Wizards Targeting Tim Connelly To Run Front Office
The Wizards have centered in on Tim Connelly as the top candidate to run their front office, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Connelly, who currently serves as the Nuggets‘ president of basketball operations, grew up about an hour north in Baltimore and began his NBA career as an intern with the Wizards. He joined Denver in 2013 and recently signed an extension with the team.
While prying him from Colorado may be tricky, Katz notes that teams have been able to land coaches and executives under contract in the past, citing Doc Rivers‘ move from Boston to Los Angeles and Jason Kidd‘s journey from Brooklyn to Milwaukee.
Connelly and Tommy Sheppard are close friends dating back to their time together in Washington. Sheppard reportedly has a chance to land the GM position.
“Tommy is the first person I met with, and I reminded Tommy of what happened with the Capitals, that our No. 2 to the GM that wasn’t a known commodity, wasn’t a frontrunner. He had the best interview,” owner Ted Leonsis said today. “And the reason he had the best interview was he was the most prepared, and he knew all of the good things and all of the not good things. And so I’ve told Tommy, ‘It’s not lip service. You’re highly regarded.’ And there’s other teams that want to talk to Tommy. And when the time comes, he will interview for the top job.”
Sheppard, who most recently served as second-in-command to Ernie Grunfeld, began his career with the Nuggets, starting in public relations before eventually switching over to basketball operations. Perhaps a Connelly/Sheppard ticket could be in the works in Washington.
Wizards Notes: Grunfeld, Leonsis, GM Search
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said he alone made the call to relieve Ernie Grunfeld of his duties. “No one made this decision other than me,” Leonsis said (Twitter links via Candace Buckner of the Washington Post).
“My main goal is to right now as fast as I can bring in an outside firm to provide some services for us,” Leonsis said. “I want to do what’s called ‘best practicing.’ What do the best organizations look like? What do they spend?
“Maybe I made the mistake in the way we spent and invested out money. I have to be open-minded.”
Leonsis does not believe the organization will have issues attracting a top candidate for the GM gig, a sentiment echoed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Resources and geography are among the reasons to expect the position to be highly sought after.
Here’s more from Washington:
- Tommy Sheppard, the team’s interim GM, is a strong candidate for the position, per Leonsis. Sheppard is the senior vice president of basketball operations and has been with the organization for 14 years.
- Leonsis called both Bradley Beal and John Wall shortly after making the move to notify them of the change, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports tweets.
- Scott Brooks’ job status will be determined after a general manager is hired, Leonsis added (via Hughes in a separate tweet). The new GM won’t be restricted in terms of the direction the franchise goes in, as Leonsis is open to all ideas.
- Hughes (in a full-length piece) identifies 10 possible candidates for the GM position, including Sheppard and former Cavs GM David Griffin. Hughes also speculated that Bucks assistant GM Milt Newton, who was with the Wizards from 2003 until 2013, could be a candidate for the position.
The Impact Of Kelly Olynyk’s Bonus
Kelly Olynyk passed the 1,700-minute mark for the season on Monday during the Heat’s loss to the Celtics and as a result, he’ll pick up a $1MM bonus for surpassing the threshold, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks relays (Twitter link). Olynyk played the entire second half against Boston and he’s been one of the more reliable members of the team this season, playing in all but three games so far this year.
Olynyk has the $1MM bonus for 1,700 minutes on each season of the contract he signed back in 2017. Prior to his Heat deal, his season high in minutes played was 1,538.
The threshold was considered “unlikely” prior to last season, meaning that it was not accounted for in Miami’s 2017/18 salary cap. The bonus was then changed to “likely” after he hit the 1,700-mark last year and it was accounted for in this year’s figures. Had Olynyk not received 1,700 minutes, Miami’s 2018/19 salary cap would have been reduced by $1MM.
Olynyk will also take home a $400K bonus if the Heat make the playoffs, which was also determined to be likely for this season, since Miami made the postseason last spring. If Olynyk had failed to earn either his minutes-player or postseason bonuses, the Heat may have been able to sneak under the luxury tax line, but that’s no longer in play.
