Lance Thomas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Bargnani, Afflalo, Williams

February 4th, 2016 at 11:46am CST by Chuck Myron

All four Nets who have player options for next season are planning to opt out, as NetsDaily hears (Twitter links). None of them have particularly lucrative options, with Wayne Ellington‘s nearly $1.568MM topping the list, followed by Shane Larkin at $1.5MM, with Andrea Bargnani and Thomas Robinson at minimum salaries of close to $1.552MM and almost $1.051MM, respectively. Their agents believe the inflated salary cap will yield a market too fertile to pass up, NetsDaily adds. Brooklyn has about $45MM in guaranteed salary on the books for next season against a projected $89MM salary cap, so the opt-outs would allow the team to retain flexibility. Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks consider Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams core players, while Robin Lopez and Lance Thomas are also part of the team’s “inner circle,” writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Afflalo and Williams have player options for next season, worth $8MM and $4.598MM, respectively, that the team is hoping they’ll pick up, while Thomas is on a one-year contract. Lopez is in the first season of a four-year deal.
The Sixers have given executive Brandon Williams more latitude on player development, agent relations, recruiting and other areas as part of a promotion to a new chief of staff position, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Williams, who had been GM of the team’s D-League affiliate while serving as an assistant GM of sorts to GM Sam Hinkie, will retain his D-League duties and continue to report to Hinkie, as Wojnarowski details. The team has yet to make an official announcement.
P.J. Tucker might help the Raptors as a stopgap option at small forward, but Markieff Morris isn’t the long-term solution the club’s needs at power forward, opines Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported Wednesday that the Raptors are interested in both Suns players.

Eastern Notes: Sixers, Thomas, Dinwiddie

January 11th, 2016 at 10:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers will eventually have to decide between Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, an unnamed league executive told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Daily News. That duo hasn’t played well together, the executive explained, in part because neither has the shooting range to stretch defenses. It will be imperative to shed one of them via trade if Joel Embiid returns next season from foot surgery because it will essentially give Philadelphia three starting-quality bigs, the story continues. In that case, it makes more sense to keep Noel because Okafor and Embiid are limited defensively, the executive opined to Pompey. “They are both centers,” he said. “They both can only guard centers. They can’t defend power forward or stretch fours in this league.”

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

Knicks small forward Lance Thomas could be a candidate for the Most Improved Player Award and that might make it difficult for the club to re-sign him, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Opposing coaches have taken notice of Thomas’ two-way impact off the bench, going out of their way to praise him, Berman continues. Thomas, arguably the team’s best defender, signed a one-year, $1,636,842 contract during the offseason but his price tag going back into the free agent pool this summer is growing and the Knicks will have competition for his services, Berman adds.
The Pistons plan on keeping second-year guard Spencer Dinwiddie with their D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids for the foreseeable future, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets. With the return of Brandon Jennings from his Achilles injury, Dinwiddie is the team’s No. 4 point guard on the roster behind Reggie Jackson, Jennings and Steve Blake.
The Heat recalled shooting guard Josh Richardson on Monday from their D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team’s website announced. Richardson has played four games with the Skyforce this season and helped them capture the D-League Showcase Championship.
The Wizards could decide to become sellers nearing next month’s trade deadline if they don’t go on a hot streak or get most of their key pieces healthy before that point, league sources indicated to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.

Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Landry, Zeller

December 24th, 2015 at 2:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

The emergence of rookie Kristaps Porzingis clouds the future of Knicks offseason signee Robin Lopez, surmises Marc Berman of the New York Post, who earlier reported that the team is thinking about taking Lopez out of the starting five. He’s played 20 minutes or fewer in seven of his last nine games, though he’s shown hints of more efficient play and says he’s beginning to get a handle on the triangle offense, as Berman relays.

“I’m starting to see the opportunities,’’ Lopez said. “I’m starting to see when I’m supposed to look for me — on the block. When I’m supposed look for the pick and roll, where the cuts are going to be. I know it will get better. I’m getting a better idea of what I’m supposed to do offensively.’’

