Western Notes: Jazz, Gortat, Bogut, Ebanks
Trey Burke is set to have surgery on his broken right finger tomorrow, and Jody Genessy of the Deseret News hears from the rookie’s agent that the injury could sideline Burke for more than eight weeks. It’s bad news for the Jazz, who don’t have a ton of point guard depth, but the team isn’t rushing to find a replacement, and is still in info-gathering mode, according to Genessy (via Twitter).
One option that doesn’t appear to be on the table for Utah is bringing over second-round pick Raul Neto. According to GM Dennis Lindsey, via Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune, Neto’s team in Spain (Lagun Aro) is in a similar building process to the Jazz, so Utah wouldn’t try to lure away one of its best players (Twitter links).
Here’s more on the Jazz and a few other Western teams:
- Luhm adds in another tweet that Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said today there are a couple of free agents who are looking for more than what the club is willing to pay.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic spoke to Marcin Gortat about entering a contract year and the possibility of remaining with the Suns long-term.
- Andrew Bogut reiterated to Sam Amick of USA Today that he likes playing for the Warriors and wants to stay in Golden State beyond this season, but noted that Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry probably felt the same way before they signed elsewhere. In other words, Bogut hopes to remain with the Warriors, but recognizes anything could happen next summer in free agency.
- On the heels of a report indicating Corey Maggette figures to retire if he’s waived by the Spurs, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld notes (via Twitter) that the veteran has long been interested in an executive job. Maggette participated in the NBPA’s Leadership Development Program, which prepares players for front office roles.
- The NBA announced today that Devin Ebanks has been suspended two games for pleading nolo contendere to driving under the influence of alcohol. Ebanks is currently trying to earn a spot on the Mavericks‘ regular-season roster — he was already a long shot, but his suspension certainly doesn’t help his chances.
Warriors Waive Cameron Jones
The Warriors announced that they have waived guard Cameron Jones. Golden State’s roster is now down to 17.
Jones, 24, appeared in all three of Golden State’s 2013 preseason games, averaging 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.7 minutes per contest. The guard had a chance of making the cut, but strong play from center Dewayne Dedmon and further competition from Seth Curry spelled the end of his time with the Warriors.
Jones has played in the D-League the last two seasons, and was a member of Golden State’s affiliate in Santa Cruz in 2012/13. Referred to as the “best-kept secret in the D-League” by Warriors assistant GM Kirk Lacob, Jones averaged 12.6 PPG in 50 D-League contests last season. The Northern Arizona product helped lead Santa Cruz to the D-League Finals, and played for the Warriors’ squad that won the Summer League championship in Las Vegas in July.
Traded 2014 First Round Picks To Watch
As we saw in 2011 when the draft pick acquired from the Clippers by the Cavaliers ended up landing first overall, trading unprotected first-round picks is a risky proposition for NBA teams. That would explain why, heading into the 2013/14 season, only three ’14 first-round picks have been traded without protection, all by veteran teams expected to have strong years.
The Knicks’ first-round pick will be sent to the Nuggets, as part of New York’s debt from the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster. However, if the Knicks’ pick is less favorable than Denver’s own pick, the Nuggets will pass it along to Orlando, as part of last summer’s four-team Dwight Howard trade. Otherwise, the Magic will receive Denver’s pick.
The Warriors’ first-round pick will head to Utah, one of several picks Golden State sent to the Jazz in the cap-clearing summer deal that saw Andre Iguodala land with the Warriors.
The other unprotected first-rounder will come from the Nets, who agreed to send their pick to Boston in this offseason’s acquisition of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. As part of 2012’s Joe Johnson swap though, the Hawks have the opportunity to swap their own first-round pick with the Nets’ pick, leaving the Celtics with the lesser pick of the two. So if the Nets disappoint this season, it will be the Hawks, rather than the C’s, who benefit most.
Nine other teams have agreed to give up their respective 2014 first-round picks in certain scenarios, but given the protection on these picks, only a handful will actually change hands next summer. We’ll be keeping an eye on the standings all season to monitor whether or not these traded picks will fall under protection, but here’s an early look at the situations to watch this season:
Team: Charlotte Bobcats
Will be sent to: Chicago Bulls
Protection: 1-10
Forecast: Despite the addition of Al Jefferson, the Bobcats still likely project as a lottery team, meaning this pick has a good chance to stay put. That could be good news for the Bulls, since we continue to inch closer to 2016, when this pick will become unprotected.
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Will be sent to: Oklahoma City Thunder
Protection: 1-20
Forecast: Mark Cuban and the Mavs are optimistic about the new-look roster, but I’m skeptical that Dallas is a top-ten team. This pick will probably stay with Dallas.
Team: Detroit Pistons
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-8
Forecast: If the Pistons were to finish as a bottom-eight team, I expect there’d be some jobs opening up in Detroit in 2014, given the expectations for the club. I have the Pistons penciled in as a low playoff seed in the East, so this pick should be ticketed for Charlotte.
Team: Indiana Pacers
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: While the Heat may be the No. 1 seed in the East again, the Pacers shouldn’t be too far behind them. As such, this pick will likely land in the mid-20s and be shipped to Phoenix.
Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-13
Forecast: If the T-Wolves can avoid the injury problems that plagued them last season, they should be a playoff contender. The West will be competitive though, so there are no guarantees either way on this one.
Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Will be sent to: Philadelphia 76ers
Protection: 1-5
Forecast: I’m not bullish on the Pelicans’ postseason chances for 2013/14, but the offseason upgrades, along with continued development from Anthony Davis, should ensure that New Orleans isn’t a bottom-five team. The result could be a pair of lottery picks for the Sixers.
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Will be sent to: Miami Heat
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: Speaking of those Sixers, it would be truly be a shocker if their own first-rounder changed hands next summer. Many pundits don’t expect the Sixers to win 20 games, let alone earn a playoff spot.
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: Like the Wolves, the Blazers expect to be in contention for the postseason, but again, it won’t be easy in the West. This is another pick I could see going either way.
Team: Sacramento Kings
Will be sent to: Cleveland Cavaliers
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: The Kings are entering the season with playoff aspirations as well, but their odds are significantly lower, in my view, than the Wolves’ or Blazers’. I expect we’ll see Sacramento keep this pick.
RealGM.com was used in the creation of this post.
Roster Battles: Spurs, Warriors, Heat, Sixers
The Spurs have been searching for a backup small forward since releasing Stephen Jackson in the spring, and the team may have found its man in Sam Young. However, as Young competes for a roster spot in San Antonio, the veteran tells Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News that Spurs fans haven’t forgotten the role he played in the Grizzlies’ 2011 upset of the West’s No. 1 seed.
“That was one of the biggest moments in Grizzlies history, so when we beat them, a lot of Spurs fans were upset,” Young said. “When I got here, a couple people let me know on Twitter; a lot of people let me know on Facebook. Even a couple coaches talked about it, but it’s cool. They’ve embraced me.”
Here’s the latest on a few more players hoping to earn roster spots around the NBA:
- The Warriors will have to cut at least three players before the regular season begins to reduce their roster to 15 players, but camp invitee Dewayne Dedmon may be playing his way onto the team. As Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News details, coach Mark Jackson said after last night’s game that Dedmon is “an NBA player today” and “really does have a chance” to earn one of the open roster spots. Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group notes (via Twitter), that Dedmon’s strong play may not bode well for the chances of fellow camp invitees Seth Curry and Cameron Jones.
- It’s still early in the preseason, but Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald thinks the Heat‘s roster already looks set. In Goodman’s opinion, Roger Mason Jr. and Michael Beasley will earn the final two roster spots.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown sees NBA potential in undrafted rookie Khalif Wyatt, who is currently vying for a roster spot in Philadelphia, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Scott Cacciola of the New York Times examines Chris Douglas-Roberts‘ quest to earn a spot on the Knicks‘ roster.
