Eastern Links: Grunfeld, Kerr, Vasquez, Ariza
Ernie Grunfeld‘s contract with the Wizards was believed to run only through this season, but Mike Wise of The Washington Post reports that it covers next season, too. That Grunfeld is on target to return to the team for 2014/15 is no surprise, given Washington’s revival this year, and perhaps Grunfeld may still have the opportunity to parlay the success into an extension. Still, it looks he won’t be hitting the open market this summer. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Steve Kerr was the only voter to have Tim Hardaway Jr. atop his Rookie of the Year ballot. It’s seemingly further indication that Kerr is on his way to the Knicks, and a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that the would-be coach sees re-signing Carmelo Anthony as “vital” to the team’s future, as Berman writes.
- Greivis Vasquez is set for restricted free agency this summer, but he apparently has no intention of leaving the Raptors, as he told reporters today, including Cathal Kelly of The Globe and Mail (Twitter link). “I want to be back. I truly want to be back … It will truly be heartbreaking if I’m not back,” Vasquez said.
- Trevor Ariza would like to re-sign with the Wizards in free agency this summer and says that returning to the West Coast to be closer to family wouldn’t be his top priority, but the small forward tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post that he’ll go “wherever I’m wanted.”
- Elton Brand remains uncertain about retirement, though Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gets the sense that the 15th-year veteran still thinks he can play (Twitter link).
- Fellow Hawks big man Mike Scott, a restricted free agent, probably earned a raise as he established himself as a key part of Atlanta’s rotation this year, and he says he would like to come back to the team, Vivlamore tweets.
Mavs Rumors: Bledsoe, Stephenson, ‘Melo, Dirk
Mavs GM Donnie Nelson promises an “action-packed summer,” but he indicated today that he’s pleased with the roster as is, notes Bryan Gutierrez of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter links).
“I think if we had the same cast or crew come and lace ’em up next year, I’d feel real good about our chances,” he said.
Fellow ESPNDallas.com scribe Tim McMahon doesn’t buy it, writing that the Mavs front office knows it needs significant improvement to contend. There’s more from McMahon’s piece amid the latest on the Mavs:
- McMahon throws Eric Bledsoe‘s name into the mix of likely targets that already included Marcin Gortat and Luol Deng, though he acknowledges that it’ll be “extremely difficult” to pry Bledsoe, or even Gortat, away from their respective teams. The Mavs are unlikely to make a run at Lance Stephenson, according to McMahon.
- The Mavs would like to get involved in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, but not if he demands a max contract, McMahon writes.
- Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs have made it clear that they fully intend to strike a new deal this summer. Nowitzki acknowledged today that he doesn’t think it will resemble Kobe Bryant‘s massive two-year, $48.5MM extension, but he does want the team to respect his continued on-court prowess in negotiations, as Gutierrez observes (Twitter links). McMahon, in his piece, suggests Nowitzki is likely to sign a three-year, $30MM deal.
- Shawn Marion, who turns 36 on Wednesday, plans to play two more seasons, tweets Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com, noting that while there’s strong mutual interest in a return to the Mavs, the forward will also think about signing elsewhere. Still, he intends to retire as a Mav one way or another, Gutierrez notes (Twitter link).
- Soon-to-be free agent DeJuan Blair is hopeful that he’ll re-sign with the Mavs this summer, as Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram chronicles.
- We passed along news of the Mavs’ mutual interest in Devin Harris earlier today.
2014 Free Agent Power Rankings
A thrilling first round of the playoffs has vaulted Kyle Lowry into the latest edition of the Hoops Rumors 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings, even though his Raptors fell just short in their series against the Nets. Miami’s trio of stars are the only ones on this top 10 list whose teams remain alive in the playoffs, so a late charge from others might be enough to knock one of these names off for next time. Here’s a look at how the top free agents stand two weeks into the playoffs.
- LeBron James (early termination option) — Heat owner Micky Arison recently pegged the team’s chances of keeping the team’s big three together at 100%, as he spoke on 790 The Ticket (transcription via Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post). Arison also said that while he hopes it won’t be a challenge to retain them, he suggested it could be. In any case, it’s yet another strong indication that the top free agent won’t be changing teams.
- Carmelo Anthony (early termination option) — ‘Melo and Knicks president Phil Jackson finally chatted last week about the star forward’s free agency, but Anthony has meetings with other teams in mind. The Bulls are squarely in the mix, and the recent bump in the salary cap projection for next season has given the Bulls more confidence that they can pull off the coup.
