take the same strategy with Millsap regardless of who fills the openings, as he’ll negotiate directly with owner Tony Ressler as the sides discuss a new deal.

The Hawks have thrived since Millsap arrived in town. The team has gone 189-139 over the last four years and Charania notes that many around the league believe the power forward’s unselfishness has allowed the team’s system to work.

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Draft Notes: Kanter, Bucks, Swanigan

May 22nd, 2017 at 10:26am CST by ChrisCrouse

Kerem Kanter has withdrawn from the draft, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com tweets. Kanter, who is the younger brother of NBA player Enes Kanter, graduated from Green Bay and will play for Xavier this year.

Here’s more on the upcoming draft:

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Durant Talks Decision To Join Warriors, Future With Team

May 22nd, 2017 at 9:01am CST by ChrisCrouse

Kevin Durant recently spoke with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated to discuss his decision to join the Warriors and his future with the team. Here are the highlights from the piece:

On whether or not he has any regrets about leaving the Thunder:

I made the 100 percent correct decision, win or lose. I feel like this is the place I was supposed to be. I appreciate everything I’ve done before this. But I’m here now, and I feel like it’s a great spot for me to be. This is where I am supposed to be at this point of my life. I’m taking it on and conquering every part of it. I’m enjoying every single step.

On where he’ll be playing next season (He can become a free agent this summer by turning down the player option in his contract):

I love it here. I love my teammates. I love the city [of Oakland]. I love the organization. I love it here. I don’t plan on going anywhere else

On the criticism he received for making the decision to join the Warriors:

I try to play the right way and handle myself the right way. I am just confused as to why that stuff doesn’t matter more than what happens on Twitter or whatever the topic of discussion is each day. I think it takes away from what is most important: that ball and that basket, everything in between the lines. I don’t expect anyone who has never been there before to understand that.

On whether or not the criticism will ever stop:

Somebody is always going to disagree. Somebody is always going to discredit. It’s just a part of life. When you want to do it for each other and for friends and family, that’s when it’s purer than anything.

On the best thing about playing for the Warriors:

You have people here who realize that the most important thing is it’s a game. You have fun. But you also should be passionate and dedicated. That is what everybody’s vision is.

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Southeast Notes: Wizards’ Bench, Hawks’ FO, Winslow

May 21st, 2017 at 10:28pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards fell just shy of the Celtics in their Eastern Conference Semifinal showdown and now must look at ways to improve if they hope to take the next step as a potential contender. One place they can start, point guard John Wall tells Chris Miller of CSN Mid-Atlantic, is with their bench.

“I think we have to add pieces to help our bench,” the Wizards All-Star said. “Just to be honest I think that’s been our downfall.”

While Wall and shooting guard Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 27.2 and 24.8 respective points per game this postseason, mid-season trade acquisition Bojan Bogdanovic was their most potent reserve averaging a modest 8.8 points per game.

Brandon Jennings, another mid-season Wizards target charged with the task of jump-starting the second unit, posted averages of just 2.8 points and 1.8 assists per game in the playoffs.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • The Hawks have interviewed Wizards VP of basketball operations, Tommy Sheppard and Warriors assistant general manager Travis Schlenk in their ongoing search for a new executive, Marc Stein of ESPN writes.
  • A recent profile from the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman features Heat assistant general manager Adam Simon‘s and his background scouting internationally.
  • The Celtics may have offered a first-round pick to the Heat in exchange for Justise Winslow back on draft night in 2015 but it wasn’t the Nets pick, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel clarifies.
  • A column by George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel draws comparisons between Lonzo Ball and Shaquille O’Neal, citing the overbearing presence of their respective father figures.
  • The Magic have several options that could realistically be available to them at the No. 6 pick, including De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel breaks them down.
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Knicks Part Ways With Assistant Coach Josh Longstaff

May 21st, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Austin Kent

Despite the fact that the Knicks’ relationship with Kristaps Porzingis is already tenuous, the organization chose not to renew the contract of an assistant coach that he’s particularly close with, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.

The second-year big man had bonded with Josh Longstaff through his first two years in the league, the pair even training overseas together last summer.

The Knicks didn’t specify why they decided to part ways with the 34-year-old player development specialist, one of several holdovers from Derek Fisher‘s coaching staff prior to the 2016/17 campaign, but the decision is curious. Per Bondy, the Knicks are said to be moving forward with a heavy focus on the triangle all throughout the organization.

Knicks fans have already seen their front office clash with the 7’2″ budding star this offseason. Porzingis ditched his exit meeting with the team last month to head back to his native Latvia. Just this week, team president Phil Jackson and Porzingis’ brother supposedly connected to discuss the apparently strained relationship but the sit down isn’t said to have been very effective.

All told, the move is the latest questionable one out of a front office that has spent the better part of the past year denigrating Carmelo Anthony, though a top-down effort to more seriously implement the triangle may put things in perspective.

Rumored to be a candidate to fill the vacancy is former Knick Pablo Prigioni. The 40-year-old played in Europe this season but served with the Knicks for three seasons ending in 2014/15.

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Community Shootaround: Celtics’ Offseason Strategy

May 21st, 2017 at 7:32pm CST by Austin Kent

Reeling after two straight emphatic defeats against the Cavaliers and now without their best player for Games 3 and 4, the Celtics will have a long summer ahead of them to contemplate how they can maneuver ahead of LeBron James and company in the Eastern Conference.

Fortunately, the club is historically privileged to have the first overall pick in this summer’s stacked NBA Draft. No matter how hoops fans or league executives want to slice it, the Celtics are in an ideal situation, they can either hold onto the No. 1 pick and mold their already formidable roster around supposed future superstar Markelle Fultz or they can move the highly-sought-after draft pick in exchange for an established star.

Considering that the club is loaded with assets already, ranging from allegedly untouchable veteran center Al Horford to the 2016 third-overall pick Jaylen Brown, they’re not far removed from being the undisputed No. 2 team in their conference – the only question is how they’ll want to go about it.

Let’s take the grand creative leap and assume that the Celtics do meet their demise in this Conference Finals matchup, where do you think they should go from there? Does it make sense to flip the pick for a genuine, established star like Jimmy Butler or Paul George? Or is there little point in pushing to win now at the expense of setting themselves up long-term with Fultz?

LeBron James is 32 years old and likely has at least a handful of seasons left to rule the East, you tell us how the Celtics should look to approach their offseason given their multiple appealing possible options?

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Smart To Start In Lieu Of Thomas

May 21st, 2017 at 6:09pm CST by Austin Kent

The Celtics will have a tough time replacing the injured Isaiah Thomas for the remainder of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Cavaliers but don’t expect interim starter Marcus Smart to shy away from the opportunity.

“Everybody has to step up once again. This is an opportunity for everybody to make a bigger impact on the game,” Smart told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England. “It’s devastating not to have Isaiah. Not just because of his scoring ability, but just because he’s a big part of our team. He’s one of our brothers and he’s down. We understand it. We respect everything that he’s done. But now is the time for everybody else to step up.”

In 15 postseason games for the Celtics so far this season, Smart has averaged 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. More important than any statistical contribution, however, is his presence as a disruptive, physical force.

As we wrote yesterday, Thomas has been ruled out for the remainder of the postseason and Blakely shares that the guard will take the next few days to discuss his injury with hip specialists.

Blakely also notes that the absence of Thomas will allow rookie point guard Terry Rozier to see more time on the court, a bittersweet gift for the Ohio native.

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Draft Notes: Allen, Irvin, Magic

May 21st, 2017 at 4:58pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Frontcourt may not be the Bulls‘ biggest need, but if someone as talented as Jarrett Allen is available at No. 16, the team shouldn’t hesitate to go in that direction, Mark Strotman of Comcast Sportsnet contends. Strotman believes Allen could be the team’s next Joakim Noah. Chicago drafted Noah in 2007 even though Ben Wallace was under contract and it worked out long-term for the franchise.

Allen may not surpass current starting center Robin Lopez this season, but by the time his rookie contract is up, Allen could be one of the best big men in the league. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express has the Texas product as the 17th best prospect in his class.

Here’s more on the upcoming draft:

  • The Lakers recently met with Michigan’s Zak Irvin and the team was impressed with his workout, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Irvin will also work out for the Bucks later this week.
  • Pittsburg’s Jamel Artis will work out for the Lakers and Rockets later this week, Scotto reports in a separate tweet. Artis isn’t ranked in Givony’s top 100 prospects.
  • The Magic have several players scheduled to work out for the team on Tuesday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel passes along. Cal’s Ivan Rabb, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan, Villanova’s Josh Hart and Houston’s Damyean Dotson will all participate in Orlando’s workouts.
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Brandon Austin Cleared To Play In NBA, Worked Out For Sixers

May 21st, 2017 at 3:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

A “secret arbitration ruling” within the league is helping Brandon Austin to have an opportunity to play in the NBA, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Austin faced separate sexual assault allegations at two schools—Oregon and Providence—during his collegiate career and while he was never charged a crime, he was kicked off of both basketball teams.

Last summer, the league sent a memo to all 30 franchises which instructed any team interested in signing either Austin or another unnamed player to call the NBA office, sources tell Lowe. Teams that called the league were told about the allegations and the teams were warned that the two players could face discipline once they signed with a club.

The National Basketball Players Association felt the league had overstepped its boundaries. It filed an arbitration claim and the arbitrator agreed that the NBA could not fine or suspend players for allegations which occurred prior to entering the league. The league then sent a follow-up memo to all teams which told teams that it had the authority to “disapprove” any contract of a player based on Adam Silver’s broad authority. The league’s constitution states that “all players shall be of good moral character.”

In all, the ruling stated that the league can reject any contract, but can not impose punishment for a prior act once a contract is signed.

Austin worked out with the Sixers last week, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The 6’7″ point guard previously talked to Pompey about the past allegations, stating that “everything was consensual.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Austin told Pompey last summer. “The intention wasn’t wrong. I just made a mistake. A lot of people make mistakes. I just grew from it, and I continue to [grow] today.”

The Sixers told Pompey that they are only making their gym available for Austin as they have and will do for local NBA and D-League players this summer.

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Dion Waiters Wants To Remain With Heat

May 21st, 2017 at 2:20pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Dion Waiters holds a $3MM player option to remain with the Heat for the 2017/18 season. He’s likely to turn that down, but it doesn’t mean he’s looking for a new team.

“I want to be there,” Waiters said of Miami on The Hochman and Crowder Show on WQAM (h/t Anthony Chiang of the Palm Beach Post). “When that time comes and we sit down, we just got to make it happen. Let’s get it over with as quick as possible.”

The Philadelphia native cites “Heat culture” as a reason he wants to return to South Beach next season.

“The things that they preach to us and really speaking it into existence, and being able to really buy in and see the results,” Waiters added. “I think once you start seeing the results, you start to trust the process more. That was my whole thing. My thing was about seeing the results. When I listen and I’m locked in, you see the results. And as far as my body, just being able to maintain the weight that I lost to help my play was huge for me.”

Waiters had a productive year one in Miami. He scored 15.8 points per contest and Chaing envisions him signing a contract with annual values around $15MM. The shooting guard made just under $3MM this season and he’s made slightly under $20MM during his five-year career.

Miami can carve out approximately $38MM in cap room this summer. Pat Riley has been known to chase stars and if one wants to join the Heat on a max contract, the team wouldn’t have the flexibility to add Waiters on a lucrative deal. Despite the threat of a bigger fish joining the team, the 25-year-old is optimistic about his chances of returning to the franchise.

“I think I’ll be back [with the Heat],” Waiters said. “We just got to make it work and hopefully everything can come together full circle.”

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