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Central Notes: Bucks, Williams, Drummond, Pistons

August 15th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks have a couple of options beyond making a trade to drop back below the luxury-tax line, as Gery Woelfel of WoelfelPressBox.com points out. Citing sources, Woelfel calculates the current Milwaukee payroll at $120.6MM, which would put it approximately $1.4MM over the tax threshold. The Bucks could shed some payroll by either releasing point guard Gary Payton Jr., who has a non-guaranteed $1.3MM deal, and/or waiving Spencer Hawes’ $6.5MM contract. By using the stretch provision, the Bucks could reduce Hawes’ 2017/18 cap hit by more than $4MM.

In other items involving the Central Division:

Unrestricted free agent forward Derrick Williams could wind up back with the Cavaliers, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports. Williams has drawn little interest in the open market but the Cavs could sign him to a one-year, $2.4MM contract once they decide whether to trade Kyrie Irving, Amico adds. Williams averaged 6.2 PPG and 2.3 RPG on 51% shooting in 17.1 MPG over 25 regular-season games with Cleveland but was used sparingly in the playoffs.
Andre Drummond has already noticed a significant difference in his breathing and stamina since undergoing sinus surgery this summer to correct a deviated septum, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. Playing at a high altitude in the NBA Africa Game in South Africa, the Pistons center said he was breathing much easier on and off the court, as he told Beard. “Just being able to breathe, I can’t even explain how great it feels to sleep easier and breathe easier when I play,” Drummond said. “I’m not worried about gasping for air when I go hard.” Drummond had been breathing mainly through one nostril during his NBA career prior to the surgery.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy will have difficult decisions on his power forward rotation, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. Tobias Harris could wind up splitting his time between both forward spots and the rest of the power forward minutes will be soaked up by a combination of Jon Leuer, Anthony Tolliver and second-year man Henry Ellenson. Leuer, who signed a four-year contract last summer, could wind up as the starter despite slumping badly after the All-Star break, Langlois continues. Tolliver signed up for his second stint with the franchise this summer and brings the elements of toughness and 3-point shooting, while Ellenson put his shot-making ability on display in summer-league action, Langlois adds.

Central Notes: Ellis, Rondo, Pistons

January 27th, 2017 at 1:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Monta Ellis‘ role with the Pacers keeps declining, notes Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The 31-year-old shooting guard has been replaced in the starting lineup by Glenn Robinson III and has struggled to contribute off the bench. Ellis is averaging just 8.3 points per game, the lowest since his rookie season, and shoots just 29% from 3-point range. He’s also taking a career-low 9.3 shots per 36 minutes and his free throw and assist rates have both fallen. Ellis is signed for $11.23MM next season and has an $11.7MM player option that Lowe expects him to exercise in 2018/19.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Rajon Rondo said he wasn’t trying to be the “bad guy” when he called out Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune relays (Twitter links). “I have a great relationship with the young guys [on the Bulls] and they had some things to say,” Rondo said. “When people express feelings relationships get better.”
Coach Fred Hoiberg said there will be no suspensions for any of the Bulls players as a result of the verbal battle between Wade, Butler and Rondo, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com passes along (Twitter link). However, Hoiberg did say there will be fines handed out.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy says the idea of a 10-man rotation isn’t workable, even though the team is getting past its injury problems, relays Aaron McMann of MLive. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jon Leuer recently returned to the lineup, giving Detroit 10 players who have seen regular playing time this season. But Van Gundy says decision have to be made on what’s best for the team, not to make sure certain players get enough minutes. “I like having all of those guys available,” he said. “It certainly gives us more flexibility, but the idea it’s as simple as, ‘Play 10,’ or ‘Play nine’ … you start charting out the minutes guys should get, and it doesn’t work.”

Chris Crouse contributed to this post

Central Notes: Ellenson, KCP, Rondo, Shumpert

January 13th, 2017 at 3:00pm CST by Austin Kent

While the absence of Jon Leuer has hurt a Pistons team desperate to regain its footing in the East, it has opened an opportunity for first-round pick Henry Ellenson to play meaningful minutes for once. This week Ellenson checked into a game in the first half for the first time this season writes Pistons.com editor Keith Langlois.

