Western Rumors: Bennett, Morris, Clippers
Anthony Bennett’s spirited play with the Canadian national team at the FIBA Americas tournament provides hope that he can still live up to his status as the top pick in the 2013 draft, Eric Koreen of the National Post reports. The Timberwolves power forward has endeared himself to Canada coach Jay Triano by running the floor, setting screens and attacking the rim, Koreen continues. “I think Anthony Bennett’s summer has been absolutely fantastic for us,” Triano told reporters at the tournament. “He’s engaged in everything that we do on the floor, off the floor, rebounding. We’ve asked him to rebound, and he’s done it on a continuous basis. He runs the floor on a continuous basis. He provides help on the defensive end. He understands our defensive system.” Canada has not featured Bennett much offensively, but he has been effective when given opportunities, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun points out. Bennett was shooting 68.2% on two-point attempts while averaging 10.3 points and 7.3 rebounds through the team’s first four games. Bennett has been Canada’s de facto center but with Minnesota using its No. 1 overall pick on Karl-Anthony Towns this summer and plenty of competition in a crowded frontcourt, Bennett might not be able to display his improvement immediately, Koreen adds.
In other news around the Western Conference:
- The Raptors, Magic, Celtics, Rockets and Pistons are the five most logical landing spots for disgruntled Suns power forward Markieff Morris, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders opines. Morris, who is entering the first year of a four-year, $32MM extension, demanded a trade after Phoenix dealt his brother, Marcus Morris, to the Pistons in July.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer turned down an offer of $60MM annually from Fox Sports to broadcast his team’s games locally, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Ballmer asked for $100MM annually, executives familiar with the talks told Turner, but Fox declined. Ballmer is considering other options, including creating his own network and streaming the games, Turner adds.
Extension Candidate: Evan Fournier
Tobias Harris failed to come to a rookie scale extension agreement with the Magic last fall. That turned into a windfall for Harris. Heading into restricted free agency, he wound up as Orlando’s third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder last season.
His strong season made him one of the most attractive small forwards on the market this summer. The Magic locked him up with a four-year, $64MM contract.
Could a similar scenario play out between Evan Fournier and the Magic this season? Fournier has shown plenty of promise in his first three seasons and his playing time has steadily increased. Athletic wing players with a reliable 3-point shot are in high demand and Fournier fits the mold. As a backup, Fournier will not approach Harris’ contract figures but he’s undoubtedly worthy of a significant pay jump from the $2,288,205 he’ll make this season.
Steve Kyler of Basketball insiders recently reported that sources close to the negotiations believe that an extension agreement between the parties could be reached before the end of training camp. The dilemma for Fournier is whether he should agree to a multi-year deal now or take the same path as Harris — increasing his value with a productive season and then cashing in next summer.
As Kyler points out, Fournier might also want to see where he fits in the Magic’s future. He’s stuck behind Victor Oladipo at shooting guard and there’s limited time available at small forward with Harris and lottery pick Mario Hezonja at that spot.
The Nuggets selected Fournier with No. 20 overall pick in the 2012 draft and he made good use of his limited playing time in his first season. He appeared in 38 games and averaged 5.3 points in 11.3 minutes, shooting 49.3% from the field and 40.7% on 3-point attempts.
His role in Denver expanded during his second season and his shooting percentage, predictably, took a hit from the lofty averages he posted as a rookie. He appeared in twice as many games, averaging 8.3 points in 19.8 minutes while shooting 41.9% overall and a still-healthy 37.6% from long range.
The Nuggets decided to bring in a more experienced shooting guard prior to last season, dealing Fournier along with Roy Devyn Marble to the Magic in exchange for Arron Afflalo. The Magic exercised their fourth-year team option on Fournier last October, extending his contract through this season.
The 6’7” Fournier missed 24 games last season, mainly due to a hip injury, but was a rotation player when healthy. He averaged 12.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 28.6 minutes. He improved upon his shooting averages from the previous year at 44.0% overall and 37.8% on 3-point tries.
