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Pelicans In Mix As Sean Kilpatrick Nears Camp Deal

September 7th, 2015 at 2:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

One-year NBA veteran shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick is closing in on signing a deal for training camp, and the Pelicans are squarely in the mix, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). The 25-year-old who was with the Timberwolves on a 10-day contract last season was a participant in recent workouts with the Pelicans, Hawks, Spurs and Lakers.

New Orleans has plenty of roster flexibility, with 13 fully guaranteed salaries and a partial guarantee for Bryce Dejean-Jones the team’s only commitments so far. They were reportedly to have worked out shooting guard Corey Webster, a prospect from New Zealand. The Hawks and Spurs also have only 13 full guarantees apiece, but they have plenty of others on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed arrangements. The Lakers have a dozen full guarantees but are similarly stocked with multiple players who are without fully guaranteed salary.

The 6’4″ former Cincinnati Bearcat averaged an impressive 18.2 points in 28.7 minutes per game in summer league for the Bucks this year, but Milwaukee has 15 full guarantees and it’s unclear if the team has interest in him for camp. The Timberwolves have 16 fully guaranteed deals, so Kilpatrick would seemingly have a tough time making the regular season roster in Minnesota despite his experience there. The Wolves signed Kilpatrick in large measure because he was in close proximity to New York when they were short a player before a game against the Knicks, but he saw plenty of playing time in his brief stint with Minnesota, putting up 5.5 PPG in 17.9 MPG.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Gentry, Smith, Buford

September 5th, 2015 at 4:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

New Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry is sold on the idea of Anthony Davis as a “generational player” along the lines of the game’s true greats, as he said to Ian Thomsen of NBA.com. The Pelicans secured Davis on a max extension this summer, not long after hiring Gentry to become the big man’s first NBA coach aside from Monty Williams.

“Anthony is right in that category, and there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that,” Gentry said. “It is up to us to make him as good as he can possibly be, and not settle for him to be less than great in this area or that area. I told him that I have no doubt that he is going to be an MVP in this league. And I said to him, ‘We are going to be really, really good if you also win Defensive Player of the Year.”’

See more on Gentry amid the latest from the Southwest Division:

Gentry doesn’t expect to fall in lockstep with Pelicans GM Dell Demps and executive VP of basketball operations Mickey Loomis, but Demps told Thomsen that it’s clear that they have the same vision for the team. “Dell has no desire to control anyone,” Gentry said. “He wants opinions. He wants you to challenge what he is saying. He does not want to be in the situation where everything is yes, yes, yes. We’re going to disagree on a lot of things; we are going to agree on a lot of things. To me that is healthy. That is one of the reasons why teams are successful. We talked about loyalty, and I told Dell: I look at loyalty as guys expressing their opinions, and then when everything is discussed and you come to a conclusion, you walk out united. When I worked with Doug Collins, we used to have a saying: Agree, disagree, but align.”
Former Mavericks and Rockets center Greg Smith will work out for the Guangdong Southern Tigers, a source told international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). The 24-year-old Seth Cohen client spent last season with the Mavericks and was also briefly on the Bulls roster in 2013/14 after spending parts of three seasons with the Rockets, but NBA interest has appeared slim this summer, as his rumors page shows.
GM Daryl Morey deserves credit for his move to acquire Ty Lawson for the Rockets in a trade that didn’t cost any core pieces, but Spurs GM R.C. Buford is an overwhelming favorite for Executive of the Year honors, argues Fran Blinebury of NBA.com. The additions of LaMarcus Aldridge and David West drew headlines, and Blinebury is also a fan of what he believes is a team-friendly new deal with Danny Green.

Southwest Notes: Holiday, Aldridge, McGee

September 4th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday has made sufficient progress in his recovery from the surgical procedure he underwent in May that the team expects him to be cleared to participate in basketball related activities when training camp begins, John Reid of The Times Picayune writes. ”What I think we’re trying to do is not push him anywhere,” coach Alvin Gentry said. ”We’re going to monitor obviously his practices. I doubt there will be a situation where we’ll let him go two-a-days. It’s just doesn’t make sense right now.” Holiday has missed a combined 90 games over the past two campaigns because of recurring problems with his right leg. The NBA had ordered the Sixers to pay $3MM to the Pelicans last season for not fully disclosing the extent of Holiday’s injury prior to shipping him to New Orleans.

