Josh McRoberts Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Josh McRoberts Opts Out, Will Hit Free Agency

June 18th, 2014 at 1:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:27pm: Cho said in a press conference today that the team hopes to re-sign McRoberts, according to the Hornets official Twitter account.

12:40pm: Josh McRoberts has turned down his player option and will become a free agent on July 1st, a source tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). McRoberts was slated to make more than $2.771MM next season, but his cap hold will represent $5,038,800 on Charlotte’s books unless the Hornets either renounce his rights or strike a new deal during the July moratorium.

The move from McRoberts was widely expected after a career year for the veteran of seven seasons. He notched 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists against just 1.1 turnovers per game as the starting power forward for the then-Bobcats, who made the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history.

The Hornets have about $41MM in commitments for next season, not counting their pair of first-round picks, as Cray Allred of Hoops Rumors detailed this morning. Determining the future of McRoberts will be one of GM Rich Cho‘s first orders of business next month, if for no other reason than to reduce his bloated cap hold. The 27-year-old has expressed interest in a return and coach Steve Clifford has publicly lobbied for the team to retain him.

And-Ones: O’Neal, Sterling, Jackson

April 30th, 2014 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Jonathan Abrams of Grantland examines the resurgence of Jermaine O’Neal with the Warriors. O’Neal feels like his years with the Celtics were lost seasons, per the article. O’Neal said, “Those two years [in Boston] were very difficult for me, because not only did I feel like I was wearing down physically, I was wearing down mentally. That was the first time in my life I felt myself starting to break away a little bit.”

Bobcats Notes: Free Agents, McRoberts, Hornets

April 30th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bobcats head coach Steve Clifford believes that three factors decide where free agents will sign, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Clifford said they were, “Money, of course… Who you play with… And can I win?” Charlotte, Clifford notes, comes out well in all those areas. The team could have up to $19MM in salary-cap space this summer, a good locker room atmosphere, and their improvement from 21 victories in 2012/13 to 43 this season shows a franchise on the upswing, per the article.

More out of Charlotte:

Clifford doubled down on his support for the return of soon-to-be free agent Josh McRoberts, saying the team needs him back, Bonnell notes (on Twitter).
Bonnell also tweets that president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said that improving the team’s perimeter shooting will be a priority this offseason.
We won’t be referring to the team as the Bobcats for much longer, tweets Bonnell. The nickname change back to the Hornets will become official in a “couple of weeks,” Bobcats spokesman Mike Cristaldi said, per Bonnell.

Eastern Notes: Kerr, Bobcats, Bulls

April 29th, 2014 at 10:02pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are a few links to pass along out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

As he continues to consider accepting the Knicks’ head coaching job, Steve Kerr is currently doing his own research on the organization to make sure there are no red flags, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Josh McRoberts – who can opt out of his contract this summer – said his preference is to keep playing for Bobcats head coach Steve Clifford for many years, but money will likely be the biggest factor, opines Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
Bonnell also writes that swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts seems the best fit to re-sign among the team’s soon-to-be free agents.
With the Bulls now eliminated from playoff contention, the team will presumably turn their attention toward addressing the future of Tom Thibodeau, opines Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
Derrick Rose began taking some contact on his surgically repaired right knee on Monday, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. He’s still expected to begin next season at full strength.
In addition to evaluating how certain prospects may transition into the NBA, the Pistons – equipped with their own D-League team in Grand Rapids starting next season – will also be scouring this year’s draft pool for prospects to develop in the NBDL, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.

