Bucks Sign Charlie Westbrook For Camp
SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2:23pm: The signing has taken place, though the team has made no official announcement, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). It’s for one season at the minimum salary and is non-guaranteed with limited injury protection, Pincus adds, so it’s an Exhibit 9 contract.
AUGUST 31ST, 2:29pm: The Bucks have reached an agreement with unrestricted free agent guard Charlie Westbrook, Shams Charania of RealGM reports (Twitter link). The length and terms of the pact are not yet known, but it is likely a minimum salary training camp deal with little or no guaranteed money included, though that is merely my speculation.
Westbrook, 26, went undrafted back in 2012 out of South Dakota where he averaged 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists as a Senior. His slash line was .464/.389/.766. Westbrook was signed to a training camp deal by the Heat back in 2013, but was waived prior to the commencement of the regular season. He has since played overseas for both the Italian club Tezenis Verona and Hyères-Toulon of France, as well as stateside in the NBA D-League.
The addition of Westbrook will give the Bucks a roster count of 18, including 15 players possessing fully guaranteed deals. It’s highly unlikely that the 6’4″ shooting guard makes Milwaukee’s regular season roster given the team’s current depth chart, and the Bucks don’t have a one to one D-League affiliation currently, so stashing Westbrook there for a season isn’t an option.
Central Notes: Thompson, Hammond, Tellem
Tristan Thompson and fellow Rich Paul client Norris Cole probably need to sign their qualifying offers to hit unrestricted free agency next summer if each is to truly get the most out of his earning potential, opines Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Kyler sees signed qualifying offers as the most likely outcome for both. Still, the Basketball Insiders scribe doesn’t think that necessarily means they won’t end up re-signing with their respective teams in 2016, even though Paul has said that Thompson wouldn’t re-sign with the Cavs next year if he took his qualifying offer this year. See more news on Cleveland and the rest of the Central Division here:
- Bucks GM John Hammond deserves to stick around after positioning the team for a continued climb up the Eastern Conference standings, so Monday’s extension was the right move for Milwaukee, argues Sekou Smith of NBA.com. Hammond, who’s been in his job since April 2008, is No. 9 on the list of the longest-tenured primary basketball executives that I compiled earlier today.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details the agenda for Arn Tellem, who joined the Pistons organization as vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment this summer. Tellem is close with GM Jeff Bower, but the former super-agent’s new job will chiefly involve community outreach.
- Cavs draft-and-stash prospect Edin Bavcic has signed with Sopron of Hungary, agent Dragan Jankovski of the BeoBasket agency revealed on Twitter (hat tip to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). A 2006 draftee, he seems unlikely to ever play in the NBA, though Cleveland did sign 2008 draftee Sasha Kaun to his first NBA contract just last week.
Bucks Sign John Hammond To Extension
4:58pm: The extension is official, the Bucks announced, confirming that it carries through 2016/17.
12:12pm: The Bucks are extending the contract of GM John Hammond through the 2016/17 season, a source tells Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Hammond’s deal was to expire at the end of this coming season. However, the team isn’t retaining assistant GM David Morway, Gardner also reports (on Twitter).
“A great deal of our team’s success and progress is due to the vision and hard work of John,” Bucks owner Wes Edens said, according to Gardner. “He’s assembled a talented and competitive roster and we’re very pleased that he will continue to lead basketball operations.”
Hammond was quoted in a statement about the end of Morway’s time with the team, as Gardner relays. That suggests Hammond played a role in the decision not to bring him back.
Questions have surrounded Hammond’s power in Milwaukee since Edens and partners Marc Lasry and Jamie Dinan purchased the franchise last year. Lasry told Chris Mannix of SI.com in December that he preferred a committee approach and indicated that coach Jason Kidd‘s voice carried just as much weight. The extension means Hammond’s contract will end at the same time as Kidd’s, Gardner notes. Lasry admitted last summer that it was a mistake to keep Hammond out of the loop when the team brought Kidd into the organization. The new owners were non-committal about Hammond when they first bought the team in the spring of 2014, and it was around that time that they held preliminary talks about potential replacements for Hammond and Morway, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe reported then.
Still, the 61-year-old Hammond has remained, and the team’s bounceback season in 2014/15 that included a playoff berth this spring, plus the surprise signing of marquee free agent Greg Monroe, surely had much to do with the team’s willingness to work out an extension. Hammond won the league’s Executive of the Year award in 2010, after his second season in charge of the front office, but the Bucks have yet to equal the 46-36 mark they put up that year, and they haven’t moved past the first round of the playoffs under Hammond’s watch, either.
Morway had spent the last two years in his role with the Bucks after coming over from the Pacers, where he served under Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh, who held the title of president of basketball operations.
Do you think an extension for Hammond is the right move? Leave a comment to let us know.
Central Notes: Gasol, Gibson, Parker, Love
The Bulls‘ Pau Gasol may have risked a serious injury Saturday in a Eurobasket game against Poland, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net. “The doctors told me that Pau couldn’t play more than five minutes straight,” Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo said in his post-game press conference. “But after the first five minutes, when I asked him to come to bench he told me now, ‘I will take the risk,’ he answered me and he had an amazing game.” Gasol scored 30 points in Spain’s victory and expects to play against Greece in Tuesday’s quarterfinal matchup, Varlas reports.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Bulls forward Taj Gibson said he played despite a torn ligament in his ankle at the end of last season, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Gibson, who had surgery on the ankle, added that everything is on track with his rehab schedule.
- Also bouncing back nicely from injury is the Bucks’ Jabari Parker, according to The Journal Times. Parker’s rookie season was cut short when he tore the ACL in his left knee in a December 15th game. The Bucks aren’t commenting on when Parker might return and allegedly ordered a TV cameraman to stop filming a recent workout. However, many in the organization are privately saying Parker is ahead of schedule and is expected to be ready for opening night.
- Cavaliers forward Kevin Love is recovering quickly after shoulder surgery, writes Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. Love was expected to be out of action four to six months after being hurt in an April playoff game, but Pluto says he has been working with a team trainer at an Olympic facility in Utah. Love said Friday on Late Night with Seth Meyers that he thought he was about a month to a month and a half away from returning to action (video link; transcription via HoopsHype). Pluto adds that Love never gave serious consideration to leaving Cleveland before signing a new max contract in July. Love has been talking to LeBron James over the offseason about adapting his role in the offense.
Central Notes: Tellem, Thompson, Parker
Arn Tellem, who was recently hired as the new vice chairman of Palace Sports and Entertainment, is also likely to become a minority owner of the Pistons by the year’s end, writes Tom Walsh of The Detroit Free Press. This was one of the factors that motivated Tellem to leave the Wasserman Media Group, Walsh adds. “I’m coming here to make a difference,” Tellem said. “If it was just limited to basketball, it would not be enough of a motivation to come and do it, but to have an involvement from an ownership level in basketball and the business and the community and see where we can make a difference and contribute to what’s going on here in Detroit and Michigan.”
Regarding a potential ownership stake in he franchise, Tellem said, “That was part of the plan when I came in. My hope is now that by the end of the year, we’re going to hopefully have a piece of the action. [Owner] Tom’s [Gores] desire is to have this team long-term for him and his family and to really accomplish a lot here — not only winning basketball games, but to make a difference in the community here.”
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- In move that doesn’t come as a shock, restricted free agent Tristan Thompson won’t be attending the pre-training camp workouts that LeBron James has organized for the Cavaliers in Miami, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group notes. Thompson, who has reportedly rejected a five-year, $80MM contract offer from the Cavaliers, is adamant that he will not put pen to paper on a new pact unless it is a maximum salary deal and is contemplating signing his one-year qualifying offer worth $6,777,589 if a deal can’t be worked out between the two sides.
- Bucks forward Jabari Parker‘s rehab from a torn ACL suffered 25 games into the 2014/15 campaign is going well, though it is unclear if he will be at full strength when the regular season tips off, Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders writes. But even if Parker is close to 100%, the team intends to be protective of the second-year player, Blancarte adds. “We’re going to be very conservative with him,” GM John Hammond said. “If we think he’s capable of playing 20, we’ll maybe play him 10 minutes. If we think he can play a back-to-back, we’ll wait on the back-to-back. Whatever it is, we’re going to be very cautious as he moves forward because of the magnitude of who he can be and who we hope he can be for our organization going forward.”
Pelicans Sign Sean Kilpatrick
THURSDAY, 10:08am: The deal is official, the Pelicans announced.
WEDNESDAY, 5:40pm: The Pelicans have signed unrestricted free agent shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). The arrangement is a two-year, minimum salary deal that includes a partial guarantee of $50K for the 2015/16 season, Pincus adds. The 25-year-old was also a participant in recent workouts with the Hawks, Spurs and Lakers.
The former Cincinnati Bearcat averaged a strong 18.2 points in 28.7 minutes per game in summer league play for the Bucks this year, but Milwaukee already has 15 players on its roster possessing full guarantees. The path to a regular season roster spot for Kilpatrick would appear to be a bit less muddled with the Pelicans, with the team having 13 players with fully guaranteed pacts on its roster currently.
Kilpatrick appeared in four contests for the Timberwolves while on a 10-day contract during the 2014/15 campaign, averaging 5.5 points in 18.0 minutes per appearance. He spent the bulk of last season in the NBA D-League, playing for the affiliates of the Sixers and Warriors.
And-Ones: Williams, Davis, Bucks
The Mavericks have seen encouraging signs from Deron Williams during informal workouts, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets. Williams, who appears lean and quick, feels he has a lot to prove, MacMahon adds. Williams signed with the Mavs in July to be their starting point guard after he secured his release from the Nets via a buyout agreement. He received a two-year deal worth $10MM that includes a player option.
In other news around the league:
- Anthony Davis said there was little doubt that he would sign an extension with the Pelicans rather than test the free agent waters, he told SLAM’s Christopher Cason in a Q&A session. “I knew I was going back to New Orleans,” he said. “I love the city, love what the team is doing and I have faith in the coaching staff and my teammates. It was an easy decision for me.”
- An overflow crowd packed a Milwaukee City Hall meeting as the public was given its first opportunity to formally comment on a funding plan to build a new Bucks arena, Greg Moore of the Associated Press reports. Milwaukee Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux laid out how the city plans to generate its $47MM share of public funding for a new arena and entertainment district, primarily through special tax districts, Moore continues. While a majority of those who spoke favored the plan, a group called Common Ground questioned why the city would help pay for the project rather than invest in the neighborhood or school improvements, Moore adds.
- The Celtics extended their exclusive affiliation with the D-League’s Maine Red Claws through the 2017/18 season, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports. The Celtics became Maine’s lone affiliate and took over its basketball operations in 2012. Last season, the Celtics assigned a total of six players to the Red Claws, Himmelsbach adds.
Eastern Notes: Bucks, Arena, Nets
With a nucleus of young and mostly established players including Michael Carter-Williams, Khris Middleton, Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greg Monroe and John Henson, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders opines that there’s a strong chance the Bucks emerge this season as one of the top teams out of the Eastern Conference. Hamilton also adds that the young players respect head coach Jason Kidd, perhaps more than a veteran would, given Kidd’s age, and that should make winning come a bit easier for the team.
Here’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who signed a bill that calls for $250MM of public financing for a new arena for the Bucks, called the proposed investment “fiscally responsible,” on NBC’s Meet the Press (h/t SI.com’s Chris Mannix). Walker has long backed the arena project and said when the bill emerged from the state legislature late last month that he’d sign it. The team must still arrange for a land sale with Milwaukee County and receive approval for construction from the Milwaukee Common Council, but Bucks executives have said that can take place between now and the fall.
