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California Notes: Green, Harkless, Training Camp, Kings

October 5th, 2019 at 1:22pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Warriors enter this season a slightly different version of the dominant Golden State squads from recent years. While mainstays Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson remain, the departure of Kevin Durant and a slew of new faces has changed the landscape in Oakland.

While Thompson’s outlook is unclear given his recovery from a torn ACL, the presence of Curry and Green — to go along with the new addition of D’Angelo Russell and others — keeps the Warriors in the discussion of top Western Conference teams. However, given the roster turnover, Green says adjusting to the new personnel has been a focal point early in training camp, ESPN’s Nick Fridell writes.

“Just the lack of familiarity,” Green said. “You get used to a certain thing for so long, and then it’s not that. The normal reads that you would make, just kind of second nature, you got to make sure they’re there. It’s just a lot more making sure everyone’s on the same page, or getting there. Everybody’s not on the same page, which is to be expected, so just getting everybody there is the difference.”

Check out more notes related to California teams:

The change within the Warriors‘ organization has not been limited to just the players. Anthony Slater of The Athletic explores how Golden State’s coaching staff is getting acclimated, especially defensive specialist Ron Adams, who remained with the team but in a reduced role.
Ethan Strauss of The Athletic writes that despite the perception of the Warriors acquiring Russell just to eventually trade him, Golden State is operating under the belief that the All-Star guard will be a fixture of the team for the future.
Given the Clippers‘ active offseason, the addition of Maurice Harkless flew under the radar. However, now that training camp has begun, Harkless is hoping to stand out as an effective role player, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. “Like about a month ago when we first started meeting together as a coaching staff, you start thinking, ‘Oh, we got Mo Harkless.’ We have more on our team. And then you watch what he can do,” head coach Doc Rivers said.
While superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are set in stone, along with Patrick Beverley and Ivica Zubac as starters, other positions for the Clippers will feature training camp competition. Jovan Buha of The Athletic examines all the competition in L.A. and how the team’srotation may shake out.
After finishing just outside the postseason picture last season, the Kings entered the offseason looking to acquire veteran players who have experience in a winning culture. As Jason Jones of The Athletic writes, the additions of Cory Joseph, Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon all aligned with that goal.

Talks Involving Steven Adams Didn't Go Far

October 4th, 2019 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings never seriously considered trading for Thunder center Steven Adams, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports. The Thunder are reportedly seeking a significant return for their top big man and were hoping to pry away Buddy Hield or Bogdan Bogdanovic in talks with Sacramento.

Kings Notes: Ariza, Centers, Dedmon

October 3rd, 2019 at 6:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Trevor Ariza, who joined the Kings this summer on a two-year, $25MM contract, understands he might not get a chance to see the type of minutes he’s accustomed to while in Sacramento, given the club’s crowded frontcourt.

“As a player, as a competitor, you always believe you can compete at any level, against anybody and I’m one of those players that feels that way,” Ariza told James Ham of NBC Sports. “But I also understand that this is a team sport and a team game and whatever works best for the team is the road that you have to play.”

Here’s more from Sacramento:

In the same piece, Ariza spoke about why he choose the Kings in free agency. “The main reason I chose Sacramento is because it’s closer to home for me, I’m familiar with the coaching staff and I believe in what [head coach] Luke [Walton] has to offer and what he’s doing,” said Ariza, who was raised in Los Angeles.
In a separate piece, Ham writes that the Kings’ center position will have its share of healthy competition. “We can go with [Dewayne Dedmon] who can space the floor for us, which can allow [De’Aaron Fox] to have that funnel right to the paint as often as we need him to,” Walton said. “We’ve got [Richaun Holmes], who is one of the most dynamic rollers in-game to play at the five. We have Harry [Giles], who is one of the best playmakers on our team from what I can tell from last year.”
Dedmon signed a three-year, $40MM contract with the Kings and the big man believes Sacramento’s offensive approach fits his game well. “This definitely fits my style of play,” Dedmon said. “Fast, get up and down, run, it’s going to be fun.”

Exec: Thunder’s Asking Price For Adams “Too High”

October 2nd, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

After the Thunder traded away Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and Jerami Grant this summer, there has been plenty of speculation that the team’s next major deal will involve Chris Paul. Veteran center Steven Adams, meanwhile, has flown somewhat under the radar, but with just two years left on his contract and an uncertain place in Oklahoma City’s long-term plans, Adams looks like a potential trade candidate as well.

