Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Knicks, McKinnie
Healthy and, in his mind, ready to play in actual game situations, Sixers star Joel Embiid is itching to suit up for a preseason contest, Sarah Todd and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer write. That may not necessarily happen soon, however.
“I would like to play preseason because last year it helped me get in a groove,” Embiid said.
The 23-year-old big man has been held out of the Sixers’ first two preseason games despite the fact that he’s been cleared for full-court, 5-on-5 action. The team has expressed a desire to work slowly with the center who played just 31 games last season and isn’t ready to pinpoint an exact return date yet.
In scrimmages through training camp, the 2016/17 Rookie of the Year candidate has shown what he’s capable of as a fearsome interior defender and sharp-shooting big man.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- With the Carmelo Anthony trade now in the rearview mirror, the Knicks are embarking on their own version of The Process, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “You try to not sacrifice what you’re trying to do to build just to win some games. Obviously you want to win, but you have to find that balance,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “You can’t get frustrated. You got to keep the team going, and when teams are going through that process, it’s hard, but you got to stay positive.”
- There are several big name additions to the Celtics but one of the team’s wildcards this year could be backup point guard Terry Rozier, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. The reserve will see an opportunity to shine in light of the trade that sent Avery Bradley to the Pistons.
- A solid preseason has helped Alfonzo McKinnie make a case for staying with the Raptors through the regular season, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes. The forward has looked far more advanced than perennial project Bruno Caboclo and will be able to be locked up at an affordable rate.
Tilman Fertitta Approved To Buy Rockets
OCTOBER 6: NBA owners have approved the sale of the Rockets to Fertitta, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets. The Houston billionaire was approved 30-0.
SEPTEMBER 5, 9:13am: The Rockets have issued a press release confirming that a “definitive agreement has been signed” for the purchase of the franchise by Fertitta. The deal will require the approval of the NBA’s Board of Governors. According to the Rockets, Fertitta has “no other partners in connection with the transaction.”
8:37am: The sale price for the Rockets will be $2.2 billion, per Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg (Twitter link).
8:34am: Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta has reached an agreement to buy the Rockets from current team owner Leslie Alexander, sources tell Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. According to Berman, the franchise could announce the deal as soon as today.
Rockets CEO Tad Brown announced back in mid-July that Alexander was putting the club up for sale, and we heard just a couple days later that that Fertitta, a Texas native who founded Landry’s restaurants and owns multiple hotels and casinos, was interested in making a bid for the franchise.
“[I] just hope it doesn’t go for crazy numbers,” Fertitta said at the time. “I’ve never really wanted to own a professional team outside of Houston. Houston is my hometown and the place I would prefer to own a professional team.”
Despite Fertitta’s hope that the Rockets wouldn’t sell for “crazy numbers,” it appears he was willing to make a substantial offer to finalize the deal. Confirming that an agreement is in place, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that the sale is expected to break the NBA record $2 billion price tag on Steve Ballmer‘s purchase of the Clippers.
Even back in February, before the Rockets won a playoff series, traded for Chris Paul, and extended James Harden, Forbes placed a $1.65 billion valuation on the franchise, and Forbes’ estimates for professional sports teams are often low. Berman notes that Forbes has estimated Fertitta’s net worth to be $3.1 billion.
For Fertitta, while this will be his first time as a controlling owner, it won’t be his first foray into sports franchise ownership. He has previously been a limited partner with the Rockets and the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Although Berman’s report suggests that Fertitta is poised to become the controlling owner of the Rockets, it’s not clear whether he’ll be joined by a series of minority investors or if any big names will be part of his group. Since that July announcement that the Rockets were up for sale, multiple former players – including Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, and Elvin Hayes – have expressed interest in becoming part of an ownership group. Pop star Beyoncé also reportedly had interest in becoming a minority stakeholder in the franchise.
Alexander bought the Rockets for $85MM back in 1993, and has overseen the team since then, including during its two championship seasons in the mid-1990s.
