Lawrence On Bulls, Stotts, Heat, Grizzlies
In his latest column for the New York Daily News, Mitch Lawrence surveys the entire league, bringing us some tidbits out of Chicago, Portland, and Miami, among others. Let’s dive in and check out the highlights from Lawrence….
- According to Lawrence, Derrick Rose has told some confidantes that he’s concerned about the Bulls potentially losing key players in free agency. “Derrick is worried that the Bulls are going to lose what they have,” a league source told Lawrence. “He doesn’t want to go through rebuilding.” Reading between the lines, it sounds as if Rose might like to see the team keep free-agent-to-be Luol Deng around beyond this season.
- Sources tell Lawrence that an offseason chat with Blazers coach Terry Stotts has made all the difference in LaMarcus Aldridge‘s outlook, though Stotts himself doesn’t believe he deserves the credit for Aldridge’s strong start: “There was talk that he was disgruntled, but when I talked to him I didn’t hear that from him. I just told LaMarcus that I felt like we had a chance to be very good this season and that he had a chance to have a great year. He’s growing into his leadership role at this stage and it’s all coming together for him. But it would be a disservice to him if I took the credit for what he’s been doing on the floor.”
- Multiple GMs have identified Jordan Crawford of the Celtics as a potential trade target for the Heat, according to Lawrence.
- Some people with the Grizzlies say the club needs a starting small forward, though many of those same sources think Memphis shouldn’t have traded Rudy Gay in the first place, says Lawrence.
Bulls Met With Nikola Mirotic
Real Madrid forward Nikola Mirotic met with the Bulls yesterday in Madrid, according to HoopsHype (via Twitter). Mirotic, whose draft rights are owned by Chicago, is expected to have another pow wow with the club today (link).
The Bulls selected Mirotic with the 23rd pick in the 2011 draft. Since then, the forward has blossomed into a superstar in Spain with one NBA scout recently calling him “the best player not in the NBA right now”. If Mirotic is brought over to the states, it could have a dramatic effect on the rest of the Bulls’ plans and might make it more likely that they will use the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer.
So far this season, Mirotic is averaging a career-high 16.2 PPG with 6.7 boards per contest.
Eastern Notes: Heat, Pistons, Bradley, Bulls
Thursday night was a rarity for this NBA season, as Eastern teams went undefeated in their inter-conference games against Western opponents. To be fair, there was only one of those games on last night’s schedule, but the Nets‘ win over the Clippers increased the East’s winning percentage against the West to .300 (33-77). Eastern teams will have to wait another day to attempt to bump that percentage up a few more points, since all of tonight’s games are intra-conference matchups.
Here’s the latest out of the East:
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel suggests that the Heat could use another defensive wing player on their roster, but questions whether the team has the cap and roster flexibility to add one.
- Because Andre Drummond is still a few years away from a big payday, David Mayo of MLive.com believes the Pistons can afford to add to their core of Josh Smith, Greg Monroe, and Drummond, rather than splitting up that trio.
- In light of a report that Avery Bradley turned down a four-year, $24MM extension offer, Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com explores Bradley’s worth to the Celtics.
- By moving from the perennially contending Spurs to the rebuilding Bucks, Gary Neal has had to adjust to a different climate both literally and figuratively, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- In his latest mailbag, Sam Smith of Bulls.com fields questions about Marquis Teague, tanking, and possible roster moves for the Bulls.
Bulls Sign D.J. Augustin
FRIDAY: The Bulls have officially signed Augustin, according to a press release from the team. I’d guess it will be a non-guaranteed pact, but terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.
WEDNESDAY: The Bulls and D.J. Augustin have a reached a deal, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. We had heard earlier that Chicago was the clear favorite to sign the recently waived Augustin, and Wojnarowski reports that the two sides have reached an agreement, pending a Thursday morning physical.
The Raptors waived Augustin in order to make room on an overcrowded roster that came about as a result of the seven-player blockbuster that sent Rudy Gay to the Kings. The Bulls were seeking some much-needed depth in their backcourt after losing Derrick Rose to a season-ending injury. Augustin has played limited minutes this year; he’s averaging 8.2 MPG in 10 contests. Still, the four-year veteran will help supplement an ailing cast of guards in Chicago.
