Warriors Rumors: Curry, O’Neal, Jackson
Marcus Thompson II of the Mercury News laid out a plan for how the Warriors can join the NBA elite. Even though they have four starters making $10MM or more and Klay Thompson is due an extension, they’ll have to find a way to put another star alongside Stephen Curry, Thompson writes. That could be easier said than done since the player they’d be most willing to move, David Lee, will earn $30.5MM over the next two years. Here’s more out of Oakland..
- Warriors center Jermaine O’Neal is expected to take his time in deciding whether to keep playing or retire, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. The veteran still loves the game but badly wants to spend time with his family, Spears writes. O’Neal averaged 7.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game for Golden State this season.
- Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle has more from O’Neal on his difficult decision.
- Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group takes a look at the contract situations of several key Warriors, sizing up the sway that each of them has with the front office and examining how the fate of Mark Jackson plays into their futures. Of note, Kawakami says that if Jackson returns, Steve Blake probably won’t.
- The Warriors are confident they’ll have enough room under the luxury tax threshold to sign a player for the full value of the mid-level exception this summer, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Lakers Rumors: Gasol, D’Antoni, Ollie
It sounds like Lakers fans hoping for a splashy coaching hire might just get their wish. Los Angeles brass reportedly wants to interview North Carolina head coach Roy Williams, who was on their wishlist ten years ago after Phil Jackson‘s first departure. The latest out of L.A..
- Pau Gasol butted heads with Mike D’Antoni quite a bit over the last two years, but it sounds like the coach’s departure won’t guarantee his return to the Lakers. “Mike leaving was not the be-all and end-all, but it is another factor,” Gasol told Spanish site Marca.com (h/t to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News). “What is certain is that we are without a coach and I say ‘we’ because I’m still thinking of myself as a Lakers player.”
- Contrary to what has been reported by some, Medina hears (on Twitter) that the Lakers have yet to contact Kevin Ollie and no meeting has been planned yet.
- Medina runs down five qualities that the Lakers’ next head coach will need to have. First and foremost, the Lakers’ next coach will need to figure out how to bolster the club’s defense. There’s no question that defense took a backseat in L.A. during D’Antoni’s tenure. The Lakers ranked near the bottom in nearly every defensive category last season, including 29th in total team defense at 109.2 points allowed per game.
Raptors Rumors: Carter, Casey, Ujiri
The Raptors weren’t able to knock off the Nets in their first round matchup, but there’s no denying that things have changed in Toronto. The energy that the Raptors crowd had for Game 7 hasn’t been seen since reign of Vince Carter and we learned earlier today that a reunion could be in the works. Here’s tonight’s look at the Raptors..
- Carter wants to remain with the Mavericks and was surprised to learn of a report that the Raptors could be interested in him, according to Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. Carter, 37, was one of the most productive Mavs players this season. The 15-year veteran averaged 11.9 points in only 24.4 minutes per game this season while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from 3-point range.
- Raptors coach Dwane Casey wasn’t GM Masai Ujiri‘s hire, but the two worked together previously and have been on the same page in Toronto, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today Sports. Earlier today, the Raptors gave Casey a brand new three-year pact.
- The new deal wasn’t a surprise to the Raptors players who basically said Casey would be back when asked if he should return in 2014/15, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
Rockets Rumors: Morey, Garcia, Parsons, Jones
The Rockets plan “to bring in a terrific free agent” and will be a “lot better” next season, owner Leslie Alexander told Mark Berman of FOX 26. Finding the space for another star won’t be easy for Houston – they already have nearly $57MM in commitments for 2014/15. More on the Rockets..
- Rockets GM Daryl Morey and head coach Kevin McHale will meet with Alexander on Wednesday in Florida to discuss plans for next season, a source tells Mark Berman of FOX 26 (via Twitter).
