Clippers To Hire Trent Redden As Assistant GM
Former Cavaliers executive Trent Redden is poised to join the Clippers’ front office, according to ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz, who reports (via Twitter) that Los Angeles will hire Redden as an assistant general manager.
The addition of Redden represents the latest move in a series of front office changes for the Clippers. Earlier this summer, the team removed decision-making authority from Doc Rivers, who had been the club’s president of basketball operations. Although Rivers remains the team’s head coach and will still have a voice in personnel matters, Lawrence Frank has assumed control over L.A.’s basketball operations.
[RELATED: NBA’s Longest-Tenured GMs/Presidents]
With Rivers focusing on coaching, the Clippers have been filling out their front office with other seasoned executives, having reportedly offered the general manager job to Thunder assistant GM Michael Winger. As Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Winger and Redden previously worked together in Cleveland, and are now set to work alongside one another under Frank.
Redden previously worked for the Cavaliers as their senior VP of basketball operations, giving him a significant role in the club’s front office under David Griffin. However, when Griffin’s contract as general manager wasn’t extended by the Cavs, Redden also parted ways with the franchise.
Magic Sign Troy Caupain
The Magic have added an undrafted free agent to their offseason roster, formally inking former Cincinnati point guard Troy Caupain to an NBA contract. According to RealGM’s official transactions log, the deal was finalized last week. Caupain posted an Instagram message over the weekend thanking the Magic for the opportunity.
Caupain, 21, worked out for a number of NBA teams in the weeks leading up to the draft this spring, but wasn’t one of the 60 players selected in June. The former Bearcat played for the Raptors in the Las Vegas Summer League in July, appearing in five games for the club and averaging 4.8 PPG in 16.0 minutes per contest.
A 6’4″ guard, Caupain is coming off a senior year at Cincinnati in which he averaged 10.5 PPG with 4.6 RPG and 4.4 APG. His shooting line was also fairly modest, at .453/.325/.687.
Orlando doesn’t yet have 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but I’d still be surprised if Caupain ended up on the team’s regular season roster. He appears to be a good candidate to end up with the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G League squad, as an affiliate player.
With Caupain officially locked up, the Magic now have 16 players on their roster, and will have 17 if and when they finalize a deal with veteran free agent Adreian Payne. Orlando has yet to sign a player to a two-way contract.
And-Ones: Antetokounmpo, Teodosic, Sources, 2018 Standings
Bucks‘ All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out of Eurobasket earlier this week, which was met with disdain from the Greek basketball federation. The group accused the Bucks and NBA orchestrating an “organized and well-staged plan” to keep Antetokounmpo out of the event. However, a statement from the NBA reported by the Associated Press (via ESPN) explicitly denied the allegation.
“The NBA and the Milwaukee Bucks have followed all appropriate protocol under the NBA-FIBA agreement,” the NBA’s statement reads. “Giannis has an injury that has been confirmed through multiple examinations and any suggestion to the contrary is false.”
The Bucks explained that Antetokounmpo reported knee pain while training in Greece. The saga does not end there as, after a series of communications between the Bucks and the Greek team, Antetokounmpo was ultimately pulled from the tournament after the knee ailment did not improve. This subsequently led to the allegations that both the NBA and Bucks purposely sabotaged Antetokounmpo’s stint.
After a tremendous season with Milwaukee last season and major expectations for 2017/18, Antetokounmpo’s NBA future will be his most important.
Read up on more news around the basketball universe below:
- Antetokounmpo will not be the only major name to be pulled from Eurobasket this week as the Clippers‘ major international signee, Milos Teodosic, will also not compete in the event, per Eurohoops (via Twitter).
- As part of an in-depth look at the reporting side of the NBA, Steven Kyler of Basketball Insiders breaks down how “sources” work. Kyler explains how information is gathered from agents, front office personnel, the players, and other people inside the industry that leads to the stories that are reported across the internet.
- As part of its Summer Forecast series, ESPN has released its predictions for standings in both the Western and Eastern conferences.
Cavaliers Notes: Griffin, LeBron, Merchandise
Blake Griffin is no stranger to rumors swirling at an impending free agency as the Clippers‘ longtime forward hit the open market this offseason but ultimately re-signed with Los Angeles on a lucrative five-year deal. Next offseason, LeBron James is set to hit the open market and has been rumored to be interested in L.A. (Clippers or Lakers), a place he has referred to as “home” this offseason and owns a home.
