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Free Agent Notes: Gordon, T. Robinson, Spurs

August 2nd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Ben Gordon, who will suit up for Great Britain during the Eurobasket qualifiers in the coming weeks, tells Ian Begley of ESPN.com that he’s still looking for an opportunity to return to the NBA.

“I would definitely love to get back in the league after being out for a year,” Gordon said. “Just watching the way the game is being played, up and down. Obviously, the 3-point shot is always a big deal but it seems like just now, more than ever, that shot is being used more and more. So I feel like I can still play at a high level and shoot that 3-ball and add that kind of depth to a team that may be looking to fulfill that need. So yeah, I definitely have hopes of making a return with an NBA team or just playing period, wherever that may be.”

Here are a few more free agency notes and rumors from around the basketball world:

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), the Spurs have been the “most vocal” team when it comes to showing interest in free agent power forward Thomas Robinson. A former fifth overall pick, Robinson spoke to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders about the strides he feels he has made on and off the court since entering the league in 2012.
The Rockets made Andrew Goudelock a free agent last month by waiving him before his 2016/17 salary became guaranteed, and the veteran point guard has since found a new home. According to international basketball journalist David Pick (Twitter link), Goudelock has agreed to a $1.2MM deal with Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando had passed along a report on the agreement between the two sides earlier today. Meanwhile, Pick tweets that Goudelock turned down a slightly larger offer from Turkish team Galatasaray.
LeBron James remains the top player who technically remains unsigned, but his free agency is such a non-story that Lee Jenkins’ latest piece on SI.com about the Finals MVP barely mentions it, with Jenkins noting that signing a new contract with the Cavaliers is merely a “formality.” Still, Jenkins’ story on LeBron is worth reading in full.

And-Ones: Silver, Wafer, Restricted Free Agents

July 31st, 2016 at 11:41am CST by Arthur Hill

NBA commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t believe the one-and-one contracts that LeBron James and Kevin Durant have signed are good for the league, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The arrangements give the players one guaranteed season with the chance to opt out and sign a bigger deal the following year. Durant did it to gain the benefits of being a 10-year veteran when he hits free agency again next summer. James is also maximizing his earnings, while giving the Cavaliers incentive to put the best possible team around him each season.

“One of the unintended consequences I feel on behalf of the players is the fact that they end up putting themselves in this position where they’re taking enormous financial risk,” Silver said. “The system is designed for guys to enter into long term contracts, so, and you can only get so much insurance. So one of the unintended consequences is they take risk beyond what we would like to see them take.” After a month that saw several stars change teams, the commissioner said he would like to work with the union to modify the system to give franchises a better opportunity to keep their own players.

There’s more NBA-related news this morning:

Von Wafer, who last played in the NBA in 2012, is campaigning for another shot on social media, relays Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com. Wafer, who just turned 31, had short stints with the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Blazers, Rockets, Celtics and Magic, but never lasted more than one season in any location. In a series of tweets, Wafer says he has a different mentality now and warns younger players not to follow his example.
Restricted free agency typically sours the relationship between players and their teams, writes Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. Because teams are reluctant to tie up cap space for three days while waiting to see if offer sheets are matched, restricted free agents are typically at the end of the line when it comes to getting paid. Also, they often build up resentment toward their original franchise if their offer sheets are matched. As examples, Lang cites Jeff Teague, Nicolas Batum, Paul Millsap, Eric Gordon, Roy Hibbert, Marcin Gortat and DeAndre Jordan.

Heat Notes: Green, James, Wade, Riley

July 23rd, 2016 at 7:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The addition of James Johnson, Derrick Williams and Wayne Ellington left no room in Miami for Gerald Green, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Green, who agreed to terms with the Celtics this morning, spent one season in Miami and saw his playing time decline steadily as the year wore on. He appeared in 69 games, starting 14, and averaged 8.9 points per night. Green had expressed a desire to return to Miami, Winderman writes, and the Heat could have offered the same $1.4MM deal he received from Boston. Miami made it clear that the 30-year-old swingman wasn’t in its plans by signing Johnson, Williams and Ellington to be part of an already crowded rotation that includes Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson. Amar’e Stoudemire and Dorell Wright are now the only remaining unsigned free agents from the 2015/16 roster.

