Knicks Consider Jarrett Jack, Archie Goodwin
In their quest for depth at point guard, the Knicks are considering both Jarrett Jack and Archie Goodwin, posts Ohm Youngmisuk on ESPN Now.
Jack, 33, would bring another veteran presence to a position currently occupied by Ron Baker, rookie Frank Ntilikina and journeyman Ramon Sessions, who signed with the team earlier this month. Jack is trying to rebound from two season-ending injuries, a torn ACL in his right knee in January of 2016 and a torn right meniscus in March of this year. His only NBA action last season was two games with the Pelicans after signing a 10-day contract in late February.
At 23, Goodwin fits in better with New York’s youth movement. He played briefly last season with the Pelicans and Nets, amassing a combined 15 games, and spent most of the year with the Greensboro Swarm in the G League. A late first-round pick in 2013, Goodwin played his first three NBA seasons with the Suns, where his coach was current Knicks mentor Jeff Hornacek.
New York has 19 players headed to camp, one under the league maximum. The Knicks are over the cap, so any offer would have to be for the veteran’s minimum.
Cavs Inquired On Klay Thompson Before Trading Kyrie To Celtics
The Cavaliers completed a trade with their top Eastern competitor on Tuesday and had apparently been willing to deal with another notable rival. Before they worked out an agreement with the Celtics that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston, the Cavs called the Warriors to inquire about a possible swap involving Irving and Klay Thompson, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Spears describes Golden State as “uninterested.”
[RELATED: Celtics acquire Kyrie Irving from Cavaliers]
From a cap perspective, a Thompson/Irving deal would have made some sense, since both players have two guaranteed seasons left on their respective contracts and are earning similar salaries. However, there was little reason for the Warriors to break up the core of a roster that is coming off a championship, particularly since Thompson – an excellent shooter and defender who doesn’t need the ball much – is probably a better fit in Golden State than Irving would have been.
It’s the second time this offseason that we’ve heard about a team shopping a star and contacting the Warriors about a possible deal involving Thompson. The Pacers reportedly reached out to Golden State about a potential Paul George/Thompson swap back in June. As they did when the Cavs called about Irving, the Warriors told the Pacers they weren’t interested, which Thompson appreciates, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
“It’s really cool,” Thompson told Slater. “It shows the Warriors believe in me and these other teams want me to be a part of their success. So I appreciate it. I’ve been in trade rumors forever. Everyone has. Except for maybe LeBron James, Steph [Curry] — well, even Steph early in his career. It’s part of the business. It is flattering and I do appreciate it.
“When you hear the rumors, it means you’re wanted,” Thompson added. “You’re doing something right. Look at the bright side. But I’m happy I’m still with the Warriors. I hope to be here my whole career. It’s a great place to play.”
Spurs Sign London Perrantes
4:43pm: Perrantes received a one-year, partially guaranteed deal from the Spurs, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders.
3:46pm: The Spurs have added an undrafted rookie to their roster, announcing today in a press release that former Virginia guard London Perrantes has signed with the club. Terms of Perrantes’ agreement with San Antonio weren’t announced, but it figures to be a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deal.
Perrantes, a 6’2″ guard, averaged 12.7 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 3.0 RPG in his senior year at Virginia last season, along with a solid shooting line of .453/.374/.813. He worked out for several teams – including the Spurs – in the weeks leading up to the draft, but wasn’t considered likely to be one of the 60 players selected in June.
After going undrafted, Perrantes played for the Heat in Summer League action in both Orlando and Las Vegas. In six total games for Miami, he averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.2 RPG. However, he’ll be in camp with the Spurs, rather than the Heat.
Perrantes is probably a good bet to eventually join the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League team, as an affiliate player.
2017 NBA G League Expansion Draft Results
The NBA G League conducted its expansion draft today, allowing the league’s four new franchises to add the returning rights to 11 players apiece. The league’s previously-existing 22 teams had been permitted to retain the rights to nine players each, leaving the rest of their players unprotected and free to be drafted, though no team can lose more than two players. Adam Johnson recently outlined the full details of the expansion draft process in a piece for 2 Ways & 10 Days.
