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Odds & Ends: Mayo, Joe Johnson, Hawks

May 16th, 2012 at 11:03pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are some of tonight's miscellaneous links:  

  • Lang Greene of HoopsWorld had his weekly chat with fans tonight. Among the significant things I took from his exchange: O.J. Mayo will most likely leave Memphis since the Grizzlies do not want to exceed the luxury tax and that Joe Johnson won't likely be dealt anytime soon.
  • Greene also took a look at what to expect from the Hawks this offseason. Aside from being committed to $61 MM in salaries with six roster spots to fill, the team could have some decisions to face with management and coaching as well. We reported earlier this week that current general manager Rick Sund has drawn interest from the Trail Blazers, and Greene thinks that his departure could also mean an end to Larry Drew's tenure with the team. 
  • Kevin Sherrington of SportsDay DFW answered some questions from fans today, including an explanation of why he'd choose Rick Carlisle over Phil Jackson. 
  • This Reuters article (via Simon Evans) examines Miami's struggles as a result of Chris Bosh's absence. The Heat players outside of Lebron and Wade were a combined 9-for-34, and Mario Chalmers was limited to 22 minutes because of foul trouble. Even with that in mind, the Heat don't appear to be fazed going into a road game against a confident Pacers team. 
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Southwest Notes: Benson, Carlisle, Assistants

May 16th, 2012 at 6:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque
It's intriguing to note that even with this year's lockout shortened schedule, the Spurs haven't finished a season with less than 50 wins since the 1998-99 season (which only had 50 games). Following a Game One win last night against the Clippers, it's one game down and three more wins to go for San Antonio in their quest to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2008. With about 26 hours until tip-off for Game Two, here's what we've heard out of the Southwest Division in the meantime: 
  • Tom Benson cleared another hurdle in the process of assuming ownership of the Hornets, as the Federal Trade Commission signed off today on his $338 MM purchase of the team, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune.   
  • Not every coach in the league experiences the same pressure of working for a candidly passionate and fanatical owner like Mark Cuban, but Rick Carlisle believes that those traits bring along a constant effort to provide the necessary resources to compete. Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas recorded more of Carlisle's thoughts on his confidence in management along with the work cut out ahead for the Mavericks this summer.  
  • Tom Ziller of SBNation gives his power rankings of the NBA's top assistant coaches who deserve a shot at a head coaching position. Dave Joerger of the Grizzlies is slated at number four, while Mike Budenholzer of the Spurs tops the list at number one.  
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Free Agent Stock Watch: O.J. Mayo

May 15th, 2012 at 3:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks' salary cap situation has received plenty of attention lately, and rightly so. With Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler taking up a good chunk of the team's payroll for the next three years, there's little flexibility to bring in more talent or even bring back the team's own free agents. While the Grizzlies may not be quite as hamstrung, Memphis' situation isn't unlike New York's.

Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, and Marc Gasol are set to earn about $47MM next year, and that number will only increase over the next couple seasons. With Mike Conley and a number of other players on guaranteed contracts for 2012/13, Memphis heads into the summer with about $62.5MM already committed to team salary.

Owner Michael Heisley has said he doesn't want the Grizzlies to be a taxpaying team, so unless the club finds a blockbuster deal in which it moves one of its expensive stars and regains some cap flexbility, one player is clearly on his way out of town: O.J. Mayo.

Mayo is frequently referred to as a restricted free agent, but the chances he becomes restricted are slim. The Grizzlies would have to extend him a one-year qualifying offer worth about $7.39MM in order to make him a restricted free agent. If Heisley is serious about avoiding the luxury tax, the Grizzlies probably can't risk making such an offer, since the team would be forced past the tax threshold if Mayo were to accept it.

So the former third overall pick appears poised to join a group of unrestricted free agent two guards that already includes Ray Allen, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Nick Young, C.J. Miles, and others. While it's a stacked group, it won't necessarily lead to a buyer's market. The Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Pacers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Magic, and Trail Blazers are among the clubs that could be interesting in signing a free agent two guard this summer.

Of course, Mayo's suitors may not be limited to teams in need of a shooting guard. The 24-year-old has expressed a desire to play the point, and while it would take an adventurous or desperate team to sign him as its starting point guard, perhaps he could draw interest as a combo guard that can earn minutes at both backcourt spots.

Coming off a $5.63MM salary in 2011/12, Mayo likely won't be eager to take a pay cut, but it's hard to imagine him getting an offer much larger than the $5MM mid-level. That means teams with cap space, such as the Cavs or Pacers, won't necessarily have the advantage over over-the-cap clubs like the Clippers and Timberwolves.

Mayo, who was considered the top prep star in the country in 2007, has yet to become the NBA difference-maker that many were expecting. But at the very least, he's turned into a solid scorer, and a player who figures to earn a multiyear deal worth at least in the neighborhood of $5MM annually this offseason.

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Grizzlies Notes: Hollins, Mayo, Gay, Conley

May 15th, 2012 at 8:34am CST by Luke Adams

Although Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley was disappointed that his team lost its opening round series to the Clippers, he tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that he's not "moping."

"I remember I went nine years without winning a playoff game," Heisley said. "I'd like to have more, but I feel pretty good about this team. I'm looking at the big picture."

The big picture for the Grizzlies will include a number of roster decisions this summer, so let's check out a few updates on those upcoming moves….

  • Heisley tells Tillery the franchise isn't in position to add much salary, and that "we can't be in the luxury tax business." The owner also added that Lionel Hollins will return to coach the team and sounded baffled by the criticism and blame Hollins received after the first round loss.
  • O.J. Mayo would like to remain in Memphis, but given the salary he'll command as a restricted free agent, the Grizzlies probably won't have the flexibility to bring him back, Tillery writes in a separate piece.
  • The Grizzlies' limited room under the tax threshold may preclude any major free agent signing, but if the opportunity arises, Rudy Gay is willing to recruit players: "Hopefully, whoever we decide to go after will see the progress we made as a franchise and want to be a part of that. If it comes to me talking to somebody into coming, I'll do it. I've done it before."
  • Hollins would like to add a point guard to complement starter Mike Conley.
  • Geoff Calkins of the Commercial Appeal previews the Grizzlies' offseason, noting that he thinks the club should explore trades involving Gay.
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Grizzlies, T-Wolves, Thunder Eyeing Alexey Shved

May 14th, 2012 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

CSKA Moscow, who blew a 19-point second half lead and lost the Euroleague final to Olympiakos this weekend, has at least one well-known player expected to sign in North America this summer, in Andrei Kirilenko. But Kirilenko isn't the only player CSKA is anticipating losing to the NBA. According to Jonathan Givony (via Twitter), Alexey Shved is drawing interest from NBA teams, including the Grizzlies, Timberwolves, and Thunder.

Shved, 23, was eligible for the NBA draft in 2010, but went undrafted and has played for CSKA Moscow ever since. 2011/12 was a breakout season for the 6'5" guard, who Givony says has developed into a "very complete" offensive player and an improved shooter (Twitter link).

Shved's asking price is $10MM for three years, according to Givony.

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Lawrence On Bobcats, George Hill, Joe Johnson

May 14th, 2012 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, we covered a report from Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News about the Raptors' potential interest in Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin. That wasn't Lawrence's only rumor of note this weekend though. Here are a few more items of interest from the Daily News scribe:

  • The Bobcats' coaching search continues with Charlotte requesting and receiving permission to speak with Grizzlies assistant David Joerger.
  • According to Lawrence, George Hill turned down a $6MM-per-year extension offer from the Pacers earlier this season. Hill will be a restricted free agent this summer, and Lawrence wonders if the Spurs, his old team, will have interest.
  • Expect to hear Joe Johnson's name in trade rumors this offseason, potentially with the Knicks if Mike Woodson remains the head coach, says Lawrence. Even with about $89MM and four years remaining on Johnson's contract, it's hard to imagine the Hawks trading him in a deal for Amare Stoudemire.
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Money Time: Upcoming Free Agents In The Playoffs

May 12th, 2012 at 2:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

Last week we looked at some players on the cusp of free agency who were making some surprising postseason impressions, both positive and negative, on prospective employers. With the first round almost over and the conference semifinals about to begin, let's check in with some more soon-to-be free agents in the playoffs:

Winners

Reggie Evans, Clippers: Anyone who can spark a 27-point comeback in the playoffs, as he did in Game 1, deserves to be on this list, and his energy throughout the first round has been critical for the Clippers. His already superb number of rebounds per 36 minutes has jumped from 12.7 in the regular season to 13.7 in the playoffs, and, for what it's worth, has his team's best defensive rating in the playoffs, per Basketball-Reference.

Andre Miller, Nuggets: It's easy to forget about Miller sometimes, particularly since he's been coming off the bench for Denver. Yet the NBA's 10th leading assist-maker all-time reminded everyone, including the Lakers, of what he can do with a 24-point, eight assist performance full of clutch shots in Tuesday's Game 5. He's the team's third leading scorer in the postseason at 12.7 PPG, outdoing Arron Afflalo, who signed a $36.75MM deal before the season. 

Jordan Hill, Lakers (restricted): He had his breakthrough in the final week of the regular season against the Thunder, and he's continued to justify coach Mike Brown's decision to use him as the primary backup to both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the playoffs. He's pulling down more rebounds per game than Gasol in significantly fewer minutes, and has 25 offensive boards, more than anyone else in the postseason. Hill's rebounds-per-36-minutes number (13.4) nearly equals that of Reggie Evans.

Losers

O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies (restricted): The postseason is a terrible time to go through a shooting slump, but that's exactly what's happened with Mayo, who's hitting on just 31.4% of his field goal attempts against the Clippers. He went a combined 3-for-20 in Games 3, 4 and 5, and took only three shots in Game 6. His inability to efficiently handle the backup point guard duties — he's got 13 assists and 17 turnovers — isn't helping his cause, either.  

Randy Foye, Clippers: Foye's minutes are up but his scoring is down for the playoffs, which is about as inauspicious as it gets for a free agent wing player. The culprit appears to his inability to get off shots and get to the line. His attempts in both categories are off while his postseason shooting percentage of 37.8% is not that far down from the 39.8% he shot in the regular season. His excuse may be that he's being guarded by Tony Allen, an elite defender, but Allen isn't with him on every possession. His Basketball-Reference defensive rating is the second worst on the team, so his struggles aren't limited to one end of the floor.

Jodie Meeks, Sixers (restricted): He started 50 games this season and played 24.9 minutes per contest, but barely got off the bench once he was removed from the starting five after Game 1 against Chicago. He took a total of three shots from the floor, missing each of them, in 32 minutes during the first round. 

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Top Undrafted Rookies In 2011/12

May 9th, 2012 at 10:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

A total of 81 players made their debuts in the NBA this past season, according to Basketball-Reference, many of whom weren't picked in last June's draft. A handful of those undrafted players made notable impacts in their rookie seasons this year. Let's take a look at the top undrafted players to debut in 2011/12:

  • Just making the Hawks this season was a victory for Ivan Johnson, who long ago fell off even the most ardent fan's radar screen after a single unimpressive season at the University of Oregon in 2005/06. His willingness to do the dirty work inside earned him the opportunity, and his 13 points in 21 minutes during a nationally televised three-overtime game against the Heat was his breakthrough performance. The 6'8", 230-pound big man fortified a depleted Hawks front line, as he averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game this season.
  • It's only fitting that Johnson is going up against Greg Stiemsma's Celtics in the first round, since Stiemsma had a similar impact this year. He played 19.0 MPG in March and April as the Celtics stormed back from a dismal first half, and shot 66.7% in the season's final month. He was a presence inside for a team that needed one, and blocked 4.0 shots per 36 minutes.
  • Donald Sloan started out with the Hawks, inked a pair of 10-day contracts with the Hornets, and finally wound up with the Cavs, signing a deal in March for the rest of the season. Cleveland gave him the chance to play, and he made it count, averaging 9.4 PPG and 5.4 APG in 33.2 MPG in 11 starts as a Cav. 
  • The Grizzlies felt comfortable enough with Jeremy Pargo, who made the team in training camp, that they traded backup point guard Greivis Vasquez to the Hornets right before the season, leaving his job to the undrafted rookie out of Gonzaga. Though he saw his role diminish as O.J. Mayo and midseason signee Gilbert Arenas took over the minutes behind Mike Conley, he still averaged nearly 10 MPG (9.6) and made five starts. 
  • Perhaps overshadowed by other talented teammates at Duke, Lance Thomas didn't get a call on draft night after his senior season in 2010. It took him an extra year, but he made it to the NBA with the Hornets this season. His numbers weren't overwhelming, but he still started 10 games and averaged 15.0 minutes in 42 games this season.

 

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Kyler On Williams, Nash, Gordon, Mayo, Hibbert

May 4th, 2012 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

In his NBA AM column at HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler shares the latest rumblings on a handful of this summer's top free agents. Here are the highlights:

  • It's far from a done deal, but the general feeling around the Nets is that they're in the driver's seat for Deron Williams. Kyler names the Mavericks, Trail Blazers, and Magic as other teams that figure to aggressively pursue the point guard.
  • Steve Nash continues to tell people that returning to Phoenix is a "real and viable option." Kyler points out that even if Nash ends up elsewhere, the Suns could work out a sign-and-trade to get something out of it.
  • It's nearly a lock that Eric Gordon will be retained by the Hornets, but it's not clear how high the bidding will go. The Hornets were unable to agree on an extension with Gordon earlier this season, and while that was due in part to not having new ownership in place yet, there are also questions about the 23-year-old's durability.
  • According to Kyler, there's a good chance O.J. Mayo doesn't become a restricted free agent this summer, since a qualifying offer would put the Grizzlies over the tax line. If Memphis doesn't extend a qualifying offer, Mayo would be eligible for unrestricted free agency.
  • Kevin Garnett would like to finish his career with the Celtics.
  • The Pacers are prepared to match just about any offer for Roy Hibbert, and will let the market set the price for their center.
  • The Nets hope to deal with Brook Lopez's free agency after working out some of their other situations, but Lopez could disrupt their plans if he signs an offer sheet with another club early in the free agent period.
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Southwest Notes: Mayo, Marion, Hornets

May 3rd, 2012 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Coming into the postseason, most pundits figured Utah's frontcourt size could give the Spurs some trouble in Round One, but so far San Antonio has been in complete control of the series. Al Jefferson called last night's blowout "embarrassing" and said the Spurs have an unmistakable swagger, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. I still think the Jazz can take a game or two from the Spurs, but the odds of San Antonio being knocked off by an eighth seed again look very slim.

Here are the rest of the day's updates out of the Southwest Division:

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