Odds & Ends: Tolliver, Rubio, Knicks
Anthony Tolliver has been working out with several Timberwolves players, namely Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger (Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) looks at it as a sign that Tolliver "badly" wants to remain in Minnesota next year. In another tweet, Zgoda caught Nikola Pekovic's thoughts regarding Ricky Rubio, saying that while the Spanish point guard looks good and hopes to be running again next week, he is still aiming for a return in December. We've had quite a bit of updates tonight, so be sure to check out the newest tidbits from around the league here..
- Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets that Trail Blazers guard Elliot Williams is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday to repair a ruptured achilles tendon.
- Justin Verrier of ESPN talks about Chris Bosh's willingness to continue playing center after contributing to a successful title run at that position with the Heat.
- Free agent Maurice Evans remains confident in the leadership ability he can bring to a team, says Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Although a source suggested that the Wizards offered him a position in their front office, Evans says that he believes he still has value as a player.
- ESPN's Chris Broussard writes that Hakeem Olajuwon is slated to visit with the Knicks for several days next week to continue working out with Amare Stoudemire in addition to helping Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Marcus Camby. On another matter, Tracy McGrady's health looked "good" during his workout with the team (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets).
- According to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com, Dwight Howard's rehab is going well, although he won't be ready for the start of training camp or the start of pre-season. Earlier, Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register reported (via Twitter) that the Lakers were expected to make an announcement today regarding an update of Howard's recovery from back surgery.
Spurs, Knicks Eyeing Tracy McGrady
In search of a guaranteed deal for the coming season, Tracy McGrady worked out for the Spurs this week, and has a workout scheduled with the Knicks today, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wojnarowski adds that time may be running out for McGrady to land a guaranteed contract — the seven-time All-Star might have to eventually accept a make-good training camp invite or sign overseas.
McGrady was reportedly drawing some interest from the Bobcats, but we heard a little over a month ago that the 33-year-old would prefer to join a contender. I'm a little surprised that McGrady hasn't received more interest this offseason. He may not be the same player that twice led the NBA in scoring, but he has been fairly productive over the last two years for the Pistons and Hawks, recording a 14.5 PER in 124 total games.
The Spurs have brought a number of players to San Antonio in recent weeks, and are still determining whether or not McGrady will fit into their plans, says Wojnarowski. As for the Knicks, the team has discussed the possibility of adding another perimeter scorer. With Iman Shumpert and Ronnie Brewer currently recovering from injuries, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Knicks to bring on a veteran like McGrady for depth purposes.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Higgins, Bogut, Carlisle
On the cusp of an earlier report this week that said most Knicks players were working out together before training camp, New York enters this season as a team with no excuses, writes Keith Schlosser of KnicksJournal.com.
Here are a few other notes from around the league.
- According to a tweet from the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell, Cory Higgins will be in Bobcats training camp competing for the team's third point guard spot.
- Warriors center Andrew Bogut is expected to be in uniform and ready to play in the team's season opener against the Suns, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has to deal with five incoming free agents, but unlike most coaches in the league, it shouldn't be a problem for the lead man in Dallas, writes ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett.
- In the midst of rebuilding, the Pistons are loaded with young players that should hopefully grow into a something special given the time they're putting in the gym this offseason, writes Pistons.com's Keith Langlois.
- The Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz tweets that the Magic are expected to sign one or two more free agents to fill out their training camp roster.
- The Clippers have added several veterans this offseason, like Grant Hill, Lamar Odom, and Jamal Crawford. NBA.com's Eric Patten writes that if the additions can stay healthy, the Clippers have positioned themselves to make a deep playoff run.
- Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com covers the remaining free agents that have yet to be signed.
- Dwyane Wade believes the Bulls need Derrick Rose at full strength if they want to contend in the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone the NBA championship, writes ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell.
Malcolm Thomas Seeking Guarantee From Knicks
Unrestricted free agent Malcolm Thomas will work out with the Knicks over the next two days in hopes of landing a guaranteed contract from the team, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. The Knicks have signed a handful of players to non-guaranteed deals this week, but Thomas' representatives "made it clear" their client isn't looking for just a training camp invite.
Thomas appeared in three games for the Spurs last season, and also signed a 10-day contract with the Rockets, though he didn't appear in any games for Houston. He saw his stock increase after a standout performance with the Bulls' summer league squad in July, and was reportedly drawing interest from the Clippers, Bulls, Hawks, and Bobcats.
According to Charania, Thomas has been weighing offers from NBA teams as well as clubs in Europe and China. It's not clear if any of the NBA offers he has received have included a partial or full guarantee — I would assume if that were the case, he would have accepted one by now, but perhaps the 6'9" forward would prefer to land with the Knicks.
New York's front office has "long been impressed" by Thomas, with this week's workouts allowing the 23-year-old the opportunity to audition for the team's coaching staff, says Charania.
Odds & Ends: Anderson, Mbenga, Heat, Harden
It's been a busier day than we've had for a while around the NBA, and with training camps opening as soon as September 29th, expect the faster pace of news to continue. Let's dive right into some of the latest from around the league:
- James Anderson's deal with the Hawks is a one-year, non-guaranteed pact, Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
- D.J. Mbenga, who agreed to terms with the Mavericks earlier today, has already agreed to join the team's D-League affiliate if he doesn't make the NBA club out of training camp, reports Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- An agent tells Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that the Heat are only offering contracts without a guarantee, which makes sense, since they already have agreements with 18 players. Winderman also speculates that Raja Bell could be a fit for the Heat whenever he finalizes the buyout he continues to negotiate with the Jazz (Sulia link).
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com delves deep into Thunder GM Sam Presti's comments about a possible extension for James Harden, and says that while Isiah Thomas is unlikely to return in a formal capacity to the Knicks soon, he looms as a potential candidate to join an NBA team as a coach or executive down the road.
- Zach Lowe of SI.com runs down several players for whom 2012/13 will be an especially important season.
- After looking at 10 overpaid players earlier today, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News also shares his list of the 10 most underpaid players in the league.
New York Rumors: Brewer, Shumpert, Blatche
Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork provides updates on a pair of Knicks recovering from left knee surgery who attended a Wall Street fundraiser today in remembrance of the September 11th attacks. Ronnie Brewer says he'll be back by opening night from surgery to correct a medial meniscus tear, while Iman Shumpert, who tore his ACL in the playoffs, won't be back until December at the earliest. The Knicks, finalized four signings today, appear to have plenty of options in the meantime, and we've got more on them and their crosstown rivals here:
- The four players the Knicks signed, along with Chris Smith, are all likely to wind up with the team's D-League affiliate, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com says (Twitter link). The team is still combing the free agent market for someone to fill their 15th roster spot in the regular season, and it's likely to be a big man, according to Zwerling. A report last week said the Knicks were considering Sean Williams, though Zwerling says there's nothing new on that front.
- Andray Blatche and Josh Childress are on non-guaranteed deals, but they're both expected to make the Nets, reports Howard Beck of The New York Times. That would bring Brooklyn's roster to the 15-player limit, but they'll likely sign more players for training camp, Beck adds, since teams can carry up to 20 in the preseason.
- Former Nets small forward Damion James and the Hawks agreed to terms today, but was gracious in his exit from Brooklyn, thanking the Nets and their fans via Twitter (hat tip to Ben Couch).
Knicks Sign Sims, Bellfield, Thompson
The Knicks have officially signed four players to contracts that include training camp invites, according to a team press release. We heard yesterday about the team's deal with John Shurna, but the other three names are new — the Knicks have added center Henry Sims, guard Oscar Bellfield, and forward Mychel Thompson.
Sims, a seven-footer out of Georgetown, was ranked as the seventh-best center in this year's draft by ESPN.com's Chad Ford after averaging 11.6 PPG and 6.0 RPG in his senior year, but went undrafted. Bellfield, a senior out of UNLV, also went undrafted in 2012.
Thompson, meanwhile, is the only player of the four with any NBA experience, after a brief stint with the Cavaliers in 2011/12. Klay Thompson's older brother appeared in five games for Cleveland last season, starting three. He's a year removed from going undrafted out of Pepperdine, where he averaged 14.6 PPG in his senior year (2010/11).
According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter), all four players worked out for the Knicks in the spring, and will be fighting to earn one of the team's final roster spots. The Knicks now have 19 players under contract heading into camp, including up to seven believed to be on non-guaranteed deals. For the players that don't earn an NBA roster spot, a place on the Erie BayHawks, New York's D-League affiliate, could be in the cards.
Atlantic Notes: D-Will, Knicks, Garnett, Sullinger
Deron Williams has mentioned since his free agent decision in early July that he came very close to signing with the Mavericks rather than the Nets. And according to D-Will, if it weren't for the Nets' move to Brooklyn, he almost certainly wouldn't be back with the team this season.
"It was a huge factor," Williams told Tony Manfred of Business Insider. "I don't think I would have even thought about staying if [the Nets were] staying in New Jersey."
Williams' stance may not come as a surprise, but as Manfred notes, it's another reminder of the impact a larger market can have on the free agent decisions of NBA stars. Here are a few more Tuesday morning items from around the Atlantic Division:
- Williams is "definitely open" to playing for Team USA at the 2014 World Cup of Basketball, according to an Associated Press report (via NBA.com).
- The Knicks figure to hire an assistant coach to replace the departing Kenny Atkinson, and Lasalle Thompson is a leading candidate, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com shares his top five picks for Knicks-related storylines that just won't go away.
- In a recent interview in China, Kevin Garnett discussed his last few years with the Celtics, including the end of the Big Three era. Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com passes along video of the conversation.
- Forsberg and Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com take a shot at predicting how Jared Sullinger's rookie season for the Celtics will play out.
Knicks Notes: Ewing, Shurna, Paul
Knicks owner James Dolan would like to see Isiah Thomas back with the club in some official capacity, but surprisingly it's Thomas who has cold feet about the proposed reunion. As it stands now, it doesn't seem likely that we'll see Thomas re-hired by the Knicks, though the former coach will likely continue to be an unofficial consultant for Dolan. Here's tonight's non-Isiah news out of New York..
- The Knicks offered Patrick Ewing an opportunity to coach the D-League's Erie BayHawks, but the team's former star center turned it down, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Ewing, who previously worked for the Magic and interviewed for a couple of head coaching jobs this summer, would prefer to stay in the NBA.
- One source told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com that Ewing felt slighted by the club's offer to coach in the D-League. "Patrick has paid his dues," the source said. "He was a little insulted."
- Earlier tonight, the Knicks signed former Northwestern forward John Shurna to a contract and Begley (via Twitter) notes that his deal will be for the minimum salary with a partial guarantee that becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the roster on January 10th.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com looks at some of the top Knicks storylines that just won't go away. Among them are the club's pursuit of Chris Paul, which Zwerling classifies as a longshot.
Knicks Sign John Shurna
The Knicks have signed forward John Shurna to a one-year, partially guaranteed deal, according to Howard Beck of the New York Times (via Twitter). The former Northwestern star hooked on with the Hawks summer league team after going undrafted in June.
Shurna, 22, averaged 20 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.7 BPG in his final season at Northwestern. Most impressively, Shurna shot 46.3% from the field while draining 44% of his shots from downtown. While he offers an impressive shooting stroke for a 6'8" forward, it remains to be seen what position he can best fill at the next level.