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Free Agent Rumors: Lowry, Gasol, Parsons, Ariza

June 30th, 2014 at 12:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

Raptors GM Masai Ujiri is likely to make a strong push to re-sign Kyle Lowry just as free agency begins tonight to prevent the Heat and Rockets from having a chance to jump in, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Here’s more free agency chatter with 11 hours left to go until negotiations can begin:

Pau Gasol will meet with the Thunder, Bulls and Warriors, reports Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, who suggests the big man hasn’t ruled out a meeting with Lakers brass, either.
Chandler Parsons would be on board with a sign-and-trade to the Wolves if the money is on the mark, a source close to Parsons tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Minnesota reportedly has interest in Parsons as a fallback trade target in a Kevin Love swap.
The Rockets, Mavs, Lakers, Clippers, Cavs, Raptors, Suns and Pistons are all suitors for Trevor Ariza, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders hears (Twitter link).
The Rockets and Mavs are gearing up to sign Jordan Hill, as are the Lakers, Hill’s incumbent team, Wojnarowski tweets.
The Magic are likely to make a play for Rodney Stuckey, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press writes.
Kent Bazemore is anticipating interest from the Suns, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (on Twitter).
Matt Bonner is interested in a return to the Spurs, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News observes (Twitter link). “I’d love to be back, especially if everybody is coming back.”
Damian Lillard would like to see the Blazers go after Channing Frye, Vince Carter, Spencer Hawes and Ariza after re-signing Mo Williams, the point guard tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Carter would be open to signing with Portland, Haynes hears.

Draft Grades: Southeast Division

June 29th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back and see how each team used the draft to make improvements and fill needs. I’ve already run down the picks for the Atlantic, Central, Northwest, and Pacific Divisions. We’ll continue on with a look at the Southeast Division:

Atlanta Hawks

Team Needs: Small Forward, Center, Point Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 15 Adreian Payne (Power Forward)
No. 43 Walter Tavares (Center)
No. 48 Lamar Patterson (Shooting Guard)*

*Acquired from Bucks for a future second-round pick.

The Hawks were a team that was hoping to use their first round pick as part of a trade package that would net them a more established player. Unable to do that, the team picked up a nice player in Payne, a stretch four who can help the team out in a number of areas. He’s a bit of a luxury pick for next season considering Paul Millsap is still around, but he’s unlikely to sign as team friendly a deal on his next contract, so in Payne they nab a competent replacement. The only real knock on Payne is that he’s 23 years old, which doesn’t give him as high a ceiling as some of the other prospects in the draft.

If you look up project in the dictionary you very well might see a picture of Tavares. He’s got tremendous size but has only been playing the game a few years. He has an enormous wingspan, huge hands, and a solid frame–all building blocks of successful big men. Whether he can develop into more than a project is definitely up for debate. Tavares will continue to play overseas for the next few seasons and the Hawks hope to benefit from the selection sometime down the line. Tavares is already 23, which means his window for NBA production will be a small one at best.

Patterson is a hard working swingman who does a little of everything, but doesn’t translate to more than a reserve at best. He’ll get some minutes this season, but might not be in the league by 2015/16.

Overall Draft Grade: B- — The Hawks went the safe route with Payne, but he’s NBA ready and should become an immediate contributor. Tavares probably won’t bear fruit, and Patterson might contribute something off the bench, but won’t be much of a factor in the franchise’s future.

Charlotte Hornets

Team Needs: Shooting, Point Guard, Power Forward

Draft Picks:

No. 9 Noah Vonleh (Power Forward)
No. 26 P.J. Hairston (Shooting Guard)

*Came via trade from Heat with the No. 55 overall pick, a 2019 second-round pick and cash for the No. 24 pick. Charlotte later sent the 55th pick to the Thunder for cash.

**Traded the 45th pick and Brendan Haywood to the Cavaliers for Alonzo Gee and cash.

One of the biggest surprise teams from last season, albeit in a weak Eastern Conference, managed to improve themselves for next season and long term on draft night. The Hornets most likely cursed aloud when the Kings made Nik Stauskas their pick at No. 8. I have to think that was the player that Charlotte was targeting all along, especially since they passed on drafting Doug McDermott at No. 9.

But things might have worked out for the men from Charlotte after all. Grabbing Vonleh ninth, when he was projected by most to be a top-5 selection, was a good value. The knock on Vonleh has nothing to do with his talent or athleticism, which he has more than enough of. The problem is with Vonleh’s motor and work ethic. Quite a few promising careers were derailed because of players not willing to put in the proper amount of sweat. Vonleh is still young so he gets the benefit of the doubt. The bigger issue is his redundant skill set alongside Cody Zeller.

The pick of Vonleh looks better when you consider the team nabbing Hairston, who was a steal at No. 26. Hairston might not be the shooter that Stauskas is, but he’s a more complete player who will contribute just as much next season. The biggest second guessing the Hornets will have is for passing on McDermott. The team desperately needs scoring, and if McDermott lights it up in Chicago, then Hornets fans will have something to gripe about.

Overall Draft Grade: A- — The team might not have addressed its biggest need, but they did grab two players who were both steals where they were selected.

Miami Heat

Team Needs: Point Guard, Depth, Center

Draft Picks:

No. 24 Shabazz Napier (Point Guard)*

* Came via trade with Hornets for the 26th and 55th overall picks in Thursday’s draft plus a 2019 second-rounder and cash.

The Heat get their man. Who will he be playing with next season? That’s very much up in the air right now. Assuming that Miami will put a similar amount of talent on the floor next year, then Napier is a solid pick. After getting next to nothing in the Finals from Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, it was painfully obvious the team needed an upgrade at the point.

While the team probably could benefit more from a veteran upgrade, like say, Jose Calderon, Napier has all the makings of a winner. It’s doubtful he’ll ever be an all-star, but he is the type of player that winning teams need. He’s a solid leader, plays harder than anyone, and is absolutely fearless when games are on the line. If LeBron James returns, one of the selling points will be Napier’s presence.

Overall Draft Grade: B — The team gets a solid player at a “need” position.

Orlando Magic

Team Needs: Point Guard, Power Forward, Depth, Shooting Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 4 Aaron Gordon (Power Forward)
No. 10 Elfrid Payton (Point Guard)*
No. 56 Devyn Marble (Shooting Guard)

*Came via trade with Sixers. Orlando received Payton, and Philadelphia got Dario Saric, a 2015 second-round pick, and a 2017 first-round pick.

The Magic will be exciting running the fast break next season–that’s the good news. The bad news–the team trying to score when playing halfcourt basketball. Remember, Arron Afflalo was traded away, and he was the team’s best outside threat.

The selection of Gordon is the curious one. There’s no debating his upside, and experts project Gordon’s ceiling as being somewhere between Shawn Marion and Blake Griffin. But for a team in need of scoring, passing on Exum might be something the franchise will regret.

On the positive side, Gordon does bring an enormous amount of potential and physical gifts to the table. But he can’t shoot very well, and is an abysmal free throw shooter. His offensive arsenal right now consists primarily of scoring in transition, off pick-and-rolls, and from lobs. It will take time, but Gordon will improve in those areas. It might take two or three seasons to happen, but Gordon should turn out to be a star.

I really like the selection of Payton, the best pure point guard in the draft. He’s not a good shooter, and some scouts have predicted his mechanics are too broken to be fixed. But as a facilitator and defender, he’s top-notch. His presence will also allow Victor Oladipo to go back to shooting guard, a position he is better suited for.

Overall Draft Grade: A — I considered giving a lower grade since the team didn’t address its glaring need for a shooter, but the Magic nabbed two long-term starters, and at least one potential star. Hard to find too much fault in that.

Washington Wizards

Team Needs: Center, Point Guard, Power Forward, Small Forward

Draft Picks:

No picks

*Traded No. 46 pick to the Lakers for cash.

The Wizards traded their first-round pick to the Suns for Marcin Gortat. Given Gortat’s play for the Wizards last season, it’s not too bad a return for the pick. If the team re-signs him then it was a good trade. If they let him leave for nothing in return, then not so much. Without Gortat they would have most likely been picking higher in the draft, and could have nabbed a valuable building block.

Overall Draft Grade: B- — That grade is if Gortat re-signs. If he leaves then one playoff appearance wasn’t worth the sacrifice, and this grade gets bumped down to a D-.

Eastern Notes: Kidd, Celtics, Heat

June 29th, 2014 at 4:12pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Jason Kidd might look like the “bad guy” right now for trying to leave the Nets, but it might be the smartest thing for him to do, opines Mike Lupica of The New York Daily News. Lupica cites the Nets’ declining roster, absentee owner, and a franchise that seemingly prizes headlines over wins as reasons Kidd might be trying to leave Brooklyn.

Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh Opt Out

June 29th, 2014 at 4:05pm CST by Charlie Adams

SUNDAY, 4:05pm: Pat Riley was informed today by agent Henry Thomas that Bosh is exercising his early termination option and will become an unrestricted free agent, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports (Twitter link).

5:28pm: Bosh is “on the verge” of opting out, and will do so before the deadline on Monday, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.

3:18pm: Bosh has not yet decided whether he’ll opt out or not, his agent tells David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link).

SATURDAY, 2:37pm: Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will opt out of their current deals and enter free agency this summer, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press and Chris Broussard of ESPN (Twitter links). Wade and Bosh become the latest members of Miami to opt out of their deals, following news that LeBron James and Udonis Haslem had done the same.

Wade’s decision to exercise his early termination option and pass on the final two years of his deal means that he’ll forfeit over $41.8MM in guaranteed salary. He’s unlikely to garner an offer worth a higher annual value in free agency, given his age and concerns about his health.

Bosh, who’s sacrificing a guaranteed $42.6MM, will likely be able to fetch a higher salary than Wade, and Broussard hears the big man is seeking a five-year pact worth $15-$16MM per year. Such a deal would be worth less than what Bosh would have made had he chosen not to opt out.

The duo’s motivation to sacrifice so much money is a result of their desire to make a future work with LeBron, who’s seeking a max contract, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Although LeBron’s priority remains to find a way to make a future work with Miami, a failure by the organization toward improving their roster to his satisfaction could mean the four-time MVP leaves Miami, says Wojnarowski.

If the Heat renounce the Bird Rights of their free agents, they will have a record $55MM in cap room this summer, with only Norris Cole‘s contract guaranteed on the books next season. To no surprise, Pat Riley has already confirmed to reporters, including Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, that he hopes to bring back Wade and Haslem for the 2014/15 campaign (Twitter link).

And-Ones: Hinkie, Anthony, Jazz

June 28th, 2014 at 11:50pm CST by Cray Allred

Many NBA stars are having discussions of teaming up now and in the future, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders tweets. Here’s more from around the NBA:

Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer details how Sixers GM Sam Hinkie pounced on the Magic‘s needs by drafting Elfrid Payton at No. 10 and then trading him to Orlando, receiving back the 2015 first-rounder Philadelphia owed to the Magic.
A Knicks player that recently spoke with Carmelo Anthony told Marc Berman of The New York Post that the star forward gave no indication of leaving New York.
The Jazz will most likely let 2013 draft pick Raul Neto spend another year developing overseas, reports Jody Genessy of Deseret News.
Utah has yet to decide what to do with 2008 draft selection Ante Tomic, per Genessy. The Jazz could buy out his overseas contract and bring the center over to contribute this season, trade his rights, or simply wait another year.
Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald tweets that Ray Allen is still in the Heat‘s plans going forward. Allen has been leaning toward returning to play another year alongside LeBron James.

