Nets Sign Chris McCullough
The Nets have signed Chris McCullough to a multiyear deal, the team announced. The forward out of Syracuse was selected by Brooklyn with the No. 29 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. There is a chance that the 20-year-old will miss the entire 2015/16 campaign as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn ACL.
The details of the contact were not released, but unless Brooklyn is paying McCullough less than the standard 120% of scale he can expect to earn $1,140,240 the first year, $1,191,480 in year two, $1,242,840 the third year, and $2,243,326 during the final season.
McCullough appeared in just 16 contests for the Orangemen last season, averaging 9.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 28.1 minutes per game. His slash line was .478/1.000/.563.
And-Ones: Harris, Brewer, Anderson
The Hawks could be a potential suitor for Magic forward Tobias Harris, who became a restricted free agent after Orlando extended him a qualifying offer on Tuesday, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter). Atlanta’s level of interest in Harris is dependent on how the team’s pursuit of its own free agents, DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap, goes, Kennedy adds. Here’s more from around the league:
- The Clippers, Knicks, and Lakers all put in calls on free agent center DeAndre Jordan during his dinner with the Mavericks, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets.
- Unrestricted free agent Corey Brewer has had phone conversations with the Rockets, Celtics and Knicks since the start of free agency, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Brewer and his representatives sat down for a meeting with the Lakers on Tuesday night, Wojnarowski adds.
- Alan Anderson, who bypassed his player option for 2015/16 worth $1,333,484 with the Nets, is seeking an annual salary of $3MM-$4MM from a contending team, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com relays.
- The Wizards‘ front office was encouraged at the team’s chances to re-sign Paul Pierce after conversing with the veteran, Chris Mannix of SI.com relays (on Twitter). Pierce and his family have grown fond of the Washington D.C. area, and the veteran’s role with the team as well, Mannix adds.
- If the Pistons land free agent Danny Green this offseason, it would be the biggest free agent coup in team history, writes Terry Foster of The Detroit News. The forward is in high demand, with the Spurs, Mavericks, Knicks, Kings, and Trail Blazers all expressing interest in signing the 28 year old, Foster adds.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Davis, Prince, Matthews
The Lakers have contacted free agent Ed Davis, and would like for him to return to Los Angeles next season, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes. There will be some competition for Davis’ services, as four undisclosed teams have also expressed interest in the big man, Medina notes. Davis is seeking a two or three-year deal worth $7MM-$8MM, or a one-year arrangement worth $9MM-$10MM, the Daily News scribe adds. In 79 games for the Lakers last season, Davis notched averages of 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 23.3 minutes per contest.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Clippers are not optimistic about the idea of Paul Pierce taking less money to come their way, Sam Amick of USA Today Sports tweets.
- The Lakers have expressed interest in restricted free agents Jimmy Butler of the Bulls, and Iman Shumpert of the Cavaliers, Medina relays (Twitter link).
- The Spurs were among the teams to contact unrestricted free agent Tayshaun Prince, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets.
- The Mavericks and Wesley Matthews are still engaged in contract talks, but remain approximately $3MM apart in annual value for the agreement, Amick tweets. Matthews is seeking an annual salary of $15MM per year, while Dallas is offering $12MM, Amick notes.
- The Jazz contacted free agent Joe Ingles to express their interest in re-signing the forward, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News tweets. Utah tendered Ingles a qualifying offer worth $1.045MM on Monday, making him a restricted free agent. The 27-year-old appeared in 79 games for the Jazz in 2014/15, including 32 starts, and averaged 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 21.2 minutes per contest.
- The Mavs have reached out to point guard Nick Calathes, who is a restricted free agent, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Rozier, Okafor, Teletovic
Celtics executive Danny Ainge has been criticized for taking Louisville point guard Terry Rozier with the No. 16 overall pick, but Ainge didn’t want to run the risk of another team selecting the player, Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald writes. “We liked Terry from the very beginning,” Ainge said. “I was getting a little nervous that he was moving up too high in the draft. If another week had gone by he would have been rated much higher. He was 20 in the last two or three weeks of the process. There was a time we thought maybe we could get him at 28, but it was clear on draft day that wouldn’t happen.”
Trading down to select Rozier wasn’t an option, according to Ainge, Murphy notes. “We knew he wouldn’t be there 12 picks later,” Ainge said. “Our intel was that we should not [trade down], and that he would go very close to where we drafted him. He was going to be picked. We really liked him and wanted him. We got the guy we wanted. He’s a guy we have known about, and we thought he was very underrated based on the media and how they perceived him. Terry improved rapidly because of the quality of player he is the last few weeks of the draft process. He was getting attention around the league, which worried us because we thought we had a diamond in the rough. Nobody was valuing him all that much.”
