Thunder Rumors: Westbrook, Payne, Abrines
- The Thunder can now give Westbrook a max-level extension because of Dion Waiters‘ decision to sign with the Heat, Young writes in a separate piece. Oklahoma City rescinded Waiters’ $6.8MM qualifying offer last week but did not renounce him, leaving a $12.8MM cap hold on its books. The Thunder will be approximately $14MM under the cap without that cap hold, giving them sufficient room to ink Westbrook to a maximum extension, Young continues. Westbrook is scheduled to make $17.7MM this season, but that could be upgraded to approximately $27.5MM on a renegotiated deal, under Young’s calculations. Westbrook would receive a higher salary via an extension than he could make on the free agent market next summer, Young adds.
- Cameron Payne had surgery for a Jones fracture in his right foot on Monday but the reserve point guard should be ready by training camp, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman reports. Payne had some discomfort with the foot throughout last season but continued to play despite using a walking boot after practices, beginning in mid-March, Slater continues. Payne led the Orlando summer league with an 18.8 scoring average but when tests revealed that his foot injury could be a long-term issue, the club opted to get the surgery done immediately, Slater adds.
- The team used $5.99MM in cap room this season to sign Euro swingman Alex Abrines and $17.18MM over three years, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Abrines, who turns 23 next month, averaged 9.3 PPG and shot 41.7% from three-point range in 25 Euroleague games this past season.
Community Shootaround: Boston Celtics
The Celtics were expected to be quite active this offseason and they haven’t disappointed. Flush with salary-cap room and extra draft picks, Boston made numerous changes to its roster with the promise of more to come.
It’s been one of the league’s worst-kept secrets that the Celtics want to acquire star players to get back into serious title contention. Thus far, they have been unable to land a big fish in the trade market, with a list that includes Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler, Russell Westbrook and Jahlil Okafor. They pulled a draft-day surprise when unable to swing a deal, selecting small forward Jaylen Brown with the third overall pick.
Free agency treated Boston well, as highly coveted big man Al Horford spurned other offers and headed to the Northeast. The Celtics added another rotation piece this weekend by agreeing to terms with swingman Gerald Green. They also regained the services of their own restricted free agent, Tyler Zeller.
Boston also lost some notable free agents in the process, though Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger were not a part of its long-term plan. It also retained forwards Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko by guaranteeing their contracts.
The Horford addition arguably makes the Celtics the top threat to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, though the Raptors would surely beg to differ. That being said, Boston would likely need at least one more big-time player to put it on par with the defending champions.
It has the assets in the form of extra draft picks, including the gift that keeps on the giving, as the Nets owe them a couple more first-rounders for the ill-advised Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade.
That leads us to our question of the day: Will the Celtics pull off a blockbuster trade prior to the season?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Western Rumors: Warriors, Galloway, Harden
Changes at the center spot made to accommodate Kevin Durant‘s contract could lead the Warriors’ downfall, Jonny Auping of RealGM.com opines. The Warriors traded starter Andrew Bogut to the Mavericks and lost Festus Ezeli in free agency while signing Zaza Pachulia and retaining Anderson Varejao. Pachulia put up solid stats with the Mavs last season and is noted for his leadership, but his second-half performance was a disaster, Auping continues. He shot just 52.6% in the restricted area after the All-Star break, making him the team’s biggest offensive liability and essentially played himself out of the rotation by the postseason, Auping notes. And at this stage of his career, Varejao is arguably the worst backup center in the league, according to Auping. The offensive limitations of Pachulia and Varejao will allow opponents to double-team one of the Warriors’ stars and defensively, they offer no rim protection, Auping adds.
In other doings around the Western Conference:
- Langston Galloway isn’t sure how the Pelicans will use him in the backcourt, according to John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune. The former Knick, who signed a two-year, 10MM deal with New Orleans, told Reid that coach Alvin Gentry and GM Dell Demps informed him that he could play extensively at both spots. ”So far, getting a chance to meet with Alvin and Dell, we just had a chance to say it’s a great opportunity to work hard and compete at the point guard and off-guard positions,” Galloway said.
- Derrick Favors, Russell Westbrook and Paul George are some of the other players eligible to renegotiate their contracts and receive an extension, as James Harden did this month, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders writes. Any team trying to trade for Westbrook, who can hit the free agent market next July, would probably want him to sign an extension before agreeing to a deal, Pincus continues. Harden’s actual salary over the last three years of his extension won’t be determined until the 2017/18 salary cap is announced, as Pincus details while breaking down all the figures.
- Durant’s restaurant in Oklahoma City will close and open under a new name, part of the fallout from his decision to join the Warriors, Brianna Bailey of The Oklahoman reports.
Blazers Agree To Deal With Tim Quarterman
The Trail Blazers have signed guard Tim Quarterman to a partially guaranteed two-year deal, according to the team’s website. The story was first reported by Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link).
