Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Pacers, Knicks, Kaun

September 9th, 2015 at 9:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

One of the main reasons that the Pacers decided to forge ahead with the purchase of the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants was the rising salaries of NBA players, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star relays (Twitter links). Team owner Herb Simon said that the Pacers will need young players to go along with the higher paid players on the roster, and that those young players would need development, which purchasing the Mad Ants would help facilitate, Buckner adds.

Here’s more out of the Eastern Conference:

The Knicks are unquestionably a better team than a season ago, but just about every other team at the bottom of the Eastern Conference also improved this offseason, opines Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Facebook link). Bontemps also noted that he expects New York to struggle to compete for the final playoff spot in the East, which would result in the possibility that the team would look to deal small forward Carmelo Anthony to a contender at the trade deadline.
The majority of the Pistons‘ roster is now comprised of players acquired by executive/coach Stan Van Gundy, and this season’s focus will be in determining which of those players will have long-term futures with the team, writes Shaun Powell of NBA.com in his 30 Teams, 30 Days series.
Sasha Kaun‘s two-year deal with the Cavaliers will see him earn $1,276,000 in 2015/16 and $1,333,240 during the final season, notes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Both seasons are fully guaranteed, Pincus adds. Reports initially conflicted on whether the contract would include a player option, and Pincus confirms that it does not.
Kendall Marshall will earn approximately $2.1MM this season courtesy of his deal with the Sixers, and his salary is fully guaranteed, Pincus tweets.

Joe Johnson Switches Agents

September 9th, 2015 at 11:34am CST by Chuck Myron

Joe Johnson has split with the Wasserman Media Group amid the departure of longtime agent Arn Tellem and has joined forces with Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management, a source tells NetsDaily (Twitter links). Johnson, set for free agency next summer, had felt a kinship with Tellem, as NetsDaily notes, and had been with him since he entered the 2001 draft. Tellem changed careers this summer to become an executive with the Pistons organization.

LaMarcus Aldridge made the same Wasserman-to-Excel move after signing his new four-year max deal with the Spurs this summer, but losing Johnson figures to have a greater short-term pinch on Wasserman, since Aldridge’s commission still goes to them. Excel is in line for the percentage, usually 3%, associated with negotiating Johnson’s next deal.

Tellem secured a six-year max contract worth more than $123.658MM for Johnson in 2010, a deal hailed even then, when Johnson was coming off five straight seasons of having averaged 20-plus points per game, as a decidedly player-friendly arrangement. His scoring average hasn’t eclipsed 18.8 PPG since, but the 34-year-old still remains a productive player, having been the second-leading scorer for Brooklyn this past season while pulling down 4.8 rebounds per contest, more than he had in 10 years.

Schwartz is no stranger to the Nets or prominent NBA clients. He represents Jarrett Jack and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and he was also the agent for former Nets coach Jason Kidd, as NetsDaily points out (on Twitter). Ex-Nets Deron Williams and Paul Pierce are Schwartz clients, as are Al Jefferson and Brandon Jennings, two other veterans for whom the agent is in line to negotiate next summer.

The move puts one more step of distance between the Pistons and Johnson after a report close to the trade deadline indicated that Detroit had engaged the Nets in trade talks about the veteran scorer. Johnson, given his salary of nearly $24.895MM this season and Brooklyn’s ability to escape the luxury tax with other moves, appears likely to stay put this year.

What do you think Johnson will make on a new deal next summer? Leave a comment to tell us.

And-Ones: Porzingis, Pistons, Harrington

September 7th, 2015 at 10:29pm CST by Will Joseph

Kristaps Porzingis has gained 11 pounds so far this summer after Knicks president Phil Jackson expressed concern over the rookie’s frame last month, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Jackson previously told ESPN.com’s Charley Rosen that he was concerned Porzingis may have trouble putting on enough muscle to play in the low post. Porzingis has shown a strong work ethic in trying to alleviate those concerns, Berman adds after speaking with Audie Norris, who coached Porzingis last season in Spain.