Eastern Rumors: Caboclo, Gortat, Bulls

June 28th, 2014 at 9:35pm CST by Cray Allred

With word of Joel Embiid‘s injury putting him on the shelf for longer than previously reported, and Dario Saric’s contract keeping him overseas for at least another year, both the Sixers first round draft picks might not play for Philadelphia in the 2014/15 season. Coach Brett Brown told reporters including Jason Wolf of USA Today Sports that he isn’t disappointed facing another season where the Sixers will likely finish at the bottom of the standings. “It is not even close to being demoralizing,” Brown said. “It just reconfirms in a more profound way that our words about trying to rebuild and being disciplined and patient went to a far greater level last night.” More from the Eastern Conference:

The Raptors had promised Bruno Caboclo that they would draft the off-the-radar Brazilian at No. 37 in December, and chose him with pick No. 20 when they discovered the Jazz and Suns were poised to snatch him before that, reports Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun.
Multiple teams are preparing to make a run at free agent Trevor Ariza, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Kennedy says the small forward’s stock is very high following a strong 2013/14 campaign.
Zach Lowe of Grantland suggests (on Twitter) Marcin Gortat is a player other than Kyle Lowry that could join the Heat if Miami gains cap flexibility.
The Cavs weren’t torn on whether to select Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker with the No. 1 pick in the draft, reports Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. The actual conflict in Cleveland was whether or not to trade away the pick, writes Pluto.
Pistons president Stan Van Gundy tells Keith Langlois of Pistons.com that Detroit will target around 10 players when free agency begins on July 1, with a priority given to players on the wing, where Van Gundy believes Detroit to be thinnest (Twitter links).
Anthony Randolph was absorbed by the Bulls from their trade with the Nuggets via the trade exception they received from moving Luol Deng earlier this season, tweets Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times.
Scottie Pippen is now listed as a special advisor to the Bulls president and COO (H/T Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv). Pippen had previously discussed working for the Knicks with Phil Jackson.

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Gasol

June 28th, 2014 at 9:02pm CST by Cray Allred

Klay Thompson‘s father told Charley Walters of St. Paul Pioneer Press that the Warriors shooting guard would not object to being traded to the Wolves in a Kevin Love deal. “Klay’s attitude about it is very professional,” said Thompson’s father, Mychal. “He says if he’s traded, he’ll make the most of it and enjoy playing with Ricky [Rubio], and if he isn’t, he’s fine. Either way, he’s a pro and knows how to handle it.” Here’s a rundown of the latest in the Pacific Division:

Steph Curry joined Andre Iguodala in voicing his preference to keep Thompson in Golden State when asked about the Kevin Love trade discussions between the Warriors and Wolves. “As great as Kevin Love is, it would be very hard to see your teammates and your brothers leave at this time,” Curry told reporters including Diamong Leung of Bay Area News Group. “So we’ll see what happens, but it’d definitely be a tough situation.” Of course, Curry’s public support for Mark Jackson didn’t stop the team from cutting ties with their former coach, and Curry acknowledged a decision on Love was not his to make.
The Lakers remain open to re-signing Pau Gasol, and believe the former All-Star’s presence could aid the team in acquiring Carmelo Anthony this summer, a source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (video link) suggests the Mavs, Heat, and Lakers would all give the Knicks stiff competition if Gasol were willing to accept a discounted deal like the one Phil Jackson will reportedly offer the big man, and thinks there’s “no chance” Gasol signs in New York if Carmelo Anthony isn’t still there.

Southeast Rumors: Heat, Hornets, Gooden

June 28th, 2014 at 6:15pm CST by Cray Allred

Heat president of basketball ops Pat Riley shared his thought process behind the decision to trade up in the draft for Shabazz Napier, telling reporters including Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel he heard a team was set to pick the point guard ahead of Miami. “You don’t want to get sort of left at the altar,” Riley said. Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

