Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Pistons, Kings, Draft, Balkman

May 1st, 2013 at 11:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game reported in March that the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is adopting a tournament-style format this year, and the league confirmed the news today. The games will take place between July 12th and July 22nd, and while the move promises excitement, the contests won't necessarily have much meaning. Damian Lillard won the circuit's co-MVP honors last summer to kick off his Rookie of the Year campaign, but the other co-MVP was Josh Selby, who's been out of the NBA since March. While we wait to see how the revamped summer league shakes out, there's plenty of other NBA news:

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press compares Nate McMillan and Lindsey Hunter, the presumptive frontrunners for the Pistons coaching vacancy. The team is still expected to consider a wide range of candidates, and that list includes Pacers assistant Brian Shaw and Heat assistant David Fizdale, according to Ellis.
Dale Kasler, Tony Bizjak and Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee lay out the myriad contingencies still remaining in the Kings saga after the NBA's relocation committee recommended this week that the team stay in Sacramento.
Four HoopsWorld writers have Nerlens Noel penciled in as the No. 1 pick, but Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com has the Kentucky center at No. 2, behind Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore.
Renaldo Balkman has signed to play for Brujos de Guayama in Puerto Rico, Luis Modestti reports (translation via Sportando). The former Knicks first-round pick received a one-year ban from playing in the Philippines earlier this season after choking a teammate.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com appeared on KESN-FM in Dallas this week, and pegged the Mavericks' chances of signing Dwight Howard at 10%, according to a Dallas Morning News transcription. Stein thinks Howard is still most likely to re-sign with the Lakers.
Jeff Caplan of NBA.com takes an optimistic view of Howard's future with the Lakers, believing Howard will re-sign and, freed of speculation about his next destination, fulfill his promise as a superstar.

Southeast Links: Bobcats, Mack, LeBron

May 1st, 2013 at 7:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Southeast Division champion Heat have plenty of time to chill in advance of their second-round opener, which won't be until Monday. The division's other playoff team is engaged in a much tougher first-round fight than Miami endured, as the Hawks are batting the Pacers in Game 5 tonight with the series tied 2-2. There's news on both the Heat and Hawks tonight, along with more from the Southeast:

A pair of head coaching candidates are lined up for interviews with the Bobcats next week. TNT's David Aldridge reports, via Twitter, that the team will sit down with former Suns coach Alvin Gentry, while Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Elston Turner will also interview for the job. Turner served as an assistant under Gentry in Phoenix.
When Shelvin Mack signed with the Hawks in March for the rest of the season, the deal included a team option for next season, reports Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). It's probably for the minimum salary.
LeBron James appears to be a shoo-in for the MVP award, and it's likely he'll officially receive the honor on Sunday, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has a chance to become the first unanimous selection for the award, and Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida hears all three votes from Oklahoma City went to James instead of Kevin Durant.

Kyler’s Latest: Howard, Hawks, Mozgov, Biedrins

April 30th, 2013 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

Having already examined free-agents-to-be on postseason teams at each of the other four positions, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld turns his attention to the playoff centers heading for free agency this summer. Here are a few highlights from his piece:

The Lakers will be able to offer Dwight Howard over $30MM more than any other team, as I outlined here, but that doesn't mean he's a sure bet to be back. As Kyler notes, money and market are usually deciding factors, but L.A. will have to convince Howard that he won't be signing up for five more years as bad as 2012/13.
Zaza Pachulia will be recovering from a partially torn Achilles, raising significant questions about his next contract. The Hawks are unlikely to bring him back for more than the minimum, according to Kyler.
With Pachulia out in Atlanta, Johan Petro has improved his stock recently and could be in line for a new deal with the Hawks, particularly if the team strikes out on higher-profile targets.
Despite a report suggesting the Nuggets will extend a qualifying offer to Timofey Mozgov, Kyler is skeptical that Denver will really make such an offer (one year for nearly $4MM), since Mozgov could accept it. A two-year deal from another team is the most likely scenario for Mozgov, in Kyler's view. There has been enough reported interest for Mozgov that it wouldn't surprise me if the Nuggets retained him and considered him a trade asset going forward.
Kyler hears from sources that when Samuel Dalembert worked out for the Heat prior to the 2011/12 season, the team decided he had put on too much weight, and passed. As such, it's probably unlikely that Dalembert ends up in Miami this offseason.
Although Andris Biedrins is viewed as a lock to opt in to the final year of his contract, worth $9MM, Kyler wonders if the Warriors could convince him to opt out if it meant adding an extra year to his deal. For instance, the team could re-sign him to a two-year, $10MM pact to reduce his cap hit for 2013/14. I'd be surprised to see that happen though.

