Atlantic Notes: Randolph, Young, KG, Raptors
Shavlik Randolph doesn’t want to sign a non-guaranteed deal for next season, and he indicated in an interview with Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders that it was part of the reason the Celtics let him go Monday.
“As much as I would have loved to finish the season and playoff run with this team, I just wasn’t willing to commit to a non-guaranteed deal for next season,” Randolph said. “So they had to do what was best for them, which I completely understand.”
Randolph spoke with team officials Monday afternoon, according to Camerato. He was on an expiring contract and ineligible to sign an extension, so aside from giving a non-binding verbal promise that he would re-sign a non-guaranteed deal with the team this summer, it’s unclear what the team was proposing. Conceivably, the C’s could have waived him and signed him back once he cleared waivers to a deal for the rest of this season that included non-guaranteed salary for next season, but that would have been an unusual maneuver. In any case, there’s more on Randolph amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- Randolph also told Camerato that there remains a level of mutual interest between him and the Celtics, but he’s considering a return to China, where he’s played in the past, to help boost his stock for an eventual NBA return, as Camerato details.
- The Thaddeus Young/Kevin Garnett deadline trade didn’t come together quickly, as Nets GM Billy King had been working toward it all year, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and coach Dwane Casey will tinker with the roster, but between now and the end of the season, the team can’t fix its defensive flaws, opines Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. The Raps were on the verge of a teardown early last season, so considering that so little time has passed since then, the team is about as strong as it could be, Smith argues.
Atlantic Notes: Amundson, Clark, Celtics
Louis Amundson plans to play in Europe if the Knicks do not re-sign him, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. The 32-year-old power forward, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, has played on 10 NBA teams and doesn’t want to look for another if New York declines to make him an offer, Berman continues. “I would like to play. I’ve been in this league, so I know what that’s like,” Amundson told Berman. “So, I think going overseas would be a new experience for me I think I’d enjoy. I’d get an opportunity to play. So yeah, everything’s on the table.’’ Knicks GM Steve Mills told season ticket holders last week that the team was interested in bringing Amundson back, Berman adds.
In other news around the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks should also consider offering Andrea Bargnani a veteran’s minimum contract, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com opines. While Bargnani has generally been a disappointment in his two years with the Knicks, his play since the All-Star break has made coach Derek Fisher take notice, Begley adds. Bargnani becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season and the club has indicated it would consider making a minimum-salary offer to him. “I think the way he’s finishing this season is not only showing us, but also showing other teams as well, that he’s a very capable player still at this point in his career,” Fisher said to New York reporters. “I think he’s trying to prove that to everyone, including us.”
- Earl Clark’s new contract with the Nets is non-guaranteed for next year, with a partial guarantee if he makes the opening-day roster, a source told Devin Kharpertian of The Brooklyn Game (Twitter link), The team announced on Monday that it had reached a two-year agreement with the 27-year-old forward. Clark has appeared in six of the team’s last seven games, including Monday night’s victory over Portland.
- The Celtics, who made several trades this season with an eye toward the future, are now scoreboard watching as they fight for a playoff spot, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com reports. Boston controls its playoff destiny and the players want to experience the postseason, Forsberg adds. “Even when we’re playing, I’m trying to look at the [out-of-town] scores throughout our game,” Isaiah Thomas said to Boston beat reporters. “And then, after the games, I’m looking at the standings. It’s fun, but it’s hectic a little bit.”
Nets Sign Earl Clark To Two-Year Deal
9:32am: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.
MONDAY, 7:54am: Clark’s salary for next season is non-guaranteed, a league source tells NetsDaily (Twitter link). It’s a minimum-salary deal, since that’s all the Nets can hand out.
7:19pm: The Nets and Earl Clark have reached an agreement on a two-year deal, with a team option for 2015/16, Shams Charania of RealGM tweets citing league sources.
SUNDAY, 5:56pm: The Nets will likely re-sign combo forward Earl Clark after his 10-day contract with the team expires today, Tim Bontemps of the New York Post tweets. Clark has played in five of the Nets’ six games since the team signed him on March 27th. His best game was Saturday against the Hawks when he scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds. With guard Alan Anderson battling an ankle injury, Clark provides decent insurance off the bench.
