Pistons Notes: KCP, Baynes, Drummond
The Pistons would like to bring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope back next season, but GM Jeff Bower sounds as if the organization will wait for another team to make an offer before making any commitments, Rod Beard of The Detroit News passes along.
“With the timing of things, you never know for sure until the period begins. There is a danger because we don’t have it with any certainty,” Bower said. “Hopefully, we’re able to move along with the things we have and everything is aligned. That’s a hand we have to be ready to play, no matter what direction we go. We have a lot of control in the situation, which is something we value and expect to be able to take advantage of.”
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Aron Baynes hasn’t yet made a decision on his player option for the 2017/18 campaign, which is worth $6.5MM. He’ll take his time on the decision, but staying with the Pistons remains a strong possibility, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press relays (Twitter links). “Being here, it kind of feels like we have some unfinished business,” Baynes said.
- Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy must figure out if the Andre Drummond– Reggie Jackson pairing is the best option for the Pistons long-term, John Niyo of The Detroit News argues.Drummond has four years remaining on the max contract he signed last offseason, while Jackson has three years remaining on the five-year, $80MM deal he signed back in 2015.
- Van Gundy feels Drummond needs to take additional steps to reach his potential, Niyo passes along in the same piece. “He needs to have a sense of urgency to elevate his game,” Van Gundy said. “He’s been in the league five years now. He’s still young, he hasn’t turned 24. The sky’s the limit for him. But he needs to do some work to get there.”
Hoops Rumors Originals: 4/8/17 – 4/15/17
Throughout the week, the Hoops Rumors staff likes to publish original content to supplement our news feed. Here are some of our favorites from the week that was.
- We examine important dates for the NBA offseason, all the way up to the start of training camps in late September.
- Two-way contracts will be introduced next season that will increase roster sizes and affect the way players are assigned to the D-League.
- Our weekly look at the NBA’s best blog posts will be moving to a new day.
- Luke Adams broke down the playoff and draft implications of the final day of the regular season.
- Draft lottery odds are set with the season coming to an end.
- The Hoops Rumors staff made its picks for Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year.
- We look back at our over/under predictions for the just-completed season.
- A Community Shootaround asked readers to forecast first-round playoff upsets.
- Miss last week’s Hoops Rumors Originals summary? Look back on it here.
Week In Review: 4/8/17 – 4/15/17
With the playoffs ready to begin in a few hours, we look back at the final week of the regular season, as football and basketball came together in Dallas and Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson looked ready to break apart in New York.
Transactions
- The Cavaliers waived DeAndre Liggins.
- The Mavericks claimed Liggins off waivers.
- The Suns signed Elijah Millsap to a multi-year contract.
- The Pistons tried to waive Beno Udrih and sign Lorenzo Brown, but the move was blocked by the league.
- The Hornets picked up their option for next season on GM Rich Cho.
- The Pelicans signed Axel Toupane.
- The Sixers signed Alex Poythress for the rest of the season.
- The Cavaliers signed Dahntay Jones.
- The Cavaliers waived Larry Sanders and signed Edy Tavares.
Injuries
- A “significant” wrist injury sidelined Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo.
- A strained left calf will keep Wizards center Ian Mahinmi out for the start of the playoffs.
- A torn rotator cuff will keep Knicks center Joakim Noah out of action for four to six months.
- A strained calf has sidelined Grizzlies guard Tony Allen indefinitely.
News
- A New York-based knee specialist assessed Derrick Rose‘s medical outlook after his latest surgery.
- Russell Westbrook broke the NBA record for triple doubles in a season.
- Indiana’s OG Anunoby declared for the NBA draft.
- Metta World Peace said he hopes to play two more NBA seasons, bringing his career total to 20.
- Spurs assistant James Borrego turned down a coaching offer from New Mexico.
- Baylor’s Johnathan Motley entered the draft.
- Michigan’s DJ Wilson and Moritz Wagner will test the draft waters.
- Oregon’s Tyler Dorsey declared for the draft.
- Gonzaga’s Zach Collins entered the draft.
- Texas’ Jarrett Allen declared for the draft.
