Tim Frazier Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Richardson, White, Kaba

June 29th, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards are no closer to landing Paul George than they were a week ago but recent comments from John Wall have resurrected speculation that he could possibly end up in D.C. Per CSN Mid-Atlantic’s J. Michael, there are a number of things that would need to happen for the pipe dream to become a reality, here are just a few:

For starters, the Wizards will have to come to terms with something that all of George’s other suitors have already come to terms with: they would need to build an appealing enough package of young players and assets without any guarantee that they’ll get to re-sign him next summer.

The Wizards would also need Otto Porter to be up for a sign-and-trade, something that would require him to take less money than he’s eligible for, just to pack his bags and move to Indianapolis.

Even if the Wizards did manage to land George and played him alongside Wall and Bradley Beal, however, the organization would be extremely crunched financially for the foreseeable future.

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

Don’t expect the Magic to make a major splash in free agency, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes. The team would need to reel off a series of moves just to clear up space for a major signing and that’s not really their focus at this point in time.
Coming off a season in which he averaged career highs, Hawks center Mike Muscala is experiencing unrestricted free agency for the first time. He spoke with Jerry Zgoda of the Star-Tribune about the process. “It’s crazy how basketball can change from high school to college to the NBA and what you work on, what you’re compensated for,” he said, referring to his coveted skill set as a three-point shooting big man. “I’ve found if you do things the right way — if you play the right way, if you work on your game, if you’re a good teammate — you’ll be rewarded for it.”
The Heat will retain Okaro White and Josh Richardson, thus guaranteeing their contracts (or in White’s case, partially guaranteeing the deal he signed last season). Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes about how Richardson’s $1.5MM for 2017/18 will be locked in after Friday and how White will clinch $226K on Saturday.
One of the major areas that the Wizards will need to improve upon next year is in their backcourt depth, J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic says. They’ve already gotten a head start in doing so with their addition of Tim Frazier.
Second-round draft pick Alpha Kaba will play with the Hawks‘ summer league team before deciding where to play next season, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.

Southeast Notes: Magic, Adebayo, Satoransky

June 25th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Austin Kent

While he may be years away from reaching his true potential, the Magic are pleased with their Jonathan Isaac pickup in Thursday’s draft, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes.

In order to fully develop the sixth-overall choice, however, Orlando’s new front office will need to avoid some of the mistakes that their predecessors made, namely giving prospects playing time before they earn it.

Robbins adds that president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond should look to add quality players that will be able to compete with Isaac for minutes, something current and past Magic players like Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris and Elfrid Payton could have benefited from over the course of the last few seasons.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

A particularly impressive workout helped Bam Adebayo convince the Heat to take a chance on him with their 14th pick in Thursday’s draft, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes. “We had already seen enough after 20 minutes. But he wanted to stay out there. He was the last one in the gym. We notice things like that,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said.
The Magic would be wise to mind the tone of their fan base and field a decent roster as soon as possible, Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes. While a new front office may be just embarking on a five-year tenure with the organization, fans of the franchise have already endured five years of losing seasons.
On the surface, the Wizards trading for a backup point guard would appear to hurt Tomas Satoransky‘s stock with the franchise but Tim Frazier is a short-term solution, Chase Huges of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes. Satoransky remains the only guard on Washington’s bench signed past 2018/19.
In a podcast with Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype, Wizards point guard John Wall that he’s like to remain with Washington for the rest of his career. The eight-year veteran and All-NBA Third Team guard also says that he still feels as though he’s underrated.

Southeast Notes: Howard, Billups, Frazier, Wade

June 24th, 2017 at 3:31pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Dwight Howard, recently traded to the Hornets from the Hawks, discussed his excitement to be in Charlotte, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Howard spoke glowingly about his new owner, Michael Jordan:

“I’d just done a 2 ½-hour workout. After I was done talking to him, I wanted to jump back into the gym. That’s how he motivated me. You’re talking about the greatest basketball player to ever play. For him to call you on the phone and say, ‘I believe in you!’ ”

Howard also discussed his reunion with head coach Steve Clifford, his disappointment of lasting just one season with him hometown team, and how he will make a difference in the Charlotte community.