“It felt different, for sure,” the 20-year-old Pistons big man told Langlois of the matchup against the Kings. “It felt good to be out there, to be a part of the rotation. […] For me, personally, it was nice to get some of that action.”

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy reiterated how important it will be to have Ellenson available as the team returns to health in the coming days. Leuer is expected to be sidelined for at least two more games.

“We need all hands on deck,” Van Gundy said, before clarifying that while the rookie may be relied upon more than he has been thus far, it’s unlikely he’ll see “great big minutes” for the Pistons.

Elsewhere in the Central Division:

The Pistons haven’t played up to a standard that Van Gundy is happy with, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News, but the head coach believes that his team is capable of it. “I thought the early part of the year — probably the second 10 games or so — we got to where we were playing at a high level and we haven’t been able to gain a rhythm since then,” Van Gundy said. “This last 20 games, I haven’t done a good enough job of getting us to play at the level we’re capable of playing at“.
The results of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s Friday MRI are in and the shooting guard suffered a Grade 2 left rotator cuff strain. The team’s official press release states that he’ll be doubtful for the Pistons through the weekend, with his status continually reevaluated and updated.
Point guard Rajon Rondo called his punitive benching by Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg a “slap in the face,” writes Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago, but the veteran also says that the decision wasn’t unexpected.
The Cavaliers will insert Iman Shumpert into the starting lineup in place of DeAndre Liggins, says Sam Amico of NEO Sports Insiders. Liggins and Shumpert have shared time at the position since starter J.R. Smith broke his thumb.

Central Notes: Griffin, Korver, Rondo, Leuer

January 11th, 2017 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Within a piece exploring a handful of David Griffin‘s underappreciated moves for the Cavaliers, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes that the Cavs general manager will get right back to work after consummating a pair of deals last week. Having landed a veteran sharpshooter in Kyle Korver, Griffin will move on to the next item on the team’s wish list: a backup point guard.

Perhaps more interestingly, Windhorst also passes along a detail on Griffin’s contract, reporting that it’s set to expire at season’s end. Given the fact that he won a championship last year and has built a roster that looks capable of contending for years to come, Griffin shouldn’t be in any danger at all, so it will be interesting to see if he and the Cavaliers work out an extension anytime soon.

Here’s more out of the Central on the Cavs and some of their division rivals:

Korver didn’t have a memorable debut for the Cavaliers on Tuesday night, scoring just two points in 18 minutes. Still, he’s excited about his new home, calling Cleveland the “most talented team I’ve ever been on,” as Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal details. LeBron James gave some advice to his new teammate this week, telling Korver he wants to see him shoot early and often, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.
After sharing some candid thoughts on Tuesday about his recent benching, Rajon Rondo returned to the court for the Bulls later in the night, playing for the first time in 2017. As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune reports, Rondo played well enough that head coach Fred Hoiberg said he expected the point guard to remain in the rotation going forward — for now, at least.
Jon Leuer, who had been starting for the Pistons, left Sunday’s game with a knee injury, and while Stan Van Gundy indicated it’s likely not serious, Leuer may miss a few games. Rod Beard of The Detroit News, who notes that rookie Henry Ellenson may receive some more minutes in Leuer’s absence, has the details and quotes.