While Adams’ contract isn’t as unwieldy as Paul’s, the big man’s $25.8MM cap hit complicates his value, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, who hears that the Thunder are still asking for a significant return for the 26-year-old. Sources tell Deveney that OKC is seeking a draft pick, a young player, and salary relief in exchange for Adams.

“They set the price too high,” a league executive said to Deveney. “That’s what you’d expect and maybe it will drop as the year goes on. It’s tough to take on his contract and give up picks and players. Most teams are pretty well set at the center spot now, you have a big guy and you have your small lineup. You can’t just take on a contract like that. There isn’t a big number of teams who could take him.”

The Kings had some interest in Adams earlier in the offseason, but with the Thunder eyeing Buddy Hield or Bogdan Bogdanovic, talks didn’t get far, per Deveney. Sacramento ultimately addressed its center position by signing Dewayne Dedmon to a lucrative three-year contract in free agency, reducing the need for a player like Adams.

Deveney cites the Mavericks, Celtics, and Spurs as teams that either had some level of interest in Adams or were linked to the veteran center at some point, but notes that all three clubs appear to be unlikely suitors now. Still, if the Thunder’s asking price comes down, there’s a sense that Adams could be on the move before the 2020 deadline, Deveney adds. For his part, the New Zealand native is trying not to let the trade rumors distract him.

“If it happens to someone else, there’s a chance it could happen to you,” Adams said this week of those trade rumors (Twitter link via Erik Horne of The Oklahoman). “That’s common sense. But it still affects you. You’re human. Even if they do trade me, it’s been a huge honor to just contribute to the history Oklahoma (City) is making.“

Players Feel Connection With Walton

September 28th, 2019 at 11:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings players already feel a closer bond with new coach Luke Walton than they did with previous coach Dave Joerger, Jason Jones of The Athletic reports. Having a coach that would help bring in free agents and make current roster members want to stay in Sacramento is part of the reason why Walton was hired.

“He just comes in, and it’s an instant connection,” Kings guard Buddy Hield told Jones. “He’s played before so he knows that player relationship and now he’s a coach so he knows how to relate to us, so that’s big coming from him.”

Walton Vaguely Addresses Assault Claim

September 27th, 2019 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Luke Walton said Kings fans should expect his team to make the playoffs and defensive improvement will be the key, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports. The Kings, who had the ninth-best record in the Western Conference, ranked 20th or lower last season in defensive field-goal percentage, points allowed, points in the paint allowed, opponents’ second-chance points and defensive rebounding percentage.

“Defense is it,” the Kings’ new head coach said. “That’s our priority. That’s what we’re going to start training camp with. That’s what we’re going to start practices with — defense, defense, defense — and that’s where we’re going to make a big jump.”

Walton only addressed the sexual assault lawsuit filed against him in vague terms, according to another story by Anderson. League investigators have cleared him, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to support the allegations. The civil lawsuit is still pending. “I’m here to do my job and focus on our Kings and get us where we need to get, and the rest will take care of itself,” Walton said.

Kings Sign Tyler Ulis

September 24th, 2019 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have filled their training camp roster by signing free agent guard Tyler Ulis, the club announced today in a press release. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter), Ulis’ deal has a partial guarantee and doesn’t contain an Exhibit 10 clause. Sacramento now has 20 players under contract.

Ulis, 23, spent the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Suns after being selected 34th overall in the 2016 draft. averaging 7.6 PPG and 4.1 APG in 132 total games with the team, including 58 as a starter.

After he was released by Phoenix in the summer of 2018, Ulis signed a training camp contract with the Warriors, then was claimed off waivers last October by the Bulls. Chicago converted Ulis to a two-way contract and kept him under contract for about two and a half months before waiving him in late December. He appeared in five games for the Windy City Bulls and just one for Chicago before undergoing hip surgery.

The Kings have 14 players with guaranteed contracts and two on two-way deals, leaving one potential opening on the 15-man regular season roster. Veteran forward Tyler Lydon is probably the frontrunner for that spot, but Ulis may challenge for it. Camp invitees Eric Mika and Isaiah Pineiro could also be in the mix.

14 NBA Teams Have Open 20-Man Roster Spots

September 20th, 2019 at 7:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With NBA training camps right around the corner, several more teams filled their 20-man offseason rosters this week. The Hornets did so on Monday, with the Mavericks, Pistons, Raptors, and Hawks following suit over the next few days. Those clubs join a list of 16 total teams that don’t have any openings on their offseason rosters.

