Derrick Rose Hoping For Long-Term Offer
Derrick Rose has received a couple of 10-day offers, but nothing more substantial since being waived by the Jazz, according to Ken Berger of Bleacher Report.
Multiple team executives indicated to Berger that Rose may not return to the NBA until next season. An online video last week showed him working out at Cleveland State University, but it appears the type of offer he’s seeking may not emerge by the end of the season.
The former MVP is hoping to join a contender that could accommodate him for more than just a short-term stop. Rose’s representatives thought there might be interest from the Thunder, who need a guard to replace the injured Andre Roberson, but there was no traction as of Wednesday, according to Berger. Oklahoma City will sign former Lakers swingman Corey Brewer once he clears waivers on Friday.
The Clippers are also rumored to have interest, along with the Timberwolves, coached by Tom Thibodeau, who guided Rose during his MVP season with the Bulls in 2010/11. However, Berger states that Minnesota hadn’t reached out to Rose as of Wednesday night.
Rose tried to revive his career in Cleveland, agreeing to a minimum-salary deal in July. He played just 16 games for the Cavaliers before being shipped to Utah three weeks ago at the trade deadline. Rose added to his long injury history with a sprained ankle in the second game of the season, then took a leave of absence from the team in November to contemplate his basketball future.
His physical woes and perceived unreliability have made teams reluctant to offer him a long-term contract, Berger adds. Rose is only 29 and has played 66 and 64 games the past two seasons, but those issues are casting doubt over his NBA future.
Coaching Notes: Fizdale, Stackhouse, Hornacek, Van Gundy
Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale has become the prime candidate to take over as the Suns‘ head coach once the season ends, according to Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News. James Jones, who became VP of basketball operations in Phoenix last summer, spent five seasons as a player with the Heat while Fizdale was the lead assistant under Erik Spoelstra. Earlier today, we passed on Lawrence’s comments that Fizdale hasn’t given up on the Lakers job if the team decides to replace Luke Walton, so the Suns could have some competition for his services. Interim Phoenix coach Jay Triano has expressed a desire to be considered for the job, but it appears the team is looking in a different direction.
Lawrence passes on a few more rumors from NBA coaching circles:
- If the Magic decide to move on from Frank Vogel, longtime player Jerry Stackhouse will be their top choice. Stackhouse, named G League Coach of the Year with Raptors 905 last season, is close to Jeff Weltman, Orlando’s president of basketball operations. Weltman spent four years as GM in Toronto and got an up-close look at Stackhouse’s coaching abilities.
- There’s a growing sense that the Knicks will part with Jeff Hornacek once the season ends. Lawrence admits Hornacek has been in a difficult situation in New York between the front office turmoil, the Carmelo Anthony situation and the recent injury to Kristaps Porzingis, but Hornacek was hired by former team president Phil Jackson, and Steve Mills might prefer to have his own coach in place. There is a strong sentiment to bring in former Knick Doc Rivers, but he still has supporters in the Clippers front office and might be kept for another year after turning in an impressive coaching job with a weakened roster.
- Stan Van Gundy may need to get the Pistons into the playoffs to keep his job. Van Gundy has one season left on his five-year, $35MM contract and is back on thin ice after the team’s recent slump. Even if he does return next season, the feeling is Van Gundy will be replaced at team president, with former agent and current Pistons VP Arn Tellem next in line to run the team’s basketball operations.
L.A. Notes: Bradley, Wallace, Randle, Fizdale
Avery Bradley, part of the return the Clippers got in the Blake Griffin trade, isn’t sure if he’ll play again this season, relays Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Bradley discussed the sports hernia injury that has sidelined him for the past four games, saying surgery before the end of the season is a possibility.
“We’re just … day by day and trying to strengthen up all the muscles around the injury,” Bradley said. “After that, we’re going to make the best decision, if that’s me playing or me getting surgery.” He added that rest has only made the injury worse, saying there’s no way to gauge when he might return.
