Bucks To Sign Ronald Roberts
The Bucks have reached an agreement with D-League standout Ronald Roberts, reports Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. The 6’8″ power forward averaged 18.1 points and 12.1 rebounds last season with Raptors 905, Toronto’s affiliate in the D-League.
Roberts, 24, went undrafted out of St. Joseph’s in 2014. He signed contracts with the Sixers and Raptors, but was waived by both teams and has yet to appear in an NBA game.
Roberts is recovering from a patellar tendon strain in his right knee that cut short his 2015/16 season. He is an undersized power forward with a reputation as a relentless rebounder, and Woelfel writes that several teams were interested in signing him. The Bucks plan to use Roberts on their summer league team.
Thunder Notes: Kanter, Durant, Ibaka
Enes Kanter raised some eyebrows and the Thunder drew critisim when the center landed a maximum-salary offer sheet last summer, but the first year of the contract was a success, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman writes. Kanter delivered despite defensive flaws because of his durability and consistency on offense, Slater notes. Kanter signed a four-year, $70MM deal, but came off the bench in a role he unexpectedly thrived in, Slater adds. The Thunder believes Kanter really started to turn a defensive corner around mid-March and the team appreciated his unselfish attitude, Slater relays.
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- It does not make much sense for Kevin Durant, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st to sign a long-term deal without knowing what Russell Westbrook will do next year, when he becomes a free agent, Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com opines in an Insider piece. Considering the Thunder’s run this year, Durant likely thinks the team can capture a championship next season, Elhassan surmises. The Spurs would be a logical option next summer for Durant if he chooses to ink a short-term deal with the Thunder in order to maximize on the league’s expected salary cap rise, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com suggests in the same story.
- Serge Ibaka, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2016/17 season, adapted well this year into the role of a stretch four, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman details. In Tramel’s report card on Ibaka, the scribe notes, however, that Ibaka voiced frustration during the middle of the season over not handling the ball as much as he was used to.
Clippers To Move Lawrence Frank To Front Office
The Clippers plan to shift assistant coach Lawrence Frank from the bench to a high-ranking post in the front office, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The move would be part of a shuffle that would have Frank assist head coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers in personnel and move Brendan O’Connor to the bench, Stein tweets.
It is unclear what specific role or job function Frank would have. O’Connor would seemingly fill Frank’s void, Stein notes in a full story. He joined the Clippers as an assistant in September 2014 after reaching a buyout arrangement with Brooklyn, where he was previously an assistant. The Nets reassigned Frank in December 2013 into a role in which he filed daily reports for the club, in spite of a contract that had called for him to make more than $1MM a year for six seasons as an assistant coach under Jason Kidd.
Rivers and Frank have a previous relationship, too. Frank served as an assistant under Rivers for the 2010/11 season on the Celtics bench and Rivers had reportedly sought Frank as an assistant coach in the summer of 2013, too. Frank’s greatest success in coaching came in his first stint with the Nets, when he guided the team to the playoffs four straight years as head coach. He also served as a head for the Pistons, and is 279-335 in parts of nine seasons as an NBA head man.
Hoops Links: Casey, Durant, Warriors
Every Sunday, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Then you should send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown …
- Total Sports Live suggests point guards the Sixers should target.
- The Jump Ball recaps the Warriors’ impressive recent runs late in games.
- Same Page Team approves of the Raptors’ decision to extend Dwane Casey.
- The Sports Quotient profiles Shaun Livingston.
- Raptors Rapture discusses Kevin Durant‘s relationship with the Raptors.
- Big Three Sports runs down the Warriors’ bargains.
- Hoops Habit lists the three best landing spots for Buddy Hield.
- Posting and Toasting details the Knicks’ free agent minicamp.
- Peachtree Hoops wonders if Denzel Valentine could fall to the Hawks.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Atlantic Notes: Ingram, Anthony, Ferrell, Love
The Sixers will bring in Duke small forward Brandon Ingram for a workout on Monday, according to Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com. This confirms a Twitter item from The Vertical’s Shams Charania on Friday that Ingram was coming in for a workout with Philadelphia. The Sixers are expected to select either Ingram and LSU power forward Ben Simmons with the top pick in the draft. Ingram will be the only participant in the workout, Seltzer continues. Philadelphia has not held a workout since June 2nd because president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo was overseas, visiting 2014 lottery pick Dario Saric and scouting in Italy. The Sixers have conducted five other workouts sessions with six invitees in each one, Seltzer adds.
In other news around the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek believes Carmelo Anthony still has the ability to carry the team, though he needs some help, Hornacek stated on the Boomer and Carton radio show via Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “I think [Anthony] just turned 32, so he’s right at that prime time for him,” Hornacek said. “He’s going to help to carry this team but we can’t put it all on him. The other guys have to step up and if he’s having a tough night the other guys are able to fill in.”
- Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell displayed a good shooting touch in workouts with the Nets and Knicks last week and may have boosted his draft stock, sources told ESPN.com’s Ian Begley. The Knicks don’t have a draft pick but are hoping to acquire one, according to Begley. The Knicks have worked out several prospects in recent days with an emphasis on the triangle offense, Begley adds. Ferrell is currently ranked No. 80 on ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Big Board and No. 63 by Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony.
- The Celtics must decide if a Kevin Love trade is worth pursuing and how they would fit the Cavaliers’ power forward into their offensive scheme, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald opines. Love thrives when the offense revolves around him, as it did when he played for the Timberwolves, but the Celtics — like the Cavs — have a score-first point guard in Isaiah Thomas, Bulpett continues. Love’s defensive shortcomings are also a major consideration since he’s due approximately $68MM over the next three years, plus the Celtics’ wealth of draft picks probably wouldn’t interest a title contender like Cleveland, Bulpett adds.
Spurs Plan Offer To Euro Forward Davis Bertans
The Spurs are expected to make a minimum contract offer to Latvian combo forward Davis Bertans, Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net reports. San Antonio acquired his rights during the 2011 draft after the Pacers selected the 6’10” Bertans with the No. 42 pick. The Spurs also acquired the draft rights of small forward Kawhi Leonard in the same deal that sent point guard George Hill to the Pacers.
Bertans’ career has been marred by knee injuries. He tore his right ACL in March 2015 just two years after suffering a tear in the same knee. He had surgery for the second tear in San Antonio. He has been playing for the Spanish team Laboral Kutza Baskonia and has one year remaining on his contract, though he can be bought out for an unspecified amount, according to Varlas.
Bertans averaged 11.o points for Baskonia in 22 games prior to the 2015 tear. He appeared in 15 games last season, including eight starts, and averaged 7.9 points.
His biggest asset is his ability to stretch the floor. He has averaged 38.8% from 3-point range during his Euroleague career and is also an excellent free throw shooter at 82.4%.
Beyond starters LaMarcus Aldridge and Leonard and promising Kyle Anderson, there’s a lot of uncertainty regarding the Spurs’ forwards. Tim Duncan has to make a decision whether he wants to play at least one more year, while David West has a player option on his contract and could decide to reenter the free agent market. Matt Bonner is an unrestricted free agent, while swingman Jonathan Simmons has a non-guaranteed contract.
And-Ones: Murray, Bogdanovic, Miller, Zipser
After being rated 16th among points guards in his high school class, Washington’s Dejounte Murray may be the third one taken in the NBA draft, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Murray had a solo workout for the Suns on Friday, shortly after a session with the Jazz. He will also work out for the Bulls, Bucks and Pelicans before draft day arrives. “He’s not afraid to mix it up,” said Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough. “He’s not afraid of contact for a thin guy. He’s got a bright future. He’s probably one of the top point guard prospects in the draft.”
Here’s more news from around the NBA:
- Phoenix is waiting for Bogdan Bogdanovic’s Turkish league playoffs to end before talking about his plans for next season, Coro reveals in the same piece. The Suns‘ 2014 first-round pick, Bogdanovic is in the league finals with Fenerbahce.
- With Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden announcing they won’t participate in the Olympics, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo may add another point guard to the roster, writes Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. Chris Paul and John Wall have already been ruled out because of injuries, so Team USA is left with Kyrie Irving, Mike Conley and Damian Lillard.
- Quincy Miller, who played with three teams during his three-year NBA career, will sign with Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops. Miller will receive $2.6MM over two seasons with an opt-out clause for the NBA next summer. He won ABA League and Serbian championships this season with Crvena Zvezda. Miller was drafted by Denver in 2012 and spent his first two seasons with the Nuggets. His last NBA experience came in brief stints with the Kings and Pistons in 2014/15.
- German star Paul Zipser had a standout performance at today’s adidas Eurocamp, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. The 6’8″ small forward has several private workouts scheduled with NBA teams and has a chance to be drafted late in the first round or early in the second round.
Central Notes: James, Wiggins, McMillan, Pistons
LeBron James is falling in the NBA Finals with the Cavaliers team that he built, writes Dave Hyde of The Sun-Sentinel. It was James’ decision to leave Miami for Cleveland two years ago because he saw a franchise with younger talent, Hyde notes, and he pushed for the deal that sent Andrew Wiggins to Minnesota for Kevin Love. James also approved the trade with New York that brought J.R. Smith and supported the hiring of Tyronn Lue, who had no previous experience as a head coach. Cavs managment has given James everything he wanted since his return, Hyde writes, saying it shows the danger of letting a player make too many personnel decisions.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- James’ desire to have Love as a teammate instead of Wiggins shaped the Cavaliers‘ destiny, contends Shaun Powell of NBA.com. Wiggins’ defensive prowess would have been much more valuable against the Warriors, Powell argues, noting that he is also capable of creating offense with his dribble, in contrast to Love, who has settled into a role as a 3-point shooter since he arrived in Cleveland. Wiggins also could have eased the Cavaliers’ financial burden with a rookie contract instead of the maximum deal that Love got last summer.
- The Cavs’ bench has been letting them down in the finals, points out Marc Berman of The New York Post. Channing Frye, who was acquired in a February deal with the Magic, only has two points in the series. Iman Shumpert has been held to 11. Love came off the bench to score 11 in Game 4, but the rest of the reserves combined for just four points. Berman says depth will need to be the focus of Cleveland’s offseason moves.
