Bulls Targeting Devin Harris
The Bulls appear to have Mavs guard Devin Harris in their sights, as a source tells Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com that Harris has “been connected” to the team. Harris and the Mavs have mutual interest in a return, so it seems like it will be somewhat challenging for Chicago to convince him to come north and back up Derrick Rose. Harris is seeking a long-term deal, so perhaps Chicago will be willing to give him more security than the Mavs, though Dallas was ready to sign him to a three-year, $9MM deal this past summer before a toe injury scuttled those plans.
That same injury forced Harris to miss half of this past season after Dallas circled back and signed him to a one-year deal for the minimum salary, and once he returned, he took on a less prominent role than he’s accustomed to. Still, his 4.5-to-1.5 assists-to-turnover ratio this season was the best of his 10-year career, as the 31-year-old remains efficient.
Chicago appears poised to choose between soon-to-be free agents D.J. Augustin and Kirk Hinrich, who split point guard duties in Rose’s absence this year. The team has the flexibility to go in many different directions this summer, as I detailed last week, with Carmelo Anthony and Nikola Mirotic the primary targets. The Bulls will no doubt seek resolution with Anthony and Mirotic before moving on to Harris, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the team merely sees him as a fallback in case Augustin or Hinrich signs elsewhere. Chicago’s interest is nonetheless indication that the Excel Sports Management client is still well-regarded as a rotation-caliber player even if his days as an All-Star are long gone.
Prospect Profile: Joe Harris
The Virginia Cavaliers didn’t get as far as they hoped in the NCAA Tourney, but they still turned in one of their best seasons in campaign history. Their success was in no small part due to the play of senior Joe Harris, who helped keep defenses honest with his dangerous outside shooting. The senior terrorized the ACC in his final season and he’s anxious to try and do the same at the next level.
“I can shoot the ball and defend at a high level and I think that’s a pretty good combination for any NBA team. You can never enough shooters on any team. i’m fortunate enough to bring that ability to the table,” Harris told HoopsRumors.com. 
Harris, who averaged 12.0 PPG and shot 40% from beyond the arc this season, stands apart from a lot of the other 2014 draft hopefuls. While this year’s class is deep overall and chock full of intriguing athletes, the general feeling is that there aren’t a ton of great shooters in the first round. If you want to come away with a jumper you can count on, you’ll likely have to scour the second round for players like the Virginia star.
Harris arrived on campus with an automatic shot but his play on the other side of the floor left much to be desired. He was tasked with upping his D and, with time, he morphed into a stout defender.
“I think the system that I played in taught defensive principals and the defensive mindset that you need to have. Of course, defense is more than a mindset, you have to have the lateral quickness too, but the principals and that mindset and helped me become a much better defender. Coach [Tony Bennett‘s] program made me better and I’ll carry that with me to the NBA,” said the small forward.
The 22-year-old is confident but knows that there is still a lot of work ahead of him. Harris says he’ll be working to improve his ball handling and overall athleticism, two of his commonly cited weaknesses. He’s currently training alongside fellow Mark Bartelstein clients Doug McDermott, Nik Stauskas, and Sean Kilpatrick in an effort to improve in not just those areas but “all areas.”
As a wing with range, some have been quick to compare Harris to Kyle Korver. Harris, who called the Hawks forward an “unbelievable shooter,” doesn’t see it, but he stressed that they are similar in that both can bring much more to the table than three-point shooting. In the coming weeks, Harris will be traveling to the West Coast for individual workouts with the Suns and at least one of the Los Angeles teams before heading to the Lone Star State for auditions with the Mavs and Spurs. Between those sessions and the combines, Harris is hopeful that he’ll find not only an NBA opportunity, but the “right fit” to help make his transition to the Association a seamless one.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Western Notes: Hollins, Mavs, Rockets
After all of the excitement in the first round, the Blazers return to their home floor with hopes of making their series with the Spurs competitive. Portland has been significantly outmatched in a second round that has been somewhat of a letdown to this point. Here’s more from out West:
- A source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that the Warriors will interview Lionel Hollins for their head coaching vacancy at next week’s pre-draft camp in Chicago (Twitter link). Many names have surfaced in connection with the job, but Hollins is the first reported candidate to reach the interview stage.
- Michael Finley tells EJ Holland of The Dallas Morning News he thinks that Dirk Nowitzki will continue to play great basketball for the Mavs over the next few years, and sees the future Hall of Fame forward as a draw for free agents Dallas will be pursuing this summer. “We have money to spend. Hopefully, some of those key free agents will want to come to Dallas,” said Finley, who works in the Dallas front office. “If we can get some of those key guys to come in, that would be great, but I’m happy with the team that finished this year.”
- Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders looks ahead to the summer for the Rockets, noting what he thinks Houston needs to change in order to reach the next level.
