Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Ryan Kelly

And-Ones: Ollie, Bobcats, Kelly, Lowry

May 2nd, 2014 at 4:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

Saturday will feature an unprecedented three Game 7’s in a single day, and Sunday could bring the same if the Nets, Rockets and Mavs all win tonight. While we look forward to a pivotal weekend of basketball, here’s the latest from around the league:

  • Lakers coaching candidate Kevin Ollie has begun talks about a new deal with Connecticut, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Still, he remains open to interest from the Lakers and other NBA teams, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM, a point that Wojnarowski seconds. No NBA team has formally reached out to him yet, Charania also tweets, though Ollie has fans among executives on many NBA teams, including Thunder GM Sam Presti, Wojnarowski writes.
  • Bobcats owner Michael Jordan is prepared to spend freely this summer, president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said, pointing to the presence of Al Jefferson, Kemba Walker and Steve Clifford as a selling point. Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders has the details.
  • Ryan Kelly credited Mike D’Antoni‘s system as a reason for his strong performance this year, but the rookie tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News that there’s “no question” that he’d like to re-sign with the team even though the coach is gone. Medina believes the Lakers will indeed bring him back.
  • Eric Koreen of the National Post doesn’t think there’ll be much call for point guards who’d command significant long-term money this summer, suggesting that will depress the market for Kyle Lowry.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Lakers Notes: Young, Gasol, Farmar, Kelly & More

April 17th, 2014 at 7:35pm CST by Alex Lee

Well, it’s exit interview time for the NBA’s bottom half and there are few teams with as much uncertainty and flexibility as the Lakers. Beyond Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, there are no significant contracts on the books for Los Angeles in 2014/15. The Lakers must also determine if they want to keep head coach Mike D’Antoni, a decision ESPN’s Dave McMenamin examines. Let’s round up all the personnel buzz coming out of Lakerland:

  • Nick Young‘s upbeat attitude and surprising play were two of the few bright spots for the Lakers this season, writes Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. Young expects to be a hot commodity this summer, indicating that general manager Mitch Kupchak already expressed interest in retaining his services (via Ding on Twitter). Meanwhile, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets that Young will prioritize both business and his affinity for L.A. when weighing his options.
  • A free agent for the first time, Pau Gasol insinuated on Thursday that he is not yet sure whether he wants to return to the Lakers, writes Medina. Among the priorities for his destination is going to a contender that plays to a “controlled pace,” Medina adds on Twitter.
  • Jordan Farmar is fairly confident he’ll return to L.A. next season, writes Medina. Farmar, symbolically sporting two championship rings, told reporters today that general manager Mitch Kupchak indicated the team’s interest in bringing him back will hinge on their options in the draft and free agency. Ding also tweets that Farmar would be content returning in a starting or reserve role.
  • After averaging 8 points in 22.2 minutes per game as a rookie this season, power forward Ryan Kelly believes the Lakers want him back for his sophomore campaign, tweets Medina. A second round pick last summer, Kelly said, “They drafted me and certainly want me back. I want to be here. But it’s a business.”
  • Jordan Hill said it is “tough to say” whether he returns to the Lakers, Medina writes. In a separate post, Medina also says that Chris Kaman would like to return to Los Angeles in the “right situation,” and adds on Twitter that Wesley Johnson thinks that there is some mutual interest in his return (Twitter links).
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Players Whose Contracts Will Be Guaranteed

January 7th, 2014 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

As we outlined earlier today, players on non-guaranteed contracts who aren’t released by 4:00pm central time will have their full 2013/14 salaries guaranteed. We’ll be keeping tabs in this post on players who have been informed they’ll remain on their respective teams’ rosters, with new updates added to the top of the list throughout the afternoon:

  • Barring an unexpected development, the Pacers will guarantee Rasual Butler‘s contract today, tweets Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star.

Earlier updates:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Odds & Ends: Anthony, Carter-Williams, Kelly

December 27th, 2013 at 9:02am CST by Jonathan Nehring

This weekend appears to be a big weekend for the Knicks and head coach Mike Woodson as they have the opportunity to finish the weekend one game out of first place in the Atlantic Division. Some have speculated this is also a prime opportunity to replace Woodson if the 9-19 Knicks don’t turn things around. If they do in fact replace Woodson, Ian Begley of ESPN New York recommends the Knicks inquire who Carmelo Anthony will want to play for if they want a chance at his pending free agency next summer. The Knicks have said they want to re-sign Anthony and having a coach he favors could go a long way in achieving that goal.

A few other morning notes around the league.

  • Although there is still a lot of the season left, the Sixers are in rebuilding mode and any roster moves will, and should, focus on how they complement breakthrough star of 2013, Michael Carter-Williams. Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News thinks this will be the Sixers plan for the rest of the season. With only seventeen game opportunities, Carter-Williams has proven he is a pro the team can build around and Cooney believes they will treat him just like they did Jrue Holiday in previous seasons.
  • Ryan Kelly has embraced his role as a bench player for the Lakers. The 48th overall pick in last summer’s draft was limited in pre-draft activities due to an injured foot but is hoping to make the most of his rookie minimum salary deal with the goal of it becoming vested after the new year. Kelly told Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles he is “taking [every possession] like it’s his last” in order to “make it past Jan. 10”.
  • Former Mavericks GM Gersson Rosas has officially returned to his prior role with the Rockets as executive vice president. Rosas expressed to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle it is “good to be home” and that he is returning from Dallas with “some unfinished work to do”.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Western Notes: Aldridge, Thunder, Blair

December 26th, 2013 at 6:01pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Posting up career-numbers in points, rebounds, and assists in addition to leading the Trail Blazers to a current three-way tie for the league’s best record, LaMarcus Aldridge is arguably a strong candidate for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award at this point in the season. Ben Golliver of Blazers Edge relayed some noteworthy comments from Aldridge during an interview with ESPN’s Chris Broussard, and it appears that the 28-year-old forward wants to remain in Portland for the long-term:

“I’m here. I love it here. This team is good and we’re winning. I’ve been here my whole career. I’m in the history books here. I don’t want to leave. I feel this team is good enough to win it all one day and be there.” 

Here’s more of what we’ve gathered out of the Western Conference tonight:

  • Although some offseason narratives had the Thunder taking a step back this year after losing Kevin Martin to free agency, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix writes about how Oklahoma City’s young bench – in addition to career-best numbers from Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka as well as elite play from Russell Westbrook – has played a major role in keeping the team within title contention this season. Interestingly enough, Mannix points out that the reserves’ combined 34.1 PPG marks the highest output of the entire Durant era.
  • Sam Amick of USA Today echoes the same sentiments from Mannix and revisits how the Thunder, facing drastic changes due to the NBA’s harsh new collective bargaining agreement, were able to recover nicely after making the tough call to deal James Harden over a season ago.
  • Previously relegated to spot minutes in San Antonio, DeJuan Blair has had tonight’s matchup against the Spurs circled on his calendar for quite some time, says Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas, who adds that the 6’7 forward has been a bargain banger since signing with the Mavericks this past summer. Blair, who is currently averaging 8.3 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 20.9 MPG, has made it known on several occasions about being unhappy with the way his 4-year stint with the Spurs had ended.
  • According to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times, Lakers forward Ryan Kelly has carved out a role in the team’s rotation and earned some public praise from Mike D’Antoni after practice earlier today: “He knows how to play, defensively and offensively…Defensively he’s the first one to get to the right spot. I think that going forward, he can keep earning more time. I’m pretty excited about him.” D’Antoni also suggested that Kelly’s newfound opportunity to earn floor time could come at the expense of Chris Kaman and Robert Sacre‘s rotation minutes.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Lakers Notes: Kobe, Kelly, Harris

December 5th, 2013 at 6:53pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here’s the latest coming out of Lakerland tonight:

  • After acknowledging that he won’t be making his season debut against the Kings tomorrow night in Sacramento, Kobe Bryant is tentatively targeting Sunday’s game against the Raptors, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA: “We (have) to see how it feels tonight. I’m going to try to get another hard session in and then [Friday] morning try to push it again and the same thing tomorrow evening. Continue to just keep on measuring it.”
  • More from Kobe, who added that he was “pleased” with how he’s feeling after three straight days of practice: “I’m not jumping through the gym by any means, but I don’t need to be able to do that in order to be a great player…It just takes awhile, no matter how much running and conditioning you do, to get out there and play is different. So, I’m sure I’ll be limited in some capacity.”
  • Hoopsworld’s Eric Pincus reports that the Lakers have re-assigned Ryan Kelly to their D-League affilate, the D-Fenders (Twitter link).
  • While Elias Harris had been signed to a partially-guaranteed rookie minimum of $490K, Pincus – in a piece for the L.A. Times – explains how waiving Harris saved the Lakers a total of nearly $1.1MM.
  • Mike D’Antoni may not be the most ideal man for the Lakers’ head coaching job for some, but Kevin Ding of the Bleacher Report argues that at least he’s no Mike Brown. Citing Cleveland’s slow start as well as Brown’s indecisiveness with his rotation, Ding characterizes it as the “same tortoise pace of progress” that the former Lakers coach tried to sell in Los Angeles before getting the boot last season.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Odds & Ends: Booker, Kobe, Wade, Exum

December 2nd, 2013 at 9:40pm CST by Zachary Links

After receiving eight DNP-Coach’s Decisions this year, Trevor Booker is none too pleased with the Wizards.  A source close to the power forward said recently that if the Wizards don’t extend him a qualifying offer and let him become an unrestricted free agent, he would look elsewhere for employment based on how the season has gone, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post.  It’s been a strange quarter-season for Booker, who started the first three games of the season but has seen little burn since.  More from around the Association..

  • Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com looks at how Kobe Bryant‘s lucrative two-year extension could affect the Heat and Dwyane Wade.
  • In today’s column, David Aldridge of NBA.com looks at how Kobe’s deal will affect the Lakers over the next couple of years.
  • Dante Exum is a mortal lock to go top five in the 2014 Draft, but he says that he hasn’t decided whether to go pro, writes Joe Pierik of the Sydney Morning Herald.  ”To be honest, I haven’t been thinking about it too much,’‘ Exum said. ”I am back home but my mum is still in Singapore, so she is going to head back soon. After that I will make my decision with my whole family.  I want to get it done by February. It shouldn’t be too hard [a decision] to make. But I just want to make sure I use my time right so I make the right decision.’‘
  • The Bulls might be thinking about rebuilding or retooling in the wake of Derrick Rose‘s injury, but Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com isn’t sure if coach Tom Thibodeau would be on board for that.
  • Guard Jose Calderon is going out of his way to assist rookie point guards Gal Mekel and Shane Larkin with their transition to the NBA, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.  While coach Rick Carlisle appreciates Calderon passing along his veteran wisdom, he says he’s more concerned with seeing him back on the hardwood.  Calderon is currently dealing with a bone bruise on his right ankle.
  • The Lakers announced that they have recalled Ryan Kelly back from their D-League affiliate, the L.A. D-Fenders.  To keep track of all of this year’s D-Leage assignments, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

D-League Notes: Lakers, Warriors, Curry

November 25th, 2013 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up today’s D-League updates, including a pair of assignments and a pair of recalls out of the Pacific….

  • Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris have been re-assigned to the D-League by the Lakers, according to the Los Angeles D-Fenders (Twitter link). It’s already the third assignment of the season for both players, so it looks like they’ll be shuttled back and forth throughout the year.
  • The Warriors have recalled Dewayne Dedmon and Nemanja Nedovic from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. The duo helped lead the Santa Cruz Warriors to a victory last night, combining for 54 points.
  • Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group checks in on Seth Curry‘s development with the Warriors‘ D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Lakers Notes: Nash, Kelly, Harris, Young

November 23rd, 2013 at 5:36pm CST by Luke Adams

As we heard yesterday, Steve Nash denied having considered the possibility of retirement, telling reporters that he still has “18 months” of basketball left, referring to the last two years on his contract. Nash also told Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles that he’s “inching forward” in his physical therapy and rehab, and Mike D’Antoni suggests that the veteran point guard could return to practice during the first week of December. Here’s more on the 39-year-old and his Lakers teammates:

  • Nash recognizes that speculation about his retirement is inevitable at this point of his career, as he tells McMenamin: “I’m 40 in a couple of months. I think people look at the success I’ve had in my career and they wonder if I still have the motivation just to get on the court. But I do. The perspective is that I’ve only got a short window of basketball left in my life. I want to try to get in as much hoops as I can before it’s time to do something else.”
  • The Lakers have assigned Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris to their D-League affiliate, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv notes via Twitter. The team had just recalled the rookies on Thursday after initially sending them down last week. Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times expects the Lakers will bring them back to the big club in advance of Sunday’s game.
  • The Lakers signed Nick Young this summer to a minimum-salary contract, and he’s proved a bargain so far, having entered Friday with the fourth-highest scoring average among reserves this season, as McMenamin examines.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

D-League Notes: Kelly, Harris, Heat, Expansion

November 21st, 2013 at 9:57pm CST by Charlie Adams

The D-League’s regular season is underway, and the D-League website features a list of young prospects to follow during the 2013/14 season. Some of the young players on the list currently have their rights held by NBA squads, but many are training camp invitees that didn’t make an opening night roster. There’s no telling when the next Jeremy Lin might unexpectedly emerge so it’s definitely worth monitoring the young talent found in the NBA’s official minor league organization.

Here’s some D-League news and notes from Thursday night:

  • Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets that the Lakers have recalled Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris from their D-League affiliate, the D-Fenders. Neither have seen much NBA action yet this year, and Eric Pincus of the LA Times tweets that their recall is probably just a formality.
  • Ira Winderman points out (via Twitter) that the D-League affiliate for the Heat is sporting a particularly impressive roster. Although the Heat do not own their rights, it’s worth noting that Miami’s developmental squad houses three former NBA players: Bill Walker, DeAndre Liggins, and Quincy Douby.
  • Dan Reed, president of the D-League, envisions his circuit expanding into a 30 team organization where each NBA club has it’s own minor league affiliate. Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports sat down with Reed, who appears confident that his vision will one day become a reality: “If you had asked me this three or four years ago, I would have said it will be a very long time horizon. If you ask me now, that time frame has shortened substantially.” Reed has been the president of the D-League since 2007.
  • To keep up with all the D-League assignments and recalls throughout the year, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors 2013/14 D-League Assignments page.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts