Draft Combine Updates: Friday
We gathered a slew of reports connecting draft prospects with teams yesterday on the first full day of the Chicago draft combine, and we’ll do the same today with this post. The latest updates will be on top as we follow the action throughout.
- Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders adds the Pistons, Kings and Suns to the list of teams interviewing Noah Vonleh (Twitter link).
- The Pistons met with Rodney Hood, Ellis tweets, and the Thunder also met with him, Holmes notes (on Twitter).
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo sat down with the Nets, Knicks, Pacers, Cavs, Wizards and Pelicans, according to Woelfel (Twitter link).
2:00pm updates:
- The Pistons have met with Smart and Zach LaVine, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, respectively (Twitter links).
- Smart is also among the players interviewing with the Celtics tonight, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, and the C’s spoke with Aaron Gordon, too, fellow Globe scribe Baxter Holmes notes (Twitter links).
- Gordon also met with the Magic, who are set to meet with James Michael McAdoo, as well, according to Robbins (Twitter links).
- Tyler Ennis is meeting with the Bucks today after interviewing with the Bulls on Thursday, as Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times and Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com report (Twitter links).
- Jarnell Stokes already worked out for the Raptors, according to Wolstat (on Twitter).
12:02pm updates:
- Dante Exum‘s interview with the Magic went well, he said, adding that the team would like to bring him to Central Florida for a workout, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Robbins, in a full piece, added Marcus Smart to the list of top prospects who’ve interviewed with the Magic.
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge expressed a fondness for Smart today in an interview with ESPN’s Andy Katz on the network’s coverage of the combine, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv notes (on Twitter).
- Gary Harris told Katz he met with the Raptors, Nuggets, Grizzlies and Pistons, as Zagoria once more passes along via Twitter.
- The Raptors will interview Jordan Adams today, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, who says the team also spoke with James Young (Twitter links).
- Zagoria adds the Sixers, Spurs, Clippers, Mavs, Nuggets, Warriors and Bulls to the list of teams that Kyle Anderson either met or is slated to meet (Twitter link).
- Markel Brown said he’ll talk with the Celtics today, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (Twitter link).
Western Notes: Warriors, Pelicans, Jazz
The Warriors could hire one of the known coaching candidates, but Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area Newsgroup (Twitter link) thinks team owner Joe Lacob would love to do a “stealth hiring” if he’s unable to lure Steve Kerr. Kawakami also tweets that just because certain names keep being mentioned, that doesn’t mean those are the only ones in play for the position.
More from out west:
- When Stan Van Gundy met with the Warriors, the Pistons had already presented him with their plan of a dual executive/coach role, Grantland’s Zach Lowe reports. Van Gundy wasn’t a product of the team’s search committee, led by Phil Norment and Bob Wentworth, but owner Tom Gores forged ahead, according to Lowe, who says Van Gundy has told the Pistons he’ll take an analytical approach to both his front office and coaching jobs.
- The Pelicans have no interest in trading for Josh Smith, Lowe writes in the same piece.
- The Jazz‘s one-to-one affiliation with Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League still remains likely, reports Gino Pilato of D-League Digest (Twitter link). The Jazz shared the Bakersfield Jam with four other NBA teams this season.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Pistons Unlikely To Re-Sign Greg Monroe?
12:44pm: Van Gundy’s admiration of Monroe doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t sense the need to trade to trade him, Deveney contends (Twitter link).
12:03pm: Monroe may still wind up on another team, as a max offer from a rival suitor would make his future with Detroit a “dicey” proposition, Ellis tweets. Still, the Pistons don’t want him to simply walk away in free agency, Ellis also says, and that’s more in line with Deveney’s report, which indicates that Van Gundy will seek a sign-and-trade for Monroe.
11:54am: Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press contradicts Deveney’s story, having heard from a source who says Van Gundy is a major fan of Monroe’s and called him last night when he reached a deal to join the team (Twitter link).
10:35am: There’s “near certainty” among executives around the NBA that the Pistons’ hiring of Stan Van Gundy as coach and president of basketball operations signals that the team won’t bring back restricted free agent Greg Monroe, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. The Bobcats and Lakers are the teams that league executives believe are most likely to sign Monroe to maximum-salary offer sheets, and they think the Pelicans, in Monroe’s native Louisiana, will be one of the big man’s preferred destinations, according to Deveney.
