2022 July | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: McBride, Randle, Stevens, Tucker

July 12th, 2022 at 9:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The addition of Jalen Brunson could make playing time scarce for Miles McBride but he’s trying to remain confident, Zach Braziler of the New York Post writes. The 2021 second-round pick played in 40 games last season and projects as the Knicks’ third-string point guard behind Brunson and Derrick Rose. “Doing whatever I can to be on the floor [is my mindset],” he said. “If that means making shots, bringing the ball up, finding the open man, playing defense, I’m doing anything I can to be on the floor.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Julius Randle showed his leadership by inviting young players Jericho Sims and Feron Hunt to summer weight and cardio sessions in Dallas, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News notes. “It was cool. He wanted me to come down, so I said, ‘Hey, he’s a big-time player, why not get close to him, build that relationship,’” Sims said. Randle is trying to improve an image that was tarnished during a disappointing season for him and the Knicks. He’s at the beginning of a four-year extension.
Brad Stevens is happy with his current status as the Celtics’ top executive but he’s not ruling out coaching again someday, as he told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I’ve enjoyed both roles I’ve been in. I love the people I’ve worked with in both roles, and my family loves it, so, yeah, we’re really happy,” he said. “I’m not going to try to predict the future. I have no idea. No idea. I don’t know if I’d ever coach again. We’ll see.”
Toughness, durability and 3-point shooting are among the attributes that P.J. Tucker brings to the Sixers. Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com breaks down all the aspects of Tucker’s game and the intangibles he adds to the table as the veteran forward transitions from one Eastern Conference contender to another.

Play-In Tournament Approved As Regularly Scheduled Event

July 12th, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JULY 12: The Board of Governors has approved the adoption of the play-in tournament on a full-time basis using the same format that was in place for the 2020/21 and ’21/22 seasons, according to a league press release. The play-in tournament next season will take place from April 11-14, between the last day of the regular season on April 9 and the start of the playoffs on April 15.

The Board of Governors also approved the heightened penalty of a free throw – which may be attempted by any player on the offensive team in the game at the time that the foul is committed – and possession when a defensive player commits a “transition take foul.”

JULY 11: The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to approve the play-in tournament as a regular part of future league seasons, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Final approval is expected during Tuesday’s ownership meetings at the Vegas Summer League.

The NBA had held the play-in tournament during the last two seasons and there’s enough support from the Board to turn the event into a regular component of the league’s schedule. An announcement regarding the tournament’s permanent status will be made after the meeting, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press confirms (Twitter link).

The play-in tournament has involved the teams with the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th best records in the respective conferences. The survivors serve as the No. 7 and 8 seeds. It’s designed to curb tanking and keep more franchises engaged longer into the regular season. Up until this point, it has been approved on a year-by-year basis.

The NBA believes that the tournament, along with the flattening of lottery odds for teams with the worst records, has discouraged more teams from tanking in order to improve their lottery position.

An in-season tournament will also be a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s meeting. Both the play-in and in-season tournaments need to be collectively bargained with the union.

The league sees the in-season tournament as another major source of revenue. A proposal has been made to shorten the regular season to 78 games in order to accommodate a tournament that would culminate before Christmas.

The Board of Governors are also expected to pass a rule that penalizes the “take foul” on fast breaks with a free throw and possession. The league has experimented with the new rule during Summer League games. The offensive team would get to choose who shoots the free throw, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets.

Modifications regarding the enforcement of proper bench decorum will also be mulled by the Board, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Stiffer penalties could be assessed to teams, with the issue of players standing up at the bench for extended portions of the game a particular point of contention. Fans with tickets near the benches have complained about obstructed views due to players standing in front of them for extended periods of time. The Mavericks were fined a total of $175K during the 2022 playoffs for violations of bench decorum.

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Bucks’ Middleton Had Surgery For Torn Wrist Ligament

July 12th, 2022 at 7:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist in early July and is expected to be fully recovered near the start of the regular season, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Adrian Wojnarowski report (Twitter link).

This is a different injury than the one that kept Middleton out of all but two postseason games. He suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee during Game 2 of the opening round against the Bulls.

The wrist injury dates back to March when he missed some games due to soreness in his left wrist.

Middleton averaged 20.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 5.4 APG in 66 games during the regular season. Middleton is in the midst of a five-year, $177.5MM contract that runs through the 2023/24 season. He’ll make $37,948,276 next season.

Pelicans Rookie Liddell Has Torn ACL

July 12th, 2022 at 6:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans second-round pick E.J. Liddell suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during a Vegas Summer League game on Monday, according to a team press release.

