Rudy Gobert Talks DPOY, Utah, Hayward
With the 2016/17 regular season nearing its conclusion, Jazz center Rudy Gobert is receiving serious consideration for this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award, despite the fact that Utah often flies under the radar in discussions about the NBA’s contenders and stars. Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype spoke to several players around the league, including Myles Turner, Elfrid Payton, and Willie Reed, who said Gobert deserves the award, with Reed calling him a “game-changer.”
Gobert himself also spoke to Kennedy about what it would mean to be named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as several other subjects, including the idea that he’s overlooked a little in Utah and the possibility of an All-Star teammate re-signing with the Jazz this summer. The whole piece is worth checking out, but here are a few of the notable quotes from Gobert:
On the possibility of winning Defensive Player of the Year:
“It would be great. Obviously, I play to win games, but you make history with those kind of things. It would be great to make history. I’d be the second French player to win it after Joakim Noah. It would be great for me, great for my country. It would just be great.”
On the Jazz, a top-five seed in the West, flying under the radar:
“We talk about it sometimes [as a team]. I’ve been here for four years now and Gordon [Hayward] has been here for seven years, so we understand it. We understand that it’s about the market, so we have to do more than other teams to get that respect. We also understand that we have to win games. At the end of the day, if we win games, we’re going to get the recognition that we deserve. That’s why we just focus on winning and getting better.”
On how he’ll try to convince Hayward to stick with the Jazz in free agency:
“I’m just going to ask him, ‘Do you want to win a championship?’ I feel like with the way we’ve improved the last few years, since Quin [Snyder] got here, I don’t think it’d be a great decision to leave now. At the same time, I know sometimes there are personal decisions and I can’t really control any of that. But I know he likes to win. I know he likes it here in Utah, and his wife and kids like it here too. If he doesn’t want to live here anymore or there’s another city he wants to live in or he feels like he has a better chance to win a championship somewhere else, it’s his decision. But I’m going to remind him that I really want to win a championship and I think we can do it.”
On whether Gobert can picture himself spending his entire career in Utah:
“Yeah, why not? I obviously love living [in Utah] and I want to win, like I said. So if the goal is to win a championship very soon, there’s no reason to leave. I love my coach, I love the fans, I love the organization. There’s no reason for me to think about leaving.”
And-Ones: Fredette, Marbury, O. Johnson
Multiple teams offered Jimmer Fredette a 10-day deal after his season in the Chinese Basketball Association concluded, but he turned those deals down to stay home with his wife and newborn daughter, Ken Tingley of the Post Star reports. The guard played this season with the Shanghai Sharks and the team wants him back next season, though he has not made a decision on where he wants to play. Beijing has also made Fredette a contract offer for 2017/18, per Tingley.
As a result of his noteworthy college career and his year in the CBA, Fredette has become extremely popular in China. Tingley adds that the Communist government, which does not allow the free flow of information, previously contacted Fredette to make sure he wouldn’t use his social media popularity to share political views. Fredette told them that he was not political and that simply playing basketball was the goal.
Fredette showcased his scoring ability in his lone season in China, averaging 37.6 points per game on 47.4% shooting. He had a 73 point game and he won the league’s MVP award. He’s still eligible to play in the NBA’s postseason should a playoff team sign him.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Stephon Marbury will play one more season in the CBA before becoming a coach in the league, Steve Popper of NorthJersey.com relays. The scribe adds that Marbury would like to eventually return to the NBA as a head coach .
- Marbury said he admires the way Carmelo Anthony has handled the constant adversity with the Knicks, Popper adds in the same piece. “I think he’s handled it great,” the point guard said. “He understands. He knows. This is the biggest market in the world as far as in the NBA playing basketball. He understands if he wins what it will be like here. Sometimes you’ve got to go through the tough times and all of the dark times in order to get to the light.”
- Orlando Johnson has signed with the Lebanese Basketball club Riyadi, according to E. Carchia of Sportando. Johnson was the No. 36 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.
Rajon Rondo Has “Significant” Wrist Injury
Rajon Rondo has missed the last three games with a wrist injury, including tonight’s tilt with the Magic, and it’s likely he misses the Bulls’ final regular season game against the Nets on Wednesday. Coach Fred Hoiberg described Rondo’s injury as “significant” when he addressed the media earlier today, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). Hoiberg’s comments came in the wake of Rondo visiting a hand specialist.
The Bulls currently own the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 40-41. If Chicago makes the postseason, it could be battling one of the conference’s top teams without the availability of its best point guard.
Rondo signed with the Bulls during the offseason and although he got off to a rocky start with the club, he settled in as a solid contributor. Since being benched in late December, he’s averaged 8.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. He’s also found his stroke from behind the arc, something that’s plagued him during his entire career. He shot two 3-pointers per game since the calendar turned, making 41.9% of his attempts.
The 31-year-old point guard has one year and slightly less than $13.4MM left on his contract after this season. However, only $3MM of that amount is fully guaranteed. If Rondo isn’t waived before June 30, the entire amount becomes guaranteed.
Tyler Dorsey Declares For Draft
Tyler Dorsey has declared for the draft and will sign an agent, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. Dorsey led the Oregon Ducks to their first Final Four since 1939 during this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks the point guard as the 53rd-best prospect in the upcoming draft. Ford notes that Dorsey is a good passer and an elite scorer, but adds that the sophomore needs to improve his decision-making.
The 21-year-old averaged 14.6 points per game this past season. He added 1.7 assists per contest and shot 42.3% from downtown.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Lowry, Hornacek
The Sixers are near the top of our Reverse Standings, owning a record of 28-52. The team is optimistic that it can climb the real NBA standings next season and Joel Embiid is a major reason why there’s hope, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
“The thing I get most excited about with Joel is he has such a long ways to go,” coach Brett Brown said. “He is just scratching the surface of what ultimately he’s going to be.”
Embiid remains out as he recovers from knee surgery, but the organization expects him to resume basketball activities this summer.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Raptors are still working to incorporate all their new players, Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun details. The scribe notes that Kyle Lowry, who recently returned to the lineup following a wrist injury, hasn’t yet found a comfort level with new addition Serge Ibaka.
- Coach Jeff Hornacek admits that the all-in switch to the triangle mid-season may not have been the best move for the Knicks, Al Iannazzone of Newsday relays. “It shouldn’t have been that big of a deal,” Hornacek said. “But from the players’ side they probably thought it was too big a change. We’ll figure what’s best for us, what everybody wants to do and try to go from day one and leave it like that.”
- If the Celtics are going to make a deep postseason run, they must rediscover their 3-point shot, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet argues. Marcus Smart, who will be eligible for a rookie extension this offseason, is among the team’s bench players who have struggled from behind the arc since the All-Star break.
Tony Allen’s Future With The Grizzlies Remains Unclear
Tony Allen is a fan-favorite in Memphis, but since he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season, there’s a chance he finds himself playing for a team other than the Grizzlies next season.
“I don’t even want to think about that,” Allen said about the possibility of leaving over the summer (via Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal). “What I embody for this organization, everything that I embody, it would be almost like a divorce if I go somewhere.”
Memphis wants Allen back, but if the shooting guard is aiming for one last sizable deal, he may have to look elsewhere.
“I’ve already talked to the front office, and if it works out for us that we can have him back, I love him,” said coach David Fizdale when asked about Allen’s future “But I also know that we have to make some decisions based on what’s best for the unit. That’s where we’ll come together and we’ll see what’s on the table and we’ll give our input on what gives us our best chance moving forward.”
Next season, the franchise will pay approximately $74MM in salary to Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, and Chandler Parsons. The 2017/18 salary cap is expected to come in at $101MM, which doesn’t leave the Grizzlies with much salary cap space for its other dozen roster spots.
Allen, who turned 35 this season, was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league this season. He ranks third among shooting guards in ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus/Minus and he ranks eighth among non-bigs in NBAMath’s Defensive Points Saved.
It’s arguable that he’s the best perimeter defender in the history of the franchise. His playing style ushered in the team’s Grit-and-Grind era and the city of Memphis embraced the movement. Even if the era comes to an official end this summer, Allen will remain a part of the town.
“Even if I don’t sign here, I’m going to still live here,” he said. “I’m thankful, I’m glad that the city embraced me, my hard work and my work ethic. That’s what made that connection, that bond, that made me want to call myself a Memphian. You know I’m born in Chicago but I’m a Memphian.”
Allen is making slightly more than $5.5MM this season. I speculate that he could fetch a short-term deal with similar annual values in free agency. Given their cap woes, it remains to be seen whether the Grizzlies are willing to pay the market rate. Regardless, Allen knows where he wants to be.
“I really don’t know what’s going to happen, but what I do know is, my heart is here,” Allen said. “That big ‘ol blue face, that Grizzly bear, that’s where my heart is.”
Draft Notes: Comanche, Haas, Bozic
Arizona’s Chance Comanche will test the NBA Draft waters, but will not hire an agent, Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star relays.
“I am excited about the opportunity to explore my NBA options, gather information and dedicate the next month to reaching my goals of becoming an NBA player,” Comanche said. “At the conclusion of this process, my family and I will make the best decision for my future both on and off the court. I also want to thank coach [Sean] Miller and the Arizona staff for supporting my decision.”
The Sophomore is not ranked in Draft Express’ Top 100. Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Purdue’s Isaac Haas has declared for the draft, but will also not hire an agent, according to the University’s Twitter feed. Prospects who declare, but opt not to hire an agent, have until May 24 to make a final decision.
- Luka Bozic has entered the draft, according to Milan Nikolic of Adriatic Region (Twitter link). Bozic is a 20-year-old, 6’5″ guard who plays for KK Zagreb in the Croation League.
- UCLA’s Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh are entering the draft, according to Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports. Neither player has hired an agent.
D.J. Wilson, Moritz Wagner Testing Draft Waters
A pair of Michigan Wolverines, power forward D.J. Wilson and center Moritz Wagner, announced today that they’ll test the 2017 NBA draft waters, entering their names without hiring agents. Both Wilson and Wagner made their announcements on Twitter.
Wilson, a redshirt sophomore, is viewed as a possible first-round pick, ranking 34th on the DraftExpress big board and 31st on ESPN’s list of top prospects. Wilson received significant playing time in 2016/17 for the first time in his college career, and responded by averaging 11.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.5 BPG, with a shooting line of .538/.373/.833.
According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, Wilson has “all the tools” necessary to be an effective modern NBA power forward, including an ability to protect the rim and shoot from outside. Ford notes that Wilson’s mediocre rebounding numbers are hurting him a little, but he still projects as a late first-rounder or early second-rounder if he keeps his name in the draft.
As for Wilson’s teammate Wagner, the 6’11” sophomore doesn’t show up at all on DraftExpress’ top 100 list, but Ford is bullish on the 19-year-old’s draft prospects, placing him 25th overall on ESPN’s big board. Ford acknowledges that Wagner’s sophomore year was inconsistent, but notes that he had a huge game against Louisville in the NCAA tournament and “ticks a lot of boxes” for NBA scouts. Wagner averaged 12.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG with a .395 3PT% in his sophomore year.
Pelicans Sign Axel Toupane
APRIL 10, 2:31pm: The Pelicans have officially signed Toupane for the rest of the season, the team announced today in a press release. While there’s no indication in the club’s announcement that Toupane’s deal is for more than one year, RealGM’s transactions log suggests it’s a multiyear pact. That makes sense, since contracts signed at this time of year typically included a non-guaranteed second season.
APRIL 8, 11:19am: The Pelicans are signing forward Axel Toupane, currently of the D-League, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical.
The 24-year-old forward had previously signed a 10-day contract with the Bucks in February, but after two games of action was released so that the team could make room for Terrence Jones.
Last season, Toupane played 21 games for the Nuggets and averaged 3.6 points per game.
Hornets Pick Up 2017/18 Option On GM Rich Cho
The Hornets have exercised their option on general manager Rich Cho’s contract, sources tell ESPN’s Marc Stein. The move will keep the Charlotte GM locked up through the 2017/18 season.
Cho, who has been the Hornets’ general manager since June 2011, helped build a roster that made the playoffs in 2013/14 and again in 2015/16. During Cho’s time in Charlotte, the front office has drafted players such as Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, and Frank Kaminsky.
Still, the Hornets will miss the postseason this season, and the team’s cap situation going forward isn’t all that flexible. Currently, the club has $102MM in guaranteed money committed to team salary for 2017/18, and the roster lacks any legit star-power beyond Walker, unless a player like Kaminsky can take a major step forward.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter link), there was “a lot of intrigue in league circles” about what team owner Michael Jordan would do with Cho’s contract and the Hornets’ front office. While Charlotte will stay the course for now, the 2017/18 season figures to be a crucial one for the front office as the club looks to get back into the playoffs a year from now.