Kupchak: Lakers Not Actively Seeking Trades
A recent Marc Stein report for ESPN.com suggested that the Lakers had let it be known around the NBA that Chris Duhon and Steve Blake are available. However, according to GM Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers aren't actively seeking trades at this point. Of course, as Kupchak suggests to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, that's due in part to the calendar rather than the Lakers' roster.
"This time of year, teams are not looking to make deals," Kupchak said. "They're evaluating their team and if anything they're going to cut players as they go into the season."
Could that change when regular-season rosters are set and injuries or playing-time concerns begin to accumulate?
"Some guys may not be happy if they're not playing as much as they thought they'd play or their contract's running out and they're concerned about their next contract," Kupchak said. "It's too early right now. There's a lot of energy and excitement right here. Everybody's pretty happy. So we'll just see how it plays out the next month or two."
The Lakers' backcourt is pretty crowded for now, with nine guards in camp, including four at the point: Steve Nash, Duhon, Blake, and Darius Morris. It's a near-certainty that at least one or two of those nine guards will be cut within the next couple weeks, but the four point guards all have a reasonable claim to a roster spot. Duhon and Blake also both have guaranteed money due beyond this season, making them better candidates to be traded than released.
Pacific Notes: Suns, D12, Paul, Lakers, Fredette
Let's head to the west coast and round up a few of Tuesday's items out of the Pacific Division….
- After waiving Othyus Jeffers, the Suns have more difficult roster decisions ahead of them, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Among those is deciding which big man to keep from a group that includes Ike Diogu, Solomon Jones, and Luke Zeller.
- Although it appears that the Lakers and Clippers are the overwhelming favorites to re-sign Dwight Howard and Chris Paul respectively next summer, the two stars could conceivably decide to team up on a team like the Hawks, says ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Insider link).
- The Lakers likely wouldn't have Steve Nash, Jordan Hill, and others on this year's roster if it weren't for a handful of small trades in the past, as Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times explains.
- Jimmer Fredette's stock has fallen since he was selected 10th overall in the 2011 draft, but he's showing promise this preseason for the Kings, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Sacramento has two more weeks to exercise its $2.44MM option on Fredette for 2013/14.
Derek Fisher Eligible To Re-Sign With Lakers
Last week, in a story about players who are ineligible to return to their old teams after being traded and waived, I looked extensively at Derek Fisher's eligibility to return to the Lakers. Because waived players can rejoin their old teams either a year after being traded or at the end of their contract (whichever comes first), Fisher's 2012/13 player option created some confusion. He was believed to have exercised the option before being bought out by the Rockets, meaning his contract wouldn't officially end until June 30th, 2013 and he wouldn't be able to re-sign with the Lakers until March 15th, 2013, the one-year anniversary of last March's trade.
However, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the league office has verified that Fisher can, in fact, return to the Lakers now. Sources tell Stein that Fisher was bought out by Houston before he exercised his option for 2012/13. As such, his contract is considered to have ended on June 30th of this year, making him eligible to re-sign with the Lakers from July 1st on.
We've heard so many conflicting stories about Fisher's eligibility at this point that it's hard to be 100% sure that Stein's account is accurate until we see the veteran point guard actually wearing a Lakers uniform. And of course, even if Fisher can re-sign with the team, there's no guarantee he will. At the moment, the Lakers still have an excess of point guards, which is why the club is reportedly shopping Chris Duhon and Steve Blake.
According to Stein, Fisher could very well jump at the next palatable offer he receives from one of the league's other 29 teams, but there's still some level of interest from both Fisher and the Lakers in a reunion.
Western Notes: Jamison, Jazz, Gortat, Stiemsma
In one of only two games on Sunday's preseason schedule, undrafted Spurs rookie Wesley Witherspoon was inserted into the starting lineup and scored a team-high 17 points in a win over Houston. Witherspoon, a camp invitee, is still a long shot to earn a roster spot, but if Sunday's game was his last with the Spurs, at least he went out in style, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
Here are a few more notes out of the Western Conference:
- Mike Brown, who coached Antawn Jamison in Cleveland in 2009/10, was one of the main reasons Jamison decided to sign with the Lakers, according to Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Jazz CEO Greg Miller spoke to Jody Genessy of the Desert News about the Jazz's roster changes and the team's expectations for the 2012/13 season.
- Marcin Gortat heads into this season looking to prove that he can be productive without Steve Nash, as Michael Schwartz of Valley of the Suns writes.
- After signing the first guaranteed contract of his NBA career this summer, Greg Stiemsma is feeling secure with the Timberwolves and isn't looking over his shoulder, says Joan Niesen of FOX Sports North.
- Coach Rick Carlisle isn't expecting just one player to step up and replace Jason Terry as the Mavericks' No. 2 scorer now that Terry is playing in Boston, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
Camp Rumors: Christmas, Wilkins, Brown, Harper
Much of the news this time of year has to do with players fighting for roster spots, and we've already passed along a few such items today. The Timberwolves and Cavaliers have also made cuts, indicating that time is running out for NBA hopefuls to make an impression. Here's a roundup on camp invitees across the league.
