All-Star Game Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: All-Star Game, Frye, Mirotic, Pistons

December 13th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

After today’s announcement that the Pacers will host the 2021 All-Star Game, the Cavaliers have been assured that they will be an all-star host soon afterward, reports Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “Cleveland is a great basketball city with some of the NBA’s most passionate fans and we look forward to holding our week of NBA All-Star events in Cleveland in the near future,” read a statement from NBA Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, who promised that the game will be coming to Cleveland “in the near future.”

Quicken Loans Arena is going through a $140MM renovation, and the Cavs were hoping to be named All-Star hosts in 2020 or 2021. David Gilbert, chief executive officer for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, said up to 14 cities were competing for the 2021 game.

There’s more tonight from the Central Division:

Cavaliers center/forward Channing Frye is making changes to his game to earn more playing time, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Known primarily as a long-distance shooter, Frye has taken the ball to the basket more often this season. “I said, ‘Well, two Finals and I haven’t played a whole lot so I have to evolve something,'” Frye commented. With free agency approaching next summer, Frye is averaging 4.5 points in 13 minutes per game.
In four games since returning to the Bulls, Nikola Mirotic has shown why he won a starting job during preseason, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Mirotic had 29 points and nine rebounds tonight as Chicago, which was a league-worst 3-20 in his absence, improved to 4-0 with him in the lineup. “He does a lot of little things that don’t show up in the box score,” said coach Fred Hoiberg. “He’s in the right spot defensively, he’s in a stance, he knows where to be, he understands the game plan.”
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy is hoping to shake up the team after a seven-game losing streak has brought Detroit back to the middle of the Eastern Conference, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Van Gundy recently replaced Stanley Johnson with Reggie Bullock in the starting lineup, and he indicated more changes are coming tomorrow, although they may not involve personnel. “It won’t be anything like a new offense, but we will shift our priorities a little bit in terms of play-calling — run some things more, run some things less and not run some things,” he said. “Our offensive approach hasn’t been as good as it could be to help these guys. Nothing different defensively; we just have to play it harder and better.”

Indiana To Host 2021 NBA All-Star Game

December 13th, 2017 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

3:19pm: The NBA has officially confirmed that the Pacers will host the league’s 2021 All-Star Game.

8:17am: The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will take place in Indiana, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the Pacers will host the event. It will be the first time the team has hosted All-Star weekend since 1985.

The Pacers sent out a press release this morning announcing that a press conference will take place this afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, so the club figures to make the news official at that point. Pacers owner Herb Simon, Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver are among those expected to be in attendance for that announcement.

The 2021 All-Star Game update comes on the heels of last month’s confirmation that the Bulls will host the 2020 event. This season’s All-Star Game will take place in Los Angeles, while the Hornets will host 2019’s festivities in Charlotte.

The last time the Pacers hosted the All-Star Game, the team did so at the Hoosier Dome, so 2021 will represent the first time the game has been played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

And-Ones: All-Star Game, Head Coaches, Ellis

October 4th, 2017 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While the changes made by the NBA and the NBPA to the All-Star Game for 2018 have generally been well received, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wouldn’t have seeing the league take the changes one step further, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes.

“I think it really would have been interesting if they would have picked 24 All-Stars total,” Kerr said. “And not necessarily made it 12 from each side. If they really wanted to do it and get the 24 best players, maybe that would have been the way to go, but I respect the fact that the league is looking to alter the format, trying to make it better. I think it’s good.”

While I voiced the same complaint in our initial story on the All-Star changes, I wonder if there was some push-back against changing the way All-Stars were selected due to the incentive bonuses in many players’ contracts for making an All-Star team.

