National Basketball Players Association Rumors

And-Ones: Donovan, Union, Heat, Kidd

March 22nd, 2014 at 4:11pm CST by Charlie Adams

Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan has enjoyed great success at the college level. He’s on the way to his fourth consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA tournament, but he isn’t ruling out a potential jump to the NBA one day, revealed an Associated Press report (via ESPN.com). Donovan accepted a head coaching position for the Magic in 2007, but changed his mind shortly after and returned to continue coaching Florida. Here’s more from around the NBA:

Roughly two dozen players and agents would like to see the NBA player’s union push back their selection of a new executive director to July, passes along Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report. We had previously heard that David White and Michele Roberts were the two finalists for the role, but the opposing group wants the candidates to be reconsidered, possibly widening the fielding by “starting from scratch.”
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel thinks the Heat would be wise to alter their draft strategy in light of the impending enforcement of the repeater tax. It’s important to secure young talent at the rookie-scale price rather than relying on expensive free agent contracts to build a team, says Winderman.
Nikola Pekovic won’t appear in 70 or more games this year, so he won’t receive the bonus he would have drawn for doing so, notes Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Wolves signed Pekovic to a five-year, $60MM deal last summer that had up to $8MM in potential incentives.
Nets GM Billy King doesn’t think Jason Kidd is getting the credit he deserves for turning Brooklyn into a winning team, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. King notes Kidd was receiving flak when his club was struggling, but few people credit the rookie coach for his instrumental role in their recent success.
The report that the Nets are prioritizing a signing for Shaun Livingston next summer might mean the team is confident they’ll re-sign Paul Pierce, tweets Bondy. Another tweet from Bondy reiterates that King has not offered Pierce an extension and hasn’t discussed next season with Kevin Garnett.
Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times runs down how the round of 64 in the NCAA tournament affected the draft stocks of many of the best college players. Jabari Parker and Marcus Smart were two top prospects who saw an early exit from the tourney yesterday.

Chris Paul Addresses Union Criticisms

March 14th, 2014 at 8:53pm CST by Cray Allred

Following agent Jeff Schwartz’s op-ed criticising the union’s lack of transparency in selecting its next executive director, union president Chris Paul has responded with an op-ed of his own at ESPN. The whole piece is worth a read, but here are some of the highlights:

On changes already in progress to make the union more transparent:

“Working with our Acting Executive Director Ron Klempner, we’ve spent the past year reviewing and reforming the core policy infrastructure of our union, creating an organization that is strong, strategic, transparent and absolutely accountable to our players.”

On where the union is in the selection process:

“In an effort to conduct a thorough and professional search, we partnered with outside consultants to identify over 200 professionals from the worlds of sports, law, labor and business who might be qualified to lead our union. Our Executive Committee has devoted the time, resources and energy necessary to narrow down this quality pool of potential candidates. During our All-Star Weekend Winter Meeting, we devoted virtually all of our time together to discussing the process that we’ve engaged in, and the procedures for considering and voting on our next Executive Director. We also heard from our leading candidates for the position to date, and players attending were able to take their measure.”

On the criticism the union has received:

“I’ve been encouraged by the passionate interest in the outcome of these deliberations — player agents, corporate sponsors, team owners, sports journalists and NBA fans. And while some of these interests have been critical or skeptical of the very deliberate steps we’ve been taking in this process, it’s a testament to the commitment and passion we all have to protect our players and ultimately the game we all love so much. But make no mistake, the decision about our next Executive Director will be made by NBA players, in a process that has been and will continue to be open, transparent, painstaking and professional.”

On why the process has taken so long:

“One of our greatest challenges as an organized group of players is managing the logistics that require us to be constantly moving throughout the country. However, we’re in the last stages of implementing a plan that will allow every player to consider the candidates, discuss their merits with teammates and fellow union members and very soon, vote on new leadership for the NBPA. The process has taken time, but we know it has been time well spent.”

Execs, Agents Fear NBA Headed For Lockout

March 6th, 2014 at 12:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

The consensus among agents and executives around the NBA is that the league is on the path toward a lockout in 2017, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Commissioner Adam Silver and other league officials are already sending out signals that they want a hard salary cap, former union executive director Charles Grantham tells Deveney. Grantham’s time atop the union preceded Billy Hunter’s 17-year run as executive director, but the players have yet to name a permanent replacement. That, too, is helping sow the seeds of a lockout, Deveney writes.

The league and the union both have options after the 2016/17 season to terminate the collective bargaining agreement struck at the end of the 2011 lockout. Most reports have indicated that the agreement will indeed come to an end that year. The league is negotiating a TV rights deal that will most likely ensure that teams continue to receive money even in the event of a lockout, which was the case in 2011. That gives the league incentive to use the lockout as a negotiating tool against the players, who have been unsuccessful in finding alternative revenue streams in the past, as Deveney explains.

Grantham worries that the players are “way behind” in preparing for talks on the next labor deal, though National Basketball Players Association president Chris Paul tells Deveney that he’s not worried about the slow progress toward naming a new executive director. Still, agents feel the delay is “potentially disastrous,” Deveney writes, and they worry that players, wary of repeating the Hunter debacle, won’t give whomever they do hire the support necessary to negotiate effectively.

Odds & Ends: Duncan, Oden, Wizards

February 19th, 2014 at 7:54am CST by Chuck Myron

ESPN analyst and former coach George Karl hears that Tim Duncan is thinking of retiring at season’s end, notes Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News, but Duncan isn’t sure how Karl got that impression. The Big Fundamental says he’s undecided, as he tells reporters, including Express-News scribe Mike Monroe (Twitter link). Fellow Express-News writer Jeff McDonald would be “shocked” if Duncan retired. The sense around the Spurs is that Duncan will keep playing as long as he feels he’s useful, McDonald says, pointing out that the big man is still under contract for next year (Twitter links). Here’s more from the Association:

Greg Oden considered a handful of teams last summer, but it came down to a decision between the Mavs and the Heat, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Most reports have suggested the Wizards are looking for a backup point guard, but Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times hears they’re seeking a backup who can play both guard positions, suggesting Luke Ridnour as a possibility (Twitter link).
A veteran scout tells Woelfel that he has Creighton forward Doug McDermott No. 6 on his draft board, and Chris Mannix of SI.com examines a polarizing prospect who’s sparked a wide range of opinions in NBA front offices.
The Cavs had discussions with the Lakers about acquiring Chris Kaman, but those talks are no longer active, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Free agent Malcolm Lee hasn’t played since December 2012 because of injury, but he’s about two weeks away from being ready to suit up for a team, USA Today’s Sam Amick tweets.
The Warriors on Tuesday recalled Ognjen Kuzmic from the D-League, the team announced. Kuzmic’s latest stint in Santa Cruz lasted one day.
Some members of the actors union are upset that executive director David White is a candidate for the same position with the National Basketball Players Association, observes Dave McNary of Variety.com.
Lionel Hollins explains the root of his raw feelings from the end of his tenure as Grizzlies coach to Mearl Purvis of WHBQ-TV in Memphis.

White, Roberts Finalists For Union Chief

February 15th, 2014 at 7:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

SATURDAY, 6:52pm: No one was officially elected today as NBPA executive director today despite the NBPA executive committee having deliberated for almost three hours. It appears though, the search is down to two finalists: White, and Michele Roberts, an attorney from Washington D.C., tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. No timetable has been set for when someone will be appointed, but certain powerful agents have been frustrated with the search, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. According to Berger, multiple influential agents say they have candidates in mind who have not been considered. At least one player involved in the search believes the it should be started over and a new list of candidates should be developed, to be voted on at the NBPA’s summer meeting.

FRIDAY, 10:02am: Screen Actors Guild executive director David White is the front runner to take the same job with the National Basketball Players Association, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Union president Chris Paul and the NBPA’s executive committee have already interviewed White, though Wojnarowski hears no formal vote on whether to hire him will take place among union membership this weekend.

