Kevin Garnett Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Hornacek, Garnett, Jazz

April 13th, 2015 at 9:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns could show their faith in coach Jeff Hornacek by picking up his 2016/17 contract option year, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Hornacek will enter the last guaranteed year on his contract next season, though he has a strong relationship with the team’s management. He has been hampered by the Suns’ major roster overhaul during the season, with point guards Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas getting dealt and replacement Brandon Knight getting injured, Coro continues. Hornacek’s system requires multiple playmakers and quality shooters but after all the changes the Suns have been the worst 3-point shooting team in the league since the trade deadline, Coro adds.

In other news around the Western Conference:

Flip Saunders expects Kevin Garnett to play again for the Timberwolves next season, Jon Krawcyznski of the Associated Press reports. Garnett has missed 20 of 25 games since being traded back to Minnesota in February and he’s also expected to miss the season finale against the Thunder. Saunders says that’s an indication that Garnett plans on playing another season, the story continues. “If he plays, to me it would be an indication that he didn’t want to play next year,” Saunders said. “He’s looking at this as not being over.” Garnett becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer but is expected to stay with the club if he does not retire.
Interim coach Melvin Hunt has the Nuggets playing the fast-paced style of his former boss and current Kings coach, George Karl, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports. Hunt, who replaced Brian Shaw, will receive consideration for the full-time job in part because of his willingness to make bold changes, Jones adds. “He [Karl] has showed me a lot of things – that it is OK to not be traditional,” Hunt said to Jones.
The Jazz will host a summer league for the first time since 2008, the team announced on Monday. The Celtics, Sixers and Spurs will join the Jazz in the six-game event on July 6-9.

Kevin Garnett Leans Toward Playing Next Season

April 13th, 2015 at 8:17am CST by Chuck Myron

There’s no indication that Kevin Garnett has made any final decision about playing in 2015/16, but he’s still leaning toward doing so, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Garnett, who’s on an expiring contract, wouldn’t commit to another season during the press conference that followed his deadline trade to the Timberwolves. However, Minnesota is planning to make the 20th-year veteran a two-year offer this summer, as Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press reported at the deadline, and Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune reported shortly thereafter that Garnett was expected to sign such an offer.

Garnett’s return to Minnesota has not gone according to script so far. He’s played in only five games because of a troublesome left knee. Still, the Wolves acquired him in large measure for his influence on the locker room. He turns 39 in May, and another NBA season would tie him with Robert Parish and Kevin Willis for the most seasons played of all time. The Andy Miller client makes $12MM this season, but his market value is difficult to peg given the juxtaposition of his declining on-court productivity and the priority the Wolves have placed on his mere presence around the franchise. Minnesota has about $51MM committed to nine players for next season, not including a $5MM player option for Chase Budinger that he seems sure to pick up.

Garnett has acknowledged an interest in buying the Wolves at some point, and owner Glen Taylor has said that his return as a player enhances his chances of becoming a part-owner. He and coach/executive Flip Saunders, who already owns a minority stake in the team, are expected to put together a group to buy the majority of the franchise from Taylor over the next two years, but Taylor has made it clear the franchise isn’t currently on the market.

Atlantic Notes: Randolph, Young, KG, Raptors

April 7th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Shavlik Randolph doesn’t want to sign a non-guaranteed deal for next season, and he indicated in an interview with Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders that it was part of the reason the Celtics let him go Monday.

“As much as I would have loved to finish the season and playoff run with this team, I just wasn’t willing to commit to a non-guaranteed deal for next season,” Randolph said. “So they had to do what was best for them, which I completely understand.”

Randolph spoke with team officials Monday afternoon, according to Camerato. He was on an expiring contract and ineligible to sign an extension, so aside from giving a non-binding verbal promise that he would re-sign a non-guaranteed deal with the team this summer, it’s unclear what the team was proposing. Conceivably, the C’s could have waived him and signed him back once he cleared waivers to a deal for the rest of this season that included non-guaranteed salary for next season, but that would have been an unusual maneuver. In any case, there’s more on Randolph amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

Randolph also told Camerato that there remains a level of mutual interest between him and the Celtics, but he’s considering a return to China, where he’s played in the past, to help boost his stock for an eventual NBA return, as Camerato details.
The Thaddeus Young/Kevin Garnett deadline trade didn’t come together quickly, as Nets GM Billy King had been working toward it all year, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and coach Dwane Casey will tinker with the roster, but between now and the end of the season, the team can’t fix its defensive flaws, opines Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. The Raps were on the verge of a teardown early last season, so considering that so little time has passed since then, the team is about as strong as it could be, Smith argues.

