Josh Smith Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Rumors: Thompson, Marion, Turner

September 29th, 2014 at 10:37pm CST by Charlie Adams

The Cavs haven’t spoken with agent Rich Paul about an extension for Tristan Thompson, as Chris Haynes of the Plain Dealer hears, but it’s not necessarily a sign that the sides don’t intend to strike a deal before the October 31st deadline to do so, Haynes indicates. Let’s wrap up more from the Cavs and the Central:

Shawn Marion explains that the Cavs‘ acquisition of Kevin Love convinced him to spurn more lucrative offers from other clubs and sign with Cleveland, according to Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal.
Cavs GM David Griffin admits LeBron James was critical in Cleveland’s success in recruiting other big name players this summer, as Lloyd details in the same piece. “You couldn’t have a better recruiter than LeBron James,” Griffin said. “When you cut LeBron loose in a free agency path, you tend to get results you don’t get otherwise. To say he’s been an amazing partner this offseason would be a gross understatement.”
The Pacers and Evan Turner never attempted to negotiate a new deal that would have brought the former second overall pick back to Indiana for the 2014/15 season, reports Andrew Perna of RealGM (on Twitter). “We both just decided to go our separate ways,“ said Turner.
Greg Monroe‘s decision to sign his qualifying offer means he will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, but he says that doesn’t necessarily mean that he wants to leave the Pistons, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit News. Monroe also dismissed the notion that he doesn’t like to play alongside Josh Smith, according to Ellis (Twitter link).

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Stan Van Gundy On Monroe, Smith, Dual Role

September 27th, 2014 at 8:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Stan Van Gundy has had quite an introduction to handling basketball operations for a team in his first offseason as coach/executive for the Pistons. He was involved in tough negotiations with Greg Monroe, who ultimately turned down a four-year offer better than what the Pistons gave Josh Smith a year ago to sign his qualifying offer, which gives him the chance to hit unrestricted free agency next year. Van Gundy acknowledged in a chat with Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News that Monroe had serious reservations about a long-term future with the Pistons, and he had plenty more to say about the former seventh overall pick as well as other issues concerning the team. Goodwill’s entire interview is worth a read, especially for Pistons fans, but we’ll share a few of the highlights here:

On Smith:

“Last year wasn’t indicative of what he’s capable of as a basketball player. He was an incredibly tough guy to play against [when I coached against him]. At both ends, he gave us fits. He’s one of the most versatile frontline guys in the whole league. He has potential to be a great two-way player and you didn’t really see that last year, in all honesty. I think Josh would agree with that.”

On whether he’ll delegate his duties as front office chief during the regular season:

“I don’t know I ever take [that hat] off. [GM] Jeff [Bower] and I sort of worked out how we’ll communicate with that stuff, and [Palace of Auburn Hills president] Dennis [Mannion] on the other side. Jeff and I, when I’m in town, will meet at 7:30 before the coaches meetings every day, just to keep a handle on what’s going on.”

On whether he was ever close to a long-term deal with Monroe:

“That I can’t answer. That’s more to Greg, was he close to an agreement? There came a point where his agent [David Falk] said, ‘Look, we don’t want to get into a long back and forth. Give us your best offer.’ We sat and talked about it and outlined some things we wanted to accomplish with the offer. When I say ‘we,’ that was ownership involved. It was a well-thought-out, solid offer in terms of what we wanted to offer. Greg had to make a decision. I’m being honest. I was disappointed to a degree.”

On how Monroe’s decision to accept the qualifying offer has affected their relationship:

“His attitude has been great. At least I haven’t noticed it from my point. Business is business. I’ve got no hard feelings. I hope he doesn’t. I’ve seen no sign of a rift. He’s come in and worked hard, he’s been receptive to me and our coaching staff. He’s fun to be with. It changes strategy with where we go next offseason but for this season, it doesn’t change anything.”

And-Ones: Flynn, Pistons, Love

August 30th, 2014 at 10:55am CST by Eddie Scarito

Former NBA lottery pick Jonny Flynn has signed a contract with Capo d’Orlando of the Italian League, the team announced (translation by Sportando). Flynn last saw action in the NBA with the Blazers during the 2011/12 season. His career numbers are 9.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and 3.9 APG. His career slash line is .400/.338/.809.

Here’s more from around the league:

With Greg Monroe likely to sign his qualifying offer, the Pistons‘ frontcourt trio of Monroe, Josh Smith, and Andre Drummond will be together for another season. Coach Stan Van Gundy‘s challenge will be to figure out how to use them more effectively than they were last season, writes Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press.
Kevin Love has essentially traded places with Chris Bosh, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Love is now the third option on the Cavs, much like Bosh was alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with the Heat, Winderman notes, and it’s the statistical sacrifices of the third player that determines if these star trios are successful.
With the news that the Spurs are interested in Ray Allen, Nick Borges of ESPN.com runs down the free agent market for the future Hall-of-Famer. Borges notes that if Allen is seeking a title contender and the highest salary, then San Antonio is the best option. The Spurs can offer Allen the $5.3MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Clippers, Mavs, Heat, and Cavaliers can only give Allen a veteran’s minimum contract.

Latest On Josh Smith

July 22nd, 2014 at 8:21am CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 8:21am: The Smith talks were serious between the Kings and Pistons, according to Grantland’s Zach Lowe, contradicting part of Wojnarowski’s report. Lowe also suggests there’s a decent chance that they pick up again at some point.

MONDAY, 1:05pm: Van Gundy has told Smith that reports about trade talk with the Kings have been inaccurate and assured him that he’ll begin this coming season with the Pistons, barring an unexpected turn of events, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Kings had called about Smith, but Detroit never heard an offer it liked, and the discussion never reached a serious stage, sources tell Wojnarowski. Smith likes the idea of remaining with the Pistons, Wojnarowski also hears.

SATURDAY, 2:49pm: A source tells Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that there are “no legs” to reports suggesting that the Kings and Pistons are discussing a deal involving Smith.

THURSDAY, 8:59am: The idea of a Smith deal didn’t intrigue Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro, tweets Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News, who says it seems like coach Mike Malone is the catalyst for the talks. Stein noted Malone’s fondness for defense in story, one in which Stein also points to Smith’s defensive capabilities as one of the reasons the Kings are pursuing him. Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy didn’t give Smith any promise that he wouldn’t trade him when they met recently, but while Van Gundy is open to trading the forward, he wants value in return, Goodwill also tweets.

8:14am: The Pistons and Kings are once more discussing trade scenarios involving Josh Smith and are on the hunt for a third team to make a deal work, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Sacramento remains interested in the 28-year-old forward, as the Kings brass is fond of his defensive capabilities and intrigued by the idea of acquiring a player of his talent without giving up a piece of the team’s core, Stein hears.

The teams reportedly had talks last month before the Pistons put a stop to them, and the framework involved then would have seen Jason Thompson and either Derrick Williams or Jason Terry off to Detroit, Stein adds. It’s unclear whether any of that trio are subjects of the latest conversations, but Terry is seemingly agitating for an exit for Sacramento, having spoken of his fondness for the Mavericks and criticized Kings teammates DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay in a recent interview. The Kings would rather trade Terry than let him buy his way out of his contract, according to Stein.

Smith signed a four-year, $54MM contract with the Pistons a year ago, but the team’s decision to line him up next to Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond was ill-fated, and it’s left the club with a dilemma involving Monroe’s restricted free agency. The Pistons had serious talks with the Blazers about a sign-and-trade that would have sent Monroe to Portland, but the Blazers dropped out of the running for Monroe when they struck a deal with free agent Chris Kaman, Stein reports.

Smith has appeal to the Kings based on his relationship with Rajon Rondo, whom the team has long coveted, as Stein points out. Smith would love to play with Rondo, having called him “my best friend” in an interview this spring in which Smith said he and Rondo have had multiple conversations about the possibility of becoming teammates. The Celtics point guard is poised to become a free agent next summer.

Western Rumors: Smith, Lakers, Ballmer, Thunder

July 18th, 2014 at 10:47pm CST by Cray Allred

The Kings don’t believe any of their power forwards is a solution at the position, and they’ve tried to move one this summer in a quest for an upgrade that’s sparked revitalized talks with the Pistons involving Josh Smith, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee details. Here’s more from the Western Conference:

The Lakers have renounced the rights to Wesley Johnson, Xavier Henry, and Kent Bazemore, Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times reveals (all on Twitter). The maneuvers will accommodate the re-signings of Nick Young, Henry, and Johnson, all of whom have agreed to new deals. Pincus expects Young to be renounced before re-signing as well.
The Times scribe suspects that the Lakers are using part or all of the room exception to sign Ryan Kelly, considering the cap room that will be eaten up by Young’s contract, and a “reasonable” market of suitors for the power forward (all via Twitter).
Steve Ballmer agreed to extend his deal to purchase the Clippers until August 15th, but Linda Deutsch of The Associated Press reports that Ballmer’s lawyer told a judge in the Donald and Shelly Sterling legal proceedings that the agreement will be off if there is no ruling prior to that date. Ballmer’s potential withdrawal would further cloud the team’s status, as commissioner Adam Silver recently cautioned that Sterling could still own the Clippers at the beginning of next season.
The Thunder have announced that their D-League affiliate will move from Bixby, Oklahoma to Oklahoma City next season, as first reported by Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. The change will make shuffling players between the Thunder and 66ers more convenient.
The Jazz still have free agency moves to make in filling out their roster, reports Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (all Twitter links). Francisco Garcia is a possibility for Utah, who seek a shooting wing along with a third point guard brought in to sit behind the team’s developing backcourt.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Smith, Wright, Mirotic, Cavs

July 7th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Charlie Adams

The Pistons value Josh Smith and aren’t eager to part ways with him, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter). Rumors circulated that Detroit was discussing a possible deal that would have sent Smith packing to Sacramento, but talks fizzled out and the 28-year-old forward was never moved. More on the Pistons and the Central Division..

