Dwyane Wade Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Ferry, Elie, Heat

June 23rd, 2015 at 10:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Former Hawks GM Danny Ferry is relieved at this weekend’s release of the findings of a team-commissioned investigation that found no wrongdoing on his part, though he indicates that the team held onto the results for months, despite his request that they make them public, as he tells Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Indeed, the team knew the results of the investigation in September, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, a couple of days before Ferry took his leave of absense, and the public release was one of the terms of his buyout, according to Shelburne.

Ferry admitted to Shelburne that he made a mistake when he read racially charged comments about Luol Deng from a scouting report that an outside service had prepared, and while he considered ending his leave at points during the season, he ultimately decided that doing so would have been too much of a distraction. He also told Vivlamore that even as Hawks higher-ups acknowledged the situation was unfair, they pressured him to quit in the immediate wake of the crisis. “They didn’t see a way I could survive this,” Ferry said. “That was hard to take. Fortunately, Wayne Embry, the Rev. Toussaint Hill, Lance Blanks and others were telling me, ‘You can’t quit. If you quit now, you’re admitting you are a racist and you are not a racist.’ Those are people who have experienced racism. My father also was a good voice for me through all of this. I am glad I followed their advice and I am so grateful for the support from them and many others.”

Here’s more out of the Southeast Division:

The Magic, who own the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, are considering trading down for a lower first-rounder and a veteran to add to their young core, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “I would say we’ve talked to at least a half-dozen teams about it,” Orlando GM Rob Hennigan told Robbins. “So it’s something we’re definitely considering and weighing sincerely: potentially moving back.” You can view Hennigan’s complete draft history as an executive here.
The tense contract relations the Heat organization is currently experiencing with star Dwyane Wade will influence the team’s approach to the NBA Draft, Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post writes.
Mario Elie is a strong frontrunner to be hired as an assistant on coach Scott Skiles‘ staff with the Magic, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Elie has previously been an assistant for the Mavs, Kings, and Nets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Mutual Interest Between Lakers, Dwyane Wade

June 21st, 2015 at 5:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers and Dwyane Wade have mutual interest, reports Chris Mannix of SI.com, citing league sources (Twitter link). Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald previously reported that associates of Wade had identified the Lakers as a strong alternative if the Heat and its long-tenured shooting guard can’t come to terms (Twitter link), and it appears that the Lakers would like to take Wade up on the idea. Many execs nonetheless see Wade’s push for more than the Heat are willing to give as saber rattling, Mannix hears, pointing out in a second tweet that it’s difficult to envision the Lakers providing Wade with a better chance to win than he has in Miami. However, the Lakers have the cap flexibility necessary to give the Henry Thomas client the $20MM salaries that he’s apparently eyeing on a three-year deal.

Wade, who has a $16.125MM player option for next season and has hinted that he’ll opt out, is open to leaving the Heat, who’d prefer he opt in, as Jackson reported last month. A friend of Wade’s told Jackson that the Heat, if he won’t opt in, would like him to sign a deal worth $16MM next season and $10MM in each of the next two.

The Lakers have only about $35MM in guaranteed salary for next season against a projected $67.1MM cap. They wouldn’t have enough left over to sign Wade to the sort of salary he’s looking for if they land another marquee target, like LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love, without making some sort of salary-clearing trade. Presumably Wade, at 33 and with persistent knee concerns, is farther down the list of would-be targets, though the Lakers are also reportedly likely to chase Heat backcourt mate Goran Dragic, who’d be more likely to leave Miami if Wade does, as Jackson reported. The Heat are planning a five-year offer worth more than $80MM that’s less than the max for Dragic.

Wade’s father, who went as far as to appear in public wearing a Cavs T-shirt, has dropped vague hints that the Heat star is ready to leave Miami, as Ananth Pandian of CBSSports.com observes, though Wade himself, at least at the time of Jackson’s initial report last month, prefers to stay in Miami, all things being equal. We invited Hoops Rumors readers to discuss the issue as part of a recent Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround.

