Bobcats Sign DJ White To 10-Day Deal
FRIDAY, 10:53am: The team has officially announced its 10-day deal with White.
WEDNESDAY, 1:24pm: The Bobcats are planning to sign DJ White to a 10-day contract once they receive clearance from FIBA, reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Shams Charania of RealGM reported earlier today that the team was strongly considering the big man. FIBA, basketball’s international governing body, requires that players switching countries seek clearance from the organization before signing a contract. White has spent most of the season playing in China with the Sichuan Blue Whales. FIBA approval is usually a formality, meaning it’s probably only a matter of time before the 27-year-old joins the Bobcats.
White spent part of 2010/11 and all of 2011/12 with Charlotte, averaging 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 82 appearances as a Bobcat. That’s so far the most productive stretch the former 29th overall pick has enjoyed in the NBA. He made it into a dozen games with Boston last year, but like this season, White spent most of 2012/13 playing in China. The former Indiana Hoosier averaged 20.2 PPG and 8.5 RPG with Sichuan this year, but he did so primarily as a reserve.
The Bobcats appear to envision White as a third-string center, even though he’s only 6’9″. Charlotte worked out a handful of players last week in hopes of finding a center to replace Brendan Haywood, who appears likely to miss the season, but coach Steve Clifford has acknowledged the difficulty of finding free agent pivotmen this time of year, Bonnell notes.
Charlotte has an open roster spot, so the team won’t have to cut anyone to bring White aboard. I speculated that the Bobcats might offer the Jeff Wechsler client a deal for the rest of the season instead of a 10-day contract, but it looks like White will have to prove himself on a short-term deal before the team commits to him for the balance of the year.
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We’ll turn to the Hoops Rumors Facebook page first this time around, where we asked who should coach the Knicks next season. Reader Rashard Green threw his support behind the embattled incumbent.
- “I’m going to go with [Mike] Woodson. I don’t think all the blame should be put on him. There were various issues the Knicks faced this year that affected the season. In all seven years as the Hawks coach the team improved, so I think he can do the same in New York. I think there may be a few assistant coaching changes and some roster moves. Amar’e [Stoudemire]‘s huge contract has to go. [Raymond] Felton is going to have to go, too, for starters. J.R. Smith better tighten up or he’s going to be gone, too, which is a shame because he could be such a asset when he’s focused.”
The Bobcats traded Ramon Sessions at the deadline, but apparently he harbors no ill will toward the team, and the veteran guard would love to head back to Charlotte in free agency this summer. Such a move would have a ripple effect, ozzie says.
- Sessions did play well while a Bobcat but if he did come back, who would need to sit or go? Sessions and [Gary] Neal seem to play alike. I would think [Luke] Ridnour would be the odd man out depending on the draft.
The notion that the Lakers should trade their lottery pick this year in a deal for Kevin Love is a popular one in some circles, but not with jeremy, who urges patience.
- I would love to see Love as a Laker, but they’re better off signing him as a free agent and using the pick to help build the team. This is a team game, not a one-man show.
We appreciate everyone who adds to the dialogue at Hoops Rumors, and we look forward to seeing more responses like these from you!
And-Ones: Bulls, Harris, Jackson, Powell
In his latest piece for ESPNChicago.com, Nick Friedell discusses with Jon Greenberg and Scoop Jackson what the Bulls’ offseason plan should consist of if they can’t land Carmelo Anthony. Friedell think bringing Nikola Mirotic from overseas makes the most sense, while Greenberg believes Lance Stephenson would be a great fit with coach Tom Thibodeau. Here’s more from around the Association:
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban confesses he regrets rescinding a contract offer he made to Devin Harris last summer that would have locked up the former All-Star for three years, reports Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW. Cuban decided to only offer Harris a one-year pact in wake of the news that the point guard would need foot surgery.
