NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Fournier, Gordon, Temple

January 23rd, 2016 at 3:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Magic will likely need to decide between shooting guards Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo in the near future, with both players set to hit restricted free agency over the next two summers, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders writes. Fournier, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent this summer, may be an attractive trade option for other teams since they would possess the right to match any offer sheet Fournier were to ink this offseason, Taylor notes. Oladipo won’t be eligible for free agency until the summer of 2017, but his trade value is currently low given his struggles this season and injury concerns, Taylor adds.

Here’s more from out of the Southeast:

Magic second-year forward Aaron Gordon is biding his time as he awaits a larger role with the team, but he desperately wants to do more to help a slumping Orlando squad, John Denton of NBA.com writes. “It’s hard, but you just have to do what you can do and control what you can control,’’ Gordon said. “I’m a firm believer in that and if I just do that, I’ll be ready when it’s my time. I’m just trying to be solid and be someone that [coach] Scott [Skiles] can count on to be in the right spots and make plays for our team. Really, my heart is pure and if I’m not playing well or doing what I’m supposed to, then I am the hardest one on me. I just need to continue to improve and do what I can to help this team.’’
Garrett Temple feels a deep loyalty to the Wizards organization because they gave him an opportunity in the NBA when other teams wouldn’t, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. “[Washington] called me to work on out on the 17th of December in 2012 and I went back home because they didn’t sign me,” Temple told Brigham. “Then right before Christmas, they called me and told me they were going to sign me up. And that showed how much [the Heat] wanted me because when Washington came after me, Miami reached out and was like, ‘Well, we want you to come back here.’ But it was a nah-you-had-your-chance type of thing with them. Washington was the one that gave me the opportunity, so I wanted to be loyal to them. Everything happens for a reason, and I’ve been very happy here.”
The Hornets have recalled Aaron Harrison from the D-League, the team announced.

Eastern Notes: Afflalo, Mirotic, Jennings

January 23rd, 2016 at 11:36am CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks shooting guard Arron Afflalo is fine with playing second fiddle to small forward Carmelo Anthony in New York, but he’s ready to answer the call as the team’s go-to player if needed, Mike Coppinger of USA Today writes. “[Anthony] is one of the best scorers of all time, so I don’t mind being second fiddle to that,” said Afflalo. “But, for example, if he ever was to get hurt, or if he’s out of the game for any reason, I don’t have any issues with stepping into that role.”

Most NBA players begin to decline when they reach the age of 30, but Afflalo, who turned 30 in October, believes he can buck that trend, Coppinger relays. “I think I’m only going to get better as I get older because of my style of play,” Afflalo said. “I like to play a more post game, spot-up 3s, coming off screens. These are things that as long as you’re in good condition – I’m not really relying on heavy speed or heavy athleticism – I’m more relying on my footwork and skill and my body. So I feel as I get older with more experience, I’m just going to get better with age.”

Here’s the latest from the Central Division:

Bulls combo forward Nikola Mirotic is struggling with his confidence this season after losing his spot as a starter, but he understands he needs to keep working to regain his form, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes. “I’m struggling a little bit now and not shooting well,” Mirotic said. “I’m not feeling the same confidence I was before. The only way to get it back is to work hard and stay positive. I need to forget what happened yesterday. I’m not scoring easy baskets. I’m not running like before. I’m not making those open 3s. I’m not doing things in the low post. But if I can do it last year in March, I can do it this year, too. I think it will come soon.“
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy is pleased with Brandon Jennings‘ performance leading the team’s second unit, but he doesn’t think the point guard will be back to full speed until training camp next season, MLive’s David Mayo notes. “For the most part, our team has played well with him on the court, I think because of the way he pushes the ball, and moves the ball, and everything else,” Van Gundy said. “Not only are you coming back off injury, but you miss 30-plus games, and you missed all of the summer. It just takes time to get back into it.“
The Celtics have assigned James Young to their D-League affiliate in Maine, the team announced.

