Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Rondo, Mirotic

March 29th, 2017 at 9:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

A month ago, it seemed clear that Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic were on their way out of Chicago. Now it’s less certain than it used to be.

Rondo and Mirotic have emerged as unlikely leaders as the Bulls fight for one of the East’s final playoff spots. At 35-39, they entered tonight’s action one game behind the eighth-place Heat but just three games out of the fifth seed.

Rondo has reclaimed the starting point guard role and taken control of the Bulls’ offense. He barely missed a triple double Sunday in a crucial win at Milwaukee and looks comfortable running the team for the first time all season. It’s a far cry from mid-January when he was relegated to the bench and stayed in shape by playing pickup games at an area middle school.

Rondo proclaimed himself one of Chicago’s “three alphas” along with Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade after signing a two-year deal worth nearly $27.4MM in July. But it’s not clear if that view was ever shared by the Bulls’ front office, who traded for one point guard, Michael Carter-Williams, in October, and another, Cameron Payne, last month.

But Rondo may be changing minds with his recent play. Bulls.com beat writer Sam Smith recently stated that it’s “no longer ridiculous” that the team might pick up Rondo’s $13.397MM option for next season. Chicago’s desire for cap room will certainly factor into that decision, as just $3MM of Rondo’s deal is guaranteed through June 30th.

Mirotic’s turnaround may be even more remarkable. He was being held out of games just two weeks ago, but has bounced back to become a key part of the Bulls’ offense. He has scored 28, 15 and 28 points in his last three games. Mirotic will be a restricted free agent this summer, so Chicago will have the option to match any offer he gets.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should the Bulls bring back Rondo and Mirotic next season or should they look for other players to fill those roles? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

Fantasy Hoops: Hawks, Jazz, Matchups

March 28th, 2017 at 4:15pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Hoops Rumors is examining the fantasy basketball landscape in order to help you dominate the competition both during championship week and in daily fantasy. Check back weekly for more analysis.

Band-Aids In Atlanta

Right as the league enters a crucial stretch for playoff spots and seeding, the Hawks get ravished with injuries. Being undermanned has caused Atlanta drop seven straight games and fall out of contention for a top-4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Help may be on the way. Kent Bazemore is planning to re-join the team on Wednesday night against the Sixers. For those of you in your fantasy championships (Congrats!), I’d wait to see Bazemore’s workload before adding him. However, if sees 20-30 minutes and doesn’t suffer any setbacks, he’s becomes quite valuable.

Tim Hardaway Jr. will see his value drop upon Bazemore’s return and even more so when injured swingman Thabo Sefolosha is able to see the court. The shooting guard has seen 32.9 minutes per game in the month of March and he’s averaged 20.1 points and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 48.9% from the field since the calendar turned. He’ll still deliver quality production once everyone is healthy, just don’t expect the gaudy stat lines we’ve seen recently.

Paul Millsap will be sidelined until at least Sunday’s tilt with the Nets and it’s not certain that he’ll be back then. The power forward was enjoying an excellent season, averaging 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds while adding 1.3 steals and a block per contest. In his absence, Ersan Ilyasova has started and he’s produced in the points and rebounds categories, averaging 11.8 and 9.0 respectively over his five starts. The 37.7% shooting is troubling, but if field goal percentage is not a concern, he makes a solid waiver-wire pickup or cheap play in daily fantasy.

One more player to keep an eye on is Taurean Prince. He played 38 minutes against the Nets on Sunday, contributing 17 points, six rebounds, three steals, and a block. He’s a nice play against the Suns tonight, but when Bazemore and Sefolosha return, he may not have much of role.

Here’s more fantasy notes and analysis from around the league:

Gordon Hayward is nursing a left quad injury and if can’t play this week, Rodney Hood could be a nice fantasy option. Hood scored 20 points on 16 shots and added six rebounds and three assists against the Pelicans on Monday. Joe Ingles also belongs on the fantasy radar while Hayward is sidelined. Later this week, the Jazz will take on the Kings (a team that has the fifth-worst defensive rating since the All-Star break) and the Wizards, (sixth-worst defensive rating since the break).
The Wizards are also giving the third-most points and second-most made 3-pointers while allowing the second-best field goal percentage to the opposing shooting guards over their last 10 games. Washington takes on the Lakers tonight before playing the Clippers, Jazz, and Warriors later in the week.
The Wolves are having a hard time containing opposing shooting guards over the last 10 games, allowing them to make 51% of their shots (worst mark in the league).
The Knicks are doing something right. Over their last 10 games, no team has allowed fewer points per contest to the shooting guard position. New York has allowed opposing twos to shoot just 35.6% from the field over that stretch, which is the stingiest mark in the league.
The Pacers have been a particularly terrible match-up for opposing point guards lately. Over their last 10 games, they’ve given up just 16.4 points (stingiest in the league) to the position. Indiana has also allowed opposing ones to make 38.6% of their shots, which is the second-best mark in the league (behind only the Spurs).

Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.

Statistics are current through Tuesday afternoon.

Hoops Rumors 2017 10-Day Contract Tracker

March 27th, 2017 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

For the last few months, NBA teams have been eligible to sign free agents to 10-day contracts, and many of the signings that have taken place during that span have been of the 10-day variety. Hoops Rumors has created a database that allows you to keep on top of those deals, tracking every 10-day signing all season long. So far, 35 different players have signed at least one 10-day contract in 2017.

Our 10-Day Contract Tracker includes information on all 10-day contracts signed from the 2006/07 season on, giving you a chance to identify trends regarding your favorite teams and players. The search filters in the database make it easy to sort by team, player and year. Just be sure to write a player’s last name first if searching in that field. You can also see whether a player and team signed a second 10-day contract, and if the short-term deals led to an agreement that covered the rest of the season.

For instance, if you want to see how many 10-day deals current Hornets guard Briante Weber has signed over the course of his career, you can find that information here. Similarly, if you want to see all the 10-day contracts that the Mavericks have signed in recent years, you can do so here.

A newly-added feature also allows you to see which 10-day contracts are active — players whose 10-day deals haven’t expired are marked with an asterisk in our tracker. At the moment, Manny Harris (Mavs), Jarrod Uthoff (Mavs), Archie Goodwin (Nets), Jarell Eddie (Suns), and Quinn Cook (Pelicans) are on active 10-day contracts.

A link to our 10-Day Contract Tracker can be found at any time in the Tools menu at the top of the page, or in the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features.” We’ll be keeping it up to date for the rest of the season, so be sure to check back to keep tabs on the latest signings as they become official.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Poll: Best Point Guard In The Draft?

March 25th, 2017 at 8:25pm CST by ChrisCrouse

In 2017, we may see a draft class that contains the greatest collection of point guards in the history of the league, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). Ford added that as many as four point guards could be selected in the first five picks. Here’s a brief breakdown of the point guards who could have their name called early on draft night:

Markelle Fultz is expected to be the top pick in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. He averaged 23.2 points and 5.9 assists per game while sporting a 27.9 player efficiency rating during his lone season in Washington. His massive wingspan, coupled with his ability to make plays, should allow his game to translate to the next level. However, he wasn’t able to elevate his college team to the NCAA Tournament and he struggled against better competition, which are worrisome factors when evaluating the young prospect.
Lonzo Ball is not better than Stephen Curry. He is one of the best point guards in the draft and if you can get past all the noise his father is making, you can see why teams are placing Ball near the top of their draft boards. There aren’t many 19-year-olds who can control the game the way Ball does. His passing ability and court vision are top-notch and it wouldn’t be shocking if he’s the first player to have his name called in the upcoming draft.
Dennis Smith Jr. is an explosive athlete with great awareness on the court. He’s not the best shooter and like Fultz, Smith wasn’t able to get his team into the NCAA Tournament. Ford has him going to the Magic with the No. 5 pick in his latest mock draft.
De’Aaron Fox outdueled Ball and UCLA to lead his team to the elite eight. Fox is one of the fastest point guards in the draft. He’s an athletic prospect who excels on the defensive end. If Fox isn’t selected in the top-5, it’ll be because of his shaky jump shot has scared teams off. He made just 23.1% of the 3-point attempts during his lone season at Kentucky.
Frank Ntilikina is a long-armed, quick point guard from France with a smooth game that should transition well to the league. Givony believes he has plenty of room to grow and adds that the 18-year-old’s versatility and basketball IQ will reward whichever team selects him on draft night.

Assuming all five of these prospects declare for the draft (Fox can’t declare until his team either wins the NCAA Championship or is eliminated. Fultz and Ball have officially declared. Smith is expected to declare; same with Ntilikina), which point guard selected in the 2017 draft will have the best career?