- Bill Bradley was Phil Jackson‘s teammate on the Knicks’ two championship teams of 1969/70 and 1972/73, and he sees Jackson as a perfect fit as team president, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I think he’s got an unparalleled record,” Bradley said, “a good head on his shoulders, knows what’s important in building a winning culture. That’s a great combination“
- Gregg Popovich is known for his tendency to blow off reporters, but the Spurs coach had no shortage of words on how beneficial he thought the hiring of Jackson would be for the Knicks, says Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. “To have somebody of Phil Jackson’s stature back in the mix is just a huge plus for everybody involved, so I think it’s great,” said Popovich. “When you put together a group and there’s synergy between the general manager, a president, as he’s going to be, and a coach… He just has to make sure that synergy exists and I’m sure that he will. He’s a smart man. There will be a system and a culture, for sure.“
- ESPN’s 5-on-5 panel breaks down the NBA prospects they find most intriguing, and Brett Koremenos of Grantland writes that while Stanford forward Dwight Powell is often overlooked, a strong tournament showing by him and his team could boost his standing on scouts’ draft boards around the league.
Steve Nash Plans To Play Again In 2013/14
MARCH 20TH: Nash plans to return to the Lakers’ lineup on Friday night, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. He’ll likely come off the bench and serve as a backup to Kendall Marshall.
MARCH 19TH: The Lakers haven’t completely ruled out a return for Nash this season, D’Antoni now says, according to McMenamin (Twitter link).
MARCH 13TH: D’Antoni says definitively that Nash isn’t going to return this season, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. There remains no formal announcement from the team.
MARCH 3RD: Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni doubts point guard Steve Nash will return to play this season, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. D’Antoni isn’t ruling Nash out entirely, as Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com points out (on Twitter), but D’Antoni wants to give minutes to the team’s younger guards, and the 40-year-old Nash apparently still isn’t feeling right. There’s a strong chance the two-time MVP has played his last, given his persistent injuries the past two seasons and the specter that the Lakers would use the stretch provision to waive him in the summer.
Nash recently said he’d either be “back with the Lakers next year or this is it,” dispelling the notion that he’d play for the Clippers. GM Mitch Kupchak has said it would be “unethical” for the team to try to talk Nash into retirement this summer, and Nash recently denied a report that he’s planning to walk away. Still, Nash acknowledged earlier this year that the Lakers could waive him and use the stretch provision to spread his $9.701MM cap hit for next season over the next three years instead.
The Lakers could invite Nash back on a cheaper contract if they waive him, though it seems unlikely he’d warrant any more than the minimum salary. Nash has suffered from pain stemming from a nerve root irritation that happened as a result of a fractured left leg early last season, just after he’d inked a three-year contract for slightly more than $27.9MM to join the Lakers in a sign-and-trade from the Suns.
Kupchak has said he still has no regrets about the deal, even though it’s seemingly been governed by Murphy’s Law from day one. Nash’s performance declined last year, and this season, he’s appeared in just 10 games. The tenth game made it impossible for the Lakers to wipe his salary for next season completely off their books in a medical retirement scenario.
In any case, Nash isn’t quite ready to declare himself done for the year, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News observes (Twitter link).
“We’ll see,” Nash said. “I couldn’t really make a prediction. If I get a chance, it’ll be great.”
Atlantic Notes: Stoudemire, Jackson, Livingston
The Knicks are riding the second-longest winning streak in the NBA at seven games, and the resurgence of Amar’e Stoudemire has been instrumental in their recent success. Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report sat down with Stoudemire and spoke about the big man’s tenure in New York. Stoudemire touches on why he was initially excited to play for the Knicks and reveals he’s interested in taking on a front office role for the team someday. Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- In a piece for Basketball Insiders, Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times runs down the 2014 cap situation for each team in the Atlantic Division. The Celtics, Knicks, and Nets are likely to remain over the cap this offseason, while the Raptors and Sixers will probably have the chance to slip underneath.