The news could mean Bradley has played his last game as a Clipper. One of the NBA’s top wing defenders, he will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will be seeking a hefty raise from his $8.8MM salary.
There’s more this morning out of Los Angeles:
- Clippers guard Tyrone Wallace will remain in the G League after reaching the 45-day NBA limit on his two-way contract, according to Elliot Teaford of The Orange County Register. Wallace was transferred to the team’s Agua Caliente affiliate after playing in Tuesday’s game and cannot return until the G League season is over unless the Clippers give him a 10-day deal or sign him for the rest of the season. The rookie has averaged 10.1 points in 21 games for L.A.
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines whether the Lakers can achieve their dream of adding two elite free agents without giving up Julius Randle. Though he is making less than $4.15MM this season, Randle will enter restricted free agency with a cap hold of $12.4MM. That leaves the team short of the cap room needed to offer two maximum deals unless it can find a taker for Luol Deng, who still has two years and $36.81MM left on his contract. Pincus identifies the Mavericks as the greatest threat to sign Randle this summer.
- Even though rumors about Luke Walton’s job security have calmed down, former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale still has his eyes on the Lakers job, according to Mitch Lawrence of the Sporting News. As a former assistant in Miami, Fizdale has a close relationship with LeBron James, and the front office might consider a coaching change if it believes Fizdale could deliver James to L.A.
Ersan Ilyasova Signs With Sixers
FEBRUARY 28: The Sixers have officially signed Ilyasova, the team announced in a press release. Assuming the contract is a rest-of-season, minimum salary deal, Ilyasova will count as approximately $357K towards the cap.
FEBRUARY 25: Ersan Ilyasova plans to sign with the Sixers once his buyout with the Hawks is complete, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
The 30-year-old stretch four played 53 games for Philadelphia last season before being traded to Atlanta at the deadline. He is having a typically productive season for the Hawks, averaging 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting .359 from 3-point range.
Ilyasova is making $6MM is the final year of his contract, but with about three quarters of the season gone, the buyout cost should be minimal. He will have to work out the arrangement with Atlanta by Thursday to be eligible to join the Sixers for the postseason.
Philadelphia, which already added former Hawk Marco Belinelli after a buyout, has a full roster and will have to waive someone before signing Ilyasova.
Pacific Notes: Bradley, Evans, Caldwell-Pope, Payton
Clippers guards Avery Bradley and Jawun Evans are both suffering from ailments that could result in offseason surgery, writes Elliott Teaford of The Orange County Register. For the first time today, coach Doc Rivers brought up surgery as an option for Bradley, who has a sports hernia. The organization is hoping the 27-year-old, who was acquired from the Pistons late last month, can return in a week or two, but they’re being careful with him. He has played six games for L.A. since the trade and hasn’t been on the court since February 14.
“He’s one of the, if not the best, he’s one of the top five defensive guys on the ball in the league,” Rivers said. “And that’s all movement there [in a players’ core muscles]. So it’s tough blow.”
Evans, who has been diagnosed with a “sore lower abdominal ailment,” hasn’t been able to play since January 20.
There’s more news from the Pacific Division:
- Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has played much better since resolving his legal issues last month, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. With free agency looming, Caldwell-Pope has been showing off his scoring ability, hitting eight 3-pointers in a 34-point performance Saturday night. “It was kind of hard with that situation I had, but now that’s behind me,” he said. “I can focus on just one thing — that’s basketball. It’s been good just to be able to get my work when I need it and just be ready for games.”
- The Suns have the rest of the season to determine if they want to team Elfrid Payton with Devin Booker as their backcourt of the future, relays Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Payton has solidified the point guard position since coming to Phoenix in a trade at the deadline, but the front office has to decide if Payton’s abilities are the best complement for Booker and if he is worth the estimated $10MM annually it will cost to keep him when he hits restricted free agency this summer. The Suns will also consider whether they want to draft a new point guard or keep Payton and use their pick on a center.
- Shooting guard Danuel House has reached the 45-day NBA limit under his two-way contract, Bordow tweets. House has returned to the Suns‘ Northern Arizona affiliate and can’t come back to Phoenix until the G League season is over unless his contract is converted to a regular NBA deal.
Mavericks Notes: New CEO, Smith Jr., Noel, Collinsworth
The Mavericks will hold a press conference Monday to introduce Cynthia Marshall as their interim CEO, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The former AT&T executive is being hired to clean up the franchise in the wake of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations that emerged this week.
Marshall served as vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer for the communications company. She was selected as one of the 50 most powerful women in corporate America in 2015 by Black Enterprise magazine.
There’s more news tonight out of Dallas:
- For the first time since he started playing basketball, Dennis Smith Jr. is being asked to handle a position other than point guard, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Coach Rick Carlisle has shifted Smith to shooting guard in the starting lineup to make room for J.J. Barea, and the rookie’s numbers have declined in the two games since the move. “He’s learning a lot,” said Carlisle, who sees long-term benefits from Smith understanding the position. “And in this league, often times the most growth comes from the greatest struggles. He’s got to go through some of these things. But it’s tough right now. It’s tough for the whole team. That’s where we are. I thought he gave good effort.”
- Backup center Nerlens Noel expects a larger dose of playing time when he returns from thumb surgery, according to The Dallas Morning News. During a recent appearance on Kevin Hart’s YouTube show, Noel responded, “I’m expecting to get a lot of games,” when asked what Mavericks owner Mark Cuban could give him that he didn’t get in Philadelphia. Noel dropped out of Dallas’ rotation early in the season, then suffered a thumb injury in a November 22 game. He could return as early as Monday.
- Rookie forward Kyle Collinsworth tells Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News he never lost faith that he could reach the NBA. Undrafted out of BYU, Collinsworth spent a season in the G League before signing a two-way contract with the Mavericks, then earning a multiyear deal earlier this month. “It’s been a roller coaster, but I think the biggest thing I’ve been able to do is believe,” he said. “Believe when things were good, believe when things were bad. Never lost my belief, never lost my goal, and I just kept working and kept believing. I stayed consistent with my routine, with all the little things that I do that I believe give me an edge to be here. I just kept at it.”
Weekly Mailbag: 2/19/18 – 2/25/18
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.
What are your thoughts on the Lakers resigning Julius Randle this summer? He’s played great and I’d hate to lose him for nothing, but he will be costly, eat into cap space (2018 and 2019) and block the path for Kyle Kuzma. — Vijay Cruz, via Twitter
The Lakers’ dream scenario is having enough cap room to sign LeBron James and Paul George. As long as that’s possible, Randle will be expendable if he blocks the way with his cap hold of nearly $12.5MM. Randle will be a restricted free agent this summer, enabling the Lakers to match any offer he receives, and they should have a good idea of their chances to get James, George or any other prominent free agent before having to make that decision. Randle has developed into a reliable scorer and rebounder and he’s only 23, so the Lakers would prefer to keep him, but only if his contract doesn’t interfere with the bigger picture.
Agent Dan Fegan Dies In Accident
Prominent NBA agent Dan Fegan was killed in an auto accident this morning near Aspen, Colorado, reports Erica Robbie of The Aspen Times.
The 56-year-old Fegan represented some of the biggest names in the league before a 2017 split with Independent Sports & Entertainment agency. In June of last year, Fegan filed a $30MM lawsuit against Hank Ratner of ISE, claiming fraud and contractual interference.
According to the Colorado State Patrol, Fegan was driving an SUV that was hit by a Roaring Fork Transportation Authority bus along Highway 82. Two passengers, including Fegan’s 5-year-old son, suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to a hospital in Denver.
“The bus didn’t have time to avoid the collision, so it broadsided the other vehicle and knocked it into the median,” said Roaring Fork CEO Dan Blankenship.
At one time, Fegan’s clients included Dwight Howard, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Nene and Ricky Rubio. He was listed among the top agents in the country in 2016 by Forbes magazine.
Bulls Notes: Lopez, Holiday, Portis, Tanking
Robin Lopez has been the Bulls’ starting center since being acquired from the Knicks in the summer of 2016, but he has been relegated to the bench as Chicago launches a youth movement, writes Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago. With Cristiano Felicio being named the starting center, Lopez has sat out the past two games and it’s not clear when he might return.
“It was rough for me. I get it. I understand it,” Lopez said. “I always want to be out there playing on the court. That’s what I enjoy, especially playing with these guys. But I’m excited to watch these guys give it a go from the bench.”
Lopez isn’t sure if he’s in the Bulls’ long-range plans, even though he has one more season left on his contract at more than $13.5MM. He’s averaging a career-best 12.3 points to go with 4.7 rebounds in 57 games, so there should be interested teams if Chicago decides to trade him this summer.
There’s more news from the Windy City:
- Justin Holiday has been benched along with Lopez, but both may return to the lineup at some point this season, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Coach Fred Hoiberg didn’t directly answer questions about their future, but Lopez said he expects to play again. Holiday is also signed through next season at a salary of nearly $4.39MM.
- Third-year forward Bobby Portis is part of the youth movement and has been succeeding with a grating style that irritates opponents, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Portis has nearly doubled his scoring average to 13.0 points per game, while piling up an enemies list that includes former teammate Nikola Mirotic, who missed the start of the season with facial fractures he suffered in a preseason skirmish with Portis. “People used to joke around all the time about it, but now I’m making it into something I like,’’ Portis said of his “Crazy Eyes” nickname. “My eyes do get crazy, and I never know what they’re going to do.’’
- The Bulls are three games out of the top spot in our latest Reverse Standings, but tanking may not be the best strategy for a turnaround, Cowley suggests in a separate story. He notes that Chicago already has a wealth of young talent on hand and may benefit more by trying to win some games before the end of the season than by trying to improve its draft pick.
Sixers Notes: Fultz, Brown, Holmes, Ilyasova
It’s time for rookie guard Markelle Fultz to break his public silence and address the issues that have limited him to just four games this season, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The things Fultz needs to explain, according to Pompey, are whether a scapular muscle imbalance forced him to change his shot or whether it was done on the advice of his trainer, Keith Williams, and what teammate Joel Embiid meant when he said of Fultz, “I don’t feel like a lot of people … have had his back.”
Williams has denied making changes to Fultz’s shot and some people in the organization don’t believe it happened, but Fultz could easily clear up the situation if the team made him available to the media. However, he hasn’t granted any interviews apart from a brief one on TNT. A grievance was filed through the Pro Basketball Writers Association, but the NBA sided with the Sixers. The team may be trying to protect Fultz, Pompey adds, but the silence is just leading to more speculation.
There’s more today out of Philadelphia:
- This is the first time since coach Brett Brown took over five years ago that the Sixers haven’t dealt away or waived someone at the trade deadline, Pompey notes in a separate story. Not only did they keep their core intact, they added a shooter by picking up Marco Belinelli from the buyout market. “It’s something that from the city’s perspective, from the fans’ perspective and from the these guys’ perspective to take continuity and move it forward instead of hack away at it and chop it down,” Brown said. “We respect it. We appreciate it.”
- Richaun Holmes made a rare appearance Saturday, relays Sarah Todd of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The back-up center had sat out seven of the past nine games, but was scheduled for some minutes as Brown tries to prepare his whole roster for the postseason. Holmes responded with impressive defense in a win over the Magic. “Right now my motivation is I know that Richaun has value, I know that he has things that he can bring to the table and I respect how he’s handled himself when he wasn’t playing that much,” Brown said. “I know it’s my job to keep him alive and tonight was an example of that and I thought he did very very well.”
- The Sixers could be an option for Ersan Ilyasova once he completes a rumored buyout with the Hawks, according to Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports. Ilyasova spent 53 games in Philadelphia last season before being traded to Atlanta.