Pelicans Waive Darius Miller, Patric Young
4:50pm: The Pelicans are being aggressive in trade talks around the league and Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links) wouldn’t be surprised if there is a forthcoming move after New Orleans freed two roster spots. He adds that many around the league expect a move to happen.
4:18pm: The Pelicans announced that they have waived Darius Miller and Patric Young. Both players were on minimum salary deals with only partial guarantees on the first season.
Miller, a 2012 draft pick of New Orleans, was not extended his $1.15MM qualifying offer in June. However, in July, the Pelicans worked out a deal could pay him as much as $1.897MM over two years. The first year of the deal was only guaranteed for $400K, however, while the second year was completely non-guaranteed. Miller averaged 3.3 points in 14.6 minutes per contest over his first two seasons in New Orleans but he has played sparingly in year three. So far this season, the small forward has seen just 43 minutes of action across five games.
Young, a former Florida standout, went undrafted in 2014 before hooking on with the Pelicans in July. In four seasons with the Gators, the big man averaged 8.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 1.1 BPG while playing 24.3 minutes per contest.
With today’s moves, New Orleans’ roster now stands at 13.
Week In Review: 11/24/14 – 11/30/14
In a forthcoming documentary, Carmelo Anthony made it clear that even though he met with the Bulls, Rockets, Mavs and Lakers in addition to the Knicks this summer, his final decision was between New York and Chicago. ‘Melo’s camp concluded that they’d need to have the Knicks sign-and-trade him to Chicago for him to end up on the Bulls with a max deal and his manager says that the Bulls could only offer a $74MM deal otherwise. More from the week that was..
- The Cavs, Wizards, Bulls, and Spurs are among the teams interested in Ray Allen. The Cavs appear to be the frontrunners.
- Hawks GM Danny Ferry doesn’t believe it’s possible that he’d return to his job under new ownership.
- The Lakers were granted a disabled player exception in response to Steve Nash‘s season-ending injury.
- The Lakers are looking to add Earl Clark to replace Xavier Henry. Henry’s season appears to be over thanks to an Achilles tear.
- The Wolves signed Jeff Adrien.
- The Rockets have interest in Al Harrington after he left his Chinese club.
- There was talk that the Jazz were interested in Andrei Kirilenko, but that might not be the case. Meanwhile, we might not see a deal take place for a while as the forward tends to a family matter.
- The Pacers waived guard A.J. Price.
- The Thunder waived Sebastian Telfair rather than dumping Ish Smith.
- The Sixers and Furkan Aldemir are discussing a deal. Aldemir left his Turkish club earlier in the week.
- James Nunnally is set to sign with Israel’s Maccabi Ashdod.
- Dexter Pittman signed with a Turkish club.
- The Heat signed Hassan Whiteside and said goodbye to Shannon Brown.
- Jordan Hamilton is headed to the D-League.
Dexter Pittman Signs With Turkish Team
THURSDAY, 9:21am: The deal is official, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia, on Twitter).
SUNDAY, 4:54pm: Free agent center Dexter Pittman has signed a contract with Turkish club Kolejliler, a source tells David Pick of Eurobasket.com (on Twitter). Pittman, of course, is no stranger to the international scene. He played in China and Puerto Rico last season in addition to his stint with the Hawks.
Pittman signed another deal with the Hawks in late September only to be let go in October. The former No. 32 overall pick has struggled with weight issues and has never averaged more than 8.6 minutes per game in any of his four NBA seasons. In total, Pittman has 50 games of NBA experience on his resume with averages of 2.3 PPG and 1.8 RPG in 6.9 minutes per contest.
The big man also spent time on the Rockets’ roster at the end of last season but only got on the court with Atlanta in 2013/14.
Hoops Links: Bulls, Carter, Hill
On this date in 1991, the Kings snapped their NBA record 43-game road losing streak with a 95-93 win over the Magic at the Orlando Arena. Lionel Simmons scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Kings to their first road W since November 20th, 1990 in Washington.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere…
- NML Sports looked at the stock of the Bulls and other clubs.
- Raptors HQ reflects on Vince Carter‘s reception in Toronto.
- Indy Cornrows says Solomon Hill is filling a leadership void for the Pacers.
- Celtics Hub discusses Kelly Olynyk‘s progress.
- Liberty Ballers fires up the wayback machine.
- Sactown Royalty sees a new vibe in Sacramento.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s a look at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Chuck Myron looked back at the Bulls’ offseason.
- If everything doesn’t go the Pacers’ way, it could be at least a few years before they become relevant again in the Eastern Conference title race, Eddie Scarito writes.
- I recapped the Nets’ offseason of downsizing.
- Alex Lee asked the Hoops Rumors readers what they think the Thunder should do with Reggie Jackson. Nearly 42% of you said that they shouldn’t match anything above $12MM per year. Meanwhile, about 31% of you say that he should have been traded by now since he doesn’t fit with Russell Westbrook.
- About 79% of you say that the Rudy Gay extension was a good move for the Kings.
