Metta World Peace Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Boozer, Blair, Williams, Mavs

July 17th, 2014 at 7:48pm CST by Alex Lee

With the Bulls using their amnesty provision on Carlos Boozer on Tuesday, only seven NBA players remain amnesty-eligible as noted in our 2014 Amnesty Primer. But the five teams that haven’t used the provision will have to wait until next summer, as Wednesday marked the deadline for this offseason.

Boozer was snatched up by the Lakers earlier today for a manageable price of $3.25MM, though as ESPN’s Marc Stein reports (via Twitter), the Duke product had strong interest in the Rockets had he gone unclaimed and cleared waivers. Meanwhile, Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times speculates that Boozer’s presence might signal a more complimentary role for rookie Julius Randle unless the playoff-hungry Lakers consider June’s No. 7 pick a small forward (Twitter links are here).

Here’s more from around the league on Thursday night:

DeJuan Blair‘s starting salary in his new deal with the Wizards is $2MM, Hoops Rumors has learned, so that leaves just $16K on the Eric Maynor trade exception the team reportedly used to absorb him via sign-and-trade from the Wizards. That effectively exhausts the Maynor exception, which expires this coming February 20th, since the remaining $16K wouldn’t be enough to absorb another player.
Louis Williams left his exit interview with Hawks officials expecting to be traded, as he told Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who writes in a subscription-only piece. The instinct was correct, as the Hawks shipped Williams to the Raptors late last month, but Williams said he harbors no ill feelings toward the Atlanta brass.
Multiple reports have linked Mo Williams to Dallas in recent days, but a source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that the Mavericks are pursuing another free agent whom they would prefer to spend their room exception on.
The Mavs‘ deal with Devin Harris, which became official earlier tonight, is for four years and $16.55MM, reports Dwain Harris of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (via Twitter). Meanwhile Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News has the yearly breakdown, reporting that Harris will make $3.878MM next season, followed by $4.053MM in 2015/16, $4.228MM in 2016/17 and $4.403MM in what is a partially guaranteed fourth year in 2017/18.
Metta World Peace would love to play for the Lakers, Clippers or Knicks, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News hears, adding that it seems any conversation World Peace may have had about a return to the Lakers wasn’t too serious (Twitter link).

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Contract Details: Butler, World Peace, Suns

March 31st, 2014 at 9:38am CST by Chuck Myron

Mark Deeks has updated his salary databases at ShamSports, and, as usual, he’s revealed several nuances about the latest contracts signed around the NBA. We’ll pass along the details we hadn’t previously heard about here:

Caron Butler gave up $1MM in his buyout deal with the Bucks. He signed for that same amount for the remainder of this season with the Thunder, who dipped into their mid-level exception to accommodate Butler’s $1MM salary.
Metta World Peace gave up $305,166 of this season’s $1.59MM salary in his buyout deal with the Knicks. All contracts with player options include a clause indicating whether or not the player receives the money for his option year in the event that he’s waived before deciding on the option. It looks as if the clause in World Peace’s deal stated that he would not receive the option-year pay, since Deeks doesn’t list any of World Peace’s $1,931,550 salary for 2014/15 on New York’s books.
Shavlik Randolph‘s contract with the Suns includes a non-guaranteed year for 2014/15, rather than a team option, as we suspected.
If the Hawks exercise their team option on the fourth season of Mike Muscala‘s deal, the contract will nonetheless remain non-guaranteed until the leaguewide guarantee date. It’s similar to the structure of the contracts a handful of Sixers have, including recent signee Jarvis Varnado.
Chris Johnson also has such a deal with the Celtics, although there are a pair of guarantee dates attached to the third and fourth seasons. The third year becomes fully guaranteed providing he’s not waived on or before September 1st, 2015, and the fourth year becomes fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before September 1st, 2016.
The Celtics also arranged for a couple of guarantee dates on Phil Pressey‘s three-year contract. Next season is non-guaranteed if he’s waived on or before July 15th, but if the Celtics keep him beyond that date, it’s fully guaranteed. The same happens for the third year of the deal on July 15, 2015.
The Rockets have a team option on Troy Daniels worth the minimum salary for next season.
Luke Babbitt‘s two-year deal with the Pelicans is for the minimum salary. Next season isn’t guaranteed, but it becomes partially guaranteed for $100K if he isn’t waived on or before July 22nd.
The Magic used cap room to sign Dewayne Dedmon to a three-year contract that gives him $300K for the rest of this season, slightly more than what he would have made on a prorated minimum-salary deal. Dedmon is set to make the minimum salary in the other two seasons covered in the pact. Next season is non-guaranteed if he’s waived on or before opening night, when it becomes partially guaranteed for $250K. The final season is non-guaranteed if he’s waived on or before August 1st, 2015, when it becomes fully guaranteed.

