Nerlens Noel Hires Rich Paul As His Agent
AUGUST 21, 7:24pm: Noel has hired Rich Paul of Klutch Sports as his agent, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders tweets. Paul is the agent for LeBron James and John Wall, among many other NBA players.
AUGUST 21, 9:11am: According to Mike Fisher of Scout.com (Twitter link), Noel is considering an agent change from Walters, despite hiring him just a few months ago. However, Fegan is not involved in this process — if Noel makes a change, he’s expected to look elsewhere.
AUGUST 20, 8:41pm: Scruggs’ report appears to be operating off of dated information, as Noel’s agency change occurred during the 2016/17 season. Initially reported to be leaning toward Fegan, Noel went in another direction, as Fegan was fired by his agency and became embroiled in legal drama. Noel – previously with Andy Miller at ASM – is currently represented by Happy Walters, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks confirms to Hoops Rumors.
AUGUST 20, 4:57pm: Nerlens Noel, who remains a restricted free agent, is still searching for a max contract on the market. In an effort to find that deal, he has switched agents, leaving ASM Sports and hiring Dan Fegan, according to Newy Scruggs of NBC.com.
Noel hasn’t received an offer from any rival suitor, Scruggs adds, which prompted the change. Should he still not find a long-term deal to his liking, he has the option to play for Dallas under his qualifying offer, which is worth $4,187,598.
Scruggs pegs Noel’s market value in the $12-13MM range, though it’s merely speculation. The scribe cites Noel’s injury history as a major reason why the big man will likely have to settle for less than the max.
The center has played 193 games since being selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2013 draft. He’s scored 10.0 rebounds and brought in 7.5 rebounds per game over his career while making 51.1% of his shots from the field.
Mavericks Sign Jeff Withey
AUGUST 21: The Mavericks have officially signed Withey, the team announced today in a press release. Dallas now has 19 players under contract, with the final spot on the Mavs’ offseason roster likely reserved for Noel.
AUGUST 18: The Mavericks have agreed to a deal with Jeff Withey, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The scribe adds that the pact will be for one season.
Withey spent the last two seasons backing up Rudy Gobert on the Jazz and Utah renounced the rights to the Kansas product last month after agreeing to terms with Jonas Jerebko.
Withey was accused of domestic violence this past spring, though authorities said that despite the presence of physical contact between him and his ex-fiancee, he was innocent of wrongdoing since they determined that he was simply defending himself. It’s possible that Withey is handed some sort of suspension for the incident. However, no word of any punishment has been reported.
Withey was selected with the No. 39 overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Blazers before being dealt to the Pelicans later that offseason. After two years in New Orleans, where he played just 9.9 minutes per game, he became a free agent and signed with the Jazz.
Dallas currently has a void at the center position, though it’s likely that Nerlens Noel fills that void once the RFA comes to terms with the teams. Withey will likely compete with Salah Mejri for the back-up five spot behind Noel.
James Harden Talks Chris Paul, Rockets, Summer 17
Chris Paul, who had the ability to become a free agent this offseason, informed the Clippers in June that he would not be returning to the club. Instead, he intended to go to the Rockets, which prompted Los Angeles to trade him to Houston prior to him activating his Early Termination Option.
James Harden played a key role in bringing Paul to Houston. The 2016/17 MVP runner up discussed the acquisition with Sam Amick of USA Today, telling the scribe that he spoke with Paul about forming a dynamic backcourt.
“I just knew that in the summertime obviously [Paul] was a free agent, and I wanted to see where his head was,” Harden said of Paul. “He didn’t seem happy, so after that we just took it from there.”
Harden continued, telling Amick that he feels the move puts the team in a position to match up with Golden State, the conference’s 3-time reigning champ.
“Obviously Golden State has been in the Finals and won two out of three, so that’s what everybody is trying to build-up against. But we’re right there. We’re right there. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do, but it definitely puts us in a better chance,” the 27-year-old added.
Harden understands that playing alongside someone as great as Paul is a huge opportunity. Paul can become a free agent at the end of next season, so there’s no telling whether the 2017/18 campaign will be the only one where the two share a backcourt. Harden, who has made several changes to his offseason routine, including the addition of yoga and pilates, isn’t going to take the opportunity for granted.
“Every summer, it’s about getting better and putting yourself in a position to last an entire season,” Harden said.“I know how exciting this season is [going to be, and] I know how important it is, so I’m going to take full advantage of it. I have a lot of charity [events], a lot of things going on, but when I’m in that gym that’s kind of my getaway. That’s kind of when I’m locked in.”
Knicks Ink Xavier Rathan-Mayes To One-Year Deal
The Knicks have signed Xavier Rathan-Mayes to a one-year deal, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). Scotto adds that the pact will be partially guaranteed.
Rathan-Mayes entered the 2017 draft out of Florida State University but was not selected. In three seasons at the school, he averaged 12.4 points per game while making 52.1% of his shots from the field.
After signing the combo guard, the Knicks have 15 players under contract. New York appears to be embarking on a genuine rebuild for the first time in over a decade, so it could mean the team will opt to keep young talent over borderline-rotation level veterans. If the Knicks go that route, Rathan-Mayes, who turned 23 in April, may have a decent chance to make the team.
Adreian Payne, Magic Close To Deal
The Magic and Adreian Payne are close to an agreement that will bring the big man to Orlando, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter links). Pick adds that the 26-year-old recently turned down an offer from Guangdong in the Chinese Basketball Association worth $900K.
Payne’s deal with the Magic will be a two-way deal, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Payne was drafted by the Hawks with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 draft. Atlanta sent him to Minnesota during the 2014/15 season for a future first round pick. In two-plus seasons with the Wolves, Payne has seen just 13.5 minutes per game. He averaged 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest while shooting 40.0% from the field.
Kevin Durant Weighs In On Cavaliers’ Situation
It may seem like the Cavaliers have a unique problem on their hands with Kyrie Irving requesting a trade. However, Kevin Durant tells Chris Haynes of ESPN.com that trade requests routinely occur behind the scenes without the media learning of them.
“It’s just a regular NBA problem, right? A lot of teams have gone through this before,” Durant said. “They’ll figure it out. That’s a great organization, a championship organization. They’ll figure it out.”
Having a deal in place by the time training camp begins would avoid a potential distraction. However, if Irving isn’t moved by then, Durant believes Irving and LeBron James would eventually work out their differences.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Durant said. “Both of those guys won a championship together. They love each other. If Kyrie wants to do something else, that’s on him. I’m sure whatever happens, it’ll work out for the best for both of them. But it’s just a normal NBA problem. It’s just two big stars that it’s happening to.”
Earlier in the week, Durant played pickup basketball with James and Carmelo Anthony among others. The 2013/14 MVP downplayed the event.
“If somebody wants to hoop, we just hoop. We just went out there and played, bro. Nothing too serious,” Durant said.
Southwest Notes: Harden, Anthony, Irving
GM Daryl Morey recently praised James Harden for his role as a recruiter, telling ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast (h/t Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders) that Harden “understands the plan,” adding that “he wants to execute for the team he’s leading.”
Hamilton notes that Harden had a hand in recruiting Chris Paul to the Rockets and his involvement in bringing Carmelo Anthony to Houston will be crucial. The Rockets don’t have an array of young, promising talent to offer the Knicks, so the probable way to get Anthony in Houston is for the 10-time All-Star to force his way onto the team, something that appears is already happening. That likely doesn’t occur without Harden and Anthony being on the same page.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Landing Anthony is not a sure thing for the Rockets and Hamilton examines what other talent the team could pursue should they find themselves unable to swing a deal with New York. DeMarcus Cousins, who will be a free agent after the season, could be an option. Hamilton also names Kenneth Faried and Jahlil Okafor as frontcourt players who could be targets.
- Hall of Famer David Robinson believes the Spurs would be “crazy not to want” Kyrie Irving on the team, as he said on SiriusXM NBA Radio (h/t Inquirer.net). “I certainly think you add a talent like that to a system that can … enhance his impact in the game and make him more efficient,” Robinson said of the point guard. San Antonio is on Irving’s short list of destinations where he would like to be traded.
Community Shootaround: Dwyane Wade
The Bulls inked Dwyane Wade to a two-year contract last offseason, but the franchise has undergone some renovations with an eye on rebuilding for the future. Wade, at age 35, doesn’t appear to fit in those plans and earlier today, it was reported that he and the team are expected to work out a buyout agreement in the coming months.
Should the future Hall of Famer reach a buyout agreement with Chicago, where is the best place for him to continue his career?
Cleveland might be a logical fit given his friendship with LeBron James. Houston would give Wade an opportunity to play alongside James Harden and Chris Paul to form one of the best backcourt rotations in recent memory. The Heat seem like they’re one player away from breaking into the Eastern Conference’s top-4 and Wade could be that contributor that helps get Pat Riley home court in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Spurs could use Wade as a primary ball handler until Tony Parker returns from injury then watch the shooting guard’s minutes to ensure he stays healthy for a playoff run. A lineup of Parker, Wade, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol with Patty Mills, Danny Green, Manu Ginobili and a potentially healthy Rudy Gay coming off the bench would be a tough out in the playoffs.
Do you feel Wade should sign with any of the aforementioned teams or is there another club that would be a better fit? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Durant Says He Will “Never” Sign With Knicks
Last offseason, Kevin Durant was a free agent and the Knicks hoped to get a meeting with the 2013/14 MVP. They didn’t get one and it appears they won’t in the future should he hit the market again, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News explains.
A fan asked Durant when he was going to play for New York’s team during a portion of the star’s promotional video, which was filmed in the Big Apple. Durant was direct in his answer, telling the New Yorker “never.”
It appears the Knicks are still recovering from years of reputational damage even after exiling Phil Jackson and ushering in a new regime. The franchise hasn’t had much luck attracting top talent to play for the team since it re-signed Carmelo Anthony to his current deal back in 2014.
In 2015, LaMarcus Aldridge scheduled a meeting with New York during the opening week of free agency only to cancel it later after Jackson told him that the organization wanted Aldridge to play “strictly” center. Dwyane Wade, who met with New York last summer before signing with the Bulls, represents the last free agent fresh off an All-Star appearance to sit down with the club.
Several stars, such as LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Paul George, can hit the free agent market next offseason and it’ll be interesting to see which, if any, of the league’s marquee players will schedule a meeting with the Knicks. It seems likely that Durant, who has the ability to hit the market for the third consecutive offseason should he opt out after the 2017/18 campaign, will not headline that list.
Conflicting Reports On LeBron’s Future With Cavs
Speculation of LeBron James leaving Cleveland has persisted all summer and it revved up last week after he called Los Angeles “home” in a tweet. Between James’ friendship with Lakers team president Magic Johnson and the turmoil surrounding the Cavaliers’ organization, it’s easy to envision a scenario where LBJ heads west to play for the Lakers next season.
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops (Twitter link) doesn’t mention Los Angeles, though he hears from a source that James has already made up his mind on his future with the Cavs.
“This will be LeBron’s final season in Cleveland. He is 100 percent leaving. Relationship with owners beyond repair,” the source said.
LBJ’s camp has since denied these reports with three sources close to James telling Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com (series of tweets) that they are 100% false. The sources told Vardon that James does not view his relationship with ownership as something that is unrepairable.
Chris Broussard of Fox Sports (Twitter link) hears that LBJ has not yet made a decision on his future in Cleveland and he won’t make one before the end of next season.
While James’ camp did its best to quickly shoot down the rumors, the fact remains that James has not publicly or privately expressed willingness to commit to the franchise long-term.
If the Cavs knew LBJ was leaving, perhaps the team decides not to trade Kyrie Irving. If they knew James was going to stay, they could confidently acquire a package full of win-now veterans for the point guard. Without a certain future, the organization sits in an awkward position, one that could shape the franchise for years to come.
It’s a tough situation for new GM Koby Altman to be in. The threat of a superstar leaving is the theoretical tax you pay to have him as the face of your franchise. With James likely hitting the free agent market next summer, nearly every team in the league will line up to try to get an opportunity to foot that bill.
Do you think LeBron stays in Cleveland or do you think he leaves his home state for another franchise? If he bolts, where does he go? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!