The 27-year-old had been a free agent following a stint with China’s Shandong Lions before inking the prior 10-day deal with Brooklyn. The five-year veteran has seemingly seized the opportunity with the Nets after struggling to find work in the NBA this season. Clark had so much trouble that he told Rod Boone of Newsday he was surprised he landed with the Nets.
The Grizzlies cut ties with him after they signed him to a non-guaranteed contract for training camp. He was later grabbed off waivers in late October by the Rockets, only to be released by the team just a few days later. He played in six games for Houston’s D-League affiliate this year and averaged 26.2 points and 8.0 rebounds in 34.3 minutes. Clark bounced to China in mid-December and produced 26.4 PPG and 10.3 RPG in 32.6 MPG for Shandong.
His last NBA action before joining the Nets came last season with the Knicks after he signed a pair of 10-day contracts. His best season was the 2012/13 campaign with the Lakers when he scored 7.3 PPG in 23.1 MPG. That season netted him a two-year, $8.5MM deal with the Cavs, who traded him midway through the first year of that contract to the Sixers, who quickly waived him right after.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Knicks, Adams
The upcoming draft pick swap between the Nets and Hawks from the Joe Johnson trade in 2012 is a reminder that the Nets didn’t give up a whole lot in exchange for the six-time All-Star, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily opines. As of now, as Windrem notes, that swap would be the 16th pick for the 29th pick. But if the Nets (35-41), who have won nine of their last 12, fade down the stretch, there’s a strong chance that pick for the Hawks would be higher.
In addition to a 2013 first round pick, the Hawks received Jordan Farmar, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson and Anthony Morrow. Atlanta will receive the Nets’ second round pick in 2017 to complete that trade. Johnson will make nearly $24.895MM next season, but his contract comes off the books after that.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets have expressed interest in point guard Darius Adams of the Euroleague, sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter). Adams, 25, is averaging 8.3 points per game in about 20 minutes per game for Saski Baskonia.
- Many have been critical of the Knicks‘ triangle offense and have speculated that it could keep notable free agents from wanting to come to New York. New Westchester Knicks head coach Craig Hodges doesn’t agree, however. “The main thing is player spacing, ball movement, player movement and keep moving the basketball,’’ Hodges said, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “As a former player, I don’t see why free agents wouldn’t come, having a Carmelo [Anthony] to work with. It’s a matter of guys realizing what a system can do for your game.’’ Hodges spoke with Hoops Rumors late last year about a wide variety of topics after joining the Knicks’ D-League affiliate as an assistant coach.
- Knicks coach Derek Fisher said you could tell just by watching both his team and the Sixers that neither have been tanking, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Sullinger, Crowder, Amundson
The Celtics received an unexpected boost to their playoff hopes today, as the stress fracture in Jared Sullinger‘s left foot that was to have kept him out for the rest of the season has healed so that he can return to game action, at least on a limited basis, beginning tonight, the team announced. The surprising news helps Sullinger, who’s up for a rookie scale extension this coming offseason, as well as his team, which is tied with the Heat for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Jae Crowder is grateful to the Celtics for giving him a more prominent role than he had in Dallas before the Mavs sent him out in the Rajon Rondo trade, as he tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The swingman is content in Boston as restricted free agency looms this summer, Bulpett details, arguing that the swingman has done enough to warrant as long of a commitment as possible from the Celtics.
- Knicks team president Phil Jackson praised Lou Amundson and Lance Thomas on Thursday amid his comments about the future to season ticket holders, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com points out (Twitter link). The pair will be free agents this summer, and Amundson has said he’d like to re-sign.
- Trading for Thaddeus Young and putting rookie Markel Brown in the starting lineup have combined to help Deron Williams play better since the All-Star break, Nets coach Lionel Hollins asserted in an appearance with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on WFAN-AM (transcription via NetsDaily).
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Brown, Pistons
The Knicks have thought about trading their first-round pick, but they haven’t given it much consideration, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News hears. New York has canvassed other teams about their feelings on the strength of this year’s draft, as most front offices do, but that’s the extent of it, according to Deveney, who adds that teams rarely give much thought to trading lottery picks until the lottery takes place.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Knicks president Phil Jackson is expected to prioritize young free agents this summer, as Deveney writes in the same piece, figuring the Knicks will make Brandon Knight among their targets.
- Nets rookie Markel Brown‘s improved play has gained him coach Lionel Hollins‘ confidence, as well as cut into the playing time of teammate Bojan Bogdanovic, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “When you start leaving Markel out there, the minutes have to be skewed for somebody,” Hollins said. “It’s nothing more than that. I have to kind of manage the game as I see it in that moment. It’s all a part of utilizing the group we have. It’s nothing personal. It doesn’t have to do with anybody playing poorly. It’s the way I see it. It’s part of my job, and I have to be the final decision on it.” Brown, the No. 44 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, is averaging 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per contest.
- The Pistons are pleased with how their relationship has gone this first year with the Grand Rapids Drive, their new D-League affiliate, Peter J. Wallner of MLive.com writes. “Every year will be different,” said Detroit GM Jeff Bower. “The makeup of your Pistons roster will dictate how much crossover we’ll have. The younger the team, the more the need for minutes with the Drive. Having gone through it the first year now, we have a baseline sense of it and it is only going help us with our planning in the future. I thought that was a strength going into the year, and it’s a strength as we wrap up. Our comfort level with knowing what, for example, Quincy Miller would find when he got here [Grand Rapids] was very high.“
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Garnett, Robinson, Datome
Nets players aren’t saying so on the record, but they’re a looser, happier bunch since the team traded Kevin Garnett at the deadline, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. It’s an odd juxtaposition, since the Timberwolves made it clear that they brought him in with the idea that he’d be a positive influence on their locker room. The Nets, though they have a number of young pieces, are more a team of veterans than the Wolves are, so that seems as plausible an explanation as any for the split opinions. While the KG-less Nets look to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, here’s more from their Atlantic Division rivals:
- Thomas Robinson has bounced around quite a bit since he became the No. 5 overall pick in 2012, but with unrestricted free agency looming in the summer, he hopes he’s found his niche with the Sixers, and he tells Andy Jasner of Sixers.com that he’s “all in” with the team. “I’m getting a lot of minutes and the coaching staff has shown incredible trust in me,” Robinson said. “I know we haven’t won a lot of games here, but I’m getting my chance. To get this kind of opportunity is a great feeling. I want to be as consistent as possible and hopefully be able to stay here for the long term.”
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was unsure a month ago of how soon-to-be free agent Gigi Datome fit into the team, but it sounds at this point like coach Brad Stevens is sold, notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. “He’s our best shooter, and one of the better shooters I’ve seen,” Stevens said. “I hope we can continue to find opportunities for him, because he’s earned that. I really like him. I’m in his corner, and I’ve had that conversation with all of our people in the front office as well.”
- Sixers rookie Nerlens Noel clarified earlier remarks he made about Ish Smith that seemed to serve as an indictment of Michael Carter-Williams, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Nah, I’d never do that,” Noel said of the idea he would take a cut at his former teammate. “He’s a playmaker. There are times when you need a scoring point guard that’s going to get in the lane, create and make scoring opportunities.” Noel’s numbers are up since the team traded Carter-Williams at the deadline and claimed Smith off waivers two days later, Pompey notes.
Eastern Notes: Napier, Lopez, Tavares
Shabazz Napier underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia, the Heat announced. The point guard is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, though no mention was made about Napier’s availability for the playoffs, should Miami hold onto its postseason spot. The Heat currently hold a half game lead over the Nets for the seventh seed in the East. In 51 appearances for the Heat as a rookie, Napier averaged 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports hears estimates that Brook Lopez would draw offers with annual salaries of $13-14MM in a new deal this summer if he turns down his player option, as Wojnarowski said in a radio appearance with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on WFAN-AM (transcription via NetsDaily). Lopez’s option with the Nets is worth more than $16.744MM, but a long-term deal would guarantee him more.
- A report Tuesday linked Brad Stevens to the University of Texas opening, but the idea that he’ll be coaching any team other than the Celtics anytime soon is far-fetched, as Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com explains. Stevens has indicated that he has no intentions of leaving Boston, flatly telling reporters today, “I’ll be in Boston,” as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com relays.
- The Hawks intend to bring 2014 draftee Edy Tavares, who is also known as Walter Tavares, to the NBA next season, David Pick of Eurobasket.com tweets. Tavares’ deal with CB Gran Canaria contains NBA outs, Pick adds. The 7’3″ center was selected with the No. 43 pick in last year’s NBA draft.
- The Cavs have recalled guard Joe Harris from the Canton Charge, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. Harris has played in nine games for the Charge this season, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 31.7 minutes per contest.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Calipari, Turner, Knicks
Brook Lopez says he’s undecided about his player option worth more than $16.744MM for next season, but Lionel Hollins made it clear today that he wants Lopez back one way or another, as the Nets coach told reporters, including Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal (Twitter link). There were conflicting reports earlier this season about which way the big man was leaning, and the Nets appeared close to trading him to the Thunder in January and again at the deadline, but he’s having a resurgent March, averaging 20.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this month. There’s more on the Nets amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- There are still some advocates for John Calipari within the Nets organization, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports said last week in an appearance on WFAN-AM with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts (audio link), as Robert Windrem of NetsDaily transcribes. It still appears unlikely that either the Nets would pursue him or Calipari would want to leave Kentucky, Wojnarowski believes.
- Evan Turner isn’t a perfect match for any particular role, but Celtics coach Brad Stevens sees him as versatile rather than a misfit, as USA Today’s Howard Megdal examines. “I’ve been a fan of Evan Turner since his high school days,” Stevens said. “He played for my first boss [Ohio State coach Thad Matta], so I’ve known him, inside and out, for a while. I felt really good about the opportunity to sign him this summer, and was an advocate of that.” The C’s signed Turner for two years and more than $6.7MM this past offseason.
- The Knicks fired D-League coach Kevin Whitted and named assistant Craig Hodges his replacement on an interim basis, the team announced, confirming an earlier report from Marc Berman of the New York Post (on Twitter). The move was the result of tension between Whitted, whom Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston hired, and Hodges, a former player under Jackson, as Berman details in a full story. Hodges spoke to Zach Links of Hoops Rumors at the start of the season.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Crowder, Lopez
The Knicks made the kind of history on Saturday that Phil Jackson probably wants no part of, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. The Knicks dropped their 60th game of the season against the Bulls on Saturday night, the highest loss total in the team’s 69-year history. The “good” news, meanwhile, is that the Knicks own the worst record in the NBA with a few games separating them and the T’Wolves for the league’s worst record. Finishing dead last will guarantee the Knicks to pick no lower than No. 4 in June with a 25% chance at the No. 1 choice, which is a silver lining in this frustrating season. Here’s more from the Atlantic Division..
- Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe expects the Celtics to extend an offer sheet to Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard this summer. Boston coach Brad Stevens has praised the pending restricted free agent’s defensive prowess in the past. Of course, there will be plenty of other teams in the mix for Leonard.
- Jae Crowder is becoming an indispensable member of the Celtics, opines A. Sherrod Blakely of CSSNE.com. Crowder, who was acquired as part of the Rajon Rondo trade, will become a restricted free agent after the season.
- Brook Lopez has stepped his game up recently and Tim Bontemps of the New York Post believes the center has been key to keeping the Nets in the playoff race. Lopez holds a player option worth slightly over $16.7MM for the 2015/16 season. If he continues to play at his currently level, it’s conceivable that he could decline that option in pursuit of a larger deal. Here’s more from the Atlantic Division..
- The Celtics are in the playoff chase and that’s thanks in no small part to the progression of second-year head coach Brad Stevens, as Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston.com writes.
- Stevens has full confidence in Celtics offseason pickup Evan Turner, as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes.
Chris Crouse contributed to this post.