- New Knicks president Phil Jackson is likely to be a big draw for free agents, but Jeanie Buss doesn’t think he’ll be able to match the allure that the Lakers franchise has, write Pincus and fellow LA Times scribe Mike Bresnahan. “I think the Lakers are a legacy franchise,” Buss told ESPN 710. “Players know when they come here this is the ultimate platform… I’m not worried about that in any way, shape or form.”
- Five analysts discuss Jackson’s hiring in a USA Today piece. Most of them don’t think bringing in Jackson will win the Knicks a championship, but the consensus is that it ultimately won’t harm the Zen Master’s legacy.
- Shaun Livingston was able to recover from a gruesome injury and become a key piece in the Nets’ rotation this season. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today elaborates on the point guard’s career.
Draft Rumors: Wilbekin, Young, Sixers, Embiid
March Madness is officially underway, and Chris Dortch of NBA.com has complied a list of players who have the most to gain from a good performance in the NCAA Tournament. Gator seniors Scottie Wilbekin and Patric Young are among the players mentioned, and Dortch thinks a tourney title from Florida would greatly help their stocks. Let’s round up some more draft rumors:
- Having lost 22 straight contests and sitting at 15-53, the Sixers are sure to receive a high lottery pick in June’s draft. Rather than addressing needs at a particular position, Philly coach Brett Brown‘s draft strategy is to “take the best player and figure it out,” reveals Tom Moore of the Intelligencer.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com breaks down each tournament team’s prospects (Insider link). The South region has the most NBA-talent, according to Ford, but the Midwest region isn’t far behind.
- Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports gives an NBA scout’s take on 10 potential lottery picks. According to the scout, Joel Embiid will likely be the first player taken if his back problems prove to be a non-issue. “Teams don’t want to draft another Greg Oden,” said the scout. “Embiid will be No. 1 if there is no back issue. There is only one player in the draft that’s a potential franchise player, and that’s Embiid. It’s a deep draft. When I say franchise player, there are only eight or 10 of those in the league. Embiid has the potential to be one.”
- The latest mock draft from Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders sees Embiid going third overall, behind Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.
- Adreian Payne‘s 41 point performance today will do nothing but help the MSU Spartan’s draft stock, and Chad Ford tweets that a few more big games out of Payne could help boost him into a lock for the lottery. Ford notes Payne is particularly appealing because there aren’t many stretch fours in this year’s class. Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com thinks Payne will be a mid-first-round pick, but that he won’t end up being a star in the NBA (Twitter link).
- Michigan forward Glenn Robinson III needs to have a strong performance in the tournament to prove he’s not just coasting off his family name, opines Howard-Cooper. Robinson is the son of the former All-Star who shares the same name.
Pacific Rumors: Sacre, Kings, White, Kuzmic
Although Robert Sacre isn’t likely to make any All-Star teams in the foreseeable future, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni is happy to have the big man on his squad, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. “He works harder than anyone on the team, without a doubt, it’s not even close,” said D’Antoni. “In the weight room, on the floor, before practice, he’s trying to make himself into a player.” Sacre’s deal runs through the 2015/16 season, though his final year is non-guaranteed. Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Sacramento has received the legal OK to take possession of a former Macy’s store on the site of the planned Kings arena, eliminating one of the final hurdles to beginning construction, the team announced. Sacramento and the Kings must open the arena by 2017 to prevent the league from seizing control of the team and perhaps selling it to investors who’d move it to another city.
- Kings coach Mike Malone says Royce White might make his NBA debut as early as tomorrow night, reveals Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. White is on his second 10-day deal with Sacramento and has played four games with their D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns. Apparently, White’s discussions with team GM Pete D’Alessandro have been positive, and White doesn’t have any doubts that the organization will work to properly handle his anxiety disorder that kept him from taking the court last season (All twitter links).
- The Warriors have recalled Ognjen Kuzmic from the D-League, the team announced. In 18 appearances for Golden State, Kuzmic has played just 61 minutes and averaged 0.5 PPG.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Mickael Pietrus Rules Out NBA Return In 2013/14
Mickael Pietrus is focusing on returning to the NBA in 2014/15, agent Bill McCandless tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, adding that the 32-year-old swingman plans to sit out the remainder of this season. Pietrus rejected multiple “significant” overseas offers, but he’s had no luck finding work in the Association this year, even though a pair of NBA teams were reportedly keeping tabs on him as of January.
Pietrus played last season for the Raptors, appearing in just 19 games but making 16 starts. His minutes were close to his career average, but his scoring, rebounding, assists and field goal percentage were all much lower than usual. He received an invitation to Spurs camp over the summer, but he rejected it, and while he tried to find his way onto the Blazers earlier this season, Portland turned him down.
McCandless suggests the reason that Pietrus has been unable to return to the league is because teams want to save room for this year’s draft class. That seems to indicate that Pietrus has been looking for a multiyear deal, though that’s just my speculation. In any case, if a team makes a suitable offer between now and the end of the season, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pietrus goes back on his plans to stay at home.
Eastern Rumors: ‘Melo, Billups, Allen, Heat
Carmelo Anthony is full of optimism about what Phil Jackson can do for the Knicks, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com observes. ‘Melo is similarly enthusiastic about what he can learn from Jackson and is glad that the Zen Master wants him to stick around beyond this season.
“I was hoping that I would be part of the future plans,” Anthony said. “I never once said that I wanted to leave New York or anything like that. The only thing I said was I’m going to dabble and try the free agency out, that I was going to opt out and become a free agent. … I’m excited about the opportunity to hopefully work with Phil.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Chauncey Billups says he won’t necessarily retire at the end of the season, but teams have already gauged his interest in joining their front offices, Billups told reporters, including Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. It’s unclear if the Pistons are one of those clubs, but Billups said he’d consider them if they offered a position. The 37-year-old would like to become a basketball executive at some point, adds Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post, who notes that Billups and Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars are close.
- Ray Allen, a free agent at season’s end, still has affection for Boston, and he’d like to see the Celtics retire his number, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.
- The Heat have assigned Justin Hamilton to the D-League, the team announced. The center will play in two games for the Sioux Falls Skyforce and return to the Heat after Saturday’s contest, according to Miami’s release.
Knicks Sign Shannon Brown For Rest Of Season
The Knicks have signed Shannon Brown for the rest of the season, the team announced via Twitter. The tweet notes that the team’s latest deal with Earl Clark has expired. The Knicks inked Clark to a pair of 10-day contracts at the same time they did so with Brown, so presumably that means New York doesn’t plan to re-sign Clark. The Knicks now have 14 guaranteed contracts, so they can add another player to replace Clark if they choose.
Brown first joined the Knicks late last month after the team waived Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih. The eighth-year veteran guard saw fewer minutes for New York than Clark did, but neither received significant playing time. Clark played a total of 70 minutes in nine games, averaging 2.6 points per contest. Brown has only seen the floor for 57 minutes across nine games, notching 1.8 PPG. Still, it appears the Knicks prefer to keep an extra guard instead of a forward like Clark.
It’s the first player personnel decision for the Knicks since Phil Jackson came aboard as team president. Brown played for then-coach Jackson for parts of three seasons with the Lakers, winning two championships. Clark also played for the Lakers, but that was after Jackson had stepped down as coach.
Brown has spent much of this season out of the league after the Wizards waived him shortly before the start of the season. He was with the Spurs in February on a pair of 10-day contracts, but San Antonio elected not to keep him for the season. New York’s decision to commit to Brown is a slight boon for the Wizards, who can defray a tiny amount of their remaining debt to the Mark Bartelstein client via set-off rights. Washington released Brown in spite of his $3.5MM guaranteed salary before the season to get down to 15 players after the unbalanced Marcin Gortat trade.