Atlantic Notes: Williams, Jerebko, Johnson
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov declined to discuss Deron Williams when asked about the team’s former player by reporters, but he instead took the time to praise the team’s projected starting point guard, Jarrett Jack, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “I will say in that way that we have a great leader at point guard in Jarrett Jack,” Prokhorov said. “All the league knows what Jarrett is about.” Prokhorov then added, “I will say that I discussed all the player moves with [GM] Billy [King], and I signed off on all of them.” Williams and the team reached a buyout arrangement back in July.
Prokhorov also admitted that his expectations for the team have changed, but he did note that he was pleased with the overall direction of the franchise, Bontemps adds. “I think Billy has made great deals to give us top players, and if the stars [had aligned] correctly, we might have seen better results,” Prokhorov said of the team’s all-in moves in the past. “But we are still committed. We have a younger, more athletic team, and we have great flexibility to go on.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- When asked why the Knicks‘ roster is so frontcourt heavy, coach Derek Fisher said that wasn’t the initial intent, but the team was surprised that center Kevin Seraphin was still available late into the free agent signing period, and he was too good to pass up, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal relays (Twitter links).
- Jonas Jerebko‘s versatility as a player should allow him to maintain a prominent role for the Celtics despite their overcrowded frontcourt, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. The 28-year-old forward re-signed with Boston over the summer on a two-year, $10MM deal.
- The Raptors will miss Amir Johnson, who’d served as a mentor to DeMar DeRozan since the shooting guard entered the league, Mike Ganter of The Toronto Sun writes. “Once you are somewhere with a person for that long that you have a long history with, that is definitely tough to replace,” DeRozan said. “It takes time to get that back and gain that back from an individual. That’s a big part of it. But we’re going to miss a lot without him. Just his attitude and demeanor, being a great guy and a great teammate, that rubs off on people. He will definitely be missed.” Johnson departed as a free agent and signed with the Celtics this offseason.
And-Ones: Bender, Wall, Durant, Brown, Lawson
European phenom Dragan Bender will make his U.S. debut in Chicago tonight for Israel Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv for the first of a pair of exhibitions against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, as Zach Links of Hoops Rumors first reported he was likely to do. The 17-year-old has stirred no shortage of excitement, as international journalist David Pick writes for Bleacher Report. Almost all 30 NBA teams are set to scout the contests, with the Celtics, Nets, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Bucks among them, sources tell Pick. Hornets GM Rich Cho will be there, too, tweets Jake Fischer of SI Now. The Nuggets, Sixers and Magic have had talks with Maccabi officials about the 7’1″ power forward, Pick also hears. Bender is well ahead of where 2015 No. 4 overall pick Kristaps Porzingis was at the same age, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress told Pick. Givony has Bender as the fifth-best prospect in next year’s draft, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks him seventh.
“The only thing ’17 years old’ about him is his mustache,” Maccabi coach Guy Goodes said to Pick.
See more on Bender and other NBA news here:
- Bender turns 18 next month, so he’ll turn 19 in 2016 and thus be eligible for early entry for the upcoming draft, but it’s not a given that he’ll declare, as Maccabi GM Nikola Vujcic, who also serves as Bender’s guardian, explained to Pick for the same piece. Vujcic suggested to Pick that Bender won’t enter the draft unless he receives a commitment from a team picking in the top three to five selections and suggested that he might decide to stay overseas for a while even if he is drafted.
- John Wall says he and Kevin Durant are “really close” and reiterated that he’ll make a recruiting pitch to the former MVP who hits free agency next summer, though he adds that he’ll be cautious not to take an overbearing approach, as the Wizards point guard explains to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
- The Nets declined to waive Markel Brown by Tuesday’s guarantee date, so his $200K partial guarantee jumped to a full guarantee on his $845,059 minimum salary, notes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). That gives the Nets 13 fully guaranteed contracts among the 20 players they have in camp.
