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Southeast Notes: Hawks, Heat, Hornets

October 4th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Will Joseph

The Hawks acquired Tim Hardaway Jr. because they love his shooting ability, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will be the heir apparent to Kyle Korver at shooting guard, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes in a rundown of five training camp questions facing Atlanta. Vivlamore also discusses who will start at the small forward position, adding that Coach Mike Budenholzer has said Thabo Sefolosha will be the player he first looks to in the role. Sefolosha, as Vivlamore points out, is coming off a serious injury of a broken right leg and ligament damage.

Here’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Aside from being more of a vocal leader, Paul Millsap does not see his role changing much with the Hawks after re-signing for three years and approximately $58MM and becoming the highest-paid member of the team, Vivlamore writes in a separate story.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford doesn’t believe veteran Marvin Williams will be marginalized by the additions at power forward over the summer, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. Frank Kaminsky, Tyler Hansbrough and Spencer Hawes are all newcomers to the Hornets, but Williams’ versatility, defense and 3-point shooting will likely keep him in the rotation, Bonnell adds.
Despite not having a consensus top-20 player, three starters in their 30s and a center who has yet to play a full season, the Heat will be pretty good this season because Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic enter the year as starters, opines Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald.

Heat Notes: Rookies, Green, Stoudemire

October 4th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by ChrisCrouse

A pair of rookies were the talk of the team after a few days of Miami’s training camp, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

“I didn’t know a lot about [Josh Richardson],” Dwyane Wade said. “I like his poise, his ability to play the 1 and 2. He’s impressed me.” Chris Bosh was complimentary of the rookies as well. “[Both] rookies have impressed me. Justise Winslow is very smart. Josh plays under control, doesn’t make many bad decisions,”

Winslow is a lock to make the team and Richardson, who is one of 13 players out of 20 currently under contract with a fully guaranteed deal, appears to be a safe bet to make the opening night roster as well.

Here’s more out of Miami:

Goran Dragic advocated for the team to sign Gerald Green during the offseason and he is confident Miami will get productive minutes from the 29-year-old, Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post writes. “His ability to jump and shoot against anybody is going to be unbelievable, and on defense, he can improve a lot,” Dragic said. “He’s long and athletic and he’s gonna listen to the coaches.” Green and Dragic were teammates in Phoenix during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 campaigns before Dragic was traded to the Heat.
The Heat are happy to have Amar’e Stoudemire aboard, but many of the players didn’t expect him to sign with the team in free agency, Lieser tweets. Stoudemire didn’t base his decision in free agency on money and Miami signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.5MM.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Wittman, Hawks

October 3rd, 2015 at 5:08pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Heat are excited with what they have seen thus far in training camp from rookies Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson, Joe Beguiristain of NBA.com writes. “It doesn’t happen too often, but I put the two young guys on the same team today and they’re very good defensively,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They got after it. They made the veterans work for it. They have a great versatility and energy between the two of them. I was very encouraged by what they brought today. [They were] very competitive in the defensive drills.”

The rookies even managed to impress veteran shooting guard Dwyane Wade, Beguiristain notes, with Wade saying, “They enjoy playing defense. That’s half the battle. They’re both two different defenders. Justise is stronger [and] he’s hard to move. Josh is quick, he’s athletic, long. It’s good to see two young guys like that, with Tyler Johnson as well, they were all on the same team. You’ve got three guys who are like that, that like to be on the ball, ball hawk you [and] make it hard on you.”

Here’s the latest out of the Southeast Division:

Having been criticized by former player Kevin Seraphin and current Wizards forward DeJuan Blair regarding how he doles out playing time, coach Randy Wittman defended his decisions, notes J. Michael of CSNMid-Atlantic.com. “You’ve got to maintain and be ready at all times, physically, mentally, attitude, all that. You’re not always going to be happy. Even the people you call stars, they aren’t always going to be happy but you got to be professional,” Wittman explained. “I’ve probably got a couple guys [expletive] at me today. … If you’re not happy with playing time you got to force playing time on me. Those kind of things.“
The Magic are no longer going to use their roster’s relative youth as an excuse for not winning, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “We’re never saying that ever again,” guard Victor Oladipo said. “It’s over with. At the end of the day, we’ve got to win. We’ve got to stop using that as an excuse. We want to win, and in order to win, you can have no excuses. We’re locked in on winning. The times around here for excuses are done. It’s time to get it done right now. It’s time to win.“
The Hawks are hoping that newcomers Tiago Splitter and Edy Tavares will improve the team’s offense with their effectiveness in the pick and roll, KL Chouinard of NBA.com relays. “I think we’re going to have just a little more pressure on the rim with both Tiago and Edy, and their ability to roll and collapse the defense and put pressure on the rim and play around the rim,” coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said.

Kevin Durant Brushes Aside Lakers Rumors

October 2nd, 2015 at 2:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:14pm: Smith, in his response to Durant, identifies the Thunder and the Lakers as well as the Heat, Wizards, and Knicks as the teams he’s heard Durant is considering (Twitlonger link).

FRIDAY, 12:25pm: Durant made it clear that he finds no truth to the rumor, as he explained to The Oklahoman’s Anthony Slater. “I don’t talk to Stephen A. Smith at all,” Durant said to Slater. “No one in my family [or] my friends do. So he’s lying.”

THURSDAY, 8:20am: Kevin Durant would prefer the Lakers over other teams in free agency next summer if he is to leave the Thunder, as ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith hears (YouTube link; transcription via Glenn Erby of BlackSportsOnline), and as Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports 1 corroborates. Smith also hears that the possibility of Durant teaming up with Kobe Bryant to join Carmelo Anthony is in play, though he suggests that the notion is a long shot. It’s not entirely clear whether that scenario would play out on the Knicks or the Lakers.

Most of the executives who spoke with Ken Berger of CBSSports.com this summer told him they expect Durant will re-sign with the Thunder, with the Lakers, Mavericks and Wizards among the few alternatives with a legitimate chance at the former MVP and the Knicks on the fringe of the picture. Durant said this week that he’s “hit it off” with new Thunder coach Billy Donovan, adding to the idea that the incumbent Thunder are the favorites to put pen to paper with Durant this coming July. Rumors are sure to fly between now and then, but Durant put out a word of caution in August, saying that he’d only be discussing his future with a tight circle of advisers and that if reporters drew from other sources, the information wouldn’t be reliable.

Phil Jackson recently raised the idea of Bryant playing with a team other than the Lakers after this coming season, as Smith points out, but Bryant put the kibosh on that, telling Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports recently that, “I bleed purple-and-gold” and, “I am a Laker for better or worse.” Bryant, 37, is also considering retirement at season’s end. Anthony, the Knicks star, is the only one among himself, Bryant and Durant who isn’t a free agent after this season, as his contract doesn’t allow him to elect free agency until 2018. ‘Melo could waive his no-trade clause if he wants to join the Lakers, though both Jackson and the Lakers would have to agree to a deal for that to happen, a prospect further complicated by the 15% trade kicker on Anthony’s contract that the Knicks would have to pay in the event of a swap.

Durant’s projected maximum salary for 2016/17 is $24.9MM, a figure the Thunder can exceed the cap to pay because they have his Bird rights. The Lakers have less than $20MM in commitments for next season against a projected $89MM cap, and the Knicks have about $55MM, meaning both teams are poised to have enough room to make Durant a max offer.

Where do you think Durant ends up? Leave a comment to tell us.

Southeast Notes: Splitter, Neal, Batum, Ennis

October 1st, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tiago Splitter admits that he was disappointed when he was traded to the Hawks in a move designed to clear salary cap room, writes Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. The Spurs needed the cap space the trade provided to sign LaMarcus Aldridge, whom Splitter believes makes San Antonio the team to beat in the West, Greene adds. “It’s a great squad,” Splitter said of his former team. “On paper they are the favorites to win the title. They have David West. They have LaMarcus Aldridge. Of course, Tim Duncan. Just a great frontcourt over there. They are a very talented team. Of course you have to see how things work out for them on the practical side of the game, but on the interior they have a great team.”

The big man said that his attitude regarding being dealt changed when he realized he’d be playing for coach Mike Budenholzer, a former assistant with the Spurs, Greene adds. “It’s nice to be in an environment where you already know the coach,” Splitter said. “I didn’t know the players before I got here but as soon as I got traded Bud told me that I was going to be in a great situation with great teammates. He gave me a lot of confidence that this team is going to be great once again. I don’t think a [learning curve] is going to be a problem. When I’ve talked to Bud so far I’ve seen that he has his own tricks and personality in the system, but it’s the same system we ran in San Antonio.”

Here’s the latest out of the Southeast Division:

With the Wizards expected to utilize smaller lineups this season, Gary Neal‘s three-point shooting skills should play a big part in the team’s new offense, J. Michael of CSNMid-Atlantic writes. “The way the NBA is changing and evolving right now, how everybody is going to the four out, one in, the ball movement, not holding the ball, getting away from the isolation play, coach [Randy] Wittman is trying to teach that,” Neal said. “That offense is kind of new to him also. He went to a little bit of that against the Hawks in the playoffs and by playing Paul Pierce at the four he kind of liked that. So he was thinking about that throughout the whole summer. He’s teaching it to us. It’s new to us. Everybody’s learning. We should be alright.“
Nicolas Batum will take on a much greater role with the Hornets than he had during his time in Portland, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. “Nic has always been third or fourth option,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “Now he’s going to be second or first option.”
Heat forward James Ennis said that the tendinitis that he was experiencing in his knees led to his poor showing in summer league play this year, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. “I was down on myself because I expected more from me,” Ennis told Jackson. “I’m really hard on myself. But I looked at it and said, ‘You’re injured.’ I was playing at 65%. I did a lot of treatment. My knee is a lot better. You’ll see it in the preseason.” Ennis, who has a non-guaranteed salary, is fighting for a regular season roster spot.

