Knicks To Hire Gerald Madkins as Assistant GM
The Knicks will hire Gerald Madkins as assistant GM, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. The Kings and Bucks also expressed interest in him (Twitter link).
Madkins, 48, had been an assistant GM with the Clippers for the past two seasons. Since joining the organization in 2012, he also served as director of basketball operations and director of scouting.
Before joining the Clippers, Madkins held scouting positions with the SuperSonics and Rockets and was VP of player personnel for the Hornets.
A former NBA player, Madkins spent time with the Cavaliers and Warriors in the 1990s. He was named Continental Basketball Association Rookie of the Year in 1993.
Poll: Where Should Derrick Rose Sign?
Former first overall draft pick and the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose is nowhere near the player he used to be thanks to a litany of devastating leg injuries. However, he is coming off a productive offensive season and is easily the most coveted unrestricted free agent on the market.
Rose averaged 18.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.8 RPG last season with the Knicks, while shooting 47.1% from the field. The point guard also logged 32.5 minutes per his 64 contests, the most playing time he has had in the past four seasons. Despite Rose’s solid season, the rebuilding Knicks appear unlikely to bring him back.
Reports suggest that the leaders for Pooh’s services are the Cavaliers and Lakers. Cleveland will meet with Rose in the coming days and reportedly are offering him a starting position, either alongside Kyrie Irving or in Irving’s place if Cleveland’s point guard is traded. As for the Lakers, Rose had an approximately three-hour meeting with the purple and gold and reports indicate that the meeting went well for both sides. While it is unclear whether Rose would start for the Lake Show, he would be expected to mentor rookie Lonzo Ball on a much improved team.
Two other squads that have met with Rose in recent weeks are the Bucks and Clippers. The Bucks could appeal to Rose’s desire to win, boasting several rising stars in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jabari Parker. Milwaukee is also coached by legendary point guard Jason Kidd and is situated very close to Chicago, where the family-minded Rose’s family resides. The Clippers already have Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic at point guard, as well as Austin Rivers, who is more of a combo guard, but when replacing Chris Paul, can a team ever really do too much?
What do you think? Where should Rose end up signing? Place your vote in our poll and then catapult into the comments section below to share your thoughts.
Where should Derrick Rose sign?
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Cavaliers 44% (1,687)
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Lakers 21% (829)
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Bucks 19% (738)
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Other 10% (382)
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Clippers 6% (241)
Total votes: 3,877
Mark Hughes Interviews For Bucks Position
- Among those interviewing for positions in Jon Horst‘s front office with the Bucks is Knicks Director of Pro Player Personnel Mark Hughes, Ian Begley of ESPN writes. Hughes has played a large role in New York’s draft decisions over the course of the past decade.
Pacific Notes: Rondo, Clark, Caldwell-Pope, Perry
The Lakers will have to find another option at point guard now that Rajon Rondo has signed with the Pelicans, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. L.A. had talked to Rondo about serving as a mentor to a young roster and especially to rookie Lonzo Ball. Attention may now turn to re-signing 22-year-old Tyler Ennis, who was obtained from Houston in a February trade. Ennis averaged 7.7 points and shot 45% from the field in 22 games with the Lakers.
Other options include Rodney Stuckey and Ian Clark, although L.A. has only the $4.3MM room exception to offer apart from veterans minimum deals. The Lakers currently have 12 players under contract for the upcoming season, along with Alex Caruso signed to a two-way deal.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- After struggling to make a roster in the early part of his NBA career, Clark is in position for a big payday, writes Joe Rexrode of The USA Today Network. The Lakers and Bucks are among the teams that have expressed interest in the free agent shooting guard, whose chance to return to the Warriors likely ended when Golden State signed Nick Young. “I can’t worry about this, I just have to let it fall into place,” Clark said. “At some point you stop worrying about surviving in this league and get determined to make your mark in it.”
- The one-year, $18MM deal that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signed with the Lakers includes a 15% trade kicker and a 50% advance, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.com.
- Marcelo Huertas, who spent parts of the past two seasons with the Lakers, has signed with EuroCup champions Unicaja Malaga in Spain, tweets international basketball writer David Pick.
- Scott Perry had a strong influence on the Kings during his three months as vice president of basketball operations, according to Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. Perry left this week to become GM of the Knicks, with Sacramento receiving a 2019 second-round pick and cash considerations in return. During Perry’s time with the Kings, Voison says he pushed for the free agency additions of veterans Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and George Hill and was a “strong advocate” for drafting De’Aaron Fox with the No. 5 pick. “This is a great opportunity for Scott professionally,” said GM Vlade Divac, “and it gets him back east, closer to his daughter. I was not going to stop him. The only thing I feel bad about is that we had everything in place in our front office. Our front office is strong. Now I have to find someone who can come in and do the things Scott did for us.”
- The injury that forced Kings center Georgios Papagiannis to leave Friday’s summer league game has been diagnosed as just a bruise, according to a post on the team’s website.
Central Notes: Monroe, Terry, LaVine, Bradley, Mirotic
Greg Monroe‘s name has been prevalent in trade rumors the last 12 months and not much has changed. The former seventh overall pick from the 2010 NBA Draft is still a productive asset but his lack of rim protection partnered with his sizeable salary ($17.8MM next season) make him an expendable player for the Bucks.
Before the Bucks faced the Jazz for Summer League action in Las Vegas Friday, Monroe told reporters, including Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’s Press Box, that he’s thrilled to be in Milwaukee and doesn’t want to go elsewhere.
“I’m happy,” Monroe, 27, said.“I had no reason to leave. I want to build on what we started last year. I’d like to stay but that’s up to them.”
Coming off the bench last season, Monroe averaged 11.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and shot 53% from the floor in 22.5 minutes per game. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s new extension kicks in and Tony Snell (four years, $46MM) will take up a big chunk of the Bucks’ payroll so shedding Monroe’s salary remains an enticing proposition.
Here are additional notes around the Central Division:
- Free agent Jason Terry is drawing interest around the league, Woelfel notes in the same article. The 39-year-old was a solid veteran presence for the Bucks last season but his return to Milwaukee is not certain. Woelfel adds that a Western Conference squad is weighing an offer to the former NBA champion.
- After trading Marcus Morris to acquire Avery Bradley from the Celtics, the Pistons have high expectations from their new acquisition, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes. Coach Stan Van Gundy expressed his excitement with Bradley joining the team while the Celtics’ second leading scorer last season is ready to maximize his skills under Van Gundy’s tutelage and alongside players like Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond.
- Nikola Mirotic wants to remain with the Bulls and the feeling is mutual, Joe Cowley of he Chicago Sun-Times writes. While Chicago has undergone several changes — most notably trading away Jimmy Butler — the restricted free agent and the team are just waiting it out before likely agreeing to a deal. Mirotic also discusses Butler’s exit and his plans for the future.
- One of the Bulls’ newest acquisitions, Zach LaVine, is expected to be ready for training camp as he rehabs from knee surgery, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears tweets.
Bucks, John Henson Have Mutual Interest In Trade
John Henson and the Bucks have “mutual interest and motivation” in finding a trade involving the center, league sources tell Chris Haynes of ESPN.com.
The Bucks currently project to be a little over the luxury tax line, and Henson’s contract, which will pay him about $31.73MM over the next three years, is the most noteworthy albatross on the club’s books. Moving Henson without taking back much salary would give Milwaukee more flexibility to use the rest of its mid-level exception, perhaps on a point guard like Derrick Rose.
[RELATED: Bucks expected to meet with Derrick Rose for second time]
Meanwhile, a trade could give Henson an opportunity to take on a larger role with another team. The 26-year-old started 39 games for the Bucks last season, but barely played down the stretch or in the postseason. With bigs like Greg Monroe and Spencer Hawes exercising player options to return, and Thon Maker poised for a larger role, Henson may be expendable.
Of course, a trade won’t be easy. The Bucks would likely have to attach a first-round pick to convince another club to take on Henson’s contract, which has a cap hit of $11.4MM this season. For comparison’s sake, the Raptors had to attach a first- and second-round pick to clear $11.8MM in salary in their DeMarre Carroll trade with the Nets — Toronto was in an over-the-tax position similar to Milwaukee’s.
There also aren’t many teams left with the cap flexibility to take on a contract as large as Henson’s. Brooklyn would be one possibility, and Philadelphia and Phoenix could be other options. However, the length of Henson’s contract, which runs through 2019/20, makes it more unappealing, even if his salary declines to $9.7MM by the final year of the deal.
Bucks Expected To Meet With Derrick Rose For Second Time
The Bucks are expecting to meet with Derrick Rose for the second time this summer, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reports. The two sides previously met to discuss his fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Malcolm Brogdon.
Haynes adds the compensation remains the main obstacle stopping Rose from joining the team.
Milwaukee is currently over the tax by approximately $1.6MM, though it still has the tax-payer’s mid-level exception at its disposal. That exception comes with a starting salary of roughly $5.19MM, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors recently outlined. The club has used a small portion of it to sign Sterling Brown.
The organization may need to shed salary in order to make a competitive offer. Haynes suggests that John Henson could be a prime trade candidate should they make that sort of move.
Latest On Bucks’ Assistant GM Search
The Bucks are looking to add an experienced front office executive to pair with new GM Jon Horst, Gery Woelfel reports on his blog. Sources tell Woelfel that the team has interviewed several candidates with extensive front office experience for its open assistant GM position.
“They want someone who has either been a GM or who has worked closely with a GM,’’ a source tells the scribe.
Milwaukee has shown interest in former Cavs GM Jim Paxson. Paxson, who is currently a consultant for the Bulls, recently met with the Bucks about their open position.
Woelfel adds (in another post) that Milt Newton, who previously served as the Wolves GM, also met with the team and is a serious candidate for the position.
FA Rumors: Muhammad, Farmar, Mbah a Moute, Allen
The Hawks, Nets, Bucks, Knicks and Magic have all expressed interest in swingman Shabazz Muhammad, according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The Bulls are on that list as well, tweets Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype. Muhammad became an unrestricted free agent last week when Minnesota pulled his qualifying offer to create enough cap room to sign Taj Gibson. He has been with the Wolves for all four of his NBA seasons and averaged 9.9 points in 78 games last year.
There’s more tonight on the free agent front:
- Jordan Farmar is hoping to return to the NBA and spoke to Lakers coach Luke Walton today about a possible opportunity, Kennedy relays (Twitter link). The 30-year-old point guard played two games for the Kings in November of last season.
- The Raptors have talked about making a play for former Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute, reports Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet (Twitter link).
- The Clippers and Timberwolves are both considering Tony Allen, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Coaches Doc Rivers in L.A. and Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota have connections with Allen from their time with the Celtics.
- Veteran point guard Beno Udrih is talking to several teams in Las Vegas, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Now 35, Udrih believes he can play for several more years. He got into 39 games with the Pistons last season.
- Former Baylor standout Royce O’Neale is considering several NBA offers, according to Kyler (Twitter link). The 24-year-old forward went undrafted in 2015 and has been playing in Lithuania, but he has an NBA opt-out in his contract through July 20th.
Kyle Korver Re-Signs With Cavaliers
JULY 12, 8:28pm: The signing is official, the Cavaliers announced on their website.
JULY 2, 3:09pm: Kyle Korver has agreed to a new three-year, $22MM contract with the Cavaliers, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. The final season is only partially guaranteed, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The 36-year-old came to Cleveland in a January deal and provided a needed outside threat. He averaged 10.7 points in 35 games and shot .485 from 3-point range.
The Cavs acquired Korver’s Bird rights when they brought him over from Atlanta, which is fortunate because they don’t have any available cap room to use to re-sign him. The 14-year veteran will get a nice raise from the little more than $5.2MM he made this season.
Several other teams expressed an interest in Korver, including the Pelicans and Bucks, but he decided to remain with the Eastern Conference champions and take another shot at a ring.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.