Knicks Notes: Mills, Carmelo, Thomas
It was Media Day in New York today, and after a busy offseason for the Knicks, there was plenty to discuss. New general manager Steve Mills deflected questions about the timing of his hiring, or James Dolan's motive for that decision or any others, but he, coach Mike Woodson, and several Knicks players still delivered a few quotes of note. Here are the highlights, via a collection of Knicks beat writers (links go to Twitter unless otherwise indicated):
- Asked about Carmelo Anthony's future, Mills stressed that the team has no plans to let him get away next summer: "We’ve made it clear that we have every intention of making Carmelo a Knick for a long time to come."
- For his part, Anthony declined to talk extensively about his contract situation, telling reporters that he'll deal with it when the time comes. However, teammates Kenyon Martin and Raymond Felton both indicated that they couldn't imagine Carmelo leaving New York.
- Mills made it sounds as if Dolan was interested in completely overhauling the basketball operations department, according to Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press. The GM also confirmed that he's considering adding someone to work beneath him, potentially an internal candidate.
- Prior to accepting the Knicks' GM position, Mills was considering becoming the NBPA's executive director or the athletic director at Princeton, but felt like the New York job was a perfect fit. It's not clear whether Mills had been offered either of those other positions, or whether he was simply in the running.
- Mills, who originally hired Isiah Thomas for the Knicks back in 2003, said that Thomas wouldn't be returning to the franchise (link via RealGM.com).
Knicks Pick Up 2014/15 Option On Mike Woodson
The Knicks have officially exercised their 2014/15 option on Mike Woodson, the team announced today (Twitter link). The move ensures that Woodson will remain under contract for the next two years, and will no longer be on an expiring deal this season.
Woodson, who replaced Mike D'Antoni as the Knicks' head coach in 2011/12, has compiled a 72-34 (.679) record with the team so far, though New York hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs in either of his two seasons.
There had been some speculation that Woodson could be on the hot seat for the coming year, given his contract status, the high expectations for the Knicks, and the fact that Steve Mills recently replaced Glen Grunwald as the club's general manager. Grunwald and Woodson have a long history, dating back to their days as college teammates at Indiana.
Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Kidd, Sixers, Knicks
Despite the Knicks having their best year since the 1990s, their coach, Mike Woodson, is on the hot seat, writes ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan [subscription only]. Elhassan goes through five coaches entering the 2013/14 campaign on the hot seat, where their team's success could determine whether they're brought back for the 2014/15 season.
The other four coaches mentioned include Mike D'Antoni of the Lakers, Monty Williams of the Pelicans, Tyrone Corbin of the Jazz, and Randy Wittman of the Wizards.
Conversely, when Roderick Boone of Newsday spoke with new Nets coach Jason Kidd, the new face in Brooklyn told him there was "exciting nervousness" as the team entered training camp. It will be the first training camp for Kidd as a head coach and the first training camp he hasn't begun as a player since the summer before he entered the league in 1994.
Kidd went on to explain to Roderick why he's lucky to start as the coach with the veteran-laden Nets:
"The nice thing about this opportunity with this team is guys being able to sacrifice," Kidd told Boone, "and that's another thing with these guys. Maybe sacrifice a shot or two. Maybe even some of the younger guys will say, 'Yeah, I don't mind not playing the fourth quarter,' and that's sacrifice. It's less minutes and less shots and it gets us a win."
Here's more from around the top-heavy Atlantic division…
- Woodson's challenge with the Knicks this season could be even harder if they don't get healthy as Al Iannazzone writes about for Newsday on the eve of training camp.
- ESPN New York's Ian Begley has a power forward preview for the Knicks. Though Carmelo Anthony played a lot at the 4 last season when the Knicks went small, all their offseason moves — acquiring Andrea Bargnani in a trade with the Raptors, picking up Metta World Peace after he cleared amnesty waivers and signing Kenyon Martin as a free agent – mean the Knicks will have a lot of depth to spell Anthony while also avoiding injuries for their reserves.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal has more on the Knicks' decision to promote Steve Mills to GM while demoting Glen Grunwald.
- The Sixers had a low-key first day of practice as they opened training camp today, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Tom Moore of the Intelligencer agrees that new Sixers coach Brett Brown was smart to start things slow in his first official practice as coach.
- The Sixers aren't expected to compete for anything but a lottery pick this season after trading Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans on draft day, but at least they have a plan opines Pompey.
Eastern Notes: Juwan Howard, Pistons, Sixers
Juwan Howard has been on the Heat's roster for parts of the last three seasons, but each year, he returns in a more diminished role. In 2013/13, the veteran big man appeared in only seven regular-season games, essentially acting as a player-coach on the bench. For the coming season, it appears that Miami will finally make that transition to coach official for Howard.
According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter), Howard is among those expected to join Erik Spoelstra's staff with the Heat. We'll have to wait for further confirmation from Howard and the team, but it appears that, after winning rings in each of the last two seasons, the 40-year-old's playing career may finally be coming to an end.
Here's more from around the East:
- Dan Craig is also expected to be hired to Spoelstra's staff, while Keith Askins will likely assume a non-coaching role for the Heat, adds Winderman (via Twitter).
- Anthony Mason Jr., the son of the former Knicks and Hornets forward, appears set to play for the Knicks' D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks. Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside has the details, via St. John's basketball.
- David Mayo of MLive.com figures that it would take "multiple pieces" in return to prompt the Pistons to trade Greg Monroe, as he writes in his latest mailbag. Monroe is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which will make him eligible for restricted free agency next summer if he's not extended next month.
- Former Villanova standout Curtis Sumpter appears to be in line to join the Sixers' coaching staff, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Knicks Rumors: LeBron, Amare, Melo, Grunwald
The Knicks shocked everyone when they fired GM Glen Grunwald this week and brought Steve Mills back to run basketball operations. Last night, we asked Hoops Rumors readers how they felt about the move and nearly 80% of you were against the decision. Here's the latest out of MSG..
- Knicks owner James Dolan may have decided that Mills was better suited for next summer's free agent bonanza, write Nate Taylor and Harvey Araton of the New York Times. Those efforts could include finding a way to shed the final part of Amare Stoudemire’s contract after this season and possibly even make another run at LeBron James when he can hit the open market. Mills could also try to bring a second star to New York to help convince Carmelo Anthony to stay put.
- The Knicks firing of Grunwald in favor of Mills is just the same old Dolan up to his old tricks, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. “[Dolan] is comfortable with Steve,” said a person close to both executives. “Steve knows how to work with [Dolan]. They both know what they’re getting into. I think that familiarity helped. This move was [Dolan]’s.” Isola writes that future of Mark Warkentien, the club’s director of player personnel, is also murky at this juncture.
- Rich Kaplan, the agent for Marcus Camby, told Marc Berman of the New York Post that he was less-than-thrilled with the change. “Steve is a great guy, but Glen’s firing is absurd,’’ Kaplan wrote via text. “He did a great job in a challenging environment. Turns out it was a thankless job.’’ Meanwhile, an NBA GM told Berman, “If you’re looking for logic within Dolan’s Knicks, you’re looking in the wrong place.’’
Poll: Did Knicks Err In Hiring New GM?
The Knicks pulled off a surprise this week, removing Glen Grunwald from the GM position and giving that job, as well as the title of team president, to former Madison Square Garden boss Steve Mills. The move inspired a stream of reaction that prompted us to use multiple posts to round it all up, and much of the chatter paints the Knicks in a negative light. Mills is inexperienced in player personnel matters, while Grunwald acquired Tyson Chandler and J.R. Smith, helping to construct the roster that this spring gave the Knicks their first division title since 1994, and their first 50-win season since 2000.
Mills seems to possess a superior personal appeal with players, and, as Howard Beck of Bleacher Report wrote today, his connections to the Creative Artists Agency surely endear him to a Knicks franchise that's full of CAA clients. His backers include commissioner David Stern and former Knicks president Donnie Walsh, as Marc Berman of the New York Post points out.
So, would the Knicks have been better off keeping their architect from the past two seasons, or did they make the right move to bring in a new GM? Let us know with your vote, and share more of your thoughts on the changes in New York in the comments.
Did Knicks Err In Hiring New GM?
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Yes, they should have kept Glen Grunwald. 77% (230)
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No, Steve Mills is the right man for the job. 23% (70)
Total votes: 300
Knicks Sign Ike Diogu
FRIDAY, 4:32pm: The Knicks have officially signed Diogu, the team announced today (Twitter link).
MONDAY, 10:42am: The Knicks will add veteran forward Ike Diogu to their training camp roster, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday (Twitter link). Diogu will occupy one of the three remaining open spots on New York's offseason roster.
Diogu, 30, was one of several free agents who worked out for the Knicks last week in the hopes of landing a camp invitation. New York is also expected to bring another one of the participants in that audition, Josh Powell, to camp, as we heard over the weekend.
Diogu was drafted ninth overall in 2005 by the Warriors and had a solid rookie season, including 7.0 PPG and a 15.8 PER. However, early in his second NBA season, he was sent to Indiana in an eight-player swap that landed Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson in Golden State. Diogu was traded twice more in the next two years, and never had another season as productive as his rookie year. He last appeared in two games for the Spurs during the 2011/12 campaign.
With Diogu on board, the Knicks will have six players on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed deals, to go along with their 12 guaranteed contracts. C.J. Leslie, who has a $200K guarantee, figures to be a lock for a regular-season roster spot, while Diogu, Powell, Chris Smith, Toure Murry, and Jeremy Tyler will compete for the last two openings.
Knicks Notes: Carmelo, Mills, Grunwald, Houston
The Knicks surprised the NBA world yesterday when they announced that Steve Mills would be replacing Glen Grunwald as the team's general manager. We've already passed along a few of the reactions to that move, but there are a few more leftovers on the front office shake-up among today's Knicks items. Let's round them up….
- The Knicks' front office changes are "all to keep Carmelo [Anthony]," a rival executive tells Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. If Carmelo is going to commit long-term to the Knicks next summer, he wants to feel confident that the team can attract a marquee free agent in 2015, when cap space is available, writes Beck. According to that rival exec, Mills likely has a better chance of luring a top free agent than Grunwald, who is soft-spoken and isn't as connected to the players.
- Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld wonders whether it would be even be in the Knicks' best interests to re-sign Anthony to a max deal in 2014.
- Agent Rick Kaplan, who represents Marcus Camby, called the Knicks' demotion of Grunwald "absurd" and "cruel," according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. "He did everything he was asked to do by his owner, and did it with a smile on his face," Kaplan said. "The only good news is that some lucky team will have Glen fall in its lap and he can finally work for a team that appreciates his enormous talent and class."
- One "prominent NBA executive" who spoke to Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News agreed with Kaplan, asking rhetorically, "What in the world did Glen Grunwald do to get fired? They gave [Mills] two jobs today and he isn’t qualified for either one of them."
- Sources tell Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report that Allan Houston is likely being groomed to be the next GM in New York.
Reactions To Knicks GM Change
Earlier today, we learned that the Knicks bumped Glen Grunwald as General Manager and brought Steve Mills back to the organization to take his place. The move came without any real warning and at this time, we still don't know what the motive was behind the decision. Here's the latest reaction to the news..
- The timing of the move appears to be illogical as Grunwald just completed the final transaction of the summer, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Meanwhile, coach Mike Woodson has a team option for 2014/15 and he no longer has the allegiance of Grunwald, his former college teammate at Indiana.
- Berman heard that Mills and team owner James Dolan were at the team practice facility today in Tarrytown to talk to the players about the move (Twitter link).
- After talking with Knicks insiders, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) believes that Allan Houston is being groomed as the next GM. The longtime Knicks guard is currently in their front office and is well-respected around the league.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) guesses that the GM change means that Houston will see an increased role in operations and Woodson has less job security than he did yesterday. In another piece, Begley wonders what this all means as far as Isiah Thomas' ties to the franchise and tries to make sense of why such a decision was made now.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal finds it strange that the team had moved so abruptly to replace Grunwald, especially since they aren't necessarily hiring someone who has proven to build a teams worthy of competing for an NBA title.
Eastern Notes: Bulls, Wizards, Hawks
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune discusses the health of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Luol Deng's uncertain long-term future with the franchise, how Mike Dunleavy Jr. will look to mesh with the roster, and how Jimmy Butler will handle a move to starting shooting guard as five things to look at for the Bulls going into fall. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago (via Twitter) says that Chicago's official training camp roster is expected to be released tomorrow but doesn't expect Malcolm Thomas or Chris Wright to be on the list.
- Michael Lee of CSN Washington wonders if John Wall is ready to lead the Wizards to the playoffs, who will step up in the absence of Emeka Okafor, if Bradley Beal is primed for a breakout season, what to expect from Otto Porter, and the health of Nene as the team's top storylines heading into training camp.
- Hawks GM Danny Ferry wouldn't set a timeline for the return of Louis Williams (who is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery), though he did say that the eighth-year guard has been playing one-on-one games and has had no restrictions in doing so. Ferry also appeared encouraged about what Dennis Schröder can contribute to the team now as a promising prospect and said that Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala still need to continue their development overseas (USA Today via the Associated Press).
- As Tom Layman of the Boston Herald points out, Celtics coach Brad Stevens will look toward Avery Bradley to be the team's floor general while they wait for the return of Rajon Rondo. In another piece, a handful of college coaches had positive comments for Stevens regarding how they believe he'll be able to transition to the NBA game (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
- With Steve Mills in place as the Knicks' newest GM, Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld thinks that it will be important for Mills to start forming a strong relationship with Carmelo Anthony now, especially with the possibility that he could become a free agent this upcoming summer.
- Since arriving in New York City, Anthony has been able to build his brand and explore plenty of business opportunities, writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. From the sound of it, Zwerling doesn't think that Anthony will be leaving New York anytime soon, even with an opt-out clause at the end of the season.
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York examines the orange and blue's current situation at small forward.
- With the rest of the NBA's power elite growing tired of the Heat's dominance, Sam Amick of USA Today delves into why the 2013/14 season could be Miami's toughest campaign for a title yet. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the Bulls are especially eager to put a halt to the Heat's reign as the NBA's top dog.