Southeast Notes: Scott, Fournier, Williams

September 30th, 2015 at 7:33pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hawks forward Mike Scott spoke publicly Monday for the first time since his arrest this summer on felony drug charges. The veteran would not discuss details of the case, but did note that the gym has been a sanctuary during the past few months, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution relays. “I just come in every day and compete,” Scott said at Hawks media day. “Joke around and laugh with my teammates. This is kind of been my sanctuary for the summer. I come into the gym and work hard and put everything behind me. Then when in I get back to the locker room I’ll look at my phone and I’ll be ‘Oh, right. I forgot.’ Coming into the gym every day, working out with my teammates, is something that has been great for me.”

Scott did acknowledge that his situation has embarrassed the Hawks’ organization, Vivlamore adds. “I don’t like to make other people look bad,” Scott said. “I don’t like to embarrass people. I don’t want to feel embarrassed. I thought it made us look bad a little bit. I take full responsibility for that. Moving on.”

Here’s the latest out of the Southeast Division:

Evan Fournier is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Magic prior to this year’s deadline, and he’d welcome a new deal if the parameters made sense, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “It would be awesome,” Fournier said when asked about a possible extension. “But, to be honest, I don’t even think about it because that’s not in my power. That’s not in my hands. Right now I’m focused on getting healthy and just being back on the court. But, yeah, it would be awesome, man.“
John Wall would be happy to assist the Wizards in recruiting Kevin Durant, who is set to become a restricted free agent next summer, Royce Young of ESPN.com relays. “There’s gonna be an opportunity to throw a pitch at him to try to get him to come back home,” Wall told CSNMidAtlantic.com. “But I know one thing of just knowing him, he’s going to be very focused on taking care of Oklahoma City this season, and I’m going to be focused on taking care of the Washington Wizards. But when the time is right and he can get away from all that, yeah, we’ll probably have some conversation and throw a pitch.“
Hornets coach Steve Clifford doesn’t expect the role of Marvin Williams will be diminished despite the offseason additions of Frank Kaminsky, Tyler Hansbrough, and Spencer Hawes, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. “He’ll play the majority of his minutes at [power forward], but he could play [small forward] some nights depending on matchups,” Clifford said of Williams. “He’ll space the floor and be a very good defender. He adds versatility because he can switch [defensively] with some of the perimeter guys. Really the way the NBA is going he’s becoming the prototypical [power forward] now — 6’8″ or 6’9″, can make 3s and guard different guys.”
Mario Chalmers, who was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, leaned on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade for support to get through the uncertainty surrounding his future with the Heat, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “LeBron and D-Wade are my two closest people when I’ve got things going on in my mind,” Chalmers said. “I talked to those two in the summer and it really helped ease my mind. Bron, big brother, he told me, ‘Don’t worry — it’s a business.’”

Michael Beasley To Play In China

September 30th, 2015 at 1:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:50pm: Beasley has essentially acknowledged the deal, posting a Shandong logo on his Instagram account (hat tip to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel).

11:57am: Michael Beasley has signed a contract with Shandong of the Chinese Basketball Association, as the Chinese outlet Hupu reports (translation via HoopsHype), and as international journalist David Pick confirms (Twitter link). The deal will pay the former No. 2 overall pick $600K this season, a source tells Pick. It’s a return to China for Beasley, who averaged 28.7 points in 38.1 minutes per game across 37 appearances for Shanghai Dongfang last season. Those numbers don’t include the 59-point performance Beasley put on during the CBA All-Star Game in January.

The 26-year-old Beasley returned to the NBA later in the season, signing a pair of 10-day contracts with the Heat, who ultimately inked him to a multiyear deal for the minimum salary. That deal included a team option, but Miami declined it in June, and little chatter about another NBA deal followed this summer, as Beasley’s rumors page shows.

That’s seemingly in contrast to a year ago, when Beasley joined the Grizzlies for training camp only to ask for his release midway through the preseason so he could take the offer from Shanghai Dongfang. He’ll have a chance to once more circle back to the NBA if interest exists at the conclusion of his latest Chinese commitment, which could happen as early as February if Shandong doesn’t make the playoffs.

