Week In Review 10/4/15-10/10/15
Knicks coach Derek Fisher and Grizzlies small forward Matt Barnes reportedly had a physical confrontation last Saturday in Los Angeles and Fisher is considering legal action for the incident, but has not yet filed any charges. The Knicks, Grizzlies and NBA security have been made aware of the incident and are expected to soon start working together on a probe of the events. “We are aware and currently gathering information regarding today’s report involving Matt Barnes,” the Grizzlies said in a press release. The conflict stemmed from Fisher’s romantic involvement with the estranged wife of Barnes, a former teammate, and when Barnes found out, he allegedly attacked Fisher. Fisher and Barnes’ ex, Gloria Govan, have reportedly been dating for a few months, a relationship that began after Fisher filed to divorce his wife of 10 years, Candace, this past March.
Here’s more from the week that was…
Free Agent Signings
Eastern Conference
- The Hornets signed Damien Wilkins.
- The Pacers signed Kadeem Jack.
- The Cavaliers reached an agreement with Dionte Christmas.
Western Conference
- The Grizzlies signed Sampson Carter.
- The Grizzlies signed Alex Stepheson.
- The Pelicans agreed to a deal with Greg Smith, but Smith failed his physical.
Overseas
- Travis Wear signed with Gipuzkoa Basket of Spain.
- Arinze Onuaku signed with Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv.
You can stay up to date on all of the signings with Hoops Rumors’ free agent tracker.
Waivers
Eastern Conference
- The Pistons waived Eric Griffin.
- The Bucks waived Jon Horford and Charlie Westbrook.
Western Conference
- The Clippers waived center Nikoloz Tskitishvili.
- The Grizzlies waived Daniel Nwaelele.
- The Suns waived Deonte Burton.
- The Grizzlies waived Michael Holyfield.
Contract Options
- The Kings exercised their $4,008,882 team option on Ben McLemore‘s rookie scale deal for 2016/17.
D-League News
- The Pacers officially named Steve Gansey as the head coach of their new D-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
- The Knicks hired Mike Miller as the coach of their D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.
- The Spurs hired Patrick Mutombo and A.J. Diggs as assistant coaches for their D-League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
Miscellaneous News
- Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder and underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair the damage. He is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 campaign as a result.
- Free agent center Nazr Mohammed is considering retiring.
- Prominent NBA agent Happy Walters left Relativity Media and its Relativity Sports offshoot.
- Top 2016 draft prospect Skal Labissiere has reportedly not yet received NCAA clearance to play this season at Kentucky.
- The National Football League gave its OK to Stan Kroenke’s plan to transfer ownership of the Nuggets to his wife, Ann Walton Kroenke, satisfying an NFL rule barring its owners from also owning another pro sports team in an NFL city.
- A Manhattan Criminal Court jury found Thabo Sefolosha not guilty on all three charges levied against him for his involvement in an April incident with New York City police.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 10/9/15
Paul George has reportedly voiced some displeasure with the Pacers’ plan to move him to power forward, though he did say that he’s willing to stick with it for the time being. George added that he felt overmatched trying to guard Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis in the team’s first preseason game, but after meeting with coach Frank Vogel and president of basketball operations Larry Bird, George said on Monday afternoon that he would remain in that role. “We’re going to still stick with it, see how it works,” he told Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star. The fact that George lobbied to scrap the team’s entire offseason plan after one game is “lunacy,” Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel opined. But Vogel told Doyel that he’s not worried about George’s reluctance to play the four. “Well, he’s going to buy in, so I’m not really sure how to answer that,” Vogel said. “We’re going to work together to figure out the best combination of all these things.”
This brings me to the topic/question of the day: What are your thoughts on the Paul George at power forward experiment the Pacers are trying out?
Indiana is essentially moving its best player to an unfamiliar position where he may find himself physically outmatched from time to time. With George still working his way back from the devastating broken leg he suffered last year while playing for Team USA, is this a wise move by the franchise with one of its cornerstone players? How do you think George will fare at the four spot if he remains there for the entire campaign? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.
Pacific Notes: Upshaw, Warren, Williams
Lakers rookie center Robert Upshaw saw his first NBA preseason action during the team’s 105-97 loss to the Raptors on Thursday, and the young big man contributed six points, three rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one turnover in 25 minutes. When asked to assess Upshaw’s first showing for the team, coach Byron Scott said, “He was OK. He made a ton of mistakes on both ends of the floor. That’s probably to be expected in his first game,” Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News relays.
Scott was pleased with how Upshaw is physically rounding into shape, as well as the athleticism Upshaw displayed during Thursday’s contest, Medina adds. “That’s something we didn’t see in summer league,” Scott said. “In summer league, he was much heavier than he is right now. He’s in much better condition right now. He’s much lighter getting up and down the floor. He’s getting off his feet much better. We’re able to see some of the things we kept hearing about.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said that T.J. Warren‘s overall game has improved since last season, and it may make his decision regarding the team’s regular season starter at small forward difficult, writes Matt Petersen of NBA.com. “When we can get him the ball and get him opportunities, he makes the plays,” Hornacek said. “Defensively, he’s much better than he was last year. I like what he’s doing defensively on guys. He’s taking challenges. He’s got a great knack.” P.J. Tucker is Phoenix’s incumbent starter at the three.
- Despite winning the 2014/15 Sixth Man of the Year award, the Raptors didn’t make an effort to re-sign Lou Williams this offseason, but according to Raptors coach Dwane Casey, “It wasn’t for the fact that we didn’t like Lou or want Lou,” Bill Oram of The Orange County Register tweets.
- Williams, who signed a three-year, $21MM deal with the Lakers back in July, was allowed to depart because Toronto had more pressing roster concerns, and not because the Raptors didn’t think he was a valuable player, Oram writes in a full-length piece. “He has a huge value,” Casey said of Williams, “but it depends on the other needs that you have on the team. He won a lot of games last year for us with his scoring. We had nights where we had nothing going, and he would come in and change the game with his scoring. And there’s a value. There’s a huge value to that.”
Poll: 2015/16 Team Power Rankings (No. 14)
The NBA preseason has officially begun, and teams are now in the process of paring down their preseason rosters. Every new season brings with it the hope for each franchise that it will conclude with the hoisting of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. But for the more jaded fans — or practical, depending on your outlook — not every team has a realistic shot at making the playoffs, much less at being the last team standing when all is said and done and the playoffs have concluded.
We at Hoops Rumors want to know what you, the reader, think about each team’s chances this coming campaign. To help facilitate that, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking you to vote on where in the standings each franchise is likely to end the season. So please cast your vote below for the franchise you expect to end the season with the 14th best overall record. But don’t end your involvement with the simple click of a button. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on why you voted the way that you did. We look forward to what you have to say.
Previous Selections:
- No. 30: 76ers
- No. 29: Knicks
- No. 28: Nuggets
- No. 27: Lakers
- No. 26: Nets
- No. 25: Timberwolves
- No. 24: Trail Blazers
- No. 23: Magic
- No. 22: Pistons
- No. 21: Kings
- No. 20: Hornets
- No. 19: Jazz
- No. 18: Suns
- No. 17: Celtics
- No. 16: Pacers
- No. 15: Mavericks
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Southwest Notes: Clippers, Jenkins, Aldridge
Employing daily meditation and a vegan diet, one that he’s trying to convince Anthony Davis to adopt, Chris Douglas-Roberts is taking a more sanguine approach to his career than he used to as he fights for a regular season roster spot on the Pelicans, as John Reid of The Times Picayune details. The Pelicans have six players, including Douglas-Roberts, who don’t have fully guaranteed salary and 13 who do. ”I was a first-team All-American [in college] — top five player in the country — and got drafted second round,” Douglas-Roberts said. ”So I carried a little bit bitterness and anger from that. I still performed when I was given an opportunity. But my energy just wasn’t right. Now my energy is right.”
Here’s more happenings from the Southwest Division:
- John Jenkins has impressed Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle with his aggressive play, though Jenkins, a shooting guard by trade, has had his struggles while filling in at point guard due to a number of injuries, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com writes. “The learning curve is always going to be there with young players. You know, we’ve got some young guys that are getting a real chance to play and are learning things. That said, I really like Jenkins. You know, Jenkins has played a real aggressive game both of the last two nights. He’s shown he can handle the ball a little bit. He’s done a good job, and he’s got to continue doing what he’s been doing,” Carlisle told Sneed.
- The Rockets have been encouraged thus far by the preseason showings of second-year players K.J. McDaniels and Clint Capela, Jenny Dial Creech of The Houston Chronicle notes. Capela was selected with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and McDaniels re-signed with the team over the summer after having been acquired from the Sixers at last February’s deadline in exchange for Isaiah Canaan and a second-round pick.
