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And-Ones: Baron Davis, Jeff Green, Magic, Draft

January 14th, 2016 at 2:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

Baron Davis is drawing NBA interest, his agent tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link), cautioning that he has not yet signed with the D-League, as reported, but plans to do so. The Todd Ramasar client has full confidence the D-League will lead him back to the NBA, where he hasn’t played since the 2011/12 season, as Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher details.

“When someone asked me [when I’d make my comeback] before, I didn’t want to answer,” Davis said to Bucher. “If I make it in the NBA or wind up playing overseas, I will be at peace. I know the NBA is the place for me because I have the game and now I have the confidence in my body. The last six years I was hurt and in pain and I wasn’t myself. I’m moving a lot faster and better than I did then.”

Davis spawned confusion two summers ago when he made a film that appeared to poke fun at the idea of him returning to the NBA, Bucher notes. Multiple NBA executives thought Davis wasn’t serious about a comeback, though one assistant GM told Bucher that as long as Davis is engaged and in shape, he merits consideration. The Mavs have been linked to him, but owner Mark Cuban has said the team’s interest exists only at the D-League level. See more from around the NBA:

Jeff Green has frustrated at least one prominent Grizzlies teammate, as a “guy who matters” on the team “wanted to wring his neck” Tuesday, when Memphis lost to the Rockets and Dave Joerger benched Green for the second half, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal said in a podcast. Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk has the transcription. Green has struggled on the court and his attitude “hasn’t been the best,” Tillery also said.
The Magic accepted cash via trade for the third time since July 1st on Tuesday, when the Cavs gave them $934,614 in the Joe Harris deal, but they still have $1,286,686 remaining against the $3.4MM limit for the season, notes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links).
The NCAA’s rule change to push back the date underclassmen can withdraw until 10 days after the NBA combine is a sensible move because it helps players more than it hurts college coaches, opines Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Bonnell wonders if it will also lead NBA officials to start working out underclassmen at their colleges instead of having the prospects go to NBA sites, since the NCAA probably wouldn’t want NBA teams paying the travel costs for players who could return to play in college.

And-Ones: Diogu, Silver, Labissiere

October 24th, 2015 at 10:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Ike Diogu has signed with Guangdong Southern Tigers of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando reports. The power forward played last season with Dongguan Leopards of the CBA and he last played in the NBA for the Spurs during the 2011/12 campaign.

Here are a few more notes from the basketball world:

During his press conference on Friday, commissioner Adam Silver emphasized transparency and the sharing of financial information, which could be a big issue for the NBPA, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com tweets.
Silver also admitted that the influx of TV money into NBA will reduce the number of teams losing money, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets.
Kentucky Freshman Skal Labissiere has received NCAA eligibility to play the 2015/16 season, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. Labissiere is projected to be a top pick in the 2016 draft.
Jeff Green, who will be a free agent after the 2015/16 season, hopes to stay in Memphis long-term, but the forward also understands that basketball is a business and that a lot can change between now and the end of the season, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders writes. “It’s too far [away] for me to think about,” Green said. “You just have to take it one game at a time. If we do what we have to do and win, everything will take care of itself. My main approach is to continue to be Jeff Green, continue to be aggressive and more consistent. Then, everything will fall into place next summer.”

Southwest Notes: Butler, Ajinca, Green

October 5th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Spurs weren’t the only NBA team interested in Rasual Butler when he signed with San Antonio last month, as a Western Conference suitor lurked, but the 36-year-old finds there’s “no place better to be than here,” reports Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News. Butler’s contract is non-guaranteed, but he has a line on a regular season roster spot, according to coach/executive Gregg Popovich, as Young notes.

“He’s a seasoned pro in a sense that he knows himself, he knows what role he can play,” Popovich said. “He’s at a stage in his career where he just wants to be a part of something that’s just positive and good. He obviously can shoot the basketball. If he couldn’t shoot, we wouldn’t be talking to him. You got to have a skill to play. For all those reasons, he’s somebody that’s got a great shot to make our team.”

