Al Jefferson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Ainge, Jefferson, Wizards

December 17th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics are seeking to acquire a player who is a reliable scorer, especially during crunch time, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com relays. “I think the one thing that we could really use is a go-to scorer,” team executive Danny Ainge said. “We have some guys that have carried us — Kelly Olynyk has carried us, Avery Bradley has carried us, Isaiah Thomas has carried us, Jared Sullinger has carried us at moments during the season, Evan Turner has carried us — but it would be nice to find another player that’s a reliable scorer at the end of games, night in and night out.”

During an appearance on the “Toucher and Rich” show, Ainge was asked if he would be leery of adding a player like DeMarcus Cousins, who has a reputation of being difficult, to which Ainge replied, “I think [disruptive personalities are] a problem in any locker room. There’s a time — first of all, we have good character on our team right now and we have some mature kids, even though we don’t have an old team. I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to have players that are disruptive to your team, on the court and off the court.”

Here’s more from the East:

With Al Jefferson in the final year of his contract the Hornets could look to trade him prior to this season’s deadline, a prospect that will be made more challenging by team needing to recoup more than just expiring contracts in any swap, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. With Charlotte’s offseason priority likely to be re-signing Nicolas Batum, and with little desire to pay luxury tax, dealing Jefferson may be a palatable option for the franchise if it could secure some usable assets in any exchange.
The Wizards are a team caught between wanting to compete now and trying to maintain as much cap flexibility as possible for a run at Kevin Durant next summer, which is hurting the franchise in the short term, writes Jerry Brewer of The Washington Post. Washington risks regressing significantly as a team this season, which could serve to turn off a top-tier free agent like Durant, Brewer adds.

NBA Suspends Al Jefferson For Drug Violation

December 10th, 2015 at 7:58am CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 7:58am: Marijuana is the drug that prompted the suspension, a source confirmed to Bonnell, who writes in a full piece.

WEDNESDAY, 2:03pm: The NBA has suspended Al Jefferson five games for a violation of its anti-drug program, the league announced via press release. Neither the league nor the Hornets have specified the nature of the violation, but the program calls for a five-game suspension upon a player’s third positive test for marijuana. A suspension of at least 20 games is mandated when a player tests positive for performance-enhancing drugs, so it appears that’s not the case for Jefferson. He’ll serve the suspension once he returns from the strained left calf that’s kept him out since the end of last month, notes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter).

“We are disappointed in Al’s decisions that led to this suspension. As an organization, we do not condone this behavior,” the team said in its announcement of the punishment. “We have addressed this with Al. He is regretful and understands that we expect him to learn from this mistake.”

Jefferson, a Jeff Schwartz client, is poised to hit free agency in the summer, so the suspension is ill-timed. The 30-year-old is making $13.5MM this season in the final year of the three-year, $40.5MM contract he signed with Charlotte in 2013. NBA suspensions are generally unpaid and cost players 1/110th of their salary for each game they miss. So, it looks like Jefferson will be out $613,636.

“I want to apologize to the Hornets organization, our owner, my teammates and my coaches for the poor decision that I made,” Jefferson said in a statement that the team released. “I know I have let people down, especially the Hornets fans that have been so supportive of me since I arrived in Charlotte two years ago. I am blessed to be able to play the game that I love for a living and I do not take that for granted. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry, and I am committed to making smarter decisions in the future.”

Jefferson has already missed three games because of his injury, which he suffered in the team’s win over the Bucks on November 29th. The Hornets said the next day that he was expected to miss between two and three weeks. Charlotte, a surprising 12-8, has started Cody Zeller in his absence. The team is without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for the rest of the season but is otherwise without long-term injury concerns.

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Clifford, Winslow

November 27th, 2015 at 4:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Coach Mike Budenholzer’s ability to sell the virtues of the Hawks organization will determine their long-term success, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com opines in a detailed look at the team’s structure and roster. While the front office appears stable, the roster could undergo major changes after the season, Arnovitz continues. Center Al Horford will enter unrestricted free agency next season, starting shooting guard Kyle Korver is in his mid-30s, center Tiago Splitter has injury issues and point guards Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder may have trouble co-existing over the long haul, Arnovitz adds. They also haven’t adequately replaced small forward DeMarre Carroll, so Budenholzer and the front office need to show free agents that Atlanta is a desirable landing spot, Arnovitz concludes.

In other news around the Southeast Division:

Veteran center Al Jefferson gives a ringing endorsement to the contract extension that coach Steve Clifford received from the Hornets this week, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports. “The one thing I love about him is he keeps it real with you. He doesn’t say one thing to your face and another thing behind your back,” Jefferson told Bonnell. “He changed this whole team around from Day 1. He works harder than any head coach I’ve been around. He demands you play hard and play together.”
The Heat’s long-term outlook depends upon the development of rookie small forward Justise Winslow and center Hassan Whiteside, as Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports explains while taking an in-depth look at the roster. Winslow has embraced the role of defensive specialist and hasn’t been overwhelmed by the task of shadowing the opponent’s top scorer. “At this point, we’re peers,” Winslow told Lee. “I don’t put those guys on a pedestal.” Whiteside, the league’s top shot blocker, is determined to show that his breakout season a year ago wasn’t a fluke, Lee adds.
The Wizards’ outlook after 12 games is troubling for a team expected to make a run in the Eastern Conference, according to J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. There has been an extraordinary amount of drama in the early going, J. Michael points out, ranging from center Marcin Gortat getting irritated at coach Randy Wittman for calling him soft to point guard John Wall brooding over his lack of shots.

Eastern Notes: Porzingis, Hornets, Raptors

November 23rd, 2015 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kristaps Porzingis has already allayed Phil Jackson’s fears that he might be too slight of build to develop into a star player, Johnette Howard of ESPN.com reports. The Knicks’ president of basketball operations was worried during the offseason that Porzingis’ body shape might make him nothing more than an updated version of Shawn Bradley, who never developed into an All-Star caliber player. Porzingis’ swift development has been the talk of New York and he already leads the Knicks in rebounding and blocks, Howard continues. “I’m not scared — I’m not scared of anybody,” Porzingis told Howard. “I’m skinny and I’m light. Strong guys can still push me around. But I will fight back, and be aggressive and never back down from anybody. If I want to succeed at this level, I can’t be scared of anybody.” Porzingis moves far better than the league’s most accomplished European player, Dirk Nowitzki, and is a much better rebounder and shot-blocker than the longtime Mavericks All-Star, Howard adds.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

The Hornets’ improved 3-point shooting has given its main low-post threat, center Al Jefferson, more room to operate, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Charlotte is doing a better job of spreading the floor with the additions of Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lamb, Jeremy Lin, Spencer Hawes and Frank Kaminsky, as it is shooting nearly 37% on 3-point attempts compared to its league-worst 31.8% shooting from long range last season. That has been a boost to Jefferson, who is averaging nearly 21 points over the last four games, Bonnell adds. “There’s so much shooting on the floor that they’re a lot less likely to say, ‘Not tonight. He’s just not scoring. These other guys are going to have to shoot,'” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told Bonnell. “Now they can’t do that.”
It’s a misguided notion that the Raptors’ 9-6 start should be viewed as a mild disappointment, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca opines. Toronto has already endured the toughest portion of its schedule, including a five-game, eight-day West Coast swing, Lewenberg points out, and it’s only played four home games. Given those obstacles, the Raptors’ record to this point is commendable, Lewenberg adds.
Heat point guard Goran Dragic has been hampered by his lack of chemistry with backcourt partner Dwyane Wade and the team’s methodical pace, Ethan J. Skolnick of Miami Herald uncovered while taking a hard look at the team’s statistical trends. Wade has assisted on only one Dragic basket this season, a sign of their disconnect and of Dragic’s struggles to make his 3-point attempts. The Heat also rank 25th in pace and that hurts a player like Dragic, who prefers a more uptempo style, Skolnick adds.

Al Jefferson Opts In, Will Stay With Hornets

June 15th, 2015 at 1:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

MONDAY, 1:10pm: Jefferson has formally opted in, the team announced.

SUNDAY, 8:33am: The Hornets’ Al Jefferson has decided to stay in Charlotte for another season, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Jefferson had until Monday to decide whether to opt in to the final season of his three-year deal or pursue free agency. His agent, Jeff Schwartz, told Stein that he will formally notify the team that Jefferson plans to opt in.

Jefferson, 30, will make more than $13.8MM next season, which will be his third in Charlotte. He had said in April that he was unlikely to opt out, referring to “unfinished business” after the Hornets failed to make the playoffs. Groin and knee injuries limited him to 65 games during the 2014/15 season, and his numbers fell as a result. Jefferson’s scoring average plunged to 16.6 and his rebounding dropped to 8.4 per game, the lowest figures in both categories since his second year in the league with Boston. Jefferson has told reporters that he hopes to be 25 pounds lighter by the start of training camp.

Jefferson was drafted 15th overall by the Celtics in 2004. He was traded to Minnesota in 2007 and then Utah in 2010 before signing a surprising deal with lowly Charlotte in 2013. At the time, the opt-out clause was seen as a way to escape a floundering franchise, but Jefferson led Charlotte to the playoffs in 2013/14 while earning all-NBA third-team honors. By opting in, Jefferson will become part of the 2016 free agency class that will benefit from an expected soaring salary cap propelled by the league’s new TV deal.

