Bucks Claim Kendall Marshall
SUNDAY, 6:17pm: Marshall to the Bucks is now official, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
SATURDAY, 6:03pm: The Bucks intend to put in a waiver claim for Kendall Marshall, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twittter link). Milwaukee is looking to add passers and backcourt upgrades, tweets Stein, and Marshall will join newly acquired Jerryd Bayless in filling those needs.
Marshall was waived by the Lakers on Friday as the team attempted to clear cap space. Los Angeles had hoped to re-sign the 22 year-old point guard out of North Carolina, but it appears that Milwaukee will put a damper on those plans if they do in fact place a waiver claim on Marshall during the two-day waiver period.
After being considered a bust by the Suns, Marshall revived his career last season when he averaged 8.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 8.8 APG while playing 29 minutes per game. His slash line was .396/.372/.540.
And-Ones: Bledsoe, Love, Hinkie, Murry
Eric Bledsoe is the top remaining player still unsigned, though as a restricted free agent the Suns have the right to match any offer sheet that Bledsoe agrees to. Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic looks at why Bledsoe hasn’t received any offers, and examines the player’s options going forward. Bickley also opines that Bledsoe is risking alienating the fans in Phoenix by turning down the Suns’ four-year, $48MM deal.
Here’s more from around the league:
- George Karl told Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune that the Wolves can’t afford to pass on trading Kevin Love for Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, if the Cavs are truly offering that package (via Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer’s tweet). Karl coached through a tumultuous season with the Nuggets when Carmelo Anthony eventually received his desired trade to the Knicks.
- Every year when the dust settles and the free agent signings begin to wind down there are winners and losers. Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today weigh in on this year’s successes and disappointments.
- The Thunder‘s Josh Huestis might become the NBA’s first domestic “draft-and-stash” player, writes Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman. If Huestis does skip signing with the Thunder and heads directly to the NBA D-League, it could signal a major shift in the future of the D-League and how it’s utilized, notes Mayberry.
- Sixers GM Sam Hinkie‘s rebuilding plan might not be popular in Philadelphia as the losses keep piling up. Jason Wolf of USA Today profiles the GM, as well as takes a look at the moves he’s made so far in his efforts to retool the franchise.
- The Jazz are interested in signing free agent Toure’ Murry, tweets Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. Falk notes that Murry might be waiting for an offer from the Heat. The Knicks had also expressed interest in bringing Murry back, but currently have a logjam in the backcourt.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.
Central Notes: Pistons, Cavs, Irving
The Pistons have turned over a third of their roster this offseason, and new president and coach Stan Van Gundy has been the architect of that change. David Mayo of MLive examines the team’s moves and believes Detroit may have lost ground in the Eastern Conference with all the improvements made to the Cavs, Bulls, Hawks, and Hornets rosters.
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- Van Gundy believes being the president and coach of the Pistons is an advantage when recruiting free agents, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Van Gundy said, “I can present the roster and talk about roles free agents could play. If you’re talking to them as a coach, it’s probably a little more realistic than just the front office — so a slight advantage, but not a whole lot.” Still, Van Gundy does admit that money is the biggest factor, saying “It’s not as much an advantage as money. My experience with the NBA is about 99.9% of the time the guy takes the best contract offer. Most guys aren’t going to make a big sacrifice, so money is No. 1, but then there are all kinds of things after that.”
- With all the buzz about a potential Kevin Love for Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett trade being in the works, Kyrie Irving isn’t worried if the Cavs complete the deal or not, writes Cameron Moon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Irving claims he hasn’t seriously thought about the deal being made, and also said, “There are so many guys who have inside sources. Until it happens and I get the call from our GM, other than that I haven’t really considered anything.“
- The Cavaliers have had quite a busy and surprising offseason so far. The crew at Basketball Insiders (video link) break down all the moves the team made and what they mean for the franchise going forward.
Western Notes: Warriors, Rockets, Wolves
The Warriors have until October 31st to decide if they will exercise Nemanja Nedovic’s $1.15MM third-year option for the 2015/16 season, writes Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group. The deadline is tricky for the team because Nedovic hasn’t performed all that well in the Summer League this year, and the franchise wants to maintain as much financial flexibility as possible heading into free agency next summer, notes Kawakami. One major determining factor in what the team decides in regards to Nedovic is the play of undrafted rookie and Warriors summer leaguer Aaron Craft. If Craft shows he’s capable of being the third point guard for the Warriors, then Nedovic will be expendable, according to Kawakami.
More from the west:
- Chandler Parsons believes the Rockets undervalued what he could do on the court and that they figured they could get him back for a cheaper price, writes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Parsons was surprised that Houston didn’t match the offer sheet the Mavericks signed him to, saying “I definitely was a little surprised that they didn’t match. I thought that was the plan going forward that they were going to match. But I think [agent] Dan Fegan and my agency … did a great job with this contract and really put pressure on them. They decided what they thought was best for their future and they told me to go get my best individual contract, and we both did what we thought was best for ourselves.”
