Taurean Prince Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Walker, Hawks, Isaac, Wall

March 11th, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by clarkcrum

The Hornets have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this year. Expected to make the playoffs and owing a payroll nearing $120MM, a seldom few could have foreseen a 29-38 record through the first week and a half of March and the word “rebuild” come into the picture.

And according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, team leader and All-Star point guard Kemba Walker isn’t sure he’s prepared to undergo another rebuilding effort in Charlotte. “I’m not sure. Nobody wants to lose. Especially not me,” Walker said at practice Friday, following the Hornets’ fifth consecutive loss.

Walker, who was part of a Bobcats team (before becoming the Hornets) that went 7-59 in his rookie season, has one season left on his contract, which will pay him a team-friendly $12MM, making him a hot commodity on the trade market this summer. When asked about what the offseason may have in store, he added, “I haven’t thought about any of that. It’s something I’ve got to deal with whenever it happens. It’s just not something that has come up to me.”

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders takes a look at how the bottom-dwelling Hawks can go about their rebuilding efforts in a positive way. Davies opines that Atlanta is already ahead of the curve due to focusing on giving their young core of Taurean Prince and rookie big man John Collins valuable playing time and experience at the expense of veterans. The next step is bringing in a young, talented front court player such as Mohamed Bamba or DeAndre Ayton to pair with Collins.
Magic rookie Jonathan Isaac is trying to stay patient through the rustiness associated with returning from an injury, writes John Denton of the team’s official website. Isaac, who missed four months with an ankle injury, still has the confidence of head coach Frank Vogel, who said, “(Isaac) is a 20-year-old young man who is still finding his way on the offensive end. I encouraged him to be more aggressive than he’s been. To his credit, he plays within himself, but there’s going to be some growing pains that come along with that. I was just happy with the spirit that he played with (on Friday).”
The Wizards still don’t know when to expect All-Star point guard John Wall back from injury, but per an AP report (via USA Today), Wall is looking to closer to form after working out on the floor in Miami about a half-hour before the Wizards visited the Heat on Saturday night.

Mannix’s Latest: G. Hill, Hornets, Hawks, Suns

February 6th, 2018 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers continue to engage the Kings about a possible George Hill trade, sources tell Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. However, the Cavs would like to include both J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert in their package for Hill, and taking on multiple expensive non-expiring contracts doesn’t appeal to Sacramento. Meanwhile, the Kings are quietly looking to get a third team involved in a potential deal, according to Mannix.

Mannix’s latest trade rumor roundup features several more tidbits of interest related to Thursday’s deadline, so we’ll pass along the highlights…

The future of GM Rich Cho in Charlotte is uncertain, which may complicate the Hornets‘ deadline plans. According to Mannix, there are rumblings about former Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak being a candidate to join the Hornets’ front office in the offseason. Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times wrote last week that Kupchak is considered likely to be hired by an Eastern Conference team this summer.
Some teams with interest in Marcus Smart view the Celtics‘ asking price of a first-round pick as “unrealistic,” says Mannix.
The Hawks have made “everyone” available, and while much has been written about the club’s veteran trade candidates, second-year swingman Taurean Prince is another player who has drawn interest, according to Mannix.
The Magic have shopped Mario Hezonja “hard” in recent days, per Mannix.
According to Mannix, the Suns are willing to move veterans like Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley. Neither player’s contract is particularly team-friendly though, so it may be tough for Phoenix to find any value.
The Clippers say they’re okay with holding onto DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams through the deadline, but rival clubs are skeptical, says Mannix.

Hawks Fully Embrace Total Rebuild

October 30th, 2017 at 8:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hawks majority owner Tony Ressler is convinced the franchise had no choice but to go into full rebuild mode, as he told NBA.com’s David Aldridge in an extensive piece on the team’s direction. New GM Travis Schlenk helped convince Ressler that the franchise was spinning its wheels and needed to stockpile draft picks while developing a young core, Aldridge continues.

“Truly, there are three options in the NBA, I would argue: being a contender, being a competitive team, and being young and fun,” Ressler told Adridge. “At least that would be my opinion. And we didn’t have the option of being a contender. So we could be competitive, or more competitive, and maybe, shall we say, with a whole bunch of higher-priced vets that made us older and made our payroll less flexible, and made our future more cloudy.”

Instead, Ressler selected the “young and fun” option, despite knowing the losses would pile up this season. The team has five first-round picks during the next two drafts, including one from the Clippers that they acquired this offseason by getting involved in a three-way deal that included the Nuggets. The Hawks also traded away center Dwight Howard and opted not to pursue their top free agent, power forward Paul Millsap.

Aldridge also offered these nuggets in the story:

The team is building around point guard Dennis Schroder, second-year wings Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry, and rookie big man John Collins.
Schlenk feels pressure to produce on the draft picks: “It’s my job to, hopefully, get four of those right,” he said.
Ressler told coach Mike Budenholzer that he didn’t think anyone could be an effective head coach and run the organization at the same time. Budenholzer relinquished his duties as president of basketball operations. “I tried to convince him and I think he realized fully that being the GM is a full-time job,” Ressler said. “So why does anyone on earth think they can do two extraordinarily difficult jobs? And I believe Bud saw that very clearly.”
Budenholzer lobbied Schlenk to make an offer to Millsap even after the decision to rebuild was made.

Hawks Exercise Options On DeAndre’ Bembry, Taurean Prince

October 14th, 2017 at 11:24am CST by marksuleymanov

The Hawks have exercised third-year (2018/19) options on both DeAndre’ Bembry and Taurean Prince, the team announced in a press release. Atlanta faced an October 31 deadline for picking up their options beyond this coming season, and Bembry ($1,634,640) and Price ($2,526,840) will return at team-friendly prices.

Bembry, 23, averaged 2.7 PPG and 1.6 RPG in just under 10 minutes per game last season. The Hawks’ first-round pick (21st overall) was effective during the NBA Summer League where he posted 17.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.3 APG in 26.3 minutes per contest.

Prince, 23, a former 12th overall pick by the Jazz, was acquired by Atlanta from Utah in a three-team trade that sent Jeff Teague to the Pacers. In his rookie campaign, he posted in 5.7 PPG and 2.7 RPG in 16.6 minutes. Prince’s season concluded with six starts in Atlanta’s first-round playoff series against the Wizards. He averaged 11.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 1.3 APG during the postseason.

For all of this year’s decisions on 2018/19 rookie scale options, be sure to check out our tracker.

Hawks Notes: Howard, Millsap, Bazemore, Workout

April 29th, 2017 at 7:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwight Howard expressed anger today after his exit interview about his deteriorating role with the Hawks, relays Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Howard saw less playing as the season wore on, then averaged just 26.2 minutes per game during the playoff series with Washington. Coach/executive Mike Budenholzer believed the offense worked better without Howard and frequently opted for a smaller lineup with Paul Millsap at center. This comes just months after the Hawks gave Howard $70.5MM over three years to return to his hometown. “It was very difficult,” Howard told reporters. “I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Earlier today, we told you that Millsap intends to opt out of his nearly $21.5MM deal for next year. Even though he’s hitting the open market, the 32-year-old power forward says his first choice is to remain in Atlanta, according to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Eventually I probably will opt out, yes,” Millsap said. “But I want to be here. I think talks have been pretty good, so we’ll see what happens.” Millsap led the Hawks in scoring this season at 18.1 points per game, and was second in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Vivlamore expects him to get maximum offers this summer, but Atlanta has the advantage of Bird rights. The Hawks can offer five years at up to $205MM, while other teams will be limited to four years at $158.4MM.
The Hawks’ efforts to keep Millsap will stretch from the front office to the locker room. Owner Tony Ressler has said the organization will make “every effort imaginable” to re-sign Millsap, and Charles Odum of The Associated Press writes that teammates will be involved as well. “I’m definitely recruiting Millsap to come back,” said Kent Bazemore.
Utah’s Kyle Kuzma was among the players at the Hawks’ pre-draft workout this morning, Vivlamore tweets. The junior power forward is ranked 59th in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress.
Rookies Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry are definites for summer league, according to Budenholzer, and they may be joined by Isaia Cordinier, a second-round pick in 2016 who spent this season in France (Twitter link).

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 2/4/17

February 4th, 2017 at 4:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls:

The Celtics assigned power forward Jordan Mickey to their affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Mickey has appeared in 14 games with the Celtics but didn’t get any playing time in the last three games.
The Hawks recalled rookie forward Taurean Prince from the Long Island Nets, according to a press release from the D-League team. Prince played for the Nets’ affiliate on Friday under the flexible assignment rule and tallied 16 points, four rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes at Greensboro. He’s played five games for the Nets’ D-League club and 29 games for the Hawks, averaging 3.4 PPG and 1.9 RPG in 10.1 MPG.
The Kings recalled center Georgios Papagiannis from their affiliate in Reno, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets. The 7’2” center is averaging 12.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 2.3 BPG in 18 D-League games.
The Spurs recalled guards Bryn Forbes and Dejounte Murray from their affiliate in Austin, according to a team press release. The duo was sent down to get some game action. Forbes had 20 points and seven rebounds against Rio Grande on Friday night, while Murray racked up 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Bulls recalled rookie guard Denzel Valentine from the Windy City Bulls, according to a team release. Valentine averaged 30.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG and 7.0 APG in two games with Windy City.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 2/3/17

February 3rd, 2017 at 5:49pm CST by Milo Taibi

Here are Friday’s D-League assignments and recalls:

The Hawks assigned Taurean Prince to the Long Island Nets via the flexible assignment rule, the team announced on its official website. The Nets have games scheduled tonight and tomorrow against the Greensboro Swarm, allowing Prince to pick up additional minutes before returning to Atlanta.
According to a team-issued press release, the Pistons assigned Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije to their D-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. Ellenson and Gbinije were each recalled on January 31, though neither player appeared in Wednesday’s game against the Pelicans. The Drive have games scheduled tonight and tomorrow against the Canton Charge and Raptors 905.