The Spurs have 13 fully guaranteed contracts, seemingly leaving two available spots on the opening night roster. See more on the Spurs amid the latest from the Southwest Division:

Pelicans backup center Alexis Ajinca will miss the next four to six weeks because of a right hamstring strain, the team announced. New Orleans committed a four-year, $19.5MM deal to Ajinca this past summer, and the team is without any other natural center to play behind Omer Asik, with the possible exception of Anthony Davis. The injury could bode well for power forward Jeff Adrien, the only big man without a fully guaranteed salary on the Pelicans.
Jeff Green says he was frustrated with the lack of a consistent role with the Grizzlies following the midseason trade that took him to Memphis, but he’s optimistic about this year, and coach Dave Joerger is expecting a breakout season, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal details. Green is set for free agency this coming summer after picking up his $9.2MM player option this past June. “It was tough to not be in one role. One day I’d start, one day I’d come off the bench. I was playing the 3 and the 4. It was tough,” Green said. “It’s hard to do. There’s only a few players that can really do that. I’m thankful to be in that position to be able to do that. But when you come onto a team halfway through the year, having to do that is tough because you never get a grasp of what you really need to do for the team. This year, I have an open mind. It doesn’t matter what position I play, I’m going to give it my all.”
Cory Joseph started for the Spurs most of December last year and wound up seeing only 22 total minutes during the postseason. A similarly occasional place in Sacramento’s rotation has trade acquisition Ray McCallum willing to embrace the same stop-and-start playing time with the Spurs, as Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News chronicles. Joseph snagged a four-year, $30MM deal with the Raptors this past summer, and McCallum is due for restricted free agency at season’s end.

Southwest Notes: Green, Villanueva, Hunt

June 19th, 2015 at 1:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jeff Green, who picked up his player option with the Grizzlies, will represent a cap hold of $9.45MM rather than $9.2MM for 2015/16 because he triggered a $250K bonus this season, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). The incentive clause kicked in when Memphis picked up its 55th win, and he was in line for an additional $200K if the Grizzlies, who finished 55-27, had won 56 games, Pincus explains. The cap hit applies for next season because the league now considers it likely that Memphis will again win 55 games, though he won’t get the money if they don’t again hit that threshold. Here’s more from around the Southwest Division.

Charlie Villanueva would like to re-sign with the Mavericks, and while the team would welcome that, Dallas isn’t willing to pay more than the minimum, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
The Mavs are close to a deal with former Nuggets interim coach Melvin Hunt that would make him the top assistant in Dallas to head coach Rick Carlisle, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Pelicans have also been interested in Hunt as an assistant, Stein reported earlier.
Shooting guards Norman Powell of UCLA, Josh Richardson of Tennessee and Tyler Harvey of Eastern Washington are working out for the Mavs today, reports Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (on Twitter).
The Grizzlies will work out Southeast Missouri State forward Nino Johnson on Monday, sources tell Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia.

Jeff Green Opts In With Grizzlies

June 18th, 2015 at 3:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:03pm: Green has indeed opted in, the team announced via press release.

12:01pm: Jeff Green is picking up his player option worth $9.2MM to stay with the Grizzlies for next season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The move is a key decision for Memphis, as it would lift the team to about $47MM in guaranteed salary commitments for next season, likely closing off any possibility for the team to open cap space if it re-signs Marc Gasol.

The working assumption in Memphis had been that Green would opt in, though the presence of skilled agent David Falk made that less than a foregone conclusion, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote a month ago. Green came to the Grizzlies from Boston in a mid-January trade, though he didn’t have a game-changing impact and at one point during the regular season brought up the idea of moving to the Memphis bench. He nonetheless appeared as a starter for all but eight of his 45 regular season games in a Grizzlies uniform, but coach Dave Joerger used him chiefly off the bench in the playoffs.

The Celtics apparently traded Green in part because they were worried that he would opt out. It’s unclear whether he would have been more likely to opt out if he had stayed with the Celtics, though staying in Memphis does give him a better shot at winning than staying in Boston likely would have. In any case, Green will have another decision to make next summer when his contract expires.

Assuming Green officially opts in, the Grizzlies will likely have only the $5.434MM mid-level exception to use to sign free agents for more than the minimum salary if Gasol returns, since they used their biannual exception on Beno Udrih last year. I looked at that and other issues when I examined the offseason ahead for Memphis.

