Atlantic Notes: Bargnani, Scott, Smart
Former Knicks forward Andrea Bargnani indicated that he will “gladly” respond to team president Phil Jackson‘s criticism of his work ethic, but now is not the time, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily relays. “There is a right time for everything,” Bargnani told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I have the answers, but it would be selfish to trigger controversy. Today, the only important thing is the national team. Later, gladly.” In an interview earlier this month Jackson had told ESPN’s Charlie Rosen that Bargnani “was and still is a big tease who seemed like a malingerer,” and that the Zen Master didn’t like the way Bargnani refused to engage in non-contact activities while he was recovering from an injury, nor his on-court intensity. Bargnani, 29, inked a two year deal with the rival Nets this offseason.
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The minimum salary training camp deal that undrafted Ohio State point guard Shannon Scott inked with the Raptors is partially guaranteed for $25K, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter).
- In a look ahead toward 2015/16 the ESPN Summer Forecast Panel was asked to name which member of the Celtics would have a breakout season, and the majority predicted that player would be second year guard Marcus Smart. A number of the panel members pointed to Smart’s increased confidence and leadership that he demonstrated during summer league play as a positive sign of things to come.
- You can see our full roster counts for the Celtics, Knicks, Nets, Raptors, and Sixers by clicking on the link over the desired team’s name.
Greg Oden To Play In China
AUGUST 26TH, 8:18am: Oden has passed his tryout, so his deal is official, Sportando’s Enea Trapani writes. The club’s sponsor company referred to the signing as official earlier this week on Facebook.
AUGUST 12TH, 7:04pm: Former 2007 No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden has signed with the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association, the team announced (translation by RealGM). The exact length and terms of the deal were not announced, though I would speculate that it is a one year pact. Oden was reportedly set to have a tryout with the club at the end of the month, so it’s unclear if this deal is contingent on that.
Oden last appeared in the NBA during the 2013/14 campaign when he played in 23 games for the Heat, averaging 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest. It was the first NBA action since 2009/10 for the oft-injured 7-footer. His career numbers through 105 games are 8.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.2 BPG to go along with a slash line of .574/.000/.648.
The 27-year-old center out of Ohio State reportedly drew eyes from the Mavericks, Hornets and Grizzlies earlier this summer. Oden sat out the 2014/15 campaign as he faced multiple charges related to domestic violence. He avoided jail time as part of a plea agreement in February in which he pleaded guilty to a felony battery charge and the three other charges against him were dismissed.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/25/15
The Hornets and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are reportedly putting the finishing touches on a four-year, $52MM contract extension for the small forward. The 21-year-old out of the University of Kentucky has had an inconsistent NBA career thus far, with him struggling to improve upon his shaky outside game over the past three campaigns. But Kidd-Gilchrist has been working hard behind the scenes to improve upon that aspect of his game, according to coach Steve Clifford, who said, “He’s totally changed his shooting mechanics really more than any player I’ve ever seen. It’s increased his confidence level. His whole leadership, assertiveness on the court and his understanding of the game has come out more for his teammates as he’s gotten more confident.”
While Kidd-Gilchrist apparently has his coach’s support, the results in the stat sheet haven’t been as readily apparent. The player’s field goal percentage from the 2014/15 season was 46.5%, down from the 47.3% of his shots he connected on back in 2013/14. Of course, Clifford was likely referring to Kidd-Gilchrist’s improved shooting form, which will hopefully garner the player and team better results moving forward. The forward did manage to notch career bests in points (10.9) and rebounds last season (7.6), though his campaign was cut short thanks to an ankle injury he suffered at the end of March.
Despite his debatable offensive skills, Kidd-Gilchrist’s defensive abilities are some of the best at his position in the entire league. The Hornets were 27-28 in 2014/15 with him in the lineup and just 7-18 without him on the court. “Last year he was a really good individual defender and a very solid team defender. But now he’s much more verbal and takes much more of a lead in organizing our defense,” Clifford said of Kidd-Gilchrist. “I think he is one of the few guys in this league who has the ability to make it hard on many of the primary scorers.”
This brings me to the topic of the day: Is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist worth the $13MM annually he is set to make on his contract extension?
In today’s NBA, where outside shooting is a major focus, is a throwback type of player like Kidd-Gilchrist worth that level of financial investment? A defensive stopper like Kidd-Gilchrist can change an opponent’s strategy on a nightly basis, which is arguably just as valuable as dropping 20 points a night in the league. The other factor that needs to be considered when weighing the value of any new contract is the impending salary cap explosion that is set to occur next offseason. The economics of deals and how they are viewed are certainly going to change over the next few seasons as a result, which could potentially make $13MM per season for the young forward seem like a bargain.
