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Month: November 2013

Knicks Rumors: Collins, Diogu, Barron, Woodson

By | at November 7, 2013 1:03 pm

Plenty of last year’s playoff teams, including the Nuggets, Bulls, and Grizzlies, are off to slow starts in 2013/14, but few have as much cause for concern as the Knicks, who will be without Tyson Chandler for at least the next four weeks. That means we should expect to see a healthy dose of small-ball lineups from Mike Woodson tomorrow night in Charlotte. As we wait to see if the Knicks can avenge Tuesday’s loss to the Bobcats, let’s round up a few of the latest items out of the Big Apple….

  • Woodson told reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link), that he’d talk to GM Steve Mills today about the possibility of signing a free agent big man. Asked specifically about Jason Collins, Woodson replied, “It’s hard for me to even comment on Jason or any big right now until I talk with (the front office)” (Twitter link via Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com).
  • Al Iannazzone of Newsday suggests (via Twitter) that if the Knicks can’t acquire a frontcourt player via a trade, the team should strongly consider signing Ike Diogu or Earl Barron. Both names surfaced yesterday as potential options, since the club is already familiar with them.
  • A source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Woodson was “taken aback” by James Dolan’s expectation of a championship this season and privately questioned why the roster didn’t include more veterans with championship experience. While the Knicks’ roster is still fairly veteran-heavy, this year’s version includes players like Cole Aldrich, Toure Murry, and Chris Smith in place of guys like Jason Kidd, Rasheed Wallace, and Kurt Thomas.
0 comments New York Knicks

2013/14 NBA D-League Assignments

By | at November 7, 2013 12:24 pm

Much has been made of the increased tax penalties and the effort to improve parity under the NBA’s current Collective Barganing Agreement. However, one underreported detail of the CBA relates to D-League assignments, which now have fewer restrictions and limits than ever before. As a result, more and more NBA teams are engaging in single-affiliate partnerships with D-League clubs, which often allows the NBA franchise to control coaching hires, roster moves, and other aspects of its D-League affiliate.

The upshot is that more NBA teams are using their D-League squads like true minor league affiliates, frequently assigning young prospects or players rehabbing injuries. With 14 NBA clubs engaged in single-affiliate relationships with D-League teams this season, I expect we’ll see a new record set for D-League assignments in 2013/14.

Throughout the season, we’ll use this space to track all of ’13/14’s assignments and recalls, team by team. You can find this page, which we’ll update throughout the season, anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features.” You can also refresh your memory on the rules for D-League assignments by checking out our primer.

Here are the NBA’s D-League assignments for 2013/14:

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

Minnesota Timberwolves

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

Washington Wizards

35 comments NBA G League

Rockets Assign Canaan, Covington To D-League

By | at November 7, 2013 11:05 am

The Rockets became the first team this season to assign players to the D-League, when they announced today that Isaiah Canaan and Robert Covington would join the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Twitter link via Jason Friedman of Rockets.com).

Neither Canaan nor Covington has seen the court for Houston so far during the regular season, so it makes sense that the team would send them to the Vipers, where they’ll get a chance to play. Both rookies figure to shuttle back and forth between the NBA and D-League squads frequently this year — as I wrote when I examined D-League assignment trends in the spring, few teams use their D-League affiliates more actively than the Rockets.

D-League camps are set to open Friday, but the Vipers’ regular season schedule doesn’t get underway until November 23rd, so it’s not clear yet how long Canaan’s and Covington’s assignments will last.

2 comments Houston Rockets NBA G League

41 2013 Draftees On NBA Rosters

By | at November 7, 2013 10:23 am

Under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, draft picks have become more valuable than ever. As Mark Deeks wrote yesterday in a piece for SBNation.com, first-round picks are harder and harder to come by in trades, since teams love the appeal of being able to acquire cost-controlled young talent. Second-round picks, meanwhile, can sometimes be even more coveted than first-rounders, since teams don’t necessarily have to guarantee money to their second-round players, many of whom sign for the minimum salary or close to it.

Draft picks also allow NBA teams to select a player and stash him overseas, ensuring that he develops for another professional team and comes stateside when he’s NBA-ready. In other words, whether a club signs a player immediately or just hangs onto his rights for a couple years, draftees are among the most valuable assets for NBA teams.

It’s no surprise then that nearly 10% of the players on NBA rosters this year were selected in the 2013 draft. 41 players from this year’s draft class are currently on NBA teams, while the other 19 draftees will hone their craft overseas or in the D-League.

Of the 30 players selected in the first round, only Lucas Nogueira (Hawks) and Livio Jean-Charles (Spurs) are playing overseas, for Estudiantes in Spain and Asvel Villeurbanne in France, respectively. However, the career paths for this year’s second-rounders are a little more diverse. With the help of Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival, here’s a breakdown of where 2013’s second-round picks are currently playing (draft position in parentheses):

NBA:

Overseas:

  • Alex Abrines, Thunder (32): Barcelona (Spain)
  • Mike Muscala, Hawks (44): Obradoiro (Spain)
  • Marko Todorovic, Rockets (45): Barcelona (Spain)
  • Erick Green, Nuggets (46): Montepaschi (Italy)
  • Raul Neto, Jazz (47): Lagun Aro (Spain)
  • James Ennis, Heat (50): Perth Wildcats (Australia)
  • Colton Iverson, Celtics (53): Besiktas (Turkey)
  • Arsalan Kazemi, 76ers (54): Petrochimi (Iran)
  • Joffrey Lauvergne, Nuggets (55): Partizan (Serbia)
  • Deshaun Thomas, Spurs (58): Nanterre (France)
  • Bojan Dubljevic, Timberwolves (59): Valencia (Spain)
  • Janis Timma, Grizzlies (60): Ventspils (Latvia)

D-League:

  • Grant Jerrett, Thunder (40): Tulsa 66ers.
  • Pierre Jackson, Pelicans (42): Idaho Stampede
  • Romero Osby (51): Fort Wayne Mad Ants. NBA rights no longer held by Magic.
  • Lorenzo Brown (52): Springfield Armor. NBA rights no longer held by Timberwolves.

Free Agent:

  • Alex Oriakhi, Suns (57): Recently parted ways with Limoges.
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Western Notes: Cuban, D12, Nuggets, Cousins

By | at November 7, 2013 8:51 am

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been one of David Stern’s most notable nemeses during the latter half of Stern’s tenure as commissioner, racking up seven figures worth of fines from the NBA. But as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com details, in a recent interview with NBA TV, Cuban had nothing but kind words for Stern, saying that he’ll miss the NBA commissioner after he retires in February. Cuban also joked that he’s determined to be the last person fined by Stern during the commissioner’s 30-year tenure.

Here’s more from around the West on a Thursday morning:

  • Dwight Howard tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he feels like it’s “irrelevant” to keep talking about why he left the Lakers for the Rockets at this point, noting that it happened months ago and that people change jobs every day.
  • In a mailbag for the Denver Post, Chris Dempsey observes that the Nuggets don’t really have any immovable contracts, which means there will be plenty of trade options available for the club later in the season. Dempsey expects the team to make at least one or two moves, perhaps including Andre Miller.
  • After signing a four-year, maximum-salary extension with the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins is dealing with increased responsibility and increased expectations this season, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes.
0 comments Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Houston Rockets Sacramento Kings

Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Brooks, Woodson, Raptors

By | at November 6, 2013 9:56 pm

Entering the 2013/14 NBA season, the Atlantic Division was generally predicted to contain at least two playoff teams: the Nets and Knicks. So far in the early goings of ’13/14, neither team looked overly dominant. The Nets saw an impressive win over Miami before a 21-point loss to Orlando in their next contest. The Knicks have lost three straight and center Tyson Chandler was just sidelined for at least four weeks. It’s been a rough start for the two teams projected to finish at the top of the division.

Here some notes from around the Atlantic Division:

0 comments Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Miami Heat New York Knicks Toronto Raptors

Odds & Ends: Gasol, Howard, Redd, Martin

By | at November 6, 2013 7:48 pm

It’s been an exciting night around the NBA. Let’s take a look at some headlines that have surfaced throughout the league:

  • Lakers forward-center Pau Gasol wishes Dwight Howard luck in Houston and respects his decision to leave L.A., reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. Gasol, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2013/14 season, will have the opportunity to follow in Howard’s footsteps if he wants a change of scenery. It’s been reported that Gasol has expressed interest in remaining in Los Angeles, but it’s too early to make any assumptions.
  • Speaking of Howard, the dominant big man sat down and told Sam Amick of USA TODAY that he was tired of talking about his decision to leave the Lakers: “It’s time for everybody to get over it. It happened. It’s in the past. I’ve gotten over it. It didn’t work out (with the Lakers last season). The timing was off. It just wasn’t (there). Everybody was injured.”
  • Michael Redd has officially retired tonight tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. He goes on to say that several teams tried to lure Redd to camp last summer, and among them was the Spurs.
  • Redd has interest in rejoining the Bucks in some capacity, but not in a coaching role, Woelfel also tweets.
  • Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that Kevin Martin has clarified he was not speaking ill of former teammate Kevin Durant on Sunday when he said of the Timberwolves: “This is such a fun team to play on. Nobody is trying to lead the league in scoring here.” Wednesday morning, Durant told local reporters in Oklahoma City: “I know K-Mart. He’s not that type of guy.” Martin signed a four-year deal with the Wolves this offseason after a one-year stint with the Thunder.
0 comments Los Angeles Lakers Milwaukee Bucks San Antonio Spurs

Celtics Notes: Wallace, Draft, Rivers

By | at November 6, 2013 6:24 pm

It’s been since the 1969/70 season that the Celtics have stumbled out of the gate to an 0-4 start. To provide some historical context, consider that Bill Russell had just retired after his 13th season, and promising rookie guard Jo Jo White was just about to begin his NBA career with the C’s.

This year’s squad is trying to find their first win against their fifth opponent, just like the Celtics from ’69/70 did. Boston squares off tonight against a Utah Jazz team that is also yet to taste victory in 2013/14. Here’s some notes about the Celtics from around the NBA:

  • Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets that he expects Gerald Wallace to remain in Boston for the time being. Mannix suggests that it will be difficult for the Celtics find a suitor willing to take on the veteran forward’s lofty contract without the Celtics giving up one of the first-round picks they acquired from the Nets this offseason. Wallace, 31, is set to make $30MM+ over the next three years.
  • Mannix also tweets that Boston figures to be in full rebuilding mode this season and veterans on the team will more than likely tire of the team’s dedication to developing youth. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports that Wallace spoke out tonight, saying it was tough for him to accept a role off the bench.
  • Mark Deeks of SB Nation discusses how the value of first-round picks has substantially increased over the last few seasons and cites the trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets as an example of just how valuable early draft selections have become. Deeks notes that the Celtics were willing to send off a duo of future Hall of Famers in an attempt at success down the road, a deal which may not have taken place just a few years earlier.
  • Doc Rivers was apparently a fan of J.J. Redick even before the Clippers acquired the Duke product in a trade this offseason. John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com reports that Rivers tried to arrange a deal to send then-Magic guard Redick to Boston on multiple occasions.
0 comments Boston Celtics

Knicks Rumors: Barron, Woodson, Collins

By | at November 6, 2013 5:15 pm

It’s been an eventful day for Knicks content so far at Hoops Rumors. In addition to discussing the club in a pair of notes posts, I also explored possible solutions for the team’s depleted frontcourt. News of Tyson Chandler‘s injury has plenty more updates coming out of New York, so let’s round up the latest:

0 comments Boston Celtics Milwaukee Bucks New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Orlando Magic Washington Wizards

Offseason In Review: Toronto Raptors

By | at November 6, 2013 4:10 pm

Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees, and more will be covered, as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.

Signings

Trades

Draft Picks

  • None

Camp Invitees

Departing Players

Rookie Contract Option Decisions

If one of the keys to assembling a successful NBA roster involves buying low and selling high on assets, Masai Ujiri‘s return to Toronto is somewhat ironic. After all, Ujiri had been with the Raptors previously, working in a more under-the-radar position as the team’s assistant GM under Bryan Colangelo, before he was hired away by the Nuggets. After he was named Executive of the Year earlier in 2013, the Raptors lured him back to Toronto with a lucrative multiyear offer to run the team’s basketball operations. Now the Raptors are hoping that, with Ujiri running the show, the GM himself is the last asset the team has to “buy high” on anytime soon.

With no picks at his disposal in the 2013 draft, the first task facing Ujiri upon his arrival in Toronto was figuring out what to do with Andrea Bargnani. The former first overall pick had been the subject of a few amnesty rumors leading up to the offseason, but a trade was the preferred option, since Linas Kleiza always looked like the team’s most likely amnesty victim. Coming off a 2012/13 season in which he appeared in just 35 games, posting an 11.2 PER to go along with a .399 FG%, Bargnani’s stock was at an all-time low.

Yet somehow Ujiri managed to land a first-round pick for Bargnani, along with a pair of future second-rounders and a couple of the Knicks’ unwanted mid-level contracts. The first-rounder headed to Toronto in 2016 will be the less favorable of Denver’s and New York’s picks that year. Such a pick wouldn’t have been all that desirable in 2013, but who knows what the Nuggets and Knicks will look like three years from now — it’s not out of the realm of possibility that both clubs could be in the lottery.

For Ujiri, who engineered the deals that shipped Carmelo Anthony and Nene out of Denver, the Bargnani trade was the latest example of his ability to extract more value than expected in situations where he didn’t have much leverage. It’s a talent that could come in handy in the next year or two for the Raptors, since players like Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, and DeMar DeRozan may not fit in the team’s long-term plan. If Ujiri decides to move any of those players, Raptors fans should have confidence that he won’t settle for 50 cents on the loonie.

Outside of the Bargnani deal, Ujiri’s first offseason back with the Raptors lacked a major splash. As mentioned earlier, Toronto didn’t have a first- or second-rounder in June’s draft, and the absence of any real cap flexibility ensured that the club was fairly quiet in free agency. The front office also took a wait-and-see approach with head coach Dwane Casey, who is in the final year of his contract.

The Raptors’ handful of small signings were uninspiring, as the team added a pair of players who contributed to a subpar Pacers bench last season: Tyler Hansbrough and D.J. Augustin. In addition to the ex-Pacers duo, the Raps signed Austin Daye, Dwight Buycks, and Julyan Stone to deals worth the minimum or close to it. Toronto liked Buycks enough to offer him a guaranteed non-minimum salary in his rookie year, and Stone’s time in Denver put him on Ujiri’s radar. Still, it’s unlikely that either player, or Daye, will play significant minutes this season unless injuries plague the team’s regular contributors.

The Raptors head into the 2013/14 season in a tough spot. The team is playing in the right conference to contend for a postseason berth, and there’s enough talent on the roster that it’s a real possibility. But unlike his predecessor, Ujiri reportedly doesn’t believe the current roster is capable of turning the Raptors into a legit contender, so he’ll be tasked with figuring out the best way to change that.

While blowing up everything and building around Jonas Valanciunas is one option, another extended rebuild doesn’t sound overly appealing for a team that has only advanced past the first round once in its history. The best-case scenario for Ujiri involves finding a way to turn his veteran assets into 2014 picks or young players that would help the Raptors improve their long-term prospects without considerably compromising the club’s short-term outlook.

That’s much easier said than done, though if there’s a GM capable of it, it’s the NBA’s reigning Executive of the Year. For Ujiri, the Bargnani trade was a step in the right direction, but the toughest decisions are still to come.

3 comments Offseason In Review Toronto Raptors
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