Eastern Notes: Butler, Thibodeau, Anthony
The short-handed Bulls should be be getting some help soon, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Jimmy Butler is “real close” to returning to action. His elbow is improving and he could be back on the court this week.
There’s more news from the Eastern Conference:
- Thibodeau has no interest in a front office role, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Before tonight’s game in Detroit, Thibodeau was asked if he would like a dual position, similar to the Pistons‘ Stan Van Gundy, who serves as coach and president of basketball operations. Thibodeau replied, “I’m happy right where I am.”
- The Knicks‘ Carmelo Anthony tweeted Saturday that his recovery from knee surgery is “going well.” Team president Phil Jackson told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com that Anthony has visited the practice facility to receive treatment on the knee, and the plan is for Anthony to begin workouts in June.
- Don’t expect Kendrick Perkins to be part of the Cavaliers‘ rotation, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Lloyd says Cleveland acquired Perkins as merely an insurance policy, and he won’t see much action in the playoffs, barring injuries or foul trouble.
- The Magic’s Evan Fournier is hoping to return to action before the season ends, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Fournier is dealing with a hip injury and hasn’t played since February 25th. “Hopefully, I’m going to be able to play soon.” he said. “Hopefully, 10 more days. I don’t know.”
Lakers Rumors: Nash, Scott, Ellington
Steve Nash‘s love of the game stood out above everything else, writes Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. The Lakers guard formally announced his retirement today at age 41, ending a long career that included two MVP seasons. Ding praised Nash for persevering through pain and becoming one of just four point guards to play in the league at age 40.
There’s more from a historic day in Los Angeles:
- Nash started the NBA’s “golden age” of point guards, contends Amin Elhassan of ESPN Insider [subscription required]. Elhassan worked for the Suns for six seasons while Nash played there and writes that he gained a lot of his basketball knowledge by observing Nash on the court and watching how he prepared himself and teammates for games.
- Lakers coach Byron Scott told Baxter Holmes of ESPNLosAngeles.com he was optimistic about Nash after watching him in training camp. “I was really excited because I did see a lot of the Steve Nash that I had played against and coached against for so many years,” Scott said. However, recurring back pain prevented Nash from ever taking the floor in the regular season, and he has had little contact with the team.
- Free-agent-to-be Wayne Ellington is channeling the grief over his father’s death into basketball, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Ellington’s father was murdered November 9th in Philadelphia, and Ellington took a leave of absence that saw him miss six games. He said the experience has strengthened his bonds with the Lakers, regardless of how free agency turns out. “No matter what happens in the future, I will forever have a connection and love for the Lakers,” Ellington said. “The hardest part of my life was this year. The way I was treated means a whole lot to me.”
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Noel, Knicks, Young
The Sixers are doing themselves no favors by winning games, argues Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Even after an 0-17 start and trades that sent away Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia could wind up with more wins than it had last season. Moore writes that each victory jeopardizes the team’s position in the draft lottery. The Sixers are currently third in Hoops Rumors’ Reverse Standings, one game above the Lakers.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers‘ Nerlens Noel is making a strong case for Rookie of the Year votes, Moore writes in a separate column. After missing all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL, Noel leads all rookies in rebounds, blocks, steals and double-doubles. “I feel that award should probably go to the best player,” Noel said, “who helps their team win games and keeps them in games and affects the games in so many different ways. I continue to get better and better.”
- The Knicks can’t go wrong if they land the first or second pick in June’s draft, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Zagoria talked to NBA legend Magic Johnson, who said Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns both have a chance to be stars. The Knicks currently have the league’s worst record at 14-55.
- The Celtics have recalled guard/forward James Young from Maine of the D-League, the team announced in a press release. He has played 11 games with the Red Claws this season, averaging 22.4 points and 4.9 rebounds. His averages in 29 games as a Celtic are 3.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.4 minutes of playing time.
Suns Sign A.J. Price To 10-Day Contract
SATURDAY, 6:44pm: The Price signing is official, tweets Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Price will be on the Suns’ active roster for tonight’s game in Houston.
