Eastern Notes: Stoudemire, Pistons, Sixers
Amar’e Stoudemire believes converting to a reserve role, as he is doing for the Heat, is more challenging than being the focal point of the team, Ethan J Skolnick of The Miami Herald writes.
“Being a franchise player, you just keep getting better at basketball,” Stoudemire said. “Basketball is fun for you to play, you always want to play, you’re a gym rat, you enjoy doing it. So that’s easy. When you’re in this position, you have to put on a coaching hat, you have to train even harder to stay in shape when you’re not playing. Because when you’re playing, you get in shape that way.”
The 33-year-old signed a one-year , $1.5MM pact with Miami during the offseason. The veteran has only appeared in two games for the Heat and he has only played a total of 20 minutes in those contests.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Pistons have four point guards on the roster, but only two power forwards and David Mayo of Mlive.com believes there is a good chance that the team makes a trade before the deadline. Mayo also notes that Brandon Jennings and Steve Blake are both on expiring contracts, which could make it easier to move one of them.
- The Sixers‘ winless season is taking a toll on coach Brett Brown and Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders if Brown will be the coach when the team finally starts to compete again. Cooney also adds that he doesn’t believe management could fire Brown because they haven’t seen him coach with a full cast of NBA talent.
Central Notes: Drummond, Thompson, Monroe
Andre Drummond‘s game has taken another leap this season, and while the challenge for him is to become more consistent, the soon-to-be restricted free agent is impressing many, including Pistons owner Tom Gores, as Rod Beard of the Detroit News examines.
“He’s developing incredibly and I’m not surprised. We knew it from the first time he got on the floor,” Gores said. “He worked so hard this summer to develop some other skills and right now it’s showing on the floor and his character is reflecting on the team. You can talk about it, but then you have to do it. Andre’s doing it and he’s also developing great chemistry among all the players. You can say it or you can do it.”
Gores already referred to Drummond as a “max player” this spring, and with the Pistons and Drummond working in concert when they tabled extension discussions with the idea of allowing the team more cap flexibility in the summer, it doesn’t appear as though the big man’s free agency will carry much suspense. See more from the Central:
- Consistency might be the last hurdle for Drummond, but it’s a hallmark for Tristan Thompson, who played his 300th consecutive game Thursday, not counting the preseason games he missed while holding out this fall for his new deal with the Cavs. Thompson’s willingness to always be ready helped endear him to LeBron James, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
- The decision to trade Brandon Knight didn’t clear the way for the Bucks to lay a five-year, $70MM contract on Khris Middleton, as Jason Kidd suggested, as much as it gave them the opportunity to sign Greg Monroe, argues Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Milwaukee struggled offensively last season after shedding Knight, but bringing Monroe in as the remedy to that has knocked a hole in the team’s defense, Bontemps points out. Kidd remains confident, chalking the poor play up to the team’s youth, Bontemps notes.
- Free agent signee Monta Ellis is bouncing back after a slow start and the remade Pacers roster has the look of a playoff team, even if Indiana isn’t in 50-win territory, opines Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders.
Cavs Notes: LeBron, Blatt, Shumpert, Love
The Cavaliers have lost two in a row and are on just their third regular season losing streak since January 15th, observes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Still, the rhetoric coming from the team suggests it isn’t treating the matter lightly, with LeBron James questioning the team’s hunger and attention to detail and coach David Blatt calling for more toughness, as Lloyd relays. Iman Shumpert should help add some grit, Lloyd posits, and he’s ahead of schedule as he mends from his wrist injury, with a mid-December return possible, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Still, that’s a ways off, Lloyd notes. See more from Cleveland:
- The attitude of Dion Waiters wore on coaches, executives and other Cavs players and prompted his trade last season, Lloyd writes in the same piece, one that looks back on Cleveland’s choice to pick Waiters instead of Andre Drummond with the No. 4 overall selection in 2012. Drummond doesn’t seem to place blame the Cavs, since they already had other big men, though Cleveland, like others, had questions about Drummond’s motor, Lloyd notes. “Still to this day I don’t have the answer to that,” the Pistons center said about why teams questioned his desire. “I don’t know who started that or how it came about, but I’m pretty sure they’re punching themselves now.”
