Stein On Kaman, Andersen, Jennings, Smith
In this week's installment of his Weekend Dime, ESPN.com's Marc Stein names his picks for the NBA's first-half awards. LeBron James and Chris Paul highlight the list as the East and West MVPs, respectively, while Jeremy Lin makes an appearance as the league's Most Improved Player.
After making his choices for the pre-All-Star awards, Stein also shares a few notes on the trade market, so let's round up the highlights:
- Chris Kaman is a "near lock" to be dealt by March 15th. This isn't good news for the Heat, who were hoping to pursue Kaman if the Hornets bought out his contract after the trade deadline, but it's not a surprise — Kaman has some value and it sounds like there are teams with interest.
- Chris Andersen has received increased minutes lately with Nene Hilario and Timofey Mozgov out of action, but the Nuggets are open to dealing the Birdman. Any potential trade partner would have to take on the two years and $9MM+ that will still remain on Andersen's contract after this season.
- Brandon Jennings' comments last week about eventually exploring his free agent options haven't altered the Bucks' perception of him as a franchise cornerstone. According to Stein, Jennings' comments "struck many observers as an ill-conceived frustration rant" after the Bucks guard wasn't named to the Eastern All-Stars.
- While J.R. Smith will receive the full amount the Knicks have left on their mini mid-level exception (approximately $2.38MM), his 2011/12 NBA earnings will only work out to about $1.92MM due to the lockout pro-ration.
Knicks Notes: Smith, Balkman, Bibby, Lin, Fields
It's been a busy day already for the Knicks, who appear poised to officially announce that they've signed J.R. Smith and waived Renaldo Balkman. As New York looks for its eighth straight win tonight, let's round up a few links that address the impact of the team's latest moves. And don't worry, there's a Jeremy Lin update too….
- Sam Amick of SI.com reports (via Twitter) that Smith will receive $2.3MM for this season and a $2.4MM player option for next year. The numbers are slightly different than what Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier.
- The addition of Smith doesn't mean the Knicks are done looking for upgrades, tweets Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
- Coach Mike D'Antoni indicated he'll work Smith into the rotation slowly and that Landry Fields will still continue to start at the two guard for now, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- With Baron Davis' return date still up in the air, Howard Beck of the New York Times tweets that the team decided to waive Balkman because they need Mike Bibby to back up Lin.
- In a piece for ESPN.com, CBA guru Larry Coon explains in detail how the Knicks can re-sign both Lin and Fields this summer.
Knicks To Sign J.R. Smith
12:31pm: An official announcement is being delayed due to the FIBA paperwork required to clear Smith, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post.
11:33am: The Knicks' offer to Smith includes a $2.5MM player option for next season, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. We heard yesterday that such an option could be a factor in Smith's decision. I don't expect him to exercise it, but it provides some security in case he underperforms or gets injured this season.
While the two sides appear to have reached an agreement, the contract has yet to be signed, adds Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
9:11am: Jeremy Lin and the Knicks will head into tonight's contest against the Hornets with the knowledge that more reinforcements are on the way. The Knicks have agreed to sign J.R. Smith, as Smith himself confirmed on his always-informative Twitter account, tweeting "New York Knicks It Is!" The team is expected to make the deal official later today.
Smith, 26, signed a $3MM contract with China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls during the NBA lockout. The deal didn't include an opt-out clause, and only allowed Smith to return to the NBA when the season ended for his CBA club. Although Smith led the league in scoring, averaging 34.4 PPG, the Golden Bulls finished the season with a 15-17 record and didn't qualify for the postseason. The team played its last regular season game on Wednesday, with Smith returning to America shortly thereafter.
In seven NBA seasons with the Hornets and Nuggets, Smith has averaged 12.5 points and 1.8 threes in 23.9 minutes per game. Smith will bring his dangerous outside shooting (career .371 3PT%) to a Knicks squad that should also have Carmelo Anthony returning soon to join Lin, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler.
The Clippers were also recruiting Smith aggressively, but the Knicks had the advantage of having more money available to offer. Smith is expected to receive a pro-rated portion of New York's mini mid-level exception, while Los Angeles could only offer him the pro-rated veteran's minimum, having used their mini MLE to sign Kenyon Martin. As Larry Coon explained yesterday, the difference between the two offers could amount to about $1.7MM.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News first reported the Knicks were closing in on a deal with Smith, while Newsday's Al Iannazzone confirmed the agreement following Smith's tweet. Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that the team is expected to waive Renaldo Balkman to clear a spot on the roster, though no move has been announced yet.