Here’s more from the Southeast division:

Hawks GM Travis Schlenk says that three or four teams were interested in trading for Dwight Howard, but the Hornets made the best offer, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal- Constitution.
While the Cavaliers await a decision from Chauncey Billups, another team covets the former NBA Finals MVP’s wisdom in the front office: the Hawks, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Billups recently interviewed for a front-office position with Atlanta.
Hornets GM Rich Cho says the team will be looking for a backup point guard and more overall depth in free agency, tweets Jordan Greer of The Sporting News.
The Magic‘s new president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, explains why the team traded two picks in a deep draft, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Weltman explained: “We felt that at a certain point that the draft flattened out, and once we got past that point, we had three more picks, and we didn’t want to bring four rookies in. So what we did is we tried to identify kids that we thought could possibly be there later that we liked as much [as a] higher [pick]. And could we defer those assets [and] move them along to maybe turn them into future pieces and still come up with something that we liked?”
The Wizards believe that Tim Frazier can contribute right away, reports Chase Hughnes of CSN Mid-Atlantic, in an interesting piece full of great quotes from Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld and head coach Scott Brooks.
Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that Dwyane Wade, who has come up often as a Heat target this offseason, is not necessarily leaving Chicago so soon despite the Bulls’ obvious entrance into rebuilding mode after dealing Jimmy Butler on draft day.

Wizards Notes: Frazier, Burke, Gortat, Tax

June 21st, 2017 at 9:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Finding a reliable backup for point guard John Wall and fortifying their bench are two of the Wizards’ top priorities heading into the offseason, and on Wednesday, the team made a move that may have checked both boxes. Washington sent the No. 52 overall pick to New Orleans in exchange for guard Tim Frazier, who saw plenty of action at the point for the Pelicans this season and will earn a modest $2MM salary in 2017/18.

While there’s no guarantee Frazier will be the answer as Wall’s backup, he’s a solid rotation player and the Wizards didn’t have to give up much to get him. According to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post, Frazier has been on the Wizards’ radar for some time, and the club also tried to acquire him at February’s trade deadline.

Here’s more out of Washington:

Trey Burke, who handled point guard duties for part of the 2016/17 season, is eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but the Wizards won’t tender Burke a qualifying offer, per J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. With no QO in hand, Burke will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
At season’s end, Marcin Gortat questioned his role in Washington and suggested he may seek a trade, but Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld sounds like he expects to retain the veteran center, according to Chase Hughes of CSNMidAtlantic.com. “I’ve talked to March,” Grunfeld said. “March is with us. March, we’ve had him for four years. He’s averaged a double-double for four years. He’s been in the second round for three out of those four years and is a big part of what we’re doing. Everybody has frustration after a tough loss and a tough series. March is with us and he’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing.”
Grunfeld also acknowledged that the Wizards should be willing to go into the luxury tax territory this offseason, if necessary, Hughes writes in a separate CSNMidAtlantic.com story. “We’ll see how everything goes. If it’s the right player, I don’t think we have a problem going over,” Grunfeld said.
According to TNT’s David Aldridge and Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post (Twitter links), the Wizards are open to buying their way back into the second round of Thursday’s draft if the opportunity arises. Currently, the team has no picks.

Wizards Acquire Tim Frazier From Pelicans

June 21st, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by Luke Adams

8:32pm: The trade is official, the Pelicans confirmed in a press release.

7:32pm: The Wizards and Pelicans have agreed to a trade that will send guard Tim Frazier to Washington, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. According to Scotto (via Twitter), the Pelicans will receive this year’s No. 52 overall pick in the deal.

Frazier, 26, signed a two-year contract with the Pelicans last summer after impressing the team in a brief 2015/16 audition. He appeared in a career-high 65 games (35 starts) for New Orleans this past season, acting as the starting point guard early in the year when Jrue Holiday was unavailable, then re-entering the starting lineup late in the season after the Pelicans traded several guards. For the season, Frazier averaged a respectable 7.1 PPG and 5.2 APG.

Despite a solid year for the Pelicans, Frazier apparently wasn’t in the team’s plans going forward. New Orleans will send the Penn State product to the Wizards, who have been in the market for a point guard capable of backing up John Wall after Brandon Jennings and Trey Burke underwhelmed in 2016/17.

Frazier will be an inexpensive bench option for the Wizards, who will be on the hook for his modest $2MM salary next season. Although Washington is currently well over the cap, the team can take on Frazier using a traded player exception created in a February deal with the Nets.

