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Western Notes: Nuggets, Collison, Johnson

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The Nuggets players revolted against coach Dan Issel in 2000 and they’re doing the same thing to Brian Shaw now, Nick Groke of The Denver Post opines. Shaw ripped into his players after Sunday’s 104-86 loss to the Hornets, saying that they “didn’t feel like playing tonight from the start.” Groke feels that’s exactly the case and, eventually, he thinks Shaw will be ousted if things continue on this course.

Here’s more from the West:

The contract extension that Nick Collison signed earlier today marks the eighth time in the past six years that a Thunder player has signed a contract extension and bypassed the chance at free agency, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com notes. “This organization shows a commitment to players, and it’s an everyday thing,” Collison said. “That is something the guys have valued, how we’ve been treated over the years. Guys appreciate it and we’ve wanted to be here. It’s a two-way street. This organization has always shown an interest in getting something done [before free agency]. When both sides feel good about the deal, then things get done. ”
The Nuggets’ prolific use of their depth used to be a source of pride for the team, as well as a necessity, thanks to Denver’s altitude and fast paced playing style, but it has now become a source of contention within the locker room, Adi Joseph of USA Today writes. Nuggets players are unsure of their roles with the team, which is one of the issues that is sinking Shaw as a coach, Joseph notes.
Lakers swingman Wesley Johnson has left agent Rob Pelinka and he has hired Octagon Basketball to represent him, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (Twitter link). Johnson, who is making $981,084 this season, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Amico On Nets, Lawson, Williams, Kings

February 3rd, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the NBA trade deadline just over two weeks away, many GMs from around the league are certain to be burning up their phone plan minutes while trying to improve their teams for a playoff run, or for others, trying to clear as much cap space as possible for the summer’s free agent signing period. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio ran down a number of rumors from around the league. Here are some of the highlights:

The Nets have been seeking trade partners for Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams, but they are looking to receive assets in return, and not to just dump salary in the deal, Amico notes. “I’ve talked to Brook about it, I’ve talked to Joe, I’ve talked to Deron,” Brooklyn GM Billy King said. “The players all know it’s part of the business, but we’re not looking just to get rid of these guys just because they’re saying they’re gonna do that. We’re exploring things that make sense as people call, but we’re not going to be making a trade to make a trade. That’s foolish.“
Brooklyn had originally spoken with the Kings regarding a possible deal for Williams over a month ago, but those discussions have since died out, Amico adds. The Nets had also discussed a trade with the Hornets involving Johnson and Lance Stephenson.
The Nuggets appear to be willing to trade point guard Ty Lawson, but Denver’s asking price is currently high enough that it is scaring away inquiring teams, the FOX Sports scribe notes.
The Timberwolves are willing to deal Mo Williams, and the Kings are interested, Amico hears. Other teams reportedly interested in the veteran guard are the Pistons, Heat, Cavs, and Clippers.
Barring a sudden turnaround in Sacramento, the odds are against Tyrone Corbin being retained as coach for next season, Amico notes. In addition to Kings executive Chris Mullin being a potential replacement, both Tyronn Lue and Larry Drew will be considered candidates as well, Amico adds.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Lamb, Young

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:08am CST by Chuck Myron

Nuggets GM Tim Connelly admitted that his team is “very, very aggressive” as it seeks changes to the roster, and team president Josh Kroenke hinted that it’s a matter of when, not if, Denver will make a move, as Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post details after speaking with both execs. Kroenke said he and the front office understand the problems and how to address them, as Hochman relays.

“Tim and the rest of our staff are working their tails off,” Kroenke said. “And I know exactly what they think and where everything stands with our coaches and players. From my chair, it’s just a matter of time when to make decisions [on possible moves]. A good portion of deals is timing, and unfortunately our time frame has been drawn out due to different circumstances, mostly injuries. But I must say it again, our current state is not acceptable and our fans deserve better.”

There’s more on the Nuggets amid the latest from around the Northwest Division:

Nuggets GM Tim Connelly told Hochman for the same piece that management is “firmly behind” coach Brian Shaw. Still, Hochman argues that Shaw’s ineffective lineup choices and public criticism of players should be grounds for termination if the team doesn’t become more competitive soon.
Jeremy Lamb would have been merely a “throw-in” if the Thunder, Hornets and Nets had emerged last month from their three-team talks regarding Brook Lopez with a deal, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Lamb wasn’t a player the Hornets necessarily wanted, Bonnell cautions, adding that the main thrust of the discussion from their end was to find a way to “gracefully” bring an end to Lance Stephenson‘s time in Charlotte (Twitter links).
Nets GM Billy King said Monday that he’s taking calls, not making them, but the Timberwolves would contend that Brooklyn initiated talks regarding Thaddeus Young, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Still, given the volume of routine calls that take place between executives from opposing teams, just who made the initial call isn’t necessarily an indication of the relative strength of interest that the respective teams have in doing a deal, argues Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
The Thunder have assigned Mitch McGary to the D-League, the team announced via press release. It’s the third time the No. 21 pick from the 2014 draft has gone to the D-League, but it’s his first assignment since December, as he’s been sidelined with left tibia inflammation.

Nuggets Offer Hickson, McGee For Lopez

February 2nd, 2015 at 12:11pm CST by Eddie Scarito

12:11pm: The Nets and Nuggets haven’t spoken about Lopez in a week, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

MONDAY, 7:47am: Denver’s offer included one of the 2015 first-round picks the team received in return for Timofey Mozgov last month, sources tell Stein, who writes in a full piece. The Mozgov trade gives Denver the rights to Oklahoma City’s first-round pick this year if it’s No. 19 or lower and Memphis’ first-rounder if it’s anywhere from No. 6 to No. 14.

FRIDAY, 11:20pm: The Nuggets are continuing to attempt to pry Brook Lopez away from the Nets, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Denver has been offering Brooklyn a package of JaVale McGee and J.J. Hickson for Lopez, a deal that the Nets have firmly refused, Stein adds. Chris Mannix of SI.com had reported earlier today that the Nuggets were pursuing Lopez, but were unwilling to part with Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Jusuf Nurkic or Wilson Chandler in a trade. Denver had reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Lopez earlier this month as well.

Denver’s proposed swap would work under the salary cap rules without requiring any additional players to be included. Hickson is making $5,381,750 for this season and is set to earn $5,613,500 in 2015/16. McGee’s 2014/15 salary is $11.25MM, and he is due $12MM for the following season. On the Nets side of the would-be deal, Lopez is earning $15,019,762 this year, and has a player option for 2015/16 for $16,744,218.

The oft-injured McGee has only appeared in 15 games this season for the Nuggets. He is averaging 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per contest. His career numbers are 8.5 PPG and 5.6 RPG. His slash line is .542/.200/.586 in 374 career games. The 29-year-old Hickson has appeared in 39 games for Denver, including five as a starter. He is logging 8.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His shooting numbers for the season are .494/.000/.618.

Lopez has been the subject of numerous trade rumors the past few weeks. The Thunder, Hornets and the Nets were reportedly close to a three-way deal for the center, but the Nets decided that they didn’t want Lance Stephenson in return. The Heat were also noted to have made a bid for Lopez, offering Brooklyn a proposal that reportedly included Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Josh McRoberts. The organization appears to be undecided on whether or not to keep Lopez, but it will likely take a more enticing package than Denver had offered in McGee and Hickson for Brooklyn to budge, though that is just my speculation.

