Evan Turner Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Turner, Brooks, Pistons

April 27th, 2016 at 5:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Evan Turner‘s strong play for the Celtics this season should put him in line to command a starting salary of over $10MM per year on his next contract, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “You hear players talk all the time about doing whatever it takes to win, but he’s doing it,” an NBA executive told Blakely. “Start, come off the bench, play a few minutes, play a lot of minutes. He’s done everything they’ve asked him to do and from what I hear hasn’t grumbled a day about it. Every team needs a guy like that in their locker room.”

“If you’re looking for him to come in and put X amount of points and X amount of assists per game and [shoot] this or that from the field, he’s probably not your guy,” another executive told the CSN scribe regarding the future unrestricted free agent. “He helps you win games. That’s probably his greatest strength.” The 27-year-old averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 81 appearances for Boston this season.

Here’s more from the East:

At his introductory press conference, new Wizards coach Scott Brooks sidestepped all questions regarding Kevin Durant coming to Washington, with GM Ernie Grunfeld stressing to reporters that Brooks was there to coach the team’s current roster and not to lure Durant, Stephen Wyno of The Associated Press relays.
If the Pistons hope to advance deeper in the playoffs than the first round, the team will need to add depth to its bench via free agency and the NBA draft, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. The scribe does note that Detroit enters the offseason with few holes to fill, which should allow the team to focus on its deficiencies in its quest to return to the postseason in 2016/17. Potential draft targets for Detroit, which owns the No. 19 overall pick this June, include Michigan State wing Denzel Valentine, Turkish guard Furkan Korkmaz or Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis, Bontemps opines.
The Bucks also need to add depth to their roster over the summer, opines Bobby Marks of The Vertical in his offseason primer for the team. Milwaukee needs to find athletic wings to complement its starters and a reliable power forward to back up Jabari Parker, Marks writes. The scribe adds that the team is on solid footing with its young core despite missing the playoffs this season, but finding a workable role for big man Greg Monroe is paramount if the Bucks hope to improve in 2016/17.

Sixers Notes: Turner, Hinkie, Embiid, Colangelo

April 10th, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Arthur Hill

Ex-Sixer Evan Turner is defending former Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie, who resigned Wednesday, writes Jay King of MassLive. Turner, now with the Celtics, spent nearly four years in Philadelphia before being traded to Indiana in 2014. He didn’t read Hinkie’s 13-page resignation letter but says he understood what the former executive was trying to accomplish. “One thing I didn’t know was [how well they’re set up for the draft],” Turner said. “That’s somewhat ingenious. That could set them up great for the future. It’s just in the NBA, I don’t know what he had with [76ers owner] Josh Harris, but typically jobs, unless you’re a legend, jobs don’t last seven or eight years for a plan. I think if it does work out then he did set them up great, you know?” Philadelphia, which has clinched the top spot in Hoops Rumors’ reverse standings, will have its own first-round pick in June, along with the Heat’s, the Thunder’s and the Lakers’ if it falls out of the top three.

There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:

Turner still believes great things are ahead for Sixers center Joel Embiid, King writes in the same piece. Philadelphia took Embiid third overall in the 2014 draft, but a string of injuries has prevented him from playing. Calling him possibly the “next [Hakeem] Olajuwon,” Turner recalls watching Embiid in an early workout. “The kid went in-between-the-legs dunk at 7-feet,” Turner said. “Bigs are hard to find. That coordination, and I’ve seen him hit 15 straight threes from the top [of the arc]. Hopefully it works out for him because I’ve got so much respect for [76ers head coach] Brett [Brown], I’ve got so much respect for the staff that works there, and when Philly gets going like in the [Allen] Iverson days it can be a special city.”
The risks that Hinkie took were worthwhile, argues Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine. While acknowledging the potential downside of Hinkie’s moves, Bodner contends Embiid could be the Sixers’ best center since Moses Malone and Nerlens Noel is the team’s best interior defender since Dikembe Mutombo. In addition, Philadelphia has a 50-50 shot at landing a top two draft pick and selecting Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram.
Despite charges of nepotism, likely new GM Bryan Colangelo has a solid record, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that Colangelo is a two-time Executive of the Year who has a history of making aggressive moves.

Atlantic Notes: Turner, Crowder, Kilpatrick, Casey

March 21st, 2016 at 7:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics‘ Evan Turner is finally getting past the burden of being the second player taken in the 2010 draft, and it’s showing in his performance, writes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. The sixth-year swingman, who is rumored to be an offseason target for the Knicks, has become a valuable contributor in Boston, averaging 10 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games this season. Turner never became the star the Sixers hoped he would be when they selected him, and he seemed out of place during a brief stay in Indiana in 2014. However, Turner has put together two solid seasons with the Celtics and seems well-positioned headed into free agency. “I just feel like the freedom to come in and play in a system that doesn’t demand and expect, ‘Hey, you’re the second player chosen.’ He took some hits in that early path,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown. “I see, like in a lot of young guys, they find their stride at a little bit later date. I’m proud of him.”

There’s more news out of Boston and the rest of the division:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens says Jae Crowder should be back on the court in about two weeks, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. Crowder suffered a high ankle sprain in a March 11th game, and a report last week said he could be sidelined through the first round of the playoffs. But Stevens is more optimistic today, saying Crowder is making progress.
Sean Kilpatrick‘s 6’4″ size cast him as a tweener and helped him slip through the cracks up until recently, but his scoring versatility makes him a promising addition for the Nets, NetsDaily concludes in a video analysis. Kilpatrick signed a multiyear deal with Brooklyn this weekend following a pair of 10-day contracts.
Coach Dwane Casey’s tough-minded approach has helped the Raptors become a serious challenger for the Eastern Conference title, according to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Entering tonight, Toronto was 48-21, just a game behind the Cavaliers for the No. 1 seed. It was widely expected that Masai Ujiri would make a coaching change when he took over as GM in 2013, but he stuck with Casey and later retained free agent point guard Kyle Lowry and the pair have become the emotional leaders of the franchise.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Knicks Eyeing Evan Turner?

March 21st, 2016 at 3:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson is a “big fan” of Evan Turner, as Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports hears. Mannix, speaking in an appearance on Comcast Sportsnet Northeast (video link), said he expects the Knicks to pursue the swingman in free agency this summer and pointed to the relationship that Turner’s agent, David Falk, has with Jackson dating to Falk’s days as Michael Jordan’s representative. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and coach Brad Stevens earlier this month expressed their fondness for Turner, who’s indicated that his preference would be to stay in Boston.

The Nets were also reportedly fond of Turner, though that news came before the team removed Billy King from the GM job. Turner has started fewer games this season than in any since he became the No. 2 overall pick in 2010 and is shooting a career-worst 18.3% from 3-point range, but he’s carved out a niche as a sixth man in Boston and averages 27.4 minutes per contest. His 6’7″ size makes him an intriguing candidate for the Knicks, since Jackson has traditionally favored taller guards for his triangle offense. The Zen Master said around the time New York hired him that smaller guards were more useful now than in the past, however.

It’s unclear if Jackson is enough of a fan to see Turner as a starting-caliber player. Plenty of talk in recent days has surrounded the idea of Rajon Rondo signing with New York. Rondo, the NBA’s leading per-game assist-maker, would probably be a higher priority for the team, though Jackson has spoken about a desire to sign multiple players of consequence this summer. The team’s flexibility to do so likely hinges on what Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams decide to do with their respective player options, which total $12.598MM. The Knicks otherwise have about $55MM in guaranteed salary against a salary cap projected to come in between $90MM and $95MM. Turner is making almost $3.425MM this season, the last in a two-year deal he signed in 2014 after a poor finish to the 2013/14 season with the Pacers, so he seems destined to earn much more in what Mannix expects will be a robust market for him this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Clarke, Turner, Kilpatrick, D-League

March 13th, 2016 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge stayed away from the buyout market, grabbing D-League star Coty Clarke over some of the bigger names that were available, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Boston, after waiving little-used David Lee, hardly made any pursuit of Joe Johnson, Kevin Martin, Ty Lawson or any of the other veterans who hit the open market. Instead, Ainge opted for Clarke, who has yet to play after signing a 10-day contract Monday. “We thought Coty was the best guy available,” Ainge said. “He’s had a terrific year in Maine. He’s been with our organization all year. He knows our stuff and there’s a little bit of continuity there. There’s some carryover to what our players do in [Maine] and what our players do in Boston. So we thought it was the easiest transition. And we didn’t desperately need someone that was out there. Like, for example, David Lee was a terrific player, but we had too many guys at that position. So Coty is a little bit different in that he can shoot the 3-ball and switch and guard multiple positions.”

There’s more on the Celtics and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

Ainge is hoping the team can reach a long-term deal to keep Evan Turner in Boston, Washburn writes in the same story. The impending free agent swingman has developed into a reliable reserve, averaging 10 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists while playing about 27 minutes per game. “As you know, I’m a fan of Evan, and I think he’s had a really good year,” Ainge said. “I think he’s had a good two years [with the Celtics]. He won a lot of games for us. Down the stretch of games, he’s a good guy to have on your team. He’s a versatile player. He plays multiple positions.”
The Nets are happy with the production they’ve gotten from Sean Kilpatrick, who signed a second 10-day contract with the team Wednesday, according to NetsDaily. Part of the youth movement new GM Sean Marks has instituted, the 26-year-old shooting guard has averaged 9.4 points per game while shooting 50% from 3-point range during his time with Brooklyn.
The Celtics recalled James Young from their D-League affiliate in Maine and sent Jordan Mickey to the Red Claws, the team tweeted today.
The Raptors recalled Bruno Caboclo from Raptors 905 in the D-League, according to a tweet from the organization.