- Dwight Howard doesn’t believe the departure of Parsons will impact the Rockets’ title hopes for next season, writes ESPN.com. “It won’t affect us at all,” Howard said. “We have myself and James [Harden],” Howard said. “We have the best center and the best two guard in the game on the same team. It’s on us.” Howard also praised the signing of Trevor Ariza, saying, “He’ll go through a wall for you. Just to have soldiers on your team like that is great. We have that one-two punch with me and James. We’re filling out our roster with guys who are willing to go through that wall and doing whatever it takes to win.”
- The Timberwolves now hold all the cards in the Kevin Love trade talks, writes Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press.
Poll: Best Non-LeBron Signing
The 2014 free agency period is winding down with most of the top free agents now off the board. Out of the top ten players in Hoops Rumors’ 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings, only Eric Bledsoe and Greg Monroe, both restricted free agents, have yet to find a home for next season.
The biggest news this offseason was of course when LeBron James elected to return his talents to Cleveland–a move not many saw coming. The other big name, Carmelo Anthony, also surprised a few experts when he elected to re-sign in New York, and not leave for Chicago or the Lakers. Those two players were the undisputed prizes of this year’s free agent class.
But which player who changed teams, not named LeBron, was the best signing so far? I’m only including the deals where the player signed with the team outright, which means players involved in sign-and-trade deals aren’t being included in this poll. I also left off Chandler Parsons‘ signing since his average annual value was much higher than the other non sign-and-trade contracts. Here’s the rundown of the main choices:
- Luol Deng: Deng went from the Cavaliers, where he was replaced at small forward by LeBron, to the Heat where he in turn replaces James. Deng signed a two-year, $20MM deal that included a player option for the second year. Deng’s career numbers are 16.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.5 APG over ten NBA seasons. His career slash lines are .457/.329/.773. Deng will bring defense and tenacity to a Heat team that will have to adjust to life after LeBron.
- Lance Stephenson: During the first half of the 2013/14 season, Stephenson looked like a lock to return to Indiana. It was during the second half, after the trade that sent Danny Granger to the Sixers for Evan Turner where the wheels began to come off. There were reports of a practice altercation between he and Turner, and Stephenson’s on court production fell off as well. This was then followed by numerous playoff incidents, including the infamous “ear blowing” incident with James. After turning down a five-year, $44MM offer the Pacers made, Stephenson eventually landed with the Hornets, where he signed a three-year, $27.5MM deal. Stephenson had a career year last season when he averaged 13.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 4.6 APG.
- Paul Pierce: Pierce was signed by the Wizards after the sign-and-trade deal with the Rockets for Trevor Ariza was completed. Pierce will bring his experience to a young and talented Washington squad that is looking to go deeper into the playoffs next season. Pierce signed a two-year deal worth roughly $11MM. The veteran out of Kansas has averaged 21.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 3.8 APG for his career. His lifetime shooting numbers are .447/.370/.807.
- Pau Gasol: There was some heavy competition for the former Laker’s services with the Knicks, Spurs, Thunder, and Heat all angling to sign the seven-footer. But in the end, Gasol opted for the Bulls, and the opportunity to play for a playoff contender in the much weaker Eastern Conference. Gasol signed a three-year, $22MM+ deal with Chicago, where they hope his offensive skills can help improve the team’s woeful scoring and lead to a deeper run in next year’s playoffs. In 13 seasons, Gasol has averaged 18.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 3.3 APG. His career slash line is .515/.247/.750.
- Spencer Hawes: The signing of Hawes gives the Clippers some needed frontcourt depth and his ability to stretch opposing defenses with his jump shot will add to an already formidable offensive team. Hawes was also being pursued by the Suns and the Trail Blazers, but decided that the Clippers offered him the best opportunity. His deal is for four years, $23MM. Hawes’ career averages are 9.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.1 BPG. His career shooting numbers are .465/.361/.703.
Raptors Release Diante Garrett
The Raptors have requested waivers on Diante Garrett with intention of releasing him from their roster, the team announced via Twitter. Garrett, the 25 year-old point guard out of Iowa State was acquired by the Raptors in the trade that sent Steve Novak and a second-round pick to the Jazz back on July 10th. Toronto had made the trade with the intent to waive Garrett and his non-guaranteed 2014/15 salary of $915,243 after the moratorium on trades and signings was lifted and the Novak deal became official. Garrett’s deal would have become fully guaranteed if he had remained on the roster past January 7th, 2015.
Toronto had also decided to release Dwight Buycks earlier today rather than have his salary of $816,482 become fully guaranteed for the 2014/15 season, which would have occurred if Buycks was still on the roster come July 22nd.
In 71 games for the Jazz last season, Garrett averaged 3.5 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 1.7 APG while logging 14.8 minutes per game. His slash line was .381/.375/.833.
Thunder Re-Sign Grant Jerrett
WEDNESDAY, 8:22pm: The signing is official, per a team release.
“Grant had an excellent and productive season with the Tulsa 66ers,” Thunder GM Sam Presti said. “We are excited to see him move forward within our program.”
MONDAY, 5:01pm: Free agent Grant Jerrett has reached agreement on a multi-year deal to re-sign with the Thunder, reports Shams Charania of RealGm (Twitter link). Contract length and details haven’t been announced yet.
Jerrett was originally selected 40th overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2013 NBA Draft. His rights were then traded to the Thunder on draft night for cash considerations. He then spent the bulk of the 2013/14 season with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League where he appeared in 27 games and averaged 15.1 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 29.3 minutes per game. He was signed by the Thunder for the remainder of the season on April 7th, 2014. Jerrett did not make an appearance for the team.
Back on June 30th, the Thunder declined Jerrett‘s $816K option while also extending him a $1.16MM qualifying offer. In that same article, Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron predicted that Jerrett would re-sign with Oklahoma City on a multi-year deal for the amount of his qualifying offer that includes at least a partial guarantee in year two to entice him to take a multi-year deal rather than just signing the QO.
Rockets To Re-Sign Troy Daniels
WEDNESDAY, 7:44pm: Daniels’ contract is for the minimum, totaling $1,763,758 over the two years, per the updated Rockets salary sheet by Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com.
TUESDAY, 6:46pm: It’s for a total of $2MM over two years, writes Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle.
MONDAY, 5:41pm: The Rockets have reached an agreement to re-sign restricted free agent guard Troy Daniels, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). The contract is for two years and is fully guaranteed, reports Charania. Financial terms of the were not disclosed. Daniels had also received interest from the Mavericks, Spurs, Grizzlies, and Pelicans.
Houston had turned down their team option on Daniels, and instead extended him a qualifying offer. Daniels was originally scheduled to make the one-year veteran’s minimum of $816,482 on the option next season.
The Rockets had signed Daniels shortly after the trade deadline, cutting Ronnie Brewer to make room. He only appeared in five regular season games, but lit up the D-League, putting up 21.9 PPG and shooting 40.1% from behind the arc. Daniels then emerged as a key rotation player in the playoffs, averaging 7.8 PPG and nailing an impressive 53.3% of his three-pointers in the final four games of Houston’s first-round loss to the Blazers.
Heat Sign James Ennis
TUESDAY, 5:32pm: The Heat have officially announced the signing, according to a team press release.
“We were excited to draft James a year ago and have been impressed by the growth of his game in Summer League and Puerto Rico, as well as his terrific experience in Australia, leading Perth to a championship,” said team president Pat Riley in a statement. “We are looking forward to the infusion of energy he will bring to our roster.”
JUNE 13TH: With the Heat on the ropes to the Spurs in the NBA Finals, the need for the team to get younger and deeper is becoming apparent. The Heat are pleased enough with the development of 2013 second-round pick James Ennis that there is a “strong likelihood” the team will sign him this summer, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link).
After a strong season in Australia’s National Basketball League where he averaged 21.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 2.0 APG, Ennis spent the past week working out for the Heat front office in Miami, reports Charania (via RealGM). Ennis, 23, will headline the Heat’s Summer League rosters in Orlando and Las Vegas, according to the article.
The Heat acquired Ennis from the Hawks, who selected him with the 50th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. The potential signing of Ennis would likely be a multi-year deal, sources told Charania.
Nets Re-Sign Alan Anderson
WEDNESDAY, 4:37pm: Anderson’s deal is official, the team announced via press release.
“Alan’s versatility was a big part of our success last season,” Nets GM Billy King said. “We look forward to Alan’s continued leadership on and off the court this season.”
TUESDAY, 6:30pm: The exact terms of the deal are two-years, $2.6MM, with a player option for 2015/16, tweets Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops. Those figures suggest the team is using its Non-Bird rights on Anderson, preserving its taxpayer’s mid-level exception for Bojan Bogdanovic.
5:58 pm: The Nets have reached an agreement to re-sign swingman Alan Anderson. The news was first announced by Anderson’s agent, Mark Bartlestein and his Priority Sports Agency (hat tip to Tim Bontemps of The New York Post). The deal is worth a little less than $3MM over two years, and the second year is a player option, tweets Bontemps.
Anderson started a career-high 26 games this past season and averaged 7.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 1.0 APG in 22.7 minutes per contest.His slash line was .400/.339/.780.
The 31 year-old signed a two-year deal with Brooklyn as a free agent last summer, coming over from the Raptors where he appeared in 65 games and scored a career-high 10.7 PPG, but with a shooting percentage of just 38.3%. Anderson chose to opt out of the second year of his deal with the Nets with the hopes of scoring a raise over the $1.06MM he was originally scheduled to make.