Odds & Ends: Motiejunas, Bradley, Draft, Frye
Friday afternoon's odds and ends:
- Donatas Motiejunas, Houston's 20th overall pick in 2011, spoke to Jakub Wojczynski of Przeglad Sportowy about his future and his plan to join the Rockets. While Motiejunas cautioned that it's "not 100%" he'll be in the NBA next season, he seems like a good bet to sign this summer.
- Doc Rivers and the Celtics confirmed today that Avery Bradley will undergo shoulder surgery and miss the rest of the playoffs (Twitter link).
- Hornets coach Monty Williams tells John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune that he doesn't think this draft class is as deep as advertised. "I don’t think you’re going to find a [Manu] Ginobili at 52," Williams said. "The last few weeks I’ve had a chance to look at all these young guys on tape and I’m not jaded by the hoopla as everybody else is. I think there are good players, but I don’t see this deep draft."
- One GM told ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) that he'd have "no concerns" drafting Perry Jones III in the top five.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com discusses trade candidates Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol in his "Friday 5" feature.
- Channing Frye's availability for the start of next season is in doubt as the Suns forward rehabs a shoulder injury, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Sam Smith fields plenty of Bulls questions in his latest mailbag for Bulls.com.
Odds & Ends: Haslem, Howard, Wizards, Lakers
Udonis Haslem will sit out Game 6 of the Heat/Pacers series tonight, serving a one-game suspension for his flagrant foul in Game 5. But Haslem and agent Henry Thomas intend to appeal the suspension nonetheless, hoping to regain the $35K the Heat forward will lose.
"We'll file an appeal to the union," Thomas told Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. "This is a guy who has been in the league for nine years and he doesn't have the reputation of being a dirty player. He's a hard-nosed player. But he's not dirty, and he doesn't want this to follow him around. … He's disappointed (with the suspension). He feels he tried to make a play on the ball."
As Haslem waits for his appeal to be heard, here are a few more Thursday notes from around the NBA:
- If Dwight Howard is available this summer, the Rockets are one team who might be willing to trade for him without assurances he'd re-sign, according to Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. I wrote earlier today that acquiring a star will be the Rockets' primary goal this offseason, and even coming off back surgery, Howard would certainly qualify.
- The Wizards have yet to make a decision on coach Randy Wittman, but sources suggest to Michael Lee of the Washington Post that Wittman is a good bet to return to Washington.
- Appearing on Colin Cowherd's radio show, Jerry West weighed in on the state of the Lakers, and Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com has the details.
- One NBA GM told Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider link) that Dion Waiters might be the player besides Anthony Davis with the most superstar potential in this year's draft class.
- Members of the Pistons' staff were upset that Greg Monroe wasn't named to this summer's U.S. Select Team, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- Tom Ziller of SBNation.com explains why it will be difficult for the Mavericks to trade Lamar Odom next month.
Offseason Outlook: Houston Rockets
Guaranteed Contracts
- Kevin Martin ($12,439,675)
- Luis Scola ($9,408,207)
- Kyle Lowry ($5,750,000)
- Patrick Patterson ($2,096,760)
- Marcus Morris ($1,905,360)
- Donatas Motiejunas ($1,134,500)
- Chandler Parsons ($888,250)
Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
- Samuel Dalembert ($6,700,000; partially guaranteed for $1,500,000)
- Chase Budinger ($885,120)
- Greg Smith ($762,195)
- Courtney Fortson ($762,195)
- Diamon Simpson ($762,195)
Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- Marcus Camby ($16,840,875)
- Courtney Lee ($5,562,733)
- Goran Dragic ($4,005,200)
- Earl Boykins ($854,389)
Draft Picks
- 1st Round (14th overall, pending lottery; 0.5% chance at first overall pick)
- 1st Round (16th overall)
Cap Outlook
- Guaranteed Salary: $35,122,752
- Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $35,634,902
- Total (not including draft picks): $70,757,654
Ever since Yao Ming saw his career derailed by injuries and Tracy McGrady's production fell off a cliff, the Rockets have been searching for their next star player. While guys like Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin, and Luis Scola have turned into solid contributors and show flashes of brilliance, Houston has missed the postseason for three straight years, and is still lacking the sort of star that can take them to the next level.
The Rockets thought they'd landed that player in December when they agreed to a blockbuster deal that would have sent Pau Gasol to Houston. Of course, we all know how that turned out — commissioner David Stern nixed the deal on behalf of the Hornets, and GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets headed back to the drawing board. Now, Houston heads into the 2012 offseason once again searching for that star that will make the club a legit contender.
Morey and the Rockets have a couple factors working in their favor when it comes to potential roster moves. With only about $35MM committed in guaranteed salaries, the team will have some cap space to work with, even if it decides to retain one or more of its own free agents. The only real star on the open market is Deron Williams, and the Rockets don't seem to be on his wishlist, but that cap space could be an asset to put toward other free agents or trades.
