Knicks, Pacers Talk J.R. Smith, Copeland Trade?
TUESDAY, 7:55am: A source who spoke with WTHR.com and former Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz denied that the talks have taken place (Twitter link).
MONDAY, 8:08am: The Knicks and Pacers have had discussions recently about a swap of J.R. Smith and Chris Copeland, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. Still, Knicks team president Phil Jackson isn’t planning on making any trades between now and December 15th, the date that most players who signed this offseason become eligible to be traded, Berman hears. A Smith-Copeland trade could nonetheless take place immediately, since both remained with their teams over the offseason, but a one-for-one exchange of the pair wouldn’t satisfy the league’s salary-matching requirements. Such a swap would also put the Pacers over the luxury tax line, so Indiana would no doubt insist on sending out more salary in any such deal.
Smith has frequently found his way into trade talk since his profound regression last season after winning the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year award. A report in July indicated the Knicks were open to trading Smith, along with fellow guards Iman Shumpert and Shane Larkin, not long after Smith said he wouldn’t blame the Knicks if they traded him on the heels of his subpar performance in 2013/14. Moving the enigmatic 29-year-old would further Jackson’s goal of clearing salary cap flexibility for the coming summer, since Smith has a nearly $6.4MM player option for 2015/16 while Copeland is on an expiring contract. Smith makes more than $5.982MM this season while Copeland earns $3.135MM.
The 30-year-old Copeland made his mark with the Knicks in 2012/13, earning a spot on the regular season roster as a training camp invitee and nailing 42.1% of his three-point attempts in 15.4 minutes per game that season. He moved to Indiana in free agency the following summer, but the Pacers buried him on their bench, as he made just 41 regular season appearances and notched only 6.5 MPG last season. Copeland is averaging 30.3 MPG on Indiana’s depleted roster so far this year. Smith would ostensibly give the Pacers more scoring punch, though he’s only averaging 11.7 points per 36 minutes during the opening week of 2014/15, compared to Copeland’s 19.0.
Knicks Notes: Shumpert, Free Agency, ‘Melo
Earlier tonight we took a look at the latest out of the Nets organization, so it only makes sense to round up what’s happening with the other team in New York. We’ll examine some notes on the 2-1 Knicks below:
- As expected, the Knicks and Iman Shumpert failed to reach an agreement on a rookie scale extension before the October 31st deadline passed, but the fourth-year guard is focused on helping New York win in the present rather than looking toward free agency next summer, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com transcribes. “I can’t think about [free agency]. We make the playoffs and I do what I’m supposed to do, things will happen,” said Shumpert. “I’m worried about winning games. Like I’ve said, that was the worst year of my life last year and I don’t ever want to feel that again.“
- After a tough 2013/14 campaign of his own, Carmelo Anthony has sympathy for Kobe Bryant‘s situation as stud player surrounded by a lackluster supporting cast, writes Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “It’s tough. Nobody wants to go through situations like that,” Anthony said. “I know Kobe. He’s going to do what he has to do to compete and win basketball games. Is it going to be hard? Yeah, it’s going to be hard. But in his eyes, I don’t think anything is impossible.“
- ‘Melo had positive remarks for the directions that the Knicks organization is heading, notes Scott Cacciola of the New York Times. Although the All-Star forward wouldn’t specifically identify any personnel changes he was particularly fond of, he has a sense that this season will end better than last year’s disastrous campaign. “From Day 1 last year, the energy was just not right,” Anthony said, “We looked at that, and the organization looked at that, and made some great changes in that direction… I’m not talking about no players, man. I’m just talking about as a whole.”
Eastern Notes: Rondo, Harris, Larkin, Butler
Whether they decide to keep him or trade him, the Celtics are convinced that Rajon Rondo is back to normal, reports Jenny Dial Creech of The Houston Chronicle. Rondo, who had 4 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists Saturday in a loss to the Rockets, played in just 30 games last season because of an ACL injury. “He kind of looks like what I’d seen on film before I got here,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “I don’t think he ever looked like that at any time last year, because he was coming back. And that’s just the way it goes with that injury. But he is back to full speed.” Rondo is in the final season of a five-year, $55MM contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Tobias Harris faces a new challenge as he plays this season without certainty of his future status, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The Magic and Harris did not reach an extension agreement by the October 31st deadline. “It’s business,” Harris said. “It’s a little disappointing. But at the same time, I’ll just approach it the same way.”
- Shane Larkin understands the “business deal” that led the Knicks not to pick up his third-year option, but he told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com he wants to show the team he can be part of its future. “Obviously they want to build a championship team here,” Larkin said, “and they need as much money as they can next summer to be able to bring in the big free agents that they’re looking at.” Larkin will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and can re-sign with New York, but only for up to $1,675,320, the amount of the option that was declined, The Knicks, who also decided not to offer an extension to Iman Shumpert, are expected to chase maximum-salary players next summer when the hefty contracts of Amar’e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani expire.
- The Bulls‘ Jimmy Butler is headed toward restricted free agency, but he explained to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com that doesn’t mean he’s headed out of Chicago. Friedell adds that Butler and his agent, Happy Walters, were asking for a deal similar to the $12MM a year that the Hornets gave to Kemba Walker last week. Bulls GM Gar Forman said the uncertainty looming over the salary cap with the league’s new TV deal affected the decision not to give Butler a long-term deal.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Thompson, Iverson, Knicks
Uncertainty over the future of the salary cap prevented Tristan Thompson from signing an extension with the Cavaliers, writes Terry Pluto of The Plain-Dealer. With a new TV contract taking effect during the summer of 2016, there are estimates that the cap could soar by 25%, dissuading players and teams from committing to long-term deals. Pluto notes that Thompson, represented by Rich Paul, who is also the agent for LeBron James, should have extra value because of the scarcity of quality big men. There’s more on the Cavs amid our look around the Eastern Conference:
- Cavaliers coach David Blatt may be new to the NBA, but that didn’t stop him from tearing into his team following its opening-night loss to the Knicks, as Zach Harper of CBSSports,com details. “He got on us from the time we started our meeting to the time we left,” said Cavs star LeBron James. “And it’s great. For a team like us, we need that.” James said the first-year coach definitely got the players’ attention with his tirade.
- The Celtics have to be encouraged by the play of former second-round pick Colton Iverson in the Euroleague, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of Celtics Insider. The 7-footer had 17 points and six rebounds and hit the game-winning basket for Kutxa Vitoria in a recent victory over Galatasaray Liv Hospital. “That’s my style of play,” Iverson said during his stint with the Celtics’ summer league team. “I’m always gonna be someone who is a pest to play against. I take pride in the way I play physical, and [being] a menace.” The Celtics acquired Iverson’s draft rights on draft night in 2013.
- Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com blames a lack of talent, not the Knicks‘ new triangle offense, for the opening night blowout loss to the Bulls. O’Connor writes that even though the Knicks will be clearing a massive amount of cap room this summer, players such as LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol are unlikely to leave their current teams. O’Connor speculates that the Knicks could chase Rajon Rondo next summer, or endure another losing season and go after Kevin Durant in 2016.
Knicks To Decline Option On Shane Larkin
The Knicks have decided to pass on their 2015/16 rookie scale team option with Shane Larkin, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman suggests this was New York’s plan all along, though previous reports had indicated that New York was picking up the option before the team had an apparent change of heart. Larkin’s option was worth more than $1.675MM for that season, as our Rookie Scale Team Option Tracker shows. The Knicks picked up a nearly $1.305MM team option for 2015/16 on Tim Hardaway Jr. and waived trade acquisition Arnett Moultrie, who also had a pending rookie scale team option.
Declining Larkin’s option will set the point guard up for unrestricted free agency next summer, a year after the Knicks acquired him from the Mavs in the Tyson Chandler trade. The 18th overall pick in the 2013 draft played sparingly as a rookie, averaging 10.2 minutes per game across 48 appearances, though he’s started the first two games of the year for the Knicks, who are without Jose Calderon because of injury.
The primary motivation for turning down the option appears to be New York’s desire to preserve cap flexibility for next summer. That also appears to be behind the apparent unlikelihood that the team will reach an extension with Iman Shumpert before tonight’s deadline to do so. The Knicks have about $32.7MM tied up for 2015/16, plenty of room beneath a projected $66.5MM salary cap.
