NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Knicks Promote Gersson Rosas To Senior VP Of Basketball Operations

September 25th, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks advisor Gersson Rosas has received a promotion, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Rosas now holds the title of senior vice president of basketball operations.

The news was expected, as a couple of reports had indicated that Rosas could be in line for a promotion following the departure of former general manager Scott Perry this summer.

Rosas has plenty of experience as an executive. He spent 16 years in the Rockets’ front office, had a three-month stint as GM of the Mavericks, and was the Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations for two years.

Minnesota unexpectedly fired Rosas right before the start of the 2021 preseason, reportedly due in part to concerns about his consensual relationship with a staff member, as well as his deteriorating partnership with Wolves executive VP of basketball operations Sachin Gupta.

The Colombian-born Rosas, 45, has been active in New York’s front office for quite a while. For example, last year Rosas was reportedly the point of contact in Donovan Mitchell trade negotiations with the Jazz. Mitchell was ultimately dealt to Cleveland instead.

Damian Lillard Rumors: Raptors, Little, Magic, Simmons

September 25th, 2023 at 2:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Multiple reporters have linked the Raptors to Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard over the past handful of days. Sources confirm to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that Toronto is “very much in the mix” for the seven-time All-NBA guard.

Grange cautions that there’s still work to be done on completing a potential deal, but the two sides have made progress in negotiations.

In an appearance on the Five On The Floor podcast hosted by Ethan Skolnick and Greg Sylvander, Matt Moore of Action Network said the Raptors came close to trading for Lillard on Thursday, but downplayed their current interest.

“The Toronto stuff is just leveraging… I heard things were red hot on Thursday and again (Raptors vice chairman) Masai (Ujiri) walked away and then came back… I wouldn’t worry about the Raptors,” Moore said, per NBA Central (Twitter link).

However, Grange has heard differently, writing that from the information he has gathered, the Raptors are “very interested.”

As has been reported ad nauseam, Lillard hopes to land with the Heat, though Miami hadn’t been involved in trade talks with Portland as of a few days ago. The Magic are an under-the-radar team that could “make themselves heard” in the Lillard sweepstakes, sources tell Grange.

A Raptors deal centered around OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Thaddeus Young and draft picks would work from a financial standpoint, Grange observes. Toronto has also expressed interest in Blazers forward Nassir Little in the past, Grange notes.

That said, there are complications on a trade coming together. For starters, Lillard’s agent is Aaron Goodwin, who also represents DeMar DeRozan. Ujiri famously traded DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in 2018, which led to Toronto’s first championship, but there was a fallout between Goodwin and Ujiri. Granges writes that the two men are believed to be on better terms now, but it’s still noteworthy.

Sam Amick of The Athletic also recently suggested Lillard might hold out if he were traded to the Raptors, writing that the 33-year-old “clearly doesn’t want to be” in Toronto. Raptors players tried to recruit Lillard a few years ago following Leonard’s departure, according to Grange, and were “instantly rebuffed.”

Still, Grange is skeptical Lillard would actually go the nuclear route, since it would tarnish his reputation and he would also lose a significant chunk of money. For example, when Ben Simmons held out for several months ahead of a trade in 2021/22, he lost about $20MM of his $33MM salary in the settlement with the Sixers, sources tell Grange. The NBA has also made clear with the player participation policy and awards tied to games played that it expects players to actually show up and perform, Grange notes.

While it’s easy to draw parallels between Toronto’s interest in Lillard and the team’s trade for Leonard, the situations are also markedly different. The Raptors had won 59 games in 2017/18 versus 41 last season — even with Lillard, the current group doesn’t seem like it’s close to contention. Lillard also has four years left on his contract and he’ll make a combined $121MM at ages 35 and 36, which carries far more risk than Leonard’s expiring deal did back in 2018.

The possible downside seems to outweigh the upside, which is why both Grange and Eric Koreen of The Athletic argue the Raptors should not trade for Lillard, even if they may have the assets to make it happen.

Warriors Sign Usman Garuba To Two-Way Contract

September 25th, 2023 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 25: Garuba’s two-way contract is now official, the Warriors announced on Monday (via Twitter).

SEPTEMBER 15: The Warriors have agreed to sign free agent center Usman Garuba to a two-way contract, sources tell Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Golden State currently only has one player (Lester Quinones) on a two-way deal, leaving a pair of open slots, so no corresponding roster move will be necessary to create room for Garuba.

Garuba, 21, was the 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft. He spent his first two years in the NBA with Houston, appearing in 99 total games for the Rockets and averaging 2.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per night.

Garuba was included earlier this offseason in the five-team trade that landed Dillon Brooks in Houston. He was sent to the Hawks in that deal as a salary-matching piece, then was flipped to Oklahoma City as part of a trade package for Patty Mills. Oklahoma City subsequently waived him last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Garuba, who was born in Madrid and began his professional career with Real Madrid in 2017, represented Spain in the World Cup following his release from the Thunder, and reports last week indicated that a reunion with Real Madrid might be in the works. However, it seems the youngster will make every effort to try to stick in the NBA before seriously considering a return to his home country.

He’ll join a Warriors team that could use some additional frontcourt depth — outside of Kevon Looney and Draymond Green, there aren’t any centers on the roster, though forwards like Dario Saric and Trayce Jackson-Davis could perhaps handle the role in certain five-man lineups. The Dubs are said to be considering a handful of free agent big men, including Dwight Howard.

Garuba’s two-way deal will pay him $559,782 and will make him eligible to appear in up to 50 regular season contests. However, if the Warriors are carrying fewer than 15 players on standard contracts, they’ll only be able to use their two-way players for up to 90 combined games, as we explain in our glossary entry.

Pacers Notes: Hield, Mathurin, Backup Center, Nembhard, McConnell

September 25th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers are in a difficult position trying to make a Buddy Hield trade so close to the start of the season, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. No progress has been reported since news broke last Wednesday that the team was working with Hield’s representatives to find a deal after the sides were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Dopirak believes Indiana is justified in asking a high price for Hield, who is one of the league’s top three-point shooters. However, teams are reluctant to shake up their rosters this far into the offseason, especially for a player who has an expiring contract.

It’s also not clear what the Pacers will be seeking in return for Hield. Dopirak notes that the team saw a need after last season to upgrade at power forward and find defensive-minded wings, but that has already been addressed during the offseason. He states that they’ll need three-point shooting help if they part with Hield and may be looking for a younger, less expensive player who can do what he does.

There’s more on the Pacers, all courtesy of Dopirak:

Bennedict Mathurin has a chance to win a starting job, but only if he can improve his defense. Dopirak observes that the first-team All-Rookie selection struggled with that part of the game, particularly when he got an opportunity to start late in the season. The Pacers are hoping to see progress from Mathurin in camp and will need him to take on a larger role if Hield gets traded.
Daniel Theis‘ impressive showing in the World Cup gives him a strong case to be the primary backup center heading into camp. Dopirak notes that he’ll be competing for minutes with Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith, who are both younger and more athletic than the 31-year-old Theis. He adds that Jackson is the team’s best lob finisher and second-best shot blocker behind Myles Turner, while Smith was Indiana’s leader last season in rebounds per 48 minutes.
The Pacers’ improved roster could lead to several other changes, Dopirak adds. If Mathurin and free agent addition Bruce Brown are both starters, Andrew Nembhard could move from shooting guard to backup point guard, which is his more natural position. That could lead to a reduction in playing time for T.J. McConnell, who posted the best scoring average of his career last season.

Knicks Notes: Quickley, Barrett, Fournier, DiVincenzo

September 25th, 2023 at 10:41am CST by Arthur Hill

There’s optimism surrounding the Knicks’ extension talks with Immanuel Quickley, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The 24-year-old guard is eligible to sign an extension until October 23, which is the day before the regular season begins. If no deal is reached, he will become a restricted free agent next summer.

Sources tell Katz that Knicks management wants to get a long-term deal done with Quickley, who was one of the team’s top scorers at 14.9 PPG last season while finishing second in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. He’s viewed as a vital part of an organization that’s on the rise after reaching the second round of the playoffs.

New York doesn’t project to have cap room next summer, Katz adds, so an extension for Quickley won’t affect the team’s free agency plans. Coach Tom Thibodeau appeared to lose faith in Quickley during the playoffs, cutting his minutes during the second-round series with Miami, but Katz doesn’t believe that will be a long-term concern.

Katz also points out that the Knicks were in a similar position last summer with RJ Barrett, who had to wait until September before receiving his four-year, $107MM extension.

There’s more from New York, all courtesy of Katz:

Barrett will arrive in training camp in a much different position than he did a year ago. Katz notes that Barrett was concerned with avoiding injury last summer while he waited for his new contract, so he didn’t play much pickup basketball and got off to a slow start. He spent this offseason as one of Canada’s best players on its way to winning a bronze medal at the World Cup. Katz observes that Barrett showed an ability in that tournament to make the right read when confronted by multiple defenders, which might happen often given the Knicks’ lack of outside shooting.
The Knicks and Evan Fournier appear stuck with each other even though he said in an offseason interview that it would be a “disaster” if the team didn’t move him this summer. Fournier’s $18.9MM expiring contract could still be valuable in a trade, so Katz expects him to remain on the roster even if he hardly ever plays.
New York traded away Obi Toppin, who averaged 15.7 minutes per game last season, and brought in Donte DiVincenzo, who played 26.3 minutes per game with the Warriors, so someone will have their playing time reduced as long as everyone is healthy. Katz points out that Barrett and Quentin Grimes both saw fewer minutes after Josh Hart was acquired in February and speculates that either DiVincenzo could play less than he did with Golden State or he may take away minutes from Quickley.

