Northwest Notes: Oladipo, Christon, Hayward
Victor Oladipo signed an extension with the Thunder last fall and as a result, he’ll go from making slightly over $6.55MM this season to $21.0MM next year. GM Sam Presti is confident that the shooting guard will take the necessary steps to justify that contract, as Erik Horne of The Oklahoman relays.
“[Oladipo has] improved every single year he’s been in the league, and I would expect him to continue to do that,” Presti said. “I really don’t have a concern that they will continue to, but there’s no question, Victor, Steven (Adams), those guys have to get better for us to continue to get where we want to go, and I think they are going to work to get to that point. I think he really showed a level of efficiency as a two-way player that’s really hard to find.”
Here’s more from the Northwest division:
- Olapido didn’t look comfortable running the point this season, Horne writes in the same piece. The shooting guard said he’ll work hard to improve this summer and he hopes to have more opportunities with the Thunder next season. “I like handling the ball. I like making decisions, and I know I can,” Oladipo said. “Now it’s a matter of doing it on a consistent basis.”
- Semaj Christon received backup point guard minutes, but he wasn’t much of a play-maker, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman notes. Christon was simply trying to avoid mistakes as a rookie and it held the team back. The guard remains under team control through the 2019/20 campaign, though I’d speculate that the Thunder won’t go into next season with Christon directly behind Russell Westbrook on the depth chart.
- The Jazz would like to re-sign Gordon Hayward as well as George Hill and Joe Ingles, but it may be difficult to retain all three, Jody Genessy of the Deseret News writes. Genessy believes the team may have to decide between Hill and Ingles assuming it brings Hayward back.
George Hill Hopes To Remain With Jazz
George Hill arrived in Utah via trade last offseason and he’s fit in well. He helped the franchise go from an up-and-coming collection of young parts to 50-plus win playoff team. Hill, who will be a free agent at the end of the year, hopes the Jazz continue to climb the Western Conference standings and he hopes to be part of the process.
“I really enjoyed playing with the guys here. I think we created a heck of a bond: me, Gordon and Rudy,” Hill said (via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News). “We’ve created that type of bond where it’s fun to play with. We’ve got a great coaching staff and the coach believes in us and pushes us every day.
“Let’s stay together, build on what we’ve done this year,” Hill added. “Hopefully we can do that.”
Hill battled various injuries this season, forcing him to miss 33 games. The Jazz were much better with Hill in the lineup, posting an 8.6 net rating with him on the court, compared to just a 2.2 net rating with him on the bench, per NBA.com.
The point guard made $8.0MM last season in the final year of a four-year deal. He’ll likely double that salary on an annual basis in a new deal, though that’s simply my speculation.
In 49 games this season, Hill scored 16.9 points and dished out 4.1 assists. He shot 40.3% from behind the arc and sported a 19.3 player efficiency rating.
Community Shootaround: Patty Mills
The 2016/17 campaign brought a changing of the guard on the Spurs. Tony Parker may have started 63 games for the club, but Patty Mills earned the distinction of best point guard on the team this season with his accurate 3-point stroke and his ability to create offense for his teammates.
How long Mills reigns with that unofficial title depends on the front office. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and he’ll have no shortage of suitors once his camp begins to take meetings.
Coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t want to make a big deal of Mills’ play. “I don’t want to talk too much about Patty Mills because the more good things I say, the more we’re going to have to pay him,” Pop said (via Michael Lee of The Vertical).
The Spurs have roughly $73MM on the books for the 2017/18 campaign against a projected $101MM salary cap. The team could offer Mills a sizable deal, but that would preclude them from making a big splash in free agency.
What do you think? What kind of deal should the Spurs offer Mills and if he decides to go elsewhere, which rival team would make a good fit for the Australian point guard?
Let us know what you think in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Draft Notes: Wilson, Ojeleye, Adebayo
D.J. Wilson, who has yet to hire an agent, injured his ankle during today’s combine, as Rod Beard of The Detroit News passes along.
“He’s not working out; he pulled a quad in an earlier workout. He’s been nursing it for four or five days and it’s still not where he wants it to be,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “We’re hoping it’s more day-to-day, but we may have to cancel some (team) workouts this week too; we’ve got to wait and see.”
Wilson has until May 24 to decide whether or not he will return to Michigan for his junior season. The big man is the 32nd best prospect in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- SMU’s Semi Ojeleye will sign with an agent and stay in the draft, per Evan Daniels of Scout.com (Twitter link). The combo forward is the 28th best prospect in the upcoming draft, according to Givony.
- Seton Hall’s Angel Delgado is currently testing the draft waters and he has not hired an agent. However, the university does not expect him to return to campus, sources tell Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. Delgado, who recently worked out for the Hawks, is not expected to be drafted, according to Draft Express.
- Kentucky coach John Calipari said he’ll be “stunned” if Bam Adebayo isn’t a lottery pick, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com relays via Twitter. Givony has the center going 29th in his latest mock draft.
Pacific Notes: Leonard, Anthony, Paul
The Suns did not select Kawhi Leonard during the 2011 draft in part because of how he acted during the combine that year, Charles Curtis of USA Today shares. It wasn’t that the MVP candidate was misbehaving or appeared to dismiss the process — it was because Leonard was nervous during interviews. The San Diego State product sweated through his suit and Lance Blanks, who was Phoenix’s GM at the time, apparently took that as a negative indicator.
Phoenix had the No. 13 overall pick and selected Markieff Morris out of Kansas. Leonard went to the Pacers at No. 15 before being dealt to the Spurs for George Hill.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post believes the Clippers have the best shot at landing Carmelo Anthony should the 10-time All-Star waive his no-trade clause and leave New York. Bontemps can’t envision coach/executive Doc Rivers passing up on a chance to acquire Anthony if the opportunity presents itself.
- Chauncey Billups, who played with the Clippers for two seasons, believes the team is asking Chris Paul to do too much, as Paul Coro of the Los Angeles Times relays.“This isn’t a jab at anyone but they just don’t have enough guys who can make plays late in games,” Billups said. “They depend too much on Chris.”
- The Kings front office appears more stable than it has in past season, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee details. The scribe writes that the franchise was previously “viewed as a mess,” but now it has a changed approach, something that should help with securing visits from top prospects. Projected No.1 overall pick Markelle Fultz met with the team on Wednesday.
Atlantic Notes: Casey, Porzingis, Lowry
On the surface, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri may have sounded during his season-ending presser like he was considering a coaching change. However, Michael Grange of Sportsnet believes Ujiri’s comments suggest he has faith in head coach Dwane Casey to adjust his coaching style going forward.
“Yes there is commitment [to Casey],” Ujiri said. “But we are all going to question ourselves. We are all going to seriously question ourselves now, and figure out the best way to do it. Because coach Casey has been a phenomenal part of our success here, you know, and in some ways we owe that to him [the opportunity to continue].
“But I’ve told him that we all have to be accountable. I haven’t slept, and I know he hasn’t slept too, because we’re thinking of ways that we can continue to make these things better, and make the right decisions.”
Ujiri added that the team needs to play a different style and that Casey will be given a chance to make the switch.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Coach Jeff Hornacek firmly believes Kristaps Porzingis will be on the Knicks next season, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. “There’s no doubt in my mind,” Hornacek said of Porzingis’ place on the team. Porzingis’ brother recently said that the big man wants to remain in New York.
- The Knicks are at the combine in Chicago with an eye on finding players who fit into their system, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Phil Jackson, who met with several point guard prospects, recently said that the team is “interested in skill players that know how to play together in team form.”
- It would not be smart for the Sixers to sign Kyle Lowry, Dennis Chambers of Basketball Insiders opines. Chambers believes adding Lowry wouldn’t put the team in the championship-contender conversation, but it would push them to mediocrity—a place where Philadelphia sat prior to The Process.
Draft Notes: Jackson, Bulls, Sixers
UNC’s Justin Jackson would be happy to play for any team in the league, but he believes he could help the Bulls on both ends of the floor, as Adam Zagoria relays for The Herald Sun.
“I can shoot the ball pretty well, which helps with spacing,” Jackson said. “Defensively, I can do a few things and so you kind of add both of those into it. At the end of the day, the Bulls are a great organization already but if I’m blessed to be drafted by them or whoever it might be, I can add a few things to it.”
The small forward is the 13th best prospect in the upcoming draft, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, and Chicago owns the No.16 overall pick.
Here’s more notes leading up to the June 22 event:
- The Pistons struggled from behind the arc this year and Ansar Khan of Mlive wonders if Jackson could be a fit because of his improved 3-point shot. The small forward shot 29.2% from behind the arc as a sophomore, but he increased it to 37.0% last season. Detroit is currently slotted in the 12th spot, but the team has a chance to move up during Tuesday’s lottery.
- Former NC State coach Mike Gottfried believes Dennis Smith Jr. would be a great fit on the Sixers next to Ben Simmons, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “I think he has a chance to become an elite-level guard in time in the NBA,” Gottfried said of Smith Jr. “I personally think with Ben [Simmons] healthy that the two of them together would be quite an amazing combination. I think their skills actually complement each other.”
- Markelle Fultz will meet with several teams during the combine, but the Magic won’t be among them, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports. Orlando has an 8.8% chance at landing the No.1 overall pick.
Kawhi Leonard Won’t Play In Game 6
Kawhi Leonard will sit out tonight’s Game 6 against the Rockets with knee and ankle injuries, according to Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). If the Spurs fall tonight, they will play against Houston in Game 7 on Sunday.
Gregg Popovich made the decision to sit Leonard and he was asked if the MVP candidate fought him on the matter, as Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post tweets. Popovich responded with a Popovichian line: “He’d rather play.”
Jonathon Simmons, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, will start in Leonard’s spot. It’s a great opportunity for Simmons to increase his market value in free agency. The 27-year-old Houston native has seen 16.4 minutes per game this postseason and he’s averaging 7.9 points per game while shooting 45.5% from the field.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Wants To Stay With Hawks
Tim Hardaway didn’t choose to join the Hawks. He arrived in Atlanta via a 2015 draft trade which sent the No. 19 overall pick to New York in exchange for the shooting guard. Hardaway Jr. admits that his tenure with the team didn’t get off to the best start, but he’s worked hard and it appears he found a home.
“I love it here,” Hardaway Jr. said (via KL Chouinard of NBA.com). “Atlanta brought me here, and it really felt like I was starting as a rookie all over again when I was here. With that being said, they made me go through some tough times and it made me mature a lot more as a person – on and off the court. It made me appreciate the game of basketball a whole lot more than I did when I first came into the league. That’s what I’m thankful for.”
[RELATED: Five Key Offseason Questions: Atlanta Hawks]
Hardaway Jr. credits Atlanta’s training staff for his improvement this past season. They assisted him with his lifting regiment and with getting his body fat down to an astounding percentage. “It’s clearly under 6,” he said. “We measure it every other week, so I’m definitely below 6.”
The Hawks needed a playmaker to step up after trading away Kyle Korver and Hardaway Jr. was able to answer the call. He averaged a career-highs in points (14.5), assists (2.3), and three-pointers made (1.9) per game this season.
The former No.24 overall pick made approximately $2.28MM this past season and he’s likely to see a substantial raise on that figure with a new deal this offseason. He’ll be a restricted free agent come July.
Heat Notes: McRoberts, Waiters, Johnson
The Heat could have between $33MM and $43MM in cap space this offseason depending on what happens with Wayne Ellington, who’s on a $6.27MM non-guaranteed contract for next season, and Josh McRoberts, who has a player option worth roughly $6.02MM, Bobby Marks of The Vertical writes. Marks notes that McRoberts is likely to opt in, but the team could utilize the stretch provision to generate additional cap space. The big man was only able to play in 22 games for Miami this season because of various foot injuries.
Here’s more from Miami:
- Dion Waiters and James Johnson had excellent debut seasons for the Heat and Marks (same piece) projects both players to earn an annual salary above the $8.4 mid-level exception on their next deals. Teams over the cap will have that amount to spend, though teams that enter the offseason season with cap space will only have the $4.3MM mid-level at their disposal (after their cap space has been exhausted). Miami falls into the latter category.
- Pat Riley, who signed a five-year extension to stay on as the team’s president last year, will continue to split his time between Malibu, California and Miami, Florida, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel relays. Winderman notes that it’s not uncommon for high-ranking executives to work in cities where their teams do not reside.
- It may not make sense for the Heat to move up in the draft, Winderman opines in a separate piece. Miami will be without a first-round pick next year as a result of the Goran Dragic deal and Winderman believes it may not be wise to further mortgage the future.