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Nets restricted free agent Mirza Teletovic is receiving significant interest from European teams, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post relays (Twitter links). The 29-year-old forward’s first preference is to remain in the NBA, Bontemps adds.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown came away excited about No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor‘s potential after a conversation with Okafor’s coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News writes.”I had a fantastic conversation with Coach K and when we hung up, I knew Jahlil had great potential and is a terrific, young prospect, but I hadn’t realized what type of person we had, as well,” Brown said. “The more I learn about Jahlil, the more you respect his upbringing value and love of the game. I was in the office at 6:30 the other morning, and he’s in the gym working with a trainer. You then go upstairs and get ready for a day’s work and you feel great. I’m really excited to coach him, and the program is going to realize very quickly how special he is.“
- While the Sixers will do what they can to improve their roster, the franchise isn’t expected to be major players in the free agent market this summer, Cooney writes in a separate piece.
Pacific Notes: Rondo, Hill, Aldridge
The Kings wasted no time in contacting free agent point guard Rajon Rondo, and the team is being aggressive in its pursuit of the veteran, Sam Amick of USA Today notes (Twitter link). Sacramento vice president of basketball and franchise operations Vlade Divac wants Rondo to visit Sacramento, and the team hasn’t made the guard a contract offer yet, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets. A meeting between the two sides is expected in the coming days, and the Kings will speak with Rondo again on Wednesday, TNT’s David Aldridge relays (on Twitter).
Here’s the latest out of the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers have expressed interest in re-signing Jordan Hill as a free agent, just one day after declining his $9MM team option, a source tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Hill put up 12.0 PPG and 7.9 RPG last season, but the Lakers became frustrated with his lack of consistency.
- The Lakers‘ initial meeting with unrestricted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge went extremely well, but no deal was reached, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (Twitter link). Aldridge is also expected to meet with the Mavericks and Rockets.
- The Clippers have contacted the representatives for unrestricted free agent Gerald Green to express their interest, Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times notes (via Twitter).
- Swingman Wesley Johnson met with Clippers executive/coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday night, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (on Twitter).
- In addition to Green and Johnson, the Clippers have also reached out to center Brandan Wright and guard C.J. Watson, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register notes (Twitter link). Both players are unrestricted free agents. Wright finished the 2014/15 campaign with the Suns, and Watson spent last season with the Pacers.
Kings, Omri Casspi Share Mutual Interest
The Kings and Omri Casspi share mutual interest in the forward returning to Sacramento next season, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee relays (via Twitter). The Relativity Sports client desperately wants to play in new coach George Karl‘s system, Voisin adds. Casspi is represented by agent Dan Fegan, who also lists Kings center DeMarcus Cousins amongst his clients.
Casspi’s affection for Karl’s style of play isn’t new, with the 27-year-old saying back in March, “I want to come back here so badly. I love the community and I feel like the team is finally moving in the right direction. George Karl’s system is great, and I’m not just saying that because I play for him, but because I really do believe this is the right way to play basketball. Spacing the floor. Moving, making extra passes, sharing the ball. Getting our hands on balls, deflections, then getting out and running. Unfortunately, coach Karl has not had a lot of time to teach us everything, but these last two games, you can see what we can become.”
In 67 appearances this past season, including 19 as a starter, Casspi averaged 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, with a slash line of .489/.402/.733.
Alan Anderson Opts Out From Nets
JUNE 30th, 5:47pm: Anderson’s opt out is official, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
JUNE 29TH, 9:22am: Anderson will indeed opt out today, the final day for him to make his decision, a source tells Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
MAY 2ND, 9:54am: Nets swingman Alan Anderson intends to opt out of his player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post reports (Twitter link). The value of the swingman’s option for 2015/16 is $1,333,484.
Brooklyn already has $58,678,233 in guaranteed salary committed for the 2015/16 campaign, and another $2,705,539 in non-guaranteed funds currently on its books. These figures don’t include center Brook Lopez‘s player option worth $16,744,218, or Thaddeus Young‘s early termination option for $10,221,739. The Nets do possess Anderson’s Early Bird Rights, which means they could offer him an annual salary in the neighborhood of $6MM, but if Lopez and Young return the luxury tax hit would increase that figure exponentially. With the salary cap estimated to be in the area of $67MM next season, this likely won’t leave the team much wiggle room financially if it wishes to retain the 32-year-old’s services.
Anderson appeared in 74 games for Brooklyn this past season, including 19 contests as a starter. He averaged 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 23.6 minutes per game. The veteran has appeared in a total of 287 games during the course of his career, averaging 7.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.2 APG. His career slash line is .407/.346/.821.
Nets Frontrunners To Re-Sign Lopez, Young
TUESDAY, 10:55am: The Magic have kept an eye on Young as a possible target, but he’s still likely to re-sign with the Nets, tweets Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (on Twitter).
3:19pm: Young will listen to pitches from other teams despite the mutual interest in a return to Brooklyn, a source told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (on Twitter).
MONDAY, 1:25pm: Opposing teams increasingly convinced that they have no shot at either Lopez or Young, report Marc Stein and Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com.
FRIDAY, 4:37pm: The Nets are strong frontrunners to re-sign Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young this offseason, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. Both players will be unrestricted free agents after opting out of their respective deals for the 2015/16 campaign. GM Billy King is determined to keep the pair, and both players opted out of their contracts with strong intentions of reaching agreement on new deals with Brooklyn, league sources informed Wojnarowski.
