Celtics Interested In J.R. Smith
The Celtics are interested in adding J.R. Smith, who has carried a contract impasse with the Cavaliers from the summer into the preseason, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports.
The Celtics can only offer Smith a salary starting at $9MM unless they make a trade to clear cap space, as Isola notes. Avery Bradley is the Celtics’ starting shooting guard. The Celtics are in the market for Smith in an effort to bolster their second unit’s scoring, Isola adds.
Other teams are interested in Smith, who is still likely to re-sign with the Cavs, Isola adds. Smith has been reportedly wanting a $15MM annual salary, while the Cavs prefer to sign him to a contract in the $10MM to $12MM range. Smith, 31, started a career-high 77 games for the Cavs during the 2015/16 season, and also started all 21 of the team’s playoff games. During the season, he averaged 12.4 PPG and shot 40.0% from long distance, making 2.6 threes per game.
Celtics Notes: Horford, Hunter, Depth
The Celtics and Sixers make sense as trade partners, but a deal between the two seems unlikely, The Celtics need help in the front court, where the Sixers have a surplus, and the Sixers need wing help, where Boston has depth, but the stakes are too high to make a trade, Bulpett details. The teams discussed a significant deal in February and had further talks over the summer, but with each team at pivotal points in their respective processes while playing in the same division, a trade should not be expected right now, Bulpett surmises.
Here’s more out of Boston:
- Al Horford has been a better fit in Boston than expected, Celtics coaches told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The prized newcomer has blended in with his teammates while still asserting himself as a prominent leader on the floor and inside the locker room early on, Blakely writes.
- Second-year player R.J. Hunter needs to string together a few more performances like the one he had against Charlotte on Saturday to avoid possibly being cut, Blakely writes in a separate piece. Hunter’s future on the Celtics is unclear because although he showed potential last season, Boston has 16 players with guaranteed contracts and must get rid of at least one, Blakely adds. Prior to Saturday’s game, Hunter had struggled.
Sixers Notes: Thompson, Embiid, Holmes, Okafor
Hollis Thompson has been with the Sixers through three of the worst seasons in franchise history and he hopes to remain with the team as it starts to improve, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Thompson and Nerlens Noel are the only players who have been part of Philadelphia’s roster since 2013/14, and despite his seniority the 6’8″ swingman isn’t guaranteed a spot this season. Thompson averaged 9.8 points per night in 77 games last year, but he finds himself in a familiar position — facing a preseason battle just to make the team. Even if he is on the roster when the season starts, Thompson knows his fate won’t be fully determined until all contracts become guaranteed on January 10th. “In the beginning in the first year, it was stressful,” Thompson said. “But I think at this point, literally, my entire career, I could have been gone anytime before January, and I got paid. At this point, I’m used to it.”
There’s more news out of Philadelphia:
- Joel Embiid had his best game of the preseason Saturday, giving the Sixers another reason to believe he can overcome the foot problems that cost him his first two NBA seasons, Pompey notes in a separate piece. Embiid put up 12 points, four rebounds and a block in a little more than 13 minutes of action against a Cavaliers team that he still holds a grudge against for passing on him in the 2014 draft. “I felt more comfortable tonight,” Embiid said. “I’m still thinking that I should have been the number one pick. They didn’t pick me. So that had something to do with it.”
- Richaun Holmes is having a productive preseason, but will have a tough time getting minutes in a crowded frontcourt, Pompey writes in another story. Holmes scored 10 points in 12 minutes in the Sixers’ first preseason game, then followed that up with a 20-point, 12-rebound performance on Thursday. Pompey suggests that Holmes may have to settle for playing time in the D-League.
- Coach Brett Brown is optimistic about Jahlil Okafor‘s progress despite lingering pain in his right knee, according to Brian Seltzer of NBA.com. “We haven’t seen much of him in practice,” Brown said. “People shouldn’t get nervous about that. It’s part of bringing him back in the mix. Our anticipation is that he’s not that far away, and I do look forward to getting him playing again. I really look forward to getting him playing again.”
Grizzlies Sign Vince Hunter To Training Camp Deal
After being waived by the Bulls on Tuesday, Vince Hunter has signed a training camp deal with the Grizzlies, tweets Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor. Terms of the contract for the 6’8″ forward have not been released, but he had a non-guaranteed deal with Chicago.
Memphis signed Hunter to give its front-line rotation a break until the season starts, tweets Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. “We want to make sure we don’t overload our veteran bigs during the remainder of preseason,” said GM Chris Wallace. “He’s in shape. He’s an easy player to assimilate. We need to protect ourselves upfront.” (Twitter link).
Hunter played for the Grizzlies’ team in summer league, so he is familiar with their system. The 22-year-old didn’t see any action in Chicago’s first preseason game on Monday.
Hunter spent last season with the Kings’ D-League affiliate in Reno, as well as Panathinaikos in the Greek League. He was in training camp with Sacramento a year ago after going undrafted out of UTEP.
It’s the second move of the weekend for the Grizzlies, who waived guard Tony Wroten on Friday.
Silver Optimistic About CBA Negotiations
The NBA is making progress in negotiations with the players union, and commissioner Adam Silver is optimistic about the prospects for a new collective bargaining agreement, writes Fran Blinebury of NBA.com.
Speaking today in China before the Global Games contest between the Rockets and Pelicans, Silver cited “a great sense and spirit of cooperation across the table and desire to move forward.” The NBA is in the middle of a 10-year CBA that was agreed to in 2011, but the league and the players can opt out of the deal until December 15th.
“There’s a sense from both the owners and the union management that there is a lot at stake here,” Silver said, “and I think everyone’s feeling the pressure from all the constituents involved in this league for all the jobs that we provide that it’s incumbent upon us to work something out and get a deal done.”
The NBA’s last lockout occurred prior to the start of the 2011/12 season. Teams lost 16 games before play began on Christmas Day.
The commissioner refused to discuss specifics of the negotiations, but said meetings with the union are continuing. He added that he spoke to Players Association executive director Michele Roberts during a trip to Spain last week.
“We continue to be engaged on a regular basis,” Silver added. “I remain optimistic that we’re going to get something done relatively soon.”
Knicks Notes: Jennings, Randle, Noah, Porzingis
Brandon Jennings is taking advantage of his preseason opportunity to start for the Knicks, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com. With Derrick Rose taking care of legal obligations, Jennings registered four points, five assists and four rebounds in 14 minutes Saturday as New York topped Brooklyn. Jennings, who signed a one-year, $5MM deal over the summer, has slimmed down to 175 pounds and hopes to get the Knicks playing at a faster tempo. He says he finally feels fully recovered from the Achilles tear he suffered in January of 2015. “I feel great. I feel faster. I hope I look faster,” he said. “… I just feel like myself again.”
There’s more this morning out of New York:
- Chasson Randle continued his bid for a roster spot Saturday with 14 points, two assists and three steals in 21 minutes, Begley writes in the same story. The point guard out of Stanford signed with the Knicks this summer after spending a season in the Czech Republic. He faces an uphill battle to make a team that already has 15 guaranteed contracts, but he has a strong supporter in teammate Carmelo Anthony. “I love him. I just love his poise out there, the way he controls the game, controls the basketball,” Anthony said. “He can push the pace. He can slow it down. I think you guys would love him too the more that you see him play.”
- The Knicks expect to be without Rose and Joakim Noah for another week, according to Howie Kussoy and Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Rose remains tied up with his civil trial in Los Angeles, while Noah is nursing a sore left hamstring. Coach Jeff Hornacek said the absence of the team’s most imporant offseason additions has made the preseason difficult, but he plans to be careful with Noah. “Sometimes, players like Jo, he’s like, ‘Man, I want to get out there,’” Hornacek said. “He was out there at shootaround, saying, ‘I want to play,’ but we’re just trying to be cautious with him. … When he feels 100 percent he’ll go to it. Since we don’t have a game after Monday for a while it’s more than likely he’ll probably miss that one, too.”
- Kristaps Porzingis said a new shoe deal that could pay more than his NBA contract hasn’t been finalized, relays Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Porzingis signed with Adidas for a reported $3MM to $6MM, although Nike, his current endorser, will get a chance to match the offer. It would be the biggest shoe contract in NBA history for a European player. “That doesn’t mean I’m a better player than Dirk Nowitzki, they just see me as somebody that’s good off the court, see me with kids and that kind of stuff,” Porzingis said. “And they see that potential in me that one day I can be that good. It’s in my hands now to prove that I am what they believe I can be.”
Trail Blazers Clear Leonard For Full Practice
Exactly six months after having surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder, the Trail Blazers’ Meyers Leonard has been cleared for all practice activities, writes Casey Holdahl of NBA.com.
The fifth-year center had been ahead of his rehab schedule for some time, but Portland officials wanted to wait for the sixth-month date before giving Leonard complete clearance. He participated in his first full practice Saturday and reported no lingering effects from the injury.