Knicks Waive Renaldo Balkman
The Knicks have waived Renaldo Balkman, according to a tweet from Balkman himself. The Knicks were carrying a full roster of 15 players, so the move clears a spot for the newly-signed J.R. Smith, who also broke his own news on Twitter today.
Balkman, 27, was initially drafted 20th overall by the Knicks in 2006 before being traded to the Nuggets two years later. He made his way back to New York in last season's blockbuster Carmelo Anthony deal, but didn't see much playing time with the Knicks, appearing in just 17 games for the club over the last year. In 221 career contests, Balkman has averaged 4.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in just under 14 minutes per game.
Balkman's contract includes a guaranteed $1.675MM for 2012/13, so the Knicks will still be in the hook for that full amount unless the 6'8" forward signs elsewhere. If Balkman is not claimed on waivers, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.
Knicks Closing In On Deal With J.R. Smith
FRIDAY, 7:50am: The Knicks are expected to add Smith in time for him to make his debut on Sunday, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman says Renaldo Balkman is the most likely candidate to be waived to clear a roster spot.
THURSDAY, 5:50pm: Alex Kennedy from HoopsWorld (via Twitter) just spoke with Smith, who confirmed he is nearing a deal with the Knicks.
5:35pm: ESPN.com's resident Collective Bargaining Agreement expert Larry Coon tweets that the pro-rated veteran's minimum that the Clippers can offer is worth $656,370 today versus $2,358,871 for the mini mid-level exception. According to Coon, this is because the mini mid-level exception didn't start pro-rating until February 10, whereas the veteran's minimum began pro-ration on December 26. In other words, the difference is bigger than we thought.
4:34pm: The Clippers "still think they have a shot" to sign Smith, a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. Smith is expected to make a decision one way or the other within a day or so.
11:52am: The Knicks are closing in on an agreement with J.R. Smith, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Isola reports that Smith's agent, Leon Rose, met with MSG chairman James Dolan Wednesday night to attempt to finalize a deal. Mike Bibby, Renaldo Balkman or Toney Douglas are the likely candidates to be released if Smith joins the Knicks.
As we heard earlier today, the Knicks appear to be vying with the Clippers for Smith, who returned to America from China in the last 24 hours. One advantage the Knicks have over L.A. is the availability of their pro-rated $2.5MM mini mid-level exception. The Clippers could only offer Smith the pro-rated veteran's minimum for the rest of this season. The Knicks could also add a player option for next year to their offer; while Smith would likely decline it and become an unrestricted free agent, it would provide a level of security.
Smith requires a letter of clearance from FIBA before he can officially finalize a contract with an NBA team.
Kyler’s Latest: Brand, Love, Lin, Anthony
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld fielded questions from his followers on Twitter this morning, focusing on everyone's favorite topics — Jeremy Lin and Dwight Howard. In addition to his morning tweets, Kyler also has an NBA AM piece up at HoopsWorld that includes a few interesting tidbits. Here are some of the highlights:
- 76ers forward Elton Brand has an early termination option for 2012/13 worth about $18.16MM which will almost certainly be picked up. He intends to keep playing well past next season though, if his body allows it: "Everything hurts now but I still love playing the game and it's a joy coming out and competing against the best guys every night and having some success with the team, it feels good."
- Kevin Love says the presence of Rick Adelman is a big reason why he signed a long-term extension with the Timberwolves: "He's allowed me to play with a lot of confidence and he's a coach that I enjoy playing for and I think everyone will say that in this locker room."
- Addressing some Knicks trade speculation that has arisen since Lin's emergence, Kyler says it's way too early to talk about trading either Lin or Carmelo Anthony. While Kyler acknowledges that Carmelo is a tradable asset, he says the Knicks need to see the two players on the court together before jumping to any conclusions. I think this goes without saying — I don't expect we'll see Anthony leaving the Knicks anytime soon. I'm betting he and Lin will co-exist better that people are anticipating.
Clippers, Knicks Frontrunners for J.R. Smith
While J.R. Smith has been linked to practically half the teams in the NBA at this point, the Clippers and Knicks are the frontrunners for his services, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Magic GM Otis Smith tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that his team isn't considering Smith.
Smith recently listed the Clippers, Knicks, Magic on his Twitter profile along with the Lakers, Bulls, and Pacers, leading to speculation that he could be choosing between those six teams. Currently, however, only the Clips, Knicks, and Lakers remain mentioned on his page.