And-Ones: Blatt, Davis, Clippers

January 22nd, 2016 at 10:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert said that it was a difficult choice to fire David Blatt, but also noted that it was ultimately GM David Griffin‘s decision to do so, according to his official statement (h/t NBA.com). “Over the course of my business career I have learned that sometimes the hardest thing to do is also the right thing to do,” said Gilbert “Our ownership group supports David Griffin’s decision. We would like to thank David Blatt for his work over these past two seasons where the Cavaliers transformed into a playoff team after a rebuilding phase. We believe Tyronn Lue is the right coach at the right time to put us in the best position to take the last but most challenging step to complete our mission to deliver Cleveland an NBA Championship.”

“On behalf of the organization, I would like to thank David Blatt for his efforts and commitment to this franchise,” Griffin said. “He spent the last year and a half battling intense scrutiny, working to mold a very willful group and we all recognize that is not at all an easy task.”

Here’s more from around the NBA:

The Clippers made two moves today, sending Josh Smith to the Rockets via trade and agreeing to sign Jeff Ayres to a 10-day deal, and coach/executive Doc Rivers indicated that the team may stand pat the rest of the season as far as roster moves are concerned, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times tweets.
Multiple NBA D-League teams have invited free agent Baron Davis to practice with them in advance of a possible signing, but the veteran has declined all such offers to date, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor relays (on Twitter). Davis cleared D-League waivers last week after going unclaimed by the league’s 19 teams.
The Rockets were sent precisely $456,921 by Los Angeles as part of the Smith trade, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (via Twitter).

Western Notes: Aldridge, Williams, D-League

January 22nd, 2016 at 6:40pm CST by Eddie Scarito

LaMarcus Aldridge, who signed with the Spurs this past offseason as an unrestricted free agent, said he was very close to joining the Suns instead, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. “It was very close,” said Aldridge. “It came down to the final minute, to the final day of me trying to make a decision of coming here or going to San Antonio. They [Phoenix] made a strong case. They knew who I wanted to play with and some things I valued and they made those things happen. I couldn’t not take them seriously because they did everything that I was asking at the time. It came down, neck and neck, between Phoenix and San Antonio. It wasn’t overplayed. That was accurate.”

Here’s more from out West:

Aldridge also noted that he is happy not having to be the alpha in San Antonio’s system and happiness for he and his family and a chance to win an NBA title trump any ego-driven concerns, Coro adds. “Things change,” Aldridge told Coro. “I’ve always enjoyed being the guy. I think working so hard in Portland to earn the right to have it be my team and to have my own team over the years and try to play at a high level, that was hard-earned. So I take pride in that. I cherish those years. I don’t want to be that guy. This team is so stacked that they really don’t need me to be that guy here. This is more Kawhi’s [Leonard] team and we all kind of fit in around him and try to make him better and try to make his life a little bit easier. I think if I was trying to be that guy still, then I should’ve not came. But I’m OK with trying to help Kawhi be great every night.”
Shooting guard Elliot Williams, whom the Grizzlies didn’t sign to a second 10-day contract after his first expired on Sunday, has rejoined the Warriors’ D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor tweets.
The Thunder have assigned Josh Huestis and Mitch McGary to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Huestis’ ninth stint with the Blue on the season and McGary’s fifth.

Texas Notes: Lawson, Smith, Aldridge, Mavs

January 22nd, 2016 at 10:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Rockets expect to hang on to Ty Lawson through the trade deadline, as USA Today’s Sam Amick hears (Twitter link). The Bucks have been linked to Lawson of late, as Amick says, echoing a recent report from Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who said a trade to Milwaukee was nonetheless unlikely. Houston had reportedly been exploring the market for Lawson as the point guard’s camp sought a way for him to see more playing time elsewhere, but the market proved slow. Houston instead struck a deal to acquire Josh Smith from the Clippers. See more on that amid the latest from Texas:

Smith called the idea of returning to the Rockets “amazing” and said in an interview with Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston that he hopes to deliver leadership to the Rockets and relieve pressure from James Harden and Dwight Howard (All Twitter links here). “I look at that team as being right there, just missing a couple of pieces and I feel like I’m one of those missing pieces,” Smith said to Berman.
LaMarcus Aldridge confirmed that the Suns were the last team other than the Spurs that he considered in free agency this past summer and said that while he enjoyed being the focal point of the Trail Blazers, he’s undergone a change that allows him to take a back seat on the Spurs. Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio News-Express has the details. “I don’t see myself being that guy here,” Aldridge said. “This is more Kawhi [Leonard]’s team, and we all fit in around him and try to make his life a little easier. If I was trying to be that guy still, I should have not come. I’m OK trying to help Kawhi be great every night.”
The Mavericks have recalled Justin Anderson, Jeremy Evans and Salah Mejri from the D-League, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. The team had just sent the trio on assignment Thursday.