Southwest Notes: Conley, Green, Koufos, Pels

May 20th, 2015 at 10:04am CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies have tried multiple times to strike up extension talks with Mike Conley, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who says that Conley has nonetheless resisted. That’s no surprise, since the salary for the first season in a veteran extension for him could be no more than 107.5% of his salary in the last season before the extension were to kick in. The point guard’s existing bargain deal tops out at little more than $9.388MM next season, so an extension would entail a giant financial sacrifice for Conley. He’s therefore destined to become one of the headliners in the 2016 free agent class, but there’s more on this summer’s business first amid the latest from the Southwest Division:

The working assumption in Memphis is that Jeff Green will pick up his $9.2MM player option to stay with the Grizzlies for next season, but the presence of wily agent David Falk in the equation makes that less than a foregone conclusion, as Stein details in the same piece.
The Celtics were among the many teams that made trade proposals for Kosta Koufos this year that the Grizzlies turned down, Stein writes. Boston was involved in a rumored three-team scenario that would have sent Koufos to Cleveland, but it didn’t appear until now that the C’s made a play for the big man themselves. In any case, Memphis is aware that Koufos, a free agent this summer, wants to start, Stein says.
Alvin Gentry, Scott Brooks, an NBA assistant coach or a college coach who isn’t already a star would probably pass muster with Pelicans GM Dell Demps sooner than Tom Thibodeau, John Calipari or Jeff Van Gundy would, as Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune opines. The GM is reportedly weary of internal conflict, and a coach who carries less authority would be easier for Demps to handle, Smith believes, calling the front office situation, in which Saints/Pelicans executive Mickey Loomis holds sway over Demps, “untenable.” The Pels reportedly interviewed Gentry on Monday, but it’s unclear whether the Warriors assistant is the right fit for the New Orleans roster, according to Smith.
Al-Farouq Aminu‘s energy is reminiscent of Corey Brewer and Jae Crowder, and the Mavs should work to retain soon-to-be free agent Aminu this summer, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News argues, positing that the forward would be a bargain at around $4MM a year.

Western Notes: Clippers, Thunder, Grizzlies

May 17th, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Will Joseph

DeAndre Jordan is in no rush to discuss his plans as an unrestricted free agent this summer, and if the big man re-signed with the Clippers, his contract would restrict their ability to upgrade their bench, Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times writes. “I’m not a free agent until July,” Jordan said when asked about his future after the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs. Clippers president of basketball operations and coach Doc Rivers acknowledged that the team’s lack of a strong bench was exposed in the playoffs. It would be hard to improve the bench, if Jordan agreed to a maximum five-year contract with the Clippers for an estimated $108.3MM, Bolch writes. That would leave the Clippers with only the mini-mid-level exception of $3.376MM per year for up to three years and some veteran’s minimum contracts, Bolch adds.

“We have to get this team more support,” Rivers said. “With the contracts we’re hamstrung with, it’s going to be minimum deals for the most part. There are no big deals out there that we’re going to make, most likely.”

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

There’s a good chance small forward Jeff Green exercises his $9.2MM option for next season and tries to have a breakout year with the Grizzlies, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes. Green struggled in Memphis and approached coach Dave Joerger about moving to a bench role during the regular season.
The decision to fire Monty Williams as coach was more about the Pelicans‘ ownership and management being uncomfortable with Williams as its leader for the long haul and it had nothing to do with a power struggle or communication issue with GM Dell Demps, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. The Raptors will reportedly gauge interest in Williams as an assistant.
Maurice Cheeks is emerging as a possible addition to Thunder coach Billy Donovan‘s staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets. Cheeks served as an assistant in Oklahoma City under Scott Brooks from 2009 to 2013.

Southwest Notes: Gasol, Ellis, Green, Powell

March 23rd, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks have looked like long shots to land Marc Gasol in free agency this summer, but the big man says they and every other team still stand a chance, simply because he hasn’t considered what he’ll do, as he told reporters today, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. The Grizzlies are in New York to play the Knicks tonight.

“I haven’t ruled anything out because I haven’t thought about anything so it would be [premature],” Gasol said. “The reports and stuff like that, I don’t know where they come from because in my mind I haven’t thought about it. I have no [idea] how they can go there. I don’t know. … We’re in the final stretch of the regular season and we want to get in a good feeling for the playoffs so, trust me, I’m not worrying or thinking about those things yet.”