“I felt good out there,” Leonard said. “That’s my first time playing live five-on-five obviously, so getting the conditioning back like I mentioned before is going to be key for me. But overall I felt pretty good, felt confident on the offensive end, defensive end, playing at the rim, rebounding the ball. Progressing as time goes on.”
Leonard was a restricted free agent over the summer, and there were concerns that the injury might hold down his value. However, the Blazers showed their faith in him with a new four-year, $41MM commitment.
Leonard was averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game before the shoulder injury prematurely ended his season in March. He appeared in 61 games last season, starting 10, and is expected to battle Mason Plumlee and the newly signed Festus Ezeli for minutes at the center position. Ezeli has been inactive since late August after receiving an injection in his left knee.
The Blazers plan to test Leonard right away, as coach Terry Stotts intends to use him in Portland’s next preseason game on Tuesday. Leonard said he spent all summer looking forward to his return.
“You can run and swim, do whatever you want,” Leonard said, “but until you’re guarding a pick and roll, grabbing a rebound, outlet it, run the floor, shooting the three, trying to go up for an offensive rebound, running back, getting smashed on a transition play, there’s nothing like it.”
And-Ones: Rose, Clarkson, Silas
Derrick Rose won’t fly back and forth from Los Angeles, where he is currently defending himself in a civil trial, to play in the Knicks‘ preseason games, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Rose has no team personnel with him, Lewis adds. “He’s got his own guys,” a source tells Lewis.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Lakers coach Luke Walton applauded Jordan Clarkson‘s defense and he envisions the combo guard having a major role off the bench this season, Joey Ramirez of NBA.com writes. “I don’t look at [Clarkson’s role] as really coming off the bench as much as the way Lamar came off our bench but he was really a starter,” Walton said. “He played big minutes, played the end of ball games. Ginobili [also] did it for years in San Antonio.”
- Chris Mannix of the Vertical believes Stephen Silas will get his turn to become a head coach in this league, as he opines on Twitter. Silas has been an assistant coach for the Hornets since 2010.
- New Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is making defense a priority, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com writes. D’Antoni and assistant coach Jeff Bzlelik are looking for accountability from their players on that end of the floor. “Yeah, it’s a lot of things,” Bzdelik said. “You can’t let what happens on offense dictate your defensive energy. Defense needs to be constant, offense is a variable. It’s a mindset more so than anything else, to take it personal when you get scored upon.”
Latest On Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson has battled tendinitis in his left knee for years and it was recently reported that Jackson may miss “extended time” because of the issue. Today, the team has a slightly better grasp on the timeline after announcing that Jackson will have a platelet-rich plasma injection on Monday, Rod Beard of The Detroit News relays.
“He will get the PRP injection in New York on Monday,” Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said. “I haven’t gotten the timetable but it’s a significant amount of time. He’ll be on crutches for three to seven days.”
Jackson could return in mid-to-late November, which would sideline him for somewhere between 10 and 20 games, Beard notes. Jackson previously had the treatment in 2011. According to Beard, it has the longest recovery time of all the options, but it’s the best chance at of relieving pain for an extended period.
The Pistons are reportedly exploring the market for point guard help, but Van Gundy said he was comfortable with new addition Ish Smith starting in Jackson’s place.
Bucks Happy With Michael Carter-Williams?
Michael Carter-Williams has been the subject of several trade rumors since the end of last season, including this week’s report that he was shopped to Sacramento for Ben McLemore. Head coach Jason Kidd defended Carter-Williams and reiterated the team’s commitment to the point guard in an interview on Sirius XMNBA Radio (h/t Kurt Helin of NBC Sports for the transcript).
“Rumors are just part of this business,” Kidd said “We’re happy with Michael. He’s had a great summer and has worked extremely hard and it showed in the first game in Chicago. He came off the bench and I think he led us in rebounds. He can be one of the best wing defenders in this league. He helped us late in the game running the team at the point guard position. There’s always speculation around different guys, but I think Michael is going to help us win.”
The Bucks will be without Khris Middleton for roughly six months and team will likely need to add another piece to remain competent on the offensive end. MCW has struggled with his shooting since coming into the league, nailing just 25.5% of his 3-point shots. Milwaukee brought in Matthew Dellavedova during the offseason. That, coupled with the fact that the team is toying with starting Giannis Antetokounmpo at the point guard position, could make the 2013/14 Rookie of the Year even more expendable.
While Kidd’s endorsement is a positive for Carter-Williams, it doesn’t mean he’s in the team’s long-term plans and I’ll speculate this week’s report won’t be the last time we see his name pop up in trade rumors. Stay tuned.