There’s more news out of Miami:

As players become more powerful, the idea of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul on the same team becomes more likely, Winderman writes in another piece. During the season, James speculated on the possibility of the four friends someday joining forces.
Team president Pat Riley recently offered some insight on teaming up James, Wade and Chris Bosh in 2010, Winderman relates in the same article. All three were slated to get max deals of $16.5MM per season, but they wanted to add Mike Miller and re-sign Udonis Haslem. Eventually, Wade volunteered to take less money, and James and Bosh agreed to sign-and trades. “The interesting part is on July 9th, they all agreed to come in on five-year deals, room only, so I didn’t have to give up any assets,” Riley said. “Then, at the 11th hour, they all wanted the sixth year. You know what that cost me and Andy [Elisburg, the Heat’s general manager]? That cost us four picks. I just said to them, ‘If you want the sixth year because I know you’re going to opt out after the fourth anyhow, but if you want the sixth year, I don’t want any of you to walk into my office and say, ‘Hey, can we get any young guys around here? Can we get some draft picks around here?’ Because they were gone.”
Riley’s decision to add more physical players this offseason was likely a matter of taking what was available on the market, rather than a strategy, Winderman writes in a separate piece. Winderman’s comment came in response to a reader’s question on whether acquiring Johnson, Williams, Luke Babbitt and Willie Reed would make the Heat more like the roster Riley had with the Knicks.

Cavs Notes: LeBron, J.R. Smith, J. Jones, Lue

July 18th, 2016 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have agreed to terms on deals for Chris Andersen and Richard Jefferson so far this month, but have yet to officially finalize those signings. In addition to needing to complete the Andersen and Jefferson moves, the Cavs have several other items on their to-do list, starting with locking up the reigning NBA Finals MVP. Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com has some updates on Cleveland’s offseason, so let’s round up the highlights…

After publicly announcing in June that he would be re-signing with the Cavaliers this summer, LeBron James has privately informed the team of the same thing. However, he is currently traveling and spending time with his family and has no timetable for negotiating or signing a deal, sources tell Windhorst. LeBron has multiple options for his contract, depending on what sort of years and dollars he wants, and he’ll go over those options with agent Rich Paul at some point, but there’s no rush, per Windhorst.
J.R. Smith and the Cavaliers have been negotiating a new deal, but remain “apart on terms,” according to Windhorst. We heard earlier today that Smith may be seeking an annual salary worth upward of $15MM.
The Cavaliers have had discussions with veteran free agent James Jones. According to agent Joel Bell, Jones wants to re-sign with the Cavs, but has other options.
Like many of the Cavaliers’ free agent players, head coach Tyronn Lue has been in talks with the team for a few weeks about a new deal, but has yet to reach an agreement. Lue remains under contract for two more years, but he’s still on his assistant coach deal, having declined to work out a new agreement when he first took over for David Blatt earlier this year — so he’ll be in line for a significant raise.

Cavaliers Notes: Smith, McRae, Felder, Liggins

July 16th, 2016 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

GM David Griffin isn’t concerned about the possibility of losing J.R. Smith, writes Sam Amico of Amicohoops. There reportedly has been little interest outside of Cleveland in the 30-year-old free agent shooting guard, who started 77 games during the regular season and was an important contributor to the Cavaliers’ championship run. “These things sometimes take time,” Griffin said. “When the time is right, something will get done. I’m very confident about that.” The team has remained in contact with with Smith, tweets Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com, who adds that Smith’s situation is not related to LeBron James‘ contract talks. Haynes says James is “no rush” to wrap up his new deal.

There’s more this morning out of Cleveland:

Summer League players Jordan McRae, Kay Felder and DeAndre Liggins will be in Cleveland’s training camp and all three have a chance to make the roster, according to Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. McRae, a 6’6″ point guard, appeared in 15 games for the Cavs this season and made an impression with a 35-point performance in the finale. Felder is a 5’9″ point guard whom the Cavaliers drafted 54th overall last month after buying the pick from Atlanta. His 9.3 assists per game were the most in Division I basketball this year, and he reminds observers of Celtics All-Star Isaiah Thomas. Liggins, a 6’6″ swingman, was the D-League’s Defensive Player of the Year and can hit from 3-point range.
Another name to watch is Turkish small forward Cedi Osman, whose rights were acquired from Minnesota in a 2015 draft day deal involving Tyus Jones, Pluto writes in the same story. The Cavs are keeping a close eye on Osman, who told reporters he wants to come to the NBA in 2017/18.
Cleveland isn’t in a position to make a big move to counter Golden State’s signing of Kevin Durant, according to Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. The defending champs are out of cap space, have few realistic trade options and a mostly set roster for next season. They are also facing another massive luxury tax bill with the contracts they already have in place. Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, who defended Durant’s decision, said Cleveland improved with the addition of Mike Dunleavy Jr., who was acquired in a trade with Chicago. “More depth, more shooting, a guy who can come off screens and pindowns and play off movement, getting to the basket and making the right pass,” Lue said about what Dunleavy brings to the team.

