Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s our look back at the original reporting and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Chuck Myron looked at four teams facing tough roster decisions.
- Eddie Scarito took a look back at the trade that sent Elton Brand from the Bulls to the Clippers.
- Chuck looked at Brandon Knight as an extension candidate.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, and your RSS feed.
- Here’s a look at how 2014’s top free agents fared, courtesy of Chuck.
- Cray Allred asked readers which franchise’s summer moves would flop. Many of you said it was the Warriors who would disappoint.
- Did you miss out on this week’s chat? Get caught up with the transcript here.
- We featured the best of your comments in Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback.
- If you haven’t already, you should check out our 2014 Free Agent Tracker.
Bucks Sign Elijah Millsap For Camp
OCTOBER 1ST: Milwaukee still has yet to make an official annoucement, but it’s a one-year deal, for the minimum salary, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
SEPTEMBER 25TH: The signing has taken place, according to the RealGM transactions log. Millsap spoke with Zach Links of Hoops Rumors about his expectations for Bucks camp.
SEPTEMBER 8TH Free agent forward Elijah Millsap has signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Bucks, agent Daniel Hazan tells Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter). Millsap was in summer league this offseason with the Sixers.
The shooting guard/small forward has spent parts of the last four seasons in the D-League and the last three with the Los Angeles D-Fenders. In January, Millsap signed with Maccabi Ashdod for the rest of the season but returned to the states in March to hook up with the D-Fenders once more.
In 114 D-League games, Millsap has averaged 17.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 3.1 APG in 31.7 minutes per contest. The 27-year-old was also named to the D-League All-Star team in 2011/12 in his first campaign with Los Angeles.
Nuggets Sign Jerrelle Benimon
SEPTEMBER 30TH: The signing is official, the Nuggets announce as they release their training camp roster.
AUGUST 19TH: The team has yet to announce the transaction, but Benimon has indeed signed a contract with Denver, according to the RealGM transactions log. The power forward is one of three players with partially guaranteed contracts on the Nuggets, as our roster counts show.
AUGUST 14TH: Undrafted rookie Jerrelle Benimon has agreed on a partially guaranteed two-year deal with the Nuggets, league sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter). Benimon worked out for the Nuggets in mid-June and even though he went undrafted, he clearly made a strong impression with them.
The former Towson standout helped engineer the greatest single-season turnaround in Division-I history. The Tigers went from a 1–31 record in 2011/12 to an 18–13 mark in the following year. In that year, the 6’8″ forward averaged 17.1 PPG and 11.2 RPG off of 53% shooting from the floor. For an encore, Benimon put up 18.7 PPG and 11.2 RPG in his senior season.
And-Ones: Nets, Knicks, Butler, Magic
When center Brook Lopez was asked if he knew how many different people had coached the Nets since the team picked him in the 2008 draft, he wasn’t too confident in his answer. “Seven?” Lopez asked reporters, including Andrew Keh of the New York Times. “Or eight? Are you counting interim?” The number, interim coaches included, is indeed seven, and the Nets are hoping that new coach Lionel Hollins will stick around for some time. Here’s more from around the league..
- The Knicks appear to be more stable than they did a year ago, and seem to have a clear plan on how they want to build towards being a championship contender, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. “I think it feels much better now,” executive vice president Steve Mills said. “I think the addition of Phil to the team adds a different look in terms of creating a culture. I think that was important to Carmelo and I think it’s important to how we move forward as a unit. So I think there’s a lot more stability. I see the rhythm to how we need to build the team.”
- If Jimmy Butler does sign a long-term extension with the Bulls, it’ll probably come at the last minute as it did with Taj Gibson two years ago, writes Sam Smith of Bulls.com. It’ll be an especially crucial year on an individual level for Butler if he doesn’t ink a new deal. Butler will look to his long-distance shooting which dipped to 28% last season thanks in part to playing a grueling 38.7 minutes per night.
- The Magic have until October 31st to reach contract extensions with Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic, but it wouldn’t be a crisis if deals aren’t struck, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
- With training camp set to open for the Mavericks this Tuesday, Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram gives a quick rundown of Dallas’ roster and what each player brings to the court.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Poll: The Knicks And Iman Shumpert
Earlier tonight, we learned that the Knicks have yet to reach out to Iman Shumpert about a contract extension as the Halloween deadline draws near. The news wasn’t terribly shocking for a couple of reasons. One, president Phil Jackson has his eye on bigger fish down the line and an extension for Shumpert would hinder their financial flexibility. Two, Shumpert’s name was all over the pages of Hoops Rumors last season. The old regime viewed him as a trade chip and, apparently, the new front office feels similarly.
The Knicks have reportedly been dangling Shumpert throughout this offseason as well and while the offers weren’t great, that could change very quickly with a strong start to the season. It’s not difficult to imagine things falling into place for the guard considering what he has been able to do when healthy and his eagerness to play in the triangle offense.
“There’s constant action going on,” Shumpert said of the Zen Master’s offense in August, according to Howie Kussoy of the New York Post. “I think I’ll be able to capitalize off that and I’ll be able to use my athleticism a lot more than standing in the corner.”
By the same token, one has to wonder if the Knicks might finally be ready to commit if Shumpert takes a significant step forward this season. Cap flexibility is important, but the Knicks might want to have the first right of refusal on Shump more than they realize right now. The Knicks might also come to the table with agent Happy Walters in the next four weeks and change to work out a deal after all, even though it appears to be something of a longshot at present.
How do you see things shaking out between the Knicks and the 24-year-old guard?
Hoops Links: Spurs, 76ers, Heat
On this date in 1983, the NBA and the Players’ Association established a landmark program in sports to battle drug abuse, providing treatment, and rehabilitation that also mandated expulsion of repeat offenders and players convicted of using or selling drugs. That policy has gone a long way towards cleaning up a league that was once plagued by rampant drug abuse.
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…
- Six Championship Drive gives us their power rankings with the Spurs at No. 1.
- The Half Court Heave previewed the 76ers in advance of this season.
- Red Rock Basketball spoke with Joe Polito of CBS Sports to talk about the Heat in fantasy.
- Blog A Bull discussed Jimmy Butler‘s worth.
- Fear The Sword clears up some Kevin Love misconceptions.
- Posting And Toasting takes us on an adventure with Amar’e Stoudemire.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s our look back at the original reporting and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Hoops Rumors learned that Willie Reed‘s deal with the Nets is for one year and non-guaranteed.
- Whatever happened to last year’s 10-day signees? Chuck Myron has the answers.
- Hoops Rumors was the first to learn that Lorenzo Brown‘s deal with the Pistons does not include any guaranteed money.
- Chuck examined Rudy Gay as an extension candidate.
- Circle them on your calendar: these are the important dates to look out for in the 2014/15 season.
- Eddie Scarito is keeping track of the 2014/15 expanded roster counts.
- If you missed out on Chuck’s Wednesday chat, get caught up here.
- Play nice, everyone. Review our commenting policy.
Knicks, Shump Haven’t Discussed Extension
Iman Shumpert is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and the Knicks have yet to reach out to discuss a new deal, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. The guard is eligible to sign a rookie scale extension between now and Halloween, but as of today it doesn’t sound like there will be any treat for the 24-year-old.
The feeling, Begley writes, is that the Knicks are content to let Shumpert enter next summer as a restricted free agent. The Knicks want to maintain as much financial flexibility as possible for the summers of 2015 and 2016 and a Shumpert extension would eat up cap space. Meanwhile, with a one-year, $3.7MM qualifying offer, New York can match any offer that comes his way.
The Knicks, of course, may not reach the point where they would consider a QO for Shump. The 2011 first round pick was the subject of trade rumors for much of last season and a source tells Begley that the Knicks shopped him through the summer. Things could change over the next few weeks, but it sounds like Shumpert will have to continue to deal with an uncertain future at MSG.
Week In Review: 9/22/14 – 9/28/14
The Eric Bledsoe saga has finally come to a close. The guard and the Suns came to terms on a five-year, $70MM deal this week and while Bledsoe didn’t get the max deal he was after, he still got a handsome payday. Meanwhile, Phoenix hopes to also lock up backcourt mate Goran Dragic for the long-term. Here’s more from the week that was..
