Pacific Notes: Speights, Davis, Looney
The Warriors are leaning toward exercising their 2015/16 team option for big man Marreese Speights, Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com relays. “He was good for us, so I think we’re inclined to,” GM Bob Myers said. “We’ve just got to meet tomorrow to discuss those options . . . I would think we’re leaning that way. But we haven’t committed to it. We haven’t talked to his agent and decided it 100 percent.” Speights is set to earn $3,815,000 for next season, and Golden State has until Wednesday to make a decision regarding the 27-year-old’s contract.
Here’s the latest out of the Pacific Division:
- There is mutual interest between the team and forward Ed Davis for him to return to the Lakers next season, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. The 26-year-old declined his player option for next season, and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Davis appeared in 79 contests for Los Angeles during the 2014/15 campaign, averaging 8.3 points and 7.6 rebounds.
- Warriors first-round draft pick Kevon Looney is extremely versatile, and that’s what appealed to the team about the UCLA forward, Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group writes. “Drafting a player like Kevon who has a lot of different skill sets really speaks to the way we play, the way we want to play,” Myers said. “He could be out there playing five, the four, or three. That’s the way we think the NBA is trending, being able to employ multiple skill sets. Coaches love guys that can be placed in many different positions, and Kevon’s a great example of that.”
- The Suns intend to keep Jon Leuer, who they acquired from the Grizzlies on Thursday in exchange for the rights to Andrew Harrison, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic relays (Twitter link). Leuer’s salary of $1,035,000 for 2015/16 becomes guaranteed if he remains on Phoenix’s roster past Tuesday, Coro notes.
Northwest Notes: Mudiay, Radicevic, Towns
The first round selection of Emmanuel Mudiay on Thursday night all but assures that Ty Lawson‘s time with the Nuggets is up, Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post writes. Denver feels fortunate that the young point guard fell to them at the No. 7 overall pick, and the team acknowledges that Mudiay’s limitations as a shooter are why he was still on the board that late in the lottery, Kiszla notes. “If he had a jumper, we’re not getting him. He’s No. 1, with a bullet,” Nuggets GM Tim Connelly said. “His shot’s not broken. He’s confident. And he’s a worker.” Connelly insisted that Mudiay and Lawson could exist in the same backcourt, saying “Absolutely. Excited about it,” when the prospect was brought up. But the team shouldn’t risk exposing Mudiay to the potentially negative influence that Lawson could provide, and must find a trade partner to facilitate the veteran’s departure from Denver, Kiszla opines.
Here’s the latest out of the Northwest Division:
- The Thunder had been making a push to acquire the No. 12 pick from the Jazz before the draft, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (on Twitter).
- The Nuggets‘ plan for Serbian point guard Nikola Radicevic is for him to remain overseas next season with Sevilla in Spain’s Liga ACB, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post tweets. Denver selected Radicevic with the No. 57 overall pick on Thursday night.
- Karl-Anthony Towns was the Timberwolves‘ primary target in the draft from day one, writes Sid Hartman of The Star Tribune. Minnesota coach/executive Flip Saunders believes that the 2015 No. 1 overall pick has only scratched the surface of his ability, Hartman notes. “The thing about Towns is he has great versatility, I mean, he handles the basketball extremely well for a guy that is just under 7-foot,” Saunders said. “He is a two-way player. He can block shots and score offensively. He didn’t show it in college, because [Kentucky coach John] Calipari didn’t ask him to do it, but he’s a very, very good perimeter-type shooter. So I just think his versatility, and then he’s very charismatic.“
Sixers To Sign T.J. McConnell
The Sixers intend to sign former Arizona point guard T.J. McConnell to a free agent deal, Bruce Pascoe of The Arizona Daily Star reports. The deal includes McConnell playing summer league ball for the team, as well as a training camp invite, Pascoe notes. Also included in the deal is what McConnell’s agent, Chris Emens, said is a partial salary guarantee, Pascoe relays. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter) confirmed the team’s deal with the guard, as well as a partial guarantee worth six figures. The earliest any deal can be finalized is Wednesday.
Emens told Pascoe that all 15 teams McConnell worked out for invited him to play summer ball and that his client might have been drafted had he agreed to be a “draft-and-stash” second-rounder who would be sent directly to the D-League with no chance of making the NBA club. “We didn’t want to do that and we knew we had a lot of demand, so we were able to parlay that into a significant deal,” Emens said. “He had a very, very good predraft process. … Coaches love him. He’s so intense and hardcore, and he makes others better.”
“T.J. said he had a good feeling about a couple of teams, and Philadelphia was one of them,” Tim McConnell, T.J.’s father, said. “He’s going to give it a shot and see what happens. The worst thing that can happen is he goes to the D-League.”
McConnell appeared in 38 games for the Wildcats last season, averaging 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, with a shooting line of .498/.321/.829. He began his career at Duquesne, and in 139 total NCAA games McConnell’s numbers are 10.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 5.4 APG.
2015/16 Roster Counts: Milwaukee Bucks
During the offseason it’s OK for teams to carry as many as 20 players, but clubs must trim their rosters down to a maximum of 15 by opening night. In the meantime, some teams will hang around that 15-man line, while others will max out their roster counts. Some clubs may actually have more than 15 contracts that are at least partially guaranteed on the books. That means they’ll end up paying players who won’t be on the regular season roster, unless they can find trade partners.
With plenty more movement still to come, here’s the latest look at the Bucks’ roster size, the contract guarantee status of each player, and how each player came to be on Milwaukee’s roster.
(Last Updated 3-16-16, 1:00pm)
Fully Guaranteed (15)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (F) — 6’11″/20 years old. Drafted with No. 15 overall pick in 2013.
- Jerryd Bayless (G) — 6’3″/26 years old. Free agent signing.
- Michael Carter-Williams (G) — 6’6″/23 years old. Acquired via trade with Sixers.
- Tyler Ennis (G) — 6’3″/20 years old. Acquired via trade from Suns.
- John Henson (C) — 6’11″/24 years old. Drafted with No. 14 overall pick in 2012.
- Damien Inglis (F) — 6’8″/20 years old. Drafted with No. 31 overall pick in 2014.
- O.J. Mayo (G) — 6’5″/27 years old. Free agent signing.
- Khris Middleton (G/F) — 6’7″/23 years old. Acquired via trade from Pistons.
- Greg Monroe (F/C) — 6’11″/25 years old. Free agent signing.
- Steve Novak (F) — 6’10″/32 years old. Free agent signing.
- Johnny O’Bryant (F) — 6’9″/22 years old. Drafted with No. 36 overall pick in 2014.
- Jabari Parker (F) — 6’8″/20 years old. Drafted with No. 2 overall pick in 2014.
- Miles Plumlee (C) — 6’11″/26 years old. Acquired via trade from Suns.
- Greivis Vasquez (G) — 6’6″/28 years old. Acquired via trade from Raptors.
- Rashad Vaughn (G) — 6’6″/18 years old. Drafted with No. 17 overall pick in 2015.
10-Day Contracts (0)
- None
TOTAL ROSTER COUNT (15)
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Sixers, Hernangomez
Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony is upset with the team’s dealings on draft night, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes. Anthony’s displeasure centers around team president Phil Jackson selecting Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis with the No. 4 overall pick, as well as the trade of Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Hawks in exchange for the rights to Notre Dame combo guard Jerian Grant, Isola notes. Porzingis, while talented, is considered a project who won’t contribute immediately. Anthony told a close friend regarding Porzingis, “Are we supposed to wait two or three years for this guy?” The veteran also reportedly called Hardaway after the trade was announced to express his frustration with the team’s moves, Isola adds. Knicks officials are aware of Anthony’s feelings, the Daily News scribe notes.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets did not dangle forward Bojan Bogdanovic as trade bait in an attempt to move up from the No. 29 overall pick, a league source told Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link).
- Spanish center Guillermo Hernangomez, for whom the Knicks dealt two future second-rounders and cash to the Sixers, will likely play overseas during the 2015/16 campaign, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com relays (on Twitter).
- The Sixers‘ selection of Duke big man Jahlil Okafor with the No. 3 overall pick has done nothing to move the team closer toward contending, Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Ford cites the presence of big men Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid on Philadelphia’s roster, and the team’s needs for outside shooting and backcourt depth as reasons why the pick could be considered a setback in GM Sam Hinkie‘s rebuilding plan.
- With improving their defense a priority this offseason, the Raptors are optimistic about what first round pick Delon Wright can do to help the team in that regard, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca writes. “We’re really excited about Delon,” GM Masai Ujiri said. “We saw him as a big point guard that can guard and takes great pride in it. [He] still needs to develop even if he’s a four-year [college] player. I think we also see him as a late bloomer a little bit, so we’re hoping there’s a little bit more development there. But he knows how to play. We watched him a lot and we like what he does.“
Rockets To Sign Christian Wood
The Rockets have agreed to a free agent deal with UNLV forward Christian Wood, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. Houston can’t formally make a contract offer to Wood until Wednesday at the earliest, and could not sign him for more than the minimum salary until after the July Moratorium is lifted. The exact length and terms of the proposed arrangement are not yet known, though sources have told Wojnarowski that the deal is a partially guaranteed one.
Wood going undrafted on Thursday night could be considered a bit of a shocker, especially since many mock drafts predicted the 6’11” forward would be selected toward the end of the first round or early in the second. The Rockets’ addition of Wood is surprising considering the team selected Wisconsin combo forward Sam Dekker with the No. 18 overall pick, and then doubled-down and nabbed Louisville big man Montrezl Harrell at pick No. 32.
The 19-year -old performed below standards in pre-draft workouts, according to the Yahoo! scribe, after averaging 15.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks for UNLV during his sophomore campaign. Wood’s career NCAA numbers are 10.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.9 BPG, with a slash line of .477/.261/.747.
LaMarcus Aldridge Growing Fond Of Lakers
3:14pm: San Antonio is optimistic that it can sign Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard at salaries that allow for the signing of Aldridge, too, sources tell Stein.
FRIDAY, 11:11am: The Spurs and Lakers are both front-runners for Aldridge, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, who writes within his draft winners and losers column.
12:38am: People within the Trail Blazers organization increasingly believe Aldridge is set to bolt, while the Lakers have become confident that they have a shot, Stein reports in a full story. The Blazers plan to be “very aggressive” in efforts to convince Damian Lillard to sign a five-year max extension, according to Stein, who writes in the same story, though it would appear that they won’t have to try too hard, since the point guard wants to sign that extension after he becomes eligible to do so in July, as Shams Charania of RealGM reported in April.
THURSDAY, 12:16am: The Lakers have eclipsed the Mavericks on unrestricted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge‘s list of preferred destinations should he leave Portland, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). While the Spurs are now at the top of his list, Los Angeles is gaining traction as a potential landing spot, Stein adds. This is a change from a report made last week by Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, who noted that Los Angeles was a distant third on Aldridge’s wish list.
Dallas was previously regarded as the biggest threat to lure the talented forward away from the Blazers, and Aldridge had reportedly soured on San Antonio as a destination, according to a separate report from Bucher. The All-Star power forward can be fickle, as The Oregonian’s Jason Quick wrote several weeks ago, and that’s evidenced not only by his apparent change of heart regarding a long-term commitment to the Blazers but also his apparent reshuffling of preferred teams. League sources had informed Bucher that the idea of returning to his native Texas is what appeals to him, not any specific team.
The Lakers currently have $35,075,659 in guaranteed salary committed for 2015/16, which would leave plenty of room for the team to float a maximum salary offer Aldridge’s way. Though, with Los Angeles’ reported pursuit of the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins, its cap figure could change drastically as a result. But landing the talented Cousins from Sacramento would likely strengthen the Lakers’ appeal in Aldridge’s eyes, though that is merely my speculation. One potential sticking point with such a frontcourt pairing would be Cousins’ stated preference to play more at power forward, which likely wouldn’t be the case if partnered alongside Aldridge. But a chance to contend could assuage Cousins in this regard, and it would certainly be a tremendous coup for Los Angeles to land both players this offseason.
Brook Lopez Opting Out From Nets
2:36pm: Lopez has indeed opted out, a source tells Bondy (on Twitter). The Nets have made no official announcement, but since players who have player options only need to declare when they’re opting in, not opting out, a formal acknowledgement might not be forthcoming.
12:05am: Nets GM Billy King said that he’s received indication from Brook Lopez that the center is likely to opt out of his deal and become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News reports (Twitter link). The move was widely anticipated, including by King, who said, “He’s probably opting out, which was expected.”
