NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Mfiondu Kabengele Signs With AEK Athens

August 13th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Mfiondu Kabengele, who was with the Celtics last season on a two-way contract, has signed with AEK Athens, the team announced in a press release. His new deal covers only the upcoming season and marks his first time playing in Europe.

The 25-year-old big man appeared in four games with Boston last season, but spent most of the year in the G League. In 27 regular season games with the Maine Celtics, he averaged 20.0 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 60.4% from the field. He was a second-team All-G League selection.

Kabengele has appeared in 55 career games with three NBA teams. He was selected by the Nets with the 27th pick in 2019 and was traded to the Clippers on draft night. L.A. sent him to the Kings in March of 2021, but Sacramento waived him three days later. He joined the Cavaliers on a pair of 10-day contracts and was signed for the rest of the season.

Kabengele is the latest notable signing for AEK Athens, which has been aggressive in adding former NBA talent. Ben McLemore joined the Greek team last week, and its roster also includes Jordan McRae, Chasson Randle and Mindaugas Kuzminskas.

Community Shootaround: Hall Of Fame Omissions

August 12th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Saturday’s induction ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame featured another impressive class, many of whom have NBA ties. Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker all enjoyed long, illustrious careers and were easy choices for enshrinement in Springfield.

But even with more than 150 players in the Hall of Fame, there are some noteworthy omissions. Many players throughout the years have reached notable milestones or contributed to numerous championships without being rewarded by Hall of Fame voters.

Vince Carter, who scored more than 25,700 points in 21 NBA seasons, appears to be the only obvious choice among first-time-eligible players in 2024. That might open the door for a few others who have been waiting a long time for recognition.

Here are a few candidates with possible Hall of Fame credentials:

With 20,049 career points, Tom Chambers is the highest-scoring NBA player who’s not already in the Hall. He was a four-time All-Star and was named MVP of the 1987 game.
Antawn Jamison is right behind Chambers with 20,042 points, making them the only eligible 20,000-point scorers not in the Hall. Jamison was a two-time All-Star and was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2004.
Chauncey Billups is one of two eligible Finals MVPs who haven’t been voted into the Hall. The Trail Blazers coach was a five-time All-Star, made three All-NBA teams and was twice named to the All-Defensive team.
Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudamire starred during the Suns’ “Seven Seconds or Less” era. Marion was a four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA honoree and won a title with Dallas in 2011. Stoudamire was Rookie of the Year in 2003 and picked up six All-Star appearances and five All-NBA designations during his career.
A.C. Green set an NBA record by playing in 1,192 consecutive games. Even though he didn’t put up flashy numbers, he won three championships with the Lakers and was a steady contributor for his entire 16-year career.
Shawn Kemp was a six-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA selection. The “Reign Man” scored more than 15,000 career points and was among the game’s most ferocious dunkers.
Bill Laimbeer epitomized the “Bad Boys” attitude during his years with the Pistons. He won two titles, made four All-Star teams and was an early pioneer among three-point shooting big men. Laimbeer also became a successful WNBA coach after retirement, winning three championships and earning Coach of the Year honors twice.

We want to get your opinion. Do you consider the names on this list to be Hall of Famers, and do you have some more to nominate? Please leave your responses in the space below.

James Harden Doesn’t Plan To Play For Sixers Again

August 12th, 2023 at 9:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

A standoff between the Sixers and James Harden appears imminent after the team’s decision to take him off the trade market. A source close to Harden tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that the star guard is locked into his stance about not wanting to play in Philadelphia anymore and doesn’t plan to report to training camp if he’s still with the club.

A Sixers source confirmed to Amick that the organization has stopped trying to work out a trade involving Harden. There were some discussions earlier this summer with the Clippers, who are Harden’s preferred destination, but Amick states that they clearly weren’t productive.

Amick reported last month that executives from other teams were skeptical that Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was making an honest effort to find a taker for Harden. Morey reportedly asked for a huge return from the teams he discussed Harden with, much as he did with Ben Simmons in the summer of 2021. In a radio interview last month, Morey said he was looking for a top-level player in return for Harden or enough assets to get one from another team.

Harden, who will turn 34 later this month, was counting on one more big contract and was hoping to create a bidding war between the Sixers and Rockets in free agency. Houston decided to target other free agents after hiring Ime Udoka as its head coach, leaving Harden without another bidder to drive up his price.

Unable to get an offer to his liking from Morey, Harden surprisingly decided to forgo free agency and pick up his $35.6MM option for next season. That move came with a trade request, as Harden made it clear that he was unhappy with Sixers management.

