Oklahoma City Thunder Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Brooks: Thunder May Still Re-Sign Derek Fisher

September 20th, 2012 at 10:34am CST by Luke Adams

With training camps approaching, veteran point guard Derek Fisher remains on the free agent market, and we heard last week that the odds of him returning to the Thunder are "remote." However, Thunder coach Scott Brooks didn't rule out the possibility when talking to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times. According to Brooks, the situation is fluid and there's still a chance Oklahoma City could re-sign Fisher.

With Eric Maynor set to return from an ACL injury, the Thunder will have three point guards on the roster without Fisher — Maynor and Reggie Jackson are set to back up All-Star Russell Westbrook. Still, the Thunder only have 14 guaranteed contracts on their books, so there's room to add one more player. And it sounds as if Brooks would love to have Fisher back.

"Just being around him, I can tell why he's loved by so many people and why the Lakers won so many championships," Brooks said. "He puts everything he has into every possession, every practice and every game. In our practices, he is 37 and he did everything we asked, every drill and every possession. He practices every day. It was great. I don't think we could've gone as far as we did without him. I thought he was terrific and I love him. I really have a lot of respect for him."

Brooks added that he leaves the team's personnel decisions up to GM Sam Presti. Presti and the Thunder still have a good chunk of their mid-level exception available, but if the team were to make an offer to Fisher, I'd expect it to be for the veteran's minimum.

Aldridge On Harden, Thunder, Seattle, Williams

September 17th, 2012 at 5:38pm CST by Zachary Links

In today's column, David Aldridge of NBA.com runs down the particulars of one of the more fascinating off-the-court battles the league has encountered in its history. The Silnas brothers, the former owners of the Spirit of St. Louis, rejected a $3MM flat buyout offer in 1976 from the four ABA teams that got to make the leap to the Association. Instead, they opted for a one-seventh share of the TV money earned by the Nets, Spurs, Pacers, and Nuggets. While the sliver of the pie wasn't worth much 26 years ago, it has now given the Silnas brothers a whopping $250MM+ with no end in sight. Now, the brothers are set for battle with the league as they also demand a cut of international TV money, League Pass, and other broadcast revenue streams. While a good chunk of NBA teams struggle to get in the black, the former Spirit of St. Louis owners have managed to rake in major money for more than a quarter-century. Here's more from Aldridge..

The Thunder have carved out a tremendously strong and loyal fan base in Oklahoma City, but their financial limitations will make it difficult to keep James Harden long-term. As a small-market club, they do not have a local television on the same scale as a team like the Lakers, who are receiving roughly $200MM more per year under their contract. OKC is also the second-smallest city in the US with a professional team, meaning that they cannot milk their season ticket holders for more money or press corporate sponsors for larger suite and signage deals. However, Aldridge notes that the Thunder can look to the Spurs as inspiration – R.C. Buford & Co. have faced similar circumstances but managed to build a perennial contender by making sacrifices along the way.
According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations between investor Chris Hansen and the city of Seattle, the NBA has informally indicated that if he is successful in buying a team and moving it to Seattle, the league could live with the team playing temporarily at Key Arena until a new facility is ready. Last week, a major stumbling block was removed in Hansen's effort to get Seattle to approve a new arena for an NBA team and final approval would appear to be a formality.
Deron Williams says that he opted to re-sign with the Nets in part because things finally appear to be stable for the franchise from top to bottom. After ten years of limbo in New Jersey, the Nets finally ironed things out in Brooklyn and got the Barclays Center ready for the 2012/13 season. The Nets also appear to have stability on the court with a strong core group in place.

Odds & Ends: Bucks, Thabeet, Redd

September 17th, 2012 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A few Monday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:

Marquis Daniels, Rasual Butler, and Rodney Carney were among the free agents in attendance at a workout hosted by the Bucks, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Hasheem Thabeet spoke to John Rohde of the Oklahoman about the opportunity he has with the Thunder this season to earn playing time and reach his potential.
Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe takes a look at Dionte Christmas, who he believes has a good chance to make the Celtics' roster with a strong training camp.
Despite rumblings that the Grizzlies might be eyeing Michael Redd, Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says Memphis hasn't expressed any interest in the veteran two guard.
Assistant coaches Lloyd Pierce and Bob Thornton have verbally agreed to one-year deals with the Grizzlies for the coming season, tweets Tillery.
Michael Scotto of RealGM.com spoke to Reggie Williams, who is entering a contract year with the Bobcats, about Williams' improbable path to the NBA.

