Terrance Ferguson Obtains FIBA Clearance
Thunder rookie Terrance Ferguson has received clearance from FIBA that will allow him to sign an NBA contract, according to Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript.
Ferguson, the 21st pick in this year’s draft, is the only remaining unsigned first-rounder. He was unable to participate with the Oklahoma City team in the Orlando Summer League because of a contractual conflict with the Adelaide 36ers, the Australian team he played for last season.
Ferguson, 19, spent a single season with Adelaide, averaging 4.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in about 15 minutes per game.
NBA teams are not part of the process of getting clearance, Katz notes. Negotiations are conducted between FIBA and the player’s last team.
Katz adds that the Thunder ran into a similar problem when they signed Norris Cole midway through last season. They had to wait nearly a week for him to obtain clearance from his Chinese team before officially adding him on March 1.
Arron Afflalo Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
JULY 27, 11:03pm: The signing is official, according to a tweet from the team.
JULY 25, 4:10pm: The Magic have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent swingman Arron Afflalo, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The deal will be worth the veteran’s minimum, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). Once the signing is official, Orlando looks to be capped out.
Although the Magic front office is under new management now, with Jeff Weltman and John Hammond running the show, the move represents a reunion for the two sides — Afflalo previously played for the franchise from 2012 to 2014.
The 31-year-old journeyman has played for six different franchises in ten seasons. His career slash line is .451/.386/.825, with his best scoring season coming as a member of the Magic in 2013/14. That season, Afflalo scored 18.2 PPG, while shooting 45.9% from the field. The former UCLA Bruin started all 73 games in which he played during that campaign. Over the course of Afflalo’s career, he has averaged 11.3 PPG and has started 534 of his 709 games played.
On Sunday, it was reported that the Magic were “on course” to sign Marreese Speights to a minimum salary contract. The signing has not yet been made official.
Khem Birch Signs With Magic
The Magic have signed free agent center Khem Birch, the team announced on Twitter.
The 25-year-old spent last season with Olympiacos in Greece, averaging 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 37 games.
Birch played collegiately at Pitt and UNLV and signed with the Heat after going undrafted in 2014. He spent the 2014/15 season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League and was named to the 2015 Futures All-Star team. He played in Turkey during the 2015/16 season.
The Montreal native is a member of the Canadian National Team.
Cavaliers Notes: James, Billups, Irving, Rose
LeBron James‘ future after the upcoming season is a mystery even to Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, writes Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. Gilbert acknowledged at Wednesday’s press conference with new GM Koby Altman that the Cavs have no control over what James may decide to do in the summer of 2018. The three-year contract he signed last summer includes a player option worth more than $35.6MM for 2018/19. “I think he is very hungry for this season and he will tell you that, too,” Gilbert said. “Beyond this season I don’t know. We’re focused on this season.”
There’s more this morning out of Cleveland:
- Gilbert took issue with reports that Chauncey Billups turned down a front office position because of money, Ridenour adds in the same story. Billups supposedly interviewed twice with the team about possibly replacing former GM David Griffin, but Gilbert downplayed those sessions, calling them “informal.” He also said an ESPN report that Billups pulled his name out of consideration because of a lowball salary offer of $2MM were erroneous. “It was nothing to do with money at all,” Gilbert said. “For you guys to think that we’re in this payroll tax or luxury tax to where we are and we’re going to worry about — I don’t want to ever say a million dollars or two [million] dollars or three is not a lot of money — but relatively speaking, you know our track record and that’s not how we make decisions. It had nothing to do with money.”
- The refusal by Gilbert and Altman to admit that Kyrie Irving has asked for a trade was a strategy to preserve the point guard’s value, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. Pluto notes that Irving and his representatives have had several days to deny the rumor and have remained silent. The writer adds that getting sufficient value in return for Irving is the biggest challenge facing Altman as he settles into his new job.
- The Cavaliers have made attempts to reach out to Irving, but he doesn’t want to talk to anyone from the team, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic (subscrition site).
- Derrick Rose hoped to sign with the Spurs or Clippers when free agency began, but both teams passed on him, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Bucks coach Jason Kidd was interested, but the only offers came from the Lakers and Cavaliers.
Axel Toupane Will Play In Lithuania
Axel Toupane, who was waived Tuesday by the Pelicans, has signed with Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, according to Dario Destri of Sportando.
The 6’7″ swingman agreed to a non-guaranteed minimum salary deal with New Orleans late last season and appeared in two games with the Pelicans. He also played two games for the Bucks on a 10-day contract in February. Toupane spent most of the season with Raptors 905, Toronto’s affiliate in the G League.
Tuesday was a salary guarantee date for Toupane, whose partial guarantee would have risen from $25K to $200K if he had been kept on the Pelicans’ roster.
Central Notes: Bledsoe, Cavaliers, Morris, Pistons
Suns guard Eric Bledsoe is adding fuel to the rumors of a possible deal to Cleveland by working out with LeBron James and newly signed Cavaliers guard Derrick Rose this week in Las Vegas, according to ESPN.com. Bledsoe is among several players who have been tied to Cleveland in the past week in rumored trades involving Kyrie Irving, but he has a unique connection by being a client of Klutch Sports, just like James and teammates Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith. “I love everything about [the Phoenix area],” Bledsoe told Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic this week. “At the same time, I want to win.” A report Tuesday said the Suns wouldn’t be willing to part with first-round pick Josh Jackson in an Irving deal.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Today’s press conference with owner Dan Gilbert and new GM Koby Altman did little to calm the nerves of Cavaliers fans, writes Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon-Journal. Despite Altman’s assurances that the feud between James and Irving is “overblown,” there is clearly a rift between the stars and Irving’s trade request could sour team chemistry if he is not moved before the season starts, Ridenour adds. Gilbert and Altman both used the word “fluid” to describe Irving’s situation, and Altman admitted that he has been in touch with Irving’s agent.
- Pistons guard Ish Smith understands the business side of the NBA that can result in losing a teammate and friend like Marcus Morris, relays Tony Paul of The Detroit News. During a public appearance today, Smith, who has played for 10 teams in eight seasons, commented on the trade that sent Morris to Boston in exchange for Avery Bradley. “It’s a business. You gotta move on,” Smith said. “I stand by Coach (Stan Van Gundy). I hate losing one of my good friends, but we’re excited about Avery and how talented he is, how good he is and what he brings.”
- Van Gundy says the Pistons are done with major moves before the season starts, Paul adds. The coach believes the team has significantly improved its 3-point shooting by obtaining Bradley and Langston Galloway and drafting Luke Kennard.
- Mike McCarthy, who has been the Bucks‘ chief operating officer for the past eight months, has submitted his resignation, according to Rich Kirchen of The Milwaukee Business Journal. McCarthy will serve as a consultant to the team.
Mikhail Prokhorov May Consider Selling Nets
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has “warmed recently to the possibility” of selling controlling interest in the team, according to Josh Kosman and Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Prokhorov’s original plan was to sell a minority stake in the franchise — up to 49% — while remaining the majority owner. However, the tepid response to that offer, combined with the potential sale price of the Houston Rockets that may go as high as $2 billion, has Prokhorov rethinking his decision.
Sources tell the authors that Nets officials believe some of the prospective buyers of the Rockets may be interested in Brooklyn if a majority share becomes available.
The two teams are among the most popular NBA franchises in China, given Houston’s connection to Yao Ming and the Nets having Jeremy Lin in their backcourt. Mike Zavodsky, the Nets’ executive VP of global partnerships, is touring China this week and has 20 meetings arranged with potential buyers.
“Our brand in China is growing, in merchandise sales and commercially,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of the Nets and Barclays Center.
The team lost roughly $150MM three years ago, but its finances have improved dramatically since then, with much of the windfall coming through a deal with the YES Network that pays the Nets $50MM a year. Reducing salary has also played a role as the team may turn a profit for the first time since coming to Brooklyn in 2012.
The NBA Finance Committee recently approved Prokhorov’s plan to split corporate ownership of the team and Barclays Center.