Van Gundy will prioritize finding a sign-and-trade deal that will allow the Pistons to recoup assets in return for Monroe, Deveney writes. Van Gundy was ahead of the curve when he coached the Magic and used stretch forward Rashard Lewis as the big man next to Dwight Howard, as Deveney points out, and it seems as though he’ll seek to do so again in Detroit with Andre Drummond. The Pistons offense bogged down this season with Drummond, Monroe and Josh Smith, none of whom are outside shooters, all clogging the lane.
The prospects for Monroe’s return to Detroit appeared questionable, at best, under former president of basketball operations Joe Dumars, who failed to come to an extension agreement with the David Falk client this past autumn. Falk generally opposes such extensions unless they’re for the max. The one-time super-agent connected Roy Hibbert with the Blazers, who were willing to make a max bid for him in 2012, prompting the Pacers to ink him at the same terms before Portland had a chance to snatch him away, as Deveney notes.
The Sporting News scribe also points to Falk’s ties to Charlotte owner Michael Jordan, whom he represented during his playing days. The soon-to-be Hornets have about $41.1MM in commitments, not counting their first-round pick or Josh McRoberts‘ player option, worth more than $2.77MM. Charlotte could also wind up with another first-round pick if the Pistons slip in next week’s lottery, but they’ll probably wind up with enough flexibility for Monroe’s max, worth approximately 25% of next season’s salary cap, as I explained earlier this week. Monroe would likely qualify for a first-year salary of up to $14-15MM.
The Lakers payroll for next season allows for plenty of flexibility, so fitting in a max offer for Monroe would pose no trouble. They’ll probably target more eye-catching names, like Carmelo Anthony, before proceeding to Monroe, Deveney writes, but Monroe is among their most attractive alternatives. He’s fifth in the latest edition of the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings.
The Pelicans seem like a less likely option, even given Monroe’s local ties, since they already have Anthony Davis and more than $54MM in commitments for next season, providing less than $10MM in cap flexibility. Pelicans GM Dell Demps has acknowledged that the summer ahead won’t give his team the chance to make a free agent push.
Pistons owner Tom Gores was reportedly torn on what to do about Monroe before the deal with Van Gundy came together, but it seems his hiring has crystallized the team’s plans regarding the 6’11” former seventh overall pick who’ll turn 24 in June. Now, Van Gundy faces a stiff challenge of his front office skills, as yet untested, as he seeks fair compensation in return for the rising star.
Pelicans GM On Jackson, Smith, Morrow
The Pelicans endured a nightmare season, losing Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson and a host of others for significant time because of injury. They finished 34-48, far outside the playoff race but with little chance of moving up in the lottery to keep their first-round pick from going to the Sixers. GM Dell Demps said this week that he likes the team’s core and wants to see more of it at full health. He had plenty more to say in his season-ending press conference, and John Reid of The Times Picayune transcribes his remarks. His entire piece is worth a look, especially for Pelicans fans, but we’ll pass along Demps’ most relevant quotes here:
On Jason Smith, an unrestricted free agent this summer:
”It hurt when we lost Jason [to a knee injury]. But obviously we want to continue getting better. [We] like what he brings to the core, like his ability to shoot, his energy and he’s a good guy in the locker room. [But] you also look at how you improve your roster. We’ll look at that, but we can do both.”
On Pierre Jackson:
”He’s an interesting one. He played really good in the D-League. I think he was the leading scorer. We’ve followed him and been in contact with him. When we made the trade last year, we knew we were giving up our draft pick and we kind of looked at him as our draft pick for this year. So we have his draft rights and he’s going to be experienced, a little bit older. Can I promise Pierre Jackson is going to be on our team next year? I can’t say that right now. But he’s definitely an asset. I want to make sure I say that. He’s done everything and exceeded expectations.”
On whether Anthony Morrow will exercise his roughly $1.15MM player option for 2014/15:
”You’ll have to talk to Anthony about that. Obviously, Anthony has a player option at the end of this season. I think he had a very good year for us. I think he’s helped us win some games. We like Anthony and there are some things we can’t talk about right now because of certain rules. But we do love Anthony.”
