Salah Mejri Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Latest On Cavs, Salah Mejri

April 9th, 2015 at 11:35am CST by Chuck Myron

11:35am: Real Madrid has a team option on Mejri for next season, though various Spanish media reports have suggested there’s a decent chance the team will turn down that option, according to Sierra. Mejri is pleased with the club, but he would rather leave if he won’t see playing time, Sierra writes. The Cavs first reached out to the big man’s representatives in December, and though a high-dollar buyout clause kept the talks from getting far at that time, Cleveland has remained in contact, Sierra hears.

9:47am: The Cavs are indeed interested in Real Madrid center Salah Mejri, Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype tweets, confirming an earlier report from Chema de Lucas of Gigantes Del Basket. Mejri, his agent and Cavs director of pro player personnel Koby Altman dined together and Altman watched the 7’1″ native of Tunisia in action, reports David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter links).

Mejri went undrafted in 2008, so no NBA team holds his rights in any sort of draft-and-stash arrangement. He reportedly was to work out for the Mavericks in 2012, and he saw summer league action with the Jazz the same year. Mejri seemingly continued to draw NBA interest in 2013, but he remained zeroed in on Europe. A lack of playing time has helped keep his numbers low. His overseas production doesn’t paint a picture of an intriguing prospect, and while that’s often the case with European players drawing the eye of NBA teams, who focus instead on upside, Mejri is 28 and turns 29 in June. He’s put up 4.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 9.8 minutes per game.

Cleveland has a full 15-man roster, with each player signed through at least the end of the season, so presumably the apparent interest in Mejri is geared toward next season. The Cavs have only about $26MM in commitments for 2015/16, but that doesn’t include salary for four of their five starters, including LeBron James. There’s a strong chance Cleveland ends up above the tax apron, which would give the team only the $3.376MM taxpayer’s midlevel exception to spend above the minimum on outside free agents.

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.

Odds & Ends: Millsap, Martin, Mejri, Blazers

April 11th, 2013 at 11:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls might not have Derrick Rose, but they proved again Thursday that they can beat anybody, giving the Knicks their first loss after 13 wins in a row. This comes just a few weeks after Chicago stopped the Heat's epic 27-game streak, and it seems like the Bulls will be a tough out no matter who they draw in the playoffs. There's plenty of intrigue involving off-court matters as well, and here's the latest:

Friday's matchup with the Timberwolves could be Paul Millsap's last home game as a member of the Jazz, and the soon-t0-be free agent reflected on his time in Utah, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News details. "I owe a lot to this community," Millsap said. "I owe a lot to this organization."
Cartier Martin probably won't have much leverage when it comes to choosing a team as a free agent this summer, but he expressed a desire to re-sign with the Wizards, notes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
HoopsHype's Jorge Sierra looks at Tunisian center Salah Mejri, who continues to draw interest from NBA teams after coming close to signing last year. Still, agent Bouna Ndiaye tells Sierra that he and Mejri will look to European clubs first before considering the NBA.
The Oregonian's Joe Freeman reviews the first year of the Trail Blazers' exclusive partnership with the D-League's Idaho Stampede. Portland made a half-dozen assignments with four different players, and planned to make even more use of their affiliate.
Greg Esposito of Suns.com chronicles the many travels of Suns point guard Diante Garrett, who spent Thursday night on his latest trip to the D-League, putting up a team-high 23 points for the Bakersfield Jam in a playoff loss to the Austin Toros.
Cavs power forward Kevin Jones is no stranger to the D-League either, having been assigned to the Canton Charge six times this season, but he's begun to see consistent time for the big club, as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal points out.

Southwest Notes: Gay, Rockets, Mavs, West, Green

June 11th, 2012 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The day's biggest news so far came out of the Southwest Division, when ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that Michael Heisley had found a buyer for the Grizzlies. While we wait to hear whether an agreement between current ownership and prospective buyer Robert Pera will be finalized, let's check in on a few more Southwest updates, including the latest Rudy Gay trade rumors….