Western Notes: Iguodala, Jazz, Favors
Andre Iguodala‘s averages are down, but he’s having a monster year for the Warriors, writes Jimmy Durkin of the Bay Area News Group.
“The thing about Andre is he’s not afraid of the moment,” Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. “We’ve got guys who put the time in. He’s another guy who’s there 10, 11 o’clock at night getting shots up. You think he stumbles into that shot and he’s not afraid of it, but I’m watching him at midnight taking those same shots. So when the lights come on and the curtains open up, he’s ready and prepared. He’s once again showing why we went and got him. He’s a big-time player.”
Here’s this afternoon’s look at the Western Conference:
- Since signing his new lucrative deal with the Jazz, forward Derrick Favors has been delivering the goods, writes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. Favors inked a four-year, $49MM extension with Utah in the fall.
- Former Mavericks guard Darren Collison is now in the spotlight with the Clippers, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. “I’m just glad I fell into a situation like the Clippers that’s given me the opportunity,” Collison said. “Now I have a chance to play for a contending team that’s going to give me a chance to play for something more special.”
- Former Jazz big man Kyrylo Fesenko has entered the NBA D-League player pool, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Fesenko last played in the NBADL during the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons with the Utah Flash. Fesenko was assigned five times during that time span by the Jazz.
Eastern Notes: Pacers, Young, Harrellson
The Pacers announced their recall of Solomon Hill from the D-League today, a move that came none too soon for the rookie, as Scott Agness of Pacers.com details. Hill averaged 29.5 minutes in two games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, about 10 fewer minutes per game than Pacers teammate Orlando Johnson saw during his assignments to the D-League last season.
“The D-League is for developing talent and I didn’t get a chance to play,” Hill said. “I sat the whole fourth quarter. It’s like, is it really a developmental league? I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play with the Mad Ants organization, but in order for me to try to develop, I have to be on the floor. That just makes me think about my next trip, if I want to go back down there. I’m kind of not tempted to go back down there now just because if I go down there and play 25 minutes after a two-hour drive, it’s like, am I really developing?”
Hill went on to say that he still feels like he got something from the experience, but it’s a reminder that the continued growth of the D-League will face some resistance. Pacers coach Frank Vogel doesn’t believe in sending players to the D-League if they don’t want to go, so don’t count on seeing Hill in Fort Wayne again. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Any team in the league would love to have Thaddeus Young, an NBA executive tells Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, who calls the forward the Sixers‘ best trade chip. Young says to Cooney that he wants to be in a winning situation, but he laughs off the notion that he’s disgruntled with the Sixers.
- This time around, Josh Harrellson doesn’t have to worry as much about Tuesday’s contract guarantee date, writes David Mayo of MLive.com. The Pistons forward didn’t survive the cut with the Heat last season, but this year, he’s a rotation player and much more likely to stick.
- As the Cavs ponder their options with Andrew Bynum, the Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto implores the team to make a move to upgrade its roster and stick to its plan of striving for a playoff berth this season.
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat should consider making a run at the recently waived Hedo Turkoglu. Rashard Lewis more or less already has the role that Turkoglu would fill as a big man with range, even if there’s no such thing as too much three-point shooting, Winderman writes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
10-Day Contracts
Usually, teams can begin signing players to 10-day contracts on January 5th each year. Since tomorrow is a Sunday, the NBA will wait until Monday, the next business day, to renew the annual tradition of the ultimate on-the-job tryout in professional sports.
The 10-day contract has been the foot in the door for several players who’ve gone on to lengthy, successful NBA careers, like Anthony Mason, Bruce Bowen, Raja Bell, Kurt Rambis, Howard Eisley and several others. More recently, C.J. Watson saw his first NBA action on a pair of 10-day contracts with the Warriors in 2008, and he’s since blossomed into a premier backup point guard, having signed a two-year deal for about $4MM with the Pacers this past summer.
Ten-day deals also help veterans make comebacks. Chris Andersen languished in free agency for sixth months after the Nuggets used the amnesty clause to get rid of him, but a pair of 10-day contracts with the Heat kick-started a revival for the Birdman. He wound up signing for the rest of the season and played a key role on Miami’s championship team before landing much greater security with a two-year contract this past summer.
Similarly, former first-round pick Gerald Green had been out of the league for three years when he made a splash during his pair of 10-day deals with the Nets in 2011/12. That earned him a contract for the rest of the season, and he parlayed 12.9 points and 48.1% shooting in 25.2 minutes per game for the Nets into a three-year, $10.5MM contract with the Pacers the following summer.
Still, the 10-day is usually a fleeting glimpse at NBA life for players on pro basketball’s fringe. Only a fraction of last year’s 10-day signees remain in the league, as I noted earlier this season. Hunter Atkins of The New York Times followed another Nets player who signed a 10-day contract in 2011/12, chronicling Andre Emmett‘s brief return to the NBA. Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated took a similarly revealing look at the life of Zabian Dowdell as he tried to make the most of a 10-day with the Suns three years ago.
Teams can sign a player to as many as two 10-day contracts before committing to him for the rest of the season, or, as in many cases, turning him away. Clubs can terminate a 10-day contract at any time if they no longer want the player around. Ten-day deals are almost always for a pro-rated portion of the minimum salary, though agents and teams are free to negotiate the financial terms.
Usually, teams only have one player on a 10-day contract at a time, though they’re allowed to carry as many 10-day contracts as they have players on the inactive list. If a team has 13 players on the active list, it can carry one more 10-day contract than the number of inactive players it has, meaning a 15-man club could have as many as three guys on 10-day deals.
The 10-day salaries, however small, count for cap and luxury-tax purposes, so a team like the Celtics, who are perilously close to the tax threshold, may be wary of bringing anybody aboard by this method. Other teams may make liberal use of 10-day deals. The taxpaying Heat signed four players to a total of seven 10-day contracts, both NBA highs last season. The Mavericks came closest to matching that as they scrambled in vain in make the playoffs, inking four players to six 10-day deals.
Veterans who have recently been released from NBA teams, like Lou Amundson, Hilton Armstrong and Mike James, figure to draw consideration for 10-day contracts, as should notable players who’ve gone unsigned this season, like Richard Hamilton, Mickael Pietrus and Daniel Gibson. Recent D-League signees Terrence Williams, Von Wafer and Chris Smith could all see their way back to the NBA via 10-day contracts. NBA neophytes could merit 10-day deals, too, and many of them will be showing off to scouts at the five-day D-League showcase starting Sunday.
All season long, you can keep tabs on 10-day signings with the Hoops Rumors tracker. If you click “Filter,” you’ll see a menu of options that can display customized lists of 10-day signings dating back to the 2006/07 season.
Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.
A version of this post was initially published on January 5th, 2013.
Lakers Rumors: Bynum, Gasol, Marshall
The Cavs are zeroing in on the Lakers as a potential trade partner for an Andrew Bynum deal, but it doesn’t appear as though the Lakers seem eager to play along. They believe there are ways of avoiding the luxury tax that don’t involve unloading Pau Gasol, and according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, they feel like it’s increasingly unlikely they’ll find middle ground with Cleveland (Twitter link). Here’s the latest from Lakerland as the team surveys its position:
- “Marshall Madness,” has lifted the Lakers, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. D-League pickup Kendall Marshall wasn’t seeing much playing time in his first five games on the roster, but injuries to Xavier Henry and Jordan Farmar forced coach Mike D’Antoni to call his number. Since then, he’s responded quite well and showed the kind of potential that made him a lottery pick just a couple of years ago. The point guard racked up 20 points and 15 assists in the Lakers’ 110-99 win over the Jazz on Friday.
- Marshall took notice when the Jazz cut Jamaal Tinsley and replaced him with Diante Garrett. “I know that the Jazz let go of a guard earlier this year and I didn’t get a call, so I kind of felt a certain way about that,” Marshall said, according to Bill Oram of the Orange County Register (on Twitter).
- Six-year NBA veteran and former Laker Von Wafer is headed to the D-League, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Wafer last played in the NBA D-League in 2006, when the Lakers assigned him to the Fort Worth Flyers. He most recently played for the Shanghai Sharks, and averaged 27.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in five games. The 28-year-old will likely play during the NBA D-League Showcase, which is scheduled to begin Sunday.
- Pau-Orthez of France announced the signing of Eric Boateng, who spent camp with the Lakers this fall (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). The 28-year-old center had been playing with La Union in Argentina, Carchia notes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Chris Smith Signs To Play In D-League
Chris Smith has signed with the D-League, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Smith reportedly wanted to take some time before deciding on his next move after the Knicks waived him this week, but apparently he made his choice quickly.
Smith appeared in six games this season for the Erie Bayhawks, the D-League affiliate of the Knicks, while he was under contract with New York, but he won’t necessarily wind up with Erie again. He’ll go through the league’s waiver process, meaning several clubs will have a shot at him. Regardless of where he ends up, he’ll be free to jump to the Knicks or any other NBA team at any time if he shows promise.
Of course, that seems an unlikely proposition for Smith, whom an NBA GM referred to as “maybe the worst player in the history of the Summer League,” according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Smith, a 6’2″ guard, put up 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24.7 minutes per game during his time with Erie this year.
Smith is the brother of Knicks swingman J.R. Smith, who appears to have gotten over his frustration with the team for releasing his brother.
D-League Notes: Gobert, Clark, T’Wolves
Today’s look at the D-League..
- The Spurs announced that they have recalled guard Nando De Colo from the Austin Toros of the D-League. De Colo made his fifth appearance for the Toros this season Friday evening helping Austin to a 122-97 home victory over the Texas Legends finishing with 21 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. For now, teammate Malcolm Thomas remains in Austin.
- Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Ian Clark will be staying in L.A. following last night’s game against the Lakers because they’re both being assigned to the D-League once more, tweets Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.
- The T’Wolves are giving some thought to purchasing a D-League team, writes Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press. “Eventually that might be something that we want to do, where we have a team where we can send (players) back and forth,” president of basketball operations Flip Saunders said. The Wolves plan on sending Shabazz Muhammad to their shared affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa. It’ll be their first D-League assignment since 2011/12.
- Brandon Parker of the Washington Post wonders what kind of impact it will have on the D-League if Celtics star Rajon Rondo is sent down to rehab from injury. Having household names rehab on a farm team would increase the D-League’s exposure and attendance. It also, of course, would give NBA players a great way to ease back into regular action.
Central Notes: Bulls, Carmelo, Bynum, Dunleavy
It wouldn’t make sense for the Bulls to go out and sign Knicks star Carmelo Anthony this summer, writes Sam Smith of NBA.com in his latest mailbag. Yes, Anthony would be a tremendous scoring threat when paired with a healthy Derrick Rose, but it would probably call for Chicago to amnesty Carlos Boozer, let Luol Deng walk, and move Taj Gibson. Earlier today, we heard that the Knicks have discussed one possibility for trading Anthony internally. Here’s today’s look at the Central Division..
- No one knows where Andrew Bynum will end up, but Sam Amico of FOX Sports throws out five ideas for where the Cavaliers big man could land. One of Amico’s ideas is shipping the disgruntled big man to the Nets for Paul Pierce.
- Mike Dunleavy may be known for his long-distance shooting, but he offers much more than that on the court, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Dunleavy inked a two-year deal with Chicago worth the mid-level exception this past offseason.
- Coach Tom Thibodeau said the Bulls haven’t ruled out sending rookie Erik Murphy to the Iowa Energy of the D-League at some point, Johnson writes.
- Caron Butler pushed to be traded from the Suns to the Bucks because he didn’t want to be lost in Phoenix’s youth movement. Now, the veteran is fighting for burn in Milwaukee’s own youth push, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Gasol, Nash, Camby
Andrew Bynum‘s agent won’t get into specifics over what dissolved Bynum’s relationship with the Cavs, but it apparently wasn’t about his surroundings.
“Cleveland is not the problem. Cleveland is not a negative connotation,” agent David Lee said, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. “Andrew has shied away from publicity his entire life. He’s not a guy who needs the limelight. He lives in a simple neighborhood there. He walks his dog and rides his bike to the store. He goes to the movies by himself. Cleveland wasn’t a problem for him.”
While we wait to find out Bynum’s next destination, here’s the latest from around the NBA:
- The Lakers can envision ways of avoiding the luxury tax that don’t involve trading Pau Gasol, so that’s why they’re insisting they receive more than salary relief in any potential Gasol swap, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links).
- Steve Nash acknowledged to fellow ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe Dave McMenamin that he’s a candidate to hit the waiver wire this summer if his health doesn’t improve. “I don’t know all the technical possibilities but obviously know that nothing is guaranteed,” Nash said. “Obviously right now I have a guaranteed contract, but the future is totally in flux and anything is possible in the NBA and frankly with my health.”
- Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) spoke with Marcus Camby‘s agent, who gave him an update on the big man’s status as he recovers from the foot injury that prompted the Rockets to waive him in October. “[He’s] doing well, still rehabbing and does plan on playing when he completes his rehab likely towards the end of the month,” the agent, presumably Rick Kaplan, said.
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri isn’t necessarily looking to overhaul his club. “We’ll continue to evaluate the team. I know it’s what we keep saying but it’s been a huge encouragement by the way the team has played,” the GM said, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (Twitter links). “We want to be a good team. We want to be a winning team. But if it’s not that way, then we have to figure out a way to rebuild the team.“
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Cavs, Jazz Discussing Richard Jefferson
10:00pm: A source tells Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer not to expect a Bynum/Jefferson swap. “Nothing is happening, especially RJ,” the source said.
9:26pm: The Jefferson deal is one of three options for unloading Bynum that the Cavs are focused on, Stein and Windhorst write. Coming to a trade agreement with the Lakers is one of the other paths Cleveland might take. Keeping Bynum past Tuesday’s guarantee date and trying to trade him at the deadline or next summer is the third, according to the ESPN scribes. Utah’s demands in return for Jefferson aren’t likely as steep as the price the Lakers have set for a Gasol/Bynum swap, as Stein and Windhorst’s report also reads.
7:32pm: The Cavs and Jazz are discussing a deal involving Andrew Bynum and Richard Jefferson, according to Marc Stein (Twitter links) and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Cavs remain in talks with the Lakers about Pau Gasol, but the Utah deal is now also a possibility for them.
Jefferson would fill the Cavs’ need for a small forward and his $11MM deal expires at the end of the year. The 33-year-old’s star has faded considerably since his days with the Nets, but he is averaging nearly ten points per contest this season and has been shooting the long ball at an impressive 41.7% clip. For his career, Jefferson has averaged 14.8 PPG and 4.6 RPG across 13 seasons for the Nets, Bucks, Spurs, Warriors, and Jazz.
It would appear that RJ is one of the Cavs multiple offers that they are said to be mulling over at the moment. With pitches from the Jazz, Lakers, and others to possibly consider, Cleveland hopes to make a determination on Monday.
Deveney’s Latest: Miller, Hawks, Iguodala
Sean Deveney’s latest piece for The Sporting News focuses on Andre Iguodala‘s impact on the Warriors, timed appropriately enough since Iggy’s three-pointer at the buzzer gave the W’s a one-point win over the Hawks tonight. He passes along a few other tidbits of note, and we’ll start with those:
- The Nuggets are “a ways away” from trading Andre Miller, a source tells Deveney, adding that a deal would probably come closer to the February 20th trade deadline. Presumably, Deveney isn’t suggesting that Miller will probably be traded and is instead referring to the timing of any deal that might involve the 37-year-old. The Nuggets rescinded Miller’s suspension today, though a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that it was merely a gesture to allow Miller to receive his salary while he sits for two games (Twitter link).
- No moves that would help Atlanta’s front line are imminent, Deveney writes. The latest report we heard indicated that Hawks GM Danny Ferry was still deciding whether to pursue reinforcements in the wake of Al Horford‘s season-ending injury. The team apparently had talks with the Magic about Hedo Turkoglu before Orlando let go of the veteran small forward today.
- Deveney points out that Iguodala’s teams have a record of 142-89 (143-89 after tonight) over the past four years in games he plays, and 12-21 when he doesn’t. That was a reason why Golden State sought to acquire him this summer, Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob tells Deveney. “He is a winner,” Lacob said. “He knows how to win. Anyone you talked to about him, coaches or whoever it was, that was what they said.”