FRIDAY, 5:34pm: The Suns will release Seth Curry and sign A.J. Price to a 10-day contract, a league source told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Price played for the Pacers and Cavaliers this season. He appeared in 10 games with Indiana, averaging 10.5 points, 2.7 assists and 19.3 minutes, before the club waived him in late November. Cleveland claimed him off waivers and he appeared in 11 games with the Cavs, averaging just 2.0 points, 1.2 assists and 7.9 minutes, until they waived him in early January.
The former University of Connecticut guard played 28 games for the Timberwolves last season. He played 57 games, including 22 starts, with the Wizards during the 2012-13 season.
Curry appeared in just two games with the Suns after signing a 10-day contract earlier this month. The younger brother of Warriors star Stephen Curry had been playing for the Magic’s D-League affiliate. His first tie to the Suns came when he joined the team for summer league action this past July. Curry averaged 23.5 points in 37.0 minutes per game with the Erie BayHawks before joining Phoenix.
Central Notes: Monroe, Dinwiddie, Mirotic, Irving
The Pistons are getting a sneak peek at life without Greg Monroe, writes David Mayo of MLive.com. Monroe, who has been sidelined since hurting his knee in Monday’s practice, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy said his absence is forcing big changes. “We post Greg a lot and we don’t have, really, that anymore,” Van Gundy said. “So that’s a tough element for us to miss. And we’re putting more and more on our point guards to make plays on pick and rolls. The post game’s not only effective for us, but gives guys a rest — throw it in, space the floor, spot up, catch your breath. It requires a lot more energy, the other stuff that we do, and that’s how we have to play now.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Spencer Dinwiddie is the one sure thing in the Pistons‘ point guard equation for next season, Mayo writes in a separate story. With Reggie Jackson entering free agency and Brandon Jennings hoping to recover from a season-ending injury, the Pistons are sure Dinwiddie will be around when they need him. Unlike most second-round picks, Dinwiddie has a fully guaranteed second year on his contract. Jennings’ misfortune has created extra playing time for the rookie out of Colorado, and although Dinwiddie’s shooting numbers aren’t impressive, other elements of his game have been. “How he’s playing, his composure, his poise on the floor, his ability to handle pressure, that’s all been good, his decision making,” Van Gundy said. “But he’s got to get the ball in the basket.”
- Nikola Mirotic has been one of the few bright spots for the Bulls this month, according to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com. With Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson all sidelined by injuries, Mirotic has raised his game, averaging 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds during March. Chicago acquired the rights to the 24-year-old rookie from Montenegro in a 2011 trade.
- His team has far bigger goals, but Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving is taking time to enjoy his first official trip to the NBA playoffs, writes Chris Fedor of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Cleveland clinched a postseason spot with Friday’s win over the Pacers. “It’s an exciting moment,” Irving said. “It’s been four years. I was just talking to [Kevin Love], all of us coming together as a team and us making the playoffs for the first time is an awesome thing.”
2015/16 Salary Commitments: Pistons
With the NBA trade deadline now passed, teams are focusing on locking down playoff spots or vying for a better chance in the draft lottery. Outside of the players who are added on 10-day deals, or those lucky enough to turn those auditions into long-term contracts, teams’ rosters are relatively set for the remainder of the season.
We at Hoops Rumors are in the process of taking a look ahead at each franchise’s salary cap situation heading into the summer, and the free agent frenzy that occurs every offseason. While the exact amount of the 2015/16 salary cap won’t be announced until July, the cap is projected to come in somewhere around $67.4MM, with the luxury tax threshold projected at approximately $81MM. This year’s $63.065MM cap represented an increase of 7.7% over 2013/14, which was well above the league’s projected annual increase of 4.5%.
We’ll continue onward by taking a look at the Pistons’ cap outlook for 2015/16…
Here are the players with guaranteed contracts:
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — $2,891,760
- Spencer Dinwiddie — $845,059
- Andre Drummond — $3,272,091
- Aaron Gray (Stretch Provision) — $452,049
- Brandon Jennings — $8,344,497
- Jodie Meeks — $6,270,000
- Josh Smith (Stretch Provision) — $5.4MM
Here are the players with non-guaranteed contracts:
- Caron Butler — $4.5MM
- Quincy Miller — $981,348
- Anthony Tolliver — $3MM ($400K Guaranteed)
- Shawne Williams — $1,356,146
Players with options:
- Cartier Martin (Player Option) — $1,270,964
The Pistons’ Cap Summary for 2015/16:
- Guaranteed Salary: $27,875,456
- Options/Non-Guaranteed Salary: $10,708,458
- Total: $38,583,914
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Western Notes: Collison, Jones, Powell
The salary cap could jump from $90MM in 2016/17 to as much as $105MM the year after, league sources tell Zach Lowe of Grantland.com. With all the buzz surrounding Kevin Durant, Lowe notes that the increase could give the Thunder another chance to add talent without going into the luxury tax. Although, he adds that giving Serge Ibaka a maximum salary contract on his next deal could limit their flexibility.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Thunder‘s injury woes continue as coach Scott Brooks informed reporters that Nick Collison is expected to miss at least 10 days with an ankle injury, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman relays. Collison joins Durant, Ibaka and Enes Kanter on the injured list, Mayberry notes. “One thing I do know is our guys are going to continue to fight and rally and our crowd is going to continue to support our guys because they give effort,” Brooks said. “We’ve never, ever given up and felt sorry for ourselves. Our team’s going to continue to rally around each other and help each other fight through it. We’ve had some tough moments this year. That has never stopped us from competing, never stopped us from trying to improve.”
- Rockets players have missed a combined 137 games this season due to injury or illness thus far, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle notes. The latest Houston player to sustain an injury is Terrence Jones who suffered a collapsed lung during Thursday night’s contest. Jones will be out of action indefinitely as a result of his injury, Feigen relays. “Guys have to step up,” coach Kevin McHale said. “I sure wish Kostas Papanikolaou [who has been out for 13 games with a sprained ankle] was ready to play, but he’s not ready to play, either. We just have to deal with it and go.“
- The Mavs have re-assigned Dwight Powell to the Texas Legends, their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release.
Week In Review: 3/15/15 – 3/21/15
The Thunder continue to be besieged by injuries this season with forward Serge Ibaka expected to miss approximately four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to address soreness in his right knee, and Kevin Durant possibly out for the remainder of the season courtesy of a foot injury. Here’s the rest of the news from the week that was:
- The Pistons inked Quincy Miller to a two-year deal.
- The Bucks signed Chris Johnson to a second 10-day pact.
- Utah inked Jack Cooley to a second 10-day deal.
- Bryce Cotton signed a deal with the Jazz that will keep him in Utah beyond this season.
- The Clippers signed Jordan Hamilton to a multiyear contract.
- Nate Robinson agreed to a second 10-day contract with the Clippers.
- The Heat signed Michael Beasley to a multiyear deal.
- The Knicks inked Ricky Ledo to a 10-day contract.
- Minnesota used the hardship exception it was granted to sign Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day contract.
- Kalin Lucas signed a deal with the Turkish team TED Ankara for the remainder of the season.
- The Lakers and Jabari Brown inked a second 10-day deal.
News/Rumors
- Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga attracted the interest of George Mason University, but Larranaga declined to be considered as a coaching candidate.
- The Mavericks are reportedly no longer interested in signing free agent big man JaVale McGee.
- Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob indicated that Golden State will do everything it can to retain Draymond Green, who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
- Greg Miller, the CEO of the Miller Management Corporation that controls the Jazz, decided to step down after a seven-year tenure.
- The Timberwolves and draft-and-stash pick Nemanja Bjelica have mutual interest in reaching a deal this summer.
- Kings coach George Karl acknowledged that he and DeMarcus Cousins started their relationship under difficult circumstances and that it will take some time for the two to build a successful working relationship.
- There are multiple teams interested in Eric Griffin, who currently plays for the Texas Legends in the NBA D-League.
- Salary cap projections were released for the 2015/16 NBA season through the 2017/18 campaign.
- Rival NBA executives aren’t sold on the Cavs being willing to offer Kevin Love a maximum salary deal when he hits free agency.
- Al Harrington announced his retirement from his playing career, though he did express interest in either coaching or a front office position in the future.
- Eric Gordon reportedly intends to exercise his player option worth $15,514,031 to remain with the Pelicans for the 2015/16 season.
- The Wizards are likely to re-sign Toure’ Murry to a second 10-day contract.
- Andray Blatche is set to ink a multiyear deal to return to the Chinese Basketball Association’s Xinjiang Flying Tigers.
- Steve Nash announced his retirement.
- All of the week’s NBA D-League assignments and recalls can be found here.
Steve Nash Announces Retirement
Veteran point guard Steve Nash has officially announced his retirement from basketball in an article he authored that was published at ThePlayersTribune.com. The 41-year-old didn’t specify if his retirement was effective immediately, though with the Lakers on the hook for the remainder of his $9,701,000 salary for 2014/15, he potentially meant that he would file the official paperwork with the league at the end of the season, though that is merely my speculation.
Writing about his love for the game, Nash said, “The greatest gift has been to be completely immersed in my passion and striving for something I loved so much — visualizing a ladder, climbing up to my heroes. The obsession became my best friend. I talked to her, cherished her, fought with her and got knocked on my [expletive] by her. And that is what I’m most thankful for in my career. In my entire life, in some ways. Obviously, I value my kids and my family more than the game, but in some ways having this friend — this ever-present pursuit — has made me who I am, taught me and tested me, and given me a mission that feels irreplaceable. I am so thankful. I’ve learned so many invaluable lessons about myself and about life. And of course I still have so much to learn. Another incredible gift.”
Nash’s playing career certainly didn’t end the way that he would have liked. The point guard only managed to appear in a total of 65 contests during his three seasons with the Lakers thanks to various injuries. He has missed the entire 2014/15 campaign due to back and neck woes. It was reported earlier this month that Nash held off on announcing his retirement at the Lakers’ request, so that the team could try and find a taker for his expiring contract on the trade market.
Discussing his time in Los Angeles, Nash wrote, “When I signed with the Lakers, I had big dreams of lifting the fans up and lighting this city on fire. I turned down more lucrative offers to come to L.A. because I wanted to be in the “fire,” and play for high risk and high reward in my last NBA chapter. In my second game here, I broke my leg and nothing was the same. Last spring, when I returned to the court, I was given a standing ovation at Staples Center. It was a dark time in my career and that gesture will be one of my best memories. There’s been a lot of negativity online, but in my nearly three years in L.A., I’ve never met anyone who didn’t show me anything but love and support for my efforts. There’s a lot of class in Lakerland, and the organization and staff have given me unwavering support.”
Selected with the No. 15 overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, Nash is sure to be remembered as one of the greatest and most exciting point guards in the history of the league. In 1,217 career games spanning 18 NBA seasons, Nash has averaged 14.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 0.7 steals per contest. His career shooting numbers are .490/.428/.904. Over the course of his playing career Nash earned approximately $137,235,620 in salary according to Basketball Reference.com, though that figure doesn’t include this year’s income.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 3/15/15-3/21/15
In addition to our weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have added a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap, or the NBA draft? Drop me a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com or @EddieScarito on Twitter. Now for this week’s inquiries:
“Who might the Knicks actually be able to land in free agency this summer?” — Gerry
As a fellow Knicks fan I understand the pessimism in your phrasing. Phil Jackson will certainly be active in trying to land a number of big name, big ticket free agents this summer. Unfortunately, I don’t expect him to be all that successful though. Most, if not all, of this summer’s potential free agents would have to accept less money and a diminished chance at contention to come to New York…which isn’t a great start to any sales pitch. Jackson as an executive has little appeal to prospective signees, despite what the Knicks’ PR department would have you believe. To land free agents, Jackson will have to overpay just to have a fighting chance this summer. Keeping this in mind I would posit that Greg Monroe and Rajon Rondo would be the two players most likely to sign with New York. If I can only choose one, then I’ll go with Monroe. He’ll likely be seeking top dollar, a figure that not all league executives agree Monroe is worth, and I can easily see the Knicks being the ones to give it to him.
