Metta World Peace To Play In China?
Free agent forward Metta World Peace is close to signing a contract to play for the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
The 34-year-old forward last played for the Knicks in 2013/14 but was waived in late February. In March, World Peace sought a return to New York not too long after the team hired Phil Jackson as president of basketball operations; the latest we heard was that the Knicks were only mulling a training camp invite on a non-guaranteed deal. We also passed along that the Queensbridge native also had interest in returning to Los Angeles to play for the Clippers or Lakers, although talks about re-joining the purple-and-gold weren’t considered to be serious.
The Marc Cornstein client statistically had his worst season to date last year in a handful of categories, averaging a career low in points (4.8), rebounds (2.0), steals (0.8), and minutes (13.4) through 29 games. It’s interesting to wonder just how much World Peace has left in the tank after not playing much last season, especially considering his productive stat line when he was a mainstay in the Lakers’ rotation under Mike D’Antoni in 2012/13 (12.4/5.0/1.6/33.7).
Durant On Gasol, LeBron, 2016 Free Agency
Following a Team USA training camp session earlier today, Kevin Durant answered a few notable questions from the media about the free agent movement this offseason as well as the summer of 2016, when he’ll be set to hit unrestricted free agency. The Thunder made a few ripples this summer after reeling in Sebastian Telfair and Anthony Morrow on the free agent market, but neither compare to the wave that would have resulted from netting Pau Gasol, who ultimately decided on joining the Bulls. When asked how close he thought Oklahoma City was to signing the two-time NBA champion, Durant told Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles that the chances were slim.“Obviously (it wasn’t) that close, (but) I did my work. That was my first time recruiting.” (Twitter link).
You can read more of Durant’s answers below, courtesy of a separate piece from Shelburne.
On LeBron James‘ decision to return to Cleveland:
“I thought it was well-thought-out. It was classy. It was a great move to do it as a letter…That was pretty cool. It’s funny seeing guys think about more than just basketball for once. He thought about the city where he comes from, about Northeast Ohio and how he can affect so many of the kids just being there playing basketball. I love that. So many guys get criticized for making the decision that’s best for them instead of what’s best for everybody else.
On becoming a free agent in 2016 and possibly choosing to return to his hometown of Washington D.C. and play for the Wizards:
“I’m going to do what’s best for me…It’s hard to talk about that right now when I’ve got two years left in Oklahoma City. I’m just going to focus on that. I’m not going to make a decision based on what anybody else does.
On his ties to Washington D.C. and people asking him about a potential homecoming:
“I grew up watching the Bullets/Wizards. I grew up taking the train to that arena, all the time, to watch Georgetown, the Bullets, the Washington Mystics. That whole city is a part of me. It’s in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family and playing there, but I love Oklahoma City, too.”
“(The idea of me coming home has) been talked about. Everybody’s asked me about it every time I go on Instagram or Twitter. All my friends ask me about it…So I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m naïve to the fact that people think about that stuff. But I just tell everybody that I’m here in Oklahoma City, I love it here. Who knows what will happen. I never close the door on anything. But I like where I’m at right now. So I can’t answer that question.”
Central Notes: Rose, Van Gundy, Waiters
As Derrick Rose inches closer toward his return to NBA action in 2014/15 following a season-ending injury last season, Kevin Pelton of ESPN explains why the Bulls superstar is better preparing himself by starting his adjustment period against some of the league’s best point guards in Team USA camp rather than waiting until Bulls training camp in the fall to begin playing at a high level (Insiders only). With that aside, here’s more of what we’ve gathered out of the Central Division this evening:
- Rose outlined what his pitch to Carmelo Anthony had been as he spoke with reporters, including Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com. Rose’s message was simple, but it was seemingly more than just the brief hello that one report had indicated was the extent of the contact between the two stars.
- Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy acknowledged that the team had to be more aggressive in its pitches to free agents this summer because of its lack of success on the court of late, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press notes.
- Dion Waiters and Andrew Wiggins have both been in plenty of trade chatter, but if they both remain with the Cavs, only one of them seems likely to start. Waiters isn’t demanding that he be the starter, but he’s resolute in his belief that he’s the man for the job, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Doug McDermott is aware that his name is being attached in trade talks regarding Kevin Love; however, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the Bulls rookie hasn’t asked the front office to keep him updated on those rumors as he waits to see what happens.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Relationship Worsening Between Suns, Bledsoe
The relationship between the Suns and Eric Bledsoe appears to be souring further, as a source tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that an “ominous development” has emerged with both sides still very far apart in contract negotiations. The source adds that “the relationship is on the expressway to being ruined” at this point. This summer, Bledsoe had drawn significant interest from teams such as the Bucks and Jazz; however, Phoenix has effectively scared off potential suitors by making it clear that any offer sheet that the restricted free agent receives would be matched,
Prior to this update, we heard earlier this month that Phoenix was reportedly offering $48MM over four years; Bledsoe reportedly insisted on an $80MM deal over five seasons. Haynes mentions two sources who said that Phoenix’s offer included a decline in salaries each year. Not surprisingly, the proposal was quickly turned down.
Rockets Sign Nick Johnson
SATURDAY, 7:26pm: According to Pincus, Houston indeed used part of the mid-level exception to sign Johnson (Twitter link). Pincus’ updated salary sheet for the Rockets indicates that Johnson’s three-year deal is worth a total of $2,332,826.
FRIDAY, 4:42pm: Johnson has signed with the team, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter) and the RealGM transactions log, though the Rockets have yet to make an official announcement.
TUESDAY, 9:50pm: The three-year deal will be fully guaranteed, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link). The Rockets are already above the salary cap, and considering that the bi-annual and minimum salary exceptions can only cover a deal of up to two years, it’s a near certainty that they’re using a portion of the mid-level exception to sign Johnson for three years.
8:25pm: The Rockets are expected to sign rookie guard Nick Johnson to a three-year deal with a team option in the third year, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The nephew of Hall-of-Famer Dennis Johnson was selected with the 42nd overall pick in last month’s draft.
Johnson recently played for the Rockets’ summer league team in Orlando and Las Vegas. In Orlando, the 6’3 guard produced 15.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 5.0 APG while shooting 44.6% from the field in 29.4 MPG through five games; in Las Vegas, Johnson’s numbers dipped to 12.5/4.4/2.3/0.384 in eight games despite a slight increase in minutes (30.3).
The University of Arizona standout played a total of three seasons in college, increasing his scoring, rebounding, free throw shooting percentage, and free throws attempted averages every year. In his final season as a Wildcat, Johnson notched 16.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.9 free throws attempted per game, and 33.1 MPG in 38 contests while shooting 43.2% from the field and 36.7% from long distance.
Cavaliers Sign Joe Harris
THURSDAY, 2:56pm: The contract is official, the team announced.
TUESDAY, 7:20pm: The deal will reportedly be for $2.7MM over three seasons, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.
6:55pm: The Cavaliers will sign second-round pick Joe Harris to a three-year rookie deal, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link). The deal will be guaranteed over two seasons with a team option in the third year, Charania adds. Since the arrangement stretches over three years, the Cavs will use cap space to complete the transaction, as neither the minimum-salary exception nor the room exception allows for a contract that long.
The small forward from the University of Virginia was the 38th best prospect in the rankings that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiles but just 49th with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. He had a slightly reduced role this past season as a senior after notching 16.3 points per game in his junior year. He put up just 12.0 PPG this time around, but he maintained 40.0% three-point shooting, so he shapes up as a long-distance threat for Cleveland.
Harris spoke to Zach Links of Hoops Rumors prior to the draft, crediting Virginia coach and highly touted NBA coaching prospect Tony Bennett for helping him improve defensively.
Mavs, Jameer Nelson Nearing Agreement
2:56pm: Nelson’s camp is fielding calls from other teams as they look to intervene before he commits to the Mavs, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). The Bulls had been pursuing him before they came to terms with other point guards, Charania adds.
WEDNESDAY, 1:41pm: The Mavs are “on track” to strike a deal with Nelson for the room exception when he meets the team Thursday, barring an unforeseen snag, Stein reports (Twitter links).
TUESDAY, 8:36pm: Free agent point guard Jameer Nelson is scheduled for a face-to-face visit with the Mavericks on Thursday, sources tell ESPN’s Marc Stein, who adds that Dallas is still equipped with its $2.732MM room exception and hopes to ultimately complete a deal with the former All-Star. On the topic of their search for one more veteran point guard this summer, Stein also reminds that the Mavs met with Mo Williams at some point this month (All Twitter links).
As we recently passed along, Williams hasn’t been the team’s top priority with their room exception, and Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com even suggested that Nelson was possibly a higher target on their list. If the Mavs reach an agreement with Nelson, it would certainly factor into Williams’ interest in joining the team; the addition of Nelson to a current point guard rotation that includes Devin Harris, Raymond Felton, and Gal Mekel would create a logjam. Although Williams can productively contribute as an off-guard, it’s difficult to imagine him taking less money to join the Mavs when there are more lucrative offers reportedly on the table.
Nelson put up 12.1 PPG and 7.0 APG in 32.0 MPG over 68 games and 68 starts last season, although he didn’t shoot particularly well from the field overall (39.4%). Nonetheless, those numbers are mostly better than Harris’ (7.9/4.5/20.5/40/37.8) and Felton’s (9.7/5.6/31.0/65/39.5) last season. Nelson was also the superior three point shooter compared to the other two, hitting from deep on a 34.8% clip; Harris shot 30.7% while Felton connected on 31.8%.
