Pacific Notes: Rivers, Clippers, Warriors
Austin Rivers is picking the right time to play the best ball of his NBA career, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Considered a bust in New Orleans, Rivers was traded to the Celtics and then the Clippers during the season. He has responded with a stellar playoff performance, particularly in the second round against Houston. Kennedy reports that the Pelicans considered using their stretch provision on Rivers last summer to clear some cap room for the Omer Asik trade. New Orleans declined to pick up Rivers’ fourth-year option, deciding he wasn’t worth another season at $3.1MM. That decision should be a financial bonanza for Rivers, who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer in the wake of his playoff heroics.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers are in unfamiliar territory as a championship contender, according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Several roster moves have produced the turnaround, but bringing Doc Rivers and his championship pedigree to Los Angeles may have been the most important. “Doc has always been preaching about the way we need to play in order to win a championship, and I think we can finally see it,” said Glen Davis. “I think beating San Antonio woke us up. I think the Spurs woke up this sense of urgency we’ve always had inside of us, and now it’s paying off against the rest of these teams.”
- The Clippers have also benefited from a change in ownership, notes Robert Morales of the Long Beach Press-Telegram. During the 2014 playoffs, the team had a major distraction in the wake of racially charged remarks from former owner Donald Sterling. “Obviously, last year I thought I protected them from doing all the extra stuff,” Doc Rivers said. “But it was still, you know, they still had it. And so now this year they get to play basketball. I think that’s been big for them.”
- Vultures are starting to surround the Warriors, warns Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group, and that could lead to changes in the offseason. Golden State trails its series with Memphis, 2-1, heading into tonight’s game, and an early playoff exit could justify the team’s critics, even after a 67-win regular season. Thompson points to Andrew Bogut‘s lack of offense at center, the heavy scoring burden on Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and the difficulty free-agent-to-be Draymond Green is having with guarding larger opponents.
Southwest Notes: Davis, Gasol, Grizzlies
A max deal is waiting for Kawhi Leonard, but Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili hold the keys to the Spurs‘ summer, Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors wrote last week. If they retire, the Spurs will have the capacity to sign an elite free agent without moving anyone. If they stay, it may displace other key members of the team. While we wait to see how this pivotal offseason plays out for the Spurs, here’s a glance at the rest of the Southwest Division..
- The Pelicans have a lot of big decisions to make this summer, but nothing will carry more weight than trying to get Anthony Davis to sign a five-year extension, John Reid of The Times-Picayune writes. New Orleans is preparing a max money five-year offer and that’s no surprise given the year that he had. Davis ended the regular season with an eye-popping 30.8 PER, the eleventh highest for a single season in league history.
- The Grizzlies‘ trade of Pau Gasol to the Lakers in the deal that fetched them Marc Gasol was controversial at the time, but GM Chris Wallace felt that it was the right move, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes. “Our crowds were minuscule, and in our own market we were second but might as well have been 100th,” Wallace said. “We were nowhere near the Memphis Tigers in terms of capturing the imagination of the city. Pau’s candle had been doused; he wasn’t performing well and we weren’t performing well as a team.” Of course, that deal brought Pau’s brother, Marc Gasol, to Memphis.
- Gasol could be a franchise changer for the right team, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders writes. Memphis officials have maintained that bringing Gasol back is their top priority this summer and all signs point to him staying put with the Grizzlies. However, he’s still expected to explore his options.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Bertans, Pelicans
The Rockets‘ defense, which was bolstered by the midseason acquisitions of Josh Smith and Corey Brewer, has floundered in the playoffs, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. During the regular season, Houston ranked sixth in the NBA in points allowed per 100 possessions at 100.5. But against the Clippers, that number has ballooned to 110.6, the highest of the eight teams in the second round of the playoffs. “We have to get back in transition,” Brewer said after Friday’s loss in Game 3. “They just ran it down our throats all night.” Both Brewer and Smith will be free agents this summer.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Davis Bertans, a Latvian player whose rights are owned by the Spurs, is rehabbing from a knee injury in San Antonio, tweets David Pick of Basketball Insiders. A source said Bertans’ progress is “inspiring.” He suffered an ACL tear in his right knee during a March game.
