Eastern Notes: Harris, Biyombo, Lamb
Former Bucks coach and current Magic coach Scott Skiles said he was never in favor of trading power forward Tobias Harris to Orlando, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Sentinel. Skiles didn’t give Harris a lot of playing time as a rookie and second-year player but liked Harris’ potential and attitude, the story continues. Harris was dealt from the Bucks to the Magic on Feb. 21st, 2013 in a six-player swap. None of the players Milwaukee acquired are still with the team. “At that time, we just felt (Luc) Mbah a Moute was a better defender and (Mike) Dunleavy was a better offensive player, and Tobias didn’t get as many minutes. But we were high on him,” Skiles told Gardner. “Not that anybody would have listened to me, but if I would have still been the coach, I would not have been for moving Tobias.
In other news around the Eastern Conference:
- Bismack Biyombo‘s stint as Jonas Valanciunas’ injury replacement is off to a strong start, Lori Ewing of The Canadian Press reports. Coach Dwane Casey likes what Biyombo brings to the starting unit as the new Raptors starting center after he had 11 points and 12 rebounds against the Cavs this week, Ewing continues. “He set the tone for us defensively,” Casey told the Toronto media. “Protecting the paint, talking, being physical, being a deterrent at the rim and that was big for us.” Valanciunas is out approximately six weeks with a hand injury.
- Jeremy Lamb could be a serious candidate for the league’s Sixth Man and Most Improved Player awards if he continues to produce at his current level, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com write. The Hornets shooting guard is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and field goal percentage. Lamb, who agreed to a three-year, $21MM extension, has surprised coach Steve Clifford with his passing ability, Aschburner continues. “I knew he could shoot — I mean, he can really shoot — but I had no idea how well he could pass the ball,” Clifford told Aschburner. “He can pass off the dribble. He makes good decisions, so he’s a better pick-and-roll player than I thought. And what he’s done for us, he’s given us a lot of drive-and-kick plays that I didn’t know he was capable of doing.”
- The Celtics have assigned rookie power forward Jordan Mickey to the D-League’s Maine Red Claws, the team tweets. Mickey, an early second-round pick out of LSU, has played a total of just five minutes with Boston.
Lakers Rumors: Rotation, Bryant, Nance Jr.
Lakers coach Byron Scott is pondering some rotation changes, though he may wait a few more games to see if things improve, according to Lakers.com’s Joey Ramirez. Scott wouldn’t say whether changes to playing time would affect the starters or bench, though he’s already tinkered with the second unit. Guards D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, power forward Julius Randle and center Roy Hibbert have started every game, as has small forward Kobe Bryant when Scott hasn’t given him the night off. “I would love to play the same type of rotation and get productivity from both [units],” Scott said to the assembled media after practice. “But that’s not happening on a consistent basis. And then when it doesn’t, you have to make changes.” But Scott also preached patience, adding he wants “to give it a few more games” before he makes any moves.
In other news regarding the club:
- Scott has no plans to bench Bryant, ESPN.com’s Baxter Holmes reports. “I would never, never, never do that,” Scott told the media after practice on Friday. “That’s not an option whatsoever. No, that’s not an option.” Bryant is shooting a career-low 31.1% and ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus Ratings place Bryant 379th in the NBA and 73rd for small forwards.
- A willingness to chase rebounds and accept a limited offensive role has earned Larry Nance Jr. a rotation spot in his rookie season, NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper writes. Nance has the maturity to carry out his role, which has endeared him to Scott, as he told Howard-Cooper. “He doesn’t go outside that box,” Scott said. “He sticks within himself. But he plays hard. That’s the thing I love about Larry.”
- The team assigned rookie small forward Anthony Brown to the D-League, the D-Fenders announced via Twitter. Brown, a second-round pick out of Stanford, has played nine minutes over three games with the Lakers.
Southwest Rumors: Nowitzki, Rockets, Lamb
Dirk Nowitzki remains the focal point for the Mavericks and while he’s slowed down in some ways, he’s handling the burden well, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. While the 37-year-old power forward can’t create off the dribble like he used to, he’s shooting over 50% from the field as well as on his 3-point attempts, MacMahon continues. Dallas has been unable the past four offseasons to make him their second-best player, MacMahon adds, but he’s still one of the league’s most efficient shooters. Nowitzki’s body has held up remarkably well over the years, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News points out, but the Mavs need to have a diverse attack with a variety of players taking big shots.
In other news around the Southwest Division:
- With his full complement of point guards available, interim Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff plans to juggle them in creative ways, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Patrick Beverley, Ty Lawson and Jason Terry will share the position and Bickerstaff will pair them up at times, Feigen adds. “I think we’re going to try to play those guys together,” Bickerstaff told Feigen. “We’re going to stick with our same starting lineup. We like the leadership Jet [Terry] brings with that first group. But then we’re going to bring those other guys in off the bench.”
- Doron Lamb, who was waived by the Mavericks during training camp in 2014, has signed with Buducnost in Montenegro, the team announced via Facebook (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). The Mavs had retained Lamb’s D-League rights by making him one of their affiliate players with NBA experience. Lamb previously played in the NBA with both the Bucks and Magic.
- Power forward Ryan Anderson is averaging more than 19 points a game but Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said his defense has been even more essential to his club, Jeff Zillgitt of USAToday.com reports. “Ryan’s really scoring the basketball. But where he’s really helped us is that he’s really improved defensively,” Gentry told reporters, including Zillgitt. “His rebounding and physicality that he plays with has been the things that have helped us the most.”
Southeast Notes: Hawks, Clifford, Winslow
Coach Mike Budenholzer’s ability to sell the virtues of the Hawks organization will determine their long-term success, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com opines in a detailed look at the team’s structure and roster. While the front office appears stable, the roster could undergo major changes after the season, Arnovitz continues. Center Al Horford will enter unrestricted free agency next season, starting shooting guard Kyle Korver is in his mid-30s, center Tiago Splitter has injury issues and point guards Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder may have trouble co-existing over the long haul, Arnovitz adds. They also haven’t adequately replaced small forward DeMarre Carroll, so Budenholzer and the front office need to show free agents that Atlanta is a desirable landing spot, Arnovitz concludes.
In other news around the Southeast Division:
- Veteran center Al Jefferson gives a ringing endorsement to the contract extension that coach Steve Clifford received from the Hornets this week, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports. “The one thing I love about him is he keeps it real with you. He doesn’t say one thing to your face and another thing behind your back,” Jefferson told Bonnell. “He changed this whole team around from Day 1. He works harder than any head coach I’ve been around. He demands you play hard and play together.”
- The Heat’s long-term outlook depends upon the development of rookie small forward Justise Winslow and center Hassan Whiteside, as Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports explains while taking an in-depth look at the roster. Winslow has embraced the role of defensive specialist and hasn’t been overwhelmed by the task of shadowing the opponent’s top scorer. “At this point, we’re peers,” Winslow told Lee. “I don’t put those guys on a pedestal.” Whiteside, the league’s top shot blocker, is determined to show that his breakout season a year ago wasn’t a fluke, Lee adds.
- The Wizards’ outlook after 12 games is troubling for a team expected to make a run in the Eastern Conference, according to J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. There has been an extraordinary amount of drama in the early going, J. Michael points out, ranging from center Marcin Gortat getting irritated at coach Randy Wittman for calling him soft to point guard John Wall brooding over his lack of shots.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 11/23/15
There seemed to be little doubt that the Raptors would repeat as Atlantic Division champions. They won 49 games last season and finished nine games ahead of their closest competitor.