Kings’ Harry Giles Won’t Play Until 2018
The Kings officially announced today that big man Harry Giles, one of several rookies on the roster, won’t make his NBA debut until at least January, and possibly later. As James Ham of NBC Sports California details, Giles hasn’t suffered a setback, but Sacramento wants to be cautions with the prospect’s surgically repaired knees.
Although he’s just 19 years old, Giles has an extensive injury history, having torn his left ACL, MCL, and meniscus back in 2013. The young center also tore the ACL in his right knee in 2015, and then underwent a cleanup procedure on his left knee while at Duke last season.
Despite his knee injuries, Giles is viewed as a prospect with significant potential, and likely would’ve been a top-10 pick back in June if teams were more confident about his long-term health. The Kings, who were armed with three first-round picks, selected De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson before snagging Giles, so they could afford to gamble on the former Blue Devil’s upside at No. 20.
With Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere, and Georgios Papagiannis among the other bigs expected to vie for minutes in Sacramento’s frontcourt rotation, the team is willing to be patient with Giles, believing the cautious approach is in his best interests for the long term.
“It’s a plan that started over the summer of bringing him along slowly with the medical staff,” Kings head coach Dave Joerger said on NBC Sports California’s podcast, per Ham. “Our staff is terrific and with his history, what he’s been through and what we’re able to do. Everyone wants to go as fast as they can, but when you look at the longer scope of his career and as a valuable asset of our organization what’s best for 10 years than what’s best for six months. I think the long-term view far outweighs the short-term view.”
While he waits to make his NBA debut, Giles will continue to practice with the team, allowing the coaching staff and training staff to monitor his progress in a controlled environment.
Cavs Notes: Jefferson, Felder, Calderon, Perkins
With 16 players on guaranteed contracts for 2017/18, the Cavaliers will have to trade or waive one of those players within the next 10 days. A report earlier this week indicated that Richard Jefferson‘s hold on a roster spot may be the most tenuous, and Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com confirms that the team has held “early talks” with Jefferson’s agent about the possibility that the veteran forward will be the victim of the roster crunch. Still, no decision has been finalized yet, says Vardon.
Here’s more on the Cavs:
- Second-year point guard Kay Felder, whose salary is only partially guaranteed, almost certainly won’t make Cleveland’s 15-man roster. However, he’s hoping to become one of the club’s two-way players, Vardon writes.
- Within his latest mailbag for Cleveland.com, Vardon explains why Jose Calderon‘s roster spot appears safer than Jefferson’s. Vardon also discusses Koby Altman‘s performance as GM so far, Cleveland’s early impressions of Derrick Rose, and more Cavs-related topics.
- Veteran big man Kendrick Perkins, who is in camp with the Cavaliers in the hopes of resuming his NBA career, admits that he let himself go and developed bad habits during his previous stint in the league. According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Perkins weighed 309 pounds when he left the Pelicans in 2016, but is back down to 267 now. “I couldn’t blame anybody but myself,” Perkins said. “It was a humbling situation being out and not getting a call last season. It was my fault for letting myself just drift off like that.”
Poll: Phoenix Suns’ 2017/18 Win Total
After winning 23 games two years ago and 24 last season, the Suns contemplated the idea of accelerating their rebuild this summer, but ultimately held off on going all-in for a free agent like Paul Millsap or a trade target like Kyrie Irving.
As a result, Phoenix is prepared to continue taking small steps forward and developing in-house talent this season. Players like Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, Marquese Chriss, Tyler Ulis, Dragan Bender are another year older and should continue to improve. Rookies Josh Jackson and Davon Reed also figure to get a chance to show what they can do.
The Suns have been hit hard by early injuries, with Reed, Brandon Knight, and Alan Williams all set to miss significant time – the whole season in Knight’s case – but with veterans like Eric Bledsoe, Tyson Chandler, Jared Dudley, Alex Len, and Troy Daniels around to fill out the rotation, this should be an interesting team to watch.