And-Ones: ‘Melo, Grizzlies, Stotts, Frye
The intersection of exit interviews for teams that missed the playoffs and a steady stream of draft-related news has made for a busy Thursday around Hoops Rumors. We’ll catch up on the latest from around the league here:
- Carmelo Anthony suggested today that he’s considered opting in for 2014/15, but he believes he’s better off hitting free agency this summer rather than waiting, according to Scott Cacciola of The New York Times (Twitter link).
- Zach Randolph‘s failure to make the All-Star Game and trigger a $438,333 bonus that had been considered likely gave the Grizzlies the flexibility to claim Beno Udrih off waivers without going into tax territory, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports explains in a piece for the Score.
- Blazers coach Terry Stotts appears nervous about his future with the club, which has yet to pick up its option on him for next season, as The Oregonian’s Jason Quick observes, wondering if the coach’s fate will be tied to the team’s postseason performance.
- Channing Frye has a $6.8MM player option for next season, but whether he opts in or not, Ryan McDonough would like to have him back, as the Suns GM said Wednesday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, notes Dave Dulberg of ArizonaSports.com. Frye wants to negotiate an extension with the team.
- The league is considering a proposal that would tie an increased NBA age minimum to better D-League pay, sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Some D-Leaguers could earn between $100K and $200K per year under the plan, Deveney tweets.
- Pelicans GM Dell Demps said in a press conference Wednesday that he likes the team’s core and wants to see more of those players on the court together after an injury-plagued 2013/14, notes Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com. Demps also said it would be unfair to judge coach Monty Williams, given all the injuries.
- Williams indicated Thursday that he’d like to see the Pelicans make a move to bolster their defense, particularly in the paint, as Eichenhofer writes in a separate piece.
- The Warriors have assigned Ognjen Kuzmic to the D-League, the team announced. The rookie center will assist the Santa Cruz Warriors in their playoff game tonight, fresh off his best performance of the year for Golden State on Wednesday.
And-Ones: Buford, Popovich, Chandler
Spurs GM R.C. Buford is “incredibly happy” in San Antonio and has no intention of leaving even as Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili near retirement age, as Buford tells Grantland’s Zach Lowe (audio link; transcription via Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News). McCarney, in the intro to his transcription, notes that Gregg Popovich has backed away from his assertion a year ago that he’ll retire when Duncan does, referring to Popovich’s remark as merely a joke.
Here are more of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes:
- On the idea that the Knicks might be focusing on the summer 2015 rather than be competitive next season, Tyson Chandler hopes that it isn’t the case: “I definitely don’t want to waste another season….I’m not into wasting seasons. Your time is too short in this league and I want to win a championship, another one” (Marc Berman of the New York Post reports). Berman adds that with his expiring contract and ability to still play at a high level, Chandler could be Phil Jackson‘s number one trading chip this summer.
- It appears that soon-to-be restricted free agent Gordon Hayward would like to stay with the Jazz, but he acknowledges that nothing’s certain at this point, notes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Currently without a contract after July, Utah head coach Tyrone Corbin isn’t ready to field questions about his impending future just yet, writes Falk in a separate piece. Corbin elaborated: “I don’t know if that’s a good question to ask right now…I have a lot of evaluating to do that I want to do for myself and figure out what’s my next step.”
- The Rockets have recalled Robert Covington and Isaiah Canaan from the D-League, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
- Melvin Ely‘s contract with the Pelicans runs through next season with non-guaranteed salary, reports Mark Deeks of ShamSports, writing for the Score. The ninth-year veteran’s minimum salary he’d get makes him a trade chip in the same manner that Scotty Hopson is for the Cavs, but Ely comes much more cheaply, as Deeks points out.
- Deeks also reports that the Bulls’ deal with Louis Amundson, like teammates Ronnie Brewer and Mike James, covers next season with non-guaranteed salary.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Randolph, Pelicans
Tonight’s look at the Southwest Division..
- The Rockets announced (on Twitter) that Isaiah Canaan and Robert Covington have been assigned the club’s affiliate in Reno Grande Valley. Both players are extremely familiar with the Vipers.
- Zach Randolph reiterates his desire to remain with the Grizzlies for the rest of his career, though he adds in his interview with Marc Stein of ESPN.com that he hasn’t had any talks with team management as a decision on his player option for next season looms (video link).
- The Pelicans‘ late-season release of Greg Stiemsma is an embarrassment, opines Jimmy Smith of the Times-Picayune. New Orleans signed veteran journeyman Melvin Ely in his stead.