Atlantic Notes: Garnett, Lopez, ‘Melo, Sampson

February 2nd, 2015 at 9:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The Raptors have a whopping 14-game lead in the Atlantic Division, leaving the intrigue for the bottom of the division. The Knicks and Sixers are tied for last place in the division and, as our Reverse Standings show, for the second spot in the draft lottery. The future is the focus for those teams, but time may be running short for another prominent name in the Atlantic, as we detail:

Kevin Garnett says he’s “all in” with the Nets, and while he downplayed the idea of buying out his contract, he won’t rule it out, as Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal writes. “I don’t know what management is going to do,” Garnett said. “When my situation comes up, I’ll obviously give it some attention. Other than that, my attention is trying to get us on a winning streak, get us on a road where everybody’s playing together.”
Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post believes JaVale McGee would be part of any Nets-Nuggets swap involving Brook Lopez, no matter the other parts involved.
The “prevailing theory” is that Carmelo Anthony will sit out for the balance of the season once the All-Star break is over to rest his sore knee, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. For what it’s worth, the Knicks star won’t commit to playing in mid-March, Berman notes.
The Sixers had considered sending JaKarr Sampson on D-League assignment a couple of weeks ago, but two strong defensive games led the team to move him into the starting lineup instead, coach Brett Brown said, as Max Rappaport of Sixers.com writes. Sampson, an undrafted rookie, is in the first year of a four-year contract that doesn’t include any guaranteed money beyond this season.

Western Notes: Grizzlies, Nuggets, Smith, Cooley

February 1st, 2015 at 10:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sunday’s signing of JaMychal Green to a 10-day contract shows the Grizzlies aren’t afraid to gamble on inexpensive talent, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal reports in a subscription-only article. “You’re basically playing the odds that you find one that hits,” Memphis GM Chris Wallace said. “If none of them hits, it’s not skin off your back. It’s a free shot.” The 24-year-old Green hit the open market after the Spurs declined to sign him to a second 10-day contract last week. He received interest from the Knicks, Bulls, Bucks and Blazers before signing with Memphis. The Grizzlies cleared a roster spot when they decided not to offer Tyrus Thomas a second 10-day contract. Thomas will join the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate in Iowa, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. (Twitter link).

There’s much more from the Western Conference:

The Nuggets are showing fortitude by trying to make a deal for Nets center Brook Lopez, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. While there are roadblocks to getting a deal done, Dempsey feels that it’ll come down to how motivated the Nuggets are to acquire Lopez and not how desperate the Nets are to unload him.
“Fed up” is how Ty Lawson described Nuggets coach Brian Shaw after Saturday’s 18-point loss to the Hornets, according to Nick Groke of The Denver Post. Groke believes Shaw’s job may be in jeopardy after a bad week that included a 69-point performance in Thursday’s loss to the Grizzlies. “You can tell his spirit is getting lower and lower,” Lawson said of his coach. “Just game in and game out, I guess we’re not executing the way we want to or according to the game plan.”
Josh Smith admits he was shocked when the Pistons waived him in December, but he’s already grown comfortable with the Rockets and is high on the idea of re-signing with Houston this summer, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports details.
Former Jazz camp invitee Jack Cooley is again drawing NBA interest, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest (Twitter link). The 23-year-old center, who was with the Jazz this past fall, pulled down 19 points in a recent game for Utah’s D-League affiliate, Pilato notes. It’s unclear if the Jazz are among those thinking of him for a spot on their NBA roster.

Chuck Myron and Zach Links contributed to this post.

Mannix’s Latest: Allen, Lopez, Nuggets, Thunder

January 30th, 2015 at 11:17am CST by Chuck Myron

People around the league increasingly believe that Ray Allen already knows the team he would like to play for this season, and that he’s simply deciding whether he wants to play at all, Chris Mannix of SI.com writes. Allen has hinted within the past two weeks that he’s coming back to the NBA, but another more recent report indicated that he’s enjoying time with his family. Mannix has a ton of noteworthy items in his latest weekly column, many of them with a Thunder-centric theme, and we’ll hit the highlights here.