Don’t limit yourself to just a click of a button. Take to the comment section below to explain your selection. Think another point guard will have a better career than the aforementioned prospects? Let us know and make your case below. We look forward to what you have to say!

Community Shootaround: Denver Nuggets

March 25th, 2017 at 5:20pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Nuggets are carving up opposing teams with their efficient offense, which has led to an impressive month of March. During the month, Denver leads the league in offensive rating and the team pulled off some unthinkable upsets, notching wins over the Celtics, Clippers, and Cavs.

The development of Nikola Jokic has been a major reason why the team is finding success, but it’s also a result of several other factors, such as coach Mike Malone’s decision to start 35-year-old Jameer Nelson at point guard. Nelson hasn’t been statistically great, but just like a game manager at the quarterback position in the NFL, he helps his team by making the right decisions and reducing risk. Out of all guards averaging at least 30 minutes a night, Ricky Rubio is the only player with a better assist-to-turnover ratio than Nelson during the month of March.

Denver’s success has propelled them into the lead in the Western Conference’s eighth seed race. Entering the day, the Nuggets sit 1.5 games ahead of the Blazers and 3.5 games ahead of the Mavericks.

That leads us to tonight’s topic: Do you think the Nuggets hold onto the eighth seed and make the playoffs? If they do, how many games can they win either against a Warriors squad that may not have Kevin Durant or against a Spurs team that may face issues because of its aging backcourt?

If you don’t think the team can sustain its level of success or you don’t believe it will fare well once it reaches the postseason, let us know what moves the team should make this offseason to upgrade the roster. Tonight’s shootaround is all about the Nuggets. Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts on the team. We look forward to what you have to say!

Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/18/17 – 3/25/17

March 25th, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team compiles original content to complement our news feed. Here are some of our favorite segments and features from the past seven days:

Chris Crouse was in attendance at the 2017 MIT Sloan Conference earlier this month, and spoke to many NBA executives, analysts, and other sources at the event. He rounded up all of his pieces and provided a few more interesting tidbits from Sloan right here.
With the trade deadline and the buyout period now very much in the rear-view mirror, we examined which NBA teams still have open roster spots.
Our weekly fantasy basketball feature focused this week on players who are benefiting from veterans being shut down for the season, including Tyler Ulis (Suns), Rajon Rondo (Bulls), and Brandon Ingram (Lakers).
Arthur Hill discussed the NBA’s Coach of the Year award, the Clippers, and more in his weekly Sunday mailbag. For details on how to submit a question for our next mailbag, click here.
In our weekly Hoops Links roundup of interesting articles from around the blogosphere, Milo Taibi passed along pieces on Draymond Green, Larry Sanders, David Nwaba, and more. For details on how to submit a blog entry for consideration in our next installment of Hoops Links, click here.
I answered questions in our live chat, which happens every Monday afternoon. Here’s the transcript.
Here are the questions we asked you in our Community Shootaround discussions and polls this week:
- Will LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade ever join forces on the same team?
- What are your thoughts on teams resting healthy stars, as the Cavaliers and Warriors have done recently?
- Which team do you expect to claim the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference? The Trail Blazers edged the Nuggets in this vote.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Send Us Your Mailbag Questions, Hoops Links Submissions

March 24th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Every Sunday at Hoops Rumors, we publish a pair of features that rely on input and submissions from our readers. One is our Weekly Mailbag, in which Arthur Hill answers a few questions related to the latest news and rumors from around the NBA. The second is our Hoops Links feature, which showcases a selection of notable NBA blog entries from all over the internet. In each instance, the content for those features comes from you.

Have a question regarding player movement, free agent rumors, the salary cap, the NBA draft, or the top storylines of the week? You can e-mail them here for consideration for our Weekly Mailbag: hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com. If your question doesn’t get selected for our mailbag, be sure to join us on Monday afternoons for our weekly live chat.

Got a new NBA blog post that you’d like to see featured on Hoops Rumors? You can send the URL and a brief description of the piece to hoopslinks@gmail.com for consideration.

Be sure to send us your new mailbag questions and NBA blog posts each week, and check back every Sunday to see if you’ve been featured in that week’s installment!

