Hunter Promises Player Input On Olympic Age Limit
A recent piece written by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports suggested Billy Hunter, executive director of the players union, was "too weakened and distracted" from the recent discord within the union to put up much of a fight against a move to limit the Olympics to players age 23 and under. Hunter, who has a seat on USA Basketball's board of directors, insists the players will have a voice in any discussion of an age limit, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes.
"Whatever the players decide, that's what I'll end up supporting," the union chief said. "They don't want anybody being able to dictate whether they can or cannot do that."
NBA commissioner David Stern told Zillgitt last week that he's in no rush to push for an age limit, and Hunter, who said he met with Stern two days ago, echoed that an age limit is still a long way from becoming reality. There are no meetings scheduled to discuss the topic, though USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo wants to begin formal talks shortly following the London Games.
Stern, at the behest of Mark Cuban and other owners who've expressed displeasure about allowing NBA players to take part in competitions that aren't under NBA control, has spoken publicly about engaging FIBA in discussion on limiting player participation in the Olympics and funneling them into the World Cup of basketball, a rebranded World Championships that would take place every four years under some kind of partnership between FIBA and the NBA.
Odds & Ends: Magic, Green, Raptors, Mavs
The Magic may be subject to criticism in some areas, but the team's current problems can't be blamed on player development, says Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Robbins looks back at the team's draft picks and projects over the last few years and concludes that the club has done a reasonably good job of developing young talent, even if not all the success stories still play in Orlando. Here are a few more Friday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Willie Green spoke to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times about joining the Clippers and how the perception of the franchise has recently changed.
- The Bulls top SI.com's Zach Lowe's list of teams whose offseason moves were a little disappointing.
- Raptors coach Dwane Casey downplayed the supposed point guard controversy in Toronto while GM Bryan Colangelo acknowledged that a controversy is inevitable with two starting-caliber players at one position. As Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld writes, neither Casey or Colangelo indicated that there's any rush or need to trade Jose Calderon to clear room for Kyle Lowry.
- With Joel Przybilla's free agent decision reportedly imminent, Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com wonders if the Mavericks are serious about adding another center.
- Salary cap expert Larry Coon answered plenty of questions in a chat at HoopsWorld.com today.
- There's still plenty of time for the Pistons' Khris Middleton and other second-round picks to be signed, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Blazers Entering Final Phase Of Coaching Search
2:50pm: According to Jason Quick of the Oregonian, Allen's interviews with Stotts and Canales in London have already been completed (Twitter link).
2:29pm: The final two candidates for the Trail Blazers head coach job, Mavericks assistant Terry Stotts and Blazers interim coach Kaleb Canales, are traveling to London this weekend to meet with team owner Paul Allen, says Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. According to Haynes, the London meetings will represent the final phase of the interview process, with a decision on the new Portland coach expected shortly thereafter.
Stotts and Canales were joined by Suns assistant Elston Turner and Magic assistant Steve Clifford as finalists for the Blazers job, but Turner and Clifford were informed earlier this week that they were no longer in the running, says Haynes.
Canales' stint as Nate McMillan's replacement in 2011/12 was his first NBA head coaching gig. Stotts, meanwhile, coached the Hawks from 2002 to 2004, and the Bucks from '05 to '07.
Paul Pierce Talks Celtics’ Offseason
Heading into the offseason, Paul Pierce was one of the few Celtics under contract, with two years remaining on his four-year deal. Over the last month, GM Danny Ainge has worked to surround Pierce and Rajon Rondo with new and returning faces, retooling a roster that was one win away from reaching the Finals in 2011/12. Pierce sat down with Celtics.com for an exclusive interview to discuss the club's moves, and ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg transcribed a number of the veteran's more notable quotes. Here are the highlights from the discussion:
On Ray Allen signing with the Heat:
"Ray made the best decision for him. That’s what it’s all about: You get in these situations, you become a free agent, and you make a decision based on what’s best for you and your family. Ray will always be a brother for me. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be wearing a championship ring. So the things he was able to do for this organization, will never be forgotten."
On whether he's talked with Allen since his decision:
"A couple texts. I’m a little bitter that he went to Miami, but he’s still a brother of mine."
On Boston's free agent signings:
"I love what Danny’s been able to do. It was a tough decision this summer; A lot was riding on what direction we were going to head in. It was just a domino effect, once we signed Kevin [Garnett], we knew were going to try to make another run at it. That’s pretty much the way I looked at it. Once we signed him, a number of guys were able to jump on board…. I think the guys coming in here — Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, trying to get a healthy Jeff Green, even some of our rookies — I think we’ve added a lot more depth, and it’s going to take a lot of pressure off me this upcoming season.
On which new Celtic he's most excited to play with:
"I’ve always been a big fan of Jason Terry. Playing against him in college for a couple years, then watching his NBA career flourish over the years. From winning a championship to just bringing that element to our ball club now — he’s one of best sixth men all-time to play the game. That’s something we were lacking a year ago, and that was only due to injuries, so hopefully he can bring that consistency, that championship experience, so we can get back to where we were a few years ago."
