Amico’s Latest: Allen, Battier, Rivers, Kerr
Ray Allen appears unlikely to return to the Heat next season, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. League insiders nonetheless believe that if the Heat’s trio of stars return, there’s a strong chance the team will try to re-sign Allen, too, so it seems his future is contingent on what LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh decide to do. Indeed, those three will have much to say about what happens in free agency leaguewide, and Amico has more on the summer ahead and another member of the Heat as we highlight here:
- Several teams are expected to court Heat forward Shane Battier for an executive job or a gig related to player development, Amico hears. Battier recently reiterated his plans to retire at season’s end.
- The emergence of Brian Roberts has strengthened the belief around the league that the Pelicans will trade former lottery pick Austin Rivers this summer, according to Amico. Roberts is set to become a restricted free agent.
- Sources tell Amico they wouldn’t be surprised if several teams aside from the Knicks try to convince Steve Kerr to run their basketball operations. Kerr has expressed a desire to coach, but it looks like the leaguewide interest in him is as an executive, the role he held with the Suns from 2007 to 2010.
- Boris Diaw, Luol Deng, C.J. Miles, Marvin Williams, Luke Ridnour, Kris Humphries, Devin Harris and Jimmer Fredette are other free agents who appear unlikely to be back with their respective teams, Amico writes.
Bucks Consider Waiver Claim Of Erik Murphy
The Bucks have interest in claiming former Bulls big man Erik Murphy off waivers, tweets Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. If they submit a claim before Murphy clears waivers Saturday afternoon, he’ll go to Milwaukee, since the Bucks are the league’s worst team and therefore would have priority over any other club that attempts to claim him. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote Thursday that he’d be surprised if Murphy cleared waivers, so other teams may be hoping the Bucks don’t prevent them from acquiring the 6’10” rookie.
Waiver claims aren’t typical, and Murphy saw just 62 total minutes with the Bulls this season, but teams around the league are apparently intrigued with the upside of the 23-year-old who was the 49th overall pick in the 2013 draft. His minimum-salary deal is non-guaranteed for next season, becoming partially guaranteed for $100K if he remains under contract through August 1st and for $200K if he makes it to November 1st. Any team can claim him, since he’s making the minimum salary, but his cap hit for this season would be more onerous than that of a free agent signee on a prorated contract for the final 11 days of the season.
Milwaukee or any other team that claims him would assume the cap hit for his $490,180 salary, and the money would be wiped from Chicago’s books. That could wind up saving the Bulls from paying the tax this year, as I explained earlier. The Bulls released Murphy on Thursday to make way for a veteran replacement, and a waiver claim would make it easier for Chicago to sign two players, which the team is reportedly considering. Ronnie Brewer and Mike James appear to be Chicago’s targets.
The Bucks wouldn’t have to make a corresponding move to acquire Murphy, since their final roster spot opened this evening when their 10-day contract with D.J. Stephens expired. The team doesn’t plan to re-sign the shooting guard.
Updates On Protected 2014 First-Round Picks
There were five protected first-round picks that appeared up for grabs a month ago when I last looked at the 2014 selections that could change hands. Now, there are only two. The Pistons have little to play for, suggesting their free fall will help them keep their pick, protected for the top-eight selections, from going to the Bobcats. The Mavs, fighting for a playoff spot, are in a much more intriguing position, with their pick headed to the Thunder if its not in the top 20.
Dallas sits 22nd in our Reverse Standings, and the Mavs are in line for the seventh playoff seed in the Western Conference. They’re also just a half-game up on the Grizzlies and Suns, who are tied for eighth. Missing the playoffs would guarantee that Dallas keeps its pick, but that’s clearly not the ideal outcome for the franchise.
The disparity between the conferences has much to do with the uncertainty. Normally, a team with the ninth-best record in the league would be a shoo-in for the playoffs, but that’s not the case this year. Dallas has a better record than all but two Eastern Conference teams, and that could still be true even if the Mavs miss the playoffs. The Bulls and Raptors are tied for 19th and 20th in our Reverse Standings, and their records are a game and a half inferior to Dallas’ 45-31 mark. Memphis, at 44-31, is a game better than the Bulls and Raptors, but the Grizzlies would be out of the playoffs if they started today.
In all likelihood, either the Bulls or Raptors will have to finish well to give the Mavs a shot to make the playoffs and keep their pick. It would help the Mavs if they, the Suns, and the Grizzlies all struggle in the season’s final days, but that seems unlikely, given their strong records and how much is at stake.
It’s so much simpler for the Pistons. They’ll be rooting for the Cavs, who are ninth in the Reverse Standings, to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff race and keep winning. The Pistons have a realistic shot to finish with the sixth-worst record in the league. If they finish in the eighth position, they’d run a slight risk of having a team behind them in the order jump ahead of them during the May 20th draft lottery.
The fate of the rest of the picks is more or less decided. The Timberwolves sit 13th in the Reverse Standings, and they’d have to give their pick to the Suns if it’s No. 14 or lower. But, Minnesota is six and a half games worse than Memphis, which is currently in the 14th spot. It appears that unless the Grizzlies, or whoever finishes in the 14th spot at the end of the regular season, gets incredibly lucky in the lottery, the Wolves will keep their pick.
Here’s a rundown of all the protected picks, sorted by the likelihood that they’ll change hands:
Up in the air
- Detroit Pistons (to Bobcats if not in top 8). Current projection: tied for 7th/8th.
- Dallas Mavericks (to Thunder if not in top 20). Current projection: 22nd.
Will change hands (mathematically certain)
- Washington Wizards (to Suns if not in top 12). Current projection: 17th.
- Indiana Pacers (to Suns if not in top 14). Current projection: 26th.
Likely to change hands
- New Orleans Pelicans (to 76ers if not in top 5). Current projection: 10th.
- Charlotte Bobcats (to Bulls if not in top 10). Current projection: 16th.
- Portland Trail Blazers (to Bobcats if not in top 12). Current projection: 24th.
Unlikely to change hands
- Minnesota Timberwolves (to Suns if not in top 13). Current projection: 13th.
- Sacramento Kings (to Bulls if not in top 12). Current projection: tied for 7th/8th.
Will not change hands (mathematically certain)
- Philadelphia 76ers (to Celtics if not in top 14). Current projection: 2nd.
Southeast Rumors: Haslem, Brand, Magic
The Hawks can go a long way toward the playoffs if they win at home tonight against the Cavs, while a loss puts Atlanta in trouble. The Southeast Division could have as many as four teams in the playoffs, with the Heat leading the way, as usual. Here’s the latest on the Heat and their division rivals:
- A source tells Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick that the Heat fielded offers for Udonis Haslem before the deadline this year, and Mario Chalmers and others in the locker room are glad the team didn’t deal away Haslem and mess with its chemistry.
- Elton Brand still hasn’t made up his mind about returning for a 16th NBA season next year, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Hawks center will be a free agent at the end of the season.
- The players the Magic acquire in the offseason could determine whether the team continues its experiment with rookie Victor Oladipo at point guard, coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters, including Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
Raptors CEO Says Team Will Re-Sign Kyle Lowry
Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment group that owns the Raptors, answered affirmatively when CBC TV host George Stroumboulopoulos asked him whether the team can and will re-sign point guard Kyle Lowry (video link; scroll ahead to 5:50 mark). The point guard is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, and ever since the team came close to trading him to the Knicks in December, there’s been little certainty about Toronto’s plans. Leiweke’s answers today offer the strongest indication yet that Toronto intends to retain Lowry.
“There’s a really special bond between [GM] Masai [Ujiri] and Kyle,” Leiweke said. “This town should be in love with this guy. What a great story. He’s vented that anger and energy that he had last year, and it was sometimes aimed at the refs, sometimes aimed at other people. He’s figured out how to vent that and put that into the team, and this team truly loves each other.”
When the Knicks made an unsuccessful attempt to circle back and trade for Lowry at the deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports pegged Lowry’s market value at more than $11MM a year. The Rockets also sought a deadline deal for him, and it’s clear that the ASM Sports client will be one of the most sought-after free agents on the market this summer after a strong performance this season.
The Raptors have Lowry’s Bird rights and only about $39MM in commitments for next season, so they appear to have the resources necessary to bring him back. Still, Lowry can choose his destination, and Toronto has never been a free agent mecca. The 28-year-old is having his finest season, averaging 17.4 points and 7.6 assists per game with a 19.9 PER for a Toronto team tied for third place in the Eastern Conference. Just how far the Raptors get in the playoffs may go a long way in convincing Lowry whether to stay.
Central Notes: Pacers, Josh Smith, Rasheed
The Pacers are no longer a title contender, Grantland’s Zach Lowe concludes. The trade for Evan Turner hasn’t worked out, Lowe believes, pointing to a postgame tiff between Paul George and Roy Hibbert three weeks ago as indicative of the team’s struggles. The second half of the season hasn’t been kind to Indiana, but the Pacers are still just percentage points behind the Heat for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Josh Smith insists to Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News that he’s not the only one to blame for the Pistons‘ disappointing season. Smith has drawn plenty of criticism since signing his four-year, $54MM contract in the offseason, and the Pistons reportedly tried to trade him at the deadline.
- Pistons assistant coach Rasheed Wallace‘s ties to the organization give him a “good chance” to remain with the team, but the fate of the rest of the staff is likely up to whomever ends up as head coach next season, as MLive’s David Mayo writes. Mayo, answering reader questions, also suggests everyone except Andre Drummond could be on the trade block this summer.
- Mike Dunleavy‘s name emerged in trade rumors before the deadline, but he’s pleased with his decision to sign with the Bulls this past summer, as he tells Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- We rounded up more on the Bulls earlier today, and passed along news that the team is likely to target Pau Gasol this summer.
NBA Suspends Larry Sanders For Drug Violation
The NBA has suspended Bucks center Larry Sanders for five games without pay for violating the terms of the league’s anti-drug program, the league announced. Sanders is out for the season with a fractured orbital bone, so he’ll have to serve the suspension at the beginning of the 2014/15 regular season. Sanders admits in a statement from the Bucks that the drug he used is marijuana.
The news is the latest setback in what’s been a nightmare season for Sanders and the Bucks, who have the league’s worst record. Sanders suffered a broken hand in a nightclub fight early this season, knocking him out of the lineup for nearly two months. He appeared in only 23 games before breaking his orbital bone while playing against the Rockets in February.
The 6’11” center signed a four-year, $44MM extension this past fall that doesn’t kick in until next season, tethering the Bucks to him for the long term. A December report indicated the team was aggressively trying to trade him, but Milwaukee began turning away suitors for him prior to his latest injury. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team dangle him again in talks this summer, but at this point, his value has cratered and the Bucks would be selling low.
It’s the second five-game suspension for drugs that the league has handed out this week, with the Arnett Moultrie of the Sixers having been penalized Monday. J.R. Smith of the Knicks received a five-game suspension that he served at the beginning of the season.
Knicks To Fire Woodson If Team Misses Playoffs
The late run the Knicks are making for the playoffs is critical for the future of coach Mike Woodson, whom the Knicks plan to fire if the team falls short of the postseason, a source tells Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops.com. It’s no surprise, since reports of an imminent firing have dogged Woodson all season, and few around the league have expected the team to retain him beyond this season. New York sits percentage points above the Hawks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Knicks are one game behind Atlanta in the loss column.