Western Notes: Russell, Karl, D-League

January 21st, 2016 at 9:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell has been compared to Kings playmaker Rajon Rondo, which suits the rookie just fine, Abbey Mastracco of The Los Angeles Daily News writes. “That edge about him,” Russell said of Rondo. “A lot of guys don’t really like him, a lot of coaches don’t really like him, but he still finds a way to win. If that’s what it takes to be a winner in the league, I think I’m going to follow that path.” While Russell would like to emulate Rondo, he also wants to maintain his own identity on the court, Mastracco adds. “Just really being myself my whole career,” Russell said. “I don’t want to turn into somebody I’m not. I can control what I can control and that’s about it. I don’t really worry about those other things. Just trying to keep that positive mentality and being competitive.”

Here’s more from out West:

Kings coach George Karl is happy with the progress his team is making but cautions that there is still much to be done before Sacramento can be considered a legitimate playoff threat, James Ham of CSNBayArea.com writes. “I think as a coach, getting better and improving is the positive of what’s going on right now,” Karl said. “Our record is positive also, we’ve had a good month of January. It hasn’t been an easy schedule. At the same time, we’re in the middle of the season, 41 games left. If we think we’re good I think that would be a mistake right now. We’ve played good basketball, we’re playing better basketball, but we have a lot of work to do.”
The Grizzlies have been uncharacteristically productive from beyond the 3-point line recently, notes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, with the team connecting on 48.9% of its deep balls over the past three games. “I actually thought the 3-point shot was kind of the difference for us in our favor, which is kind of cool,” coach Dave Joerger said. “We’re starting to make shots.” It’s unclear if the team’s recent success will deter it from pursuing more offensive firepower as the trade deadline approaches.
The Mavericks have assigned swingman Justin Anderson, power forward Jeremy Evans and center Salah Mejri to their D-League affiliate, the team announced via press release. This will be the seventh trip to the Legends on the season for Mejri, the sixth for Anderson and Evans’ third.

Southeast Notes: Hardaway, Nene, Harrison

January 21st, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Tim Hardaway Jr. barely played the first two months of the season as Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer kept him either on the bench or on D-League assignment, casting doubt on the wisdom of the decision that Budenholzer, in his role as president of basketball operations, made when he traded for him this past summer. The 23-year-old shooting guard has since found his way into the rotation, and Budenholzer credits his perseverance, as Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution relays.

“I think he really put in time in the weight room,” Budenholzer said. “He missed a little bit of the summer with his [injured] wrist. His athleticism, his pop, which is one of the things that intrigued us about him, has returned. Then, he’s just working defensively. He’s getting over screens, fighting through screens. He just really understands how important it is to be good defensively and you see it when he’s playing. He’s communicating. He’s talking. He’s working. On the offensive end, he’s just letting it come to him.”

Still, Hardaway has seen action in only 12 NBA games this season, and while he’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, that seems a long shot, at best. Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Wizards briefly paired Marcin Gortat and Nene on the floor in Monday’s game, and the inauspicious results showed why the team has been right to avoid putting them together this season, contends J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. Nene, who moved to the bench this year after having started alongside Gortat in years past, is a free agent at season’s end.
The results of the first half of the season indicate the Heat have a roster that’s better in theory than in reality, with a style of play that doesn’t fit Goran Dragic and an over-reliance on Gerald Green‘s outside shooting, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines.
The Hornets have assigned Aaron Harrison to the D-League, the team announced. He’ll play for the Thunder’s affiliate, since Charlotte doesn’t have a D-League partner of its own. Earlier, I examined previous instances of NBA teams sending players on D-League assignment to the affiliates of other NBA clubs.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Thomas, D-League Recalls

January 19th, 2016 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics’ pipeline to the lottery, via the Nets, and the possibility of moving some of those picks for an established star, gives them real hope of becoming a serious contender, Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com opines. Brooklyn must give Boston unprotected picks in 2016 and 2018. The Celtics also have the right to swap picks in 2017. There’s a good chance all those picks might be top five selections, Tjarks deduces, providing them multiple opportunities to select a future superstar. It might be wiser, however, for Boston to accelerate its timetable by acquiring a franchise-caliber big man for those picks, with the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins and Cavs’ Kevin Love being obvious targets to upgrade their flawed frontcourt, Tjarks adds.

