Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Garnett, LeBron, Cavs

November 23rd, 2013 at 12:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Prior to last night’s 111-81 loss to the T’Wolves, Nets forward Kevin Garnett told reporters that he’s not ready to discuss his future beyond this season. “I focus on what’s happening [now],” Garnett said after the Nets’ shootaround. “There is a lot of emotions that come with this building. … But, obviously, different time, different personnel, different times.” Last night, coach Jason Kidd said he wouldn’t be surprised if it was KG’s last time on the hardwood in Minnesota. Here’s more out of the East..

The other potential summer suitors for Heat star LeBron James aren’t looking so hot right now, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. The Cavs have been atrocious to start the year and things aren’t much better with the Knicks, who are perpetually linked to James despite not having the cap flexibility necessary. The Lakers should have the cash needed to make a run at LeBron and the other top free agents in the class, but things are pretty dysfunctional in L.A. as well.
Nate Duncan of HoopsWorld isn’t sure what to make of the Cavs‘ situation. Nearly everyone on the Cleveland roster has disappointed offensively, including banged-up offseason-acquisition Andrew Bynum and first overall pick Anthony Bennett.
Pacers center Roy Hibbert is confident that Jeff Green can be the Celtics‘ go-to guy, despite his inconsistencies, writes Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. Hibbert added that with Danny Ainge at the helm, the C’s are sure to put quality talent around Green in the years to come.
in today’s mailbag, Winderman writes that the Heat are working on grooming Quincy Douby, currently with the Sioux Falls SkyForce, strengthening his point guard skills. The Rutgers product is known for his tremendous range and scoring ability, but has never been much of a passer.

D-League Notes: Kelly, Harris, Heat, Expansion

November 21st, 2013 at 9:57pm CST by Charlie Adams

The D-League’s regular season is underway, and the D-League website features a list of young prospects to follow during the 2013/14 season. Some of the young players on the list currently have their rights held by NBA squads, but many are training camp invitees that didn’t make an opening night roster. There’s no telling when the next Jeremy Lin might unexpectedly emerge so it’s definitely worth monitoring the young talent found in the NBA’s official minor league organization.

Here’s some D-League news and notes from Thursday night:

Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets that the Lakers have recalled Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris from their D-League affiliate, the D-Fenders. Neither have seen much NBA action yet this year, and Eric Pincus of the LA Times tweets that their recall is probably just a formality.
Ira Winderman points out (via Twitter) that the D-League affiliate for the Heat is sporting a particularly impressive roster. Although the Heat do not own their rights, it’s worth noting that Miami’s developmental squad houses three former NBA players: Bill Walker, DeAndre Liggins, and Quincy Douby.
Dan Reed, president of the D-League, envisions his circuit expanding into a 30 team organization where each NBA club has it’s own minor league affiliate. Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports sat down with Reed, who appears confident that his vision will one day become a reality: “If you had asked me this three or four years ago, I would have said it will be a very long time horizon. If you ask me now, that time frame has shortened substantially.” Reed has been the president of the D-League since 2007.
To keep up with all the D-League assignments and recalls throughout the year, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors 2013/14 D-League Assignments page.

Southeast Notes: Afflalo, LeBron, Hawks

November 18th, 2013 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Only one Southeast team is in action tonight, and while much has been made of the poor performance by Eastern Conference teams so far this season, a win by the Bobcats today would increase the Southeast’s overall winning percentage to a respectable .500. It’ll be a tough task for the Bobcats though, as they play in Chicago against a Bulls team coming off a win against the previously undefeated Pacers. As we look forward to seeing if Charlotte can pull off an upset, here are a few notes from around the Bobcats’ division:

According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, Arron Afflalo drew “lots of interest” over the summer, but the Magic ultimately elected not to move him.
David Beckham is looking to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to Miami, and may end up working with LeBron James, according to Alex Miller of the Daily Mail. While the potential partnership doesn’t mean anything tangible at this point, the fact that LeBron is pursuing a Miami project may bode well for the Heat‘s chances of keeping him beyond this season.
No NBA team was caught off guard by the incredible collection of talent on display at the NCAA’s Champions Classic in Chicago last week. Nonetheless, seeing all of those prospects in one place could have influenced the plans of an NBA team like the Hawks, as one team executive tells David Aldridge of NBA.com: “The only thing about Chicago that’s interesting is if it changes Atlanta’s plans, or someone’s, who says ‘Ah, screw it, let’s just start selling players.'”