- After the worst statistical season since his second year in the league, Joe Johnson, judging from his physique in photos and videos posted on his Instagram feed, appears to be ready for this season, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily writes. Johnson, who was the subject of trade rumors earlier this summer, will likely start at shooting guard, according to Nets head coach Lionel Hollins.
Central Notes: Williams, Irving, Hilliard, Vaughn
The Cavaliers mostly stood pat this summer, but they spent the majority of their taxpayer’s mid-level exception on Mo Williams, and with Kyrie Irving‘s broken kneecap a threat to keep him out as late as January, that move looks wise, writes Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders in his NBA AM piece. The Cavs, with Williams in place, aren’t rushing Irving back, and that’s wise, considering a growing history of injuries for the former No. 1 overall pick, Greene adds. See more from around the Central Division:
- Darrun Hilliard is bothered that he shot only 29% in summer league play, but the Pistons aren’t, observes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. The team signed Hilliard, this year’s 38th overall pick, to three-year deal with a total of $1.1MM in guaranteed salary. The Pistons also see his ball-handling as a plus that can complement the games of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks, Detroit’s other shooting guards, as Langlois relays.
- Rashad Vaughn played AAU ball in Milwaukee and was, like Jabari Parker a year ago, hoping the Bucks would draft him, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News chronicles. The Bucks granted the former UNLV shooting guard his wish when they picked him 17th overall. “I feel like we are a young team that can all come together, grow together,” Vaughn said. “I am looking forward to all of us getting in the gym and starting to work.”
- Pacers draft-and-stash prospect Stanko Barac reportedly sought a path to the NBA this year, and the Pacers apparently had him in for a mini-camp in June, but he’s signed with Olimpia Milano of Italy, the team announced (Twitter link; translation via Sportando’s Enea Trapani).
Central Notes: Kaun, Henson, Landry, Dinwiddie
Former Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry knew patience would be necessary when he traded $300K in cash for the draft rights to Sasha Kaun in 2008, as he tells Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. Still, Ferry had watched similar draft-and-stash prospects pay off when he was with the Spurs, and he sees Kaun, who’s finally coming to the Cavs, as a strong defender whose professional experience overseas has made him ready for the NBA.
“He will really help the Cavs,” Ferry said to Pluto. “He was a three-time Academic All-American at Kansas. He’s like a sponge. He soaks up everything the coaches tell him. The best thing he did was go and play for CSKA Moscow. It’s the elite level in Europe.”
Cleveland’s deal with Kaun reunites the center with Timofey Mozgov and coach David Blatt from the 2012 Russian Olympic team, Pluto notes. See more from around the Central Division:
- The Bucks are ready to do a deal on a rookie scale extension for John Henson, but the sense from Henson’s camp is that they want to see what the market yields for other extension-eligible players, sources tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders for his NBA AM piece. We looked at Henson’s extension candidacy in depth earlier this month.
- Recent Bucks signee Marcus Landry, a Milwaukee native, has long been a fan of the team, as he explains to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We still have so many things from Ray Allen and guys before Ray Allen,” Landry said. “We have a sign that my mom held onto. I have a pair of shoes I got from Ray Allen personally. We have a lot of memorabilia from coming to a Bucks game at a young age. It’s an overwhelming moment for me at times when I really sit back and think about it. It’s definitely going to be a great experience.”
- The Pistons traded for Steve Blake after watching Spencer Dinwiddie struggle with turnovers in the summer league, but while a healthy Brandon Jennings would threaten to knock Dinwiddie further down the depth chart, last year’s 38th overall pick remains confident, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Dinwiddie is entering the final guaranteed season of his contract, one of 17 on the Pistons that includes a full guarantee for this year.