- The Rockets are trying to minimize their risks with Ty Lawson, having told him that they’ll provide a ride for him to any destination at any time, according to TNT’s David Aldridge, who writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Lawson, for whom Houston traded this summer despite two DUI arrests in six months, has been on his best behavior so far, Aldridge notes.
Atlantic Notes: Ross, Nets, Turner, Sixers
2014/15 Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams departed via free agency to the Lakers this offseason, and the Raptors will look to Terrence Ross to help replace his production off the bench, writes Eric Koreen of the National Post. “The first guy that comes to mind is Terrence Ross,” Toronto coach Dwane Casey said of the swingman. “Not only just a scorer, but he’s got to come in and defend. He had an off year last year defending. He knows it. We know it.”
Casey was pleasantly surprised by how vocal a player Bismack Biyombo is on the court, Koreen adds. “I knew [he was a good communicator] just talking to the coaches from Charlotte. I knew that about him,” Casey said. “I didn’t know before they told me. I wouldn’t have guessed it. Great communicator. He’s probably going to be the captain of our defense as far as a guy who can go vertical, block shots, communicate. … Now we’ve got to get everybody else, even the guards to join in on the party, especially in transition.” Biyombo signed a two year, $6MM deal with Charlotte during the summer.
Here’s more from out of the Atlantic Division:
- Mikhail Prokhorov once again stated that he has no intention of selling controlling interest in the Nets franchise, Rod Boone of Newsday tweets. The Russian is reportedly working toward a deal that would give him 100% ownership of both the team and the Barclays Center.
- The Nets are currently under the luxury tax threshold, but Prokhorov said he would have no problem going “far above the line once again, but it would have to be for the right opportunity”, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post tweets.
- The Raptors are hoping that their offseason additions will make for a more cohesive roster and usher in a new on-court identity for the franchise, Koreen writes in a separate piece.
- Celtics swingman Evan Turner has an extremely tradeable contract, with him set to earn $3,425,510 in 2015/16, the final year of his deal, but he would prefer to remain in Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays. “I like Boston, I like the town and the city; the restaurants are pretty good too,” Turner said. “I like Boston; I genuinely would like to stay here. I’ve been places where I hated it.” Turner didn’t specify which city’s charms it was that he didn’t appreciate, but for reference, he has previously played in Philadelphia and Indiana.
- Italian coach Andrea Mazzon is joining the Sixers‘ D-League affiliate in an unspecified, but important role, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports.
- Sixers GM Sam Hinkie said that the team tried to make a bigger splash in free agency this summer than it did, but many of the better players didn’t change teams, Tom Moore of Calkins Media relays (Twitter links). However, the GM is happy with the organization’s progress, saying that it feels like “night and day” from when training camp began two seasons ago, Moore adds.
New York Notes: ‘Melo, Fisher, Seraphin, Young
Carmelo Anthony said that he’ll be taking Kristaps Porzingis under his wing, further distancing himself from the idea that he was upset with the Knicks for drafting the Latvian big man fourth overall, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details.
“As far as him going into this season, I kind of feel bad for him,’’ Anthony said. “There’s so much pressure on him. This guy hasn’t played one minute in the NBA. I’m going to try to be a big brother to him and try to take the pressure off. There’s going to be so much pressure he’s never experienced yet. He’s 19 years old, first time in the NBA. This is new to him. A newcomer in New York. That’s tough. I don’t think he knows what he’s getting himself into. I have to be that role for him.’’
See more on the Knicks and their New York rivals, the Nets:
- Derek Fisher has twice reminded reporters that he, and not Phil Jackson, is the coach of the Knicks in response to inquiries about Jackson’s plan for increased involvement with the coaching staff this season, but Fisher resists the idea that he’s feeling insecure, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I was asked a question. I don’t think about it until I’m asked about it. I’m me and he’s him and I don’t get caught up in how much and not enough and it’s my job. I’m the coach of the team. How we do will fall on my shoulders,” Fisher said. “It doesn’t matter who says what or how many percentages or times we meet and watch film or whatever. It’s on me. And I’m comfortable with that. I wouldn’t have accepted the job if I wasn’t comfortable with it.”
