Ownership Of Jazz Transferred Into Legacy Trust
The Jazz will remain in Salt Lake City for “generations to come,” as owner Gail Miller announced the team’s ownership and arena would be moved to a legacy trust. The legacy trust will be “managed by current and future generations of the Miller family,” the Jazz announced through its team website.
“As a family, we have always considered the Utah Jazz a community asset and it has been our privilege to serve as stewards of this team for more than 30 years,” Miller said at a press conference on Monday. “There have been many opportunities to sell and move the franchise, but from the day Larry and I purchased the Jazz our goal was to keep the team in Utah. The Legacy Trust will help to ensure this commitment is kept for generations to come.”
The Jazz moved from New Orleans to Utah in 1979, winning eight division titles from that point on. The Jazz have been subject to relocation rumors in recent years, but Monday’s announcement will quash those discussions for the foreseeable future.
As noted by The Associated Press (link via ESPN.com), this is believed to be the first legacy trust for a professional franchise in any of the four major U.S. leagues.
Nuggets Claim Mo Williams Off Waivers
Mo Williams has been claimed off waivers by the Denver Nuggets, Marc Stein of ESPN reports (Twitter link). Denver is expected to immediately waive Williams, opening up a roster spot to retain Alonzo Gee on a 10-day contract, per Stein (Twitter link).
Williams, thought to be retired, has been involved in a number of transactions over the last month. The 34-year-old was dealt from Cleveland to Atlanta as a part of the Kyle Korver trade, and then flipped to Denver for the draft rights to Cenk Akyol. Williams was then waived, claimed by Philadelphia on January 20, and claimed once more by Denver today.
If the Sixers want to claim Williams off waivers again this week, they’ll have to either terminate Chasson Randle‘s 10-day contract early or waive one of the other 14 players on their roster — the team no longer has an open roster spot at its disposal.
As Bobby Marks noted in an article for The Vertical, the newly agreed upon CBA would make this type of transaction obsolete. As of July, the player’s days of service will determine his cost against the minimum team salary; not his full cap hit. Williams’ circumstance is the type of “loophole,” Marks describes, in which teams will keep low payrolls on the roster only to make waiver claims or trades in an attempt to reach the salary floor.
Magic Sign Anthony Brown To 10-Day Deal
JANUARY 22: The signing is official, according to a tweet from the team.
JANUARY 20: The Orlando Magic are lining up a 10-day contract for Anthony Brown, reports Marc Stein of ESPN (Twitter link). Currently playing for the Erie BayHawks at the D-League showcase in Ontario, Brown would be the first player to receive a call-up from the four-day scouting event.
Brown, 24, has played in parts of two NBA seasons with the Lakers and Pelicans. The former Stanford Cardinal appeared in nine games with New Orleans earlier this season, totaling 34 points and 26 rebounds. Brown has excelled in the D-League, averaging 21.7 points through 15 games with the BayHawks.
Brown is a logical fit with the Magic, whose struggles on offense this season have been well-documented. Brown would provide depth at the two and three, where Orlando is missing Evan Fournier and Jodie Meeks due to injury. The team also has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move would be required.
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Community Shootaround: Kings’ Outlook
If the Kings weren’t considered to be a playoff contender at full strength, they certainly aren’t without Rudy Gay. After averaging 18.7 points on 45.5% shooting in 30 games, Gay tore his left Achilles’ tendon against the Pacers on Wednesday; a season-ending injury.
Gay has vowed on Twitter to come back “stronger than ever,” but the Kings will still face a myriad of issues in 2016/17. Now 11th place in the Western Conference, the Kings sit at 16-26 following a lopsided loss to the Grizzlies. What’s more, the Kings’ roster is full of veterans preventing rookies Malachi Richardson, Georgios Papagiannis, and Skal Labissiere from receiving court time. Willie Cauley-Stein recently voiced grievances on the lack of opportunity in his sophomore season.
“I feel I was showing stuff at the end of last season that would make people say, ‘Oh, damn, they got a steal in the draft,'” Cauley-Stein told Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. “Now it’s like I took 25 steps forward and 30 steps back. It’s like my whole rookie season didn’t matter and I’m back at square one. Nothing I did last year is having an effect on my career. It’s been very frustrating.”