Despite a disappointing opening-round loss to the Wizards during the postseason, the Raptors headed into this season looking like an even stronger contender. They won the free agent sweepstakes for small forward DeMarre Carroll, adding not only outside shooting and creativity on offense but also a much-needed wing defender to the lineup. Toronto also brought in veteran power forward Luis Scola and backup point guard Cory Joseph, and both have contributed in the early going.
The backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan remains highly productive, yet the Raptors have not looked like a dominant team. Then came the news over the weekend that top post threat Jonas Valanciunas would miss approximately six weeks because of a fractured hand. Shot-blocking specialist Bismack Biyombo, another offseason pickup, seems likely to inherit most of Valanciunas’ minutes while he mends.
Meanwhile, two other Atlantic teams have stuck close to the Raptors in the standings. The Celtics don’t have a star but they have plenty of depth and coach Brad Stevens has expertly juggled his 10-man rotation. They’re getting steady offensive contributions from guards Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley, while Jared Sullinger has emerged as their top frontcourt player despite the additions of veterans David Lee and Amir Johnson.
The Knicks have been an early surprise, thanks to the swift development of rookie power forward Kristaps Porzingis. New Yorkers are no longer booing the pick of Porzingis, as many did on draft night, but rather singing the praises of team president Phil Jackson for choosing him over Emmanuel Mudiay and Mario Hezonja. Porzingis leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots while providing a complementary scorer to Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks theoretically figure to get even better once free agent signee Arron Afflalo, who missed some action with a hamstring injury, rounds to form.
Thus, our question of the day is: Will the favored Raptors live up to their billing and capture the division title or will the Celtics or even the Knicks overtake them?
Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
Western Rumors: Bryant, Rockets, Nuggets
Kobe Bryant is shooting a career-low 33.1% from the field but Lakers coach Byron Scott wants him to stay aggressive offensively, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Bryant’s desire to score off isolation plays may be hindering the team’s ball movement but Scott doesn’t plan on telling the aging small forward to stop looking for his shot, Holmes continues. “He’s had 20 years of experience in the league,” Scott told the team’s beat reporters. “We might not have six players that have 20 years in this league combined. He has that privilege, basically. From a coaching standpoint, I want Kobe to be Kobe. Other guys haven’t earned that right yet.”
In other news around the Western Conference:
- Former first-round pick Jordan Hamilton, who finished last season with the Clippers, has left the Russian club Krasny Oktyabr, aka Volgograd, tweets international journalist David Pick. JaJuan Johnson, another former NBA first-rounder who hasn’t played in the league since 2012, also left the team, Pick adds.
- The struggling Rockets have slowed down offensively and interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff wants to increase the tempo, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Houston was second in pace last season but has slipped to eighth this season. Some of that is due to defensive breakdowns but Bickerstaff also wants to utilize his team’s quickness to a greater extent, especially in the first half, Feigen adds. “That’s one of the things we’re focused on now,” Bickerstaff told the Houston media. “We want to be speedy. We want teams that come in here in the first five minutes of the game … to be overwhelmed by our speed. We have the athletes. We have the skilled players who can get up and down and do those things.”
- Nuggets first-year coach Michael Malone is generally pleased with his team through the first 14 games, as he relayed to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post on Monday afternoon. “We lost eight games, but, c’mon, two of those to Golden State,” Malone said. “We lost to OKC when they were healthy. Phoenix twice, [which] is a good basketball team; at San Antonio. We’ve had some tough games, and hopefully as long as we keep on staying together, learning from the losses and growing, we’re going to be OK.”
Atlantic Notes: Prokhorov, Celtics, Stoudemire
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov doesn’t feel like pushing the panic button despite the team’s woeful start, as he indicated to Andy Vasquez of NorthJersey.com in an email exchange. Prokhorov is preaching patience, which is something he hasn’t shown in the past, Vasquez notes. “We have a lot of new players and quite a few younger pieces, so it takes some time for the team to gel and to show its full potential,” Prokhorov told Vasquez, adding that “I think we’ve seen some positive progress and my hope is that these efforts will soon be reflected in the wins column.”
In other news around the Atlantic Division:
- The Celtics have positioned themselves for a very bright future, as Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post analyzes in his new role as the newspaper’s national NBA columnist. GM Danny Ainge made shrewd moves in the draft and in trades to secure quality pieces like Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas but that’s just the start, Bontemps continues. They have the Nets’ unprotected first-round pick next summer, courtesy of the 2013 Paul Pierce–Kevin Garnett trade, with an unprotected pick swap in 2017 and another unprotected first rounder in 2018 still to come their way from the deal. They could also have more than $50MM in salary-cap space next offseason to chase high-level free agents, Bontemps adds.
- Heat power forward Amar’e Stoudemire blames his Knicks coaches for not taking advantage of his offensive skills in conjunction with Carmelo Anthony, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Stoudemire and Anthony wanted to run more pick-and-rolls together during Stoudemire’s years in New York but couldn’t get their coaches, namely Mike D’Antoni and Mike Woodson, to call those plays often enough, Berman continues. “I don’t think that pick-and-roll offense between Melo and I was ever taken advantage of, which we could have,” he told Berman. “The way he shoots the ball, handles the ball from the outside and the way I attack the rim, it could’ve been a pretty good combination. I don’t think the coaching staff at the time really bought into that.’’
- The Raptors have to do a better job of getting everyone on the roster up to speed with all of their plays, according to Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Coach Dwane Casey has become increasing reliant on his reserves, and they haven’t demonstrated that they know the plays as thoroughly as the starters, Ganter adds.
Offseason In Review: Minnesota Timberwolves
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees and more will be covered as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Kevin Garnett: Two years, $16.5MM. Signed via Bird rights.
- Andre Miller: One year, $1.499MM. Signed via minimum salary exception.
- Tayshaun Prince: One year, $1.499MM. Signed via minimum salary exception.
Extensions
- None
Trades
- Acquired the draft rights to Tyus Jones (No. 24 overall pick) from the Cavaliers in exchange for the draft rights to Cedi Osman (31st overall pick), the draft rights to Rakeem Christmas (36th overall pick), and Minnesota’s 2019 second round pick.
- Acquired Damjan Rudez from the Pacers in exchange for Chase Budinger.
Waiver Claims
- None
Draft Picks
- Karl-Anthony Towns (Round 1, 1st overall). Signed via rookie exception to rookie scale contract.
- Tyus Jones (Round 1, 24th overall). Signed via rookie exception to rookie scale contract.
- Nemanja Bjelica (2010 Round 2, 35th overall). Signed for three years, $11.7MM via mid-level exception.
Camp Invitees
- Kleon Penn — Waived.
- Nick Wiggins — Waived.
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- Anthony Bennett (fourth year, $7,318,289) — waived (declined by default)
- Gorgui Dieng (fourth year, $2,348,783) — exercised.
- Zach LaVine (third year, $2,240,880) — exercised.
- Shabazz Muhammad (fourth year, $3,046,299) — exercised.
- Adreian Payne (third year, $2,022,240) — exercised.
- Andrew Wiggins (third year, $6,006,600) — exercised.
Following a decade of futility, the Timberwolves finally have real hope of becoming a perennial playoff contender in the near future. Via trade and the lottery, they have the top picks in the last two drafts and both have shown a world of talent. There are also some talented pieces around the duo of small forward Andrew Wiggins and power forward Karl-Anthony Towns. Tragically, the architect of the rebuilding project will not get to see his vision of the franchise’s rebirth come to fruition.
The Timberwolves, as well as the entire league, suffered a shocking blow when coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders died at the age of 60 on Oct. 25th due to complications from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Originally, Saunders and his doctors were highly optimistic he would beat the disease. When it announced his diagnosis in August, the team referred to his ailment as a “very treatable and curable form of cancer” and said that he could continue his dual role. Saunders took a leave of absence the following month and when owner Glen Taylor revealed late in training camp that Saunders would not return this season, it was clear that the situation was dire.