Of course, every NBA team with a full 20-man roster is carrying multiple players who have non-guaranteed contracts, so it’s not as if any of them would be hamstrung if they really want to sign another player. But for now at least, it appears as if those 16 teams have their 20-man squads set for when camps get underway at the end of the month.

That leaves 14 clubs that still have open roster spots, as our tracker shows. Here’s a breakdown of those teams, along with my speculation on whether we can expect them to make moves within the next week or two:

19 players under contract:

Golden State Warriors
Philadelphia 76ers
Sacramento Kings
Washington Wizards

None of these teams are carrying 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, so it’s possible they’ll still add a veteran player who could earn a regular season roster spot. But it’s more likely that they’ll each sign another young player who could end up in the G League, since all four teams have their own NBAGL affiliates. The Wizards, who need to add some point guard depth, are said to be eyeing Chris Chiozza for their final spot.

18 players under contract:

Boston Celtics
Denver Nuggets
Houston Rockets
New Orleans Pelicans
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers

While it’s not official yet, the Celtics essentially have a full roster. Kaiser Gates and Yante Maten have both reportedly agreed to Exhibit 10 contracts with the Celtics, but have yet to finalize them. Once they’re under contract, Boston’s 20-man roster will be full.

The Magic could also have a full 20-man roster if and when they complete their reported agreement with Isaac Humphries and sign first-round pick Chuma Okeke. The Pelicans, meanwhile, reportedly reached deals with undrafted rookies Jalen Adams, Javon Bess, and Aubrey Dawkins, but there’s only room for two of them on the roster, so unless New Orleans plans to waive a player, the team won’t be signing all three.

The Rockets are signing Thabo Sefolosha and would have room for one more camp invitee, while I’d expect the Suns to invite two more young players to camp with them.

The Nuggets and Trail Blazers don’t have their own G League affiliates, so they may not fill out their rosters unless they just need healthy bodies for camp.

17 players under contract:

Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Bulls
Oklahoma City Thunder

All three of these teams have their own G League affiliates and should fill out their camp rosters with young players who can play for the Long Island Nets, Windy City Bulls, or OKC Blue. Of course, rumors continue to swirl that the Nets are eyeing Carmelo Anthony, but I wouldn’t expect the Bulls or Thunder to be seeking any veteran help.

Examining How Trevor Ariza Could Fit In Crowded Rotation

September 14th, 2019 at 2:33pm CST by JD Shaw

James Ham of NBC Sports Sacramento examines how Trevor Ariza could fit in a crowded Kings rotation this season. Ariza, a veteran 3-and-D forward, signed a two-year, $25MM deal to join the Kings in free agency this past summer.

Pacific Notes: Durant, Thompson, Lakers’ DPE, Kings

September 11th, 2019 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant left the Warriors because he wasn’t able to find the family atmosphere he wanted, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Durant got the championships and individual awards he was seeking when he signed with Golden State three years ago, but as he indicated in a Wall Street Journal interview this week, he couldn’t be part of the organization in the same way that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala were.

Poole notes that Durant was impressed by the closeness those four players displayed when they came to the Hamptons to recruit him in 2016. That influenced his decision, but he still felt like an outsider. He wasn’t drafted to the organization like Curry, Thompson and Green, and he wasn’t instrumental in the Warriors’ first title in 40 years the way that Iguodala was.

Poole adds that the family dynamic faded over Durant’s three years with Golden State as players spent more time with their actual families. The Currys had two more children, Iguodala got married and Green became more devoted to fatherhood. Green was a close friend for Durant in his first season with the team, but he hung out with DeMarcus Cousins more often last year.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Steve Kerr tells Joe Vardon of The Athletic that it’s going to be like “Year 1” as he guides a much different Warriors roster. While many key pieces are gone from the championship years, Kerr said surviving while Thompson heals from a torn ACL will be the biggest challenge. “Losing Kevin, Andre, Shaun (Livingston) obviously, those are huge losses,” he said. “Losing Klay on top of all that really changes the way we’re going to have to play at both ends. Klay was always an integral part of everything. Movement on offense, but also the guarding of the ballhandler on defense, switching onto bigs. So until he gets back, we’ve got to re-imagine everything and adapt accordingly.”
The Lakers are seeking a disabled player exception after Cousins’ injury, but it’s likely just a tool that may be used later in the season, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. There are few options who could make a difference at a $1.75MM salary, which is half of what Cousins is owed. However, minimum contracts decrease through the year, and the DPE will be more valuable once buyout season arrives.
Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic will be competing not just for minutes in the Kings‘ backcourt, but for contract extensions as well, notes James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area.