The team appears unlikely to trade DeMarcus Cousins, but they have several assets who could help another team’s playoff run. With a lack of direction for the 2016/17 season, several on-and-off the court controversies, and no clear path to minutes for younger players, we want to know…
Should the Kings trade off assets and start a complete rebuild? Is there any hope in salvaging the season to grab a No. 7 or 8 seed? Will Gay – who has a player option for the 2017/18 season – opt to remain in Sacramento, or is he a lock to test the market even after his injury?
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/20/17
Here are today’s D-League assignments and recalls:
- The Hornets recalled Christian Wood from the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced through its website. Wood has appeared in only one game for the Hornets this season, but averaged 19.6 points with 10.1 rebounds through 18 games with Greensboro this season. Wood, who declared for the 2015 draft but went undrafted, scored 61 points over 17 games with the Sixers in 2015/16.
- The Celtics recalled Demetrius Jackson from the Maine Red Claws, the team announced via Twitter. With point guard Avery Bradley still recovering from an Achilles injury, Jackson stands a chance to play in Saturday’s game against the Trail Blazers. Jackson, who has scored 10 points in four games with Boston this season, averaged 17.9 point through 17 games with Maine. A second round draft pick in 2016, Jackson has now been recalled from the D-League seven times this season.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Wall, Dragic, Hezonja
Controversy surrounded the ending of Thursday’s game between the Knicks and Wizards. Down three points in their final possession, the Knicks attempted to get a shot off while Washington assistant coach Sidney Lowe was standing on the court, appearing to distract Courtney Lee. The NBA addressed Lowe’s actions today, claiming he “should have been assessed a technical foul,” before levying a $15,000 fine against the Wizards and a $5,000 fine to Lowe. Carmelo Anthony stood up for his teammate, claiming Lee was deceived.
“He [Lowe] was on the court. They have six players on the court,” Anthony said of the Wizards’ assistant. “I’ve never seen it before. I’ve never seen that before, especially not in a situation like that. Close game, half court offense, we’re trying to make something happen. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Other goings-on around the Southeast:
- John Wall, playing at the healthiest he’s been throughout his seven-year NBA career, is posting career-high totals in offensive categories. Unhappy with his perception as a player who wasn’t engaged at practice, the Wizards point guard has worked with a vengeance at the gym. “I wanted to put the work in but I couldn’t because I needed to spend an hour to stretch just to get prepared to practice. That was frustrating,” Wall said, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “People would tell me I don’t take the NBA seriously. I take this as seriously as possible. Now, I can do a regular stretch for 10 minutes and get a full workout in without having any problem afterward. That’s the key to why I am playing at a higher level.”
- Goran Dragic has Dwyane Wade‘s competitive spirit, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said this week, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel details. “This game means so much to Goran Dragic,” Spoelstra said. “When we lose, he doesn’t sleep. He takes it hard like a coach would. I get text messages from him about things that he thought he could have done better or differently, hours after the game.” Dragic’s 20.3 points per game are his highest total since 2013/14 with the Suns.
- The Hornets “have much to prove” at the midway point of the season, Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer writes. Coach Scott Clifford lamented his team’s inability to play to their strengths. “We are not physically imposing.” Clifford said. “We are not playing three guys who are going to average 23 (points) a night. What we are is we have exceptional basketball IQ, skill level and intelligence. And that only matters if you take advantage of it. So if you’re going to make mistakes and have dumb turnovers — we lost a game the other night with 19 turnovers — we’re not that team. …We can’t turn it over. We can’t beat ourselves.”
- The playoffs appear to be an afterthought for the Magic, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders writes. While the Magic expected to be an imposing defensive team, they’ve recently dropped out of the Top 20 in league-wide defense. With an ugly 17-27 mark at the halfway point of the season, coach Frank Vogel is shaking up his rotations, including giving 21-year-old Mario Hezonja additional court time.
Timberwolves, Pistons Have Discussed Rubio, Jackson
The Timberwolves and Pistons have discussed a point guard swap of Ricky Rubio and Reggie Jackson, Marc Stein of ESPN reports. Nothing is imminent, as each team is in the “talking stage,” and as Stein notes, any deal would expand to involve other players, such as Shabazz Muhammad.