Central Notes: Neal, Teague, Cavs
This past offseason, the Spurs extended then-restricted free agent Gary Neal a qualifying offer worth about $1.1MM, which was significantly below the two-year, $7.5MM agreement he eventually reached with the Bucks. According to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio-Express News, Neal believes he got a fair shake from Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford and understood that he wouldn’t be retained if he wanted more than what San Antonio was initially offering:
“I figured after three years, the Spurs benefitted me, and I benefitted the Spurs…But it’s a business. I kind of knew after Game 7 in the Finals, unless I signed a qualifying offer, I wouldn’t be back…I have no complaints…If (they didn’t give me the opportunity), they could have found another guy one of those summers to shoot 40 percent from three,..I thank Coach Pop a thousand times for that.”
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- The rest of the league is confused why the Bulls aren’t willing to give Marquis Teague more playing time, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Chicago reportedly dangled Teague in trade talks during the preseason.
- The Cavaliers have recalled Carrick Felix, Sergey Karasev, and Henry Sims from the D-League, as per the team’s official website.
- Pistons forward Gigi Datome is determined to play for the Italian national team next summer, whether it’d be during the FIBA World Cup or the Eurobasket Qualifying Round, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (hat tip to Tuttosport).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Rumors: Thibodeau, Rivers, Iguodala
The idea that Tom Thibodeau could become the next coach of the Knicks is centered around the notion that friction between Thibodeau and Bulls management would prompt a parting of ways, but such tension has cooled, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Thibodeau, GM Gar Forman and executive vice president John Paxson cleared the air during several meetings early in the offseason, and while they may not be the best of friends, the relationship is “more than just workable,” Cowley writes. Thibodeau had no comment on the Knicks rumor, and with New York beating Chicago last night, it seems Mike Woodson‘s job is safe for at least another day. Here’s the latest on the Knicks’ rivals in the Atlantic Division:
- Amid a return to Boston as coach of the Clippers, Doc Rivers said taking the Celtics job in 2004 was “the best decision I ever made,” HoopsWorld’s Jessica Camerato notes.
- Andre Iguodala was shocked when the Sixers traded him to the Nuggets as part of last year’s four-team Dwight Howard blockbuster, and tells Grantland’s Jonathan Abrams that he wishes the deal hadn’t come while he was competing in the Olympics. Iguodala also shares his frustrations about playing in front of Philly’s notoriously critical fans and says the constant changes to the Sixers during his tenure with the team hurt his game.
- Nerlens Noel might be done for the season, but he and the Sixers are working diligently on improving his shot, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer details.
- Nets GM Billy King admits that he was involved in the decision to demote former lead assistant Lawrence Frank, notes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- Kyle Korver told HoopsHype’s Jorge Sierra that his ties to King, who as Sixers GM 10 years ago swung a deal to acquire him on draft night, were part of the reason he nearly signed with the Nets this summer. Ultimately, Korver says he and his wife decided to stay in Atlanta.
Eastern Notes: Woodson, Van Gundy, Rondo
The Knicks’ poor play means that Mike Woodson might still be in danger of losing his job, but Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Woodson doesn’t believe he has to prove himself to anyone: “I’m not trying to convince anyone…I’m trying to take our team as it is and do the best job we can do.” Berman notes that since owner James Dolan gave Woodson his vote of confidence early this season, the Knicks have gone 2-9. Here’s more from New York and the Eastern Conference:
- Jeff Van Gundy says there isn’t any merit to the rumors claiming he might replace Woodson as coach for the Knicks, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com reveals. “It’s annoying because it’s not true,” said Van Gundy. “I don’t think for one minute Mike Woodson is in any trouble nor should he be because he has proven himself to be an outstanding coach.“
- Rajon Rondo spoke out and said he hasn’t been in contact with Carmelo Anthony about potentially signing with the Knicks down the road, reports Royce Young of CBSsports.com: “I haven’t spoken to him. He ain’t contacted me. It’s just rumors.“
- It’s no secret the Pacers are seeking to earn the highest seed in the East year, and besting the Heat last night in Indiana proves they’re capable of challenging Miami for the top spot. Wheat Hotchkiss at NBA.com examines how important offseason acquisitions C.J. Watson and Luis Scola have been to Indiana’s success this year.
- John Salmons is happy to be in Toronto, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. It’s been seven years since Salmons turned down a five-year, $23MM deal to play for the Raptors in order to ink a similar deal with the Kings.
- An Insider piece by Bradford Doolittle of ESPN examines the key decisions that the Bulls’ front office will face in the near future, including the decision of whether or not to amnesty Carlos Boozer. Opting to retain the veteran forward will probably delay European superstar Nikola Mirotic’s arrival in Chicago, notes Doolittle.
Odds & Ends: Collins, Augustin, Mavs, Cavs
Jannero Pargo‘s contract with the Bobcats became fully guaranteed when the team didn’t waive him yesterday, and A.J. Price passed his contract guarantee threshold with the Timberwolves this weekend. That means the rest of the players with non-guaranteed contracts won’t have their deals fully guaranteed unless they remain on their teams until the leaguewide guarantee date of January 10th. We’ll continue to track non-guaranteed contracts here until that date. Here’s more from around the league:
- Free agent center Jason Collins told Michael K. Lavers of the Washington Blade that he doesn’t pin the reluctance of NBA teams to sign him on his sexual orientation. Collins, who hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since publicly revealing last spring that he is homosexual, says he hopes a team will sign him by March 1st.
- The Bulls are zeroing in on D.J. Augustin, and the move would give them four point guards, not including the injured Derrick Rose. They probably won’t be carrying all four by the end of the season, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
- With Devin Harris suffering a setback in his rehab, Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News wonders if the Mavericks will go after Augustin.
- The Cavs have assigned Carrick Felix, Sergey Karasev and Henry Sims to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. It’s the first assignment for Karasev, while Felix and Sims are making return trips to the Canton Charge.
- Other teams reportedly expect the Nuggets will soon trade Jordan Hamilton for little in return, but the third-year small forward has earned the trust of coach Brian Shaw, according to Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com.
- Shelvin Mack is making the most of his non-guaranteed contract with the Hawks, as Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution examines (subscription required).
Bulls In Lead To Sign D.J. Augustin
WEDNESDAY, 4:20pm: Augustin has cleared waivers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 11:49am: The Bulls are the clear leaders to sign D.J. Augustin when he clears waivers Wednesday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Augustin was a victim of a numbers crunch in Toronto, where the Raptors had to release a player to fit under the 15-man roster limit to accommodate yesterday’s Rudy Gay trade.
Augustin is on a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $1.267MM, not much more than what the minimum salary for the five-year veteran would be, so it’s conceivable a team could claim him off waivers. The capped-out Bulls can’t make a claim, so they’d likely sign him to a non-guaranteed pact for the minimum-salary if he hits free agency. Perhaps another club could resort to a waiver claim to thwart Chicago’s attempt to sign him, though that’s just my speculation.
Derrick Rose‘s injury has left the Bulls shorthanded at point guard, where the backups to Kirk Hinrich are disappointing second-year man Marquis Teague, whom the Bulls shopped in trade talks before the season, and 38-year-old journeyman Mike James. James hasn’t played in more than a week as he recovers from a sprained knee, and with two roster spots available, the team is looking to bolster its depth at the position, Wojnarowski writes. Augustin has had his own struggles the past two seasons, flaming out as a backup for the Pacers in 2012/13 before averaging just 8.2 minutes per game in 10 appearances for the Raptors this year.
The Raptors would benefit if a team claimed Augustin off waivers, since they’ll otherwise be on the hook for the contract they signed with the Thad Foucher client. They could still see some relief if he becomes a free agent and signs with the Bulls or another team, since that might allow Toronto to defray the cost of its contract with Augustin via set-off rights.
Knicks May Make Run At Tom Thibodeau
The Knicks might attempt to pry Tom Thibodeau out of his contract from the Bulls, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who gets the sense that current Knicks head coach Mike Woodson will only last until owner James Dolan can find a splashy replacement. Soon-to-be free agent Carmelo Anthony wouldn’t object to the move, Stein also hears. Thibodeau, like Anthony, is a client of the Creative Artists Agency, a firm with close ties to the Knicks.
Thibodeau has two seasons remaining on his deal with Chicago, but he’s reportedly feuding with Bulls GM Gar Forman. It would nonetheless be hard to convince the Bulls to let him go, Stein writes, but the ESPN scribe figures the Knicks stand a better chance of pulling that off than they do of landing marquee names like John Calipari, Phil Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy.
The Knicks are also apparently considering assistant GM Allan Houston as a possible replacement for Woodson. Houston played for the Knicks when Thibodeau was an assistant coach for the team. Perhaps Houston could serve as an interim if the Knicks decide to replace Woodson during the season, with a pursuit of Thibodeau happening in the summer, but that’s just my speculation.
Coaching transactions between teams are rare, but the Knicks once received compensation for letting Pat Riley go to the Heat, and this summer’s Doc Rivers swap is the most recent example. The Celtics acquired a 2015 first-round pick in exchange for letting Rivers out of his deal so the Clippers could hire him, but the earliest first-rounder the Knicks can surrender is their 2018 pick. The NBA prohibits teams from exchanging players for coaches, so it would indeed be difficult for the Knicks to bring Thibodeau back to Madison Square Garden.