- Chris Bosh (early termination option) — Arison’s comments apply to Bosh, too. The 30-year-old averaged his fewest minutes and points since his rookie season, but he showed no signs of any decline in the first round against the Bobcats, putting up numbers similar to his production during last year’s playoff run.
- Eric Bledsoe (restricted free agent) — The Suns plan to match any offer for Bledsoe, though they’d prefer to come to an agreement before other teams can start courting him in July.
- Greg Monroe (restricted free agent) — Marc Stein of ESPN.com this weekend identified the Hawks as a potential suitor. It’s unclear how high the Pistons would go to retain him, since Detroit is still without a replacement for longtime front office chief Joe Dumars.
- Gordon Hayward (restricted free agent) — Hayward offered no promises as Utah’s season came to a close, but he likes Salt Lake City and the Jazz have the power to match offers. His hot March shooting left him in April, and his field goal percentage has declined in each season since he was a rookie.
- Dwyane Wade (early termination option) — His fate has much to do with James and Bosh, though it would be hardest to envision Wade leaving Miami if the Heat’s other two stars pull off a surprise and leave. The 32-year-old is on the downside, but 6’4″ guards who can average 19.0 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds for a championship contender, as Wade did this season, are rare gems.
- Kyle Lowry — There’s no telling how high he could have eventually climbed in these rankings if Paul Pierce‘s hand hadn’t been in the way of his would-be game winner on Sunday. The Andy Miller client was an all-around force in the seven-game series against the Nets, averaging 21.1 points per game.
- Zach Randolph (player option) — Z-Bo’s suspension for Game 7 of the Grizzlies’ first-round loss was questionable enough that it probably won’t even come up in negotiations on a new deal this summer, should he turn down his player option, worth more than $16.9MM. Randolph was his usual self on the scoreboard and on the glass against the Thunder, but his 13.8 PER in that series is troubling.
- Luol Deng — The small forward’s time in Cleveland didn’t do much for his stock, and sitting at home while other soon-to-be free agents are in the playoffs isn’t helping, either. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is apparently upset that former GM Chris Grant gave up future draft picks to acquire Deng, and the Lakers and Suns are among the teams interested in signing him this summer, so Deng doesn’t appear long for Ohio.
Lance Stephenson, who was seventh in the first edition of these rankings and 10th last time, has fallen out as the Pacers struggled just to get by the eighth-seeded Hawks in the first round. Still, Indiana remains alive, and Stephenson has the opportunity to climb back into our top 10. Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Rudy Gay, Marcin Gortat and Trevor Ariza are other difficult omissions.
Note: I’m not listing players under team control for 2014/15, like Tony Parker, who has a partially guaranteed contract.
Raptors Notes: Lowry, Casey, Patterson
Kyle Lowry made his affection for the Raptors clear today in speaking to reporters, including Michael Grange of SportsNet, saying, “I love this situation, it’s as simple as that.” That’s as definitive a statement as the soon-to-be free agent has made about Toronto, in Grange’s eyes (Twitter links). Lowry also made note of his enjoyment of playing alongside DeMar DeRozan, who’s on a long-term deal with the Raptors, as Grange observes (on Twitter). Still, while the Raptors appear to have a strong chance of keeping him around, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun gets the sense that his free agency won’t be an open-and-shut case (Twitter link). Here’s more from Toronto:
- Lowry says he’s sure coach Dwane Casey will be back, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun tweets. The “expectation around town” is that Casey, whose contract is up, will receive an extension of at least two years, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
- Patrick Patterson intends to explore his opportunities in restricted free agency, but he referred to Toronto today as the best of his three NBA stops, Wolstat notes (Twitter links).
- We passed along that the Raptors are considering a run at Vince Carter in an earlier post.
Mavs, Devin Harris Share Interest In Return
Point guard Devin Harris demonstrated his value to the Mavs in their seven-game challenge of the Spurs, scoring 11.4 points in 25.1 minutes per game and nailing 44.0% of his three-point attempts. That no doubt plays a role in his inclusion as part of Tim McMahon’s short list on ESPNDallas.com of Mavs free agents with whom the team has mutual interest.
Harris returned to Dallas, where he had played his first three and a half seasons, on a one-year contract for the minimum salary this past summer. It was supposed to be a three-year, $9MM pact, but a toe injury scuttled those plans and kept him out until January 18th. He returned to a role that was his most marginalized on an NBA team since his rookie season, scoring 7.9 points in 20.5 minutes per game with career-worst 37.8% shooting from the floor. The 10th-year veteran nonetheless compiled his best assists-to-turnover ratio, averaging 4.5 dimes and 1.5 turnovers per game.
