New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Magic To Aggressively Target Chandler Parsons

March 1st, 2016 at 8:30am CST by Chuck Myron

The Magic loom as the most significant threat to the Mavericks to sign Chandler Parsons to a new contract this summer, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Parsons is a virtual lock to turn down his $16.023MM player option for next season with the salary cap moving sharply upward, and he’s expected to receive a maximum-salary contract, MacMahon writes. Sources who spoke with MacMahon anticipate an aggressive pursuit from Orlando and expect the Heat, Lakers, Nets, Knicks, Trail Blazers, Rockets and Nuggets to come after the 27-year-old, too. The Thunder, would also have interest if Kevin Durant bolts, MacMahon adds, pointing to the presence of Billy Donovan, Parsons’ college coach, in Oklahoma City.

The Mavs realize they’ll need to once more put on a recruiting effort for the versatile small forward they signed to a loaded offer sheet in 2014, but they nonetheless appear to be the favorites for him again this summer, according to MacMahon. That’s because of the loyalty he feels toward owner Mark Cuban and teammate Dirk Nowitzki, as well as the fondness Parsons has for Rick Carlisle, having advocated for the five-year extension the team gave the coach earlier this season, the ESPN scribe writes. The relationship between Parsons and Carlisle is nuanced, MacMahon explains, with Parsons wary of whether Carlisle fully trusts him on the court, but Carlisle this week referred to Parsons as “a franchise-caliber player in the making” in a message to MacMahon.

The Magic opened enough cap flexibility in trades last month to sign two players to max contracts this summer, with only about $36MM in guaranteed salary on next season’s books against a projected $90MM cap. Orlando and soon-to-be free agent Al Horford reportedly have mutual interest, and Horford went to the University of Florida, just as Parsons did.

Parsons is in his fifth season, so he’ll be eligible for the lowest of the three maximum salary tiers, likely with a starting salary approaching $21MM. The Mavs will have only his Early Bird rights this summer, though they’ll function essentially as full Bird rights would for Parsons because his projected max is within 175% of his nearly $15.362MM salary for this season. The only difference will be that the Mavs can only offer four years instead of the five that they could with full Bird rights. Dallas will still have the opportunity to give him 7.5% raises instead of the 4.5% that the Magic and others will be limited to. That would mean a difference of some $4MM over the life of a four-year deal. Still, Parsons will value comfort and on-court opportunity over money as he decides where to sign, sources familiar with his thinking tell MacMahon.

In any case, the Mavericks appear committed to doing what they can to keep Parsons. Cuban indicated as much about a month ago to MacMahon, referring to Parsons and Wesley Matthews as a “crushing tandem on the wing.”

Atlantic Notes: Hinkie, Horford, Fredette

February 29th, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

One source told Tom Moore of Calkins Media that he believes the Sixers will hire someone new to run day-to-day basketball operations under chairman of basketball ops Jerry Colangelo, bumping GM Sam Hinkie into an analytics-only role, perhaps before the regular season is over. Moore speculates that the new day-to-day front office voice might be Bryan Colangelo, Jerry’s son, and the scribe hears conflicting rumors of whether or not Danny Ferry is a candidate to join the Sixers. Jerry Colangelo recently expressed interest in adding to the team’s front office. While we wait to see the fate of “The Process” in Philly, see more from the Atlantic Division:

Part of the reason why the Celtics didn’t make the sort of overwhelming trade offer for Al Horford that the Hawks were reportedly looking for is that the C’s feel they have a legitimate chance to sign him in free agency this summer, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports says in a video report. Chris Mannix of The Vertical earlier identified Atlanta’s interest in the big man.
The Knicks are keeping an eye on the players that hit waivers as Tuesday’s de facto buyout deadline nears, with a specific interest in younger players, coach Kurt Rambis said today, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Tuesday is the last day players can hit waivers while retaining postseason eligibility. Rambis praised Jimmer Fredette and suggested he’s open to seeing him return on a second 10-day deal, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter), but the coach said that decision rests with management and acknowledged it will be tough for Fredette to see minutes. He’s only played two minutes so far on the 10-day deal that expires after Wednesday.
The Celtics have recalled James Young from the D-League, the team announced (Twitter link). He averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in three games on his latest D-League stint, which began Thursday.

Atlantic Notes: Stoudemire, Sullinger, Lee

February 28th, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat’s Amar’e Stoudemire sounded like he had some harsh words for former teammate Carmelo Anthony and Knicks management before tonight’s game, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Stoudemire spent four and a half seasons in New York before agreeing to a buyout last February. He didn’t mention Anthony by name but implied that ‘Melo was extremely jealous during the brief “Lin-sanity” period that turned Jeremy Lin into a star in 2012. “A lot of times you got to enjoy somebody else’s success,” Stoudemire said. “That wasn’t the case for us during that stretch. You got to enjoy that and let that player enjoy himself and cherish those moments. He was becoming a star and I didn’t think everyone was pleased with that.’’

Stoudemire also said not everybody was on board with the triangle offense that Phil Jackson instituted when he became team president in 2014. “I truly bought into it,’’ Stoudemire said. “Maybe three-quarters of the team thought it was great. But if you don’t have a full team that buys into a system, it’s never going to pan out.’’

There’s more tonight from the Atlantic Division:

Jared Sullinger may be making himself too expensive for the Celtics to keep with his recent rebounding spree, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com. Sullinger has posted double-doubles in five of his last seven games and has risen into the league’s top 10 in percentage of defensive rebounds collected. Sullinger will be a restricted free agent this summer, and while Boston would likely want to keep him for the $4.4MM qualifying offer, his price could rise much higher, Forsberg writes. One advantage the Celtics will have is Sullinger’s fondness for Boston. “When you play for the greatest franchise in the NBA and you see all those banners and all the fans, you don’t want to leave that place because it’s a special place in your heart,” Sullinger said recently. “It’s the first team I’ve played for in the NBA — hopefully it’ll be my last.”
Kelly Olynyk‘s talents made David Lee expendable in Boston, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Olynyk can play both center and power forward and he has 3-point range to stretch the floor. Lee agreed to a buyout with the Celtics and hit waivers February 19th.
The Raptors have recalled Bruno Caboclo from their D-League affiliate, the team announced via Twitter. Caboclo has appeared in three games with Toronto this season.

Knicks Rumors: Anthony, Jackson, Aldridge, Grant

February 28th, 2016 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Phil Jackson is wasting the prime of Carmelo Anthony‘s career by failing to bring another star to New York, charges Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bondy relates a story that Portland free agent LaMarcus Aldridge had legitimate interest in joining the Knicks last summer after Anthony recruited him, but Jackson demanded that Aldridge play center to make room for newly drafted power forward Kristaps Porzingis. Aldridge responded by canceling his meeting. “When I heard that, I didn’t know that,” Anthony said. “I took my headband and threw it.”

Bondy also jabs Jackson for letting another trade deadline pass without making a major move and says the team president isn’t fully committed to either winning now with Anthony or rebuilding with younger players. The columnist expects several teams to take a shot at trading for Anthony during the offseason, and says Jackson is pushing away a star who would prefer to remain in New York.

There’s more this morning from New York City:

Jackson may have to sign a significant free agent this summer to keep Anthony happy, according to Harvey Araton of The New York Post. Araton speculates that Anthony sees “diminishing value” in staying with the Knicks through the end of his contract, which runs through the 2018/19 season. Miami could be a destination that would entice Anthony to waive his no-trade cause, Araton writes, as Heat president Pat Riley could promise a talented roster and a playoff spot.
Rookie point guard Jerian Grant wouldn’t mind being sent to the D-League if it means more playing time, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Grant has appeared in just three games since Kurt Rambis took over as interim coach but has performed well, with a combined 20 points and 10 assists. The Knicks prefer to keep Grant on the main roster, but he’ll be all right with a demotion if it means more time on the court. “I talked to coach about it a little bit,” Grant said Saturday. “Obviously playing is a good opportunity no matter where it is. Obviously, you want to be in a game in the NBA, but if I can go down there and get a lot of minutes and get back in a rhythm, I think it would be OK.”