Advanced stats put the Bouna Ndiaye client in the middle of the pack among his peers. He ranked 35th out of 91 shooting guards in ESPN’s Real Plus/Minus rankings last season. His PER of 12.47 was below the league standard of 15.0 but an improvement over the 10.36 rating during his second season.
Fournier’s VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) rating on Basketball Reference was a minus 0.1 last season, mainly due to defensive shortcomings. He had a 0.2 Offensive Box Plus/Minus rating but a career-worst minus 2.3 Defensive Box Plus/Minus rating.
There remains a significant hole in Fournier’s offensive game. He needs to improve from the 3-16 feet area. Last season, he shot just 25% from 3-10 feet and 21.7% from 10-16 feet. He could also find his teammates more often. His assist percentage was a modest 11.5.
Defensively, he needs even more work. Perhaps new coach Scott Skiles can draw that out of him. Fournier has the quickness and length to be an above-average defender. A coach who emphasizes defense as a prerequisite to playing time may be just what Fournier needs to become a better two-way player.
If Fournier improves on that end of the floor, his overall value will invariably shoot upward. Will Fournier take a chance that he’ll stay on Skiles’ good side and keep his rotation spot? Or will he take the Magic’s best offer before the November 2nd deadline and give himself peace of mind heading into the season? For a young player without a starting role, that’s not an easy decision.
Eastern Rumors: Haslem, Pistons, Smart
Udonis Haslem is unlikely to be part of the Heat’s rotation this season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel opines. Winderman points out that Hassan Whiteside, Chris Andersen and Amar’e Stoudemire are Miami’s top options at center while Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts should receive a majority of the minutes at power forward. Haslem could see his role expand if the Heat trade either Andersen or McRoberts, Winderman adds. Haslem’s spot on the roster is secure, as he is signed for a guaranteed $2.9MM.
In other news around the Eastern Conference:
- Platinum Equity founder and Pistons owner Tom Gores is buying his firm’s stake in the team, which would give him 100% ownership of the franchise, sources with knowledge of the transaction have informed Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg News (story hosted by The Detroit News). Gores, who currently owns 51% of the franchise, is the founder and CEO of the company he’s purchasing the shares from, so his level of control is not likely to change significantly as a result of the deal. The league has already approved the transaction, though it has yet to be officially announced, Soshnick adds.
- Celtics point guard Marcus Smart has been named in a lawsuit filed by former Oklahoma State guard Stevie Clark, accusing Smart of “hazing and disrespect,” A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com reports. In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, Clark alleges that head coach Travis Ford put him on drugs, without his consent, after he expressed frustration to Ford about the alleged hazing from Smart, Blakely continues. The complaint also names the university, its Board of Regents and Ford, Blakely adds.
- The Knicks’ 17-win season in 2014/15 has affected their ticket sales for the upcoming season, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. According to a Madison Square Garden spokesman, season tickets were renewed at an 87% rate, compared to 92% last summer, Berman continues. If the Knicks get off to a poor start, their 201-game sellout streak could be in danger, Berman adds.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this report.
Nate Robinson Mulls Move To China
Veteran point guard Nate Robinson is considering an offer from the Sichuan Blue Whales in the Chinese league, a source told international journalist David Pick (Twitter link).
Robinson played for the Clippers last season on a pair of 10-day contracts but they opted not to sign him for the rest of the season because of a left knee injury. The Clippers wound up re-signing Lester Hudson heading into the playoffs because of lingering concerns over Robinson’s sore left knee. Robinson appeared in nine games with the Clippers, averaging 5.1 points and 2.2 assists in 14.0 minutes.
Robinson began last season with the Nuggets and appeared in 33 games before he was traded to the Celtics in January for another veteran point guard, Jameer Nelson. Robinson quickly reached a buyout agreement and was waived by Boston in mid-January.
