Clippers Waive Desi Rodriguez
The Clippers have waived Desi Rodriguez, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Rodriguez, having signed an Exhibit 10 deal, will likely play for the team’s new G League squad, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario.
The 6’6″ wing appeared in two games for Los Angeles during the preseason. He also played for the Clippers’ Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Rodriguez played four seasons at Seton Hall University where he appeared in 129 games. He averaged 12.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest during his collegiate career and earned Second Team All-Big East honors as a senior.
Latest On Jimmy Butler
The Timberwolves appear as if they are preparing to start the season with Jimmy Butler on the roster despite the fact that the four-time All-Star has reiterated his desire to be traded. Butler maintains his stance even after the organization made numerous attempts to convince him to stay.
Heavy negotiations between the Heat and Wolves broke down yet again this week with Miami’s latest offer not satisfying Minnesota’s front office. The Heat’s proposal was a package headlined by Josh Richardson and a protected first-round pick, as Marc Stein of The New York Times reports in his weekly newsletter. Stein doesn’t provide full details on that offer, but based on Miami’s reported interest in moving Dion Waiters, it wouldn’t be surprising if he was also included for salary-matching purposes.
Here’s more on Butler and the Wolves:
- Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden have been known as one of the most difficult front offices to negotiate with over the past two years, agents and executives within the league tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. That has continued to be the case with teams attempting to nab Butler. Rivals have been willing to undergo “unconventional” negotiations because of Butler’s talent, Krawczynski explains, adding that if Butler weren’t a franchise talent, rival organizations would simply hang up the phone and not deal with the Thibs/Layden duo.
- According to Krawczynski, the Timberwolves are still talking with teams about a potential deal and talks with Miami are expected to resume this week.
- Should Minnesota hold onto Butler through opening night, he is unlikely to sit out and forfeit game checks. Butler was in Los Angeles when the Wolves faced the Clippers last week and he dined with several current teammates. While some players have said Butler would be welcomed back on the team, Krawczynski notes that it would no doubt add to the club’s chemistry issues.
- Thibodeau would welcome Butler back unconditionally should he warm up to the idea of playing out the season in Minnesota even though he could leave for nothing next summer, Stein reports in the aforementioned newsletter. Thibs also isn’t concerned about how uncomfortable the situation might get between Butler and the team’s young stars (Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins). Butler’s “chilly” relationships with Towns and Wiggins are said to be high on the list of reasons why Butler wants out, per Stein.
- The Heat, Clippers, Sixers, Nets have all reportedly had negotiations with the Timberwolves for Butler. Stein contends that Miami’s package headlined by Richardson and a protected first-rounder is likely the best-case scenario for Minnesota, given the circumstances. Stein believes that deal allows the Wolves to recoup a good portion of the value they gave up (Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and the draft pick that became Lauri Markkanen) to bring aboard Butler in the first place.
Fantasy Hoops: Preseason Top-150 Rankings
The 2018/19 season is almost here and so much has changed since the last time we presented an edition of Fantasy Hoops!
LeBron James took his talents to Hollywood and brought along an entertaining cast. DeMarcus Cousins is the latest player to draw the ire of fans for electing to sign with the NBA’s elite. Kawhi Leonard was shipped to The North while Paul George backtracked to an earlier time and stayed in an Oklahoma state of mind.
Let’s take a look at where these and the league’s other top players rank in our fantasy basketball top 150 (rankings based on Roto Scoring with nine categories—points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, 3-pointers, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and turnovers):Read more
Celtics Waive Nick King, Jeff Roberson
The Celtics have waived Nick King and Jeff Roberson, according to the team’s Twitter feed. The pair of forwards had agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Boston earlier last month.
King went undrafted out of Middle Tennessee State and spent Summer League playing for the Lakers. Roberson also went undrafted and saw limited action for the Warriors’ summer league squad. Both players are expected to play for the Celtics’ G League team, the Maine Red Claws.
Boston now has 18 players under contract, including its pair of players on two-way deals. The team will need to make one more move before the season begins, as the maximum roster count is 17.
The decision on Boston’s final roster spot may come down to Jabari Bird, who has a guaranteed salary but is dealing with legal issues, vs. Marcus Georges-Hunt, who is on a non-guaranteed deal.
Knicks Sign, Waive Phillip Carr
OCTOBER 3: Having secured his G League rights for Westchester, the Knicks have now waived Carr, the team announced today (via Twitter).
OCTOBER 2: The Knicks have signed Phillip Carr, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link) that the contract is likely an Exhibit 10 deal.
Contracts with the Exhibit 10 clause are worth the league’s minimum salary and don’t come with any compensation protection. They can include a bonus in the $5K to $50K range for players should the team waive them and they sign with the team’s G League affiliate and remain there for 60 days.
Carr is likely to spend most of his 2018/19 season with the Westchester Knicks. The forward played for Morgan State over the past three seasons, scoring 13.4 points per game. He was not selected in the 2018 draft.
Having signed Carr, the Knicks once again have a full 20-man roster. That means that reported agreements with John Jenkins and Jeff Coby remain on hold for now.
Jabari Parker Talks About His Departure From Milwaukee
Jabari Parker was never given a clear explanation from the Bucks on why they were willing to rescind their qualifying offer and let him sign elsewhere, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. The former No. 2 overall pick signed with the Bulls during the offseason and isn’t looking for answers from his former squad.
“I don’t think it’s my responsibility to create all type of different scenarios in my head,’’ Parker said. “I just take it for what it is, eliminates my confusion, and I just move on, just because it’s not as important right now.’’
Parker added that he enjoyed his time in Milwaukee but is “bitter” about how it ended.
“I wasn’t planning on leaving so soon, especially like being there four years,’’ Parker said. “I love that group and all the training staff, medical staff. It just made it home. Every moment that I had, really involved in the community, was always out. But they went in a different direction, which I understand. … things happen. It’s the business.’’
Parker’s new deal is worth $40MM over two years, though the Bulls hold an option on year two. The Chicago native has impressed his new club so far this preseason, starting in place of Lauri Markkanen, who will be sidelined for up to two months with an elbow injury.
“He’s picking things up and he’s learning two positions, which isn’t easy to do when you’re in a new system.,” Hoiberg said. “He’s got a lot left in the tank, absolutely.’’
Jahlil Okafor To Miss 1-2 Weeks
Jahlil Okafor sprained his right ankle toward the end of the Pelicans‘ first preseason game on Sunday and he’s expected to miss 1-2 weeks because of the ailment, according to the team’s website.
Okafor signed with New Orleans and was expected to compete for a spot in the rotation. After seeing limited playing him with the Sixers and Nets last season, he was hoping to carve out a role for himself on the Pelicans by working on his weaknesses.
“The knock on me has always been my defense and my rebounding,” Okafor said last month. “I let the coaches know that I’m aware of that, and obviously they’re aware of that. They know that I’m 150% bought into doing whatever it takes to win. I think I’ve taken the necessary steps this summer just to become a better defender, a better rebounder — just because I’m moving better and I’m doing all of the right stuff. I’m really excited about it.”
Okafor scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds in his 17 preseason minutes. The Pelicans conclude the preseason on October 11, so Okafor won’t likely make it back on the court to get additional reps before the team starts the regular season on October 17.
Heat Remain Favorites To Land Jimmy Butler
The Heat remain the favorites to land Jimmy Butler should the Timberwolves trade him away, Marc Stein of The New York Times relays. Miami is Butler’s preferred destination and owner Glen Taylor has been informed of the four-time All-Star’s preference.
Stein writes that Butler’s preference matters in this situation because the wing can become a free agent after the season. Miami doesn’t want to wait for Butler and has been trying “as hard as anyone” in the league to put together a package that Minnesota will accept. Stein expects the Heat to find a deal that works for the Wolves, as attempting to reintegrate Butler with all of the tension between the two sides would be a difficult feat.
Miami won’t have the cap space to sign Butler outright next summer, so Minnesota seemingly holds some leverage in the trade negotiations. Butler’s camp is reportedly frustrated by the lack of progress on a deal and they have seriously questioned whether the team’s front office is legitimately trying to find a solution on the trade market.
Team president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden were initially against trading Butler and appear to have a high asking price in negotiations with other teams. The Wolves reportedly asked the Sixers for Ben Simmons in a deal and sources within interested teams believe the counter-offers received by Minnesota are “downright delusional.”
The Rockets have pursued a Butler deal and Stein believes Houston would have to package Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker along with some draft picks to land Butler. The scribe adds that the Wolves would prefer not to send him to the Rockets and help Daryl Morey’s squad become more of a superpower than they already are.
Minnesota opens up the season on October 17 against the Spurs. The club has four remaining preseason games, including Wednesday night’s tilt with the Clippers.
Thunder Notes: George, Championship, Schroder
Paul George, who surprisingly re-signed with the Thunder on a four-year deal over the summer, believes Oklahoma City is ready to contend for a championship.
“Absolutely,” George said when asked if the Thunder are built to contend (via Royce Young of ESPN.com). “We’ve got the chemistry. Me being around these guys going on about to be two years now, there’s an expectation and a level we know we need to play at. I think the consistency part you’ll see with us now being able to play well against the sub-.500 teams. But I definitely think this team has a chance. The reason why I signed back here is because I believed in it. And everybody in here believes. It’s on us, we’ve got our work cut out and it’s not going to be easy, but we’re up for it.”
Here’s more from Oklahoma City:
- The Thunder added Dennis Schroder this offseason and his new teammates are excited about what the point guard brings, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes. “His ability just to read the different screens, and not just read them but set up his man, if that makes sense,” Steven Adams said when asked about Schroder. “It’s a big difference that I notice in guards that know how to use pick-and-rolls.”
- Schroder finds himself trying to emulate Russell Westbrook‘s game at times and he’s looking forward to playing with the former MVP, as Horne passes along in the same piece. “That’s what really excites me right now. To play with Russ and Paul George, to be out there with them, I think means a lot for me,” Schroder said.
- Schroder is facing a felony battery charge and the team spoke with him about it prior to trading for him, Horne adds in the same piece. The 25-year-old said his pending charges as “nothing to worry about.”
Elton Brand Believes Sixers Need One More Piece
New GM Elton Brand believes the Sixers may have to add one more piece to reach elite status.
“We’re close,” Brand said during a recent appearance on ESPN’s The Jump. “If you ask [Joel Embiid] we have enough and if you ask [Ben Simmons] we have enough, because that’s the chip they have on their shoulder … they don’t want to hear that, but I think we still need a piece.”
How the Sixers will add another playmaker becomes the next question. Philadelphia should be able to carve out enough cap space to add a max free agent next summer. Still, Brand doesn’t sound like he’s willing to wait around until then.
“Everyone talks about free agency…but we may have to pull the trigger on something else before free agency if we feel we can’t get one of those stars that I can’t name,” Brand said.
The Sixers have shown interest in Jimmy Butler, though Philadelphia is reportedly not on the four-time All-Star’s short list of destinations he’d wish to go. Still, Butler doesn’t have a no-trade clause, so any team, including the 76ers, could trade for him.