Eastern Notes: Ariza, Stephenson, Humphries
Marcin Gortat badly wants to see Trevor Ariza return to the Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “Trevor is a big part of our success, and we’d like to have him back,” Gortat said. “I understand at the end of the day, it’s a business and he has to make the right decision for him and for his family. But we love him, we want him back and I believe that [GM] Ernie [Grunfeld] and [senior VP of basketball operations] Tommy Sheppard is going to do the right thing.” More from the East..
- Some Pacers fans are nervous about the impasse in discussions between Lance Stephenson and Indiana, but Candace Buckner of the Indy Star implores fans to be patient and not panic.
- In addition to the previously reported Heat and Celtics, the Wizards and Hornets are also interested in big man Kris Humphries, tweets Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report.
- There’s no denying that he’s talented, but there’s a lot to consider when weighing Stephenson. David Nurse of HoopsHype looks at the pros and cons of the frustrating Pacers talent.
- Re-signing Kyle Lowry was one of the final pieces of the puzzle for the Raptors, opines Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM. With Lowry under contract for the next four years, Toronto has every member of their starting five locked up for the forseeable future.
Week In Review: 6/30/14 – 7/6/14
In their meeting earlier this week, Knicks president Phil Jackson told Carmelo Anthony he can have the team’s maximum 5-year, $129MM contract if he wishes. However, there’s a distinct possibility Anthony will still decide to take a little less than the max. By all accounts, the Knicks appear to be in the lead for Melo. More from the week that was..
- The Raptors kept Kyle Lowry with a hefty four-year deal.
- Chris Bosh‘s reps are calling around the league to see if a max deal is out there. It sounds like Bosh can have a max deal if he wants one. The Rockets are fans.
- The Cavs and Kyrie Irving agreed to an extension.
- The Mavs and Dirk Nowitzki agreed to a new deal.
- Spencer Hawes is headed to the Clippers.
- The Nets hired Lionel Hollins after shipping Jason Kidd to the Bucks.
- Talks between the Pacers and Lance Stephenson are at a standstill.
- The Mavs will re-sign Devin Harris.
- LeBron James‘ agent is telling teams that his client will start seriously considering other teams if Pat Riley doesn’t build a strong supporting cast quickly. His return is no longer a certainty. Also, he wants a max deal.
- In addition to considering a possible trade for Jeremy Lin, the Bucks are pursuing restricted free agents Eric Bledsoe and Greivis Vasquez.
- The Nets and Cavs are talking Marcus Thornton-for-Jarrett Jack again.
- A report indicated that Eric Gordon, among others, has been made available by the Pelicans but the club is downplaying it.
- The Bulls, Thunder, Heat, and Spurs are among the teams in the mix for Pau Gasol. The Lakers believe he’ll re-sign quickly if they can land LeBron or Carmelo.
- The Jazz got Steve Novak from the Raptors.
- It sounds like Jusuf Nurkic will join the Nuggets this season.
- Jamal Crawford wants a contract extension.
- The Grizzlies are getting outbid for Mike Miller.
- The Bulls may or may not be planning to amnesty Carlos Boozer.
- Gordon Hayward will visit the Hornets next week. The Cavs were high on him but appear to be wavering.
- The Wizards re-signed Marcin Gortat.
- The Pistons and Pelicans have discussed a sign-and-trade that would send Greg Monroe to his hometown of New Orleans in exchange for Ryan Anderson.
- The Spurs re-signed Patrick Mills.
- Luol Deng wants $12MM per season. The Heat like him but they’re unsure about how much cap space they will have. The Hawks, meanwhile, are unwilling to pay that amount, so a team like the Mavs might be his best chance at that type of deal.
- Speaking of which, Pat Riley was reportedly telling teams that he could spend ~$12MM.
- The Pacers will sign C.J. Miles.
- The Raptors and Patrick Patterson have reached agreement on a three-year, $18MM deal.
- The Raptors are likely to ink their Brazilian prospects this year.
- The Magic waived Ronnie Price.
- The Thunder will sign Sebastian Telfair.
- The Pistons and Cartier Martin agreed to a deal.
- The Wolves and representatives for Ricky Rubio have begun discussions about a rookie scale extension for the point guard.
- The Pacers are quietly shopping Roy Hibbert.
- The Warriors signed Shaun Livingston.
- The Magic and Ben Gordon agreed to a deal.
- The Bulls, Mavs, and Wolves like Chandler Parsons.
- The Pacers like Goran Dragic but the Suns don’t seem interested.
- The Hornets hired Chad Buchanan as assistant GM.
- The Spurs might sign Bryce Cotton.
- The Nuggets have mulled trading JaVale McGee and Wilson Chandler.
- The Pacers inked Shayne Whittington.
- One report indicates that the Knicks are unwilling to take Carlos Boozer in a potential sign-and-trade with the Bulls and Anthony.
- The Celtics and Avery Bradley agreed to a new deal.
- The Raptors and Hawks made a deal involving John Salmons.
- The union is getting crafty.
- The Bucks are shopping O.J. Mayo.
- The Magic signed their first-round picks.
