J.R. Smith Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Magic, Smith, Haywood, Humphries

July 9th, 2012 at 10:35pm CST by Zachary Links

This year's amnesty period kicks off on Wednesday and this afternoon Larry Coon of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) ran down his candidates for each of the 23 teams that did not use the provision last year. Among the most likely to go are Mike Miller of the Heat and Darko Milicic of the T'Wolves. After that, there are a number of "jump ball" candidates such as the Mavs' Brendan Haywood. The waiving of Haywood once seemed like a foregone conclusion but after striking out on Deron Williams, Dallas is no longer starved for cap room. Here's more from around the Association..

Free Agent Rumors: Mavs, Dragic, Orton, Blazers

July 3rd, 2012 at 8:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Day 3 of NBA free agency is underway, and the July free agent period hasn't lacked for action so far. We'll use this space to track a number of updates on second- and third-tier free agents as the day continues. Here's the latest:

The Warriors, Lakers, and Bobcats are all interested in Antawn Jamison, tweets Yahoo! Sports columnist Marc J. Spears.
The Mavericks might clear cap space for next summer when Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are unrestricted free agents, tweets Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski.
Ersan Ilyasova's agent has said his client is seriously considering a "big offer" from a European club, according to HoopsHype.com.
The Timberwolves continued negotiation with Nicolas Batum, Greg Stiemsma, and Jordan Hill on Tuesday, but no deal was reached, writes TwinCities.com's Ray Richardson.

Earlier updates:

Chauncey Billups and Spencer Hawes won't be possibilities for the Trail Blazers, says Jason Quick of the Oregonian (Twitter links).
The Thunder, Hornets, and Wizards have expressed interest in Roger Mason, tweets ESPN.com's Chris Broussard.
Brandon Roy met with the Warriors in the Bay Area on Sunday, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The Cavaliers and Knicks have expressed some interest in restricted free agent Sonny Weems, says Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The Pacers may be a long shot for Jamal Crawford, but the club has "legitimate interest" in Carlos Delfino, tweets Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
GM David Kahn and the Timberwolves like Greg Stiemsma and "talked numbers" with his agent, but no offer was made, says Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). The two sides will meet again on Friday.
The Clippers continue to have interest in Jason Terry and J.R. Smith and are talking with both players' reps, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. I imagine the Clips view those players as alternate options if they miss out on Jamal Crawford and Ray Allen.
The Pacers are expected to meet with Gerald Green and Ian Mahinmi in the coming days, tweets Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
Antawn Jamison will meet with the "very interested" Bobcats on Thursday and Friday, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Jamison has previously talked about a desire to finish his career in his hometown of Charlotte.
The Trail Blazers have reached out to Chauncey Billups, who is exploring all his options, says Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
If the Pacers decide not to match Portland's offer sheet for Roy Hibbert, they'll turn their attention to Chris Kaman and JaVale McGee, according to ESPN.com's Ric Bucher.
J.R. Smith's brother tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com that he expects J.R. to return to the Knicks.
Terrence Williams is drawing interest from the Kings, Pistons, and Suns, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Daniel Orton has emerged as a potential free agent target for the Thunder, tweets Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman.
The Suns are still meeting with Goran Dragic and will likely meet with him again in the next few days, tweets Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
Now that Deron Williams is headed to the Nets, the Mavericks will target Steve Nashand Jeremy Lin, and focus on re-signing Jason Kidd, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein. Dallas is not sure whether or not they'll go after Goran Dragic.

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J.R. Smith Declines Player Option

June 26th, 2012 at 6:08pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 6:08pm: Smith officially declined his player option for 2012-13 and will become a free agent on July 1st.

MONDAY, 4:15pm: Smith will likely opt out to re-sign with the Knicks for a 20% raise, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. As I wrote below, that would mean the Knicks would use the Non-Bird exception on Smith, and could retain their mid-level exception to use on another player. Smith would be eligible for a contract of up to about $12MM over four years.

Odds & Ends: Hornets, Bobcats, Smith

June 6th, 2012 at 8:38pm CST by Michael Pina

In his exit interview with the Knicks, J.R. Smith was told by his coach that the number one thing he needed to work on was his mid-range game. According to Newsday's Al Iannazzone, the guard still doesn't know if that improved part of his offensive attack will take place in New York.

Notable Outstanding Option Decisions

June 5th, 2012 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers officially exercised their option on Andrew Bynum yesterday, locking him up for the final year of his contract. Bynum's isn't the first option decision of the year — Beno Udrih has picked up his 2012/13 player option, while Dwight Howard famously waived his early termination option earlier in the season. Over the next few weeks, we'll hear about even more team, player, and early termination options, as teams prepare for the July free agency period. Listed below are a few key decisions to watch in the coming weeks….

