Week in Review

Week In Review 4/12/15-4/18/15

At this week’s NBA Board of Governors meetings, teams were reportedly advised ‎that the league’s salary cap could rise past the $100MM mark as early as the 2017/18 season. Based on current projections, league officials expect the salary cap to increase from its current $63.1MM figure to $67.1MM next season, $89MM in 2016/17, and $108MM in 2017/18. The league has been careful to stress to its teams that these projections are contingent on the NBA and its players avoiding a work stoppage after the 2016/17 season when the league and the NBPA can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement. Here’s the rest of the happenings from the week that was…

Signings


2015 NBA Draft News

  • Duke freshman small forward Justise Winslow is entering the NBA draft.
  • Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis will declare for the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Virginia junior small forward Justin Anderson plans to enter this year’s draft.
  • Ohio State freshman D’Angelo Russell plans to declare for the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Duke freshman point guard Tyus Jones will leave school to enter the NBA draft.
  • Notre Dame sophomore point guard Demetrius Jackson will return to school for another season.
  • Gary Payton II intends to return to Oregon State next season.
  • Wichita State junior guards Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet plan to remain out of this year’s NBA draft.
  • Arkansas sophomore power forward Bobby Portis has decided to enter this year’s draft.
  • Boston College junior combo guard Olivier Hanlan will declare for this year’s draft.
  • Draft prospects Montrezl Harrell of Louisville and Trey Lyles of Kentucky signed with agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
  • Sam Dekker of Wisconsin signed with agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports. Georgia State junior R.J. Hunter also inked a pact with the agent.
  • Ryan Harrow, a senior from Georgia State, has signed a deal with agent Wallace Prather of Perennial Sports & Entertainment.
  • Eastern Washington’s Tyler Harvey has signed with agent Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports.
  • West Virginia senior guard Juwan Staten has signed with agent Colin Bryant of Max Deal Sports.
  • Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls is leaving school early to enter the draft.
  • Stanford senior guard Anthony Brown has also hired Goldfeder as his agent.
  • Murray State sophomore Cameron Payne has hired Travis King of Relativity Sports as his agent.
  • Alpha Kaba, a 6’10” forward playing for the French team Espoirs Pau-Orthez, will enter the 2015 NBA draft.
  • N.C. State junior shooting guard Trevor Lacey has decided to enter this year’s draft.
  • French big man Mouhammadou Jaiteh will enter this year’s draft.
  • Overseas prospects Cedi Osman and center Nikola Milutinov will enter this year’s draft.
  • 21-year-old Bosnian forward Adin Vrabac, who is currently playing in Germany, will declare for the 2015 NBA draft.

News/Rumors

  • NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn plans to retire in August.
  • Al Jefferson said that he is likely to opt in and remain with the Hornets next season.
  • Ares Capital’s Tony Ressler, who is fronting a group that includes Grant  Hill, is making a bid to purchase the Hawks.
  • NBA coaching veteran Scott Skiles, Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg and Blazers assistant coach David Vanterpool are among the candidates for the Nuggets coaching job. Also garnering interest are Billy Donovan, Michael Malone, Mike D’Antoni, Alvin Gentry and, if the Thunder let him go, Scott Brooks.
  • LaMarcus Aldridge may be more willing to leave the Blazers this summer than previously thought.
  • The NBA and the NBPA announced that blood testing for Human Growth Hormone will commence under the league’s anti-drug program, beginning during the 2015/16 NBA season.
  • Dwyane Wade confirmed that he intends to pick up his $16.125MM player option for next season.
  • The Lakers reportedly will attempt to trade Nick Young this offseason.
  • Goran Dragic confirmed that he’ll turn down his $7.5MM player option for next season, as he’s long planned to do.
  • The Hawks nominated Mike Budenholzer, and not Danny Ferry, for the Executive of the Year award, which reportedly irked a number of executives around the league.
  • Rockets rookie K.J. McDaniels will likely miss the playoffs due to a fractured wrist.
  • The Knicks are reportedly one of Greg Monroe‘s preferred free agent destinations.
  • Thabo Sefolosha blames New York City police for the season-ending injury he suffered outside a New York nightclub last week.
  • Soon-to-be free agent forward DeMarre Carroll acknowledged interest in the Knicks and hinted that he wouldn’t mind signing with the Lakers or Clippers, either.
  • The Magic intend to make Kyle O’Quinn the qualifying offer necessary for them to be able to match offers for him in free agency this summer.
  • There is mutual interest between Joe Ingles and the Jazz in the player returning to Utah next season.
  • A number of draft order tiebreakers were settled.
  • The Lakers reportedly intended to re-sign Dwight Buycks prior to him suffering a broken right hand during game action.
  • Wolves forward Kevin Garnett is reportedly leaning toward playing next season.
  • All of the week’s NBA D-League assignments and recalls can be found here.

Week In Review 4/5/15-4/11/15

Pacers forward Chris Copeland was attacked outside of a New York nightclub earlier this week and suffered knife wounds to his abdomen and left elbow during the assault. The veteran underwent surgery and will miss the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Copeland’s contract is up at season’s end and the Pacers can make him a restricted free agent by tendering him a qualifying offer of $3,918,750.

Hawks swingman Thabo Sefolosha and center Pero Antic were arrested at the same location and charged with obstructing governmental administration, as they allegedly refused to move when police were setting up a crime scene. Sefolosha sustained a fractured fibula and ligament damage in his leg and he required surgery because of the incident. The swingman will miss the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs as a result.

Here’s the rest of the happenings from the week that was…

Signings


2015 NBA Draft News

  • Kentucky forward Karl-Anthony Towns, center Willie Cauley-Stein, forward Trey Lyles, shooting guard Devin Booker, center Dakari Johnson, combo guard Andrew Harrison and shooting guard Aaron Harrison are leaving school and entering the NBA draft.
  • Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor will enter the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Gonzaga freshman Domantas Sabonis intends to return to Gonzaga for his sophomore season.
  • Cameron Payne, a sophomore guard at Murray State, confirmed his intent to enter this year’s draft.
  • UCLA freshman power forward Kevon Looney is entering the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Arizona sophomore Rondae Hollis-Jefferson intends to enter the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Georgetown junior shooting guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera withdrew his name from this year’s draft.
  • Auburn senior guard Antoine Mason, the son of former NBA player Anthony Mason, signed a deal with agent Keith Glass.
  • Maryland junior small forward Jake Layman will return to school for another season.
  • Arizona junior power forward Brandon Ashley has reportedly decided to enter the draft.
  • Duke freshman shooting guard Grayson Allen plans to stay out of the draft this year and return to school for his sophomore season
  • Kansas freshman Cliff Alexander intends to enter this year’s NBA draft.
  • San Diego State freshman forward Malik Pope will return to school for his sophomore season.
  • Wisconsin junior small forward Sam Dekker has decided to leave school and enter the draft.
  • UTEP sophomore power forward Vince Hunter is leaving school and entering the draft.
  • North Carolina junior swingman J.P. Tokoto intends to enter this year’s NBA Draft.
  • Manhattan junior forward Ashton Pankey plans to turn pro and enter this year’s NBA draft.
  • Indiana sophomore forward Troy Williams intends to return to school for his junior season.

News/Rumors

  • The Nuggets claimed Shavlik Randolph off of waivers from the Celtics. Denver subsequently waived Randolph.
  • Agent Kevin Bradbury is upset with Suns’ coach Jeff Hornacek‘s criticism of his client, Gerald Green, who is set to become a free agent this summer.
  • Third parties connected to Tom Thibodeau have been exploring what his options would be if he and the Bulls were to part ways in the offseason, and the Magic are one of the teams they’ve reportedly investigated.
  • All of the week’s NBA D-League assignments and recalls can be found here.
  • Marco Belinelli will be a free agent at the end of season and it’s uncertain whether he will return to San Antonio next season.
  • The Wolves’ Ricky Rubio will miss the remainder of the season because of a sore left ankle that he originally injured back on November 7th.
  • Willie Green says he would like to remain with the Magic beyond this season. The guard is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
  • The Cavs are interested in Real Madrid center Salah Mejri, whose contract has a team option for next season.
  • Louis Amundson plans to play in Europe if the Knicks do not re-sign him this summer.
  • The Cavs and the Raptors are expected to have interest this summer in signing restricted free agent Cory Joseph of the Spurs.
  • Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas will miss the rest of the season and the playoffs with an injured back.

Week In Review 3/29/15-4/4/15

The Pacers announced today that Paul George would be available to play in Sunday’s contest against the Heat. George has missed nearly the entire 2014/15 season after breaking his right leg during an intra-squad scrimmage for Team USA last August. The 24-year-old had reportedly experienced soreness in his injured leg as he worked his way into game shape, but he has received medical clearance to play. “The recovery has been a long process and this is another step in the process,” George said. “I thank everyone, my family, friends, doctors, our training staff, coaches, the entire Pacers’ family for their support and encouragement. I’m excited, but at the same time I’m aware I’m still in a rehab stage and will continue to work to get back to full strength.” The Pacers are currently 1.5 games behind the Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s a rundown on the rest of the happenings from the week that was…

Signings


2015 NBA Draft News

  • Louisville players Montrezl Harrell and Terry Rozier will enter the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Georgia State junior R.J. Hunter will declare for the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Texas big man Myles Turner will enter this year’s draft.
  • France’s Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot said he would withdraw his name from the 2015 Draft if he deems workouts with teams after the NBA season unsuccessful.
  • UNLV freshman shooting guard Rashad Vaughn has signed with agent Omar Wilkes of Octagon Sports.
  • Junior Walter Pitchford, a center for the University of Nebraska, intends to enter the 2015 NBA draft
  • Georgetown junior shooting guard D’€™Vauntes Smith-Rivera has decided to enter the NBA draft.
  • UCLA freshman power forward Kevon Looney is planning to declare for this year’s draft and is close to an agreement with an agent.
  • LSU sophomore power forward Jordan Mickey will declare for this year’s draft.
  • Vanderbilt big man Damian Jones has decided to return to Vanderbilt for a junior season rather than enter this year’™s NBA draft.
  • Syracuse freshman power forward Chris McCullough plans to enter this year’s draft despite having suffered a torn ACL back in January.
  • Kelly Oubre, a Kansas freshman, is planning to enter this year’s draft.
  • Maryland freshman point guard Melo Trimble has decided to remain in school for another year and won’€™t enter the 2015 draft.
  • University of Houston junior guard Jherrod Stiggers will enter the draft.
  • Eastern Washington junior shooting guard Tyler Harvey is declaring for this year’s draft.
  • Arizona sophomore Rondae Hollis-Jefferson intends to enter the NBA draft.
  • Murray State sophomore guard Cameron Payne plans to enter the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Florida State junior Aaron Thomas will declare for this year’s NBA draft.
  • Terran Petteway, a junior shooting guard from Nebraska, reportedly plans to declare for the 2015 draft. Petteway took to his private Twitter account to deny that he’s made a decision regarding the draft.
  • North Carolina freshman small forward Justin Jackson will remain in school rather than enter the draft this year.

News/Rumors

  • Dallas doesn’t intend to enter a bidding war for the services of Rajon Rondo, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
  • Wolves big man Nikola Pekovic will undergo surgery next week to remove damage and repair his right Achilles tendon and he will miss the remainder of the season.
  • The Nuggets and the Magic will target Florida coach Billy Donovan this summer to fill their potential coaching vacancies, should either team not retain its interim coach.
  • The Nuggets claimed Ian Clark off of waivers from the Jazz.
  • The Pelicans and coach Monty Williams reportedly haven’t spoken about a contract extension.
  • Rockets guard Patrick Beverley will miss the rest of the season and the playoffs after deciding to go ahead and have surgery to repair ligaments in his left wrist. Houston intends to make a push to re-sign him this summer.
  • The Magic intend to extend GM Rob Hennigan‘s contract beyond the 2015/16 season.
  • The Knicks fired D-League coach Kevin Whitted and named assistant Craig Hodges his replacement on an interim basis.
  • Kings advisor Chris Mullin is leaving Sacramento to take over as head coach of St. John’s University.
  • Shabazz Napier underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia and is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season.
  • The Pistons have expressed interest in re-signing center Joel Anthony.
  • Two groups have emerged as favorites to purchase the Hawks.

Week In Review 3/22/15-3/28/15

The Thunder’s playoff hopes took a major blow with the announcement that Kevin Durant would undergo surgery on his ailing right foot and miss the rest of the season. Durant played in just 27 games this season, the first time in his NBA career that he’s missed more than eight contests. The 26-year-old is expected to return to basketball activity in four to six months, OKC GM Sam Presti said in the official statement, a timeframe that should hopefully have Durant ready for the start of training camp in the fall. Here’s the rest of the week’s happenings…

Signings

2015 NBA Draft News

  • LSU sophomore power forward Jarell Martin will enter the 2015 NBA draft.
  • Fellow LSU sophomore Jordan Mickey is also leaning toward entering the 2015 NBA draft.
  • University of Florida junior shooting guard Michael Frazier has decided to enter this year’s NBA draft.
  • There were conflicting reports regarding UNLV freshman shooting guard Rashad Vaughn‘s plans to enter the draft.

News/Rumors

  • Free agent JaVale McGee relaxed his stance on requiring a player option for the 2015/16 season.
  • Jose Calderon is likely done for the season after undergoing a procedure on his strained left Achilles tendon
  • The Rockets are reportedly willing to give draft-and-stash point guard Sergio Llull a three-year deal worth a total of at least $17MM.
  • Andrei Kirilenko plans to retire at the end of this season.
  • The Wizards and the Nets are both interested in one-to-one affiliations with D-League teams.
  • Bojan Dubljevic, whose rights are owned by the Timberwolves, will be with Valencia of the Euroleague for at least the next two seasons without the possibility of arranging a buyout.
  • The Jazz officially acquired the Idaho Stampede, becoming the eighth NBA team to fully own and operate their own D-League franchise
  • All of the week’s NBA D-League assignments and recalls can be found here.
  • The Sixers and rookie Glenn Robinson III reportedly have mutual interest in working out a deal that would keep the player in Philadelphia beyond this season.
  • The Mavericks have indicated that they have interest in re-signing Amar’e Stoudemire after the season.
  • Chris Mullin is a candidate to take over for Steve Lavin, who was fired as coach of St. John’s University.
  • The Rockets announced that Donatas Motiejunas will be restricted from basketball activities for one to two weeks because of back issues.

Week In Review: 3/15/15 – 3/21/15

The Thunder continue to be besieged by injuries this season with forward Serge Ibaka expected to miss approximately four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to address soreness in his right knee, and Kevin Durant possibly out for the remainder of the season courtesy of a foot injury. Here’s the rest of the news from the week that was:

Signings

News/Rumors

  • Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga attracted the interest of George Mason University, but Larranaga declined to be considered as a coaching candidate.
  • The Mavericks are reportedly no longer interested in signing free agent big man JaVale McGee.
  • Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob indicated that Golden State will do everything it can to retain Draymond Green, who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
  • Greg Miller, the CEO of the Miller Management Corporation that controls the Jazz, decided to step down after a seven-year tenure.
  • The Timberwolves and draft-and-stash pick Nemanja Bjelica have mutual interest in reaching a deal this summer.
  • Kings coach George Karl acknowledged that he and DeMarcus Cousins started their relationship under difficult circumstances and that it will take some time for the two to build a successful working relationship.
  • There are multiple teams interested in Eric Griffin, who currently plays for the Texas Legends in the NBA D-League.
  • Salary cap projections were released for the 2015/16 NBA season through the 2017/18 campaign.
  • Rival NBA executives aren’t sold on the Cavs being willing to offer Kevin Love a maximum salary deal when he hits free agency.
  • Al Harrington announced his retirement from his playing career, though he did express interest in either coaching or a front office position in the future.
  • Eric Gordon reportedly intends to exercise his player option worth $15,514,031 to remain with the Pelicans for the 2015/16 season.
  • The Wizards are likely to re-sign Toure’ Murry to a second 10-day contract.
  • Andray Blatche is set to ink a multiyear deal to return to the Chinese Basketball Association’s Xinjiang Flying Tigers.
  • Steve Nash announced his retirement.
  • All of the week’s NBA D-League assignments and recalls can be found here.

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