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Nets, Grizzlies Pursue Andray Blatche

February 14th, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Chuck Myron

10:58am: If Blatche were to return to China, he would be in line to receive a “substantial” raise over what he made in China this season, Windrem tweets.

10:25am: Blatche is seriously considering a lucrative contract offer to re-sign with a team in the Chinese Basketball Association, Shams Charania of RealGM reports. The big man is being pursued by several teams in China, and he may forgo a return to the NBA this season, Charania adds.

FEBRUARY 14TH, 9:12am: Nets GM Billy King indicated that a decision regarding Blatche would be made shortly, but he did not indicate if the team intended to sign the big man, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily reports. “Yeah, we’re in discussions about it,” King said. “We’ve had contact with him and hopefully we’ll make a decision soon.”

4:18pm: Several playoff-bound teams have interest in Blatche, tweets Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal.

FEBRUARY 2ND, 12:16pm: The Nets and Grizzlies are among the teams interested in signing Andray Blatche, who’s once more a free agent after his deal to play in China expired this week with the end of the Chinese season, reports Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. Miami has also shown interest in Blatche, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported in December, though it’s unclear if the Heat still want to chase him in the wake of Hassan Whiteside‘s emergence, Mazzeo writes.

That Brooklyn would be going after the 28-year-old big man is surprising after he was the only one of the team’s free agents with whom King did not meet at the start of the negotiating period in July. Nets management applauded what was reportedly a de facto suspension that then-coach Jason Kidd handed out to Blatche last season over concerns about his conditioning and preparation. Brooklyn nonetheless believes that Blatche can help at this point, tweets Reed Wallach of NetsDaily.

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace spoke openly this weekend of his willingness to gamble on inexpensive talent for the end of his roster, and Memphis signed Michael Beasley and Tyrus Thomas earlier this year. Blatche would fit the profile of the veteran power forward the team seems to be after, though Memphis just agreed to a 10-day deal with JaMychal Green, which would fill its lone open roster spot, if only temporarily. Brooklyn is only committed to 14 players.

Heat officials reportedly made preliminary inquiries about the Andy Miller client over the summer, but it appears that Miami has had longstanding concerns about Blatche’s maturity and behavior. The Heat have 14 players signed for the season plus Tyler Johnson, who’s on the fifth day of a 10-day contract. Miami has a disabled player exception of nearly $2.653MM to offer, giving the team a financial edge over the Grizzlies, who have only a sliver of their mid-level exception remaining.

However, the Nets have Blatche’s Early Bird rights, so they can sign him for a prorated portion of the $5.632MM estimated average salary. The rate of proration would give the Nets roughly $4.837MM to spend if they signed him today, with about $33K coming off that amount daily. Blatche just completed a one-year, $2MM deal with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers after having spent the previous two seasons in Brooklyn. He put up 31.0 points and 14.5 rebounds in 38.7 minutes per game while in China.

Western Notes: Clippers, Benson, Karl

February 10th, 2015 at 7:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pelicans and Saints owner Tom Benson must undergo evaluations by three different doctors to determine whether the 87-year-old is competent enough to retain control of the two franchises, Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune reports. One doctor will be named by Benson and a second will be chosen by his daughter, Renee, and her children, who are seeking to take control of the teams after his death. Those two doctors will jointly name a third physician and all will evaluate Benson, Grimm adds.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

In a statement released by Benson via the Saints Twitter feed, the embattled owner declared his intention to spare no expense in defending his control of the team and mental state. Benson also noted that he has instructed his attorney Phil Wittmann to make public the results of his medical evaluations as soon as possible.
The Grizzlies have recalled Jarnell Stokes and Russ Smith from the Iowa Energy, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. This concludes the fourth trek of the season to the D-League for both players.
Clippers coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers said that the team would wait until after the All-Star break to bring in another player to bolster its roster, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register relays. The reason behind the wait is the upcoming All-Star break, since the team wouldn’t be able to maximize the amount of games it would receive from a player signed to a 10-day contract until the end of the break, Woike notes. Rivers wouldn’t say if the team was looking to bring in a big man to replace the injured Blake Griffin, or to sign another guard, Woike adds.
Sources close to the situation say many of the Nuggets players George Karl coached in Denver still text Karl after games and ask his advice on matchups and style of play, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes. Multiple Kings players have reportedly expressed concerns over the franchise hiring Karl.

And-Ones: Sanders, Antetokounmpo, Porter

February 8th, 2015 at 2:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Team sources say Larry Sanders has done everything that has been asked of him since he was suspended by the NBA for at least 10 games on January 16th for a drug violation, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The league stipulated that the suspension will remain in effect until he fully complies with his treatment program and there remains no timetable for his return.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens thinks the Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo “has a chance to be special,” according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Antetokounmpo has been able to retain his skills and athleticism despite a notable growth spurt since reaching the NBA. “He is unique,” Stevens said. “His length … everyone talks about length as a buzz word in basketball, but then there’s him or a couple of guys like him. There’s not that many.” Antetokounmpo has more than two seasons and $6.82MM remaining on his rookie deal. If he continues to progress, I would speculate that some team offers him a maximum value contract when he becomes a restricted free agent; that is if the Bucks don’t sign him to an extension before then.
Another member of the 2013 draft class, Otto Porter, is thriving for his team. The Wizards are starting Porter in place of Bradley Beal, who is out of the lineup because of an injury, and the franchise may have found a player who can contribute come playoff time, writes Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. Porter has averaged 10.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during his four games as a starter.
The Hawks have recalled Mike Muscala from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, according to the team’s twitter feed. The big man accrued 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the Mad Ants’ win on Saturday.
The Grizzlies have recalled Jordan Adams from their D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, according to the team’s twitter feed. Adams accumulated four points, seven rebounds and four assists during the lone game of his latest D-League assignment.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post

Western Notes: Afflalo, Chandler, Johnson

February 7th, 2015 at 2:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Nuggets continue to seek a first-round pick from teams interested in guard Arron Afflalo, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Afflalo could become a free agent at the end of this season, as he holds a $7.5MM player option for next year. Dempsey adds that teams are hesitant to surrender a first-rounder for a player that could walk at the end of the season and it is a snag that prevented Afflalo from already being traded to Charlotte. Our own Chuck Myron examined Afflalo as a trade candidate recently in which he believes it will be difficult for the Nuggets to get a first-rounder for the guard. He adds that if the team can get equal value to what it gave up when it acquired the UCLA product last offseason, a trade would be a smart move for the franchise.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Interest in Wilson Chandler remains high from teams around the league, writes Dempsey in the same piece. The Nuggets were reportedly shopping the forward with an eye on obtaining future-focused assets. The Blazers and the Clippers are among the teams that have been linked to the 27-year-old.
The Jazz have decided not to bring back Chris Johnson after his 10-day contract expired Friday night, according to the team’s twitter feed. The guard/forward only appeared in two games for Utah in which he accumulated a total of 14 points, three assists and three steals during 38 minutes of action. The team’s roster now stands at 14 players.
The Grizzlies have assigned Jordan Adams to their D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, according to the team’s website. To date, Adams has played 10 games for the Energy, averaging 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.3% from the field.

Hawks Trying To Woo Ray Allen

February 6th, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:56pm: The Hawks have indeed had discussions with Allen’s representatives about coming to Atlanta, but nothing appears to be imminent at this time, Vivlamore tweets.

8:27am: The Hawks are trying to convince Ray Allen to consider signing with them when and if he decides to play in the NBA this season, though the Cavs remain the favorites to land the 39-year-old, tweets Ryen Russillo of ESPN Radio. Still, coach Mike Budenholzer, acting as the team’s GM in place of Danny Ferry, who’s on a leave of absence, said he’s reluctant to tinker with a roster that’s won 34 of its last 37 games, as Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes.

“For us to be open to improving the group and adding more depth, with Thabo [Sefolosha] healthy or without Thabo healthy or without Thabo having this injury, it’s kind of the same mindset,” Budenolzer said. “We really like our group. You are hesitant to do anything. There is a little more opportunity for a six- to eight-week window but I don’t think it changes much if at all.”

