Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: McGrady, Carter, Mavs

December 9th, 2014 at 10:09pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tracy McGrady thinks the Lakers would be the ideal team for him if he were to return to play in the NBA, as he told Bleacher Report’s Les Carpenter (hat tip to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports). McGrady was contemplating a comeback this fall, as Wojnarowski wrote in September, but a commitment to a basketball showcase that would have him in China during October got in the way. McGrady doesn’t want to play for an NBA team unless he attends training camp with that club, Carpenter writes, so that presumably means he won’t return to the league this season.

Here’s more from out west:

Vince Carter will be 40 years old when his contract with the Grizzlies expires in 2017, and the veteran has every intention of playing until then, Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (Twitter links). “My intentions are to play it out for sure. I have no intentions of backing down until the body says so,” Carter said. “Right now I just take it day by day and year by year and go from there.”
The Mavs are finding their point guard-by-committee approach to be successful thus far this season, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. Instead of having a true star at the point, Dallas has instead opted for a quartet of “heady decision-makers” that have all been acquired since June, and who don’t take up a large amount of cap space, Aschburner notes. “The guards we have now, everyone brings a little something different,” Dirk Nowitzki said. “Jameer [Nelson] is probably the best shooter, Devin [Harris] is a great driver. I think Raymond [Felton] has the in-between game. I don’t even know what J.J. [Barea] does. We just give him the ball and he just goes wild out there. We run a couple pick-and-rolls for him, he keeps circling and circling. So I think all four guards bring something to the table, which we need.”
Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson briefly addressed the negative comments made against him by Golden State’s co-owner Joe Lacob, Carl Steward of The San Jose Mercury News reports. Speaking at his weekly sermon, Jackson said, “[Lacob] said I was good for nothing, an owner that knew me for three years and spent a couple of minutes around me, an owner that had the audacity to say that 200 folks don’t like me in the business.”
The remaining $620,794 of the $2,316,429 trade exception the Kings created from the Rudy Gay trade is set to expire tonight. Sacramento had previously used $1,695,635 of this exception when they acquired Reggie Evans from the Nets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Spurs, Fredette

December 8th, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

It would be surprising for the Grizzlies to make a trade anytime soon in spite of reported interest from the Cavs in Tayshaun Prince and Kosta Koufos, as Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal writes in his “Pick and Pop” column. Prince has played well and removed the reasons for the Grizzlies to trade him since the start of the season, and Dion Waiters, whom the Cavs are apparently willing to give up, would be a poor fit in Memphis, Herrington believes. There’s another Grizzlies tidbit amid the latest from the Southwest Division:

The Spurs like the players they bring in to have a sense of humor, as witnessed by the continued presence of Matt Bonner, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News examines. “We look for a guy that is mature enough to laugh at himself,” coach/executive Gregg Popovich said. “You’re on the bus, you’re on the plane, and you want to be able to enjoy each other. If a kid doesn’t have a sense of humor or the ability to be self-deprecating, it doesn’t work as well.” Bonner, who re-signed this summer, is the longest-tenured Spur outside of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, McDonald notes.
The addition of Gal Mekel to the Pelicans seems like a signal that the team is ready to move on from Jimmer Fredette, as Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune believes. Fredette, with New Orleans on a guaranteed one-year contract for the minimum salary, saw just one minute of action in Sunday’s 17-point win against the Lakers.
The Grizzlies have recalled Jordan Adams from the D-League, the team announced. This year’s 22nd overall pick had been in the D-League since November 25th, as our log of assignments and recalls shows. The shooting guard has averaged 14.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game across four contests for the Iowa Energy.

Cavs Eye Kosta Koufos, Dangle Dion Waiters

December 8th, 2014 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs have been asking the Grizzlies about their willingness to trade Kosta Koufos, whose camp has let the Grizzlies know about their dissatisfaction with the center’s playing time this year and last, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Cavs have told teams around the league that they’re willing to part with Dion Waiters if they can net a “difference-making center” in return, and Koufos would fit the profile, Stein writes. That advances an earlier report from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who’s heard that the Cavs have been open to moving Waiters.

The Cavs are also interested in Grizzlies small forward Tayshaun Prince, as Brian Windhorst, Stein’s ESPN.com colleague, reported last week, but it’s unclear whether Memphis is ready to tinker with its roster amid a 16-4 start. The Grizzlies reportedly tried multiple times this past summer to trade Prince, but there’s been no such chatter surrounding Koufos, even though his minutes have declined in each of the two seasons since Memphis acquired him via trade from Denver. Koufos started 81 games and averaged 22.4 minutes per contest for the Nuggets in 2012/13 and saw that playing time cut to 16.9 MPG in his first season with the Grizzlies. That figure is down to 14.1 MPG this year, and he’s seeing less time on the court than fellow backup big man Jon Leuer. Koufos is making $3MM in the final season of his contract this year, a figure that would fit into the nearly $5.286MM trade exception the Cavs possess and that Windhorst expects Cleveland to use between December 15th and January 10th.

His impending free agency makes Koufos an easier trade target than his former Nuggets teammate, Timofey Mozgov, whose affordable contract runs through 2015/16 and whom Denver appears unwilling to give up, Stein posits. Mark Termini, the agent for Koufos, negotiates contracts for the Klutch Sports Group, an agency with close ties to the Cavs.

The Cavs have reportedly sought rim protection as well as a defensive stopper on the wings in recent months, apparently having had interest in Corey Brewer and Andrei Kirilenko for their perimeter in addition to Prince. Waiters has made his mark primarily on the offensive end, and while he’d like to start, as Stein notes, he’s been coming off the bench since the second week of the season. The Sixers have reportedly held interest in Waiters, a Philadelphia native, at multiple points over the last 12 months, and the Cavs reportedly discussed him with an unknown team picking in the top 10 in the draft this past June. He’s making $4.062MM in the third year of his rookie scale contract.

Western Notes: Clippers, Green, Grizzlies

December 7th, 2014 at 10:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Paul said the Clippers had a “healthy conversation” at halftime after the reserves let a big lead slip away Saturday, writes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. It’s a familiar pattern, although the Clippers rebounded to win by 20 points. “Early in the year, we probably would have splintered and fallen apart, but there’s going to be games like that,” Paul said. “… When that happens, you can’t try to figure out whose fault it is. You have to figure out a solution.”

There’s more from the West:

The improvement of Draymond Green has pushed the Warriors to a league-best 17-2 start, examines Michael Wilbon of ESPNChicago.com. “He’s given us a new dimension … when your [power forward] can play pick-and-pop like that,” coach Steve Kerr said. “… He’s not the kind of guy you establish a game plan for … that you draw plays for.”
Many rolled their eyes when the Grizzlies shipped Pau Gasol to the Lakers and received younger brother Marc Gasol in return. At the time, GM Chris Wallace took a lot of flack for the deal,Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes. “It was tough trying to explain the long term value of a center who not only is playing in Spain at that time — which, despite the international nature of the game, the local fans and media don’t really follow the ACB as they do the ACC or the SEC — but the player also played high school basketball in Memphis,” said Wallace. “He came over [from Spain] with Pau, and let’s just say a lot of people who saw him play weren’t impressed. People would come up to me and say, ‘He couldn’t play at White Station High School. He had to transfer to Lausanne. I saw him there and all he does is shoot 30-footers and he’s out of shape. No way he’s an NBA player.’ ” Years later, the deal makes much more sense from Memphis’ side.
A string of injuries has turned rookie Nick Johnson from an afterthought into a member of the Rockets‘ rotation, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “I’m more confident,” said Johnson, who hit a game-winning layup against the Timberwolves on Friday, then helped close out a victory over the Suns on Saturday. “It’s a process, every game, every minute I’m out there I start to understand a little more.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Cavs Notes: Irving, Allen, Miller, Cherry

December 5th, 2014 at 1:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs and Kyrie Irving shook hands on a five-year extension this summer without knowing that LeBron James would return to Cleveland, sources insist to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, but Irving has had no problem adjusting his game to support LeBron’s, as Windhorst examines. Irving took a backseat to no one Thursday, popping for 37 points while James dished 12 assists in Cleveland’s fifth straight win. Here’s more on a Cavs team that’s finally on a roll:

Ray Allen is telling teams to talk to him in January and that he’ll make a decision about his future in February, tweets Ryen Russillo of ESPN Radio. The Cavs remain the favorite to sign him, according to Russillo, though Allen and his camp have continually insisted that he’s unsure whether he wants to play, much less which team he’d want to play for.
Mike Miller thought coming into the summer that he’d re-sign with the Grizzlies and spend the rest of his career in Memphis, as he tells Grantland’s Jonathan Abrams, but the team’s decision to sign Vince Carter derailed that plan, Abrams writes. He was reportedly close to a deal with the Nuggets, who offered him three years and $12MM, according to Abrams, but he chose instead to join the Cavs for two years and nearly $5.587MM. “The history of this city [Cleveland], if they go on to win one and I’m somewhere else — that’s the decision I couldn’t live with,” Miller said. “So when it came down to the money, unfortunately I left a lot on the table again. It is what it is, but I’d have a hard time [waking up] every morning if I would have went somewhere else and not had the opportunity to win [a title].”
It’s unclear where Will Cherry will play next, but it won’t be in the D-League, as a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest that the point guard is heading overseas in the wake of his release from the Cavs this past weekend (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Rondo, Knicks, Ross

