Jimmer Fredette Rumors | Hoops Rumors

California Rumors: Lakers, Lee, Fredette

December 7th, 2013 at 9:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

Injuries to Steve Nash and Jordan Farmar have left the Lakers short on point guards, and they planned to assess the progress of Nash’s recovery in practice this week before exploring the idea of a roster move. Nash isn’t rushing his return, but another player who’s back to health might fit the bill. Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni tells reporters that Kobe Bryant will see time at the point when he makes his season debut Sunday against the Raptors (Twitter link). Here’s more from the state with the most NBA teams:

The Warriors place a high value on David Lee, and his bloated contract, worth nearly $44.4MM through 2016/17, virtually ensures the team won’t find offers worthwhile enough to trade him, tweets Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group.
James Ham of Cowbell Kingdom hears from a source that there was nothing substantial to a recent report that the Raptors were talking to the Kings about acquiring Jimmer Fredette, and spoke to Fredette about being the subject of trade rumors.
The Kings recalled Hamady N’Diaye from the D-League in time for tonight’s game against the Jazz, according to a press release. N’Diaye appeared in just one game for the Reno Bighorns during his assignment, contributing to a win over the Santa Cruz Warriors by recording seven points, seven boards, and four blocked shots.
The Los Angeles D-Fenders, the D-League affiliate of the Lakers, announced their acquisition of former Cavs swingman Manny Harris in a trade (on Twitter). Harris was in an NBA training camp this fall with the Magic.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Kings, Raptors In Talks On Jimmer Fredette Deal?

December 6th, 2013 at 11:14am CST by Chuck Myron

11:14am: Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee hears conflicting information, and suggests that no talks are ongoing. Still, the connection between Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro, who worked together in the Nuggets front office, should lead to plenty of rumors, Jones points out (All Twitter links).

10:43am: The Kings and Raptors are discussing a swap of Jimmer Fredette for Aaron Gray, tweets Kevin Bryant of Canada.com. The one-to-one deal would be a near even match of salaries, and it could take place before December 15th, since neither player signed new contracts in the offseason.

Fredette has been a frequent trade candidate, and Sacramento’s decision to decline its 2014/15 team option on him means he’s on an expiring contract, perhaps lifting his value. Gray is also in the last year of his deal. Fredette, the 10th overall pick in 2011, has appeared in just six games so far for the Kings, averaging 12.2 minutes per contest. Gray has seen even less playing time, appearing for a total of 20 minutes this season.

The Kings were reportedly taking an aggressive posture in trade talks as of last month, and they’ve already pulled off one deal, acquiring Derrick Williams for Luc Mbah a Moute. Hoops Rumors readers identified Fredette as the second most logical trade candidate, though I’m not sure if many would endorse a trade for so little in return. Gray is the 49th overall pick from the 2007 draft, and apart from having managed to stay in the league each season since, he doesn’t have much to offer in exchange for a former lottery pick. Perhaps there’s more to this deal, even though the salaries match. Both teams are interested in a swap, but there’s nothing imminent at this point, Bryant notes (Twitter link).

Kings Notes: Fredette, Thornton, McCallum

November 21st, 2013 at 5:53pm CST by Charlie Adams

The 4-7 Kings sit at the bottom of the Pacific Division and are in a tough position to move up in the standings. They face the Clippers in two of their next three contests and then square off against the Warriors and Thunder in their following two matchups. Let’s take a look at a couple of notes about the Kings, courtesy of Jason Jones from the Sacramento Bee:

Jimmer Fredette has seen action in two consecutive contests since not playing in 10 days, but Jones tweets that his increase in minutes is not an attempt to display his skills to possible suitors. Last night, readers of Hoops Rumors voted that the struggling Kings should try to trade Fredette and Marcus Thornton in an attempt to put themselves in a better spot to build around the young talent of Ben McLemore and DeMarcus Cousins.
Speaking of Thornton, Jones also tweets that the veteran guard looks to be staying in a Kings uniform for the time being.
Jones has details on the earlier report of Ray McCallum’s assignment to the D-League. The rookie point guard from Detroit was taken by the Kings in the second round of last year’s draft but hasn’t seen any action this year. The Bighorns begin their season tomorrow in Sioux Falls.