Lopez is likely seeking a three-year, $60MM maximum contract, according to the Yahoo! scribe’s sources. The Nets are planning to pay the seven-footer full market value, although the agreement could include some financial protections for Brooklyn should a recurrence of Lopez’s past foot issues sideline him again, Wojnarowski notes. Lopez could also opt to do a deal that includes a player option for the third year, which would allow him to re-enter free agency after the maximum contract salaries elevate with the flow of new television money, adds Wojnarowski. The big man passed on the $16,744,218 that he was due next season, with the hope that he can secure a new long-term deal.
Young, who opted out of the nearly $10.222MM owed him next season, is on course for a four-year, $48MM-plus deal via free agency, and the Nets appear strongly willing to meet those parameters, league sources relayed to Wojnarowski. The forward had reportedly been leaning toward opting out as of late last month, though Young’s agent Jim Tanner had suggested that he instead opt in and hit free agency next summer, when the salary cap is projected to surge. The 27-year-old averaged 14.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 32.0 minutes per game this season, and was acquired by Brooklyn in a midseason trade with Minnesota.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 6/29/15
Some of the greatest joys of being a sports fan, besides your favorite team winning the championship, are the debates that arise between fellow sports nuts along the way. It’s with this in mind that we have begun providing a forum for basketball fanatics to voice their opinions, debate trending topics, and simply hang out with like-minded hoops aficionados. We’ve begun been posting a new topic for readers to discuss each weeknight, which we hope that this will become a regular part of your sports day. If you missed our previous discussions you can view them here, or simply head over to the sidebar and select “Hoops Rumors Community Shootarounds.”
Of course, there will be differing opinions from time to time. While we absolutely encourage lively discussion and debate, we do expect everyone to treat each other with respect. So, please refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults or attacks, as well as the other taboo types of discourse laid out in our site’s commenting policy. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Hoops Rumors. Just put in your name, email address, and comment and submit it; there is no need to become a registered user.
Now that the preamble has been taken care of, on to the topic of the day: What team is the best fit for Greg Monroe?
Monroe, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this Wednesday, will reportedly meet with the Celtics, Knicks, Bucks, Lakers and Trail Blazers once free agent negotiations begin. While it doesn’t appear that a return to the Pistons is likely to occur for the big man, stranger things have happened. Which of the previously listed teams would be the best fit for Monroe’s skill set? How much is Monroe worth annually, and how much do you think he’ll eventually sign for? Will Monroe’s performance over the life of his next contract be considered a bargain, a bust, or just right? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.
Pacific Notes: Williams, Lakers, Looney
The Kings have expressed interest in bringing forward Derrick Williams back next season, though the organization’s first priority is to upgrade the point guard position, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com tweets. Sacramento is reportedly interested in the Suns‘ Eric Bledsoe, and free agent Rodney Stuckey, as well has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Rajon Rondo. Williams can become a restricted free agent this summer if the Kings tender him a qualifying offer worth $4,045,894. Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Despite the reports that Kings coach George Karl wants center DeMarcus Cousins traded, Karl is excited to see what a pairing of Cousins and rookie Willie Cauley-Stein can do, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee relays (Twitter links). Karl believes the duo will mesh well together because each has a different skillset on defense, Jones adds.
- The Lakers are expected to try and add a rim-protecting big man, a 3-and-D capable small forward, frontcourt depth, as well as a veteran point guard this summer, Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders writes. Davis lists LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, Robin Lopez, Jimmy Butler, and Wayne Ellington as potential free agent targets for the Lakers.
- Steve Kerr doesn’t believe that the Warriors winning a championship his first season as coach will increase the pressure on him, but instead, it will allow him to continue to just be himself, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group writes. “It’s funny you say that because as an observer and an analyst for TNT and even as a player, I always felt that when a coach won a championship, it freed him up to be himself,” Kerr responded when asked if his approach would change next season. “Coaching in the NBA is such a fleeting thing; guys get fired left and right, and so a lot of guys coach out of fear. And they try to hang onto their jobs. I always felt like the ones who won titles were freed up to just do it their way and to not worry about anything.”
- Todd Ramasar, the agent for Warriors draftee Kevon Looney, denied the reports that his client underwent surgery on his hip last year, Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group writes. Looney believes that he can continue to play without surgery but will undergo a medical evaluation to determine if a procedure is necessary, Leung adds. “I had suffered a hip injury when I first got to UCLA, and I played the whole season with it,” Looney said. “I went through the [draft] workouts with it. I still can play now. I can play just fine. I can walk good. I’m not hurting right now. I’m looking to the doctors to tell me what they really want to do, but this is an injury that I had, and I can actually play with, and I can actually do well with it.“
- Though the Warriors declined to extend Justin Holiday a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the team may look to re-sign him for less than the $1.147MM tender it would have required to make Holiday a restricted free agent, Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle tweets.