Central Notes: Dellavedova, Irving, Carter-Williams, Pistons

December 25th, 2016 at 8:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes the loss of backup guard Matthew Dellavedova has been the biggest change in the defending champion Cavaliers, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Dellavedova was involved in a sign-and-trade deal with the Bucks this summer after agreeing to a four-year, $38MM contract with Milwaukee. Cleveland has yet to find a dependable reserve point guard to play behind Kyrie Irving. “Dellavedova’s absence jumps out,” Kerr said. “I think he’s been a big part of their team in the last couple years, so it’s a different look.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Irving says he is “naturally an Alpha,” but is willing to continue the current arrangement with LeBron James for as long as possible, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The pairing has worked out well for the sixth-year point guard as he and James joined Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as the only players to win an NBA title and Olympic gold medals in the same year. “I just got to be great in the space I’m in for as long as I’m in it until there’s a change,” Irving said. “We all understand that as basketball fans, we want to see LeBron play for 10 more years and I would love to see that. I would love to play with Bron for 10 more years.”
After missing nearly two full months with left knee and left wrist problems, Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams is expected to return Monday, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Carter-Williams has only played in three games since being acquired from the Bucks in a preseason trade. He was projected to miss four to six weeks after hurting the wrist October 31st, but had to have a cast put on it to help with healing.
Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris may alternate starts for the Pistons depending on the opponent, writes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Coach Stan Van Gundy has designated Jon Leuer as one starter at forward because of his defensive capabilities. Van Gundy apparently plans to use Morris as a starter when he needs better defense and Harris when he needs more offense. The coach had a talk with Harris after telling him he was coming off the bench just before shootaround Friday. “Tobias is a good man,” Van Gundy said. “He’s only 24; he seems older. He’s a mature man you can have honest conversations with and he’ll evaluate what you’re saying. There’s not a lot of excuses or anything. If you say something, he’s the kind of guy who’s going to think about it. May not always agree with you, but going to think about it and look in the mirror and try to get better. I appreciate that and I thought his character showed in his play.”

Central Notes: Smith, Liggins, Leuer, Robinson

December 21st, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith may not have thumb surgery until after Christmas, reports Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The team is still deciding which doctor will perform the operation, and no timetable for a return will be set until the procedure is complete. The Cavs are taking a patient approach to Smith’s status and about finding a replacement, as coach Tyronn Lue instructed GM David Griffin to “take his time” in adjusting the roster. “We want to make sure that we have the right piece that we bring in here that could help us win a championship,” Lue said. “That’s our goal. I mean, with Griff at the helm I know he’ll get something done. He always pulls out something magical, so let him to his thing and I just gotta to continue to coach the team with what I’ve got.” Even with the injury to Smith, the team’s first priority is finding an experienced point guard to back up Kyrie Irving.

There’s more tonight from the Central Division:

Smith’s injury will mean more playing time for DeAndre Liggins, according to Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Iman Shumpert will probably remain in a reserve role because he has been handling the backup point guard duties, so that creates an opportunity for Liggins to start. He has played in 18 games this season, averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 13.9 minutes per night.
Stan Van Gundy’s promised lineup changes would have begun tonight with forward Jon Leuer getting a start, but a traffic accident this morning caused him to miss the team’s shootaround, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Leuer was able to play tonight, but he requested to be used off the bench after meeting with doctors. Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris remained the starting forwards, and Van Gundy didn’t say which player he had planned to bench for Leuer. “He would’ve started tonight but he got in a car wreck at about 45 mph and the airbags deployed and everything,” the coach said. “He was pretty banged up.”
Pacers guard Monta Ellis might be out another week, which will give Glenn Robinson III more time to prove he should be a starter, according to Jordan J. Wilson of The Indianapolis Star. Robinson has impressed his coaches while filling in for Ellis, who is suffering from a right groin sprain. “I think when another role guy goes down, this opportunity that I’m given, I’m really trying to keep it,” Robinson said. “That’s my job [to] come in competitive and to come in wanting to keep that spot. Like I said from the beginning of the season, I’ve been on the bench way too long [and I’m] trying to get back [in the starting lineup].”

Stan Van Gundy Ready To Shake Things Up

December 19th, 2016 at 11:42am CST by Dana Gauruder

DECEMBER 19, 11:42am: While Van Gundy and the Pistons may shake things up at some point, it doesn’t appear it will happen tonight. The Detroit head coach told reporters today that there will be no lineup changes for Monday’s game, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter link).

