International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: McMillan, T. Lewis, J. Jones, Free Agency

October 29th, 2020 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

After initially planning to sit out the 2020/21 season following his dismissal from the Pacers, Nate McMillan has had an apparent change of heart, writes Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Sources tell Agness that McMillan is hoping to be on an NBA coaching staff next season and has already heard from several teams.

While we don’t know all the clubs McMillan has talked to, it’s safe to assume Houston is one. After word broke on Wednesday that the Rockets were hiring Stephen Silas as their head coach, a report indicated that the team was looking to add a couple former head coaches – including McMillan – to Silas’ new staff.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In international basketball news, former Salt Lake City Stars guard Trey Lewis is signing with Israeli team Maccabi Rishon, per JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link), while former Capital City Go Go wing Jalen Jones is joining Italy’s Pallacanestro Varese, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Lewis was in camp with the Jazz in 2018, while Jones appeared in 32 NBA games with three teams from 2017-19.
Earlier this week, the NBA sent teams its proposed game presentation protocols for 2020/21, assuming that few – or no – fans are permitted in arenas, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Those protocols would include enhanced theatrical lighting and pre-recorded arena noise (possibly from NBA 2K).
In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks estimates the starting salaries for this year’s free agents, including Fred VanVleet ($18-20MM), Joe Harris ($14-16MM), and Danilo Gallinari ($14-16MM), among many others.
With an apparent divide between the NBA and NBPA on whether to start the season on December 22 and January 18, Ethan Strauss of The Athletic wonders if a staggered start that allows some well-rested teams to headline the Christmas Day slate might be a good compromise.

David Stockton To Play In Puerto Rico

October 26th, 2020 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran free agent guard David Stockton, the son of Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, has agreed to join Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Stockton, 29, went undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2014 and has spent most of his professional career since then in the NBA’s G League. In five total seasons with the Reno Bighorns and South Bay Lakers, he has averaged 17.5 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 3.5 RPG on .450/.372/.823 shooting in 169 games (30.0 MPG).

Stockton has also appeared in six total NBA games for the Kings and Jazz, and has some international experience, having played in Croatia in 2016, New Zealand in 2016/17, and Germany in 2018/19.

The timing of Stockton’s move to Puerto Rico is interesting, since a recent report said he has been named vice president of the new G League players’ union (the Basketball Players Union). That report indicated that Stockton was part of the BPU’s “interim” executive committee, so perhaps he’ll be replaced now that he’s apparently headed to Puerto Rico.

Stockton is the second former NBA player to reach an agreement with Mets de Guaynabo this month. Terrence Jones reportedly struck a deal with the Puerto Rican club last week.

And-Ones: Technology, Ratings, L. Nash, Italy

October 25th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA is looking for more ways to deliver its product to fans who never attend games in person, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told Jabari Young of CNBC. The challenges that 2020 brought have led to revelations about involving more fans in the process and the potential of 5G technology, which is being made available in an increasing number of arenas.

Facebook is working to improve its virtual reality experience, including remotely bringing fans into courtside seats. The company’s “rail-cam” was able to move at game speed with no actual fans getting in the way. Rob Shaw, Facebook’s head of Global Sports Media and League Partnerships, said the social media company plans to utilize better camera lenses to enhance the video experience.

“If you’re going to watch a game from the front row, it has to feel like you’re watching it from the front row,” Shaw said. “… That experience is something I hope is brought to the platform in three to five years – for people around the world to be able to have the same experience as Spike Lee watching a Knicks game.”

If Facebook can sell virtual courtside seats, it would present an opportunity for advertisers to reach out to fans with personally catered messages. The NBA is also working to expand virtual signs throughout its arenas.

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The league isn’t overly concerned about its ratings decline during the playoffs, Tatum said in the same story. The NBA Finals drew the lowest viewership since 1994, but Tatum points to increased social media metrics, including billions of video views and more than 300 million YouTube views during the postseason, an increase of 63% over last year. “These are things that not only are affecting us but every other sports league,” Tatum said. “But we understand the numbers are what they are.”
Le’Bryan Nash, who was briefly with the Rockets in 2018, has been released by Maccabi Haifa for disciplinary reasons, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Nash played just two games for the Israeli team.
COVID-19 continues to disrupt overseas basketball, writes Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. The Italian government has adopted new pandemic restrictions that will require all basketball games through November 24 to take place in empty arenas.

Terrence Jones To Play In Puerto Rico

October 22nd, 2020 at 6:33pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Power forward Terrence Jones, formerly of the Rockets, Pelicans and Bucks, will continue his international basketball journey in Puerto Rico, per Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Jones will suit up for Mets de Guaynabo during the team’s 2020/21 basketball season.