Sefolosha, who plays the same position Allen does, is about a week into a six-to-eight-week timetable for recovery from a strained calf. Still, Sefolosha plays a much different style than the sharpshooting Allen, the league’s all-time leading three-point shot-maker. The Hawks have a full roster of 15 players signed through the end of the season, as our roster counts show, so they’d have to eat someone’s salary to accommodate Allen. Still, they have slightly more than $3MM worth of cap space to throw at the Jim Tanner client, who this past summer signaled a strong desire for more than the minimum salary should he return to the NBA this season.

Cleveland only has the minimum to give, and the same is true of the Wizards, who are reportedly Allen’s most aggressive suitor. Russillo wrote in December that he’d heard that Allen would make his decision in February, though Chris Mannix of SI.com wrote last week that people around the league increasingly believe that Allen knows the team he’d like to play for, and is simply deciding whether he wants to play at all. The Clippers, Grizzlies, Bulls and Spurs are other teams linked to Allen within the past few months. The Warriors seemed to have abandoned their earlier interest.

Ed Davis Intends To Opt Out For 2015/16

February 5th, 2015 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Lakers forward Ed Davis intends to opt out of his contract for next season, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News reports. The big man’s deal contains a player option worth $1,100,602 for 2015/16. Davis prefers to secure his long-term future rather than opting in for short-term security, Medina notes. “I’m hoping for a long-term deal,” said Davis, who has until June 25th to make his final decision regarding his option. “I’d love to return here [Los Angeles]. I know this will turn around eventually.”

Davis had previously rejected a long-term rookie scale extension offer from the Grizzlies back in October of 2013 that would have paid him $5MM to $6MM annually, according to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (subscription required). The big man decided against signing an extension with Memphis because he was reportedly displeased with his playing time, Tillery notes. This led Davis to leave Memphis as a free agent and to ink a two-year, $2MM deal with the Lakers last July.

Los Angeles may still elect to try and re-sign Davis, but its priorities this offseason revolve around the NBA draft and trying to attract a max-level free agent, Medina notes. But Davis’ future with the Lakers will likely hinge on what sort of free agent market will develop for his services, Medina adds. The 25-year-old told Medina that he “definitely” understands the financial risk that turning down his player option will entail.

The 6’10” former first-rounder out of North Carolina is enjoying a solid season for the floundering Lakers, and has benefited from the season-ending injury to 2014 lottery pick Julius Randle. Davis is averaging 8.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game. His career numbers are 7.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.1 BPG. His career slash line is .549/.000/.584.

And-Ones: Duncan, Popovich, Collison, Grizzlies

February 4th, 2015 at 9:05am CST by Chuck Myron

The “prevailing thought” around the league has been that Tim Duncan will retire when his contract expires after the season, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, but Gregg Popovich isn’t so sure. The coach/executive acknowledges that Duncan is liable to walk away from the game at any time, regardless of contract status, but Popovich tells Amick that he doesn’t believe Duncan will do so just yet, given his still-proficient level of play. Nonetheless, Popovich isn’t making promises about his own longevity, and while he confirmed to Amick that the extension he signed this past summer was for five years, the 66-year-old thinks he’ll retire before that time is through. Here’s more from around the league:

The push for Nick Collison‘s extension with the Thunder came from the team’s side, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com, writing for Daily Thunder. The length of the deal for the Mike Higgins client, which runs one season past the expiration of Kevin Durant‘s contract, makes it clear that the extension is in part an enticement for Durant, who likes Collison, to stay, Young believes. It’s also a signal that the club is on board with paying the luxury tax next season, as Young explains.
Tyrus Thomas has returned to the D-League affiliate of the Grizzlies after the expiration of his 10-day contract with the franchise’s NBA club, the D-League team announced (on Twitter).
Free agent Greg Oden reached a plea deal with prosecutors stemming from an August incident, as court documents show, according to Michael Anthony Adams of USA Today. The former No. 1 overall pick pleaded guilty to a felony battery charge and three other charges were dismissed as part of the deal, Adams writes. Oden avoided jail time in sentencing, as Adams’ report also indicates.