DECEMBER 18, 9:44pm: A lineup change could be coming as early as Monday for the Pistons, coach Stan Van Gundy told the media after his team was blown out on consecutive nights this weekend. Van Gundy has been exasperated by his team’s inconsistent play and the return of point guard Reggie Jackson from knee tendinitis has only led to more choppy performances. “There’s no question we’ve not been as good,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve played eight games, seven of them against teams below .500, and we’re 3-5. So there’s no question we’re not as good as we were before. That’s just a fact. Now, is that all on him? No. No, we have a lot of guys not playing as well.”

While Van Gundy didn’t elaborate on the potential lineup change, he really has only two viable options:

He could reinsert Ish Smith, who started while Jackson was rehabbing his knee, at point guard. Van Gundy isn’t sure if that’s the answer. “Even before Reggie came back, that starting lineup with Ish was outscored by opponents, too,” he said. “Not by as much, but outscored by opponents. So that has not been as good a lineup. We were surviving basically because our bench was coming in and outplaying people.”
He could move power forward Jon Leuer into the starting five and have either Marcus Morris or Tobias Harris come off the bench. Leuer has arguably been the Pistons’ most consistent player, averaging career highs in points (10.8) and rebounds (6.4). However, Leuer missed the 105-90 loss to the Pacers on Saturday with back spasms.

It’s clear that Van Gundy doesn’t intend to sit back and wait for the team to come around. “We’ve definitely gotta look at some things, lineup and rotation-wise,” he said. “That unit is clearly not working. At least not right now. “

Van Gundy also criticized his team for playing too selfishly in recent outings, with players more concerned about getting shots than getting back on defense. The players held a team meeting after the Indiana game to address that, as well as other issues.

“We’ve got guys upset they’re not touching the ball, and everything else, so they’re not as engaged in the game on the defensive end of the floor,” he said. “There’s all kinds of things that have to go into the game, and the ball has to move. There has to be an unselfish offense, and a committed defense, and the last two nights, there have been neither.”

Detroit is still just one game under .500 and one of many Eastern Conference clubs trying to find a way to go on a hot streak. But heightened expectations for the Pistons, who made the playoffs last season, have led to frustration over their mediocre play through 29 games. What changes should Van Gundy make to get his team going? Take to the comments section and give us your input.

Pistons Notes: Jackson, Leuer, Trades, Palace

November 23rd, 2016 at 8:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons could have point guard Reggie Jackson back on the floor by early December, reports Aaron McMann of MLive. Jackson hasn’t played since receiving plasma injection therapy to treat tendinitis on his left knee October 10th. Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said Jackson could be cleared for five-on-five drills by Monday and may return after the Pistons wrap up a four-game road trip on December 2nd. “He is starting to do some stuff,” Van Gundy said. “He still hasn’t done any five-on-five. He did some three-on-three live today — a little bit of it full court. He looks good at the stuff that he’s doing, but he’s got to get more comfortable. Got to get his conditioning back.”

There’s more tonight out of Detroit:

Free agent addition Jon Leuer appears to be the stretch four that the Pistons have been wanting off the bench, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Detroit gave Leuer a four-year, $41MM deal to lure him from the Suns and created an opening by not re-signing Anthony Tolliver. Leuer has taken advantage of the opportunity, averaging 10.3 points and 6.9 rebounds through 15 games, all off the bench. “You get that stretch [forward] label and people think you’re just a spot-up shooter,” Leuer said. “There’s a lot more to my game than that.”
The Pistons will be less likely to make a major deal at this year’s deadline than they have been the past two seasons, according to Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Detroit picked up Tobias Harris in February and Jackson at the 2015 deadline, but Langlois says the team has at least one and possibly two players it likes at every position, lessening the possibility of a shakeup.
There are no set plans for the Palace of Auburn Hills once the Pistons move to downtown Detroit next season, McMann writes in a separate story. The building could be endangered as it would have trouble turning a profit without revenue from the Pistons and it is in an area considered desirable for technology and research development companies. “We have a lot of different plans and possibilities,” said team owner Tom Gores. “We’ve even discussed it, [Red Wings owner] Chris [Ilitch] and I. We don’t have any definitive plans.”

Players With Incentive Bonuses For 2016/17

November 7th, 2016 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, there are 33 players around the NBA who can potentially earn incentive bonuses this season based on their own durability or performance, or based on how their team performs. Although Marks doesn’t identify all 33 players who have incentives included in their 2016/17 contracts, he discusses over half of them, passing along a number of interesting tidbits about those potential bonuses. Here are some of the highlights:

Minutes/games played bonuses:

NBA bonuses are deemed either “likely” or “unlikely,” using the previous season’s statistics as a benchmark, so if a player didn’t appear in many games during the previous year, a team can include a games-played benchmark and call it an unlikely incentive. For instance, John Henson‘s contract with the Bucks features incentives if he plays 60 games or 75 games this season. He appeared in just 57 contests in 2015/16, so neither of those marks is viewed as likely.

Miles Plumlee (Bucks), Luis Scola (Nets), Greivis Vasquez (Nets), and Deron Williams (Mavericks) are among the other players who have incentives in their deals for games played or started.

Individual statistic bonuses:

The Trail Blazers got creative with Maurice Harkless‘ new contract this summer, including an incentive bonus in the deal that can be triggered based if he keeps his three-point percentage above a certain level. Jeremy Lin, meanwhile, not only has a three-point percentage incentive, but also has bonuses linked to assists, turnovers, and threes and free throws attempted per 36 minutes.

Individual achievement bonuses:

Players like Bismack Biyombo (Magic), Evan Fournier (Magic), and Will Barton (Nuggets) have incentives related to their individual performances as well, but they’re related to awards and honors, rather than raw statistics. Biyombo gets a bonus if he makes the NBA’s All-Defensive team, Fournier gets some extra money for an All-Star appearance, and Barton would get $250K if he wins the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Of course, some of these incentives are more realistic than others. For instance, Thaddeus Young (Pacers) probably shouldn’t be counting on the $500K incentive bonus that he’d earn if he wins the league’s MVP award.

Team performance bonuses:

Several players, including Fournier, Jon Leuer (Pistons), and Joe Ingles (Jazz) have bonuses related to their teams making the playoffs. Many of those postseason incentives are tied to another condition. For example, for Taj Gibson to earn his bonus from the Bulls, he must appear in at least 60 games, play in at least 75% of Chicago’s playoff games, and average 25 or more minutes per game during the regular season.

Some players also have incentives linked to their teams’ win total, and once again, some are more attainable than others. For example, Nikola Mirotic could earn an extra $800K, but he’d need the Bulls to win 65+ games, so there’s a good chance his shot at that bonus will disappear about halfway through the season.

Be sure to check out the full breakdown from Marks for many more details on players who could earn incentive bonuses in 2016/17.

Pistons Notes: Jackson, Johnson, Leuer

November 6th, 2016 at 3:30pm CST by Will Joseph

Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson, who has yet to play this season and has missed the last month after having treatment for tendinitis in his left knee, will begin basketball activities Monday, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. It seems like Jackson is on track because the original timeline for his recovery was 6-8 weeks, as Beard points out. Jackson was the team’s leading scorer last season. It appears he will be able to return later this month, Beard surmises.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

As Jackson continues his recovery, offseason addition Jon Leuer and second-year player Stanley Johnson have bolstered the Pistons’ bench, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. The Pistons picked up Johnson’s option for the 2017/18 season last month, and he seems to be playing with a better mix of confidence and focus, Langlois adds.
The Pistons inked Leuer to a four-year, $41MM deal over the summer, and now coach Stan Van Gundy wants to see the 6’10” forward shoot more, Aaron McMann of MLive.com relays. Interestingly, however, through six games, Leuer is averaging 9.3 points on 51 percent shooting and he is attempting nearly eight shots per game, as McMann notes. Van Gundy wants Leuer to be more aggressive in looking for his shot, McMann adds.