The G League’s four new teams this year are affiliates for the Hawks (Erie BayHawks), Grizzlies (Memphis Hustle), Bucks (Wisconsin Herd), and Clippers (Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario). The Erie BayHawks have been in the G League for years but are technically an expansion team since the old iteration of the BayHawks was purchased by the Magic and moved to Lakeland, Florida — the Lakeland Magic will retain returning rights for former BayHawks players.
The players added today by the G League’s four expansion teams won’t necessarily play for them this season — in fact, it’s not all that common for expansion draftees to suit up for their new clubs. Many of those players will try to catch on with an NBA team or will end up playing overseas, if they’re not already on an NBA or international roster. Still, the expansion draft gives the G League’s new teams some assets as they start to build their rosters for the coming season.
Listed below are the results of today’s expansion draft, per the G League’s official announcement. The player’s former G League team is noted in parentheses, and picks are ordered by round. The teams will hold their players’ rights for the next two seasons:
Erie BayHawks (Hawks)
- DeAndre Daniels (Raptors 905)
- Sean Kilpatrick (Delaware 87ers)*
- Ronald Roberts (Reno Bighorns)
- Terran Petteway (Maine Red Claws)
- Casey Prather (Windy City Bulls)
- Jordan Crawford (Grand Rapids Drive)*
- Jordan Sibert (Iowa Energy)
- Beau Beech (Long Island Nets)
- Raphiael Putney (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
- Luke Harangody (Lakeland Magic)
- Will Bynum (Windy City Bulls)
Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies)
- Marquis Teague (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
- Okaro White (Sioux Falls Skyforce)*
- D.J. Stephens (Iowa Energy)
- Omari Johnson (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
- Jamaal Franklin (Long Island Nets)
- Adonis Thomas (Grand Rapids Drive)
- Manny Harris (Texas Legends)
- Mark Tyndale (Reno Bighorns)
- Jordon Crawford (Canton Charge)
- Jimmer Fredette (Westchester Knicks)
- Terrence Drisdom (Santa Cruz Warriors)
Wisconsin Herd (Bucks)
- Vince Hunter (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
- Gracin Bakumanya (Northern Arizona Suns)
- Perry Ellis (Greensboro Swarm)
- Corey Walden (Maine Red Claws)
- Josh Davis (Greensboro Swarm)
- Michael Dunigan (Canton Charge)
- Jarvis Summers (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
- James Siakam (Raptors 905)
- Kyle Casey (Northern Arizona Suns)
- Cady Lalanne (Austin Spurs)
- Tyler Harvey (Lakeland Magic)
Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario (Clippers)
- Andre Dawkins (Texas Legends)
- Bryce Cotton (Oklahoma City Blue)
- Corey Hawkins (Delaware 87ers)
- Will Cummings (Delaware 87ers)
- J.J. O’Brien (Salt Lake City Stars)
- Jamil Wilson (South Bay Lakers)
- Keith Steffeck (Santa Cruz Warriors)
- Julian Jacobs (South Bay Lakers)
- Aaron Craft (Salt Lake City Stars)
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Westchester Knicks)
- Youssou Ndoye (Austin Spurs)
Players marked with an asterisk (*) are currently on an NBA roster. If they remain under contract and are assigned to the G League, they would join their current NBA team’s affiliate.
Latest On Dwyane Wade, Bulls, Cavaliers
Last week, ESPN’s Nick Friedell wrote in a piece on the Bulls’ outlook for 2017/18 that the team is expected to reach a buyout with Dwyane Wade within the next few months. Friedell’s story was edited later to back off that stance a little, suggesting now that “nobody would be surprised” if Wade and the Bulls reach a buyout agreement in the not-too-distant future.
Appearing on ESPN’s The Jump (video link) this week, Friedell once again addressed the Wade situation, calling a buyout “inevitable.” According to Friedell, it’s a matter of “when, not if” the Bulls and Wade will part ways this season.
Here’s more on Wade, the Bulls, and his possible landing spot if he becomes a free agent:
- While the Bulls and Wade figure to get serious about a buyout after the trade deadline if it hasn’t already happened by then, Friedell said during his appearance on The Jump that he wouldn’t be shocked if the two sides work something out in December or January. However, Friedell doesn’t expect a buyout agreement to be finalized before the season.
- Friedell also suggests that the young players on the Bulls’ roster aren’t overly fond of Wade, who last season challenged his teammates’ dedication to winning despite missing practices himself. In Friedell’s view, that potential friction may motivate both sides to get a buyout done sooner.
- The Bulls have no reason to buy out Wade unless he eventually meets their terms and gives up a significant chunk of his $23.8MM salary, according to David Haugh of The Chicago Tribune, who hears that the two sides haven’t yet engaged in buyout talks.
- If Wade is bought out by the Bulls, will he end up reuniting with his good friend LeBron James for the Cavaliers? According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, people close to James are indeed “fairly confident” that Wade will land in Cleveland. As Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk details, before making that assertion, Vardon said earlier in his podcast that only a small handful of people – including agent Rich Paul, LeBron himself, and three others – should truly be considered “close” to LeBron. So Vardon’s info likely came from one or more of those sources.
Boris Diaw Uncertain About NBA Future
Having been waived by the Jazz earlier this summer, forward Boris Diaw remains an unrestricted free agent and his future as a player remains up in the air. Diaw recently told Le Figaro that he’s not 100% sure that he’ll find an NBA home for the 2017/18 season, suggesting that a return to Europe is a possibility (translation via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando).
According to Diaw, he has been in touch with a few NBA teams, but nothing concrete came out of those conversations. The French forward added that there are several factors he has to take into account as he considers his next move, and he’s not yet closing any doors.
Diaw, 35, has spent the last 14 seasons in the NBA, beginning his career with the Hawks before moving on to the Suns, Bobcats, Spurs, and Jazz. Diaw started 33 games and appeared in 73 overall regular season contests for Utah last season, but saw his production dip — his PPG (4.6), FG% (.446), and 3PT% (.247) marks were all among the worst of his career. He had a $7.5MM salary for 2017/18 that would have become guaranteed if the Jazz had not waived him last month.
While Diaw has played in the NBA for the last 14 years, he also has some international experience, so playing in Europe wouldn’t be new to him. Before being drafted 21st overall in 2003, Diaw spent multiple seasons with Pau-Orthez in France, and he returned to his home country during the 2011 lockout to play for JSA Bordeaux. The veteran forward has also represented France in several international competitions.
The Raptors reportedly inquired on Diaw last month just before he was waived by the Jazz, but no NBA teams have been linked to him within the last few weeks.
Bucks Made Competitive Offer For Kyrie Irving?
12:58pm: Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter link) hears that the Bucks didn’t offer Middleton, Brogdon, and a first-round pick for Irving. It’s not uncommon for there to be conflicting reports on trade offers, since there can be ambiguity about what a team is willing to offer and what that team formally offers. Whether or not the Bucks put that package on the table, it was unlikely to be enough for the Cavs.
11:32am: The Suns were long viewed as a potential frontrunner in the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes, but Phoenix never really got close to landing the star point guard, per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). According to Gambadoro though, another team that was in the mix for Irving and made a strong offer was the Bucks, who put Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and a first-round pick on the table.
It’s easy to see why the Celtics’ offer – which included an All-Star in Isaiah Thomas and a stronger first-round pick – was more appealing to the Cavs than Milwaukee’s proposal. Boston’s package, which also featured Jae Crowder and rookie center Ante Zizic, should give Cleveland a better chance to contend for a title in 2017/18, and may also give the Cavs a better chance to land a young star, since that 2018 Nets pick may end up in the top five.
Still, Thomas’ hip is a concern and he’s under contract for only one more year, making him a bit of a risk. The Bucks’ offer would have given the Cavaliers the reigning Rookie of the Year (Brogdon) on an extremely affordable contract (about $3MM over the next two years), and a dangerous shooter and scorer in Middleton, who is on a reasonable contract of his own (about $27MM over the next two years). Milwaukee’s 2018 first-round pick figures to fall in the late-teens or 20s, however.
While the Bucks fell short in their pursuit of Irving, it’s worth remembering that the team was willing to make a play for the All-Star point guard. That point guard spot is perhaps the most glaring area of concern for Milwaukee heading into 2017/18, so the team figures to keep an eye out for potential upgrades again at the 2018 trade deadline and next offseason.
Poll: Which Team Did Best In Kyrie Blockbuster?
After a month of Kyrie Irving rumors, the Cavaliers and Celtics struck a mega-deal on Tuesday that sent the All-Star point guard to Boston in exchange for a package headlined by another All-Star point guard. In exchange for Irving, the Cavaliers received Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick (unprotected).
While there was plenty of speculation about the Celtics being a fit for Irving, it’s still a stunning deal — multiple All-Stars aren’t often included in the same trade, and the two top teams in a conference are often reluctant to deal with one another. So which side came out on top in the swap? Let’s break down the argument for each side…
For the Cavaliers:
After teams received somewhat underwhelming returns for stars like DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler, and Paul George in recent months, there was some skepticism that the Cavs would be able to land an appealing package for Irving. Cleveland had wanted a return that would allow the team to stay competitive in the short term while building for the long term, but it appeared that the Cavs might have to compromise that stance.
That wasn’t the case, however. Thomas was one of the NBA’s leading scorers in 2016/17, and could potentially replicate Irving’s production if he’s healthy. Crowder, meanwhile, is a talented two-way player on an extremely affordable contract. He’s exactly the sort of player the Cavs will need to match up with the Warriors and Kevin Durant, and he’ll only cost Cleveland about $7MM per season for the next three years.
Zizic is a wild card, and while his Summer League performance showed that he may not be ready for a major role quite yet, there was plenty of enthusiasm for his long-term potential based on his play overseas last season. Finally, the Cavaliers also secured Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick. The Nets shouldn’t be quite as bad in 2017/18 as they were last year, but that pick still has a good chance to be a top-five choice, allowing the Cavs to land a young player with star potential.
Throw in the fact that the Cavs generated a modest trade exception (worth about $5.8MM) in the deal and slashed their projected tax bill by nearly $30MM, and that’s a pretty impressive return for a player who wanted out of Cleveland.
For the Celtics:
While the Celtics sacrificed some depth and future assets in the Irving blockbuster, the ability to go from Thomas to Irving is an upgrade in many ways, even if the two players posted similar numbers a year ago. Irving is three years younger than Thomas, making him a better candidate for a long-term, maximum salary contract.
Irving is also under team control on his current deal for at least one extra year (he can opt out in 2019), and is currently healthy, unlike Thomas, who is recovering from a hip ailment. Danny Ainge indicated in his remarks last night that Thomas’ hip injury was a concern for the C’s heading into training camp.
Losing Crowder, a reliable and affordable three-and-D wing, isn’t ideal for the Celtics, but the team added Gordon Hayward in free agency and has youngsters Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum poised to play larger roles — depth at the small forward position shouldn’t be an issue.
Boston likely would have preferred to keep Zizic as well, but he has yet to play a single NBA minute and his long-term outlook remains hazy. In recent years, the C’s have had to move on from a handful of young players that didn’t pan out, including R.J. Hunter, Jordan Mickey, Demetrius Jackson, and James Young — perhaps moving Zizic while he’s still considered a strong prospect will end up paying off.
The Celtics also parted with the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, meaning Boston fans will no longer have to closely monitor Brooklyn’s position in the standings all season. It’s possible that first-rounder will turn into a future star, but the Celtics have three more first-round picks coming their way in the next two years – in addition to their own selections – and if the Nets take a step forward this season, that pick could end up being good, but not great.
Having traded three guaranteed contracts for one, the Celtics now have an open spot on their 15-man roster, which could come in handy later in the year — perhaps Boston looks to bring back Tony Allen to help replace Crowder’s defense? Even if they go in another direction, the C’s gained some added flexibility by opening up that roster spot.
What do you think? Did one side clearly come out on top in this trade, or did both teams do well? Or would you argue that this swap wasn’t ideal for either club? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
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Kyrie Irving Leftovers: Notes, Reactions, More
Tuesday’s massive trade between the Celtics and Cavaliers shook up the NBA during a time in the offseason when the news cycle is typically at its slowest. Like an oasis in the desert, the deal – which features a pair of All-Stars in Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas – has provided NBA observers with a fascinating topic of discussion, just when it seemed as if we’d said nearly all we could say about the roster changes made in June and July.