Deron Williams, Nets ($17.78MM player option): Okay, so there's no real drama here. But when Williams declines his player option, the biggest free agent of the 2012 market will be set to officially hit the open market.
Lou Williams, 76ers ($5.35MM ETO): Williams is expected to exercise his early termination option, making him an unrestricted free agent. Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported last week that the Sixers guard may seek a deal similar to the five-year, $43MM contract Thaddeus Young signed a year ago. Will Philadelphia be willing to make that sort of offer, or will Williams sign elsewhere?
Gerald Wallace, Nets ($9.5MM player option): Wallace turns 30 in July, so this summer may represent his best chance to sign one more big-money, long-term deal. Even if he doesn't match $9.5MM annually on a new deal, I expect him to take advantage of that opportunity and turn down this option in search of a multiyear contract.
Brandon Bass, Celtics ($4.25MM player option): A solid contributor to the Celtics this season, Bass would certainly draw interest if he decides to opt out and test the open market. He has said he'd like to remain in Boston long-term, but opting out to renegotiate a new deal with the C's could complicate the team's offseason plans.
Elton Brand, 76ers ($18.16MM ETO): For the 33-year-old Brand, waiving his ETO seems like a lock. The real question is what will happen after he picks up the final year of his contract — the Sixers still have the amnesty clause at their disposal, and the opportunity to clear $18MM+ off their cap figure in a single stroke may be too tempting to pass up.
Ramon Sessions, Lakers ($4.55MM player option): Before the postseason, it seemed like a sure thing that Sessions would opt out and negotiate a new contract with the Lakers. But following a poor playoff performance, Sessions' future is less clear. If he declines his option in search of a new deal, I don't think there's any guarantee he re-signs with the Lakers. It's still probably the likeliest scenario, but given the number of point guards available this summer, L.A. figures to explore all their options.
J.R. Smith, Knicks ($2.44MM player option): If Smith turns down his player option, he almost certainly won't be a Knick next year, so his decision will come down to how much he enjoys playing in New York. Because there's little doubt that he could find a more lucrative contract as a free agent.
Mo Williams, Clippers ($8.5MM player option): Long-term security seems important to Williams, but it's hard to imagine him turning down an $8.5MM guarantee for next season, since he's unlikely to find that in free agency. His decision will affect how much flexibility the Clips have to pursue other free agents this summer.
Jameer Nelson, Magic ($8.6MM player option): Like the Clippers' Williams, he'll likely only opt out if he can renegotiate a new deal with his current club. However, I think that's a more probable option in Nelson's case. He has talked about not wanting to always be on the trade block, so I think he'd be willing to take a pay cut for next season if it meant being locked up for the next two or three.
Jamal Crawford, Trail Blazers ($5.23MM player option): Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports has reported that Crawford will decline his option, which makes sense. A team like the Clippers or Timberwolves that has been missing a viable two guard will likely make Crawford an attractive multiyear offer.
Kelenna Azubuike, Mavericks ($993K team option): The money may not be significant, but with the Mavs trying to clear room to make a run at Deron Williams and other free agents, every million counts. Dallas signed Azubuike with an eye toward 2012/13, so it would be a little surprising if the team turned down its option, but it could be necessary if cap space gets tight.

Our complete list of outstanding team, player, and early termination options can be found here.

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Knicks Notes: Lin, Free Agency, Draft Workouts

May 25th, 2012 at 10:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few of today's Knicks-related items….

Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald expects Jeremy Lin to re-sign with the team and doesn't foresee a scenario in which the franchise is unable to retain him, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. "We can keep him if we want him, and we do want to keep him. I believe that Jeremy had a great experience here and I believe he wants to come back. So that's where that is."
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com reports Grunwald would like to bring back free agent Steve Novak and hopes J.R. Smith picks up his player option so he can remain with the Knicks.
After working out for the Knicks, Iona's Scott Machado spoke to Al Iannazzone of Newsday about New York's potential hole at point guard: "For any point guard that wants to play here, I feel like it's a good opportunity. They got some players that are banged up, hurt or some players that are retiring or old…. As far as the opportunity here, it's a wonderful spot, they have a lot of pieces. Somewhere they need to grow solid in is the point guard spot. That's my opinion. I feel like it's a good opportunity for any point guard."
Re-signing Lin would help the Knicks solidify that point guard spot, but there's no guarantee New York will re-sign the restricted free agent. Dennis Velasco of The Basketball Jones examines a few potential landing spots for Lin.
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com spoke to Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom, who also worked out for the Knicks and could be a second-round target for the team.
Mike Woodson's former agent Joe Glass is upset Woodson let him go before negotiating with James Dolan and the Knicks, but wishes the coach success in the future, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Larry Brown, the Glass client that initially created tension between the agent and Dolan, tells Berman that Woodson did the right thing for his future by changing agents.
I previewed the Knicks' summer earlier today in the latest installment in our Offseason Outlook series.

