Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Josh Green, Rockets, Grizzlies

July 21st, 2022 at 4:07pm CST by Rory Maher

After being benched during last season’s playoff run, Mavericks wing Josh Green is working diligently on his game to try to stay in the lineup as much as possible going forward, according to Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.

“I think the biggest thing for me is just realizing what I need to do to help the team out; I’m not trying to work on stuff that I’m not gonna do in a game,” Green said. “And I’m coming in with full confidence, knowing what I need to do and being ready to go. I’m more motivated than ever.”

The 18th pick of the 2020 draft, Green averaged 4.8 PPG and 2.4 RPG on .508/.359/.689 shooting in 67 games (15.5 MPG) last season. Still just 21 years old, Green says he’s feeling self-assured entering his third season.

“My confidence is high, man. I’m ready to go, and I can’t wait for next year,” Green said, per Kennedy. “Coach (Jason) Kidd really helped me out last year, and he has a lot of trust in me, so now it’s just about me going forward and continuing to develop and show what I can do. I’m on a veteran team — a very good team — so for me, it’s just about doing what I can do to impress and just play like I usually play.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Assuming Eric Gordon remains on the roster entering training camp, he should be the starting small forward for the Rockets, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Houston’s starting lineup projects to be Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, Gordon, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun, according to Iko, with the first five reserves possibly being Daishen Nix, Josh Christopher, Tari Eason, Jae’Sean Tate and Usman Garuba. Iko notes that Tate, who has started 135 of his 148 NBA games to this point, will likely be the team’s sixth man and receive significant playing time. Noticeably absent from the projected 10-man rotation is Kenyon Martin Jr., who requested a trade last month due for that very reason, and Iko says rival teams continue to keep an eye on Martin’s situation with the Rockets.
Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal grades each of the Grizzlies‘ Summer League performances, giving undrafted rookie Kenneth Lofton Jr., who is signed to a two-way contract, an A. Lofton’s low-post scoring could provide something the current roster doesn’t have, Cole notes. On the other end of the spectrum is first-rounder Jake LaRavia, who received a C-minus from Cole due to his offensive passivity.
As we noted yesterday, the Grizzlies are among the teams facing a roster crunch entering training camp. In a separate story, Cole writes that Danny Green and Killian Tillie are likely to be the most vulnerable members of the roster at the moment, and if Lofton gets promoted to a standard deal, perhaps both of them could be traded or released.

J.J. Barea Announces Retirement

July 20th, 2022 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Following the elimination of his Puerto Rican team – Cangrejeros de Santurce – from the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) playoffs this week, veteran guard J.J. Barea said in a Spanish-language interview that he intends to retire as a basketball player, according to Jorge Figueroa Loza of El Nuevo Día (hat tip to Eurohoops).

“I’m ready,” Barea said, according to a translation provided to Hoops Rumors. “Last year was tough mentally, and I wasn’t ready. This year I am, and I’m at peace with retiring.”

Barea last appeared in the NBA when he played 29 games in 2019/20 for the Mavericks. He subsequently spent a few months with Estudiantes in Spain at the start of 2021, then joined Cangrejeros de Santurce in his native Puerto Rico last May, re-signing with the team in February 2022.

Barea, who previously played for Cangrejeros de Santurce in 2006, expressed satisfaction that he got to finish his career with the Puerto Rican squad, even though the club was eliminated in the postseason quarterfinals in back-to-back years and a left leg injury prevented the 38-year-old from playing in the last game of the season.

From 2006-20, Barea appeared in a total of 831 regular season NBA games and 50 more playoff contests for Dallas and Minnesota, averaging 8.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.1 RPG on .424/.352/.794 shooting in 19.6 MPG. He was a key member of the Mavericks team that won a title in 2011, appearing in all 21 playoff games during the championship run.

Now that he has retired as a player, Barea said he plans to “take a break from basketball” to mentally recharge. However, he seems likely to end up sooner or later in a coaching role for one of his former teams.

He told El Nuevo Día that he’d liked to remain involved with Cangrejeros de Santurce, and also spoke last summer after working with Dallas’ Summer League team about his interest in a position with the Mavs.

Mavericks Signed JaVale McGee To Three-Year Deal With Player Option

July 17th, 2022 at 6:59pm CST by JD Shaw

The Mavericks signed veteran center JaVale McGee to a three-year, $17MM deal that contains a $6MM player option in the final season, Hoops Rumors has learned. McGee is expected to start alongside Christian Wood — who was also recently acquired by the team — to begin the season. McGee was one of the league’s best backup centers last season.

Southwest Notes: Wright, Murphy, Tate, Abdelfattah

July 17th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Power forward Moses Wright is making an impact while playing for the Mavericks‘ Summer League team, writes Dwain Price of Mavs.com.

