LaVar Ball To Launch Pro League
LaVar Ball has announced that he will launch the Junior Basketball Association, a professional league for nationally ranked players who have graduated from high school but do not want to go to college (via Darren Rovell of ESPN.com).
Per Ball, the league will be funded by the Big Baller Brand and it plans to pay players between $3-10K per month, depending on their rank. The league is looking to fill 10 teams, each with eight players, in the hopes that games will be played in NBA arenas in Los Angeles, Dallas, Brooklyn, and Atlanta.
“Getting these players is going to be easy,” Ball said. “This is giving guys a chance to get a jump start on their career, to be seen by pro scouts, and we’re going to pay them because someone has to pay these kids.”
As Rovell details, the league won’t include LiAngelo Ball or LaMelo Ball, as the brothers have each signed on to play in Lithuania. As for the league’s logo, it will be slightly different than the NBA’s, which features Jerry West pounding the rock.
“We don’t need a logo of a guy dribbling,” the elder Ball said. “Nobody does that anymore.”
The JBA plans to use a silhouette of Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball raising up for a dunk as its logo and its players and coaches will wear BBB-branded products.
Mark Cuban Not Interested In Owning NFL Team
The Carolina Panthers are up for sale and while many with interest in owning an NFL franchise will line up to try and take the reins of the team, don’t expect Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to be among them.
“Not interested at all in any NFL franchise,” Cuban tells Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. The Shark Tank star later added, “Why would I buy an NFL team if I think the league is in decline?”
In order to buy an NFL team, Cuban would be required to sell the Mavericks (per NFL rules). That’s not something that’s likely to happen anytime soon.
“There’s no team I would want other than the Mavericks, certainly no football team in the universe,” Cuban said. “There’s not even a close second.”
“I love the Mavs. I love Dallas. I mean, Charlotte’s a great city, but there’s nothing I don’t like here — other than losing right now. I would never turn my back on the city of Dallas.”
Cuban has been critical of the NFL’s future with regard to players’ safety and he believes buying a team would go against his strong stance on the sport.
“Like I’ve always said, Dallas has given me so much. And what am I going to say to my son and his friends or my daughter and her friends: ‘Oh, yeah: Football’s dangerous for you, but I bought a football team…I know I’m a hypocrite from time to time, but I really, really, really try not to be,” Cuban added.
Thunder Notes: Patterson, Anthony, Westbrook
The Thunder may be better off sending Carmelo Anthony to the bench unit, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman contends. Horne notes that the offense often becomes stagnant with the team’s stars holding onto the ball too long and inserting Patrick Patterson in the starting lineup could be the solution to the team’s problems.
Patterson, who joined OKC during the offseason on a three-year, $16.4MM deal, prides himself on making quick decisions with the rock.
“Being able to decide as soon as I catch the ball if I want to drive or pass is something I’ve been carrying along for years,” Patterson said.
The power forward is averaging 1.29 seconds per touch this season, which is the second-lowest mark on the team, according to Horne.
In theory, adding Patterson in the starting five makes sense, though there isn’t much data on the potential new starting lineup. The Russell Westbrook–Andre Roberson–Paul George–Steven Adams-Patterson lineup has only played eight minutes this season and while it yielded a slight positive in net rating, it’s unclear how successful the lineup could be over the long-term. Factor in the potential negative chemistry consequences from changing a future Hall of Famer’s role and the potential retooling of the rotation appears even riskier.
Coach Billy Donovan wouldn’t rule out making that kind of move, but said that Patterson is “in a pretty good routine and role right now.”
Here’s more from Oklahoma City:
- Donovan believes the Thunder’s chemistry is just fine but he acknowledges that the offense will require more ball movement if they are going to climb up in the standings, as Ken Berger of Bleacher Report relays. “They’re willing to work and they’re willing to sacrifice and they know that they have to change,” Donovan said of the team’s three stars. “And I think that change sometimes is difficult. It’s difficult, it’s challenging, it’s new. … But I think for the way we need to play to maximize our team, we’re going to have to move the ball, share the ball, and that’s been a little bit different for most of these guys.”
- GM Sam Presti may have felt pressure to surround Westbrook with stars so that he would be more likely to ink an extension. While it worked, as Westbrook agreed to add five years to his pact, one anonymous league executive believes the team did more than it had to, as Berger passes along in the same piece.“I think they messed with the chemistry too much,” the Western Conference executive said. “They probably would’ve been fine with just George and Westbrook and some role players.”
Thunder Not Entertaining Paul George Trades
The Thunder acquired Paul George and Carmelo Anthony and expected to compete with the Rockets and Warriors atop the Western Conference. Instead, the team is struggling to stay above .500. Yet, despite the underwhelming results, Oklahoma City is still showing no indication that George is on the table in trade talks, Bleacher Report’s Ken Berger hears.
Berger adds that the Thunder understood the risks of acquiring George, who can become a free agent this summer, and they weren’t delusional about his chances of committing to the team long-term.
George gave the Pacers insight into his thinking about his upcoming free agency, something that spurred to the franchise to listen to trade offers. It’s possible that he informs the Thunder that he likely won’t be sticking around should he come to that conclusion, though the situations are dissimilar.
“Well, I think this is a different scenario because it’s our only year together as far as we’re on one-year contracts,” George tells Berger. “I want to put everything into this and see where that takes us. I’m not giving up; I’m not giving in. I want to give this thing everything I have and we’ll see where it goes.”
While George remains open to staying in OKC beyond 2018, it appears the short-term success will play a role in his future decision making.
“We all enjoy playing with one another,” George explained. “This could possibly be me being here for multiple years. But … I’m not going to just throw it in and be like, ‘No, I’m done with this.’ We’ve got a long, long, long season ahead of us. And I’m committed to that.”
One anonymous Western Conference league executive believes George is simply putting on a face to the media.
“George has got to be frustrated,” the executive said. “You can tell by the way he’s playing. He’s not playing with any enthusiasm, not playing with any spunk. He’s kind of playing like a second or third wheel out there.”
The executive was critical of the team’s ball movement and chemistry, adding that the three stars simply do not play well together.
“It’s a three-man circus,” the executive said. “…You can tell by watching them play, it’s out of sync. There’s no rhyme or rhythm to how they play.”
Fantasy Hoops: Mirotic, Gasol, Hollis-Jefferson
Nikola Mirotic has thrived since returning to action, posting 19.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 57.1% from the field. Since Mirotic’s debut this season, a Bulls team that won three of its first 23 games has gone 4-0, and the franchise recognizes the power forward’s value.
“He does a lot of little things that don’t show up in the box score,” coach Fred Hoiberg recently said. “He’s in the right spot defensively, he’s in a stance, he knows where to be, he understands the game plan.”
Chicago led our reverse standings for much of the first quarter of the season and though the Bulls insist they’re not tanking, Mirotic’s success may only provide them with further motivation to ship him elsewhere when he becomes trade-eligible on January 15. We heard earlier in the week that the Bulls were gauging Mirotic’s value on the market and his stock likely only improved after a 29 point, 11-for-18 performance against the Jazz on Wednesday night.
Don’t expect Mirotic to continue with this level of production. Two of his four games, including the Utah contest, came with rookie Lauri Markkanen sitting out, so Mirotic is unlikely to maintain his current 25.4 usage percentage. When Markanen returns, Mirotic should still remain involved in the offense, especially if the Bulls are showcasing him for a trade, as I alluded to in a previous edition of Fantasy Hoops. However, expect a cutback in production to occur. That, along with the chances of him being dealt elsewhere, makes Mirotic a sell-high candidate despite that fact that many fantasy players likely just picked him up.
The list of players I would target include Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, Darren Collison, Al-Farouq Aminu and Spencer Dinwiddie. These are all players I have in the tier above Mirotic, but they could be undervalued in your leagues for various reasons.
Marginal moves can sometimes be key to turning teams around — just ask former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie (who should be an Executive of the Year candidate) or current Nets GM Sean Marks, both of whom have done a great job finding value in the margins.
If your season isn’t going as planned, identifying players to buy low and sell high on could be your way to turn it around. And for those who just enjoyed Mirotic’s great week of play, another opportunity awaits.
Here’s more notes and analysis from around the league:
- The Hawks have been one of the best match-ups for opposing centers, allowing the most rebounds and third-highest field goal percentage to opposing fives over their last 10 contests. Target Marc Gasol, despite the high sticker price, in daily contests tonight.
- The Heat will take on the Hawks on Monday, and center Bam Adebayo could be a player to target for that contest. Adebayo has had mixed results as a fill-in for Whiteside, but if the $98MM man doesn’t return to the over the weekend, Adebayo becomes an intriguing, super-cheap option to consider in daily.
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has seen an increase in usage since the Nets shipped out Trevor Booker. Having attempted 10.2 shots per game before the Jahlil Okafor trade, RHJ has attempted 12.5 since then. He may lose some touches once Okafor debuts, but the combo forward contributes in enough categories to remain a fantasy asset.
- Cavaliers point guard Jose Calderon deserves some attention after scoring a season-high 17 points against the Lakers on Thursday. That performance followed up a 14-point, four-assist showing against the Hawks, in which he hit four shots from behind the arc and added a steal. He’s far from a must-add, but Calderon could be useful as a spot starter in season-long leagues and he’s a nice low-price option in daily, especially on Saturday against a Jazz team that has allowed opposing point guards to shoot 46.0% from the field (23rd in the league) over its last 10 games.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nets Notes: Culture, Carroll, Okafor
GM Sean Marks was worried that parting ways with locker room favorites Trevor Booker and Sean Kilpatrick would disrupt the Nets‘ chemistry, which is why he took a proactive approach, personally explaining to the team why the move was best for the organization. Coach Kenny Atkinson also sat down with several players to make sure the reason for the transactions was understood, Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays.
“The plan going forward is to always inform these guys of important decisions like that, change of roster,” Atkinson said before adding that he feels the team will accept Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas.
“I think it’ll be a seamless transition,” the coach continued. “They’ll accept these two new guys and the plan for the future is to have a better Nets team going forward. That was the goal. I’m glad we explained it to the players. That’s the type of organization we want, with open communication with the players.”
Here’s more from Brooklyn:
- DeMarre Carroll, who arrived in Brooklyn during the offseason, explained how the Nets‘ approach impacted his feelings on the transactions, Lewis adds in the same piece. “We were devastated,” Carroll said of losing the two veterans. “They were like one of our brothers, both of them, SK, Sean Kilpatrick and Trevor. But they came to talk to us and try to make us see the bigger picture, see why they did the trade.”
- Carroll added (in the same piece) that he feels the two former lottery picks will be able to understand the culture and fit right in. “I feel like that’ll be easy, because if you don’t fit in you’ll stick out like a sore thumb in this [culture],” the small forward said.
- Okafor is motivated to prove himself after two-plus uninspiring seasons in Philadelphia, Zach Braziller of the New York Post passes along. “I have a chip on my shoulder,” Okafor said. “This is the first time where people are against me in a sense because I’ve always been the hyped-up guy. It’s something new for me to experience, so I’m glad that I am experiencing it.”
James Johnson Talks New Contract, Heat Culture
James Johnson re-signed with the Heat on a four-year, $60MM deal over the summer and recently spoke with Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders to discuss how great it is to have a long-term contract.
“It really meant everything to me,” Johnson said of landing that four-year deal. “To be in a situation in my life to overcome so much, and to finally get something like that where it’s long-term, where it’s somewhere I really want to be too, it was just all-in-all the best scenario.”