Of course, we already delved into the blockbuster trade at length on Tuesday night with a discussion post and a cap/roster analysis, but we have plenty more items from around the league to pass along today. Let’s dive in and round up some of the highlights, sorted by Cavs- and Celtics-centric stories…
Cavaliers:
- While some Cavaliers players had hoped Irving would remain with the team, the star point guard had let it be known prior to Tuesday’s deal that he would rather not report to training camp than to begin the season with Cleveland, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. McMenamin also reports that Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had a desire to add a “big-name” player in an Irving trade — Thomas, the Eastern Conference’s leading scorer in 2016/17, fit that bill, despite questions about his hip.
- Gilbert issued a much more traditional and respectful statement following Irving’s departure than he did when LeBron James left the franchise back in 2010. As Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com details, Gilbert thanked Irving for his six years in Cleveland and wished him well during the next phase of his career.
- James issued a statement of his own via Twitter on Tuesday night, indicating that he has “nothing but respect” for Irving and calling the point guard a “special talent.”
- In a piece focused on the Cavaliers‘ long-term outlook, ESPN’s Bobby Marks examines how swapping Irving for Thomas and picking up the Nets’ 2018 first-rounder will give Cleveland some options and insurance in the event that LeBron leaves next summer.
- James’ silence on his plans beyond 2018 was a driving force behind the Cavaliers‘ decision to honor Irving’s trade request and plan ahead for the team’s future, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
Celtics:
- After president of basketball operations Danny Ainge finally used some of his top assets and pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade, the Celtics have signaled that they’re ready to go for it now, not later, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald.
- Thomas’ emotional bond with Celtics fans and his role as the team’s leader made the decision to trade him a very difficult one for Ainge and the franchise, as Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald outlines.
- The Celtics had 16 players on guaranteed contracts prior to the trade, but now have just 14, leaving a potential open spot for their regular season roster. According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), the Celtics expect many agents to reach out about that opening, but Boston would be comfortable starting the regular season with just 14 players and maintaining some roster flexibility.
- As John Schuhmann of NBA.com observes (via Twitter), the Celtics now have just four players returning from last year’s roster, and fall to 29th in Schuhmann’s team continuity rankings. There’s optimism in Boston that the club’s new-look roster has more talent and upside, but the roster turnover will be a challenge for head coach Brad Stevens, particularly at the start of the season.
The rest:
- ESPN’s Stats & Information department takes a look at some of the stats behind the trade, while ESPN’s Kevin Pelton (Insider link) assigns grades for the swap, handing out an A to the Cavaliers and just a C to the Celtics.
- Tom Ziller of SBNation.com likes the deal for both teams on the surface, but explores how it could go “terribly wrong” for both the Cavaliers and Celtics.
- Although the Heat were named as one of Irving’s preferred landing spots, the package the Cavaliers received from the Celtics was one that Miami couldn’t possibly match, says Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Even if a Goran Dragic/Justise Winslow package might have intrigued the Cavs, the 2018 Nets pick included by Boston was a “game-changer,” Winderman adds.
Clippers To Hire Michael Winger As GM
After having offered their general manager position to Michael Winger several days ago, the Clippers have now reached an agreement to bring the Thunder executive aboard as the team’s new GM, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, Winger will get a multiyear contract from Los Angeles.
[RELATED: Jerry West talks Clippers, Steve Ballmer, more]
Winger’s hiring is one move in a series of changes to the Clippers’ front office this month. The overhaul began in early August when the team announced that it was removing Doc Rivers‘ president of basketball operations title, allowing him to retain a voice in the front office but to focus primarily on coaching.
Executive VP of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was elevated to the top front office role to replace Rivers, and the Clips have since committed to filling out the front office with more seasoned executives. Winger, who will report to Frank, was the assistant general manager in Oklahoma City, where he worked closely with GM Sam Presti over the last several years. The Clippers have also agreed to hire former Cavaliers executive Trent Redden, who will be L.A.’s new assistant GM.
Winger had been a key voice in the OKC front office under Presti, along with Troy Weaver, so the Thunder figure to promote or hire a replacement to fill his role in the not-too-distant future.