Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/22/15
Rookie of the Year honors normally go to players at or near the top of the draft board. In fact, four of the last seven winners were drafted No. 1 overall — Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin (although he sat out his first season with an injury), Kyrie Irving and last year’s winner, Andrew Wiggins.
This year’s No. 1 pick, center Karl-Anthony Towns, figures to see a lot of minutes as part of the young core in Minnesota. However, several other rookies are also in position to get a large share of playing time. The Lakers liked point guard D’Angelo Russell enough to take him No. 2 ahead of Jahlil Okafor. Russell could put up impressive numbers and plenty of flashy highlights in Los Angeles. And Okafor, who landed in Philadelphia, could lead the Sixers in scoring with his polished post game.
Beyond the top three selections, there are plenty of intriguing possibilities for this year’s award. The Knicks’ Kristaps Porzingis will face a bright spotlight in New York. Overseas products Mario Hezonja and Emmanuel Mudiay will get to show their skills to American audiences. Rookie big men Willie Cauley-Stein and Frank Kaminsky should both be part of their teams’ rotations, as will small forwards Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow. And there’s always the possibility that someone outside of the top 10 will surprise, much like Michael Carter-Williams did in 2013/14.
Today’s topic is: Who do you expect to be the Rookie of the Year for 2015/16 and why? Remember, the question isn’t just who is the most talented player from this year’s draft or which team made out the best considering its draft position. Taking into account the opportunity for playing time and the adjustment to the NBA game, who do you believe will take home the trophy next spring?
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, send a message to hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com or hit up Eddie Scarito on Twitter at @EddieScarito to submit topics or ideas for what we should present in future posts.
And-Ones: Williams, Thomas, Nunnally
Alan Williams, who starred at UC Santa Barbara and made an impact during summer league, was surprised that no NBA team was willing to give him a guaranteed contract, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Instead, Williams signed with the Double Star Eagles in Qingdao, China, grabbing an overseas spot that usually isn’t available once NBA training camps end in October. “It gave me financial stability, which is something a lot of people don’t get in their first year,” Williams said. “It gives me an opportunity to go out there and develop my game more and play for a pretty good team. Culturally, I get to go to a whole different continent and see how they play.” Williams thought he might get more interest from NBA teams after an impressive performance with the Rockets‘ summer league squad. He averaged 20.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in four games and was named to the all-NBA Summer League second team. Williams is hoping for another shot at the NBA once his CBA season ends in February or March.
There’s more news tonight from around the basketball world:
- Tyrus Thomas, the fourth pick in the 2006 draft, still dreams of returning to the NBA, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Thomas missed the entire 2013/14 season after undergoing an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for an arachnoid cyst. He signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies in January, but only appeared in two games. At 29, he is training for another shot at the league and hopes to be in someone’s camp next month.
- James Nunnally has signed with Sidigas Avellino of the Italian Serie A, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Nunnally, another UC Santa Barbara product, appeared in a combined 13 games with the Hawks and Sixers during the 2013/14 season. He spent last season with teams in Spain and Israel, and played for the Pacers‘ entry in this year’s summer league.
- Several teams took risks this summer, and Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders evaluates the best and worst of them, including the Lakers‘ and Knicks‘ draft picks, the Rockets‘ deal for Ty Lawson, the Raptors giving big money to DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph and the Kings‘ gamble on Rajon Rondo.
Heat Rumors: Chalmers, Hawkins, Winslow
Amid rumors that he might be the next player traded to lessen the team’s luxury tax penalty, Mario Chalmers is preparing like he’s staying in Miami, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Chalmers has been holding regular workouts with new teammate Amar’e Stoudemire, who signed with the Heat as a free agent last month. “We’re just getting that feel for each other, becoming friends, just to form a relationship with him,” Chalmers said, adding that he believes the Heat are in position to be contenders again.
There’s more tonight from Miami:
- An unidentified NBA scout said the Heat did very well with their offseason moves, Winderman writes in the same story. The scout calls Gerald Green a “gunslinger” who provides athleticism and can make difficult shots, and says of Stoudemire, “He’s still got some punch left in him.”
- The Heat are hoping to keep Corey Hawkins for their D-League team if he fails to make the opening-night roster, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami signed Hawkins, the son of former NBA player Hersey Hawkins, on Friday. The 6’3″ guard went undrafted out of Cal-Davis after earning Player of the Year honors in the Big West Conference. Teams are permitted to designate as many as four “affiliate players” for their D-League roster once they clear waivers.
- Rookie Justise Winslow is confident that he is coming to a successful organization in Miami, writes Michael Lee of The Washington Post. Although the Heat missed the playoffs last year, team president Pat Riley has a record of rebuilding quickly, and Winslow, the 10th overall pick, is happy to be part of that effort. “I’m looking forward to going out there and winning, winning championships,” he said. “That’s what the Heat organization is about.”
Central Notes: Smith, Cavaliers, Pistons, Johnson
This week’s agreement with J.R. Smith was the last step for the Cavaliers in keeping together the core of last season’s Eastern Conference champs, writes Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. Smith opted out of a $6.4MM deal for next season, against the advice of the team, before settling for a new contract that will pay him $5MM for 2015/16 with a $5MM player option for the following season. Pluto noted that the Cavs had “tremendous leverage” in negotiations once Smith failed to get a significant offer in free agency. In addition to bringing back Smith, Cleveland was able to re-sign LeBron James, James Jones and Matthew Dellavedova, while adding Mo Williams and Richard Jefferson. In addition, center Sasha Kaun struck a deal with the team today. Free agent Tristan Thompson has not reached an agreement, but is expected to remain in Cleveland for at least one more season.
There’s more news from the Central Division:
- James averaged 36.1 minutes last season — the lowest total of his career — and Pluto writes in the same article that the Cavs hope to cut that figure even further. Smith and Jefferson will both help reduce his workload, Pluto says, and Williams should do the same for Kyrie Irving, who is rehabbing after surgery for a fractured kneecap.
- Marcus Morris will likely win the Pistons‘ starting small forward job over rookie Stanley Johnson, according to David Mayo of MLive. Detroit acquired Morris from the Suns in a three-player trade last month. Mayo also points out that the addition of Ersan Ilyasova to go with holdover Anthony Tolliver gives the Pistons a three-point threat at the power forward position on both their starting and reserve units.
- Rookie Stanley Johnson thinks the Pistons selected him because he has a personality similar to coach/executive Stan Van Gundy, writes John Niyo of The Detroit News. That includes a distaste for losing, which Johnson shares with his new coach. “You want to be around people that are like you,” said Johnson. “I don’t think Stan would draft me if he wasn’t looking for the same things.”
Atlantic Notes: Valanciunas, Porzingis, Rozier
The four-year, $64MM extension that Jonas Valanciunas signed this week is a good deal for both him and the Raptors, writes Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. If the 23-year-old center has an outstanding year in 2015/16, he may have cost himself some money by not waiting to negotiate, Wolstat notes, especially with the salary cap expected to rise into the neighborhood of $90MM next summer. However, Valanciunas opted for security and the satisfaction of making more than four times more than his previous salary. “That’s why we’re doing the deal, because I feel the trust in me,” Valanciunas said. “I’m ready to go out and compete on the court. Now it’s my time to do something.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The deal that netted Valanciunas his extension came together quickly, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Last week, Valanciunas was preparing for Eurobasket 2015 with his national team in Lithuania. He arrived in Toronto on Monday and stayed until the extension was finalized. “There’s a great opportunity for me to stay in a good city,” Valanciunas said. “I love Toronto, I love to play here, it’s my second home. They take me as if I’m from here. It’s great. I just feel for the Raptors. I feel good about it. A contract is just a contract.”
- Knicks associate head coach Kurt Rambis is the right choice to mentor Kristaps Porzingis, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. League sources have told Begley that most of the responsibility for developing the 7’0″ rookie will fall on Rambis, who spent 14 years in the NBA as a power forward.
- Celtics rookie Terry Rozier thinks his summer league experience will help get him ready for the pace of the NBA game, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Many were surprised when Boston tabbed Rozier with the 16th pick, but the toughness, competitiveness and defensive prowess that attracted the Celtics was on display this summer. “I think I grew a lot out there, just seeing the spacing and learning to play with a different pace at this level,” Rozier said. “I’m a fast learner, so to meet people and be in that environment was special, because I learned a lot and got better.”
Poll: 2003 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 2)
Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. I’m willing to bet that every team executive has at least one pick that he would like a mulligan for. While life, and the NBA, doesn’t allow for such opportunities, we at Hoops Rumors decided it would be fun to give our readers a second take at picking players, complete with the benefit of hindsight.
We are in the process of taking you on a journey back to June of 2003, and revisiting a draft that saw the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh available to potentially change the fortunes of a few struggling franchises. Wade was the first of that group to win an NBA championship, though James and Bosh would later join him in Miami and go on to win multiple titles together years later, while Melo is still seeking his first trip to the NBA Finals. Detroit, which owned the No. 2 overall pick that season, chose to go with Darko Milicic, who didn’t work out so well for the Pistons. Not all picks pan out, but that one is especially painful given the talent that the Pistons passed over to select the big man, who owns career averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds, and has been out of the NBA since making a single appearance for the Celtics back in 2012/13.
We continue our revisionist history with those same Pistons, who had acquired the second overall pick from the Grizzlies as part of the 1997 trade that sent Otis Thorpe to Memphis. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Detroit’s pick and check back Tuesday night for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Nuggets will select with the No. 3 overall pick. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 2 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
Previous Picks
- Cavaliers: LeBron James
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Western Notes: Crawford, Dejean-Jones, Prince
There are reportedly multiple teams, including the Knicks, Heat, and Cavaliers, that are interested in swinging a deal with the Clippers to acquire sixth man Jamal Crawford. But Los Angeles isn’t currently motivated to give up Crawford without garnering a useful return, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register relays in a series of tweets. It wouldn’t be a wise move to deal Crawford, who is extremely valuable as a bench piece, for a backup caliber point guard or center, Woike opines. The Orange County Register scribe believes that the smarter move for the Clippers would be to hold onto Crawford and see how the team’s roster shakes out in training camp to better assess what the team’s needs are before making a decision.
Here’s what else is happening around the Western Conference:
- The Pelicans dipped into their mid-level exception to sign undrafted shooting guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. The pact includes a partial guarantee of $50K for the 2015/16 campaign, while the other two seasons of the deal are non-guaranteed, Pincus adds.
- According to league sources, the Jazz have yet to contact other teams or free agents regarding adding another point guard in the wake of Dante Exum‘s season-ending knee injury, Andy Larsen of KSL.com relays (Twitter links). Utah appears content to begin the season with Trey Burke, Bryce Cotton, and Raul Neto, and will potentially look to acquire additional help later in the season if needed, Larsen adds. There were reports that the Jazz had interest in acquiring Garrett Temple from the Wizards, but Washington reportedly isn’t anxious to to move Temple, and he wouldn’t come cheaply if they were so inclined.
- Tayshaun Prince‘s minimum salary arrangement with the Timberwolves for the 2015/16 season is fully guaranteed, Pincus tweets. The addition of Prince gives Minnesota 16 fully guaranteed pacts, according to our roster count for the team.
Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 8/16/15-8/22/15
In addition to our weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have 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:
“Now that the Mavs have a glut of centers, which player gets the axe before the start of the season?” — Orien
Well, let me first point out that while Dallas currently has five players who can play the pivot, none of them should especially excite fans of the team. Zaza Pachulia is the likely starter, and while he’s serviceable enough, he’s not exactly going to be an All-Star next season. Samuel Dalembert should have the inside track on being the backup, which is in line with his production level. As for the rest of Dallas’ options at the five, the most intriguing is JaVale McGee, who possesses the highest upside of the lot. That’s not to say McGee will make anyone forget Tyson Chandler, but he’s certainly capable of being the x-factor at center next season for the Mavs…if he’s healthy AND makes the opening night roster. I don’t see Salah Mejri or Jarrid Famous making much of an impact in 2015/16, although perhaps the Texas Legends may benefit from one or both of them in the D-League this coming season. The Mavs’ best hope may be to try and mine some gold when training camp cuts begin, or to hope they can luck out with a D-League player once the season is underway like the Heat did with Hassan Whiteside.
“Is Ricky Rubio on borrowed time in Minnesota, and if so, where might he end up?” — Victor
I don’t know if I’d classify Rubio as being on borrowed time, though I’m sure that Minnesota would listen intently to any reasonable trade offer it received for the 24-year-old. After four NBA seasons, three of which were cut short due to injuries, it’s still difficult to nail down just what kind of player Rubio is, and can be. The Wolves are a team on the rise, and are packed with exciting young talent — including Rubio, though I don’t necessarily think he’s a good fit for their roster as it is currently constituted. Minnesota is badly in need of players who can stretch the floor, something that Rubio, who owns a career slash line of .367/.314/.801, has not demonstrated the capability of doing.
Rubio’s contract will also make him difficult to deal this season, with him set to earn $12.7MM. While the team could probably find a taker, the likely return at this point in the offseason wouldn’t be much to write home about. At the very least, the Wolves would most likely have to take back at least one less than desirable contract to get a deal done. I believe that the franchise would be best served to see what kind of season Rubio can put together, if he can finally remain healthy, and how well he meshes with the team’s core of Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Karl-Anthony Towns. If Rubio is in fact dealt, I could see him ending up on the Knicks, though they would need to get very creative to fit in his deal with their current cap situation. With New York not being able to make a big splash in free agency, landing Rubio, who would be an upgrade for the Knicks at point guard, may end up being something that both sides explore. But if I had to guess, I’d say there’s a 95% chance that Rubio is on Minnesota’s roster to begin the season, with him being a potential trade deadline move for the Wolves.
“Will the Pistons deal Brandon Jennings before the season begins?” — Charlie
It’s a pretty good bet that Stan Van Gundy would love to remove Jennings’ salary of $8,344,497 from Detroit’s cap figure prior to October, but it’s highly unlikely that he will be able to. With the point guard recovering from Achilles surgery, and potentially out of action until December, I seriously doubt that there would be too many takers at this point. The Sixers are always a possibility to take on expiring contracts like Jennings’ in exchange for drat picks, and they are in need of a stopgap at the one spot, but it’s still highly improbable. The most likely scenario is that Detroit hangs onto Jennings and hopes that he shows enough prior to the trade deadline that the Pistons can extract some value from a player who they are unlikely to re-sign next Summer.
“As a Knicks fan (which you have admitted to being), what is your take on their offseason? What is your prediction for the team’s record this coming season?” — Luis
Yes, it’s true…my name is Eddie, and I’m a New York Knicks fan. Now that my terrible secret is out, on to your question. New York’s offseason, which began with dreams of landing LaMarcus Aldridge and/or DeAndre Jordan, instead brought Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, and Kyle O’Quinn to the Big Apple. Not a great haul on first blush, though I think the additions of Afflalo, Lopez, and O’Quinn were solid ones. Williams…not so much. He isn’t a good fit for the triangle, not a great rebounder, and I’m not sure how well he’ll mesh with Melo when/if they play alongside one another. Adding backcourt depth and another big should have been a bigger priority than inking Williams.
I think it’s time for both the team and its fans to realize that there is no quick fix coming. Kevin Durant isn’t signing with New York next Summer, nor is LeBron James. This will be a much more drawn out process than simply loading up on star-level talent during the Summer. It’s also a process that Phil Jackson won’t be around for the end of, regardless of if he finishes out his five-year contract or not. Which for the record, I’d say he won’t. But the addition of Afflalo will be a huge boon for Melo, and Lopez, provided he can remain healthy, will certainly improve the team’s rebounding numbers. I’m also a huge fan of adding O’Quinn, who could really have a breakout season for the team, provided he gets the necessary minutes.
I discussed my feeling regarding the addition of Kristaps Porzingis in last week’s mailbag. But in case you missed that, I’ve grown to be a fan of the pick, though he’s realistically two seasons away from blossoming into a steady contributor. Hopefully the team, and its fans, will have the patience to let the kid develop on the fly. But the best addition that Jackson made on draft night was acquiring Jerian Grant. Regardless of Anthony’s feelings on the matter, flipping Tim Hardaway Jr. for Grant was a fantastic move, as Grant is a much better fit for the team’s system, and he plays point guard, a position of need for the Knicks.
As for my season prediction for New York, I’ll definitely say they’ll be a better squad than the D-League caliber bunch that finished out the season. Reaching the playoffs in the East is definitely within reach, but advancing past the first round is likely a pipe dream. Look for the Knicks to win between 30-38 games in 2015/16, and possibly snag the eighth playoff spot. Expecting anything more will lead to heartbreak. Something Knicks fans know all too well…
Well, that’s all the space I have for this week. Thanks again to all who sent in their inquiries, and please keep them coming! I’ll be back next week with more responses.
Hoops Rumors Originals 8/16/15-8/22/15
Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week…
- In his weekly column, Sam Amico, the founder and editor of AmicoHoops.net and a broadcast journalist for Fox Sports Ohio, looked at the rise of the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Chuck Myron looked at Markieff Morris as a trade candidate.
- If you missed the week’s live chat, you can view the transcript here.
- Chuck looked at the Rockets’ quandary regarding signing 2015 draftee Montrezl Harrell.
- Dana Gauruder examined the free agent stock of guard Norris Cole.
- Chuck ran down the players who are eligible for veteran extensions.
- I broke down the 2015/16 salary cap commitments for the Rockets, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Pacers, and Grizzlies.
- Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- We asked readers to vote on who they would select if they had the chance to redo the lottery portion of the 2013 NBA Draft. Here are the results for the No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, and No. 14 overall picks. We began a look back at the 2003 draft, and here’s the results for the No. 1 overall pick.
- Chuck examined the Clippers’ Jamal Crawford as a trade candidate.
- If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
- I answered reader questions in Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag.
- Chuck looked at the players who possess trade kickers in their contracts.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feeds.
- We looked at who are the longest tenured NBA coaches.
- Chuck looked at the teams that possess the most rookie scale contracts on their books.
- We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
- We took a look at the maximum salary extensions that have been signed in July, August or September under the current collective bargaining agreement.
Jordan Hamilton To Play In Russia
Jordan Hamilton has signed a deal to play overseas for the Russian club Krasny Oktyabr, the team announced (translation courtesy of Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The length and terms of the pact are unknown, and it’s not clear if his deal contains an NBA out clause that would allow him to return stateside this season.
The 24-year-old was selected in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft by the Mavericks, who dealt him that night to the Nuggets. Hamilton played his first two-plus seasons with Denver, then was shipped to the Rockets for Aaron Brooks midway through the 2013/14 season. He inked a multiyear deal with the Clippers last season after completing a pair of 10-day contracts with the team. The swingman became expendable thanks to the offseason additions of Lance Stephenson, Paul Pierce, and Wesley Johnson, and Hamilton was subsequently waived by Los Angeles at the beginning of August in an effort to clear roster space.
The 6’7” shooting guard appeared in 14 games for the Clippers last season, averaging 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 8.7 minutes per game. His career numbers through parts of four NBA campaigns are 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists to accompany a slash line of .405/.366/.671.