- Rockets forward Francisco Garcia has a player option for next season and says he hasn’t thought about his plans much yet, though he is happy in Houston, writes Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle. “I haven’t thought about it yet,” he said. “I want to relax a little bit. I like it here. It is a good home for me.” Garcia, 32, is the Rockets’ oldest player and is well-respected among his teammates
- Chandler Parsons has been one of the league’s most underpaid players over the last three seasons but he says he wants to stay put, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The forward isn’t sure if he’d be better off as a restricted free agent or to have the Rockets pick up their option on his contract.
- Forward Terrence Jones went from playing in the D-League to being central to the Rockets’ rotation in 2013/14, Creech writes.
Southwest Notes: Mavs, Dirk, Randolph, Grizzlies
The latest out of the Southwest Division..
- Dirk Nowitzki is staying put this summer, Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson tells reporters, including Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. “Obviously, you know, Dirk’s not going anywhere,” Nelson said. “He’s built this franchise and he’s been with us since Day 1. Certainly, there’s a negotiation that’s going to take place, but he loves this city and he wants to call it his home. We certainly reciprocate those feelings, and our hope is that we’ll get something done that’s not only in Dirk’s best interest but also affects the flexibility of the future of the Mavericks.”
- Count Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger among those hoping that Zach Randolph returns this summer, writes Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press. ”He knows he’s loved,” Joerger said Sunday. ”He knows he’s wanted here. We have a good relationship. A really, really good relationship. He was not difficult for me to coach at all. I really enjoyed coaching him. We’re really on the same page, so I hope we can continue that.” Randolph holds a player option worth $16.5MM. He led Memphis in scoring at 17.4 points per game and rebounding at 10.1 this season and was the team’s leading scorer against Oklahoma City with 18.2 points a game until his suspension.
- While it seems likely that Randolph will stay in Memphis, Ed Davis’ future with the Grizzlies is up in the air, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. If Memphis brings Randolph back, they may be priced out of keeping the 24-year-old restricted free agent. The Grizzlies can’t afford to spend a ton of money on a backup big man, so while they would love to keep Davis and do have the option to match any contract he receives, they can’t afford to go into luxury tax territory.
Eastern Links: Grunfeld, Kerr, Vasquez, Ariza
Ernie Grunfeld‘s contract with the Wizards was believed to run only through this season, but Mike Wise of The Washington Post reports that it covers next season, too. That Grunfeld is on target to return to the team for 2014/15 is no surprise, given Washington’s revival this year, and perhaps Grunfeld may still have the opportunity to parlay the success into an extension. Still, it looks he won’t be hitting the open market this summer. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Steve Kerr was the only voter to have Tim Hardaway Jr. atop his Rookie of the Year ballot. It’s seemingly further indication that Kerr is on his way to the Knicks, and a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that the would-be coach sees re-signing Carmelo Anthony as “vital” to the team’s future, as Berman writes.
- Greivis Vasquez is set for restricted free agency this summer, but he apparently has no intention of leaving the Raptors, as he told reporters today, including Cathal Kelly of The Globe and Mail (Twitter link). “I want to be back. I truly want to be back … It will truly be heartbreaking if I’m not back,” Vasquez said.
- Trevor Ariza would like to re-sign with the Wizards in free agency this summer and says that returning to the West Coast to be closer to family wouldn’t be his top priority, but the small forward tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post that he’ll go “wherever I’m wanted.”
- Elton Brand remains uncertain about retirement, though Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gets the sense that the 15th-year veteran still thinks he can play (Twitter link).
- Fellow Hawks big man Mike Scott, a restricted free agent, probably earned a raise as he established himself as a key part of Atlanta’s rotation this year, and he says he would like to come back to the team, Vivlamore tweets.
Mavs Rumors: Bledsoe, Stephenson, ‘Melo, Dirk
Mavs GM Donnie Nelson promises an “action-packed summer,” but he indicated today that he’s pleased with the roster as is, notes Bryan Gutierrez of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter links).
“I think if we had the same cast or crew come and lace ’em up next year, I’d feel real good about our chances,” he said.
Fellow ESPNDallas.com scribe Tim McMahon doesn’t buy it, writing that the Mavs front office knows it needs significant improvement to contend. There’s more from McMahon’s piece amid the latest on the Mavs:
- McMahon throws Eric Bledsoe‘s name into the mix of likely targets that already included Marcin Gortat and Luol Deng, though he acknowledges that it’ll be “extremely difficult” to pry Bledsoe, or even Gortat, away from their respective teams. The Mavs are unlikely to make a run at Lance Stephenson, according to McMahon.
- The Mavs would like to get involved in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, but not if he demands a max contract, McMahon writes.
- Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs have made it clear that they fully intend to strike a new deal this summer. Nowitzki acknowledged today that he doesn’t think it will resemble Kobe Bryant‘s massive two-year, $48.5MM extension, but he does want the team to respect his continued on-court prowess in negotiations, as Gutierrez observes (Twitter links). McMahon, in his piece, suggests Nowitzki is likely to sign a three-year, $30MM deal.
- Shawn Marion, who turns 36 on Wednesday, plans to play two more seasons, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com, noting that while there’s strong mutual interest in a return to the Mavs, the forward will also think about signing elsewhere. Still, he intends to retire as a Mav one way or another, Gutierrez notes (Twitter link).
- Soon-to-be free agent DeJuan Blair is hopeful that he’ll re-sign with the Mavs this summer, as Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram chronicles.
- We passed along news of the Mavs’ mutual interest in Devin Harris earlier today.
2014 Free Agent Power Rankings
A thrilling first round of the playoffs has vaulted Kyle Lowry into the latest edition of the Hoops Rumors 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings, even though his Raptors fell just short in their series against the Nets. Miami’s trio of stars are the only ones on this top 10 list whose teams remain alive in the playoffs, so a late charge from others might be enough to knock one of these names off for next time. Here’s a look at how the top free agents stand two weeks into the playoffs.
- LeBron James (early termination option) — Heat owner Micky Arison recently pegged the team’s chances of keeping the team’s big three together at 100%, as he spoke on 790 The Ticket (transcription via Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post). Arison also said that while he hopes it won’t be a challenge to retain them, he suggested it could be. In any case, it’s yet another strong indication that the top free agent won’t be changing teams.
- Carmelo Anthony (early termination option) — ‘Melo and Knicks president Phil Jackson finally chatted last week about the star forward’s free agency, but Anthony has meetings with other teams in mind. The Bulls are squarely in the mix, and the recent bump in the salary cap projection for next season has given the Bulls more confidence that they can pull off the coup.
- Chris Bosh (early termination option) — Arison’s comments apply to Bosh, too. The 30-year-old averaged his fewest minutes and points since his rookie season, but he showed no signs of any decline in the first round against the Bobcats, putting up numbers similar to his production during last year’s playoff run.
- Eric Bledsoe (restricted free agent) — The Suns plan to match any offer for Bledsoe, though they’d prefer to come to an agreement before other teams can start courting him in July.
- Greg Monroe (restricted free agent) — Marc Stein of ESPN.com this weekend identified the Hawks as a potential suitor. It’s unclear how high the Pistons would go to retain him, since Detroit is still without a replacement for longtime front office chief Joe Dumars.
- Gordon Hayward (restricted free agent) — Hayward offered no promises as Utah’s season came to a close, but he likes Salt Lake City and the Jazz have the power to match offers. His hot March shooting left him in April, and his field goal percentage has declined in each season since he was a rookie.
- Dwyane Wade (early termination option) — His fate has much to do with James and Bosh, though it would be hardest to envision Wade leaving Miami if the Heat’s other two stars pull off a surprise and leave. The 32-year-old is on the downside, but 6’4″ guards who can average 19.0 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds for a championship contender, as Wade did this season, are rare gems.
- Kyle Lowry — There’s no telling how high he could have eventually climbed in these rankings if Paul Pierce‘s hand hadn’t been in the way of his would-be game winner on Sunday. The Andy Miller client was an all-around force in the seven-game series against the Nets, averaging 21.1 points per game.
- Zach Randolph (player option) — Z-Bo’s suspension for Game 7 of the Grizzlies’ first-round loss was questionable enough that it probably won’t even come up in negotiations on a new deal this summer, should he turn down his player option, worth more than $16.9MM. Randolph was his usual self on the scoreboard and on the glass against the Thunder, but his 13.8 PER in that series is troubling.
- Luol Deng — The small forward’s time in Cleveland didn’t do much for his stock, and sitting at home while other soon-to-be free agents are in the playoffs isn’t helping, either. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is apparently upset that former GM Chris Grant gave up future draft picks to acquire Deng, and the Lakers and Suns are among the teams interested in signing him this summer, so Deng doesn’t appear long for Ohio.
Lance Stephenson, who was seventh in the first edition of these rankings and 10th last time, has fallen out as the Pacers struggled just to get by the eighth-seeded Hawks in the first round. Still, Indiana remains alive, and Stephenson has the opportunity to climb back into our top 10. Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Rudy Gay, Marcin Gortat and Trevor Ariza are other difficult omissions.
Note: I’m not listing players under team control for 2014/15, like Tony Parker, who has a partially guaranteed contract.
Raptors Notes: Lowry, Casey, Patterson
Kyle Lowry made his affection for the Raptors clear today in speaking to reporters, including Michael Grange of SportsNet, saying, “I love this situation, it’s as simple as that.” That’s as definitive a statement as the soon-to-be free agent has made about Toronto, in Grange’s eyes (Twitter links). Lowry also made note of his enjoyment of playing alongside DeMar DeRozan, who’s on a long-term deal with the Raptors, as Grange observes (on Twitter). Still, while the Raptors appear to have a strong chance of keeping him around, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun gets the sense that his free agency won’t be an open-and-shut case (Twitter link). Here’s more from Toronto:
- Lowry says he’s sure coach Dwane Casey will be back, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun tweets. The “expectation around town” is that Casey, whose contract is up, will receive an extension of at least two years, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
- Patrick Patterson intends to explore his opportunities in restricted free agency, but he referred to Toronto today as the best of his three NBA stops, Wolstat notes (Twitter links).
- We passed along that the Raptors are considering a run at Vince Carter in an earlier post.
Mavs, Devin Harris Share Interest In Return
Point guard Devin Harris demonstrated his value to the Mavs in their seven-game challenge of the Spurs, scoring 11.4 points in 25.1 minutes per game and nailing 44.0% of his three-point attempts. That no doubt plays a role in his inclusion as part of Tim McMahon’s short list on ESPNDallas.com of Mavs free agents with whom the team has mutual interest.
Harris returned to Dallas, where he had played his first three and a half seasons, on a one-year contract for the minimum salary this past summer. It was supposed to be a three-year, $9MM pact, but a toe injury scuttled those plans and kept him out until January 18th. He returned to a role that was his most marginalized on an NBA team since his rookie season, scoring 7.9 points in 20.5 minutes per game with career-worst 37.8% shooting from the floor. The 10th-year veteran nonetheless compiled his best assists-to-turnover ratio, averaging 4.5 dimes and 1.5 turnovers per game.
McMahon reported the Mavs’ mutual interest with Shawn Marion last week, and Marion said this weekend that he would indeed like to come back to Dallas, though he added that he’s “weighing my options,” as fellow ESPNDallas.com scribe Bryan Gutierrez observes. The other Mav on McMahon’s list is Vince Carter, and Dallas GM Donnie Nelson said a month ago that he wants Carter back. Marc Stein of ESPN.com emphasizes Carter’s contentment in Dallas in passing along that the Raptors are considering the idea of pursuing the 37-year-old Carter in the offseason.
Harris probably won’t attract too much attention on the free agent market given his regular season numbers, but Dallas has his Non-Bird rights to trump any minimum-salary suitors. The Mavs can give him a contract of up to four years, with a starting salary of $1,526,735, or 120% of his pay this season. That’s only slightly more than the minimum, but it does provide for higher raises than a straight minimum-salary arrangement would, which might prove a key selling point for the Excel Sports Management client.