The Heat’s team salary remains at roughly $125MM, behind the Celtics for the sixth-highest mark in the league. Miami technically has the highest payroll in the NBA, coming in at $153.23MM though Chris Bosh‘s $26.84MM salary doesn’t count toward the team’s books as a result of the Fitness to Play Panel addition in the latest CBA.
Miami, which currently owns a record of 38-39, could have the highest salary cap ever for a team without a winning record, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald details. Previously, the Knicks held that distinction, going 23-59 during the 2005/06 season with a payroll of $124MM.
The Heat are on their way to being a luxury taxpayer this season. According to Jackson, more than 110 teams have finished in the luxury tax and 22 have had a losing record (the Heat did it twice before during the 2003/04 and 2007/08 seasons).
The franchise has $83MM in guaranteed salary on the books for next season, though that figure does not include Hassan Whiteside‘s ($27.09MM) and Goran Dragic‘s ($19.22MM) respective player options.
Lakers Sign Jemerrio Jones To Two-Year Deal
MARCH 31: The signing is official, according to a tweet from the Lakers.
MARCH 30: The Lakers will sign Jemerrio Jones to a two-year deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-year of the pact contains a team option.
Jones will have six games to further make his case for a roster spot next season. The combo forward most recently played for the Lakers’ G League affiliate, leading the team in rebounds per game.
Jones will take over the roster spot currently held by Scott Machado, who will see his 10-day deal with Los Angeles expire on Sunday. Machado appeared in four games for the Lakers, seeing a total of 19 minutes.
Wolves Sign Mitch Creek To 10-Day Deal
8:22pm: The signing is official, the Timberwolves confirmed in a tweet.
11:44am: The Timberwolves are working on a 10-day deal for Mitch Creek, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports (Twitter link). Minnesota has been hit with a rash of injuries in the backcourt and Creek may get a chance to see playing time with the team.
Creek signed two 10-day deals with Brooklyn earlier this season. He saw action in four games, scoring just 3.8 points per contest.
The shooting guard most recently played for the Long Island Nets of the G League. Creek also has an extensive international resume with China and Australia among his prior stops.
Minnesota has a full 15-man roster, but should qualify to add an extra player via the hardship provision, since the team has at least four players – Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Jeff Teague, and Robert Covington – sidelined with long-term injuries. Assuming the team is granted a hardship exception, no corresponding roster move will be needed to clear room for Creek.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/24/19 – 3/31/19
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Listed below are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
- Luke Adams broke down the nuances of qualifying offers, mid-level exceptions, and bi-annual-exceptions in the latest additions to our Glossary.
- Which 2019 first-round picks are likely to change hands? We checked in on every traded pick and their protections.
- Dana Gauruder examined which upcoming free agents in the Northwest Division have seen their stock rise or fall.
- We asked which teams are going to end up with the last three seeds in the Eastern Conference.
- Adams took a look at five Eastern Conference players who have boosted their free agent values significantly, including Nets All-Star D’Angelo Russell.
Injury Notes: Embiid, Richardson, McCaw
Joel Embiid will miss the next three games for the Sixers, starting with tonight’s tilt against the Timberwolves, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The move to leave Embiid home during the three-game road trip is part of pre-determined maintenance.
Embiid missed time following the All-Star break with knee soreness and other players, such as Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons, have also missed time because of injury and rest concerns. As a result, the team’s starting five has only played in 10 games together this season, as I detailed last week.
Here’s more injury notes from around the league:
- Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said there is no timetable for Josh Richardson (left heel) to return to action, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays on Twitter. Spoelstra added that he doesn’t believe Richardson is done for the season.
- Patrick McCaw will be in a splint for approximately three weeks, according to a Raptors press release. He will be re-evaluated at that time.
- Kyrie Irving and Al Horford will both miss tonight’s contest against the Nets, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com passes along. Irving’s nursing a sore back while Horford has a sore left knee. Neither player is expected to miss an extended period of time for the Celtics.
Rajon Rondo Wants To Return To Lakers Next Season
Rajon Rondo signed a one-year deal with the Lakers last summer just days after LeBron James announced he would be joining the team. The long-time Celtics point guard wants at least one more season playing alongside LBJ in yellow and gold.
“Absolutely,” Rondo said of his desire to come back to the Lakers next season (via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com). “Absolutely. I mean, the only way we can go from here is up.
“So, I don’t know what the future holds as far as the summer — if I come back, or who else comes back or if I don’t come back. Those things are out of my control. But at the same time, it’s a great organization. I can’t say enough about the staff and the people who work here. They’re really kind and helpful, so I want to continue, if I can, help this organization grow.”
Rondo is making $9MM for his one season in Los Angeles. He said there were discussions last summer about signing a multi-year deal, though those talks never materialized. The point guard suggested that he may look to sign a contract longer than one season this time around.
“As far as long term, maybe not like a six-year deal, but you know, I’m only 33,” said Rondo, who missed 34 games so far this season because of a pair of hand injuries and a three-game suspension for his part in a mini-brawl with the Rockets during the Lakers’ home opener. He chalks those things up to being “just part of the game.”
James admires Rondo’s game and if his comments are any indication, Los Angeles will attempt to bring the 33-year-old back.
“The youth look up to us, look at us as superheroes at times, so to be able to have that fun and that joy we hope it goes back to those guys and to the kids that look up to us,” James said of Rondo’s approach to the game. “Rondo, his energy and him just having fun and being the leader that he is [is invaluable].”
Grizzlies Sign Dusty Hannahs To 10-Day Deal
The Grizzlies have inked Dusty Hannahs to a 10-day contract, according to a team press release. Hannahs had been playing with the team’s G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.
Hannahs also spent last season with the Hustle and is the young franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He helped lead the G League squad to the playoffs this season.
Hannahs was not selected in the 2017 draft after playing two seasons at the University of Arkansas. He also played two seasons of collegiate basketball with Texas Tech.
The Grizzlies have a full 15-man roster, but won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Hannahs. Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson, and C.J. Miles are all sidelined with long-term injuries, so Memphis meets the terms of the hardship provision, which grants injury-plagued teams an extra roster spot.
Knicks Expected To Shop Frank Ntilikina
Frank Ntilikina made a three-pointer against the Nuggets in the first quarter of the road loss last week and that bucket may be his last as a member of the Knicks.
Ntilikina, who has nursed a groin injury for the majority of 2019, has been shut down for the season, and according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, the team is expected to shop the former No. 8 overall pick this summer. Marc Berman of The New York Post previously reported that the Knicks would be willing to deal Ntilikina for a first-round pick.
New York’s point guard situation will be a top offseason storyline. The franchise traded for Dennis Smith in the Kristaps Porzingis deal and former No. 7 overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay found a mini-resurgence during his first full season with the club. While GM Scott Perry is responsible for bringing in both players, the front office won’t hesitate to put those two in the backseat and let Kyrie Irving drive the offense should the six-time All-Star decide that the orange-and-blue is his jersey of choice.
The Knicks are expected to pursue Irving this summer, though they won’t be alone. Their crosstown rival is also expected to be among the teams that make a run at him and some sources around the league tell Bondy that Irving actually prefers the Nets over the Knicks. Brooklyn already has an All-Star point guard in D’Angelo Russell, though it’s feasible that the team could look to coordinate a backcourt with both players.
During a recent NBA TV interview, former Cavs GM David Griffin suggested that Brooklyn was the more attractive situation to Irving. “I think Brooklyn is the fit that’s better for [Irving] in terms of his mindset,” Griffin said. “I think he likes what they’ve done there, culturally.”
Ntilikina’s future in New York doesn’t appear to be directly tied to Irving’s decision, as the team will shop him regardless of whether they land the Uncle Drew star.
The 20-year-old point guard is focused on getting healthy. He wants to play for France in the FIBA World Cup in August. Teams can’t flat out restrict players from playing internationally but they can strongly encourage or suggest that they should not.
“You can’t really dictate it. You can only suggest,” coach David Fizdale said. “I just think it depends on where the guy is at personally and how many years they have in their career. And what he necessarily needs in the summer. Some guys need to play games. And other guys need court work and drills with the coaches.”
Ntilikina skipped the World Cup qualifiers last offseason to train with the Knicks and it’s unclear whether New York will lobby for Ntilikina to avoid the risk of further injury and stay home during the international tournament. Then again, by the time August comes around, that could be another organization’s issue.