Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jazz, Thunder
GM Tim Connelly has focused on finding talent that others have overlooked and that strategy has led the Nuggets to draft many international players, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “We’ve put a lot of emphasis in international scouting. … We want to be very well informed with any player in the world,” said Connelly. “Certainly the more well informed we are, hopefully we make better decisions. It just so happens that when we’ve selected guys, signed guys, traded for guys, we’ve had a pretty big international influence.”
The Nuggets employ one of the league’s top international scouting staffs, which is something that didn’t happen by accident. Connelly spent time early in his career as an international scout and the team’s assistant GM, Arturas Karnisovas, is a former FIBA Europe player of the year. Denver has one of the most international-heavy rosters in the league, which could make communicating with the team problematic, but first year coach Mike Malone doesn’t see it as a deterrent. “I don’t care where you’re from,” Malone said. “If you can play, I’m a fan of yours.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz have an open roster spot as a result of waiving Elijah Millsap, and David Smith of The Deseret News believes the D-League has a few guards that could help the team. Smith names Sean Kilpatrick, Erick Green and Jimmer Fredette among the possible candidates. However, Utah seems to have a lack of interest in Fredette, as Jody Genessy of The Deseret News reported earlier this week.
- The Thunder should look to the trade market to find a veteran backup point guard, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders opines. D.J. Augustin has fallen out of the rotation and while Cameron Payne has shown promise, rookie contributors on title contenders are rare, and the team should look to shore up the position, Greene adds.
Western Notes: Evans, Clippers, Mavericks
Tyreke Evans is still having difficulty adapting to the offensive system of first year coach Alvin Gentry, John Reid of The Times Picayune writes. Reid notes that Gentry’s system requires quick ball movements and at times, Evans is holding onto the ball too long instead of making quick passes. New Orleans is averaging 98.8 points per 48 minutes as a team, but with Evans in the game, the pace drops to 95.6 points per 48 minutes. Evans missed the first 17 games of the season while he was recovering from knee surgery, and the team understands it’s going to take time for him to pick up the system.
”He didn’t have the luxury of even being in training camp or playing in any preseason games,” Gentry said. ”It’s still fairly new to him. It’s not like he doesn’t want to do it. He played a style of basketball we got to try and convert to another style. That’s not easy to do on his part either. I know he wants to do it, I don’t have any doubt about that. We just got to keep working on it. I think we also have to do as coaches adjust and put him in situations also where he’s comfortable.”’
The Pelicans are 11-24 on the season, but they remain only four games back of the Jazz for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Here are some notes from a few teams above them in the playoff race:
- The Clippers could use a small forward upgrade and they should look to the trade market to find it, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders argues. The team has won eight straight, but if Los Angeles is going to compete with the upper echelon of the Western Conference, it needs to add another play-maker on the wing. The scribe names Lance Stephenson, Jamal Crawford and Josh Smith as realistic trade assets.
- The Mavericks could also use small forward help with Chandler Parsons struggling to find his mid-season form, Greene opines in the same piece. Aside from Parsons, Dallas doesn’t have a true small forward on the roster and Greene adds that it could realistically dangle Devin Harris or Raymond Felton in order to find some wing depth.
- Coach Rick Carlisle believes that Parsons, who could become a free agent this offseason if he declines his player option, is making progress on the court, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. “I liked his aggression [in New Orleans],” Carlisle said of Parsons’ 21 point performance against the Pelicans on Wednesday. “It’s another step along the way. I said it’s probably going to be late December, early January before you can start keeping stats on him with any accuracy because of the comeback and rehab and conditioning. I feel now that it’s going to be the All-Star break before he really has his legs under him. There are going to be some ups and downs, but we’re seeing a lot more ups than downs.”
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Lee, DeRozan, Lopez
With the addition of Elton Brand, which led to the release of Christian Wood, the Sixers are no longer the youngest team in the league by average age, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes in a piece that dissects the team’s moves since the hiring of Jerry Colangelo. The youngest team in the league may be the Bucks, but Philadelphia still has several inexperienced players in need of minutes. Jahlil Okafor, whom we examined as a trade candidate, has seen his playing time decreased of late, as he is averaging just 21.6 minutes per game over his last five.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Boston’s need for a go-to scorer, coupled with its logjam in the frontcourt, makes it obvious that a trade is necessary, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet Northeast opines. The scribe names DeMar DeRozan as a player to watch, adding that if the Raptors get a feel that he is going to walk in the offseason, they could be inclined to move him in order to get something in return. The Celtics have several young prospects on the roster and they could potentially have four first-round picks in the 2016 draft, which puts the team in a good position should a marquee player become available on the trade market.
- The team has been open to moving David Lee for most of his time as a Celtic, which makes asking for a trade something that won’t do the big man any good, Blakely opines in the same piece.
- The Nets own a 10-26 record, which is good for second worst in the Eastern Conference. Still, Brook Lopez has no regrets about signing his three-year, $60MM-plus deal with Brooklyn over the summer, Andy Vasquez of The Record writes. “No, no, no. I’m happy to be here,” Lopez said. “Time and time again I’ve said I wanted to see something built here, I see a special opportunity, a great situation to be in.”
Trade Candidate: Jahlil Okafor
For much of the 2014/15 campaign, many pegged Jahlil Okafor as the top prospect for the 2015 draft. His footwork, ball-handling skills and overall fundamentals enraptured scouts and fans alike. Yet after two months of NBA action and several off–court incidents, questions remain about whether the big man can become a franchise cornerstone.
Part of the issue is the fit in Philadelphia. Okafor has no future in the league playing any position besides the five spot, something that’s even more true with the small-ball trend taking over the league. The problem, at least on the court, lies in the personnel around him. Nerlens Noel is clearly a center despite playing over half of his minutes at the four spot. Joel Embiid showcased some outside shooting during his time in college, but there is little evidence that he can play any position beside the five at the NBA level. Whenever the Sixers get out of the rebuilding industry and start looking to field a competitive team, they’ll have some decisions to make, as there is just no room at the inn for all these big men.
Making a trade will be the logical option at some point and maximizing value has been a constant during the Sam Hinkie administration. The Sixers traded Jrue Holiday just months after he appeared in his first All-Star Game, and they dealt Michael Carter-Williams when he was the reigning Rookie of the Year. Okafor’s trade value has probably taken a hit since he came into the league, but young big men with his kind of talent don’t become available very often, and if the Sixers dangle him in trade discussions, they should be able to fetch an excellent return.
Earlier in the season, John Smallwood of The Daily News wondered if the Sixers should consider a trade for Derrick Rose. Franchise-altering stars rarely become available, and although Rose hasn’t consistently played at an MVP level since injuring his knees, this is the type of move the Sixers should be making if they’re going to claim a strategy of championship-or-bust. Smallwood suggested the team offer the Lakers’ pick, which was acquired in the MCW trade, and one other late first-round pick for Rose. That Lakers pick is one of the league’s best trade assets, given Los Angeles’ struggles, and it may not make sense to give that up for the gamble that Rose has become. A deal centered around Okafor and Rose would be better for Philadelphia, and it would make sense for Chicago.
The Bulls have an anemic offense and the team chemistry has been shaky to say the least. With Jimmy Butler‘s emergence as a No. 1 option, the Bulls may be better off retooling around their star wing. Chicago has reportedly made Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah available in search of an upgrade on the wing opposite to Butler. Finding value for Noah would be tricky, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors noted in Noah’s trade candidate piece, and trading Gibson would likely net a greater return, but it carries the risk of turning a position of strength into one of weakness if Noah and Pau Gasol depart after the season. In addition to adding a young pillar who could help carry the team offensively, the acquisition of Okafor would allow Chicago to explore the trade market for another perimeter player.
Philadelphia would have to include other players in order to have the financial ability to acquire Rose, as Okafor is making roughly $4.58MM this season and the Sixers currently sit nearly $10MM under the salary cap. They could toss Carl Landry with his $6.5MM salary and Isaiah Canaan, who is making slightly over $947K, into a package with Okafor and they would have a successful trade from a salary matching standpoint. Both sides would likely argue that the other should attach an asset to make a deal happen, but I’d speculate that Chicago would ultimately have to pony up a little more value, such as a protected first-round pick, to get a deal done because of the size of Rose’s deal.
His contract, which has slightly over $41.4MM remaining on it and includes a 15% trade kicker, makes acquiring him a deterrent for nearly every franchise. Yet Philadelphia is built a little differently than the typical NBA team. Acquiring Rose and his massive contract wouldn’t carry the same opportunity cost for Philadelphia as it would for the other 28 franchises to do the same. As noted above, The Sixers are nearly $10MM under the cap this season and the team has only slightly more than $25.5MM in guaranteed salary on the books against a projected $89MM salary for the 2016/17 season, as our Salary Cap Projection page indicates. Philadelphia hasn’t spent all of its cap space in any season during the Sam Hinkie era and there have been rumors that agents would steer their clients away from signing in Philly once they were ready spend. The presence of Jerry Colangelo might bring change to that, but the team can’t reasonably believe a true star is going to arrive via free agency yet.
Rose, who has missed the last few games because of his hamstring injury, hasn’t resembled anything close to a franchise player this season, averaging just 14.4 points, 5.1 assist and 0.6 steals per game, while shooting 38.6% from the field, including an icy 24.6% from behind the arc. The Memphis product has suffered numerous injuries over the last calendar year, including a torn right knee meniscus and a sprained left ankle. His preseason orbital fracture led him to spend two weeks in a dark room doing almost nothing, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. Having that type of facial injury has to alter your mental psyche on the court, and the Sixers would give Rose an environment this season where he could simply work on his game, similar to an elongated D-League stint. This is a perfect buy-low opportunity for the franchise and it’s also a winning situation for Rose. The former No.1 overall pick could benefit from running a Mike D’Antoni offense, which has historically been favorable to point guards, and set himself up for another lucrative payday at the end of the 2016/17 season.
Picture a healthy — both mentally from a basketball standpoint and physically — Rose running the break during the 2016/17 season with Noel and Jerami Grant galloping alongside him. Nik Stauskas is sprinting down the sideline, spacing the floor and taking attention away from Rose, while Robert Covington is trailing the play, staying ready for the spot-up 3-pointer in transition. Picture Embiid, hopefully standing on two healthy feet, cheering on the team near the bench as he gets ready to headline a respectable second unit that includes Dario Saric, Ish Smith and Richaun Holmes. Add in a likely top-three overall pick in the 2016 draft, as well as a few other rookies, and you can see a team with an identity and a future.
This scenario may be a pipe dream, but if the point guard’s game can resemble anything close to an All-Star’s again, trading Okafor for him would put Philadelphia back on the NBA map. If Rose suffers a setback or simply remains ineffective, the Sixers are right where they are now — in a position to tank. The difference would be that they took a high-ceiling risk that involved the acquisition of a possible game-changing star to arrive at the same point, and that would be a path to the lottery that other team owners can’t gripe about.
And-Ones: Knicks, Rondo, Oubre
The Knicks currently sit three and a half games behind the Celtics for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and Ian Begley of ESPN.com examines what the team needs to do in order to reach the playoffs this season. Begley suggests that the team add help in the backcourt, and he names Tony Wroten as a possibility, as the team has interest in the former Sixer.
Brandon Jennings is on the team’s radar, but the franchise wasn’t impressed with Jennings’ play during a game against the Knicks earlier this week, Begley adds. In addition to the trade market, Begley notes that the team is keeping an eye on the D-League for a potential addition.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Rajon Rondo has played extremely well this season and his success may have the Kings viewing him as a long-term piece, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders speculates.
- Kelly Oubre has become a key contributor for the Wizards this season and his intensity is a major reason why, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post writes. “He’s a kid that has to go out there and just play one way,” coach Randy Wittman said. “And that’s getting after it defensively. Rebound the ball. Running the floor. All the other things will come. … Those things will come if you play with that intensity and energy.”
- The Lakers have assigned Tarik Black, Anthony Brown and Ryan Kelly to their D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, per Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor (Twitter link).
Mavericks Notes: Barea, Mejri, Parsons
J.J. Barea has performed admirably as the team’s starting point guard while Deron Williams recovers from a hamstring injury and his teammates are lauding his unselfishness, Eddie Sefko of SportsDay writes.
“J.J.’s been great,” Devin Harris said. “He’s shooting the ball incredibly well, but taking good shots. Typically, when guys get hot, they just start to let it fly. He’s done a great job of letting the shots come to him.”
While it’s unlikely that Barea remains the starter long-term, Coach Rick Carlisle won’t ignore the success of the team during Williams’ absence when making a decision.
“That’s a situation we’ll deal with when it happens,” Carlisle said of the situation when Williams returns to the lineup. “Whatever we do, it’ll be what’s best for the team.”
Dallas re-signed Barea during the offseason to a pact that will pay him slightly more than $16MM over four seasons. The team signed Williams to a two year, $11MM deal, which contains a player option for the 2016/17 season.
Here’s more from Dallas:
- The Mavericks have assigned Salah Mejri to the Texas Legends, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to a team press release. The center is averaging 8.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 23.9 minutes for the Legends this season.
- Chandler Parsons is starting to look like his old self again, but he is still not 100%, which is something the team understands, Sefko writes in a separate piece. “I just think the rhythm is going to take some time,” Carlisle said. “I think physically, he’s there. But the rhythm on his shot is going to keep coming. And I just think two weeks from now you’re going to see a guy who even looks better than now. And he looks damn good right now.”
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/2/16
Jimmer Fredette hasn’t lived up to expectation since entering the league as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, but he has impressed since re-joining New York’s D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. Ticket sales, and not strictly Fredette’s basketball skills, reportedly fueled the team’s decision to select Fredette in the D-League draft, yet after an impressive stretch of games, I bet the team is happy to have him on its side. The BYU product torched the Delaware 87ers today, accumulating 27 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.
The Knicks are looking to add a young scorer or a shooter in the backcourt, as sources told Ian Begley of ESPN.com a few weeks ago. Team president Phil Jackson apparently likes Fredette, as Begley wrote at the time, and he would seem to fit a need. New York is running the triangle much better than last year, but the offense runs stagnant at times, as the team is only scoring 97.5 points per game, which is the seventh worst mark in the league. Adding Fredette, who is a career 38.0% shooter from downtown, might be a good way to bring in some offense without making a drastic change.
That leads us to tonight’s shootaround topic: Should the Knicks sign Jimmer Fredette to bolster their offense and if not New York, is there another team that would be a good fit for him? Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to what you have to share.
Eastern Notes: Middleton, Gooden, Grant
Khris Middleton has enjoyed a good season so far, but his shooting of late has been especially impressive, Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel writes.
“Khris has played well for a stretch here and he is feeling comfortable within the offense,” Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty said. “The guys are finding him in his sweet spots and he’s getting clean looks. Guys are setting good screens. In his case, it’s not always catch-and-shoot situations. Sometimes it’s plays off the dribble.”
Middleton, who re-signed with Milwaukee for five years and $70MM last July, is averaging 16.3 points and 1.2 steals per game this season, while shooting 42.0% from behind the arc and 88.8% from the foul line. The Bucks own a record of 13-21, but Middleton believes the team can turn the season around if they start playing like a cohesive unit.
“Once we move the ball from side to side, we’ve got so many guys who can score and make plays that we’re a dangerous team,” he said. “We just have to play together after we get stops.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Drew Gooden aggravated his calf injury against the Magic on Friday night and his MRI reveals a strain and a slight tear in his calf, Marc. J Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets. The former No. 4 overall pick has only played seven games with the Wizards this season, totaling just 16 points and 28 rebounds.
- Jerami Grant‘s ability to play either forward spot is proving to be valuable for the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Grant has been tasked with guarding the opponent’s best forward this season, something the 21-year-old views as benefit to his development. “I definitely like it,” Grant said. “I’m versatile. So it kind of helps my game out.”
Hawks Notes: Trades, Steinberg, Bazemore
Despite a drop in offensive efficiency this season, the Hawks shouldn’t make any substantial moves, David Aldridge of NBA.com opines. Aldridge notes that Atlanta is 16th in offensive rating, down from sixth last season and it’s likely a result of teams putting more emphasis on guarding Kyle Korver, who is shooting 40.7% from three-point range, down from 49.2% last season.
Here’s more from Atlanta:
- Hawks executive Andrew Steinberg is leaving the franchise, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Steinberg was named the Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer in August.
- Atlanta has assigned Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Austin Spurs of the D-League via the flexible assignment rule, per the team’s website. Hardaway played for the Canton Charge in his previous D-League stint.
- The Hawks are 15-5 with Kent Bazemore in the starting lineup and the team is starting to find its groove, Vivlamore observes in a separate piece. “Everything is starting to come together,” Bazemore said. “It’s not anything like just me starting. I think the team is starting to gel. What the coach and front office saw in the summer in putting this team together is starting to come to fruition.” Bazemore will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Eastern Notes: Nets, Pistons, Pacers
During the 2010 offseason, the Nets had dreams of drafting John Wall and luring LeBron James and Chris Bosh via free agency, but the team ended up drafting Derrick Favors and signing veterans Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com details. The Nets ultimately traded 11 first-round picks — including Favors and pick swaps — with the hopes of winning a championship, but the team has won just one playoff series since 2010.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- The Nets hope to make a significant splash in free agency at the end of the season, Mazzeo adds in the same piece. Brooklyn has slightly over $50.5MM in guaranteed salary on the books for the 2016/17 season, as our Salary Cap Projection page shows.
- The Pistons‘ trade for Ersan Ilyasova has worked out for Detroit, but the team’s best trade during the offseason was for Marcus Morris, David Mayo of MLive opines in his latest mailbag. Mayo believes Morris’ four year, $20MM extension, which he signed while a member of the Suns, will prove to be valuable to the team during its lifetime.
- The Pacers have assigned Glenn Robinson III and Joseph Young to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s D-League affiliate, according to the team’s website. The team also recalled Shayne Whittington from the Mad Ants.