Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Tyson Chandler

Pacific Notes: Clark, Chandler, Cousins, Walton

October 6th, 2015 at 4:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ian Clark has shot well during camp and shown improving skill as a point guard, as well as the ability to defend multiple positions, all of which bodes well for his chances to stick with the Warriors on his non-guaranteed deal, as Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle examines. He’s also lingering after the end of most practices so he can play one-on-one with Stephen Curry, Simmons notes.

“He’s played well,” Curry said. “He’s not just a shooter. He’s shown that he can put the ball on the floor and make plays. He’s been around a couple of different teams and our summer-league program. I think he understands how we play, and he’s fitting right in. It’s fun to watch those five or six guys fighting for a roster spot, but Ian has definitely shown that he’s confident, and he’s making the most of an opportunity right now.”

Golden State has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts and James Michael McAdoo on a partially guaranteed deal, as our roster count shows, leaving Clark among six likely fighting for a single regular season spot. See more from the Warriors amid the latest on the Pacific Division:

  • The free agent signing of Tyson Chandler has displaced Alex Len from the Suns starting lineup, but the 2013 No. 5 overall pick sees it as an opportunity to learn from an experienced mentor, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Suns senior adviser Lon Babby also arranged for Len to work with Tim Duncan for a few days this summer, Coro notes. “I learn something new every day,” Len said. “Like I talk to Tyson and he tells me something and I can apply it in the game right away. Like positioning and little things he helps with. I feel the game has slowed down a little bit from last year to this year. Now, when I dive and catch the ball, I see other guys more and read the game better.” 
  • Luke Walton‘s career trajectory has seen him go from a first-time assistant, to winning an NBA title, and now to Warriors interim head coach in the span of 14 months, Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle writes.
  • Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is pleased with the team’s veteran offseason additions, who all fit with Sacramento’s intent to try to contend this season, writes Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. “You’ve got guys who know how to play the game, guys that know the game,” Cousins said. “Coming out and building chemistry is even easier. Trying to do that with younger guys? They’re trying to figure out their game and learn how to play.“
Retweet 9 Share 2 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Griffin, Kobe, Chandler

September 19th, 2015 at 3:11pm CST by Eddie Scarito

High-flying power forward Blake Griffin would ideally like to remain with the Clippers for his entire career, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays. “Yeah, I mean L.A. is my home now,” said Griffin. “This is where I got drafted and I’ve been here since the beginning. I’ve been with this franchise during some bad times. You know, it hasn’t always been like it is now; anytime you have a chance to go from that to this, you feel invested. I’m not looking to go anywhere. With that being said, you never know [in this business]. But I’m happy here, I love it here, and I would love to finish my career here.” Griffin’s current deal runs through the 2017/18 season, though that final year is a player option worth $21,373,952. Be sure to check out the full interview Griffin did with Kennedy, as it is certainly worth a read.

Now here’s more out of the Pacific Division:

  • Kobe Bryant is expected to be fully healthy at the start of Lakers training camp, but coach Byron Scott intends to carefully limit the veteran’s minutes this season to maximize what could potentially be Bryant’s final NBA hurrah, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. “We’ve got to stick to the guns,” Scott said. “If we agree on a certain amount of time we’re going to stick to it. I know Kobe’s a competitor and he’s going to play as many minutes as you want him to play. I’m also a competitor, so I want to win and I know having him on the court gives me the best opportunity to win. If this is his last year. I want him to go out standing. I don’t want him to go out hurt.“
  • Even though center Tyson Chandler is past his prime he brings with him exactly what the Suns need — stability to the pivot, spectacular interior defense, and leadership, the crew at Basketball Insiders opine in their season preview of the team. They also believe that the eighth seed in the Western Conference is likely to come down to a fight between Phoenix and the Jazz, with how well Utah compensates for the loss of Dante Exum being a big determining factor.
Retweet 11 Share 3 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Morris, Kobe, Nash, Thompson

September 17th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Chuck Myron

Suns free agent signee Tyson Chandler is optimistic that the team and Markieff Morris can resolve their differences, having gone through a tenuous time himself years ago when New Orleans traded him to the Thunder only to have Oklahoma City nix the deal, as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic details. Phoenix doesn’t intend to fulfill the trade demand that Morris has made, Coro writes, which jibes with his report from earlier and what Grantland’s Zach Lowe heard, even though Morris reportedly plans on greeting the Suns front office with silence and coach Jeff Hornacek with only one-word answers if they bring him to camp.

