Westbrook Tops Snub List Among All-Star Starters
Triple-double machine Russell Westbrook, the league’s leading scorer, will not be among the Western Conference starters for next month’s All-Star Game in New Orleans. The league’s Twitter feed unveiled the starters for each conference, and the Thunder superstar lost out in the balloting to Stephen Curry and James Harden (Twitter links).
As ESPN.com’s Rachel Nichols points out, the fan voting counts for 50%, while the players’ votes weigh in at 25%, as does the media vote under the revised system. According to NBC’s Kurt Helin, Westbrook missed out because the fans had him third among Western Conference guards behind Curry and Harden.
Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant will comprise the starting frontcourt for the West.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler and LeBron James were selected as the frontcourt starters for the Eastern Conference. DeMar DeRozan and Kyrie Irving were chosen as the starting backcourt.
It’s a breakthrough for Antetokounmpo, who will be making his first All-Star appearance. Arguably the biggest snub on the Eastern Conference side was Celtics point man Isaiah Thomas, the fourth-leading scorer in the league and the conference’s top scorer.
Do you think Westbrook should have garnered a starting spot ahead of Curry or Harden? Besides Westbrook, which other player has the biggest beef about failing to land a starting spot in the league’s annual showcase event? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts.
New CBA Officially Signed By Both Sides
The NBA and the Players Association have signed the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to an official league press release. The seven-year agreement will take effect on July 1, 2017, and run through the 2023/24 season.
Both the NBA and NBPA have the ability to opt out of the CBA after the 2022/23 season by providing notice to the other party by December 15th, 2022.
According to the release, here are some key points:
- The players’ share of Basketball Related Income (BRI) will remain in the 49%-51% range.
- Existing rules on maximum free agent contract length will be retained.
- The Mid-Level Exceptions and Bi-Annual Exception for 2017/18 will be increased 45% from the amounts in the 2011 CBA.
- The Rookie Scale will also be increased 45%, with the increase phased in over three years.
- The 2017/18 Minimum Annual Salary Scale will increase minimum salaries for that season by 45%. The revised amounts will increase or decrease annually beginning in 2018/19 at the same rate as the salary cap.
- The 2017/18 limit on cash paid or received in trades will be increased from $3.6MM to $5.1MM,
- Most veteran extensions will be permitted to cover five total years.
- The moratorium period when free agents cannot be signed has been shortened and will now end each season on July 6. The salary cap and tax level will be set each season by June 30.
- The period for a team with a right of first refusal to match an offer sheet will be shortened from three days to two days.
- A player will be able to sign an offer sheet during the moratorium period.
- The July 23 deadline for a team to unilaterally withdraw a qualifying offer will be changed to July 13.
- The 150% Traded Player Exception for non-taxpaying teams will be increased to 175%.
- The Over-36 Rule will be modified to be an Over-38 Rule.
- Teams will be required to carry 14 players on their rosters, subject to the ability to carry fewer players for limited periods of time.
- Each NBA team will be permitted to have on its roster up to two players under “Two-Way Contracts.” A “Two-Way Player” will provide services primarily to the NBA team’s D-League affiliate.
- The period for training camp and the preseason will be shortened by seven days, and the maximum number of exhibition games per team prior to any regular season will be reduced to six from eight.
Central Rumors: Cavs Moves, Caldwell-Pope, Pacers
Acquiring a veteran backup point guard will be the next move the Cavaliers make, but there could be others in store, Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer speculates in his latest mailbag column. The team doesn’t trust that rookie Kay Felder can run the offense and defend for 8-12 minutes in postseason games as Kyrie Irving‘s backup, pushing the need for a backup point to the top of the wish list, Vardon continues. The club would also like to add another big man and perhaps an additional wing player, Vardon continues. GM David Griffin could open up roster spots by dumping the contract of injured Chris Andersen and moving a bench player like Jordan McRae for a draft pick, Vardon adds.
In other developments around the Central Division:
- The defending champs have lost three of the five and their stars believe practice will get them back on track, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. LeBron James expressed that sentiment during his postgame press conference in Portland and Kyrie Irving echoed it as the team prepares to face the Kings on Friday. “Practice does the mind good and the body good sometimes, and I think we’re in need of it,” Irving told Amick and other reporters. “But we’re on the West Coast road trip, West Coast swing, so we’ve just got to make due with the time we have.”