“What NBA team needs Devin Booker the most and what do you see him doing once he makes it to the NBA?” — Dustin
I don’t rate Booker as being a franchise cornerstone type of player at the NBA level, so to say a team needs him is perhaps a bit strong of a statement. It’s also not a given that Booker will leave school after this season. He really could use another year of development and would probably improve his draft position by staying at Kentucky for his sophomore campaign. But if Booker has a strong tournament, or if his people get a strong indication that he’ll be a surefire first-rounder, he’ll likely decide to leave school this year. But his 1-6 shooting performance against Hampton on Thursday night isn’t a great start on this front.
Booker isn’t really a great athlete, and this will limit his ability to be an effective pro over the long haul. He’ll have difficulty guarding the more athletic twos in the NBA, and creating his own shot will be a challenge as well. But the kid can definitely shoot, perhaps better than anyone in this year’s draft class, and that is a skill that can always find a place in the league. Booker will likely top out as an NBA sixth man because of his limitations. He’s only a freshman, so he may have a well of ability that hasn’t been tapped yet, but I don’t see him becoming an All-Star, nor a top of the line starter in the NBA.
The guard is currently projected as a mid-to-late first-rounder if he declares for the draft in June. Going by our current reverse standings that allows for some potentially interesting fits for Booker. A team like the Clippers, who are currently projected at the No. 25 spot would be a very good fit for Booker given their lack of bench production this season and need for floor spacers. Memphis could also use some depth in the backcourt, and the Grizzlies would be able to allow Booker significant D-League time during his rookie season, which he’ll need.
“How important do you think NCAA tournament performance is to a player’s draft stock?” — Vinny
While a solid tournament performance certainly doesn’t hurt a prospect’s draft position, it’s not necessarily a prime determining factor for the NBA draft. Individual pre-draft workouts are far more important to GMs and scouts than what a player does over a few games in March. There have been plenty of March heroes that have gone undrafted, or have ended up being busts in the NBA. Personally, I believe how a player performs under the bright lights of the tournament reflects more on his emotional makeup and character than on his actual playing ability. College teams can load up on defense and limit any player for a game or two, no matter how talented he is. A bad stat line or two isn’t going to knock a prospect out of being a lottery pick like a bad pre-draft workout can.
“Who should win the Rookie of the Year award for this season? Rank your top five finalists.” — Kelly
I think the ROTY award winner is easily the Wolves’ Andrew Wiggins. He has shown quite a bit of growth over the course of the season, and he just might end up making the Kevin Love trade look like a foolish deal for the Cavaliers. Much more so if Love changes his mind and leaves Cleveland after this season. Wiggins is a player whom Minnesota can and will build around. It should be pretty fun for Wolves fans in a few seasons thanks to Wiggins and the rest of the young talent Flip Saunders has acquired.
Here are my top five rankings for the Rookie of the Year award:
- Andrew Wiggins (Timberwolves) 15.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.8 APG. .433/.324/.742
- Elfrid Payton (Magic) 8.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.1 APG. .421/.250/.527.
- Nerlens Noel (Sixers) 9.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.9 BPG. .453/.000/.608
- Nikola Mirotic (Bulls) 9.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.1 APG. .402/.317/.801
- Marcus Smart (Celtics) 7.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 3.3 APG. .363/.341/.647.
That sounds the buzzer on this week’s column. Thanks for all of your submissions. Keep on sending in your questions and I’ll be back next Saturday with some more responses.