- LaMarcus Aldridge, who left the Trail Blazers over the summer to sign a four-year, $84MM deal with the Spurs, is still acclimating himself to San Antonio’s system, but he is pleased with his progress thus far, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. After making his preseason debut against his former team, Aldridge said, “The night was [a] little overwhelming because it doesn’t really hit you until you really go put on the jersey and then you go play. I knew I was in San Antonio, but it doesn’t really hit you until you’re on the court trying to figure out how to run an offense again and things like that. But I think the process has been going well so far.“
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Top Bloggers: Jason Patt On The Bulls
Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Ian Levy of Fansided’s Hardwood Paroxysm. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.
Next up is Jason Patt, who is the Managing Editor of TodaysFastbreak.com and a contributor at SBNation’s Blog a Bull. You can follow Jason on Twitter at @Bulls_Jay and click here to check out his stories.
Hoops Rumors: The franchise is apparently banking on the coaching change from Tom Thibodeau to Fred Hoiberg making a big impact in the standings since the team’s roster is essentially intact from a season ago. Do you think the Bulls’ main impediment was Thibs’ system, or are there deeper personnel issues that the team should have addressed over the summer?
Jason Patt: While I anticipate “Hoiball” being a breath of fresh air for this group, it’s not totally fair to pin all of their problems on Thibs’ system. Thibs clearly had his flaws as a coach. He was stubborn. He had some maniacal tendencies with minutes/injuries. The offense too often got stagnant, especially during last year’s playoffs. It was clearly time to move on given those issues and the problems with management.
But the roster had/has its own problems as well. Joakim Noah was a shell of himself last season and has to show he can bounce back. Taj Gibson was playing hurt and is coming off surgery. Derrick Rose remains a question mark. The backup point-guard play was atrocious in the playoffs, and that’s an area that could be a problem this season. Instead of looking to upgrade the position, the Bulls opted to just roll with Aaron Brooks, Kirk Hinrich and E’Twaun Moore to fill that spot. Using Jimmy Butler as more of a point guard could be a solution to this, but it’s something to monitor.
Hoops Rumors: Even though Derrick Rose‘s latest injury was a fluke and can’t be blamed on the player, his durability will always be a concern for all involved with the franchise. With him not helping his cause among the team’s fan base when he said that he was looking forward to free agency in 2017, is it time for the Bulls to consider parting ways with the point guard? If so, what kind of market do you see for Rose’s services given his cap figure and injury concerns?
Jason Patt: I don’t think the Bulls will actively look to trade Derrick Rose, as there’s still some hope he can be a really good player moving forward. He may not be MVP Rose ever again, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he reaches All-Star level.
Hoops Rumors: The Bulls have a glut of power forwards on the roster, including 2015 first-rounder Bobby Portis. How do you see the team’s rotation at the four shaking out this season? Should the team consider dealing one of its power forwards, and if so, who should Chicago look to swap? Why take Portis when the team had other needs, like a backup point guard for instance?
Jason Patt: The Bobby Portis pick was an interesting one given the crowded frontcourt rotation, but I still liked it considering he was the consensus best player available there. He was viewed as a possible lottery pick who fell to 22, so it’s hard to pass that up. Plus, several guys in the frontcourt rotation (Jo/Taj/Pau) are injury prone and getting up there in age, so even though Portis is buried on the depth chart right now, I expect he’ll play at some point due to injuries.
As for how the rotation at the 4 shakes out, I’d love to see Nikola Mirotic start. It makes all the sense in the world considering Hoiberg’s system and the style of play they’ll be utilizing, but I’m not sure if Hoiberg is going to come in and send one of Gasol or Noah to the bench. There’s already been talk about using the Gasol/Noah duo again, so it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s how it starts. Then obviously both Niko and Gibson will get minutes as well, and we may unfortunately see Mirotic at the 3 just to get him on the court.
A way to alleviate some of this logjam would be to make a deal. Gibson’s name has come up in trade rumors, and while I’m a big fan of Taj, it’d behoove the Bulls to explore the market in order to add a wing. Mirotic is the 4 of the future anyway, and now with Portis on board, he could slide into Gibson’s spot in the rotation. While that’s a downgrade, the potential upgrade at the wing/backcourt could make up for it. There’s always the danger of trading Taj and then the other bigs getting hurt, but that’s a risk they may have to take. I don’t think anything will happen now, but depending on how things play out, look for something at the deadline.
