Southwest Rumors: Parsons, Barea, Cuban, Gasol
Chandler Parsons is frustrated by his subpar play but Grizzlies coach David Fizdale indicated Thursday that the small forward will remain in the rotation, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com reports. Parsons signed a four-year, $94MM free agent contract last summer but has battled knee injuries while averaging 6.1 PPG on 34.5% shooting in 19.5 MPG. Fitzdale said Parsons remains a big part of the team’s plans this season but admits Parsons is feeling the heat. “He feels like he’s letting his team down, he feels like he’s letting this city down, and he doesn’t want that,” Fizdale told the assembled media.
In other news around the Southwest Division:
- Point guard J.J. Barea hopes he can return to action during the Mavericks’ five-game homestand that begins on Friday, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Barea hasn’t played since January 20th after straining his left calf. Barea joined the team on their road trip to Atlanta on Wednesday to work out with team’s training staff, Sefko adds.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would like to see the team grab a playoff spot but doesn’t see a downside regardless of how the season plays out, Sefko writes in a separate story. Dallas currently trails the Nuggets by 3 1/2 games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. “To me, it’s a win-win,” Cuban told Sefko. “If we lose, we get a better draft pick. If we win, we get in the playoffs.”
- Spurs center Pau Gasol doesn’t mind coming off the bench, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com relays. Gasol found himself on the second unit this week after returning from a fractured finger on his left hand. Dewayne Dedmon started at center. “I think [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] is trying to do a good job of putting the best lineups and how they work together, and also maximizing everyone’s talents,” Gasol told Wright. “With the second unit, I have more opportunities to score, to play my game. With the first unit, it’s a little more limited, my options.”
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/2/17
Here are Thursday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Jazz assigned Joel Bolomboy to the Salt Lake City Stars, the team tweets. The 6’7” forward, who has bounced back and forth between the NBA and D League all season, has appeared in 22 games with the Stars, averaging 16.3 PPG and 13.0 RPG.
Pacific Notes: Calderon, Suns, Clippers, Barnes
Jose Calderon received approximately $400K for his very brief stay with the Warriors, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets. Golden State signed the veteran point guard to a guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season, then released him approximately two hours later after Kevin Durant was injured. The Warriors then signed Matt Barnes on Thursday to fortify their small forward position. Calderon became a free agent after the Lakers bought him out on Monday.
In other news around the Pacific Division:
- The Phoenix city council will pay a consulting group $75K to determine how to upgrade the Suns’ Talking Stick Resort Arena, Dustin Gardiner of the Arizona Republic reports. The Suns have played in the arena since 1992. The council paid the same consulting firm $190K last year to study options for building a new sports and entertainment arena, so this could signal a shift in the city’s plan to keep the team downtown, Gardiner adds.
- The Clippers are 1-3 since the All-Star break and stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are trying to regain their offensive chemistry after overcoming injuries, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. Paul just returned from a torn thumb ligament, and Griffin missed 18 games following knee surgery. “We don’t have much practice time. We’ve got games,” Paul told Oram. “Regardless, when you step on the court you [try to] win the game. Figure it out and win at the same time.”
- Character issues played into the Kings’ decision to waive Barnes, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee tweets. The team attempted to trade him and felt he was a bad influence on DeMarcus Cousins on and off the court, Voisin adds. Barnes and Cousins were sued following an incident in a New York nightclub in December.
Community Shootaround: Western Conference Playoffs
Once Kevin Durant made his surprise decision to bolt the Thunder for the reigning Western Conference champions, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Warriors would once again return to the NBA Finals. There was little evidence to dispel that notion once Durant’s varied skills were assimilated into Golden State’s high-throttle attack.
That all changed in the nation’s capital this week when teammate Zaza Pachulia fell backward onto Durant’s left knee. The perennial All-Star small forward suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and a tibial bone bruise.
Durant will be out at least a month and quite possibly several more weeks. He won’t even be re-evaluated for four weeks and the Warriors are certain to exercise caution. There’s a good chance Durant will miss the remainder of the regular season and it could also affect his status for the postseason. Even if he comes back in time for the playoffs, he could be limited and will have to regain his rhythm on the fly.
Durant’s injury suddenly makes Golden State much more vulnerable. The Warriors still have their former Big Three, which led them to a 2015 championship and nearly another one last season. But they no longer have their other two starters from those seasons, Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, and their bench isn’t very deep.