See more on the Knicks and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

The Cavs are in first place in the Eastern Conference with J.R. Smith and a now-healthy Iman Shumpert, but the Knicks have seen strong play from Lance Thomas, and coach Derek Fisher doesn’t regret New York’s participation in last January’s three-way trade with Cleveland and Oklahoma City. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the details. “Seems like both for J.R. and Shump it’s worked out well. They seem happy,” Fisher said Tuesday. “We like our team as it is at this point.”
Sixers offseason trade acquisition Carl Landry, the only player on the team older than 25, made his season debut Wednesday after a wrist injury cost him the first two months of the season, and he’s embracing a leadership role, observes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. The team has been in the market for additional veteran influences of late.
Tyler Zeller was an extension candidate this past summer, but the Celtics were reportedly interested in a deal only if it would come at a discount to them, and that hesitancy seems wise now that the center is averaging only 8.5 minutes a game. Still, the soon-to-be free agent posted a season-high 14 points Monday, and his lack of complaints about fluctuating minutes reveals a value, coach Brad Stevens contends, as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNBoston.com notes. The Celtics organization is “even more endeared” to Zeller because of the way he’s handled the situation, Stevens said, according to Blakely.

Atlantic Notes: Williams, Silver, Lopez, Caboclo

December 21st, 2015 at 3:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

Deron Williams thought about quitting the game during his struggles with the Nets, as he tells Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports. The 31-year-old isn’t concerned about the idea that he couldn’t hack it in New York and wishes his time with the team had gone better so that people didn’t feel as though he was “just stealing money,” as Lee details, with Williams once again saying that he’s pleased to be with the Mavericks now.

“It took a lot out of me, man, those three years [after re-signing with the Nets for the max in 2012]. Some of the hardest in my life,” Williams said. “Made me question if I even wanted to play basketball when I was done with that contract.”

See more from the Atlantic Division:

Commissioner Adam Silver admits that he’s not a fan of the Sixers‘ rebuilding strategy of the past two and a half seasons but said that it doesn’t mean it’s not acceptable under league rules, and he once more denied that Philly’s hiring of Jerry Colangelo happened because of pressure from owners of other teams. Silver made his comments on FiveThirtyEight’s “Hot Takedown” podcast.
The Knicks are thinking about removing Robin Lopez, who signed a four-year deal worth more than $54MM in the offseason, from the starting lineup in favor of Lance Thomas, who inked for less than $1.637MM on a one-year deal, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Thomas has a reputation as coach Derek Fisher‘s “favorite Knick,” Berman writes, and he showed up this season with an improved outside shot and 15 added pounds of muscle, as the Post scribe details, suggesting it’ll play to his benefit when he hits free agency again this summer.
The Raptors have assigned Bruno Caboclo and Norman Powell to the D-League, the team announced. Caboclo has seen extensive D-League action this season, while Powell is making his second trip to Raptors 905, just two days after his first. Toronto recalled Powell, Caboclo and Anthony Bennett from the D-League on Sunday afternoon (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Jackson, Embiid

August 3rd, 2015 at 11:47am CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson mentioned six draft prospects that he liked in a late-March interview with confidant Charlie Rosen, posted today on ESPN.com, but none of them were Kristaps Porzingis, the Latvian power forward whom the Knicks selected No. 4 overall. Scout Clarence Gaines was perhaps the most influential advocate for Porzingis within the organization, though dropping to the fourth spot in the order because of poor lottery luck no doubt played a major role in New York’s choice. Jackson signaled to Rosen that he preferred the more NBA-ready Jahlil Okafor to Karl-Anthony Towns, but both were off the board by the time the Knicks picked. See more from Jackson amid the latest Atlantic Division news here:

Jackson had praise for Alexey Shved, Lance Thomas and Andrea Bargnani but lost affection for Quincy Acy‘s play, as Rosen details. The Knicks boss also had criticism for Jason Smith‘s reaction to coming off the bench. All five were free agents this summer, but only Thomas re-signed with the Knicks.
The Zen Master indicated that he saw Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan as the prime movers of free agency this summer as far as the Knicks were concerned, but he didn’t mention LaMarcus Aldridge. Of course, Aldridge at that point seemed like a safe bet to re-sign with the Trail Blazers. He instead signed with the Spurs after he and the Knicks mutually decided to cancel a meeting. Jordan met with the Knicks but re-signed with the Clippers, and Gasol didn’t meet with any other teams before signing his new deal with the Grizzlies.
The Sixers said on July 11th that Joel Embiid would have a bone graft surgery within seven to 10 days, but the Philadelphia organization has since made no mention of any surgery for the big man and a team source tells Jake Fischer of SI Now that the Sixers don’t plan any statement this week (Twitter link). The No. 3 pick from 2014 is likely to miss a second consecutive season this year, and an October 31st deadline looms for a decision on his team option of more than $4.826MM for 2016/17.
Amin Elhassan and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, debate the paths by which the Celtics can acquire championship-level talent. Boston will have cap flexibility to go after a maximum-salary free agent next summer, but even though the trade market for stars isn’t hot now, that can change and offer the C’s an easier route than free agency would.

Atlantic Notes: Amundson, Thomas, Holmes

August 2nd, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Here’s a look at the latest contract news from the Atlantic Division:

The value of Lou Amundson‘s one-year contract with the Knicks is precisely $1,635,476, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, the greatest amount they could have given him via Non-Bird rights. It’s fully guaranteed, Pincus also shows.
The $1,636,842 Lance Thomas gets in his guaranteed one-year deal with the Knicks exceeds the Non-Bird amount, so New York used cap space to accommodate his contract, Pincus reports on the same page.
The value of the deal between the Sixers and No. 37 overall pick Richaun Holmes is precisely $4,202,784, reports Pincus (Twitter link).

Knicks Notes: Shved, Carmelo, Boozer, Lopez

July 14th, 2015 at 11:06am CST by Chuck Myron

Alexey Shved has turned down an offer from the Knicks as he mulls returning to play in Europe, agent Obrad Fimic tells David Pick of Eurobasket.com, and Shved’s American agent, Mark Bartelstein, said to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com that it’s unlikely Shved re-signs with the Knicks (Twitter links). Shved has been seeking the $2.814MM room exception, but none of the three offers the Knicks have made were for that amount, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

“We didn’t get to the right number with the Knicks,’’ Fimic told Berman. “Maybe next season. We are considering a return to Europe where we have two huge offers.’’

Fimic said to Russia’s Tass news outlet that three NBA teams made offers (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). Here’s more on the blue-and-orange:

Knicks president Phil Jackson told reporters Monday that he hasn’t been in contact with Carmelo Anthony since the start of free agency, and Anthony’s skeptical about the team’s slow approach to rebuilding, a source close to the star forward told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
The Knicks are focused on finding a backup center, as Jackson also said to the media Monday and as Berman relays in the above-linked piece. The team is reportedly among those interested in Carlos Boozer, but while the Knicks have had internal conversations about him, they haven’t made a move on him yet, Berman writes. Center Alex Kirk, who was briefly a Knick last season, has impressed the team in summer league, the Post scribe adds.
Robin Lopez is getting precisely $54,015,500 in his four-year deal with the Knicks, while Kyle O’Quinn‘s four-year contract is worth $16,012,500, including a fourth-year player option, and the one-year deal Lance Thomas signed is for $1,636,842, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).

Eastern Rumors: Williams, Knicks, Dragic

July 12th, 2015 at 11:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

Lionel Hollins denies that his sometimes stormy relationship with Deron Williams led to the Nets waiving the veteran guard in a buyout deal, according to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Though sources confirmed to Bontemps that the head coach and Williams had a heated meeting in Memphis earlier this year, Hollins said the Nets didn’t part ways with Williams because of their disagreements. “Everything is not peaches and cream, but there’s not one shred of evidence that our relationship is the reason that he had to go,” Hollins told the team’s beat writers. “I would have coached Deron this upcoming year just like I coached him last year, and we would have went forward just like everybody else on the team.” The Nets saved more than $50MM this season in payroll and luxury-tax payments by agreeing to give Williams $27.5MM of the $43.5MM he was owed over the next two years, Bontemps adds. The Nets used the stretch provision on the buyout.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

