Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Heat, Pistons, Wizards

September 20th, 2015 at 6:40pm CST by Will Joseph

Heat assistant Dan Craig was hired as head coach of the franchise’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports, citing league sources. Craig, who has worked for the Heat for 12 years, has coached the Heat’s summer league teams for the past three years, as Wojnarowski points out.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

There’s a good chance it won’t happen until February, but it is difficult to imagine the Pistons not making a trade involving one of their point guards, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. That’s because, Mayo adds, once Brandon Jennings — who is not expected back from his Achilles injury until December — returns, the Pistons could have three reserve point guards with trade value. Jennings will be on a high-value expiring contract, and Steve Blake will be on a more affordable expiring contract, Mayo writes. Blake was acquired to give the Pistons three healthy point guards to start the season, according to Mayo. Spencer Dinwiddie is also expected to see time at point guard for the Pistons.
Tim Bontemps of the New York Post believes the Wizards are once again a middle-of-the-pack kind of playoff team (Facebook link). Bontemps adds that the Wizards improved during the summer with a series of small, but smart moves, such as acquiring Kelly Oubre in the draft, signing Gary Neal and trading for Jared Dudley.

Central Notes: Thomas, Thompson, Williams

September 20th, 2015 at 12:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons will give Adonis Thomas a “real chance” to beat out Reggie Bullock for a roster spot, according to David Mayo of MLive. Thomas signed a training camp deal with Detroit in July, receiving a $60K guarantee. He won’t become fully guaranteed until January, so Mayo speculates the Pistons may keep him on the roster until midseason to see if he can outplay Bullock. If it doesn’t work out, the team could drop Thomas and seek help through 10-day contracts. Mayo says Brandon Jennings‘ lingering Achilles injury — which will require the Pistons to keep four point guards at the start of the season — probably killed any chance of Thomas and Bullock both earning long-term roster spots.

There’s more news from the Central Division:

Tristan Thompson‘s salary dispute with the Cavaliers appears ready to carry into training camp, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The two sides have been in an impasse since negotiations began in July, with Thompson seeking a max deal and the team offering somewhat less. The rebounding specialist appears headed toward signing the Cavs’ qualifying offer and entering unrestricted free agency next summer. The deadline to accept the offer is October 1st. Washburn notes that Thompson did not attend a recent players workout organized by LeBron James, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford admits that he ran Mo Williams “into the ground” last season, writes Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer. The intense playing time could account for Williams’ drop in production as the season wore on. Williams signed with the Cavaliers over the summer as a backup to Kyrie Irving.
The signing of Greg Monroe will give the Bucks credibility when pursuing future free agents, according to Shaun Powell of NBA.com. The former Piston accepted a three-year max deal from Milwaukee, passing on similar offers from the Lakers, Knicks and Blazers. In his season preview, Powell also credits the Bucks for keeping their own high-profile free agent in Khris Middleton, who received $70MM over five years.

Central Notes: Bucks, Jackson, Turner

September 18th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Bucks signed Greg Monroe to a max contract this summer, but he’s probably not the best player on Milwaukee’s roster, Shaun Powell of NBA.com posits as he examines the team’s offseason. Still, bringing him aboard did much to enhance the franchise’s image, and while the Bucks don’t have a realistic shot at Kevin Durant next summer, their standing with top free agents around the league has improved, Powell believes. It worked out well enough for GM John Hammond to receive an extension this week, so while we wait to see if Milwaukee can keep it up, see more from the Central Division:

Reggie Jackson‘s struggles with his outside shot elicited questions about the merits of the trade that brought him to Detroit, but to enhance the five-year, $80MM investment they made in Jackson this summer, the Pistons are working with him to improve that part of his game, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details.
Jackson could prove arguably just as valuable as John Wall if he carries the numbers he put up with the Pistons after the trade last season over to the first half of this season, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders opines in the site’s season preview of the Pistons. Wall seemed to express frustration earlier this summer with the timing of the salary cap jump as he pointed out that he and Jackson wound up on similar contracts.
The Pacers spent plenty of free agent money this summer, especially on their four-year, nearly $44MM deal with Monta Ellis, but their top addition came through the draft, as Myles Turner is talented enough to contribute immediately, Brigham writes in the Basketball Insiders Pacers preview.