The 6’6” Quarterman went undrafted after he declared following his junior season at LSU. He posted averages of 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.97 steals in 33 games last season with the Tigers. Quarterman shot 31% on 3-point attempts and 66% from the free throw line during his three seasons at LSU, so he’ll have to improve his shooting to stick.
The opportunity is there for Quarterman to earn a roster spot. Portland has Damian Lillard and Shabazz Napier at point guard and C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe at shooting guard. Swingman Evan Turner could also see backcourt minutes.
Quarterman made the rounds prior to the draft, working out for a host of teams. Quarterman had trouble blending with No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons in his final season at LSU, as his points and assists dipped while he bounced in and out of the lineup. He did improve his 3-point shooting to 34.3%.
And-Ones: Big Men, Colangelo, Fortson
The emphasis on guard play and the 3-point shot hasn’t depressed salaries for big men, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders notes. High-profile players like Al Horford, Hassan Whiteside and Dwight Howard were paid over $20MM annually in this year’s free agent market but less heralded centers also cashed in, Greene continues. Timofey Mozgov (Lakers) and Ian Mahinmi (Wizards) were both signed to four-year, $64MM deals, even though Mozgov had a diminished role with the Cavs last season, while the Wizards already had an established center in Marcin Gortat. Bismack Biyombo received an even bigger contract from the Magic after playing a limited role with the Raptors much of last season, while the Bucks will pay Miles Plumlee an average of $13MM annually over the next four seasons even through he’s never averaged more than 25 minutes during his career.
In news around the league:
- USA Basketball executive director Jerry Colangelo will not discourage Team USA players from speaking out on social or racial issues, The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears reports. NBA and WNBA players have increasingly taken public stands on hot-button topics, while the league pulled the All-Star Game from Charlotte this week over a controversial North Carolina law. “No, we’re not telling them what to say,” Colangelo told Spears. “We are saying we’re supportive. We’re in fact encouraging and they have to make their own choice. We’re not telling them what to say and what not to say.”
- Courtney Fortson has signed with the Chinese team Zheijiang Guangsha, international journalist David Pick tweets. Fortson played last season with Banvit in Turkey. The point guard appeared in a combined 10 games with the Clippers and Rockets during the 2011/12 season.
- The Warriors’ new trio of Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant played two minutes together during Team USA’s exhibition win over Argentina but more often in pairs, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes. Team USA had a lot of success with a smaller lineup featuring Green at center and Durant at small forward, according to Windhorst. “Honestly, if you want me to be quite frank with you, I didn’t even notice me, Klay and KD were out there together,” Green told Windhorst.
Mavericks Rumors: Williams, Cuban, Hammons
Point guard Deron Williams is confident he’ll be healthy when training camp opens, he told NBCDFW.com. Williams underwent sports hernia surgery shortly after the Mavs were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. “It’s healing pretty well, I’m doing a lot of work on and off the court. I haven’t got the full-go clearance yet but that’s coming soon,” Williams said. “I’ll be ready to go definitely by the time training camp rolls around.” Williams re-signed with Dallas this month on a one-year, $10MM contract, though he was hoping for multi-year deal. “Would have liked a little longer deal but I’m back for one year and hopefully can build on last year and improve,” he added in the interview.
In other news involving the Mavericks:
- Owner Mark Cuban offered Dallas as a possible destination for this season’s All-Star Game after the NBA removed the event from Charlotte, he said in a radio interview with 105.3FM The Fan’s Ben and Skin Show. Cuban doesn’t expect the league to choose Dallas but he supports the league’s decision to switch the venue in reaction to a controversial North Carolina law. “When it came up, I told (commissioner) Adam Silver Dallas is ready, willing and able to host if they decide to move,” Cuban said. “But honestly I haven’t heard anything back from him on that, so most likely it won’t happen. … I think it’s the right move. I know it’s controversial and I know you can’t make everybody happy but I think it’s the right move.” New Orleans has emerged as the likely destination for the All-Star Game.
- The Mavs made a smart move by drafting big man A.J. Hammons in the second round, Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News opines. Hammons was productive while playing in a major conference and brings youth, size, defense and rim protection, all areas of need for the club. With the trade acquisition of veteran center Andrew Bogut, the team can afford to develop Hammons at a slower pace, Gosselin adds.
Trail Blazers Notes: Leonard, Crabbe, Free Agency
- President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey never balked at matching the monstrous four-year, $75MM offer sheet the Nets handed to Allen Crabbe, he told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. The 24-year-old shooting guard averaged 10.3 points as the team’s sixth man last season and cashed in on a free agent bonanza. “It was never a question. We don’t draft guys here to let them walk away or we don’t take it for granted,” Olshey said. “I think you’ve seen the commitment we’ve made to the guys we’ve drafted.”
- In the same story, Olshey indicated he accomplished his offseason goals by retaining Leonard and Crabbe while adding two outside free agents, swingman Evan Turner and center Festus Ezeli. “I think we maximized our cap room,” Olshey said. “We had some holes, maybe not positionally, but in terms of skill-set, that we identified. We were able to do, I think, a pretty admirable job in free agency.”