Pistons To Sign Landry Nnoko
Ex-Clemson big man Landry Nnoko has agreed to a partially guaranteed minimum deal with the Pistons, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype.
The 23-year-old Cameroon native played with Detroit’s summer league team in Orlando, averaging 2.0 points and 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in three games. He went undrafted out of Clemson in 2016 after averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in his senior season with the Tigers.
The 6’10” center spent last season with Pesaro in Italy.
Community Shootaround: Kyrie’s Future In Cleveland
After five days of non-stop Kyrie Irving trade rumors, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert tried to slam on the brakes at a press conference this afternoon.
The purpose of the event was to introduce newly appointed GM Koby Altman, but the subject inevitably turned to Irving and the trade demand he reportedly made during a private meeting with Gilbert earlier this month.
Gilbert refused to acknowledge that Irving wants to be traded and wouldn’t say if he and Altman plan to grant the request if it is true. He then threw the media a curveball, saying he expects to have Irving on the floor when training camp opens in September.
“Right now, Kyrie Irving is under contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for two or three years, depending on the last year,” Gilbert said, as Irving holds a player option for 2019/20. “As of now, he’s one of our best players, and sure, we expect him to be in camp.”
Prepare for an overflow media turnout for the first day of camp if that happens. Irving’s desires to get out of Cleveland and his simmering social media feud with LeBron James have been on public display since the subject of that meeting with Gilbert was made public last Friday.
According to reports, Irving has named the Spurs, Heat, Timberwolves and Knicks as the places he would like to go. The Cavaliers have been inundated with calls inquiring about an Irving deal, and ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote on Monday that the team is “acting as if a trade is almost inevitable.”
However, Gilbert and the Cavs have no obligation to honor Irving’s request. If they can’t find an acceptable deal, they could hand onto to Irving through the summer and bring him into camp just as Gilbert suggested.
Our question for today is: How do you think that would turn out? Could Kyrie and LeBron bury the hatchet and combine their talents for another trip to the NBA Finals? Or would the inner strife tear the team apart?
Please take to the comments section and share your thoughts on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Atlantic Notes: Thomas, Celtics, Knicks, Carroll
Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas won’t need surgery to fix the right hip injury that forced him out of the playoffs, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Several hip specialists evaluated Thomas, but no course of action could be determined until the swelling lessened. The injury first struck Thomas in mid-March, then was aggravated in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Wizards. “Isaiah is making good progress,” said Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “He’s out on the court, he’s shooting. He’s full speed ahead on the stationary bike and working in the swimming pool. He’s progressing nicely.” As long as there are no setbacks, Thomas is expected to be ready for training camp.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- For the second straight season, the Celtics appear headed to camp with more than 15 guaranteed contracts, Himmelsbach writes in a separate story. Shane Larkin reached an agreement with Boston last week on a fully guaranteed deal, which brings the total to 16. The roster will have to be trimmed to 15 by the start of the season, not counting a pair of two-way contracts, so the Celtics will either have to make a trade or waive a player with guaranteed money. In the same situation last fall, Boston waived R.J. Hunter and his $1.2MM deal.
- The Knicks are still hoping to find a veteran point guard to team with Ron Baker and rookie Frank Ntilikina, relays ESPN’s Ian Begley. The team believes its best chance to get one is in a potential Carmelo Anthony trade.
- The Nets didn’t require DeMarre Carroll to undergo a physical before completing their trade with the Raptors because they received so much compensation, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. Brooklyn picked up Carroll, Toronto’s 2018 first-rounder and an additional 2018 second-rounder, while the Raptors got Justin Hamilton, who has since been waived, and an $11.8MM trade exception. Carroll played 72 games last season after having knee surgery in his first year in Toronto and being limited to 26 games.
- Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov intends to sell up to 49% of the team while keeping ownership of the Barclays Center, writes Mike Ozanian of Forbes. The NBA’s advisory finance committee has approved Prokhorov’s lease terms, but a final OK must come from the league once a seller is found.