Detroit has hired Brian Wright as an assistant GM, reveals a report from The Associated Press. Wright had been working in Orlando’s front office for the past eight seasons, meaning he has previous experience with new Pistons head coach/president Stan Van Gundy.
Nick Fridell of ESPNChicago.com passes along former college coach Fran Fraschilla’s views on Bulls prospect Nikola Mirotic. Fraschilla thinks that Mirotic would have been a top 4 pick in this summer’s draft and compares his NBA-readiness to that of Bucks selection Jabari Parker.
Rumors that the Cavs pulled down Dan Gilbert‘s infamously sour farewell letter to LeBron James today are false, says Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (on Twitter), who adds that the letter hasn’t been easily accessible to the public for three years.

Central Notes: Waiters, Monroe, Morrow, Bucks

July 2nd, 2014 at 4:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Central Division has been a hub of activity again today, with the Pacers striking a trio of deals a day after the Pistons reached agreements with Jodie Meeks and Cartier Martin. Here’s the latest from the NBA’s busiest division in free agency so far:

The Cavs aren’t actively shopping Dion Waiters in spite of apparent interest from around the league, but a source close to the shooting guard tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Waiters believes there’s a strong chance he’ll be dealt.
Multiple sources told Grantland’s Zach Lowe that Greg Monroe would sign his qualifying offer if Josh Smith remained on the roster, but Monroe’s camp denies it, and Lowe calls it an “empty threat” that represents the exercise of the restricted free agent’s only true leverage.
The Pistons are no longer interested in Anthony Morrow after coming to terms with Meeks and Martin on Tuesday, reports John Reid of The Times Picayune. The Pelicans have been in contact to see if they can reach a deal to re-sign him, according to Reid, who suggests the Thunder and Bulls are suitors, too.
Bucks owner Marc Lasry admitted it was a mistake to keep GM John Hammond in the dark about the team’s negotiations with Jason Kidd, observes Andrew Wagner of The Associated Press. He also apologized to former coach Larry Drew for the way the club handled his ouster, as USA Today’s Sam Amick noted earlier.

Pistons End Josh Smith Talks With Kings

June 24th, 2014 at 4:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:19pm: The talks are “dead,” a source tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, who hears the Pistons put an end to them this morning (Twitter link).

2:29pm: The Pistons and Kings have spoken about a trade that would ship Josh Smith to Sacramento, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. One version would involve Derrick Williams and Jason Thompson heading to Detroit, while Jason Terry is a part of other scenarios, Stein adds (Twitter links). No deal is imminent, but Stein suggests that Sacramento has Rajon Rondo in mind as it pursues a deal for Smith, who’s friends with the Celtics point guard (Twitter link).

Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy expressed confidence this afternoon in the team’s direction regarding soon-to-be restricted free agent Greg Monroe, and a trade of Smith would help resolve the Pistons’ shooting deficiencies if Monroe remains. The new deal at or near the max that Monroe and agent David Falk are likely to command this summer would mean Monroe would join Smith on lucrative long-term contracts that would make it difficult for the Pistons to make changes along the front line without parting with Andre Drummond.

The Kings under GM Pete D’Alessandro have been perhaps the most aggressive team on the trade market, and a deal involving either Williams or Terry would represent a quick flip of players he acquired via trades just this past season. Thompson was frequently in trade rumors toward the deadline, but talks involving the Cavs never came to fruition.

Sacramento appears focused for now on proposals for the No. 8 pick, according to Stein (on Twitter), who echoes an earlier report that the team is more likely to trade it than keep it. The Kings apparently have three deals in the works involving that selection, and the Bulls and Hawks have been linked to the pick.

Pistons Notes: Monroe, Stuckey, Draft

June 24th, 2014 at 2:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pistons coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy says he’s spent more than half of his time since taking the job on Greg Monroe‘s impending free agency, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. There’s been plenty of uncertainty surrounding the future of the 24-year-old big man, but it seems as though Van Gundy has found some clarity, saying, “We know exactly where we’re headed on that,” as Langlois also passes along (on Twitter). Here’s more from the Pistons boss, with all links going to Langlois’ Twitter account:

Van Gundy identified Monroe, Andre Drummond, Josh Smith, Brandon Jennings, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Singler and Jonas Jerebko as the team’s core players. Conspicuous by his absence from that list is soon-to-be free agent Rodney Stuckey,
The Pistons probably won’t trade into the first-round, according to Van Gundy, who said he wouldn’t make a trade for a pick in the 25-30 range unless he’s certain a prospect of interest will be there for the taking. Even if an intriguing prospect does emerge within those picks, Detroit won’t give up a current player or a future No. 1 pick in a deal to trade into that range, Van Gundy added.
The team is unlikely to make a splashy move in the offseason, Van Gundy said.

Eastern Notes: Pistons, Celtics, Blatt, Sixers

June 22nd, 2014 at 8:11am CST by Eddie Scarito

According to Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News, the Pistons need to find a small forward in the draft who would allow coach Stan Van Gundy to move Josh Smith into a role as the sixth man. This would maximize Smith’s potential by making him the best player on the floor when both teams play their second units, opines Goodwill.