- James is more trusting of coach Blatt and his teammates than he was last season, as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today examines. James is again showing the willingness to accept coaching that he had under Erik Spoelstra in Miami, and Blatt feels more comfortable communicating to him, Zillgitt writes.
- Kevin Love‘s rejuvenated play this season is prompting many to take a second look at the trade that brought him to Cleveland and sent out Andrew Wiggins, but the value of the deal for the Cavs will likely come down to whether the team delivers a title with Love on the roster, observes Shaun Powell of NBA.com.
Eastern Notes: Rose, Pistons, Heat
Bulls point guard Derrick Rose may be dealing with blurred vision for a few more months, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays. Rose has struggled shooting so far, averaging only 12.6 points per game, as Friedell points out. Rose suffered a left orbital fracture during the Bulls’ first training camp practice on September 29th.
“[The doctors] said it could be as long as three months,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “But [the vision] has continued to improve, and that’s obviously a positive.”
The news, however, came as a surprise to Rose.
“This is my first time hearing about it,” Rose told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). “But you kind of have that hope in your mind that it gets well a lot quicker. But for this to be seven or eight [weeks] out and still the same way, I can’t do nothing but live with it. Get the most out of every day, keep putting my deposits in and keep working on my game until my eye gets better.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- While former Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith is still upset with comments team president Phil Jackson made during the summer about Smith’s personal life, Marc Berman of the New York Post opines that Smith should be grateful that he was traded to the Cavs. After not fitting into the Knicks’ plans, and despite his current shooting woes, Berman writes that the Cavs still see Smith as a capable scoring threat in a reserve role.
- Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings, who is recovering from a torn left Achilles suffered in January, participated in four-on-four and three-on-three games with teammates and is still on track to return around Christmas, David Mayo of MLive.com reports. “As I told him today, what’s not back right now is his quickness,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It’s going to take some time. Being out and being able to do stuff is one thing, and being able to do it at a speed that you can really do is another.”
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Beno Udrih should have no problem fitting in with Miami, Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel writes. “He’s got veteran savviness about him,” Spoelstra said. “You saw it the other night. He hasn’t been in a practice. He hasn’t been in a shootaround but he’s played for enough different systems that he can just play basketball. You don’t notice things that you might have because he’s a veteran player. You can throw him in any situation. Guys like that are very valuable with veteran teams.” The Heat acquired Udrih from the Grizzlies in exchange for Mario Chalmers. Spoelstra did not identify a clear-cut role for Udrih, Richardson adds.
And Ones: Gasol, Nuggets, Drummond, Hawks
The Bulls‘ Pau Gasol could miss out on a major payday if he doesn’t opt out of his current deal next summer, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Gasol has a player option on the final season of a three-year, $22.3MM contract that brought him to Chicago in 2014. He is owed a little less than $7.77MM for 2016/17, when increased TV revenues are expected to greatly raise the salary cap. Two unidentified executives from rival teams told Johnson that even at age 36, Gasol could land two more years of guaranteed money if he becomes an unrestricted free agent. “I’ll wait to make that decision,” Gasol said. “All I’m focused on now is trying to play the best I can so that if I do opt out and explore, I have options. If I have the best season possible and work on my body and stay healthy and help this team accomplish its goals, I’ll go from there.”
There’s more from around the world of basketball:
- The league has taken steps to reduce the unique home-court advantage the Nuggets possess because of Denver’s location and altitude, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Denver is at least a two-hour flight from nearly all NBA cities, which gives the home team a decided advantage against an opponent playing back-to-back games, especially when the thin mountain air is factored in. “I didn’t like it when I had to come here,” said Michael Malone, who is in his first season as Nuggets coach. “But I love it now.” Dempsey reports that the NBA has tried to cut into that edge by making Denver the first stop for teams traveling from the east and building an off day into the schedule for teams coming from the west.
- The Pistons‘ Andre Drummond tops a list of six players exceeding expectations compiled by Jonathan Concool of Basketball Insiders. Drummond was averaging 20.3 points and 20.3 rebounds per game heading into Saturday’s action. Rounding out the list are the Blazers‘ C.J. McCollum, the Pistons’ Marcus Morris, the Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Magic’s Evan Fournier and the Lakers‘ Jordan Clarkson.
- The Hawks will recall Edy Tavares and Lamar Patterson from the D-League Sunday, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Both are expected to be in Atlanta in time for the game with the Jazz.
Central Notes: Drummond, Budinger, Dellavedova
Andre Drummond reiterated his intention to re-sign with the Pistons this offseason when he is eligible to become a restricted free agent, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports relays. “I love it here. I plan on being here,” Drummond told Spears. Team owner Tom Gores, coach/executive Stan Van Gundy, and Drummond mutually agreed to hold off on signing an extension to allow the team to retain more cap space heading into next offseason in order to make further roster upgrades.
Here’s more from out of the Central Division:
- Small forward Chase Budinger is attempting to carve out his niche on the Pacers after having been acquired from the Wolves this past summer, writes Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star. “I’m still trying to figure that out, it’s still a work in progress,” Budinger said. “My role is still trying to evolve and trying to fit into this system and with this team. I’m still trying to find better ways to be more productive.” The 27-year-old has appeared in nine games this season, averaging just 4.1 points in 15.9 minutes per contest while shooting 41.9% from the field.
- Cavs point guard Matthew Dellavedova has used his strong playoff showing from a season ago as a springboard to a solid start to the 2015/16 campaign, Chris Fedor of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “I feel confident,” Dellavedova told Fedor. “I think you should always be more confident in your game and that comes through putting in the work. I think it was a great experience for me playing in the playoffs last year and working hard in the offseason by playing with the national team. In a different role than I usually play here with the Cavs, and [I] have just tried to build on that. I think if you work hard that’s what helps with your confidence.“
- The Bulls lead the NBA in building through the draft, with a league-best 10 draftees currently on the roster, Sam Smith of NBA.com notes in his leaguewide rundown. “The franchise always has had a strong belief in building through the draft and developing our own players,” said Bulls GM Gar Forman. “It starts with [owner] Jerry [Reinsdorf], who always has been a strong believer in the draft.”
Henry Sims, Lorenzo Brown Join Pistons D-League
The D-League affiliate of the Pistons has added center Henry Sims and point guard Lorenzo Brown to the roster, Peter J. Wallner of MLive.com reports. The Grand Rapids Drive already held Brown’s D-League rights, so they signed him directly. Sims signed with the D-League at large and was subject to the league’s waiver process, and Grand Rapids filed a successful claim that allowed the team to acquire the big man. Both players are still free to sign with any NBA team that expresses interest this season.
Brown, 25, has made a total of 55 appearances in two NBA seasons, averaging 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists to go along with a slash line of .375/.155/.656. He was in training camp with the Timberwolves this year, but Minnesota waived him prior to the regular season. Brown’s deal with the Wolves included a $75K partial guarantee, giving the player some breathing room financially this season.
Sims, who is also 25, made 73 appearances for the Sixers last season, including 32 starts. He averaged 8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 19.2 minutes per contest. His career numbers through three NBA campaigns are 7.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.1 APG to go along with a slash line of .475/.174/.760. Philadelphia didn’t tender a qualifying offer to the big man this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. The big man, who was in Suns camp on a non-guaranteed contract, was waived during the preseason.
Latest On Kings, George Karl, DeMarcus Cousins
10:55am: Cousins and Divac have become close, notes SB Nation’s Tom Ziller amid his column on the Kings saga.
10:15am: George Karl will remain the coach of the Kings through this season, vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac said in response to a question from Lisa Gonzales of KCRA-TV in Sacramento, in spite of reports from Wednesday indicating that his job is in immediate danger (Twitter link). A league source who spoke with Ken Berger of CBSSports.com disputes the idea that Divac asked Kings players if the team should fire Karl, as was reportedly the case.
Still, it’s much more likely that the Kings will fire Karl than trade Cousins, sources close to Kings ownership tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. The possibility exists that the Kings will part ways with both Karl and DeMarcus Cousins, Berger also hears. Karl’s contract has about $10MM left on it, and it’s fully guaranteed through 2016/17 with a $1.5MM partial guarantee for 2017/18. Cousins has a fully guaranteed total of nearly $51MM left on his deal, which runs through 2017/18.
Cousins has made it clear to Kings brass that he doesn’t want the team to fire Karl, sources tell Chris Mannix of SI.com. However, the Karl-Cousins partnership was “doomed from the start,” a league source told Berger, and a person familiar with the team said to Berger that Karl has irritated the front office and players alike. Karl wanted to suspend Cousins last season for negative body language during timeouts, two sources told Mannix. Still, sources on both sides of the relationship between Karl and Cousins who spoke with Mannix believe that the relationship can be saved. Cousins had expectations of winning this season, and it was his frustration with losing that was the primary impetus for Cousins’ verbal excoriation of Karl after Monday’s loss, but Cousins believes that another coaching change won’t help the team in the standings, as Mannix details.
Several Kings players, including Ben McLemore and Rudy Gay, have expressed frustration about Karl, but the team’s meeting on Tuesday wasn’t out of the ordinary, sources tell Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Cousins, who publicly apologized for reportedly yelling profanities at Karl after Monday’s loss, cited an air of positivity after the meeting, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Divac tried to calm Cousins during his tirade but said later that he’s OK with the star center’s outburst and that he doesn’t think Cousins was only pointing his criticism at Karl, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports details. Coaches and team officials met with the players after the players held a meeting of their own Tuesday, Spears also notes.
“I’m not sure a panic button was pushed as you all magnified it,” Karl said, as the ESPN report relays. “Team meetings and six-game losing streaks happen. The newness to our team? I don’t know. But I thought the last two days have been good for us.”
Karl admits he delegates more of his duties than before he endured a recurrence of cancer during his time with the Nuggets, but he disputes the idea that his energy is diminished, as Jones relays via Facebook. Kings management has reportedly been concerned with Karl’s stamina. Owner Vivek Ranadive is reportedly more interested than ever in Kentucky coach John Calipari, who remains intrigued with the idea of returning to the NBA, despite his denials, Mannix adds. “Rumblings” indicate that Kings minority owners, reportedly frustrated with Ranadive’s failure to consult with them on moves, “desperately” want to wrest control of the team from Ranadive, though they have little power to make that happen, Mannix writes.
How long do you think Karl will remain coach of the Kings? Leave a comment to tell us.
Eastern Notes: Drummond, Prokhorov, Green
With Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov making a series of moves recently that expanded the Russian’s holdings in New York’s sports and entertainment market, some concern exists that these real estate moves may diminish his interest, as well as financial commitment, to the team, according to NetsDaily. Dmitry Razumov, Prokhorov’s CEO and chairman of the Nets, disputed any notion that team ownership is losing interest in the franchise or the NBA, NetsDaily adds. “Without doubt ownership is focused on team performance,” said Razumov. “Our new projects will contribute to the team’s ultimate success by providing a best-in-class practice facility and a D-League team as a resource for players and coaching staff.”
The team has made a series of roster moves that have reduced the team’s payroll since Paul Pierce departed as a free agent prior to the 2014/15 season, but Razumov suggests these decisions were not just about the money, and added that fans should give the rebuilding process a chance to bear fruit, the NetsDaily scribe relays. “We also understand that a team of largely new, younger players needs time to come together and we have to give the coach and the players a chance to do their work without breathing down their necks,” Razumov continued. “The many devoted fans who have been with us through thick and thin will recall we have been through this before, and have managed to get to the playoffs three times in the last three seasons. We have every hope that the same thing is possible this season.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Heat have suspended swingman Gerald Green for two games, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter links), and the team confirmed. The suspension is for what the team is referring to as “detrimental conduct,” Wojnarowski adds. Green has been away from the team following an incident last week that apparently left him bleeding and unconscious.
- Pistons center Andre Drummond is off to a spectacular start to the 2015/16 campaign, and much of his success is due to the departure of Greg Monroe, who signed with the Bucks this offseason, Adam Woodard of For the Win writes. Drummond, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer, could see offer sheets for deals worth approximately $100MM come his way, Woodard opines.
- Drew Gooden has played for 10 different teams during his 13-year NBA career, and he now finds himself an important rotation piece on the Wizards, a longevity that the player attributes to his versatility, Chris Mannix of SI.com relays. “I’m like a tunnel rat,” Gooden told Mannix. “Every situation I’m in I have to reinvent myself, have to do what I can do to fit in. I came [to Washington] on a 10-day contract and I made the best of it. But the league has changed, in a good way for me. When I came in the league, the biggest knock was that I was a tweener, that I couldn’t play the three or the four. Now there is value in that. It’s made its way full circle.”
Offseason In Review: Detroit Pistons
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees and more will be covered as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Joel Anthony: Two years, $5MM. Signed via cap room. Second year is non-guaranteed.
- Aron Baynes: Three years, $19.5MM. Signed via cap room.
- Reggie Jackson: Five years, $80MM. Signed via Bird rights.
- Adonis Thomas: Two years, $1.825MM. Signed via minimum-salary exception. First year is partially guaranteed for $110K, second year is non-guaranteed. Waived.
Extensions
- None
Trades
- Acquired Ersan Ilyasova from the Bucks in exchange for Caron Butler and Shawne Williams.
- Acquired Steve Blake from the Nets in exchange for Quincy Miller.
- Acquired Marcus Morris, Reggie Bullock and Danny Granger from the Suns in exchange for Detroit’s 2020 second round pick. Granger was subsequently waived.
Waiver Claims
- None
Draft Picks
- Stanley Johnson (Round 1, 8th overall). Signed via rookie exception to rookie scale contract.
- Darrun Hilliard (Round 2, 38th overall). Signed via cap room for three years and $2.49MM. Second year is partially guaranteed for $500K, third year is non-guaranteed.
Camp Invitees
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- Reggie Bullock (fourth year, $2,255,644) — exercised.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (fourth year, $3,678,319) — exercised.
Stan Van Gundy knew had to make a major roster overhaul when he took over as the Pistons’ head coach and president of basketball operations in May 2014. He realized that a team top heavy in big men and lacking shooters was not going to work in the current NBA landscape. It wasn’t tough to figure out that he needed to build the team around a budding superstar in center Andre Drummond by giving him space to operate, surrounding him with long-distance marksmen and finding a long-term pick-and-roll partner to get him the ball.
Detroit’s makeover began prior to last summer with two major moves. Van Gundy stunned the basketball world by eating the remaining 2 1/2 seasons on Josh Smith‘s contract via the stretch provision and waiving him last December, breaking up the jumbo frontcourt of Drummond, Greg Monroe and Smith that delivered just five wins by the holidays.
Van Gundy then added a major piece at the trade deadline with a blockbuster deal that netted point guard Reggie Jackson. The trade was partly motivated by a season-ending Achilles’ tendon tear suffered by Brandon Jennings the previous month, but moreso because Van Gundy and his staff believed Jackson was a better fit to run his offensive scheme.
When the Pistons’ season ended without a postseason berth for the sixth straight season, Van Gundy was ready to strike. He found the stretch four he was seeking within the division, trading for Ersan Ilyasova from the Bucks while only giving up two players who had no future with the team, aging forward Caron Butler and Shawne Williams. Not only did the Pistons view Ilyasova as a better frontcourt partner with Drummond, they also saw it as a low-risk move. Virtually all of Ilyasova’s contract next season is not guaranteed, allowing them to easily cut ties with him if they find a better option in the near future. Ilyasova has jumped right into the Pistons’ starting five, though Van Gundy has limited his minutes in the early going.
The next order of business was to improve the small forward spot that was manned during the second half last season by another player nearing the end of his career, Tayshaun Prince. They secured the player they had targeted in the draft when Stanley Johnson was still available with the No. 8 pick. While the Pistons took some heat for passing over Duke’s Justise Winslow — who slid to the Heat two spots later — they were enamored with Johnson’s versatility and winning pedigree. Johnson won four big-school championships in California during his high school career, then led a veteran Arizona team in scoring during his lone college season.
Johnson’s ability to both power his way to the rim and drain 3-pointers fits seamlessly into Van Gundy’s scheme, though he has gotten off to a slow start offensively. But he’s already become a valuable member of the second unit because of his defensive tenacity. Van Gundy believes Johnson can develop into an elite defensive stopper.
They secured another shooter in the second round of the draft in Darrun Hilliard, adding depth to the shooting guard spot. Hilliard made the opening-day roster, though he probably won’t crack the rotation and will likely get sent on assignment to the team’s D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids to improve his overall game.
Free agency didn’t go quite as the Pistons had planned. They were intent on signing a starting small forward, with DeMarre Carroll and Danny Green topping the list. They quickly struck out in their pursuit of both players, with Carroll signing with the Raptors and Green staying put in San Antonio. Detroit then immediately shifted gears and took advantage of a Suns front office looking to create cap space to sign free agent LaMarcus Aldridge. Phoenix forwarded the contracts of Marcus Morris, Reggie Bullock and Danny Granger to Detroit in a salary dump.
The Pistons had no use for Granger and his balky knee but were thrilled to acquire Morris, whom they felt would establish himself as a consistent offensive threat if they gave him the green light to shoot. They also liked Morris’ toughness and defensive intensity, two qualities the Pistons were lacking last season. The early returns have been impressive, with Morris delivering big dividends at both ends of the floor.
Bullock was so impressive in preseason action that the club exercised its fourth-year option on him. He has a chance to be a rotation player with Jodie Meeks sidelined for approximately half the season with a foot fracture.
There was little doubt that restricted free agent Jackson would get the big contract and major role he craved, and that was realized when the Pistons signed him for five years and $80MM. The team’s success over the next few seasons will rest on whether Jackson, who had no chance of being a featured player with the Thunder, becomes an All-Star caliber floor and locker room leader.
The other big development in free agency was the player the Pistons chose not to pursue. They let Monroe walk, then filled the backup center spot with a mid-range shooter and rebounder by signing Aron Baynes. While the Pistons valued Monroe’s scoring and rebounding, the emergence of Drummond made him a poor roster fit. In contrast, Baynes was happy to gain some long-term security and become a second-unit anchor.
All that was left was to acquire some veteran insurance policies to fill out the roster. Uncomfortable with the notion of Spencer Dinwiddie serving as Jackson’s backup in the early going, the Pistons traded for Steve Blake. They also brought back Joel Anthony as the No. 3 center.
Detroit’s busy offseason didn’t yield the veteran small forward it coveted in free agency, though Morris’ play has erased any disappointment over failing to land Carroll or Green. Otherwise, the Pistons checked all the boxes on their shopping list. They overhauled the forward positions without breaking the bank and fortified the bench with proven players. Van Gundy’s vision of what the Pistons’ roster should look like when he was handed the keys to the franchise has come to fruition.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post. The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of it.