Mavericks Release Troy Murphy
2:38pm: The Mavs have officially waived Murphy, according to a team release.
12:00pm: A day after reaching an agreement to sign Derek Fisher, the Mavericks will waive Troy Murphy in order to clear a roster spot, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Fisher's deal with the team is expected to be finalized once Murphy is released.
Murphy, 32, appeared in 14 games for the Mavericks, including one start. In 18.3 minutes per contest, he averaged 4.6 PPG and 3.5 RPG, shooting just 36.1% from the floor and 31.4% from downtown, well below his career rates (44.5% and 38.8%). Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted last night (via Twitter) that Murphy and his non-guaranteed deal would be a strong candidate to be waived for Fisher if Dallas felt Dirk Nowitzki was making good progress in his recovery.
Because he was on a non-guaranteed contract, Murphy won't remain on the books for the full veteran's minimum. However, having spent nearly four weeks with the team, he will earn a pro-rated portion of that salary, and the Mavs will take a cap hit for the same amount. Earlier today, I detailed Murphy's role in the revolving door that has been the Mavericks' 15th roster spot so far this season.
The Mavericks’ Early-Season Roster Turnover
Unsatisfied with the production the team has received from the point guard spot so far this season, the Mavericks have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Derek Fisher, as we heard last night. Although the Mavs have yet to officially announce the move, the club is expected to finalize the signing of Fisher and add him to the 15-man roster today.
Of course, Fisher isn't expected to be the Mavs' true 15th man. According to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, head coach Rick Carlisle indicated last night that the veteran point guard could step into the team's starting lineup almost immediately. Still, with 15 players already under contract, the Mavs will need to make a cut in order to make room for Fisher on the roster.
Most NBA teams have stood relatively pat so far this year, moving forward with the rosters they finalized at the end of the preseason, unless injuries have made that impossible. The Mavs, on the other hand, have been very active, making multiple signings and waiving at least one player with a guaranteed contract. Here's a look at the team's roster turnover since the season got underway, including how it affects Dallas' cap figure:
- October 29th: Delonte West released. Having claimed Eddy Curry on waivers just days before, the Mavs made the somewhat surprising decision to waive West and keep Curry in advance of the regular season, in large part due to West's off-court conduct. The point guard had a guaranteed contract, so he'll earn $1,223,126 this season, with the Mavs taking the minimum-salary cap hit of $854,389 for him.
- November 2nd: Troy Murphy signed, Eddy Curry released. Because Curry's deal was non-guaranteed, the Mavs only took a small cap hit for his salary — $55,678, which represents 7/170th of his full-season $1,352,181 salary. Murphy received a non-guaranteed contract of his own with Curry gone.
- November 29th: Derek Fisher to be signed. With Fisher's deal expected to be finalized today, the Mavs will have to waive another player to make room for the 38-year-old. Murphy's is the only non-guaranteed deal, so he'd be a candidate to go, particularly if the Mavs feel like Dirk Nowitzki is close to returning, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Having been under contract for nearly a month, Murphy would still have earned a six-figure salary if he were released today. If the Mavs decide to waive another player, such as Dominique Jones, who is earning a guaranteed $1,276,560, the team will already be on the hook for $2MM+ in salaries for players cut within the last month.
Western Notes: Fisher, Collison, Kings, Harden
If the playoffs began today, a team below .500 would make it to the postseason out of the Western Conference, a rare occurance in recent years, when the bulk of the league's better teams have been in the West. Of course, one of the sub-.500 teams right now is the Lakers, who are expected to turn it around sooner or later. The Mavs are another, and there's more news about their expected signing of Derek Fisher and other notes of interest from around the West.
- Darren Collison's inconsistent play had the Mavs thinking about a move for the past week or two, and it appears Fisher will take over as the starter in Dallas, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle says Fisher isn't a cure-all for the team, as Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com notes via Facebook, and Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com believes Fisher's signing is a desperate move that follows a series of mistakes.
- Virginia Beach mayor Will Sessoms hopes to have a binding term sheet with a pro team, presumably the Kings, by March, which would pave the way for the Kings to file for relocation in April, according to Nick Monacelli of WAVY-TV 10.
- James Harden shared his thoughts with reporters shortly before tipoff of his return to Oklahoma City as a member of the Rockets tonight, and John Rohde of The Oklahoman provides excerpts.
- There's a "decent" chance Nemanja Bjelica, a 2010 second-round pick whose rights are owned by the Timberwolves, winds up in Minnesota next year, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
- Blazers COO Sarah Mensah told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian that losing out on the team president job was a factor in her decision to leave.
