And-Ones: Duncan, Popovich, Collison, Grizzlies
The “prevailing thought” around the league has been that Tim Duncan will retire when his contract expires after the season, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, but Gregg Popovich isn’t so sure. The coach/executive acknowledges that Duncan is liable to walk away from the game at any time, regardless of contract status, but Popovich tells Amick that he doesn’t believe Duncan will do so just yet, given his still-proficient level of play. Nonetheless, Popovich isn’t making promises about his own longevity, and while he confirmed to Amick that the extension he signed this past summer was for five years, the 66-year-old thinks he’ll retire before that time is through. Here’s more from around the league:
- The push for Nick Collison‘s extension with the Thunder came from the team’s side, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com, writing for Daily Thunder. The length of the deal for the Mike Higgins client, which runs one season past the expiration of Kevin Durant‘s contract, makes it clear that the extension is in part an enticement for Durant, who likes Collison, to stay, Young believes. It’s also a signal that the club is on board with paying the luxury tax next season, as Young explains.
- Tyrus Thomas has returned to the D-League affiliate of the Grizzlies after the expiration of his 10-day contract with the franchise’s NBA club, the D-League team announced (on Twitter).
- Free agent Greg Oden reached a plea deal with prosecutors stemming from an August incident, as court documents show, according to Michael Anthony Adams of USA Today. The former No. 1 overall pick pleaded guilty to a felony battery charge and three other charges were dismissed as part of the deal, Adams writes. Oden avoided jail time in sentencing, as Adams’ report also indicates.
Thunder Sign Nick Collison To Extension
12:07pm: Collison’s extension is worth $7.5MM over two seasons, and all of the salary is guaranteed, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
11:10am: The Thunder have signed Nick Collison to a multiyear veteran extension, the team announced via press release. The power forward’s contract was to have expired at season’s end. It’s a two-year deal worth close to $8MM, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Normally, veteran extensions are limited to starting salaries worth no more than 7.5% of what they’re currently making. However, since Collison has been with the Thunder/SuperSonics franchise for more than a decade, and his more than $2.242MM salary this season is less than he made last year, he can sign for more. His starting salary can be up to 107.5% of the average salary in his existing deal, so he could make up to roughly $5.225MM next season, though it appears he’ll still make less than that amount.
“We are excited that Nick Collison will continue his tenure with the Thunder. Since our arrival in 2008, Nick has helped us establish the standards on and off the floor that we work by on a day-to-day basis,” Thunder GM Sam Presti said in the team’s statement. “He has accepted various roles, demonstrated professionalism in all aspects of his craft, and shown a commitment to an organizational philosophy that is rare in sports today. Nick is the type of player that will always be valued in Oklahoma City, and we are thrilled he will continue to be a foundational member of the Thunder moving forward.”
The 34-year-old, who last struck a deal with the Thunder when he signed an extension in November of 2010, was one of the few players around the league eligible to sign another veteran extension. He’s just the seventh player to sign a veteran extension, which is different from a rookie scale extension, since the implementation of the existing collective bargaining agreement in late 2011.
“I’m excited to continue my career with the Thunder, playing here in Oklahoma City. I feel fortunate to be a part of a great organization and to play with a great group of teammates,” Collison said, according to the team’s statement. “Playing in Oklahoma City is unique, it’s a rare combination of a lot of things; great people in the organization starting with ownership, the most loyal fans, the opportunity to win at a high level and a true community impact. It’s been a great professional experience for me since the day I arrived. I’m proud of what we have built together and am grateful to be able to stay with the club and continue our work together.”
The Thunder already had more than $68.7MM in commitments for next season against a protected $66.5MM salary cap, so Oklahoma City wasn’t in position to open cap space even before the extension. However, the move may compromise the Thunder’s flexibility to some degree, since the team would be barred from trading him for six months from today if his extension contains a raise of greater than 4.5%.
Collison, the 12th overall pick in the 2003 draft, has spent his entire career with the Thunder/SuperSonics organization, though he’s seeing fewer minutes per game than he ever has during his pro career. He’s averaging 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per night with 41.6% shooting, all career lows, making the extension quite a surprise, even given the track record of loyalty Collison and the team.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Lamb, Young
Nuggets GM Tim Connelly admitted that his team is “very, very aggressive” as it seeks changes to the roster, and team president Josh Kroenke hinted that it’s a matter of when, not if, Denver will make a move, as Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post details after speaking with both execs. Kroenke said he and the front office understand the problems and how to address them, as Hochman relays.
“Tim and the rest of our staff are working their tails off,” Kroenke said. “And I know exactly what they think and where everything stands with our coaches and players. From my chair, it’s just a matter of time when to make decisions [on possible moves]. A good portion of deals is timing, and unfortunately our time frame has been drawn out due to different circumstances, mostly injuries. But I must say it again, our current state is not acceptable and our fans deserve better.”
There’s more on the Nuggets amid the latest from around the Northwest Division:
- Nuggets GM Tim Connelly told Hochman for the same piece that management is “firmly behind” coach Brian Shaw. Still, Hochman argues that Shaw’s ineffective lineup choices and public criticism of players should be grounds for termination if the team doesn’t become more competitive soon.
- Jeremy Lamb would have been merely a “throw-in” if the Thunder, Hornets and Nets had emerged last month from their three-team talks regarding Brook Lopez with a deal, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Lamb wasn’t a player the Hornets necessarily wanted, Bonnell cautions, adding that the main thrust of the discussion from their end was to find a way to “gracefully” bring an end to Lance Stephenson‘s time in Charlotte (Twitter links).
- Nets GM Billy King said Monday that he’s taking calls, not making them, but the Timberwolves would contend that Brooklyn initiated talks regarding Thaddeus Young, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Still, given the volume of routine calls that take place between executives from opposing teams, just who made the initial call isn’t necessarily an indication of the relative strength of interest that the respective teams have in doing a deal, argues Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
- The Thunder have assigned Mitch McGary to the D-League, the team announced via press release. It’s the third time the No. 21 pick from the 2014 draft has gone to the D-League, but it’s his first assignment since December, as he’s been sidelined with left tibia inflammation.
Nuggets Offer Hickson, McGee For Lopez
12:11pm: The Nets and Nuggets haven’t spoken about Lopez in a week, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
MONDAY, 7:47am: Denver’s offer included one of the 2015 first-round picks the team received in return for Timofey Mozgov last month, sources tell Stein, who writes in a full piece. The Mozgov trade gives Denver the rights to Oklahoma City’s first-round pick this year if it’s No. 19 or lower and Memphis’ first-rounder if it’s anywhere from No. 6 to No. 14.
FRIDAY, 11:20pm: The Nuggets are continuing to attempt to pry Brook Lopez away from the Nets, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Denver has been offering Brooklyn a package of JaVale McGee and J.J. Hickson for Lopez, a deal that the Nets have firmly refused, Stein adds. Chris Mannix of SI.com had reported earlier today that the Nuggets were pursuing Lopez, but were unwilling to part with Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Jusuf Nurkic or Wilson Chandler in a trade. Denver had reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Lopez earlier this month as well.
Denver’s proposed swap would work under the salary cap rules without requiring any additional players to be included. Hickson is making $5,381,750 for this season and is set to earn $5,613,500 in 2015/16. McGee’s 2014/15 salary is $11.25MM, and he is due $12MM for the following season. On the Nets side of the would-be deal, Lopez is earning $15,019,762 this year, and has a player option for 2015/16 for $16,744,218.
The oft-injured McGee has only appeared in 15 games this season for the Nuggets. He is averaging 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per contest. His career numbers are 8.5 PPG and 5.6 RPG. His slash line is .542/.200/.586 in 374 career games. The 29-year-old Hickson has appeared in 39 games for Denver, including five as a starter. He is logging 8.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His shooting numbers for the season are .494/.000/.618.
Lopez has been the subject of numerous trade rumors the past few weeks. The Thunder, Hornets and the Nets were reportedly close to a three-way deal for the center, but the Nets decided that they didn’t want Lance Stephenson in return. The Heat were also noted to have made a bid for Lopez, offering Brooklyn a proposal that reportedly included Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Josh McRoberts. The organization appears to be undecided on whether or not to keep Lopez, but it will likely take a more enticing package than Denver had offered in McGee and Hickson for Brooklyn to budge, though that is just my speculation.
Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 1/25/15-1/31/15
In addition to our weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have added a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap, or the NBA draft? Drop me a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com or @EddieScarito on Twitter. Now for this week’s inquiries:
“The expectations are that Monta Ellis opts out and becomes a free agent this summer. He seems an odd fit with Rajon Rondo in Dallas, as neither player is particularly valuable off the ball. Assuming the Mavs re-sign Rondo and Tyson Chandler, what FA options would pair better with Rondo?” — Jonathan D.
I wouldn’t necessarily close the door on Ellis and Rondo playing well together just yet. They’ve only been paired alongside each other for a short time, and the Mavs are still figuring out how to best utilize a pass-first point guard like Rondo. Plus, Ellis is a 20 point per game scorer who is shooting over 46% from the field, something not easily replaced. Having said that, I’ll now get to your actual question. Looking at this summer’s free agent market, there aren’t many players that would be a clear upgrade over Ellis. There are only three potential free agents who immediately come to mind as interesting replacement ideas should Ellis depart Dallas — Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson, and Jimmy Butler.
Both Jackson and Butler are set to become restricted free agents, which means that their respective teams will have the ability to match any offer sheets that the players sign. Chicago is likely to do whatever it has to do in order to retain Butler, so he’s a real long shot to end up in Dallas. Butler would be a tremendous upgrade over Ellis defensively, but the swingman would be seen as an upgrade on most teams, so that’s hardly a bold statement. I just wouldn’t invest in a Mavs jersey with his name on the back of it anytime soon.
As for Jackson, he wouldn’t perform much differently than Ellis does alongside Rondo. Jackson’s game is also one that demands the ball be in his hands, and he’s too undersized to play the two spot full time. If I’m Dallas, then I’d take Ellis over Jackson, despite Jackson’s youth and upside, because Ellis is the proven commodity. Plus, Jackson isn’t likely to come cheap, and he still hasn’t proven himself as a star-caliber player who will be worthy of such a likely long-term investment. Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t have many seasons left in him, and neither does Chandler. If Rondo re-signs with Dallas, then he’ll have only a short window before he begins his inevitable decline as well. Banking on Jackson’s potential along with with an aging core is a risk that would outweigh the potential reward in the short-term for Dallas.
Dragic has a player option for the 2015/16 season that he isn’t likely to exercise, which means that he’ll be testing out free agency this summer. He’s a strong enough outside shooter to be paired effectively alongside Rondo, and Dragic would be comfortable playing shooting guard full-time. There aren’t many top-flight two-guards set to be on the market this summer, and Ellis has proven his worth in Dallas. If the team decides to allow him to move on this summer, then Dragic is the best free agent replacement option, should he decide to leave Phoenix. But unless the team can somehow snag Butler, or an upgrade via a trade, then keeping Ellis is the wiser move if he’ll agree to a short-term deal.
“What are the chances that Philly trades MCW [Michael Carter-Williams] prior to the trade deadline? Is [GM Sam] Hinkie wise to try and get something for him while he still can, or should he keep MCW?” — Kris L.
The Sixers certainly appear to be willing to deal Carter-Williams if the right opportunity presents itself. But unless the point guard market drastically changes, I don’t see that scenario happening for Philly. MCW’s trade value would have been much higher prior to the season than it is right now. In fact, the Lakers had reportedly offered the No. 7 overall pick and Steve Nash‘s expiring deal for the point guard prior to the 2014 NBA draft. Unfortunately for the Sixers, Hinkie isn’t likely to garner anything close to such a generous offer right now for Carter-Williams. So unless Philadelphia is willing to collect pennies on the dollar for its young player, then the team would be best served to hold onto him for now and try and trade him after the season.
“With Kobe Bryant now out for the year, will the Lakers look to dump everyone by the deadline? Who is the player most likely to be traded?” — Matt E.
I’m not sure who the “everyone” that you refer to are. I’m assuming you meant the team’s appealing veteran players, which Los Angeles doesn’t have an abundance of. I think the Lakers would like nothing more than to clean house and pick up a few useful assets for the future, but they possess precious few players who would be of interest around the league.
