Month: November 2024

Raptors Tender Qualifying Offer To Nando De Colo

June 30th, 2017 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have issued a qualifying offer to Nando De Colo, ensuring that he’ll be a restricted free agent, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Unlike other free agents who have received qualifying offers this month, De Colo didn’t play in the NBA last season. In fact, his last NBA appearance came during the 2013/14 season for Toronto. The 6’5″ guard has spent the last several seasons with CSKA Moscow and doesn’t appear poised to return to the NBA anytime soon.

As such, the Raptors’ QO is purely a bookkeeping move in order to retain their rights to De Colo. If he does decide to return to the NBA at some point, the Raptors will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives. While De Colo’s QO counts against the cap for now, Toronto won’t be on the hook for any extra money at season’s end, assuming the 30-year-old remains overseas.

Eastern FA Rumors: Bulls, Teodosic, Nets, Raptors

June 30th, 2017 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets were considered the frontrunners in the Milos Teodosic sweepstakes for much of the year, but point guard became less of a priority for the team after last week’s D’Angelo Russell, opening the door for another NBA team to make a play for Teodosic. According to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter), that team may be Chicago — Jones has heard the Bulls are “close” to reaching a deal with the EuroLeague star.

If the Bulls end up finalizing a deal with Teodosic, he would be the team’s third major point guard addition of 2017. Chicago also acquired Cameron Payne in a trade with Oklahoma City at the deadline, and landed Kris Dunn from Minnesota in last week’s Jimmy Butler blockbuster.

Here are a few more free agency rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

The Wizards and Pistons are bracing for the Nets to make a strong push on restricted free agents Otto Porter and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, respectively, tweets ESPN’s Marc Stein. Although those players have somewhat similar skill-sets, the Nets aren’t focused on filling a specific need or position in free agency, as head coach Kenny Atkinson tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
The Raptors‘ brass will likely meet with agent Andy Miller in Orlando this weekend, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter link). Miller represents both Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, Toronto’s top two free agents, who figure to be a part of those meetings as well.
Rudy Gay has been linked to the Heat in the past, but Miami isn’t currently among the teams to arrange a free agent meeting with him this weekend, a source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
Asked if the Knicks were still be seeking free agents who fit into a specific system, head coach Jeff Hornacek suggested this week that the team’s focus will be more on talent than system fit, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com. That sounds like good news for free agents who weren’t fond on Phil Jackson‘s triangle.

Top 50 NBA Free Agents Of 2017

June 30th, 2017 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s new league year will officially begin on Saturday at 12:01 am eastern time, and while this year’s free agent period may not be as wild as last year’s, when the salary cap jumped by $24MM, there are several teams with the ability to splash around this July, and several players worth significant investments.

Listed below are our top 50 free agents for the 2017/18 NBA season. The players on this list will definitely become free agents on July 1 (or are free agents already), which is why we haven’t included any players who may remain under their current contracts. Rajon Rondo, for instance, is considered likely to be waived, but could still be traded or retained, so he’s on our list.

Our rankings take into account both a player’s short-term and long-term value. If we were to consider solely a player’s worth for the 2017/18 season, veterans like Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol would likely place higher, while younger free agents with upside, such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Nerlens Noel would be ranked a little lower.

In addition to the 50 players listed below, there are plenty of other notable free agents available this summer. You can check out our breakdowns of free agents by position/type and by team for the full picture.

Here are our top 50 free agents of 2017:

1. Kevin Durant, F (Warriors)
2. Stephen Curry, G (Warriors)
Durant and Curry stand on their own above the rest of 2017’s free agent class. They’re both former MVPs. They’re both members of the NBA champion Warriors. And they’re both not going anywhere this summer. The NBA offseason is unpredictable, and anything could happen once the new league year opens on Saturday and Durant and Curry officially become free agents. But the expectation is that the duo will have no desire to talk to any team besides Golden State. Because the Warriors hold Curry’s Bird rights, he’s expected to get a five-year deal worth the max ($200MM+) if he wants it, while Durant will likely sign a shorter-term pact, possibly worth a little less than the max.