- Here’s a rundown of teams that owe second round picks.
- Eddie isn’t wild about the deal the Mavs gave to Chandler Parsons.
- Could the Kentucky Wildcats beat the 76ers in a seven game series? Most of you (about 67%) say no.
- The Nuggets aren’t in great shape, Chuck writes.
- A recap of the Wolves’ summer, courtesy of Eddie.
- Most of you feel that the Cavs would be a better fit for Corey Brewer than the Rockets.
- If you missed out on this week’s chat, get caught up with the transcript here.
- Check out all of our great features, including the new Trade Rumors app.
Southeast Notes: Payne, Hornets, Harris
Heat rookie Shabazz Napier never had any doubt that he belongs in the NBA, writes Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel. “Even though Chris Paul is a guy I looked up to growing up, I just thought this was a chance for me to have a good opportunity to play against him and try my best,” Napier said after scoring 17 points against Paul in Thursday’s loss to the Clippers. “I’m never in awe of anybody. I don’t let the moment get to me at all.” Napier entered the league with a reputation for confidence after leading Connecticut to the NCAA title last season. Here’s more from the Southeast..
- The Hawks have recalled Adreian Payne from the D-League, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). Payne was went down to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, an affiliate that they share with a dozen other teams, late last week. The Michigan State product averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds with 42.3% accuracy from behind the three-point line as a senior.
- Even though they haven’t saved the Hornets from a disappointing start, coach Steve Clifford told Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer that he likes what he sees in the team’s three key offseason signees. Lance Stephenson, Marvin Williams and Brian Roberts joined the Hornets in the offseason in hopes of helping the team improve on last year’s No. 7 playoff seed. Charlotte has stumbled to a 4-9 start, but Clifford said his three newcomers need time to adjust to his system. “I think they’re all getting acclimated,” Clifford said. “All three of them I like. All three do things that can help us play better and win.”
- The Magic’s Tobias Harris could always score, but he has responded to a challenge from the Orlando front office and coaching staff to expand his game, as John Denton of Magic.com details. Harris, a fourth-year player who will become a restricted free agent next summer, is doing his best to make a positive impression on the team. After getting 24 points, five steals, five rebounds and four assists in Monday’s win over the Pistons, he emphasized the victory over his individual accomplishments. “I’ve told all of the guys on the team, ‘You look better individually when we win as a team,’” Harris said. “So it really is all about winning.’’
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Week In Review: 11/17/14 – 11/23/14
A look back at the week that was..
- The Kings and Rudy Gay agreed to a three-year, $40MM contract extension. The deal includes an opt out after the second year when Gay will be only 31 and the league figures to be flush with money from the new TV deal.
- The Nets and Sixers have had preliminary talks on an Andrei Kirilenko deal. There appears to be a rift between AK47 and Brooklyn at the moment.
- The Wolves had some discussions about trading Corey Brewer, but those talks appear to have quieted down.
- Goran Dragic isn’t sold on re-signing with the Suns.
- The Rockets are eager to pull off a trade soon.
- Aaron Gordon will be out for up to eight weeks.
- Jeff Taylor won’t appeal his 24 game suspension.
- The Lakers are eyeing a number of players, including Gal Mekel and Jordan Hamilton.
- The Grizzlies re-signed Kalin Lucas and Hassan Whiteside before waiving them again a day later.
- The Lakers will audition Roscoe Smith.
- Bernard James is headed to China.
- John Lucas III turned down a workout with the Lakers to sign in China.
- Jason Collins decided to retire.
- Scotty Hopson‘s deal with a Turkish club fell through.
Heat Interested In Hassan Whiteside
Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Heat are planning to pluck Hassan Whiteside from the D-League. Whiteside has put up big numbers so far this season for the Iowa Energy.
The Grizzlies waived Whiteside last week, terminating his second contract with Memphis this season. Whiteside’s last stint with the Grizzlies lasted a grand total of one day. The 7-footer was signed along with Kalin Lucas to help fill the gap as five Grizzlies players were out of action with stomach viruses. Still, Whiteside did not see the floor for the Grizzlies and has yet to see a minute of NBA action in 2013/14.
As Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (on Twitter) notes, the Heat could cut Andre Dawkins to make room for Whiteside. The undrafted shooting guard is on a non-guaranteed pact and could be moved to the team’s D-League affiliate. Eventually, Winderman posits (link), a Whiteside signing could unseat Justin Hamilton, who has a December 1st partial-guarantee date.
Wolves Discussing Corey Brewer Trade
1:58pm: Saunders suggested today that Brewer is too valuable to the Wolves for the team to move him, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press.
THURSDAY, 10:48am: Houston has become a more likely destination for Brewer than Cleveland, though the situation remains in flux, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Rockets are ready to make a move immediately, Stein adds (Twitter link), echoing a report from Wednesday that the team is anxious to use its Jeremy Lin trade exception. The Cavs are still deciding whether they should make the addition of a rim-protector a higher priority than bringing aboard a wing defender like Brewer, according to Stein.