That trade exception, worth approximately $2.5MM, will be used to absorb Frazier’s current salary of $2.09MM. Meanwhile, the Pelicans will create a TPE worth Frazier’s salary, though that exception will disappear in July if the team uses cap room.

With Frazier no longer in the picture, the Pelicans have two guards – E’Twaun Moore and Quincy Pondexter – on guaranteed contracts for 2017/18, with two more – Jordan Crawford and Quinn Cook – on non-guaranteed deals. Fortifying the backcourt and potentially re-signing Holiday will be top priorities for New Orleans this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Details On Pelicans’ Brook Lopez Trade Talks

February 13th, 2017 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Reports last week indicated that the Pelicans were scouring the market for a center, dangling their 2018 first-round pick in trade talks. At the time, Brook Lopez was identified as one potential target for New Orleans, and now, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders has some specific details on the sort of package the Pelicans and Nets were discussing.

According to Scotto, the two teams have talked about a trade that would send Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, Tim Frazier, and a 2018 protected first-round pick to Brooklyn in exchange for Lopez.

Such a trade package would likely pique the Nets’ interest, since it includes two young guards on reasonable deals, a sizable expiring contract (Evans’), and a future first-round pick to replace the Nets’ own 2018 selection.

Still, the Nets have long been said to be seeking multiple first-round picks in any Lopez deal, and ESPN’s Marc Stein reported on Sunday that the team’s asking price hadn’t changed. The Pelicans’ proposal includes just one first-rounder, and depending on how heavily it’s protected, it’s possible it wouldn’t be a lottery selection.

While the Nets are willing to discuss deals involving Lopez, multiple reports have downplayed the team’s interest in making a deal during the season. The veteran center remains under contract through 2017/18, so Brooklyn appears willing to revisit trade discussions during the offseason if the team doesn’t receive an offer it likes this month.

The Pelicans, meanwhile, are believed to be engaged in talks with the Sixers involving Jahlil Okafor. New Orleans probably has a few more irons in the fire around the NBA as well, as the team looks for a big man to pair with Anthony Davis in the frontcourt.

Pelicans Notes: Asik, Ajinca, Backcourt, Evans

December 31st, 2016 at 1:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Centers Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have dropped completely out of the Pelicans rotation as the team has found success with small-ball lineups, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com reports. Asik and Ajinca have been glued to the bench the last three games while the club has reeled off four consecutive victories. Forwards Dante Cunningham and Solomon Hill are the biggest beneficiaries of coach Alvin Gentry’s altered rotation, and their increased minutes have allowed the Pelicans to switch defensively much more easily, Verrier continues. New Orleans has the league’s 12th best offensive rating and fourth-best defensive rating since the shakeup earlier this week, Verrier adds. Franchise player Anthony Davis is thrilled with the new look, as he told Verrier. “When we play small it gives us an advantage on both ends of the floor.” he said.

In other developments regarding the Pelicans:

Gentry is enjoying the pleasant dilemma of having too many options at the guard spots, Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com writes. Gentry prefers not to have more than four backcourt players in the rotation, Eichenhofer notes. Jrue Holiday and rookie Buddy Hield are the current starters, leaving Gentry to choose from the quartet of Langston Galloway, E’Twaun Moore, Tyreke Evans and Tim Frazier for the remaining minutes. “It’s good to have the depth and have an opportunity that if things aren’t going real well, to stick another guy in and see if he has it for that night,” Gentry told Eichenhofer.
Evans, who can also play small forward, will see an uptick in minutes soon, according to John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune. Evans had been on a 15-minute per game restriction since returning from knee surgery and is still not cleared to play both games of back-to-backs, Reid continues. Gentry told Reid and other media members that his minutes would increase to 18 or 20 per game on a regular basis. Evans played 18 minutes against the Knicks on Friday. “I don’t think he’s going to go from 15 to 30,” Gentry said. “I think there’s a possibility that he could play 18 minutes or 20 minutes, that’s the natural progression that’s going to happen.”

Southwest Notes: Gordon, Frazier, Rockets

December 16th, 2016 at 11:19pm CST by Austin Kent

Eric Gordon is enjoying one of the most productive seasons of his nine-year career and while he may not top some of the scoring outputs he registered with the Pelicans and Clippers now that he’s been slotted in as the sixth man of his new club, he’s playing a vital role on a Rockets team in contention for the Western Conference title.

