Tom Thibodeau, Bulls Resume Extension Talks
After the Bulls elected to pick up coach Tom Thibodeau's contract option for 2012/13 rather than working out a long-term deal, the two sides have resumed talking about an extension, according to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
While general manager Gar Forman has maintained that the Bulls have intended all along to lock Thibodeau up to a long-term extension, negotiations between the team and coach seemed to stall earlier in the summer. That was after a report surfaced in April suggesting that Thibodeau was unhappy with his contract situation, a story that both Thibodeau and Forman denied.
Thibodeau certainly seems to have proven worthy of a contract extension, leading the Bulls to a 50-16 record in 2011/12, best in the Eastern Conference, despite not having a healthy Derrick Rose for a good part of the season. Current Celtics coach Doc Rivers and former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who both had Thibodeau on their staffs at some point, have expressed a desire to see the Bulls coach sign an extension to remain in Chicago.
Lakers Sign Reeves Nelson
6:23pm: The Lakers have officially signed Nelson, according to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com (via Twitter).
8:47am: Reeves Nelson is set to sign a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the Lakers, the forward tells Baxter Holmes of the Los Angeles Times. The UCLA product will go to training camp with the club after he inks the deal, which could potentially be worth about $700K.
Nelson auditioned for the Lakers prior to the 2012 draft and has been working out at the club's practice facility in El Segundo for the last three weeks. The 6'8" forward was once considered to be a potential first-round pick but saw his college career unravel before he was ultimately dismissed by the Bruins. Nelson hooked on with Lithuanian team BC Zalgiris for a five week stretch before being released.
Timberwolves Maintain Interest In Mehmet Okur
Based on recent reports, is seems as if the Timberwolves will add at least one more body to their frontcourt before training camp begins, and Mehmet Okur remains on the team's radar, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 (Twitter link). However, the T-Wolves can still only offer a minimum-salary contract, so unless Okur will accept such a deal or GM David Kahn can clear cap space by making a trade, it's unlikely Okur ends up in Minnesota, says Wolfson.
While the Timberwolves could comfortably bring aboard a player on a minimum salary, many of the free agents they've been linked to are seeking larger deals. Whether this suggests Kahn is considering moving salary or that the club is hoping one of its targets eventually settles for the veteran's minimum is unclear. However, Joan Niesen of FOX Sports North tweets that Anthony Tolliver continues to check in with the T-Wolves as well, to see if the team can bring him back.
The Timberwolves used their cap space this summer to sign Andrei Kirilenko, Brandon Roy, and Alexey Shved, then used their $2.575MM room exception on Greg Stiemsma. Okur, meanwhile, is coming off a year in which he earned over $10MM, but only appeared in 17 games due to back issues — if he were to sign for the veteran's minimum of $1,351,181, it would be his lowest salary since he earned $1.1MM in 2003/04.
The Remaining Restricted Free Agents
Most of this offseason's restricted free agents saw their contract statuses resolved fairly quickly, either agreeing to offer sheets with a new team or re-signing with their original clubs. A handful of free agents that started the summer as restricted also became unrestricted, after their teams decided to withdraw qualifying offers. But two players remain restricted free agents, unable so far to sign an offer sheet with a rival team or work out a deal with their own teams.
The deadline for rescinding qualifying offers had passed, so neither the Cavaliers or Hawks are unable to withdraw their QOs to Alonzo Gee or Ivan Johnson, respectively. As such, Gee could accept his one-year, $2,695,391 offer any day now, and Johnson could do the same with his one-year, $962,195 offer.
Presumably, both players are still trying to negotiate larger, multiyear deals with their respective clubs or land an offer sheet from another team, viewing the qualifying offers as fallback options. While there's no sense of urgency from a player's perspective yet, that could change later this month — under the new CBA, October 1st is typically the date by which a player has to accept his qualifying offer, unless the two sides agree to extend that deadline. The deadline could be pushed back as late as March 1st, though presumably neither the team or player would want to put off contract talks that long.
So what are the most likely scenarios for the two restricted free agents still left on the market? At this point, it's unlikely either player secures an offer sheet. Teams don't have the money to spend that they did earlier in the offseason, and if there was significant interest for either Gee or Johnson, you'd have to think they'd have signed something long before September.
It appears very likely that Gee and the Cavs will eventually agree to a multiyear deal — a couple weeks back, we heard that the two sides could be nearing a three-year agreement, but that it may not be finalized until closer to training camp. Presumably, negotiations about guaranteed years and money are still ongoing, but it doesn't seem like Gee will be forced to accept his one-year QO.
Johnson's contract situation isn't quite as clear. We've heard next to nothing on the Hawks forward this summer, but the fact that Atlanta appears to have left its qualifying offer on the table means the team has at least some interest in bringing him back. I'd guess Danny Ferry and the Hawks don't view the 28-year-old as a crucial long-term piece, so they may be reluctant to sign him for more than his qualifying offer, since it would mean dipping into their bi-annual exception. Johnson's representatives could point out that using the BAE this summer shouldn't be a problem for the Hawks, since Atlanta will be well below the cap next offseason and will likely forfeit the BAE for 2013/14 anyway. We'll see which side cracks first, but I wouldn't be surprised if Johnson accepted his QO later this month.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Raptors, Amare, Celtics
Yesterday, Nets head coach Avery Johnson weighed in on a number of topics, including the uncertainty of this past summer, the move to Brooklyn, and his thoughts on the Mavericks. Here's a look at today's news and notes out of the Atlantic Division..
- MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil is leaving the company, sources tell Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Isola notes that the Knicks exec had strong ties to the increasingly powerful Creative Artists Agency (Twitter link).
- The appointment of Tom Anselmi as the new president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment should have no impact on the Raptors' basketball plans going forward, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. After talking to several people in and around the Raptors, Smith writes that there is no reason to believe that General Manager Bryan Colangelo's job is in any sort of jeopardy.
- One NBA scout told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com that Amare Stoudemire's best weapon in a bid for a bounce back season is the newly-acquired Marcus Camby. While Tyson Chandler tends to attract defenders in the low post, Camby is a greater threat to connect from the perimeter, giving Stoudemire room to score down low for the Knicks.
- Paul Flannery of WEEI.com gives us his five takeaways from the Celtics' offseason, starting with the importance of Kevin Garnett's three-year, $34MM contract. While it's a good amount of money to commit to a 36-year-old, it left enough breathing room for the C's to make other moves to improve the roster.
Odds & Ends: Rockets, Magic, Whiteside
Jan Hubbard of Sheridan Hoops offered his reflections on the biggest stories of the NBA offseason, including the Lakers' fleecing of the Magic in the Dwight Howard trade. New General Manager Rob Hennigan obviously wasn't working from a position of strength when he made the deal and wound up getting players taken at at 15, 16, 25, 27, 30 and 37 in their respective drafts in exchange for the league's best center. Here's more from around the Association..
- Rockets coach Kevin McHale told Jason Friedman of Rockets.com that he plans on playing an inside-out game with the team as currently constructed. We looked at part one of Friedman's interview with McHale yesterday.
- In an interview with HoopsWorld, Hassan Whiteside disclosed that he has a workout set with the Timberwolves for this week. Minnesota is on the lookout for free agent bigs and reportedly watched the 7-footer in Houston as a part of John Lucas' camp last month.
- While the Clippers' hire of Gary Sacks as General Manager may seem like an uninspired choice from the outside, it was actually a smart one given his support throughout the organization, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Sacks picked up major endorsements from players this offseason, including star forward Blake Griffin.
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) doesn't believe that Tracy McGrady could help the Bobcats as he is more of a distraction than a savvy veteran that can help young players. The Bobcats are reportedly looking at McGrady and may work him out sometime soon.
Which Second Round Pick Will Break Out?
Last night we asked you which 2012 first round pick who fell out of the lottery would contribute this season, and earlier tonight we went over the contract status for all 30 of the second round picks. There always seems to be a steal from late in the draft, and last year was no exception, with Isaiah Thomas and Lavoy Allen becoming important parts of their teams. So, let us know which 2012 second-rounder has the best chance to emerge as a productive player either this year or down the road.
Choose from any of the second round picks who've signed with their NBA team so far. If you think the gem of this draft class is overseas or still awaiting a contract, choose the option at the bottom.
Which Second Round Pick Will Break Out?
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Jae Crowder, Mavs 14% (141)
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Draymond Green, Warriors 13% (131)
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Doron Lamb, Bucks 12% (124)
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Quincy Acy, Raptors 11% (106)
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Tyshawn Taylor, Nets 8% (83)
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Will Barton, Trail Blazers 8% (78)
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Kris Joseph, Celtics 8% (78)
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Jeff Taylor, Bobcats 6% (60)
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Kyle O'Quinn, Magic 5% (51)
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Kim English, Pistons 4% (38)
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Someone Who Hasn't Signed Yet 4% (36)
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Darius Miller, Hornets 2% (22)
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Orlando Johnson, Pacers 2% (21)
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Tornike Shengelia, Nets 2% (17)
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Bernard James, Mavs 1% (14)
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Khris Middleton, Pistons 1% (9)
Total votes: 1,009
Free Agents With The Most Playoff Experience
At this point in NBA free agency, intangibles can go a long way toward determining who gets one of the final available spots. Playoff experience is a commodity, and several players remaining on the market possess a wealth of it, led by Derek Fisher and his five NBA championship rings. He's played in 229 playoff games, more than any other current free agent.
We've broken down the top five free agents at each position with the most playoff experience, and ranked them by the number of career postseason games played. If a player has won at least one championship, we've noted that here as well.
Point Guards
Derek Fisher: 229 — NBA champion in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010
Mike Bibby: 105
Baron Davis: 50
Jannero Pargo: 40
Anthony Carter: 39
Shooting Guards
Leandro Barbosa: 75
Eddie House: 66 — NBA champion in 2008
Marquis Daniels: 62
Maurice Evans: 56
Larry Hughes: 49
Small Forwards
Mickael Pietrus: 69
Josh Howard: 66
James Posey: 65 — NBA champion in 2006, 2008
Matt Barnes: 46
Tracy McGrady: 44
Power Forwards
Kenyon Martin: 100
Juwan Howard: 49 — NBA champion in 2012
Chris Andersen: 31
Brian Cook: 31
Louis Amundson: 29
Centers
Ben Wallace: 130 — NBA champion in 2004
Mehmet Okur: 71 — NBA champion in 2004
Tony Battie: 56
Jamaal Magloire: 46
Francisco Elson: 30 — NBA champion in 2007
Update On 2012 Second-Rounders
Training camps open in just a few weeks, and while all 30 first-round picks have been signed, the same is not the case for this year's second-rounders. It's common practice for teams to allow players from overseas to continue playing international ball for years after they're drafted, while most others at least earn a shot in training camp. Some have already signed deals with at least a partial guarantee, and while there's no rookie scale as there is with first-rounders, the contracts follow a similar pattern. They're usually either for the minimum or slightly more in the first year, followed by a second or third non-guaranteed season at the minimum.
Here's an update on each of this year's second-round picks, in the order in which they were drafted:
- Charlotte Bobcats: Jeff Taylor (SF, Vanderbilt) — Signed for three years, $2.279MM. The third year is not guaranteed.
- Washington Wizards: Tomas Satoransky (SG, Czech Republic) — Remains unsigned. He's likely to play overseas this year, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post reported in July.
- Dallas Mavericks: Bernard James (C, Florida St.) — Signed for two years at the minimum salary. The second year is not guaranteed.
- Dallas Mavericks: Jae Crowder (SF, Marquette) — Signed for three years, $2.305MM. The third year is a team option.
- Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green (SF, Michigan St.) — Signed for three years, $2.641MM. The third year is a team option partially guaranteed for $250K.
- Indiana Pacers: Orlando Johnson (SG, UC Santa Barbara) — Signed for three years, $2.254MM. The third year is not guaranteed.
- Toronto Raptors: Quincy Acy (SF, Baylor) — Signed for three years, $2.369MM. The third year is not guaranteed.
- Denver Nuggets: Quincy Miller (SF, Baylor) — Remains unsigned. Averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for Denver's summer league team. Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri indicated earlier this summer he'd have a hard time beating out Jordan Hamilton in the depth chart, so it seems unlikely he'll be on Denver's roster this year.
- Detroit Pistons: Khris Middleton (SF, Texas A&M) — Signed for three years at the minimum. The third year is not guaranteed.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Will Barton (SG, Memphis) — Signed for three years, $2.254MM. The third year is not guaranteed.
- Brooklyn Nets: Tyshawn Taylor (PG, Kansas) — Signed for two years at the minimum.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Doron Lamb (SG, Kentucky) — Signed for three years, $2.354MM. The third year is not guaranteed.
- Atlanta Hawks: Mike Scott (PF, Virginia) — Remains unsigned. Averaged 10.0 PPG and 6.8 RPG for Atlanta's summer league team.
- Detroit Pistons: Kim English (SG, Missouri) — Signed for two years at the minimum. The second year is not guaranteed.
- Miami Heat: Justin Hamilton (C, LSU) — Signed with Cibona Zagreb in Croatia.
- New Orleans Hornets: Darius Miller (SF, Kentucky) — Signed for two years at the minimum. The second year is not guaranteed.
- Utah Jazz: Kevin Murphy (SF, Tennessee Tech) — The Jazz and Murphy were making progress in contract talks as of last month, and the team was hopeful to have him in camp, Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
- New York Knicks: Kostas Papanikolaou (SF, Greece) — Rights traded to the Blazers in July as part of the Raymond Felton sign-and-trade deal. A report by Sorush Kavoosian of Sportando indicates he'll play with Olympiacos Piraeus in Greece.
- Orlando Magic: Kyle O'Quinn (C, Norfolk St.) — Signed for three years, $2.493MM. The second and third years are not guaranteed.
- Denver Nuggets: Izzet Turkyilmaz (C, Turkey) — Remains unsigned. Likely headed overseas, and a report by Can Pelister of Sportando indicates he'll play for Banvit in Turkey next season.
- Boston Celtics: Kris Joseph (SF, Syracuse) — Signed for two years at the minimum. Neither year is guaranteed.
- Golden State Warriors: Ognjen Kuzmic (C, Bosnia) — A report, via Sportando, notes that he'll play with FIATC Joventut Badalona of Spain, on loan from Unicaja Malaga, another Spanish club. Warriors GM Bob Myers said in July he expects Kuzmic to play overseas this season.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Furkan Aldemir (PF, Turkey) — Rights traded the day after the draft to the Rockets in the four-team swap that sent Lamar Odom to the Clippers. Aldemir signed a four-year deal with Galatasaray Medical Park in Turkey last year, and Can Pelister of Sportando lists him on the Galatasaray roster for this season.
- Brooklyn Nets: Tornike Shengelia (SF, Georgia) — Signed with the Nets, though contract details remain unconfirmed. It appears to be a two-year deal, likely for the minimum.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Darius Johnson-Odom (SF, Marquette) — Remains unsigned. Averaged 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds for L.A.'s summer league team.
- Toronto Raptors: Tomislav Zubcic (SF, Croatia) — Zubcic is in the middle of a deal with KK Cibona in Croatia that runs through 2014.
- Brooklyn Nets: Ilkan Karaman (PF, Turkey) — Signed with Fenerbache Ulker Istanbul in Turkey.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Robbie Hummel (SF, Purdue) — Signed with Obradoiro in Spain.
- San Antonio Spurs: Marcus Denmon (SG, Missouri) — Signed with Elan Chalon in France.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Robert Sacre (C, Gonzaga) — Remains unsigned. Averaged 9.0 PPG and 6.2 RPG for L.A's summer league team, and has reportedly made a favorable impression on owner Jerry Buss.
Storytellers Contracts was used in the creation of this post.
Avery Johnson On Mavs, Deron Williams, Brooklyn
Nets coach Avery Johnson was direct in his assessment of the Mavs' retooling following their championship a little more than a year ago, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. The former Mavs coach and player said simply, "It had to happen." The Mavs' retooling would have taken on quite a different look had Deron Williams signed with Dallas instead of returning to the Nets, but Johnson is glad to have kept his star point guard, as his more expansive comments about the Nets indicate. Johnson was in Fort Worth, Texas, today to deliver a motivational speech to area high schoolers, and when not at the podium, he spoke about the Williams re-signing and the other flashy moves the Nets have made in advance of their Brooklyn debut.
On his feelings before Williams spurned the Mavs and re-upped with the Nets:
“We were never over-confident. (GM) Billy King and I, we felt we were going to be able to re-sign Deron. We felt it was 80 or 90 percent. But it was that 10 percent that you worry about. That was the whole key. I’m glad that’s all behind us.’’
About the importance of the Williams signing:
“Deron was a big key to the whole puzzle. To be able to acquire some other talent through free agency or trades or re-signing some of our own guys, it’s pretty exciting for us. We’re not there yet. We’re not a championship team. We got a lot of work to do. But at the same time, we have a much better talent pool than we’ve had the last two years."
On the move from New Jersey to Brooklyn:
“We’ve been planning this for two years. We’ve always had our eyes on Brooklyn. We pretty much played the last two years all road games because we didn’t have any type of home court advantage because we were in a temporary building. Now to be at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn with sellouts every night, and our roster has been significantly upgraded, it’s exciting.’’
About the new roster and his plans for it:
“We’re much more versatile than we’ve ever been. Right now, we look good on paper. Now we got to take it from looking good on paper and apply the work to go (forward).’’