Jordan Hill would be the most appealing player that the Lakers have to offer other teams right now. Hill is having himself a solid year, averaging 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and plays a position of need for so many teams. His $9MM salary for next season is a team option, which means that any franchise that acquires him wouldn’t have to lock up its cap space and miss out on this summer’s upcoming free agent frenzy. I definitely see the Lakers fielding some calls about Hill, especially after he went for 26 points and 12 rebounds versus Chicago on Thursday.
I also think Steve Nash‘s expiring $9.7MM contract is likely to be involved in a number of trade discussions prior to the deadline. Expiring deals aren’t worth as much as they used to be, but I can see the Lakers getting involved as a third team in a trade and flipping Nash’s contract for a draft pick or minor asset. Beyond Nash and Hill I just don’t see many opportunities for the Lakers to deal for anything of value.
“What do you see happening with Reggie Jackson? Do the Thunder trade him, and if so, where doe he go?” — Rob V.
I’m not sure that even Thunder GM Sam Presti knows what the team wants to do with Jackson just yet. I’m sure the ghost of the James Harden trade is hanging over Presti’s head when he contemplates whether or not Jackson stays or goes. But I do think that the Thunder should swallow hard and trade him before the deadline. I also believe that OKC will indeed decide to try and find a palatable offer for the young guard. With the way that the team has cut down Jackson’s minutes since acquiring Dion Waiters, I think Oklahoma City is testing out what life would be like without the point guard in its rotation.
As for where Jackson could potentially end up, I see the Knicks, Nets, Heat, Kings, and Lakers as the most likely landing spots. A number of teams will be scared off from making Oklahoma City an offer because of Jackson’s impending restricted free agency, which is understandable. Jackson’s almost certain to be a player who commands more in salary than his track record warrants on his next contract, which isn’t a great selling point for prospective bidders. But he also has the potential to quickly develop into a star, which is why rebuilding teams like New York, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Sacramento may be willing to take on the risk.
If I had to pick one team that would end up with Jackson, the Nets would seem the likeliest bet at this point. The two franchises have already been involved in talks for Brook Lopez, and adding Jackson into that potential mix could prove too tempting an offer for Brooklyn to resist. OKC would get some scoring punch from the pivot, and the Nets would get a young player to pair with Mason Plumlee as the franchise looks to rebuild. If Brooklyn is determined to deal Lopez, a return centering around Jackson wouldn’t be a bad haul.
That’s all the space that I have for this week. Thanks to all those who sent in their questions. I’ll be back next Saturday to answer a whole new batch. So fire away and keep filling up my inbox with your inquiries.
Mannix’s Latest: Allen, Lopez, Nuggets, Thunder
People around the league increasingly believe that Ray Allen already knows the team he would like to play for this season, and that he’s simply deciding whether he wants to play at all, Chris Mannix of SI.com writes. Allen has hinted within the past two weeks that he’s coming back to the NBA, but another more recent report indicated that he’s enjoying time with his family. Mannix has a ton of noteworthy items in his latest weekly column, many of them with a Thunder-centric theme, and we’ll hit the highlights here.
- The Nuggets are still trying to pry Brook Lopez from the Nets with a package centered on JaVale McGee, according to Mannix. Still, Denver doesn’t want to put Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Jusuf Nurkic or Wilson Chandler into any deal, Mannix cautions.
- The Thunder are willing to go deep into the luxury tax this season to acquire Lopez, the SI.com scribe writes. Oklahoma City is unwilling to give up any of its top present-day talent, nor will the team make a move that damages its future as the Thunder look for trade partners who are “desperate,” an opposing GM tells Mannix.
- Reggie Jackson turned down an extension offer from Oklahoma City that would have made him the most highly paid backup in the NBA, a source tells Mannix. Just what sort of salary that would have meant is unclear, since Amar’e Stoudemire has made more appearances off the bench than he has starts on a deal that gives him in excess of $23.4MM this season. Some teams believed at the beginning of the season that there was a decent chance that Jackson would command offers of between $13MM and $14MM in restricted free agency this summer, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote in October.
