Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/12/15
Suns forward Markieff Morris has reportedly demanded a trade that would remove him from Phoenix prior to the start of the 2015/16 campaign. Markieff and his twin brother, Marcus, had both inked extensions with the Suns last September with the intention of remaining together throughout their respective playing careers. Unfortunately for the twins, Marcus was dealt early in July to the Pistons in an effort for Phoenix to clear the necessary cap space to make a run at unrestricted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge, who ended up signing with the Spurs.
Markieff has painted himself into a bit of a corner, as well as likely reduced any potential return that Phoenix would receive for him, with his pointed statements toward the Suns organization. “One thing for sure, I am not going to be there,” Morris said on Tuesday of Phoenix. “If you want to put that out there, you can put that out,” he added. “. . . I am not to going to be there at all.” According to the report by Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Morris isn’t upset that the team traded his brother, but instead believes he was misled by the team, as well as feels slighted by how he and Marcus were informed of the deal with Detroit.
So here’s the topic of the day: How will the Markieff Morris/Suns situation be resolved?
Will Phoenix be able to find a taker for Morris, or is a buyout arrangement in the cards? If Morris is in fact traded, what team do you see as being a good fit for him and his salary? What kind of return will the Suns be able to get for the 25-year-old? Or do you see the two sides working out their differences, even if it is for the short term? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to 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 me a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com or hit me up on Twitter at @EddieScarito to submit topics or ideas for what we should present in future posts.
2015/16 NBA Team Schedules Released
The league has released the official team schedules for the 2015/16 NBA season this evening. One of the primary goals the league had in creating this year’s schedule was to reduce the number of back-to-back games and four games in five days that NBA teams play, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. In an effort to reduce wear and tear on the players the NBA was able to cut the average amount of back-to-backs per team from 19.3 last season to 17.8 for 2015/16. Other changes include reducing the amount of four games in five days teams will play from 2.3 in 2014/15 to .9 this coming season, as well as reducing the distance each team will be required to travel by 2%, according to Zillgitt.
“I think this is the best schedule that we’ve ever produced,” NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe told Zillgitt. “We are extremely mindful of player rest, recuperation and we were able to reduce four games in five nights and back-to-backs to all-time lows. We want to be mindful of putting the best product on the floor that we possibly can. The rigors of an NBA season are tough. Nobody denies that.”
Listed below are links to the full 2015/16 season schedules for each NBA team organized by Conference and Division:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
Central Division
Southeast Division
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
Pacific Division
Southwest Division
Central Notes: Williams, Kirk, Douglas
The opportunity to play for an NBA title is what ultimately led to Mo Williams‘ decision to sign with the Cavs, Chris Fedor of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “It feels home,” Williams said of Cleveland during an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “There’s just that team where you kind of feel like, ‘You know what? I would never want to leave this organization.’ Obviously the business of basketball changes the landscape of a lot of people’s careers and mine was no different, but to have the opportunity to come back and finish my career there and have the opportunity to go out on top, I couldn’t ask for a better situation. There’s no monetary factor involved in any of my decisions. At this point of my career now it’s just playing winning basketball, playing for championships.”
The Cavs’ young backcourt will also benefit from the addition of Williams, Fedor adds. “The reasons why the Cavs were confident to bring me back, I’m a strong voice and a team guy,” Williams said. “It’s about bringing everybody together collectively for one goal. That’s kind of my approach and just being around guys every day obviously you’re going to learn personalities. It’s just like any coach. You have to be able to manage those personalities and you have to be able to have everybody on your team like you. I think those things are important. Be able to relate to our guys. I’ve been the star of my team. I’ve been the second guy and the third guy. I’ve been the sixth man and the guy [expletive] off that he’s not playing. I can kind of relate to each guy.”
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- Alex Kirk, who made five appearances for the Cavaliers during the 2014/15 season, is expected to sign a deal with an Italian team in the near future, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter link).
- The Pacers guaranteed $600k of Toney Douglas‘ $1,185,784 salary for the 2015/16 season, and another $275k becomes guaranteed if the guard is on the roster come the season opener, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- Former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says he was not surprised by the team’s decision to fire him, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com tweets. Thibodeau also relayed that he had no regrets regarding his tenure with Chicago, and said he had no reaction to the disparaging comments made by team owner Jerry Reinsdorf when the Bulls announced his termination, notes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
Poll: 2013 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 8)
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.
The first NBA Draft lottery picks we’re tackling is 2013’s, the year that the Cavaliers surprised quite a few people when they nabbed UNLV forward Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick. Quite a number of talented players were in that year’s player pool, including Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Rudy Gobert, just to rattle off a few.
In the days ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that will ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick in the 2013 Draft lottery. We’ll continue onward with the Pistons, who held the No. 8 overall pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Detroit’s pick and check back tomorrow night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Jazz should have taken with the pick they traded for at No. 9. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.