While the Timberwolves have reportedly been actively shopping Rubio, the Pistons have contended that Jackson wouldn’t be available via trade, though rival clubs aren’t so convinced. Both players have multiple years left on long-term deals, but could be available in the next month for different reasons. Jackson and the Pistons have struggled this year, and in their ESPN report, Stein and Haynes note that rookie Kris Dunn is regarded as Minnesota’s “point guard of the future,” making Rubio expendable.
The 26-year-old Rubio has averaged 7.7 points with 7.9 assists in his sixth NBA season. The Spaniard missed a five-game stretch in November due to an elbow injury, but has otherwise remained healthy in 2016/17. Now in the second year of a four-year, $55MM contract, Rubio has a cap hit of $13,400,000.
On the heels of a breakout 2015/16 campaign, Jackson’s statistics have slightly regressed this season; averaging 16.7 points with 5.3 assists through 23 games. The 26-year-old Jackson missed the season’s first 21 games with left knee tendinitis, but has come on strong of late; scoring 20.2 points on 46.4% shooting over his last 10 games.
If the Timberwolves are seeking a “bridge” guard to assume starting duties until Dunn is ready, as has been reported, Jackson would be a peculiar choice for a few reasons. Jackson is slated to make $16MM, $17MM+, and $18MM+ over the next three seasons, making him an expensive option to bridge the gap at point guard. What’s more, the role of (eventually) backing up Dunn may not come naturally to Jackson, who hasn’t played in a reserve role since 2012/13 with the Thunder.
Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Acy, Embiid, Bradley
Despite the Nets‘ current 11-game losing streak, veteran center Brook Lopez remains optimistic on the team’s outlook, claiming to “want to see something special built here,” according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Nets, who don’t have control of their own first round draft pick until 2019, would seek two first round picks for Lopez, according to a recent report from Marc Stein of ESPN. Lewis confirms that asking price, but notes that Brooklyn isn’t actively looking to move the veteran center.
More from around the Atlantic Division:
- Nets coach Kenny Atkinson heaped praise upon Quincy Acy, who just received his second 10-day contract with the Nets, as Lewis detailed in his previously-linked piece. “[I’ve liked] his energy, toughness, he’s got good athleticism about him, he’s got aggressiveness about him,” Atkinson said. “Surprised at his shooting. I think he’s an improved shooter, from what I remember. Just watching him in practice shoot the ball, he’s more skilled than I thought.”
- Despite the Sixers‘ recent success, coach Brett Brown has shied away from the spotlight, Bob Cooney of Philly.com writes: “Brown, much like former general manager Sam Hinkie, the architect of ‘The Process,’ isn’t short-sighted. Seven wins in nine games is remarkable for this team at this time. Key words – at this time.”
- Joel Embiid, on the other hand, has embraced attention from Sixers fans, encouraging fans at the Wells Fargo Arena to chant “Trust The Process” even louder. Embiid is a big reason the Sixers are turning heads in a league dominated by guards, Sam Donnellon of Philly.com writes.
- Celtics coach Brad Stevens was critical of his team’s defense, claiming they were “just not good enough” in Wednesday’s loss to the Knicks, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. As WEEI’s Logan Mullen notes, Boston will benefit immeasurably from Avery Bradley‘s return. Bradley, who will not participate in Saturday’s match-up against Portland, has had issues with Achilles soreness.
OG Anunoby To Undergo Knee Surgery, Out For Season
OG Anunoby, ESPN’s 17th-ranked overall prospect, will undergo right knee surgery and miss the remainder of the season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Anunoby initially suffered the injury against Penn State on Wednesday, needing to be helped off the court by teammates. Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean addressed the development through an online statement:
“It has been determined that OG Anunoby will undergo surgery on his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season. He is expected to make a complete recovery. For a young man, OG has a very strong faith and a courageous spirit. We are going to do everything as a basketball family to help him recover and rehabilitate from this unfortunate situation.”
A 6’8” wing with scoring ability, Anunoby was slated to be picked 10th in DraftExpress’ latest 2017 Mock Draft.
Anunoby announced he would forego the NBA draft in April of 2016, returning for his sophomore season at Indiana University. While Anunoby averaged just 13.7 minutes in his freshman year, the Missouri-native raised his profile this season, averaging 11.1 points on 56% shooting with 1.3 steals through 16 games.