And-Ones: Jazz, Harris, Oden
Steve Smith tells Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News that he’s interested in becoming a GM at some point, but that the Pistons opening doesn’t interest him. “As of right now, I’m happy where I am,” said Smith. “The time will come when the right situation pops up and I’ll be ready.” Here’s a roundup of the night’s notes:
- The Jazz are picking twice in the first round, but vice president of player personnel Walt Perrin tells Jody Genessy of Deseret Sports that Utah uses the pre-draft process as an opportunity to evaluate prospects well outside of their draft considerations. “Not only are we looking at guys for this year’s draft, but you’re also getting information and you’re getting a feel for players,” said Perrin. “Once we figure out where we are come lottery [time], then we can concentrate on those particular players in that particular area.”
- Jay Yeomans of Deseret News profiles each of the six draft prospects who worked out for the Jazz earlier today.
- Jamal Crawford told reporters including Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News that the unresolved ownership issues in L.A. won’t outweigh his desire to play there for coach Doc Rivers (Twitter link). “As long as I’m with this group of guys and Doc [is] leading us, that’ll work itself out,” said Crawford. The Clippers have control over Crawford’s partially guaranteed contract for the next two years.
- Devin Harris and the Mavs have mutual interest in the soon-to-be free agent returning to Dallas next season, and Harris tells Dwain Price of The Star-Telegram he’d prefer to reach a long-term agreement. “Obviously I don’t really know where [the negotiations] will go,” Harris said. “My intent is to come back, but like I said, only time will tell. I would rather not [sign a one-year deal]. It’s kind of tough to do, especially coming off surgery.”
- Greg Oden tells Mark Titus of Grantland he’s come to terms with being a deep bench player for the Heat (H/T Shandel Richardson of The Sun Sentinel). “I know I’m one of the biggest busts in NBA history,” said Oden. “It’s frustrating that my body can’t do what my mind wants it to do sometimes. But worrying or complaining about it isn’t going to fix anything…I wish the circumstances would let me play more, but I certainly don’t regret coming back, and I don’t regret signing with the Heat.”
Southwest Notes: Morey, Daniels, Mavs
In a series of Twitter responses, Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted that he has no hesitation in negotiating trades with in-conference rivals. Here’s more from the Southewest Division, including additional insight into Morey’s strategy:
- Morey said he intends to keep Troy Daniels next year.
- The GM insisted that Chandler Parsons will be back with the team, although without revealing whether that would come via a choice to pick up Parsons’ team option for next season.
- The Houston executive believers there are “for sure” superstars available in this year’s draft class.
- Morey cites cap flexibility, the mid level exception, and draft picks as elements at his disposal in building a better team moving forward.
- Finally, Morey added that he wants to make moves that will give Houston a top-10 defense next season.
- Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News thinks the Mavs need to add another star this offsesason, preferably a frontcourt player.
Sefko On Mavs: LeBron, Chandler, Draft
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News addressed a number of topics regarding the Mavericks in his weekly chat earlier today. Here are some of the highlights:
- If LeBron James opts out of his contract with the Heat this summer, Sefko believes the Mavs will get a chance to make their best pitch thanks to the presence of owner Mark Cuban.
- Sefko believes it’s a long shot that the team swings a deal for the Knicks Tyson Chandler. He believes that other teams, such as the Thunder, would have more to offer New York if they put Chandler on the trading block.
- He doesn’t believe the Mavs will make a trade to move into the first round of the draft. Sefko says the current indications from the front office are that the talent available in the 20 to 40 range are very similar. The Mavericks have a high second-round pick which they received from the Celtics in the Kelly Olynyk trade and they believe they can find value there, according to the article.
- The four most likely free agent targets for the Mavs this summer, opines Sefko, are Luol Deng, Spencer Hawes, Marcin Gortat, and Trevor Ariza.
- Sefko doesn’t think that Jason Terry is a likely target for a return to the team.
Mavs Unlikely To Pursue Chris Bosh
The Mavs don’t consider Chris Bosh a proper fit with Dirk Nowitzki and aren’t interested in offering him anything close to the maximum salary he’ll likely command if he chooses to become a free agent this summer, according to Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Earlier this season, league executives reportedly expected the Mavs to go after the Dallas native, but Bosh has made it clear that he doesn’t like the idea of playing in his hometown, McMahon asserts.
Bosh has an early termination option worth $20.59MM for next season. If he opts out, his next contract can include a starting salary of up to $20,020,875 or the maximum salary for a veteran of 10 or more seasons, whichever is higher. It would be a tight squeeze for the Mavericks to cram such a deal for Bosh plus a new contract for Nowitzki, likely to be worth between $10-12MM annually, under the cap. The Mavs and Nowitzki have repeatedly stated their plans to continue their long-running relationship, so it doesn’t sound like there’s room for Bosh, particularly given the similarities between the way Bosh and Nowitzki play on offense.
Dallas would prefer to make a run at soon-to-be free agent Marcin Gortat or trade for Tyson Chandler to fill the center position, McMahon writes. The team also intends to keep incumbent starter Samuel Dalembert, whose nearly $3.9MM salary for next season is partially guaranteed for $1.8MM. Bosh has hinted that he and LeBron James will stay in Miami for at least one more year.
