Diamond Stone Mulling Offers In China
Former Clippers center Diamond Stone is in discussions with multiple teams in the Chinese Basketball Association on a potential deal, agent Jerry Dianis told Hoops Rumors.
Stone is expected to finalize his decision on which team to sign with in the near future, Dianis said.
Stone, a 6’10” Maryland product, was drafted with the No. 40 pick in 2016 and holds several years of professional experience. After a brief stint with the Clippers in 2016/17, he was acquired by the Hawks in a three-team July trade, getting waived three weeks later. He also spent time with the Bulls in training camp that fall.
Stone has made past NBA G League stops with the Windy City Bulls, Salt Lake City Stars, Iowa Wolves, and most recently the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The 23-year-old former McDonald’s All-American has averaged 13.3 points and 5.6 rebounds across 77 G League games (19.5 MPG), proving his worth on both ends of the court.
Several players have opted to scan the market overseas with uncertainty surrounding the NBA G League next season, according to sources. To this point, the NBA hasn’t released official 2020/21 plans for either of its leagues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The league has reportedly locked in a date for the 2020 draft, however, which is set to be held on Nov. 18.
Eastern Notes: Bertans, Vaughn, Nurse, Antetokounmpo
Wizards forward Davis Bertans‘ decision to pass on the restart was driven by free agency, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington relays. Bertans made his comments on the ‘Basketball Network’ show on YouTube.
“I think there were multiple reasons,” the Wizards’ sharpshooter said. “Of course, one of the main ones I guess is that I was an upcoming free agent and we were put in a position as very unlikely to make the playoffs. To risk an injury after not playing basketball and not really working out for almost two months [was not smart]. That was the main reason.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Nets are hopeful that Jacques Vaughn will remain on Steve Nash’s staff even though they passed on making him the permanent head coach, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Vaughn has been identified is a candidate for the Pacers coaching job. The Rockets are also reportedly interested, though the Nets would have to grant those teams permission to interview him.
- Handing coach Nick Nurse an extension was an important first step during a tricky offseason for the Raptors, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Canada opines. The Raptors need to position themselves for the summer of 2021, when they could chase top free agents. The next step this offseason would be to reach extension agreements with team president Masai Ujiri and GM Bobby Webster, Lewenberg adds. Details of Nurse’s multiyear extension can be found here.
- The safest bet regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo is that he stays put with the Bucks, either through a Designated Veteran Extension this offseason or re-signing on a shorter deal next year, according to Danny Leroux of The Athletic. Leroux looks at all the options and possibilities regarding Antetokounmpo’s future in the wake of the Bucks’ surprisingly early playoff exit.
- The Raptors will have approximately $45MM to spend on their own free agents or using the mid-level exception before going into the luxury tax, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic. Murphy takes a closer look at the Raptors’ balance sheet and impending decisions, including Fred VanVleet‘s free agency.
Western Notes: Connelly, Jazz, Evans, Donovan
The Nuggets have built a contender without being a destination for top free agents, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report writes. President of basketball operations Tim Connelly said the team needed to draft well and make wise trades to get to this point.
“Let’s be honest, we’re not getting the same meetings New York’s getting or L.A.’s getting,” Connelly said. “So how can we combat that? How can we try to chart our own course, something we can control a bit more?” The Nuggets drafted five rotation players, including stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, while never having a pick higher than No. 7 overall.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- The Jazz don’t have much money to throw around in free agency as they look to upgrade their roster, Ryan McDonald of the Deseret News writes. On the flip side, they could lock up Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert to long-term contract extensions and they should be able to find ways to bolster their bench.
- The Thunder own 13 first-round picks in the next seven drafts, which is one reason why they have hired national recruiting analyst Corey Evans, Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reports. Evans, 30, has built a reputation as one of the most connected young analysts in both high school and college basketball, Thamel adds. He’s expected to be as an amateur evaluation scout.
- Billy Donovan‘s ability to coach different playing styles and instill confidence in young players are some of the reasons why he might be a good fit for the Pelicans’ job, according to The Athletic’s William Guillory. Donovan’s emphasis on defenses and toughness are also traits that could make him attractive to New Orleans’ front office. Guillory also looks at reasons why the team might pass on the former Thunder coach.