Nets Sign Markel Brown
WEDNESDAY, 9:49pm: The deal is official, the team announced via press release. It’s a multiyear contract, the Nets revealed in their statement.
TUESDAY, 7:27pm: The Nets will sign Markel Brown, league sources tell Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (via Twitter). Brown was selected 44th overall by the Timberwolves last month before Brooklyn acquired his draft rights via trade.
It was somewhat of surprise that the Oklahoma State shooting guard went so highly in last month’s draft, since Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranked him as the 55th best prospect and Chad Ford of ESPN.com had him down at No. 61. He averaged 17.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in 35.3 minutes per game this past season as part of a backcourt tandem with point guard Marcus Smart, this year’s sixth overall pick.
Brown will face stiff competition to make the Nets opening night roster, especially if his deal isn’t fully guaranteed for this coming season. Brooklyn agreed to a deal No. 60 pick Cory Jefferson earlier tonight and also possesses the rights to Xavier Thames, the 59th overall selection. The Nets signed highly touted European draft-and-stash prospect Bojan Bogdanovic this afternoon, so it’s shaping up as a battle between this year’s second-rounders, camp invitee Michael Jenkins and any players the club adds from here for no more than two open roster spots.
Nets Sign Cory Jefferson
WEDNESDAY, 9:47am: The Nets have officially announced the signing, via press release. It’s a multiyear contract, according to the statement.
TUESDAY, 5:53pm: Rookie forward Cory Jefferson announced his contract signing with the Nets through his personal Instagram account (hat tip to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post via Twitter). The Nets traded for Jefferson’s rights on draft night after the former Baylor forward was selected 60th overall by the Spurs. The terms of the deal aren’t immediately clear.
The 6’9″ Jefferson put up 13.7 points and 8.2 rebounds in 29.0 minutes per game this past season as a senior for the Bears, numbers striking similar to what he produced in his junior year, when he first emerged as a standout. He was the 66th-best prospect in both Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and the listing that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiles.
The last two 60th overall picks to follow through and sign NBA contracts were Isaiah Thomas and Robert Sacre, so Jefferson will look to duplicate their success.
Latest On Donald Sterling
As the struggle between Donald Sterling and his wife Shelly regarding the sale of the Clippers continued in probate court today, we passed along earlier that Doc Rivers – according to the testimony of team interim CEO Dick Parsons – would no longer want to be part of the franchise if Donald remained as the team’s owner. Parsons also testified that while the Clippers have retained a majority of their sponsors throughout this ordeal, there are several of them who would only want to continue their business relationship with the team if Sterling is ousted, noted Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
There were a few more notable tidbits we’ve rounded up this evening, and you can find them below:
- Pierce O’Donnell, a lawyer for Shelly Sterling, didn’t elaborate on the details of a meeting between Steve Ballmer, Donald, and a group of lawyers at Sterling’s Beverly Hills home on Monday. “Nothing really happened of any moment…It was pleasant. Mr. Sterling was a gentleman. But nothing came of it” (report from David Leon Moore of USA Today). Bobby Samini, an attorney for Donald, commented that he doesn’t expect a settlement to be reached.
- Donald alleges corporate fraud in a lawsuit he filed today in Superior Court against his wife Shelly and the NBA, tweeted Shelburne. According to Donald’s lawyer, Bobby Samini, it could be years before a ruling is handed down, says Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links).
- In a piece for ESPN Los Angeles, Shelburne and Markazi relay Samini’s statement regarding Donald’s new lawsuit, which alleges that Donald became the sole shareholder of the Clippers once he revoked the family trust. “The new lawsuit states the seller of the team is not Donald and it’s not Shelly — the seller of the team is corporation that owns the team, and that’s LAC Basketball Club Inc…When Donald bought the team, the shares of the corporation are only in Donald’s name. They were only issued to Donald, so Donald owns the shares of the corporation. He’s the sole shareholder. He put the shares up into the trust in 1989, and when we revoked the trust, the shares go back down to him.”
- Bank of America expert Anwar Zakkour, who helped negotiate the team’s sale agreement between Shelly and Steve Ballmer, testified that “none of us believed we could get $2 billion” when the sale process began. Zakkour also said he heard Shelly mention the phrase “Plan B” when she had spoken with her attorneys (Twitter links via Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times).
- According to Zakkour, the Clippers were initially valued between $1 billion and $1.3 billion, and that the $2 billion offer was “nirvana,” tweeted Shelburne.
- Dean Bonham, testifying on Donald’s side, said that the Clippers could find another $2 billion bid to buy the team if the judge were to block the sale to Ballmer, noted Moore in the aforementioned USA Today report.