The 6’9″ Jones saw his most recent NBA action during the 2018/19 season, when he inked two 10-day contracts with the Rockets and appeared in two games for the club that season. He also logged time with Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, during ’18/19.

In 2019, Jones signed with TNT KaTropa in the Philippines.

The 28-year-old big man is an eight-year NBA veteran, having been drafted with the No. 18 pick by the Rockets in 2012. Jones has appeared in 234 games in the league, including 118 starts. He holds career averages of 10.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 1.0 APG.

And-Ones: NBA Revenue, Burks, NCAA, Africa

October 19th, 2020 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s summer restart permitted the league to recoup about $1.5 billion in revenue that would have otherwise been lost, sources tell John Lombardo of SportsBusiness Daily. As Lombardo explains, much of that $1.5 billion was tied to national and local television deals, as well as league sponsorships.

Of course, the inability to fully complete the regular season schedule and to have fans in arenas for any summer games will end up costing the NBA a significant chunk of revenue, and the coronavirus pandemic will continue to impact the league’s financial outlook going forward. Still, that financial outlook would have been significantly grimmer if the NBA hadn’t been able to successfully pull off the bubble experiment at Walt Disney World this summer.

“Without a doubt, it was worth it,” one team executive said of the reported $180MM the NBA spent to operate the Disney bubble, per Lombardo.

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As he prepares to re-enter free agency, guard Alec Burks has signed with Octagon Sports for representation, the agency announced today (via Twitter). Burks signed for the veteran’s minimum last summer, but had a solid season with the Warriors and Sixers, averaging 15.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 2.9 APG on .418/.385/.887 shooting in 66 games (26.6 MPG).
The NCAA’s Division I Council announced last week that winter sport athletes who compete during the 2020/21 season will receive an additional year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic. While the ruling may affect future NBA draft classes, its impact should be relatively minimal, since most top prospects leave school after a year or two anyway.
In an interesting piece for ESPN.com, Matthew Kirwin of Sports Africa Network explores how Africa’s relationship with U.S. basketball and the NBA has evolved over the last few decades.

And-Ones: Draft Interviews, Offseason, O’Bryant, Jersey Ads

October 18th, 2020 at 4:56pm CST by JD Shaw

Six executives around the league recalled the worst interview answers they’ve received from draft prospects in a story with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, also examining responses to character questions and insane comparisons from players.

“It’s just amazing how these guys don’t realize this is a job interview, and this isn’t a recruiting process,” one longtime executive said. “You’re not coming in here, and we’re going to tell you how good you are. That’s what trips a lot of them up.”

As Scotto examines, one executive asked a prospect during an interview if he did drugs. The player gave a surprisingly honest response to the question.

“He said he did ecstasy,” the executive said. “We asked him where he got the money for the drugs. He said, ‘They paid me to come to this school, so that’s where I got the money.’ Needless to say, he was red-flagged from our list.”

Teams naturally expect a level of honesty from prospects during pre-draft interviews. Unfortunately, some players have missed the mark on just how honest and descriptive their answers should be.

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Bobby Marks of ESPN examines a number of trade and free-agency questions that could reshape the NBA this offseason. Marks explores how executives are viewing this free-agent class, the chances of Giannis Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee long-term, and more.
Free agent Johnny O’Bryant has signed in Serbia with KK Crvena Zvezda, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia (Twitter link). Christos Harpidis of Bet Corner News first reported (via Twitter) that the sides had reached an agreement. O’Bryant, 27, has made past NBA stops with Milwaukee, Denver and Charlotte, spending last season in Russia.
The NBA has seen success with its jersey ad program, Jabari Young of CNBC writes. The league has generated more than $150MM from the program, with all 30 teams having entered into an agreement with a sponsor in recent years.

And-Ones: Stoudemire, Ndour, COVID-19, Poirier

October 18th, 2020 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran power forward Amar’e Stoudemire isn’t ready to end his career, according to Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. After signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv in January, the big man is close to reaching an agreement to return to the Israeli team.

Stoudemire, who will turn 38 next month, averaged 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17 games with Maccabi Tel Aviv, then captured the Israeli League Finals MVP award after leading the team to the championship. Stoudemire played 14 NBA seasons with the Suns, Knicks, Mavericks and Heat, but has been out of the league since 2016. He has spent time in Israel and China, as well as the BIG3.

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Power forward Maurice Ndour, who played for the Knicks during the 2016/17 season, has signed with Rytas Vilnius in Lithuania, tweets JD Shaw of HoopsRumors. Ndour has played in Russia and Spain since leaving the NBA.
The coronavirus continues to disrupt overseas basketball, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The Dutch Basketball League has postponed all its games for the next four weeks due to an increase in COVID-19 cases throughout the country, while games in the Ukraine will be played behind closed doors until at least the end of December. The Ukrainian league had been permitting fans to attend at 20-25% of each arena’s capacity.
Celtics center Vincent Poirier says winning an Olympic gold medal for France would mean more to him than an NBA title, relays Antonis Stroggylakis of EuroHoops. Poirier made the comments during an interview with the French site Konbini Sports. “I take the Olympic title,” Poirier said. “French Olympic champions are rare. If I’m one of the 12 players who win the gold at the Olympics, I will be a legend.” Poirier won a bronze medal with the French team last year at the FIBA World Cup. France has just two Olympic medals in basketball, capturing the silver in 1948 and 2000.

Devyn Marble Signs With BC Astana In Kazakhstan

October 17th, 2020 at 10:41am CST by marksuleymanov

Former second-round NBA Draft pick Devyn Marble has signed with BC Astana in Kazakhstan, according to Sportando.

Marble, 28, has spent parts of the last four seasons playing in Europe, which has included stops in Greece and Italy. The Michigan native averaged 6.5 PPG in seven contests with Virtus Bologna.

The former Iowa Hawkeye was taken by the Clippers 56th overall in the 2014 NBA draft before being dealt to the Magic. In between a multitude of G League stints, Marble appeared in 44 games with the Magic, averaging 2.2 PPG and 1.6 RPG.

Marble returned to the United States to play with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors for the first half of the 2019/20 campaign after participating in Golden State’s training camp.

And-Ones: Option Decisions, Avdija, Draft, Onuaku

October 14th, 2020 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA season over and 2020’s free agent period approaching (eventually), John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a look at all 43 team and player option decisions that must be made this fall, evaluating which options are likely to be exercised and which will be turned down.

While Anthony Davis and Jerami Grant are viewed as the only locks to decline their respective player options this offseason, Hollinger identifies seven more players who he thinks will opt for free agency: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, Wesley Matthews, Austin Rivers, Willie Cauley-Stein, and James Ennis.

With the exception of Caldwell-Pope, McGee, and Cauley-Stein – who is technically earning slightly above the minimum – those players are all on minimum-salary deals, so it won’t be a surprise if they explore the open market, even if they have to settle for another minimum contract. However, KCP’s case should be interesting — his $8.49MM option for 2020/21 is close to mid-level territory, but he could still probably do better after an impressive showing in the NBA Finals.

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ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Bobby Marks take a look at next steps for the NBA, including what next season’s schedule might look like and when roster moves might resume. While there’s currently a freeze on transactions, team executives confirmed to ESPN that the moratorium will be lifted and trades will be permitted before the draft on November 18.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer and Jeremy Woo of SI.com have each published updated versions of their mock drafts for 2020. Both draft experts have Anthony Edwards going No. 1, but O’Connor has a surprise pick at No. 2, penciling in Deni Avdija. League executives expect Avdija to “enter the mainstream conversation as a top-three pick” in the coming weeks, according to O’Connor.
Former NBA big man Chinanu Onuaku has reached an agreement to sign with Croatian team KK Zadar, a source tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Onuaku was the 37th overall pick in the 2016 draft, but didn’t see much action in two seasons with Houston, appearing in just six total games before being traded and waived.

And-Ones: Mirotic, Schedule, VanVleet, More

October 13th, 2020 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA forward and current Barcelona star Nikola Mirotic announced on Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Mirotic said he feels fine and is following doctors’ instructions, but he won’t be playing in today’s game against Valencia Basket and his availability for Barcelona’s next several games will be jeopardized as well.

As noted in an ESPN story on Mirotic’s positive test, Barcelona head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and assistant Darius Maskoliunas both tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in October.

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John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a shot at predicting what the NBA’s offseason calendar might look like, speculating that free agency will begin right near the end of November (after Thanksgiving) and that Martin Luther King Day (January 18) will be the league’s new target date for opening night of the 2020/21 regular season.
In an interesting piece for The Athletic, a series of beat writers – including Eric Koreen, James Edwards III, and Mike Vorkunov – conducted a mock version of Fred VanVleet‘s free agency negotiations, concluding that the point guard’s floor this offseason is probably a four-year worth at least $80MM. In The Athletic’s exercise, the Raptors beat out the Pistons and Knicks to re-sign VanVleet.
Life isn’t always glamorous for American-born players who head overseas to continue their careers, according to CJ Moore of The Athletic, who spoke to a number of U.S. players that didn’t have great experiences playing in Europe or Asia.