Courtney Lee Rumors | Hoops Rumors

New York Notes: Atkinson, Acy, Rivalry, Lee

January 29th, 2017 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets coach Kenny Atkinson hinted lineup changes might be coming after Saturday’s loss in Minnesota, according to NetsDaily.com. Atkinson was particularly upset with the team’ defensive effort as the Timberwolves put up 129 points. “We’ve got to find the guys that want to defend and distribute the minutes proportionately, appropriately,” he said. “I think that’s where we are. I think we’ve had a streak here where we’re not defending. That’s not acceptable. That’s not the type of program we’re trying to run.” In recent games, Atkinson has been using a starting lineup of Spencer Dinwiddie, Randy Foye, Trevor Booker, Bojan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez, with reserves getting plenty of playing time.

There’s more news out of New York:

The Nets have to decide by Monday whether to sign forward Quincy Acy for the rest of the season, tweets NetsDaily. Acy, whose second 10-day contract expires tomorrow, has appeared in 10 games for Brooklyn, averaging 7.0 points and 2.7 rebounds.
The rivalry with the Knicks that began with so much promise after the Nets moved to Brooklyn in 2012 has fallen apart, writes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. With the Nets at a league-worst 9-38 and the Knicks sliding out of the playoff race at 21-27, it’s hard to get excited about this week’s matchup, Vaccaro states.
Courtney Lee is taking coach Jeff Hornacek’s advice to shoot more, relays Fred Kerber of the New York Post. Lee, who joined the Knicks on a four-year, $50MM contract over the summer, is starting to make an impact after an uneven start in New York. “I’m just trying to be more aggressive and take those shots,” he said. “Coach has shown me film and the shots I’ve passed up, areas where I could be more aggressive.”

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

January 29th, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Although the Celtics have stated that they’re not interested in dealing for Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks haven’t given up on them as a trade partner, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. New York had a scout at Saturday’s Celtics game and the organization is “intrigued” by several of Boston’s players.

A source told Washburn that Knicks president Phil Jackson has issued orders to move Anthony, who has indicated that the Celtics are one of the teams he would consider waiving his no-trade clause to join. Another source says Brad Stevens would love to coach Anthony, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has rejected the Knicks’ overtures. Washburn adds that Boston could serve as a third team to help send Anthony to the Clippers.

There’s more this morning on the Anthony trade front:

The Celtics present the only realistic trade destination for Anthony, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. In a video posted on CSNNE, Mannix says Ainge is in a “great position” to present the Knicks with a lowball offer and dare them to keep Anthony past the February 23rd deadline. Mannix speculates that any deal wouldn’t involve the Nets’ first-rounders that Boston owns for the next two seasons, but may include other Celtics draft picks. He also dismissed recent rumors of a Knicks-Clippers deal, saying it won’t happen unless New York is willing to accept a “garbage package” involving Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and others.
Anthony admits the trade rumors can be a distraction, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “You’ve got to deal with that, even though I try not to read it,” he told reporters. “And everywhere you go, even if you don’t hear about it, somebody is telling you about it, somebody is saying something. It can be mentally draining, mentally fatiguing.”
If the Knicks trade Anthony, they should also get rid of Derrick Rose and some of the other veterans they added over the offseason, suggests Newsday’s Al Iannazzone. Rose is a defensive liability and has already deserted the team once, Iannazzone notes, adding that he doesn’t appear to be part of the team’s “long-term solution.” He also writes that free agent additions Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee and Brandon Jennings didn’t come to New York to play for a team without Anthony, and believes the organization should commit to rebuilding if Anthony is traded.

Carmelo Anthony To Meet With Phil Jackson

January 17th, 2017 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

After hinting on Sunday that a meeting with the Knicks’ brass might be useful, Carmelo Anthony will get that meeting this week, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Sources tell Shelburne that Knicks president Phil Jackson intends to meet with Anthony within the next few days to discuss the forward’s feelings toward the organization.

This week’s drama in New York stemmed from a column by Charley Rosen of FanRag. Rosen, a longtime Jackson confidant, was extremely critical of Anthony, writing that the forward’s legs are “going, going, almost gone,” and adding that the nine-time All-Star has “outlived his usefulness” in New York. While Rosen clarified that those were his views alone, and didn’t come from Jackson, the close relationship between the two created some uncertainty for Anthony, necessitating a meeting.

Anthony has indicated that he hasn’t thought at all about waiving his no-trade clause to go to another team, telling reporters on Monday that he wants to remain with the Knicks. So, unless Jackson has other ideas, the two sides will likely make an effort to mend fences during this week’s meeting.

Here are a few more notes out of New York:

Although Jackson will speak to Anthony in the wake of Rosen’s column, head coach Jeff Hornacek said on Monday that he doesn’t feel the need to talk to his forward about it, per Al Iannazzone of Newsday (Twitter link).
Speaking of Hornacek, he made some interesting changes to the Knicks’ starting lineup on Monday, including plugging Ron Baker in at shooting guard in place of Courtney Lee. Lee, who signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Knicks in the offseason, posted pictures from the movie Dumb and Dumber on his Instagram account shortly after being benched, as Fred Kerber of The New York Post details. Lee quickly deleted those posts and explained in a subsequent message that he didn’t intend to criticize the coaches, the rotation, or the lineup change.
While Lee backed off his apparent criticism, Brandon Jennings didn’t hold back after Monday’s game, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. Asked about the lineup change, Jennings said that players “don’t know what’s going to happen” with the rotation when they show up for a given game. “Every day is something new,” Jennings said. “There’s kind of no consistency. It’s tough.”

Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Bradley, Okafor, Noel

January 16th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Milo Taibi

Carmelo Anthony followed up today on recent remarks about his situation in New York, telling reporters, including Mike Vorkunov, that he hasn’t spoken to management and hopes to remain with the Knicks. It’s been a slog for Jeff Hornacek‘s squad, as a myriad of on-and-off the court issues have resulted in a 2-11 record since December 25. Following a matinee loss to the Hawks at MSG, the Knicks slipped to 11th-place in the Eastern Conference; a far cry from expectations entering the season.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Knicks aren’t guaranteeing court time for veterans during their swoon, recently replacing Courtney Lee in the lineup with undrafted rookie Ron Baker. Lee, who signed a $50MM deal during the offseason, has shot just 17.6% on 3-pointers over his last five games. “You’re looking for little things. Who is going to do the little things on this team? Who is going to take charges? Who is going to make the extra pass?” Hornacek told Stefan Bondy of the Daily News. The first-year Knicks coach also requested his team take more charges.
The Celtics are being careful not to rush Avery Bradley in his return from an Achilles strain, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. As coach Brad Stevens pointed out, several Celtics have excelled in Bradley’s place, including Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart. Having participated in a full practice Sunday, Bradley is listed as questionable to participate in tonight’s game against Charlotte.
Jahlil Okafor‘s 26-point game against the Wizards functioned as a showcase, Keith Pompey of Philly.com writes. Filling in for the resting Joel Embiid, Okafor connected on 10-of-16 shots from the field with nine rebounds. The trade deadline is just over a month away, Pompey noted, and the time is now to recruit possible trade partners. The Sixers‘ logjam of centers has been a well-publicized issue this season.
Sixers center Nerlens Noel won’t participate in Monday’s game against the Bucks due to a sprained ankle, the team announced today (via Twitter). A left ankle sprain cut into Noel’s minutes in mid-December, limiting the former Kentucky Wildcat to 7.6 MPG over a five-game span. While Noel is sidelined, Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor will split time at the five.

Atlantic Notes: Afflalo, Noah, Stauskas, Whitehead

November 28th, 2016 at 11:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Arron Afflalo knew it was time to leave New York after being benched by interim coach Kurt Rambis and learning that the team was pursuing Courtney Lee, relays Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. Afflalo spent just one year with the Knicks, opting out of an $8MM deal for this season and reaching a two-year, $25MM agreement with the Kings. His season in New York was marked by a coaching change, the demotion and other turmoil. “It’s hard to get a genuine experience with anything when you haven’t had longevity or there are a lot of changes taking place, whether it’s changes with my individual role or with the coaching staff or the environment as a whole,” Afflalo said. “Six months is a short season when you’re not a playoff team and you’re going through a lot of changes, but they seem to be doing better now. I think as the core group, with Melo [Carmelo Anthony] and KP [Kristaps Porzingis], and the guys that they bring in continuing to get better, New York will be okay.”

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

Thunder coach Billy Donovan is still a believer in Joakim Noah despite a difficult first month with the Knicks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Donovan, who coached Noah on two national championship teams at the University of Florida, says the center’s competitive spirit will help him overcome a slow start. Noah is averaging 4.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game after signing a four-year, $72MM contract this summer. “He’s going to continue to improve and get better as a player, he’s going to put his work in,” Donovan said. “But he’s one of the guys in my opinion that’s truly all about sacrifice, team and winning. I think he’ll bring that to the Knicks throughout the entire season.”
Nik Stauskas looks like a long-term fit with the Sixers after a rocky start to his NBA career, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. After being picked eighth in the 2014 NBA draft, Stauskas had an unproductive rookie season in Sacramento before being traded to Philadelphia. It took Stauskas time to find his way with the Sixers, but he has developed into a valuable bench player, averaging 10.2 points per game and shooting 44.6% from 3-point range. “I’m just having fun out there again, enjoying myself and kind of figured that when I’m having fun, that’s when I’m playing my best basketball and just been trying to tune out any negativity or any self doubt or anything like that,” Stauskas said.
Rookie point guard Isaiah Whitehead is becoming more of a vocal leader for the Nets, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Brooklyn has needed Whitehead to develop quickly after an injury to Jeremy Lin, and coach Kenny Atkinson is encouraged by how he has responded. “There’s on-court technical development and physical development,” Atkinson said. “But leadership development, all the players are commenting, he’s changing, he’s talking to us, he’s opening up, he’s asking us questions. It’s big.”

