Western Links: Faried, Blair, Bledsoe, Nuggets
As we look forward to the first meeting of the season tonight between the Thunder and Clippers, two title contenders, let’s round up a few items from around the Western Conference:
- Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post suggests (via Twitter) not to put too much stock in the rumblings about Kenneth Faried and the Knicks. According to Dempsey, Faried “is and will remain a Nugget.”
- DeJuan Blair didn’t get the playing time he wanted with the Spurs, but is off to a very nice start with the Mavericks, telling Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News: “Another man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
- While the Suns have to be pleased with Eric Bledsoe‘s impressive play so far this season, he may be driving up his price tag and taking Phoenix out of the running for a top pick in 2014, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation.com.
- In his latest piece for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com explains why the Nuggets lost the draft-night trade that sent Kosta Koufos to the Grizzlies for Darrell Arthur.
Eastern Rumors: Shumpert, Rondo, Heat, Pacers
Six Eastern Conference teams have 2-3 records, and all of them had playoff aspirations coming into the season. The Bulls, Nets and Knicks had even loftier expectations, but they’re among the clubs that find themselves below .500 five games into the season. It might not seem like it’s time for a drastic move yet, but tell that to Mike Brown, whom the Lakers fired five games into last season. Our look across the East has the latest on a team that could make a change soon:
- An Eastern Conference executive tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Iman Shumpert‘s trade value around the league is high, and that the Knicks aren’t nearly as sold on the third-year swingman as the rest of the league is. Isola wonders if the return of J.R. Smith from suspension and the Knicks’ belief in rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. will prompt the team to trade Shumpert, speculating that a swap with the Nuggets for Kenneth Faried might be the best fit. A deal with the Celtics for Rajon Rondo would meet with Mike Woodson‘s approval, but no such trade is likely, Isola writes.
- More NBA teams appear to be putting stock in analytics, but the successful Heat and Pacers aren’t among them, as a coach points out to Isola for the same piece.
- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution identifies John Jenkins and Jared Cunningham as possible candidates for D-League assignments once Lou Williams returns from injury for the Hawks.
Odds & Ends: Bledsoe, Stephenson, Korver
Eric Bledsoe has kicked off his inaugural campaign as a full-time starter in Phoenix with a bang, averaging 21.0 PPG, 7.2 APG, 5.0 RPG, 1.8 SPG in 33.8 MPG, and helping the Suns to a 3-2 record after five games. The 4th year veteran is set to become a restricted free agent next summer after failing to land an extension last week, and while some may be worried that this potentially means a short tenure for Bledsoe in Phoenix, GM Ryan McDonough was openly optimistic about being able to re-sign him (Adam Green of Arizona Sports, hat tip to Burns and Gambo of Arizona Sports 620):
“I feel very confident that he’s going to be a Sun long-term…We negotiated with Eric and his agents. I think the contract situation was handled very professionally on both ends…We can match any offer to Eric next summer…Another advantage would be we have an extra year to play with. Other teams who are making Eric an offer can offer him four years, we can offer him up to five if we chose to do so…So there’s some inherent advantages that I just mentioned, also we can give higher percentage increases than another team could give Eric in a contract.”
Here are some more miscellaneous news and notes to pass along tonight:
- Looking into Lance Stephenson‘s comments that he thinks the Pacers would “do anything” to keep him in Indiana for the long term, Candace Buckner of IndyStar.com (along with USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt) explores how the 23-year-old shooting guard could be positioning himself for a five-year max deal next summer. While I’m not too sure about labeling Stephenson as a max-level player at this point, if he can maintain his current averages of 16.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 47% shooting from the field, he should draw some very lucrative offers next July.
- Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post notes how the Nuggets’ plans to recruit Kyle Korver this past summer led to nothing more than brief contact because of the massive turnover that had been going on within the front office and coaching staff. Korver would eventually re-sign with the Hawks.
- The Thunder have hired former Raptors vice president and assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini in a senior adviser/international affairs position, according to Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK.
Western Notes: Cuban, D12, Nuggets, Cousins
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been one of David Stern’s most notable nemeses during the latter half of Stern’s tenure as commissioner, racking up seven figures worth of fines from the NBA. But as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com details, in a recent interview with NBA TV, Cuban had nothing but kind words for Stern, saying that he’ll miss the NBA commissioner after he retires in February. Cuban also joked that he’s determined to be the last person fined by Stern during the commissioner’s 30-year tenure.
Here’s more from around the West on a Thursday morning:
- Dwight Howard tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he feels like it’s “irrelevant” to keep talking about why he left the Lakers for the Rockets at this point, noting that it happened months ago and that people change jobs every day.
- In a mailbag for the Denver Post, Chris Dempsey observes that the Nuggets don’t really have any immovable contracts, which means there will be plenty of trade options available for the club later in the season. Dempsey expects the team to make at least one or two moves, perhaps including Andre Miller.
- After signing a four-year, maximum-salary extension with the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins is dealing with increased responsibility and increased expectations this season, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes.
Nuggets Notes: Kroenke, Ujiri, D’Alessandro
The new-look Nuggets have yet to win a game in the 2013/14 season and find themselves underneath the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, and Thunder in the Northwest Division. There’s still a lot of basketball to be played, and the Nuggets are surely looking forward to Ty Lawson‘s health improving and the return of forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari down the road. Here’s some Denver-related notes from around the league:
- Nuggets president Josh Kroenke isn’t satisfied with the mild success his team has enjoyed in recent years, but Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post argues the team needn’t strip down the roster to build a true contender, instead advocating the team pool its assets and trade for a star.
- The Nuggets came close to trading for a high draft pick this past June, Hochman reveals in the same piece.
- The departures of Masai Ujiri, Pete D’Alessandro and others from the Nuggets front office this summer is an affirmation rather than an indictment of Kroenke and the Denver organization, which is already drawing raves for its new hires, as fellow Post scribe Christopher Dempsey observes.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Rumors: Kings, Martin, Bledsoe
Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro said the lack of extensions for Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson and the team’s decision to decline its fourth-year option on Jimmer Fredette aren’t necessarily a reflection of the way the club feels about those players.
“With Jimmer, we spoke to him and his representatives throughout the process,” D’Alessandro said, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee observes. “And they’re not easy decisions to make. We have these deadlines that are at an awkward time, Oct. 31, especially at a time when we just got our positions here.”
We heard earlier that the Kings are enamored with Vasquez and intend to match any offer he gets in restricted free agency this summer. Here’s more on free agents past and future, with a Western kick:
- There were times last season when Kevin Martin could tell his stay with the Thunder would be a short one, he tells reporters, including Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Martin also reveals that free agency was much more stressful than he imagined, but he says he’s glad he wound up in “the perfect spot” with the Timberwolves.
- Eric Bledsoe isn’t saying whether he envisions staying with the Suns for the long haul after failing to strike a deal on an extension, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- The rift between Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant was real and profound on the Lakers last season, as former teammate Antawn Jamison explains to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Meanwhile, Howard is relaxed, engaged, and confident that he made the right decision to sign with the Rockets, Marc Stein of ESPN.com writes.
- J.J. Hickson isn’t pleased about the way his Blazers tenure ended, as we noted last night, but after signing with the Nuggets in part because of an opportunity for playing time, he’s seeing plenty of minutes, as Hoopsworld’s Joel Brigham details.
Northwest Links: Hayward, Hickson, Wolves
The Jazz and Gordon Hayward didn’t reach a deal on an extension last night, but GM Dennis Lindsey can still envision Hayward retiring with Utah and says much of the moves the team pulled off this summer were done with Hayward in mind. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News and Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune have more details, including Hayward’s morning-after input, as we round up the latest from the Northwest Division:
- Hayward echoed Lindsey’s comment that “no ill will” came of the failed negotiations. “I love being in Utah,” he said. “I really wish it could’ve happened. This in no way changes the way I feel about Utah at all. Hopefully it will get worked out next summer.”
- J.J. Hickson is upset with Blazers GM Neil Olshey and some of his former Portland teammates for expressing their desire for an upgrade over Hickson at center this summer, the current Nugget tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Haynes nonetheless hears from a source that the $4MM that Portland paid Hickson on his one-year deal last season was much greater than any other team was willing to cough up at the time.
- Rick Adelman said a couple of weeks ago that the Timberwolves were looking at bringing aboard someone who could shore up the small forward position, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities hears there’s “nothing brewing” for now (Twitter link).
Four Players’ Salaries Become Fully Guaranteed
Many players on non-guaranteed deals didn’t survive October’s roster crunch, and no longer find themselves under contract with an NBA team, but plenty of clubs are still carrying non-guaranteed players. The majority of those players will see their salaries for 2013/14 become fully guaranteed if they’re not cut on or before January 7th. However, a handful of players negotiated earlier guarantee dates, many of which arrived this week.
The most notable name in this group is Chris Smith, whose spot on the Knicks’ roster was questioned by rival agents. By earning a place among the 15 players New York carried into opening night, Smith is assured of a fully guaranteed salary, worth about $490K. The Knicks won’t necessarily have to keep him on their roster all season, but if they release him, he’ll still get paid.
Like Smith, Kyle O’Quinn of the Magic and Quincy Miller of the Nuggets were also on contracts that dictated they’d receive full guarantees if they made their respective teams’ opening night rosters. As second-year players, both O’Quinn and Miller will be in line for salaries worth about $789K.
James Anderson‘s contract with the Sixers didn’t include any details related to opening night, but the guarantee date for his 2013/14 salary was October 31st. Since Philadelphia didn’t release Anderson on or before Halloween, his salary of about $916K has become fully guaranteed.
In addition to the four players whose 2013/14 salaries are now fully guaranteed, Ryan Gomes also received a bump in his partial guarantee by making the cut with the Thunder. Having previously been guaranteed for $50K, that figure increased to $75K when Gomes wasn’t released on or before Thursday, the date of OKC’s first game.
As our schedule of guarantee dates shows, there are now believed to be just two dates prior to January when players’ salaries will become guaranteed. Maalik Wayns will receive his full salary from the Clippers if he’s not waived on or before December 1st, while Jannero Pargo will become fully guaranteed if he lasts beyond December 10th in Charlotte.
ShamSports was used in the creation of this post.
Nuggets Exercise Options On Faried, Fournier
4:08pm: The Nuggets have officially announced in a press release that they’ve picked up their 2014/15 options on Faried and Fournier. The release doesn’t include word on Hamilton, so it looks like his option will be declined, though that’s not official yet.
10:16am: The Nuggets have picked up their fourth-year option on Kenneth Faried and their third-year option on Evan Fournier, according to the transactions log at RealGM.com. The club has now locked up Faried for the remainder of his rookie contract, while Fournier will have one more team option for 2015/16.
With Andre Iguodala now playing in Golden State and Danilo Gallinari starting the season on the shelf, the Nuggets will be leaning on Faried and Fournier more than ever this year. Faried will earn a salary of about $1.37MM in 2013/14 before getting a bump to $2.25MM for ’14/15. Fournier, meanwhile, is in line for a guaranteed $1.48MM in ’14/15.
As for the Nuggets’ third rookie scale player, there’s no word yet on Jordan Hamilton‘s fourth-year option, which would be worth about $2.11MM. When Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors examined this year’s rookie contract option decisions, he suggested that Hamilton would be on the bubble, particularly since Denver’s new GM and coach don’t have as strong a stake in the young swingman. The Nuggets have until tomorrow to exercise or decline Hamilton’s option.
To catch up on all of this month’s rookie contract option decisions, check out our tracker.
Odds & Ends: Miller, Kennedy, Lighty, Pau
Quincy Miller is one of a handful of players whose contract will become guaranteed by virtue of earning a spot on his team’s opening day roster, as our schedule of guarantee dates shows. Now that he’s breathing a little easier, Miller can focus on contributing to the Nuggets, particularly with players ahead of him in the rotation sidelined with injuries, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post.
Here are a few more Sunday odds and ends:
- D.J. Kennedy, who was in camp with the Mavericks, has officially signed overseas with French team BCM Gravelines, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
- The Hawks waived David Lighty earlier this month, and he’s headed back to JSF Nanterre in France, where he starred last season, according to Alexandre Lacoste of Catch and Shoot (hat tip to Sportando).
- As he enters a contract year, Pau Gasol feels better than he expected he would. Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com has the details.
- Lance Thomas didn’t consider the idea of playing for another team after the Pelicans waived him in July, he tells Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune. He wound up re-signing for the same salary, with a $15K partial guarantee thrown in.
- Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News writes that Stephen Jackson will have to accept a lesser role or perhaps even a D-League stint if he’s going to continue his playing career.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.