Jim Buss On Summer Moves, Kupchak, Analytics
Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss this week revealed the team has arranged almost all of its contracts to end in 2014 so the purple and gold can "make a big splash in the free agent market" that summer. The big fish that year could be LeBron James, just the latest in a star-studded litany of names that have been associated with the Lakers in the past several months. After a second straight playoff exit in the conference semifinals left Buss "very disappointed" in the team at the end of 2011/12, the Lakers appear back in business of contending for titles after the acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. Though Buss tells Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register that his father Jim is still "the final hammer" within the organization, GM Mitch Kupchak said the younger Buss is gradually taking over. "It's almost been a complete transition, really," Kupchak said in Ding's report.
Ding sat down with Jim Buss for a lengthy interview, and the Lakers executive shared several intriguing tidbits.
On this summer's moves:
"I've felt the last two years, we had a chance to win the championship. Adding two Hall of Famers, basically, to this squad? To me, you kind of erase that 'we're taking steps' idea. We're here. Do what we're supposed to do."
On the front-office collaboration with Kupchak:
"It's a collective effort on every step. Mitch might have his own thoughts. He might make some phone calls to see if it's even possible. And he'll introduce it to me, and I'll say, 'Give me a day to work out some numbers and see if I think it's a fit.' Basically it's the value part I do. I'm not going to question if he likes a guy. Maybe I'd say, 'Mitch, by my numbers, the guy's a $3MM player. Right now, the market's dictating he's getting six. We just can't do it.'"
On why he says he defers to Kupchak most of the time:
"That's the area that is gray for me. Mitch is fantastic at saying, 'Well, he's a good player, but he doesn't fit our team.' Breaking down a player, you can do so much number-wise. But you need that extra 'does he fit?'"
On his approach to analytics:
"To me, a ridiculous stat is plus-minus. I think it's just useless. I needed to weed out and understand what affects the game of basketball. In the past five years, those applications of numbers came into play where I believe them. It took me years to believe they do have an effect."
On his new point guard:
"The intangible with Steve Nash is he's a winner; he's dedicated. He's just a phenomenal facilitator. My numbers take that all into consideration. I'm not concerned about his defense, because he's the oil to make this whole thing run, and I think the guys will help out defensively. And I don't see as bad of defense as everybody talks about."
Western Notes: Stephen Curry, Bogut, Spurs
Here are some rumblings out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Grizzlies guard Wayne Ellington is in the final year of his rookie contract and aims to be more aggressive in order to earn consistent playing time in Memphis, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal).
- Brad Townsend of SportsDayDFW discusses the importance of Rick Carlisle's leadership skills as it relates to the Mavericks' ability to succeed this season (subscribers only).
- Kevin McHale commented on some of the coaching challenges he's encountered with his inexperienced Rockets team (Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets notes).
- According to this report from CSN Bay Area, Stephen Curry received no concerns from Dr. Richard Ferkel after the orthopedic surgeon evaluated his ankle today. Dr. Ferkel also checked out the progress of Andrew Bogut's left ankle and determined that his rehabilitation has been on schedule. Warriors GM Bob Myers says that while Bogut does not need clearance to participate in full-contact practice, the team wants to make sure that he is completely free of any pain or discomfort before they let him scrimmage.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters that the their final roster spot will come down to deciding between Derrick Brown and Eddy Curry (Jeff McDonald of Spurs Nation reports).
- Dwight Howard fully participated in today's practice with the Lakers and is prepared to make his debut tomorrow under the approval of their training staff (says Ramona Shelbourne of ESPN Los Angeles). Also, forward Jordan Hill was cleared to practice with the team today after being diagnosed with a herniated disk less than two weeks ago, and told reporters that he could possibly return before the season opener on October 30.
- According to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, forwards Louis Amundson and Dante Cunningham have emerged as "energy guys" for Rick Adelman and the Timberwolves.
Lakers Waive Ronnie Aguilar, Reeves Nelson
The Lakers have let go of Ronnie Aguilar and Reeves Nelson, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter link). The subtraction of the pair, who were on non-guaranteed deals, brings the team down to 18 players.
The 7'1" Aguilar was reportedly mounting a dark horse run to make the team's opening-night roster after he was signed right before training camp. Still, he saw little action in the preseason, totaling just three points in 31 minutes of action over four games, and his dismissal is a further signal that Dwight Howard's ailing back will not be an issue to start the regular season. Nelson, at 6'8", was once seen as a potential first-round pick before his collegiate career at UCLA went sour. He wasn't selected in the draft this past June after the Bruins cut him loose six games into last season, but wound up with the Lakers in early September.
The Lakers have 13 players signed to fully guaranteed deals, and today's moves leave Robert Sacre, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Andrew Goudelock, Darius Johnson-Odom and Greg Somogyi, all of whom have non-guaranteed contracts, to fight for the final two open roster spots.
Pacific Notes: Howard, Dragic, Johnson, Warriors
A Thursday morning report about the possibility of the Lakers pursuing LeBron James in the summer of 2014 resulted in Jim Buss saying the Lakers are indeed hoping to make a splash in '14, and LeBron brushing off the speculation. While everyone wants to talk about the possibility of LeBron eventually heading west, there are other stories coming out of the Pacific Division, so let's round those up right here:
- The summer's biggest trade acquisition, Dwight Howard, appears set to make his Lakers debut on Sunday against the Kings, according to Marc J. Spears and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- The Suns aren't expecting offseason signee Goran Dragic to replace Steve Nash's production, as coach Alvin Gentry tells Derek Page of HoopsWorld: "We don’t really talk to him about replacing Steve. We could go through the whole league and they couldn’t replace Steve…. We all know what Steve brought to our team but now we’re trying to get ourselves in a situation where Goran can step into a role, where he feels confident in what he’s doing and he can become the best Goran Dragic. That’s what we’re trying to get him to do, which would be pretty good."
- While Kings president Geoff Petrie says James Johnson's perimeter game needs to improve, he thinks Johnson, acquired this summer from the Raptors, "has the potential to really help us defensively," as he tells Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
- In looking back at the Warriors' offseason, ESPN.com's John Hollinger (Insider link) says Draymond Green was one of his favorite players in the draft, but he's not a huge fan of the team's Carl Landry signing.
LeBron James Brushes Off Lakers Rumors
LeBron James pleaded ignorance before the Heat's preseason win against the Pistons tonight when asked about a report linking him to the Lakers, and he tried to further quell speculation after the game, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida notes (Sulia links).
"This is where I’m here now,'' James said, when asked if he has interest in joining the Lakers. "I almost used foul language. I’m not worried about that. That story, I don’t know where it came from. But I understand it came up because of who I am. It’s going to happen but I’m not going to worry about it. I got to continue to make sure I stay focused with these guys and make sure we’re ready for any challenge that comes upon us.’’
Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported earlier today that an NBA executive believed the Lakers had timed almost all of their contracts to end in 2014 so they could make a run at James, who can opt out of his contract with the Heat that summer. Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register passed along comments from Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss confirming that the team has structured most of its deals to end by the summer of 2014, though Buss didn't mention James by name, as he is barred from doing so by tampering rules.
While he's focused on the present, James said he's not frustrated by the prospect of renewed public curiosity about his future, as there was prior to his choice of the Heat in 2010.
"Guys are going to make stories every day," he said. "It doesn’t matter to me. I’m true to my teammates. I’m here. And this is what it’s all about, us daily trying to get better as a team and trying to defend our title. So anyone can write a story. You have ESPN and then it becomes credible and you do what you want to do."
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra stressed a focus on the present in the wake of the reports, as Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes, while Dwyane Wade, who could also opt out of his deal in 2014, took the rumors head-on, as Tomasson notes via Sulia.
"They can leave my teammate alone, man,'' he said. "I’m going with that. He’s going to be here. We’re straight. So they can go mess with someone else."
Buss Says Lakers Want To Make ‘Splash’ In 2014
Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss told Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register the team has intentionally designed most of its contracts to end in 2014, when Kobe Bryant's deal is also up and LeBron James and other stars can become free agents. Ding's report adds further credence to Brian Windhorst's ESPN.com story that quotes a general manager from an unidentified team as saying "It's not a mistake" the Lakers' deals all end at the same time. The plan, Buss said, is to "make a big splash in the free agent market."
"We would basically, money-wise, be able to sign the top free agent – maybe even two," he said. "I don't know the numbers exactly, because we're not privy to what the cap is and how much room we have, but it's going to be close to two of the top free agents that year."
The only contract the Lakers have that extends past 2014 belongs to Steve Nash, who'll make $9.7MM in 2014/15. They envision having Dwight Howard around, too, as Ding points out, and if he's on a maximum deal he'd be making more than $22.5MM that season. That would mean a tight squeeze for two more maximum-salary players, but would certainly leave enough room for one.
Ding says if James opts in with the Heat for 2014/15, the Lakers could try to convince Bryant to play one more season and go after James again in 2015. There could also be other options in 2014 if James is unavailable, as Ding lists Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki and John Wall among the possibilties, though none seem quite as attractive as James. For a full list of 2014 free agents, check out our list here.
Getting the vast majority of the team's contracts off the books after 2014 could also save the Lakers plenty in luxury tax that they'd have to pay if they brought everyone back, especially since 2014 is when more dire penalties for taxpaying teams kick in under the new CBA. While it's conceivable the team could once more go over the tax threshold with a new group, they'd likely have to get under the cap to bring aboard James or another maximum-salary player, making it difficult to immediately become a taxpayer again.
Heat Rumors: LeBron, Lewis, Chalmers, Blatche
A report by Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com suggesting the Lakers could go after LeBron James in 2014 went out like something of a hurricane watch for South Florida today, and Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com adds to Miami's anxiety, tweeting that the Bulls, too, would go after King James when he comes available. Of course, it makes sense that plenty of teams covet the three-time MVP, and Friedell believes the Bulls rank below the Heat and Lakers on LeBron's wishlist (Twitter link). While the threat that he might leave someday is indeed present, LeBron remains under contract with the Heat for at least two more seasons. As Miami focuses on the present, here are the latest Heat-related rumblings:
- James denied knowledge of Windhorst's story earlier today, responding, "What story? The Marvel Comics story?" when asked about it by reporters, including Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).