Atlantic Notes: Hollis-Jefferson, Turner, D-League

March 12th, 2016 at 2:37pm CST by Eddie Scarito

One bright spot during the Nets‘ dismal 2015/16 campaign was the early season play of rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who has been sidelined since December after undergoing surgery to repair his fractured right ankle. The initial estimate was that Hollis-Jefferson would miss three months of action and the player appears to be on schedule to make that prognosis a reality, though no firm date has been established for the swingman to return to game action yet, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “Not [a rush] at all. Not at all. Whenever I’m ready and they call my name, that’s how it’ll go,” Hollis-Jefferson told reporters on Friday.

Interim coach Tony Brown was pleased with the rookie’s progress and was impressed with Hollis-Jefferson’s work ethic, Lewis relays. “Whenever that is. I’m not sure when that’s going to be, but he’s putting in the work and he’s obviously trying to get himself in better conditioning so that we can put him out there on the floor,” Brown said. “But he’s doing all the necessary work. Even though he hasn’t played in the games, he’s doing all the work to get himself ready. He’s doing what’s been asked of him. He’s come in and worked on his shot, he’s getting extra work in practice on the days that we do practice, and on the days that we don’t, he’s coming in.”

Here’s the latest regarding the teams of the Atlantic Division:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens is a fan of Evan Turner and the versatility he brings to the team’s roster, Mike Petraglia of WEEI 93.7 FM relays. “I think Evan Turner’s been really good since he’s been here,” Stevens said. “The thing I’ve said all along is he’s a jack of all trades. He does a lot of good things for our team. The other thing is he just loves the game, and I really appreciate that about him. I appreciate a guy that every single day practice or game is really into it, really into improving, really into watching it, really into talking about it. It’s just important to him. He’s done a great job. I’m really happy for him. We really value what he brings to the table.” It remains to be seen whether the high praise from Stevens indicates that Boston plans to make a push to re-sign Turner, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after earning $3,425,510 in 2015/16.
The Raptors have recalled center Lucas Nogueira and combo guard Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Bruno Caboclo remains on assignment with the Raptors 905.

Eastern Notes: Turner, Humphries, Knicks

March 6th, 2016 at 3:52pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Evan Turner will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but he would like to return to the Celtics, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. “I like Boston,” Turner said. “It’s my favorite place to ever play. My career has been on the up and up since I’ve been here.”

The 27-year-old added that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is a major reason for his admiration of the team. “What I respect about Danny is he’s all about winning championships,” Turner said.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Kris Humphries, who signed with the Hawks last week, is excited about playing for a team that could do some damage come playoff time, as he tells Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “This is a really good team,” Humphries said. He added that he feels comfortable with the system that coach Mike Budenholzer has in place. “You look at most of their principles,” the big man said. “It’s something I’ve been involved in so it should work out. I’ve played in this kind of system before.”
It may be time for Knicks owner James Dolan to decide if team president Phil Jackson has a future with the organization, Mike Lupica of the Daily News writes. Lupica is critical of Jackson’s choices since coming to New York, including his hiring of Derek Fisher.

Atlantic Notes: Turner, Raptors Picks, Holmes

January 8th, 2016 at 12:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

A strong case can be made that soon-to-be free agent Evan Turner was the most valuable player on the Celtics last season, and his raw numbers don’t show his value the way advanced metrics do, particularly regarding his defense, contends Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Turner, whom the Nets are reportedly fond of as a potential free agent target, has a habit of making eye-catching statements, as Forsberg details. Still, he appeared genuine when he spoke Thursday of his affection for coach Brad Stevens, who’s away from the Celtics to tend to a player he coached at Butler University who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, notes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.

“That guy’s lucky to be able to have coach; guys that played for him are lucky to be able to have a coach like that,” Turner said, referring to Stevens’ willingness to leave the Celtics to be with his ex-player in a moment of need. “It just speaks volumes, and I’m blown away by it. I’m lucky to play for him. That says a lot about his character, and obviously it puts him in a higher stature than I already have him.”

See more on the Celtics amid our look around the Atlantic Division:

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge understands the frustration that some of the team’s players are going through as they deal with a lack of playing time on a deep roster, as he explained to Bulpett for a separate piece. David Lee spoke up this week about his dissatisfaction with his removal from the rotation.
The Raptors have one extra first-round pick in each of the next two drafts, and a source who spoke with Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun indicated that the Raptors don’t plan to add four rookies to the roster in the next two years, a signal that the club will trade one or more of those picks. However, the Raptors aren’t willing to make those selections available for cheap, and multiple other sources told Wolstat that the team would be unlikely to swap one of the picks for a stopgap player on a short-term deal. The team strongly prefers to keep its picks through the end of the season because of the rising value of rookie deals around the league, Wolstat adds.
Richaun Holmes looks like a find for the Sixers, as his athleticism, his performance in the pick-and-roll, and his shot-blocking have been impressive despite his shortcomings as a defensive rebounder, observes Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine. Philadelphia has Holmes, the 37th pick in last year’s draft, on a four-year deal worth about $4.2MM. Holmes, whose stock surged during the lead-up to the draft, spoke with Zach Links of Hoops Rumors in April.

Nets Interested In Nicolas Batum, Evan Turner

January 8th, 2016 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Nets are fond of soon-to-be free agents Nicolas Batum and Evan Turner, NetsDaily tweets, also confirming earlier reports of the team’s interest in Mike Conley and DeMar DeRozan. Brooklyn only has about $45MM in guaranteed salary committed for next season against a projected $89MM cap, and without a 2016 first-round pick thanks to the 2013 Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce deal, making improvements via free agency will be that much more important to the Nets. Still, questions remain about Brooklyn’s ability to attract marquee talent to a franchise that’s experienced declines in winning percentage three years in a row.

Batum is in the midst of a career year, having taken to Charlotte in his first season there after the Trail Blazers dealt him to the Hornets over the summer. It’s no surprise to see the Nets have interest in the 27-year-old who’s averaging 16.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 34.8 minutes per game, especially since Bojan Bogdanovic and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson are the team’s only wing players with fully guaranteed contracts for next season. Still, re-signing Batum will no doubt be a high priority for Charlotte, and the Bouna Ndiaye client has said that his fondness for Hornets coach Steve Clifford, who signed an extension this fall, “could be a big factor” in his decision.

Turner is a more surprising object of Brooklyn’s interest. He started most of the season for the Celtics last year, but he’s made only four starts this season, including the past three games as he’s filled in for an injured Avery Bradley. The former No. 2 overall pick has failed to live up to his draft position since joining the NBA in 2010, and he signed with Boston in 2013 for just $6.704MM over two years. The rising salary cap and a better performance with the Celtics than he gave the Pacers before signing his last contract should push the David Falk client’s price tag higher this summer, but compared to Batum, he’ll likely be much more obtainable.

Complicating matters is the unsettled situation in the Nets front office, where GM Billy King is on a contract that expires at season’s end. NetsDaily has countered a European report indicating that owner Mikhail Prokhorov wants CSKA Moscow team president Andrey Vatutin to succeed King. Nets CEO Brett Yormark, who’s apparently a major proponent of recruiting John Calipari back to the organization in a role that would likely include player personnel power, has begun to speak more often about the team’s basketball operations, as NetsDaily has also pointed out.

Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Turner, Williams

November 27th, 2015 at 11:01am CST by Eddie Scarito

Raptors power forward James Johnson took to Twitter earlier this week to express displeasure with how he was being utilized, not a wise move for a player whose NBA career may depend on how he adjusts to a limited role with the team, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. Johnson, who is earning $2.5MM this season, is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and appearing to be disruptive, especially after a team win, won’t help his value on the open market, Smith opines. The 28-year-old is averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers have been attempting to rebuild through the draft by bottoming out as a franchise, but the risk the team runs is that the process may become toxic prior to paying dividends, Nate Scott of USA Today writes. The franchise runs the risk of conditioning its players to lose, as well as potentially souring any free agent targets on coming to Philadelphia, Scott notes.
Derrick Williams has apparently fallen out of Knicks coach Derek Fisher‘s rotation, which doesn’t please the veteran, but he is trying to make the best of the situation, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “We got to sacrifice a little bit. We went on a little win streak. So you don’t want to complain when you’re winning. It just makes you look like a bad individual,” Williams said. “I’ve always been a team guy. I’m happy when we’re winning. [Wednesday], when I know I can play and I think I can help, it does get frustrating. But we have more games. So hopefully Friday [at home against Miami], things turn around a little bit.”
With Philadelphia on the verge of setting the NBA record for futility to begin a campaign, swingman Evan Turner feels bad for his former franchise, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I know Brett [Brown] is a great coach, and those players over there grind hard,” said Turner. “It’s not like they are sitting around doing nothing. Those kids grind, man. I know for sure they stay over the summer and work out together. So you feel bad in that sense, [because] it is a team working to be successful. It’s not like they are a bunch of high-paid players that have a crazy attitude about it.“
The Raptors have recalled Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced.