Heat Rumors: Whiteside, Deng, Chalmers, Winslow
The Heat don’t have a Plan B if center Hassan Whiteside doesn’t have the season they expect, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Whiteside, who recently had his salary fully guaranteed for the 2015/16 season, didn’t become a rotation player for Miami until January. He averaged 11.8 points and 10.0 rebounds in 48 games, but that was after missing two NBA seasons, so he isn’t a sure thing for the future. Winderman notes that the salary cap limits the number of backup plans teams can afford. If Whiteside doesn’t pan out, the Heat’s options at center include Chris Bosh, newly signed veteran Amar’e Stoudemire, and Chris Andersen, who has been mentioned in trade rumors for luxury tax relief. Whiteside, who will make $981,348 this season, will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
- The Heat are grooming first-round pick Justise Winslow at forward rather than guard because Dwyane Wade is more likely to return in 2016/17 than Luol Deng, Winderman writes in the same piece. In June, Deng, an 11-year veteran, exercised an option for this season worth more than $10.1MM. He will become an unrestricted free agent next July.
- The inability to trade Mario Chalmers says more about the current state of the league than the player, Winderman writes in a separate story. There have been many rumors that Miami would like to move Chalmers and his $4.3MM salary to lower its impending luxury tax bill. Most teams have overstuffed training camp rosters, Winderman points out, and aren’t interested in adding players right now. A market for the seven-year veteran could emerge once injuries begin happening and teams become disenchanted with players on their rosters.
- The Heat have enough talent to bring Winslow along slowly, writes Shaun Powell of NBA.com. The rookie out of Duke was a pleasant surprise at the 10th pick, but he doesn’t have to be a contributor right away. The return from injury of Bosh and Josh McRoberts, along with this summer’s re-signing of Goran Dragic, will give Miami three key players who didn’t play a full season in 2014/15.
Extension Candidate: Tyler Zeller
With the No. 17 overall pick in the 2012 draft, the Mavs selected Tyler Zeller out of North Carolina. Within an hour, his rights would be traded to the Cavs for three picks that became Jared Cunningham, Bernard James and Jae Crowder. Cleveland trotted him out on the floor for two uninspiring seasons before trading him to Boston in a cap clearing deal that allowed the team to offer a max contract to LeBron James. Zeller hasn’t exactly made either team regret trading him, although Dallas could use a quality starting center right now due to its lack of exciting options and Cleveland was so in need of an interior presence last season, it hurled two first-round picks at Denver to obtain Timofey Mozgov. In both cases, its unlikely Zeller would have received the playing time and touches necessary to develop during his third season in the league. He would have taken a backseat to Tyson Chandler in Dallas and he wouldn’t have taken on a significant role with James and Kevin Love arriving in Cleveland.
Boston had no such roadblocks to playing time and offensive opportunity and it appears the 25-year-old has found a home. Late last season, Zeller and Marcus Smart were the Celtics least likely to be traded, according to multiple sources who spoke with A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Last month, Blakely wrote that the big man had a better chance than fellow 2012 first-rounders Jared Sullinger and Perry Jones III to end up with a contract extension, and sources told Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that chances are 50-50 that Zeller and the team reach an agreement before the deadline this fall.
Zach Lowe of Grantland speculated the team would be happy with an extension with annual salaries up to $12MM, while estimates from ESPN’s Summer Forecast panel suggested annual salaries of $10.6MM would be the going rate for the center. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is always hesitant to make long-term investments in order to preserve future cap space, but he should be able to offer Zeller an extension in this ballpark and maintain enough flexibility to be a major player in free agency.
The salary cap is projected to rise to $89MM for the 2016/17 campaign. Boston only has slightly more than $43.5MM on the books after this season, though that figure doesn’t include the team options for Smart, James Young and Kelly Olynyk that are almost certain to be exercised provided the trio are still on the roster. Boston also has the non-guaranteed contracts of Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko, and if the C’s waive them anytime before the end of July 3rd, 2016, they could clear $17MM from their commitments.
The Celtics will have to account for possible new contracts for David Lee and Evan Turner, both of whom will be unrestricted free agents, as well as the possible extensions for Jones and Sullinger. If the Celtics want to remain flexible heading into next offseason, they could sign Zeller to a reasonable extension and take their chances on the other four in free agency.
The big man set career highs in points (10.2) and assists (1.4) per game during his third season in the league. He also had his most efficient season as a pro, shooting 54.9% from the field. One area where he could use some work is his rebounding. He had 9.7 rebounds per 36 minutes, which isn’t terrible, but 76 players had better stats last season. Zeller spends all of his minutes at the five. It’s unlikely that he can spend time at the power forward position, which would allow him to play next to another center and a more proficient rebounder. If he wants to see starter’s minutes, he’ll need to improve in this area.
Zeller isn’t going to be the type of player who changes the franchise. He’s not a dominant defender, but he’s been successful at protecting the paint on occasion. Of course, most 7-footers with some mobility will be able to give you that. He runs the floor well and can be crafty on the offensive end, but he can’t be counted on to get crucial buckets late in games. He has certainly improved since coming into the NBA, although some of his success should be credited to coach Brad Stevens. Stevens’ creative pace-and-space offense and conservative defensive schemes have put Zeller in position to succeed.
Environment matters in the NBA. Paying Draymond Green $82MM makes sense for the Warriors because they have other players in place who allow him play his role and not worry about overextending his game. Green wouldn’t be as effective as a main option for a team like the Lakers or Sixers. The same logic applies to Zeller. In the right situation, its justifiable paying him $10-12MM per year. Paying him that kind of salary is a low risk gamble for the Celtics, as they can provide a good situation for the 25-year-old. Zeller has the potential to be an above-average starting center in the NBA, and if he becomes that, an extension at that price point would become a bargain for the franchise.
Pacific Notes: Rondo, Hudson, Clippers
Rajon Rondo was viewed as one of the top point guards in the league as recently as two seasons ago, but he failed to generate much buzz as a free agent this offseason partly due to the 29-year-old’s personality. Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who coached Rondo in Boston, believes that the point guard can still be successful in the league, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders writes.
“We had blowups, more at practice. Games were pretty good. You know, Rondo is as smart a player and as smart of a person I’ve ever been around… I don’t think people get that. You’re going to deal with difficult people, and sometimes the more successful they are and the smarter they are, the more difficult they can be. But that doesn’t mean you can’t work with them and work together,” Rivers said. “There’s so many good sides to him, as well. Every time I see that side, I think I’m glad I went through the bad stuff, because I could have given up. I could have done what you said, ‘Well, forget this, this is over.’ He’s not a guy that you should give up on.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Lester Hudson has reached an agreement to extend his deal with Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association, Enea Trapani of Sportando tweets. The deal will run until 2018. International journalist David Pick reported back in July that Liaoning was trying to bring back Hudson (Twitter link), shortly after Nick Bedard of Basketball Buddha reported that the expectation was that Hudson would be back with the team. Hudson played with Liaoning last season and then signed with the Clippers once the CBA’s season concluded.
- Ben Golliver of SI.com believes the Clippers had the best offseason among the Pacific Division teams. Golliver is critical of the team for trading away Matt Barnes, who was a key cog in the starting lineup, but he believes bringing back DeAndre Jordan as well as adding Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith and Paul Pierce makes up for it because it gives the team the ammunition to compete for a championship.
Southwest Notes: Cummings, Holiday, Gordon
Will Cummings, who will join the Rockets in training camp after signing with the team, understands Houston has well-established point guards on the roster, but hopes to learn as much as possible from them, Colby Giacubeno of SB Nation writes.
“It’s going to be a great experience going against [Patrick Beverley and Ty Lawson] in practice. Pat has been back in Houston, so I’ve been able to work out with him a few times now and putting me through different types of workouts, which definitely helps give me a jump-start going to training camp,” Cummings said. “It’s really just a blessing to be playing at the highest level and learn as much as I can from the guys who have been there and want to be the best.”
Cummings went undrafted after leading Temple University in points (14.8), assists (4.2) and steals (1.9) per game as a senior last season.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Jrue Holiday is still rehabbing from the surgery on his right leg, but the point guard is optimistic about returning to the court full-time, John Reid of the Times Picayune tweets. ”I’m not doing everything that [the team] is doing [in volunteer workouts], my time is limited which I think is really good,” Holiday said.
- The stakes are high for Eric Gordon this season, Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders opines. Gordon will be a free agent after the season and Blancarte believes if the shooting guard can stay healthy, he will have a big contract waiting for him next summer. Shooting guards Wes Matthews and Khris Middleton just received $70MM each on their contracts this summer and Blancarte believes Gordon’s potential deal next summer could top both of those.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/12/15
On Friday evening, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame welcomed 11 new members, including NBA stars Spencer Haywood, Jo Jo White and Dikembe Mutombo. Kentucky coach John Calipari was one of four coaches to be inducted. Tom Heinsohn was inducted as a coach as well as George Raveling and Australia’s Lindsay Gaze. ABA star Louis Dampier, early African-American player John Isaacs, women’s basketball great Lisa Leslie and referee Dick Bavetta were all enshrined as well.
The Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, includes greats from many walks of basketball life. The NBA is represented in the Hall, as is the WNBA, the international ranks and collegiate ranks. The Hall even has a section for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Members are enshrined for their entire body of work. If an NBA player played in the Olympics or had a stellar college career, those experiences are considered in the selection process. It’s a nice way to appreciate what a player has done in basketball across all venues in his career, but in some cases it doesn’t exactly display who the best NBA players are. It doesn’t have a single set of standards that applies to all potential inductees the way Hall of Fames for other sports do.
So the topic tonight is a simple one: Should the NBA have its own Hall of Fame? Or should the current Hall of Fame remain and be celebrated for its uniqueness?
Take to the comments to share your thoughts and opinions on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Poll: 2003 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 18)
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 the Pelicans, known as the Hornets at the time, who used the No. 18 pick in 2003 to select David West. West won’t be an option this time, with the power forward being nabbed by the Heat at No. 5 in our draft. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for New Orleans’ pick and check back Tuesday for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Jazz will select with the No. 19 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. 18 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did. And, yes, Milicic is now officially off the board thanks to your votes…
Previous Picks
- Cavaliers: LeBron James
- Pistons: Dwyane Wade
- Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony
- Raptors: Chris Bosh
- Heat: David West
- Clippers: Kyle Korver
- Bulls: Mo Williams
- Bucks: Chris Kaman
- Knicks: Boris Diaw
- Wizards: Kirk Hinrich
- Warriors: Jose Calderon
- Thunder: Josh Howard
- Celtics: Leandro Barbosa
- Thunder: Kendrick Perkins
- Magic: Nick Collison
- Grizzlies: Zaza Pachulia
- Suns: Darko Milicic
With the No. 18 Overall Pick the Pelicans Select...
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Steve Blake 31% (167)
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Luke Ridnour 12% (67)
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T.J. Ford 11% (59)
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Matt Bonner 10% (55)
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Mickael Pietrus 9% (51)
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Carlos Delfino 7% (37)
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James Jones 5% (29)
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Luke Walton 3% (15)
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Travis Outlaw 2% (11)
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Willie Green 2% (10)
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Jason Kapono 1% (8)
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Keith Bogans 1% (8)
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Dahntay Jones 1% (7)
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Marcus Banks 1% (3)
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Sasha Pavlovic 1% (3)
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Žarko Čabarkapa 1% (3)
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Michael Sweetney 0% (2)
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Jarvis Hayes 0% (2)
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Troy Bell 0% (1)
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Brian Cook 0% (1)
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Reece Gaines 0% (0)
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Jerome Beasley 0% (0)
Total votes: 539
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Lakers Notes: World Peace, Woolridge, Kobe
Metta World Peace has been working out at the Lakers’ practice facility recently, sparking talk that he was eyeing a return to the team. With a roster packed with young players, GM Mitch Kupchak has been keeping tabs on the veteran’s progress, though he’s unsure if the team will look to ink World Peace to a training camp pact, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. “I love the guy,” Kupchak said. “I really do. Last year, he was in Europe, he was in China. [Then] he coached his daughter’s middle school or high school team to a championship. He was here to work out when he got back from Europe playing, and then he’d come in through the summer. He’s been coming in on a regular basis. I do know that he wants to play, and that’s where we are.”
As for a potential contract offer to World Peace, Kupchak said, “We’ve got a couple more weeks [until training camp]. Our roster’s not complete. And we’ll just take it from there. Nothing’s imminent in terms of a signing anytime soon, but it’s hard not to watch a guy when he’s in your gym every day going up and down the court, working with young guys, playing hard. Part of me says he can still play, so I don’t know where we’re going to end up on it. But that’s kind of where it is.”
Here’s more from Los Angeles:
- Kupchak also gave a status update on Kobe Bryant‘s recovery from rotator cuff surgery, relaying that the team expects him to be ready to go once training camp commences, Amick adds in the same piece. “My understanding is that he’ll be ready for camp,” said Kupchak. “Knowing Kobe, he will try to participate in every practice in camp. But myself and [coach] Byron [Scott] are going to have something to say about that. So I’m sure there will be a practice or two or three where we won’t let him practice, but I do expect him to be full bore at camp.”
- Unrestricted free agent small forward Renaldo Woolridge has also been working out at the team’s facility after spending a second consecutive Summer playing for the franchise’s entry in the Las Vegas Summer League, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. The Lakers currently have 17 players on their roster, so the franchise does have space to add the 25-year-old for training camp if they so desire. That number doesn’t include center Robert Upshaw, whose status with the team still remains unclear.
- The Lakers have promoted Jesse Buss to assistant GM, Ryan West is now the Lakers’ director of player personnel, and assistant coach Clay Moser will additionally serve as director of basketball strategy, Pincus, writing for the Los Angeles Times, relays.
Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 9/6/15-9/12/15
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:
“Where do you see Brandon Jennings playing this season? With the Pistons or somewhere else?” — Rey
He’ll almost assuredly begin the season in Detroit since he’s not expected to return to game action until late November or early December. I don’t see Stan Van Gundy selling low on Jennings prior to the season beginning, and the team would be better served to let him establish his value before trying to flip him for some assets. I don’t see a long-term future for Jennings in Detroit, so the franchise may very well do its best to deal him prior to the February trade deadline.
As for where Jennings may end up, that’s a tough one to predict because of his $8,344,497 cap hit for this season. There are two teams that immediately jump to mind as possible landing spots for Jennings — the Sixers and the Knicks. The Sixers are always in the discussion when it comes to teams looking to dump salaries, though the addition of Kendall Marshall on a fully guaranteed deal does lessen the potential need for Jennings in Philly somewhat.
The Knicks are in need of an upgrade at the point, and Phil Jackson may decide to take a chance on Jennings, though it will require a bit of creativity for the two sides to work out a deal given New York’s cap situation this season. But if Jackson and Van Gundy can get creative, then Jennings could end up being a fit with the Knicks, though I don’t see him being ideal for the triangle offense.
“With his strong play this Summer for Team Canada, do you see the Wolves picking up Anthony Bennett ‘s team option for 2016/17?” — Chris
This is going to be a tough call for Flip Saunders and the Wolves, that’s for sure. Bennett has shown remarkable improvement in his game this Summer, though the competition he’s doing it against isn’t as stout as what he’ll see on a nightly basis in the NBA. Training camp will be a huge determining factor since the team has to make its decision regarding Bennett’s option by November 2nd. Normally it would be a given that the No. 1 overall pick would have his option picked up, but that high draftee status, as well as the corresponding rookie scale salary, is what is complicating matters regarding his option.
Minnesota needs to decide if a reserve rotation player is worth over $7.3MM for the 2016/17 campaign, no matter how much improvement he demonstrates. If the salary cap was going to remain in line with what we have seen the past few seasons, then I’d wager against that option being picked up. But with the cap set to increase significantly next season, Bennett’s salary won’t eat up quite as much cap space as it would have in seasons past.
If Bennett has a strong training camp, then it’s highly likely that Minnesota elects to exercise its option for the forward. The x-factor here will be the play of rookie Nemanja Bjelica, and if he dazzles the front office and coaching staff, then Bennett may be deemed expendable, no matter how well he fares during the preseason.
“Which head coach’s seat will be the hottest this season?” — Xander
I’d have to think there are a few coaches whose job security will be a hot topic for discussion throughout this season. Here’s a quick rundown on some of my pink slip possibilities for 2015/16:
- Steve Clifford immediately jumps to mind, with the Hornets taking a pronounced step back last season. It will be interesting to see what the subtraction of Lance Stephenson does for this squad.
- Derek Fisher, while he hasn’t had much talent to work with in New York during his brief tenure, Fisher still hasn’t proven that he has a long-term future as a head coach, and the team may decide it has seen enough if the Knicks get off to a slow start.
- Randy Wittman has done a solid job with the Wizards, but if the team falters, which is a distinct possibility with the departure of Paul Pierce, whose intangibles could be considered more valuable than his stats, then Wittman could be the one to take the fall in Washington.
- Of course, no coaches in jeopardy list would be complete without George Karl, who the Kings already reportedly considered letting go this Summer. Sacramento’s organization from all outward appearances is a mess right now, which is a shame, because the fanbase and the city certainly deserve better. There are a number of power struggles that Karl could lose early in the season, not only with the front office, but also with star center DeMarcus Cousins. This will be a very interesting team to watch this year, and there is the potential for some truly soap opera worthy drama in 2015/16 in Sacramento.
That’s all the space I have for this week. Thanks to all who submitted inquiries, and please keep them coming. I’ll be back next Saturday with more responses.
Central Notes: Tellem, Thompson, Parker
Arn Tellem, who was recently hired as the new vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment, is also likely to become a minority owner of the Pistons by the year’s end, writes Tom Walsh of The Detroit Free Press. This was one of the factors that motivated Tellem to leave the Wasserman Media Group, Walsh adds. “I’m coming here to make a difference,” Tellem said. “If it was just limited to basketball, it would not be enough of a motivation to come and do it, but to have an involvement from an ownership level in basketball and the business and the community and see where we can make a difference and contribute to what’s going on here in Detroit and Michigan.”
Regarding a potential ownership stake in he franchise, Tellem said, “That was part of the plan when I came in. My hope is now that by the end of the year, we’re going to hopefully have a piece of the action. [Owner] Tom’s [Gores] desire is to have this team long-term for him and his family and to really accomplish a lot here — not only winning basketball games, but to make a difference in the community here.”
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- In move that doesn’t come as a shock, restricted free agent Tristan Thompson won’t be attending the pre-training camp workouts that LeBron James has organized for the Cavaliers in Miami, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group notes. Thompson, who has reportedly rejected a five-year, $80MM contract offer from the Cavaliers, is adamant that he will not put pen to paper on a new pact unless it is a maximum salary deal and is contemplating signing his one-year qualifying offer worth $6,777,589 if a deal can’t be worked out between the two sides.
- Bucks forward Jabari Parker‘s rehab from a torn ACL suffered 25 games into the 2014/15 campaign is going well, though it is unclear if he will be at full strength when the regular season tips off, Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders writes. But even if Parker is close to 100%, the team intends to be protective of the second-year player, Blancarte adds. “We’re going to be very conservative with him,” GM John Hammond said. “If we think he’s capable of playing 20, we’ll maybe play him 10 minutes. If we think he can play a back-to-back, we’ll wait on the back-to-back. Whatever it is, we’re going to be very cautious as he moves forward because of the magnitude of who he can be and who we hope he can be for our organization going forward.”
Hoops Rumors Originals 9/6/15-9/12/15
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 state of the Raptors.
- Chuck Myron ran down the rookie scale team option decisions looming this fall and the likelihood that each option is exercised.
- I handed out grades for the 2015 NBA Draft to the teams of the Southeast Division.
- If you missed the week’s live chat, you can view the transcript here.
- Arthur Hill examined Terrence Jones as an extension candidate, while Dana Gauruder looked at Evan Fournier.
- Chuck listed the free agents who inked the most lucrative free agent deals this offseason by total value of the contract.
- We ran down how the top 2015 free agents fared this offseason.
- I broke down the 2015/16 salary cap commitments for the Suns and Trail Blazers.
- Chuck looked at the increasing number of Brazilian players in the NBA.
- Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- Chuck looked at how NBA teams without affiliates utilized the D-League last season.
- We asked readers to vote on who they would select if they had the chance to redo the the 2003 NBA Draft. Here are the results for the No. 13, No. 14, No. 15, No. 16, and No. 17 picks.
- Chuck looked at teams that have entered the regular season without the league maximum of 15 players on their rosters the last few seasons.
- If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feeds.
- We ran down the D-League affiliations for the 2015/16 seasons.
- Chuck broke down which 2015 free agents had team options included in their pacts.
- We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
- Chuck ran down the list of players who are ineligible to be traded until January 15th, 2016.