- The Knicks convinced Kevin Seraphin that they have room for him to contribute, a key in persuading him to sign with New York after he felt frustration about his lack of playing time with the Wizards last season, as he explained to reporters, including Berman, who writes in a separate piece. Seraphin signed a one-year, $2.814MM deal with the Knicks after averaging 15.6 minutes per game in 79 appearances for Washington this past season.
- Thaddeus Young cited his family’s comfort in the New York area as one reason he decided to opt out and re-sign with the Nets instead of opting in for the coming season, notes Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. Young, believed to be the first Nets player to live in Brooklyn since the franchise moved there three years ago, inked a four-year, $50MM deal in July after turning down a nearly $10.222MM player option.
- Joe Johnson wasn’t exactly fond of Deron Williams, sources told Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com, and Johnson expressed puzzlement Monday about why Williams would buy his way off the Nets, as Mazzeo details. Williams gave up all but about $27.5MM of the nearly $43.374MM left on his contract to escape Brooklyn, but, “It’s not that bad here,” Johnson insists.
- Johnson, 34, also hinted at retirement, saying that he plans to play beyond this season, the last one on his contract with the Nets, but not ruling out a change of heart. “God willing, as long as I’m healthy I’ll continue to play,” Johnson said, as Mazzeo relays in the same piece. “I don’t think it’s my last, but we’ll see.”
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Sullinger, Sixers
Knicks president Phil Jackson‘s statement that he’d be more involved with coach Derek Fisher and the team this season could potentially send a confusing message to the locker room, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes. “I really don’t know what standpoint he’s coming from,” Carmelo Anthony said of Jackson’s increased role. “If I think I know Phil the way I know him, I think it’s more of being involved with coaching staff, being in with them, watching film with them, kind of opening up dialogue a little bit more, him sitting in the film room with us, after the games, going over the games, watching more tape, talking to the coaching staff.”
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The minimum salary deal that the Knicks signed DaJuan Summers to is non-guaranteed, Darion Atkins‘ pact includes a partial guarantee of $75K, Travis Trice‘s arrangement includes $50K in guaranteed money, and Wesley Saunders‘ deal includes a partial guarantee of $75K, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter).
- Celtics big man Jared Sullinger believes that his improved conditioning will elevate his game to the next level this season, CSNNE.com relays. “A lot of shots that I’ve missed is due to conditioning. A lot of rebounds I missed is due to conditioning. The defensive plays that I’ve missed – conditioning,” said Sullinger. “Now that my conditioning is at a level where I’m comfortable at but can still improve, I think I have a chance [to be an All-Star].“
- Even though Joe Johnson knew that the Nets were going to make some offseason changes, he was still caught by surprise by Deron Williams‘ buyout arrangement, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen,” said Johnson. “But I didn’t see [the buyout] coming. I don’t think [being here] was that bad. It’s not that bad here. To want to get bought out … I couldn’t really put my finger around that one. But I hear that he’s happy and that’s the most important thing. He’s back home, so good for him.”
- The contracts that the Nets signed Justin Harper and Chris Daniels to are both one-year, minimum salary arrangements that include no guaranteed money, Pincus tweets.
- The success of Sixers big men Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel this season will depend on how effective the outside shooting of Nik Stauskas, Robert Covington and Hollis Thompson is, Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News writes. “You hear me say this all the time: My offensive world, how I see it, is pace, space and pass,” coach Brett Brown said. “Post spacing really comes with shooters. Maybe the best play that Jahlil has is Covington and Stauskas. He’s got space to do stuff. We experienced it [in San Antonio] all the time. So, these shooters will most definitely complement Nerlens, and especially Jahlil.“
- T.J. McConnell‘s four-year, minimum salary arrangement with the Sixers includes a partial guarantee of $100K for the 2015/16 season, Pincus tweets. The final three seasons are non-guaranteed, and the fourth year is both non-guaranteed and a team option.
