Cavs Notes: Brown, Bynum, Thompson, Oden
During her weekly mailbag, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer theorizes that the vitriol about Andrew Bynum in Philadelphia was stronger than Ohio's reaction to the repeatedly injured Greg Oden because Oden led the Buckeyes to the 2007 NCAA National Championship game, and Philadelphia lost their gamble on Bynum last season.
Boyer also predicts the Cavs' starting lineup if the whole roster–specifically Anderson Varejao and Bynum–are healthy. The hypothesis: Bynum, Tristan Thompson, Earl Clark, Dion Waiters and Kyrie Irving. Noticeably absent is Varejao, who could attract interest from other teams if Bynum appears healthy and productive before the the February trade deadline.
Here's what else is happening with the Cavs, on a lazy NBA Saturday in August:
- The underlying reason the Cavs brought back head coach Mike Brown was for his defensive acumen. The Plain-Dealer's Terry Pluto writes that Brown is assigning players specific positions in an effort to avoid confusion with a player's role in his new defensive schemes.
- One example of strictly following positional assignments is Waiters. He can play either guard position, but Brown says he'll primarily assign him the defensive responsibilities of a shooting guard, with Kyrie Irving defending the helmsman at point.
- Pluto also adds that Tristan Thompson's switch from shooting with his left to right hand wasn't a big surprise for the Cavs. He'd been shooting free throws with his right hand last season at practice, and even attempted some right-handed jump shots towards the end of the year because the rotation looked better.
- Thompson shoots the ball with either hand near the basket, but throws a ball right-handed and eats with his left hand. The Cavs just want him to improve on his career 58.6 percent mark from the charity stripe.
Contract Details: Oden, Pargo, Williams, Udrih
Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com has updated his invaluable database of NBA salaries with details on many of the players who have signed over the last couple weeks. We hadn't yet heard the specifics on a number of those contracts, so let's round up the new info….
- Initially reported as a two-year contract with a second-year player option, Greg Oden's deal with the Heat is actually only for one season, according to Deeks.
- Jannero Pargo's one-year, minimum-salary pact with the Bobcats is only currently guaranteed for $300K. Pargo will be assured of his full salary (about $1.4MM) if he remains on the roster past December 10th.
- The Trail Blazers signed Mo Williams using their full room exception, and included a 15% trade kicker in his deal.
- There's also a 15% trade kicker on Beno Udrih's minimum-salary contract with the Knicks.
- Another Knicks signee, Jeremy Tyler, has a $100K guarantee on his two-year deal.
- Carrick Felix's four-year deal with the Cavaliers was originally reported as being fully guaranteed for three seasons. However, according to Deeks, the third year is non-guaranteed, and the fourth year is a team option.
- The first year of Peyton Siva's pact with the Pistons is partially guaranteed for $150K.
- Jeff Withey has a fully guaranteed rookie year with the Pelicans, while his second-year salary won't become guaranteed until next July.
- Ryan Gomes' contract with the Thunder is currently non-guaranteed. He'll receive three $25K bonuses if he remains on the roster beyond September 1st, October 1st, and October 30th, but his salary won't become fully guaranteed until January.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Teague, Sixers
A few random notes from around the league.
- The Cavaliers are showing interest in former Georgetown forward Henry Sims, and could possibly invite him to their training camp, according to a tweet from the Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer.
- The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Ford writes that new Sixers head coach Brett Brown will bring a different tactical method to the organization, one that was successful in Brown's old position as assistant coach of the Spurs.
- Bulls backup point guard Marquis Teague spent the offseason adding new dimensions to his game, and also talks about how Derrick Rose continuously helps him prepare for opponents, writes Bulls.com writer Adam Fluck.
Odds & Ends: Collins, Irving, Wolves, Harrington
Let's check in on a few Monday odds and ends from around the Association:
- A report over the weekend indicated that the Pistons have shown exploratory interest in Jason Collins, but Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News hears that the team is unlikely to actually sign him.
- Although his friend John Wall recently inked a new long-term deal with the Wizards, Kyrie Irving won't be eligible for an extension until next summer, so he's not thinking about his contract situation yet, as he tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Timberwolves president Flip Saunders spoke to reporters today, including Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, and confirmed that the team expects Robbie Hummel, Lorenzo Brown, and Othyus Jeffers to be in training camp. Saunders also discussed Nikola Pekovic, Shabazz Muhammad, and Milt Newton.
- While Al Harrington appears on track to land a deal with the Wizards, several other teams showed interest, including the Clippers, Kings, and Pelicans, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Subbing in for David Aldridge at NBA.com, Steve Kerr presents some ideas for how to improve the NBA's draft lottery.
International Notes: McGrady, Cooley, Snaer
The NBA free agent market is drying up, leading many players to look for work overseas. Here's the latest from the international scene:
- Tracy McGrady spent most of 2012/13 in China before hooking on with the Spurs in the final week of the regular season, and he's mulling whether to return to China or seek another NBA deal, according to the Global Times.