On Friday, Gordon matched up against the Pelicans with whom he played five seasons. Prior to the meeting he was up front and honest about his displeasure in New Orleans, citing roster instability as one of the biggest problems.

”I’m not really worried about what’s going on down there,” the Pelicans guard told John Reid of The Times-Picayune, “but I just know my role changed year by year. We really had only one good year (2013/14), it’s just been tough.'”

Also on the Southwest Division front:

If there is one individual who has benefited from this week’s Donatas Motiejunas drama, it’s Bobby Brown. The veteran is eager to pick up where he left off with the Rockets prior to being waived ahead of the Motiejunas contract drama, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Prior to being cut initially, Brown had seen minimal action in just five games this year, but his depth of international experience could give head coach Mike D’Antoni roster flexibility as the season progresses.
Speaking of Motiejunas, the big man left the Toyota Center on Saturday expecting to rejoin the Rockets but that never came to be. Speaking to Feigen, D’Antoni called the 26-year-old a “piece that could have been helpful [from a team standpoint].”
Too often the victims of unfortunate injuries, the Pelicans got a taste of the opposite Friday. Despite being initially ruled out for seven to 10 days, per ESPN’s Justin Verrier, backup point guard Tim Frazier opted to return early. According to Jennifer Hale of Fox Sports, Frazier decided to suit up in front of his hometown fans on Friday night and play through a wrist sprain.

Southwest Notes: D’Antoni, Beverley, Frazier, Mavs

December 16th, 2016 at 11:06am CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets‘ Mike D’Antoni is the early favorite to be named Coach of the Year, according to Marc Stein of ESPN. D’Antoni’s up-tempo attack has turned James Harden into an MVP candidate and has made Houston a contender in the West. The Rockets are off to a 19-7 start after a disappointing 41-41 season under Kevin McHale and J.B. Bickerstaff. Stein says a close runner-up to D’Antoni is new Grizzlies coach David Fizdale, whose team is 18-9 despite an injury-filled start to the season.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Rockets are 13-2 since Patrick Beverley‘s return from injury and he may be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Houston has improved to 17th in defensive efficiency since it got Beverley back in the lineup, and he has a shot at becoming the first guard to win the award in 20 years. “I feel like I am the best defensive player in the league right now,” Beverley said. “I hope the whole world sees it. If we win games, more and more people see it. But the last guard to get the Defensive Player of the Year award was Gary Payton. Why not me? I have the same type of killer mindset that he had, the lateral quickness and quick hands. The swagger also. That’s one of my goals, my biggest goal. If I can get a goal like that, I will put my team in a position to win a lot of games.”
Pelicans point guard Tim Frazier will be sidelined with a contusion on a bone in his wrist, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate. Frazier estimates his recovery time at a week to 10 days.
Harrison Barnes has been a pleasant surprise in a dreadful season for the Mavericks, states Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News. After joining the team on a max contract this summer, Barnes has responded by averaging 20.4 points per game. In his weekly chat, Cowlishaw also addresses possible trades involving Wesley Matthews, Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut, as well as the potential consequences of shutting down Dirk Nowitzki for the rest of the season.

Pelicans Notes: Davis, Evans, Frazier

November 15th, 2016 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans put themselves in a serious hole to start the 2016/17 season, losing their first eight games. Since then, the team has looked a little better, picking up wins against the Bucks and Celtics in the last three games. With Jrue Holiday expected to return soon, the tide may be shifting a little in New Orleans, but the Pelicans still have a significant uphill battle to contend for a playoff spot. Let’s check in on the latest Pelicans news and notes…

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, there’s a pretty decent chance that the Pelicans will make “big changes in the immediate future,” but those moves won’t involve Anthony Davis — New Orleans has never considered dealing the face of the franchise, and it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the club would consider it, Kyler writes.
Injured guard Tyreke Evans is set to participate in “light practice” for the Pelicans today, reports Scott Kushner of The Advocate (all Twitter links). According to Kushner, it’s too early to pencil in an exact return date for Evans, but there’s a chance he’ll be back in the team’s lineup by Thanksgiving.
Tim Frazier, who started his career in the D-League, signed a guaranteed two-year, $4MM+ contract with the Pelicans this summer, but continues to fight to prove he belongs in the NBA, as Justin Verrier of ESPN.com outlines.