Tyson Chandler Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Diaw, ‘Melo, Cuban, Blazers

October 10th, 2014 at 4:38pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Boris Diaw‘s contract with the Spurs has some creative additions included in it, Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com notes (Insider subscription required). Diaw’s deal begins at $7.5MM and decreases by $500K during the second and third years, ensuring San Antonio is paying the premium up front, when Diaw’s performance will be at its peak, notes Elhassan. The contract also includes up to $500K in annual bonuses if Diaw meets certain weight requirements throughout the season. Lastly, Elhassan notes that the final year of the deal has a guarantee date of July 15, 2017. This will give the Spurs flexibility to cut Diaw should his performance no longer befit his pay, and the later guarantee date means the Spurs can enter 2017 free agency without needing to make a decision on Diaw’s status. Diaw’s third year is partially guaranteed, notes Elhassan, and has a guarantee date of June 30th, 2016.

Here’s the latest from around the league:

Carmelo Anthony visited with the Mavs shortly after they acquired former teammate Tyson Chandler, but Chandler tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post that he wasn’t aggressive in his attempts to recruit ‘Melo to Dallas. “It wasn’t strong,” Chandler said. “I didn’t ever think he was coming. I didn’t think Carmelo was ever leaving New York. I talked to him because it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t. But I never thought he was going anywhere. I thought if anywhere he was going it was to the Lakers. But when the Lakers didn’t have a strong enough roster to tempt him.”
Darius Morris and Diante Garrett joined the Blazers this summer with the understanding that they’d have legitimate chances to making the opening-night roster even though they aren’t among the 15 on the team with fully guaranteed deals, The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman writes. The team would probably waive Victor Claver‘s guaranteed contract if it elected to keep Morris or Garrett, Freeman speculates. Garrett’s $30K partial guarantee gives him a slight edge over Morris, who has no guaranteed money.
Mark Cuban raised the idea of eliminating guaranteed money from contracts in response to Kevin Durant‘s suggestion that the league abolish maximum salaries, but Durant isn’t on board with the Mavs owner’s idea, observes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Poll: Tyson Chandler Vs. Elton Brand

October 5th, 2014 at 7:21pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Earlier today, Hoops Rumors’ Eddie Scarito looked back at the deal that sent the draft rights of Tyson Chandler to the Bulls as part of the package that sent Elton Brand to the Clippers.

As a rookie, Brand looked to be a staple of the Bulls for years to come. He averaged 20.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG on his way to sharing Rookie of the Year honors with Steve Francis. During the first nine years in the league, Brand never averaged less than 17.6 PPG and 8.0 RPG. His career peaked in 2006 where he was in the MVP discussion, posting a career-high 24.7 PPG along with 10.0 RPG and was named to the All-NBA Second Team as well as the All-Star team for the second and last time in his career.

After his ninth season, he left the Clippers in free agency to sign with the 76ers. Brand struggled with injuries and had a hard time living up to his five-year, $82MM contract during his time in Philadelphia, which led to the team releasing him via the amnesty clause. Brand was claimed by the Mavericks, but he only started 18 games for Dallas as the team missed the playoffs. Brand spent the 2013/14 season on the Hawks as a role player and in September re-signed with Atlanta on a one-year deal for $2MM.

Chandler’s first few years in the league weren’t as remarkable as Brand’s. His career didn’t take off until the he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2006. Chandler broke out that year averaging 9.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG and 1.8 BPG. In 2009, he was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for Emeka Okafor. During the 2009/10 season, Chandler battled injuries but helped the Bobcats reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

In 2010, Chandler was traded to the Mavericks, along with Alexis Ajinca, for Matt Carroll. Erick Dampier and Eduardo Najera. The Mavericks won the NBA Championship in 2010/11 and Chandler was an integral part of the Mavericks title run that year.

After the season, Chandler was sent to the Knicks in a sign-and-trade. In his three seasons with New York, Chandler made an All-Star Team (2013), an All-NBA Third Team (2012), an All-Defensive Second Team (2012), and an All-Defense First-Team (2013). He was also named the 2013 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In June of 2014, Chandler was traded back to the Mavericks, along with Raymond Felton for Shane Larkin, Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert and two 2014 second round picks.

Elton Brand and Tyson Chandler have had different career paths, one player consistently statistically dominant with the other having reached higher team success. To date, which player has had the better career?

Southwest Notes: Chandler, Pelicans, Blue

September 24th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tyson Chandler said Tuesday that he feels “indebted” to the Mavs for bringing him back to the team, observes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Mavs owner Mark Cuban hinted that he intends to keep Chandler around after his contract expires at season’s end, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com notes.

Here’s the latest out of the Southwest Division:

The Spurs worked out Vander Blue last week before Blue committed to a camp deal with the Wizards, reports Shams Charania of RealGM. Blue was a part of San Antonio’s summer league team in July.
Cuban is excited about the Mavericks 2014/15 campaign, Price writes in the same piece linked above. Cuban said, “I am so fired up, you have no idea. You know how important I think chemistry is, so just being able to get a feel for how all the guys get together and how they get along [is important]. Everybody’s fired up, everybody pushing each other. Dirk Nowitzki has got a big old smile on his face, so it’s exciting.”
The small forward position looks to be the Pelicans‘ weakest link heading into training camp, John Reid of the Times-Picayune opines. That’s why newly signed John Salmons has a chance to make an impact this season, and he’ll compete for a starting job with Darius Miller and Luke Babbitt, notes Reid.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Mavs Notes: Additions, Chandler, Lamb, Analytics

September 23rd, 2014 at 6:49pm CST by Alex Lee

The new-look Mavericks introduced most of their offseason additions today at a press conference, as Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com writes. In adding Chandler Parsons, Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, Jameer Nelson, Al-Farouq Aminu and Richard Jefferson, Dallas bolstered a roster that took the champion Spurs to seven games with six veterans that were primary starters on NBA rosters last season, as owner Mark Cuban explained:

“I think we’ve got a group where everybody has had their own personal success but not a lot of team success or great team success,” Cuban said. “So, coming here, we don’t have guys that are looking to just throw up numbers. They’ve already done that and now they’re looking to win. You know, they’re not 21 or 22 anymore, and they’re ready to win. That’s going to have a big impact.”

Here are some other notes coming out of Dallas on Tuesday:

Cuban also implied today that he made a mistake in allowing Chandler to leave Dallas in free agency in 2011, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas. Cuban was responding to a question from a fan who asked whether Chandler, who will again be a free agent next summer, will remain in Dallas beyond this season. Neither Cuban nor Chandler, who also spoke to media, offered many clues as to the answer, though MacMahon indicates that both sides are happy to be reunited.
As Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders confirms, Doron Lamb‘s minimum-salary deal with the Mavericks covers just one season (via Twitter).
Many of the Mavericks additions were strategic decisions based on an improving analytical department, writes Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. Both Cuban and head coach Rick Carlisle discussed the team’s analytics push at length on Tuesday, according to Caplan, who adds that Mavs stats guru Roland Beech was given “carte blanche to hire as needed” in an effort to catch up to the stats-savvy Spurs.

And-Ones: Chandler, Taylor, Heat, Ayon

September 21st, 2014 at 4:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks’ Phil Jackson had upset Tyson Chandler with comments he made regarding changing the culture of the franchise and removing any parts that have had a negative influence. But Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders doesn’t believe Jackson’s comments were directed at Chandler, but instead at J.R. Smith and the departed Raymond Felton. Blancarte also notes that Chandler’s issues were with former head coach Mike Woodson, not the franchise, and that Jackson traded Chandler so they wouldn’t lose him for nothing when he left as a free agent next Summer.

Here’s the latest from around the league:

Miroslav Raduljica‘s contract with the Shandong Lions is for one year and approximately $1.5MM, Enea Trapani of Sportando reports. Raduljica was waived by the Clippers in late August shortly after he came over in the Jared Dudley trade, and he recently signed with the Chinese team.
Nine months after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in a game against the Pistons, the Hornets‘ Jeff Taylor is healed and ready to compete for minutes with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Lance Stephenson, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes.
Gustavo Ayon‘s deal with Real Madrid is for three years and 5.2 million euros, David Pick of Eurobasket reports. The contract also comes with an NBA escape clause each Summer, as well as a team option for the third season, notes Pick.
The Heat will undoubtedly have a new look this season with the departure of LeBron James to Cleveland. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel looks at ten questions facing coach Erik Spoelstra and the rest of the Miami organization.