Mavs Rumors: Offseason, Sanders, Randolph
The Mavs were heavy underdogs heading into the playoffs, but they found a way to go seven games with the top-seeded Spurs before eventually falling in the series finale. Dallas’ offense was among the most potent in the league this season, but in an interview on KESN-FM 103.3’s “Afternoon Show with Cowlishaw and Mosely,” coach Rick Carlisle admitted he’d like to improve his squad’s defense and add some speed this summer (transcription from the Dallas Morning News). Here’s more on the Mavs’ offseason:
- In the same interview, Carlisle revealed that he, Dallas GM Donnie Nelson, and owner Mark Cuban are all in agreement that team continuity from year to year is important to success: “We want to keep this team together as much as we can so that we can kind of turn the page and continue with bringing back as many guys as we can.”
- During an analysis of the Mavs’ offseason, Marc Stein of ESPN.com pegs Larry Sanders as a potential trade target for the team. Stein points to Monta Ellis‘ resurgence in Dallas and wonders if playing for Carlisle could have the same effect on Sanders after a season to forget in Milwaukee.
- Two upcoming free agents that the Mavs should consider pursuing are Zach Randolph and Al-Farouq Aminu, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. The skilled rebounding and defensive toughness that the either big man would bring are worth overpaying for, opines Sefko.
- Dallas intends on pursuing Carmelo Anthony this summer, as we passed along earlier today.
Mavs To Pursue ‘Melo, Tyson Chandler
The Mavs are optimistic that they’ll be on the list of teams that Carmelo Anthony plans to meet with this summer and that he’ll give them legitimate consideration, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Dallas will also try to acquire another Knick, with Stein asserting that they’ll be first in line should New York make Tyson Chandler available via trade. The Mavs will attempt to court LeBron James, too, though Stein suggests that’s a longshot effort.
Dallas only has about $28.2MM in commitments for next season, but that doesn’t include the roughly $2MM non-guaranteed portion of Samuel Dalembert‘s contract or new deals for Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Vince Carter and Devin Harris. The team has expressed interest in keeping all of them, and the team’s “working assumption,” according to Stein, is that Nowitzki will sign for $10-12MM per year. That doesn’t leave much wiggle room for a max offer to Anthony, who can draw a starting salary of up to $22,458,401. Still, Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com wrote Monday that the Mavs wouldn’t have interest in ‘Melo if he demands his max.
While the Mavs could net Chandler as part of a sign-and-trade involving Anthony, that would be extremely difficult, given Chandler’s salary of nearly $14.6MM next season. The reacquisition of the center who was the defensive anchor of the Mavs’ 2011 title team would probably preclude Anthony from heading to Dallas, and it would make it difficult for the Mavs to accommodate any other marquee free agent this summer. Stein reiterates McMahon’s report from yesterday indicating that the Mavs will likely target Luol Deng but take a pass on any pursuit of Lance Stephenson.
The Mavs have some concern about their ability to keep a couple of their own free agents, too, according to Stein. They’re worried that they’d have to cut deeply into their cap flexibility to fend off suitors for Vince Carter and, in particular, Shawn Marion. Carter and Marion have expressed their preference to re-sign, though such statements are commonplace for soon-to-be free agents at this time of year, and they don’t always translate into a new deal that keeps them in place.
Poll: Which Game 7 Loser Will Advance In 2015?
A thrilling weekend of Game 7’s has given way to exit interviews and thoughts about the future for the five teams that lost deciding games in the first round of the playoffs. Some of those teams, like the Hawks and Mavs, can take encouragement that a seven-game series means they’re farther along than they probably thought they were. Others, like the Warriors and Grizzlies, probably didn’t envision sitting at home for the second round when they laid out their plans for the season.
Regardless of where the Hawks, Raptors, Mavs, Grizzlies and Warriors began the season, they’re all in similar positions now. Each team has reason to believe it can be better next year.
Atlanta is on target to have a healthy Al Horford for next season, with close to $15MM in potential cap space this summer. Toronto appears to be a team on the rise, with young talents like DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas and seemingly the inside track to re-sign Kyle Lowry. Dirk Nowitzki remains an elite talent for Dallas, which can clear enough cap room to once more pursue another major star, or at least recruit free agents who can upgrade the team’s defense. The Grizzlies might have advanced beyond the first round if Marc Gasol had been healthy all season and they’d earned a higher seed, and the Memphis front office showed a knack for acquiring useful rotation players on the cheap this year. Golden State is another team on the come, and the series against the Clippers might have been drastically different if Andrew Bogut hadn’t been injured.
All five teams enter the offseason poised to make improvements that can take them beyond the first round next season. Let us know which club you think has the greatest chance to achieve that goal in 2014/15, and feel free to elaborate on your choice in the comments.
Which Game 7 Loser Has The Best Chance To Win A Round In 2015?
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Toronto Raptors 34% (494)
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Golden State Warriors 28% (409)
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Atlanta Hawks 15% (217)
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Dallas Mavericks 14% (201)
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Memphis Grizzlies 9% (126)
Total votes: 1,447