International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Teague, Blatt, Hayward

May 28th, 2017 at 5:03pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Mavericks own the No. 9 pick in the upcoming draft and if they go with a frontcourt player, it could signal that the team is planning on adding a point guard this offseason. Jeff Teague could be a realistic option for Dallas this summer, the staff at The Dallas Morning News speculates. Teague will turn 29 next month and he could help Dirk Nowitzki make the playoffs one last time before leading the team’s younger players for the next few seasons.

Here’s more from around the league:

David Blatt won’t return as the coach of Darussafaka Dogus, the Turkish team he led this past season, Sportando’s E. Carchia relays. International Journalist David Pick reports (Twitter feed) that several other international teams have interest in Blatt.
ESPNs Michael B. Schwartz believes there’s a real possibility that Gordon Hayward joins the Celtics this summer. Boston can carve out the max space necessary to offer Hayward an estimated four-year, $130MM deal if it says goodbye to a few role players.
Blake Griffin joining the Thunder isn’t a likely scenario due to the team’s financials, Schwartz contends in the same piece. Oklahoma City handed out massive extensions to Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo last fall and those deals will kick in this summer. Schwartz added that a sign-and-trade would represent the best way for OKC to acquire a top talent like Griffin.

Southwest Notes: Mitchell, Hanga, Draft

May 26th, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pelicans are considering Sam Mitchell as an assistant coach on Alvin Gentry‘s staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (Twitter link). Mitchell has previous head coaching experience, leading the Raptors before becoming the coach of the Wolves.

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Adam Hanga, who won the Euroleague Defensive Player of the Year award, could come to the Spurs next season if Manu Ginobili retires, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter link). Hanga is a draft-and-stash prospect whom San Antonio drafted with the No. 59 pick in the 2011 NBA draft.
The Mavericks could finally find their long-term answer at the point guard position in this year’s draft, Newy Scruggs of the Dallas Morning News. The scribe believes Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina could be a good fit with the team.
Wayne Selden Jr. impressed during his rookie season and Michael Wallace of NBA.com believes the Grizzlies should keep the shooting guard in their long-term plans. The Kansas product played 11 games for Memphis last season and the team signed him to a multi-year pact near the end of the 2016/17 campaign.

Spurs Notes: Ginobili, Hanga, Gasol, Mills

May 23rd, 2017 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The end of the Spurs’ playoff run puts Manu Ginobili in a familiar position of deciding whether he wants to return for another season, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Ginobili, who will turn 40 in July, received two standing ovations late in Monday’s game from Spurs fans, who understood that it may have been his last night in the NBA. After 15 seasons, Ginobili said he will be in no hurry to decide if he wants another one. “I always wanted to let it sink in for three weeks, four weeks, whatever,” Ginobili said. “Then I will sit with my wife and see how it feels.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich recognized the magnitude of the moment, giving Ginobili his first start in three years. Ginobili responded with a 15-point, seven-assist performance that showed he might still have a future in the NBA. “It may or may not be the last game he ever plays in,” Popovich said. “I did not want to miss the opportunity to honor him in front of our home fans.”

There’s more news as the offseason begins in San Antonio:

Ginobili is among several veteran free agents on the roster, and the Spurs expect most of them to return next season, McDonald notes in the same story. Patty Mills and Jonathon Simmons will both be free agents this summer, although Simmons will be restricted, and Pau Gasol, David Lee and Dewayne Dedmon all have player options for 2017/18. LaMarcus Aldridge said the team still has unfinished business to address. “To get here with so many new guys and so much new transition going on, it’s not a bad season,” he said. “I don’t think guys are satisfied with it. To get to the conference finals wasn’t our goal.”
If Ginobili retires, the Spurs will consider bringing over Adam Hanga to replace him, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. The Hungarian swingman was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Euroleague. San Antonio has owned his rights since drafting him with the 59th choice in 2011.
Gasol sounds like his mind is already made up about returning, relays Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Gasol, who turns 37 in July, signed a two-year contract last summer that includes a nearly $16.2MM option for next season. “I look forward to continuing to grow” in San Antonio’s system, he said after Monday’s game.
Mills plans to consider his options carefully before free agency starts, tweets Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. Mills, 28, has spent the past six years in San Antonio and made close to $3.6MM this season.

And-Ones: Seattle, Summer League, Ledo, Prigioni

May 18th, 2017 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Ray Allen has been in the news lately for his beef with his former Celtics teammates, stemming from his move to the Heat. Before he played for either of those clubs though, Allen was a four-time All-Star for the Seattle SuperSonics. The longtime marksman was at his best during his time in Seattle, averaging 24.6 PPG in 296 regular season contests, and he still has a fondness for his old home. As Alysha Tsuji of USA Today details, Allen suggested in a recent Instagram post that he wants to see the NBA back in the city.

“I still can’t believe that there is no basketball in Seattle!!” Allen wrote on an Instagram post that featured the hashtag #bringbackoursonics. “This city is too great not to have a hoops squad. Come on everybody we need to rally and bring the NBA back to Seattle. let’s make this happen people!!! The NBA misses traveling to Seattle, I know I certainly do!!!!!”