Still, another year in the lottery is all but assured for Phoenix. Oddsmakers, including offshore betting site Bovada have placed the Suns’ over/under for this season at 29 wins, but we’ll bump that figure down to 28.5, since early betting action has been heavy on the under.
What do you think? Can this young Suns squad improve by five or more wins in a tough Western Conference in 2017/18, or is the club headed for its third straight season of 28 or fewer wins? Vote below in our poll and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
How many games will the Suns win in 2017/18?
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Over 28.5 50% (246)
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Under 28.5 50% (242)
Total votes: 488
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Previous over/under voting results:
Western Conference:
- Golden State Warriors: Over 67.5 (53.57%)
- Houston Rockets: Over 55.5 (65.57%)
- San Antonio Spurs: Over 54.5 (67.74%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Over 50.5 (71.77%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Over 48.5 (55.69%)
- Denver Nuggets: Under 45.5 (50.44%)
- Los Angeles Clippers: Over 43.5 (60.7%)
- Portland Trail Blazers: Over 42.5 (56.3%)
- Utah Jazz: Over 41.5 (55.94%)
- New Orleans Pelicans: Over 39.5 (65.26%)
- Memphis Grizzlies: Over 37.5 (53.43%)
- Dallas Mavericks: Under 35.5 (54.95%)
- Los Angeles Lakers: Over 33.5 (50.4%)
Eastern Conference:
- Boston Celtics: Over 55.5 (63.5%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Over 53.5 (68.82%)
- Toronto Raptors: Over 48.5 (64.21%)
- Washington Wizards: Over 47.5 (71.29%)
- Milwaukee Bucks: Over 47.5 (63.88%)
- Miami Heat: Over 43.5 (55.39%)
- Charlotte Hornets: Over 42.5 (51.07%)
- Philadelphia 76ers: Under 41.5 (53.37%)
- Detroit Pistons: Over 38.5 (51.95%)
- Orlando Magic: Under 33.5 (75.24%)
- Indiana Pacers: Under 31.5 (54.85%)
- New York Knicks: Under 30.5 (57.87%)
Nuggets GM Talks Harris, Faried, Expectations
A September report indicated that Gary Harris and the Nuggets have a good chance of reaching an agreement on a contract extension for the fourth-year shooting guard before the October 16 deadline. With 10 days left for the two sides to work something out, Nuggets GM Arturas Karnisovas confirmed that a potential deal with Harris is “in the works,” telling Gina Mizell of The Denver Post that he’s optimistic about getting something done.
“He’s been such a huge part of what we’re trying to do here, a representation of what we’re building here,” Karnisovas said of Harris. “Him going through trade rumors and still staying with us and being consistent and being a good leader for our guys and (knowing) how to do it, he was the ultimate professional. We’re trying to find ways to keep him here as long as we can.”
During his visit to The Denver Post’s newsroom, Karnisovas – who received a promotion to general manager during the offseason – also addressed a few other noteworthy topics, so let’s round up a few of the highlights from the Nuggets executive:
On Kenneth Faried‘s strongly-worded comments about wanting to be a starter:
“We welcome that. It’s a competitive spirit, and we want our training camp to be competitive. We didn’t want to just give guys playing time. We want them to earn it. That’s a good approach. Whoever earns minutes in the preseason is going to play.”
On the most challenging aspect of building a roster and dealing with constant player movement:
“Overall, it’s continuity and do not exaggerate your wins and don’t over-exaggerate your losses. Just kind of stay calm through all this process. I think we also have to figure out the healthy balance between young talent and meshing it with veteran players. Players like Paul [Millsap]. We chased [Dwyane] Wade before. We kind of need players in the locker room that have done it.
“Paul has been an All-Star four times and he’s been part of 60-win teams. It was important for us to find a formula that we can kind of use a vet. Last year, we were (one of the) top three youngest teams in the league. When we added Paul, we were very excited. Ultimate professional. Good teammate. Our young players gravitate toward that kind of good example, and they learn from it.”