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Rick Barnes, who coached LaMarcus Aldridge at the University of Texas, doesn’t think that his former player will have any difficulty adapting his game to the Spurs‘ system, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News relays. “What he wants is to win an NBA championship,” Barnes said. “He’ll do whatever he feels he has to do to make that happen.” Aldridge had expressed some level of concern to San Antonio assistant Ime Udoka about him being more of a scorer than the Spurs typically feature during the team’s recruitment of him, McDonald adds. “He’s a tremendous teammate. He’s a team player,” Barnes continued. “He knows he’s a franchise-type guy, but he also has to have people around him. Credit to him for wanting to be part of something special.”
Mavs big man JaVale McGee believes that his athleticism will set him apart from the other centers on Dallas’ roster, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com writes. “Well, I definitely feel like we’re different players, the centers that we have, so it’s definitely going to be good competition,” McGee said. “But that’s what basketball is for, competition, so it’s definitely going to make us all better. It’s definitely a positive thing, being a leaper as I am and a shot blocker and a dunker, so that’s definitely what teams need. I’m just somebody who keeps it simple, who dunks the ball, blocks shots and is just a presence in the paint. … [coach Rick Carlisle] just wants me to keep it simple, and just play as hard as I can and be a presence in the paint.”

Southwest Notes: Lawson, Williams, Pondexter

September 4th, 2015 at 12:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ty Lawson says he’s ready for basketball again after a 30-day alcohol rehabilitation stint that followed two arrests in seven months and expressed excitement about joining coach Kevin McHale, James Harden, Dwight Howard and former Nuggets teammate Corey Brewer on the Rockets, as he conveyed in an interview with Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. Lawson agreed to give up the guarantee on his 2016/17 to facilitate the trade that sent him from Denver to Houston this summer.

“I’m about winning,” Lawson said to Berman. “I love being on a winning team. At every level I’ve played at, high school, middle school, college I won championships. This is a chance to play for one of those and get an NBA ring. I’m ready for it.”

See more from the Southwest Division:

Deron Williams is excited to play with Dirk Nowitzki and former Jazz teammate Wesley Matthews and for the chance at a new beginning with the Mavericks, as he tells Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. “You know, there’s definitely a stability about this organization that’s definitely intriguing,” Williams said. You know, they have guys that have been here forever, so it’s just about plugging in the new pieces — myself included — and just trying to get to work. But, you know, I’m just excited about this opportunity, and I’m ready to get the season going.”
It’s unclear if Quincy Pondexter will be healthy in time for the start of Pelicans training camp, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune, though while Pondexter admitted on SiriusXM NBA Radio that rehab from left knee surgery in May has been slow-going, he’s hopeful that he won’t miss much time, if any, Reid notes (audio link). Pondexter is due a guaranteed salary of more than $3.382MM this season, but the team added depth at small forward this summer with the free agent signing of Alonzo Gee.
Kawhi Leonard, fresh off his new deal with the Spurs, said he’ll try to win an MVP award, as David Zink of The Press-Enterprise wrote last month, but going for that honor would require significant change to his game and upset the offensive balance with which he and the Spurs have found so much success, argues Ian Levy of The Sporting News.

Pelicans, Others Interested In Corey Webster

September 4th, 2015 at 8:05am CST by Eddie Scarito

SEPTEMBER 4TH, 8:05am: Webster will work out for the Pelicans, a source indicated to Niall Anderson of The New Zealand Herald.

AUGUST 22ND, 11:03am: There are multiple NBA teams interested in signing New Zealand’s Corey Webster to a training camp deal, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops reports (Twitter link). It is unknown at this time which teams have expressed interest in the 26-year-old shooting guard. Webster went undrafted back in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Webster attended a three-day mini-camp the Pacers held in June. Prior to the event he told Tom Hersz of Downtownball.net, “I am looking forward to the whole opportunity, being in the NBA environment and the chance to show them what I can do on the court. It’s an amazing opportunity that I am ready to take advantage of.”

This past NBL season, Webster was a large part of the New Zealand Breakers winning the league championship, which was the squad’s fourth in the past five seasons. Webster finished eighth overall in the NBL in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per contest, and he led the league in three-pointers made (71), and drained 42% of his shots from deep overall.

He inked a new three year contract with the Breakers in June, but the pact did include an NBA out clause, which would allow Webster to come stateside and compete for an NBA roster spot if he desires.

And-Ones: Williams, Davis, Bucks

August 31st, 2015 at 10:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

Carlos Boozer Unlikely To Sign Before Season Starts

August 28th, 2015 at 1:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

Carlos Boozer is likely to remain unsigned for the rest of the offseason and instead seek a deal with a playoff contender after the season starts, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Thus, it appears as though the 13-year veteran simply isn’t seeing an offer that he likes for now, though it casts doubt on the idea that he would bite on apparent interest from the Chinese league, an option that had reportedly intrigued him earlier this month.

Boozer, who turns 34 in November, made $16.8MM combined last season from the Bulls, who waived him via the amnesty clause in July 2014, and the Lakers, who submitted a partial claim of $3.251MM to snag him off waivers. He’d be hard-pressed to make even the amount of that amnesty claim on an NBA contract this season, simply because most teams have no more than the $2.814MM room exception to spend. The Mavericks, one of the latest three NBA teams reported to have interest in him, have only the room exception to use, while the Knicks, another of those interested parties, are limited to the minimum. The Rockets have more than $2.274MM left of their mid-level exception, but using it would impose a hard cap on them, and they still have yet to sign No. 32 overall pick Montrezl Harrell. The Spurs, Raptors, Pelicans, Nuggets, Nets, Lakers and Heat were reportedly interested in the Rob Pelinka client earlier this summer, but none of them have the capacity to give him as much as the Lakers paid for him last year. The Lakers renounced their Bird rights to him last month.

The two-time All-Star put up 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in 2012/13, but his numbers have declined in each of the two seasons since, and his 6.8 boards and 23.8 minutes per contest last season were career lows. Former Nets executive Bobby Marks wouldn’t be surprised if Boozer waited until Christmas to sign (Twitter link). I’d speculate that a decent chance exists that he stays on the market even longer. Ray Allen and Jermaine O’Neal, two other aging former All-Stars, chose to carry on as free agents into the season last year but never wound up signing.

What do you think Boozer will end up doing? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Gal Mekel Signs To Play In Serbia

August 27th, 2015 at 7:46am CST by Eddie Scarito

WEDNESDAY, 7:46am: The signing is official, the team announced (on Twitter). “I’m excited to meet the best fans in Europe, win titles,” Mekel said, according to Pick (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 4:35pm: Former NBA guard Gal Mekel has signed a deal with the Serbian team Crvena Zvezda, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter link). The pact is for two seasons and includes an NBA out clause, according to Pick.

Mekel appeared in four contests for the Pelicans last season, averaging 1.5 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 10.8 minutes per contest before being waived by the team in December. The point guard then signed with Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod, and finished out the 2014/15 campaign playing overseas.

The 27-year-old had reportedly had contract talks with three NBA teams this offseason, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com noted back in July, but no NBA deal apparently materialized from those discussions.

Southwest Notes: Aldridge, Matthews, Williams

August 26th, 2015 at 1:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

A dozen players have struck free agent deals with the Spurs over the past two months, as our Free Agent Tracker shows, and they’re apparently in the market for more. Still, stability remains the hallmark of the San Antonio franchise, as Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, who’s been with the Spurs longer than any other NBA player has been with his team, remain on board. See more from San Antonio amid the latest from around the Southwest Division:

The Spurs convinced LaMarcus Aldridge to sign, but, as Aldridge’s recent comments suggest, they may still need to sell him on the team’s egalitarian philosophy as it applies to individual stats, writes Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News. Aldridge told USA Today’s Sam Amick that he pointed to his scoring average when he expressed concern about joining the San Antonio to Spurs assistant Ime Udoka, who prevailed upon him to choose San Antonio anyway.
The Pelicans brought back largely the same cast that made an 11-win improvement from 2013/14 to 2014/15, but they still have depth issues, and a ceiling still appears to exist for their core despite the strides New Orleans made this past season, opines Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders.
The five offseason additions most likely to have a negative impact, wear out their welcomes or otherwise disappoint all joined Western Conference teams this summer, according to ESPN’s Summer Forecast panel, and two of them are Mavericks. Wesley Matthews, who signed a four-year max deal, and Deron Williams, who inked a two-year, $11MM contract after his buyout with the Nets, are Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, on the ESPN list.

Pelicans Finalizing Deal With Jeff Adrien

August 24th, 2015 at 8:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans are close to a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum with free agent forward Jeff Adrien, a source told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Adrien appeared in 17 games with the Timberwolves last season, averaging 3.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 12.6 minutes. The 6’7” forward, who played in China after Minnesota waived him in January, has played for five teams in his five-year career.

The Pelicans are over the cap and hard-capped. They have $768,907 remaining on their mid-level exception after signing Dante Cunningham, Alonzo Gee and Bryce Dejean-Jones with it. They also have their $2.139MM bi-annual exception available.

The Magic, Mavs, Timberwolves, Knicks, Hornets and Sixers also showed interest in Adrien, the source told Spears.

Adrien would join a crowded group of forwards that includes Tyreke Evans, Quincy Pondexter, Luke Babbitt, Ryan Anderson and Cunningham as well as superstar Anthony Davis.

Adrien made his NBA debut with the Warriors in 2010/11. He has also played for the Rockets, Hornets and Bucks. He has averaged 4.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 14.0 minutes in 153 career games.