As we wait to see if Allen follows Russell Wilson‘s lead and officially joins a group trying to bring the NBA back to Seattle, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world…

The NBA officially announced today that a record 24 teams will compete in the Las Vegas Summer League from July 7-17 this summer. While multiple Summer Leagues take place in July, the event in Vegas continues to be the most popular.
As David Pick reports (via Twitter), Spanish team Baskonia made a roster move involving a former NBA player earlier this week, signing Ricky Ledo, a second-round pick in the 2013 NBA draft. According to Pick (via Twitter), the move to add Ledo was made because Baskonia feared that former NBA sharpshooter Chase Budinger would miss the rest of the season with an injury.
Pick has another update on Baskonia, tweeting that the Spanish club is considering the possibility of hiring Pablo Prigioni as its future head coach. Although he played four seasons in the NBA, Priginoi spent most of his career in the Euroleague, spending a long stint with Baskonia in the 2000s. He recently retired as a player, and it appears coaching may be the next step for him.

Jazz, Nets Expected To Pursue Milos Teodosic

May 17th, 2017 at 8:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz and Nets are expected to be active bidders for Serbian star Milos Teodosic this summer, relays David Pick of Eurobasket.

Sources tell Pick that Utah’s interest is particularly strong because coach Quin Snyder once served as an assistant with CSKA Moscow, Teodosic’s current team.

Teodosic is expected to seek a three-year deal worth $25MM to $30MM. The Nets have about $27MM in cap room this summer, so they could easily fit the 30-year-old on their roster, while the Jazz will have other priorities in free agents Gordon Hayward, George Hill and Joe Ingles.

Andrey Vatutin, president and CEO of the Russian team, discussed Teodosic’s future in an interview with Pick. CSKA Moscow is shooting for another Euroleague title this weekend, which could cap off Teodosic’s playing career in Europe.

“I cannot discuss candidates to replace a player that hasn’t left or might re-sign with CSKA,” Vatutin said. “Milos is unique. He is as unique as Nando De Colo, Viktor Khryapa and all of my players. But if an NBA team makes him an offer — it will be impossible to compete with.”

Vatutin adds that he has friendships with GMs in “Brooklyn, San Antonio, Denver, Oklahoma, Houston and others,” but that won’t affect where Teodosic might end up.

“Teams that want to scout Milos are able to do so with or without CSKA’s assistance,” he added. “I think the teams that have concrete interest in Teodosic weren’t mentioned in the media.”

The Kings were listed last week as a possible contender for Teodosic, who can play either guard position, but that rumor was later retracted. A report last summer said Utah and San Antonio would be his preferred destinations.

Pacific Notes: George, Bogdanovic, Pachulia, Woodson

May 16th, 2017 at 1:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel tried to serve as a Lakers recruiter with guest Paul George Monday night, relays Scott Horner of The Indianapolis Star. George can opt out of his contract next summer and is rumored to have strong interest in playing in his hometown of Los Angeles. “We would really like him to become a Laker,” Kimmel said in his introduction, then asked George several questions about joining the team. George talked about his plans to work out with Kobe Bryant this summer and said the former Lakers star is “the biggest person in my house. Not even me.” He made sure to tell Kimmel, “I love Indy, though,” leaving some doubt about how his free agency might play out next year.

There’s more news from the Pacific Division:

Serbian star Bogdan Bogdanovic turned aside the latest question about whether he will join the Kings next season, according to Noel Harris of The Sacramento Bee. The inquiry came in an interview Monday with Turkish television. “I don’t like to talk about that during the season,” he said. “I have my goals here.” Bogdanovic has led his Fenerbahce Istanbul team to the Euroleague Final Four, earning all-league honors in the process. The Kings acquired his draft rights from the Suns in a trade last summer. “My interest is not only money,” he added. “I want to prove that I can play in the NBA. I don’t want to go there to sit on a bench.”
After being blasted by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for his role in injuring Kawhi Leonard, Warriors center Zaza Pachulia received some support from a former employer, writes Monte Poole of CSNBayArea. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban came to Pachulia’s defense, saying, “That’s not how Zaza plays.”
Clippers assistant Mike Woodson, who coached Carmelo Anthony with the Knicks, would be in favor of acquiring him this summer, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. “I love Carmelo Anthony, that’s all I’m gonna say,” Woodson said in an interview with TMZ. “… He was great for me.” Woodson took over the Knicks midway through the 2011/12 season and served as head coach through 2013/14.

Kings Not In Mix For Milos Teodosic?

May 12th, 2017 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

MAY 12, 11:53am: A day after suggesting that the Kings were a strong contender for Teodosic, Pick has shot down his own report, citing a Sacramento executive who says the team won’t be in the mix to sign the Euroleague star (Twitter link).

MAY 11, 1:10pm: The Kings are a legitimate contender in the Milos Teodosic sweepstakes, a source tells international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link). As Pick observes, Sacramento GM Vlade Divac has a strong connection to Teodosic, a fellow Serbian.