Just this offseason, free agents like Paul Millsap, Jrue Holiday, and Kyle Lowry were among the players to have All-Star bonuses added to their new deals. Changing the selection format would have changed some players’ All-Star odds significantly, impacting those bonuses, which may not have thrilled certain players or teams.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

Dan Feldman of NBC Sports identifies three NBA head coaches who may be on the hot seat for the 2017/18 season, singling out Alvin Gentry (Pelicans), Jeff Hornacek (Knicks), and Fred Hoiberg (Bulls) as coaches under pressure to impress.
With Monta Ellis still on the free agent market and no indication that he’s close to catching on with an NBA team, Alex Siquig of RealGM takes a closer look at the veteran combo guard, exploring whether Ellis is on the verge of “extinction.”
The G League announced some rule changes and tweaked its playoff format today, as Chris Reichert of 2 Ways & 10 Days passes along. In some instances, the NBA tests rule changes in the G League before implementing them in the NBA, so the list is worth checking out.
Speaking of rule changes, a handful of NBA head coaches weighed in with their thoughts on the league’s shortened preseason and reduced timeouts for the 2017/18 campaign. Steve Aschburner of NBA.com passes along their comments.

NBA Makes Changes To All-Star Game Format

October 3rd, 2017 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The format of the All-Star Game will undergo some changes beginning this season, the NBA and the National Basketball Players’ Association announced today in a press release. Instead of the Eastern Conference All-Stars facing the Western Conference All-Stars, two captains will choose their respective squads from a pool of All-Star players.

Although the Eastern All-Stars will no longer face the Western All-Stars, the process for choosing All-Stars will remain the same, with 12 players from each conference earning that honor. Fans, players, and media will vote for 10 starters, with coaches choosing the 14 reserves.

Once the 24 All-Stars are chosen, the starter from each conference who received the most fan votes will be named the captain of his team. Last season, for instance, LeBron James and Stephen Curry would have been the captains, since they were the top vote-getters in their respective conferences. The rest of the All-Stars will enter a draft pool, with the two captains conducting a draft of sorts to pick their squads.

According to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link), NBPA president Chris Paul called commissioner Adam Silver the day after the 2017 All-Star Game to suggest that changes were needed for the event. In addition to scrapping the conference-vs.-conference format, the league will also have each team pick a Los Angeles-based or national charity to play for.

“I’m thrilled with what the players and the league have done to improve the All-Star Game, which has been a priority for all of us,” Paul said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to putting on an entertaining show in L.A.”

The changes to the NBA’s midseason event should create some entertaining drama when it comes to picking the teams, and it will be fun to see All-Star teammates face one another. Given the talent disparity between the two conferences right now, the format should also allow for a more competitive game. Still, it’s somewhat disappointing that the NBA is sticking to 12 All-Stars per conference rather than going one step further and allowing the game to feature the top 24 players, regardless of conference.

This season’s All-Star Game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 18 at the Staples Center.

Adam Silver Discusses Rest Issue, 2019 ASG, Dolan

April 7th, 2017 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke today at the league’s Board of Governors meetings about a few items of interest, including the subject of teams resting healthy stars, which he called the most important issue facing the league at the moment (Twitter link via Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today).

According to Silver, the NBA hopes to avoid having teams play four games in five nights next season and will also aim to further reduce back-to-backs in general (Twitter links via Frank Isola of The New York Daily News and Zillgitt).

Noting that the issue is a “complex” one, Silver added that owners agreed teams should avoid resting multiple players during nationally televised games, and the league’s preference is to rest players for home games rather than road contests (Twitter link via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report).

Adjusting the 82-game schedule is one potential idea that has been thrown out as a potential solution to the issue of teams resting players. While Silver acknowledged that it’s possible the league, at some point, could come together and agree to reduce the number of regular season games, that’s not on the table for now and wasn’t discussed this week (Twitter link via Isola). The commissioner pointed out that there’s also no hard data indicating that slashing a few games from the schedule would help improve players’ health or eliminate the rest issue (Twitter link via Beck).

The rest issue wasn’t the only one addressed by Silver, who also said that Charlotte is back in the running to potentially host the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. Per the commissioner, North Carolina’s adjustments to the so-called “bathroom bill” don’t entirely resolve the league’s concerns, but Charlotte will still receive strong ASG consideration (Twitter link via Chris Mannix of The Vertical). The Hornets issued a statement this afternoon expressing enthusiasm about the possibility of hosting the 2019 contest.

Finally, Silver also discussed Knicks owner James Dolan, who recently had a verbal altercation with a fan who told him he should sell the franchise. As Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com details, the commissioner didn’t seem particularly concerned and didn’t suggest the league would get involved. Dolan “is as frustrated as any Knicks fan” with the state of the team, Silver said (Twitter link via Isola).

North Carolina May Repeal ‘Bathroom Bill’

March 29th, 2017 at 10:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

North Carolina may get rid of the controversial “bathroom bill” that resulted in this year’s All-Star Game being pulled out of Charlotte, according to Reuters.

Members of the state’s Republican-controlled legislature said tonight that they have reached a deal to repeal HB2, which bars transgender people from choosing which restroom to use based on their gender identities. A vote on the repeal measure is set for Thursday morning.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the decision to move this year’s All-Star festivities to New Orleans, but said giving Charlotte the 2019 game would be a “high priority” if the law were removed.

“The issues that we are primarily focused on are those of acceptance and inclusiveness — and the bill goes far beyond directing what bathrooms people should use,” Silver said when the decision was announced in October. “From that standpoint, it has been misrepresented. Ultimately for us, it’s about creating the right environment, specifically for a celebratory event like our All-Star game.”

And-Ones: All-Star Game Changes, Teague, MSG

March 5th, 2017 at 9:49pm CST by Austin Kent

Changes to the All-Star Game are on the horizon, writes Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently spoke about the mid-season festivities at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

“We will change it by next year,” Silver said. “It shouldn’t be playoff intensity, but the guys should be playing.”

The commissioner speculated that the game could include four-point shots, perhaps even a ten-point shot, although there’s no guarantee those are in fact changes being floated. Regardless, one theme that appears likely to change is the lack of competitiveness that has taken away from the games in recent years.

“In an All-Star game like this, guys aren’t trying to get hurt,” guard Kyrie Irving said following this year’s All-Star Game. “We all enjoy the company of each other’s presence. But at the same token, us as competitors, when it starts getting close, you can feel it. For me, I would love to play in a competitive game.”

Count Warriors head coach Steve Kerr among those disappointed in the competitiveness of the All-Star Game. “I think we could talk about gimmicks and talk about anything we want, whether it’s the money or involves charity, it just comes down to the players taking it seriously,” Kerr told Chris Haynes of ESPN. “I don’t think they have to be out there taking charges, but it’s a collective thing. I think they have to decide, maybe with the players’ association, they have to decide what they want that game to look like, and right now, it’s a joke.”
The D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants have acquired former NBA player Marquis Teague, Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports reports. Teague last played in the NBA for the Nets in 2013/14.
The Knicks experimented with cutting out the in-game music during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Warriors, tweets Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Draymond Green was not a fan. “That was pathetic,” Green said. “It was ridiculous.”

Adam Silver Talks League Strategy, Owners, All-Star Game

March 3rd, 2017 at 8:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Commissioner Adam Silver sat down with Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com during this year’s MIT Sloan Conference to discuss the league and its surrounding environment. Hoops Rumors was among the media in attendance at the event.

The NBA is more popular now than ever before. Commissioner Adam Silver talked about a time when businessman looking to buy a franchise would tell him and former commissioner David Stern that they really wanted an NFL team, but none were available, so they’d settle for an NBA franchise. Now, nearly every prospective buyer has a singular focus on owning an NBA team.

There are clear differences between the owners of the different North American leagues. NBA owners are typically more open to innovation than those in the NFL. Silver wouldn’t talk at length about the other sports leagues, but he did admit that there may be something about the sport of basketball that attracts a “certain type of owner.” The NBA is more receptive to analytics than the typical NFL franchise. Silver said it’s because the league has “two generations of owners.” He calls one group the Leslie Alexander-types: those who used analytics outside of sports world to create their wealth. The other group consists of the Mark Cuban-types: those who grew up understanding the value of analytics and innovation.

The league’s adoption of social media has created relevance among the NBA owners, Silver said. Basketball is a team sport, but its players’ individualities popularize the league. “We have lots of content for fans [that the players provide],” Silver said.

Sending content directly to consumers carries the risk of presenting the wrong message. The league helps players manage their social media accounts at the rookie camps. Silver said the league is “a little bit more than laissez-faire,” adding that he “encourages [the players] to be authentic.”

