Derrick Jones Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Whiteside, Heat, Howard, Wall

January 24th, 2018 at 6:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat center Hassan Whiteside believes his team’s lack of national exposure contributed to him being overlooked for the All-Star Game, relays Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Whiteside is having a solid season, averaging 14.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per night, and the Heat are fourth in the East at 27-20, but Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Love and Al Horford were selected ahead of him as reserve frontcourt players.

“You know, it’s confusing,” Whiteside said. “I get confused about it sometimes. Is it about stats? Or is it about winning?”

Of the 15 teams with the league’s best records, the Heat were the only ones not to have an All-Star. Whiteside suggested it’s because the team has barely appeared on national television. TNT hasn’t televised a single Miami game this season, while ESPN has shown just one, with another scheduled broadcast bumped for a Celtics-Timberwolves contest.

“The NBA pushes teams,” he said. “The NBA pushes guys. The media pushes people. There’s teams all got Christmas games that stink, so I’m not going to say what teams, but you all know those teams that shouldn’t be playing on Christmas.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat have taken a creative approach to getting maximum value out of their two-way players, Jackson adds in a separate story. Both are close to their NBA limit, with nine days left for Derrick Jones and six for Derrick Walton. Miami is conserving their time by not having them travel with the team on the flight home from Houston after Monday’s game and not having them at practice today. All two-way players will be eligible to join their teams after their G League season [or playoff run] is over, even if they have used all 45 days. For Jones and Walton, that will be March 24, unless Sioux Falls makes the postseason.
Gambling on Dwight Howard has turned out to be a good move, Hornets coach Steve Clifford tells Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Howard’s problems with free throws and turnovers haven’t gone away, but his coach contends the 32-year-old center has made a difference by still being a dominant rebounder and rim protector. “This might be his best [season] since his second year in Houston,” Clifford said.
Mavericks guard J.J. Barea is getting a strong reaction to his negative comments about John Wall, relays Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. After the Wizards lost Monday in Dallas, Barea told reporters he doesn’t believe Wall is liked by his teammates. “I’ve never had a teammate say he didn’t like me,” Wall said to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter link). “If it’s true, nobody would be man enough to say it to me so I don’t believe it. … I don’t let that affect me.”

Southeast Notes: Walker, Johnson, Vucevic

January 21st, 2018 at 7:21pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hornets may have permanently damaged their relationship with All-Star guard Kemba Walker, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. When news broke that the franchise was eager to unload their best player in order to clear cap space and initiate a rebuild, the 27-year-old was apparently devastated.

Bonnell argues that Walker has been a world-class representative of the Hornets, a leader on the court and in the community. The scribe also argues that he’s a part of the solution in Charlotte, not the problem, and that it was customarily clumsy for the organization to dangle him for financial relief.

Bonnell cites Charlotte’s fruitless attempt to sign Gordon Hayward away from the Jazz as a restricted free agent in 2014 and the club’s ill-advised decision to sign Lance Stephenson to a three-year, $27MM deal shortly thereafter as other examples of the Hornets being managed clumsily.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat continue to be ravaged by injuries at the two-guard position, the latest one to fall being Tyler Johnson. Now, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes, head coach Erik Spoelstra will have to decide between two-way player Derrick Jones Jr., reserve Wayne Ellington or an out-of-position Josh Richardson.
Despite the temporary scare, Heat guard Tyler Johnson‘s leg injury wasn’t as bad as initially feared, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. “I was really worried because initially it felt like my knee popped,” he said. “That’s why when I went down I started grabbing at my knee and that was what was more worrisome than anything else. I’ve never had a bad knee injury so I didn’t know what it felt like. I was just thankful once I got to the back and my adrenaline kind of went down the pain in my knee wasn’t nothing I really ever felt before. My foot was down and it just kind of got tangled up.“
A fractured bone in Nikola Vucevic‘s hand has kept him out of action since December 23 but the Magic big man is making progress, John Denton of Orlando’s team site writes. “Little by little [the strength is returning] and the best thing is just me using my hand because that will help it. I’m just doing stuff every day. Even video games, will help because I’m using my hand,” Vucevic said.

Southeast Notes: Whiteside, Jones, Hornets, Gordon

January 10th, 2018 at 7:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

If the Heat decide to deal Hassan Whiteside, they may find his trade value is lower than expected, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami hasn’t expressed a desire to move Whiteside, but Jackson believes it could happen if rookie Bam Adebayo and free agent addition Kelly Olynyk continue to provide quality minutes at the center spot.

Jackson talked to a pair of unidentified scouts about the possible return in a Whiteside deal, with one comparing it to what the Kings received when they traded DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans. Sacramento got a young guard in Buddy Hield, an impending free agent in Tyreke Evans, along with Langston Galloway and a first- and second-round pick. The scout notes that Cousins is more talented than Whiteside, but has a more volatile reputation.

Finances would figure into any deal involving Whiteside, who makes nearly $23.8MM this year and more than $24.4MM next year with a player option worth about $27MM for 2019/20. His playing time has been cut to 25.7 minutes per game this season and his scoring and rebounding averages have fallen as a result.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat will face a decision soon on Derrick Jones, who has about 14 NBA days left on his two-way contract, Jackson adds in the same story. The Heat signed Jones at the end of December, and his allowable NBA service time was pro-rated. He has appeared in three games since then, averaging 5.0 points in nearly 17 minutes per night. Miami could open a roster spot by cutting A.J. Hammons, who has remained in the G League since being acquired from Dallas in an offseason trade.
Poor shooting and a lack of roster depth have brought down a Hornets team that looked promising two seasons ago, writes Tom Ziller of SB Nation. GM Rich Cho has a spotty draft record and made a costly error in 2016 when he traded the No. 22 pick to Sacramento for Marco Belinelli, who didn’t contribute much before being shipped to the Hawks a year later. With the Hornets capped out at least through the end of next season, Ziller sees little hope for a quick turnaround in Charlotte.
Aaron Gordon is having his best statistical season by far, but it’s not resulting in more wins for the Magic, relays John Denton of NBA.com. Gordon hasn’t come close to a playoff spot in his four years in Orlando, but he remains confident that things will turn around. “[The losing] hurts and it’s not something that I like obviously, but I do my best to continue to focus on the present moment,’’ Gordon said. “Win, to me, stands for What’s Important Now. What’s important now is continuing to get better so that when the opportunity presents itself I’m ready and we’re ready as a team.”

Heat Sign Derrick Jones To Two-Way Deal, Waive Matt Williams

December 31st, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:37pm: The moves are official, according to Winderman (Twitter link).

DECEMBER 31, 11:39am: The Heat will sign small forward Derrick Jones to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical.

Miami will create an opening by waiving shooting guard Matt Williams, who currently holds one of the team’s two-way deals, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).

The other two-way contract belongs to point guard Derrick Walton, who is nearing his 45-day NBA limit. The Heat could have chosen to convert Walton’s deal to a standard NBA contract and release center A.J. Hammons, who has spent the entire season in the G League after being acquired in an offseason trade with the Mavericks. Hammons is making more than $1.3MM this season and has nearly $1.45MM guaranteed for 2019/20, and Miami decided it isn’t ready to part with him.

Jones, 20, won a roster spot with the Suns last season, but was waived December 7 when Phoenix converted Mike James‘ contract to a full NBA deal. Jones has been playing for the Suns’ G League team in Northern Arizona since being cut. He appeared in 32 games for Phoenix in 2016/17 and six this season, averaging 4.7 points in about 15 minutes.

Williams has played a total of 11 minutes in three games for the Heat.

Isaiah Canaan Joins Suns’ G League Affiliate

December 12th, 2017 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Isaiah Canaan has landed with the Suns’ G League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. After Canaan signed a G League contract, he was claimed off waivers by the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, who flipped him to the Northern Arizona Suns for a first-round pick in the 2018 G League draft.

Canaan, 26, began his NBA career with the Rockets in 2013/14, and has since bounced around the league, spending time with the Sixers and Bulls before briefly returning to Houston this season. Canaan signed with the Rockets in October after Chris Paul was sidelined with a knee issue, but he was waived just four days later.

A Murray State alum, Canaan has appeared in 186 regular season NBA games, averaging 8.4 PPG in 20.2 minutes per contest.

While Canaan doesn’t currently have an NBA contract or even a two-way deal, he finds himself in an interesting spot. With Eric Bledsoe having been traded last month and Brandon Knight out for the season, the Suns have been leaning on Tyler Ulis and Mike James at the point this year. Neither player is viewed as the cornerstone point guard in Phoenix, so if the team likes what it sees from Canaan in the G League, he could become a candidate for a call-up later in the season.

Free agent forward Derrick Jones has also joined the Northern Arizona Suns after being waived last week by Phoenix, tweets Brian M. Bergner Jr. of The Daily Courier. Jones spent time on assignment in Northern Arizona when he was under contract with Phoenix, but now will be on a straight G League deal as he seeks another NBA opportunity.

Suns Convert Mike James’ Two-Way Contract Into NBA Deal

December 7th, 2017 at 11:35am CST by ChrisCrouse

DECEMBER 7, 11:35am: The Suns have officially converted James’ two-way deal to a standard NBA contract, the team announced today in a press release. The release also confirmed that the team has waived Jones, as we detailed in a separate story.

James is now on track to reach restricted free agency in 2018, while the Suns have an open two-way contract slot that could be filled at any time.

DECEMBER 6, 11:02pm: The Suns are converting Mike James‘ two-way contract into a traditional NBA contract, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports. On Thursday, James will have spent 45 days with the NBA club, which is the maximum allowed under a two-way deal.

James will be the first player in NBA history to have his two-way deal converted. Phoenix plans on opening a roster spot on Thursday morning and Derrick Jones is a good bet to be the casualty of the transaction, barring a trade.

The point guard made approximately $213K on his two-way deal and he could earn slightly over $580K if he remains with the team for the remainder of the 2017/18 season. James took on a larger role once the Suns dealt away Eric Bledsoe, starting 10 games before finding his niche leading the second unit.

Suns Waive Derrick Jones

December 7th, 2017 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

11:32am: The Suns have officially waived Jones, the club confirmed today in a press release.

10:08am: The Suns will waive Derrick Jones to create an open spot on their 15-man roster, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The move was necessary in order to clear room for Mike James, whose two-way contract is being converted into a standard NBA deal.

Jones, 20, initially signed with the Suns as an undrafted free agent in September 2016. He has played sparingly for the team since then, appearing in 38 total games and averaging 4.7 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 15.2 minutes per contest. The UNLV product is perhaps best known for his participation in last season’s Slam Dunk Contest — he was the runner-up to champion Glenn Robinson.

Jones had been set to earn $1,312,611 this season, but his contract was non-guaranteed, so the Suns will only be on the hook for a portion of that amount — by my math, the cap charge will work out to about $400K. Of course, if Jones is claimed on waivers, Phoenix will no longer have to carry any part of his contract on its cap for 2017/18. The young forward is under team control through 2020, with a non-guaranteed minimum salary for 2018/19 and a minimum-salary team option for 2019/20.

As Charania tweets, Jones may draw real interest in the waiver process due to his youth and his contract structure. However, any team wanting to place a claim would need to have cap room or an exception big enough to absorb his salary. The waiver order is based on this year’s reverse standings, meaning the Bulls would have first dibs.

As for James, he and the Suns discussed multiple contract structures, but ultimately settled on a rest-of-season deal, per Charania. James will be on track to reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2018.

Mike James Contract Issue Headed To Wire

December 4th, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns point guard Mike James is unlikely to have his contract issues resolved until Wednesday’s deadline, Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic tweets.

James signed a two-way contract over the summer but wound up being a rotation piece after Phoenix decided to trade disgruntled point guard Eric Bledsoe. James will reach the 45-day NBA limit on his contract Wednesday and is expected to sign a standard NBA contract by the deadline. He is averaging 10.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 4.2 APG in 22.7 MPG.

However, the Suns are at the roster limit and must make a move before James’ contract can be converted. Small forward Derrick Jones is the most vulnerable member of the 15-man roster, since his contract is not fully guaranteed and he’s only appeared briefly in six games this season.

The team has a logjam at center and could move Greg Monroe, one of the players acquired from the Bucks in the Bledsoe deal. Monroe has an expiring contract and remains a productive player as an interior scorer and rebounder despite defensive limitations. Complicating matters is that Phoenix has three players – guards Brandon Knight and Davon Reed and big man Alan Williams – sidelined by long-term injuries.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/12/17

November 12th, 2017 at 10:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

The Knicks announced (via Twitter) that they sent Ron Baker and Damyean Dotson back to the G League today, and the duo played major minutes in Westchester’s loss to the Raptors 905 this afternoon. Dotson scored 19 points for New York’s affiliate, while Baker chipped in 12.
The Hawks assigned rookie shooting guard Tyler Dorsey to the G League today, the team announced in a press release. Dorsey has appeared in six games for Atlanta so far this season, playing limited minutes in those contests.
Prior to the Northern Arizona Suns’ Saturday game against Iowa, second-year forward Derrick Jones was assigned to the G League, according to a press release from the Suns. Jones played a big part in the club’s win last night, filling up the score sheet with 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.
The Raptors have recalled Alfonzo McKinnie from their G League affiliate, the team’s media relations department tweets. McKinnie has averaged 15.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Raptors 905 so far this season.
The Kings have recalled second-year big man Georgios Papagiannis from the Reno Bighorns, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. The center played two games with the G League affiliate, dropping 17 points and 13 rebounds in his most recent performance on Saturday.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/10/17

November 10th, 2017 at 10:58pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the G League moves from around the basketball world today:

The Timberwolves have recalled Marcus Georges-Hunt from their G League affiliate in Iowa, Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune tweets. The forward scored 34 points in his lone game on assignment.
The Grizzlies have assigned three players to the Memphis Hustle, their G League affiliate, a press release on the team’s official site says. Assigned are Ivan Rabb, Deyonta Davis and Wayne Selden.
The Knicks have assigned Ron Baker and Damyean Dotson to their G League affiliate in Westchester, the team’s public relations department tweets.
Per Scott Bordrow of The Arizona Republic, the Suns have recalled Derrick Jones Jr. from the Northern Arizona Suns, their G League affiliate. The high flyer scored 11 points in his one and only game with the G League squad thus far.