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Odds & Ends: Magic, Warriors, Stotts, Harris

August 14th, 2012 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

On this date four years ago, the Suns signed 25-year-old forward Louis Amundson as a free agent. Amundson had played only 153 total minutes in 27 games over two NBA seasons at that point, but took advantage of the minutes he received for the next two years in Phoenix, evolving into an adequate role player. Today, at age 29, Amundson is a free agent once again, and was said last week to be in talks with the Bobcats and Knicks, among other teams. While Amundson continues to weigh his options in free agency, let's check in on a few other notes from around the league….

Magic CEO Alex Martins wrote a letter to Magic season ticket holders, as Iliana Limón Romero of the Orlando Sentinel documents. Martins says the team did all it could to keep Dwight Howard and encourages fans to look forward as the team builds for the future. "A primary goal for our basketball team is to achieve long-term sustainability while maintaining a long-term vision," the letter said. "We feel this deal puts us in a position to begin building in that direction. In addition to the six players joining our team, we will be in a position to maximize our salary cap flexibility in the near future, as well as utilize the multiple draft picks we have acquired going forward."
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News provides some reasons why the Lakers' acquisition of Howard isn't entirely bad news for the Warriors.
As Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com writes, Warriors GM Bob Myers cleared up some recent remarks about coach Mark Jackson, clarifying that he never meant to suggest Jackson's job could be on the line if Golden State doesn't make the playoffs this season.
New Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts spoke to SI.com's Zach Lowe about a number of topics, including some ofhis thoughts on the Blazers going forward.
The Bulls officially announced today in a press release that they've named Brian Hagen as the team's assistant general manager. Hagen had spent the previous nine seasons in the Hornets' front office.
Unrestricted free agent Terrel Harris is drawing some interest from overseas, according to a Sportando report. Harris played in 22 games for the Heat in 2011/12.

Free Agent Spending By Division: Central

August 13th, 2012 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

Our look at 2012 free agent spending by division continues with the Central, after we used Hoops Rumors' Free Agent Tracker to examine the Southeast last week.

Once again, these figures only take into account free agent signings, so salary absorbed in trades or money used to sign draft picks isn't included in this list. Additionally, not all of this salary is necessarily guaranteed, which we'll try to note as we go along. Here are this summer's Central Division free agent costs, sorted by player salary:

Indiana Pacers: $128.366MM (D.J. Augustin, Gerald Green, Roy Hibbert, George Hill, Ian Mahinmi)
For a team that values cap flexibility and small, safe deals, the Pacers committed a huge amount of money to free agency this offseason. Of course, a significant chunk of that money went to Hibbert (four years, $58MM+) and Hill (five years, $40MM), but the team's other signings weren't insignificant. Green and Mahinmi both received eight-figure guarantees, while Augustin will earn $3.5MM for one year. With no minimum salaries or partial guarantees in the bunch, the Pacers easily rank among this summer's top spenders in any division.

Milwaukee Bucks: $41.352MM (Ersan Ilyasova, Joel Przybilla)
The Bucks haven't exactly been active on the free agent market, but Ilyasova's deal alone counts for $40MM, one of nine contracts this summer worth $40MM or more. Przybilla, meanwhile, will earn $1,352,181, but since it's a minimum-salary deal, the Bucks will only be on the hook for $854,389 of it.

Chicago Bulls: $13.808MM (Marco Belinelli, Kirk Hinrich, Nazr Mohammed, Vladimir Radmanovic, Nate Robinson)
Having lost Omer Asik, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver, and John Lucas III, the Bulls were tasked with rebuilding their bench, and did so on the cheap. Mohammed, Radmanovic, and Robinson are all on one-year, minimum-salary contracts, while Hinrich will earn a portion of the mid-level and Belinelli will make the bi-annual exception. The big expenditure here is Hinrich, whose $8MM over two years appears to be fully guaranteed.

Cleveland Cavaliers: $7.682MM (C.J. Miles, Luke Harangody, Michael Eric)
Despite having a huge portion of cap space available, the Cavs have been fairly quiet in free agency. Miles' two-year, $4MM deal is believed to include a team option for year two, while Eric's deal includes only a partial guarantee on year one, along with two non-guaranteed seasons. While the three players could earn up to a combined $7.682MM if they're retained for the duration of their contracts, the Cavs are currently only on the hook for something in the neighborhood of $3.5MM.

Detroit Pistons: $4.875MM (Vyacheslav Kravtsov)
Most of the Pistons' summer spending has come by way of contracts for draft picks (Andre Drummond, Kyle Singler, and Kim English), but they did make one free agent signing, inking Kravtsov to a three-year deal. The contract will pay the Ukranian big man $1.5MM in each of the next two seasons, with a $1.875MM player option for 2014/15.

Central Rumors: Cavs, Williams, Ridnour, Varejao

August 11th, 2012 at 4:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

The four-team trade that sent Andrew Bynum to the Sixers ensures he won't wind up with the Cavs this year, as one of last month's rumors suggested he might. We passed along word from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Cleveland was asked to give up much more for Bynum than the Sixers, who sent out Andre Iguodala, Maurice Harkless, Nikola Vucevic and a protected first-round pick to snag the ex-Lakers center. We've got more on the Cavs and their Central Division rivals here:

Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer says she's seen rumors indicating the Timberwolves are offering Derrick Williams, Luke Ridnour and draft picks for Anderson Varejao, but she isn't sure if there's any merit to them, despite the Cavs' affinity for stockpiling picks. Such a move would give the Cavs the top two selections from the 2011 draft, with Williams and No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving.
Former Pacers guard Leandro Barbosa appears out of the picture for the Cavs, with the team having signed C.J. Miles and zeroing in on Alonzo Gee, Boyer writes in the same piece. We heard before that Barbosa, who's seeking a multiyear deal, had interest in Cleveland, but it was unclear whether the feeling was mutual.
Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf insists the team will not rush Derrick Rose back from knee surgery, Scott Powers of ESPNChicago reports.

Odds & Ends: Kobe, Thibodeau, Suns, Sixers

August 10th, 2012 at 10:59pm CST by Alex Lee

With every NBA reporter alive seemingly grabbing each player, coach or executive they can get their hands on and asking them about the Dwight Howard trade, Kobe Bryant actually offered some helpful and interesting insight. Bryant, soon to be 34, said that he will probably play "two, three more years" with the Lakers and once he is done "the team is his," undoubtedly referring to Howard (via Sean Deveney on Twitter). While hardly definitive, it's notable that Bryant has a retirement time in mind. As the reactions, analysis and quotes regarding the big trade pour in, lets look at them as well as some of the other stuff going on in the NBA:

Per ESPN Chicago, Doc Rivers said today that he is pulling for his former assistant and now successful Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau to receive a lucrative contract extension from the team. Although "Thibs" has been relatively quiet regarding the contract situation, Rivers said he knows from experience that coaching on a one-year deal can be tough.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic takes a look at what options the Suns have for their final roster spot, which will likely go to a center. While Coro puts together a sizeable list, the pickings are pretty slim.
Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com takes an inside look at how the Andrew Bynum deal came to fruition for the 76ers, who got involved in the talks with a phone call to Orlando about the availability of Howard. Moore also clarifies, via Twitter, that Philadelphia owes the Heat a first round pick from a draft day trade before they can send one to Orlando. Both future picks are lottery protected.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel says that Magic fans shouldn't be piling on new general manager Rob Hennigan for the final outcome of the Howard situation. Schmitz says the ire of the Magic faithful should be rightfully pointed towards Howard for creating the situation in the first place.
Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets gives his take on where the Rockets went wrong in their D12 pursuit, and where the franchise should go from here.

Bulls Stayed Involved In Howard Trade Talks

August 10th, 2012 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

While it appears the Magic are dotting the I's and crossing the T's on a blockbuster deal that will send Dwight Howard to the Lakers, there was no shortage of other potential destinations for the star center. According to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com, the Bulls were one darkhorse suitor that stayed active in trade discussions with the Magic up until the end.

Chicago engaged former Magic GM Otis Smith in talks involving Howard, and continued to have dialogue with new GM Rob Hennigan after Orlando made its front office changes, says Friedell. Derrick Rose was, of course, off-limits in trade talks, so any Bulls package would likely have involved some combination of Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic, draft picks, and perhaps even Omer Asik, before he signed with the Rockets.

Based on the trade the Magic have agreed to, Chicago's offer, which would have included at least one expensive, long-term deal in Noah or Deng, may not have appealed to the Magic. It's also unclear whether the Bulls would have pulled the trigger on any deal without assurances that Howard would sign long-term, but it sounds as if they were at least thinking about it.

Central Rumors: Bulls, Cavs, Miles, Gee, Scott

August 9th, 2012 at 8:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com looks at how the Bulls are preserving their flexibility for seasons to come with their penny-pinching this summer. The Bulls may wind up paying the luxury tax this season, but are seeking to avoid doing so in later years when restrictions kick in that bar taxpaying teams from acquiring players via sign-and-trade, using cap exceptions, and making uneven financial trades. Elsewhere in the Central Division, Bob Finnan of The News-Herald provides few Cavs-centered updates this evening:

Cavs GM Chris Grant was somewhat surprised that the team was able to sign C.J. Miles, given heavy pursuit by the Lakers and Rockets, Finnan writes. Miles will compete for a starting job, Cavs coach Byron Scott says, adding that only Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao are guaranteed spots in the starting lineup.
Scott said the team's next move is to get a deal done with Alonzo Gee, Finnan notes. The Cavs are reportedly likely to match any offers the restricted free agent swingman receives from other teams.
The Cavs have begun talks on a contract extension for Scott, who expressed his desire to stick around. "We'll take care of that somewhere down the line," the coach said in Finnan's story. "People ask, ‘Do you really like Cleveland?' I love it. The perception of Cleveland is it's the ‘Mistake by the Lake.' I hope I'm here in the next five years. I enjoy what's going on."
The Magic have raided one Central Division team, hiring Pistons director of pro personnel Harold Ellis for a similar position, but won't be taking assistant coach Adrian Griffin from the Bulls, who've denied the Magic permission to interview him, as we heard in earlier reports today.

Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Kapono, Griffin, Mavs

August 9th, 2012 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bobcats have been linked to a number of power forwards this summer, including Carl Landry, Antawn Jamison, and Louis Amundson. However, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer says (via Twitter) that the idea Charlotte is "desperate" to add another power forward is off base. Here are a few more Thursday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association:

Jason Kapono turned down an offer to play for Orleans in France, according to Gabriel Pantel-Jouve of Catch and Shoot (French link).
According to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, the Bulls turned down the Magic when Orlando asked permission to interview Chicago assistant Adrian Griffin for its lead assistant position. The Bulls appear to only be allowing Griffin to interview for head coach openings, says Haynes.
Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com wonders how the Mavericks stack up against their Western Conference foes, following the team's offseason moves.
Having signed a three-year deal with the Suns, Michael Beasley is looking forward to getting a fresh start in Phoenix, as he tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Lang Greene of HoopsWorld identifies a few teams whose summer acquistions may have them ready to make the leap from the lottery to the playoffs in 2012/13.

Kennedy On McGrady, Martin, O’Neal, Arenas

August 8th, 2012 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

It wasn't long ago that we heard the Bulls had some interest in signing Tracy McGrady, but that possibility no longer appears realistic. After signing first-round pick Marquis Teague, the Bulls are only about $758K under their hard cap line, meaning a veteran's minimum contract for McGrady wouldn't fit unless the team traded another player. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld confirms that the two sides are no longer talking, and says McGrady will continue weighing his options in hopes of joining a contender. Here are a few more updates from Kennedy on some unsigned veterans:

Kenyon Martin is talking with several teams, and while he doesn't want to sign for the veteran's minimum, he may end up having no choice, says Kennedy.
Jermaine O'Neal says "winning a championship is the only goal," and would like to join a contending team on a minimum-salary deal. The Lakers, Bucks, and Suns have watched him work out.
Sources close to Gilbert Arenas say that he's slimmed down and is fully healthy as he searches for an NBA contract.
Ben Wallace still hasn't made up his mind about whether to retire or return to the Pistons for one more year. A decision is expected within the next few weeks.
There's no timetable on Josh Howard's free agent decision, but it sounds like he's close to picking a destination. We heard last week that Howard had narrowed his options to five teams.

Bulls Sign Marquis Teague

August 8th, 2012 at 1:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 1:05pm: The Bulls have officially announced Teague's signing in a press release.

TUESDAY, 2:07pm: Teague has signed his rookie contract, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. The first-round pick ultimately signed a deal for 100 percent of his slotted salary in the first year, $857K, according to sources. The following years are expected to be at the 120 percent slotted salary.

The Bulls are left with just $758K under the hard cap, meaning that they do not have enough money to add someone at the $857K veteran's minimum.

MONDAY, 8:06am: Marquis Teague is the only remaining unsigned first-round pick, but this weekend the 29th overall selection gave indication that he and the Bulls are nearing a deal. The University of Kentucky product spoke to Kyle Tucker of the Louisville Courier-Journal while assisting with a youth basketball camp at his alma mater.

“I’m about to get it figured out when I go back," Teague said. "We just pretty much came up with something. So as soon as I go back to Chicago, it’ll be done. We’re right there. We’ll figure it out.”

Mark Deeks of ShamSports speculated last week that the sides were hung up over the Bulls' desire to pay him less than the standard 120% of the rookie scale amount, which would be a first-year salary of $1,028,400 in Teague's case. NBA teams almost always give their first-round picks the maximum allowable amount, but there are exceptions. The Bulls are hard-capped at $74.3MM for 2012/13 after using more than the taxpayer's mid-level of $3.09MM to sign Kirk Hinrich, so saving every penny will be a priority for Chicago this season.

Teague averaged 10.0 points and 4.8 assists in 32.6 minutes per game on a loaded Kentucky team this past season. He's the brother of Jeff Teague of the Hawks.

Odds & Ends: Bulls, Josh Howard, Deng, Heat

August 7th, 2012 at 9:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com (via Twitter) points out that the Bulls are specifically $758,642 below the luxury tax apron and that the league minimum salary for sophomore players is $762,195. This definitely factors into the situation of Malcolm Thomas, who put on a standout performance as a member of their summer league roster and more importantly is entering his second year in the league. Deeks still doesn't think that Chicago is willing pay the tax, adding that the team isn't in any rush to make moves that would incidentally put them over the apron. Here are more of tonight's links from around the NBA…

Matt Moore of CBS Sports gives the Bobcats a grade of "C" for their work this offseason.
Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com talks about the plenty of backcourt options that the Mavericks have for the upcoming season.
Australia's David Andersen hopes that Wednesday's game against Team USA is enough to make an impression as he hopes for an opportunity to return to the NBA, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The 6'11 forward/center played in Italy last year and was a member of the Hornets during the 2010-11 season. Andersen says he will continue to play in Europe if he doesn't receive an offer from an NBA team.
Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops examines the top 20 remaining free agents and groups them by position.
Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that the Jazz are expected to re-engage in talks with free agent Josh Howard soon.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN LA clarifies that although the Lakers are interested in Jodie Meeks, the shooting guard isn't quite open to signing for the veteran's minimum. Also, Kamenetzky notes that while the team has placed a priority on adding a backcourt or wing player, they won't use their mini-mid level exception to overpay for a player they feel isn't worth that much. Earlier today, Brian joined his brother Andy to discuss some names in free agency that are worth considering, including Carlos Delfino, Tracy McGrady, and Terrence Williams in addition to Meeks.