- The NBA rejected the idea of Tony Romo signing a contract with the Mavericks.
- Oregon’s Dillon Brooks decided to test the draft waters.
- Stan Van Gundy promised that change is coming to the Pistons.
- The Nuggets aren’t sure if Danilo Gallinari will be re-signed if he opts out.
- Wake Forest’s John Collins entered the draft.
- Team president Phil Jackson and the Knicks exercised a mutual option for the next two seasons.
- The Magic fired GM Rob Hennigan.
- North Carolina’s Justin Jackson declared for the draft.
- Carmelo Anthony asked for a “commitment to win” from the Knicks.
- Dirk Nowitzki announced that he will return for a 20th season with the Mavericks.
- Udonis Haslem said he wants to play another season for the Heat.
- Kevin Durant stated that he doesn’t plan to leave Golden State.
- Phil Jackson said Anthony might be “better off somewhere else.”
- Michigan State’s Miles Bridges will skip the draft.
- Kristaps Porzingis missed his exit interview with Phil Jackson.
Rumors
- The Nuggets plan to pursue an extension with Gary Harris.
- Changes may be coming to the league’s buyout and waiver process.
- The Knicks‘ Carmelo Anthony is leaning toward waiving his no-trade clause.
- An extension for Clippers guard Chris Paul may already be in place.
Latest On Carmelo Anthony
Knicks president Phil Jackson didn’t mince words when addressing his long-simmering dispute with Carmelo Anthony in a press conference Friday. Making his intentions clear to end their relationship, Jackson said, “I think the direction with our team, he’ll be better off somewhere else.”
The problem is that there’s no easy way for a break-up to occur. Anthony is under contract for $26,243,760 next season and $27,928,140 in 2018/19 with an early termination option. There is also a 15% trade kicker that must be paid by whatever team acquires him, along with a no-trade clause that Anthony can use to block any deal he doesn’t like.
With that in mind, several NBA writers have taken a look at where Anthony might wind up:
- Anthony has three options for the offseason, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation. He can waive the no-trade clause and accept a deal, although Ziller says he shouldn’t feel obligated to do so just because Jackson wants him gone. He can submit a list of teams that he would agree to be traded to, which would presumably include joining friends LeBron James with the Cavaliers, Chris Paul with the Clippers or Dwyane Wade with the Bulls. Or he can make a stand and tell the Knicks that he won’t leave until his contract expires. Ziller favors the last option, noting that Anthony likes being in New York and has earned the power he obtained through the no-trade clause.
- The Cavaliers, Clippers and Celtics, whom the Knicks reportedly contacted about moving Anthony before the February deadline, are listed as possible destinations by The New York Post, along with the Heat and Wizards.
- Miami may have interest in Anthony, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, who notes that team president Pat Riley pursued the Knicks star in free agency three years ago. With more than $25MM expected to be freed in cap space once the Chris Bosh situation is resolved, Miami could add Anthony with a simple trade, and Winderman suggests Justise Winslow as a possibility. However, that would leave the team unable to re-sign James Johnson and Dion Waiters.
- The Bulls “will steer completely clear of whatever Carmelo does,” predicts Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. In a video posted on CSNChicago.com, Friedell suggests that if Anthony had come to Chicago three seasons ago, Tom Thibideau probably would have been kept as coach and current Knicks Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah would still be with the Bulls.
Kristaps Porzingis Reportedly Skipped Exit Meetings
The Knicks‘ season may be over, but the team’s PR struggles continued with Phil Jackson‘s press conference this afternoon. Following an unusual presser, in which Jackson asserted Carmelo Anthony would “be better off somewhere else,” Ian Begley of ESPN reported frustration from Kristaps Porzingis. Per Begley, Porzingis skipped exit meetings with the Knicks following this season, citing what he perceived to be “dysfunction and drama surrounding the organization.”
“Porzingis, according to team sources, is frustrated with the Knicks’ lack of direction,” Begley reports. Jackson’s remarks at Friday’s press conference involved Porzingis as well as Anthony; claiming the 21-year-old is not ready ot become the face of the franchise (Twitter link).
In the past, Porzingis hasn’t shied away from criticizing team management. At the end of March, Porzingis told Fred Kerber of the New York Post that his team didn’t do it from the beginning the right way…We didn’t have real fundamentals as a team.”
For what it’s worth, Jackson acknowledged the volatile reputation the Knicks have gathered in recent years.
“I think there’s disconnect sometimes with this team and I think there was some rebelliousness with this team that created some of the discord during the year. And I think has to stop and that will stop,” Jackson said.
Community Shootaround: Upsets In The First Round?
As is the case in any NBA postseason, there are several teams with uphill battles in their first round match-ups. It’s difficult to envision the Trail Blazers getting past the Warriors, just as it’s hard to see the Pacers handing Cleveland an early exit. As opposed to the NCAA Tournament, the NBA’s best-of-seven format in each round of the playoffs makes significant upsets a rarity.
…With that said, we’re interested in hearing your thoughts on teams being overlooked this postseason. Over the last decade, we’ve seen the No. 8 seed Warriors top the Mavericks in 2007, the Grizzlies defeat San Antonio in 2011, and Philadelphia upset the Bulls in 2012.
Dieter Kurtenbach of Fox Sports is among the national writers calling for an upset; dubbing the Celtics “the worst No. 1 seed in history.” Bill Reiter of CBS Sports tabbed the sixth-seed Thunder to top Houston, and Danny Chau of The Ringer predicted the Bulls to defeat Boston.
So what do you think: Do any No. 8 seed teams have what it takes to pull off a major upset? Do you see any fifth, sixth, or seventh seeded teams moving past the first round? Let us know in the comments section!
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 4/14/17
Here are Friday’s assignments/recalls from around the league…
- The Raptors assigned Bruno Caboclo and Pascal Siakam to Raptors 905, the team announced via Twitter (link). Caboclo and Siakam should pick up steady minutes for Raptors 905, as they take on the Maine Red Claws in the D-League Eastern Conference finals.
- The Rockets recalled Chinanu Onuaku, Isaiah Taylor, and Kyle Wiltjer from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced via Twitter (link). All three players received 35+ minutes in Rio Grande’s Game 1 loss to the Blue on Thursday.
- The Thunder recalled Josh Huestis from Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a press release. Huestis scored 11 points over 29 minutes with the Blue in the D-League playoffs last night.
Jusuf Nurkic Remains “Uncertain” For First Round
While the Trail Blazers are set to kick off their best-of-seven series against Golden State on Sunday, the team remains uncertain of Jusuf Nurkic‘s ability to play. While Nurkic has been seen shooting warm-ups in the games leading up to the playoffs, the “Bosnian Beast” will likely be a game-time decision on Sunday.
“I feel better and I’ve made good progress, but we still haven’t decided if I’m going to play,” Nurkic told the Associated Press. “If it doesn’t hurt I’m going to be back. It’s not a question- I’m going to do my part, work every day like I do, and try to be back. If it was up to me, I’d play right now.”
Nurkic’s presence in the first round would be crucial for the Blazers’ ability to compete with Golden State. The 21-year-old Nurkic was revitalized by a trade deadline move to Portland, averaging 15.2 points with 10.4 rebounds over 20 games. After suffering a fracture in his right fibula on March 30, Nurkic would be looking at a recovery period of just under three weeks.
Coach Terry Stotts talked up Nurkic’s recovery while speaking with Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, but provided no concrete answers regarding his timeframe.
“He’s improved, his leg is better, he’s made good progress,” Stotts said. “His status for Game 1 is undetermined.”
Details Surrounding Larry Sanders’ Release
When the Cavs released Larry Sanders on April 11, the transaction plainly appeared to be a basketball decision. In his return to the league, Sanders had been unable to crack Tyronn Lue‘s rotation; instead receiving minutes with the Canton Charge. Additionally, Sanders’ replacement- Edy Tavares– had an excellent year in the D-League, averaging 10.6 points with 7.7 rebounds over 48 games with Raptors 905.
An article by Jason Lloyd of The Athletic shed further light on the move, however; implying Sanders’ lack of punctuality may have played a role in his release.
“Sanders is gone again after he struggled keeping up with responsibilities on and off the court,” Lloyd writes. “He missed the team bus from the hotel to the airport Tuesday in Miami, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic, the final blow to his time here after Sanders had previously struggled with punctuality.”
While he didn’t miss out on playing time due to lateness, Sanders’ demeanor appeared to indicate he was “far from being NBA ready.”
Dave McMenamin of ESPN spoke with GM David Griffin about the decision to cut Sanders. Griffin denied any incident being the culprit behind Sanders’ release, instead citing his lack of on-court progress.
“He [Sanders] didn’t have any kind of a setback relative to any of the demons he had or any of those things. He’s an NBA player. He’s kind of flaky. So sometimes you’re late. You’re this. You’re that. None of those things were incidents,” Griffin said.
“I have to take you in totality as a player, and if I know you’re not going to play, then what I’m going to get is everything else. And if I didn’t even feel confident that he’d be a benefit to the group in practice, then it was hard to me to tell coaches, like, ‘This is a guy you got to keep.’ So they had the conversation on the plane [back from Miami]; what else can we do? And we talked about it and we landed, and we talked to all the rest of our staff and made a decision.”
Mavs Notes: Curry, Noel, Hammons, Harris, Cuban
On the heels of a 33-49 season, the Mavericks will focus on improving their roster via free agency and the draft. Eddie Sefko of Dallas Morning News suggested two veteran FAs to provide an immediate boost: Serge Ibaka and J.J. Redick. Sefko explains that Ibaka is a “big-time rebounder” who is still relatively young, while Redick would help shore up the team’s mediocre shooting.
Sefko cautions against hoping for a point guard improvement through the draft. Unless the Mavs “get lucky” and secure one of the top two picks, they’re unlikely to obtain a top-shelf guard. In the event Dallas winds up with the 8, 9, or 10 pick, Sefko cites Jonathan Isaac, Miles Bridges, and Lauri Markkanen as potential fits.
More from Dallas…
- Seth Curry, who missed the season’s final seven games due to a left shoulder injury, hopes to avoid undergoing surgery over the offseason. “It’s still a possibility, but I don’t think it’s necessary at this point,” Curry told Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
- Former Purdue Boilermaker A.J. Hammons got his feet wet in the NBA this past season, scoring 43 points with 36 rebounds over 22 games. While Hammons’ contract is guaranteed over the next two seasons, Eddie Sefko of Dallas Morning News is skeptical of his role on the team in 2017/18. “I like the big guy, but I haven’t seen a passion for wanting to improve,” Sefko writes. “He loves to sit out there and launch jump shots. But I think his calling in this league has to be as a strong rebounder and rim protector. My bottom line: doubtful that he is here next season.”
- While he appears set to enter the market as a restricted free agent, Nerlens Noel‘s recent remarks to Brad Townsend of Dallas Morning News imply he’d like another season in Dallas. “I love Dallas,” Noel said. “In my short time here, I’ve really enjoyed it. With the pieces that we have, and the opportunities we’ll be seeing in the near-future, I think there’s a lot to be excited for.”
- While Devin Harris isn’t a lock to start next season with Dallas, one thing is certain: the 34-year-old isn’t retiring. “Definitely not retiring,” Harris told Adam Grosbard of Dallas Morning News. The Mavs are unsure whether they will exercise Harris’ $4.4MM option for 2017/18. Harris averaged 16/7 minutes in 2016/17; the lowest total since his rookie season. “Ball’s in their court. I just let the chips fall where they may and try to make the best decision possible with the information that I have.”
- In a 109-91 loss to the Nuggets- the Mavs’ penultimate game of the season- coach Rick Carlisle gave six players 25-years-old or younger significant playing time. Mark Cuban spoke to Adam Grosbard of Dallas Morning News, explaining the strategy of giving younger players minutes down the stretch. “When we were playing for it, we obviously had some bad games but it’s obvious our young guys are getting better. And that’s all you can ask for,” Cuban said. Dirk Nowtizki seconded Cuban’s remarks, adding “It’s been fun to watch these kids.”