Wolves Claim Hamilton, Waive Robinson III
5:44pm: The moves are official, the team has announced.
4:41pm: The Timberwolves have claimed Justin Hamilton off of waivers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Pelicans waived the big man on Tuesday in order to ink Elliot Williams to a 10-day pact. Minnesota will waive Glenn Robinson III in order to clear the required roster spot, Stein tweets. The Pelicans are now off the hook for the remainder of Hamilton’s $816,482 salary for the 2014/15 campaign, with Minnesota now responsible for signing the seven-footer’s checks.
The 24-year-old out of LSU had been acquired by Minnesota as a part of the multi-team trade that sent Goran Dragic to Miami. Hamilton didn’t appear in a game for New Orleans prior to being waived. The big man did appear in 24 contests for the Heat this season, including five starts, and averaged 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game.
Minnesota will be responsible to pay the remainder of the rookie’s minimum salary deal if Robinson, 23, clears waivers. The 6’7″ swingman out of Michigan has appeared in 25 games this season for the Wolves, averaging 1.2 points in 4.3 minutes per contest.
Sixers D-League Affiliate Acquires Jordan McRae
The Delaware 87ers, the Sixers’ D-League affiliate, have acquired Jordan McRae, the team announced. Philadelphia owns McRae’s NBA rights after nabbing him in a draft-night swap with the Spurs last June. The guard was selected with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. McRae joining the 87ers could pave the way for him to sign with Philadelphia and make his NBA debut prior to the end of this season. The possibility that McRae could join the Sixers this year was first reported back in January by Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Philadelphia does have one remaining roster spot after waiving JaVale McGee earlier this week, so no additional move would be required to add McRae to the squad.
Philadelphia coach Brett Brown has reportedly been keeping a watchful eye on McRae’s progress overseas, so he is likely familiar with what the player could bring to the Sixers. “We are always paying attention to Jordan,” Brown said in January. “He’s in a good situation. He’s playing a lot of minutes and continuing to score. Jordan is always in the back of our minds.”
McRae has spent this season playing in Australia, appearing in 27 games for Melbourne United in the National Basketball League. McRae was NBL’s second-leading scorer this season, averaging 19.9 points in 29.9 minutes per contest. He shot 44.1% from the field, and nailed 51% of his three-pointers, which was good for fifth in the NBL. McRae also appeared in the NBA summer league for Philadelphia, averaging 21.0 PPG.
And-Ones: Shaw, Caboclo, Pietrus
Brian Shaw was Phil Jackson‘s second choice after Steve Kerr to become the Knicks‘ new head coach last summer, but Jackson was leery of the compensation it would take to pry Shaw away from Denver, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. While it’s doubtful that New York’s team president would part ways with Derek Fisher after inking him to a five-year deal this past offseason, adding Shaw as a veteran assistant on the Knicks’ coaching staff next season is entirely possible, Berman adds. A friend of the coach relayed that Shaw would have considered it an ideal opportunity to become the Knicks’ head man under Jackson had the Nuggets fired him after last season, the Post scribe relays.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Raptors rookie Bruno Caboclo is now being represented by Relativity Sports, having parted ways with agent Eduardo Resende, Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun reports (Twitter link).
- Clippers executive and coach Doc Rivers said that the team would “most likely” sign Jordan Hamilton to a second 10-day contract when his initial 10-day pact ends this Thursday, Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets.
- It wasn’t surprising that Ray Allen announced that he wouldn’t play this season, Chris Mannix of SI.com tweets. Allen is reportedly content with living the life of a retiree, Mannix adds.
- Former NBA player Mickael Pietrus has inked a deal in Puerto Rico with Mets de Guaynabo, Three Eye Sports reports (Twitter link). The swingman’s last NBA appearance was during the 2012/13 campaign when he appeared in 19 contests for the Raptors. In 557 career NBA games Pietrus has averaged 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists. His career slash line is .425/.355/.665.
- NBA teams are still trying to evaluate Emmanuel Mudiay, and decide if he is worth selecting with the No. 1 overall pick in June’s NBA draft, Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) writes in his profile of the 18-year-old guard. “The two guys with the biggest upsides in the draft are Mudiay and Karl-Anthony Towns,” one NBA GM told Ford. “Jahlil Okafor and D’Angelo Russell are more sure things, but neither of those guys have the ceiling of Mudiay and Towns. And of those four, Mudiay is the best athlete. I can understand a team taking any of those four guys No. 1. But if you’re asking me who has the chance to be a game-changer in the NBA, I think it’s Mudiay. Big risk, big reward.“
Western Notes: Shaw, Thunder, Hunt
Former Nuggets coach Brian Shaw released a statement through his agent, Jerome Stanley, regarding his recent firing by Denver, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post relays. “Having been a part of five NBA Championship teams, I know how difficult it is to make the commitment necessary to achieve that goal,” said Shaw. “It takes sacrifice for the greater good … and time, for a club to get to the championship level. Players, coaches, management and ownership all must share that commitment and build toward that goal. It is not an easy task. I am very proud of the effort that my staff and I put in while coaching the team. I also appreciate the support that I received from the KSE group. Finally, I believe that the Nuggets will grow to be a championship level club and give the fans in Denver a much deserved Championship. In time.“
Here’s more out of the Western Conference:
- The Thunder are attempting the difficult feat of remaining in contention while undergoing a significant overhaul of their roster, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman writes. Seven out of the 15 players on OKC’s roster weren’t with the team at the end of last season, and since the beginning of the 2014/15 campaign, five players have been acquired via trade, Slater notes.