On his goal for the Nuggets’ progress in 2017/18:
“Progress is a good word. We never like to put a number on wins. Playoffs is our target. Where, in terms of [seeding], we don’t know. But I think from previous years, we need to start well. The first 20 games are a huge emphasis for us, to be competitive and hopefully to stay .500 and over .500. Just be better than last year. We were close last year to making the playoffs, so this year should be a good year. I think we have a group of young players that got better, and we added Paul Millsap. Hopefully, we can stay healthy. That’s always a huge factor
2017 Offseason In Review: Milwaukee Bucks
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Milwaukee Bucks.
Signings:
- Tony Snell: Four years, $44MM. Fourth-year player option.
- Jason Terry: One year, minimum salary.
- Jalen Moore: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed. (Waived)
- Bronson Koenig: Two-way contract. Two years. (Waived)
Camp invitees:
- Brandon Rush: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
- Kendall Marshall: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
- Joel Anthony: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
- Gerald Green: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
- JeQuan Lewis: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
- James Young: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
- Xavier Munford: Exact details not yet known.
Trades:
- Acquired cash ($2MM) from the Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Sindarius Thornwell (No. 48 pick).
- Acquired the draft rights to Sterling Brown (No. 46 pick) from the Sixers in exchange for cash ($1.9MM).
Draft picks:
- 1-17: D.J. Wilson — Signed to rookie contract.
- 2-46: Sterling Brown — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third year non-guaranteed.
Departing players:
- Michael Beasley
- Spencer Hawes (waived)
Other offseason news:
- Lost general manager John Hammond to Magic.
- Promoted Jon Horst to replace Hammond as GM.
- Hired Milt Newton as assistant general manager.
- Introduced new G League expansion team, the Wisconsin Herd.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating over the cap, but under the tax. Carrying approximately $116.8MM in guaranteed salaries. Most of mid-level exception ($7.59MM) and bi-annual exception ($3.29MM) available.
Check out the Milwaukee Bucks’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
The Bucks’ offseason began with the loss of longtime general manager John Hammond, who elected to take a job in Orlando’s front office. Although the Bucks indicated at the time that they’d conduct a search for a replacement, the choice seemed clear. Assistant GM Justin Zanik had been brought to Milwaukee and groomed to be Hammond’s successor, and he was named the team’s interim GM while the team explored its options. His eventual promotion seemed inevitable.
Within a matter of weeks, the Bucks reportedly narrowed their options to Zanik and Nuggets executive Arturas Karnisovas, and when the Nuggets gave Karnisovas a promotion to keep him in Denver, Milwaukee’s choice once again seemed obvious. However, rather than promoting Zanik, the Bucks – whose co-owners were at odds over the decision – passed over the assistant GM to name director of basketball operations Jon Horst their new general manager.
It was a surprising decision, one that cost the team Zanik. The former Jazz executive – who had reportedly received support for the GM position from two of three Bucks co-owners and head coach Jason Kidd – decided to return to Utah after being passed over in Milwaukee.
While we don’t know all the details of the Bucks’ unusual GM search, we’ve heard enough to make me seriously question the club’s process. If it had happened in a major market (imagine the Knicks conducting a similar search after Phil Jackson‘s ouster), it would’ve been viewed as a sign of dysfunction, but it has flown mostly under the radar in Milwaukee.
It remains to be seen whether the front office shuffle represents a blip on the radar for the Bucks as they work their way up the Eastern Conference standings, or if it’s an omen of future problems. But the good news for the team is that there’s far less turnover on the roster than in the front office. Thirteen of the 15 players who finished last season with the Bucks – including nine of the club’s top 10 scorers – remain on the roster. That level of continuity is a great sign for a team that appeared to be coming into its own at the end of the 2016/17 campaign.
Latest On Nets’ Ownership Situation
Reports on a potential sale of the Nets have surfaced throughout the offseason, with current owner Mikhail Prokhorov publicly conveying a desire to sell up to 49% of the franchise and denying reports suggesting that he’d be willing to give up control of the team.