Knicks Rumors: Smith, Lin, Nash, Fields

May 14th, 2012 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

On Friday, I examined the Knicks' salary cap situation heading into the offseason and explained the obstacles facing the team as it looks to retain its own free agents and bring in more talent. With the help of CBA expert Larry Coon, ESPN.com's Jared Zwerling explores the same topic more extensively. While our conclusions were similar, Zwerling was able to add some details on the thinking of the club and its free agents. Here are the highlights:

A source tells Zwerling that J.R. Smith's father Earl is going to try to convince his son to stay in New York but that "it's very clear that the money is the biggest factor with him." In fact, Smith chose the Knicks over the Clippers in free agency this past season because he was financially broke and the Knicks had more money to offer, according to Zwerling.
One source on Jeremy Lin: "He's going to be in New York next year regardless, unless they decide they're not going to match him because [Steve] Nash is going to come in at $5 million or something like that. But Nash is a pipe dream. I think that they keep Lin, just because of his popularity."
If Lin re-signs in New York, the Knicks will be hard-pressed to retain Landry Fields. Zwerling hears from a source that Fields may get a $5MM-per-year offer, not because he's necessarily worth that, but because teams often have to overpay to pry restricted free agents away.

Knicks Notes: J.R. Smith, Phil Jackson, Anthony

May 13th, 2012 at 8:50am CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks face a series of offseason questions ranging from which players they will keep to help fill out their bench to whether Mike Woodson will return as head coach. Let's head to Madison Square Garden to check in on the latest headlines and stories making noise in New York City.

The Knicks are hoping J.R. Smith doesn't opt out of his $2.5MM contract and returns to the team next season, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The former Nuggets sharpshooter is a strong fit for the Knicks because he's comfortable coming off the bench as the team's sixth man. Smith, 26, averaged 12.5 PPG during the regular season but struggled during the playoffs against the Heat where his 3PT% was just .179.
Berman says Knicks owner James Dolan is foolish for not taking the opportunity to call Phil Jackson to see if the legendary coach had any interest in leading the Knicks next season. While Jackson is still recovering from knee replacement surgery, nothing would have been lost by Dolan calling the former Knicks forward to see if he wanted to assume the reigns from Woodson. Berman fears that the Knicks will be no better than the Woodson's Hawks teams except with die-hard fans and sellout crowds.
The Knicks will have to build their roster around Carmelo Anthony if they have any hope of beating the Heat during the playoffs in seasons to come, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News. It's not so much that Anthony is the savior to the team's struggles but rather that the team has invested so heavily in him with the players they traded and the contract he signed that it would be too early to give up on him. Lupica says the team will need to get creative to find additional talent to add to the team's roster heading into next season.

J.R. Smith Leaning Toward Exercising Option?

May 11th, 2012 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

Although J.R. Smith recently tweeted comments suggesting he might be on his way out of New York, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Smith is leaning toward exercising his option and remaining a Knick. Smith, who holds a $2.5MM player option for 2012/13, said yesterday that he was "just messing" with fans on Twitter.

Ever since Smith signed with New York this season for the mini mid-level exception, reports have gone back and forth on whether he'll opt in for the second year of his contract. Berman suggests that a poor playoff performance could have an impact Smith's decision — the 26-year-old averaged just 12.2 points in 35.0 minutes per game vs. Miami, shooting 31.6% from the floor and just 17.9% from downtown.

"The way the economy is working nowadays, I don’t even know," Smith said of his value on the open market. "In my heart I believe I am [worth more than $2.5MM]. But you got a look at it from a standpoint of where everyone else is as well."

Like Smith, I still believe he's worth more than $2.5MM on the open market, and I have my doubts about whether he'll really opt in. If he does, it would complicate matters for New York, who won't have the means to retain all their free agents this offseason. If Smith opts in, the team should still be able to re-sign Jeremy Lin, but may have to part ways with Landry Fields and Steve Novak.

Knicks Notes: J.R. Smith, Stoudemire, Anthony

May 9th, 2012 at 11:21pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks delayed the inevitable with a win Sunday in Game 4 to avoid a sweep, but they met their fate tonight, losing 106-94 to the Heat in Game 5. Now, with seven free agents on the roster, the offseason work begins. Earlier today we heard the Knicks plan to bring back coach Mike Woodson, but that's just the first step in a busy summer ahead.

J.R. Smith is sending mixed messages about whether he'll return, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com notes. He's expected to turn down his $2.5MM option for next season, and earlier this evening we heard he's keeping close tabs on the Nuggets, his old team.
In addition to free agents Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields, Royce Young of CBSSports.com believes the team must decide on its future with Amare Stoudemire this summer.
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News says the Knicks must find a consistent identity going forward after a season when it seemed like there were half a dozen different Knicks teams.
The Knicks won't be one the final four teams left in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but Carmelo Anthony believes they're one of the top teams in the East and is optimistic about the future in New York, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Tyson Chandler is less upbeat, telling reporters, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, "It's unacceptable to me. I didn't come here to lose in the first round and I don't plan on doing this in the future."