Oklahoma City Thunder Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Notes: George, Brown, McConnell, Covington

May 10th, 2018 at 11:56am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers should pursue Paul George rather than LeBron James in free agency, contends Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. George is a better fit, Bontemps argues, because he would allow Ben Simmons to remain the primary ballhandler. Simmons is accomplished in nearly every phase of the game except for shooting and wouldn’t be effective spotting up alongside James.

George not only adds another 3-point shooter, he is a top defender who would create a smothering combination with Robert Covington. He could also serve as a second playmaker in case Markelle Fultz can’t overcome the issues that sank his rookie season.

The other benefit is age, Bontemps notes, with George about five-and-a-half years younger than James. He showed an ability to adapt to a new situation in Oklahoma City and would have plenty of prime seasons left for Simmons and Joel Embiid to develop as players.

There’s more today out of Philadelphia:

An extension for coach Brett Brown should be the Sixers’ first move of the offseason, writes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider account). Brown is entering the final season of the extension he signed in 2015 and deserves to be rewarded for the adversity he has guided the franchise through, Marks argues.
The Sixers will be taking a risk if they exercise T.J. McConnell‘s $1.6MM option for next season, Marks adds in the same story. While that would be an easy way to preserve cap room, it would also make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. The alternative is to decline his option and extend a qualifying offer, which would throw him into restricted free agency right away. His price will go up — Marks estimates about $4MM to $5MM annually — but the Sixers can match any offer and lock him up for the long term. McConnell becomes eligible for an extension in July and can have his salary for next season negotiated with cap space beginning September 22.
Covington didn’t live up to his four-year, $62MM extension in the playoffs, writes Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer. After starting 80 games in the regular season, Covington was replaced in the starting lineup by McConnell and fell behind Justin Anderson in the rotation. The playoffs may have redefined several players’ roles, Hayes notes, and it’s possible that Covington isn’t a good fit anymore.
The Sixers are holding their exit interviews today, with much of the focus on the free agents. J.J. Redick, who signed a one-year deal last summer, will consider money, the chance to win and closeness to home when deciding on his next move, tweets Rich Hoffman of The Athletic. “This was probably my favorite year of my career. … Playing in Philly is its own experience. The buzz about this team was amazing,” Redick said (Twitter link from Derek Bodner of The Athletic). “We all hope that I am back. The [contract] numbers can get tricky. It’s not my job to worry about that.” (Twitter link).

Paul George Undergoes Knee Scope

May 9th, 2018 at 6:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George will have to delay offseason activities for six to eight weeks after having a left knee scope performed today, tweets Marc J. Spears of ESPN. He will be permitted to resume playing basketball right around the start of free agency on July 1.

George is expected to opt out of a $20,703,384 salary for next season and become one of the hottest names on the free agent market. The 28-year-old just completed his first year in Oklahoma City, averaging 21.9 points per game after being traded there last summer.

George has expressed a desire to play in his home town of Los Angeles and will be among the Lakers’ priorities once free agency gets under way. The Thunder want to keep the five-time All-Star and are willing to pay the luxury tax to do so.

Earlier today, George posted an Instagram photo of himself in a hospital bed with the words “Good spirits” and no other explanation.

Draft Notes: Washington, Ward, Brown, Hudson

May 8th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentucky freshman forward PJ Washington is working out for the Clippers this week and will meet with the Timberwolves and Bucks before next week’s draft combine, Fletcher Page of the Louisville Journal Courier reports. Washington, who has already visited the Celtics and Nets, has a pinky finger injury that will require surgery, Page continues. Father Paul Washington told Page that his son isn’t assured of staying in the draft.

“It’s real simple — if he’s guaranteed a first round pick, then he’ll stay in the draft,” Paul Washington said. “If he doesn’t get that, we’ll have to make a decision. It’s PJ’s decision.”

The 6’8” Washington is listed at No. 51 among Jonathan Givony’s top 100 prospects at ESPN.com. He averaged 10.8 PPG and 5.7 RPG for the Wildcats.

