San Antonio Spurs Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Smith, Ginobili, Gasol

May 6th, 2015 at 2:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Josh Smith has found contentment in Houston after enduring much criticism elsewhere, and the Rockets share that feeling of satisfaction with the partnership, as Grantland’s Jonathan Abrams examines. There’s mutual interest between Smith, who hits free agency again this summer, and GM Daryl Morey in a new deal, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported last month, and Morey made it clear to Abrams that he values the 29-year-old.

“I’m not sure what we’d do without him,” Morey added. “He’s been critical to getting us where we are right now.”

Houston will have Smith’s Non-Bird rights to give him a 20% raise on the $2.077MM salary he signed for via the Biannual Exception in December. Here’s more from around the Southwest Division:

Manu Ginobili suggested that he’s never pondered retirement quite so seriously before and said that Tim Duncan‘s decision about whether to play again next season will affect his own, as the swingman wrote for La Nacion’s Canchallena.com and as Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News translates. In any case, Ginobili, whose contract with the Spurs expires this summer, said he’ll take the rest of the month to decide whether to return.
Concerns about whether Ginobili, Duncan and Gregg Popovich would remain over the course of a three-year deal were in Pau Gasol‘s head when he decided against signing with the Spurs, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com writes in a lengthy piece on the Bulls, whom Gasol chose instead.
Dirk Nowitzki confirmed that there was no vote that took place when the Mavs decided to divvy up playoff shares without giving one to Rajon Rondo, as he said on KTCK-AM this week (transcription via the Dallas Morning News). “No, we actually didn’t vote. It was just the guys who were there that day got a playoff share,” Nowitzki said. “What we usually do is give a lot of weight to the guys that work for you all season long; the locker room guys, the equipment guys, the trainers, the massage guys [or] whoever you feel helped you get through the season. We usually divide it up and then give them a lot of money. I think that got blown out of proportion. It’s not like it was that much money. I don’t think Rondo would have cared either way.”

Western Notes: Brooks, Dumars, Bonner, Draft

May 5th, 2015 at 12:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nuggets are intensifying their search for a new coach this week after having spent the past few weeks focused on scouting and the draft, reports Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. They’ll likely chat with former Thunder coach Scott Brooks, among others, Dempsey writes amid a mailbag column, though it’s unclear if he’ll receive a formal interview. The hiring process is expected to last most if not all of May and GM Tim Connelly will collaborate with team president Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan Kroenke, on the decision, as Dempsey details in his first piece. There’s more on the Nuggets amid the latest from around the Western Conference:

New rumors have surfaced suggesting that the possibility of the Pelicans hiring Joe Dumars remains in play for what would be a supervisory role above GM Dell Demps, Grantland’s Zach Lowe writes. Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher first linked the former Pistons exec to New Orleans in January.
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News lists Matt Bonner among the Spurs contemplating retirement. Bonner, who turned 35 last month, signed a one-year deal for the minimum to return to San Antonio last summer.
Dempsey believes that if Nuggets end up with the No. 7 pick, their likeliest first-round position as the lottery odds show, they’d try to trade it for a pick higher in the order or attempt to deal for a second top-seven pick, as the Post scribe writes in the mailbag column linked above.
Former Michigan State swingman Russell Byrd will be among the draft prospects at a workout the Jazz will hold Wednesday, sources tell Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link). Byrd is unlisted in the rankings that Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com compile.

Spurs Rumors: Green, Splitter, Popovich

May 5th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The champs from last year are done after round one, though the Spurs were the most accomplished team this year among the last four teams standing in 2013/14. The Heat, Pacers and Thunder, the other 2014 conference finalists, all failed to make the playoffs. That’s of cold comfort to San Antonio for now, though, and here’s more as the Spurs pick up the pieces:

Re-signing Danny Green is a priority for the Spurs, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, though Green, who’d like to return, understands his future depends on the vagaries of the free agent market. “San Antonio is home for me,” Green said. “I love the organization. I love the fans. I love the city. In this business, you never know what is going to happen.”
Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears increasing suggestions that the Spurs would trade Tiago Splitter and the two years and $16.75MM left on his contract to clear cap space for their pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge and others this summer. Still, it’s unclear from Stein’s report whether the Spurs are actively pursuing the idea or even giving it strong consideration.
Gregg Popovich pondered retirement more seriously than had been reported, Stein hears, but he consented to come back as he reached agreement in July on an extension that pays some $11MM annually, sources tell Stein, who refers to it as a five-year deal.

And-Ones: Pistons, Draft, Knicks

May 4th, 2015 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy and GM Jeff Bower are in Spain to evaluate potential lottery picks Mario Hezonja and Kristaps Porzingis, Terry Foster of the Detroit News reports. Detroit currently holds the No. 8 pick in the draft pending the results of the lottery and is seeking forwards who can stretch the floor, Foster continues. Hezonja could help the Pistons at small forward, a spot that was shared by aging veterans Tayshaun Prince and Caron Butler during the second half of the season. Porzingis has a good catch-and-shoot game, according to Foster, and could replace power forward Greg Monroe, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

In other news around the league:

The NBA will hold its draft at the Nets’ Barclays Center for the third consecutive year next month, league sources informed Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. The June 25th event has been hosted by the Nets for five consecutive years, including two years at the team’s previous home arena, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The focus of the draft will be on Brooklyn’s crosstown rival, the Knicks, since they have the second-best chance to get the top pick through the lottery, Bontemps points out.
The Knicks will have anywhere from $19.1MM to $26.7MM in salary-cap space this summer, according to the latest projections by Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. The disparity is mainly due to the cap hold on Alexey Shved, who could receive a qualifying offer of just over $4.1MM.
Tony Parker and Spurs teammate Boris Diaw are among 24 players named to France’s preliminary roster for EuroBasket 2015, Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News writes. Parker and Diaw have indicated they plan to participate in the event, which will be held in September, McCarney adds.

Gregg Popovich On Future, Duncan, Spending

May 4th, 2015 at 4:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Gregg Popovich isn’t coaching in the second round of the playoffs for only the fourth time since 1997, but he doesn’t yearn for the unlimited downtime of retirement, since “you can only plant so many tomatoes,” he quipped, as Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News relays. Popovich, who holds the dual title of coach and president of Spurs basketball, is already looking forward to next season, as he made clear in his season-ending chat with reporters today. Popovich called 39-year-old Tim Duncan the most consistent player in the Clippers series and lamented the lack of help around him, perhaps a signal that he envisions a push to upgrade the roster in the months ahead. The three-time Coach of the Year had more to say on the future of Duncan, who’s entering free agency, and the Spurs, as McCarney passes along. His entire transcription is worth a read, especially for San Antonio faithful, but we’ll pass along three particularly noteworthy remarks here:

On whether Duncan will retire:

“We haven’t talked yet about that. We’ve got a pretty good number of free agents so with [GM] R.C. [Buford] and the coaches and the group we’ve talked about what we want to do going forward with the makeup of the team, but the team will probably look considerably different than it looks this year because we have so many free agents and we want to re-tool a little bit. We want to try to start — not exactly over again — but these last four seasons have been a grind and we put the team together with that in mind, that this year we’d have all the free agents so we can decide what we want to do moving forward, as far as the makeup of the team. So we’ll spend a lot of time on that, but as far as if guys are retiring or not we haven’t touched that.”

On his reflections about Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili:

“As time goes on, one certainly does [reflect upon them]. Over the past couple of years, I’ve thought about it a lot how much I’ll miss it when they’re all gone. It’s like your family. Sure. I reflect on it quite often, and think about when they’re not there. I just have this strange feeling when they’re not here, I probably won’t be either.”

On the allocation of payroll:

“R.C. and his group have always done a great job of doing things, both frugally and with class. If money needs to be spent, it’s spent. But it’s never done unwisely. We’ve never put the organization in a situation where they’re paying a ridiculous amount of money for no value. My complete faith and trust in R.C. is never going to change, because of the track record he has, thinking not just for the next year and the next two years, but the next three years, the next seven years, that type of thing.”

Southwest Notes: Green, Barea, Ellis, Demps

May 4th, 2015 at 12:23pm CST by Chuck Myron

Danny Green hopes to re-sign with the Spurs this summer, though he’s bitter about the lost opportunity to win another championship this year with 13 of the 15 players left over from last season’s title-winning squad, as he tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but this is a special group,” Green said. “That’s why it sucks so bad, especially for Timmy [Duncan] and Manu [Ginobili]. We had an opportunity to do something special for them. All I can do is hope and pray for another group like that in the future, but I have a feeling some of those guys will be back. [GM] R.C. [Buford] and [coach/president Gregg Popovich] do a great job of bringing in new guys.”

Here’s more from the two other Southwest Division teams that failed to make it out of the first round:

J.J. Barea has said he’d like to re-sign with the Mavs and that it’ll be easier for the team to keep him than when he left for a four-year, $18MM deal in 2011, but he’s looking for about $3MM a year for the next two or three years, a source told Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. That would exceed the amount the Mavs can spend using his Non-Bird rights and force the team to dip into cap space or another exception to retain him.

Earlier updates:

The Mavericks carried the second-fewest number players from 2013/14 into the start of 2014/15, and December’s Rajon Rondo trade meant even more turnover. Plenty of changes are likely on their way again this year, as I examined, but Devin Harris believes the upheaval from the past 12 months presented a challenge for this season’s Mavs, notes Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. “It was a trying year,” Harris said. “With all the new guys we had coming into the season and making an in-season trade while trying to get guys adjusted, it was just kind of an uphill battle all year long. We were trying to get everybody to play to their strengths, and it was tough.”
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle credited Monta Ellis for “two terrific years” in Dallas and Dirk Nowitzki made it clear he’d like the shooting guard to return as Ellis ponders an $8.72MM player option that Sneed, writing in the same piece, suggests he’s likely to decline.
Pelicans GM Dell Demps deserves a passing grade for his midseason moves this year, but he’s made his share of miscues in the past, including the decisions that leave New Orleans once more bereft of a first-round draft pick this year, opines Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.

Western Notes: Thunder, Blazers, Spurs

May 3rd, 2015 at 9:17pm CST by Will Joseph

It would behoove Tim Duncan to convince LaMarcus Aldridge to join the Spurs this summer, Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News writes. The Spurs are reportedly at the top of Aldridge’s list. Duncan, 39, would have a more realistic shot at another title playing alongside Aldridge, a native of Texas, if Duncan decides he wants to play next season, Harvey adds. Harvey also speculates that since Aldridge already has a list of teams in May, the star forward conceivably will be on the move.

There’s more from the Western Conference:

Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard’s intention to seek a maximum contract extension from the team this offseason is a shrewd move and one that makes Portland’s offseason even trickier, John Canzano of the Oregonian opines. Lillard is basically using Aldridge’s free agency as leverage, Canzano writes. If the team says no to Lillard, it seemingly sends a signal to Aldridge that it’s not invested in competing, Canzano adds. As reported last week, Lillard has no plans to consider agreeing to an extension for less than the designated maximum.
Thunder GM Sam Presti said he was looking for a coach with tactical gumption and Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes the executive found one in former Florida coach Billy Donovan. The new coach wants to put an emphasis on unselfish ball movement and a lot of offensive freedom for players, Mayberry adds, which is similar to what the Thunder tried to implement last season before injuries helped derail expectations. More creativity would benefit the Thunder, Mayberry writes, and the consensus among those the reporter interviewed is that Donovan is the man who can add that aspect to the team. Another important part of the hire is that Donovan has solid experience working with players like Russell Westbrook, who is very talented, but has an emotionally charged personality, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman writes.

Spurs Notes: Ginobili, Duncan, Free Agency

May 3rd, 2015 at 5:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs need to add some new pieces to help rekindle their desire to keep winning championships, Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report opines. A top-level player like the Trail Blazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge, an unrestricted free agent who is still seeking his first title, would bring more fire to the locker room since the team can no longer count on aging Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker to give the Spurs that competitive edge, Ding adds. Kawhi Leonard does not have the personality to become a leader at this stage of his career while other players, such as Tiago Splitter, have not developed as well as San Antonio had hoped, Ding adds. Chris Paul‘s burning desire to advance in the playoffs was evident as he carried the Clippers past the Spurs in the opening round of the playoffs, while San Antonio often looked complacent during the regular season and that cost it homecourt advantage in the opening series, Ding concludes.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Ginobili offered a candid response about his future, tweets Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, saying that he sometimes just wants to be home with his family and the decision on whether or not to come back is a very difficult one.“Some days you feel proud and think you did great,” Ginobili said. “Other games I say, ‘What the hell am I doing here when I should stay home and enjoy my kids?’ So it’s a tough moment. You’ve just got to sit, wait, let it all go and then make a decision.” Last month, Ginobili, 37, said he plans to retire either this coming offseason or next.
With mainstays without a contract, next season will likely feature a different look to the Spurs, Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News opines. Duncan and Ginobili will become free agents in July. So, too, will starters Kawhi Leonard, who will be restricted, and Danny Green, who is unrestricted. It’s worth noting, as Harvey did, that despite his age (39), Duncan played remarkably well down the stretch. He had 27 points and 11 rebounds in Game 7’s loss to the Clippers. “He’s a miracle to me at 39,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, “the way he plays at both ends of the court.”

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

Southwest Notes: Spurs, Rockets, Barea

May 3rd, 2015 at 11:55am CST by Arthur Hill

After Saturday’s Game 7 loss to the Clippers, thoughts quickly turned to the Spurs‘ future, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Specifically, the questions were about Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, and whether this was the final game of their long NBA careers. Duncan dismissed questions on the topic, saying, “I’m not making any statements.” Ginobili was a little more open. “I don’t want to make a decision after being a disappointment in a game like this,” he said. “So I’ll have a lot of time. I will sit with my family and try to evaluate what happened during the season, how I feel and if I am ready to go at it again. I guess the Spurs are going to have to make a decision, too, and see what they want to do.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

GM R.C. Buford said the Spurs will give Duncan, Ginobili and coach Gregg Popovich plenty of time to ponder their future, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. “We’re not going to rush them,” he said. “They’ll have time to talk amongst themselves, and we’ll have time to listen to what they’re saying and act accordingly.” Along with Duncan and Ginobili, San Antonio has seven other players who will become free agents in July. That list includes starters Kawhi Leonard, who will be restricted, and Danny Green, who is unrestricted.
Two huge moves in December turned the Rockets into a team that could win in the playoffs, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Within seven days, the team reached a deal with the Wolves for Corey Brewer and signed Josh Smith after he was waived by the Pistons. They improved the team’s bench, tightened its defense and brought a veteran presence to Houston for the postseason. “If we don’t have Brew and Josh come to our team, we’re not here right now, doing this,” coach Kevin McHale said. “Those two guys have been fantastic for us.” Smith will be a free agent this summer; Brewer has a player option worth $4.9MM.
Free agent J.J. Barea hopes his future is with the Mavericks, writes Tim Cato of mavsmoneyball.com. “It feels like home for me here in Dallas,” Barea said, “so hopefully I can come back and finish my career here for the next couple years.”

Southwest Notes: Spurs, Mavericks, Rockets

May 2nd, 2015 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave an early indication that he will return next season, along with free agents Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Responding to a question shortly after San Antonio’s Game 7 loss to the Clippers Saturday night, Popovich said, “We’ll probably come back. The paycheck’s pretty good.” Duncan refused to answer two questions about returning, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Ginobili was also vague about retiring, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. “I don’t know, it could happen,” he said. “But I’m not going to make that decision now.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Rajon Rondo still has all-star talent, but he was a terrible fit in the Mavericks‘ system, argues Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. In his post-season report card, the columnist gives Rondo an F for his time in Dallas, but says finding a point guard to replace him won’t be easy. Sefko also expects Charlie Villanueva to get a much bigger contract next season and said the team needs to spend to keep Tyson Chandler.
The “Grandpas” have become key playoff contributors for the Rockets, writes Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. That’s James Harden‘s nickname for point guards Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni, both 37, who have seen increased playing time since a wrist injury to starter Patrick Beverley. Terry came to Houston in September in a little-noticed trade with Sacramento. Prigioni was acquired in a deadline deal with the Knicks. “They’ve done a great job seriously of doing everything right, defensive schemes, knocking down shots, being vocal leaders, going out there and being ready every single night and it’s carried us every single night,” Harden said. Terry will be a free agent in July; Prigioni is scheduled to make $1.7MM next season, but only $440K of that is guaranteed.
The Pelicans should try to re-sign Omer Asik, but at a price far less than the $14.8MM he earned this season, contends John Reid of The Times-Picayune. If they can’t agree to terms with the free agent center, Reid recommends pursuing Blazers’ free agent Robin Lopez, who made nearly $6.125MM this season. Reid also advises trying to reach a new deal with backup center Alexis Ajinca.