- The Warriors want to extend Klay Thompson.
- The Rajon Rondo trade speculation continues as owner Wyc Grousbeck said that Rondo isn’t the easiest player to coach.
- The Suns signed Spanish league shooting guard Zoran Dragic. The 25-year-old will join older brother Goran on the Suns, and the addition will ostensibly aid Phoenix in its efforts to retain him long-term.
- The Cavs acquired Keith Bogans, then sent him to the Sixers in a separate deal.
- The Magic want extensions with Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris.
- The Grizzlies are bringing former No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley to camp.
- The Cavs still hope to sign Ray Allen.
- Joe Alexander will join the Nuggets for training camp.
- The Wizards signed David Stockton, John Stockton‘s son, for training camp.
- The Lakers signed Wayne Ellington to a partially guaranteed deal.
- The Kings waived Scotty Hopson.
- The Mavericks have signed shooting guard Doron Lamb.
- The Nuggets signed Marcus Williams.
- The Wizards are planning to bring Daniel Orton to camp.
- Josh Bostic will go to camp with the Pistons.
- Three-year NBA veteran Josh Harrellson has signed with China’s Chongqing Flying Dragons.
- The Nets are bringing Willie Reed to camp.
- The Lakers have added Jeremy Tyler and Jabari Brown to their roster for training camp.
- Scotty Hopson may or may not be headed to Italy.
- The Jazz signed Dahntay Jones to a non-guaranteed deal.
- The Bulls re-signed Nazr Mohammed.
- The Hornets have signed former University of Montana center Brian Qvale.
- The Wizards and Rasual Butler agreed to a camp deal.
- The Cavaliers waived Chris Crawford, then reached a deal to bring him back.
- Free agent shooting guards Jamaal Franklin and Vander Blue auditioned for the Wizards. Blue was signed to a training camp deal.
- Undrafted former Seton Hall swingman Fuquan Edwin worked out for the Spurs.
- The Cavs are bringing A.J. Price to camp.
- The Celtics are waiving power forward Christian Watford. They also waived Chris Babb and Chris Johnson. Boston intends to re-sign Watford this week.
- The Spurs signed former Boston University shooting guard John Holland.
- The Bulls have signed one-year NBA veterans Kim English and Ben Hansbrough.
- The Sixers and power forward Drew Gordon have agreed to a deal.
- Chicago also inked Solomon Jones.
- The Thunder signed free agent shooting guard Michael Jenkins for training camp. He reportedly had a deal in place with the Nets at one point but it appears that fell through.
- The Rockets signed former Virginia power forward Akil Mitchell.
- Golden State signed free agent Jason Kapono to a training camp deal.
- The Hornets signed big man Jason Maxiell to a non-guaranteed contract.
- Frank Vogel and the Pacers have had discussions about an extension.
- The new-look Wolves and Ricky Rubio began talks in regards to a contract extension.
- Cleveland inked Shane Edwards for training camp. The Cavs also added Stephen Holt earlier in the day.
Suns Sign Joe Jackson
SEPTEMBER 27TH, 11:36am: The signing is official, the team has announced.
SEPTEMBER 25TH, 11:02pm: The signing has taken place, as the RealGM transactions log indicates.
SEPTEMBER 8TH, 4:55pm: Joe Jackson, an undrafted point guard out of Memphis, is finalizing a free agent deal with the Suns, a league source tells Shams Charania of RealGM (via Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known.
Jackson worked out for the Wolves, Kings, Suns, Knicks, Rockets, Mavs, Grizzlies, and Jazz, but didn’t hear his name called in the 2014 Draft. Apparently, Jackson was able to step out in his June 3rd audition in front of Phoenix brass where he worked out alongside Jerami Grant, Ronald Roberts Jr. and Cam Bairstow.
The 6’0″ guard was ranked as the 49th best senior in his NCAA class by DraftExpreess. In 2013/14, Jackson averaged 14.4 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 3.6 RPG in 33.6 minutes per contest.