Teodosic, who is primarily a point guard but can also play off the ball, will be coming off another strong season with CSKA Moscow this summer. In 27 Euroleague games, the veteran guard has averaged 16.2 PPG and 7.0 APG en route to leading his club to a spot in the Euroleague Final Four.

We heard way back in September that Teodosic was eyeing a potential jump to the NBA in 2017. The 30-year-old, who is in the final year of his contract with CSKA Moscow, suggested at the time that he was ready to “compete against the best players in the world” in North America, and he has received plenty of NBA interest since then, having been linked most frequently to the Nets.

The Kings, who only have about $35MM in guaranteed salaries on their books for the 2017/18 league year, will certainly be able to compete financially with any other suitor, including the Nets. But, while money will obviously be one factor Teodosic considers, he has also stated that the team he joins will have to meet his “competitive ambitions.” Neither the Kings nor the Nets are expected to be a legit contender in 2017/18.

Furkan Korkmaz Hopes To Join Sixers For 2017/18

May 11th, 2017 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Draft-and-stash prospect Furkan Korkmaz is hoping to join the Sixers for the 2017/18 season, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. According to Pompey, Korkmaz has two years left on his contract with Turkish club Anadolu Efes, but is ready to leave Europe and come stateside.

Although signing with the Sixers is a priority for Korkmaz, the team isn’t necessarily on the same timeline. Pompey writes that Philadelphia is “in no rush” to bring over the 2016 first-rounder, who is still just 19 years old. Additionally, Korkmaz’ contract doesn’t include an NBA out for the coming offseason, and sources tell Pompey that the buyout on the deal is “complicated.”

For the 2017/18 season, NBA teams will be permitted to contribute up to $675K toward a player’s international buyout. However, if a buyout exceeds $675K, the player must make up the difference, and Pompey’s report suggests that may be the case for Korkmaz.

The Sixers drafted three players in the 2016 first round, but only one – 24th overall pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot – saw any action for the team in 2016/17. Top pick Ben Simmons missed the year due to injury issues, while Korkmaz, the 26th overall pick, remained in Turkey.

Having been loaned by Anadolu Efes to Banvit, another Turkish club, for much of the 2016/17 season, Korkmaz averaged 10.3 PPG in 18 Turkish League games for his new team, making him the third-highest scorer on the roster.

Draft Updates: Pinson, Knicks, Ntilikina, Jeanne

May 3rd, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

UNC forward Theo Pinson, who had been testing the draft waters, will return to North Carolina for his senior season, the school announced today in a press release.

“It was a dream of mine to play college basketball at the best school and in the best league in the country, and it is a dream of mine to play in the NBA as well,” Pinson said in a statement. “The best path for me to reach the league and have a long career there is to have a great senior season and I am so excited to have that opportunity to play another year for Coach Williams and finish my degree as well.”

Here are a few more draft-related odds and ends, including more news on players withdrawing their names:

The Knicks are currently projected to pick seventh overall, meaning top point guards like Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Dennis Smith Jr., and De’Aaron Fox may be off the board. However, the Knicks like French point guard Frank Ntilikina and would consider him at No. 7, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who reports that GM Steve Mills is overseas scouting the 18-year-old this week. Berman also notes that Ntilikina is among the many top prospects who will miss this year’s draft combine.
Jonathan Jeanne, a 7’2″ center from France, has been invited to the NBA’s draft combine and has tentatively accepted, despite his season not being over, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com. Jeanne, who is the No. 36 prospect on DraftExpress’ big board, is an international early entrant, so he’d have the option of withdrawing his name if he doesn’t get great feedback at the combine in Chicago.
Randy Onwuasor, a Southern Utah shooting guard, has elected to take his name out of the draft and will return to school for his senior year, coach Todd Simon tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Valparaiso junior Tevonn Walker will also be heading back to school for another year, according to Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports, who reports that Walker is withdrawing his name after testing the draft waters. The 6’2″ guard wasn’t expected to be selected if he’d stayed in the draft.

Knicks Sending Assistant To Latvian National Team

April 26th, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks have worked out a compromise with Kristaps Porzingis regarding his desire to represent Latvia in the European Championships, according to international basketball writer David Pick (Twitter links).

New York’s front office offered to approve Porzingis’ participation provided that assistant coach Joshua Longstaff is permitted to join the national team to work with the second-year big man. Longstaff, who has been with the Knicks since 2014, will remain in Latvia throughout the tournament, which runs from August 31st to September 17th.

Porzingis doesn’t need approval from the Knicks to participate in international play, so the move is largely symbolic. Still it’s a change in philosophy from the organization, which previously advised him to skip the competition. Injuries are the main concern as Porzingis missed 16 games this season with a left Achilles issue and back problems.

The Knicks were originally surprised to learn that Porzingis was planning to be part of Eurobasket. He skipped his exit interview with team president Phil Jackson in a protest over the ongoing chaos surrounding the team and has had little contact with the organization since the season ended.