Sean Kilpatrick Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Lue, Kilpatrick, Biyombo

March 22nd, 2016 at 9:33pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Raptors are hoping that Bismack Biyombo will exercise his player option for 2016/17 and remain in Toronto for another season, Steve Simmons of The National Post writes. “I’m going to make it very hard for him,” said GM Masai Ujiri. “I’m going to try and do whatever I can to get it done. There are going to be other people who want this player. My job is to try and get it done.” The center noted that he was happy with the Raptors but added that he hasn’t made a decision regarding his option, Simmons relays. “To be here right now is amazing and it’s a blessing. To tell you the truth, I haven’t thought about [free agency],” said Biyombo. “I love Toronto. I love the fans. I love everything about it. But the focus for me right now is for us to go as far as we can. I don’t see why [I wouldn’t sign here]. But really, I haven’t thought about it.” Biyombo inked a two-year, $5.755MM contract with the team last summer and Toronto only holds his Non-Bird rights, which could make re-signing the 23-year-old difficult if he opts out of his pact.

Here’s more from the East:

After two months on the job as coach of the Cavaliers, Tyronn Lue hasn’t cured the team of its pre-existing inconsistencies on the court, which makes judging his performance difficult, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes. The ESPN scribe does note that the team’s defense has taken a hit since Lue took over the reigns, with Cleveland ranked 14th in defensive rating and a woeful 20th in defensive field goal percentage under the new coach. Cleveland was ranked fifth in defensive rating and ninth in field goal defense before David Blatt was fired. Lue is still adjusting to being a head coach, a move that is more challenging than he believed previously, Windhorst adds. “When I was a player for Doc [Rivers], I never used to understand why he got mad at the little things,” Lue said. “Now I see why coaches get mad about little, small things. It happens a lot. Things I want to do, things I want [to] implement, it’s been tough to do it midway through the season.”
Sean Kilpatrick‘s multiyear deal with the Nets includes a fully guaranteed salary of $980K for 2016/17 and a non-guaranteed salary of $1.05MM for 2017/18, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). The three-year length means the team used a prorated portion of its mid-level exception to sign him.
Melvin Ejim, who was in training camp with the Magic earlier this season, has signed with the Italian club Reyer Venezia, the team announced (translation courtesy of Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Orlando’s D-League affiliate waived Ejim to allow him to sign overseas.

Atlantic Notes: Turner, Crowder, Kilpatrick, Casey

March 21st, 2016 at 7:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics‘ Evan Turner is finally getting past the burden of being the second player taken in the 2010 draft, and it’s showing in his performance, writes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. The sixth-year swingman, who is rumored to be an offseason target for the Knicks, has become a valuable contributor in Boston, averaging 10 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games this season. Turner never became the star the Sixers hoped he would be when they selected him, and he seemed out of place during a brief stay in Indiana in 2014. However, Turner has put together two solid seasons with the Celtics and seems well-positioned headed into free agency. “I just feel like the freedom to come in and play in a system that doesn’t demand and expect, ‘Hey, you’re the second player chosen.’ He took some hits in that early path,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown. “I see, like in a lot of young guys, they find their stride at a little bit later date. I’m proud of him.”

There’s more news out of Boston and the rest of the division:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens says Jae Crowder should be back on the court in about two weeks, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. Crowder suffered a high ankle sprain in a March 11th game, and a report last week said he could be sidelined through the first round of the playoffs. But Stevens is more optimistic today, saying Crowder is making progress.
Sean Kilpatrick‘s 6’4″ size cast him as a tweener and helped him slip through the cracks up until recently, but his scoring versatility makes him a promising addition for the Nets, NetsDaily concludes in a video analysis. Kilpatrick signed a multiyear deal with Brooklyn this weekend following a pair of 10-day contracts.
Coach Dwane Casey’s tough-minded approach has helped the Raptors become a serious challenger for the Eastern Conference title, according to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Entering tonight, Toronto was 48-21, just a game behind the Cavaliers for the No. 1 seed. It was widely expected that Masai Ujiri would make a coaching change when he took over as GM in 2013, but he stuck with Casey and later retained free agent point guard Kyle Lowry and the pair have become the emotional leaders of the franchise.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Baynes, Kilpatrick, Early

March 21st, 2016 at 10:20am CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy cannot understand why Aron Baynes has so many social media critics, he told the assembled media, including Hoops Rumors. Van Gundy signed Baynes to a three-year, $20MM contract last summer to back up All-Star center Andre Drummond and believes he’s gotten his money’s worth. “Some of you guys tell me that some fans on comment boards don’t like him. I don’t know what they’re watching,” Van Gundy said. “He’s certainly one of the top backup centers in the league. You compare him to the other backup centers, he’s been absolutely terrific. He plays with great passion and emotion.” Baynes scored a career-high 21 points against the Nets on Saturday.

In other news around the league:

Sean Kilpatrick‘s offensive ability earned him some long-term security, Nets interim coach Tony Brown told the media, including Hoops Rumors, over the weekend. The shooting guard agreed to a multiyear deal that includes a guarantee for next season after his two 10-day contracts with the team expired. “He’s very effective shooting from deep and he’s been getting some good looks off the dribble,” Brown said. “Obviously, the new deal for him is well deserved. They’re thinking down the road, for the future of the ballclub, that he’d be a nice piece to have on the roster.”
The anticipation for next season is growing in Philadelphia as the current season winds down, Sixers coach Brett Brown told Brian Seltzer of NBA.com. “Names get associated with prospective draft picks that we’re studying now that the [NCAA] Tournament’s going on,” Brown said. “The end is near where you’re looking at our existing players and how we’re going to respond to some of the people that are out of contract. You start talking a little bit more seriously about some of the free agent strategies. You start talking a little more seriously about the Joel Embiid situation, and Dario [Saric] situation, how it all fits.”
Former Bucks and Pelicans point guard Nate Wolters is leaving his Turkish team Besiktas, international journalist David Pick tweets, citing a source. Wolters chose to play overseas in July after playing for the Clippers’ summer league team.
The Trail Blazers recalled shooting guard Luis Montero and power forward Cliff Alexander from the D-League’s Santa Cruz Warriors on Sunday, the team informed Mike Richman of The Oregonian. Both rookies appeared in four games with the Warriors’ D-League affiliate during their assignment and have played seven games apiece for the Blazers this season. Alexander will likely be active for the Blazers’ game against the Mavericks on Wednesday because big man Meyers Leonard is out indefinitely with a dislocated shoulder, Richman adds.
The Knicks assigned small forward Cleanthony Early to their D-League affiliate in Westchester on Monday, the team tweets. The Knicks activated him on Sunday for the first time since he was shot in the right knee during a December 30th robbery.

Arthur Hill contributed to this report.

Nets Ink Sean Kilpatrick To Multiyear Deal

March 19th, 2016 at 8:57am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Nets have signed Sean Kilpatrick to a multiyear deal, the team announced via press release. The exact length and terms of the pact were not announced by the team, though Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports previously reported that the arrangement included a guarantee for next season. It’s unclear if that guarantee is for the player’s full salary or if it is merely a partial guarantee. Brooklyn now has 15 players on its roster, including Henry Sims, whose 10-day deal runs through next weekend.

The combo guard performed extremely well for Brooklyn during his two 10-day pacts and this multiyear deal is a fitting reward for his strong outings. Kilpatrick has appeared in nine games with the Nets, averaging 11.9 points while shooting 49.3% from the field and 47.1% from three-point range in 19.1 minutes per contest. The 26-year-old has scored in double figures six times, including each of the last four games. In 21 career NBA games split between Brooklyn, Denver and Minnesota, Kilpatrick has averaged 7.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 15.5 minutes of action per appearance.

The signing of Kilpatrick for next season shouldn’t impact the team’s available cap space significantly, considering it is most likely a minimum salary arrangement, though that is merely my speculation. The Nets had $45,702,813 in salary committed for 2016/17 prior to inking Kilpatrick. With the salary cap set to jump to the $90MM-$95MM range, Brooklyn will still have plenty of room to chase free agents this offseason.

Nets, Sean Kilpatrick Close To Two-Year Deal

March 17th, 2016 at 4:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets are closing in on a two-year contract with shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. The deal will include a guarantee for next season, sources added to Wojnarowski.

Kilpatrick, who is making $49,709 on his second 10-day deal, also played eight games with the Nuggets this season and 28 games with the Sixers’ D-League affiliate. Kilpatrick has reached double digits in five of his last six outings, including a trio of 19-point performances. He had 19 apiece against the Bucks and Sixers in the Nets’ last two games despite averaging just 22.5 minutes in those games. He’s shooting 50% from the field and 48.4% on 3-point tries in seven games this month.

Brooklyn has the ability to take on Kilpatrick without making any other roster moves. It has only 13 other contracts that run through season’s end and newfound financial leeway beneath the tax in the wake of buyouts with Joe Johnson and Andrea Bargnani.

Prior to this season, the 26-year-old Kilpatrick had only appeared in four NBA games, all with the Timberwolves last season.

The University of Cincinnati product recently told ESPN.com’s Mike Mazzeo that he was tired of trying to find an NBA home. “I’ve been living out of a suitcase I would say for the past six months. It’s crazy, man,” Kilpatrick said. “That’s why when you ask, ‘Do I want to be here?’ Like, I’m tired of living out of a suitcase.”

And-Ones: Lakers, Kilpatrick, Meeks

March 14th, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Point guard D’Angelo Russell has star potential, but rival executives have doubts about power forward Julius Randle’s ceiling, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports. Polling a dozen front office executives, Berger found that Russell is the more highly regarded of the Lakers’ duo. Randle, their 2014 lottery pick, is viewed more as a piece to the puzzle or an energy guy, Berger continues. It’s conceivable the Lakers deal one or both for a proven star, Berger adds, but a lot of the their decision-making this offseason is contingent on whether they keep their lottery pick. They must convey their pick to the Sixers if they fall out of the top three.

Nets shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick, who has signed two 10-day contracts, hopes he can stick around for the remainder of the season and beyond, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com writes. Kilpatrick is averaging 13.6 points in his last five games with the club. “I’ve been living out of a suitcase I would say for the past six months. It’s crazy, man,” Kilpatrick told Mazzeo. “That’s why when you ask, ‘Do I want to be here?’ Like, I’m tired of living out of a suitcase.”
Shooting guard Jodie Meeks is back in uniform but will have a tough time cracking the Pistons rotation, according to David Mayo of MLive. Meeks broke his right foot in the team’s home opener and required a lengthy recovery. Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy prefers to utilize no more than nine players, and swingman Stanley Johnson and power forward Anthony Tolliver have recently returned to the rotation after recovering from injuries. “I can’t control that,” Meeks told Mayo. “So whenever my number’s called, I’ll be ready.”
The Celtics recalled rookie power forward Jordan Mickey from their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, the team tweets. Mickey has made 11 appearances with Boston this season.
The Thunder assigned small forward Josh Huestis to their D-League team, the Oklahoma City Blue, according to the Thunder’s website. Huestis has already started 19 games for the Blue this season, averaging 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per contest.

Atlantic Notes: Clarke, Turner, Kilpatrick, D-League

March 13th, 2016 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge stayed away from the buyout market, grabbing D-League star Coty Clarke over some of the bigger names that were available, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Boston, after waiving little-used David Lee, hardly made any pursuit of Joe Johnson, Kevin Martin, Ty Lawson or any of the other veterans who hit the open market. Instead, Ainge opted for Clarke, who has yet to play after signing a 10-day contract Monday. “We thought Coty was the best guy available,” Ainge said. “He’s had a terrific year in Maine. He’s been with our organization all year. He knows our stuff and there’s a little bit of continuity there. There’s some carryover to what our players do in [Maine] and what our players do in Boston. So we thought it was the easiest transition. And we didn’t desperately need someone that was out there. Like, for example, David Lee was a terrific player, but we had too many guys at that position. So Coty is a little bit different in that he can shoot the 3-ball and switch and guard multiple positions.”

There’s more on the Celtics and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

Ainge is hoping the team can reach a long-term deal to keep Evan Turner in Boston, Washburn writes in the same story. The impending free agent swingman has developed into a reliable reserve, averaging 10 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists while playing about 27 minutes per game. “As you know, I’m a fan of Evan, and I think he’s had a really good year,” Ainge said. “I think he’s had a good two years [with the Celtics]. He won a lot of games for us. Down the stretch of games, he’s a good guy to have on your team. He’s a versatile player. He plays multiple positions.”
The Nets are happy with the production they’ve gotten from Sean Kilpatrick, who signed a second 10-day contract with the team Wednesday, according to NetsDaily. Part of the youth movement new GM Sean Marks has instituted, the 26-year-old shooting guard has averaged 9.4 points per game while shooting 50% from 3-point range during his time with Brooklyn.
The Celtics recalled James Young from their D-League affiliate in Maine and sent Jordan Mickey to the Red Claws, the team tweeted today.
The Raptors recalled Bruno Caboclo from Raptors 905 in the D-League, according to a tweet from the organization.

Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Kilpatrick, Thompson

March 9th, 2016 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony holds the real power in the organization thanks to the no-trade clause the team included in his contract, Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical on Yahoo Sports notes (video link). The no-trade clause is also why Anthony is likely to outlast team president Phil Jackson in New York, Wojnarowski believes, with the scribe also opining that the executive has failed to elevate the franchise far more than the small forward. Jackson’s biggest missteps as an executive are not ridding the organization of personnel who are negative influences on the overall culture and his steadfast insistence on the team running the triangle offense, according to Wojnarowski. Anthony’s comments about being a free agent recruiter this offseason indicate he doesn’t intend to waive his no-trade clause anytime soon, and even if he did, it wouldn’t be easy to deal the veteran because he would not accept a trade to a small-market team, severely limiting the Knicks’ options, Wojnarowski contends.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick, whom the Nets signed today to a second 10-day contract, shows the promise necessary to become GM Sean Marks‘ first success as an executive, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. Marks previously expressed his desire to find players for next season via 10-day contracts, and Kilpatrick has delivered in his brief run with the team, averaging 9.4 points and shooting 41% from the field while connecting on 50% of his 3-pointers.
Jason Thompson is finding his comfort zone with the Raptors, and the power forward praised his new teammates for helping make his midseason transition to a new organization a smooth one, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca relays. “It was good to just be back on the court, man. I appreciate these guys bringing me in with open arms, knowing that I’m not coming in here and trying to do too much. I’m just trying to fit in,” Thompson said. “Ever since I landed, teammates have been there to try and help me out and ease my way into the situation. It’s been really good so far.”
Former Nets power forward Andrea Bargnani, whom the team waived as part of a buyout arrangement, has been turning down overseas offers, a hint that he’ll wait until next season to sign with a new team, NetsDaily relays (Twitter link). Bargnani reportedly received contract offers from the Italian club Olimpia Milano and Turkey’s Galatasaray, among others.
The Celtics have recalled James Young from their D-League affiliate in Maine, the team announced.

Nets Sign Sean Kilpatrick To Second 10-Day

March 9th, 2016 at 9:20am CST by Chuck Myron

The Nets have signed Sean Kilpatrick to a second 10-day contract, the team announced via press release. The first expired overnight, as we noted minutes ago. The latest pact between Brooklyn and the 26-year-old shooting guard covers four games, against the Sixers (twice), Bucks and Bulls. It’ll cost $49,709.

The team could have waited to re-sign Kilpatrick until its next game, which isn’t until Friday, as many clubs do with 10-day signees, but the benefits of an immediate signing, which allows him to take part in practice and keeps him from slipping away to another team that might offer a better deal, apparently outweigh the alternative. He’s played a fairly prominent role in five Nets games so far, averaging 9.4 points in 16.6 minutes per contest, including a 19-point outburst Saturday against the Timberwolves. Perhaps most encouraging is his 3-point shooting, as he’s stuck nine of 18 attempts, carrying over the 42.6% form he displayed this season in 28 games for the Sixers D-League affiliate this season.

Brooklyn has no shortage of flexibility, with only 13 contracts that run through season’s end and newfound financial leeway beneath the tax in the wake of buyouts with Joe Johnson and Andrea Bargnani. The Nets still have an open roster spot even with Kilpatrick’s continued presence. NetsDaily hears new GM Sean Marks plans more moves soon, though it’s unclear if that applies directly to the roster in the wake of Tuesday’s hiring of assistant GM Trajan Langdon. In any case, the Nets and Kilpatrick will have to either commit to each other through season’s end or part ways at the end of their latest 10-day deal.

Atlantic Notes: Clarke, Kilpatrick, Marks, ‘Melo

March 9th, 2016 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Celtics 10-day signee Coty Clarke sought a meeting with D-League coach Scott Morrison earlier this season while he was playing a reserve role for the Boston affiliate, and after the two spoke about Clarke’s role and what the team needed from him, Morrison put him in the starting lineup and Clarke helped the team thrive, as Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor chronicles. The Maine Red Claws went 11-2 before the Celtics called up the combo forward on his 10-day deal this week, a signing that Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines.

“First and foremost, as I told our team [Monday], he was by no means given a 10-day. He was rewarded [for] his great play [in Maine],” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said, according to Forsberg. “He really has played great. Our front office has been thrilled about him and thrilled about his play in Maine the whole year. We obviously have a familiarity with him from being here in the fall and so we thought it was a great opportunity to bring a guy on board while we have some practice time to really get a chance to evaluate him within our system, with our team, as the season has progressed.”

See more from the Atlantic Division:

More Nets moves are to come soon as new GM Sean Marks operates quickly on multiple fronts, NetsDaily hears in the wake of the team’s hiring of Trajan Langdon as assistant GM Tuesday (Twitter link). Brooklyn has a decision to make regarding Sean Kilpatrick, whose 10-day contract expired overnight.
Marks has superb people skills, Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer observed, and Chris Paul called him one of the best teammates he’s ever had as both displayed confidence in the new Nets GM, The Record’s Andy Vasquez details. “I’ve never been a GM or anything like that,” Paul said. “But I know his work ethic and what makes him who he is. … I’m biased. Sean’s a friend of mine. I’m rooting for him. I want to see him succeed and, like I said, with his drive and work ethic, I’m sure he won’t sleep until he turns it around.”
Interim Knicks coach Kurt Rambis has been clearer in communicating what he wants the Knicks to do on offense, while former coach Derek Fisher placed more of an emphasis on player development, as Carmelo Anthony observed this week, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link).