The other factor working in Houston's favor? If Morey wants to make another run at Gasol, he couldn't ask for a better time to do it. The Spaniard's star has faded a little in Los Angeles over the last few months, and it's hard to imagine the Lakers' asking price being quite as high as it was in December. A package centered around Martin and Scola likely wouldn't interest the Lakers, but perhaps a third team could get involved to facilitate a deal.
The bad news for the Rockets if they intend to pursue Gasol is that the player the Lakers really want - Lowry – also saw his stock drop a little this year, after he missed most of the second half and underwent surgery for a sports hernia at season's end. The Rockets displayed an unwillingness to trade a healthy, productive Lowry for Gasol earlier in 2012, but perhaps the emergence of Goran Dragic would make Lowry slightly more expendable, assuming Houston brings back Dragic.
While they may still be searching for that one core piece to add to the roster, the Rockets have done a nice job adding complementary players. The team has a good deal of young, affordable talent, including Patrick Patterson, Chase Budinger, and Chandler Parsons, and is poised to add even more — Houston is expected to sign last year's draft pick Donatas Motiejunas, and the team holds the 14th and 16th picks in this year's draft. The 2012 class is deep enough that the prospects available for the Rockets might not be any less productive than players selected 10 spots earlier.
If the Rockets don't draft a center or acquire one via trade, I expect the position to be the team's top priority in free agency. There are a number of intriguing names on the market this summer, and while Houston may not aggressively pursue restricted free agents like JaVale McGee, Roy Hibbert, or Brook Lopez, an unrestricted player such as Chris Kaman could make a lot of sense for the Rockets.
Still, for the Rockets, the offseason all comes down to landing does that star player. Does Gasol still qualify? And if not, will Houston's cap space, draft picks, and trade candidates be enough to acquire someone who does? That'll be the task facing Morey this summer as he looks to upgrade the Rockets' roster from one that's a borderline playoff contender to one that can hang with the top teams in the West.
Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.
Odds & Ends: Ainge, Gasol, Bird Rights, Shaw
It's been a busy night both on and off the court in the NBA, as the Lakers appear to be on their way to elimination at the hands of the Thunder, while the Magic are making wholesale management changes. Here's the rest of the late-night story:
- The Blazers have not asked for permission from the Celtics to speak with Danny Ainge about their GM opening, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets.
- The Rockets remain interested in trading for Pau Gasol, salary cap guru Larry Coon says, via Twitter.
- Coon also believes the union will not prevail in its quest to secure Bird rights for players who were claimed off waivers (Twitter link).
- Pacers assistant Brian Shaw is drawing interest for head coaching positions elsewhere, but the Pacers place a high value on him, Chris Mannix of SI.com notes (Twitter link).
- Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld profiles the top five vote-getters for Executive of the Year.
Southeast Notes: Hawks, Wade, Heat, Howard
Links out of the Southeast division as the Heat get set for Game 4 in Indiana tomorrow afternoon..
- Hawks General Manager Rick Sund’s contract expires next month but he has yet to commit to a return or publicly address his future, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Sund may also retire, take a part-time role with the Hawks, or jump ship to another team.
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wonders whether playing in the Olympics makes much sense for Dwyane Wade, who could use the rest for his 30-year-old body. Winderman notes the pressure that sponsors put on Wade and other superstars to play for their country.
- If the Rockets take a stab at trading for Magic big man Dwight Howard, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel believes that the package would be centered around Kevin Martin and Luis Scola because the salaries match up. Even if Howard doesn't sign a long-term extension with Houston, they would at least have Martin and Scola off of the books for a proper rebuild.
Rockets, Hawks Interested In Alexey Shved
Earlier this week, we heard that CSKA Moscow guard Alexey Shved is eyeing a potential jump to the NBA this coming season, with the Grizzlies, Timberwolves, and Thunder among the teams with interest.
In an interview with Sports.ru (translation via Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside), Shved's agent Obrad Fimic added a couple more clubs to the list of interested parties: the Rockets and Hawks.
No official offers from NBA teams are on the table, and Shved is still under contract with CSKA Moscow, but "all signs point" to him coming to America for the 2012/13 season. However, Fimic refuted the reported asking price of three years and $10MM+ for his client.
Shved's defense could be in a concern in the NBA, according to the Ridiculous Upside report. Still, Maxey agrees with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com on the 23-year-old's offensive prowess, noting that he could excel in the NBA as a reserve in an up-tempo offense.
Odds & Ends: Rockets, Hornets, Magic
It was a night of youth over experience, as the young Sixers evened their series with the veteran Celtics, while the up-and-coming Thunder was impressive in Game 1 against the battle-tested Lakers. There were a few stories of interest from off the court as well, so let's take a look:
- The NBA has suspended Rockets scout David Patrick for a year after determining he had impermissable contact with players during the lockout, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweeted. The team will not be punished because the league ruled that Patrick's communication was personal and not part of team business, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
- The Louisiana Senate has passed a bill that includes $36.5MM in tax breaks for the Hornets, Ed Anderson of The Times-Picayune reports. Gov. Bobby Jindal is expected to give final approval to the measure that includes the breaks, which were part of the deal between the team and the state that keeps the Hornets in New Orleans through at least 2024.
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld looks at the Magic's offseason plans, and says executives from other teams "openly joke" about the Magic's failure to hold workouts or conduct interviews with recent first-round picks.
Odds & Ends: Blazers, Hibbert, Bulls, Farmar
Tonight we saw the 76ers and Celtics advance to the second round in a pair of closely-contested Game 6s. Here are some links from around the Association as we wait to see if the Lakers can put the Nuggets away in Denver..
- The Blazers hope to bring former first-round picks Joel Freeland and Victor Claver on to the roster for next season, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
- The Rockets could have interest in Pacers big man Roy Hibbert as he enters restricted free agency, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. However, it seems that Indiana is prepared to match any offer that isn't unreasonable.
- When asked if the Bulls should keep their core in tact this summer, Joakim Noah responded, "I'm not the GM," tweets Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
- Nets guard Jordan Farmar wants to be a starter and wasn't terribly happy with his role last season, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. However, it's unlikely that Farmar will decline his $4.25MM player option.
- Most agree that the Pistons' main need in the draft is another big man to pair alongside center Greg Monroe, but team president Joe Dumars says that isn't neccessarily the case, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Ellis writes that it wouldn't be a shock to see Detroit tab a shooter like North Carolina's Harrison Barnes if they don't like any of the big men on the board.
- One Western Conference exec told Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter) that there is no way that Columbus will land an NBA franchise. Earlier today, we learned that the mayor of Columbus has informed David Stern that his city is interested in adding an NBA team.
Best Second-Round Picks Of 2011
There's a bold line between the first and second rounds in the NBA draft. First-rounders get guaranteed contracts that last two years with team options for third and fourth seasons. Nothing's certain for second-rounders, who often fail to make the team out of training camp and find themselves scrambling for a job. Still, plenty of quality players emerge after pick No. 30, like Carlos Boozer, Marc Gasol and Monta Ellis. Here's a look at the top performers picked in last year's second round:
- The last player picked in the second round (and the entire draft) might be the best of them. Former University of Washington point guard Isaiah Thomas was impressive enough for the Kings to move Tyreke Evans to small forward to accomodate him in the starting lineup. He improved his PPG and APG each month, and wound up averaging 14.8 points and 5.4 assists in 37 games as a starter. He's on a three-year unguaranteed minimum-salary deal.
- The Rockets didn't treat Florida product Chandler Parsons much like a player picked 38th overall for the Rockets this year. They gave him a four-year deal worth more than $3.6MM that's guaranteed for his first two seasons, and he started all but nine of the team's games, averaging 9.5 PPG and 4.8 RPG. The 6'9" forward was particularly effective in March, when he shot 52.6% and put up 12.9 PPG and 5.8 RPG.
- Stephen Curry's creaky ankles opened up a spot in the Warriors starting lineup for Charles Jenkins, and the 44th overall pick out of Hofstra took advantage. He averaged 9.4 PPG and 6.3 APG in 16 April games, all as a starter. He has one more season left on his contract, which is an unguaranteed minimum-salary deal.
- Few expected much of a pro career from Josh Harrellson when he was at Kentucky, but the 6'10", 275-pound center is a playoff contributor for the Knicks. He started four games but has been primarily a bench option, though his 13.7 PER and 9.6 rebounds per 36 minutes show he's been productive when called upon. The last season of his two-year minimum-salary contract is not guaranteed.
- Lavoy Allen got the start in Game 1 of the playoffs for the Sixers, an unlikely fate when the team drafted him 50th overall out of Temple. He also started 15 games in the regular season, but saw only 18.9 minutes per game in those starts. Still, like Harrellson, he displayed a knack for rebounding in his limited floor time, collecting 9.9 boards per 36 minutes. He has no deal for next season yet, and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Mavs, Chandler
All three Southwest Division teams in the playoffs are in action later today, as the Spurs and Grizzlies look to take control of their series, while the Mavs seek to delay their seemingly inevitable elimination at the hands of the Thunder. Here's the latest from around the division:
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld takes a look at the offseason for Rockets, recommending that they package their two picks in the middle of the first round to try to move up into the top five. The team's priorities should be finding a legitimate starting center and going after a franchise player who can be the go-to option late in games, Ingram says.
- As many as 10 Mavericks could be playing their final game for the team tonight, says Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com, who adds that only Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Brandan Wright and Kelenna Azubuike seem likely to return.
- Jason Terry believes the Mavs would be putting up a better title defense if the team had re-signed Tyson Chandler, notes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but said he and his teammates can't dwell on that. "Tyson isn't coming back, and we've realized that," Terry said. "I definitely say he had a great season — Defensive Player of the Year — but it's a presence you've missed. An active big man that can cover ground, and so we don't have that. We try to find other ways to win with the group we have."