What do you think? Is $13MM in line with what Kidd-Gildchrist is worth on the open market? If he were to hit unrestricted free agency, what sort of offers do you think he would draw? Take to the comments section below to weigh in with your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have top say.
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.
Western Notes: Waiters, Ezeli, Withey
The Thunder are open to the idea of a rookie scale extension for Dion Waiters, but only if the shooting guard is willing to give them a discount, sources tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. That casts doubt on whether the former No. 4 overall pick would sign before the deadline this fall, particularly coming off a career-low scoring average this past season.
Here’s more out of the Western Conference:
- The Warriors would sign Festus Ezeli to a rookie scale extension if the price is right, Kyler also relays. GM Bob Myers recently indicated to Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com that the team would consider the idea of doing a deal with the backup center that would keep him out of restricted free agency next summer.
- The two-year pact that Jeff Withey inked with the Jazz includes a partial guarantee of $200K, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link).
- Mavericks swingman Wesley Matthews told Mavs.com scribe Bobby Karalla (on Twitter) that he will be ready to play come opening night. The shooting guard tore his left Achilles tendon on March 5th, and missed the last 22 games of the 2014/15 season. Matthews inked a four-year max deal with Dallas this offseason.
- The most likely scenario for the Jazz heading into training camp will be for the team to stand pat and continue to carry just four point guards on its roster, Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune tweets. Utah, in the wake of the season-ending injury Dante Exum suffered, plans on going with Trey Burke as the starter, and will utilize Raul Neto and Bryce Cotton as the reserves. The Jazz are said to be interested in acquiring Wizards guard Garrett Temple, but Washington reportedly isn’t in any rush to part with the 29-year-old.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Poll: 2003 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 3)
Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. I’m willing to bet that every team executive has at least one pick that he would like a mulligan for. While life, and the NBA, doesn’t allow for such opportunities, we at Hoops Rumors decided it would be fun to give our readers a second take at picking players, complete with the benefit of hindsight.
We are in the process of taking you on a journey back to June of 2003, and revisiting a draft that saw the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh available to potentially change the fortunes of a few struggling franchises. Wade was the first of that group to win an NBA championship, though James and Bosh would later join him in Miami and go on to win multiple titles together years later, while Melo is still seeking his first trip to the NBA Finals. Detroit, which owned the No. 2 overall pick that season, chose to go with Darko Milicic, who didn’t work out so well for the Pistons. Not all picks pan out, but that one is especially painful given the talent that the Pistons passed over to select the big man, who owns career averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds, and has been out of the NBA since making a single appearance for the Celtics back in 2012/13.
We continue our revisionist history with the Nuggets, who used the No. 3 overall pick to select Anthony, who still happens to be on the board in our draft. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Denver’s pick and check back Wednesday night for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Raptors will select with the No. 4 overall pick. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 3 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
Previous Picks
- Cavaliers: LeBron James
- Pistons: Dwyane Wade
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Heat Sign Keith Benson For Camp
AUGUST 25TH, 3:58pm: The deal is official, the team announced.
AUGUST 19TH, 2:44pm: Benson is getting a one-year deal for the minimum salary without any guaranteed money, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). It has limited injury protection, Pincus adds, so it appears it’s an Exhibit 9 contract.
AUGUST 14TH, 6:33pm: Unrestricted free agent center Keith Benson has agreed to a deal with the Heat, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (Twitter link). The length and terms of the agreement are not yet known, but Charania describes it as a training camp deal, which means that it is likely for the minimum salary and may contain a small partial guarantee, though that is merely my speculation.
The 6’11”, 27-year-old, was a second round pick of the Hawks back in the 2011 NBA Draft. His only NBA regular season action came during the 2011/12 campaign when he went scoreless in three appearances for the Warriors. Benson played his college ball at the University of Oakland, notching career averages of 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists, and owning a slash line of .558/.379/.679. The big man spent last season playing overseas for both Neptūnas of Lithuania and the Estonian club BC Kalev/Cramo.
The addition of Benson will give the Heat a roster count of 16 players, 12 of whom possess fully guaranteed contracts.
Poll: 2003 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 2)
Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. I’m willing to bet that every team executive has at least one pick that he would like a mulligan for. While life, and the NBA, doesn’t allow for such opportunities, we at Hoops Rumors decided it would be fun to give our readers a second take at picking players, complete with the benefit of hindsight.
We are in the process of taking you on a journey back to June of 2003, and revisiting a draft that saw the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh available to potentially change the fortunes of a few struggling franchises. Wade was the first of that group to win an NBA championship, though James and Bosh would later join him in Miami and go on to win multiple titles together years later, while Melo is still seeking his first trip to the NBA Finals. Detroit, which owned the No. 2 overall pick that season, chose to go with Darko Milicic, who didn’t work out so well for the Pistons. Not all picks pan out, but that one is especially painful given the talent that the Pistons passed over to select the big man, who owns career averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds, and has been out of the NBA since making a single appearance for the Celtics back in 2012/13.