Southeast Links: Williams, Nelson, Chalmers

November 15th, 2013 at 7:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Hawks didn’t get the full return on their mid-level investment in Lou Williams last season, as the sixth man went down in January with a torn ACL. Still, he didn’t take nearly as long to come back as Derrick Rose and others who’ve suffered similar injuries, as Williams is playing in Atlanta’s game tonight against his former team, the Sixers. Here’s more from around the Southeast Division:

Jameer Nelson has never played for a team other than the Magic, and he tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com that he’d like that to remain true when he calls it a career. He acknowledges that he could be traded this season and understands he’s powerless to stop the Magic if they want to make that happen. Nelson envisions being the one making those decisions as a GM once he retires and can also see himself as a coach.
In today’s mailbag, a reader asked Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel if impending free agent Mario Chalmers could be playing himself out of the Heat‘s price range with his performance this year. Chalmers, who is making $4MM in the final year of his deal, could be a casualty as the Heat are mindful of luxury tax implications. Miami has already exercised its 2014/15 option on the cheaper Norris Cole.
Martell Webster finds himself in a familiar position as Trevor Ariza is once again sidelined with a leg injury, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Webster stepped into the starting lineup in Ariza’s place last season and went on to post career-best numbers and earn a four-year, $22MM deal from Washington.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Nets, McHale, Felix

November 14th, 2013 at 11:10pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Shortly after the Nets’ 21-point loss in Sacramento on Wednesday night, Brooklyn GM Billy King had a closed-door meeting with head coach Jason Kidd and Kevin Garnett to presumably discuss (as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News surmises) why almost nothing seems to be going according to plan in Brooklyn right now. In another Nets-related piece, Lenn Robbins of NBA.com writes that the current roster hasn’t shown they deserve a player’s coach like Kidd.

Here’s more of the miscellaneous links to pass along tonight:

When asked further about why Omer Asik didn’t play during tonight’s game in New York, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said that Asik told him that he wasn’t feeling well earlier (Sean Deveney of the Sporting News via Twitter). It should be noted that this was Asik’s first DNP-CD of his NBA career.
Cavaliers shooting guard Carrick Felix recently returned to the practice floor after being out with a sports hernia, but head coach Mike Brown made it clear that the 23-year-old rookie would find his minutes in the D-League once he’s ready to play (Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal).
Zach Harper of CBS Sports details why Andre Iguodala may be the ultimate role player.
Although Michael Beasley may be a ways away from being a contributor with consistent playing time on the Heat, NBA.com’s Couper Moorhead tells us how the former second-overall pick continues to work hard and has taken a significant step forward to improve his overall game.
Joseph Lombardo, who founded the investment firm Prim Capital (which previously handled the investments and finances of the NBPA), has been charged with fraud, according to the Associated Press. Authorities say that Lombardo used a signature stamp to forge the signature of a deceased general counsel for the NBPA and another employee that awarded Prim Capital a $3MM fee over five years.
Nate Duncan of Hoopsworld goes in depth about what to make out of the Timberwolves’ and Pacers’ hot starts this season.