3. Gordon Hayward, F (Jazz)
An effective scorer heading into 2016/17, Hayward elevated his game to another level in his contract year, earning his first All-Star nod and averaging a career-high 21.9 PPG. Hayward contributes on both ends of the floor and is an efficient scorer, with a shooting line of .471/.398/.844 last season — he’s also just 27 years old, meaning his next contract should cover his prime years. Hayward’s choice this summer appears likely to come down to a move to South Beach, a reunion with his former coach Brad Stevens in Boston, or a return to Utah with a rising Jazz team coming off a 51-win season.

4. Blake Griffin, F/C (Clippers)
Griffin had been on track to hit free agency alongside fellow star Clipper Chris Paul, but CP3 unexpectedly opted into the final year of his contract as part of a trade to the Rockets this week, making Griffin’s situation more intriguing. It’s not clear yet if Paul’s departure will make Griffin more or less likely to return to Los Angeles, but it will be interesting to see how high the Clippers and other suitors are willing to go. Griffin is certainly worth a maximum salary offer based on talent alone, but his injury history will make teams proceed with caution — the former first overall pick has averaged just 54 regular season games played over the last three seasons.

5. Paul Millsap, F/C (Hawks)
Few NBA big men have been as reliably productive over the last several seasons as Millsap, who has made the All-Star squad four years in a row. He can rebound, protect the rim a little, and even stretch the floor, though his three-point percentage slipped to 31.1% in 2016/17. The only thing standing in the way of a max contract for Millsap is his age — he’ll turn 33 next February. He should still land a lucrative new deal, but it sounds like the Hawks are prepared for another team to outbid them.

6. Kyle Lowry, G (Raptors)
With Paul no longer headed for free agency and Curry a lock to re-sign with the Warriors, Lowry might be the best point guard on the market. In a way, Lowry is the backcourt version of Millsap, having played his best ball in recent years, including a career-high 22.4 PPG and his third straight All-Star appearance in 2016/17. However, his earning power also may be limited by his age (he’ll turn 32 next season), and by the fact that many of the teams with cap room and a need for a point guard are non-contenders — Lowry has said competing for a championship will be a top priority.

7. Serge Ibaka, F/C (Raptors)
Ibaka is no longer the dominant rim protector that he was during his prime years in Oklahoma City, when he led the NBA in blocks in consecutive seasons. However, he has developed into a legitimate outside threat, setting new career bests in three-point percentage (39.1%) and threes per game (1.6) in 2016/17. If he were able to combine his old skills on defense with his new ability to spread the floor, Ibaka would rank even higher on this list. As is, he’s still a versatile big man who will turn just 28 years old in the fall (though some teams reportedly believe he’s older) and should have plenty of productive years ahead of him.

8. Otto Porter, F (Wizards) (RFA)
Porter didn’t quite give the Wizards a Big Three alongside John Wall and Bradley Beal this season, but he has steadily increased his PPG, RPG, FG%, and 3PT% in each of his four NBA seasons, posting an incredibly efficient .516/.434/.832 shooting line in 2016/17. Porter just turned 24 this month, meaning there’s still room for further growth, which makes him one of the most valuable three-and-D players on the market. Unless they can somehow find an upgrade at small forward, the Wizards are unlikely to let Porter get away in restricted free agency.

9. George Hill, G (Jazz)
Hill was a perfect fit in Utah, comfortably establishing a new career high in PPG (16.9) despite playing fewer minutes per game than he did with the Pacers. Hill played solid defense and shot over 40% from downtown for a second straight season, and his ability to play off the ball in addition to running the point makes him a valuable backcourt piece for virtually any team. The knocks on Hill are his age (31) and his injury issues — he had a hard time staying on the court for the Jazz, battling multiple injuries and appearing in just 49 regular season games and eight (of 11) postseason contests.

10. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G (Pistons) (RFA)
Caldwell-Pope’s career trajectory is somewhat discouraging — his per-minute numbers in his fourth NBA season were virtually identical to those in his second and third seasons, suggesting he’s not taking the sort of steps forward that the Pistons may have expected. Still, he’s a reliable secondary option on offense, particularly from the outside, and his strong perimeter defense boosts his value. At just 24 years old, Caldwell-Pope still could be in line for a jump in his offensive production, which would make him one of the NBA’s more valuable two-way wings. At least one team is likely to gamble on that potential this offseason, forcing the Pistons to make a tough decision on an offer sheet.

11. Andre Iguodala, G/F (Warriors)
Iguodala, who finished a close second to Eric Gordon in Sixth Man of the Year voting this year, no longer racks up points like he did during his days in Philadelphia, but that’s partly because he’s no longer asked to. Since joining the Warriors, Iguodala has been a Swiss army knife, doing a little bit of everything, whether that means distributing the ball, making threes, or guarding the top scorer on the opposing roster. Iguodala is 33 years old, so a team that makes him a long-term offer may come to regret the last year or two on that contract. But he’s the sort of reliable veteran leader who will draw a ton of interest on the open market, as teams look to pry him away from the defending champs.

12. Danilo Gallinari, F (Nuggets)
Staying healthy has been the primary challenge for Gallinari, who is one of the league’s most talented scoring forwards when he’s on the court and playing at his best. Gallinari’s modest rebounding numbers and his inability to stay on the floor for a full season may diminish his value to some extent, but he’s essentially a more dynamic version of Ryan Anderson, albeit perhaps with a little less range — and a little more defensive talent. Considering Anderson landed an $80MM deal last summer, Gallinari should do pretty well for himself too.

13. Nerlens Noel, C (Mavericks) (RFA)
An overcrowded center situation in Philadelphia didn’t really give Noel a chance to show what he could do when he returned to the Sixers’ lineup in 2016/17. However, his 2015/16 numbers (11.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG) reflected his ability to be a defensive difference-maker. The Mavericks sound confident they’ll retain the 23-year-old in restricted free agency, and assuming he returns to Dallas, he won’t have a pair of recent lottery picks sharing minutes with him like he did in Philadelphia.

14. Jrue Holiday, G (Pelicans)
15. Jeff Teague, G (Pacers)
Holiday and Teague highlight the second tier of free agent point guards. Neither player has an elite skill that jumps out when you watch him play, but both guys are reliable veterans capable of getting their teammates involved and scoring a key basket or two when it’s needed. As long as the price tag isn’t too high, they’ll be solid investments for a team in need of a point guard this offseason. Of the two, the 27-year-old Holiday is probably more likely to earn a bigger payday and to return to his current team.

16. J.J. Redick, G (Clippers)
This year’s shooting guard market is a weak one, which is good news for Redick, who looks to be the top unrestricted option at the position. Redick is 33 years old, and isn’t the type of player who will create this own shot. However, he’s one of the NBA’s very best three-point specialists, having made 44.0% of his outside attempts since joining the Clippers four years ago. And he’s not a turnstile on defense either. There’s no shortage of NBA teams that would love to add a sharpshooter of Redick’s caliber, so he has a great opportunity to land one last huge contract this summer.

17. Derrick Rose, G (Knicks)
Rose will almost certainly never return to his MVP form, and his first season in New York wasn’t a real success on the court or off it. His outside shooting was also worse than ever in 2016/17 (.217 3PT%) and he didn’t distribute the ball all that effectively. Despite all these strikes against him, Rose is an intriguing target for teams in need of a point guard. Given how flooded the market is with free agents at the position, he likely won’t be quite as expensive as the top guys, and he still has the ability to create his own shot and get to the basket seemingly at will. His skill-set won’t appeal to every team, but at least one club will be willing to take a shot.

18. Rudy Gay, F (Kings)
Gay’s free agent stock is complicated by the fact that he’s recovering from a season-ending Achilles injury. While he expects to be good to go for the start of the 2017/18 season, that will be a quick turnaround, and teams may be wary of his ability to get back to 100% right away. If injury concerns cool off Gay’s market, he may ultimately settle for a short-term deal in order to prove he’s healthy and return to free agency in a year or two. Assuming the Achilles holds up and Gay can be his old self again, he’s one of the most reliable scorers available. The 30-year-old has averaged between 17.2 and 21.1 PPG in each of the last 10 seasons.

19. Andre Roberson, F (Thunder) (RFA)
Roberson may be the free agent whose value is most difficult to pin down. His ability on the defensive end of the court makes up entirely for his lack of offensive game — few perimeter defenders in the NBA can shut down an opposing team’s top wing like Roberson can. However, he can barely make a free throw (.423 FT%), let alone a three-point shot (.245 3PT%), making him a real liability on offense at times. Roberson is still just 25 years old, and if there’s a team out there convinced it can improve his shot, he’d be worth a significant investment. It remains to be seen if the Thunder will let him get away, however.

20. Mason Plumlee, C (Nuggets) (RFA)
The Trail Blazers received a ton of praise for “winning” a February trade with Denver that sent Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick to Portland, and that praise was well-deserved. But the Nuggets like Plumlee, one of the two pieces they got back in that deal, and will make a strong effort to bring him back in restricted free agency. Plumlee averaged 10.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.1 BPG in 81 total games between Portland and Denver, showing that he has the ability to be an offensive playmaker without sacrificing his rebounding or rim protection. He’ll be an excellent backup for Nikola Jokic, or a capable starting center with another team.

21. Dion Waiters, G (Heat)
22. Kelly Olynyk, C (Celtics) (RFA)
23. James Johnson, F (Heat)
24. Dirk Nowitzki, F/C (Mavericks)
25. Patty Mills, G (Spurs)
26. Shaun Livingston, G (Warriors)
27. Tony Snell, G/F (Bucks) (RFA)
28. Jonathon Simmons, G (Spurs) (RFA)
29. Pau Gasol, F/C (Spurs)
30. Joe Ingles, F (Jazz) (RFA)

This set of players was tricky to rank, given all the different factors at play in their respective free agencies. Nowitzki, Livingston, and Gasol are productive veterans who many not land long-term deals. Waiters and Johnson are coming off breakout years, and should parlay their performances into substantial raises.

Meanwhile, the appeal of Olynyk, Mills, Snell, Simmons, and Ingles is more about potential and promise than past production. Simmons, in particular, is a wild card — I expect his play in the postseason and his time with the Spurs will earn him a big payday, but his regular season track record is unspectacular.

31. JaMychal Green, F (Grizzlies) (RFA)
32. Milos Teodosic, G (CSKA Moscow)
33. P.J. Tucker, G/F (Raptors)
34. Zach Randolph, F/C (Grizzlies)
35. Darren Collison, G (Kings)
36. Patrick Patterson, F/C (Raptors)
37. Tim Hardaway Jr., G/F (Hawks) (RFA)
38. Dewayne Dedmon, C (Spurs)
39. Bojan Bogdanovic, F (Wizards) (RFA)
40. Nikola Mirotic, F (Bulls) (RFA)

Of this group, I’ll be most curious to see what sort of deals Teodosic and Dedmon receive. Teodosic is a EuroLeague star and his skills should translate stateside, but he’s an NBA unknown and will likely require a significant multiyear investment.

As for Dedmon, while his role with the Spurs was somewhat limited, he’s the sort of rebounding and rim-protecting young big man that should draw interest from several teams. He won’t get a payday like Timofey Mozgov or Ian Mahinmi did a year ago, but Dedmon should be in line for a major raise.

41. Taj Gibson, F/C (Thunder)
42. Kyle Korver, F (Cavaliers)
43. Tony Allen, G/F (Grizzlies)
44. Ersan Ilyasova, F (Hawks)
45. Manu Ginobili, G (Spurs)
46. Nene, C (Rockets)
47. C.J. Miles, G/F (Pacers)
48. Aron Baynes, C (Pistons)
49. Ian Clark, G (Warriors)
50. Tyreke Evans, G (Kings)

A group made up primarily of veteran role players rounds out our top 50. One name to watch here is Clark. He never had a major role in Golden State on the Warriors’ star-studded roster, but NBA executives reportedly believe he’s in line for a significant payday this summer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Lowe’s Latest: George, Hayward, Ibaka, Gallinari

June 30th, 2017 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

A proposed scenario that would see the Celtics sign Gordon Hayward, trade for Paul George, and sign George to a contract extension isn’t realistic, writes Zach Lowe in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Lowe points out, there would be no reason for George to re-up with Boston right away in that scenario unless he could renegotiate a maximum salary, and it would be extremely difficult for the C’s to accommodate such a deal without moving Al Horford.