The Nuggets are still trying to pry Brook Lopez from the Nets with a package centered on JaVale McGee, according to Mannix. Still, Denver doesn’t want to put Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Jusuf Nurkic or Wilson Chandler into any deal, Mannix cautions.
The Thunder are willing to go deep into the luxury tax this season to acquire Lopez, the SI.com scribe writes. Oklahoma City is unwilling to give up any of its top present-day talent, nor will the team make a move that damages its future as the Thunder look for trade partners who are “desperate,” an opposing GM tells Mannix.
Reggie Jackson turned down an extension offer from Oklahoma City that would have made him the most highly paid backup in the NBA, a source tells Mannix. Just what sort of salary that would have meant is unclear, since Amar’e Stoudemire has made more appearances off the bench than he has starts on a deal that gives him in excess of $23.4MM this season. Some teams believed at the beginning of the season that there was a decent chance that Jackson would command offers of between $13MM and $14MM in restricted free agency this summer, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote in October.
Several executives from around the NBA believe it’s conceivable that a five-year max deal for Kevin Durant will be worth some $200MM when he hits free agency in 2016, according to Mannix. Durant will be eligible for a max worth about 35% of the salary cap as a 10-year veteran that summer. Those execs also believe that Durant likes playing in Oklahoma City, as he’s said, Mannix writes.
Markieff Morris believes he and brother Marcus Morris might have made more money in restricted free agency this summer if they hadn’t signed extensions with the Suns, but Markieff can’t envision ever playing without his twin again, as he tells Mannix.

Kevin Durant Interested In Knicks

January 29th, 2015 at 12:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

12:37pm: An NBA GM cautioned that the Knicks have the same chance at Durant as the Thunder and other contenders, naming the Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and Nets, as the GM said to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.

8:38am: Kevin Durant can envision signing with the Knicks when he hits free agency in 2016, a person close to Kevin Durant tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, citing his affection for Carmelo Anthony. Durant is close to Knicks coach and former Thunder teammate Derek Fisher, and, Isola writes, he also admires Knicks GM Steve Mills and assistant GM Allan Houston.

“No question about it,” the person close to Durant told Isola “Kevin loves Carmelo [Anthony]. It could work in New York. But never rule out the Thunder.”

Durant isn’t enamored with Reggie Jackson and is becoming increasingly frustrated with Russell Westbrook, Isola hears. The Knicks tried to acquire Jackson when they and the Thunder participated in a three-team trade earlier this month, and they’re likely to make another run at trading for the guard, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported around the time of the swap. However, the Thunder almost traded Jackson to the Nuggets this week, according to Isola, who says on Twitter that Oklahoma City is “expected” to deal Jackson before the February 19th trade deadline.

Jackson’s set for restricted free agency this summer, while Westbrook’s contract with the Thunder runs one year longer than Durant’s, carrying through 2016/17. Westbrook and Durant have been teammates since the 2008/09 season, but Kevin Love reportedly said that he, Anthony and Durant have spoken, at least casually, about playing together. Love has repeatedly insisted that he’s committed to Cleveland for the long haul, but since the Cavs power forward plans to opt in for next season, that would align his free agency with Durant’s for the summer of 2016, when Anthony will have three years left on his deal with the Knicks. New York only has about $32.3MM in commitments for that summer, when most league executives assume the salary cap will surge to around $90MM.

Still, the Knicks will have plenty of competition for Durant, even if he’s indeed growing tired of some of his Thunder teammates. The Wizards, who play in Durant’s hometown, are more than a pipe dream, even if they are a long shot, as TNT’s David Aldridge wrote this week, pointing out a potential income tax savings for Durant if he plays in D.C. and establishes residency in another state. Durant and Kobe Bryant have spoken of mutual interest in playing with each other, though Bryant has said he’ll probably retire after next season, just when Durant is set to hit free agency. Durant has also publicly backed the Thunder, saying recently that he loves playing for Oklahoma City and that, “There’s just a certain level of pride that I have when I play with that Oklahoma City on my chest.”