- The Nuggets promoted a pair of front-office mainstays, observes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
Mavs Seeking Veteran Point Guard
The Mavericks, who've been linked to Derek Fisher, are looking for a veteran point guard, reports Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, who mentions Fisher and Earl Boykins as possibilities. He also identifies Gilbert Arenas as a long shot, though it's unclear whether Arenas can get out of his one-year deal in China. Dallas is without Darren Collison, who has a sprained middle finger, for tonight's game against the Bulls, and there's no word on how long he'll be sidelined.
The Mavs would have to let someone go to make a signing, though Troy Murphy, whom the team added at the beginning of the month, is presumed to be on a non-guaranteed deal. They have $1,974,509 of their room exception available if they want to dole out more than the minimum salary.
Fisher will reportedly decide on a team by Thursday, having narrowed his choices to three finalists, which have yet to be revealed. There hasn't been much buzz surrounding the 36-year-old Boykins since he finished up last season with the Rockets, but he did rack up a 17.6 PER in 15.1 minutes per game for the Bucks in 2010/11. For a complete look at all the available point guards, check out the Hoops Rumors list of free agents.
Derek Fisher Expected To Sign Soon
7:58pm: A report 10 days ago by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News said the Mavs weren't interested in Fisher, but Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com wonders if they might be, since the team is exploring "tweaks" to its roster and coach Rick Carlisle has expressed admiration of Fisher in the past.
Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe believes the Celtics may have a pressing need for a point guard if Rajon Rondo is given a lengthy suspension for his involvement in a fight during tonight's game against the Nets (Twitter link).
6:48pm: Derek Fisher is expected to sign with a team in the next several days, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, who says the point guard is considering three teams and will likely make a decision by Thursday. Fisher hasn't been seriously linked to any teams since training camps began, though he's been working out with the Lakers. While it was initially thought Fisher couldn't sign with the Lakers, since they traded him away last year, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported last month that they can ink him to a deal, since he didn't exercise the 2012/13 player option on his contract before the Rockets bought him out in March.
The Lakers have been playing with third-stringer Darius Morris as the starting point guard with Steve Nash and Steve Blake sidelined, though Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game hears Nash could be back in seven to 10 days (Sulia link). Mike Trudell of Lakers.com tweets news that Blake will miss two more weeks, with Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times believing that he won't be back for nearly another month.
Fisher could only get a minimum-salary deal from the Lakers, who would have to waive someone else to fit him on the roster. This year's second-round picks, Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom, both of whom are currently assigned to the D-League, are on non-guaranteed deals.
There's no word that the Lakers are on Fisher's list of three teams, though they'd fit the profile of a contender, and Windhorst writes that the veteran is looking to sign with a team in the title hunt. Speculation linked him to the Celtics back in September, and while Boston seemingly filled its need for a backup point guard with Leandro Barbosa, the C's do have an open roster spot, as do the Thunder, for whom Fisher played last season. The Clippers and Grizzlies are also underneath the 15-man roster limit, according to our list of NBA roster counts.
Odds & Ends: Billups, Collison, Draft, Raptors
A deep Clippers roster will add even more depth as of tonight, when Chauncey Billups makes his 2012/13 debut against the Timberwolves. Billups tore his Achilles tendon last February, but re-signed with the Clips in the offseason, and will rejoin a backcourt that already includes Chris Paul, Eric Bledsoe, and Jamal Crawford, among others.
Here are a few more odds and ends for Wednesday afternoon:
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News has been impressed by Darren Collison so far, but says it's too soon to tell whether Collison is a long-term solution for the Mavericks at point guard.
- Nerlens Noel remains atop the latest version of Chris Mannix's 2013 draft board at SI.com, with Cody Zeller moving up to the No. 2 spot.
- Speaking of the '13 draft, ESPN.com's Chad Ford conducted a chat today in which he answered plenty of draft-related questions, along with a few on possible trade scenarios.
- In a pair of Sulia links, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun submits performance reviews for Raptors coach Dwane Casey and GM Bryan Colangelo, suggesting that the team shouldn't give up either of them, despite Toronto's disappointing start.
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News examines the Spurs' handling of their D-League affiliate, the defending champion Austin Toros.
- In front-office news out of the Northwest Division, the Nuggets announced promotions for two members of their basketball operations department, while Trail Blazers COO Sarah Mensah announced her resignation (link via CSNNW.com).
- Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside examines some first-round picks that have been assigned to the D-League, and how it affected their respective careers.
Texas Rumors: Harden, White, Duncan, Spurs
There are only five games on the NBA schedule tonight, but two of them involve Texas teams. The Mavericks fell on the road to the Sixers, while the Rockets hope to close out a win against the Raptors. The Lonestar State's other team, the Spurs, have the most wins in the NBA, but find themselves in an odd situation atop the Southwest Division standings — San Antonio, at 12-3, is a half game up on the 10-2 Grizzlies, but Memphis is technically in first place, thanks to a higher winning percentage. That math will eventually sort itself out once the teams have played an even number of games, but until then, here's the latest on all three Texas clubs.
