2012 June | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Magic, Bower, Wizards, Bobcats

By Zachary Links | at June 4, 2012 8:33 pm

Last night the Heat, the Southeast's division remaining representative, fell to the Celtics in Game 4 to even up their series at 2-2. LeBron James led the way for Miami with 29 points prior to fouling out and Udonis Haslem pulled down 17 boards but it wasn't enough as the C's won 93-91. Here's a look at the rest of the division..

0 comments Charlotte Hornets Orlando Magic Washington Wizards Flip Saunders

Lakers Exercise Andrew Bynum’s Option

By Zachary Links | at June 4, 2012 5:38 pm

The Lakers have officially picked up Andrew Bynum's $16.1MM option for 2012/13, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). The move was expected as General Manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters during his exit interview that he planned to pick up the big man's option for next season.

0 comments Los Angeles Lakers Transactions Andrew Bynum

Clippers To Retain Neil Olshey As GM

By Alex Lee | at June 4, 2012 4:11 pm

MONDAY, 4:11pm: The agreement to keep Olshey in Los Angeles as the team's general manager is not yet finalized, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Considering the Clippers themselves announced the agreement in principle on Friday, I'd be surprised if the deal fell apart, but nothing is officially completed yet.

Amico On Gee, Cavs, Ilyasova, Humphries

By Luke Adams | at June 4, 2012 3:15 pm

So far this season, rumors surrounding restricted free agent Alonzo Gee have invariably involved the Suns, who are eyeing the Cavs guard and reportedly considering making him a four-year, $16MM offer. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, however, Phoenix isn't the only team preparing to pursue Gee. The Wizards, Celtics, and Rockets will also have the 25-year-old "high on their wish list," says Amico, adding that the Cavs like Gee and hope to keep him. Here are a few more rumblings from around the league courtesy of Amico….

1 comment Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Los Angeles Clippers Milwaukee Bucks Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Washington Wizards Alonzo Gee Ersan Ilyasova Kris Humphries

Offseason Outlook: Boston Celtics

By Luke Adams | at June 4, 2012 3:02 pm

Guaranteed Contracts

Paul Pierce ($16,790,345)
Rajon Rondo ($11,000,000)
Avery Bradley ($1,630,800)
JaJuan Johnson ($1,120,440)

Options

Brandon Bass ($4,250,000, Player)

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Sean Williams ($915,852)
E'Twaun Moore ($762,195)

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Kevin Garnett ($22,309,396)
Ray Allen ($15,000,000)
Keyon Dooling ($2,920,320)
Greg Stiemsma ($1,054,389 – QO)
Marquis Daniels ($854,389)
Ryan Hollins ($854,389)
Sasha Pavlovic ($854,389)
Mickael Pietrus ($854,389)
(Jeff Green – $11,139,970)
(Nenad Krstic – $8,314,674)
(Roshown McLeod – $3,772,503)
(Carlos Arroyo – $854,389)
(Dana Barros – $854,389)
(P.J. Brown – $854,389)
(Mark Bryant – $854,389)
(Michael Finley – $854,389)
(Grant Long – $854,389)
(Stephon Marbury – $854,389)
(Shaquille O'Neal – $854,389)
(Michael Olowokandi – $854,389)
(Scot Pollard – $854,389)

Draft Picks

1st Round (21st overall)
1st Round (22nd overall)
2nd Round (51st overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $30,541,585
Non-Guaranteed Salary (including options), Cap Holds: $82,400,745
Total (not including draft picks): $112,942,330

Much was made this season of the Celtics' old Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen having one final run together before Boston started its rebuild in the summer. No trades were consummated at the deadline, but the Celtics reportedly discussed a Pierce deal with the Nets and nearly traded Allen to the Grizzlies.

GM Danny Ainge has never been shy about pulling the trigger on a deal he thinks will help the team, even if it won't be a popular move. And with Garnett and Allen facing free agency this summer, there's still a good chance Boston begins the 2012/13 season without the Big Three on its roster. However, the longer the Celtics' season continues, the more convinced I am that this might not be the end for Garnett and Allen in Boston after all.

Garnett, in particular, seems like a reasonable bet to re-sign with the Celtics this summer. He's said in the past that he'd like to retire a Celtic, and his performance this season showed he still has something left in the tank. Allen may be more likely to explore the open market, given all the teams interested in a shooting guard who could target him. But it wouldn't surprise me if both players signed short-term deals to remain in Boston.

Even if KG and Allen are back next season, the team has some flexibility to make roster upgrades around its veterans. The Celtics' amnesty clause will likely remain unused, since the club only has four players on guaranteed contracts for next year. Of those four, only Pierce and Rajon Rondo are owed significant money, and neither are amnesty candidates. But if we assume both Garnett ($21MM+) and Allen ($10MM) will receive paycuts on this year's salaries, the Celtics could have some cap space to work with even without taking advantage of the amnesty clause. In that case, a big man like Chris Kaman seems like a logical target.

If the Celtics do decide to bring back their veterans, it will be interesting to see how they use their pair of first-round draft picks, at No. 21 and 22 overall. The draft class is deep enough that Boston could select a pair of players there and hope that one or both turn into useful contributors. There are plenty of other options though. The team could try to package both picks to move up in the first round, or it could move one or both picks for a veteran player that could be added to the rotation immediately.

Earlier this season, it appeared the Celtics weren't quite a talented enough team to compete in the East with the current roster, but a second-half surge and a deep playoff run have proven that isn't the case. With the Bulls expected to be short-handed again next season due to Derrick Rose's ACL recovery, there's no reason a Celtics team that makes a modest upgrade or two shouldn't contend in the East again.