An MRI on Monday night confirmed the injury, which occurred during the third quarter of a game against the Hawks. A date for surgery has not yet been determined and he’ll be out indefinitely.

Liddell, who was selected with the No. 41 pick, was unable to put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the floor. Liddell also felt some knee pain in the first half but it subsided and he re-entered.

The former Ohio State forward averaged 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 2.6 BPG over 33.2 MPG last season and was projected as a first-round pick. He has yet to sign a contract and the Pelicans don’t currently have an opening on the 15-man roster, though they have a two-way slot available. It’s unclear how New Orleans will handle the contract situation regarding a draft pick who will likely be out most or all of next season.

Knicks Sign Mitchell Robinson To Four-Year Contract

July 12th, 2022 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 12: The signing is official, the team tweets.

JULY 1: The Knicks are bringing back unrestricted free agent center Mitchell Robinson, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who hears from agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith that Robinson has agreed to a four-year, $60MM deal to remain in New York.

Robinson, 24, has spent his first four NBA seasons with the Knicks after being selected 36th overall in the 2018 draft. He emerged in 2021/22 as the team’s regular starting center, averaging 8.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 1.8 BPG in 72 appearances (25.7 MPG), including 62 starts.

Robinson has made 72.2% of his career field goal attempts, including 76.1% in ’21/22, but doesn’t have an expansive offensive game, averaging just 4.8 field goal attempts per contest this past season.

The big man has conveyed some dissatisfaction with his limited offensive role in the past and didn’t agree to an in-season extension with the Knicks, prompting some speculation that he could end up elsewhere once he reached the open market. However, there were a number of reasons why it made sense for New York to bring him back.

For one, at age 24, Robinson was one of this summer’s youngest unrestricted free agents and still has room to grow. His athleticism and ability as a lob threat also bring a different dimension to the Knicks’ frontcourt than incoming center Isaiah Hartenstein will provide. Plus, his minimum-salary cap hold gives New York the flexibility to use up its cap room before going over the cap to re-sign him using his Bird rights.

The Bulls and Pistons were among the teams said to have interest in Robinson in the weeks leading up to free agency, but Chicago went for a lower-cost center in Andre Drummond, while Detroit landed rookie Jalen Duren in a draft-night trade. The Raptors also had interest in Robinson, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), but the Knicks had been confident in recent days that they’d be able to re-sign him.

Jake Fischer first reported earlier this week that Robinson was expected to return to New York on a four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $60MM.

Jazz Willing To Listen To Offers For Donovan Mitchell

July 12th, 2022 at 4:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz are willing to listen to offers for All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Utah had previously turned aside calls regarding Mitchell but is now willing to listen to trade scenarios.

In fact, the Jazz are open to making trades involving anyone on their roster, but Mitchell is obviously the most coveted piece, Wojnarowski adds in a separate tweet.

Following the Rudy Gobert blockbuster with the Timberwolves, reports stated that the Jazz were looking to build around Mitchell. However, it’s not all that surprising Utah may shift gears and go into rebuild mode after the Mitchell-Gobert partnership failed to get the Jazz to a Finals appearance.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that rival executives had heard Utah executive Danny Ainge isn’t convinced Mitchell can be the face of a contending franchise. GM Justin Zanik didn’t label Mitchell as “untouchable” but made it clear last week that moving the All-Star guard wasn’t part of the team’s current plans.

Earlier last week, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that Mitchell wasn’t on the verge of asking for a trade.

Mitchell signed a designated rookie max extension in 2020 and has four years left on his contract ($30.4MM, $32.6MM, $34.8MM and $37.1MM, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes in a tweet. The last year is a player option.

Despite the addition of Jalen Brunson, the Knicks can be expected to try to put together a package and make a serious offer for Mitchell, sources told Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, the Jazz’s asking price is sky high, Jones adds.

The Heat could be in the mix, too. The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang notes that the Heat have avoided triggering a hard cap in their offseason moves in order to keep their options open for a blockbuster deal involving a player such as Mitchell (Twitter link). Miami has made its interest in Mitchell clear to Utah, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets, with speculation that such a deal would involve Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and draft picks.

The Jazz got a major haul for Gobert and presumably would want as much, or more, for Mitchell. He’s averaged 23.9 PPG, 4.5 APG and 4.2 RPG in 345 NBA regular-season contests. He’s also had some big postseason performances, averaging 28.3 PPG, 4.9 APG and 4.2 RPG in 39 playoff games.

