Magic Searching For Third Point Guard
MONDAY, 10:08am: Ish Smith is expected to take part in training camp with the Magic, tweets HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler, though no deal between Smith and the club has been reported. Smith spent the latter part of 2011/12 with the Magic after signing in February for the rest of the season.
SATURDAY, 4:26pm: Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel breaks down the remaining offseason priorities for the Magic. Resolving the Dwight Howard situation is high on the list, of course, but so is finding a third point guard to slot behind Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon. Robbins says the team will "definitely" have another point guard on the roster by the start of the season, and adds that bringing back Ish Smith to compete with Duhon for the backup role is a possibility.
The Magic have the full $5MM mid-level exception at their disposal, but it's doubtful they'd use all of it sign someone from the paltry list of remaining unrestricted free agent point guards. No restricted free agent point guard are left. They could go with a veteran option, like Mike Bibby or Jannero Pargo, or turn to a younger player like Jonny Flynn or Armon Johnson. Gilbert Arenas is still on the market, but since the Magic used the amnesty clause to waive him before the start of last season, he's ineligible to sign with the team until 2014/15, after his contract with the Magic was to have expired.
Sundiata Gaines, who averaged 5.1 points and 2.2 assists in 13.9 minutes as a backup for the Nets last season, could be the best option. He's the only unsigned free agent point guard who put up a PER of at least 15.0, the mark of an average player. That's decidedly better than the 5.6 and 8.4 PERs Duhon has compiled in his two seasons with the Magic after signing a four-year, $13.25MM contract. Still, all of this is just my speculation, as the Magic haven't been linked to any of these options.
The Magic could also acquire a point guard via trade, but it seems like any such move would be on the backburner until the team figures out what it's going to do with Howard.
Atlantic Rumors: Garnett, Delfino, Knicks, Teletovic
It's not uncommon for NBA players to own a stake in other sports. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are joint owners of a racehorse, and LeBron James is a part of Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of baseball's Boston Red Sox and English soccer club Liverpool FC. Nonetheless, the NBA will not permit Kevin Garnett to invest in AS Roma, an Italian soccer team, because Celtics minority owner James Pallotta is already one of the club's owners, as Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe reported this weekend. We've got more on the C's and their Atlantic Division rivals here:
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers tells the Argentinian website Ole (translation via HoopsHype) that the team has looked into signing Carlos Delfino and wishes they had the money to get a deal done. The Hawks, Pacers, Rockets and Cavaliers have also been linked to the 6'6" swingman, who's reportedly seeking a multiyear deal.
- Frank Isola of the New York Daily News hears Knicks assistant coach Kenny Atkinson is nearing a deal to take a similar position with the Hawks. Atkinson is the lone remaining holdover from the staff of former Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni. Jeremy Lin credited Atkinson for helping him to his sensational play this past season.
- Nets signee Mirza Teletovic spoke to Drago Perko of Kosarka.si, a Slovenian website, about his decision to come to Brooklyn (translation via NetsDaily). The 6'9" forward said he held off on jumping to the NBA for two or three years, and is focused on winning championships. He paid a $2MM buyout to Caja Laboral of Spain to get out his deal overseas and sacrificed close to another $2MM to sign for the taxpayer's mid-level exception instead of the full mid-level with the Nets so the team wouldn't be hard-capped this season.
Sasha Vujacic Won’t Return To NBA This Year
The NBA escape clause in Sasha Vujacic's contract overseas has expired, meaning the former Lakers and Nets guard won't be coming back to the NBA this season, reports Rigas Dardalis of Eurohoops.net (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The deal with Anadolu Efes of Turkey allowed Vujacic to explore NBA opportunities until July 31st.
This spring, the 28-year-old Vujacic expressed interest in a return to the NBA after having spent 2011/12 overseas, but found no takers. He'll have at least one familiar face around this season in Turkey, since he'll again be teaming with Jordan Farmar. The pair were also teammates in New Jersey and L.A.