- Kevin Martin, who traded places with James Harden before the start of the season, talked about what Harden's going through as he takes over as the No. 1 option for the Rockets, as Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman chronicles.
- With Harden set to return to Oklahoma City wearing a Rockets uniform tomorrow, writers from The Oklahoman weigh in on four Harden-related questions.
- Psychologist and former NBA team consultant Travis Heath, writing for HoopsWorld, shares his insight on the Royce White saga, calling for all teams to take a more proactive approach to mental health.
- Armed with a new three-year, $30MM contract, Tim Duncan is turning back the clock with his play for the Spurs, as USA Today's Scott Gleeson examines.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel looks at the wide-reaching influence of the Spurs front office.
- Sixers coach Doug Collins had kind words for his former pupil Elton Brand, whom the Mavs claimed off amnesty waivers from the Sixers this summer, as Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com tweets. "I wish I could've coached Elton one year in his prime," Collins said. "We miss him. EB is all about winning."
Sefko On Mavs, Jefferson, Beaubois, Finley, Mayo
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News frequently dips into his mailbag to answer reader questions, and today's responses are especially full of relevant info. He looks ahead to trades and free agent signings the Mavs could pursue over the next 12 months, and sizes up the return on some of the moves the team made this past summer. We'll round up the highlights here:
- It's "very likely" the Mavs will be involved in a swap before the trade deadline, but nothing will go down before December 15th, when free agents who signed this summer become eligible to be traded. Whatever happens, it's unlikely to be a "monster deal," according to Sefko, who mentions Rodrigue Beaubois as a likely trade candidate.
- Sefko thinks the Mavs have interest in upcoming free agent Al Jefferson, despite his high price tag, believing he'd be a much more appealing target for the team than Josh Smith.
- Sefko doesn't believe owner Mark Cuban was sincere when he said he wants to keep all of the team's new additions, and thinks the future of the team's coterie of guys on one-year contracts is up in the air.
- Michael Finley had been working in the Mavs front office before his latest comeback attempt, but Sefko doesn't see a place for him on the playing roster.
- O.J. Mayo's move from the Grizzlies to the Mavs has worked out well for both teams so far, Sefko observes.
- It's unclear whether the Suns want to put Marcin Gortat on the market, but if they do, Sefko believes it would take a package of Mayo, Jae Crowder, and draft picks for the Mavs to land him.
Southwest Notes: McHale, Livingston, Mavs, Rivers
The Rockets announced that coach Kevin McHale's daughter Sasha died Saturday afternoon, and Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports the 23-year-old had recently been hospitalized with a condition related to lupus, a disease she had long battled. Assistant coach Kelvin Sampson has been in charge of the team since McHale took a leave of absence on November 10th to tend to his daughter. The news is especially jarring, considering Sampson indicated a few days ago that the situation was improving. Hoops Rumors sends its sincere condolences to the McHale family. Here's more from the Southwest Division.
- Anthony Davis could be out two more weeks while recovering from a stress reaction in his ankle, reports Jimmy Smith of the Times-Picayune.
- Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports hears Wizards point guard Shaun Livingston, who was in camp with the Rockets, often outplayed Jeremy Lin while in Houston, where several Rockets players and coaches tried to convince the front office not to let Livingston go.
- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle has shuttled offseason acquisitions Elton Brand and Chris Kaman in and out of the starting lineup, but neither player is pouting as they've put their trust in the coach, observes Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Paul Flannery of SB Nation examines the struggles of Hornets rookie Austin Rivers, and agrees with coach Monty Williams that it's too soon to judge this year's 10th overall pick.
- Flannery also passes along Williams' praise of former Hornets power forward David West, who's playing improved ball for the Pacers, and points to the emergence of Marcus Morris for the Rockets this year as a sign the D-League's true value is in the seasoning and development it provides for NBA first-round picks.
Western Notes: Lopez, Gasol, Mavericks
Robin Lopez admits that the Suns gave him a fair contract offer this offseason, but decided to sign with the Hornets because he needed a "fresh start," writes AZCentral.com's Paul Coro.
- CBSSports.com's NBA writer Zach Harper writes that Pau Gasol's shooting trend is worrisome; more jump shots and less action in the paint. This only supports the theory that Gasol might be on his way out of Los Angeles before this season ends.
- Dallas Morning News reporter Eddie Sefko writes about Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle's "dog house," in regards to his inconsistent rotations so far this season.