Jason Kapono Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors Waive Five Players

October 25th, 2014 at 8:05am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Warriors have waived Aaron Craft, Jason Kapono, Sean Kilpatrick, James Michael McAdoo, and Mitchell Watt, the team announced in a press release. These moves will reduce Golden State’s preseason roster count to 15, which is the regular season maximum. None of these moves come as a surprise as all were longshots to make the regular season roster. All of the players except for Kapono had partial guarantees for $35K. Kapono’s deal was non-guaranteed, so the Warriors aren’t on the hook for any money for him.

Craft averaged 8.9 PPG and 4.7 APG during his four seasons at Ohio State. He put up 7.4 points in 22.0 minutes per contest in July during Las Vegas summer league play for the Warriors after going undrafted in June. The 22-year-old also joined the Sixers for the Orlando summer league, though he didn’t see nearly as much playing time. Craft appeared in four preseason games, averaging 3.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.00 steal in 14.7 minutes per contest.

The veteran Kapono appeared in five preseason games, averaging 3.2 and 1.6 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game. The 6’8″, 33 year-old swingman last played in the NBA during the 2011/12 season when he appeared in 27 games for the Lakers. Kapono’s career numbers over nine seasons are 6.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, and 0.8 APG. His career slash line is .442/.434/.835. He had officially announced his retirement back in May of this year, but decided to give making the Warriors a shot.

The undrafted Kilpatrick signed with the Warriors on October 20th but did not see any action in the preseason. McAdoo appeared in five preseason games, averaging 5.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 1.2 SPG in 13.0 minutes per contest. Watt appeared in two preseason games, averaging 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and a team-leading 1.5 blocks while logging 9.5 minutes per game.

Western Notes: Stephenson, Kapono, Lee

October 11th, 2014 at 10:34am CST by Eddie Scarito

Lance Stephenson entered free agency anticipating the NBA signing a new TV deal, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report writes. Stephenson was looking for a shorter deal that would allow him to have a shot at an even bigger payday down the line. The Pacers weren’t willing to agree to those terms, but the Mavericks were, notes Zwerling. Alberto Ebanks, Stephenson’s agent, confirmed reports that both sides had verbally committed to a two-year contract worth $20MM, but it was Dallas’ negotiations with Chandler Parsons that prevented the deal from being completed, Zwerling writes. “It was a domino effect,” Ebanks said. “Dallas did not think that Houston was going to let Parsons walk. Lance was very close to being a member of the Mavericks. When you’re a little further along into free agency, people are more in the position to pull the trigger when they see what they’re looking for.” It wound up being Charlotte that pulled the trigger on a deal.

Here’s more from out west:

Jason Kapono is performing well in training camp and is in the running for the Warriors‘ final regular season roster spot, Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group reports. “He’s in great shape,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Kapono. “I’m convinced he has a place in this league. Whether it’s with us or not, we’ll see.”
During a media day interview posted on NBA.com, David Lee was asked about the Warriors slow offseason that saw the team’s only notable additions be Shaun Livingston and Brandon Rush. Lee believes the roster continuity is good, adding, “I think it’s huge, yeah. I think first of all it’s a sign of things getting better. If you’re winning 25-30 games there’s going to be constant change. We’ve finally been very consistent these last couple years in winning games and I think that’s how players stick around and how teams stick around. I think using San Antonio as a model, when you have those core guys together year in and year out, I think the familiarity can really help, especially in pressure situations and close games.”
Jamel McLean scored the game winning basket in Alba Berlin’s 94-93 victory over the Spurs Wednesday. This might not be the last the NBA hears from McLean, Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders opines. McLean worked out for the Kings last summer, and should warrant more attention from the league next offseason, Koutroupis notes.

And-Ones: Butler, Caven, Jefferson, Macklin

October 9th, 2014 at 9:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Jimmy Butler is focusing on basketball rather than becoming a restricted free agent next summer, writes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Friedell adds that Butler may seek more than the $9.7MM annual salary that former Bulls teammate Luol Deng received this offseason from the Heat. When the topic of the new TV deal was broached, Butler deflected the question, saying, “I don’t know nothing about a TV deal. I just know that it’s my contract year, and I got to play well and I want to help us win. That’s all that I know.” Butler will be one of the first players to sign a deal in the new cap era, Friedell notes.

Here’s more from around the league:

The contracts of D.J. Mbenga (Knicks), Jason Kapono (Warriors), and Yuki Togashi (Mavs) are all non-guaranteed, minimum salary camp deals, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). Kapono’s deal is for one season, Pincus notes on Golden State’s salary page.
One of Europe’s top prospects, Joonas Caven, a 6’11” big man from Finland, will enter the NBA D-League Draft this year, according to his agent K.C. Callero, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reports (Twitter link). Caven is targeting the 2015 NBA Draft and the D-League will act as a showcase for his talents, notes Carchia.
The Pelicans waived Vernon Macklin so that he could pursue an opportunity to play in Europe, John Reid of The Times-Picayune reports (Twitter link).
One of the newest members of the Mavs, Richard Jefferson, accepted a veteran’s minimum deal this offseason, but that doesn’t mean he is willing to settle for a minimal role, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. MacMahon adds that Jefferson understands that he won’t be a starter but he is determined to find his niche on the team. “I like to believe myself to be an everyday contributor,” said Jefferson. “Whether it works out that way remains to be seen, but my job is just to stay ready.“

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Warriors Sign Jason Kapono

October 4th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

1:00pm: The Warriors have received FIBA clearance and have signed Kapono, the team has announced via press release. Contract details haven’t been announced yet, so it’s unclear if any guaranteed money is involved.

OCTOBER 4TH, 10:40am: The signing has not taken place yet because Kapono and the Warriors are still awaiting FIBA clearance since Kapono last played overseas, Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group notes.

SEPTEMBER 26TH, 4:34pm: The Warriors have reached an agreement with free agent Jason Kapono, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports is reporting (Twitter link). Length and terms of the deal were not disclosed but Wojnarowski termed it a training camp deal, which means that it’s likely for the minimum with little or no guaranteed money included.

Golden State now has 18 players on the roster, with 17 of them carrying some level of guarantee. Regardless of if any partial guarantee is included in Kapono’s arrangement, he’s going to have to battle to stick on the roster until opening night. His outside shooting acumen certainly fits the Warriors style of play, which can’t hurt Kapono’s chances at the very least.

The 6’8″, 33 year-old swingman last played in the NBA during the 2011/12 season when he appeared in 27 games for the Lakers. Kapono’s career numbers over nine seasons are 6.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, and 0.8 APG. His career slash line is .442/.434/.835. He had officially announced his retirement back in May of this year, but Kapono obviously believes he has something left in the tank.

Jason Kapono Retires

May 28th, 2014 at 10:38am CST by Chuck Myron

Nine-year NBA veteran Jason Kapono has decided to retire, as David Pick of Eurobasket.com reports (Twitter link). The 33-year-old last played professionally for Panathinaikos of Greece in 2012/13 after appearing in 27 games for the Lakers in 2011/12. The Cavs acquired him in a trade at the 2012 deadline, waiving him soon after, and a series of workouts the following September with the Spurs was his last brush with the NBA.

Kapono was one of the league’s elite sharpshooters, leading the NBA in three-point percentage in 2006/07 and 2007/08 with the Heat and Raptors, respectively. The Cavs drafted him in the second round in 2003, and he played in Cleveland, Charlotte and Philadelphia in addition to his time with the Lakers, Miami and Toronto. He won a championship with the Heat in 2006, but he played in only one playoff game that year. He had a much greater role in the postseason for the Raptors two years later, averaging 15.6 points per game in 30.4 minutes per contest in a five-game first-round defeat.

The former UCLA Bruin made nearly $28.5MM for his career, according to Basketball-Reference. He drew his highest annual salary of $6.6MM for the Sixers in 2010/11, but he averaged a career-low 4.7 MPG that season.

International Notes: Kapono, Cook, Mensah-Bonsu

March 4th, 2013 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

While it's been a fairly quiet day in the NBA so far, a few familiar names are making headlines internationally. Here are the latest notes from around the globe:

Jason Kapono is not expected to finish the season with Greek team Panathinaikos, according to a report from Lefteris Moutis of EuroHoops.net. Kapono joined the club in December, but has been disappointed by his lack of playing time and will likely ask to be let go, according to Moutis.
Brian Cook has reached an agreement to sign with Piratas de Quebradillas of Puerto Rico, agent Greg Nunn tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. Cook, who played for the Clippers and Wizards a year ago, will have an NBA out, giving him the option of returning stateside before season's end if an opportunity arises.
Cajasol Sevilla has signed former NBA veteran Pops Mensah-Bonsu, the Spanish club announced today on its website (English link via Sportando). The 29-year-old played with five NBA teams in parts of four seasons, last appearing in seven games for the Hornets in 2010/11.

