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Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Hackett, Nets

July 9th, 2015 at 9:07pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics‘ primary goal this season will be to make he franchise as attractive as possible to free agents hitting the market during next Summer, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. With the team expected to have approximately $40MM to spend on free agents in 2016, the team has to develop its young core enough to convince big names like Kevin Durant that they can win in Beantown, Blakely adds.

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Euro guard Daniel Hackett will work out for the Knicks in Las Vegas, David Pick of Eurobasket relays (Twitter links). Hackett, who is also on the radar of the Mavs and Rockets, was offered a contract by the Greek club Olympiacos, but the 27-year-old wants to explore his NBA opportunities before heading back overseas, Pick adds.
Nets GM Billy King‘s first two calls when the free agent signing period began were to Shane Larkin and Thomas Robinson, Rod Boone of Newsday tweets. Both players officially signed with Brooklyn today.
When King was asked if he expected Deron Williams and Joe Johnson to remain on the Nets‘ roster, he responded, “at this point, yes,” Boone tweets. King also indicated that the reports of the team trying to deal Johnson have been exaggerated, Boone adds.
The Knicks are still in contact with the representatives for Alexey Shved, Cole Aldrich and Louis Amundson, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.
The Nets will still look to add another big man to the roster, King indicated, but the team wants to get as close to, if not under, the luxury tax line as it can, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays (via Twitter).

Atlantic Rumors: Celtics, Smart, Nets

June 25th, 2015 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the Atlantic Division..

The Celtics have indicated that they “would have to be blown away” by an opportunity to move Marcus Smart, a source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Earlier this week it was reported that the Celtics were seeking Nerlens Noel in a deal for the guard. Smart and Noel were No. 6 overall picks in back-to-back years.
Nets GM Billy King told reporters there is a possibility the Nets could go into next season with Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams all on the roster, Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.
When asked if Lopez and Young are max players, the Nets GM replied, “Next question,” according to Mazzeo (Twitter links).
One agent representing a fringe first-rounder the Sixers called for told Jake Fischer of SI (on Twitter) that he doesn’t want his client “to be the next K.J. McDaniels.” McDaniels was a high second round selection of the Sixers last year but wound up signing a one-year, minimum contract offer with them after a protracted contract battle. Later in the year, he was traded to the Rockets, and he’ll now hit free agency this summer.

Nets Notes: Williams, Marks, D-League

June 3rd, 2015 at 4:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Nets have no intention of reaching a buyout arrangement with Deron Williams, nor does the team plan on waiving him via the stretch provision, even if it means that the franchise will be over the luxury tax line next season, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “The goal is to try to be under the tax,” GM Billy King said. “That’s just the goal. How realistic is it? It may not be. But that’s the goal. We’re not going to jeopardize our roster, jeopardize our team, to be under the tax,” King continued. “If the decision is made to make a move or whatever, we’ll do that if we think it helps us win.”

Here’s more out of Brooklyn:

The team’s decision to part ways with assistant GM Bobby Marks was made in order to “streamline things” within the Nets’ front office, Bontemps adds. “You had two assistant GMs, and when we looked at it overall, could some of the responsibilities be shared throughout the department … that’s why the decision was made,” King said.
King also relayed that the team’s plan this summer is to re-sign both Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young, and if it means being over the luxury tax so be it, Al Iannazzone of Newsday tweets.
Brooklyn’s roster will remain largely intact heading into next season, and the team’s plan is to add pieces who will complement the players it already has, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays (Twitter link).
King reiterated the Nets’ intent to establish a one-to-one affiliation with a D-League team in Brooklyn, though the location of the franchise could change after a few seasons, Mitchell Abramson of The New York Daily News relays (via Twitter).

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Wells, Celtics

May 30th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Eddie Scarito

In a letter sent to Nets season ticket-holders regarding the team’s future, CEO Brett Yormark and GM Billy King failed to mention Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, or Jarrett Jack, which could be a major sign that the franchise intends to part ways with the trio this offseason, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily writes. “We are committed to keeping our core leadership together by re-signing Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young. At the same time, we will continue to build on our emerging young core of players, such as Mason Plumlee, Bojan Bogdanovic, Markel Brown, and Sergey Karasev,” Yormark and King wrote.