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors 2017 MIT Sloan Conference Coverage

March 22nd, 2017 at 9:29pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Hoops Rumors attended the 2017 MIT Sloan Conference earlier this month and we delivered several features from the event. We covered commissioner Adam Silver’s sit down with FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver. Silver addressed the league’s strategy when it comes to players’ social media accounts and the commissioner noted that basketball attracts “a certain type of owner,” adding that NBA owners are typically more open to innovation than owners of other North American sports franchises.

NBA owners are embracing the analytics movement. Coaches and players are doing the same, as I discussed in my Evolution of Analytics piece.

We also passed along a feature on Mark Cuban and how the Mavericks have taken a unique approach to building around Dirk Nowitzki. In addition, we spoke with several current and former NBA executives and conducted a poll with topics ranging from the MVP race to front office moves.

Here are more notes from this year’s conference:

The midrange game appears to be a lost art, but a look at the numbers tell a different story, as Bucks Director of Basketball Research Seth Partnow told attendees during the conference’s Truth And Myths Of The Three Point Revolution In Basketball session. Teams are no longer designing plays that result in a midrange shot, which has caused a decrease in assisted midrange attempts throughout the league. However, unassisted midrange attempts, which are known as “Star Shots” in NBA circles, have stayed consistent over the last decade. When plays break down, it forces the teams’ top players to create their own offense and in many possessions, the result is a midrange shot off the dribble.
The best shot in the NBA is the corner three-pointer, but Partnow noted that only 7.5% of all shots during the 2015/16 campaign were from that area.
Partnow said his least favorite stat is defensive three-point percentage. He believes the stat isn’t an indicator of whether or not good defense has been played since once a player shoots the ball, the result is not impacted by the defense. “It’s not luck, but the data points look like luck.”
Former NBA executive Bobby Marks told Hoops Rumors that ownership change isn’t worrisome for most members of the front office. “[As an Assistant GM], you’re not in the line of fire.” Marks, who now writes for The Vertical, saw the Nets’ franchise change ownership four times in his 20 years with the club. He began his career as an intern with the franchise before working his way up to assistant GM.
The Warriors have struggled without Kevin Durant and if he can’t get back to 100%, the team will have trouble claiming the Western Conference, Marks tells Hoops Rumors. He added that the San Antonio could take advantage of Golden State’s woes, but cautions that the Spurs’ backcourt is their “Achilles heel.” Marks also added that San Antonio’s age showed in its playoff series with the Thunder last season.
One anonymous NBA executive told Hoops Rumors that he would rather have Timofey Mozgov‘s contract on his books than Joakim Noah‘s when asked to pick between the two. The executive believes both players will be back-ups on the latter halves of their respective contracts, adding that Mozgov may be better suited for that role. Mozgov signed a four-year, $64MM contract with the Lakers over the summer, while Noah signed a four-year, $72MM deal with the Knicks. Both players are out for the remainder of the season.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told a group of students and media members, including Hoops Rumors, that the best way to break into the sports industry is not a sports management degree. The Shark Tank Star recommended computer and data sciences, as those will be important areas in the future of the NBA.
During his panel with Nate Silver, Cuban dismissed the notion that referees have the hardest job in sports. “Have you ever seen a ref quit because it’s too hard,” Cuban exclaimed. “Has anyone said ‘I’m going to go back and be an accountant?'” The league has fined Cuban nearly $2MM, much of which has been a result of criticizing referees, since he took ownership of the Mavericks.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Fantasy Hoops: Ulis, Rondo, Ingram

March 22nd, 2017 at 7:58pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The fantasy playoffs are underway and Hoops Rumors wants to help you become your league’s champion. Didn’t make the playoffs? Don’t worry, we’ll help you find players who may be undervalued in daily fantasy. Here are some notes and analysis from around the league.