- The Hawks will sign Thabo Sefolosha.
- The Kings got Darren Collison.
- The Pacers signed Damjan Rudez.
- The Pistons have a deal with Jodie Meeks.
- The Blazers are set to sign Chris Kaman.
- The Raptors are coming close to a deal with restricted free agent Greivis Vasquez.
- Nikola Mirotic seems likely to join the Bulls.
- The Rockets turned down their team option on postseason revelation Troy Daniels.
- Interest in Isaiah Thomas is heating up.
- The Magic waived Jason Maxiell.
- The Heat like Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, and Steve Blake.
- The Thunder have made the unusual decision to decline Grant Jerrett‘s option while also extending him a qualifying offer.
- The Pistons declined their option on Chauncey Billups.
- The Thunder signed first round pick Mitch McGary.
- The Magic claimed Willie Green.
- The Magic waived Jameer Nelson.
- The Magic waived Doron Lamb.
- The Pacers will re-sign Lavoy Allen.
- The 76ers waived James Anderson.
Pacers Shopping Roy Hibbert
The Pacers are shopping big man Roy Hibbert, sources tell Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. “I would say they’ve been doing that, but quietly,” one front-office source said.
Of course, with two years and $30MM left on Hibbert’s contract, he’s not a great match for every team out there. The center was erratic in March and April as well as the postseason too, so it’s unclear what kind of return Indiana could expect from a Hibbert deal. Meanwhile, there’s still uncertainty around Lance Stephenson after the club saw their five-year, $44MM offer rejected. Dumping Hibbert’s contract could help facilitate a return for their unrestricted free agent.
“They’re open to making major changes, if they’re there,” one general manager told Sporting News. “I think they’d be disappointed to see that same core group back intact, so it is a matter of, how drastic can the changes they make be? Moving Hibbert for multiple pieces would be a pretty drastic change, but they’re asking.”
One source added that star small forward Paul George is untouchable in any deal with the Pacers while power forward David West is all but off the table. Also, in a Hibbert deal, the source says that they would prefer to send him to the Western Conference. The Blazers have been linked to Hibbert in the past but a source labeled a Portland deal as “unlikely.”
Lakers Using Pau Gasol As Selling Point
Pau Gasol is being courted by a number of teams, including top contenders, but the Lakers aren’t counting themselves out of it by any stretch. In fact, the Lakers are using Gasol as a selling point with other free agents as sources believe he would re-sign rather quickly if they’re able to sign LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
If the Lakers don’t land Anthony or James, Gasol will consider those contending clubs that have called, Shelburne tweets. Still, she wouldn’t count the Lakers out as they can offer more money than anyone else.
The Mavs, Heat, Bulls, Thunder, and Spurs are among the many teams with interest in the Spaniard.
Eastern Notes: Anthony, Bucks, Meeks
The Lakers interest in Carmelo Anthony could possibly help the Bulls acquire the free agent forward, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Johnson opines that the presence of a third serious contender could make the Knicks more amenable to a sign-and-trade deal for Anthony if they are unable to re-sign him.
More from around the league:
- The Bucks are looking to sign a point guard this summer, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Their primary targets will be the Suns Eric Bledsoe and the Raptors Greivis Vasquez, both players are restricted free agents, so their teams will have the opportunity to match any offer.
- The Nets are attempting to sign Bojan Bogdanovic of Fenerbahce, and the proposed deal is for a length of three years, reports David Pick of Eurobasket (Twitter links).
- The three-year, $19.5MM deal the Pistons agreed to with Jodie Meeks has been criticized for being an overpay, but Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press thinks it could turn out to be a good deal for the team.
Western Notes: Miller, Kings, Bledsoe, Pelicans
Mike Miller is scheduled to meet with the Nuggets today, reports John Martin of ESPN929.com. The article also notes that the Grizzlies made an initial offer of two-years and an annual salary between $2.4MM and $2.9MM. The Thunder, Rockets, and Trail Blazers are all reportedly interested in Miller’s services, notes Martin.
More from the west:
- The Kings are looking to clear up their overstock of power forwards through the trade market, reports Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). The team is seeking a defender and a shot blocker to shore up their interior, and also want to free up some of the cap space tied to that position, notes Jones.
- The Suns and Eric Bledsoe‘s agent Rich Paul are in early stages of contract talks, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Spears also notes that many of Bledsoe’s other suitors are in a holding pattern until Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James make their decisions.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic signed a four-year deal with Fenerbahce that contains an NBA out clause in 2016, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Bogdanovic was the 27th overall pick of the Suns in this year’s NBA Draft.
- The Pelicans lack of action on the free agent front is disconcerting, writes Jimmy Smith of the Times Picayune. One stopping block is the team’s need to clear enough cap space to complete the trade of Omer Asik, notes Smith.
- Jeff Withey’s minimum salary for this coming season became partially guaranteed for $100K when he remained on the Pelicans‘ roster through Saturday. It’ll become fully guaranteed if the Pelicans decline to waive him before the end of July 22nd, as our Schedule of Contract Guarantee Dates shows.
