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Eastern Notes: Knicks, Colangelo, Bulls

May 19th, 2013 at 10:56pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Knicks season ended last night when the Pacers defeated them in Indiana to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks were the oldest team in NBA history for the 2012/13 season, and they have a lot of offseason decisions to reach in lieu of their loss to the Pacers.

The first such decision concerns the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year, J.R. Smith. Smith recently reiterated his desire to remain in a Knicks uniform next year despite the popular consensus he'll opt out of the contract that will pay him $2.9MM next season. He tweeted about wanting to return (Twitter link) today as SheridonHoops.com's Ben Baroff pointed out. But Smith isn't the only question mark as the Knicks head into the offseason after their best playoff performance in more than a decade.

Despite a postseason showing that saw them get out of the first round for the first time since the 1999/00 season, Howard Beck at the New York Times writes that with very little cap flexbility, the Knicks' window for continued postseason magic may have run out.
Ian Begley at ESPNNewYork.com brings readers through five pressing issues the Knicks face this summer, including what to do with Amar'e Stoudemire, who didn't start a single game this season after Carmelo Anthony agreed to play power forward in Mike Woodson's small-ball lineup. Begley also discusses whether the Knicks will continue to go small next season.
One of the injuries hampering Knicks franchise star Carmelo Anthony this postseason, was his left shoulder. Frank Isola of New York Daily News says Anthony will have his injured left shoulder examined.
Another Eastern Conference team that was eliminated in the conference semifinals, the Bulls, are looking to get healthy this offseason while figuring out what to do in free agency, writes Aggrey Sam at CSNChicago.com. The free agency questions center around their backcourt, since Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli are free agents this summer and the Bulls are not likely to pick up Richard Hamilton's $5MM option next year, but will have to pay him the $1MM that's guaranteed.
Aggrey Sam at CSNChicago.com also writes that the Bulls' draft picks, they hold the 20th and 49th overall selections this June, could be a lot better than expected in what is considered a down draft year. A lot of players predicted to be selected in the later rounds of the draft performed well in Chicago's predraft combine this past week.
Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun, says it's time for Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo to go, and with reports the Raptors are pursuing current Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri, the end appears close for Colangelo. The Raptors are expected to make a decision about their future general manager some time tomorrow after Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reported the Raptors have until Monday to exercise or decline their option on Colangelo for the 2013/14 season.

Central Notes: Bulls, Pistons, Cavs, Oladipo

May 18th, 2013 at 7:50pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Bulls' season is done, despite gritting out a tough run of injuries–not to mention their season-long absence of 2011 MVP, Derrick Rose—to defeat the Nets and advance to the second round. Even with Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, and the aforementioned Rose out, and with Taj Gibson's knee bothering him, the Bulls pushed the Heat a lot more than many expected.

With the Bulls' season over, now is the time to plot for Rose's heralded return (a season later than expected), and decide whether to make a splash this offseason or hold firm and see what this year's tough group can do with a healthy and rested Rose.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune provides a primer on the state of the Bulls' guaranteed contracts next season, and with $72,044,288 earmarked for just eight players, the Bulls are hoping to find someone like Nate Robinson who can inject some offense without making more than the league minimum.
Paul Ladewski at SheridanHoops.com thinks the Bulls should go after Al Jefferson in a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz and Joe Cowley at the Chicago Sun Times bids adieu to important backcourt producers, Robinson and Marco Belinelli, who will likely sign with other teams this offseason when they become unrestricted free agents. The Bulls are expected to buy out Richard Hamilton's contract this summer, so they'll have a paucity of guards under contract for next season, and Cowley notes that Tom Thibodeau is looking for more outside shooting at the lowest cost they can find.
Indiana guard, Victor Oladipo, told Vincent Goodwell at the Detroit News he had his best team interview at the NBA pre draft combine on Friday with the Pistons. The Pistons love his defensive tenacity and motor, and Oladipo says he'd be a good fit for the "defensively oriented" team.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote in her mailbag the Cavs shouldn't look to acquire Paul Pierce this summer, but believes the team wants to win now and could be looking to add "significant veteran" to their younger squad using a collection of draft picks and money.
In another in a series of pre-draft columns, Mary Schmitt Boyer also looks at the pro prospects of Michigan point guard and NCAA Tournament hero, Trey Burke.

