Nemanja Bjelica Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wolves Notes: Garnett, Rudez, Bjelica

July 12th, 2015 at 3:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even at age 39, Kevin Garnett is looking toward the future, writes Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. The veteran forward signed a two-year, $16.5MM with the Wolves this week, but he may be more valuable as a mentor than as a player. He is expected to help mold No. 1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns, who joins a talented young core that includes Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, Tyus Jones, Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins. “I’m excited to be part of this process for the future,” Garnett said. “I can’t wait to build something special with this group of guys. Hopefully, I can help, teach, and also continue to grow and learn from the young guys. It should be great. I’m looking forward to it all. The process to greatness starts now!”

There’s more out of Minnesota this afternoon:

Minnesota coach/executive Flip Saunders said he expects Garnett to be the team’s starting power forward and play in some back-to-back games, according to Jerry Zgoda of The Star-Tribune. Garnett played just five games for the Wolves after being acquired from the Nets in a February deal.
The Wolves have no immediate plans to part ways with Damjan Rudez, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Additionally, Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press tweets Saunders said he likes Rudez’s shooting range and that Rudez will be brought to camp to compete for playing time.
Nemanja Bjelica is expected to sign his deal with the Wolves soon, according to Wolfson (Twitter link).

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

Wolves Close To Deal With Nemanja Bjelica

July 1st, 2015 at 4:34am CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 4:34am: Bjelica has officially opted out of his deal with Fenerbahce Ulker, Pick reports (Twitter link).

SUNDAY, 7:44pm: Saunders said the Wolves will bring Bjelica over in time for next season, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein tweets.

SATURDAY, 10:05am: Bjelica is in serious discussions with the Timberwolves on a three-year, $12MM-plus deal, but the two sides have been exploring all options, Shams Charania of RealGM.com reports. There is active trade interest around the NBA for the Serbian forward as well, Charania adds.

FRIDAY, 11:53am: The Timberwolves are close to an agreement with draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica, reports Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter link). Minnesota couldn’t formally sign the Euroleague MVP until after the July Moratorium, as long as he’s signing for more than the minimum, which will presumably be the case.

Bjelica has sought a “serious offer” of between $5MM and $7MM per season, as David Pick of Eurobasket.com reported this spring. The Timberwolves are unlikely to have the capacity to give him more than the $5.434MM mid-level exception, though speculation has suggested that Minnesota wouldn’t be willing to go that high. Still, the sides have seemingly held mutual interest in a deal.

The Wolves acquired the power forward’s NBA rights from the Wizards in 2010 one year after Washington drafted him 35th overall. Bjelica, already 27, averaged 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 26.1 minutes per game this season for Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker. He has one more season left on his contract for that team, as Mark Porcaro shows on our Draft Rights Held Players database. He can escape with a buyout reportedly of 1.2 million euros, the equivalent of about $1.339MM, though the Timberwolves could foot up to $625K of that amount.

Northwest Notes: Malone, Russell, Bjelica

June 18th, 2015 at 2:49pm CST by Chuck Myron

Michael Malone sought Wednesday to dismiss the idea that he and Pete D’Alessandro had a poor relationship during their time as coach and GM, respectively, of the Kings, as Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes from Malone’s introductory press conference as coach of the Nuggets. D’Alessandro, whom the Nuggets hired to a front office position shortly before they hired the coach, and Malone reportedly weren’t on speaking terms before Malone’s firing in Sacramento, but Malone insists they’ve maintained a consistent dialogue, as Dempsey relays.

“Pete and I have always respected each other, have always gotten along,” Malone said. “It was just that sometimes, the environment that we were working in was not conducive to a healthy relationship.”

That apparent jab at the Kings aside, there’s more on the Nuggets amid the latest from around the Northwest Division:

Ohio State playmaker D’Angelo Russell is working out for the Timberwolves today, a visit that the team pushed for as its maintained that he’s a consideration for them with the No. 1 overall pick, reports Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Wolves draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica has told the manager of his Turkish team that he wants to head to the NBA, and the Fenerbahce Ulker team official assumes that Bjelica, the Euroleague MVP, won’t be back with the club (video link; translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia).
Joel Freeland doesn’t expect the Blazers to tender him the nearly $3.767MM qualifying offer it would take for the club to make him a restricted free agent this summer, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group hears (Twitter link). If that’s the case, he’d become an unrestricted free agent, but while the native of England is reportedly drawing interest from overseas, he’s said he’d prefer to stay in the NBA.
Nuggets team president Josh Kroenke, with duties that entail the work of ownership as well as those usually assigned to a GM, is clearly the man who calls the shots in Denver, as Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post observes.

And-Ones: Nets, Rondo, Draft

June 7th, 2015 at 10:31pm CST by Will Joseph

There is no truth to the report that the Nets are among the teams interested in trading for Euroleague MVP Nemanja Bjelica, tweets NetsDaily’s Robert Windrem, who cites league sources. The Wolves acquired the rights to Bjelica on draft night in 2010 after the Wizards made him the 35th overall pick. He has a contract with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker that runs out after next season, but an opt-out clause would allow him to join the NBA this summer. Earlier today, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities listed (in a tweet) the Mavericks, Spurs, Heat, Nets and Bulls as teams that would be interested in Bjelica, if he were made available.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe labels the Kings as a darkhorse team to land Rajon Rondo in free agency this summer, citing Sacramento’s need for a premiere point guard in a pivotal year for the franchise. Rondo spurned Sacramento the last time he was a free agent, as Washburn points out. However, Washburn adds, Rondo is close friends with Kings forward Rudy Gay, and that could make it a more desirable location this time around.
Wolves coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders confirmed on SI.com’s Chris Mannix’s radio show that Kevin Garnett will be part of the draft process and will meet with in person and/or talk on the phone with players, Wolfson relays in a tweet.
Former Arizona swingman Stanley Johnson believes that the Thunder are enamored with his versatility and added the team has scouted him since high school, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes. “I think they think I’m the best two-way player in the draft,” Johnson said. “And that’s appealing to them, as it is to most people. They really like me.”
Former Murray State point guard Cameron Payne will work out for the Knicks and Lakers, who both own top five picks in the draft, tweets Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears, who cites a source.
Darion Atkins, Wayne Blackshear, Marcus Burton, Michael Frazier, Terry Rozier and Matt Stainbrook all worked out for the Hornets, according to the team’s official website.

Northwest Notes: Hunter, Bjelica, Aldridge, Jazz

June 7th, 2015 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Thunder could be the team to give Georgia State’s R.J. Hunter a chance to show he belongs in the NBA, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Hunter, best known for hitting a game-winning shot against Baylor in the NCAA Tournament, rejects any accusation that he got special treatment because he played for his father in college. “Every team asks about that,” Hunter said. “They ask me how I work. And I think it’s some correlation between work ethic and coaches’ sons because they think you’re given it all.” Mayberry contends that Hunter’s outside shooting prowess could make him attractive to the Thunder, who want to create more space for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Wolves will find plenty of suitors if they decide to trade power forward Nemanja Bjelica, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. He mentions the Mavericks, Spurs, Heat, Nets and Bulls as teams that would be interested and suggests there could be more. Minnesota acquired the rights to Bjelica on draft night in 2010 after Washington made him the 35th overall pick. He has a contract with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker that runs out after next season, but an opt-out clause would allow him to join the NBA this summer.
If LaMarcus Aldridge leaves Portland, it will be because of the franchise’s poor postseason record, according to John Canzano of The Oregonian. The Blazers have only advanced beyond the first round once in Aldridge’s nine years with the team. Aldridge will become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and is expected to be among the hottest names on the market.
The Jazz have six players scheduled for workouts Monday, tweets Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. On the list are Ryan Boatright, Dustin Hogue, Sir’Dominic Pointer, Norman Powell, Chasson Randle and Josh Richardson.

Northwest Notes: Bjelica, Draft, Wright, Kalamian

May 14th, 2015 at 9:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Timberwolves draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica has won the Euroleague’s MVP award, the overseas circuit announced. The versatile 6’10” standout for Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker averaged 11.9 points and 8.6 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per game in Euroleague play. Still, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities finds it tough to picture the Wolves giving him a deal comparable to the more than $16.631MM the Bulls shelled out to draft-and-stash gem Nikola Mirotic last summer (Twitter link). The 27-year-old Bjelica would seek just that sort of deal if were to make the jump to the NBA this summer, as Basketball Insiders contributor David Pick recently wrote. There’s more on the Wolves amid the latest from the Northwest Division:

Frank Kaminsky, Tyler Harvey, Joseph Young and Terry Rozier are among the draft prospects who interviewed Wednesday with the Timberwolves, reports Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (on Twitter). Minnesota native Tyus Jones is set to meet with the Wolves on Friday, Wolfson hears (Twitter link).
Dorell Wright‘s playing time cratered this season, but The Oregonian‘s Joe Freeman points to his locker room presence as reason why the Blazers would be well-served re-signing him if he’s willing to accept a pay cut from the $3.135MM he made this season, as Freeman writes in a roundtable piece. Still, fellow Oregonian scribe Mike Richman believes Wright will look elsewhere for more playing time, while Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com and Erik Gundersen say that where he plays next season will depend on what other free agents decide to do.
New Thunder head coach Billy Donovan won’t be keeping assistant coach Rex Kalamian on the Oklahoma City staff, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Some believe the longtime top aide to ex-Thunder head man Scott Brooks has the capability to become an NBA head coach someday, according to Stein.

And-Ones: Labor, Wolves, Mudiay, Combine

May 4th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Commissioner Adam Silver hinted vaguely on Sunday that the NBA would push for a hard cap, shorter contracts with smaller raises and maybe even the elimination of guaranteed deals if the union opts out of the labor deal in 2017, according to Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. Silver didn’t mention the measures specifically, but they were concessions the league sought during the last round of collective bargaining in 2011. Roberts has said that it’s likely the union will opt out and that it’s preparing to do so.

“And if they do, we’ll deal with that,” Silver said on Bleacher Report Radio, as Beck relays. “There were a lot of things we left on the table [in 2011]. We went into collective bargaining seeking — I don’t want to get into it now — but a number of things that we didn’t accomplish. And we compromised. And they compromised as well. If there’s a feeling that we should reopen the collective bargaining agreement … hopefully, just as we have in the past, we’ll work through all those issues and there won’t be any disruptions in the season.”

The deadline for either the union or the league, which can also opt out of the collective bargaining agreement, to give notice that it will do so is December 15th, 2016, Beck notes, so while we hope for a peaceful resolution, here’s more from around the league:

Timberwolves draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica wants a “serious offer” of somewhere around $5MM to $7MM a year if he’s to jump to the NBA this coming offseason, according to David Pick of Basketball Insiders, who writes in a chat with readers. A report from March indicated that there was mutual interest between the 26-year-old power forward and the Wolves, but Pick isn’t so sure Bjelica signs with the team this summer. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities speculated earlier this month that it would take an offer similar to the three-year deal for more than $16.6MM that Nikola Mirotic got from the Bulls this past offseason, and that would fall in line with Pick’s numbers.
Emmanuel Mudiay isn’t planning on accepting his invitation to take part in the NBA’s draft combine next week in Chicago and will instead continue training on the West Coast, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter links). Still, Mudiay has yet to officially decline the invitation and it’s conceivable that he makes some sort of appearance there, Charania cautions.
Mudiay is one of some 30 prospects who’ve been invited, while the NBA is eyeing about 55 others, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (All Twitter links). The NBA will likely bring most of those approximately 55 players in as long as they consent to playing in five-on-five scrimmages at the showcase, Givony adds. Former University of Washington center Robert Upshaw and ex-Kentucky guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison are among those planning to participate in the five-on-five combine scrimmages, Givony hears.

And-Ones: Porzingis, Bjelica, Stevens

April 22nd, 2015 at 10:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Projected 2015 lottery pick Kristaps Porzingis indicated that he withdrew from last year’s draft because he felt he wasn’t yet ready to compete in the NBA, Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype relays. “As soon as I declared for the draft, I knew that I wanted I to stay one more year in Spain to get better,” Porzingis said. “Now looking back I think we made the right decision. I had a bad start of the season – individually and as a team. I could have played much better, but I think I have improved my consistency and I have picked it up since the bad start of the season. This season has been tough, but I want to say thanks to coach [Scott] Roth for the work he did with me in Seville. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and I wish him the best.” The seven-footer also indicated that he no longer had doubts regarding entering the NBA, Sierra adds.

Here’s more from around the league:

According to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter links), two assistant coaches who will be in play this offseason for available head coaching vacancies are the Pacers‘ Dan Burke, and the Hawks‘ Kenny Atkinson.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens has his team ahead of schedule in its rebuilding process, which is a testament to his abilities as a leader, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes. Stevens stressing unselfishness and creating opportunities for teammates appeals to Boston’s players, Zillgitt adds. “All these guys are in the NBA for a reason, and they’re really, really good at something,” Stevens said. “If you can separate yourself at being one of the best at the things you do well, then you always have a spot where people are going to value you. It just makes sense to a be a superstar in your role.”
Former NBA GM and current coach of the Turkish club Eskişehir Basket Brad Greenberg has high praise for Wolves‘ draft-and-stash pick Nemanja Bjelica, David Pick of Basketball Insiders writes. While Greenberg believes Bjelica is ready to play in the NBA, he’s not sure if the big man will head to the U.S. to play in the near future, Pick adds. “Can Bjelica be on an NBA team? Sure. Will he? I don’t know,” Greenberg said. “Like all high-level Euroleague players who make a lot of money overseas, it has to be a situation that makes sense financially, and where he gets an opportunity to play. Europeans don’t want to give up something that is comfortable, good and financially rewarding for a ‘what if?’ situation. Bjelica is talented enough to be in an NBA gym and not look out of place. That’s for sure.”

Wolves, Nemanja Bjelica Have Mutual Interest

March 16th, 2015 at 5:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

5:08pm: Bjelica is ready to sign with Minnesota if the Wolves hold on to his rights, a source tells Cauchi. Several NBA teams are interested in trading for those rights, but Minnesota has set a high bar for such proposals, sources also indicated to Cauchi. In any case, the Timberwolves plan to either sign him this summer or trade his rights, Wolfson tweets. There is the matter of a buyout worth 1.2 million euros, as Cauchi points out. That would be the equivalent of about $1.268MM at the current exchange rate. Minnesota or another NBA team would only be able to foot the bill for about half of that.

12:05pm: Draft-and-stash power forward Nemanja Bjelica has interest in signing with the Timberwolves this summer, according to Sportando’s Orazio Cauchi (Twitter link), who confirms an earlier report from Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that the Wolves also want a deal with him. Wolfson wrote in February that Minnesota is planning a strong push for the 26-year-old whose rights the Wolves acquired on draft night in 2010 shortly after the Wizards made him the 35th overall pick. His contract with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker runs until 2016, as Mark Porcaro notes in our Draft Rights Held Players Database, but there’s an opt-out that would allow him to jump to the NBA this summer, sources tell Cauchi (Twitter link).

Bjelica signed with agent Arn Tellem’s Wasserman Media Group prior to the season, and the Wolves have a strong relationship with Tellem, as Wolfson noted. Wolfson speculated that signing Bjelica would require an offer similar to the three-year deal worth more than $16.6MM that fellow draft-and-stash prospect Nikola Mirotic inked with the Bulls this past summer. The starting salary in Mirotic’s contract is equivalent to the full value of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, seemingly a high price tag for a player who’s putting up solid but unspectacular averages of 12.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game overseas.

The Wolves have about $51MM in guaranteed salary for next season against a salary cap that’s projected to come in at around $68MM, not including a $5MM player option for Chase Budinger or the cap hold for what’s sure to be a high lottery pick. Minnesota would be hard-pressed to open significant cap room, making it more likely that at least a portion of the mid-level, or the biannual exception, would go toward signing Bjelica if the sides were to reach a deal.

Wolves To Make Strong Push For Nemanja Bjelica

February 4th, 2015 at 9:55am CST by Chuck Myron

The Timberwolves plan to “push hard” to sign former 35th overall pick Nemanja Bjelica this summer, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. The 26-year-old power forward is under contract through next season with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker, as Mark Porcaro shows in the Hoops Rumors Draft Rights Held Players Database, but it appears there’s a way for him to escape the deal and come to the NBA. Bjelica signed with the Wasserman Media Group before this season, and the Timberwolves have a strong relationship with agent and Wasserman vice chairman Arn Tellem, as Wolfson tweeted in December.

Wolfson speculated then that for the Wolves to sign Bjelica, it would take a contract similar to the three-year deal worth more than $16.6MM that the Bulls handed out this past summer to Nikola Mirotic (Twitter link). Minnesota already has more than $50MM in salary commitments against a projected $66.5MM salary cap for next season, not counting Thaddeus Young‘s early termination option worth nearly $9.972MM and a $5MM player option for Chase Budinger. The Wolves are reportedly trying to trade Budinger and have apparently engaged in talks with the Nets about Young, though it appears unlikely Minnesota will make a deal. Regardless of whether the Wolves are able to clear cap room, Mirotic’s starting salary this year is equivalent to the value of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, so that’s a path the Wolves could take with Bjelica.

The Wizards originally drafted the native of Serbia in 2010, shipping his rights to Minnesota the same night. The 6’10” Bjelica’s rebounding is up this season for Fenerbahce, Wolfson notes, and he’s scoring more this season, too. He’s averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 boards in 26.4 minutes per game as opposed to his 9.3 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 22.0 MPG last season. His three-point stroke is off a bit, down to 38.6% from 41.0%.