Southwest Notes: Cousins, Holiday, Noel
The Pelicans added Rajon Rondo this offseason and DeMarcus Cousins is thrilled about the addition, as he tells Chris Mannix of The Vertical.
“Rajon is like a big brother to me,” Cousins said. “He taught me a lot in that one season we had together. Our relationship remained strong and we always thought we’d wind up being teammates again later down the road. I never expected it to be this soon, but I’m also happy about it.”
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The decision to play Jrue Holiday off the ball was forced upon the Pelicans because of their cap concerns, James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders explains. The team didn’t have much flexibility to add shooting this offseason, so moving Holiday—someone who’s a career 36.6% three-point shooter— off the ball adds a dimension to the offense without bringing in an expensive wing.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News speculates that the Mavericks will complete a deal with Nerlens Noel before training camp begins. However, the scribe notes that nothing has to happen until October 16 when the center’s qualifying offer expires.
Rival Executives Keeping Tabs On DeMarcus Cousins
Executives around the league are keeping a close eye on DeMarcus Cousins and the Pelicans this season. One Western Conference team executive tells Chris Mannix of The Vertical that Cousins, who will be a free agent next summer, could cost himself a sizable deal if things don’t go well in New Orleans.
“This season is huge,” said the anonymous Western Conference team executive. “He has to prove he can win. He has never played with anyone near the talent of Davis. He has to show he is willing to sacrifice for the team and do what is best for the team first. He really needs to turn a corner. If he acts up, he will cost himself a lot of money.”
Another Western Conference executive echoed that sentiment, telling Mannix that “there’s no way to overstate it—there is huge money on the line.”
The 26-year-old big man remains focused on the upcoming campaign and refuses to worry his contract situation. “I’m not real concerned,” Cousins said. “I know people know my talent. I’m past all that.”
Cousins came to New Orleans via a trade deadline deal that sent a package centered around Buddy Hield and a first-rounder to Sacramento. The Pelicans went 7-10 during games in which Cousins played. Could it be that having two 6’11” behemoths in the same lineup is no longer a sustainable model for building a winning team? Cousins doesn’t believe that to be true.
“I think the game is actually playing into our hands,” Cousins said. “I think me and A.D. have a skill set that a lot of bigs don’t have in this league, or the league hasn’t seen in some bigs throughout the history of the game. I think it actually plays into our hands, and we’re just rolling with the punches. I don’t think [a smaller game] will effect me or A.D. at all.
“That sample size we got last season is the reason I’m so confident this season. I believe we can make it work, and I think we’re going to surprise a lot more people than people actually expect. For some reason we’re being counted out, but that’s actually OK. We’re going to surprise a lot of people this season.”
Latest On Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving doesn’t want to be in Cleveland as long as LeBron James is around, though that doesn’t mean he’s willing to commit long-term to another franchise should the Cavs trade him. According to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com, Irving, who has two years before he can become a free agent, wants to keep his options open for the summer of 2019. Pluto adds that the former No. 1 overall pick isn’t ready to commit to any team at this point.
While an extension with a new team was never a likely outcome for Irving, the latest news could potentially suppress his trade value. Any team giving up a haul to acquire the point guard would want him around long-term and without that assurance, teams may think twice about mortgaging their futures to bring in the Duke product.
Here’s more from Pluto’s piece on Irving:
- The Suns would be willing to deal Eric Bledsoe to the Cavaliers for Irving even if Irving makes no commitment to stay in Phoenix past his current deal. However, they would not want to include Josh Jackson in that scenario.
- The Cavs would love to take back Devin Booker in an Irving-to-the-Suns deal, but Phoenix is unlikely to trade Booker since it already told the shooting guard that he wasn’t going anywhere. Phoenix would like to send a package of Bledsoe, T.J. Warren, and Brandon Knight to the Cavs for Irving and additional salary (Iman Shumpert or Channing Frye). That proposal is underwhelming to Cleveland’s front office.
- The Nuggets remain a threat to trade for Irving, but Pluto hears that Denver will not give up both Jamal Murray and Gary Harris in a deal. Pluto adds that there are players on Denver’s roster who are attractive to Cleveland and because of that, the Nuggets could be involved in an Irving trade as a third team even if they don’t land the point guard themselves.
- If Andrew Wiggins signs an extension with the Wolves, it’s unlikely that he gets dealt to Cleveland, a source tells Pluto.
Kristaps Porzingis Talks Knicks, Carmelo, Future
Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t happy with the Knicks toward the end of last season, something that prompted him to skip his exit meeting. He had concerns about the team’s competitiveness and its lack of direction, but now, after an offseason of change, the big man has a different outlook on the organization.
“So far it’s been tough in New York, but my journey is only beginning and I hope to stay there my whole career, so as a city we can have some fun and win some games and do something big,” Porzingis said (via Shaun Powell of NBA.com). “For me, it’s now home.”
The Knicks endured another losing season during the 2016/17 campaign, which led to a shakeup in their front office. They replaced former team president Phil Jackson with Steve Mills and they’ve added Scott Perry to be the new GM. Porzingis appears to be giving the new regime a chance to turn things around.
“We’re going to have a lot of new guys,” the big man said. “Every year is almost like a new year. There will be a lot of changes. I’m going into the season hoping we have a group of guys who want to work hard and win. That’s what’s important.”
Porzingis would love to play alongside Carmelo Anthony for the third straight season, though the 22-year-old knows it’s beyond his control.
“There’s still so much for me to learn [from] him,” Porzingis said. “I would love to have him around and keep playing alongside him. But it is what it is. It’s a business. If it ends, well … I don’t know, it’s out of my hands. I’m really thankful for these couple of years I’ve been with him, just seeing how he works during the summer. “
Anthony, who has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason, is reportedly set on joining the Rockets. He hasn’t spoken to the team’s new front office yet, though he’s on good terms with Perry and plans to do so “when the time comes.”
While it doesn’t appear Anthony plans on staying with the Knicks as they embrace a new era, Porzingis wants to help the new regime bring a championship to the Big Apple.
“Look, I was so happy when I got drafted by New York,” Porzingis said. “I was never worried about the big stage or anything like that. I’ve always enjoyed that. I can envision [a championship someday] and see it. But we’re still a long way from there. As we get better, if we can all see that goal at the end and work towards it, anything can happen.”
Warriors Re-Sign JaVale McGee
AUGUST 1: The Warriors have issued a press release officially announcing their new deal with McGee.
JULY 27: The Warriors have reached an agreement with JaVale McGee to bring the center back to Golden State, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reports. The deal will be for one season, though the salary details have not yet trickled out.
Retaining McGee will likely be the franchise’s last significant move after it was able to bring back nearly every piece of its latest championship team. Golden State now has 15 players with guaranteed deals on the books.
McGee excelled as a role player for the Warriors last season, shooting a career-best 65.2% from the field and sporting an electric 25.2 player efficiency rating. In addition to Golden State, the center spent time in Denver, Philadelphia, and Dallas since being selected by Washington with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2008 draft.
While McGee could earn up to 120% of the minimum salary via his Non-Bird rights, another minimum deal appears likely. It won’t come cheap for the Warriors, who are deep into tax territory and will pay at least $2.50 per dollar in tax penalties on McGee’s new deal.
Bulls Sign Ryan Arcidiacono To Two-Way Deal
AUGUST 1: The Bulls have officially signed Arcidiacono to a two-way contract, the team confirmed today in a press release.
JULY 24: The Bulls have agreed to a deal with Ryan Arcidiacono, Daniele Labanti of Corriere Di Bologna reports. Sean Highkin of The Athletic confirms the signing and adds that it will be a two-way deal.
The Bulls now have used both of their two-way contracts with the team adding Antonio Blakeney to a contract last week. You can keep up with every team’s two-way contract signings with our 2017/18 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker.
The Villanova product played for Chicago’s Summer League team in Las Vegas this offseason. He was set to play for JuveCaserta Basket in Italy before the team was excluded from the Italian League Series A because of financial difficulties.
Lakers Sign Thomas Bryant
July 30: The Lakers announced that they have officially signed Bryant in a press release on their official website.
July 27: The Lakers have reached an agreement with second-round pick Thomas Bryant, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. The pact will be for two seasons and it will be guaranteed for the 2017/18 season. It will contain a team option for the 2018/19 campaign.
Bryant spent two seasons at Indiana, where he scored 12.2 points and grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game. Los Angeles selected the big man with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2017 draft and he shined for the organization’s Summer League team, helping it to win a championship in the Las Vegas league.
The Lakers no longer had the cap room necessary to offer Bryant more than a two-year contract, but the two-year limit may not be a major concern for L.A. The structure of Bryant’s new deal will allow the Lakers to part ways with him after one season if the team needs to create as much cap room as possible in 2018 for a maximum-salary player or two.
Five Notable Wings Still Available In Free Agency
While the Grit and Grind Era will always represent a special time in Memphis, the Grizzlies have moved on and Tony Allen appears to be a casualty of the transition. Fellow grinder Zach Randolph was able to secure a two-year, $24MM with the Kings, but Allen hasn’t been able to land a lucrative deal of his own.
Early in free agency, the Clippers were reportedly interested in working out a sign-and-trade deal for Allen, but after making several additions, Los Angeles isn’t in a position to offer much more than a minimum salary arrangement. The Wolves also had interested in the swingman, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reported several weeks ago, though we haven’t heard much on Allen joining either of those clubs since.
Allen previously indicated that he wasn’t looking to break the bank in free agency. He also said he’ll be a Memphian for life. It’s possible he returns to the Grizzlies on a minimum salary deal, something they may have planned for him. However, it remains to be seen whether taking a hometown discount and taking the minimum are the same in Allen’s eyes.
At age 35, Allen isn’t going to learn how to shoot at a league-average level, something that becomes more of an issue during the NBA’s second season. He remains one of the better perimeter defenders in the league and he was a useful rotation player last season.
The Grizzlies could use a swingman to help solidify their rotation; so could the Wolves, Clippers, Mavericks, and Pacers. Allen should be able to help out a team in need of wing depth, though he’s not the only option on the market. Here are some other notable options available:
- Anthony Morrow— Shooting is as important as its ever been in the NBA, which bodes well for Morrow should he find his three-point shot again. He’s a career 41.7% shooter from behind the arc, but he shot under 31% last season. Morrow, who turns 32 in September, will likely see another opportunity in the league. However, his flaws on the defensive end may force him to wait until closer to training camp to find a home.
- Gerald Green — Green saw some minutes for the Celtics on the backend of their rotation last season before seeing a slightly larger role in the postseason. It’s plausible to think that his work in the NBA’s second season would boost his stock, but we haven’t heard much about him garnering much interest on the market. The 31-year-old has enough left in the tank to help a team in need of wing depth, though he’s another athlete who will likely have to play the waiting game.
- Brandon Rush — Several teams have reportedly checked in with Rush, including the Mavericks, Heat, and Pacers. Dallas makes the most sense for the 32-year-old, as I recently detailed.
- Shabazz Muhammad — Muhammad may be the most talented wing left on the free agent market. The Wolves pulled his qualifying offer earlier in the month, which rendered him to unrestricted free agency and the Hawks, Nets, Bucks, Knicks, Bulls, and Magic all were reportedly interested in the swingman. Yet, the UCLA product remains unsigned. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of deal and what kind of role Muhammad lands. It’ll also be interesting to see if the 24-year-old can expand his game beyond scoring, as he took 598 shots last season but dished out just 35 assists.
Kings Hire Brandon Williams As Assistant GM
The Kings have hired Brandon Williams to be their new assistant GM, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reports (Twitter link). The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We are so excited that Brandon is joining our front office team,” GM Vlade Divac said (via Sean Cunningham of ABC 10). “He is an experienced and talented basketball executive. His knowledge of player development and basketball operations combined with his legal skills will be a strong addition to our team.”
Williams most recently served as the Sixers VP of Basketball Administration and GM of Delaware 87ers, the team’s G-League affiliate. Williams also previously worked within the NBA’s league office, taking on the role of Director of Player Development before becoming the Associate Vice President of Basketball Operations.
Brandon Bass Searches For New Opportunity
Brandon Bass didn’t get as many minutes as he was hoping for during the 2016/17 season with the Clippers, but he believes the lack of playing time allowed him to remain fresh throughout the season and beyond, as he tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
“I feel better than I did in past years,” said Bass. “Since I didn’t play much last year, I feel even fresher. Once the season was over with, I never stopped training. I’ve shot over 6,000 threes. I’ve taken all those threes just to add on to my game. All I need is an opportunity to what I do.”
Bass, who remains a free agent, insists he’s better than he was during his four-year Celtics stint where he helped the team compete for championship nearly every season. He understands how the new NBA has emphasized the three-point shot. The LSU product has shot just a total of 58 three-pointers—making only 12 of them—from behind the arc in his 12-year career. He’s worked hard to reinvent his game by adding the long-range shot to his arsenal.
“The perception is I’m not better than I was in Boston with the Big Three, and I’m a better player than that today. I added more range. I’m a better defender,” Bass said.
Washburn argues that Bass could become a victim of the NBA’s shrinking middle class. Most teams have already spent their remaining cap space, which could lead Bass to settle for a minimum salary arrangement.
Bass, who sported a 19.7 player efficiency rating in 21.6 minutes per game last season, should be able to contribute as a rotation player on the right team. It’ll be a matter of finding the right fit.
Tell us which team should give Bass an opportunity to play his 13th NBA season. Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts and opinions!