Raptors Issue QOs To Patrick McCaw, Nando De Colo
The Raptors have tendered qualifying offers to guards Patrick McCaw and Nando De Colo, making them restricted free agents, tweets Keith Smith of RealGM.com. RealGM’s log of official transactions confirms that Toronto issued those QOs on Friday.
As we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, qualifying offers are essentially one-year contract offers worth a set amount that give a team the right of first refusal on a free agent. If McCaw or De Colo signs an offer sheet with another team, Toronto will now have the opportunity to match that offer.
McCaw, who had a lengthy restricted free agency standoff with the Warriors last summer, briefly joined the Cavaliers before eventually ending up with the Raptors. The 23-year-old played a modest role in Toronto, averaging 2.7 PPG and 1.7 RPG in 26 games (13.2 MPG). McCaw, who won his third consecutive NBA title in 2019, has a QO worth about $1.88MM.
As for De Colo, he hasn’t actually played in the NBA since 2014, but the Raptors have held his rights since then by issuing him a qualifying offer every year while he played overseas. The veteran guard recently left CSKA Moscow and is looking to return to the NBA, so it will be interesting to see whether Toronto makes it a priority to retain him. His QO is worth about $1.83MM.
In other Raptors news, the team agreed to a deal with undrafted rookie Sagaba Konate out of West Virginia, a league source tells Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). Scotto’s report doesn’t include additional details, but Blake Murphy of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that Kobate will sign an Exhibit 10 contract, which would give him a spot on Toronto’s 20-man offseason roster.
A 6’8″ forward, Konate was limited to just eight games in 2018/19 due to a lingering knee injury, but opted to go pro as an early entrant anyway. In his last full college season in ’17/18, he averaged 10.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 3.2 BPG in 36 games as a sophomore.
Nets Exploring Possibility Of Signing DeAndre Jordan
The Nets are exploring the feasibility of signing free agent center DeAndre Jordan this summer, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
As Stein explains, Jordan is good friends with Kevin Durant, one of Brooklyn’s top free agent targets, and the Nets would like to add Jordan in the hopes that it would help entice Durant to Brooklyn along with Kyrie Irving.
If the Nets were to sign Durant and Irving to maximum-salary contracts, it would almost certainly leave the club with only the room exception available for free agents. That exception is projected to be worth $4.76MM, and it’s not clear if that will be enough to sign Jordan, who earned nearly $23MM last season.
The Nets aren’t the only ones who believe that the presence of Jordan might be attractive to Durant — their cross-town rivals, the Knicks, acquired Jordan in their Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster in February and didn’t buy out Jordan along with Enes Kanter and Wesley Matthews, viewing the veteran big man as a potential teammate for KD in 2019/20. New York has continued to show interest in re-signing Jordan, depending on how the team’s offseason plays out, per Stein (Twitter link).
While he’s not the perennial Defensive Player of the Year contender he once was, Jordan has appeal beyond his friendship with Durant. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News observes (via Twitter), Brooklyn didn’t have the big bodies to match up inside with the likes of Joel Embiid last season and got crushed by Philadelphia’s size and physicality in the playoffs. Acquiring a center like Jordan would help address that issue.
Pacific Notes: Fredette, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers
Former BYU star Jimmer Fredette will have a spot on the Warriors‘ Summer League roster next month, assistant GM Larry Harris tells Joe, Lo and Dibs of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link). Fredette technically remains under contract with the Suns and has a team option for the 2019/20 season. If he has already committed to Golden State for Summer League play though, that’s a strong indication that Phoenix won’t be exercising that option.
In other Summer League news, former Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes will play for the Clippers‘ squad, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who tweets that Hayes is employing an NBA out after signing with EuroLeague team Zalgiris. Hayes appeared in nine NBA games during the 2017/18 season, including five with the Kings.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Within an article exploring the pitch the Clippers should make to Kawhi Leonard in free agency, ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz cites sources who say a belief that Leonard would sign with an L.A. team in 2019 was a significant reason why the Celtics and Sixers didn’t go all-in for the forward on the trade market a year ago.
- While Leonard will be the Clippers‘ top target in free agency this summer, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said that the club would “never put all our eggs in one basket,” as Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times relays.
- Their trade for Anthony Davis will make the Lakers contenders, but their title aspirations ultimately may hinge on what sort of role players they can acquire to complement Davis and LeBron James, writes Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.
Chris Paul: “I Never Asked For A Trade”
Appearing at a youth basketball clinic in Los Angeles on Sunday, Rockets point guard Chris Paul addressed last week’s report on his supposed trade request, suggesting that it didn’t happen.
“I never asked for a trade,” Paul said, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “I never demanded a trade.”
Last week’s report from Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports suggested that the relationship between Paul and fellow Rockets guard James Harden was “unsalvageable” and that the two stars didn’t want to play together anymore. Goodwill’s report came on the heels of a separate story from Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com, who didn’t report that Paul had requested a trade, but outlined many of the same details Goodwill did when it came to the discord in Houston.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey quickly shot down the idea that Paul had requested a trade and said that CP3 will be on the roster next season, a sentiment the veteran echoed on Sunday, according to Feigen.
“I’ll be in Houston,” Paul said. “I’m happy about that. I’m very happy about that. I’m good.”
Feigen notes that Paul wasn’t very specific when asked on Sunday if there are issues to be worked out between him and Harden, and it seems clear that the two guards didn’t always see eye-to-eye during the 2018/19 season and postseason.
Still, with three years and more than $124MM left on Paul’s contract, it will be difficult for Houston to find a taker for him this offseason even if CP3 wants out. As such, it makes sense for both sides to prepare to move forward together.
Jarrett Allen Discusses Nets’ Season, Playoffs, Russell, More
Nets center Jarrett Allen is coming off an impressive season with the team, one that saw him significantly improve on both ends of the floor, emphatically block the shots of superstars like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and help lead the franchise to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Allen, who was drafted by Brooklyn with the No. 22 pick back in 2017, averaged 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 26.2 minutes in 80 total games this year. He credits the Nets’ strong camaraderie and willingness to sacrifice as two major reasons for the late-season surge that helped the club claim the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Based on most preseason projections and predictions in October, the Nets easily outperformed expectations.
“What was so special about this season was the team. Not just the team itself, but the people we had on it,” Allen told Hoops Rumors. “I mean, other than D’Angelo [Russell], we didn’t have any All-Star players. We all had to find our place and our role on the team, and everybody did it acceptingly.”
Allen discussed the Nets’ roller-coaster season, how the team made a sudden playoff surge, his offseason priorities, Russell’s upcoming restricted free agency, and much more in a wide-ranging conversation with Hoops Rumors.
What’s it like to play for fans of a true basketball city, a loyal, energetic and supportive fanbase like Brooklyn? They stuck with you guys through the good and bad all season long.
“It feels good. They’re always there to support you. Last year when we didn’t have the best season, everybody we saw at the arena or even out on the streets were just telling us, ‘You’ll get them next year, you’ll get them next year.’ They kept having that support all throughout and we ended up making the playoffs [this year] and gave back on that promise.”
So how did this team turn it around? You guys had eight straight losses in November and immediately followed it up with seven straight wins. What started the turnaround into a successful second half of the season?
“Well I think the turnaround started when [head coach] Kenny [Atkinson] and the vets all sat us down and told us basically that the season’s not over. We had a team meeting, a players-only meeting, just to go over that if we don’t start winning then the season’s going to be over. You know, the vets told us that it was still possible to turn it around. I think all of us just rallied behind what they were saying. We all just kept our heads up and put in the work that we needed to.”
So I’m willing to bet money that one of those guys who stepped up in the meeting was Jared Dudley. Am I correct?
“Yep, he was the one.”
How important was Jared for the team? A lot of fans look at the on-court product and base their final opinion on that, but what they don’t see is what happens behind the scenes and in the locker room.
“He’s just so important. He helped coach on the floor, basically like a player-coach. In the locker room he always brought us positive energy. He’s just a good guy to be around. But then just him showing the fight and telling us how basketball needs to be played, because he has a lot of experience, how basketball needs to be played to become a better team. It was easy to trust the vets, and we did it.”
How was playing in the postseason for you? I’d imagine a lot different from playing in the regular season, yeah?
“Oh, it’s a lot different. The amount of preparation that goes into every game, and then just being out on the court for the first time during the postseason, you can just feel the atmosphere was different between the players. It was just a new experience for me, just different.”
Do you think there’s a rivalry today between the Knicks and Nets, or at the very least could there be a rivalry going into next season?
“I think there’s a little bit of a rivalry. We’re an across-town team and everybody wants to be the best team in the city [of New York]. But, you know, it’s hard to be a rivalry because Brooklyn’s a new team. We don’t have a lot of history behind the Brooklyn name, so it’s hard to make a rivalry when we haven’t really showed anything.”
So, looking into free agency, obviously D’Angelo Russell is set to become a restricted free agent. Have you spoken with him about it, or do you plan on speaking with him about it?
“No, not really. I know he’s out doing his own thing right now. He has to figure out his own path right now, and I know him and his group are going to make the best decision for themselves.”
And obviously you want him back, considering how important of a piece he was to your puzzle this season?
“We would take him back in a heartbeat. He’s a leader. He led the team throughout everything that happened last year, with Spencer [Dinwiddie] and Caris [LeVert] going down to injury. He’s helped me tremendously grow as a player, so I would have him back in heartbeat.”
What do you know about Taurean Prince? Obviously the agreed-upon trade with Atlanta won’t become official until the first week of July — have you gotten the chance to meet or speak with him yet?
“No, I haven’t gotten the chance yet. I know him from his Baylor days. But I think he’ll fit right into the type of system Brooklyn’s making: grit, and just knowing our role and accepting it.”
Do you plan on having a recruiting role for your team this offseason, or do you prefer to sit back and just let the dominoes fall?
“I’m letting those dominoes fall — I’ll deal with it when it happens.”
What’s your ceiling as a player? In other words, where do you see yourself and your game in the next three to five years?
“Honestly — I have no idea. I know a lot of people say I have a high ceiling and the potential to be something great, and all I know is that I’m going out and giving my best effort every night.”
Do you have any primary goals for improving during the offseason? A lot of people have pushed for you to add more weight for next season, as you know.
“I would say that basically the whole world knows I need to put on some weight. You know, just dealing with big guys like that, it showed in the playoffs that I kind of struggled with the strength aspect. That’s obviously going to come with age, it’s just coming with working out, so I’m not too worried about it. Something I want to work on skill-wise is decision-making with the ball, and expanding my range to the three.”
Have you spoken with Kenny Atkinson about either of those two things?
“Oh yeah, he’s in the gym quite a bit. You know, walking around just checking on us. He said the exact same thing.”
In your mind, what truly allowed this team to prove so many people wrong this season?
“We knew we could do it. Like you said, at the beginning of the season there was a lot of doubt, people thinking we wouldn’t be in the playoffs. But coming into training camp, coming into practices we all practiced with the thought of the playoffs in our heads. So I think that was the one thing — speaking about the playoffs and playing for it.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Pistons, Louis King Agree To Two-Way Deal
The Pistons have reached a deal with undrafted rookie Louis King, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Detroit will sign the Oregon forward to a two-way contract once the new league year begins.
King, who declared for the draft as an early entrant after his freshman year, averaged 13.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG with a .435/.386/.785 shooting line in 31 games during his first and only season with the Ducks. Although he wasn’t one of the 60 players selected last Thursday, it didn’t take him long to find a new NBA home with one of the clubs that worked him out during the pre-draft process.
The Pistons are also reportedly signing No. 57 overall pick Jordan Bone to a two-way deal, so King and Bone appear set to occupy the team’s two-way slots to start the 2019/20 season. They’d supplant Isaiah Whitehead and Kalin Lucas, who were Detroit’s two-way players to end the ’18/19 season.
Meanwhile, Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link) hears from a league source that the Pistons have also agreed to a deal with former Michigan State guard Matt McQuaid, another undrafted rookie. Scotto doesn’t offer any more details on the move, so it’s not clear whether McQuaid will sign an Exhibit 10 agreement or another form of contract, but it sounds like the deal will cover more than just the Summer League.
In his senior year with the Spartans, McQuaid averaged 9.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.1 APG and shot 42.2% on three-point attempts. In total, 173 of his 271 field goal attempts came from beyond the arc.
Nick Nurse Officially Named Team Canada’s Head Coach
Fresh off an NBA championship in his first season with the Raptors, Nick Nurse has lined up another head coaching gig. According to a press release, Nurse has officially been named the head coach of Team Canada ahead of the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
While Nurse’s appointment as the coach of the Canadian men’s basketball program wasn’t officially finalized until today, a report back in May indicated that he would be the choice. His commitment will run through the 2020 Olympics, Team Canada announced today (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca).
“Nick fits our Gold Medal Profile as he is a proven leader with extensive experience coaching FIBA, NBA and other professional leagues around the world,” Team Canada GM Rowan Barrett said in a statement. “His coaching pedigree shows his ability to win at some of the highest levels and he has a tremendous understanding of the FIBA game and our Canadian NBA players. We strongly believe that this unique combination gives our players the best opportunity for success at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
It remains to be seen which players will be representing Canada at the 2019 World Cup — or at the 2020 Olympics, should the team qualify. With Nurse leading the way, perhaps a few more NBA players will be interested in participating.
Jamal Murray, Andrew Wiggins, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph, Kelly Olynyk, Dillon Brooks, Dwight Powell, and Khem Birch are among the NBA veterans who are Canadian.
A handful of incoming rookies could also receive consideration for the World Cup roster, as R.J. Barrett, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Brandon Clarke were among the six Canadians drafted last Thursday.
Southwest Notes: Murray, Arakji, Jackson Jr, Pelicans
Spurs guard Dejounte Murray is almost fully recovered from his torn ACL and is focused on getting ready for the 2019/20 season, Jabari Young details in a story for The Athletic.
Murray, 22, suffered the injury last preseason, a crushing blow to an organization hoping to feature him at starting point guard alongside the likes of DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge. He was overcome with emotion upon realizing his regular season ended before it even began.
“I’ve never been hurt before,” Murray said. “I pray to God it doesn’t happen again. It was just tears because I know all the hard work that I put in last (offseason). I put in a lot of work.”
Murray, who was drafted by the Spurs with the No. 29 pick in 2016, was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team during his second season. He’s expected to be a focal point in San Antonio’s offense heading into training camp this fall.
“I can’t wait (until) training camp because I’ll know who is on my team and who is not on my team,” Murray said. “I’m just excited to get to work. I want a championship bad, and I just want the players to want it as bad as me. So, if we all get on the same page and get a championship, then everybody is successful.”
- The Mavericks have reached a summer league commitment with guard Wael Arakji, a promising young star from Lebanon who recently impressed at a free agent mini-camp with the team, a league source told Hoops Rumors. Arakji, 24, also hired agent Scott Nichols of Rize Management as representation to continue his pursuit of an NBA deal, quickly becoming a fan-favorite overseas and impressing Mavs officials during his workout.
- Jaren Jackson Jr. has become the leader on the Grizzlies, but the team still needs more wing players to be competitive next season, Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian writes. Herrington outlines ten takes on the franchise after the draft, including what’s to come in free agency.
- Zion Williamson is a match made in heaven for the Pelicans, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. New Orleans drafted Williamson No. 1 overall and plans to add him to a young core that includes Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and others.
Lakers Notes: Johnson, Hart, Summer League, Offseason
Former Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson expects the new LeBron James–Anthony Davis pairing to be successful, he said this week at the 2019 BET Experience Genius Talks, as relayed by Alexis Mansanarez of Sporting News.
“LeBron is still, you know, the best in basketball,” Johnson said. “And I think that when you put another superstar with him, an Anthony Davis, both of them will allow each other now to really play their game and dominate, because what happens, the floor will open up.
“And LeBron is such an incredible passer and driver, and he always makes his teammate better. So look for Anthony really to have probably one of his greatest seasons.”
Johnson resigned from his position toward the end of the 2018/19 season, but remains a strong supporter of the team he spent his entire playing career with.
Los Angeles traded away a major haul to acquire Davis from New Orleans: Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks. With general manager Rob Pelinka taking over the day-to-day duties in Johnson’s absence, the team must now work to effectively fill the holes around Davis and James entering the 2019/20 season.
Here are some other notes out of Los Angeles tonight:
- Former Lakers guard Josh Hart bid farewell to the team on social media after he was traded to New Orleans. “I want to thank the Laker organization, Jeanie Buss & Magic Johnson for taking a chance on me & believing in me,” Hart wrote. “To my teammates thank you for teaching me how to play & grow in this league. To the fans….THANK YOU! Thank you for embracing me and for supporting me through all the ups and downs! One of the best fan bases in the league. It was a dream come true to wear the purple and gold! It’s always love on this side but now N.O ‘Let’s dance.'”
- Free agents Joe Young and Dakota Mathias have committed to playing summer league with the Lakers, Jonathon Givony of DraftExpress reports (Twitter link). Los Angeles opens summer league play on July 5 against Chicago.
- Ameer Tyree of Sporting News outlines three things the team needs to add in order to be successful next season. Among the improvements needed is more outside shooting, a category the team lacked in this past season.
Northwest Notes: Rosas, Reed, Bazley, Nuggets
Recently hired president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas is set to bring his worldly view and Latino roots to his new job with the Timberwolves, Chris Hine details in a story for the Star Tribune.
Minnesota hired Rosas, who previously spent 17 years in various basketball positions with the Rockets, as the team’s new president after a tumultuous regular season which saw the club trade its star player, fire its head coach and finish with just a 36-46 record.
“It’s definitely the road less traveled, and the odds are stacked against you,” Rosas said of being hired. “Being an immigrant in this country … it’s almost a responsibility, if somebody is willing to give you those opportunities, as an immigrant, a person coming into this country, you want to make the country proud.”
Rosas and his family migrated to America from Columbia when he was just three years old, according to Hine. His family settled in Houston, where Rosas discovered his love for the game of basketball and committed to starting a career. He’ll now be tasked with turning around a franchise in great turmoil last season, one that has a young star in Karl-Anthony Towns with several talented pieces around him.
“A lot of people have helped me get to this point, and because of that I have a responsibility to help others,” Rosas said. “We have such a special fraternity in the NBA, people that have been supportive of me. I need to help build a strong base, not only for Latinos but other individuals who want to be involved in the NBA.”
- Free agent Willie Reed has committed to summer league with the Jazz, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link). Reed, a three-year NBA veteran, held per-game averages of 20.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 21 games with Utah’s G League affiliate this past season.
- Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman details Darius Bazley‘s uncommon path to the NBA. Bazley was selected by the Jazz with the No. 23 overall pick in the draft, who then traded him to Memphis. The Grizzlies later traded him to the Thunder.
- The Nuggets aren’t scared of the ongoing arms race in the Western Conference, Mike Singer of the Denver Post writes. Denver has an intriguing young group headlined by star center Nikola Jokic going into the summer. “I think we focus on internal growth, focus on ourselves,” president Tim Connelly said of his team’s offseason focus. “I love our group, I love our core, love our coaching staff, so we’re pretty excited about whoever we’re competing against next season.”