Magic Notes: Nicholson, Draft, Frye
Devyn Marble was the only player whom the Magic sent to the D-League this season, as our D-League Usage Report indicates. The guard averaged 13.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during three assignments with the Erie Bayhawks, the team’s D-League affiliate.
Here’s more from Orlando:
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel wouldn’t be surprised if the Magic traded Andrew Nicholson this offseason. Robbins cites the forward’s inability to run the floor well, which doesn’t mesh with the strengths of guards Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo, as reason for a trade. The 25-year-old will make slightly under $2.4MM during the 2015/16 season, which is the last year of his rookie contract.
- Willie Cauley-Stein and Justise Winslow are among the prospects the Magic should attempt to interview and learn more about at the Draft Combine, Robbins opines in a separate piece. Cauley-Stein is likely the best rim protector in the draft and with his skill set, he would complement Nikola Vucevic nicely. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranks the Kentucky product as the sixth best prospect, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks him as the seventh. Orlando has a 91.2% chance to receive one of the top six picks, as our Lottery Odds page shows.
- Channing Frye, who signed a four-year, $32MM deal with the Magic last offseason, could be an attractive asset to a team that already has a rim protector, opines Robbins in a separate piece. Frye’s salary, which decreases by 4.5% annually, along with his shooting range, should generate some interest on the trade market.
Lakers Expected To Pursue Jimmy Butler
The Lakers are expected to be one of several teams preparing a maximum salary offer sheet for Bulls guard Jimmy Butler, Shams Charania of RealGM reports. Chicago reportedly intends to match any offer sheet that he signs, but Charania notes that teams around the league are questioning how Chicago will handle the inevitable max contract for another star player given their pricey commitment to Derrick Rose.
Los Angeles only has slightly under $35.1MM in guaranteed contracts on the books for the 2015/16 season, as our Salary Commitment page shows, against a projected salary cap of $67.1MM. That figure only includes contracts for four players and does not include the non-guaranteed contracts of Tarik Black, Robert Sacre and Jordan Clarkson, which together only total roughly $2.7MM. If the Lakers keep all three on the roster, which I speculate they will, the team could still have enough cap room to sign one player to a maximum contract and another player, perhaps Rajon Rondo, to a mid-sized contract.
Butler, who won this season’s Most Improved Player award, averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds in 38.7 minutes per game. The guard led his team in minutes per contest and no other Bulls player under the age of 29 played more than 30 minutes per game. Chicago has an aging roster and even with nearly $60.2MM in commitments for next season, the team should look to retain the 25-year-old regardless of cost.
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Lakers, Lee
If the Clippers fail to advance in the playoffs, the team’s lack of depth will be the culprit, Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles opines. Markazi blames president of basketball operations Doc Rivers for signing Spencer Hawes with the full mid-level exception. Markazi believes signing Paul Pierce to give the team more depth on the wing would have been a better use of the franchise’s resources.
There’s more from the Pacific Division on a playoff Sunday:
- Rivers said he used the Spurs as his model when he came to the Clippers, Markazi writes in a separate story. He said he has tried to build a relationship with GM Dave Wohl similar to the one between San Antonio head coach and president of basketball operations Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford. “Clearly you would love to build what they have,” Rivers said. “It means that you’re going to do it for a time. We have a long way to go, but that would be nice.”
- The presence of Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson on the roster shouldn’t preclude the Lakers from selecting a point guard or power forward in this year’s draft, opines Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required). Ford recalls the Blazers passing on the chance to take Chris Paul and Deron Williams because the team thought it had a long-term piece in Sebastian Telfair. Ford believes the Lakers’ best option is to take the top player available rather than drafting for need, due to the lack of talent on the roster.
- The Warriors are hoping David Lee will be ready for the second round of the playoffs, writes Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group. Lee, who missed the entire first-round series against the Pelicans with a strained back, knows the Warriors will need all the front-line help they can get if they’re matched up with the rugged Grizzlies. “It’s a team that plays big and that we’re going to need every big on the roster ready to go, myself included,” he said.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Pelicans Plan Max Extension For Anthony Davis
The Pelicans plan to be as aggressive as possible when Anthony Davis is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, league sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The team’s contract offer could approach $140MM over five years, according to Stein, but the exact figure won’t be known until the maximum salary is determined this offseason since it is a product of the salary cap.