Do you think Michael Beasley will play in the NBA later this season? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Southeast Notes: Bazemore, Heat, Wizards

September 29th, 2015 at 9:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hawks guard Kent Bazemore is entering the final season of his current deal, but there is mutual interest between the team and the 26-year-old in reaching an agreement on a new contract next offseason, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Speaking about his feelings for Atlanta, Bazemore said, “I’ve come to love Atlanta. Of the whole summer, I was probably only gone two weeks. I’ve spent a lot of time here. I just moved into a new house. I’m renting it. Maybe I can buy it next year.” Bazemore and the Hawks will have to wait until next summer to work out a new deal since his current deal was signed for less than four years, meaning Bazemore is ineligible to sign an extension during the season, Vivlamore adds.

Here’s the latest from the Southeast Division:

Heat assistant Dan Craig was officially named as head coach of the franchise’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team announced. The news of Craig’s hiring was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
Jaron Johnson‘s one-year deal with the Wizards is non-guaranteed and for the league minimum, while Jaleel Roberts‘ agreement is also for the minimum, but his includes a partial guarantee of $10K, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links).
The Heat‘s deals with John Lucas III and Tre Kelley are one-year pacts for the league minimum and do not include any guaranteed salary, Pincus tweets.
Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said that it may make more sense for the team to carry the regular season maximum of 15 players rather than keeping a slot open, Vivlamore tweets. Atlanta currently has 13 players inked to fully guaranteed deals.
The Hornets are hoping that Jeremy Lamb will get off to a fresh start in Charlotte after not seeing much playing time during his three seasons with the Thunder, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. Lamb was acquired back in June in exchange for for Luke Ridnour and a 2016 second-round pick.
Greg Stiemsma‘s and Nnanna Egwu‘s one-year, minimum salary deals with the Magic are non-guaranteed, while Keith Appling and Jordan Sibert‘s minimum salary arrangements include partial guarantees of $100K, Pincus relays in a series of tweets.
The presence of Goran Dragic, who re-signed with the Heat this offseason, was a big draw for Amar’e Stoudemire to join Miami as a free agent, Surya Fernandez of SB Nation tweets. Of Dragic, Stoudemire said, “If he would have stayed in Phoenix, I would have thought about going back to Phoenix.“

Heat Sign Tre Kelley

September 28th, 2015 at 12:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat have signed Tre Kelley, the team announced. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported earlier this month that the 30-year-old combo guard was working out with the Heat. The move fills the final open spot against the 20-man preseason roster limit, as our roster count for the Heat shows.

It’s the second time Miami has signed Kelley since he went undrafted out of South Carolina in 2007. The first time was shortly before training camp in 2008, but he lasted only about a week before the Heat waived him. The combo guard signed a camp deal with the Thunder the next year and another with the Grizzlies in 2010, but he’s yet to appear on an NBA regular season roster, instead spending time overseas and in the D-League. He was with Pertevniyal Istanbul of Turkey and second-tier Italian team Sigma Barcellona last season, putting up 17.8 points, 7.4 assists and 3.4 turnovers in 33.7 minutes per game combined between the two European clubs.

The Heat have 13 fully guaranteed contracts plus Tyler Johnson, who has a partial guarantee. It’s unclear if Kelley has any guarantee on his deal, though Miami has avoided handing out partial guarantees this summer. Johnson signed his deal last season.

Heat Sign John Lucas III

September 28th, 2015 at 10:51am CST by Chuck Myron

SEPTEMBER 28TH, 10:51am: The signing is official, the Heat announced via press release.

3:30pm: Lucas has agreed to a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Heat, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel reports (Twitter links). Lucas was close to signing a deal with the Clippers prior to Los Angeles adding Pablo Prigioni, Winderman also relays.

SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2:55pm: Eight-year veteran John Lucas III is working out in the Heat’s practice facility with players from the team as they ready for the start of training camp, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s not uncommon for free agents to work out in team facilities during the offseason, but that usually ends around Labor Day. Stein’s report doesn’t specify whether the Heat are auditioning him, but he’s a “natural roster target” for Miami, given that the team is said to be seeking guard depth, Stein tweets.

Chatter about the Bernie Lee client has been quiet since mid-July, when Stein reported that the Magic, Spurs, Mavericks and Clippers were interested in him, as were the Pistons, with whom Lucas finished this past season. Lucas joined Detroit on a pair of 10-day contracts before signing on a deal that covered the rest of 2014/15, as our 10-Day Contract Tracker shows, averaging 4.7 points and 2.9 assists against 0.8 turnovers in 12.9 minutes per game in 21 contests.

The Heat have 13 fully guaranteed contracts, four non-guaranteed deals, and Tyler Johnson, who’s assured of at least half of his one-year veteran’s minimum salary. Johnson figures to serve as the third point guard, but he’d be in line as the primary backup to Goran Dragic if Miami trades Mario Chalmers, which the team hasn’t ruled out doing as soon as next month, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald recently reported. Thus, the Heat would be in need of a point guard like Lucas.

Would Lucas be the right guy for the Heat? Leave a comment to let us know.