Knowing that if they acquire George, he could be a rental, the Celtics have thus far been unwilling to include Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, or the Lakers’ 2018 first-rounder in any of their offers to Indiana, Lowe reports. Lowe’s best guess at Boston’s offer is a package that would include Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and one of the team’s other first-round picks. The C’s will be reluctant to go much higher than that, given their fear that George could leave in 2018 — Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times wrote on Thursday night that the Pacers forward is still telling friends he expects to be a Laker in 2018.

While George could just be a one-year rental, the Celtics have competition for him. According to Lowe, the Wizards would likely be willing to sign-and-trade Otto Porter and include a first-round pick. The Cavaliers would swap Kevin Love straight up, though that doesn’t interest Indiana much, per Lowe. If the Nuggets get involved again via three-way talks for George and Love, they could offer Gary Harris and a first-round pick, though NBA execs expect Harris to command upwards of $20MM annually on his next contract, which is due soon, says Lowe.

Here’s more from Lowe with the free agent period right around the corner:

Lowe views Hayward as less than a 50-50 bet to stay with the Jazz, with both the Celtics and Heat as legitimate suitors. The ESPN scribe adds that he wouldn’t be surprised if a mystery fourth team ends up getting a meeting with Hayward.
The market for Raptors big man Serge Ibaka and Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari is expected to be in about the $20MM-per-year range, sources tell Lowe.
The Sixers have told player agents that they plan on signing one-year contracts in free agency this summer to preserve future cap space. They may also use some of their current cap room to sign Robert Covington to a renegotiated extension, writes Lowe.
Lowe expects the Bucks to sign Tony Snell to a deal in the range of $10-12MM annually.
Despite drafting De’Aaron Fox, the Kings may still spend on a free agent point guard as a veteran mentor, particularly if they decide they want to chase a playoff spot right away, says Lowe.
The Grizzlies are “crossing their fingers” that the market for RFA power forward JaMychal Green isn’t as competitive as expected, according to Lowe.

Mirotic, Felicio Get QOs; Rondo Likely To Be Cut

June 30th, 2017 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have tendered qualifying offers to pending free agents Nikola Mirotic and Cristiano Felicio, making them restricted, per RealGM’s transactions log. Mirotic and Felicio are two of Chicago’s four potential RFAs. As previously reported, Joffrey Lauvergne is also receiving a qualifying offer, but Michael Carter-Williams isn’t.

Mirotic, 26, had a solid rookie season for the Bulls in 2014/15, though his numbers haven’t improved much since then. In 2016/17, he averaged 10.6 PPG and 5.5 RPG, shooting 41.3% from the floor and 34.2% from three-point range. His qualifying offer is worth $7,228,063.

Felicio, who will turn 25 next Friday, has a more modest QO of $1,671,382. The big man averaged 4.8 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 15.8 minutes per contest (66 games) last season.

Tendering qualifying offers to both players – and to Lauvergne – gives the Bulls the right to match any offer sheet those RFAs may sign. Those players could also accept the qualifying offer from Chicago, which would put them in line for a one-year deal worth the amount of their QO. The Bulls will have until July 13 to withdraw those QOs, assuming their RFAs remain unsigned.

Meanwhile, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune has the latest update on Rajon Rondo, whose 2017/18 salary will become fully guaranteed for an extra $10MM+ if he remains under contract beyond Friday. According to Johnson, Rondo’s contract structure has prompted the Bulls to include him in some recent trade proposals. However, those scenarios don’t appear to have gained much traction.

Unless the Bulls can find a taker for Rondo today, the veteran point guard is expected to be waived, per Johnson.