Hoops Rumors: 2014 first-rounder Doug McDermott‘s rookie season was unspectacular, to put it nicely. Will he ever justify his status as a lottery pick as well as what the Bulls gave up to acquire his draft rights? How much will the arrival of Fred Hoiberg help/hurt McDermott’s development?
Jason Patt: Doug McDermott’s rookie season was an utter disaster. He was bad, then hurt and then benched. I thought Thibs could’ve given him more of a chance on the wing later in the year, especially with Hinrich offering nothing, but it’s not like Doug showed much in his limited minutes to earn that time.
Hoops Rumors: Jimmy Butler essentially parlayed one stellar season into a five-year, nearly maximum-salary contract that he inked this offseason. Will Butler live up to such a lofty deal, as well as all the expectations that come with the extra zeros on his paycheck? What do you see his stat line being this season under Hoiberg?
Jason Patt: There’s every reason to believe that Butler’s breakout campaign wasn’t a fluke. He’s one of the hardest workers in the league, and he spent all offseason refining his game and looking to improve. He’s trying to take on more of a leadership role this season, and as mentioned, look for him to take on more ball-handling responsibilities. We’ve already seen his improved playmaking in the preseason.
Hoops Rumors: There was quite a bit of talk two seasons ago, prior to Carmelo Anthony re-signing with the Knicks, that had Chicago as one of Melo’s preferred destinations. Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, would the Bulls have been better off today if they had acquired Anthony? Keep in mind that the team would likely have had to part ways with a number of valuable assets to facilitate a sign-and-trade with the Knicks, of course.
Jason Patt: The Melo question is an interesting one, especially in light of his own knee problems and some questions about his star status. Some of it depends on what the Bulls actually would’ve had to give up. Losing Butler and Mirotic in a trade wouldn’t have seemed like a huge deal at the time, but knowing what we do now about everything, that would’ve been a terrible deal for the Bulls. And even if you get Melo without giving up Butler, Jimmy probably doesn’t break out like he does, and/or you have a weird dynamic with Rose/Butler/Melo. In the end, I think it’s OK the Bulls didn’t end up with Melo, although it certainly would be interesting to see how that would’ve turned out because he’s still one of the best scorers in the league.
Hoops Rumors: Finally, it’s crystal ball time. What is your best (educated) guess on how the Bulls will fare in 2015/16?
Jason Patt: Even with all their problems, the Bulls still won 50 games last year, and that same team is back with a refreshing new philosophy. I anticipate them being around that win total again and challenging for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Ultimately, I think they’ll again fall short in the postseason, likely to the Cleveland Cavaliers, although if things break right, the talent is there for a run to the NBA Finals.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 10/8/15
With projected starter Dante Exum likely lost for the entire 2015/16 campaign, Utah will look to 2013 No. 9 overall pick Trey Burke to take over as the team’s primary point guard. While Burke is no stranger to the starting role, having started a total of 111 contests during his first two seasons in the NBA, he hasn’t shown enough for the Jazz to view him as their point guard of the future, which in turn led to the 2014 NBA Draft lottery selection of Exum.
In a recent article, Brad Rock of The Deseret News speculated that this season would likely be the final chance for Burke to establish himself as an NBA starter, and noted that Utah’s playoff hopes in 2015/16 hinged on the play of the 22-year-old playmaker. Burke is certainly a fiery competitor and he has excellent intangibles that don’t show up in the nightly box score, but he also hasn’t shown the ability to shoot consistently since entering the league, with Burke owning a .374 mark from the field for his career. With today’s emphasis on guards who can stretch the floor and make it rain from beyond the arc, this certainly puts Burke at a disadvantage in the eyes of NBA scouts and front offices in regards to his future prospects.
This brings me to today’s topic: Is Trey Burke a viable long-term starting point guard in the NBA?
Do you believe that 2015/16 will be Burke’s breakout season, or is he more likely to disappoint with his play this year? Do you view him as a starting-caliber point guard, or is he better suited to be a reserve? Whichever side of the fence you are on regarding Burke, let’s have your best predictions for his stat line this season. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.
Central Notes: Butler, Jack, Cook, Bullock
The relationship between stars Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose has reportedly been a bit rocky at times, and the discord between the two is a result of Butler not being satisfied with Rose’s work ethic, an unnamed former member of the Bulls tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Personally, the two are great. Professionally is where they have a difference of opinion,” said the source. While Butler does consider Rose a friend, Butler doesn’t have a lot of respect for Rose’s practice habits, and he feels that if Rose is supposed to be the face of the franchise, he should also be one of the hardest workers on the team, Cowley hears. The source also noted that Butler took offense to a comment Rose made during the playoffs last season, when the point guard was asked if Butler had reached superstar status. “I think it’s going to take a little minute for Jimmy to get there,’’ Rose said, according to Cowley.
There are no such concerns regarding Butler’s work ethic from his other teammates and coaching staff, writes Cowley, with new head coach Fred Hoiberg raving about the swingman, saying, “I’m telling you, the amount of work he puts in … even during two-a-days, he would still come in a third time. I mean the guys is unbelievable how much energy he has. He’s just so dedicated to putting the right things in his body, his training, and he wants to continue to add to his game every year. I take my hat off to him. It’s been fun to see everything he’s been able to do out there on the floor.’’
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Pacers‘ signing of power forward Kadeem Jack to a minimum salary, non-guaranteed deal was a developmental move, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star tweets. Indiana intends for Jack to play for its new D-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, this season, Buckner notes.
- With six players vying for the Cavaliers‘ final regular season roster spot, point guard Quinn Cook is making a strong impression on the coaching staff, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “I’ve been fighting my whole life,” Cook said. “Fighting to get in a position to be in high school. Fighting to get playing time at Duke and fighting now for a roster spot. I’m used to fighting, and I’m just happy to be at this point, happy that the Cavaliers are giving me this opportunity.”
- In Detroit, Reggie Bullock has made a strong case to secure himself a roster spot on the Pistons with his hard-nosed defensive play, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. “He’s done everything he can possibly do for us to think about him because he really goes out and defends,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said. “He plays with high energy. I think he stepped up last night and did a good job.”
Poll: 2015/16 Team Power Rankings (No. 15)
NBA training camps have officially begun, and teams are now finalizing their preseason rosters. Every new season brings with it the hope for each franchise that it will conclude with the hoisting of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. But for the more jaded fans — or practical, depending on your outlook — not every team has a realistic shot at making the playoffs, much less at being the last team standing when all is said and done and the playoffs have concluded.
We at Hoops Rumors want to know what you, the reader, think about each team’s chances this coming campaign. To help facilitate that, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking you to vote on where in the standings each franchise is likely to end the season. So please cast your vote below for the franchise you expect to end the season with the 15th best overall record. But don’t end your involvement with the simple click of a button. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on why you voted the way that you did. We look forward to what you have to say.
Previous Selections:
- No. 30: 76ers
- No. 29: Knicks
- No. 28: Nuggets
- No. 27: Lakers
- No. 26: Nets
- No. 25: Timberwolves
- No. 24: Trail Blazers
- No. 23: Magic
- No. 22: Pistons
- No. 21: Kings
- No. 20: Hornets
- No. 19: Jazz
- No. 18: Suns
- No. 17: Celtics
- No. 16: Pacers
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Pacific Notes: Kings, World Peace, Belinelli
Kings coach George Karl sees a world of difference between the team’s culture today and when he first arrived in Sacramento, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. “The spirit in the locker room when I got here last year was, ‘Wow,’ ” Karl said. “I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms and ‘Wow,’ and that wow was not a good wow. It was ‘Wow.’ And now we’ve got a healthy NBA locker room. That’s the one thing I feel right now, and I think we’ve got a vastly improved basketball team.”
The improved team chemistry is a by-product of the veterans the team has added, Jones notes. “Without a doubt,” point guard Darren Collison said of Karl’s assessment. “You’ve got vets like CB [Caron Butler], Rajon Rondo, Kouf [Kosta Koufos], guys that have been on teams where it meant something to them. So they try to instill those same principles into the locker room. It’s been a difference.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers are hoping that Metta World Peace, who is in training camp on a non-guaranteed deal, can contribute beyond being a mentor to the younger players on the roster, Bill Oram of The Orange County Register writes. “I think he just needs to show us that he’s still Metta. … He’s been great in training camp with our young guys,” coach Byron Scott said. “But we want to know if he can play at a high level. That’s the big thing.”
- Marco Belinelli was signed by the Kings this offseason for his outside shooting acumen, but he has impressed the team’s coaching staff with his ability to make his teammates around him better, Jones writes in a separate article. “[Belinelli] has a knack of making other people play the right way, which is an off-the-chart compliment even though you might not take it as a high compliment,” Karl said. “For a coach to say someone makes other people better is a high compliment.”