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Odds & Ends: Diaw, Collison, Hornets

May 20th, 2012 at 10:08pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday night:

NBA.com's Fran Blinebury writes that midseason acquisition Boris Diaw has been key to the Spurs' dominant playoff run.
Alberto de Roa of HoopsHype interviews Thunder forward Nick Collison, who reflects on the years the organization spent rebuilding under GM Sam Presti.
John Reid of the Times-Picayune reports that Hornets coach Monty Williams isn't as high on the 2012 draft class as many analysts and executives are. The Hornets are expected to have a high lottery pick.

Latest On Hornets Ownership And Front Office

May 20th, 2012 at 5:40pm CST by Sean Highkin

New Hornets owner Tom Benson is revamping the team's front office with partners from other business endeavors, reports Mike Triplett of the Times-Picayune.

Benson, 85, who also owns the New Orleans Saints, is expected to make assistants Dennis Lauscha and Mickey Loomis prominent voices in the Hornets organization. He did give specific details of their roles or those of other executives that will be involved, because he has yet to assume ownership of the team officially.

Benson bought the Hornets from the NBA in April. The league previously assumed control of the franchise from cash-strapped owner George Shinn in 2010.

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Pacers-Heat Notes: Gordon, Granger, Wade, Riley

May 20th, 2012 at 2:55pm CST by Chuck Myron

There's been no shortage of drama in the Heat-Pacers series, and the leadup to this afternoon's pivotal Game 4 has been no exception. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that Juwan Howard and Lance Stephenson, who directed a choking gesture at LeBron James during Game 3, had a verbal altercation 90 minutes prior to tipoff, the latest chapter in a history of animosity between the two. With Erik Spoelstra going to his fourth staring lineup in four games this series, let's check in on the rumors surrounding these playoff combatants:

Bob Finnan of The News-Herald believes Hornets restricted free agent Eric Gordon, thought to be a Pacers target, might not get a max deal because of the knee problems he's dealt with the past two seasons. Finnan could see the Hornets and Pacers working out a sign-and-trade with Danny Granger headed to New Orleans, Gordon going to Indiana and Pacers shooting guard Paul George shifting to small forward.
HoopsWorld's Stephen Litel argues that the Heat should try to trade Dwyane Wade if the team fails to come back to win the series.
Shaun Powell of NBA.com says team president Pat Riley failed to stock the roster with competent role players, and that's one of the reasons Heat coach Erik Spoelstra may lose his job if he doesn't deliver a title.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Chris Kaman

May 17th, 2012 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

2011/12 was far from the best year of Chris Kaman's career. He was traded to New Orleans, where the Hornets kept him out of action for a number of weeks while the team attempted to turn around and deal him again. When he was finally brought back, Kaman posted a .446 FG%, the lowest mark of his career, for a squad that finished last in the Western Conference.

The good news for Kaman? If you're a seven-footer and you're heading to NBA free agency, there's a great chance you'll do well for yourself. Given the dearth of quality true centers in the league, the 30-year-old is poised to land a lucrative multiyear contract this summer.

Of course, Kaman is coming off a year in which his salary exceeded $14MM, so shooting for a raise may not be realistic. But it's not like the big man will have to settle for the mid-level exception either. Despite shooting a career-low percentage from the floor, Kaman still averaged 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in less than 30 minutes per game, and his PER (15.3) was above average for the third consecutive year. Last offseason, centers far less productive than Kaman, such as Samuel Dalembert and Kwame Brown, signed deals in the neighborhood of $7MM. A reliable big such as Kaman could earn an offer that pays him an eight-digit salary annually.

What sort of contract Kaman signs this offseason will also depend on his priorities. Having earned well over $60MM in his career, according to Basketball-Reference, Kaman could turn down the largest offer in search of a more modest payday from a title contender. The Heat, for instance, would likely jump at the chance to pay Kaman their mid-level exception. But the seven-footer would have to be willing to leave a lot of money on the table — as a taxpaying team, Miami could only offer a contract starting at $3MM using the MLE.