- Winderman argues that, given Rashard Lewis' minimum-salary contract, any contribution the team gets from him this season should be seen as gravy for a team that already had a successful offseason with the signing of Ray Allen.
- In the same piece, Winderman also suggests Mario Chalmers could become a trade candidate if fellow point guards Norris Cole and Garrett Temple impress.
- The Heat kicked the tires on Andray Blatche this summer, but despite his emergence as the league's fourth leading scorer in the preseason at 17.0 points per game for the Nets, Winderman doesn't believe Miami is missing out, since Blatche would likely have been glued to the Heat bench.
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says Dwyane Wade is ahead of schedule as he recovers from offseason knee surgery, Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida reports (Sulia link). The last we heard, Wade was hoping to be ready for opening night.
NBA Execs Looking Ahead To Post-Kobe Lakers
While the Lakers' payroll hovers around the $100MM mark this season and could potentially be even higher next year, the team doesn't have much long-term salary on its books. Kobe Bryant's contract ends in the summer of 2014, along with many of the other major Lakers deals. At the moment, Steve Nash is the only player the Lakers have under contract for 2014/15, at $9.7MM. Considering Kobe has talked about retiring after his current contract expires, opposing executives looking to the summer of '14 believe L.A. has big plans in store, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
"It's not a mistake that all those deals end the same year Kobe's does. They have probably been planning for their next phase for a while," one general manager told Windhorst. "The Busses and [Lakers GM] Mitch [Kupchak] are always thinking about the next big deal."
According to Windhorst, many executives around the NBA think LeBron James could be the Lakers' top target in 2014 if Bryant is really ready to retire. James is under contract through 2016, but has an opt-out clause that he's expected to exercise in 2014, even if he wants to remain with the Heat.
"LeBron is the best player in the league and he's making less than the max, so unless he's seriously hurt he's going to opt out in 2014, if only because I would assume he wants and deserves to get a true max," said one league executive. "Even if the Heat win the next two titles there's a feeling that LeBron is going to become a free agent in two years no matter what."
We're still nearly two years away from 2014's free agency period, so it's far too early to start seriously speculating about which players will land with which teams. However, as Windhorst writes, rival executives looking at long-term plans for their respective franchises are expecting the Lakers to be a significant threat in the summer of '14.
Lakers Notes: Rumors, Aguilar, Finances, Gasol
There has been no shortage of buzz this offseason when it comes to the Lakers, and while their big pieces are in place, that doesn't mean they're done dealing. We heard last week that Steve Blake and/or Chris Duhon may be available and then today from Mitch Kupchak that the team is not actively looking to move anyone. As we all wait patiently to see how their roster shakes out, let's round up some other notes out of the Staples Center:
- David Wharton of the L.A. Times profiles Lakers center Ronnie Aguilar, who is working hard in hopes of going from training camp longshot to backup center. As of three weeks ago, Aguilar's efforts were not going unnoticed, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo reported that Aguilar was a "dark horse candidate" to make the Lakers roster.
- Also from the L.A. Times, Mike Bresnahan writes that the Lakers have become an economic juggernaut. Bresnahan says that the team makes up to $90MM in ticket sales per year, and is in the first year of new television deal that pays them $120MM this year. While they owe $30MM in luxury tax and are projected to pay $49MM in revenue-sharing in 2013, the franchise seems to be in as good of financial shape as it's ever been.
- Living in constant fear of being shipped out of Los Angeles this offseason, Pau Gasol had to temper his excitement for playing with Steve Nash, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. While swapping out Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard shouldn't majorly affect Gasol's game, no one should benefit from the existence of Nash more than the mid-range capable Spaniard.
Western Notes: Lakers, T-Wolves, Spurs, Speights
Only three of the 12 NBA teams in action last night were Western Conference clubs, with the only intra-conference matchup coming between the Jazz and Lakers. After a 34-point Jazz victory dropped L.A.'s preseason record to 0-4, it was no surprise that new point guard Steve Nash told Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register that the new-look Lakers are still a "work in progress." Here are a few more Wednesday updates from out west:
- The Timberwolves aren't currently active "at all" on the trade market, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500.
- Manu Ginobili doesn't envy the Spurs' decision-makers when it comes to deciding which camp invitee will earn the team's 15th roster spot, as he tells Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. In a separate piece, McDonald agrees that there's plenty of depth in camp for the Spurs, noting that the team probably wishes it could keep 17 players this year instead of 15.
- Given Andrew Bynum's health issues so far this preseason, the Lakers may appear savvy for moving the big man when they did. But as GM Mitch Kupchak points out to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, the guy they acquired for Bynum had his own health questions. "Whatever concern we had (with Bynum's knees)," Kupchak said. "Was offset by Dwight [Howard] coming off offseason back surgery."
- After earning a two-year deal from the Grizzlies in free agency this summer, Marreese Speights is aiming to repeat last year's breakout performance, writes Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- Ryan Anderson spoke to Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com about transforming from a trade throw-in to the core piece of a franchise in the last three years.