Eastern Notes: Gibson, Raptors, Jackson

September 16th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls power forward Taj Gibson was suffering from a torn ligament in his ankle toward the end of the 2014/15 campaign, which explains his lackluster playoff showing during the postseason, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com writes. The true extent of the damage in Gibson’s ankle was discovered when the forward went under the knife in June for routine surgery, Goodwill adds. “I didn’t know I could play with that much pain but I just tried to help my team win,” Gibson told Goodwill. “I think it was a good thing for me to do the surgery. I’ve never been hurt this much. It was good for my career and for myself.”

“We didn’t know it was a torn ligament. It was on the completely opposite side of the foot,” Gibson continued. “When he finally went in during surgery, he was astounded how I was able to still play. He said he never knew anybody who could play through so much pain. I just thought it was normal. He was surprised I was even able to run or lift off it. That’s how bad it was.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Reggie Jackson enters his first training camp with the Pistons feeling much more comfortable in the team’s system and more entrenched with the franchise, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. “I feel like I’ve been here. I feel like the guys know who I am and for the most part I know them,” Jackson said. “Even though it was short, I was extremely blessed and privileged to come over here [for the remainder of the 2014/15 season]. It was a tough struggle, but I think it’s going to pay off in the end. I truly believe that. Teammates are all ready to get into camp. It feels like we know each other more than if I was traded in the summer or signed and not coming in new. We did the whole [team-bonding trip] thing in Vegas, I got there and knew everybody vs. trying to meet everybody. I could arrange dinners and didn’t have to worry about knowing a guy’s phone number, what you like, don’t like. It’s already established.”
The Raptors have officially named Tim Lewis, Nathaniel Mitchell, and David Gale as assistant coaches for their D-League affiliate, the Raptors 905, the team announced (via Twitter).
The deals that Sam Thompson and Jason Washburn inked with the Hornets are both non-guaranteed, minimum salary training camp contracts that cover one year, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter link).

Central Notes: Thompson, Hammond, Tellem

September 15th, 2015 at 12:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Tristan Thompson and fellow Rich Paul client Norris Cole probably need to sign their qualifying offers to hit unrestricted free agency next summer if each is to truly get the most out of his earning potential, opines Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Kyler sees signed qualifying offers as the most likely outcome for both. Still, the Basketball Insiders scribe doesn’t think that necessarily means they won’t end up re-signing with their respective teams in 2016, even though Paul has said that Thompson wouldn’t re-sign with the Cavs next year if he took his qualifying offer this year. See more news on Cleveland and the rest of the Central Division here:

Bucks GM John Hammond deserves to stick around after positioning the team for a continued climb up the Eastern Conference standings, so Monday’s extension was the right move for Milwaukee, argues Sekou Smith of NBA.com. Hammond, who’s been in his job since April 2008, is No. 9 on the list of the longest-tenured primary basketball executives that I compiled earlier today.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details the agenda for Arn Tellem, who joined the Pistons organization as vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment this summer. Tellem is close with GM Jeff Bower, but the former super-agent’s new job will chiefly involve community outreach.
Cavs draft-and-stash prospect Edin Bavcic has signed with Sopron of Hungary, agent Dragan Jankovski of the BeoBasket agency revealed on Twitter (hat tip to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). A 2006 draftee, he seems unlikely to ever play in the NBA, though Cleveland did sign 2008 draftee Sasha Kaun to his first NBA contract just last week.

And-Ones: Langdon, Wizards, Fournier

September 14th, 2015 at 10:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers will hire Spurs scout Trajan Langdon as their Director of Player Administration, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). He will replace Raja Bell, who is leaving to spend more time with his family, Wojnarowski adds. The change was confirmed by Chris Haynes of Northeast Ohio Media Group, who spoke to Bell. “I had so much fun with those boys and the Cavaliers’ organization, but it was just time to be with my family,” said Bell, who served in that role for one season. “It was the right thing to do right now, but I definitely enjoyed my time there.”