It's more likely that Kaman lands with a team willing to use a chunk of its cap room to sign him to a larger deal. The Rockets had interest in him prior to the trade deadline, and will have the space to make him a sizable offer, if they so choose. The Celtics are another team that could clear plenty of cap space, and will be searching for a presence in the paint. The Pacers and Nets could also have interest, though I expect both teams to re-sign their own restricted free agent centers, Roy Hibbert and Brook Lopez.

Kaman isn't the player that Steve Nash is, and isn't quite so close to the end of his career, but there are similarities in their free agent cases. Both players will likely receive significant offers from teams that could be playoff contenders, along with smaller offers from clubs that will be in great position to contend for a title. While the draw of a championship may win out in Nash's case, I can't see Kaman leaving a ton of money on the table at age 30. He should have time to chase a title later in his career — this summer, I think a team with cap room to burn will make him a lucrative offer that he won't be able to turn down.

Southwest Notes: Benson, Carlisle, Assistants

May 16th, 2012 at 6:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

It's intriguing to note that even with this year's lockout shortened schedule, the Spurs haven't finished a season with less than 50 wins since the 1998-99 season (which only had 50 games). Following a Game One win last night against the Clippers, it's one game down and three more wins to go for San Antonio in their quest to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2008. With about 26 hours until tip-off for Game Two, here's what we've heard out of the Southwest Division in the meantime:

Tom Benson cleared another hurdle in the process of assuming ownership of the Hornets, as the Federal Trade Commission signed off today on his $338 MM purchase of the team, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune.
Not every coach in the league experiences the same pressure of working for a candidly passionate and fanatical owner like Mark Cuban, but Rick Carlisle believes that those traits bring along a constant effort to provide the necessary resources to compete. Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas recorded more of Carlisle's thoughts on his confidence in management along with the work cut out ahead for the Mavericks this summer.
Tom Ziller of SBNation gives his power rankings of the NBA's top assistant coaches who deserve a shot at a head coaching position. Dave Joerger of the Grizzlies is slated at number four, while Mike Budenholzer of the Spurs tops the list at number one.

Odds & Ends: Rockets, Hornets, Magic

May 14th, 2012 at 11:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

It was a night of youth over experience, as the young Sixers evened their series with the veteran Celtics, while the up-and-coming Thunder was impressive in Game 1 against the battle-tested Lakers. There were a few stories of interest from off the court as well, so let's take a look:

The NBA has suspended Rockets scout David Patrick for a year after determining he had impermissable contact with players during the lockout, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweeted. The team will not be punished because the league ruled that Patrick's communication was personal and not part of team business, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
The Louisiana Senate has passed a bill that includes $36.5MM in tax breaks for the Hornets, Ed Anderson of The Times-Picayune reports. Gov. Bobby Jindal is expected to give final approval to the measure that includes the breaks, which were part of the deal between the team and the state that keeps the Hornets in New Orleans through at least 2024.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld looks at the Magic's offseason plans, and says executives from other teams "openly joke" about the Magic's failure to hold workouts or conduct interviews with recent first-round picks.

Top Undrafted Rookies In 2011/12

May 9th, 2012 at 10:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

A total of 81 players made their debuts in the NBA this past season, according to Basketball-Reference, many of whom weren't picked in last June's draft. A handful of those undrafted players made notable impacts in their rookie seasons this year. Let's take a look at the top undrafted players to debut in 2011/12:

Just making the Hawks this season was a victory for Ivan Johnson, who long ago fell off even the most ardent fan's radar screen after a single unimpressive season at the University of Oregon in 2005/06. His willingness to do the dirty work inside earned him the opportunity, and his 13 points in 21 minutes during a nationally televised three-overtime game against the Heat was his breakthrough performance. The 6'8", 230-pound big man fortified a depleted Hawks front line, as he averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game this season.
It's only fitting that Johnson is going up against Greg Stiemsma's Celtics in the first round, since Stiemsma had a similar impact this year. He played 19.0 MPG in March and April as the Celtics stormed back from a dismal first half, and shot 66.7% in the season's final month. He was a presence inside for a team that needed one, and blocked 4.0 shots per 36 minutes.
Donald Sloan started out with the Hawks, inked a pair of 10-day contracts with the Hornets, and finally wound up with the Cavs, signing a deal in March for the rest of the season. Cleveland gave him the chance to play, and he made it count, averaging 9.4 PPG and 5.4 APG in 33.2 MPG in 11 starts as a Cav.
The Grizzlies felt comfortable enough with Jeremy Pargo, who made the team in training camp, that they traded backup point guard Greivis Vasquez to the Hornets right before the season, leaving his job to the undrafted rookie out of Gonzaga. Though he saw his role diminish as O.J. Mayo and midseason signee Gilbert Arenas took over the minutes behind Mike Conley, he still averaged nearly 10 MPG (9.6) and made five starts.
Perhaps overshadowed by other talented teammates at Duke, Lance Thomas didn't get a call on draft night after his senior season in 2010. It took him an extra year, but he made it to the NBA with the Hornets this season. His numbers weren't overwhelming, but he still started 10 games and averaged 15.0 minutes in 42 games this season.

Southwest Notes: Hornets, Carlisle, Jones, Spurs

May 9th, 2012 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

A few Wednesday morning updates out of the Southwest Division:

The Hornets figure to draft the best players available rather than filling positional needs with their two lottery picks next month, according to Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com. "We don’t know where we’re going to be [drafting]," coach Monty Williams said. "We won’t find out until May 30th. So that will determine which positions we go after. We may go after a center or a power forward, but if we don’t get the pick we want, and the best player is a wing, then I’m pretty sure [GM] Dell [Demps] is going to be inclined to take that wing."
Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com is perplexed that Rick Carlisle doesn't have a deal yet to remain the Mavericks' coach for next season.
The fact that Kelenna Azubuike seems to have passed Dominique Jones on the Mavs' depth chart doesn't bode well for Jones' long-term future in Dallas, Caplan writes in a separate ESPNDallas.com piece.
If the Clippers are going to advance past the Grizzlies in the postseason, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich would prefer they do it sooner rather than later, says Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News. Popovich has some concern that, after playing so frequently in the lockout-shortened season, his players will lose their rhythm if they have to wait too long to resume game action.

Southwest Notes: Okafor, Spurs, Odom

May 4th, 2012 at 9:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

The three Southwest Division teams that made it to the playoffs find themselves in three different positions at the moment. The Spurs look to take a 3-0 lead on the Jazz tomorrow in Salt Lake City, while the Grizzlies rebounded from their collapse in Game 1 against the Clippers to even that series at 1-1. The Mavs, meanwhile, are staring at the historically impossible 0-3 hole against the Thunder. Here's the rest of what's up in the Southwest:

Hornets coach Monty Williams says Emeka Okafor's recovery from a knee injury that ended his season will help determine the team's long-term plans for the center, John Reid of the Times-Picayune reports. Earlier today, Luke Adams wondered whether the Hornets would use the amnesty clause to waive Okafor this summer as he previewed the team's offseason.
In a Q&A on FIBA.com, Manu Ginobili says he thinks depth has been critical to the success of the Spurs this year (hat tip to Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News).
Thunder point guard Derek Fisher believes former teammate Lamar Odom is headed in the right direction as he looks to move past this year's lost season with the Mavs, as Jeff Caplan ofESPNDallas reports.

