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Wolves Tell Teams To Improve Their Offers For Jimmy Butler

October 3rd, 2018 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves continue to focus on the Heat in Jimmy Butler trade talks and have informed other interested teams over the past 24 hours that their offers aren’t good enough, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Minnesota plans to hold onto Butler until it gets a deal it likes.

Miami has been close to working out a trade for Butler over the past several days and pushed the Wolves’ front office for a decision on its latest offer today, sources tell Wojnarowski. Butler reportedly wants to join the Heat and would be willing to re-sign with the organization when he opts out of his current deal next summer. He has also expressed interest in the Clippers, Nets and Knicks, who should all have enough money next year to offer a maximum deal to another free agent.

Minnesota has focused on Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson and a protected first-rounder for 2019 in trade talks, Wojnarowski adds. The Wolves would also like to shed the contract of Gorgui Dieng, who is owed more than $48MM over the next three seasons. A larger deal involving more players or additional teams may be necessary to make the trade work.

The Rockets remain aggressive in their pursuit of Butler, even though they are already well into luxury tax territory. Like Miami, Houston won’t have cap room next summer and has no hope of acquiring Butler without a trade.

Butler hasn’t joined the Wolves for training camp, but coach/executive Tom Thibodeau plans to appeal for him to return when the team returns from its West Coast trip tomorrow, according to Wojnarowski. Butler still has soreness in his wrist following offseason surgery and hasn’t made a decision about when he might rejoin the team if no deal gets done. Sources told ESPN he won’t miss regular season games if he is healthy enough to play.

Butler has been working out at Minnesota’s practice facility and has remained in contact with several of his teammates.

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Knicks Sign John Jenkins

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 3: The Knicks have officially signed Jenkins, the team announced today (via Twitter).

OCTOBER 2: Having opened up a roster spot by waiving Tyrius Walker earlier today, the Knicks will sign John Jenkins to re-fill their 20-man preseason roster, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter links). According to Berman, Jenkins – who caught the Knicks’ eye during his Summer League stint with the Trail Blazers – will likely end up playing in the G League.

Jenkins, a 2012 first-round pick out of Vanderbilt, played 145 regular season NBA contests for the Hawks, Mavericks, and Suns, last appearing in an NBA game in December of 2016.

Jenkins spent the 2017/18 campaign with San Pablo Burgos in Spain, recording a team-high 12.7 PPG in 22 Spanish League games, before joining Portland for the 2018 Summer League. In seven Las Vegas Summer League games, Jenkins shot a blistering 69.6% from the field, averaging 12.0 PPG.

With Jenkins apparently poised to fill Walker’s spot on the Knicks’ roster, it remains unclear when Jeff Coby will complete his reported deal with the club. New York has 19 players under contract, leaving room for just one signing for now, though the club figures to waive other camp invitees and buy out Joakim Noah in the near future.

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Knicks Sign, Waive Phillip Carr

October 3rd, 2018 at 11:52am CST by ChrisCrouse

OCTOBER 3: Having secured his G League rights for Westchester, the Knicks have now waived Carr, the team announced today (via Twitter).

OCTOBER 2: The Knicks have signed Phillip Carr, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link) that the contract is likely an Exhibit 10 deal.

Contracts with the Exhibit 10 clause are worth the league’s minimum salary and don’t come with any compensation protection. They can include a bonus in the $5K to $50K range for players should the team waive them and they sign with the team’s G League affiliate and remain there for 60 days.

Carr is likely to spend most of his 2018/19 season with the Westchester Knicks. The forward played for Morgan State over the past three seasons, scoring 13.4 points per game. He was not selected in the 2018 draft.

Having signed Carr, the Knicks once again have a full 20-man roster. That means that reported agreements with John Jenkins and Jeff Coby remain on hold for now.

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Knicks Waive Tyrius Walker

October 2nd, 2018 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have released a training camp invitee from their 20-man preseason roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve waived rookie guard Tyrius Walker. New York had signed the former Morehouse standout to a camp deal last month.

Walker averaged 22.8 PPG in his final college season, buoyed by a .475/.357/.802 shooting line. Because he played for a Division II school, Walker’s competition wasn’t as strong as that of most of his fellow prospects, and he didn’t receive strong draft consideration. However, he did earn a spot on the Knicks’ Summer League squad in Las Vegas, and posted 6.3 PPG in three games (11.3 MPG).

Although the Knicks will likely open up a spot on their 15-man regular season roster soon when they buy out Joakim Noah, Walker was never considered a strong candidate to fill that spot. He is, however, a candidate to join the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate.

Walker had been on an Exhibit 10 deal, meaning he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he heads to Westchester and spends at least two months with the Knicks’ NBAGL squad.

With a newly-created opening on their roster, the Knicks may finalize the signing of Jeff Coby, who reportedly reached an agreement with the club prior to training camp.