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/26/16

February 26th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony has been through four coaches and three general managers since being acquired from Denver five years ago in a blockbuster deal that was supposed to change the tide of New York basketball for the better. Unfortunately for the team and its fanbase, the results have been less than stellar since Anthony arrived in the Big Apple. The franchise has essentially had one standout season during Anthony’s tenure — the 54-win 2012/13 campaign that saw the Knicks reach the second round of the playoffs only to fall in six games to the Pacers. It’s hardly the return the organization envisioned when it gutted the roster to acquire the talented scorer from the Nuggets.

With the 2015/16 campaign rapidly spiraling out of control for the Knicks, there are rumblings that perhaps Anthony wants out of New York and wants greener pastures as his career winds down. The small forward hasn’t been shy about expressing his displeasure at the state of the franchise lately, which only serves to fuel the speculation that Melo’s tenure in New York is coming to an end. “It’s been tough. It’s challenging,” Anthony said. “It’s challenging to kind of stay strong and positive through all this. You can’t control that. When you look at it, how many different coaches? Four different coaches. [A lot of] different players. I mean, that’s a lot to go through.” Several teams reportedly believe that if New York doesn’t make much progress in its rebuilding by the middle of July, Anthony would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for a better chance at competing for an NBA title with another franchise.

The Knicks will have the opportunity to improve themselves via free agency this summer, though top-tier players certainly haven’t been falling over themselves to join the Knicks the past few years. This certainly casts some doubt on team president Phil Jackson‘s ability to add the second star player that Anthony has been clamoring for this offseason. Rookie big man Kristaps Porzingis certainly has the potential to evolve into a superstar, but that may take a few more seasons to come to fruition. With Anthony most certainly in his decline phase at 31 years of age, there’s no guarantee that he will still be considered a star by the time Porzingis is ready to carry the franchise.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should Carmelo Anthony waive his no-trade clause and push for a deal that would get him out of New York? What team would be the best fit?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Atlantic Notes: Rambis, Stevens, Prokhorov

February 26th, 2016 at 6:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis referred to his team as immature and has changed his squad’s practice routine to include more team-oriented activities to help improve cohesiveness, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes. “Even though we got some older veteran ballplayers on our team, this is a relatively new team,” Rambis said. “I use the word immature but I don’t mean not having the maturity as individuals but just the growth process and how long these guys have been together and know how to work off of each other and help each other. They are not connected that way yet. You don’t get enough of it just by playing games. We got to be out there on the court so that they can actually work on timing and talk about timing and ‘Hey this is what I was thinking, what were you thinking on that play?’ so they get better communication, so they have an understanding out there.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

While the Knicks may not have as much talent as the teams they are chasing in the standings, Rambis believes improved team chemistry can help bridge some of that gap, Isola adds in the same piece. “They got to think like winners and believe like they are winners,” Rambis said. “I agree with you. We have talented guys on this ball club, but talent is not enough. This talent has got to play together. When this talent is combined with the unity that you have to have out there on the court, then we will be fine. When we are doing it right, we are playing really well. But we can’t just sustain or maintain it.”
One of the Celtics‘ strongest franchise assets is coach Brad Stevens, who has quickly developed into one of the league’s best coaches, Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders notes. “I think that’s all overblown with me,” Stevens said of his growing reputation as a high-IQ leader. “I don’t think I have anything to do with that. I think we’ve got really good players that are really smart players. They [were] high-IQ players long before they got here. You look for high-IQ players, and savvy players, period. Because it’s a long year, you see a lot of situations – you have to change on the fly, you have to tweak on a dime.”
New Nets GM Sean Marks said team owner Mikhail Prokhorov understands the rebuilding process won’t be a quick fix and the Russian billionaire will exercise more patience going forward, NetsDaily relays. “I think he understands now that there’s not a quick fix all the time,” Marks told Evan Roberts of WFAN. “And there’s processes you have to go through and when you skip steps, you potentially wind up paying a lot of money, and it doesn’t work out all the time.”