Former Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, one of Saunders’ ex-players, replaced him on the bench while GM Milt Newton added the duties of running the team’s basketball operations. Mitchell’s future as the team’s coach beyond this season is unresolved but as Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune recently pointed out, his lineup decisions in the early going suggest that he’s focused on the franchise’s long-term success.
It certainly helps to have a large building block, literally, to solidify that foundation. Their options, once they won the lottery, boiled down to two big men — Towns and Jahlil Okafor. In the weeks leading up to the draft, Saunders became enamored with Towns and there was no drama on draft night concerning their selection. Saunders fell in love with Towns’ versatility, noting that he could not only score in the low post but also hit shots from the perimeter. Saunders was also impressed with Towns’ ball handling and shot blocking.
The early-season results have fortified the notion that the Timberwolves made the right choice, even though Okafor and Kristaps Porzingis have also made strong impressions. He recorded eight double-doubles in the team’s first 13 games while averaging 2.4 blocks.
Minnesota added another first-rounder when it traded three second-rounders to the Cavaliers for the 24th overall pick. The Timberwolves made the trade for the rights to Duke point guard Tyus Jones, who had the floor vision and leadership to develop into a quality NBA point guard, as Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors noted in his Prospect Profile. Thus far, Jones hasn’t gotten much of an opportunity to show those skills as he’s buried behind starter Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and Andre Miller. But he adds depth to that position and may gain a more prominent role if the team decides to trade Rubio down the road.
That was the only trade the Timberwolves made during the offseason, other than a minor swap with the Pacers of two small forwards. They acquired Euro veteran Damjan Rudez for Chase Budinger, a move that cleared some salary cap space. Rudez is making $1.15MM this season while Budinger exercised a $5MM option on his contract, but the teams were able to swing the deal because of prior trade exceptions that they exercised.
A move of greater consequence came in July when Minnesota agreed to a three-year deal with one of Europe’s top big men, Nemanja Bjelica. Minnesota had held the power forward’s draft rights for five years and the reigning Euroleague MVP decided it was time to give the NBA a try. He negotiated a buyout agreement with his Turkish team with some monetary assistance from the Timberwolves. Bjelica earned a rotation spot during training camp, though he has been slowed recently by a knee injury.
The other notable moves the club made involved the signings of longtime veterans to help nurture the young talent on the roster, as well as divorcing themselves from young power forward Anthony Bennett. The frontcourt upgrades that the Timberwolves made removed any meaningful role for Bennett, whom the team acquired in the 2014 blockbuster with the Cavs that delivered Wiggins while shipping disgruntled Kevin Love out of town. A buyout agreement allowed Bennett to join the Raptors once he cleared waivers.
There was little debate that Kevin Garnett would re-sign with the club that originally drafted him and end his storied career in Minnesota. Garnett inked a two-year contract and has not only contributed on the court but has also served as an ideal mentor for Towns. Towns recently told NBA.com’s David Aldridge that he learns something new every day from Garnett.
Another old Saunders favorite, Tayshaun Prince, signed a one-year contract. Prince was Saunders’ starting small forward during his three years as head coach of the Pistons. Prince has played regularly in the early going, though his stats have been modest. But his impact also goes beyond the court, as he serves as a role model for the team’s wing players, particularly Wiggins.
Miller has similar responsibilities as a backup point guard, though he still has enough left in the tank to play effectively when oft-injured Rubio is sidelined. He can offer sage advice to LaVine and Jones and assist in their development.
The Timberwolves were not interested in making a lot of big moves this offseason. They were mainly concerned with molding their young core into a winning unit, with the aid of trusted veterans that could impart their knowledge to the likes of Towns and Wiggins. The future certainly looks bright, even though it’s likely Minnesota is headed for its 11th consecutive losing season. Sadly, the man responsible for the rebuilding project won’t be around to see the improvement, but his impact will be felt for many years to come.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post. The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of it.
