Pistons Notes: Trades, Cap, Jerebko
It’s been a rollercoaster season for the Pistons, who’ve won consecutive games against would-be playoff teams after a four-game losing streak that followed the tear they went on when they waived Josh Smith. The trade deadline, just two weeks and a day away, provides another avenue for substantial change. There’s more on potential trades amid the latest from the Motor City:
- Pistons GM Jeff Bower came up empty as he sought a trade to offset the loss of Jennings, but Bower’s boss, Stan Van Gundy, isn’t ruling out a swap even after the team signed John Lucas III to a 10-day deal to fill the gap at point guard, as MLive’s Brendan Savage notes. “Right now, we’re happy with what we have but you’re always exploring trades,” Van Gundy said Monday. “That’s just being honest. Those guys know that and they know you’re not being honest if you said anything else. You’re always exploring what’s out there. You’ve got to see what’s possible. But with John coming in now, there’s nothing specifically that we have to get done. We’ve got our roster, we’re happy with it. If there’s something out there that makes us better, then we’ll do it.”
- The 10-day contract with Lucas doesn’t cost the Pistons much, but it nonetheless exhausted the tiny amount of cap room the team had left, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders points out (Twitter link). The team still has the use of its room exception, worth a prorated amount of $2.732MM, and Detroit can of course continue to use the minimum-salary exception.
- Jonas Jerebko is set to become a free agent this summer, but he hinted Tuesday as he played his 300th game with the Pistons that he’d like to stick around, as David Mayo of MLive relays. “It’s a milestone for me. I want to play 300 more,” Jerebko said. “I’m definitely proud that I’ve been a Piston that many games. I want to keep going and raise that number.”
Hornets Cut Jannero Pargo, Sign Elliot Williams
WEDNESDAY, 10:32am: The moves are official, the team announced.
TUESDAY, 5:37pm: The Hornets intend to waive Jannero Pargo in order for them them to ink Elliot Williams to a 10-day contract, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Charlotte currently has the league maximum of 15 players on its roster, which is why the team would need to release Pargo prior to inking Williams.
Williams, 25, has been playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s D-League affiliate. In 19 D-League appearances this season, Williams has averaged 20.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 36.3 minutes per contest. He was briefly a member of the Jazz this season, having signed a pair of 10-day contracts with Utah in early January. In five NBA appearances this season, Williams has logged 3.6 points in 8.4 minutes per contest.
Charlotte will be on the hook for the remainder of Pargo’s 2014/15 salary of $915,243 if it releases him. Pargo has missed time this season due to an ailing back, and he has been limited to just nine appearances for the Hornets, averaging 4.6 points in 8.1 minutes per night. The 35-year-old’s career numbers over 10 seasons in the NBA are 6.4 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 2.0 APG. His career slash line is .391/.356/.864.
Wolves To Make Strong Push For Nemanja Bjelica
The Timberwolves plan to “push hard” to sign former 35th overall pick Nemanja Bjelica this summer, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. The 26-year-old power forward is under contract through next season with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker, as Mark Porcaro shows in the Hoops Rumors Draft Rights Held Players Database, but it appears there’s a way for him to escape the deal and come to the NBA. Bjelica signed with the Wasserman Media Group before this season, and the Timberwolves have a strong relationship with agent and Wasserman vice chairman Arn Tellem, as Wolfson tweeted in December.
Wolfson speculated then that for the Wolves to sign Bjelica, it would take a contract similar to the three-year deal worth more than $16.6MM that the Bulls handed out this past summer to Nikola Mirotic (Twitter link). Minnesota already has more than $50MM in salary commitments against a projected $66.5MM salary cap for next season, not counting Thaddeus Young‘s early termination option worth nearly $9.972MM and a $5MM player option for Chase Budinger. The Wolves are reportedly trying to trade Budinger and have apparently engaged in talks with the Nets about Young, though it appears unlikely Minnesota will make a deal. Regardless of whether the Wolves are able to clear cap room, Mirotic’s starting salary this year is equivalent to the value of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, so that’s a path the Wolves could take with Bjelica.
The Wizards originally drafted the native of Serbia in 2010, shipping his rights to Minnesota the same night. The 6’10” Bjelica’s rebounding is up this season for Fenerbahce, Wolfson notes, and he’s scoring more this season, too. He’s averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 boards in 26.4 minutes per game as opposed to his 9.3 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 22.0 MPG last season. His three-point stroke is off a bit, down to 38.6% from 41.0%.
Dwight Howard To Miss At Least A Month
WEDNESDAY, 9:24am: The team confirmed the timetable, announcing today that Howard will be re-evaluated in four weeks after receiving a bone marrow aspirate injection to his right knee (Twitter link).
SATURDAY, 11:03pm: Dwight Howard is expected to miss at least a month due to ongoing trouble with his right knee, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Sources tell Stein that the Rockets are confident that Howard will have enough time to recover and be ready for a late regular season stretch run as well as the playoffs. Another source told ESPN.com that a period of rest “likely measured in weeks” will be the minimum requirement before the center can return to the court.