In a recent podcast appearance on View from the Cheap Seats with the Sklar Brothers, Griffin gave his thoughts on James possibly heading out west. While Griffin claimed to have no direct knowledge, he said he doubts that the three-time NBA champion will not go to Los Angeles and feels New York would be a more viable destination (via Complex).
“Honestly, I don’t see him coming to L.A. period. Listen, again, I have no idea. I think something is brewing with him and his group of guys. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I think something’s brewing and they’re going to try to make that work,” he said. “I could see him going to New York before L.A. I still think, when you go to the Garden, it’s a completely different feeling. The energy, there seems like there’s just a consistent buzz the entire game … even last year when you go play them, it’s still there.”
James’ future will be a hot topic in the next 12 months and players around the league will be among those to weigh in with their thoughts.
Below you can read up on several tidbits of Cavaliers news:
- Charles Curtis of USA Today breaks down why the Cavaliers will not trade James before his hits free agency despite the uncertainty of his future. Curtis notes that James has a no-trade clause, teams’ skepticism of trading for a player departing in one year, fielding a competitive team even without Kyrie Irving, and the reputation of the NBA’s best player.
- In a separate USA Today, Alysha Tsuji writes that a store in James’ native Akron, Ohio, is selling merchandise asking James to “Stay Home” to stay past the 2017/18 season.
- Sam Amico of Amico Hoops writes that unless the team begins its transformation project of Quicken Loans Arena by September 15, the Cavaliers will not be considered for an NBA All-Star game in 2020 or 2021.
James Harden Talks Chris Paul, Rockets, Summer 17
Chris Paul, who had the ability to become a free agent this offseason, informed the Clippers in June that he would not be returning to the club. Instead, he intended to go to the Rockets, which prompted Los Angeles to trade him to Houston prior to him activating his Early Termination Option.
James Harden played a key role in bringing Paul to Houston. The 2016/17 MVP runner up discussed the acquisition with Sam Amick of USA Today, telling the scribe that he spoke with Paul about forming a dynamic backcourt.
“I just knew that in the summertime obviously [Paul] was a free agent, and I wanted to see where his head was,” Harden said of Paul. “He didn’t seem happy, so after that we just took it from there.”
Harden continued, telling Amick that he feels the move puts the team in a position to match up with Golden State, the conference’s 3-time reigning champ.
“Obviously Golden State has been in the Finals and won two out of three, so that’s what everybody is trying to build-up against. But we’re right there. We’re right there. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do, but it definitely puts us in a better chance,” the 27-year-old added.
Harden understands that playing alongside someone as great as Paul is a huge opportunity. Paul can become a free agent at the end of next season, so there’s no telling whether the 2017/18 campaign will be the only one where the two share a backcourt. Harden, who has made several changes to his offseason routine, including the addition of yoga and pilates, isn’t going to take the opportunity for granted.
“Every summer, it’s about getting better and putting yourself in a position to last an entire season,” Harden said.“I know how exciting this season is [going to be, and] I know how important it is, so I’m going to take full advantage of it. I have a lot of charity [events], a lot of things going on, but when I’m in that gym that’s kind of my getaway. That’s kind of when I’m locked in.”
Lakers Under Investigation For Tampering
2:21 PM: The Pacers have filed paperwork with the league claiming that the Lakers are guilty of tampering, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com, and the league will investigate the possibility of impermissible contact between Johnson and George.
Wojnarowski adds that the Lakers are denying the allegations and they expect to be cleared of any wrongdoing.
9:25 AM: The Pacers are expected to pursue tampering charges against the Lakers regarding Paul George, Peter Vecsey reports on his new pay site, Patreon.
An investigator for the NBA has contacted Lakers President Magic Johnson, GM Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss, according to Vecsey, asking for “any correspondence pertaining to” George, his agent Aaron Mintz and George’s parents.
The Indianapolis Star has reached out to the Pacers and the NBA for confirmation of the report, but neither has responded so far.
Mintz met with Pacers president Kevin Pritchard earlier this summer to inform him that George intended to opt out of his contract next year and planned to leave Indiana. A southern California native, George’s preference has long been rumored as signing with the Lakers. The Pacers found a soft trade market for George, with most of the league believing he is headed to L.A. next summer, and wound up dealing him to Oklahoma City in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.
If the Pacers are alleging tampering, they must believe the Lakers had behind-the-scenes contact with the All-Star forward that influenced his plans. L.A. has been been focusing on short-term contracts and is clearly setting up its roster to maximize cap room for next summer, but the league would have have to find concrete evidence of improper contact with George or his representatives to impose any penalties against the team.