- Several executives from around the NBA believe it’s conceivable that a five-year max deal for Kevin Durant will be worth some $200MM when he hits free agency in 2016, according to Mannix. Durant will be eligible for a max worth about 35% of the salary cap as a 10-year veteran that summer. Those execs also believe that Durant likes playing in Oklahoma City, as he’s said, Mannix writes.
- Markieff Morris believes he and brother Marcus Morris might have made more money in restricted free agency this summer if they hadn’t signed extensions with the Suns, but Markieff can’t envision ever playing without his twin again, as he tells Mannix.
Kevin Durant Interested In Knicks
12:37pm: An NBA GM cautioned that the Knicks have the same chance at Durant as the Thunder and other contenders, naming the Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and Nets, as the GM said to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
8:38am: Kevin Durant can envision signing with the Knicks when he hits free agency in 2016, a person close to Kevin Durant tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, citing his affection for Carmelo Anthony. Durant is close to Knicks coach and former Thunder teammate Derek Fisher, and, Isola writes, he also admires Knicks GM Steve Mills and assistant GM Allan Houston.
“No question about it,” the person close to Durant told Isola “Kevin loves Carmelo [Anthony]. It could work in New York. But never rule out the Thunder.”
Durant isn’t enamored with Reggie Jackson and is becoming increasingly frustrated with Russell Westbrook, Isola hears. The Knicks tried to acquire Jackson when they and the Thunder participated in a three-team trade earlier this month, and they’re likely to make another run at trading for the guard, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported around the time of the swap. However, the Thunder almost traded Jackson to the Nuggets this week, according to Isola, who says on Twitter that Oklahoma City is “expected” to deal Jackson before the February 19th trade deadline.
Jackson’s set for restricted free agency this summer, while Westbrook’s contract with the Thunder runs one year longer than Durant’s, carrying through 2016/17. Westbrook and Durant have been teammates since the 2008/09 season, but Kevin Love reportedly said that he, Anthony and Durant have spoken, at least casually, about playing together. Love has repeatedly insisted that he’s committed to Cleveland for the long haul, but since the Cavs power forward plans to opt in for next season, that would align his free agency with Durant’s for the summer of 2016, when Anthony will have three years left on his deal with the Knicks. New York only has about $32.3MM in commitments for that summer, when most league executives assume the salary cap will surge to around $90MM.
Still, the Knicks will have plenty of competition for Durant, even if he’s indeed growing tired of some of his Thunder teammates. The Wizards, who play in Durant’s hometown, are more than a pipe dream, even if they are a long shot, as TNT’s David Aldridge wrote this week, pointing out a potential income tax savings for Durant if he plays in D.C. and establishes residency in another state. Durant and Kobe Bryant have spoken of mutual interest in playing with each other, though Bryant has said he’ll probably retire after next season, just when Durant is set to hit free agency. Durant has also publicly backed the Thunder, saying recently that he loves playing for Oklahoma City and that, “There’s just a certain level of pride that I have when I play with that Oklahoma City on my chest.”
Northwest Notes: Nelson, Huestis, Robinson
The Thunder nearly dealt Reggie Jackson to the Nuggets this week, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News wrote overnight in a piece linking Kevin Durant to the Knicks, adding that it’s “expected” that the Thunder will trade Jackson before the deadline. Still, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders wrote earlier this week that he’d heard from executives around the league that the Thunder remain on the fence about trading the soon-to-be restricted free agent guard, and that some within the organization want to hang on to him. Jackson’s trade candidacy, which I examined in greater detail last week, looms as a prominent storyline between now and the trade deadline, which is just three weeks away. Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets want to keep Jameer Nelson around for next season, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Nelson has a player option worth nearly $2.855MM, though he isn’t giving an indication of his plans beyond this year, according to Dempsey. The point guard rebuffed Denver’s entreaties in free agency this past summer thinking he would have a larger role with the Mavs, Dempsey adds. Nelson is seeing slightly fewer minutes per game since arriving in Denver via trade this month than he did with the Mavs.
- An NBA GM from outside Oklahoma City tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that he doesn’t think the Thunder‘s D-League arrangement with Josh Huestis will become a trend. The Thunder don’t see this past year’s 29th overall selection as a star, but they do envision him as a potential rotation player, Deveney writes. That suggests that the Thunder will eventually sign him to a rookie scale contract, but Deveney adds that the team has given Huestis no such assurance.
- Timberwolves coach/executive Flip Saunders wishes he had a roster with enough healthy players so he could send Glenn Robinson III on D-League assignment, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com notes amid his Rookie Ladder rankings. Minnesota has yet to make any D-League assignments this season.
Western Notes: Gasol, Perkins, Bryant
Pau Gasol is glad to be free of the constant trade rumors that surrounded him in his final years with the Lakers, and he hints that the Lakers won’t be among Marc Gasol‘s preferred destinations in free agency this summer, Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding writes. “Marc wants to win a championship,” Pau said. “That’s what he’s looking for. That’s what’s most important to him. I don’t know if you think the Lakers will be in a position to win a championship next year or not. But he knows what he’ll be looking for as a free agent—or maybe he’ll stay in Memphis because they have built a very good team already there with some very good pieces. He’ll know what he wants, and he will be ready to make his decision.”
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Kendrick Perkins believes that he’s done nothing but help the Thunder improve as a team during his time in Oklahoma City, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. “I just have to come out and make sure I do my job,” Perkins said. “I try not to look ahead to free agency. I just try to go out there and compete night in and night out. But ever since I’ve got to Oklahoma City, I feel like I haven’t did anything but help the organization get to where they want to be. The organization has helped me also. So this is a family. If I’m here next year or not, if I leave, I’m going to miss everyone here because we’re like family.” Perkins and his expiring contract were reportedly part of the recent trade talks involving Brook Lopez.
- With Kobe Bryant lost for the remainder of the season, Lakers coach Byron Scott said that the team’s future plans regarding Bryant won’t be known until the summer, Baxter Holmes of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes. “I got to wait until August until we have a good idea of what we’ve brought in and who we bring back,” Scott said. “Then, we go from there.”
- Scott expects the Lakers‘ star to return to action as soon as is humanly possible, and for Bryant to still be active in recruiting free agents this summer, Holmes notes. “But I think the biggest thing with Kobe, as long as [the media is] saying that he’s done, he’s going to come back,” Scott said. “I think he proved his point this year that he still has a lot left in the tank. He’s still one of the best players in the league.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Cunningham, Galloway, Knicks
Jared Cunningham is now in the third D-League stint of his career after being waived by the Sixers. Philadelphia had released the guard earlier this month, shortly after he was acquired from the Clippers for the draft rights to Serhiy Lishchuk. Cunningham is an intriguing NBA prospect who hasn’t been able to catch on with the right team yet, Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “It’s been a difficult process,” Cunningham said of his journey. “But I’ve been able to keep playing basketball and that’s a blessing. It’s all about just finding the right coach and the right team that believes in me. Once that happens, my game will follow.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- An NBA scout intimated that the Sixers made a mistake when they waived Cunningham, especially now that Tony Wroten may be lost for the season due to injury, Ford notes. “There are a lot of NBA teams that might want to try and let him grow into his game,” one league scout told Ford. “It would have made sense for the Sixers to keep him, but they didn’t. He might not be a pure point guard, but is Tony Wroten a pure point guard?“
- Langston Galloway‘s deal with the Knicks is non-guaranteed for the 2015/16 campaign, but if he’s still on the roster past July 1st, then $220K of his $845K salary will become guaranteed, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter links). If Galloway remains on New York’s roster past September 15th, then another $220K of his salary will become guaranteed, totaling $440K, Pincus adds.
- The Knicks should look to sign JaMychal Green to a 10-day deal instead of retaining Lance Thomas or Louis Amundson, Keith Schlosser of SNY.tv opines. Schlosser believes that New York needs to begin taking a look at younger players who have upside, instead of continuing to give minutes to players such as Amundson, whose ceilings have already been established.
- There are two reasons why Kevin Durant isn’t likely to join the Knicks when he hits free agency in 2016, Fred Kerber of The New York Post writes. Kerber cites Durant’s lack of desire for the spotlight that comes along with playing in a major market like New York and the Thunder’s exclusive ability to offer a fifth contract year as impediments to Durant donning a Knicks jersey via free agency.