Eastern Rumors: Deng, Knicks, Bucks, 76ers
When a report surfaced earlier in December suggesting that Luol Deng and the Bulls had been about $5-6MM per year apart in extension talks, I speculated that perhaps Deng was looking for an annual salary in line with his current $14MM+, while the Bulls may have preferred something in the $10MM range. However, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the actual figures discussed were a little lower. Cowley reports that Deng and agent Herb Rudoy were seeking $12-13MM annually, while the Bulls slotted the All-Star forward at $7-8MM per year.
With Deng still a year away from free agency when the two sides talked about an extension, perhaps the Bulls were just driving a hard bargain, knowing that they still had plenty of time to work something out. But if Chicago stays committed to something in the neighborhood of $7-8MM annually, it seems highly unlikely that the club will be able to retain Deng beyond this season.
Here’s more from around the East….
- James Dolan is right not to scapegoat coach Mike Woodson for the Knicks’ poor performance this season, since the team’s struggles are the result of years of moves overseen by the owner, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the fact that Dolan told his players there won’t be any trades simply means that the Knicks don’t have any deals imminent — it doesn’t mean the team won’t make moves before the deadline.
- The Bucks and 76ers continue to sit atop Chad Ford’s Tank Rank list at ESPN.com, though Ford says Milwaukee owner Herb Kohl hasn’t totally given up on the idea of contending for the playoffs. Ford adds that the Sixers are among the NBA’s most active teams in trade discussions.
- In his weekly Morning Tip piece at NBA.com, TNT’s David Aldridge spoke to Kohl about finding investors in the Bucks and the possibility of both private and public funding for a new Milwaukee arena. Aldridge also explored the subject of why the Knicks and Nets feel compelled to avoid undertaking a full rebuild.
- The Cavaliers have recalled rookie forward Sergey Karasev from the D-League, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer (Twitter link). During his weekend stint with the Canton Charge, Karasev averaged 14.0 PPG in two games, making six three-pointers in total.
Knicks May Cut Chris Smith
MONDAY, 8:25am: Smith is the player expected to be released if and when the Knicks sign Tyler, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post, who says the Knicks could announce the roster moves as soon as today.
SUNDAY, 2:29pm: The benefits of nepotism can only get you so far sometimes. If the Knicks go ahead and sign Jeremy Tyler, as they’ve been discussing, they are seriously considering cutting Chris Smith to free up a roster spot rather than center Cole Aldrich, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Aldrich is on a non-guaranteed deal while Smith’s pact is fully guaranteed for the rookie minimum salary. The guard has seen just two minutes of total court time and while Aldrich hasn’t gotten that much more burn, it doesn’t make sense for the team to shed a big man when frontcourt depth is their issue.
The signing of Smith, the younger brother of J.R. Smith, was a controversial move for the Knicks over the offseason. Despite Chris’ assertion that he earned his place on the roster, many speculated that the Knicks added him as a sweetener to get J.R. to re-sign over the summer.
Central Notes: Pistons, Copeland, Hill
The failure of Cleveland’s Andrew Bynum experiment has dominated headlines this weekend across the NBA, but while the Cavs have their share of problems, so do most of their rivals in the Central Division. Only the Pacers, with a 24-5 record that’s tied for the league’s best, are any better than four games beneath .500. We’ll pass along a couple of takes on Bynum here amid a larger look at the Central:
- The tension between Josh Smith and Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks that led to Smith’s benching for the second half last night is an ominous sign for the team, as Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News examines.
- Chris Copeland sought the counsel of his then-Knicks teammates as he contemplated his free agency last summer, and Jason Kidd was particularly helpful, Copeland tells Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star. The Pacers forward is confident that Kidd, who’s struggling in his first year as coach of the Nets, has the leadership ability to do the job.
- The Pacers have assigned Solomon Hill to the D-League, the team announced. Hill says via Twitter that he asked for the assignment (hat tip to Buckner). Coach Frank Vogel has said that the team didn’t have plans to send Hill down, but the rookie guard has been on the inactive list since Danny Granger returned from injury, Buckner notes (All Twitter links).
- None of the moves the Cavaliers made this past offseason have worked out, including the Bynum signing, and that doesn’t bode well for the franchise after one of the most important summers in its history, opines Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding argues that Bynum’s free-spirited personality will keep him from once more overcoming his creaky knees and becoming the All-Star he once was, and Ding imparts some of the blame on coach Mike Brown.
Knicks Consider Adding Jeremy Tyler This Week
Knicks management has engaged in a “serious” discussion about signing Jeremy Tyler this week, when a four-day layoff in the schedule would allow the big man to get acclimated in practice, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks have long been expected to sign the 6’10” center at some point after waiving him during the preseason, when he was on the shelf with a stress fracture in his foot. The Knicks might also wait until January 6th, when 10-day contracts may be signed, to buy a little more time for Tyler’s foot to fully heal.
Tyler, a two-year NBA veteran, has been playing for the Knicks’ D-League affiliate, averaging 18.0 points and 10.2 rebounds in six games so far. He’s improved his efficiency over his past few outings, cutting his turnovers and raising his field goal percentage to 47.8%. The Knicks had reportedly been waiting to sign Tyler until they figured out what to do about potential trades for other players, but with owner James Dolan having told the team that no trades are forthcoming, perhaps that’s cleared the way for Tyler to come aboard. A conflicting report indicates that Knicks management is still working on trades in spite of what Dolan said, so it’s not clear if the notion of signing Tyler is still tied to trade discussions.
The Knicks would have to clear a roster spot before adding Tyler. Toure’ Murry and Cole Aldrich are on non-guaranteed contracts and have played sparingly, though Murry’s longest outing of the season came last night, and cutting Aldrich to make room for Tyler would do nothing to supplement the team’s frontcourt depth. Chris Smith‘s contract is fully guaranteed for the rookie minimum salary, but he’s played just two minutes so far this season, making him a candidate to go, Berman writes.
Signing Tyler this week would mean his contract would become fully guaranteed if the team doesn’t waive him on or before January 7th. Waiting until January 6th to sign him to a 10-day contract would mean the Knicks wouldn’t have to decide whether to pay him for the rest of the season until January 26th, since Tyler could sign a pair of 10-day deals, so such a maneuver would give the Knicks more flexibility, as Berman explains.
Eastern Links: Nets, West, Deng, Shumpert
Nets players are reportedly confused about their roles on the team amid an organizational lack of patience with Jason Kidd, but Deron Williams tells Tim Bontemps of the New York Post that he thinks the players still support their coach.
“If we were losing some close games and he was making some bad decisions, that would be one thing, but that’s not the case,” Williams said. “We got blown out [Wednesday]. He can’t make us outrebound teams, he can’t make us put the extra little bit in to get over the hump. That’s on us as players to come out and play better.”
There’s more news on the Nets amid our look at the Eastern Conference:
- Pacers power forward David West considered signing with the Nets after the lockout in 2011, but the Teaneck, N.J., native tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that the team wasn’t interested because of fears regarding his recovery from a torn ACL.
- The Bulls aren’t keen on the idea of trading Luol Deng and if they did, they’d need a piece that solidifies their future, which means they’d require someone better than Iman Shumpert of the Knicks, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
- The Raptors are looking to the future and would ideally like to build with the draft, but in a strange twist of fate, they’re winning games and they may not get that choice lottery pick, writes Howard Beck of the Bleacher Report. Part of the reason for their success could be that several players — as well as coach Dwane Casey — are in their walk years.
- The Heat are off to a strong start and so is their D-League affiliate, notes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Noel, Kidd, Knicks, Woodson
Today’s look at the Atlantic Division..
- Nerlens Noel is steadily progressing in his rehabilitation from a torn ACL, a source told Shams Charania of RealGM. The Kentucky product has added muscle and weighed in at 223 pounds late last week. However, there doesn’t’ appear to be any urgency to get Noel onto the court this season within the 76ers organization. It wouldn’t make sense to rush Noel back given the club’s current position and the upside that the big man has.
- Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record wonders if the Nets‘ victory over the Bucks was a product of coach Jason Kidd‘s message finally getting through or the Bucks just being a weaker opponent. Yesterday, it was reported that Kidd is losing the locker room as Brooklyn continues to struggle. If Kidd can’t right the ship, he might be ousted before the February All-Star break.
- Kidd’s not the only New York coach in trouble, of course. Mike Woodson needs to save the Knicks‘ season to save his job, writes Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News. Tyson Chandler points to team fatigue, but Knicks’ management might not give Woodson the benefit of the doubt.
Odds & Ends: Thomas, Karasev, McGary
Isaiah Thomas’ continued improvement is likely why the Kings felt comfortable parting with Greivis Vasquez in their trade for Rudy Gay, Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling writes in an in-depth look at the Sacramento point guard. Zwerling also spoke to a source who said there have been no contract talks yet between Thomas and the Kings, but he believes the 24-year-old could land a starting salary of $5MM+. The lack of contract discussions is no surprise at this point, since Thomas isn’t eligible for an extension.
Here’s more from around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers have assigned Sergey Karasev to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. It’s the second time Karasev has been sent to the Canton Charge this season, though his first assignment lasted just one day.