December 5th, 2014 at 10:34am CST by Chuck Myron

Three Atlantic Division teams are in line for a top-10 pick in the 2015 draft, as our Reverse Standings show. The presence of the Sixers among that group certainly isn’t shocking, and the Celtics, with the league’s ninth-worst record, aren’t surprising many with their play, either. However, the Knicks are off to their worst start in franchise history at 4-16, and their unexpectedly poor performance doesn’t bode well for the future, either, as we examine amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

The Lakers and Celtics had a brief conversation about a Rajon Rondo trade as recently as a few months ago, but the discussion was short and didn’t go anywhere, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The Lakers continue to eye Rondo for free agency this coming summer, Shelburne writes in a full story, echoing a report from Chris Mannix of SI.com a month ago. The Celtics are willing to engage in Rondo trade talks merely on an “informational” basis at this point, and if talks were to heat up with the Lakers, they’d likely ask for at least one first-round pick, the sort of asset the Lakers are hesitant to give up, Shelburne hears.
The Knicks will make finding a center their top priority in free agency this summer, but they’re not optimistic that they will be able to lure Marc Gasol, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. They’ll make a run at Gasol, the No. 4 player on the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings, hoping his friendship with fellow Spaniard Jose Calderon pays dividends, but the Knicks understand he’s more likely to choose a contending team, Berman writes. That’s part of the reason why Knicks management doesn’t want to tank, as Berman explains. Regardless, the Knicks are unlikely to re-sign any of their existing centers aside from Cole Aldrich, according to Berman.
Terrence Ross will be up for a rookie scale extension from the Raptors this summer, and he’s getting a sudden chance to showcase his ability to take a lead role on offense in the wake of DeMar DeRozan‘s groin injury, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun examines.

Cavs Interested In Tayshaun Prince

December 5th, 2014 at 9:03am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs have interest in Tayshaun Prince, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, who shared the information this morning in an appearance on ESPN Cleveland radio, as the station passes along via Twitter (hat tip to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com). Windhorst expects the Cavs will use their trade exception, worth nearly $5.286MM, to swing a trade between December 15th, when most offseason signees become eligible for trades, and January 10th, the date that all remaining non-guaranteed contracts become guaranteed for the season (Twitter link). Prince’s salary of nearly $7.708MM wouldn’t fit into that exception, however.

The 34-year-old Prince has had an inconsistent presence this season for the Grizzlies, as he’s appeared in only a single game for a stretch of a little more than eight minutes after seeing more than 26 minutes on November 21st. He’s come off the bench three times this season, but he’s only appeared as a reserve in six NBA games since his rookie season in 2002/03. His numbers this season are similar to his production from 2013/14, when he put up just 6.0 points in 25.6 minutes per game, but his calling card has long been defense, an asset that the Cavs have sought along the perimeter in earlier discussions about Corey Brewer.

Memphis reportedly made multiple attempts to trade Prince over the summer. Still, the Grizzlies were apparently never that high on rumored negotiations that linked Prince to the Raptors and John Salmons around draft time in what would have been a salary-clearing move for Memphis. The Grizzlies are 15-3, and though they’re coming off a surprising loss Wednesday to the Rockets, who were without Dwight Howard, they might not be particularly motivated to make a move, considering their success so far this season.

Eastern Notes: Stephenson, Knicks, Butler

December 4th, 2014 at 8:57pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Hornets are one of the league’s more prominent early season disappointments after their success last season. The team’s biggest offseason acquisition, Lance Stephenson, hasn’t produced as expected, and he is still trying to learn Charlotte’s system and fit in with his new teammates, Steve Reed of The Associated Press writes. Head coach Steve Clifford said he’s not down on Stephenson, and he said expectations for him coming into organization might have been too high, notes Reed. “To be fair, one of the things that’s made it more difficult for him is that he came here and people proclaimed him as the next superstar,” Clifford said. “He’s not a star. He’s a guy that has talent to become a star. To be a star in this league, you have to do it over years.”

Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:

The Knicks aren’t seeing much from the Tyson Chandler trade, and with the confidence from Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace and teammate Zach Randolph that free agent target Marc Gasol will stay in Memphis, times are tough in New York, opines Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Marcus Smart‘s assignment to the D-League by the Celtics today is to get him some reps since the rookie hasn’t gone through a full practice with scrimmaging since suffering a left ankle injury on November 7th, Jay King of MassLive.com notes. “I didn’t think he looked ready,” head coach Brad Stevens said. “Nothing to do [with] physically; he hasn’t practiced. I felt like it would be better to go with Phil Pressey and Gerald Wallace. They would give us the same things that Marcus gave us and they’ve been traveling with the team and everything else. It’s kind of tough to just throw him in there. I hadn’t even seen him until we got to the gym today.“
The Wizards‘ Rasual Butler is the perfect example of how hard work can lead to success for a journeyman player, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes. Butler was asked why he kept working out for over a year when no NBA teams came calling, to which he responded, “Because I wanted to play basketball. It’s very easy. It’s a simple answer. If you’re serious about doing what you love to do, then you’re going to do whatever it takes for you to continue to do what you love to do. Some people say they love to play the game. If you love to play the game, you’ve got to go through the steps. You can’t give up on your story.” Butler is a key reserve for Washington, and is third in the league in three-point shooting percentage at a blistering 56.4%, notes Zillgitt

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Western Notes: Love, Stokes, Abrines

December 3rd, 2014 at 10:11pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kevin Love has denied all the rumors that suggest he is considering leaving Cleveland after this season to join the Lakers. In an interview with ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” (hat tip to Scott Sargent of WaitingForNextYear.com), Love continued to deny he intends to depart for Los Angeles, saying, “Whether we lose two or three games in a row, or there’s a game where my statistical output isn’t necessarily what it should be, people are always going to talk. Since I was traded to Cleveland this summer, I’ve said since Day one that I’m a Cleveland Cavalier long term and I plan for it to be that way. I want to grow with this team. There’s a lot of guys with a lot of unique talent, one-through-fifteen, on our roster who are going to be here for a long time. If I could end all the speculation now, I would. But people are going to continue to talk no matter what. I just want to continue getting better with this team long term. I’m a Cleveland Cavalier.”

Here’s more from the west:

The Grizzlies have recalled Jarnell Stokes from the Iowa Energy, the team announced. This was Stokes’ second trip to the D-League this season. The 20-year-old forward has notched a total of eight points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes of action in his six NBA appearances for Memphis this season.
With Nick Calathes having recently returned to the Grizzlies from his drug-related suspension, members of his camp have told David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter link) that the talk of Calathes wanting out of his contract with Memphis so he can play overseas with Fenerbahce of the Turkish league are just rumors.
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Twitter links) has been hearing favorable reviews of Alex Abrines, a second round pick of the Thunder back in 2013 who is playing in Spain. Abrines was selected with the No. 32 overall pick, but if he entered the 2015 draft he would likely be a top-15 selection, notes Howard-Cooper. In 16 contests for FC Barcelona this season, Abrines is averaging 9.8 points on 57% shooting, including a stellar 53.3% from three-point range.
Though no trades appear to be imminent, the Warriors, despite their 15-2 record, do not necessarily believe that their roster is set, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group tweets. Golden State is surveying the trade market to see who is available, Kawakami adds.

Southwest Notes: Parsons, Jefferson, Joerger

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:08pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Mavericks didn’t sign Chandler Parsons to a three-year, $46.08MM deal for him to turn into a “poor man’s Kyle Korver,” something that Parsons has been thus far this season, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. Parsons is still finding his way in Dallas’ system, something that both Parsons and head coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged, notes MacMahon. “I think people don’t kind of understand how difficult it is to play on a new team with a new system and new guys on the team,” Parsons said. “It takes time, and it’s a process. People look at my stats and see that they’re lower than last year, but my role is kind of different from last year. I’m shooting a lot more jump shots. I don’t have the ball in my hands as much this year, but I think all that will come.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva have needed to accept reduced roles on the Mavs this season, something not necessarily ideal for the veterans, but both are producing when called upon, Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. Jefferson was informed by Carlisle prior to signing with the team this summer that he was being brought in for a smaller role than he was used to, notes Price. “When you hear that for the first time in your career, it can be a bit frustrating,” Jefferson said. “And I’m not going to lie, the first couple of weeks were tough, not being able to contribute, especially I felt like I came in [to training camp] in shape and had a good preseason, and did everything. I didn’t really feel like there was anything else that I could do — I just was kind of out the mix, but I’m at ease with it right now. I’m very comfortable with my role and I embrace it.”
Villanueva is also embracing his new role with the Mavs, Price adds. “I learned that in being in my situation in Detroit that whenever the opportunity comes, take advantage of it,” said Villanueva. “I don’t get discouraged at all. I’m a professional at the end of the day, so I’ve just got to stay ready at all times. I think I prepared myself for that, so I’m just going with the punches now.”
Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger, who was named NBA coach of the month for November, credits the Memphis players for the honor, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes in a subscription-only piece. This is Joerger’s third such award since becoming the Grizzlies head man.