- Dionte Christmas hasn't seen much playing time in the preseason, but he's still the frontrunner to make the opening-night roster among the five Celtics without fully guaranteed deals, according to Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com. At $237K, Christmas has the most partially guaranteed money of the team's camp invitees.
- Damien Wilkins is the most likely camp invitee to make the Sixers, writes John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Derrick Brown had a "handful" of other training camp invitations, but chose the Spurs even though they only have one roster spot available because of his affinity for the way the organization is run, reports Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
- In the same piece, McDonald also passed along a comment from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who indicated the battle for the final roster spot is a tight one.
- Justin Harper has a guaranteed deal with the Magic, but it's only for the minimum salary and, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel notes, he's competing for a roster spot.
- If 6'6" swingman Tony Mitchell beats out three other camp invitees for the last spot on the Kings, it will be because of his defense, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
- Among several observations from the Heat's preseason loss to the Clippers in China, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wonders if Rodney Carney might have been better served signing with a team that wasn't so deep on the wing.
- Robert Sacre has proven competent as he's started in place of Dwight Howard during the preseason, and Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com argues the Lakers are better off going with younger, cheaper talent for the end of the bench instead of pursuing another veteran.
Free Agents Ineligible To Sign With Specific Teams
Among the myriad rules in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is a stipulation that says teams that trade players can't claim those players off waivers or re-sign them until the earlier of the following two dates:
- One year after the trade was completed.
- July 1st after the player's contract ends.
In some cases, this rule is simple to apply to practical cases. For instance, the Nets traded Mehmet Okur's expiring contract to Portland last March at the trade deadline, and the Blazers waived Okur shortly thereafter. Because Okur's deal was set to expire at season's end, he was ineligible to re-sign with the Nets during last season, but regained that ability as of July 1st, when his contract expired.
Other cases are trickier, however. For example, Derek Fisher was traded to the Rockets by the Lakers last March 15th, and was bought out by the Rockets shortly thereafter. Fisher had a player option on his contract for 2012/13, which raises the question: When exactly is his contract considered to be "over"? In his CBA FAQ, salary cap expert Larry Coon provides an answer:
- For contracts with options or ETOs, the end date of the contract is interpreted as the June 30th before an option year, and the June 30th after an ETO year.
Fisher's option wasn't an ETO, so the June 30th before his option year should be considered the "end" of his contract, making him eligible to sign with the Lakers beginning in July, right? Well, not quite.
As confirmed by Coon, Fisher's player option for 2012/13 actually was exercised when he worked out his buyout with the Rockets, allowing the team to split his buyout amount in half between the 2011/12 and '12/13 seasons. That means Fisher is still on the Rockets' books for this season, and his contract isn't considered to be over until next June 30th. As such, the earliest date he can re-sign with the Lakers is March 15th, 2013, a year after the trade.
Since players acquired in trades generally aren't waived immediately, this situation doesn't arise all that often. And many of the players who found themselves in such a position have since signed with other teams — for instance, Josh Harrellson was ineligible to rejoin the Knicks after being waived by the Rockets, but ended up signing with the Heat.
By my count, the eight players listed below, plus Fisher, comprise the group of NBA free agents who are currently ineligible to sign with a specific team, but feel free to contact us if there are any I've missed.
- Jerome Dyson: Traded to the Suns and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013. Currently signed to play in Israel.
- Jordan Farmar: Traded to the Hawks and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until July 1st, 2013. Currently signed to play in Turkey.
- D.J. Kennedy: Traded to the Grizzlies and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Cavaliers until July 1st, 2013.
- Brad Miller: Traded to the Suns and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013.
- Darryl Watkins: Traded to the Sixers and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013.
- Jordan Williams: Traded to the Hawks and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until July 11th, 2013.
- Sean Williams: Traded to the Rockets and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Celtics until July 1st, 2013.
- Shawne Williams. Traded to the Trail Blazers and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until March 15th, 2013.
Note: Players who were waived via the amnesty clause are also ineligible to re-sign with their old teams until the amnestied contract expires.
Camp Notes: Curry, Douglas-Roberts, Roberts
Thursday night brought another round of roster cuts, as the Rockets, Spurs, and Hawks all released players, moving a step closer to finalizing their regular-season rosters. Plenty of camp invitees around the league remain on the bubble though, so let's round up the latest updates on a few roster hopefuls….
- Eddy Curry has performed well for the Spurs in camp and preseason so far, and is optimistic about his chances of making the team, as he tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News."I think I’m going to make it," Curry said. "Until they tell me I’m not, I feel like I’m part of this team."
- In a Q&A with Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Chris Douglas-Roberts says he was talking to a few teams before signing with the Lakers. According to Douglas-Roberts, he passed up a situation or two where earning a roster spot likely would have been easier.
- Although he graduated from Dayton four years ago, Brian Roberts has yet to play in a regular season NBA game. However, he has made a good early impression in Hornets camp, as Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com writes.
