Enes Kanter Claims Interest From 4-5 Teams
Knicks center Enes Kanter plans to save his opt-out decision for Friday’s deadline, but he tells Marc Berman of The New York Post “there could be four, five teams” ready to contact him if he chooses free agency.
Kanter has three more days to determine whether to give up an $18.6MM salary for next season and try to better that figure on the open market. He put up solid numbers in his first year in New York, averaging a double-double for the second time in his career with 14.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per night. However, there are only a handful of teams with enough cap room to offer him a significant raise, and the demand is uncertain for a traditional center.
“My thing is, if I can, I’d just want to stay with the Knicks,” Kanter said. “I played here last year and I loved it, loved the people here. It’s not just about the money. It’s about the whole organization. But that’s the decision I’m going to make the last day. It’s not 100 percent. I just keeping talking to my agent. There’s a lot of teams out there if I opt out, they’re already interested in me. That’s why I’m taking my time.”
Kanter adds that his interest in remaining with the Knicks increased when David Fizdale was hired as the new head coach. Fizdale held a two-hour meeting with Kanter at the draft combine last month and encouraged him to work on his 3-point shot. Kanter has gotten help from former Knicks developmental coach Chris Brickley and has posted videos of his long-range shot.
“With Coach Fizdale, I want to stay more,’’ Kanter added. “I know his mentality, I know how much freedom he gives to his players. It’s going to help my decision for sure. I think he’s going to change a lot of things. He seems like a relationship with him is like a friendship relationship. It’s not a player-coach relationship. I talked to him for two hours and it gives you so much confidence.’’
Weekly Mailbag: 6/18/18 – 6/24/18
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
The Lakers drafted shooters who contribute little else. Are they drafting as if they know LeBron James is coming? — VJ Cruz, via Twitter
Let’s say they’re drafting as if they hope LeBron is coming. The Lakers took Michigan’s Moritz Wagner at No. 25, then got German point guard Isaac Bonga and Kansas’ Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk in the second round. They are primarily shooters, as you say, but shooting is a premium skill in the NBA and they could develop into useful players with or without James as a teammate. Really, the draft will have little impact on how the Lakers’ roster looks next season. All those questions will be answered in free agency.
Which player(s) were you shocked to not see drafted? — Ted, via Twitter
The late part of the draft tends to be unpredictable, with some teams looking for players to stash overseas and others thinking about their G League rosters. Still, there were a few highly rated names that it was surprising to see passed over. Kansas’ Malik Newman and Arizona’s Rawle Alkins were both productive scorers in college and seem worthy of second-round picks. Purdue’s Isaac Haas and UNLV’s Brandon McCoy are a couple of big men with good scoring touches around the basket. There are others, such as Cincinnati’s Gary Clark and TCU’s Kenrich Williams, but they’ll all get a chance to prove themselves in summer league, so being drafted barely matters.
With the Jazz showing this year that they can be competitive in the loaded Western Conference and their financial flexibility, how likely is it that they sign a big name free agent like DeMarcus Cousins or Paul George? — Faiz Irshad
Utah has never been a popular free agent destination, which is more reflective on geography than the quality of the organization. Players like Cousins and George tend to gravitate to larger markets to enjoy the rewards that come with playing in a big city. The Jazz will likely use their cap room to pursue second-tier free agents, maybe someone like Tyreke Evans, who could provide scoring punch off the bench. Keeping Derrick Favors will also be a priority as he and Rudy Gobert developed into an effective frontcourt combination once Gobert returned from injury.
Hawks’ Mike Muscala Exercises Option
Mike Muscala has picked up his $5MM option and will return to the Hawks next season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The fifth-year center/power forward is coming off a career-best year, averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 53 games. An ankle injury limited his availability for the first two months of the season, but he played well once he recovered. Muscala, who turns 27 next week, was the 44th pick in the 2013 draft and has remained in Atlanta ever since.
Muscala follows teammate Dewayne Dedmon, who exercised his $7.2MM option on Wednesday. Their decisions leave the Hawks with about $20MM in cap space heading into free agency, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who adds that Atlanta could be a popular spot for teams willing to give up draft picks to unload unwanted contracts (Twitter link).