Southeast Notes: Heat Centers, Kispert, Hornets

September 25th, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat will enter training camp next week with several options to back up starting center Bam Adebayo, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Miami’s roster could change dramatically with a Damian Lillard trade, but for now the candidates to be the second-string center are Thomas Bryant, Orlando Robinson and Kevin Love, who may be the starter at power forward.

Bryant signed a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract after spending last season with the Lakers and Nuggets. Winderman notes that the 26-year-old was the only big man added to the roster this summer, so it appears the organization is committed to giving him a steady role.

Robinson, 23, signed a standard contract in July after playing on a two-way deal as a rookie. He showed promise last season and during Summer League, Winderman observes, and may be able to earn rotation minutes if he can improve his defense and avoid foul trouble.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Trading for Lillard isn’t the Heat’s only path to success, Winderman adds in a separate Sun Sentinel story. He contends that with the current roster, the team’s outlook will depend on how much improvement from Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic and Haywood Highsmith can offset the loss of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent.
Wizards swingman Corey Kispert established himself as one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters during his second season, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Robbins consulted several NBA scouts to get their view of Kispert, who connected at 42.4% from long distance last year. “The one thing you want to look for often with young guys is: Does he have an elite skill? Does he have something that the coaches can rely on? (Does he have a skill where) they can say, ‘We’re going to put him out there and we know for sure he can do this,’” one scout said. “And Corey does, right? No one’s going to question his ability to shoot.”
Theoden Janes of The Charlotte Observer talks to country music star Eric Church about his love for basketball and how he became part of the Hornets‘ new ownership group. He calls owning his favorite childhood team “beyond any dream I ever had when I was a young man.”

Stein’s Latest: Lillard, Raptors, Hield, Lively, Howard

September 25th, 2023 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

There’s a growing belief around the league that the Raptors have legitimate interest in trading for Damian Lillard, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

There has been skepticism over Toronto’s desire to make a deal, Stein adds, considering that the front office hasn’t been active even though trade rumors have been swirling around the team since January, particularly regarding Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. He notes that any remaining uncertainty is related to Lillard’s strong preference for Miami over every other market.

Stein compares the Lillard situation to the Raptors’ pursuit of Kawhi Leonard five years ago. Unlike Leonard, who was entering the final year of his contract, Lillard is signed for four more years and is owed nearly $220MM. Toronto also doesn’t have the foundation in place to compete for a title with one more big move, the way it did when it traded for Leonard.

Stein believes the Trail Blazers would prefer to wrap up the summer-long Lillard saga before the team’s media day next Monday. However, negotiations with the Heat are on hold as they and many other teams around the league think about preserving their assets for a potential run at Giannis Antetokounmpo or any other star who might become available.

Portland doesn’t want to part with Lillard for less than his market value, Stein adds, but the alternative is to deal with the distractions that will come with keeping him for training camp and beyond.

Stein shares more inside information from around the league:

Several NBA executives disagree with Stein’s statement on his radio show that the Pacers can get a future first-round pick for Buddy Hield. Stein says he talked to several front office people who believe Hield’s expiring $19.3MM contract will limit his trade value because of the uncertainty about re-signing him. They see his ceiling as multiple second-rounders.
Appearing on Stein’s show, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said rookie center Dereck Lively II will get an opportunity to win a starting job in training camp. Stein notes that Dallas pursued the Hawks’ Clint Capela and the Suns’ Deandre Ayton during the offseason, but wasn’t able to work out a deal for a veteran big man. Christian Wood left in free agency and JaVale McGee was waived, leaving Dwight Powell as the only incumbent center on the roster. Richaun Holmes was acquired in a draft night trade, and Maxi Kleber may see time as a small-ball five.
Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Grant Williams are the Mavericks‘ only definite starters heading into camp, added Kidd, who said first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper will also compete for a starting job. “I look for those rookies to play a lot this season,” Kidd told Stein. “They’re going to be a part of our fabric.”
Dwight Howard‘s interview with the Warriors last week wasn’t the first time he has thought about joining the team. Stein recalls that Golden State wanted to sign Howard when he became a free agent in 2013, and he even worked out that summer with Stephen Curry, but he chose the Rockets instead.

And-Ones: Embiid, Reynolds, O’Quinn

September 24th, 2023 at 8:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Olympic rosters don’t have to be submitted until next summer but Team France is hoping that the reigning Most Valuable Player will make a decision as early as next month.

Joel Embiid can choose to play for the USA, France or Cameroon. French federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat told a radio station in his home country (hat tip to Eurohoops.net) that they’d like to get an answer from Embiid by Oct. 10.

“It will happen very quickly in all cases,” Siutat said. “We hope so and I think he knows it. We may have an answer by October 10. We have set this deadline.”

The Sixers center didn’t participate in the recent FIBA World Cup and has yet to represent any country in international play, which is why he still has the option of representing any three of the nations where he has citizenship. France and the U.S. have already qualified for the Olympics, while Cameroon will compete in a qualifying tournament next summer to try to earn a spot.

We have more international basketball news:

Former NBA forward Cameron Reynolds is close to signing with Greece’s Promitheas Patras, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews reports. Reynolds appeared in a combined 24 NBA games with Minnesota, San Antonio and Houston, most recently during the 2020/21 season. He has also played in Italy and Montenegro.
Former NBA center Kyle O’Quinn is signing with the Sichuan Blue Whales in China, according to Sportando. O’Quinn played in Japan last season. O’Quinn has played for Orlando, New York, Indiana and Philadelphia. His 2019/20 stint with the Sixers, in which he played 29 regular season games, was his last appearance in the NBA. He averaged 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 472 career regular season contests.
We took a deep dive into projected minimum salaries for the 2024/25 season. Get the info here.

Western Notes: Williamson, Powell, Holmgren

September 24th, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Zion Williamson has spent more time at the Pelicans’ practice facility than in previous seasons, hoping to avoid the injuries that have plagued his NBA career, Andrew Lopez of ESPN said on Zach Lowe’s podcast (video link).

Williamson only appeared in 29 games last season, mainly due to a hamstring injury, after sitting out the previous season with foot ailments.

“He’s been doing more with them than he has in the past but again, this is going to come down to health,” Lopez said. “They’ve been doing some different things. trying to get him ready. I know that’s been a focus for him and his family, getting his lower body ready to play more than 30 games in a season. … something he’s only done once in his NBA career.”

Ideally, Williamson would suit up in at least 65 games, which would make him eligible for postseason awards.

We have more from the Western Conference:

Mavericks big man Dwight Powell is proud of what Team Canada accomplished in the FIBA World Cup, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. Canada not only qualified for the Olympics, but received a bronze medal for beating Team USA in the third-place game. “We have a really good group of guys – more guys than went to the World Cup that played a big role in qualifying us for the World Cup and eventually the Olympics,” Powell said. “We had a really good, committed group of guys that had a lot of pride and got the job done. It was a long time coming. And then to be able to medal in the World Cup at the same time is huge. So it was a great summer.”
There’s plenty for the much improved Thunder to look forward to in the upcoming season, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, who lists 23 things for fans to get excited about. At the top of the list is Chet Holmgren‘s debut after missing last season with a foot injury.
The Mavericks are interested in Buddy Hield but there hasn’t been much movement in trade talks with the Pacers. Get the details here.

Community Shootaround: Jazz’s Rotation, Season

September 24th, 2023 at 5:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz embraced a major rebuild last season with the blockbuster trades of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.

For a good portion of the year, the Jazz didn’t play like a team headed for the lottery. They hung around the race for a play-in spot in the Western Conference until the final weeks of the season.

There were plenty of positive developments to energize the team’s fan base. Lauri Markkanen blossomed into one of the league’s premier scorers. Rookie center Walker Kessler, one of the players acquired via the Gobert trade, seamlessly replaced Gobert in the lineup and emerged as a defensive force.

Jordan Clarkson was as potent as he’s ever been at the offensive end, posting career highs in points and assists per game.

As they head into training camp, the Jazz have even more reasons for optimism. They pulled off a big trade with the Hawks to acquire power forward John Collins. Even after receiving a long-term deal in Atlanta, Collins remained prominent in trade rumors until a deal finally came to fruition. With a fresh start, Collins should bounce back from a subpar season as part of one of the league biggest frontcourts.

Kelly Olynyk returns as Kessler’s backup, while forward Taylor Hendricks (ninth pick of the draft) should claim a rotation spot in his rookie season.

The backcourt beyond Clarkson is much more unsettled. Clarkson could be a candidate at the point but is more likely to start at shooting guard.

Options are plentiful at the point. Ideally, Collin Sexton – another year removed from major knee surgery – will regain the form he showed in Cleveland. Utah invested a four-year, $71MM contract in him, likely knowing he’d need time to regain strength and confidence.

Kris Dunn experienced a career revival during a stint with the Jazz last season. The versatile Talen Horton-Tucker and rookie Keyonte George will also fight for minutes at the point.

Shooting guard Ochai Agbaji, the 14th overall pick in 2022, didn’t dazzle as a rookie but could make a leap in his second season.

Overall, the Jazz look like a team on the rise in the loaded West after finishing with a 37-45 record last season.

That leads us to today’s topic: How do you think Utah’s rotation will shake out this season, particularly in the backcourt? Will the Jazz make the play-in tournament or even claim one of the top six spots in the West? Or are they destined for the lottery?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.