Bradley Beal Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Kobe, Bulls, Heat, Wizards

November 26th, 2013 at 11:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Kobe Bryant says he gave no thought to leaving the Lakers in free agency, and defended himself against criticism that his extension will hurt the team, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt observes. Most Hoops Rumors readers agree, believing the Lakers will sign another max free agent in either 2014 or 2015. Here’s more from the Association:

The Bulls seem likely to get a disabled player exception after Derrick Rose‘s injury, but that doesn’t mean they’ll use it, as Salary Cap FAQ author Larry Coon explains (Twitter links).
There’s no sign of any rift between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and as the Cavs and others lurk in free agency, LeBron seems as much a part of the Heat as ever, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld says he has no plans to make a roster move in the next two weeks while Bradley Beal recovers from a stress injury in his right leg, observes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Beal will miss at least that amount of time.
Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report hears from a source that new Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger is getting “considerable direction” from the team’s ownership and front office. “They’re suggesting lineups,” said the source. “Aggressively.”
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Jeff Goodman makes the case for why Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart could receive some consideration as the first overall pick next June.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports catches up with Josh Howard, who is playing with the D-League’s Austin Toros as he attempts to make his way back to the NBA.
FIBA approved moving the 2018 basketball World Cup to 2019, as Lefteris Moutis of Eurohoops.net writes. Qualification will take place while most pro leagues are in session, a move that probably isn’t popular with the NBA.
Mike Woodson made it clear to reporters today that the perception he doesn’t like Iman Shumpert is off base, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Rookie Scale Option Decision Recap

November 1st, 2013 at 10:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

A month ago, there were 57 players on rookie scale contracts eligible to have 2014/15 team options exercised ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Teams picked up all but seven of those options, once more affirming the bargain that the rookie scale provides to clubs. Five of the options were allowed to lapse, while two other eligible players were waived before the deadline. You can find our full, team-by-team breakdown of the option decisions via this link, but a few of the results are more surprising than others.

I examined the decisions teams faced on these options earlier this autumn, separating the likelihood that each option would be exercised into three categories: “no-brainers,” “probables” and “on the bubble.” All 15 of the “no-brainer” options were exercised, and only one of the 32 probables isn’t under contract for 2014/15: MarShon Brooks. The Celtics elected to decline their option on Brooks, and the team’s unfamiliarity with him after he came over from the Nets this summer was part of the reason, according to GM Danny Ainge.

There were 10 “bubble” cases, and only three of those options were picked up. Three of the options that were declined belonged to former lottery picks. The Wizards never formally announced that they’d turned down their fourth-year option on 2011 No. 6 overall pick Jan Vesely, nor did they announce their decision to decline Chris Singleton‘s option and pick up Bradley Beal‘s, but Michael Lee of The Washington Post confirms the moves. The Kings owned up to their mistake on Jimmer Fredette, declining the option of the former tenth overall pick. The Wizards also failed to exercise the option of another lottery selection, waiving 2012 13th pick Kendall Marshall shortly after acquiring him from the Suns in last week’s Marcin Gortat trade.

Royce White also hit free agency prematurely, as the Sixers released him a week before the option deadline. The Nuggets made no formal announcement about their decision to decline Jordan Hamilton‘s option, but he, too, will become a free agent at the end of the season. Jared Cunningham of the Hawks will also be a free agent in the summer, as his was the other option to be declined. Derrick Williams of the Timberwolves, Cory Joseph of the Spurs and Tony Wroten of the Sixers were the only “bubble” players to have their options exercised.

Wizards To Exercise Bradley Beal’s Option

October 26th, 2013 at 10:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Wizards aren’t going to pick up the fourth-year options on Jan Vesely and Chris Singleton, but they will trigger Bradley Beal‘s third-year option, a source familiar with the club’s thinking tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Of course, the move was widely expected.

Beal, 20, averaged 13.9 PPG with 3.8 RPG and 2.4 APG in his rookie season. The guard was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft and along with John Wall he helps to form one of the most promising backcourts in the NBA.

Beal & Co. could be joined by a bonafide star next year as they are projected to have about $15MM for next summer’s free agent frenzy.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Wizards, Hawks