Free Agent Rumors: LeBron, Rush, Galloway

July 5th, 2016 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

After four days of breathless speculation about where Kevin Durant would land, KD is off the market, leaving the title of best available free agent to another superstar: LeBron James. We’ve hardly heard a word since July began about the status of LeBron, who said in June he’d return to the Cavaliers, but he’s technically not under contract. So it comes as no surprise that, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets, teams are calling to inquire about the Finals MVP. However, agent Rich Paul has been “politely” informing those teams that his client isn’t leaving Cleveland, says Stein.

Here’s more on several free agents around the NBA:

The Timberwolves inquired about free agent shooter Brandon Rush on Monday, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Minnesota has reached out to a ton of players over the last several days, but so far Cole Aldrich is the club’s only free agent contract agreement.
Although the Knicks rescinded Langston Galloway‘s qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent, the team still holds his Early Bird rights and could exceed the cap to re-sign him, notes Ian Begley of ESPN.com.
While a report out of Spain (hat tip to Eurohoops.net) suggests that the Sixers have made a two-year, $20MM contract offer to veteran Real Madrid guard Rudy Fernandez, a league source denies that report to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com.
Former NBA lottery pick Anthony Randolph, who has spent the last couple seasons playing for a Russian team, is receiving interest from NBA clubs, a source tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link).
According to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), the Warriors have pushed for a Ray Allen comeback since 2014, and will likely give the longtime shooting guard a call asking him about playing for the minimum this year.

Eastern Rumors: Butler, James, Jack, Wall

June 30th, 2016 at 10:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

In an appearance Wednesday on ESPN’s “The Jump,” Bulls guard Jimmy Butler said he expected his partnership with Derrick Rose to be broken up, relays Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. It happened last week when Rose was shipped to the Knicks in exchange for three players. “I can’t say that I was surprised, but I knew that it had to be one of us, to tell you the truth,” Butler said. “Obviously, I enjoyed playing with him. I came into the league when he was the MVP. I’ve got so much respect for the guy. I have no bad things to say about him and I wish him the best moving forward.” Butler, who was the focus of draft night trade rumors involving the Celtics and Timberwolves, said he’s not certain he will still be with Chicago when the season opens.

There’s more tonight from the Eastern Conference:

The NBA’s “over 36 rule” is behind LeBron James‘ decision to decline his player option, explains Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. James would be subject to that rule if he signs a two-year deal just as he did last summer with the intention of opting out after one season. For players who have turned 36, their final annual salary in a four- or five-year contract is counted proportionally against the team’s cap each season. The rule was adopted to discourage teams from giving long-term contracts to players who are unlikely to be in the league for the entirety of them. The rule prohibits James from accepting a five-year, $200MM contract from the Cavaliers after this offseason because the pro-rated part would put him above the maximum salary. However, Zillgitt points out that the rule could be amended if the players or the league opts out of the current collective bargaining agreement in December.
The Cavaliers aren’t concerned about losing their stars, but they have decisions to make on six free agents, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Cleveland will have to determine how many years it wants to commit to J.R. Smith and whether it wants to outbid competitors to keep Matthew Dellavedova. Also, Richard Jefferson and James Jones have to decide if they want to play another season at the veterans minimum.
The Nets stretched the $500K in guaranteed salary owed to point guard Jarrett Jack when they waived him earlier today, tweets NetsDaily. The move will save the team $333,333 in cap space this offseason.
John Wall wants to see the Wizards adopt an aggressive attitude toward free agency, tweets Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post. “The organization’s got to be willing to step up to the plate and get what needs to be done, done,” Wall said.
The Pistons would like to add two more big men this offseason, writes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said starting power forward Tobias Harris doesn’t really fit that description, and he wants to be sure the team isn’t short on size next year. “I think I wouldn’t be comfortable going with fewer than five, so we’ve got to go out and get two bigs – four, five, whatever,” Van Gundy said. “We need two bigger guys, even though Marcus [Morris] and Tobias will play there a lot. You just get into certain matchups.”
The performance of second-round pick Michael Gbinije in summer league will help determine the fate of Phil Pressey, Langlois writes in the same piece. Pressey is also on the Pistons‘ summer league roster, but his chances at winning a backup point guard spot for next season will decrease if Gbinije shows he can handle the position.
A stress fracture in his lower back will sideline Detroit’s Darrun Hilliard for the summer league and possibly longer, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News. A 6’6″ reserve guard, Hilliard played in 38 games last summer and was projected to have a significant role on the Pistons‘ summer league team. “I just thought my back was tight and I just thought that I wasn’t stretching enough,” he said. “I was stretching and stretching and stretching, thinking it would get better and it never got better.”
Free agent swingman Evan Fournier said he wants to stay with the Magic, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Fournier, whose role likely increased with last week’s trade of Victor Oladipo to the Thunder, said he isn’t sure if his agent lined up meetings with any other teams. “Obviously, our priority is the Magic,” Fournier said. “I’ve said it many times: I feel great here.”