“It’s not about them,” Chandler said to Coro about Suns executives. “That’s no offense to Ryan [McDonough], the GM, or the owner. Players play for players and the coaches. You’ve got a bond. Management has nothing to do with anything that goes on when you’re on the court. That’s just my thoughts. I’m not saying this for anything against Keef either. He’s a man and he has to go through his own process. But he can be special and I know he will. I feel like all this stuff will be forgotten once we kick off and we’re having success.”

See more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Lakers announced a nine-month recovery timetable when Kobe Bryant had surgery to repair his torn right rotator cuff in January, which would have made his return in time for camp a close call, but he’s been medically cleared for all basketball activities, Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding hears.
  • Warriors coach Steve Kerr is high on what Steve Nash can bring as a part-time player development consultant for the team, though he cautioned in an interview with Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group that the deal to hire him for that role isn’t official. Kerr added that he won’t ask Nash to return to play, as the Mavs reportedly considered doing. “In Phoenix we grew very close and he’s probably the smartest basketball player I’ve ever been around in my life, not only the way he played but the way he prepared and trained and thought about the game,” Kerr said to Kawakami. “I just felt like if we could just get him to help out, just be around our guys occasionally and develop relationships, spend some time on the floor with them occasionally, it’d be a big help.”
  • Kerr expressed his desire for continuity, though he does envision a role for trade acquisition Jason Thompson, as he said to Kawakami for the same piece. The coach was also quick to point to his fondness to James Michael McAdoo, who has only a partially guaranteed deal with the Warriors.
Retweet 13 Share 3 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Chandler, Young, Barnes

July 24th, 2015 at 12:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

Most teams chasing top-tier centers thought it better to go after the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan and Greg Monroe before circling back to Tyson Chandler as something of a fallback option, but the Suns found it wise to chase Chandler before pursuing Aldridge, as Rob Mahoney of SI.com examines. Chandler quickly committed to Phoenix, and he helped them become a finalist in the Aldridge sweepstakes.

“I think when you have a guy like that that you target, you go aggressively after him. And that’s what we decided to do with Tyson,” GM Ryan McDonough said to Mahoney. “It did help us that there were so many free agent big men on the market, especially high-level players — guys who have been All-Stars, All-NBA, and all that stuff. I think a few teams wanted to kind of talk to each of the guys and get a feel for them. Some of the players wanted to do visits with multiple teams, and be wined and dined a bit. Tyson really didn’t want any of that.”

There’s more from Phoenix amid our latest look around the Pacific Division:

  • The Suns seemingly made their three-player trade with the Pistons in an effort to clear cap room for Aldridge, but McDonough told Mahoney that the deal that sent out Marcus Morris, Reggie Bullock and Danny Granger is one the team would have done regardless, citing a desire for more roster balance and future flexibility.
  • Nick Young feels more confident that he’ll begin the coming season with the Lakers after a recent meeting with GM Mitch Kupchak, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. That jibes with a dispatch last week from Bill Oram of the Orange County Register, who heard that the Lakers had stopped looking for trade partners who’d take Young.
  • Harrison Barnes confirmed Thursday that he wants a long-term future with the Warriors, as Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group details. He and the team reportedly share a mutual interest in a rookie scale extension. “I mean, we just won a championship,” Barnes said. “Of course I’d love to keep this group together for many years to come, you know what I’m saying? So that’s obvious.”
Retweet 11 Share 3 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Contract Details, Chandler