The Knicks were reportedly evaluating Woodson on a game-by-game basis in December and appeared close to ousting him in February, but he’s remained on the bench, even as the team took GM Steve Mills‘ title of president and gave it to the newly hired Phil Jackson. Knicks owner James Dolan was publicly supportive of Woodson in November, but he’s since promised to let Jackson make all of the team’s basketball decision. Jackson, in his introductory press conference last month, praised Woodson but offered no guarantee that the coach would be back next season. Woodson’s contract became guaranteed for 2014/15 when the Knicks picked up their team option on him this past September.
Woodson’s future with the team has looked so grim that today’s news could be interpreted as a glimmer of hope, since it suggests the team might hang on to him if it reaches the postseason. Still, the Knicks seem unlikely to make a run if they reach the playoffs, with a matchup against the Heat or the Pacers almost a certainty, as Scotto notes.
Bulls Rumors: Murphy, Brewer, James
If a team claims Erik Murphy off waivers, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has suggested is likely, the Bulls will catch a break. Murphy’s salary would come off Chicago’s books and help the team avert paying the luxury tax in case Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson earn bonuses that they were considered unlikely to achieve before the season but seem to have a shot at attaining now. Here’s more on a Bulls roster in flux:
- A source tells Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald that there’s a decent chance the Bulls will sign multiple players to replace Murphy. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune backs that up, tweeting that it’s not necessarily an either-or proposition between Ronnie Brewer and Mike James and that the Bulls are open to possibly signing two guys. That makes sense, considering that inking two or three veterans to prorated contracts for the minimum salary at this point in the season would be cheaper than even Murphy’s $490,180 rookie minimum salary.
- The Bulls will probably wait a few days before bringing anyone aboard, McGraw writes, which suggests the team is waiting to see whether Murphy is claimed. If he becomes a free agent, his salary will remain on Chicago’s ledger, and I think it would make the team less likely to sign multiple players, though that’s just my speculation.
- Gibson supports the idea of signing Brewer, as Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune notes via Twitter. “He’s athletic, a leader and he’s been through a lot with us,” Gibson said of his teammate from 2010/11 and 2011/12.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com looks ahead to the playoffs and Chicago’s possible offseason moves in his latest mailbag column.
Bulls, Cavs, Bobcats Likely To Target Pau Gasol
The Bulls, Cavaliers and Bobcats will likely court Pau Gasol in free agency this summer, executives from around the league tell Chris Mannix of SI.com. The executives add that the Grizzlies will be in the mix, too, if Zach Randolph opts out, echoing a report from last month. The Arn Tellem client, who’ll turn 34 in July, has a decent chance to receive an offer worth $10MM a year, a front office official from an Eastern Conference team says to Mannix.
That Eastern exec suggests that there are two schools of thought regarding Gasol, with his most aggressive suitors believing that the environment in Los Angeles and the Lakers’ style of play have hindered Gasol the past two seasons, and that an escape could revive his career. Others insist that Gasol is past his prime, the unnamed exec tells Mannix.
Gasol has said he won’t rule out a return to the Lakers, and according to Mannix, the Lakers feel the same away about re-signing the 7-footer. Teammate and friend Kobe Bryant has said he believes there’s an 80% chance the Lakers will bring back Gasol, but Bryant and Gasol reportedly would like to see coach Mike D’Antoni replaced, and the Lakers appear to be leaning toward keeping D’Antoni. Gasol, who appears likely to miss the rest of the season with vertigo, tells Mannix that a team’s chances of winning will be paramount as he makes his decision.
“I want to be in a team that is going to be built to win a championship,” Gasol said. “That’s my top priority. Money won’t be the main priority. Length and money are factors, but we’ll see. Until I know all the options, I won’t be able to measure them. But we’re getting close to the end of my career. I want to be in a good situation. It’s an important decision to make.”
The Bulls and Grizzlies appear to be closest to winning a championship among the suitors that Mannix lists. Executives have doubts about Charlotte’s ability to defend with Gasol and Al Jefferson as their primary rim protectors, as the SI.com scribe notes. The Cavs were deep in talks with the Lakers about acquiring Gasol via trade when Cleveland was shopping Andrew Bynum in January.