Heat Notes: Wade, Miller, Temple
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman has an update on where Heat guard Mike Miller's stands coming off offseason surgery. (Sulia link)
- The Heat are one of a handful of teams starting training camp on September 29th, getting a two-day jump on most teams, who get going on October 1st. The defending champs are afforded the extra preseason time because they're traveling overseas for a pair of exhibitions against the Clippers in China. Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra and the rest of the Miami braintrust will have a few decisions to make, since they have 18 players under contract, but only 13 on guaranteed deals, as I outlined earlier. With two weeks to go in the Heat's offseason, let's check in on South Beach:
- Dwyane Wade has been in the media spotlight quite a bit as he promotes his new book. He shares the latest on his recovery from left knee surgery this summer, the Heat's chances of repeating, and the Lakers' big moves with Joe Brescia of The New York Times.
- The Heat could have avoided a $5.8MM luxury tax payment on Mike Miller's salary or pursued a $2.9MM injury exception, but instead Miller is healthy and ready to start the season, as Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes.
- Earlier we passed along a Q&A from Winderman that touched on the battle between Jarvis Varnado and Mickell Gladness, and in the same piece, Winderman calls Garrett Temple a "longshot" to make the roster, despite his ability to guard point guards one-on-one.
Latest On Lou Amundson
Free agent power forward Lou Amundson, who spent last year with the Pacers, has been linked to a handful of teams this summer, and according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, he's still in conversation with a number of those clubs, but is "not a favorite" right now (Twitter link). The Knicks and Bobcats appear to be in the hunt, according to reports, and the 6'9" UNLV product has been drawing interest from overseas as well.
Zwerling indicated last month that Amundson was likely to get either the $2.575MM room exception or the $3.09 taxpayer's mid-level exception, but with minimum-salary deals the norm at this point in the offseason, the market might not be so fruitful. He's competing with Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen, D.J. White and other power forwards for a spot on a team, and Andersen and White put up better PERs than Amundson's 11.5 mark in 2012/13.
Amundson saw just 12.6 minutes per game last season, the least amount of run he's gotten since his breakout season with the Suns in 2008/09. That number shrunk to 8.5 MPG in the playoffs. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in the regular season and 2.5 PPG and 2.1 RPG in 11 postseason games.
How Will Thunder, James Harden Proceed?
We passed along a piece by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News yesterday that laid out five scenarios that could play out for the Thunder and James Harden, who face an Oct. 31st deadline for negotiating an extension. Here's what Deveney says could happen:
- The Thunder could trade Harden, as with a rumored deal for Bradley Beal at draft time.
- Harden could sign a max extension with the Thunder, putting the team in a serious payroll bind.
- Harden could sign an extension with the Thunder at a discount, as Serge Ibaka did with his four-year, $49MM deal.
- The Thunder fail to match another team's deal with Harden after letting him become a restricted free agent next summer.
- The Thunder let him get to restricted free agency, but re-sign him next summer.
Deveney believes the final option is the one that will play out. That's the only scenario in which Harden could get a five-year deal, so it might be the most lucrative scenario for him, but it involves risk for both sides.
What do you think? Let us know how you believe the Harden situation plays out by voting below. If you have anything to add to the debate, feel free to leave a comment.
How Will Thunder, James Harden Proceed?
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The Thunder will trade Harden 30% (108)
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Harden will sign a discounted extension with the Thunder 28% (102)
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Harden will sign a max extension with the Thunder 15% (56)
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The Thunder re-sign Harden as a restricted free agent 15% (55)
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The Thunder let Harden walk in restricted free agency 11% (41)
Total votes: 362
Roster Sizes: Western Conference
After taking a look at the roster sizes of teams in the Eastern Conference yesterday, here's the Western Conference version. There are two numbers at play for NBA teams this time of year. There's a 20-man limit for rosters during the offseason, but only 15 players can be around by the time the regular season starts. That means getting a guaranteed deal is important for the lingering free agents who want to make sure they stick around for opening day. Teams, given the choice between equals, would naturally prefer to waive someone whom they wouldn't have to pay.
We've combed reports from across the league over the summer, but teams don't officially announce the terms of their contracts, so we can't be completely sure that some of the contracts that are reportedly guaranteed actually are. In some cases, like yesterday's signings of second-round picks Darius-Johnson Odom by the Lakers and Kevin Murphy by the Jazz, there's been no indication of whether the contracts are guaranteed or not. For them, I've made reasonable assumptions — most second-rounders who've signed this year have gotten at least a partial guarantee for this season, so that's how we'll count them until we know more. The totals also include agreements that have been reached but haven't been finalized yet.