In other news around the league:

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis had reached a tentative deal with Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel E. Bowser to build a $56.3MM practice facility, Jonathan O’Connell of the Washington Post reports. Officials said the city plans to construct and own the facility, which will also include an arena for the WNBA Washington Mystics, while Leonsis would contribute $10MM to aid the surrounding neighborhood, O’Connell continues. Leonsis has been pushing for a state-of-the-art venue to replace the existing practice facility at the Verizon Center in order to attract high-profile free agents next summer, including Kevin Durant, who grew up in nearby Prince George’s County, O’Connell adds.
Suns forward Markieff Morris and his brother, Pistons forward Marcus Morris, have a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday in Phoenix, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic tweets. They face felony aggravated assault charges for their alleged roles in a January brawl at a Phoenix recreation center. The duo would be suspended a minimum of 10 games if they are found guilty of a felony and could also face a suspension if they’re guilty of a misdemeanor, former NBA executive Bobby Marks tweets.
Magic swingman Evan Fournier could have competition for minutes and a sixth-man role this season from rookie Mario Hezonja, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports. Both have similar skills, though playing them together on the second unit is intriguing because it could give Orlando some second-unit firepower, Schmitz continues. Fournier needs to improve defensively and increase his strength to get more playing time, Schmitz adds. He is eligible for an extension until the start of the regular season, and we recently examined his chances of getting it in our Extension Candidate series.

Eastern Notes: Jennings, Brown, Nets

September 14th, 2015 at 10:28am CST by Chuck Myron

Brandon Jennings isn’t expected back from his torn left Achilles tendon until mid- to late December, writes Kevin Bull of the Detroit Free Press. That’s in contrast to a July report indicating that Jennings thought he would be ready for the start of training camp but more in line with recent comments from Jennings in which he expressed uncertainty about camp and said that he wouldn’t be back at his usual level of performance until December at the earliest. In any case, Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said last week on WMGC-FM that he’s optimistic that Jennings and Reggie Jackson can play with each other if Jennings regains his form, as Bull relays.

“If he comes back and he’s the Brandon Jennings that we had last year, I think those guys can play together quite well,” Van Gundy said. “Reggie is big enough (6’3″) to guard guys off the ball and everything else. It just gives you two playmakers on the floor together. I think they can be pretty dynamic, but we’ll just have to see where Brandon is when he comes back.”

See more on the Pistons amid the latest from the Eastern Conference:

Van Gundy signaled a willingness to keep the core of the Pistons intact for the long-term, telling WMGC-FM that the roster “has a chance now, if we lock people up long-term, to grow together,” Bull notes.
Brett Brown has no regrets about taking the Sixers job even though he admits the losing has been painful, and he doesn’t seem at all interested in pushing for an extension and disrupting the ethic of patience that pervades the organization, observes Ian Thomsen of NBA.com. “I signed a four-year contract [in 2013] and my intention is to see that through,” Brown said to Thomsen. “I love the city of Philadelphia. I enjoy and trust the people that I work with and for, and the opportunity that I have. I am grateful for the partnership. To be honest with you, I don’t feel comfortable talking about a contract. I just want to do my job.”
The Nets are close to a local TV rights deal with the YES Network that is expected to at least double the annual fee the team collects, as John Ourand and John Lombardo of SportsBusiness Journal report (hat tip to NetsDaily). The would-be deal is poised to give the Nets an average of around $40MM a year starting in 2017/18, Ourand and Lombardo hear. Brooklyn has been receiving less on its local TV deal than any other New York or Los Angeles team, and it amounted to not much more than the Timberwolves get from theirs, a league source told NetsDaily, which notes that the arrangement is yet another part of the efforts the Nets have undertaken to become profitable.

Eastern Notes: Bullock, Pistons, Pacers

September 13th, 2015 at 9:13pm CST by Will Joseph

Reggie Bullock, a solid shooter who was traded to the Pistons during the summer, believes it will be his defense that helps him stick with Detroit, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. Bullock is one of 17 players with a fully guaranteed deal with the Pistons, as our roster count shows. In a crowded wing field, Langlois adds, Bullock is likely the best shooter of those on the bubble for the last spot or two.

Here’s more news from around the Eastern Conference:

Speaking of Detroit, the Pistons, after some decisions during the summer, now resemble the team coach/executive Stan Van Gundy wanted to create when he took over two years ago, Shaun Powell writes in his 30 teams in 30 days series for NBA.com. By subtracting Greg Monroe and, perhaps, overspending on Reggie Jackson, the Pistons have a very athletic and young core. With that, Powell believes the Pistons are in position to make a decent playoff run this season.
Continuing his series with a look at the Pacers, Powell writes that Indiana is likely in what’s considered no-man’s land in the league: in between good and really bad. While the Pacers’ addition of Monta Ellis should help, Powell writes that Ellis is only a temporary solution. That’s because, as Powell points out, Ellis is not the most efficient shooter and he’s with his third team in four years.