As our list of player option decisions shows, Muscala becomes the 16th NBA veteran to exercise a 2018/19 option this offseason, after just five vets picked up player options last summer.
Central Notes: Wade, Bucks, Casey, Lowe
The signing of Dwyane Wade just before the start of the season led to jealousy in the Cavaliers‘ locker room, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert were most affected, with Smith fearing Wade would take his starting spot and Shumpert believing Wade would cut into his playing time. Wade did start briefly, before asking to be moved to a bench role. Injuries limited Shumpert to just 14 games before he was traded to the Kings in February.
Pluto outlines other problems with the Cavs’ roster, including Tristan Thompson‘s distractions with the Kardashian family and his notoriety on gossip websites, Kevin Love‘s panic attacks and a team meeting where he felt he was being attacked by Wade and Isaiah Thomas, and Jae Crowder‘s ineffectiveness without the structured offense he had under Brad Stevens in Boston.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Bucks contemplated a pair of draft night trades before selecting Donte DiVincenzo at No. 17, reports Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated. They talked about swapping picks with the Pacers and moving down to No. 23, and discussed a deal with the Hawks involving the 19th and 30th selections. Atlanta, which planned to take Kevin Huerter with the 17th pick, ended negotiations when word that the Bucks were drafting DiVincenzo leaked on Twitter. The Hawks expected the Spurs to grab Lonnie Walker at No. 18 and were confident that Huerter would fall to them at No. 19. DiVincenzo was happy to wind up in Milwaukee, which he and his representatives had singled out as a preferred destination.
- Developing young players will be a priority for new coach Dwane Casey in his first season with the Pistons, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. The front office believes improvement from Stanley Johnson, Luke Kennard and Henry Ellenson is necessary for the team to return to the playoffs. “Three very talented young players,” Casey said at his introductory press conference this week. “That’s going to be on us, the coaching staff, to really draw as much of that as we can. The talent level on the roster is there. Getting it together and identifying how we’re going to play is very, very important. That’s the fun part of it because the talent base is there.” The Pistons plan to experiment with Kennard as a point guard in summer league play, Ellis tweets.
- After adding Bucks assistant Sean Sweeney to their coaching staff this week, the Pistons are now targeting Wizards assistant Sidney Lowe, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Sixers Notes: Fultz, Smith Trade, GM Candidate
The Sixers’ decision to draft two guards in the first round could mean Markelle Fultz won’t be part of the future in Philadelphia, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team acquired swingman Zhaire Smith in a trade with the Suns and took point guard Landry Shamet at No. 26, but coach Brett Brown said the selections have nothing to do with Fultz and the difficulties he encountered during his rookie year.
After being the first player taken in the 2017 draft, Fultz missed much of the season with a shoulder injury and an unexplained problem with his shooting motion. Fultz is still limited to “foundational-type” shooting drills, according to Pompey, and probably won’t join the Sixers for summer league.
The front office insists it isn’t trying to trade Fultz, but Pompey cites a report of internal discussions about moving him, along with the two first-rounders, in an effort to obtain a top five pick. Several league sources also say Fultz was available for a deal, but his performance as a rookie makes it difficult to get anything of value in return.
There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:
- Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated offers an inside look at the draft night deal that sent Smith to Philadelphia and Mikal Bridges to Phoenix. The Sixers turned down several offers from the Suns prior to the deal coming together just before Phoenix made its selection at No. 16. Bridges had a private workout in Philadelphia and Smith participated in two group workouts, and the Sixers considered them “1A” and “1B” as prospects who might be available with the 10th pick. When Smith fell all the way to 16th, Philly reconsidered, seeing an opportunity to stock up on future picks.
- Brown would like to see the Sixers hire someone already in the organization as the next GM, Pompey writes in a separate story. The top internal candidate is believed to be Marc Eversley, who serves as vice president of player personnel. “I don’t think we need an overhaul,” Brown said. “We’re in deep on this. We have ways we do business. So somewhere out there, we’ll find the balance of those things that I said, and I’m sure that I’ll have a voice in the selection of the next general manager.”
- Brown compares Smith to Spurs star Kawhi Leonard, another player who was traded on draft night, Pompey notes in another piece. Leonard is Smith’s favorite player and could wind up being a teammate if the cards fall right for the Sixers. “I think somebody said we have the same shooting mechanics,” Smith said. “So I try to do whatever move he does to get his shot off. I try to learn that.”
Clippers’ Milos Teodosic Opts In
Serbian guard Milos Teodosic has opted in for another season with the Clippers, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. However, the decision doesn’t guarantee he will be back in L.A. next year. The final year of Teodosic’s contract carries just a $2.1MM guarantee on his $6.3MM salary if the Clippers waive him by July 15.
L.A. could decide that financial flexibility is preferable to another year of Teodosic, who was limited to 45 games in his rookie season because of injuries. Austin Rivers ($12.7MM) and Wesley Johnson ($6.1MM) have already exercised their options for next year, while DeAndre Jordan has until Friday to decide on his $24.1MM option. The Clippers also have to decide whether to guarantee Patrick Beverley‘s $5MM deal and will be well over the salary cap if all those players remain on the roster.
A report this week says L.A.’s front office is leaning toward unloading Teodosic before the start of free agency, in part due to concerns over a tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot that he suffered late in the season. The 31-year-old said during the year that he likes playing in the NBA, but it’s possible he could return to Europe if he gets a better offer there.
Teodosic averaged 9.5 points and 4.6 assists during his first NBA season, starting 36 of the 45 games.
Knicks Notes: Robinson, Kornet, Hicks, Trier
The Knicks’ decision to draft Mitchell Robinson in the second round Thursday night could signal an end to Luke Kornet‘s time in New York, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team extended a qualifying offer to Kornet, who was on a two-way contract last season, but if he receives even a minimum contract offer [$1.2MM for a second-year player] from another organization, the Knicks may refuse to match it.
A source tells Berman that a handful of teams have interest in Kornet, who displayed an effective shooting touch during his 20 games at the NBA level. Kornet, who went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2017, averaged 6.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 35% from 3-point range. His performance contributed to the decision to trade Willy Hernangomez, but Berman states that management may view him as a leftover from the Phil Jackson years.
The decision on Kornet will be impacted by how Robinson performs during summer league, Berman adds. The 20-year-old 7-footer is an unknown quantity after opting to leave Western Kentucky without playing a game.
There’s more tonight from New York:
- Isaiah Hicks, the Knicks’ other two-way player last season, also received a qualifying offer, but the team isn’t likely to bring both Hicks and Kornet back, Berman writes in the same story. New York will likely withdraw one of those QOs in favor of signing Arizona’s Allonzo Trier, who reportedly reached agreement on a two-way deal on draft night. Hicks got into 18 NBA games last season and averaged 4.4 points per night.
- Robinson may have trouble adjusting to the summer league after not playing a five-on-five game in 14 months, Berman adds in a separate story. However, his high school coach, Butch Stockton, believes the 36th pick will eventually make an impact with his all-around talents. “I see him stepping in and helping right away,” said Stockton, who attended Friday’s introductory press conference. “When he starts playing, the Knicks fans, they’re going to see what kind of talent he is. The media people say he’s not ready physically or basketball-wise, but he runs the floor extremely well, protects the rim and finishes around the rim.”
- Emmanuel Mudiay, who hosted a youth camp today in New York, expressed confidence that new coach David Fizdale will be able to turn the Knicks around, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. “We’re all kind of starting from scratch,” Mudiay said. “But it’s a positive scratch. It’s big to see that people are actually loving what the front office is doing, loving what the coaching staff is doing. Everybody’s supportive. So that’s a good thing.”
Community Shootaround: 2019 Rookie Of The Year
Thursday’s NBA draft lasted until almost midnight on the East Coast, but viewers who tuned out after the first hour probably got to see next season’s Rookie of the Year.
Apart from Malcolm Brogdon (taken at No. 36 in in 2016) and Michael Carter-Williams (No. 11 in 2013), every Rookie of the Year since 2004 has been a top-six pick. Donovan Mitchell could add his name to the list of exceptions, but Ben Simmons appears to be the favorite to collect the award on Monday.
This year’s first six picks could all emerge as strong candidates, as each figures to have a chance to contribute right away. Let’s take a closer look at the field:
- Deandre Ayton — The Suns have been searching for help in the middle for several years, and Ayton looks like a legitimate NBA center. He is the early ROY favorite, according to the Bovada Sportsbook, which gives him 13-5 odds.
- Marvin Bagley III — Whether Bagley becomes a power forward or small forward, he should provide much-needed scoring punch for the Kings’ front line. He was a dynamic scorer and rebounder at Duke, where he averaged a double-double during his lone season.
- Luka Doncic — The Mavericks believed in the teenage Euroleague MVP enough to trade up to snag him with the third pick. Some scouts question how easily Doncic’s skill set will translate to the NBA, but he will get ample playing time in Dallas to prove himself.
- Jaren Jackson Jr. — The shot-blocking specialist out of Michigan State will help anchor the Grizzlies’ defense alongside Marc Gasol. He also gives Memphis a strong rebounding presence at the four spot that has been lacking since Zach Randolph left.
- Trae Young — There should be plenty of excitement in Atlanta next season as Young takes control of the Hawks’ offense. His numbers declined during the second half of his freshman season at Oklahoma, but his limitless shooting range makes him a perfect fit in the modern NBA.
- Mohamed Bamba — He may not start right away with Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo on the roster, but Bamba should earn significant playing time because of his tremendous shot-blocking abilities. If he improves on offense, he could be the first-string center by the end of the season.
Those are the top candidates, but there could be plenty more, as Mitchell, Brogdon and Carter-Williams have shown. We want to get your picks, so please leave your choice in the comments box below.
Suns May Renounce Elfrid Payton, Alex Len, Others
The Suns are ready to make aggressive moves in free agency, but not without a little house cleaning first, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic.
Look for Phoenix to maximize its cap room by shedding some unwanted salary, Bordow writes, with free agents Elfrid Payton and Alex Len both likely to be renounced. Payton’s performance was uneven after coming to the Suns in a midseason trade and he carries a $10MM cap hold. Len became expendable with the addition of No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton.
Those moves would give the team about $10MM for the free agent market, but the Suns are thinking bigger. Bordow expects them to cut ties with center Alan Williams, who has a non-guaranteed $5.52MM salary for next season. They may try to re-sign him or trade him to a team that can afford him more easily.
Other non-guaranteed contracts that might get discarded belong to Tyler Ulis ($1.54MM) and Shaquille Harrison ($1.38MM), while Davon Reed has a $1.38MM deal with a $689,212 guarantee. The deadline to decide on Ulis’ deal is tomorrow.
With up to $20MM available to chase free agents, Phoenix will focus on finding a point guard and a power forward who can defend and shoot from the outside.
Bordow lists the Clippers’ Patrick Beverley, the Celtics’ Marcus Smart, the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, the Raptors’ Fred VanVleet and the Jazz’ Dante Exum as potential backcourt targets, while Utah’s Derrick Favors, Houston’s Trevor Ariza or Luc Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee’s Jabari Parker, Indiana’s Thaddeus Young, San Antonio’s Rudy Gay or Philadelphia’s Ersan Ilyasova could fit the four spot. If the Suns find a power forward, Bordow expects them to explore trading either Dragan Bender or Marquese Chriss.
Tyrone Corbin To Join Magic’s Coaching Staff
Tyrone Corbin will be the next addition to Steve Clifford’s coaching staff in Orlando, according to Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.
Corbin had been with the Suns for the past two years and was promoted to lead assistant under Jay Triano when Earl Watson was fired in October. Corbin began his coaching career with the Jazz in 2004 and later became head coach in Utah, compiling a 112-146 record in a little more than three seasons. He also had a brief stint as head coach of the Kings, posting a 7-21 mark in 2014/15.
Before turning to coaching, the 55-year-old had a 16-year playing career that included time with nine NBA franchises.
Corbin will be the fifth assistant named by Clifford since he was hired as Magic head coach in late May. The others — Mike Batiste, Pat Delany, Steve Hetzel and Bruce Kreutzer — all worked with him in Charlotte.