Training camp is still seven weeks away, so there’s still time for the situation to be resolved. However, even if Harden relents and shows up at camp, there could be plenty of awkward moments. Amick notes that Harden had “staring contests” with both the Rockets and Nets when he decided he no longer wanted to be with those teams. Harden went on a “party tour” in Las Vegas and Atlanta before reporting to Houston’s training camp in 2020, Amick adds, and he refused to back down on his trade request with either team.

For all the drama surrounding his frequent change of teams in recent years, Harden remains a productive player. He led the league in assists last season with 10.7 per game, along with 21.0 points and 6.1 rebounds, while shooting 38.5% from three-point range. The Sixers reportedly believe they have a chance to win a title with Harden and are unwilling to throw away that chance just to get Harden off their roster.

Harden is in the final year of his contract, which may be limiting his trade value, so no matter how the situation with the Sixers plays out, he will be on the free agent market next summer.

Australian Coach “Not Recruiting” Ben Simmons

August 12th, 2023 at 6:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

Australian national team coach Brian Goorjian would like to have Ben Simmons on his roster for the 2024 Olympics, but he told Olgun Uluc of ESPN that the Boomers will be fine whether the Nets guard plays or not.

“This is very important,” Goorjian said. “In my dealings with Ben, it’s always been: I’m not recruiting you. It’s important for the country (to know), we’re not going, ‘Please, Ben, please, we don’t have anything if you don’t play’. We’re not like that at all.”

Basketball Australia announced in late June that Simmons would miss this year’s World Cup so he could continue to rehabilitate his back in preparation for the upcoming NBA season. Recent reports indicate that Simmons is fully healthy and will be ready when Brooklyn’s training camp begins.

Uluc points out that Simmons hasn’t played for Australia since a FIBA Oceania Championship game in 2013. He wasn’t selected for the Boomers’ World Cup squad in 2014, which Goorjian believes led to resentment. Simmons committed to taking part in the 2016 Olympics, the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics, but he never actually joined the team.

Australia has become a perennial contender in international competitions and it’s not as easy to earn a roster spot as it used to be, even for a former star like Simmons, Uluc adds. His expected role as primary ball-handler now belongs to Josh Giddey, although Simmons is versatile enough to help the Boomers in other ways if he’s healthy and fully committed to playing.

That’s a decision Simmons will have to make by next summer, and Goorjian is adamant that the Australians will be competitive with or without him.

“You have a game plan, and it’s like plan B,” Goorjian said. “You’ve got this sitting in here, and you just go, ‘I’d love to pull this out of my pocket; bring this out for a World Cup or bring this out for an Olympics.’ In the same breath, what is phenomenal about Australian basketball right now is, if he doesn’t play, and if it doesn’t work, we’re still on the same path. We’re still going for that gold, and we have the ability, long term, to get that done.”

Sixers No Longer Trying To Trade James Harden

August 12th, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have halted trade talks involving James Harden and plan to have him on the roster when training camp opens, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Sources tell Wojnarowski that Philadelphia had discussions with the Clippers, who are Harden’s preferred destination, but the teams weren’t able to make any progress toward a deal.

Harden and the Sixers’ front office agreed to work together to find a trade when he picked up his $35.6MM option for next season. However, team officials believe Harden gives them a chance to win a title and they don’t want to break up a potential championship roster, according to Wojnarowski’s sources.

Woj adds that Harden has remained insistent about a trade, so there could be an “uncomfortable situation” when training camp opens. There’s precedent for that, as Harden forced his way out of Houston and Brooklyn before arriving in Philadelphia. Even so, management isn’t willing to part with him unless the Sixers receive similar value in return.

Harden is a former MVP and a 10-time All-Star, and the Clippers don’t have anyone of that stature unless they give up Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, which they haven’t shown any willingness to do.

A more likely offer would include veterans such as Marcus Morris ($17.1MM), Nicolas Batum ($11.7MM) and Robert Covington ($11.7MM), whose expiring contracts could help match Harden’s salary, along with a young player or two and draft assets.

A report last month said L.A. has been reluctant to include guard Terance Mann in any offer for Harden.

Texas Notes: Wembanyama, Ginobili, Popovich, Mavericks

August 12th, 2023 at 4:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Hall of Fame former Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili is ready to help the team’s 2023 No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama reach his astronomic ceiling, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.

“He is a different type of player than we have ever seen before, so it is a great challenge for the organization and also for him to grow together and to make it together,” Ginobili said. “He is 19, so he is going to have to work a lot, the organization is going to have to work a lot to develop him… But it is a thrill. It is a great problem in some ways to have. So, we are very excited to have him, the same as the community, of course.”

The 7’3″ big man from France looks to be an intimidating defensive force from the start of his rookie season, but he may take some time to develop as a scorer.

There’s more out of the Lone Star State.

On the heels of the addition of Wembanyama and a five-year contract extension, 74-year-old Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t nearly seem done with his Hall of Fame career as both the club’s coach and president of basketball operations. Nevertheless, he will be officially honored in Springfield tonight for his accomplishments thus far. With the four stars that helped propel him to his five titles now all enshrined, Popovich is finally open to his own induction, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Zillgitt takes stock of Popovich’s storied run in San Antonio, and examines what is to come.
Some surprising names mark Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype‘s list detailing the top 12 highest-earning names in Mavericks history, including Shawn Bradley, Erick Dampier, Wesley Matthews, Kristaps Porzingis, and Dwight Powell. Though the No. 1 most highly compensated Dallas player will hardly surprise anyone, the name at No. 2 certainly will.
In case you missed it, 2021 Rockets lottery pick Jalen Green impressed USA Basketball brass with his performance for the Select Team in a pre-FIBA World Cup scrimmage against Team USA in Las Vegas.

Heat Notes: Wade, Wood, Standard Roster, New Additions

August 12th, 2023 at 2:14pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Former Heat legend Dwyane Wade spoke at length with Sopan Deb of The New York Times on the eve of his Hall of Fame induction. The shooting guard was a 13-time All-Star and won three titles while in Miami.

Wade discussed a variety of topics with Deb, including a potential political career, his relationships with fellow Hall of Famers and longtime rivals Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce, watching old game tape of himself in his prime, and why he’s having his hero Allen Iverson induct him.

“I think a lot of people know I wear No. 3, but a lot of people don’t know why I wear No. 3,” Wade said. Iverson’s jersey during his playing career was also No. 3. “And so I just wanted to take this moment as an opportunity that is supposed to be about me, and I wanted to be able to shine light and give flowers to individuals that allow me and help me get here.”

In 1054 career regular season bouts, the 6’4″ superstar out of Marquette had career averages of 22.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG and 0.8 BPG.

There’s more out of South Beach:

Free agent big man Christian Wood is reportedly eyeing the reigning Eastern Conference champs. In a conversation with Trevor Lane of Laker Nation (YouTube video link), The Athletic’s Jovan Buha indicated that Wood is contemplating latching on with the Heat. “Christian Wood, from my understanding, is interested in a potential role in Miami — depending on what players are involved in that [Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard] trade,” Buha said. “If they add [Portland center Jusuf Nurkic] I think that frontcourt is set. If they don’t and get rid of [second-year power forward Nikola Jovic], can Wood come in and outplay [power forward Kevin Love] and [reserve center Thomas Bryant]?”
In a new mailbag, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that the Heat’s rush of roster moves Friday doesn’t impact their vision for the 15-man standard roster. He cautions that the club may not opt to fill its two open standard spots with any current free agents, at least not prior to a Lillard trade.
The Heat made several fringe roster moves on Friday, which Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald unpack in a thorough piece. Miami inked forward Jamal Cain to a two-way deal, while signing Caleb Daniels, Alondes Williams, Cole Swider and Justin Champagnie to Exhibit 10 contracts. The duo notes that 13 players are currently signed to standard deals, all three of the Heat’s two-way slots are occupied, and the club now has five players inked to Exhibit 10 agreements.

World Cup Notes: Doncic, Brunson, Ntilikina, Kerr

August 12th, 2023 at 11:37am CST by Tristan Tucker

Luka Doncic isn’t playing for the Slovenian national team when they take on the United States in tonight’s showcase game, the club announced (Twitter link). Doncic isn’t playing for precautionary reasons after suffering a blow to his left knee in the second quarter of a game against Spain on Friday.

Doncic’s injury likely isn’t serious, given that he completed the second half of the game in which he suffered the injury, finishing with 17 points in about 25 minutes. Still, it’s a disappointing result for Doncic, his team and even USA Basketball. Jalen Brunson, who is on the USA’s World Cup roster and played with Doncic from 2018 to 2022 on the Mavericks, was looking forward to squaring off against his former teammate.

“That’s my brother,” Brunson said of Doncic, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “We got drafted together. I’ve been watching him grow since meeting him for the first time, seeing the player he is now. He’s gotten better and better each year to the point where he’s a top-five player, an MVP candidate, year in and year out, so whenever I get a chance to share the court with him, either with him or against him, it’s always been special. I’ve got nothing but love for him.”

The exhibition game between Slovenia and the United States tips off today at 3:30 p.m. EST. Former NBA players Zoran Dragic and Mike Tobey are among the Slovenian players who will take the floor against the United States.

There are other notes from the World Cup:

New Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina will miss the 2023 FIBA World Cup after suffering an injury in a friendly between France and Lithuania, Eurohoops reports. Ntilikina injured his hamstring and no timetable was given for his return to play. Ntilikina signed a one-year contract with the Hornets earlier this month.
Thirty-seven years ago, Steve Kerr was a player for the 1986 USA Basketball World Championship Team, the precursor to the modern World Cup. Kerr’s team played in Malaga, Spain, where the USA is scheduled to play over the coming days. In another piece from Vardon, Kerr reminisces over the time he spent as a player in Malaga and said he wants the Team USA players he’s now coaching to take this experience all in. “Part of this experience has to be the cultural part of it,” Kerr said. “We’re getting to travel the world and see places we may never see again. So, you know, we are going to encourage our guys to get out. A lot of them have family in. Most of them went out to dinner with their families and friends last night. Yeah. We encourage that. It’s a great time to see the city of Malaga, but also prepare for a couple of important games.”
In case you missed it, Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be playing in this year’s World Cup because he’s still recovering from a minor knee surgery.

Jazz Notes: Point Guard, Streaming, Fontecchio

August 12th, 2023 at 10:04am CST by Tristan Tucker

While most of the Jazz‘s starting five is known, there’s still a bit of mystery surrounding who will take the reins of the starting point spot. Tony Jones of The Athletic breaks down five options Utah has at the spot, including Kris Dunn, Talen Horton-Tucker, Jordan Clarkson (if he doesn’t start at shooting guard), Collin Sexton and Keyonte George.

There are pros and cons to every option. Horton-Tucker offers the physicality and athletic tools that Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and John Collins do, but he’s still raw at playing the point. Clarkson allows Utah to play with its lineup options but gives the team just one ball-handler in its starting lineup and affects their point-of-attack defense. Jones believes that Dunn’s ability to defend and willingness to defer make him the most natural option to start at point guard.

I recommend reading the piece in full, as Jones provides in-depth insight for each option. Regardless of who ends up taking over the 2023/24 starting spot, Jones says that George could very well be the starting point guard of the future.

There’s more Utah:

The Jazz announced they have partnered with technology company Kiswe to begin a streaming service that will be available to fans as soon as this upcoming season, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News reports. According to Todd, the price point and release date will be revealed in late September, right around when the product goes on sale. This is the latest in a flurry of moves by Jazz owner Ryan Smith in making games more accessible to fans. For example, the team announced in June that Smith Entertainment Group, the parent company of the Jazz, was partnering with KJZZ to bring games to television again.
Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio is suiting up for Italy in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Italy has gotten off to a hot start in their prep games, with Fontecchio scoring 17 points against Greece. In a recent interview with Eurohoops, Fontecchio spoke about his team’s current success. “We want to do our best and play well,” Fontecchio said, “You need to be lucky, to arrive in the perfect condition and play one game at a time. We have a good group.“
In case you missed it, the Jazz are projected to have the third-most cap space in the 2024 offseason, with Spotrac contributor Keith Smith projecting Utah to have $41.6MM in space, behind the Spurs and Magic.

PJ Dozier Signing With Partizan In Serbia

August 12th, 2023 at 8:31am CST by Tristan Tucker

Former Kings wing PJ Dozier is signing with KK Partizan in Serbia, according to Eurohoops. It’s a one-year deal for Dozier, who is heading out of the U.S. for the first time in his professional career.

Dozier spent part of last season with Sacramento, first inking a pair of 10-day deals with the team and then signing for the rest of the season. The 6’6″ wing played a modest role for the team, averaging 1.4 points in 4.9 minutes per game across 16 appearances. The Kings waived Dozier on July 8.

Before landing in Sacramento, Dozier had stops with the Thunder, Celtics and Nuggets. He went undrafted in the 2017 NBA draft out of South Carolina. Dozier played on two-way contracts with the Thunder and Celtics, appearing in just eight games from 2017 to 2019, his first two seasons in the league. He broke onto the scene with the Nuggets, where he spent the majority of his career. Dozier signed with the Nuggets for the 2019/20 season and impressed enough to stick around onto the ’20/21 roster.

In ’20/21, Dozier averaged 7.7 points for the Nuggets in 50 appearances in six starts. He was on track for another productive season in ’21/22 but his campaign was cut short due to a torn ACL. Later in the season, the Nuggets traded Dozier to the Celtics, where he was re-routed to the Magic and then waived. Dozier caught on with the Timberwolves for training camp last season and his stint with their G League team, the Iowa Wolves, impressed the Kings into signing him.

Now, Dozier takes over for a Partizan club that lost Dante Exum, who signed with the Mavericks earlier this offseason.

This deal has seemingly been in the works for several days. Before being confirmed by Eurohoops today, a report from Sportal.rs suggested Dozier and Partizan were close to an agreement, and Eurohoops cited an earlier report from Mozzart Sport.