And-Ones: Salary Cap, Munford, Christmas, Barber

February 3rd, 2017 at 4:56pm CST by Milo Taibi

James Johnson and Taurean Prince have been fined $25K each after getting into a shoving match in Thursday’s match-up between the Hawks and Heat. According to the league’s official website, Prince was assessed the fine for “forcefully pulling down” Hassan Whiteside, and Johnson was penalized for escalating the situation by throwing an elbow at Prince. In a show of appreciation for his teammate’s loyalty, Whiteside told Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald he would pay Johnson’s $25K fine.

Other notes from around the league…

The NBA has reduced its salary cap estimate from $103MM to $102MM for the 2017/18 season, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports. Additionally, the luxury line is projected for $122MM; an increase from this season’s $113.287MM.
Xavier Munford agreed to terms with FC Barcelona, according to Fersu Yahyabeyoglou of Euro Basket. After starting 2016/17 with the D-League’s Greensboro Swarm, Munford will spend the rest of the season in Barcelona. Munford averaged 5.7 points through 14 games with the Grizzlies last year.
Italian professional basketball team Vuelle Pesaro is targeting Dionte Christmas, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. A former Temple Owls standout, Christmas made NBA appearances with the Pelicans and Suns in 2013/14.
Sacramento’s D-League affiliate, The Reno Bighorns, claimed Jaleel Cousins out of the available player pool, according to the team’s official website. Jaleel is the brother of Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. This will be Cousins’ second D-League team in 2016/17, having played in 15 games for the Texas Legends earlier this season.
The Delaware 87ers acquired Aaron Harrison from the Greensboro Swarm for Anthony “Cat” Barber and the rights to Sam Thompson, according to Keith Porter of Philly.com. While Barber has yet to make his NBA debut, Harrison has appeared in five games with the Hornets this season.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/29/16

December 29th, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

9:00pm:

The Jazz recalled forward Joel Bolomboy from the Salt Lake City Stars after assigning him to the D-League earlier in the day, the team announced in a press release. The second-round pick out of Weber State has made nine brief appearances with the Jazz this season.
The Warriors assigned center Damian Jones and guard Patrick McCaw to the Santa Cruz Warriors, the team announced on its website. Jones has appeared in 10 games with Santa Cruz, averaging 6.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.70 blocks in 21.8 minutes. McCaw had not been previously assigned to the D-League. He has appeared in 26 games with Golden State but hasn’t left the bench the past three games.

11:26am:

A day after sending him on his first D-League assignment of the season, the Cavaliers have recalled Kay Felder from the Canton Charge, according to a press release. Felder had an outstanding NBADL debut, leading the Charge to a blowout win with 33 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds.
The Hawks don’t have a D-League affiliate of their own, but they have sent Taurean Prince to the Long Island Nets via the flexible assignment rule, per Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. It’s the first NBADL assignment of the season for Prince, the 12th overall pick in the 2016 draft, and it may end up just lasting one game, according to Vivlamore.

Southeast Notes: Wall, Beal, Hibbert, Magic

September 27th, 2016 at 10:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

During the Wizards‘ media day on Monday, John Wall walked back his comments from August when he told reporters that he and teammate Bradley Beal “have a tendency to dislike each other on the court,” Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes. “Whenever you have your two best players and they both want the game-winning shot and they want those types of plays, you’re going to have disagreements on the court. But other than that, we’re fine,” Wall told the media. “We talk. We’ve talked about it. We’re both two grown men. Everybody wants us to dislike each other. No, we don’t dislike each other. It’s just at times any team that has two great players [or] players who want to be great, we’re going to have disagreements from time to time.”

For his part, Beal said he never took offense at Wall’s comments, likening their relationship to that of brothers, Buckner notes. “Sometimes you don’t always get along with your bigger brother or your little brother but you love them at the end of the day. They’re family. That’s how John and I are,” Beal said. “We don’t always agree on the court. You’re not always going to agree with Coach [Scott] Brooks and something that he says but at the end of the day, we’re backcourt mates, we’re teammates, we’re the two leaders of the team. We’re going to help win us games.”

Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Magic are hunting for a location for their new D-League affiliate to call home, with the two finalists being Kissimmee’s Silver Spurs Arena and The Lakeland Center, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel reports. The team expects to finalize its decision within the next month, Robbins adds. “We’re still in final discussions with both, and both have been asked to address some specific issues that we need answers for and direction on,” CEO Alex Martins said. “I believe that within the next 30 days we’ll have a decision made.”
Center Roy Hibbert is trying to salvage his career after signing a one-year, $5MM with the Hornets this offseason. Assistant coach Patrick Ewing has taken the big man under his wing, believing that much of Hibbert’s decline stems from him buying into the talk that the changes to the game have made him obsolete, Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer writes. “I think it’s probably mostly mental,” Ewing said of Hibbert. “I know everybody is talking about how the game has changed. I think he’s kind of bought into that.”
Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer weighed in with his early impressions of rookies Malcolm Delaney, Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution relays.