Eastern Notes: Irving, Bayless, Hoiberg
Celtics coach Brad Stevens would like to see Jerryd Bayless return to the team next season, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Stevens said, “You don’t know how all the numbers are going to work themselves out and all the different people, but he’s a good guy to have on your team. He’s bright, he thinks about the game on both ends of the floor, he’s physical, and he can score the ball in a flurry. I like him and I’d like to have him. At the same time, I don’t know how all that stuff is going to work itself out. I’m a big fan of Jerryd Bayless; I like him.” In 35 appearances for Boston, Bayless is averaging 9.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 3.2 APG in 24.7 minutes per contest.
More from the east:
- Kyrie Irving has been cleared to return to practice after missing the Cavaliers last eight games with a biceps injury, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. He can resume full contact immediately, but the team said his status for this week’s games hasn’t been determined. Cleveland is 4-4 since Irving was injured.
- Irving, who is eligible to sign a contract extension this summer, shot down rumors of him being traded, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Irving said, “I’m on my rookie deal. The team that can extend me is the Cleveland Cavaliers, and, you know, for me to even think about getting traded is blasphemy. It’s ridiculous.“
- Fred Hoiberg is being talked about as a head coaching candidate for a number of NBA teams. Sam Smith of Bulls.com looks at some of the possible suitors, and also analyzes whether Hoiberg should leave Iowa State for the NBA. Hoiberg has been mentioned lately as a possibility to take over the Knicks next season, should Mike Woodson not be retained.
- Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News tries to find some positives in the Sixers dismal season. He looks at a number of their young players, and what roles they might play in the team’s future.
Seth Curry To Sign With Santa Cruz
Seth Curry is going to sign with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA D-League, Gino Pilato of D-League Digest is reporting (Twitter link). This will be his second stint with the team this season. This comes on the heels of the Cavaliers declining to sign Curry to a second 10-day contract. Curry only appeared in one game for the Cavs, contributing three points, two steals, and one rebound in nine minutes of action.
Curry also spent time in the NBA this season on a non-guaranteed contract with the Grizzlies, until Memphis waived him. Curry only saw the floor once in Memphis as well.
In 36 games with Santa Cruz, Curry has averaged 19.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 5.9 APG in 35.3 minutes per game.
Cavs Sign Scotty Hopson
12:11pm: Hopson’s salary will be about $1.44MM next season, rather than $2.5MM, Lloyd now says (Twitter link).
10:45am: The Cavs have signed Turkish league swingman Scotty Hopson, the team announced. The deal was originally reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link). It’ll run through the rest of the season, and it’s non-guaranteed for 2014/15, Lloyd tweets.
The Cavs used their room exception to accommodate the contract, which is worth $2.5MM next season, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link). He’ll receive a prorated portion of the room exception this year. The room exception actually allows for a salary of up to $2,743,125 next season, but it’s unclear if he’s receiving that much. In any case, the inflated contract creates some trade flexibility for the summer, as Lloyd explains in a full piece. Hopson’s contract can be used as trade ballast to allow the Cavs to acquire a larger contract, and since the deal is non-guaranteed, Hopson’s new team could simply waive him in that scenario.
The 6’6″ Hopson went undrafted out of Tennessee in 2011, and he’s conducted his pro career almost entirely overseas. He hooked on with the Heat’s summer league team this past offseason, but he didn’t wind up in an NBA preseason camp. He’s averaged 10.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game with Anadolu Efes in Turkey this season.
The signing fills what had been Cleveland’s final open roster spot. The team cycled through three players on 10-day contracts before settling on Hopson, as our 10-Day Tracker shows. Seth Curry‘s 10-day deal with the team ended just last night, and Lloyd reported that the team didn’t intend to re-sign him.
Eastern Notes: Cavs, Sixers, Bucks
DeMar DeRozan tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe the Raptors trade that sent Rudy Gay to the Kings is working out for everyone involved. “The move was a good situation for both of us,” said DeRozan. “When he got traded, the first thing he told me was, ‘This is your time and it’s time to take advantage.’ That meant a lot, just coming from somebody like that.” Here’s more from the East:
- The Cavs have been surging, and even have a slim chance at making the playoffs. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio says coach Mike Brown‘s message has finally broken through, and credits the top-down culture change to interim GM David Griffin, who took the reigns when Cleveland was underperforming and dealing with reported locker room issues.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown thanked Philadelphia fans for their patience, telling Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that the team’s transparency during their rebuild has been reciprocated with good will. “You may not agree with it,” Brown said. “But this is our path. This is our plan. And I think that the city’s patience has been remarkable. We’re grateful.”
- Kate Fagan of ESPN.com doesn’t think the Sixers can become competitive in the near future, writing that fans shouldn’t expect a competitor in Philadelphia for a few more years.
- Bucks coach Larry Drew tells Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel that he has no interest in tanking games to keep Milwaukee’s odds the highest for securing the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft lottery. “I know people are looking at the future, as far as the draft is concerned. They’ve already got their eyes pinpointed on players of the future. And that’s normal,” said Drew. “But I just let it be known I don’t pay too much attention to that. I just go out and try to coach this team, and wherever we end up, that’s where we are.”
- Ramon Sessions has taken being traded to the worst NBA team in stride, and Drew tells Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel that Sessions’ professionalism has been welcome with the Bucks. “He’s been unbelievable,” Drew said. “He’s just been a real pro in his whole approach in coming into this situation. He really has reached out to our young guys and is helping them.”
Cavs Won’t Re-Sign Seth Curry
A source tells Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beach Journal that the Cavs will not re-sign Seth Curry to a second 10-day contract (Twitter link). The rookie point guard’s current 10-day deal with Cleveland expires today, and he will again become a free agent. Curry only appeared in one game for the Cavs, racking up 3 points, 2 steals, and 1 rebound in 9 minutes of action.
Curry’s only other time in the NBA this season came on a non-guaranteed contract with the Grizzlies, which Memphis eventually waived. Curry only saw the floor once in Memphis as well. The younger brother of Warriors star Steph Curry has averaged 19.4 points and 5.9 assists per game in the D-League while trying to earn his way into the NBA.
The Octagon Sports client will look to catch on with another team and prove his worth. The Cavs appeared to be a better opportunity for Curry to play considering their dwindling playoff hopes and an injury to starting poing guard Kyrie Irving, but the team has hung around in the playoff race behind strong play from both Dion Waiters and Jarrett Jack at the point. Coach Mike Brown said he felt no obligation to offer minutes to young players in need of development, which proved true in the case of Curry.
Cavs Rumors: Draft, Irving, Bynum
It’s becoming increasingly less likely that the Cavs play their way into the East’s eighth and final playoff spot. If they fail to sneak into the postseason, they’ll find themselves in the lottery again for the fourth straight year. Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal thinks it’s definitely possible that the Cavs ship off their first-rounder this offseason in an attempt to score some valuable assets that would help make an immediate impact. Here’s more on the Cavs:
- Lloyd doesn’t rule out the notion that Kyrie Irving could be traded this summer but says it’s only likely to happen if the All-Star point guard rejects an extension, which would signal he didn’t want to be in Cleveland anyway. Irving’s rookie deal expires after the 2014/15 campaign, and he becomes eligible to sign an extension this summer.
- Mike Brown admits he was disappointed that Andrew Bynum didn’t fit into the Cavs’ plans, reveals Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. “Any time something doesn’t work out, you’re disappointed… You want every move you make to work out,” Brown said. “Sometimes it doesn’t, and when it doesn’t you have to move on in the next best way you can.’‘
- Fellow Plain Dealer scribe Bill Livingston opines that the Cavs’ best bet is to continue losing and get a high lottery pick to turn their franchise around. This season’s especially deep draft class should provide even more incentive to land a high pick, suggests Livingston.
Eastern Notes: Cavs, Billups, Stoudemire
Isiah Thomas has been campaigning for a position with either the Pistons or the Cavaliers front offices, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Whether those overtures will bear fruit or not will have to wait to be seen, but both those teams really have their eye on another soon-to-be former Piston, Chauncey Billups, notes Windhorst. According to the article, Billups is likely headed towards retirement after knee surgery ended his season, and is the apple of both the Cavs’ and Pistons’ eye for a role in their respective franchise’s leadership. While there might be some interest in getting Billups to follow in Jason Kidd’s footsteps and go right from player to coach, Billups has been hinting openly for years he’d rather graduate to the front office at the end of his career, reports Windhorst.
More from the east:
- The Pistons’ Gigi Datome met with Italian National Team head coach Simone Pianigiani and officially confirmed that he’ll play for Italy next summer, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Datome said, “At the end of the NBA season I will remain in Detroit to work. But next summer I will play for Italy. It is going to be my 14th with Italy and I am proud of that.”
- Bob Finnan of The Morning Journal makes the case that the Cavaliers should re-sign Spencer Hawes this summer and only consider re-signing Luol Deng if he is willing to take something in the $8MM-$10MM a year range.
- In the same article, Finnan also thinks the Cavs will entertain trade offers for Tristan Thompson this offseason. The team has Anthony Bennett waiting in the wings and Thompson could be looking for upwards of $10MM a season this summer when he is eligible to sign a contract extension.
- Marc Berman of The New York Post examines the revival of Amar’e Stoudemire‘s career since he was inserted into the Knicks starting lineup, and what that might do for his trade value this offseason.
Central Notes: Pacers, Fredette, Dellavedova
Danny Granger thinks some of the Pacers’ recent struggles could be due to a team hangover following the trade that sent him to the Sixers, he tells Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. “You mess up the … it’s not messing, you change the chemistry of the team. It can have different effects that are unforeseen. I think that may have had something to do with it,” said Granger. “The fact they added two new players, it’s hard to come in in the middle of the season with a new team regardless of how good you are, that’s very difficult to do.” Here’s more from the Central Division:
- In a mailbag answer, Sam Smith of Bulls.com says that the Bulls likely won’t want to keep all of their draft picks this summer, and guesses that GM Gar Forman will see if the picks will help pry away a star level player from another team. The Bulls will almost surely have the Bobcats’ first rounder to go with their own first round pick, and are also expected to try and bring Nikola Mirotic over from Europe.
- Despite playing only four minutes per game in five appearances with the Bulls, Jimmer Fredette tells K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune he doesn’t regret signing with Chicago. “It’s a great culture here,” Fredette said. “Everyone plays as hard as they can and for the team and for each other. Hopefully, I can be a big part of what we do here moving into the playoffs.”
- With Kyrie Irving out, Cavs rookie point guard Matthew Dellavedova has come through with improved offense to add to his defensive strengths, and he tells Bob Finnan of The News-Herald it’s not come by accident. “We put a lot of time in shooting the ball,” Dellavedova said. “I started well this season and then had a drop-off. It picked up lately. You have to keep refining it and keep taking good shots. I work on my 3-point shot and watch a lot of game tape. I stuck with it. It feels pretty good right now.”
And-Ones: Jackson, Blake, Griffin, Brown
Reports earlier today indicated that there was dysfunction within the Warriors organization, but Mark Jackson downplayed the speculation, reports Diamond Leung of Bay Area News Group. “We are excited about what’s taken place up until this point — the culture, the environment with no dysfunction at all,” Jackson said, “That’s comical.” Here’s tonight’s look around the NBA:
- Steve Blake was initially disappointed about the deadline deal that sent him to the Warriors, but he’s embraced his role as an important bench piece for a contending playoff team, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is impressed with the job acting GM David Griffin has done in Cleveland, reveals Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Amico specifically mentions the trade that landed the Cavs Spencer Hawes in exchange for a second-round pick.
- Although the Cavs are just 29-44, Raptors coach Dwane Casey thinks Mike Brown‘s defense-first coaching style is the best way to run a team, as Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer passes along. Cleveland bested Toronto 102-100 tonight.
- Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insider takes a look at the NCAA coaches that appear most likely to jump into an NBA role. Koutroupis notes Fred Hoiberg‘s ties with the Timberwolves might have Minnesota calling his name this offseason if Rick Adelman steps down due to poor health.
- League executives aren’t concerned with the perceived notion that some teams around the Association are tanking, says Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “When you’re talking about tanking, you’re intimating teams are losing games on purpose, and that just isn’t true,” said Rod Thorn, the NBA’s president of basketball operations. “Every player, every coach is trying to do everything he can to win as many games as he can and to play as well as he possibly he can, because in both instances, your livelihood depends on how you do.”
Draft Notes: Embiid, Ennis, Parker
While fellow freshman Andrew Wiggins will leave after the season, Kansas teammate Joel Embiid tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN that he will talk to the Jayhawks coaching staff and also his mentor, fellow Cameroon native and NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute, before making a final decision concerning his NBA future. “I’m not worried about that right now,” Embiid said, just moments after watching KU get knocked out of the NCAA tournament with a loss to Stanford. Here’s the latest draft news..
- When asked whether they’ll stay another year, Syracuse stars Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant said they haven’t thought about it yet and have no timetable on a decision, tweets Donna Ditota of The Post-Standard.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com looks at how Mercer’s upset of Duke could affect prospects Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood.
- Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) is surprised that there isn’t more draft buzz surrounding Michigan Star Glenn Robinson III. One NBA scout told him he’d be a solid late first-round pick.
- The Cavs will have to move up in the order to get a franchise player in the draft, writes Bob Finnan of the News-Herald. However, even at their likely draft position (later in the lottery), they could still have guys like Aaron Gordon, Noah Vonleh, and Marcus Smart to choose from.
- The Sixers‘ misery today might pay off down the line, writes Maria Panaritis of the Philadelphia Inquirer.