2022 July | Hoops Rumors

Latest On Kevin Durant

July 30th, 2022 at 9:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant‘s trade request could push owners to seek new language in the collective bargaining agreement that protects teams with unhappy stars, even if that leads to a lockout, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The NBA is coming off a record-breaking season with $10 billion in revenue for the first time in its history, and neither side wants to see that interrupted. However, owners are determined to do something to stop the trend of players demanding to be traded with multiple years left on their contracts.

The current CBA runs through the end of the 2023/24 season, but either the owners or players can opt out by December 15 of this year. If that happens, negotiations would have to begin on a new deal.

Commissioner Adam Silver said Durant’s trade request wasn’t discussed during this month’s Board of Governors meeting, but Lewis expects it to become a very significant topic for the league. Silver recently commented on the Durant situation, saying contracts should be a “two-way street” and players need to “meet their end of the bargain.”

There’s more Durant news to pass along:

The market for Durant seems to be contracting and the Nets are in no hurry to get the situation resolved, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Phoenix appears out of the running after matching an offer sheet for Deandre Ayton, and Toronto remains unwilling to part with Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. The Heat don’t have the assets to help Brooklyn remain competitive and may have shifted their attention to a potential Donovan Mitchell deal. Washburn adds that unless Durant decides to hold out, the Nets’ best strategy is to let the situation simmer until camps open.
Sources around the league tell Zach Lowe of ESPN that it’s virtually “impossible” to trade Durant because of the difficulty in establishing a fair value. A player of Durant’s caliber with four years left on his contract has never been on the trade market before. Lowe also hears from sources that Brooklyn hasn’t given up hope that Durant will realize this and retract his trade demand. Lowe recommends that the Celtics shouldn’t get too aggressive with trade offers unless they believe Jaylen Brown will leave as a free agent in two years.
Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks of ESPN examine why things became stagnant so quickly after Durant asked to be traded. Marks says the Nets are in a difficult position because they owe so many future draft picks to Houston, teams are generally satisfied with their rosters and aren’t looking for a major deal at this point of the summer, and Brooklyn’s front office is trying to make a “perfect” trade with an asking price that no one can meet.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Brown, Ryan, Roster Spots

July 30th, 2022 at 8:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics are among the teams that have made a trade offer for Kevin Durant, but their pursuit of a talent upgrade may put team chemistry at risk. In a brief interview posted by NBC Sports Boston, Jayson Tatum talked about how long it took for the team to come together last season and how fragile chemistry can be.

“Chemistry is half the battle,” he said (video link). “You can have a great team with great talent, and not necessarily jell well together. You guys saw, we figured it out in January and never looked back.”

The Celtics struggled through the first part of last season, but were dominant over the second half on their way to the NBA Finals. They have been able to upgrade their roster so far this offseason by adding Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari without giving up significant rotation players.

There’s more from Boston:

The Celtics need to “tread very carefully” with the idea that they’re willing to trade Jaylen Brown, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon says on Brian Windhorst’s Hoop Collective (video link). Brown was the most valuable asset in Boston’s reported trade offer, which was turned down by the Nets. MacMahon notes that Brown is underpaid for his production, and the size of his contract doesn’t make an extension worthwhile. MacMahon also warns that Brown will have “several attractive options” when he hits free agency in 2024.
Matt Ryan is coming off a strong Summer League performance, but his options for making the roster are limited now that the Celtics have filled both two-way slots, Brian Robb of MassLive writes in his latest mailbag column. Ryan, who ended last season on a two-way deal, can hope for an Exhibit 10 contract, but Robb notes that he’ll be competing for roster spots with Brodric Thomas, Justin Jackson and whatever free agents the team adds before the start of training camp.
Like many teams, the Celtics are moving slowly in filling out their roster, Robb adds. Boston still has three spots open, and most of the free agents remaining on the market will likely sign veteran’s minimum contracts. Robb suggests Boston might keep a roster spot open past the cutdown date in hopes of landing someone who gets waived by another team.

International Notes: Irving, Adams, Bey, Dominican National Team

July 30th, 2022 at 6:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets guard Kyrie Irving is already thinking about his career beyond the NBA. In response to a fan’s tweet about “gassing up” for the regular season, Irving speculated about his future several years down the road, saying he eventually expects to play overseas.

“I don’t ever have to Gas myself up,” Irving wrote (Twitter link). “I am going on my 12th year in the best league in the world and I am only getting better. When I am 38 years old and have time to reflect on my career truly, I will do so, but until then, I am enjoying every moment.”

“And no I won’t be done playing basketball at 38 years old lol,” he added (Twitter link). “I’ll be in leagues all over the world playing and teaching the youth all that was taught to me.”

Irving just turned 30 in March, so the future he’s talking about is several years away. He’s under contract to Brooklyn for one more season after picking up his $36.9MM option last month.

Here are some more notes related to international basketball:

Jaylen Adams, the Most Valuable Player in Australia’s NBL last season, has signed with KK Crvena Zvezda in Serbia, according to Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw (Twitter link). Adams, who appeared in seven games with the Bucks during the 2020/21 season, attended a mini-camp with the Lakers last month.
Former NBA small forward Tyler Bey is receiving interest from Ironi Ness Ziona in Israel, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Bey held a two-way contract with the Rockets in training camp last year, but he was waived before the start of the season and wound up playing for Houston’s G League affiliate. A former star at Colorado, Bey played 18 games with the Mavericks in 2020/21.
Al Horford, Karl-Anthony Towns and Chris Duarte are the most prominent names on the Dominican Republic’s preliminary 25-man World Cup roster, according to Cancha Latina. The team has qualifying games next month against Panama and Venezuela. Horford has been a member of the national team since 2008, and Towns has represented the country since 2012.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Tampering Penalty, Herro

July 30th, 2022 at 5:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat center Bam Adebayo is hoping for a career path similar to teammate Udonis Haslem‘s, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Speaking today at his youth basketball camp, Adebayo said he not only wants to play his entire career in Miami, he hopes to be a community leader in South Florida just as Haslem has been.

“If I could, I would,” Adebayo said of the prospect of playing for just one team. “Just to have that opportunity to be around this community for my whole career. A lot of the community has seen me grown up. Going from a random 14th draft pick to being a cornerstone in this organization and to become something bigger. It’s just one of those things that’s dope when people grow with you.”

That decision isn’t entirely in Adebayo’s hands, and teams have inquired about him as Miami seeks to add another star on the trade market. The Nets would be interested in Adebayo as part of a Kevin Durant deal, but multiple sources told Chiang that Miami hasn’t included him in any of its offers and isn’t willing to part with him to get Durant.

“It’s the faith they got in me,” Adebayo said. “I feel like they know what they have. You get a guy who’s hard-nosed, who’s going to get it out the mud, who’s not going to quit on his teammates. It’s just mutual respect. I feel like a lot of teams want me, but it’s just a respect thing. Also, it’s (team president) Pat (Riley) believing in me, it’s (owner) Micky (Arison) believing in me, it’s (general manager) Andy (Elisburg) believing in me that we can make that next step to bring this city another championship.”

There’s more from Miami:

Adebayo may push for a larger role in the offense when training camp opens in September, suggests Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. While the Heat could benefit from more consistent scoring out of their starting center, Winderman notes that Jimmy Butler will still carry a large share of the offense and plenty of shots have to be allocated for the team’s three-point specialists.
In a separate story, Winderman wonders whether the tampering penalty assessed against the Heat last year — loss of a second-round draft pick — will also be directed at the Sixers, who are currently under investigation, and the Knicks, who may be investigated as well.
The Heat front office should remain patient unless there’s an immediate chance to add a star such as Durant or Donovan Mitchell, contends Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson explains that means holding onto first-round draft picks and not extending Tyler Herro‘s contract this offseason.

Raptors Waive Armoni Brooks

July 30th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by JD Shaw

4:00pm: The move is official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

2:39pm: The Raptors are waiving shooting guard Armoni Brooks, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Brooks was only guaranteed $50K of his $1.75MM salary for next season, but that partial guarantee would’ve increased to $250K if he wasn’t waived on or before August 1.

Murphy expects Brooks to join another NBA team for training camp this fall. Brooks averaged 6.2 points per game in 41 outings with the Rockets last season, then was waived in February. He signed two 10-day deals with Toronto after that, later signing a two-year deal with the organization.

Brooks established himself as a sharpshooter during his first NBA stint in 2020/21, but he only shot 30% from three-point range last season. At 24 years old, he could certainly attract interest as the offseason moves on.

Brooks went undrafted in 2019 after spending four years at the University of Houston. The Raptors now have 16 players on standard contracts, plus two-way players Ron Harper Jr. and Jeff Dowtin. The team also hasn’t yet signed second-round pick Christian Koloko.

Wayne Selden Jr. Signs In Italy

July 30th, 2022 at 3:47pm CST by JD Shaw

Former NBA guard Wayne Selden Jr. has signed in Italy with Tezenis Verona, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Selden will head back overseas after recently playing in Turkey and Israel.

Selden, 6’4″, joined the Knicks for training camp last fall and stuck around to start the regular season. New York waived him in January, creating roster space for a trade featuring Denzel Valentine to be finalized.

Selden has played 127 NBA games since going undrafted in 2016. In addition to the Knicks, he holds experience with the Pelicans, Grizzlies and Bulls, averaging 7.2 points in 18.8 minutes per game for his career.

Prior to declaring for the draft, Selden played three seasons at Kansas under head coach Bill Self. At 27 years old, he could still make a return to the NBA down the road, but it would likely depend on how well he performs overseas.

Tyler Johnson Signs With Brisbane Bullets

July 30th, 2022 at 1:49pm CST by JD Shaw

Free agent guard Tyler Johnson has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League, the team announced in a press release. This will be Johnson’s first professional stint overseas.

Johnson holds 354 games of NBA experience during his career, making stops with the Heat, Suns, Knicks, Sixers and Spurs. The 30-year-old signed 10-day hardship contracts with Philadelphia and San Antonio last season.

Johnson’s best years have come in Miami, where he began his NBA career and remained in 2016 after the Heat matched a four-year, $50MM offer sheet from Brooklyn. He went on to average 13.7 points and 3.2 assists per game the following season, shooting 43% from the floor and 37% from deep.

Johnson went unselected in the 2014 NBA Draft after playing four seasons at Fresno State. He worked out for at least one NBA team this summer before committing to play in the NBL. In addition to Johnson, the Bullets also recently agreed to a deal with center Aron Baynes.

Western Notes: Beverley, Ayton, Fontecchio, Towns

July 30th, 2022 at 11:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Patrick Beverley is one of several Jazz veterans awaiting clarity on the team’s plans, Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. Beverley was acquired from the Timberwolves in the Rudy Gobert blockbuster and the 34-year old guard wants to play for a contender. If Utah trades Donovan Mitchell, it will signal a full rebuild.

“Hopefully Donovan Mitchell stays and the team is competitive, and if that’s the case, we’re very excited,” Beverley said. “If that’s not the case, then, obviously, I’ve been in this league long enough I want to taste how winning a championship feels. We’ll see, though, over the next couple of weeks.”

We have more from the Western Conference:

The Suns matched the Pacers’ offer sheet for Deandre Ayton but there are still fences to be mended between the team and its starting center, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his podcast (hat tip to RealGM). “The weirdness of the Ayton situation, both the contract negotiations, the widespread perception, I’m talking widespread around the league that the bridge was pretty much burned between Ayton and the team,” he said. “The comments that Monty Williams made after Game 7 when he pulled Ayton. There’s clearly some mending of fences that has to happen there. Can it happen? Is this just a ‘we’re waiting it out until we can trade him’ situation? That’s another interesting human dynamic.”
The Jazz had a simple reason for signing Italian small forward Simone Fontecchio to a two-year contract. They felt he was the best player on the unrestricted free agent market, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. He’s a versatile 6’8”player who shot 41% on 3-point attempts last season.
The trust between Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns and the front office has grown over the years, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic notes. Towns signed a super-max extension this month approximately a week after it was offered by the franchise. When he received a rookie scale extension in 2018, he waited months to sign it as the drama involving then coach Tom Thibodeau and Jimmy Butler played out.

Community Shootaround: Expansion

July 30th, 2022 at 11:02am CST by Dana Gauruder

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has consistently asserted that the league isn’t planning on expansion in the near future.

During his annual press conference at the Finals, Silver had this to say: “At least maybe there are people talking who are not at the league office about us potentially expanding after the 2024 season. We are not discussing that at this time. As I said before, at some point, this league invariably will expand, but it’s not at this moment that we are discussing it.”

The NBA has been slow to embrace expansion. The last time a new franchise was accepted came in 2004, when the Bobcats — now Hornets — were added.

A franchise fee in excess of a $1 billion would be the main incentive for expansion among owners. It would also have natural appeal to the players, creating more NBA jobs.

When the league finally gets around to expansion, there are plenty of viable options. Seattle has been talked about virtually since it lost the SuperSonics in 2008. The city got the latest NHL expansion team, the Kraken, and there’s an arena available for an NBA franchise. There’s little doubt that Seattle, which also has NFL and MLB franchises, will support an NBA team if it gets another one.

Las Vegas, which has become the host of the Summer League, is another obvious choice. It now has NHL and NFL franchises, as well as a Triple-A baseball club.

There are plenty of other major U.S. cities that could support an NBA team. Pittsburgh has long-term franchises in all three other major pro sports. St. Louis saw the Rams come and go but it has two other highly successful pro franchises. Kansas City, like Seattle, was once an NBA city.

Louisville, a major city in basketball-mad Kentucky, would also be a logical destination. Tampa hosted the Raptors during the pandemic.

The league could also look beyond the borders to Mexico City or Montreal, or perhaps even overseas to London.

That brings us to our question of the day: When the NBA is finally ready to expand, what major city is most deserving of a franchise?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Nuggets’ Collin Gillespie Underwent Surgery For Leg Fracture

July 30th, 2022 at 9:59am CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets two-way guard Collin Gillespie suffered a lower left leg fracture earlier this week and underwent surgery Friday night in Philadelphia to repair it, according to a team press release.

Gillespie was signed to a contract during the first week of this month after going undrafted.

He averaged 15.6 points per game for Villanova last season, shooting 41.5% from three-point range. Gillespie averaged 11.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.3 APG and 1.5 SPG in four Summer League contests.

With Gillespie out indefinitely, it’s possible the Nuggets will look for another two-way option. They already have 20 players on their camp roster, according to our latest count.

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