Southwest Notes: Williams, Parsons, McGee, Butler
Deron Williams admits he bought into the idea of himself as a reduced player the past few seasons with the Nets, but both he and Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle are optimistic about what the 31-year-old point guard can do in Dallas, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com details.
“I want to prove myself wrong,” Williams said Monday. “I started to doubt myself in the past. Mentally, it took a toll on me. I just got to get out of that rut that I was in the last couple years mentally, and I look forward to this situation. I think I’m past that. This fresh start has definitely helped that a lot. I’m looking forward to this year. It’s a better situation.”
The Mavs invested a two-year, $11MM deal in the hopes that Williams can indeed perform better. See more on the Mavs and their Southwest Division rivals:
- Chandler Parsons spoke about his close relationship with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in an interview with GQ’s Alex Wong that further addressed the Mavs’ failed effort to recruit DeAndre Jordan this summer. “He didn’t do anything illegal. I’m not mad at him,” Parsons said of Jordan. “At the end of the day, he’s a grown man and he’s entitled to do whatever he wants,” Parsons says. “He’s one of the best young centers in the NBA, and I wanted to play with him. He could have made us great. But he screwed us over.”
- JaVale McGee is unlikely to be healthy enough to play at the start of the regular season, MacMahon tweets. McGee, who continues to recover from a recurring stress fracture in his left tibia, has a partially guaranteed contract, and his continued place on the Mavs roster depends on how other players perform in camp, MacMahon says. McGee’s partial guarantee of $250K jumps to $500K if he remains under contract through the end of business today.
- Rasual Butler‘s deal with the Spurs is non-guaranteed for the minimum salary and only covers this season, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
- Jeff Adrien‘s one-year, minimum salary contract with the Pelicans is non-guaranteed, reports Pincus also reports (Twitter link). The team’s non-guaranteed pact with Corey Webster is for two years, not three, as initially reported, Pincus reveals.
Atlantic Notes: Lee, Anthony, Nets
The Celtics want David Lee to be an impact player after he accepted a reduced role with the Warriors last season during their championship run, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com reports. Lee, who was acquired from the Warriors during the summer, averaged 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game just two seasons ago, Forsberg points out. “I was very honest with the media last year. If I wasn’t frustrated there was probably something wrong with me,” Lee said during the team’s media day on Monday. “I got injured to start the season; it wasn’t like I lost my job. I got injured and the team went, I think, 19-2 to start the year and, if you’re a rookie head coach and your team is 19-2, I think the last thing you want to do is disrupt the starting lineup.” Boston is also looking for Lee to be a leader, Forsberg adds.
In other news around the Atlantic Division:
- Carmelo Anthony is convinced that Knicks president Phil Jackson still has faith in him as his franchise player, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reports. Anthony doesn’t believe his window for a championship is closing or that his career is in decline because of knee issues, Bondy adds. “Even though you guys might not write about it, I think Phil still believes in me,” Anthony said during the team’s media day. “And that goes without even being said because I’m still here. For him to start this process with me, being the centerpiece of this, I respect that and I don’t want to let him down because I know that him putting me at the centerpiece of this is very big.”
- Nets rookie power forward Chris McCullough will return to the court sometime in January, coach Lionel Hollins told Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Twitter link) and the assembled media in Brooklyn. McCullough, who suffered a torn right ACL in January playing for Syracuse University, is playing it safe with his rehab and does not know of any timetable, Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com adds in a tweet.
- Anthony Bennett expected most of the summer that the Timberwolves would work a buyout deal with him and that he would join the Raptors, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets, adding that Bennett is looking forward to the fresh start. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri couldn’t pass up on the opportunity, according to Eric Koreen of the National Post (Twitter link).“For us to get a Canadian 22-year-old power forward that is athletic and can play at the minimum? We’ll take it,” Masai told Koreen.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Celtics, Knicks
The Nets have a much younger team than in recent years heading into training camp and Brooklyn head coach Lionel Hollins believes replenishing a roster with young talent is a necessity nowadays, Roderick Boone of Newsday writes. The Nets made several changes to their roster from last season and Andrea Bargnani is the eldest addition at 29, as Boone points out.