We continue our revisionist history with those same Pistons, who had acquired the second overall pick from the Grizzlies as part of the 1997 trade that sent Otis Thorpe to Memphis. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Detroit’s pick and check back Tuesday night for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Nuggets will select with the No. 3 overall pick. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 2 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
Previous Picks
- Cavaliers: LeBron James
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Western Notes: Crawford, Dejean-Jones, Prince
There are reportedly multiple teams, including the Knicks, Heat, and Cavaliers, that are interested in swinging a deal with the Clippers to acquire sixth man Jamal Crawford. But Los Angeles isn’t currently motivated to give up Crawford without garnering a useful return, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register relays in a series of tweets. It wouldn’t be a wise move to deal Crawford, who is extremely valuable as a bench piece, for a backup caliber point guard or center, Woike opines. The Orange County Register scribe believes that the smarter move for the Clippers would be to hold onto Crawford and see how the team’s roster shakes out in training camp to better assess what the team’s needs are before making a decision.
Here’s what else is happening around the Western Conference:
- The Pelicans dipped into their mid-level exception to sign undrafted shooting guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. The pact includes a partial guarantee of $50K for the 2015/16 campaign, while the other two seasons of the deal are non-guaranteed, Pincus adds.
- According to league sources, the Jazz have yet to contact other teams or free agents regarding adding another point guard in the wake of Dante Exum‘s season-ending knee injury, Andy Larsen of KSL.com relays (Twitter links). Utah appears content to begin the season with Trey Burke, Bryce Cotton, and Raul Neto, and will potentially look to acquire additional help later in the season if needed, Larsen adds. There were reports that the Jazz had interest in acquiring Garrett Temple from the Wizards, but Washington reportedly isn’t anxious to to move Temple, and he wouldn’t come cheaply if they were so inclined.
- Tayshaun Prince‘s minimum salary arrangement with the Timberwolves for the 2015/16 season is fully guaranteed, Pincus tweets. The addition of Prince gives Minnesota 16 fully guaranteed pacts, according to our roster count for the team.
Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 8/16/15-8/22/15
In addition to our weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap, or the NBA draft? Drop me a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com or @EddieScarito on Twitter. Now for this week’s inquiries:
“Now that the Mavs have a glut of centers, which player gets the axe before the start of the season?” — Orien
Well, let me first point out that while Dallas currently has five players who can play the pivot, none of them should especially excite fans of the team. Zaza Pachulia is the likely starter, and while he’s serviceable enough, he’s not exactly going to be an All-Star next season. Samuel Dalembert should have the inside track on being the backup, which is in line with his production level. As for the rest of Dallas’ options at the five, the most intriguing is JaVale McGee, who possesses the highest upside of the lot. That’s not to say McGee will make anyone forget Tyson Chandler, but he’s certainly capable of being the x-factor at center next season for the Mavs…if he’s healthy AND makes the opening night roster. I don’t see Salah Mejri or Jarrid Famous making much of an impact in 2015/16, although perhaps the Texas Legends may benefit from one or both of them in the D-League this coming season. The Mavs’ best hope may be to try and mine some gold when training camp cuts begin, or to hope they can luck out with a D-League player once the season is underway like the Heat did with Hassan Whiteside.
“Is Ricky Rubio on borrowed time in Minnesota, and if so, where might he end up?” — Victor
I don’t know if I’d classify Rubio as being on borrowed time, though I’m sure that Minnesota would listen intently to any reasonable trade offer it received for the 24-year-old. After four NBA seasons, three of which were cut short due to injuries, it’s still difficult to nail down just what kind of player Rubio is, and can be. The Wolves are a team on the rise, and are packed with exciting young talent — including Rubio, though I don’t necessarily think he’s a good fit for their roster as it is currently constituted. Minnesota is badly in need of players who can stretch the floor, something that Rubio, who owns a career slash line of .367/.314/.801, has not demonstrated the capability of doing.
Rubio’s contract will also make him difficult to deal this season, with him set to earn $12.7MM. While the team could probably find a taker, the likely return at this point in the offseason wouldn’t be much to write home about. At the very least, the Wolves would most likely have to take back at least one less than desirable contract to get a deal done. I believe that the franchise would be best served to see what kind of season Rubio can put together, if he can finally remain healthy, and how well he meshes with the team’s core of Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Karl-Anthony Towns. If Rubio is in fact dealt, I could see him ending up on the Knicks, though they would need to get very creative to fit in his deal with their current cap situation. With New York not being able to make a big splash in free agency, landing Rubio, who would be an upgrade for the Knicks at point guard, may end up being something that both sides explore. But if I had to guess, I’d say there’s a 95% chance that Rubio is on Minnesota’s roster to begin the season, with him being a potential trade deadline move for the Wolves.
