Evans Extension Not On “Front Burner” For Kings
Tyreke Evans is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, and according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the 22-year-old is working out this summer as if he has something to prove. Evans has only taken a single week off since the season ended, and is determined to show that he hasn't lost a step, writes Spears.
As Evans devotes the offseason to improving his game, the Kings must decide whether they'll make him a long-term contract offer. According to Sacramento GM Geoff Petrie, an extension for Evans isn't something the team necessarily has to get done this offseason.
"I don't think it's something on the front burner at this point," Petrie said. "Going forward salary cap-wise, we have a lot of flexibility. There are no real concerns about our ability to pay going forward because of our future numbers. The most important thing in the big picture is that Tyreke takes his game to another level. The reward for that is ultimately what's greater in a lot of respects."
A June report suggested Sacramento likely wouldn't offer Evans an extension, and while I wouldn't be surprised if the team made some sort of offer, I'm not expecting the two sides to work out a deal. Petrie's comments suggest that there's no need to rush into an agreement with Evans in the next few weeks, since the Kings could afford to match a max offer sheet next summer if the former fourth overall pick has a great season.
Although there's no guarantee that Sacramento would match a max offer sheet, Petrie is right that the Kings should have the flexibility to do so. Unlike the Thunder, who will be over the cap even before negotiating with James Harden, the Kings could end up more than $15MM below the cap next summer, meaning they wouldn't be anywhere close to the tax line even with a big new deal for Evans.
Michael Pina of Hoops Rumors examined Evans' extension candidacy earlier this month.
Hassan Whiteside Working Out For Heat
Hassan Whiteside, who worked out for the Timberwolves last week, is in Miami today to audition for the Heat, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. Whiteside's agent tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune that the Miami workout may not be his client's last, as there are a handful of other teams interested in having the former King work out for them (Twitter link).
The Timberwolves and Heat are among the teams still looking to add at least one more big man to their respective rosters. The T-Wolves are said to have interest in Mehmet Okur, but Okur is seeking more than a minimum-salary deal, which is all Minnesota can offer. The Wolves are still "very much in the mix" for Whiteside, according to his agent (Twitter link via Zgoda).
The Heat, meanwhile, have been frequently linked to former Knick Josh Harrellson, but he remains unsigned. Over the weekend, we heard that the Heat are considering bringing Harrellson on board, but Whiteside's workout suggests the team is still exploring its options.
In two seasons with the Kings, Whiteside recorded only 111 total minutes, but his height (7'0") and age (23) make him a potentially intriguing prospect for teams looking to add another frontcourt player.
Knicks Sign Sims, Bellfield, Thompson
The Knicks have officially signed four players to contracts that include training camp invites, according to a team press release. We heard yesterday about the team's deal with John Shurna, but the other three names are new — the Knicks have added center Henry Sims, guard Oscar Bellfield, and forward Mychel Thompson.
Sims, a seven-footer out of Georgetown, was ranked as the seventh-best center in this year's draft by ESPN.com's Chad Ford after averaging 11.6 PPG and 6.0 RPG in his senior year, but went undrafted. Bellfield, a senior out of UNLV, also went undrafted in 2012.
Thompson, meanwhile, is the only player of the four with any NBA experience, after a brief stint with the Cavaliers in 2011/12. Klay Thompson's older brother appeared in five games for Cleveland last season, starting three. He's a year removed from going undrafted out of Pepperdine, where he averaged 14.6 PPG in his senior year (2010/11).
According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter), all four players worked out for the Knicks in the spring, and will be fighting to earn one of the team's final roster spots. The Knicks now have 19 players under contract heading into camp, including up to seven believed to be on non-guaranteed deals. For the players that don't earn an NBA roster spot, a place on the Erie BayHawks, New York's D-League affiliate, could be in the cards.
Atlantic Notes: D-Will, Knicks, Garnett, Sullinger
Deron Williams has mentioned since his free agent decision in early July that he came very close to signing with the Mavericks rather than the Nets. And according to D-Will, if it weren't for the Nets' move to Brooklyn, he almost certainly wouldn't be back with the team this season.
"It was a huge factor," Williams told Tony Manfred of Business Insider. "I don't think I would have even thought about staying if [the Nets were] staying in New Jersey."
Williams' stance may not come as a surprise, but as Manfred notes, it's another reminder of the impact a larger market can have on the free agent decisions of NBA stars. Here are a few more Tuesday morning items from around the Atlantic Division:
- Williams is "definitely open" to playing for Team USA at the 2014 World Cup of Basketball, according to an Associated Press report (via NBA.com).
- The Knicks figure to hire an assistant coach to replace the departing Kenny Atkinson, and Lasalle Thompson is a leading candidate, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com shares his top five picks for Knicks-related storylines that just won't go away.
- In a recent interview in China, Kevin Garnett discussed his last few years with the Celtics, including the end of the Big Three era. Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com passes along video of the conversation.
- Forsberg and Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com take a shot at predicting how Jared Sullinger's rookie season for the Celtics will play out.
Sam Presti Addresses Possible Harden Extension
The Thunder held a press conference yesterday to officially announce the team's extension for Serge Ibaka, and it didn't take long for the line of questioning to turn to the issue on everyone's mind: Can the Thunder keep James Harden too? GM Sam Presti stressed that Harden was an important part of the team and that Oklahoma City is hopeful he'll be around long-term, but cautioned that an extension won't be easy.
"We've been very upfront and transparent with everybody that we have some inherent challenges that we face as an organization as a result of the new collective bargaining agreement," Presti said, according to Jenni Carlson of the Oklahoman. "I know we'd love to have him here. I think James would like to be here as well. But at the end of the day… you have to find a way to make it work for everybody."
With Ibaka under contract for $12.25MM annually starting next summer, Oklahoma City already has over $62MM in guaranteed salary committed to its 2013/14 roster. Throw in team options for Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward, and Reggie Jackson, and the Thunder could end up approaching the luxury-tax threshold without even signing Harden. Amnestying Kendrick Perkins could free up some money, but the team would miss his presence in the middle, and if Harden gets close to a max deal, the luxury tax could be a concern anyway.
Presti is one of the league's most creative executives, and it won't be a surprise if he finds a way to lock up Harden this offseason or next. But as his comments suggest, it may not be as simple as handing the All-Star guard a long-term extension and living with the tax hit.
Latest On Seattle Arena Proposal
Investor Chris Hansen has reached a tentative agreement with Seattle city council on the financial terms of a proposed new sports arena for the city, according to reports by the Seattle Times and KING 5 News. Both reports suggest that Hansen and his group have agreed to establish a $40MM transportation fund, reducing the financial commitment for taxpayers and alleviating concerns about traffic near the proposed arena.
Nothing is official yet, but the agreement between the two sides is expected to be announced later today. If things go smoothly, the proposal should be officially approved by city council within the next few weeks, at which point Hansen could tell the NBA that the city of Seattle is ready to host a franchise. Of course, that doesn't guarantee an NBA team will come to Seattle, but it would give the city a leg up on many other potential destinations if a franchise were to relocate.
Seattle mayor Mike McGinn released a statement late last night expressing enthusiasm about the latest step forward in the process, according to the KING 5 report:
"I welcome the news that the City Council has decided to support bringing basketball back to Seattle. [King County] Executive [Dow] Constantine and I negotiated a proposal with Chris Hansen, an Arena Review Panel vetted it and the County Council approved it. The City Council was the last piece of the puzzle. We haven't gotten a team yet, but Sonics fans have a reason to smile today."
Mavericks To Sign D.J. Mbenga
Back in 2004/05, D.J. Mbenga began his NBA career with the Mavericks, spending the first of three seasons with the club. Now, it appears he'll be heading back to Dallas. According to an RTBF report (French link), Mbenga said he has been working out with the Mavs and has signed a one-year deal with the team (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). ESPN.com's Marc Stein confirms that the Mavs will bring Mbenga to training camp.
Mbenga, 31, will likely receive no more than a non- or partially-guaranteed minimum-salary deal with a camp invite. The seven-footer has never been a serious contributor on an NBA team, but he has managed to stick around the league for seven seasons, most recently playing 41 games for the Hornets in 2010/11.
RTBF's report indicates that Mbenga turned down offers from teams in China and Greece in favor of joining the Mavericks. He may face an uphill battle making the Dallas roster, however, since the team already has 15 guaranteed contracts on its books. Still, according to Stein, the Mavs would like to find a way to add one more center to their roster for depth purposes.
Knicks Notes: Ewing, Shurna, Paul
Knicks owner James Dolan would like to see Isiah Thomas back with the club in some official capacity, but surprisingly it's Thomas who has cold feet about the proposed reunion. As it stands now, it doesn't seem likely that we'll see Thomas re-hired by the Knicks, though the former coach will likely continue to be an unofficial consultant for Dolan. Here's tonight's non-Isiah news out of New York..
- The Knicks offered Patrick Ewing an opportunity to coach the D-League's Erie BayHawks, but the team's former star center turned it down, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Ewing, who previously worked for the Magic and interviewed for a couple of head coaching jobs this summer, would prefer to stay in the NBA.
- One source told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com that Ewing felt slighted by the club's offer to coach in the D-League. "Patrick has paid his dues," the source said. "He was a little insulted."
- Earlier tonight, the Knicks signed former Northwestern forward John Shurna to a contract and Begley (via Twitter) notes that his deal will be for the minimum salary with a partial guarantee that becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the roster on January 10th.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com looks at some of the top Knicks storylines that just won't go away. Among them are the club's pursuit of Chris Paul, which Zwerling classifies as a longshot.
Mavericks Notes: Collison, Mayo, Deron, Cuban
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban held a press conference this afternoon in Dallas and discussed the club's future as they look to rebuild. Here are some highlights..
- In referring to new additions Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo, Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, and Dahntay Jones, Cuban said “Our goal is to have these guys in Mavericks uniforms for a long, long time," according to Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. However, all of those players are essentially on one-year deals with Mayo (player option for 2014) and Collison (restricted free agent) as the only exceptions.
- Collison said that he and Mayo will be entering this season with a chip on their shoulders as both will have to prove their worth in order to stay in Dallas for the long haul, writes McMahon. Mayo was almost certainly hoping for a better deal before he settled for the Mavs' one-year, $4MM offer.
- While the Mavs were unable to land Deron Williams in free agency, Cuban insists that the club is better off without him, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “You know, (it was) on the advice of our basketball people,’’ Cuban said. “No disrespect to Deron, but sometimes from a team perspective, the best deals are the ones you don’t get done. We would have made it work with Deron. But I think it’s better for our team the way it turned out.’’
Thunder To Sign Andy Rautins
Guard Andy Rautins is expected to join the Thunder's training camp roster on a non-guaranteed contract, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman (via Twitter). The former Syracuse product was a member of Oklahoma City's summer league team.
Rautins, 25, had a cup of coffee with the Knicks in 2010/11 when he appeared in five games and saw 24 total minutes of action. The guard wound up being traded to Dallas in the three-way deal that brought Tyson Chandler to New York but was promptly waived. Last season, Rautins hooked on with CB Lucentum Alicante in Spain to showcase his skills.