In other news around the league:

Eric Griffin, who reportedly agreed to a deal with the Pistons, expects to see some minutes in Detroit, Seth Ferranti of Slamonline.com writes. It won’t be easy for the 25-year-old to remain on the roster for the beginning of the regular season, however. Detroit currently has 18 players on its roster aside from Griffin.
Croatia’s Dragan Bender is the most highly-touted international player in the 2016 draft class, according to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. The 7’1” power forward has a nice mix of back-to-the-basket moves and outside range and could be a top five pick, Brigham continues. Bender is expected to play in a battle of Euroleague powers in two exhibition games on American soil next month. Shooting guard Furkan Korkmaz of Turkey could also be a lottery pick, according to Brigham, who writes that Korkmaz plays with a swagger and can shoot from virtually anywhere on the floor.
Longtime NBA power forward Al Harrington is still looking for work as a coach, J. Michael of the Wizards Insider reports. Harrington had a brief stint with the Nuggets late last season, serving under interim coach Melvin Hunt, but was not retained when Michael Malone was hired as head coach. Harrington last played in the NBA with the Wizards two seasons ago.

Dana Gauruder contributed to this report.

Central Notes: Kaun, Irving, Baynes, Pistons

September 6th, 2015 at 12:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

The first season of Sasha Kaun’s two-year deal with the Cavaliers will be valued at $1.2MM, according to Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. That’ll come out of the taxpayer’s mid-level exception, since the rookie minimum is only $525,093. The Cavs had been carrying a $1.276MM portion of the mid-level after signing Mo Williams, so it appears they’re using most of the rest on Kaun. Cleveland believes it’s important to sign the 30-year-old center for two seasons because of uncertainty among its centers and power forwards, Pluto writes. Tristan Thompson remains unsigned and is rumored to be considering a one-year deal. Timofey Mozgov will become an unrestricted free agent next summer and could get an offer in excess of $100MM. Anderson Varejao and Kevin Love are both coming off serious injuries, and the Cavaliers may want to limit their playing time early in the season, so they may need Kaun to contribute right away.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Despite the decent chance that Kyrie Irving is out until January, the Cavs expect he’ll be ready to play before then, Pluto writes in the same story. The star guard, who is recovering from a fractured kneecap suffered during the NBA Finals, can also expect to see a minutes restriction once he returns to action. The signing of Williams allows the team to take some of the strain off Irving.
Aron Baynes could be an important addition for the Pistons as a backup to Andre Drummond, writes David Mayo of MLive. Responding to a question in his mailbag column, Mayo said he expects Baynes, who signed with Detroit as a free agent this summer, to outperform the numbers he put up in San Antonio. Mayo mentions Spencer Dinwiddie, who will be the backup point guard to start the season with Brandon Jennings still recovering from an Achilles injury, as another player who could surprise.
In the same piece, Mayo picks Reggie Bullock and Adonis Thomas as the most likely “on the bubble” players to earn a spot on Detroit’s roster. The Pistons currently have 17 players with fully guaranteed contracts.

Los Angeles Rumors: Bryant, Hibbert, Young, Pierce

September 5th, 2015 at 6:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kobe Bryant’s continued presence on the Lakers’ roster has kept the franchise in a holding pattern, Shaun Powell of NBA.com opines. Bryant’s $25MM contract this season hampered them from signing a top-level free agent and none of them wanted to join the Lakers anyway just to play one season with Bryant, Powell continues. Bryant, who might retire at the end of the season, could play a valuable role in the rebuilding process by mentoring his younger teammates, Powell adds.

There’s more out of Los Angeles:

Roy Hibbert’s lack of speed could be a larger liability in the Western Conference, argues J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. The Lakers acquired Hibbert from Indiana in a July 9th deal, sending a future second-round draft pick to the Pacers in return. While Hibbert may increase the Lakers’ talent level, his plodding style of play could leave him lagging behind other teams in the conference, and Michael fears that coach Byron Scott may be stubborn enough to try to match him up with players such as the Warriors’ Draymond Green.
Nick Young of the Lakers and Paul Pierce of the Clippers are among the players projected to decline next season by Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. Greene expects Young’s minutes, shots and overall role to regress with the addition of Lou Williams and D’Angelo Russell as well as Bryant’s return from injury. The writer expects Pierce, who left the Wizards to sign with the Clippers as a free agent, to have his first season averaging below double figures in scoring. Also on Greene’s list are the Pistons’ Brandon Jennings, the Nets’ Joe Johnson, the Bulls’ Pau Gasol, the Hawks’ Kyle Korver, the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili, the Raptors’ Terrence Ross and the Heat’s Dwyane Wade.

