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Central Notes: D. Griffin, Pistons, Pacers, Clarkson, Butler

June 3rd, 2017 at 1:46pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Cavaliers GM David Griffin faces an uncertain future, writes Joe Drape of The New York Times in a well-written piece detailing the executive’s background, approach, and accomplishments. Griffin’s contract with the Cavs expires at the end of this month and, as Drape states, “[Dan] Gilbert is a hands-on owner who has a history of letting player and executive contracts run out before going to the negotiating table.”

Since being named the Cavs’ GM in May 2014, Griffin has lured LeBron James back to the team, traded for Kevin Love, acquired many vital role players, fired David Blatt as head coach, hired Tyronn Lue to replace him, and most importantly brought a championship to Cleveland. For all the recent interest in Griffin, the general manager wishes to maintain a low profile, text messaging regarding comment on the story: “I really appreciate the opportunity to reconsider but I am trying desperately to keep a low profile and my quotes being in something about me just makes me uncomfortable. Ownership wouldn’t appreciate either, I am sure.”

Here are some other stories you’ll want to check out from the Central division:

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Hoops Links Vol. 7: Fan Loyalty, International Coups, More

June 2nd, 2017 at 1:01pm CST by Austin Kent

After joyously celebrating Smush Parker‘s June 1 birthday, we’re back to honor the best NBA content from around the blogosphere a day later than typically scheduled. This week we shine a light on what’s going on the league in a 100% Warriors– and Cavaliers-free link dump.

If you have a feature you think deserves recognition, hit me up on Twitter this week (@AustinKent) or send your tips directly to Hoops Rumors at HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws. Remember, the best submissions are almost always about Darko Milicic unique and entertaining.

Anthony Davis DeMarcus Cousins verticalThe Pelicans would be wise to bring in certified hard-ass Sam Mitchell to lead Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins to new heights, Oleh Kosel of The Bird Writes suggests. Mitchell has a reputation for being sharply outspoken and unafraid to challenge his most talented players. The connection to Kevin Garnett, Kosel adds, could further help the highly anticipated frontcourt duo improve in 2017/18.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Alleged Vince Carter Body Slams
Author: Oleh Kosel – @RedHopeful
Link: Sam Mitchell should coach the Pelicans

Findings from a recent Harvard study suggest that the Mavericks may have the most loyal fan base in the NBA. Per John Howe of Mavs Moneyball, the results don’t definitively put the organization on a pedestal but do reveal that attendance at the American Airlines Center across the last 15 seasons is the least dependent on winning percentage in the league. The club on the other end of the spectrum? According to the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective: the Clippers.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Promotional Mark Cuban Schemes
Author: John Howe – @JohnHowe_NBA
Link: NBA fan loyalty

It’s hard to get a good read on Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s potential and as a result it’s hard to gauge what sort of deal he might land in free agency. Xavier Cooper of Soaring Down South recently noted that the swingman has made strides over the course of the past few seasons, most recently with the Hawks, and appears as committed to improving as ever. One question remains, however: what is the streaky guard’s ceiling?

Rating: 7 out of 10 Run TMC Progeny
Author: Xavier Cooper – @XQuartezCooper
Link: Tim Hardaway Jr. improvement

When given the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the Raptors rotation, Lucas Nogueira showed that he was up to the task, providing many of the things that his predecessor Bismack Biyombo did during Toronto’s 2015/16 playoff run. The Serge Ibaka deal, however, bumped the 24-year-old down the organization’s depth chart and into a form of professional limbo. Count Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic among those high on the third-string center, but skeptical that he’ll see a bigger role in Toronto any time soon.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Unique Ways To Tuck In Your Jersey
Author: Blake Murphy – @BlakeMurphyODC
Link: Lucas Nogueira Raptors depth chart

Dwyane Wade verticalThe Bulls should start talking to Dwyane Wade about stepping into a sixth man role prior to his player option deadline later this month, Tyler Pleiss of Blog a Bull suggests. If Fred Hoiberg waits to have that conversation until after he commits, unnecessary friction could spill over into the 2017/18 campaign. Chicago, don’t forget, went on their late-season surge to the postseason with Wade on the sidelines altogether.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Awkward Conversations
Author: Tyler Pleiss – @Tyler_Pleiss
Link: Dwyane Wade sixth man role

The Lakers made a mistake signing Luol Deng to a four-year, $72MM contract last season and now the new executive regime in Los Angeles can try to fix it. In the eyes of Nick Ziegler of Lake Show Life, Deng’s presence only impedes Brandon Ingram‘s progress, and the veteran forward should be dealt even if it involves dangling other assets as bait in a possible salary dump.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Mulligans
Author: Nick Ziegler – @NickZiegler20
Link: Lakers should trade Luol Deng

There are plenty of ways to quantify Aron Baynes‘ impact on the Pistons, but skewing his value as free agency approaches are a lower-than-expected 2017/18 salary cap and the lackluster results of the reserves who signed big contracts last summer, Duncan Smith of Piston Powered writes. Baynes can pick up his player option to remain with the Pistons at $6.5MM or decline it and look for more on the open market.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Unfortunate Hairstyles
Author: Duncan Smith – @DuncanSmithNBA
Link: Pistons free agent Aron Baynes

The most underrated story line in the NBA this year is that of Enes Kanter and his relationship with Turkey. We’re not just talking about the recent passport cancellation either. On Thursday, Yaron Weitzman published a must-read Bleacher Report feature that breaks down the saga that has played out between the Thunder big man and his home country over the course of the past year.

Rating: 10 out of 10 Geopolitical Homework Assignments
Author: Yaron Weitzman – @YaronWeitzman
Link: Enes Kanter and Turkey

The Nets should make a push to land free agent Danilo Gallinari this offseason, Leo Mar of Nothin’ But Nets writes. Head coach Kenny Atkinson worked previously with the Italian forward during Gallinari’s rookie season back in 2008. More importantly, Mar adds, Gallinari’s offense would pair well with Brook Lopez‘s so long as he is able to stay reasonably healthy.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Roosters
Author: Leo Mar – @Leo_Mar8824
Link: Nets should sign Danilo Gallinari

Having agreed to part ways with the Heat, Chris Bosh will set his sights on suiting up for another NBA team in 2017/18. Kevin Haswell of Hot Hot Hoops, however, doesn’t think that the big man will find his way into a team’s lineup despite his established talent. Haswell cites a David Aldridge feature that gauged the interest league executives had in the free-agent-to-be.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Moral Dilemmas
Author: Kevin Haswell – @KevinRHaswell
Link: Will anybody sign Chris Bosh?

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Eastern Draft Notes: Tatum, Fultz, Knicks

May 25th, 2017 at 7:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Scouts and GMs who spoke with ESPN’s Chad Ford at this year’s combine peg Jayson Tatum as the favorite to win 2018 Rookie of the Year award. Tatum is one of most polished prospects in the upcoming draft and many scouts believe the Celtics would be the best fit for the small forward. He’s unlikely to go No. 1, but could Boston ostensibly trade down and select him at No. 3.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference on the upcoming draft:

  • All signs point to the Celtics taking Markelle Fultz with the top selection in the draft, Ford writes in the same piece. Lonzo Ball, who is widely regarded as the only threat to Fultz at No. 1, announced that he will not work out for Boston.
  • ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla believes the Knicks would have a good draft if they selected either Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina with the No. 8 pick in the upcoming draft, as Al Iannazzone of Newsday relays. “They both have very good long-term upside. They have NBA guard characteristics. They’re both athletic. They’re both reasonably well put together. It’s going to be a matter of do you like vanilla or chocolate, and how they come in and interview and work out with the teams,” Fraschilla said.
  • Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan could be an option for the Bulls at No. 38, Mark Strotman of Comcast Sportsnet writes. Nikola Mirotic will be a restricted free agent this summer and if Chicago plans on letting him walk, the franchise could look for frontcourt depth in the draft.
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Dwyane Wade Likely To Opt In

May 25th, 2017 at 11:38am CST by Dana Gauruder

Most people around the Bulls organization expect shooting guard Dwyane Wade to opt in for next season, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Wade will make $23.8MM if he stays put and declines to re-enter the free agent market. Wade’s role for next season could be a determining factor, as Johnson notes that Wade often served as the anchor to the second unit in second-quarter situations. Coach Fred Hoiberg alienated Joakim Noah during the 2015/16 campaign by demoting him to the second unit, Johnson adds. Wade has until June 27th to decide whether to enter the free agent market, Johnson relays via The Vertical’s Bobby Marks.