In other draft developments:

Michigan State sophomore center Nick Ward will work out for the Pistons this weekend, Brendan Quinn of The Athletic tweets. Ward has already worked out for the Knicks and Thunder and at least eight other teams are interested in bringing him in, Quinn adds. He averaged 12.4 PPG and 7.1 RPG for the Spartans. He is not listed among Givony’s top 100 prospects.
The Hawks are bringing in six prospects on Wednesday, according to a team press release. South Carolina forward Brian Bowen, Auburn guard Bryce Brown, Purdue guard Nojel Eastern, Maryland forward Bruno Fernando, Florida shooting guard Jalen Hudson and Utah Valley center Akolda Manyang are the players visiting Atlanta. Hudson, ranked No. 45 by Givony, is the most prominent member of the group.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2018: Oklahoma City Thunder

May 8th, 2018 at 7:59pm CST by Austin Kent

The Thunder are in a unique position with a unique superstar and this upcoming summer will play a major role in how that ultimately plays out. Unsurprisingly, the team’s short-term fate depends on where Paul George signs and that could very well depend on where LeBron James signs.

With a committed George, the Thunder boast one of the league’s most intriguing cores and a front office with a rich history of landing major assets. Without him, it’s not so much of a stretch to picture the club back in the lottery for the first time since 2015.

Carmelo Anthony, PF, 34 (Down) – Signed to a five-year, $124MM deal in 2014
In less than a year, Anthony went from being a coveted veteran star to a radioactive presence with an albatross contract. The 33-year-old has an early termination option for 2018/19 but isn’t about to wave goodbye to the $28MM season he’s been eyeing up since he signed for it back in 2014. Anthony will be back in Oklahoma City next season and has already said that he has no desire to come off the bench. Godspeed, Thunder fans.

Corey Brewer, SG, 32 (Up) – Signed to a one-year deal in 2018
The Thunder added Brewer down the stretch as a replacement for the injured Andre Roberson. The perimeter defender not only subbed in admirably for Roberson, but carved out a role in the team’s rotation heading forward should he decide to return. Brewer is coming off of a comfortable $24MM deal signed in 2015, so don’t expect him to chase the biggest offer he can find if it looks like the Thunder will be able to remain competitive. That said, the club will need to offer more than the peanuts it got him for at the tail end of 2017/18.

Nick Collison, PF, 37 (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2017
For the past 15 years, Collison has been a part of the Thunder franchise and there’s always seemed to be a mutual respect between he and the organization. While his days as a key rotation piece are in the rearview mirror, there’s no denying that his presence in the locker room has had a positive impact on the team. The big man hasn’t made a public decision regarding retirement at this point but it may be more likely than not. If Collison does decide to play in 2018/19, expect it to be announced well into free agency after the team’s other dominoes have fallen.

Raymond Felton, PG, 34 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2017
Few would argue that there will be a long list of teams fighting to sign Felton this summer but it’s hard to consider his lone season in Oklahoma City anything less than a success. Felton proved that he can be an effective, cheap bit player for the Thunder, as evidenced by the 6.9 points and 2.5 assists per game he posted in just 16.6 minutes of action. Had he not performed as well as he did, there’s no guarantee he’d even land another full-time gig.

Paul George, SF, 28 (Up) – Signed to a five-year, $92MM deal in 2014
While his first season in Oklahoma City could have gone better from a team perspective, George did little to obfuscate his case for a max contract. It seems inevitable that the star will head west to the Lakers but let’s take the guy at his word if he says he’s at least interested in the notion of returning to the Thunder. The franchise would be well equipped for the next half decade if they could lock George in with Westbrook and Steven Adams, but will that be enough to sway the California native? Wherever he goes, he figures to be earning the max allowable.

Jerami Grant, PF, 24 (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $4MM deal in 2014
Grant was a solid and intriguing depth piece for the Thunder this season, but may be one of the players most impacted by the team’s tight finances. The former second-round pick will see interest from other teams this summer and while OKC could go over the cap to retain him, doing so would have serious luxury tax implications.

Josh Huestis, PF, 26 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $4MM deal in 2015
Despite world-class athleticism, Huestis hasn’t firmly established himself with the Thunder in three seasons. That being said, he saw consistent action for OKC in 2017/18 in limited minutes. Given that the team will have so much of its payroll tied up in a handful of players in 2018/19 and beyond, the unrestricted free agent could have some appeal as a dirt-cheap option already familiar with the system.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Northwest Notes: Thibodeau, Exum, Hood, George

May 7th, 2018 at 8:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau shook up his coaching staff Monday by cutting ties with three assistants, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports. The most notable of the cuts is player development coach Vince Legarza, who worked closely with center Karl-Anthony Towns. Shooting coach Peter Patton and assistant video coordinator Wes Bohn are the other coaches who will not return. Towns was not given prior notice of Legarza’s departure, Krawczynski continues. Thibodeau may not replace all of those coaches since he has told some people that he’d like to downsize, Krawczynski adds.

In other notable developments around the Northwest Division:

Jazz point guard Dante Exum has a strained left hamstring and his status for the remainder of the series against the Rockets is uncertain, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. Exum underwent an MRI and further evaluation Monday after he suffered the injury in Game 4. Exum and Ricky Rubio, who also has a hamstring injury, will not play in Game 5 on Tuesday, the team tweets.
There’s no chance guard Rodney Hood will return to the Jazz as a free agent, Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. Hood will be a restricted free agent if he receives a $3.47MM qualifying offer from the Cavaliers. Otherwise, he’ll be unrestricted.
The Thunder are willing to pay the steep cost of retaining free agent Paul George, according to Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman. George will likely sign a max contract in free agency this summer. The team wants to remain competitive, even if it means footing the bill for $260MM in salary and luxury-tax penalties, Dawson adds.

Carmelo Anthony Unaware Of Decline

May 5th, 2018 at 11:03am CST by marksuleymanov

Carmelo Anthony joined the Thunder last September as both a star in decline and a valuable piece for a team hoping to contend for a championship. A disappointing regular season and early postseason exit later, Anthony’s future in Oklahoma City is murky and he lacks self-awareness of his own decline, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman writes.

In a separate column, Tramel writes about Anthony’s time with the Thunder, suggesting that – despite a few notable contributions – it’s likely over for him in Oklahoma City.
Erik Horne of The Oklahoman examined four pressing questions that Thunder general manager Sam Presti will have to address this offseason. Among those is Anthony’s future, Billy Donovan‘s coaching, Paul George‘s future in Oklahoma City, and how much better Russell Westbrook can be.

Alex Abrines Undergoes Sports Hernia Surgery

May 3rd, 2018 at 3:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder shooting guard Alex Abrines underwent sports hernia surgery this week, according to a team press release relayed by The Oklahoman’s Brett Dawson (Twitter link).

Abrines will require six weeks of recovery before he can resume normal offseason activities, the release adds. The procedure was performed in Philadelphia by Dr. William Meyers.

The 6’6” Abrines, 24, has one more guaranteed year left on his rookie contract at $5.455MM. He’ll be a restricted free agent next summer if the team extends a qualifying offer of $6.8MM.

Abrines appeared in 75 regular-season games and averaged 4.7 PPG in 15.1 MPG while shooting 38% from long range. Abrines was in the playoff rotation when the Jazz eliminated the Thunder, 4-2. He averaged 4.0 PPG and made 46.2% of his 3-point attempts in 18.3 MPG.

Presti: Billy Donovan Will Return For Thunder

May 2nd, 2018 at 12:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder head coach Billy Donovan will continue coaching the team next season, general manager Sam Presti confirmed today to reporters, including Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). According to Dawson (Twitter link), Presti expressed enthusiasm about the idea of Donovan returning to coach a similar core of players in 2018/19.

“I think the biggest opportunity for him is in the continuity.” Presti said of Donovan. “Continuity is his best friend going forward.”

Presti addressed a few other topics during his session with reporters, including how the Thunder might achieve that continuity, so let’s round up a few highlights…

Presti acknowledges that the Thunder are disappointed with the overall result of the 2017/18 season. “And we should be,” he added (Twitter link via Dawson).
Paul George was a “tremendous fit” for the Thunder, according to Presti, who said it feels like the standout forward has been with the team for more than year (Twitter link via Dawson). Presti added that he feels good about OKC’s relationship with George and has been “really encouraged” by the conversations the club has had with him (Twitter links via Dawson).
Presti praised Carmelo Anthony‘s willingness to make sacrifices for the Thunder during the regular season, but said it will be up to Anthony whether that role is one he wants to continue in (Twitter link via Dawson). Carmelo is considered extremely likely to pick up his $28MM player option.
The Thunder would be “really excited” if they’re able to bring back unrestricted free agent Jerami Grant next season, according to Presti (Twitter link).
More from Presti on the Thunder’s roster outlook for next season: “The opportunity to potentially have [Russell] Westbrook, Paul George and Steven Adams, all three of those guys in their prime years, is extremely exciting for us” (Twitter link via Erik Horne of The Oklahoman).

Luxury Tax Implications Could Hamper Moves

May 1st, 2018 at 10:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Thunder’s desire to re-sign unrestricted free agent forward Jerami Grant could be hampered by luxury tax issues, Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman points out. Oklahoma City is intent on re-signing Paul George and if that happens, it will be well over the league salary cap. Numerous teams will likely offer Grant their mid-level exception with a starting salary of $8.6MM per year,, Dawson continues. At that level, Grant would cost the Thunder an additional $45MM in luxury tax if George signs a max contract, Dawson adds.

In other developments around the Western Conference:

The Trail Blazers would prefer to retain coach Terry Stotts for the final year of his contract, Marc Stein of the New York Times relays in his latest newsletter. The team’s stars are supporters of Stotts, as is a good chunk of Portland’s fan base, Stein continues. There’s a general sense that Stotts has gotten the most out of the rosters he’s been handed, despite getting swept by the Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs.
The Lakers’ director of basketball analytics, Jason Rosenfeld, has left the organization, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Rosenfeld has accepted an MLB-related position, Pincus adds. Rosenfeld joined the Lakers in October.
Suns strength and conditioning coach Jeff Fish has resigned, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets. Fish was just hired during the offseason.

Southeast Notes: Larranaga, Anthony, Whiteside, Weltman

April 30th, 2018 at 6:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga is on the Hawks’ radar in their search for a head coach, Sam Amico of Amico Hoops reports. Larranaga has been an assistant with the Celtics since 2012 after being a head coach in the G League. The son of college coach Jim Larranaga has also coached in Ireland. The younger Larranaga is also on the long list of candidates for the Knicks’ coaching vacancy, Amico adds.

In other developments around the Southeast Division:

Trading for disgruntled Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony wouldn’t make any sense for the Heat, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel argues. Miami already has a better defensive power forward in James Johnson and Anthony has already indicated he doesn’t want to come off the bench, Winderman continues. Anthony’s expiring contract wouldn’t give the Heat notable cap relief in 2019 because of the salary commitments they already have, Winderman adds.
Those salary commitments are also why it’s unlikely the Heat will deal Hassan Whiteside for an expiring contract or two, Winderman writes in a separate blog. In essence, they’d simply be giving away their center for nothing if they chose that route, Winderman continues. Whiteside has two years and $52.5MM remaining on his $98MM deal. The Bucks, Trail Blazers and Mavericks are among the potential landing spots for Whiteside if a trade goes through, according to Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype.
Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman will have final say in the head coaching hire, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports. Orlando is searching for a coach after firing Frank Vogel. “If you’re asking do I have autonomy to do this job, I can tell you simply that I would not have come here had I not,” Weltman told Robbins.
The Hornets’ coaching search could get complicated if they chose to pursue former Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes. Reuniting Budenholzer with center Dwight Howard wouldn’t be a good idea, given how their relationship deteriorated in Atlanta, Bonnell adds.