The Spurs and Rockets, in particular, now look like serious threats to dethrone the Warriors. Kawhi Leonard is averaging career highs in points and assists for San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol form a solid 1-2 punch in the middle and the roster is loaded with playoff-tested veterans.
Mike D’Antoni‘s decision to turn James Harden into Houston’s primary ballhandler has been a smashing success. The league’s second-highest scoring team added even more firepower at the trade deadline by acquiring Lou Williams from the Lakers.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Clippers to catch fire if their Big Three is healthy coming into the postseason. The Grizzlies, who staged a memorable comeback at Golden State this season, also have a veteran, battle-tested roster. The Thunder improved their bench via a trade-deadline deal with the Bulls, and the Jazz possess a solid 1-2 punch of their own in Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert.
This leads us to our question of the day: Do you expect the Warriors to emerge from the Western Conference playoffs even if Kevin Durant is unavailable or limited due his knee injury? If not, which team is most likely to knock them off their perch and why?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Bogdanovic Unsure About Joining Kings Next Season
European star swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic will not yet commit to joining the Kings next season and has signed with his Turkish team, Fenerbache, through next season. The 6’6” Bogdanovic posted on his Twitter feed that he hasn’t made a decision about his future plans, a post that was relayed by CSNBayArea.com’s James Ham. This may come as a surprise to Kings GM Vlade Divac, who said in recent interview that Bogdanovic would be “coming over next season as another asset.”
Bogdanovic has signed with his current Euroleague team through next season and has a contract buyout in excess of $1MM, international journalist David Pick tweets. Per the collective bargaining agreement, Sacramento can pay up to $675,000 of the buyout, according to Ham.
Bogdanovic and the Kings have operated as if he’ll played in the NBA next season since Sacramento acquired him from the Suns in a draft-night trade, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets, though Bogdanovic’s Twitter post at least throws some doubt into that expectation.
“I will not discuss the NBA or make a decision on my future until after my season with Fenerbahce is finished,” Bogdanovic wrote on Twitter. “I always live in the present day and love playing for Fenerbahce.”
Bogdanovic was the 27th overall pick of the 2014 draft and has lived up to the billing of a draft-and-stash prospect. The Kings acquired his rights, along with the 13th and 28th overall picks in last year’s draft and a future second-rounder, from the Suns in exchange for the No. 8 overall selection. Phoenix used it to draft power forward Marquese Chriss.
Even though he’s under contract overseas through the 2017/18 season, Bogdanovic has financial incentives to pursue a buyout and join the Kings. Bogdanovic will no longer be bound by the restrictions of the NBA’s rookie scale. By waiting this long to make the jump to the NBA, he will be free to negotiate any amount.
It’s natural to speculate whether the DeMarcus Cousins trade has given Bogdanovic second thoughts about joining Sacramento. Not only did the Kings trade away their franchise player, but the centerpiece of the deal for Sacramento was rookie shooting guard Buddy Hield. That would seemingly take away any hope of Bogdanovic securing a starting spot, unless the Kings use him as an undersized small forward.
Bogdanovic is a member of the Serbian national team, which captured a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio. The Serbian-born wing is averaging 13.3 PPG, 4.3 APG and 2.9 RPG in 28 MPG this season, though he missed 23 games with an ankle injury. He’s generally considered one of Europe’s top perimeter shooters.
Terrence Jones Agrees To Sign With Bucks
Free agent forward Terrence Jones has agreed to sign with the Bucks for the remainder of the season, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein and Justin Verrier also tweet that Jones is poised to sign with Milwaukee.
The Pelicans waived him last Thursday after they were unable to deal him prior to the trade deadline. Jones appeared in 51 games, including 12 starts, for New Orleans and was averaging 11.5 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 24.8 MPG. He became expendable when the club acquired DeMarcus Cousins in a blockbuster trade with the Kings.
Jones spent the first four years of his career with the Rockets. He could quickly become a rotation piece for the Bucks, who have been seeking frontcourt help since Jabari Parker suffered a season-ending knee injury. Michael Beasley has received the bulk of the minutes at power forward since Parker was injured but is also out at least three games with a hyperextended knee.
Milwaukee is still in the playoff hunt, currently two games behind the Pistons, who hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Jones’ representatives reportedly contacted the Celtics after he cleared waivers but ultimately passed on him, as they already had 15 players with guaranteed deals.
