Mavericks Notes: Marion, Aminu, Lewis
Mavericks president Donnie Nelson is still open to signing Shawn Marion, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. This isn’t any different from what Nelson said in a radio interview roughly two weeks ago, when he said that the team wouldn’t close the door on attempting to bring the 6’7 forward back to Dallas. It’s worth noting that the Mavs still had their $2.7MM room exception at that point; however, Nelson said that Marion’s value in the free agent market was much more than the team could afford. Now that the team used the room exception to sign Jameer Nelson, it seems even less likely that a reunion with “The Matrix” would materialize.
Here’s more out of Dallas tonight:
- Donnie Nelson admitted that the team had originally considered signing Al-Farouq Aminu with their room exception, according to Price (Twitter link). The Mavs were fortunate to land the young forward on a veteran’s minimum deal instead.
- Price also heard Donnie Nelson say that the Mavs may consider signing Rashard Lewis after he undergoes knee surgery (Twitter link). The team recently voided their one-year, $1.4MM offer after learning that Lewis needed an operation on his right knee.
- Price (via Twitter) passes along that Donnie and the rest of the team expect Raymond Felton to have a bounce-back year this season.
- Ivan Johnson‘s contract with the Mavs is a two-year arrangement, a source tells Sportando’s Enea Trapani (Twitter link), and both years are partially guaranteed, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM. It’s almost certainly a minimum-salary deal, as Chuck Myron explained earlier.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Love, Mudiay, Byron Scott
Here are a few miscellaneous news and notes to pass along out of the Association tonight:
- It’s a safe bet that Kevin Love will be traded from the Timberwolves before opening night this upcoming season, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- The NCAA had cleared top 2015 draft prospect Emmanuel Mudiay to play academically, but there were still issues about his status as an amateur when he decided earlier this month to instead play in China, multiple sources tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak insisted in a press conference today that the team saw Byron Scott as its preferred candidate from the beginning of its coaching search, as Mike Trudell of Lakers.com notes via Twitter. Kupchak also said that Scott’s appeal to Lakers fans and experience as a former Lakers player played a role in the team’s decision, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson has changed agents, dropping Arn Tellem in favor of Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron James, TNT’s David Aldridge reports amid his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Jackson denied a report before the Cavs hired David Blatt that he was interested in Cleveland’s head coaching job.
- Hawks swingman Kyle Korver has gone from being the 51st pick in the 2003 draft to arguably becoming one of the league’s most valuable role players, and Grantland’s Zach Lowe takes a comprehensive look at the evolution of the sharpshooter’s game over the years. In another piece, Lowe briefly touches on the effect that Jeff Hornacek had on Korver’s development when Hornaceck was an assistant on the Jazz.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Metta World Peace To Play In China?
Free agent forward Metta World Peace is close to signing a contract to play for the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
The 34-year-old forward last played for the Knicks in 2013/14 but was waived in late February. In March, World Peace sought a return to New York not too long after the team hired Phil Jackson as president of basketball operations; the latest we heard was that the Knicks were only mulling a training camp invite on a non-guaranteed deal. We also passed along that the Queensbridge native also had interest in returning to Los Angeles to play for the Clippers or Lakers, although talks about re-joining the purple-and-gold weren’t considered to be serious.
The Marc Cornstein client statistically had his worst season to date last year in a handful of categories, averaging a career low in points (4.8), rebounds (2.0), steals (0.8), and minutes (13.4) through 29 games. It’s interesting to wonder just how much World Peace has left in the tank after not playing much last season, especially considering his productive stat line when he was a mainstay in the Lakers’ rotation under Mike D’Antoni in 2012/13 (12.4/5.0/1.6/33.7).
Durant On Gasol, LeBron, 2016 Free Agency
Following a Team USA training camp session earlier today, Kevin Durant answered a few notable questions from the media about the free agent movement this offseason as well as the summer of 2016, when he’ll be set to hit unrestricted free agency. The Thunder made a few ripples this summer after reeling in Sebastian Telfair and Anthony Morrow on the free agent market, but neither compare to the wave that would have resulted from netting Pau Gasol, who ultimately decided on joining the Bulls. When asked how close he thought Oklahoma City was to signing the two-time NBA champion, Durant told Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles that the chances were slim.“Obviously (it wasn’t) that close, (but) I did my work. That was my first time recruiting.” (Twitter link).
You can read more of Durant’s answers below, courtesy of a separate piece from Shelburne.
On LeBron James‘ decision to return to Cleveland:
“I thought it was well-thought-out. It was classy. It was a great move to do it as a letter…That was pretty cool. It’s funny seeing guys think about more than just basketball for once. He thought about the city where he comes from, about Northeast Ohio and how he can affect so many of the kids just being there playing basketball. I love that. So many guys get criticized for making the decision that’s best for them instead of what’s best for everybody else.
On becoming a free agent in 2016 and possibly choosing to return to his hometown of Washington D.C. and play for the Wizards:
“I’m going to do what’s best for me…It’s hard to talk about that right now when I’ve got two years left in Oklahoma City. I’m just going to focus on that. I’m not going to make a decision based on what anybody else does.
On his ties to Washington D.C. and people asking him about a potential homecoming:
“I grew up watching the Bullets/Wizards. I grew up taking the train to that arena, all the time, to watch Georgetown, the Bullets, the Washington Mystics. That whole city is a part of me. It’s in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family and playing there, but I love Oklahoma City, too.”
“(The idea of me coming home has) been talked about. Everybody’s asked me about it every time I go on Instagram or Twitter. All my friends ask me about it…So I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m naïve to the fact that people think about that stuff. But I just tell everybody that I’m here in Oklahoma City, I love it here. Who knows what will happen. I never close the door on anything. But I like where I’m at right now. So I can’t answer that question.”
Central Notes: Rose, Van Gundy, Waiters
As Derrick Rose inches closer toward his return to NBA action in 2014/15 following a season-ending injury last season, Kevin Pelton of ESPN explains why the Bulls superstar is better preparing himself by starting his adjustment period against some of the league’s best point guards in Team USA camp rather than waiting until Bulls training camp in the fall to begin playing at a high level (Insiders only). With that aside, here’s more of what we’ve gathered out of the Central Division this evening:
- Rose outlined what his pitch to Carmelo Anthony had been as he spoke with reporters, including Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com. Rose’s message was simple, but it was seemingly more than just the brief hello that one report had indicated was the extent of the contact between the two stars.
- Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy acknowledged that the team had to be more aggressive in its pitches to free agents this summer because of its lack of success on the court of late, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press notes.
- Dion Waiters and Andrew Wiggins have both been in plenty of trade chatter, but if they both remain with the Cavs, only one of them seems likely to start. Waiters isn’t demanding that he be the starter, but he’s resolute in his belief that he’s the man for the job, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Doug McDermott is aware that his name is being attached in trade talks regarding Kevin Love; however, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the Bulls rookie hasn’t asked the front office to keep him updated on those rumors as he waits to see what happens.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Relationship Worsening Between Suns, Bledsoe
The relationship between the Suns and Eric Bledsoe appears to be souring further, as a source tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that an “ominous development” has emerged with both sides still very far apart in contract negotiations. The source adds that “the relationship is on the expressway to being ruined” at this point. This summer, Bledsoe had drawn significant interest from teams such as the Bucks and Jazz; however, Phoenix has effectively scared off potential suitors by making it clear that any offer sheet that the restricted free agent receives would be matched,
Prior to this update, we heard earlier this month that Phoenix was reportedly offering $48MM over four years; Bledsoe reportedly insisted on an $80MM deal over five seasons. Haynes mentions two sources who said that Phoenix’s offer included a decline in salaries each year. Not surprisingly, the proposal was quickly turned down.
Mike Scott Mulling Offer From CSKA Moscow
Hawks restricted free agent Mike Scott is thinking about taking a lucrative three-year offer from Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow even though he’d prefer to remain in the NBA, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The Hawks have been working to re-sign the power forward, as Wojnarowski noted last week when the team reached agreement with Shelvin Mack, its other restricted free agent, but there’s seemingly been little progress toward a deal.
Mack said in May that he wanted to remain with the Hawks, but other NBA teams were reportedly confident as free agency began this month that they could pry him from Atlanta. News has been otherwise quiet on the Aaron Mintz client, as I noted last week in a look at the remaining restricted free agents across the league, and it seems that going overseas is growing more appealing for Scott as NBA interest stagnates.
Scott, 26, grew into a more prominent role for the Hawks this past season after mostly manning the bench as a rookie in 2012/13. The 43rd overall pick from the 2012 draft averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game this year, and his role expanded further in the postseason, when he saw 20.9 MPG.
Kings To Audition Terrence Williams
Former No. 11 overall pick Terrence Williams will meet with the Kings and work out for them Thursday in Sacramento, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). The 27-year-old has been out of the NBA since a 24-game late-season stint with the Celtics in 2012/13.
If the two sides strike a deal, the Kings would likely have to sign Williams either to a non-guaranteed contract or one with a tiny partial guarantee to stay beneath the luxury tax threshold without waiving Quincy Acy, whose contract becomes fully guaranteed next month. Sacramento recently decided against claiming Omri Casspi off waivers to instead reach agreement on a deal that would keep the team under the tax line. Williams would probably force the team to swing a trade to stay out of the tax if he were to make the team out of camp.
The Nets spent a lottery pick on Williams in 2011, but they traded him to Houston midway through his second season, and his NBA travels included a stop with the Kings before his time with Boston. The swingman spent much of this past season with the Lakers affiliate in the D-League, averaging 20.5 points, 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 35.7 minutes per game. He also had brief stints in the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Turkey during 2013/14.
