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World Peace Interested In Knicks If Amnestied

July 9th, 2013 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

3:49pm: After the Knicks, World Peace's list of preferred destinations if he's amnestied includes the Clippers, Nets, Bulls, Heat, Thunder, Spurs, and Pacers, in that order, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. As Amick notes, the list reads like a who's-who of title contenders, and sends a message to teams with cap space that MWP isn't interested in being claimed by a non-contender.

2:14pm: A report yesterday indicated that the Lakers are preparing to amnesty Metta World Peace, a move that can't be finalized until tomorrow at the earliest, as I explained this afternoon. While nothing is official yet, World Peace would be "upset" if the Lakers cut him, as longtime friend (and head of his foundation) Jose Morales tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.

"If the Lakers do amnesty him, he might want to retire," Morales said. "If one of these small-market teams picks him up, he won't be happy with that. He doesn't want to play there."

Teams with cap space would have the first shot at World Peace if he were amnestied, since they'd have the ability to submit a waiver bid for him. Most clubs that still have room aren't legit contenders — the Cavaliers, Pistons, Mavericks, and Hawks are a few clubs that figure to have cap space during amnesty week.

With the threat of retirement looming, those teams may not want to risk claiming World Peace. If he were to go unclaimed, he'd become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team besides the Lakers. Morales tells Zwerling that MWP would be interested in joining the Clippers, and that joining his hometown Knicks would also have strong appeal.

"If the Lakers amnesty him, he's going to have a point to prove that he can still be that player in New York," Morales said.

Odds & Ends: Barea, Kenyon, Sampson, Copeland

July 6th, 2013 at 12:41am CST by Chuck Myron

Here's more from the NBA on an landmark night in free agency:

A Dallas source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that the Mavs' agreement with Jose Calderon likely knocks them out of discussions for J.J. Barea. Still, the Wolves remain upbeat about their chances of a Barea deal with the Mavs, in what would be a salary dump enabling Minnesota to clear money for a defensive-minded wing player (All Twitter links).
The Spurs have been one of many teams reportedly interested in Kenyon Martin, and now they're "in hot pursuit" of the veteran big man, though the Knicks and others remain in play, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game heard that Rockets assistant coach Kelvin Sampson wouldn't return to the team, but Sampson tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston that he'll be back in Houston. (Twitter links). "That's just a bad rumor," Sampson said. "I'm looking forward to a great year with the Rockets."
The Pacers and Chris Copeland discussed a third year that would have been a team option, but settled instead on their two-year, $6.12MM agreement, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group briefly looks at what the Warriors could do with the trade exceptions they'll acquire as part of their deal with the Jazz. He also hears that the W's see Andre Iguodala as capable of handling backup point guard duties, so the team will prioritize finding a backup center over a backup point guard (Sulia link).
In a separate piece, Thompson recounts the steps Iguodala took on the way to his agreement with the Warriors, noting that Iggy has long considered Golden State a desirable destination.
Lately, agent Dan Fegan has been preoccupied with other free agent clients, such as Dwight Howard, so he and the Wizards have yet to begin discussing an extension for John Wall, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Wall is extension-eligible this season, and will hit restricted free agency next summer if he and the Wizards don't strike a deal by Halloween.
In an interview with DraftExpress.com, Dario Saric suggests that the Mavericks were interested in making him a promise at No. 13 had he not withdrawn from last week's draft.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Free Agent Rumors: Kirilenko, Andersen, Collison

July 5th, 2013 at 11:32pm CST by Luke Adams

It's been a busy night in NBA free agency, as Dwight Howard has decided, after much back-and-forth, that he'll sign with the Rockets. His decision appears to have set in motion a domino effect, with Jose Calderon heading to the Mavs and a pair of ex-Jazz players agreeing to terms with the Hawks. Here's more on the latest from around the league:

The Wolves and Andrei Kirilenko didn't speak about the notion of a return today, but the team hasn't given up and retains his Non-Bird Rights, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reports via Twitter.
With several teams showing interest in him, Chris Andersen remains in "decision mode," according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. Andersen, who was expressed a desire to re-sign with the Heat, figures to make a decision early next week, says Zwerling (Twitter links).
Darren Collison will be prioritizing winning over salary or a starting role in free agency, sources tell Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. According to Ingram, Collison has been in contact with the Cavs, Kings, Spurs, and Clippers so far. We had previously heard about Cleveland's interest, but the rest of that list of potential suitors is new.
The Blazers are still pursuing Dorell Wright, but they're one of several teams with strong interest, according to The Oregonian's Jason Quick. (Twitter link). His agent, presumably Greg Lawrence, tells Quick a decision is coming soon.
Though the Hawks used up some of their cap space on agreements with Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll tonight, Atlanta remains the team most likely to make a lucrative offer to try to lure Nikola Pekovic from the Wolves, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
The Hawks were considering an offer to Mo Williams before they decided to do a deal with Millsap instead, tweets HoopsWorld's Yannis Koutroupis.
The Knicks had strong interest in re-signing Chris Copeland, but never made him an offer before he chose the Pacers instead, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
The Nets are still seeking to sign a backup point guard, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Copeland, Knicks, Raps, Stevens

