Atlantic Notes: Fisher, Simmons, Rozier
Knicks team president Phil Jackson opened up to Charley Rosen of TodaysFastbreak.com about what went wrong in New York with former coach Derek Fisher, noting the two had markedly different philosophies on how to develop and train players. “Almost from the start, this was a difficult time for Derek. Derek did have a situation that took some focus away from his coaching during the preseason, but I never doubted that his focus was on coaching the team,” Jackson said regarding Fisher’s off the court run-in with Matt Barnes. “A divorce and coast-to-coast move with children does put pressure on a person’s life, but that’s the NBA. However, Derek did move the team forward. He was dedicated and he worked hard. The players hustled and, for the most part, stayed as positive as was possible. And Derek did manage to survive last season and to deal with the heavy pressure of the constant losing, which is probably more intense in New York than in any other NBA city.”
Jackson also noted that Fisher’s inability to settle on a rotation became an issue, Rosen relays. “When I was coaching, I liked to play a lot of players and usually found a rotation of nine, 10 players to play, but it was hard for Derek to find a workable rotation,” Jackson said. “Nevertheless, the team did develop under him, and we have enough pieces in place to give us a chance to compete every night.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft by the Sixers, noted that the league’s mandatory Rookie Transition Program was a great help to him as he kicks off his professional career, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com relays. “[I learned] a lot, from fans to financial advice, family issues, everything,” Simmons said. “Financially, that’s one of those things I’ve been looking at. I definitely want to be one of those guys who’s not in one of those statistics of not having money. So that’s big for me. You’ve got to look toward the future because you don’t play basketball forever. It’s one of those things you need to take seriously and listen.”
- The Celtics are hoping the playoff experience that guard Terry Rozier gained this past season will help his development moving forward and allow the player to earn more minutes in the rotation, Josue Pavon of WEII 93.7 FM relays. “One of the things I said before training camp is that I’m smarter [now],” Rozier said. “I felt like I could always play, but I just feel that my opportunity came late obviously in the playoffs [last season]. I got to see that as a rookie early and it made me smarter to just see things. Then, this summer I went over a lot of things and touched on things I could do as a point guard. I think I just became smarter more than anything.”
Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 9)
We’re in the process of revisiting the 2005 NBA Draft, the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Warriors, who held the No. 9 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Golden State’s pick and check back Saturday for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Lakers should have taken at No. 10. 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.
Selections
- Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
- Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
- Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
- Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
- Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
- Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
- Raptors — Andrew Bynum [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]
- Knicks — Marcin Gortat [Actual Pick — Channing Frye]
- Warriors — ?? [Actual Pick — Ike Diogu]
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Thunder Sign Domantas Sabonis
The Thunder have signed forward Domantas Sabonis to a rookie scale contract, the team announced via press release. The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is likely for standard 120% of the rookie scale, meaning Sabonis should be in line to earn $2,440,200 this season, $2,550,000 in 2017/18, $2,659,800 in 2018/19 and $3,529,555 in the final year, provided the team exercises its option on the player for the final two seasons.
Sabonis was the No. 11 overall selection this past June. The 6’11” forward was acquired on draft night by Oklahoma City along with Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova in exchange for Serge Ibaka.
The 20-year-old earned All-WCC First Team honors as a sophomore after averaging 17.6 points on .611 shooting from the field, 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 31.8 minutes in 36 games with the Bulldogs. Sabonis was named to the All-WCC Second Team, All-WCC Freshman Team, NIT All-Tournament Team and NCAA South Regional All-Tournament Team as a freshman, per the release. He also appeared in 35 games in 2013/14 for Unicaja Malaga in the Spanish ACB league.
Pacers To Sign Alex Poythress
The Pacers have agreed to a deal with undrafted free agent Alex Poythress, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. The exact length and terms of the arrangement are unknown, but the scribe does note that the pact includes a partial guarantee. The 22-year-old will likely be ticketed to spend the 2016/17 campaign in the NBA D-League with Indiana’s affiliate in Fort Wayne, Wojnarowski notes.
Poythress had missed the bulk of the 2014/15 campaign due to a torn left ACL. Returning to Kentucky as a senior, Poythress made 31 appearances and averaged 10.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 23.6 minutes per contest. His shooting line for the Wildcats was .601/.304/.706.
The forward appeared in five contests for the Magic’s summer league squad in Orlando, averaging 5.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 10.6 minutes per outing.
Cavaliers To Re-Sign LeBron James
4:40pm: The third year is a player option, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com relays (on Twitter).
4:26pm: The last major free agent has finally come off the board, with the Cavaliers and LeBron James reaching an agreement on a new deal, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). According to the scribe it will be a three-year, $100MM arrangement. There is no indication yet if the deal includes any options, be it player or team.
The agreement will see James become the highest paid player in the league for the first time in his career, with the veteran set to earn approximately $31MM this coming season, Windhorst notes. The deal will pay him in excess of $33MM in 2017/18, which would be the highest single-season contract in league history, per the ESPN scribe.
There was little intrigue this offseason regarding James making his return to Cleveland, despite the superstar remaining unsigned until now. With the Cavs securing the NBA title this past season, it was merely a matter of when James would sign, not if.
James appeared in 76 games this past campaign, averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 35.6 minutes per outing while shooting .520/.309/.731 from the field. The 31-year-old was equally impressive in the postseason, logging 26.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 7.6 APG in 21 contests.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
And-Ones: Cotton, Thomas, Mavericks
The Hawks currently have 17 players on their roster, which is three below the preseason maximum, and Atlanta is likely to add to that total prior to the start of training camp, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. The team would like to add another point guard and possibly more frontcourt depth, notes Vivlamore. One possibility, as far as backcourt help goes, is unrestricted free agent Bryce Cotton, adds the scribe. Cotton played well on the Hawks’ Las Vegas Summer League squad, appearing in five games and averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.6 minutes.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Former NBA player Adonis Thomas has signed with agent Jim Tanner and Tandem Sports, Liz Mullen of The Sports Business Journal tweets. Thomas last appeared in the NBA during the 2013/14 campaign when he briefly played for both the Sixers and the Magic.
- Available roster spots are becoming scarce around the league, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders notes in his rundown of where each team currently stands as far as roster counts go.
- The Mavs‘ roster looks markedly different from a season ago and team executive Donnie Nelson believes the changes made are for the better, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com writes. “You know, we’re excited. I think we’re better than we were last year,” Nelson explained. “We also have some really nice young pieces, and I think at the start of training camp we’ll have some really solid veteran leadership in the starting positions laced with guys in their mid-20s. So, it’s a really nice complement of Mavericks that have carried that baton for years and a young complement of Maverick young guns that will be positioning themselves for roster minutes.”
Community Shootaround: Melo’s Legacy
In an interview with ESPN’s Marc Stein, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony indicated that if his professional basketball career were to end without him winning an NBA championship, he’d still consider it a success if he walked away with three Olympic gold medals and an NCAA title. “I would be very happy walking away from the game knowing that I’ve given the game everything I have, knowing I played on a high level at every level: high school, college, won [a championship at Syracuse] in college and possibly three gold medals,” Anthony said.
Anthony has long been a polarizing player among fans, thanks to his gaudy statistics and lack of playoff success over the course of his career. The tale of the tape on the forward’s NBA career thus far is: In 902 career regular season games Anthony has averaged 24.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists to accompany a shooting line of .453/.344/.812. He’s a nine-time NBA All-Star, has won an NBA scoring title (2013) and is one of the more versatile players the league has ever seen on the offensive side of the game. But…he’s only made it out of the first round of the playoffs twice in his 13-year career.
The player whose career I’ve often compared Anthony’s to is former Hawks great, Dominique Wilkins. While Melo’s game is certainly different from the “Human Highlight Film’s,” Wilkins is a prime example of a star whose statistics never translated into an NBA title. To further illustrate my point, take a gander at Wilkins’ career numbers, which are eerily similar to Anthony’s. In 1074 career regular season contests, Wilkins notched averages of 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists to go along with his shooting line of .461/.319/.811. Wilkins enjoyed a bit more playoff success, advancing past the first round on four occasions during his time in Atlanta, but never past the second round.
I reference Wilkins because despite never having won an NBA title, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006 and is generally regarded as one of the greats of the game, though not in the same conversation as Jordan, Bird, Magic, etc. Unless the Knicks strike gold in the near future, it appears that Anthony is also destined to end his career with an impressive stat line, but no ring to silence his detractors.
This brings to today’s topic, which is a two-parter: What will Carmelo Anthony‘s NBA legacy be if he fails to win a title during his career? And if he indeed fails to lead a team to a championship, is he worthy of being inducted into the Hall Of Fame?
Take to the comments section to share your thoughts on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
Raptors, Masai Ujiri Talk Contract Extension
The Raptors and team executive Masai Ujiri are engaged in advanced discussions regarding a contract extension, Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com report. The two sides are nearing a deal, according to the duo’s sources, though the length and terms of the proposed extension are unknown at this time.
Ujiri still has nearly two years remaining on his current pact, a five-year, $15MM arrangement that he inked back in May of 2013. The 46-year-old had won the NBA Executive of the Year Award the prior season for his work with the Nuggets, with Denver having notched an impressive 57 wins that campaign. He has since built Toronto into an Eastern Conference power, with the team reaching the Conference Finals this past season.
Under Ujiri’s watch, Toronto has an overall regular season record of 153-93, plus, three consecutive playoff berths.
Pelicans To Ink Sacre To Training Camp Pact
The Pelicans have reached an agreement with unrestricted free agent center Robert Sacre, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). The scribe classifies it as a training camp deal, meaning the arrangement is likely a minimum salary one that includes little or no guaranteed money.
Sacre, who played the last four seasons with the Lakers, had also drawn interest from the Timberwolves and Rockets, according to a report by Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
The 27-year-old appeared in 25 games for Los Angeles during the 2015/16 campaign, averaging 3.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per outing. Sacre’s shooting line on the season was .413/.000/.658.
Poll: 2005 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. While life, and the NBA, doesn’t often allow for second chances, we at Hoops Rumors believe it’s fun to give our readers a second take at picking players, complete with the benefit of hindsight.
We’ve previously tackled the 2003 and 2013 NBA Drafts and the next one we’re tackling is 2005’s, the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Knicks, who held the No. 8 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for New York’s pick and check back Thursday night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Warriors should have taken 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.
Selections
- Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
- Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
- Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
- Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
- Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
- Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
- Raptors — Andrew Bynum [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]
- Knicks — ? [Actual Pick — Channing Frye]