This week, a pair of new reports have provided some updates on that process, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- Prokhorov is getting closer to selling the Nets, and multiple suitors are in the running to purchase 49% of the franchise, sources tell Josh Kosman of The New York Post. The proposed sale wouldn’t include ownership of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, per Kosman.
- Although a potential buyer would only receive a minority stake in the club at this point, the proposed agreement would give that investor the right to buy a larger stake and become controlling owner of the franchise within three years, Kosman reports.
- In the wake of the Rockets selling for $2.2 billion, Prokhorov is seeking a sale price that values the Nets at over $2 billion as well. That means a 49% share of the franchise could be worth in the neighborhood of $1 billion.
- Two sources told Jessica Toonkel and Olivia Oran of Reuters that Alibaba executive vice chairman Joe Tsai is in advanced talks to buy a stake in the Nets. However, Alibaba spokesperson Jennifer Kuperman called it a “false” report. “Joe Tsai has never talked to the seller and he is not purchasing any stake in the Brooklyn Nets,” Kuperman said in a statement.
- Reuters’ initial report indicated that an agreement with Tsai could be finalized within the next few weeks, with a franchise valuation of about $2.2 billion. However, those sources cautioned that the deal could still fall apart.
- Kosman, who has previously reported Tsai’s interest in the Nets – which Alibaba denied at that time too – was unable to confirm whether the Taiwanese billionaire is currently in talks with the team.
Magic Hire Tracy McGrady As Special Assistant To CEO
Former Magic star Tracy McGrady is rejoining the franchise in a front office role, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. According to Robbins, McGrady will serve as a special assistant to Orlando CEO Alex Martins.
A Florida native, McGrady enjoyed some of his best seasons as a player in Orlando between 2000 and 2004, earning spots in four consecutive All-Star games and leading the league in scoring twice as a member of the Magic. Now, the Hall-of-Famer’s duties will include helping to promote and market Orlando’s new G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, Robbins writes.
In addition to working with the Magic’s G League team, McGrady is expected to work occasionally with Magic players and coaches on and off the court, and may even get involved in recruiting free agents, according to Robbins.
McGrady’s return to the Magic comes 13 years after he parted with the franchise on “strained terms,” as Robbins puts it. It also coincides with the first year for Orlando’s new management group, which includes president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond. The duo was hired earlier this year after the Magic parted ways with GM Rob Hennigan.
And-Ones: International Expansion, Season Length, Seeding
The limitations of existing air travel technology will prevent any major international expansion, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. While the league has enjoyed success hosting the occasional event in China, there’s just no logical way to incorporate such an ambitious expansion considering how long it would take, and how taxing it would be to send teams back and forth between North America and Asia.
Of course that hasn’t ruled out league commissioner Adam Silver from at least being open to the idea if, or perhaps when, existing airline technology changes. Currently a flight from the West Coast to China takes 14 hours. Entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are hard at work trying to innovate feasible ways of moving people across the globe quicker and more efficiently.
“We can play games in China and Europe, or occasional preseason games as a one-off,” Silver said. “But under existing airline technology, the planes aren’t fast enough to at least play in the current frame work of our regular season.”
A more realistic option for international expansion would involve Mexico City. Travelling to Mexico is far more practical, although political and financial hurdles remain. Silver cites the success of the league’s international expansion north into Canada as proof that such change is at least possible.
There’s more from around the league:
- In the same article, Sam Amick of USA Today writes that NBA commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t necessarily consider the 82-game season to be set in stone. “There’s nothing magical about 82 games,” Silver said. “It’s been in place for 50 years, but for the long-term planning of the league, as we learn more about the human body and the wear and tear of travel and the competitive landscape … invariably we’ll look at the regular season.“
- With the first season in the books, the Big3 has turned its attention to next year, bringing back a number of players from the inaugural campaign. A press release on the league’s official site mentions that a batch of players, including league MVP Rashard Lewis, have already signed on to return in 2018.
- The NBA’s willingness to shake up the All-Star Game format could imply that they’d consider changing how seeding in the playoffs works, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes, although there’s no indication that any change is imminent.