In other doings around the Atlantic Division:

Isaiah Thomas’ improvement as a defender makes him an All-Star candidate, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com outlines through advanced metrics. While the Celtics’ diminutive point guard hasn’t become a defensive stopper, he’s become a more willing defender by fighting through screens and using his quickness to cover more areas of the court, Forsberg continues. Thomas’ impact on the team’s offensive efficiency remains his best argument for All-Star selection, as he’s one of its few players who can create for himself off the dribble and get to the free throw line, Forsberg adds.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey clearly misses having power forward Amir Johnson on his team, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports reports. Johnson signed a two-year, $24M contract with the Celtics during the offseason. “Amir plays with pure heart,” Casey told Lewenberg. “There’s no agendas. He’s about the team, he’s about winning, he’s about giving everything on the court, he’s about his teammates … each and every night he was going to give you the same effort.”
The Raptors recalled power forward Anthony Bennett, small forward Bruno Caboclo and and combo guard Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, Raptors 905, the team’s media relations department tweets. Toronto plays six home games the remainder of the month.

And-Ones: D-League, Clippers, Beal, Draft

January 18th, 2016 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The recent call-ups of J.J. O’Brien by the Jazz and Keith Appling by the Magic could represent a new trend in how NBA teams use the D-League, according to D-League Digest. They are the first call-ups of the season directly from a franchise’s minor league affiliate, and their familiarity with the parent teams’ systems made them an easy fit. With 10-day contracts limiting the amount of instruction time for new players, it helps to have someone who already understands how a team approaches the game.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

NBA veteran Henry Sims is one of three D-League centers identified as top prospects by Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor. Undrafted out of Georgetown in 2012, Sims played 121 games with New Orleans, Cleveland and Philadelphia. He is currently averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds for the Grand Rapids Drive. Also on Reichert’s list are 28-year-old Alex Stepheson of the Iowa Energy and 26-year-old Jordan Bachynski of the Westchester Knicks.
Dennis Wong, a former college roommate of Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, has bought a small percentage of the team, tweets Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. The sale amounts to less than 4% of the franchise.
Bradley Beal is slowly easing back into the Wizards‘ rotation and hopes to have his minutes restriction raised soon, writes J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic. Beal, who is headed toward free agency, recently admitted that he may have to deal with restricted playing time for the rest of his career.
California’s Ivan Rabb, Vanderbilt’s Wade Baldwin and Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield were the biggest risers in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv details. His top five remains the same with Ben Simmons of LSU, Brandon Ingram of Duke, Dragan Bender of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Kris Dunn of Providence and Skal Labissiere of Kentucky.

And-Ones: Davis, D-League, CBA

January 17th, 2016 at 10:28pm CST by Will Joseph

Baron Davis has cleared D-League waivers after going unclaimed by the league’s 19 teams, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). In other words, no team thought he was worth a waiver claim. Davis now goes into the league’s available players pool, Stein adds. With an interesting point, Adam Johnson of D-League Digest tweets that some team would have likely taken a shot on Davis if this situation happened a few years ago, if only for marketing purposes, because the D-League had independent teams then.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Either side may opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement after the 2016/17 season, but commissioner Adam Silver is encouraged by already having direct conversations with the Players Association and is optimistic that a lockout will be avoided, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets.
Jae Crowder is putting up career-best numbers across the board and after re-signing with the Celtics this past summer for five years and $35MM, he is looking like one of the league’s top bargains, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com writes. Crowder was the prize in the trade that sent Rajon Rondo to the Mavs and is flourishing this season as the Celtics’ starting small forward, Forsberg adds.
The Hawks recalled Lamar Patterson and Edy Tavares from the D-League, Atlanta announced in an emailed press release.
The Magic will recall Devyn Marble from the D-League, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com reports (on Twitter).