LeBron Unlikely To Sign With Jay-Z

April 27th, 2013 at 9:59am CST by Zachary Links

Ever since rapper Jay-Z announced that he would be making a foray into sports representation with his Roc Nation company, there has been speculation that he could sign longtime friend LeBron James. However, there is no reason to believe that James will abandon Klutch Sports to sign on with Jay-Z, a source tells Sam Amick of USA Today.

The theory that James would hook on with Jay-Z's company centers around the star's relationship with William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley. Wesley is a part of CAA Sports, the company that has partnered with Jay-Z but also lost James as a client in September when he left for the newly formed Klutch Sports, captained by former CAA agent Rich Paul.

However, James has long since moved on from the "Worldwide Wes" chapter of his life and according to one source, the two hardly, if ever, speak these days. Without that bridge, there's little reason to believe that James would consider a reunion with CAA. Even if that connection was still in place, it would still be a stretch for him to come back to his old agency less than a year after parting ways.

You can keep up with the latest in NBA player representation with Hoops Rumors' brand new Agency Database.

Eastern Notes: Dalembert, Adetokunbo, Cavs

April 26th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

We rounded up a few Western Conference notes earlier today, so let's head east and check in on the other conference….

Although Samuel Dalembert has expressed some interest in signing with the Heat this summer, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel doesn't see Dalembert as more than a "fallback option" for Miami. Winderman isn't sure whether Dalembert would fit the Heat's culture, and thinks any interest from Miami would come later in free agency, if at all.
The Pistons are expected to scout Greek prospect Giannis Adetokunbo for the first time this weekend, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Hopefully they'll have better luck than scouts for the Spurs, Heat, Hawks, and Grizzlies — Sportando contributor David Pick reports they failed to secure game passes to watch Adetokunbo today and were refused credentials. Representatives from the Cavs and Jazz did get in, however (Twitter links).
New Cavs head coach Mike Brown has a long list of potential assistant candidates, and will begin getting in touch with them next week, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines the merits of hiring Brian Shaw for the Sixers, noting that as of earlier this week, the team had yet to set up any interviews with potential coaching candidates.

Chris Andersen Hopeful Of Re-Signing With Heat

April 24th, 2013 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

After not landing an NBA job until January of this season, Chris Andersen has become a crucial piece of a Heat team that has posted a 42-4 record since adding him to the roster. If it's up to him, his stay in Miami will extend beyond this season, as agent Mark Bryant told Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link).

"We’re certainly hopeful," Bryant said of the possibility of Andersen re-signing with the Heat. "But he’s going to finish this task first (of trying to win a title with Miami). But, absolutely, he has embraced (being with the Heat)."

Andersen is in his first year with the Heat, which means, somewhat ironically, that the Birdman only has Non-Bird rights. Because he's on a minimum-salary contract with Miami, the team's ability to offer him a raise next year is limited. The Heat could elect to use all or some of its mid-level exception, which will have a starting salary of $3.183MM, on Andersen, but the club figures to explore outside options as well with that exception.

Given the Heat's recent success, there will likely be several veteran players interested in that mid-level exception in free agency this summer. Earlier this week, we heard that Samuel Dalembert, whose Bucks are currently facing the Heat in the playoffs, has interest in signing with Miami for next season.

Wojnarowski On LeBron, Cavs, Brown, Aldridge

April 24th, 2013 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

Now that the Cavaliers have made it official, announcing that Mike Brown has returned as the team's head coach, one looming question is what effect the hire will have on Cleveland's potential pursuit of LeBron James in the summer of 2014. LeBron told the Associated Press (link via Cleveland.com) that he's "very happy" for Brown, adding that he's a "really good coach," but would James be interested in playing for his former coach again? Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tackles that subject in his latest column, so let's round up the highlights….

One former Cavs staffer told Wojnarowski that "the way Mike had to bend for LeBron weakened him as a leader. They'd be crazy to put him through that again. It's pointless."
One league source tells Wojnarowski "there are still some scars" when it comes to Brown and the Cavs, primarily centered on the coach's relationship with Dan Gilbert, who fired him in 2010.
Agent Rich Paul has created anticipation for LeBron's possible return to the Cavs in 2014, but according to Wojnarowski, "the idea of returning as the conquering hero is probably much more romantic than reality." Wojnarowski suggests that it's "unfathomable" that James would trade Miami, Erik Spoelstra, and Pat Riley for a return to Cleveland.
According to Wojnarowski, the Cavs have privately pitched the idea of trading young players and draft picks to the Trail Blazers for LaMarcus Aldridge.
Such a deal with Portland is unlikely to ever happen, says Wojnarowski, since the Cavs value their young players like Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters more than other teams around the league do.

Samuel Dalembert Has Interest In Heat

April 22nd, 2013 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Samuel Dalembert didn't play in the Bucks' first playoff game against the Heat yesterday, and has only appeared in one game all month. If he does see action during Milwaukee's first round series though, he may be auditioning for his next team. The free-agent-to-be told Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that "the Heat will definitely be an option" when he searches for a new contract this summer.

"I love that option," Dalembert said of Miami's proximity to Haiti, where he was born. "That’s an option to move back and forth… I have a lot of family (in South Florida) and we have a lot of concentrated Haitian population here."

The Heat have had interest in Dalembert in the past, having explored signing him for their $3MM mini mid-level exception prior to the 2011/12 season. The big man had reservations about signing for that amount, and eventually landed a two-year, $13MM+ deal with the Bucks, while the Heat used their MLE on Shane Battier.

Whether or not Miami will pursue Dalembert again this summer remains to be seen, and could depend on whether the team decides to re-sign Chris Andersen, as Tomasson notes. As for Dalembert, he'll be looking for a chance to compete for a championship, and the Heat are a good bet to start next season as title favorites once again.

"It’s up to them and seeing what’s going to be out there," Dalembert said. "But at this point you want to be with a contending team. You don’t want to go backwards, so you want to chase that promised land."

Atlantic Links: Curry, Sixers, Celtics, Iverson

April 21st, 2013 at 11:55am CST by Chuck Myron

Yesterday was the first day since 1974 that two pro basketball teams held playoff games in New York, and the Knicks and Nets made the most of it. Both came away with victories and 1-0 series leads. The other three teams in the Atlantic Division are making noise off the court, as we detail here.

Sixers players have spoken positively about assistant coach Michael Curry, who appears ready to become a head coach again after his unsuccessful stint leading the Pistons in 2008/09, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Curry will interview for the head job with the Philadelphia and may do so with the Cavs, but he doesn't appear to be a candidate for Detroit, Goodwill adds (Twitter link).
John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes the Sixers should embrace rebuilding and resist the urge to spend significant cash on free agents this summer in a quick-fix effort.
With Doug Collins no longer in a position to dictate the direction of the team, the time is right for the Sixers to pursue a marquee general manager, argues fellow Inquirer scribe Bob Ford.
Ray Allen is pleased that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has given him the license to post up smaller defenders, something he said Celtics coach Doc Rivers did not allow him to do, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Washburn has heard rumors that the Celtics considered signing Allen Iverson this season, but he says there's no truth behind them.
HoopsWorld's Stephen Brotherston looks back on the tenure of Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, concluding that the team shouldn't fire him. If Toronto wants to make a change to its front office, it should give more responsibility to Ed Stefanski, its executive vice president of basketball operations.

Odds & Ends: LeBron, Kings, Draft, Wiggins

April 20th, 2013 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's today's look around the Association as we get set for the 2013 playoffs to get underway, starting with the Knicks and Celtics at 2pm central..

If the Cavs really want to make a run at bringing LeBron James back to Cleveland in the 2014 offseason, it will be interesting to see how they replace coach Byron Scott, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. If John Calipari somehow winds up as the Cavaliers' choice, then it might be time to at least consider how deep the James-Calipari connections run.
Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times is displeased with how commissioner David Stern has handled the Seattle-Sacramento battle over the Kings. Brewer opines that it's frustrating to see Stern continue to defend the Sacramento offer while inferring that it does not fully match the Chris Hansen deal.
The latest mock draft from HoopsWorld still has Nerlens Noel going No. 1 but has some changes elsewhere in the lottery. Victor Oladipo is at No. 3 in the latest mock while Georgetown's Otto Porter is projected to go No. 6.
Despite rumblings to the contrary, Canadian high school standout Andrew Wiggins says that he won't be announcing his college choice anytime soon, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Wiggins is universally projected to be the top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.