Amico On Asik, Kings, Pistons

November 14th, 2013 at 9:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Earlier today, we relayed a report that the Kings and Cavaliers have been actively involved in trade talks with each other, although Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio cites a league source who says that there’s “nothing of substance” to that report. In his latest piece, Amico touches upon possible interest Omer Asik around the league in addition to potential teams that could be involved in other trade talks. You can read more below:

While the Rockets might not be looking to deal Asik at the moment, multiple sources have identified the Raptors as a team that is already highly interested.
The Kings are considered to be league-wide front runners to make a deal, and Amico notes that the team’s new management explored moving several pieces during this past offseason – including guard Jimmer Fredette. He also adds that Sacramento is likely to field calls leading up to the trade deadline in February.
There is league-wide speculation that the Pistons are looking to move the expiring contracts of Rodney Stuckey and Charlie Villanueva in exchange for more talent and could act soon.

Odds & Ends: Tinsley, Pondexter, Kings, Mills

November 3rd, 2013 at 3:43pm CST by Charlie Adams

Here are a few notes from around the league as the NBA’s first week comes to a close:

Jamaal Tinsley‘s one-year minimum-salary deal with the Jazz is entirely non-guaranteed, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports revealed today when he updated Utah’s team salaries.
Quincy Pondexter‘s four-year, $14MM extension with the Grizzlies starts at close to $3.15MM next year and has gradual raises in each subsequent season, according to Deeks.
Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro acknowledges that the decision not to pick up Jimmer Fredette‘s 2014/15 option was “agonizing,” but tells James Ham of Cowbell Kingdom that he ultimately decided the added flexibility for next season was too enticing to pass up.
Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee wonders if Fredette could prove more productive on a team that plays a style more suited to him and applauds the Kings for declining his option and giving themselves more time to evaluate him before they make a further commitment.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York reports that first-year Knicks GM Steve Mills is happy with the current state of New York’s roster: “I think we like the roster we have right now. And I think we want to give it some time and see how they come together on the team and how guys gel together.“
Keith Schlosser of SB Nation’s Ridiculous Upside breaks down the 2013/14 NBA D-League draft and highlights the most intriguing selections round-by-round.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Western Rumors: Kings, Martin, Bledsoe

November 2nd, 2013 at 11:57am CST by Chuck Myron

Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro said the lack of extensions for Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson and the team’s decision to decline its fourth-year option on Jimmer Fredette aren’t necessarily a reflection of the way the club feels about those players.

“With Jimmer, we spoke to him and his representatives throughout the process,” D’Alessandro said, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee observes. “And they’re not easy decisions to make. We have these deadlines that are at an awkward time, Oct. 31, especially at a time when we just got our positions here.”

We heard earlier that the Kings are enamored with Vasquez and intend to match any offer he gets in restricted free agency this summer. Here’s more on free agents past and future, with a Western kick:

There were times last season when Kevin Martin could tell his stay with the Thunder would be a short one, he tells reporters, including Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Martin also reveals that free agency was much more stressful than he imagined, but he says he’s glad he wound up in “the perfect spot” with the Timberwolves.
Eric Bledsoe isn’t saying whether he envisions staying with the Suns for the long haul after failing to strike a deal on an extension, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
The rift between Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant was real and profound on the Lakers last season, as former teammate Antawn Jamison explains to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Meanwhile, Howard is relaxed, engaged, and confident that he made the right decision to sign with the Rockets, Marc Stein of ESPN.com writes.
J.J. Hickson isn’t pleased about the way his Blazers tenure ended, as we noted last night, but after signing with the Nuggets in part because of an opportunity for playing time, he’s seeing plenty of minutes, as Hoopsworld’s Joel Brigham details.

Pacific Notes: Jimmer, Bledsoe, Warriors, Kings

November 1st, 2013 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

After reporting yesterday that about six clubs had shown some level of interest in trade candidate Jimmer Fredette, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets that the number of teams with substantive interest is “closer to two.” The Kings elected to turn down their option on Jimmer for 2014/15, meaning he’s on an expiring contract now, which will make him more movable, according to Amick.

As the Kings mull what to do with their 2011 lottery pick, let’s check in on a few more items from around the Pacific Division….

Eric Bledsoe will head to restricted free agency in 2014 after not reaching an extension agreement with the Suns prior to October 31st. One league source tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News that Phoenix probably won’t get a discount next summer: “He is probably going to want a max deal. If he plays the way he thinks he is going to, he will get it, too.”
Warriors camp invitees Seth Curry, Dewayne Dedmon, and Joe Alexander have joined Golden State’s D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The three players, whose D-League rights were retained by Golden State, were considered likely to head to Santa Cruz when they were cut by the NBA’s Warriors.
The Kings‘ new management group didn’t just take over a mess when it came to business and fan relations, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation.com. In Ziller’s view, former GM Geoff Petrie‘s rebuild of Sacramento’s roster may require a rebuild itself.

Pacific Rumors: Bledsoe, Jimmer, Kobe, Frye

October 31st, 2013 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been an unusually busy day for news out west, so we’re following up this morning’s round of Pacific rumors with a few afternoon updates. Here’s the latest:

There are “no indications” that the Suns and Eric Bledsoe will reach an agreement on a contract extension before tonight’s deadline, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The two sides have until 11:00 pm CT to work something out.
On the heels of reporting that the Kings won’t exercise Jimmer Fredette‘s 2014/15 option, Sam Amick of USA Today passes along a little more Jimmer news. According to Amick, about six teams have expressed some trade interest in Fredette. The Jazz aren’t one of those six, however.
The highest-paid player in the NBA will receive most of his salary tomorrow, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times, who says Kobe Bryant will be paid more than $24MM by the Lakers on November 1st.
Mark Deeks of ShamSports, writing for SBNation.com, suggests that extending Andrew Bogut for three years and $36MM+ represents an unnecessary risk for the Warriors. As Deeks notes, Golden State still could have extended Bogut in the spring, prior to free agency, which would have given the team another full season to evaluate the big man.
In a separate piece for The Score, Deeks discusses the Suns/Wizards trade, writing that it’s the sort of deal that doesn’t necessarily have a winner or loser, since both teams got what they wanted. Deeks also points out that the Suns will have an “extremely logical” trade candidate in Channing Frye if he starts the season healthy and productive.
The Kings won’t sign Greivis Vasquez or Patrick Patterson to a contract extension today.

Kings Decline 2014/15 Option On Fredette

October 31st, 2013 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have informed Jimmer Fredette of their decision to turn down his option for 2014/15, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter). The move ensures that Fredette will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Two years into his NBA career, Fredette, 24, hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him when he was drafted 10th overall in 2011. Although the BYU product recorded a respectable 14.6 PER last season, his minutes per game were reduced from 18.6 in his rookie year to just 14.0 in 2012/13. In a Kings backcourt that features Greivis Vasquez, Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, and Marcus Thornton, it doesn’t look like there’s a meaningful role for Fredette, who would have been in line for a $3.11MM salary in 2014/15.

As our rookie contract option tracker shows, it’s rare for teams to turn down options on rookie contracts. So the Kings’ decision still comes as a slight surprise, even though our Chuck Myron wrote last month that Fredette was in danger due in part to his defensive limitations and the new regime in Sacramento. The decision likely ensures that Fredette’s name will pop up in trade rumors frequently between now and February’s deadline.

Pacific Notes: Fredette, Clips, Bledsoe, Warriors

October 29th, 2013 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have until Thursday evening to exercise or decline rookie contract options for 2014/15, and the Kings‘ decision on Jimmer Fredette isn’t a no-brainer. Since being drafted 10th overall in 2011, Fredette hasn’t made the impact at the NBA level that many were anticipating. I still expect Sacramento to pick up the relatively cheap option (about $3.11MM), but it sounds like the decision will go down to the wire.

“We have until Thursday, so we’ll have an internal process and conversation and come to a decision,” Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro told Jonathan Santiago of Cowbell Kingdom. “Obviously, we’ll have to do it by then. So I would think probably we’ll take our time up until the deadline.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:

Chris Kaman believes the Clippers will never truly surpass prestige of the Lakers, but says Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been “turning over a new leaf” with his newfound willingness to spend money on his team, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Of course, based on what we heard last night about Sterling nearly spiking the J.J. Redick deal, Sterling still appears to have a long way to go.
A contract extension for Eric Bledsoe is atop the Suns‘ to-do list, but his recent arrival in Phoenix and his lack of significant minutes make his value difficult to pinpoint, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Coro also wonders how much interest Bledsoe has in an extension, since he hasn’t talked about wanting Phoenix to be his long-term home when given the opportunity.
The costs of the Warriors‘ San Francisco arena project are starting to pile up, says John Coté of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee profiles new Kings head coach Michael Malone, who inherits the Sacramento job under new ownership and a new front office.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.