Clippers Not Shopping Mo Williams
Since the Clippers acquired Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups, Mo Williams has found himself relegated to sixth-man duty in Los Angeles. Despite the team's point guard depth, the Clippers don't intend to actively shop Williams before the trade deadline, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles.
Clippers GM Neil Olshey has told Williams he's not looking to trade him, and promised to consult with the veteran if he receives any trade offers worth considering.
"Every day Mo comes in and does what he's doing, doesn't give us any impetus to want to trade him," said Olshey. "I want him to be here and I want him to be happy…. I told him, 'I give you my word, I'm not making any proactive phone calls about you. If I receive phone calls about you and it's something where I think we can come away with a fair deal, I will come to you and say, 'What do you think of this situation?'"
Williams, 29, has a salary of $8.5MM both this year and next, assuming he picks up his 2012/13 player option. His contract, along with the Clippers' depth at point guard, makes him a logical trade candidate, but he's thrived in his new role off the bench. His FG% (.502), 3PT% (.448) and PER (20.7) this season would all be career bests.
J.R. Smith Rumors: Sunday
Former Denver Nuggets shooting guard J.R. Smith looks to return to the NBA after a stint in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Smith, 25, has received attention from numerous NBA teams with the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks among his strongest suitors. As stated by Smith in a tweet on Friday, he would be excited to see what kind of pick-and-roll tandem he and Amare Stoudemire could form at the Garden.
- According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, beleaguered Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni isn't hiding the fact that the Knicks desperately need another shooter and view Smith as an ideal candidate to fill such a role for the 9-15 squad. The Knicks can offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception but will have to waive a player upon signing him.
- Picking an opportune time for a career-high 25 points and seven dimes, Jeremy Lin can rest assured that he would not be a roster casualty if Smith signs with New York.
- After recently signing free agent Kenyon Martin to a contract, the Clippers may turn to Smith in an effort to add depth off the bench as they attempt to make a run at a top seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers no longer have the payroll flexibility to offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception after giving it Martin and would have to sign the former Hornet for the veteran's minimum.
- For those wondering about the impact the eighth-year player out of New Jersey has made in China, Smith lit up the scoreboard with 60 points during a CBA game last week.
Clippers Links: Griffin, Billups, Martin, Smith, Butler
Everything is roses for the Los Angeles Clippers, who won tonight in impressive fashion against the Washington Wizards. Mark Heisler of the New York Times writes how this impressive team came together and why they go "beyond mere highlights to spectacular." In other Clippers news:
- Don't count Blake Griffin out of the slam dunk contest just yet, reports Dan Feldman of ESPN Los Angeles.
- Feldman also wrote a great piece on how the Clippers and Chauncey Billups convinced Kenyon Martin to come to Los Angeles.
- Martin is expected to join the Clippers on Monday, reports USA Today's Michael Falgoust.
- Caron Butler, another unheralded free agent signing by the Clippers, is starting to find his comfort zone in Los Angeles, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Martin isn't the only player returning from China that the Clippers are hoping to sign. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Clippers now have their eye on J.R. Smith.
Odds & Ends: Noel, D’Antoni, Smith, Lopez, Russell
The Knicks suffered another tough loss last night as they fell to the Celtics, 91-89. Here's more on New York and other items from around the league..
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak doesn't regret trading Lamar Odom to the Mavericks in December, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
- Kyle Singler isn't sure if he'll play for the Pistons next season, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. The Duke product, who was taken in the second round by Detroit in 2011, says he's enjoying his time with Real Madrid in Spain.
- Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star asked Andrea Bargnani if he'll consider leaving the Raptors at the end of his deal in 2015. The former No. 1 overall pick said that he has made it "pretty clear" that he wants to remain in Toronto.
- Chauncey Billups recruited Kenyon Martin heavily to join the Clippers, tweets J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. Martin and Billups are both represented by agent Andy Miller.
- Massachusetts high school center Nerlens Noel now appears to be in line for the 2013 NBA Draft rather than 2014 after reclassification, writes Adam Zagoria for Sheridan Hoops. Earlier this week, Noel told Dave Telep of ESPN.com that he's now set to graduate with the class of '12 rather than '13. The center now projects as the top pick in the 2013 draft according to DraftExpress.com.