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Community Shootaround: Rookie Scale Extensions

October 1st, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

So far this offseason, two players have signed rookie scale extensions: Devin Booker got a new deal from the Suns, and the Timberwolves locked up Karl-Anthony Towns to a new long-term pact.

In each of those instances, the player received a maximum salary extension. Max deals, which require little negotiation, typically get done well before the mid-October deadline for rookie scale extensions. But with that deadline now just two weeks away, we may start seeing progress on a few other deals around the NBA.

Besides Booker and Towns, 21 players are eligible for rookie scale extensions this offseason, though some of the players on that list assuredly won’t get new deals. The Cavaliers aren’t about to give Sam Dekker a long-term contract, for example. And it’s safe to assume that the Bulls aren’t looking to lock up Cameron Payne early.

Still, there are several names on that list who are intriguing candidates for new deals. Here are 12 of them:

Not all the players on this list will sign rookie scale extensions within the next two weeks. In fact, most of them probably won’t. There are plenty of reasons for teams to wait — maybe the asking prices are too high, maybe their financial situations aren’t conducive to more long-term investments at this point, or maybe they simply want another season to take a closer look at their extension candidates.

[RELATED: Recent NBA Rookie Scale Extension History]

Still, it’s safe to assume that at least a couple players on this list will receive new deals. Typically, at least four players per year sign rookie scale extensions, and the numbers in previous seasons have often been much higher than that — in 2014, 2015, and 2016, a combined 24 players signed rookie scale extensions, for an average of eight per year.

With that October 15 deadline fast approaching, we want to know what you think. Which of this year’s extension candidates will receive new deals? Which deserve them, and at what price point? Which should be put off until they reach restricted free agency next summer?

Head to the comment section below to share your two cents on this year’s rookie scale extension candidates!

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2018 Offseason In Review: New York Knicks

September 30th, 2018 at 11:45am CST by Arthur Hill

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2018 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2018/19 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the New York Knicks.

Signings:

Trades:

  • None

Draft picks:

  • 1-9: Kevin Knox — Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-36: Mitchell Robinson — Signed to four-year, $6.57MM contract. First two years guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap.
  • Carrying approximately $107.4MM in guaranteed salaries.
  • Hard-capped at $129.82MM.
  • $656K of mid-level exception still available ($7.99MM used on Mario Hezonja and Mitchell Robinson).
  • Full bi-annual exception ($3.38MM) still available.

Check out the New York Knicks’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Head coaching changes are nothing new in New York, where David Fizdale is the 12th man to hold the position in the past 18 years, but there’s a sense of optimism that the Knicks may have finally found the right man. Fizdale had been among the hottest names on the coaching market since being fired by the Grizzlies last year and had interviewed with the Magic, Hawks, Suns and Hornets before accepting the job with the Knicks.

Fizdale was a highly regarded assistant with a reputation for relating to players before getting the opportunity in Memphis. He guided the Grizzlies to the playoffs in 2016/17 before getting fired early last season after an injury to Mike Conley caused the team to stumble to a 7-12 start. Fizdale also clashed with Marc Gasol, which he used as a learning experience in dealing with Kristaps Porzingis. Shortly after the Knicks hired him, Fizdale traveled to Latvia to meet with Porzingis and discuss his role with the organization.

Fizdale has moved quickly to put his stamp on a franchise that has endured five straight losing seasons and endless turmoil in its front office and coaching staff. He declared an open competition for all five starting spots and said even established players such as Enes Kanter and Tim Hardaway Jr. will have to earn their playing time during the preseason.

Despite the optimism that Fizdale brings to the franchise, he still faces an uphill battle in his first season on the Knicks’ bench. Porzingis’ status remains uncertain as he recovers from a torn ACL, and there have been suggestions that he may not play at all this season. Fizdale’s primary job will be to set a foundation for next year, when the Knicks hope to have Porzingis healthy and add a maximum-salaried free agent.

Read more

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Atlantic Notes: Knox, Noah, Irving, Green

September 29th, 2018 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

First-round pick Kevin Knox put on a show for Knicks fans at today’s scrimmage, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Knox has gotten past the tentativeness he had when camp opened, with Berman estimating he hit seven of 14 shots this afternoon and went three for six from 3-point range.

Coach David Fizdale has emphasized to Knox that he needs to be aggressive on offense.

“He did exactly what I want,’’ Fizdale said. “He’s a natural scorer. He’s unselfish to a fault at times, but today was indication what I’ve been prodding him to do every day. That ball hits your hands, you’re live.’’

The day wasn’t as promising for center Mitchell Robinson, a second-round pick whom the Knicks are hoping can provide bench help in the middle. Robinson looked overmatched against Enes Kanter, and Berman suggested he might start the season in the G League to get used to the pro game.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Joakim Noah remains on the Knicks‘ roster as he continues to negotiate a buyout, Berman adds in the same story. Fizdale wouldn’t comment on the proceedings, but the amount of money Noah is willing to give back remains an issue. Berman adds that Noah expressed his frustration today when he posted, then quickly deleted, an Instagram message that read, “Let me go!!! What r u waiting for!!!! U don’t want me there so let me go!!!”
  • Kyrie Irving made headlines this week with comments indicating that he plans to stay in Boston beyond this season, but they were nothing new to Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, relays Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Irving, who is expected to opt out of his current deal next summer, has expressed similar sentiments to his boss before. “I’ve talked to Kyrie a lot,” Ainge said. “Maybe he’s changed his tune with you [media], but he has been very positive from the day he got here. I talk to Kyrie all the time, his representation. I think Kyrie is very happy here in Boston, always has been. That will hopefully make this a place he wants to stay much longer once the season ends.”
  • Danny Green may be an overlooked part of the Kawhi Leonard trade, but he brings valuable championship experience to a Raptors team that needs it, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Green, who won a title with the Spurs in 2014, has played in more than 100 playoff games and has shot better than 41% on 3-pointers in the postseason.
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Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Mudiay, Fizdale

September 29th, 2018 at 9:31am CST by marksuleymanov

Kristaps Porzingis has been part of the Knicks training camp despite the fact that he continues rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered last February. Despite his physical limitations, Porzingis remains an involved presence for New York, Steve Popper of Newsday writes.

“He’s on our staff now,” head coach David Fizdale said jokingly. “He’s helping put stuff in. I mean the guy is so engaged and helping the big guys. He gets it. He sees exactly what I’m trying to do. He’s doing a good job of grabbing Mitchell [Robinson], grabbing Luke [Kornet], our young bigs: ‘Hey, look at it this way.’ ‘Do this way.’ And when he’s not doing that, he’s passing for somebody. If he’s not doing that, he’s shooting or ballhandling or doing something on his own, where he can still be working on his skill set. But he’s staying very active and engaged.”

Porzingis, 23, was in the midst of his best season to date in 2017/18, averaging 22.7 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 48 games before the injury. While there’s no timetable for his return this season — and missing the entire campaign is a distinct possibility — Porzingis is making the effort to get acclimated to a new system in New York.

Check out more Knicks notes below:

  • The Knicks are encouraged by point guard Emmanuel Mudiay‘s recent weight loss and improved ball handling, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.  “I’m going out there and being aggressive and I know you have to take care of the ball,” Mudiay said. “He’s already said if you make a turnover, it’s on to the next play. Don’t really dwell on it.”
  • David Fizdale is entering his first season as Knicks coach and he’s already emphasizing a faster approach to the game, Berman writes in a separate story. Fizdale’s system is a stark contrast to the triangle system implemented by former team president Phil Jackson. “I really do think we can put a fast team on the floor,’’ Fizdale said. “We’re really athletic, just looking at the roster. We just have a very athletic team. We plan to play fast, but we’re going to share the game. There’s not going to be anybody that dominates the ball for us.’’
  • In a recent edition of Knicks notes, we relayed Porzingis’ ACL recovery, Allonzo Trier‘s impressive start to camp and more.
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Knicks Notes: Trier, Porzingis, Hezonja, Kyrie

September 28th, 2018 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are currently carrying rookie guard Allonzo Trier using one of their two-way contract slots, but promoting him to the 15-man regular season squad isn’t out of the question, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Trier has made a good early impression on head coach David Fizdale, who called the former Arizona standout a “good player” and praised his effort on defense.

Berman suggests that the Knicks will have 15 guaranteed contracts on their books once they buy out Joakim Noah. By our count, only 13 of those would be fully guaranteed — Trey Burke and Noah Vonleh have modest partial guarantees. While Burke almost certainly isn’t going anywhere, it’s not clear whether Vonleh is a lock for the regular season roster.

If New York wants to keep both Burke and Vonleh and promote Trier to the 15-man squad, Ron Baker and his $4.54MM guaranteed salary could be the odd man out. For now though, it doesn’t appear that there’s any urgency to get Trier signed to a standard contract — the Knicks could do so later in the season, when he’s nearing his 45-day NBA limit.

Here’s more out of New York:

  • When asked about his ACL recovery earlier this week, Kristaps Porzingis suggested that his rehab protocol has been a little unusual, since there are few – if any – precedents for a 7’3″ player returning from the injury. However, two medical experts who spoke to Berman of The New York Post say that they don’t think Porzingis’ height should have any substantial impact on his recovery process.
  • Despite three up-and-down seasons in Orlando, new Knicks forward Mario Hezonja is confident in his ability to be a difference-making player going forward. “There is no ceiling for me. And you know that,” Hezonja told Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News with a smile. “I know that but I’m not going to be rushing, I’m not going to be skipping steps. I’m not going to be thinking about it. It’s going to come. I just have to go step-by-step. Practice-by-practice, game-by-game.”
  • Kyrie Irving‘s comments on Media Day about being able to envision a long-term future in Boston won’t halt speculation about him moving to New York as a free agent in 2019, but they were still a blow for the Knicks, says Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.
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