September 26th, 2013 at 10:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune discusses the health of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Luol Deng's uncertain long-term future with the franchise, how Mike Dunleavy Jr. will look to mesh with the roster, and how Jimmy Butler will handle a move to starting shooting guard as five things to look at for the Bulls going into fall. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago (via Twitter) says that Chicago's official training camp roster is expected to be released tomorrow but doesn't expect Malcolm Thomas or Chris Wright to be on the list.
Michael Lee of CSN Washington wonders if John Wall is ready to lead the Wizards to the playoffs, who will step up in the absence of Emeka Okafor, if Bradley Beal is primed for a breakout season, what to expect from Otto Porter, and the health of Nene as the team's top storylines heading into training camp.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry wouldn't set a timeline for the return of Louis Williams (who is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery), though he did say that the eighth-year guard has been playing one-on-one games and has had no restrictions in doing so. Ferry also appeared encouraged about what Dennis Schröder can contribute to the team now as a promising prospect and said that Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala still need to continue their development overseas (USA Today via the Associated Press).
As Tom Layman of the Boston Herald points out, Celtics coach Brad Stevens will look toward Avery Bradley to be the team's floor general while they wait for the return of Rajon Rondo. In another piece, a handful of college coaches had positive comments for Stevens regarding how they believe he'll be able to transition to the NBA game (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
With Steve Mills in place as the Knicks' newest GM, Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld thinks that it will be important for Mills to start forming a strong relationship with Carmelo Anthony now, especially with the possibility that he could become a free agent this upcoming summer.
Since arriving in New York City, Anthony has been able to build his brand and explore plenty of business opportunities, writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. From the sound of it, Zwerling doesn't think that Anthony will be leaving New York anytime soon, even with an opt-out clause at the end of the season.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York examines the orange and blue's current situation at small forward.
With the rest of the NBA's power elite growing tired of the Heat's dominance, Sam Amick of USA Today delves into why the 2013/14 season could be Miami's toughest campaign for a title yet. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the Bulls are especially eager to put a halt to the Heat's reign as the NBA's top dog.

Wizards Notes: Wall, Okafor, Beal

April 1st, 2013 at 3:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

Wizards players were among the many notables at the White House this morning for the annual Easter Egg Roll, and while Bradley Beal made his pitch for lower taxes to President Obama, a couple of his teammates appear focused on other ways to keep their bank accounts in order. Here's the latest on Washington's team:

John Wall believes he's the ninth-best point guard in the league, but tries to explain to TNT's David Aldridge, who writes his Morning Tip column for NBA.com, why he believes he deserves a maximum-salary contract. "Well, I feel like I get what I deserve," the third-year point guard said. "I know what I play like. I think (the Wizards) understand what I've been through the first two years, having what I had. Not to talk bad on any of my teammates or any of the guys I've had. I just feel like some of them weren't very professional about their job. They didn't care about winning, to be honest."
Wall feels better about his teammates this year, and said Washington's acquisition of veterans in the offseason has helped him warm to the idea of a long-term commitment to the Wizards. All things being equal, Aldridge doesn't believe Wall is a max player, but given the circumstances in Washington, he thinks a five-year deal worth $68.75MM, which would make Wall the team's designated player, would fit the bill.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld also caught up with Wall, who offered further explanation on why he should get the max. "I’m not just going to base it on my play lately," he said. "I’m just talking about me in the future and how I want to change the organization around, making the playoffs and hopefully winning a championship here."
Unless Emeka Okafor wanted to risk a significant paycut to sign with a contender, there's been little doubt he would elect to stay with the Wizards for next season and collect his $14.488MM salary rather than exercise his early-termination option for 2013/14. Okafor confirms his plan is to stay in D.C., as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com observes.
Beal gave Grantland's Zach Lowe a wide-ranging interview that touched on his adjustment to the NBA and rumors earlier this season linking him to the Grizzlies in a potential Rudy Gay deal. "It is what it is. It’s a business. But I knew the (team) wasn’t going to trade me," Beal said.

Odds & Ends: Dwight, Cavs, Blair, Wizards, Gordon

February 21st, 2013 at 1:41am CST by Chuck Myron

As the hours tick down to tomorrow's 2:00pm Central trade deadline, Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News is already starting to look ahead to free agency, and he writes that the Cavaliers believe they could make a longshot bid to sign Dwight Howard. That one seems hard to believe, and even Lawrence intimates that it's a little far-fetched. Still, the Cavs were reportedly in the mix for Andrew Bynum last year, and they'll have plenty of cap space this summer, so I suppose it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

In the meantime, there's more on potential deadline deals, and here's the latest:

We've already heard that Danny Granger is staying put, and TNT's David Aldridge hears that's likely the case for Spurs big man DeJuan Blair, too (Twitter link).
An Eastern Conference executive tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post he believes there's "very little" the Wizards can get for Jordan Crawford.
The Wizards reportedly gave up on acquiring Josh Smith because they aren't willing to give up any of the players the Hawks would want in return, and HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy identifies John Wall, Bradley Beal and Nene as the three players the team wants to keep in any deal.
With a deadline trade to the Warriors unlikely and his knee still not 100%, it looks like Eric Gordon will stay put with the Warriors past the deadline, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times Picayune, who hears from a source who said "nobody wants" Gordon.
The Suns agreed to a deal to acquire Marcus Morris for a second-round pick tonight, but considered trading a first-round pick for Morris when the Rockets took him on draft night. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic has the details.
The Magic have been trying to unload Al Harrington's contract, but the power forward figures he's not going anywhere, since other teams are likely wary of his health, as John Denton of Magic.com tweets.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times identifies Devin Harris as a trade candidate and tweets that the Wisconsin product would mind playing for the Bucks, though I think if he ends up in Milwaukee, it's more likely via free agency this summer than in a deadline deal.