Anzejs Pasecniks To Play Next Season In Spain

June 30th, 2017 at 8:11am CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers first-round pick Anzejs Pasecniks will remain with his Spanish team next season, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Pasecniks may ultimately be the only first-rounder from the 2017 draft who doesn’t sign with his new NBA team this summer.

Pasecniks, a 21-year-old Latvian center, has committed to another year with CB Gran Canaria, where he averaged 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds this past season.

Pasecniks was selected by the Magic with the 25th pick in last Thursday’s draft, but his rights were traded to Philadelphia in exchange for a pair of 2020 draft picks. He was one of four players selected in by the Sixers, but three of those players figure to spend at least one more season playing overseas, as Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com tweeted last week.

Jonah Bolden, Mathias Lessort, and – of course – Markelle Fultz were also drafted by the 76ers.

Southwest Notes: Noel, Gentry, Paul

June 29th, 2017 at 10:57pm CST by Austin Kent

The Mavs won’t be travelling far when the free agency period officially opens tomorrow night at midnight, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. Instead, he says, the franchise will zero in on its two own free agents: Nerlens Noel and Dirk Nowitzki.

While a Nowitzki deal is a foregone conclusion, the interesting part will be whether the Mavs can come to terms with Noel before the the restricted free agent lands a lofty offer sheet from a team willing to pay top dollar.

Currently, Sefko notes, the cap-hit the Mavs take for Noel is $11MM, a mark that figures to be considerably lower than what the 23-year-old would be able to land on the open market.

The decision to focus on Nowitzki after declining his team option this week and bringing Noel back is representative of the change in direction the Mavs have undergone this season.

Having landed Harrison Barnes in free agency last year and traded for Noel at the trade deadline in February, the Mavs have promptly patched together an intriguing young core.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

After two lackluster seasons at the helm of the Pelicans, Alvin Gentry is well aware of the fact that the NBA is a “results industry.” The head coach spoke with Scott Kushner of The Advocate, noting that he doesn’t feel that there’s any extra pressure this season.
There’s no denying that for Chris Paul to thrive with the Rockets, he, Mike D’Antoni and James Harden will all have to end up on the same page. Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report writes about how they’ll need to adapt to make that happen.
There was some truth to the speculation that linked Chris Paul to the Spurs but two things sullied the opportunity. Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated notes that the uncertainty of LaMarcus Aldridge‘s status, coupled with the notion of having to replace Tony Parker at point guard, dissuaded Paul from exploring things further.

Knicks Rumors: Thomas, Ujiri, Griffin, Presti

June 29th, 2017 at 10:42pm CST by Luke Adams

10:42pm: The Knicks have since been in touch with Griffin and the ex-Cavs general manager will be among New York’s initial interviews, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets.

11:01am: Given how his first stint as the Knicks’ general manager went, Isiah Thomas would seem to be an extremely unlikely candidate to replace Phil Jackson for the team’s head front office job this offseason. Marc Berman of The New York Post confirmed as much on Wednesday, writing that Thomas wasn’t being considered.

However, at least one person close to the franchise isn’t so sure Thomas is entirely out of the running, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, who says his source described the former Knicks GM as “a dark horse candidate” to fill the current opening (Twitter link). While that revelation may inspire some panic among Knicks fans, it’s worth noting that the “dark horse” descriptor suggests Thomas probably isn’t at the top of James Dolan‘s wish list.

Here’s more on the Knicks’ search for a new president of basketball operations:

The Knicks’ interest in Raptors president Masai Ujiri is real, but Ujiri is entering the second year of a five-year, $32MM contract in Toronto, says Sam Amick of USA Today. A source close to ownership of MLSE – the group that owns the Raptors – tells Michael Grange of Sportsnet not to even bother with the Ujiri rumors, but Grange hears from an NBA source that the Knicks will nonetheless be “coming hard” for the Raptors’ president.
Having received a second-round pick as compensation when Orlando hired away GM Jeff Weltman, the Raptors would certainly ask for even more compensation if the Knicks wanted to hire Ujiri, and New York would be very unlikely to consider that, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
A league source informed ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that Jerry West intended to reach out to Tim Leiweke, who is running the Knicks’ search, to endorse David Griffin as a candidate for New York’s opening. According to ESPN’s report, Griffin has “long coveted” an opportunity like the Knicks’ job. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Knicks hadn’t formally reached out to Griffin or his agent, but had begun doing background research on him, per ESPN.
Thunder president of basketball operations Sam Presti has been internally discussed by the Knicks as a possible target, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Like Ujiri, Presti is under contract with another NBA team and that club would likely require compensation, though the exact terms of his deal aren’t known.