Ja Morant, Kendrick Nunn Headline All-Rookie Team
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who previously won the Rookie of the Year award, was the only player unanimously selected to this year’s All-Rookie First Team, the league announced in a press release. A panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters selected the team.
Heat guard Kendrick Nunn collected the second-most First Team votes (98) and total points (197). Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, Pelicans forward and top overall draft pick Zion Williamson, and Warriors forward Eric Paschall rounded out the First Team.
Morant and Clarke became the first Grizzlies duo named to the All-Rookie First Team since the 2001/02 season, when Pau Gasol and Shane Battier earned the honor. Nunn is the first Heat player named to the First Team since Michael Beasley in 2008/09.
Heat guard Tyler Herro, Raptors guard Terence Davis II, Bulls guard Coby White, Hornets forward P.J. Washington, and Wizards forward Rui Hachimura gained All-Rookie Second Team honors.
Knicks wing and third overall pick RJ Barrett finished 13 points behind Hachimura for the final spot on the Second Team, with Sixers forward Matisse Thybulle narrowly missing a spot as well.
The voting was conducted based on regular-season games played prior to the restart.
Rockets Notes: Morey, Fertitta, D’Antoni, Coaching Job
General manager Daryl Morey’s job is safe and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta declared that Morey and the basketball operations department will conduct the search for a new head coach, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Fertitta, who made his comments on CNBC, said he will merely sign off on the recommendation made by Morey and his staff.
“It begins and ends with the general manager,” Fertitta said. “You can talk to me all day long. I personally wouldn’t know what coach to hire. That’s why you have a basketball operations team that’s made of a half a dozen people that use all kinds of analytics and experience.”
Mike D’Antoni‘s decision to leave Houston was made public on Sunday.
We have more on the Rockets:
- Fertitta’s lack of communication with D’Antoni after the Rockets were eliminated by the Lakers led to the coach’s decision to depart, Kelly Iko and Sam Amick of The Athletic report. D’Antoni spoke with Morey and everyone on the team prior to the flight back to Houston on Sunday. D’Antoni expected a phone call from ownership regarding the season and its future plans for him but that didn’t come. Prior to boarding the plane, D’Antoni decided he would leave the franchise and test the open market.
- Expectations will remain high for the Rockets and that’s one factor for potential head coaching candidates to consider, Feigen opines. The Rockets’ core players are on the wrong side of 30 and their window is closing. If the franchises decides to rebuild after Russell Westbrook and James Harden finish out their contracts, the Rockets don’t possess many assets, Feigen adds.
- Jeff Green isn’t thinking about retiring, though as a free agent it’s uncertain whether he’ll be back in Houston. Get the details here.
Poll: Who Will Win Celtics/Heat Series?
The Celtics and the Heat weren’t necessarily the teams that most fans and league observers expected to square off in the Eastern Finals this season, but the conference’s No. 3 and No. 5 seeds will fight for the right to play in the NBA Finals after knocking off the top two clubs in the East, Milwaukee and Toronto.
It’s a fascinating matchup, and one with no obvious favorite. The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag currently list the Celtics at -137 for the series, meaning you’d have to risk $137 on a bet to win $100. That makes the Heat the slight underdogs at +118.
However, the Heat were the more impressive of the two teams in the second round, dispatching the top-seeded Bucks with relative ease in a five-game series. Miami held Giannis Antetokounmpo reasonably in check until he was sidelined with an ankle injury. And Jimmy Butler led a balanced offensive attack that saw four players – Butler, Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, and Jae Crowder – average at least 15 PPG, while Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kelly Olynyk stretched the floor.
The Heat’s 113.0 offensive rating was second among the eight teams in the second round, behind only the Lakers, and their 106.6 defensive rating was the best of any team not involved in the Boston/Toronto series. Miami’s play in that impressive second-round win is a big reason why 11 of 22 experts at ESPN.com, including Bobby Marks, Tim MacMahon, and Ramona Shelburne, are picking the Heat to knock off the Celtics and make the NBA Finals.
The Celtics won’t be an easy out by any means though. Boston’s offense is a little more well-rounded than Milwaukee’s attack, with a number of players handling play-making responsibilities — if Kemba Walker doesn’t have it going, as was the case in the last two games of the second round against Toronto, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and even Marcus Smart can step up and shoulder the bulk of the scoring duties.