Atlantic Notes: Poeltl, Rose, Noel, Olynyk

November 6th, 2016 at 6:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jakob Poeltl got his first NBA start tonight, but the Raptors rookie was already ahead of schedule, writes Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. The ninth pick in the NBA draft, Poeltl quickly moved up in the rotation after injuries to Jared Sullinger and Lucas Nogueira. A knee contusion to center Jonas Valanciunas pushed Poeltl into emergency starting duty, but the 7-footer has shown signs that he’s ready for the challenge. “How hard he plays, his physicality, how big his hands are once he gets the ball on his hands, his IQ is definitely there and the more experience he gets, the better he is going to be,” said teammate DeMar DeRozan. “He’s got that toughness when he’s out there playing, it’s great. That resilience and (he’s) willing to learn.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks newcomer Courtney Lee questioned the team’s defensive practice habits last week, and now his backcourt partner is blasting the game effort, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Derrick Rose cited poor communication on defense after New York let a 13-point lead get away in this afternoon’s loss to Utah. “I always said it’s our defense with our team that will spark everything,’’ Rose said. “Our defense is everything. Offensively we’re going to be fine. It’s definitely everybody being on a string, everybody communicating, everybody on the same page.’’ Lee claimed the Knicks are weak on defending pick-and-rolls because they only practice against the triangle.
Now that Sixers power forward Nerlens Noel is assured of being a restricted free agent next summer, he could be a tempting target for the Celtics, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn says the Boston front office has been fans of Noel for some time and likes the idea of pairing him with Al Horford.
The Celtics decided against giving an extension to Kelly Olynyk because they want to see if he can stay healthy for a whole season and if he responds to having a defined role, Washburn notes in the same piece.
The Celtics let R.J. Hunter go before the start of the season in part because of a crowded roster, but some of his former teammates in Boston believe he will develop as a sharpshooter if given the opportunity, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes. Hunter signed with the Bulls in late October after the Celtics waived him. The 23-year-old appeared in 36 games for the Celtics last year and made several trips to the D-League.

Will Joseph contributed to this posting.

Eastern Notes: Gay, Ellington, Walker, Karasev

August 7th, 2016 at 10:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are among the preferred destinations for Kings small forward Rudy Gay, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Gay, who can opt out of his current deal next summer, denies asking Sacramento to trade him, but he made comments last month that show a clear unhappiness with the direction the team is taking. While it’s understandable why he might prefer Miami, the Heat are low on tradable assets after a flurry of moves this summer. The free agents the team added this summer are not eligible to be traded until December 15th.

There’s more news from the Eastern Conference:

The Heat’s signing of Dion Waiters may push Wayne Ellington to the back of the rotation, Jackson writes in the same story. Ellington had a shot to start at shooting guard before the move, but now may be fighting for playing time in a crowded backcourt with Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson. Ellington could see minutes at small forward if Chris Bosh remains sidelined with health problems and Justise Winslow is needed at power forward.
Kemba Walker is optimistic about the new-look Hornets, but he hated to see Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee and Jeremy Lin leave in free agency, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “But that’s the business: You’re always going to play with some new guys every year,” Walker said. “You think about Big Al, who I wish we could have kept. He helped change this franchise around big time from the day he got here.” Charlotte tried to replace them by adding Ramon Sessions, Marco Belinelli and Roy Hibbert.
Sergey Karasev will play in Russia next season, but he hasn’t ruled out the NBA, according to Eurohoops. Karasev, who spent the past two seasons with the Nets, says first he hopes to prove that he can lead a team. “Ι want to be one of the key persons in a team, not just go in for 10 minutes,” he said. “I hope that Zenit [in St. Petersburg] will be successful in VTB League and then it will be possible for me to go back to the NBA.”

Atlantic Notes: Sullinger, Saric, Lee

July 11th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics‘ addition of Al Horford via free agency led to the team renounce its qualifying offer to Jared Sullinger, making him an unrestricted free agency and all but closing the door on a return to Boston for the big man. Head coach Brad Stevens is sad to see Sullinger go, but hopes the split will benefit both parties, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com relays. “I think Jared’s a really good player, and I think Jared will continue to be a really good player,” Stevens said. “Obviously when we got Al, that made us make hard decisions. And the thing that stinks about that is having to move on and move forward, both for him and us. But he’ll do great. Jared’s one of the more talented guys being able to get the ball off the glass, and he’s got a beautiful touch and he’s a good guy, and so I think he’ll do well. I’m hopeful this move will benefit him as well, and I think it will. We’ll see where he lands, but I know there’s a lot of interest in him based on how my phone’s been ringing and everybody else’s, so I’m sure he’ll land where he wants to and do exceptionally well.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers draft-and-stash forward Dario Saric is headed to the Las Vegas summer league to meet some of his future teammates, and he is expected to sign a contract with Philadelphia that will see him join the NBA for next season, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Saric’s deadline to opt out of his overseas deal with Andolu Efes is this Sunday, Pomoey adds.
The Knicks viewed shooting guard Courtney Lee as the best fit for them among the available free agents at the position and believe he will be a vital part of any playoff push this coming season, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. “He was at the top of the list from the beginning. We like the idea of his competitive nature as player,” GM Steve Mills said of Lee. “He comes into the game wanting to defend the best perimeter player on the opposing team. We needed that type of defensive energy and ability to make shots. Just an all-around player [with a] history of starting in this league.”
Lee was pursued by a number of teams, including the Sixers, who offered him more money than New York, but the veteran viewed the Knicks as a more enticing landing spot, Kerber relays in the same piece. “A few teams contacted. I spoke to [team president] Phil [Jackson]. I kept in contact with Joakim Noah,” Lee said. “Seeing the trade they made to get Derrick Rose, signing Joakim, discussions with Brandon Jennings, I felt the team was moving in the right direction. You already had Melo [Carmelo Anthony] and KP [Kristaps Porzingis] here. So that’s a strong core group. Thought joining this team would only increase my chances of competing in the Eastern Conference and trying to win a ring.”

Knicks Sign Courtney Lee

July 2nd, 2016 at 6:45pm CST by Will Joseph

JULY 8: The Knicks have made it official with Lee, announcing that his deal has been signed (Twitter link).

JULY 2: The Knicks and Courtney Lee have agreed to a four-year deal, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The deal is worth $48MM and it’s fully guaranteed with no options, Michael Scotto of The Associated Press reports.

New York has been looking for a shooting guard to add to a starting rotation that is set to feature Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah. The Knicks were reportedly in the mix for Eric Gordon, with potentially disgruntled Heat star Dwyane Wade lurking as a fallback option, but landing Lee appears to be a more prudent pickup, given his consistent health.

“Excited to be a part of the Knicks and play in the Garden. The fans and city are amazing, and the team is ready,” Lee said, per Kennedy.

After agreeing to a deal with center Joakim Noah, the Knicks were projected to have approximately $12MM in cap space remaining, so Lee may be the team’s latest notable free agent addition. An unselfish two-way player with good shooting ability, the 30-year-old looks like a solid addition for New York.

Lee finished the 2015/16 season with the Hornets, appearing in 28 games after being acquired from Memphis and averaging 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists during his time in Charlotte. He shot .445/.392/.885 from the field for the Hornets.

The Wolves, Kings, Nets and Hawks were all reported to be interested in Lee before he agreed to terms with the Knicks, though Atlanta and Sacramento have landed alternate targets in Kent Bazemore and Arron Afflalo, respectively.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Courtney Lee

July 2nd, 2016 at 1:56pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks continue to search for a wing player to add to their roster, and to that end, are still pursuing unrestricted free agent Courtney Lee. New York’s latest offer to Lee was for four-years and approximately $40MM, or to do some quick math, $10MM per season, Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports (ESPN Now link). Phil Jackson and company are also reportedly in the mix for Eric Gordon, with potentially disgruntled Heat star Dwyane Wade lurking as a fallback option.

New York is facing competition for Lee, with the Kings ready to offer the swingman a deal valued at approximately $14MM per season, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets. The Wolves Kings, Nets and Hawks are also reported to be interested in Lee. After agreeing to a deal with center Joakim Noah, the Knicks project to have approximately $12MM in cap space remaining, Begley notes, which could prove problematic for the team if the bidding for Lee escalates.

Lee finished the 2015/16 season with the Hornets, appearing in 28 games after being acquired from Memphis and averaging 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists during his time in Charlotte. He shot .445/.392/.885 from the field.