San Antonio Spurs Feed: Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Mavs, Perkins, Fisher, Lakers

2013-05-16T15:55:28-05:00

Earlier this week, Dirk Nowitzki addressed the Mavericks' desire to bring some major talent on board this summer in free agency, going into a little detail about the pitch he expects potential targets to receive. Nowitzki spoke about the same topic today, reiterating that it's "pretty obvious" he'll be in line for a pay cut in the summer of 2014, which will allow the team to flexible in handing out bigger-money contracts to other players. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News has the details and the quotes from Nowitzki.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Western Conference:

Although he's the likeliest amnesty candidate on the Thunder's roster, Kendrick Perkins told reporters, including Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman (Twitter link), that he's "pretty sure" he'll still be on the team next season.
Derek Fisher also told the media, including Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link), that he'd like to return to the Thunder, adding that he isn't considering retirement yet.
If the Lakers explore the free agent market this summer, they'll likely be shopping for bargains. Jovan Buha of ESPNLosAngeles.com identifies a few potential targets for the club.
With the Spurs and Pacers each one win away from their respective Conference Finals, Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News recalls the Kawhi Leonard/George Hill swap consummated by the two teams, calling it "the definition of a win/win trade."

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Morning

2013-05-16T11:56:00-05:00

11:56am: More A.M. updates out of Chicago:

Nerlens Noel told reporters that he hasn't completed any interviews so far, but that he's "pretty sure" he has one scheduled with the Magic. He's not quite so sure about the Cavaliers (Twitter links).
Steven Adams and Kelly Olynyk are among the prospects that have met with the Wizards so far and think they'd fit in well in Washington (Twitter links). Mason Plumlee is also on the Wizards' list, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
Olynyk has met with the Bobcats as well, says Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
Gorgui Dieng will work out for the Bucks, who will also interview Rudy Gobert and Plumlee, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links).
A couple notes from SI.com's Chriss Mannix (via Twitter): Cody Zeller has spoken to the Raptors, Trail Blazers, Rockets, and Celtics, while Mike Muscala only has interviews lined up with the Spurs and Hawks, but will do "nine or 10" workouts later. One of those workouts will be with the Blazers, tweets Jason Quick of the Oregonian.
Shabazz Muhammad and Deshaun Thomas interviewed with the Timberwolves last night, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.

11:09am: With a number of reporters in attendance at the NBA's predraft camp in Chicago, we're expecting plenty of noteworthy tidbits to trickle in throughout the day. Here's a round-up of the first batch of updates on 2013's draft combine participants:

According to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), the Cavaliers aren't on Otto Porter's list of teams he's meeting with this week. That's a bit of a surprise, given the rumblings that he's high on the team's big board, though as Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets, the Cavs drafted a pair of players they didn't interview last year.
Porter is scheduled to meet with the Wizards, who spoke to Victor Oladipo earlier this week, tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Porter will meet with the Pistons as well, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Bobcats, Thunder, and Suns have already met with Porter, according to Lee (via Twitter).
The Pistons are also prepared to meet with Shabazz Muhammad today, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter link). Muhammad interviewed with the Trail Blazers yesterday and felt it went very well, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
Nate Wolters and Adonis Thomas were among the prospects who have met with the Lakers so far, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
Glen Rice Jr., who played in the D-League this past season, has been interviewed by the Bucks, Celtics, Warriors, Sixers, and Spurs, he confirmed to reporters (all Twitter links).

Kostas Papanikolaou Drawing Trade Interest?

2013-05-14T08:49:48-05:00

Greece's Olympiacos has won its second straight Euroleague title, and at least one of the club's players seems to be drawing trade interest from NBA teams. Rigas Dardalis of EuroHoops.net writes that Kostas Papanikolaou, who received the Euroleague's Rising Star award, has received interest from the Spurs, Mavericks, and Knicks, among other teams.

Papanikolaou was selected by the Knicks 48th overall in the second round of the 2012 draft, but was sent to the Trail Blazers in the deal that brought Raymond Felton to New York. Although Portland currently holds Papanikolaou's rights, the small forward doesn't seem to be in the team's immediate plans, given the presence of Nicolas Batum and Victor Claver on the roster, according to Dardalis.

The Blazers are expected to be involved in free agency this summer as the team looks to upgrade its bench, but with plenty of cap space and four draft picks, Portland should also have plenty of worthwhile assets at its disposal in addition to Papanikolaou's rights, if the club decides to explore the trade market.

Odds & Ends: Thompson, Ellis, Hollins, Turkoglu

2013-05-09T22:54:00-05:00

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski looks back to June 2011, when Warriors' GM Bob Myers had worries about not being able to select Klay Thompson knowing that either the Spurs could possibly trade up in the draft to get him or that the Bucks were planning to select him with the 10th overall pick. As it would turn out, San Antonio would wind up trading for the 15th pick (Kawhi Leonard) and the Kings landed the 10th pick to select Jimmer Fredette, leaving the sharpshooting Washington State forward right into the hands of Golden State. Here are a few more miscellaneous notes to share along this evening:

AJ Mitnick of Sheridan Hoops fills us in on the "best of the bunch" in terms of international prospects in this year's draft.
The 76ers aren't expected to hold most of their interviews for their head coaching search until after the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, writes Tom Moore of phillyBurbs.com, although there is a possibility that the team could conduct some during camp.
According to this report by the Detroit Free Press, the Pistons are widely known to be seeking perimeter help heading into the draft but could look to add more to their frontcourt.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that the Lakers have granted the Cavaliers permission to interview Phil Handy about joining Mike Brown's coaching staff in Cleveland.
When asked about the trade that sent Monta Ellis to Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson told reporters that letting Ellis go helped change the culture of the team, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link).
ESPN's Chris Broussard tweets that Lionel Hollins will be highly coveted if the Grizzlies opt to not re-sign him this summer, adding that the Nets would figure to be among the interested teams.
Heat owner Mickey Arison engaged in some civil discourse with a fan on Twitter regarding the possibility that Seattle loses out on their bid for the Kings (credit goes to SportsRadioKJR.com). Arison made it clear that he believes that the city of Sacramento has done enough to warrant keeping the team, and refuted the notion that Seattle had put forth the same effort in 2008 before the Sonics franchise ultimately moved to Oklahoma City.
John Denton of NBA.com writes that Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu understands the current youth movement of the franchise and that his time in Orlando could be over within the next coming months.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) reports that Lakers big man Pau Gasol will be held out of basketball activities for the next three months after undergoing an operation on his knee today.

Berger On Malone, 76ers, Hornacek, Nets

2013-05-06T17:46:29-05:00

Here's the latest news on coaching and GM vacancies courtesy of CBSSports.com's Ken Berger..

It's too early to identify a front-runner in the Sixers search, but things sound promising for Warriors assistant Mike Malone. Philly execs have contacted the Warriors multiple times about Malone, including several conversations with consultant Jerry West. In fact, the Sixers are consulting players who've played under both Malone and Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer to get a feel for how the two candidates differ, according to one source.
To the surprise of some rival executives, the Sixers' coaching search is being led by GM Tony DiLeo, whose contract expires this summer. With team president Rod Thorn moving into a smaller role and DiLeo's contract expiring, rival execs expect the Sixers seek out a new decision maker as well. In fact, that process has already begun through back-channel conversations, one person contacted on the Sixers' behalf told Berger.
Nets star Deron Williams has been vocal in his support of Jerry Sloan for the job but also has a strong relationship with Jeff Hornacek. In addition to the Sixers, the former Jazz sharpshooter has attracted interest from the Bobcats, Suns, and Bucks, sources told Berger.
The Suns are in the advanced stages of their GM search and the latest word is that Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough's is gaining momentum. Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman has been viewed as the favorite in some circles, however, and the Suns also have interviewed Spurs exec (and former Knicks GM) Scott Layden.
The Clippers are expected to can Vinny Del Negro and Hawks are expected to let Larry Drew go, league sources said. The Clippers are said to be "exploring all options," while the Hawks' decision on Drew's future is expected "sooner than later," sources said. It is widely believed that GM Danny Ferry prefers to install his own head coach in Atlanta.