- New Pacers coach Nate McMillan will keep Dan Burke and Popeye Jones as part of his staff, tweets Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports. Agness says McMillan seems to have decided on a third assistant, but no announcement has been made.
- The Pistons may concentrate on power forwards with the 18th pick in the draft, writes David Mayo of MLive. Detroit traded that pick to Houston for Donatas Motiejunas in a February deal that was later rescinded, so it’s clear that Pistons management recognizes the need for help at the four spot. Mayo lists Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis, Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis, Marquette’s Henry Ellenson and Kansas’ Perry Ellis as four possibilities.
Community Shootaround: Kevin Love
When the Cavaliers traded for Kevin Love two years ago, they hoped he was the missing piece to a championship team. But in this year’s finals, they’ve looked more like a champion when Love was missing.
Cleveland’s only win came in a Game 3 blowout with Love unable to play because of a concussion. He returned for Friday’s Game 4, but managed just 11 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes as the Cavs fell into a 3-1 hole.
Love came to Cleveland in a trade with Minnesota to form a new Big Three with Kyrie Irving and the returning LeBron James. But questions about his compatibility started almost immediately and grew louder as Andrew Wiggins, the key player sent to the Wolves in the deal, blossomed into the 2014/15 Rookie of the Year.
Love and the Cavs had a chance to end their uneasy partnership when he became a free agent last summer. Instead, he re-signed in Cleveland for about $110MM over five years, agreeing to terms shortly after the July 1st start of free agency. Later in the offseason, the Cavaliers committed $82MM over five years to Tristan Thompson, also a power forward.
With another championship slipping out of reach and a huge luxury tax payment due, speculation is growing that the Cavs might try to trade Love this summer. The Denver Post’s Christopher Dempsey wrote in April that the Nuggets would be a willing partner, possibly parting with a group of young players who are a better fit for coach Tyronn Lue’s fast-paced offense. The Celtics, Trail Blazers, Suns, Wizards, Rockets, Mavericks, Magic and Hornets would also be interested, according to Tom Ziller of SB Nation.
Love clearly wants to be in Cleveland and is irritated by the talk that the franchise needs to get rid of him to win a title. He showed his loyalty during free agency and doesn’t want to be dispatched now as a scapegoat.
“I don’t know how to answer it, because I have a couple bad games last series [against Toronto], tough games, and have to come back and do whatever I needed to do to help the team,” Love told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “Still, it’s just never enough.”
But the economic reality is that Love is owed $93MM over the next four seasons. Add in the more than $67.7MM the Cavs must pay Thompson over that span and the possibility that James will become a power forward as he gets older, and it’s easy to see that Cleveland is overloaded at one position.
That brings us to tonight’s question: Should the Cavaliers trade Love this summer, and where would be the best spot for him? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Pacific Notes: Barnes, Brown, Labissiere, Johnson
The Warriors will stick to their promise to keep the team together, even if that means matching an offer in excess of $20MM per year for Harrison Barnes, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Barnes will be a restricted free agent this summer after turning down a four-year, $64MM offer from Golden State last year. He averaged 11.7 points in 66 games this season and has become an important cog in a team that is one victory away from its second straight championship. Barnes is eligible to receive an offer starting at $20MM per year and could get a max offer in the neighborhood of $23MM. A source in the Warriors organization told Deveney that owner Joe Lacob has not wavered from his promise to hold onto the team’s key players. However, Deveney tweets that if Barnes decides he wants to go somewhere else to have a larger role, the Warriors will try to accommodate him with a sign-and-trade.
There’s more news from the Pacific Division:
- Iowas State combo forward Georges Niang and Manhattan power forward Jermaine Lawrence have workouts scheduled today for the Warriors, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Golden State’s only pick in this year’s draft is at No. 30.
- California swingman Jaylen Brown addressed questions about his shooting after a workout with the Lakers Friday, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “I think the biggest knock on me is if I can shoot the ball,” Brown said. “And I’ve been shooting the ball pretty well in these workouts. … And to shoot it the way I do now, it’s a significant growth.” Brown has been projected as a top 10 pick, but teams are concerned that he shot just 43.1% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range last season. Kentucky big man Skal Labissiere also worked out for the Lakers Friday and projects himself as a power forward in the NBA. “I think I’ll be a four because of my versatility, both on offense and defense,” Labissiere said. “I can shoot the basketball, score inside, run the floor really well, block shots, guard small defenders.”
- The Lakers have a June 18th workout scheduled with Oklahoma shooting guard Buddy Hield, Turner writes in the same piece. L.A. held a private session with Hield two weeks ago.
- After four years at North Carolina, Brice Johnson doesn’t think his age will be an issue in the draft, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Johnson, who is about to turn 22, worked out for Phoenix this week and is a candidate for the Suns’ No. 13 pick. “Nowadays, everybody just wants to see me shoot the ball,” Johnson said. “They just want to know if I can shoot. They know I’m very athletic. I can dunk the ball very well. I think about 85 percent of my shots were dunks this year.”