Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Novak, Sixers, Bynum
Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com writes that a few underrated veteran pickups and smart draft picks may be all that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo need to be contenders once again in 2012/13. While Pierce just turned 35 and Kevin Garnett is a 36-year-old with extra mileage, it's hard to overlook their free agent pickups like Jason Terry and Courtney Lee. It also helps that the Celtics will have Jeff Green return from his heart issue and Avery Bradley back from shoulder problems. Here's more from the Atlantic Division..
- Knicks guard Steve Novak was sorry to see Jeremy Lin leave, but he is now comfortable with the point guards he has, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Even though he's happy playing with Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton, Novak did add that he wishes things worked out differently with Lin.
- After relying on Ryan Hollins and Greg Stiemsma for critical backup minutes at center in last year's playoffs, the Celtics have added some much needed size this summer, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Many are hoping that Doc Rivers can be the coach to finally tap the potential of Darko Milicic, who figures to see serious minutes off the bench in support of Boston's bigs.
- This year's incarnation of the Sixers is a major step up from last season's, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Andrew Bynum obviously represents the club's biggest improvement, but the club also gained quite a bit with their newfound flexibility.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Terry, Richardson, DeRozan
Yesterday we heard about the extensive Atlantic Division fallout from the Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum trade, which at this point, seems like it will have ramifications in every corner of the NBA. The Atlantic has to be the NBA's most interesting division heading into the season. With the Sixers facing the Nets in Atlantic City tomorrow night, let's look at some other news from the division:
- We mentioned Doc Rivers' comments regarding Jason Terry earlier below, and Greg Payne from ESPN Boston has more. According to Rivers, Terry could start for the Celtics, Payne says. While they targeted him with a sixth man role in mind, Rivers is keeping all of his options open. Terry, of course, says he is ready for any role the team needs him in.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York had a Knicks chat today (transcript here). Among the topics discussed, Zwerling said that he considers Raymond Felton a better fit for the Knicks than the departed Jeremy Lin. With an aging roster, it's doubtful that we see much that matters from their regulars in preseason.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers says that free agent acquisition
Jason Terry, "filled a need," according to a CSN New England staff
report. Terry's new teammates all seem to be pretty happy with the
addition of their new sixth man, but no one's endorsement was quite as
strong as that of Rivers: "When you think about the history of the
Celtics and the great sixth man, he's been that in Dallas and he wants
to be that with the Celtics. That makes it a little easier to coach." - Trade acquisition Jason Richardson talked to Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld (via video)
about the new-look Sixers. Richardson calls the Sixers "dark horses"
that have slipped under the radar in terms of title contention.
Richardson says along with himself, the additions Dorell Wright and Nick
Young are key considering that Andrew Bynum is best utilized if
surrounded by shooters. - DeMar DeRozan has the look of a complete player so far this preseason, writes Doug Smith
of the Toronto Star. DeRozan has tons of athletic ability and has
shown a propensity to score in his first three seasons in the NBA.
According to Smith, DeRozan has bulked up and shown a willingness to
defend this fall, which has been a definite weakness in his game. With
the additions of Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, Landry Fields and Jonas
Valanciunas, if DeRozan can make the leap, there may be some hope for
the Raptors despite being in a loaded division.
Free Agents Ineligible To Sign With Specific Teams
Among the myriad rules in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is a stipulation that says teams that trade players can't claim those players off waivers or re-sign them until the earlier of the following two dates:
- One year after the trade was completed.
- July 1st after the player's contract ends.
In some cases, this rule is simple to apply to practical cases. For instance, the Nets traded Mehmet Okur's expiring contract to Portland last March at the trade deadline, and the Blazers waived Okur shortly thereafter. Because Okur's deal was set to expire at season's end, he was ineligible to re-sign with the Nets during last season, but regained that ability as of July 1st, when his contract expired.
Other cases are trickier, however. For example, Derek Fisher was traded to the Rockets by the Lakers last March 15th, and was bought out by the Rockets shortly thereafter. Fisher had a player option on his contract for 2012/13, which raises the question: When exactly is his contract considered to be "over"? In his CBA FAQ, salary cap expert Larry Coon provides an answer:
- For contracts with options or ETOs, the end date of the contract is interpreted as the June 30th before an option year, and the June 30th after an ETO year.
Fisher's option wasn't an ETO, so the June 30th before his option year should be considered the "end" of his contract, making him eligible to sign with the Lakers beginning in July, right? Well, not quite.
As confirmed by Coon, Fisher's player option for 2012/13 actually was exercised when he worked out his buyout with the Rockets, allowing the team to split his buyout amount in half between the 2011/12 and '12/13 seasons. That means Fisher is still on the Rockets' books for this season, and his contract isn't considered to be over until next June 30th. As such, the earliest date he can re-sign with the Lakers is March 15th, 2013, a year after the trade.