July 5th, 2013 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up the latest news, notes, and rumors out of the Atlantic Division….

Chris Copeland's agent John Spencer isn't ruling out his client returning to the Knicks, but he expects to receive offers starting at higher than $1.75MM. As Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, after committing a portion of their mid-level to Pablo Prigioni, the Knicks only have about $1.75MM left on their MLE. Using that remaining money on a power forward like Elton Brand is more likely than a Copeland reunion, according to Berman.
Assuming Copeland doesn't take less to remain in New York, the Pacers, Lakers, Jazz, and Nuggets are in play for him, according to Spencer.
Agent Andy Miller tells Berman that his client, Sebastian Telfair, would "consider the Knicks very strongly." New York is eyeing another point guard and has also been in touch with reps for Earl Watson, Will Bynum, Aaron Brooks, and Devin Harris.
The second year of the Raptors' agreement with Julyan Stone won't be fully guaranteed, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Smith notes within the same piece that it remains extremely unlikely Toronto uses its amnesty clause next week.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge had long targeted Brad Stevens as a potential replacement for Doc Rivers, as Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe writes (subscription required). Ainge himself confirmed at this morning's press conference that Stevens was his first phone call after the Rivers transaction, tweets Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.

Chris Copeland Undecided On Offer Sheets

July 4th, 2013 at 9:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter) reports that free agent forward Chris Copeland has not decided on an offer sheet as of yet. Aside from the Pacers and Jazz, the Lakers remain very much in the picture, although Berman implies that L.A. has their focus on resolving the Dwight Howard situation first. Earlier today, we heard that Copeland had at least three offer sheets on the table, and while the Cavaliers seemed to be one of the three suitors, it appears that Utah may have been the third team Berman was alluding to.

The rumors swirling around Jose Calderon's possible interest in joining the Lakers could theoretically have an effect on whether or not Copeland would sign with the purple and gold, since Calderon would likely command the mini-MLE or a significant portion of it. Yesterday, we relayed the reported mutual interest between Copeland's camp and the Jazz, and that Copeland's agent expected more discussions with Utah. While the Pacers have a portion of their $5.15MM MLE to make a competitive offer, the Jazz have more than enough cap room to make a significant bid as well.

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Iguodala, Knicks, Morrow

July 4th, 2013 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that the Trail Blazers have struck a deal to acquire a big man (Robin Lopez), the team figures to move on to address other needs. As Jason Quick of the Oregonian tweets, Portland's focus could shift to a wing player next, with Francisco Garcia, Matt Barnes, and Corey Brewer representing possible targets.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Association:

Andre Iguodala will likely make a decision on a team early next week, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
The Knicks are likely out of the running for Matt Barnes and Nate Robinson now that the team no longer has its full mini mid-level exception, tweets Zwerling.
Before they agreed to sign C.J. Watson, the Pacers expressed interest in Robinson, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
Kennedy also tweets that free agent shooter Anthony Morrow has been in contact with the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Rockets, and Knicks.
A source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link) that the Mavericks weren't willing to commit $8MM a year to J.R. Smith, let alone $10MM. The market for Smith was fairly modest, according to Berman.
Jared Dudley wasn't looking to be traded out of Phoenix, and is open to returning to the Suns at some point down the road. But as he tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, if the Suns were going to move him, Dudley couldn't have asked for a much better fit than the Clippers.

Knicks Likely To Re-Sign Prigioni, Not Copeland

July 4th, 2013 at 8:34am CST by Luke Adams

Holding only non-Bird rights on a pair of restricted free agents this summer, the Knicks aren't expected to be able to re-sign both Chris Copeland and Pablo Prigioni unless both players are willing to accept discounts. With Copeland drawing plenty of interest from rival teams, it appears he's on the verge of signing an offer sheet that would end his time as a Knick, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Berman hears from sources that Copeland has three offer sheets to choose from. The Pacers, Lakers, and an unknown team, perhaps the Cavs, are the clubs believed to have offers on the table for Copeland. The Lakers, like the Knicks, have limited cap flexibility, so New York could potentially match an L.A. offer sheet. However, the Pacers intend to use a portion of their $5.15MM mid-level exception, while the Cavs have a chunk of cap space available. Both teams could offer Copeland a starting salary that exceeds $3.18MM, which is the maximum the Knicks could match with their own mini MLE.

Although the Knicks may be preparing to lose Copeland, the team appears to be a good bet to re-sign Prigioni. According to Berman, New York has made the point guard a two-year offer worth about $2.3MM. Since such a deal would exceed the minimum salary, the club would have to use a portion of its mid-level on the offer, leaving a little more than $2MM to try to bring back Copeland or sign an outside free agent.

Speaking of outside free agents, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that the Knicks continue to pursue Sebastian Telfair, reaching out to the player himself rather than just his agents. It's not clear whether the Knicks are interested in signing both Prigioni and Telfair, or whether Telfair is viewed as a Plan B. But having lost Jason Kidd to retirement, the Knicks figure to be in the market for a third point guard.

FA Latest: Jefferson, Nets, Copeland, Collison

July 3rd, 2013 at 10:39pm CST by Alex Lee

Let's have a look at the latest offseason news and notes from this Wednesday evening:

Al Jefferson has spent the past day and a half with the Bobcats, as we know, but apparently the former Jazz center wants to wait until Dwight Howard signs before making any commitments, reports ESPN's Chris Broussard (via Twitter). According to Broussard, this is because if the Mavericks lose out on Howard, they could come calling on Jefferson. Jefferson is looking for a four-year deal, starting at $15MM per season, per Broussard (via Twitter).
Considering the make up of the Nets roster, head coach Jason Kidd needs to hit the ground running, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Assistant coach Lawrence Frank ran much of Kidd's first practice on Wednesday while Kidd mainly observed, according to Bondy. Ian O'Connor of ESPN New York reports that the Nets deal with Frank is for four year and is worth more than one million dollars a year, making him the league's highest paid assistant.
We rounded up the latest on Chris Copeland a bit earlier, but now Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York is reporting, via Twitter, that the Cavaliers are "in play" on Copeland with a potential multiyear offer and the Pacers are exploring roster options to create room for the 6-foot-8 forward. Sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post that Copeland has three offers to choose from, which will make it next to impossible for the Knicks to retain him (via Twitter). None of the three are from the Jazz, tweets Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Mavericks free agent Darren Collison, in the process of sorting through his options, is intrigued by four potential destinations and hasn't ruled out a return to Dallas, writes RealGM's Shams Charania.

Pacers Sign Solomon Hill

July 3rd, 2013 at 7:43pm CST by Alex Lee

The Pacers have officially signed first-round pick Solomon Hill, selected 23rd overall, to a rookie-scale contract, the team announced today through their website. During the July moratorium, first-round picks are permitted to sign contracts with their respective clubs.

The 22-year-old Hill will likely receive a 2013/14 salary worth about $1.25MM, as our Luke Adams outlined in our breakdown of salaries for first-round picks. Hill, who spent three years at Arizona, was a surprise selection by the Pacers at 23. The team also reached a deal with free agent Donald Sloan earlier today.

Nets No Longer Pursuing Marco Belinelli?

July 3rd, 2013 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 2:00pm: Davide Chinellato of Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport (Twitter link) hears from a source that the Nets are no longer pursuing Belinelli, who is now talking to the Pacers.

MONDAY, 4:28pm: The Nets have reached out to free agent guard Marco Belinelli and discussed a multi-year deal for the taxpayer mid-level exception of $3.2MM, sources tell Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Sources say that the Nets are debating whether to go with a guard like Belinelli or another big man to bolster the the frontcourt.

While it has been reported that the Nets and Kyle Korver have more-or-less agreed to a deal for the taxpayer MLE, Pincus reports that he could fall outside of the Nets' price range. The sharpshooter has lots of suitors this offseason and could land a deal with a higher average annual value. It's possible that Korver is high enough on Brooklyn to give them a discount and the 32-year-old has done quite well for himself over the years, earning more than $38MM over the course of his career according to Basketball Reference.

The Nets would also like to re-sign Andray Blatche, but the most they can offer is ~$1.4MM without using a portion of their MLE. If he does return at that figure, that would enable Brooklyn to sign Belinelli.

Belinelli spent last season with Chicago and averaged 13.4 PPG, but his 35.7% percentage from downtown was the lowest of his career. The Italian is represented by Excel Sports Management, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.