- Stanley Johnson and Darrun Hilliard are the only healthy wing players the Pistons have left in the wake of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s shoulder injury, Aaron McMann of MLive.com reports. Caldwell-Pope was injured in the early going against the Warriors on Thursday when he crashed into Golden State center Zaza Pachulia, who was setting a screen. Caldwell-Pope will have an MRI on Friday. That leaves the Pistons with the second-year duo of Johnson and Hilliard sharing the shooting guard spot until he returns. “We have two right now,” coach Stan Van Gundy said of his two-guard situation. “I mean, two actual wings, unless we play Marcus (Morris) or Tobias (Harris) there. Yeah, we’re down in numbers right now.”
- The Pacers cannot continue to pair Al Jefferson and Kevin Seraphin on their second unit because of their defensive limitations, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com details in his latest column. Opponents have outscored Indiana by about 7.5 points per 100 possessions when they’ve been on the floor together, mainly due to Seraphin’s inability to check power forwards and hedge on pick-and-rolls, Lowe continues. Adding Lavoy Allen to the rotation, or ensuring that either Thaddeus Young or Myles Turner plays alongside Jefferson, would fix the problem, Lowe adds.
Clippers Notes: Crawford, Griffin, Jordan, Garnett
Coach Doc Rivers and his Clippers teammates are encouraging sixth man Jamal Crawford to shoot his way out of his slump, Dan Woike of the Orange County Register reports. Over the last eight games, he’s averaging 9.0 points while shooting just 29% percent from the field and 19% from long range. But Rivers says he needs Crawford to be a scorer on the second unit. “Jamal’s so talented that he’ll start being a passer and setting people up because he doesn’t feel it,” Rivers told Woike. “And we need him to shoot.” Crawford indicated to Woike that the other players are thinking all the same lines. “All my teammates are saying, ‘Be more aggressive.’ Doc’s saying, ‘Stop thinking. Just play,’” Crawford said. “That definitely makes you more comfortable, having that support.”
In other news involving the team:
- Blake Griffin could return to action later this month, according to an Associated Press report. Griffin was projected to miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing minor right knee surgery on December 20 and Rivers indicated that timetable still applies. Griffin, who can become a free agent after the season if he declines his $21.4MM option, has missed the last 13 games.
- DeAndre Jordan‘s interior presence has allowed Rivers to successfully employ small-ball lineups in Griffin’s absence, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. The Clippers are holding opponents to 96.4 points a game, 40.4% shooting and 27.6 % on 3-point attempts during their current five-game winning streak. “It makes your job easier because you can really get into the ball, be aggressive and get up into guys because you know you have a big shot blocker back there,” guard Raymond Felton told DiGiovanna. “When a guy is as athletic as he is, when he can move laterally and backwards with a guard coming at him downhill, it only helps me to really get into the ball and be able to pick up 94 feet.”
- Kevin Garnett, hired as a consultant this week, has begun working with Jordan and other Clippers big men, DiGiovanna writes in the same piece. “I don’t know if he has a defined role except to work with the bigs and to just give knowledge to whoever wants it about being a teammate, about winning,” Rivers said.
Knicks Rumors: Rose, Anthony, Gaines Jr.
Knicks point guard Derrick Rose shot down a rumor that he mulled retirement during his one-game absence from the team on Monday, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. “That’s something I don’t even want to speak into existence by commenting on it,’’ Rose told Berman. “I don’t know who would do that. Not at all. I was with my family.’’ Rose was fined $193,848, or 1/110th of his salary, for missing the game without giving the club prior notice. Rose claimed he went to Chicago to visit his mother for what he called a family crisis, though there are indications he went there to see his son, Berman adds.
In other developments surrounding the club:
- The hurdles that must be cleared to trade Carmelo Anthony prevents the Knicks from rebuilding with younger players like the Sixers are doing, Fred Kerber of the New York Post argues. Finding a trade partner willing to take on the final two years of Anthony’s contract will be nearly impossible, Kerber notes — not only would a potential trade partner have to commit to $54MM+ in salary over the next two years, but a 15% trade kicker would force that team to cough up another $10MM. On top of that, Anthony would have to waive his no-trade provision, Kerber adds.