Draft Results thus far:
- Cavaliers: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Magic: Victor Oladipo
- Wizards: Nerlens Noel
- Hornets: Rudy Gobert
- Suns: Michael Carter-Williams
- 76ers: Ben McLemore
- Kings: Mason Plumlee
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/11/15
One of the more divisive on court strategies utilized in the NBA is the increasingly commonplace “Hack-a-Shaq” defense, where teams intentionally foul opponents’ weaker free throw shooters down the stretch of close games. The debate over whether this strategy should be outlawed was renewed during this year’s first round playoff series between the Spurs and the Clippers, courtesy of San Antonio, when Clippers center DeAndre Jordan was a wholesale target of the practice. Needless to say, it slowed the games to a crawl at times and made for less than compelling theater.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged back in May that the league had considered a number of rule changes to discourage this practice. “It’s something that I’m on the fence about,” Silver had said. “My thought used to be that we should definitely change the rule, and then having sat through several general managers meetings, competition meetings and having heard from some of the game’s very best, the view is the players should hit their free throws. That’s changed my view a little bit. Having said that, when I watch some of these games on television, frankly, it’s not great entertainment for our fans, and that’s important as well.”
It doesn’t appear that there will be any changes made regarding the hack-a-(insert player name) defense for the 2015/16 campaign, with former NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson saying, “We had a pretty spirited discussion on the subject, and we talked prospectively about how we might change it. But in the end, there wasn’t enough support to change it. There was a feeling that by changing the rule you would be essentially rewarding a player for a lack of skill by allowing him to stay in the game.”
Some ideas that have been kicked around to fix this aspect of the game include:
- When a player is intentionally fouled he not only gets the allotted free throws, but his team also gets possession of the ball.
- Creating a “super bonus” situation where extra free throws are given after a team commits a predetermined amount of fouls in a quarter.
- Teams being allowed to retain possession and inbound the ball instead of taking free throws when they’re intentionally fouled.
- Allowing the team receiving the free throws to pick the player who gets to shoot them.
None of these changes seem like the perfect solution, and could also serve to disrupt the pacing of the game. There is also the traditionalist point of view that asserts that professional players making millions of dollars ought to be able to sink their attempts from the charity stripe. This brings me to the topic of the day: Should the NBA alter its rules regarding the “Hack-a-Shaq” defense? If so, then what changes need to be made?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts, opinions, ideas…and potential fixes (if you believe the rule needs to be altered). Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know what you think the NBA should do. We look forward to what you have to say!
Markieff Morris Demands Trade
Suns forward Markieff Morris said that he feels disrespected by the way the team handled the July 9th trade of his twin and former teammate, Marcus Morris, to the Pistons, and made clear that he wants out of Phoenix prior to the 2015/16 season commencing, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “One thing for sure, I am not going to be there,” Markieff said this morning. “If you want to put that out there, you can put that out,” he added. “. . . I am not to going to be there at all.” The comments essentially confirm last week’s report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 radio that Markieff wanted off the Suns. Markieff is slated to make $8MM this coming season in the first year of his four-year, $32MM extension.
Markieff is aware that if he refuses to play, the Suns can suspend him without pay if they’re unwilling to release or trade him, Pompey adds. He is scheduled to report to training camp at the end of September. “I’ve got to show up. No question.” said Markieff. “You can’t do that. I will be a professional. Don’t get me wrong. But it won’t get that far. . . . I’m going to be out before then, should be.”
According to the forward, he’s not disappointed that the Suns traded Marcus to the Pistons, where he is likely to get more opportunities to succeed, but he is upset in how he and his brother were notified by the team, Pompey relays. The twins were informed of the deal with Detroit while on vacation out of the United States, the Inquirer scribe adds. Markieff also believes that the trade of Marcus had nothing to do with the brothers’ legal troubles, but rather to clear salary cap space for a run at unrestricted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge, who instead signed with the Spurs, adds Pompey.
The 25-year-old appeared in 82 contests last season for the Suns, all as a starter, and posted averages of 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 31.5 minutes per game, with a slash line of .465/.318/.763.
Western Notes: Morris, Brase, Arthur
Markieff Morris, who has reportedly cut off contact with the Suns and supposedly wants out of Phoenix in the wake of his twin brother, Marcus Morris, being dealt to the Pistons, is considered a good teammate, according to Phoenix guard Archie Goodwin, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. In an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio on Monday, Goodwin said, “I can’t speak too much on that situation but I can say that the last couple years I’ve been with [him], Markieff is a great guy, one of my favorite guys to be around. He’s a really positive guy to me and for everybody else. He’s always been a team-first guy. I love Markieff. I love Marcus. I hope [Markieff] stays with us. I don’t know what’s going to happen with that situation. That’s why I really can’t speak on it. I really enjoy being around him and I wish the best for him whether he is with us or another team.” Coro recently chatted with Hoops Rumors about a number of topics regarding the Suns, and you can read the full interview here.