On the health of his knee:
"The knee is a lot better. It’s not completely healed, but I figure I’m about 90% now. So I’ve been doing a lot to strengthen it, so I can come back a stronger player. It really hampered me, I thought, the last 10-15 games of the year. I couldn’t explode like I wanted to. But everybody was hurt at that point of the year. Everybody was dealing with nagging injuries. That’s why I didn’t really stress on it too much in the playoffs, because I know everyone is dealing with injuries and that’s just another excuse."
2012 NBA Free Agent Tracker
If you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors' 2012 Free Agent Tracker. Using our tracker, you can quickly browse the offseason's contract agreements, sorting by team, position, contract length, total salary, and a handful of other variables.
For instance, if you want to see all the Celtics' summer signings, you can sort by team and find all of Boston's free agent additions listed here. If you're curious to see how many players signed five-year contracts, you can sort by contract length and bring up that list right here.
A few additional notes on the tracker:
- Not all of the agreements listed in the tracker are 100% finalized yet. C.J. Miles' two-year agreement with the Cavs, for example, is in our database, even though the team has yet to formally announce the move. As signings become official, we'll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
- Likewise, many players' contract lengths and amounts are still unavailable, so our data based on what's been reported to date. Contract amounts aren't necessarily fully guaranteed either.
- Restricted free agents that have agreed to offer sheets won't be listed as "signed" until their current teams decide whether to match the offers. For instance, if Alonzo Gee were to sign an offer sheet with a rival team, he wouldn't be listed as "signed" until we heard whether or not the Cavs had matched the offer.
Our Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar under "Hoops Rumors Features" and will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.
2012/13 Mid-Level Exceptions Update
A little over a month into free agency, a number of teams have already made use of their mid-level or bi-annual exceptions, and only have minimum-salary deals left to offer. Amidst the flurry of July signings, it can be hard to track which teams have cap space, which are using exceptions, and how they're signing particular players.
So let's take this opportunity to look back on how teams have spent their mid-level exceptions to date. A refresher: Teams over the cap are permitted to use the full $5MM mid-level exception. However, if they use more than $3.09MM, the amount of the taxpayer mid-level, their team salary must not pass the luxury tax apron of about $74.3MM at any point during the season. Meanwhile, teams that dip below the cap receive a mini mid-level or "room" exception worth $2.575MM. Here's the breakdown of the MLE activity to date:
Teams with full $5MM mid-level exceptions:
- Atlanta Hawks: Used. Signed Lou Williams to a $5MM first-year salary.
- Boston Celtics: Used. Signed Jason Terry to a $5MM first-year salary.
- Chicago Bulls: $1,059,000 remaining. Signed Kirk Hinrich to a $3,941,000 first-year salary.
- Denver Nuggets: $3,325,359 remaining. Signed Anthony Randolph to a $1,674,641 first-year salary.
- Detroit Pistons: $2.5MM remaining. Signed Vyacheslav Kravtsov to a $1.5MM first-year salary. Signed Kyle Singler to a $1MM first-year salary.
- Golden State Warriors: Unconfirmed. The Warriors likely used most of their mid-level to sign Carl Landry and Draymond Green. First-year salaries for those two players are still unknown, but it appears the Warriors will have well under $1MM remaining on their mid-level.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Used. Signed Jamal Crawford to a $5MM first-year salary.
- Milwaukee Bucks: $4.35MM remaining. Signed Doron Lamb to a $650K first-year salary.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: $3,326,396 remaining. Signed Hasheem Thabeet to a $1.2MM first-year salary. Signed Hollis Thompson to a $473,604 first-year salary.
- Orlando Magic: $5MM remaining.
- San Antonio Spurs: $500K remaining. Signed Boris Diaw to a $4.5MM first-year salary.
- Utah Jazz: $2.5MM remaining. Signed Randy Foye to a $2.5MM first-year salary.
- Washington Wizards: $5MM remaining.
Teams with taxpayer $3.09MM mid-level exceptions:
- Brooklyn Nets: Used. Signed Mirza Teletovic to a $3.09MM first-year salary.
- Los Angeles Lakers: $3.09MM remaining.
- Memphis Grizzlies: $90K remaining. Signed Jerryd Bayless to a $3MM first-year salary.
- Miami Heat: Used. Signed Ray Allen to a $3.09MM first-year salary.
- New York Knicks: Used. Signed Jason Kidd to a $3.09MM first-year salary.
Teams with $2.575MM room exceptions:
- Charlotte Bobcats: $2.575MM remaining.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $2.575MM remaining.
- Dallas Mavericks: $1,974,509 remaining. Signed Jae Crowder to a $600,491 first-year salary.
- Houston Rockets: $2.575MM remaining.
- Indiana Pacers: $2.575MM remaining.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Used. Signed Greg Stiemsma to a $2.575MM first-year salary.
- New Orleans Hornets: $2.575MM remaining.
- Philadelphia 76ers: $2.575MM remaining.
- Phoenix Suns: $2.575MM remaining.
- Portland Trail Blazers: $2.575MM remaining.
- Sacramento Kings: $2.575MM remaining.
- Toronto Raptors: Used. Signed Aaron Gray to a $2.575MM first-year salary.
Storyteller's Contracts and HoopsWorld were used in the creation of this post.
Bucks Eyeing Mickael Pietrus, C.J. Miles
The Bucks are currently looking to add an athletic wing to their roster, and according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, the team is mulling either a trade or a free agent signing. While trading one of their many power forwards for a wing is one possibility, the Bucks are eyeing a couple options on the free agent market. Mickael Pietrus and C.J. Miles are both potential targets for Milwaukee, says Woelfel.
According to Bill McCandless, Pietrus' agent, his client would "absolutely" be interested in playing for the Bucks. McCandless confirmed that he and GM John Hammond had exploratory talks in July, and given comments made by the agent last week, I'd assume he's looking for a portion of Milwaukee's mid-level exception for Pietrus.
Miles, meanwhile, is said to be drawing interest from the Cavaliers and Lakers in addition to the Bucks. Like Pietrus, he figures to be seeking more than a minimum-salary contract. For their part, the Bucks still have their full $1.957MM bi-annual exception and $4.35MM of their mid-level exception to use on free agents, if they so choose.
Woelfel adds that the Bucks are viewed as the frontrunners to land Joel Przybilla, whose meeting with the team earlier this week reportedly went well.
Odds & Ends: Suns, Sixers, T-Wolves, Wizards
Let's check in on a Thursday evening odds and ends from around the Association….
- Wesley Johnson believes a fresh start with the Suns could do wonders for his NBA career, writes AZCentral.com's Bob Young.
- CSNPhilly.com's Nick Menta asks if the Sixers will be undergoing a youth movement and giving their rookies significant playing time this season.
- Timberwolves general manager David Kahn says he thinks his team will make the playoffs next season if they can stay healthy, writes TwinCities.com's Bob Sansevere. Kahn also wouldn't say whether or not his team was finished making moves.
- ESPN.com's John Hollinger lists his offseason winners and losers.
- SI.com's Zach Lowe profiles his winners of the offseason.
- Hoopsworld.com's Lang Greene and Joel Brigham wonder if maybe the NBA would be better if players weren't allowed to demand trades in public.
- The Wizards have two empty roster spots, and will probably keep it that way to preserve flexibility heading into training camp, writes the Washington Post's Michael Lee. As far as the recently amnestied Andray Blatche goes, so far there has been no significant interest in his services.
Poll: Which Team Has Had The Worst Offseason?
Last week we asked which team has had the best offseason. Tonight, we go the other way by asking which team has grabbed the shortest end of the stick.
Which Team Has Had The Worst Offseason
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Orlando Magic 46% (851)
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Chicago Bulls 17% (323)
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Houston Rockets 13% (242)
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Dallas Mavericks 12% (227)
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New York Knicks 11% (203)
Total votes: 1,846
Extension Candidate: Stephen Curry
Throughout his injury-plagued three-year career, Stephen Curry has proven to be one of the sharpest shooters in all of basketball. Two years ago he paced the entire league in free-throw percentage with an astonishing 93.4% mark, and his career three-point shooting percentage of 44.1% makes him a full-on priority for opposing defenses from almost anywhere on the court.
And still, it's because of those aforementioned injuries, specifically Curry's ankles, that the Warriors are unlikely to offer him the five-year extension he currently seeks. CBSSports.com's Ken Berger tweeted in early July that "early indications" suggested the Warriors would not agree to a contract extension this year. Despite Curry's incredible ability to make shots at an efficient rate, guaranteeing him a long-term deal is simply too big of a risk for any team to commit to, especially when you factor in the harsh tax penalties that will kick in through the life of his hypothetical contract.
And yet, one would think Curry is still a major part of the Warriors' future. He wants to play there for the long term, and time and time again the team has reportedly refused to part with Curry in deals for prominent stars like Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul. Then, in the face of a long-standing belief that Curry couldn't successfully co-exist in a winning backcourt with Monta Ellis, Golden State traded Ellis at last year's trading deadline.
For the next two years, the Warriors have eight-figure deals tied into Andrew Bogut, David Lee, and Richard Jefferson. Based on his skill level compared to equally experienced colleagues, Curry could command as much as $14MM on the open market. It's difficult to imagine him and the Warriors parting ways, but it might be even harder to picture a Golden State franchise paying four non-All-Stars annual salaries of over $10MM. All the while, the Warriors still haven't proved to be a playoff team.
One proposed possibility that's reportedly been discussed is an injury clause, which would give the Warriors some leeway in the event that Curry continues to miss significant time, or is forced to have another ankle surgery. It's a delicate situation for Warriors management to tip-toe around, and they only have until October 31 of this year to figure it out. The most likely scenario is the Warriors letting Curry become a restricted free agent, then matching the inevitable max offer sheet proposed by another team—a situation similar to what recently happened with Eric Gordon and the Hornets. This way Golden State saves a year's worth of salary, and Curry gets a hefty second contract.