Eastern Rumors: Shumpert, Rondo, Heat, Pacers

November 9th, 2013 at 3:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

Six Eastern Conference teams have 2-3 records, and all of them had playoff aspirations coming into the season. The Bulls, Nets and Knicks had even loftier expectations, but they’re among the clubs that find themselves below .500 five games into the season. It might not seem like it’s time for a drastic move yet, but tell that to Mike Brown, whom the Lakers fired five games into last season. Our look across the East has the latest on a team that could make a change soon:

An Eastern Conference executive tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Iman Shumpert‘s trade value around the league is high, and that the Knicks aren’t nearly as sold on the third-year swingman as the rest of the league is. Isola wonders if the return of J.R. Smith from suspension and the Knicks’ belief in rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. will prompt the team to trade Shumpert, speculating that a swap with the Nuggets for Kenneth Faried might be the best fit. A deal with the Celtics for Rajon Rondo would meet with Mike Woodson‘s approval, but no such trade is likely, Isola writes.
More NBA teams appear to be putting stock in analytics, but the successful Heat and Pacers aren’t among them, as a coach points out to Isola for the same piece.
Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution identifies John Jenkins and Jared Cunningham as possible candidates for D-League assignments once Lou Williams returns from injury for the Hawks.

Odds & Ends: Kerr, Bledsoe, Pistons, LeBron

November 9th, 2013 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Suns GM Steve Kerr is enjoying life behind the microphone, but he still has the itch to get back to the other side. However, if he does transition back to the NBA, it might not be as a General Manager. “I have a lot of thoughts about coaching,” Kerr said. “If I get back in, I think it will be on the coaching side. My favorite part of the GM role in terms of my relationships was just dealing with players down on the court. I’d go to practice every day, and I’d let the coaches coach, but just getting to know the players and dealing with them and talking strategy, that really appealed to me. I think if I get back, which I anticipate, it would be on the coaching side,” Kerr told Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld. Here’s more from around the Association..

All indications are that even though an extension didn’t get done at the October deadline, Eric Bledsoe wants to stay with the Suns, writes John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports. Gambadoro also opines that it makes sense for both parties to wait things out until after Bledsoe’s first full season as a starter.
Guards O.J. Mayo and Monta Ellis are playing well after swapping teams in the offseason, and as the Bucks and Mavs prepare to meet tonight, Mayo isn’t too hung up on his time in Dallas, as Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel observes. “I forgot all about it, man,” Mayo said of his Mavs stint. “It’s another year. I’ve got a short memory span. I’m looking forward to (Saturday).“
In today’s mailbag, David Mayo of MLive.com writes that it’s too early to gauge whether coach Maurice Cheeks is the right man for the Pistons.
LeBron James‘ wife is opening up her own business in Miami and Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel wonders if that could be a factor in her husband’s free agent decision next offseason.

Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Brooks, Woodson, Raptors

November 6th, 2013 at 9:56pm CST by Charlie Adams

Entering the 2013/14 NBA season, the Atlantic Division was generally predicted to contain at least two playoff teams: the Nets and Knicks. So far in the early goings of ’13/14, neither team looked overly dominant. The Nets saw an impressive win over Miami before a 21-point loss to Orlando in their next contest. The Knicks have lost three straight and center Tyson Chandler was just sidelined for at least four weeks. It’s been a rough start for the two teams projected to finish at the top of the division.

Here some notes from around the Atlantic Division:

With so much attention being placed on the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets, Zach Braziller of the New York Post points out that Brook Lopez is too often left out of conversations related to the Nets. Lopez, the team’s only All-Star last season, is signed through the 2014/15 season and has a player option for ’15/16. Lopez leads the team in points, blocks, and FG%.
Jessica Camerato of HoopsWorld notes in her piece on MarShon Brooks that Brad Stevens has been pleased with Brooks’ attitude throughout training camp and the early stages of the season. Stevens’ kind words didn’t stop the Celtics from declining Brooks’ option for the ’14/15 season.
The Knicks have started out slowly after finishing 54-28 last season and winning the Atlantic Division. Still, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York reports that Mike Woodson is not worried about losing his job.
LeBron James was asked by a Toronto reporter about the likelihood of joining the Raptors this offseason. “I’m not answering free agent questions,” replied James, grinning. While James almost certainly won’t be joining Toronto for the ’14/15 season, Eric Koreen of the National Post points out that the Raptors will need to stick to playing their best five players if they want to win now rather than enter another rebuilding situation.

