Spurs Notes: DeRozan, Murray, Aldridge, Ginobili
Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan says he’s more motivated than he’s ever been in his career, as he told NBA.com in a TV interview. DeRozan was highly agitated when the Raptors traded him away to the Spurs and while he claims he’s over the disappointment, he feels he has something to prove while moving to the Western Conference. “I treated my whole summer workout with that motivation, that chip on my shoulder. It’s making me more anxious to get out there and play,” he said.
In other news around the Spurs:
- Coach Gregg Popovich said during the team’s annual media day on Monday that Dejounte Murray is up for the challenge of becoming the team’s next standout point guard, Madalyn Mendoza of the San Antonio Express News writes. “He really wants to be good, he really wants to be to the team what Tony (Parker) was to the team,” Popovich said. “I’m confident he’ll do that as time goes on.” Murray’s ability to push the ball will force the tempo and challenge his teammates, Popovich adds. “Other players will have to run like they’ve never run before because he’s going to go,” Popovich said. “And if they want to ball they’ll have to run with him.”
- LaMarcus Aldridge is glad the Kawhi Leonard saga is over and doesn’t want to rehash it, Michael Bolin of 247Sports relays. “It’s obviously gone now. If you are gonna ask questions about that whole thing, I’m not going to answer it,” the veteran power forward said. “We are happy to turn the page.”
- Popovich took recently retired guard Manu Ginobili on his annual coaches’ retreat last week, ESPN’s Michael C. Wright tweets. Ginobili revealed earlier this month that Popovich tried to talk him into playing for another season.
Spurs Waive Olivier Hanlan, Add Nick Johnson
The Spurs have waived guard Olivier Hanlan, according to the NBA.com transactions log.
San Antonio signed Hanlan last week. Hanlan will likely wind up with the G League’s Austin Spurs unless he’s claimed. He played 44 games for them last season.
San Antonio has added guard Nick Johnson to the training camp roster, according to a team release. Johnson was named the G League finals MVP last season after leading Austin to the title.
The 6’3” Johnson has not played an NBA game since the 2014/15 season, when he was a Rockets rookie.
Houston selected him in the second round in 2014. He averaged 2.6 PPG in 9.4 MPG. Johnson has appeared in a total of 102 G League games and spent the 2o16/17 season with Bayern Munich in Germany.
The Spurs technically have a full camp roster, though recently-retired Manu Ginobili is still on the 20-player list.
Hanlan, a former Boston College standout, was selected in the second round by the Jazz in 2015. The Spurs acquired his rights the following summer in exchange for Boris Diaw and a future second-rounder.
Hanlan has also played professionally in Lithuania and France. With Austin last season, the 6’4” guard averaged 14.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 2.8 APG in 30.6 MPG. He averaged 6.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG and 2.6 APG in five Las Vegas outings with the Spurs’ summer league team.
Grizzlies Add Ismaila Kane To Camp Roster
The Grizzlies have signed undrafted forward Ismaila Kane to their training camp roster, according to a team press release.
The 6’9” Senegal native appeared in 13 games last season for the Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association and averaged 14.3 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 1.69 BPG.
While it’s highly unlikely the 20-year-old will make the opening-night roster, Kane has a chance to make an impression and perhaps develop his game with the team’s G League club, the Memphis Hustle.
Rockets Notes: Carmelo, Knight, Luxury Tax
Carmelo Anthony‘s scoring numbers have been on the decline for the last five seasons, but he was never moved to a bench role in either New York or Oklahoma City — the 10-time All-Star has appeared in 1,054 career regular season games and has started them all.
That may change during the upcoming season, but Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t tip his hand on Media Day, telling reporters – including Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link) – that he’s still waiting to see how the pieces fit before decide whether Anthony will start or come off the bench.
Asked about the possibility of coming off the bench, Anthony said no one has had that conversation with him yet. Pushed further on the matter, the veteran forward suggested he’d be open to the idea: “Whatever I have to do to help this team win a championship, that’s what’s going to be done” (Twitter links).
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- New Rockets guard Brandon Knight has an infection “that needs to clear up,” per general manager Daryl Morey (Twitter link via MacMahon). Knight, who recently underwent knee surgery, will be sidelined through the preseason, Morey added.
- Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta called the luxury tax a “horrible hindrance” and suggested that the franchise may look to avoid the repeater tax down the line (Twitter link via MacMahon). However, he also noted that he’s in Houston to win championships, and an extra $5-10MM won’t stop him from doing so (Twitter link via Kelly Iko of The Athletic). Those tax penalties would only be an issue if the Rockets are still paying them and stop winning, Feritta said.
- Earlier today, we passed along the latest on the Rockets and draft-and-stash prospect Alessandro Gentile, who doesn’t yet have an agreement in place with the club.
Jimmy Butler Rumors: Thibs, Kings, Nets, Pistons
Although Jimmy Butler didn’t participate in the Timberwolves‘ Media Day on Monday, he was in Minnesota and took his physical, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. As Reynolds relays, head coach Tom Thibodeau – who said that Butler could be about a week from being ready to play – also sounded like a man who was open to the idea of dealing his All-Star wing.
“We’re not going to make a bad deal,” Thibodeau said. “If it’s a good deal, we’re interested.”
According to Thibodeau, last week’s trade request from Butler was the first time the 29-year-old had taken such a stance, forcing the situation to come to “a head” (Twitter link via Chris Hine of The Star Tribune). Thibodeau also acknowledged that there was risk involved in acquiring Butler last year, but said he thought the Timberwolves would have a good chance to lock him up long-term. “It didn’t work out,” Thibodeau said today (Twitter link via Jerry Zgoda).
After making it clear that the Wolves will consider potential trades with teams besides the ones on Butler’s wish list, Thibodeau added that if Minnesota can’t make a deal in the next week and Butler is done with his conditioning and rehab work, the All-NBA swingman will be expected to rejoin the team (Twitter links via Michael Rand and Kent Youngblood of The Star Tribune).
Here’s more on Butler:
- Thibodeau said today that he isn’t worried about his own authority – or job – as a result of the Butler situation. “Not at all. I never worry about that,” Thibodeau said (Twitter link via Michael Rand). “[The] important thing is to understand … what your job is. Your job is to acquire best talent to help your team win.”
- Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) believes a trade will happen “sooner rather than later,” though probably not today.
- League sources maintain to David Aldridge of NBA.com that the Timberwolves will hold out for at least one first-round pick as part of a Butler trade, and will also want some “young vets” who can grow with the club’s remaining core.
- The Kings are on the list of teams interested in discussing a possible Butler trade with the Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
- As of late Sunday night, the Nets weren’t negotiating with the Timberwolves on a Butler deal, according to Newsday’s Greg Logan, who believes Brooklyn isn’t eager to sacrifice a ton of assets for the Timberwolves wing (Twitter links).
- Don’t count on the Pistons swinging a blockbuster trade for Butler, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News.
Heat Notes: Wade, Haslem, Winslow, Weber
Speaking to reporters today at the Heat‘s Media Day, Dwyane Wade admitted that he was “90-10” on retiring after last season, and is now ready to enter his final year in the NBA, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. No matter how Miami’s season plays out, Wade is comfortable and at peace with his decision, noting that he’d like to remain “around the game” after retiring as a player.
Meanwhile, longtime Heat big man Udonis Haslem joked today that he’ll retire when Wade does, but later clarified that he has yet to make a decision on his own future, opting to take it year by year (Twitter link via Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald). Haslem and Wade both entered the NBA in 2003 and have been teammates for all but one season since then.
Here’s more out of South Beach:
- Justise Winslow acknowledged today that it’s hard not to think about his contract situation with an October 15 deadline for a rookie scale extension looming (Twitter link via Ira Winderman). However, he said he’ll be fine with or without a new deal in place by that time. Winslow added that he has met with the Heat front office about an extension.
- Briante Weber has spent most of his career in the G League, but he doesn’t feel like that’s an option as he tries to earn a roster spot with the Heat, relays Barry Jackson. “I’ve pretty much done everything I could in the G-League,” Weber said. “There’s nothing else for me to do down there. My game speaks for itself down there. I am here for the NBA.”
- In another article for The Miami Herald, Barry Jackson rounded up all of Erik Spoelstra‘s notable comments from today’s Media Day presser, including the head coach’s thoughts on Hassan Whiteside, Dion Waiters, and Miami’s roster versatility.
- Earlier today, we passed along word that James Johnson may not be healthy in time for the Heat’s regular season opener.
Kyle Korver Contemplated Retirement In Offseason
Kyle Korver mulled the idea of retirement during the offseason before deciding to return for his 16th season in the NBA, reports Joe Vardon of The Athletic (Twitter link). Korver is entering the second year of his three-year deal with the Cavaliers.