The Suns shut down Eric Bledsoe for the remainder of the season and the move creates a massive opportunity for Tyler Ulis. Since Bledsoe was sidelined, Ulis leads the league in minutes per game with 41.3. Over that four-game stretch, he’s fifth in the league in assists per game and he’s added 1.8 steals per contest. He’s available in nearly 50% of ESPN leagues and he faces a great matchup against the Nets on Thursday.
The Bulls recently shut down Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo has seen his fantasy value increase as a result. Over the past three games, Rondo saw 31.6 minutes per contest and he averaged 11.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
The Lakers shut down their two highest paid players earlier in the month. Brandon Ingram is starting to benefit from the team’s decision. The rookie has seen 38.5 minutes per contest over his last four games, which ranks sixth in the league. Over that stretch, he’s averaging 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 51.9% from the field. He’s available in nearly 60% of ESPN leagues.
Ivica Zubac, who we discussed in last week’s edition of Fantasy Hoops, is available in over 80% of ESPN leagues. He’s seeing more playing time since the team shut down Timofey Mozgov. Over his last three games, the rookie is averaging 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game.
Keep an eye on the status of Jeremy Lin. He injured his ankle over the weekend and Spencer Dinwiddie started and played well in Lin’s place against the Pistons on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Nets will take on the Suns, a team that has given up the most points, the fourth-most assists and the second most steals to the point guard position over the last 10 games. If Lin suits up, both players could be risky plays, but if Lin is ruled out, Dinwiddie could have sneaky upside.
Check your waiver wire to see if Marvin Williams is available (as he is in 37% of ESPN leagues). The North Carolina product has seen his role on the Hornets grow recently. Since the All-Star break, he’s averaging 36.1 minutes per game, which is the 10th highest mark in the league over that stretch.

Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.

Statistics are current through Wednesday afternoon.

NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

March 22nd, 2017 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

With just three weeks in the NBA season, most teams across the league have full rosters. Teams still fighting for playoff spots or jockeying for higher seeds may not use all 15 players on their rosters, but they want to be well-stocked in case they need the depth heading into the postseason. Meanwhile, teams out of the running for a playoff spot will often use the last few spots on their rosters to take fliers on younger players and see if they can find a hidden gem before the regular season ends.

Currently, only two teams have open spots on their rosters, as our list of roster counts shows. Those teams are as follows:

New Orleans Pelicans (13 guaranteed contracts, one 10-day contract): Since sending three guards to Sacramento in the DeMarcus Cousins deal last month, the Pelicans have been shuffling backcourt players on and off the roster in an effort to find good fits. As our 10-day tracker shows, New Orleans has signed six different guards to 10-day contracts since the deadline. One of those players – Jordan Crawford – earned a rest-of-season contract, while another – Quinn Cook – is still on the roster on a 10-day deal. For now, the Pelicans are leaving their final spot open, but that may not last.
Orlando Magic (14 guaranteed contracts): Orlando is a curious case. Outside of their Serge Ibaka trade with Toronto and a lone 10-day contract for Anthony Brown, the Magic haven’t made any roster moves since waiving Arinze Onuaku prior to the salary guarantee deadline in early January. The Magic were carrying 15 players during those 10 days that Brown was on the roster, but otherwise have left a spot open for the last two and a half months. The club has several young players on its roster that should get playing time down the stretch, so perhaps the thinking is that a 15th man on a 10-day contract would have no role and wouldn’t be worth the modest investment. But it’s still a little surprising that Orlando hasn’t made use of that roster spot.

Meanwhile, the following three teams have full 15-man rosters at the moment, but at least one of their players is on a 10-day contract that will soon expire:

Brooklyn Nets (14 guaranteed contracts, one 10-day contract): The Nets remain below the salary floor by about $1.235MM, so when Archie Goodwin‘s 10-day deal expires later this week, I’d expect the club to quickly fill that 15th spot. It remains to be seen whether that will mean re-signing Goodwin or adding someone new.
Dallas Mavericks (13 guaranteed contracts, two 10-day contracts): The Mavericks are a perfect example of a team that used 10-day contracts to find a potential keeper — they struck gold with Yogi Ferrell. Like New Orleans, Dallas has signed six different players to 10-day deals this year, with one keeper to show for it. The Mavs will have to decide next week whether either Jarrod Uthoff or Manny Harris is a keeper, or if they’ll use those two roster spots on new guys.
Phoenix Suns (14 guaranteed contracts, one 10-day contract): With Eric Bledsoe, Tyson Chandler, and Brandon Knight no longer in the rotation, the Suns are fully in look-at-young-players mode. Jarell Eddie is currently on a 10-day contract with Phoenix, so we’ll see if he sticks.

If one of these teams wants to take a flier on a D-League prospect before season’s end, there is no shortage of options. Pierre Jackson, Keith Benson, Jalen Jones, and Jabari Brown are among the players thriving in the NBADL and earning a shot at an NBA call-up, as Adam Johnson of D-League Digest details.