Odds & Ends: Hayward, Jazz, Nash

November 3rd, 2013 at 10:12pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While the Jazz and Gordon Hayward fell short of agreeing on a contract extension last week, both Hayward and the franchise are still interested in getting something done eventually. Hayward told Jody Genessy of the Deseret News: “(Not reaching an agreement) in no way changes the way I feel about Utah at all…I love being here. I love playing for them…Hopefully (an extension) will get worked out next summer.”

Utah GM Dennis Lindsey had this to say about Hayward’s agent Mark Bartelstein and future negotiations: “Mark’s been one of the best agents in the business because he negotiates hard. He was fair. He played by the rules. He’ll continue to play by the rules. We’ll be fair as well, and we’ll come back and start talking in July…Just because (Hayward) said no to our last offer, his character hasn’t changed. He is an outstanding person…He’s someone we can see being in a Utah Jazz jersey until he retires. That’s our hope. We think we’re great fits.”

We have a handful of miscellaneous news and notes to pass along tonight, and you can read them below:

ESPN LA’s Arash Markazi weighed in on some of the rumblings which suggest that Steve Nash could eventually wind up in Toronto, saying that a deal between the Raptors and Lakers makes sense but isn’t sure if something gets done. Markazi opines that L.A. would like to clear Nash’s salary off their books while the Raptors would enjoy increased ticket sales by bringing the Canadian legend back to his home country (All Twitter links).
Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld tweeted a list of players who may be traded this season, including: Omer Asik, Jameer Nelson, Arron Afflalo, Glen Davis, Evan Turner, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Bass, and Gerald Wallace.
Kennedy also shared what 76ers rookie Michael Carter-Williams told him about his chances on winning the Rookie of the Year Award: “I think I have a pretty good chance at it. I’m just going to go out there, play my game and hope for the best” (Twitter link).
Entering tonight’s game with a record of 1-2 before their win against the Wizards, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade acknowledged that some minor chemistry issues are affecting the team (Michael Wallace of ESPN.com). More specifically, Wade had this to say: “Let me give you an example…If you’re in a relationship with a woman for a long time, you start getting comfortable. You stop doing the little things that you should do, that you did in the beginning. It’s just like a relationship. We got a little comfortable. Now we have to get back on that edge a little bit.”
Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that Knicks forwards Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin will have their own individualized schedules as far as playing or sitting out games, a decision meant to preserve the health of both in the long run.
Mavericks point man Jose Calderon appears to be regaining his groove after a sluggish start to the season, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.

Eastern Notes: Davis, Douby, Carmelo

November 3rd, 2013 at 6:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Though NBA veteran Ricky Davis was drafted by the Erie Bayhawks (which serves as the Knicks’ D-League affiliate) during this week’s NBDL draft, it doesn’t appear that Davis is part of any larger plan after head coach Mike Woodson didn’t seem to be aware of the move (SNY.tv’s Adam Zagoria via Twitter). New York brass had auditioned the 34-year-old swingman in mid-September but did not ultimately extend a training camp invite.

With more than half of the Eastern Conference set to compete tonight, here are some links to pass along from that side of the NBA:

Recently drafted by the NBDL’s Sioux Falls Skyforce (a direct affiliate of the Heat), Quincy Douby tells Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld about how he’s matured after playing internationally for the last several years and that demonstrating how much he’s grown will hopefully lead to another opportunity in the NBA.
With regard to some of New York’s struggles offensively so far, Carmelo Anthony -who insists that he feels good and is just trying to get back into rhythm himself – thinks that his team needs to be more willing to shoot more three-point shots when the opportunities present itself: “I think we’re showing a different dynamic part our team. Last year we took a lot more 3-pointers than we took (now). We got to get guys to used to being in those spots and wanting to shoot those. (We) got guys like Bargnani not used to playing a position like that outside the line taking 3s.’’ (Marc Berman of the Post provides a Sulia link)
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune touches upon the Bulls’ uncharacteristic struggles on the defensive end (subscribers only).
John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes about Maurice Harkless‘ improved mindset as a second-year player.