The team also relayed in the letter that it will try to purchase additional draft picks to use this June, Windrem adds. The organization wrote, “[W]e are pleased to own the No. 29 and No. 41 picks. While we are identifying potential selections, we are even open to purchasing additional draft picks if the right opportunity presents itself. Furthermore, this summer, we are planning to be active in pursuing trades that would fill important needs.”

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Maryland guard Dez Wells relayed that he has a workout scheduled with the Nets in June, Windrem tweets.
The Celtics held workouts on Friday for Corey Walden (Eastern Kentucky), Gerard Coleman (Georgetown-Kentucky), Keifer Sykes (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Scott Eatherton (Northeastern), Travis Trice (Michigan State), and Yanick Moreira (SMU), Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com notes (Twitter link).
Wyoming forward Larry Nance Jr. said that he will work out for the Nets in the coming weeks, Windrem notes ((via Twitter).

Nets Notes: Jack, Plumlee, Prokhorov, D-Will

May 26th, 2015 at 10:46am CST by Chuck Myron

It’s widely assumed that the Nets will look into trading Joe Johnson and Jarrett Jack as cost-cutting alternatives to using the stretch provision to waive Deron Williams, write Marc Stein and Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com. Trade talk has swirled around Johnson off and on since December, while the Nets likely would have dealt Jack to the Wizards if they’d closed a deal on a proposal to send Brook Lopez to the Thunder, as TNT’s David Aldridge reported in the wake of the deadline. Johnson has a whopper of an expiring contract that calls for a salary of nearly $24.895MM in 2015/16, while Jack is due $6.3MM next season with a partial guarantee of just $500K on the same amount in 2016/17. Stein and Mazzeo have more on the Nets, and while the full piece is a must-read for Brooklyn diehards, we’ll pass along a few highlights here:

Some executives from opposing teams figure the Nets will explore the trade market for Mason Plumlee, too, Stein and Mazzeo hear. The Nets were reportedly unwilling to give up Plumlee in a proposal that would have sent Williams to the Kings in December, though GM Billy King said this month that the Nets looked into the idea of trading every player on the roster at some point this past season. Plumlee’s role on the team decreased after the acquisition of Thaddeus Young and the resurgence of Lopez.
People around the league continue to doubt the idea that Mikhail Prokhorov doesn’t want to sell a majority stake in the Nets, according to Stein and Mazzeo. Josh Kosman and Claire Atkinson of the New York Post reported in March that Prokhorov had ended efforts to do so while Prokhorov said the next month that he had never tried. Stein and Mazzeo cite “persistent rumbles” around the league that the reason Prokhorov isn’t actively trying to sell the team is that he would also have to sell his share of the Barclays Center as part of the deal, a detail that Daniel Kaplan and John Lombardo of SportsBusiness Journal reported in February. However, a sports banker who spoke with Kosman and Atkinson disputed that there was any such mandate that Prokhorov would have had to bundle the team and the arena.
Stein and Mazzeo figure the Nets will indeed consider waiving and stretching Williams, yet they believe Brooklyn will ultimately decide against doing so.

Atlantic Notes: Love, Celtics, Nets, D-Will

May 11th, 2015 at 10:42pm CST by Charlie Adams

Kevin Love harbors no long-lasting ill-will toward Kelly Olynyk or the Celtics, a source “authoritatively” told TNT’s David Aldridge, who writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Love recently insisted he had moved on from the injury Olynyk caused him, and there’s apparently been legitimate fear in the Cavs front office that the soon-to-be free agent will sign a new deal with a different team this summer, perhaps even Boston. As we wait to see if Love moves on from Cleveland, there’s more to pass along from Aldridge in tonight’s look around the Atlantic:

The Nets are not interested in reaching a buyout deal with Deron Williams, Aldridge writes in the same piece, explaining that management is not interested in paying D-Will while he doesn’t play for the team. Instead, Aldridge speculates Brooklyn will likely try to find a suitor for Joe Johnson’s hefty contract in order to lighten the team’s payroll.
There’s “genuine uncertainty” about whether or not Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young will exercise their player options this summer, as Sean Deveney of Sporting News writes in his offseason outlook of the Nets. Although Lopez’s option figure is much higher than Young’s, both decisions will ultimately affect Brooklyn’s approach to free agency. Rumor has it Lopez will opt out in search of a bigger deal.
Sports Illustrated’s Phil Taylor examines how Celtics coach Brad Stevens and Thunder coach Billy Donovan might be opening up the door for other college coaches to be hired by pro clubs, suggesting that previous failed NCAA-to-NBA hires were a result of big egos and/or poor organizational fits.
Earlier today, we heard the Knicks are likely to sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo this summer.

Western Notes: D-League, Donovan, Williams

May 8th, 2015 at 9:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Billy Donovan‘s track record of success at the University of Florida bodes well for his chances as the Thunder‘s new coach, Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald writes. In addition to leading his team to back-to-back championships, Donovan also has proven adept at getting his star players to remain longer than they otherwise would have, Goodman notes. The organization certainly hopes this ability will carryover to the pros, since the pending free agency of Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016 is sure to be a hot-button topic in OKC all season long in 2015/16.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

The L.A. D-Fenders, the Lakers‘ D-League affiliate, informed coach Phil Hubbard that the franchise would not be exercising its team option for him next season, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter links). The D-Fenders struggled to a record of 17-33 under the first-year coach, though NBA callups for Jabari Brown, Jamaal Franklin, and Vander Blue certainly didn’t help Hubbard’s cause, Spears notes.
If the Nets and Deron Williams were to agree to a buyout or if the franchise waives him via the stretch provision, the point guard returning to play for the Jazz is a possibility, posits Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link). Williams spent the first five and a half seasons of his career in Utah before being dealt to Brooklyn back in 2011.
Blazers big man Chris Kaman went to Portland with the intention of being a reserve and mentoring the team’s younger big men, but injuries derailed that plan, Jabari Young of CSNNW.com writes in his review of Kaman’s season. While many players would be thrilled to become a starter, even if it was due to injuries, Kaman wasn’t a huge fan of the change, Young adds. When discussing his role change, Kaman said, “It’s not bad, but it’s not what I came here to do. I knew I came here to back up [Robin] Lopez. And that’s where I see myself and that’s where I feel comfortable.” The veteran has one year remaining on his current deal, though only $1MM of his $5,016,000 salary for 2015/16 is guaranteed.

Nets Notes: Johnson, Williams, King

May 8th, 2015 at 11:13am CST by Zachary Links

Tim Bontemps of the New York Post ran down the Nets’ 15-man roster and looked at what’s ahead for them this offseason. That includes Joe Johnson, who Bontemps feels is pretty likely to wind up elsewhere next season. The Nets would like to re-sign Brook Lopez, and moving Johnson’s mammoth deal is one of two ways the Nets can do it. The other way to make space would be to dump Deron Williams‘ contract, though his reputation and additional contract year could make him a tougher sell. More out of Brooklyn..

While there’s been a lot of talk about stretching Williams’ contract, there’s been little discussion of a more traditional buyout like the one Dikembe Mutombo received from the Nets 12 years ago, Robert Windrem of Nets Daily writes. In fact, sources tell Windrem that like the stretch option, a traditional buyout is also a possibility for Williams and Brooklyn. The stretch option would leave only a seven-figure hit on the Nets’ cap, but it would mean that the hit extends over a longer period. A traditional buyout would hurt more in the next two years, but it would be over and done with after that.
The Nets and GM Billy King have their work cut out for them this summer, Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com writes. While King claims that there is a market for both Johnson and Williams, it remains to be seen whether that’s the case. On the plus side, Lionel Hollins looks to be the first coach in the Nets’ Brooklyn history to make it to a second season at the helm.
David LaRue, CEO of Bruce Ratner’s parent company Forest City Enterprises, told investors this week that Mikhail Prokhorov was not aiming to sell his stake in the Nets completely but rather “looking to monetize a portion of their asset,” according to reporter Norman Oder. Many reports indicated that Prokhorov was giving heavy consideration to selling the team.

Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Nets, Jones

May 6th, 2015 at 6:47pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets GM Billy King reiterated that re-signing center Brook Lopez is a priority for the franchise, which views the big man as a centerpiece to build around, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “For us to get in the playoffs that stretch, [Lopez] was the guy who carried us. He was our best player,” King said. “Without Brook Lopez, there’s no way we even get to where we go to this year. I’ll say it again: We want him back. I want him back, [coach] Lionel [Hollins] wants him back, ownership wants him back. We’ve all said it. There shouldn’t be any more doubts about it.” Lopez has a player option worth $16,744,2187 for 2015/16, but can become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out this summer.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

King refused to comment on the status of extension talks between he and the Nets, but said he was comfortable working next season without agreeing to a new deal, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays (Twitter link).
When asked if there is a trade market for the Nets‘ big money contracts like Deron Williams‘ and Joe Johnson‘s, King said, “We could have moved them,” Andy Vasquez of The Record tweets.
The Sixers are potentially interested in selecting Jamal Jones and making him a domestic draft-and-stash pick this June, similar to what the Thunder did with Josh Huestis last season, Shams Charania of RealGM writes. “The Sixers have had interest in me all year just because even though I didn’t have a good season with Delaware, they were always there for the practices and they have seen what I’m capable of,” Jones told Charania. “They’re very interested, and want me come up, work out for them and see how I’ve progressed in the time since the season ended.” Jones appeared in 45 contests for Philly’s D-League affiliate this past season, averaging 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.

Billy King On Lopez, Young, Trades, Teletovic

May 6th, 2015 at 11:00am CST by Chuck Myron

The Nets pulled together for a late season run to the playoffs and pushed the top-seeded Hawks in the opening round, but this wasn’t a successful season, GM Billy King said today to reporters, including Newsday’s Roderick Boone, at his end-of-season press conference (Twitter link). The GM didn’t address rumors that he’s close to an extension, but he had many more revelatory comments, as we’ll run down here. All links go to Twitter, unless otherwise noted:

The team’s long-term plan is to build around Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young, King said, according to Andy Vasquez of The Record. Lopez and Young haven’t made decisions about their respective player options yet, but King said the Nets want them back regardless of whether they opt in or not, notes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
King said the Nets explored trading every player on the roster at some point during the season, Boone notes, and King wouldn’t rule out trades when he added that the team would continue to look into all possibilities with Lopez, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson, observes Devin Kharpertian of The Brooklyn Game.
Brooklyn, slated to pick 29th and 41st overall in June, will continue an annual tradition of trying to trade up, King said, as Kharpertian relays, but the GM insisted he’ll value draft assets more highly than in the past. “I don’t expect us to be trading any of [our future draft picks],” King said, according to Kharpertian. “We’ve done that.”
The Nets will extend the more than $4.21MM qualifying offer required to match competing NBA offers for Mirza Teletovic in free agency this summer, King confirmed, nonetheless adding that the market will dictate the forward’s next deal, as Bontemps notes.
The team would like a new deal with Alan Anderson, King said, according to Lenn Robbins of Nets.com, but the GM also said that the swingman may need a procedure on his ankle to deal with bone spurs, Bontemps observes.
The goal is to avoid the luxury tax next season, and the repeat-offender penalties that would come with it, but the Nets will stay above the tax line if it’s the right thing to do, according to King, as Kharpertian relays. That’s similar to what owner Mikhail Prokhorov said last month (non-Twitter link), but it conflicts with what Bontemps has heard (non-Twitter link) from sources who’ve said the team has no interest in remaining a taxpayer.
King said the Nets can’t keep turning the roster over from year to year and added that internal improvement is necessary, Boone notes. King pointed to rookies Bojan Bogdanovic, Markel Brown and Cory Jefferson as players who can be parts of the rotation going forward, according to Bontemps.