While the cap holds for the Heat prevent the team from making significant additions without renouncing the rights to recent opt–outs Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Udonis Haslem, Miami could obtain a $2.5MM room exception for being at least temporarily below the cap, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com notes. The exception is only likely to come into play if the trio of James, Wade, and Chris Bosh re-sign at a discounted rate, or if one of them leaves.
The Heat have engaged in trade talks to deal away Norris Cole and his $2MM salary, Windhorst adds.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford made it clear to Josh McRoberts and Cody Zeller that the team’s selection of Noah Vonleh does not impact Charlotte’s plans for either player, he tells Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “When we drafted Noah, the first thing I did was clap, and then I texted (McRoberts and Zeller) that this doesn’t affect their status, their playing time,” Clifford said. “Josh is the starter, coming off a great year. We need him back. I made sure he understood that.” McRoberts declined his player option for next season, but the team has maintained their desire to retain him moving forward.
The Hornets will look to improve upon last year’s playoff berth with pieces acquired this summer. “We’ve been preparing for the draft and free agency for the last year,” Charlotte GM Rich Cho tells Bonnell in a separate article. “We have a definite game plan for free agency.” In the same piece, Bonnell looks at some of the free agents the Hornets could target with their cap space this summer.
J. Michael of CSNWashington.com says it’s a “win-win” for free agent Drew Gooden to return to the Wizards. Michael notes that Gooden is still being paid by Milwaukee for his amnestied contract, so it would behoove him to sign a modest deal with Washington in order to preserve his Early Bird Rights for the 2014/15 season.

Haslem Opts Out, Wade And Bosh To Follow?

June 28th, 2014 at 10:13am CST by Cray Allred

Udonis Haslem has opted out of the the final year of his contract, tweets Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report. Skolnick suggests that the move is a part of a concerted strategy by the Heat’s Big Three to provide cap flexibility in Miami, and that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will exercise their early termination clauses for the same purpose. Haslem will forgo $4.6MM in salary for 2014/15 in hopes of re-signing a multi-year deal that rewards him financially while giving the Heat some much needed breathing room as it seeks to retain and build around its championship core (all Twitter links).

As soon as LeBron James terminated his contract with Miami for this season, the onus shifted to the Heat management and players to find a way to convince the league’s best player of their viability as a long-term contender. Haslem shares representation with Wade and Bosh, and had the trio opted to remain on their original contracts, there would have been virtually no room for team president Pat Riley to significantly improve the roster outside of re-signing aging veterans.

While Bosh has maintained his willingness to accept a reduced deal in order to keep the team in tact, Wade has been mum on his decision. Wade stands to sacrifice the most by terminating his deal, as he would give up over $41.8MM over the next two years in salary. That’s a number he is very unlikely to fetch on the open market, especially after a poor showing in the Finals despite regimented rest to keep him fresh throughout the year.

Knicks Confident About Re-Signing ‘Melo

June 28th, 2014 at 8:53am CST by Cray Allred

Sources tell Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com that the Knicks are “quietly confident” they will be able to re-sign Carmelo Anthony, in part due to the star forward’s growing bond with president Phil Jackson. ‘Melo will be chased by teams that appear closer to a championship than New York in free agency, but the Knicks are hoping that their recent trade with the Mavericks, which provided an upgrade at point guard with Jose Calderon, will make their roster more appealing to Anthony.

With head coach Derek Fisher and the newly acquired point guard Calderon, Jackson has put in place some of the pieces for his cherished triangle offense. If Anthony re-signs in New York, one of the biggest remaining gaps for the system would be a skilled big man. The ESPN scribes’ source says that Jackson is planning on pursuing Pau Gasol at a discounted rate to fill that need this summer, and the team has its eye on his brother Marc Gasol for the 2015/16 season, when the Grizzlies center will be a free agent. Currently, the most the Knicks could offer Pau would be the taxpayer’s mid-level exception of $3.278MM, a steep pay decrease from his $19.3MM salary in 2013/14.

This summer will be a highly intriguing one for the Knicks. The hiring of Jackson brought hope to a franchise that has bumbled away opportunities and flexibility for years. Knicks fans have been hoping the Zen Master could work his magic and turn the Knicks’ straw to gold. While a typical turnaround for a franchise as limited as New York requires some losing and patience to regain cap space and assets, Jackson would certainly increase his legend if he could jump start the turnaround in his first year as a front office executive.