Since players acquired in trades generally aren't waived immediately, this situation doesn't arise all that often. And many of the players who found themselves in such a position have since signed with other teams — for instance, Josh Harrellson was ineligible to rejoin the Knicks after being waived by the Rockets, but ended up signing with the Heat.
By my count, the eight players listed below, plus Fisher, comprise the group of NBA free agents who are currently ineligible to sign with a specific team, but feel free to contact us if there are any I've missed.
- Jerome Dyson: Traded to the Suns and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013. Currently signed to play in Israel.
- Jordan Farmar: Traded to the Hawks and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until July 1st, 2013. Currently signed to play in Turkey.
- D.J. Kennedy: Traded to the Grizzlies and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Cavaliers until July 1st, 2013.
- Brad Miller: Traded to the Suns and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013.
- Darryl Watkins: Traded to the Sixers and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013.
- Jordan Williams: Traded to the Hawks and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until July 11th, 2013.
- Sean Williams: Traded to the Rockets and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Celtics until July 1st, 2013.
- Shawne Williams. Traded to the Trail Blazers and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until March 15th, 2013.
Note: Players who were waived via the amnesty clause are also ineligible to re-sign with their old teams until the amnestied contract expires.
Camp Notes: Curry, Douglas-Roberts, Roberts
Thursday night brought another round of roster cuts, as the Rockets, Spurs, and Hawks all released players, moving a step closer to finalizing their regular-season rosters. Plenty of camp invitees around the league remain on the bubble though, so let's round up the latest updates on a few roster hopefuls….
- Eddy Curry has performed well for the Spurs in camp and preseason so far, and is optimistic about his chances of making the team, as he tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News."I think I’m going to make it," Curry said. "Until they tell me I’m not, I feel like I’m part of this team."
- In a Q&A with Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Chris Douglas-Roberts says he was talking to a few teams before signing with the Lakers. According to Douglas-Roberts, he passed up a situation or two where earning a roster spot likely would have been easier.
- Although he graduated from Dayton four years ago, Brian Roberts has yet to play in a regular season NBA game. However, he has made a good early impression in Hornets camp, as Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com writes.
- Displaying an ability to play point guard appears to be Jamar
Smith's best chance to earn a spot on the Celtics, but coach Doc Rivers
isn't sure yet whether the Southern Indiana product is a point or not,
according to Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com.
Odds & Ends: Blatche, Draft, Kaman, Milicic
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com looks at the struggle homosexual athletes face as they decide whether to come out of the closet. Multiple league sources told Arnovitz that players who are believed to be gay have a tougher time landing deals. "From a front-office standpoint, anything that would take away from team chemistry, fair or not, is a concern," one source said. "The truth is that a lot of players don’t want that guy in the locker room. And, sadly, execs have to factor in how their star player and major guys are going to react." There's no telling whether that's had an effect on some of the players still seeking contracts this year or those who have already been cut. Here's the rest of the night's news from around the league.
- Nets big man Andray Blatche told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that a talk with Nets coach Avery Johnson led him to sign with Brooklyn instead of the Heat. "I came in and worked out (with the Heat). They told me where I’m at, where I need to get, that they’re interested, they need me," he said. "But the conversation I had with Avery was more what I needed from him. It was about putting together a personal plan for me. I felt that would help me get to where I needed to be."
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks the top five 2013 draft prospects in the SEC, led by Nerlens Noel and two fellow Kentucky freshmen (Insider only).
- Offseason signee Chris Kaman could give the Mavericks an offensive weapon at center like they've never had before, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News says.
- Though the Celtics fully guaranteed Darko Milicic's minimum-salary contract, the team had no expectations for him, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com, who adds that the former No. 2 has nonetheless made a strong showing so far.
- Reggie Jackson is making the most of his opportunity to challenge extension candidate Eric Maynor for the Thunder's backup point guard job, as The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry observes.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel shares that Bucks coach Scott Skiles has hinted at an expanded role for guard Beno Udrih, who's entering the final season of his sizable five-year, $32.393MM contract.
Atlantic Rumors: Iguodala, Sixers, Moon, Bradley
Sixers swingman Jason Richardson made waves earlier today, telling reporters he expected the Magic to trade him because of his representation by Dan Fegan, who also serves as Dwight Howard's agent. He's not the only player involved in the Howard/Andrew Bynum blockbuster causing a stir, as news from around the Atlantic Division trickles in.
- Former Sixers star Andre Iguodala recently told Matt Moore of CBSSports.com that he hasn't really enjoyed the game the past couple of years and felt drained by constant criticism. Doug Collins doesn't perceive that as a swipe at him, telling Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, "I feel great about our time together."
- Evan Turner also took Iguodala's remarks in stride, as Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com reports.
- Free agent Jamario Moon, who saw his best days with the Raptors, has switched agents as he continues to hold out hope of latching on with an NBA team, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets. He's now with Jared Karnes after having been represented by Wallace Prather.
- Avery Bradley and Celtics coach Doc Rivers agree on a mid-December timetable for the guard's return from surgery on both shoulders, reports A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. There's no return date for center Chris Wilcox, who's suffering from back spasms as he battles back from heart surgery.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers is searching for one more player to join Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jeff Green in the team's crunch-time lineup, Blakely writes.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders whether Chris Smith's injury will open the door for fellow shooting guard and training camp invitee Mychel Thompson to make the Knicks opening-day roster. Smith and Thompson are on non-guaranteed minimum-salary deals.
Atlantic Rumors: Smith Brothers, Bynum, Celtics
It's been a busy day around the league today, especially for Atlantic Division teams. Here's a roundup of the latest.
- Chris Smith, who needs patella tendon surgery that will keep him out for three to six months, isn't sure exactly how the injury happened, and had been confident he'd make the Knicks, he tells Mark Berman of the New York Post. Berman, who says there's speculation that Chris' older brother J.R. re-signed with the Knicks for less money on the condition Chris would make the team, reports coach Mike Woodson won't rule out keeping a roster spot open for the younger Smith. Still, such a move would be "highly unlikely," Berman says.
- Sixers GM Rod Thorn emailed Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com to deny a report by Howard Eskin of Fox 29 in Philadelphia suggesting the Lakers withheld information about Andrew Bynum's condition before sending him to the Sixers. Bynum is recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee, but the big man says he thinks he'll be ready to play on opening night. Moore points out that Bynum passed a physical after the trade.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers is thinking about using three different starting lineups during the season, writes Mark D'Amico of Celtics.com.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal wonders which of the Knicks' multitude of aging veterans will hold up best.
Eastern Notes: Nets, Petro, Hinrich, Vesely
We've already covered a few stories out of the Eastern Conference today, including Rashard Lewis' desire to play for five more years, the latest on Rasheed Wallace's timetable with the Knicks, and camp cuts by the Sixers and Cavaliers. Now, let's round up another handful of East-related links….
- In the first episode of NBA TV's "The Association," which debuts next week, Nets GM Billy King says Deron Williams urged him not to wait on Dwight Howard and miss out on other opportunities to improve the roster, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Johan Petro tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that he wasn't caught off guard by the trade that sent him to the Hawks, though his destination was a bit of a surprise. "I knew Brooklyn was really trying to do something with Deron," Petro said. "I didn’t know half the team would be gone but I knew they were going to try and do something."
- Though it's been two years since he played for the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich is already feeling comfortable again in Chicago, and his teammates, new and old, are glad to have him on board. Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com has the details.
- With Wizards owner Ted Leonsis recently conceding that his team is better equipped to develop its own stars rather than recruit them, Washington will be looking for continued growth from Jan Vesely this season, says Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald examines Dionte Christmas' quest to earn a spot on the Celtics' roster.
Atlantic Updates: Knicks, Smith, Darko
The latest news from the Atlantic Division on Tuesday evening:
- Barbara Barker of Newsday tweets that Mike Woodson has not yet decided who will start at shooting guard for the Knicks this season, but that J.R. Smith is not in consideration.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com adds (via Twitter) that Ronnie Brewer, signed this summer, is a leading candidate for the starting job.
- Rich Levine of CSNNE.com examines the impact that Darko Milicic could have on the Celtics this season.
Odds & Ends: Martin, Celtics, Leuer, Lakers
In a piece for Grantland.com, Zach Lowe looks at the different tiers in the Association after a wild offseason. In Lowe's opinion, the real title contenders this year are the Heat, Spurs, Thunder, and Lakers. Further down the list, you'll find the Nets and the Knicks who are classified as having exciting upside but too many questions to be considered real title threats. The Nets, he argues, may not get much bench production outside of C.J. Watson and MarShon Brooks. Meanwhile, most of the Knicks' big name offseason additions strike Lowe as league-average types who won't really make a major difference. Here's more from around the league..
- In the wake of Jordan Hill's back injury, Sam Amico of FOX Sports (via Twitter) expects the Lakers to sign a veteran big man to a minimum contract, possibly Kenyon Martin. Martin plied his craft at the Staples Center last season with the Clippers and played well despite not lighting up the stat sheet.
- While giving credit to the Celtics' 2008 championship team, point guard Rajon Rondo opined that this year's club is the strongest yet, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. This year's Celtics squad underwent a number of changes, including guard Jason Terry taking the place of Ray Allen.
- After being claimed off of waivers by the Rockets this summer, Jon Leuer is making a strong impression with the Cavs in camp this summer, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld. Coach Byron Scott believes that the team needs to help Leuer build confidence after bouncing around between a few clubs at the age of 23.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld believes that Kobe Bryant will have to play beyond 2013/14 if he hopes to capture two more championship rings. Bryant reiterated yesterday that he plans to retire after his current contract expires in two seasons.