The first number is the total number of players under contract, and the number of players who have at least a partial guarantee is in parentheses.
Updated 11-1-12
Southwest Division
Grizzlies 13 (13)
Hornets 14 (13)
Mavericks 15 (14)
Rockets 15 (15)
Spurs 14 (13)
Northwest Division
Jazz 15 (14)
Nuggets 15 (15)
Thunder 13 (13)
Timberwolves 15 (15)
Trail Blazers 15 (14)
Pacific Division
Clippers 14 (14)
Kings 14 (14)
Lakers 15 (13)
Suns 15 (14)
Warriors 15 (15)
Odds & Ends: Louisville, D-League, Raptors
Earlier this summer, we heard rumblings of Virginia Beach putting the wheels in motion to land an NBA team with an eye on the Kings. Today, Marcus Green and Dan Klepal of The Courier-Journal write that a group of community leaders in Louisville, Kentucky would like to land a team as well. However, one city spokesman says that there is no "active deal" between the city and any team in the Association. Here's this afternoon's look around the league..
- The Maine Red Claws of the D-League are set to hire Mike Taylor as their next head coach, league sources tell Paul Flannery of WEEI.com. Taylor has experience in Europe and the D-League and will now head the Red Claws in their first year under the full control of the Celtics.
- AJ Mitnick of Sheridan Hoops brings us his All-Eurobasket Qualifying team, which features Omri Casspi, Danilo Gallinari, and Marcin Gortat. Finnish guard Petteri Kaponen, whose draft rights are owned by the Mavericks, also turned in a standout performance during the games.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star expects the Raptors to offer Jamaal Magloire an off-the-court role if he does not survive with the club. Magloire's deal hasn't been officially announced yet but it is expected to be a one-year, non-guaranteed pact.
- Jarvis Varnado is hoping to make the Heat on a non-guaranteed deal, but Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel doesn't like his chances. Winderman expects Miami to give the nod to Mickell Gladness rather than the defensive-minded Varnado.
- Last year's D-League call-up record will likely be broken this season, opines Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside. Part of the reason for that is that there will be an all-time high of eleven NBA teams with single affiliates.
Pacific Notes: Barnes, Evans, Kings, Warriors
Earlier this week, the Clippers inked forward Matt Barnes to a one-year, minimum-salary deal, beating out the Heat, Lakers, Nets, and others. The Knicks also appeared to be interested at one point, but agent Aaron Goodwin believes that coach Mike Woodson was never "truly on board" with the idea. Here's more on the Clippers and other items out of the Pacific..
- While Gary Sacks formally signed Barnes, it appears that Chris Paul had a significant hand in luring the veteran to Los Angeles, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. “Chris Paul was talking about how tough we were going to be next year, assuming I was a Laker,” Barnes said. “I told him I was a free agent and he said, ‘No, you’re about to be a Clipper.' "
- Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld thinks that the Kings are doing the right thing by holding off on an extension for Tyreke Evans. With fellow guards Aaron Brooks, Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton, John Salmons, Francisco Garcia, and Jimmer Fredette in the mix, Sacramento has other options in the event that Evans doesn't return to his rookie-year form.
- The HoopsWorld staff previewed the 2012/13 Warriors and Yannis Koutroupis opines that if it weren't for the Lakers, Golden State would have had the best offseason of anyone in the division. The Warriors rounded out their team with the re-signing of Brandon Rush along with the additions of Carl Landry, Jarrett Jack, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, and Draymond Green.
Hoops Links: Davis, Asik, Wizards, McGrady
This week, Hoops Links would like to wish happy birthday to Southern Methodist University coach Larry Brown, who has served as coach for an eye-popping ten NBA and ABA franchises. Brown, 73, began his coaching career in 1972 when he agreed to man the sidelines for Davidson after his four-year professional playing career came to a close. The Brooklyn-native never did settle in one place for too long and for many years, the Larry O'Brien trophy eluded him. Of course, that came to an end in 2004 when he guided the Pistons to the NBA championship.
If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..
- At The Hive stacks Anthony Davis up against No. 1 picks of the past.
- Red94 looks at Omer Asik's limitations on the offensive end.
- Bullets Forever pits the Wizards against the Knicks.
- The Hoop Doctors explains why Tracy McGrady may be a necessity for the Knicks.
- Hardwood Paroxysm brings us their first ever mailbag.
- Stepien Rules is happy with the Cavs' deal for Alonzo Gee.
- Pounding The Rock would like to see more out of Stephen Jackson.
- Wages Of Wins has a bone to pick with Mark Cuban.
- Bucksketball is optimistic about Beno Udrih in 2012/13.
- Bright Side Of The Sun asks who has gotten the most hate in Phoenix over the years.
- Canis Hoopus would like to see the T'Wolves have a rival.
- Hoops Addict was surprised to learn Kevin Garnett is the NBA's all-time highest-paid player.
- Raptors Republic brings us gift ideas for the Raptors fan in your life.
- NBA 24 7 365 looks at the best remaining free agents.
- Fear The Sword fondly remembers one of the Cavs' best games in 2011/12.
- SLC Dunk talks Al Jefferson.
- Brew Hoop defends Luc Mbah a Moute.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.
Northwest Links: Williams, Roy, Harden, Jazz
The Blazers announced, via Twitter, that Elliot Williams underwent successful surgery on his left Achilles tendon today and will miss the entirety of the 2012-13 season. Williams ruptured his Achilles on Tuesday during a voluntary workout, which is the latest misfortune for the snakebitten former Memphis Tiger. CSN Northwest has more details on the surgery here. Here are some other links from the Northwest Division:
- Brandon Roy said on Thursday that he wants to "come in and make an impact right away" for the Timberwolves, writes Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press. Roy has expressed confidence all offseason: "I want to be ready to deliver. A lot of people think I'm going to be limited. I tell them, 'Go ahead and think that way.' I'm not cautious about anything. I'm confident everything will go well." I asked readers a month ago how Roy would fare this year, and about half of you thought he'd average around 10 points per game.
- The staff at HoopsWorld published their season preview for the Timberwolves, complete with strengths, weaknesses and predictions. The consensus is that Minnesota will finish right smack in the middle of the Northwest, which would be an improvement from last year's last place finish.
- Sean Deveney of The Sporting News looks at five scenarios in play for James Harden and the Thunder. He predicts that the team will wait until next summer to re-sign him as a restricted free agent, getting rid of Kendrick Perkins and others to clear the necessary cap space to do so.
- Ben Golliver of CBS Sports gives his offseason report card for the Jazz. He gives Utah a B, concluding that it was a typically quiet but effectively offseason for the team. Golliver says that hiring Dennis Lindsey as their GM was a coup, especially considering the similarity in markets and the amount of current Jazz players that may hit free agency soon.
Lakers Sign Darius Johnson-Odom
The Lakers announced on Friday that they have come to terms with second round pick Darius Johnson-Odom. A Marquette product, Johnson-Odom was taken by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick after acquiring the selection in a draft day trade with the Mavericks.
Johnson-Odom averaged 18.3 points per game in his senior year at Marquette, earning first team All-Big East honors. He more recently averaged 3.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists and 15.8 minutes as a member of the Lakers summer league team in Las Vegas.
The details of the agreement have yet to be released.
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Green, Wright, Sixers
Chuck Myron already outlined today the flurry of Atlantic Division activity that has occured this week and it just keeps rolling in. Few would argue that the Celtics, 76ers and Nets have had big offseasons and the talented roster of the Knicks has had one more offseason to jell. This year promises to be an eventful one in the Northeast. Let's round up some of the Atlantic Division links coming in on Friday night:
- Greg Payne of ESPN Boston reports that a bunch of Celtics, including Jeff Green and newcomers Jason Terry, Kris Joseph, Jamar Smith and Dionte Christmas, have been participating in informal workouts at the team's practice facility. Payne adds that Joseph, Smith and Christmas will all be vying for the same job.
- Speaking of Green, the 26-year-old says he has been "cleared for everything" according to ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg. Green's contract was held up most of the offseason by insurance issues stemming from the heart surgery that caused him to miss last season. Green's return is one reason why many think that the Celtics were big winners this offseason. Green said today, "I've really been able to do everything — contact, my movements, my shot is there, my lift is there. Everything is coming along."
- Dei Lynam of CSN Philly continues her offseason look at the Sixers' roster by analyzing sniper Dorell Wright, who the team acquired via trade in the offseason. Lynam thinks that Wright is best suited to come off the bench for Philly while noting that no matter what, the 6-foot-9 swingman will get minutes. The link includes a video with Doug Collins, who says Evan Turner, Jrue Holiday and Andrew Bynum are the only locks to start.
- Max Rappaport of Sixers.com offers his breakdown of the two vacant open spots in the Philly starting lineup. He thinks a shooter on the perimeter next to Evan Turner is vital and that Spencer Hawes has the inside track next to Bynum. It is incredible how different the Sixers team will look from a year ago.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York caught up with four Knicks training camp invitees this week. Oscar Bellfield, John Shurna, Henry Sims and Mychel Thompson are longshots to make the team's roster, but all seem to be in good spirits in their time at the Knicks practice facility.