Southwest Notes: Wolters, Grizzlies, Aminu

February 3rd, 2015 at 3:56pm CST by Zachary Links

After last night’s 102-101 come-from-behind victory over the Suns on Monday night, swingman Tony Allen is optimistic about the Grizzlies‘ chances to win it all, writes Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (subscription required). “We’ve got a great chance at getting it done this year,” said Allen, who won a ring with the Celtics in 2008. Here’s a look at the Southwest Division..

The Pelicans won’t re-sign guard Nate Wolters for the remainder of the season after his 10-day contract expired Monday, a league source tells John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Reid writes that Wolters’ departure could result in more minutes for backup Jimmer Fredette, who gave New Orleans a great performance off of the bench on Monday night against Atlanta.
The Grizzlies are 10-1 since acquiring Jeff Green, but that’s not the only thing boosting them in recent weeks, Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal (subscription required) writes. As good as Green has been for Memphis, the return of Zach Randolph gave them a palpable sense of cohesion that they didn’t have for much of December.
The Mavs hoped that Al-Farouq Aminu, a 24-year-old former lottery pick, would be a minimum-salary bargain when they signed him this summer. So far, he’s producing for Dallas, giving them solid rebounding and defense off the bench, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. Aminu fell out of the rotation in favor of better scoring options earlier this year, but a need for reboudning cracked the door open for him once again. Aminu is averaging 11.2 boards per 48 minutes this season.

Grizzlies Notes: Udrih, Allen, Gasol

February 2nd, 2015 at 11:47pm CST by Zachary Links

The Grizzlies have interest in Andray Blatche, but they’re not alone in that pursuit as the Nets and playoff-bound teams have him on their radar. Blatche certaintly didn’t shine last season, but Brooklyn’s apparent willingness to welcome him back could be a sign of encouragement for other clubs. It also helps that the big man looked strong in China as he averaged 31.0 points and 14.5 rebounds in 38.7 minutes per game for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. Here’s a look at the Grizzlies following their win over the Suns..

Beno Udrih‘s production for his contract this season has been “ridiculous,” one member of the Grizzlies‘ braintrust remarked to David Aldridge of NBA.com. Udrih re-signed with the Grizzlies in July on a two-year deal for the biannual exception. The guard played only 55 regular season minutes for the Grizzlies last season but stepped into the rotation for the postseason and averaged 7.9 points and 1.7 assists in 16.4 minutes per game. This season, he’s putting up 7.8 PPG and 3.2 APG in 18.8 minutes per contest with a career-high 17.2 PER.
Grizzlies forward Tony Allen says he had no problem with ceding his starting spot to new acquisition Jeff Green. “I just said if it’s best for the team, let me come in and do what’s best for the team, give 110%. Let’s win a championship. I’m well-proven in this league,” Allen said to Aldridge. “Now, we got Jeff and he’s adapting well, and I’m adapting myself. But I’ve been productive coming off the bench last year, and I know what the ultimate goal is.”
While Marc Gasol will listen to any and all suitors this summer, he’s not looking to leave the Grizzlies, Aldridge writes. Between his time attending high school in Memphis and his years spent playing for the Grizzlies, he has found a high level of comfort with the city, the team, and the team’s fans.

Grizzlies Sign JaMychal Green To 10-Day Pact

February 2nd, 2015 at 3:31pm CST by Zachary Links

MONDAY, 3:31pm: The signing of Green is official, Memphis announced via press release.

SUNDAY, 2:03pm: Thomas won’t be offered another 10-day deal, according to Wojnarowski.

1:35pm: The Grizzlies will sign forward JaMychal Green to a 10-day contract, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Green, 24, recently completed a 10-day contract with the Spurs.

Green averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in five appearances with the Spurs. While he didn’t get tons of playing time to show what he could do, he garnered interest as a possible 10-day signee from multiple teams, including the Grizzlies.

The power forward spent the preseason with the Spurs and was with San Antonio’s D-League affiliate in between stints with the big club. The Knicks, Bulls, Bucks, and Blazers also reportedly had him on their radar for a 10-day deal.

As our roster counts show, Memphis has a spot open on its 15-man roster thanks to the expiration of Tyrus Thomas‘ 10-day deal.