  • Jimmy Butler‘s contract is a bargain for an All-Star player, which is a big reason why the Bulls should hold onto him, Marks writes in his Summer Agenda series. Butler has three years and $56MM remaining on his contract, with the final year being a player option. The uncertainty surrounding Butler has more to do with franchise’s questionable roster decisions and coaching changes rather than Butler’s productivity, Marks adds.
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Diallo Drawing Interest As Deadline To Withdraw Nears

May 24th, 2017 at 10:01am CST by ChrisCrouse

Hamidou Diallo hasn’t played organized basketball in nearly five months, but he’s drawing interest around the league, sources tell Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog (Twitter link). The Nets, Bulls, Bucks, Heat, Pacers and Jazz have all expressed interest in the athletic shooting guard.

Diallo is currently ranked as the 42nd best prospect in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. Some believe he has a chance to move into the first round, as Zagoria writes in a full-length piece for The New York Times. “I would not be surprised if his combination of athleticism and skills opens some eyes, and then he’ll have a tough decision,” ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla said. ” Do you want to be the 25th pick in this year’s draft or do you want to have a chance to maybe be a top 10 pick [next year].”

The Queens native hasn’t yet made a decision yet on whether he will remain in the draft or play at Kentucky, Zagoria passes along in a full-length piece on his website. Diallo enrolled at the school to play for John Calipari in January but opted not to join the basketball team. He, like all prospects, has until tonight to make a decision.

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Draft Notes: Allen, Irvin, Magic

May 21st, 2017 at 4:58pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Frontcourt may not be the Bulls‘ biggest need, but if someone as talented as Jarrett Allen is available at No. 16, the team shouldn’t hesitate to go in that direction, Mark Strotman of Comcast Sportsnet contends. Strotman believes Allen could be the team’s next Joakim Noah. Chicago drafted Noah in 2007 even though Ben Wallace was under contract and it worked out long-term for the franchise.

Allen may not surpass current starting center Robin Lopez this season, but by the time his rookie contract is up, Allen could be one of the best big men in the league. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express has the Texas product as the 17th best prospect in his class.

Here’s more on the upcoming draft:

  • The Lakers recently met with Michigan’s Zak Irvin and the team was impressed with his workout, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Irvin will also work out for the Bucks later this week.
  • Pittsburg’s Jamel Artis will work out for the Lakers and Rockets later this week, Scotto reports in a separate tweet. Artis isn’t ranked in Givony’s top 100 prospects.
  • The Magic have several players scheduled to work out for the team on Tuesday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel passes along. Cal’s Ivan Rabb, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan, Villanova’s Josh Hart and Houston’s Damyean Dotson will all participate in Orlando’s workouts.
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Reality Suggests Butler Trade May Be Unlikely

May 19th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Austin Kent

While his name has come up in trade rumors all year, K.C Johnson of the Chicago Tribune says a Jimmy Butler trade is unlikely for the Bulls. The scribe recently answered questions about the swingman in a weekly mailbag post.

Of note is that Johnson reaffirms a reader suggestion that even if a deal did get made, it likely wouldn’t involve the oft-rumored Celtics. Ultimately, however, Johnson doesn’t see enough on any particular roster that would entice the Bulls to part with their best player.

Throughout the comprehensive piece, Johnson weighs in on all aspects of a possible Butler deal and how it would impact the organization. In 76 games for the Bulls this season, the 27-year-old posted career highs of 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.

  • The Bulls find themselves in a familiar place as last year, a CSN Chicago panel concluded. They contemplate trading Jimmy Butler but hesitate to pull the trigger on an underwhelming package.
  • The Lakers aren’t likely to give up a lottery pick for a one-year Paul George rental, says Sam Smith of the Bulls official website, but the Pacers could potentially net Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell and a matching salary should they decide to pull the trigger. Smith adds that Larry Bird‘s exit indicates that the franchise is eager to fully embrace a rebuild.
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No Paul George, Gordon Hayward On All-NBA Teams

May 18th, 2017 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially announced its All-NBA teams for the 2016/17 season, and neither Paul George nor Gordon Hayward is among the 15 players honored. That’s big news for both players and their teams, since they’ll be ineligible for the Designated Veteran Extension, reducing the amount of money the Pacers and Jazz – respectively – could offer their star forwards in contract extensions this offseason.

Here are this year’s All-NBA teams:

All-NBA First Team

All-NBA Second Team

All-NBA Third Team

Based on this year’s All-NBA voting results, Wall is now eligible to sign a Designated Veteran Extension this summer, while Leonard is eligible to sign one next summer. Harden, Westbrook, and Curry are also eligible to sign DVEs this summer, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes (via Twitter).

Those Designated Veteran Extensions – which are dependent on a player making an All-NBA team in the year before he signs an extension, or in two of the previous three years – apply to players finishing up their rookie scale extensions. They allow a player re-signing with his own team to earn up to 35% of the salary cap, rather than just 30%. So, if we assume a $101MM salary cap for 2017/18, a player like Curry could sign a new Warriors contract with a starting salary of $35.35MM, instead of $30.3MM.

The Pacers and Jazz will still be able to offer George and Hayward larger and longer contracts than any other team, but the advantage won’t be as significant as it would have been if those players had earned All-NBA spots. Teams can offer their own Bird-rights free agents up to five years (instead of four) and 8% raises (instead of 5%).

Hayward figures to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer, while George is expected to reach free agency in 2018. George could still become eligible for the DVE in ’18 if the Pacers hang onto him through next season and he earns All-NBA honors a year from now. However, there’s no guarantee that Indiana will be willing to take that risk.

As for the rest of the All-NBA votes, there weren’t any major surprises, particularly on the first two teams. Perhaps the biggest surprise, in a year which was dominated by four clear-cut MVP candidates, is that Harden was the only player who received 100 out of 100 possible First Team votes. Westbrook and James received 99 apiece, while Leonard received 96.

Note: Hoops Rumors readers voted last month on All-NBA teams, and our squads looked awfully close to the official ones, with a couple notable exceptions. You can check out the results of our voting right here.

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Hoops Links Vol. 5: Shirley Temple Lies, Milkshake Theft, More

May 18th, 2017 at 8:49am CST by Austin Kent

Welcome to the fifth installment of Hoops Links, where we round up our favorite content from around the NBA blogosphere and shine a light on it here. Every week we set out to feature entertaining, original content powered by the blogging community.

See your own piece plugged? Well done! Now share the love by spreading the word about Hoops Links – we’re talking favs, retweets, postcards to mom and everything in between. Help us build a bigger stage for your best work!

If you want to hit us up with a link in the future, make sure to drop me a line on Twitter (@AustinKent) or even just email HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws. Remember, we want to be intrigued and captivated. It also helps if the content is relatively fresh (considering we publish on Thursdays).

Without further ado…

With a roster full of young players and a negligible chance of winning a meaningful amount of ball games, the Suns made the decision with months remaining in the season to tank unabashedly. After Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery, in which Phoenix dropped from a projected No. 2 seed to the No. 4 seed, Adam Maynes of Valley of the Suns wrote a spirited column suggesting that the organization got what it deserved.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Angry Earl Watsons
Author: Adam Maynes – @Adam4America
Link: Phoenix Suns tank fail

Joel Embiid verticalWe’re all happy to buy into the quirky Joel Embiid narrative whenever the goofy big man does something like sip a Shirley Temple on live television. But what if we’re living a lie? Kyle Neubeck of Liberty Ballers revealed that the pink beverage at Embiid’s side during the Draft Lottery was little more than a prop.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Red Pills
Author: Kyle Neubeck – @KyleNeubeck
Link: Joel Embiid’s Shirley Temple prop

Are the Bulls less likely to deal Jimmy Butler to the Celtics now that Boston has landed the No. 1 pick in the draft? Vijay Vemu of Blog A Bull suggests as much, writing that Danny Ainge took a risk holding onto the pick at the deadline rather than going the safe route and dealing for an established star.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Fortunate Gambles
Author: Vijay Vemu – @VJVemu
Link: Jimmy Butler to Celtics less likely

The Hawks could have done more to involve Dwight Howard in their offense, Da’Vonte Hughes of Soaring Down South writes, suggesting that the big man had reason to be upset with how he was utilized during his first season Atlanta.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Neglected Supermen
Author: Da’Vonte Hughes – @CookieByNature
Link: Dwight Howard non-option for Hawks

Did you forget that Joel Anthony was still in the NBA? You aren’t alone. Dan Devine of Ball Don’t Lie noticed the big man’s name trending on Twitter and discovered that people all around the world were shocked to see the veteran big man suit up in the Spurs‘ blowout loss Wednesday.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Two-Time NBA Champions
Author: Dan Devine – @YourManDevine
Link: Joel Anthony trends on Twitter

There are similarities between Jimmy Butler and Stanley Johnson, including underwhelming freshman and sophomore seasons, says Luke Wolthuis of Piston Powered. Could Johnson, a well-built two-way forward, make a leap similar to that of Butler’s in Year 3?

Rating: 7 out of 10 Better Late Than Nevers
Author: Luke Wolthuis – @WolthuisLuke
Link: Stanley Johnson, Jimmy Butler comparison

Harrison Barnes verticalAlthough he may not win the award, Harrison Barnes deserves a spot in the Most Improved Player conversation, Sam Guertler of Mavs Moneyball suggests. The forward’s offensive game improved dramatically in his first year as a targeted weapon in Dallas, without any compromise in efficiency.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Additional Better Late Than Nevers
Author: Sam Guertler – @SamGuertler
Link: Harrison Barnes Most Improved Player

It takes a delicate balance of usefulness and expendability for a player to suit up for three different franchises in one season. This year, Ersan Ilyasova dressed for the Thunder, Sixers, and Hawks, and still managed to set a new career high for points in a season. Miles Wray of The Step Back took a good long look at how the season stands up historically.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Bonus Points For Playing For Two Altogether Different Teams Last Year
Author: Miles Wray – @MilesWray
Link: NBA players who play for three teams in one season

It was hard to evaluate the first season in the NBA for Jakob Poeltl, a lottery pick on a reigning Eastern Conference Finals squad, but Brian Boake set out to do so anyway for Raptors Rapture. In Poeltl, the Raptors have a cheap, malleable option to audition as their Stretch 5 of the Future.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Teenage Mutant Ninjas
Author: Brian Boake – @NewmarketBrian
Link: Jakob Poeltl’s future with Raptors

Over the years, Gregg Popovich has simply owned Mike D’Antoni in the NBA playoffs, so much so that the J.R. Wilco over at Pounding the Rock had a particularly specific video commissioned just to drive home the point.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Academy Award-Winning Method Actors
Author: J.R. Wilco – @JRWilco
Link: Gregg Popovich, Mike D’Antoni History

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Celtics Notes: Grousbeck, George, Butler, Ainge

May 17th, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics are getting plenty of advice after landing the top pick in this year’s draft, but managing partner Wyc Grousbeck sounds like his decision is already made. Speaking with Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti in a video on CSNNE, Grousbeck said Boston will hold onto the selection “unless someone blows us away with an offer.”

“I think these picks are very, very valuable,” he said. “If you’re going to trade these picks for an established star making max, you’ve got to send max money out the door as well, so you’ve got to send more guys along, so this guy coming back had better be the second coming. What’s more, he’s going to be halfway through his career, whoever he is, and he’s going to be paid a lot of money, which restricts you in other ways.

“So if you can get a really good guy with this pick, you’ve got him, you can build with him, you can coach him up. You get to max money eventually, five to six years down the road, but it’s a totally different thing.”

There’s more out of Boston as the city prepares for the Eastern Conference finals and the No. 1 pick:

  • Winning the lottery gives the Celtics more leverage if they decide to reopen trade talks with the Pacers or Bulls, writes Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. When Boston inquired about Paul George before the trade deadline, the Pacers were asking for a package that included the pick, along with Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown. According to Greene, the Celtics refused to part with Crowder in any deal, which shut down the pursuit of George. Boston also had interest in Jimmy Butler, and there have been reports that those talks will resume this summer.
  • President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is enjoying the rewards of his patience, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com. Ainge started the rebuilding process in 2013 by trading Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry to the Nets for a package of draft picks that produced the No. 3 selection last year [Brown], the No. 1 this season and Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder in 2018. Ainge has resisted the temptation to part with those picks and is in the process of building a group of talented young players around his veteran core.
  • Ainge plans to keep his options open between now and the draft, but he understands that his assets increased significantly Tuesday night, relays Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “At the trade deadline we were trading away the possibility of the No. 1 pick, a 25 percent chance of the No. 1 pick, but that’s a 75 percent chance of not having that pick, and that’s how teams look at it, which is probably why we didn’t get a deal done,” Ainge said. “Now we have the No. 1 pick and we will explore the value of it.”
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