Central Notes: Forman, Ellenson, Evans, Kanter
Bulls GM Gar Forman has done a good job of acquiring young talent but the hard part is yet to come, as Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times explains. Chicago will need to use its cap room and land at least one star player to become a major threat in the Eastern Conference, Cowley continues. Forman’s reputation around the league is shaky and he’s never been able to land such a player in his current position. That could eventually wreck this rebuilding project, Cowley concludes.
We have more from around the Central Division:
- Pistons power forward Henry Ellenson is entering a pivotal year in his career, Ansar Khan of MLive.com notes. Ellenson is expected to his minutes increase under new coach Dwane Casey and Ellenson has been working diligently to become a stronger defender and improve his ball-handling. However, the third-year big man out of Marquette struggled with his new shooting motion during summer league games, particularly from long range, and that’s disconcerting, Khan adds.
- Free agent additions Doug McDermott and Tyreke Evans, along with first-round pick Aaron Holiday, should facilitate the Pacers’ desire to increase their 3-point production, according to Greg Rappaport of Pacers.com. McDermott closed out last season in Dallas by making nearly 50% of his long-range attempts in the final 24 games, while Holiday posted solid 3-point percentages during his college career, Rappaport continues. Evans has improved his long-range shooting over the last three seasons and will be an upgrade over Lance Stephenson, Rappaport adds.
- Knicks center Enes Kanter took a shot at the Bucks franchise and said he never considered joining them this summer, Royce Young of ESPN reports. Kanter posted a deer emoji on his Twitter account, then deleted it minutes later, the night before he decided to opt in and stay in New York. But Milwaukee was never on his radar. “I know I was not going to go to the Milwaukee Bucks. It’s the Milwaukee Bucks,” he told Young. “Unless they give you good, good money, then go, but you don’t leave New York for Milwaukee.”
Jamil Wilson Close To Signing In Italy
Talks between former Clippers forward Jamil Wilson and Italy’s Fiat Torino have reached the advanced stage.
The news was originally reported by Tuttosport and relayed by Sportando.
Wilson will apparently leave the door open for a return to the NBA. The contract being discussed would have NBA and EuroLeague escapes, according to the report.
Wilson appeared in 15 games on a two-way contract with the Clippers last season, including 10 starts, and averaged 7.0 PPG in 18.3 MPG. He was waived in January and the Lakers seriously considered signing him. They decided not to give him a 10-day contract after he was named in a civil suit involving sexual battery and fraud, though it was never made clear whether that led to their change of heart.
He eventually wound up with the Pacers’ G League team in Fort Wayne, Ind. before signing with Italy’s Serie A team, Virtus Bologna.
Wilson will be under the guidance of a familiar face if he joins the Italian club. Longtime NBA coach Larry Brown signed a contract early this summer to coach Fiat Torino.
Community Shootaround: Nets’ Playoff Aspirations
Nets GM Sean Marks raised a few eyebrows earlier this month when he stated the team’s goal this upcoming season was to make the playoffs. He told season-ticket holders that he thinks there’s enough talent on the roster to make that happen.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t make a push for the playoffs,” he said. “Isn’t that the objective here? We’re not sitting here trying to win 20 games, so let’s put our best foot forward and push each other and see where it goes.”
It’s no secret that next summer is even more important to the franchise. Brooklyn will have gobs of salary-cap space and can make a strong push for two or even three top-flight free agents.
According to Basketball Insiders, the Nets have less than $17MM in guaranteed salaries on their books next summer. Even if Allen Crabbe exercises his $18.5MM player option and the team exercises its options on Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, it will still be able to chase a couple of big-name free agents. Failing that, it could absorb the contract of an All-Star caliber player or two in trades.
As for the upcoming season, the Nets don’t have anything resembling an All-Star on the roster but they should have plenty of competition for minutes. If D’Angelo Russell can remain healthy and start playing at the level expected of a No. 2 overall pick in the draft, Marks’ goal would seem more realistic.
Brooklyn also has some other notable options at point guard, including Spencer Dinwiddie and free agent addition Shabazz Napier. LeVert and Joe Harris will likely see the most action at shooting guard, while holdover starter DeMarre Carroll and Allen Crabbe are a solid 1-2 punch at small forward.
Along with Allen, the Nets’ power rotation will include returnee Rondae Hollis-Jefferson; Kenneth Faried, acquired from the Nuggets in a salary dump; a prolific rebounder Ed Davis, another free agent signee.
Perhaps the biggest reason for Marks’ optimism is the general weakness of the East beyond the Celtics, Sixers and Raptors (assuming Kawhi Leonard is healthy).