Offseason Outlook: New Orleans Hornets

May 4th, 2012 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Guaranteed Contracts

Emeka Okafor ($13,640,000)
Trevor Ariza ($7,258,960)
Jarrett Jack ($5,400,000)
Al-Farouq Aminu ($2,947,800)
Jason Smith ($2,500,000)
Xavier Henry ($2,323,200)
Greivis Vasquez ($1,191,240)

Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Gustavo Ayon ($1,500,000)
Darryl Watkins ($854,389)

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Chris Kaman ($16,324,500)
Carl Landry ($12,750,000)
Eric Gordon ($9,577,960)
Marco Belinelli ($6,417,448)
Lance Thomas ($937,195 – QO)
Jerome Dyson ($937,195 – QO)
(Marcus Banks – $9,210,413)
(D.J. Mbenga – $854,389)

Draft Picks

1st Round (Pending lottery; 13.7% chance at first overall pick)
1st Round (Pending lottery; 1.1% chance at first overall pick)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary (including likely options): $35,261,200
Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $59,363,489
Total (not including draft picks): $94,624,689

The best news for Hornets fans this year came in the form of an April announcement that New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson would be purchasing the city's NBA franchise. As the team heads into the offseason, GM Dell Demps and his staff can make draft preparations, talk trades, and pursue free agents without worrying that NBA commissioner David Stern might decide a move isn't in the organization's best interest. With Benson in place as the owner, making the club look attractive to potential bidders is no longer a concern.

Of course, making the club look attractive to fans is still the long-term goal — Demps and Benson will be looking to build a perennial contender worthy of the new owner's investment, and this offseason represents a important step in that process. The three crucial decisions for the Hornets this summer figure to revolve around the draft, Eric Gordon, and Emeka Okafor.

With two lottery picks in a deep draft, the Hornets are well-positioned to land a pair of talented young players next month. Jumping into the top three would be a bonus, but even at #4 and #10, they could end up doing very well. ESPN.com's David Thorpe recently identified Andre Drummond and John Henson as the two perfect fits for the Hornets' respective picks, and I can't argue with him, especially on Drummond. More than any other team in the lottery, New Orleans is in a good spot to roll the dice on the UConn big man, who's a high-risk choice. The Hornets aren't close to contending, so it makes sense to go for a player with star upside rather than merely a solid contributor, particularly with a second lottery pick to fall back on.

The Hornets will also face a number of free agent decisions, as Gordon, Chris Kaman, Carl Landry, and Marco Belinelli all represent sizable cap holds. Of those players, Gordon is the top priority by far, as the centerpiece of the deal that sent Chris Paul to Los Angeles. Even with questions surrounding Gordon's health and uncertainty about how new ownership values him, I can't imagine the Hornets letting the restricted free agent sign elsewhere. I expect the 23-year-old to sign a long-term deal to remain in New Orleans, even if the club has to slightly overpay to do it.

Assuming they sign Gordon, bring back Ayon, and add a pair of first-round picks, the Hornets won't have much cap room left to pursue free agents. That might not be an issue for a team that isn't exactly a veteran or two from contention and may not feel any pressure to be aggressive on the free agent market. There's a good chance a few small signings using the mid-level or minimum-salary exceptions will be the extent of the Hornets' free agent activity.

If the Hornets do want to clear cap space this summer, there's one obvious way to do it: amnesty Emeka Okafor. Okafor is owed $28MM+ over two more years, and had a disappointing 2011/12 campaign, missing over half the season with injuries while his PPG and RPG averages declined. Still, I'm not sure amnestying him is necessary. With no pressing need for the cap space and a chance to still trade Okafor for something of use, the Hornets would be better off pocketing their amnesty clause for another year, perhaps using it on the center next summer if they have to.

Unlike two of the teams ahead of them in the lottery, the Hornets don't have a John Wall or Kyrie Irving-type star to anchor their roster, but there's some reason to believe they have an outside chance at landing that player in the draft, or, in the case of Gordon, locking him up via free agency. It's unlikely that the Hornets can make the necessary moves to become a playoff contender next season, but drafting well and re-signing Gordon would at least give the team a solid nucleus to build around for the next four or five years.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.