Northwest Links: Williams, Roy, Harden, Jazz

September 14th, 2012 at 10:11pm CST by Alex Lee

The Blazers announced, via Twitter, that Elliot Williams underwent successful surgery on his left Achilles tendon today and will miss the entirety of the 2012-13 season. Williams ruptured his Achilles on Tuesday during a voluntary workout, which is the latest misfortune for the snakebitten former Memphis Tiger. CSN Northwest has more details on the surgery here. Here are some other links from the Northwest Division:

Brandon Roy said on Thursday that he wants to "come in and make an impact right away" for the Timberwolves, writes Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press. Roy has expressed confidence all offseason: "I want to be ready to deliver. A lot of people think I'm going to be limited. I tell them, 'Go ahead and think that way.' I'm not cautious about anything. I'm confident everything will go well." I asked readers a month ago how Roy would fare this year, and about half of you thought he'd average around 10 points per game.
The staff at HoopsWorld published their season preview for the Timberwolves, complete with strengths, weaknesses and predictions. The consensus is that Minnesota will finish right smack in the middle of the Northwest, which would be an improvement from last year's last place finish.
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News looks at five scenarios in play for James Harden and the Thunder. He predicts that the team will wait until next summer to re-sign him as a restricted free agent, getting rid of Kendrick Perkins and others to clear the necessary cap space to do so.
Ben Golliver of CBS Sports gives his offseason report card for the Jazz. He gives Utah a B, concluding that it was a typically quiet but effectively offseason for the team. Golliver says that hiring Dennis Lindsey as their GM was a coup, especially considering the similarity in markets and the amount of current Jazz players that may hit free agency soon.

Perkins: Thunder, Harden “Getting Close”

September 13th, 2012 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 1:51pm: Contrary to Perkins' "report," the Thunder and Harden aren't close to an extension agreement, according to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (via Twitter). The two sides are talking and Harden wants to stay in Oklahoma City, but he's also seeking a max contract, says Broussard.

WEDNESDAY, 5:10pm: The James Harden rumors have been heating up this week, from Thunder GM Sam Presti hinting that an extension will be difficult to a Marc Stein report suggesting the Mavericks and Rockets are among the teams hoping to get a chance to land Harden. The latest to weigh in on the All-Star guard's contract situation? Teammate Kendrick Perkins, as Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman tweets.

"We're getting close with James," Perkins said (Twitter link). "And we're getting close to keeping our unit together."

Perkins doesn't necessarily have any inside info on extension negotiations, and could just be expressing optimism about the Thunder's chances of retaining Harden. But it still sounds like welcome news for OKC fans that don't want to see the team's core broken up at all in the next year. As I outlined when I passed along Presti's comments yesterday, the Thunder's cap situation will make it tricky to give Harden a fair deal without heading well into luxury-tax territory.

I looked at Harden as an extension candidate a few weeks back, though my analysis came before Oklahoma City agreed to a long-term deal with Serge Ibaka.

Amick On Martin, Fisher, Fesenko, Williams

September 12th, 2012 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to reporting that Matt Barnes is closing in on a deal with the Clippers, SI.com's Sam Amick shared updates on a handful of other free agents in his latest piece. Let's dive in and round up a few highlights from the SI.com scribe:

Most, if not all, of the teams interested in Kenyon Martin only have interest at the veteran's minimum. The Lakers and Celtics were among the teams in play earlier in the offseason, but now Amick wonders if Martin will wait until midseason or even retire if he doesn't find a situation he likes.
Derek Fisher may be in the same boat as Martin, with retirement or signing halfway through the season both potentially in play. Fisher turned down an offer from the Bulls before Chicago signed Nate Robinson, and the chances of the veteran point guard returning to the Thunder are "remote."
Kyrylo Fesenko is scheduled to work out with the Spurs next week, and may work out for the Cavaliers after that. The Hawks and Heat have also been in touch with the big man.
The Pistons will work out Terrence Williams this week. The Mavericks and Celtics are also believed to have interest in Williams.