Lopez will forgo the $16,744,218 that he was due next season, with the hope that he can secure a long-term deal, and will likely be seeking the maximum, though that is merely my speculation. It makes sense for Lopez to do so given his injury history, though he risks losing an even bigger payday during the summer of 2016 when the salary cap is expected to increase dramatically. Lopez managed to remain on the court for the bulk of the 2014/15 campaign, appearing in 72 contests after only playing in 17 games the previous year due to injury. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 29.2 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .513/.100/.813.
Brooklyn has a hole in its frontcourt with the draft night deal that sent Mason Plumlee to Portland in exchange for Arizona swingman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and point guard Steve Blake. The Nets will certainly anticipate having competition for Lopez’s services. The Bucks are expected pursue Lopez, with a league source telling Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times during the spring that they thought Lopez might consider opting out and signing with the Bucks, citing his ties to former Nets and current Bucks coach Jason Kidd. The Spurs also reportedly have some level of interest in Lopez as well.
Greg Monroe To Meet With Knicks, Others
Greg Monroe will meet with the Knicks and three or four other teams once free agent negotiations begin Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling hears. The Pistons are not one of those teams, adds Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links). That’s no surprise regarding either New York or Detroit, as agent David Falk indicated strongly in April that the Knicks would be one of the big man’s top choices. Falk and Monroe have maintained that the Pistons have a shot to keep him, with Monroe going so far as to say at one point that they had the upper hand, he’s never appeared likely to re-sign after taking Detroit’s qualifying offer this past summer. Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said a few days ago that he’s “not entirely optimistic” about retaining the five-year veteran.
A league executive told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News back in April that a deal between the Knicks and Monroe was about as close to done as it could be. The sides can’t legally negotiate until Wednesday, and the former No. 7 overall pick denied that any such arrangement was in place, but the story nonetheless set New York as the clear favorite for Monroe. Shams Charania of RealGM reported in December that the Knicks, as well as the Hawks, planned to pursue the 25-year-old. The Celtics are also reportedly likely to chase him.
Monroe is No. 7 in our latest Free Agent Power Rankings on the strength of continued strong play on the offensive end and improvement defensively. He appears in line for a max deal starting at an estimated $15.8MM, or close to it, as I wrote when I examined his free agent stock, and the Knicks have enough cap flexibility, and then some, to accommodate that.
Jazz To Pursue Paul Millsap
JUNE 26TH: There is a growing sense that Millsap will go where the market dictates, and that the Jazz won’t be able to afford him, according to Checketts (Twitter link).
JUNE 25TH: There continue to be rumblings about how the Jazz want to re-acquire Millsap, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News tweets. Utah, his source adds, might also trade Derrick Favors.
JUNE 12TH: The Jazz will make an active pursuit of soon-to-be free agent Paul Millsap this summer, as Spencer Checketts of 1280 AM The Zone hears (Twitter link). Millsap, who spent his first seven NBA seasons as a member of the Jazz, and agent DeAngelo Simmons dropped hints at the end of Atlanta’s playoff run that the power forward would like to remain with the Hawks, though Utah has brother Elijah Millsap under contract for two more years. A pursuit of Paul Millsap would represent a sharp turn in Utah’s rebuilding effort, one that’s been patient so far, just two seasons after the team watched him go, at a discount, to Atlanta.
Competition will no doubt be stiff for the leading scorer from a 60-win Hawks team this season, and the Hawks face a stiff financial challenge to re-sign Millsap and fellow impending free agent DeMarre Carroll with only Early Bird Rights on both, as I examined when I looked at Atlanta’s offseason. The Hawks nonetheless appear confident that they can accomplish the task.
The Jazz can have as much as $16.6MM in cap room for next season without making a trade, as I noted in their offseason outlook, though that wouldn’t necessarily be enough to lure Millsap, as speculation, at least, has him in line for a max deal that would start at an estimated $19MM. Knicks president Phil Jackson is reportedly intrigued with Millsap, and New York has the cap flexibility to offer the max. Millsap apparently signed his two-year, $19MM deal with Atlanta in 2013 with an eye on putting himself in a better position to sign a lucrative contract this summer. Still, he has a good relationship with Jazz coach Quin Snyder, a Hawks assistant in Millsap’s first year in Atlanta, notes Andy Larsen of KSL.com.