- Despite uncertainty surrounding his job, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni will not be fired today despite back-to-back, last-second losses to the Bulls and Celtics, NBA sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Even though the Knicks were linked to Kenyon Martin, the guy that they've really had their eye on is J.R. Smith, writes Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops. Smith said to be considering five teams, including New York. The Clippers are also in that group but they can only make Smith a minimum offer after agreeing to sign Martin using their room exception.
- Six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right foot, Nets center Brook Lopez still isn't sure when he'll be able to return, writes Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. The Nets will likely need a healthy Lopez in order to put together a package for Orlando's Dwight Howard.
- Friday marks the league deadline for teams to either release players with non-guaranteed contracts or guarantee their deals for the rest of the season. Pistons 29-year-old rookie Walker Russell is making a strong case to stay with Detroit, writes David Mayo of MLive.com.
J.R. Smith Considering Five Teams
It doesn't appear he'll receive the same early clearance Kenyon Martin did, but J.R. Smith is already mulling where he'll sign when he returns from China. According to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, Smith is considering the Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, Thunder, and Bulls.
Those five teams have varying amounts of money left to spend on free agents. Since the Clippers agreed to sign Martin using their room exception, they could only make Smith a minimum offer. The Lakers are in the same boat. The Bulls have their $1.9MM bi-annual exception available, and the Knicks still have their $2.5MM room exception. The Thunder have the most money available, with about $4.5MM of their mid-level exception remaining. According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, the Spurs also have some interest in Smith, though it's not clear if he'd consider signing in San Antonio.
The 26-year-old Smith signed a one-year deal to play for China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls during the NBA lockout. He isn't expected to be allowed to sign an NBA contract until his team's season ends, which could happen as early as mid-February. Smith's stock certainly hasn't dropped at all in China — he dropped 60 points in a game earlier this week to increase his season scoring average to 33.9 points per game, according to Sportando.
Clippers Agree To Sign Kenyon Martin
The Clippers and Kenyon Martin have reached an agreement on a contract, reports Mike James of the Los Angeles Times. The Clippers will use their $2.5MM room exception to sign Martin, finalizing the deal after he passes a physical.
Earlier today, we heard that CBA officials were fighting to reverse the letter of clearance FIBA awarded Martin. The 34-year-old's contract had stipulated that he couldn't sign and play with an NBA team until the end of the Chinese season, but the international basketball federation decided to clear Martin yesterday. For now it appears the power forward will be able to join the Clippers once his new contract becomes official, though Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports tweets that the CBA will still try to delay his debut.
The Heat, Hawks, Spurs, Knicks, and Lakers also had interest in signing Martin, who should see consistent minutes behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the Clippers' frontcourt. Chauncey Billups, Martin's former teammate in Denver, played a large role in getting his friend to Los Angeles.
"If the Clippers end up getting him, Chauncey should get all the credit," a source told Ramona Sherbourne of ESPNLos Angeles.com yesterday. "Chauncey has been the guy talking to him."
Blake Griffin And The Derrick Rose Rule
Last night, Blake Griffin was one of four Los Angeles players named a starter for this month's All-Star Game. Griffin joins teammate Chris Paul, Lakers Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, and Thunder forward Kevin Durant on the Western Conference squad that will play in Orlando. The presence of Griffin, whose dunk over Kendrick Perkins has been the talk of the league this week, is great for the NBA. It also could lead to a bigger payday down the road for the Clippers star.
The NBA's new Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced a new twist for players signing contract extensions following their rookie scale contract. A player entering his fifth season can sign an extension for up to 30% (rather than 25%) of the salary cap figure if he meets any of the following criteria in this first four years in the league:
- Named NBA MVP
- Named to the All-NBA first, second, or third team twice
- Voted an All-Star starter twice
Although the new rule is named after Derrick Rose, it was Kevin Durant who first benefited. When the league ruled that Durant was eligible for the maximum 30% extension, it added nearly $15MM to the total of the five-year extension he signed with the Thunder.
