Manu Ginobili said before the Finals that he would consider retirement after the series, and he reiterated that sentiment today in speaking to reporters, including Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. "There's a small chance," Ginobili said. "It's not that I'm really considering, but I can never say 'no' for sure, because I sometimes consider it." If the soon-to-be free agent returns next season, it seems overwhelmingly likely he'll do so with the Spurs, notes Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com. Here's more from a busy Saturday around the Western Conference:
Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com doesn't think the Hawks will have much trouble if they want to trade Lou Williams to free up more cap space in the pursuit of two max free agents this summer. He also believes the team wouldn't hesitate to pull off other moves necessary to clear room (Twitter links). If the Hawks renounce all their cap holds and keep their pair of first-round picks, they'd be about $1.9MM shy of the cap space necessary to sign Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, providing next season's salary cap checks in at the projected $58.5MM. The Hawks might not be at the top of likely destinations for the rumored D12-CP3 pairing, but it appears that won't stop them from trying. With half a month to go until teams and free agents can start lining up agreements, here's more from around the Association:
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune writes that the Timberwolves will likely trade either J.J. Barea or Luke Ridnour by draft night. In the same piece, Zgoda notes that GM Flip Saunders is impressed with Victor Oladipo. Minnesota - currently slated to draft ninth overall - would have to swing a deal into the top five in order to have a chance at the former Hoosier star, though Zgoda doesn't think the team has enough assets to accomplish that. Here are more news and notes from the Western Conference tonight:
An NBA-record 12 coaching jobs are changing hands this offseason, with almost half the jobs still open. Five teams are still searching for a coach, though David Joerger appears the strong front-runner for the Grizzlies. It looks like Jason Kidd has the edge for the Nets job, but Brian Shaw remains in the mix. It's more unsettled for the Nuggets, Clippers and Sixers, and as we await more clarity on those vacancies, here's the latest coaching news:
SATURDAY: Sources told Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski that Durant is in fact joining Roc Nation, giving them their first NBA All-Star. In a statement, former agent Rob Pelinka was extremely gracious about the departure of one of his top clients.
"We are honored and blessed to have worked on behalf of Kevin, for a brief period of time," Pelinka said in a statement. "He is an amazing person and athlete, and we are proud of our work and service toward advancing his brand in a manner that reflects the mutual qualities we share with Kevin."
FRIDAY: Kevin Durant is leaving his representatives at Landmark Sports, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter). Sources expect him to now join Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports, according to Mullen.
When asked in a text if Durant was Roc Nation-bound, an agency spokesperson replied "no comment" (link). Landing Durant would be a major coup for the fledgling Roc Nation group as they look to make a major mark in the NBA. Jay-Z's venture first made waves when they managed to steal Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano away from baseball superagent Scott Boras.
Jay-Z has been linked with Kentucky product Nerlens Noel, who is likely to be the top pick in the 2013 draft, but no deal has been struck just yet. There were also the inevitable rumors about a partnership between him and longtime friend LeBron James, but that talk has been shot down.
Despite his limited role in Oklahoma City, Ronnie Brewer sounded open about a possible return to the Thunder: "I'm still very young and still have a lot of basketball left in me so if it's here or somewhere else I'll continue to play basketball. This is a great organization and (has) great players, great coaches, great fans. So hopefully I can continue to play here” (Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman reports). Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous notes:
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that Lionel Hollins met with the Clippers today and engaged in a lengthy conversation about their head coaching job. Turner also relays that Brian Shaw is expected to interview with team brass on either Monday or Tuesday next week (Twitter links). As for George Karl, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles tweets that while the Clippers haven't spoken to him directly, they have been in contact with his representative. Both ESPN's Marc Stein and Shelburne report that Karl and Shaw have emerged as the team's top two candidates for the job.
As we gear up for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, here are a few miscellaneous notes to share from around the league tonight:
Projected first-round pick Dario Saric is leaning toward withdrawing his name from draft consideration, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. While Saric is receiving plenty of interest and could easily be a lottery pick, the Croatian forward feels as if he's not quite ready for the NBA and wants to spend at least one more year playing overseas, says Ford.
Although NCAA underclassmen were required to make a decision on their draft status back in April, the rules are different for international prospects declaring their intent early. As we outlined back in March, international players like Saric can withdraw from draft consideration at any point up until 4:00pm CST on June 17th.
Even if Saric isn't interested in playing in the NBA for the 2013/14 season, it could be in his best interests to remain in the draft anyway. Some teams, like the Mavericks at No. 13, may actually be more inclined to select Saric if it means they can stash him for a year, removing his cap hold from their books for this summer. Next year's draft class figures to be stronger as well, meaning Saric could be selected later in 2014 even if his stock doesn't decline.
According to Ford, the Pelicans (sixth overall pick), Trail Blazers (10th), Thunder (12th), and Mavs have all shown "significant interest" in Saric.
Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com has Nerlens Noel atop the latest version of his mock draft, and he has news about the Cavaliers, Noel and other potential lottery storylines. We'll round up the highlights here:
Guaranteed Contracts
Options
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
Free Agents / Cap Holds
Draft Picks
Cap Outlook
With the 2013 NBA Finals set to get underway, the Heat are once again representing the East, but this time around, Miami will be playing the team the Thunder eliminated from the playoffs a year ago. In the '13 postseason, Oklahoma City didn't even get a chance to face the Spurs in the Western Finals, having been knocked out a round earlier by the Grizzlies. While it's easy to blame Russell Westbrook's knee injury for OKC's disappointing early exit, one also has to wonder if the Thunder erred in trading James Harden just a few days before the regular season began.
It's easy to jump to conclusions on the Harden trade based on what we saw happen on the court this season - which includes Harden's ascent to stardom in Houston - but there are plenty of other factors to consider. For one, the Thunder appeared willing to extend Harden last offseason, albeit not for the maximum. Had OKC relented and signed Harden to the max, the team's salary commitments for next season would have been approaching $80MM with further additions still required to fill out the roster. For a franchise without the deep pockets of clubs like the Lakers, Knicks, and Nets, diving that far into tax territory in a year when penalties for taxpayers become more punitive simply wasn't palatable.
Had the team re-signed Harden, there were other ways it could have attempted to cut costs -- perhaps Serge Ibaka wouldn't have received his four-year extension, or perhaps the team would have amnestied Kendrick Perkins this summer. Considering tax penalties aren't levied until the very end of the season, the Thunder could have even gone into 2013/14 with everyone under contract and tried to make a blockbuster trade or two at the deadline to reduce costs.
In each one of those scenarios though, the team would have either lost a key player, lost trade leverage, or made a financial commitment beyond what ownership was comfortable with. In a no-win situation, the Thunder chose what they viewed as the best available solution, trading Harden early, maintaining some leverage and getting the best package they could.
The jury's still out on whether the Harden package OKC received from Houston will pan out, but this offseason may go a long way toward determing its value. Kevin Martin was servicable in his role as sixth man in 2012/13, but will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. While Martin has expressed a desire to return, having seemingly geniunely enjoyed playing for a contending team for the first time in his career, the Thunder don't have a ton of cap flexibility. Therefore it's possible Martin's stint in OKC will be a one-and-done affair.
Presumably, the Thunder were hoping that Jeremy Lamb would eventually be able to step into that role as a scoring two guard, previously held by Harden and Martin. After being drafted in the lottery a year ago, Lamb hardly saw any NBA playing time during his rookie season, but I don't think that necessarily means he's a future bust. The Thunder simply didn't have enough minutes to go around to get Lamb, Perry Jones III, and all its other young players into the lineup on a regular basis. As we saw with Reggie Jackson, who emerged late in his sophomore season, scoring double-digit points in his final nine playoff games, OKC is very patient with its prospects, bringing them along slowly until they're absolutely ready to contribute.
The Thunder figures to add another young player to their roster in this year's lottery, with the team holding the No. 12 pick. Recent mock drafts have Oklahoma City leaning toward a big man, unless C.J. McCollum is still available when the club's pick rolls around. Either way, bringing another young prospect aboard should make the team's roster very intriguing.
Westbrook, Ibaka, and Kevin Durant certainly aren't getting too old yet (Westbrook and Durant turn 25 this fall, while Ibaka turns 24), so it would be easy enough to spend the next several years trying to find the right mix of veterans to complement them. But as we saw during LeBron James' stint in Cleveland, that approach can be expensive, and isn't always effective. Continuing to stockpile draft picks and young players is a better way of ensuring that the team's success is sustainable.
By the time the team's current Big Three approaches free agency, players like Jackson, Lamb, Jones, and this year's lottery pick should be entering their primes. That would not only create incentive for OKC's stars to stick around, but would give the Thunder a safety net if one or two of those stars leave -- unlike the Cavs, the Thunder wouldn't have to enter a full-fledged rebuild in that scenario, since the club continues to bring in young talent rather than going all-in during a two- or three-year window.
Of course, it's possible that the all-in approach is still one Sam Presti and the Thunder office will employ. With those young players in the fold, and a future Mavs' first-round pick still under control, OKC has the assets necessary to trade for a good veteran player. If the team feels it's just one piece away from a title as the 2014 trade deadline approaches, it could use some of those assets to land that piece. But based on the way Presti has built the roster so far, it would be surprising if he backed himself into a corner, compromising the long-term outlook he has taken so far.
Additionally, the team's current salary commitments make adding too much veteran talent (and salary) a little tricky. If the Thunder bring back all their players on guaranteed contracts, along with the No. 12 pick, the club will have to fill out the roster with minimum-salary players to avoid going over the tax line. As such, I have to wonder if the Thunder will seriously consider amnestying Perkins, despite its denials. Clearing his $9MM from the books would ensure that the team could use its full mid-level and bi-annual exceptions (or bring back Martin) without going into tax territory. Perkins' salary would still have to be paid, but using that extra money to replace him with a more productive role player may make more sense than putting it toward tax payments.
While it may seem as if the Thunder need to make a major move this summer in order to return to title contention, the team isn't as far away as this year's postseason outcome made it appear. It's very possible that a healthy Westbrook could have made the difference against the Grizzlies and, subsequently, against the Spurs. With Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka just now entering their mid-20s, it's hard to imagine the club taking a significant step backward, even if Martin doesn't return. A tweak here and there will be necessary, but if at least one of Jackson, Lamb, or Jones is ready to step up and assume a larger role, I expect to see OKC right back near the top of the Western Conference standings in 2013/14.
Additional notes:
Cap footnotes:
Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.
After appearing on Memphis radio to express surprise and disappointment at his current situation with the Grizzlies, head coach Lionel Hollins reiterated to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he's still holding out hope for a contract extension.
"I hope things can work out and I think things can work out," Hollins said. "I'm happy in Memphis. I've been there for a long time. My kids went to school in Memphis. My son graduated as a doctor in Memphis. My daughter is a grad student at the University of Memphis. I love the city of Memphis and really want to be there. I have no reason to want to leave."
Despite Hollins' comments, Grizzlies management is still upset that the head coach didn't publicly support the Rudy Gay trade, according to Spears. It appears the team and Hollins will end up going their separate ways, with the Grizzlies coach potentially receiving interest from the Clippers and Nets.
Here's more from around the Western Conference:
The buzz on the smaller point guards in the 2013 Draft has not been positive, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Michigan's Trey Burke is widely regarded as the top one-guard in this year's class, but he's getting a lot of criticism for being too slow at the next level. Despite his lack of a fifth-gear, Burke's still likely to land somewhere in the top ten. Here's more on the draft..
The Pistons appear to be deciding between Maurice Cheeks and Nate McMillan as their next coach, according to TNT's David Aldridge and Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News (Twitter link). There are "strong signals" that Cheeks has already won the endorsement of Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com writes, though there is speculation that the team is waiting to interview Brian Shaw, a favorite of adviser Phil Jackson.
Cheeks has been in Detroit this weekend for a third interview, Stein notes. Cheeks and McMillan are widely seen as Dumars' top choices, while Jackson's pick would likely be Shaw, leading executives around the league to consider the coaching choice an indication of how much control Dumars still wields over the team's decisions.
McMillan appears to be a candidate for the Clippers job as well, but the Pistons look like Cheeks' only option for a head coaching job in the NBA this year. In addition to Cheeks, the Pistons are believed to have interviewed McMillan, Lindsey Hunter, J.B. Bickerstaff and Darrell Walker, as well as Mike Budenholzer, who already became coach of the Hawks. They'd have to wait until after the Pacers are eliminated to talk to Shaw.
Here's more of tonight's miscellaneous links:
Immediately after the Cavaliers won this year's draft lottery, we heard that the team would be open to fielding trade offers for the first overall pick. But according to Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com, there's one particular the team with whom the Cavs would like to deal: The Timberwolves. Kotoch reports that the No. 1 pick would be available to the T-Wolves if they were willing to part with Kevin Love.
Kotoch's report doesn't come as a huge surprise -- Love is a two-time All-Star and was a member of the gold-medal U.S. Olympic team in 2012, so he's a proven commodity, whereas there's no real consensus top pick in this year's draft class. Nerlens Noel, who sits atop many draft boards, is recovering from ACL surgery. As such, it makes sense that the Cavs, who hope to earn a playoff spot next season, would target a veteran who could make an immediate impact.
Love has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate in the past because he and the Timberwolves have had an up-and-down relationship since the team was unwilling to give him the five-year rookie scale extension he was seeking. Still, with former GM David Kahn out of the picture and Flip Saunders now running the show in Minnesota, I'd be shocked if the T-Wolves seriously considered moving Love this summer. Even if he does intent to opt out down the road, Love still has at least two more years remaining on his contract, so there'd be plenty of time for the Wolves to weigh their options.
In addition to the nugget on the Cavs and Love, Kotoch shared a few more draft-related rumors to go along with his latest mock draft. Here are the highlights:
A handful of the NBA's head coaching vacancies have been filled this week, with the Suns, Bobcats, and Hawks all deciding on new head coaches. Still, plenty of jobs remain open, including higher-profile positions in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Let's round up the latest rumblings on the Association's coaching carousel....
Earlier updates:
Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge sat down with Leo Sepkowitz of Slam Online for a wide-ranging Q&A session earlier this week. Seven years after the 2006 draft, Aldridge has proven to be the only player taken in the top five that didn't fall short of expectations. Does the 27-year-old hold a grudge against the Bulls for passing him up? "I used to, but I don’t think I do anymore. I think someone named a stat that I average more points and rebounds against them and Dallas than anyone else. So people say that whenever I play them I have something to prove, but I don’t think I do anymore. But if the stats say I do, then I guess I do." Here's more from around the Association..
12:14pm: Raptors officials are meeting with Ujiri in Colorado today, according to Wojnarowski, who says (via Twitter) things are "moving fast" now.
11:22am: The Nuggets have granted the Raptors permission to speak to NBA Executive of the Year Masai Ujiri, and a meeting between Ujiri and the Raptors is expected to take place within the next 24 hours, reports Adrian Wojnarwoski of Yahoo! Sports. Ujiri is reportedly the preferred candidate for Toronto as the team searches for a head of basketball operations.
According to Wojnarowski, the Raptors intend to make Ujiri an offer that would pay him nearly $3MM annually. Ujiri, whose contract expires next month, is prepared to leave Denver for the chance to run the Raptors unless the Nuggets respond with a competitive offer. As Wojnarowski notes, the Nuggets have historically been reluctant to pay big money to general managers, so there's a belief they won't match the commitment the Raptors are prepared to make to Ujiri.
If Ujiri and the Raptors don't reach an agreement, Toronto's next target may be Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard, who was previously cited as a candidate by the Toronto Star's Doug Smith. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports that the Raptors have requested permission to speak to Pritchard, though the Pacers prefer to wait until the playoffs to allow a meeting.
According to Berger, Tim Leiweke and the Raptors are intrigued by the possibility of pairing Pritchard with Thunder assistant GM Troy Weaver. However, the Thunder may not allow Weaver to interview for what would be a lateral move, and it still appears Ujiri is the Raptors' first priority anyway.
Former Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo remains in the organization as team president, but won't be as involved in basketball decisions. Whoever the Raptors hire as their new GM will have full control over the club's basketball operations.
We've rounded up a few links on Dwight Howard tonight. Peter May of Sheridan Hoops explains why it wouldn't make sense for him to choose a return to the Lakers over a chance to join the Rockets. Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News - going off of the speculation linking Dwight to the Warriors - lists some of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of Golden State being able to acquire him. Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW thinks that the Mavericks will finish fourth behind the Hawks, Houston, and Los Angeles in the sweepstakes for Howard, adding that Dallas has little else to offer aside from no state income tax. Here are a few more links to share out of the Western Conference:
With less than two hours until the start of the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery, let's round up any and all pre-Lottery notes in one post here. Be sure to check back with us around 8:00pm CST for an updated list of this year's first 14 picks.