Layden, Weltman, McDonough Suns GM Finalists

2013-05-01T20:31:00-05:00

8:31pm: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports adds Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough to the list of finalists. McDonough interviewed Tuesday with Babby and owner Robert Sarver, and Weltman will interview Thursday. The Suns want to make a hire quickly so they can decide on a coach and prepare for the draft. Babby made a push to hire Weltman in 2010, when Sarver favored Lance Blanks instead.

5:03pm: Spurs assistant GM Scott Layden and Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman are rumored as the finalists for the vacant GM position in Phoenix, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link). Milwaukee gave Weltman approval over the weekend to interview for the Suns job, while this is the first we've heard of Layden in connection with the opening. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reported Weltman was the frontrunner for the gig last week.

Layden has only been on the job in San Antonio for eight months. He previously held GM jobs with the Knicks and Jazz. Weltman hasn't run a team's front office before, but he's been with Bucks GM John Hammond ever since Hammond came aboard in 2008, and prior to that, Weltman and Hammond worked together with the Pistons.

Whoever gets the Suns job will decide who will coach the team next season. Interim Lindsey Hunter is still Phoenix's head coach, but he appears on shaky footing, and is interviewing with the Pistons for their head coaching vacancy. Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby is promising a "summer of analytics" for the team, so presumably the next GM will be a devotee of advanced metrics.

Texas Notes: Spurs, Mavs, Collison, Bertans

2013-04-29T18:20:00-05:00

Here's a look at the latest out of the Lone Star State..

Darren Collison was once believed to be the point guard of the future for the Mavericks, but he experienced an up-and-down season and he may have played his last game for Dallas, writes Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com. The guard was acquired from Indiana last offseason in a sign-and-trade deal for big man Ian Mahinmi.
Latvian prospect Davis Bertans will fly to San Antonio when the season ends to work out with the Spurs, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 6'10" big man was drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft by the Pacers and was immediately dealt to the Spurs. Bertans currently plays for Serbia's KK Partizan.
Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com checked in on O.J. Mayo's stock as he heads towards the open market this summer. For his part, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle hopes to have the shooting guard back next season.

Kyler On Blatche, Daye, Landry, Pacers, Spurs

2013-04-29T11:34:00-05:00

History was made this morning, as Jason Collins publicly came out as the first active male athlete to announce that he's gay. Collins, who hopes to continue his playing career, will be a free agent this summer, looking for a contract from a team in need of frontcourt help. In his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler looked at a few other big men facing free agency, exploring what their respective futures might hold. Let's check out the highlights....

Andray Blatche is still being paid by the Wizards through next season, so he won't necessarily be seeking the highest salary offered this summer. However, if he can secure a multiyear deal, he may lean toward that opportunity, says Kyler.
Although he's eligible for restricted free agency, Austin Daye is unlikely to receive a qualifying offer from the Grizzlies. Kyler doesn't expect the ex-Piston to be back in Memphis next season.
Carl Landry remains likely to opt out of his last year with the Warriors in search of a longer-term contract.
The Pacers won't hold full Bird rights on David West, but West's Early Bird rights will be more than enough to make him a competitive offer. Kyler thinks West and the Pacers are likely to work out a deal fairly quickly that will keep the power forward in Indiana.
Kyler notes that trading Danny Granger would help give the Pacers the flexibility to bring back both West and Tyler Hansbrough, who is eligible for restricted free agency. Kyler expects the Pacers to issue a qualifying offer to Hansbrough and match any reasonable offer.
Antawn Jamison is unlikely to re-sign with the Lakers, and if Earl Clark returns, it will have to be for not much more than the $1.24MM he made this year, says Kyler.
Boris Diaw, who has a player option, and Matt Bonner, whose deal is only partially guaranteed, both figure to be back with the Spurs next season. However, Kyler says DeJuan Blair is "done in San Antonio," which echoes what we heard yesterday.

Blair Says He'll Be Better Off Leaving Spurs

2013-04-28T12:54:04-05:00

DeJuan Blair will be thrust into the playoff spotlight for the Spurs with Tiago Splitter out indefinitely because of a sprained ankle, and Blair sees the opportunity as an audition for other clubs, observes Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News. The 24-year-old, who'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, thinks "the better situation" for him will be to sign with another team that can expand his role.

The stance is one that Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors predicted Blair would take when he examined the power forward's free agent stock last summer. Blair saw declines in just about every category this season, as his minutes and games started both hit career lows. When he did see the floor this year, he was less efficient than in the past, notching a 14.6 PER compared to the 17.5 PER he posted over his first three seasons. Blair appeared a likely trade candidate before the deadline this season, but according to Harvey, the Spurs were in no rush to trade him, in part because of his paltry $1.054MM salary. The team also believes he's shown increased maturity off the court, Harvey writes.

Unlike many other fourth-year players, the Spurs won't have the right to match offers for Blair in free agency this summer because he was originally a second-round draft choice. Second-rounders become eligible for unrestricted free agency after only three years in the league. I'm not sure the Spurs, despite their affection for Blair, would be likely to try to bring him back either way, but unrestricted free agency will allow him to make a clean break if he so chooses. He could have plenty of suitors, since the Hawks, Raptors, Pistons, Celtics, Heat, Blazers and Warriors were all linked to Blair before the deadline this year.

Blair thinks the Spurs would have traded him if they could have found the right deal, but the consensus among other teams at the deadline was that the Spurs' asking price was too high.

Eastern Notes: Dalembert, Adetokunbo, Cavs

2013-04-26T16:57:50-05:00

We rounded up a few Western Conference notes earlier today, so let's head east and check in on the other conference....

Although Samuel Dalembert has expressed some interest in signing with the Heat this summer, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel doesn't see Dalembert as more than a "fallback option" for Miami. Winderman isn't sure whether Dalembert would fit the Heat's culture, and thinks any interest from Miami would come later in free agency, if at all.
The Pistons are expected to scout Greek prospect Giannis Adetokunbo for the first time this weekend, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Hopefully they'll have better luck than scouts for the Spurs, Heat, Hawks, and Grizzlies -- Sportando contributor David Pick reports they failed to secure game passes to watch Adetokunbo today and were refused credentials. Representatives from the Cavs and Jazz did get in, however (Twitter links).
New Cavs head coach Mike Brown has a long list of potential assistant candidates, and will begin getting in touch with them next week, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines the merits of hiring Brian Shaw for the Sixers, noting that as of earlier this week, the team had yet to set up any interviews with potential coaching candidates.

Popovich To Leave When Duncan Retires?

2013-04-25T18:00:06-05:00

When 37-year-old Tim Duncan decides to retire, you can expect Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich to follow suit, writes Dan McCarney of Spurs Nation. Before last night's Game 2 win against the Lakers, the 64-year old coach told reporters about his commitment to the franchise star's playing career:

“When he doesn’t think he can, he’ll stop. It might be in the middle of a game. I can see him walking off the court saying, ‘Nah, I’m not pulling my weight anymore. I’m gone.’ And he’ll walk. And I’ll be right behind him, like this. No pride, no nothing.”

McCarney adds that Duncan's retirement could still be a few years away, considering the former number one overall pick's return to All-Star form this season. In 69 games, Duncan averaged 17.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 2.7 BPG in 30.1 MPG, marking the first time he's reached a 30-minute per game average since the 2009-10 season. His season scoring average represents a progressive two-point improvement each season since 2010-11, and his blocks per game average this year is nearly double the average from last year (1.5) .

Andres Nocioni Turned Down NBA Offer?

2013-04-25T15:25:08-05:00

Eight-year NBA veteran Andres Nocioni has been playing overseas for Spain's Caja Laboral this season, but reportedly received an opportunity to return stateside earlier this month. Nocioni's agent, Claudio Villanueva, told Noticias de Alava (English link via Sportando) that his client turned down an offer from an NBA team two weeks ago out of respect for Caja Laboral, whose season is ongoing.

One international report (Twitter link; English link via Sportando) indicated that the mystery team interested in Nocioni was the Spurs. That timeline would make some sense, since San Antonio was on the verge of releasing Stephen Jackson two weeks ago, and replaced Jackson with another player who had spent the season overseas, in Tracy McGrady.

Nocioni, who played for the Bulls, Kings, and Sixers during his NBA career, averaged 12.8 PPG in 28 Spanish League games this year, and has averaged 10.9 PPG in 28 Euroleague contests. He'll be a free agent at season's end.

Pistons Rumors: Hunter, Budenholzer, Cheeks

2013-04-22T18:40:57-05:00

For most of the 2000s, the Pistons were playoff regulars, but in the 2010s, the only way the team has drawn headlines at this time of year is through the draft lottery or with a coaching change. That's the case again in 2013, as we detail in the latest dispatches from the Palace.

If the Suns let go of Lindsey Hunter, a move that seems increasingly likely, he could become a candidate for the Pistons coaching vacancy, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press suggests. Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer and former Sixers and Blazers head coach Maurice Cheeks, who's believed to want another head coaching job, could also emerge as candidates, Ellis believes.
Two coaches who apparently won't have a shot at the Pistons job are Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson and Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, according to Ellis.
Zeljko Obradovic, who spent 13 seasons coaching Panathinaikos in Greece, tells El Juego de Naismith that he would consider taking a coaching job in the NBA this summer if a team with a chance to make the playoffs reaches out to him, (translation via Sportando). Obradovic pointed to his relationship with the Pistons, who invited him to observe training camp last fall and attend the team's game against the Knicks in London this past season. Still, Obradovic's agent, Alexander Raskovic, tweets that they won't negotiate any deal until after the season. It's unclear if Raskovic means the end of the NBA's postseason or the end of European play.
Pistons assistant GM George David is excited about having won a pair of draft-order tiebreakers, particularly the one that gave the Pistons the No. 7 overall position heading into next month's lottery, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. "The difference between having six or seven, or seven or eight, or five or six, becomes – as Pistons fans, I’m sure, recognize – extremely valuable to our team over the last three or four drafts," the executive said. "If we were one slot lower than where we were in Andre (Drummond)’s draft, Brandon (Knight)’s draft or Greg (Monroe)’s draft, there’s a very, very high probability that none of those guys are on our roster. When you’re picking that high, the difference between one slot is really, really big."

Odds & Ends: Bledsoe, Knicks, Spurs, McGrady

2013-04-21T21:26:37-05:00

Here's tonight's look around the Association..

Eric Bledsoe is showing that he's going to be a big money player at some point, even if he doesn't get that payday from the Clippers, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. Chris Paul echoed similar sentiments earlier today.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson knows first-hand how tough Kenyon Martin and Jason Kidd can be in the playoffs thanks to his time as an assistant coach for the Pistons, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday (on Sulia). “Both of them are still relentless and savvy,” Woodson said. “I go back to that 2004 Detroit team when they had our backs against the wall [in the conference semifinals] big time...That to me was really our championship series."
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni called Tracy McGrady a "wild card" but Gregg Popovich says that the veteran is "another body" and isn't sure how he'll integrate him into the rotation, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Sulia). The Spurs signed T-Mac shortly after cutting Stephen Jackson.
Former Bulls veteran Keith Bogans is now an important part of the Nets' defense, writes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.

Texas Notes: Mavericks, Spurs, Cuban, Jackson

2013-04-21T19:16:52-05:00

Here's a look at some items on the Mavs and Spurs..