Latest On Jason Collins
When Jason Collins announced in the spring that he was gay, he appeared poised to become the first openly gay active male athlete in a major North American sport. However, with the regular season just three weeks away, Collins remains on the free agent market.
According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the Kings were one of four teams to express interest in Collins during the offseason, but ultimately opted to go younger, adding Hamady N’Diaye to their camp roster. That echoes what we heard about the Knicks’ interest — New York decided to sign younger bigs like Cole Aldrich and Jeremy Tyler after kicking the tires on the 34-year-old Collins.
It’s not clear if the Warriors were one of four teams to express interest in Collins, but GM Bob Myers tells Spears that his team would have seriously considered the veteran if the roster wasn’t already flush with centers. Golden State currently has Andrew Bogut, Marreese Speights, Jermaine O’Neal, Festus Ezeli and Dewayne Dedmon under contract. However, Myers, who represented Collins as an agent before he became a Warriors executive, is hopeful that his former client will get an NBA opportunity.
“There are a lot of good players who are on the cusp of being in or out of the NBA,” Myers said. “I think he will get a chance.”
When ESPN.com’s Marc Stein examined Collins’ situation recently, he wrote that the big man will likely have more luck finding a landing spot after the season gets underway, and one NBA GM makes a similar suggestion to Spears, predicting that Collins will sign in January. While another GM indicates that Collins’ age is a concern, a source tells Spears that the 12-year veteran looks “stronger than ever” as he waits for a team to call.
Western Notes: Carter, Dwight, Trail Blazers
While we heard earlier today that Shawn Marion may not be entirely sure of what the future holds beyond this season, his Mavericks teammate Vince Carter feels eager to continue his NBA career as long as his body allows him to: "I don’t want to limit myself. I think doing that, you start thinking about it as the season goes on. I just go. I just let the body pretty much dictate how I feel at the end" (Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas). The 36-year-old guard/forward is entering the final year of his three-year contract this season, though MacMahon notes that team owner Mark Cuban has already gone on record saying he'd like to re-sign Carter this summer.
- Warriors owner Joe Lacob tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News that the team was much closer to landing Dwight Howard than people might think: "…we would not have gone after him if we didn’t think we had a chance or that it made sense…We were a lot closer than people realize to perhaps that actually happening."
- The Oregonian's Mike Tokito thinks Robin Lopez will not only help expedite the development of Meyers Leonard, but also provide a viable frontcourt partner for LaMarcus Aldridge on the opposite block. In another piece, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports that Aldridge had sustained a strained hip flexor during practice last night. However, the Trail Blazers' PR Twitter account clarifies that the injury was a left quad strain (Twitter link). Head coach Terry Stotts, while somewhat concerned, doesn't believe it to be serious.
- Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press underscores the tough road that Timberwolves training camp hopeful Othyus Jeffers has had to endure to get to this point.
- Nuggets coach Brian Shaw is pleased with how his players have responded in training camp as he prepares to get the team to push the pace this season (Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post). In a separate article, Dempsey writes that JaVale McGee still has a ways to go before establishing himself as a legitimate post presence.
Warriors Owner On Offseason, Iguodala, CBA
Warriors owner Joe Lacob sat down with Sean Deveney of the Sporting News earlier today to disucss several topics, including how he feels about the improvements made during the offseason and how the new collective bargaining agreement will affect his decision-making moving forward. You can read some of the highlights from the Q&A transcript below:
On how much the team has improved since last year:
We have improved this team on paper. Perhaps even substantially. We’re still a very young team. We have a young core that hopefully begins to organically grow and get better. We added key free agents, we added size, we added depth. We’re pretty interesting. We have very good shooting, we have very good height and depth. We’re a big team now. We have, at any time, we can put out five individual defenders that are really good defenders. We couldn’t do that a year ago.
On how he thinks the team will stack up against the rest of the Western Conference:
There are some really good teams in the West. But I think we are right there in that group. We believe we are right there. We feel that, if we stay injury-free, we can be a contender to finish in the Top 4 in the West and get homecourt advantage and from there, you see what happens.
On the significance of being able to add a top-tier free agent like Andre Iguodala:
We started a process whereby we wanted to make a run at improving through the ways that you traditionally improve a team. Draft, we have bought draft picks all three years we have been involved here. We wanted to have more shots at bringing in players. Free agency, we wanted to be in the conversation every year. (Andre) wanted to come here and came here for less than he would have gotten somewhere else. It was emblematic of the way he sees our franchise and the changes we have made. We have made it clear we want a championship. We will spend the money. I said I would be willing to go into the luxury tax for that, and we would have. It wound up that we did not have to do it that way.
If he's worried about keeping his young and talented core together under the new CBA:
As time goes by, we will have some challenges in that regard. We will have to deal with that as those situations occur. Steph Curry is signed up for the long term—the long term is four years in the NBA now. (Klay Thompson) is in his third year, (Harrison Barnes) is in his second year. So it is not an urgent problem right now. But eventually, that could become a problem, how do you keep them? It is not going to be a monetary issue because this ownership is willing to spend whatever it takes to build a championship here and be extremely competitive every year. That isn’t something I even think about, we will spend the money.
I don’t want to pay the luxury tax, nobody wants to. That’s why it is a luxury tax, it is very punitive. But if it means winning vs. not winning, I choose winning. So that’s not an issue. At the end of the day, all the things we are talking about are important, but the fans care about one thing: Are you winning? Not the luxury tax. If I am not here to win, then I shouldn’t be here. We need to win.
On the risk of signing Stephen Curry to an extension after he had been injured:
A lot of people questioned signing him to a long-term deal—I would read it, every day, ‘Will he ever be healthy? Ever?’ He had several years of chronic ankle problems. But I looked at that and thought, ‘I don’t remember an ankle ending a guy’s career.’ I believed with good medical attention, he was going to be able to overcome that. And we probably got a discount relative to what someone else would have paid for him at the end of last year, given the performance he had. At that moment, though, yes, a lot of people wouldn’t have signed him. We took the chance, we signed him and now we look like we’re pretty smart.
Training Camp Notes: Kobe, Marion, Price, Dedmon
Kobe Bryant will be heading back to Germany over the next several days to have platelet-rich plasma therapy treatment on his right knee, which is the same procedure that the Lakers superstar underwent in 2011 and credited with rejuvenating his career (Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports). One source tells Wojnarowski and Spears that the thinking behind pushing back the procedure until now is to give Kobe maximum benefit once he's able to return to action this season. Here's some more of the buzz coming from NBA training camps this evening:
- Mavericks forward Shawn Marion will become a free agent after this upcoming season, but there's no guarantee that the 35-year-old will continue his playing career beyond 2014, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- Timberwolves training camp invitee A.J. Price is expected to make the team, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN in Minnesota.
- Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks that DeWayne Dedmon's size gives him a chance to make the Warriors' opening night roster.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal explains why New York should keep recently-invited swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts on board for the regular season.
Extension Candidate: Andrew Bogut
Since the Warriors acquired Andrew Bogut prior to the 2012 trade deadline, the veteran center has appeared in just 32 of 109 games for the team, having been sidelined extensively with ankle and back issues throughout the last season and a half. But Bogut reportedly looks good this fall, and recently told Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News that his goal is to play a full 82-game slate for Golden State this season.
Bogut's health is no guarantee, but if he manages to avoid further injuries over the next few months, the timing would be fortuitous. After all, the Australian is heading into the final season of a five-year, $60MM contract, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.
As I've written before, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement has significantly reduced the number of veteran contract extensions signed. Except in a few specific scenarios, there simply isn't much incentive for teams or players to extend a contract during the season rather than waiting for free agency. Nonetheless, Bogut is extension-eligible and isn't ruling out that possibility, telling Kawakami in the article linked above that he'd like to stay with the Warriors beyond this season.
"There haven’t been (extension talks)," Bogut said. "But I want to stay here, if I can. I like the organization, I like the direction, I like the owners, I love the coaches, I love the players. I honestly want to stay here. But I’m not (overlooking) that I’ve been hurt, so my value has been diminished a little bit. And obviously I want to have a good year.
"If I get an extension, I get it," Bogut continued. "If I don’t, I don’t. But we’re not really talking about it right now. The focus is training camp. And I think a big fella on the open market isn’t all so bad, either, judging by the last (offseason)."
Kawakami writes in his piece that the Warriors have "pretty clearly" indicated they'd like to keep Bogut long-term, so there seems to be mutual interest in working something out, whether that happens next July or earlier. Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group recently wrote that the club is taking a "wait-and-see" approach on extension talks, which suggests a new deal in the near future is probably unlikely. Still, we saw a year ago when Golden State locked up Stephen Curry to a long-term deal that the team is willing to roll the dice on players coming off injuries if there's an opportunity to get a bargain on premium talent.
So let's assume that the two sides at least discuss the topic in the next few weeks or months. What might a new deal for Bogut look like? Well, as he suggested himself, his injury history will hurt his value a little, meaning he's not likely to replicate the $14MM salary he'll earn in 2013/14. Still, as a former first overall pick with plenty left in the tank, he's definitely worth more than mid-level money. If we split the difference, that would mean an annual average value in the neighborhood of $9-10MM.
Would that be affordable enough for the Warriors? Although the team shed a ton of short-term salary by trading Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson, and Brandon Rush to the Jazz, that swap didn't improve the club's long-term cap flexibility. Golden State is still in fairly good shape for now, with only about $50MM in guaranteed salaries on its books for each of the next two seasons (2014/15 and 2015/16). There should definitely be room to pay Bogut a sizable salary in at least '14/15, but things could start to get tricky after that.
Klay Thompson will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2015, and Harrison Barnes could hit the market in 2016. Keeping both of those guys around, with Bogut still earning close to $10MM, could push team salary into tax territory. On the other hand, David Lee's big contract finally comes off the books in 2016, and this summer's cost-cutting trade with Utah showed that the Warriors can get creative when it comes to making room for their core players.
If we assume that the Warriors would be on board with a three-year extension worth $25MM+ for Bogut, what about the big man himself? If he plays anything close to the 82 games he's aiming for, and remains productive, he may be in line for a larger payday. But Andrew Bynum's free agency should be a cautionary tale — a year after he appeared to be headed for a max contract, Bynum only received $6MM in guaranteed money due to health concerns.
Given all the variables in play here, I doubt we'll see the two sides reach any sort of agreement until next July. The Warriors have enough cap flexibility that they can afford to wait and see how this season plays out, rather than risking committing long-term money to a player whose health is a question mark. As for Bogut, the incentive of rebuilding his value in a contract year likely looks more appealing than settling for a discount. I wouldn't be surprised if Bogut eventually remains in Golden State beyond 2014, but I expect to see him hit the open market next summer.
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Pacific Notes: Salmons, Bogut, Marshall
Let's check in on a few Wednesday items out of the Pacific Division….
- John Salmons, who had been an amnesty candidate this summer, wasn't sure he'd back with the Kings, as he tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. "A little bit," Salmons said, when asked if he was surprised to be back. "I can't lie about that… I'm good with being here, but I am a little surprised."
- Andrew Bogut, who hopes to play a full 82-game slate for the Warriors this season, would also like to stay with the team beyond 2014, as he tells Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Bogut admitted that there hadn't been extension talks with the team yet, but suggested he'd welcome them: "I like the organization, I like the direction, I like the owners, I love the coaches, I love the players."
- The next few weeks will be crucial for Kendall Marshall's future, according to Bob Young of the Arizona Republic, who writes that the Suns may decline the 2014/15 option on Marshall if they don't see enough from him during camp and the preseason.
- Eric Bledsoe of the Suns and Marcus Thornton of the Kings are among the players on Zach Lowe's All-Intriguing team in his latest piece for Grantland.com.