While it's possible Ainge decides to blow up the roster this summer, it wouldn't surprise me if he puts off major roster changes for at least another year. If Garnett and Allen are willing to sign one- or two-year deals, the Celtics would once again have the opportunity to claim a huge chunk of cap space when those new contracts expired. Ainge is anything but predictable, so there's no guarantee that's the direction he'll choose, but based on how they've played this season, the Celtics may not want to break up the old Big Three quite yet.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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0 comments Boston Celtics Offseason Preview

Draft Notes: MKG, Lamb, Combine, Rockets

By Luke Adams | at June 4, 2012 2:03 pm

As usual, David Aldridge's weekly column at NBA.com is packed with items of interest, including discussions about declining salaries for head coaches and conspiracy theories surrounding the draft lottery. Leading off his piece this week though, Aldridge looks at the top 15 picks in the draft and predicts the players likely to be selected, based on what he's hearing. Alridge's column is just one of many draft-related links to round up today, so let's dive in….

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Houston Rockets Jeremy Lamb Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Free Agent Stock Watch: Raymond Felton

By Luke Adams | at June 4, 2012 12:32 pm

For every Goran Dragic or Ersan Ilyasova, players who explode just months before they hit unrestricted free agency, there's a Raymond Felton. Entering a contract year and his first season in Portland, Felton was poised to take over for Andre Miller as the Trail Blazers' point guard, but struggled mightily for a good chunk of the season, falling out of favor with the Portland faithful. It certainly wasn't the strongest contract year we've ever seen.

But Felton's 2011/12 campaign wasn't as bad as it inititally seemed it would be. His production improved when Kaleb Canales replaced head coach Nate McMillan, and a solid second half returned many of his numbers to near his career marks. His 11.4 PPG and 13.4 PER were still career worsts, but he finished the season on the right foot with April averages of 14.2 PPG and 7.7 APG on .460/.421/.923 shooting.

That late-season surge could earn Felton a couple extra million dollars this summer, but it likely wasn't enough to earn him a spot among the most coveted point guards on the free agent market. With Deron Williams leading the way, Steve Nash, Ramon Sessions, Dragic, and Miller headline the unrestricted options, while Jeremy Lin, D.J. Augustin, Aaron Brooks, and Jerryd Bayless are among those likely to be restricted free agents.

Of course, with so many point guards hitting free agency, that leaves a number of teams in need of a starter at the position. The Nets, Mavericks, Lakers, Heat, Knicks, Suns, Blazers, and Hornets are a few clubs expected to have a point guard at or near the top of their wishlists, while teams like the Hawks, Warriors, Bulls, and Bobcats could also be seeking a veteran at the position.

Though Felton expressed a desire in April to re-sign in Portland, I can't see him returning to the Blazers. After players like Williams, Nash, Lin, and Dragic are off the board, however, Felton could be one of the best values remaining at the point. He'll come cheaper than he did two summers ago, when he signed a two-year deal worth $14MM+, and based on his second-half performance, he seems to be a solid bounceback candidate.

In my view, the best fit for Felton could be on a contender where he'll be a complementary player rather than a top scoring option. Teams like the Lakers and Heat may target bigger names than Felton, but with only the taxpayer mid-level exception available to sign free agents, they're unlikely to be players for Williams, Nash, or other first-tier options. Adding Felton to Miami's rotation to split time with Mario Chalmers at the point, at a cost of $3MM, wouldn't be out of the question. It would be a good chance for Felton to rebuild his value, feeding LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, while finally giving the Heat the veteran point guard they've been missing for the past couple seasons.

Miami is far from the only potential landing spot for Felton, but it represents the kind of situation Felton should be seeking. A short-term deal with a contending team that wouldn't ask too much of him would allow the 27-year-old to put the 2011/12 season behind him and try to return to his previous level of production. If he's able to do that, he'd put himself in good position for a more lucrative contract a year or two from now.

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0 comments Free Agent Stock Watch Portland Trail Blazers Raymond Felton

Southwest Notes: Spurs, De Colo, Mavs, Hornets

By Luke Adams | at June 4, 2012 11:36 am

The Southwest Division champion Spurs resume their series vs. the Thunder tonight, looking to hold serve at home in San Antonio. As ESPN.com's John Hollinger writes, the Spurs are very familiar with this situation, having entered a Game 5 with the series tied nine times already in the Tim Duncan era. Hollinger wonders what adjustments Gregg Popovich will make tonight, speculating that the team's changes could involve the use of Manu Ginobili and Matt Bonner. Here are a few more Monday updates out of the Southwest….

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Dallas Mavericks New Orleans Pelicans San Antonio Spurs Arnett Moultrie Austin Rivers Jeremy Lamb John Henson Meyers Leonard Nando De Colo Terrell Stoglin Terrence Jones Terrence Ross Tyler Zeller

Hoops Rumors On Facebook/Twitter/RSS

By Luke Adams | at June 4, 2012 10:55 am

With the NBA postseason nearing its end and the draft and free agency fast approaching, there are a number of different ways you can follow Hoops Rumors to keep tabs on the latest NBA news and rumors this summer.

0 comments Uncategorized

Wizards To Sign Randy Wittman To Two-Year Deal

By Zachary Links | at June 4, 2012 10:11 am

MONDAY, 10:11am: The Wizards officially announced today that they'll retain Randy Wittman as head coach, according to a team release. The team didn't release terms of the contract, but according to previous reports, it will be for two years.

"We are excited to bring Randy back as head coach and give him the opportunity to build on the positive momentum that the team showed under his leadership last season," said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld. "We were very pleased with the development of our young players and the commitment to winning he instilled despite taking over the team under difficult circumstances."

0 comments Transactions Washington Wizards Randy Wittman

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Month: June 2012