That’s not to say the league doesn’t step in if a player missuses social media. ‘There are certain lines you can’t cross,” Silver said. “It’s not like you get sent to the principal’s office…but, we have a conversation with the player.” He added that “for the most part, we tell [the players] to have fun.”

Before the social media age, players who were in bigger markets had advantages when it came to marketing. Players can now reach a global audience regardless of where they play. “It’s an equalizer among markets,” Silver said. He noted that Kevin Durant had more money in endorsement deals than any player on the Warriors last season. According to Silver, marketing executives no longer urge players to choose the bigger city, instead, they tell the players that winning drives sales and popularity.

That’s a topic that played a role in recent CBA negotiations. There were discussions about axing the league’s maximum salary rule, something that would put pressure on the star players to take less because it would be hard to put together a winning team while using upwards of 70-80% of your cap on one star player. Imagine LeBron James as a free agent in a real free market; he theoretically could command nearly 100% of the cap.

Having the max contract keeps a harmonious relationship between NBA clubs and their star players. For example, the highest paid player on the Lakers isn’t going to gripe to ownership that the highest paid player on the Clippers is making more than him. With restrictions in place, teams are able to give a player the maximum and it won’t create hostility in the relationship.

The league wants to incentivise players to stay with their incumbent teams in free agency. The new CBA will implement the Designated Veteran contracts that will allow teams to pay their own players more than rival teams can. Durant’s decision to spurn Oklahoma City certainly played a role in the new role, but Silver was quick to say that Durant “didn’t do anything wrong.”

He’s right, but that doesn’t mean the league shouldn’t make changes. In fact, Silver thinks the league should be more innovative in regards to changing the rules. “Historically, we’ve been too conservative with making changes,” Silver said.

Change is hard for many people, including those in the basketball world. Many people opposed the Hack-A-Shaq rule that disincentivizes teams from fouling in the last two minutes of a game. Silver said that high school coaches would write him letters, pleading for him not to make the change for fear that high schoolers would no longer practice foul shots. Silvers responded the same way he does when players show concern: “Don’t take any of this for granted…the world is changing around us.”

Changes in the All-Star game are coming. Silver said Chris Paul reached out to him to try to find a solution that makes the game more competitive and the league intends to implement the changes by next season.

Something we won’t see: the league vetoing a trade. Silver was asked if he ever considers stepping in when one team is giving up too much or not enough in a transaction and he was firm in his response. “The answer is the league cannot” Silver said, while adding that all league trades get approved in terms of financials and players passing physicals. Silver was adamant that the league doesn’t “weigh in from a quantitive standpoint.”

Stay tuned to Hoops Rumors for more coverage from the MIT Sloan Conference.

Cavs Notes: Shumpert, James, Irving, Carmelo Anthony Rumors

February 19th, 2017 at 5:21pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Cavs haven’t completely closed the door on Carmelo Anthony. According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs are exploring “the very slight possibility” of acquiring ‘Melo by the Feb. 23 deadline. Vardon also notes the likelihood of Cleveland acquiring Shelvin Mack– a move not aimed at postseason depth, but helping rest LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as the season winds down.

While the Cavs hold “basement-level low” expectations of completing a deal for Anthony, the Knicks could consider offers for lesser players in an attempt to move him by the deadline.

Blazers Duo, Embiid Fail To Make All-Star Cut

January 26th, 2017 at 6:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley, the Blazers backcourt duo Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and Jazz center Rudy Gobert were among the prominent players who failed to make the cut on the Western Conference All-Star reserve unit, which was unveiled on Thursday and relayed on the NBA’s Twitter feed. Joel Embiid, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony were some of the notable names who didn’t make the cut on the Eastern Conference squad. (Twitter links).

Russell Westbrook, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan and Gordon Hayward received the most votes by the conference’s coaches, who pick the reserves. Westbrook, of course, was the biggest snub among the All-Star starters as the fan voting, which counted for 50% toward the overall balloting, put him behind Stephen Curry and James Harden.

Paul George, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, Paul Millsap, Isaiah Thomas, Kemba Walker and John Wall were named the Eastern Conference’s All-Star reserves.

Did the coaches get it right or was there an obvious mistake on their part? Go to the comments section and weigh in.