That jibes with earlier reports that suggest Gasol has an open mind but no plans to leave Memphis, where he has deep roots. Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

People within the Mavericks have been worried for weeks about Monta Ellis‘ moody demeanor and its effect on the locker room even though the team has publicly backed the shooting guard through his slump, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. It’s a sharp turnaround for Ellis, as MacMahon believes his free agent stock is falling each day. Ellis has an $8.72MM player option for next season.
Jeff Green came to Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger to suggest a bench role, and not the other way around, as Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal notes. Green simply hasn’t fit into the team’s starting group as well as past midseason wing acquisitions Courtney Lee and Tayshaun Prince have, though continued hot shooting from Green would mitigate the issue., Herrington observes. Green can leave the Grizzlies in free agency this summer, but he’d have to turn down a $9.2MM player option to do so.
The Mavs have recalled Dwight Powell from the D-League, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. The rookie big man acquired in the Rajon Rondo trade went off for 32 points and nine rebounds in 44 minutes Saturday for the D-League Texas Legends.

Southwest Notes: Stoudemire, Powell, Green

March 11th, 2015 at 8:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tyson Chandler believes that Amar’e Stoudemire, who has been with the Mavs for less than a month, has earned the right to publicly criticize his new teammates, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com relays. “I think he’s earned it throughout his career, and he came here because he wanted to win a championship,” said Chandler. “And I encourage more guys to be vocal. I think he’s only been honest to his teammates. He didn’t say anything to you guys that he didn’t say to us personally, so I respect that. I feel like guys will respect that and get things in order.” Stoudemire had chastised his teammates for a lack of professionalism and competitiveness after Dallas was abused by the Cavs on Tuesday night.

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks have re-assigned center Dwight Powell to the Texas Legends, their D-League affiliate, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com reports (Twitter link). This is Powell’s third D-League assignment by the Mavs, and his eighth trek overall of the season.
Though Jeff Green‘s overall numbers are down since arriving in Memphis, the forward is thriving in the utility role that Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger has carved out for him, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes (subscription required). Green may not have accepted this sort of role with the Celtics, but being on a contending team has reinvigorated the veteran, Tillery adds. “It’s definitely a blessing to be in this position,” Green said. “Not everyone has the chance to say they can play for a championship, especially in the Western Conference. So I’m blessed to be in this position to do whatever it takes to get to that point.”
Green is also aware that Memphis didn’t acquire him to be a star, but rather to augment the Grizzlies‘ chances of advancing in the playoffs, Tillery relays. “I just try to make plays and try to be the player I’ve always been,” Green said. “Just be aggressive. When I first got here, they told me to just be you. I think when they told me that it instilled that confidence that I needed coming into the situation that I didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes. When they told me that, it just let me play basketball.”

Atlantic Notes: Williams, Knicks, Green

March 10th, 2015 at 5:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Raptors guard Louis Williams‘ strong play in the final year of his deal has put him in the running for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. When discussing his past, present, and future with Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com, Williams relayed that his free agent preference this summer is to remain in Toronto. “Absolutely. I already tried to get them to go do it — get an extension,” Williams said. “But at this point in my career, I want to play somewhere where the fans appreciate you, your team is serious about winning and create something special. We have an identity, and I love it. It’s perfect for my personality. I’ve always been the underdog, I’ve always been overlooked. I’ve always been the guy where it was like we’ll see what he does and then we’ll check on Lou. That’s been my career.”

It should be noted that Williams would have been unable to ink an extension with the Raptors since he is currently on a three-year deal. The collective bargaining agreement stipulates that a player can only ink a contract extension if he is signed to a deal of four years or greater in length.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

When asked by Mazzeo about the trade that sent him from the Hawks to the Raptors, Williams said, “I knew it was coming. I just knew my experience in Atlanta was coming to an end. It was either gonna be I was leaving after my contract was up or they were gonna trade me, and that’s just how things were going. We had a coaching change and I had missed the first [eight] games of that season, and the Hawks head coach Bud [Mike Budenholzer], he just was very honest and upfront with me and just said, ‘I’ve gotten more comfortable with this other guy and he’s probably gonna play the minutes.’ I had to respect that because the coach has a job to do.“
The Knicks may have difficulty luring free agents to New York because of the restrictions that the triangle offense imposes on players’ athleticism, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.
Jeff Green, who holds a $9.2MM player option for next season, is still very close with his former Celtics teammates, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays (Twitter link). Green is especially close with Avery Bradley, Blakely adds. It’s unknown if this camaraderie could lead Green back to Boston, or if the team would have any interest in re-signing the forward if he opts out of his current deal.