And while the Bucks had the NBA’s best defense during the regular season, the Heat will be tasked in the Eastern Finals with solving the defense that has ranked first overall during the postseason so far. The Celtics’ defensive rating in the playoffs is 101.9, including an eye-popping 100.3 mark in their seven games vs. the Raptors. Underrated center Daniel Theis helps anchor the unit, which is versatile, switchable, and features several dangerous perimeter defenders in Smart, Tatum, and Brown.
With Game 1 of the series set to tip off in a matter of hours, we want you to weigh in with your two cents. Who do you think will win this series? The Celtics or the Heat? How many games do you expect it take? And do you think either club has a legit shot to win the NBA Finals?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section to explain your pick!
Which team will win the series?
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Boston Celtics 54% (712)
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Miami Heat 46% (613)
Total votes: 1,325
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
2020 NBA Offseason Preview: Phoenix Suns
Hoops Rumors is previewing the 2020 offseason for all 30 NBA teams. We’re looking at the key questions facing each club, as well as the roster decisions they’ll have to make this fall. Today, we’re focusing on the Phoenix Suns.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Suns’ cap outlook will depend on which direction they want to go with their roster. They currently project to have $87.5MM in guaranteed money on their books for eight players and a first-round pick, so renouncing or cutting everyone else could result in about $19MM in space.
However, retaining non-guaranteed players like Cameron Payne ($1.98MM) and Elie Okobo ($1.67MM) would cut into that space slightly. So would exercising a $5MM team option for Frank Kaminsky. And attempting to re-sign Dario Saric and/or Aron Baynes, who each have $10MM cap holds, could result in Phoenix remaining over the cap.
If the Suns use cap room, they’ll be able to supplement it with the room exception ($4.77MM). If they remain over the cap, they’ll have the full mid-level exception (about $9.3MM) and bi-annual exception ($3.6MM) available.
Our full salary cap preview for the Suns can be found right here.
Roster Decisions To Watch
Options:
Frank Kaminsky, team option: $5,005,350- Cameron Payne, team option: $1,977,011
- Note: Payne’s salary would only be guaranteed for $25K if his option is exercised.
- Cheick Diallo, team option: $1,824,003
Non-Guaranteed Contracts:
- Elie Okobo ($1,663,861)
Two-Way Contracts:
- Tariq Owens (expiring)
Free Agents:
- Aron Baynes (Bird)
- Dario Saric (RFA; Bird)
- Jevon Carter (RFA; Early Bird)
2020 Draft Assets
First Round:
- No. 10 overall pick
Second Round:
- None
The Suns have their own first-round pick, but traded away their second-round pick (No. 40) to the Grizzlies in a salary-dump deal last July that sent Josh Jackson, Kyle Korver, and De’Anthony Melton to Memphis.
Three Key Offseason Questions
1. Was the Suns’ end-of-season success for real?
Although the Suns ultimately fell short of qualifying for a play-in tournament for the final postseason spot in the Western Conference, their summer success was one of the biggest early stories of the NBA’s restart.
Critics initially questioned why Phoenix – which entered the summer with a 26-39 record, good for 13th in the Western Conference – was even invited to Orlando, but no other team matched the Suns’ 8-0 record during seeding games.
That end-of-season run was a great sign for the franchise going forward, but it will be up to the Suns’ front office to properly evaluate what it means heading into the offseason. Overachieving teams can get into trouble when they weigh a previous season’s success too heavily and make win-now roster changes, ignoring the possibility of regression and assuming that success will carry over.
That doesn’t mean the Suns should dismiss the positive developments that took place during their summer run. The ongoing improvements made by cornerstone building blocks Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton are great signs for the organization, as are the strides made by young role players like Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges.
However, it would be dangerous to assume the roster is just one or two pieces away from contention or to pencil Phoenix in for a playoff spot in a competitive conference next season based on the team’s 8-0 summer. General manager James Jones and the Suns should focus on continuing to make sound decisions without skipping any steps or taking short-cuts in the roster-building process.
2. Will the Suns look to bring back their own players or create cap space?
The Suns’ determination of how seriously to take their summer results will extend to their free-agents-to-be and players with options, many of whom either outperformed expectations or were non-factors during that 8-0 stretch.