Pelicans Sign Melvin Ely, Waive Greg Stiemsma
The Pelicans have signed Melvin Ely and waived Greg Stiemsma, the team announced. Ely, an eight-year NBA veteran who last saw regular season NBA action in 2010/11, has been playing with the D-League affiliate of the Mavs. Stiemsma’s one-year, $2.676MM contract was about to expire anyway, so the Pelicans won’t take much of a financial hit even if he goes unclaimed off waivers. It’s unclear whether Ely is joining the team simply for the final three days of the regular season or has a non-guaranteed 2014/15 tacked on to his deal.
Ely was the 12th overall pick in the 2002 draft, but he never averaged as many as 10 points per game in the NBA. The 35-year-old has averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per contest with a 10.6 PER over his NBA career. The Byron Irvin client was with the Grizzlies in preseason this past fall and was briefly on the preseason roster of the Mavs in 2012. He produced 15.8 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 28.9 MPG for the D-League’s Texas Legends this season.
Stiemsma is something of a curious cut for the injury-ravaged Pelicans, who’ve been using him as a starter of late. The 28-year-old is averaging 2.9 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 18.3 MPG overall, but those numbers aren’t much different in games he’s started. New Orleans is carrying 16 players thanks to special permission from the league, as I detailed when the team signed James Southerland last week.
And-Ones: Hoiberg, Knicks, Pelicans, Magic
The final Friday night of the NBA’s regular season features 13 games, and 12 of them have some sort of playoff implications. The other is a key contest for the Bucks, who can clinch pole position for the NBA draft lottery with a loss and a Sixers win. Here’s the latest from around the Association:
- Iowa State has hiked coach Fred Hoiberg‘s annual salaries to $2.6MM from $2MM in an effort to keep him, writes Luke Meredith of The Associated Press. The sought-after NBA head coaching candidate is unlikely to take the Wolves job, as we noted earlier today.
- Knicks GM Steve Mills said in Thursday’s radio interview that owner James Dolan wanted to make sure he and Phil Jackson could work together before the team hired the Zen Master, and Marc Berman of the New York Post takes that as a positive sign for Mills’ job security.
- James Southerland‘s contract with the Pelicans only runs through the end of the season, but coach Monty Williams isn’t ruling the small forward out of the team’s plans for the future, notes Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com. “If he plays well here [in the last week of the season], he could be in our discussions come summer league, if it works out,” Williams said. “We’ll see.”
- E’Twaun Moore is set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason, but he says he “most definitely” would like to return to the Magic, observes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
- The desire for maximum flexibility probably played a significant role in the Rockets‘ decision to waive Greg Smith, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports explains in a piece for the Score.
- The Oregonian’s Mike Tokito explains how the NBA divvies up the $14MM it awards in playoff bonuses.
Pelicans Sign James Southerland
FRIDAY, 10:10am: New Orleans has formally announced the signing on the team’s website. The Pelicans haven’t announced a corresponding move, so the team has indeed taken advantage of the league’s permission to expand its roster to 16 players.
THURSDAY, 3:10pm: The Pelicans have received clearance from the league to add Southerland without waiving a player, reports Shams Charania of RealGM. The NBA lets teams carry 16 players on a temporary basis if they have four or more players who have missed the past three games and who will continue to be unavailable to play. The Wolves received the same allowance last season. Southerland’s deal won’t carry into 2014/15, Charania adds.
2:00pm: The Pelicans will sign James Southerland, a source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). Southerland has been playing for the D-League affiliate of the Lakers. New Orleans has a full 15-man roster, so the team will have to waive someone to accommodate Southerland, who was with the Bobcats at the beginning of the season.
The 6’8″ small forward appeared in just one game for three minutes for the Bobcats, who waived him in December after carrying him through preseason and the first six weeks of the regular season. Charlotte let him go largely to clear room for Chris Douglas-Roberts, who could more readily step in for an injured Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and coach Steve Clifford spoke highly of Southerland, who once more drew NBA interest in early January.
Southerland went undrafted out of Syracuse this past summer, and he’s averaged 14.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game in the D-League. The Pelicans announced today that Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon will miss the rest of the season, so perhaps New Orleans is adding Southerland to bolster its roster for the final week. I think it’s more likely that the Pelicans have the future in mind, and that his deal will cover next season with non-guaranteed salary.