While a Korver retirement decision this summer may have been overshadowed to some extent by Manu Ginobili opting to call it a career, Korver has had a long, successful NBA career in his own right. An All-Star in 2015, the 37-year-old sharpshooter has appeared in more than 1,100 regular season contests for the Sixers, Jazz, Bulls, Hawks, and Cavaliers. For his career, he has posted 9.9 PPG on .444/.431/.881 shooting.
Korver, who re-upped with Cleveland in 2017, will earn $7.56MM for the coming season. He’s on the Cavaliers’ books for $7.5MM in 2019/20, but only $3.44MM of that figure is fully guaranteed, meaning he could become a cap casualty next summer if his production dips this season. However, if he’s playing well this year and the Cavs aren’t in contention, he could become a prime trade candidate at the deadline.
Injury Updates: Porzingis, Booker, Cousins, Neto
Kristaps Porzingis offered an update on his condition at the Knicks‘ Media Day, but there’s still no timetable for him to start playing again, relays the Associated Press.
Porzingis has been doing some light running, but not sprinting, as he continues to recover from a torn ACL he suffered in February. The Knicks are being cautious with the rehab process and don’t want him to return to action until they are sure he is fully ready.
Porzingis adds that he isn’t concerned about getting a contract extension done quickly. He will have to wait until next summer for an extension if a deal isn’t reached before the start of the season.
There’s more injury news to pass along:
- Devin Booker got sutures removed from his right hand last week and is using a splint during workouts, Suns GM Ryan McDonough said today, per Gina Mizell of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team is still hoping Booker can be ready for opening night.
- The Warriors plan to re-evaluate free agent addition DeMarcus Cousins again in four weeks, tweets Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Team president Bob Myers is happy with the progress Cousins has made, saying, “We won’t rush him. But we also won’t hold him back.”
- Jazz guard Raul Neto has been diagnosed with a right hamstring injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, according to a tweet from the team.
- Hawks guard Justin Anderson is still recovering from surgery in late June to address recurring tibial stress syndrome in his left leg and won’t be ready for the start of training camp, the team announced on its website. Dewayne Dedmon will also be held out as he recovers from an avulsion fracture in his left ankle. He is in his second week of weight-bearing rehab work. Daniel Hamilton is taking a non-surgical approach to a torn rotator cuff and his progress will be reviewed in a week. Jeremy Lin has recovered from the ruptured patella tendon that caused him to miss nearly all of last season and will start camp with limited restrictions. Rookie Omari Spellman has soft tissue inflammation in his left shin and will be held out for the next seven to 10 days.
Magic Second-Rounder Justin Jackson Signs G League Contract
Magic second-round pick Justin Jackson, one of the last unsigned players in this year’s draft class, has inked a G League contract and will join Orlando’s NBAGL affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said today (Twitter link via Keith Smith of RealGM.com).
Having missed most of the 2017/18 season with a torn labrum, Jackson may not have been ready to contribute to the Magic’s NBA squad right away in his rookie season, so the team has opted to make him a domestic draft-and-stash prospect instead.
While most of this year’s second-round picks, particularly those selected in the first half of the second round, signed NBA contracts, it’s not uncommon for a small handful of draftees to sign G League contracts. In fact, this will be the second consecutive year that the 43rd overall pick has taken that route — Rockets second-rounder Isaiah Hartenstein spent last season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before signing his first NBA deal with Houston this summer.
Before going done with his labrum injury last season, Jackson had recorded 10.3 PPG and 6.5 RPG in 44 career games at Maryland. The 21-year-old forward also had a career shooting line of .418/.386/.728. Orlando acquired his rights in a draft-night trade, moving down two spots from No. 41 to No. 43 and picking up a 2019 second-round pick in the process.
Kemba Walker Wants To Stay In Charlotte
Hornets guard Kemba Walker is happy in Charlotte and has no desire to join a “super team,” according to an Associated Press report.
Walker made the comments today at the team’s media day, offering some insight into his plans for next summer. He will be part of a stellar free agent class in 2019 and is in position to earn a huge raise from the $12MM he will make this season.
“You see guys who are on elite teams,” Walker said. “I don’t want to do that. I want to create something special here in Charlotte, something that we have never had here before. I want to create some consistency. And I want to be a part of that.”
Walker has spent his entire seven-year NBA career in Charlotte after being taken with the ninth pick in the 2011 draft. The leading scorer in franchise history, Walker expressed confidence that the Hornets will make a strong effort to re-sign him, saying, “I just have that feeling.”