- LaMarcus Aldridge would be the perfect addition to keep the Spurs‘ dynasty alive, contends Dave Leonardis of Bleacher Report. He estimates San Antonio would have to offer about $81MM over four years to lure the Texas native away from Portland.
- The midseason additions of Dante Cunningham and Quincy Pondexter were vital to the Pelicans‘ playoff push, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Cunningham was signed as a free agent in December; Pondexter came from Memphis in a three-team deal in January. Reid notes that they gave New Orleans the flexibility to survive when a stress reaction injury knocked Jrue Holiday out for more than half the season.
Southwest Notes: Duncan, Gordon, Jordan
Antonio Daniels, Tim Duncan’s friend and former teammate with the Spurs, has an educated guess as to what the big man will do this summer. “I would be very surprised if he retired,” said Daniels, according to Jeff McDonald of the Express News. “As long as he’s staying at a level where he feels like he’s relevant and competing, I can’t see it.” Earlier this week, Manu Ginobili penned an article for an Argentinian outlet in which he said that he’s considering retirement more seriously than ever. He also said that Duncan’s decision will affect his own. Here’s more from the Southwest..
- When Eric Gordon was acquired by the Pelicans (née Hornets) in 2011, he was the centerpiece of the deal for New Orleans but never broke out as a star because of injuries. Now, with the emergence of Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis, Gordon says he no longer feels the pressure of trying to carry the team by himself, John Reid of The Times-Picayune writes.
- In a recent chat with readers, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News posited that despite his reported interest, DeAndre Jordan might have reservations about signing with the Mavericks. If Jordan were to come to Dallas, Sefko writes that he’d be leaving a team on the doorstep of winning a title in order to join a team with iffy championship chances.
- Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea recently joined KRLD-105.3 FM and was asked to name the one thing missing from the roster that could help Dallas compete against the best in the West. “Well I think we got to get more athletic, and I think that’s why [Al-Farouq] Aminu did a great job because he’s athletic,” Barea said, according to SportsDayDFW.com. “He’s quick. He’s long. He plays hard, with a lot of energy. So I think we got to get more guys like that. But other than that I think if we keep the same group together, we’re going to have a good chance.”
2014/15 D-League Usage Report: Pelicans
The relationship between the NBA and the D-League continues to grow, and 17 NBA franchises currently have one-to-one D-League affiliates amongst the 18 D-League teams. The remaining 13 NBA teams shared the Fort Wayne Mad Ants this season. We at Hoops Rumors will be recapping each team’s use of the D-League this season, looking at assignments and recalls as well as the players signed out of the D-League. We’ll continue onward with a look back at how the Pelicans utilized the D-League during the 2014/15 campaign…
D-League Team: Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Affiliation Type: Shared
D-League Team Record: 28-22
Number of NBA Players Assigned To D-League: 1
Total D-League Assignments: 3
Player Stats While On Assignment
- Russ Smith: 3 assignments, 7 games, 15.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.9 APG. .549/.182/.619.
D-League Signings
- Elliot Williams (Santa Cruz Warriors-Golden State affiliate): Signed 1st 10-day deal on March 4th; inked second 10-day pact on March 14th.
- Nate Wolters (Grand Rapids Drive-Detroit affiliate): Inked 1st 10-day deal on January 14th; signed 2nd 10-day pact on January 24th.
Assignment/Recall Log
- December 5th: Assigned Russ Smith (Recalled December 8th)
- December 11th: Assigned Russ Smith (Recalled December 20th)
- January 9th: Assigned Russ Smith (Traded to the Grizzlies on January 12th)
Southwest Notes: Holiday, Messina, Chandler
Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to remove a previously implanted screw from his right leg, the team announced. No timetable was announced for when Holiday could resume basketball activities. The 24-year-old appeared in 40 games this past season for New Orleans, averaging 14.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in 32.6 minutes per contest.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Spurs assistant Ettore Messina is still interested in becoming an NBA head coach, Dan McCarney of The San Antonio Express-News writes. “I am seriously thinking about that but I’d ask first [coach] Gregg Popovich and [GM] R.C. Buford for advice,” Messina said. “At the same time I am very happy with the Spurs. I have two years left on my contract with the Spurs. Maybe I finish my contract and I will go back home peacefully.” Messina’s best shot to snag a head coaching position may be to hang on in San Antonio as an assistant until Popovich retires, and then take over the team, McCarney opines.
- Tyson Chandler might be the most attractive asset the Mavericks could pitch to prospective free agent targets, opines Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News in his weekly mailbag. Of course, Dallas will still need to make a decision regarding the 32-year-old big man first. Chandler will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and with the team reportedly interested in signing fellow free agents DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge, there likely won’t be room under the salary cap for all three in Dallas.
- Pelicans guard Eric Gordon still hasn’t made a decision regarding his player option for 2015/16 worth $15,514,031, John Reid of The Times Picayune writes. But the 26-year-old does believe that New Orleans has a bright future as a franchise, Reid adds. ”I just believe when you think about winning, people do things and think positive,” Gordon said. ”I’ve just tried to get healthy, do the things that I can do to help this team. The talent is here, it’s all about us being healthy and playing together.We can only get better at this point. It’s all about guys staying on task and getting healthy. I think we can be really good.”
Western Notes: Pondexter, Draft, Jazz
The Jazz aren’t expecting to nab a franchise saving player in this year’s NBA draft, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News notes (Twitter links). “I don’t see a lot of so-called NBA superstars, if any,” said Utah’s VP of player personnel Walt Perrin. “But that’s not to say somebody may not jump forward and become the next Stephen Curry or somebody like that.” While the exact draft order won’t be known until May 19th when the lottery order is determined, the Jazz are sitting at No. 11 in Hoops Rumors’ reverse standings, and the franchise possesses a 0.8% chance at snagging the top overall pick in June’s big event.
Here’s more from the NBA’s Western Conference:
- Pelicans forward Quincy Pondexter has undergone successful surgery to repair damage to his left knee, the team announced. No timetable was provided for when the 27-year-old can return to basketball activities. Pondexter was acquired by New Orleans in January as part of a three team trade with the Celtics and Grizzlies.
- The Jazz have workouts scheduled on Thursday for Virginia forward Darion Atkins, Murray State guard T.J. Sapp, Bowling Green forward Richaun Holmes, Ohio State guard Shannon Scott, Western Kentucky guard T.J. Price, and Wisconsin guard Traevon Jackson, the team announced via Twitter.
- Utah’s GM Dennis Lindsey sees value in these pre-draft workouts despite the majority of the players likely being ticketed to play in the NBA D-League or overseas next season, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. The Jazz are looking for diamonds in the rough similar to Bryce Cotton, who turned a 10-day contract into a multiyear arrangement with his play this past season, Jones notes.
Pelicans Met With Joe Dumars
7:14pm: Pelicans spokesman Greg Bensel issued a statement saying that the team has not discussed a position with Dumars, nor has the franchise made him a job offer, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.
1:06pm: Executive vice president of basketball operations Mickey Loomis and other Pelicans officials met with Joe Dumars multiple times this past fall to gauge the ex-Pistons executive’s thoughts on the Pelicans, a source told John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Reid confirms a report from Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV that the meetings took place during several road games for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints in 2014. It’s possible that the Pelicans will hire Dumars, but no such move is imminent, Reid and Mackel both write. Grantland’s Zach Lowe wrote Wednesday that Dumars remains in play for a supervisory role above GM Dell Demps.
Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher in January alluded to talk around the league that suggested owner Tom Benson was eyeing Dumars, a Louisiana native, but Bucher cautioned that there were no signs that Benson was definitively unsatisfied with Demps. The Pelicans have a team option on Demps for next season, but they’ve yet to exercise it, Reid notes. Benson sent a letter of congratulations last week to Demps, coach Monty Williams and their staffs after the end of a season that saw the franchise return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Demps denied a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the Pelicans gave him and Williams mandates to make the playoffs this year. Reid reported in March that the Pelicans planned to evaluate Demps and Williams at season’s end.
Dumars has long been friends with Loomis and Saints coach Sean Payton and has close ties to Pelicans officials, according to Reid. The Pistons said he would remain with the team as an adviser when his nearly 14-year tenure atop Detroit’s basketball operations ended last year, but his name isn’t listed among the basketball operations personnel in the Pistons media guide for this season.
Western Notes: Pelicans, Curry, Batum
The Pelicans would prefer to re-sign all of their free agents this offseason which would allow them to stay over the cap and use the full mid-level exception to sign another veteran player, Zach Lowe of Grantland.com writes. New Orleans currently has $40,582,846 in guaranteed salary and another $16,699,815 in non-guaranteed funds committed for the 2015/16 campaign. Pelicans players who will become unrestricted free agents this summer include Omer Asik, Luke Babbitt, Jimmer Fredette, and Dante Cunningham.
Here’s more out of the NBA’s Western Conference:
- 2014/15 NBA most valuable player Stephen Curry didn’t initially want the Warriors to draft him, and instead was hoping to go to the Knicks who were selecting one pick later than Golden State, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. “The Knicks had [pick] eight and we thought in New York he’d be a great fit. We really wanted him to drop to eight,” Curry’s agent Jeff Austin said. “Once we got to seventh, we were like, ‘C’mon man, don’t pick him with [Golden State].’ At the time, the Warriors were not in our mind as a preferred destination.“
- The Blazers could look to deal Nicolas Batum and his expiring contract worth $12,235,750 this offseason, Jabari Young of CSNNW.com writes. When asked about the possibility of being traded, Batum said, “If that happens, it happens. That’s the business, I understand that. I mean, I can’t control that. All I can control is what I put on the court. I know what I am going to do this summer is try to get better.” If Portland is able to unload Batum the team could target Mavs forward Al-Farouq Aminu, Young speculates. Aminu has a player option worth $1,110,602 that he intends to opt out of this summer.
- Dwight Howard is happy being a member of the Rockets, but he admitted that the venom fans spewed at him as a result of his free agent decisions still weigh on him, Kristie Reiken of The Associated Press relays. “Sometimes it hurts,” Howard said. “It used to hurt a lot more as I went from this guy that everybody likes to everybody hated me because I wanted to play basketball on another team. And I’m like: ‘Hey listen it’s really not that serious. If I stopped playing today, your life is going to be the same, my life is going to be the same, it’s just I’m not going to be playing basketball. So why should it matter what I decide?’“
Western Notes: Brooks, Dumars, Bonner, Draft
The Nuggets are intensifying their search for a new coach this week after having spent the past few weeks focused on scouting and the draft, reports Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. They’ll likely chat with former Thunder coach Scott Brooks, among others, Dempsey writes amid a mailbag column, though it’s unclear if he’ll receive a formal interview. The hiring process is expected to last most if not all of May and GM Tim Connelly will collaborate with team president Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan Kroenke, on the decision, as Dempsey details in his first piece. There’s more on the Nuggets amid the latest from around the Western Conference:
- New rumors have surfaced suggesting that the possibility of the Pelicans hiring Joe Dumars remains in play for what would be a supervisory role above GM Dell Demps, Grantland’s Zach Lowe writes. Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher first linked the former Pistons exec to New Orleans in January.
- Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News lists Matt Bonner among the Spurs contemplating retirement. Bonner, who turned 35 last month, signed a one-year deal for the minimum to return to San Antonio last summer.
- Dempsey believes that if Nuggets end up with the No. 7 pick, their likeliest first-round position as the lottery odds show, they’d try to trade it for a pick higher in the order or attempt to deal for a second top-seven pick, as the Post scribe writes in the mailbag column linked above.
- Former Michigan State swingman Russell Byrd will be among the draft prospects at a workout the Jazz will hold Wednesday, sources tell Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link). Byrd is unlisted in the rankings that Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com compile.