July 21st, 2015 at 6:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Clippers‘ offseason moves, which include re-signing DeAndre Jordan, signing unrestricted free agent Paul Pierce, and acquiring swingman Lance Stephenson, have added needed versatility to the team’s roster, Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders writes. With Stephenson, Pierce and Wesley Johnson joining the roster, the Clippers have more skill, length, defense and versatility on the perimeter than they did last season, Blancarte opines. The addition of forward Josh Smith also gives coach Doc Rivers some needed rotation flexibility in the frontcourt, notes Blancarte.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The four-year deal that Kosta Koufos signed with the Kings is worth precisely $32.879MM, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reveals (Twitter link). Marco Belinelli is getting $1 less than $19MM in his new three-year deal, Pincus adds. Sacramento gave Omri Casspi exactly $5.8MM on his two-year deal, Pincus also reports, adding that the James Anderson‘s contract is for two years at the minimum salary with a player option on year two.
  • Tyson Chandler‘s four-year deal with the Suns will pay him $13MM this coming season, $12.415MM in 2016/17, $13MM in 2017/18, and $13.585MM the final season, tweets Pincus. Brandon Knight‘s five-year pact will see him earn $13.5MM in 2015/16, then pull down salaries of $12,606.250, $13,618,750, $14,631,250, and $15,643,750, Pincus notes.
  • Instead of lamenting the Suns‘ signing of Chandler, who will be the team’s starting center, Alex Len is looking forward to learning from the veteran, Michael Lee of The Washington Post relays. “He’s one of the best defensive bigs in the league. The way he blocks shots, the way he communicates. I think I can learn just from watching, just from being around him, add it to my game. I think it’s going to be great,” Len said. “He’s a great leader. We needed a veteran last year. Somebody in the locker room, on the court, somebody we can look up to. So, I think it’s great for the team.” Len, 22, started 44 games for Phoenix during the 2014/15 campaign.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Retweet 10 Share 3 Send via email0

Western Notes: Aldridge, Chandler, Booker

July 9th, 2015 at 11:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Blazers executive Neil Olshey said the team found out LaMarcus Aldridge was signing with the Spurs after his second meeting with San Antonio on July 3rd, Mike Tokito of The Oregonian writes. Olshey also took offense to the suggestion that he and the Blazers were trying to hide Aldridge’s pending departure from fans and the media, calling it “patently false,” Tokito adds. “More than anything, what was the upside to lying? What? What did we buy? Five days of peace? I can guarantee you there was no peace,” Olshey said. “What was our motivation to lie for 96 hours? It wasn’t like there was some big season ticket holder push during that 96 hours. There wasn’t some sponsorship that was up, it wasn’t that we were recruiting some other free agents that were only going to come if LaMarcus was going to be here.”

Here’s more out of the Western Conference:

  • Olshey also fielded questions regarding whether or not the team considered trading Aldridge last season, Tokito tweets. The GM relayed that it would have been extremely difficult to trade Aldridge in final year of his contract, and that teams wouldn’t be willing to deal for the forward without knowing if he’d re-sign with them, Tokito adds.
  • The Mavericks have expressed interest in former Wizards big man Kevin Seraphin, Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops reports (Twitter link).
  • The Suns are thrilled with their signing of center Tyson Chandler to a free agent deal, Matt Petersen of NBA.com writes. “The first thing I think of when I think of Tyson Chandler is a winner and winning,” GM Ryan McDonough said. “His teams in New York won a lot. His teams in Dallas won a lot, including a championship. The World Championship [with USA Basketball] in Istanbul when I was there five years ago won the gold. He’s always won everywhere he’s gone.”
  • The Blazers have promoted Jim Moran to assistant coach to replace the recently fired Kim Hughes, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian tweets.
  • The Jazz are likely to keep Trevor Booker on the roster for next season, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune relays (on Twitter). Only $250k of the $4,775,000 Booker is set to earn in 2015/16 is guaranteed.
Retweet 15 Share 4 Send via email0

Suns Sign Tyson Chandler

July 9th, 2015 at 2:55pm CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 9TH, 2:55pm: The deal is official, the team announced.

“Tyson Chandler will be a leader on and off the court,” president of basketball operations Lon Babby said. “His physical stature is matched by his immense presence as an individual of high character who is highly respected by the NBA community. It is an honor to welcome this NBA Champion and All-Star to Phoenix.”    

JULY 1ST, 2:15pm: The Suns have agreed to a deal with Tyson Chandler, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (on Twitter). It’ll be a four-year contract worth $52MM, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Chandler will attend the team’s pitch meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link).

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

The Mavs and Bucks seemed like the teams with the best shot at the Jeff Schwartz client initially, but they faded, which was seemingly a positive sign for the Lakers and Clippers, who were other reported suitors. Instead, the Suns swoop in and score one of the league’s premiere defensive centers. Chandler, who turns 33 in October, no doubt saw the Suns’ renowned training staff as a draw, though that’s just my speculation.

Dallas wanted to bring back Chandler if it missed out on DeAndre Jordan, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reported this spring, but that won’t be happening now, applying greater pressure on the Mavs to reach a deal with Jordan. The Suns are using most of their cap space on Chandler, so a pursuit of Aldridge or any other marquee free agent will be difficult barring a salary-clearing trade. Phoenix is also re-signing Brandon Knight to a five-year, $70MM deal using his Bird rights.

Retweet 63 Share 8 Send via email0

Latest On Tyson Chandler

July 1st, 2015 at 1:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 1:14pm: The Bucks look like a decreasingly likely destination for Chandler, reports Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com (Twitter link), as do the Mavs, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter), leaving the Clippers and Lakers in better position, Stein says.

TUESDAY, 10:37pm: The Lakers are the latest team with interest in Tyson Chandler, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck heard chatter earlier today about Chandler and Kevin Love joining the Lakers in tandem. Love is meeting with the Lakers this week, as Broussard also reports.

The other Los Angeles team has interest in a sign-and-trade for Chandler if DeAndre Jordan bolts, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com wrote this evening, advancing an earlier report from Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that the Mavs were pondering such a move. The Mavs would like to re-sign Chandler if they miss out on Jordan, as MacMahon has detailed, but Milwaukee and Chandler have mutual interest, according to Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.

Chandler is finishing up a contract that paid him nearly $14.847MM with Dallas this past season. He’s a client of Jeff Schwartz, who’s represented Bucks coach Jason Kidd. The Lakers are dreaming of signing both LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan, so Chandler would presumably be down their list of priorities.

Retweet 35 Share 5 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Calipari, Lakers, Chandler, Love

June 30th, 2015 at 10:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite his denials, people close to Kentucky coach John Calipari tell Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (on Twitter) that he wants another shot at the NBA as a coach/GM.  This week, Coach Cal was heavily connected to the Kings‘ head coaching job but both sides have since denied such talk.  Of course, Calipari’s last run in the NBA with the Nets did not go well.

  • Howard Beck of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) has heard rumblings of both Tyson Chandler and Kevin Love joining up with the Lakers.  Both players are represented by Excel Sports Management.
  • Even if the Lakers roster were to consist of just Kobe Bryant and no one else, the Lakers could not afford both DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge at their market value, Larry Coon of CBA FAQ writes.  On Tuesday, it was reported that the Lakers could be trying to corral both players this summer.
  • It was reported on Tuesday afternoon that Jim Buss would not be in attendance for the Lakers‘ pitch meeting with Aldridge, but plans have changed and he will in fact be there, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter).  The meeting will also include Bryant, team president and governor Jeanie Buss, GM Mitch Kupchak, assistant general manager Glenn Carraro, coach Byron Scott, senior vice president of finance Tim Harris, as well as representatives from Time Warner Cable and AEG.
Retweet 8 Share 2 Send via email0

Western Rumors: Clippers, Chandler, Davis

June 30th, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Zachary Links

If DeAndre Jordan leaves for the Mavs, the Clippers will try to sign and trade for Tyson Chandler, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).  However, the Clippers are still “hopeful” that they’ll retain Jordan. Here’s more from the West..

Retweet 15 Share 5 Send via email0
Load More Posts