Davis was elected by fans to start in February’s All-Star game and is expected to earn a spot on an All-NBA team this season. If he reaches either of those milestones again next season, New Orleans can offer the 22-year-old a maximum salary deal starting at 30% of the league’s salary cap, as opposed to 25%, because of the Derrick Rose rule.
The team intends to present Davis with the biggest offer they can once the window for negotiations opens on July 1st and the two sides will have until October 31st to come to an agreement. If Davis signs an extension, it will become effective during the 2016/17 season.
Atlantic Notes: Hardaway, Knicks, Sixers, Nets
Tim Hardaway Jr. showed promise this season and Marc Berman of the New York Post believes the Michigan product has significant trade value. Berman believes Hardaway could net a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder in a trade. The Knicks reportedly were shopping the guard, among other players, at this year’s trade deadline, but his improvement down the stretch has impressed the team. “Tim Hardaway has been both good and average at certain times, but he has a bright future,’’ Team President Phil Jackson said. “He’s a solidifying guard who can move to small forward or guard.’’
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- If the Knicks win the draft lottery, Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) believes Karl-Anthony Towns is the no-brainer selection, as he writes in a collaborate piece with Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com. Ford notes that Okafor would be an option for New York, but he is a gamble the team is not in a position to make.
- The Sixers already spent three first-round picks on frontcourt players over the last two drafts and Pelton wonders if the team will draft either Towns or Jahlik Okafor if it lands one of the top two draft picks, as he writes in the same piece. Philadelphia is reportedly hoping to land D’Angelo Russell in the draft.
- Tim Bontemps of the New York Post wonders if changes will be made to the Nets‘ roster this offseason. If Brook Lopez opts to become a free agent, Brooklyn has to decide whether the retaining the core of Lopez, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams is worth paying the luxury tax. The Nets already have slightly under $58.7 in guaranteed salary for the 2015/16 season as our Salary Commitment page shows.
Draft Notes: Winslow, International Prospects
The 2015 draft has its fair share of athletic small forwards who can defend multiple positions, David Aldridge of NBA.com opines. Aldridge ranks Duke product Justise Winslow as this year’s top small forward and some scouts agree.
“Outside of Winslow, the other guys really kind of underperformed,” an anonymous Pacific Division scout told Aldridge. “I think [Winslow’s] going to be real good. Like most guys, he’s got pretty good shooting mechanics and he’s going to get better when he gets to the NBA. Because of his defense and his IQ, he’ll find a way to get on the floor.”
Aldridge has Arizona products Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson right behind Winslow in his small forward rankings. Hollis-Jefferson is considered one of the best wing defenders in the draft, as Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors writes in his profile of the 20-year-old.
Today is the deadline for a prospect to declare for the 2015 draft and here’s some players who have made formal decisions:
- Latvian center Andzejs Pasecniks has declared for the NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Givony ranks the 19-year-old as the No. 70 overall prospect, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider Subscription required) slots him at No. 98 overall.
- Andrey Desyatnikov has declared for the NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). The Russian born 7’3″ center is not currently ranked within Givony’s or Ford’s top 100.
- Wael Arakji has also declared for the NBA Draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Givony ranks the 6’4″ Lebanese point guard as the No. 100 overall prospect, while Ford does not include Arakji in his rankings.
Pacific Notes: Rondo, Bledsoe, Warriors
The Warriors beat the Pelicans by a score of 109-98 on Saturday to sweep their first round series. Golden State is hitting on all cylinders and I chronicled the moves that GM Bob Myers made to put a championship contender on the floor in his Executive of the Year Candidate piece.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers might be the only team to offer Rajon Rondo a sizable contract, Tim Bontemps of the New York Post opines. Bomtemps speculates that the point guard will struggle to get a contract that exceeds $10MM to $12MM per year.