McMahon reported the Mavs’ mutual interest with Shawn Marion last week, and Marion said this weekend that he would indeed like to come back to Dallas, though he added that he’s “weighing my options,” as fellow ESPNDallas.com scribe Bryan Gutierrez observes. The other Mav on McMahon’s list is Vince Carter, and Dallas GM Donnie Nelson said a month ago that he wants Carter back. Marc Stein of ESPN.com emphasizes Carter’s contentment in Dallas in passing along that the Raptors are considering the idea of pursuing the 37-year-old Carter in the offseason.
Harris probably won’t attract too much attention on the free agent market given his regular season numbers, but Dallas has his Non-Bird rights to trump any minimum-salary suitors. The Mavs can give him a contract of up to four years, with a starting salary of $1,526,735, or 120% of his pay this season. That’s only slightly more than the minimum, but it does provide for higher raises than a straight minimum-salary arrangement would, which might prove a key selling point for the Excel Sports Management client.
Warriors Interested In Stan Van Gundy
Mark Jackson appears to be on his way out of Golden State, since rumors have suggested he would be unlikely to return barring a long playoff run, and the Warriors find themselves out of the playoffs after the first round. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reiterates the team’s interest in Knicks target Steve Kerr, but the ESPN scribe believes Kerr is destined for New York, just as Fred Hoiberg, in whom the Warriors also hold interest, would be difficult to pry from Iowa State. That leaves the Warriors poised to make a run at former Heat and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, Stein writes.
Van Gundy is still interested in coaching, but he’s primarily focused on spending time with his family, whom he says he’s given veto power over his decision to return to an NBA bench. He’s been linked to the Lakers, Timberwolves and Pistons of late, but he reportedly doesn’t want any of those jobs. The Pistons reached out to him recently, but talks apparently didn’t progress too far because he wanted some degree of control over player personnel. That kind of sway would probably be tough to come by in Golden State, where GM Bob Myers, adviser Jerry West and co-owner Joe Lacob all have varying levels of input into the team’s roster construction.
The divide between Jackson and Warriors management goes beyond the removal of former assistant coaches Brian Scalabrine and Darren Erman, Stein writes. The Warriors prefer someone whose personality is a better fit with the front office than Jackson’s is, according to Stein, who suggests that the team might put a premium on experience as it looks for its next coach.
The outspoken Van Gundy’s dry sense of humor scores points with media and in broadcasting, but his honesty can spark firestorms, such as when he told reporters that Dwight Howard wanted him out as coach of the Magic. Anyone other than Jackson would be a tough sell to the players, who’ve shown nearly universal support for their embattled coach. Still, Van Gundy and Howard have reconciled, and Van Gundy has never compiled a losing record in parts of eight seasons as an NBA head coach, so there’s reason to believe he’d be successful in Golden State.
Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback
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This week’s report that the Bulls are likely to attempt to trade Carlos Boozer inspired a robust discussion on Hoops Rumors, and reader John Conley had much to say about a Bulls franchise he feels has underperformed. We’ll share his thoughts on what Chicago must do in the summer ahead.
- The Bulls need three scoring threats in order for them to get to the conference finals. They can’t make wide open shots during crunch time. If [Derrick] Rose comes back healthy, they need at least two guys to go with him that score at least 15 points per game and play some form of defense. They keep repackaging the same team and it isn’t working. Their bench is weak, the starting five is weak and their offense is weak. Can’t fall in love with players the way the Bulls have in recent years. We need a couple of beasts on offense. We need a Nene. Gotta be one D-Leaguer that is a beast and hungry for a chance?
Pau Gasol isn’t content with his team either, writing on his website that the Lakers would have to make significant changes for him to re-sign this summer. One of the teams likely to pursue him is Charlotte, and ozzie chimed in about whether the Bobcats, soon to be renamed the Hornets, would be a fit.
- I would say, “If Gasol could help the new Hornets in some ways, go for it.” He could be one of the missing links needed to make the Hornets a much more improved team next season. The Lakers are at a standstill with no improvement insight. The Hornets move would make more sense.
The Lakers might be anxious to make a splash with their coaching hire, but so should the Timberwolves, as Dorian Holden wrote in response to news on candidates for the Minnesota job.
- The Wolves have gotta hit a home run knowing that [Kevin] Love is entering his walk year. They need a big name splash. And I think some of these people are gonna wait for the Lakers to open up.
We appreciate everyone who adds to the dialogue at Hoops Rumors, and we look forward to seeing more responses like these from you!
