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Free Agent Rumors: Lowry, Ginobili, Teague, Sixers

June 20th, 2017 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of a report that cast some doubts on whether Kyle Lowry intends to re-sign with the Raptors, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines the point guard’s situation, suggesting that Lowry returning to Toronto is still the most likely outcome. However, Deveney pointed to a couple other teams as potential Lowry suitors.

Sources have indicated to Deveney that there’s a chance the Knicks will pursue Lowry, though if the 31-year-old wants to join a contending team, that may take New York out of the equation. According to Deveney, the Nuggets may be another team to watch, since they have cap room necessary to make a splash and could use a long-term solution at the point. They’ve also shown a willingness to go after impact players — I suggested last week that the Nuggets may be a good bet to pursue a free agent point guard.

Meanwhile, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Jimmy Butler “has been in [Lowry’s] ear” about joining the Bulls since the two played together for Team USA. A Bulls source tells Cowley that Butler and Dwyane Wade would prefer to play with a point guard who can space the floor better than Rajon Rondo, and Lowry would certainly fit that bill. I don’t think the Bulls signing Lowry is a very realistic scenario, but I also didn’t expect the club to add Wade and Rondo a year ago, so we’ll see how the offseason plays out.

Here are a few other free agent notes from around the NBA:

Manu Ginobili, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, has yet to make a final decision on his future. However, there have been positive indications that he’s leaning toward returning to the Spurs for another year, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Pacers president Kevin Pritchard is mulling the possibility of having Lance Stephenson run the point in Indiana if the team embarks on a rebuild, tweets Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star. While Doyel doesn’t come out and say it, that wouldn’t be a good sign for Jeff Teague‘s odds of re-signing with the Pacers this offseason.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Sixers president Bryan Colangelo downplayed the idea of the Sixers foraying into free agency much this summer, suggesting the club wants to maintain maximum flexibility for 2018, when its core is “more ready” (Twitter link via Derek Bodner).
Kincade Upstill of The Deseret News explores possible next steps for the Jazz if Gordon Hayward departs in free agency next month.

Poll: Best Unrestricted Free Agent Point Guard

May 27th, 2017 at 1:32pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Among unrestricted free agents this offseason, point guard is easily the deepest position. Stephen Curry, Kyle Lowry, George Hill, Jeff Teague, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick Rose headline this group. Deron Williams, Darren Collison, and Patty Mills are also unrestricted free agents. In all, there are 28 unrestricted free agent point guards this offseason.

Two-time MVP Curry has scarcely been mentioned as an unrestricted free agent because most take for granted that he will return to the Warriors to dominate the NBA with the likes of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green for years to come.

Probably the second best player in this group, Lowry, will be coming off a breakout season, but he is 31 years old, has a long history of playoff struggles, and the Raptors would need to offer him a 5-year max contract. Still, Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combine for one of the most lethal backcourts in the league, and it is difficult to imagine Toronto not laying out the red carpet for its star point guard’s return.

After seven seasons with the Hawks, Teague played in all 82 games for the Pacers, averaging 15.3 PPG, 7.8 APG, and 1.2 SPG.

Although limited to 49 games due to injury in his first campaign with the Jazz, Hill averaged a career-high 16.9 PPG to go with an impressive slash line of .477/.403/.801.

Holiday shot a career-high 45.4% from the floor for the Pelicans, posting 15.4 PPG, 7.3 APG, and 1.5 SPG.

Rose, a former MVP, averaged 18.0 PPG and 4.4 APG, while shooting a stellar 47.1% in 64 games in his first season with the Knicks.

Without further ado, here’s today’s poll question: Beyond Curry and Lowry, who among this group would be most helpful for a team to sign and suit up as their starting point guard next season? Don’t limit yourself to a click of a button. Do you believe someone in the group is better than each of the available options? Are we underrating someone’s potential? Let us know in the comment section below. We look forward to your insight!

Central Rumors: Wade, Bucks, Teague, Butler

May 25th, 2017 at 11:38am CST by Dana Gauruder

Most people around the Bulls organization expect shooting guard Dwyane Wade to opt in for next season, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Wade will make $23.8MM if he stays put and declines to re-enter the free agent market. Wade’s role for next season could be a determining factor, as Johnson notes that Wade often served as the anchor to the second unit in second-quarter situations. Coach Fred Hoiberg alienated Joakim Noah during the 2015/16 campaign by demoting him to the second unit, Johnson adds. Wade has until June 27th to decide whether to enter the free agent market, Johnson relays via The Vertical’s Bobby Marks.

In other developments around the Central Division:

North Carolina center Tony Bradley and BYU center/power forward Eric Mika were among the players who worked out for the Bucks on Tuesday, Gerry Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets.
The Pistons will ideally draft a knock-down 3-point shooter or a perimeter player who can make plays off the dribble with the No. 12 overall pick, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details.
The Pacers need to re-sign Jeff Teague but the cost will be substantial, according to Jay Siskin of AmicoHoops.net. Teague, who made $8MM this past season, will get a huge raise as he heads into the free agent market for the first time. While Teague enjoys playing for his hometown team, point-guard starved teams such as the Nets, Magic, Mavericks and Knicks could make runs at him and drive up his pricetag, Siskin adds.
Jimmy Butler‘s contract is a bargain for an All-Star player, which is a big reason why the Bulls should hold onto him, Marks writes in his Summer Agenda series. Butler has three years and $56MM remaining on his contract, with the final year being a player option. The uncertainty surrounding Butler has more to do with franchise’s questionable roster decisions and coaching changes rather than Butler’s productivity, Marks adds.

Atlantic Rumors: Knicks, Jackson, Raptors, Johnson

May 2nd, 2017 at 8:13pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Knicks are focused on trading Carmelo Anthony and becoming a younger team, but scarce financial resources may prevent the team from landing a max free agent, ESPN’s Ian Begley writes. Free agents Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague are potential targets for New York, league sources tell Begley. However, with eight players on guaranteed contracts for next season, team president Phil Jackson said during a recent a press conference that the current team has “a dozen players that we’re very confident can support and be a part of a team. So we feel pretty good about that.”

Upgrading via free agency may be contingent on the Knicks trading Anthony, whom Jackson indicated “would be better off elsewhere” during the aforementioned presser. Begley notes that a hypothetical Melo trade could clear about $5MM in cap room, giving the Knicks $24MM — the team’s current cap space calls for $19MM available for the Knicks to spend.

However, a lot of Begley’s hypothetical offseason spending includes the Knicks not re-signing any of their young players. So if the Knicks intend on upgrading, players such as Jrue’s older brother Justin Holiday, Ron Baker, Maurice Ndour, and Chasson Randle may suit up elsewhere in 2017/18.

In other news around the Atlantic division.

The Nets maintain interest in Euroleague guard Edwin Jackson, according to Nets Daily. An earlier report indicated the club’s interest in the 27-year-old guard, who is averaging 21.8 points in 30 games for Movistar Estudiantes of the Liga ACB in Spain. The 6’1″ French guard has never suited up for an NBA team but he was in Nets camp three years ago, per Nets Daily. Jackson has indicated he would come stateside for a guaranteed NBA deal or seek a lucrative offer in Europe.
Nets Daily compiled a list of potential European targets for Brooklyn in addition to Jackson. Milos Teodosic, 30, Nicolo Melli, 26, and 2011 second-round NBA draft pick Tyler Honeycutt, 26, — who revived his career in Turkey — are listed as potential free agent options; Latvian-born Rodions Kurucs, 19, and Anzejus Pasecniks, 21, are both listed as possible draft targets.
In an attempt to contain the Cavaliers’ offense, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey may start Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll on the bench, SportsNet’s Michael Grange writes. Both men — who were major signings by team president Masai Ujiri — have underperformed this postseason and Casey is “desperate” to jumpstart his team. Norman Powell and rookie Jakob Poeltl are likely to see significant playing time if Casey goes in that direction.
As he heads for free agency, Amir Johnson remains positive despite dwindling playing time for the Celtics, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe relays. While Johnson got the start for Boston tonight in Game 2, he has been a liability on both sides of the court for most of the postseason. Johnson led the Celtics in games (80) and starts (77) in the regular season and maintains he’s trying to work out of his slump. “If things aren’t working out for you, you know you’ve got to do the next thing,” Johnson said.

Pacers Notes: Teague, Bird, George

April 27th, 2017 at 1:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Coach Nate McMillan said Jeff Teague, who will be a free agent this offseason, wants to be back with the Pacers next season, as the team’s Twitter feed relays. The coach added that he believes he can get the best out of the point guard. “He needs to be better. I think I can make him better,” McMillan said.

Teague previously said he loves playing for the team. The point guard made $8.8MM last season in the final year of his contract. Teague will likely see a raise on that figure and the Pacers will have upwards of $32MM in cap space, as our Offseason Salary Cap Digest indicates:

Larry Bird has an incredible pulse on Pacers and that gives him the ability to make the best moves for the team, as Indiana’s Twitter feed passes along. “Larry [Bird] is at every practice, every game… He knows what this team needs. That was the reason he went out and got Lance [Stephenson],” McMillan said.
The Pacers cannot afford to add long-term money in free agency if they feel Paul George will leave next summer, Bobby Marks of The Vertical opines (video link). Indiana doesn’t currently have many long-term commitments and if George leaves, the team can build around Myles Turner and its cap space. However, if the organization makes a few bad signings, the eventual rebuild becomes more difficult.
McMillan expects George to return to Indiana next season, as the Indianapolis Star relays (video link). The coach added that he and George both want the same thing and that’s to win.

Central Notes: D-Will, Teague, Pacers, Pistons

April 25th, 2017 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

After LeBron James called for the Cavaliers to add a playmaker back in January, the team didn’t make a major move for the next several weeks, as the trade deadline came and went without that so-called “playmaker” joining the team. The Cavs lucked out in the buyout market though, landing veteran point guard Deron Williams after he was cut by the Mavericks, and according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Williams is getting increasingly comfortable in Cleveland and is looking like that playmaker the club sought.

Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com conveys a similar sentiment in his latest piece, noting that Williams is receiving praise from the players whose assessment of the Cavaliers roster matters most: LeBron. “Every day he’s getting more and more comfortable with what we want to do,” James said of the veteran point guard. “We needed him. We’re happy we got him.”

As LeBron, D-Will, and the Cavs look ahead to the second round of the playoffs, let’s round up a few more notes from around the Central division…

Within a piece examining the Pacers‘ upcoming offseason decisions, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders cites league sources who believe that free-agent-to-be Jeff Teague could be in line for a contract worth $15-17MM annually, or even more than that if other top point guards quickly re-sign with their own teams.
With the Pacers facing an uncertain future, Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star argues that team president Larry Bird deserves some criticism for a handful of questionable decisions and roster moves.
Following a disappointing season for the Pistons, Rod Beard of The Detroit News makes five suggestions for ways the team could potentially improve this summer.
Boban Marjanovic didn’t play much for the Pistons in the first season of his three-year deal with the team, but his audition will give Stan Van Gundy plenty to consider as the club weighs how to use Marjanovic going forward, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Boban could become a more crucial piece of Detroit’s rotation in 2017/18 if Aron Baynes departs in free agency.

Pacers Notes: George, Teague, Miles

April 24th, 2017 at 3:25pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Paul George can become a free agent next season and he hasn’t yet committed to staying in Indiana long-term, as Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports writes. “I ain’t even at that point, yet,” George said.

The small forward took responsibility for the Pacers‘ short playoff run, though he admitted to being frustrated by losing to the same foe over and over again.

“It’s real frustrating to continue losing to the same team, or the same person. It’s what I work hard for in the summer, to try to help lead a team of my own and it’s ultimately who I’m always going to see and face. But again, came up short. Didn’t do enough,” George said. “If we want to win, that’s the team that we have to work towards stacking up against. If we want to be serious, that’s the team we’ve got to look at and figure out how can we match up against them.”

LeBron James-led teams have sent George home in the playoffs on four separate occasions. Here’s more on George and his Pacers teammates:

If George is going to leave the Pacers to join the Lakers, he may have to settle for mediocrity during his prime, Lee argues in the same piece. The scribe cites the past situations of Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and Deron Williams. All were stars who forced their way to other teams mid-prime and each player found himself playing for a team that wasn’t a serious championship contender.
Jeff Teague, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer for the first time in his career, is a native of Indiana and loves playing for the team. However, he admits that free agency comes with uncertainty, Clifton Brown of the Indianapolis Star relays. “ I love it here, but you never know, how they feel about me or whatever,” Teague said.
C.J. Miles could also hit the open market if he opts to turn down his player option, though he hasn’t yet decided what he’s going to do, Brown adds in the same piece. “I’ll sit down with my agent in the next couple of days,” Miles said in the locker room. “If [I opt out], it’s not solely because I’m trying to get out of here. It’s a business decision. The market, salary cap, everything is going up. It’s not like I’m 22. I’m nowhere near done, but you don’t want to waste anything.”
Miles added that he feels the Pacers could have a busy offseason, as Brown passes along in the same piece. “I think it could be,” Miles said. “I can’t speak for what they plan on doing, but you look at all the stuff, the rumors that happened throughout the season. We’ll see.”

Central Notes: Canaan, Teague, James

April 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Austin Kent

Consider Isaiah Canaan the latest beneficiary of the point guard carousel in Chicago. The reserve guard with more DNP-CDs than minutes played since the All-Star Break logged heavy minutes in Game 4 of the Bulls first-round tilt, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes.

With Rajon Rondo out for the series with a fractured thumb, Michael Carter-Williams in foul trouble, Jerian Grant rendered ineffective and Cameron Payne inactive, head coach Fred Hoiberg turned to the 25-year-old journeyman to lead his Bulls.

“I was really proud of Isaiah for coming out after a lot of DNPs and being on the inactive list,” the Bulls coach said. “We wanted him in there because he can pick up the ball full-court. He hit a few shots for us as well. The plan was if we didn’t get off to a good start, he was going to get his opportunity.”

Though the Bulls would fall to the Celtics in the contest, Canaan posted 13 points and three assists in 34 minutes, an adequate stopgap for the latest hole in the club’s volatile point guard rotation.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Indiana native Jeff Teague‘s future with the Pacers is uncertain, Clifton Brown of the Indianapolis Star writes. The point guard will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after a disappointing 2016/17 campaign. “I have no clue, I’ve never been a free agent, I don’t know how it goes. I love it here, but you never know, how they feel about me or whatever. I love being in Indiana, it’s great, got a home here. But you never know.“
The Pacers are no closer to a title than they were a year ago, Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star writes. Now, after a four-game sweep at the hands of the Cavs, they could be one year closer to losing Paul George.
Could LeBron James be the best first-round performer in the history of the NBA? Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon suggests as much after the Cavaliers sweep. The King hasn’t lost an opening series in 12 seasons and hasn’t lost a single first-round game in five years.
Consider Cavaliers leader LeBron James’ record in the first-round as much a sign of his ability to be mentally prepared to tackle lower-seeded opponents as it is a sign of his unique skills, Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal writes.

Pacers Notes: George, Teague, Stephenson

April 15th, 2017 at 3:57pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Paul George will be eligible for the new Designated Veteran Player Extension if he’s named to an All-NBA team this season. By being selected to one of the three teams, George could net approximately $70MM more in an extension compared to what he’d be eligible for without being voted in. He’s aware of the pending situation and he’s hoping to be honored by the voters, as Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports relays.

“Man I hope so,” George said. “You’ve got a couple guys that so-called have been ahead of me, who have other guys on that list. I’ve been trying to lead and do it at both ends this whole season. Hopefully they take that into account, especially closing this year out, get us in the playoffs.

Here’s more from Indiana:

The point guard market will likely dictate whether or not the Pacers bring back Jeff Teague, Mark Montieth of NBA.com contends. The scribe believes Teague’s price tag and the other available point guard options will be huge factors in determining what the franchise does.
It would be surprising if Lance Stephenson isn’t on the Pacers‘ roster next season, Montieth opines in the same piece. He adds that Stephenson may be best suited to play the point guard position.
Stephenson is exactly what the Pacers need for their playoff series against the Cavs, Tom Withers of the Associated Press writes. “He’s different. He’s the oddball and you need that,” George said of the 26-year-old. “You need the guy that’s energetic and live, a guy who’s going to stir the pot and we work very well off of each other.”

Knicks Notes: Chemistry, Rose, Oakley

April 13th, 2017 at 10:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Many factors contributed to the Knicks’ disappointing season, though team chemistry belongs near the top of the list, Ian Begley of ESPN.com notes. Earlier in the season, Rose went missing for a game and he addressed his teammates on the following night, apologizing for putting them in a bad spot. Begley hears from a source that after Rose concluded, no one said a word and the scribe believes it’s a testament to the team’s lack of cohesiveness.

Here’s more from New York:

Prior to Derrick Rose‘s latest injury, the Knicks were still considering him as an option had they missed out on bigger free agent targets, such as Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague, Begley writes in the same piece. Coach Jeff Hornacek recently said the team won’t close the door on a Rose return.
Rose would be happy to get another shot with the Knicks, but he’s excited to hit free agency for the first time in his career, Lonnae O’Neal of The Undefeated passes along. “I would love to stay here,” Rose said of New York. “I love my teammates, I love the coaches, I love the front office. But this will be the first time that I will hit free agency, so I want to take advantage of everything and just see what the free agency system is all about.”
Charles Oakley has been arraigned in court on charges stemming from his ejection from Madison Square Garden earlier this season, ESPN.com relays. Oakley has maintained his innocence and declared that he’ll fight the charges.
Carmelo Anthony is reportedly leaning toward waiving his no-trade clause this summer. Unless he and Phil Jackson can reconcile, New York will look to deal him.