2017 May | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Adams, Hill, Huestis

May 7th, 2017 at 8:00pm CST by Austin Kent

When Steven Adams next takes the court for the Thunder he’ll be paid $22.4MM, Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman writes. This year, in contrast, the big man made just $3.1MM. Don’t think that the dramatic change in salary will automatically correspond with a dramatic change in production, however, Dawson writes.

“I think Steven’s effectiveness, so much of it is in the things he already does,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. That, of course, includes stellar rim protection, effective pick-and-roll defense and the occasional offensive support without demanding the ball every possession.

Dawson discusses Adams’ adjustment to being the main man on defense, something he didn’t have to deal with while Serge Ibaka was his teammate up until last summer.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Immediately after his elimination from the postseason, Damian Lillard coordinated a gesture where he and his Trail Blazers teammates would divvy up their $16K playoff bonuses across all of the team personnel that work for the franchise, Jason Quick of CSN Northwest writes.
An injury to point guard George Hill has limited any impact the Jazz could hope to have on the Warriors, Randy Hollis of the Deseret News writes. The veteran has missed Games 2 and 3 thus far and head coach Quin Snyder said his effectiveness would be limited even if he tried to return.
It’s no easier to determine forward Josh Huestis‘ future with the Thunder, Erik Horne of the Oklahoman writes, because the 2014 first-rounder didn’t play enough to make much of an impression.

Atlantic Notes: Goodwin, Porzingis, Olynyk

May 7th, 2017 at 6:28pm CST by Austin Kent

The Nets may have stumbled upon a building block when they inked Archie Goodwin to a two-year deal following a pair of 10-day contracts this season. The feeling is mutual, a Nets Daily report suggests.

“I can grow with this team, grow with the staff and organization,” the 22-year-old recently told the media. Though the combo guard was waived by both the Suns and the Pelicans in 2016/17, he arrived with the Nets as an intriguing source of potential.

After spending one year with Kentucky, Goodwin opted to enter the 2013 draft and was selected toward the end of the first round. In 12 games with the Nets this year, Goodwin’s minutes were limited but he flashed his potential with 18.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per 36 minutes.

“They’re actually going to give me an opportunity and this summer is going to be a big, big summer for me. I’m going to take advantage of it,” Goodwin said of the Nets.

Goodwin’s deal with the Nets has a team option for 2017/18 and becomes partially guaranteed on opening night.

After a cryptic tweet referencing the Clippers was published from his account, Kristaps Porzingis claims that he was hacked. The Knicks big man tweeted his explanation on Sunday.
The Celtics will have to make a tough decision this summer, choosing whether to build their future around the star who has led them to one of their best finishes in years or commit to one of the prized point guards eligible in this year’s draft. Basketball Insiders’ Moke Hamilton breaks down the scenario in his latest feature.
Although he’s been involved in several incidents, the most recent culminating in a Kelly Oubre Jr. suspension after the guard took offense to a hard screen, Kelly Olynyk insists that he’s not a dirty player. A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England discusses the incident that transpired in the Celtics–Wizards series.

Community Shootaround: Raptors’ Free Agents

May 7th, 2017 at 4:51pm CST by marksuleymanov

As the Cavaliers attempt to complete a sweep of the Raptors in Toronto, the Raps could be experiencing their final moments with Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, Serge Ibaka, and Patrick Patterson playing north of the border.

Lowry, in particular, likely won’t go out on a high note, having missed Games 3 and 4 due to a left ankle sprain. The 31-year-old was also sidelined for 18 games due to right wrist surgery toward the end of the 2016/17 campaign, so he enters free agency as a dynamic guard who is north of 30, coming off an injury-riddled season.

Still, Lowry has averaged 18.2 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 4.7 RPG over the past five seasons in Toronto, racking up three consecutive All-Star appearances. Also, the Villanova University product set career-highs in PPG (22.4) and RPG (4.8) while adding solid totals in APG (7.0) through 60 games this season. Premium facilitators are coveted in today’s game and Lowry has been one of the game’s best at his position.

After spending his first seven seasons with the Thunder, Ibaka split 2016/17 between the Magic and Raptors. Ibaka is regarded as one of the NBA’s premier defenders and while his blocks have seen a drop, his RPG (6.8) were identical to last season and he posted his best PPG total (14.8) since 2013/14. Still just 27 years old without a history of serious injuries, the versatile swingman will be plenty popular on the market.

Much like Ibaka, Tucker was a trade deadline acquisition, but was acquired more for his defensive intensity and rebounding. With 11 professional seasons under his belt at 32 years old, Tucker figures to draw interest as a solid reserve, a role he has excelled in since returning to the NBA in 2012/13. In 81 games between the Suns and Raptors this season, Tucker posted totals of 6.7 PPG and 5.8 RPG.

Finally, Patterson has — just like Tucker — been a solid role player in recent seasons, the last three-and-a-half as a member of the Raptors. This season, Patterson averaged 6.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG through 65 games (eight starts). At 28, he still has relative youth on his side and will have no shortage of suitors.

With four departures there are major questions to be answered: Will the Raptors let Lowry walk and lose All-Star level production from a position of strength? Is Ibaka worth a long-term investment? Also, will Toronto be willing to pay above average salaries to career reserves who contribute solid, yet unspectacular, numbers?

Share your thoughts on the Raptors’ offseason outlook in the comments section below!

Southeast Notes: Kanter, Millsap, Bogdanovic, Magic

May 7th, 2017 at 3:24pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Thunder may look to free up cap space this summer to lure a superstar free agent to pair with possible 2017 MVP Russell Westbrook. Trading big man Enes Kanter could be one option, as he’s owed $17.9MM next season; however, the Heat would likely not be a trade partner, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel says in his latest Ask Ira column.

Winderman is asked if a potential Tyler Johnson-for-Kanter swap makes sense given both players’ lofty contracts. However, Johnson will make just $5.9MM next season, so a hypothetical swap would cut down Miami’s cap space from $37MM to $25MM next season. Also, the Heat will likely pursue new deals with James Johnson and Dion Waiters, and committing significant dollars to Kanter is not conducive to keeping that core intact.

While the allure of having Hassan Whiteside and Kanter manning the frontcourt sounds enticing, Winderman notes that neither man is an outside shooter, which would clog the paint for the Heat.

Here are additional tidbits of news from the Southeast:

A state of disarray surrounding the Hawks since 2013 has led to a flurry of roster-altering moves. Now, with Paul Millsap entering free agency, the team faces a major decision: dedicate significant dollars to re-sign a productive, but aging player or move on and construct a younger, more cost-effective team, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes. If Millsap departs, O’Connor notes that a frustrated and declining Dwight Howard would become the team’s primary option and recent history suggests he’s not suited for that role.
After two tough losses to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Wizards coach Scott Brooks decided to play Bojan Bogdanovic more in Game 3, yielding strong results, per J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The former Nets forward, who will be a free agent this summer, scored 19 points in 29 minutes in Washington’s Game 3 win, prompting Brooks to admit he made a mistake not playing the sharpshooter more often. “I guess I should have gone on Twitter a few games ago, right? He’s a good player. I made a mistake, I only played him eight minutes,” Brooks quipped. “The way the game was going, we were up, things were going good and we had a chance to win the game. He’s been in a lot of big games, he’s made a lot of big shots and he’s done that for us this year.”
Magic interim general manager Matt Lloyd has an unenviable task of rebuilding the Orlando franchise, replacing former GM Rob Hennigan and assistant GM Scott Perry, who were fired in mid-April. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel examines Lloyd’s decorated journey in basketball, which has included working several jobs in college, befriending key cogs in the Bulls’ 1990s dynasty and earning trust among his peers. Now, he’s prepared to earn that same trust leading the Magic. “I have a responsibility to our staff,” Lloyd said to Robbins of his role as interim GM. “I know I have a responsibility to the coaches. I have a responsibility to the players. And I have a responsibility to the organization. So every day I have the job, I’m just going to do the job. And I’m not going to worry about trying to get the job.”

Kyle Lowry Will Miss Game 4 Due To Ankle Sprain

May 7th, 2017 at 1:44pm CST by marksuleymanov

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry will miss Sunday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cavaliers due to a left ankle sprain, according to the team’s official Twitter account.

Lowry missed Game 3 of the series due to the troublesome ankle and admitted to NBA.com that trying to play through the injury may have made it worse. The 31-year-old received treatment on the ankle yesterday and today but it did not improve enough to play in today’s potentially series-ending game.

The Cavaliers have dominated the Raptors in the postseason, winning by double-digits in each of the semifinals’ first three contests. Lowry contributed a double-double (20 points, 11 assists) in Game 1 and another productive outing (20 points, five assists) in Game 2 before going down with the injury.

Injuries have been an issue for Lowry this season as he missed 18 games late in the year due to surgery on an ailing right wrist. All told, the Villanova University product set career-highs in PPG (22.4) and RPG (4.8) while adding solid totals in APG (7.0) through 60 games.

Lowry is set to hit free agency after the season and if the Cavaliers sweep the series — or the ankle injury prevents him from playing if the series continues — the longtime Raptors point guard may have played his last game with Toronto.

Central Notes: Pritchard, Drummond, Korver, Lue

May 7th, 2017 at 12:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

New Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard promises to bring an aggressive approach to the job, according to Michael Marot of the Associated Press. Pritchard, who took over when Larry Bird officially resigned this week, can now implement the ideas that he used to advocate to his former boss. “I think you have to be bold in this position,” Pritchard said. “I like interchanging pieces, I like moving around in the draft, I want to be aggressive, I want to make deals.” Pritchard will have to deal with the impending free agency of Jeff Teague and possibly C.J. Miles and Lavoy Allen as well. Of course, his biggest decision will be whether to trade All-Star forward Paul George, who can opt out next summer.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Pistons center Andre Drummond recently had surgery to fix a deviated septum that caused breathing problems for the past four years, relays Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. “[I’ve] been playing with my right nostril for four years because I ended up [injuring my nose] some more after my second season,” Drummond said. “I never really had a chance to really sit down and do a surgery. Last year, we made the playoffs and the year before that, I went to the Olympics. It was really tough for me to be out for six weeks and not be able to do anything.” The Pistons signed Drummond to a max deal last summer, but have reportedly been gauging his trade value because of concerns over his work ethic.
Kyle Korver is delivering in the playoffs the way the Cavaliers hoped when they traded for him in January, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. He scored 14 points in the Game 3 win at Toronto, with most coming as Cleveland pulled away in the second half. “When [Korver] steps on the floor, eyes have to be on him,” said LeBron James. “… Just his ability to be out on the floor just helps us all out offensively because it just creates more space. From the time we got him all the way to now, and as we continue to play throughout the postseason, he’s been huge for our ballclub.”
Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com examines the delicate balancing act that Cleveland’s Tyronn Lue must perform as the coach of one of the NBA’s most talented teams.

Weekly Mailbag: 5/1/17 – 5/7/17

May 7th, 2017 at 12:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:

Assuming the Raptors lose today, what coaching candidates would fit in Canada if Dwane Casey is cut loose? — Darrell Samuels, via Twitter

NBA coaches are on a historically long run with no one getting fired, and Casey doesn’t deserve to be the one to break it. He is 261-215 since taking over in Toronto six years ago and had three straight Atlantic Division titles before this season. The problem is that he can’t get past the Cavaliers in the playoffs, but it’s not his fault that the other guys have LeBron James and he doesn’t. If the Raptors decide to axe Casey, the obvious candidate is waiting in the D-League. Jerry Stackhouse just led Toronto 905 to the league title and seems ready for opportunity to be an NBA head coach. A former assistant with the Raptors, Stackhouse was named D-League Coach of the Year this season and is probably viewed by the organization as Casey’s eventual replacement, whether that’s right away or somewhere down the road.

Who will be the “under the radar” free agent getting the most attention this summer? — Grizz Tony, via Twitter

Joe Ingles is a name that a lot of NBA fans may not know, but his contributions helped the Jazz reach the final four in the West. The third-year small forward averaged 7.1 points and 3.2 rebounds this season, but those numbers don’t tell the full story. He shot 44% from 3-point range and is a rugged defender who isn’t afraid to take on the toughest challenges. Ingles will be a restricted free agent, and although Utah would like to keep him, the organization will have other priorities with Gordon Hayward and George Hill both on the market. Toronto’s Patrick Patterson and P.J. Tucker could also be considered “under the radar,” along with Cavaliers guard Deron Williams, Heat center Willie Reed and Clippers forward Marreese Speights.

If the Jazz get swept in the second round, what are the chances that Gordon Hayward leaves in free agency? — Todd L., via Twitter

Utah will have a max offer ready for Hayward any time he wants to sign it, but there will be competitors lurking once he hits the open market. The Heat and Pacers are rumored to have interest in the All-Star small forward, and the Celtics seem like a natural fit with Hayward’s connections to Brad Stevens, his college coach. However, the Jazz have the advantage of being able to offer more money and more years, and Hayward seems happy to be part of the team they’re building in Utah. Look for him to re-sign, and probably very early.

D’Antoni, Spoelstra Share New Coaching Award

May 7th, 2017 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Houston’s Mike D’Antoni and Miami’s Erik Spoelstra have been announced as co-recipients of the NBA Coaches Association’s first Coach of the Year Award, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The award is determined by a vote of NBA coaches and is named for Michael H. Goldberg, the longtime director of the organization.

D’Antoni led the Rockets to a 55-27 record and the third seed in the West in his first year in Houston. He turned James Harden into a point guard and unleashed a powerful offense that set a record for most 3-pointers made in a season.

Spoelstra rallied the Heat after a terrible start and led them to a 41-41 record, just missing a playoff berth on a tie-breaker. He was able to reconfigure the lineup in Miami after the loss of Dwyane Wade to free agency and Chris Bosh to a blood clot condition.

The media’s choice for Coach of the Year will be announced at the NBA’s awards show on June 26th.

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Lowry, Saric, Sixers

May 7th, 2017 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

A spokesman for Kristaps Porzingis is blaming hackers for the mysterious tweet that appeared Saturday on his account, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The message read “LA Clippers” with three smiley faces, prompting speculation that Porzingis has a desire to be traded to Los Angeles. It was deleted a few seconds later. His representative says Porzingis was asleep when the tweet was posted and he believes the account was hacked.

There’s more this morning from the Atlantic Division:

This summer could bring major changes to the Raptors, including the departure of Kyle Lowry and coach Dwane Casey, writes Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun. The Raptors trail the Cavaliers 3-0 heading into today’s Game 4, and there is speculation that a second-round exit won’t be enough to keep the team together. Lowry is expected to opt out of his $12MM deal and become a free agent after an injury-filled season. He described himself as “probably doubtful” for today’s game with a sprained left ankle, the latest in a list of ailments that also included back problems and wrist surgery. Lowry has three straight All-Star appearances, but he turned 31 in March and the Raptors will have to decide if he’s worth a long-term investment. Casey has a .548 winning percentage in his six years in Toronto, but team president Masai Ujiri may decide the team needs a different presence on its bench.
Rookie of the Year candidate Dario Saric remembers the anxiety he felt on the plane trip from Croatia to Philadelphia, relays Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. “I was nervous,” he said. “I feel like I am coming in NBA, this is it now. I cannot go back anymore.” The Sixers waited two years for Saric to join the team after acquiring his rights in a 2014 trade with Orlando. He didn’t disappoint, averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 81 games.
The Sixers need more than just another successful draft to become contenders, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey examines the way other teams have been constructed and notes that there is usually a mixture of draft picks, trades and free agency signings. Philadelphia enters the May 16th lottery with the fourth-worst record and about a one in three chance of landing a top three pick. The Sixers will also receive the Lakers’ selection if it falls out of the top three.

Kerr Undergoes Spinal Cord Leak Procedure

May 7th, 2017 at 8:48am CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors coach Steve Kerr had a spinal cord leak procedure on Friday, according to Anthony Slater of The Bay Area News Group.

Team owner Joe Lacob told Bloomberg Radio the procedure was performed at Duke Medical Center, and the prospects for Kerr’s return to the bench remain uncertain. Kerr has missed the past five games with lingering complications from his back surgery in 2015.

Lacob explained that the “dura around the spinal cord” was nicked during that operation, which led to severe headaches and other symptoms.

“Unfortunately usually they patch that with a blood patch and it’s over,” Lacob said. “Either in a week or month. Whatever. And in his case for whatever reason they just haven’t been able to solve that problem. Hopefully it was solved yesterday he had another procedure. It’s gone on for nearly two years. Very unusual I believe. I have a medical background so I know a little bit about this. I’ve never really heard of many people having this problem for this long.

“We feel really bad for him, the players, everybody understands it. We just have to be in his court here and support whatever it takes for him to get back and I’m sure they will eventually solve it. Hopefully sooner rather than later and hopefully we’ll have him coaching on the court sooner rather than later.”

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