Extensions Unlikely For Leonard, Butler
THURSDAY, 1:59pm: Johnson suggests the potential remains that Friday’s 11:00pm Central time deadline will motivate Butler and the Bulls to strike a deal, but the Chicago Tribune scribe adds that the sides remain far apart in their proposals (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 11:54am: Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler are unlikely to sign extensions with the Spurs and Bulls, respectively, before Friday’s deadline, a source tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Leonard is reportedly seeking the maximum salary, and while a recent report indicated Butler and the Bulls were “millions apart” in talks, that sort of separation is not uncommon in the days leading up to the rookie scale extension deadline. Broussard also hears the Knicks won’t grant an extension to Iman Shumpert, advancing the reporting of ESPN colleague Ian Begley.
Bulls GM Gar Forman said earlier today that he’d met with Butler’s agent, Happy Walters, and that Butler’s left thumb injury wouldn’t affect negotiations, tweets David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. The injury is expected to keep him out no longer than three weeks, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune notes (Twitter links). It’s unlikely that the eye infection that plagued Leonard throughout the preseason and forced him to miss San Antonio’s opening night game Tuesday would affect an extension for him, either.
The Spurs and Brian Elfus, who represents Leonard, have reportedly met several times in the past few weeks but have made no progress, though the Spurs appear poised to match any maximum salary offer sheet that Leonard would sign in restricted free agency next summer. The reigning Finals MVP appears prepared to buck the tradition of San Antonio’s stars agreeing to discounts, though the Spurs could still prevail on Leonard to do so next summer even if they can’t convince him to take less in an extension by the end of Friday.
Butler expressed confidence just days ago that he and the Bulls would come to an extension, so presumably talks, which the swingman said a month ago were going in the right direction, have hit a snag. Chicago apparently had a preference to come to an extension rather than let Butler, who turned 25 last month, hit restricted free agency. The Bulls have about $60.2MM tied up for 2015/16, and Kirk Hinrich holds a nearly $2.9MM player option, so Chicago probably wouldn’t have the cap flexibility to replace Butler if he were to sign an offer sheet and Forman and company decided against matching.
Lakers Notes: Randle, Bryant, Roster
The Lakers have already suffered some significant blows to their roster with both Steve Nash and Julius Randle being lost for the season with injuries. Even if the franchise is approved for Disabled Player Exceptions, they will still have two of their maximum 15 roster spots occupied by injured personnel. If Los Angeles loses another player to injury the team could apply for a temporary hardship increase that would allow the franchise to carry up to 16 players, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders notes (Twitter links). This scenario could help the team maintain its depth in the wake of another player loss, but once one of the injured players was able to return to action, the 15 player max would resume, Pincus notes.
Here’s more from Los Angeles:
- The only bright side to the Lakers losing Randle for the season is that the team will be in contention for a top-five lottery pick next summer, J.A. Adande of ESPN.com opines. Los Angeles’ 2015 first-rounder is owed to the Suns but is protected for picks one-through-five, notes Adande.
- The Lakers should take a page out of the Sixers’ playbook and try to hit bottom this season, Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) writes. This includes trying to convince Kobe Bryant to waive his no trade clause and dealing the future Hall-of Famer, Ford opines. Ford lists the Knicks, Nets, Mavs, and Hornets as teams that would potentially be interested in obtaining Bryant.
- The loss of Randle will hurt the Lakers much more than losing Nash, Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders opines. Los Angeles wasn’t expecting much from Nash, and had Jeremy Lin and Ronnie Price on board to make up for any time that Nash would have missed. With Randle, this season was important for his development, and the team was planning to run a large portion of their offense through him, Koutroupis notes.
- The Lakers and Bryant have faced criticism for the two year, $48.5MM contract extension he signed back in 2013. Hornets owner and former NBA great Michael Jordan defended Bryant for inking the pact, DeAntae Prince of The Sporting News writes. “Can I criticize him for maximizing his opportunity from a financial standpoint? No,” Jordan said. “Does his decision have an effect on how the team will structure certain things? Maybe.”