- The Thunder has named Darko Rajakovic as an assistant coach, the team announced via a press release. Rajakovic led Tulsa to a combined 51-49 record over two seasons, including a 27-23 record and NBA D-League Semifinals appearance in 2012/13. Coach Scott Brooks had this to say, “Darko’s diverse basketball background, knowledge of the game and ability to develop players at a high level were clearly apparent during his time in Tulsa, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to add him to our staff. His understanding of the core tenants of what we do, thanks to his time in Tulsa, will maintain a level of consistency that we value and his various head coaching experiences internationally will provide another layer to our coaches.”
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The Knicks are willing to reconsider their stance against absorbing Carlos Boozer in a sign-and-trade from the Bulls involving Carmelo Anthony, perhaps following the same logic that reader Resneps2340 laid out.
- The Knicks shouldn’t dismiss such a trade right off the bat. Yes, Boozer is not worth $16.8MM if the only other thing you are including is picks. The Bulls aren’t trading Taj [Gibson] either since he was in the Carmelo meeting today and I’m sure him being on the team was part of the sales pitch. If the Knicks took Boozer, I think the Bulls would be willing to give up a couple of picks, the rights to Nikola Mirotic (one of the best young players in Europe who is likely to come over this year), and as much as I hate to say it, Jimmy Butler. I think the Bulls are beyond desperate to get ‘Melo and frankly, the Knicks may not be able to do better that that in a sign-and-trade.
Reaction was swiftly negative when the Magic struck a two-year, $9MM deal with Ben Gordon, and jeremy summed up just why he thinks Orlando will regret the agreement.
- It doesn’t matter how much cap room you have; a bad deal can still be a bad deal. This dude hasn’t been the same player since he left the Bulls. His stat line is nothing that makes him worth $9MM. He’s still a decent player, but I’m not sure he’s worth $9MM.
Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors only handed out one A in our Northwest Division Draft Grades, but it seems like Sky14 might have given out more.
- I really like what some of the teams in this division did on draft day, especially the Jazz and the Nuggets. The Wolves draft is hard to gauge because it seems like it has an equal chance of being very good or producing absolutely nothing. Based on his first two drafts, Flip Saunders clearly favors upside.
We appreciate everyone who adds to the dialogue at Hoops Rumors, and we look forward to seeing more responses like these from you!
Mavs Notes: Anthony, Hayward, Gasol
A source told Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Carmelo Anthony is going to re-sign with the Knicks and that his inclusion of the Mavericks on his recruiting trip was a “charade.” Anthony has also met with the Lakers, Bulls, and Rockets.
More from Dallas:
- Price also tweets that between Vince Carter and Shawn Marion, the Mavs have a better chance at re-signing Carter, but they would like both players back.
- The Mavericks still have Gordon Hayward on their free agent shopping list, reports Price (Twitter link), but the Jazz have maintained they will match any offer sheet that Hayward signs.
- The Mavs are also keeping a close watch on Pau Gasol, and envision him backing up both Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler, tweets Price.
And-Ones: Deng, Mavs, Ariza
Luol Deng is apparently sticking to his desire for $12MM per season, notes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link). Deng has spoken with the Heat who are unsure about how much cap space they will have until LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade make their decisions, and the Hawks who are currently unwilling to pay that amount, according to the tweet. Deng’s best chance might be with the Mavericks who he is scheduled to meet with soon, opines Amico.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders runs through the best and worst performances from the first day of Summer League action, including some lottery picks making their debuts.
- The Rockets and the Cavaliers are getting closer to creating max contract slots, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Rockets are discussing deals for Jeremy Lin, and the Cavs have been shopping Jarrett Jack packaged with a draft pick, notes Wojnarowski.
- Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders looks at the Mavericks cap situation after the reported signing of Devin Harris.
- Trevor Ariza met with the Heat on Thursday, reports Michael Lee of The Washington Post (Twitter link).
Western Notes: Pelicans, Hawes, Anthony, Bosh
The Pelicans haven’t made any moves in the free agent market yet, but still have Anthony Morrow in their sights, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune. New Orleans’ primary focus though, continues to be finding a trade partner to move either Eric Gordon, Austin Rivers or center Alexis Ajinca in an effort to create enough cap space to absorb center Omer Asik‘s $8.4MM cap hit, notes Reid. The article also notes that several teams remain interested in acquiring forward Ryan Anderson in a trade, but the Pelicans are still reluctant to part ways with him.
More from the Western Conference:
- Spencer Hawes was the Trail Blazers primary free agent target this summer, writes Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Haynes reports that Portland offered the exact same contract terms as the Clippers, but Hawes found Los Angeles to be a better fit.
- Despite the reports that the Knicks are likely to retain Carmelo Anthony, the Lakers made a major impression on the free agent, reports Bill Simmons of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Simmons’ sources, it’s now a three team battle between New York, Los Angeles, or the Bulls to land ‘Melo’s shot attempts.
- Chris Bosh definitely has an interest in the Rockets and Mavs, reports Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link). Amico also notes that Bosh has “zero knowledge” of what LeBron James is going to do in free agency.