And-Ones: Giannakis, Jennings, Nelson
Vaunted European coach Panagiotis Giannakis is looking for an NBA bench opportunity. He visited Bucks camp and has plans to visit the camps of the Pistons and Pacers, international journalist David Pick reports for Basketball Insiders. Giannakis coached the national team of Greece to a second place finish at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, which included a win over Team USA.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Brandon Jennings will be a free agent at the end of the season, but Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders believes he could change teams before his current deal expires. The Pistons have talked up the Reggie Jackson and Jennings pairing, but Greene doubts the duo can coexist long-term. He argues that it comes down to the money. Detroit just invested $80MM in Jackson and it might not be feasible to retain Jennings at market value next offseason, which is why the team may opt to get something in return for the point guard rather than losing him for nothing.
- Jameer Nelson‘s impact on the Nuggets goes beyond his play on the court, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. Nelson has taken on the responsibility of leading the team and he is embracing his role. “To be a leader you have to be uncomfortable,” Nelson said. “You have to get extra shots up, you have to be early to be on time. You gotta hold yourself accountable, so then when you hold somebody else accountable they’re not looking at you with a side eye. [Instead] they’re like, ‘He’s doing it, he’s showing us.’ ” Nelson re-signed with the Nuggets for $13.5MM over three years this offseason.
Western Notes: Howard, Martin, Morris
Fans knew that Dwight Howard was battling a knee injury during last season’s Western Conference finals, but the injury was worse than it seemed at the time, Calvin Walkins of ESPN.com writes.
“I was basically playing with a torn MCL and meniscus,” Howard said. “I never said anything about it. I tried to cover it up saying it was a sore knee. But I was in pain the rest of the series. I just looked at it like, man, you just never know if you will ever make it back to this moment. So just sacrifice your mind, your body and your spirit for your teammates and the city and hope for the best.”
The Rockets intend to utilize second year big man Clint Capela in a larger role in an effort to reduce Howard’s workload this season. In the summer of 2013, Howard signed a four-year, max contract that includes a player option after this season. The health of his knee, along with the level of his play this season, could determine whether he decides to turn down his option, worth slightly more than $23.28MM, and enter free agency in 2016.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders opines that Kevin Martin is a prime candidate to be traded after the Wolves announced that sophomore Zach LaVine will be the team’s starting shooting guard. Martin has two years and slightly over $14.46MM remaining on his current deal and Greene believes if Minnesota wanted to move him, there would be teams willing to bring the veteran aboard at that price.
- Although Markieff Morris declared that he wants to remain in Phoenix, the Suns could ultimately end up dealing the forward anyway, Greene opines in the same piece. Morris is on a team-friendly deal that will pay him $32MM over the next four seasons and if he has a good start to the season, more than a few teams should be interested in acquiring him.
- After losing LaMarcus Aldridge to the Spurs in free agency, many are not optimistic about the Blazers‘ chances of making playoffs, but statistician Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com argues that competing for a playoff spot is not out of the question, Cody Sharett of NBA.com writes. Pelton cited the additions of Ed Davis, Mason Plumlee and Al-Farouq Aminu, who have all shined in terms of advanced statistics, as reason for optimism.
Atlantic Notes: Larkin, Seraphin, Porzingis
Shane Larkin hasn’t lived up to the hype that surrounded him entering the 2013 draft, but the point guard is excited about how his game can progress with the Nets, Tim Bontemps of the New York Post writes. Larkin believes joining Brooklyn will give him an opportunity to play to his strengths, which are using his speed to push the tempo and running the pick and roll.
“[Those skills are] not the only reason I got here, but that’s a big part of why I got drafted where I got drafted, and why I’m in the league,” Larkin said. “Last year, I obviously wasn’t in the best system for my style of game, but this year I’ve been implemented back into a pick-and-roll [offense], so it’s really good.”
Here are some notes from Brooklyn’s crosstown rival:
- Coach Derek Fisher said he and the Knicks pitched new addition Kevin Seraphin on being able to use him in the post more than he’d been used in Washington, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal passes along via Twitter. Seraphin agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.814MM with New York this offseason.
- Fisher also said the Knicks are not going to get “caught up” in what Kristaps Porzingis does statistically, and instead they are focusing on “his development over time,” Al Iannazzone of Newsday tweets.
- Sasha Vujacic has taken Porzingis under his wing and the veteran believes the fourth overall pick has what it takes to prosper in the league, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “He’s someone that loves basketball. … He wants to be better every single day,” Vujacic says of Porzingis. “There’s always something he’s improving on — every little thing. If it’s not the offense, it’s that he can run better, improve his body. You don’t see a lot of that in young players anymore because they come in a little bit comfortable and just different. I love that in him.”
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 10/10/15
Ricky Rubio, when healthy, is one of the craftiest playmakers in the game and he causes terror for opposing point guards with his perimeter defense. However, he hasn’t been the healthiest player, missing 126 games during his first four seasons in the league, and his jump shot is a work in progress that may never materialize into a weapon that he can use on a regular basis.
Rubio has been the subject of trade rumors on occasion during the offseason, although Rubio and the team have done their best to bat them down. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune knows the situation as well as anyone and he spoke with Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors about the subject earlier today. Zgoda isn’t optimistic about a trade occurring due to a lack of options in Minnesota to immediately replace Rubio, but he speculated that if the Wolves could swing a deal and land someone like Eric Bledsoe, they’d probably pull the trigger.
That leads us to today’s topic: Where does Rubio sit in the league’s point guard ranks? What other point guards are comparable to the 24-year-old?
Back in August, we asked if readers would prefer Bledsoe or Reggie Jackson to lead their team and the majority leaned Bledsoe’s way. Is Rubio a better option to run the point than Bledsoe? Is he better than Jackson? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. Also, be sure to check back later on, as we’ll be responding to readers throughout the evening. We look forward to what you have to say!
L.A. Notes: Clippers’ Roster, Lakers’ Backcourt
It appears Luc Mbah a Moute and Chuck Hayes will battle for the Clippers‘ last roster spot, Arash Markazi of ESPN.com notes (Twitter link). After waiving Nikoloz Tskitishvili on Saturday, the team only has 16 commitments and the duo’s pacts are the only contracts that are not fully guaranteed.
Here’s more from Los Angeles:
- Despite the number of new pieces in Los Angeles, Clippers President of basketball operations/coach Doc Rivers is optimistic that the team can seamlessly fit together, Rowan Kavner of NBA.com writes. “Chemistry can grow,” Rivers said. “In 2010, we had no chemistry and people had given up on us and all of a sudden, the second half of the year things start clicking, guys start getting together and the next thing you know we found ourselves in the Finals again. So, it can happen a lot of ways.”
- No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell and sophomore combo guard Jordan Clarkson seem to have chemistry early in camp, Baxter Holmes of ESPN writes. “We just relate to each other,” Russell said. “He’s not one of those real serious vets that you can’t crack a smile around. He’s a young dude, second year, still learning, still growing. Me, the same way. I’m a goofy guy, he’s a goofy guy. So we kind of complement each other.”
Cavs Notes: James, Thompson, Jefferson
LeBron James has ended his silence regarding Tristan Thompson‘s contract situation, posting a picture of the two of them on his Instagram account with the caption, “Get it done!!!!! Straight up. #MissMyBrother.”
Thompson let the deadline pass without signing his qualifying offer earlier this week, which reduces his options to signing a long-term deal with the Cavs, signing an offer sheet from another team or continuing to sit out. However, if he does sit out the season, he will remain a restricted free agent next offseason. It was reported on Friday that Thompson and his camp prefer a three-year max contract to the five-year max they sought most of the summer, but Cleveland is uninterested in such a proposal.
Here’s more from the reigning Eastern Conference champs:
- A five-year, $85MM deal would be a logical conclusion to Thompson’s stalemate with the Cavs, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post opines. Such a figure would allow Thompson to get a bigger contract than fellow restricted free agent power forward Draymond Green, who signed a five-year deal worth $82MM with Golden State this summer, while saving Cleveland a significant amount of money in luxury tax payments.
- Kevin Love‘s first year as a Cavalier didn’t go as smoothly as planned, but James believes he will thrive in Cleveland this season, Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “I just think [Love’s] more comfortable in the situation that he’s in,” James said. “He’s got a year under his belt, he knows what he expects out of himself and what his teammates expect out of him. I expect big things from him this year with a year up under his belt.”
- New addition Richard Jefferson hopes to give the Cavs 10-12 minutes each night, but the injury to Shumpert could force him to play more, Vardon writes in the same piece. The veteran is just excited to play alongside the four-time MVP. “With LeBron and his versatility … when you have that piece, kind of like the queen in chess, that can do everything, you realize that, ‘Hey if I can play the four and LeBron can go to the two, somebody else can play the three or vice versa, it makes everyone’s job a lot easier,'” Jefferson said.
Northwest Notes: Alexander, Henderson, Nuggets
Cliff Alexander will miss two weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes. “We’re going to kind of shut him down for a couple weeks and then work him back in,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said on Saturday. “So he’s going to be back for a little bit.” Alexander was projected to develop into a lottery pick coming out of high school, but he battled injuries and struggled at Kansas before being declared ineligible by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits.
Here’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- When asked if Alexander can make the team despite missing two weeks of training camp, Stotts answered in the affirmative, according to Freeman (Twitter link).
- Gerald Henderson remains sidelined after undergoing offseason hip surgery, but he is eager to join his new team on the court, Freeman writes in a separate piece. “I try to pay attention as much as I can,” he said. “I feel like if I can know what we’re doing on both sides of the floor, I’ll have an easier transition. But, of course, getting out there and playing, that’s what I love to do, regardless of the situation. And on a new team, it’s even more important.” The Blazers acquired Henderson in the trade that sent starter Nicolas Batum to Charlotte.
- Readers of Hoops Rumors ranked the Nuggets as the third worst team in our power rankings and the consensus in NBA circles is that the team won’t sniff the playoffs. Despite the projections, Denver won’t adopt a tanking strategy this season, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post writes. “Everybody can do it their own way. We’re not here to criticize 29 other teams and their approach,” said coach Michael Malone. “We’re just worried about us. But I think anytime you allow losing to creep into your culture, and your franchise, and the fact that you accept losing for betterment down the road, I think that’s awfully hard to get that out of your organization. Losing should not be accepted.”
Heat Notes: Rookies, Green, Stoudemire
A pair of rookies were the talk of the team after a few days of Miami’s training camp, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
“I didn’t know a lot about [Josh Richardson],” Dwyane Wade said. “I like his poise, his ability to play the 1 and 2. He’s impressed me.” Chris Bosh was complimentary of the rookies as well. “[Both] rookies have impressed me. Justise Winslow is very smart. Josh plays under control, doesn’t make many bad decisions,”
Winslow is a lock to make the team and Richardson, who is one of 13 players out of 20 currently under contract with a fully guaranteed deal, appears to be a safe bet to make the opening night roster as well.
Here’s more out of Miami:
- Goran Dragic advocated for the team to sign Gerald Green during the offseason and he is confident Miami will get productive minutes from the 29-year-old, Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post writes. “His ability to jump and shoot against anybody is going to be unbelievable, and on defense, he can improve a lot,” Dragic said. “He’s long and athletic and he’s gonna listen to the coaches.” Green and Dragic were teammates in Phoenix during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 campaigns before Dragic was traded to the Heat.
- The Heat are happy to have Amar’e Stoudemire aboard, but many of the players didn’t expect him to sign with the team in free agency, Lieser tweets. Stoudemire didn’t base his decision in free agency on money and Miami signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.5MM.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/26/15
The Wizards offered an extension to Bradley Beal, but it’s worth less than the maximum salary that he’s seeking. The team wants to preserve flexibility in order to court free agents next summer. Washington could sign Beal to a max contract, which is projected to have a starting salary of $20.4MM, and still have enough to sign Kevin Durant on a max deal, but that set of events would squash the team’s opportunity to bring in credible bench players, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors discussed when examining the possibility of an extension.
In his first three seasons in the league, Beal has progressed nicely. He has become a plus defender who can hold his own against most twos and even some point guards. He has a silky shot and an arsenal of moves that allow him to get him decent looks. However, he has seen his share of injuries, missing 54 games since coming into the league. He also hasn’t been the most efficient player, sporting a PER of just 14.0 this past season, which is below the league average of 15.0.
The Wizards certainly have reason to attempt to strike a pact with Beal at below the max. Which leads us tonight’s topic: Is Beal worth a max contract and should Washington offer that deal to him?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say!
Atlantic Notes: Grant, Knicks, Celtics, Young
Part of the reason that the Knicks dealt Tim Hardaway was because they felt Jerian Grant fit the team’s style of play better than him, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork tweets. “We thought Timmy’s got a good chance to be an NBA pro, but [Grant’s] more in tune with how we want to play,” president of basketball operations Phil Jackson said.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Kristaps Porzingis has impressed so far in workouts with the team, Begley writes in a full length piece. “We’re very pleased with his attitude, the way he approaches work, [and] his appetite for it,” Jackson said. “He’s been very receptive to the work it takes to become an NBA player, strength training, trying to bulk up and do all those things.”
- James Young was sent down to the Maine Red Claws, the D-League affiliate of the Celtics, 11 times last season and according to president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, he drew rave reviews, Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports tweets. “I had numerous coaches tell me James Young was the best prospect they’ve ever seen in the D-League.”
- Young spent the majority of the summer working on his one-on-one defense, Josue Pavon of WEEI writes. Coach Brad Stevens believes his work paid off. “He’s really improved his defensive abilities,” said Stevens. “His defensive awareness was great in summer league and he’s a guy that we know offensively has some skill and some talent. The other thing about James that I’m excited about is he’s bigger and stronger and he’s only 20 years old.”