Metta World Peace Seeking Return To Knicks

March 27th, 2014 at 10:03am CST by Chuck Myron

Metta World Peace asked for and received a buyout from the Knicks last month, but he’s said he wouldn’t have done that if he knew Phil Jackson, who coached him with the Lakers, was going to become New York’s president of basketball operations. A source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that World Peace yearns to return to the Knicks and would love to re-sign with the team. The Knicks have an open roster spot, though Berman makes it seem as though a reunion with World Peace is more likely in the offseason. World Peace met with Jackson during New York’s game with the Lakers on Tuesday, and it was tantamount to a job interview, Berman says.

Jackson is high on the former Ron Artest, and he’s praised the defensive-minded forward’s practice habits, Berman writes, while pointing out that the Zen Master was more critical of World Peace in his latest book. The Marc Cornstein client will be seeking a minimum-salary deal this summer, according to Berman. World Peace gets $250K from the Knicks as part of his buyout arrangement, Berman notes, though it’s not quite clear if that’s all he’s receiving or if the Knicks are paying his full salary for 2013/14, too. His contract with the team originally called for him to make $1.59MM this season with a player option worth more than $1.66MM for next year.

World Peace has said he requested his buyout when coach Mike Woodson apparently asked him not to attempt to become a locker room leader. There’s a strong chance Woodson will be let go in the offseason, so perhaps his replacement will find World Peace a better fit. The 34-year-old World Peace, who suffers from arthritis in his knees, said in December that he wanted to play through 2018/19, but he scaled that back to 2015/16 in recent comments to the Post.

Atlantic Rumors: World Peace, Fisher, Ainge

March 25th, 2014 at 11:25am CST by Chuck Myron

The Atlantic Division title race is shaping up to be fairly compelling, with the Raptors just two games up on the Nets as both teams battle the Bulls and Wizards for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Yet most of the off-court chatter around the division involves the three clubs playing out the string or, in the case of the Knicks, trying to pull off a miracle run to the playoffs. Here’s the latest:

Metta World Peace wouldn’t have agreed to a buyout deal to free himself from the Knicks last month if he knew Phil Jackson would join the franchise, as the former Ron Artest said during his appearance Monday on the “Max & Marcellus Show” on ESPNLA 710 Radio (transcription via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com).
Sam Amick of USA Today wouldn’t be surprised if the Knicks pursue Derek Fisher to coach the team next season, given the mutual respect between Jackson and the 39-year-old guard, who plans to retire at season’s end (video link).
The Celtics are in line for a top-five pick this year, as our Reverse Standings show, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge doesn’t think that he’ll draft a franchise player with the selection, as he tells Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe. “I think it’s maybe a little bit better [than last year’s draft] by comparison, but it’s not even close to one of the best draft classes in the last 10 years,” Ainge said.
Sixers 10-day signee Casper Ware has a reputation for tough defense, but coach Brett Brown is also high on his scoring ability and calls him a “true point guard,” notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Knicks Notes: Jackson, Carmelo, MWP

March 17th, 2014 at 12:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Will Phil Jackson succeed at the helm of the Knicks’ front office? Bulls executive vice president John Paxson seems to think so, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “Phil is a really smart basketball guy and I have no doubt, given time, he’ll do very well,” said Paxson, who played for Jackson and worked on his staff one season. “I’ve always felt he has a sixth sense about people and it’s one of the reasons he’s been able to blend different personalities into a cohesive unit.”

Carmelo Anthony told reporters, including Al Iannazzone of Newsday (on Twitter) that the Knicks are looking more attractive now for free agents thanks to the addition of Jackson. Of course, the Knicks are hoping that includes Anthony himself, who will hit the open market this summer.
Fellow Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown told ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike that he hopes to see Jackson keep Mike Woodson on the Knicks’ bench, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY. Brown went on to say that next year will be a struggle for New York but they’ll have opportunities after that thanks to cap flexibility (link).
Metta World Peace was willing to cooperate when Woodson pulled him from the rotation, but he wasn’t OK with being told to tone down his leadership role in the locker room, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “I didn’t mind playing any role, but I didn’t see myself having a role, not even a leadership role,’’ MWP said. “I was fine with being on the bench, but at times I wanted to help lead. But at times I tried to lead, it was met with resistance. I backed off a little and tried to blend in with the team. I tried to find where I could complement the players but I couldn’t find any room to complement.’’ Meanwhile, the veteran says that he won’t rule out returning to New York.
Earlier today, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that Jackson is a fan of Iman Shumpert and it appears that he’ll be in the club’s future plans.

Eastern Notes: Iverson, Anthony, Thibodeau

March 1st, 2014 at 10:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The big news of the night was the Sixers officially retiring Allen Iverson‘s #3 during a halftime ceremony at tonight’s contest with the Wizards. Iverson had officially announced his retirement back in October. He averaged 26.7 PPG and 6.2 APG in 914 career regular-season games, and scored 29.7 PPG in 71 career playoff games. Iverson, who also saw action with the Nuggets, Pistons, and Grizzlies, was an 11-time All-Star, a four-time scoring champion, a three-time member of the All-NBA First Team, and won the MVP award in 2001. Congrats go out to A.I..

More from around the Eastern Conference:

Gary Neal is overjoyed at the trade that sent him to the Bobcats, writes Dan McCarney of MySanAntonio.com. Neal told McCarney that he got on the first available plane out of the city, as he wasn’t fond of how he was utilized in Milwaukee, nor about the direction of the franchise. Neal stated, “I’m excited to be playing meaningful basketball again. After three years of being with the Spurs, with every possession of every game counting I’m just glad to being back to that. I’m a little too old for the tanking situation.”
Jay Yeomans of the Deseret News analyzes how Jimmer Fredette fits in with the Bulls, who he is rumored to have reached an agreement with earlier today.
With free-agency right around the corner, Carmelo Anthony must be taking notice of how much has gone wrong with the Knicks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
If ‘Melo is really committed to winning, then he should follow the example of Miami’s “Big-Three”, writes Moke Hamilton of SNY.tv. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all took less to fit in under the salary cap, and Anthony should consider that before signing his next contract, opines Hamilton. It will be the only way for him to bring other star players to New York.
The Knicks might attempt to acquire Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau after the season if they let go of Mike Woodson. Marc Berman of the New York Post looks at why the Knicks should try, the probability of the Bulls letting him go, and what it might cost.
Tom Moore of Calkins Media looks at what Sixers GM Sam Hinkie can do with the five second-round picks the team has in this year’s draft.
Metta World Peace has interest in joining the Pistons, according to his brother, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Buyout Rumors: Bulls, Granger, Butler

February 27th, 2014 at 12:47pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls don’t believe adding a 13th guaranteed contract at this point will push the team into the luxury tax, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. I examined last month how the team’s proximity to the tax could affect its roster, and Mark Deeks of ShamSports did the same, noting how a bonus for Taj Gibson could push the team over the tax line. Deeks tweeted recently that the Bulls couldn’t sign anyone for the rest of the season until April 3rd, but judging from reports linking them to Jimmer Fredette, Danny Granger and Caron Butler, it appears they don’t have to wait that long. Here’s more on a bustling post-deadline market:

Granger is having phone conversations today with the Spurs, Heat, Rockets, Clippers and Bulls, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Those are the teams that TNT’s David Aldridge identified Wednesday as Granger’s preferred destinations.
Deeks clarifies that the Bulls can sign two players for the rest of the season today and stay out of the tax if they’re confident Gibson won’t make an All-Defensive Team and trigger the bonus clause in his contract. If they wanted to play it safe in case Gibson does earn such an honor, they’d have to wait until April 3rd to hand out any contract for the rest of the season (Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

The Bulls‘ best shot at landing a significant target is with Fredette, McGraw tweets.
The Rockets are also interested in Butler, according to Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times, who hears the Raymond Brothers client could make his decision on a new team today. The Heat and Thunder appear to be the favorites to land him.
The Bulls don’t have interest in newly minted free agent Metta World Peace, and they wouldn’t pursue Ben Gordon, either, if he buys his way off the Bobcats, according to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald.
The Thunder were linked to Granger last week, but they haven’t been since, and the end of their pursuit has led many in the NBA to believe they’re confident about their chance to land Butler, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The contract that Glen Davis signed with the Clippers is a two-year deal for the minimum salary with a player option for next season, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Davis joined the Clippers after securing a buyout from the Magic.

Grizzlies Claim Beno Udrih Off Waivers

February 27th, 2014 at 11:51am CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 11:51am: Memphis has officially announced its waiver acquisition of Udrih.

WEDNESDAY, 4:13pm: The Grizzlies have claimed Beno Udrih off waivers, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Stein also notes that Metta World Peace has cleared waivers. Memphis absorbs Udrih’s minimum salary, and any giveback the point guard agreed to as part of a buyout agreement with the Knicks is now likely null and void. New York no longer owes Udrih any money, since Memphis has assumed his one-year contract.

World Peace is making slightly more than the minimum and has a player option for next season, so it was far less likely any team would put in a claim. World Peace is now a free agent, and his top choices are reportedly to sign with the Thunder, Spurs or Heat. It’s unclear if any of those teams has mutual interest. The Clippers are reportedly interested, though it appears their top priority is pursuing Danny Granger.

The Grizzlies add a cap hit of $884,293 to their books, likely pushing them over the luxury tax threshold. That wouldn’t have been the case if they had waited to sign Udrih as a free agent after he cleared waivers. The Nuggets and Wizards showed interest in trading for Udrih before the deadline, but we didn’t hear any reports about post-deadline interest in the 31-year-old point guard.

Memphis was willing to make a deadline trade that put the team slightly over the luxury tax, according to TNT’s David Aldridge, and that’s indeed what they appear to have done with their claim of Udrih. Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal believes the move signals a lack of confidence in rookie Nick Calathes to handle the backup point guard duties for the rest of the season (Twitter link).

Southwest Notes: Granger, Grizzlies, Spurs

February 26th, 2014 at 6:51pm CST by Cray Allred

The Southwest Division, where four out of five teams could make the playoffs, is abuzz today. The Rockets and Spurs are jostling at the top of the Western standings, and have both been linked to Danny Granger, who could be the biggest buyout prize this year. The Mavs are also rumored to be in on Granger, and they’re bumping shoulders at the bottom of playoff contention with the Grizzlies, who claimed Beno Udrih off waivers today. Here’s some more from what should remain one of the more interesting divisions this year:

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles seconded earlier reports that the Spurs, Rockets, and Mavs all have a shot at Granger (Twitter link).
Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters before tonight’s game, including Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, that he won’t address newly acquired Udrih until tomorrow (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies are a game and a half out of the playoffs this season after former coach Lionel Hollins took them to the Western Conference Finals last year, but CEO Jason Levien has no regrets about hiring new coach Dave Joerger. Levien made his comments in an appearance on Sports 56 WHBQ radio in Memphis, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal notes (Twitter link). “I feel better about the decision today than I did in June or July,” Levien said. “He’s been terrific.”
The Grizzlies have assigned Jamaal Franklin D-League, the team announced. The 41st pick in the draft this past June hasn’t started in any of his three appearances with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, an affiliate Memphis shares with five other NBA teams.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tells Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News that the team hasn’t yet been active in the buyout market, but is ready when the opportunity arrives: “Like everyone else we’re looking at all the names. If we see there’s a body there we think can help us we’ll try to do it, but we haven’t done anything to this point.” The Spurs are reportedly one of the front-runners for Danny Granger’s services once the short-timer Sixers guard clears waivers.
Metta World Peace is one player in the buyout market the Spurs are not interested in, according to Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). The former Ron Artest was reportedly interested in San Antonio as a landing spot, but the interest apparently isn’t mutual.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Knicks Rumors: Fredette, ‘Melo, World Peace

February 25th, 2014 at 11:27am CST by Chuck Myron

It’s a “no-brainer” that Carmelo Anthony will re-sign with the Knicks, Metta World Peace believes. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News have more from the former Ron Artest, whom the Knicks waived Monday in a buyout arrangement, and there’s news about Anthony’s future as well as we look at the latest on the struggling Knicks:

The Knicks haven’t ruled out pursuing Fredette, but the team will focus on upgrading its defense as it looks to fill its pair of open roster spots, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

Earlier updates:

No one with ties to the Knicks believes Anthony will leave the team this summer, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who notes that Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose, spoke with Knicks GM Steve Mills and assistant GM Allan Houston on Monday night.
World Peace says the Knicks never gave him a fair chance to play, but he adds that he never demanded more minutes. “My thing was I want to play two more seasons,” World Peace explained to Isola. “If I’m not playing this year I’m definitely not going to play next year, so I should probably go somewhere else. I wanted to win here. When you’re married to a city like New York City, just because (people don’t agree) doesn’t mean you turn your back on the city. My agent told me Steve Mills said that he understands why being moved would be a good thing.” World Peace, who was on a two-year contract with the Knicks, has previously said he wants to play five more seasons.
The Knicks are seeking three-point shooting, as we noted earlier today when a report linked them to Jimmer Fredette, who’s close to a buyout from the Kings. The team may also be in need of a point guard stemming from Raymond Felton‘s arrest on gun charges Monday night. Acting union executive director Ron Klempner is nonetheless already indicating that the Knicks would face resistance if they tried to discipline Felton at this point, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reports.