Bobcats Rumors: Afflalo, Nelson, McRoberts

April 29th, 2014 at 11:56am CST by Chuck Myron

The Bobcats have been eliminated from the playoffs, and soon the name “Bobcats” won’t exist around the NBA at all, with Charlotte set to announce the official changeover to the “Hornets” nickname. The team’s focus is squarely on its first season in teal-and-purple now that the significant step forward that 2013/14 represented for the club is done. Here’s the latest:

Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson of the Magic will likely be among Charlotte’s trade targets, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, pointing to their ties to Bobcats coach Steve Clifford, who worked with them when he was an assistant coach in Orlando.
Josh McRoberts remains undecided about his nearly $2.8MM player option and says he wants to remain in Charlotte long-term, notes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links), though Stein writes that he’s “widely expected” to decline it. Charlotte would “naturally” want to re-sign him in that case, Stein adds. Clifford expressed his support for McRoberts after Monday’s game, as Bonnell observes (on Twitter).
Charlotte will probably target a dependable small forward in free agency or via trade, Stein writes.

Eastern Notes: Jackson, McRoberts, Hamilton

March 13th, 2014 at 7:14pm CST by Alex Lee

As Ric Bucher and Howard Beck of Bleacher Report discuss, it is impossible for the Knicks or anyone else to predict the success that Phil Jackson will have as team president because he simply has no track record in an NBA front office. While Beck speculates that Jackson’s guidance could have the same positive effect on Carmelo Anthony that it did on Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, Bucher points out that the NBA’s resident Zen Master has never had the best relationship with agents.

Let’s take a look at what else is happening around the Eastern Conference tonight:

The underpaid Josh McRoberts has the ability to opt out of his two-year deal and become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, who adds that the Bobcats value the Duke product and should do everything they can to retain him.
Bonnell also confirms that the Bobcats worked out a group of players on Thursday, as we heard yesterday. While it doesn’t sound like he thinks the team have anything notable planned, Bonnell points out the forthcoming expiration of Justin Hamilton‘s 10-day contract and mentions the Heat as possible suitors for the 7-foot LSU product should Charlotte let him walk (via Twitter).
Bucks head coach Larry Drew indicated today that a decision has yet to be made on whether or not the team will sign Tony Mitchell to a second 10-day contract, tweets Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Bucks initially added Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on March 4.

Michael Jordan Talks Tanking, CBA, McRoberts

November 1st, 2013 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bobcats dropped their first game of the season in Houston on Wednesday night, but will look to get in the win column later today when they host the Cavs in Charlotte. In advance of tonight’s home opener, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan spoke to The Associated Press and the Charlotte Observer about a number of subjects related to his team. Courtesy of Steve Reed (AP) and Rick Bonnell (Observer), here are a few highlights from the six-time champion:

Asked about tanking, Jordan said that’s not a path the Bobcats plan to go down. “I don’t know if some teams have thought of that,” Jordan said. “That’s not something that we would do. I don’t believe in that…. If that was my intention I never would have paid Al Jefferson $13MM a year.”
More Jordan on tanking: “It’s not guaranteed [the player] you are going to get is going to be that star anyway. I did read that certain teams are thinking about doing it. But I’m not one of them.”
Jordan referred to the amnestying of Tyrus Thomas as a statement that showed the Bobcats weren’t going to be shy about spending to improve the roster. Charlotte is still paying Thomas, and the cap space cleared in the move helped the club add Jefferson and re-sign Gerald Henderson.
Initially, Jordan was unconvinced that the league’s new CBA was helping to level the playing field, but he has started to come around on its benefits. “We are still going through and seeing the full effects of it,” Jordan said. “From a business standpoint if you operate your team in the right way it gives you a chance to break even or be profitable. And it makes it more difficult for your talent to get up and go somewhere else.”
Jordan singled out Josh McRoberts, who re-signed in Charlotte this past summer, as one of the keys to the club, expressing hope that he won’t opt out of his deal at season’s end.

Central Links: Jennings, Rose, Datome

October 3rd, 2013 at 9:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Pistons guard Brandon Jennings offered a response via the media to former teammate Larry Sanders, who recently said “he has to pass to them first” after being told about how Jennings was excited to play with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond in Detroit: “(Milwaukee) gave him $11 million, so he must be doing something right…Me and (Monta Ellis) had to take those shots. For us to even get to the (eighth) spot in the playoffs, we had to take those shots. It is what it is” (David Mayo of MLive.com). Here's more out of the Central Division tonight:

According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Bulls superstar Derrick Rose is more pre-occupied about his conditioning in the pre-season opener against the Pacers rather than his surgically repaired knee: "You can run and condition yourself as much as possible, but it's nothing like getting out there and playing a game…I hope it's building my wind for it. In the future, I shouldn't have anything to worry about."
In another piece from Mayo, Gigi Datome opens up about attending his first NBA training camp with the Pistons and some of his experiences so far: "The best players in the world are here, so everybody's more quick, more fast, more physical, and for sure also skilled…I'm going to get better, for sure, (and) have to get used to this as quick as possible."
Caron Butler already appears to be relishing his leadership role on the Bucks and is enjoying his homecoming thus far in Wisconsin (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
Jeffery Taylor hopes to continue the success he had over the summer with the Bobcats this season, writes Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer. Aside from a strong performance for Charlotte's summer league team in Las Vegas, the 6'7 swingman also emerged as Sweden's best player in the FIBA Eurobasket Tournament.
In another Bobcats-related article, Rick Bonnell (also of the Charlotte Observer) takes a closer look at how forward Josh McRoberts has found his niche with the team.

Bobcats Re-Sign Josh McRoberts

July 11th, 2013 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 11TH: The Bobcats have officially signed McRoberts, according to a press release from the team.

JULY 5TH: The Bobcats have reached an agreement to re-sign Josh McRoberts to a two-year contract, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). According to Spears, the deal will be worth $6MM overall, with a player option in the second year. However, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer pegs the overall amount at $5.5MM (Twitter link).

After being acquired by the Bobcats at least year's trade deadline in exchange for Hakim Warrick, McRoberts started 19 of 26 games with the team, averaging 9.3 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 30.8 minutes per contest. All three of those averages would've been career-highs for the 26-year-old forward had he kept them up over a full season.

McRoberts has been on the move multiple times over the last year, having been acquired by the Magic from the Lakers in last August's Dwight Howard blockbuster before being sent to Charlotte in February. By agreeing to re-sign with the Bobcats, the BDA Sports client should have some stability for at least the 2013/14 season.

For the Bobcats, they'll bring back another piece of a frontcourt that has undergone some changes this week. Charlotte has also agreed to a lucrative deal for Al Jefferson, with the intention of amnestying Tyrus Thomas to clear the cap space necessary for the former Jazz center.

Eastern Notes: Turner, Sixers, Gordon, McRoberts

April 18th, 2013 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2012/13 season officially over for 14 NBA teams, it's been a busy Thursday around the league, as teams look toward the offseason changes on the way in the coming weeks and months. Three Eastern Conference teams have parted ways with their head coaches, but that's not all that's going on in the conference today. Here are a few more Eastern updates:

Speaking to Philadelphia media today, Evan Turner said he believes he'll still be a Sixer next season, and that his name has come up in trade rumors because he has value. He added that he isn't worried about potential extension talks — he'll be extension-eligible as of July 1st (Twitter links via Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com).
Sixers owner Josh Harris has confirmed that Philadelphia is in "advanced discussions" to buy a D-League franchise, tweets Moore. A report back in November suggested that the 76ers may be targeting the suspended Utah Flash team.
Ben Gordon can't see any reason to opt out of his contract for next season, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Considering his 2013/14 player option is worth $13.2MM, Gordon's stance is hardly a surprise.
Another player who would like to return to the Bobcats for 2013/14 is Josh McRoberts. However, Bonnell tweets that McRoberts "made it clear" money will be the biggest factor for him in free agency.
John Wall isn't planning on doing much recruiting this summer, telling J. Michael of CSNWashington.com that he's not going to "beg" free agents to sign with the Wizards (Twitter link).
Al Harrington, who has two half-guaranteed years remaining on his contract, recognizes he probably doesn't have a future with the Magic, but isn't 100% sure, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).