Johnson bounced around the league during his first eight seasons, spending time with the Raptors (two stints), Bulls, Kings, and Grizzlies before finding his way to South Beach. He has seen many NBA franchises from the inside and he believes the Heat’s culture sets them apart.
“Just their want-to, they’re no excuses, act like a champion on and off the court, and just that mental stability of always teaching you, not just drills, not just coaching just because they’re called coaches,” Johnson said. “They really inspire, they really help out, and it makes you want to be in that work environment.”
Many players chase stats or role as they look to cash on a new contract. Johnson explains how having a long-term deal at the age of 30 puts him in position to simply focus on winning.
“I got paid, so there’s no pressure of playing for the money,” Johnson added. “It’s really playing for the wins, playing for your teammates, and playing with a pure heart, not going out there with any agendas, not going out there looking to live up to something that everybody else wants you to live up to. For me, it’s just gelling with our team and making sure our locker room is great like I was mentioning. Go out there and compete and trust each other.”
Fantasy Hoops: Okafor, Adams, Jordan
Jahlil Okafor is free. While he still faces competition for minutes in his new home, he’s finally in an environment where he can simply focus on playing basketball, instead of having to keep an ear out for potential rumors about what team he may be going to next.
I recently caught up with Hoops Rumors’ own Austin Kent, who’s also the owner of Sports.ws, an advanced fantasy basketball platform that allows users to compete based on players’ efficiency rather than their aggregate stats. We discussed the Okafor deal, and touched upon a few other notes around the NBA. Here’s our conversation:
Chris Crouse: Let’s start out with the Nets’ side of the deal. What are your initial thoughts on the haul they received for Trevor Booker?
Austin Kent: I love the Okafor trade. I think we’re going to see him return to 18-and-8 form by the end of the season. This feels similar to the Jusuf Nurkic situation last year. An exit was just so necessary – and in this case so obvious.
Much has been said about Okafor’s defense, but I think Brooklyn is in a great position to develop him on that end. They at least have incentive to do so. Worst-case scenario, they platoon him with Jarrett Allen depending on the situation.
CC: Allen and Okafor should make an interesting combination. I like the rookie’s game and he could certainly help to compensate for Okafor’s deficiencies in traditional two-big-men lineups.
Call me crazy, but I think Okafor still has All-Star potential. Not this season, but down the line, regardless of whether he stays with Brooklyn past this year. (The Nets can only offer him a first-year salary of $6.3MM because Philly declined his fourth year option, so the franchise is far from a lock to keep him long-term). He simply has too much offensive talent not to be a force.
As of this writing, the former No. 3 overall pick is available in roughly 78% of ESPN leagues. That seems egregiously high.
AK: Okafor is a must buy in any format, but even in real life I think you’re going to see people start to come around to his value. I think we may have over-corrected in our small-ball hysteria and written off guys like him (and Enes Kanter and Greg Monroe) a bit too early.
CC: Kanter has really impressed me this season. Over the last seven games, only DeAndre Jordan and Andre Drummond have more rebounds per contest than the Knicks center. He’s pushing to be the real prize in the Carmelo Anthony deal for either side.
Kanter’s departure has given Steven Adams more opportunity. Thoughts on his game and how the Thunder’s new parts are all coming together?
AK: I think you really have to give Adams credit for buying into his role and constantly improving within it. I don’t think he’ll continue to average 19.5 points per game or shoot 72.3% from the field (as he has over his last four), but he’s taking advantage of defenses having to account for the bigger names on the roster.
Ultimately, I think you’ll see the Big Three turn into a Big Two as George and Westbrook take over as co-alphas with Anthony sliding into more of a peripheral role.
CC: Would you rather have Adams or Anthony in fantasy going forward?