The 6’8″ big man averaged a fairly pedestrian 8.5 PPG on 5-of-16 shooting and 5.0 RPG across the Mavericks’ first two Summer League contests, missed the team’s Tuesday matchup against the Suns, and then returned reinvigorated to play the Bucks on Thursday. He poured in 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor and grabbed 11 rebounds as a reserve.

Wright, signed to a two-way contract during the 2021/22 season with Dallas, is currently an unrestricted free agent.

“I think he was the most impactful player in the game,” Mavericks Summer League head coach George Galanopoulos said. “When he’s playing like that – just high energy and active motor, and with an edge and a disposition about him and that mentality — he’s one of the better players in the gym wherever he goes.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Second-year Pelicans small forward Trey Murphy showed signs of improvement during his 2022 Summer League stint, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. Murphy, the No. 17 pick out of Virginia in 2021, averaged 26.5 PPG across the only two Las Vegas games New Orleans opted to play him. The Pelicans are hoping that Murphy, who evolved into a deep-bench option on a playoff-bound 2021/22 club by the end of his rookie season, will continue to develop this season. “At the end of the day, I know the stuff I’ve been working on,” Murphy said. “Just creating off the bounce and things like that… I’m not too worried about the shot. If my shot’s falling and I’m getting to the basket like I was tonight, that’ll be a pretty good recipe.”
In an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate discussed how his confidence in his own NBA-caliber abilities helped him while playing abroad. “I’ve always thought I was an NBA player,” Tate said. “There was never a question of if I was good enough. I just knew that I was going to have to be able to put myself in a position to get to my dream. I think [agent] EJ Kusnyer did a good job of just putting me in certain situations that allowed me to be successful, allowed me to show my worth, and allowed me to be me while bringing what I do to a team every step of the way.” After going undrafted out of Ohio State in 2018, the 6’4″ small forward first signed on with Belgian club the Antwerp Giants during the 2018/19 season. He then headed to Australia to play for NBL club the Sydney Kings. He was named to the 2020 All-NBL First Team before joining the Rockets in 2020.
Rockets assistant coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah credits Houston with updating his thinking about shot selection, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Abdelfattah worked his way through the ranks with the club’s NBAGL affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and eventually joined Houston’s NBA club as an assistant under Stephen Silas. “Offensively, I’m a big believer of shot selection, taking efficient shots,” Abdelfattah said. “It goes back to taking mid-range shots or not taking them, goes back to getting to the rim, getting to the free-throw line… I like to let the guys play with a lot of freedom and maybe take a couple of what some would call questionable shots or moves. “

Atlantic Notes: Dragic, Irving, Bogdanovic, Raptors, Sixers

July 15th, 2022 at 3:37pm CST by Rory Maher

Goran Dragic admitted in a recent interview with Zoran Mijatović of Slovenian outlet Vecer that his stint with the Nets last season was a difficult one, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“I already talked to Chicago last year, but then things unfortunately took a different direction,” Dragic said, via Google Translate. “Well, not unfortunately, it just happened as it did and I chose Brooklyn. Last year I decided the way I did.

“I played with some stars, like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and I have to admit that it was quite difficult because the focus was not the team, but more the individual performances of the individuals,” Dragic said.

The veteran guard decided not to join the Mavericks because there wasn’t a path to regular playing time, but he’s happy he signed with the Bulls in free agency.

“It was really tough last year, but that’s part of the sport. I’m happy that I came to the club environment that I wanted, in which I know that I will play, where I can get to consistency again, and that’s what I’m most happy about,” Dragic said, per Lewis.

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

In an appearance on Get Up (video link), ESPN’s Nick Friedell said he “would be very surprised if (the Nets) dropped (Kyrie Irving) back in to start training camp.” Friedell, who covers the Nets for ESPN, also said he thinks Durant will start the season with Brooklyn.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently relayed on The Lowe Post podcast that the Raptors might be interested in Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (hat tip to RealGM). “If the Jazz and Raptors do a trade, I think Bogdanovic would be the guy going to Toronto, not Donovan Mitchell,” said MacMahon. “Just saying.” “Spicy,” replied Zach Lowe. “I’ve heard rumblings there,” added MacMahon. “Nothing imminent or anything close to it. I think he’s a guy… the Raptors can certainly use a 6’8″ shooter like Bogdanovic. For the Jazz in a rebuild, they’re obviously trying to move him.” Bogdanovic holds a career three-point percentage of 39.2% and Toronto was 20th in the league in three-point shooting last season at 34.9%, so he could be a decent fit with the Raptors. The 33-year-old is on an expiring contract worth $19.5MM next season, so matching his salary might be a little difficult, assuming Toronto is interested.
Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com covers a number of topics related to the Sixers in his latest mailbag column. He believes free agent acquisition P.J. Tucker projects to be a starter next season, joining incumbent starters James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid.

Texas Notes: Tate, Washington, Harrison, Days

July 14th, 2022 at 10:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rockets small forward Jae’Sean Tate is not resting on his laurels after signing a new three-season, $22.1MM contract with Houston this summer, writes Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle. The 26-year-old hopes to improve his play all over the court.

“With the extension, it just really helped me a lot because it just made me relax and focus on basketball instead of trying to just stress about stuff,” Tate said. “Since [signing the deal], I’ve been even more confident in my overall game. My shooting, my ball-handling, my ability to talk and lead.”

Tate indicated he is working out multiple times daily in Houston, including at the Rockets’ home arena, the Toyota Center. During his second season in 2021/22, the 6’4″ Ohio State alum averaged 11.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.8 APG and 0.9 SPG across 26.4 MPG for the 20-62 Rockets. He appeared in 78 games, starting all but one.

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Rockets rookie point guard TyTy Washington revealed a COVID-19 pandemic-era preparatory holdover that has helped him track player tendencies: a notebook he kept from 2020 through his lone season at Kentucky. Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle writes that the 20-year-old intends to begin jotting down observations into a fresh notebook during his first NBA season with Houston. Washington would watch documentaries as well as current and classic NBA games and write down thoughts in his original notebook. “That one was kind of through high school and college, like younger me but more watching it as a fan,” he said. “But now it’s like, I’m at this level. So it’s no more watching it as a fan. It’s watching and trying to get better, watching it to learn stuff.” The 6’2″ guard was selected with the No. 29 pick by the Grizzlies on draft night before ultimately being dealt to Houston.
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison addressed a variety of interesting topics, including the departure of Jalen Brunson in free agency, the recovery timeline of Tim Hardaway Jr., and the fit of new center JaVale McGee, in a conversation with Mark Medina of NBA.com. “You lose a talent like Brunson, it’s definitely a blow,” Harrison acknowledged. “We knew it was a possibility that could happen. We did as good a job as you could do with anticipating something like this actually happening.”
Spurs Summer League forward Darius Days, who went undrafted out of LSU this year, is doing his darnedest to earn a two-way contract with San Antonio, writes Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. The team has already signed center Dominick Barlow to one of its two-way slots. “You’ve got to have fun,” Days said of his opportunity. “This is going to determine the rest of our lives, but you’ve got to have fun at the same time.” In his final NCAA season, Days earned All-SEC honors, while averaging 13.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.5 SPG across 33 games, all starts. During a 97-84 Spurs loss Monday to the Rockets, Days scored 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Orsborn notes that Days is competing with undrafted ex-St. Joseph’s rookie guard Jordan Hall and second-year forward Joe Wieskamp for a chance to nab a two-way deal.

And-Ones: Muhammad, Musa, James, Grant

July 14th, 2022 at 5:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

29-year-old former 2013 NBA lottery pick Shabazz Muhammad is hoping to return to the NBA after spending the past four seasons abroad, writes Dana O’Neil of The Athletic. Muhammad indicates that he has worked out for the Kings and has received interest from the Mavericks.

Muhammad was selected with the No. 14 pick out of UCLA in 2013 and spent the majority of his NBA tenure with the Timberwolves. After Minnesota waived him in the spring of 2018, he latched on with the Bucks. Since then, he has suited up for a pair of CBA clubs, the Shanxi Brave Dragons and the Shenzhen Aviators. During the 2021/22 season, Muhammad played briefly with the Nuggets’ NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. He next joined the San Miguel Beermen of the Phillippine Basketball Association.

“It was a big adjustment,’’ Muhammad said of his time abroad. “The language barrier — I needed a translator to talk to my teammates — the food. I got down on myself.’’

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Former Nets small forward Dzanan Musa has inked a deal with top EuroLeague power Real Madrid, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. The 6’9″ wing, still just 23, was selected with the No. 29 pick by Brooklyn in 2018. From 2018-20, he appeared in a total of 49 games for the Nets, averaging 4.8 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 1.1 APG while shooting 37.6% from the floor. Musa spent the 2021/22 season with another Spanish team, Club Baloncesto Breogán, for whom he averaged 20.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 3.1 APG.
Another recent Net, point guard Mike James, has opted to re-sign with AS Monaco on a two-year deal, according to Eurohoops. James, 31, was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team during his 2021/22 season with AS Monaco, averaging 16.4 PPG, 5.7 APG and 3.4 RPG. The 6’1″ James last suited up in 13 games for the Nets during the 2020/21 season, averaging 7.7 PPG, 4.2 APG and 2.5 RPG across 18.2 MPG.
Former NBA reserve guard Jerian Grant has signed with the Turkish club Turk Telekom, per Eurohoops. Grant, now 29, was selected with the No. 19 pick out of Notre Dame in 2015, and logged time with the Knicks, Bulls, and Magic, before landing with the Wizards for his last NBA season, 2019/20. The 6’4″ vet holds career NBA averages of 6.1 PPG, 2.9 APG, 1.9 RPG and 0.7 SPG across 279 games. Grant spent the 2021/22 season with Italian EuroLeague club Olimpia Milano. During his games played within the Italian League, he averaged 7.4 PPG 2.7 APG and 1.9 RPG.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

July 13th, 2022 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

Although a couple other teams were briefly linked to Nets guard Kyrie Irving since free agency began, his trade market appears to be “Lakers or bust,” according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. With Irving apparently generating little interest as a trade chip, both he and the Nets are sending out signals that they’re willing to continue their relationship.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday (video link), Brian Windhorst said the “vibe” coming out of Brooklyn is that the Nets are comfortable entering the fall with both Irving and Kevin Durant still on their roster.

“This could be a negotiating position, or it could be a smart decision if you don’t like the trade offers that you have,” Windhorst said. “The market for Durant has not been as lucrative as the Nets were hoping, and the market for Kyrie is very thin. It’s essentially the Lakers and the trade offer isn’t great. If you don’t like what you have, do you just sort of close ranks and look at restarting it?”

Meanwhile, a source close to Irving tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that Irving hasn’t asked to be traded and has “every intention” of playing for the Nets in 2022/23.

“How did we get into this situation about (a) trade, when he opted in?” Lewis’ source said. “Here is the situation: He opted in, which means he had and he has every intention of playing with the Brooklyn Nets. KD decides he wants out and now everybody is talking about trading Kyrie, right?

“Kyrie has not asked for a trade. Now, if the Nets don’t want him, that’s something totally different. Kyrie has not said he wants a trade. He opted in. (So where did) the trade conversations come from? Is it because, KD requested a trade and now everybody’s like, ‘Let’s trade Ky?’ Kyrie opted in.”

It’s true that there has been no indication Irving has explicitly requested a trade like Durant has, but it’s still hard to take the source’s comments at face value.

Reporting from several outlets in June indicated that Irving was seriously exploring other destinations and only opted into his contract with the Nets after it became clear that none of the teams on his wish list were prepared to make him a lucrative, long-term offer in free agency. Since then, multiple reports have suggested Kyrie would like to end up with the Lakers.

Still, even if the comments from Lewis’ source are an attempt by Irving to save face and win the PR battle, the fact that the All-Star guard is apparently open to spending 2022/23 in Brooklyn is good news for the team. It means the Nets shouldn’t feel any pressure to accept the Lakers’ best offer for Irving if it falls short of their asking price.

Here’s more on Irving:

The Lakers don’t want to give up multiple first-round picks to trade Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Scotto. The belief, as Lewis writes, is that the Nets are seeking two first-rounders from L.A. (2027 and 2029) in any swap involving Westbrook and Irving.
One member of the Mavericks organization believes Irving would want to play for Dallas head coach Jason Kidd, whom he idolized growing up, according to Scotto. However, Scotto confirms that the Mavs don’t appear to have any real interest in trading for Kyrie, as Bleacher Report and the Dallas Morning News previously reported.
Rival executives and league insiders are “split” on whether the Lakers will be able to pull off a deal for Irving, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Many of those insiders believe any L.A. trade for Kyrie will be on hold until the Nets resolve Durant’s trade request, according to Woike, who wonders if the team could pivot to other targets like Buddy Hield or Eric Gordon instead of waiting on Irving.

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.

Southwest Notes: Jackson Jr., Irving, Poeltl, Wood

July 11th, 2022 at 6:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent foot surgery after the season but the Grizzlies remain confident he’ll be a major contributor in 2022/23, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Jackson is expected to be out four-to-six months due to a stress fracture in his right foot.

“Jaren is going to be just fine,” Grizzlies executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said. “This is not a concerning injury. Jaren’s already putting in the work to get back. We know he’s going to be even better. Not worried about Jaren. He’s going to be a big part of our group this season.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Nets reached out to the Mavericks regarding a potential Kyrie Irving trade but Dallas showed little interest, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Coach Jason Kidd has been emphasizing “chemistry and accountability” and Irving’s reputation would change that mantra. It would also be difficult for Dallas to put together a suitable package.
Jakob Poeltl‘s name has been bandied about in the trade market but he may wind up staying with the Spurs, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. The Spurs look at Poeltl as a stabilizing force on a rebuilding team. They were asking in the range of a rotation player and a first-round pick for Poeltl at February’s trade deadline and the price could be even higher now.
Officially a member of the Mavericks, Christian Wood took what appeared to be a dig at the Rockets during his introduction to the Dallas media, Caplan writes. Wood is thrilled to join a perennial playoff contender. “I’m thankful I came to a good organization,” he said. Wood is entering the final year of his contract and is extension-eligible this offseason.