- Oklahoma City intends to retain both Kyle Singler and Enes Kanter, who become restricted free agents after the season, Slater adds. The Thunder are operating with the idea that a massive luxury tax bill next season will be softened in 2016/17 when the NBA’s new television deal kicks in and the salary cap increases as a result, Slater notes.
- Nuggets interim coach Melvin Hunt inherits the difficult task of piloting a team that has underperformed all season, and had reportedly quit on former coach Shaw, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post writes. “It’s bittersweet,” Hunt said. “This is not the way you want it to happen, because there are a lot of people involved that are impacted by this. At the same time, in the pit of my stomach, there is a feeling of excitement because I love to compete and I’m ready for the challenges.“
Atlantic Notes: Olynyk, West, Robinson
Thomas Robinson is now playing for his fifth NBA team since being selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. Though the Sixers claimed him off of waivers as much for his contract as for his talent, the big man hopes to use his opportunity in Philadelphia to silence critics that have labeled him a draft bust, Chris Mannix of SI.com writes. When asked what he was hoping for in Philly, Robinson said, “A chance, man. I know what I can do. I’m just keeping it simple here; rebound, defend, get to the open spots. Energy and toughness is my game. That’s who I am as a player right now.”
Here’s the latest out of the Atlantic Division:
- ESPN.com Insider Chad Ford (subscription required) believes that the Sixers would be the team most likely to use the No. 1 overall pick to select Emmanuel Mudiay instead of Jahlil Okafor, who is the consensus top pick amongst scouts. Ford also thinks that the Magic would select Karl-Anthony Towns over Okafor if given the opportunity, since Towns would slot in better alongside Nikola Vucevic, Orlando’s starting center.
- The Raptors were interested in acquiring David West from the Pacers prior to the February trade deadline, but the impending return of Paul George from injury and the wide open Eastern Conference negated any chance of a deal, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com tweets.
- Center Kelly Olynyk is expected to make his return to the Celtics‘ lineup tonight after missing over a month with a sprained right ankle, Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com relays. “I don’t know what to expect,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said of Olynyk. “I watched him play 3 on 3 yesterday and he looked good to me. So hopefully he can give us what he gives us and that is a skilled offensive guy and a guy defensively with some savvy.”
Eastern Notes: Marble, Dragic, Brooks
Devyn Marble has suffered a detached retina in his left eye and is expected to miss four to six weeks of action, the Magic announced in a press release. The rookie has appeared in 16 games for Orlando, averaging 2.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 13.0 minutes per contest. Marble has also appeared in six games for the Erie BayHawks, the Magic’s D-League affiliate, logging 13.0 PPG and 5.2 RPG in 30.3 minutes per night.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Heat have assigned Zoran Dragic to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. This will be Dragic’s first trek of the season to the D-League.
- The play of offseason signee Aaron Brooks will be vital for the Bulls with all of the backcourt injuries the team has endured this season, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com writes. “I shouldn’t overlook him,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. “He had a tough matchup and I thought he hit big shots for us. He’s a big shot maker in the fourth quarter. We’re asking him to do a lot and I think he’s more than capable.”
- Khris Middleton is providing the Bucks with a level of stability at shooting guard that the team has lacked for some time, Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Middleton has become an important part of the team’s future and Milwaukee would like to re-sign him this summer when he will become a restricted free agent, Gardner notes.
Northwest Notes: Shaw, Neal, Billups
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders continues to assert that Gary Neal is a part of the franchise’s future, Kent Youngblood of The Star Tribune writes. “We traded for him and everybody — all the experts — thought we were going to buy him out,” Saunders said. “And I said we weren’t. We traded for him. We thought he was a good player and we thought he might have a future. We thought we’d bring him in, let him play with our guys and see how he would blend in.” Neal will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Now that the deadline has passed for players to reach buyout arrangements and still be eligible to appear in the playoffs for a new team, Neal is staying positive about his situation in Minnesota, Youngblood adds. “I’m a basketball player and Flip has given me an opportunity to come in here and play,” said Neal. “I don’t have any complaints. The way the team is set up, with K-Mart [Kevin Martin] being out tonight, your role can change from day to day. All you ask for is an opportunity to come in and play, and Flip has been fair with me on that.”
- Brian Shaw is better off no longer coaching a petulant group of Nuggets, opines Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. The problem extends to the front office, as Kiszla argues in a separate column, suggesting it would be difficult for any coach to succeed in Denver.
- The Nuggets should consider hiring former NBA player Chauncey Billups as their next coach, Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post opines. Billups, who has expressed some level of interest in a front office position now that his playing career has ended, is not as old school a personality as Shaw was, which would be a more ideal fit with Denver’s current group of players, Hochman adds.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Divac, Okafor, Knicks
The Kings have hired former NBA player Vlade Divac as their vice president of basketball and franchise operations, the team has announced. “With an unparalleled philanthropic track record that spans the globe, Vlade Divac is the epitome of our NBA 3.0 philosophy,” Sacramento owner Vivek Ranadive said. “He has a unique perspective and global stature that will only further elevate our organization around the world.” In a career that spanned 16 NBA seasons, Divac averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Ranadive was the driving force behind hiring Divac, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee tweets.
Here’s more from around the league and abroad:
- With the Guangdong Southern Tigers having been eliminated from the Chinese Basketball Association playoffs, Will Bynum, Jeff Adrien and Chris Daniels have become free agents and are eligible to sign with NBA teams, Enea Trapani of Sportando tweets.
- The NBA has fined the Knicks for team president Phil Jackson‘s public comments regarding Ohio State freshman D’Angelo Russell, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Upon leaving Ohio State’s game last Thursday night, Jackson told reporters that Russell was a “great looking kid, [a] great prospect.” This is the second time in his brief career as an executive that Jackson has been fined for tampering. The first instance was for his comments regarding Derek Fisher last spring while Fisher was still a member of the Thunder.
- Mike D’Antoni would be an excellent fit as the next coach of the Nuggets, Adi Joseph of USA Today opines. Joseph cites Denver’s personnel, who would be well-suited to D’Antoni’s style of play, as the main reason the former Knicks and Lakers coach could match up well with the Nuggets.
- With the Knicks currently owning the worst record in the NBA according to Hoops Rumors’ Reverse Standings, New York has the best odds of snagging the top pick in June’s NBA draft. Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal examines the pros and cons of projected No. 1 overall pick Jahlil Okafor, and how the big man would fit in with the Knicks.
- The Lakers intend to apply for a hardship exception once Ronnie Price misses his fourth consecutive game, Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times reports. Los Angeles has lost Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Julius Randle and Price for the season. The Lakers have discussed the matter internally, but haven’t decided if they will use the exception if granted, Pincus adds.
Southeast Notes: Frye, Heat, Wizards
Channing Frye has struggled to live up to the four-year, $32MM contract he inked with the Magic last July, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “I think the first half [of the season] was a little tough,” Frye said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to just automatically get acclimated to what was going on.” In 60 appearances for Orlando this season Frye is averaging 7.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 26.9 minutes per game.
Here’s the latest from the Southeast Division:
- Frye also acknowledges that he had some difficulty acclimating to former Magic coach Jacque Vaughn‘s system, Robbins adds. The veteran is finding things much improved for him under interim coach James Borrego, especially on the defensive end, the Sentinel scribe notes. “Overall, I love the city,” Frye said. “I love this opportunity to play with these guys. After the [coaching] change, I think it’s really for me, in my personal opinion, been a breath of fresh air with J.B. I’m not saying that it wasn’t awesome before. But I’m just saying the way his philosophy is a little different, it’s a little bit more my style.”
- When discussing the Heat‘s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said, “it was responsible of us to invest in the D-League,” Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post relays (Twitter links). Spoelstra acknowledged that the distance between South Beach and South Dakota doesn’t make for the most convenient arrangement, but the most important thing is that the ownership and culture was aligned, Lieser adds.
- The Wizards are being patient about filling their lone remaining roster spot, which was created when the team waived Glen Rice Jr., Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post writes. Washington is currently considering various options including players from overseas and the NBA D-League, Castillo adds.
Western Notes: Frye, Leonard, Collison
Channing Frye is upset with the Suns’ management, who made some critical comments last week regarding the veteran big man’s departure to the Magic as a free agent last summer, John Denton of Magic.com tweets. Phoenix’s owner Robert Sarver had said that Frye didn’t give the Suns an opportunity to match Orlando’s four-year contract offer. “I think we have to take what that front office says with a grain of salt,” Frye said in response to Sarver’s comments. “I think right now they need to focus on their own team. I think we had many negotiations between [us and] the Suns,” Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel relays.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- There’s plenty at stake for the Spurs over the next few months, but nothing that happens this spring will alter the value of the max or near-max contract Kawhi Leonard is set to receive in restricted free agency this summer, as Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News believes.
- Former Nuggets coach George Karl feels no sense of glee at Denver’s struggles without him, as he said last week, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Karl has sympathy for Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, Spears notes.
- Darren Collison underwent successful surgery today to repair a core muscle issue, the Kings have announced. Collison will begin rehabilitation immediately and is expected to be out for approximately six weeks.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.