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Thomas, Outlaw, Melo
Outgoing Raptors executive Tim Leiweke is in talks with Irving Azoff, a confidant of Knicks owner James Dolan, about a deal that would see them have a stake in assets that are currently part of the Madison Square Garden company, reports Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.com. MSG, which owns the Knicks, is considering splitting into a pair of companies, as Soshnick details, though Soshnick doesn’t indicate whether there’s a role for Leiweke on the Knicks under consideration. Leiweke, who’s leaving his job with the company that owns the Raptors by the end of June or as soon as a replacement is found, said he doesn’t think the company is close to finding it’s next chief executive. More from the Atlantic Division..
- Malcolm Thomas got a fairly substantial contract guarantee of $474K for this season on his four-year, minimum-salary deal with the Sixers, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter). Thomas, we learned yesterday, was getting set to play in China before Philly reached out to him over the weekend. The rest of his contract with the Sixers is non-guaranteed, as Pincus shows on the team’s Basketball Insiders salary page.
- The Knicks received a $1,863,840 trade exception when they traded Travis Outlaw to the Sixers, tweets Pincus. That’s equivalent to the difference between the salaries for Outlaw and Arnett Moultrie, whom the Knicks acquired and immediately waived.
- Carmelo Anthony is preaching patience when it comes to the Knicks, who had a 37-win season, traded Tyson Chandler, and have a first-year head coach, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “It’s a work in progress now. It’s going to be a work in progress until the end of the season,” Anthony said. “We’re not looking for nothing easy, but we know it’s a work in progress. We have a chance to create something here, and we’re excited about it.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Knicks Opt In With Tim Hardaway Jr. For 2015/16
The Knicks have exercised their option to keep Tim Hardaway Jr. on his rookie scale contract through 2015/16, the team announced (Twitter link). He’ll make close to $1.305MM that season, as our Rookie Scale Team Option Tracker shows. Reports indicated that New York would pick up Shane Larkin‘s 2015/16 team option, too, but it appears that’s still up in the air.
Hardaway impressed in his rookie season after the Knicks made him the 24th overall pick in the 2013 draft. The 6’6″ shooting guard averaged 10.2 points in 23.2 minutes per game across 81 appearances, earning an All-Rookie First Team selection.
New York, which has targeted next summer for a free agent push, has about $32.7MM in commitments for 2015/16 as a result of today’s move. That doesn’t include Larkin’s option or a new deal for Iman Shumpert, who’d hit restricted free agency if he and the Knicks don’t sign an extension by the end of Friday.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Knicks, Thomas
It’s been a busy Monday in the Atlantic division, with the Knicks and Sixers completing a trade and then promptly cutting both players involved. That wasn’t it for Philly, which added a forward before cutting two others. Meanwhile, the Celtics cut five players to get down to the required roster count of 15. With final rosters set, let’s see what else is going on in the Atlantic:
- After waiving Casper Ware on Saturday to get their roster down to 15, the Nets now have some flexibility with Jorge Gutierrez, Cory Jefferson and Jerome Jordan, none of whom have deals that become fully guaranteed until the leaguewide guarantee date in January, tweets Robert Windrem of Nets Daily. With opening-night rosters finalized, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News also points out that the Nets luxury tax bill of around $35MM for this season, as it stands now, pales in comparison to last season’s mammoth $90MM total (via Twitter).
- Knicks head coach Derek Fisher indicated that Travis Outlaw was suffering from an Achilles injury that hurt his chances of making the team, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Outlaw was traded to Philly earlier today, opening up a roster spot for Travis Wear, who the Knicks initially had planned to cut and send to the D-League, according to Berman.
- Sixers signee Malcolm Thomas was set to play in China and was ready to leave on Tuesday before Philly reached out to him over the weekend, notes Tom Moore of Calkins Media (via Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Max Rappaport of Sixers.com points out that the careers of Thomas and Sixers coach Brett Brown intersected in San Antonio in 2012, when Thomas appeared in three games with the Spurs. “He’s got a chance — really his first chance, in my opinion — to [get] minutes and [have] a role. He sees we’ve got a bunch of young guys he’s competing with, and he probably sees a lot more daylight than he may have with Utah, the Spurs, or Chicago,” Brown said.