LeBron James To Decline Player Option

June 28th, 2016 at 11:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Although LeBron James has indicated he’ll return to the Cavaliers for the 2016/17 season, he won’t do so on his current contract. Agent Rich Paul tells Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com that his client will decline his player option and sign a new deal.

James’ decision doesn’t come as a real surprise, since opting out and re-upping with the Cavs ensures that he’ll get a larger raise than he otherwise would have. LeBron’s player option for 2016/17 was worth just over $24MM. Depending on what type of deal he signs, the reigning Finals MVP figures to earn a salary closer to $30MM on a new contract.

According to Haynes, Paul says no decision has been made on what type of contract James will sign, and there’s no timetable for when that new deal will be made official. The situation is a little complicated, since Cleveland only holds Early Bird rights on LeBron. An Early Bird deal would allow for a 30% raise on his 2015/16 salary, but the contract would have to be for at least two years, with no options. A Non-Bird agreement would allow him to opt out again in 2017, but would mean accepting a more modest raise.

With the salary cap set to rise again in 2017/18, and James earning Bird Rights with the Cavaliers at that point, it makes sense for him to wait one more year to sign a longer-term contract, since Cleveland doesn’t have the cap room to accommodate a long-term, max contract at this point. No matter what type of contract LeBron signs, he intends to sign it with the Cavs — he and Kyrie Irving and the rest of his Cleveland teammates will look to defend the first title in franchise history.

“I love it here. I love being here. I love my teammates,””James said on the day of the Cavs’ championship parade through downtown Cleveland. “Obviously my agent will take care of all the logistical things but, I’m happy. I’ve got no plans to go nowhere at this point.”

And-Ones: Olympics, Griffin, Messina, Vesely

June 25th, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving and Harrison Barnes will fill the last two spots on the U.S. Olympic basketball team, writes Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. The roster will be formally announced Monday in New York. Ten players committed earlier, but Mahoney reports that openings were left for Irving and LeBron James, who both asked for more time to decide after playing in the NBA Finals, which ended Sunday. James opted not to make the trip to Rio de Janeiro.

Barnes joins Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the roster, along with Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler and DeAndre Jordan.

There’s more news tonight from around the basketball world:

The State of Florida has dropped first-degree attempted murder charges against former D-League All-Star Eric Griffin, according to D-League Digest. Griffin last played in the D-League in 2014/15, when he was a third-team all-league selection and a second-team all-defensive choice. He played in Dubai this season and may be ready for a shot at the NBA now that his legal case has been resolved.
Despite rumors, Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina won’t be leaving to take a job in Spain, tweets international journalist David Pick. “I have no contact with Barcelona,” Messina said. “I’m a happy Spur.”
Several NBA teams are interested in former lottery pick Jan Vesely, according to Sportando. The Mavericks, Nets and Pelicans are the teams listed as suitors for Vesely, who was selected sixth overall by the Wizards in the 2011 draft. Vesely played for Fenerbahce in Turkey this season and is a free agent. He is expected to get offers in the range of $30MM over three years.
Greek star Giannis Bourousis is ready to take a shot at the NBA, reports Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. “I would go to any NBA team,” said the 32-year-old seven-footer. “I just want to be there, after 14 years in Euroleague.”

LeBron James To Return To Cavs For 2016/17

June 22nd, 2016 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James has a player option for 2016/17, allowing him to opt out and potentially sign with another team in July. However, on the heels of leading the Cavaliers to the first championship in franchise history, James tells Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com that he doesn’t intend to leave Cleveland.

“I love it here. I love being here. I love my teammates,” James said on the day of the Cavs’ championship parade through downtown Cleveland. “Obviously my agent will take care of all the logistical things but, I’m happy. I’ve got no plans to go nowhere at this point.”

While James intends to return to the Cavaliers for next season, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll exercise his player option. That option is worth just over $24MM, and with the salary cap on the rise, opting out and signing a new deal with Cleveland probably makes more sense for the Finals MVP.

As James alludes to, the “logistical things” he’ll let his agent handle are somewhat complicated when taking into account Cleveland’s lack of Bird Rights for LBJ, the rising salary cap, and the looming CBA negotiations. There are a handful of possible scenarios in play for LeBron’s next contract, but if he prioritizes being able to opt out and re-up again in 2017, he likely won’t be able to earn a true max salary in 2016/17, though he’ll be able to sign for more than his player option is worth. Bobby Marks of The Vertical explains the possible scenarios for LeBron’s next contract.

Although James didn’t receive any first-place MVP votes this past season, he looked like the best player in the world during the postseason, as the Cavaliers lost just five of their 21 playoff games. In those 21 contests, LeBron averaged 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 39.1 minutes per game, along with a .525 FG%.