Grizzlies Hire Ed Stefanski For Front Office
3:19pm: The hiring is official, the team announced via press release.
9:25am: The Grizzlies have identified the front office addition they’ll make to assist GM Chris Wallace, reaching agreement with former Nets and Sixers GM Ed Stefanski to become the executive vice president of player personnel in Memphis, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The selection is a surprise, since Stefanski wasn’t among the several executives linked to the Grizzlies in the past few months. A report just three days ago indicated the team’s progress toward a hire had stalled.
Memphis had reportedly been looking for someone to serve as a “GM-in-waiting” of sorts who would train under Wallace until he was ready to assume Wallace’s duties as the team’s top basketball executive. Stefanski, already having served as GM for two NBA franchises, probably wouldn’t need much training if the team envisions him as its future front office leader, but he’ll at least start off beneath Wallace on the organizational chart, as Wojnarowski indicates. Grizzlies owner Robert Pera said recently that he might promote Wallace to president of basketball operations.
Pacers vice president of basketball operations Peter Dinwiddie and former Raptors and Knicks GM Glen Grunwald were the leading candidates that Wojnarowski identified two weeks ago. Chris Makris, the GM of the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, also appeared to be in the mix, at least to a degree. Memphis reportedly interviewed Dinwiddie, Grunwald, Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks, and Knicks director of pro personnel Mark Hughes. The team made Thunder assistant GM Michael Winger an early target before he turned them down. Knicks director of player personnel Mark Warkentien was also an apparent candidate.
Stefanski most recently worked under Bryan Colangelo in the Raptors front office from 2011-13. Stefanski helped build two NBA Finals teams while serving as Nets director of scouting from 1999 until his appointment as the team’s GM in 2004.
Longest-Tenured NBA Head Coaches
Byron Scott is the NBA’s newest coach after the Lakers officially announced his hiring Monday evening, and while that distinction will no doubt carry into the season, it won’t last too much longer. Michael Malone of the Kings was the NBA’s latest coaching hire when Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors last checked in on the league’s longest-tenured coaches on June 4th of last year, and now Malone has been around longer than nearly half of his peers.
There have been 14 additions to this list since last time. That doesn’t include three entire coaching tenures that have come and gone: Jason Kidd with the Nets, Maurice Cheeks with the Pistons, and John Loyer, who served in an interim capacity after he replaced Cheeks in February. Kidd is on this list, but in his new capacity as coach of the Bucks. Lionel Hollins, Kidd’s successor in Brooklyn, and Scott are already behind Kidd, even though Kidd has officially been with the Bucks for less than a month. Larry Drew, whom Kidd replaced in Milwaukee, had only been on the job a few days when Luke compiled last year’s list.
The No. 1 spot remains unchanged, and on-court results demonstrate the virtue of patience. Gregg Popovich, who signed an extension earlier this summer after winning his fifth NBA title, remains the dean of NBA head coaches. Right behind him is Erik Spoelstra, the coach he’s faced in the last two NBA Finals. The top three spots are occupied by the last three coaches to win championships, and Nos. 1-4 are the only coaches to take part in the Finals since 2011.
- Gregg Popovich, Spurs: December 1996
- Erik Spoelstra, Heat: April 2008
- Rick Carlisle, Mavericks: May 2008
- Scott Brooks, Thunder: November 2008 (interim; permanent since April 2009)
- Monty Williams, Pelicans: June 2010
- Tom Thibodeau, Bulls: June 2010
- Frank Vogel, Pacers: January 2011 (interim; permanent since July 2011)
- Kevin McHale, Rockets: June 2011
- Dwane Casey, Raptors: June 2011
- Randy Wittman, Wizards: January 2012 (interim; permanent since June 2012)
- Jacque Vaughn, Magic: July 2012
- Terry Stotts, Trail Blazers: August 2012
- Jeff Hornacek, Suns: May 2013
- Mike Budenholzer, Hawks: May 2013
- Steve Clifford, Bobcats: May 2013
- Michael Malone, Kings: June 2013
- Dave Joerger, Grizzlies: June 2013
- Brian Shaw, Nuggets: June 2013
- Doc Rivers, Clippers: June 2013
- Brad Stevens, Celtics: July 2013
- Brett Brown, Sixers: August 2013
- Stan Van Gundy, Pistons: May 2014
- Steve Kerr, Warriors: May 2014
- Flip Saunders, Timberwolves: June 2014
- Quin Snyder, Jazz: June 2014
- Derek Fisher, Knicks: June 2014
- David Blatt, Cavs: June 2014
- Jason Kidd, Bucks: July 2014
- Lionel Hollins, Nets: July 2014
- Byron Scott, Lakers: July 2014