Phil Jackson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Knicks, Contracts, Bucks

April 23rd, 2015 at 9:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks team president Phil Jackson has sounded like a defeated man during his end of season press conferences, which isn’t what the organization or its fans need to see at this critical juncture in New York’s rebuilding process, Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post writes. The Zen Master has taken on a somewhat pessimistic attitude when discussing the team’s ability to attract free agents, Vaccaro notes. “The market value is going to be really interesting,” Jackson said. “There’s going to be a zillion guys being chased, and it’s not just us trying to do this. It only takes one individual team that says, ‘We want this guy.’ The prevailing attitude is: Guys get overpaid in this situation. You have do that in free agency to get a player. We know we have a limited amount and have to do some judicious shopping. We’re not going to the dollar store, but we may not be at one of the bigger [stores].”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

If Knicks guard Ricky Ledo is still under contract through August 1st, $100K of his minimum salary arrangement for 2015/16 will become guaranteed, with another $100K becoming guaranteed if he begins the season under contract, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
Jorge Gutierrez‘s minimum salary deal for 2015/16 with the Bucks is non-guaranteed, Pincus tweets.
Will Bynum‘s contract with the Wizards was strictly for the remainder of the 2014/15 campaign, and the guard will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, Pincus notes (Twitter link).
Commissioner Adam Silver indicated that he still has faith that a deal can be reached on a new arena in Milwaukee for the Bucks, Kami Mattioli of The Sporting News tweets. The franchise is struggling to secure $250MM worth of public financing toward the construction of a $500MM arena.

Atlantic Notes: Ross, Jackson, Fisher

April 21st, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks president Phil Jackson has indicated that he won’t be attending next month’s NBA draft lottery, which is something the Zen Master needs to rethink, opines Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. It’s important for Jackson to represent New York at the event not only for him to take ownership of the team’s 17-win season, but to show potential free agents that he is indeed a hands on executive working to right the ship, Isola adds.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors‘ patience with Terrence Ross is beginning to pay dividends during this season’s NBA playoffs, Mike Ganter of The Toronto Sun writes. It took coach Dwane Casey removing him from the starting lineup midway through the season to accomplish it, but the forward’s focus on the defensive end has improved greatly during the second half of the 2014/15 campaign, Ganter notes. “The bench is a great motivator sometimes,” Casey said. “You don’t want to wear that out but I think he had a chance to sit back and watch and see what he needed to do and he’s done it.” Ross is eligible to ink a rookie scale extension this summer.
Derek Fisher, reflecting on his rookie season as Knicks coach, was appreciative of the effort that his players provided him throughout the team’s dismal 2014/15 campaign, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. “I’m thankful for each and every one of them regardless if they’re back or not,’’ Fisher said. “These guys will always be my first team, no matter what. Any success we have as an organization or me as a coach will start from there and from these guys. I think a number of them can be back. But at this point, I respect them too much to start trying to determine who that should or shouldn’t be. They’ve given this organization a lot.’’
Though the Knicks‘ roster is expected to undergo a significant overhaul this offseason, 2014 second-rounder Cleanthony Early is one player whom the team considers part of its future, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. The 24-year-old didn’t live up to the team’s expectations this season, averaging just 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 39 appearances. Injuries certainly played a factor, with Early dealing with knee and ankle issues the entire campaign, Begley notes.

Phil Jackson On Draft, Free Agency, Carmelo

April 21st, 2015 at 11:34am CST by Chuck Myron

The triangle, the presence of Carmelo Anthony, and the past success that Phil Jackson‘s staff has enjoyed will be the selling points for the Knicks in free agency this summer, Jackson said today to reporters, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). Of course, that staff didn’t have much success this season, a 17-65 debacle for New York, and Jackson acknowledged that he doesn’t expect to suddenly win a title next year, notes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). Instead, the Zen Master is shooting for a playoff berth and a winning record, as Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal relays (Twitter link). Here’s more from his chat about his plans for achieving that:

The Knicks will look for defenders and a player who can get to the basket, Jackson said, as Begley notes in a pair of tweets. Jackson also suggested that the team sorely needs a rim-protecting big man, Herring adds (on Twitter).
Jackson suggested he would be more likely to trade New York’s first-round pick if it falls to fifth, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). There’s a 12.3% chance the Knicks end up with the fifth pick after the lottery, as the odds show. Should the Knicks keep their pick, a big man will be the priority, Jackson said, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Jackson also indicated that he likes the depth of the draft through the top 15 prospects, as Zagoria passes along (Twitter link).
Regardless of how the draft shakes out, Jackson doesn’t expect to end up with an immediate game-changer, as Herring relays (Twitter link). “[Our pick] isnt going to step on the court immediately and be an MVP,” Jackson said. “So a lot of our contingencies are on free agency. They have to be.”
The Knicks may have to “sit on our hands” for a year as their top draft pick develops, Jackson suggested, as Zagoria chronicles in a full piece. “So we’re certainly not going to walk away from a situation like that even if it takes the fact that we might have to sit on our hands for a year in the growth process and watch Carmelo come back off an injury and then regenerate for another year after this, provide more support as we go forward,” Jackson said.
Jackson seemed to convey a measure of displeasure about Anthony’s decision to play in the All-Star Game despite the ailing knee that kept him out the rest of the season, as Herring relays (Twitter links). Anthony “pushed himself” to play, Jackson said, according to Herring. “[Him playing in the All-Star Game] wasn’t that important to us, but it was important to him,” Jackson said.
Jackson responded affirmatively when asked if he’d be OK with merely setting the foundation for the Knicks to win a championship rather than winning a title during his time with the team, Herring tweets. Jackson just completed the first year of a five-year contract, and there have been hints that he might not stay the entire term.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Jackson, Fisher

April 16th, 2015 at 3:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

Carmelo Anthony admitted that he briefly had second thoughts this season about having re-signed with the Knicks last summer, but he says he hasn’t lost faith in team president Phil Jackson, as ‘Melo said today to reporters, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).

“I try to keep myself from thinking like that,” Anthony said of looking back on his decision. “But as a human being, those thoughts definitely come into play. You sit down at night and you’re thinking, ‘Did I really make the right decision?’ and just things like that,” Anthony said. “Not often did I think about that. There was one point in time this season where it was just cloudy and I didn’t really have any clarity; I was second-guessing what I did and the decision I made. But after that, I was smooth sailing.”

Here’s more out of New York:

Anthony is prepared to help Jackson recruit, joking that his home office looked like a GM’s, as Peter Botte of the New York Daily News relays. He said he’s OK with the Knicks bringing in someone who’d make him the second option, Begley notes, and he added that while Jackson should explore trading the team’s lottery pick, he’d ultimately like to see the team keep it, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Knicks fans should be more concerned about what Jackson is able to accomplish this summer than the state of Anthony’s knee, Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “Now we really get a chance, and he really gets a chance, to put a stamp on what he wants this organization to be about,” Anthony said. “What he wants this team to be about, what players he wants in here. This is the time he steps up to the plate.”
Coach Derek Fisher says that he would like to be more involved in the organization’s personnel decisions, Berman writes in a separate piece. “I would hope so,’’ Fisher said. “I’ve said before, Phil and [GM] Steve [Mills] have been very open in that regard in wanting my thoughts and opinion.’’
One NBA executive said the Knicks’ biggest mistake this season was in how the team evaluated its roster, Fred Kerber of The New York Post writes. “To me their biggest mistake was they overrated players. They’ll probably point to Andrea Bargnani getting hurt, but he’s not good enough. Jose Calderon did not have the year they anticipated,” the exec said. “They’re continuing to try to put the triangle in. How many of those guys are going to be back?”

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Eastern Rumors: Copeland, Jackson, Nets

April 9th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Chris Copeland is intensive care in a New York hospital and will remain there for the next two or three days, a source tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitlonger link). The Pacers combo forward and soon-to-be free agent was the victim of a stabbing early Wednesday morning, and the attack left him with a punctured diaphragm, according to Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star. He also suffered lacerations on his left hand, Anderson hears. Copeland didn’t engage in an argument or initiate any altercation, a source tells Buckner. While we hope for the best for Copeland, here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Knicks owner James Dolan expressed continued faith in team president Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills and again insisted that he wouldn’t meddle with the team as he spoke in an interview with Matthew Belloni of The Hollywood Reporter. “You got to believe, baby!” Dolan said, when asked if Jackson is still worth his $12MM annual salary. “I believe, I believe!”
The Nets want Brook Lopez back, as owner Mikhail Prokhorov on Wednesday made clear to reporters, including Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Still, the owner acknowledged the primary choice rests with the center, who has a player option worth more than $16.744MM, as Bontemps relays. “We need him,” Prokhorov said. “I think the Brooklyn Nets, it’s his home.”
Brooklyn would pay the repeater tax if they’re a taxpayer again next season, and the return of Lopez would make that a strong possibility. Still, Prohorov said he’d be willing to do so, Bontemps notes. Prokhorov also insists he never sought to sell a majority stake in the Nets and said that while he’s been approached by 10 people with interest in buying a minority share, there’s nothing on the table for now, notes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
The Cavs have some interest in Salah Mejri, a center playing for Spain’s Real Madrid, as Chema de Lucas of Gigantes Del Basket hears (translation via HoopsHype). The 28-year-old who went undrafted in 2008 is averaging 4.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Jackson, Thomas

March 25th, 2015 at 4:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers coach Brett Brown won’t stop pushing his team to improve, regardless of how it affects Philly’s chances of snagging the top pick in this year’s draft, Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News writes. “I don’t know how to coach anymore if that becomes part of it all,” Brown said. “I really don’t. You can’t cheat the game. I get it and I understand it. I just don’t even know how to do my job, otherwise. We go about our business. I can’t walk into the locker room and do anything else for those guys. They want to play hard. They want to compete. Whatever ends up happening, ends up happening. I’m proud of the way we play every night. What we may lack in resumes and birth certificates and all of that, we make up for with big spirit and tremendous team camaraderie, despite what our win/loss record says. This is a spirited group and one that I love coaching.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

While the Sixers still need an upgrade at the point, Ish Smith has shown enough promise that he should factor into the team’s plans for next season, Cooney adds. “He has a clear upside,” Brown said of Smith. “I think that because of his style of shooting – he’s a set-shooter – I can see how he can improve with repetition and encouragement and all those types of things in the next short period of time. Then you have the constant qualities that he’s a hell of a teammate, he’s an athlete, he’s highly competitive. Although he’s been around a lot, it’s not like he’s got a lot of miles on his legs. He really hasn’t played a lot, but he’s been around a lot. For all those reasons, I just feel like his upside is clear.”
Phil Jackson was hired as Knicks team president to restore faith in the franchise, something he has failed to do during his tenure thus far, Justin Terranova of The New York Post writes. Jackson has fallen in ESPN Insider’s Front Office rankings from the No. 21 spot to the 29th, with only Nets GM Billy King below him.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com looks at the effect that Isaiah Thomas will have on the Celtics‘ lineup and playoff chances now that he’s set to return from his injury.

Atlantic Notes: Young, Jackson, Sixers

March 16th, 2015 at 9:46am CST by Chuck Myron

Thaddeus Young said Saturday that he wants to remain with the Nets even though he hasn’t decided on his early termination option for next season, worth as much as nearly $10.222MM, observes Andy Vasquez of The Record. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities can’t envision Young turning down that option and pointed to his earlier report that the forward had requested a trade from the Timberwolves through his agent (Twitter links). Young spoke of a mutual feeling of interest in a continued relationship with Brooklyn, and indeed Nets GM Billy King has said the team will do what it can to retain him, as King apparently sees him as a building block for the team’s future. While we wait to see exactly how Young and the Nets proceed, here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Marc Berman of the New York Post sees signs that Knicks president Phil Jackson will choose to leave the team before his five-year contract is through. The Knicks have fallen flat in Jackson’s first year at the helm, and he hinted to Harvey Araton of The New York Times earlier this season that he isn’t planning a long-term stay in New York.
Veterans Luc Mbah a Moute and Jason Richardson are favorites of Sixers coach Brett Brown, notes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, who takes a shot at sizing up the chances that many of the Sixers have of returning to the team next season. Richardson and Mbah a Moute are both set for unrestricted free agency this summer.
Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga has drawn the eye of George Mason University, which plans to make him a focus of its search for a new head coach, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Larranaga has surfaced as an NBA head coaching candidate in the past and interviewed for the C’s and Sixers head coaching jobs, Wojnarowski notes.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Roster, Jackson

March 12th, 2015 at 5:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks president Phil Jackson made some comments regarding New York viewing free agents as the primary way it will rebuild the team, which lends some credence to the reports that Jackson was considering trading the Knicks’ 2015 lottery pick, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “In the present day in the NBA, 19, 20 years old, coming into league, it’s really hard to project what that player will be like in his first contract situation,’’ Jackson said. “So what we’re trying to do what advancement can be made in the short term. How quickly we can get back in the hunt and right away to [compete] for the championship? We know what the first-round pick will mean to us, but we also know we will build the team on free agents. We have 190 players or so who will be free agents. That’s where our priority stands.’’

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Jackson did indicate that he would be willing to be patient with the growing pains of developing a lottery pick, Berman adds. “You get movers and franchise players from the draft,” Jackson said. “We’re rebuilding this team. You have do it that way.’’
The Knicks’ president also relayed that the team isn’t looking to bring in 10 new bodies next season, which means a number of players who aren’t under contract for next season could be re-signed, Berman tweets.
When asked to assess the state of the Knicks, Jackson admitted the season was a lost one, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com relays (Twitter link). “It feels like it’s a project gone awry,” Jackson said. “This is where we wanted to be at the end of the year, not in the middle of the year.“
The Knicks are hopeful that Carmelo Anthony will resume training this June, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. The timetable ‘Melo was given at the time of his surgery in February was that he would be out for four to six months, and the June time frame would be on the early side of that prognosis, Begley adds.

And-Ones: Divac, Okafor, Knicks

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:39pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Kings have hired former NBA player Vlade Divac as their vice president of basketball and franchise operations, the team has announced. “With an unparalleled philanthropic track record that spans the globe, Vlade Divac is the epitome of our NBA 3.0 philosophy,” Sacramento owner Vivek Ranadive said. “He has a unique perspective and global stature that will only further elevate our organization around the world.” In a career that spanned 16 NBA seasons, Divac averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Ranadive was the driving force behind hiring Divac, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee tweets.

Here’s more from around the league and abroad:

With the Guangdong Southern Tigers having been eliminated from the Chinese Basketball Association playoffs, Will Bynum, Jeff Adrien and Chris Daniels have become free agents and are eligible to sign with NBA teams, Enea Trapani of Sportando tweets.
The NBA has fined the Knicks for team president Phil Jackson‘s public comments regarding Ohio State freshman D’Angelo Russell, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Upon leaving Ohio State’s game last Thursday night, Jackson told reporters that Russell was a “great looking kid, [a] great prospect.” This is the second time in his brief career as an executive that Jackson has been fined for tampering. The first instance was for his comments regarding Derek Fisher last spring while Fisher was still a member of the Thunder.
Mike D’Antoni would be an excellent fit as the next coach of the Nuggets, Adi Joseph of USA Today opines. Joseph cites Denver’s personnel, who would be well-suited to D’Antoni’s style of play, as the main reason the former Knicks and Lakers coach could match up well with the Nuggets.
With the Knicks currently owning the worst record in the NBA according to Hoops Rumors’ Reverse Standings, New York has the best odds of snagging the top pick in June’s NBA draft. Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal examines the pros and cons of projected No. 1 overall pick Jahlil Okafor, and how the big man would fit in with the Knicks.
The Lakers intend to apply for a hardship exception once Ronnie Price misses his fourth consecutive game, Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times reports. Los Angeles has lost Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Julius Randle and Price for the season. The Lakers have discussed the matter internally, but haven’t decided if they will use the exception if granted, Pincus adds.

Knicks Notes: Draft, Jackson, Shved, Larkin

February 27th, 2015 at 1:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson called Ohio State combo guard D’Angelo Russell a “great prospect” when he spoke to Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com upon his visit to Ohio State amid a scouting trip, and while it’s no surprise he would say that, the comment sparked trouble nonetheless. The NBA doesn’t allow team officials to talk about college underclassmen, so the league has begun an investigation into Jackson’s comments and is likely to fine him for the remarks about Russell, a freshman, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Knicks top the Reverse Standings, and Russell is No. 3 in Eddie Scarito’s Hoops Rumors Prospect Power Rankings. Here’s more on the Knicks:

The Knicks indeed made another push to deal for Reggie Jackson at the trade deadline, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. They were reportedly likely to make a renewed effort after coming up short in an attempt to trade for him last month. New York lacked the assets for the future to snag Jackson at the deadline, Berman writes, but the team is reportedly planning to target him again when he hits restricted free agency this summer. The Knicks have the potential recruiting advantage of employing coach Derek Fisher, a former Jackson teammate, as Berman examines.
The Knicks took on salary to trade for Alexey Shved because they view him as a fit for the triangle, Berman observes in the same story. “We definitely see the potential and his ability to play with our team and operate well within our format,’’ Fisher said. “He’s a good ballhandler and good passer and he can get to the rim and he’s pretty capable shooting.”
Shane Larkin would rather re-sign with the Knicks than play elsewhere in the NBA next season, Berman notes in a separate piece. However, the point guard can seek better offers than the $1,675,320 that New York is limited to paying him next season since the team declined his option for that same amount. “The league is watching at all times,’’ Larkin said. “If I go out there and play well the last 25 games, the Knicks could want me or someone else could want me. It’s not that I’m set on one team. They didn’t pick up my option. I can go wherever, but of course I want to stay in New York.’’