Spears On Sixers, Camby, Bobcats, Jordan
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports relayed a string of news items for us on Tuesday night, which range from the Sixers never-ending coaching search to the Bobcats front office. Let's take a look at the latest from Spears:
- The Sixers have received permission to interview Miami assistant David Fizdale for their coaching vacancy, Spears writes. We know the team has interest in Ed Pinckney, Adrian Griffin and Melvin Hunt, as well as in-house candidate Michael Curry and C's assistant Jay Larranaga, but this is the first mention of Fizdale and Philly in more than a month.
- The Raptors are expected to buy out the final two years on the contract of Marcus Camby, who came over to Toronto in the Andrea Bargnani deal, tweets Spears, who lists the Clippers, Bulls and Rockets as teams with interest in the veteran center. Camby is still owed about $7.5MM through the 2014/15 season.
- The Bobcats have promoted Larry Jordan, the older brother of owner Michael Jordan, to team director of player personnel, Spears writes. Larry's previous job title was team director of special projects, and he now takes over a job that has been vacant for three years, according to Spears. He will report to his brother, as well as team president Rod Higgins and GM Rich Cho.
Western Notes: Larkin, Kings, Miller, Robinson
The Mavericks announced, via press release, that first-round pick Shane Larkin underwent surgery today to repair a broken ankle he suffered last week in summer league action. The recovery time for the surgery is approximately three months, putting Larkin's return right around the beginning of the regular season. The team is reportedly in talks with Devin Harris again after nixing their original agreement with the point guard last week.
Here's more out of the Western Conference:
- The Kings will not use the amnesty provision before tonight's deadline, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, one of seven teams that can still use the clause, will apparently retain the amnesty eligible John Salmons. The team holds a player option on Salmons for the 2014/15 season.
- In a separate tweet, Jones adds that the Kings are unlikely to make any additions that necessitate guaranteed money unless they're first able to unload money.
- Should Mike Miller clear the amnesty waiver process, the Clippers should have interest in the veteran sharpshooter, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Washburn cites Miller's time in Orlando under new Clips head coach Doc Rivers as the main reason for the match. Miller was waived by the Heat today, and teams with cap space now have 48 hours to claim him on waivers.
- The Nuggets have named Arturas Karnisovas as their assistant GM, according to a press release from the team issued earlier today. Karnisovas, a native Lithuanian, was most recently the director of scouting for the Rockets under Houston GM Daryl Morey.
- It's only been about a year since Thomas Robinson was selected No. 5 by the Kings, but the Blazers forward has already been traded twice. Robinson, drafted into a bad situation in Sacramento and then a casualty of the Dwight Howard signing in Houston, says he feels disrespected as a result of the trades and is determined to get his career on track in Portland, writes Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge, who itemizes some quotes from Robinson from a couple of publications.
Eastern Notes: Curry, Henderson, Oden, Joseph
We've already had two amnesty provisions in the East announced tonight in Linas Kleiza and Drew Gooden. Let's round up the rest of the Eastern Conference news here on Tuesday night:
- The latest on the Sixers coaching search indicates that the team is no rush to make a decision, but that doesn't bother in-house candidate Michael Curry, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Curry, who conducted the team's pre-draft workouts and coached the Sixers summer league team, is expected to be interviewed and was told from the start by general manager Sam Hinkie that the coaching search would be a long process.
- The Bobcats and restricted free agent Gerald Henderson are having ongoing contract discussions about a return to Charlotte, but are still not close financially, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Just last week, we heard that the Bobcats and Henderson had reached a stalemate. It doesn't look like things have changed much, but the report that the sides are still communicating is good news for Bobcats fans.
- With the Heat now rumored to be the unofficial frontrunner to land Greg Oden, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel wonders what type of message it would send if the team used the taxpayer mid-level exception, worth about $3.2MM, on the injury-prone Oden only days after re-signing Chris Andersen, who contributed to their second straight title run, for about half the price. Winderman also speculates that the Heat could try to move Joel Anthony in a cost-cutting move that would easier allow them to ink Oden (Twitter links).
- Kris Joseph, waived yesterday by the Celtics, will likely look to latch on with an NBA team in a training camp this fall. The Nets, with whom Joseph finished last season, are said to have interest in the forward, tweets Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, but are prohibited from signing him for a year after shipping him north in the deal to acquire Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
Glen Grunwald Talks Smith, Anthony, Point Guard
While the Nets have stolen the NBA headlines in New York for the most part this offseason, the Knicks have been busy as well lately. Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald met with the media today, after adding Metta World Peace and re-signing J.R. Smith in the past week.
- Grunwald said Smith's knees shouldn't be a long-term issue, which is why he had no qualms committing four years and $24.7MM to the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN New York. SNY's Adam Zagoria adds that the team is hopeful that Smith will be ready for the start of the regular season. Grunwald was no doubt responding to the concern that was expressed after news broke that Smith underwent knee surgery less than a week after the Knicks re-signed him. Grunwald said that the decision to hold off on the surgery came from Smith, who probably didn't want news of his surgery to impact free agency.
- Grunwald also addressed the possibility of Carmelo Anthony opting out of his deal after the upcoming season, writes Zagoria, who opines that the situation could loom over the team like a black cloud. To no one's surprise, Grunwald stressed the team's desire to keep Anthony in New York long-term, saying, "We obviously love Carmelo. We think he's great for New York and New York's great for him." Anthony's player option for 2014/15 is for $23.5MM. Should he opt out, he would be eligible for a new five-year contract from the Knicks, adds Zagoria.
- Grunwald confirmed that the team is looking to add a point guard to go behind Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni. Zagoria lists Aaron Brooks, Sebastian Telfair, Toure Murry and J.R.'s younger brother Chris Smith as possibilities to fill the role, but adds that Grunwald expressed interest in waiting until training camp to let it play out.
Bucks Amnesty Drew Gooden
The Bucks have used their amnesty provision on Drew Gooden, the organization announced today via the team Twitter account. Gooden was rumored to be on the block for much of the winter, so it's no surprise that the Bucks amnestied the former Kansas star, who had two years and more than $13MM remaining on his contact.
Gooden signed a five-year, $32MM deal with Milwaukee before the 2010/11 season but appeared in only 16 games with the team last year, as the Bucks went young on the front line. He had arguably his best season as pro in Milwaukee in 2011/12, averaging 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game, which added up to a PER of 18.88.
Gooden, an 11-year veteran whose been traded five times, will now enter the amnesty waiver process, where teams with cap room can put in a claim for him over the next 48 hours. If no team bids, he will become an unrestricted free agent. According to Grantland's Zach Lowe, the move frees up $8-9MM of cap space for Milwaukee while keeping the cap hold for Brandon Jennings on the books (Twitter link). This assumes the Bucks don't re-sign Samuel Dalembert.
Raptors Amnesty Linas Kleiza
The Raptors will use their amnesty provision on Linas Kleiza, the team officially announced today through a press release. We heard earlier that this move was to be expected, as the deadline for teams to use their amnesty clause for this season is tonight. Kleiza signed with Toronto as a free agent three years ago and appeared in 108 games for the Raptors, averaging 9.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game.
“We thank Linas for his contributions as a Raptor and wish him all the best,” Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said in the press release.
Kleiza will now be subject to the amnesty waiver process, where teams with cap room can put in a claim for his services over the next 48 hours. If no team bites, Kleiza becomes an unrestricted free agent and, as our earlier report indicates, will probably head overseas for the coming season. While this move won't clear any cap room for Toronto, it should allow the team to move below the tax threshold.
Nets Sign Andrei Kirilenko
FRIDAY, 3:50pm: The Nets have officially signed Kirilenko, the team announced today in a press release.
THURSDAY, 6:22pm: According to multiple reports, Andrei Kirilenko has agreed to sign with the Nets for their taxpayer's mini mid-level exception, which is worth about $3.1MM. The move was first reported by longtime NBA writer Peter Vecsey (Twitter link) and then confirmed by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), who later tweeted that the deal is a two-year contract with a player option for the second year. The 6-foot-9 forward is the latest big splash for the Nets in an offseason full of them. He will join a talented and determined group of veterans in a ring-or-bust environment in Brooklyn.
Kirilenko, 32, averaged 12.4 PPG and 5.7 RPG last year for the Timberwolves after spending the entire lockout-shortened season of 2011/12 playing back in his native Russia. He spent the 10 years prior in a Jazz uniform. While he wasn't the All-Star he was in his Utah days last year, Kirilenko was still an efficient player for Minnesota, tallying a PER of 17.67 in 64 games. He will presumably come off the bench in Brooklyn.
This moves promises to raise some eyebrows, as Kirilenko turned down a player option from the Wolves worth more than $10MM and has now chosen to sign with the Nets and fellow Russian Mikhail Prokhorov for considerably less. Prior to his NBA career, Kirilenko played for CSKA Moscow from 1998 to 2001, then owned by Prohkorov. We had heard Kirilenko's name primarily connected with the Spurs and Cavs of late, so this news definitely comes as a surprise. Just yesterday, Bondy reported that there was "nothing happening" between Kirilenko and the Nets.
Kirilenko is represented by Marc Fleisher at Entersport, as shown in our agency database.
Hawks Re-Sign Kyle Korver
JULY 12TH: Korver's deal with the Hawks is now official, the team has announced in a press release.
JULY 3RD: The Hawks have reached an agreement with Kyle Korver on a four-year contract extension worth about $24MM, reports Marc Stein of ESPN (via Twitter).
Korver, who spent last year in Atlanta, averaged 10.9 points per game in 30.5 minutes for the Hawks in 2012/13. It was the first time he averaged double figures in points or more than 30 minutes per night since leaving Philadelphia in 2008. Korver, 32, shot 45.7 percent from downtown last season, and was a coveted free agent.
Interest in the former Creighton star had heated up in recent days. At one point, the sharp shooter seemed destined for Brooklyn, with the Spurs and Bucks also in the mix. Korver is represented by Excel Sports Management, as shown in the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.
Odds & Ends: Jenkins, Wizards, Warriors, Amnesty
It’s already been a busy night, as news broke of Andrei Kirilenko‘s deal with the Nets followed shortly after by word that the Lakers would amnesty Metta World Peace. Here are some other odds and ends from around the NBA on Thursday night:
- The Hawks have named Taylor Jenkins as an assistant coach, the team announced
today in a press release. Jenkins had most recently been the head coach of the D-League’s Austin Toros. - The Wizards are in no rush to fill their final roster spot,
since they want to have flexibility for when the right player comes along,
according to GM Ernie Grunfeld (Twitter link). Grunfeld sounded optimistic about the team’s offseason today, as the Wiz wrapped us their summer minicamp, writes Gene Wang of the Washington Post. - The Wiz cut ties with roster longshots Josh Boone, Kevin Dillard and James Harris today, tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News outlines how the Warriors front office has changed the way the team is viewed around the NBA, to the point where he says Golden State has “switched places” with the Lakers. Kawakami also provides a transcript of Andre Iguodala‘s introductory press conference.
- Now that the Lakers have amnestied World Peace, only 12 teams remain that haven’t utilized the provision and within those teams, only 30 players are left that fit the criteria for amnesty eligibility. Here is the list, courtesy of Marc Stein of ESPN.
Rockets Sign Isaiah Canaan
The Rockets and second round pick Isaiah Canaan have agreed to a three-year contract with the third year being a team option, according to agent Reggie Brown (Twitter link and story via Fox Houston's Mark Berman). Canaan was said to be drawing first round interest in June's draft, but dropped to No. 34 where the Rockets jumped on him.
Canaan averaged 21.8 points and 4.3 assists per game as a senior at Murray State. He figures to be ready to score at the NBA level, and should be an offensive asset off the bench for the new-look Rockets sooner rather than later. If the rumors that the team is shopping Jeremy Lin prove true, Canaan could be thrust into a significant role on a team with title aspirations.