Thunder Sign DeAndre Liggins

September 12th, 2012 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have officially signed DeAndre Liggins and Andy Rautins, according to a team release. We had heard that Rautins would receive a camp invite on a non-guaranteed deal, but the agreement with Liggins wasn't previously reported. I would guess Liggins will be a non-guaranteed contract as well.

Liggins, 24, spent his rookie season with the Magic after being drafted 53rd overall in 2011. The Kentucky product didn't see much action in Orlando, recording 115 total minutes in 17 games with the club. The team elected not to tender him a qualifying offer this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Thunder have 14 players on guaranteed deals, so it appears likely that Daniel Orton, Hollis Thompson, Liggins, and Rautins will be competing for the team's final roster spot.

Rockets, Mavs Interested In James Harden

September 12th, 2012 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

As the October 31st extension deadline approaches and we wait to see whether the Thunder and James Harden can work out a long-term deal, it seems rival suitors are already surfacing in the event that Harden reaches restricted free agency. According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Rockets and Mavericks are "huge Harden fans" and are candidates to sign him to a loaded offer sheet next summer.

Thunder GM Sam Presti talked about a potential extension for Harden earlier this week, and his comments suggested that it won't be easy to complete a deal, with compromises required on both sides. As Stein tweets, Harden is a "virtual lock" to receive a max offer sheet in restricted free agency, so he'd likely be accepting a discount if he signed an extension for anything less than that.

Unlike Oklahoma City, the Rockets and Mavericks are both in position to clear a good deal of cap space for next summer's free agent period. Houston has Kevin Martin's $12.44MM contract, among others, coming off its books, while many of the Mavs' summer acquisitions are on expiring deals. Both teams, along with the Suns and others, could be in competition for Harden's services if he becomes a free agent, though the Thunder would still have the right to match any offers.

If Oklahoma City becomes convinced that keeping Harden is impossible, the team could also entertain trade offers prior to this year's deadline, but I'd be shocked if Presti broke up the defending Western Conference champs. Stein confirms that a trade isn't in the cards at this point, tweeting that the Thunder "so far, won't entertain such thoughts."

Odds & Ends: Anderson, Mbenga, Heat, Harden

September 11th, 2012 at 10:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

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.

Northwest Rumors: Williams, Stotts, Roy, Conroy

September 11th, 2012 at 8:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Blazers caught a tough break today, as guard Elliot Williams tore his left ACL during a voluntary workout, The Oregonian's Joe Freeman reports. He'll have surgery, but there's no date set for that and no timetable for his recovery (Twitter links). Williams missed his entire rookie year because of surgery on both knees, and this past season ended prematurely for him because of a dislocated left shoulder. He's played in only 24 games since the team drafted him 22nd overall in 2010, and though the $1.443MM he'll receive on his rookie scale contract this year is guaranteed, the Blazers have until October 31st to decide whether to pick up their option on his $2.374MM for 2013/14. There's more out of Portland tonight, along with news on other Northwest Division clubs:

Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge speculates that the Blazers could choose to waive Williams now and pay his guarantee anyway, as they did with Jeff Pendergraph in 2010 (Sulia link).
New Blazers coach Terry Stotts spoke with the team's broadcasters and had plenty to say about LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard and the transition into his new job, and Golliver has a transcript of the video that's on TrailBlazers.TV.
Mark Remme of Timberwolves.com checks in on Brandon Roy, who's begun workouts with Wolves coaches.
Will Conroy, Roy's close friend and former college teammate, tweeted about his excitement to join Roy in Minnesota, perhaps indicating that a training camp invite from the Wolves is in the offing (hat tip to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News). Conroy briefly spent time with the Grizzlies, Clippers and Rockets, but only has 12 career NBA games and hasn't appeared in the league since 2009/10.
The Idaho Stampede, the Blazers' D-League affiliate, has hired Michael Peck, a high school coach at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, as its new coach, Golliver reports (Twitter link). He beat out former Blazers assistant coach Dan Dickau, who was also reportedly a candidate for the post.
Thunder GM Sam Presti shared his thoughts on an extension for James Harden, as we noted earlier today.