And-Ones: Ollie, Bobcats, Kelly, Lowry
Saturday will feature an unprecedented three Game 7’s in a single day, and Sunday could bring the same if the Nets, Rockets and Mavs all win tonight. While we look forward to a pivotal weekend of basketball, here’s the latest from around the league:
- Lakers coaching candidate Kevin Ollie has begun talks about a new deal with Connecticut, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Still, he remains open to interest from the Lakers and other NBA teams, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM, a point that Wojnarowski seconds. No NBA team has formally reached out to him yet, Charania also tweets, though Ollie has fans among executives on many NBA teams, including Thunder GM Sam Presti, Wojnarowski writes.
- Bobcats owner Michael Jordan is prepared to spend freely this summer, president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said, pointing to the presence of Al Jefferson, Kemba Walker and Steve Clifford as a selling point. Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders has the details.
- Ryan Kelly credited Mike D’Antoni‘s system as a reason for his strong performance this year, but the rookie tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News that there’s “no question” that he’d like to re-sign with the team even though the coach is gone. Medina believes the Lakers will indeed bring him back.
- Eric Koreen of the National Post doesn’t think there’ll be much call for point guards who’d command significant long-term money this summer, suggesting that will depress the market for Kyle Lowry.
Clippers/Sterling Rumors: Roeser, Rivers, Silver
Donald Sterling has prostate cancer, as Linda Massarella, Emily Smith, Bruce Golding and Helen Kumari of the New York Post report, and his poor health might play a role as the NBA seeks to remove the Clippers from his ownership. The family of the 80-year-old could avoid millions of dollars in taxes if the team is sold after his death, as David Wharton and Stuart Pfeifer of the Los Angeles Times explained this week, giving Sterling incentive to stall and fight the NBA in court until his passing.
Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com has much more on the Sterling saga, and while her entire piece is worth reading, we’ll pass along a few notable revelations here:
- Clippers president Andy Roeser opposed the idea of releasing a statement that disputed the tapes, Shelburne reports. Sterling prevailed upon him to release the statement, which argued that the recordings didn’t represent Sterling’s true feelings, through the team with Roeser’s name on it. Doc Rivers was “furious” about the statement, Shelburne writes, describing it as a breaking point for Rivers and the players.
- Roeser has been in charge since Silver banned Sterling, but the NBA will likely appoint a trustee to run the team, according to Shelburne.
- The NBA interviewed a third person who could be heard in the background of the recordings of Sterling and V. Stiviano, and that interview could help the NBA in its attempts to oust Sterling if the legality of the recordings is questioned in court, Shelburne writes.
- NBA owners were confident that Silver would take appropriate action, reflecting the belief in the commissioner that they’d held since the 2011 lockout. Many of them had wanted him to succeed David Stern long before he did so in February, according to Shelburne.
Latest On Warriors, Mark Jackson
Golden State coach Mark Jackson‘s job is probably on the line Saturday in Game 7 against the Clippers, just as it was in Thursday’s Game 6, which the Warriors won to avoid elimination. Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, whose desire to quickly contend and fondness for other coaches is reportedly the impetus behind many of the rumors surrounding Jackson, insisted to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he’s yet to make up his mind about the team’s coach.
“Honest to God, that’s the media that is doing all this,” Lacob said. “There is nothing going on until after the season. I refuse to let anyone talk about that. We don’t talk about it. We haven’t had that discussion. Everybody in the entire organization is reviewed after the season and we make decisions.”
Warriors players have rallied around Jackson ever since a report in March indicated that he had sought openings on rival teams and presided over dysfunction in the locker room. Jackson this week strongly denied a story that he asked Warriors adviser Jerry West not to attend practices, the latest tempest to arise in Golden State. Jermaine O’Neal is among Jackson’s most outspoken supporters, but the 18th-year veteran gets the sense a coaching change is about to happen, as Sam Amick of USA Today reports.
“You get the feel that no matter what happens, our coach won’t be our coach next year,” Warriors O’Neal said. “You just get that feel. But we are willing to give all we’ve got for this group, for that coach, and hopefully whatever that will and whatever we’ve given is good enough to take us as far as we should go.”
Jackson has one more season left on his contract, and though he briefly engaged in contract extension talks with the Warriors last summer, the two sides made little progress. It seemed Jackson’s bosses were the target of some of the coach’s remarks after the game Thursday, Amick observes.
“I know there are people that want to speed up the [growth] process,” Jackson said. “[But] this is who we are. Part of the process is going through things, learning how to be consistent. I’m proud of my guys. It’s been an incredible, incredible ride. Now against a three‑seed with two of the top 10 players in the world and a future Hall of Fame coach [Doc Rivers], we are going to Game 7 in spite of all the sideline music. And I like my chances, because I’ve got a group of guys that want to do whatever it takes to win.”