Houston sits at 33-14 on the season, which is only eight games ahead of the Pelicans, who reside in ninth place in the conference. With the Western Conference being so competitive this year, teams that have even a short stretch of average games may find themselves drop significantly in the standings.
The Rockets have an emerging young talent in Donatas Motiejunas and the Rockets may elect to give the power forward extended minutes rather than bringing in outside help. Houston currently has a 15-man roster, which wouldn’t allow the team to bring on another player without making a corresponding move, if they choose to go that route. Rockets GM Daryl Morey has never failed to make a trade during the month in which the trade deadline has fallen since he took over the job before the 2007/08, so it’s reasonable to expect that he’ll try to swap for frontcourt help.
And-Ones: Duncan, Popovich, Collison, Grizzlies
The “prevailing thought” around the league has been that Tim Duncan will retire when his contract expires after the season, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, but Gregg Popovich isn’t so sure. The coach/executive acknowledges that Duncan is liable to walk away from the game at any time, regardless of contract status, but Popovich tells Amick that he doesn’t believe Duncan will do so just yet, given his still-proficient level of play. Nonetheless, Popovich isn’t making promises about his own longevity, and while he confirmed to Amick that the extension he signed this past summer was for five years, the 66-year-old thinks he’ll retire before that time is through. Here’s more from around the league:
- The push for Nick Collison‘s extension with the Thunder came from the team’s side, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com, writing for Daily Thunder. The length of the deal for the Mike Higgins client, which runs one season past the expiration of Kevin Durant‘s contract, makes it clear that the extension is in part an enticement for Durant, who likes Collison, to stay, Young believes. It’s also a signal that the club is on board with paying the luxury tax next season, as Young explains.
- Tyrus Thomas has returned to the D-League affiliate of the Grizzlies after the expiration of his 10-day contract with the franchise’s NBA club, the D-League team announced (on Twitter).
- Free agent Greg Oden reached a plea deal with prosecutors stemming from an August incident, as court documents show, according to Michael Anthony Adams of USA Today. The former No. 1 overall pick pleaded guilty to a felony battery charge and three other charges were dismissed as part of the deal, Adams writes. Oden avoided jail time in sentencing, as Adams’ report also indicates.
Western Notes: Nuggets, Collison, Johnson
The Nuggets players revolted against coach Dan Issel in 2000 and they’re doing the same thing to Brian Shaw now, Nick Groke of The Denver Post opines. Shaw ripped into his players after Sunday’s 104-86 loss to the Hornets, saying that they “didn’t feel like playing tonight from the start.” Groke feels that’s exactly the case and, eventually, he thinks Shaw will be ousted if things continue on this course.
Here’s more from the West:
- The contract extension that Nick Collison signed earlier today marks the eighth time in the past six years that a Thunder player has signed a contract extension and bypassed the chance at free agency, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com notes. “This organization shows a commitment to players, and it’s an everyday thing,” Collison said. “That is something the guys have valued, how we’ve been treated over the years. Guys appreciate it and we’ve wanted to be here. It’s a two-way street. This organization has always shown an interest in getting something done [before free agency]. When both sides feel good about the deal, then things get done. ”
- The Nuggets’ prolific use of their depth used to be a source of pride for the team, as well as a necessity, thanks to Denver’s altitude and fast paced playing style, but it has now become a source of contention within the locker room, Adi Joseph of USA Today writes. Nuggets players are unsure of their roles with the team, which is one of the issues that is sinking Shaw as a coach, Joseph notes.
- Lakers swingman Wesley Johnson has left agent Rob Pelinka and he has hired Octagon Basketball to represent him, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (Twitter link). Johnson, who is making $981,084 this season, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Whiteside, Barac
Pacers draft-and-stash prospect Stanko Barac is finally seeking an NBA deal, sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM. The 28-year-old has been playing overseas since becoming the 39th overall pick in 2007, and while he recently signed with Croatia’s Cedevita through the end of this season, he’d like to come stateside, Charania adds. The Pacers have kept an eye on him, but nothing is imminent, the RealGM scribe cautions. Indiana tried to sign him to a lucrative deal years ago to no avail, and there’s interest in him from other NBA teams, according to Charania, but it’s unclear whether any team wants to trade for his rights at this point. He’s one of two draft rights held players that the Pacers have, as Mark Porcaro’s Hoops Rumors database shows.
Here’s more from the East:
- Phil Jackson indicated to Harvey Araton of The New York Times that the Knicks won’t necessarily chase star free agents this summer, and Marc Berman of The New York Post writes that there’s been a “feeling within the league” that New York will instead target multiple second-tier free agents. Berman names Paul Millsap, Wesley Matthews, Draymond Green, Goran Dragic, Tobias Harris and Greg Monroe as members of that second tier, and while some of them, like Monroe and Harris, have indeed been identified in other reports as Knicks targets, it’s unclear if Jackson is actually eyeing all of those players.