Northwest Notes: Nelson, Huestis, Robinson

January 29th, 2015 at 12:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Thunder nearly dealt Reggie Jackson to the Nuggets this week, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News wrote overnight in a piece linking Kevin Durant to the Knicks, adding that it’s “expected” that the Thunder will trade Jackson before the deadline. Still, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders wrote earlier this week that he’d heard from executives around the league that the Thunder remain on the fence about trading the soon-to-be restricted free agent guard, and that some within the organization want to hang on to him. Jackson’s trade candidacy, which I examined in greater detail last week, looms as a prominent storyline between now and the trade deadline, which is just three weeks away. Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Nuggets want to keep Jameer Nelson around for next season, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Nelson has a player option worth nearly $2.855MM, though he isn’t giving an indication of his plans beyond this year, according to Dempsey. The point guard rebuffed Denver’s entreaties in free agency this past summer thinking he would have a larger role with the Mavs, Dempsey adds. Nelson is seeing slightly fewer minutes per game since arriving in Denver via trade this month than he did with the Mavs.
An NBA GM from outside Oklahoma City tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that he doesn’t think the Thunder‘s D-League arrangement with Josh Huestis will become a trend. The Thunder don’t see this past year’s 29th overall selection as a star, but they do envision him as a potential rotation player, Deveney writes. That suggests that the Thunder will eventually sign him to a rookie scale contract, but Deveney adds that the team has given Huestis no such assurance.
Timberwolves coach/executive Flip Saunders wishes he had a roster with enough healthy players so he could send Glenn Robinson III on D-League assignment, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com notes amid his Rookie Ladder rankings. Minnesota has yet to make any D-League assignments this season.

Nets, Hornets Discuss Joe Johnson

January 26th, 2015 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

10:12pm: A source tells Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal that the conversations between the Nets and Hornets have ceased. Still, the door remains open for the talks to pick back up closer to the deadline, and Charlotte has spoken to Brooklyn about Stephenson at least three times, Raskin hears.

MONDAY, 4:15pm: The Johnson talks date back to the three-way negotiations Brooklyn and Charlotte had earlier this month with Oklahoma City about Lopez, and no deal is imminent, a source tells Marc Stein and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com.

SUNDAY, 7:51pm: The talks are somewhere in between exploratory and serious, according to Michael A. Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter). The Nets could also part with a smaller piece in the deal, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).

7:45pm: The Nets and Hornets have restarted their trade talks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. This time, the discussions are focused on Brooklyn guard Joe Johnson.

The two sides are discussing a larger package that would likely include guards Lance Stephenson and Gerald Henderson and forward Marvin Williams. The Nets have been linked to Stephenson in the past. A recent report indicated that they didn’t have much interest in the guard, but it would seem that they do in fact have an eye on him.

Hornets owner Michael Jordan has been intrigued with the possibility of acquiring Johnson, who has struggled recently with tendinitis. The Nets, meanwhile, would like to unload the 33-year-old’s lucrative contract. Johnson is set to make $23.1MM this season and $24.9MM in 2015/16, his walk year.

At the end of the day, the Nets wouldn’t appear to be saving a ton of money with this deal as Stephenson, Henderson, and Williams also have undesirable deals. Stephenson is making $9MM this season and $9MM in 2015/16. Henderson is earning $6MM this year with a $6MM player option for 2015/16. Williams, meanwhile, is scheduled to make $7MM in both 2014/15 and 2015/16.

The Nets revamp could also extend beyond Johnson as they explore deals for big man Brook Lopez. Wojnarowski hears that the Nuggets, who have long been connected to Lopez, remain an interested trade partner.

Johnson, 33, has been averaging 15.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.7 APG per game. His PER of 14.3 is well below his career average of 16.1. Overall, the numbers show that he hasn’t been as efficient in his three years in black and white as he was with the Hawks.