Recap Of Players Waived Since All-Star Break
The NBA waiver wire starts to get busy right around the trade deadline. Teams making trades often need to cut a player or two to clear a roster spot to accommodate their new additions, while teams unable to move a veteran on an expiring contract at the deadline may opt to buy them out of their deal a couple days later. Then, teams that want to take a flier on those veterans will create openings on their roster by waiving someone else.
The cycle ensures that plenty of new free agents hit the open market at this time of year, and while some of those players have quickly found new homes, there are some interesting new names on the list of current free agents.
Here’s a recap of the players who have been waived by NBA teams since the All-Star Game, along with details on whether or not they’re still available…
Waived and joined a new team:
- Matt Barnes: Waived by Kings, signed by Warriors
- Andrew Bogut: Waived by Sixers, signed by Cavaliers
- Brandon Jennings: Waived by Knicks, signed by Wizards
- Chasson Randle: Waived by Sixers, signed by Knicks
- Deron Williams: Waived by Mavericks, signed by Cavaliers
Waived and now a free agent:
- Omri Casspi: Waived by Pelicans
- Marcelo Huertas: Waived by Rockets
- Terrence Jones: Waived by Pelicans
- Lamar Patterson: Waived by Hawks
- Luis Scola: Waived by Nets
- Mike Scott: Waived by Suns
- Jared Sullinger: Waived by Suns
- Marcus Thornton: Waived by Nets
Waived and haven’t yet cleared waivers:
- Jose Calderon: Waived by Lakers, then signed and waived by Warriors on Wednesday.
- Danuel House: Waived by Wizards on Wednesday.
- Jordan McRae: Waived by Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Because all of these players were waived by the end of the day on March 1, they’ll all be eligible to participate in the playoffs with a new team. However, if any of them are cut again between now and the end of the regular season, they won’t retain their postseason eligibility.
And-Ones: Hansbrough, D. Williams, Draft
Veteran forward Tyler Hansbrough recently signed a D-League contract and has now been claimed by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the league announced in a press release. It’s a reunion of sorts of Hansbrough and the Pacers — the former UNC standout played in Indiana for his first four NBA seasons, and will now play for the team’s D-League affiliate.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Deron Williams is a member of the Cavaliers now, and we heard this week that there may be mutual interest in a reunion between him and the Jazz down the road. However, those weren’t the only teams that had interest in him around the time of the trade deadline. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes that the Bucks and Clippers also considered the veteran point guard as a trade target.
- In his latest look at the 2017 NBA draft, ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider link) examines the lottery teams and identifies the best fit for each of those clubs in the event that they land a top-three pick. As Ford notes, Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are widely considered the top two prospects in the draft, but there are differing opinions on which order they should be picked, and who should be drafted after they’re off the board.
- Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders identified some of the front office executives around the NBA who figure to receive general manager consideration in the not-too-distant future if they’re willing to consider leaving their current clubs. Tony Ronzone (Mavericks), Matt Lloyd (Magic), and Tommy Sheppard (Wizards) are among Kyler’s picks.
- NBA Africa VP Amadou Gallo Fall spoke to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated about the league’s efforts to grow the game in Africa.
Cavaliers Sign Andrew Bogut
MARCH 2: The Cavaliers have officially signed Bogut, the team announced today in a press release. Cleveland waived Jordan McRae on Wednesday in order to open up a spot on the roster for Bogut.
FEBRUARY 28: Andrew Bogut has committed to signing with the Cavaliers, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN and he’s expected to do so this weekend. The center won’t officially clear waivers until 5 PM EST on Wednesday but was released in time to be eligible to play for the Cavs during the postseason.
The Australian big man had strongly considered the Rockets and Celtics, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets, but decided to head to Ohio after toiling away on a lottery-bound Mavs team for the past few month. Of the multitude of suitors hoping to lure the center, Houston was the one that could offer the most money, but Bogut was legitimately impressed with Boston’s pitch. Per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, Bogut and his agent will likely consider the Celtics when the offseason free agency period opens on July 1.
In Cleveland, Bogut has the clearest path to the NBA Finals, where he could possibly clash against his former team. Just last summer, the center was hastily dealt by Golden State to the Mavs in order for the Warriors to free up space to sign Kevin Durant.
In 26 games this season, Bogut has averaged 3.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game but the biggest benefit the Cavaliers will get from the 32-year-old veteran is his interior defense.
Bogut was recently bought out by the Sixers after being dealt from Dallas to Philadelphia in the Nerlens Noel/Justin Anderson swap. The two parties immediately pursued buyout options.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
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