Eastern Notes: Porzingis, Hornets, Raptors
Kristaps Porzingis has already allayed Phil Jackson’s fears that he might be too slight of build to develop into a star player, Johnette Howard of ESPN.com reports. The Knicks’ president of basketball operations was worried during the offseason that Porzingis’ body shape might make him nothing more than an updated version of Shawn Bradley, who never developed into an All-Star caliber player. Porzingis’ swift development has been the talk of New York and he already leads the Knicks in rebounding and blocks, Howard continues. “I’m not scared — I’m not scared of anybody,” Porzingis told Howard. “I’m skinny and I’m light. Strong guys can still push me around. But I will fight back, and be aggressive and never back down from anybody. If I want to succeed at this level, I can’t be scared of anybody.” Porzingis moves far better than the league’s most accomplished European player, Dirk Nowitzki, and is a much better rebounder and shot-blocker than the longtime Mavericks All-Star, Howard adds.
In other news around the Eastern Conference:
- The Hornets’ improved 3-point shooting has given its main low-post threat, center Al Jefferson, more room to operate, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Charlotte is doing a better job of spreading the floor with the additions of Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lamb, Jeremy Lin, Spencer Hawes and Frank Kaminsky, as it is shooting nearly 37% on 3-point attempts compared to its league-worst 31.8% shooting from long range last season. That has been a boost to Jefferson, who is averaging nearly 21 points over the last four games, Bonnell adds. “There’s so much shooting on the floor that they’re a lot less likely to say, ‘Not tonight. He’s just not scoring. These other guys are going to have to shoot,'” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told Bonnell. “Now they can’t do that.”
- It’s a misguided notion that the Raptors’ 9-6 start should be viewed as a mild disappointment, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca opines. Toronto has already endured the toughest portion of its schedule, including a five-game, eight-day West Coast swing, Lewenberg points out, and it’s only played four home games. Given those obstacles, the Raptors’ record to this point is commendable, Lewenberg adds.
- Heat point guard Goran Dragic has been hampered by his lack of chemistry with backcourt partner Dwyane Wade and the team’s methodical pace, Ethan J. Skolnick of Miami Herald uncovered while taking a hard look at the team’s statistical trends. Wade has assisted on only one Dragic basket this season, a sign of their disconnect and of Dragic’s struggles to make his 3-point attempts. The Heat also rank 25th in pace and that hurts a player like Dragic, who prefers a more uptempo style, Skolnick adds.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 11/16/15
With all the dominant teams the NBA has seen throughout its history, only one was able to reach the magic 70-win mark. The 1995/96 Bulls piled up 72 victories that season en route to another championship.
We’ve seen plenty of star-laden teams since that season. There were the Shaquille O’Neal–Kobe Bryant Lakers during the early 2000s. The formidable trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce with the Celtics. The next super trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Heat. And, of course, the enduring championship Spurs trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Yet none of those units reached the gold standard of 70 regular-season victories. Only six teams in the past decade have recorded at least 65 wins and just two have notched 67 victories — the 2006/07 Mavericks and last year’s Warriors.
It certainly seems as if the Warriors are even better this season, despite the absence of coach Steve Kerr due to health issues. Golden State enters the week as the league’s only undefeated team. The Warriors are 11-0 after surviving their biggest scare of the young season, an overtime win over the Nets. In most games, they’ve won by double digits, highlighted by a 50-point blowout of the Grizzlies.
Reigning league Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry is off to a fabulous start, threatening to add a scoring title to the list of his accomplishments. The core group that produced an NBA championship last season looks as cohesive and as confident as ever, plus they’re getting an unexpected large contribution from Festus Ezeli, who has started all but one game with center Andrew Bogut recovering from a concussion.
This leads us to our question of the day: Will the Warriors become the second team in league history to win 70 games?
Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.