Western Notes: Wade, Lakers, Nuggets

June 21st, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dwyane Wade sees the Lakers as an possible destination if he declines his player option, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets. There is a mutual interest, league sources told Mannix, despite the Lakers being in rebuild mode. Wade reportedly would welcome $20MM salaries if he turns down his $16.125MM player option. The lure of playing in Los Angeles and the team’s ample salary cap room could be the attractions for Wade, Mannix adds in a separate tweet. The Lakers have also been linked to free agent Goran Dragic, Wade’s backcourt partner in Miami.

In other news around the Western Conference:

The Lakers are well aware of the failures of previous No. 2 overall picks, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register reports. Since 2000, only three players drafted at that spot – Tyson Chandler, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant – became All-Stars while several have been complete busts, including Darko Milicic, Hasheem Thabeet and Stromile Swift, Oram continues. That does not mean the Lakers are inclined to trade the pick, Oram adds. “I don’t think we’re going to end up saying, ‘15 of the last 18 No. 2 picks have not been great selections, therefore we must trade the pick,’” Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Oram.
Tyus Jones is expected to work out for the Nuggets on Monday, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (Twitter link). That’s an interesting development, considering Denver has the No. 7 overall pick and the Duke point guard is currently rated No. 23 on ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Top 100 Prospects list and No. 14 by DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony. That may be a signal the Nuggets are looking to trade down or acquire another pick.
Kings coach George Karl doubts that the player they draft with the No. 6 overall pick could play 30 minutes a game next season, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets. That follows the thinking of many scouts who see this draft filled with role players, Jones adds in a separate tweet.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 6/11/15

June 11th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Some of the greatest joys of being a sports fan, besides your favorite team winning the championship, are the debates that arise between fellow sports nuts along the way. It’s with this in mind that we at Hoops Rumors want to provide a forum for basketball fanatics to voice their opinions, debate trending topics, and simply hang out with like-minded hoops aficionados. We’ll be posting a topic for discussion on weeknights, and we hope that this will become a regular part of your sports day.

Of course, there will be differing opinions from time to time. While we absolutely encourage lively discussion and debate, we do expect everyone to treat each other with respect. So, please refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults or attacks, as well as the other taboo types of discourse laid out in our site’s commenting policy. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Hoops Rumors. Just put in your name, email address, and comment and submit it; there is no need to become a registered user.

Now that I’ve gotten the preamble and the fine print out of the way, it’s time to open the floor for our first topic: Dwyane Wade‘s contract situation with the Heat…

The Heat and Wade have been talking and there appears to be a significant difference in what the two sides believe Wade’s next deal should be worth, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The latest report from Jackson pegged the proposed deal at $16MM for 2015/16, and then $10MM for each of the remaining seasons. This is far from the reported $20MM per season that Wade is seeking.

Wade has played the part of the good soldier for the Heat in the past, accepting lower salaries on his previous contracts so that the team would have greater flexibility to construct its roster. The guard likely did so with the understanding, or at the very least, the hope, that his loyalty would be rewarded down the line. There is a chance that if the organization does not up its offer to Wade, he’ll opt out of his deal this summer and head elsewhere.

So the question I’m asking you today is this: How should Miami handle Wade’s contract situation? Should the Heat pay Wade what he wants as a reward for his past service? Or should the team hold fast and risk losing a 33-year-old player who has averaged just 58 contests over his last four seasons, despite him being the face of the franchise? Head to the comments section below to voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Eastern Notes: Knicks, Wade, Bucks

June 10th, 2015 at 8:06pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks are involved in active discussions to acquire a late first round or early second round pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Shams Charania of RealGM.com reports. New York is offering cash considerations in return for any available selections, Charania notes. The team has worked out several players, including France’s Mouhammadou Jaiteh, selling the potential that the team will push hard to acquire a pick in their projected draft range, the RealGM scribe adds.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

A friend of Dwyane Wade has said that the Heat‘s preference is to sign the guard to a three year deal worth $36MM, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. The salary structure would be $16MM for 2015/16, and then $10MM for each of the remaining seasons, Jackson adds. These figures are quite a difference from the three-year, $60MM deal that Wade is reported to be seeking, the Herald scribe notes.
Arizona forward Stanley Johnson has a workout scheduled on Saturday with the Knicks, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com relays (All Twitter links).
The Bucks held workouts today for Troran Brown (University of Montevallo), Nedim Buza (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Lucas Dias (Brazil), Alex Marzette (Robert Morris), Aaron Thomas (Florida State), and Greg Whittington (Georgetown), the team announced.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd still holds a small ownership stake in the Nets a year after parting ways with the franchise, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily relays (Twitter links). Though Kidd owns less than 1% of the team, the league still wants him to dispose of the stock, Windrem adds.
Notre Dame forward Pat Connaughton has a workout scheduled with the Knicks, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.

Southeast Notes: Wade, Bynum, Borrego

June 9th, 2015 at 2:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Heat teammates are in the dark about Dwyane Wade‘s contract situation, and even Mario Chalmers, who’s spoken to Wade, doesn’t know what will happen, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel details. Wade would reportedly like to opt out and is open to leaving the Heat, who would apparently prefer that he opt in, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported. I looked at the dynamics between Wade and the Heat in depth earlier today as I examined the offseason ahead for Miami. Here’s more from around the Southeast Division:

The Guangdong Southern Tigers have given Will Bynum a standing offer to return to China on a three-year deal, as Bynum tells Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. The point guard, whose contract with the Wizards expires at month’s end, said to Castillo that he’s “definitely considering” the Chinese offer but will seek a comparable NBA pact before committing to it.
Speaking of standing offers, former interim coach James Borrego has one from the Magic to return to the team as an assistant coach, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com amid a full piece that advances his earlier report on interest in the coach from the Thunder and Pelicans. Borrego is expected to make his decision this week about whether to stay with the Magic, Stein adds.
The Hornets are holding a predraft workout today for Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell, UNC Charlotte’s Pierria Henry, UTEP’s Vince Hunter, Davidson’s Tyler Kalinoski, Nebraska’s Terran Petteway and William & Mary’s Marcus Thornton, the team announced (on Twitter).

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Booker, Wade

June 8th, 2015 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant and Georgia State guard R.J. Hunter were among the six players the Hornets worked out on Monday, according to the team’s official website. Kentucky guard Andrew Harrison, Presbyterian College guard Jordan Downing, Michigan State forward Branden Dawson and Wyoming forward Larry Nance Jr. were the other participants. Grant is the most highly-regarded prospect among that group. He’s ranked No. 17 by ESPN Insider Chad Ford on his list of Top 100 prospects while DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony currently rates him at No. 15.

In other news around the Southeast Division:

Aaron Harrison was originally scheduled to be at the Hornets workout but his twin brother replaced him, Max Bultman of the Sporting News reports. Andrew Harrison did not offer an explanation for the switch, Bultman adds. “I talk to him a couple times a day, but he’s doing his thing, I’m doing mine,” Andrew Harrison said to reporters at the workout.
Kentucky shooting guard Devin Booker had a scheduled workout with the Heat on Monday, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com. The Heat hold the No. 10 overall pick and Booker is expected to go in the back half of the lottery. Booker, ranked No. 13 among Ford’s Top 100 prospects and No. 12 by DraftExpress, worked out for the Nuggets on Friday and recently worked out for Thunder and Suns, Ford adds.
Dwyane Wade‘s evasive comments about his future during the NBA Finals telecast on Sunday were odd and unsettling, Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel opines. Wade has until the end of the month to decide whether to opt out of his $16.1MM salary for 2015/16 and become a free agent. Hyde urges Heat owner Micky Arison to take care of Wade because of all he’s done for the franchise.

