Suns Rumors: Malone, Nash, Gentry, Van Gundy
The news today that the Suns and coach Alvin Gentry decided to part ways didn't register nearly the reaction that coaching changes by the Lakers and Nets did earlier this season. That stands to reason, given that L.A. and Brooklyn are media hubs, but even the end of Scott Skiles' tenure in Milwaukee seemed to have more gravitas than what went down in Phoenix. Last-place teams typically don't generate much press, though, particularly when they're devoid of any notable star. Phoenix has had plenty of stars in the past, though, and one of them weighed in on today's move, as we pass along below with other notes from the Valley of the Sun.
- Rival executives are bringing up Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone's name in connection with the Suns job, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who identifies him as a strong candidate for the job this summer (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Steve Nash thinks Gentry's departure from Phoenix could be a positive for his former coach, and Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com believes that speaks volumes about the state of the Suns (Sulia link). The move didn't catch Nash off-guard. "I think the writing's been on the wall," Nash said. "It looks like it to me … They wouldn't extend his contract. They just gave him the year to kind of play it out. It looked like they wanted to get their own guy in there."
- Gentry isn't discouraged by today's events, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "I still think I'm a good coach," Gentry said. "I'm at fault, not totally. There were other factors but I'm ultimately responsible as the coach."
- Marcin Gortat seems to be lobbying via Twitter for Stan Van Gundy, who coached the Polish center with the Magic, to take the job in Phoenix, writing "SVG is out there….." shortly after the news broke about Gentry this afternoon (hat tip to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). Van Gundy said over the summer he still has the itch to coach, but has maintained that he has no interest in the Nets opening.
- The Suns front office expected that the team would compete for a playoff spot this year, but that was a drastic miscalculation from the start, contends Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link).
Western Notes: Brewer, Suns, Bledsoe, Rush
Among the highlights on tonight's NBA schedule: A pair of Western Conference showdowns, as the Spurs host the Grizzlies and the Thunder look to extend their Conference lead with a win against the Nuggets. While we wait for those games to get underway, here are a few links from around the West:
- Corey Brewer tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link) that he'd like to re-sign with the Nuggets in July when his contract expires. "Yeah, I’d like to be here," Brewer said. "I like the fans, I like the city, I like the system, I like George Karl’s system, I like my teammates. So it’s a good situation for me."
- Given the Suns' current record and place in the standings, coach Alvin Gentry acknowledges that it may be time to look to the future and give his younger players more minutes, as Bob Young of USA Today writes.
- Eric Bledsoe wants to be a starting point guard in the NBA at some point, but for now he's happy to learn from Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups on the Clippers, says Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
- Agent Mark Bartelstein tells Ken Berger of CBS Sports that his client Brandon Rush underwent successful knee surgery today and is expected to make a full recovery (Twitter links).. With his health not a given this summer, I'd imagine Rush will exercise his $4MM player option for 2013/14 and remain with the Warriors.
- Mavericks guard Mike James spoke to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the challenge of making an impression while playing on a 10-day contract.
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld recognized the Trail Blazers multiple times in his picks for the NBA's best offseason moves, giving Portland the nod for best first-round pick (Damian Lillard) and best coaching hire (Terry Stotts).
Teams Facing Disabled Player Exception Deadline
Plenty of teams have had to endure injuries to star players this season, as Derrick Rose, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bynum, Kevin Love, John Wall, Eric Gordon and others have all missed significant time. Still, for a team to get any monetary relief from the NBA, a player must be out for the entire season. The league grants the disabled player exception to teams who'll be without a member of their roster for the entire season, and Tuesday is the last day for teams to apply for it.
As Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors spelled out when he looked at this exception, it gives the team an amount equal to half the injured player's salary that it can use to sign a replacement to a contract for the rest of that season. Teams can also use that amount, plus $100K, to bring in a replacement via trade, as long as the incoming player is in the final year of his deal.
The exception doesn't automatically show up in a team's ledger when a player goes down. Clubs must submit an application to the league, which considers whether to fulfill requests on a case-by-case basis. Ostensibly, this is to prevent teams from trying to replace players who might come back at some point later in the season. But, if the injured player surprises and makes it back before the end of the year, the team suffers no penalty.
We heard earlier today that the Lakers are exploring the idea of applying for the exception to replace Jordan Hill, who was ruled out for the season on Friday. Over the weekend, the Timberwolves made official news that's been expected since last month, announcing on their website that Malcolm Lee is done for the year. Yet for all the players suffering injuries this season, only a handful of players appear to be definitely out for the season. We'll round them up here, with amount the exception would be worth in parentheses.
- Channing Frye, Suns ($3MM): There's no real need for Phoenix to pursue the exception, since they're already more than $3MM under the salary cap.
- Brandon Rush, Warriors ($2MM): The W's might be hesitant to add salary this season, since they're already a taxpaying team, and they're about $3MM below their hard cap, which the disabled player exception would not excuse them from.
- Malcolm Lee, Timberwolves ($381,098): The amount of this exception would be tiny, so it would be of little use in signings, but it could allow the Wolves a little bit of flexibility in trades.
- Jordan Hill, Lakers ($1,781,800): Luke Adams looked at the Lakers' case earlier today, noting that the Lakers already have more than $1.5MM available as part of their mid-level exception, so it seems unlikely they'd need the DPE.
- Elliot Williams, Trail Blazers ($721,440): The Blazers have already obtained the exception for Williams, though they have yet to use it.
Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ and ShamSports were used in the creation of this post.
Greg Oden Rumors: Friday
8:13pm: Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reports that several other teams in addition to the Mavericks are interested in possibly signing Oden. The Cavs, Hawks, and Grizzlies are rumored to have already conducted workouts with Oden, while the Bucks, Bulls, Spurs, and Warriors are also said to have interest.
3:15pm: When we heard yesterday that Greg Oden was aiming to return to the NBA for the 2013/14 season, the Heat were the only one of the big man's potential suitors identified. We can add another club to that list, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports the Mavericks have been in touch with agent Mike Conley Sr. to inquire on Oden.
Oden, who is taking classes at Ohio State, continues to recover from his third microfracture surgery, and isn't expected to be ready to return to action until the fall. However, yesterday's report suggested that there may be teams interested in signing the former first overall pick to a multiyear deal this season, to allow him to rehab under an NBA club's supervision. The Mavs could make a strong case to Oden, writes MacMahon, though he's unsure what sort of financial commitment the team would be willing to make to the oft-injured seven-footer.
As we heard this morning, Conley hinted that the Heat aren't necessarily the frontrunners for his client, and didn't rule out any clubs except for the Trail Blazers.
Berger On Gay, Pierce, Stoudemire
Earlier today, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported that 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov, who previously attempted to buy the Golden State Warriors, is interested in buying the Kings from the Maloof brothers and keeping the team in Sacramento. For a full recap of Berger's information and other reports that have emerged today regarding a potential Kings sale, keep an eye on HoopsRumors.com's roundup.
Berger wrote another column today that features updates on several high-profile players who may be on the move at the trading deadline. Here are the highlights:
- Berger gives an update of the rumors surrounding the Grizzlies' efforts to move Rudy Gay. The Warriors, Suns, Raptors, and Kings have shown the most interest in trading for the seven-year veteran, whom Berger writes the Grizzlies are looking to move primarily to avoid paying luxury tax.
- Berger writes that the Suns' offer would be centered around Jared Dudley, draft picks, and the ability to absorb the majority of Gay's contract. The Raptors could offer Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon, although the Grizzlies are looking to get at least one good young player in return.
- A potential deal with the Warriors is unlikely, writes Berger, because it would likely involve Memphis taking back either Andris Biedrins or Richard Jefferson, neither of whom the Grizzlies have any interest in.
- Berger writes that the Knicks are open to trading Amare Stoudemire for cap relief, although he does not believe it likely that a team would be willing to trade for him given his health and contract.
- Berger is more optimistic that the Celtics would be able to move Paul Pierce if they were so inclined, because his contract is only partially guaranteed for next season and he is still performing at a high level.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Warriors, Barnes
Former Sonics coach George Karl is excited about the prospect of basketball returning to Seattle, but the Nuggets coach feels for the Kings fans in Sacramento, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. "There’s a part of me that’s disappointed because I think Sacramento, I’ve enjoyed my times in Sacramento. I think Sacramento is a great town. I’m not going to lie, I’m happy that Seattle is going to have a team…but I am disappointed that Sacramento can’t keep their team.” Here's more out of the Pacific Division, including notes on the Kings..
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea (on Twitter) believes that the Warriors will have to ask themselves if parting with Harrison Barnes would be worth it in a trade for the Grizzlies' Rudy Gay. Barnes has tremendous upside and Steinmetz believes that he could possibly be even better than Gay in five years.
- Sources say there are still a lot of unknowns and uncertainties before the deal putting the Kings in Seattle is finalized, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. The early returns on tonight's poll show that more than 88% of Hoops Rumors readers believe that the Kings will ultimately end up in Seattle.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (on Twitter) has some criticisms of Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson and his handling of the newest developments on the Kings'.
Rudy Gay Rumors: Tuesday
9:19pm: The Cavaliers would appear to be an ideal trading partner considering the amount of cap space, draft picks, and young talent they have, but the Grizzlies have not had any discussions with them about Gay nor would they likely be interested in what Cleveland would be willing to concede (Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports).
6:25pm: Matt Moore of CBS Sports writes that the Grizzlies are said to only be interested in a salary dump and view draft picks as the only value return.
4:37pm: The Kings and Celtics are other teams that have had conversations with the Grizzlies about Gay, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Kennedy also points out that the Rockets and Raptors have shown interest in Gay in the past, and are candidates to re-enter the mix.
12:37pm: The Warriors also engaged in preliminary discussions with the Grizzlies about Gay, but talks didn't go anywhere, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors like Gay, but the Grizzlies aren't interested in taking on any of Golden State's bad contracts (ie. Richard Jefferson), and the Warriors likely don't have the combination of young players and draft picks that Memphis is seeking, according to Thompson.
Zach Lowe of Grantland reported last week that the Warriors had "long coveted" Gay, but said they didn't seem to be a good match as a trade partner for the Grizzlies.
HoopsWorld On Roster Depth
Several writers from HoopsWorld.com have posted a new roundtable column in which they examine roster depth in the NBA. Five writers have different opinions on which team is the deepest in the league:
- Eric Pincus praises the Clippers' bench, writing that contributions from reserves such as Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes have taken pressure off stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul to play heavy minutes. He also points out that the Clippers are off to a strong start despite continued injuries to veterans Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups.
- Alex Kennedy points out that the Spurs are getting contributions from many different non-star players, singling out Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, and Patrick Mills among the keys to their success.
- Tommy Beer writes that the Knicks are proving detractors wrong, with veterans like Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby making a positive impact instead of letting their ages be a liability. He also says that sixth man J.R. Smith has been integral to their strong play so far.
- Bill Ingram is impressed with the way the Warriors have been able to compensate for injuries to Andrew Bogut and Brandon Rush and prove themselves competitive in the Western Conference.
- Stephen Brotherston says the Celtics are deeper than last season, although he points out that their chemistry has not gelled yet.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Cousins, Lee, Gasol
Last night, the Clippers donned their whites and made themselves right at home in their 107-102 victory over the Lakers. Kobe Bryant gave the Lakers 38 points but a team effort from the Clippers – bolstered by Chris Paul's 30 points and 13 dimes – ultimately won out. Here's today's look at the Pacific Division..
- DeMarcus Cousins' 31 points and 20 boards in Friday night's road win over the Raptors puts the exclamation point on the Kings' current preference to hold on to him, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld. The Mavericks are interested in Cousins and Brigham theorizes that Dallas could offer some combination of Darren Collison, Chris Kaman, Rodrigue Beaubois, and Jae Crowder. All of those players, except for Crowder, are on expiring contracts.
- David Lee no longer feels pressure to play up to his six-year, $80MM deal and as a result, finds himself as an All-Star candidate this season, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Lee is averaging 20.2 PPG with 11.1 RPG so far this season.
- Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter) opines that the Lakers have to figure things out with Pau Gasol and integrate him into the system as his trade value isn't exactly at its peak right now. After last night's game, Gasol told reporters that he won't be requesting a trade after being left on the bench for most of the final frame.
Warriors Likely To Pay Tax, Keep Kent Bazemore
The Warriors aren't desperate to get under the tax threshold this season, and they probably won't let go of Kent Bazemore and his partially guaranteed contract before the deal becomes fully guaranteed on Thursday, a source tells Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Letting go of Bazemore, who has a meager $25K guarantee on his minimum-salary deal, wouldn't get the Warriors under the $70.307MM tax threshold, as Thompson points out. That's because the Warriors are more than $900K over and Bazemore is only owed $300K for the rest of the season.
The Warriors believe the 6'5" Bazemore, who went undrafted out of Old Dominion last summer, has a future in the league, according to Thompson's source, so the benefits of keeping him outweigh the dollar-for-dollar tax penalty. It also means the Warriors haven't changed their stance on the merits of Bazemore versus Dominic McGuire since November, when Thompson reported they weren't interested in waiving Bazemore to bring aboard McGuire, who was a part of Golden State's rotation last year. McGuire was waived by the Hornets today, but the Warriors can't add him or anyone else without cutting someone, since they're at the 15-man roster limit.
Golden State is in the rare position of having more money on the books for next season than it does for this one. The team is set to come in slightly over the tax apron for 2013/14, which is a line $4MM above the tax threshold. Teams above the apron have limited flexibility, as Thompson details. The precise threshold for next season won't be defined until July, so there's a chance the Warriors could keep all of their commitments for next season and still wind up below the apron. At that point, they could revisit the idea of keeping Bazemore, since the next season on his deal also comes without a full guarantee.