Southeast Notes: Skiles, Hawks, Jefferson

April 23rd, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Scott Skiles is still “very interested” in coaching again but isn’t pushing the issue, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders notes within his NBA AM piece. Skiles isn’t actively seeking or campaigning for a job with the Magic or any other team, nor would he insist on player personnel power or control if he were to become a team’s coach, league sources told Kyler, a reversal of the narratives from earlier.

Here’s the latest out of the Southwest Division:

The second highest bid for the Hawks came in around $815MM, which includes the approximately $120MM worth of arena debt, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets. The franchise is awaiting the NBA Board of Governors to approve the sale of the team to the Ressler Group for approximately $850MM, which also includes the arena debt amount.
The Hornets are relieved that center Al Jefferson has decided not to opt out of his contract for next season and become a free agent, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. Charlotte did not want to have to commit to a deal for Jefferson beyond this season, even at a reduced cost, Deveney adds. The organization hopes that the big man can give the Hornets another solid year while the team figures out what its frontcourt is going to look like in the future, adds the Sporting News scribe.
Kemba Walker was glad to have had surgery during the season to repair a tear in his left knee, Matt Rochinski of NBA.com writes in his season recap for the Hornets‘ point guard. “[The surgery] was something that I had to do and I’m happy I got it done,” Walker said. “I’m feeling good. I won’t do anything different and will still have a pretty good summer [working out and getting stronger], so I’m looking forward to it.” Walker will be entering the second season of the four-year, $48MM extension he signed with the team last October.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Hornets Notes: Jefferson, Stephenson, Biyombo

April 19th, 2015 at 6:59pm CST by Will Joseph

Al Jefferson, who has a $13.5MM player option for next season and recently said he would likely opt in, is committed to dropping 20 to 25 pounds this summer, Hornets GM Rich Cho said during a media session, transcribed by Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “He [Jefferson] seemed genuinely disappointed in our season both as a team and as an individual,” Cho said. Also during Cho’s availability, the GM stated the obvious about the team’s decision to sign Lance Stephenson to a three-year, $27.405MM deal: “It didn’t work out as we expected it to,” Cho said. “I don’t want to look backwards, I want to look forward. I expect Lance to work hard this off-season and have a better season next year.” Stephenson shot only 17% from three-point range.

Here’s more from the Hornets:

Cho was mostly complimentary of backup center Bismack Biyombo, who is set for restricted free agency and played regularly the second half of the season, except for 11 games he missed with a bruised knee. “I thought Biz was up-and-down a little bit. He definitely improved,” Cho said. “There were spurts when he was really good, like before he got injured. And then after the injury it took him a while to get back.” There is a distinct possibility that the Hornets won’t make his qualifying offer, which would be $4,045,894.
During the same media session, Cho said it’s conceivable the Hornets could trade their lottery pick and that Charlotte owns several tools to improve the roster. “We have our draft picks going forward,” Cho added. “We don’t have any bad contracts, long-term. I think we’re in a good position moving forward. … Not this summer, but next summer, we’ll have significant cap room.”
In a separate piece, however, Bonnell makes the argument that the Hornets are actually very much limited in resources. If Jefferson and shooting guard Gerald Henderson don’t exercise opt-out clauses in their contracts the team has about $65MM in player-salary obligations, which is close to next season’s projected cap, Bonnell points out. Therefore, the most the Hornets could spend on a free agent this summer is the mid-level exception, which is $5.464MM in a first-season salary, Bonnell adds. Bonnell identifies the Hornets’ most glaring need as shooting; they finished this season 29th in field goal percentage and last in three-point shooting. That player, therefore, likely won’t be someone who would demand a high price tag. “We’re not in a position to get a max-level player,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. “Nor do we need to.”

Al Jefferson Says He’ll Likely Opt In

April 16th, 2015 at 1:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:16pm: Jefferson elaborated on his thinking, making his decision seem even more set in stone. “I’ve got unfinished business here,” Jefferson said when asked whether he’d opt out, as Bonnell relays via Twitter. “That’s not even an option for me.”

12:10pm: Al Jefferson said today that it’s highly unlikely he’ll turn down his $13.5MM player option for next season, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Most formal decisions on options aren’t due until June 29th, but the news is nonetheless a blow for teams in the market for a big man this summer. The 30-year-old Jefferson is the 14th-ranked free agent in the latest Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings one year removed from a career season.

Jefferson regressed this year amid injuries, but he still played in 65 games and averaged 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game. He was only the third leading scorer for Charlotte, but he nonetheless remains a key part of the Hornets, and coach Steve Clifford expressed continued faith in the 11-year veteran, saying it’s not a given that he’ll continue to struggle with injuries, Bonnell tweets. Owner Michael Jordan indicated before this season that he’d want to keep Jefferson if he elected free agency, given the chance the big man took when he signed with a downtrodden Charlotte team in 2013.

Should Jefferson indeed opt in this year, the Jeff Schwartz client would be positioning himself to hit free agency just as the salary cap rises sharply after next season. It’s a gamble that he’d have a bounce-back performance in 2015/16 and that teams wouldn’t look askance at his advancing age.

An opt in from Jefferson would give the Hornets almost $60MM in commitments against a projected $67.4MM salary cap, not counting Gerald Henderson‘s $6MM player option. The team will likely be limited to the mid-level and biannual exceptions to pay free agents more than the minimum, but Clifford doesn’t think the Hornets need to make a splashy upgrade, as Bonnell relays (on Twitter). “We’re not in a position to get a max-level player. Nor do we need to,” Clifford said today.

Southeast Notes: Jefferson, Donovan, Chalmers

April 4th, 2015 at 1:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hornets big man Al Jefferson may be shut down for the remainder of the season due to the difficulties he has been experiencing with his balky right knee, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. Jefferson has had fluid drained from the joint three times in 10 days, Bonnell adds. “He’s dragging his leg around and then you compensate, opening himself up to further injury,” coach Steve Clifford said. “The guy literally couldn’t pivot and turn. I don’t know if he’ll play again. It’s just not fair to him.” It’s unclear if the injury will affect Jefferson’s thinking this summer regarding his player option worth $13.5MM.

Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Magic should look for a coach with NBA experience rather than try to lure Billy Donovan to leave the college ranks once again, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel opines. With Orlando at a critical juncture in its rebuilding plan, Schmitz believes to attract free agents the team will need a coach who commands immediate respect from veterans.
Heat guard Mario Chalmers is extremely frustrated with his perceived lack of a defined role, Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald writes. “I don’t even really know what my role is on this team anymore,” Chalmers said. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. A lot of people are out of rhythm, and you really don’t know what’s going to happen — when you’re going to get the ball, when you’re going to shoot it, you just never know. You just got to be ready for everything, I guess.” Chalmers still has one season worth $4.3MM remaining on his current contract.
Lance Stephenson has not played in two of the Hornets‘ last three contests, something that baffles the mercurial swingman, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star writes. “Definitely I’m surprised,” Stephenson said. “I feel like I can help this group but it’s out of my hands and I’m just [trying to] stay ready and stay focused. I’m very frustrated but it’s a part of life and it’s very humbling, but [I’m] just trying to stay focused and positive and whenever my number’s called, just be ready.”

Southeast Notes: Magic, Whiteside, Jefferson

March 29th, 2015 at 3:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Better late than never. Over the weekend, Shaquille O’Neal expressed regret about the way he left the Magic nearly two decades ago. “We won games and then I made a business decision,” O’Neal said, according to Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press. “It’s never personal. The [team owner Rich] DeVos family knows that. And I accomplished [a championship] somewhere else. It’s not like I didn’t think they weren’t going to be upset or anything. But it’s business. It was all business. Do I regret it? I never fully answer it. I regret it sometimes. Is this where I started and should have stayed? I actually wish they made it a law that whoever drafts you, you gotta stay there your whole career.”

Here’s more from the Southeast Division..

The Heat are concerned that Hassan Whiteside could miss significant time thanks to a hand injury, Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald writes. The big man split his right hand between his forefinger and ring finger during the Heat’s game against the Bucks on Tuesday and his injury required 10 stitches. There is no timetable for Whiteside’s return, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the team’s center likely would be back for the playoffs.
Signing Al Jefferson in the summer of 2013 has been a big reason for the Hornets‘ turn toward credibility, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders writes. In fact, helping them shed their old losing image is part of what motivated him to join Charlotte in the first place. “That’s most definitely the reason why I came here,” Jefferson said. “I saw the young talent that this team had with Kemba Walker and [Michael Kidd-Gilchrist] and Bismack Biyombo, but the main reason I came here was the coach. When Steve Clifford got the job, just sitting down talking to him on my visit, I knew that he was coming here to turn things around. I just wanted to be a part of that.“
The Heat‘s Henry Walker (who formerly went by the name Bill Walker), after years of battling adversity, has earned the confidence of coach Erik Spoelstra, who has started him seven times and given him regular minutes at both forward positions, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes in a profile of the player. Miami signed Walker to two 10-day contracts, and then eventually to a longer deal which was a two-year, minimum salary arrangement, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). He is averaging 7.9 points and 3.6 assists per game.

Will Joseph contributed to this post.