Dwyane Wade Hints At Opting Out

June 7th, 2015 at 7:09pm CST by Will Joseph

Dwyane Wade, appearing on ABC’s pre-game show for Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight, hinted that his contract status won’t be decided by the end of this month, which is when he must decide whether to opt out of his $16.1MM salary for 2015/16 and become a free agent on July 1, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes. Wade, 33, has been with the Heat since they drafted him No. 5 overall in 2003.

“Listen, it’s summertime,” Wade said. “With summertime and free agency there’s gonna be a lot of talk. Right now I’m glad the Finals are going on. We’ll worry about that in July. This is our biggest showcase.”

Wade likely is seeking at least a three-year deal, even though he has not said that, Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post writes. Wade is open to leaving the Heat this summer if the sides cannot agree, Lieser adds.

Wade averaged 21.5 points per game with 4.8 assists per game last season. He shot 47% from the field and was selected for his 11th straight All-Star Game. He has led the Heat to three championships.

Eastern Notes: Hawks, Wade, Woods

June 6th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Eddie Scarito

With the sale of the Hawks nearly completed, the situation regarding embattled GM Danny Ferry is still waiting a definitive resolution, Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Schultz predicts the most likely outcome is that Ferry simply resigns and Atlanta gives coach Mike Budenholzer a new contract and more autonomy, and places assistant GM Wes Wilcox in charge of the basketball operations department, at least for the 2015/16 campaign.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:

The Cavaliers announced that point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a fractured left kneecap during the first game of the NBA Finals, and he will require surgery to repair the damage that will keep him out of action for a minimum of three to four months.
In his weekly mailbag, a reader asked Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel if he felt that the Heat‘s personnel mistakes have fueled Dwyane Wade‘s concern moving forward. Winderman believes that Wade has lost a good amount of trust in the front office and if the team was winning now, salary might not be such a sticking point for him. The question is whether the Heat are “all in” for 2015/16 and, at present, Winderman isn’t sure that’s the case.
The Magic have expressed interest in Butler big man Kameron Woods, who is not projected to be picked in the upcoming NBA Draft, David Woods of The Indianapolis Star writes. The team interviewed Woods last week, and could be looking to sign the forward as a free agent after the draft, the Indy Star scribe adds.
The Pistons are holding workouts today for Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Sir’Dominic Pointer (St. John’s), D.J. Newbill (Penn State), Will Cummings (Temple), and Juwan Howard Jr. (Detroit), Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Dragic, Butler

June 4th, 2015 at 8:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The sale of the Hawks is slated to become official on June 24th, a source tells Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Tony Ressler will become the majority owner of the franchise, which sold for a price of $730MM, down from the estimated $750MM to $1 billion figure that had previously been reported, as Vivlamore notes. The purchasing group additionally consists of Grant Hill, Rick Schnall, Sara Blakely, and Jesse Itzler. Hopefully, the sale will help turn a new page on the inner workings of an otherwise successful franchise that was marred by scandal last summer. Here’s more from the Southeast Division, who for the first time in four seasons won’t have a representative in the NBA Finals..

One of Goran Dragic’s two agents, Rade Filipovich, believes that his client wants Dwyane Wade to stay in Miami, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “We are monitoring closely what’s going on; Wade is a very important piece for Miami’s future; he’s a superstar,” said Filipovich, who also expressed optimism that the Heat will retain Wade. “Goran wants Wade to stay. But it’s my opinion. I can’t answer for Goran. It’s not the focus for Goran.”
If Dragic is not re-signed, Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post wonders if the Heat might chase free agent Rajon Rondo. Miami would be in scramble mode for a new point guard if Dragic flees, but Rondo still doesn’t seem like a good fit given all his baggage and his decline at this stage in his career. As Lieser notes, Rondo could wind up with the Lakers, who have also been heavily connected to Dragic for some time.
Rasual Butler wants to return to the Wizards and he’s not making a secret of it. Brandon Parker of The Washington Post looked back at the season that Butler had in D.C. and looked at how he might fit in with the team in 2015/16. Butler, 36, averaged 7.7 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 20.1 minutes per contest last season.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.