Veteran big man Aron Baynes, for instance, had a great season in Phoenix, establishing new career highs in PPG (11.5), RPG (5.6), 3PT% (.351), and a handful of other categories while providing solid defense. But he didn’t play at all during the summer as he recovered from the effects of a COVID-19 diagnosis. As the Suns evaluate whether to re-sign Baynes, will they weigh his full-season success more heavily than their unbeaten streak without him?
Fellow big man Frank Kaminsky is in a similar spot as Baynes — he had a decent season overall before being sidelined by a right knee injury, but struggled during the restart, playing sparingly and putting up just 3.7 PPG on .393/.167/1.000 shooting. As a result, it no longer seems all that likely that the Suns will pick up his $5MM option.
On the other hand, power forward Dario Saric thrived during the restart ahead of potential restricted free agency. He was the club’s third-leading scorer in seeding games, behind Booker and Ayton, with 14.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and a red-hot .574/.524/.879 shooting line. Similarly, Cameron Payne was a pleasant surprise on his minimum-salary contract, averaging 10.9 PPG and making 51.7% of his three-pointers in eight seeding games.
If the Suns opt to move on from all their free agents and players with non-guaranteed contracts, they could create approximately $19MM in cap room. But if they start exercising options or re-signing players, that room will disappear in a hurry — especially if Saric or Baynes are retained. Their cap holds exceed $10MM and it might take an offer in that neighborhood to re-sign them.
The Suns have been named as potential suitors for some of the summer’s top unrestricted free agents, including Fred VanVleet and Davis Bertans, but they can only realistically pursue those guys if they open up cap room. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) suggests, a more prudent approach to the offseason might see Phoenix retaining Saric and Baynes on short-term deals and using the $9.3MM mid-level exception to seek out another reliable rotation player on the free agent market.
3. Will Kelly Oubre or Ricky Rubio be traded?
There’s another route the Suns could go if they want to retain some of their free agents while also being a player for some of this offseason’s top free agents. Oubre is on an expiring $14.4MM contract, while Rubio has two years and $34.8MM left on his deal — both veterans could be intriguing chips in trade talks.
Oubre, who underwent surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee on March 3, is another player who wasn’t in the Suns’ lineup during their hot summer stretch. Throw in the fact that he’ll reach free agency in 2021 and overlaps positionally with some young players on Phoenix’s roster and you can make a case that the team should consider gauging his value on the trade market.
Oubre is entering his age-25 season and was having his best season as a pro before injuring his knee, so he’d fit into the Suns’ long-term plans. But if there’s a player on the free agent market the team wants to go after, acquiring an asset in exchange for Oubre and clearing his $14MM+ salary would be one way to clear cap space.
Another way would be moving Rubio, though he might be a slightly harder sell, since he’s entering his age-30 season and has multiple years left on his contract. This seems like a longer shot to me, since we’re just a year removed from Rubio being the free agent target the Suns had to create cap room to pursue. But Marks suggests that moving the veteran point guard and a draft pick to a team with space (like the Hawks) would be a way to open up the room to go after VanVleet.
Jones and the Suns will have some options this offseason. It’ll just be a matter of deciding which players – either on the current roster or on the free agent market – the team wants to prioritize and which ones aren’t part of the franchise’s long-term vision.
Information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jeremy Lin Seeking NBA Return Following CBA Stint
After spending the 2019/20 season in the Chinese Basketball Association, veteran point guard Jeremy Lin is leaving the Beijing Ducks and will look to return to the NBA for the ’20/21 campaign (link via ChannelNewsAsia.com).
“This decision has really been the hardest in my life,” Lin said in Mandarin in a Weibo video. “… Every morning I would wake up at 4:00 or 5:00 am, thinking, thinking and thinking all the time. In the end, although (the Ducks) have treated me incredibly well … giving me everything I wanted, in the end, I feel that I still have NBA dreams. I still have time to play (there) and I have to chase this.”
Lin, who made his NBA debut in 2010 with the Warriors, spent time with eight teams in total over the course of nine NBA seasons, enjoying a breakout year with the Knicks in 2011/12 and winning a championship with the Raptors in 2019. He elected to play in China last season and averaged 22.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 5.6 APG for the Ducks, earning a CBA All-Star nod.
It remains to be seen how much interest the 32-year-old will draw from NBA teams. He was a reliable contributor in 51 games for Atlanta in ’18/19, with 10.7 PPG and 3.5 APG on .466/.333/.845 shooting. However, after being bought out by the Hawks and signing with the Raptors, he recorded just 7.0 PPG and 2.2 APG on .374/.200/.810 shooting and fell out of Toronto’s rotation for the playoffs.
Lin, who is Taiwanese-American, said he cried when he told his family that he would be leaving China in an effort to make an NBA comeback.
Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Raptors, LeVert, Sixers
The announcement of this season’s All-NBA teams will be important for the Raptors, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic, who notes that the value of Pascal Siakam‘s rookie scale extension would increase from 25% of next season’s cap to 28% if Siakam is named to the All-NBA Second Team.
Even if Anthony Davis is considered a center and Luka Doncic is listed as a guard, making the Second Team might be a tall task for Siakam, as the Raptors forward figures to be behind LeBron James, Giannis Antetokonmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Jayson Tatum on many ballots.
While the savings for the Raptors on a 25% max instead of 28% for Siakam wouldn’t be massive, the club will likely welcome any extra cap flexibility it can get as it looks to re-sign Fred VanVleet and preserve cap room for 2021.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Steven Loung of Sportsnet.ca examines five pressing offseason questions facing the Raptors, including which of their veteran free agents to re-sign and what OG Anunoby‘s value on a rookie scale extension would be. Meanwhile, Eric Koreen of The Athletic contends that a new contract extension for president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, whose current deal expires in 2021, would be the best move Toronto could make this offseason. The team extended head coach Nick Nurse earlier today.
- Nets forward Kevin Durant isn’t convinced the club needs to trade for a third star this offseason, expressing a belief that Caris LeVert is capable of being that star. “I think Caris is that perfect guy for us — any given night he can lead us in scoring or lead us in assists or he can control the offense or we can go to him in the post in a matchup,” Durant said during an appearance on the Old Man & The Three podcast (hat tip to Ian Begley of SNY.tv). “I feel like he has the tools to do everything on the basketball court. On our team, we play unselfishly, and we’ve got guys that can play off the basketball so on any given night anybody can be the star.”
- Rich Hofmann of The Athletic takes a closer look at Mike D’Antoni, exploring whether the former Houston head coach would be a good fit on the Sixers‘ bench.
Raptors Sign Nick Nurse To Multiyear Extension
The Raptors have signed head coach Nick Nurse to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. Nurse’s three-year deal with the club had been set to expire in 2021.
“Our confidence in Nick just continues to grow, and part of that comes from what we’ve experienced together. The past two seasons have been unlike any other in our team’s history – first, winning our championship, and then navigating a global pandemic and committing long-term to the fight against racism and for social justice,” Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “Nick has proved that he can coach on the court and lead in life, and we’re looking forward to accomplishing great things in the future.”
Previously an assistant coach on the Raptors’ staff under Dwane Casey, Nurse was promoted following the 2017/18 season and has enjoyed a near-perfect two-year run in his first stint as an NBA head coach. He has an 111-43 (.721) regular season record and a 23-12 (.657) postseason mark during that stretch, winning the franchise’s first-ever title in 2019 and earning Coach of the Year honors in 2020.
While the Raptors’ playoff run this summer ended in the second round with a Game 7 loss to the Celtics, Nurse earned praise all season long for leading Toronto to a No. 2 seed in the East despite losing Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and dealing with a bevy of injuries to his starters and rotation players.
The terms of Nurse’s new contract aren’t yet known, but a multiyear extension means the team has added at least two seasons to the one year left on his initial deal, locking him up through at least 2023.
It’s also probably safe to assume that Nurse received a raise on his new contract. When he was promoted to replace Casey in 2018, his three-year deal was said to be worth less than $10MM in total.
Nurse is one of several key figures within the organization who was in line for an extension this offseason. President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster each have one year left on their respective contracts, and the club figures to pursue new deals with both executives very soon. Meanwhile, Fred VanVleet, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka are all on track for unrestricted free agency, while OG Anunoby is becoming extension-eligible for the first time.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.