- The Suns are optimistic that Eric Bledsoe can be a cornerstone for the team, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes. “The exciting thing for us about Eric is he’s still just starting to scratch the surface of his potential,” GM Ryan McDonough said. “Last year [2013/14], he started for half a season and you saw glimpses of it. I think there some questions externally, certainly not from us, but could he do it as a starter, could he do it over the course of an 82-game season? I think he certainly proved he could with the numbers he averaged.” The point guard averaged 17.0 points, 6.1 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.
- Golden State has assigned James Michael McAdoo to its D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, according to the team’s twitter feed. This will be the forward’s fourth stint in the D-League this season.
Eastern Notes: Cavs, Riley, Harkless
The Cavs improved their win total over last season’s by 20 games and appear to be the favorite to win the Eastern Conference. LeBron James returning to Cleveland was a huge factor in the team’s improvement, but GM David Griffin deserves credit for the moves he made during the last 14 months, as I wrote in his Executive of the Year Candidate piece.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- President of Basketball Operations Pat Riley may have taken a jab at LeBron James during the Heat’s season ending press conference today, Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald writes. “No more smiling faces with hidden agendas, so we’ll be going in clean,” Riley said in response to a question about the draft. When ask to clarify if that comment was about James, he said, “that could be anyone across the board. I’ve already got about half a dozen emails from people I don’t even know recommending [a player], and somewhere in that email or text is always a smiley.”
- Maurice Harkless regressed during his third season in the league and Ken Hornack of Fox Sports Florida believes he is unlikely to remain in Orlando long-term. The forward is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
- The Cavs have recalled Joe Harris from their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge, according to the team’s website. To date, the guard has played in 48 games for Cleveland this season while seeing only 9.1 minutes per game.
Atlantic Notes: Mbah a Moute, Smith, Williams
Luc Mbah a Moute, who will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, would like to remain in Philadelphia and he believes the team wants him back as well, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
“Ever since I came here, I didn’t get the sense that it was a one-year kind of deal,” said Mbah a Moute. “We will see what happens this summer, but pretty much what’s been kind of [established] is that I’m part of what they are trying to grow here. I’m part of the culture. When you been through a season like this, when you see ups and downs, you see glimpses of what could be you want to be a part of it. You want to be there when things turn around and we finally get hopefully that right team and become a good team. So yeah, [re-signing is] what I’m thinking now.”
The UCLA product enjoyed his best offensive season in the NBA last year and has worked to improve his shooting. He made 62 three-pointers after only making 24 total during his first six years in the league.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Ish Smith, who has played for eight teams during his five year career, also would like to play for the Sixers again next season, Andy Jasner of NBA.com writes. “I hope so,” Smith said when asked if he’ll be back in Philadelphia. “I really like it here. I knew I had to play and work hard and not worry about all the other things. I figure that will all take care of itself. It was important to me to come in and do my work and take in everything the coaching staff was teaching me. I still have so much to learn.” The speedy point guard averaged 12.0 points and 6.1 assists per contest during his 25 games as a Sixer.
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun can’t envision Lou Williams, who earlier today was announced the winner of this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award, playing for Toronto next season due to the sizable contract he might earn in free agency (Twitter link). The Raptors already have slightly more than $49MM on the books for the 2015/16 season, as our Salary Commitment page shows.
- James Johnson, who didn’t play in Saturday’s game against the Wizards, understands his role and why the Raptors signed him, Eric Koreen of the National Post, writes. “Matchups. I’m here for matchup problems,” Johnson said. “I’m here for the long season, when Kyle [Lowry] got hurt or DeMar [DeRozan] got hurt. Those were when I had opportunities to play a lot. I’m the fill-in. And I’m OK with that.” The forward signed a two-year, $5MM deal with Toronto last offseason.
Executive Of The Year Candidate: Bob Myers
Every year, many teams improve, but making the leap from a good team to a great team is arguably the hardest feat to accomplish. The Warriors, who improved their win total over last season’s by 16 games, have reached the pinnacle that so many teams are unable to attain. The roster is a collection of talent that meshed together beautifully and formed a team that is considered one of the favorites to win the title. The transformation wasn’t simply a product of good fortune; it was a series of calculated moves that catapulted the 2014/15 Warriors into the conversation about the best teams of all time.
Golden State hired Bob Myers to be the assistant GM in April of 2011. While he didn’t have full control of the front office yet, he played a part in the 2012 trade that netted Andrew Bogut, according to Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press. Trading a fan favorite in Monta Ellis for an injury-prone center wasn’t an easy choice, but it was necessary in order to add a defensive anchor and give Stephen Curry more reign within the offense. Golden State promoted Myers to GM in April of 2012 and the ensuing year would set the table for this season’s championship run.
Myers’ first draft as the GM was a success. Golden State picked Harrison Barnes with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2012 draft. Barnes hasn’t lived up to the superstar hype that surrounded him when he first committed to North Carolina, but the forward has turned into a solid two-way player and an important contributor for the team. With the last pick in the first round, the Warriors selected Festus Ezeli out of Vanderbilt. The center has progressed during his first three seasons in the league and looks like he will have a decent career in the NBA, something that is not a given for players selected that late in the draft.
Second-round pick Draymond Green was Myers’ most impressive selection. Many teams saw Green as a man without a position in the NBA, someone who was not big enough to play power forward and not swift enough to guard small forwards. Myers just saw a winner. “Draymond, look at his resume,” Myers said during the team’s post draft press conference. “He went to one of the top colleges in the country and all he did was produce and win.” Green has evolved into one of best defenders in the league and has become an integral part of the Warriors’ success.
Some even believe Green will earn a maximum salary contract when he becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. If that happens without the team trading away any of its core players, Green will be one of five Warriors players who will make more than MVP candidate Stephen Curry during the 2015/16 season. Myers signed Curry to a four-year, $44MM extension in 2012. The pact was considered a high-risk, high reward move for Golden State because of Curry’s injury history. By signing Curry to the extension before the 2012/13 season rather than letting him hit restricted free agency and potentially sign a maximum-salary contract, the team saved nearly $17MM, which allowed Golden State to allocate its resources into improvements around the point guard.
During the 2013 offseason, Myers added Andre Iguodala in a three-way deal with the Nuggets and Jazz. It was a surprising move at the time considering the Warriors’ lack of cap space. Golden State sent Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson and Brandon Rush to the Jazz along with two future first-round picks. Given the current market for first-round picks, it may seem like a steep price to pay, but Iguodala has been a key contributor and those picks will likely be toward the back end of the first round, so there’s not much of a chance they’ll turn into players of significant value.
Adding a veteran player to push the team toward championship contention is necessary for most clubs looking to take that next step. However, sometimes it’s the move that a franchise doesn’t make that becomes the reason it succeeds. The 1992/93 Rockets nearly traded Hakeem Olajuwon to the Heat but ultimately decided to stand pat. Houston would win two NBA championships in the ensuing years. In 2009, the Warriors almost traded Curry to the Suns for Amar’e Stoudemire. Golden State decided to keep the No. 7 overall pick and ended up with a superstar to build around. Last offseason, the Warriors were in talks with the Wolves about trading for Kevin Love. Initially, it seemed like Curry’s backcourt mate would be headed to Minnesota, but the front office said Klay Thompson was off the table and the deal never happened. Thompson and Curry turned into arguably the league’s best backcourt and the team has been hitting on all cylinders since.
Myers was faced with another tough decision during the 2014 offseason. Coach Mark Jackson reportedly clashed with upper management, but he took the team from lottery-bound to playoff-bound and was well-respected by his players. Replacing Jackson after a 51-win campaign was a risky proposition. Myers tapping Steve Kerr, who did not have any NBA coaching experience, as the next coach may have been a riskier move. Kerr, who has innovated with the team and is a candidate for the Coach of the Year Award, has proved Myers right.
The Warriors rank first in defensive efficiency and second in offensive efficiency this season and the roster construction of the team can be credited for the success. Myers has surrounded his superstar, Curry, with the supporting cast needed to win a championship. He should take home the Executive of the Year honor this season, but the award isn’t just for the moves in the past year. It’s recognition for all of the moves that he has made and the passion he exhibits for his position. “My love for the NBA started with this team,” Myers said when he was promoted to GM. “It’s more than just a job.” Myers has excelled and his dedication has given Warriors the ammunition necessary to win the 15 playoff games still standing between them and the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.