Here’s more out of the Western Conference:
- Matt Brase is expected to be named head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets‘ NBA D-League affiliate, sources have informed Adam Johnson of D-League Digest. Brase is currently the director of player personnel for Houston, and was a former assistant coach for the Vipers, Johnson notes. Brase replaces former coach Nevada Smith, who spent two seasons with the Vipers and compiled an overall record of 60-46, including a mark of 27-23 last season, Johnson adds. The Rockets organization cut ties with Smith at the end of 2014/15.
- Samuel Dalembert received a fully guaranteed minimum salary on his one-year deal with the Mavericks, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Dallas will pay $947,276 and the league will cover the rest of the $1,499,187 tab for the 14-year vet. The club currently has 15 guaranteed contracts and 19 players overall, Pincus adds.
- The Nuggets used their room exception to re-sign Darrell Arthur to a two-year pact, and the forward’s deal includes a player option worth $2,940,630 for the 2016/17 season, Pincus tweets.
Chuck Myron and Dana Gauruder contributed to this post.
Poll: 2013 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 7)
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.
The first NBA Draft lottery picks we’re tackling is 2013’s, the year that the Cavaliers surprised quite a few people when they nabbed UNLV forward Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick. Quite a number of talented players were in that year’s player pool, including Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Rudy Gobert, just to rattle off a few.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that will ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick in the lottery. We’ll continue onward with the Kings, who held the No. 7 overall pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Sacramento’s pick and check back tomorrow night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Pistons should have taken at No. 8. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.
Draft Results thus far:
- Cavaliers: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Magic: Victor Oladipo
- Wizards: Nerlens Noel
- Hornets: Rudy Gobert
- Suns: Michael Carter-Williams
- 76ers: Ben McLemore
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Sloan, Vaulet
Carmelo Anthony has been bothered by the perception in the media that he was unhappy with the Knicks‘ offseason moves, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal relays in a series of tweets. The forward denied saying anything disparaging about team president Phil Jackson‘s machinations, and though he would have preferred that the team add another star player via free agency, Anthony said that the Knicks made some solid additions, Herring adds. Anthony also acknowledged that New York was put in a difficult spot in this year’s draft by selecting fourth, and that any player picked in that slot would have needed time to develop before being expected to contribute, including Kristaps Porzingis, who he praised for playing with a chip on his shoulder, notes the Wall Street Journal scribe.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks are close to hiring Mike Miller, a former associate head coach at Kansas State, as coach of their D-League affiliate in Westchester, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News tweets.
- Donald Sloan‘s deal with the Nets will pay him $1,015,421 for the 2015/16 campaign, and includes a partial guarantee of $50k, with another $150k becoming guaranteed if he remains on the roster past November 1st, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders notes (via Twitter).
- Nets 2015 second-rounder Juan Pablo Vaulet will be out of action for four months following surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right ankle, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily relays. There is still no timetable for when Vaulet will make the jump to the NBA, and the 19-year-old is the first to admit that he isn’t ready for the league just yet, Windrem adds.“They [Brooklyn] chose me for later,” Vaulet told La Nueva, an Argentine newspaper. “Everything requires a process. I now do not feel ready to play there. I do not want to rush the process. If one day I can get there, that’s welcome. I have to first recover and then yes. I do not know how long. Maybe I can play in the NBA. Everything depends on me.“
Pacers Sign Toney Douglas To Camp Deal
AUGUST 11TH, 10:41am: The deal is official, the team announced. Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird nonetheless seems to make it clear that Douglas isn’t assured of a spot on the opening night roster, which would suggest his contract isn’t fully guaranteed.
“We look forward to having him in camp,” Bird said in the team’s statement. “He’s a veteran player who’s a good pro and he can play two positions. He’s the type of player we’re looking for with our new style of play. We look forward to working with him and having him in camp.”
AUGUST 6TH, 5:01pm: The Pacers intend to sign unrestricted free agent Toney Douglas, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports (via Twitter). The 29-year-old is already in Indiana working out with the team, Zillgitt adds. Indiana currently has a roster count of 15 players, including 14 fully guaranteed pacts.
The guard was waived by the Pelicans at the end of July so that the team could avoid being on the hook for his 2015/16 salary of $1,185,784, which would have become fully guaranteed if Douglas remained on New Orleans’ roster through August 1st.
Douglas appeared in 12 games for New Orleans during the 2014/15 season, averaging 4.3 points and 2.0 assists in 14.8 minutes per game. His career numbers through six NBA seasons are 7.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 2.2 APG.