The 31-year-old Robinson has also played for the Knicks, Warriors, Thunder and Bulls in a career that began during the 2005/06 season.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/31/15
There was plenty of drama and intrigue regarding this summer’s free agent class, highlighted by All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge signing with the Spurs and the DeAndre Jordan saga, which ultimately left the Mavs fuming and the Clippers rejoicing.
Next summer promises to be another fascinating chapter in the league’s annual player sweepstakes but no other situation bears more watching than Kevin Durant’s decision on his long-term future. Durant, who will make more than $20MM this season, becomes an unrestricted free agent in July. The prospect of one of the league’s true superstars going on the market will have executives and fans around the league salivating. As Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding recently put it, Durant’s foray into the open market is shaping up as the “biggest non-LeBron free agency the NBA has ever seen.”
It’s no secret that the Wizards have been clearing salary-cap space to make a run at the Washington, D.C. native. The Mavs, Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Nets are other teams expected to make a spirited run at Durant. Several other suitors are likely to surface in the Durant sweepstakes by the time next summer rolls around.
Of course, it’s no lock that Durant will change uniforms. If he fully recovers from the foot injuries that plagued him last season, Durant could lead the Thunder to their second appearance in the NBA Finals. The dynamic duo of Durant and Russell Westbrook now has an interior scoring threat with the presence of Enes Kanter, and Serge Ibaka is still around to provide rebounding and defense in the middle. A deep playoff run, perhaps even a championship, could convince Durant to stay right where he is.
Thus, our question of the day is as follows: Will Kevin Durant re-sign with the Thunder or will he change uniforms next summer? If he leaves, which team has the best chance to land his services?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on Durant’s future.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
And-Ones: Williams, Davis, Bucks
The Mavericks have seen encouraging signs from Deron Williams during informal workouts, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets. Williams, who appears lean and quick, feels he has a lot to prove, MacMahon adds. Williams signed with the Mavs in July to be their starting point guard after he secured his release from the Nets via a buyout agreement. He received a two-year deal worth $10MM that includes a player option.
In other news around the league:
- Anthony Davis said there was little doubt that he would sign an extension with the Pelicans rather than test the free agent waters, he told SLAM’s Christopher Cason in a Q&A session. “I knew I was going back to New Orleans,” he said. “I love the city, love what the team is doing and I have faith in the coaching staff and my teammates. It was an easy decision for me.”
- An overflow crowd packed a Milwaukee City Hall meeting as the public was given its first opportunity to formally comment on a funding plan to build a new Bucks arena, Greg Moore of the Associated Press reports. Milwaukee Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux laid out how the city plans to generate its $47MM share of public funding for a new arena and entertainment district, primarily through special tax districts, Moore continues. While a majority of those who spoke favored the plan, a group called Common Ground questioned why the city would help pay for the project rather than invest in the neighborhood or school improvements, Moore adds.
- The Celtics extended their exclusive affiliation with the D-League’s Maine Red Claws through the 2017/18 season, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports. The Celtics became Maine’s lone affiliate and took over its basketball operations in 2012. Last season, the Celtics assigned a total of six players to the Red Claws, Himmelsbach adds.
Pacific Rumors: Bryant, Kings, Rivers
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant addressed their previous feuds as Lakers teammates and made it clear they now have an amicable relationship during a podcast hosted by O’Neal and his co-host John Kincade, with the transcript posted on the team’s website. O’Neal declared that his disagreements with Bryant gave both of them motivation to play their best. “I just want to clear the air and let everyone know that: No, I don’t hate you,” O’Neal said. “We had a lot of disagreements. We had a lot of arguments. But I think it fueled us.” Bryant reflected that his issues with O’Neal made him understand how to handle future problems with teammates. “To me, the most important thing was really to just keep your mouth shut. You don’t need to go to the press with stuff,” he said. “You keep it internal. We have our arguments and our disagreements, but I think having our debates within the press was something I wish would have been avoided. … But I enjoyed playing with him. I had a great, great, great time playing with him, and I appreciate it to this day.”