- The Blazers have their deepest roster since Olshey joined the franchise in 2012, Mike Richman of The Oregonian opines. Ezeli and Leonard will join Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis and Al-Farouq Aminu in the frontcourt rotation while backcourt starters Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have solid backups in Crabbe and Turner, who will also see playing time at small forward, Richman points out. They could be even deeper if they retain restricted free agent forward Moe Harkless, Richman adds.
Southwest Rumors: Mavs, Jones, Pelicans
The Mavs must lop off some salaries in order to sign a max-contract player next summer if Dirk Nowitzki returns in 2017/18, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports. Nowitki and the club agreed to a two-year, $50MM contract on Friday. Nowitzki’s $25MM salary for the second season of the contract, plus more than $60MM in other guaranteed commitments, would leave Dallas with less than $16MM under the projected cap of $102MM, by MacMahon’s calculations. If Nowitzki retires after next season, the Mavs can exercise a $5MM team option, according to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.
In other news concerning the Southwest Division:
- The opportunity to play steady minutes and rejoin forces with his ex-college teammate Anthony Davis were major factors in Terrence Jones’ decision to sign with the Pelicans, Oliver Maroney of Basketball Insiders writes. Jones, who signed a one-year contract worth an estimated $980K, appeared in only 50 games last season. “I wanted an opportunity to play for a team that is young and defining itself, but could still compete right away,” Jones told Maroney. “I wanted a larger role, where I could really compete and help a team win.” He’s excited about the prospect of playing alongside Davis, with whom he won the NCAA championship at Kentucky, Maroney adds. “We both work well together and we’ve already got a great chemistry and friendship,” Jones said. “When he’s healthy, I think he’s as good as any other big in the league, so I am excited to see what we can do this year.”
- The Pelicans renounced their rights to Norris Cole, Kendrick Perkins and Jordan Hamilton, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com tweets. Those moves allowed them to officially sign both Jones and point guard Tim Frazier.
And-Ones: All-Star Game, Green, Alan Williams
New Orleans has emerged as the strong favorite to host the All-Star Game in February, a source close to the situation informed Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. The NBA pulled the game from Charlotte on Thursday in protest of a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. Charlotte will host the 2019 ASG if sufficient changes are made to the law, Mahoney adds. Boston and Atlanta have also shown interest in hosting the event, Mahoney continues. The Pelicans franchise also hosted the ASG in 2008 and 2014.
- Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green has reached a plea agreement that will allow him to avoid jail time and reduce the charges he faced for allegedly slapping a Michigan State University football player on July 10th, Christopher Haxel of the Lansing State Journal writes. The former MSU All-American will pay a $500 fine and $60 restitution fee, Haxel adds.
- Power forward Alan Williams has a strong chance to remain on the Suns’ roster, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports. The 23-year-old Williams appeared in 10 games with the Suns last season, averaging 2.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 6.8 minutes. Williams’ $874,636 contract for next season becomes guaranteed if he’s on the roster through Sept. 1. “Chances are, he’ll have a spot,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough told Coro.
- Former NBA power forward D.J. White has re-signed with Torino in Italy for another season, according to E. Carchia of Sportando.com. The 29-year-old White played for the Thunder, Celtics and Hornets before going overseas. His most recent NBA stint was 2013/14, when he appeared in two games with Charlotte.
Community Shootaround: Intentional Fouls
Commissioner Adam Silver vowed during the NBA playoffs that changes were coming to discourage defenders from intentionally fouling poor free throw shooters. The Board of Governors approved some new rules this month in that regard, though it seems to be a watered-down compromise.
Under the new rules, if a player is fouled away from the ball in the last two minutes of a quarter, his team will receive one free throw and retain possession of the ball. That rule has been expanded to a player being fouled during an inbounds play.
Previously, the free-throw-plus-possession rule only applied to the last two minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Board also expanded its rules on flagrant fouls to include deliberate, overaggressive fouls such as jumping on the back of an opponent during a free throw attempt. That tactic was sometimes used during the last two minutes of games once the free-throw-plus-possession stipulation was in effect.
These changes might make it a little less appealing to intentionally foul but it’s certain that poor free throw shooters such as Andre Drummond, Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan will continue to get grabbed off the ball before the last two minutes of a quarter. Anybody hoping to see “Hack-A-Dre” and “Hack-A-Dwight” go away will be disappointed.
It’s also difficult for their coaches to leave them in the game during the final two minutes, knowing those big men could be grabbed during pick-and-roll plays or while going for an offensive rebound, which wouldn’t be considered an “away from the ball” foul.
The league could have, for example, given teams the option to decline free throws and simply retain possession on intentional fouls, or even provide the option of having a better free throw shooter go to the line in those situations.
Some executives, such as Pistons coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy, believe the new rules won’t have much of an effect. Others, such as Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, believe the league shouldn’t be doing anything to discourage “Hack-A” strategies.
This leads us to our question of the day: Did the new rules changes regarding intentional fouls go too far or should the league have done more to prevent the “Hack-A” tactic?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.