That leads to our question of the day: Do the Nets have enough pieces to make the playoffs?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Pistons Rumors: Kennard, Ellenson, Smith, Projection
The Pistons have big plans for second-year guard Luke Kennard and he rates as a breakout candidate for the upcoming season, Ben Nadeau of Basketball Insiders writes. Kennard averaged 11.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 2.5 APG during the last 19 games of his rookie season and his role will expand under new coach Dwane Casey, Nadeau continues. Kennard has the ability to play three positions and he has the potential to become one of the league’s premier 3-point shooters, Nadeau adds.
We have more on the Pistons:
- Power forward Henry Ellenson has been selected for the USA National Team qualifying for the World Championships, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. Ellenson has played sparingly in his first two NBA seasons after being chosen in the first round of the 2016 draft but his role is expected to expand during the upcoming season under Casey.
- Point guard Ish Smith could be traded during the season, Ansar Khan of MLive.com opines. Smith is entering the final year of his contract and the Pistons also have Jose Calderon and Kennard available for that role, Khan continues. Otherwise, Smith will be the primary backup to Reggie Jackson. He improved his 3-point shooting toward the end of last season and is well-suited for the second unit due his energy, speed and ability to attack the basket, Khan adds.
- The big man combination of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond should be enough for the Pistons to secure the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype predicts. Sierra sees Detroit finishing third in the Central Division and eighth in the conference despite a lack of talent beyond the frontcourt duo.
Eastern Notes: Leonard, Galloway, Johnson, Ntilikina
Hiring Kawhi Leonard‘s close friend Jeremy Castleberry away from the Spurs as a player development coach was a wise move by the Raptors, in the view of Danny Green, as Steven Loung of SportsNet Canada details.
Green was traded along with Leonard to Toronto and the Raptors are hoping to convince Leonard to re-sign with them next summer. The addition of Castleberry should help the cause, according to Green
“It’s good to have (Castleberry) on board. Hopefully, it helps Kawhi feel more comfortable at home and keeps him in the city that they want to keep him here,” Green said. “Obviously (the Raptors) traded for him for a reason. They think they can sell him. … It’s an amazing city in Toronto. So the city sells itself. … And now you have your best friend with you. What else could you ask for?”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Langston Galloway was a major disappointment in his first season with the Pistons and he’ll have a tough time making the rotation, Ansar Khan of MLive writes. Galloway didn’t fare well when he played the point on occasion and posted career lows in several categories while mostly seeing action at shooting guard, Khan continues. Galloway, who has two years left on his $21MM contract, has plenty of competition at the guard spots in the upcoming season, Khan adds.
- Pistons small forward Stanley Johnson could blossom in coach Dwane Casey’s first season, Khan writes in another post. Casey has praised Johnson’s work ethic and feels that Johnson has untapped scoring potential, Khan continues. Johnson became more aggressive going to the basket last season but needs to improve his outside shooting, Khan adds.
- Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina (France) and Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (Finland) will not play for their national teams in FIBA World Cup qualifiers next month, according to a Sportando report. Both players will focus on preparing for their second season in the NBA, the report adds.
Lawson, Wallace Work Out For Pelicans
Point guard Ty Lawson and shooting guard Tyrone Wallace worked out for the Pelicans this week, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype tweets.
New Orleans already has a fairly crowded roster with 12 players on guaranteed contracts and six others with partially- or non-guaranteed deals.
Lawson spent most of the 2017/18 season in China playing for the Shandong Golden Stars. In 46 Chinese League contests, he averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 2.2 SPG, shooting 40.1% on 3-point attempts.
He then signed with the Wizards on the last day of the regular season, making him eligible for the postseason. He appeared in five playoff games this spring, averaging 5.8 PPG and 3.0 APG in 19.2 MPG.
New Orleans has Jrue Holiday, Elfrid Payton and Frank Jackson as point guard options, though Jackson has yet to appear in an NBA game due to injuries.
Wallace, 24, appeared in 30 games, including 19 starts, for the Clippers on a two-way contract last season. He averaged 9.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 2.4 APG in 28.4 MPG. He’s a restricted free agent, since the Clippers extended a qualifying offer to him in late June.
The Pelicans have numerous shooting guards on the roster, including E’Twaun Moore, Ian Clark, Kenrich Williams and two-way player Trevon Bluiett.
Western Notes: Smith Jr., Nader, Caboclo, Jokic
Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. is looking forward to the challenge of playing more at the shooting guard spot with the addition of rookie Luka Doncic, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. Coach Rick Carlisle said he’s not concerned about how Smith and Doncic will mesh, even though Smith mainly played the point last season. Smith wasn’t thrilled about playing the two-guard spot at times last season, according to Sefko, but the second-year guard is now a willing participant. “I made strides toward the end of the year playing off the ball. And I got better playing with it, too,” Smith told Sefko. “I believe both guys can play with it and without it.”
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- The Thunder have to decide by September 1st whether to fully guarantee Abdel Nader‘s salary for next season, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Nader will receive $450K of his $1,378,242 salary if he’s not retained. If Nader sticks, the Thunder will have 15 players on guaranteed contracts along with both two-way slots filled. It would be a surprise if the Thunder let Nader go, since they traded with the Celtics for the swingman last month.
- Forward Bruno Caboclo believes he can learn a lot from the veterans on the Rockets, as he told Blake Murphy of Uproxx.com. The former Raptor signed an Exhibit 10 contract, giving him a chance to make the opening night roster with the possibility to become an affiliate player if he doesn’t. “I’m a lot more mature right now, and I think I’m gonna learn a lot on this team,” he said. “Me and my agent, we saw every option, and we thought that Houston was gonna be the best option for me. It’s more betting on my talent and if I don’t sign here, I’m not gonna be stuck in one team.”
- Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will not play for Serbia in the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament next month, according to a Sportando report. Serbia will face Greece and Estonia. Jokic signed a five-year contract with Denver this summer.
Jimmy Butler Would Consider Lakers in Free Agency
Jimmy Butler is “open to the idea” of leaving the Timberwolves to join LeBron James and the Lakers, a source close to Butler told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
While that’s not as definitive as Kawhi Leonard‘s well-known desire to play in Los Angeles — though the Raptors are already taking measures to change his mind — it’s certainly another intriguing avenue for the Lakers to pursue.
Butler can opt out of the final year of his contract and leave $19.84MM on the table to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and it’s generally assumed he’ll do that.
Butler would fit the bill of a second star to take pressure off of James. He’s a tough, defensive-minded player who has averaged 20 or more points for four consecutive seasons. He’s not a superior 3-point shooter but he’ll fill the stat sheet and he’s still got plenty of good years ahead of him if he avoids a major injury. He doesn’t turn 30 until next September.
Butler formally turned down a contract extension offer of four years and more than $100MM this summer. That’s as much as Minnesota could offer but Butler can command much more on the open market.
He would be eligible for a new five-year contract worth nearly $190MM with the Wolves, based on a $109MM cap projection for 2019/20. A four-year deal with the Lakers or another team could be worth up to $140MM.
There have been reports of tension among the Wolves’ three stars – Butler, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns – and if the team gets off to a disappointing start, he could be dealt before the February trade deadline.
Ironically, there have also been rumblings that Butler and Kyrie Irving might join the same team in free agency. If that came to fruition, Butler would be teaming up with the star player who wanted to get away from James last summer.
Atlantic Rumors: Fizdale, Leonard, Dukan, Kurucs
New Knicks coach David Fizdale has told Kristaps Porzingis to set lofty goals for himself and the franchise player appreciates getting pushed. In a WNBC TV interview that was relayed by Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, Fizdale said that he wants Porzingis, who is rehabbing from a torn ACL, to embrace the status that comes with being the team’s star. “He likes the challenge of me saying ‘I want him to be the MVP’ and ‘I want him to be the Defensive Player of the Year.’ That’s real competitors they want that and I’m going right at it with him. I want him to look at himself that way,” Fizdale said.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Celtics made the right decision by holding onto Jayson Tatum rather than dealing him to the Spurs to Kawhi Leonard, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston opines. Boston would likely have needed to give up Tatum to land Leonard with no assurances that Leonard would stay beyond the upcoming season, Blakely continues. With Leonard’s questionable health and the Celtics already considered the Eastern Conference favorite, it didn’t make sense for Boston to roll the dice, Blakely adds.
- New York’s G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, has acquired former Kings forward Duje Dukan, Ian Begley of ESPN tweets. Dukan was chosen by the Wizards’ new G League team, the Capital City Go-Go, in the expansion draft on Wednesday. Dukan has also played for the G League affiliates of the Kings, Bulls and Pacers.
- Buyout issues caused Nets forward Rodions Kurucs to slide in the draft, according to a NetsDaily.com post. Kurucs’ Euro team, FC Barcelona, reportedly priced his buyout at $5MM until late last season and NBA teams can’t pay more than $700K toward an international player’s buyout. Buyout talks also prevented Kurucs from playing in the summer league. Kurucs, the 40th overall pick, signed a four-year, $7MM contract with Brooklyn.
Heat Want Dwyane Wade Back, Will Meet Soon
Heat president Pat Riley will meet with Dwyane Wade in the near future with the goal of signing Wade for at least one more season, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press tweets. “We want him back,” Riley said.
Riley also wants to re-sign big man Udonis Haslem. The Heat have been holding roster spots for both longtime veterans.
According to Riley’s ‘gut feeling,’ Haslem will be back. Wade’s return is less certain.
Riley indicated that Wade’s return is not linked to offering the team’s full taxpayer mid-level exception of $5.3MM, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter links).
The Heat already have nearly $127MM in salary commitments, which would put them over the luxury tax threshold.
Wade recently stated he wouldn’t play overseas after he reportedly received a lucrative offer from a Chinese team. Haslem has been working out with other Miami players in anticipation he’ll re-sign with the team he’s played for the past 15 seasons.