Since a knee injury wiped out his rookie campaign, Griffin will essentially have only three seasons to try to meet these criteria. He's not a likely candidate for the NBA MVP this year or next, and he hasn't made an All-NBA team yet, but this year's All-Star nod means another start next season would make him eligible for the 30% maximum.
Because the in-season extension deadline occurs before the All-Star starters are named, Griffin would have to wait until after the 2012/13 season to extend his contract if he intended to take advantage of the Derrick Rose Rule. Russell Westbrook, for instance, re-signed with the Thunder last week for 25% of the cap, though he potentially could have qualified for 30% if he'd waited until season's end.
In Westbrook's case, the Thunder made him their designated player, meaning Oklahoma City could offer him five years instead of just four. It's hard to imagine the Clippers saving that tag for anyone besides Griffin, so perhaps if the team makes a five-year, 25% offer next season, the former first overall pick would be happy to accept it. If his elite play continues and he waits though, Griffin could qualify for an extra $15MM+ in negotiating leverage via the Rose Rule.
Kenyon Martin Granted Unrestricted Free Agency
NBA teams were informed today that Kenyon Martin has become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Martin's former Chinese team, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, failed to reply to a request for a letter of clearance, so FIBA made the decision to clear him, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
The Heat have already extended an offer to Martin, while the Clippers intend to make him a formal offer as well. The Hawks also met with the the 34-year-old's representatives this week, reports Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Stein hears that West teams probably have an edge based on the minutes they could offer (Twitter link), and the Clips "like their chances," according to Broderick Turner of the L.A. Times. However, Martin is intrigued by the role he could play in Atlanta, Wojnarowski tweets.
Since the restrictions on Martin's availability were lifted earlier than expected, Monday's report suggesting he'll decide where to sign by this weekend seems more logical. The Lakers, Spurs, and Knicks are among the other teams who have some interest in the power forward.
Clippers Have Yet To Make Offer To Martin
The Clippers haven't extended a contract offer to Kenyon Martin yet, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. However, Turner says the team is willing to offer Martin their mini mid-level exception, or "room" exception, of $2.5MM.
Chauncey Billups has talked about wanting to bring Martin to L.A., and the 6'9" power forward recently met with Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro and VP of basketball operations Neil Olshey. I think they may be the best fit for Martin, but the Clips aren't the only team interested — yesterday, we heard that at least five other clubs were involved, with Martin expected to make a decision by this weekend.
While Martin will reportedly make up his mind soon, there's no rush for him to decide, or for the Clippers to extend a formal offer. The 34-year-old can't sign with an NBA team until the season ends for the CBA's Xinjiang Flying Tigers, which won't happen until at least February 16th. Martin will be in for an even longer wait if his former team in China earns a playoff spot, as Jon Pastuszek explains at NiuBBall.com.
Northwest Links: Chandler, Thunder, Timberwolves
In a must-read New York Times piece, Jim Yardley discusses the relationship between the NBA and China, with a focus on Wilson Chandler's decision to sign with the Zhejiang Lions. Agent Chris Luchey was fielding offers for Chandler from Italian teams as well — offers that allowed for an opt-out if and when the lockout ended.
"We had 15 different conversations about what happens when the lockout ends," Luchey said. "I told him 100 times: 'The season is going to go. There is going to be a season.'"
Ultimately, the Nuggets' restricted free agent decided to sign in China, meaning he can't return to the NBA until the CBA season ends. When he makes it back, it sounds like he'll draw plenty of interest.
Here are the rest of this afternoon's links on the Nuggets and their Northwest division rivals:
- In a mailbag for the Denver Post, Benjamin Hochman discusses the likelihood of the Nuggets adding Chandler or Kenyon Martin later in the season.
- Russell Westbrook, who recently signed a long-term extension to remain in Oklahoma City, tells SI.com's Sam Amick that all the questions about his relationship with Kevin Durant just brought the two players closer together.
- Rick Adelman's offense makes it easy to succeed, and the Timberwolves shouldn't have any regrets about parting ways with players who struggle with it, opines Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune.
- The Timberwolves' strong play is having a significant impact on the Hornets/Clippers Chris Paul trade, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes.