Week In Review: 11/20/16-11/26/16
With the regular season entering its fifth week, here’s a look back at all the notable news and events from around the NBA this past seven days:
Waivers
- The Pelicans waived Archie Goodwin.
Signings/Agreements
- The Pelicans signed Anthony Brown.
News/Rumors
- The Rockets pulled their latest contract offer to Donatas Motiejunas, though the team hasn’t cut ties with him completely. The restricted free agent is still seeking offers.
- Omri Casspi‘s representatives are “quietly been making inquiries” around the league about a potential trade.
- The Sixers reportedly “don’t have much desire” to trade Jahlil Okafor. Instead, Philadelphia prefers to trade Nerlens Noel since he and the team are “not on the same page at all.”
- The Pistons announced they will move to downtown Detroit for the 2017/18 season.
- Kevin Martin announced his retirement.
- Reggie Bullock suffered a torn meniscus.
- Dante Cunningham is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a fracture in his fibula.
- The Lakers will be without D’Angelo Russell for a few weeks after the point guard received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left knee.
- The Pistons could have Reggie Jackson back on the floor sometime in the next couple weeks.
- The Bucks haven’t yet decided on a location for a future D-League affiliate and the team will take longer than expected to make its decision.
- D-League salaries are expected to rise, but only for two-way contracts, which is something that should be incorporated in the new CBA.
- Sergio Llull said he has no intention of joining the NBA before his current contract with Real Madrid expires in 2021.
- Jeff Ayres was released by CSKA Moscow and he’s looking to return to the NBA.
- Channing Frye will be on leave indefinitely from the Cavs
- Zach Randolph will be on leave indefinitely from the Grizzlies
- The Kings reportedly still don’t want to move DeMarcus Cousins.
- The Cavs are reportedly not looking to add a point guard to their roster.
- Chris Paul said his relationship with Blake Griffin is “better now than ever.”
- Anthony Davis reaffirmed his loyalty to the Pelicans.
- Chris Bosh missed his 41st consecutive game, which triggered an insurance policy that now covers more than half of his salary.
Hoops Rumors Originals 11/20/16-11/26/16
Here’s a look back at the original content and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week.
- Will Joseph highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- Luke Adams examined which 2017 first-round picks could be changing hands.
- Arthur Hill answered reader questions in our Weekly Mailbag. Here’s how you can submit your own questions for our mailbag feature.
- We looked at the dead money on the books for the Northwest Division.
- Adams detailed how the Blazers and Mavs are flirting with the luxury tax line and speculated what moves the teams may make in order to reduce payroll.
- We asked whether tanking in the NBA is still an issue in our latest poll.
- Here’s a rundown of a number of the site’s notable features.
- Interested in seeing which teams have the inside track for the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft? Check out our Reverse Standings.
- Here’s where we track all the trades that occur during the season.
- In our Community Shootarounds this week, we discussed:
- Trade Possibilities for the Blazers.
- What the Heat should do to turn their season around.
- Do the Mavs need to make a move in order to climb the standings?
- We asked readers to evaluate the Magic’s chances of making the playoffs.
- If you haven’t already, be sure to download the Trade Rumors app for your iOS or Android device.
Poll: Is Tanking A Non-Issue?
The Sixers set the bar on tanking over the last several seasons, compiling teams that had no shot to be competitive with an eye on landing the No. 1 overall pick. Philadelphia’s bold strategy led to conversations on the topic and even efforts toward lottery reform. However, this season it appears every team is at least trying to put its best foot forward and the topic has become a dead issue, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News argues.
“Nobody is doing it this year,” one general manager said. “You need to get your owner on board if you are going to tank an entire season, and I don’t think any owners have the stomach for it anymore. They gave up on it in Philadelphia, because the owner in the end didn’t want to keep seeing his team be a laughingstock. I think there is a lot of pressure from other owners not to let your team go in that direction. It’s something owners worked out among themselves.”
Commissioner Adam Silver believes that teams have realized the importance of trying to win games.
“You don’t want teams to intentionally be bad,” Silver said. “I think, as I said [back in 2014,] there is invariably a correction in the marketplace as well, regardless of what rules we have on the draft lottery. The fact is, teams don’t want to be bad for a long time. They need to sell tickets, they need to keep their fans engaged, our owners care about their reputations, the players don’t want to be part of losing traditions. If you noticed this season, I think there has been a swing back to the realization that culture is important, building winning traditions is equally important.”
Deveney adds that the topic of tanking hasn’t been part of the discussion during negotiations on the new CBA, which is something that both sides believe could be reached sometime next month.
Do you still consider tanking an issue? Don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say!
Is Tanking Still An Issue In The NBA?
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No 51% (190)
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Yes 49% (179)
Total votes: 369
Central Notes: Pacers, MCW, McDermott, Pistons
The Pacers made several offseason additions and they are still figuring out how all the pieces fit together, Mark Montieth of NBA.com writes. “We try to get out of each other’s way instead of cutting and moving,” said Jeff Teague, whom the team traded for in the offseason. “Once our first option isn’t there we just try to get out of each other’s way and let people play. We were just talking in here, we’ve got to figure out some way to keep us all moving and playing together instead of trying to get out of each other’s way.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Bulls could have Michael Carter-Williams back on the court next week, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times reports. “I’m definitely ahead of schedule,’’ Carter-Williams said. “My knee feels great. I just got to find the measure between how hard I can go without hurting it furthermore, so I’m just testing the limit right now. Just trying to get back to 100 percent.’’
- Doug McDermott remains in the concussion protocol and he’ll continued to be monitored, Cowley adds in the same piece. “He’s starting to make progress,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said. “There’s no doubt about that, but he’s still a ways away.” McDermott has suffered two concussions this season and has missed six games so far as a a result.
- Reggie Bullock is dealing with a leg injury and his absence from the lineup could mean that the Pistons’ will have to call upon their rookies, Aaron McMann of Mlive.com writes. Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije both were sent to the D-League on Wednesday, but their latest stint could be cut short, as the team may need the players to suit up against the Clippers on Friday.
Eastern Notes: Magic, Horford, Haslem
Happy Thanksgiving, NBA fans! If you’re worried about overeating on this day of thanks, you’re not alone. Eating too much on Thanksgiving is a real issue in the NBA, as Josh Robbins of NBA.com details. “Every year, I warn our team against overeating and overdrinking, because you still have to have the mindset [of], ‘Yeah, it’s the holidays, but we have a game tomorrow,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said.
“If you overeat, you’re gonna feel all slow tomorrow, especially with turkey,” Nikola Vucevic added. “Yeah, you’ve got to be careful. The last few years, we did have a game right after Thanksgiving. I wish we didn’t. It’s much more fun when you don’t have a game the next day.”
Luckily, most of us won’t have to worry about preparing for an NBA game tomorrow, so enjoy the day and check out some notes from the Eastern Conference:
- Jeff Green, whom Orlando signed to a one-year. $15MM contract during the offseason, believes the Magic need to correct their issues now and start playing better if they want to be in the playoff picture, Robbins relays in the same piece. “It’s got to come to a point where we’ve got to fix it now in order for us to be there at the end,” Green said. The 30-year-old hasn’t played especially well this season, as he only has a positive plus-minus in three of the team’s 15 games
- The Celtics appreciate Al Horford‘s leadership and the way he plays the game, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet writes. “Al can score the ball. But it’s all the little things that he does and how he gets the ball moving; it’s so contagious,” teammate Avery Bradley said.“He’s a leader; he speaks up. Sometimes the ball sticks. For Al to say something and us actually go out and move the ball around and it starts with him, it means a lot.”
- Udonis Haslem always knew David Fizdale, who left the Heat to coach the Grizzlies during the offseason, was going to be a head coach in the league, as the Sun Sentinel passes along. “He was definitely head coach material. I expected him to leave a lot earlier,” Haslem said. The power forward added that Fizdale is players-coach and he can easily relate to what players have gone through to make it to the NBA.
Central Notes: Hoiberg, Jackson, Monroe
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg believes it’s a different era now than when he played in the NBA in regard to how players communicate in the offseason, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. Hoiberg notices that players are forming relationships with each other at the AAU level and its impacting free agency.
“Really since, shoot, going all the way back to eighth or ninth grade the way it is now,” Hoiberg said “Then just the relationships they build over the summers. These guys all seem to get together in L.A. or Miami or wherever it might be. So they build those relationships, they play together with Team USA now and they do build those special bonds. So yeah, it probably is a little easier to reach out. You see some of the superteams now that are being created, and I think a lot of that has to do with relationships that are built over the summer.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Reggie Jackson said he feels “real good” and hopes to be back on the court soon, James Hawkins of The Detroit News relays. “I feel a lot better. Getting stronger, getting more timing, getting my cardio up,” Jackson said. “Trying to get more implemented into practice and just trying to do whatever I can within the limits of protocol.”
- Stan Van Gundy isn’t happy with the team’s performance lately, but he doesn’t want to mess with the rotation too much before Jackson returns, Hawkins passes along in the same piece. “I don’t really think we know who we are. I was talking to [owner] Tom [Gores] last night and it’s a lot farther into the season you would like,” Van Gundy said. “We’ll be 30, 35 games into the year before we really can make any real estimations of the team, because you figure it will have to get to that before Reggie has a dozen, 15 games back. It’s going to be a long time in where we’re going to have to do it with our defense and continue to try and get better. But to really firm up rotations and all of that is going to take some time.” The Pistons are 6-9 on the season.
- Greg Monroe hasn’t lived up to expectations since joining the Bucks during the summer of 2015 and his role could be further marginalized going forward, Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. The team has used more small-ball lineups lately, leaving Monroe on the court for only about 10 minutes over the last three games.
Dwyane Wade On Free Agency, Decision To Join Bulls
Dwyane Wade believes free agency is “different today” than how it used to be, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “The league is all about relationships, player relationships,” Wade said. “Obviously presidents and GMs have their job to do to put teams together, but when it comes to free agency, that’s player relationships more than anything. It’s where an individual wants to go, so you have to feel comfortable with where you’re going and who you’re going with. And it starts in that process. Maybe you have a relationship with a guy, maybe you don’t, but it starts in that process when guys are able to reach out to you and you see.”
Wade stressed how important it was for Jimmy Butler to reach out him over the summer. “If Jimmy don’t reach out to me then I’m not coming to Chicago because I don’t think Jimmy wants me here. But Jimmy reaches out to me and says, “D, I want you to come,” it’s a different — that’s simple right there. It’s hard to change my mindset and everything,” Wade added.
The 34-year-old went on to reiterate how hard it was to leave Miami, a place where he’s played his entire career. He said it was a very difficult decision for him and his family. “I cannot sit here and explain to anyone what it’s like to be a free agent,” Wade said. “And what it’s like to have to make a decision about where you’re going. And no one ever thought I would leave Miami. No one ever thought I would be in a Chicago Bulls jersey, but I am, so things happen. And you never know what can happen when it comes to free agency.”
Wade said earlier today that the Nuggets were the first team to contact him during the free agency period and added that they did an “unbelievable job” of recruiting him. His two-year, $47MM deal with the Bulls includes a player option for next season, so he could go through the free agent process again next summer should he choose to turn down that option.
Bulls Notes: Rondo, Butler, Hoiberg
Rajon Rondo doesn’t see playing alongside Jimmy Butler–a player who can dominate the ball–as an obstacle this season, Vincent Goodwill of Comcast Sportsnet relays. “[Butler is] so unselfish, he’s gonna get a lot of the plays,” Rondo said “He’s our best player so never really fought him for anything like that. I know when teams make a run, who we get the ball to. They know as well. It’s no secret. When you play with a guy as unselfish as him, I don’t need to control the ball as I used to back in the day.”
Rondo also said that his time in Dallas helped him to expand his game. “You find a ways to make yourself effective and efficient on the court when you don’t have the ball,” he added.
Here’s more from the Bulls:
- Coach Fred Hoiberg is a fan of what Rondo brings to the Bulls, Goodwill passes along in the same piece. “You look at our pace when he’s on the floor, it’s so much better than when he’s off,” Hoiberg said. “You can see the impact Rondo can have by getting us out early in the first; he’s got great energy out the gate. He’s been so good.”
- Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders believes signing Rondo was one of the worst moves of the offseason. The Bulls entered the day with a record of 9-5 and Dowsett argues that the team would be just as good without the 30-year-old point guard. Rondo missed two games this season with an ankle injury and the team won both games.
Thunder Notes: Donovan On Adams, Oladipo
Steven Adams is struggling this season and Erik Horne of The Oklahoman examines what is causing the lack of production. Horne believes that the Thunder’s lack of perimeter shooting is clogging the lane, which severely hurts the team’s pick-and-roll offense. Adams enjoyed great spacing last season with Durant drawing away defenders, but this season, defenders are having an easier time denying passing lanes without having to worry about defending one of the league’s best shooters on the wing.
Adams, who signed a four-year, $100MM extension with the team prior to the season, has been playing with an injured hand recently, but he downplayed the injury after a disappointing game against Houston last week. “It was just that I sucked pretty much,” Adams said. “That’s what the bottom line is.”
Here’s more from Oklahoma City:
- Coach Billy Donovan believes the disappointment in Adams’ play comes as a result of outlandish expectations, Horne relays in the same piece. “For people to say ‘this is the expectation, he’s gonna be a 16 [points] and 10 [rebounds] guy’ now when that’s not who he’s ever been, we need Steven to be who Steven’s always been,” Donovan said. “When he does that, it really impacts our team.” Adams is averaging 9.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Thunder this season.
- New addition Victor Oladipo has been the team’s back-up point guard with Semaj Christon missing action because of a concussion and the Thunder are impressed with his play, Horne writes in a separate piece. “The last few games, the results have been really positive for him,” Donovan said. Oladipo signed four-year, $84MM extension with the team last month.
Pistons Notes: New Arena Details, All-Star Game Chances
The Pistons‘ new arena deal will involve asking for up to $34.5MM in taxpayer-backed bonds, Louis Aguilar and Ian Thibodeau of The Detroit News report in a piece that includes the team’s 45 page agreement with the City Of Detroit. The franchise has also agreed to back up to $55MM in bonds as long as a “community center/practice facility” is built as well. The site of the proposed facility isn’t determined yet. According to an analysis conducted by the University of Michigan, the economic impact of the move is $596.2MM. That figure includes renovations to the new arena, the building of the practice facility and the cost of relocation for Pistons’ employees.
The Pistons have played at The Palace, which will remain open for concerts, since 1988. With the move, Detroit will have all four major sports playing within blocks of each other in its downtown.
Here’s more from Detroit
- Owner Tom Gores hired sports agent/power broker Arn Tellem back in 2015 to start coordinating the effort to move the Pistons back downtown, Tony Paul of The Detroit News writes. Tellem is excited to be part of the movement. “We want to be all in on Detroit,” Tellem said. “We want to do right by the city and community here.” Tellem added that he believes as many as 2,000 jobs could be created by the move.
- Commissioner Adam Silver said the team’s move to downtown has increased the city’s chances of getting an All-Star Game in the not-so distant future, Paul relays in the same piece. The Palace at Auburn Hills never hosted an All-Star Game.
- The Pistons will also move their corporate office to downtown, Paul reports in the same piece.
- Not all fans are thrilled about the relocation, Paul and James Hawkins of The Detroit News write in a collaborative piece. Proponents of the move cite the additional pregame and postgame opportunities, while those opposed to it say the traffic is going to be a major problem.