Odds & Ends: Bledsoe, Cuban, Gortat
Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders runs down six things you need to know about the Suns, including their enviable cap position. While some might think that Phoenix would have a hard time landing big free agents, Eric Bledsoe is the kind of guy who other elite players will want to play with because he’s a fierce competitor and unselfish. It also helps that Jeff Hornacek is a player’s coach, being a former player himself.
- Can an NBA owner do a sufficient job while living on the other side of the world? No, says Mavs owner Mark Cuban, according to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. “Absolutely not,” Cuban said. “Hypothetically speaking — and this only applies to individuals 6-foot-5 and under — you can’t,” Cuban said as an obvious shot at 6-foot-7 Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov. “That’s why I sit so close. It’s like trying to run a company and not being able to go to the sales meetings, not being able to go to the customer service meetings or the support meeting.”
- The Hawks announced that they have recalled guard Jared Cunningham from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League. Cunningham, who was re-assigned to Bakersfield on January 1st, has averaged 15.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 29.8 minutes in 17 games (14 starts) over three stints with the Jam this season. He has appeared in three games with the Hawks this year and will be available tonight at Milwaukee. To keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments and recalls, check out our running list.
- Wizards big man Marcin Gortat says he looks back on his time with the Suns fondly, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Gortat has also found a nice home for himself in Washington and the Wizards are very interested in locking him up long-term.
- Scott Rafferty of Ridiculous Upside has a breakdown of P.J. Hairston’s 40 point performance for the D-League’s Texas Legends. The former UNC standout figures to be a first-rounder in the 2014 draft and could vault himself up the board with more performances like that one.
Poll: Which Hawk Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
The Hawks currently sit at 22-19, good for the third seed in the East. That seeding could hold up, but they are far from secure as a playoff team. Al Horford is gone for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, and the Hawks are only five games away from the nearest non-playoff team at the moment.
The Hawks own the better pick between theirs and the Nets for this upcoming draft, with the worse of the two picks heading to the Celtics. The Nets have been turning things around of late, and that pick (obtained through the Joe Johnson trade) is looking less like a lock for the lottery with every Brooklyn win. The Hawks very well could stay afloat in the dreadful Eastern Conference and gain playoff experience for a fairly young roster, with a chance to advance against atypically weak playoff competition in the East. If they slip, though, it could become tempting to unload some talent to a contender in exchange for assets and a better shot at a premium pick for this year’s hyped draft.
Some players worth a look:
- Paul Millsap: Millsap is working on one of the most tradable contracts in the league, with a modest $9.5MM cap hit each season of a short two-year deal, for a highly productive 28-year-old big man.
- Jeff Teague: After expressing a desire to leave the Hawks after an extended restricted free agency, the Hawks wound up matching the Bucks’ offer sheet to secure the point guard for $32MM over four years. The Hawks are developing rookie point guard Dennis Schröder, and former Sixth Man of the Year, Louis Williams, is playing his way back from an ACL injury as a point/shooting guard combo.
- Kyle Korver: Korver’s contract also stretches over four years, but the cap hit shrinks incrementally from $6.8MM this year to, eventually, $5.2 in the final year. Korver is a historically good three-point shooter, and there are usually contenders in the hunt for a scoring rotation piece as the season progresses.
- Al Horford: Horford has three years and $36MM left on his contract, and is sitting out this year due to the aforementioned pectoral injury. The Hawks had also turned away all trade proposals for the center at last report.
What do you think? Will the Hawks make any significant moves before the trade deadline, or hang on to their current foundation?
Which Hawk Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
-
No one; they'll stand pat. 48% (745)
-
Paul Millsap 21% (328)
-
Jeff Teague 16% (256)
-
Kyle Korver 10% (162)
-
Al Horford 5% (77)
Total votes: 1,568
Ivan Johnson Becomes Free Agent
4:01pm: The Clippers might have interest in Johnson, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
10:13am: The Zhejiang Golden Bulls have waived Ivan Johnson, the team announced, allowing the power forward to become a free agent and pursue reported NBA interest from several teams, including the Hawks (translation via Shaopeng Shen on Twitter; hat tip to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). The team also announced the signing of small forward Mike Harris, whom the Jazz waived earlier this month, in a corresponding move.
Johnson was averaging 26.0 points and 9.9 rebounds in China, so it’s unclear why the team released him other than as a favor. Perhaps Johnson and the team agreed to a buyout, though that’s just my speculation. He’d become a mainstay in Atlanta’s rotation the past two seasons before signing with the Chinese team in late August. The Knicks seemed to be the most engaged among the NBA clubs that eyed the Jeremiah Haylett client this past summer.
Any NBA team that signs Johnson will have to arrange for FIBA clearance before the move can become official, but that shouldn’t be too much of a hurdle. He could be in the market for a 10-day contract, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he commanded a deal for the rest of the season right away.
Harris made the Jazz out of camp, and while he averaged 4.2 points in 11.3 minutes per game for Utah, the team decided to waive the fourth-year NBA veteran before his contract became guaranteed. Unless he signed a multiyear deal, which ex-NBA players rarely do with Chinese teams, he could return to the NBA in another month or two, once Zhejiang’s season is complete.
Hawks Re-Sign James Nunnally
WEDNESDAY, 9:06am: The deal is now official, the team announced.
TUESDAY, 9:30am: The Hawks will sign James Nunnally to a second 10-day contract on Wednesday, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com. His first deal with the team expired last night, when it appeared Atlanta was still debating whether to keep the 23-year-old forward, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). The Hawks will have to decide whether to keep Nunnally for the rest of the season when his second 10-day contract ends.
Nunnally hasn’t had a chance to make much of an impression during his time with the Hawks, who’ve put him on the court for a single eight-minute appearance so far. He’s done most of his work this season with the Bakersfield Jam of the D-League, averaging 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. The Suns had him in training camp this fall, and he averaged 3.0 PPG in 10.5 minutes per game during the preseason.
Atlanta has 14 guaranteed contracts, so keeping Nunnally around for the rest of the season would make that 15, limiting the team’s flexibility. Even if the Hawks decide against keeping him, it sounds like he has plenty of other opportunities for NBA work. He was one of the most sought-after camp invitees, and he met with the Cavs, Bulls and Thunder before signing his first 10-day deal with the Hawks.
Hawks, Others Interested In Ivan Johnson
Over the summer, Ivan Johnson waited and waited to find an NBA deal to his liking. When he couldn’t get anything more than the veteran’s minimum, he opened things up to international offers and wound up signing in China. With the end of the CBA season in sight, however, several teams, including the Hawks, are showing interest in welcoming him back to the states, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).
In two NBA seasons with Atlanta, Johnson averaged 6.5 PPG and 3.9 RPG to go along with a 15.1 PER in 125 contests. The former Hawk drew interest from the Knicks over the summer and reportedly had preliminary talks with at least six NBA teams in total. It would stand to reason that several of those clubs will circle back around for him once he is available.
At the age of 29, the Oregon product is well-traveled at this point, having spent time with teams in South Korea and Puerto Rico, as well as playing in China in 2011 before coming to the NBA.
D-League Notes: Harris, Jazz, Muhammad
Manny Harris, fresh off his second D-League Performer of the Week award, is drawing interest from the Hawks and Lakers, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. NBA interest is nothing new for Harris, who also spoke with Thunder management about a week ago. Here’s more from the D-League..
- The Jazz today officially announced their recall of Ian Clark and Rudy Gobert from the D-League. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News first reported the move yesterday.
- The T’Wolves announced that they have recalled Shabazz Muhammad from the Iowa Energy. The rookie forward is expected to practice with Minnesota today. The UCLA product averaged 24.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in four games. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (on Twitter) notes that Flip Saunders said this would be the plan all along.
- The Pistons announced that they have recalled rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.6 steals in five games (four starts) with Fort Wayne. In six games (five starts) with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.
- The Kings announced that they have assigned rookie guard Ray McCallum to the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns. McCallum was assigned yesterday and recalled just a few hours later.
- The Raptors announced that they have recalled Dwight Buycks from the Bakersfield Jam. Buycks has appeared in 12 games for the Raptors this season recording a total of 41 points, 10 assists, 20 rebounds and six steals in 121 minutes.
- The Delaware 87ers of the D-League have claimed guard Vander Blue, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Maccabi Rishon LeZion of Israel waived the former Marquette shooting guard just before the New Year.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
D-League Notes: Gobert, Clark, Shengelia
Here are a few points pertaining to the NBA’s D-League:
- The Jazz are expected to recall rookies Rudy Gobert and Ian Clark from the D-League this weekend, tweets Jody Genessy of Deseret News. The duo spent time playing for the Bakersfield Jam but should rejoin the Jazz sometime today or tomorrow.
- Tornike Shengelia has been recalled by the Nets, the team announced. Shengelia, who had been playing with the Springfield Armor, has played sparingly throughout his career after being selected late in the 2012 draft by the 76ers. So far for this season, Shengelia has averaged 8.4 MPG in 15 contests for Brooklyn.
- Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times takes a look at how a couple of former D-League players, Jon Leuer and Ed Davis, have been able to be productive for the Grizzlies. With Marc Gasol sidelined, the two big men have gained valuable experience by playing more minutes than they would have otherwise.
- Earlier today, we passed along that the Hawks had officially signed James Nunnally to a 10-day contract. Nunnally caught Atlanta’s attention after a strong showing in this year’s D-League Showcase where he earned a spot as a member of the All-Showcase Second Team.
Hawks Sign James Nunnally
SATURDAY, 2:47pm: The Hawks have officially signed Nunnally to a 10-day deal, the team announced via press release.
FRIDAY, 7:51am: The Hawks have reached an agreement to sign D-League forward James Nunnally to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Gino Pilato of D-League Digest first reported that Nunnally was in line for a D-League call-up from Atlanta.
Nunnally, who went undrafted in 2012, has spent most of the last two seasons with the Bakersfield Jam, and also received a training camp invite this past fall from the Suns. In 19 games for the Jam this season, the 23-year-old has averaged 18.2 PPG and shot 41.5% on three-pointers. Nunnally was a hot name at the D-League Showcase in Reno this week, reportedly meeting with the Cavs, Bulls, and Thunder before agreeing to sign with the Hawks.
Having waived Cartier Martin before this week’s contract guarantee deadline, the Hawks have a single open spot on their roster, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary to make room for Nunnally. If the team wants to keep the UC Santa Barbara alum around after his first deal expires, it can sign him to a second 10-day contract, then must decide whether to let him go or guarantee him a full-season salary.
Eastern Notes: Smith, Boozer, Knicks, Heat
Indications are that J.R. Smith is still on the outs with the Knicks and his benching will probably continue today against the SIxers, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. The benching appears to have the full support of owner James Dolan and, as Berman notes, most people that cross the Knicks owner can’t get back into his good graces. More from the East..
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if Carlos Boozer could be a fit for the Heat if the Bulls use the amnesty clause on him. While he’s likely to available come July and has South Florida ties, Winderman doesn’t see it happening. Boozer has always gone for top dollar and that probably wouldn’t change this summer.
- With Luol Deng in the mix, the Cavs suddenly seem to have a balanced roster and much better ball movement on offense, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Cleveland is now 2-0 in the Deng era.
- James Nunnally, whose ten-day deal with the Hawks should be finalized today, made the D-League Showcase first-team, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Nunnally, LeBron
The Knicks have been shopping J.R. Smith ever since he reacted negatively to the team’s decision to waive his brother, a source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Smith’s public and private responses to his brother’s dismissal put him in owner James Dolan’s doghouse, and evidence suggests it was Dolan who ordered Smith’s surprise benching Thursday, Isola writes. Carmelo Anthony nonetheless remains supportive of the troubled swingman, and that could be the key to Smith’s ability to stick around New York, Isola believes. While even Thursday’s win over the Heat apparently can’t stop the New York soap opera, there’s also plenty of scuttlebutt from elsewhere in the NBA:
- The Hawks are set to finalize their 10-day signing of James Nunnally on Saturday, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- LeBron James and Tom Thibodeau share mutual admiration, but the Bulls would have to OK repeated luxury tax payments and Derrick Rose would have to cede crunch-time shots for LeBron to wind up with Chicago, notes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Thibodeau indicated today that the Bulls plan to send Erik Murphy to the D-League soon, observes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link).
- Giannis Antetokounmpo would love to play with his brother, Thanasis, but he won’t pressure the Bucks to draft him this year, writes Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links).
- Australian guard Dante Exum has been meeting with agents the past few weeks, as expected, and the projected top-five pick appears to be a “lock” to enter the draft this year, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (on Twitter).
- There isn’t as much motivation for teams to tank as popular opinion suggests, and even when there is, the practice demonstrates a willingness to win as much as much as it does an intention to lose, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports opines in a piece for SB Nation.