Atlantic Notes: Nets, Torn Labra, Irving
The Nets are in the middle of a long, unconventional rebuild but that hasn’t deterred veterans from aiming for the postseason in 2017/18. Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily recently broke down some Timofey Mozgov comments suggesting exactly that.
While it’s worth recognizing that little stock should be placed in an NBA player saying they think their team can make the playoffs when asked directly, this is the 20-62 Nets we’re talking about and their success or failure will directly impact one of the summer’s most significant storylines (the Cavaliers acquiring Brooklyn’s first-rounder in the Kyrie Irving trade).
Earlier this offseason, Jeremy Lin adamantly claimed that the Nets would make the playoffs in 2017/18, as Ryne Nelson of SLAM Online broke down, and perhaps more weight should be put in those comments than in Mozgov’s. While D’Angelo Russell may well be the biggest long-term building block the franchise has, it’s hard to argue that Lin is anything but their best player here and now.
Of course any discussion about the Nets’ playoff chances should touch on the fact that this isn’t a typical young, rebuilding organization. Lacking their pick in 2018, there’s no incentive for Brooklyn to lose games. In fact, rallying together for a shot at the playoffs could be the most beneficial thing Kenny Atkinson and Sean Marks could hope for in the development of their young core.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- There were some in the Nets organization that wanted to give international free agent Milos Teodosic a look but the point guard’s age and defensive shortcomings hurt his chances, a Nets Daily report says.
- Reflecting back on the Irving trade, Zach Lowe of ESPN discusses why he thinks the trade made sense for both sides. The long-read packed with video highlights is a must-read on this magical Labor Day Eve.
- If you’re concerned about the lingering effects of a torn labrum, you’re not alone. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe recently spoke with an orthopedic hip surgeon about just that. “When you have a labral tear from impingement, that means that the way that Isaiah Thomas’s hip is shaped, it’s shaped in a way that’s not round,” Derek Ochiai said. “In certain positions, his hip is not round on round. That’s why it’s called impingement, the bone will impinge because it’s not a round-on-round joint. Once you tear your labrum from that, that’s the most common cause of labral tears in any athlete, that tear is not going to heal. It’s always going to be torn, the question is how do you treat that?” The doctor added, however, that there are some high-level athletes with similar conditions that are “doing fine.”
- The Celtics have been busy adding stars this offseason but CBS’ Matt Moore argues that the club’s biggest star could actually be head coach Brad Stevens.
And-Ones: Trade Candidates, Webster, Loyalty
As the dust settles on the Kyrie Irving–Isaiah Thomas swap, Trade Machine junkies will need to find new ways to satisfy their impulses. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders recognizes that we’re not likely to see another blockbuster trade before training camp but has a few ideas of who could possibly be involved if we did.
Of course the first name you might recall hearing on the rumor mill is likely Carmelo Anthony‘s. Kyler notes that the Rockets – a suitor most linked to the veteran forward – are only willing to field a package centered around Ryan Anderson. For this reason, and the fact that Anthony has never been a problem in the locker room, the Knicks would benefit from bringing him to training camp and dealing with the situation later.
Another name on Kyler’s list that could be moved is Reggie Jackson. If the Pistons get out to a slow start similar to what they suffered last season, the club could look to move the point guard for a player with a more palatable contract.
There’s more from around the NBA:
- While the Pacers may bear the brunt of the Lakers‘ tampering, the Thunder, too, are stakeholders considering that Paul George is under contract in Oklahoma City until next summer. Erik Horne of the Oklahoman spoke with the sports law director at Penn State, Stephen Ross, about the issue. Ross’ perspective is different than some we’ve reported on previously. “To me, the test for player tampering is not the expression of love, it’s, are the players providing information to another player that he wouldn’t otherwise have?,” Ross said. “If a player texts another player, ‘I will sign an extension if you’ll tell me you’re going to come to my team,’ now I think you have a problem.”
- After undergoing multiple back surgeries and a hip surgery, Martell Webster is attempting an NBA comeback, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. Austin Kent wrote about him working out for the Pelicans last week.
- A reality of the current NBA landscape is that, loyal or not, the majority of players and teams aren’t afraid to make calculated business decisions. Such is life, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes.
Western Notes: Caldwell-Pope, Wolves, Bertans
The Lakers were motivated to sign shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope because he shares the same agent as LeBron James, sources indicated to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Caldwell-Pope was inked to a one-year, $18MM contract after the Pistons cut ties with the restricted free agent this summer. Rich Paul represents both Caldwell-Pope and James. Signing Caldwell-Pope allows the Lakers to keep the lines of communication open with Paul and show how they run their organization, among other benefits, McMenamin continues. James is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract next summer and become an unrestricted free agent.
