Free Agent Notes: Crawford, Howard, Dudley
With free agency set to begin on Friday, here’s the latest news, notes and updates from around the league:
- Unrestricted free agent Jamal Crawford has meetings set with the Clippers, Knicks, Magic, Mavericks and Heat for when the free agent signing period kicks off, Brad Turner of The Los Angels Times reports (via Twitter).
- The Trail Blazers are potentially interested in signing unrestricted free agent center Dwight Howard to a short-term deal, Sam Amick of USA Today relays.
- The Wizards want to re-sign unrestricted free agent Jared Dudley, but the Jazz are expected to make a run at the forward this summer as well, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets.
- Unrestricted free agent forward Solomon Hill has four meetings scheduled for when the free agent signing period commences, though his former squad, the Pacers, are not among the franchises on the agenda, Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star tweets.
- The Blazers are expected to be very active in free agency this offseason, but one player who isn’t on the team’s radar is power forward Ryan Anderson, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com relays (on Twitter). Anderson is expected to be in high-demand around the league this summer.
- On team that is indeed interested in Anderson are the Jazz, who plan to be aggressive this offseason in recruiting free agents, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. However, Utah is unlikely to land the stretch-four, Jones adds, classifying Luol Deng and Hill as more realistic targets.
- The Clippers are interested in re-signing unrestricted free agent center Cole Aldrich, but will face competition from the Suns and Magic for the big man’s services, Turner tweets.
- Restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas is open to returning to Houston and noted that the Rockets would be the first team he will meet with once the free agent period opens this Friday, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). The big man earned $2,288,205 for his work this past season.
Eastern Notes: Saric, Wroten, Budenholzer
It appears that the likelihood of Dario Saric joining the Sixers in time for next season is increasing, with the two sides actively engaged in contract talks, Marc Stein of ESPN.com relays. Saric will have to pay a buyout believed to be in the $800,000 range to secure his release from Efes in order to make the jump to the NBA, with league rules allowing Philadelphia to contribute $650,000 to the buyout amount, Stein notes. Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo told reporters prior to the NBA draft that Philadelphia had received “a good indication” about Saric’s willingness to make an immediate jump to the NBA, Stein adds.
Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:
- The Knicks‘ release of point guard Tony Wroten after acquiring Derrick Rose from the Bulls last week raised some eyebrows around the league given New York’s rather thin backcourt depth chart. Some light has been shed on why New York parted ways with Wroten, with a league source informing Stefan Bondy and Frank Isola of The New York Daily News that the guard was waived due to an undisclosed disciplinary issue. Memphis subsequently claimed Wroten off waivers.
- Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer, who was found not guilty of a DUI stemming from a traffic stop in 2013, will not face any discipline from the NBA for this matter, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets.
- The Rose trade ushers in a new era in Chicago and GM Gar Forman says the Bulls will need retool in order to become a contender once again, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “We had a great run for 10 years,” Forman told reporters. “The last decade, we’ve got the best record in the Eastern Conference. We’ve put together a group that we thought was highly competitive and probably had a chance to get to a championship level. The injuries obviously derailed us quite a bit, especially the last few years. And then last year there were just so many of them. But we’ve got to put this back together now, going younger, more athletic and building it back up moving into the future.“
Warriors May Seek To Deal Andrew Bogut
The Warriors are growing increasingly frustrated with the unreliability of Andrew Bogut and may look to trade the center this offseason, Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com relays. Golden State may need to clear cap space for a pursuit of unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant and Bogut is the player the team most prefers to part ways with if the need arises, Poole adds. But even if Durant doesn’t join the team, the Warriors may still explore the possibility trading Bogut.
Golden State has grown weary of Bogut’s propensity for injuries, but the team is also not pleased with the production it received from the big man during the postseason when he was on the court, Poole notes. In 52 minutes over the first four games of The Finals, Bogut snagged just 12 rebounds, while Cavs big man Tristan Thompson, who during the same span played 110 minutes, grabbed 37 rebounds and backup center Timofey Mozgov grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes, Poole writes. Bogut was sidelined the final two games due to a bone bruise. The team is also displeased with Bogut’s lack of aggressiveness on the offense end, which is something other NBA teams have begun to exploit, according to the scribe.
Bogut, who is entering the final year of his contract, is set to earn $12,681,081 in 2016/17. He appeared in 70 games for the Warriors this season and averaged 5.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 20.7 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .627/1.000/.480.
Coaching Notes: Frank, Iske, Lucas, Pistons
The Clippers and assistant coach Lawrence Frank have reached an agreement that will see him promoted to executive vice president of basketball operations, reporting directly to team president and coach Doc Rivers, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Frank will be tasked with reorganizing the franchise’s front office, including building out the infrastructure of its scouting, sports science and long-term strategic planning, Wojnarowski notes.
Frank, 45, has been a two-time head coach in the NBA with the Nets and Pistons, and had been working toward a transition to the front office in recent years, the scribe notes. As Nets coach, Frank reached the Eastern Conference semifinals three out of his first four seasons on the job. He won 279 games as a head coach, including an 18-20 (.474) playoff record. Frank has been an assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the past two seasons with Los Angeles.
Here’s more coaching news from around the league:
- The Pistons announced via press release that the team has named Jon Phelps as GM and Rex Walters as head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive, Detroit’s D-League affiliate. “We’re fortunate to be able to fill these two positions with guys we feel very comfortable with,” said coach/executive Stan Van Gundy. “Jon was in Grand Rapids with the Drive the last two years so there’s familiarity and continuity there. We’re confident he will continue to do a good job and transition well into this new role. “Rex Walters brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and experience and has a passion for developing young players. He’s spent some time with us here and already has a good understanding of how we operate. We look forward to working with both of them.”
- The Wizards will be adding former Kings assistant Chad Iske to Scott Brooks‘ coaching staff in Washington, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post relays (on Twitter).
- Former Wizards assistant coach Roy Rogers has reached an agreement to join Mike D’Antoni‘s staff with the Rockets, Wojnarowski tweets.
- Former NBA player and coach John Lucas is joining the Rockets‘ staff as the head of player development, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle relays.
Eastern Notes: Budenholzer, Crawford, Nets
The Nets won’t necessarily be gunning for the top players in the free agent market this summer, but instead, will be seeking players with high character and a strong work ethic who are on the verge of breaking out, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). “I think veteran leadership is important,” coach Kenny Atkinson said regarding what kind of players the team would be targeting. “I think undervalued guys, guys that might be under the radar and can produce and maybe not necessarily the big star, maybe we’re not in position to get that guy and really guys like Isaiah Whitehead that fill the characteristics we’re looking for — hardworking, high character, high basketball IQ is important for us and competitors.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- After dealing Victor Oladipo to the Thunder, the Magic are extremely interested in unrestricted free agent guard Jamal Crawford, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets.
- Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer has been found not guilty of DUI charges stemming from a 2013 traffic stop, The Associated Press relays. Budenholzer relayed that he believes the trooper may have been confused about him being impaired because the coach has chronic redness around his eyes, previous ankle injuries and a foot surgery that causes imbalance, according to the report.
- Despite not being able to pull off a big draft night trade to land a star player, the Celtics‘ players are still behind team executive Danny Ainge and believe he did the right thing by not pulling the trigger on any of the rumored deals Boston was linked to, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes (ESPN Now link). “We trust Danny [Ainge] and we believe in Danny. And we know Danny made the right decision. We stand behind him 100%,” point guard Marcus Smart told Forsberg.
- New Magic coach Frank Vogel is bringing over Spurs assistant Chad Forcier to join his coaching staff in Orlando, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Sixers are expected to exercise their 2016/17 team option for swingman Hollis Thompson, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine tweets. Thompson is scheduled to earn $1,015,696 next season.
Qualifying Offers: Drummond, Beal, Powell
Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become restricted free agents by default. In order to make a player a restricted free agent, a team must extend a qualifying offer to him. The qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract offer, varies in amount depending on a player’s service time and previous contract status. A qualifying offer is designed to give a player’s team the right of first refusal. Because the qualifying offer acts as the first formal contract offer a free agent receives, his team then receives the option to match any offer sheet the player signs with another club. You can read more about qualifying offers here.
Teams don’t always formally announce when they submit qualifying offers, which is the case with a number of players who have already been extended these offers by their respective clubs. The procedural moves listed below have been posted to the RealGM Transactions page, with more sure to follow in the next few days:
- Bradley Beal [Wizards] — $7,471,412
- Andre Drummond [Pistons] — $4,433,683
- Boban Marjanovic [Spurs] — $1,500,000
- Dwight Powell [Mavericks] — $1,180,431
Also receiving a qualifying offer is Magic center Dewayne Dedmon, with Orlando submitting the $1,215,696 required to make him a restricted free agent earlier today, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.
Heat, Erik Spoelstra Nearing Contract Extension
The Heat and coach Erik Spoelstra are closing in on a contract extension, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Spoelstra is entering the final year of his current deal.
Team owner Micky Arison and team president Pat Riley are eager to secure Spoelstra beyond the final year of his contract and want to insure that he doesn’t hit the open market next summer, Wojnarowski notes. Spoelstra is the second-longest active tenured coach with one team, trailing only behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.
The 45-year-old just completed his eighth season as Heat head coach, reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals before losing to the Raptors in seven games. Spoelstra has won two NBA titles with the franchise, reaching four Eastern Conference finals along the way and he owns a career regular season mark of 399-241 (.623) and is 70-43 (.619) as a head coach in the postseason.
Tim Duncan Exercises Option, Unsure About 2016/17
Spurs big man Tim Duncan has elected to exercise his player option for the 2016/17 campaign, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. But despite the veteran choosing to opt in, it doesn’t mean he has definitively decided to continue his playing career, the scribe adds. Duncan is set to earn $5,643,750 if he suits up next season.
Duncan, 40, is still seriously contemplating his desire to continue playing ball and needs time to judge how his body feels, team sources tell Wojnarowski. The Spurs are allowing Duncan to make a decision on his own timetable, despite their plans to pursue unrestricted free agent forward Kevin Durant this summer. The scribe also notes that this is the most serious Duncan has been about hanging up his sneakers and calling it a career at any point over the past few years.
The future Hall-of-Famer saw his production decline this season, averaging a career-low 8.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks in 25.2 minutes per contest over 61 appearances. He shot .488/.000/.702 from the field on the campaign.
Unsigned Draft Picks: Southwest Division
With the 2016 NBA draft now in the books, the term draft-and-stash will be mentioned quite often in regard to international players and late second-rounders. While some of these athletes will eventually sign with an NBA team, it seems like the majority of them stay overseas and never make it to the league. Those players in the latter category aren’t without value as they become trade assets for the teams holding their rights.
While many players fail to work out the way teams expect them to, they can at least become tradeable assets for teams that don’t want to part with a future second-round pick in a deal. Each team must give up something in a trade, which is why many swaps include top-55 protected second-round picks. Older draft rights held players who clearly will never come over to the NBA are essentially the same as flipping those heavily protected second-rounders, for all intents and purposes.
Listed below are the current unsigned draftees for the teams of the Southwest Division. These listings don’t include players selected in this year’s draft:
Dallas Mavericks
- Petteri Koponen — Selected No. 30 overall in 2007.
- Emir Preldzic — Selected No. 57 overall in 2009.
- Renaldas Seibutis — Selected No. 50 overall in 2007.
- Satnam Singh — Selected No. 52 overall in 2015.
Houston Rockets
- Alessandro Gentile — Selected No. 53 overall in 2014.
- Marko Todorovic — Selected No. 45 overall in 2013.
- Jon Diebler — Selected No. 51 overall in 2011.
- Sergio Llull — Selected No. 34 overall in 2009.
- Brad Newly — Selected No. 54 overall in 2007.
- Axel Hervelle — Selected No. 52 overall in 2005.
- Serhiy Lishchuk — Selected No. 49 overall in 2004.
- Venson Hamilton — Selected No. 50 overall in 1999.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Andrew Harrison — Selected No. 44 overall in 2015.
New Orleans Pelicans
- Latavious Williams — Selected No. 48 overall in 2010.
San Antonio Spurs
- Nikola Milutinov — Selected No. 26 overall in 2015.
- Livio Jean-Charles — Selected No. 28 overall in 2013.
- Cady Lalanne — Selected No. 55 overall in 2015.
- Nemanja Dangubic — Selected No. 54 overall in 2014.
- Marcus Denmon — Selected No. 59 overall in 2012.
- Davis Bertans — Selected No. 42 overall in 2011.
- Adam Hanga — Selected No. 59 overall in 2011.
- Ryan Richards — Selected No. 49 overall in 2010.
- Giorgos Printezis — Selected No. 58 overall in 2007.
- Erazem Lorbek — Selected No. 46 overall in 2005.
- Viktor Sanikidze — Selected No. 42 overall in 2004.
- Sergei Karaulov — Selected No. 58 overall in 2004.
- Robertas Javtokas — Selected No. 55 overall in 2001.
Nets Shopping Jarrett Jack
The Nets are shopping point guard Jarrett Jack in advance of his salary for next season becoming fully guaranteed, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (Twitter links). If Brooklyn is unable to find a taker for Jack, Brooklyn plans to waive the player, Wojnarowski adds.
Jack’s contract calls for him to earn $6.3MM in 2016/17, the final year of his deal. His salary is already partially guaranteed for $500,00, an amount Brooklyn will be on the hook for if it releases the player. The point guard’s pact will become fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster past Thursday. Jack tore his ACL in January and has been rehabbing with the hope of being ready for the start of training camp.
It’s unclear if any market exists for Jack, who could potentially be had for a lower annual amount after clearing waivers. One potential suitor I could see stepping up in the event Jack is waived are the crosstown Knicks, who are in desperate need of backcourt depth, though this is pure speculation on my part.
The 32-year-old made 32 appearances for the Nets this past season and averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 32.1 minutes per outing. His slash line on the campaign was .391/.304/.893.