Atlantic Notes: Garnett, Robinson, Datome

April 2nd, 2015 at 10:33am CST by Chuck Myron

Nets players aren’t saying so on the record, but they’re a looser, happier bunch since the team traded Kevin Garnett at the deadline, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. It’s an odd juxtaposition, since the Timberwolves made it clear that they brought him in with the idea that he’d be a positive influence on their locker room. The Nets, though they have a number of young pieces, are more a team of veterans than the Wolves are, so that seems as plausible an explanation as any for the split opinions. While the KG-less Nets look to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, here’s more from their Atlantic Division rivals:

Thomas Robinson has bounced around quite a bit since he became the No. 5 overall pick in 2012, but with unrestricted free agency looming in the summer, he hopes he’s found his niche with the Sixers, and he tells Andy Jasner of Sixers.com that he’s “all in” with the team. “I’m getting a lot of minutes and the coaching staff has shown incredible trust in me,” Robinson said. “I know we haven’t won a lot of games here, but I’m getting my chance. To get this kind of opportunity is a great feeling. I want to be as consistent as possible and hopefully be able to stay here for the long term.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was unsure a month ago of how soon-to-be free agent Gigi Datome fit into the team, but it sounds at this point like coach Brad Stevens is sold, notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. “He’s our best shooter, and one of the better shooters I’ve seen,” Stevens said. “I hope we can continue to find opportunities for him, because he’s earned that. I really like him. I’m in his corner, and I’ve had that conversation with all of our people in the front office as well.”
Sixers rookie Nerlens Noel clarified earlier remarks he made about Ish Smith that seemed to serve as an indictment of Michael Carter-Williams, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Nah, I’d never do that,” Noel said of the idea he would take a cut at his former teammate. “He’s a playmaker. There are times when you need a scoring point guard that’s going to get in the lane, create and make scoring opportunities.” Noel’s numbers are up since the team traded Carter-Williams at the deadline and claimed Smith off waivers two days later, Pompey notes.

Northwest Notes: Hunt, Garnett, Young

March 17th, 2015 at 11:20am CST by Chuck Myron

Nuggets players would endorse the removal of the interim tag from coach Melvin Hunt‘s job title, and it’s a move the organization will at least consider, GM Tim Connelly told Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post.

“As an organization, we have all been impressed with the job Melvin has done thus far,” Connelly said. “When the season concludes, he will be one of the candidates as we begin an exhaustive search to find a head coach.”

Hunt is an impressive 6-3 in his brief tenure, and Hochman argues that while he deserves a shot, there are other candidates who merit consideration, too. Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

The injection of 20th-year veteran Kevin Garnett into the inexperienced Timberwolves roster struck an immediate chord, Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders told reporters, including Newsday’s Roderick Boone. “It was like three little kids looking at Santa Claus coming down the chimney,” Saunders said of the reaction some of his younger players had to meeting Garnett.
Thaddeus Young indicated to the Wolves that he didn’t intend to pick up his player option worth about $10MM for next season, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Young had reportedly requested a trade through his agent. Young, who hasn’t decided on opting in with Brooklyn, credits the Timberwolves organization for accommodating his wishes, working with his agent and keeping him in the loop, as Zgoda relays. Saunders this week expressed his affection for Young as a player, as Boone notes in his story.
The Nuggets have begun to sit key players for rest, but Wilson Chandler, a free agent after next season, is not pleased, as Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post relays. “It’s tough when you’re fighting together but you’re getting set up for failure,” Chandler said. The decision isn’t coming from the players or Hunt, Dempsey writes, which suggests it’s the front office’s call.
Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News has more details on Greg Miller’s decision Monday to relinquish his role as CEO of the company that controls the Jazz, a move that team and company officials insist won’t have much effect on Jazz basketball operations.
The Jazz have recalled Ian Clark from the D-League, the team announced. He averaged just 14.0 points in 32.0 minutes per game but nailed 45.0% of his three-point attempts on an assignment that last nearly a month.

Atlantic Notes: Prokhorov, Bargnani, Smart

March 5th, 2015 at 10:20pm CST by Will Joseph

Nets CEO Brett Yormark told reporters, including John Brennan of The Record, that he does not “think anything’s gonna happen” and that “we have an ownership group that is very committed,” when asked about rumors of a sale of the team by Mikhail Prokhorov. Yormark also added to the pressures of the Nets, who dropped from the eighth seed to the 10th seed after Wednesday’s loss to the Hornets, by saying he wants the team to “own” New York City.

“This market is very competitive,” Yormark said. “As much as I say we don’t compete against the Knicks or the Garden, we do. That’s the reality of it. I’m opportunistic, right? They’re struggling, and – it’s going to be cyclical. So I want to own this city. That’s critical for us. I think the way you own it is by winning and getting to the playoffs this year.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Andrea Bargnani, who’ll be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and who missed all but two of New York’s first 51 games with leg injuries, has stepped up in scoring for the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony out for the season, Peter Botte of The New York Daily News writes. The veteran big man has averaged 17.8 PPG over his last five contests. Bargnani was a buyout candidate as the March 1st deadline for waived players to still be playoff eligible approached.
Citing Kevin Garnett‘s sharp statistical decline, Andy Vasquez of The Record opines the Nets are a better team since they traded the future Hall of Famer for Thaddeus Young. In his first seven games as a member of the Nets, Young is averaging 12.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per night. Garnett has made four appearances for the Wolves, contributing 8.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 19.3 minutes per game since the swap.
Marcus Smart, who was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February, is having a growing impact on the Celtics and as a result, Boston coach Brad Stevens’ confidence in the point guard has increased, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes.

Northwest Notes: Garnett, Neal, Nuggets, Burks

March 1st, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Garnett has a future with the Timberwolves as a player if he wants it, but owner Glen Taylor said he can’t talk about the idea that Garnett will one day own the team, writes Sid Hartman of The Star Tribune. Taylor stressed that the team is not for sale, although there is speculation that he and other owners are waiting to see what price the Hawks fetch before going forward with sale plans. The Wolves were valued at $625MM in a recent list by Forbes Magazine. Taylor said he hopes Garnett’s playing career doesn’t end this season. “I feel like if he feels healthy and strong and wants to, I would like to have him come back next year and play with this team,” the owner said. “I just think he would be a great asset.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

The arrival of March 1 means no playoffs for Gary Neal, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders has rejected all buyout attempts by Neal’s representatives, Wolfson reports. Players must be waived by today in order to sign with another team and be eligible for this year’s playoffs. Neal was traded from the Hornets to the Wolves last month in exchange for Mo Williams and Troy Daniels.
Keeping the Nuggets focused through the remainder of a lost season is the biggest challenge facing coach Brian Shaw, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Shaw was searching for answers after Friday’s 22-point loss to the Jazz. “I’m frustrated in myself because I feel that I need to figure out a way to do a better job at trying to get that out of us, get that hustle and those kinds of plays and to play with more of a sense of urgency, play with more tenacity,” he said.
Alec Burks can’t play or practice with the Jazz, but that hasn’t prevented him from staying part of the team, reports Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Burks, sidelined with a shoulder injury, accompanied the Jazz on a recent trip to Denver and is helping the team prepare for games. “It’s really good that he’s here, that he’s with us,” coach Quin Snyder said. “He wants to be with us. He’s in the film sessions.”

Western Notes: Rondo, Lakers, Harden

February 26th, 2015 at 8:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rick Carlisle and Rajon Rondo have begun to take steps to repair their relationship, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. The Mavs coach and veteran point guard held a lengthy meeting to iron out their differences, most of which involved play-calling responsibilities, Sefko continues. Rondo, an unrestricted free agent following the season, was benched after a heated exchange with Carlisle in Tuesday’s win over Toronto and was suspended for Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta. Even if their relationship improves, Rondo’s stay with the Mavs is extremely unlikely to extend past this season, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com opines.

In other news around the Western Conference:

Kobe Bryant, in a one-on-one interview with Sam Amick of USA Today, said that superstar players are unwilling to leave millions of dollars on the table to sign with the Lakers. Bryant added that it was unrealistic to believe All-Stars like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony would sign with the Lakers last summer at less than the maximum salary at this stage of their careers and the franchise would run into the same problem with other free agents in the future, Amick notes.
The Rockets have become over-reliant on James Harden because of their failure to acquire a top-notch point guard, Fran Blinebury of NBA.com contends. Harden might wear down by the postseason and the Rockets could have eased the burden on him by acquiring a player like ex-Rocket Goran Dragic before the trade deadline, Blinebury adds.
Kevin Garnett could remain with the Timberwolves organization as a team executive even if he does not become part owner of the franchise after his playing career is over, according to Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Garnett was traded by the Nets to his original team last week and though Garnett has not made any commitment beyond this season, Garnett says in the story that he plans on being there beyond the next year or two.

Atlantic Notes: Carter-Williams, Anthony, Nets

February 25th, 2015 at 8:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Michael Carter-Williams believes that Sixers coach Brett Brown did not approve of the trade that sent the point guard to the Bucks, according to Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. The 2013/14 Rookie of the Year award winner felt it was solely a front office decision by GM Sam Hinkie, the story continued. “I think the ultimate thing that it comes down to is coach Brown coaches and Sam does the moves,” Carter-Williams said. “I think that’s what it comes down to and I think that’s the agreement and that’s all I really know. I think that if it was up to coach Brown, I don’t think I would have been moved, to be honest.” Carter-Williams was still surprised because he felt he was in the team’s long-term plans along with lottery picks Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, Cooney added in a tweet.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

Derrick Rose‘s injury history was a major reason why Carmelo Anthony chose to stay with the Knicks rather than signing with the Bulls when he was an unrestricted free agent last summer, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Anthony, who is out for the season with a knee injury, told friends last summer that there was no guarantee he would win a championship in Chicago because of Rose’s recurring health issues, according to Berman. Rose could miss the remainder of the season after suffering another knee injury.
Kevin Garnett mentioned the uncertain ownership situation surrounding the Nets when he spoke about his decision to waive his no-trade clause and join the Timberwolves, notes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
Isaiah Thomas could be the long-term answer for the Celtics as their starting point guard, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com speculates. Thomas, who was traded by the Suns to Boston last week, has three years left on his contract and it could be more sensible to have him start alongside Avery Bradley and move rookie Marcus Smart to a sixth-man role, Forsberg adds.
Knicks coach Derek Fisher is having a hard time adjusting to being a first-year coach of one of the league’s worst teams after playing for winning teams throughout his career, according to Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “I’m not comparing this to any other time in my basketball career. This is the first time I’ve been in this position,” Fisher said to Knicks beat reporters.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Clark, Garnett

February 24th, 2015 at 8:13pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers waiver claim of Thomas Robinson will drop the Nuggets to approximately $2.6MM beneath the NBA’s salary floor, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). This means that Denver would have to pay its players the difference between their team salary and the league’s minimum amount if the team doesn’t raise its payroll above the salary floor prior to the end of the season.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Jazz have assigned Ian Clark to the Idaho Stampede, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. This will be Clark’s first trek of the season to Idaho.
At the press conference welcoming Kevin Garnett back to the Wolves, Garnett discussed what led him to waive his no trade clause so that he could return to Minnesota, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. Garnett said, “I figured if LeBron James can go home, [expletive], why can’t I?“
Garnett relayed that he had no desire to become a coach when his playing career was over, Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun tweets. “Heeeeell no. A coach is what I won’t be … you can’t pay me enough to coach,” Garnett said.
The veteran big man says that he is in it for the long haul with the Wolves, Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press relays (Twitter link). Garnett says he wants to become part of Minnesota’s ownership and help the team claim an NBA title.
Garnett declined to commit to playing beyond this season, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders notes (Twitter link). KG said that he would listen to what his body tells him and seek his family’s input before deciding his future, Kyler adds.
The Blazers‘ Steve Blake said that he plans to exercise his player option for 2015/16 worth $2,170,465, and that he is hoping to play another “year or two” after that, Jabari Young of CSNNW.com writes. “I’ve thought about it for sure,” said Blake of retirement. “I know I’m in the back stretch, that’s why it’s so important for us to be so good. I want a championship really bad and I’m hoping we can get to that level. I only have a few years left to try and get it.”