Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 4/9/16
Houston made the playoffs in five of the previous eight seasons, including the last three, but the team has some work to do if it’s going to make it to the postseason for the fourth straight campaign. The Rockets sit one game behind the Jazz for the eighth seed in the Western Conference with three games to go.
The franchise certainly had higher expectations than an eighth seed entering the season and early today, reports surfaced that ownership would be seriously evaluating Daryl Morey’s job performance. Morey has accepted the blame for the team’s disappointing season, but an argument can be made that his moves as a GM are the reason the Rockets had the high expectations to begin with. Morey has been one of the most active front office executives in the league since becoming the GM of the Rockets in 2007. He made the shrewd move to acquire James Harden and he signed Dwight Howard to add a second star to the team.
So here is tonight’s question: Should the Rockets move on from Morey and what other changes need to be made in Houston? Let’s talk front office, player movement, Dwight Howard and more. Let us know what you think in comments below. We look forward to what you have to say!
And-Ones: Felder, Thibodeau, Neal
Kay Felder has decided to hire Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of the Athlete Management Group and remain in the draft, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. The junior out of Oakland is the 47th best prospect, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express ranks him as the 70th best prospect.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Hornets coach Steve Clifford believes Tom Thibodeau will return to the league next season, Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets. “I know he misses [it],” Clifford said.
- Gary Neal is on track to start resuming basketball activities in June after undergoing surgery this week to repair a torn hip labrum suffered in December while he was a member of the Wizards, Marc Stein of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). Neal, 31, was waived by Washington in March in order to clear a roster spot for the signing of Marcus Thornton. The point guard played well for the Wizards prior to his injury, knocking down 41.0% of his 3-point attempts as he averaged 9.8 points in 20.2 minutes per game across 40 appearances.
- JaKarr Sampson has played well since signing with the Nuggets and he is focusing on improving in different areas of his game, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. “My first year in the league I was just focused on defense,” Sampson said. “Now, my offensive side is coming out and I’m making progress. It’s showing.”
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Knicks Notes: Anthony, Triangle, Free Agents
Carmelo Anthony would like the Knicks to have more roster continuity from season to season, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “I think that’s the most important part, just having some type of consistency, just a group of guys being together for a period of time and not just rotating in and out each year,” Anthony said. Bondy pointed out that Anthony has had over 70 different teammates and four different coaches since coming to New York.
Here’s more from the city that never sleeps:
- Anthony believes the triangle won’t work in New York unless there is more continuity on the Knicks‘ roster, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. “I don’t think guys can learn the [triangle] system right away being here for only a couple of months and then we rotate guys in and out,” Anthony said. “Guys need to be together for a long period of time in order for us to learn the system, master the system.”
- Anthony wants to be involved in courting free agents this summer and sees free agency as a huge opportunity for the Knicks, Iannazzone passes along in the same piece. “If you have an opportunity to make additions in free agency you should take advantage of that,” Anthony said. “I think every team wants to better themselves during free agency.”
Bulls Notes: Hoiberg, Butler, Gasol
Coach Fred Hoiberg believes the perception that he didn’t coach the Bulls hard enough began after Jimmy Butler‘s comments in late December, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Hoiberg then clarified his statement, downplaying the assumption that his remark was meant to be a shot at Butler, as Johnson passes along. (Twitter link). Butler was critical of Hoiberg’s laid-back demeanor following an early season loss to the Knicks. The Bulls are reportedly considering the idea of trading Butler this offseason, according to Chris Mannix of The Vertical. However, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders hears that Butler is the last guy the team wants to trade.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The playoff hopes for the Bulls are all but gone and Pau Gasol believes this year didn’t go as planned because the team played much of this season without a “sense of urgency,” writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Gasol added that the team also lacked awareness and maturity.
- Hoiberg believes his relationship with his players is solid and he is going to emphasize nurturing those relationships over the summer, Friedell passes along in the same piece.
- When asked if he would change his coaching style, Hoiberg said he would at least evaluate it this summer, Johnson relays in a separate tweet. The Bulls have Hoiberg under contract through the 2019/20 campaign.
2015/16 Salary Cap Update: Washington Wizards
The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 is set at $70MM, which is good for an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. With the February 18th cutoff date for trades and the de facto deadline of March 1st for buyouts now past, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of updating the salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Washington Wizards, whose regular season roster can be viewed here:
- 2015/16 Salary Cap= $70,000,000
- 2015/16 Luxury Tax Line= $84,740,000
- Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $84,291,562*
- Remaining Cap Room= –$14,291,562
- Amount Below Luxury Tax Line= $1,448,438
*Note: This amount is the $10,000 in salary paid to Jaleel Roberts, the $5,613,500 due Martell Webster, the $2,139,000 owed to Gary Neal and the $200,426 due Ryan Hollins, all of whom were waived by the team.
Cap Exceptions Available:
- Mid-Level Exception= $680,329
Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,400,000
Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,400,000
Note: Despite the trade deadline having passed, the NBA season technically doesn’t end until June 30th. Teams are able to again make trades upon the completion of the regular season or when/if they are eliminated from the playoffs, whichever comes later. So these cash limits still apply.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Western Notes: Augustin, Munford, West
Kevin Durant is pleased that friend and former teammate D.J. Augustin has seemingly found a home with the Nuggets, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. “I’m just happy he got his opportunity to play, that’s all he wanted,” said Durant. “I talk to him all the time. He said he loves it [in Denver], the coach is trusting him. I remember coach [Michael] Malone calling him a security blanket or something like that, and in free agency a lot of people read things. You need that rap to get you the deal you want, I guess.” Augustin, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has appeared in 26 games for Denver this season and is averaging 12.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 24.1 minutes per outing.
Here’s more from out West:
- Xavier Munford‘s multiyear deal with the Grizzlies has him set to earn $874,636 next season, which is a team option, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links). Munford’s salary for 2016/17 includes a partial guarantee of $50K, but it will become fully guaranteed if his option is exercised by June 29th, Pincus adds.
- David West turned some heads last summer when he decided to turn down his $12.6MM player option with the Pacers to ink a minimum salary deal with the Spurs, but the veteran said that solid financial planning early in his career afforded him the opportunity to chase a ring in San Antonio this season, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News relays. “My financial security was something we focused on very, very early in my career so we could make basketball decisions at the end,” said West, whose career earnings before this season topped $87.6MM, McDonald notes. “As opposed to just making them solely on needing to get more money and squeeze the orange, so to speak.”
- Kings combo guard Seth Curry‘s stock was limited in the eyes of many NBA scouts because he was viewed as a tweener with no set position, something that Curry believes is an asset, writes Kevin Fippen of NBA.com. “I feel comfortable at both positions, honestly,” Curry told Fippen. “I mean, I like having the ball in my hands and being able to make plays but I think my shooting is an asset too. I pride myself on being able to play the one [guard] and two [guard] and being able to affect the game in a lot of different ways.” In 41 appearances for Sacramento this season, Curry is averaging 6.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists to accompany a slash line of .496/.458/.843.
Pelicans Sign James Ennis For Season
SATURDAY, 3:33pm: The signing is official, the team announced.
MONDAY, 9:53am: The Pelicans are expected to sign James Ennis for the rest of the season after his 10-day contract expires, reports John Reid of The Times Picayune (Twitter link). That contract is up after Friday’s game against the Lakers. New Orleans is also reportedly poised to sign Jordan Hamilton until season’s end, with his 10-day deal having expired overnight. The moves will presumably come via the hardship provision, as the injury-racked Pelicans had 18 players, three above the regular season limit, until Hamilton’s 10-day ran out. The hardship prevents the team from tacking a non-guaranteed salary for next season onto the deal, so these will likely be true rest-of-season arrangements.
Ennis has played a prominent role for the Pelicans in three games so far, averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.7 turnovers in 27.7 minutes per contest. Hot shooting has been a part of that, as he’s gone 8 for 15 from 3-point range. His 83 total minutes have already exceeded the 47 he saw between the Heat and Grizzlies earlier this season, though Memphis gave him extensive time with its D-League team. In any case, Ennis is showing some of the promise that made him the 50th overall pick in the 2013 draft, albeit in a small sample size.
The Pelicans have some exception money remaining, but presumably Ennis will receive the prorated minimum salary, which would give him $24,855. The rest-of-season deal will cover only three games, but it’ll have some lasting value for New Orleans, since it gives the team the chance to make him a restricted free agent and match offers for him this summer. The Pelicans would have to make him a qualifying offer worth $1,080,431 in order to do so.
Daryl Morey To Be Evaluated By Rockets Ownership
The Rockets have gone from 56 wins and a trip to the Western Conference Finals a season ago to a 38-win squad that is in serious danger of missing the playoffs in 2015/16. As a result, GM Daryl Morey‘s job performance will be under serious review this offseason, Marc Stein and Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com report. Team owner Leslie Alexander also noted that interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who replaced Kevin McHale 11 games into the campaign, would be subject to review at season’s end as well, Stein and Watkins add.
Morey certainly faces some uncertainty regarding his job security heading into the summer, the scribes note. The GM deserves credit for his bold approach to roster building, notably adding James Harden and Dwight Howard, though team chemistry is a growing concern, especially considering the previously mentioned players have struggled to coexist, opine Stein and Watkins. The pair also count the failed Ty Lawson experiment this season as another mark against Morey. Lawson proved to be a bad fit alongside Harden and signed with the Pacers after agreeing to a buyout in Houston.
For his part, Morey has accepted the blame for this season’s misfortune, telling reporters, “It has been a very tough year in terms of a lot of the things we were hoping [to] take us to the next level didn’t, and we also took a step back on top of that, so far,” Morey said. “The season is not over but to this point we underperformed from what we did from last season.” When asked recently about his job security, Morey responded, “You’re asking the wrong guy about that. That’s Mr. Alexander’s choice and all I do is my job every day. He makes that call.” The GM is under contract through 2018, having inked a four-year extension with Houston in 2013.
Bickerstaff has a record of 34-34 in his interim role, but his questionable substitution patterns, as well as the team’s defensive shortcomings and inability to hold big leads, don’t necessarily work in his favor, the ESPN scribes note. The interim coach said that no discussions have taken place between him and team management regarding his job status yet, Stein and Watkins add. “No, not at all, that’s not even a issue [or] a concern,” Bickerstaff said Thursday night.
Should the Rockets retain Daryl Morey, or is it time for a change in Houston? Tell us your thoughts below.
Hoops Rumors Originals 4/3/16-4/9/16
Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week…
- If you missed the week’s live chat, you can view the transcript here.
- Chuck Myron ran down all the key dates for the 2016 offseason.
- Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- Chuck ran down the multiple deals that center Ryan Hollins has inked this season.
- I ran down the updated 2015/16 salary cap numbers for the Spurs and Raptors.
- Chuck examined some 10-day contract trends this season.
- 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.
- Chuck ran down the draftees selected from each of the NCAA championship winning teams this decade.
- You can keep track of where your favorite team stands in relation to the 2016 NBA draft lottery with our reverse standings tracker.
- We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
- Here’s how you can follow specific players on Hoops Rumors.
Week In Review 4/3/16-4/9/16
Sam Hinkie resigned from his post as Sixers GM this past week and the team is reportedly set to ink Bryan Colangelo as his replacement. Hinkie became the Sixers’ GM in May of 2013 after a stint as the Rockets executive vice president. The executive’s rebuilding through bottoming-out plan has been met with much scrutiny and derision around the league and Philadelphia had an overall record of 47-195 during Hinkie’s reign.
In his 13-page resignation letter to the team’s ownership group, Hinkie wrote, “There has been much criticism of our approach. There will be more. A competitive league like the NBA necessitates a zig while our competitors comfortably zag. We often chose not to defend ourselves against much of the criticism, largely in an effort to stay true to the ideal of having the longest view in the room. Given all the changes to our organization, I no longer have the confidence that I can make good decisions on behalf of investors in the Sixers — you. So I should step down. And I have.”
The team was reportedly surprised by the sudden resignation and in their official statement relayed, “This evening, Sam Hinkie notified the organization that he has elected to step down as President of Basketball Operations and General Manager. While we are disappointed in Sam’s decision, we would like to sincerely thank him for his contributions over the past three seasons. There is no question that Sam’s work has put us in a very strong position to take advantage of numerous opportunities for an exciting future.”
Here’s a look back at more of the notable events from around the NBA this past week…
NBA Draft News
Underclassmen Entering
- Dragan Bender, PF, International
- Robert Carter, PF Maryland (junior)
- Vince Edwards, SF, Purdue (sophomore)
- Henry Ellenson, PF, Marquette (freshman)
- Kay Felder, PG, Oakland (junior)
- Josh Hart, SG, Villanova (junior)
- Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke (freshman)
- Kris Jenkins, F, Villanova (junior)
- Derrick Jones, SF, UNLV (freshman)
- Patrick McCaw, SG, UNLV (sophomore)
- Mamadou Ndiaye, C, UC Irvine (junior)
- Chris Obekpa, F/C, UNLV (junior)
- Alec Peters, PF, Valparaiso (junior)
- Xavier Rathan-Mayes, G, Florida State (sophomore)
- Devin Robinson, SF, Florida (sophomore)
- Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Gonzaga (sophomore)
- Diamond Stone, C, Maryland (freshman)
- Isaiah Taylor, PG, Texas (junior)
- Aaron Valdes, G, Hawaii (junior)
You can keep track of all the early entrants for the 2016 NBA Draft here.
Signings
- The Pelicans signed Jordan Hamilton for the remainder of the season.
- The Nets signed Henry Sims for the rest of the season.
- The Grizzlies signed Xavier Munford to a multiyear deal.
- The Sixers signed Christian Wood for the remainder of the season.
You can stay up to date on all the 10-day deals handed out with our 10-day contract tracker.
Waivers
- The Grizzlies waived Ryan Hollins.
Miscellaneous News
- Former Hawks center Pero Antic filed a civil rights suit against the New York Police Department in connection with an incident from April 2015 outside a New York nightclub.
- Nets assistant GM Frank Zanin resigned from his post.
- Mike Conley is expected to miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs because of his sore left Achilles tendon.
- Suns point guard Brandon Knight was shut down for the remainder of the season because of a sports hernia.
- Michigan State senior shooting guard Denzel Valentine reportedly signed with the Wasserman Media Group and agent B.J. Armstrong.
- The Bulls hired Horace Grant as special advisor to team president and chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf.
D-League News
- The Jazz will reportedly relocate their D-League affiliate from Boise, Idaho to Salt Lake City next season.
You can stay up to date on all the D-League assignments and recalls for the season here.