- We heard yesterday that undrafted big man Jack Cooley spurned several training camp invitations from NBA teams for a deal with a Turkish team, and agent Adam Pensack let Shams Charania of RealGM.com know the identity of those clubs, some of whom offered partially guaranteed contracts. The Blazers, Grizzlies, Spurs, Thunder, Nets, Heat, Lakers, Rockets, Pacers and Cavs all wanted to sign Cooley, Pensack says.
- The Nets also invited Michael Snaer to camp, but Sportando's Enea Trapani hears that he'll sign with Enel Brindisi of Italy instead (Twitter link).
- A report last month indicated that 42nd overall pick Pierre Jackson, whom the Pelicans acquired in the Jrue Holiday trade, would sign with ASVEL Villeurbanne of France, and Jackson added confirmation via Instagram. Tony Parker owns a share of the French team.
- Shooting guard Carlon Brown was in training camp with the Warriors last fall and spent the season in the D-League, but he'll be overseas for 2013/14, having signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel. The Israeli league announced the signing via Twitter (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando).
Odds & Ends: James, Bobcats, Bucks, Cavs
There are a lot of contenders to the Eastern Conference crown that LeBron James and his Heat teammates have worn the last three seasons. James knows he's got to keep getting better if he wants to remain on top next year and advance to his fourth NBA Finals in his four seasons in Miami.
Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel caught up James during his charity event in Akron today to discuss all the wheeling and dealing in the Eastern Conference this off-season.
James is aware that the Heat face an even harder field in the Eastern Conference next season, and he's doing everything in his power to meet the challenge, telling Richardson, "I've seen what so many teams have done to get better. I've seen the moves that we've made, so I've got to do my part."
Here's what else is happening around the league on Saturday night:
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer details how Bobcats GM Rich Cho and President of Basketball Ops Rod Higgins created a balanced roster with all their off-season moves this summer.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel does the same for the Bucks writing that GM John Hammond has them ready for the future.
- The Toronto Sun's Ryan Wolstat live-tweeted much of Canada's game against Jamaica tonight during the Jack Donohue International Classic. Canada came back from a 17-point deficit to get the 77-72 win (Twitter link) as newly right-handed Cavs forward Tristan Thompson led Canada with 16 points and appeared productive (Twitter) with his new shooting hand.
- Mary Schmitt Boyer talks new Cavs coach Mike Brown in her latest mailbag for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- Highly touted 6-6 Australian point guard Dante Exum is a top prospect in next summer's draft. Peter Rolfe of the Australian Herald Sun (by way of RealGM.com) reports that Exum is "50-50" to declare for the draft next June after some scouts pegged him as a top-5 prospect.
- Sam Tongue of Blazers Edge opines that Portland's acquisition of Mo Williams is a move only a playoff team would make, which the Trail Blazers might be after significantly improving their bench this off-season.
Eastern Notes: Irving, Knicks, Thompson, Zeller
It'll be another year before Cavs star Kyrie Irving is eligible for an extension to his rookie-scale contract, and he shied away from the topic when asked about it Saturday at his basketball camp in suburban Cleveland, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. He did offer a brief hint, telling campers, "I’ll be here awhile, so everybody get used to my face."
Bob Finnan of the News-Herald (link also includes video) also found time to chat with Irving at his summer camp. While discussing his impending eligibility for an extension next summer, Finnan asked Kyrie about John Wall's recent five-year maximum-salary extension. Irving was excited for Wall:
"We grew up together coming up the ranks. We were both guys who weren't rated at the top coming out of high school. We both burst onto the scene. He's the first guy to get a max deal out of all of us who came through the AAU scene. It was surreal for him."
After again impressing during Team USA tryouts in Vegas last month, Irving told Lloyd back in July that "Right now I'm a Cleveland Cavalier, and I'm happy to be here." The quote was in response to the rumor he was looking to head elsewhere once his rookie-scale contract concluded.
More from the Cavs and others around the Eastern Conference:
- Cavs fans may also have to get used to a much less familiar sight. Tristan Thompson has always shot left-handed, but he unveiled his new right-handed stroke Thursday with Team Canada, as SportsNet's Michael Grange details. He might be the first NBA player to make such a mid-career switch, and Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets that it has Cavs officials excited.
- The Knicks have locked up players to fill 14 of their 15 available roster spots, after signing Beno Udrih to act as a third guard with Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com looks at some of the available free agents and D-Leaguers the Knicks might target for that final roster spot, focusing on front-court players who could spell 31-year-old Tyson Chandler.
- No. 4 overall pick Cody Zeller spoke with the Charlotte Observer about the importance of going through the NBA's Rookie Transition Program before he suits up for the Bobcats next season. Zeller said the highlight of the four-day affair was the talk former Celtics and Nuggets guardChris Herren gave about his battle to overcome a long-standing drug addiction.
Greg Oden Signs With Heat
AUGUST 7TH: The Heat have officially signed Oden, the team announced today (Twitter link).
AUGUST 2ND: Greg Oden will sign with the Heat, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. It's a two-year deal with a player option for the final season, Goodman adds. The two sides agreed on a minimum-salary contract, according to fellow ESPN.com scribe Marc Stein, who adds that Oden will officially sign the pact on Monday (Twitter links).
The deal is a coup for Heat president Pat Riley, not only because Oden chose Miami over five other finalists, but because he consented to the minimum salary, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. That allows the Heat to preserve their mini mid-level exception should an enticing player come available at some point this season.
The Spurs and Mavs appeared as of last night to be Miami's primary competition, with the Pelicans next in line, followed by the Kings and the Hawks. Sources from three Western Conference teams among those spurned finalists told Stein minutes before news broke of Oden's decision that they were informed that they wouldn't be landing the former No. 1 overall pick, and that they believed he was headed to Miami (Twitter link).
Oden tells former Ohio State teammate Mark Titus of Grantland.com that the Heat became the front-runners for him when he visited Miami during the NBA Finals. Three months ago, Oden told Titus that he wanted to play in Cleveland because he liked playing in Ohio. About a year ago, Oden let Titus know that the plan was to reunite in Memphis with Mike Conley, another of their Buckeye teammates. Conley's father, Mike Conley Sr., is one of Oden's agents.
The 7'0" center has only played 82 games in his NBA career, but he was on the Blazers roster for five seasons, meaning he qualifies for a minimum salary of $1,027,424 this season, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports confirms (Twitter link).
Poll: Which Deal For An Injured Center Is Better?
Last night, the Heat agreed to sign a 25-year-old, 7'0" former No. 1 overall pick to a minimum-salary deal. Last month, the Cavaliers signed a 25-year-old, 7'0" center just one season removed from a Second Team All-NBA nod to a contract that's only guaranteed for $6MM. If Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum deliver on their potential, they'll be the steals of the year. Of course, that's a big "if" for a pair of players who just can't seem to stay healthy.
Bynum's knees have allowed him to play 392 games in his NBA career, while Oden has managed just 82. That's why Bynum is getting the larger deal, even though neither of them made an appearance in 2012/13. While there may be more reason for optimism with Bynum on the front end, there could be a greater consequences if he fails for the Cavs, who invested a sizable chunk of their cap space. With Oden, the Heat's worst case scenario is they're stuck paying the minimum salary this year and next (as well as the luxury tax bill on the expenditure, of course). If Bynum works out, the Cavaliers could wind up paying him $24.79MM over this season and next. If Oden returns to form, the Heat would have a force in the middle for just a little more than $1MM this year.
So, the question today is a simple one. Is Cleveland's investment in Bynum better than Miami's minimum-salary flier on Oden, or vice versa? Vote, and debate the issue in the comments.
Fallout From Greg Oden’s Choice To Sign With Heat
Greg Oden let former college teammate Mark Titus of Grantland know about his decision to sign with the Heat ahead of the news breaking this evening, and heard from the one-time can't miss prospect about why Miami won him over.
"Obviously the chance to play with the best player in the world and compete for a championship was a big selling point," Oden said. "But more than that, what I really liked was how they thought I could really add something to their team. They’ve won back-to-back championships without me, so for them to pursue me as hard as they did meant a lot, especially given all that I’ve gone through."
Here's more on the Heat's second major victory of the summer:
- Other teams offered more money, but a conversation Oden had with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra last week at a Chili's in Indianapolis played a key role in the decision, agent Mike Conley Sr. says to Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
- Sources tell Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that the Heat were willing to make promises to Oden that other teams wouldn't. Some of Oden's other suitors wanted a team option in year two rather than the player option the Heat gave him, Amico says (Twitter links).
- Oden tells Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com that the Heat's willingness to bring him along slowly this season was a “big deciding factor” for him. Oden's not sure he'll be ready for opening night, and just wants "to finish the season healthy."
- The Heat expect Oden to take part in training camp, but they aren't putting any pressure on him to play in the regular-season opener, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, who wonders if Oden's arrival signals that the team will look to trade Joel Anthony.
- Heat team president Pat Riley and company passed on signing Marcus Camby while they were waiting on Oden's decision, Winderman also reports.
- Oden isn't expected to play back-to-backs early in the season, a source tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- The Heat will pay an approximately $2.6MM tax bill on Oden's contract, pushing their total projected tax payment to $18.8MM, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. With no further roster moves, the team's payroll, tax included, will be $101,539,013, according to Windhorst's math.
- The Cavs showed early interest in Oden, but the Andrew Bynum signing took them out of the running, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer.