Odds & Ends: Tanking, DeRozan, Vucevic
While ownership, team executives, and coaches may sometimes choose to tank games (usually referred to by some as “focusing on the future”), Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld writes that players aren’t in on it, especially if they’re trying to prove themselves or avoiding the possibility that their potential replacement gets drafted.
Here’s more of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes:
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (via Twitter) wonders if the Raptors should look to move DeMar DeRozan while his value is high, especially if they can’t find a taker for Rudy Gay.
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel writes that the Magic are trying to figure out center Nikola Vucevic‘s worth and thinks that the potential numbers on an extension could be between what Larry Sanders and Nikola Pekovic got from their respective teams this past summer.
- Looking back at how his tenure as the Trail Blazers’ head coach came to an end, Pacers assistant Nate McMillan tells Joe Freeman of the Oregonian that his one regret was trying to fit Gerald Wallace into the starting lineup (to keep the veteran from becoming disgruntled) despite Nicolas Batum needing the development.
- ESPN looked to 5 of its writers to give their thoughts on how much hope that Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Bulls, and Lakers fans should have moving forward this season.
- Hoopsworld’s Moke Hamilton discusses what he calls the “Derrick Rose dilemma” for Chicago – deciding whether or not to stay the course or start tear down the current team in order to build for the future.
- Although it’s possible that the Bulls will make a move or two to address the team’s current situation, Herb Gould of the Chicago Sun-Times points out that the return of Jimmy Butler to the lineup will help and how Chicago already proved they can at least stay competitive during the regular season without Rose.
Examining A Potential Bulls DPE
The Bulls appear likely to be granted a disabled player exception by the NBA after Derrick Rose suffered a season-ending injury, as CBA expert Larry Coon noted earlier this week. Disabled player exceptions often go unused by NBA teams, and the Bulls may be reluctant to add another player who would increase an already pricey tax bill, but it’s still worth exploring.
A disabled player exception is a tool that allows an over-the-cap team to replace a player who suffers a season-ending injury. Teams can apply for disabled player exceptions up until January 15th each season, and will receive one if an NBA-designated physician determines that the player is extremely likely to be unable to play through June 15th.
If a team receives a designated player exception, it is allowed to sign a free agent for up to 50% of the injured player’s salary or for the amount of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is less. A team is also allowed to trade for a player earning up to that salary plus $100K, but the player must be in the final year of his contract.
What does this mean for the Bulls? Well, since Rose is earning more than $17MM this season, half his salary would exceed the non-taxpayer MLE. So if Chicago were to receive a DPE, it would be worth the amount of that MLE: $5.15MM. The Bulls would then have until March 15th to use that exception to sign or trade for a player. If they don’t use it, it expires on March 15th. They also can’t split the money among multiple players.
Finding someone to use that exception on is easier in theory than in practice. If we assume that Chicago would target a guard to replace the injured Rose, there are some interesting names on the free agent market and in the D-League, such as Rodrigue Beaubois, Kendall Marshall, and former Bull Chris Duhon. But if the Bulls wanted to go that route, they could likely bring someone aboard using the minimum salary exception — no one on our list of free agents is worth $5MM per year.
The trade market is a more intriguing option, even factoring in the condition that any acquisition must be in the final year of his contract. Of course, the Bulls could make a trade without using a DPE, but the exception would allow the team to acquire a player without sending out any salary. Potential point guard trade candidates like Jameer Nelson or Kyle Lowry wouldn’t fit into the exception, but many others would.
Jordan Crawford, Ramon Sessions, Steve Blake, Jordan Farmar, Luke Ridnour, and Jimmer Fredette are a few of the guards on non-contending teams who fit the criteria and may become available. There are also several backups on teams expected to be in the playoff picture who could be shopped if those clubs fall out of the running or decide they’re expendable. Beno Udrih, Aaron Brooks, Shaun Livingston, Earl Watson, and Patrick Mills are among the guys who fit that bill. It’s still too early in the season to deduce plans for many teams, but it’s probably safe to assume the Bulls wouldn’t go after a player like Eric Bledsoe or Avery Bradley, whose trade cost would be significantly higher.
Obtaining a disabled player exception may not provide any form of solution for the Bulls, and it may ultimately go unused. But assuming the NBA grants a DPE, it will be one more tool at the Bulls’ disposal as they decide what direction to take in the wake of Rose’s second major injury in as many years.
Latest On Bulls, Luol Deng
The Bulls ended their four-game losing streak with a win against the Pistons tonight, but they remain a team in flux. The “sense around the league” since the Bulls and Luol Deng stopped their extension talks in the summer has been that he would be available for the right offer, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Derrick Rose‘s injury might mean the Bulls would be willing to accept less in return for Deng, Johnson surmises.
The soon-to-be free agent brushed off a reporter’s question about whether he wants to stay with Chicago now that the team no longer has a realistic chance of winning the title this year, as Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times observes.
“I don’t even have to answer that,’’ Deng said. “If you think I want to leave, you think I want to leave. If you think I want to stay, I don’t really need to answer that. I think people know where my heart is.’’
Johnson points to Deng’s repeated statements in the past about wanting to remain with the Bulls for his entire career. Coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t worried about all the trade talk getting to Deng, but the small forward believes the uncertainty could hurt the team, Cowley notes in the same piece.
“It’s definitely, I don’t know if you’d call it a distraction, it’s disturbing,’’ he said. “It’s going to create a tension, right reason, wrong reason, whatever it is.’’
Cavs Shopping Dion Waiters
6:25pm: Waiters says he’s content to remain in Cleveland and adds that it’s up to he and Irving to make their pairing work, observes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. “I’m not happy with us losing but I’m happy here, the city of Cleveland, yeah,” Waiters said.
5:42pm: Waiters confirmed to reporters from the Plain Dealer and other outlets that he has not asked to be traded and called Broussard’s report that he and Grant met for three hours “nonsense” (Twitter link).
4:47pm: The Cavs say they aren’t shopping Waiters, but have fielded inquiries on him, according to the Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The denial from the team is no surprise, since it would hurt the Cavs’ leverage if they looked eager to move him. I’m guessing Waiters is very much available, and whether or not Cleveland is actively “shopping” him is a matter of semantics.
3:29pm: Deng, Shumpert, and Evan Turner are among the Cavs’ targets in talks for Waiters, tweets Broussard.
3:03pm: In his full story on the Cavs and Waiters, Broussard says that while the guard hasn’t requested a trade, he brought up the possibility during a meeting last week with GM Chris Grant and coach Mike Brown. Broussard adds that Waiters and Irving “are not close” and that Waiters believes the Cavs hold him to different standards than Irving.
According to Broussard, the Cavs have interest in Luol Deng, and are believed to have reached out to clubs besides the Bulls, Knicks, and 76ers. While Iman Shumpert would appear to be the obvious trade candidate for the Knicks, New York is “not interested” in such a deal for now.
2:43pm: The Cavaliers are shopping Dion Waiters as a potential trade chip, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Broussard, the Bulls, Knicks, and Sixers are among the teams who have spoken to Cleveland, but no deal is imminent.
Last week, we heard that Waiters may be at the center of some of the Cavs’ chemistry issues, though the second-year guard denied being involved in a physical altercation during a players-only meeting. Broussard reports (via Twitter) that rumors of a fight between Waiters and Kyrie Irving are false, but says Waiters and Tristan Thompson had an “intense argument” and needed to be separated.
Whether or not Waiters has become a problem in the team’s locker room, he’s open to being moved, according to Broussard. However, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford isn’t convinced the Syracuse product would have significant value on the trade market.
Waiters, the No. 4 overall pick in 2012, averaged 14.7 PPG in his rookie season, but has yet to show strong signs of developing into the impact scorer the Cavs are hoping for. The 21-year-old has shot just 40.9% from the floor so far in his NBA career. If Cleveland were to find a deal involving Waiters, he may be part of a larger package, since his modest $3.89MM salary wouldn’t accommodate a ton of trade options.
Central Notes: LeBron, Cavs, Bulls, Bucks
LeBron James and the Heat play in Cleveland tonight, which means we’re in for another round of rumors and speculation about the possibility of the reigning MVP returning to the Cavaliers next summer. However, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer believes becoming fixated on the idea of signing LeBron next summer is the worst thing the Cavs and their fans can do. As Pluto notes, James may not even hit free agency in 2014, since he has the option to continue playing under his current contract. “Staring starry-eyed at James” won’t fix what’s wrong with the Cavs, who need to explore the trade market in hopes of upgrading their roster, writes Pluto.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- If the Cavs are hoping to entice LeBron back to Cleveland, they’ll have to encourage him to use his imagination, since the team hasn’t looked good on the court, says Bud Shaw of the Plain Dealer.
- Asked after the Bulls‘ Monday loss to the Jazz if he thought entering rebuilding mode was a viable option for his team’s front office, Joakim Noah replied, “I think it’s possible. I mean, yeah.” Still, GM Gar Forman insists the Bulls won’t make any “rash decisions.” Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the details and more quotes from Forman.
- Luol Deng also acknowledged that he’s probably more likely to be traded following Derrick Rose‘s injury, but said he’s trying not to listen to speculation, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago.
- A fan website, SaveOurBucks.com, has started a fundraising campaign in the hopes of securing a high-visibility billboard encouraging the Bucks to tank. The campaign is already more than 80% of the way to its $5,000 goal. Bucks owner Herb Kohl has publicly stated that he doesn’t believe in bottoming out in a rebuild, but given Milwaukee’s record, roster, and arena situation, along with the tantalizing 2014 draft class, all signs point to it being in the team’s best interests.
Odds & Ends: Kobe, Bulls, Heat, Wizards
Kobe Bryant says he gave no thought to leaving the Lakers in free agency, and defended himself against criticism that his extension will hurt the team, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt observes. Most Hoops Rumors readers agree, believing the Lakers will sign another max free agent in either 2014 or 2015. Here’s more from the Association:
- The Bulls seem likely to get a disabled player exception after Derrick Rose‘s injury, but that doesn’t mean they’ll use it, as Salary Cap FAQ author Larry Coon explains (Twitter links).
- There’s no sign of any rift between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and as the Cavs and others lurk in free agency, LeBron seems as much a part of the Heat as ever, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
- Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld says he has no plans to make a roster move in the next two weeks while Bradley Beal recovers from a stress injury in his right leg, observes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Beal will miss at least that amount of time.
- Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report hears from a source that new Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger is getting “considerable direction” from the team’s ownership and front office. “They’re suggesting lineups,” said the source. “Aggressively.”
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Jeff Goodman makes the case for why Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart could receive some consideration as the first overall pick next June.
- Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports catches up with Josh Howard, who is playing with the D-League’s Austin Toros as he attempts to make his way back to the NBA.
- FIBA approved moving the 2018 basketball World Cup to 2019, as Lefteris Moutis of Eurohoops.net writes. Qualification will take place while most pro leagues are in session, a move that probably isn’t popular with the NBA.
- Mike Woodson made it clear to reporters today that the perception he doesn’t like Iman Shumpert is off base, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Central Links: LeBron, Deng, Bulls, Scola
It’s not easy to build a six-and-a-half game lead in less than a month, but that’s what the Pacers have done in the Central Division, where they’re the only team above .500. The Bulls are in second place, and the hole they’re in would have been somewhat of a challenge to overcome even if Derrick Rose were coming back this season. It’s probably impossible now that he’s done for the year, though Chicago at least has a strong chance of making the playoffs in the watered-down Eastern Conference. Here’s more on Indiana and the Central Division also-rans:
- Anderson Varejao would welcome former Cavaliers teammate LeBron James if the four-time MVP decides to re-sign with Cleveland this summer, a prospect Varejao believes could become reality, as Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio observes. The Brazilian big man thinks James will likely return to the Cavs at some point, even if it’s not for next season.
- Other reports suggest Luol Deng isn’t going anywhere soon, but executives from around the league who spoke to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune expect trade talks involving the Bulls small forward to pick up.
- Johnson also notes in his piece that the Bulls chose to sign Mike Dunleavy over Marco Belinelli because they believed Dunleavy was a better fit with Rose. That points to the challenge the team faces opposed to last year, when they went into the season knowing Rose would be out. Despite his latest injury, Bulls GM Gar Forman says he’d be OK with Rose playing in the basketball World Cup this coming summer, according to Johnson.
- Pacers coach Frank Vogel is impressed with offseason acquisition Luis Scola, and didn’t expect the 33-year-old would defend as well as he has so far, writes Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star.
- The Bucks had the most turnover of any NBA team this summer, but they didn’t expect to have the worst record in the Eastern Conference a month into the season, as Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel examines.
Eastern Notes: George, Wade, Shumpert, LBJ
The Nets will look to snap a five-game losing streak tonight when they take on the Atlantic Division leaders in Toronto. As we look forward to that game and the three others on Tuesday’s slate, let’s check in on a few items from around the Eastern Conference….
- Grantland’s Zach Lowe provides a couple interesting details on Paul George‘s extension with the Pacers. Because he signed a max deal, George would be eligible for up to 30% (rather than 25%) of the salary cap if he earns All-NBA honors this season, thanks to the Derrick Rose rule. However, if he does meet the Rose criteria, George’s salary will be just 27% of the cap, according to Lowe. In exchange for that concession, the Pacers forward received a player option on the fifth year of his new deal.
- Seeing Kobe Bryant sign an extension that will likely assure he finishes his career as a Laker has strengthened Dwyane Wade‘s own desire to spend the rest of his career with the Heat, as he tells Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Wade will be eligible to opt out of his deal next summer, but isn’t expected to go anywhere.
- Iman Shumpert didn’t record a single point, rebound, or assist in more than 23 minutes of action last night, but insisted trade rumors weren’t the reason for his poor outing, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News spoke to league executives about the possibility of LeBron James returning to the Cavs, and the consensus was that it may happen eventually, but likely not as soon as next summer.
- Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com (Insider link) identifies six potential trade targets for the Bulls as they look to fill their hole at point guard.
Bulls Rumors: Deng, Butler, Roster
The Bulls weren’t playing great ball even before losing Derrick Rose to a season-ending knee injury on Friday, but things have gone from bad to worse since then. After being blown out by the Clippers on Sunday, Chicago suffered another road loss last night to the NBA’s worst team, falling in overtime to the Jazz (now 2-14). Despite the team’s recent struggles, it doesn’t sound like any major changes are on the way. Here’s the latest out of Chicago:
- The Bulls are more likely to keep Luol Deng “for the long haul” than to trade him, says Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. It’s not clear if Zillgitt just means Deng figures to remain a Bull for the rest of this season or beyond this season. However, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld suggests in more certain terms that a new contract between the two sides next summer is probable.
- Chicago has no interest in trading Jimmy Butler, according to both Zillgitt and Kyler. Both writers suggest that the Bulls still believe they have enough talent to compete in the postseason without Rose, and aren’t interested in breaking up the team.
- Coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged that Gar Forman, John Paxson, and the Bulls’ front office will have to consider every possibility for the roster, but Thibodeau says he loves the team and expects to “find a way” to compete. Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago has the details and quotes.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com questioned Forman extensively about the possibility of rebuilding or retooling the roster, but the Bulls GM insisted that the club still feels like the long-term outlook is positive and won’t make any rash decisions.
- Forman to Smith: “We have a young nucleus of veterans basically in their 20s; we have multiple draft picks, including a pick from Charlotte in one of the next three drafts; we have the rights to Nikola Mirotic, who has been the best young payer in Europe the last two years. I know people get tired of hearing it sometimes, but we also have the possibility of flexibility in free agency this summer or next. So we feel we are in a good position, and we will be getting Derrick back.”
Odds & Ends: Rose, Williams, Kobe, Melo, Dirk
It’s deja vu for the Bulls as they’ll be without Derrick Rose for a while. The question now is whether they should keep this gang together in hopes of putting it all together late in the season upon Rose’s return, or cut bait and begin repurposing, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland. Breaking the team up could also have the added benefit of lightening this season’s tax bill in the process. Here’s more from around the Association..
- The Nets were linked to Derrick Williams before he was shipped to the Kings earlier tonight, but team sources tell Fred Kerber of the New York Post (on Twitter) that they weren’t among the interested clubs.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at how Kobe Bryant‘s new deal affects Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. Melo will hit the open market after the 2013/14 season and Los Angeles has been linked to him for quite some time. The question now is, will Anthony still be attracted to L.A. now that they likely would have to fill out the roster with minimum salary retreads.
- Meanwhile, Brad Townsend of the Dallas News wonders what an extension for Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki might look like in the wake of Kobe’s new deal.
- Heat veteran Rashard Lewis gave serious thought to retiring, but he’s very happy with his choice to continue, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Lewis thought he was finished, but he now finds himself as a significant contributor in Miami.