And-Ones: Napier, Drell, 2023 Mock Draft, Contracts

July 12th, 2022 at 4:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Shabazz Napier is signing with Serbian club Crvena Zvezda, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net.

Napier, the 24th pick of the 2014 draft, last played with the Wizards in 2020. He played a total of 345 regular season games across six seasons in the NBA, with career averages of 7.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists on .397/.345/.815 shooting.

The point guard has been inactive since he departed the NBA, Askounis writes, saying that Napier signed a one-year deal with Zenit Saint Petersburg last summer but suffered an injury that forced him out of action, and then when he was going to rejoin the team in February, Russia invaded Ukraine, so he opted to leave.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Estonian swingman Henri Drell, currently playing for the Bulls in Summer League, is hoping to show that he can be a complementary player in the NBA, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “I want to show that I can be a reliable NBA role player,” Drell said. “I can do everything on the floor. I can support the stars. I can defend. I can shoot. And I can pass. So I feel like this is what I have to show.” Drell spent last season in the G League with the Windy City Bulls, Chicago’s affiliate.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently released his 2023 mock draft, with French phenom Victor Wembanyama going No. 1, followed by G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson at No. 2.
Kevin Durant asking for a trade from the Nets with four years remaining on his contract is the latest in a trend of stars asking out with multiple years left on their deals, notes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. However, it seems unlikely that the league will do anything about it going forward, even if it might be a point of contention during CBA negotiations, considering teams can essentially trade players at any time (certain limitations notwithstanding).

Jalen Brunson Signs Four-Year Contract With Knicks

July 12th, 2022 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 12: Brunson’s deal with the Knicks is official, the team announced on Twitter.

“We are beyond thrilled to add Jalen Brunson to our organization,” said Knicks president Leon Rose. “He’s a competitor, a leader, a play-maker, and most importantly a winner. His addition is a perfect complement to the team that we are building and the culture we are establishing.”

JUNE 30, 8:36am: Brunson has now formally agreed to a four-year, $104MM contract with the Knicks, agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The deal will include a fourth-year player option.

JUNE 30, 4:05pm: The Mavericks have been informed that free agent point guard Jalen Brunson intends to sign with the Knicks, a source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).

Brunson’s new deal will be worth in the neighborhood of $110MM over four years, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who tweets that Dallas didn’t get the opportunity to make a final offer. Marc Stein (Twitter link) hears the contract will be worth about $105MM, plus incentives.

The meeting that Brunson had set with the Mavericks in New York City at the start of free agency is no longer taking place, according to Stein (Twitter link). A report last night suggested that Brunson would meet with the Knicks, Mavericks, and Heat at the start of free agency, but word broke earlier today that the meeting with Miami wasn’t happening either.

Brunson, 25, appeared in 79 regular season games last season (31.9 MPG), averaging 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 4.8 APG on .502/.373/.840 shooting. He also posted a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, considered a strong benchmark for a ball-handler.

Brunson also excelled with a larger role in the postseason, averaging 21.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 3.7 APG on .466/.347/.800 shooting in 18 games (34.9 MPG). He led the team to back-to-back first-round victories over Utah in the absence of injured star Luka Doncic, scoring 41 points and 31 points, respectively.

Despite his strong performances last season, Brunson isn’t without flaws. He’s only 6’1″ and although he’s strong, he’s not the best athlete, which limits his defensive versatility.

The Knicks and Brunson have been linked to one another for months. As has been repeated ad nauseam, Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose is Brunson’s former agent, Rose’s son Sam Rose is Brunson’s current agent, and Brunson’s father Rick Brunson was recently hired as a Knicks assistant.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated previously reported that part of the Knicks’ pitch to Brunson is the ability to be the full-time starting point guard. In Dallas, he’s more of a secondary option at the position, with Doncic running the show.

The Mavericks had long projected confidence in their ability to re-sign Brunson, but that confidence had waned considerably over the past week or so. They held his Bird Rights, giving them the ability to offer more years (five) and money than other teams, but reportedly were only willing to go as high as $106MM over five years, which is obviously considerably less annually than the Knicks are offering.

Dallas projects to be far over the salary cap, limiting the team’s ability to secure an adequate replacement for Brunson. However, Stein reports (via Twitter) that the Mavs aren’t expected to immediately pursue a replacement, instead relying on incumbent guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Tim Hardaway Jr. for backcourt depth.

