Lance Stephenson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Doubt Wisdom Of Re-Signing Stephenson

May 28th, 2014 at 3:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

There are many within the Pacers organization who don’t believe the team should give Lance Stephenson a lucrative long-term contract this summer when he hits unrestricted free agency, sources tell Mike Wells and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The concern stems from a perception that he’s acted selfishly. Many within the franchise believe that he changed his approach on the court at midseason in an attempt to enhance his value as a free agent, which he thinks took a hit when he failed to be selected for the All-Star Game, Wells and Windhorst hear.

Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird indicated on multiple occasions early in the season that the team planned to re-sign the guard, who’ll command a significant raise from the $1MM he made this season. Bird has been mostly silent in the second half of the season as the Pacers flatlined and Stephenson’s game changed. His assist ratio dropped from 25.2 to 20.2, per NBA.com, as Wells and Windhorst point out. Teammates grew weary of his act, and the result was the opposite of what Stephenson apparently intended. His value reportedly slipped from that of a player capable of commanding eight-figure annual salaries to one likely to end up in the $7-8MM range. He tumbled from seventh in the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings to out of the top 10.

Indiana has more than $60MM in commitments for next season, and while the rise in the projected luxury tax line to $77MM gives the team breathing room, a new deal for Stephenson, even at $7MM a year, would put a serious crimp in the Pacers’ flexibility. Ownership has taken a hard line against paying the luxury tax, so Indiana wouldn’t have much room for significant upgrades if Stephenson returns at market value next season.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Bobcats, Pistons

May 18th, 2014 at 10:00am CST by Eddie Scarito

Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times thinks Lance Stephenson or Thabo Sefolosha would be good backup targets for the Bulls if Chicago makes a failed attempt at signing Carmelo Anthony in free agency.

Mavs To Pursue ‘Melo, Tyson Chandler

May 6th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Chuck Myron

The Mavs are optimistic that they’ll be on the list of teams that Carmelo Anthony plans to meet with this summer and that he’ll give them legitimate consideration, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Dallas will also try to acquire another Knick, with Stein asserting that they’ll be first in line should New York make Tyson Chandler available via trade. The Mavs will attempt to court LeBron James, too, though Stein suggests that’s a longshot effort.

Dallas only has about $28.2MM in commitments for next season, but that doesn’t include the roughly $2MM non-guaranteed portion of Samuel Dalembert‘s contract or new deals for Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Vince Carter and Devin Harris. The team has expressed interest in keeping all of them, and the team’s “working assumption,” according to Stein, is that Nowitzki will sign for $10-12MM per year. That doesn’t leave much wiggle room for a max offer to Anthony, who can draw a starting salary of up to $22,458,401. Still, Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com wrote Monday that the Mavs wouldn’t have interest in ‘Melo if he demands his max.

While the Mavs could net Chandler as part of a sign-and-trade involving Anthony, that would be extremely difficult, given Chandler’s salary of nearly $14.6MM next season. The reacquisition of the center who was the defensive anchor of the Mavs’ 2011 title team would probably preclude Anthony from heading to Dallas, and it would make it difficult for the Mavs to accommodate any other marquee free agent this summer. Stein reiterates McMahon’s report from yesterday indicating that the Mavs will likely target Luol Deng but take a pass on any pursuit of Lance Stephenson.

The Mavs have some concern about their ability to keep a couple of their own free agents, too, according to Stein. They’re worried that they’d have to cut deeply into their cap flexibility to fend off suitors for Vince Carter and, in particular, Shawn Marion. Carter and Marion have expressed their preference to re-sign, though such statements are commonplace for soon-to-be free agents at this time of year, and they don’t always translate into a new deal that keeps them in place.

Mavs Rumors: Bledsoe, Stephenson, ‘Melo, Dirk

May 5th, 2014 at 2:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mavs GM Donnie Nelson promises an “action-packed summer,” but he indicated today that he’s pleased with the roster as is, notes Bryan Gutierrez of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter links).

“I think if we had the same cast or crew come and lace ’em up next year, I’d feel real good about our chances,” he said.

Fellow ESPNDallas.com scribe Tim McMahon doesn’t buy it, writing that the Mavs front office knows it needs significant improvement to contend. There’s more from McMahon’s piece amid the latest on the Mavs:

McMahon throws Eric Bledsoe‘s name into the mix of likely targets that already included Marcin Gortat and Luol Deng, though he acknowledges that it’ll be “extremely difficult” to pry Bledsoe, or even Gortat, away from their respective teams. The Mavs are unlikely to make a run at Lance Stephenson, according to McMahon.
The Mavs would like to get involved in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, but not if he demands a max contract, McMahon writes.
Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs have made it clear that they fully intend to strike a new deal this summer. Nowitzki acknowledged today that he doesn’t think it will resemble Kobe Bryant‘s massive two-year, $48.5MM extension, but he does want the team to respect his continued on-court prowess in negotiations, as Gutierrez observes (Twitter links). McMahon, in his piece, suggests Nowitzki is likely to sign a three-year, $30MM deal.
Shawn Marion, who turns 36 on Wednesday, plans to play two more seasons, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com, noting that while there’s strong mutual interest in a return to the Mavs, the forward will also think about signing elsewhere. Still, he intends to retire as a Mav one way or another, Gutierrez notes (Twitter link).
Soon-to-be free agent DeJuan Blair is hopeful that he’ll re-sign with the Mavs this summer, as Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram chronicles.
We passed along news of the Mavs’ mutual interest in Devin Harris earlier today.

Eastern Rumors: Arenas, Stephenson, Bucks

April 24th, 2014 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Gilbert Arenas reiterated on SiriusXM NBA Radio today that he’s still holding out hope for an NBA comeback, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt tweets, and that echoes Arenas’ comments from December. The Magic are probably rooting for his return to the league, since that could allow them to use set-off rights to recoup a small portion of the millions they still owe him on his amnestied contract. While we wait to see if Agent Zero, still just 32 years old, makes it back to the Association, here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Sean Deveney of The Sporting News heard from a GM around the beginning of February who expected Lance Stephenson to receive offers with eight-figure annual salaries, but an executive now tells Deveney that the soon-to-be free agent will probably command only $7-8MM a year.
Outgoing Bucks owner Herb Kohl borrowed money from the NBA a total of five times in 2009 and 2010 to help keep the team going, reports Rich Kirchen of the Milwaukee Business Journal. Kohl told Kirchen that he’s spent more than $100MM of his own money on the team during his nearly three decades of ownership.
Casper Ware‘s multiyear contract with the Sixers extends through 2016/17, but the team only inked Adonis Thomas through the end of 2013/14, according to Mark Deeks of ShamSports (Twitter link).
Eric Dawson, who spent preseason with the Hawks this past fall, is headed to play for Heilongjiang Zhaozhou Feng Shen of China’s second-tier league, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. Dawson has also spent time in the D-League and Iran this season.

Southeast Notes: LeBron, Magic, Hawks

February 18th, 2014 at 9:49am CST by Chuck Myron

LeBron James offered a rare glimpse into his long-term plans in an interview that aired on NBA TV Monday night. James can opt out of his deal this summer, and while he says that he can’t picture himself leaving the Heat, he’s putting off his decision until after the season, as The Associated Press notes.

“At this point, I can’t,” James said to interviewer Steve Smith. “At this point, I can’t. We don’t know what can happen from now to July, so what I’ve been able to do this whole season to this point is just worry about what’s at hand and that’s winning another championship. And hopefully at the end of this year I can put myself in a position where I can hold that Larry O’Brien Trophy up once again and then I will assess what I have to do with my future after that.”

While we wait to see what the No. 1 free agent will do, here’s more from the Southeast Division:

Agents and executives around the league think the Magic have a strong chance to attract a second star via free agency if they could just find a first star, writes Grantland’s Zach Lowe. The Magic are prepared to spend up to the tax line if need be and go into the tax when executives feel the team is “one piece away” from a title, CEO Alex Martins tells Lowe. Still, the club senses no urgency to make a push next season, Lowe writes, believing that the easiest way, by far, for the club to find that first star is through the draft. Lowe also notes that the Magic are more wary than most teams of taking on any players with character issues.
The Magic are unlikely to make a run at Lance Stephenson in the summer, as there’s fear around the league that he won’t be quite as team-oriented if he’s not around the strong structure of the Pacers, according to Lowe.
The Hawks are seeking a small forward, as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes in a story on the Knicks’ pursuit of Jeff Teague, which appears to have cooled.

Lakers, Bulls, Bobcats Eye Lance Stephenson

February 6th, 2014 at 4:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers, Bulls and Bobcats are among the teams who are planning to target Lance Stephenson in free agency this summer, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Deveney hears from a GM who expects Stephenson to draw offers with an eight-figure starting salary. Other NBA executives pegged his annual value at between $7-9MM in December, but his continued strong play this season may be boosting his value.

Stephenson has expressed a desire on multiple occasions to re-sign with the Pacers, who’ve signaled that they’re prepared to offer him a sizable contract. It’ll be a tight squeeze to fit such a deal onto the payroll, given Indiana’s reluctance to pay the luxury tax. Deveney examines the variables and suggests the Pacers would have to trade away other salaries to pay Stephenson at market value. Some of his calculations are based on the notion that Paul George could wind up receiving 30% of the cap when his extension kicks in next season, but he agreed to take only 27% of the cap if he triggers the Derrick Rose Rule.

In any case, the Pacers will face tough decisions unless Stephenson is willing to take a hometown discount. Deveney suggests trading Chris Copeland and his two-year, $6.135MM as a solution, but finding a team to absorb that deal without sending salary back to Indiana will be difficult, particularly considering Indiana can’t trade any first-round draft picks before this month’s deadline.

Central Notes: Stephenson, Bulls

January 28th, 2014 at 6:34pm CST by Cray Allred

The Bulls have continued to win a surprising amount of games after trading Luol Deng to the Cavs. Taj Gibson told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune, he believes they can keep winning, even as they embark on a 6-game road trip against Western Conference opponents. Here are some other notes from the Central Division:

While Lance Stephenson won’t hint much at his pending unrestricted free agency, his parents tell Mark Montieth of Pacers.com that they are optimistic he will stay with the Pacers. The guard, enjoying a breakout season, was told by team president Larry Bird that an extension was on the way. “I listened to Larry Bird (at the press conference to announce Paul George‘s long-term contract last summer) say, ‘Lance, you’ll be sitting here with your dad.’ That’s what we believe,” Stephenson’s father says. “Until otherwise, that’s the plan. Larry Bird said that and we bought into it. We believe it, Lance believes it.”
Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf told WGN’s Rich King on Monday that the Bulls will sign Nikola Mirotic no later than the summer of 2015, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune transcribes. The Bulls own the rights to Mirotic, who is currently playing in Spain.
Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders thinks that the Bulls would benefit from trading for Carmelo Anthony before the trade deadline. In a hypothetical trade package, Beer likes the idea of Chicago parting with Jimmy Butler, Carlos Boozer, Tony Snell, Kirk Hinrich and two draft picks to obtain Anthony, Iman Shumpert, and Raymond Felton. “A starting five of Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah would be an awfully intriguing starting unit,” Beer explains. “Felton would serve as insurance for Rose, in case the former MVP has any hiccups in his return from injury. And once Rose is back and completely healthy, Felton would be a solid back-up point guard, and could also, at times, play alongside Rose in the same backcourt.”

Odds & Ends: Magic, Stephenson, Warriors

December 28th, 2013 at 7:38pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

Shortly after playing in his first game back since he suffered a torn meniscus, Solomon Jones told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel he is enjoying more than being able to return to playing for the Magic. Jones, who is playing on a minimum salary contract this season, has enjoyed living close to his childhood home and his family. Averaging almost eight minutes in the games he has played, it will be seen whether Jones will play his way into another season near his home town.

A few other notes around the league.

According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter Link), rival NBA executives are predicting that Pacers guard Lance Stephenson will be worth between $7-9MM per season when he enters free agency next summer. While the Pacers and Stephenson have both expressed interest in re-signing with each other next season, a $9MM price tag would almost guarantee they will only be able to re-sign either Stephenson or fellow Pacer free agent, Danny Granger.
The Warriors have assigned center Ognjen Kuzmic and guard Nemanja Nedovic to their NBA D-League team, the Santa Cruz Warriors. In a team announcement, the Warriors said both rookies will be able to play in tonight’s D-League game. Kuzmic has missed most of this season with a hand injury but has averaged 4.1 MPG in the games he has played with the Warriors. Nedovic has appeared in all but 10 of the Warriors games averaging 6.4 MPG, and 1.1 PPG.
According to Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal, the Cavaliers biggest need this season is at the small forward position. Former head coach Byron Scott told Lloyd in the summer of 2012 that the Cavaliers have been trying to resolve that position for some time but have not been successful to date. Aware that Cleveland spent their first overall pick on small forward Anthony Bennett, Lloyd still thinks the Cavaliers are looking to fill that hole and could do so in this season’s trade market. The only issue according to Lloyd is every inquiring team wants Dion Waiters in any trade they do with Cleveland which is a move the Cavaliers are unwilling to make.
Although we knew Brook Lopez‘s season is over, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York reports that Brook Lopez will undergo surgery on his foot January 4th officially ending his 2013/14 campaign. Unless the Nets trade him, Lopez will be back for Brooklyn next season continuing the 4 year contract he signed back in 2012.

Pacers Rumors: Hill, Granger, Stephenson

December 24th, 2013 at 12:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pacers are off until Saturday after last night’s blowout win over the Nets, but many of the team’s players take it as a slight that the NBA excluded them from the Christmas Day games, observes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Indiana would certainly be a welcome addition to a holiday schedule that doesn’t look quite as star-studded as it did when the season began. Here’s more on the Pacers:

A rumored trade would send Danny Granger and George Hill to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo, but Hill’s agent, Michael Whitaker, tells Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star there isn’t much to the idea. Whitaker hasn’t spoken with any team about a trade involving Hill this season, he says. Hill isn’t paying much attention to the rumor either, Buckner observes.
Lance Stephenson last night reiterated his desire to re-sign with the Pacers to reporters, including Harvey Araton of The New York Times. “This is a great team — I’d love to stay,” Stephenson said.
Josh Newman of SNY.tv wonders if Stephenson could be an All-Star this season, and gauges the ability of the Pacers to re-sign the emerging talent.