Calipari Denies Interest In Knicks Presidency

June 29th, 2017 at 10:15pm CST by Austin Kent

10:15pm: Calipari has vehemently denied the report over Twitter, saying that he intends to be the coach at Kentucky for a long time.

6:01pm: Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari has reached out through intermediaries to express an interest in the Knicks’ presidency, Ian Begley of ESPN tweets.

The report is corroborated by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk who adds, in his own tweet, that Calipari has been interested in a return to the NBA but only for the “right job.”

New York, of course, has been seeking a a replacement at the top level ever since the franchise parted ways with Phil Jackson yesterday. Already linked to the franchise have been Isiah Thomas, Masai Ujiri, David Griffin and Sam Presti.

While Calipari has seen action in the NBA before, it seems like a lifetime ago that he patrolled the sidelines for the Nets and 76ers. From 1996-1998, he managed a 72-112 record as the head coach in New Jersey.

Calipari’s NBA Debut: The 1996-97 New Jersey Nets (26-56)

The entirety of Calipari’s previous professional stint, then, came before he evolved into the college game’s most vaunted recruiter, a characteristic that makes him far more appealing than any Xs and Os experience.

Having an asset like Calipari involved with the franchise could be a boon for the Knicks, considering the sheer amount of players he has either coached or recruited over his years with Kentucky and Memphis.

Suffice it to say, all Begley’s tweet suggests is that Calipari has expressed an interest in the position and there’s no guarantee that the interest is mutual at this point in time.

Southeast Notes: Richardson, White, Kaba

June 29th, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards are no closer to landing Paul George than they were a week ago but recent comments from John Wall have resurrected speculation that he could possibly end up in D.C. Per CSN Mid-Atlantic’s J. Michael, there are a number of things that would need to happen for the pipe dream to become a reality, here are just a few:

For starters, the Wizards will have to come to terms with something that all of George’s other suitors have already come to terms with: they would need to build an appealing enough package of young players and assets without any guarantee that they’ll get to re-sign him next summer.

The Wizards would also need Otto Porter to be up for a sign-and-trade, something that would require him to take less money than he’s eligible for, just to pack his bags and move to Indianapolis.

Even if the Wizards did manage to land George and played him alongside Wall and Bradley Beal, however, the organization would be extremely crunched financially for the foreseeable future.

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

Don’t expect the Magic to make a major splash in free agency, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes. The team would need to reel off a series of moves just to clear up space for a major signing and that’s not really their focus at this point in time.
Coming off a season in which he averaged career highs, Hawks center Mike Muscala is experiencing unrestricted free agency for the first time. He spoke with Jerry Zgoda of the Star-Tribune about the process. “It’s crazy how basketball can change from high school to college to the NBA and what you work on, what you’re compensated for,” he said, referring to his coveted skill set as a three-point shooting big man. “I’ve found if you do things the right way — if you play the right way, if you work on your game, if you’re a good teammate — you’ll be rewarded for it.”
The Heat will retain Okaro White and Josh Richardson, thus guaranteeing their contracts (or in White’s case, partially guaranteeing the deal he signed last season). Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes about how Richardson’s $1.5MM for 2017/18 will be locked in after Friday and how White will clinch $226K on Saturday.
One of the major areas that the Wizards will need to improve upon next year is in their backcourt depth, J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic says. They’ve already gotten a head start in doing so with their addition of Tim Frazier.
Second-round draft pick Alpha Kaba will play with the Hawks‘ summer league team before deciding where to play next season, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.

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