White first joined the actors union in 2002, and he became the group’s executive director in 2009. He signed a three-year extension in 2012, so it’s unclear what the players union will have to do to get him out of his contract.

The NBPA has been without an executive director since the All-Star break last year, when longtime chief Billy Hunter was let go amid controversy. Attorney Ron Klempner is serving in an interim capacity. Steve Mills was at one point the favorite for the job before he became Knicks GM, and other rumored candidates have included Isiah Thomas and current NHL and former baseball union head Don Fehr, though none of those three appear to be in the running now.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Camby, Rookies, Conroy

February 10th, 2014 at 5:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Going into the 2013 NBA draft, experts had viewed it as one of the weakest in recent memory. There was no franchise savior available, and the lottery was looked on as a guessing game at best. A little more than halfway through the season, the rookie class hasn’t done anything to dispel this notion. Outside of Michael Carter-Williams, Victor Oladipo, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, there hasn’t been much rookie production. Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders.com believes there are five rookies who might be able to turn their seasons around. The players he examines in the piece are Anthony Bennett, Cody Zeller, Ben McLemore, Alex Len, and Otto Porter.

Adam Silver Wants To Raise Age Limit To 20

February 6th, 2014 at 12:21pm CST by Chuck Myron

Commissioner Adam Silver would like to change the NBA’s minimum age from 19 to 20, and he’ll take the matter up with the union once it hires a new executive director, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. The league and the union tabled the issue during negotiations on the current collective bargaining agreement in 2011 with the intent of circling back to the matter, but turmoil in the union appears to have held up discussions since.

The current rule holds that a player must be at least 19 years old to enter the draft, though 18-year-olds may enter if they turn 19 between the draft and December 31st. If the player is from the U.S., he must also be one year removed from high school. The league instituted the age limit in time for the 2006 draft after a decade-long trend of players jumping to the NBA immediately after high school.

It’s unclear whether the union, which doesn’t appear close to naming an executive director to replace the ousted Billy Hunter, would be supportive of changing the rule. Ostensibly, NBA players would support a measure that would delay the influx of talented young players eager to take their jobs, but agents, who have reason to seek as many paydays for their clients as possible, may push against a change. If the age limit does go to 20, it would negatively affect the talent in the first draft for which the new rule is in effect. Still, the 2006 draft, which followed the original imposition of the age limit, produced LaMarcus Aldridge, Rajon Rondo, Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry.

There’s no timetable for when any changes to the age limit, if approved, would take effect. The rule will almost certainly remain the same for this year’s draft, and probably for next year’s draft, too.

Odds & Ends: Deng, Dwight, Union, Gay

January 22nd, 2014 at 3:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Luol Deng had a sarcastic response to a question about whether he’d consider returning to the Bulls in free agency this summer, poking fun at the team’s three-year, $30MM extension offer that he rejected, notes Sam Smith of Bulls.com. Still, Deng won’t rule out a Chicago homecoming.

“I have nothing against (anyone),” Deng said. “What happened, happened. I love Chicago. I’ve been there 10 years. There’s no bad blood or anything. What happened, happened. It is what it is. But for me to sit here and say, ‘I’m taking Chicago out of the equation,’ that’s stupid. I was there for 10 years.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Dwight Howard is returning to USA Basketball after a six-year absence with eyes on being a part of the Team USA squad in the basketball World Cup this summer, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
A judge has dismissed the remaining charges in the lawsuit that former players union executive director Billy Hunter brought against Derek Fisher, and Hunter could be on the hook for Fisher’s legal fees, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com explains. The ruling doesn’t affect Hunter’s litigation claiming the union owes him $10.5MM.
A report last month indicated the Kings would engage Rudy Gay in extension talks if he performed well, and in spite of his improved play, the team and his reps at Octagon Sports have yet to have that discussion, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Gay scored a career-high 41 points last night.
The Grizzlies have no interest in trading for Pau Gasol, and the Lakers won’t compromise their cap flexibility in any Gasol swap, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who thinks the Spanish center will stay put through the deadline (Sulia link).
The extension that two-year NBA veteran Charles Jenkins signed with his Serbian team includes an escape clause in case he finds work in the NBA, Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia tweets.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com details the convoluted maneuvers that have allowed the D-League affiliate of the Mavericks to acquire Fab Melo. The 2012 first-round pick signed a D-League contract last week.

Western Notes: Fisher, Jackson, Turkoglu

January 15th, 2014 at 7:48pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Derek Fisher is breathing a little easier today with the news that the judge, Huey Cotton, who is presiding over Billy Hunter’s wrongful termination lawsuit had dismissed most of the allegations against Fisher, and all against his former business manager, Jamie Wior, writes Ken Berger of CBS Sports.com. Hunter had alleged that the two conspired to oust him and seize control of the NBPA during and after the 2011 lockout. Cotton ruled that Hunter’s claims against Fisher regarding breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual relations may go forward, but struck 12 other allegations against the former NBPA president from the lawsuit, including defamation. The judge also ruled that Hunter must pay legal fees for Fisher and Wior related to the claims that were dismissed. The rest of Hunter’s lawsuit is cleared to continue against the NBPA.

Here’s some other notes from around the Western Conference:

Pierre Jackson still hasn’t been able to reach a deal with the Pelicans, who hold his rights after drafting him 42nd overall in last year’s draft. Not long before Jrue Holiday was ruled out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his right tibia on January 10th, Jackson’s representatives requested and received permission to explore trade opportunities. Jackson’s agents, who also represent Holiday, met with Pelicans general manager Dell Demps this week, but Jackson still doesn’t have a contract with the team. This has Jackson and his camp disappointed, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Jackson is currently the D-League’s second-leading scorer at 29.9 PPG, and feels his production warrants some NBA playing time.
The Warriors will be keeping MarShon Brooks, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Brooks was acquired as a part of today’s three-team trade involving Boston and Miami. An earlier tweet by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe had indicated the team might waive Brooks.
Spurs guard Nando De Colo‘s agent denied reports that the player was attempting to return to Europe and play for Fenerbahce, as he told French newspaper L’Equipe (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). De Colo is currently averaging 2.0 PPG in limited action.
The Clippers continue to have interest in Sasha Vujacic even as they near a deal with Hedo Turkoglu, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

Odds & Ends: Salaries, Rondo, Hickson

January 13th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

The NBA’s highest paid players used to dominate the list of the top earners in team sports, but no longer. Eight Major League Baseball players have deals that give them average annual salaries within the top 10 among all athletes in North American team sports, according to Liz Mullen and David Broughton of the SportsBusiness Journal (subscription only). Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony are the other two on that list. It’s a reversal from 2000, when eight NBA players were among the top 10 on those rankings, while two baseball players took up the other spots.

“The NBA players union has failed to protect the rights of the top players in the league,” agent Arn Tellem said. “Collective bargaining has proved totally ineffectual.”

It might help matters if the National Basketball Players Association were able to fill its vacant executive director position. They missed out on another target for the post when Blazers president Larry Miller turned them down, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reported this weekend. While we wait to see who they wind up with, here’s more from the NBA:

Celtics GM Danny Ainge has consistently batted down Rajon Rondo trade rumors, but there’s an “increasing belief” around the league that Ainge will seek to trade the point guard for multiple assets, as Chad Ford writes in his “tank rank” piece for ESPN Insider.
J.J. Hickson is leaving agent Andy Miller of ASM Sports and will soon hire a new representative, tweets Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post.
ASVEL Villeurbanne of France has released former Clippers and Jazz point guard Travis Leslie, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia).
If Jordan Hill plays in 11 more games this year and averages at least 14.1 minutes per contest over the season, he’ll trigger an incentive clause worth $63,600, notes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. Hill is averaging 20.2 MPG so far.