Dana Gauruder contributed to this post.

Eastern Rumors: Haslem, Pistons, Smart

September 5th, 2015 at 11:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

Udonis Haslem is unlikely to be part of the Heat’s rotation this season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel opines. Winderman points out that Hassan Whiteside, Chris Andersen and Amar’e Stoudemire are Miami’s top options at center while Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts should receive a majority of the minutes at power forward. Haslem could see his role expand if the Heat trade either Andersen or McRoberts, Winderman adds. Haslem’s spot on the roster is secure, as he is signed for a guaranteed $2.9MM.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

Platinum Equity founder and Pistons owner Tom Gores is buying his firm’s stake in the team, which would give him 100% ownership of the franchise, sources with knowledge of the transaction have informed Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg News (story hosted by The Detroit News). Gores, who currently owns 51% of the franchise, is the founder and CEO of the company he’s purchasing the shares from, so his level of control is not likely to change significantly as a result of the deal. The league has already approved the transaction, though it has yet to be officially announced, Soshnick adds.
Celtics point guard Marcus Smart has been named in a lawsuit filed by former Oklahoma State guard Stevie Clark, accusing Smart of “hazing and disrespect,” A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com reports. In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, Clark alleges that head coach Travis Ford put him on drugs, without his consent, after he expressed frustration to Ford about the alleged hazing from Smart, Blakely continues. The complaint also names the university, its Board of Regents and Ford, Blakely adds.
The Knicks’ 17-win season in 2014/15 has affected their ticket sales for the upcoming season, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. According to a Madison Square Garden spokesman, season tickets were renewed at an 87% rate, compared to 92% last summer, Berman continues. If the Knicks get off to a poor start, their 201-game sellout streak could be in danger, Berman adds.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this report.

Eastern Notes: J.R. Smith, Wizards, Contracts

September 3rd, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

J.R. Smith‘s new two-year contract with the Cavaliers has an unusual structure that includes partial guarantees for both this season and next, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter links). This year’s salary, worth $5MM, is guaranteed for only $2MM, and next year’s salary, a player option, has a $2.15MM partial guarantee on the full $5.4MM value, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (All four Twitter links). However, this season’s salary becomes fully guaranteed if the team keeps him through Monday, Pincus adds. That’s almost certain to happen, but the reason that clause is in the contract is so that his 2016/17 salary can become fully guaranteed if he sticks on the roster through the same date next year, in a structure similar to the deal that Kostas Papanikolaou signed with the Rockets last year, Pincus explains. The Cavs formally announced Smith’s signing Wednesday, nearly two weeks after Smith revealed that he would be rejoining the team.

See more from around the Eastern Conference:

Coach Randy Wittman likes the grit that Wizards camp signee Toure’ Murry has shown in the past, but the shooting guard will have to make quite a convincing case for the Wizards to keep him over one of the 15 players on their roster with a fully guaranteed contract, writes J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic. Jaleel Roberts, the other Wizard with a non-guaranteed deal, won his training camp roster spot more so by his performance at Tim Grgurich’s private camp than through his play with the Wizards summer league squad, Michael hears. Still, Roberts is more likely to make the regular season roster in 2016/17, when the team will ostensibly have greater flexibility, than he is this year, according to Michael.
Kelly Dwyer, Ben Rohrbach and Eric Freeman of Yahoo! Sports weighed in on which 2015 NBA draftee ended up in the best situation to succeed next season. Dwyer chose the Knicks‘ Kristaps Porzingis, while Rohrbach tabbed Justise Winslow of the Heat, and Freeman’s pick was the Nuggets’ Emmanuel Mudiay.
The Cavs had possessed one of the most tradeable contracts in the league in Brendan Haywood‘s non-guaranteed pact, which they had dealt to the Blazers at the end of July. Pincus, in a separate post, ran down some of the most desirable trade chip contracts around the NBA , including Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko of the Celtics, the Wizards‘ Kris Humphries and Martell Webster, as well as Ersan Ilyasova‘s deal with the Pistons.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: Cherry, Pistons, Wittman