- Elton Brand spoke with Luol Deng about the Danny Ferry controversy before re-signing with the Hawks, as Michael Lee of the Washington Post writes. “He said, ‘I don’t understand why it’s in the report, but I forgive Danny and I’m ready to move on,’ ” Brand said of Deng. “So that helped me. As a team, we felt like that’s a management issue. That was up there. We still got to play, we still got to get our fans back.”
- If Hassan Whiteside continues to show he’s a quality starting center, it will significantly impact what the Heat do and how they allocate their cap space over the next few years, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. Whiteside will be an unrestricted free agent n the summer of 2016. If he keeps this up, Jackson writes that Miami will likely consider moving Josh McRoberts‘ hefty deal that pays him $5.8MM in 2016/17 and $6.02MM in 2017/18 (player option).
Chuck Myron and Zach Links contributed to this post.
Amico On Nets, Lawson, Williams, Kings
With the NBA trade deadline just over two weeks away, many GMs from around the league are certain to be burning up their phone plan minutes while trying to improve their teams for a playoff run, or for others, trying to clear as much cap space as possible for the summer’s free agent signing period. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio ran down a number of rumors from around the league. Here are some of the highlights:
- The Nets have been seeking trade partners for Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams, but they are looking to receive assets in return, and not to just dump salary in the deal, Amico notes. “I’ve talked to Brook about it, I’ve talked to Joe, I’ve talked to Deron,” Brooklyn GM Billy King said. “The players all know it’s part of the business, but we’re not looking just to get rid of these guys just because they’re saying they’re gonna do that. We’re exploring things that make sense as people call, but we’re not going to be making a trade to make a trade. That’s foolish.“
- Brooklyn had originally spoken with the Kings regarding a possible deal for Williams over a month ago, but those discussions have since died out, Amico adds. The Nets had also discussed a trade with the Hornets involving Johnson and Lance Stephenson.
- The Nuggets appear to be willing to trade point guard Ty Lawson, but Denver’s asking price is currently high enough that it is scaring away inquiring teams, the FOX Sports scribe notes.
- The Timberwolves are willing to deal Mo Williams, and the Kings are interested, Amico hears. Other teams reportedly interested in the veteran guard are the Pistons, Heat, Cavs, and Clippers.
- Barring a sudden turnaround in Sacramento, the odds are against Tyrone Corbin being retained as coach for next season, Amico notes. In addition to Kings executive Chris Mullin being a potential replacement, both Tyronn Lue and Larry Drew will be considered candidates as well, Amico adds.
Clippers Re-Sign Dahntay Jones For Season
5:02pm: The signing is official, the team has announced.
TUESDAY, 3:20pm: The Clippers have officially signed Jones for the remainder of the season, according to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register (on Twitter).
MONDAY, 5:29pm: The Clippers will re-sign Dahntay Jones for the rest of the season after his second 10-day contract expires tonight, coach/executive Doc Rivers told reporters, including Dan Woike of The Orange County Register (Twitter link). Jones first joined the Clippers back on January 14th.
The Jazz brought the 10-year veteran Jones to training camp this past fall, but they released him before the start of the regular season. The 34-year-old went without a deal last season, save for a preseason stint with the Bulls, and, prior to this stint in L.A., he last appeared in an NBA regular season game with the Hawks in 2012/13. He averaged 14.4 points in 29.3 minutes per game with 38.5% three-point shooting for the D-League Mad Ants this year.
Over the last few weeks, Jones has logged 29 minutes across eight games for the Clippers, scoring four points and pulling down one rebound.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Southwest Notes: Wolters, Grizzlies, Aminu
After last night’s 102-101 come-from-behind victory over the Suns on Monday night, swingman Tony Allen is optimistic about the Grizzlies‘ chances to win it all, writes Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (subscription required). “We’ve got a great chance at getting it done this year,” said Allen, who won a ring with the Celtics in 2008. Here’s a look at the Southwest Division..
- The Pelicans won’t re-sign guard Nate Wolters for the remainder of the season after his 10-day contract expired Monday, a league source tells John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Reid writes that Wolters’ departure could result in more minutes for backup Jimmer Fredette, who gave New Orleans a great performance off of the bench on Monday night against Atlanta.
- The Grizzlies are 10-1 since acquiring Jeff Green, but that’s not the only thing boosting them in recent weeks, Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal (subscription required) writes. As good as Green has been for Memphis, the return of Zach Randolph gave them a palpable sense of cohesion that they didn’t have for much of December.
- The Mavs hoped that Al-Farouq Aminu, a 24-year-old former lottery pick, would be a minimum-salary bargain when they signed him this summer. So far, he’s producing for Dallas, giving them solid rebounding and defense off the bench, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. Aminu fell out of the rotation in favor of better scoring options earlier this year, but a need for reboudning cracked the door open for him once again. Aminu is averaging 11.2 boards per 48 minutes this season.