The Mavericks have to make all the right moves this summer in order to get back to the postseason in 2013/14, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. Price writes that the Mavs badly need a rim protector and dominant rebounder along with a point guard who can create his own shot off the dribble. They had those players two years ago in Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea, but they turned down one year offers from the Mavs.
Former Mavericks forward Antawn Jamison believes that Mark Cuban will find a way to get Dallas back to the playoffs, Price writes. “I don’t ever count Mark out,’’ said Jamison, who is now with the Lakers. “That little rascal’s got something up his sleeves...You know him. He’s sitting there watching the playoffs like, ‘OK, they think I’m done.’ ‘’
Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (on Sulia) disagrees with the Spurs' decision to cut Stephen Jackson loose.

Southwest Notes: Hornets, Mayo, Brand, Spurs

2013-04-17T16:47:55-05:00

As we look forward to the last night of the NBA's 2012/13 regular season, let's round up a few items out of the Southwest Division....

Although the Hornets will finish as one of the bottom three teams in the Western Conference, coach Monty Williams is encouraged by the strides some of his players made this season. "There are a lot of positives," Williams told John Reid of the Times-Picayune. "We firmly believe that guys who come here have a great chance to improve their game because of our program and the things we do. I think it’s just going to get better as we add experience and start to bring in more talent in the next few years."
O.J. Mayo, who has a player option for 2013/14, says he'd like to return to the Mavericks next season, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I'd still be surprised if Mayo exercises the option rather than exploring the market.
Elton Brand also expressed a desire to return to the Mavs next season, though he said "we'll see what happens in the summer," as Price tweets.
Writing for The Basketball Jones, Mark Deeks of ShamSports notes how unusual it is for established NBA players like Tracy McGrady to sign deals at the end of the regular season. For the Spurs, there may not be much potential reward, but there's no risk either, says Deeks.
The Grizzlies inked a pair of free agents earlier today, adding Donte Greene and Willie Reed.

Odds & Ends: Budinger, McGrady, Hennigan

2013-04-16T23:00:46-05:00

As Tuesday night winds down, here are some odds and ends from around the NBA:

Chase Budinger, a soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, would like to return to the Timberwolves next season but is only likely to do so if Rick Adelman is retained as the head coach, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Adelman pushed the Wolves to acquire Budinger, who he coached in Houston, in a draft-day trade with the Rockets last June. Budinger missed four months this season with a knee injury.
After he signed Tracy McGrady, general manager R.C. Buford said that with the status of the Spurs roster right now, they "felt like [they] needed to look at some depth and experience," tweets Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News (via Twitter).
The true winner of last summer's biggest blockbuster was Magic GM Rob Hennigan, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel. Hennigan fleeced the Sixers and obtained three first-round draft picks and Arron Afflalo, says Bianchi, and most important, did not end up with Andrew Bynum.
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer looks at the biggest issues facing the lowly Bobcats this summer, specifically pointing at the futures of head coach Mike Dunlap, restricted free-agent-to-be Gerald Henderson as well as the six other Bobcats who could become free agents.

Spurs Sign Tracy McGrady

2013-04-16T15:45:00-05:00

3:45pm: The Spurs have officially signed McGrady, the team announced in a press release.

3:25pm: The Spurs will sign Tracy McGrady for the remainder of the regular season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Because McGrady hasn't played for an NBA team this season, he'll be playoff-eligible for the Spurs.

McGrady, 33, spent most of the 2012/13 season with China's Qingdao Double Star Eagles, averaging 25.0 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 29 games in the CBA. Despite his solid scoring totals overseas, one executive told Ian Thomsen of SI.com last month that he'd be "shocked" if McGrady signed with an NBA team this season. Zach Lowe of Grantland.com tweets that the move is one of the most "out-of-nowhere" end-of-season signings he can recall.

The agreement with McGrady comes on the heels of another surprising transaction by the Spurs, as the team waived Stephen Jackson on Friday. Jackson's release left the club with just 14 players, so a corresponding roster move won't be necessary to clear room for T-Mac.

McGrady was actually reasonably effective for a bench player in his last NBA action. He spent 2011/12 with the Hawks, putting up 5.3 PPG and a 13.6 PER in 52 contests (16.1 MPG).

Odds & Ends: T'Wolves, Temple, Magic, Mavs

2013-04-14T00:24:00-05:00

Kevin Love seemed optimistic about being able to bounce back from a difficult season with the best offseason of his life, writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune. He also spoke about his desire for Rick Adelman to continue coaching the team, saying: "We need to have him back...I know his family comes first, but hopefully we can sit down and talk to him. This year has given us a lot of perspective, and hopefully he can see we have the making of a very good team here. We can make a push and have a special year next year...I think he’ll come back.”

You can find more of tonight's miscellaneous links below:

According to Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press, Rick Adelman has deemed finding a quality shooting guard among the top of Minnesota's priorities this offseason.
Garrett Temple hopes to have found a home with the Wizards, telling J. Michael of CSN Washington that he'd "love" to be back with them next year.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel thinks that the Magic should look to move Arron Afflalo, Jameer Nelson, and/or Glen Davis (at least one of them) in order to continue creating cap space for the future.
Jan Hubbard of Sheridan Hoops wonders if a 35-year-old Dirk Nowitzki will have to endure another season like this one, especially if the Mavericks are unable to hit a home run in free agency for the second straight year after breaking up their championship roster.
Though Mark Cuban isn't happy that Dallas is going to miss the postseason, he vouched for coach Rick Carlisle: "Rick’s a great coach...We obviously didn’t have what we thought we would have, but we obviously should have had more. I don’t know if we could have, but we should have, so it’s all on me. If that means I let Rick down, I let Rick down" (Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram reports).
Jeff McDonald of Spurs Nation writes that Manu Ginobili has been "progressing" in rehab according to coach Gregg Popovich, and that the Spurs veteran shooting guard could be cleared for full contact soon. On a more unfortunate note, Boris Diaw is expected to miss three-to-f0ur weeks (including the start of the playoffs) after the forward underwent a procedure to remove a synovial cyst that had been bothering his spine.

Odds & Ends: Mavs, Collins, Jackson, Jordan

2013-04-12T23:48:12-05:00

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban takes the blame for his team's subpar season, saying he failed to construct an adequate roster and promising he'll be more attentive this summer, observes Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. "I'm not making any predictions," the owner said. "All I'm saying is we're not going to do a traditional rebuild. That's (why) we got all this cap room, so we wouldn't. We're going to be opportunistic."

Cuban also made headlines this evening for his desire to keep Vince Carter for years to come, but there are plenty of other newsmakers tonight:

Contradicting a report from earlier this week, John Finger of CSNPhilly.com writes that Sixers management wants to keep Doug Collins for as long as he has a desire to coach.
Collins will still receive his $4.5MM salary for next season if the Sixers fire him, but he won't get the money if he quits, notes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Stephen Jackson's discontent, which was apparently at the root of his release from the Spurs, didn't stem from the lack of a contract extension, but simply a desire for more playing time, according to Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News.
Lakers assistant coach Eddie Jordan is nearing a deal to become the next head coach at Rutgers, tweets Chick Hernandez of CSNWashington.com. Jordan is willing to take the job even if it means he'd have to leave the Lakers right away, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times.
Mike Woodson has interest in Kurt Thomas rejoining the Knicks as an assistant coach next season, as Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal notes via Twitter.
North Carolina announced sophomore swingman P.J. Hairston is returning to school, tweets Andy Katz of ESPN.com. Hairston is No. 40 on Chad Ford's list of prospects for ESPN.com, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com has Hairston at No. 14 on his 2014 mock draft.
Before he gets into the latest edition of his mock draft, Chris Mannix of SI.com discusses Louisville's Russ Smith, whom coach Rick Pitino now says is "50-50" to go pro after it seemed earlier that he would enter the draft. At least one scout who spoke to Mannix thinks Smith would go undrafted in June.

Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors contributed to this post.