The Clippers have been actively recruiting Smith, with Chris Paul confident about the team's chances and Vinny Del Negro saying a phone call with Smith yesterday went "very, very well." The Knicks, however, could offer Smith more money this season, along with a player option for next year. Both L.A. teams could only guarantee Smith the pro-rated veteran's minimum for the remainder of the season. According to Shelburne, the security of having a 2012/13 option with the Knicks could factor into Smith's decision.
Having just returned from his season in China, Smith still requires a FIBA letter of clearance before he's free to sign with an NBA team.
Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Carmelo, Sixers, Celtics
- Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News mentioned (via Twitter) a possible return of Nets center Brook Lopez before the All-Star break. Also, Colin Stephenson of The Star-Ledger tweeted that Jordan Farmar did not suit up for tonight's game due to a strained right groin.
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York writes that Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony could return as early as Friday's game against the Hornets.
- Bob Cooney of Philly.com discusses the uncertainty of how active the Sixers will be in the trade market before the deadline.
- Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com touches upon the durability of Kevin Garnett, the trade value of Jermaine O'Neal, and the current state of the Celtics.
- Linas Kleiza is out of the Raptors lineup after injuring himself during Tuesday's game against the Knicks, according to a tweet by Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
Knicks Notes: Lin, Novak, D’Antoni, Grunwald
After tonight's performance against the Raptors, it doesn't look like the attention surrounding Jeremy Lin is going to decrease anytime soon. Lin turned the ball over quite a bit in the first half but wound up with 27 points, 11 assists, and the game winning shot. Here's more on the Knicks..
- Before Lin, the D-League's Erie BayHawks' top alum was Hawks forward Ivan Johnson, writes Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog. Johnson averaged 22.6 points in 49 games with the BayHawks before getting his opportunity with Atlanta this year.
- While Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has a hand in the club's personnel decisions, the signings of Lin and Novak were driven by interim General Manager Glen Grunwald, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Grunwald has kept a low profile since accepting the position over the summer but has quietly revamped the Knicks roster.
- Howard Beck of the New York Times writes that contrary to speculative reports, D’Antoni was not in danger of being fired when the Knicks were spiraling earlier this year. By all indications, the Knicks are prepared to let him finish the season.
- Lin has reignited the Knicks this year but the point guard could have wound up as a Raptor, writes Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. Team president Bryan Colangelo liked Lin in pre-draft workouts in 2010 and also had him in mind at one point this season.
- Several factors are at play when it comes to how much Lin can earn in a new contract this summer, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. A new provision in the collective bargaining agreement allows players who achieve certain playing-time benchmarks to land a higher qualifying offer. In Lin's case, the highest qualifying offer he could get under these new rules would be about $2.7MM.
Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Kaman, Lin
D.J. White, whom the Bobcats acquired from the Thunder nearly a year ago, isn't seeing much playing time, and that's because of a glut of power forwards, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. If the Bobcats are overloaded with quality players, it isn't showing up in their record, now 3-25 after a loss to the Sixers tonight. Justin Kubatko of The New York Times examines the ineptitude of the team and deems it a black mark on owner Michael Jordan's reputation. Sixers coach Doug Collins, who coached Jordan with the Bulls and Wizards, wonders how the ultra-competitive Jordan can take it, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports.
More notes from around the NBA on Monday night:
- Pistons center Ben Wallace, 37, is not reconsidering his decision to retire after this season, notes Eric Lacy of the Detroit News.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is upset with the NBA over the Chris Paul trade this year, believing the league-owned Hornets would have been better off having Paul leave via free agency, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas.
- Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area tweets that Hornets center Chris Kaman could be a trade target of the Warriors.
- Warriors GM Larry Riley is one of the many who underestimated Jeremy Lin, predicting he would be a backup at best, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
- Lin is having a tangible effect on the financial value of his team. Shares of the Madison Square Garden Company, which owns the Knicks, the arena and the TV network that shows the team's games locally, have hit a record high, Ken Belson of The New York Times reports.
- Ben Uzoh, recently signed to a 10-day contract, is impressing Cavs coach Byron Scott, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Jerry Reinsdorf's son Michael has been taking a more active role with the Bulls lately, but don't assume that means he'll eventually succeed his father as owner, writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPN Chicago.
- The Heat took a flyer on Eddy Curry before the season, and so far he has contributed little. Still, his slow progress doesn't disturb coach Erik Spoelstra, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.