Weekly Mailbag: 8/14/17 – 8/20/17
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.
Is it really true that LeBron James will leave the Cavaliers next season for the Lakers? — Greg Dizon
Nobody knows the answer for sure, except for maybe LeBron and a few members of his inner circle. What we do know is that these rumors started shortly after the NBA Finals, and James hasn’t made a public statement to quash them. We also know that James was a strong supporter of former GM David Griffin and was upset that he wasn’t retained. And we’ve seen reports that James was disappointed by the team’s offseason moves, which amounted to re-signing Kyle Korver and adding Derrick Rose, Jose Calderon and Cedi Osman. Add in any lingering bitterness toward owner Dan Gilbert from their parting in 2011 and the feeling that James accomplished his mission when he brought the 2016 championship to Cleveland, and it’s easy to see why he might be on the move again. It may depend on what the Cavs do this season, or it may be a decision that has already been made.
Aside from the Lakers, where else could you potentially see LeBron in 2018-2019 if he leaves the Cavs? — Vijay Cruz
It’s hard to find another scenario that seems plausible, unless LeBron and his banana boat friends are all plotting to end up in the same place. Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade will both be free agents next summer (and maybe earlier for Wade if a rumored buyout happens in Chicago), while Carmelo Anthony has an early termination option. If Anthony winds up in Houston with Paul, the Rockets could emerge as a possible contender. An online betting site has already posted odds about LeBron’s next decision, listing the Cavs as favorites to keep him, followed closely by the Lakers. The Rockets and Spurs are tied at fourth, with the Celtics a surprising choice at third.
What’s happening with Giannis Antetokounmpo and EuroBasket? Why do NBA teams let their players risk injury in these international tournaments? — Ellis K., via Twitter
Antetokounmpo announced Saturday on social media that a knee injury will keep him out of this year’s competition and cited a failed physical administered by team doctors from Milwaukee. The Greek basketball federation is disputing the results of the physical and accusing the Bucks of using deception to prevent Antetokounmpo from playing. Greece’s fortunes rely on Antetokounmpo, who would probably be the best player in the tournament, but because he’s under contract to the Bucks, there’s little the national team can do. As to why teams let players participate, there’s a lot of nationalistic pride at stake in these competitions, so it would create rifts with international players to try to block them. Plus, players tend to play all summer anyway, so it’s safer to have them do it in an organized format with trainers and team doctors than on pick-up courts.
Heat Sign Jordan Mickey
The Heat have officially signed former Celtics forward Jordan Mickey, the team announced on its website. The contract has been reported as a two-year deal with a $1.5MM veteran’s minimum guaranteed for the first season and a team option on the second.
The 33rd pick in the 2015 draft, Mickey spent two years with Boston, but played most of that time in the G League. He appeared in 25 games for the Celtics last season, averaging 1.5 points in 5.6 minutes per contest.
The signing gives the Heat 17 players for training camp, three under the maximum. Miami now has 13 players with guaranteed money for the 2017/18 season, along with one on a two-way contract.
Mutual Interest Between Josh Smith, Rockets?
Josh Smith may be ready to sign up for his third tour of duty with the Rockets, tweets Kelly Iko of EPSN 97.5 in Houston. Iko adds that the the veteran forward is “very interested” in returning to the team, and an agreement could be reached soon.
Smith spent part of last season with the Sichuan Blue Whales in the Chinese Basketball Association. He appeared in 26 games before leaving the team in late January.
Smith’s last NBA experience came with the Rockets at the end of the 2015/16 season after the team picked him up in a midseason trade with the Clippers. Smith played in 23 games, mostly as a reserve, and averaged 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds.
He also played for Houston for part of the 2014/15 season after agreeing to a buyout with the Pistons. Smith appeared in 55 games that year and helped the team reach the Western Conference finals.
Smith, who will receive $5.4MM annually from Detroit through the 2019/20 season, has been working out with Rockets players in Houston while trying to get another shot at the NBA.
Clippers Offer GM Post To Michael Winger
Thunder executive Michael Winger has received an offer to become the new GM of the Clippers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who adds that the deal is expected to be finalized soon.
Winger, 37, currently serves as both assistant GM and team counsel for Oklahoma City and has been with the organization for the past seven years. He also spent five years with the Cavaliers and is viewed as one of the league’s top young executives, Wojnarowski adds.
As Clippers GM, Winger would report to Lawrence Frank, who was appointed president of basketball operations in a front office shakeup ealier this month that saw Doc Rivers reassigned to strictly coaching duties.