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Carmelo Anthony, who underwent surgery on his left knee back in February, told reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post, that he is ready to show he has fully recovered this week. Anthony again rejected rumors that suggested he was upset with Knicks president Phil Jackson‘s offseason moves, Berman adds.
- The battle for playing time is much greater in training camp this season for the Celtics, but James Young is more optimistic than he was at this time last year because he is fully healthy, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. Young’s development was hampered by a car accident prior to the draft that prevented him from playing on the Celtics’ summer league team last year, Blakely continues. Young played well in the D-League last season, but it remains to be seen whether he can be a consistent piece for Boston. Young’s game significantly improving from a year ago would be a huge plus for the Celtics, Blakely points out.
- With the Celtics desiring to score more this season, there is a strong possibility that Isaiah Thomas, who emerged as one of the league’s best bench players last season, will be the team’s starting point guard, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald details. Thomas would still love to be a starter, Murphy adds, but the point guard is open to any role with the team.
- In the same piece, Murphy suggests that of the three guards from the draft in training camp, combo guard Terry Rozier has the best shot at cracking the rotation.
Nets To Sign Yanick Moreira?
SEPTEMBER 25TH, 3:46pm: Moreira’s name does not appear on the team’s official training roster, which indicates that the agreement has indeed been called off.
SEPTEMBER 18TH, 19:14: Moreira has a minor ligament tear in his left foot which will sideline him for four to six weeks, and thus cause him to miss training camp, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com tweets. No formal announcement has been made by the team, but this presumably means that the agreement between the two sides will be called off.
SEPTEMBER 16TH, 7:13pm: The Nets have agreed to a training camp deal with unrestricted free agent center Yanick Moreira, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link). The length and terms of the arrangement are not yet known, but Charania does note that the contract will be non-guaranteed. Moreira went undrafted this year out of SMU after averaging 11.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest as a Senior.
It had been reported back in July that Moreira had agreed to a training camp deal with the Clippers, though no official announcement was ever made by the team or the player. It’s unclear if the two sides ever had an arrangement, or if one party decided to back out of a proposed deal. What is clear, however, is that Moreira will have an easier path to securing a regular season roster spot with the Nets, who currently have 12 fully guaranteed pacts, than the Clippers, who possess 14 players with full guarantees on their contracts.
Moreira, 24, had worked out for the Celtics, Jazz, Suns and Nets leading up to this year’s NBA Draft, and he was a starter on the Clippers summer league team, averaging 9.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game.
Nets Sign Ryan Boatright
SEPTEMBER 25TH, 3:35pm: Boatright appears on the team’s official training camp roster, which serves as confirmation from the Nets that Boatright has been signed.
JULY 3RD, 6:50pm: The Nets have reached a contract agreement with Ryan Boatright, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (on Twitter). The pact is for two years, $1.4MM, with $75k guaranteed, Pincus adds. Boatright will earn $525,093 next season and $874,636 for the 2016/17 campaign. Minimum-salary deals for two years or less, such as this one, are some of the few allowed to become official during the July Moratorium.
Boatright went undrafted after four seasons at the University of Connecticut. His career NCAA numbers are 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, with a slash line of .416/.380/.794. The 6’0″ guard will add depth behind Deron Williams if he makes the regular season roster.The 22-year-old considered turning pro after UConn won the title back in 2014, as he told Hoops Rumors’ Zach Links prior to the 2015 NBA Draft. “Yes, I was going to go pro right after we won,” said Boatright. “I knew my name was hot and I had a great tournament. However, after I spoke with everyone whose opinion I trusted, I felt like one more year would be good for me. The last day before the deadline, I decided to go back to school to show everyone that I could run the team and be a true point guard.“