Eastern Notes: Allen, Chandler, Sixers, Celtics

September 19th, 2014 at 6:49pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Wizards have reached out to Ray Allen once again, J. Michael of CSNWashington.com reports. Washington is still waiting to get a concrete answer from Allen as to whether or not he’s returning for another season, but one possible note of encouragement is that Allen’s agent Jim Tanner hasn’t told the Wizards that they wouldn’t be a free agency option for the veteran shooting guard.

Here’s what else is happening in the Eastern Conference:

Tyson Chandler takes exception to the rumors that he was traded because he was causing chemistry issues in the Knicks locker room, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. “I did nothing but try to help the culture there the three years I was there,” Chandler said. “You can say I didn’t live up to whatever or you didn’t like the way I played or anything. But to ever question who I am and the type of leader I am in the locker room, I don’t even know where that came from. I honestly don’t know where that came from. I don’t know if Phil put that out there or who put that out there, but to me, that was the ultimate shock. And you don’t have to say that to get rid of me or to trade me. The trade is over. So to judge my character and what I’ve done, you can go look at all my teammates and ask all of my teammates in the past, and the coaches I’ve played for, and I’ve never been a problem and never had a problem. So that was a shock to me that I didn’t appreciate.”
The 2014/15 season is all about player development for the Sixers and not the won-loss record, Michael Kaskey-Blomain of Philly.com opines. This development includes their unsigned overseas talent like Dario Saric, Jordan McRae, and Vasilije Micic as well, notes Kaskey-Blomain.
The crew over at HoopsHype previews the Celtics‘ 2014/15 campaign, projecting Boston to finish 4th in the Atlantic Division, and 12th overall in the Eastern Conference.

And-Ones: Wolves, Martin, Allen

August 29th, 2014 at 7:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Wolves president Flip Saunders hopes the Wolves new players’ athleticism will translate into improved defense, Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press writes. Saunders said, “I’m hoping that the biggest change is going to be defensively. Always a key in your ability to guard is your athleticism. The quicker you are, the longer you are, the better chance you have to be a good defensive team.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Doc Rivers was in contact with free agent guard Ray Allen earlier this summer, and Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter) expects the Clippers to make a run at him again.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is still over the moon about reacquiring Tyson Chandler this summer, as NBA.com’s Jeff Caplan writes. “It was kind of surprising that we got it done, just because with that many pieces and the fact that no one finds out,” Cuban said of the trade. “I’m glad we got it done. We’re excited. He can kind of quarterback our defense, he makes everybody better defensively and he’ll make Monta [Ellis] better offensively.”
Keith Schlosser of The Knicks Blog wonders if the Knicks would welcome back Kenyon Martin. Martin gave the Knicks one of the most intimidating and physical defensive presences they’ve had in years, but he struggles to stay on the court. Even though he’s seen just 50 games of action over the last two seasons, Schlosser sees K-Mart as a player who the Knicks could call on midseason if Amar’e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, or Samuel Dalembert have injury troubles of their own.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Mavs Notes: Anthony, Hayward, Gasol

July 6th, 2014 at 8:28am CST by Eddie Scarito

A source told Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Carmelo Anthony is going to re-sign with the Knicks and that his inclusion of the Mavericks on his recruiting trip was a “charade.” Anthony has also met with the Lakers, Bulls, and Rockets.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Nelson, Butler

July 2nd, 2014 at 8:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, I joined Zach Burke, Craig Smoak, and Q on 1660 ESPN Radio in Central Texas to talk LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, the latest on the Mavericks and Rockets, and much more. If you missed out, you can listen to the interview here. Here’s more from around the league..

The Pelicans are among the many teams that have inquired about Jameer Nelson since his release, but he’s in a holding pattern like everyone else at this stage, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com.
USA Today’s Sam Amick adds the Spurs to the list of teams pursuing Caron Butler, while Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times says the Wizards are after him, too (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies have expressed interest in free agent point guard Brian Roberts, tweets Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
When the Mavs traded for Tyson Chandler, it removed them as the suitor for Marcin Gortat that the Wizards feared the most,Grantland’s Zach Lowe writes.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Bucks, Magic

June 27th, 2014 at 8:58pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls trade that sent the No. 16 and 19 picks to the Nuggets for the chance to draft Doug McDermott actually hurt the teams chances of landing Carmelo Anthony, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders.The article notes that by adding Anthony Randolph‘s $1.825MM salary to McDermott’s $1.898MM cap hold as the 11th pick and the roster charge of over $500,000, Chicago actually now has about $1 million less to offer Carmelo in free agency than they would have had if they kept both picks.