International Notes: Parker, Gobert, Kapono

December 11th, 2012 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

It's been an eventful day around the Association so far, as rumors swirl around the Raptors, while Josh Smith and Kevin Love make headlines with noteworthy quotes. There are a few stories of note happening overseas as well, so let's take a look at today's international updates:

Croatia's Cibona Zagreb has signed former NBA veteran Smush Parker, the team announced today (link via Sportando). Parker, who started 162 games for the Lakers in 2005/06 and '06/07, engaged in a bit of a back-and-forth with Kobe Bryant earlier this year about their time as teammates.
Rudy Gobert tells Catch and Shoot that he wants to declare for the NBA draft and come stateside next year (English link via Sportando). That's no surprise, considering he projects as a surefire lottery pick. ESPN.com's Chad Ford even suggested last week that Gobert could be in the mix for the first overall pick.
After dealing with a personal issue in America, Jason Kapono has finally joined Panathinaikos in Greece, according to Niki Bakouli of EuroHoops.net. Kapono had reached an agreement with the Greek team back in mid-November.

Odds & Ends: Maggette, Pargo, Harden, Kapono

November 29th, 2012 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Although he only turned 33 years old earlier this month, Corey Maggette has been around the NBA for a long time, having made his debut back in 1999. With his contract set to expire next summer, Maggette was non-committal about what his immediate future may hold, says David Mayo of MLive.com.

"Who knows what will happen? Who knows? I might be a guy that might be in a front-office position," Maggette said. "I'm already preparing myself for that as I finish this career. The biggest thing is to worry about what's going on now and let the future take care of itself. We don't even know if we're going to wake up tomorrow."

While I'd be surprised if Maggette retired as a player next year, it seems he's already considering the next stage of his career, having spoken to Pistons GM Joe Dumars and assistant GM George David about the paths they took to their current jobs. Here are a few more odds and ends as we prepare for a light Thursday evening NBA schedule:

Speaking to USA Today's Sam Amick about his extension negotiations with the Thunder and the trade that sent him to the Rockets, James Harden says the final offer he got from Oklahoma City was for four years and $53MM.
Jannero Pargo is on top of "several NBA teams' radars," Pargo's agent Mark Bartelstein tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link). Considering the source of the info, it's not clear how much stock we should put in it, but Pargo was recently said to be drawing interest from the Bulls and others, and is hoping to get a deal done soon.
Jason Kapono, whose agreement with Panathinaikos has been on hold, is expected to join the Greek team on December 10th, according to a Gazzetta.gr report (English translation via Sportando).
Thunder coach Scott Brooks thinks Jeremy Lamb's D-League assignment is a great opportunity for the rookie to earn some playing time, according to Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman. "He's going to get great work on the practice floor and game floor," Brooks said. "But we like what he does. He has a very high skill set. He definitely needs to continue to develop his body and his game, but that’s a great position for him to be in."
If you're curious about which D-League players may be in line for a shot from an NBA team in the coming weeks, keep an eye on four players Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside identifies as hot starters.
Offseason signee Randy Foye has found a home in the starting lineup for the Jazz, as Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune chronicles.

Odds & Ends: Mavs, Kings, Kapono, Williams

November 20th, 2012 at 10:40pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Tuesday night:

Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW.com writes that, despite a hot start, the Mavericks are struggling without the injured Dirk Nowitzki.
Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee has a Q&A with Kings GM Geoff Petrie covering the state of the franchise.
Former NBA guard Jason Kapono is still unsure whether or not he will play in Greece, as he agreed to, citing a family emergency.
Sean Williams has signed to play in China, according to Jon Pastuzek of NiuBBall.com.

Odds & Ends: Redick, Kapono, Brand, Grizzlies

November 19th, 2012 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards will be looking to win their first game of the season tonight, while the Spurs and Grizzlies will aim to be the first teams to nine wins. As we await the evening's seven-game slate, let's check out a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

J.J. Redick is on an expiring contract and there's been speculation that he's a candidate to be traded, but if it were up to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic would keep Redick and re-sign him at season's end.
Jason Kapono and Greek team Panathinaikos finalized a contract agreement last week, but the deal may have hit a sang after complications with Kapono's wife's pregnancy, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net. The two sides are in constant contact to determine whether Kapono will be able to travel to Greece this week, but there's a chance the contract could be voided.
Speaking to Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld, Elton Brand talked about the 76ers' decision to amnesty him this summer, noting that the team informed him of its intentions early on and that there are no hard feelings there.
Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio talked to Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace about putting together a team that's off to the best start in the NBA this year.
Current Knicks GM Glen Grunwald acquired Tyson Chandler and a number of other players during the last two offseasons, but Donnie Walsh deserves plenty of credit too for the Knicks' turnaround, considering the moves he made before Grunwald took over, says George Willis of the New York Post.
After all the offseason additions the team made, the Clippers will now have to figure out how to balance minutes and egos, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders if Juan Dixon will be the latest NBA veteran to use the D-League as a means of auditioning for NBA clubs.