September 1st, 2015 at 8:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Unrestricted free agent Will Cherry has officially signed with the German club Alba Berlin, the team announced (translation by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). International journalist David Pick first reported the team’s interest and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports was the first to relay that a signing was imminent. Cherry played in Lithuania last season after he was waived by the Cavaliers. The point guard saw action in eight games while with Cleveland and averaged 1.9 points, 1.0 assist and 0.8 steals in 8.6 minutes per contest.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Stan Van Gundy wanted to hire a shooting coach for his first season with the Pistons, but he didn’t get around to it until this summer, when he brought on Dave Hopla, who’s wasted no time getting to work, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Hopla is working with extension candidate Andre Drummond and others and using analytics to enhance their strokes, as Langlois chronicles.
Justise Winslow, who was selected No. 10 overall by the Heat in this year’s draft, blew away team executives during the predraft interview process, Zach Lowe of Grantland relays. The swingman was projected by a number of mock drafts to be a potential top five selection, but he surprisingly fell to Miami with the final pick in the top 10 this past June.
The Wizards will have to make a tough decision regarding whether or not coach Randy Wittman is the right man to continue leading the franchise on the court, J. Michael of CSNMid-Atlantic writes. Wittman, who owns a 137-158 record overall with Washington, is entering the second season of his three-year pact, and his contract is only partially guaranteed for the 2016/17 campaign, Michael notes.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Pistons Favorites To Sign Eric Moreland

August 30th, 2015 at 1:53pm CST by Will Joseph

Free agent Eric Moreland will soon decide between the Pistons, Lakers and Kings, with Detroit being the front-runner, league sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM. Details on any offers are not yet known.

There’s a strong chance Moreland would make the roster on any of the three teams. The Lakers and Kings have openings with 12 and 14 fully guaranteed contracts, respectively, as Charania points out. While the Pistons appear to be the favorite, they have a roster that provides much less flexibility. Detroit is carrying 17 fully guaranteed contracts, as our own Chuck Myron examined.

The Lakers worked out Moreland earlier this summer. The Kings waived Moreland in July because, reportedly, his playing style was too similar to that of No. 6 pick Willie Cauley-Stein. If the Kings had not released Moreland, his salary would have became guaranteed. Sacramento, however, is interested in re-signing Moreland, according to vice president of basketball and franchise operations Vlade Divac.

Moreland, 23, had a labral tear in his left shoulder end his rookie year prematurely after he’d made it into only three games this past season.

Pacific Notes: Morris, Rondo, Russell, Davis

August 30th, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Markieff Morris was notably absent as Suns players began gathering for voluntary workouts this week, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Morris, unhappy since his twin brother Marcus was traded to the Pistons July 9th, isn’t expected to attend the sessions. Markieff Morris was irate about the deal and asked the Suns to trade him as well, but Coro notes that it would be nearly impossible for Phoenix to get equal value at this point and the team has no one on the roster to fill his role. The twins are angry because they contend they gave the Suns a break on the extensions they signed last year in hopes of remaining together.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Kings‘ Rajon Rondo tops Yahoo Sports’ Ben Rohrbach’s list of players facing make-or-break seasons in 2015/16. Rondo, who signed a one-year, $9.5MM deal with Sacramento last month, is trying to rebuild his reputation after being shut down early during the playoffs by the Mavericks. Ty Lawson, who was traded to the Rockets July 20th, is second on Rohrbach’s list, followed by Miami’s Hassan Whiteside, Boston’s Jared Sullinger and Oklahoma City’s Dion Waiters.
The addition of D’Angelo Russell has Lakers‘ part-owner Jim Buss excited about the upcoming season, according to Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times. The Lakers took a risk by drafting Russell second overall, ahead of Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, and Buss said the front office had about 30 meetings before making its final decision. “It was a long, long process that we decided to go with Russell,” Buss said. “He’s just very impressive. We saw an upside of being a potential superstar in the league.”
Free agent Glen Davis, who has spent the last season and a half with the Clippers, has to convince a team that he can still be an effective scorer, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Nearing age 30, Davis has evolved into an energy player in recent years, averaging just 4.0 points per game last season, down from a career-high 15.1 in 2012/13. Washburn also notes that the Clippers are being selective in possible deals involving Jamal Crawford. They are willing to part with the 35-year-old, but only for the “right return.”