Josh Smith Rumors: Tuesday

February 19th, 2013 at 11:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Last night, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that many teams around the NBA are convinced that the Hawks will move Josh Smith by Thursday's trade deadline. Stein cited the Celtics as one team with interest, but wrote that he couldn't see them giving up Paul Pierce in a deal for Smith. We'll likely hear a few more rumors and rumblings on Smith today, so we'll round all those up in one place, with the latest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day:

The Nets' latest offer includes Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, and either a first-round pick or the draft rights to Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy says the strangest rumor he's heard involves Josh Smith and filler (possibly Zaza Pachulia) going to the Knicks for Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert.

Earlier updates:

ESPN's Chris Broussard tweets that although the Suns have been in touch with the Hawks regarding Smith, a deal is very unlikely.
The Hawks called the Clippers and asked about acquiring Eric Bledsoe in a Smith trade, but the conversation was short, according to Broussard, who says the Clips aren't really interested in Smith (Twitter link).
Broussard adds in a second tweet that Smith heading to the Suns in a package headlined by Marcin Gortat is "unlikely."
Most of the offers the Hawks have received so far for Smith have been underwhelming, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Several members of the Warriors organization tell Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (Sulia link) that they think Smith would be an ideal fit in Golden State. However, the club wouldn't want to give up Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes for a free-agent-to-be, so a trade is "improbable at best."

Odds & Ends: Redick, Crawford, James, Crowder

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:01am CST by Chuck Myron

Just as we crossed into the final month before the trade deadline, the first deal of the new year went down today, and the action will no doubt pick up going forward. Here are a few more notes from a busy evening.

J.J. Redick, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, wants a raise on his $6.19MM salary, but the Magic want him to take a hometown discount, reports USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt. If the team doesn't believe it can re-sign him when the trade deadline rolls around, Zillgitt won't be surprised to see the Magic trade Redick, since they don't want to lose him without any return.
The Wizards are looking to make moves, and Jordan Crawford is drawing the most interest of any of the players they'd make available, HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler reveals, noting rookie Bradley Beal isn't among the players they're dangling, Kyler adds.
Damion James is heading back to the D-League's Bakersfield Jam, as the Nets have opted not to renew his 10-day contract, which expires tonight, tweets NetsDaily.com.
Jae Crowder's contract with the Mavs is fully guaranteed through next season, but he doesn't want that to be the end of his tenure in Dallas, where he wants to play his entire career, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reveals.
Elliot Williams, who tore his left Achilles tendon in September, isn't ruling out the possibility he could return at some point this season, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The league, believing he was done for the year, has already granted the Blazers a disabled player exception, but the team will get to keep it even if he makes it back.
Ben Baroff of SheridanHoops.com believes there will be more deals similar to today's Cavs-Grizzlies trade in the years to come, as luxury tax penalties become more severe.
Amid another round of Dwight Howard rumors, Nets brass has assured Brook Lopez he won't be traded, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

Market For Rudy Gay Dwindling?

January 17th, 2013 at 5:02pm CST by Sean Highkin

Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com reports that the interest among teams in trading for Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay is not high, and although Memphis is continuing to shop Gay, the underwhelming offers may force them to wait until the offseason to move him and Zach Randolph.

Kennedy does not expect the Grizzlies to receive a young star or a high-upside rookie in return for Gay, naming Phoenix's Jared Dudley and Orlando's J.J. Redick as two potential players they could expect to land. Although Wizards rookie guard Bradley Beal was briefly discussed as a possible centerpiece for a Gay trade, Washington no longer has any interest in trading him.

Kennedy writes that much of the reluctance of teams to trade for Gay comes from his contract, which pays him $16.4MM this season, $17.8MM in 2013/14, and $19.3MM in 2014/15.

Southeast Notes: Seraphin, Hawks, Beal

January 15th, 2013 at 9:41pm CST by Alex Lee

The Bobcats were the only Southeast team in action tonight, getting torched by the Central-leading Pacers in Charlotte. Let's take a look at what else is going on in the division on Tuesday:

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst (via Twitter), Wizards big man Kevin Seraphin has changed agents, hiring Rich Paul. Seraphin, a former first round pick, is under contract in Washington at least this year and next before the team must decide whether to extend him a qualifying offer. He was formerly represented by Bouna Ndiaye.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today offers his perspective on the job new general manager Danny Ferry has done with the Hawks. After clearing cap space by moving Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams, much of the Hawks roster is currently playing on expiring deals. While that can be a tough spot for a coach to be in, Larry Drew has gotten his team off to a solid start despite a recent lull. The Hawks now have the financial flexibility to re-sign Josh Smith this summer as well as go after someone like Dwight Howard, Zillgitt writes.
In a separate story for USA Today, Zillgitt concurs with much of what we heard yesterday with regard to Bradley Beal; essentially that the Wizards have no plans whatsoever of trading their rookie phenom for Rudy Gay or anyone else. On the contrary, Zillgitt writes that Beal is settling nicely into his role as the team's closer.