Central Notes: Tellem, Thompson, Parker

September 12th, 2015 at 11:40am CST by Eddie Scarito

Arn Tellem, who was recently hired as the new vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment, is also likely to become a minority owner of the Pistons by the year’s end, writes Tom Walsh of The Detroit Free Press. This was one of the factors that motivated Tellem to leave the Wasserman Media Group, Walsh adds. “I’m coming here to make a difference,” Tellem said. “If it was just limited to basketball, it would not be enough of a motivation to come and do it, but to have an involvement from an ownership level in basketball and the business and the community and see where we can make a difference and contribute to what’s going on here in Detroit and Michigan.”

Regarding a potential ownership stake in he franchise, Tellem said, “That was part of the plan when I came in. My hope is now that by the end of the year, we’re going to hopefully have a piece of the action. [Owner] Tom’s [Gores] desire is to have this team long-term for him and his family and to really accomplish a lot here — not only winning basketball games, but to make a difference in the community here.”

Here’s more out of the Central Division:

In move that doesn’t come as a shock, restricted free agent Tristan Thompson won’t be attending the pre-training camp workouts that LeBron James has organized for the Cavaliers in Miami, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group notes. Thompson, who has reportedly rejected a five-year, $80MM contract offer from the Cavaliers, is adamant that he will not put pen to paper on a new pact unless it is a maximum salary deal and is contemplating signing his one-year qualifying offer worth $6,777,589 if a deal can’t be worked out between the two sides.
Bucks forward Jabari Parker‘s rehab from a torn ACL suffered 25 games into the 2014/15 campaign is going well, though it is unclear if he will be at full strength when the regular season tips off, Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders writes. But even if Parker is close to 100%, the team intends to be protective of the second-year player, Blancarte adds. “We’re going to be very conservative with him,” GM John Hammond said. “If we think he’s capable of playing 20, we’ll maybe play him 10 minutes. If we think he can play a back-to-back, we’ll wait on the back-to-back. Whatever it is, we’re going to be very cautious as he moves forward because of the magnitude of who he can be and who we hope he can be for our organization going forward.”

Kings Re-Sign Eric Moreland

September 10th, 2015 at 7:57am CST by Chuck Myron

SEPTEMBER 10TH, 7:57am: The signing has taken place, according to the RealGM transactions log, though the Kings have yet to make an official announcement. In any case, Moreland’s partial guarantee is $200K, according to former Nets executive Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 3RD, 1:51pm: The Kings and Eric Moreland have reached agreement on a new one-year deal that contains a “significant” partial guarantee, sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Charania reported Sunday that the Pistons were the front-runners for the one-year NBA veteran, with the Lakers and Sacramento also in the running, but it appears the Kings closed the gap to secure the power forward they released in July. They would have had to fully guarantee his salary if they had held on to him at that point. That contract called for him to make the minimum salary, and while it’s unclear how much Sacramento has agreed to give him this time, the Kings have the $2.814MM room exception available to exceed the minimum if necessary.

The Relativity Sports client had an abbreviated first year as a pro, having suffered a labral tear in his left shoulder in December that forced him out for the rest of this past season. He’d only made his way into three games for the Kings, but he showed his value as a rebounder in the D-League, pulling down 12.7 boards in 28.7 minutes per game across seven appearances. Moreland averaged 10.3 RPG in 29.4 MPG in his final college season at Oregon State, but he went undrafted in 2014.

Similarities between Moreland’s playing style and that of Willie Cauley-Stein, whom Sacramento drafted sixth overall this year, apparently helped lead the Kings to waive Moreland earlier this summer, but front office chief Vlade Divac made it clear early last month that the team maintained interest in bringing him back. The Lakers reportedly worked him out shortly thereafter.

Sacramento has 14 fully guaranteed salaries, plus a deal with Vince Hunter that’s reportedly partially guaranteed and a non-guaranteed contract with David Stockton. Marshall Henderson apparently has a camp deal with the team, though it’s unclear what level of guaranteed salary, if any, is involved with that.

Do you think Moreland will make the opening night roster? Leave a comment to tell us.