5:28pm: Cleveland is “unquestionably” interested in acquiring Brewer, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who hears from a Cavs official who describes the swingman as a perfect fit, in part because he would allow the team to keep Dion Waiters out of the starting lineup. Still, the Rockets have as much chance as the Cavs do to land Brewer, Amico adds, suggesting that the Wolves are indeed in no hurry to trade him.
MONDAY, 3:35pm: Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders tried to bat down the rumor today, telling reporters that the team won’t rush into a decision, as Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes (Twitter link).
SUNDAY, 5:16pm: A key factor for a team acquiring Brewer is getting him to waive him player option for 2015/16, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (on Twitter) hears.
4:32pm: The Wolves are in active trade discussions regarding Corey Brewer, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The two teams mentioned as being most serious contenders interested in acquiring the 28-year-old swingman are the Rockets and the Cavaliers, notes Stein. The Wolves are reportedly seeking future assets in any deal. It is unclear if that means Minnesota is interested in a return of a younger player or draft picks for Brewer, either of which would help hasten the team’s rebuilding process.
Brewer’s primary value is as a defensive stopper on the perimeter, something that Cleveland in particular could use, and Brewer’s defensive skill is at a premium in the league with the increased focus on guard-driven offense. Brewer is also a capable transition scorer, and if he ends up in Cleveland he would reunite with former teammate Kevin Love, whose outlet passes often found Brewer in transition with great success last season, notes Stein. The other appeal that Brewer has to the Cavs is in his ability to play and defend multiple positions. And he also make sense for the Cavs as they look to get stronger at two guard to help keep LeBron James‘ minutes down.
The Rockets have been said to covet Brewer since last season, Stein notes. Houston could use depth at both the small forward and shooting guard spots, and Brewer would help solidify what is already a strong defensive unit, with the Rockets currently second in the league in fewest points allowed at a stingy 91.6 per game. Houston head coach Kevin McHale also has ties to Brewer having drafted him when he was the GM in Minnesota back in 2007.
Both the Rockets and Cavaliers currently have the league-maximum 15 players on their rosters, but each team could fit Brewer’s salary of $4,702,500 into a trade exception, meaning neither would have to send Minnesota a player in return. However, absorbing Brewer’s salary without sending anyone to the Wolves might put the Cavs into tax territory, depending on whom the team would relinquish in a separate transaction to fit Brewer beneath the 15-man roster limit. The Rockets, roughly $10MM clear of the tax threshold, have no such concerns.
Kings Sign Rudy Gay To Extension
Rudy Gay has signed a three-year, $40MM contract extension with the Kings, the team announced. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports first reported the deal on Sunday. The extension begins with the 2015/16 campaign and includes a player option on the third year (2017/18).
“I am very excited to announce that Rudy Gay will be a part of the Kings for the long term,” owner Vivek Ranadivé said. “He is an immensely talented player who is critical to our team on and off the court, and he is a significant reason why things are changing in Sacramento. Players as talented as Rudy have their choice on where to play. He is committed to making the Kings great again and we are committed to his success. I am looking forward to seeing a sea of No. 8 jerseys filling the seats of the new arena.”
As Wojnarowski rightly notes, the ability to get out of the deal after 2016/17 gives Gay a chance to hit the open market in the summer of 2017, when there should be an opportunity to cash in thanks to the league’s new $24 billion television deal. The forward will only be 31 years old at that point, so he should be able to secure another multiyear deal if he continues to play at his current level.
It was only in recent days that Gay decided to really work toward an agreement with Sacramento rather than letting the open market dictate his value next summer, and re-energized talks led to the two sides shaking hands on a deal Saturday night, Wojnarowski writes. In late September, Gay said that he briefly began extension talks with the Kings over the summer but put them on hold when he joined Team USA. Since then, we hadn’t heard a ton of buzz regarding an extension prior to Wojnarowski’s report.
Gay is just the sixth player to sign a veteran extension since the current collective bargaining agreement took hold for the 2011/12 season, joining Andrew Bogut, Kobe Bryant, Tony Parker, Zach Randolph and Anderson Varejao. Randolph, Parker and Varejao all signed their extensions within the past five months.
“I feel blessed to be in this situation,” Gay said in the team’s statement. I’m grateful for the confidence the Kings have shown in my abilities and appreciate the way Sacramento and its passionate fans have embraced me and my family from day one. The future is bright for this franchise, and I’m thrilled to play a role in helping the organization succeed on the court and in the community.”
The client of Octagon Sports agents Alex Saratsis and Jeff Austin will make more than $19.3MM this season in what was to have been the final year of his contract. The Kings are barred from trading Gay for the next six months because he signed an extension that tacks three additional seasons onto his deal.
For his career, Gay has averaged 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game across eight NBA seasons with the Grizzlies, Raptors, and Kings. So far in 2014/15, the 28-year-old is averaging 21.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 3.6 APG for Sacramento. Prior to the start of the season, our own Chuck Myron looked at Gay as an extension candidate.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.