In other nuggets regarding the Western Conference:
- The Timberwolves will host some free agents this week, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. Wolfson didn’t name the free agents who are visiting but added that the club has grown antsy waiting on decisions from free agents Shabazz Muhammad and Dante Cunningham. Muhammad is reportedly mulling a contract offer from the Lakers, while the Pelicans and Bucks are also pursuing Cunningham.
- Spurs forward Davis Bertans suffered a finger injury in Latvia’s loss to Serbia during the Eurobasket tournament, Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com tweets. Bertans’ finger isn’t broken, according to X-rays, so it shouldn’t affect his status for the NBA’s regular season.
- Kings assistant Elston Turner and his family were displaced from their suburban Houston home by Hurricane Harvey, Ailene Voison of the Sacramento Bee reports. Turner gives his account of evacuating his home and describes the havoc and damage caused by the hurricane. He’s been uplifted by the support of the Kings’ brass and coaches, Voison adds.
Community Shootaround: Eastern Darkhorse
Well before their stunning blockbuster trade, the Cavaliers and Celtics were considered the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. Nothing has changed in that regard, despite some major pieces swapping uniforms. It’s generally assumed we’ll see LeBron James, Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder squaring off against Al Horford, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward in the Eastern Conference Finals next spring.
A majority of the other teams are in the conference have either plunged into rebuild mode or are simply trying to show significant improvement following frequent trips to the lottery. Only a precious few seem capable of pulling a surprise and preventing another Cavs-Celtics matchup in the conference finals.
That group includes the Raptors, who shelled out big bucks this summer to retain their top free agents, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka. The supporting cast seems a little weaker since Toronto shed some salary (DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph) to keep the trio of Lowry, Ibaka and DeMar DeRozan intact. But the core group from a 51-win season remain intact.
The Wizards’ offseason had a similar feel as they needed to make Otto Porter their highest-paid player for the next two seasons by matching an offer sheet from the Nets. Then they locked up John Wall with a max extension, ensuring that the trio of Wall, Porter and Bradley Beal will continue their efforts to climb the Eastern Conference ladder in the near future.
The Bucks and Heat, who overcame major injuries last season to finish around the .500 mark, could also make a leap into major contention. In particular, Milwaukee might be poised for a big run led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, especially if Jabari Parker can provide a second-half boost after recovering from his latest knee injury.
This leads us to our question of the day: Which Eastern team has the best chance of knocking out either the Cavaliers or Celtics in next year’s playoffs and reaching the conference finals?
Please take to the comments section to share your thoughts on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Southeast Rumors: Haslem, Magette, Hornets
Heat forward Udonis Haslem remains hopeful that Dwyane Wade will return to Miami so that they can finish out their careers together, Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post reports. Haslem, 37, re-signed with the Heat in July on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal. He previously expressed his desire to reunite with Wade and reiterated those feelings to D’Angelo. “We talked about finishing our careers together,” Haslem said. “We really want it to be the case. Plans change. So if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t put any strain on our relationship but it’s still a goal of mine. Hopefully we can end it that way.” That won’t happen unless Wade eventually reaches a buyout agreement with the Bulls. Wade opted in for the upcoming season in June, unwilling to leave $23.8MM on the table even though Chicago is in a rebuild mode after trading away Jimmy Butler.
In other news regarding the Southeast Division:
- Josh Magette is hopeful he can make some kind of impact with the Hawks even though his two-way contract limits him to a maximum of 45 days with the parent team, he told David Yapokowitz of Basketball Insiders. Magette is the No. 4 point guard on the roster behind Dennis Schroder, Malcolm Delaney and Quinn Cook and will spend the majority of the season with the G-League’s Erie BayHawks. “I’m someone who controls the tempo, makes everyone around them better, makes the right play, plays with a high IQ,” Magette said to Yapkowtiz. “I’m just doing little things.” Magette was the Hawks’ final roster cut last fall and also played with their summer-league team in Las Vegas. He led the G League in assists last season (9.3 APG) as a member of the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
- The Hornets addressed a major need by drafting shooting guard Malik Monk but took a major gamble by acquiring center Dwight Howard, as Shaun Powell of NBA.com notes in his offseason outlook. Monk’s explosive scoring ability with Kentucky should translate to the NBA level, giving Charlotte another offensive dimension, Powell predicts. But acquiring Howard and his big contract from the Hawks was a head-scratcher, given that big men with limited offensive ability have become dinosaurs, Powell continues. However, Howard can still have a positive impact as a rebounder and rim protector and has little competition for the center spot, Powell adds.
Weekly Mailbag: 8/28/17 – 9/3/17
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
Do you think the Celtics are strong enough to reach the NBA Finals this season after acquiring Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving? — Greg Dizon
It’s easy to get excited about the Celtics. They obviously had a tremendous offseason, and the defending Eastern champs in Cleveland did not. However, there are two areas of need that stick out in Boston. One is the lack of a rebounding and rim-protecting inside presence, which could be helped by a healthy Andrew Bogut, whom the team has contacted. The other is the loss of two aggressive perimeter defenders in Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley. There are a lot of roster moves to be made between now and the playoffs and a lot of unknown variables, such as how long the Cavs’ Isaiah Thomas will be sidelined by his hip injury. The Celtics have the talent to dethrone Cleveland, but don’t forget that LeBron James hasn’t lost an Eastern Conference playoff series over the past seven years. The Cavaliers will be a very tough matchup as long as he’s there.
What’s going with the Carmelo Anthony situation in New York? Is he gonna be traded before the season starts? — Big Red Lucas, via Twitter
There hasn’t been much movement in the past month, as the parties are entrenched in the same positions. The Knicks are willing to move Anthony, but only if they feel it’s a good deal. He wants to go to Houston and won’t waive his no-trade clause for anyone else. The Rockets need to unload Ryan Anderson‘s salary to fit Anthony on their roster and haven’t been able to find another team or two willing to facilitate a deal. The only way a trade is going to happen is if somebody changes their stance, which might happen as training camp gets closer. If no one relents, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Anthony starts the season with the Knicks. But expect a deal sometime before the February 8 deadline because New York doesn’t want him to opt in for nearly $28MM for 2018/19 and drain their cap room for next summer.
In a recent workout with LeBron James, the Wizards’ John Wall proclaimed himself to be “the best two-way point guard player in the league.” How strong is his argument? — D.C. Dacey, via Twitter
Fans who don’t watch Wall on a regular basis might be surprised at how good he is defensively. He averaged 2.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game last season and just missed a spot on the All-Defensive team. There’s no questioning Wall’s abilities on offense, where he is coming off a career best 23.1 points and 10.7 assists per game, and he seems worth every penny of the $170MM extension he just signed. Chris Paul may still be the league’s best two-way point guard, but Wall is certainly in the conversation and is on his way to being number one.
Central Notes: Hawes, Markkanen, Bulls, ‘The Q’
Former Bucks center Spencer Hawes officially cleared waivers Saturday, tweets Keith Smith of Real GM. The veteran center was waived Thursday just before the deadline to stretch his salary, allowing Milwaukee to pay the $6MM he’s still owed in $2MM increments over the next three seasons. The 10-year veteran is now free to sign with anyone and has a little more than three weeks to find a team before training camps open. Hawes saw his playing time drop sharply after the Hornets traded him to the Bucks in February. He averaged just 9 minutes per game in Milwaukee, putting up 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds.
There’s more this morning from the Central Division:
- Bulls officials aren’t concerned about an injury that rookie Lauri Markkanen suffered during Saturday’s EuroBasket tournament, according to Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago (Twitter link). Playing for Finland, Markkanen hurt his leg on a shot at the buzzer that could have tied the game and had to be helped off the court by teammates. However, the seventh pick in this year’s draft appears to be fine and is expected to play today.
- A series of offseason moves has left the Bulls without the talent to compete for a playoff spot, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE in his “30 teams in 30 days” series. Chicago signaled the start of a rebuilding project on draft day when it traded Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the chance to draft Markkanen. That leaves the team with two veterans in Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez, surrounded by a lot of unproven talent. Blakely criticizes the front office for several bad deals that turned two first-round picks, four second-rounders and Taj Gibson into a group of youngsters with Cameron Payne as the “prize” addition.
- A proposed $140MM renovation of Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena is a good deal for the city, claims Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. He points out that the $70MM in public financing comes mainly from admission taxes on tickets, meaning it will be paid for by people who use the arena. The deal extends the Cavaliers‘ lease from 2027 to 2034.
Amar’e Stoudemire Retires In Israel
Six-time NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire is retiring from basketball after playing one season in Israel, relays Orazio Cauchi of Sportando.
Stoudemire, 35, made the announcement on Instagram, calling this past season “a great ride for me and my family.” He led his Hapoel Jerusalem team to the Israeli League title and the Eurocup semifinals while being named MVP of the All-Star Game.
“We enjoyed the city, its people, the holy places and of course Hapoel fans,” Stoudemire wrote. “Although I would have liked to return for another season, the team, coach and I could not find a role that I felt would allow me to meaningfully contribute in the way I have always been accustomed to play I feel it is my time now, to return to the shareholder’s position and help make this team even better.”
The experience in Israel capped off a remarkable career for Stoudemire, who entered the NBA straight out of high school and was the ninth pick of the 2002 draft. He appeared in 846 games, averaging 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per night. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in Phoenix, where he spent his first eight seasons. He also played five years in New York and one in Dallas before wrapping up his NBA career with 52 games in Miami in 2015/16.
And-Ones: Van Gundy, NBA Calendar, Two-Way Contracts
Jeff Van Gundy is getting his first taste of coaching in more than a decade, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The former Knicks and Rockets head coach is guiding the U.S. men’s basketball team through the qualifying stages for the 2019 World Cup. Gregg Popovich will take a star-studded team into that competition, but first Van Gundy has to get through the AmeriCup tournament with a young, unheralded roster.
Van Gundy has settled into a job as an outspoken analyst on ABC and ESPN, but the urge to coach hasn’t gone away. Wojnarowski states that he repeatedly turned down offers so his family wouldn’t have to move out of Houston, but in the last few years he has become more open to a return. He interviewed for a few jobs, but the right situation hasn’t happened. “One thing you can’t recreate, the competition and camaraderie,” Van Gundy said. “No matter what you do, you’re not going to have that same feeling of a great win. To me, coming into the locker room for the first five minutes after a great win, with a staff you love, and a team you respected, there was nothing like that. That’s what you miss.”
There’s more news from around the world of basketball:
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks has compiled a list of all the significant dates on the NBA calendar from now through the end of the regular season. Some important ones include the first team practices on September 26, the deadline for accepting qualifying offers on October 1, the deadline for extensions to rookie contracts on October 16, the day all contracts become guaranteed on January 7 and the trade deadline on February 8.
- Many fans are uncertain about the details of the two-way contracts introduced in the new collective bargaining agreement, so Chris Reichert of 2 Ways and 10 Days has answered a list of frequently asked questions. Among them: two-way deals are open to players with three years or fewer of NBA service, they don’t count against the salary cap and they can be used even by the four teams without direct G League affiliates.
Southeast Notes: Heat, Free Agents, Wall, Jordan
Expect the Heat to make roster moves well into training camp to maximize their flexibility, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The team will probably follow the same pattern it did last year when Keith Benson and Stefan Jankovic stayed with the team for most of camp before being replaced by Vashil Fernandez and Luis Montero. All four players wound up with the team’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls.
Heat GM Andy Elisburg explains that teams have to be aware of building a 10-man G League team at the same time as the 15-man NBA roster. That process is complicated this year by the creation of two-way contracts for players who remain under team control in the G League and are limited to 45 days with the NBA club. “I think you’re going to see signings up to training camp,” Elisburg said. “You’re going to see signings throughout training camp. You’re going to see signings the last week or two of training camp, maybe last day or two of the preseason, of players who will be joining the roster, who will be probably working their way to various developmental-league teams.”
There’s more news from the Southeast Division:
- The Heat might be reluctant to pursue any of the veteran free agents still on the market, Winderman writes in a separate piece. In response to a reader’s letter suggesting Tony Allen, Beno Udrih, Deron Williams, David Lee, Mike Dunleavy or Boris Diaw, Winderman explains that Miami already has a full complement of players with guaranteed contracts, and adding another would likely lead to getting rid of Okaro White, who has a partial guarantee, or A.J. Hammons, who is fully guaranteed at the minimum salary.
- The Wizards are confident John Wall will give them fair value for the full life of his contract extension, writes Chase Hughes of CSNMidAtlantic. The four-year, $170MM extension he agreed to in July takes effect in 2019 and includes a player option for the final season. It will keep the 27-year-old in Washington until he turns 31 or 32. “Thirty is still very young in the NBA nowadays,” said team president Ernie Grunfeld. “But we’ve seen John grow every single year. He’s improved every year he’s been in the league. The last four years he’s been an All-Star. This past year he was an elite-level player making the All-NBA team.”
- Former NBA head coach Eddie Jordan is close to joining the Hornets‘ staff, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The team is finalizing a contract for Jordan to replace Bob Weiss, who recently accepted a job as an assistant with the Nuggets. Jordan has a 257-343 record as coach of the Kings, Wizards and Sixers.