“Will the Pistons deal Brandon Jennings before the season begins?” — Charlie
It’s a pretty good bet that Stan Van Gundy would love to remove Jennings’ salary of $8,344,497 from Detroit’s cap figure prior to October, but it’s highly unlikely that he will be able to. With the point guard recovering from Achilles surgery, and potentially out of action until December, I seriously doubt that there would be too many takers at this point. The Sixers are always a possibility to take on expiring contracts like Jennings’ in exchange for drat picks, and they are in need of a stopgap at the one spot, but it’s still highly improbable. The most likely scenario is that Detroit hangs onto Jennings and hopes that he shows enough prior to the trade deadline that the Pistons can extract some value from a player who they are unlikely to re-sign next Summer.
“As a Knicks fan (which you have admitted to being), what is your take on their offseason? What is your prediction for the team’s record this coming season?” — Luis
Yes, it’s true…my name is Eddie, and I’m a New York Knicks fan. Now that my terrible secret is out, on to your question. New York’s offseason, which began with dreams of landing LaMarcus Aldridge and/or DeAndre Jordan, instead brought Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, and Kyle O’Quinn to the Big Apple. Not a great haul on first blush, though I think the additions of Afflalo, Lopez, and O’Quinn were solid ones. Williams…not so much. He isn’t a good fit for the triangle, not a great rebounder, and I’m not sure how well he’ll mesh with Melo when/if they play alongside one another. Adding backcourt depth and another big should have been a bigger priority than inking Williams.
I think it’s time for both the team and its fans to realize that there is no quick fix coming. Kevin Durant isn’t signing with New York next Summer, nor is LeBron James. This will be a much more drawn out process than simply loading up on star-level talent during the Summer. It’s also a process that Phil Jackson won’t be around for the end of, regardless of if he finishes out his five-year contract or not. Which for the record, I’d say he won’t. But the addition of Afflalo will be a huge boon for Melo, and Lopez, provided he can remain healthy, will certainly improve the team’s rebounding numbers. I’m also a huge fan of adding O’Quinn, who could really have a breakout season for the team, provided he gets the necessary minutes.
I discussed my feeling regarding the addition of Kristaps Porzingis in last week’s mailbag. But in case you missed that, I’ve grown to be a fan of the pick, though he’s realistically two seasons away from blossoming into a steady contributor. Hopefully the team, and its fans, will have the patience to let the kid develop on the fly. But the best addition that Jackson made on draft night was acquiring Jerian Grant. Regardless of Anthony’s feelings on the matter, flipping Tim Hardaway Jr. for Grant was a fantastic move, as Grant is a much better fit for the team’s system, and he plays point guard, a position of need for the Knicks.
As for my season prediction for New York, I’ll definitely say they’ll be a better squad than the D-League caliber bunch that finished out the season. Reaching the playoffs in the East is definitely within reach, but advancing past the first round is likely a pipe dream. Look for the Knicks to win between 30-38 games in 2015/16, and possibly snag the eighth playoff spot. Expecting anything more will lead to heartbreak. Something Knicks fans know all too well…
Well, that’s all the space I have for this week. Thanks again to all who sent in their inquiries, and please keep them coming! I’ll be back next week with more responses.
Hoops Rumors Originals 8/16/15-8/22/15
Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week…
- In his weekly column, Sam Amico, the founder and editor of AmicoHoops.net and a broadcast journalist for Fox Sports Ohio, looked at the rise of the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Chuck Myron looked at Markieff Morris as a trade candidate.
- If you missed the week’s live chat, you can view the transcript here.
- Chuck looked at the Rockets’ quandary regarding signing 2015 draftee Montrezl Harrell.
- Dana Gauruder examined the free agent stock of guard Norris Cole.
- Chuck ran down the players who are eligible for veteran extensions.
- I broke down the 2015/16 salary cap commitments for the Rockets, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Pacers, and Grizzlies.
- Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- We asked readers to vote on who they would select if they had the chance to redo the lottery portion of the 2013 NBA Draft. Here are the results for the No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, and No. 14 overall picks. We began a look back at the 2003 draft, and here’s the results for the No. 1 overall pick.
- Chuck examined the Clippers’ Jamal Crawford as a trade candidate.
- If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
- I answered reader questions in Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag.
- Chuck looked at the players who possess trade kickers in their contracts.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feeds.
- We looked at who are the longest tenured NBA coaches.
- Chuck looked at the teams that possess the most rookie scale contracts on their books.
- We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
- We took a look at the maximum salary extensions that have been signed in July, August or September under the current collective bargaining agreement.