Kyle Korver Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavs Notes: Clark, FA Targets, Korver, Dunleavy

July 7th, 2013 at 2:19pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers made a couple of moves this week, agreeing to terms with Earl Clark and Jarrett Jack, as our Free Agent Tracker Shows. They still figure to have close to $15MM in cap space remaining, so they're not done yet. Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer, amid his look across the spectrum of Cleveland sports, passes along news on the Cavs' summer so far and what might be next, as we detail here:

Pluto has the value of Clark's deal at $8.5MM, slightly smaller than the $9MM total that Sean Deveney of The Sporting News originally reported.
The Cavs are in the hunt for a swingman who can shoot and a true center, according to Pluto. They were considering Kyle Korver before he agreed to re-sign with the Hawks, Pluto adds.
Pluto also confirms Marc Stein's ESPN report that Marco Belinelli passed up more money from the Cavs to go to the Spurs, and says that Mike Dunleavy did the same when he agreed to head to the Bulls.
Fellow Plain Dealer scribe Mary Schmitt Boyer answers reader questions in her mailbag column, and she touches on the notion of LeBron James returning to the Cavs.

Nets No Longer Pursuing Marco Belinelli?

July 3rd, 2013 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 2:00pm: Davide Chinellato of Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport (Twitter link) hears from a source that the Nets are no longer pursuing Belinelli, who is now talking to the Pacers.

MONDAY, 4:28pm: The Nets have reached out to free agent guard Marco Belinelli and discussed a multi-year deal for the taxpayer mid-level exception of $3.2MM, sources tell Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Sources say that the Nets are debating whether to go with a guard like Belinelli or another big man to bolster the the frontcourt.

While it has been reported that the Nets and Kyle Korver have more-or-less agreed to a deal for the taxpayer MLE, Pincus reports that he could fall outside of the Nets' price range. The sharpshooter has lots of suitors this offseason and could land a deal with a higher average annual value. It's possible that Korver is high enough on Brooklyn to give them a discount and the 32-year-old has done quite well for himself over the years, earning more than $38MM over the course of his career according to Basketball Reference.

The Nets would also like to re-sign Andray Blatche, but the most they can offer is ~$1.4MM without using a portion of their MLE. If he does return at that figure, that would enable Brooklyn to sign Belinelli.

Belinelli spent last season with Chicago and averaged 13.4 PPG, but his 35.7% percentage from downtown was the lowest of his career. The Italian is represented by Excel Sports Management, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.

Bucks, Spurs Interested In Kyle Korver; Nets Out

July 3rd, 2013 at 9:39am CST by Luke Adams

9:39am: The Spurs are another team to keep an eye on in the Korver sweepstakes, tweets Stein. San Antonio should have at least the full mid-level exception available.

9:01am: Several teams are pitching offers to Korver that the Nets are unable to match, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who hears that the Bucks proposed a three-year, $20MM deal (Twitter links).

7:53am: Despite an earlier report indicating that a Kyle Korver signing was essentially "in the bag" for the Nets, it doesn't appear he'll be heading to Brooklyn after all. ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Twitter links) reports that the Nets, without enough money to offer Korver, are out of the running for the free agent sharpshooter.

It comes as no surprise that the Nets, who only have the $3.18MM mini mid-level exception available to offer outside free agents, wouldn't be able to compete with rival offers for Korver. When I examined the 32-year-old's free agent stock earlier in the year, I predicted that he'd at least match the three-year, $15MM contract that expired this summer. It appeared for a time that Korver would be willing to accept a discount to join the Nets, but it seems that's no longer the case.

Brooklyn has also been linked to Marco Belinelli, who provides a similar skillset to Korver and would be more likely to sign for the mini mid-level. Now that the Nets seem to be out of the running for Korver, perhaps the club will pursue Belinelli or another outside shooter more aggressively.

Kyle Korver To Nets ‘In The Bag’?

July 1st, 2013 at 8:20am CST by Luke Adams

8:20am: An agreement between Korver and the Nets is "all but done," as Josh Newman of SNY.tv hears. Korver would sign via the taxpayer mid-level for three years and about $10MM. Nets Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Mirza Teletovic and Tyshawn Taylor are all represented by Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management, who's also Korver's agent. A deal with Korver would throw the team's pursuit of Bojan Bogdanovic into doubt, Newman writes, since that would leave only the minimum salary on the table for him.

12:58am: Kyle Korver is one of the top sharpshooters on the open market, and figures to draw interest from a number of teams in need of three-point help. But it sounds as if the 32-year-old isn't necessarily targeting the most lucrative offer available. A rival general manager tells ESPN.com's Marc Stein (Twitter link) that he's hearing Korver to the Nets is "in the bag."

Since their team salary is well into the tax, the Nets will only have the $3.18MM taxpayer mid-level exception to offer outside free agents. Korver could likely earn more than that with other teams, but would be a solid fit on a veteran Brooklyn squad in need of an outside shooter. Korver reportedly became a target for the Nets after they shook hands with Boston on the blockbuster deal to bring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry to Brooklyn.

Deron Williams appears to be getting in on the recruiting effort, replying earlier tonight to a tweet from Korver's brother, Kaleb, seemingly encouraging Korver to sign with the Nets or implying that an agreement is already in place.

Odds & Ends: Howard, Korver, Thunder

June 29th, 2013 at 12:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lakers are in limbo as they await Dwight Howard's free agent decision, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The situation isn't entirely new to L.A. though as they went through a similar in 2004 when Kobe Bryant gave some thought to leaving the team but staying in the same building by signing with the Clippers. Ultimately, an eleventh-hour phone call from the late Jerry Buss kept him in purple-and-gold. Here's the latest from around the Association..

The Nets are among the club's with interest in Kyle Korver but they're far from alone in that, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Brooklyn's extremely high payroll also limits them in their pursuit of the free agent sharpshooter.
The Thunder's draft was underwhelming to some, but star Kevin Durant likes OKC's haul and believes that most of the criticism comes from a lack of name recognition, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. The Thunder took Pitt center Steven Adams at No. 12, traded up three spots to take Colorado forward Andre Roberson at No. 26, took Alex Abrines out of Spain at No. 32, and acquired Grant Jerrett, originally the 40th pick out of Arizona by Portland.
Undrafted free agent Laurence Bowers will play for the Grizzlies' summer league team, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (on Twitter). The Missouri forward has promise but is viewed as a tweener.

Nets Interested In Jason Collins, Kyle Korver?

June 29th, 2013 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 8:11am: While two reports have shot down the Nets' potential interest in Collins, a source confirmed to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that the club has discussed signing the center, despite not really having a need for another big man.

FRIDAY, 7:34pm: Tim Bontemps of the New York Post also hears the Nets have no interest in signing Collins, backing up Broussard's report (below). In addition, Wojnarowski's story appears to have been updated to reflect that the team may not be as interested in Collins as it had been now that Reggie Evans is no longer a part of Brooklyn's mega-deal with the Celtics.

1:55pm: The Nets also have interest in signing free agent sharpshooter Kyle Korver, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. It's unlikely that Korver would sign for the minimum, but perhaps the Nets could lure him to Brooklyn with their $3.18MM mini mid-level exception.

Of course, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter), the Nets will be so far in the tax next season that a $3MM mid-level player could end up costing the team in the neighborhood of $15MM in total.

Meanwhile, a source tells ESPN.com's Chris Broussard that it's "very doubtful" the Nets sign Collins (Twitter link).

12:58pm: Now that they've reached an agreement with the Celtics to acquire Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry, the Nets are looking to fill out their roster with minimum-salary veterans to avoid increasing their tax bill even more. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, one target for a bench spot in Brooklyn will be free agent big man Jason Collins.

Collins, 34, has a history with new head coach Jason Kidd and new assistant Lawrence Frank, as Kidd and Collins were teammates on Frank's Nets teams several years ago. Wojnarowski writes that there's reason to believe Collins would have a "strong comfort level" in returning into an organization that knows him well and values his defense and his tough style of play.

The Celtics had Collins on their roster for part of the 2012/13 season before sending him to Washington in a deadline trade, so Garnett, Pierce, and Terry are former teammates of the veteran center as well. According to Wojnarowski, KG was "extremely frustrated" when Collins was dealt to the Wizards in February.

Collins made public his sexuality earlier this year, making him the first openly gay male athlete in a major North American sport. The announcement came after the regular season ended, so Collins didn't technically become the NBA's first active gay player, but he could earn that distinction if he ends up signing with Brooklyn this summer.

Lawrence On Messina, Nets, Pacers

June 9th, 2013 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News has tons of interesting bits in his latest column and we have the highlights..

There has been talk about the Nets looking for a “fresh face" rather than going with an established coach and Italian coach Ettore Messina would fit the bill, along with Pacers assisstant Brian Shaw. A group of Russian Nets executives who report to Mikhail Prokhorov is quite familiar with Messina, which could help his candidacy. Communication also won't be an issue for Messina as he speaks English fluently. “Players will find that Ettore has the technical mind to do the job, he can do the X’s and O’s, so strategically, it would not be hard for him at all,’’ said Spurs GM R.C. Buford.
The Pacers know they need outside shooting help and would love to add Kyle Korver or J.J. Redick. Both players, of course, will be free agents on July 1. The club's other free agents, Tyler Hansbrough and D.J. Augustin, are expendable, which can give them some extra breathing space this offseason.
David Stern plans to step down from the competition committee – which has the power to make rules changes – once he's done being commissioner. Lawrence's bet, however, is that he’ll still be used by the committee as a consultant.
Lionel Hollins wants to paint Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger like the bad guy if he doesn’t get a new deal in Memphis, but people in the NBA feel that he hasn’t done anything to bounce Hollins and get the job for himself. The Memphis front office doesn’t want Hollins back unless it’s on the cheap and he starts buying into the club's statistical analysis.
New Raptors GM Masai Ujiri wants to hire Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman to be his top assistant. Weltman and former Knick president Scott Layden were up for the Suns gig that went to Ryan McDonough.

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Watson, Sund, Knicks, White

May 21st, 2013 at 9:07pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are some notes from the only division in the East with no team left standing:

While the timing is unclear, C.J. Watson's former agent, Jared Karnes, confirmed that Watson is now represented by Excel Sports, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Watson, who played 19 minutes per game for the Nets this year, owns a player option for the league minimum next season and told Bondy last month he'd love to return to Brooklyn.
Besides Masai Ujiri and Kevin Pritchard – names that we've already heard – the Raptors are also considering Rick Sund for their newly available general manager position, report Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today.
In the wake of the Knicks playoff exit this weekend, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News offers his thoughts, via Twitter, on what Glen Grunwald and company must do in the offseason to improve. While they are hindered by cap issues, Isola tweets that the Knicks should try to find a way to add unrestricted free agent Kyle Korver, and then draft a point guard or a big man in June. Isola also tweets that he believes Jason Kidd's time in New York is over, despite what Grunfeld said, but hopes the team persuades Pablo Prigioni to stay.
According to his agent, James White is unlikely to return to the Knicks next season if they don't pick up his option, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. William McCandless, White's agent, is confident that his client will garner NBA interest this offseason but because White values playing time, he has no problem going back overseas to continue his career.

Eastern Notes: Hawks, Bucks, Sampson, Nets

May 6th, 2013 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

After the Pacers took a 1-0 lead over the Knicks with a win in New York yesterday, the second Eastern Conference Semifinal will get underway tonight, as the Heat play their first game since April 28th. As we look forward to the first game in the Bulls/Heat series, let's round up a few items from out of the Eastern Conference….

The Hawks are facing a potential roster overhaul this summer, but Louis Williams, one of just three players on a guaranteed contract, says he's looking forward to playing with the other two (Al Horford and John Jenkins) next season. Williams also told Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he'd be glad to help recruit free agents if he's asked.
Two Hawks free agents, Zaza Pachulia and Kyle Korver, are interested in re-signing with the team, as Vivlamore and Jeff Schultz write in a separate Journal Constitution piece. According to Korver, the Hawks have expressed interest in bringing him back.
Now that the Rockets are out of the playoffs, assistant Kelvin Sampson figures to receive plenty of phone calls from teams seeking a new head coach. Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Sampson has an interview lined up for Thursday with the Bucks, and that the 76ers and Bobcats have also requested permission to speak to him.
With the Nets searching for a new head coach, Deron Williams indicated he wouldn't be opposed to playing for ex-Jazz coach Jerry Sloan again, and Sloan says he'd be open to the idea as well, writes Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. "I'm open, I would listen," Sloan said of the Nets. "I haven't did the research on their roster, but I would definitely listen if they called."
Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show today, the Nets' former coach, P.J. Carlesimo, said he doesn't think a first-round Nets victory would have saved his job. "I think short of winning a championship, it wouldn't have made any difference," Carlesimo said, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. "I mean, [GM] Billy [King] was pretty candid….
I think anything short of winning a championship wasn't going to change his mind or [ownership's] mind."

Kyler’s Latest: Korver, Bulls, Allen, Bucks

April 24th, 2013 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

In his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld on Monday, Steve Kyler explored the upcoming free agencies for a number of point guards on playoff teams. Today, Kyler turns his attention to the shooting guards in the postseason who could be hitting the free agent market this summer. Let's round up the notable tidbits from his piece….

The Hawks could have interest in retaining Kyle Korver, but he also won't be the team's top priority, so Korver could accept a multiyear offer from a rival suitor before Atlanta is ready to finalize anything with him. I touched on this when I examined Korver's free agent stock last month.
Marco Belinelli may not be back in Chicago next season, since the Bulls will be looking to upgrade the two-guard spot, according to Kyler.
Tony Allen has good relationships with Zach Randolph and Lionel Hollins, which could be a factor if he's deciding whether or not to re-sign with the Grizzlies. However, he'd want to know whether Randolph or Hollins are part of the front office's long-term plan in Memphis, says Kyler.
Kyler suggests that Lance Stephenson and Willie Green, who have non-guaranteed contracts with the Pacers and Clippers respectively, could make for interesting trade chips if their teams decided to pair them with another asset.
One of the Bucks' reasons for acquiring J.J. Redick at the trade deadline was to give the team insurance in free agency, so that the team can still retain two starting guards if one of Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, or Redick receives an offer Milwaukee doesn't want to match.