Spurs Notes: Parker, Murray, Simmons, Aldridge
Veteran point guard Tony Parker remains on assignment with the Austin Spurs in the G League for now, as he continues to rehab his quadriceps injury. However, he is inching closer to a return.
Addressing his recovery timeline today, Parker said he remains on track to get back in the Spurs’ lineup by late November, according to Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). Parker added that he could play now, but he and the Spurs are being cautious and taking it slow.
Dejounte Murray‘s solid play at point guard to open the regular season gives the Spurs the flexibility to be even more cautious with Parker, since there’s no need to rush him back. Head coach Gregg Popovich indicated this week though that the play of Murray and the rest of San Antonio’s backcourt won’t have an impact on Parker’s return date, one way or the other.
“Tony will come back when he’s ready,” Popovich said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “It’s got nothing to do with anybody else.”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- With Murray playing well as the Spurs’ starting point guard, Parker was asked about the possibility of coming off the bench when he returns, as Young relays. Parker’s response? “Right now, I’m not even thinking about that. Right now, I just want to come back and play.”
- He’s no longer a member of the Spurs, but Jonathon Simmons – who signed with the Magic in the summer – still raves about everything he learned during his two seasons in San Antonio. John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com has the details, with the quotes from Simmons.
- After being the subject of trade rumors for much of the year, LaMarcus Aldridge unexpectedly reached an agreement on a contract extension with the Spurs earlier this month. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post takes a closer look at how Aldridge and the Spurs mended their relationship, leading to the big man’s new deal.
Meyers Leonard Out 4-6 Weeks With Ankle Injury
Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard, who was in a walking boot in the team’s locker room on Thursday, underwent an MRI on his injured right ankle and got some good news and bad news. According to the Blazers (Twitter link via Casey Holdahl), Leonard avoided major structural damage, but a lateral ankle sprain will keep him sidelined for about four to six weeks.
Leonard suffered the injury on Wednesday, before Blazers practice officially got underway. He was participating in some one-on-one work with Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan when he landed awkwardly, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
“I went to block Zach’s shot and landed on his big old size 19’s,” Leonard said.
Leonard, who is in the second season of a lucrative four-year deal with the Blazers, has been struggling to work his way into the team’s regular rotation this season. Through five games, the 25-year-old center has played just 17 total minutes, appearing in two contests. Ed Davis has handled backup duties at center behind starter Jusuf Nurkic.
The Blazers should get a boost to their frontcourt depth soon, with Noah Vonleh aiming to return to the court next week. Outside of Leonard and Vonleh, both of Portland’s two-way players – Wade Baldwin and C.J. Wilcox – are also sidelined due to injuries.
Suns Explore Trading Chandler With Bledsoe
As they continue to seek out a viable trade involving disgruntled point guard Eric Bledsoe, the Suns are exploring ways to include Tyson Chandler in the same deal, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (via Twitter).
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders first reported earlier this week that the Suns appeared to be looking for deals involving Chandler. Kyler, who noted that both Chandler and Bledsoe were favorites of former head coach Earl Watson, wrote in his report that the “ideal scenario” for Phoenix would be to move the duo in the same trade.
Taking into account the stage the Suns are at in their rebuilding phase, it certainly makes sense to explore trading Chandler — at 35 years old, he seems unlikely to be part of the next contending team in Phoenix.
Still, it may be tricky for the Suns to attach Chandler to Bledsoe in a single trade. The two players are earning a combined $27.5MM this season, and most of Phoenix’s potential trade partners will have little interest in taking on extra money in a deal. That would mean finding a Bledsoe suitor with at least $27.5MM in salaries of their own to trade back to the Suns.
The Bucks, frequently cited as a team with interest in Bledsoe, may be the most logical match for a deal involving both players. Possible trade candidates on their roster include John Henson ($11.4MM), Mirza Teletovic ($10MM), Matthew Dellavedova ($9.6MM), and possibly even Greg Monroe ($17.9MM), so they could potentially figure out a package that lands them both Bledsoe and Chandler without pushing them into luxury tax territory. It’s not clear if the two teams are exploring that scenario though.
Like Bledsoe, Chandler has one additional guaranteed year on his contract beyond 2017/18. Both players will come off the books in the summer of 2019.
New York Notes: Hornacek, Ntilikina, Mozgov
A new management group is in place for the Knicks in the wake of Phil Jackson‘s departure in June, with Steve Mills having been promoted to the top job and Scott Perry brought in to have a significant voice in basketball decisions. Over the last few months, Mills and Perry have been making changes typical of a new front office, hiring or demoting executives and scouts, and retooling the roster by trading longtime star Carmelo Anthony.
However, the front office has yet to make any real changes on the sidelines, where head coach Jeff Hornacek continues to run the show. As Ian Begley of ESPN.com details, Knicks decision-makers want to see how Hornacek performed this season with Jackson no longer around to influence the team’s on-court decisions and systems. While Mills and Perry aren’t expecting the club to be a contender, they’d like to see improvement on defense and a strong effort from the current roster.
So far, the on-court results for Hornacek haven’t been good. After an 0-5 preseason, the Knicks are the NBA’s only winless team in the regular season, at 0-3. Additionally, as Begley details, it appears there are some players unfamiliar with some of the team’s plays. ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), meanwhile, hasn’t been impressed with the Knicks’ effort.
While Hornacek seems likely to get a longer leash in New York than Earl Watson – fired after three games – did in Phoenix, Perry “doesn’t want to waste time with the wrong people in place,” people familiar with his thinking tell Begley. If the Knicks’ lackadaisical showings continue, Hornacek’s seat figures to get very hot.
Here’s more from out of New York:
- Knicks first-round pick Frank Ntilikina has been limited to just eight minutes played so far this season due to an ankle injury, but he’s set to return to the court on Friday against the Nets, per Barbara Barker of Newsday. “I’m excited,” Ntilikina said. “First game at the Garden in the regular season. So yeah, I can’t wait to go out there.”
- Nets center Timofey Mozgov, in the second year of lucrative $64MM contract, is looking to expand his game and boost his value by developing a three-point shot. Scott Cacciola of The New York Times has the details.
- Much has been made of the positive Nets culture under GM Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson. Now, as Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily writes, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate – the Long Island Nets – is attempting to emulate that culture.
- Earlier today, we passed along details on a major change to Nets ownership and published our recap of the Knicks‘ offseason.
What’s Next For Mirotic, Portis, Bulls?
After trading Jimmy Butler, waiving Rajon Rondo, and buying out Dwyane Wade, the Bulls appeared set to lay low this season, embarking on a full-fledged rebuild with virtually no pressure to win games in 2017/18. However, the franchise, plagued by on-court and off-court drama in recent years, couldn’t even make it to opening night without creating headlines again.
In this case, it was Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic at the center of the latest story out of Chicago. A tense scrimmage led to shoving between the two power forwards, which escalated to Portis throwing a punch that landed Mirotic in the hospital — he sustained a concussion and facial fractures.
The altercation resulted in an eight-game suspension for Portis, and Mirotic is expected to miss upwards of six weeks while he recovers from his injuries. But the saga didn’t end there.
Unsurprisingly, despite a token apology from Portis, there’s still tension between the two players. A report on Friday indicated that Mirotic, who has the ability to veto trades, may be willing to approve a deal out of Chicago, with one source suggesting that the situation may result in a “me or him” ultimatum.
The latest breakdown on the situation from BlogABull.com does a good job laying out why Mirotic may not be thrilled by the idea of remaining in Chicago. The Bulls didn’t exactly come down hard on Portis for punching a teammate, letting him continue to practice with the club during his relatively light suspension.
Additionally, Mirotic had barely been discharged from the hospital when the Bulls’ front office and coaches began insisting there was plenty of blame to go around, suggesting that Mirotic was at fault for escalating the altercation that left him with multiple broken bones in his face. It’s possible that’s true — only a handful of people saw it happen, so the rest of us have to take their word for it. But it certainly sounds like the Bulls are pushing a narrative that avoids vilifying Portis, the player whose “work ethic and commitment” they clearly prefer.
Given the Bulls’ apparent preference for Portis – and Mirotic’s reported desire for a deal, as Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago details – a trade of Mirotic seems like the most obvious solution to fixing the situation. It’s not that easy, however. Because he signed a new contract with the Bulls this offseason, one that met certain criteria related to his Bird rights, Mirotic isn’t eligible to be moved until January 15.
Would the Bulls trade Portis? According to Goodwill, they’ve spoken to at least one team about a possible deal, and are expected to remain active on that front over the next few days. As we detailed on Wednesday, Portis’ fourth-year team option is one of the 2018/19 rookie scale options that has yet to be exercised. Facing an October 31 deadline, the Bulls will have to make a call on that option within the next few days, which could have an impact on the trade market for Portis (though that impact should be minimal, considering the option is worth a modest $2.5MM).
I get the sense that the Bulls aren’t all-in on finding a taker for Portis, but it’s not clear what the team’s plan is. For now, with Portis suspended and Mirotic still recovering, there’s no rush for resolution. Still, Portis will only be out for four more games and Mirotic could be back on the court before the end of November, so it’s not a situation the Bulls should want to drag out either.
After an offseason which saw the mindset of the Bulls’ front office shift from contending to rebuilding, Gar Forman and John Paxson are facing their first major challenge of the new era in Chicago. It will be fascinating to see how they handle it.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2017 Offseason In Review: New York Knicks
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 New York Knicks.
Signings:
- Tim Hardaway Jr.: Four years, $70.95MM. Fourth-year player option. Signed offer sheet; Hawks declined to match.
- Ron Baker: Two years, $8.872MM. Second-year player option.
- Michael Beasley: One year, minimum salary.
- Ramon Sessions: One year, minimum salary.
- Luke Kornet: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.
Camp invitees:
- Jarrett Jack: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
- Xavier Rathan-Mayes: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
- Nigel Hayes: One year, minimum salary. $50K guarantee. (Waived)
- Trey Burke: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
- Jamel Artis: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
Trades:
- Acquired the rights to hire Scott Perry from the Kings in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick and cash ($400K).
- Note: The 2019 second-round pick will be the second-most favorable of the Cavaliers’, Rockets’, and Magic’s selections.
- Acquired Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and the Bulls’ 2018 second-round pick from the Thunder in exchange for Carmelo Anthony.
Draft picks:
- 1-8: Frank Ntilikina — Signed to rookie contract
- 2-44: Damyean Dotson — Signed to three-year, $4.097MM contract. Third year not guaranteed.
- 2-58: Ognjen Jaramaz — Stashed overseas
Departing players:
- Carmelo Anthony
- Justin Holiday
- Maurice Ndour (waived)
- Marshall Plumlee (waived)
- Chasson Randle (waived)
- Derrick Rose
- Sasha Vujacic
Other offseason news:
- Fired president of basketball operations Phil Jackson.
- Promoted Steve Mills to president of basketball operations; hired Scott Perry as general manager.
- Hired Gerald Madkins as assistant GM; hired Craig Robinson as VP of player development and G League operations.
- Exercised 2018/19 team option on Kristaps Porzingis.
Salary cap situation:
- Used up cap room. Now operating over the cap, but under the tax line. Carrying approximately $102MM in guaranteed team salary. Only minimum salary exception available.
Check out the New York Knicks’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
Over the course of the last several seasons, it became abundantly clear that the Knicks’ worst enemy was on their own payroll. After a needlessly dramatic 2016/17 campaign, the club appeared destined to wallow in yet another campaign of cringe-worthy in-fighting and fascinating mismanagement.
Then president of basketball operations Phil Jackson resigned from his post.
In the weeks and months after Jackson was replaced by former team general manager Steve Mills, with Scott Perry coming aboard to step in as the new GM, the Knicks have regained some semblance of normalcy and it already appears as though the club is trending in a positive direction.
The Knicks may still be a long way from actually competing, even in the East, but they’ve amassed a semi-intriguing pile of assets. Sure, some of the club’s new core is raw and imperfect, and the roster that broke camp last week probably won’t be the one that ends New York’s playoff drought. But the current roster does feature several valued building blocks that the team’s revamped front office can actually work with heading forward.
The fact that the Knicks’ core players will no longer be alienated by their own employer is simply a bonus.
Joseph Tsai Buying 49 Percent Stake In Nets
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has reached an agreement to sell a 49% minority stake in the Nets to Alibaba executive vice chairman and co-founder Joseph Tsai, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN. League sources tell the ESPN duo that Tsai’s purchase will be based on a $2.3 billion valuation of the franchise.
As Wojnarowski and Lowe detail, the agreement between Prokhorov and Tsai will give the new investor the option to take over a majority interest in the franchise in the not-too-distant future. The plan is for Prokhorov to remain the principal and operating owner of the Nets for four more years, with the assumption that he’ll sell his stake once Tsai triggers his option.
As long as Tsai controls just 49% of the team, Prokhorov will continue to oversee the Nets’ basketball and business operations, sources tell the ESPN duo.
Reports of Prokhorov’s willingness to sell 49% of the Nets, with a path to controlling ownership for the new minority shareholder, have surfaced throughout the year. Tsai, whose Alibaba Group is a massive Chinese e-commerce company, had been cited as a possible buyer multiple times, despite the fact that a spokesperson repeatedly denied his interest.
The $2.3 billion valuation on Tsai’s purchase of the Nets is somewhat surprising. Although Brooklyn is certainly a favorable market, the club has won just 41 total games in the last two years, and currently lacks superstar talent. The agreement also doesn’t include ownership of the Barclays Center, the team’s arena. Nonetheless, the $2.3 billion valuation is a new record for an NBA franchise, surpassing the Rockets’ $2.2 billion sale price from earlier this year.
[RELATED: Tilman Fertitta Approved To Buy Rockets For $2.2 Billion]
Although the Nets haven’t enjoyed much on-court success in recent years, Tsai has “expressed enthusiasm over the direction of the franchise,” and has confidence in GM Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson, sources tell Wojnarowski and Lowe. Tsai intends to take advantage of his strong business ties in Asia to create “global business opportunities” for the Nets.
And-Ones: Saunders, Gordon, Prigioni
It’s been two years since Timberwolves icon Flip Saunders, then the franchise’s president of basketball operations, passed away from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The man’s impact on the organization is still felt to this day, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.
Saunders played a vital role in the club’s recent return to relevance both from a business and personnel perspective. The celebrated executive’s touch can be seen at all levels of the organization from the new practice facility that Saunders helped design to the transactions he made in the wake of David Kahn‘s time at the helm from 2009 to 2013.
Saunders remains the only head coach in franchise history to lead the team to the playoffs, having done so eight times from 1997-2004 during his first run with the franchise. Since 2006, the team has cracked a .400 win percentage only once.
“I made a promise to Flip Saunders that we would win and end the playoff drought,” current franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns said on the media day of his rookie season shortly before Saunders passed. “And I intend to keep that promise.”
There’s more from around the league:
- Former NBA player Ben Gordon has run into trouble with the law, Jonathan Bandler of The Journal News writes. The 34-year-old wasn’t ultimately charged following a confrontation between himself and a woman at his business but police were called to the scene and he was hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation.
- The journey into the business world continues for Kobe Bryant. As Darren Rovell of ESPN writes, Bryant has approached his investments with the same obsessiveness that he did his NBA career.
- Retired NBA guard Pablo Prigioni is stepping down from his role as the head coach of Liga ACB team Baskonia, Orazio Cauchi of Sportando writes. The team has gotten off to a rocky start and it’s said that Prigioni has lost control of the situation.
Bulls Notes: Markkanen, Mirotic’s Concussion, Surgery
A solid string of performances throughout his first week as an NBA pro has Lauri Markkanen turning heads. Most recently, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders writes, the rookie out of Arizona has impressed Cavaliers superstar LeBron James.
“He’s going to continue to get better,” James told the media. “The best thing about it is he’s getting an opportunity. If he makes mistakes, he can learn on the fly, but he’s going to play a lot. He’s good. It seems like he’s learning. He’s a good player.”
In three games with the Bulls so far, Markkanen has averaged an impressive 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He’s done so in matchups against an array of formidable teams: the Spurs, Raptors and Cavs.
While much has gone wrong for the squad so far this season, the good news is that they seem to have nailed the draft pick that came with their offseason Jimmy Butler trade. Of course the better Markkanen plays, the harder it will be to relegate him to the bench when sidelined teammates Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis return to action.
That’s a challenge the organization is happy to face.
There’s more out of Chicago:
- LeBron James wasn’t the only Cavaliers player to speak highly of Lauri Markkanen. As Sam Amico of Amico Hoops writes, he impressed Dwyane Wade as well. “You can see if a guy knows how to play basketball when you first see him, right away. In the preseason, we all said he can play. No matter his age he can play. He’s aggressive. He understands they need him to score,” Wade said.
- After showing this summer that he’d like to remain in Chicago, Nikola Mirotic‘s camp suggested that his stance may not have necessarily changed, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes. That being said, there’s growing sentiment that, perhaps, he and Bobby Portis won’t be able to co-exist. As Johnson notes, there will presumably be more clarity as Mirotic recovers.
- Speaking of Nikola Mirotic‘s recovery, the 26-year-old hasn’t yet been cleared from concussion protocol, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. The forward will not be cleared for surgery until such time (if surgery proves necessary). Mirotic’s next concussion appointment will be next week.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 10/26/17
Here are the G League moves from around the league today:
- The Sixers have recalled Furkan Korkmaz from the Delaware 87ers, the team announced in a press release. They had assigned him to the affiliate just earlier in the day.
- The Nets have assigned Isaiah Whitehead to the Long Island Nets, the team announced via press release. Whitehead didn’t see NBA action while recalled with the big league club.