Carmelo Anthony‘s decision to take slightly less than the max last summer helped the Knicks to re-sign Lou Amundson and Lance Thomas to more than the league minimum this month, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Anthony’s deal opened up $1.4MM in cap space this summer and that, combined with the NBA’s cap increase to $70MM, allowed the Knicks to secure Amundson for $1.65MM and Thomas for $1.63MM instead of the roughly $1MM minimum, Berman continues. If Anthony didn’t take less, the Knicks could have re-signed only one of them above the league minimum, Berman adds.
Goran Dragic‘s deal with the Heat is only worth a total of $85MM and has a starting salary of $14.783MM, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter). Earlier reports estimated the deal at $90MM.
Paul George is pleased with the backcourt moves the Pacers have made this offseason, he told Scott Agness of the VigilantSports.com in a Q&A session. The pending addition of Monta Ellis and re-signing of Rodney Stuckey gives the team numerous playmakers, George told Agness. “One of the biggest things we needed to get better at was pushing the tempo and playing a little faster,” George said. “I didn’t know it was going to be a drastic roster change but I knew that was the direction this team needed to go to give ourselves a better chance of winning.”

Knicks Re-Sign Lance Thomas

July 10th, 2015 at 9:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

FRIDAY, 9:45pm: The signing is official, the Knicks announced.

8:33pm: New York is likely to ink Thomas using available cap space, and not a trade exception, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.

THURSDAY, 7:15pm: The Knicks have reached an agreement with unrestricted free agent Lance Thomas for the forward to return to New York, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (on Twitter). It will be a one-year, $1.6MM deal, Charania adds.

Thomas, 27, appeared in 40 games for New York last season, averaging 8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 26.0 minutes per contest, with a slash line of .433/.333/.742. His career numbers through 168 NBA contests are 4.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 0.6 APG.

The forward brought energy and hustle to the Knicks last season, and will factor into the frontcourt mix for the team’s revamped roster, most likely as a reserve. The Spurs and Nets had also expressed interest in Thomas.

Knicks Rumors: Free Agents, O’Quinn, Anthony

July 5th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

This year’s top free agents had no interest in the Knicks, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman reports that team president Phil Jackson canceled a meeting last week with LaMarcus Aldridge — not the other way around, as widely reported — after he was informed that Aldridge wouldn’t be signing with New York. With roughly $28MM in cap space heading into free agency, the Knicks wound up with Robin Lopez, Derrick Williams, Arron Afflalo and Kyle O’Quinn, but didn’t come close to landing a star. Berman notes that New York still has a $2.814MM room exception available and has inquired about Caron Butler and Willie Green. The team is hoping to keep Jason Smith and Alexey Shved, but that may not happen if they get offers from other teams that exceed the room exception. Jackson also would like to re-sign Louis Amundson and Lance Thomas for the veterans’ minimum, according to Berman.

There’s more this morning from the Big Apple:

O’Quinn, whom the Knicks are obtaining through a sign-and-trade with the Magic, should bring some needed toughness, Berman writes in a separate story. O’Quinn’s numbers in Orlando weren’t impressive — averaging 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 51 games — but Berman believes he may contend for the starting power forward slot in New York. “He’s a very underrated player, solid,” said Tobias Harris, O’Quinn’s former teammate. “He’s a tough player who doesn’t back down, good individual off the court. He is a very good pickup for the Knicks.”
O’Quinn’s passing abilities could be a good fit in the triangle offense, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Begley said the Knicks’ latest free agent addition came at a “reasonable” price of $16MM over four years and could be a major bargain when the salary cap soars next summer. He adds that New York is hoping to keep Langston Galloway, who has a partially guaranteed contract, on its roster for next season. Galloway, due to make more than $845K next year, is already guaranteed $220K and will receive $440K if he is waived after September 15th [salary guarantee dates]. Ricky Ledo and Thanasis Antetokounmpo also have a shot at earning roster spots.
The Knicks’ free agent failings make Carmelo Anthony more important to the franchise than ever, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. New York needs Anthony to play at an All-Star level so it will be more attractive to free agents like Kevin Durant next summer.