- Displaying an ability to play point guard appears to be Jamar
Smith's best chance to earn a spot on the Celtics, but coach Doc Rivers
isn't sure yet whether the Southern Indiana product is a point or not,
according to Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com.
Steve Blake, Chris Duhon Available Via Trade
The Lakers have "made it clear to the rest of the league" that Steve Blake or Chris Duhon are on the trading block and could be had in a deal, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. No trades involving either player are imminent, but Stein wonders if the duo could draw more interest down the road when injuries begin to pile up around the league and outlooks aren't so "rosy."
Blake, 32, has suffered a dip in production since joining the Lakers two seasons ago, and still has two years remaining on his contract at $4MM annually. As such, Duhon could be the more attractive trade target for any interested teams. The 30-year-old hasn't been at the top of his game in recent years either and is also under contract for two more years, but his $3.75MM salary in 2013/14 is only guaranteed for $1.5MM.
Within Stein's piece, the ESPN.com scribe adds that if the Lakers are able to move Blake or Duhon, it's possible the team could re-add Derek Fisher to its roster, assuming the veteran point guard is still on the market. Considering the Lakers are ineligible to re-sign Fisher until March 15th, 2013, the one-year anniversary of their trade that sent him to Houston, it's very possible the 38-year-old will have found work elsewhere by then.
Pacific Rumors: Nash, Duhon, Johnson-Odom
Eric Pincus is one of many NBA writers changing affiliations as the season approaches, heading from HoopsWorld to the Los Angeles Times, where he'll cover the Lakers. He gets a head start on his new gig in today's piece for HoopsWorld, as he wonders whether the team's improvements to its bench will be enough this season. He's got more on the Lakers, and we'll pass along that and other updates out of the Pacific Division.
- New Suns point guard Goran Dragic was "shocked" by the sign-and-trade deal that put Steve Nash in a Lakers uniform, as Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. It's a move that would have taken Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby by surprise at the beginning of the summer, as well. "My first reaction was I can't do that," the Suns executive said. "As time went on, (Suns owner) Robert Sarver was really good and said, 'We have to make a basketball decision that's best for our franchise.' "
- Nash believes the Suns will be all right without him, as Spears writes in the same piece. "They can be a surprise team this year," Nash said. "They brought in a lot of guys who can play. They brought in some young guys and put themselves in a position to build. I think they did a great job."
- Chris Duhon isn't represented by Dan Fegan, but like former Magic teammate Jason Richardson, he wasn't surprised Orlando included him in the Dwight Howard blockbuster, Pincus reports. “I kind of anticipated being traded and it’s fortunate that I was able land in a nice spot here in L.A," Duhon said. "I’m just going to try to make the most of this opportunity."
- Pincus also sizes up the chances 6'2" guard Darius Johnson-Odom, the 55th pick this past June who's in Lakers camp on a non-guaranteed deal, has of making the regular season roster. With Devin Ebanks and Jodie Meeks penciled in as the backup two guards, and four point guards on the roster, Johnson-Odom faces long odds, Pincus opines.
- Dwight Howard says it wasn't just his back that was affected by the herniated disk that required season-ending surgery last year, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times tweets. "It affected my nerves to the point where my whole left leg just went dead," Howard said.
- ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe Arash Markazi sizes up the impact new shooting coach Bob Thate could have on the Clippers.
Jerry West Talks Warriors, Bogut, Ezeli, Lakers
Longtime Lakers and Grizzlies executive Jerry West is now a part of the Warriors' front office, the team's head consultant under owner Joe Lacob. West recently appeared on KBNR in San Francisco to discuss the Warriors' disappointing 2011/12 season, his optimism for the coming year, and his thoughts on the new-look Lakers. Here are a few highlights from West, courtesy of Sports Radio Interviews:
On why the Warriors underachieved in 2011/12:
"Last year the season was kind of cobbled, thrown together and the teams that were going to be good were the teams that had veteran players because they had been there before. They had played together before, knew each other’s personality and probably didn’t have a coaching change."
On the improvements the team has made over the last few months:
"I look at our backcourt and I say to myself, 'Oh my gosh, what a change from over a year ago.' We added Jarrett Jack, a very solid player and a productive player; Klay Thompson who is going to be a terrific player in this league; Steph Curry is back and healthy. And then I look up front and say, 'Oh my gosh, we went from a midget team to [one that's] big and strong.' I’m excited about all of those things."
On the additions of big men Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli:
"[Bogut]'s a tremendous player. He led the league in blocked shots a couple of years ago, I think, but he is probably the best passing center in basketball, and he’s a big, tough guy. He really knows how to play. I just look at his size and the Ezeli kid, who we think is going to be a terrific young backup — can you imagine going off a screen with guys that size?"
On whether the Lakers will live up to the hype:
"I think they’ve added some interesting pieces down there and I would never discount any team with Kobe Bryant on it. I would never do that. But I think it’s going to be a bigger challenge and I think defensively they will still be challenged…. On paper, they look terrific."