AK: I’d go with Adams. Even if he ends up at around 13 points per game on the season, you know he’s going to get his rebounds and chip in a few defensive counting stats. He has a nice floor in that sense and you’re not going to get burned or be disappointed. Anthony, on the other hand, is a scorer that’s going to have to learn to produce in a way that he’s never been asked to and may not have even seriously considered when he arrived in Oklahoma.
CC: I’m leaning toward Adams in Roto formats, but Anthony in points leagues. I might even take Adams over someone like DeAndre Jordan. Speaking of the big man, in your Clippers Free Agent Stock Watch, you mentioned how Jordan’s free agent stock was heading the wrong way. Do you believe it would improve if he’s dealt elsewhere, provided the new destination would be a long-term home? Also, thoughts on his fantasy stock if he’s sent to Milwaukee this winter?
AK: I think we’ve already seen Jordan’s peak and that was just the result of certain stars aligning. No situation, whether it be Milwaukee or elsewhere, will ever bring out more in Jordan than that 2013-17 window did. For four years, Jordan was a rain-or-shine starter in a fast-paced offense, fortunate enough to be in prime athletic form, yet experienced enough to understand the NBA. Most importantly, he was in the same lineup as Chris Paul.
I’d give Jordan a few more years of pumping out double-doubles wherever he goes because he’s still just 29 years old, and has a lot of clout from his role on a pretty good Clippers team. But I think you’re going to see a relatively fast fall from grace.
CC: Let’s circle back to the Okafor deal before we sign off. Quick thoughts on Philadelphia’s side of the deal. Does Booker provide any fantasy value going forward?
AK: I think the move to Philly will give Booker a great opportunity to step up in a more relevant role as a basketball player, but I wouldn’t hang on to him in fantasy.
Hoops Rumors readers, what are your thoughts on the Okafor trade, the Thunder’s collection of talent, and Jordan’s value going forward? Take to the comment section below to express your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say!
Also, remember that you can always head to the comment section with your fantasy basketball questions or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nerlens Noel To Miss Several Weeks
DECEMBER 8, 1:29pm: Noel has officially undergone surgery on his left thumb, the Mavericks announced today in a press release. The team didn’t provide a recovery timetable for the center.
DECEMBER 6, 5:50pm: Nerlens Noel will undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, Mavericks team writer Bobby Karalla relays (Twitter link).“He’ll be out for several weeks,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “I don’t know how long.”
Noel hurt his thumb earlier in the season and he hasn’t played since November 23. The center told the media that he expects to be out four to six weeks after undergoing surgery, as Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com passes along via Twitter.
Noel, who ‘s making slightly under $4.2MM this season, missed a total of six games so far this season and has only played 12.5 per contest on the nights he has suited up. He’ll be one of several players to become trade-eligible on December 15 and while there was a decent chance that he would have been switching teams prior to the injury, the latest news puts a hold on any movement.
Suns Convert Mike James’ Two-Way Contract Into NBA Deal
DECEMBER 7, 11:35am: The Suns have officially converted James’ two-way deal to a standard NBA contract, the team announced today in a press release. The release also confirmed that the team has waived Jones, as we detailed in a separate story.
James is now on track to reach restricted free agency in 2018, while the Suns have an open two-way contract slot that could be filled at any time.
DECEMBER 6, 11:02pm: The Suns are converting Mike James‘ two-way contract into a traditional NBA contract, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports. On Thursday, James will have spent 45 days with the NBA club, which is the maximum allowed under a two-way deal.
James will be the first player in NBA history to have his two-way deal converted. Phoenix plans on opening a roster spot on Thursday morning and Derrick Jones is a good bet to be the casualty of the transaction, barring a trade.
The point guard made approximately $213K on his two-way deal and he could earn slightly over $580K if he remains with the team for the remainder of the 2017/18 season. James took on a larger role once the Suns dealt away Eric Bledsoe, starting 10 games before finding his niche leading the second unit.