- Rose hopes his one-game absence doesn’t affect the club’s feelings toward him when he enters free agency this summer, as he relayed to Ian Begley of ESPN.com. “I hope one incident didn’t change their minds,” he said. “Who knows? This is a business and if it was to happen I’m still going to play the way I normally know how to play no matter where I’m at.”
- The Knicks have not gotten any better defensively under first-year coach Jeff Hornacek, one of several reasons why the team will only get worse, Berman opines in a separate piece. Berman cites the Rose drama and Kristaps Porzingis‘ recent struggles with a sore Achilles as two other factors in the team’s continuing demise.
- The rising influence of Clarence Gaines Jr. is the main reason why the team chose forward Maurice Ndour over point guard Chasson Randle on the opening-day roster, Berman writes in still another piece, citing a source. Gaines was promoted from an advisory role to vice president of player personnel under president Phil Jackson. Randle signed a 10-day contract with the Sixers on Monday after a strong D-League showing.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/12/17
- The Jazz recalled guards Alec Burks and Raul Neto from the Salt Lake City Stars and assigned forward Joel Bolomboy to the same team, the team announced in a press release. The guard duo was assigned there on Wednesday to get some playing time against the Grand Rapids Drive and Neto finished one rebound shy of a triple-double. This marks the 10th assignment for Bolomboy.
- The Knicks recalled forward Maurice Ndour and center Marshall Plumlee from their affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, the team’s PR staff tweets. That duo combined for 24 points and 20 rebounds against the Maine Red Claws after being assigned on Tuesday.
- The Nets recalled forward Chris McCullough from their Long Island affiliate and he was available against the Pelicans on Thursday night, the team tweets. McCullough poured in 37 points in Long Island’s 138-133 overtime win over the Greensboro Swarm earlier in the day, his 22nd appearance with the D-League club.
- The Pelicans recalled forward Cheick Diallo, who was also playing for the Long Island Nets, the team’s PR department tweets. He played two games there, averaging 12.0 points in 17.4 minutes after going there on Tuesday under the flexible assignment rule.
- The Thunder assigned guard Semaj Christon to the Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a tweet. Christon has appeared in 36 games with the Thunder this season, averaging 3.2 points and 1.4 assists in 15.4 minutes.
- The Trail Blazers assigned guard Tim Quarterman to the Windy City Bulls under the flex rule, they announced in a press release. The rookie has made 12 brief appearances with the Blazers this season.
Trade Candidate: Andrew Bogut
As we approach February’s trade deadline, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at several players we consider trade candidates, discussing their value, speculating on potential destinations, and explaining why they are – or should be – available. These players won’t necessarily be dealt in advance of the deadline, but it won’t be surprising if they are.
Andrew Bogut, C
Dallas Mavericks
2016/17 salary: $11,027,027
Eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2017
Trade restrictions: Can’t be re-acquired by the Warriors during the 2016/17 league year.
The Mavericks took advantage of Kevin Durant‘s if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them approach to free agency, acquiring two former Warriors in the aftermath of Durant’s decision to wear the Golden State uniform. Signing forward Harrison Barnes to a max contract grabbed most of the headlines but Dallas also secured another starter from the two-time defending Western Conference champions. It traded for veteran center Andrew Bogut, dealing only a conditional second-round pick while also receiving a second rounder.
That virtual giveaway allowed the Warriors to clear cap space, even if it meant handing over one of the league’s premier interior defenders. The Mavericks anticipated that a frontcourt of Bogut, Dirk Nowitzki and Barnes would make them a solid playoff team, if not a serious contender.
Fast forward six months and the outlook for the Mavs and Bogut looks quite different. Dallas has one of the league’s worst records, while Bogut has battled through a number of nagging injuries, including a right hamstring strain suffered this week. He also missed 11 games last month with a right knee issue.
It’s no secret that the Mavericks are shopping Bogut, who is making a little over $11MM in the final year of his contract. Bogut seems resigned to the notion that he’ll be wearing a different uniform in the near future.
“Look, if there’s an opportunity to go somewhere and they want to do it, I’m not going to beg them to not trade me. But I have not gone to the [front] office and asked for a trade,” Bogut said during a press conference last week. “That’s probably the best answer that I can give you. It’s been a tough season for everybody involved, but it’s far from the truth that I’ve gone to management and asked for a trade.”
Bogut realizes the club has every incentive to try to get something for him before the trade deadline. If the Mavs had lived up to their own expectations, they might have a compelling reason to re-sign him. Under the current circumstances, Bogut is taking minutes away from younger players that need to develop.
Coach Rick Carlisle recently indicated that re-signing Bogut was a “real possibility” but even Bogut is skeptical.
“If there was an opportunity for me to come back, there would have been at least extension talks, which I’m not bitter about,” he said. “I’m not mad about it. It’s just the reality of it. It’s the writing on the wall. … The Mavs eventually have to start rebuilding, too. There’s no point in bringing back a 33-year-old center if you’re in rebuild mode. … I just don’t see it.”
The first question that potential suitors need to ask themselves is whether Bogut can impact them in the short term. The answer, provided Bogut can return to full strength, is yes.
He’s always been a subpar offensive player but his defensive prowess is unquestioned. He led the league two consecutive seasons – 2013/14 and 2014/15 – in Basketball Reference’s Defensive Box ratings at 5.6 and 5.5, respectively.
He was close to that mark last season with a 5.1 rating and sports a 5.2 rating this season despite being in and out of the lineup. In the last three postseasons, his Defensive Box numbers were even higher — 5.6, 6.1 and 7.3. Bogut’s sprained knee in Game 5 of last year’s Finals could have been the difference in the series, though he played limited minutes against the Cavs.
Assuming Bogut will be dealt, where will he go? The Rockets seem to be the most likely destination. The Warriors had deals in place with both the Mavs and Rockets this summer and gave Bogut the option of choosing the team. He, of course, picked Dallas but Houston now looks like a great fit.
Starting center Clint Capela is recovering from a fractured fibula, forcing the Rockets to go with the duo of Montrezl Harrell and Nene Hilario in the middle. A defensive stalwart like Bogut could be the piece needed to get them into the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three seasons.
The Rockets, however, are capped out and there’s no obvious package they could put together that would entice the Mavs and still get salaries to match. Thus, it’s likely they’d need to get a third team involved.
The Sixers had some unusual interest in Bogut during the offseason but they’ve got too many bigs as it is. It wouldn’t seem reasonable for them to give up a much younger one for him and they’ve got gobs of cap space for next season, so his expiring contract won’t do much good, either.
There are a few contenders that could use Bogut for a playoff push. A Celtics frontcourt pairing of Bogut with Al Horford would be intriguing, possibly vaulting them past the Raptors in the Eastern Conference pecking order.
The Raptors themselves need to shore up a defense that ranks 19th in defensive field-goal percentage. Bogut could provide some assistance in that area.
Memphis could also be a landing spot. Bogut wouldn’t have a starting role with the Grizzlies but they could use a veteran backup to Marc Gasol.
It’s unlikely that Bogut could wind up with the Big Two. The Warriors would welcome his lane presence again, but league rules prevent them from re-acquiring him until the 2017/18 league year. The Cavaliers have all sorts of cap constraints of their own and seem more intent on finding a backup point guard than a post player.
It seems a pretty solid bet that Bogut will be moved within the coming weeks. It would help all parties involved if Bogut could stay on the court long enough to convince potential suitors that they wouldn’t be acquiring damaged goods. Once he proves he can stay out of the training room, a healthy Bogut could certainly improve any contender’s outlook this postseason.
What do you think? Should the Mavericks trade Bogut? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts and possible trade ideas.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eastern Notes: Dunleavy Jr., Cavs, Monroe, Noel
Mike Dunleavy Jr. labelled reports that indicated he wanted a buyout from the Hawks “pretty inaccurate” and believes he’ll fit right in with the team, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reports. The Hawks were hoping to find another team for the 36-year-old swingman when he was included in the deal that delivered sharpshooter Kyle Korver to the Cavaliers, Vivlamore continues. Dunleavy has since received assurances from coach Mike Budenholzer that he’ll get some playing time, though he will not immediately become part of the rotation. “I fit in as far as the way I play,” Dunleavy told Vivlamore. “I move, cut, shoot, pass. That’s the way this team is structured. It’s not a matter of what are you going to do for me or how am I going to fit in. It didn’t take much explaining.”
In other news around the Eastern Conference:
- In the aftermath of the Korver trader, the $9.6MM trade exception that the Cavaliers gained in the trade that sent Anderson Varejao to the Trail Blazers last February has been reduced to $4.4MM, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. That exception will expire on February 20, Wojnarowski continues. The Cavs created two more exceptions worth $4.8MM and $2.2MM in the deal that also shipped Mo Williams and a protected 2019 first-round pick to Atlanta. Those exceptions will expire on February 7, 2018, Wojnarowski adds.
- Bucks center Greg Monroe is a long way from deciding whether to exercise the player option on his contract, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Monroe has a $17.8MM option this summer in the final year of his three-year, $50MM deal. “I’m not thinking about anything like the off-season right now,” he told Gardner. “There is a time and place for everything. If and when I have to make a decision, that time is not right now.” Monroe, the subject of heavy trade speculation during the offseason, has boosted his stock with his play this season, averaging 10.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists as the leader of the second unit.
- Sixers big man Nerlens Noel, whose playing time has spiked this month, calls this group the “closest team I’ve been on” in his short NBA career, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly tweets. Noel, a prime trade candidate as our Luke Adams detailed last month, is averaging 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 23.3 minutes over the last three games. His comment suggests he might be softening his tone about his role with the club.
Anthony Bennett Signs With Turkish Club
Forward Anthony Bennett, who was waived by the Nets two days ago, has signed with Fenerbache Istanbul of Turkey, international journalist David Pick tweets. Fenerbache will announce the signing as early as Friday, Pick adds in a separate tweet.
Bennett’s decision to go overseas adds another twist to the saga of one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. The 2013 No. 1 overall pick of the Cavaliers has passed through four NBA organizations, the latest being one of the league’s worst teams. The Nets parted ways with Bennett to make room for another forward, Quincy Acy.
Bennett became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday after passing through waivers.
This past off-season, Bennett signed a two-year contract deal with the Nets, including a fully-guaranteed $1MM this season. Brooklyn gave him a chance to reestablish himself, as he appeared in 23 games, including one start. He failed to make a strong enough impression while averaging 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 11.5 minutes.
Still just 24, Bennett has appeared in a total of 151 games for the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Raptors and Nets, averaging 4.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 12.6 minutes per contest.
Bennett’s ties with the GM of the Canadian national team, Maurizio Gherardini, led him to Fenerbahce, Pick adds. Gherardini also has an association with the Turkish team.
Pelicans Notes: Asik, Ajinca, Backcourt, Evans
Centers Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have dropped completely out of the Pelicans rotation as the team has found success with small-ball lineups, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com reports. Asik and Ajinca have been glued to the bench the last three games while the club has reeled off four consecutive victories. Forwards Dante Cunningham and Solomon Hill are the biggest beneficiaries of coach Alvin Gentry’s altered rotation, and their increased minutes have allowed the Pelicans to switch defensively much more easily, Verrier continues. New Orleans has the league’s 12th best offensive rating and fourth-best defensive rating since the shakeup earlier this week, Verrier adds. Franchise player Anthony Davis is thrilled with the new look, as he told Verrier. “When we play small it gives us an advantage on both ends of the floor.” he said.
In other developments regarding the Pelicans:
- Gentry is enjoying the pleasant dilemma of having too many options at the guard spots, Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com writes. Gentry prefers not to have more than four backcourt players in the rotation, Eichenhofer notes. Jrue Holiday and rookie Buddy Hield are the current starters, leaving Gentry to choose from the quartet of Langston Galloway, E’Twaun Moore, Tyreke Evans and Tim Frazier for the remaining minutes. “It’s good to have the depth and have an opportunity that if things aren’t going real well, to stick another guy in and see if he has it for that night,” Gentry told Eichenhofer.
- Evans, who can also play small forward, will see an uptick in minutes soon, according to John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune. Evans had been on a 15-minute per game restriction since returning from knee surgery and is still not cleared to play both games of back-to-backs, Reid continues. Gentry told Reid and other media members that his minutes would increase to 18 or 20 per game on a regular basis. Evans played 18 minutes against the Knicks on Friday. “I don’t think he’s going to go from 15 to 30,” Gentry said. “I think there’s a possibility that he could play 18 minutes or 20 minutes, that’s the natural progression that’s going to happen.”