Hardway missed about half the season, including the postseason, but he should be healthy for 2022/23, Stein notes. Dallas eventually plans to go after veteran guard Goran Dragic once the team pursues higher priority targets, including wings and frontcourt players, per Stein.

It’s worth noting that reports two days ago said the Knicks were expected to land Brunson on the terms outlined above, and now his commitment to New York has all but been finalized before free agency officially opens, so it’s possible the Knicks will face a tampering investigation in the future.

Rockets Notes: Gordon, Eason, Christopher, Porter Jr.

July 12th, 2022 at 2:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The Rockets continue to value Eric Gordon very highly and despite several teams inquiring about his availability, including the Sixers, Heat, Bucks, Suns and Lakers, Houston has not shopped the veteran guard and has turned down trade offers for his services, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

Gordon has been working out with his young teammates in preparation for next season and is taking a wait-and-see approach to his future with the franchise.

“I know how the business works,” Gordon said, per Feigen. “I don’t know what is going to happen. All I can worry about is how I play basketball, and I’ll see what happens. Anything can happen in this business.”

Gordon’s brother, Eron Gordon, who went undrafted out of Valparaiso, is a member of Houston’s Summer League squad and said it’s a “special” opportunity.

“It’s definitely pretty special. It’s pretty special for my family. Not too many times in the world two brothers play on a major, professional sports team. So, it’s definitely a special moment for the Gordon family,” Eron said.

As Feigen notes, Eron is very unlikely to make the NBA club, but the Rockets value both brothers’ professionalism, which is why he was given a chance.

“His being on a roster definitely means a lot to me,” Eric said. “As soon as he starts playing, he’ll figure it out.”

Here’s more on the Rockets:

First-rounder Tari Eason, the No. 17 pick of last month’s draft, has produced solid results during Summer League and looks like he could be a quality contributor for the Rockets, according to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “Everything that I bring here I think translates to an NBA court. I don’t think I’m playing out of myself, doing too much,” Eason said. “I think that my ability to space the floor, rebound, defend, and knock down an open three are all things that I’ve tried to showcase to the people that I could do here, and I think all those things would translate.” Eason put up 22 points and 10 rebounds in his latest outing.
Second-year guard Josh Christopher is still trying to find the right balance between being aggressive and playing under control, Feigen writes in another story for The Houston Chronicle. Christopher has an innate ability to attack the paint, but he’s still working on making good decisions and proper reads instead of relying on talent alone, Feigen notes.
Kevin Porter Jr. believes the team’s rookies will help bring a defensive identity Houston has lacked the past couple of seasons, as Feigen relays. “Oh man, I think we’re shaping up good,” Porter said. “Watching these past games in the summer league, I’ve been paying attention to the defensive end. We look like we have the pieces to be a phenomenal defensive team. We already know what we can do on the offensive end so we’re not much worried about that. Defensively, that’s what I’ve been focusing on. I’m excited.” The Rockets ranked 27th in defensive rating in 2020/21 and 29th last season, so there’s certainly room for improvement on that end.

Isaiah Hartenstein Signs Two-Year Deal With Knicks

July 12th, 2022 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 12: The Knicks have officially signed Hartenstein, the team announced (via Twitter).

“We are very excited to welcome Isaiah Hartenstein to the Knicks family,” said Knicks president Leon Rose. “He’s a versatile big man who impacts the game on both sides of the floor and who plays with a passion and energy that is contagious.”

JUNE 30: The Knicks and free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein have agreed to a two-year, $16.7MM deal, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’ll be fully guaranteed, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Hartenstein had been linked to the Knicks in the days leading up to free agency, with New York said to be in the market for a backup at the five. The expectation is that the team will still re-sign Mitchell Robinson as its starting center, though no agreement is in place yet.

With Serge Ibaka still rounding into form following offseason back surgery, Hartenstein emerged early in the 2021/22 season as the Clippers’ primary backup center and thrived in the role, making 62.6% of his shots from the field and handing out 2.4 APG in just 17.9 minutes per contest. He even flashed the ability to hit the occasional three-pointer (14-of-30) and played solid defense.

Hartenstein has played for four teams in four NBA seasons and has never earned more than the minimum, but his performance this past season put him in a good position to land a multiyear deal and a raise, which he’ll get in New York.

If the Knicks are able to turn their deal with Jalen Brunson into a sign-and-trade, there are scenarios in which they operate over the cap this offseason, in which case Hartenstein would be in line for a chunk of the mid-level exception. However, if the club goes below the cap and uses room, it will have enough to accommodate both Brunson and Hartenstein.

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