Vujacic averaged career highs of 9.8 points, 2.0 assists and 24.6 minutes per game in 2010/11, his last NBA season.
Odds & Ends: Wizards, Smith, Christmas, Brooks
Matt Moore and CBS Sports continued their offseason report series today by taking a look at the Washington Wizards. The Wizards haven't made the playoffs since 2008 and have been relatively irrelevant over that time period, but they raised some eyebrows in the offseason with a series of moves that should put them in position to contend for the playoffs this coming season.
Here are some other links and rumblings from this Sunday evening…
- Josh Cohen from NBA.com addresses the Orlando Magic offseason by evaluating the importance of superstars in today's NBA, specifically mentioning how the Orlando franchise has thrived in recent history.
- J.R. Smith, who signed a two year extension with the Knicks in July, said the team has the pieces in place to win it all in an interview with ESPN New York, Ian Begley writes. Smith also conveyed his pleasure on hearing the news that the Knicks signed his younger brother, Chris Smith on August 1.
- Former Temple guard Dionte Christmas landed a partially guaranteed deal with the Celtics earlier this week. Greg Payne of ESPN Boston analyzed Christmas' prospects for the upcoming season with Boston and detailed his European journey that ended with his first NBA deal.
- Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman writes that with the Thunder going cheap in free agency, the growth and development of head coach Scott Brooks will be of increased importance.
Poll: Will Kobe Bryant Ever Play In Europe?
As I posted earlier, Kobe Bryant expressed his interest in potentially finishing his basketball career in Europe. Bryant grew up in Italy, where his father played professionally, before returning to the States and settling in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion in time for high school.
Bryant has never made a secret of his European flavor, always expressing an affinity for soccer and a knowledge of the basketball landscape overseas. But is that enough of a draw to make this latest claim credible? What do you think – will Kobe ever play professional basketball in Europe?
Will Kobe Bryant Ever Play Professional Basketball In Europe?
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No 74% (861)
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Yes 26% (297)
Total votes: 1,158
Kobe Bryant Interested In Ending Career in Europe
Adrian Wojnarowski, who is across the pond covering Team USA in London, writes that Kobe Bryant is intrigued by the idea of finishing his basketball career in Europe. It is well documented that Bryant speaks Italian and Spanish from growing up in Europe when his father was playing overseas. It seems only natural for the thought to cross his mind, and inevitable that he is being asked about it while in London. But is his interest legitimate?
"It would be natural for me to go do it. It wouldn't be a stretch at all. I grew up here," Bryant said.
Bryant has two seasons left on his deal with the Lakers, and Wojnarowski says that if he were to actually do it, that would be the time. During the lockout, Bryant considered signing in both China and the Italian League. Bryant said the following when asked about where he could see himself:
"You'd have to look at the market and what's going on in terms of the level of basketball being played. I understand there's a high level of competitive basketball in Turkey now. They might have the best league in Europe. Spain has obviously been one of the top leagues for a long time."
"And Italy is a place that's dear in my heart, I grew up there, but the level is not where it used to be. When I was growing up over there, that was the best league in Europe."
This isn't the first time we have heard comments like this from Kobe. And while it certainly seems far-fetched and unlikely to happen, these comments do seem to imply a little more genuineness.
Week In Review: 7/30/12 – 8/5/12
Our look back at the week that was..
- Carl Landry signed a two-year, $8MM deal with the Warriors. The 28-year-old averaged 12.5 PPG with 5.2 RPG per contest last season for the Hornets.
- The Warriors found a way to work Brandon Rush into their plans as they re-signed him to a two-year, $8MM deal, identical to Landry's.
- The Jazz and power forward Paul Millsap talked about an extension this week but a deal seems unlikely.
- The Wizards waived Andray Blatche and the Heat and Spurs are interested.
- The Clippers acquired Willie Green from the Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to Sofoklis Schortsanitis in a sign-and-trade.
- The Thunder picked up big man Daniel Orton.
- Guard Roger Mason hooked on with the Hornets.
- The Jazz and Raja Bell are still looking to finalize a buyout agreement.
- Joey Dorsey plans to re-sign with his team in Greece.
- Darko Milicic, meanwhile, won't be playing overseas.
- Billy Hunter promises that there will be player input on the Olympic age limit.
- The Blazers are in the final stage of their lengthy coaching search.
- After drawing interest from several clubs, C.J. Miles signed with the Cavs.
- The Bucks are eyeing Mickael Pietrus.
- Pat Riley doesn't think the Heat need to add a center.
- The Warriors and Draymond Green agreed to terms on a contract.
- James Singleton passed on Washington's offer.
- The Knicks signed J.R. Smith's younger brother, Chris Smith.
- The 76ers signed Maalik Wayns.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 7/30/12 – 8/5/12
Here's a look back at the original analysis the Hoops Rumors writing team delivered this week..
- Chuck Myron looked at the going rate for 10+ RPG players, 20+ PPG scorers.
- Luke Adams identified potential wing options for the Lakers.
- Opinions were more or less split on which New York team will win more games next year.
- Nearly 500 Hoops Rumors readers tabbed the Pacers as the team most likely to win the Central in Sean Highkin's poll.
- Jrue Holiday might not get a max contract, but he should be in line for a solid deal, Luke writes.
- Chuck examined what it'll take for the Thunder to lock up Serge Ibaka.
- Michael Pina asked which free agent signee is the most underpaid and most felt that J.R. Smith's two-year, $5.739MM deal is the leanest. The most overpaid free agent, according to Hoops Rumors readers, is Omer Asik with his $25.124MM deal with Houston.
- Luke fielded your questions in the weekly Hoops Rumors chat.
- If you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors' 2012 Free Agent Tracker.
- Luke updated us on the 2012/13 mid-level exceptions.
- My weekly Hoops Links feature included posts on Nando De Colo, Jeff Green, and Carmelo Anthony.
- Sharpshooter Stephen Curry will be a priority for the Warriors, Michael writes.
- Chuck looked back at notable August transactions in recent years.
- The Magic have had the worst offseason of anyone, according to our readers.
- Luke tackles the complicated matter of Andrew Bynum's next contract.
- Using our tracker, Luke looked at players signing minimum salary contracts this year.
- The Mavericks have a few ways that they can sign Dwight Howard next year, Chuck writes.
Odds & Ends: Pacers, Stoudemire, Williams
Happy birthday to Knicks legend Patrick Ewing as he turns 50 today. New York has won exactly one playoff game (2012 against the Heat) since the Hoya Destroya's 38th birthday. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league…
- With an eye on building stronger team chemistry, the Pacers will be getting together for a workout later this month in Los Angeles, tweets Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star. They'll meet up again three weeks before training camp to do the same thing.
- Amare Stoudemire begins training today in Houston with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon to work on his game, says Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). The value of working with Olajuwon can be seen in the play of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, who have had the opportunity to work with the big man in the past.
- Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams has done all the right things this summer by losing 15 pounds and playing relatively well during the NBA Summer League, but Minnesota isn't convinced that the former Arizona star can effectively play small forward this season, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov believes his investment in the organization has at least doubled since he purchased a majority stake in the team in 2010, writes Daniel Massey of Crain's New York.
Poll: Which NYC Team Will Win More Games?
The Knicks and Nets will begin their battle for ownership of New York City on opening night of the 2012/13 season at the Barclays Center. With the Nets adding and retaining key pieces like Joe Johnson and Deron Williams to their roster, the team looks to be more formidable heading into the season.
The Knicks weren't quiet either during the offseason as they strengthened their bench in a series of different moves that netted Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby, among others. The question becomes which team will finish the season with the most wins and be able stake claim to the title of best team in New York City.
Which New York Team Will Win More Games This Season?
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Nets 49% (589)
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Knicks 45% (539)
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Same amount of wins 6% (72)
Total votes: 1,200