Central Notes: Pistons, SVG, Bullock, Bucks, Kidd
In the wake of Clippers head coach Doc Rivers surrendering his front office power, Tom Ziller of SB Nation writes that Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy should do the same.
In the piece, Ziller praises Rivers for giving up the power of possessing dual roles as someone who has been so famous and successful. Rivers quietly accepted a demotion and seems to have handled the transition in stride. Earlier this offseason, Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer was also stripped of his front office power with the team installing GM Travis Schlenk above him in the decision-making hierarchy.
Ziller goes on to write that Van Gundy’s 2016/17 team was extremely disappointing and comprised mostly Van Gundy acquisitions. SVG previously traded for Reggie Jackson and paid him a tremendous amount and drafted Stanley Johnson in the lottery. Both players have been monumental disappointments. Ziller argues that while Van Gundy is a talented coach, “someone else needs to be in the seat of power when it comes to roster.”
Here’s what else you should know from the Central division:
- Pistons wing Stanley Johnson, who underwhelmed in 2016/17, lies at the heart of SVG’s vision for the team to be elite on defense, writes Keith Langois of NBA.com. Detroit spent most of last season as a top-10 defensive squad before finishing the season at No. 11. Van Gundy said: “I think now we have a chance to become an elite defensive team and Stanley’s a huge part of that. And then I think it’s for him to really find his offensive game and it takes some guys some time. Whether he’s starting or coming off the bench, his primary role will be to guard the best forward or a big two guard every night. Avery (Bradley) will take on the challenge of guarding the best guard every night and then Andre (Drummond) will take on more responsibility as a defender and that’s our way to becoming an elite defensive team.”
- The Pistons will feature Reggie Bullock for a more prominent role this upcoming season, Ansar Khan of MLive.com writes. In limited minutes in two seasons, Bullock has been the team’s best deep shooter, drilling 39.7% of his three-point attempts. Van Gundy is also high on Bullock for other reasons: “A lot of people focus on Reggie’s shooting, which is very good, but to me it’s more the way he plays the game. The ball moves when he’s out there, he makes quick decisions, he moves very well without the ball, he helps other people play well. And at the other end he defends, so he’s a two-way player who helps your team function at both ends of the floor. We’re looking forward to having Reggie back, healthier than he’s been, hopefully, and available for a lot more action because he has helped us play very well.”
- The pressure is on for head coach Jason Kidd and his Bucks, writes James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. With many Eastern Conference teams taking significant steps backward this offseason, the athletic and upstart Bucks carry lofty expectations entering the 2017/18 season. For a detailed look at why so much is expected of Kidd and the Bucks this coming season, I highly recommend reading Blancarte’s piece.
Knicks Sign Michael Beasley To One-Year Deal
5:17pm: The deal is now official, per the Knicks’ press release.
2:19pm: The Knicks are closing in on a contract agreement with former second overall pick Michael Beasley, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). According to Scotto, Beasley and the Knicks are nearing a one-year deal.
The two sides are expected to finalize the terms of an agreement later today, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com. While neither Scotto nor Begley provides specific details on those terms, the Knicks have used up all their cap room and signed Ron Baker with their room exception, so Beasley appears to be in line for a minimum salary pact.
Selected one spot after Derrick Rose in the 2008 draft, Beasley spent two seasons with the Heat, and has since played for the Timberwolves, Suns, Rockets, and Bucks. He also had a second stint in Miami, and played multiple seasons in China. Prior to the 2016/17 campaign, Beasley was traded from Houston to Milwaukee in exchange for Tyler Ennis.
While he never lived up to his pre-draft billing, Beasley – who is now 28 years old – continued to provide value as a scorer off the bench in Milwaukee last season. In 56 games for the Bucks, the veteran forward averaged 9.4 PPG with a career-best .532 FG% and .419 3PT%.
Beasley figures to play a similar role in New York, giving the team some scoring punch off the bench. Of course, if the Knicks ultimately find a trade they like involving Carmelo Anthony, that could open the door for Beasley to take on a larger role.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Knicks Sign Ramon Sessions To One-Year Deal
AUGUST 8: The Knicks have officially signed Sessions, per the team’s press release.
JULY 28: The Knicks are in the process of finalizing a one-year contract with free agent point guard Ramon Sessions, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). New York has used just about all of its cap room and committed its room exception to Ron Baker, so Sessions will get a minimum salary deal, Charania confirms (via Twitter).
The Knicks have been on the lookout all month for a veteran point guard to act as a mentor for lottery pick Frank Ntilikina. However, a lucrative offer sheet for Tim Hardaway tied up most of the club’s remaining cap space, reducing its options. A report from mid-July had indicated that the Knicks were exploring trade options for a point guard, but had also reached out to Sessions.
Of course, in the wake of Kyrie Irving‘s trade request, there has been speculation that the Knicks could be a landing spot for the star point guard. Still, while New York has reportedly made the Cavs an offer, a deal between the two teams appears increasingly unlikely. Sessions certainly can’t match Irving’s star power or production, but he’s one of the more reliable veterans still available on the free agent market.
A 10-year veteran, Sessions has bounced around the league since being selected in the second round of the 2007 draft. After starting his career in Milwaukee, the point guard also spent time with the Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Lakers, Bobcats, Bucks, Kings, and Wizards.
Sessions returned to Charlotte – now the Hornets – for the 2016/17 season, but had one of his worst seasons as a pro, averaging a career-low 6.2 PPG and 2.6 APG in 50 games. The Knicks will be hoping the 31-year-old can rebound to his 2015/16 form, when he averaged 9.9 PPG and recorded a .473 FG% in Washington, serving as John Wall‘s backup and appearing in all 82 regular season games.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ex-Cavs GM Suggests Celtics On Irving’s List
In an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Monday (h/t to CSNNE.com), former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin suggested that the Celtics are on Kyrie Irving’s short list of preferred destinations.
Griffin mentioned Brad Stevens and Gregg Popovich as “really good coaching situations” that Irving covets, as well as Irving’s desire to play with “Gordon Hayward in Boston” or “Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio.”
The Spurs had previously been reported as a team on Irving’s list, but this is the first the public is hearing about the Celtics as a desired destination for the disgruntled point guard. Aside from the Spurs, the Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves were reported by Chris Haynes as Irving’s top choices for landing spots.
While the Celtics certainly have the assets to land Irving, with a trove of draft picks and Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and other desirable players, Danny Ainge has been reluctant to part with these assets in trades for Paul George and Jimmy Butler, which led to the pair being traded elsewhere for far less than the Celtics could have offered.
Furthermore, if the Celtics were to strike a deal for Irving, he and Isaiah Thomas would make for an awkward fit starting in the backcourt, and a particularly troublesome pairing for Boston on defense, with neither point guard known for his defensive prowess. Irving also has reportedly wanted to be the lead guy on his next team, but Thomas is – and would likely continue to be – the Celtics’ franchise player. More likely, in the improbable event that the teams make a trade involving Irving, Thomas would have to head the other way.
Kyler’s Latest: Bradley, Celtics, Barton, Ariza
While Kyrie Irving and Carmelo Anthony have generated the most discussion as trade candidates in recent weeks, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders suggests in his latest piece that there are a number of players entering contract years who could become the subjects of trade rumors over the course of the 2017/18 season. Kyler took a closer look at a few of those players, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- Sources tell Kyler that the Pistons are aware Avery Bradley will be expensive in unrestricted free agency next summer, but will have no problem paying him if he fits in like they hope. As Kyler notes, the Pistons appear more comfortable at this point with a long-term commitment to Bradley than they were with a similar deal for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
- While Isaiah Thomas wants to land a maximum salary contract from the Celtics in 2018, Kyler points to Jrue Holiday and Kyle Lowry as point guards who were believed to be max-salary candidates this summer and ultimately settled for a little less. As Kyler observes, with Thomas and Marcus Smart headed for free agency next offseason, and Terry Rozier not far behind, Boston could explore some backcourt trade options before 2018’s trade deadline.
- There’s a belief that the Nuggets “can and would” pay Will Barton when he reaches unrestricted free agency next summer, but if Denver ends up making a big trade, Barton could be a prime candidate to be included, says Kyler.
- The Rockets‘ stance this offseason has been that Trevor Ariza isn’t available in trades, including to the Knicks in a potential Carmelo Anthony deal, says Kyler.
- The Jazz are taking a wait-and-see approach with Derrick Favors, who could become a trade candidate at this season’s deadline, with his free agency looming. Big men with a skill-set like Favors’ haven’t been valued particularly highly in recent years, which is a double-edged sword for Utah — he may not have much trade value, but he also may not be overly expensive if the club wants to re-sign him.
Ben McLemore Expected To Miss 12 Weeks With Foot Injury
Newly-signed Grizzlies guard Ben McLemore may not be ready for his new team’s regular season opener. According to Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (via Twitter), McLemore underwent surgery on his right foot on Tuesday, and is expected to be sidelined for approximately 12 weeks. The Grizzlies confirmed the news in a press release.
According to the Grizzlies’ announcement, McLemore has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. The injury occurred during a pick-up game in Los Angeles, when McLemore landed on another player’s foot following a drive to the basket.
If McLemore is able to return 12 weeks from today, he’d get back on the court on October 31. While regular season schedules for the 2017/18 campaign haven’t yet been announced, the season will begin on October 17, so the former seventh overall pick would miss the entire preseason and two weeks of the regular season in that scenario.
It’s unfortunate news for a Grizzlies team that has been hit hard by injuries to key players over the last couple seasons. While it remains to be seen what sort of role McLemore will play in Memphis, he represents the club’s top free agent investment of the summer so far — the 24-year-old signed a two-year, $10.66MM contract with the Grizzlies last month.
Mavericks Sign P.J. Dozier
AUGUST 8: The Mavericks have officially signed Dozier, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 27: The Mavericks have reached an agreement to bring P.J. Dozier to the team, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com tweets. The scribe adds that the deal will only be partially guaranteed.
The combo guard spent two seasons at South Carolina where he scored 10.4 points per game and shot slightly under 40.0% from the field. As a sophomore, he helped lead the Gamecocks to their first final four in school history.
Dozier was not selected in this summer’s draft, though, as an undrafted free agent, he was able to find a Summer League deal with the Lakers. He only played in two games for the franchise’s team in Las Vegas before parting ways with Los Angeles.
Timberwolves Continue To Eye Established Veterans
The Timberwolves still intend to add three more established veterans to their roster on minimum salary deals, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter link). The report comes in the wake of the club’s agreement with Marcus Georges-Hunt, which Krawczynski classifies as a training camp deal.
As we noted when we discussed Georges-Hunt’s new contract agreement earlier today, the Wolves are only carrying 11 guaranteed contracts on their roster at the moment. Georges-Hunt and Melo Trimble have reached deals with Minnesota, but those contracts are expected to be partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed.
Teams can carry up to 20 players in the offseason and up to 15 in the regular season, so the Wolves appear to have four regular season roster spots available, though recent reports have indicated that the club only intends to add three more veterans. That could leave the 15th roster spot up for grabs if a player like Georges-Hunt or Trimble impresses the team in camp. For the most part though, Tom Thibodeau wants to continue filling out his roster with vets after last year’s young squad underperformed.
Reports last month suggested that the Timberwolves would like to add two more wings and a point guard to their roster. If that’s still the case, free agents like Ty Lawson, Aaron Brooks, Deron Williams, and Jason Terry could be in play for the guard spot. Notable wings still on the market include Tony Allen, Anthony Morrow, Mike Dunleavy, Alan Anderson, and former Wolves Brandon Rush, Gerald Green, and Shabazz Muhammad.
Of course, there’s also the possibility of a trade, especially since the Wolves have been frequently linked to Kyrie Irving. However, a deal for Irving appears to be a long shot, and there have been no other recent trade rumors involving Minnesota.
Poll: Which Southwest Team Had Best Offseason?
In the days and weeks leading up to free agency, Chris Paul was frequently linked to the Spurs, who were viewed as the most likely landing spot for the star point guard if he left the Clippers. However, the Rockets were the team that swooped in before the free agent period even began to acquire Paul, sending seven players and a draft pick to L.A. in the deal that landed CP3 in Houston.
The Rockets‘ trade for Paul – along with the signing of P.J. Tucker – makes them an obvious pick for the Southwest team that had the best offseason, but the price for CP3 was steep, considering he was about to become an unrestricted free agent. Sixth Man of the Year finalist Lou Williams and All-Defensive First-Teamer Patrick Beverley were among the outgoing pieces in that deal, along with young big men Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker. Still, while the Rockets’ depth – particularly in the backcourt – may have taken a hit, pairing Paul with James Harden should make it worthwhile.
As for the Spurs, they ended up not clearing out cap room for a marquee outside free agent, opting instead to re-sign several of their own FAs, including Patty Mills, Pau Gasol, and Manu Ginobili. The club also made use of its exceptions to add Rudy Gay and Joffrey Lauvergne, though Jonathon Simmons and Dewayne Dedmon left for new teams.
Elsewhere in the division, the Pelicans entered the offseason virtually capped out, but made several interesting moves, including re-signing Jrue Holiday and adding Rajon Rondo, Ian Clark, and Frank Jackson to their backcourt.
While the Grizzlies didn’t make major changes to their core, several veterans moved on, with Zach Randolph and Vince Carter heading to Sacramento. Tony Allen – who is still on the open market – also appears unlikely to remain in Memphis. Restricted free agent JaMychal Green is a better bet to re-sign, and if he does, he’ll join new additions like Ben McLemore, Tyreke Evans, and Rade Zagorac.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks sat out of free agency for the first time in several years. However, despite the lack of big splashes, Dallas’ offseason looks like a successful one — the team managed to re-sign Dirk Nowitzki to a very modest contract, landed a very promising rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr., and don’t appear to have major competition for RFA Nerlens Noel, which should make him a little more affordable than anticipated.
What do you think? Which Southwest team had the best offseason? Does the Rockets’ acquisition of Paul instantly give them the edge, or did another team’s summer moves impress you more?
Vote below, and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
Which Southwest team has had the best offseason?
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Houston Rockets 69% (790)
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San Antonio Spurs 11% (123)
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Dallas Mavericks 10% (115)
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New Orleans Pelicans 8% (94)
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Memphis Grizzlies 2% (23)
Total votes: 1,145
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Previously:
Western Rumors: Reed, Cousins, Pelicans, Noel
The arraignment hearing for Clippers center Willie Reed has been set for Sept. 8, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sen Sentinel tweets. Reed was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery over the weekend in Florida and booked in Miami-Dade County. Reed, who played for the Heat last season, signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Clippers last week.
In other news around the Western Conference:
- Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins has expressed on his Twitter feed that he wants the team to trade for Carmelo Anthony, Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype notes. They are teammates on Team USA and Cousins has previously stated his admiraion for the aging Knicks forward. Anthony would have to waive his no-trade clause to join Cousins in New Orleans and the Knicks would either have to agree to a package of role players or get a third team involved to make that happen.
- Jalen Jones‘ two-way contract with the Pelicans is a two-year deal, a league source informed Chris Reichert of The Step Back (Twitter link). The former Texas A&M forward went undrafted in 2016 and played for the Celtics’ G League’s affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, where he averaged 21.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG. Jones impressed the Pelicans while playing for their summer league team, posting averages of 13.3 PPG and 6.2 RPG in six games.
- Dirk Nowitzki is hopeful that the Mavericks can eventually come to terms with restricted free agent Nerlens Noel, whose contract situation has yet to be resolved. “He’s so young and so athletic. I’d love to keep him,” Nowitzki told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “I’m sure that is what the Mavs are thinking. … We obviously traded for him last year with the hope he will stay with this franchise for a long time. … I’m sure [Mavericks owner] Mark [Cuban] and [GM] Donnie [Nelson], the leaders of the franchise, are trying to play the right business move.”