Odds & Ends: Ilyasova, Stevenson, Thunder, Calipari
After inking a lucrative five-year deal, Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova vows that he won't rest on his laurels, writes Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times. While some players have let themselves go after getting money similar to his guaranteed $31.6MM over four years (with an $8.4MM option for year five), Ilyasova plans to do just the opposite. “It doesn’t work that way for me,” Ilyasova said. “That’s not my nature. The thing with this contract … there comes responsibility with it. People are expecting more, so that’s why I spent the summer working with a coach to try and improve myself.” More from around the Association..
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription req'd) writes that a full NBA minor league system would make the draft deeper and help unearth a player like Jeremy Lin more quickly. Currently, NBA teams keep a database of between 100 and 150 players that they actively scout with the idea of narrowing the board down to 60 players. A deeper draft would obviously make use of more scouting reports.
- Hawks veteran DeShawn Stevenson was excited to join the club after coming over in the Joe Johnson trade, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While Atlanta is stocked with shooters, Stevenson is quick to note that he also played with a similar cast in Dallas.
- J.A. Adande of ESPN.com runs down ten things to watch for in the Western Conference this season. Adande cautions that this could be the end of the Thunder as we know them with James Harden's contract situation in limbo. Adande opines that it would make sense for Oklahoma City to lock up Harden, look to win a title with the current group, and trade him down the road.
- Kentucky coach John Calipari told 106.7 the Fan in Washington D.C. that he has no plans to ever return to the NBA, writes Chris Fedor of Sports Radio Interviews. Calipari's last stint in the league came with the Nets where his top achievement was taking the team to the playoffs in the 1997/98 season.
- If Derek Fisher and Raja Bell land in NBA rotations, they are likely to be victims of the new flopping rules, tweets John Hollinger of ESPN.com. Fisher is currently a free agent while Bell continues to work on reaching a buyout agreement with the Jazz.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Walton, D12, Jazz, Wright
As NBA training camps continue, the big stories around the league today involved the Association's new anti-flopping policy and the Knicks finally making Rasheed Wallace's signing official. In spite of the buzz surrounding Wallace's return to the NBA, Knicks coach Mike Woodson tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link) that he views 'Sheed as an insurance policy, rather than someone who will play big minutes. Here are a few more odds and ends from around the league:
- There's still a chance Josh Howard ends up on the Knicks, but the team would have to cut someone to make room for him, tweets Zwerling. For now, New York is in "wait-and-see mode" while the team evaluates its current players, a source tells Zwerling (Twitter link).
- If the Cavaliers have made Luke Walton a buyout offer, he isn't aware of it, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Sulia link). According to Amico, Walton leaves such matters to his agent, and is expecting to play out the final year of his contract with the Cavs.
- The timetable for Dwight Howard's potential return keeps moving up, if you ask Howard, who tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he could play in the preseason.
- While Jazz players like Chris Quinn, Brian Butch, Darnell Jackson, and Trey Gilder are long shots to make the club's roster, coach Tyrone Corbin says everyone has a chance, according to Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News.
- Israeli team Maccabi Rishon LeZion has announced the signing of 2007 lottery pick Julian Wright, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
- In an Insider piece, ESPN.com's David Thorpe explores the impact it would have if the D-League evolved into a full minor league system for the NBA.
Eastern Notes: Magic, Sixers, Nets, Celtics
The biggest NBA news of the day so far has come out of Philadelphia, where the 76ers are announced Tony DiLeo's promotion to general manger. SI.com's Sam Amick has a few additional details on the move, including some other names that the Sixers pursued. According to Amick, the Sixers were turned down when they asked permission to speak to Jazz executive Kevin O'Connor and Thunder exec Troy Weaver. Here are a few more Friday notes out of the Eastern Conference:
- Harkless' and Smith's injuries will not be healed in time for the regular season, keeping them out of the Magic lineup until mid-November, Schmitz writes, updating his earlier tweet (below).
Earlier updates:
- Amick adds that the 76ers may still hire a more analytically-inclined executive to work alongside DiLeo in the Philadelphia front office.
- Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov had praise for GM Billy King and coach Avery Johnson, whose contracts are set to expire at season's end. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News passes along Prokhorov's quotes in a pair of tweets.
- Al Harrington, Maurice Harkless, and Ish Smith, all recovering from offseason surgery, are expected to miss training camp, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. All three players were added by the Magic this summer.
- J.J. Redick understands that the Magic are in a transition year, but says he loves playing in Orlando and that he and GM Rob Hennigan are "on the same page" when it comes to his future (Twitterlinks via John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com).
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com looks into which Celtics on non-guaranteed contracts are the best bets to earn a roster spot, concluding that Dionte Christmas is a clear-cut favourite.
- Raja Bell tells Andy Slater of 640 AM Sports in Miami that the Heat would be his first choice in free agency if he can work out a buyout with the Jazz (Sulia link via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel).
- In his latest mailbag for the Sun Sentinel, Winderman debates whether the Heat or Celtics had the better offseason and examines where Miami's roster stands.
Free Agent Notes: D.J. White, Whiteside, Yi
As teams continue to fill out their training camp rosters with free agent signings, Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld takes a look at which clubs still have cap space or various cap exceptions. Pincus' piece is worth checking out for an update on where your favorite teams stands, financially, and it also provides one important reminder: When the season begins, sign-and-trade deals are no longer permitted. Given the rule changes coming next summer, these next few weeks will be the last opportunity taxpaying teams will have to conduct sign-and-trade deals under the current CBA.
Here's the latest on a few free agents still looking for work:
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein passes along "word from China" suggesting that the Shanghai Sharks are strongly pursuing unrestricted free agent D.J. White (Twitter link). We heard earlier this week that White was drawing interest from Israel.
- GM David Kahn and the Timberwolves have been doing extensive due diligence on Hassan Whiteside, says Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500, who believes the big man is a good bet to join the T-Wolves (Twitter links).
- Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside looks at whether Yi Jianlian's NBA window could be closing, and wonders if the former lottery pick would give the D-League a shot if it provided the best path back to the NBA.
- Matt Dickey, who went undrafted out of UNC Asheville, is hoping to join the D-League for the coming season, according to Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside.
Odds & Ends: D-League, Cavaliers, Howard
There are still a number of big-name veterans left on the open market as we close in on the 2012/13 season, and Lang Greene of HoopsWorld opines that it is time for some of them – like Kenyon Martin and Mickael Pietrus – to take one of the minimum offers being put in front of them. Others, like Tracy McGrady, are still searching for a team to offer them a guaranteed one-year deal. Here's today's look around the Association as we wait to see where the best of the rest wind up..
- Former Kings guard Pooh Jeter announced via Twitter that he has signed with the Shandong Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association. The 5'11" guard has spent a great deal of time overseas and most recently suited up for Spanish team Joventut Badalona.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders if NBA veterans should be allowed to play alongside promising young players in the D-League. Schlosser tips his cap to players like Mike James and Dan Gadzuric who used the D-League as a springboard back to the NBA but is less-than-supportive of vets such as Antoine Walker who have spent more than one year in the D-League without dominating the competition.
- Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer writes that the Cavaliers would still like to pick up a small forward. Alonzo Gee is the likely starter after re-signing on a three-year, $10MM deal and Omri Casspi figures to be his primary backup.
- Dwight Howard told ESPN.com's Ric Bucher that he doesn't have any regrets about moving on from the Magic but does wish that things unfolded differently. The Lakers big man is currently working to rehab from back surgery but will not return in time for the first preseason game of the year.
- Guard Manny Harris chose the right time to make the move overseas, opines Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside. The 22-year-old signed on with BC Azovmash of the Ukranian League earlier this week after shifting between the Cavaliers and the D-League over the last two seasons.
Odds & Ends: Louisville, D-League, Raptors
Earlier this summer, we heard rumblings of Virginia Beach putting the wheels in motion to land an NBA team with an eye on the Kings. Today, Marcus Green and Dan Klepal of The Courier-Journal write that a group of community leaders in Louisville, Kentucky would like to land a team as well. However, one city spokesman says that there is no "active deal" between the city and any team in the Association. Here's this afternoon's look around the league..
- The Maine Red Claws of the D-League are set to hire Mike Taylor as their next head coach, league sources tell Paul Flannery of WEEI.com. Taylor has experience in Europe and the D-League and will now head the Red Claws in their first year under the full control of the Celtics.
- AJ Mitnick of Sheridan Hoops brings us his All-Eurobasket Qualifying team, which features Omri Casspi, Danilo Gallinari, and Marcin Gortat. Finnish guard Petteri Kaponen, whose draft rights are owned by the Mavericks, also turned in a standout performance during the games.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star expects the Raptors to offer Jamaal Magloire an off-the-court role if he does not survive with the club. Magloire's deal hasn't been officially announced yet but it is expected to be a one-year, non-guaranteed pact.
- Jarvis Varnado is hoping to make the Heat on a non-guaranteed deal, but Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel doesn't like his chances. Winderman expects Miami to give the nod to Mickell Gladness rather than the defensive-minded Varnado.
- Last year's D-League call-up record will likely be broken this season, opines Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside. Part of the reason for that is that there will be an all-time high of eleven NBA teams with single affiliates.
Pacific Notes: Seattle, Kings, Warriors, Barbosa
The Seattle arena proposal, led by investor Chris Hansen, still requires the approval of Seattle City Council and King County Council, but the plan took a major step forward yesterday, as Lynn Thompson of the Seattle Times writes. It was announced that Hansen and the city council have reached an agreement on financial terms for the arena, with official approval expected later this month. At that point, Hansen can begin "shopping" for an NBA franchise. Let's round up the latest links on the Seattle situation and a few other topics from around the Pacific Division….
- Former SuperSonic Lenny Wilkens believes Seattle could land a team as early as next season, according to Percy Allen of the Seattle Times. Allen says that the Bucks, Bobcats, and Timberwolves are all realistic candidates for relocation, though the Kings remain the odds-on favorite to move.
- The cost of relocating an NBA franchise means Sacramento should still have a reasonable chance at keeping the Kings, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation.com.
- Marcos Breton of the Sacramento Bee wonders if the city of Seattle would want to bring the Kings to town even if the Maloofs were still a part of the package.
- The threat of a lawsuit may impact the future of the Santa Cruz Warriors, says J.M. Brown of the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The city of Santa Cruz had been expected to approve a plan to build a 30,000-square-foot facility to host Golden State's D-League team.
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News believes the Lakers are still the most likely landing spot for unrestricted free agent Leandro Barbosa.
Eastern Notes: Heat, Celtics, Knicks, Pistons
Earlier tonight, we learned that the Nets have reached an agreement with Andray Blatche on a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract. While that removes Blatche from the equation for the Heat, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks it could ultimately benefit Miami, increasing the team's chances of being able to add a "known quantity on the cheap" (Sulia link). Here are a few more evening links from around the Eastern Conference:
- Coming off a season in which the Celtics struggled on the boards, WEEI.com's Ben Rohrbach looks into whether the team improved its rebounding with its offseason moves.
- Steve Novak and the Knicks have organized a "pre-training camp" that's set to begin on Monday, the sharpshooter tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
- In previewing the Pistons' upcoming season, David Mayo of MLive.com examines the position where the team seems to be thinnest: Shooting guard.
- Reggie Miller tells Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star that he wouldn't rule out returning to the Pacers in a front-office role down the line.
- In a Nets press release, the team announced that tryouts for the Springfield Armor, Brooklyn's D-League affiliate, will be held in New Jersey on September 22nd and in Springfield on October 21st.
Pacers Sign Blake Ahearn
11:06am: Ahearn's deal is partially guaranteed, according to Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype.
10:39am: The Pacers and free agent guard Blake Ahearn have agreed to a deal, a source told HoopsHype (via Twitter). The sharpshooter finished the 2011/12 season with the Jazz on a pair of consecutive ten-day contracts.
The 27-year-old was the D-League's top scorer last season, averaging 23.8 PPG and 5.1 APG in 37 games for the Reno Bighorns. Ahearn saw 30 minutes of play for the Jazz across four games last season, his first NBA action since suiting up for the Spurs in 2008/09. The 6'3" guard is known mostly for his outside shooting which was on display in the D-League last season as he shot 40% from downtown.
NBA D-League Affiliations For 2012/13
The 2012/13 season will mark the first time that NBA teams will be permitted to send players with less than three years of NBA experience to their respective D-League affiliates an unlimited number of times. While this should help the D-League evolve into a more effective development system for the NBA, not all D-League franchises are affiliated with a single NBA team. The League announced its list of affiliates today, which includes 11 D-League franchises associated with a single NBA team, and five more that are affiliated with three or four NBA clubs. Here's the complete list:
- Austin Toros: San Antonio Spurs
- Bakersfield Jam: Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors
- Canton Charge: Cleveland Cavaliers
- Dakota Wizards(*): Golden State Warriors
- Erie BayHawks: New York Knicks
- Fort Wayne Mad Ants: Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks
- Idaho Stampede: Portland Trail Blazers
- Iowa Energy: Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Hornets, Washington Wizards
- Los Angeles D-Fenders: Los Angeles Lakers
- Maine Red Claws: Boston Celtics
- Reno Bighorns: Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz
- Rio Grande Valley Vipers: Houston Rockets
- Sioux Falls Skyforce: Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers
- Springfield Armor: Brooklyn Nets
- Texas Legends: Dallas Mavericks
- Tulsa 66ers: Oklahoma City Thunder
(* The Dakota Wizards will become the Santa Cruz Warriors for the 2012/13 season, pending NBA approval.)