In other news around the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers will “probably” sign one to three more players before training camp, a league source told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. That will apparently include Marcelo Huertas, who agreed to a one-year deal with the club on Monday. Metta World Peace has also discussed a contract with the team, Medina adds.
- Vlade Divac has been named Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the Kings amid a number of front office personnel moves announced by the club via the team’s website. Divac had been hired in March as the club’s VP of Basketball and Franchise Operations. Mike Bratz has been named Assistant GM, Roland Beech was hired as VP of Basketball Strategy and Data Science and former Kings player Peja Stojakovic was announced as Director of Player Personnel and Development.
- Austin Rivers has signed with ASM Sports, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (Twitter link). Andy Miller and Andrew Vye will represent the Clippers guard. Earlier in the day, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported that Clippers teammate DeAndre Jordan had dropped Relativity Sports agents Dan Fegan and Jarinn Akana as his representatives.
Extension Candidate: Dion Waiters
The top three picks of the 2012 draft have already established themselves as top-level talents during their first three seasons.
Top pick Anthony Davis quickly emerged one of the league’s crown jewels, a budding superstar who agreed to a max entension with the Pelicans at the eve of free agency this summer. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has become the Hornets’ defensive linchpin, and the two parties agreed on a four-year, $52MM extension this summer. Bradley Beal and the Wizards have not come to terms on a extension, but he’s one of the most feared shooters in the league and should eventually receive a contract at or near the max.
The No. 4 pick of that draft, Dion Waiters, finds himself in an entirely different situation after three disappointing seasons to start his NBA career. The Cavaliers thought they had their backcourt for the next decade when they drafted Waiters to pair up with Kyrie Irving. Instead, the duo reportedly failed to click on a personal level and never developed the on-court chemistry that the franchise had envisioned. Cleveland shipped Waiters to the Thunder during last season, offering the 6’4” shooting guard a fresh start.
While Waiters appeared to be more content with his new surroundings, it didn’t translate to on-court success. He averaged 10.5 points in 23.8 minutes while shooting 40.4% from the field and 25.6% from 3-point range prior to the deal last season. With the Thunder, he averaged 12.7 points in 30.3 minutes while shooting 39.2% overall and 31.9% from long range. He regressed from his second year averages of 15.0 PPG, 43.3% overall shooting and 36.8% on threes. His ESPN Hollinger PER rating of 10.93 last season was well below the league standard of 15.0 and 59th among shooting guards.
Other advanced metrics show how much work Waiters must do to improve his game. He ranked 85th out of 91 in ESPN’s Real Plus/Minus rating for shooting guards last season. Waiters’ VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) rating calculated by Basketball Reference was a minus 0.9, compared to minus 0.5 in his rookie season and 0.0 in his second year. His Offensive Box Plus/Minus Rating has been below zero in each of his seasons, including a career-worst minus 2.1 last season. His Defensive Box Plus/Minus Rating was a minus 1.5, though that was actually an improvement over his first two seasons.
Waiters can carve out a niche as a volume scorer but he has to be more efficient and take better shots. His midrange game certainly needs some work. He’s taken just 16.2% of his shots from 3-16 feet during his first three seasons, making just 29.4% from 3-10 feet and 41.3% from 10-16 feet. His 3-point shooting needs to at least return to the form he showed in 2013/14.
He also needs to create more for his teammates. He had 3.0 assists per game in that 2013/14 season, but that dropped to 2.0 last season.
Despite those statistical drawbacks, Waiters has gained a measure of respect from the Thunder organization. They are reportedly willing to give him a rookie scale extension before the November 2nd deadline if he’s willing to offer them a discount. For his part, Waiters has expressed excitement over the hiring of Billy Donovan as head coach and the veteran staff Donovan brought in. Waiters, who will make $5,138,430 this season, believes the new staff will help him expand his game.
Waiters should have a prominent role with the Thunder this season, though it remains to be seen how he’ll mesh with a healthy Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Waiters bristled in Cleveland over his catch-and-shoot role, but he’d have a similar role if he’s in the starting lineup with two of the league’s most dynamic scorers. He’d probably be more comfortable as a sixth man with only one of them off the court, which would afford him more scoring opportunities.
If Waiters doesn’t accept the discount, he may opt to gamble on having a strong season and then become a restricted free agent next summer. With the salary cap spiking upward, he could get a multiyear offer sheet from an offensively challenged club and gain long-term security, whether or not the Thunder decide to match. It’s an interesting choice, or perhaps dilemma, for a player who has not come close to living up his draft status.
Latest On Celtics Extension Negotiations
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge confirmed an earlier report from Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that they’ve had talks about an extension with Tyler Zeller, and he said they’re engaged in discussions with Jared Sullinger, too, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The negotiations are preliminary, according to Himmelsbach.
“Obviously, those are two guys that we like moving forward,” Ainge said to Himmelsbach. “So, yeah, there will be more discussions with both of them, probably during the month of October.”
They, along with offseason trade acquisition Perry Jones III, are eligible for rookie scale extensions between now and November 2nd, but Jones doesn’t appear to be a lock to so much as make the opening night roster, Himmelsbach writes.
Zeller is the most likely of the three to receive an extension, Himmelsbach opines. That’s the same sentiment expressed by CSNNE.com’s A. Sherrod Blakely in an earlier report. Grantland’s Zach Lowe speculated recently that the Celtics would extend Zeller as long as the annual salaries are worth less than $12MM.
The 7-foot center averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds last season and shot a team-high 54.9% from the field. Zeller and Kelly Olynyk are the only true centers on the current roster, though Sullinger and David Lee can slide to that spot in smaller lineups.
Sullinger averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 58 games last year but has undergone back and foot surgeries, Himmelsbach notes. There are also lingering questions about his conditioning, Himmelsbach adds, though an apparently slimmer Sullinger has been training in Houston with former NBA player and coach John Lucas for much of the summer.
Boston’s front office challenged Sullinger after last season to get in better shape. Ainge told ESPNBoston.com’s Jackie MacMullan in March that he would have “great interest” in giving Sullinger an extension, but a weight clause would likely be part of any deal. The Celtics can afford to be more cautious with Sullinger compared to Zeller because they have four other power forwards on the roster.
Hornets Sign Michael Kidd-Gilchrist To Extension
TUESDAY, 12:40pm: The deal is official, the Hornets announced.
“Michael is a huge part of what we are trying to build here in Charlotte,” GM Rich Cho said in the team’s statement. “He has dedicated himself to improving and expanding his game. Michael continues to develop on both ends of the court and has become a key piece of our team. We are thrilled that he is a Charlotte Hornet.”
MONDAY, 8:09pm: The Hornets are close to signing forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to a four-year, $52MM contract extension, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The agreement will be finalized this week with a news conference to follow, sources told Wojnarowski. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer confirms the deal and adds that the Leon Rose client will take a physical on Tuesday (Twitter link).
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft will make $6,331,404 this season before the extension kicks in.
Kidd-Gilchrist averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds for Charlotte last season, his third in the league. He only appeared in 55 games before an ankle injury cut his season short.
The 21-year-old small forward has a reputation for being a stout one-on-one defender, and his player efficiency rating of 15.14 last season reflects that despite his relatively modest offensive contributions and the fact he’s averaged less than one block and one steal in each of his seasons. Hornets coach Steve Clifford proclaimed in March that Kidd-Gilchrist has the talent to become the best perimeter defender in this generation of NBA players.
He’s shot 46.4% from the field in his short career, though he’s not a threat from the 3-point line. He’s made only three shots from long range and didn’t even attempt one last season.