‘Melo Turned Away Interest From Celtics?

February 26th, 2016 at 7:35am CST by Chuck Myron

FRIDAY, 7:35am: The Celtics went to Anthony’s “advisers” to gauge his willingness to waive his no-trade clause rather than the Knicks, and no trade talks took place between Boston and New York, sources told Marc Berman of the New York Post. Indications are that the Creative Artists Agency, which represents Anthony, wants him to keep an open mind about his future, Berman writes.

4:35pm: Anthony denies that he turned down any such trade proposal, saying the Knicks never approached him about waiving his no-trade clause, according to Frank Isola and Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. One of the first-rounders the Nets owe the Celtics as well as an additional pick, David Lee‘s since bought-out contract and a second player would have gone to New York in the proposed deal, Isola and Bondy write.

THURSDAY, 7:58am: The Celtics expressed interest before the trade deadline in obtaining Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks, but they were told that Anthony didn’t want to waive his no-trade clause to play for Boston, sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. It’s unclear how far talks between the Celtics and Knicks went, Begley notes. The teams were reportedly part of a preliminary three-way discussion with the Cavaliers that involved the idea of sending Anthony to Cleveland, but Begley’s report indicates that Boston and New York also had a chat on the side, however brief.

It’s no shock to see the Celtics having gone after a star, though the apparent interest in Anthony demonstrates how far president of basketball operations Danny Ainge would go to acquire a marquee name. Anthony turns 32 in May and is in the midst of a third straight season of declines in scoring average since leading the NBA in points per game with 28.7 in 2012/13. He’s under contract for a combined $78,731,280 over the three seasons following this one, including a player option for 2018/19, and the deal includes a 15% trade kicker. His no-trade clause would carry with him wherever he goes if he allows the Knicks to deal him away. Multiple disadvantages would come with trading for Anthony, to be sure, but the Celtics apparently remained of the belief that doing so could help their team.

Ainge said the Celtics came close to pulling off a significant trade before the deadline, had the other team not pulled out of the talks, but it appears that conversation was about Jahlil Okafor, not Anthony. The C’s were also linked to Dwight Howard, Al Horford and others.

Anthony has been steadfast in saying that he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause and doesn’t want to leave New York to play anywhere else, though he’d reportedly give strong consideration to a trade that would send him to the Clippers. Several teams apparently think that if the Knicks don’t make significant progress in their rebuilding project by mid-July, Anthony would be willing to approve a trade.

Do you think Anthony will finish his contract on the Knicks, or will he eventually approve a trade? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Eastern Notes: Stevens, Anthony, Splitter

February 25th, 2016 at 8:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics coach Brad Stevens declined to comment about whether the team had any interest in pursuing Joe Johnson, who was waived by the Nets earlier today as part of a buyout arrangement, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes (ESPN Now link). The coach did specify what type of player Boston would be looking for to fill its open roster spot, saying, “I think versatility is huge. Certainly shooting’s a big deal. All those things come into play. Obviously, with Kelly [Olynyk] out, interior help is something that you’d have to consider, but hopefully he’s not out too long and I think the versatility stands out more than anything else.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t want to lose Carmelo Anthony as a teammate and looks at the veteran scorer as a role model, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays. Several teams apparently think that if the Knicks don’t make significant progress in their rebuilding project by mid-July, Anthony would be willing to approve a trade. “Oh well, obviously I wouldn’t want to lose him,” Porzingis said regarding ‘Melo. “He is who he is on our team. He’s special and we need him to do big things in the future, especially for me. I love playing alongside him so that would obviously not be something that I want.“
Hawks center Tiago Splitter underwent successful surgery today to repair damage to his right hip, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution relays. Splitter will miss the remainder of the season as a result of the injury and subsequent surgery.
Bucks big man Greg Monroe has been coming off the bench lately for the team, which isn’t necessarily what he had in mind when he inked a maximum salary deal with the team this past summer, Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times writes. When asked if he regretted signing with Milwaukee, Monroe said, “It’s not something they had planned when I was coming here. So, no, I can’t answer that question because it wasn’t something that was planned all along.’’ The big man also admitted that he heard the trade chatter involving him but wasn’t fazed, Woelfel adds. “I didn’t get bothered by it. I’ve been in the league awhile; I’ve been in free agency and reports came out then and I know they were totally false. And these situations are basically the same, so I was sure it was all speculation.’’
The Celtics have assigned swingman James Young to the Maine Red Claws, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Young’s eighth jaunt of the season to Maine.

Atlantic Notes: Marks, Dolan, Casey, Hinkie

February 25th, 2016 at 9:28am CST by Chuck Myron

New Nets GM Sean Marks took the job on the condition that he have the authority to make moves as he sees fit, writes USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt, who nonetheless wonders how much autonomy Marks will have to rebuild at a pace he sees appropriate. People around the league believe the Nets are anxious to go after a marquee free agent to hasten the team’s climb up the standings, Zillgitt notes. While we wait to find out if owner Mikhail Prokhorov displays more patience than he has to date, see more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks owner James Dolan was agitated after Monday’s loss, a source told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, and the frustration is evident throughout the organization, as Isola details. New York dropped another game Wednesday against the Pacers. “We’re all frustrated. We can’t accept this,” said interim head coach Kurt Rambis after Monday’s game. “For the organization, for our team, ourselves as individuals, the coaching staff. We can’t accept losing. I want players to be angry. I want players to be frustrated. That’s the right attitude to have.”
Toronto’s offseason defensive upgrades were “huge,” as coach Dwane Casey puts it, but they won’t matter if the Raptors can’t break through and win a playoff series, which the franchise hasn’t done in more than a decade, opines Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.
Sixers GM Sam Hinkie might have lost power to new chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo this season, but Hinkie remains philosophically tied to the idea of his aggressive rebuilding campaign, observes Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine.

Eastern Notes: Anthony, Beasley, Varejao

February 23rd, 2016 at 6:57pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony, who has been through four coaches and three general managers since being acquired from Denver five years ago, admits that he is growing frustrated with the franchise’s continued struggles, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com writes. “It’s been tough. It’s challenging,” Anthony said. “It’s challenging to kind of stay strong and positive through all this. You can’t control that. When you look at it, how many different coaches? Four different coaches. [A lot of] different players. I mean, that’s a lot to go through.” Several teams reportedly believe that if New York doesn’t make much progress in their rebuilding by the middle of July, Anthony would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for a better chance at competing for an NBA title with another franchise.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis isn’t upset with Anthony publicly voicing his displeasure, believing that the veteran has the proper attitude regarding the team’s losing ways, Barbara Barker of Newsday writes. “I want the players to be angry. I want the players to be frustrated,” Rambis said. “That’s the right attitude to have. If guys aren’t playing, they should be frustrated that they are not playing. We’re not winning right now, so they have to be believing in their hearts and minds that [they] could be doing a better job out there on the court. Those are the kind of players you want on your team. You don’t want guys that just roll over and accept this losing.”
Anderson Varejao signing with the Warriors sets up a potential NBA Finals matchup against the Cavaliers, something his former teammates don’t hold against him, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “It’s a business,” Tristan Thompson said regarding Varejao. “He wants to keep playing ball, so whatever is the best fit for him and whatever he’s looking for, you have to be happy for him. Andy was more than just a teammate; he was a friend, a big brother, and so wherever he can go to keep playing, I’m happy for him, even with him being with the Warriors.“
The Heat are not among the teams reportedly thinking about signing former NBA player Michael Beasley, whose season in the Chinese Basketball Association recently ended, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel relays (Twitter link). Beasley has spent four of his seven NBA seasons as a member of the Heat, including 24 appearances for the franchise last season.