- Michigan prospect Mitch McGary will have back surgery, which figures to end his season, as ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman details. McGary’s decision to return to school for his sophomore year surprised some, and looks like it may backfire. One NBA GM tells Goodman that McGary will be a “borderline first-rounder” in 2014, whereas he would’ve been a lock in 2013, and a couple more of Goodman’s NBA sources echoed that sentiment (Twitter link).
- In his NBA PM piece for HoopsWorld, Yannis Koutroupis explores whether the Thunder and Knicks ought to make a move or stand pat.
No Trades Or Coaching Changes for Knicks?
1:35pm: The Knicks front office remains in active pursuit of trades and is making contingency plans in the event Woodson is fired, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Isola figures Dolan felt compelled to meet with the team to quell internal speculation about potential changes ahead. In any case, the future of the Knicks appears to remain shrouded in mystery.
11:15am: Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that Knicks chairman James Dolan told players yesterday morning that there will be no trades or changes in the coaching staff. Stein says the meeting was held by Dolan to convince the players to come together behind head coach Mike Woodson and his plan to “win [the Atlantic Division]”.
The Knicks have started the season 9-19 which has created many rumors that Woodson would be the first NBA coach fired this season and be without a job as early as this weekend. They have also been included in many trade rumors including a trade for Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, and a trade for Boston’s Rajon Rondo. Knicks players considered to be trade candidates so far this season included Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, and Metta World Peace.
Time, and the Knicks’ place in the standings, will tell whether Dolan sticks with this plan. The trade deadline which would force the Knicks to stick to this plan is Thursday, February 20th.
Free Agency Notes: Hayward, Billups, Parker
Although a report came out this morning that Mike Woodson’s job is currently safe it hasn’t stopped anyone from speculating otherwise. Another person to come to Woodson’s defense is former University of Indiana teammate, and former Knicks head coach, Isiah Thomas. Thomas told Marc Berman of the New York Post that he expects Woodson to hold up well and succeed once he gets all his players back from injury.
A few notes regarding players who could join Woodson in looking for jobs soon.
- Since Gordon Hayward and the Jazz were unable to reach an agreement on an extension this offseason, Hayward will be headed to restricted free agency next summer. Hayward expressed to Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that the Jazz remain his preferred option because he loves the way the franchise is headed. Of particular interest to Hayward is the Jazz’s core group of players, a bunch of young players whom he thinks will be successful in the near future. As Greene points out, the Jazz only have $27MM in guaranteed salaries next season which will allow them to be a competitor in free agency next summer.
- David Mayo of MLive Media Group passed along in a Q&A session that he doesn’t think either the Pistons or Chauncey Billups will want Detroit to exercise their team option on Billups $2.5MM contract next year.
- Although the Knicks have been promised no trades for the near future, their moves in free agency are still a major focal point of discussion around the league. One upcoming free agent that has been linked with the Knicks is the Spurs‘ Tony Parker. Dan McCarney broke down the likelihood of Parker signing with the Knicks in 2015. McCarney believes Parker’s past loyalty to the Spurs will continue through his next round of free agency and doesn’t imagine we will ever see Parker in any jersey other than San Antonio’s.
Odds & Ends: Anthony, Carter-Williams, Kelly
This weekend appears to be a big weekend for the Knicks and head coach Mike Woodson as they have the opportunity to finish the weekend one game out of first place in the Atlantic Division. Some have speculated this is also a prime opportunity to replace Woodson if the 9-19 Knicks don’t turn things around. If they do in fact replace Woodson, Ian Begley of ESPN New York recommends the Knicks inquire who Carmelo Anthony will want to play for if they want a chance at his pending free agency next summer. The Knicks have said they want to re-sign Anthony and having a coach he favors could go a long way in achieving that goal.
A few other morning notes around the league.
- Although there is still a lot of the season left, the Sixers are in rebuilding mode and any roster moves will, and should, focus on how they complement breakthrough star of 2013, Michael Carter-Williams. Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News thinks this will be the Sixers plan for the rest of the season. With only seventeen game opportunities, Carter-Williams has proven he is a pro the team can build around and Cooney believes they will treat him just like they did Jrue Holiday in previous seasons.
- Ryan Kelly has embraced his role as a bench player for the Lakers. The 48th overall pick in last summer’s draft was limited in pre-draft activities due to an injured foot but is hoping to make the most of his rookie minimum salary deal with the goal of it becoming vested after the new year. Kelly told Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles he is “taking [every possession] like it’s his last” in order to “make it past Jan. 10”.
- Former Mavericks GM Gersson Rosas has officially returned to his prior role with the Rockets as executive vice president. Rosas expressed to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle it is “good to be home” and that he is returning from Dallas with “some unfinished work to do”.