Central Notes: Bulls, Robinson, Cavs, Handy

May 17th, 2013 at 11:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

A spring evening without an NBA playoff game is like a day without sunshine for many of us, but tomorrow, the Central Division champion Pacers will try one more time to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Reggie Miller era. If they get there, they'll try to avoid becoming the third straight Central team eliminated by the Heat, who already knocked out the Bucks and Bulls. Here's the latest from the division:

Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com figures Nate Robinson has played his last game for the Bulls. Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich and Marquis Teague will all probably be around to play point guard, and Robinson's performance will likely make him too pricey for Chicago.
Bulls GM Gar Forman addressed the specter of a missed season for Rose with Adam Fluck of Bulls.com, and in spite of an offseason of personnel decisions ahead, Forman identifies simply getting healthy as the team's primary goal this summer.
Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf praised the work of Forman and executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson, as Fluck passes along in a separate piece.
If the Cavaliers wind up picking third, their current position in the pre-lottery order, Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer expects the team to target a small forward, and take a backup big man with the 19th selection.
Boyer also reports in her piece that the Cavs have hired Phil Handy, an assistant coach with the Lakers, to serve as an assistant under head coach Mike Brown. The Cavs have yet to make an official announcement.
Former Cavs assistant Nate Tibbetts joined the Blazers staff this week, a move one executive classifies as a "home run hire" for Portland, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. The Bobcats had been interested in Tibbetts for their head coaching job.

Odds & Ends: Jack, Iguodala, Cavaliers, Suns

May 17th, 2013 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

With just one Conference Semifinal still ongoing, we won't see any NBA action tonight, as the Knicks and Pacers prepare for tomorrow's Game Six. Even if the Eastern Semifinal extends to a seventh game though, we can look forward to the Western Finals getting underway on Sunday, featuring a Spurs/Grizzlies matchup that few would have predicted last fall. As we get ready for those games, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the Association:

Following the Warriors' elimination from the postseason, Jarrett Jack tells Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News that he'd love to get a chance to return to the team next season. "Obviously there are other things that go into seeing if that works," Jack said. "We all know this is a business at the end of the day. If I could do it, if I could rearrange it, I would definitely be back at this same locker."
Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post takes a look at Ty Lawson's efforts to woo Andre Iguodala back to the Nuggets via social media. Lawson says he's been "telling [Iguodala] all year" that he ought to stay in Denver beyond this season.
Cavaliers GM Chris Grant suggests to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link) that the Cavs expect to be bigger players in free agency this summer than in recent years.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic shares the latest news on the Suns' head coaching search, writing that candidates on playoff teams become less likely for Phoenix the longer their respective clubs stay alive.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is hoping the team can bring back Nazr Mohammed, calling his performance "tremendous," but acknowledged that the big man may receive better offers. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the details.
The Bobcats can't afford a misfire on draft night this year, says Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.

Eastern Notes: Noah, Bulls, Pierce

May 16th, 2013 at 10:13pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times heard from Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau that Joakim Noah might require surgery on his right foot this summer but will opt for rehab as his first option. Cowley also mentions that Chicago will likely have to find a way to re-tool their bench with several one-year deals again, as Thibodeau said that the market will dictate whether or not they'll be able to carry over several of their key role players – namely Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, and Nazr Mohammed - into next season. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes that even though Paul Pierce's future in Boston is yet to be determined, one source says that Pierce's family is already preparing for possible relocation while anticipating that the Celtics will look to trade him or complete a buyout this summer.
Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel opines that the Bucks could be looking for backcourt help in the upcoming draft.
Former Pittsburgh center Steven Adams would be ecstatic if he wound up with the Wizards, according to J. Michael of CSN Washington. While it isn't likely that Washington would use their lottery pick on Adams, it seems sensible that they'd target the 7-footer with one of their second round picks if he was still on the draft board.
Michael-Carter Williams would relish an opportunity with the 76ers if they drafted him, notes Keith Pompey of Philly.com.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer observes that Greg Oden has been looking great in his workouts as he targets an eventual return to the NBA. As we've heard before, Oden has been linked to a handful of Eastern Conference teams, especially the Cavaliers.

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Evening

May 16th, 2013 at 9:03pm CST by Luke Adams

9:03pm: We'll post any remaining evening updates from Chicago here:

Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy tweets that international prospect Mouhammadou Jaiteh will forego Eurocamp and will work out for NBA teams instead, possibly as early as a group workout with Minnesota.
The Oregonian's Jason Quick reports that the Trail Blazers met with James Southerland yesterday.

2:47pm: More afternoon combine updates from Chicago:

Ben McLemore has already interviewed with the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Pelicans, according to SI.com's Chris Mannix (via Twitter). McLemore expects to meet with the Bobcats, Magic, and Pistons tonight, according to various reports (all Twitter links).
Victor Oladipo will also meet with the Pistons tonight, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter) adds Otto Porter to the list of prospects interviewed by the Timberwolves, but says the T-Wolves won't get a chance to meet with Oladipo, who was on the team's wish list.
Jamaal Franklin tells Jason Quick of the Oregonian that when he met with the Trail Blazers yesterday, the whole meeting consisted of a psychological test (Twitter link).
Andre Roberson met with the Magic yesterday, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
Shams Charania of RealGM.com has a list of the 12 prospects the Bulls plan to work out on Monday (Twitter link).
Jeff Withey is "extremely excited" to be meeting with the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

1:35pm: We covered the Thursday morning updates from Chicago's predraft camp earlier today, but with so many tidbits surfacing throughout the day, we're starting an afternoon post to round up the latest notes:

ESPN.com's Chad Ford hears that two international prospects have received first-round guarantees: Dennis Schroeder and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Twitter link).
Michael Carter-Williams has met with several teams, including the Trail Blazers, Bobcats, Pistons, Timberwolves, and Thunder, according to various reports (all links go to Twitter). Carter-Williams is hearing he could be drafted anywhere between third and 15th overall, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
We heard this morning that the Celtics had spoken to Cody Zeller and Glen Rice Jr. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe adds a few more names to the list of Boston interviewees (via Twitter): Mason Plumlee, Rudy Gobert, and Victor Oladipo.
C.J. McCollum won't meet with the Trail Blazers this week, according to Jason Quick of the Oregonian (Twitter link). However, he will meet with the Pistons tomorrow, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (via Twitter), and has already interviewed with the Magic, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). SI.com's Chris Mannix (Twitter link) adds the Thunder, Nuggets, and Cavaliers to the list of teams who have spoekn to McCollum, who has 15 total interviews scheduled.
Robbins notes in a separate tweet that the Magic also met with Myck Kabongo.
Isaiah Canaan will meet with the Wizards on Friday, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
Canaan, Andre Roberson, and Grant Jerrett all met with the Pistons last night, tweets Langlois.
Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (via Twitter) that the Bucks met with Shane Larkin yesterday and will work him out later this month.
Erik Murphy has interviews lined up with the Grizzlies, Clippers, and possibly the Pacers, tweets Robbins.
Seth Curry will meet today with the Lakers, Rockets, and Knicks, tweets Bonnell.

Bulls Links: Robinson, Korver, Brewer, Rose

May 16th, 2013 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

One possible silver lining of the Chicago's elimination at the hands of the Heat is that it'll lead to an upswing in Bulls content on Hoops Rumors. Since the Bulls' Game Five loss, we've already heard that the team is expected to buy out Richard Hamilton this summer, and a number of other articles on Chicago's offseason have popped up since then. Here are a handful of them:

Acknowledging that there might be "limited space" for him, Nate Robinson says he'd love to return to the Bulls next season, according to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Presumably, Robinson isn't referring to limited roster spots, but rather the limited cap flexibility the Bulls have to offer him a raise.
In a separate piece, Friedell examines which players on the current roster will return to the Bulls next season, concluding that Robinson is probably gone. Friedell also expects the team to replace several bench players, and suggests that former Bulls and free-agents-to-be Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer could be good fits.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes that the focus in Chicago this offseason will remain on Derrick Rose, while Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld shares his thoughts on how the circus surrounding Rose's possible return could have been avoided.
Scoop Jackson of ESPNChicago.com would like to see the Bulls' front office avoid making any major moves this summer, opting instead to bring back the current roster relatively intact.

Bulls Expected To Buy Out Richard Hamilton

May 16th, 2013 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Bulls ultimately decided not to move Richard Hamilton at the trade deadline, the team is expected to part ways with the veteran guard this summer, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Johnson writes that Hamilton will be bought out by the Bulls, though he still hopes to play at least two more seasons in the NBA.

Hamilton, 35, is under contract for one more season, but his salary for next season is only partially guaranteed. While the Bulls would have to pay $5MM to retain Hamilton for the season, they could save $4MM of that total by buying him out for $1MM. Per Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com, an official decision on Hamilton is due by July 10th, the day after this year's July Moratorium, so it appears likely we'll see him released by then.

Significant portions of Hamilton's last two seasons with the Bulls have been wiped out by injuries. When healthy, he has played the equivalent of about one full season, averaging 10.5 PPG in 78 contests (22.9 MPG). Assuming he's officially waived, he'll join a group of unrestricted free agent shooting guards that includes Manu Ginobili, J.J. Redick, Kevin Martin, Tony Allen, Nick Young, and Chicago teammate Marco Belinelli.

Odds & Ends: Jazz, Bulls, Rose

May 12th, 2013 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Nothing like a little bit of bonus basketball to liven up a one game Sunday and the Warriors made the most of their extra frame against the Spurs. Stephen Curry has been the posterchild for Golden State throughout the postseason but it was Harrison Barnes who stepped up in a big way as he scored a game high 26 points. Here's tonight's look around the Association as San Antonio and Golden State are knotted at two a piece..

Coaches without experience are more likely to succeed than retreads are when taking over sub-.500 teams that missed the playoffs the previous season, according to a Charlotte Observer study. A recent Hoops Rumors poll of this year's free agent coaching retreads saw Jerry Sloan voted as the most wanted of the bunch.
Jody Genessy of The Deseret News rounds up the action from the Jazz's six-player pre-draft workout Saturday, drawing attention to the three playmakers among the group and the team's lack of a pure point guard under contract for next season.
At the outset of the second round of the Bulls' series against the Heat, Derrick Rose strongly considered returning from his torn ACL injury but ultimately decided not to, a source told Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com. The Bulls are down 2-1 heading into tomorrow night's contest with Miami.

Central Notes: Cavs, Brown, Pistons, Bulls

May 12th, 2013 at 6:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at the latest out of the Central division..

Cavs coach Mike Brown is looking for long-armed perimeter athletes who can defend, rebound and score, and the team views Alonzo Gee, who started all 82 games this season, as a backup, writesTerry Pluto of The Plain Dealer.
The Pistons' biggest pick won't come in the draft, it'll come in the selection of their next coach, opines Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Meanwhile, in the draft, Detroit will have a good deal of swing players to choose from but not much in terms of big men. Character will be important for Joe Dumars & Co. but they're also in a position to groom a young player thanks to their level-headed core.
The Bulls just might have the right blueprint for today's smaller NBA, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.